A/N: Hey there! Sorry for the wait everybody. A few things came up that had to be taken care of right away. It is hard that to do things over vacation when I feel so lazy. But this chapter is finally done and the next one is in my head as always. I hope you enjoy this one. I had tons of fun writing it. Now everything will be really starting. I know I said that before, but this time I think I mean it. Anyway, enjoy. Everything is working to fit nicely and I appreciate the way that you guys are sticking with me on this story. I know it might be frustrating.
Thank You: A special thanks to the following people for reviewing thus far: IWishIWazKagome, Koniko-chan, Devil's Psychiatrist, copycater, MaNgA-bOy-LoVeR, Meeh-san, Toharu, banxbadxkarma, PInK cuTie KaGomE-micael m, AngelxofxFire16, ShadowStar666, lost-x-angel, KInasha14, XoXPosterGirlXoX, Katsheswims, sillyo0omeeh, Shadows Realm, drop dead lover, PinK cuTie KaGomE-miceal m, moonlite phox, bang bang baby B-A-N-G, yumemiru905, Kitsune Diva, Inu'sHardcoreBitchThatLovesRamen, kaginulover33, not a user , MikoNLove, haunting hanyou, Amarioko, EmeraldoftheFlame, Inudaughter, KhayenRose, kiaya, My Love Inuyasha, fallenangel7191, Hoshi Phoenix, Celestial Enchantress, Sakura-Blossom-Goddess, Neisha, Megan Consoer, Selina, Wolf Girl, Karen, Jen, caliste07, Kiss and Kill, CrazyLikeaFox, angicakesisinuyashasluvr, Lady Yevon, Kawaii-CherryWolf, WasteMyTime, waterangel444, InuFanJinx, Princess Ashes, Eri, Katie, angel-tears-16, Jen, jeeringsmiles, Selina, Wolf Girl, butterflywinds, Megan Consoer, Ivy-Crystal, Karen, Angel-Tears-16, Moongirlz, Vyx, Anne79, Forest Sentry Koneji, Ally Inu, PiperWolfBlossom, Moon-Miko-ashes, Insane-and-Psycho, Eri, Animefanatic1632, Apathy Angel, Raven657, Queen Tatooine, Danyu, marijang69, Jynx, Starr Stealer, Hand off the hanyou, a100rinchhead, Katie, MizuShoubai, Angel of Death 88, KougaDemonAddict, Lulu, Crystal, Sesshouismine, Lizz456, KatanaFox, Hanyou665, She-Demonstriss, none, short-tempered, twigy, ArtemisMoon, Hot Bitch (a.k.a. Celeste), Inuyasha-Is-My-Boyfriend, Crutches the Magic Hippie, Latinachica, Kagomeissosexy, Orlando-Inu-Lover, Hi, Annie, Tarzan, Kenshrix, Kinomoto, Dark Hanyou Lover, Shaq, InuFan4Life, AuronZs10, EarthQueen11492, LinaoftheLight, chickichicki, tomariella222, spotzplaya888, elementalobsession, Black Betty, InnocentDarkSassyCat, Dark Daimon Fate, Innocent Hope, dreamz-of-hope, azn-modern-miko, Lady Dark Angel, GohanzGirl, Schezerade7, Ria-chan, Shokora no Sakuhen, Embury, lyn, inuschopstiks, Silver Rain Drops, kawaii-arula, inu-kaglover45, Malitia, AzaraRubie, dragdr, and Alarnia. Thank you for sticking with me so far especially with my random updates and I sincerely hope that you continue to do so. Your words mean more to me than you -or I- may ever know. If I have forgotten anyone please let me know. I am sorry if I did.
"Kind words can be short and easy to speak but their echoes are truly endless." -Mother Theresa
Dedication: This fanfiction is dedicated to Ria-chan, my little sister and best friend. She proof read the first two chapters of this story and has given me the inspiration to begin my story anew. But most important of all, she believes in me, which is why I posted this fic and for that I am eternally grateful. She has been my constant anchor when my world seems like it is turning upside down and inside out. She has been there for me and listened to my complaints and I thank every star at night for leading me to her. Thank you, Ria-chan! Love you lots, sweetie!
Disclaimer: Blah, blah, blah. I bet that's all you readers hear and read when you see these disclaimers. They're the same every time. Inuyasha and the characters affiliated with him do not, in any way, belong to me. They belong to Rumiko Takahashi, Viz, Shogakuken, etc.
"Your idol is shattered in the dust to prove that God's dust is greater than your idol."
Rabindranath Tagore
Chapter 14: Shattered Barriers
"And what do you care? Why are you so jealous, Inuyasha?"
For a moment the question merely hung in the balance between them. The music continued, the dancers moved to and fro in tune to the gentle waltz that was being played by the orchestra. And it served to distract Kagome. She had never been to such a place before. As Inuyasha spun her away from him, her ebony tresses released a dusting of fragrance that captivated him far more than the most expensive of perfumes.
His body clenched tightly, hotly. Never in his life had he wanted a woman as badly as he wanted Kagome. Somehow this girl, a half breed like himself, had wrapped around his heart. He recognized that tight squeeze about his heart while at the same time he feared it. He could not love her… could he? Could he possibly bring himself to admit that he loved Kagome? No. He would lie to himself and those around him to keep that secret close to him and away from his thoughts.
Inuyasha scoffed in that arrogant tone of his as he grasped her fingers within his and brought her to his body as close as discretion allowed. Within this hall there were always prying eyes, looking for the juiciest hint of a scandal. "What are you talking about now? I am not jealous of the scrawny wolf," he denied adamantly. The silver strands of his hair were flowing behind him, slowly coming undone from the leather thong they had been tied back with.
He promised himself that one of these days he would cut it. It was getting rather annoying just as the smile forming on Kagome's face.
