InuYasha Fan Fiction ❯ Assassin's Hope ❯ Chapter 3 ( Chapter 3 )

Assassin's Hope

 

A/N: Sorry about the cliffhanger from the last chapter! I couldn't help it! Well anyways here's an update for y'all! On with Chapter 3!!

 

Chapter 3

 

Kagome stared up at the demon from her place on the bed. His eyes had been closed when she had woken up and although he now gazed at her, she felt as though he did not see her at all.

 

He stared at her for several moments, his eyes remaining blank, until he shook his head slightly and clenched his eyes shut, falling to his knees in front of her bed whispering, “I'm sorry, I can't do this.” Kagome sat up quickly, turning towards her fallen demon.

 

She reached a hand out tentatively to touch the top of his head gently and let out a startled gasp when he lunged to embrace her around the waist, placing his head in her lap, and muffling a cry.

 

Kagome stroked his hair comfortingly while whispering soft words. She felt his claws tensing against her sides but never felt afraid that he might hurt her.

 

Inuyasha took deep breaths trying to calm the emotions that were sweeping through his body. With each breath he drew in her scent, which only proved to calm him further.

 

He pulled back from her a few moments later, keeping his head lowered so she wouldn't see how upset he had really been, and knelt back on the floor.

 

“Are you sorry that you came to see me?” she asked casting her eyes downward, becoming upset by his sudden withdrawal from her.

 

He shook his head slightly. “I've been with you all day,” he said quietly, admitting that he had been there since the party.

 

“I knew I had seen you earlier,” she said, a smile forming on her lips. “I was just wondering when you'd come to see me. I wanted you to.”

 

“You… you wanted me to?” he echoed, still refusing to meet her gaze.

 

“Hai. I left you so quickly last night I never even asked you your name,” she said blushing a bit at the memory of her goodbye kiss the night before.

 

“Inuyasha,” he whispered barely audible for human ears to hear. She had, however.

 

Kagome moved from her place on the bed to kneel on the floor just directly in front of him.

 

“Inuyasha,” she whispered as well, seemingly tasting his name in her mouth. She reached out both hands to cup his face, raising it to meet hers, “I'm…”

 

“Higurashi Kagome,” he said finally meeting her gaze, his own filled with deep emotion.

 

He saw surprise cross her features before she smiled softly up at him and nodded. Her hands fell away from his face when she realized how close she had moved towards him. She blushed slightly and sat back on her heels.

 

“I can't be here,” Inuyasha said standing quickly. “I have to leave.”

 

He moved towards the window and jumped onto the ledge.

 

Kagome sat on the floor confused. First she wakes up to find him standing in her room, then he falls into her lap, and now he was leaving again?

 

“Wait!” she whispered harshly jumping up after him, causing him to pause in her window.

 

He didn't leave but he kept his gaze on the night sky.

 

“So that's it then?” she asked softly moving closer to him.

 

“I can't let this happen,” he answered harshly. “I can't let anything happen to you.”

 

“Am I supposed to pretend I never met you, then? Let you disappear into the night, alone?” she asked sadly.

 

“You have no idea what I am,” he said scowling in the darkness.

 

“I don't care what you are. Demon or not, you saved me last night,” she said slowly, lowering her head to hide the heat of embarrassment crossing her face.

 

“I saved you from falling on your face, big deal,” he spat out.

 

She frowned slightly before looking back up at him, “There's more than one way to save someone.”

 

He turned quickly to look at her, seeing her eyes sparkling even in the darkened room.

 

“But you're right, Inuyasha. You saved me from falling,” she whispered placing her petite hand over his that was currently gripping the windowsill for dear life.

 

His heart rate sped up as she moved closer to his body crouched in the window. Her aura reached out for him and he could feel her miko powers heighten the closer she got to him. He could smell the lingering scent of her perfume she had worn hours before but a muskier scent was interlaced with it, forcing Inuyasha to stifle a groan.

