InuYasha Fan Fiction / Yu Yu Hakusho Fan Fiction ❯ On The Night Of A Blood Red Moon ❯ Chapter 9

[ X - Adult: No readers under 18. Contains Graphic Adult Themes/Extreme violence. ]

Title: On The Night Of A Blood Red Moon

Authors: Ryukotsusei and Cyntinell

Disclaimer: We own neither Inuyasha nor Yu Yu Hakusho. We do however own the plot. Steal it and you shall face our wrath.

Chapter Nine

The Seer went back to her room quickly, her thoughts racing as to what was to come. With the future no longer set in stone, there was no telling what would become of the prophecies. She was desperate to know which parts of the prophecy were now lost and if there was any chance of recovering what was lost. There was absolutely nothing in any of her books that would explain what had just happened that evening. When she tried to read into the future all she met was a thick fog that enveloped her and left her wandering about aimlessly, lost in confusion. 'What was that madman thinking?' Her mind was in turmoil over what Masakazu had managed to do. Years of hard work and steering certain events were unfolding before her eyes and she was powerless to stop it. She had been certain to make things quite clear to Masakazu and forewarned him of the consequences that his actions could have and yet he still defied her.

Steeling herself she quietly opened the lost texts to the prophecies in hopes of finding out just where her careful calculations had gone astray and what the potential repercussions would be of Masakazu actions. She no longer questioned how a warded Miko could save the Forbidden One. Strange as it may sound it was the only part of this entire mess that made any sense in this lunacy. What happened in the here and now would affect the future and the strong bond that they had formed together appeared to be the only thing that had come to pass according to the prophecies. She carefully flipped the pages of the ancient book in front of her, staring in disbelief at what she had found. No longer was it written out in beautiful flowing script that entranced the readers. Now entire pages were unwritten. It was simply gone. She easily remembered what had been there but now... Now it was as if it had never written. Remembering the knowledge would do no good for it seemed that time was indeed altering itself.

"Tis an interesting dilemma we now face now isn't it?" A haunting voice echoed throughout the dimly lit room. "What was once predicted now can never be."

The Seer turned quickly towards where the voice originated from, surprised to see the ancient Priestess before her. She knew very well who she was and wondered what her purpose was showing herself. Why had she finally bothered to make her appearance now only after everything had gone so terribly wrong? Was she here to gloat? Impossible since she had willingly handed Kagome into this so that the prophecies would come to pass. With a heavy sigh she turned back around and closed the heavy book. It would no longer aid her in steering Masakazu towards his destruction. "Aye that it is, what is done can no longer be undone. The question becomes how different will things be now that everything has been altered?"

"She has no way to go back to her own time. She must return home but the power to grant such a request is now gone. Now a greater sacrifice will be called upon in order to rectify that mistake. All of this just to save that gods be damned demon." Midoriko ignored the glared the Seer bestowed upon her. It mattered not that he was important to the prophecies, he was an enemy to her kind. Had it been up to her he would have never been involved with Kagome but the prophecies deemed it so and she had to comply. And now it was all for naught, she could no longer predict what was to happen. Leveling a hard look at the Seer her voice became icy. "I don't have to like the boy, I just need to accept this as what must be." Midoriko sighed, in life things had never been this complicated but there was no rest for the weary. "You are now their only hope. Kagome believes that I betrayed her and rightfully so, though I had my reasons as you well know. She will no longer listen to me and that abomination that she has been bound to will either kill me or I will purify him. The terrible burden now rests upon your shoulders, Seer. With the time line destroyed their fate as well as the rest of the worlds is now in jeopardy." Midoriko faded from her line of vision, her voice echoing throughout the chamber as she left. "It is now up to you."

The Seer leaned against the door heavily trying to collect her thoughts. She knew there was a strong possibility that none of them would survive this mess now. She tried to concentrate on what she knew that she must do. First she must attempt to decipher the broken prophecy and mend the damage. It was a near impossible task fixing what was never supposed to have happened. She needed to find a way to give herself more time and get Masakazu away from this cave for an extended period of time. After lighting some incense she carefully lowered herself to the floor and dropped into a trance. She delved into Kagome's past, hoping to find one that was still alive. One that might serve as a distraction for Masakazu. It would have to be someone that could be easily manipulated and brought into this equation. Quickly she latched onto one specific person who figured prominently in her past, one that she knew was likely to still be alive. With renewed determination she pushed her limits seeking this being out in the Makai. She smiled when she found him though it lacked any warmth whatsoever. It was unlikely this person would be strong enough to stand against the Crow and the Dragon yet it could not be helped. She needed more time and for her to succeed additional sacrifices would have to be made.

