Important AN: Bit of bad news to start off with. I was recently alerted about someone plagiarizing To Summon a Mate. I've contacted them and the web owners of the website it was posted on, so hopefully it'll be taken down soon. I just really want to thank JJ for sending me a message about it. If anyone else has come across any stories that seem to be plagiarized, please let the authors know. I feel violated that the story I love so much has been abused in such a way. Help me stop that from ever happening again.
Adam: You have the best turn of phrases, lol. It's a pleasure reading your reviews ;)
Evelyn: Bit of both. I had some ideas of all the things Kikyo was planning, but it didn't occur to me until I was writing, that Kikyo would have to be incredibly organized, clever, and thoughtful enough for her character to work. Especially since she's been working on this for over 500 years. To waste that much time would be foolish on her part, and that's not the direction I wanted her to go in. As for her goal, I'm planning on finally exploring her motivations next chapter. And her decision on what to do with Inuyasha's hair ;)
Gamehead64: She's so incredibly honored. She would love to be here to accept this oh so great award, but she's off kidnapping brothers, mind controlling mates, and conquering the world. I'll take it for her in her place ;)
James: Don't worry, her time is coming...maybe. It depends on my mood really ;)
Disclaimer: I don't own Inuyasha and I make no money off this story.
November 17: 2:20 PM
Inuyasha had never wanted to kill himself. He would have begged for the chance now.
Souta laid limp in his arms, his head tucked into the crook of his neck. Inuyasha wished he could at least adjust the poor kid so he could be more comfortable, but Kikyo had decided his arms should be held with barely any curve; hardly a suitable cradle for the boy Inuyasha had come to love as a little brother.
Then again, carrying him off to his doom wasn't exactly suitable for Souta either.
Click, click, click, click, click
He didn't know if he would ever be able to allow Kagome to wear high heels after this. That damned sound would always remind him of Kikyo's frantic steps now.
"You should be going faster." Kikyo snapped, and instantly, his feet took longer steps. "Honestly Inuyasha, how difficult is it to walk?"
When a sociopath bitch like Kikyo was controlling him? Very. "Let him go Kikyo. He's not part of this."
"He's a Higurashi. The first sibling in centuries. Of course he's part of it."
"What do siblings have to do with anything?" Inuyasha expected her to make him kick himself, but instead she just shrugged.
"For the first time there's an heir and a spare. One of them is expendable."
His blood ran cold, and he wished he hadn't asked. "Don't hurt him Kikyo, please." He wasn't above begging for Souta. If Kikyo wanted, he would crawl down on his hands and knees for the boy. Besides, his pride would be restored the first chance he got to slice his claws through her neck.
Her small hand patted his shoulder as if providing comfort. "That all depends on you, Inuyasha. Do your part as Kagome's mate, and I shouldn't need Souta at all."
Inuyasha blinked in pretend confusion even as dread grew within him. "What do you mean?" He asked, though he had a creeping suspicion he knew what was going through her mind.
Kikyo rolled her eyes, "Have you always been this dense?" She asked crossly. "You're a Higurashi by mateship now. There's no reason you shouldn't be able to access the jewel."
Inuyasha would have stumbled if he had any control over his body. Or leapt at her. "But I have no spiritual powers-"
"Midoriko always said only one of her line could access the jewel." Kikyo interrupted. "As far as I could figure out, she never specifically said a priest or priestess. However, I could never risk testing that theory with the Higurashi's being single children for so many generations. But with two? Plus a demon mate? I might walk away with the jewel without Kagome's help at all."
She abruptly stopped and forced Inuyasha to turn to face her. Red lines criss-crossed her face, as if an animal had attacked her. They were the perfect compliment to the crazed eyes hidden behind her glasses. "So in case you're too thick headed to process what I'm saying, here it is; if you can get me the jewel as Kagome's mated demon, I won't have a reason to hurt Souta at all. And if you can't?" She reached out, gently tracing a line across Souta's neck. "Then we'll see how much Higurashi blood it'll take." She dropped her hand, and continued walking. "And of course if that doesn't work, there's still Kagome. So I'll remind you to cooperate, Inuyasha."
Her heels clicked smartly on the floor as she forced him to walk behind her, hair swinging with her measured steps. "I have plans, back up plans, and emergency plans. I have not made one mistake in eight months. Just go along with it. You might still get out alive." she lied.
