~Freak Attraction: Seven-Man Circus~
Chapter Eight: Taking your Punishment
Inuyasha followed after the twin-tailed cat as silently as possible, his grip on Kagome's hand growing slick as he waited anxiously for the morning change to come. He'd awoken after only a few hours sleep, amazed that he'd been able to sleep at all, and waited for the sky beyond the window to lighten to deep plum before waking the girl nestled beside him. They'd slipped away into the early morning with a few parting words of thanks to their friends… and endured more than a few leering grins at the bruises speckled up and down their necks.
"We didn't have to bother Miroku and them" Inuyasha muttered as they passed through quiet woods. "Shoulda just left without a fuss." He'd stormed away from the their 'inn' in a fit of embarrassment, dragging Kagome along with him and completely forgetting to splash himself with sake as had been part of their alibi. It was just as well – he could never handle the close smell of alcohol in his half-demon form.
"Oh c'mon," Kagome responded with a laugh, "it wasn't like they didn't know what we were doing." She shook her head in amusement, quickening her pace a bit to catch up with her fast-paced 'husband'. Tugging slightly to grab his attention, she met his scowl with a nervous grin. "You aren't… you don't regret these, do you?" Her free hand tenderly touched one of the dark spots on her neck, and Inuyasha's face warmed at the gesture.
"S-stupid! 'Course not! I just… don't think anyone else needs to see them."
"You realize the whole point of getting them was for them to be seen?" He glanced sharply away as Kagome gave him a rare smirk, huffing and wishing the conversation would end. "Whatever. I still say we won't need it. It's not like they'd know we didn't come back last night!"
"Well, then, we'll just say they're from fooling around in the tent." Kagome raised an eyebrow, adding in a harder tone "There's no helping it now, Inuyasha: they're going to be seen. These things don't just fade overnight, y'know. Not mine, anyway." Inuyasha bit his lip to hide a sudden frown. He wouldn't admit it, but the thought that his bruises would disappear with the sun's light upset him. Sure, he'd have the stains of lip rouge at least for a while, but… he'd rather liked the idea of carrying those little reminders of their night along with him in private. He wasn't eager to forget their encounter so soon.
"Whatever" he grumbled, unable as always to tell her what he truly felt. There was always another time.
Ahead of them, the wooden posts of the circus' outer wall loomed beyond the tree-line, and Inuyasha paused before breaking from the shady canopy cover. He glanced eastward, noting the first rays of gold breaking through the purple haze, and breathed deeply as he felt his aura stirring awake. A shaky inhalation beside him drew his attention from the growing light, and he watched Kagome as she watched him, her eyes wide and a smile playing on her lips. She reached out to run her fingers through his hair, the black draining away to leave a silver-white sheen as though she'd soaked up the color with her touch. A flicker atop his head told him the transformation was complete, and Kagome reached up quickly to catch a fuzzy dog-ear between her fingers and give it a welcoming rub.
"Well?" he questioned softly, tugging on her hand, "the marks still there or what?" Her bright gaze fell to his neck, and she grinned, giving him an affirming nod. He smiled back somewhat bashfully and started towards the wall. Kagome waved Kirara off as they left her amongst the trees, losing sight of the fire-cat as Inuyasha gathered her into his arms and leapt.
The grounds were tinted blue, blanketed in deep shadows which the morning sun had yet to penetrate. Inuyasha navigated the darkness perfectly, creeping along on silent feet, using the patches of ground untouched by the light to hide their passage across the circus compound. He sniffed the air a few times, a frustrated growl building in the back of his throat. "Damn, still can't smell anything in this place" he whispered to the girl against his chest; "too much salt in the air… salt and dirt." Kagome hummed thoughtfully, settling back into Inuyasha's embrace. They'd been lucky so far, with no surprise encounters and no sign of the Shichifukujin, and she felt confident their luck would hold. Perhaps she was still riding a high from the night before, but the risks simply weren't enough to shake her smile.
Their tent rose up ahead like a seaside cliff, the blue shadows of night crashing in waves at the edges of day playing across its sides. Inuyasha released a heavy breath as it came fully into view, the wall around the bathing area as solid as a fortress gate protecting their makeshift home. Kagome wondered giddily if there was time enough to warm the bathwater for a soak before they were summoned for training.
Still carrying his 'wife' to the entrance of their tent, Inuyasha hitched her higher against his chest, securing her arms around his neck, and reached out to sweep the tent-flap aside. A violent hiss through clenched teeth, and he was stumbling backwards, away from the door, dropping Kagome to her feet and shoving her behind him as a tall figure in frilled clothing stepped out from the tent into the early morning air.
"Welcome home, Inugami. So nice of you to finally join us." Letting the tent fall closed behind him, Jakotsu advanced on the half-demon, his steps measured and firm. The snake around his shoulders flicked its forked tongue at the pair, coiling tighter around its master's arms. "You know, I really don't get what's so unappealing about our circus," Jakotsu spoke airily, "that you'd take off twice to go have sex in the nasty old forest. Really, it boggles the mind."