A laugh passed her perfect lips. Kagome's azure eyes were taking all of him in as she laid her fingers gracefully through his, threading them in an intricate pattern. She secretly reveled in that familiar warmth that was coursing in her veins. His hands…. fit. Just as Kouga's did. Her confusion anew, Kagome looked back up to him and pointed out, "Then I suppose the fact that the vein at your temple is no indication of your anger? Or the fact that you broke that glass when you saw me dancing with Kouga?"
It took Inuyasha a heartbeat longer than usual to realize that Kagome was teasing him. His golden eyes turned back to her as she parted from him to switch dancers for just a spin. The dress bloomed about her like so many softening clouds- truly a celestial being. Damask roses blushed her cheeks, red and pink from the excitement of the ball and Inuyasha's jealousy. He finally tasted his own medicine. She could not describe the feeling.
A reluctant smile tugged on the half-demon's lips as he pulled Kagome back into his arms, thrilling in the way that her body leaned into his. It was as though she erased every anger that had ripped into him and most of it was at her and her father. But he could not fully understand why she made him feel as he did. Kagome was a mystery to him. At once they could be at each other's throats, fighting and arguing, and the next they would be as they were now- happiness was such a fleeting notion. Each time that he was with her, all of the arrogance and the confidence seemed to falter. She surprised him with everything that she did. He became unsure… and Inuyasha was never uncertain.
And even Sango and Selena smiled at the sight the two of them made. "And you were doubting this night," Sango whispered as she sipped at the cool wine, enjoying the way it slipped down her throat deliciously. But the woman next to her only drank water from a glass no less intricate. "It seems I have to thank Kouga before the night is through," Selena murmured gratefully as her eyes went in search. Their crimson depths found the wolf chatting among friends, but those emerald streaked eyes of his were always watching Kagome. And, she noted with satisfaction, they were just as possessive as Inuyasha was. This would be… interesting to say the least.
Selena raised her glass of clear water abruptly. "Shall we toast then? To Kouga first of all, for his interest in Kagome." Sango took the next line as she did the same. "To Inuyasha for being so damned thick-headed." They could not quite contain their laughter as it spread through them when the two of them finished in unison, "And to our brilliant minds for seeing what Inuyasha can't!" And to the men that Miroku had poised in front of Kikyo when she would have tried to start a scene with Kagome. Kikyo could never have risked her reputation in front of them. But to be sure… Selena was more than happy to help, using her natural affinity for water and liquids to spill the remnants of their wine on Kikyo's immaculate gown. Her scream rose sharply, irritating to the ears of all of those listening. The men gathered about her had to usher her from the room and she did not leave until she had cast one long and dirty look to Selena. The pregnant woman only inclined her charcoal head in mock respect. All the while, however, her eyes and lips danced in mischief.
But their little party fell on deaf ears - mostly Inuyasha's – as he smirked down at Kagome and her teasing. He thought to deflate some of that pride that was swelling in her delectable chest, puffing out her breasts invitingly and showing off the tops of the pale globes. He shook his head slightly and tried to concentrate on the flow of words from his lips. "As I said before- me? Jealous? As I recall I was not the one to purse my lips and turn away from me when Kikyo was so thoroughly lavishing her attentions upon me," he mused with a devilish glint. "I have to say it was enjoyable or I would be lying. She is always at her best here."
As he expected, Kagome's eyes darkened with something close to fury and Inuyasha suddenly became aware of just how many people were watching them. And just how many people there were in this ballroom. If he had provoked Kagome to use her powers… then all Hell would break loose.
How dare he! she fumed as she stomped down hard on his foot, earning a small cry that was half growl. But even that gave little satisfaction. Anger was becoming a constant force in her and so was jealousy as she tried to turn away. Kagome would not be made fun of by him. She would not be placed second and then compared. Kagome wrenched away from his grip, feeling bereft when before she had been just as content, and tried to push her small form through the dazzling array of skirts that unfurled about her. They locked her away, only proving to infuriate her more.
When she would have screamed in frustration of her poor luck, a hand wrapped securely, warmly around hers. Knowing it was Inuyasha, Kagome felt something stir inside of her. Some dark power was seeking to be released. She tried to hold it back; and while she did that Inuyasha had already pulled her flush to his body. The force of it caused her to stumble over the hem of her glittering skirts and land on his chest.
Inuyasha's amused laughter, slightly strained by pain, echoed above her ebony head. "You are so easy, sweetling," he whispered, brushing his lips across her ear. It elicited a shiver that now coursed down her spine at the husky timber of his voice. "So easy to tease, to want, to lust over."
Kagome spared him a bewildered gasp, both suspicious and bordering on a pleasure that she could not quite hide. To have him wanting her… To know that she had such power over him, such force. "L-lust?" she echoed stupidly, afraid that this would be some dream that her mind had conjured out of cruelty. Could he really have told her something like that? She did not trust her mind or her voice to carry such a thought; it would surely shatter.
"Yes, lust," Inuyasha growled with as much frustration as she. He twirled them both about so that they were moving through the dancers and away from other eyes. Kouga's eyes to be more exact. He did not like the way that that wolf was devouring Kagome with just a glance. As though he owned her. As though he would touch her. That he would presume to touch his Kagome! They were hidden beneath a corner of the ballroom now, a secluded spot that allowed Inuyasha the chance to fully roam her form. His golden amber eyes dropped to the pulse quickening at her throat.
He was memorized by it. Enthralled, seduced. Seduced by a virgin. By Kagome. Tenderness swept through Inuyasha at that moment. It was such a sweet thought that he held onto it a little longer so that he could savor it.
Kagome swallowed, taking an involuntary step back. His gaze, so intense and golden, blazed at her from beneath his sweeping lashes. It could almost pierce through her clothing and it caused a curious warmth to begin in the pit of her stomach and spread outward. "You said lust; I don't understand, Inuyasha," she admitted in that soft voice of hers. She said it as though a confession. Why would he place such a power over him willingly into her hands? "Don't you?" Inuyasha demanded, his tone strangled by need, by the urgency to possess her. Somehow it had stolen into his system and knocked away every reasonable thought that had ever been inside of his mind.
