InuYasha Fan Fiction ❯ Kurayami no Naka de Hikari ❯ Alliance ( Chapter 24 )

Kurayami no Naka de Hikari

Notes: 8,100 | 11 pages – So I took EONS to update this... I'm SOOOO sorry... I had valid reasons originally, but then I just fell into the over-worked and unmotivated mindset that I get in to when my Project Managers at work put enough projects on my shoulders to keep THREE developers busy . I'm not gonna bug ya with a huge AN at the beginning, just read the chapter^^ I haven't done anything beyond a spell-check on this. I didn't want to take even more time to read it over before I posted, sorry if the flow isn't good... It was kinda written in chunks. This is the the last chapter I have written as of 6-9-12, you'll have to wait to read more now.

Disclaimer: I don't own Inuyasha or any of the characters thereof. Even though that is the case, please don't steal my plot, concept, or story out of respect for my creative endeavor as I would not do this to anyone out there.

- l - l - l - Change of scene, time, etc.
'Thoughts/dreams' will be in single quotes (IE: ' ')

Chapter 22 – Alliance

Kagura cursed in a low voice, her eyes narrowed in anger. It seemed fitting that Onigumo be the one to kill her, but that's not saying shewanted to die. On the contrary, she wanted nothing better than to slice him in half with her Fujin no Mai, but alas, that wasn't how her encounter with him would end. Even if he didn't hold her heart in the palm of his hand, literally, there was still the fact that without her fan she wasn't able to focus or control the wind well. If she tried, it would be unpredictable and would likely end up destroying more than a city block. She wouldn't mind that kind of destruction if it meant taking him with her, but there was a nagging voice in the back of her head telling her that she shouldn't sacrifice so many innocent lives even if it would benefit the entire city, maybe even the whole country. That nagging voice sounded suspiciously like the mate of Inu no Taisho. Despite being human, the woman had really grown on her over the years. She had an inner strength and fire that Kagura envied and respected. To be able to tame the strongest daiyoukai of all time, she must have a very strong inner fire.

An elbow caught her in the stomach and she lurched forward as a painful grunt escaped and all the air rushed from her lungs. After a moment of regaining her breath, Kagura turned a furious red gaze over at the bald man sitting beside her in the van. How she hated the Shichinintai! These humans seemed to think the could take on youkai on equal grounds and it seriously irked her. She wasn't really in any position to fight back at this point, though. She was weakened by Kanna's little trick and was without a weapon so she resigned herself to the harsh treatment. It's not as if Onigumo had ever been gentle to her.

Kanna was seated on her knees on the floor of the van in front of Kagura, her face devoid of emotion as always. The mirror was still being held in her hands, strong youkai was leaking from it in pulses and Kagura couldn't help the smirk that touched her lips. If anyone could break away from Kanna's little trick, it was those two.

"Jakotsu, can't you drive faster?" Renkotsu asked from the back of the van as he glared down at Kagura, his bald head shiny in the dim interior. "I want to drop this bitch off, I'm not a baby sitter."

"Chill, brother." Bankotsu said from the front, passenger seat. He was leaning back with his feet crossed on the dashboard, his Banryu was positioned in the back of the van wedged up against the door since it was too large for the front seat. "Let's just go get this paycheck and get ready for the next one. This Onigumo has cash to burn."

Kagura tuned their worthless conversation out as she looked out the back window of the van at the sky longingly. She could see a crow take flight off of a telephone wire and envy burned hot in her veins as she bit down on her lip painfully hard. It had been so long since she'd tasted the freedom that damn bird had never been denied. Not since the day she had met Onigumi all those years ago when she ran away from home. Her father had been a bit of a drunkard and decided he liked to beat her up and take advantage of her when she was too hurt to move. He had controlled her every move and that had just been transferred to Onigumi when he picked her up off of a street corner at the age of thirteen and made her into his own personal sex slave. She had buried these painful memories so deep down that they hadn't surfaced since she'd had her heart cut from her chest. She felt her mortality more than ever right now as her impending doom loomed closer and closer to her as they traveled to wherever Onigumi had stationed himself.

Before Kagura knew it, the van was slowing down and they were pulling into an underground parking garage. Her heart beat quickened as panic began to set in as sweat beaded on her brow. They pulled into a spot a few levels down that was back in a dimly lit portion of the garage before they all began jumping out. A second van pulled into the spot next to them as Kagura was pulled roughly from the van and shoved roughly to the ground. She growled in the back of her throat at the rough treatment and pulled at the binds that were securing her wrists behind her back.