"W-we got caught up in town" Kagome gasped, panic constricting her throat, making her words thin and shaky. "We didn't mean to be gone all night, but… but after a few drinks, we just-"
"Silence, woman! You think I care?!" That jovial tone became venomous within seconds, the circus performer's eyes flashing dangerously as they settled on Kagome's quivering form. Inuyasha pushed her out of sight, still backing slowly away from the God of Beauty stalking towards them. Jakotsu's fierce glare snapped to the dog-demon's determined face. "I knew she was going to cause trouble! She's distracting you from your duties and putting our troupe at risk, and I've had enough! This is man's work – we have no place for cowardly females."
With a flick of his wrist he grabbed the snake, swinging it down in an arc too fast for the eye to see. By the time it hit the ground, it was the shining trick-sword. "Stop hiding her, Inugami" Jakotsu crooned, propping the sword over his shoulder, "It's high time she got what's coming to her."
"Oh yeah? And what's that?" Inuyasha kept an arm wrapped behind him, holding Kagome secure to his body in case they needed to make a quick getaway.
Jakotsu sneered at the half-demon's bravery, delighting in the jump he got from both his prey as he flicked the sword out beside them to score the hard ground under the chained blades. "Her punishment, of course." Drawing the sword back to him, he flung the chain along their opposite side, just barely missing skin. Kagome whimpered at Inuyasha's back, and Jakotsu laughed gleefully. "Not so tough, are you woman? When I'm through with you, you'll have more than just bruises on your neck." Flicking his sword back to its spot over his shoulder, he gave Kagome a wild-eyed grin. "Tell me, was it worth it?"
The young woman clung tighter to Inuyasha's red coat, her heart beating against her ribs and filling her chest with a dull ache. "Come now," Jakotsu continued in a simpering tone, "It must have been worth at least a little punishment, for you to take such a stupid risk." The blades flung towards them once more, arching behind them and blocking their path of escape like a snare. Kagome gasped violently, and Inuyasha quickly spun her away from the line of blades.
"Knock it off, bastard! It ain't her fault." Blood was pounding in Inuyasha's ears as he crushed Kagome to his chest. Their plan was caving in on itself before his very eyes. He should've known better; they'd had too many strikes against them for their circus-masters to show them any mercy. It wasn't any different from how Naraku used to run things… fortunately, that meant Inuyasha knew just how to work the system. Meeting Jakotsu's bored expression with unwavering gold, Inuyasha nudged Kagome gently from his arms and stepped boldly forward. "It wasn't her idea, it was mine. I can't take her in this pig-sty; the stench of all you creeps is a real mood-killer."
Jakotsu's painted lips turned up in a wicked smirk, a low chuckle building deep in his throat which erupted into riotous laughter. "Sorry to ruin your 'love-making'," Jakotsu sneered, "but perhaps you're trying for the wrong mood. I'd be more than happy to teach you the right one." The circus performer tapped his sword over his shoulders, transforming it once more in the white snake. Dragging long fingers over its slithering belly, he leered at Inuyasha, his lips pulling wide as he said "There's a fine line between pain and pleasure – I bet your little wench never taught you about that."
"Listen, smart-ass" Inuyasha growled, grasping behind him for Kagome's hand and squeezing it tight once he found it, "if you think your little mind games are gonna work on me, you better think again. I ain't scared of you." The god of beauty froze, his smile vanishing for one brief moment, only to be replaced by one even more forced. "Oh, you should be… you should be." His sword was out before Inuyasha could blink, and Jakotsu lovingly stroked its edge as he had done to the snake. Sure that the blade would cut the performer's skin, Inuyasha dared a subtle sniff of the air between them: as with Kyoukotsu, there was no scent of blood.
"Just so we're clear," Jakotsu commented off-hand, "you're taking the blame for this little 'outing', are you not?" Inuyasha nodded. Pleased at the response, the circus god continued eagerly "Then you are offering to take the punishment in her place, am I right?"
"You bet your miserable life." Inuyasha ignored Kagome's choked sound of protest behind him: this wasn't up for debate. She would never survive those blades. Even the smallest cut, the loss of a single drop of blood, would be too much for him to bear. Besides, he knew Jakotsu wouldn't stop until he had her in a million pieces strewn across the compound.
Jakotsu's wry chuckle filled the silence, his pointed tongue licking the edge of his lips as he muttered "Good… very good."
