Chapter 13

"Stupid girl. Have you no manners at all?" Bankotsu spat, sounding more annoyed than she'd ever heard him as she stood in front of the group of leering men, rooted to the spot and frozen with fear. "Bow to your betters, wench, and pour the sake." He was staring at her expectantly, and she scrambled to comply, bowing deeply before kneeling beside Bankotsu. The conversation between the men had died as soon as she'd stepped through the door, it was quiet enough to hear a pin drop.

She didn't dare to look up at the men around the table. She could feel their stares boring into her, and her hands were shaking as she lifted the heavy jug of the liquor. She was careful not to spill any, and when she finished filling Bankotsu's cup her eyes darted up to him fearfully, watching his expression. He wasn't smiling. Just watching her with a bored look on his face. "Now serve my brothers."

She tried to quell the raging beat of her heart as she turned to finally look at the man directly to her right, met with dark eyes that shone with disgust and pure malice. He was wearing a women's kimono, and his lips were painted a deep red, with two long blue streaks of makeup on either cheek. His brows were drawn in a look of contempt aimed directly at her. She hurried to fill his cup and move onto the next man, rising on wobbly legs only to kneel again between the next two of the Ronin. The one she poured for was tall, broad and brutish looking. He wore a blue kimono with layered armor over top, and his black hair was short and spiked. He had green war paint drawn on his cheeks and forehead. He was the one she could feel staring at her with open appreciation, his eyes traveling lewdly over her body with unabashed want. She was suddenly very glad she had changed into the modest kimono after all.

She hid behind her bangs, her lip trembling while she fought to keep a semblance of composure. The way he looked at her made her want to be sick. She filled his cup and turned to the man beside him, noticing how short and old he was compared to the others. And ugly too, she shuddered inwardly. Even the old man had markings drawn on his face, red slashed beneath both eyes and on his chin.

She didn't quite like the look of him either. He had that same lustful look in his beady little eyes that had her stomach rolling. Renkotsu was next. She breathed a small sigh of relief at that, because at least she knew he would look at her with nothing more than indifference, at least, if he spared her a glance at all.

She finished with his cup and moved back to sit beside Bankotsu, where she knew he'd want her. Bankotsu had a smirk on his face when he raised the clay cup. "Kanpai!" The men nodded along with him and tossed back the drinks almost simultaneously. Kagome kept her eyes trained on her hands, just waiting for Bankotsu to ask her to do something, trying to think about anything besides how screwed she really was.

"Another cup for us all, wench."

She went through the whole ritual again, going around the table to fill each of their cups in a ceremony that she found quite tiring. She sat beside Bankotsu again, sighing in relief when they only sipped at the ceramic cups this time, laughing amongst themselves. She was doing her best to tune them out, but a particularly gruff and unpleasant voice broke her out of her own thoughts.

"Bagged yourself a pretty one, huh, big brother?" Her eyes snapped up to see it was the man with the green markings on his face, the one that had been eyeing her relentlessly. "That's just how I like 'em too, nice and soft and quiet. Looks like you broke her already." He chuckled darkly, and she could feel her heart practically stop beating in her chest at his words.

Bankotsu's arm wrapped around her waist suddenly, and he was pulling her into his lap, his hands dug into the supple flesh at her waist, a silent warning. She didn't dare to even make a sound. She sat stiffly there, eyes as round as dinner plates as he grinned back at his compatriot.

"Yeah, she's a looker alright, even with that nasty bruise I gave her." He threw his head back in a laugh that sent chills down her spine as she felt it vibrate through his chest. "Her manners could use some work though."

"She looks vile to me." The man who wore the women's attire beside them spat the words, lip curled back in disgust. There was something reflected in his eyes, something that looked almost like jealousy as he took a small sip of the sake. She could feel her cheeks heating up with embarrassment, lip trembling as she hid behind her bangs again, looking down at her lap.

