Chapter 2

All she could feel was pain, sorrow and regret. Her heart was broken by the only man she'll ever love and had learned to love. He was the one who denied her love, not once but twice. He broke her trust, her friendship and her weeping soul. And yet he wished upon the jewel for her very existence. His name was Inuyasha. She could not understand why this half-demon would want to cause her so much misery, yet she also feared for the answer. Ironically enough, the hanyou who vowed to protect and love her, was the reason for her to be on this bed right now, to be sinned and tainted more than any demon or human.

This thought make her shoulders quiver, of not sadness, but of anger. She wished for her formal lover's death more than anything else in this world, all she wanted was to bring him to hell with her before she died. And perhaps, that was what she could do, of course, not alone, but with the help from a certain hatred-filled demon. She knew how Sesshomaru and Inuyasha felt about each other and she was planning to make it for her own advantages. As this plot was formed in the priestess's intelligent mind, she grinned at her flawless masterpiece. She shall put this scheme to plan the very next morning, but right now, she needed rest and she was not afraid to admit it.

Morning arrived in a blink of a blink of an eye and Kikyou was shaken awake by the early rays. Sleep did her much good, since she felt much better and was able to sit up and walk slowly out the door. And that she did, not only out the door, but all the way down the dark halls. It must have been very early, because the candles from last night were still burning. As Kikyou wandered down the hallways, she could not help but be amazed at how grand and detailed they looked. Every inch of the walls were covered with beautiful wall carvings that seemed to tell a story with each image. Kikyou's narrowed eyes traced every picture as her imagination carried her miles away.

"Interesting, aren't they?" a cold voice interrupted Kikyou's thoughts.

"Indeed," the priestess turned around and looked into the demon lord's hard eyes, "They make me think."

"Would you care to tell me what?" Lord Sesshomaru cocked an eyebrow while searching for the answer in her pupils.

Kikyou smirked and returned her attention back to the carvings, "About everything, my present, my past, my death, my afterlife…"

"And why on earth you are here right now?" Sesshomaru interrupted.

"Yeah… come to think of it, you never told me what happened yesterday," Kikyou narrowed her eyes and glared at the white-haired demon.

"I found you in the woods, unconscious in a pool of blood while still griping a knife," Sesshomaru spoke without a trace of emotion, "I'm sure for saving your pitiful life, I deserve at least an explanation."

Kikyou frowned, she didn't want to have such a proud demon thinking at she was some kind of coward, no she shall not tell her reason that easily, "I was bored."

"Bored? I'm sure you wouldn't put yourself into such life-risking danger just because you're bored…" Lord Sesshomaru mussed out loud.

Kikyou could feel her own nails digging into her palms. How dared he speak like that when he obviously knew that something was wrong! How dared he harm her pride without one trace of emotion! Why did she even care! Why was this demon able to anger her like this! Was she really this weak!

"Physical pain is nothing compared to the sorrow in one's heart! But of course, you wouldn't know that because you have never felt anything, you're as cold as ice!" Kikyou burst out. Angry tears were forming in her fiery eyes without her knowing. She had long forgotten how do cry. So as her throat tightened and tears flooded down her cheeks, she couldn't do a thing to prevent the rush of emotions.

"You have not answered my question!" the Demon Prince suddenly felt a shock of anger flow into his body as well.

"I don't need to," Kikyou choked out. "If you have any brains at all, you would have already figured it out."

He suddenly reached out and lifted Kikyou up by her collar and slammed her fragile body against the cold stone wall. As her back made contact with the hardness, a cracking sound rang through the halls, signaling he had broken her bones. A yell of agony trailed right after, forcing Lord Sesshomaru to drop her twitching body. He kicked her in the stomach twice before turning around and leaving the priestess in a pool of red once again.

Kikyou used all her strength to try to stand up, but her back was refusing to follow the command. When she collapsed for the third time, she had completely given up hope. She knew she deserved it. Actually she was rather grateful for the beating. This made her soul harden. Never again shall she display a sense of weakness.

Suddenly, from a distance, Kikyou heard the sound of footsteps. They sounded light, yet quick, like a running child. Who could that be? Then it clicked. Rin! Kikyou panicked, what would happen if Rin saw her like this! No, she would not allow such an innocent child view this gruesome sight! So Kikyou used all her remaining strength and crawled into a nearby doorway which she thought was a closet.

When she heard the footsteps ran pass her hiding place, she sighed in relief. But as she turned her head, expecting some buckets and brooms, she gasped in utter surprise…