"If you shove me again, human. I'll slice your dick off." Kagura said darkly as she glared at the bald man that had forced her to the ground. Her red-eyed glare was burning into his blank face as he stood up behind her. He reached down and yanked her to her feet harshly by the hair. She grit her teeth and bit back the cry of pain that threatened to spill from her crimson lips. She wasn't about to give him the satisfaction of knowing that his action had hurt like hell.

"Move it you traitorous bitch." Renkotsu said calmly as he shoved her forward behind Bankotsu and Jakotsu's retreating backs.

Kagura begrudgingly followed behind them and headed toward the elevator. Kanna walked several steps in front of her, mirror pulsing dimly and growing weaker with each passing pulse. Kagura remained silent as she followed them into the elevator while she contemplated many things in her mind. The most annoying contemplation had the voice of Inu no Taisho's mate, soft and forgiving and it caused an annoying sensation deep inside of her chest where her heart would be had she possessed one. It was telling her that she needed to at least 'attempt' to set things right before she died. She assumed it wad the power of the human woman's forgiving nature that made the guilt nag at Kagura and grow exponentially in the pit of her stomach as her doom loomed closer and closer to her as they rose through the floors.

Her outlook grew more and more grim the higher the elevator rose. After a period of time that was much too short, the elevator stopped and the doors slid open silently with a ding. Her eyes scanned the room before her, struggling a bit in the dim light. The elevator let out into a living room that was dimly lit with a fire crackling merrily to the left encased safety behind glass. She could see a large, plush leather sofa before her and to the right, dim light from the setting sun filtered in through a large sliding glass door that was flanked by floor-to-ceiling windows that lined the wall. Most of said windows were covered by long, black blinds that effectively blocked out the dying sunlight. A red light was cast across the floor and just barely touched the bare foot of the person seated on the sofa. It was really fitting that her last sunset would be bathed in the color of blood.

Her eyes traveled up the leg of the person seated on the couch to meet amused red eyes staring back at her. She wiped the accepting look from her face and replaced it with a dark glare. She wasn't going to give him the satisfaction he wanted by appearing to accept what he was about to do to her. She knew his sick personality and she wasn't going to do anything she knew he enjoyed, such as begging for her life or letting any emotion aside from defiance show on her face. In reality? She was afraid...

"Ah, Kagura." Onigumo said conversationally as he looked at her with a slight smirk turning up the corners of his mouth. "The betrayer in our midst. How did you enjoy your role in laying my trap?" She blinked in response, not sure how to respond. He had obviously known she was going to betray him and used it to his advantage... but... how? What had she done to give herself away? She'd been so careful!

"You look confused, come. Sit and talk with me." He said as he patted the seat beside him, amusement playing across his eyes. Kagura's voice was stuck in her throat and she was frozen to her spot like a deer in traffic.

"He said sit, bitch." Renkotsu's smooth voice said and she felt herself yanked forward forcefully and shoved down onto the plush couch beside Onigumo. Kagura shot a dark glare over at Renkotsu and shuddered in disgust as she felt Onigumo snake his arm around her waist and pull her close. His smirk grew as he took her shudder as one of pleasure and she resisted the urge to roll her eyes. As if she had ever longed for him to touch her.

"You're dismissed for now, Shichinintai." Onigumo said smoothly as he sent a dismissive gesture in their direction. Kagura noted the tightening of Bankotsu's jaw out of the corner of her eye, but didn't show any indication that she had seen in. "Rooms have been prepare for you on the floor below. Kanna, you stay. I have things to discuss when I'm finished with Kagura."

Bankotsu lingered for a moment longer than his brothers before he turned and walked calmly into the elevator. Kagura noticed a confident smirk cross his lips before the doors slid shut and then, she was left alone with Onigumo. Kanna didn't really count because she would not interfere nor take any interest in what Onigumo had planned at all.

"You've done well, Kagura. I'll overlook your treachery since you followed the breadcrumb trail I laid at you feet." Onigumo said with a smirk as he ran his fingers through her hair. She bit down on her lip, glaring up at the arrogant bastard that had controlled her for much of her life. He reached his hand to the back of her head and released the claw clip that held most of her hair hostage on the back of her head. "Shall I show my gratitude for you trapping the two strongest dais of the age?" He asked in a husky whisper as he leaned in and ran his tongue up the side of her neck and suckled on her earlobe, eliciting an involuntary shudder from Kagura.

"I'd rather you just kill me." Kagura bit out as she cursed her body from reacting to his touch. She could feel heat spreading down her throat and begin to pool in her stomach before moving outward to her intimate areas. As much as his touch disgusted her, she was never able to block the pure physical reaction and a carnal desire to reach the ecstasy of orgasm just like any other woman. And she had only ever known Onigumo's touch and the revolting touch of her father. She had never been free to seek out an individual that would touch her for the simple reason that he cared and wished to bring her to the height of pleasure. No... she was a tool to be used and thrown away when the owner was finished.