 

Kagome reached out her other hand to stroke his cheek lightly before leaning on her tiptoes to press a chaste kiss against his warm lips. She gasped slightly when he began kissing her back and Inuyasha took this as his only chance to taste the young miko and delved his tongue into her warm mouth.

 

A knock at her bedroom door made her pull away from him quickly and turn towards the noise.

 

“Kagome?” her mother called through the door.

 

When Kagome turned back to her window she found it unoccupied. A little disappointed, she moved to open her door.

 

“Yes, Mama,” she answered.

 

“I thought I heard you up. You should get to bed, you've had such a long day dear,” her mother said placing a kiss upon her forehead. “Sweet dreams, Kagome.”

 

“Thanks, Mama. You too,” she said closing the door.

 

She returned to the window and sighed while looking up at the stars, “When will I see you again, Inuyasha?”

 

Kagome had to stifle a scream when she suddenly found him crouching on her window ledge again.

 

“Can I see you tomorrow night?” he asked, blushing a bit and thanking Kami that she couldn't see it in the darkness. “I'll come to your room again.”

 

She giggled softly, “A demon sneaking into a young woman's room at night? What would the neighbors think?”

 

“Half-demon,” he said gruffly.

 

“What?” she asked, blinking up at him.

 

“I'm only a hanyou,” he repeated.

 

“Oh. Well in that case who cares what the neighbors think,” she said smiling.

 

He couldn't help but smirk down at her, “Tomorrow night then, Kagome.”

 

“Tomorrow night, Inuyasha,” she agreed. He leaned down and kissed her cheek, the same one Houjou had only hours before, only now she felt a jolt of electricity flow from that very same spot.

 

“Promise me to stay safe,” he pressed.

 

She could only nod her response as she watched him leap gracefully from her window and disappear into the night. Her eyes wandered back to her desk where she noticed the small bunch of wild flowers he had left there for her. She smiled to herself and sighed blissfully in the only fashion young girls can, floating to her bed and lying down for the rest of the night. She thought sleep would be difficult to overcome her after that encounter but within minutes she was drowsing into dreams of her gentle hanyou.

 

----- ------ ------ ------ ------- ------- -------- ------

 

Inuyasha sprinted over the rooftops of the city in the direction of the manor.

 

What am I going to tell Sesshoumaru? He wondered. He could tell him he had done his job and ask to move on to the next miko.

 

He won't smell ningen blood on you, his mind rationalized. Sesshoumaru always told him to bathe after a night's killing because the reek of human blood upset his lordship.

 

You could slaughter another human girl, he thought to himself. He shook his head, almost violently.

 

“No more murdering. For Kagome,” he said aloud. For Kagome? What the fuck? You are an assassin. The only think you know how to do is kill. Stop fooling yourself.

 

“No, she sees me as more. Someone that can save, that can help,” he almost pleaded against his thoughts.

 

So what would you do? Once you refuse your role in bringing down the prophecy Sesshoumaru will throw you out of the manor. You will have nowhere to go.

 

“I can be with Kagome,” he barked out.

 

You fool. What makes you think she'd want you? You slaughtered her own kind.

 

“I'll tell her! Tomorrow night! Everything,” he vowed.

 

And betray your own kind.

 

“Damnit!” he swore. His mind was right. How could he save one without betraying the other? He saw no way how he could. He stopped suddenly when the manor came into view.

 

Sesshoumaru will have sensed that I'm already here. He sighed, knowing he would have to tell the demon lord about his failure to slay the young miko. Why had he not been able to slay her that night?

 

Because when she looked at you, you saw something you had never seen before.

 

“And what was that?” Inuyasha asked sarcastically.

 

She cares for you. Even after such a short amount of time. You saw it, too. That is why you spared her life.

 

Inuyasha knew it was true. It was her eyes and her voice that brought him back from the mindless path of an assassin. She comforted him when he realized he couldn't kill her. And she kissed him, thinking that he was a full demon, and showed no sign of fear.

 

She kissed me! Inuyasha found he was smiling slightly at the memory. He had tasted her, too. Her lips were soft and tasted the slightest bit of peppermint oil, no doubt from some sort of lip balm. When he had slipped his tongue in to taste her he found there was nothing to cover up her natural flavor, it was simply a condensed version of her scent, only one that he could savor on his tongue.

