Chapter 31

Turning Tides

Tsukuyomi had been watching the man for some time.

A few weeks perhaps, since Kagome had unknowingly sparked his interest. He wasn't particularly strong, or smart, interesting, or handsome, even. In fact, there was nothing remarkable about him at all.

He came from a decent family. His parents were reliable, though emotionally absent. No siblings or very many friends to speak of. His name, Daichi, meant earth, and it suited his plain, solid demeanor. He had lived a relatively quiet life up until recently, and was perfectly average in every way.

But it was with his obsession for Kagome that the thread of his life was suddenly tangled, twisted from its original shape and he was now thrust into this world of which he had no knowledge, forced to play a role in the twisted drama that had yet to unfold. All because he had seen something he had wanted, something he could never have, and the infatuation that had started out innocently enough had slowly consumed him.

The Kami looked into his thoughts, the celestial mirror in front of him swirling with the memories.

The first day he had seen her walking out of her classroom it felt like time had stopped. In a sea of similar faces, all trying to fit in and be the same she stood out so clearly, her skin glowing with radiance like a heavenly beacon.

She just seemed... different, than her peers. Daichi couldn't put his finger on it, it was something about her beauty, something that was almost ethereal to him.

He had only just started this new job as a teacher's aide a few days ago, one of the requirements of the education program he was involved in, he hadn't had the chance to learn her name yet. Her eyes passed over him for a fraction of a second, a warm brown the color of polished oak that shone like precious amber and his heart jumped erratically in his chest, the world around him falling away.

But she hadn't noticed him at all.

She laughed at something the boy next to her said, walking the opposite direction from him down the hallway. A large part of him was jealous, but the rest of him had wanted so desperately to hear it before it was swallowed up by the aimless chatter of students.

He watched her walk away, her river of black hair falling down her back in inky waves that looked so soft. He didn't move until she was out of sight and he felt like he could breathe again.

After that the days seemed to speed up.

He learned her name.

Kagome

Beautiful.

His every thought was plagued by her. She danced through his dreams at night, her lilted voice calling his name out like a song, beckoning.

The obsession took shape.

At first, he only followed her around while she was at school. Hoping to catch her eye or even strike up a conversation if he could have mustered up the courage. But that lanky, dark haired boy was practically always with her. Hinata Adachi. Typical entitled rich kid. He had no clue what Kagome saw in him, he was obviously trouble, and it made his blood boil to see them together.

But she never noticed him lurking in the corners of her vision, watching. Waiting.

He memorized her class schedule.

He told himself that all great love stories started this way, and that he was only doing it because he cared for her so much.

Delusional

His favorite thing in the world was when she would breeze past him after her first class and he would catch a brief whiff of her perfume floating on the air. Sakura and honeysuckle. It drove him crazy, all he could think about was holding her and pressing his nose into her hair and breathing deeply of her scent.

A week went by like this and, unbeknownst to her, they had fallen into a routine.

He got comfortable.

He wanted more.

So he started following her after school too... and on weekends. He took great comfort in watching her brush her hair through her window. He had to squat in the bushes outside her family's shrine for hours, his thighs screaming with the effort of holding himself up. His legs were constantly sore and his arms bore scratch marks from the thorns, but it was worth it to him to know that she was so close, and to catch even a glimpse of her through the glass.

But the more he saw her with that delinquent the more he grew angry and bitter.

They were obviously together... he picked her up for school every day and then they would spend hours together each evening. It was absolutely infuriating. Why would an angel like Kagome choose to be with someone who was so distinctly below her? He couldn't fathom it.

Why won't she just see me...

Nobody ever saw him.

For as long as he could remember Daichi had been passed over by everyone around him. He was always picked last for games in school, always the only one left without a love interest, always alone while the rest of the world seemed to move without even acknowledging him.

Even his parents had never paid him much attention.

He had been such a lonely child, and maybe an even lonelier adult.

But when Kagome was around, he didn't feel like that. Much the opposite, actually. Her presence alone felt like sinking into a hot bath after a long day. Comfort. It didn't matter that she was completely unaware of his feelings. He couldn't imagine what it would be like to finally kiss her, to look into her eyes and tell her how he inexplicably loved her, how he was completely devoted to her and only her.

He would do whatever it took to make her happy, to keep her for his own.

And that is how he found himself trapping her there against the rough brick wall of the alleyway, his ragged breath filling the air between them as she seemed to cower with fear, shrinking beneath his gaze.

