Chapter 14

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

His words seemed to echo inside her head for a long, drawn out moment, his voice sounding almost teasing; though she knew that to be far from the truth. Everything he had said was absolute fact.

There was nowhere to go from here. She was literally backed into a corner, without weapons and with very little strength at her disposal…

Bankotsu crossed the room with lengthy strides, his fingers working to untie the armor along his chest, tossing it to the floor. Her heart was pounding in a sickening rhythm, blood rushing through her veins and her breath coming in hard and fast. He dropped the shoulder guard next, letting it clatter without care as he finally stood before her, an evil smirk playing at his lips. Her back was pressed into the wall now. Her desire to flee so strong her eyes were darting around, looking for any opportunity to get away. But as his built arms formed a cage around her, she knew there was none. Her stomach sank with heavy dread, palms feeling sweating as they pressed into the wood behind her.

"Look at me." He demanded; his voice harsh even though there was still an underlying slur from the sake to his words.

Kagome knew better than to ignore him now.

Her gaze flickered up fearfully to meet the intense, black orbs that bore into her, instantly regretting it and wanting to shy away from the fire that burned there. His large, rough hand came up to cup the uninjured side of her face, and she couldn't keep herself from flinching away from his touch.

"What's the matter, Kagome? You don't like when I touch you like this?" His breath, heavy with the acrid aroma of sake wafted over her face as his grip on her tightened. "Well, too bad."

He smiled slowly, sickeningly, a perverted grin that twisted at his features; before he smashed his mouth against hers brutally. It could hardly be called a kiss; it was completely one sided. He forced her lips apart as she fought and struggled in his cruel, offensive and perverse embrace. She could feel the tears sting and pour down her cheeks. Her hands scratching at him, trying with every ounce of strength she had to push him away. But he was like a wall. Unyielding. Solid. He could not be moved.

No… please… stop…

It was useless. The hand that was not fisted in her hair came down to grasp at her waist, fingers digging into the supple flesh of her hips. His grip was so tight; she was sure it was going to bruise.

She screwed her eyes shut, and let the tears flow freely. She could only weep and bang her fists uselessly against his broad chest, disgust settling heavy in her stomach.

InuYasha… I'm sorry…

When his mouth finally broke away from hers, she gasped a sigh of relief even as a low sob escaped her, her eyes snapping open to see the evil smile that marred her abuser's features. She wanted to vomit.

"Please don't..." The words fell from her lips, broken and hushed, barely a whisper; a plea for mercy that she desperately wished he would grant.

"Don't?" He chuckled darkly, eyes raking over her distraught appearance. "What do you think I brought you back for, little bird? To pour Sake?" He laughed meanly, voice mocking and cruel. "I took you because you looked like a good fuck, nothing more."

Her heart plummeted down to the floor.

Those words had bile rising up her throat and she felt like she was going to choke on it. She would've done anything just to get away from him. Her lips felt abused and swollen after the brutality of his assault on her mouth, her chest tight with fear.

"Bankotsu…" It was the first time she'd said his name. She could tell it had sparked his interest; his eyes glinted with it in the near complete darkness. "Please, I'm begging you…I'm a virgin…" It was a lie. And a bad one.

She stumbled over it, her voice shaking and broken. It was the only thing she could think of that might stop him, in her own panicked mind.

She should've known that it wouldn't work.

"Virgin?" His quirked a dark brow, looking nonplussed.

"Y-yes." She answered, not quite able to meet his eyes. She'd always been a terrible liar.

A long, tensed moment passed between them. She held her breath.

"Oh, well how lucky for me… I get to be your first." His grin was absolutely gut wrenching. His eyes, like bottomless pits never left her own as her blood went cold in an instant. "After I'm through with you… You will be ruined for any other man. You will crave my touch, little bird. If you survive, that is… and now you've gone and got me all excited." He pressed himself flush against her, taking advantage of the fact that she was trapped there against the wall. She could feel the hard outline of his manhood pressing into her abdomen as the impact of his words hit her like a bullet train; the sheer force of them all but knocking the wind out of her.

She could only whimper, sobbing quietly as her lie fell flat and died. Her protests only seemed to excite him more.

His rough and unforgiving hands roamed over the swell of her rounded bottom through the thin fabric of the kimono, fingers digging in greedily as he tried to pull her even closer. She resisted weakly, thrashing and clawing at anything she could get her hands on, but it was hopeless. He was laughing at her. There was a wicked gleam in his eyes, and she knew that he was dead set on making good on his word.