Inuyasha was glad Kikyo couldn't see him as he stared down at Souta, wishing he could tuck him tighter to his chest as if that would keep him safe. There was no way he could tell Kikyo that her latest mistake was assuming he had fully mated with Kagome. She would skip her 'Plan A' and do everything in her power to get Kagome to that treasury room.
But if he didn't get the jewel for her, how could he keep Souta safe?
It was like she watching her mother writhing around on her bed while outside her own body. A soft roaring filled her ears, blocking out the approaching sounds of the guards, Sango's curses, Miroku's shouted instructions and her mother's agonizing screams. She only stared down blankly at her mother's twisted face while she pinned down her shoulders, feeling her grip start to slide.
She was in shock, and so numb she knew it. Her mother...her father...her brother...would Inuyasha be next?
Slap
"KAGOME!"
The stinging pain in her cheek yanked her back to reality. Her mother's hand flopped back down on the bed, before quivering all over again, threatening a second hit if she couldn't stop the jerking of her mother's body. Noise and sensation rushed over her, nearly overwhelming her before she shook her head hard.
"Are you back?" Miroku demanded.
Kagome nodded, readjusting her hold. "I'm here." She spread her fingers out, trying to touch as much of her mother as possible. She had a feeling this wouldn't be as easy as keeping her wrists clamped like the first time her mother was dying.
Her power burrowed its way under her mother's skin without any prompting from her, searching out the poison Kikyo infected her mother with. Petals sank through layers of tissue and muscle to dance down her veins, wrapping around her bones and cocooning her organs.
The grit of Kikyo's poison had settled into her mother, corroding and burning her flesh. Velvet-soft petals brushed gently across the rough powder, only to recoil back in pain.
Kagome winced, fighting the urge to rub her skin in favor of holding her mother down. Whatever Kikyo had injected into her mother tore at her power; threatening the delicate skin of the petals. Putting her power up against Sango, creepy eel things, and protecting her mother, had barely fazed it, but this?
Her petals delicately tried to flutter over it again. The grit tore and scraped at them, tearing at them, her power having absolutely no effect on it.
Her stomach dropped, and her skin drew tight against her body, feeling rough and irritated. "Miroku!" "Sango, be careful when you hit their heads! ...yes Kagome?" Miroku looked frustrated, his attention pulled between Kagome's dying mother and the very real possibility of Sango accidentally killing a guard.
"Somethings wrong, it's hurting me." Kagome's hands tightened over her mother, wanting to force her power to settle over the grit, but she was scared. She didn't like the way the poison ate at her own powers. It burned and raged, and seemed prepared to take her along with her mother if she got too close.
Her mouth went dry. To save her mother, would she have to sacrifice her gift?
Miroku frowned, focusing completely on Kagome with a silent prayer Sango would exercise some caution.
The violent thump of a body meeting the wall told him she probably wasn't, but he couldn't worry about that now. "Don't panic Kagome, but that's usually not a good sign."
When her head snapped up to meet his gaze, he found himself unable to meet her eyes, and shuffled through his bag instead, coming up with the right sutra. He placed the paper gently on her mother's forehead, holding back his curse when it glowed a sickly green.
"You won't be able to heal her Kagome, we need to find a doctor. Now." Miroku attempted to gather Ms. Higurashi up, unsurprised when she bucked and hit him square in the jaw.
He was forced to drop her back onto her bed and instead used his entire body to hold her down, keeping her from hurting herself.
She wanted to feel like a failure, for the worst daughter in the world for being unable to save her mother. Again. But she forced her urges to argue and cry aside, knowing there was no time. "What kind?"
Miroku grunted when he couldn't stop her foot from kicking his thigh. "First one you can find. Make them prepare for an IV, oxygen, blood transfusion, and come ready with lots of needles. We need to get the poison out before it can burrow into her any further."
Kagome was struck hard by relief that her mother had insisted on a yearly doctors appointment for her and Souta. She knew exactly where her family doctor was, and he would be familiar with her mother's blood type.
Another thing to thank her mother for later.
Adrenaline pumped into her veins, giving her strength. Without another thought, Kagome sprinted out the door, barely noticing the security guards littering the hospital floor. She headed straight for the stairs, praying the guards wouldn't have had time yet to lock them down.
She ripped the stairwell door open, letting it bounce violently off the wall, just grateful it wasn't locked.
