InuYasha Fan Fiction ❯ Assassin's Hope ❯ Chapter 4 ( Chapter 4 )

Assassin's Hope

 

A/N: I know it's been awhile since I updated but I have interviews out the wazoo! Hopefully one will result in a job offer. If that happens, no, I will NOT delete any of my stories or stop writing them. Updates will just be slower. Sorry about the little cliffhanger from last time, but on with Chapter 4!

 

NEW A/N: Thanks to Angel fire east for the info on a fortnight… that'll teach me to write without looking up English literature! Thanks… so story's been changed just a bit.

 

Chapter 4

 

“My innocence,” Kagome whispered turning her gaze out the window alongside the hanyou.

 

Inuyasha waited for the information to sink in. He knew he shouldn't have told her. She would never agree to something like that, nor would he want to compromise her either.

 

“But I'm only fifteen,” she said, almost pleading with the gods to offer some other answer to their problem.

 

“I told you, you wouldn't like it,” Inuyasha answered quietly.

 

“I don't want to die, Inuyasha,” she said in a small voice, looking down at her feet and taking a small step towards him.

 

“I wouldn't let you, Kagome! I'd protect you!” he replied adamantly, his mind registering shock at the sudden pulse from the Tetsusaiga resting on his hip.

 

“And I don't want you to die, either,” she continued, taking another step towards the assassin.

 

“If my death meant your life, I'd make the sacrifice, Kagome,” he all but whispered.

 

She looked up at him quickly, surprised at how close those two steps had placed their bodies, “That would be a sacrifice I couldn't live with.” She placed her small hand against his cheek, rubbing her thumb across his lower lip. He reached his own hand up and covered her small one.

 

“I couldn't take your innocence, Kagome,” he told her.

 

“It is mine to give,” she said softly before claiming his lips in a soft kiss. She licked the lip she had caressed just a moment ago shocking the young hanyou by her boldness. He opened his mouth to her, reaching his tongue out to meet hers half way. Her hand on his cheek moved up to tangle with his hair at the nape of his neck as his hands moved around her waist to pull her near. The kiss became one of heated passion as their auras called out to each other, intertwining pure white with assassin red and forming a new energy around the two.

 

Something stirred inside Inuyasha and he felt the overwhelming need to take her as his own, to push her down and claim her before she even knew what was happening. He broke the kiss suddenly, pushing her gently away, far enough that he could not feel the heat from her body.

 

“I can't, Kagome,” he nearly growled out, his face turned away and ears lowered in a sorrowful countenance.

 

Her look of hurt was lost on him as his face was turned away from her. “Why?” she whispered sadly, her voice threatening to break with the sob that was rising in her throat.

 

Yes, why? His mind groaned.

 

He pulled her into an embrace, tucking her head under his chin, resting one hand on the back of her neck and the other tightly around her waist.

 

“Because… because I couldn't take that light away from you. Your light, your purity is like a beacon in darkness. That's what drew me to you to begin with,” he answered, his voice low.

 

She pulled away from him, “You're only attracted to my virginity?”

 

He flinched as though she had slapped him, “That's not what I said, Kagome.”

 

Tears stood out in her eyes and he felt his heart constrict, “So, as soon as my innocence is reaped you'll be gone? Off to find another miko with an `inner light'?”

 

“No, Kagome,” he answered moving closer to her, only with every step he took she took one back. “I told you no more murdering.”

 

“But you've found another way to get rid of miko energy. Why kill when you can be their first lover?” she accused, the first tears overflowing over her cheeks.

 

“Kagome,” he said having a struck look. “Onegai, let me explain.”

 

“Explain what?” she snapped at him. “Explain that the only way to save youkai is to take young mikos to bed?” She continued to back up as he came closer.

 

“No, bitch! To explain that I could never see you tainted by a dirty half-breed!” he snarled at her.

 

She gasped, “Is that what you think you are?”

 

“That's what I know I am,” he countered, turning his back to her. He nearly jumped when he felt her slender arms encircle him from behind. She pressed her cheek against his shoulder blade and sighed.