His large hands- big enough to span the small of her back -settled at the ending of her hips and brought her to him. He deliberately pressed her to the hard evidence of his arousal, only the thin fabric of his breeches and the impossibly thick skirts that belonged to Kagome keeping them apart. Keeping them from going into flames. Because that was what was rushing through Kagome's veins right then. It thickened her blood, stirred and sent it boiling. There was something erotic about the entire thing…
She forgot that her hands were over his chest and her palms were smoothing away the wrinkle she saw in his shirt. Her innocent caress nearly drove him to his knees. She forgot that the two of them were playing a dangerous game in the middle of a crowded ballroom full of people waiting to have something on her. Her world had narrowed until there was only Inuyasha.
"I have gone through each of these days wanting you," Inuyasha began as he ground her hips against his in a torment for the both of them. He was near bursting having her so close to him. His face was the mask of a man desperate, of a man that needed to quench his thirst. His silvery hair teased Kagome cheeks as he bent closer, closing the distance that existed there. "I grow hard and thick like this with just the thought of you, with just the scent of you in the air. And just when I think that I could find a haven in my sleep, you follow me there just to tempt and torture me. Isn't that right, Kagome?"
Inuyasha could not think of a single reason to why he was telling her all of this. All that he knew was that seeing her with Kouga had driven every reasonable thought from his mind so that only jealousy existed.
Silence was his only answer as her eyes widened. They became two large saucers in her perfectly-shaped face. And all because of his words. The way that he was shutting away each free space between them. He wanted intimacy and he was getting it. "I do not mean to-" she could not find the right words to prove her innocence of this crime he accused her of.
Not that he would let her. Inuyasha's head bent to capture her ruby, soft lips. He groaned loudly into her mouth. Sweet honey was what she tasted like, every temptation that other women could not hope to achieve or hold him with. But Kagome did. With that artless innocence that she parted her mouth when his tongue swept over the seam of her lips to give him access. His dark, sensual invasion shifted the earth beneath their feet so that Kagome had to clutch at him to keep from melting into a puddle on the marble floor, to keep her from pushing against him too insistently. To keep from betraying herself and the raging desires coursing in her body. Her knees had suddenly gone weak; only Inuyasha held her up.
Pleasure pooled low in her body, began in Kagome's womb and raced as liquid heat between her legs. Inuyasha's hands crept up to tangle in the hair at the nape of her neck, uncaring of the setting of curls, and tipped her back across his arm, wanting all of her mouth, wanting her to take all of him. Kagome moaned a protest when Inuyasha lifted his lips from hers. It was more reluctance than self-control. Inuyasha did not think he knew the meaning of the word any longer. It did not apply to him and Kagome. She was fire and steam in his arms.
Her lips were glistening and slightly swollen from his plundering and her eyes had suddenly gone slumberous, sexy. His heart did an intriguing little leap. But it was drowned out by the slam of Kagome's. It thudded in the space between them to mingle with their breaths. She felt thoroughly kissed as Inuyasha pulled her gently up, arching her back slightly so that her breast jutted to him once more before holding her to him. Kagome's hand went to her lips, probing them. They were deliciously sore.
Kagome peeked up at Inuyasha from beneath her ebony lashes, giving him a small little smile. A woman's amusement at the power that she now had. And amazement that he could possibly want her in such a way. "Am I the worst type of villain, Inuyasha?" she wondered silkily, suddenly wanting him to tell her more. "What have I done to be accused of such things, my lord?" There was slight mockery in her tone, but the mischievous look never left the depth of her sapphire eyes.
"Even in my dreams you torture me like this. I cannot get the taste of you out of mind. I want you even in my dreams." And the Heavens help him he did. Inuyasha, the great half-demon and knight to the king of Madrien was helpless and lost.
The small fingers that were lying against his velvet coat tightened convulsively. Breathless, Kagome could only stare at the man before her. Love shown so clearly from her eyes, stirrings of affection and the same desires that he had, and there Inuyasha was able to see her heart through the windows to her soul. He wanted her so badly… so much that he was constantly aching with the thought of her in another room. He lay awake wanting her, just as she lay awake wanting him with the depth and breath of her soul and body.
Without another thought Kagome stood upon her tip toes and planted a kiss against those lips that could bring her to pleasure without even touching her with his hands. Those perfect lips that she could drown in but never need saving. Inuyasha showed his surprise as his mouth opened, but Kagome's tongue swept into him. A sensual tango began as slowly Inuyasha snaked his arms about her tiny waist, shackling her to him in case she had any notion of breaking away. He would not let her; he did not have that kind of strength. But he could deny her nothing. Their lips molded against one another frantically, drawing one another in and drinking as though wine flowed between them.
Easing them out of the darkness and back into the light, Inuyasha gently broke away this time, passing a light and feathery kiss across her shadowed eyes. They could not be caught like that. It would do no good for the both of them, but for Kagome especially. He wanted no words passed against her among these vultures they dared to call people.
Kagome sighed softly as they slowly lost themselves in the throng of dancers that now swayed to a slower, much more romantic rhythm. The tinkle of the piano keys created a pleasant euphoria to heighten her light-heatedness, the utter rightness of it all as she was drawn to Inuyasha's chest. She was tempted to place her cheek against the crook of his shoulder, nestle there in all of her newly-discovered bliss.
But she sensed that this was not the time or the place for any of this. They were not supposed to be doing these forbidden acts. As though hearing her thoughts, feeling the disappointment claw its way to the surface, Inuyasha planted a new trail of kiss up to her temple, across her cheeks and to the corner of her lips. How he managed to be so discreet was beyond Kagome's comprehension, but she did not care. "Dance with me, Kagome," Inuyasha pleaded, demanded, some mix between the two of them. "Dance only with me. Like this. Right now. Forever like this."
Never in his life did Inuyasha ever recall pleading for something like he was doing right now. It brought another wave of love to Kagome when she did not think that was possible. Every little thing he did, Inuyasha was wrapping himself tighter about her heart, somewhere that was hidden from the world, but not from Kagome's thoughts.