Quickly she came up with a plan that would serve her purposes. She had overheard some of Masakazu's men talking about heading into a local town for some entertainment. One place in particular was a favorite of theirs to go to because of the many demonesses that were more than happy to relieve any sexual tension they might be experiencing for a proper price. A was a good way for them to quell any carnal desires and it was an excellent spot for a chance meeting with a member of Kagome's past. It would work well for what she needed. Still, she couldn't help but regret what she knew was likely to happen. She had to tell herself that she was remaining true to the prophecy and not to the woman Kagome. She needed to use whatever was necessary to reach her final objective. With that in mind she reached for the quiet power within her that would influence the actions of others.

Elsewhere In The Makai

A day later a lone figure sat at a corner table idly sipping on his drink. To his relief it wasn't overly crowded tonight, he was grateful for the chance to get away from the chaos that was his everyday life and take a moment to relax. Normally dealing with it wasn't such a big deal but lately it had been almost unbearable and he finally decided he needed a break. Blue eyes stared regretfully into his drink, soon it would be time to go back. He knew he couldn't leave for long, things were probably already falling apart back at the den. Honestly, couldn't a guy get away for a couple hours without all hell breaking loose? Absentmindedly he waved off one of the establishment's prostitutes. He wasn't interested, his mate was more than enough to keep him occupied and he had no desire to disrupt the relationship they had. She pouted at him in hopes of changing his mind but he pointedly ignored her until she wandered off in search of another client.

His attention was diverted slightly when the door to the establishment opened once more admitting three more customers. After assessing them for a moment he disregarded them. They were no threat, their power levels, while considerable, were nothing compared to his own. He growled slightly under his breath when they took up a table next to his own, he had no desire to sit there and listen to their banter back and forth. However just as he was going to get up and leave the mention of a human woman made him relax in his chair.

His curiosity was aroused, after all it was not often that you heard of a human becoming lost in the Makai. He listened idly as they discussed this human girl and the plans their boss had for the girl. He wasn't surprised by what he heard, the few humans that were unfortunate enough to end up in this realm usually met a very messy end. Still, it wasn't any of his concern. He had given up attempting to save the world long ago, that was for days long past when what he did made a difference in the world. Still, there was something that prompted him to remain where he was. Something that was nagging his senses, as if he should be picking up on something but at the moment he wasn't certain exactly what it was.

A name was dropped, Masakazu. Blue eyes narrowed in disgust, he knew well of the Crow. His tastes ran to the extreme, his methods of torture were enough to turn a lot of demon's stomachs. He began to pity this human girl who had become his play toy. In his opinion someone should have taken out the Crow a long time ago, however it was rare to see him out of his hide out. When the group began to discuss the latest rape of the girl that they had participated in he decided that he had enough of listening to them. He stood to leave but as he walked passed them the scent of fear and sex assaulted his sensitive nose. Mingled in with such overpowering odors was a scent he had long since accepted that he would never smell again. 'There's no fucking way it's her!' His mind tried to process what his senses were screaming to him making him pause mid-stride.

Kisho looked up at the wolf who had stopped next to their table. His eyes narrowed dangerously at the look on the wolf's face, the way his eyes began to tinge pink. He didn't know what the hell his problem was but if he was looking for trouble he had picked the right party to come to. “Do you have a problem?”

Kouga's attention snapped to the demon who had spoken. Three sets of eyes were now on him, none of them exactly friendly. Not that he gave a damn, if it really was her that they were talking about then they were all about to die, they just didn't know it yet. He could smell her on each of them and it turned his stomach. He had hoped, along with the others that when Midoriko took her from them that Kagome had gone home to her own time. He knew that if she were here then something had gone terribly wrong. He wrestled his temper under control, he needed answers. “Not at all. This woman you speak of, tell me what she looks like.”

The three of them looked at the Wolf warily but made no move to attack. Kisho relaxed slightly, it wasn't surprising to him that he would ask about the girl. It was unusual enough to run across one, it was quite possible he was interested in purchasing her. Not that Masakazu would let her go for any price, he enjoyed tormenting her far too much. Kisho shrugged. “She looks human of course. If you're looking for a slave to purchase forget it. Masakazu's attached to this one.”

Kouga offered a lopsided smile throwing them off guard as he pulled up a chair. “Humor me then, it's been a while since I've had the pleasure to encounter a human female.” As much as he'd love to tear them apart for what they had done, he had no ideas as to where she would be at this time. For now, it would be best to play it cool and get the information he needed.

Kisho looked to the others who shrugged. If it was idle curiosity that brought the Wolf by they didn't care. “Make yourself comfortable why don't you.” Sarcasm was laced in his words but there was no real threat behind them. They could all sense the Wolf's power, perhaps he would be willing to join the group. Masakazu was always looking for new blood to join the ranks. The Crow would be pleased to have one as strong as the demon before them.

