InuYasha Fan Fiction ❯ Dark Heaven ❯ Angel Blood ( Chapter 18 )

Dark Heaven

 

Chapter 18

 

Angel Blood

 

In the late afternoon, Kagome busied herself in the mirror, carefully applying the lipstick she had never even used in her life. She had splurged as much as she could and gotten a make-up kit, determined to look her best for the man who was supposed to show up in the next fifteen minutes for another dinner date.

 

She had taken a bit of time after coming home from work to actually consider the idea of her and Inuyasha as a couple, hell, more. It wasn't at all an unappealing idea. The only barricade in the way was her hidden identity, but Inuyasha had proven himself trustworthy over the last couple weeks. So she had made up her mind to tell him tonight.

 

The door of the apartment thudded heavily as Kagome finished with the blush. She tucked the small kit under her bed and pulled on a sweater over her T-shirt. She ran a hand through her hair and all but skipped to the doorway. It would be a welcome relief to tell someone about her secret of her own will instead of doing it to protect herself. It was almost liberating. She pulled open the door and beamed.

 

“Hi, I'm ready, just let me grab my shoes,” She said. She turned back inside and reached for them behind the door.

 

“Kagome.” The woman froze at the dead-pan tone, and stood up. She saw the somber expression on Inuyasha's face and tensed.

 

“What is it?” She asked. “Did you hear something about Sango?”

 

“I…I can't see you anymore,” He explained. Kagome blinked a few times as his words sank in.

 

“You mean…date me?” She replied. Inuyasha nodded. “Why?”

 

“There…don't take this the wrong way, but…there's someone else,” He said. Kagome gasped. “I'm sorry, really, but…I think I love her, honestly. I like you Kagome, really I do, but I like her more.” Kagome stepped back and glared at him. “Kagome, please I-.” Inuyasha was cut off by the slam of the door in his face and the bolt sliding into place. Kagome, her eyes watery and partially horrified at what she almost did, ripped her clothes off on the way to the bathroom.

 

She lay down inside the tub and turned both faucets on full-blast. The water filled the tub at a lukewarm temperature, and Kagome let it go until she heard the splash of water on the cracked tile. Only her nose protruded above the surface as she grabbed the soap and furiously scrubbed at her face until the skin itched, the blush and lipstick washing into the water. She hauled herself up and grabbed the makeup case from her bed. Kagome snapped off the plastic cover and dumped the rest into the water, pulling the plug and watching the contents circle the drain pipe.

 

“This is what I get for being me,” She growled. She grabbed a towel and dried off as she went back to her room and lay back on her bed, tears sliding down her cheeks. She rolled over on her back and ripped off her leather restraints, letting her wings spread and wrap around herself in a protective cocoon.

 

- - - - - - - - - -

 

“I wasn't aware the Head of the Council was hospitalized,” Sesshomaru muttered. Behind him, Kagura nodded as the House member looked down at the sleeping Midoriko.

 

“From what I understand she was only attacked recently. By a youkai,” She explained. Sesshomaru made a noise of acknowledgement and dismissal. After more than a decade of serving him, Kagura wasn't entirely sure how she had picked up on how one grunt could say so much, but she had done it somehow. She left the room and slowly walked down the hospital hall.

 

“You can't do this!” Kagura stopped and took a step back, looking into another room. A woman stood arguing with a nurse in front of a hospital bed. A young woman lay in the bed with an oxygen mask and in IV.

 

“I'm sorry, but your last check bounced and we have other patients who desperately need the room. I'm sorry, we'll have to release her by Sunday,” The nurse explained.

 

“I'll get the money, really, just give me some time.”

 

“Ms. Sogen, if it were up to me you could stay here as long as it took but it isn't. We'll continue to provide full care for your daughter until Sunday, but by midnight that night you'll have to leave.”

 

“But where am I supposed to take her?” Ms. Sogen protested.

 

“I honestly don't know,” The nurse said. He turned and left the room, and the woman collapsed on the bed, stroking the hair of the girl there.

 

“My beautiful Rin, don't leave me,” She whispered, sniffing back tears. She stood and slowly trudged out of the room, passing Kagura without a word. Kagura slipped inside the room and looked down at Rin before picking up the clipboard hanging from the foot of the bed.

 

“Two months in a coma?” She whispered. She looked up at Rin and shrugged. “Sorry kid, if you haven't woken up now, you ain't gonna by Sunday.” Kagura turned and left the room, closing the door behind her. As the latch clicked into place, a pair of brown eyes fluttered and slowly opened.

 

- - - - - - - - - -

 

Night had fallen outside, and a dark, winged form swooped out over the streets. Kagemusha watched from Naraku's window as the man entered.

 

“I spoke to Hunter about Angel,” Kagemusha said. Naraku raised an eyebrow. So, Hakudoshi had decided to follow through with his demands.

 

“And?” Naraku replied.

 

“He refused,” Kagemusha growled. “He has refused to speak to me and says he will not kill her.”

 

“What?” Naraku snapped. “That's absurd! He has to, I don't care if he's one of us or if he isn't or whichever side he's on, I want the Angel dead!”

 

“She shall die Naraku. I have already decided to slay her myself.” Naraku snorted as Kagemusha unbuttoned his suit jacket and lay it on Naraku's desk.

 

“That's funny. Kagemusha, you're a fine diplomat but you can't kill her. Only a trained fighter would be able,” He protested.

 

“Why do you think this?” Kagemusha asked, pulling off his tie and unbuttoning his shirt.