 

Inuyasha found that he was panting slightly from only the memory of their heated moment. He tried to regain control of himself before continuing on to the manor.

 

Now to face Sesshoumaru.

 

Inside the manor it was silent, almost eerily so. Inuyasha moved throughout the large estate to Sesshoumaru's quarters. He reached the door and prepared to knock when he heard a voice from within call, “Enter Inuyasha.”

 

He opened the door slowly to see Sesshoumaru kneeling before the fire. Tea and a setting for two were placed near it.

 

“Join this Sesshoumaru, Inuyasha, for some tea,” his older brother said.

 

“It's not poisoned is it?” Inuyasha asked harshly.

 

“If this Sesshoumaru wished to kill you, he would not have to resort to poison,” he responded unfeelingly.

 

“True. You'd slaughter me in front of an audience to prove your superiority,” Inuyasha spat.

 

Sesshoumaru only nodded and poured Inuyasha the tea.

 

“You have failed in your duty, Inuyasha,” he stated, it was not a question.

 

“I have,” Inuyasha responded unwavering.

 

“Why do you dishonor your heritage, so?” Sesshoumaru asked not looking at him.

 

“You… you are telling me I've dishonored my heritage? My heritage wants nothing to do with me because of my human blood! I owe my heritage nothing,” Inuyasha spat out.

 

“You have forgotten the face of your father, Inuyasha. You dishonor him by turning your back on your duty,” Sesshoumaru continued calmly. “She is only human. You find her to be special, Inuyasha?”

 

“I don't have to tell you anything!” he said growing agitated.

 

“By your countenance, this Sesshoumaru sees you hold some feeling for this human,” the inu-youkai pointed out.

 

Inuyasha automatically quieted, “I can't… I won't kill her. I would rather dishonor my heritage and be cast out than take another innocent life! You want to stop the prophecy from occurring, then you get out there and bloody your own claws. But I will warn you, Sesshoumaru, if you or your minions go anywhere near her I will kill you before you draw Tenseiga.”

 

With that Inuyasha stormed towards the door.

 

“There is another way of bringing down a miko, Inuyasha,” Sesshoumaru said, still sitting in his place.

 

Inuyasha stopped and questioned, “Without taking her life?”

 

“Yes.”

 

“How?” Inuyasha asked turning around again.

 

“You must take something else of hers causing impurity to take root in her soul,” Sesshoumaru stated staring into the fire.

 

“What must I take?” Inuyasha asked, curiosity getting the better of him.

 

Sesshoumaru looked up at him, the only time during their conversation that he had made eye contact, “You, Inuyasha, must take her innocence.”

 

------ ------- ------- ------- -------- -------- -------

 

Inuyasha lay on his futon in the middle of his quarters, staring up at the ceiling.

 

Take her innocence? I couldn't.

 

His thoughts wandered back to his encounter with Sesshoumaru.

 

“You mean rape her?” Inuyasha asked, his anger rising again.

 

“This Sesshoumaru feels it could be consensual,” the tai-youkai said calmly.

 

“I couldn't! Kagome's pure. I would do nothing to taint that!” Inuyasha growled.

 

“It is your choice, Inuyasha. You have only a fortnight to make your decision before this Sesshoumaru makes his and slaughters you both. Either take her life or take her innocence,” he said stoically.

 

Inuyasha had stormed out of his brother's quarters, his mind reeling with the options he was given. He had somehow made it to his own quarters in the manor and flopped down on his futon, where now he lay trying to sort his feelings out.

 

Sesshoumaru had said it could be consensual. So if she agreed…

 

“No! I will not deceive her!” he said, receiving silence as a response.

 

But what if you told her. Told her everything… …and then she agreed?

 

“I will tell her everything. But not about me taking her,” he said. His resolve set he closed his eyes, allowing a few hours of sleep to overtake him.

