InuYasha Fan Fiction ❯ Betrayal's Gift ❯ Chapter 28

 

A/N: Hey everyone thank you for reading the story I'd like to thank those of you who've reviewed I really appreciate it and love reading what you had to say.

Lady wolf, gateboy, kilichan and xAznPurity.

 

Just to let you all know…yes, this story is sad and Hotaru will go through a lot of hardships, but the ending will be a happy one I promise. I don't believe in unhappy endings.

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28

 

Hotaru knelt before her grandmother's body tears slipping down her pale face. Inuyasha watched silently as the young girl purged her soul of her grief. Her body shook with each sob that she let loose. He felt angry because he wanted to do something for her so that she could stop that noise, but, she was inconsolable.

 

Inuyasha began to growl all of a sudden as he stood up from leaning against the wall.

 

“Hotaru get up, we're going.”

 

But his words and actions went unnoticed. Hotaru continued to cry for her loss. The doors opened and there stood Kagome and Miroku. Kagome upon seeing her daughter immediately made a dash for her.

 

“HOTARU!!!”

 

Hotaru looked up at the sound of her mother's voice, her face swollen with tears and grief. Kagome slammed into her daughter with a tight embrace and Hotaru hugged back loosely. Miroku slowly made a circle around Inuyasha until he stood in front of his family holding eye contact with the inu demon the whole time.

 

“So, tell me Miroku, how'd ya know I was here?”

 

“Kagome felt your presence and I your aura.”

 

With a dark smile Inuyasha looked nastily in the monk's direction.

 

“Do you honestly think you could fight me off and win Miroku?”

 

Miroku took a battle stance and held his Shokanju in front of him. “I will try with my life. I will not let you hurt Kagome or my daughter.” Inuyasha smiled as he withdrew Tessaiga. Miroku with wide eyes of disbelief looked at the youkai fearfully.

 

“How…how?”

 

“You see when I became a full youkai well I already anticipated that I couldn't wield Tessaiga, so, I wished to be able to wield it, yet low and behold I didn't have to worry about that. The sword was bequeathed to me from my old man and so, full youkai or not I was able to wield it. You really should have seen the look on my brother's face…huh….it was priceless.”

 

“I see, so you wished to become youkai then after all, yet I don't know how you managed to get your wish.”

 

“Oh, I had Shippo to thank for that, he brought up one of Kagome's stories, you know the one with the flying carpet…well come to find out that Jeanie's do exist. Hear that Kagome?”

 

Miroku stepped closer to Inuyasha gaining him to look away from his wife and daughter.

 

“So, Inuyasha for old time's sake what were your three wishes?”

 

“I guess I could fill you in before I hurt you badly, possibly even kill you. Well obviously my first wish was…”

 

And he used his hand to gesture to the youkai self.

 

“The second wish…well come on Miroku…you've always prided yourself on being insightful I'm pretty sure you can guess.”

 

Miroku lowered his eyebrows; of coarse he was able to deduce that Inuyasha wished for vengeance.

 

“And your third?”

 

“Now, see, I didn't wish for that one yet when I get item number two off my list well then I'll figure out my third wish. Now that we're done with the small talk move outta my way and let me get Hotaru back, she's with me until my business with her is done.”

 

“I can't do that and you know that. Inuyasha can't there be another way?”

 

“Too late for all of that now Miroku. Now move.”

 

“Hotaru has been through so much lately, please Inuyasha let's be reasonable.”

However Inuyasha swung his sword. Miroku immediately put up a barrier with his staff around his family and himself as he conjured a sutra and threw it in Inuyasha's direction.

 

“Keh, do you think that could bother me Miroku?”

 

Miroku conjured up a new one as Inuyasha sliced at the barrier. Inuyasha was repelled back but that didn't stop him. He ordered Tessaiga to turn into the red fang. As the sword hit the barrier the barrier broke and out came a shower of sutra's that stuck all over Inuyasha's body and paralyzed him. Inuyasha screamed in pain.

 

“It seems that there were some spells in the grandfather's shed that was passed down, spells that were able to destroy youkai for good. I know these spells Inuyasha…I could kill you now that you're a full youkai. If you leave us alone I'll let you live.”

 

Inuyasha in a fury snarled his eyes bleeding red as his aura turned. The room seemed to get small with his smoldering anger. Kagome and Hotaru looked up at the angered youkai who was now in the process of half transformation. Inuyasha got bigger but allowed his body to remain looking the same. His fangs grew longer, his claws grew longer and his hair had become wilder.

 

When he began to speak it was so thick with ominous danger that Miroku wished at this moment that he had the wind tunnel in his hand. Kagome was in fear, she's never seen this side of Inuyasha before and Hotaru was in deep shock. She didn't understand why Inuyasha was so mad; she didn't understand why there seemed to be some kind of undertone in their conversation, why it seemed as if they knew each other, but that was impossible, however, didn't Inuyasha know that she would come with him, didn't she make that promise to him?

 

“Daddy…what are you doing?” Hotaru shouted over the wind that tossed in the temple.

 

“It's alright honey, your safe now. You and Kagome get out of here.”

 

Kagome looked at Miroku and then at Inuyasha. Her eyes wide circles of fear.

 

“No..no this is wrong…I can't allow this to happen.” She said out loud more to herself.

 

Hotaru looked at her questioningly but at the moment she couldn't ask about it. The way Inuyasha looked he was going to kill her father.

 

`I have to stop this, I can't let daddy die because of me. He's going to kill him because of me. I promised to go back with him.'

