InuYasha Fan Fiction ❯ Forever a Shadow ❯ Power of Blood ( Chapter 30 )

30. Bonds of Blood

 

 

“L….Lord Sesshomaru, we have a problem.” Jaken's wormy voice stuttered over Sesshomaru's cell phone.

 

 

“What is this problem?” Sesshomaru eyed the people walking the hall with suspicion.

 

 

“My Lord, Kohaku was found dead across the street from Master Inuyasha's building. It appears the wolves hired him for a hit, his blackberry showed a considerable sum of money from the wolf clans foundation.”

 

 

----------***----------

 

Sesshomaru rode the elevator back up to Kikyo's floor; he called the only person in his life who ever kept him grounded, and how he needed that support right now. He was near desperation, something as foreign to him as restraint was to Inuyasha, this was a feeling of weakness he loathed, and something the great youkai intended never to suffer again.

 

 

“Hello my love. How is our little Kari?” Sesshomaru's tone was deeply distressed, even though he tried in his particular manner to keep his tone as customary as possible, as Rin's husband for so many millennia he knew Rin would know within a split second the trouble brewing deep within his heart.

 

 

“What is it Shessy? What happened?” Rin's gentle tone brought peace to his stormy mood for a brief moment, before thoughts of his irresponsible brother returned bringing a fire to his heart.

 

 

“Nothing for you to trouble your tender heart over my love.” Sesshomaru stepped onto their family's floor, his head hanging low, his snowy bangs whispering into his eyes as he leaned into the wall, his left hand balled into a fist giving him support. “Rin just know I forever love you, and whatever happens never forget you have been more than just my lover and friend for over 500 years, even when I could never admit it as you were a child growing into womanhood, I have always loved you. Just know I will always place you first in my heart.”

 

 

“Sesshomaru you are beginning to scare me….what is wrong?” In the background he could hear Kari in the asking fervently to talk to uncle Shessy, to Rin's repeated shushing. “Honey?”

 

 

“Kohaku has lost his life, and Inuyasha is back with his mistress in town, he swears he is being faithful, swearing the relationship is terminated, all he wants is to protect the child, yet at the same time wanting to keep Kikyo hidden from the fact of Ms. Higurashi's whereabouts, but--.” Sesshomaru pushed off the wall then slamming his fist into the putrid, supposed, calming effect of the yellow wall.

 

 

“Oh my God, does Sango know?” Rin's fearful timbre for her friend Sango could not help but come through. “Oh Miroku, what more can the family take my love?”

 

 

“I…I really do not know. Kohaku was playing me, how could I have been so wrong in believing him, using me to help the despicable wolves, no doubt they offered a considerable price, their new alpha is a psychopath clearly calling down the destruction of his clan all at the expense of a human woman.” Sesshomaru ran his left hand through his hair with a deep sigh escaping him, bits of sheetrock dust crumbling to the polished floor. “I have to hold this family together, and it will mean blood. I refuse to put you and Kari in danger any more than you already are. You must take Kari out of town, go up to Breckenridge and stay till I contact you. I have alerted Kentaro, my trust in him is absolute, and he stood by my sires' side for his entire life. He and his associates, they must be able to take ample care of you, until it is safe for you to come home.” Raising his head he noticed Ayame come from Kikyo's room, the guards smiling sweetly at the diminutive redhead. “Wolf.”

 

 

“What?” Rin's voice betrayed the strength she was trying to force; now Sesshomaru could hear the fear coming through.

 

 

Sesshomaru growled out in a low voice hanging up the phone abruptly yet unaware he did such a thing, returning the device to his pocket the InuTaisho stalked purposefully toward the nurse who in his clans oldest DNA instinct was no care giver but a wolf, therefore enemy. Forget 21st century pleasantries, Sesshomaru felt his blood energized, burning as it had been some thousand years ago, and it felt…good.

 

 

Ayame unaware of Sesshomaru's frame of mind simply smiled as she walked toward the youkai, with the intimidating, dark look in his eyes. “Mr. Chinkara, can I help you with something?”

