InuYasha Fan Fiction ❯ Caught Between Lust and Love ❯ Choices ( Chapter 8 )

It's been a long time since I've felt the stains of yesterday getting in my way.

-- Sky is Falling by Lifehouse

Chapter 8

"What are you talking about, Kikyo?" Inuyasha asked in a low voice his eyes widening.

"We can be together, we can have the lives we were denied." Kikyo said again her voice unwavering laced with harshness. "Unless…Unless you do not wish it…Perhaps you truly love my reincarnation, perhaps you lied when you promised yourself to me…" She knew which buttons to push; Kikyo knew that Inuyasha's pride could never let him break the honor of a promise.

Inuyasha stood silently contemplating the notion of a life with Kikyo. What the undead priestess had to offer was incredibly tempting, Inuyasha had often fantasized what it would have been like if Naraku had not come into their lives. However, every time he thought back on his love Kikyo, Kagome quickly came into his mind. If Naraku had never pitted them against one another he would never have met Kagome.

Inuyasha folded his arms and lowered his eyes to the ground shaking his head from side to side, before looking up again at Kikyo he started to speak, "I did make a promise to you and it is a promise I intend to keep, but I do want to know how it is you say we can be together again. While I myself am not fond of magic I do know that all `unnatural' uses of it comes with a price. What's the price, Kikyo? Does it have anything do with why Naraku came here tonight? Do you plan on hurting Kagome to get what you want?" Inuyasha could have continued his line of questioning but something in Kikyo's manner changed, prompting him to stop and let her respond.

"You are right, this would have a price. And it is why I sent Naraku to you this evening. In order to be complete and to be mortal once again I need my soul, my whole soul. That reincarnation has it…unrightfully. Perhaps if she had stayed in her own time, in her own world, I could say that the soul belongs to her; however, she came to my time and my world…that alone should make the soul mine. Inuyasha, why else would she have come back her but to give me a second chance…to give us a second chance." Kikyo reached out to touch Inuyasha, to help him understand what she had to do. Inuyasha only backed away his eyes showing his anger.

"I promised that I would be with you Kikyo, I didn't promise that Kagome had to die for us to do that. I cannot let you do whatever it is you think you have to do for us to be together. You obviously have made a pack with Naraku, you have chosen the side of who I thought was OUR enemy not just MINE. First you stole our shards of the Shikon no Tama and now you wish to harm Kagome. I can't allow this to happen. I won't go back on my promise to you, but I will not let you take Kagome's soul." Kikyo motioned to interrupt; yet Inuyasha would not stop. "Kikyo, I am finished talking with you tonight. I am going back to Kagome and if you try to cause any harm to her I will stop you…by any means necessary." He finished in a faint voice. Within a blink of an eye Inuyasha turned and leapt up into the night sky.

Kikyo still stood there, the wind sweeping across her hair, her face construed with hatred and grief, "I cannot say that I didn't half expect your response, Inuyasha. But I can say that you have chosen incorrectly."

------

"I told you he would return with Kagome!" Rin called to the toad as she spotted Sesshomaru flying over the treetops with Kagome in his arms.

Jakken sighed and leaned his head against the Staff of Two Heads, "So you did, child. Now this is all we need another human underfoot."

"I wouldn't let Lord Sesshomaru hear you say that." Rin said warningly as she gathered up the flowers she had been picking.

"And why is that, you wretched thing? Is this another one of those silly visions you've been bothering Lord Sesshomaru about?" the imp scoffed as he took a swipe at the child with his staff. Rin gracefully dodged the half attack, her eyes became wide as she smiled at something, or rather someone, behind Jakken. Seeing the reflection of his Lord in Rin's large almond shape eyes, Jakken hunched his shoulders and began to bite his nails.

"Jakken." Sesshomaru said coldly. Jakken jumped and spun around to face the aristocratic assassin, shaking violently.

"Y…Ye…Yes…Um, yes milord?" His voice quivering, the imp's eyes not meeting Sesshomaru's. Jakken's fearful state did not move Sesshomaru in the least; he kept his same cold, calm demeanor.

"I believe you know the Lady Kagome." The Lord of the Western lands said gesturing to the young miko at his side. Kagome blushed at the word `lady' and nodded to the imp. "Jakken, if Lady Kagome needs anything, anything at all, you will accommodate her in a timely manner." He finished then turned to the child standing beside his retainer.

Rin held up the flowers she had been picking all day, wild flowers of white, blue and yellow mixed with cherry blossoms. Kagome watched, stunned as Sesshomaru accepted the flowers and acknowledged the kindness the child was showing him with a slight nod. "I picked them for the Lady Kagome, milord." The child said in a radiant tone.

