InuYasha Fan Fiction ❯ Children of Light ❯ Chapter 16 ( Chapter 16 )

Inu Yasha had just finished beating some manners into his ill-mannered friend when the screams had erupted from the dance floor.

"Miroku!? What the hell is going on? I can't see anything!" Inu Yasha had to yell to his friend to be heard over the din of screaming people who were trying to find their way out to the exits, but the thick white smoke clung to everything. Had the smoke machine on the dance floor gone haywire? It was impossible to see two feet in front of you and harder to breathe as people coughed and struggled to find their way to fresh air.

Frantic bar goers continued to crash into Inu Yasha as he sought to find the now missing monk. "Miroku? Where the hell are you?"

The cloud of smoke was disorienting but luckily, his superior demon lungs weren't as affected by the smoke as the others seemed to be. It tickled Inu Yasha's nose, however, and he let out a string of sneezes accompanied with a few choice words when he felt Kagome's utter panic come rushing through their bond. Inu Yasha's head snapped in the direction he sensed his mate. Something was wrong, very wrong.

"KAGOME!"

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

Kagome struggled with whomever had grabbed hold of her after the smoke had billowed out from the dance floor and quickly consumed the rest of the bar. Happy bar-goers were not so happy and in a frenzy to find their way out of the thick, heavy smoke.

She had lost sight of Hojo and Sango almost instantly, as they were swept up in the abrupt and violent storm. Then she had been grabbed from behind. She tried to call out for Inu Yasha but her attacker had her mouth covered with their hand while they held a tight grip on her from behind as they struggled to maneuver Kagome to one of the exits.

Taking advantage of the concealing smoke, Kagome raised her high-heeled foot and jammed it into her attackers foot. A pained cry went up from behind her, as her attacker momentarily loosened their grip. It was enough for Kagome to jam her elbow into their stomach and run off into the safety of the concealing cloud, all the while, calling for her mate through their bond.

"Inu Yasha! <cough> Sango!" Kagome stumbled, coughing, through the bar, colliding into a hysterical person every other step. She knew that even with her mate's super sensitive hearing, and their connection, it would be difficult for him to pick out her voice among the hundreds or to see her through the haze.

~~~~~~~

"Miroku!"

"Sango! <cough, cough> Are you okay?" Sango and Miroku couldn't believe their luck. They had stumbled through the chaotic bar in hopes of finding someone, anyone, from their little group.

"I'm <cough> fine." Sango replied, as she tried to clear the smoke from her lungs while clinging onto Miroku's arm. She was not going to risk their getting separated again.

"But I can't find Kagome <cough, cough> or Inu Yasha. I don't know if they've made it out."

"Don't worry Sango <cough> Inu Yasha will be looking for Kagome, so we can be fairly certain that he's still in here somewhere. Come on, <cough> the smoke is finally starting to thin and most people have made it outside, so they should be easier to find."

Sango nodded as she allowed herself to be led by the hand. She couldn't explain it, but she had a very unsettling feeling.

~~~~~~~~~

"Kagome!!" Inu Yasha had tried to shove his way past the easily breakable humans as gently as he could, but he was in a frantic state to find his mate. He was sure he'd left a couple of unintentional bruises on people unlucky enough to have stepped directly into his path, but there was nothing he could do.

Something wasn't right. Kagome's agitated and panicked feelings still pumped wildly through their connection, and it wasn't just the panic she would have normally been feeling given the odd circumstances. Something was very wrong. Something, or someone, was scarring his mate, and Inu Yasha was going to make that person pay.

Inu Yasha halted in his steps as he found himself in the middle of the dance floor, the smoke now clearing enough to see a tall, dark figure holding a knife to his mate's neck. Kagome's eyes widened in relief and nervousness at the site of Inu Yasha and his flickering red eyes.

"Inu Yasha!" Kagome cried out for her mate, but her captor only pressed the tip of the blade more forcefully against her neck, drawing a small trickle of blood to let her know that she needed to be still. Kagome gasped and clamped her mouth shut; her eyes watered and brimmed with fear and uneasiness. The worst part was that she had tried to summon her powers to aid her in some way, since she was hesitant of using her powers on humans, but nothing had happened. Her powers weren't responding.

Inu Yasha's inhuman growl sent a shiver of dread running down the punk's spine, who momentarily contemplated running out on everything, before his senses kicked back in and he managed to recompose himself. But Inu Yasha had smelt his fear. And he liked it.

