InuYasha Fan Fiction ❯ An Unforeseen Flame ❯ Confrontation ( Chapter 14 )

[ Y - Young Adult: Not suitable for readers under 16 ]

A/N: Enjoy!
Disclaimer: I do not own Inuyasha or any of its characters, nor could I ever hope to be as genius as Rumiko Takahashi.

"I still say that was a little harsh," Sango stated curtly, stepping neatly out from behind tall bushes wedged between two trees a short distance from the clearing in which the Bone Eater's Well resided. Her exotic eyes were narrowed in dissatisfaction at the hanyou.

"I agree with you, Sango," Miroku remarked also extricating himself from another group of nearby bushes, "but, I believe it may have been necessary."

"It's not like I'm not gonna go back and get her when everything is sorted out," Inuyasha declared in annoyance. He did have every intention of bringing her back, but he wouldn't do until after she had a good long while to contemplate her rash actions. "So quit pestering me about it. I just want to know exactly what it is that damn Sesshomaru wants from her. He's obviously done something to her. No one would want to stay with that cold-hearted bastard by choice."

"You'd better go and get her after this," Shippo piped in indignantly, glaring daggers at Inuyasha. "I know this is for her protection, but I hated tricking her like that."

Guilt was written all over his young face. Inuyasha had been such a jerk, bullying him into tricking poor Kagome. He really hadn't wanted any part in their scheme at all. The kitsune hoped desperately that she would forgive him for being part of the adult's dishonest plan.

"We all did, Shippo," Miroku replied soothingly. He also felt a twinge of guilt, but he knew Kagome would forgive such an indiscretion after they apologized and explained their immense concern for her safety. She obviously wasn't thinking clearly, especially not with what Sango had told him. It had been bad enough that, even though Kagome had told the Demon Slayer about her feelings for Sesshomaru in confidence, she reluctantly repeated the miko's words to Miroku out of worry. He had not, however, shared the information with Inuyasha. He imagined the conversation between the hanyou and the miko would have proceeded quite differently if he had.

"So, are you sure she has no shard to come back with?" Inuyasha demanded. Miroku reached inside his sleeve and pulled out a small glass bottle. Inside were seven gleaming purple shards.

"Yes, Inuyasha, we're sure. We searched her belongings several times," the monk replied rolling his eyes in exasperation. It was, after all, the monk's plan they had been following. There was no way he could mess up his part in it.

Hidden in a small copse of swaying trees, a particular demon lord watched the small party intently. He had smelled Kagome's tears and hurried to identify the source of the problem, but now he found that her scent had all together disappeared from the area. He stood there silently wondering what his brother had done to her and contemplating his plan of action. Anytime now, the hanyou would catch his scent, and there was sure to be a confrontation once that happened.

Instead of returning to his ward and vassals, Sesshomaru had stayed nearby to watch the priestess carefully. Prior experience had taught him that he could not trust the mutt with her safety, and now he knew that his instincts had been correct. He found himself becoming even more upset that not only did the half-breed fail to protect her, it was the hanyou that she really needed protection from. He had already broken her heart, and Sesshomaru had just allowed her to return to Inuyasha only to permit him to betray her trust in him once again.

Again, he found himself wondering why it even mattered to him. Had he really grown so fond of the naive woman? He was destined to end up just like his father if he continued to let her charms get the better of him. He sighed at himself inwardly. Maybe he should leave now and be thankful he was able to be rid of her so easily. He shrugged and turned to go back to Rin. He wasn't sure what he would tell the girl, but he'd figure something out. For some reason, he couldn't get his feet to move forward, and he suddenly found himself feeling, he couldn't put a finger on it…guilty?

Inuyasha paused a moment, then sniffed the air. He caught typical woodsy scents, the bitter smell of tree bark, the rich scent of soil and grass, and countless other natural smells, but his sensitive nose also met with an unnatural scent, Sesshomaru. He was making this easier than Inuyasha had expected him to.

"What? Too good to grace us with your presence, Sesshomaru?" Inuyasha sneered hatefully eyeing the trees from which the inuyoukai's distinguishable scent had wafted. The half demon's hand moved instinctively to the sword resting on his hip. He watched as a flutter of white silk and silver hair became his half-brother before his eyes. The hanyou's fiery glare met his brother's icy gaze, and his grip tightening around the hilt of his tetsusaiga, waiting impatiently to draw it.

"What have you done with the priestess?" the demon lord inquired, seemingly nonchalant. He could smell the woman all over Inuyasha's clothing. They had been embracing. The thought sent a nauseous wave of jealous rage throughout his entire being. His mutt of a half brother wasn't worth a second of the miko's attention. He thought he had already clearly explained that to the woman. So, why would she embrace him? Did she still love him after all?