"Then I will give them to her, Rin." He said as he handed the blooms over to Kagome. Kagome took them and knelled so that she was eye level with the child.

"So you must be Rin." Kagome said smiling at the child.

Rin jumped up and nodded, happy that her lord had spoke of her, "Yes, Lady Kagome, I am Rin."

"Rin, it is exceedingly late and you must rise early." Sesshomaru said to Rin in what could be described as a somewhat `fatherly' voice, at least `fatherly' for the great Lord of the Western Lands. Rin frowned slightly and lowered her eyes.

"Yes, it is rather late. I am quite surprised you are even able to still be awake, you should go to bed." Kagome instructed. The girl smiled at Kagome once again and ran over to the fire and curled up on a small blanket.

Kagome stood back up and whispered to Sesshomaru, "You didn't take her from her parents, did you?"

Sesshomaru's loyal retainer, Jakken, did not miss Kagome's question, he impulsively answered for his Lord, "My Lord Sesshomaru is too honorable to stoop so low as kidnapping a child, a human child at that! That human whelp was dead when we found her! Lord Sesshomaru honored that child by using Tensaiga to resurrect her, he also graced her by letting her follow us!" Kagome's face went bright red, embarrassed for asking such a question, while Sesshomaru violently kicked Jakken sending him a few feet away.

"You will not answer for me, Jakken. You will also not speak to Lady Kagome in such a fashion. If you wish to keep you life you will apologize now!" Sesshomaru growled, placing his hand on the hilt of Tokijin. Rin sat up next to the fire, worried for Jakken.

"It's really all right." Kagome said nervously. "I just shouldn't have asked such a rude question. I should be the one apologizing." Sesshomaru only continued to glare at Jakken, Kagome's words falling short on his ears. Jakken shook off Sesshomaru's attack and stood up, leaning his weight against his staff.

"My Lord, I am greatly sorry for answering in your stead. It will never happen again." Jakken pleaded.

"And." Sesshomaru growled gesturing towards the frightened Kagome.

"And? Of course, Lady Kagome I am sorry I spoke to you in such a rude manner. It was wrong of me to explain how Rin came to be with us so…so harshly." Jakken quickly added.

All eyes were now on the aristocratic assassin, questioning if Jakken's apology was enough to curb his rage and spare the life of the retainer. Sesshomaru released Tokijin and a silent sigh of relief was freed from the three on-lookers. Rin laid back down and drifted to sleep, Jakken quietly vanished, and Kagome was left virtually alone with the Lord of the Western Lands.

She glanced over at him and attempted to read his thoughts and feelings based on his appearance but found his expression cold and almost blank. Sesshomaru quickly caught her staring at him; she looked away sharply then slowly brought her gaze back to his as he gestured for her to follow him.

As they walked, Kagome's mind raced with countless thoughts and questions; never in a million years would she have guessed that she would be taken a moonlit stroll with Inuyasha's half-brother. He came into her mind again-Inuyasha. He had left her alone this evening and Sesshomaru had taken her in his absents, `some protector?' she sarcastically thought. Yet she didn't feel frightened or remotely scared that this Inu Youkai would harm her, Kagome found herself feeling as safe with Sesshomaru as she did with Inuyasha.

"Kagome?" Sesshomaru's voice interrupted her thoughts, "Do not feel guilty about asking about Rin. It is in your nature to be concerned for a child. You are, after all, a miko."

Kagome stopped walking and questioningly looked over at Sesshomaru, it surprised her that he would even consider her feelings, "Yes, it is in my nature to care, but it isn't just because I am a miko, it's because I am human. I thought you hated humans, Sesshomaru. In the past, you ridiculed Inuyasha for keeping me in his company and now you have practically adopted a human girl and have claimed that you love me. I really just don't understand what's going on."

"It is a rather…unforeseeable turn of events, isn't it?" he said in a cold monotone voice. "But what about you, you are a miko and you keep the company of demons. You are one who would be classified as having an obligation to purify those who are `unpure' and you have `practically adopted' a youkai boy. You travel with a hanyou, knowingly helping him gather shards of the Shikon no Tama so that he may become a full youkai. You, Kagome, are also quite the contradiction." He finished leaning down to look deeper into her eyes. He reached out and brushed her hair out her face the wind sweeping it off her shoulders.