 

She hugged her mother and stood to rise when all of a sudden a huge force knocked her into her mother and both Hotaru and Kagome crashed into the deceased body as everything toppled over. Hotaru had hit her head hard on the floor and blacked out.

 

Miroku had called forth his barrier and though it help a little it didn't help much. He found himself badly injured. He shakily brought himself up on a knee and tried to pull himself up. Inuyasha brought the Tessaiga over his head in an arch and was about to swing when a purifying arrow came whizzing through the air through his aura. He looked up with wild eyes and saw Kagome standing a few feet behind her husband with another arrow notched.

 

“I won't miss next time Inuyasha.” She said as tears streamed down her face. He could hear her heart beating madly; he could smell the deep sorrow coming from her body.

 

“Will you purify me Kagome? Will you… betray me again Kagome?” He said letting his eyes turn golden again this time pain surfaced in his eyes as he took a couple of steps toward her direction. His hand reaching out.

 

“Please Inuyasha…please I beg you…leave…” Kagome said softly, so softly he was the only one to hear it. However, from where Miroku was standing he could see that Kagome was wavering. She lowered her arrow some and looked at Inuyasha with pleading eyes.

 

“I will leave Kagome…if you give me Hotaru…forever.” Kagome didn't say anything.

 

Hotaru opened her eyes and realized that she was still home and that the fighting had not been a dream after all. Focusing her vision she saw her mother standing in front of her with a bow and arrow lowly aimed at Inuyasha, it seemed as if she were wavering. She looked further ahead of her not much further and noticed her father badly injured but standing in a battling position.

 

Then she heard Inuyasha's voice coming out softly, but there was something laced beneath the caressing voice.

 

“I will leave Kagome…if you give me Hotaru…forever.”

 

She looked up at her mother and noticed that she hadn't responded.

 

“I already told you Inuyasha, you will not be taking Hotaru with you.” Came the strong voice of Miroku who was running up toward the youkai.

 

Hotaru looked up at him and tears began to well in her eyes.

 

`Why did daddy stick up for me, why didn't mama say anything to Inuyasha?'

 

`It's because she doesn't love you Hotaru.' Said the voice. Hotaru pressed her palms up to her head and tried to physically push the voice down out of her brain.

 

Inuyasha smiled at Miroku.

 

“So, you're going to kill me now?”

 

“I don't wish too Inuyasha but I cannot allow you to hurt my family. They have been through enough. Let us be in peace.”

 

“You know what you damn monk, you get on my damn nerves, what about my peace huh? You know what…I'm going to finish you off with my bare hands and I'm going to enjoy every second of it.”

 

Inuyasha jumped at that moment and started slashing at Miroku. Miroku blocked every attack nearly with his staff and even gave a few blows to the youkai himself. Miroku got close enough to place a sutra on Inuyasha's chest that sent him flying across the room, but just as fast he came back again at Miroku slashing his chest with his razor claws. It would have been a death blow had Miroku not used his powers to singe Inuyasha's aura. He also knew that Inuyasha was just toying with him at the moment, but how long was it going to last.

 

Hotaru watched the fight and with fear. She dared not move afraid that one wrong move her father might be killed. Though she was extremely upset with him at one time she made peace with him and right now her father was fighting to the death with her youkai captor. Her father was fighting for her freedom. She looked at her mother as more feelings of hate welled up in her heart. To see her mother standing there doing nothing royally pricked a nerve.

 

“Mother what is wrong with you? Why aren't you doing anything? Why are you just standing there?!”

 

When she turned her mother physically so that she can look at her eye to eye she noticed that her mother's eyes were vacant they were very far away. Kagome had taken the drug escape this Hotaru thought. Never in her life had she wanted to slap her mother. Once again her mother went away and left her, left them and a small part of her understood why her father went off seeking affection from elsewhere.

 

She turned to see the battle to figure out what she can do to stop it when all of a sudden she saw Inuyasha jump into the air and her father lay in a helpless situation.

 

“NOOOO!!!”

 

Her hands flew up in front of her and bright purple energy lit a line straight toward Inuyasha knocking him through the doors. She ran toward her father who was badly injured.

 

“Daddy are you alright?” She said new tears leaking out from her eyes.

 

Miroku looked up into purple orbs so similar to his and smiled weakly.

 

“It's nothing…just a scratch sweet heart.” He winced as he tried to sit up. But Hotaru pushed him gently back down.

 

“No daddy your hurt.”

 

“Your mother…is she alright?”

 

Hotaru through her tears frowned at his concern. Her eyes flashed as her lips set a thin line.

 

“Yeah, she's fine. She escaped again instead of trying to help you.”

 

She looked in her mother's direction expecting to see her mother in a mindless stupor but instead she saw her mother pointing the arrow in her direction.

 

“Mother?”

 

“Hotaru get down!”

 

Instead of following her mother's direction she looked in the direction of her mother's gaze. Inuyasha was standing in the doorway heaving with his eyes glowing red.

 

“Hotaru are you going back on our deal?” He said in a snarl.

 

“Inuyasha! I don't care what kind of deal you made with my daughter…I'm not going to let you hurt her or Miroku.”

 

“Keh, like you have it in you to shoot me Kagome, I saw how you…”

 

But before he could finish the sentence the arrow was flying and as if in slow motion Hotaru looked astonished as the pink purifying arrow flew threw the air. And then out of no where came a dark purple light that formed a very powerful barrier around Inuyasha that Kagome's arrow could not penetrate.