But he was too consumed with how close she was to notice anything else. To notice the way she immediately recoiled away from his touch, her eyes wide and unreadable to him as he gazed into their earthen brown depths. He admired her long lashes, his attention shifting down her throat, and then down even lower still where her chest heaved with her frightened, shaky breaths.

He had dreamed about this moment for so long, but now that it was here he was completely frozen.

Honestly, he was panicking.

She had cried out when he'd pulled her into the privacy of the darkened alley, and he had just barely managed to cover her mouth as he had desperately tried to shush her. But he had planned for this, and as he reminded himself of that fact he managed to calm himself down. There were no cameras on this section of the street, plus it was far to dark to see anything from the sidewalk, and any sound that was made by either of them would easily be swallowed up by the city long before it could touch on anyone's ear.

They were finally, completely, alone.

As soon as InuYasha stepped foot into the arena he could feel the entire space charged with energy. It was a deep, old magic that was woven into the very grass at his feet. It seemed to dance with mischief through the air, along with the overwhelming scent of male Inu's.

What was called an "arena" was really more of a field, dead in the center of the stronghold's military compound. Barracks separated the open space from the rest of the kingdom, and as the two of them approached InuYasha could see that they were attracting quite a bit of attention. The Yokai around them quieted their chatter, and every pair of eyes were on him. He could feel the stares burning into his back.

"Harusuke."

It was a tall, mountain of a Yokai that spoke, boldly approaching them. He towered over them both, his eyes were the harsh color of rust and even though he didn't address him his gaze never left InuYasha, sizing him up. He was obviously of the same clan of Harusuke, he figured by his coloring alone. Beside him he could feel the other Inu practically bristle, though on his face there was an easy smile that didn't reach his eyes.

"What have you brought for us?"

His voice was harsh and guttural, his words edged with the rumbling of a growl deep in his throat.

InuYasha's instinct was to react in his usual, explosive fashion, his lips curling instantly in distaste, but just as he opened his mouth to spit out a venomous reply he felt the light touch of the Inu next to him as he rested a clawed hand on his shoulder, stopping him.

"Kazusane, my dear friend. How lovely to see you again." Haruskue's voice was thickly laced with sarcasm, his fangs flashing in the sunlight as he grinned wickedly. "You're looking at our new prince." His voice then dropped an octave, "Now bow."

Laughter spewed out of the other Inu and echoed out across the field, the boisterous sound attracting even more attention and they had now drawn a bit of a crowd.

"Bow?" He guffawed, "I would never lower myself by bowing before a common pup."

He spat out the last word, drawing his lips back over his fangs in a show of disrespect.

InuYasha felt his face get hot and his fists tighten where they hung at his sides, his aura darkening dangerously. He didn't give a shit if this lump of muscle bowed at his feet or not, but he wouldn't let anyone try to make him feel small.

Never again.

Before InuYasha could put him in his place, Harusuke launched himself into the air, a wild growl loosing itself from his throat as he jumped straight for Kazusane with his claws extended.

The warrior reacted in a flash, snatching the young Inu out of the air before his attack could even land and slinging him against the hard-packed earth with a sickening thud that almost covered up the sound of bones breaking.

"Fucking idiot." InuYasha spat under his breath, moving with demonic speed to put himself between Harusuke's limp body and Kazusane, who stood with a smug grin on his stretching across face, his bulging arms crossed over his barrel-like chest.

The russet Inu laid there against the flat earth, his body limp and still.

He attacked him for disrespecting me... but why?

His golden eyes flashed from Harusuke's listless form and back to Kazusane.

The bastard was laughing. Big, heaving guffaws that barreled out of his mountainous chest and echoed out across the field, settling over InuYasha in a fine layer of disgust that he wanted to shake off like a dog whipping water from its fur.

He really hated bullies.

"Whatever problem you have, you can take it up with me." his voice seemed to channel the power of his lineage, the words coming out in a deadly growl. "I may be a pup, but you don't scare me."

He was too focused on eyeing the other Inu down to notice Harusuke slowly dragging himself up into a sitting position in the dirt behind him, looking dazed with a bit of bright blood trickling out from the corner of his mouth, but it was nothing he wouldn't heal quickly from.

InuYasha's claws had extended of their own accord, sharpening into deadly points ready to draw blood at the slightest provocation from the burly copper Inu, whose face was a mask of self satisfaction that read plainly in his dull-looking eyes and flashing teeth. But it was all the same to him. He had meant what he said, he wasn't afraid of the opponent that stood before him now. He wasn't afraid of anyone.