Kagome gulped down a large lump in her throat that was prohibiting her from speaking, her thought's lost in the beauty of Sesshomaru's face: his magenta markings and the blue crescent moon atop his brow, but it was his eyes that reminded her of who she should really be thinking about-Inuyasha. Kagome managed to break his hold over her and change the subject, "Inuyasha will come for me and when he does I don't know if I can protect you again." While the first part of her comment had been planned she was startled by end.

"I should hope that you would not interfere again. This is a matter that must be handled according to youkai traditions, your involvement in the matter only complicates the situation and dishonors both Inuyasha and I." Sesshomaru almost growled, yet struggled to keep his usual calm tone.

Kagome's blood began to boil, "What do you mean my involvement complicates the situation? What situation? Are you saying that I do not have a choice what goes on in my life." She slightly hissed.

"You have made your choice, I will only be enforcing it. Inuyasha is a hardheaded half-breed, the loss of yet another female will not taken lightly. I will have to kill him."

"I have not made any choice and you will not kill Inuyasha!" Kagome screamed clinching her hands into small fists.

"You are in no place to order me, Lord Sesshomaru of the Western Lands. You have obviously chosen me over the hanyou, whether or not your mind has come to terms with it or not is none of my concern. What is my concern is keeping you safe, something that Inuyasha can no longer do. I know that Naraku has threatened you this evening on behalf of Kikyo. Do you think that Inuyasha will choose you over Kikyo when the time comes? He has already chosen Kikyo once."

Kagome thought back to the time she caught Inuyasha embracing Kikyo next to the sacred tree, promising himself to her. Her face became devoid of all color as her body went numb. Inuyasha had already chosen Kikyo over her.

Sesshomaru's rage towards Kagome's outburst subsided and he reached out and cupped her face, forcing her eyes to meet his, "I will keep you safe, Kagome. You may not understand my desire to have you by side. I may not understand. But I do know that no harm will come to you while you are with me. I would sooner die." As a tear slipped down Kagome's pale cheek Sesshomaru placed a soft chaste kiss upon her lips. Slowly Kagome glided her arms around Sesshomaru's neck and pulled her body closer to his in a snug embrace. Sesshomaru deepened the kiss sucking in Kagome's bottom lip and running his tongue across the ruby flesh with a featherlike motion. Kagome's heart fluttered then suddenly skipped a beat, a familiar voice shocking her system, driving her to abruptly pull herself away from the Lord of the Western Lands.

"Get the hell away from her!" Inuyasha growled in a low voice blood seeping into his amber eyes.

"Inu...Inuyasha..." Kagome gasped breathlessly. She managed to pull herself farther away from Sesshomaru and stumbled a few steps back before falling to the ground with a light thud.

Sesshomaru only turned slightly to face the hanyou, straightening his back somewhat as to possibly appear more threatening. "You have interrupted me, yet again, little brother. It will not be allowed to occur a third time!" Sesshomaru growled, his eyes deepening into pools of blood.

"There will not be a `third time' to interrupt!" Inuyasha barked back as he unsheathed the Tetsusaiga. In response, Sesshomaru drew Tokijin. They both stood their ground, studying the other, waiting for some indication of an attack.

Kagome watched as she slowly stood back up. She drew in a breath to call out to stop them, but her chest, too heavy with fear and anxiety did not allow her to speak.

Inuyasha was the first to move, raising the Tetsusaiga up to unleash it's powerful wind scar attack. Sesshomaru only gestured with his sword over to Kagome, to signal her close proximity-too close to use the wind scar.

"GET THE HELL OUT OF THE WAY, KAGOME!" Inuyasha ordered, his red eyes catching Kagome's attention. Even with the Tetsusaiga, it seemed as if Inuyasha was about to turn into a full youkai.

The remainder of Kagome's courage managed to surface as she clinched her small pale hands into fists and shook her head, "No, Inuyasha. I won't allow the two of you kill each other. It won't solve anything."

"By standing there you are helping him. Don't you see that Kagome? He doesn't move any closer because he's afraid." Inuyasha barked back.

"I am not afraid. And if you are waiting for me to make the first move, than I will accommodate your wishes." Sesshomaru hissed as he raced towards Inuyasha. Inuyasha had no time to bring down the wind scare, only to block Tokijin's dark attack. Kagome screamed out again for both to stop, but her pleas were not heeded.

Inuyasha steadily held off Sesshomaru's attack, pushing Tokijin of the Tetsusaiga then pivoting around to push Sesshomaru away. Both brothers staring fiercely into the other's amber eyes, neither looking away. Inuyasha attacked next, bringing the Tetsusaiga down, clanking hard against Tokijin. Their attention only drawn away from one another when their keen Inu senses filled with the familiar scent of death. They looked over to Kagome, slumped down to her knees an arrow puncturing her heart.