 

Hotaru was now standing her eyes void of anything and with a dark scowl on her face she faced her mother.

 

“So, were you faking it mother? What happened back there when you had the opportunity to shoot him before? What happened when you didn't say anything about him having me forever?”

 

Miroku, Inuyasha and Kagome stood in shock as Hotaru practically levitated in her mothers' direction.

 

“You disgust me mother, I hate you. I hate you so much I wish you'd die. All this is your fault you know that right?”

 

Kagome sank to her knees. She couldn't destroy Inuyasha earlier because her heart still loved him, Actually, she wasn't planning on killing him now, she figured he'd move out of the way, that somehow, she will come up with another way to get her daughter back. But now her daughter stood there with contempt in her eyes, with dark power floating off of her in waves because of her anger toward her.

 

“Hotaru…I…”

 

Yet Hotaru raised her delicate hand and a surge of power filled it. She was about to throw it when a another version of her voice filtered out.

 

“NO, Stop it! Get out of my head! You can't do this! I may be mad at her, I may even hate her but I can't let you do this!”

 

Hotaru clutched her head as the power disappeared. Sinking into the ground between the other three she screamed in pain. As if she were crazy she kept talking back and forth to herself in different voice levels until finally she passed out.

 

The barrier around Inuyasha disappeared and he quickly grabbed Hotaru and ran to the well house to take her back to his home. He noticed that she was unconscious and reflected back to the energy she used just moments ago. Once to defend her father and then to defend him and both were extreme opposites of each other.

 

`What the hell just happened? That aura felt different from the one that saved that worthless monks life. That energy felt…youkai? Is Sesshomaru right about her? Is that Saori girl right about her is she a hanyou? If so how?'

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Kagome sat there staring at the spot where Hotaru just stood loathing her.

She pulled in her pocket and was about to pop a couple of pills when a strong hand stayed hers. In a sad and shaky voice that she's never once heard from him before had also halted her actions.

 

“Kagome…what happened? Why didn't you shoot Inuyasha when you had the chance? He…he was about to kill me and you…”

 

Kagome pulled her hand away from his. Frustration and guilt playing on her brows.

 

“We have to fix my mother's body… we cremate her tomorrow.”

 

“Answer the question Kagome, he was about to kill me.”

 

Tears began to leak out of Kagome's eyes however, she continued to act as if he hadn't said anything and went to right the wrong made on her mothers' body. Miroku on the other hand firmly gripped her arms, nearly bruising them, silently demanding her to answer him; his purple eyes dancing in pain.

 

“What do you want for me to say Miroku; I'm sorry okay, I can't explain it…I was going to, honestly I was, but when I took aim I was afraid I'd miss.”

 

“Don't even give me that half assed story Kagome, don't bull shit me…he almost killed me. I'm risking my life to protect you…you and our daughter. Damn it Kagome you couldn't even kill him to protect our daughter!”

 

Kagome looked up at a now angry Miroku tears flowing steadily down her cheeks. But her tears didn't stop him from venting.

 

“That's fine if you don't give a damn about me, but Hotaru, we had her home, we had her right here. You know Inuyasha has evil plans for our daughter, he hates us and yet you let her get away. Do you hate me that much, do you regret her that much!”

 

“You don't get it do you, It wasn't my intention for him to make off with our daughter again, I don't want him with her…but I can't kill him Miroku.”

 

“HE WAS ABOUT TO KILL ME- DAMN IT KAGOME! DON'T YOU GET IT? DO I MEAN NOTHING TO YOU!”

 

He winced in pain as he shoved his arms up in the air in agitated frustration. For the first time in his life he wanted to strike a woman. He almost died at Inuyasha's hands without any help from his wife, but his daughter had been kidnapped by someone who deems his family the enemy and if it wasn't for Hotaru he would not be breathing. Not being able to look at his wife at the moment he turned his back on her reflecting on that last realization.

 

“You spoke true Kagome when you said you didn't love me. It hurt me then, but I thought maybe, just maybe you didn't realize what you had said. I realize now that underneath it all, you wish you had left me for dead. I now truly wish that you had, for I would have been with Sango.”

 

His last statement cut Kagome to the quick and silently crying reached out to him, but he moved from her touch as if she'd finish off doing what Inuyasha had failed to do. With slumped shoulders Miroku placed his mother in laws' body back to rights for her physical departure for the next world. The pain in his heart weighing more then his wounds. Turning to look at his wife now he realized that he wished that he never succumbed to his numbing pain and loneliness that day by the well, for now, because of him, his daughter was lost forever to suffer through whatever it was that Inuyasha and his brother forces on her.

 

“Miroku…”

“I'm tired Kagome…please…just leave me be.”

 

He walked out of the temple and left Kagome there in the dark with her mother and her own guilty thoughts.

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Inuyasha set the girl on the bed. He looked at her intently. The two powers were definitely different. They were totally opposite from each other. The power that surrounded him made him feel thirsty for more of it. Yet the power that blasted him made him feel paralyzing pain. She was like yin and yang.

 

Hotaru opened her eyes and bolted to a sitting position, looking around frantically.

 

“My mother….is she…did she…”

 

“Your mother's fine. Hotaru what happened back there?”

 

Hotaru clutched on to Inuyasha's sleeve and began to cry.

 

“Why in the hell were you going to kill my father? Why? He had done nothing to you.”