 

 

Sesshomaru roughly grabbed Ayame's slender wrist in a viselike grip dragging her off her feet as he whisked her into the private hospital room Sesshomaru was using as his office. The wolf was stunned into silence as Sesshomaru roughly tossed Ayame to the hospital bed straddling her both hands pinned in Sesshomaru right one holding them tightly over her head as his left hand held her by the throat, keeping her face directed at him. Panic and tears filled the terrified women's eyes in an instant, her mind working furiously trying to figure out what she had done to enrage one of the most powerful youkai on the planet.

 

 

“What is the meaning of this?” Ayame tried to sound fierce, but her voice gave away her panic, coming out as a whisper, with tears streaming down her face. “What did I do sir? I promise I have done nothing but give your family the best of care possible, I love Kikyo and the twins. What did I do sir? Please tell me so I may right my wrong.”

 

 

Ayame rambled on Sesshomaru growled his face leaning into her, their noses mere half inch away from touching, the youkai's golden eyes began to shift into the elliptical pupils with a scarlet tint. The tremors or fear radiated through Ayame's small frame, Sesshomaru nearly smirked at the reaction, yet held his stone faced composure, as he felt the wave of fear wash through her body.

 

 

 

“Kouga, you know him, this has all been a plot of his, you are a part of it are you not woman? Answer me truthfully or I will snap your neck like a dry twig.” Sesshomaru's hard glare froze Ayame's heart. “You know Onigumo Naraku as well I would surmise.”

 

 

“I knew Kouga as a child, we were all raised with the clan as children which is customary, but I promise you, I turned my back on the clan after Kouga's father killed my Grandfather to take control of the pack. Grandfather was trying to take the clan to a more peaceful life with the humans; Kouga's father had other ideas, as did his demented son, even as a child Kouga was fanatical. I swear to you I have had no contact with Kouga or the others in well over seventy five years.” Although petrified Sesshomaru could hear the truth in her voice, and it angered him further, he would get no help from her in this current predicament.

 

 

“Naraku?” Sesshomaru shifted himself off of the quivering wolf. “He was the creature who tried to take Kikyo's life, somehow I feel he is a part of all this with the wolf tribe, Kouga does not have the brains to push through his vanity to plan such a coup de' tat, yet I can not however surmise the link.” Sesshomaru sat beside Ayame, his anger coming under control, as the woman tried to steady herself to sitting, her hands tingling from lack of circulation.

 

 

“Onigumo? When Kikyo told me about him there was something familiar in the name, if memory serves me, Kouga's crazy mother had a brother, no one ever saw him, as pups we thought he was a figment of a schizophrenic mind, I think she did call out for Oni… something, it could have been Onigumo, but we were just kids playing around the mansion, I mean his mother was a basket case, we used to tease Kouga about his nutty mother, but we were just kids. Kouga's father was constantly kept on his toes with that lunatic woman. Onigumo, but… I can not be completely certain.” Ayame dropped her head in shame. “I can not believe my people have been coerced to such action against the Inu clan, I am sorry.”

 

 

“You should have spoken up, you knew—“ Sesshomaru's timber took on a hint of contained anger. “Sorry has nothing to do with it, your clan is trying to not only drag our name through the mud, but kill my family, I refuse to permit such actions.”

 

 

------------***----------

 

 

Kouga entered the private garage; his walk was nonchalant as he strode past Inuyasha's red sports car, running his razor sharp claws through the spotless shining pant, down to the metal gouging from quarter panel to fender in one seamless swipe. The eerie screech of claws to metal echoed loudly through the practically empty parking garage echoing throughout the empty concrete corners, however it did its purpose rousing Matthew to attention who came flying threw the security doors to find the cause of the ruckus. Unfortunately catching an eyeful of Kouga as he knelt removing his claws from the left front tire, the hiss of air angering Inuyasha's trusted valet, as the tire instantly flattened.

 

 

“Hey ass hole get the fuck away from that car this is private property!” Matthew pulled out his cell phone dialing 9-1-. Before the final digit could be dialed Kouga was upon the human.