"Inuyasha, what are you thinking?!" Kagome filled his vision, red-eyed and pale-faced, clutching at his robes and pushing him away from his dangerous opponent. "You can't do this for me! You think I'm going to stand here and watch you be tortured?" Her dark eyes challenged him, almost begging him to fight her, to fight at all – but this wasn't the time or place for either. Carefully plucking her hands from his robe, he held her still, thumbs brushing tenderly across her knuckles. "It's better than seeing you killed." Under Jakotsu's strict watch, he led Kagome to the wall of their tent, nodding towards the entrance. "Go in and wait for me."
"I won't." Her voice was just as firm as his, brows pinched in defiance. He growled his impatience at her, using it to mask his fear of what would happen. "Just do it, Kagome. You shouldn't have to see this."
"No Inuyasha," she whispered harshly, "I need to see this." Her small hands reached forward to the knot at his waist, untying the red sash and draping it over her arm as she slipped his mother's happi coat off his shoulders. Inuyasha's mind flashed to their time together the night before, and his heart ached, wishing he could go back to that moment. His eyes caught sight of a rust-colored bruise on her neck, and he couldn't help himself: her fingers clutched his discarded coat to her chest as he wrapped his arms about her and dropped his mouth to cover the mark he'd placed. She cried out at the contact, but didn't pull away. He kissed the spot for as long as he dared, knowing he needed to let go but unable to make his limbs respond.
Kagome's hands pushed lightly against his chest, and her thin voice resounded in his pointed ears. "They won't get away with this." The impatient tap of Jakotsu's sword brought him crashing back to reality, and before stepping away from Kagome he pulled off his leather shirt, balling it up in his hands and handing it to Kagome as well. At her attempted protests he shook his head, muttering bleakly "It wouldn't help much anyways."
"Excellent, Inugami; this is going to be a show to remember!" Facing Jakotsu with burning eyes, Inuyasha bared his teeth in a growl. "Just get on with it" he barked, causing the circus god to shake a reprimanding finger in his direction. "Now now, that's no way for a servant of the gods to behave. Be a good little dog and keep that wagging tongue still – I don't want to hear another word from you unless it's to beg for mercy."
"You wish" Inuyasa muttered, but kept his voice low enough to keep that deranged smile on his tormentor's face.
The first crack of the whip-like blade came without warning, swinging towards his head, and Inuyasha dodged instinctively. Jakotsu's chiding tone filled the air once more. "Inugami, what did I tell you? If you aren't going to be obedient, then I'll have to find someone else to take your whipping."
"No!" He shouted at once, breaking from his crouch to stand tall and steady. Pushing down his panic, he managed to say blankly "No, I'll take it. I won't run away." Jakotsu hummed in consideration, and flicked the sword at him once more. It wrapped around his shoulders and torso, blades biting into his skin just enough to sting. "Looks like you're finally learning, Inugami" he cooed, and pulled sharply on the sword. It ripped through Inuyasha's skin, tugging him along its path and flinging him to the ground with a ragged shout of pain. The half-demon grit his teeth, planting his clawed hands in the dirt, and set murderous eyes on Jakotsu as he pushed himself back to his feet.
"How did that feel?" Jakotsu called merrily to him, "Ready to throw in the towel and let your wife have a go?" Inuyasha snorted, rolling his shoulders and paying no mind to the blood beginning to drip from the slashes marring his chest. "That was nothin'" he snapped back, "I could go on like this all day." Frowning in the face of the dog-man's bravado, Jakotsu let his blade fly. It slashed across Inuyasha's chest, throwing him to the ground and spattering the dirt with blood. The god of beauty didn't wait for his prey to rise before striking again.
Inuyasha had sworn not to run, but his body's instincts couldn't stop from folding him up defensively, arms shielding his face and legs protecting his vital organs. The whipping blades would not be stopped though, and under Jakotsu's expert touch they flicked him to his back on the ground, scoring the sensitive skin of his torso before he could shield himself again. He rolled to his knees to avoid the onslaught, but the blades only cracked against his back instead. Swatches of silver hair fell around him in the chaotic dance of the trick-blade, their shine fading as they wafted into the pools of blood and became scarlet.
Kagome watched in soundless horror as Jakotsu came for the half-demon with one relentless attack after another. He was torn up from head to foot, every patch of skin striped in red; even his charcoal hakama were torn and soaked a shining black. She bit her sleeve to keep from calling out to Inuyasha, his discarded shirts crumpled in a white-knuckled grip. More than anything she wanted to hide her face behind the cloth, to stop her ears against the cries of pain and labored breaths that he tried to hold at bay; but she didn't. Her eyes stayed on his suffering form the entirety of Jakotsu's punishment, a silent pillar of support; and when he glanced across the crimson dirt at her, squinting against the blood dripping in his eyes and attempting to smirk through his grimace, she knew she'd never be able to repay him.
At last Jakotsu's strikes began to taper off, the pauses in between lashes growing ever longer. The fancily dressed man was breathing hard as he glared across at the defiant half-demon attempting to face him once more. He was boiling with anger, having failed to make the Inugami plea for his life, but they both knew an impasse had been reached: Inuyasha wouldn't give in, and unless Jakotsu stopped, he'd kill their best freak.