 

“Hotaru…I…”

 

“Tell me, how do you know my parents, I heard what you said to my father and I want answers now…I deserve to know…”

 

Inuyasha sighed, but he decided to not lie to her. He's never lied when asked a direct question.

 

“Look, some time back I knew your parents.”

 

“How, you're here and they're from the future.”

 

“Your mother came through the well a long time ago. She's the reincarnated version of a woman that I once loved. Her name was Kikyo. Kikyo and your mother were both protectors of the Shikon jewel. Kikyo had pinned me to the tree of ages, the one that is by your home and your mother set me free. We fought side by side against the evil forces when we met up with your father. He had become my best friend. Shippo was a young fox at that time. And Sango was a demon slayer with a huge fire cat named Kirara. Your father well, he once loved her until she took her own life to be with her brother who died in the battle with Naraku. Anyway, shortly after all of this your parents, well, they betrayed me and I haven't been able to seek my vengeance on them.”

 

Hotaru gulped. In all of her eighteen years a stranger told her something about her parents that she's never known. Her father told her a little bit, like the woman he loved a long time ago, but she never knew that her parents traveled to the past and freed Inuyasha. She listened to bits and pieces of things, but she never knew that her parents went down the well. But then she thought about what Inuyasha had said, Kagome was the one who had come through the well.

 

“Inuyasha? My father…he came through the well too right?”

 

“Didn't your parents tell you where they came from?”

 

Hotaru shook her head in the negative her heart was racing she knew it was something big. She watched Inuyasha's mouth move has he told her.

 

“Your father was born here in feudal Japan.”

 

Taking all this information in she began to cry again. Inuyasha wanted to change the subject. He hadn't told her how they betrayed him and he didn't want too and was glad that she hadn't asked about it yet and he surely didn't want to tell her what they did to him because that would lead her knowing that he was using her and that would foil his plans. Thinking of a way to change the subject while he held her awkwardly he thought about what happened to her in the temple.

 

“Now, I have some of my own questions, what happened back there? Why did you try and kill your mother?”

 

Hotaru looked up at him and again she began to cry harder. She felt bad for the awful things that she thought about her mother, she felt bad for being angry with her mother and still feeling anger toward her mother. Her mother left her father to die, her mother didn't care whether or not some dangerous youkai wanted to keep her forever as some prisoner facing death. But, she would never want to cause her mother's death.

 

“It wasn't me…I don't know how to explain it…that day that I tried to leave…I discovered that I might have a split personality.”

 

Than shaking her head and desperately looking at Inuyasha she continued as she grabbed on to him as if she were sinking into a dark abyss. So much has happened in one day. She saw her dead grandmother, the battle between her father and her captor, her mother showing that she just didn't give a damn about anyone but herself.

 

“Please Inuyasha, you have to believe me…it wasn't me, it was Hitomi. I don't know how it happened…you were about to be purified…but…then…I had no more control…I just didn't want to see you hurt, or purified, like I didn't want to see my father hurt, but I was helpless…I didn't know what to do but then she took over and did what I couldn't do and that was to protect you…you believe me don't you?”

 

Her big innocent purple eyes drew him closer to her. Her vulnerable state of nerves made him want to protect her.

 

“Yeah…I believe you…”

 

And with that he kissed her, at first it was light very light. He felt her flinch from him, but he smelt the need on her; the need to be accepted, the need to fill a void somewhere from her loneliness. He hesitated over her partly opened lips before he tasted her mouth again, this time a little deeper. He felt the vibrations of her body shivering under his lip lock. He had his hands on her thigh and didn't move another inch. She was like a skittery bird that if you move too fast she'll fly away.

 

He continued to kiss her wondering why he liked the taste of her so much. He frowned when he realized he was pondering on such a thought. He broke the kiss and with a husky low voice he apologized.

 

“I'm sorry…I didn't mean to take advantage of you. I guess it was just the moment.”

 

Hotaru still in shock touched her lips tenderly. She heard him speak, she really did, but she couldn't understand what it was that he had said exactly. When she felt his lips on hers she couldn't move, she couldn't breathe and most importantly she realized she really liked it. It was different from Ken's kiss; it seemed almost as needy as hers. She had shivered with that realization. It hit her hard that she liked the kiss.

 

“I'm sorry I didn't hear you.”

 

Inuyasha smiled and then repeated himself.

 

“I said I was sorry I didn't mean to take advantage…look, it's been a very long day why don't we get some sleep. We've got a couple of hours til dawn and we need our rest alright?”

 

Hotaru nodded in agreement, she must be exhausted because she allowed him to kiss her after everything that he put her through. He imprisoned her for crying out loud nearly froze her to death and tried to kill her father.

 

She watched as Inuyasha started the fire again and brought a candle closer to the bed. He undressed and climbed into bed with her.

 

“What…what are you doing?”

 

“I'm going to sleep.”

 

And with that he blew out the candle and closed his eyes. Hotaru sat there and blinked a couple of times before crawling in the bed beside him above the blankets to fall asleep.

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Inuyasha opened an eye slowly. He felt the hairs on his skin raising just a notch. A strong ghost of a feeling ki was leaving his body. He turned his head to the left and saw Hotaru standing beside him in the bed about to stroke his silver head. Her dark purple light radiating her skin.

 

“Hotaru? What are you…”

 

“Shhh it's alright Inuyasha, I'm just borrowing for today.”

 

“Borrow…ing?”

 

His eyelids became very heavy as he struggled to keep them open.

 

`What is she doing to me, I feel so weak.'

