Happy Thanksgiving! This is the last major chapter of this story, aside from an epilogue if you want it. The epilogue will spoil the sequel, so caution is advised! Enjoy the chapter and enjoy the holiday!
Kagome eased into consciousness with a massive headache, her memories immediately failing to tell her where she was and how she got here. She was lying on a wood bench, her body aching something fierce and positioned like she'd been tossed onto the wood with no care.
"Inuyasha?" She whispered, not recognizing the room around her. The only door in the room opened, and a demon stepped inside. She didn't recognize him, with reptilian features and a clearly receding hairline. He chuckled darkly upon seeing her awake.
"Excellent, you're awake just in time for me to begin my hair potion."
"Your what?!" Kagome's face scrunched up, certain she hadn't just heard him say hair potion. She was no one's hair potion!
The door opened again, and another demon stepped inside with handsome features and long, dark hair. It took a minute for Kagome to recognize him, but when she did, the memory of him kidnapping her came flooding back.
"You kidnapped me!" She barked angrily, glaring fiercely. The demon stalked closer and grabbed her chin harshly, causing Kagome to wince.
"You're lucky I didn't kill you on the spot; you slayer bitch. You'll pay for what you did to us!"
"Slayer? What are you talking about? I'm not a demon slayer!" The demon looked confused for a second, then his face contorted in anger.
"Nice try bitch! I can smell you clearly as when you scarred both of us while rescuing that damn fox kit! Don't think you can fool us!"
"Smell closer idiot. I'm a demon's mate, and he's not going to be happy you kidnapped me!" The demon grabbed her harshly by the front of her robe and pulled her closer; inhaling deeply. Then he scoffed and threw her down. Kagome winced as her knees scraped against the rough floor.
"Damn it. I think she's telling the truth, she doesn't smell like that damn slayer underneath. She smells just like a dog's bitch!"
"His name is Inuyasha! He's powerful and strong, even more now that he has me." She boasted freely, hoping to intimidate them enough to plan an escape.
"Good! Maybe he'll bring that slayer bitch right to us to try and rescue you! Then we can finally have our revenge!"
"Good one brother! Then can I have her for my hair potion please?" The reptilian brother stroked his balding head as he spoke. His much better looking brother laughed.
"Of course Manten. Anything you want!" Manten chuckled darkly and sent Kagome a look that made her skin crawl.
"Bring her along, I've been itching for a good flight; let's see if this Inuyasha is as strong as she says he is!"
-0-
Inuyasha's thoughts were not happy ones as he tracked Kagome's scent, cursing her for wearing perfume that distorted her natural scent just enough to make her difficult to track. He insisted Sango and Miroku remain behind, not wanting to worry them and not wanting to ruin their wedding by causing a fuss if she hadn't wandered far.
He was barely ten minutes from the village when a bolt of lightning shot out of the sky, missing him by inches.
"Well well, this must be the famous Inuyasha that bitch won't shut up about. You don't look that impressive, what do you think Manten?" The demon that appeared before him had a dark grin on his face, floating a good ten feet above his head. High up on a cloud above his brother, Manten, laughed darkly.
"He looks weak to me Hiten!" Hiten chuckled darkly, slinging an enormous spear he was carrying over his shoulder.
"Your bitch has been bragging about you for the past half hour. She's just not as impressive as the slayer who scarred us!"
"Where's Kagome?!" Inuyasha growled, his hand inadvertently resting on the sword at his hip.
Ba-dum
Ba-dum
Ba-dum
The sword was thrumming loudly; begging him to draw it. He ignored it, snarling when Kagome leaned over the edge of Manten's cloud, the demon holding her bicep firmly.
"Inuyasha!"
"Kagome!" The relief that flooded him at seeing her alive was instantaneous. His hand unconsciously gripped the sword, the other hand balled into a fist.
"If you want your bitch back alive, you'll bring that slayer whore right to us for our revenge!"
"Or I could just kill you now!" Hiten's eyes gleamed as he raised the spear and charged towards the half demon.
"Excellent idea!"
Draw me! Save your mate!
Do you have someone to protect?
Do you have someone to protect?
Do you have someone to protect?
"On my life Kagome; I'll keep you safe for the rest of our lives."
"Hiyahh!" Inuyasha drew the sword, a brilliant flash of white light forcing all to cover their eyes; when it faded, a stunned Inuyasha held a magnificent transformed sword. It was enormous, the aura raving and powerful.
"It's a fang." Kagome whispered to herself in astonishment. She knew the sword had to be something more!
Inuyasha stared in awe at the weapon in his hands, feeling the desire to protect Kagome growing even stronger as he gripped the hilt.
He brought it up just in time to avoid Hiten's spear stabbing him in the chest, grunting from the strain.
"No one withstands my attacks for long!" With a grunt Inuyasha shoved him back, glaring up at him.
"All power and no style! This is going to be fun!" Hiten charged, striking the ground where Inuyasha stood and smashing the rocks into pieces. Inuyasha leaped to avoid the strike, exchanging blows with Hiten and avoiding the lightning as much as possible. He knew a single touch of that lightning and he was a goner.