 

------ ------- ------ ------- ------- -------- -------

 

It was still dark out when Kagome heard pounding on her door. She groaned, still being mostly asleep, and stood quickly to get her door.

 

“What is it?” she called.

 

“Kagome, your training begins today!” her grandpa piped up when she opened the door. He was standing in her door wearing a white kimono and gray hakama and holding a broom and clothes out to her.

 

“Grandpa, I was up late because of my party. Couldn't you let me sleep at least a little past dawn?” she moaned sitting back on her bed.

 

“Young lady, if you wish to be the next shrine priestess you must begin training very early,” he berated.

 

“And if I don't wish?” Kagome asked yawning.

 

“You must never say such things child. Kami will punish you for your blasphemy,” her grandpa chided. “Now, change into these shrine clothes and begin sweeping the grounds.

 

Kagome frowned at the clothes he held out to her but changed nonetheless. Her grandpa had given her a white kimono much like his but dark blue hakama instead of the tradition priestess red.

 

Marking me `Priestess in Training' to the visitors I suppose, she thought with a groan.

 

She pulled her hair up into a high ponytail and set off to start her training. She left her house and began sweeping the grounds dutifully. She stopped sweeping when she saw the first rays of light over the horizon. She watched the sun rise, taking in the natural beauty that the city couldn't hide, and longed for the cover of night to come so her hanyou would visit again.

 

She sighed and set back to her work. It didn't take long for her grandpa to come out and give her more work. He told her washing the shrine steps would build her patience, pulling weeds from the garden built strength, and sweeping the steps by the sacred well would build courage. Kagome only smiled and shook her head when he left knowing he was getting cheap labor for the upkeep of the property.

 

While Kagome worked on cleaning the shrine, several visitors came and went, asking her questions either about the Goshinboku or the sacred well. She answered most of their questions politely, and those she did not know how to answer she directed them to her grandfather, who met them kindly holding out souvenirs key chains of something called the Shikon no Tama. She giggled slightly before turning back to her chores but cried out and stumbled backwards and fell when she saw someone was standing in front of her.

 

“You scare too easily, priestess,” a deep voice said from above her.

 

Kagome glanced up but was blinded by the sunlight blaring from behind the voice. She shielded her eyes and frowned, “Priestess in training, I'm afraid.”

 

“Are you?” the voice asked.

 

“Am I what?” she questioned getting up slowly and dusting herself off.

 

“Afraid?” it asked again. She glanced up now, a scowl set on her face and ready to retort when all thought escaped her when she saw the owner of the voice.

 

He looks like Inuyasha, she thought.

 

Upon further inspection of his features she realized he was nothing like her hanyou. His eyes, though the same golden color had no emotion in them, his face resigned into an expressionless mask. He had facial markings, a crescent moon, and two crimson stripes on his cheeks, which stood out, seemingly branding him separate from all other beings at the shrine. He had silver hair, almost identical to Inuyasha's, except kept extremely neat, not wild like the younger hanyou's.

 

He watched her take in the sight that stood before her. “You are quite lovely, for a human. I can see why he is infatuated with you.”

 

“You're a demon,” she whispered, it was not a question. She was getting strange feelings from him. Rolling off of him in waves of contempt and quiet rage.

 

“This, Sesshoumaru is a great demon,” he said emotionless.

 

“Why have you come?” she asked quietly.

 

“To see that my half-brother has not made a grave mistake,” he stated.

 

“And… has he?” she asked the demon lord.

 

“It has yet to be seen,” he said, and with that leapt away from her, leaving her staring into the sky at the retreating figure of the tai-youkai.

 

Half-brother? Infatuated with me?

 

“Inuyasha, has feelings for me?” she asked absolutely no one in particular. She blushed at the thought and she felt suddenly happy despite the odd feelings she had just gotten from the strange demon.

 

She continued her chores, err, training and began humming a happy tune and smiling to herself almost forgetting the strange visit she had moments before.