Though that was probably because of the two security guards who waited at the stair landing.
The tall one straightened up from where he and his ugly partner leaned against the wall, scowling. "Hey!"
Kagome tried to fix a polite smile on her face, hoping she didn't look as frantic and desperate as she felt. Hopefully she could just charm her way past them. "Oh hello-"
"What are you-"
Oh fuck it. She didn't have time for this. She barreled down the steps, uncaring of when Tall stepped in front of her way. In a move that would have made Kagura proud, she brought her knee sharply up.
His rather impressive falsetto echoed through the stairwell as he collapsed in on himself, clutching his crotch.
Ugly's eyes widened when she shoved Tall into him, falling back against the wall. He cursed when he hit his head sharply on the concrete, pushing Tall away roughly. "Stop there!"
Kagome had never been more glad for budget cuts. That was the only reason why she had gotten past the rent-a-cops-
She gasped in pain when a chunk of her hair was grabbed, halting her in mid-step.
"I said, stop!" Ugly ordered again, dragging her back up by the hair. He shook her, making her head spin. "And that means-"
Abruptly, the pressure was gone, and Ugly was tumbling down the steps, landing at a heap at the bottom.
Kagome whirled around ready to knee someone else's junk, only to catch a glimpse of Sango's ponytail as she sailed back up the steps, cries of fear and defeat echoing out before the door slammed shut.
In spite of the situation, Kagome couldn't help but smirk a bit. There were times like now that she would love to be Sango when she grew up.
Kagome ignored the crumpled heaps of guards and leapt down the remaining steps, yanking the door open. Sango was doing a good job of distracting them, but she couldn't have much more time before someone rang an alarm and locked the floors down. And for actual police to show up.
Sprinting as fast as she could push herself, Kagome ran straight for Dr. Maede's office, grateful again for the adrenaline coursing through her body.
As it was, she still felt a bit woozy when she finally skidded to a stop in front of his office, and threw the door open.
Dr. Maede blinked up at her over his sandwich, his conversation with his son halted. "Kagome! This is-"
"Higurashi!" Hojo sprang up, happy as a puppy. "It's so good to see you well! Was it my medicinal foot and hand cream that did the trick?"
Kagome wanted to roll her eyes at gramps inception of another one of Hojo's 'gifts' since that was one she hadn't actually received. No wonder gramps had stopped complaining about his feet. "Dr. Meade, my mother needs you!" Kagome panted, ignoring Hojo completely. "She's been injected with poison!" Dr. Maede continued to look blankly at Kagome over his sandwich. "Poison? But Kagome I don't understand, your ribs-"
"Screw my ribs! My mother is dying!" Kagome shrieked. "Help her!"
Without another question, Dr. Maede set his sandwich down, standing up. "What's happened?"
"Kikyo...Dr. Saito injected her with some kind of gritty poison. I can't help her." At the possibility of finally getting help, Kagome could hear tremors creeping into her voice. She cleared her throat, trying to get a hold of herself. "You need to flush it out."
Kagome thought that at that bit of information, Dr. Maede would check her next into the mental hospital. Instead he looked her over, nodding in understanding. "Ahhhh. I see now. It's the type you can't heal, is it?"
It was Kagome's turn to look blankly at him.
He nodded kindly at her head. "Your power is showing, my dear."
Kagome yanked her hat down, hiding the glow of power that was exposed after the guard had grabbed her so roughly. "You know-"
Dr. Maede shrugged towards his son. "Once Hojo learned you lived in a temple, he insisted on learning every bit of lore about it and the old religion he could find. I had no idea you were actually a miko, though."
He turned to Hojo, "Have the nurses get surgery C on level 5 ready. You know what I need."
Hojo grinned. "Right away! Happy to see you again, Higurashi!" And nearly skipped out the door.
"Let's go see about your mother, now. You say Dr. Saito injected her?" Dr. Maede led her briskly out the door, power walking down the hall towards the stairs.
Kagome followed at his heels, resisting the urge to make him hurry. At his age, this was probably as fast as he could manage. "Not herself, but she ordered it done."
Dr. Maede only hummed in response as they walked into the stairway, pretending not to see the fallen guards. "How long ago?" "The nurse was leaving just as I got here, about fifteen minutes ago. Kikyo...set it off just now."
Dr. Maede nodded. "Then we may have a chance. Let's hurry all the same."
