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Chapter Fifteen: Truth

Inuyasha couldn't contain the growl that crawled through his throat or the urge to bring Kagome closer when she still seemed to be so distant.

His day couldn't have gotten any worse even if it tried.

Kagome felt his chest rumble, her head pressed against him with his clawed hand. Her senses woke up and soon everything came back so clearly, it was almost blinding.

"In-Inuyasha?" she mumbled, trying to make sense of everything. She felt close to him, too close and she didn't know the reason why. Had she gone too deep? Had something happened?

She didn't even remember trying, just…walking around the café.

Inuyasha didn't even pay attention to her. "I said what the hell are you doing here Sesshomaru? Or have you become deaf after all these years of hearing people cry?"

The man named Sesshomaru stopped in his tracks, no expression shown whatsoever on his features. Just like Inuyasha, he had silver hair and those magnificent amber pools that could easily be mistaken for the sun. The only differences were the strange marks on his face, where a purple crescent moon sat on his forehead and three marks on either side of his cheeks. He had a strong build and wide shoulders that could make any guy look second-best and though he wasn't overly-muscular, he wasn't scrawny in the least.

Inuyasha growled when he wasn't answered. "Sesshomaru, answer me! Why are you here?"

"Why else?" Sesshomaru answered coldly.

"Sango told me you were back. I just haven't thought of a reason why just yet. Or are you yet again trying to bring your little brother into shame?"

Kagome listened to the conversation, though the only one that really spoke was Inuyasha. Pushing away from him, Kagome looked up at Inuyasha's features, seeing him both tense and angry. "Inuyasha?"

"Get in the car Kagome," Inuyasha said quietly, looking behind him to see Miroku. "Miroku, get Kagome out of here. You can go home now if you want."

"But, don't we have to look at their homes?"

Inuyasha glared at Kagome, willing her to be quiet though he knew it was too late.

"So, I see that since you couldn't solve this matter last time, you're now getting the help of people who have nothing to do with this. Hmm, though I guess she was a good choice, considering the fact that she is a look-alike."

Inuyasha growled at the smug face Sesshomaru wore. "Shut up. Why won't you tell me why you're here? You have absolutely no reason to be and I don't want you."

Sesshomaru shook his head. "Still as thick-headed as ever, aren't you Inuyasha? Doesn't this all seem a little familiar? Yuri's death, Kirara's death…? It should all make sense by now, don't you think?"

Miroku stepped up until he was right behind Inuyasha. "What is he talking about?"

Inuyasha looked behind him to face Miroku. "I thought I told you to get Kagome out of here!"

"Why?" Kagome demanded. "I'm okay."

Inuyasha sighed explosively and ignored Kagome, looking at Sesshomaru with a grim expression. "Despite what you might think, those were my suspicions. I just…didn't want it to be true."

Sesshomaru nodded almost unnoticeably. "Call us in; we'll take care of this case."

"Hell no," Inuyasha said firmly. "Just so you can take over the entire investigation? I think not."

Kagome put a hand on Inuyasha's shoulder. "Okay, okay. Everyone just calm down, please. Now, Inuyasha who the hell is this?"

Inuyasha scoffed and shook his head. "This is-"

"Sesshomaru Taisho, FBI," he stated, pulling out his badge to show Kagome.

"Wait, so you guys are brothers?" Miroku asked, looking between the two. "I thought you two looked a lot alike."

"We're half-brothers," Inuyasha muttered through gritted teeth. "Let's not continue this conversation, please. Sesshomaru, I didn't call in the FBI and I never will. And you are to get nowhere near this case, got it?" Folding his arms across his chest, Inuyasha held firm.

Sesshomaru merely stared at Inuyasha, his face expressionless. Kagome gazed into the older brother's eyes and noticed how hard they were to read. They were cold…distant.

Without even blinking, Sesshomaru turned around and started to walk away, back down the way he came.

Kagome watched with a confused look. "I guess you're not really close, huh?"

Inuyasha laughed and shook his head. Walking back to the Tahoe and starting it. "Come on, we still have the houses and then we're done. I want to get back to the station quickly to see how Sango's doing with Nazuna."