Introductions were made around the table before Kouga turned questioning eyes on them. “So how did a human get here anyway? Reikai usually doesn't let them linger long.” That was one of the top questions on his mind. He had a few encounters with Koenma and his father just because of the role he played in recovering the Shikon no Tama. If Kagome was here then why in the hell hadn't they gotten her out yet? They knew of who she was and what she guarded, there was no way they would allow her to roam through the Makai.

Kisho signaled the waitress to refill their drinks before answering his question. As to how she had gotten in the Makai no one was certain. But how she had avoided detection was easy enough. “Couldn't tell you how she got to the Makai but we found her before the Reikai did. Masakazu's made sure that she won't be found by them either. But as to how we captured her, the wench outright attacked us. The stupid girl actually felt sorry for a demon and tried to help him.” Kisho still couldn't believe that she was foolish enough to attempt that, all that trouble she went through and look where it got her.

Kouga wasn't surprised by this piece of information, it sounded exactly like something that she would have done. He knew that there had to be some sort of spell or warding placed on the girl even though they hadn't specifically mentioned her being a Priestess. If Masakazu hadn't then she would have killed him and managed to free herself a while ago. Reikai would have picked up on her energy and she would have been sent home somehow. “Sounds strange for a human to want to help a demon. She must be something special if your boss decided to keep her. How long has he had her?”

Nods of agreement went around at the comment of her being strange. It had been mentioned on more than one occasion, even stranger was how she had befriended the demon she had tried to save. Absolutely no one had gotten close to him, not that they had really tried. Even they were wary of the little Fire Apparition, only indulging in tormenting him when they were certain Masakazu or Ryuji had him under control. But she had managed to do the unexpected, everyone in the lair had heard what he had done for her. “Going on around three months now I suppose. She's managed to hold his attention like none other has except for the brat she tried to save. Though why she wanted to help Shadow is beyond me. The little fucker is evil tempered I'll give him that. It makes no sense why she likes him.”

Kouga filed that bit of information away for later use. If Kagome had found a “friend” in the current situation she was in then he'd need to make sure to free this “Shadow” while he was at it. She'd never forgive him if he left him there. “So what does she look like?” Kouga took a sip of his drink, waiting for the answer that would confirm what his nose had already been telling him.

Kisho proceeded to tell him of the girl, her looks hadn't changed really except for the fact that she had lost some weight but that was to be expected all things considered. The main difference was the scars that marred her once flawless skin. Now there were many reminders of her time spent with Masakazu. He liked seeing the marks of ownership that he left upon her body. They were a constant reminder of just who was in control.

Now that Kouga was certain that it was Kagome, he needed to come up with a plan to get her out of that hellhole that had become her life. He was sickened by the stories they were telling him of how she was being treated but he was careful not to let it show. There was no time for him to go back to the den and gather up his pack. It would tip off Masakazu to begin with and he still had yet to learn exactly where their hideout was. As much as it disgusted him he knew that he was going to have to continue the part he had begun to play.

Gradually the conversation shifted to other things, though nothing too personal. Kisho and the others while open about some aspects of the band's activities were very secretive about others. Kouga was still an unknown and they weren't about to let him have any information on the inner workings of the group. That was for Masakazu to decide should Kouga wish to join them. Eventually Kisho made his excuses to leave the group under the pretenses of taking up one of the women's offers to head up to her room. None of the other's thought anything of it while he disappeared yet once he was out of their sight his destination changed. Something was off about the Wolf, his questions seemed a bit too planned in order to be idle interest. He sped off into the night, determined to alert Masakazu to this new development.

The Bandit's Lair

Squaring her shoulders the Seer ventured down the hallway. Her plan was well under way, now there was just one last detail to take care of, explaining to Masakazu that Hiei was not dead. He hadn't visited the girl in that time and had ordered all others away from her thinking that leaving her with a rotting corpse would work wonders for her training. She knew how he was likely to take the news that Hiei was not dead but it had to be done anyway. It didn't take her very long to find the gloating madman. He was now lounging on his bed, bare-chested and a malicious grin on his face as he looked at her when she walked in the door. The room had an odd feel to it though, it was as if something was very out of place but she couldn't put a finger on just what it was.

"Why are you here, wench? Have you come to share more of the prophecy with me or is there another reason you seek my company?" Masakazu smirked at her, his eyes trailing along her body leaving no doubt in her mind just what he was thinking of.

"Actually no, I came to discuss the stupidity of your actions." She didn't appreciate the way that he was looking at her but she also knew that she had little choice in what he chose to do with her. She just hoped that she could get through to him before his control snapped. Goading him on wasn't helping but the stress of the previous events had left her nerves raw and looking for a target to vent her frustration.

"Watch your tongue bitch or it will be found in the cooking pot." Masakazu leered at her, it would seem that she needed to be taught yet another lesson of just who was in charge here. He would not tolerate her disrespecting him so.