Again, Dr. Maede ignored the guards groaning on the floor, focusing on what he was about to do. Sango stood lazily in the doorway, eyeing Dr. Maede. She moved out of the way for him, and kept her attention focused on the next wave of guards.
He didn't bother with introductions, and went straight to the convulsing woman Miroku was struggling to hold down. "Any changes?"
Miroku didn't wince this time at another blow to the cheek. "She's getting weaker."
"Then let's move her immediately. Kagome, there's a stretcher in the hall-"
A quick squeak of the wheels, and the stretcher was pushed inside, Sango returning to guard duty. Dr. Maede helped Miroku wrestle her mother down, holding her arms at her side.
Kagome could see flashes of her lotus hovering over her mother, moving as she moved and was wheeled down the hall by Miroku and Dr. Maede. Even if she hadn't been able to save her from the poison; at least she was protected from everything else.
Dr. Maede looked over his shoulder just before he wheeled her mother into the surgery room, nurses and aides streaming around him. "You got me just in time, Kagome. We have a very good chance we'll be able to save her." And without wasting anymore time, he disappeared into the operating room.
Miroku grasped her elbow when she would have followed, squeezing gently. "He's right Kagome. There's nothing else you can do for her at this point."
Kagome swallowed, hating that she could only see little glimpses of her mother through the tiny glass in the doors. "What did Kikyo do to her? Why couldn't I help her?"
Miroku sighed, closing his eyes for a moment. "That 'grit' you felt? It was most likely the ashes of something that died in a fire."
Kagome gasped in horror, staring at him with unblinking eyes.
"It doesn't have to be human," He quickly reassured her. "She could have very well chopped up a soul collector, especially with the way you reacted to them. But the ashes are enhanced to slowly burn once the ignition is set off. There's no 'fire' for your power to put out. The poison has to be dilated and removed."
Kagome trembled under his arm. This was getting to be too much. Again. "So basically, my brother and my mate are with someone who likes injecting ashes into a depressed woman?" There was nothing Miroku could say, so he squeezed her again, wishing there was some way he could comfort her.
"Does she even have boundaries? Lines she won't cross to get what she wants?" Kagome demanded. "Is she that ruthless?"
Miroku shook his head, "We just need to be more ruthless. I promise you, Kagome. This ends today." One way or another, it would all be over.
He just wished he could promise her brother and mate's safety as well.
"We should head out. I'm going to get Sango and Kirara. Wait here for me. We'll need to come up with a way to get out without using the main entrance. Or pissing off any more guards."
Kagome didn't respond, feeling too weary to even bother. She pressed her fingertips lightly to the door, feeling the ebb of her power beyond the barrier. It pulsed slightly, sending waves of reassurance to her.
That was nice. But what she really wanted was to be comforted by Inuyasha.
Tears pricked at her eyes. The thought of her mate and her brother in so much danger would be too much to bear if she thought about it. This was no time to be collapsing.
Instead, she would focus on the positive. Her grandfather was safe. And her mother was protected, and would recover from Kikyo's latest ordeal. She had saved them; she could save the rest of her family too.
She stood up straighter, determination washing through her. Kikyo was not going to get away with this. Kikyo liked talking about her plans, but hadn't stuck around long to find out Kagome's. Kikyo might have dozens, but she only had one: track her down, beat her at her own game, and get Inuyasha and Souta back.
Kikyo was about to fucking die. Where was her plan for that?
"There she is!" Kagome turned around to see Tall and Ugly pointing at her, real looking cops standing between them.
...meanwhile, Kagome was about to get arrested. Maybe she had better start worrying about her own plan.
"Trouble just seems to love you, doesn't it, chickadee?"
Kagome jerked her head up from where she had laid it on the metal table, her handcuffs and chain clanking loudly. "Kagura!"
Kagura smirked in response, stepping delicately into the safely patrol office like something disgusting was about to get stuck to her heels. "Really, once this is all over, I'm totally buying the rights to your story. You'd make a kick-ass biographical work."
Kagome didn't bother to point out that the only way her biography would sell was if she actually managed to save her mate and get rid of Kikyo. "What are you doing here?"
"Miroku called me once he saw the cops haul you off. Sess's got major pull everywhere, so we've got guys taking care of the security cameras, witnesses, and the injured." She winked suddenly. "Nice job with the tall one. He's still walking hunched over."