A mischievious glint came to Kagome's sapphire eyes that the demon failed to see. She fit her body closer to the curve of his much harder one. Her words were said against his cheek. "I cannot possibly promise you that, Inuyasha." His eyes snapped to hers in anger, a blaze of unfamiliar emotions. "You see, I am already engaged to someone else."
Again, it took Inuyasha longer than usual to realize that he was being teased. The intriguing dimple in the Maiden's cheek winked at him as one side of her mouth quirked up. It ruined the serious and whole-hearted expression that would have been on her lips. Beautiful, intricate Kagome danced before him, alive and graceful in his strong arms, and she was teasing him again. No one had ever dared to tease Inuyasha; except maybe his own family. But not even Kikyo had ever done such a thing. Somehow, someway, Kagome wanted all of him; as much as she could get. She did not only want sex; she wanted his laughter and his smiles. They warmed her because he never did them with anyone else.
It brought an elated happiness to her already swelling heart to know that he smiled when he was around her; he could laugh in front of her like he was doing now. She felt it all the way down to her toes, a building of something sensual that only his voice could evoke within her. It weakened her ever more.
"Oh, really," he whispered softly in her ear, his tongue flicking out to trace the shell of her sensitive ear. "And who would be so fortunate as to have the next dance with you?"
The fact that he already knew the answer did nothing to engage his anger once again. Kagome absorbed all of those emotions from his body and replaced them with peace, contentment. An anchor for his turbulent temper that lashed out at whomever, whenever. "Why to Kouga, of course," Kagome countered. "After all, the both of you are wholly undeserving of me, but I think I might be able to hold in my snooty nature to spare you a dance." She could not help the tinkling of laughter that drifted around her and mingled with the orchestra's chaste melody.
The soft notes began to fade as the last strings of the waltz began to die away. Inuyasha executed a gallant bow as Kagome dipped into a deep curtsey, her eyes alight with laughter and joy. Inuyasha was trying his best to hold in his laughter at her banter. It was so familiar, something that he had missed so much. And that surprised him like nothing else could. He missed Kagome… He had told her that she would never be able to get him out of her mind because he would not let her, but all of this time it was he that had become a prisoner to his own word. For he could never forget about Kagome.
"I humbly thank you, my lady. One so lowly as I shall now die happy because he has been spared one dance from you." Inuyasha's grin raked at her from his Grecian features, speeding the beat of her heart until Kagome had to lay one hand over it.
Instantly Inuyasha's face twisted in concern as he stepped nearer. His fingers gently tugged at her own so that he could see why she was holding her heart so. "What is it, Kagome?" he asked hurriedly. Could Oki have missed some defect in her transformation that would cause discomfort in her body?
Kagome never tugged her hand away from his tender hold, but rather she held on for dear life. "Be still my beating heart," she murmured in humor, tapping at the exact place over her heart. "When you smile like that my heart has the most intriguing reaction. It always seems to want to jump out of my skin."
This time, Inuyasha threw his head back and laughed out loud. It was mostly to hide the sudden pleasure in his eyes at her confession. It had been most unexpected. Heads turned their way, but right there in front of everyone, Inuyasha bent his head to press a small kiss to the corner of her lips, enjoying the all together different taste. "Well, shall I kiss it back into place? I would not want you to lose your heart to me. After all, I need it right here in my hands," he whispered wickedly, "as well as a few other parts of you."
A deep crimson blush began in Kagome's neck and crept upward to stain her cheeks. She did her best to look outraged when on the inside she was melting at his words. "Inuyasha," came her small hiss. "We are in the middle of so many people!"
To her and his chagrin, he did not seem in the least place to be repentant. He merely tucked her small fingers into the crook of his elbow and began to lead her away from the dance floor. A boyish grin had snuck onto his face and all he wanted to do was sweep her into his arms and get her out of this damned ballroom. He wanted to take her to his bed, to…. He stopped the thoughts from taking root or he would embarrass himself right there in front of all of his friends by hardening even more than he had already.
"Where is that damn wolf?" Inuyasha growled. "He will get a dance from you, but only with me keeping an eye out on you. If it were up to me, he would never even get near you." He would never touch her, place his hand so easily at her hip, twirl her about the floor like two lovers with a secret.
Kagome suppressed another laugh, seeing the hard slash of the demon's mouth when he thought about Kouga. This was truly too much fun for her. She patted his arm in an odd gesture of comfort for him so that he had to turn his attention to her delicate face, her perfect mouth and laughing eyes.
"Don't be too jealous, Inuyasha," she reprimanded gently. "I will promise to do my best not to go off to dark corners and profess my lust for him and I am sure he will do the same. And you will promise not to melt at the first touch of Kikyo's lips on you." And just like that she was walking away to gather a glass of wine for herself.
The tension eased out of Inuyasha's body as quickly as it had come. She somehow always knew the right thing to say to him. A servant stepped before him to offer him a glass of scotch and he gladly took it, raising it first to Kagome's retreating form in salute before sipping at it thoughtfully. She was an enigma, that one. He could not quite figure her out. The musicians were quick to begin the next round of dancing and to prevent himself from standing there and growling at the way that Kagome would be in the arms of that damned wolf again, he amused himself with trying to find Kikyo.
She was no where to be seen right then. But the amber liquid orbs in his face fell to a certain man that he had never seen before. Steel blue-gray eyes were welded to Kagome's figure irrevocably until he noticed that Inuyasha was watching him. Their eyes met in a silent clash of wills and the silver-haired demon was certain that he had seen those eyes somewhere before. And he was also certain that it was not on the friendliest of terns. But he could not quite place the memory to what he was thinking. Something seemed to be holding it back from him. The man nodded in slight acknowledgement of him before taking long, purposeful strides toward the couples that were swirling like so many silken ribbons of fabric and jewels bright with candlelight.
Inuyasha allowed him to go, but he did not fully release the suspicion that was building, a storm cloud that darkened his expression slightly. Miroku could see it clearly as he came to stand next to him. "What is going on?"