 

 

Matthew's head bounced off the pavement sending a dizzying shock and instant pain through his now bleary eyes, the gleam of blood red paint and metal flecks sparkled as Kouga held his claws over the now dazed and quaking in fear human realizing in a bit too late that he was in mortal danger; a blink of the eye before Kouga plunged his clawed hand into the young man pulverizing the left side of his ribcage. Matthew let out a scream mixed with frothy blood pouring from his open mouth, then he fell silent and wide eyed as his brain briefly processed what the youkai was holding before his eyes; Matthew watched in horror as his own heart beat for the last time, his neck arching back looking at the security doors he saw his own blood running trails down the security glass and Connor standing on the other side gun drawn, and ghostly white. His body jerked in a violent death spasm as Kouga stood tossing the now still organ at the man on the other side of the glass the heart exploding into fragments, Connors' screaming could easily be heard by Kouga's youkai ears and he smiled.

 

 

Kouga boldly walked up to the electronically controlled sliding glass security doors, slapping his right hand drenched in Matthews's blood on the door directly in front of Connor he laughed aloud. “Little pig, little pig let me in.” Kouga's brows arched and he grinned manically directly at a trembling Connor.

 

 

Regaining some control over his body Connor side stepped to the wall closest to him, hitting the internal alarm, a metal bared door dropped seven inches from the glass doors on his side, his face paling, as his knees began to weaken. “Master Inuyasha I'm sorry.”

 

 

 

----------***----------

 

 

 

 

----------***----------

 

 

 

 

 

On the sidewalk walking toward Sisters of Mercy a devious shadow approached his quarry smooth gate, by soundless steps. Afternoon was disappearing quickly into evening, the people whom rushed around his easy pace took no notice, and no one would even remember him for that matter. The traffic on the street was a noisy nuisance, yet the smile on his lips refused to fade.

 

 

Soon, so very soon he would have his Kikyo, if only to kiss those lips which once screamed his name in terror. Isn't stalking such a terrible word? That is what a now dead human once tagged him as a stalker; leave it to human courts to tell him he could not possess her? Kikyo was his from the first time he beheld her tender touch, indeed when she denied his advances of course his pride was hurt, however all he could think was the reaction was simply his charred appearance. To free himself from the matter he simply vanished, the world wished him gone so he obliged, yet the yearning in his heart never faded for his beloved Kikyo, to possess such a soul like that of a once proud miko, if only she knew her lineage. Finally the moment was rushing to him, now he would not be denied her lips, her body would finally be his, that peaceful congenial mind would be his to torment, to break, until he had his fill of her, need it take a single day or years, one thing Onigumo Naraku did have was the endless sands of time.

 

 

However her child with the insufferable hanyou had to be first, there would be no way to track down the second of the twins, so he would torment and slowly bleed out the life of those Kikyo found so close to her heart and that included the great dog himself. Not ten minutes earlier he watched his nephew perform an unscheduled heart removal in the garage of Kouga's nemesis the cocky younger half-breed son of the late Taiyoukai. He could not help but smile, things were not as strategically planned as he liked, and his impulsive nephew threw him into action quicker than expected, by his age he had learned some manner of unwearied self-control, yet still holding onto the quick temper of the most fearsome viper biding his time while watching his prey.

 

 

 

----------***----------

 

 

 

“For once in your life little brother just shut up and listen to me it is the difference between life and everyone you love's death. Inuyasha you must get out of your building. You must understand—“

 

 

“Sesshomaru-“ Inuyasha stopped his brother in mid sentence. “Just what the hell are you going on about?”

 

 

“Call your men downstairs. The wolf is making his move; he is stalking in your territory. He killed my man Kohaku, it seems the boy was moonlighting for the wolf clan, and he found the location of Ms. Higurashi.” Sesshomaru's voice was firm, yet tempered with urgency. “Get them all out now.”

 

 

As Sesshomaru was speaking Inuyasha hurriedly stepped to the small speaker on the wall calling down to the security office, the line was full of static as if someone ripped the unit from the wall, the electronic hiss hurt his ears and drew the attention of the two on the couch, Kagome's elation about a son faded from her features as she met the fearful, widened eyes of the hanyou she loved. Kagome stood to her feet with tension, and unexpected urgency creeping through the air like a wraith, which was mounting with anxiety added by the eerie hiss coming through the speaker. Inuyasha quickly turned it off, what was he to do? If the wolf was there and no response from his men meant his million-dollar security system was fine against humans, but didn't do a damn thing to withstand a youkai attack; shit, once again Sesshomaru was right. He could hear his brothers “I told you so.” In the back of his mind. How was he going to protect them all, and how the hell was he going to get three people to the roof and away from the building.