 

------ ------- ------- ------- -------- ------- -------

 

Inuyasha had been working out in the dojo again, working himself up in order to get out some energy. He had stripped off his outer haori and inner kimono due to the heat of the day and was practicing lithe moves through the air with the Tetsusaiga.

 

“You have improved half-breed. But can your feeble moves protect her, Inuyasha?” the same cold voice asked from the doorway of the dojo.

 

“What the fuck are you talking about, Sesshoumaru. Of course I can protect her,” Inuyasha ground out.

 

“Then why were you not there to protect her today when this Sesshoumaru paid your young miko a visit?” he asked, his usually expressionless face showing a bit of bemusement.

 

Inuyasha's blood chilled and his pulse quickened, feeling like it pulsed through the Tetsusaiga as well.

 

“I told you not to fucking touch her!” he screamed before lunging at Sesshoumaru, pinning him against the wall, Tetsusaiga placed against his throat ready to cut.

 

Inuyasha noticed his brother's slight intake of breath and his eyes widening just a bit. “What the fuck is wrong with you, Sesshoumaru?”

 

“Your katana… …has changed,” Sesshoumaru remarked quietly, staring at the Tetsusaiga.

 

“What are you blithering…” Inuyasha stopped when he too glimpsed the sword. The usual, almost rusted katana had transformed into something that was at least three times its usual size. It looked almost like a…

 

“A fang,” Inuyasha marveled. Gaping at it mouth hanging open he couldn't find the words to form one sentence.

 

“Lord Inuyasha! You've transformed the Tetsusaiga!” a small voice rejoiced.

 

“Myouga, what the fuck happened to my sword?” Inuyasha asked still entranced by the blade. He noticed Sesshoumaru compose himself out of the corner of his eye, but did not miss the look of jealousy thrown at him either. Inuyasha growled and Sesshoumaru spoke softly, “This Sesshoumaru has not touched your miko.”

 

“Lords Inuyasha and Sesshoumaru, we must sit down and discuss the properties of your swords Tetsusaiga and Tenseiga. The time has come,” the flea suggested.

 

“We will discuss this in my quarters,” Sesshoumaru stated, before turning and walking away, not waiting for their response.

 

Inuyasha stared at his sword for a few more moments before seeing if it could be sheathed. Succeeding in sheathing his sword he moved to follow his older brother to learn more about the twin katanas.

 

Myouga sat near the fire with Sesshoumaru and Inuyasha sitting quietly around him, surprisingly ceasing sibling rivalry for a brief moment.

 

He cleared his tiny throat and began his tale, “You have both been told the prophecy made long ago. It was foretold that a powerful miko would emerge to destroy all youkai races, leaving humans to master the world. It was put in your father's care to begin a society of assassins, born and bred with one purpose in life, to kill any and all mikos with spiritual powers.”

 

The two demons knew this story well, for they too were raised as assassins, emotionless, killing beings who felt no remorse for their hate-filled actions.

 

Myouga continued, “You, Lord Sesshoumaru are old enough to remember your father's death. But you, Lord Inuyasha, were too young to remember your father's demise. Your father had trained demons under the society for missions. He had to turn one demon away from the society, one so rebellious that he tried to overthrow your father's power. This demon, a dragon demon named Ryuukotsusei, was banished from the society. His power grew on his own, and he became a very powerful and formidable enemy. He challenged your father one day. The battle waged long and hard. Your father's strength was giving out, but he finally succeeded in sealing Ryuukotsusei to a mountainside. Unfortunately, in doing this your father used up his youki and he died shortly after.”

 

The two brothers remained silent, Inuyasha looking into the fire sadly.

 

“Because of this,” Myouga said, “Lord Sesshoumaru rose into your father's position. Most of the demons in the society were outraged because of his youth, and they left the society. Others chose to stay until you, Lord Inuyasha, were old enough and trained enough to be the one remaining assassin.”

 

This had all been news to Inuyasha, having never heard the cause of his father's death, or the reason for the sudden loss of so many assassins.

 

“Myouga, this still doesn't tell us much about our katanas,” Inuyasha told him pointedly.

