Trap of Darkness

A/N: Welcome back to Trap of Darkness! Kitty here. Good to see you again. Thank you to all the wonderful reviews, and another thank you to all the followers and to those that have read it. A special thanks to LADY SILVERFOX charita rai for always reviewing the chapters and providing ideas. Another thank you to her again as she's the one that keeps pulling the story back to my attention. Anyways, I won't delay you anymore. Onto the story! Here's chapter sixteen for you. I hope you enjoy and don't forget to leave a review. Thanks!

For a little head's up:

'Japanese'

'English'

Thoughts

Sixteen

Jasmine took one look at the airport and had the sudden urge to turn back. Fighting that overwhelming need, she grabbed her suitcase and headed into the building. Each step was harder than the last, becoming increasingly heavy. Even her breathing was becoming a little harsher. She couldn't explain it, just that she needed to turn back. But she didn't. One look at the ticket in her hand steeled her resolve. She could not turn back. She wouldn't. She needed to see her friend. Even more so since it was her wedding.

She checked in and watched as her bag disappeared through the plastic curtains. She then went in search of the waiting area that was close to her gate. Now she had to wait for an hour before her gate opened.

Twenty minutes until boarding time, Jasmine sat on the edge of a seat, unable to resist fidgeting. Her eyes constantly flittered to and fro, eyeing people, looking up at the flight billboard and staring down at the ticket held between her hands. She was nervous. She was nervous for her friend's wedding. She was even nervous to leave Tōga-ō. The intense feeling to return to his side emerged. In fact, it had never gone away. Instead, it had merely intensified to an almost painful degree. It took everything in her willpower to remain seated.

She was a mess. Thankfully she wasn't a crying mess.

Come on, Jasmine, get a grip, she thought to herself as she took deep slow breaths.

'The flight for Peoria Illinois is now boarding. Please proceed to Gate E. I repeat, the flight for Peoria Illinois is now boarding. Please proceed to Gate E. Thank you,' the woman over the intercom announced.

Getting up from her seat, Jasmine headed towards Gate E. Once more her steps were heavy and unrushed. Her body did not want to leave. Or at least leave Tōga-ō behind. This had never happened to her before. She's had a few boyfriends here and there, nothing that really stood out. And she's certainly not experienced anything even remotely close to something like this. Puppy love, minor crushes, none of them had ever kindled a flame. There was never a spark, and when there was it soon died out. But this. This was unreal.

It was bizarre. She was supposed to be angry at him! Not feel like she should race back to him and snuggle against him!

Forget about him, she told herself, massaging her temples as she waited in line at the gate. Just think about the wedding.

She handed her ticket to the woman, who broke off the end and handed the big part back to her. She then followed after the other passengers to the plane before quickly climbing the steps and taking her assigned seat next to the window. Almost immediately she looked out to the building, searching for the familiar face of Tōga-ō. She was disappointed when she did not see his white clad form. Hoping that he had followed her, she quickly scanned the aisle and over seats. There was no one with silver haired pulled into a high ponytail.

She sighed in disappointment and quickly checked her phone.

Nothing. No calls. And the one text was from Akemi wishing for her enjoyment, and that was two hours ago.

She wanted to ring and ask to speak to him. But then she had to squash that urge down flat.

What was the point in escaping if she was just to screw it all up by ringing him?

Drumming her fingers on the armrest, Jasmine was anxious and paranoid.

She wanted so badly to run off the plane and return to the school. She was worried about her friends, but mostly about Tōga-ō. How was he going to take her disappearance? What would he do? How was everyone else going to react? God, she couldn't help but feel that she couldn't do this. But she knew she had to. Sara wasn't going to wait for her forever before getting married to the love of her life. Jasmine wouldn't expect her to wait. But by God, she was not going to miss her friend's wedding.

And the explosion? Jeez what had Akemi done? What did she blow up? Was anyone injured? Had she been caught? What was Tōga-ō going to do to her when he finds out that she had done it? And for what, distracting him so Jasmine could escape? Seriously, wasn't that going a bit too far?

Slipping further down the seat until she felt almost invisible, Jasmine silently groaned to herself.

This was the worst way to start a celebration.

'This was not what I was expecting,' the male standing atop the wall said crossing his arms, red eyes narrowed at the blaze that was being snuffed out.

The male that sat on the wall beside him whistled. 'I wonder who pissed that person off. Who do you think did it?'

'That's not why we're here,' the first male said irritably, glaring down at his black haired partner.

'Grumpy pants. You need to lighten up a bit.' His glowing blue eyes looked up at his standing companion. 'A lot actually.'

Red eyes glared down into blue. 'You trying to make an enemy out of me?'

'Of course not,' he answered with a grin, the mischievous look in his eyes belying his words.