The answer to those questions was inconsequential. The most important matter at hand was what the half demon had done with Kagome. He knew she had been there only moments before, because her flowery scent still lingered fresh upon Inuyasha's clothing, but now it was as though she had completely vanished from existence.

"That's what I should be asking you," the hanyou replied with a derisive snort. "Why have you suddenly taken such an interest in her?"

"I haven't," Sesshomaru countered coolly, his golden eyes expressing his extreme disinterest in the topic. Even if he had, what he did was none of the mutt's business. He didn't like anyone, especially Inuyasha, sticking their noses into matters that were none of their concern.

"What?" Inuyasha exclaimed, disbelief chiseled on his masculine features. "Then why the hell is she following you around? Obviously there's some kind of enchantment or spell or something going on here. I don't care what it is, but you better fix it damn it!"

It was Sesshomaru's turn to snort. Enchantment or spell? Hah! He, Sesshomaru, Lord of the Western Lands, would never resort to such trivial charms, especially not to keep the company of a human.

"Listen well, Inuyasha," Sesshomaru commanded with a tone of authority that his half-brother instantly resented. "I have done nothing to the girl. I have told her that she may go if she pleases, but it is her wish to remain in my company. I do not know her reasoning for such a decision, but my hypothesis is that it concerns your fraternization with the clay priestess. I believe it may be her hatred for you that keeps her away, not any enchantment. Whatever the reason, it is none of my concern."

"You're a liar," Inuyasha spat venomously. How dare Sesshomaru bring Kikyo into this! And was it true? Did Kagome really hate him? "Except for that kid you keep with you for whatever reason, you would never let a human tag along with you, unless they served some purpose."

"That child is quite taken with Kagome and enjoys her company immensely. That is her purpose. But, I do not have to explain myself to you. I assure you the woman is safe with me. If I had planned to harm her in any way, I would have done so already. Unlike Naraku, I prefer not to use manipulative tactics to achieve my goals. When I defeat you, it will be fairly in combat," the Youkai Lord remarked casually, as if slaying his brother in armed combat was nothing. Sesshomaru, however, was not feeling as cool-headed as his outward demeanor would suggest. He felt almost frantic with the need to know where Kagome had disappeared, and if it was possible to bring her back. He would never admit it, but he had missed her presence greatly the last few days, and the idea of never seeing her again had become largely unappealing. No matter how much his pride fought his feelings for the woman, it never managed to dispel them.

Inuyasha was speechless. Kagome stayed with Sesshomaru by choice? No spell or enchantment? She stayed with him, simply because she did not want to be with Inuyasha himself. Sesshomaru had to be lying. Kagome never would've admitted such things to the youkai. There was no way she had established any sort of friendship with the inuyoukai, and they were too personal for her just to divulge them to the closest pair of ears.

As much he loved Kikyo, Inuyasha had to admit that he did have feelings for Kagome. The realization that he had hurt her so badly that she preferred the cold detachment of Sesshomaru's company stung so much it left him reeling. Was she truly happier spending her days with his ruthless elder half-brother than she was when she was traveling with him and their friends?

'Fine,' he thought bitterly as he approached Miroku. 'If he can go back and get her, he can have her. She can just stay in her era if he can't.'

"Give me the jewel shards," Inuyasha enjoined, holding out his opened hand. Suspiciously, Miroku placed the bottle in the hanyou's palm. "Here Sesshomaru, you go and get her if you want her back," he remarked throwing them at his brother before leaping away angrily. The demon lord caught them swiftly in his one hand and then turned his gaze to the two humans in the vicinity.

"And how does he suppose I do that with these?" he inquired monotonously, looking disdainfully at the shards. He remembered Kagome telling him that the shards were necessary to travel between time periods, but he did not know if there was some sort of spell or ritual, and he was hoping they would offer such information to him.

"Well, Kagome uses those to go through the well to come back to this era. All she does is jump in the well, and she's in a different era, but she can't come back without them," Sango explained nervously. Sesshomaru was making her uncomfortable. It was in her nature to destroy his kind, not help it, but she felt guilty for letting Inuyasha trick her closest friend. "If you can get through successfully using the shards, you could allow her to return to this era."

That was all that the Demon Lord needed to hear. Before the humans could say anything else, the youkai was bounding into the Bone Eater's well gracefully, jewel shards held tightly in his singular hand. As he was leaping into the well, he decided that he was wasting more time than necessary on the human priestess. He determined that following her through time was just a matter of curiosity, for he was admittedly curious to see if he could, indeed, use this simple hole in the ground to behold the mysteries of the future. But, as the air began to swirl with pinkish-purple light, in the back of his mind, he knew. He knew that he was desperate to bring her back with him.