His veins were practically pulsing with newfound power and if he were being honest... he was itching to try it out.

He wasn't a Hanyou anymore, it was still so new that he had to remind himself, glancing down at the markings on his hand for a brief moment, a grin slowly splitting his face.

They were the ancient markings of his clan. The mark of royalty. No one could stand in his way. Not even this over-grown bastard yokai who for some reason thought he was better than him, or any of these other Inu warriors who stood on the sidelines, watching the altercation whilst murmuring amongst themselves. But none of them dared to step in.

The demonic energy that swarmed InuYasha was now palpable, his eyes taking on a tinge of crimson as he never broke his stare with Kazusane.

"Lets see what a measly half breed can do then."

His opponent barked out the words, saliva dripping from elongated canines as he pounded his hands against the ground , sending a loud boom through the air that sounded like thunder. The tips of his black claws sunk into the earth, his body hunching over in a feral, animalistic way. The muscles in his massive legs flexed, preparing to launch himself through the air and straight for InuYasha.

High noon.

The sun beat down relentlessly, the light bouncing off of his white robes and drawing every eye to the scene that was unfolding between him and the almost comically larger Yokai.

Following the unspoken rules of the spar it was a claws only fight, and while there was no intent to kill, there was another goal.

To win, he would need to make Kazusane submit.

InuYasha braced himself for his obvious attack and dodged him easily. The crowd that gathered had moved back to form a loose circle around them, giving them space and bearing witness to the fight.

They were chanting.

He didn't notice at first. He was busy dodging every one of Kazusane's moves, enjoying watching him grow more and more frustrated, meanwhile InuYasha strategized. He wanted to end this quickly. This guy was boring, his attacks predictable. There was no thought behind it. Just brute strength and anger. Honestly, he pitied him.

The voices of his fellow Inu's rose, following the ancient rhythm that untied them all. This was akin to an ancient ritual for his people. Fighting for dominance.

What an empty life he must have.

But he couldn't let this disrespect stand, either. It was his first day as prince. And while that title may hold no weight in InuYasha's own heart, it meant more than anything else in this land he was now a part of, willing or not.

And so, no matter who challenged him, he would win.

It was with this thought his body finally sprung into action.

He had retreated within himself for a long moment, able to easily defend himself without paying much attention but now all of his focus was zeroed in on the snarling russet Inu who was blindly charging at him again.

Kazusane wasn't expecting for InuYasha to jump into the air with a remarkable swiftness and deliver a blinding kick to the side of his head before he could even make contact with him. He wasn't expecting to suffer another kick to his spine after he'd hit the ground, either.

InuYasha didn't hesitate. He didn't stop. He kept delivering blow after blow, switching to his fists after the Inu didn't try to get up again.

The palace scribes would later describe the encounter as "Vicious." and "Hard to watch."

When it was over, no one cheered.

There was blood splattered across the ground and covering InuYasha's hands, dripping off of the tips of his claws like crimson tears.

Kazusane lay motionless, red soaking into the earth around him as his chest heaved slowly. He had a few deep gashes in his back and more broken bones than not, but he would live. He had been knocked out sometime within the first few minutes and he hadn't moved much.

Harusuke was standing now, looking a bit pained but too proud to show it as he did his best to square his shoulders and stand straight. Everyone else around them was whispering as he turned his back, bloodied hands clenching into fists at his sides. They were looking at him with fear and apprehension now, he could feel it curdling in the air around him. But when he met Harusuke's eyes he found none of that.

They were almost a harsh burnt orange, but they glinted with respect. They held not even the faintest trace of repulsion.

Neither of them said anything as they walked back towards the palace, InuYasha keeping a much slower pace to match Harusuke as the crowd parted around them wordlessly. They didn't look back, either.

Only when they were finally out of sight of the crowd of Inu warriors and back within the walls did Harusuke finally speak.

"Hey, help me get to Karitei, would ya? I could use some kind of drought to help with this." he gestured vaguely to his leg, which couldn't hold his weight.

InuYasha stared at him for a long moment, his mind flashing through the memory of the silver Inu female who had cared for him while he was at his most vulnerable. The illness had nearly taken his mind, and most of what had happened during that time was a mystery to him. That time was just simply lost to the blackness of the poison. But he did remember her eyes, a startling sapphire, and her low voice soothing him while he could do nothing more than writhe in pain.