"I don't know who you are, but you have two seconds to remove your slimy hands off my mate." Inu Yasha's fists curled and uncurled at his side, his deadly claws still not visible by the concealing necklace worn around his neck, but which were undoubtedly present, as he flexed them beneath the spell.

The figure behind Kagome shook with uneasy laughter. "I'm sorry to have to disappoint you, but we've been sent to take this little beauty here, back to our boss."

Just as the unidentified attacker had spoken, Inu Yasha found himself ringed in by a dozen other henchmen that had been hiding in the background. Each one holding some type of hand wielded weapon, among them being baseball bats and knives.

Inu Yasha crouched low in a fighting stance as he growled low in his throat, flexing and cracking his fists. "Bring it on."

Inu Yasha knew he could take care of the dozen or so lackeys in no time as he gazed at the ring of men around him. His real problem was figuring out how to get to Kagome without her getting hurt, when a very familiar voice rang out behind him.

"Get your filthy hands off her!"

Inu Yasha tensed as he watched Miroku and Sango be dragged into the circle. Kagome's eyes widened in horror and disbelief.

"What do you want?" Inu Yasha's voice was low and coarse and promised all kinds of horrible pain as he addressed the punk holding his mate.

"I told you, we came for her." The captor nodded his head towards Kagome. "My boss wants her power."

"Naraku!" Inu Yasha roared. The realization had clicked in his mind instantly.

"Oh good, you've heard of him. Then I guess that means you understand what he's capable of and that it wouldn't be a good idea to get in his way."

"I think you've got that backwards kid." Inu Yasha struggled to keep a check on his mounting fury, but the mention of Naraku's name wasn't helping.

"I `aint no kid, half-breed. My name's Kochi, I'm second in command here." Inu Yasha bristled at the insult.

"Oh yeah," Miroku called out from a little ways behind Inu Yasha, where a struggling Sango was still trying to understand what exactly was going on.

"And which coward here is the first?" Miroku couldn't wait to get his hands on the guy that was threatening his friends. He couldn't understand why this Naraku person wanted Kagome so badly, but his name alone sent an unwelcome feeling coursing through Miroku's body.

"Hey dog-turd! Gotta little trouble?"

Inu Yasha swiveled his head in the direction of the new voice. "Kouga! I should have known!"

"Tsk, tsk, tsk, lame brain. I see you can't even protect your woman. How pathetic." Kouga swaggered into the middle of the circle, where men parted to let him through, as he faced off with Inu Yasha. His own demon attributes concealed under his own spell.

"You're working for Naraku!" He snarled. If Kagome hadn't been in immediate danger, Inu Yasha would have ripped his head of right then and there.

Kouga crossed his arms over his chest, as if he hadn't a care in the world. "I don't know what you're talking about dog-shit. I just happened by and noticed you messing with Kochi. Kochi is a friend of mine you know." Kouga grinned a wide, menacing grin, as he walked towards Kochi who still pressed the sharp blade to Kagome's throat.

"Hey Kouga. Nice to see ya." Kochi couldn't believe his luck. Kouga was an unbelievable fighter, and if this freak Inu Yasha gave them any trouble, half demon or not, Kouga would take care of him, no problem.

"Hmmmm… what do we have here?" Kouga stepped in front of Kagome and ran a finger down her cheek. She shivered as a roar erupted from behind Kouga.

"Keep your dirty, filthy hands off her you asshole!!" Inu Yasha's demon side demanded that he rip apart any threatening male near his mate, but he knew he had to be careful. They still had that sharp knife pressed to Kagome's skin. He needed one of them to slip first, so he could get Kagome out of harms way, and then cause a little havoc of his own.

Kouga ignored the outburst as he grinned at Kagome before turning to face an outraged hanyou. "Yeah, me and Kochi go way back, you understand dog-face. I've taught him a lot. Almost like a little brother really." Kouga turned on his heal and casually strolled behind Kagome and Kochi, placing a hand on Kochi's shoulder, whose pompous grin was really starting to get on Inu Yasha's nerves.

"Of course, I also taught Kochi the value of a beautiful women." Both men erupted in joint laughter, as Inu Yasha continued to glare, trying to make sense of what Kouga was getting too.

"You sure did Kouga." Kochi was having way too much fun. He couldn't believe his luck!