The trick-blade snapped together one last time, and with a huff Jakotsu laid it over his arm to become the white snake. "Remember this, Inugami, next time you feel the need to take off for a fuck with your wench. I may not be so generous in the future." Turning on his heel, the circus performer stormed away, vanishing amongst a far grouping of storage tents. Kagome dropped the bundle of shirts and rushed forward as soon as he disappeared from sight.
Inuyasha collapsed in a dead faint as Kagome skidded to a halt at his side. Heedless of the bloody puddle surrounding him, she knelt and reached to turn him over – the feel of torn skin under her palms gave her pause, her hands hovering uselessly over flesh so smeared with red she could hardly see the wounds. Ever so gently she turned his face out of the dirt, biting her lip at the unusually pale wash to his cheeks and pained crease between his brows. Shrugging out of her striped kimono and tugging it from her hakama, she began lightly dabbing the blood away. Her attempt to assess the damage proved fruitless as the cloth stuck to the red muck, pulling flaps of skin away with it. Kagome shoved a hand to her mouth to keep from retching.
His name left her in a pathetic whimper, her eyes darting over the empty circus grounds, desperately seeking aid. "Help… someone, anyone!" Her shaky prayers went unanswered – none of the other workers lived by their tent, and they were such a far distance from the other half-demons…. No doubt Jakotsu would keep them from assisting, even if they could. A helpless sob caught in her throat, and she rubbed the building moisture from her eyes, smearing red across her cheek in the process.
Rumbling rose up from the prone figure on the ground, and Kagome jerked away as the sound rolled into a lucid growl. "Inuyasha! You're okay!" Eager fingers swept the blood-stained hair from his face – and she choked on her breath at the sight of burning red eyes and purple face markings, her legs failing her as she scrambled to put distance between herself and the lethal demon.
He snarled at her, fangs twice as long as usual and extra-sharp talons digging into the ground, but he made no other move. A few feet away now, Kagome pressed a hand to her chest, attempting to get her thumping heart back under control. Seconds had passed, and he hadn't torn her to pieces yet. Fighting her own startled reaction, the young woman closed her eyes on the fearless hunter and breathed deeply, recalling every moment she'd spent with him in this form back at Naraku's circus. It was her scent that brought him back every time before, so as long as she could get close enough to jog his memory, then maybe… there was hope.
Kagome opened her eyes to see his attention hadn't wavered. Propping herself onto hands and knees, she shuffled forward, carefully noting every reaction. His growls increased in pitch and she slowed, but refused to stop her approach. It was clear just how badly injured he was as his body seized with tension; he couldn't run, and he couldn't fight her. He was trapped, but Kagome was determined to make him see she was nothing to fear.
"It's alright Inuyasha… it's me, Kagome." Her gentle voice had an instant affect; his lips gave up their snarl, the threatening sound tapering off to a warning thrum in his chest, and Kagome sagged in relief. "Inuyasha, hang on, I just want to help you up." There was no way of knowing whether or not he understood her words, but she took the chance of stepping forward until she was at his side once more. Blood-red eyes watched her smallest movements, scrunching up in pain every time he tried to flinch away from her reaching hands. She paused, breathing deeply, and threaded her fingers through the clean patches of silver at the back of his head. A few gentle strokes, and his eyelids fluttered closed. Kagome's relieved smile was lost on the demon as his breathing evened out to a sleepy rhythm.
Leaving him there in the crimson puddles of dirt hardly sat well with Kagome, but she couldn't bring herself to move him now that he'd calmed down. Folding her legs more comfortably beneath her, Kagome settled into a silent vigil, waiting for the demon to give her clues as to how to proceed. Minutes passed as the demon's even breathing filled the quiet morning air; he seemed to be doing alright for now. After a few furtive glances to the bath and back, Kagome dared to leave her post and rushed for the wooden bucket and remaining scraps of her blue skirt. Inuyasha's eyes were still shut tight when she returned.
The process of cleaning his injured body was painstaking, testing the limits of her stomach as the wet rag revealed just how extensive the damage went. She had to stop and shut her eyes against the sight more than once, waiting for the bouts of nausea to fade before wrenching her eyes back open and continuing her care. "I'm sorry Inuyasha…" she whispered, wringing the now violet rag onto the ground and dipping it into the murky water. "This whole thing… it's all my fault. You were right all along. I should've just left for home with Souta and Shippo. I should've let you charge in like you wanted to." He hissed as she blotted the cloth on the small of his back, so scored and sliced she could see the muscle beneath. Her chest seized, hands trembling even as she forced herself to clean away the blood. "What are we even achieving here? Izumo getting beaten, you being humiliated every night… I'm afraid Shion won't last much longer, even with the medicine…."
