InuYasha Fan Fiction ❯ Captive Soul ❯ chapter 40 ( Chapter 40 )

[ T - Teen: Not suitable for readers under 13 ]

Disclaimer: I do not own Inuyasha or any of its characters

_________________________________________

chapter 40

_________________________________________

Something cold and wet plopped against his cheek. Sesshomaru opened his eyes to a sky scattered with dispersing clouds. Dabs of sunlight peeked through, casting yellowed rays between cottony puffs of gray and white.

He blinked once as his mind slowly climbed out of the realm of darkness. By slow degrees, he sat up. Without thinking, he reached a hand toward the diminishing throb in his throat. The pads of his fingers touched...skin.

He paused.

In unbelieving slowness, he went further, placing his palm against the warmth of bare skin while gently rubbing.

It was gone.

The restraint was...gone.

He was free.

No longer was he a...servant.

No longer was he a...slave.He was....free.

For a moment, he sat in bewidered awe, vacantly staring, trying to comprehend the magnitude of what had just happened.

The next thought ripped him from his muddled musings, clearing his head, causing his heart to jump then race.

Rin.

Straining, he forced his vision to clear as he looked up and around.

His sight focused.

The surroundings became detailed.

Inuyasha was nowhere to be seen.

Kagome was lying on her side several feet beyond...Rin.

Rin.

He stared, nearly frozen.

His heart...stopped.

Unaware, he rasped out a whisper. "Rin...."

Struggling to breathe, Sesshomaru moved toward her, crawling on hands and knees. Every second he moved closer, his heart pounded painfully. Rin was lying on her back, right hand over her chest, left arm stretched outward. She was not moving.

"Rin?"

She did not answer.

Her face slowly came into view. Those beautiful brown eyes were closed.

Sesshomaru crawled up next to her fallen form. Shaking, he reached one clawed hand to her resting features. Before his trembling fingertips touched, he paused. She was so still.

He swallowed heavily. "Rin?"

Desperately trying to keep his heart from exploding, he gazed across her motionless body. His observation ceased at her chest. It was not rising or falling. Rin was not breathing.

Attempting to use his dulled senses, Sesshomaru leaned down, his nose inches from her lips which were fading in color. To his relief, he felt the faintest caress of breath against his cheek. He breathed in deeply, hoping to smell life, but the only scent he found was the stench of approaching death. Leaning down lower, he placed one ear against her chest. After several seconds, he heard one beat.

Rin was dying.

"No."

Sesshomaru sat up, reached out and cupped her soft cheek in his palm.

Withdrawing his hand, he stood while removing Tenseiga from its sheathe.

Rin would not die. He would make sure of it.

Sesshomaru stood with sword in hand, waiting for the harbingers of death to come and take her soul. He waited for several moments. They did not appear.

Something akin to panic seized him. He bent down, dropping Tenseiga to clank on the rounded stones. Hovering over her body, he breathed in deeply once more, reaching out with his senses, desperate to feel her spirit, feel it beneath him.

He felt nothing.

Her soul...was...gone.

Suppressing a whimper, he delicately reached under her shoulders, feeling the softness of her brown hair while securing a gentle hold.

He lifted.

Her head lolled back over his arm. At this, he could not restrain the agony any longer. Letting out a quiet sob, he pulled her limp body to him and leaned back to sit on the hard cold stones. Gathering her into his lap, he wrapped both arms around her departing warmth, embracing what little life remained, burying his nose in the soft vanilla sweetness of her hair. Wetness blurred his vision as he cradled his dying mate. "Forgive me...my love."

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

In uyasha blinked. It was dark. Above him he saw a shadowed ceiling. He blinked again and sat up, looking around. Splintered boards littered a wooden floor. Several shelves were lined with bottles of paint and stacks of canvases. Suddenly, his head began to spin as the acrid fumes of ink flared in his nostrils. Placing a hand on his throbbing head, he stood, swayed for a moment on his feet before staggering toward the hole in the wall in front of him, toward the light.