She whistled, long and high, and the police officer who had arrested her sheepishly dragged his feet in. "Hello, Mrs. Taisho."
"What is she doing still locked up? Uncuff her this instant!" Kagura ordered, pointing at Kagome's handcuffs.
"Of course. Sorry, Mrs. Taisho." The cop bowed low, his neck bright red. He took a key from a ring on his belt, and unlocked Kagome's chains, being very careful in taking them off under Kagura's laser-straight glare.
"You can go now. And make sure Kagome's 'missing' police report and a ten page ode to my heels are in the mail for me within an hour." Kagura tossed her head aside, paying no more attention to the cop or her outrageous demand as he shuffled out the door. "Your mother is still in surgery, but it looks good for her. The doc's already gotten a lot of the poison out. He's optimistic." Kagura informed her, reaching over to adjust the hat on her head. "You good?"
"Depends on your definition of good." Kagome mumbled, rubbing her wrists.
Kagura ran her gaze over her. "You're not visibly bleeding anywhere. Any emotional or mental pain you're going through can be taken out on Kikyo's skin." She defined. "Speaking of which, you've got to get moving. Kikyo's on the move with Inuyasha and your brother." Tossing Kagome's bag at her, Kagome awkwardly caught it, holding it against her chest.
"We still can't give you manpower, but I did find some more fun things to give you guys. Miroku and Sango have the bulk of your new toys. Also, I had your change of clothes brought up from the car." Kagura plucked at her sweatshirt, frowning. "You've gotta change. I refuse to write up your final battle if I have to describe you looking like this."
Her clothes did look a little worse for the wear at this point. Her shirt was now soaked through with sweat, her jeans ripped and she just felt gross in general. Besides, maybe Kagura had a point about dressing like a bad ass. She would take any advantage she could grab at this point.
She tossed the duffel bag over her shoulder, the hilt of Naraku's sword jabbing her in the back. She didn't even bother to wonder how Kagura could have gotten it past the metal detectors. "I'll change."
"Atta girl, chickadee!" Kagura cheered. She looped her arm around her, pulling her towards the exit. "Bathroom's this way."
Miroku stared at Sango while she busied herself stroking Kirara's fur in Sess's car, the silence beginning to grow uncomfortable. Once they had ohed and awed over Kagura's gifts, there hadn't been much more to say.
He shifted in his seat across from her, adjusting his bag for the sixth time. He yearned to ask her, but was terrified of what her response would be.
And what he might have to do in return.
He licked his lips nervously, willing himself to speak. Even if he wasn't about to get the answer he wanted. "Sango...you still haven't given me an answer."
Sango kept her gaze on Kirara, not knowing what to tell Miroku. She would help destroy Kikyo. That was a given. But whether or not she would insist on delivering the final blow?
She didn't know anymore.
It all used to be so clear. She would perform her duty and be free. Of her life, of her sudden state...of Miroku.
She glanced over at the hand fidgeting with his bag, her mark imprinted on his skin. It was still red, after all this time. But it wasn't hatred directed at him anymore. She was just as much to blame for their situation. She could acknowledge now that she had been just as cruel as he had been. She eagerly lashed out at whatever she could, furious over her transformation into a demon and locked away for so long. Miroku started their problems, but she had no problems fueling them. She might have mental scars, but Miroku bore the physical ones.
What she really hated was their situation.
Instead of explaining any of that, the words so hard for her to bring to mind, she shook her head. "I don't know yet. I'll decide when I get there."
Miroku's jaw clenched, unhappy. "Sango-"
She held a hand up to stop him, "I know, ok? I don't want to make any promises that I'm not sure I can keep." She sighed. "Miroku...I just don't know. We have some time left. I still need to kill Naraku, after all." She turned her attention back to her sleeping cat, willing her to recover faster from Kikyo's blow.
Miroku knew Sango expected him to argue further, but what more could he say? He had already spent the last week begging and pleading with her. He wanted to keep Sango forever. He had tried everything to convince her to stay with him. What else could he do if that wasn't enough?
He kept a hand on his bag, needing to keep it close to his side. He would let Kagome think he was suffering from nerves over Kikyo; instead of guilt over the new set of prayer beads he had hidden.
Thanks so much for all the support everyone. I appreciate every single one of you. If it weren't for all of you, Inuyasha would still be lingering in his mirror.