 

He turned his head again as his hand tried to move, but when he opened his eyes he realized Hotaru wasn't there at all. All of a sudden he was able to move freely and so he bolted up snarling. He felt a twitch beside him to his right and he noticed a sleeping Hotaru trying desperately to capture his warmth. Notching an elegant brow up he sniffed the room.

 

`I could have sworn just a second ago she was standing right there.'

 

The hairs on his skin were still standing and he still felt somewhat weak. As if his energy were drained some. He carefully got out of the bed and opened his door. He noticed the guard that was posted in front of the room was sleeping.

 

“What the hell, wake up idiot I don't have you standing there so your ass could sleep!”

 

The bull guard woke up with an embarrassed snort.

 

“I'm sorry my lord…I…I wasn't asleep just a minute ago…I'm sorry…”

 

“Wait a minute, you said you weren't asleep?”

 

“That's right my lord, I was standing here and then I felt my energy drain. I became so sleepy.”

 

“Did you see anybody before you felt that?”

 

“No…no my lord I was just standing here and then I had the urge to sleep.”

 

Inuyasha furrowed his brow and looked back into the room at the shivering form of the young girl who lay in his bed.

 

“That'll be all Junn. You can leave your post now; I've got it from here.”

 

“Again my apologies I didn't mean…”

 

However, Inuyasha held up a hand to dismiss the guard.

 

“I understand it's nothing…keep your eyes open for anything strange. Check up and down this hall again and then go to your supervisor and tell him what I just told you alright.”

 

The bull guard nodded his massive red head and black horns and promptly obeyed. Inuyasha went back into his room and started a fire in the hearth and studied Hotaru.

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Kuma was getting ready for the day out in the fields. She smiled smugly when she thought back on that day that she fought with Inuyasha. She hated him more now for ripping her tongue out, but when he punished her to the fields he thought he was doing her a disservice. But in fact, she enjoyed it. In fact, it felt like old times to her as if she were back in her village making things grow and harvesting the good crops.

 

Already she felt her body humming to be reconnected to the earth. She heard a knock on the door and so walked over to open it. She smiled as she saw it was the elderly steer youkai who had taken her under his wing.

 

“Kuma dear, the sun is about to rise meet us in the rice field this morning alright.”

 

Though he sounded gruff she already got to know him as tender hearted old man. She smiled and shook her head that she understood. With her stick she wrote out in the dirt that she would be there shortly.

 

“Good…good, you have been a blessing for us these past couple of days, why with your gift we've been having a lot of vegetation growing in these soil.”

 

He waved to her and she closed the door behind him. Still smiling and hoping that Inuyasha would forget all about her and let her be in peace she turned around to fix her hair and get her things together when she saw Hotaru. She dropped her writing stick and tried to scream. However, nothing came out as Hotaru approached the youkai smiling sadistically.

 

“Thought you would try and punishme, or get me killed did you?”

 

Kuma in fear ran for the door and tried to open it, however, when she reached the door she was paralyzed. The only thing that could move on her body was her eyeballs and she was too scared to move them at the moment.

 

“Well, I thought I'd let you know that Inuyasha still hadn't touched me, but it won't be too long before he does. And trust me…he'll be under my thumb when I am through with him. But as for you, humph, I thought I'd make a nice little breakfast out of you.”

 

Kuma's blue eyes widened in fear as she felt the dark aura intensify around her. And with a force not of her own she was pulled in the direction of the evil mortal that stood behind her.

 

With gargled sounds twisting in her ears she tried to beg, but because of her fright and the fact that she had no tongue she couldn't make any sense. All that came out to the naked ear was jargon.

 

“Oh no no no, please don't beg. It's so unbecoming. Show me that spiteful, and hateful, misleading bitch again. Please, I'd much prefer to see those eyes again.”

 

Hotaru smiled darkly while fangs began to protrude out of her mouth. Her hair whipping wildly around them as Kuma was brought up real close. Hotaru sniffed at her and relished in the smell of her fear and the dark energy that swirled around her darkened to a deep dark purple almost black.

 

“Yes…yes…you will do nicely.”

 

She hissed and with that Hotaru opened her mouth wide and bit into the youkai's neck and jaw line sucking the ki from the panda girl. As she sucked Kuma's body was turning to dust until nothing was left. Then the room was empty and nothing but dust sat by the writing stick.

 

A couple of hours later the elderly steer knocked on the door, then knocked on it again and something within him told him to open the door. Pushing the screen aside he noticed the room was empty all save for Kuma's robes, writing stick and the dust. Backing away horrified smelling the death and feeling the evil aura that was in that room he turned away and ran.

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Shippo sat in the great hall in his chair. He waited nervously for Inuyasha to come down. The vixen he had gotten pregnant was really showing now and for the first time he felt his kit kick the palm of his hand and when he felt that he immediately fell in love. Looking at the mother to be he knew he couldn't just live with the thought of his child out there slaving for some other youkai who could be treating him badly. He was an orphan and Kagome took him in with love. He remembered as a kid that his dream was to become a strong male youkai so that when he had children he will fight as hard or harder than his own father. He didn't want for any of his children to feel alone in the world like he did until Kagome happened.

 

Recalling those memories he knew he had to make this little fox youkai his wife, but, he would first have to buy her from Inuyasha so that she would belong to him. And he had the money. What made him nervous was that the dog was going to ask him why he wanted to buy this particular woman. And if he told him a lie Inuyasha was sure to smell it.