 

“Humans and youkai have been trying for a month to kill her, you don't have a chance. She has abilities that you simply aren't prepared to deal with,” Naraku explained.

 

“Ah, like the gift of flight,” Kagemusha chuckled. “I assure you Naraku, to me, it is a moot point.” Kagemusha dropped his shirt behind him, and Naraku's eyes widened slightly. A pair of dark red wings unfurled from Kagemusha's back, and the ryu-youkai let out a sigh of relief. “It feels good to stretch them again,” Kagemusha mused. He held a hand up to Naraku's window, and fired a blast of heat. The window exploded in a shower of glass, and Naraku raised an arm to shield himself as his chair and various papers were blown out the window. Kagemusha walked to the edge and raised his arms, flame erupting from his palms and racing up to his shoulders.

 

“The Angel will bleed tonight,” He whispered.

 

- - - - - - - - - -

 

Kagome flapped furiously and soared higher. Inuyasha's words kept playing in her mind. The idea terrified her. She had been about to tell him her secret. What if she had, and he had decided to tell her the news after their date? She didn't want to think about what that could mean.

 

Kagome saw a flash of red out of the corner of her eye and gasped, swooping down as a jet of flame shot past her, the heat near signing her. She looked back at where the flame had come from to see Kagemusha fly towards her. Kagome growled.

 

“Oh, you picked the wrong night to fuck with me,” She hissed. She flapped furiously and zoomed towards a radio tower. Kagemusha fired his flame and narrowly missed, striking the tower. The metal groaned and began to tip. Kagome grabbed the narrow antennae as the tower collapsed and pulled it off. She spun in the air and threw the makeshift weapon towards Kagemusha. Kagemusha gasped as the weapon skewered his wing. He teetered in the air for a moment as Kagome tackled him. Kagemusha cried out as she twisted until she was on his back, her legs wrapped his waist as she pummeled his back. Kagemusha reached back and tore his claws down her thighs, and Kagome let out a scream, falling back into the air. Kagemusha hit a roof and rolled slightly. Kagome crashed behind an air-conditioner unit behind him, clutching her bloody leg and trying to climb to her feet.

 

“I'm not finished with you,” Kagemusha growled, standing and charging towards her, arms aflame. Kagome dropped to her back as he dove, and the skylight beneath shattered. Demon and Angel fell, and Kagome realized they had landed in the Haven Historical Archives. Kagome grabbed a scaffold and held herself up as Kagemusha slammed into the floor, glass shards raining down around him. Kagome grabbed a pole of the scaffold and pulled it lose. She dropped down and slammed the pole into Kagemusha's palm, spinning and slamming it into his head. The two continued to spar for a moment, Kagome finally landing an uppercut and sending Kagemusha flying to the ground.

 

Suddenly, there was a loud crash, and the two looked up. The scaffold creaked again, the metal attachments in the column nearby groaning. The column cracked, and Kagome's eyes widened. With a loud smash, the stone ripped itself apart and the scaffold fell. Stone, debris and metal rained down to the museum floor, and Kagome flapped furiously, flying past the scaffold and into the sky.

 

“NO!” Kagmusha raised his hands and launched two jets of fire, the attacks merging together to form a flaming dragon head. Kagome looked back and screamed into the night as the flame caught her, the jaws of the dragon closing around her. The smell of burnt and burning flesh quickly met her nose, and she flapped to dispel the flame and get away.. Inside the museum, Kagemusha wrapped his own wings around himself and covered his head as the debris crumbled around him. The balcony, free of the support column, also collapsed down.

 

Kagome awkwardly flew through the air, fighting to get to Sango's apartment. But, the fire and slashes took their toll, and Kagome swooned. Her eyes closed as she plummeted down, turning in midair to land upside down on her back on the window of a black limousine. The vehicle screeched to a stop, and Kagome flipped back and lay limp on the street, her head hitting heavily. She heard a car door opening and quick footsteps, then a woman standing over her.

 

The last thought she had as she fainted was the absurd idea the woman looked an awful lot like her…

 

- - - - - - - - - -

 

Metal superheated and melted. And with a groan, Kagemusha pulled himself out of the wreckage. Blood leaked from his back and mouth, and his foot dragged behind him as he struggled to the doors. He grabbed a pole and grimaced as he pulled it free, the metal emerging from his shoulder with a sickening sound. Kagemusha put a hand over the wound and kept walking, the metal clanging to the pavement behind him. He reached the stairs and stepped down. His leg wobbled, and with a groan, he tumbled down the stairs onto his back. He looked up at the night sky as a form appeared over him.

 

“I told you,” Kagemusha coughed up at the golden eyes. “She's too dangerous to be left alive.”

 

“What happened to you?” Hunter asked, kneeling.

 

“I questioned her…she attacked me,” Kagemusha explained, turning his head and spitting a clot of blood. “Please…you betrayed me, but do not betray the House. Do not betray your father's wishes.” Hunter narrowed his eyes and stood.

 

“My father was the one who desired her death? Not you?” Hunter whispered. Kagemusha nodded. Even if he could die, at least he could ensure her death in the process.

 

“The Inu-no-Taisho himself ordered her execution,” He said. “Please, I beg you. Your father wants her blood, as do I now. Avenge me, and save the house.” Kagemusha closed his eyes, and Hunter followed suited as he felt the ryu-youkai's youki dwindle and fade away. The scent of death clouded Hunter's senses as he turned.

 

“By the word of my father…on the life of the Taisho family,” He growled. “I will see the Angel dead.”