 

“You are not a dirty half-breed, Inuyasha. Anyone who says so is jealous because you're perfect,” she whispered.

 

“I'm not perfect, Kagome. Look at everything I've done,” he said pointedly.

 

She tightened her embrace, “To save your people, Inuyasha. You sacrificed your heart for the sake of your race. Not many would do that.”

 

He shook his head slightly, but she continued anyway, “But I can, Inuyasha. Let me sacrifice something to help save you this time.”

 

He took her hands and turned around to face her, “I couldn't ask you to do that, Kagome. There's more to it than that.”

 

“What else is there?” she asked setting her curious gaze on him.

 

“If I were to take your innocence, Kagome, I would be taking you as my mate,” he said slowly.

 

“And?” she prodded.

 

“And… inu-youkai mate… for life,” he finished with a sigh.

 

She let out a small `oh' and suddenly found the floor of great interest.

 

“I couldn't do that to you, Kagome, to give up everything for a life with a hanyou. We would be alone. Humans would shun us, youkai would hate us,” he continued.

 

He saw a small smile form on her lips, “But we'd have each other, Inuyasha.”

 

“Kagome,” he said lifting her chin to see her face, “I won't ask this of you.”

 

“So, don't ask me!” she insisted. “This is the 21st century. Let me decide my own actions.”

 

He relented, “Agreed. But you take time to make your decision. A fortnight will be given to you to decide.”

 

“A fortnight? That's about a two weeks?” Kagome asked.

 

He nodded. “In that time I could introduce you to the youkai world. Allow you to see what your choice could mean.”

 

“Could I show you my world then? I mean, my world, my family, maybe friends?” she asked tentatively.

 

“Your family probably should meet me, at any time. But I will meet your friends on the night of my choosing,” he stated matter-of-factly.

 

She smiled up at him, “Then, in two weeks time, I will make my decision.”

 

Her smile was infectious and he gave her a small smile, revealing a fang, “In two weeks time.”

 

“And when I make my decision. You'll accept it? No matter what?” she asked.

 

He sighed. He had to accept her decision. Hopefully, she would choose him otherwise Sesshoumaru would take matters into his own hands. Inuyasha inwardly shuddered at that thought and made a silent pledge to keep Kagome safe at all cost.

 

Stepping away from her slightly, he knelt on one knee, bowed his head and said, “Young miko, I will respect your word. My honor bound to you.”

 

She giggled softly at his small act of chivalry and a blush crept across her face. When he stood up again he saw a small yawn escape her.

 

“You're tired, Kagome. I should leave you now so you can get some sleep,” he said turning towards her window.

 

“Um… Inuyasha?” she asked softly.

 

He turned back to her a questioning look on his face.

 

She blushed again and a small laugh escaped her lips, “Could you… I mean… would you stay close until I fall asleep. What I mean is… you don't have to stay in here, but just close enough that I can sense you?”

 

“Aa, I'll stay,” he answered. “I'll be right there,” he pointed at her window towards the large tree on the grounds.

 

She drew closer to see what he was pointing at, “The Goshinboku.”

 

He looked down at her as she stared at the tree. When she looked back up he saw she was blushing again.

 

“Be here, tomorrow at nightfall?” he asked her.

 

She smiled, her eyes bright, and nodded.

 

“I'll come for you, Kagome,” he told her before leaning down and giving her a quick kiss. Before she had time to respond he leapt out the window and bounded towards the Goshinboku. She saw him nestle himself into a bough high above the ground and close his eyes.

 

Kagome sighed and went back to her closet for her bedclothes she had gotten out before. Changing quickly for bed she got under the covers and closed her eyes. She tried to picture Inuyasha sitting high in the tree in her mind's eye, but all she could see was a bright red light in the darkness of her imagination. I can sense him, she thought before drifting off to sleep.