"Feh, all ladies seem vile to you, Jakotsu. You're just weird like that." Bankotsu shook his head with amusement, still holding her cruelly against his body. She could feel every pair of eyes on her all at once, each one of them inspecting every inch of her.

"I'm not weird!" The man, Jakotsu huffed, cheeks looking a bit pink. "You just have poor taste, big brother." He took another sip, still eyeing her with open contempt. She fought the urge to shift uncomfortably, painfully aware of Bankotsu's hard body pressed into her back, the way his hands palmed at her hip roughly through the all too thin fabric of the kimono. Even through the layers, it felt like she was exposed.

"Whatever." Bankotsu dismissed easily, a smirk on his lips. With the hand that was not groping her, he slid the ceramic cup in front of her on the table expectantly. She could only look at it dumbly for a moment before realizing what he wanted. She fought to keep her hands steady as she poured, keeping her gaze low to keep from catching any unwanted eyes.

"So, what's our next move?" Renkotsu's voice, cold and calm asked from across the table.

"We'll lay low for a day since Jakotsu had a run-in with that Hanyou." He spat the word, pausing to take a sip of his sake as her eyes shot open wide, suddenly on edge again. "Then, we'll go retrieve my companion. Once I have Banryu, I'll slay the mutt myself."

Her heart stopped dead in her chest.

Mutt.

Did he mean…

"What was his name, anyway?" The brute with the green markings asked, and she looked up just in time to see Jakotsu, practically swooning as his red lips formed his response.

"InuYasha."

Night fell on the third day since Kagome had been taken. Sango sat beneath the stars, looking somberly up at the moon, wondering if her friend was even still alive. Her eyes stung as her throat tightened painfully with emotion. Crystalline tears dripped down her cheeks to stain the patterned kimono she wore, but she took no notice. Her best friend was missing, and Kami only knew what was happening to her at that moment. It was not the first time that the Taijiya had felt so powerless. It was a feeling she hated. It drove her insane knowing that there was absolutely nothing she could do. She had felt it that fateful day, at Kagewaki's castle… she felt it every time she looked into her brother's listless eyes. She was familiar with it, but it still stung, nonetheless.

The hillside she sat on was peaceful; The long, lush grass swayed in a gentle breeze and the sky was clear of any clouds, but even the serene beauty was lost on her. She felt hollow. Empty and hopeless with every hour that Kagome was not found. Even so, she knew that InuYasha had to be feeling about ten times worse.

The half-demon hadn't returned to them since she was stolen, and she could only assume he was raging. She knew him well enough by now to know that he was easy to anger, and he was relentless when he wanted to be. Especially when it came to Kagome. He wouldn't stop until she was found, of that Sango felt sure about at least.

She wiped her tears on the sleeve of her kimono, looking up at the bright moon again.

"Lady Sango, would you mind if I joined you?" At the sound of the monk's sultry voice, her head snapped in his direction, eyes wide as he stood there with a small, sad smile on his face.

"If you wish." Was all she could manage to say, turning her gaze away as he came to sit beside her on the grass.

She could feel the body heat emanating from him and more than anything in that moment she wanted to lay her head on his shoulder and just simply be for a while. But she resisted the urge, knowing that if she did the monk would just take that as an invitation to grope her ass, like usual. And wasn't in the mood for his mischief tonight. She couldn't help but cast a sidelong glance at him through her lashes, her eyes roaming over his beautiful features. She took it all in, the gentle slope of his nose, the curve of his full lips, his inky black lashes and the indigo orbs that sparkled beneath them. He truly was something else.

No other man made her feel as weak as he did. He was the only one who ever had her stuttering, shaking, breathless, and it scared her in so many ways. Loving people is a dangerous business. Especially in her case. She didn't know if she could bear losing another person that she loved; and she wondered if she even had room for it in her heart anymore, with all the hate that was built up inside her.

"Sango… "Her name sounded so beautiful when it fell from his lips like that.