During the midst of it all he had foolishly confused the Inu healer with Kagome. Though the two were nothing alike physically they both shared that same tenderness, the almost maternal quality that had often drawn him to women in the past.

"Uh... Yeah, sure I guess. Just point me in the right direction."

The pair made their way through the winding, maze-like halls of the castle, and InuYasha could feel that the energy between them had shifted. Harusuke now knew what he was capable of. There was no question that he was the rightful son of the Inu No Taisho, how could he dispute that in the face of such power? In some way, InuYasha had just solidified his place in the kingdom.

"Here." Harusuke said finally, reaching out to point ahead.

InuYasha was half supporting him at this point, having gotten annoyed with how slow the russet Inu had been hobbling through the halls. They came upon a corridor made of stone, the framework looking less modern like the rest of the castle and more ancient. The doorway was rounded in an arch, the door its self made from a singular piece of carved dark wood. Torches burned on either side, lighting the dim area that had no windows that he could see.

He didn't know if he should knock, or just let himself in but before he could do either a familiar voice called out from the other side, as if sensing his hesitation.

"Enter."

He could feel the magic engrained in the wood itself when he pressed his palm against the door to push it open, revealing a rounded room within, its walls made of the same stone as the rest of this part of the castle.

It was lit dimly, with candles placed at regular intervals along the walls, the light from a small, round window just barely filtering in and piercing the thick layer of incense smoke that seemed to cloud the air.

Eyes bluer than any precious gem he had ever seen lasered in on the pair of them as InuYasha half drug Harusuke over the threshold and into Karitei's den. She rose from where she had been sitting on a pile of furs, herbs strewn around her as if she had been sorting through them. They was an open notebook on the ground next to her, its pages browned and withered from hundreds of years of use. Her eyes, lined with a dark kohl that made them even more striking never left him. She bowed deeply without warning, the delicate ornaments in her hair glimmering in the candlelight, made even more eye-catching by his newly intensified vision.

"Lord InuYasha." Her full lips curved upwards ever so slightly, painted a deep red to match the details of her kimono. Her voice was rich, and she spoke as if every word and every syllable was interwoven with ancient spells.

"Don't call me that." He grumbled without thinking, moving away from Harusuke to let the groaning Inu stand on his own now that they weren't walking anymore. "Just need you to take a look at him. His leg is messed up pretty bad."

She nodded, her intense gaze now flickering over to the russet Inu. Beads of sweat were running down his bloodied and dirty forehead, his expression twisted into a silent grimace. He leaned against a desk made of dark wood and cluttered with a myriad of bottles of various shapes and sizes, the contents of each of them swirling mysteriously. Harusuke gripped his abdomen, nearly doubling over in pain.

Karitei wasted no time and got right to examining him, muttering to herself as her eyes raked over him and she pulled at his clothes. After only a moment she seemed to have made her judgement and turned away to flit around the room, going over to a wall of shelves that was dedicated to her different droughts and tinctures.

InuYasha could smell the medicinal scent of her herb mixtures barely covered up by the incense, harsh and overbearingly sweet.

She mixed a few things, her back turned to him. He took the opportunity to study her briefly before she could turn those startling eyes on him once again.

She was so small. Much smaller than she seemed, because despite her appearance she was actually quite powerful. He could sense it, swirling around her like a blue flame. And her hair was silver, not unlike his, and piled up on top of her head in a very proper-looking style. Her neck was pale white, the elegant slope of it disappearing into the wide collar of her ash-gray kimono that draped thoughtfully off of her figure, printed with scarlet flowers. He supposed she would be considered very beautiful in this land, though he wasn't sure what the current beauty standard for Inu females was. Truthfully, he didn't think he had ever even met another.

As she turned back towards them he quickly shifted his gaze, pretending to look at one of the paintings that hung near him on the stone.

"Drink."

She passed Harusuke a small bottle that seemed to churn with a thick, viscous liquid the color of dark blood, gesturing for him to toss it back.

He took it from her, inspecting the mixture with distaste written plainly on his face.

"Ugh, this part always sucks." He uncorked the bottle and quickly downed its contents, gagging at the taste.

"I take it this happens a lot." InuYasha commented dryly, looking unimpressed. If he had been in a better mood he would have laughed at the screwed expression on Harusuke's face, it looked like the Inu was doing his best not to vomit.