 

Sitting in the tree with his eyes closed, Inuyasha felt energy flow over him like ripples from a pond. She sent her miko energy out to find me, he thought. For some reason, that thought comforted him, and he allowed himself to relax enough to fall into a light slumber.

 

Ooooo oooooo oooooo oooooo

 

Sesshoumaru sat up in his quarters in the manor. His gaze wandered over his katana lain out before him.

 

How can Tenseiga save humanity when it has never been wielded? His mind questioned. I will not save weak humans. Perhaps one should see if humanity is worthy of salvation?

 

The tai-youkai left his quarters and flew off into the night in the direction of the city. The city that was full of sin and hatred, murderers and thieves. The inu-youkai knew he would find no reason to save humanity there and inwardly smirked at the thought while his stoic countenance remained.

 

The stench of the city made Sesshoumaru balk in disgust and he decided to land in a small park near the outskirts of the business district. The smell was less acute in the park and the tai-youkai closed his eyes, his chin lifted in the air, and listened to the human activity around him.

 

“Well, well… look'ee what we have here,” a gruff male voice catcalled. “What a pretty lady. Can I help you carry those bags?”

 

“No, thank you. Please leave me alone,” a female voice responded, her voice apparently shaky.

 

“No, I don't think I will,” the male responded. “Why don't you hand over that purse of yours?”

 

Sesshoumaru snorted but kept his eyes closed listening to the distant conversation: city full of thieves and no humanity.

 

“Here! Take it! Please don't hurt me!” the female voice pleaded.

 

“But such a pretty lady shouldn't be left alone tonight,” the male voice taunted.

 

A grunt was heard and then the woman shrieked causing Sesshoumaru to wince because of his enhanced hearing.

 

“No! Please! Let go! You're hurting me!” the woman pleaded.

 

“That's the point you stupid bitch! At least I'm gonna have a little fun tonight,” the male ground out.

 

The sound of a fist colliding with flesh was heard along with the tearing of cloth. The woman began to scream, a horrid blood-curdling scream that caused Sesshoumaru to snap open his eyes.

 

“Fucking bitch! Shut the fuck up!” the male voice growled.

 

A gunshot was heard throughout the park and Sesshoumaru took off in the direction of the voices. When he reached the two he saw the woman's skirt had been torn off and her shirt was pushed up in an awkward way. A bullet wound was spurting blood from her throat and her screams were silent, as her vocal chords had just been blown away. The robber turned rapist was working to remove part of his clothes when the tai-youkai decided to remedy the situation.

 

“You will yield!” Sesshoumaru yelled causing the man to look up at the intruder.

 

“Fuck off, buddy. I saw her first,” the man responded.

 

“This Sesshoumaru will do no such thing and you will yield!” he said, and before either the man or the woman knew it, Sesshoumaru had the man pinned against a tree with his claws around the man's throat.

 

“What the fuck man? Are you mental?” the human pleaded under the pressure of Sesshoumaru's hand.

 

“You are the reason humanity will not be saved,” Sesshoumaru said in a low voice, his face remaining an emotionless mask. With one sharp flick of his wrist he snapped the man's neck. Letting the man's limp body slump to the ground he turned back to the woman still sprawled out where she was attacked.

 

He walked over to her body and saw that she had gone unconscious from blood loss. Kneeling down he lifted her body effortless and listened carefully for a heart beat. It was shallow and slow, but still beating. He picked her up, cradling her to his chest, and took off in the direction of the manor.

 

He arrived back in his bedchamber a few moments later and placed the woman on his bed. Inuyasha could refuse to change his preference from the futon to the more comfortable western style bed, but the tai-youkai enjoyed the comfort the bed provided. The woman took one shuddering breath and her heart beat no more.

 

Sesshoumaru started when Tenseiga pulsed from its place on his hip.

 

The Tenseiga calls out to her human aura.

 

He unsheathed the sword and watched it pulse in his grasp. When he looked at the woman he saw dark creatures descending on her.

 

They are from the other world, to take her soul. I wonder if I can test Tenseiga's power.