"Inuyasha!" Kagome watched the battle with rapid attention, feeling helpless so high up.
"I'll lend you my assistance brother!" Lightning began to form in Manten's mouth, aimed right for the half demon busy avoiding Hiten's blows.
"I don't think so!" Kagome shoved with all her might, forcing the heavy demon out of the cloud and sending his attack straight into the ground before he landed heavily in the aftermath of his own power.
"Eek!" Kagome screeched and went plummeting towards the ground when the cloud she had been floating on vanished. She broke her fall on Manten, thankfully bouncing off him and landing unharmed.
"Kagome!" Distracted by Kagome falling, Hiten took the opportunity to strike hard.
"A true warrior never puts a woman before a battle!"
Kagome scrambled to her feet and climbed out of the damaged ground just as Manten began to groan and pull himself to his feet.
"MY HAIR! Every last strand of my beautiful hair is gone!" Manten began balling and patting his bald head. "NOT MY HAIR!" Lightening filled his mouth and began shooting everywhere, forcing Kagome to duck behind rocks and find cover.
I think I just added fuel to the proverbial fire!
"I will hunt you down wench!" Manten stalked through the rocks, searching for her. "And when I do I'll use you to make a hair potion and give myself luxurious, perfect hair!"
Seriously, what was it with him and hair?!
"Ah ha! Now it's your turn!" He sneered, finding her hiding place and immediately wrapping his hands around her neck and beginning to choke her.
"Help… Inuyasha!" Kagome wheezed, trying to claw his hands off her neck.
"Kagome!" Inuyasha's eyes began to tint red as he realized he would never be able to defeat Hiten without saving Kagome first. His distraction cost him dearly as Hiten's spear met his shoulder, ripping a gaping wound and spilling blood. Tetsusaiga flew from his hand and landed next to him, changing back to its rusty form. Inuyasha clutched at the gaping wound in his shoulder, glaring up at Hiten who held the spear to his face.
"Not going to take my advice about women then? Pathetic! You don't live up to the bragging your woman was doing! Once again, human compassion is the biggest downfall of all half breed!" He chuckled darkly, "What do you think Manten? Should we end them early or prolong their misery?" His balding brother let out a quick laugh.
"I'm in no rush Hiten! I'm enjoying myself choking this woman to death!" Inuyasha sank his claws into the wound on his shoulder, coating them in his own blood.
"I may have racked up my own set of bad karma, but I'm innocent as hell compared to you two!" He flung the blood at Hiten with a shout of "blades of blood!" The demon used his spear to block the attack; his eyes glimmering at the challenge.
"Finally! This battle might just get interesting!"
"Inuyasha! Kagome!" Kelala came soaring towards them, Sango and Miroku on her back. Sango had her hair still in a nice updo, but had swapped her kimono for her slayer outfit. Miroku had done the same, wearing his usual monk robes and carrying his staff.
"Sango! Help Kagome!" Inuyasha blocked a stab from Hiten and continued trading blows with the older of the thunder brothers.
Sango chucked the massive weapon with a cry of "Hiraikotsu!" The massive boomerang flew towards Manten, forcing the demon to duck and let go of Kagome's neck. She started coughing and retching, clutching the skin of her neck. Kelala swooped low and allowed Miroku to leap from her back and run towards Kagome.
"Brother! It's the slayer bitch!" Manten pointed a finger towards Sango, who had easily caught the giant boomerang as if it was paper.
"Finally! Now we can achieve our revenge!" The demon abandoned Inuyasha and shot towards Sango, raising his crackling spear and shooting a bolt of lightning towards Kelala and her mistress. Kelala avoided eagerly and roared at the demon as the boomerang came swinging back into Sango's hands again.
"You ain't ditching me to easily asshole!" Inuyasha shot towards Hiten, swinging the massive fang as easily as if it were a katana. Hiten pared the blow with his spear and chuckled darkly, causing his spear to crackle with lightning.
"This is getting fun!"
"Kagome!" Miroku dropped to his knees next to her, but Manten was not to give up so easily. He snatched Miroku by his robes and threw him aside, sending the monk crashing into the rocks and knocking him unconscious.
""R-roku," Kagome coughed, her voice barely a whisper.
"Now, where were we wench? Oh yes! Kill you and add you to my hair potion!" He wrapped his hands back around her neck and continued strangling her.
"Inuyasha… help." Kagome wheezed, clawing at Manten's hands in an attempt to get him to let go. Inuyasha and Kelala each dodged to the side when Hiten shot a bolt of lightning at them, Kelala and Sango rushing towards Miroku to make sure he was ok. Sango checked his pulse and pulled his head into her lap, sighing in relief when his pulse was steady under her fingers. Inuyasha leaped above Hiten and threw Tetsusaiga towards him. The demon easily dodged and laughed.
"Nice miss half breed!" His confidence turned to horror when the sword flew past him and pierced Manten in the back, afflicting a mortal wound.