 

“The best thing to do is to be honest…Inuyasha would understand…I'll let him know that I will provide for my child, he doesn't have to worry about it.”

 

He said out loud to himself when all of a sudden the field manager burst into the room looking around in a frantic state.

 

“Excuse me, but do you have any business in here? Shouldn't you be out in the fields?”

 

“I'm sorry Master Shippo, but there is a problem…it seems that we have been struck again by…by the vampire youkai.”

 

Then a small toad youkai came in huffing and puffing.

 

“Please forgive me Master Shippo, I tried to keep him out…but…he…”

 

“What do you mean the vampire youkai struck again?”

Shippo said totally disregarding the little toad.

 

“It's true…the girl…Kuma she has been turned to dust....all of her ki was sucked from her dry. She was supposed to report to the rice field this morning but she never showed up.”

 

Shippo looked at the scrawny toad.

 

“Have you heard anything from Lord Inuyasha.”

 

“No Master…not since he came in late last night. He wished not to be disturbed this morning.”

 

“I see, well, get missive to him that another lesser youkai was attacked. I'll be out in the fields looking into this matter.”

 

The toad nodded his head in understanding as Shippo hustled out of the chamber close behind the heels of the other youkai.

 

Once he got to the room he looked around and though he no longer felt an aura he saw the dust.

 

“Are you sure that you saw no one enter into this room?”

 

“Yes Master Shippo.” Said the young male slave who cleaned the rooms every morning.

 

“Tell me again what you saw.”

 

“I saw old man buck knock on the door, he gave the woman the instructions. She closed the door and never came out.”

 

Shippo felt the dust between his fingers and sniffed it. Sure enough it was Kuma. He knew her smell well for he had bedded her too.

 

“Are you sure you saw nothing? Well did you hear anything?”

 

The young youkai scratched his chin and thought.

 

“You know come to think about it, I heard a strangled kind of sound, but, it was unclear…I didn't know what to make of it so I continued on with my chores. I'm sorry Master Shippo.”

 

The boy slumped his shoulders and Shippo ruffled his hair.

 

“It's alright it's not your fault. Well, I'm going to collect what I need to collect here and then you can finish cleaning up this room.”

 

The young boy shivered.

 

“It scares me…I don't want to do it…what if…what if the vampire comes back to get me?”

 

“Well, how about this huh; take a couple of friends with you tell them it's my orders. I will leave that message with your supervisor alright?”

 

The boy nodded still unsure but he felt better. Once he left Shippo put some of the dust into a pouch and headed back to the main house. He had something to break the ice with when he talked to Inuyasha.

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

Hotaru opened her eyes and stretched out on the soft bed. Than she sat up and rubbed her eyes.

 

“What time is it?”

 

“About noon.”

 

Hotaru looked across the room at the golden stare of Inuyasha.

 

“What's the matter? Please don't tell me its more bad news.”

 

Inuyasha shook his head in the negative and Hotaru sighed in relief.

 

“Do you walk in your sleep Hotaru?”

 

“Huh?” She said with a very confused look on her face.

 

“Do…you…walk…in…your…”< br>

“I heard you the first time; I just don't understand why you're asking me that question? No, I don't walk in my sleep.”

 

“I thought I saw you early this morning before the sun rose. I thought I saw you standing beside me and then the next minute you were all up under me in the bed.”

Gasping in shock Hotaru blushed and pushed back her hair as she shot angry violet eyes at her captor.

 

“I was not all up under you for your information…I was probably seeking warmth since you all don't believe in central air or heat around here.”

 

“You look angelic when you're asleep, but you sure as hell look like a vixen wide awake and flustered like that.”

 

Hotaru opened and closed her mouth stupidly. What was she suppose to say to that. Inuyasha walked up to her and sat on the bed next to her and sniffed lightly the scent around her.

 

“You know, your scent doesn't change even when you haven't bathed. It's still sweet.”

 

“You…can smell me?”

 

Inuyasha pointed at his nose and smiled with pride.

 

“Got one of the best noses in all of Japan. I even beat my brother.”

 

“Wow that's something to be proud of.”

 

Inuyasha frowned at her sarcasm.

 

“Well, this nose can smell a lie from miles away remember that. Now get up and get dressed, we're going to the main hall to eat. We already missed breakfast because of your lazy ass.”

 

With that he pointed to a basin of water and all the toiletry she will need to wash herself up and get ready. He left the room but before leaving completely he told her he will be back in five minutes and whether she was ready or not they were going to go.

 

Hotaru hurriedly found another robe that was on loan from some other female youkai. She felt bad for having to wear other peoples clothing. She noticed too that the cheap material was beginning to give her a rash. She tried not to scratch at it, but she was damned if she told Inuyasha anything that was bothering her physically. She remembered he left her to walk bare foot in the snow.

 

Pulling back her hair and throwing a couple of sticks into it she checked the mirror at her appearance when she saw something sinister in her eye. She blinked and shook herself.

 

`It's just a matter of time Hotaru before you're gone for good.'

 

“Hitomi?”

 

Opening her eyes she saw the alter ego of herself standing beside her in the mirror. She looked wickedly at her and Hotaru blanched in fear.

 

`Look at what I have been up too.'

 

Pointing into the mirror and changing the scenery Hotaru stared in horrified shock as she saw the grotesque way Hitomi took Kuma's life.