"Just what in the hell were you thinking? Did you not comprehend what I have been trying to explain to you?" Her voice was ice cold yet there was the brilliant fire of defiance dancing in her eyes. All the problems they were going to experience were due to his stupidity. The Crow would pay, she would see to it. Hiei and Kagome would live long enough to take care of this nuisance if nothing else.

Masakazu leapt off of the bed and backhanded her before she could react. Her head snapped to the side just in time for a second hit to the other cheek which sent her to her knees. Blackness clouded her vision as she tried to make her way to her feet. She should have known that it was a futile attempt on her part. He followed it up with a kick to her side which lifted her off the ground. She knew she would need to pay Ryuji a visit later to heal the ribs she felt break under the impact. She refused to give him the satisfaction of hearing her scream, instead she spit out the blood that had filled her mouth onto the floor in front of her.

"Never speak to me like that again. I promise you that the next time will be your last. I am in no mood for a lecture by the likes of you." He stood above her waiting for her to attempt to stand once again. He was in the mood to play and she presented herself as a wonderful target. Perhaps once more he would find himself covered in the blood of another.

"You understand nothing Masakazu. Your actions have altered the prophecies. Look at this!" She pulled one of the small books out that had been hidden in a fold of her cloak ignoring the curious look that the Crow was giving her. Quickly she opened it to the first of the blank pages.

Masakazu's eyes didn't change expressions but he knew that something had happened, she wouldn't have come to him like this otherwise. Still, he was never really interested in the study of the text, just the power it contained and how it pertained to him. "What does this mean?" He casually flipped through the pages to find more of them blank.

"What you did in the cage earlier changed the course of history. Your anger and hatred have forever altered things and I have not the power to fix it. There are three people written in those prophecies not just you! I have done what I can to set things right but even that may not be enough to set things right." The weight of this entire situation bore down heavily upon her, she knew that it was time to tell him of what she had done.

"And just what exactly have you done to set things right?" Masakazu quirked a brow at her. The Seer had many powers that he knew about and even more he was certain that she kept hidden.

"Shadow is an important part of the prophecy and he needed to live. I made sure that he would survive your lesson and suffer no ill effects from the attack." She had known that he would not like hearing this news, her life was now in peril as she waited for his judgment.

"You did what? You stupid fucking bitch! I wanted him dead for defying me and now you have bypassed my wishes!" The dagger at his side was quickly unsheathed and brought mere inches away from the Seer's throat. "Give me one reason I should not kill you."

"Things have changed. You no longer are invulnerable. What was once written is gone and uncertainty has taken its place. The outcome remains to be seen. My gifts in this area will be most useful to you should you chose to keep me alive." It was a simple statement of fact instead of begging for her life. She was fully prepared to forfeit her right to live if need be.

"For once you make sense bitch but your actions can not go unpunished." The blade was placed against her the neckline of her cloak. With agonizing slowness he dragged the blade down watching it tear through the cloth, exposing the skin that lay beneath. A shallow line of blood quickly followed as the tip of the blade cut through her delicate skin at the same time. His voice dropped to a husky whisper as he separated the material pushing it away from her body to lap at the blood. His breath was hot against her skin but she ignored it instead concentrating on his voice. "Tell me, what does this all mean?"

She shuddered as she felt his tongue lapping at her skin, his touch made her skin crawl yet there was nothing she could do. Her voice was shaky as she answered his question knowing he would not be put off for long. "The future is uncertain but I know this much. Things have altered to the point that you can be killed."

Masakazu stopped feasting on the blood that still oozed from the gash and looked her in the eyes ready to demand more answers when the door to the chamber opened to admit Kisho. He took a step back, appraising the condition of his follower. It looked as if he had run all the way from the town with Reikai's SDF on his tail. Silently he demanded answers, Kisho knew that look well.

"There is a Wolf from the pack to the North that was questioning us in regards to your girl as well as the location of where she is kept. Somehow I think he knows her." Kisho waited for Masakazu's reaction. The Crow was possessive about all of his play toys and it was unlikely he would take a very favorable view of this Wolf attempting to take the girl from him if that was indeed what he was planning.

The Crow smirked, his eyes lighting up at the prospect of a good fight. If this Wolf indeed did know the girl then perhaps he would be interested in seeing just what had become of her. "Oh really? Take me to him now." Grabbing a shirt and his coat he turned his attention once more to the Seer. "We are not finished here woman. When I return I expect you to be here and waiting for me. Feel free to heal that small cut, I'll enjoy reopening it when I get back."

She watched him walk out the door before sitting heavily on the bed clasping the ruined folds of material to her body. She shuddered at what she knew was coming. Time was short, there were things that she knew she had to do. As she raced out of the room she said a small prayer to the Gods. Kouga was going to need all the help he could get, she just hoped the Gods were listening.

Special thanks to my beta Mary!