"Yes, monk?" her eyes were shining as she met his powerful gaze. A wave of mixed emotions was crashing through her and she didn't know how she should feel, but when he looked at her like that it was like everything just fell away.

"If you need to talk, about anything... I am here for you, always." His voice was tender and filled with warmth, his hand coming to settle over her own gently where it was pressed into the grass, his touch as soft as a feather. She was surprised at the contact, and she was sure it was written on her face as plain as day as her cheeks heated with a deep blush. She was at a loss for words and found herself floundering, mouth hanging open dumbly.

"Miroku, I…" She was lost in those eyes. Blue and purple and black swirling together in an intoxicating mixture that had her captivated. "Thank you." She finished, looking down at their joined hands, feeling something indescribable well up inside her at the sight. She didn't know what to say, didn't know whether she wanted to jerk her hand away or lace them together. She knew what she should do. She should get away from him before she gave in to her lesser urges and did something stupid.

But it was so hard to muster up a protest when he was looking at her like that, kind and sweet, not even a trace of lecherous intent in his open expression. And his hand was so warm settled there on top of hers, it felt nice.

He had the funniest way of surprising her at the most unexpected of times.

She found herself leaning into the warmth of his body, unable to resist the pull any longer. If nothing else, she could allow herself this small comfort. She felt him stiffen in surprise as she laid her head on his shoulder, but then quickly relax. The hand that had been settled on top of hers moved to wrap around her shoulders in a chaste embrace. Knowing that his hands had a tendency to wander, she mentally prepared herself for the moment he would grope her and break the spell that seemed to lay over them, but he never did.

They sat like that for a long time, both hardly daring to believe the moment that was unfolding between them. The sky above glittered, heavy with stars as the moon shone down on the pair. Slowly, as if on cue, they both turned to look at each other.

Sango could feel the breath rush out of her lungs and her heart pick up its pace in her chest as she was enraptured by the swirling depths of his indigo eyes. His lips parted and she followed the movement with rapt attention as his tongue darted out to wet them, and time seemed to stop all at once. She vaguely felt the and that had been around her shoulders move to grip at her waist, while his other hand came to cup her cheek. He was looking at her deeply, with a question in his eyes.

And before she could find it in her to protest or run away from his touch, he was kissing her full on the mouth, his lips warm and pleasant. All at once, the snow around her heart melted and she was on fire. For the first time since the battle at the Kagewaki castle, she felt truly alive. Everything she'd been holding in fell away and she was kissing him back clumsily, not knowing what she was doing just knowing that it felt damn good and she didn't want it to stop.

She let him take the lead, relinquishing her much-coveted control when she realized that he was good at this, too good. The way his mouth captured hers so completely, his tongue stroking at her lips hotly and his kiss holding a passion that she had never felt before.

"Miroku…" She gasped his name as they broke apart, panting and still clutching onto one another. It felt like every nerve and cell in her body had all at once come to life and she was overloaded with sensation. She marveled at how a simple kiss could have her feeling this way. Her first kiss.

"Sango," His voice was soft but heady with his palpable want. "You bewitch me…"

The first thing that came to him was the sound of a voice calling through the blackness.

"InuYasha…"

Kagome?

It was so familiar, but not quite the light girlish voice he knew so well. It was low, somber, with a trace of huskiness that had his heart rate instantly spiking as he laid there with his eyes screwed shut.

No… Kikyo…?

The feeling of a small, cold hand ghosting over his forehead had him bolting upright, stark gold meeting rich brown as they locked eyes. Her face was impassive, composed in a blank mask that showed no emotion. He, on the other hand, couldn't have been more blindsided.