"No, please… I-" She couldn't finish. She scrambled for another lie; for anything, anything to make him take his hands off her, but there was nothing. Just panic and overwhelming dread.

Her mind was racing, her thoughts jumbled and incoherent. Only one thing seemed clear to her at that moment; Bankotsu was going to kill her.

But not only that… he was going to make her suffer first.

She felt a fresh wave of tears sting at her eyes, a desperate sob tearing itself from her throat.

"Well?" He practically purred as he ground himself into her lewdly, forcing her to feel every inch of his sickening hardness. "You were saying something?" He said on an exhale, breath ghosting across her chilled skin. The look on his face was that of a man who took sick pleasure in what he was doing. The way he tormented her. Brutally. Without mercy.

A large, calloused hand brushed against the bare skin of her thigh as it wormed its way beneath her robes, the other firmly knotted in her inky black hair. Pulling. Tugging. Tighter and tighter until she yelped in pain. Her jaw was still sore and inflamed from when he'd taken her in the woods, and the wound practically screamed as he pulled her head back viciously; holding her there, just where he wanted her. "Your skin is so soft…" His voice was low and husky. Goosebumps erupted across her flesh and she did her best to clench her legs together tightly as he spread his hand over the pale skin of her thigh.

InuYasha… I'm so sorry…

Her eyes were blurry, feeling tight and swollen from the overflow of her tears. His mouth came down hard on her neck. He feasted on the delicate skin there, licking, sucking, biting at her obscenely. But she was practically numb. She felt her legs give out beneath her, but the sheer force of his body pinning her to the wall kept her upright, though she went slack against him.

Hopeless

Her eyes drifted shut.

His hands were all over. No longer pulling painfully on her hair, but hiking up her kimono even further, taking advantage of how weak she was as he pried apart her legs and settled himself between them. She could feel the faint chill across her skin as she was exposed to the cool air. But she hardly noticed.

Everything seemed like a blur, like she was watching a movie playing on an old projector from far away. She could see what the actors were doing, but the resolution was fuzzy, and everything was tinted in blue. She couldn't make out what they were saying. But she just knew with an overwhelming sense of dread that something terrible was going to happen to that girl; pinned beneath the savage force of that man cast on the screen of her own making. The film fluttered in and out, skipping around and she could see the tears glittering like crystals on the girl's ashen cheeks.

But the girl was her.

InuYasha

The only thing that made sense. His name. Her warrior. Her Beloved. Her Savior.

But he wasn't here.

She was moments away from being defiled, from being tainted by this darkness and there was nothing, nothing she could do about it. She was alone and she weak.

"Awe, what's wrong, Kagome?" Bankotsu finally broke away from her, taunting. His voice may as well have been nails on a chalkboard to her ears. She struggled weakly in his grasp, knowing it was futile. His fingers had somehow crept between her thighs, and they traced over the fabric of her panties. "Hmm, what's this?" He asked curiously.

Kagome was frozen with fear. She couldn't fight anymore. Her body had given out. Her will to go on was waning. She could only weep, and just pray to whatever Kami was listening that she lost consciousness soon. That at least would bring her relief; a reprieve from the abuse that she was already doing her best to etch out of her mind.

Stop… don't touch me…

She didn't know if she said it out loud, but the words ran on a loop in her head.

His fingers were looped into the band of her panties, and he slowly slid them down her limp legs. Vaguely, she felt the rush of cool air over her most private area as it was bared. She realized what that meant; what he was going to do to her.

At least it was you, InuYasha…my first. I gave myself to you. You're the only one… the only man I have ever desired.

Eyes the color of honeyed wheat flashed in her mind. Hair the color of liquid silver in the moonlight billowing freely in the breeze, full lips whispering her name.

I love you; Kami I love you...

She would've done anything if it meant that she could make it back to him.

Her light was fading with each passing second, her hope dwindling down to nothingness as his hands touched her, dragging over her skin sickeningly.

"I know you like this… look at you, you're trembling!" He laughed wickedly, his eyes devouring her body unabashedly, drinking in every inch of exposed skin with appreciation. She shook her head numbly. Silently refuting his lies as he spewed them.

"A man like you could never please me… You… you disgust me." She spat, forcing the words out of her throat, her eyes snapped open and narrowed on him with a burning animosity. She didn't know where the sudden fire had come from. She felt it filling her, burning and intense. Hatred. She had never felt such a way about a human being in all her life, though this man was far from that. He wore the mask of one, but beneath that lay pure rot and filth. With the last shred of her will she mustered up all the saliva in her dry mouth and spat it straight at his face.

