InuYasha Fan Fiction ❯ Desires ❯ Chapter Twenty: The Dream Fades ( Chapter 20 )

[ X - Adult: No readers under 18. Contains Graphic Adult Themes/Extreme violence. ]

Kagome still wasn't speaking to him that much. Six had passed since his blurted announcement, and she still wasn't speaking to him. Sango looked at him with anger over the upset he'd caused her friend. Mirkou looked at him out of pity, and tried extra hard to bring him into the circle. Shippo refused to even acknowledge him. Even if he had the chance to correct himself, he'd still do it the same way. It was better this way. They all could concentrate on the upcoming battle. He was still miffed over Kagome's inviting Kouga and his men to join them on the hunt for Naraku, even though he knew it was for the best.


They'd run into the four shortly after they began traveling the second day. Kouga spoke haltingly of the event with Lokelani, focusing more on what the hanyou female did afterwards. She not only returned their lives, but she healed their wounds, taking her pains as her own. That didn't help much either. The more he spoke, the quieter Kagome came. Inuyasha and Sango noticed this, while Miroku and Shippo were entranced by Kouga's tales. Finally though, Kagome had enough of the stories.


"Will you stop it Kouga?! That wasn't my cousin. It's not her fault she's being controlled by Naraku, her actions afterwards showed that. I'm tired of listening to you tarnish her name! I'd rather hear you trade insults with Inuyasha!"


With that, the girl stalked off ahead of the group, leaving everyone more than confused. It wasn't like Kagome to succumb to sudden outbursts, even if her family was involved. What shocked the group even more, was that she'd said she would rather hear Kouga and Inuyasha fighting. She normally hated it when the two fought. Sango sent glances to the quieted group, before jogging up to Kagome's side. The other girl stared at her feet as she walked rapidly, not even acknowledging that Sango was there.


"Kagome...What's wrong?"


"It's wrong...It's just wrong..."


"What is?"


"Blameing Lokelani for Naraku's doings. It's like blaming Kohaku for the things that Naraku makes him do!"


"But...Kagome..."


"Don't Sango....Just don't."


"Kagome..."


"I don't want your pity, Sango. I know Lokelani's not behind this, and that's all that matters."


That'd be the last thing Kagome had said for the rest of the day. As the sun set, the group stopped to make camp. Kagome still helped set up, not a word spoken to anyone as she boiled water for ramen. Even Kouga and Inuyasha's fight over the last bag of potato chips failed to stir a response for the girl. She just stared into the fire, like she was completely entranced by the dancing flames. Shippo, Sango and Kirara were the first to bed down. Miroku and the rest soon followed. Kouga and Inuyasha stared at eachother over the fire, while Kagome rolled around in her sleeping bag not far from the two...


She was flying...Effortlessly, Naraku had flung the hanyou female across the room. Lokelani's naked body hit the stone wall with a sickening sound, before sliding down. Her limbs jerked as paralysis set in from Naraku's previous wards. She refused to whimper. It took every ounce of willpower for the hanyou female to lift herself to her hands and knees, raven and silver tresses hanging over her face. It hid the blood that ran down her face and body in rivulets. He'd found out about her sending Kagome, Inuyasha and Sesshomaru the dreams...He'd found out she'd healed the wolf tribe. All because of that Kanna girl.


Naraku was livid. At first, the beating he'd given her was too much, then at the scent of her blood...The whipping followed, the lash biting into Lokelani's flesh with a gruesome hunger. Strips of skin were torn away, leaving raw red meat showing. When Naraku had finished, Lokelani had barely been able to stand. Blood pooled at her feet and spread out over the stone floor like a red lake, and in it's center the innocent. That still was not enough to Naraku. She'd been starved as well, Lokelani's curvy form wasting away slowly but surely due to the lack of food, and the constant beatings she'd recieved over the six days since she'd healed the wolves.


She would not back down. If it meant her life, she would not go through with Naraku's plans...and she'd suffered even more. Lokelani had been tied down to the bed, and stripped of the tattered remains of Kagura's kimono. Naraku smirked evily as he walked to the door, opening it to reveal the tall, muscled form of a male.


"Just remember...don't kill her."


The screams started once the door closed...and have yet to stop.


Kagome woke up screaming. Inuyasha and Kouga were crouched over her, staring with varying degrees of bewilderment and impatience. She was aware that she was crying, tears trailing from her eyes as fast as they pooled. Haltingly, she told them of what she saw, wrapping her arms around her knees and rocking herself slowly. Concerned glances shifted through the group, until at once they turned to Inuyasha.


"You two can travel faster without us." Miroku commented quietly.


"Right now, we must do what is best for Lokelani." Sango agreed.


Kagome looked up with a slight nod, before turning her brown eyes upon Inuyasha. He snorted before grabbing the girl up into his arms. Kouga tried to take her from him, earning a snarl from the enraged hanyou.


"Keep your hands off my mate!"


"You're what?! How dare you touch my Kagome!"


"She's not your Kagome!"


"Hey! Let's worry about my cousin, rather than your petty squabbles!" Kagome cried.


When tears filled Kagome's eyes, the two men thought better of saying something to her. Instead, Inuyasha turned and headed off into the distance. Kouga followed, silently contemplating what the mutt had said. The three ran in silence, each trapped in thier own thoughts as the landscape and night flew by. A mere hour before dawn, they came up to the remains of Naraku's castle. It'd been burned and crumbled to the ground. Inuyasha had to hold back a screaming Kagome, as she struggled to get to her cousin.


"She's in there!!! I know she is!!!" screamed the sobbing girl.


"Just wait Kagome! Stay here..Me and wolf-boy will find her."


The moment Inuyasha let her go, she was off running for the wreckage. Kouga ran to catch up, grabbing her by the arm. Wincing as her foot connected with his shin, the wolf turned and tossed her to Inuyasha, who caught her easily. He'd start towards the wreckage with Kagome in his arms, only to be stopped when she screamed the word at the top of her lungs. She then ran off into the wreckage, quickly disappearing into the smoky mists.


Moments later, her terrified scream pierced the air. It was followed by several more. Kouga and Inuyasha raced towards the sound of her screams, to the very center of the castle. Kagome had a body in white clasped to her chest, rocking back and forth as she screamed. As the two came forward, they saw it was indeed Lokelani. Her face was bruised almost beyond recognition, blood still streaking from the cuts. Her slender body'd been placed in a kimono that'd at one time been snow white. It still was in some places. In others it was crimson from the blood the hanyou girl'd lost. Where the familiar rise and fall of her chest should have been, there was only stillness. The scent of her death filled the area, drawing the scavengers from thier hiding places.


The two men gave Kagome a moment of privacy with the body of her cousin, before Inuyasha went to pull her away. Kagome sobbed into his neck the entire walk back towards the campsite. Kouga, who had stayed behind, came into the campsite a few hours later, with the body of Lokelani wrapped in a white cloth.


For that night, Kagome was inconsoable....




This is a blanket disclaimer for Desires Lokelani is copyrighted to me! Rumiko Takahashi is the creator of Inuyasha and Co, the rest of the characters are copyrighted to her.