 

Sesshoumaru drew the sword back and made one wide sweep through the creatures of the underworld, decimating them in its wake. Sheathing the Tenseiga, Sesshoumaru sat next to the woman on the bed and gathered her up into his arms. He watched as the bullet wound healed at a rapid rate and the blood and bruising she had obtained during the attack began to disappear. Her skin was smooth and unflawed and he noticed the slight rose color that bloomed on her cheeks as life rushed back to her.

 

She stirred and slowly opened her eyes, chocolate brown eyes whose gaze connected with the cold golden stare of the inu-youkai. The woman began to shake in his grasp and tried to clamber away from him when he reached one hand up to stroke her hair lightly.

 

“You are safe in this Sesshoumaru's care,” he stated evenly.

 

She nodded slowly and stopped shaking as he continued to stroke her chestnut colored hair, “That man?”

 

“He will bother you no more,” he said coldly. “You will rest in this manor tonight. The servant Jaken will get you anything you require to be comfortable. This Sesshoumaru will return in the morning to check on you, human.”

 

With that he placed her back on his bed and stood to leave the room.

 

“Rin,” her voice called after him. He turned, raising an eyebrow in question to her. “My name is Rin, not `human', and… …thank you Sesshoumaru-sama.”

 

“You thank this Sesshoumaru? For what?” he asked.

 

“For saving my life,” she said looking away from him. He did not miss the tear that slid down her cheek, nor did he miss the sudden urge from deep inside him to go and lick it away, comforting her. Disgusted with his sudden feelings he turned silently and left the room, leaving the woman named Rin behind weeping on his bed.

 

He passed Jaken in the corridor. “Jaken, you will find a human woman by the name of Rin in my bedchambers. Go to her and give her whatever she wishes to be comfortable this night.”

 

“Yes, milord,” the toad-like youkai answered bowing.

 

“And Jaken,” Sesshoumaru said, “If I hear you have been rude to our guest, this Sesshoumaru will help you learn your place. I will be in my study the rest of the evening.”

 

“Yes, Lord Sesshoumaru!” he squeaked before continuing on his way.

 

Sesshoumaru continued to his study where he sat once again and contemplated his actions from earlier that evening. Why did I feel it necessary to save that human woman? I was just testing the power of Tenseiga. Why was this Sesshoumaru about to degrade himself by comforting her?

 

Oooo oooooo ooooooo oooooo

 

The early morning sun woke Inuyasha from his light slumber. From the amount of light on the horizon he could tell it was somewhere around six in the morning and knew Kagome would not wake for a few more hours.

 

Having this knowledge one could imagine his surprise when he leapt down from the Goshinboku to find Kagome already at the base of the tree tending to the small garden the tree housed in its shade.

 

“Good morning, Inuyasha,” she said with a smile.

 

“Feh,” he answered her, noticing she was wearing traditional miko robes, “I didn't even sense your movement this morning. How long have you been up?”

 

“Since dawn. Grandpa feels that true shrine priestesses start their work at daybreak. I feel that true shrine priestesses haven't existed for hundreds of years and only crackpots like Grandpa get up at dawn,” she said giggling softly.

 

“Actually, the training of mikos only died out about a hundred and fifty years ago when industrialization began to surface in Japan and men took over the practice of healing,” Inuyasha answered staring up at the tree. Kagome stopped her gardening and gazed up at him.

 

“Inuyasha?” she asked. “Exactly how old are you?”

 

He looked down at her confused look and gave an amused snort, “Physically, the equivalent of a seventeen-year-old ningen boy. Biologically, a few centuries.”

 

“A few centuries?!” she exclaimed.

 

He squatted down on all fours next to her and raised his eyebrows, “Got a problem, Kagome?”

 

“No, I just didn't realize how much older you were,” she said returning her attention to the garden. “That's all.”

 

Inuyasha's ears flicked towards the house, “The old man's coming.”

 

“Well, then I better say goodbye and get back to my training, Inuyasha,” Kagome looked up and blinked at the now empty spot where the hanyou had been crouching. She straightened up and turned her head towards the trees on the other side of the shrine.