 

 

Inuyasha pushed in the three-unit code to the suite downstairs, it buzzed three times then the voice of Shippo came over the line. “What may I do for you your majesty?” The sarcasm was thick in his drowsy voice.

 

 

“Listen kit if you want to live, get into the elevator now, the wolf ass hole is coming, and even though the elevators are locked down except for these two floors, he will still be here in a matter of minutes. Damn fire codes.” Inuyasha mumbled to himself. Inuyasha's eyes were locked on Kagome's the woman paled; her nervous habit of nibbling on her bottom lip was present as she hugged herself in her baby blue sweater, one hand reflexively going to her abdomen.

 

 

“Inuyasha, what is going on? Is it true?” Kagome spoke with terror marked in her voice. “He's here isn't he?”

 

 

For the moment Inuyasha turned his back on her, putting the cell phone back to his ear. “Alright Sesshomaru what am I supposed to do?” Inuyasha went to his closet smoothly swinging on his black trench with the Tetsusaiga hidden within it, the cell phone still pressed to his ear. “You two come on.” The doctor sat dumbfounded. “That was not a request doc get to your fucking feet if you want to live.”

 

 

The physician got to his feet trying to put his equipment away, but his fingers fumbled in his fear.

 

 

“You must make it to the roof, if you can get north about five blocks I can have a car waiting.” Sesshomaru stood as a sentinel in front of Suki's room. “My people will get you to the hospital.”

 

 

“No offence but I don't trust your people as far as I can throw them right now, we'll get there on our own.” Inuyasha reopened the coat closet and threw a long woolen sweater, even if the weather was turning warmer traveling through the night air would give her a chill, Kagome put it on well knowing who it belonged to, she persuaded the doctor to leave his equipment, and she literally was dragging the stunned doctor toward the now open elevator doors, Shippo stood wide eyed and deeply confused.

 

 

Even her simple human hearing could detect the thick steel fire doors slamming somewhere below her.

 

 

“That would be dangerous—“ Sesshomaru stopped his sentence as the entire hospital went dark. “hurry up Inuyasha, they are coming.” Sesshomaru ended the call as Ayame rushed from Kikyo's room.

 

 

 

----------***----------

 

 

 

 

 

“What in Gods name is going on? Why aren't the back up generators kicking on?” Ayame was troubled as she pushed past Sesshomaru. “No back up generators means no oxygen being feed to that little girl, I have to bag her.”

 

 

“We have to move her into the room with her mother.” Sesshomaru followed Ayame as she began to hand deliver oxygen into Suki, every few seconds checking on the girls vitals. “Then get your goons in here and help me. What the hell is going on!?”

 

 

“Something ominous, yet more to the point someone is in the hospital with a very hostel aura, and he is coming for my kin.” The look on his face did nothing to give Ayame a sense of calmness. “You, aid this nurse in moving my niece.” The soldier of Sesshomaru jumped into action.

 

 

Sesshomaru felt his anger flare, he was certain Onigumo was dead when he was run through, not many ever lived from his poison, but somehow this bastard had a dark guardian angel protecting him, this was partially his fault and the Inu clan leader hated himself for it as he stepped back into the hall hearing footsteps approaching from the stairs, unfortunately Tokijin was in his room, his anxiety abated as he sniffed out the presence of Miroku and Sango approaching.

 

 

“I am all for exercise Sesshomaru but this is fucking ridiculous!” Miroku and Sango came through the door from the stairs startling the guard standing there. “We became stuck four floors down. Is it who I think it is?” The simple nod from his employer and friend caused Miroku to pull Sango to him. “Stay close to me.”