Inuyasha gestured to the man that was walking from them, short cropped hair seeming to be moved by an invisible hand. A sinister aura seemed to cling to him, but it was subtle. It could have very well been lust for the Maiden of Twilight. Her beauty was spreading through the ballroom like wild fire, destructive and engaging all at once. "Him. We have to keep a close watch because I have never seen him associated with King Laramos," he bit out through his fangs.
Miroku nodded, he too watching the stranger. But a sudden wayward smile enveloped his lips as he nudged Inuyasha in the ribs. "So, where did you take Kagome?" This time it was Inuyasha that blushed from the roots of his hair down to the scruff of his neck. He cleared his throat….
"Kouga." It drew the wolf's attention to Kagome's face, tilted back to expose the delicate line of her throat to his view. He wondered if her skin was as soft as it looked to the touch. He longed to, but she was not that type of woman. And he was glad of that. It seemed almost a relief. "Why is it that you hate Inuyasha so much?" she asked softly, her body once again relaxed when she was with him.
There was not a lustful bone in her body and neither was there one of animosity towards this being. She merely felt… content in his presence, as she was with Inuyasha's. But this seemed to run deeper than what she shared with the half demon. This was something that nothing in the world could break.
He gave a slight shrug, a nonchalant gesture that spoke wonders. "It is not a matter of whether I hate him or not," he explained carefully, obviously sensing a trap somewhere in her words. "It is that he is half demon while we are all demon as the knights under His Majesty. That is all, little one."
A soft frown suddenly crossed Kagome's forehead at his words. He hated him because Inuyasha was half demon? No anger rose up in her, no way for the swirling darkness that had come earlier to seep back to the surface. The frown remained and Kouga could not help but smile at her silence. So that was what was happening… He had no doubt of it, but he was more certain of his assumptions then he had been earlier.
Kouga rubbed the pad of his thumb between her brows to erase the small look of concentration. "What is the matter, little one? I have made you angry with me by saying what only the truth is?" he mused lightly.
"I'm not angry with you," Kagome said the words carefully as not to offend, "but disappointed. You should have known the woman you hold in your arms is also a half demon, Kouga." Despite the seriousness of her tone, there was a gentle, reprimanding smile on her lips that he longed to kiss and mold with his own. The temptation was there and very real to the wolf's senses.
They waltzed about for a few more moments so that it did not seem that they were trying to go off alone with one another; their movements had long since begun to slow down and people might be suspicious. Already eyes were following them from place to place, a predator eyeing its prey maliciously, waiting to pick it apart bone by bone and string of muscle, by string of muscle. The nervousness in Kagome's heart increased tenfold. She found it much harder to breathe with such intense gazes. It was only Kouga's voice that drew her back.
His words were chosen carefully. "Yes, this is true," he said complacently. "But you see, Kagome, there is one problem with your defense of the mutt." Her eyebrows raised in question of what he meant. That same rakish grin appeared on his full lips that had her heart skipping a gentle beat. "I am in no way interested in seducing him as I am you right now. And it is working," he finished triumphantly.
Again Kagome found she was relaxing, loving the way he could so easily make her laugh. Kouga opened perfect paths in front of her with his words; they would lead her to where she wanted to go. Kagome knew which were the safest. But with Inuyasha, she found that all of the roads seemed to merge into one, they tangled and faded into obscurity. Each one was dangerous; a danger to her body, her soul. Her heart. To be with him was imposing, mesmerizing. It robbed the very breath from her lungs. She could not possibly breathe or think clearly with Inuyasha close. Kouga was a welcomed respite.
"I bet someone has told you that you are arrogant," Kagome ventured as she stood beside him. The dance was not meant for them, he had said, and so they watched the elegant figures as they passed. Kouga's shrug proved to be nonchalant, but the smile that he carried was purely male. All of their species' amusement clear and pristine upon him. "I have also been told, little one, that I am very, very handsome and irresistible. It would strike a blow to my heart if you thought otherwise."
Kouga could not help but watch the warmth spread to her eyes, lighting them up as brightly as the sun would do to the horizon. How could he not fall in love with her? he wondered inwardly. Kagome was light and compassion, warmth and solidarity. And everything wild in his demonic nature demanded that he claim her for his own. He had no doubt that Inuyasha was feeling the same way. "Well?" His voice brought her breath taking eyes up to his face. He was unable to look away from those sapphire eyes. "Were they telling the truth, Kagome?"
When she laughed, the Maiden's voice held a wealth of humor and when she opened her mouth to answer, there was a presence beside her that stopped the flow of words. A tall man took her hand in his own, bending over it in a courtly manner. "My Lady? Would you honor me with this waltz?"
The entire ballroom had seen not only one, but two of the king's knights dance with the Maiden of Twilight with no fear of what she would do to them. It cast an excited whisper about the room. So she was truly on their side… Truly she had to be and everyone admitted almost humorously to having known that the entire time.
Kouga growled deep in his throat, the sound startling Kagome. Her sapphire eyes, fringed by the most stunning lashes, sought and held his. A reassuring smile curved her lips and she moved away into the arms of the gentleman before her. The bastard… Kouga could not help but growl like his animal counterpart. Kagome was his partner, his prey. He would allow her to go to no one's arms but his. But seeing the happiness upon her face, he urged himself to calm down. She would come back to him. And he would be certain to go to her.
Before Kagome could realize that the waltz had ended, she was swept into the arms of another admirer. They had worked up the courage to come to this stunning vision, this goddess and ask for her hand, her introduction. They found they were put at ease with the calm seeping from her. She absorbed the darkness, the fear and dark emotions from them and into her own body. She replaced it with happiness. Kagome oozed tranquility and compassion; they could not believe that they had been led to believe otherwise. Unknown to them or to Kagome, her power was affected by the joy swelling in her breast. She gladly smiled at them, swayed with them through the dances they carried her through like the young queen that she was. Her energy wrapped itself like a protective cocoon over their bodies, soothing their fears and troubled mind. They delighted in her presence and were always reluctant to hand her to the next man waiting. Even from the dance floor, Kagome could see that this did not please either Inuyasha or Kouga. Kagome lifted her fingers in a small wave before she was taken into the throng of people.