Carefully, he stepped out of the garden shed and into a patch of sunlight.

Focusing while his head cleared, Inuyasha looked up, searching.

For a split second, he froze. About thirty feet in front of him, he saw Kagome. She was lying on her side, her long black hair splayed across the brown cobblestones. He searched further, his line of sight reaching to his brother.

He was sitting.

Rin was...in his lap, her small form almost hidden in the embrace.

His brother was holding her body while rocking back and forth.

Immediately, Inuyasha ran over to Kagome, his heart racing.

In an instant, he was at her side. "Kagome?"

Cupping both warm cheeks in his clawed hands, he spoke louder. "Kagome!"

The young woman under him sucked in a deep breath. A second later, her eyes fluttered open, their grey depths focused, finding him. "Inu...yasha?"

Inuyasha breathed a sigh of relief and smiled. "You gave me a scare, Kagome."

The young miko tried to sit up, her hand moving to her head as she moaned. "What...happened?"

Placing one hand under her left elbow, he steadied the priestess. "I don't know. That's the weirdest thing I've ever been through."

Her eyes widened in a sudden shock of realization. "Rin!"

She tried to stand but Inuyasha grabbed both her arms. "Woa. Wait a sec. You could be badly hurt."

Kagome pushed on his chest. "I'm fine. Now let me up."

Reluctantly, Inuyasha gave in but still helped the young woman to her feet.

Inuyasha turned with her in hand, the miko using his arm to lean on.

The moment she saw Sesshomaru and Rin, her heartbeat quickened. "Rin?"Kagome tore away from him. He followed as she hurried with a slight limp toward her sister.

Both of them stopped a few feet from the embracing couple.

Never in his life had he seen Sesshomaru in such a state: barely rocking back and forth, stroking Rin's hair and whispering words too soft for even him to hear. Sesshomaru's head was bowed, his expression shaded, almost hidden by his silver bangs, but Inuyasha could see a line of wetness glisten across the red stripes. The wetness streaked to his chin where it formed a single drop that trembled to fall.

Inuyasha spotted Tenseiga on the ground a few feet from them.

Sesshomaru must have tried to use the healing sword. From what he could tell by the heartrending scene before him, Tenseiga had not worked.

Kagome stepped forward, reaching out. "Rin?"

In that exact moment, Inuyasha heard a very familiar sound: a low rumble coming from Sesshomaru.

His brother had ceased rocking Rin and was now trembling. His upper lip curled up in a snarl, exposing one very sharp canine.

Kagome took another step toward them. The rumble rose in pitch, edging into a feral growl of warning.

Inuyasha moved in front of Kagome, pushing her back with his hand. "Stay away from him, Kagome. It's not safe."

The young miko grabbed his arm. "What are you talking about? I have got to see if Rin is okay!"

Shaking his head, he backed up, taking Kagome with him. "It's not safe. Sesshomaru might hurt you."

Inuyasha had seen something like this before. A long time ago, when his mother died, his father had become...unhinged...irrational.

In this case, Sesshomaru was exhibiting the same behavior. Inuyasha cursed under his breath. He was no match for his brother's powers. If his half-brother went nuts, he would be fighting a losing battle.

Suddenly, fierce anger replaced the heavy scent of despair.

His fears were confirmed when Sesshomaru eased Rin's form to the cobblestones and slowly stood. The dog demon turned to face them, one hand on Toukijin's hilt. Blood bled, swirling until the golden depths became a dark scarlet. Wildness darkened his features, a ferocity of madness. The inu youkai began to growl louder. He snarled as this madness centered on Kagome. "You did this. You knew this was going to happen. You killed my mate."

Inuyasha moved directly in front of Kagome, shielding her while placing a hand on Tetsusaiga's hilt. "Brother...I will fight you if I have to..."

A wicked sneer formed as his eyes narrowed. "You forget your place, Inuyasha. Your half-demon powers are pathetic compared to mine."