"No Kagura. I think you still have some usefulness in you." Onigumo said with a sadistic glint in his eyes as his hand clamped down on her throat and squeezed, cutting off her air supply. "It would be a shame to lose such an amazing body." He said with a smirk as he ripped her shirt open and flung her down on the couch, pinning her down with his body as he ravaged her body with those filthy hands and mouth. She could feel his erection pressed in between her legs but was powerless to stop him as he pinned her hands above her head. She cried out in pain as she felt teeth pierce the skin of her left breast before she clamped her mouth shut and forced back the humiliated tears she felt building in her eyes.

- l - l - l -

Sango held on tightly to Inuyasha's shoulders as the wind whistled in her ears from his speed. She always knew he was fast but demonInuyasha was by FAR faster. She was sure the adrenaline pumping through his veins may have had something to do with it. She was getting concerned, though. He had never stayed in his full demon form for this length of time and with the added adrenaline, she was just hoping his hanyou body could hold up to the extra strain.

"How much further?" She asked in as she leaned toward his twitching ears. She didn't want to shout because of his extra heightened senses so she didn't want to piss him off. Pack or no pack, Inuyasha was dangerous and unpredictable while in this form. And this time around, there was no alpha pack members to keep him in check. He was going to tear Onigumo to tiny pieces when he found him and Sango didn't think she would even attempt to stop him. That piece of shit deserved everything Inuyasha was going to give him and SO much more!

"Mate. Close." Inuyasha growled out, his breathing labored from the speed they were moving. He didn't slow down of falter and his eyes were locked resolutely forward, his nose lifting to sniff the air on occasion to make sure they didn't veer off course.

Sango gripped tighter onto Inuyasha's shoulders, Kirara tucked gently into the front of Inuyasha's shirt as she clung onto the fabric. The further they got away from Kanna and her mirror, the stronger Sango felt. For this her grim look slid up into a growing smile as her confidence began to return with her strength. Sango could feel the low growl that built up in Inuyasha's chest rumbling through his back and her focus snapped back into place. That growl could only mean one thing... they were getting close...

- l - l - l -

Blood red. That's what filled his vision as his legs pumped furiously. The scent of his mate's blood growing stronger in his nose. He sped up, determined to find his mate and kill the bastard that dared to take her from him. He could scent the determination and renewed confidence coming from his pack mate that he carried on his back. Good. She'd need to be focused if she was going to stay alive and watch his back. He wouldn't let his litter-mate die anymore than he'd let his mate be harmed. He couldn't recall why his other litter-mate wasn't there, but concluded he was safe either way. If he had been in danger, Inuyasha would be focused on more than finding his mate and the alpha female of his pack.

He twitched his ear toward his pack-mate when she asked a question and answered quickly that his mate was close. The smell of her blood laced with poison was strong in his nose as he followed the invisible trail. He had tucked the nekomata into the front of his shirt, knowing she also needed protection since she was pack to his pack-mate so therefore his pack as well.

The scent trail veered to the right and he spun on the ball of his foot, not noticing the gravel that dug into the bare skin. His feet were rough and callused so he didn't even feel it. The trail took a left down a narrow alley and he ducked into it and dashed down the rough pavement, never losing his footing or balance even through the ground was littered with debris. Cats scattered as they heard him coming and he felt a growl in the back of his throat at the sight of them. There was no time to chase the mangy, flea-ridden things so his demon was content with just a low growl of warning.

His feet slowed as they reached the end of the alley and he lifted his face to scent the air once more. There was a six story building before them with an entrance to some underground structure that he could see large, metal contraptions coming out of. Her scent went in to the doorway that the strange shiny boxes were driving up and out of, so after one of the beasts roared out and a wooden branch dropped back down, Inuyasha made his move and dashed into the structure, feeling the cool air hit his face and whistle through his hair as he went underground.

He could hear his pack-mate yelling something to him about not going in without a plan as she pulled of his silver mane of hair. He glanced behind him and gave a warning growl, pricking the skin of her legs to make sure she got the message and felt the pull release. He could smell concern and worry floating off her body as he dashed down the slooping ramps that had more of those metal monsters, apparently sleeping now, lined up on either side of his ramp.

They had gone down several levels before her scent grew so strong in his nose that he knew she had gotten out of one of those metal beasts right between two white lines that were painted on the concrete floor. He followed the trail and came to a shiny, metal door with no handle and hastily dropped his pack-mate to her feet. He was pleased to see that she stood firmly with not even a wobble in her step, indicating that her strength had returned. She lifted the huge bone boomerang off her shoulder and pressed a glowing button beside the metal doors.