The hands that gripped her were oddly cold and menacing. "You are quite comfortable here as well." Kagome stiffened in the man's arms, suddenly wary. Suddenly on the alert and in need of reassurance. Her new senses fanned out to encompass the two of them; they delved into his mind, broke past barriers that had been put up by a strong hand to encounter darkness of the deepest kind. It startled the man that she was able to do so when she had only recently had her powers brought to the surface. This man walked in shadows, in death and the deepest craving for killing.
Kagome's eyes flew to his, but she was met with brilliant, untroubled ripples of brown eyes that glowed gently in the candlelight. They almost smiled at her but lacked the warmth to do so. Her lashes fluttered with the onslaught of power. Could she have been wrong about him? Then why was every nerve ending screaming at her to escape his unrelenting presence? "Is there something wrong, my lady?" the man wondered with a dashing smile meant to put her at ease; it only prickled the fine hairs on the back of Kagome's neck.
"No," she whispered softly. "There is nothing wrong."
"She is in his grasp, my lord Naraku," Naku hissed, his eyes seeing into nothing and everything at the same time. He transgressed the soul with a mere look , a glance from his malevolent eyes. And then no one would be able to escape him. Or death.
Naraku emerged from the shadows. One moment he was not there and the next he was solid and whole besides Naku. He dared not step upon the ornate circle of sand that allowed the seer to watch the Maiden's every movement. His robes never disturbed a grain as glowing red eyes fastened on Naku's demonic features. He only vaguely noted that there was a satisfied smirk upon his face. The man would be paid handsomely for this work of his. "Good," he stated simply. "Tell them that the plan will be set in motion now. And this time I want no mistakes from any of them or they will pay dearly. Break her."
There was a slight snarl to his lips that set Naku's teeth on edge. He tensed as Naraku's warm breath fanned out on the back of his head, rippling the fiery red hair hanging down his back. There was an odd sensation of spiders crawling about his skin…
And it was even worse for Teinin. A sickening please ran through his body as he traveled unnoticed by the people swaying about him. Fools. They knew not how to sense the ebb and flow of energy any longer. Each person of Madrien had their own source of power, no matter how little it truly was, but they failed to hone their skills as they should have. They had grown careless and weak all of this time that his master had been away. But no longer. Naraku would gain what he needed and all of them would once again taste fear.
Teinin traveled easily beneath the marble flooring, using the shadows that the men and women cast onto the ground as his shield from prying eyes. The darkness embraced him; the shadows kissed his cheeks with their rotting lips. Any other might have turned away from such a power. But not he.
Easily he glided, years of training and preparation behind him. Easily did he come to Kagome's side, dancing with another one of Naraku's many servants. But this boy was no threat to him. It was the Maiden of Twilight that held his master enthralled like no other. Anger exploded into his mouth, leaving its bitter after taste on the back of his tongue. His mind opened up to the boy that was dancing with Kagome, linking them together through his strong will.
'It is time,' he hissed loudly. Instantly the man's mind was flooded with the touch of evil and the lingering brush of the many claws and shadows. He winced, but quickly suppressed it and urged Kagome in the direction that he wished for her to go. Engrossed in her thoughts, she did not notice that they were gliding into the middle of the ballroom. She did not notice that the world around her was suddenly growing a little dimmer, a little quieter. Where there had once been laughter and candle light, blazes of flames that set the room asparkle, now there was only darkness.
It seemed night had descended, but no power of the moon or the sun could pierce this wall of shadows. Kagome's gasp was swallowed by the darkness as well. Everything was as it was pulled away. The world of the ballroom faded easily and it looked as though an invisible hand had wiped it all away. It had been so easy… "Inuyasha-!" Kagome cried out, hiking up her skirts and running in the opposite direction of the man that she had been dancing with.
He was staring at her with that peculiar smirk once again. And all of the warmth that he had maintained melted away like the light of the room. Kagome launched herself at the shrinking portal and only encountered the solid frame of a black wall, fog curling from its confines. "Inuyasha!" she screamed out once again as she pounded her small fists on the immovable object.
Suddenly all of them were trapped in the enclosure, isolated from anyone that could have saved her. Sesshomaru, Miroku, Kouga. Inuyasha… All of them could not hear her any longer. Her breath wheezed past her parted lips heavily. Kagome not seem to draw in enough breath to keep her heart from stuttering. A crushing weight settled over her chest while laughter- low and dangerous –erupted around her.
"What ever is the matter, my lady?" the man behind her wondered. "I thought you were enjoying the dance." His eyes went to the darkness around them. "Lovely, is it not? I thought we might have a little privacy."
Kagome backed away from him slowly. "Who are you?" she spat out. "What do you want?"
A flash of his teeth was the only answer that she received. He did not talk to her; instead he circled her as a vulture would. Intent. Hungry. Needing to feed upon her… The click of his boots remained the only sound even as Teinin showed himself behind Kagome. Out of the floor he rose as though he had no solid body of his own. An apparition could not have been so graceful as he. An unseen hand ruffled his clothing and hair, a dead caress like he wished Naraku would do. But the thought was pushed away. He knew his master's presence lurked somewhere near by. He could not dawdle here.
Kagome felt him immediately despite the fact that not even a sound came from him. On silent feet he glided to her, not even the rustle of his clothing to betray his presence and somehow Kagome knew. All of the anger, the jealousy she had been suppressing the entire night, beat at the insides of her mind and now fear plucked the rhythm of her heart, sending it into a beating frenzy. Every instinct inside of her mind was alert. She whirled around with more speed that anyone though imaginable; her hand flew to Teinin's throat and lifted him from the ground. Strength radiated from her toned body; she wore power like a second skin.