She looked the same as she did the first day they met, and he found himself being dragged back into the memory of that day unwillingly. He remembered how he'd felt then, gazing at her from the safety of the trees. He'd been so different then, so lonely. She'd recognized his voice… and she hadn't killed him, though he'd given her every reason. She spared him, and she was so beautiful… truly, like a doll. Though her appearance was much the same as it had always been, her eyes were dark and sad, and her skin was cold. She reeked of the grave and the sharp scent brought him back into the moment, his eyes wide as she sat there coolly with her hands folded neatly in her lap. She was the picture of poise; Illuminated by the frosty light of the moon, dressed in her Miko robes.

"Hello." It was spoken with such a cold formality that he was instantly on edge.

"Kikyo… what're you… why-" He couldn't even choke the words out. He didn't know what to say, or how he should feel.

"I was going to ask you the very same thing. I found you like this some time ago."

He winced, suddenly feeling just how sore he really was. The last thing he could remember before he'd lost consciousness, he'd been leaping through the canopy. He hadn't slept in over three days; he'd known his body was liable to give out any moment, it could only take so much, but he couldn't make himself stop. He must've passed out from exhaustion and fallen from the branches.

"I… Kagome was… taken." He saw her noticeably stiffen as her name fell from his lips, her expression remaining unreadable.

"Taken? By Naraku?"

"No… the Band of Seven…" he shook his head, choking out the words at length.

"I see." She rose to her feet gracefully, not sparing him another glance as she turned to go.

"Wait!" He found himself rushing to his feet, his hand reaching for the billowing fabric of her sleeve to stop her before he knew what he was doing. She cast a sidelong look at him through her lashes, eyes dark and reserved. His heart was racing, pounding against his ribs in a brutal rhythm that had him breathing hard. "Kikyo…" he didn't know what to say. His heart twisted sickly in his chest, a wave of mixed emotions swirling inside of him and he didn't know how to feel. He didn't have time to waste, but Kikyo… he didn't know when he'd see her again, if at all.

"I'm sorry, Kikyo." His hand fell away from her and neither of them moved for a long moment. He was sorry for so many things. For Naraku. For abandoning her… for choosing Kagome. But he would never regret that last part. Not after everything that had happened.

"Sorry?" She turned around suddenly to face him, those brown eyes capturing his own. "You say that, and yet…" She shook her head and he could see the anger flashing in her eyes. "you forget me, InuYasha." Her voice broke and all at once he was rushing to hold her in his arms.

She was so small crushed against his frame, but all he could notice was how cold she was and the overwhelming scent of graveyard dirt that flooded his nostrils. Even still, he held her, remembering the way she was when she was still alive… warm and smelling of spring flowers.

"I could never forget you Kikyo! But I…" She lifted her head to meet his eyes and he nearly broke at the sadness he saw there. Their faces drifted closer and closer, and he couldn't bring himself to pull away. Their lips were just a hairsbreadth away, almost touching.

He could feel her chilling breath ghost along his lower lip, raising chills along his arms. He didn't know why they always ended up like this. But she had to know the truth, once and for all. He couldn't keep living this way, torn between a dead priestess and a woman who brought light to his life, every single day. Kikyo had been that for him at one time, and he was grateful, but... he owed it to himself, as well as her to be honest.

"Kagome needs me now, Kikyo. I've promised myself to her." He whispered the words, and all at once it was as if the spell over them had been shattered. The priestess jerked herself back, out of his arms with horrified disbelief etched over her face.

"How could you…" she spat.

He knew how much it must hurt her to hear those words but that didn't make them any less true. She was the first person he had ever cared for… and he still loved her, but he loved Kagome, too, and he owed her just as much, if not more.

"For a girl who is just a shadow of me, you would forget everything between us?" She accused; her brow furrowed in indignation. It was an expression he hated seeing on her face, though he was painfully familiar with it.

"No! not forget, Kikyo… I'll never forget, but… you and me… it can never be like it used to be." It took everything in him to force the words out past his teeth and he almost regretted them for an instant as they hit the air, just for the utter look of despair that bloomed over her delicate features.

