Hello everyone. Wow it really has been a while since I was last on here huh? I hope you guys didn't give up on me. My life has been really hecktic. But after a year hiatus, I'm back with a new chapter. It's not a long chapter, and for that I am truely sorry. But, it's a start. I plan to have the next chapter up in a couple weeks. It all depends on my time management skills, which I am still trying to improve.
On a different note. Who all are going to MomoCon 2007 this year? It's March 17th and 18th. I'm planning on going with a friend of mine. Sara-chan... we're going to have so much fun. This is my second year going to a con, and this will be Sara-chan's first time. We're hopefully going to cosplay too... maybe. Anyway... enjoy this chapter, but remember. Love it, hate it, I don't care, I want to hear from you.
Thanks, and Enjoy!
Roses of Chaos
Disclaimer: I don't own Inuyasha or his friends.
Chapter 7: Ladies and Demons
Kagome heard a snarl in the distance. Wading through the water of the hot spring, she stood as she heard rustling of leaves, and a figure emerging from the shadows. The silvery hair waved in the wind, ember eyes glaring in her direction. The moonlight revealed the shadowed figure in the clearing of the hot spring. Kagome's timidness quickly disintegrated, turning to annoyance.
"What are you doing, Sesshoumaru?" She looked at him with inquisitive eyes. She took note of his staring, following his gaze to her wet, bare form. Kagome turned red with embarrassment and anger, quickly sinking below the waters surface.
"Sesshoumaru! What are you doing?" She screamed at the demon lord. She looked into his eyes once more. But something was wrong. No longer did the cold ember eyes stare at her. No, these eyes were different, tainted with red. These were the eyes of a true demon. A demon, with a purpose.
Realization sank in, but it was too late. Before she could react, Sesshoumaru was pounding into the hot spring. His forceful embrace pushed her backwards a few feet, her back slamming into the cold cobblestone wall. Kagome struggled to break free from his grasp, but it was useless. He easily overpowered the girl, pressing his body harshly against her, pinning her arms upward against his chest.
"Get off of me!!" she screamed, digging her nails into his chest with no affect. She could feel his hand sliding up her inner thigh and she quickly clamped her legs together.
Sesshoumaru growled, maneuvering himself in between her legs once more. He ravaged her neck with his tongue, his fangs gliding across her throat. His left hand slid up her body, feeling every inch of her delicate skin. He could hear the whimpers and screams of protest, but he didn't care.
Sesshoumaru moved back a little to get a handful of her luscious breasts, freeing Kagome's hands in the process. "STOP IT !" she cried and without a moments hesitation, Kagome swung her arm back and struck the demon lord across the face as hard as she could. Sesshoumaru's head jerked to the right.
With a small hand print on his left cheek, Sesshoumaru's head turned slowly, fire in his eyes. He caught site of the woman who dared strike him, and was about to return the favor when something took hold of him. He saw her standing there, determination in her eyes, but there was something else. He could sense fear. Her face stained with tears, her eyes never left him. They glared at each other a moment. Sesshoumaru's eyes followed the tear trailing down her cheek, and his eyes flickered.
Kagome gasped as his eyes returned to the normal ember hue. For a split second, however, Kagome thought she saw something else in his eyes. She thought she saw the look of regret.
Sesshoumaru stepped back, placing his hand on his cheek as it tingled from the force of her slap. Kagome didn't know what changed in him, but right now, she didn't care. She took the opportunity to escape, her naked form racing to her room, where she barricaded herself for the night. Sesshoumaru watcher her run away, but didn't pursue her.
Shift…..
Inuyasha climbed out of the old well, discouragement on his face.
"She wasn't there, was she?" Miroku asked, already knowing the answer. Inuyasha shot him a look of annoyance.
"Damnit!" he shouted, storming back to the village. Miroku looked at Shippo with a knowing look on his face. "She wasn't there." they said simultaneously.
The trio walked into the village in time to meet Sango and Kirara. She looked at Inuyasha, taking note of the irritated look on his face.
"She wa…." she started to say before Inuyasha's voice drowned her out.
"Don't say another word." he bellowed, stalking into Kaede's house.
"Damnit! Where are you Kagome?" Inuyasha questioned the empty hut. He had been searching for two days when she didn't return that night. Anger and shock consumed him after their altercation until the sun went down and she was still nowhere to be seen. Then that anger was replaced with guilt and anxiety.
Miroku and Sango looked warily at Inuyasha as he paced the small hut.
"Why don't we search a little further out?" Sango suggested.
"Yes, that sounds like a good idea." Miroku agreed. "Sango, you take Shippo and Kirara, while Inuyasha and……" Before Miroku could get another word out, the half demon was pounding out the door and into the forest.
Miroku sighed. "While Inuyasha storms off by himself as usual." he finished sarcastically. Everyone went outside, and after Kirara turned into her larger demon form, were off to catch up with Inuyasha.