"You ready for this?" His pack-mate questioned as the nekomata jumped out of his shirt and transformed in a flurry of fire and stood protectively at her side. A scent of determination so powerful wafted off her that he felt his lips quirk up in a smirk and a growl of approval rumbled in his chest. She gave him and answering smirk and they both turned toward the door when they heard a faint ding.

- l - l - l -

Sesshoumaru's eyes scanned his surroundings slowly as he tried to determine his location. To those that didn't know him, they would think he was just out for a leisurely walk and a boring one at that. His eyes were sharp, though, betraying no sign of weakness or uneasiness in his current predicament.

He was standing in a large open room with no distinguishing characteristics that he could pick up. There was a beige carpet and off-white walls with no decorations or trimmings. There was just a heavy, redwood door standing slightly ajar before him. The edges of his vision were blurred and he couldn't help but feel as if his surroundings were insubstantial and not truly there. Looking down at one clawed hand, he noted that he looked solid enough, but everything else was slightly washed out, even the scents that drifted to his nose.

The faint smell of paint that clung to a room even years after a room was painted was so faint that even he, the great Sesshoumaru-sama, could hardly pick up. The scent of the sheep wool used to weave the yarn used in the carpet was just as washed out and he was unable to distinguish the wool of one sheep from another in this ethereal place. It felt like he was in a halfhearted dream that was faint and malformed from the start.

The tall daiyoukai decided that he had observed all there was to observe in the empty room and headed for the door, shoving it open without flinching at the weight of the thick wooden structure. Before him stretched a long hallway lit with candelabras all down either side at equal intervals, which cast a flickering light on the dark stained floor and deep gray walls. The hallway was just as bare of decoration and seemed just as insubstantial as it stretched on forever without end. He could scent the smell of washed out polish that had been used to bring the hardwood to a dull shine. A familiar scent hung in the air that he hadn't expected and his eyes narrowed slightly at the corners as a flash of red ran across his vision.

He lifted his face to find the direction of the scent, which was the only scent aside from his own that wasn't washed out and faint. Salt dominated the scent but pain and fear also filled his nose with a faint hint of blood. When he heard a muffled cry of pain, he jolted forward using his full youkai strength and scanned the walls of the hallway searching for the source of the sound or any sort of doorway or window. He saw nothing... A low growl rumbled low in his throat as he pushed himself faster, feeling a sense of dread sitting in his chest that he was unaccustomed to. Never had anything of his been taken from him before. Sure, he was fond of the human woman Izayoi, after all, his own mother wasn't the most maternal, but she wasn't his. She was his father's, Inu no Taisho's marriage to Sesshoumaru's regal mother had been purely about power and politics and they both made no secret of the fact they were only together for this reason. Eventually, they did learn to care for one another, but it was never in a romantic way. Not that Sesshoumaru was dwelling on these types of nostalgic memories. He was too proud to look back at the past with a sentimental view. His life was before his feet and he bit down on his lip as a shrill scream ripped through the air and his feet lurched forward even faster.

- l - l - l -

Kagome's eyes fluttered open and she blinked in confusion. She didn't recall falling asleep or why she felt so warm and safe. She could see a curtain of wavy black hair hanging in front of her and felt the gentle rise and fall of someone breathing softly. When she turned her face up to see who had wrapped her up so tight, she blushed when she saw the sleeping face of Izayoi.

Kagome couldn't help but notice that the woman looked worn and older than she had ever seen her look before. She didn't notice any lines or creases in her face, nor did she see and silver streaked among her raven tresses. She could see dark rings under Izayoi-mama's eyes from not enough sleep and a slight hint of worry hovering around her mouth even in sleep. Her grip around Kagome was tight, as if she was going to protect her from everything and anything.

Kagome gently wiggled out from Izayoi-mama's grasp, careful not to wake the slumbering woman. She was determined to get them out of this situation now that her confidence was slowly rebuilding. All of the things that her mother taught her about being independent and self-reliant and not looking to a man to take care of her rushing back full-force. After her father had died, Kagome's mother had been forced to return to the shrine where she had grown up because she hadn't established herself as an individual and had, instead, been a stay at home mom without any aspirations for herself beyond being a good mother.

She was now questioning herself as a woman, wondering what the hell she was thinking to let Naraku get so far into her head. Letting the man drive off all of her family and friends. She only hoped her family still lived in the old shrine and her dear grandfather was still alive to accept her apology. During the last ten minutes, Kagome realized they had never abandoned her. She had abandoned 'them' in actuality. Her mother must have seen the darkness within Onigumo because, strangely, she hadn't ever liked him the few times she had met him. This was odd of her mother since she was a true optimist by nature. After a deep depression with Kagome's father's death, she had found a new outlook on life and was able to find good in even the darkest of souls... except for Naraku...

