Strangers and Secrets

Chapter 2

They found a room in a small village, thanks to Hendomé being able to charm the landlady. Inuyasha, as he was starting to do more and more, sulked in a corner for most of the night.

When Hendomé stepped out for a moment, Kagome picked up a bowl of rice and brought it to Inuyasha.

"Oh, Inuyasha, you're being silly. Why are you so mean to Hengomé? Don't you know that you catch more flies with honey than with vinegar?"

"Why would I wanna catch flies?" he growled sullenly.

"Don't be silly. It's a figure of speech. It means you'll get farther with kindness than cruelty. Oh, never mind. Come on, Inuyasha, you have to eat something. You need to keep up your strength."

"Oh, really? I need to keep up my strength? Why? Can't Hendomé keep us safe? He just seems so wonderful; I can't imagine how we ever got by without him!" He had gotten louder with every word, and ended up jumping around and yelling.

"Wow, Inuyasha, I didn't think you liked me at all!" a voice called from the doorway. "It's nice to know you have so much confidence in me!" Hendomé grinned, broad and innocent.

CRASH!

Inuyasha fell sideways, smashing onto the floor and twitching.

"Sarcasm is lost on him," he muttered.

►♦◄

Kagome couldn't sleep. She lay staring at the ceiling, trying to relax, but something didn't feel right. Getting up, she walked to the window and stood looking at the stars. Suddenly, she felt a hand on her arm and turned to find Hendomé smiling down at her. Slowly, he slipped his arm around her and pulled her to him. She started to ask him what he was doing, but he put his finger to her lips to stop her, and she suddenly was overpowered by a sickly-sweet smell. As she drifted into unconsciousness, one thought pierced through the mists.

'Inuyasha! Help me!'

►♦◄

He was walking through the forest. It was spring, because the flowers were beginning to bloom. Something was missing. He was looking but couldn't find it…he didn't know what it was, but it was missing.

"Inuyasha." The voice drifted over the sun warmed hillsides, drawing him in. He turned his footsteps, heading for the gentle pull of the woman's voice.

"Inuyasha!" The woman's voice became more urgent, and Inuyasha hurried faster.

Soon the voice seemed almost desperate, calling, "Inuyasha! Help me!"

"I'm coming! Where are you? Where…"

With a thump, Inuyasha's foot collided with the wall. He spluttered awake, tangled up in a blanket with a rapidly darkening bruise on his foot. Yowling, he hopped up, holding his throbbing foot. His head cleared by the abrupt pain, he looked around. Where was Kagome? Her pallet lay on the floor, blankets mussed and tangled.

'She didn't sleep well,' he realized. Sniffing, he followed her trail to the window. Another scent joined hers.

"Hendomé," he snarled. Over everything was a pungent, sickly smell. Inuyasha felt his head growing light and his eyelids getting heavy. Desperately, he jumped out the window.

He stood in the cool night air, and a familiar scent, faint but unmistakable, drifted to him on the breeze.

"Kagome!" he cried, bounding into the trees.

►♦◄

"Ungh…" Kagome groaned. Was this a dream, or a horrid reality?

"Am I even alive?" she wondered aloud.

"Ha, poor girl, of course you're alive. You'd be no use to me dead," said a condescending voice.

Hendomé appeared, laughter written across his handsome face, although it didn't reach his ice-hard eyes.

"Hendomé," she asked, "Why are you doing this? We treated your wounds, took you with us, we thought you were our friend! Why did you rescue us from that demon if you were going to turn against us?" She paused only to breathe, looking around.

"Where's Inuyasha? Is he alright? Did you hurt him?"

Hendomé's laughter faded, leaving his face sinister and unfeeling.

"Silly girl, why would I do that? It makes absolutely no sense! Of course I haven't hurt Inuyasha…"

She sighed in relief, until she saw an evil sneer curl one corner of his mouth.

"…Yet."