 

“Goodbye, Inuyasha,” she said, a small smile forming on her face.

 

“Kagome!” her grandpa called from the house.

 

“I'm by the Goshinboku, Grandpa!” she called back. Her grandpa waddled out of the building towards her. “Um, Grandpa? If I wanted to develop miko powers, is there a way I could train myself?”

 

“You think you're a miko, Kagome?” her grandpa asked.

 

“Well, sometimes I can sense when things are near without actually seeing them. But I don't see the person or thing, I see a light,” she tried to explain her sensing of Inuyasha last night as best she could without completely divulging that information.

 

“My granddaughter's a miko!” Grandpa exclaimed. “What are you doing gardening? We must be off to the next town!”

 

“Next town? But why Grandpa, shouldn't I be taking care of the shrine?” Kagome asked.

 

“Taking care of the shrine, yes. But today we'll be visiting an old friend of mine who may be willing to help train your miko power,” Grandpa explained.

 

“An old friend?” Kagome asked, but her grandpa was already off and running and dragging her behind.

 

Ooooo oooooo ooooooo ooooooooo

 

Rin awoke with sunlight pouring in through the windows of the grand bedroom. Blinking the sleep out of her eyes, her mind began putting the events from the previous night in order. She then remembered who and what brought her here and she bolted out of bed.

 

She tied the clean yukata that toad-thing had brought her last night tighter and headed towards the window to take in her surroundings. Rin found that there was actually a set of glass doors that opened up onto the balcony of the manor and she quickly let herself out, gasping at the beautiful surroundings of the grounds.

 

The landscape was lush and green and seemed to set the manor in a place of its own. Rin could see wildlife everywhere and looking over the balcony she could see beautifully crafted gardens that drifted into a fairly deep forest.

 

“You've awakened,” a smooth voice said from beside her. She jumped at her thought's interruption but calmed when she saw it was the man that saved her last night.

 

“Yes, thank you for allowing me to stay here. But I've been a burden to you long enough. I'll just take a few moments to clean up and I'll be on my way,” she said turning to walk back into the bedchamber.

 

“Rin, don't move,” he stated calmly, and although his voice held no edge she knew it was a command. She ceased walking and in a moment felt his body heat radiating off of him right behind her. She closed her eyes and prayed silently for her heart to stop pounding only to have it skip a beat when he leaned down and barely brushed his lips against her ear.

 

“You will join this Sesshoumaru for breakfast in the study,” he stated.

 

She inhaled sharply before nodding her head in acceptance. And as quickly as he had stepped up behind her, he disappeared off the balcony. Rin let out the breath she didn't realize she was holding and walked back into the bedroom. She found a fresh kimono laid out on the bed for her and was grateful considering her clothes had been torn from her encounter last night.

 

After she changed and freshened up in the bathroom attached to the chambers she opened the door to see the servant from the night before.

 

“Lord Sesshoumaru's study is this way,” he snapped. Rin followed not too far behind as they walked down the hallway to a door on the right. The servant opened the door and shooed her inside to find Sesshoumaru already seated at a traditional table by a fire, already set and prepared with a small feast. She knelt down at the table as the servant closed the door.

 

“Thank you for inviting me to breakfast, Sesshoumaru-sama,” Rin said quietly, casting her eyes down to her hands folded in her lap. “I can't thank you enough for your help last night and I wish there were some way I could repay you, but it seems you have so much already.”

 

“Stay in the manor, then, with this Sesshoumaru,” he said calmly.

 

She looked up at him with surprise, “Oh, but I couldn't! I've imposed on you too much already. Please, I'll be going shortly after breakfast.”

 

“And what will you be returning to?” he asked coldly.

 

She blinked at his blunt question. What am I returning to?

 

“Well, I have class at the university. I'm studying anthropology,” she answered.

 

“Could you not attend university while staying here as well?” he asked his face betraying absolutely no emotion.