'Now I understand why my kind doesn't like any dealings with you yōkai. You're nothing more than a pain in the ass. And it's not the good kind.'

'Dude, keep your bondage crap to yourself,' the yōkai sneered.

'Don't talk as if you don't like it yourself, hypocrite.'

'You're gross. You make it sound as if I participate with you.'

'I'd rather cut my dick off before ever entertaining that thought. I wouldn't even touch you with someone else's.'

'I wouldn't touch you with my grandma, and she's dead.'

'Seriously? You really think I'm the type to be into necrophilia? All you yōkai are disgusting.'

'I'm disgusting? What about you djinn? You ruthless, emotionless, bastards think only of yourselves and your own ideals. You're no worse and no better than us yōkai.'

'The only thing keeping you alive is your usefulness,' the djinn said darkly, a promise in his tone.

'Tch,' the yōkai said, glaring up at his 'partner' before turning his attention back to the school.

The fire was now extinguished completely, small billows of smoke leaking towards the sky in a dark grey and black trail. The clamour of terrified and shocked students filled the air, the noise level so loud that the djinn and yōkai could clearly hear everything that was being said. The pair, while wholly different, grimaced simultaneously. And though they wanted to remain as separated from the incident as much as possible, they couldn't help but overhear a pair of females talking about the fire. It was the nature of their conversation that turned their heads. Clearly, the fire had been set on purpose. And according to the females, they had intended to kill those that lived in that room.

'So petty,' the djinn said glaring at the trees where the girls were hiding.

They were none the wiser of the males' presence.

'I really don't understand female jealousy,' the yōkai said, leaning back on the wall and titling his head towards the sky.

'Yet, you draw females like a moth to a flame,' the djinn said, looking down at him.

'I don't date or bed them,' he said closing his eyes. 'So, who are you spying on?'

'Don't worry about that, just focus on your job.'

'Fine, fine, Mr Mysterious.'

The sudden silence from the two females indicated that they had left. But that silence made it all the more possible for the pair to hear the growing sound of footsteps softly treading on pavement. As the person came into view, the black haired yōkai's body had tensed in preparation for a fight. With his yōki faintly rising, the djinn looked down at him, red eyes furrowed in thought at the sudden aggression his partner displayed. Looking back at the newcomer, he tried to make sense of why his yōkai partner was suddenly so antagonistic.

'Who is he?' the blonde djinn asked, his red eyes glowing.

'That's Tōga-ō,' his partner answered.

The blonde looked sharply down at him, eyes wide. 'He's the King of Japan?' he looked back at the silver haired yōkai standing so close, yet so far away from them. 'That power makes sense. His yōki is unbelievable, even though he's reined it in completely. And that jaki, I've not felt anything so suffocating.'

'Before he became the King of Japan, he was Lord of the West, one of the four superior yōkai in the whole of our history. Being an inu daiyōkai, a race far stronger than any of the others, he reigned over the other Lords and Ladies. It's no wonder he became Japan's King.'

'And that replica of his?' he asked, pointing to the lookalike that had joined the King.

'Sesshōmaru,' he sneered angrily. 'Tōga-ō's first son, heir to the throne, and the Head of the House of the Moon.'

'Impressive. For yōkai, those two are unlike any I've ever met. They're even stronger than you. Far stronger. What do you hope to accomplish by challenging them? You're already head of your house. Why tempt to go further?'

'Because that bastard of a son took something from me, and his asshole of a father suggested it. I'm going to make them pay for taking what belongs to me.'

The djinn sighed. 'This is going to end badly. I can just feel it.'

Killing had never been easier, especially under the influence of a drug that could control you. Kohaku felt dead when he had no control, induced by a drug that stole away his independence. He was nothing more than a puppet, and a scapegoat should anyone be onto his master's trail. Kohaku would take the fall long before his master would. That was the way drug dealing worked in this neighbourhood. If you were supplied, willingly or not, you always had to take the rap for the supplier, or for the master who owned you.

But the drug that frequently ran through his system had a time limit. Thankfully, it was just that time where the effects were beginning to wear off. The unfortunate part was he had been in the midst of an assassination.

Gasping at the innocent blood staining his hand and kusarigama, Kohaku quickly backed away from the lifeless man's body and thudding against the wall behind him. Tears quickly sprang to his eyes, but he was incapable of turning his head away from the crime he had committed, yet again. Shaking his head in denial, tears freely falling, he scurried out of the house and into the night as fast as his human legs could carry him, his weapon clutched securely in his hands.