Kagome reached out to them, her eyes wide with shock and fear. A white and red figure appeared out of the shadows of the night a bow in hand, "Kikyo..." Inuyasha gasped. Sesshomaru attempted to move towards Kagome as did Inuyasha but found themselves unable to move, but unlike the paralysis Kagome induced they both could still speak.

"Kagome!" Sesshomaru called out as she closed her eyes, her body falling helplessly to the ground.

The undead miko walked over to the body of the fallen girl, soul collectors lifting up Kagome's limp body. "Sesshomaru, do not trouble yourself over Kagome any longer. She is no longer... available for your affections. As for you, Inuyasha, my dear, you will have your true love soon enough." Kikyo said coldly.

"Is this your doing, Inuyasha? Did you distract me so your `undead' human love could kill Kagome?" Sesshomaru hissed.

"No." Inuyasha said forcefully. "I only came to take back Kagome...and to protect her from Kikyo.

Gritting their teeth, both Sesshomaru and Inuyasha attempted to move towards Kikyo, yet to no avail. "Do not try to move, it is futile. You will both have full use of your bodies once I am too far to track. Or can your Inu senses track the dead? I suppose not, sense neither of you sensed my presents, only Kagome's death sparked your interest." Kikyo chuckled softly as her soul collectors raised up Kagome's body to Kikyo's face. "It is a shame, to die so young. I know that fact all to well." She sighed as she slid her hand across Kagome's cold cheek.

"I swear to you, witch, before this night is over there will be too little of you left to raise again from the dead." Sesshomaru growled in a chilling voice.

"We shall see, Lord of the Western Lands. We shall see."

----

"Sango? Wake up." Miroku said softly, as not to wake the kitsune that slept close to the demon exterminator.

"What is it, Miroku?" She said before yawning and stretching her arms.

"A dark spirit is near, do you sense it?"

Sango slowly stood up and looked around the forest, dimly lit by the dying fire light. "Yes, but I do not believe it is a youkia." She replied. "Nor do I. But it is dark and very powerful."

"We should find Inuyasha and Kagome now." Miroku nodded at Sango as she turned to the small kitten like creature that snuggled against her feet. "Kirara, you stay here with Shippo. We will return shortly."

----

"So Kikyo did it. She killed Kagome." Naraku said as he peered into Kanna's mirror, watching Kikyo's soul collectors carry Kagome away.

"So why doesn't the undead priestess just take the girl's soul?" Kagura scoffed as she leaned against the doorframe. "It doesn't make any sense. If she has truly killed the girl then why doesn't she just have her soul collectors remove the soul so she can absorb it?"

Naraku narrowed his red eyes on his reincarnation, "Kikyo would still be only a shadow of her former human self. Granted her soul would be whole, but her body would still be only a facsimile. She needs Kagome's body so that she may have a live mortal body once again. When Kikyo is finished and Sesshomaru and Inuyasha find her the rest of my plan will begin to fall into place. Sesshomaru will try to kill Kikyo to avenge Kagome's death and Inuyasha will protect her, more than likely killing Sesshomaru. Lost in his own grief and guilt over Kagome and Kikyo, Inuyasha will probably kill Kikyo and then himself. All of this leaves only two humans to oppose me, two humans I am sure we can take care of."

"I guess you have it all figured out, don't you Naraku?" Kagura asked, sarcasm laced in her voice.

"DO NOT SECOND GUESS ME, KAGURA!" Naraku yelled rising to his feet, clinching a glowing orb in his left hand. Kagura fell to her knees clutching her heart. "Do not forget that I still hold your heart. I made you, Kagura. And I can destroy you. Who's to say that when this is over and I have completed the Shikon no Tama that I will still have use for you, or any of my reincarnations for that matter." Kagura's eyes widened as she continued to hold onto her chest, gasping for breath. "But for now, I need you to keep Sesshomaru and Inuyasha busy while Kikyo completes her magic." Naraku said he slowly released his grasp of Kagura's heart.

"I will do as you ask." Kagura choked out, before plucking a feather out of her hair and vanishing off into the night sky. Once at what she believed to be a safe distance away from Naraku's castle the wind sorceress muttered to herself, "I will not mindlessly fulfill your desires and wait for my demise to come. This `plan' of yours, Naraku, it will not succeed. I will make sure of that."

A/N: Okay MM.org readers, the next chapter will be brand spankn' new! Never before read by ff.net peps. I'm going to try to have it posted by no later than Monday. I hope you all like it!