It was a harsh truth that both of them knew but had never said aloud. In all their secret meetings since she'd been resurrected, never once had either of them brought up Kagome, or the glaringly obvious fact that Kikyo was only alive in the sense that her soul was piloting a vessel of dark magic and clay, her body was not real. Her life was only sustained by the souls of departed maidens, and he had never wanted to come to terms with that fact before. But now, every time he looked at her it was all he could see.

She didn't say anything. She just turned to walk away, throwing him one last glance over her shoulder as she did. "That girl… if she is with the Band of Seven as you say… she is sure to be dead already, you shouldn't waste your time chasing after a corpse." And with that cruel omen, she was gone, disappearing into the thick foliage.

It took everything he had not to run after her.

Her words stung sharp and cut deeper than any blade. He wanted to scream, he wanted to break something. He knew that she was hurting, and he was too, but how could she say such a thing? Was she really that cruel? He hadn't seen her in months… had tried as hard as he could to force her from his mind, but she was always there. And now, by some sick twist of fate she had found him, watched over him, and he had hurt her… and somehow, she'd managed to wound him, too.

If that had been her goal, she'd certainly succeeded.

The seed of doubt was now planted in his mind.

Could she be right? Am I too late?

But he shook the thoughts away. Nothing was going to cloud his purpose. Nothing mattered except bringing Kagome back.

He banished all thoughts of Kikyo, and her heartless words and focused only on the task at hand. He couldn't let up now, he had to keep going. Wherever she was, Kagome was counting on him.

Her blood ran cold the instant his name hit the air.

Jakotsu had an alarmingly lovesick look on his face as he breathed her lover's name, his cheeks flushed and his eyes sparkling.

"What a stupid name." Bankotsu chortled, throwing his head back in a laugh.

"Oh, shut up!" Jakotsu all but snarled testily at his leader, surprising her. "I like it."

Bankotsu only rolled his eyes. "Big surprise there."

"Hey, big brother... so what're we gonna do with the girl, anyway?" It was the man with the green marking who spoke, leering at her from his spot on the floor, a nasty grin splitting his face. Her heart rate rocketed as she waited on Bankotsu's answer with bated breath.

He must've known, his hold on her waist tightened, bringing her even more fully into his lap. His hand spread across her middle, the tip of his thumb brushing against the outline of her breast and his pinky nearing the top of her thighs. She could feel a dark chuckle vibrate through his chest as he finished off the ceramic cup of sake.

"I'm going to keep her for a while yet. I think I quite like having a woman around, after all." He practically purred the last part, causing a ripple of fear to spike down her spin at the thinly veiled threat his words implied. She held back a whimper as he leaned down to bring his mouth close to her ear, his breath ghosting over the shell. "My cup is empty."

Waves of nausea rolled through her as she scrambled to lean forward and lift the jug of rice wine to hastily fill his cup. Her hands were trembling.

The men were back to talking a laughing amongst themselves, speaking of battel and bloodshed so casually goosebumps were spreading across her skin. They were after InuYasha… and they had no idea who she was to him. Maybe she could use it to her advantage, somehow. But if they found out… she shuddered to think about what may happen to her then. They would undoubtedly use her against him some way.

The night wore on, and slowly the five men became drunker and drunker as she filled their cups many times. The jug was nearing empty. Bankotsu was getting even more handsy with her, tugging her roughly back against him every time she sat back down, his hands roaming over her clothed body sickeningly.

Just stay alive

It was the mantra she silently chanted in her head, fighting tears as they stung at her eyes. The old man had wandered off at some point, grumbling sloppily as he stumbled away. Jakotsu had excused himself with a huff after Bankotsu had begun to grope her openly, but the big one, he just watched with blatant interest. She tried to ignore it, tried to ignore what was happening to her and think of something else. Anything else besides the feeling of this man's rough hands on her, while his friends looked on.

Breathe. Think.

Maybe there was an opportunity in this. They were all drunk, liable to pass out soon, and perhaps then she could find her way out of this place. It was a chance. She just had to get through this.