"You could say that." Karitei said bemusedly, taking the empty jar from Harusuke with a chuckle as she went to put it away to be cleansed. "Just stay off that leg, Haru." There was a smidge of maternal affection layered in her heady voice. "And make sure you eat something, too. As long as you rest you should be fully healed by tomorrow. Good as new."

"Thanks, Kari. See ya around." Harusuke was already sounding better, though his limp was still present as he made for the door. The Inu healer smiled sagely, her hands tucked into the bells of her wide, draping sleeves.

"Of course." She nodded, looking away as if she wanted to say more, but she stopped herself. "Be well, Haru. I'm sure I will be seeing you soon."

He gave a casual wave and slinked away into the hallway clumsily, and InuYasha made to follow, turning and nodding curtly to the silver Inu female.

The look in her eyes gave him pause. Brilliant azure that swirled with a complexity of emotions that he couldn't quite decipher. She seemed to study him for a long moment and neither of them spoke, an indecipherable tension building between the two of them.

"Come on, Inu! I'm starving." Harusuke griped loud enough to be heard from the hall, shattering the moment like brittle glass.

Karitei seemed flustered, taking a step away from him as he could only stand there looking at her incredulously, his confusion evident.

Without a word he turned and left her there, looking after him with that same strange gaze as he and Harusuke made their way back towards the center of the palace.

Later, the two of them sat together in one of the gardens and had a meal together. The sun was lowering in the sky, heading for the horizon as the day waned into twilight. Harusuke had led him to the kitchens where they had easily convinced one of the servants to prepare them something that they could take with them, avoiding any contact with the nobility of the palace. The last thing InuYasha wanted right now was to run into his brother.

So now they sat on a bench beneath one of the many blooming trees, a basket full of steaming dumplings bursting with meat between them

InuYasha still didn't know what to think about his interaction with Karitei earlier. She was... odd. And he was completely ignoring what had happened at the arena earlier with Kazusane entirely. Images of his bloodied face flashed briefly through his mind but he shooed them away. He had deserved it, that's what he told himself over and over again. And InuYasha hadn't broken any rules. He didn't kill him or maim him beyond repair, the Inu would fully recover with some time. However, InuYasha doubted that the immense pride that the Yokai had displayed could have survived that.

"You know, Inu, You're not so bad." Harusuke broke the comfortable silence, popping a dumpling into his mouth.

He had to admit, InuYasha much preferred the nickname to the formal title had had suddenly been given and it was helping to put him more at ease.

"I meant to ask you earlier, but why did you do that back there, at the arena? With Kazusane?"

The question had been burning in his mind ever since.

They didn't know each other. Harusuke owed him no loyalty. So why? It just didn't make sense.

The copper Inu seemed to think hard, his eyes narrowed and tactful as his long hair lifted with the wind, the sun sinking behind him.

"Well. I don't know honestly." He sighed finally, shrugging. "Just seemed like the right thing to do I guess."

His answer was honest, however unsatisfying, InuYasha could sense the sincerity.

"Next time, let me handle things. I'll let you know if I need back up." His tone was brisk but internally he was starting to warm up to the other Inu, even if just a little.

No one had ever stood up for him like that before.

"but..."

He trailed off, looking out over the land his father had called home. The sun was sinking, leaving streaks of vivid pink and orange painted across the clouds like watercolor. With the light bouncing off of the almost impossibly perfect flowers he couldn't help but admire the beauty around him.

"Thank you. You're not so bad either."

Kagome's drink fell from her hand, spilling out onto the street as she was shoved roughly up against the concrete wall, her head slamming against it hard enough to make her feel dizzy. Her attacker loomed over her, his hand coming up to cover her mouth just as she loosed a strangled cry from her throat, thrashing there against his much larger frame.

Her heart felt like it was frozen inside her chest, panic pulsing over her skin as she dragged her eyes up to look at the mans face, to see who was attacking her. The darkness around them in the narrow gap between the two buildings gave almost nothing away, a dark hood was pulled up over his head and his expression was obscure, she couldn't make out any features, not even his eyes.

"Just be quiet. Don't make this hard, okay?"

His voice was hushed, gruff and sounded like whoever it was couldn't be much older than her, though he had to be at least a full foot taller, easy. He was hunched over her body, pressing her into the wall, easily holding both of her hands in one of his over her head and pinning them, while the other still covered her mouth. His legs were pressed close to hers, locking her in there.