It should have set off warning bells in Kagome's head when the gentle soul of her own mother couldn't see the good in the man, but she had already been wrapped so tightly to Naraku that she took her mother's opinion as an insult and had retreated to the one person she thought loved and understood her... Naraku. Looking back, Kagome was angered with herself for being suckered so bad and for taking her family for granted. She had missed so many birthdays, so many Christmas's, so many of Souta's soccer games. She had missed her baby brother growing into a man... Would he be mad at her for not protecting him and looking out for him like a big sister was supposed to do? He would be graduating from high school soon and it broke her heart that she hadn't been there for him during all the turbulence that is high school.

Had her mother ever found love again? What about her grandfather? Was he even still alive? Had he gotten sick or was he just as senile cursing everyone that came to the shrine with his sutra that never worked? What about her obese cat, Buyo? Was he still around? So many questions and Kagome had no answers for them... She vowed to herself when she got out of this place, she would track down her family and never take them for granted again. Even of they wouldn't forgive her for her betrayal, she would spend the rest of her life trying to earn their forgiveness.

Mind made up, Kagome rose to her feet, her face set in a determined expression. She walked over to the door and twisted the knob, in vain obviously, since the knob didn't budge. She had a feeling that the lock on the doorknob wasn't the only one securing them in since Naraku never did anything halfway. She laid her hand against the shiny wood of the door and closed her eyes, stretching out her consciousness like Miroku had been teaching her so she could sense the other side of the door. She had been getting pretty good at this exercise in the month she had been practicing it and was able to produce a pretty accurate mental picture now. Miroku had tested her by placing something in front of her and asking her to draw it while wearing a blindfold. She had thought he was completely nuts at first and had drawn a black wallet on the paper just as a guess. To her surprise, he was holding his wallet out when she took off the blindfold.

As she focused, a picture slowly began to form behind her closed eyes and she finally had an idea of her surroundings. She could sense several presences in the area immediately surrounding her. Izayoi-mama's aura was as soft and comforting as the woman herself. She pushed her aura out of her viewing and instead focused on the other ones. There was an extremely dark aura that sent shills up and down her spine that she immediately recognized as Naraku. There was one other aura, it felt angry and demonic, that was with Naraku and another so faint and soft that she almost missed it. If not for the immense youkai that was radiating from the faint aura, Kagome would have missed it.

What seemed like below her, she sensed several dark auras that were distinctly human. She counted six of those tainted human auras, one seemed significantly darker and stronger than the others. There was also a strange feeling youki accompanying that particularly person that she had never sensed before. They were too far away for her to get a mental image so she switched her focus to outside of the door. Slowly, an image began to come into focus, looking like a black and white copy in her mind. Colors were one of the things that she couldn't determine with her new-found ability, but she could see contrasts and darkness or brightness wasn't a factor at all so it could be blacker than pitch and she'd be able to see the obstacles before her.

The door opened into a long hallway without any distinguishable features aside from a smooth, hardwood floor with a few light fixtures attached to the ceiling. She concentrated harder and stretched her consciousness out, reaching farther away and found several doors lining the hallway into other rooms, all of them empty of auras. Sighing in defeat, Kagome pulled her consciousness back in and slumped forward slightly, feeling the wear on her body from tapping in to her spiritual powers. 'All I learned is that we're surrounded by enemies.' She thought glumly as she turned and leaned up against the door, putting her arm behind her head as a pillow. 'I don't see anything in this room that can help, either.' She turned her face away from the disgusting photography, wanting nothing more than to small the cases to bits and destroy their contents. Of course Naraku would have copies of them all so it wouldn't do much good, though.

She heard a small sound and her eyes swiveled over to the bed where Izayoi-mama began tossing in her sleep, her brows furrowed as sweat beaded on her forehead. Kagome rushed to her side and kneeledon the bed to grasp the woman's clammy hand with her own. Her other hand went to her should to gently nudge her awake. There was no need to jolt her out of the nightmare brutally. After a moment, Kagome's eyes knit together in confusion when the woman did not awaken from her slumber. She shook a little harder and called out to the woman... no answer...

"Wake up, Izayoi-mama!" Kagome called into the room, her voice rising as worry began to grip her chest. 'Why isn't she waking up?' Kagome thought frantically as the woman's trashing increased in intensity. The longer she remained locked in the embrace of slumber, the more Kagome's concern grew.