 

“Well, yes. But you've already done so much,” she began to protest.

 

Sesshoumaru waved his hand between them, “This Sesshoumaru will not have it. You will stay at the manor and go to university. Your company shall be repayment.”

 

“Um, Sesshoumaru-sama, I want to ask you,” she began nervously.

 

“Inu-youkai, Rin,” he answered her question before she even had the courage to ask.

 

“Oh. I would require some things from my apartment then. Some personal effects,” she said, continuing the conversation as if nothing had unnerved her.

 

“I will escort you, then,” Sesshoumaru said.

 

She grinned at him and gave a small laugh, the first smile he had seen from her: the first smile he thought he could die for.

 

Oooo oooooo oooooo oooooooooo ooooo

 

“Grandpa! Where are we going? And… watch out! Kami! Why did Mama let you drive? Eep!” Kagome yelled while holding onto the car for dear life.

 

“Quiet child! I'm trying to drive! We're going to an old friend's house. Her name is Kaede and she can help you harness your miko powers,” Grandpa told her.

 

About ten more minutes of shrieks from Kagome and swerving by Grandpa they pulled up to a modest sized house on the outskirts of another town. As they got out of the car and made their way towards the house an older woman in miko robes similar to those of Kagome's and gray hair welcomed them.

 

“Ah, you must be the young child, Kagome. Am I correct?” the woman said.

 

Kagome noticed she wore an eye patch over her right eye, “Yes, I'm Kagome.”

 

“Yon child is a miko. I am Kaede. Also a miko, though mostly a healer,” the old woman smiled.

 

“Can you help me focus my energy, Kaede? I can sense some things, but are their other powers I can develop?” Kagome asked.

 

“Aye child, and I will help ye do so,” Kaede answered. “I can tell ye have tremendous power as ye stand here now.”

 

Kaede began by having Kagome meditate, telling her that all living things have energy or an aura depending on how one looked at it, that if she truly wished she could see the auras surrounding certain animals and even plants.

 

That spent the rest of the day in the same exercise, and soon Kagome found that she could control what energy she focused on. Kaede even had the chance to show Kagome a few herbs from her garden that could help with some minor cuts or bruises.

 

The afternoon was quickly fading away and Kagome realized that she needed to get back to the shrine soon for Inuyasha.

 

“Kaede, I can't tell you how much I appreciate your help. May I come back and visit next Saturday?” Kagome asked. Getting Kaede away from Grandpa she added, “It'll get me out of sweeping the shrine steps again!”

 

“Of course, child. Feel free to visit this old lady anytime ye feel like it. It gets a bit lonely out here all by myself. Now take care of thyself,” Kaede said ushering them out of her home.

 

Kagome waved to Kaede as she got into the car with her grandfather.

 

“There is definitely something different about that child,” the older woman said to herself as she watched them pull away.

 

Ooooo ooooooo ooooooo oooooooo ooooooo

 

Rin found herself packing only two bags to head back to the manor when she got to her apartment. She didn't stop to think how she would get to her small apartment and began to scream when Sesshoumaru just gathered her up in his arms bridal style and took off in the direction of the park.

 

She shrieked as he flew over the city, wrapping her arms tightly around Sesshoumaru's neck and burying her face into his silver hair. She felt him tighten his arms around her and was able to open her eyes to see the city passing below. She gave him minor directions and soon they landed in front of her building.

 

“Do you travel everywhere that way?” Rin asked trying desperately to straighten her hair that had been blown everywhere by the wind.

 

“This Sesshoumaru does not leave the manor often,” he answered stoically.

 

She looked at him almost sadly, “Doesn't it get lonely?”

 

“There is Jaken most times, and my half-breed brother,” he answered.

 

“Well now I'll be there, too,” she said smiling up at him turning to bound into the building.

 

She walked back into her small living room to find him just standing by the door.

 

“Well, I just need to grab my school books and I'll be ready to go,” she said moving towards him. “Sesshoumaru-sama?”

 

“Yes, Rin?”