She whimpered involuntarily, feeling the sharp, throbbing pang of pain in her head from where she had smacked it, her eyes fluttering for a moment as her vision swam briefly before she could focus again.

Slowly, he pulled his hand away from around her mouth, trailing it down her chin almost tenderly before cupping the side of her face in a way that turned her stomach. Chills had erupted over her skin, a deep ill feeling settling in her bones as the man seemed to look at her for a long moment, while she only looked back into a faceless blackness that was almost more unsettling than the way he was touching her.

"What do you want from me?" she whispered, the air around them thick with tension. She didn't know why she didn't scream. But honestly, her curiosity almost outweighed the fear she felt crashing beneath her skin. She could sense no demonic energy emanating from him at all, not even a trace of it. So there was no doubt in her mind that he was human, and she didn't see a weapon. Though, a small knife could be easily concealed somewhere.

He didn't speak. Only watched her, his breath ghosting over her face.

That was the scary part. The silence.

The urge, the desperation to flee built within her, her eyes darting around, searching for escape.

"Just take my wallet and let me go, please."

He seemed to freeze as the words passed her lips, his body language unreadable as he gripped her wrists so hard that she could feel her fingers going numb.

There was a long beat of silence, only the sounds of the city around them echoing through the night, swallowing their words almost as soon as they hit the open air.

"I don't... I don't want your money." a ragged whisper that sent a beat of deep unease through her.

His hand stroked over her skin sickeningly where it cupped her jaw. She was starting to think he wasn't just a mugger, that this wasn't just a random, unlucky attack at all.

She wished she could at least see his eyes. She needed to know if there was that same sick look of intent desire that Bankotsu had when he had looked at her. Just the memory alone and the familiar feeling in her gut had her reiki rising inside her, slowly building at the signs of distress her body displayed.

"What is it you want, then?" She said it quietly, bitterly, even. Almost spitting the words out in distaste because she knew what he wanted. What he felt he could take from her.

He didn't respond, trailing his fingers across her throat now, his face still cloaked in darkness.

Her jaw clenched in response, her teeth grinding together as she could feel her heart smacked against her ribs. She stared up, into the space where his eyes should be with her expression slowly falling into one of anger, her eyebrows scrunching together and nostrils flaring.

"What gives you the right to touch me?" it came out as a harsh whisper, her voice practically dripping with venom as her emotions rose up inside of her like a dangerous sea, the waves threatening to crash and spill over.

He seemed taken aback, his grip on her wrists loosened slightly.

"Wha-"

"Did you think I would just let you have your way with me? That I would just submit?" The tenor of her voice steadily rose, her heart thundering in her chest as she grew more and more heated. Old feelings from when she had been held captive that she had thought she'd shoved deep down were suddenly at the forefront of her mind. But it was no longer the hopeless, empty feeling of being violated, it had become a wild tsunami of rage that was quickly spiraling out of control.

"N-no! that's not it at all!" Her attacker quickly moved back, dropping his hold on her completely and putting a few inches of space between them, almost as if he could sense the storm that was brewing.

She could feel her reiki swirling just beneath her fingertips, its power expanding against her will as her emotions took over.

"look, Kagome, I've loved-"

"How do you know my name?" She cut him off before he could finish explaining himself, uncaring of anything else.

"Well, actually, I work for the school..." She was sure that if she could see his face underneath the shadow he would be looking as embarrassed as he sounded. But her confusion only grew with his answer.

"Then why are you trying to hurt me?" Her hands tightened into fists at her sides, the words falling quietly between them into a nearly deafening silence.

There was a long moment before he spoke again where he just looked at her, his face still hidden by the hood he wore.

It seemed like he thought deeply for a moment, considering the heavy words that still hung in the air uncomfortably.

"I never wanted to hurt you, Kagome..."

Why does he sound so sad?

"I just wanted you to see me... but I'm starting to think that you never will. I love you, you know. I just... I really thought you were different."

"What are you talking about? You don't love me, you don't even know me!" She couldn't keep the indignation from leaking into her voice, taken aback at his confession. It was completely delusional. This man was a complete stranger, and for some reason he thought he had a claim on her. The thought made her stomach roll in disgust.

"But I do know you!" he said it like it was obvious, his hands moving as he spoke emphatically. "We see each other every day! I know your favorite food is Katsu pork, your favorite color is green, your birthday is in September, you always wear the same perfume and you tuck your hair behind your ear with your pinky finger... You just never notice me."