Miroku and Kagome followed, Kagome sitting once again in the backseat. She didn't say anything, and she particularly didn't want to discuss what she felt. It was always hard to do, to express the emotions and pain that other people felt and kept private. Much to her dismay though, Miroku turned to face her and asked, "So what did you get out of there? You gave us a bit of a scare because you were gasping for breath."

Kagome shrugged, not wanting to admit that she remembered nothing of that. "The killer literally chopped her up with the axe so whether she bled to death or one of the hits just ended it right there, I couldn't really tell. It was more or less the scene of what happened. What she felt when she was being chased…"

"She was chased?" Inuyasha asked curiously, frowning.

"Well, unlike Yuri, she had time to think. When Yuri was murdered it was a surprise and she had no time to prepare. One minute she was with the killer, all innocent and unknowing and then the next hands were around her neck and everything went black. With Kirara it was different. An axe is hardly easy to hide behind one's back so when Kirara saw it, she must have known she was going to die, or was supposed to die. She ran; she really tried hard to live. She made a beeline for the door but got caught, thrown against the counter and then against the wall, then to the floor. Kirara watched the axe come down to kill her. She knew."

Kagome shrugged. "Different emotions were felt, Yuri's were less intense because she wasn't aware dying. She was unconscious while the killer finally finished the job. Kirara felt regrets, joys, pains and love before she died. As she died."

Inuyasha shivered. "And you…didn't see the killer? No hints, clues, something in the background to give us some sort of lead?"

Kagome shook her head. "It was like watching a movie only the camera was entirely focused on Kirara. If there was any part of the killer shown it was bland, uneasy to remember."

"So we barely got anything out of this."

Miroku frowned. "Kagome, if you can only hear the voices of the dead and can't see them, how did you 'see' Kirara's death?"

Biting her bottom lip, Kagome tried to recall the feeling of being overwhelmed, hearing…sensing… "The voices…told me a story, I guess you could say. I feel the pain but I hear the story as it's told by the voices… I think."

"You'd think the universe would try to give us a break and just let us see who the killer was," Inuyasha muttered, clearly unhappy.

"Little life lessons we have to learn," Kagome stated softly, a little depressed herself. All the pain she was feeling, sometimes it just got to her. It became hard to ignore, the constant feelings of uselessness, loss…

"And do these little life lessons involve the deaths of so many?" Inuyasha asked tersely.

"If it's what makes us wake up to the reality of life, then yes. Death must be involved. And apparently, the broken reason of why the murderer is killing so many is our little life lesson. Anyone get the feeling it's a class we have a good chance of failing?"

Nazuna unlocked the doors to her house and opened them. Stepping in, she more or less blocked the way for Deputy Houko and Officer Kakazu. "Why do you need to come in to my home? You guys have no reason to."

"Other than the fact that you're suspected for murder? Look, we can come back later with a warrant or we can do this easily and painlessly if you let us in."

"No," Nazuna said simply. "I'm not the killer and I have alibis for both murders."

"Both which can easily be broken," Sango stated, her patience wearing thin. "If you really aren't the killer, why are so tense about letting us in. If you're innocent you should have absolutely nothing to hide."

Nazuna gritted her teeth but then opened her door wider, letting Sango and Ayame step through. Nazuna sat on the couch in her living room, the bungalow small but more than enough room for one person. Sango stood across from Nazuna, questions already coming out while Ayame looked around the place.

Ayame didn't venture further than the living room, looking at the pictures and the choice of decorations. She didn't pay much attention to the various questions Sango asked, and soon Ayame stumbled upon what looked like a pyramid of pictures on the wall, all of them of her with someone.

Some looked to be with family members, the resemblance easy to see while others were with friends. The pyramid held one picture at the very top, in the prettiest frame with the most eye-catching picture. It was an image of Nazuna with a friend, though Ayame couldn't quite remember the name. The woman had beautiful sparkling navy eyes though and long black hair that reached her hips. Yes, the face was familiar but the name seemed just out of her grasp.

Nazuna and the other girl were in front of some sort of restaurant, out of the country, and they wore long matching dresses that only had a difference in colour.