There was no water in the sparsely furnished room to even splash on her face to try and wake her, though Kagome doubted it would matter. She had a feeling in her gut that the weird youki from the barely registering aura may have been tied to her not waking. Kagome had gotten out of Naraku's words that he had been able to invade her mind during her sleep and take control of her dreams, so logically it seemed he'd be able to do it to someone else. What was the purpose, though? He had made it clear that he was after her more so than Izayoi-mama and her family, so what was the angle? Was he just trying to mess with her to get revenge for the wrongs he insists that her family had caused him? If Kagome knew anything about the man it was that he was calculating... there was a reason he was tormenting Izayoi in her sleep...

Kagome jumped as she heard a jingle at the door and rose to her feet, taking a protective stance before Izayoi's thrashing body. She wiped any emotion from her face while she inwardly berated herself for not keeping an eye on the positions of the different auras in the surrounding area. The door swung forward on it's hinges to reveal a ruffles looking Kagura framed by the door.

"You're death is postponed for now, Kagura." Naraku's deep voice sounded, dark amusement tinging his tone. "Since you have it in you to betray me, you cannot be allowed to move freely any longer."

Kagura remained silent as she ran her fingers through her hair, attempting to smooth out some of the snarls. Naraku shoved her into the room and closed it forcefully behind her, the dull sound of locks clicking into place the only sound aside from Izayoi's thrashing. Kagura strolled into the room and sat on the bed before leaning back on her arms and letting out a sigh of frustration. Kagome watched her wearily, not letting her eyes leave the demoness for a moment.

"You got a problem, human?" Kagura snapped as her red eyes fell on the brown-eyed woman watching her.

"What are you doing here?" Kagome asked suspiciously as she eyed her disheveled form. Kagome had seen the photos of the woman 'decorating' the wall, but hadn't expected her to be thrown into their makeshift prison cell. She suspected some sort of ploy on Naraku's part for putting the wind demon in with her and Izayoi-mama. He was a conniving bastard and she was determined to never fall for his sneaky tricks again.

"Hmm... I suppose he doesn't trust me since I betrayed him." Kagura said nonchalantly as she waved a hand dismissively. Kagome raised an eyebrow as she looked at Kagura, not willing to fall for another trick. She had a feeling that the demoness had been sent in with them to spy or something.

"You don't say." Kagome said dryly as she stood up and sat down on the opposite bed and lay her hand comfortingly on Izayoi's shoulder. The woman had broken out into a sweat and hadn't even noticed the hand on her shoulder.

"So it looks like he's started." Kagura said in a bored voice as she glanced at the human thrashing in her sleep. Kagome instinctively moves in front of Izayoi so Kagura to break her line of sight, causing a smirk to spread across Kagura's face. "You can't do anything for her. She has to break away herself."

"What are you talking about?" Kagome asked cautiously as she narrowed her eyes on the tall demoness who was busy studying her nails like they were the most interesting thing in the world.

"Don't act so ignorant. I know he used this technique on you before." Kagura said calmly as she raised eye filled with a cold anger up to meet Kagome's suspicious gaze. "He took out his anger and frustration out on me when you locked him out of your dreams." Kagura explained as her gaze darkened with the memory of the anger and humiliation he'd caused her on those days.

"So he's tormenting her right now?" Kagome asked as her eyes widened and fear gripped her chest. She remembered the terrifying things so would see and thing he would do to her and a wave of white-hot fury swept through her. She glared at the taller woman when her laughter filled the air.

"Please, Onigumo wouldn't sully his hands with doing something so mundane." Kagura said as a smirk spread across her ruby-red lips. "He has lackeys that do that. He's probably using her as bait to get something out of Inu no Taisho. He can't get into anyone's dreams, they have to be close in proximity or he needs to have some sort of 'hold' on the person." When Kagome just gave her a confused look, she rolled her eyes and continued.

"Geez, you're slow." Kagura grumbled and received an icy glare in return. "Since Onigumo has Inu no Taisho's body in close proximity, and the fact that he's currently within a realm closely resembling the one a mind enters during sleep, he is able to pull anyone with a link to that person. In her case, the link holding them together is the mate bond. I expect Sesshoumaru's little human mate is experiencing a similar situation as she is." Kagura explained as she waved dismissively toward Izayoi.

"Wait." Kagome said a sudden thought hit her when she was working out Kagura's explanation. "If there has to be a 'bond' between him and the person... or they have to be close, how did he manage to get into MY dreams?" A cruel smirk slowly spread across Kagura's lips, erasing the bored expression previously there.

"Heh, do you really think Onigumo doesn't find a way to claim what is his?" Kagura asked in amusement, her eyes twinkling with mirth at the look of confusion on Kagome's face. "You really don't know much about youkai, do you girl?" Kagome's eyes narrowed in anger as a throaty laugh rumbled out of Kagura.