She felt the cold tingle of fear trickle down her spine.

"How... how long have you been watching me? Show me your face."

She sounded calm but the situation had quickly gone from frightening to disturbing, and she was looking for a way out. But he was still so close, just looking down at her with an eerie emptiness.

"A while."

She swallowed thickly, her mind racing as she tried to think back to the past couple weeks, wondering how many times she had passed by this man in the hallway or on the street, just lurking.

"Who are you?"

She needed to see his face.

"Show me." She insisted after he made no move to reveal himself.

The energy around them shifted, his spirit going from manic to quiet in a matter of seconds.

It felt like years passed by in mere seconds as she waited for him to move, speak, do something. But he just stared.

What she would have given for Mamoru to be there in that instant, to pull her away from this man who, at the very least, had created this delusion of her in his mind that he wanted to take for his own. There was no telling what he would do now, she could feel her skin crawling with apprehension as she slowly began to edge away, back towards the relative safety of the street.

He seemed to snap back into the moment when he saw her move, his hand slamming against the bricks next to her head, effectively stopping her.

"No. You're not leaving yet. We're still talking."

Fuck

Kagome wasn't the type to curse often. Actually, before meeting InuYasha she couldn't remember a singular instance where she had so much as uttered such a word. But after traveling with him for so long he had definitely rubbed off on her, and now seemed a fitting time for crass language.

She was running out of options.

"I have nothing to say to you. I don't even know you!"

Why did she always end up in situations like this? Why did men always think they could over power her? That they had a right to her body like she was nothing more than cattle.

She tried to jerk herself away from the wall and make a run for the street but he quickly stopped her, slamming her body back against the bricks so hard she let out an involuntary whimper.

"I said you're not leaving."

His voice had dropped an octave, lowering and dripping with menace. His large hand had come up to grip at her throat, not hard enough to cut off her air supply but with enough pressure to let her know that he could easily hurt her if he wanted. She still couldn't see his face.

The barest echoes of light from the street lamps reached them there in the darkness of the alleyway, the sounds of their muffled struggled getting swallowed up by the city. She could see the outline of his hood, the hunch of his broad shoulders as he held her captive there, the other arm that was not pressing at her neck came down to grip her hip, his fingers digging into her flesh through the fabric of her pants.

As her fight or flight reflex kicked in she took a chance. Her hands were free, he wasn't thinking clearly, and he was obviously overwhelmed by his emotions. She could tell by the way he was shaking.

That was a mistake.

Without warning her arm shot up in an attempt to throw back the hood over his head and reveal his identity. But before she could he blocked her, releasing her throat to snatch her wrist hard enough to bruise. Her body automatically responded, her leg coming up to knee him hard in the gut. He was caught off guard, stumbling back and his hands falling away from the hold they had on her. She didn't hesitate.

Finally free, Kagome bolted.

Or, at least, she tried.

All at once the wind was knocked out of her and she slammed against the pavement, suffocated by the force of his body crushing her as he tackled her to the ground. She choked on her own breath as he desperately tried to gasp for air, while kicking her legs out to try and find purchase so she could get away.

She could feel him trapping her with his legs on either side of her hips, his hand viscously twisting in her hair, pushing her face even harder into the roughness of the asphalt.

"I really didn't want to hurt you Kagome. You're making me do this."

She could barely hear him over the ringing in her ears.

She was so tired of this. Tired of being the damsel. Tired of being targeted and picked on just because of what? her looks?

No more

"Get... your fucking.. filthy... hands off of me!"

She loosed a wild scream that erupted from deep with her chest, her vision flooding with white light as she could feel her reiki rising, consuming her and everything around her with energy that crackled over her skin like lightening.

Something within her broke.

A massive well of power that swallowed her whole, flooding her system and exploding out of her in a deadly blast of pure, concentrated divine power.

Kagome was too overcome by the intensity of her internal battle to feel the weight of her attacker suddenly lifted off of her as he was thrown back, his body crashing into the side of the building and sending a cloud of debris raining down on the alley.

And then everything was terrifyingly still.

A/N: Thank you to everyone who out there who still keeps up with this story. I'm loving where this is going and I cant wait for ya'll to see what's next, hoping to get the next update out within a couple weeks this time but we'll see. Life is very time consuming but trust me when i say that I will be writing this story (and the sequel) for the rest of the foreseeable future haha. peace & love always. Let me know what you guys think 3