His expression immediately contorted explosive in anger, his assault on her momentarily paused as her words sunk in.

"You little bitch! I could kill you right now, and I would be nothing to me. Nothing." His voice was pure venom, it practically dripped with it. One of his hands came up to snatch her throat, squeezing so hard her vision swam and white spots bloomed. She coughed, hands scrabbling weakly at his own much larger one that was currently in the process of crushing her windpipe. "Is that what you want? Huh?" He growled, shaking her now. She was like a ragdoll, limp and completely at his mercy.

She couldn't breathe. The pressure of his hands around her throat was immense, increasing with every second. His voice was starting to get fuzzy and fade away…his face cloudy and obscured. Her heartbeat pounded in her ears, the beats sounding slow and exaggerated.

Mama… Sota… Shippo…InuYasha…

They seemed to flash before her eyes. Memories, moments lost to the past that she could never get back.

Forgive me…

Black crept in around the edge of her vision, she could feel the abyss beckoning…

And then, all at once it was like a dam broke.

Just before she had completely lost consciousness her body was freed suddenly, and she plummeted to the floor. she landed heavily as a resounding blast seemed to shake the very foundations of the building, her ears ringing from the sheer force of it. Dust and debris exploded around her as moonlight poured in from the hole that was now in the wall. She was barely conscious, gasping for air like a fish out of water, coughs wracking through her chest violently. Her throat felt like it was on fire.

She had fallen at an odd angle, her limbs splayed out awkwardly. She barely managed to lift her head in time to see a pair of delicate, bone-white feet touch down gracefully onto the ruined flooring as if the person had been floating. They looked like they'd been carved out of pure marble, and seemed out of place here, in the rubble that now lay around her.

Her vision was pulsing, fading in and out and she could only catch flashes of what was going on around her. She couldn't comprehend what she was seeing; long dragging robes the color of seafoam and crashing waves gliding over splintered wood and pulverized rock, a pulse of ancient power that brushed along her own reiki, feeling strangely familiar to her. She could barely hear Bankotsu's muffled voice shouting over the intense ringing in her ears, then another crash, and then… near deafening silence that consumed everything as the blackness overwhelmed her, and she spiraled down into deep, dark nothingness as she finally lost consciousness.

Her battered and broken body just couldn't take anymore.

It was the middle of the night, around the time when he should be laid comfortably on his futon, preferably within groping distance of Sango. But instead, he was trudging through the woods, trying to find his baka of a best friend. And he was probably ringing the dinner bell for any manner of creatures that lived by the light of the moon; he was not particularly known for his stealth.

InuYasha had not returned since Kagome had been kidnapped, and if the monk was being honest it weighed heavy on his mind. As much as he tried to deny it, the half-demon possessed a strong self-destructive streak, and Miroku knew better than almost anyone how detrimental that could be. The idiot was probably running himself ragged, to the point of exhaustion, and he highly doubted he had even stopped for a moment to eat or even drink in the past three days at all. Not that he could blame him, exactly. If the roles were reversed, he was almost certain that he'd be the same way himself; but that didn't mean that it was smart.

He was picking his way along an overgrown path, calling out InuYasha's name into the darkness, hoping that his voice would carry over the deafening sounds of the forest. It came alive at night. The air was filled with the sound of animals chittering; leaves rustling; birds that sang sorrowfully, high into the canopy. It was eerie, but at least he knew that here in InuYasha's forest, he was unlikely to cross paths with a random demon. They were usually put off by the obvious territorial markings the half-demon had left. A few trees gouged with his claws here and there, and Miroku was sure that if his nose had been strong enough, he would be able to smell the Hanyou's scent permeating the air.

"Damn it." He cursed under his breath as his robes snagged on a branch, his staff jingling as he disentangled himself from the foliage. When he looked back up again, he was surprised to see InuYasha standing there, about a hundred feet away, looking more ragged than the monk had ever seen him.

There were scratches and smudges of dirt all over him, smeared over his cheeks and robe, little sticks caught in his thick silver hair. His mouth was set in a hard line; his eyes looked empty and sad.

"What are you doing out here, hoshi?" The Hanyou's voice was annoyed, low and rough; his hands were clenched into fists at his sides.

"Looking for you, baka," Miroku said, his voice feigning lightness even though he wasn't smiling. He was so used to covering up his true feelings, and old habits died hard.