Her brows knitting together, Ayame opened her mouth, a question forming on her lips. "Nazuna," Ayame started to ask, cutting Sango off though she wasn't entirely aware of it. "How old are you?"

Nazuna looked at Ayame like she'd grown another head, albeit she answered. "Uh, I'm twenty-eight." Then, looking to Sango, she said, "Do you have any more questions or can you leave now? I'm tired and after everything, I want a shower, some good food other than your crappy coffee and a nice soft bed."

When Inuyasha, Kagome and Miroku stepped out of the Tahoe, they expected to come back to a quiet station and discuss matters of what they knew with Sango and call it a day.

Well, those plans just flew out the window when they saw a silver BMW convertible outside the building with Sesshomaru and a mysterious woman beside him.

Inuyasha felt like punching a hole through the walls in the station though all he did was growl a pleasant greeting towards his half-brother.

"What the hell gives you the God damned right to be here, you bastard?"

Sesshomaru's face twisted and his glare was just this side of icy. "Whether or not you like it little brother, I'm going to be a part of this investigation."

"Hell no," Inuyasha roared. "No God damned way."

While Inuyasha and Sesshomaru yet again fought, Kagome looked at the woman who sat in the passenger seat of Sesshomaru's car. She looked fairly tall, maybe a good couple feet taller than her with piercing red eyes and her black hair streaked with a red colour that seemed to blend in the dark cascades. Her hair was down and it reached just below her shoulders. Her lips were a deep blood red and when the woman caught Kagome's gaze, she smirked.

Kagome fought the urge to take a step back and casually looked away, back to Inuyasha who was currently counting out the reasons on his fingers of 'why the hell he should not be part of the investigation.'

Just then, Kagome felt a hand on her shoulder and turned to see Sango, her black hair down. "So Sesshomaru finally showed his face," she murmured.

Kagome looked at her, shocked. "You know him?"

Sango nodded. "Five years ago a large set of murders appeared. This was before Inuyasha was the chief and Sesshomaru hadn't belonged to the FBI. He got involved and Inuyasha wasn't really happy with it."

"Their not exactly like peanut butter and jelly, are they?"

Laughing at Kagome's choice in simile, she shook her head. "They're half-brothers because they share the same father. If you didn't already know, Sesshomaru is a full demon and Inuyasha's only half. Their father's first wife was demon though after she died due to some sort of illness, he remarried a human and had Inuyasha. I think Sesshomaru resented the fact that their father remarried, or it could just be the fact that Inuyasha is indeed a half-breed. Demons and humans were never meant to be together, or so they say. I personally think its bullshit but some people are just so fixed in their ways."

"That would make sense," she mumbled under her breath, watching the two argue. And as it turned out in the end, Sesshomaru won.

Inuyasha was one pissed off puppy.

When they were all seated in the one of the conference rooms, the whole debate of information started. Kagome shared the small bit of information she learned about the places and to her surprise, Sesshomaru didn't seem at all disbelieving of psychic abilities.

It was unnerving.

Just then before they had a chance to continue, a knock at the door stopped them. Ayame walked in quickly after. "Sorry chief but the blood DNA results are in. The blood in the warehouse was just a lot of different mixtures of blood put around after time. No results were given, but they kept trying so that was the reason for delay. The blood on the axe however was a match to Kirara's."

"So we have the murder weapon," Inuyasha nodded. "Thanks Ayame."

Smiling and walking out of the room, she shut the door behind her and conversation prolonged.

Sango started off her bit with Nazuna. "Her alibis aren't solid but it might take a while to break them. She didn't know all that much about the warehouse other than the fact that her father owned it and privately sold it to a man who now lives somewhere out of the country. Her explanation for the notes though was a little sketchy. She claims she found them, the first one in her car and the second on the kitchen table. She has no clue where they came from."

"Can I see the notes?" Sesshomaru asked.

Inuyasha eyed him but nodded, leaving the room temporarily to get them. When he came back with the two notes in hand, they were photocopies and had been laminated. "Here," he said gruffly.

"A twenty-eight year old grudge. If at first you don't succeed…try, try again. It's time now, she will die. A princess with an unforgettable death. This is the first note, right?" Sesshomaru asked.