 

“Why…why did you do that? How did you? Did you make me sleep walk and do your dirty work? You're awful…your…evil…”

 

Hitomi laughed sardonically as she pointed to the mirror again. The image changed again to when they were sleeping and showed that she kissed Inuyasha and sucked up some of his energy. It showed him waking up to see the ghostly figure of Hotaru standing by the bed and then him turning to see Hotaru asleep by him in the bed.

 

`No, I borrowed some of his ki and that of the bull guard to solidify my temporary body.'

 

“What do you mean temporary body?”

 

`As I said earlier it is just a matter of time until I get what is supposed to be mine.'

 

And what Hotaru saw in the mirror made her scream out loud in a shrill manner. She saw her broken and dead body lying in complete darkness, so dark that it was strangling her causing her lungs to close up.

 

Inuyasha ran into the room and saw Hotaru on the floor in fetal position holding on to her head screaming a terrible noise that flatten his ears on top of his head. When he went to get a grip on her she began to fight. But he smelled the terror floating off of her skin and the wild look in her eyes.

 

“What happened Hotaru?”

 

He got a tight grip on her and held her close to his body and tried to calm her with the slow steady beat of his heart. It worked and she was now just shivering in his arms until she began to cry.

 

“You mind telling me what happened?”

 

He said stroking her neck and back soothingly.

 

“I…the…my…she…she's evil incarnate…and she's within me…she wants to kill me…”

 

“Who?”

 

“Hitomi.”

 

“Hitomi? Who's that?”

 

“The one I told you about remember? She's the one in my head that I hear, she's the one who does bad things…she wants to kill me…oh god…she was in control and I couldn't get out again, I was dead!”

 

She cried out in pained and frightened anguish. She was clutching her chest as if the object she feared was right there and she was protecting her heart.

 

“Look, no ones going to kill you alright, I promise, so long as you're with me, no ones going to kill you.”

 

“You can't stop her…she's in me…in my head…”

 

Inuyasha pulled her chin up to look at him and he saw watery pools of lavender looking so fragile and frightened. Her lips quivered with fear and dread.

 

“I will protect you understand. I promise.”

 

With that he kissed her lightly and paused as he looked down at her and when she didn't push him away he then more aggressively plunged into her soft warm mouth and she drowned in him. She felt safe, for some reason she trusted his words and she held on to him like an anchor. When they both pulled apart they were both feeling that electric current of something that passed through them.

 

Hotaru licked her lips and looked down at her feet as she began to scratch on her arm. Looking at the girl scratching Inuyasha noticed the red patches of skin marring the beautiful cream color of what used to be flawless. He made a mental note.

 

“You'll feel better if you eat, let's go okay.”

 

Hotaru nodded her head and hugged her arms over her chest as she followed him out.

 

On their way to the great hall Hotaru took that time to look her surroundings around. She noticed all the rich artifacts that would be in museums in her time.

 

“Inuyasha did you know you're a wealthy man?”

 

With a prideful smile he responded.

 

“I collected these from my travels. I traveled almost all of Asia, I traveled most of the desserts in Egypt, Turkey, Iraq. I met a Jeanie once.”

 

“Really? Wow, I would love to have met a Jeanie. Did she give you three wishes?”

 

“Well yeah I guess, but, I'm still waiting to call those wishes in.”

 

“So, what was your first wish?”

 

“Keh, you'll probably think it's stupid.”

 

“Try me?”

 

“I wished to be full youkai.”

 

“Oh that's right, you were a hanyou once…well…I guess that's a good wish.”

 

“What would you wish for Hotaru?”

 

“Love.”

 

Inuyasha looked at her as they walked. She answered that question with no hesitation in her voice and it sounded a little too painful and lonely. As he watched her he noticed how distant her eyes became just thinking about it.

 

“Don't you have love?”

 

Hotaru sighed as she looked down. Pain filling her heart.

 

“I guess I do, my parents they love me at least I think my father does…he did try to protect me from you and until my grandmother died I had her love. My uncle, he loves me in a way, but, he's so busy with his cases so for the most part I was alone…I'm tired of feeling alone. I often fantasize about my prince coming to my rescue and standing by my side. He wouldn't care if I'm a freak in fact, he'll believe I am quite ordinary. He'll love me and understand me. Huh, I often dreamt as a little girl that he would come and hold my hand in front of all the people who made fun of me. He would tell them all that they were idiots and that they were low life scum and make me feel like I was the only woman in his eyes….but…that's a fantasy…how things are looking…”

 

She shivered again and clutched herself tighter as she thought about the image that was shown of her own death.

 

“Keh, don't be stupid and stop wishing for someone to rescue you from your loneliness, you have to be stronger and stop letting people get to you. No matter who you become someone is always going to try and hold you down.”

 

“You don't understand…all my life I've been alone and I've been surrounded by so many people. I can't turn to my family, I can't trust them and the only one who I did trust she died. My father…he may love me now, but, he'll always choose my mom over me even though she doesn't love me geniunely. If I had friends they'd all leave me and I'd still be left alone. I was about to have a child who would love me…and even that was taken from me…so please, my fantasy is all I have left to comfort me.”

 

“I know what it's like to be alone. I've been alone all my life as well. When my mother died…my brother didn't even care for me. In fact he wanted me dead. When I fell in love for the first time, she thought of me as a lonely freak and so wanted me to use the jewel to become fully human. I was going to do it too…just so that I wouldn't be alone. I thought I loved her, but then things happened and I lost her. Then I was faced with another woman who told me she liked me for me. And she betrayed me. I wished to become youkai hoping to feel…complete and though I have my brother…there are times that I still feel alone. I try to be a normal youkai yet no one understands me, so, I know how you feel.”

