Chapter 2

~X~

I took in a deep breath right before I hit the water. And let me tell you, jumping into a raging river from over fifty feet hurts like a bitch. My body stung all over, as though I had been slapped with a giant baseball glove. And I didn't dare open my eyes, for the fear of getting water into them.

I know that the water wouldn't do anything, but I hate getting stuff in my eyes, even water. I tried swimming, but the current was strong, and for all I know, I could've been swimming closer to the bottom instead of up to the surface.

I could feel myself losing air as I was forced to let out some in a way to relieve the growing pressure on my lungs.

'Shit, shit, shit! I'm actually gonna die!' I screamed mentally.

I felt my eyes sting behind my closed eyelids in what I assumed to be tears forming. I wouldn't be able tell though if they actually came out or not considering that I was underwater.

I soon stopped swimming, allowing myself to just float there. My head was pounding, my legs were sore from all the running, and my chest was still tightening horribly from my pounding heart and my lack of air.

I never got to say goodbye to my family or my friends. I wish I could've auditioned for that one TV show on Disney. I wish I had done more chores around the house. I wish... I wish I could've lived long enough to get married and have kids.

By now, I was sure I was crying. I ignored a loud splashing sound in favor of wallowing in self pity. I let out a choked sob which also let out the last of my air. I guess this is it.

'Maybe I'll see Alex in heaven.'

With that last reassurance in mind, I allowed a small, pained smile to spread across my face. As my final act before I died, I allowed myself to open my eyes one more time. I caught a glimpse of a shadow reaching out toward me, before I felt myself give in to the awaiting darkness.

~X~

I was numb. And cold, really really cold. Is this heaven? I thought it'd be warmer than this. And I didn't think I would be able to feel pain either, my head was killing me and it felt as though I had heartburn.

I groaned in annoyance as the pain in my head just wouldn't go away. Sitting up, I immediately regretted it as the pounding got even worse if possible. I gasped in pain and my hands flew to my head, cradling it.

"Somebody just put me out of my misery..." I muttered quietly to myself.

"That could be arranged," someone replied back, amusement lacing their words.

I stiffened in both surprise and fear. I lifted my head up, my hands still gripping the sides of them, and found myself looking up into the faces of Koga, his lackeys Hakkaku and Ginta, and several wolves.

"If you're gonna eat me, could I at least have a five minute head start?" I asked in an attempt to negotiate with them.

All I received was a laugh from Ginta and Hakkaku.

"Don't worry, human, we aren't gonna eat you," Ginta said in between laughs.

'Thank God,' I mentally sighed in relief.

"We aren't?" Hakkaku asked in confusion.

'Shit, please no,' I pleaded silently.

"Nobody's eating her," Koga said in annoyance.

'WHOOHOO! No eating me tonight, WHOO! No eating me tonight, YEAH! They're on a diet!' I secretly celebrated in my head using Dorothy's nemo song.

"Wait, then why am I here?" I asked in confusion.

"We saw you jump off that cliff," Ginta informed me.

"Yea, and then Koga went to save you," Hakkaku finished for him.

"Even though I was convinced that you were suicidal," Koga said.

I raised an eyebrow and looked over at him, "For your information, I'm NOT suicidal. I just like painless deaths that's all."

"Sure," Koga replied with a roll of his eyes.

"He even took care of that snake demon that had been chasing you," Hakkaku said, his voice hosting an undertone of awe.

"You're welcome," Koga said in an arrogant voice.

I felt my left eye twitch, "Thanks, I guess, but that doesn't really answer my question. Why am I here?"

"Well, we couldn't exactly wait to make the travel to the nearest village seeing as you were basically on the brink of death," Koga said.

"A couple of times, we thought you were dead, but you're heart was still beating," Ginta piped in.

Hakkaku nodded quickly in agreement and said, "Koga even had to give you mouth to mouth."

"Oh, okay so - wait what?! You put your grubby lips on me?!" I screeched in embarrassment.

"Grubby lips?! Any girl would consider themselves lucky to get a kiss from me, let alone mouth to mouth!" Koga exclaimed angrily.

"And besides," he said crossing his arms, "It was disgusting having to kiss a human like you, especially since you threw up water in my mouth. I bet my kiss with Kagome would be a lot better."

I ignored that last sentence in favor of the one before that.

"I.. I threw up in your mouth..?" I asked shakily.

"Yea, you should apologize! I still have the taste in my mouth," he said with a scrunched up nose.

I covered my face with my hands and groaned in embarrassment.

"Wait, but you're a demon," I began as I moved my hands back to the sides of my head to look up at them, "Why would you bother saving a human like me?"

"Well honestly, I was gonna leave you there to die, but then I felt a strange energy coming from you. Turns out, it was just your necklace," Koga said pointing at my chest.

"Necklace? What neckla-?" I cut myself off as I moved my head to look at my chest.

I blinked in surprise when I found a pretty red diamond, in the shape of a small oval, resting against my wet t-shirt.

"I tried stealing it, but it shocked me," Hakkaku said, giving the necklace a glare.

I raised an eyebrow at this. Who would admit to stealing? More importantly, where did this necklace come from? I removed my hands from the sides of my head and took the necklace in my hand.

The necklace, like I stated before, was a pretty red. If you looked closely at it, you could see three, tiny white diamonds sitting atop the red diamond in a mini pyramid. It hung around my neck on a thin, golden chain.

"The hell?" I breathed out silently, slightly mesmerized by its shininess even in the dim cave lighting.

"So do you know what it is?" Koga asked curiously.

"Nope, not a clue. But I'm keeping it," I declared before stuffing the necklace inside my shirt.

The pounding in my head had lessened greatly, allowing me to think more clearly. Which reminds me... I'M IN A FUCKING CAVE WITH KOGA AND COMPANY! after that revelation, I promptly passed out.