"Of course, sometimes, little brothers don't listen well." Before Kochi even had time to register what Kouga had said, Kouga had already ripped the knife out of his unsuspecting hands and thrown him across the dance floor. A now free Kagome ran into Inu Yasha's arms as he quickly scooped her up, trying to make sense of what had just happened.

"Kouga?" Kochi couldn't understand. Kouga must be playing at something.

"Kochi, you can treat any of your whores any way you want, but you keep your hands off MY Kagome, you got that!?" Kouga's angry roar left little debate as to whether or not he meant what he said.

Kochi screamed in anger, "GET THEM!! Get the girl!"

All at once, the henchmen surrounding the dance floor jumped in to attack. Kouga took an amazing, yet impossible, flying leap upwards, to the pure astonishment and bewilderment of Sango, who was the only human present to not know about demons. "What the? How did he?" But before Sango could further ponder this amazing mystery, she was hurled to the side as Miroku pushed her out of the way of a free-flying baseball bat.

"Are you okay?" Miroku checked her quickly to make sure she didn't have any wounds.

"Yeah, fine. Thanks… Behind you!"

Miroku quickly turned on his heal and ducked the flying fist aimed at the back of his head, as he jammed his elbow into his attacker's stomach, causing him to double over.

Meanwhile, Inu Yasha had taken a protective stance in front of Kagome and was reluctant to stray too far from her. There were simply too many people that could grab at her while he was fighting and he knew that Kagome was reluctant to use her Miko powers on humans. So he let the wimpy humans come to him. Two rushed him at the same time, wielding iron crow bars, but Inu Yasha flipped over their heads, twisted himself in the air, and landed a powerful kick to each of their backs as they crashed into the dance floor railing, splintering it to pieces as they fell into an unconscious heap on the floor.

"Sango!!" Kagome screamed as she watched Sango and Miroku holding their own against another two attackers, but Sango had been surprised by a flying kick and crashed onto one of the bar tables as it broke into kindling on the floor beneath her. Her attacker was headed straight at her with a large machete and Sango was still dazed from her fall. Miroku quickly realized her predicament but was unable to shake the lackey who was swinging his own deadly machete at Miroku's head.

"Sango!" he called to her in between ducks and kicks. "Sango, get up!" He wouldn't make it. He couldn't believe it. He wasn't fast enough and Sango was going to pay the price.

Sango clutched the side of her head with her hand, willing the dizziness to fade away. She looked up, bleary eyed, at a fast approaching figure that held a large metal object in his hand. Sango shifted on the broken pieces of the bar table, still not fully aware of her surroundings, until her eyes snapped open at the sight of a large, sharp, heavy object, quickly making its way towards her. She covered her face with her arm in a protective gesture, not sure what else there was for her to do, as she prepared for the inevitable collision.

"SANGO!!" Kagome ran screaming towards her friend in complete horror. Flashes of their past life, of Sango's bruised and bloody body, flashed through her mind.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~Flashback~*~*~*~*~*~*~

"Sango, are you alright?" Kagome rushed over to check Sango's wounds. Her arm had been slashed open and the blood was pouring from the wound. If Kagome couldn't stop the bleeding and fast, Sango would never be able to use Hiraikotsu again.

"I'm… I'm okay Kagome." Sango grunted out through gritted teeth as she struggled to keep the pain in her arm from overwhelming her. "Just a couple of scratches," she added in a mock attempt at amusement.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~Flashback~*~*~*~*~*~*~

"Then… Sango… she found us," Miroku's voice hitched in his throat as he struggled to keep the tears from spilling, he needed to tell Kagome what had happened, before it was too late. Possibly, it was too late already.

"She…" a lone tear fell from the corner of his eye as Kagome reached out to hold him by his shoulders, giving what comfort she could as tears began to spill freely down her own cheeks.

"He took the shard from Kohaku. She went… she went mad… I couldn't reach her, I tried, but I just couldn't. There were too many of them… she, she's with him now though. I think she's happy now. She's finally at peace, with her family. I'll be with her soon, don't cry Kagome. We tried. Inu Yasha, he's still out there, he won't give up. Go to him Kagome. We'll be okay now."

~*~*~*~*~*~*~End Flashbacks~*~*~*~*~*~*~

"NOOOOO!" Before anyone could fathom what was taking place, Kagome erupted with a blinding blue light that engulfed Sango and everyone around them, just as the deadly blade descended onto Sango's helpless form.