"Did I get him?"
"Manten!" Hiten cried out in fear as his brother let out a roar and collapsed, releasing Kagome in the process. The sword changed back to its rusted form and fell right at Kagome's feet. The ex priestess snatched the sword up and pulled herself aside, coughing. Hiten shot towards his brother, releasing a blast of lightning that sent Kagome flying.
"Kagome!" Inuyasha was at her side in only a few leaps, pulling her in his arms and gently stroking her cheek as her eyes fluttered open.
"Inuyasha? I'm ok." She coughed and rubbed her neck gently, handing the tetsusaiga back to it's master.
"You wretches! You slaughtered my brother!" Hiten began sobbing over his brother's body as Manten went limp. "Rest assured brother, we shall always be as one!" To the company's horror, Hiten plunged his hands into Manten's back and ripped out his heart, still dripping in blood. He began devouring the heart, his eyes glowing red.
"Eww what is he doing?!" Kagome wanted to retch again, watching the elder thunder brother devour his brother's heart.
"He's absorbing Manten's power by eating his heart." Inuyasha said grimly, looking just as grossed out as Kagome was.
Hiten roared and shot a bolt of lightning at Inuyasha and Kagome, forcing Inuyasha to snatch his mate up and flee as the blow shattered the rocky ground around them.
"How dare you slaughter my brother?! I shall not stop until I've returned the favor and killed every last one of you!" He had blood dripping down his face, eyes glowing a fierce red and filled with a ferocity that wasn't there before.
"Kagome, run towards Sango so the three of you can get to safety." Inuyasha ordered, meeting Hiten's glare with a glare of his own. She nodded, knowing she was in no condition to help and would only hinder him. She stumbled towards Sango, who was lifting Miroku onto Kelala's back.
"Prepare to die!" Hiten let a massive ball of lightning from his spear, forcing Inuyasha to draw the tetsusaiga to avoid the blow. The lightning left a massive crater around the half demon, it's master completely unharmed.
"I can kill him now!" Inuyasha leaped at Hiten with the sword, the two of them trading blows and Inuyasha using Tetsusaiga to block Hiten's lightning strikes.
Did devouring Manten's heart really make him that powerful?! Inuyasha wondered as he struggled to repel a stroke by the spear. Hiten was definitely stronger, his bolts of lightning becoming harder and harder to avoid.
"Forget this! I'll do this my way!" He sheathed tetsusaiga and balled his hand into a fist, socking Hiten straight in the face and sending the older thunder brother flying back into the rocks. Kagome and Sango exchanged an exasperated look, Sango shaking her head as she swung up behind Miroku. Miroku began to groan and his eyes fluttered open. "What did I miss?"
"Ha! Not bad for a half breed ay Hiten!"
"You stupid half breed, let's end this!" Hiten recovered from the blow and held the spear up. "As soon as I kill you, I'll take my time and kill your bitch, nice and show as revenge for killing my brother!" Inuyasha's eyes flashed red at the threat to Kagome and he drew the Tetsusaiga, raising it over his head and bringing it down with a battle cry right into Hiten. He halved the spear and Hiten in one blow, sending blood and the remains of Hiten's body spilling all over the rocky surface.
For a moment, everything was quiet, then Kagome ran towards Inuyasha, throwing her arms around him when he met her halfway. Miroku gazed up at his fiancee for a moment and then stared in disbelief at the scene around him.
"Someone please tell me I wasn't bait again!"
-0-
Several hours later, Kagome let out a sigh from the branch of the large tree she was perched in with Inuyasha.
Despite the snag with the thunder brothers and a lot of cuts and bruises, the wedding had gone off without a hitch, the monk and slayer now a happily married couple. Inuyasha had already healed the painful wounds around Kagome's neck, and Kagome had insisted on bandaging the bloody wound on his shoulder even though he protested it would heal just fine. There had been dancing, and food, and celebrating that went long into the night. Kagome eventually tugged Inuyasha away from the festivities and had him find them a nice tree to snuggle in, wanting some time alone with her half demon after all the excitement of the day.
"So, you figured out Tetsusaiga," she remarked from her place in his embrace, her back to his chest and his arms resting loosely around her.
"Turns out the old man left me something useful after all." He smirked a little, pressing his nose in Kagome's updo and enjoying her natural scent.
"Let's skip the damsel in distress part next time though, mkay?" He chuckled, squeezing his arms around her just a little bit tighter. She was alive, warm and soft in his arms and there wasn't anything more he could possibly want from this life than that.
Kagome snuggled further against his chest, resting her head back underneath his chin with a sigh of contentment, one of his favorite sounds.
"I love you, Inuyasha." He nuzzled her hair, feeling the beads around his neck shift slightly and wondering how he ever got so damn lucky to be bound to her.
"I love you too Kagome."
Thank you all for reading and allowing me to share my story with you! I've started a sequel, but it will be a long time before its up and going! It's going to take place 6 months after the events of this story, while the epilogue will take place a few years later. If you don't want to be spoiled for the sequel, don't read the epilogue!