"Keh. Just get outta here already, you're just wasting my time!" The half-demon all but growled; his lips drawn back to reveal sharp fangs that would've planted fear in any human's heart. But the monk knew better. He wouldn't back down; it was his duty as a friend. He had to try and make him see reason. "Or did you forget about her already?"

He couldn't hide the wince at the words; they stung.

"InuYasha… I know that you're doing everything you can, and even Sango and Kirara as well, you are all searching for Lady Kagome relentlessly, but… How can you expect to find her when you're wandering around, weak and ready to drop because you won't let yourself rest? If we're going to save her, we need to be at our best… and I can tell just by looking at you that you're practically dead on your feet." He didn't mean to rant, but once he started, he just couldn't stop. The words spilled out, heavy and stagnant on the air and he wondered if he should have held back a little. InuYasha's eyes were downcast, hidden by his bangs but Miroku knew him well enough to know that he was more distraught than anything. Even the anger came second to the true pain. It was a long moment before he spoke, as Miroku waited impatiently.

"Shut up." His fist clenched even harder, and the monk could see bright blood oozing out from where his claws had dug into his own flesh. "Just shut up! What the hell would you know about it anyway, hoshi? Huh? You don't have a clue! My… Kagome… she's gone…every hour, every minute that passes I'm failing her…. And you, what have you done? Nothing. You don't know shit." He spat the last word, his voice rough, filled with raw emotion. Anger. Pain. Self-loathing. His eyes flashed stark gold as he lifted his head suddenly to meet Miroku's gaze. There was a fierce look there, his lips drawn back in an animalistic snarl. It took every ounce of self-control Miroku possessed to keep himself from turning and bolting back the way he'd come.

With his sheer force of will, he stayed rooted to the spot and quietly steeled himself, taking a deep breath.

"You're right. I don't know how you're feeling, or how to fix this but… I am sorry. I want to help. I care for Kagome like a sister… And you know that I would gladly give my life it meant protecting her, brother." He couldn't stop his voice from breaking on the last word, and he could see the exact moment it had hit InuYasha's ears, the meaning of it not lost on him.

His whole body stiffened. His eyes lost some of the fire that had been burning only a moment ago, Miroku's words dousing the flames, if only slightly.

Brother

Miroku was an only child… he didn't know what it felt like to have a brother.

But when he remembered all the times he and InuYasha had argued, beaten on each other, laughed, cried, fought enemies and shared things that they never had before… It made him realize something. Maybe… maybe he did know what is was like to have a brother, after all.

A deep sigh escaped the Hanyou, his body seeming to sag and deflate right before the Hoshi's eyes. "Just… just go back to the village, Miroku. I… I can't stop, not until I find her."

He was stubborn, determined and unshakable. But Miroku already knew that and had expected as much.

"Alright, InuYasha. I understand." He nodded solemnly with a heavy sigh. "Just… be careful, okay?"

They shared a long look, neither of them knowing quite what to say. At last, InuYasha nodded.

"I am going to bring her back." He said lowly, almost like he was trying to convince himself, too.

Miroku could only muster up a watery, half hearted smile. "I know you will."

The sky was darkened, covered with thick grey clouds that seemed to swirl and pulsate with energy. Not even the light of the moon could shine through and the land below was cast in shadows. The Kami was looking down, his sight trained on the image that was reflected in his celestial mirror. The air practically crackled with his rage, taking the form of wicked lightning that flashed through the air.

He had seen her get taken, had watched carefully during the time she was held captive and he had managed to keep himself from intervening, all for the sake of what could happen but this… this he could not abide.

Kagome was pinned to a wall by that abominable Bankotsu, her tears glittering like crystals in the weak light. He could see the monster's hands on her, violating her, marking her fair skin. He didn't know it, but he had made a grave mistake.

He couldn't sit around and just watch any longer.

With his inhuman speed, he had crossed through the barrier of this plane and the next, and was in the forest, just outside the temple almost instantaneously. Thunder crashed over head even as the clouds began to break apart, bathing him the light of the moon. He could sense seven souls. One that lingered just outside the walls, and six others just inside. He knew instantly which of them belonged to her, it stood out bright as a burning pillar amongst the rabble that was currently in her company.

The ancient words spilled from his lips, his hands forming the signs that would activate his spell and set it into motion. He could feel the moment it did its work; everyone but Kagome and the man who was brutalizing her was sure to be fast asleep.

He could have just as easily killed them all, but he didn't.