"Yeah," Sango said. "We got it two days later."

Nodding, Sesshomaru handed it to the woman. "What do you think of this Kagura?"

Kagura studied the note and smirked to herself, those red ruby lips teasing. "Definitely written by the killer," she murmured. "It's a personal message, the words are clearly written, deep. It's a very personal and very painful reason this killer is working."

"If you don't mind me asking," Miroku said, "how would you know?"

Kagura smiled again, her red eyes taunting. "I'm also apart of the FBI. How else would I know him?" she asked, pointing with a perfectly polished red nail towards Sesshomaru.

It was then that Kagome noticed an unusual sparkle in the woman's eyes and when she saw Sesshomaru turn to the woman, she noticed that the icy front he put up with everyone seemed to disappear –if only slightly- for Kagura. Ah, so they were together?

"So please," Inuyasha said sourly. "If you two want to be apart of this, you better contribute your half. What does that letter alone give you?"

"That the reason for all this pain occurred twenty-eight years ago, that the killer has killed before for the exact same reason though he or she didn't get the results wanted albeit they most likely didn't get caught. The entire pain or reason behind the killing is because of one specific person, and it's 'time' meaning that the killer won't rest until the deed is done. They most likely have a pattern or the killer would have killed the intended one first so he or she has a very promising M.O and the final target is female."

Kagura looked at Inuyasha. "Is that good enough?"

Inuyasha cursed. "Oh Hell."

Kagome picked up the second note and looked at it quickly before giving to Kagura. This time, she read it out loud. "Two down, two more to go. The stakes are higher and it's all because of you. Her life is in my hands and I'm about to let it slip away. Do you know the meaning of hate? My guess would be…" Kagura took a second before she spoke. "A part of this pattern she follows is that she kills a maximum of four people. For whatever reason, the stakes are higher and they are because of," Kagura looked around the table until her gaze landed on Inuyasha, "…one of you."

"One of us?" Inuyasha asked, incredulously. "Why?"

"Maybe one of you got too close to the target, or you're getting too close to her. Anyways, you're affecting how the killer is thinking and now maybe she feels more out of control? Maybe powerless? Who knows but I'm guessing he or she still feels like they have some sort of control, or he or she knows that they're going to be victorious. That they won't lose, regardless or this knew…issue. And the reason behind the killing is hate. Pure hate."

"Hate for what though?" Kagome couldn't help but ask, remembering the strong emotion envelope her body, feeling the lashes as the hands clawed around her throat, as the axe struck down into the flesh…

"It could be anything," Sesshomaru said. "So that's what we have to find out."

Miroku leaned back in his chair. "Well this is all fine and dandy and I understand why Kagome and I are here, but Inuyasha, you haven't yet explained why these two are."

"We're here," Sesshomaru said tensely. "For our own reasons."

Inuyasha scowled. "And you're really going to earn their trust that way."

"Trust isn't apart of this," Sesshomaru stated.

Kagura shook her head. "Sesshomaru, tell them. They have a right to know, especially if you're correct."

"About what?" Sango asked.

Sesshomaru seemed to struggle with whether he was going to answer or not though no emotion passed his features. "I…believe that we're dealing with the same murderer that affected Trite five years before." He looked at Inuyasha and when Inuyasha did nothing more then agree with the murderous look in his eyes, Sesshomaru continued. "A killer struck, taking four victims, one each week. The first victim was a woman named Kikyo Hidaka, then Rin Noto, Faye Richards and finally Koharu Irvin. Rin Noto was my adoptive daughter and I had left on business that day so she was alone in the house since I hadn't yet met Kagura."

Miroku looked stunned and sharply gazed towards Kagome who had her head lowered. Finally, Miroku realized the utter shocking truth behind the murders and why Kagome had been so hesitant about him reading Kirara's death. She wrote the deaths as they happened and she hadn't told him. 'She has to show them then,' he thought.

And as if Kagome read his mind, she whispered in a hoarse voice so low he could barely hear. "I know."

Next Chapter: Better Judgement- Hot searing pain clouded her. Looking up to her imaginary friend weakly, Kagome watched as the face blurred and suddenly, everything just went black.

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