Teinin now found himself staring into two deep sapphire eyes, their pupils gradually melting away to reveal the oblique color. Fear slammed into him. He knew this creature before him; now she was the same woman that had mutilated him in the human realm. The same one that had invaded his mind as easily as though he had no defenses. No life. No feelings at all, no way to grasp what she was doing to him as her power surged forth. The breath escaped his lungs in one long rush and he was suddenly fighting her. He could not allow her to come to be of her own free will. That would doom them all.
The man that had been dancing with Kagome rushed forward to aide his comrade. His nails, now lengthening into talons, dug into Kagome's arms and he pulled her away. She fought him, but his power easily overcame hers when she was distracted. The ebb and flow of her energy was erratic; she could not hope to control it. Kagome screamed out, her voice carrying, bouncing to each different wall, but could not hope to pierce them. No one on the outside would be able to hear her.
With the thought came the sudden knowledge that she was alone. Kagome's entire body trembled even as she continued to cry out for Inuyasha. He would be able to save her. He would come for her as he had done that time on Earth. He would…
Naraku's servant hung on tighter and beneath his breath he chanted out a small spell. The words shimmered in the air as golden and silver hues. They wrapped around Kagome, a cocoon that quickly stopped her frantic, jerky movements. All feeling left her limbs. She was left suspended in the air when he stepped back, only her eyes darting back and forth to bring to life the agony in her. No one was coming… No matter how much Kagome willed her muscles to work, they would not obey her. Her arms were trapped at her sides, the cuts the man had left torn and the blood seeping down her arm in intricate vines. They mirrored the inscriptions that her transformation had rendered into the skin at her back and hips. Even her legs and feet would not move, trapped beneath the heavy fall of petticoats and fabric.
Teinin lifted himself from the ground rather shakily. He would not face that demon once again. The excruciating pain that he had felt was a brand in his mind, fresh and new with this particular mission. He swallowed several times before he was able to find his voice.
"Is she subdued?" he wondered softly. All the while he tried to keep the tremors from his voice.
The man opposite of him laughed in the same manner and nodded. "You may proceed. I assure you she is quite incapable of moving. My power is inside of her veins now; she cannot help but answer to me for the little time that I have bought you."
Small sounds escaped Kagome's throat as she watched the man with slashing silver eyes come closer. She remembered him from earth. But now she could not seem to summon the strength to actually fight him. For some reason none of it would do her bidding. Tears glittered in her lashes and they veiled her eyes quickly when Teinin's hands reached for her face. A violent flinch shuddered through her as his fingertips came to lie at her temples. Like Okinamaru…
But there was no screams to signal what he would do. Fingers… Hands sought and tore at her mind, broke through so many different barriers that her subconscious had erected so that she may be safe. So that the world may be safe from what she was, what she was truly capable of. But Naraku knew some of what she could do. He wished for the rest of it as well. He wanted the Maiden of legends. Teinin easily passed through Kagome's mind and wherever his fingers, his presence touched, the shields in Kagome's mind were blackened, charred by an invisible fire.
They cracked slightly and Kagome stiffened in the man's embrace. Her eyes snapped open and her mouth opened in a soundless scream for mercy. She wanted out of this; she needed an escape from whatever was spreading across her soul. She could feel the way that her insides darkened, becoming the shadows themselves as Teinin's presence took root. Kagome tried to pull her head away when his strength overwhelmed her, but the man holding her only held her more firmly.
Pain lanced through her, something she had never before felt. Her body jerked, but did not have the power of the will to pull away. Something inside of her that had lain dormant for this entire time finally made itself known. It rose up from the very depths of Kagome's slender body and began to claw its way to the surface. Teinin and his accomplice noticed the sudden rise in tension in the air. They paused their movements. Their eyes looked to each other nervously. They had not thought this far… What would happen if the Maiden would truly rise? What would happen to them should they decide to stay too long? Naraku had not mentioned this…. He had been willing to place their lives in utter danger.
Teinin shrank away with the same speed as the man he worked with. Kagome slumped to the floor. Both of them gazed down at her hands, at her body that convulsed over and over with an unseen force. Light radiated from her as easily, as brilliantly as the sun, seeped from her pores, from her fingertips until she was gasping for breath. What was happening to her? Kagome tried to ignore the insidious whispers that were licking at the inside of her mind. Submit to me… Sleep now so that I may rise.
She would not! Kagome would not give in to whatever was trying to come loose within her. But even remaining awake had become a chore within itself. Her eyelids drooped heavily, veiling her eyes for one moment as she tried to assess the damage to her mind. Teinin had broken down her barriers, doors that she had placed around her darker emotions. But somehow they now leaked out and consumed her with their jagged claws. They ripped into her- jealousy, anger. Everything that Inuyasha had said to her the past few days came back to her full force. It proved to drive away all goodness in her.
Suddenly the bits of debris at the floor trembled, stirred and came to life. They were lifted into the air and sharpened right there in front of them, becoming needle-like daggers that gleamed devilishly with the glow Kagome cast. To Teinin's horror they moved and sought out the man that had tricked her into dancing with him. His eyes widened in fright, in a knowledge that he was going to die. It was suddenly there in his mind, an impending thought that he could not quite shake away. But all the same, he did back away from Kagome when she rose fluidly to her feet.
The red vines that had been imprinted in her skin were spreading. Like a knife they were carved into their skin, parting the flesh, soft and curving cuts appearing and turned ruby with her blood. Around her waist they curled, down her supple legs and over the crease of her small hip. Slowly, gradually did they do this. They sparkled and gleamed like stirring crystalline water.
Her skirt shifted subtly, a whisper of sound even as her wings burst from her back, ripping the delicate dress slightly. Her eyes only remained on Teinin but she was well aware of the other man that was trying to escape. The dark and shadow erected around them as a wall would have easily allowed the man through should he have wanted to leave. Bu now that he attempted to, reaching his hand out to press against the ebony interior. But to his ever-growing horror, he only encountered a solid wall. With a small growl he pushed against it with his shoulder, ramming into it over and over in the hopes that it would break under his strength. But alas, it was as sturdy as ever.