The Kami's footfalls were light as he stepped calmly across the grass, drawing closer towards the side of the temple. The barrier that surrounded the place was weak, almost escaping his notice as he stepped over it with ease. It fizzled out at once, shattered by the sheer strength of his aura alone. He stood there, calculating for a long moment. He slowly built his power up in his hands, feeling the air around him sizzle and swirl with energy. He focused it all into a large ball, cupping it with his palms as it swelled, glowing a bright blue in the darkness.

He threw the pulsating ball at the wall in front of him, aiming it just right. All at once it exploded with a deafening boom, splintered wood and debris flying out in all directions.

The moon was shining bright and full, now. All evidence of clouds completely erased as the sky was clear. His light shined through the rough hole he'd made, illuminating the stumbling drunk that had dropped Kagome to the ground like a ragdoll.

"What the-"He started to say, his eyes wide with surprise even as he backtracked closer to his sword that leaned against the wall.

"Silence." The kami commanded; his voice as cold as ice. His power rose unbidden, swirling around him like a cyclone. He focused all his intent at the man who was moving in slow motion, his face contorted in what could only be called terror.

He floated over the rubble, touching down lightly. His eyes immediately snapped to where Bankotsu had dropped Kagome. Her limbs were splayed, her kimono skewed, and she was gasping for air. Even as she coughed, she managed to raise her head a bit, and he could feel himself relax, if only a little.

His gaze slithered back to the man who had dared to lay a hand on his offspring, his eyes going cold and steely. He watched the terror bloom across his face, and the kami smiled. He would enjoy this.

His long slender fingers hovered over the handle of his katana, Yorukaze, but at the last moment, he decided against it. As much as he wanted to be the one to send this worthless waste of space back to the grave he'd come crawling out of, it just wasn't the time or the place. He had seen the future, and in every possible outcome he had seen the same thing. He would die, but not by the kami's own hand, and not yet.

With a tsk of frustration the Kami sent a burst of pure power soaring straight for the Ronin instead, watching with a smidge of satisfaction as it hurdled towards its target. Bankotsu tried to flee, but even he could never outrun such a force as was the kami's insurmountable power.

It hit him with the strength of a thousand canon blasts and he was sent flying through several walls, the wood shattering loudly.

And then it was quiet.

All he could hear was the sound of Kagome's ragged breathing, and he turned to her at last, coming to stand over where she lay in the rubble.

She must have lost consciousness. She didn't react to his presence in any way as she lay bruised and wounded on the dirty floor; her hair strewn about her wildly. She looked so small, so frail; like a bird who'd injured its wing.

He knelt, sliding his arms beneath her slack form to cradle her gently to his chest. Ancient eyes traveled over the bruises that marred her fair skin, anger, and sadness coursing through him. His daughter…It was easy to watch from afar, but now… seeing her like this… what was this feeling?

This was the first time he'd ever held her in his arms. The significance was not lost on him. Many times, he had watched her from his mirror, from the sky, he had even walked in a few of her dreams. But he had never done this. Had never held anyone like he was holding her. Had never felt these emotions and he wondered what had changed inside of his own heart.

Long slender fingers trailed over her face for a brief moment, admiring the beauty of her features; even though she was bruised and sickly looking, her skin holding a disconcerting grey pallor to it. She had gotten her high cheekbones, her full rosebud lips and her long dark hair from him; but her slim, upturned nose, her eyes… that was all Keomi. He found a small smile twisting at his lips as he looked at her, feeling a swell of pride at how lovely she was growing to be.

He held her protectively, his steps careful and measured as he picked his way across the floor. He wouldn't even cast a glance at the specter that he'd sent flying through the wall, the scum wasn't worth even that. And he wouldn't be getting up for a while yet, anyway.

He stepped through the hole in the wall he'd created, basking them both in the healing light of the moon. It was large, bright, shining down on the land and bathing it in silver-blue shadows, accompanied by millions of little stars.

Holding her close to his chest, he launched them into the sky, commanding the winds to carry him to where he knew she would be safe. East, towards Edo.

He held on to her tightly as they sky parted for him, the breeze whipping around his river of obsidian hair that hung free around him. He could hear the steady thrum of her heartbeat and it reassured him, steeled him on.

They were not flying for long when he heard the subtle change in her breathing. Just as he looked down, he could see her eyelashes fluttering delicately, her lips parting as she came back to consciousness again.

AN: Hello everyone! Please let me know how you like this one I agonized over this for dayysss haha. Oh, and can I admit something...? I really love writing Bankotsu... he's just so evil! This definitely won't be the last we see of him, but it looks like Kagome's safe for now. anyways thanks for reading!