Despite it being one of the banes of his existence, he couldn't come to tear himself away from it. It was his only line of defence against the horrors of this yōkai-human mixed world. Against his master, his strength and power were useless. He couldn't fight him. But then, how can a human fight against a yōkai? Especially one of his calibre? It just wasn't done. Going to the police would be stupid. They'd not only take his master's side over his. Besides, there was proof of his involvement in the death of everyone he had ever killed under his master's orders. That tie, that evidence, was his downfall. And as long as he remained loyal and obedient to his master, that evidence would never fall into the laws hands. He'd be protected.

But he didn't want to be. Not anymore.

Today was the last straw. He couldn't do it anymore.

He wanted to be punished, even though it wasn't his fault. Influenced by the world's most powerful and deadliest of drugs, the Shikon no Tama, Kohaku had no control over his actions. It turned him into a mindless puppet. But even if he got tested for drugs, the Shikon no Tama would never be found in his system. It just wouldn't show up. Everyone knew that, so no one who suffered under the influence of Shikon no Tama were excused from crimes. They were always sentenced, because there was just no way to prove that they were under the influence of the drug.

Kohaku had closed his eyes tightly as he ran, uncaring and unmindful of where he was running to or who he ran into. And when he bumped into a person and fell on top of them, he was startled at the softness beneath his empty hand. His brown eyes stared deeply into the large brown doe eyes of an eighteen year old girl that lay beneath him, a curtain of black hair framing her heart shaped face.

He looked down where his hand was.

Face flushing a deep crimson, he jerked off and away from her, yelling an apology.

Sitting up, the beautiful young woman blinked her doe eyes at him. There was a gentleness to her that made him pause.

'Are you alright?' she asked, her eyes eyeing the blood on his body, believing that he was injured.

He looked away. 'I'm fine.'

Getting to her feet, she stood over him, a hand held out as she smiled down at him. He looked up at her in astonishment, unable to believe his eyes.

Why was this girl being so nice to him?

'Can you stand?'

'Get away from me!' he snapped, knocking her hand aside. He got to his feet and staggered away from her. 'This isn't my blood! Don't you see that? I'm dangerous, so get away!'

She smiled at him, innocence in the action and in the way she tilted her head. 'But if you were so dangerous, you wouldn't be warning me. You're actually a nice guy, aren't you?'

'Are you stupid?!' he snapped. 'I'm not safe!'

All of a sudden there was a seriousness to her that wasn't there before. 'A drug, right? That's what made you do it? If so, I know someone that can help.'

'Don't be ridiculous!' he said angrily. 'No one can prove that the Shikon no Tama exists.'

'Can't yōkai sniff it out?' she asked curiously. 'That's what Sango-nee told me.'

'Yōkai don't like helping humans,' he pointed out.

'I know a yōkai that'll help you.'

'Look, just leave me alone. I can take care of myself.'

The girl became determined. 'I can't leave you to suffer by yourself. Please, let me help you.'

'You can't do anything.'

'Yes I can!'

'Damn that Kohaku,' a female said from down the alleyway Kohaku had run out of.

The girl grabbed his hand and quickly hid behind a towering wall of rubbish next to a restaurant, pressing a hand to his mouth to keep him quiet.

'Where is he, Kagura? Naraku would flip if we don't bring that little brat back with us.'

'Don't get your knickers in a twist, Kikyō. He should be around here somewhere.'

'Yeah, well, where? I don't see him.'

'I'm not sensing him either.'

'How can his reiryoku just disappear like that?' the second female – Kikyō – demanded. 'He's not even that spiritually strong to begin with!'

'How the hell should I know?' Kagura snapped. 'I'm a yōkai, not a miko or a priest! You should be able to find him better than I can!'

'Whatever. He's probably headed for those deserted warehouses again.'

'Let's go then.'

The pair of them waited until they could hear nothing. The girl poked her head around the rubbish, keeping to the shadows. When she could see nothing in the darkness of the alleyway, she grabbed Kohaku's hand and pulled him after her in a completely different direction.

'What are you doing?' he demanded, surprised.

'I know somewhere where we can lay low,' she said to him over her shoulder.

He tried to pry loose. 'Look, just forget about me. I'll be fine.'

'No you won't,' she said, brown eyes stubborn. 'I know about Naraku. I know what he's like. My family and the yōkai we're involved with have to deal with him all the time. Though we can't prove anything about his illicit business, we can still fight him. We're working to bring him down. So please, trust me. I won't say anything to my family, or to the yōkai. Not until you're ready. But please, you must trust me.'

Reluctantly, he nodded his head.

'I'm Higurashi Rin. What's your name?' she said smiling at him, before turning down a corner and ran ahead, pulling him along after her.

'Kohaku,' he answered. 'Arigatou, Rin.'

She just smiled at him and continued to lead him, her hand clasping his tightly.

Word meanings

Kusarigama – it's the scythe-like weapon that Kohaku uses in the anime

Shikon no Tama – the jewel from the anime, but in this story is a drug

Nee – sister

Arigatou – thank you