Inuyasha backed up a step, dropping into a defensive stance. "You must resist this madness, brother. It's blinding you. It will prevail and make you do something you will regret later."

"Idiot half-breed! What makes you think I am not in control? This miko tramp has stolen my mate from me and I am going to make her pay. If I must go through you to do it, then I will!"

Inuyasha unsheathed Tetsusaiga. The sword flamed out between them, radiating power. "I am warning you, Sesshomaru. Calm down!"

Sesshomaru drew Toukijin from his belt. "I am calm, little brother. I have never been so calm."

Now he was worried. While watching Sesshomaru closely, he slightly turned his head and spoke to the frightened miko behind him. "Kagome, move back. Now."

His half-brother charged. "You cannot protect her, Inuyasha!"

Their swords met with a ringing clang. For a moment, they strained against each other, pushing, weapons locked, grating steel against steel. Inuyasha snarled. "Brother! This is pointless! Fight it, Sesshomaru! Don't let it take over! Think! Kagome is Rin's sister! Rin loved her sister! Would you dishonor Rin's memory with this unjustified vengeance?!"

The moment the words left his mouth, Inuyasha detected a hint of hesitation in Sesshomaru's deranged actions. Taking advantage of the lapse in madness, he implored, "Please...Sesshomaru...Please, brother. Don't let your grief drive you to hurt someone Rin loved."

A light of realization dawned in the dark crimson depths, fading them back to icy gold once more. The crinkled feral lines in his features fell lax into dazed confusion.

Their locked position relaxed. Sesshomaru lowered Toukijin. Bewilderment became despondency before an expressionless mask veiled all other emotion from view.

Sesshomaru backed away, the tip of Toukijin scraping along the rounded stones as he staggered back to Rin. By her side, he fell to his knees, the vacancy in his eyes resting on the dying young woman's laid out form.

Kagome's footfalls eased up behind him. "Inuyasha?" She stopped at his side, her attention fixed on her sister. The young miko took one step forward but hesitated. "Rin?" Inuyasha, still wary, took her left hand in his right and slowly guided her toward Rin.

They stopped only a foot away. Cautiously, Kagome kneeled by Rin, reaching out. Inuyasha watched his half brother closely; guarding Kagome, ready to pull her out of his half-brother's reach should he decide to become violent. Yet, his instincts had settled for the time being, since no scent of madness remained.

Kagome leaned down and laid her ear against Rin's chest. After a few moments, she raised her head up. "She has a heartbeat...but it is slowing."

The miko moved a slightly shaking hand to Rin's face. "She is still breathing. I don't know....."

Sesshomaru's flat tone cut Kagome off. "She is dying. Her soul is gone."

At this, Kagome wilted, a knowing light coupled with self blame wavered in the depths of her steel grey eyes. Kagome had known. The young priestess face fell in despair as her eyes reddened. She sniffed while tears slipped down her cheeks. Taking in a quivered breath, the young miko swallowed and began to carefully scan Rin's body. Her eyes came to pause on Rin's left hand. Cautiously, she reached over and picked up Rin's wrist. With slow, careful movements, Kagome studied Rin's small hand. "She's been bitten."

Inuyasha crouched next to Rin's head. "Bitten?"

Kagome sniffed again and nodded while pointing to two holes crusted with blood on the back of her sister's hand. "She has been bitten by something. Whatever bit her took her soul. I can feel the dark energy around the wound."

Inuyasha raised a brow. "Kagome, if we find whatever took her soul, can we...uh...put it back?"

The young miko swallowed heavily, more tears fell, dripping to her jawline and slipping down her neck. "Yes...but...." She let out a choppy breath and glanced around. "...only if we find it....before...." Kagome trailed off as her glances ceased at Rin's neck.

Inuyasha opened his mouth to suggest sniffing this soul stealer out when...

...he paused....

darkness fell all around them,

a shadow blotting out the sun,

darker than an eclipse.

His hackles rose as he looked up.

"Oh....shi...."

.

.

.

.

.

. .

_________________________________________

.

.

.

.

.

.