His steady breathing didn't waver, and Kagome rubbed again at her stinging eyes. "And now this…. Damn it Inuyasha, why can't you just tell me 'no' for once? Why do you have to be so… so…." She huffed, throwing the rag into the water. It splashed across the half-demon's back, jolting him with the sudden spray of cold, and Kagome gasped in apology. "Oh Inuyasha, I'm sorry, I didn't –"
Those red eyes were open once more, his gaze lucid and focused on her face. She gaped soundlessly as Inuyasha pushed himself up off the ground, kneeling in the muck to face her. It took her a moment to register the lack of pain in that expression. Heedless of his watchful stare, her hand dove for the soaked cloth, fishing it from the rust-colored water and letting it drip across the ground before pressing it to his chest. He sat in absolute stillness as she sloshed water across his shoulders. Kagome's breathing hitched as the blood washed away in rivulets over his muscular form, revealing thinning cuts and raw scabs. "Y-you're already healing."
Rinsing away the blood as best she could, Kagome leaned back on her heels to assess his condition: the cuts marring his skin in a patchwork were still angry red and far too spread to bandage, but the bleeding had stopped. Some of the shallower ones had already sewn themselves into bright scars, which Kagome knew would be gone completely in another hour or less. Her body sagged with the heavy sigh that escaped her lips, and a genuine smile began to pick at the corners of her lips. He was going to be alright.
A deep rumble drew her attention back to something she'd glossed over in all her worrying: he was still in demon form, and only seemed to be growing stronger. Kagome bit her lip as she contemplated what to do; no doubt his rapid healing was thanks to the increase of demon blood in his body, but memories of Naraku's circus still plagued her heart, and she knew the longer he stayed like this, the harder it would be to coax out that human heart she loved so much.
A cool gust of wind sent shivers down her arms as it traveled over her blood-soaked clothing. She wasn't sure if there was any saving her old uniform from being dyed a permanent crimson, but she opted to deal with that later. Shuffling closer across the mess, Kagome pulled herself to Inuyasha with gentle hands on his healing shoulders, never breaking the connection between his red eyes and hers. He leaned in closer at her approach, sniffing the air between them and growling low. There was no warning behind it, and Kagome dared to give her plan a try.
The pressure of her lips against his was light at first, barely a whisper of a kiss, but then he pressed back and Kagome let herself get lost for a moment in sensation. His growling increased in volume and pitch, and suddenly his clawed hands were gripping her arms almost painfully. Fangs nipped at her lip making Kagome hiss, but she remained where she was and kept her eyes trustingly closed, waiting for the sound of her name or some other indication he'd come back to himself.
When his bruising kisses trailed to her already bruised neck, the seed of worry in her gut began to sprout. "I-Inuyasha?" Despite her resolve to present a brave face, her voice trembled. This wasn't working. He meant her no harm – that much was obvious – but she couldn't shake the fear of what would happen were he to go on in this form. Would he rampage through the circus? Would he destroy the wicked Shichifukujin… or would he tear apart the half-demons they were trying so hard to save? How would he know friend from foe, and when would he know to stop fighting? She knew so little about him as a demon: what were his limits? How deep were his feelings? Kagome shook the intrusive thoughts from her head, and traced her fingers through Inuyasha's damp hair as he continued to worship her neck with hot licks and tugging kisses.
Her hand landed gently against his cheek, and she nudged his head back so she could look into those red and blue eyes hidden under heavy lids. "You'll always be my Inuyasha, won't you?" She whispered confidently, "even like this, you know who I am. I don't know what I'm so worried about; you're still you. You're still Inuyasha. And you're a good person." She wanted him back – she felt alone enough as it was, so far from home and surrounded by enemies. Those red eyes brought a wash of painful memories of demon crows and cages and searing pain up her leg. She wanted to see those beautiful amber eyes and hear his gruff voice so desperately; but in the end, she trusted him. Hadn't he proven himself worthy of it time and time again? Kagome would just have to trust that he'd return to his usual self when he was ready.
He rumbled pleasantly again and leaned toward her – Kagome found herself moving in as well, chest tightening in anticipation of his ardent kisses. The vicious snarl breaking through his clenched teeth nearly made her topple into the puddles of blood beneath her. Blinking away the shock, she saw the injured demon glaring in the direction of their tent. Cold fear seized her heart, thinking that perhaps Jakotsu had returned to 'punish' them some more. Inuyasha sprung to his feet and was through the cloth door before she could think to move. Kagome scrambled to follow, tripping in the muddy ground in her haste to reach him. The sight as she pushed open the tent and slipped in behind the tense man wrenched a painful gasp from her throat. Across the small space from the growling demon, posture relaxed and red eyes dripping with arrogance, was a smirking Kagura.
