InuYasha Fan Fiction ❯ Between Darkness and Light ❯ His Past ( Chapter 3 )

Disclaimer: I don't own Inuyasha, Rumiko Takahashi does.

Between Darkness and Light

Chapter 3: His Past

By Cataluna

He watched her silently as she mindlessly followed the old hag's footsteps. Instead of paying attention to where she was going, she kept looking back in his direction, like she could sense his presence. He snorted quietly at the possibility. He was well hidden within the shadows, and she was poorly trained. To prove his point, she stumbled forward, not seeing the raised root in her path until it was too late. He shook his head at her carelessness.

She should have been more attentive to her surrounding, and her watcher should have trained her better before allowing her to fight. Was her old age making her blind to the girl's vulnerability, or was this caused by her desperation to produce a new slayer for the council? She should know that the vampires would like nothing better than to be given the opportunity to kill a newborn slayer. They would grow strong with her blood, and take delight in her death. He waited until she was able to make it out of the cemetery safely before stepping out of the shadow.

His nose searched the air carefully, letting him know that he was finally alone. He was disappointed. Even after the kill, he was still restless, heart pounding and blood racing heatedly through him. He clenched his fist. He didn't like the intensity of her stare or the reactions she had managed to invoke in him. `Kagome,' his mind moaned, and his eyes flashed darkly. He tried to pass her name off as a mere afterthought, but found that her face remained. He growled at himself. He shouldn't have given her his name. It would be better for both their sakes if he had remained nameless and faceless.

After all, she was fated to rid the world of demons, his cursed half. If not, he would do it for her.

His father was one of the most powerful demons that ever roamed the face of this earth, and he hated and loved him for it.

Along with his incredible strength, his father had given him an insatiable thirst for violence and blood. He thought about blood constantly, as much as a teenage boy would think about sex. Because of his humanity, he didn't need blood to survive. He could eat and digest food like a normal person, but going a long time without it would drain his strength. His needs were partially fulfilled through the blood of wild animals, but nothing could compare to the taste of warm human blood dripping down his throat. Maybe it was the life force, the essence of the soul that made it so appetizing and fulfilling.

But it was a pleasure that he'd vowed would never be satisfied, even though there were ways to ensure that his feeding would not lead to his victim's demise. His father had used hypnotism, and others had learned to stop before it was too late. He couldn't do it. He was afraid of losing control again.

It was right after the death of his mother, and his first time to drink directly from a human. He was used to having her prepare blood for him. Emotionally and physically battered, his hunger for blood came over him quickly. He grew feverish and delusional. The pain was great, as though something was devouring him from the inside. Still, he refused to quench his thirst. He did not want to become like those monsters that had killed his father.

At last, his demon side took over. He woke up feeling refreshed, blood all over his face, and his hunger finally satisfied. Inuyasha was horrified at the sight of a dead girl lying in his arms. The blank, terrified look in her face. He was even more disgusted by the bodies that littered around him. He hadn't drunk from a human since.

Now, he spent his nights hunting to amend his past sins. Despite his human blood, he was strong, stronger than a dozen vampires put together. He had all the strength and none of the weaknesses. He would not turn to ash in sunlight, nor could he be killed simply by a stake through his heart. He was also blessed with extra-sensitive senses. He could smell a drop of blood from a mile away. His ears could pick up on the faintest sound of dry leaves falling off a tree branch. Right now, he could hear the loud pounding of his heart.

His immune and regenerative systems were incredible. He could suffer from a serious wound and be healed without scarring in two hours. The blood of his father had also made him immortal. Over the years, he had mastered all forms of martial arts. Lucky for him, his deceased father was not only powerful but also extremely wealthy. Inuyasha was able to acquire all kinds of weapons and resources.

Recently, it was during his search for the man responsible for his parents' death that he learned of the existence of the Shikon no Tama.

A jewel that could increase the owner's power ten folds and make him or her invincible.

A jewel that had caused misfortune to those around it.

A jewel that could help him bring down Naraku.

~*~*~*~*~

Kagome watched as Kaede prepared tea from across the kitchen table. She sighed, and fingered the cross on her neck, the cross that he had given her. `Inuyasha.' Thanks to him, she was left uninjured except for a few cuts and bruises on her arms. They were healing quickly. Kaede had told her it was one of the many benefits of being a slayer.

"Kaede… what happened to the last slayer?"

A sad look came over the old woman's face as she poured into her cup. She set the kettle down carefully. "Kikyo was supposed to be the greatest slayer, and I was her watcher." She paused and blew the steam from her cup, before taking a drink from her tea. "Before she died, she was on the verge of discovering the location of the Shikon no Tama."

"Shikon no Tama?" she repeated the name slowly, her brows knitting.

"It first appeared after the end of a fierce battle between the first slayer and an army of vampires. No one knows exactly how it was created, but it was rumored to contain the essence of the first slayer, along with the demons she had fought. It appears once every one hundred years," she took another sip. "The jewel can grant its owner infinite power. But such power is not meant to be owned by anyone. Naturally, demons and even humans with evil in their hearts want it; all too willing to rip through whoever and whatever that stood in their way."

"So what happened to it?" she continued to play with her cross.

"The last owner of this jewel was driven mad. Fortunately, they were able to destroy him before he destroyed the world. No one knows where the Shikon no Tama is now… it simply vanished."

~*~*~*~*~

She turned the knob all the way to the right. Hot water came rushing down from the showerhead, and pounded mercilessly on her back. Her skin was turning red and raw, but she barely felt it. She closed her eyes and pressed her forehead against the cool tile, wishing the water could wash the night away.

`Me, a slayer.' At least now she knew that she wasn't going crazy.

Even after seeing and experiencing, she didn't want to believe any of this. She was not meant for a life of vampire hunting. She pounded a fist against the wall, almost cracking it. It was not fair. She had risked her life today, and she would risk her life from now until the day she died.

~Flashback~

"Kikyo was killed by a powerful vampire named Naraku. He was after the jewel," said Kaede.

"But I thought…"

"Yes, she was strong, but he was stronger," Kaede interrupted. "And now, after drinking the blood of Kikyo, he is more powerful than ever."

~End Flashback~

She sank down to her knees. Slayers were known for their strength, not for their life span. `Am I going to be killed by him too?'