"Onigumo has had a claim laid on you for a LONG time! It's not as strong as a mate bond, of course since it's only a physical claim." Kagura said in amusement as she continued to chuckle. "That man always makes sure it's known what's his." A bitter smile crossed her lips and she unconsciously reached a hand up to cover her chest where her heart once beat.

"He's been injecting his youki into you since day one." Kagura explained as her expression turned serious. "He used it to invade your mind while you slept since you were only unconsciously purifying it so it was never completely wiped out. Apparently, Inuyasha has laid his own claim on you and offered you some protection when he was near. Those were the days he'd give ME a call!" She snapped at the end, angry that she had been treated as such. She bit her lip painfully hard and clutched handfuls of the bedspread under her hands. She couldn't truly blame the human girl, but the memory still pissed her off.

Kagome looked down at Izayoi's trashing form and balled her hand into a fist at her side in anger. She could see it in Kagura's eyes that she truly hated Naraku, so why did she stay near him and do what he said? She didn't truly know the woman, but she wasn't sure if she was a bad person or not. On the one hand, she had betrayed the Takahashi's by helping Naraku kidnap the two of them, but on the other hand, there was genuine hatred for the man in her eyes 'and' she had betrayed him.

"Tell me truthfully, who's side are you on?" Kagome asked quietly as she slowly turned her gaze up to the wind demoness. A frown slid across the human girl as she took in her appearance. She had a hard and determined look in her eye and seemed to be hinging her course of action on the answer she received. Kagura smiled darkly as she looked down at the human girl, reading the strength hidden behind those chocolate orbs. The air crackled around her and she could visibly see a glowing, pink halo of spiritual power radiating from her. If she was going to go out, she may as well take her tormentor with her and this girl just might be the key to doing that.

"I'm on the side bent on killing Onigumo." Kagura said as her red eyes twinkled malevolently.

"Good." Kagome said as a smile spread across her lips.

- l - l - l -

The elevator shuddered to a stop at about the tenth floor and a growl of annoyance rumbled in Inuyasha's chest. The scent of his mate was strong, but not strong enough for her to be on this particular floor. She was still a ways up the large metal and glass house his pack was in. He caught the scent of apprehension from the beta female and her nekomata protector behind him right before the lights snapped off and they were plunged into pitch darkness.

His growl turned into a furious snarl as he leaped forward and slashed at the metal doors before him. His sight was blinded from the pitch darkness so he had to take a guess of how high needed to jump through the gaping hole in front of him. Before he could take the leap, he heard a loud snap followed by a sizzling noise and light filled his vision, the source originating from behind him.

"Take this, Inuyasha." His beta female said as she forced a stick with red flames shooting out of one side into his clawed hands. He gave her an appreciative flash of his fangs which she returned with a hesitant smile. It wasn't enough light for a human, but it was more than enough for him. He was immediately thankful that he'd waited instead of taking a blind leap forward because before his feet was a large, gaping hole that stretched downward into pitch darkness giving no indication of its depth.

He turned halfway toward his beta female and noticed she was already perched on the back of the nekomata with a hand outstretched toward him, inviting him onto the back of the cat with her. With a slight smirk and a growl of thanks, Inuyasha jumped onto the back of the neko behind his beta and laid one hand lightly on her waist to hold his balance. The neko lifted off lightly into the air and floated over the gaping hole, the flames licking around her feet and tail lighting their way much better than the flaming stick he still clutched in one hand.

"Are we getting closer?" His beta asked as she held onto the soft fur of her feline companion. As response, Inuyasha growled low in his throat, his eyes focused forward as he squeezed her hip lightly, pricking at the fabric but not breaking it or the delicate skin beneath.

"Yes. Mate near." Inuyasha growled out as his blood continued to boil, reaching higher with every passing second that he drew closer to his mate's blood scent. He was going to RIP apart the bastard that thought he could take his mate away from him. Any youkai would know that she belonged to him so they would know the results of stealing away a female that was already marked as a mate.

After traveling in relative silence, both scanning in all directions with all of their senses, the edge of the pit appeared and the neko youkai touched down softly. Inuyasha was off her back in a blink of the eye and was off down he hall, scouting ahead for any dangers. The nekomata would watch his beta female's back for the moment. He had to clear the path of traps that would be hazardous to her frail, though strong for a human, body.

As his feet touched down lightly on the ground, he heard a loud clatter and a scream from a woman behind him. He couldn't make out the words, but generally assumed she had screamed watch out when he was hit in the gut by something round, metal, cut through the air with a loud whistle. The force of the blow knocked him backward and he crashed into a heavy door, the air rushing from his lungs on impact. Spots danced before his eyes as he gasped and sputtered, trying to regain his composure to defend against the surprise attack. Why he hadn't smelled the attacker before he'd attacked, Inuyasha truly wasn't certain. But by the scent of his pack mate's blood in the air, she had been ambushed too so he was going to have to flex his claws and rip this bastard to shreds.