Kagome could hardly do more than gape like a fish as the wind-demon tapped her closed fan on her shoulder, glancing between the two of them in an air of perfect ease. "It's been a long time, hasn't it dog-man?" Her eyes pinched in a cruel smile as she added "Though from what I hear, you've changed the name to 'Inugami'. Quite the move up in ranks, wouldn't you say?"
Inuyasha snarled, lunging his battered body forward, but Kagome's thin arms caught him around the middle and held him fast. He could easily have thrown her off, but the fact that he let her hold him still reaffirmed Kagome's faith that he trusted her just as fully. Setting the demon woman with stern eyes, desperately pushing back the nightmares that popped to her mind with the familiar face, Kagome said briskly "What are you doing here, Kagura?"
"What indeed? I suppose you thought me dead, did you?" Laughter rumbled through her at Kagome's nervous glare, and she continued lightly "Well it's good for you that I survived. Otherwise, who would have brought you this?" The woman's hands went to her side as she pulled a long, thin parcel from her obi. It was thickly wrapped in black cloth, but the shape was unmistakable: a sword. Kagome's heart almost stopped at the unexpected burst of hope; it… it couldn't be… could it?
Tossing the bundle on top of the cot at her side, Kagura snapped "If you want anything more from me, I suggest you give this to your rabid dog. I'm not keen on being torn to shreds right now, thank you very much." Confusion marring her earlier hope, Kagome edged out from behind the snarling demon to peer up into his face. His attention snapped down to her questioning gaze, calming only slightly. She couldn't begin to guess what Kagura was thinking, wanting to arm the blood-thirsty demon with a sword, but something in the woman's expectant gaze had her gently guiding Inuyasha to sit on the cot beside it. Caging him with her body, Kagome took the package in her hands and peeled back the layers of cloth with shaking fingers. When Tetsusaiga's tattered hilt came into view, she nearly cried.
The snarling ceased abruptly at the emergence of the sword. Kagome watched closely as those red and blue eyes zeroed in on the weapon, and he was reaching for it just as Kagome moved to present it to him. Taloned fingers grasped the hilt, and the demon's breath left him in a shuddering whoosh of air. Even as the breath escaped him, the purple stripes across his cheeks had already faded, his eyes turning honey-gold once more. Kagome raced to catch him as he slumped to the mat.
"So, the old man was right" Kagura mused, red eyes watching as the human girl gently brushed sweat-soaked bangs from the half-demon's face. His tired eyes fought to glare hatefully at the demoness, but it was clear he was still too exhausted to make a move. "It would've been a shame if I'd had to kill you. Can't afford to lose my pawns this far into the game."
"Whaddaya want, Kagura" he rasped, grateful for Kagome's supporting arm around him. His body felt heavy as lead, even as his spirit began to lift with the reassuring strength of Tetsusaiga. The weight of it in his hand once again distracted him from their suspicious visitor, and acting on the growing flicker of hope, the half-demon curled his fingers around the hilt and scabbard and gave a tug: the blade came out nicked and tarnished as ever – but it was whole. His disbelieving stare was shared by Kagome, and he nearly jumped as the sword pulsed under his palm like a heartbeat, ready to transform at his command. Inuyasha hadn't the first idea how Kagura had managed this, but he wasn't ready to get on his knees and thank the witch just yet. Schooling his features, he tore his attention from the repaired weapon and snapped "You never do anything for free. So what's the catch?"
"What, you think this is the only favor I've done you today?" She said bitterly. "I'm up to my neck in good deeds, and drowning in them." Her fan slid open and shut in her antsy grip as she continued "You think I don't know why you left last night? I kept your little secret, and lessened the playing field while I was at it. Honestly, you should be thanking me for making things so easy for you."
"W-what do you mean? What did you do?" Kagome asked, and Kagura scoffed at the suspicion lacing her voice. "Nothing you weren't already planning to do, I assure you. I took down the machine-man for you. Your number of opponents has gone down to five."
"Not counting yourself?" Kagura's vicious frown snapped to Inuyasha as he sneered at her, not backing down in the slightest. "Explains why they went lookin' for us in the middle of the night. You're the whole damn reason we got caught!" The wind-demon huffed turning away to say boredly "Don't blame me for your shoddy planning. Besides, aren't a few scratches worth getting rid of one of those monsters?"
Inuyasha was hardly appeased though. "Why so eager to get rid of 'em, huh? Wouldn't you creeps all see eye to eye?" Kagura pointed her folded fan at the half-demon, and Kagome thrust herself protectively between them. The demoness chuckled at the display. "Don't be rude. I'm leagues ahead of these sloppy 'performers'. They can't die soon enough."
"If you're so good at killing them, why do you need us?" Kagome's eyes blazed with distrust, but she knew there was something Kagura was still keeping from them – something key to victory.
"Confident in ourselves, aren't we?" Kagura smiled slyly, tucking her fan back into her obi. "I'm through with favors though – I came to confirm my suspicions, and I'm willing to swap information for your assistance in killing the rest of these clowns. You've got your sword now, so it should be an easy task!"