 

“You speak true, Lord Inuyasha,” Myouga said bowing his head, “Your katanas are not simple swords left to you by your father. They were forged especially for your individual youki. The Tetsusaiga was made by your father's fang for Lord Inuyasha to yield in protection of the human race. The Tenseiga, its brother, was also forged by your father's fang for Lord Sesshoumaru to yield in order to save the human race. When wielded together the swords are unstoppable against enemies of humanity.”

 

“This Sesshoumaru does not understand. Tenseiga has never been wielded,” the older sibling spoke.

 

“The prophecy does, indeed, state that a miko would destroy the youkai race. However, it goes on to state that youkai, enemies allied in the fight, would have saved all humanity,” Myouga finished.

 

“That doesn't make sense, Myouga!” Inuyasha berated. “If all youkai are killed by this miko how can they save all humanity?”

 

“It says they would have, Lord Inuyasha,” Myouga stated bowing his head. “That is why your father began the society of assassins. If the miko could be brought down then youkai would be free to save humans. Hence the reasons for your swords.”

 

“So we've been slaying innocent humans, spilling their blood, muffling their cries of torture in order to save them? That's fucking insane, Myouga,” Inuyasha spat out. His mind was reeling with this new information.

 

There's been more to the prophecy all along.

 

“This prophecy,” Sesshoumaru said opening his eyes, “It states what the youkai saved humanity from?”

 

“Yes, Lord Sesshoumaru,” Myouga nodded, “A human himself that will invoke the power of hundreds of demons.”

 

“If he becomes a demon what use would he have killing off humankind?” Inuyasha asked.

 

“To gain complete and supreme power,” Myouga answered, “Although it is said he cannot achieve this without the use of some powerful jewel.”

 

“What is this jewel you mention?” Sesshoumaru asked.

 

“I know not, Lord Sesshoumaru,” Myouga said somewhat sadly.

 

“This is bullshit. It's so fucking confusing. Why can't a prophecy just be straight forward with names and dates instead of this guesswork bullshit?” Inuyasha growled.

 

“Perhaps my lords need some time to process this new information. Time for supper approaches anyway,” Myouga suggested.

 

“Myouga is right, Inuyasha. We will ponder this some more. And you must prepare for a visit to your young miko,” Sesshoumaru said coolly.

 

Kagome, he had almost forgotten he was to meet her tonight. He nodded before standing and leaving the room. He could not believe all Myouga had told him and now it seemed there was even more he needed to tell Kagome when he saw her.

 

Suddenly the manor seemed to be closing in on him and he needed to get out. He ran outside quickly and disappeared into the forest, trying to work out what he had just learned. Trying to escape the fact that his destiny may have already been written.

 

------ ------ ------- ------ ------ -------- --------

 

Kagome had been exhausted by her grandpa's demands and by the visit of that mysterious demon before. She trudged her way up the stairs to her bathroom, stripped off her priestess training clothes and sunk into a hot bath her mother had prepared for her.

 

“Good `ole Mama,” she sighed.

 

After her bath, Kagome changed into a simple pair of shorts and a fitted tee shirt and practically fell into bed.

 

“Just a little nap before dinner would be good,” she mumbled already floating into dreamland.

 

She slept dreamlessly for about an hour when a light knock came on her door.

 

“Kagome dear? Dinnertime. I've made your favorite,” her mother called gently through the door.

 

Kagome turned over, eyes still closed, wanting to slip back into the darkness of her dreamless sleep when a thought occurred to her. My favorite?

 

“Oden!” she exclaimed leaping out of bed and rushing down the stairs. Kagome was already sitting at the table when her mom turned around and startled.

 

“Kagome! Wow, that was fast!” her mother mused.

 

“I'm starving after the day I had! And oden, Mama you know it's my favorite,” Kagome beamed.

 

“I hope Grandpa hasn't worked you too hard,” her mother said concern showing on her face.

 

“Not really, I mean it is Saturday and all so I can work longer hours. But I hope he doesn't think I can do all of that after school every day,” Kagome hoped.

 

“I'm sure he won't,” her mother said giving her daughter a reassuring smile.