 

“Will I be staying in your room?” she asked quietly.

 

“You will have your very own room at the manor, Rin,” he said picking up her bags.

 

“Oh,” she responded picking up her books from a nearby coffee table. “Okay, ready!”

 

She moved towards the door where he stood holding her bags and she noticed he had been watching her move throughout the apartment. “Is there something wrong, Sesshoumaru-sama?”

 

“No, Rin. We'll return to the manor,” he turned to leave.

 

“Sesshoumaru-sama,” she said grabbing the sleeve of his haori causing him to turn back towards her, “I don't know how to thank you for the kindness you've shown me, but… well I can try… I mean I can show you.” She stood on her tiptoes and placed a small kiss on his cheek before sweeping passed him and out of the building.

 

Sesshoumaru stood there, not knowing exactly the right reaction to her small display. She was only a human, but yet, there was something about this woman that made him feel, less like a youkai lord and more like an equal. He followed after her and lifted her easily into his arms again, her clutching her books, and he carrying her bags as effortlessly as he carried her. They headed back to the manor and Sesshoumaru did not miss the sudden blush that stained Rin's cheeks.

 

Ooooo oooooo ooooooo oooooo ooooooo

 

Kagome and Grandpa got back to the shrine in the late afternoon to be greeted by an over-energetic Souta and a happy Mama. Kagome wanted nothing more than to go take a nice hot bath and top it off with a nap. Her training had really taken a lot of her energy and she was close to exhaustion.

 

She told Mama she'd heat something up later for dinner and headed off to the bathroom, once again stripping out of her miko-in-training robes completely exhausted from the day's activities. She had just sunk beneath the water when she remembered Inuyasha would be there for her at sundown!

 

She scrambled out of the bathtub and wrapping a towel around her ran into her room to pull out some clothes. She settled on a navy blue skirt, a little shorter than her school uniform, and a light yellow sweater. Once dressed she brushed her hair out and lay down on her bed and began to concentrate her miko energy. She tried to focus on Inuyasha like she had done the night before and not too long after she began she could sense him nearing the shrine.

 

Kagome sat up right as Inuyasha came through the window. He spotted her on the bed and smirked at her.

 

“You're here,” she said.

 

“I told you I would come for you, Kagome,” he reassured her. He turned around and bent down as though he were going to give her a piggyback ride. “Get on.”

 

“What do you mean? `Get on'?” she asked incredulously.

 

“I'm going to take you somewhere, but I can't really be seen on the streets that much, so I'll take you there faster if you climb on,” he explained, sighing as though he were trying to tolerate her questions.

 

“Oh,” she said, hesitance still clouding her eyes.

 

Inuyasha straightened up and offered her his hand, “Trust me, Kagome. I want to take you somewhere that I know you'll like.”

 

She took his hand, “Okay.” She climbed onto his back, clutching her knees to his sides as he placed his hands on her thighs. She started at the contact and clutched his haori in both fists at his shoulders.

 

“Trust me, Kagome?” he almost pleaded. When she gave her nod he leapt out the window with the young miko and disappeared into the forest next to the shrine.

 

Oooo oooooo ooooooo oooooooo ooooooo

 

Okay! So there's Ch. 4 for Assassin's Hope. I was gonna dish out another Chapter for Agent Under Fire today, but maybe I'll work on that tomorrow. Anywho, I find out about a job tomorrow… so everyone pray to his or her favorite deity or cross his or her fingers… or sleep with pj's inside out and backwards… wait… that's for snow! Anyways, just hope that I get the job cause I really want this one and it'll leave plenty of time for me to continue writing so no worries. Well… let me know what you think of the chapter! B.I.G.

 

Oh and P.S. There really isn't a relationship between Sess and Rin right now… when she wants to `show' him her thank you she doesn't mean… “let's jump into bed” because as well all know Sess really is a cold-hearted bastard at most times and doesn't really know what he's feeling right now. So, no worries… Sess isn't that OOC. So just hold on tight and watch where it goes!