"I'm not ready to start bargaining yet, Kagura." Inuyasha sat up straighter on the cot, battling his fatigue. Although his wounds were almost all closed at this point, his transformation had sapped his energy. Unwilling to let the wind-sorceress know of his current weakness, he put on an intimidating scowl and said "You answer me one more thing, and then we'll decide. How the hell did you get my sword?"
Rolling her eyes, Kagura started brusquely "I wasn't the one who took it, if that's what you're asking. I merely happened to be in the right place at the right time when it was delivered. Since I was traveling to this sandbar anyways, I decided to take it with me. Something told me you'd be here to claim it." Inuyasha's jaw clenched as he processed her story. It was just like her to bring a bargaining chip, especially one she knew he couldn't refuse. And she couldn't have been the thief – he would have smelled her. Gripping the sword in both hands, Inuyasha looked beside him to Kagome, instantly reading the intention in her eyes. He nodded, and turned back to Kagura.
"Alright, we'll make a deal. Now tell us what you know."
Kagura grinned, but replied strongly "Swear you'll dispose of the other five performers. I won't get my hands dirty anymore."
"I already planned to" Inuyasha shot back, and Kagura nodded. "Very well. Inuyasha, I'm sure you've already noticed how… strange these supposed humans are? Their supernatural powers are one thing, but have you noticed when you cut them-"
"They don't bleed" he finished firmly, and Kagura's smile pulled even wider. "Precisely. They don't bleed… because they have no blood." Kagome gawked, and Inuyasha's eyes widened in dawning realization.
"But that's impossible!" Kagome urged, "How could they be living without blood?"
"They're not alive." Inuyasha's face was haunted, but the words left his mouth without the slightest pause of doubt. The wind-demon smirked, quipping "You catch on quick, dog-man."
Kagome's mind raced, her mouth opening to protest such a wild theory… until she remembered the wolves. Those assemblages of bone and fur, animated with a stolen soul. This wasn't any different, was it? Of course they would know how to perform such a trick – it had been done to them first!
"It's all well and good to know you're dealing with a bunch of corpses" Kagura continued, "but the question is: how do you kill something that's already dead? Found the answer yet, dog-man?" Inuyasha watched her with hard eyes, his jaw clenched. Smiling, Kagura answered snidely "No? But then, you didn't fight the thing yourself, did you? It took a while before my opponent finally fell. They're resilient bastards, but there's a sure-fire way to take them down." Her bare feet patted slowly to the door, and she lifted the flap onto bright sunlight. Inuyasha and Kagome squinted against the sudden light, but didn't let the woman out of their sight. Before she could step outside, Kagura glanced over her shoulder at the pair, all traces of humor gone from her red eyes. "They're no Inugamis. Cut off their heads, and they won't be coming back."
Her brightly pattered kimono vanished from sight, the tent flap swaying slightly in her wake. The human and half-demon sat in heavy silence at her departure, their minds screaming the new information. Inuyasha was the first to shake off his stupor, turning to Kagome with a new fire blazing in his heart. "Kagome, you heard what she –"
Kagome's gentle finger to his lips and subtle shake of her head had him falling silent at once. "I know. This changes everything. With Tetsusaiga back… we should use this chance while we have it. I need to talk with Jinenji, and maybe Izumo, and we should get word back to Sango and Miroku…" she trailed off with heavy eyes, reaching down to trace light fingers over the lacquered scabbard. "But I don't want you thinking about this right now." Inuyasha's brow cocked in confusion, and he gave a startled "H-hey!" as Kagome reached for his belt and began untying his hakama. Cheeks burning, Kagome forced a business-like tone as she explained "Your wounds are almost healed, but you're still covered in blood. It's too late to save most of the laundry, but we can at least do something about you."
Shaking hands pushed hers away from the undone ties at his pants, his own face flaming with embarrassment as he stammered "I can do it myself, dammit!" Leaving him to undress, Kagome slipped outside to light the fire under the bath, her heart beating giddily in her chest. Her brash and bashful half-demon was back. "Inuyasha" she called lightly, "I'll start washing those clothes if you have them for me. Might as well while you wait for the water to heat up."
There was a beat of silence from the tent, and then a positively whining voice responding "And what am I supposed to wear in the meantime?!"
"Your skin, of course!" She called back, biting her lip to hide a giggle. Her voice took on a playfully evocative air as she continued "Surely you don't think your wife would mind such a lovely sight!" At his sputtering objections, Kagome couldn't hold back any longer and doubled over in laughter, holding her stomach as her relief channeled itself to unbridled mirth. When a balled-up projectile of hakama and fundoshi bounced harmlessly off her back to land in a heap on the dried grass, Kagome only laughed harder.
"Jakotsu, do you have any idea what's at stake here?"