 

Grandpa and Souta joined them right as Mama was serving dinner. Dinner went as usual, Grandpa asking Kagome about her priestess training, Souta telling them all about some new videogame at the arcade, and Mama serving up more oden. Kagome told them all about the rest of the party last night and couldn't thank them enough for agreeing to throw it. She did however leave out the visit made by the two demons, eh, well one and a half demons anyway.

 

She was helping her mother clean up dinner shortly afterwards when her doorbell rang. She could hear the chatter of teenage girls on the other side before she opened up. Eri, Yuka, and Ayume all stood on her front steps chattering away about the party and Houjou and Kagome that they hardly noticed she had opened the door.

 

“Uh, guys?” she asked.

 

They all turned to her, pausing in conversation briefly, before turning their questions on her.

 

“So what happened after we left?” Eri asked.

 

“We encouraged Houjou to ask you out last night, did he?” Ayume inquired secondly.

 

“Did he kiss you or what?” Yuka burst out.

 

Kagome turned an interesting shade of pink thinking of a way to answer them. She decided to tell them the truth.

 

“Well, you see… eh, Houjou did ask me out last night after you left, but I explained to him that Grandpa wants to start training me as the next shrine priestess and that would take up a good portion of my time for the next few months. He understood why I couldn't have a boyfriend right now, but promised to take me out for a lovely dinner when I'm done with training. And yes, he did kiss me, but on the cheek,” she tried to finish as quickly as possible.

 

All three girls sighed in unison, “How romantic!”

 

“Romantic? Were you three listening?” she asked.

 

“A moonlit walk, a secret rendezvous after all the party guests left, he's willing to wait for your training to end before sweeping you off for a romantic evening together,” Eri said dreamily.

 

“Uh, yeah… I guess you were sort of listening,” Kagome said rolling her eyes.

 

“Oh, Kagome! Can't you see how much he wants you! He got you a fabulous birthday gift, practically fell over himself at the party last night, and then asked you out! Houjou's so cool too. And an older guy,” Yuka pointed out.

 

“Will you accept his invitation when your training is through?” Ayume asked.

 

“Of course she will! She's not stupid!” Yuka interrupted. Ayume shot Kagome a sympathetic look before turning to Yuka.

 

“Yes, I suppose you're right, Yuka,” Ayume smiled.

 

The girls chatted for a bit, Kagome told them how her training went that day, and the girls told her about their visit to the mall and how they saw Houjou with a bunch of guy friends. Kagome gave a short yawn, which the girls took as a sign to leave, thankfully.

 

“Bye Kagome, I hope your training doesn't keep you so busy that we all can't hang out,” Ayume said on the way out the door.

 

“I hope not too, Ayume. Bye Eri! Bye Yuka!” she waved out the door. She headed upstairs to her room, calling a quick goodnight to her Mama.

 

She looked at the clock and was surprised to see it was closer to ten o'clock at night. Her day had absolutely flown by and here she thought she would be sitting around waiting for her hanyou for hours.

 

She sighed and sat down at her desk, pulling out some homework assignment she had to finish by Monday morning. The only problem was that her mind was restless. She couldn't focus on her work and her thoughts kept turning to Inuyasha. Her eyes drifted over the bunch of wildflowers he had brought her, she had placed them in a vase with water earlier that day, and wondered when he'd be visiting that night.

 

She yawned and decided homework would not be the best that night and turned off her desk lamp and moved to her closet to pull out some nightclothes. She was about to change when she heard a soft thump behind her. Turning around her stormy blue eyes met amber blazing in the darkness.

 

“Inuyasha?” she asked softly.

 

“Did Sesshoumaru hurt you?” he asked moving towards her and holding her shoulders lightly. “In any way?”

 

“He scared me a bit, sneaking up on me when I was sweeping the shrine, but other than that, no. He didn't hurt me,” she told him looking up at him with worry.

 

He sighed with relief and drew her into a light embrace, tucking her head underneath his chin, “I was worried that he'd hurt you.”