She took a deep, strained breath and opened her eyes again. Noticing that Bankotsu's cup was empty she rushed to fill it, noting the amused look in his eyes as he watched her.

"looks like your manners are improving after all." He slurred, grinning down at her crookedly before he tossed the drink back, wincing as the liquor made its way down his throat.

"I could use some more too, girl." The big brute with the green marks leered, leaning forward, close enough that she could smell the rice wine drifting off his breath. It made her want to be sick. She hesitated only a moment, everything in her wanting to scramble away from the man who seemed to be fixated on her. But she picked up the jug anyway and filled his cup.

Renkotsu was the only one of them left who was sober. He had refused the sake after his first few drinks, he was alert and she found him to be watching her as well. His large eyes with their abnormally small, black pupils seemed to be boring into her very soul, and she hastily looked away, hiding her face with her bangs again.

"I think I'll be retiring now, brothers." Renkotsu rose to his feet, his mouth set in a hard, thin line as he gave a short bow, pausing just inside the doorway.

"Yeah, 'spose it is getting kinda late, huh?" Bankotsu sighed, his voice sounding a touch sleepy. Suddenly he tightened his hold on her, bringing her flush against him as he leaned over to whisper in her ear, his hot breath raising goosebumps as it ghosted along her skin. "What do you think, Kagome? Should we retire as well?" He practically purred, provoking a violent wave of nausea to roll through her. The implication of his words was not lost on her, something that scared her even more than the thought of suffering another injury at his cruel hands. She would take a thousand beatings before she let him touch her any more than he already had.

She could feel her lip trembling, her heart desperately pumping adrenaline through her veins, her hands that shook even as they were clenched into fists in her lap. A whimper forced its way past her lips, and she could practically feel the grin that split his face at the sound.

"Yes, well, I'll be going now. Goodnight." Renkotsu disappeared down the dark hallway, making a hasty exit as Bankotsu moved to stand. He shifted his hold on her so that she was forced to rise with him, his arm wrapped around her waist tightly.

"See ya in the morning, Suikotsu." The man who had her wrapped firmly against him turned to give his companion a short nod, a crooked smirk twisting at his lips.

So that brute is Suikotsu? The one who made the medicine for me….

It seemed so odd to her that such a man was capable of making a healing remedy of that caliber. She felt almost no pain from her jaw. Though it was still bruised, the swelling had gone down immensely, and in such a short time. Though his appearance said otherwise, if he was able to make such a brew all on his own, he must be a very skilled doctor, or perhaps a sage of some sort. He stared after her with a nearly palpable longing that made her want to retch as Bankotsu forced her to walk beside him, out of the room and into the shadowed hallway.

She made a mental note of every turn they took, silently mapping out her prison, knowing that it would come in handy whenever she made her escape. But it may as well have been a maze to her. It was so dim, lit only by a few sparing laps that did nothing to distinguish anything, only casting shadows across the wooden walls.

Finally, he stopped, pulling open a sliding door and roughly pushing her over the threshold. She stumbled into the room, fighting to keep her balance as her head swam with the sudden movement. It was dark, the only light coming from the moon that shone through the thing paper of the shoji paneled window. It illuminated a small futon laid atop that tatami mats, and the wickedly gleaming blade that glinted, propped against the wall.

She scrambled to face him as the door slid firmly into place, sealing them off to the rest of the world as he slowly advanced towards her. His steps were calm but confident, a predatory gleam in his eyes that jarred her to her very core.

"So, what will you do now, little bird? There's nowhere for you to hide… nowhere for you to run."

A/N: Hey friends :) let me know how you liked this one! We got some sad/cute Sango and Miroku, sad kagome, and a nice little Kikyo moment in there. Special thanks to ihavetorible news, LucyDEU, kagomegirl84, Lola1991, & mdot911 for your reviews on these last few chapters! You guys are the best! Happy Friday & thanks for reading!