InuYasha Fan Fiction ❯ I hide myself behind the moon ❯ Afterparty ( Chapter 12 )

It's so simple,

easy to betray,

Do everything you want,

After giving stars away.

(Zveri)

***

Sesshomaru slowly, disbelieveingly turned his head towards the girl, who was staring at him. In her pale face her dark eyes looked enormous, like wells of black ink. She was standing before him now, scarlet satin became the color of wine in the darkness. And with an almost painful clarity, Sesshomaru remembered the skinny, wild-haired girl who had followed him everywhere he went, the kind smile on her face and the clear voice, singing a simple song. How long ago was that? Ten years before this night… or only yesterday?

Rin's voice sharp in his ear, snapping him back to the present

- Why did you let me run away?

Why? He felt the ache of this word, the ache of so many words unspoken, the ache of one more word - four letters, no sense until it is said. The ache he hated. And she was the cause of it. He thought that if she wouldn't be near him anymore, this ache would disappear… But it didn't. It only became stronger.

What to do now he didn't know.

Treat her as usual like a pet for his amusement and nothing more than that? What was it more then a useless attempt to cut this strange ache out of him. But he couldn't - and he didn't know why he couldn't. He was angry and that made him want to hurt her, break her in pieces.

But no matter what he did, he couldn't burn it away. That was the reason he had to return her.

Now she probably hated him for that, he though. Hated so much. And maybe it was this hate that gave Rin the strength to ask the only right question. But he wasn't going to answer.

Sesshomaru's eyes were narrowed as he looked at Rin, his mouth a thin hard line.

- Go to your room, - he said coldly.

She looked startled for a moment. He heard her inhale softly and sharply, but didn't look at her. Rin turned around and walked out of the dark hall and managed not to turn around and look back at him before she left the

room.

***

- That was great, - said Kagome, and stifled a yawn. Inuyasha put his arms around her and pulled her back against his shoulder.

- You girls tired? - he asked.

- Aha, - in unison answered Kagome and Sango and then in unison yawned.

It was just after midnight, and the four of them sat in the downstairs drawing room. The party was still going on in the ballroom, but the girls didn't feel like they had the strenght to join it.

Kagome and Inuyasha, Miroku and Sango grouped around the dying fire, smiling to each other weakly but pleased.

- Now that was a hell of a party, - said Kagome. - I didn't know you demons lead such a happy life.

- Actually it's called recreation with cultural opportunities, - pointed out Inuyasha. - The word "happy" isn't from our terminology.

Everyone laughed.

- I guess that means that there is "recreation with non cultural opportunities ", huh? - asked Sango.

- Naw, it's just called "one more Bloody Mary and then let's go kick somebody's ass", - Miroku smirked.

Kagome and Sango pealed with laughter and then the warm silence filled the room. Sango was sitting beside Miroku on the long sofa, the firelight bringing out the laughter in his dark eyes and sparkling on the beading of her dress. Inuyasha sat on the carpet by the fire. Kagome was sitting at his feet, her hand on his shoulder as she giggled.

- I'm so sleepy, - yawned Sango. - Hey, if somebody's gonna try to wake me up next morning, don't blame me if it hurts.

- Was that a threat? - asked Miroku.

She smiled.

- No, just a friendly warning.

- C'mon, Miroku, it's already midnight, so take the girls to their rooms, - said Inuyahsa.

Kagom looked at him.

- Hey, and where are you going?

- I'll go see how the guests are doing… After all, it's like my honorable duty.. Ye, and I've got to remind them to wash the dishes before they leave, - said Inuyahsa with a smirk. He kissed Kagome very gently on the cheek, brushing back a stray tendril of her hair as he did so, and then went out of the room.

***

The long stone room with narrow ancient windows never seemed warm, not even in when there was a fire blazing in the ornate marble fireplace, as there was now. The low-hanging greenish lamps cast a sickly sort of pallor over everything.

- So her name is Kagome…

- Yes, Naraku. I have found out everything about her, as you wished.

- Good. But it is not enough… - there was a long pause after which a soft voice continued. - The Shikon no Tama… how long I have been searching for it, how hard it is to believe that I have finally found it… I have looked everywhere: under the ground and over the mountains, but never could I even suppose that it was inside of a human girl… Kagome.

- I am sure that she is the one, Naraku. There is no doubt about that.

- Indeed - the voice was dry. - We will see about that.

- What are going to do now?

- I think that the more appropriate question, Kikyo, would be, is there a way to get the Shikon no Tama. And the answer to that question is fairly obvious - there is. And I need your help for that…

- My help? Now why would you need my help? I have delivered the good news and consider my job to be done. Let Roeni handle the rest for you as usual.

When he spoke, his voice was gentle, deliberate.

- Do you remember the day you were all alone, the day you were dying? You wished for power and life on that day and who gave it to you? I knew what you'd become. And look at you now… Are you not satisfied with that reason?

- I am, - was the answer, cool and certain. - Tell me, what should I do.

***

AN: sorry for the delay and for the length of this chap. I'm so tired mmm… so tired.