 

 

“Miroku I'm a big girl.” Sango twisted herself from his embrace and sprinted down the hall toward Kikyo's room, pulling a handgun from the back waistband of her jeans. “I'll be with Kikyo.” Sango stopped at Kikyo's door turning back looking at her husband, a cautiously optimistic smile on her pale face. “I love you, and please be careful Miroku, or I'll kick your butt counselor.”

 

 

 

----------***----------

 

 

 

 

The 90 second elevator ride was the most anxiety fueled feeling Kagome had had since her run from the states only a week ago, her heart was beating furiously in her chest feeling at any moment the muscle would escape and run on its own, as absurd as it sounded, Kagome could not help but giggle at the mental image. Inuyasha gave her a peculiar look as if certain the woman's mind had completely snapped.

 

 

Inuyasha stood before her and gabbed her hefting Kagome onto his back with a surprised yelp, Shippo realizing what Inuyasha was doing, responded in turn the kit knelt before the silent physician. Dr. Nguyen complied, afraid if he opened his mouth he would begin screaming and be unable to stop.

 

 

Inuyasha held firmly onto Kagome's thighs; although the woman was very pregnant she still had the weight of a feather to him. However this feather was trembling and quaking like a rabbit being chased by hounds, Kagome's heartbeat pounded loudly in his ears drowning out his own. The hanyou was worried, yet his face was a picture of calm as he looked to Shippo and the human doctor on Shippo's back had turned ashen and Inuyasha hoped the man would not keel over before he could get him to safety; was there really safety? Where the hell was that anyway, with his brother? Inuyasha doubted that, however he had to get to Kikyo and Suki, the devil himself would not keep him from his family, even if his world was ending, he promised to protect them, and he would, even if he had to crawl to them on bloodied hands and knees through hell, he swore to save from any harm.

 

 

Shippo's head snapped to the left, Inuyasha heard it too as the elevator doors opened to the roof, their pursuer was on the fire stairs they both could hear the heavy steel doors banging open and shut. Inuyasha wanted more of a head start than this, but he wasn't going to get it. The two with youkai blood coursing through their veins ran out to the helipad, their adrenaline flowing through their veins, Shippo's eyes were fixed wildly on the object of his infatuation, the deep worry in the youngsters soul was quite evident, as was the deep dread etched on Kagomes' reflection in his eyes.

 

 

 

“Is it really that bad?” Shippo whispered toward Inuyasha as the panic controlled hanyou ran toward the edge of the building. Twenty-four stories up, Inuyasha paused making sure the kitsune was at his heels, which he was. “I mean what is one psychotic of the wolf clan, I'm sure we could both, together I mean… like take him out.” Shippo tried to sound strong but his fear was imbedded deeply into each word.

 

 

Kagome nervously glanced Shippo's way trying to say “yes” but panic held her voice in a vice, she returned to fretfully gnawing at her bottom lip drawing blood to the surface. Frightened beyond speech Kagome buried her face in the crook of Inuyasha's neck feeling some sense of relief from the musk of his skin.

 

 

“Oh shit no!” Shippo exclaimed as he and the terrorized doctor moved closer to the rooftop ledge.

 

 

“No more time for words boy, you and the doc have to go. Make your way to the Sisters of Mercy and find my brother Sesshomaru, he and his men are held up on the seventh floor. Travel north about ten blocks then cut west. Kagome and I will meet you there, we're taking another route, and it will be easier if we split up. Now go and keep that doctor safe.”

 

 

Shippo breathed in deeply then leapt from the rooftop to another building across the street with the doctors wailing clearly being heard as the thickly clouded sky let loose its rain and wind. Kagome's trembling intensified; Inuyasha wondered if it was her intended death looming behind them or the chilled rain now soaking them both.

 

 

The hanyou stood on the northern ledge Kagome couldn't help but look down and she gasped in disbelief of the height at which they stood, her grip on Inuyasha intensified ten fold. “Oh my God Inuyasha…I…I can't do this.”

 

 

“Listen to me Kagome, just close your eyes and hold on tight. I will not let anything happen to you I swear it.” There was really nothing he could say to keep the woman's fear at bay; he simply prayed to make it to the hospital without incident. “Were going, by the blood of our son you will make it to the hospital.”