Time slipped by quickly with no luck locating Kagome. Inuyasha was too impatient to wait for the others on their search, and often found himself ahead of the pack quite a few times. When the group finally caught up with him, he was sulking in a nearby tree. The sun had set, but they could see his haori in the moon light.
"I suppose we are camping here for the night." Miroku assumed, dismounting Kirara hastily. He rubbed his soar bottom with ease and satisfaction, happy to be on his own two feet again.
"We head out at first light!" Inuyasha bit out sharply. Sango looked agitated at her friend.
"If you are so worried about her, why don't you continue on with the search?"
"Yeah!" Shippo cried. "It's still early. After all, it's your fault she ran off in the first place!"
They heard rustling in the trees overhead as Inuyasha jumped from his perch.
"How am I suppose to look for her like this!?!" He yelled, sending Shippo to find refuge with Miroku.
"Of course." Miroku muttered, staring at a dark haired Inuyasha. In all the anxiety to locate Kagome, they forgot about the new moon. No wonder Inuyasha called the search off early.
Not a lot of talk occurred throughout the night. The group ate in silence and soon fell asleep under the blanket of stars. Inuyasha, however, had trouble sleeping. When he closed his eyes, all he saw was Kagome. He could smell her sweet scent tingling at his human nose. At one point in the night, he thought he could hear her calling his name, but when he awoke, only the sound of nature could be heard. He yawned widely before laying down once more.
"Oh Kagome, where are you?" he questioned. "Shippo is right, I am the reason you ran off. That's why I have to find you, and make sure you are safe." he admitted, before falling back asleep.
Fog entered the clearing where the band of friends lay slumbering. The wind blew lightly, sending dead leaves to dance in the dark, starlit sky. The nocturnal creatures of the forest busied themselves to collect food before the sun reappeared soon.
"Inuyasha." he heard a whisper, and his ears perked.
"Kagome?" he asked. "Where are you?"
"Inuyasha…" The soft sound fluttered through his ears. He looked around frantically.
"Kagome! Where are you?" he called out again.
"Why won't you save me?" he heard as Kagome's figure appeared in front of him.
"Save you? Kagome what's wrong?" he asked, extending his hand.
Kagome pulled away from him quickly. "WHY WON'T YOU SAVE ME?!?" she cried.
Inuyasha could not contain his anger any more. "What the hell are you talking about?" As soon as he finished his sentence, he saw it. It was that look, that dangerous look in her eyes, and he knew what it meant.
"…Kagome I…" he began, but it was too late, and he knew it.
"Inuyasha SIT!" Kagome screamed. Inuyasha plummeted to the ground in a loud thud. Pain ran ramped throughout his entire body, more so than usual.
"Damnit Kagome!" he hollered, lifting himself from the ground. He wiped the dirt from his face. Opening his eyes, he found something wasn't right. He was looking at his comrades staring at him, but no Kagome was among them.
"Inuyasha?" Miroku questioned.
"Are you ok?" they all said in unison.
"Where's Kagome?" he asked.
"We don't know, we haven't found her yet." Sango stated.
"But, she just sat me, where is she?" he asked more forcefully.
Miroku could see anger and confusion in the eyes of his worried companion. "Sango is telling the truth." he said, trying to calm him down.
"Yeah," Shippo added. "You just fell out of that tree right there, that must have hurt!" Shippo continued, a smirk on his face.
"WHACK!"
"Ouch!" Shippo cried, holding his head where Inuyasha pounded his fist.
"Now now, Inuyasha, calm down." Sango interrupted. "It's still early. Let's start packing up and prepare for the task at hand." All agreed and spent the last couple of hours in silence. Sango took Kirara and Shippo to a stream they had past the night before, while Miroku and Inuyasha packed up camp and prepared a fire to cook their breakfast.
Sango came back with the morning catch of fish and quickly roasted it on the fire. While eating, the bright rays of the sun crossed the land. Sango and Miroku watched together as Inuyasha's hair changed back to it's normal silvery tresses. At the time, Inuyasha had just stolen Shippo's breakfast, and the small fox demon was squalling to Miroku. Something quickly caught hold of Inuyasha as he was transforming from human back to half demon.
"Shut up!" Inuyasha barked out hastily.
"Inuyasha please…" Sango started, but Inuyasha silenced her, his nose sniffing the air.
"Do you smell that?" he asked out loud.
"I don't smell anything." Sango replied.
"I smell something faint." Shippo answered, looking around with his nose in the air as well, Kirara following suit.
Inuyasha sniffed more, trying to separate the scent from the morning dew.
"Do you sense anything monk?" he asked callously.
"I think so. It seems familiar." Miroku answered. "It feels like….."
"I smell blood." Inuyasha stated.
"Kagome!" Miroku finally spat out.
In an instant, the fire was out and everyone was running in the direction of the scent. It was closer than they thought. Half a mile away, the group came across a cave that reeked of blood. In front lay a demons corpse. Sango and Miroku took a closer look at the lizard demon body laying before them a gaping hole in its chest.