 

“Why would he hurt me?” she asked pulling back from him a bit, her blush from his embrace staining her cheeks.

 

“Kagome. There's something, some things I need to tell you,” he said lowering his head.

 

“What is it? Did something happen to you? Are you alright?” she questioned, raising a hand to cup his cheek. Her concern for him touched something deep within him and he longed to hold her.

 

He shook his head slowly, “I think you better sit down, Kagome.”

 

“Alright,” she took his hand gently, causing his eyes to widen in surprise a bit, and led him over to her bed. She sat down and then pulled lightly on his hand til he sat next to her.

 

“Ok, so shoot,” she said giving him a reassuring smile.

 

“Well, for starters, that's something you never say to an assassin,” he said smirking slightly.

 

“A what?” she asked, mouth forming a small `o' of shock.

 

“I am Inuyasha, second son of Inutaisho, Lord of the Western Lands. Born and raised an assassin of mikos,” he began. He recounted his tale: the prophecy that condemned him to the life he lead, the centuries his family had vowed to keep the prophecy at bay, the terrible death of his father, and the alienation he felt from his brother.

 

He told her the information Myouga had shared with them about their swords, he tried desperately to choke down the tears that rose when he thought of the blood he had spilled with the blade destined to protect humanity, and he finally ended his tale with his last assignment.

 

“I met this amazing girl that blazed with this internal light that I couldn't quite pinpoint. She drew me to her. I helped her out one night and returned to the manor. The next morning, girl still in mind, Sesshoumaru gave me the name of my next miko,” he paused looking up at her. “It was the same girl I had met the night before, but I had no idea she was one in the same. I went to her house, watched her dance and laugh with friends, and at the end of the night I went to her, and accidentally found out the girl was my miko.”

 

Tears stood out in Kagome's blue eyes as she looked at him, “And, the name of your miko?” she asked, although she already knew the answer.

 

“Higurashi Kagome,” he said lowering his head to allow his bangs to hide his eyes.

 

“I am your miko,” she whispered slowly. He nodded refusing to meet her gaze.

 

“And, do you think I could destroy the youkai race?” she asked, her voice wavering.

 

His eyes shot up to meet her, “Never Kagome! You couldn't!”

 

“But I could, if I have these miko powers that you say you can feel,” she said.

 

“That's what glows from within you. A light so pure it threatens to purify everything in its wake,” he told her.

 

“And that's how it happens? That's how the prophecy comes to pass?” she asked.

 

“I have no idea,” he answered truthfully.

 

“Then you must do it, Inuyasha,” she whispered, tears now streaming down her face.

 

“What? NO KAGOME!” he nearly yelled. “I will not draw your blood. No more blood, Kagome or my soul will never wash clean.”

 

“But it's the only way!” she pleaded grabbing a hold of his hand.

 

Tell her, his mind whispered.

 

“No!” he answered both.

 

“Please, Inuyasha? I couldn't stand the thought of destroying you!” she pleaded with him, leaning forward to place her forehead against his shoulder.

 

Tell her, his mind repeated.

 

“There's another way, Kagome,” he whispered down to her.

 

She drew back from him, searching his face for an answer.

 

“What is it? Anything! I'll do anything to keep myself from destroying you,” she said wiping at her tear stained cheeks.

 

“Don't say that, Kagome. Not until you've heard what it is,” he said pulling his hand free from her grasp and walking to the window.

 

“Inuyasha?” she asked, surprised at his sudden gruffness.

 

“There is a way to undo your miko powers without taking your life,” he said looking down. “But I'd have to take something else in exchange.”

 

“What Inuyasha? What would you need to take?” she asked moving towards him and placing her small hand on his shoulder.

 

He met her questioning gaze with his own sad one, “Your purity, Kagome.”

 

“I don't understand. How could you take my purity?” she asked a bit confused.

 

“Kagome, I would need to take your innocence.”

 

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Yikes that was a long chapter! Well there's Chapter 3… I'm going to go and do my happy dance again cause I love this story. Let me know what you think! B.I.G.