 

 

“KAGOME!” The roof's fire door opened and banged shut aided by the wind. Kouga was after them at a sprint, his footfalls on the loose gravel closing the gap between then quickly. With out hesitation Inuyasha vaulted from the roof to the next across the street. “She is mine, KAGOME IS MINE.”

 

 

Kouga screamed after the fleeing couple that was now five buildings away. “Fucking mutt he has to know she's already dead. If he wants a race he'll get one, I'll just let the rain wash away their life blood after I rip their insides out.” Kouga laughed aloud as he launched to the next building in pursuit of his quarry, each predator loved to hunt and he relished the kill unlike any species on the planet. “How I love the pursuit of weak-willed quarry.”

 

 

Inuyasha raced as if the devil himself were at his heels, Kagome was still quaking with fear, and even in the rain her tears were easily sensed. Kouga's ludicrous howls behind them added to Inuyasha's urgency, he could not remember a time in which he had run so swiftly, Kagome's added weight seemed nothing as adrenaline was taking over fueling his muscles. The bright cross lay less than a mile away, his sanctuary was a beacon giving him hope, it was not only Kagome, he must retain the safety of his family, he would be damned to hell if he was not there to protect his wife from the specter of a man Naraku. Inuyasha sharply pivoted to the right bounding across the street to the next structure, as his feet hit the ground he felt a massive hit from the right to the compromised woman on his back, and the stench of wolf and ozone filled his nostrils, the change in weight distribution sent him to his knees skidding across the gravel roof, tiny rocks digging into his skin through his now torn and bloodied jeans.

 

 

“Kagome?” Getting to his feet was more difficult than he thought, blood was flowing down to his shoes, and the slick rooftop aided nothing to help him stand.

 

 

Turning he saw Kagome lying deathly still, a ten-inch exhaust pipe next to her as blood pooled around her head. Kouga was crouched over the still woman the smile on his face was that of pride, he had his target, unconscious, but still breathing, that was good enough, the wolf did not wish her dead so quickly.

 

 

“Get the fuck away from her you mangy piece of shit! She's not yours!” Inuyasha retained his footing drawing Tetsusaiga and throwing off the trench, his amber eyes flashing in the lightning strikes, which seem to be growing in number as did the ferocity of the down poor that was now coming to the earth sideways.

 

 

“Nor is she yours.” Kouga stood facing off with Inuyasha. “You do have a wife, right? Or at least you used to, my dear Uncle will see to her.” The last sentence Kouga spat out under his breath well knowing the half-breed heard. “What do you care about a whore who can't keep her legs shut?” Kouga stalked away from the deathly still Kagome, her halo of blood growing deeper with each passing second.

 

 

With sword drawn Inuyasha moved toward the two, the blade now glinting in the lightning storm. “I am taking her.” With a quick slice through the air the blade transformed in size, successfully halting Kouga in his tracks, but only for a moment.

 

 

“Oooooh Daddy's fabled fang.” Kouga moved closer to the hanyou the cocky look on his face enraging Inuyasha further, the wolf was smart, he had effectively blocked his path to Kagome. “You know what you moronic hanyou Daddy is DEAD! Better ask your dear big brother about that one.” Kouga smiled his full fanged wolfish grin advancing a few steps toward the readied Inuyasha. “But then again who am I to come between brothers.” Kouga cracked his clawed hands in anticipation of the fight to come. “I'm gonna love ripping you to pieces half-breed.”

 

 

“Just keep deluding yourself Kouga.” Inuyasha initiated the first attack, Kouga dodged, loosing a few strands of hair as he spun from the massive arc of the blade. “A little close.” Inuyasha grinned back at the youkai. “I won't miss again.”

 

 

 

 

A/N: Hey everyone I am still here, perhaps a bit out of my mind at this point, my husband has been in the hospital for five months now and loneliness is driving me mad. HA! Anywho, it seems this is the only story I can stay remotely interested with, I guess because I can get out all my frustration. Oh well, I hope you like the chapter, because I immensely enjoyed writing it. Thank you to those who still take the time to read this.

 

Pandora (damn the name seems so fitting now!)