He turned back to look at the Maiden, swallowing heavily the impending thought of his death. He was bombarded with images of his own mutilation. They flashed in front of his eyes and were held there for him, shoved into his face. Blood poured from his body in gentle streams, pooling low and wicked upon the ground so that the earth soaked it up with devilish greed. It sung with the taste. The servant screamed loudly. He took one step back, his hands immediately going to his eyes to try to wipe away what was before him. He did not want to die! This had not been in the contract! He had not agreed to come under Naraku for this!
That small, betraying movement caught Kagome's attention. Her hollowed eyes darted to the man and a wicked smirk crossed her features; it looked so out of place but helped her features appear that much more beautiful beneath the light that she cast. The hair prickled on Teinin's arm as he watched Kagome's eyes focus on the man's hands. With only that one glance, the nails had lengthened. Her power did not even need to touch them fully…. She was already that powerful, her emotions fueling what she would not normally do.
That she even harbored such emotions surprised Teinin. But the screeching that ensued had his attention going back to the servant that had accompanied him on this mission. The blood drained from his face.
The nails that had become like ten long daggers had pierced through the man's face, cracking through bone and muscle and tissue to reach the most precious organ- the brain. But still he writhed and tried to back away from Kagome's steps. She was coming closer. And with her close proximity, his hands were pushing deeper and deeper into his skin. He screamed out once again as Kagome's power easily enveloped him, held him for her own as they had done to her. She never spoke a word though that was more terrifying than if she had. Her silence told of her deadly ways.
"Spare me!" he screamed, his mind spreading outward to weave into Kagome's. But what little control that he had was now gone, forever swept away by the tide of her blood, her emotions. Anger, bitterness, resentment and hatred burned like a hot brand beneath her skin. She needed, craved retribution as the precious drug in her system. Her jewel-encrusted heels stepped into the pooling blood, staining their brilliance with the crimson rush of liquid. The hem of her gown was already saturated, stealing up the silvery blue, inching its way to capture her. The debris flowing around her followed obediently.
The man would not last long. The small little observation had the grin on Kagome's lips growing wider as she laughed. It was a light tinkling sound. She extended her arm outward with one graceful sweep and the wall that they had built to keep her from prying eyes tore into pieces.
The guests that had gathered around the wall were forced back as the crack was made. When it split into pieces, they were given full view to Kagome. The Maiden of Twilight never paid them any mind; they were not her target. A woman screamed when she saw the blood and where it had come from. What was going on here? Chaos was close to erupting as they watched the man try to back away from her, as they watched Kagome easily follow. With one mighty flap of her wings, the debris she had sharpened were flung to him and punctured through his clothing and skin to pin him to the shadow wall behind him. He screamed, blood pooled.
"Kagome!" Inuyasha, a flash of silver, leapt over the crowds, hoping to reach her. But he slammed into an invisible barrier and was cast away like a fly. He landed a few feet away from Miroku's feet, pain shooting through every nerve-ending. He had never felt such a power before. It encompassed his being, wrapped about his heart as the shadowed wall did with the man pinned to it.
"What do we do?" Inuyasha demanded as he struggled to his feet.
Sesshomaru's lips tightened into a grim line as his golden eyes flashed. "Nothing."
Kagome easily closed her fingers one by one, taunting the man with the way that he was folded into so many creases. With each one a new scream came, and another crack of bone was heard. It sent shivers down the spines of all of the people there, but for some reason they did not have the thought to look away or run. They were captivated with their first true glimpse of the Maiden of Twilight. Her wings were fanned about her, both ethereal and deadly with their glowing light, moving like ripples upon a lake's surface. Power she wore like a second skin.
And she wore it well.
Her curls were flying about her in their entire luster, a silken waterfall as black as the wall that was crunching the man before her into the size of a child's ball. But just as quickly Kagome eased the pressure. He was given that one moment of respite and his head dangled with little strength to hold it up. As he took his next breath, Kagome snapped her hand into a tight fist and blood spewed forth to shower down upon the guests, upon her. It knocked the men and women from their reverie and that chaos that had been burning so close to their hearts finally exploded into screams, into trampling feet intent to get away from this woman and all that she did. Blood sparkled with a beautiful sheen in the candle light. Ho ironic since it was the very thing that kept them all alive.
Sesshomaru quickly scanned the area, over passing heads, and saw Selena. One minute he was not at her side and the next he was enveloping her in his strong embrace, casting away the blood that littered her form. She should not be covered in it… She should not ever be touched by such a thing. Fear was constant in his heart as the dog demon saw the way that Selena's eyes had widened, the way that her skin paled beneath the rouge on her cheeks. The baby was kicking strongly in between them. It was distressed by its mother's anxiety and rising fear. Sesshomaru placed his hand protectively over the large mound as though that would be able to calm the child. "We must get you out of here," he whispered, more to himself than anyone else. "Inuyasha!"
But his younger brother already had his intent in mind. He moved with deadly accuracy to the king's side. He needed to be protected above all. His hands grasped the king's and pulled him from his place at the throne, turning him to Kouga and the other knights. As a unit they formed a shield around the old man and moved with the crowd, their swords drawn and ready for all that might attempt something upon their king. Kouga's orders were swift and were obeyed without question as he cast one last glance at Kagome.
Limbs scattered at her feet. Kagome kicked one from her path as she turned to Teinin now. He looked to her, his eyes wide with terror but she only parted her ruby lips. When she spoke, it was in a tone not of this earth, not of this realm and time. It contained hallowed breaks like a song, her fangs exposed for all to see. 'I thank you for releasing me,' she hissed softly, coming closer. 'But I sense that you would never take part in such a thing as this. Your soul is cowardly and deadened with lust. Where is your true master?'
A/N: Well, that's the end. I did not want to make this chapter too long. It might overwhelm all of you and then me for going back and editing it. Hope you enjoyed! Love you all!