The performer sat morosely on a crate in the tent corner, picking at the edges of his pink and purple dress and avoiding the stern glance of Bankotsu's dark eyes. "I didn't kill him…" he muttered, like a child trying to hide a handful of sweets. "He should be fine for tonight's performance."
"And if he's not?" Bankotsu countered, his low voice dripping with threat as he turned his back on the other man. "We're low on acts as it is. You wanna have some fun with the crowds before we move on, right? You want a really fulfilling revenge?" A toothy grin split over Jakotsu's face, and he nodded emphatically as Bankotsu turned back to regard him with narrowed eyes. "Then we need to actually have a crowd come see us, and no one's gonna come see five lucky gods and some half-dead circus freaks. We need the Inugami."
"Then we need to break him!" Jakotsu pleaded, eyes flashing with a desperation for blood. "He's reached his limit – he won't just obey us anymore without some incentive."
Bankotsu chuckled, tapping his fingers on folded arms. "Why waste the time breaking him when there's a much simpler solution?"
A pout settled on the dress-clad man's face as he mumbled "But that way's no fun…."
"You want to get rid of his little woman, don't you?" At Jakotsu's perked attention, Bankotsu continued with a shrug "Just think of what she'll do when she finds her dog has turned completely loyal to us. I doubt she'll stick around long after that. Who knows? We may even be able to convince the Inugami to rip her apart for us."
The painted lines streaking up the performer's cheeks scrunched up in a truly wicked smile. Stroking a hand along the back of the white snake winding over his shoulders, Jakotsu purred "Now that's fun. With your leave, Brother, I think I'll go find Mukotsu. By the end of the night, you'll have another loyal servant."
With a bow to his boss, Jakotsu slipped from the tent, rubbing his hands together as he gleefully imagined all the things he would get the submissive half-demon to do.
Jakotsu nearly dropped the blood-filled pot as Inuyasha strode into the empty practice arena, as brash and arrogant as every other afternoon. Dark red hakama sat over a dingy white western shirt, two of the buttons undone at the collar, and the half-demon's lip quirked as he fought back a self-satisfied smirk. One hand clenched around blood-stained rope, and the serpent twining over his arms hissed as Jakotsu's eyes scoured every inch of visible skin. For each missing scar and absent streak of red, his fury grew. How was this possible?
Inuyasha didn't say a word as he shucked his westerner's shirt and left it atop a crate, but the antsy roll of his shoulders and steady glare were loud enough. The circus god worried his bottom lip at the sight of unblemished skin, shock warring with the ever stronger bloodlust. 'Soon,' he consoled himself, 'soon I'll have him dripping red again, and he won't even try to stop me.' His long fingers tightened around the earthen jar, thumb stroking the glazed finish as his grin found its way back to thin lips.
"Happy to see you up and at it, Inugami!" Jakotsu's forced cheer grew a little brighter as he added "A little birdy told me you were feeling… ill after your night off!" He tisked, sidling closer until he could sneer directly in Inuyasha's face "we wouldn't want anything to happen to our prize performer, now would we?"
The snake flashed between them faster than Inuyasha could react; an angry red gash spread below his collarbone, and the half-demon stumbled back with a pained cry. Teardrops of red were already racing down his chest from the open wound, and he stared at it, mouth agape, before turning blazing eyes on his grinning trainer. "Oopsies!" He gave the snake a harmless tap on its scaly head, cooing to it with falsely harsh words. "That wasn't very nice, was it?" Jakotsu's bright eyes turned back to Inuyasha, and he cocked his head appraisingly. "Though I have to say, it's very convincing for your Inugami costume! But I guess we shouldn't completely take your head off, now should we?"
Inuyasha stood before him with jaw clenched, shaking with suppressed words as Jakotsu delightedly undid the latch on the pot of blood. Kagome's words rang freshly in his mind: warnings to keep his peace, a story of two little brothers who tried to stand up to monsters and ended up a dying mockery of one. Kagura's scheming hints and loaded questions brewed in his skull, and he wondered how much of a risk it would be to try lopping off Jakotsu's head and seeing what happened next. The danger of the other performers loomed large over his anger though, and he kept perfectly still as Jakotsu dusted him with rice flour and twisted the bloody noose around his neck.
*Author's Note:
Okay, so….. it's been a while. And honestly I was gonna include waaaaaay more in the end of the chapter, but I hit a big writer's block, and I figured I had enough here to post a decent chapter. So sorry about the wait my friends! I don't know when I'll really have time to write next – I'm nearing the end of my current semester of school (and hopefully graduating) but I won't have much free time to just sit and write until… probably June. Maybe before if I'm lucky, but I probably won't be.
Anyways, super big thanks to all those who have been reading and supporting this story! It's still one of my favorites that I've worked on, and I really enjoy writing it, but it's the wonderful feedback I get from all of you that really inspires me to chug out that next set of words! So thank you all!