 

Hotaru blushed and looked down at her feet as they walked.

 

`I guess he's right, he does understand. From the things Shippo told me, he was shunned when he was younger. I guess he understands me after all. We've both been betrayed by someone who said they loved us.'

 

She felt her heart warm against this man and she tried to hold back her tears. For the story Shippo told was so sad and it seemed so unbearable. Because even though he's a full youkai now as he said he was still lonely.

 

“Well maybe we could help each other than Inuyasha.”

 

Already guessing where she was going he asked her what she meant by that.

 

“We could be friends…and learn to trust each other and fill in the void.”

 

“Keh.”

 

They finally made it to the great hall where they saw Shippo sitting patiently. Shippo upon hearing them come in stood up to give Inuyasha his respects until Inuyasha sat at the table.

 

“Good afternoon Inuyasha, Hotaru I trust that you are feeling well?” Shippo took her hand in his and gave it a light squeeze. Inuyasha found himself growling. Both Shippo and Hotaru looked at him questioningly.

 

Shippo released her hand and frowned at Inuyasha.

 

“Did you get the message Inuyasha about Kuma?”

 

Upon hearing her name Hotaru paled. Remembering what Hitomi showed her doing to the panda youkai.

 

“No, I did not.”

 

“Damn that toad, I told him…grrr. Anyway, Kuma was attacked in her room. No one saw any one go in or come out. She was last seen with Ahdik the old deer youkai. He came to her room as he does every morning since she was sent there. He said that she opened the door he told her where she needed to go and she went back inside but never came out. All that was left was this.”

 

He pulled into a pocket and tossed the pouch at him. Inuyasha opened the pouch and smelled the dust.

 

“It's her alright. It's got her stench all over it.”

 

Inuyasha then looked at Hotaru and noticed that she was really pale almost about to be sick pale.

 

“Hotaru…is this conversation bothering you?”

 

She nodded her head.

“I'm sorry, maybe I should go back to my room.”

“No no I apologize, I shouldn't have brought this up right now.”

 

Shippo said with embarrassment. Some of the servants came in with the food and set it on the table. Hotaru looked at it all and though it smelled heavenly she couldn't force herself to eat any of it. The image kept playing in her mind and she began to worry herself. Though she was being friendly with Inuyasha and they shared a couple of kisses, it meant nothing. If he knew that she was indirectly the cause of that youkai's demise than he would only come to the conclusion that she is in fact the trouble brewing around and her arrest would be justified. But at the moment she believed that herself. But she surely didn't want to die. If his brother gave him the thumbs up to get rid of her, she highly doubted that Inuyasha would send her home. However she was pulled from her dark thoughts when she sensed Inuyasha tensing.

 

“Inuyasha, look, I want to buy her from you. I have the money.”

 

“Didn't I tell you to be careful Shippo, didn't I tell you not to get anyone pregnant!”

 

Shippo looked down in defeat he felt like he let his father, big brother and who ever else Inuyasha meant to him down. But that lasted only so long.

 

“Inuyasha I want to raise my kit and I don't want him to be a bastard either as well a slave. I will buy her from you and then I will make her my wife.”

 

“You love her?”

 

“I…I do, yes…I love her. I know how you feel about love, you think because you were betrayed all women…”

 

“I free her then Shippo. You don't have to buy her. I will support you and your family... I hope…I hope that you are happy Shippo.”

 

Shippo sat there with wide eyes.

 

“I can support them, I will...”

 

“I don't want to hear it Shippo. I am not going to have you pay me anything. Your…well…you're you know damn well who you are damn it. How would it look you paying me? She's free. I'll just buy someone else to do her job in the spring it's no big deal.”

 

Shippo jumped up and gave a big bear hug to Inuyasha before he realized what he was doing and jumped back off straightening his clothes.

 

“You don't have to get all physical Shippo damn.”

 

“Asshole.”

 

Inuyasha grinned wickedly and threatened to grab Shippo by his tail and swing him around the room some.

 

“Yeah, only if you catch me.”

 

“Is that a dare?”

 

Shippo smiled and began to run with Inuyasha tailing him.

 

“Fox magic!” And with that he left a big wooden statue on Inuyasha's back as he ran from the hall laughing like a ghost of a small fox kit. Hotaru just looked at the whole spectacle and tried not to laugh. It was obvious that Inuyasha loved that fox youkai and the fox loved Inuyasha. They were like siblings she guessed.

 

“Well…can you help me out here or are you going to sit there looking stupid?”

 

Hotaru giggled as she watched the disgruntled Inuyasha. For the first time since she met him he didn't seem so tough. Soon she found herself holding her stomach laughing with tears coming out of her eyes.

 

“You find this funny bitch? Huh, do you?” He yelled up at her.

 

Trying to calm down she took the statue off of his back and laughed again. Inuyasha wasn't really upset that she was laughing. In fact, he was entranced by the sound it was like birds singing happily. Since he's met her she seemed so melancholy it was nice to see her face so bright and her purple eyes shining like a jewel in sunlight.

 

“I'm glad you found that amusing you ingrate.”

 

“I'm sorry Inuyasha…it's just that…I've never seen something like that before except on anime.”

 

“Well, do you feel better now to eat your food?”

 

Hotaru smiled warmly and looked at her plate again. She sat down on her cushion and began to eat and talk with the silver headed inu youkai.