His breath regained, Inuyasha clamped his claws down into the metal ball just as the attached chain was pulled with a tremendous yank. Whoever had attacked certainly had brute strength, but that didn't really mean anything to him as he flew through the air, his vision getting cloudy as a low growl rumbled in his chest and bloodlust began to bleed into his very being. Finally, something he could sink his claws into to release some of the rage from his mate being stolen away. It wouldn't set him free, only the blood of her kidnapper would do that, but some of his pent-up frustration could be left off at the least. In moments, his beta came into view holding the demon bone weapon she carried in front of herself as a shield as the 'female' human from before attacked her with a strange sword that shot out and struck like a snake, unpredictably swerving and attacking for any angle. Even the nekomata had her paws full with several low-level youkai that were dipping and diving while trying to distract and eat the pair of them.

Unfortunately, Inuyasha didn't have the option of looking over his pack mates as he saw the monstrosity that was yanking on the ball by the chain. It was hard to believe that the creature before him was human because of his massive size! His danced with excitement as he looked over at the female and her neko and Inuyasha felt anger bubble up at the hungry look in his roiling eyes. His thin lips twitched up at the corners, revealing ruthlessly sharp teeth that belonged on a youkai rather than a human. Up close, Inuyasha could smell the stench of blood and death that was draped around the monstrosity, but underneath his foul scent was distinctly human.

"Oi Jakotsu, save me a drumstick when you kill the bitch!" The abnormally large human said in a deep, gruff voice as he eyed the human female hungrily. A look of disgust even flashed in the other human that reeked of perfume and had sparkly purple eye shadow on each eye.

"You die, human!" Inuyasha snarled at the cannibalistic monster as he used the momentum to launch himself off the weapon and fly toward the eyes of the bastard who's breath stank of human and youkai flesh. Claws flashed in the dim light as Inuyasha brought them down toward the towering opponent's throat. "Sankou Tetsuo!"

Inuyasha brought his claws down in a flash of gold light toward the exposed flesh. When he was inches away from beheading the piece of shit, something came down hard on his back. Inuyasha's eyes widened in surprise as a splitting pain ripped through his body and he felt himself falling to the ground, flecks of blood falling freely with him.

"Aniki said I could have him!" A feminine voice rent the air as he hit the ground... hard... "You'll eat him in one bite and I won't be able to mount those ADORABLE ears on my wall!"

"Can I have the leftovers?" The gravely voice of the monster-human asked as Inuyasha pushed himself up on his arms. He could see the blade laying outstretched on the floor with his blood splattered on it beside him. The feminine looking human gave the monstrosity an annoyed look and twitched his sword roughly, the elongated blade flying back to the hilt and snapping into place in a flash of white. It moved too fast for even Inuyasha's full youkai senses to truly follow. He had never seen a weapon quite like it before.

"Just take care of the chick, I don't want anything to do with her." The annoyed human said with a roll of his eyes.

Inuyasha's vision was starting to grow a bit blurry from the loss of blood as he pushed himself up onto his hands and knees. There was blood dripping down both arms and pooling on the ground beneath him as he panted and tried to ignore the stabbing pain that throbbed in his back with each beat of his heart. He coughed roughly and blood splattered onto the ground, dripping down his chin.

"Hurry, get on Kirara." An urgent whisper close by caused his ear to flick in his pack mate's direction. He felt something soft and furry nudge under his stomach and gripped onto the nekomata with one hand and pulled himself up. His pack mate was situated behind him and gripped onto him tightly as the neko took off into the air and headed in the opposite direction of the two humans.

Inuyasha growled in his throat, angry at his sudden weakness. One slice of a sword and his vision was darkening to the point that he wasn't sure he could keep his eyes open any longer. 'Damnit...' He thought to himself as he began to recede back into his own mind, his human floating to the surface.

"Sango... use Tetsusaiga... barrier..." Those were the only words that escaped his lips before blackness engulfed him.

::FIN::

April 26, 2012

Notes: Okay, so my psycho ex started contacting me again last month on my cellphone... Three police reports and a changed phone number later, he's finally leaving me alone. Though the police didn't do JACK cuz they don't know where he is so they can't pick him up for violating the court order. Anyway, I have SO many ideas for the ending of the story that I think I need to sit down and do some outlining. Also, when this story is finished, I think I'm going to edit the whole thing and then make it into a PDF for download on my site (if I feel motivated enough to do that...).