"What on earth happened to this creature?" Miroku asked, noticing its eyes had been removed. Sango just stared, inspecting it for anything suspicious.
Inuyasha pounded inside. He could certainly smell Kagome's blood coming from here. When he got inside, he was met by a gruesome site. A demon lay in a pool of blood, his head detached from his body. He took a survey of the cavern when his eyes grew wide. Tossed in the corner was Kagome's school uniform. Inuyasha scooped it up quickly, clenching it tightly with his fists.
The others entered the cave and saw Inuyasha standing in the corner, a green skirt in hand.
"Oh no!" Sango gasped, covering her mouth with her trembling hands. "What happened to her? What happened to Kagome?" Miroku could see the demon slayers eyes fill with tears. His eyes began to sting as well.. He placed his arm over her shoulder to try and ease her mind.
"There there Sango." He said in a soft voice. "Kagome is alright, of this I am sure." he proclaimed, never letting his own uncertanty show.
Inuyasha's eyes fell to the floor, noticing the semi-dried puddle of blood his nose recognized as Kagome's. He remained silent.
Miroku and Sango stepped closer to examine the area Inuyasha studied. They saw the somewhat large stain of blood on the ground next to the body of the headless demon.
Finally, Inuyasha spoke. "She's hurt, but I cna't tell how bad from this stain. We know she was here. Now the question is, where is she, and is she alright?"
Inuyasha clenched her clothing tighter, kicking the dead demons head across the cave.
"All night, I was this close, and I couldn't sense anything. If I was not so weak, I would have found her by now." Inuyasha scolded himself silently.
Miroku gazed at the headless body. "So who killed this demon then? Surely Kagome didn't." Inuyasha glanced at his spiritual friend. "Only a really sharp sword could do that." Miroku finished.
Shippo bounced up and landed on the shoulder of the demon slayer. His young fox demon eyes gazed into the eyes of Inuyasha, whom was tearing himself apart from the inside. He remembered the same look on Inuyasha's face when Inuyasha witnessed the fox magic of his father that saved Shippo and Kagome from the Thunder Brothers. He knew his half demon friend despised his human side for being so close to this chamber where Kagome was surely held captive.
"But Inuyasha shouldn't blame himself." Shippo thought to himself. "Kirara and I didn't sense anything either, and we are both full demons. Not only that, but Miroku and Sango didn't sense anything amiss either, and they are both well trained for mortals." His thoughts paused as new ones began to take form.
"Why didn't any of us sense this obvious presence of Kagome?" he asked out loud to his friends, who took his question as a rhetorical one. Shippo straightened on Sango's shoulders. "Listen to me," he exclaimed. "Why couldn't Kirara or I sense Kagome, or the demons for that matter. When we approached, we could feel the presence grow stronger, right?" Sango and Miroku looked at each other simultaneously.
"Now that you mention it, Shippo is right." exclaimed Miroku, tapping his fist in his open palm. "Something was concealing this location, but now that the source is gone, the barrier is starting to weaken."
"The demon that's outside looks to be less decayed than this one. He couldn't be more than a day or two old." Sango calculated.
"It would take a strong demonic presence to leave a barrier up for that long." Miroku stated. "Not to mention talented to leave a barrier up for so long without being here." he added. Everyone's faces grew long with worry.
"Has Naraku really grown this strong?" Inuyasha mumbled to himself. His friends were in the same train of thought.
"Miroku…" Inuyasha began, a puzzled look on his face. "Didn't you say only a sharp sword could do the damage inflicted on this poor sap?" he asked, referring to the headless demon. The monk nodded in agreement.
"Tell me," Inuyasha continued. "How did the demon outside die?" Sango and Miroku looked at each other in speculation.
"He had a large hole in his chest, and red marks around his neck, as if someone was choking him.
Inuyasha ran outside. Kneeling over, he began to examine the corpse before him. Everyone piled behind him, watching him as he inspected the body for clues.
After a few moments, Inuyasha stood. "I don't know who actually killed him," he began. "But I can tell you that Sesshoumaru was here." Shippo and the others looked at him inquisitively.
"What makes you so sure?" the fox demon asked. Inuyasha bent down once more, pointing to a very faint green smudge on the demon, where his mane met his neck. "That burn is from the acid in his fingertips." he stated simply. Miroku and Sango took a closer look, their human eyes barely noticing the burn buried beneath the demons mane.
"Kagome's blood inside is older than this demon's. Her blood was spilt the same time that demon inside was beheaded. Tokijin could have easily decapitated that thick brutes neck, especially in the hands of Sesshoumaru." Miroku's seemingly compliment of Sesshoumaru's strength left a bitter taste of distain in Inuyasha's mouth.
"What does this mean? Did Sesshoumaru kidnap Kagome?" Sango asked.
"We're going to find out." Inuyasha bit out.
"Grab your things and keep up, we're going to the Western Lands."
So, what did you think? Whatever it is, I want to hear from you. Shoot me an email, it's in my profile.
Thanks to everyone who have been patient with me while I was on leave.
Roses of Chaos