InuYasha Fan Fiction ❯ Miko Malice ❯ Demon Dinner Party: Part 2 ( Chapter 11 )

Disclaimer: I do not own Inuyasha. Inuyasha is the property of Rumiko Takahashi and Viz Productions, among others.

A/N: Thanks to all my lovely little reviewers, you brighten my day and thanks to people who gave me critiques—I feel like those help make the story better. I've been neglecting addressing people who ask questions for the past few chapters (I'm so sorry!) but I've been writing on one computer and using the internet on another, so it hasn't been easy to do. I'm going to try to start that up again, so if something is bothering you about my story, let me know. I'll try to answer without giving anything away.

FaiaTenshi: Thanks for saying my story is original. I really try to make my stories a little different (even if they have clichéd components) so that they're interesting to read. And so I don't get bored writing them, lol.

Lady Kea: Oops. I'll have to fix that, lol. Thanks for the catch. I got wrapped up in writing the stupid action that I forgot poor Kagome is mute.

Beautifulyreal: All in good time! Lol, patience!

Lilia: Yeah, I had to diverge from the original a little to make happen in this story what I want to. Besides, Inuyasha is as cute as a button without being scary like, say, Sesshomaru, and Kikyou hasn't gotten out much (probably less than she did when she was alive in the manga or series) so she's bound to be attracted to him. But its ok to still hate her, and you will probably hate her more before the story is over.

Koneko Of The Moon: You caught the mistake too, so I've changed it. Thanks for paying attention. This story is really freaking long, and I know I'll make mistakes, and it makes it easier if someone else picks them out for me, lol.

Kia: sorry, cursing is part of the package. Don't like? Don't read. I can't really up the rating anymore without people expecting lemons.

Youkaineko: When I said “the past”, I meant my past stories (you should read them *shameless plug*), because in those Kikyou is a victim of circumstance. Most of the time. But yeah, I agree, Kikyou isn't just a bitch, she's a psycho. Good word. Midori will appear in this chapter, but yeah, I've neglected her. Oops.

Ok, part of this might not be completely synced with the original manga/show, please remember it is my artist's license and interpretation at work. I'm molding it to fit my story, so keep an open mind.

Basically, you're either going to love it, or you'll hate it. If you're going to critique, please be gentle, I'm emotionally sensitive.

Chapter 11: Demon Dinner Party Part 2

Inuyasha ran out of the Great Hall and fell promptly over a pile of servants who also seemed to be trying to scramble out the front door—the direction Inuyasha could faintly detect Kagome's scent had headed a short time ago.

Fighting to gain some leverage over the scattered bodies that lay and stood all around him, Inuyasha found himself at an impasse. He became more and more worried with each passing moment as his sensitive ears picked up on what was being said around him.

“Damned hanyou—bad enough we have Inuyasha.”

“And she's a neko. What's a cat doing here?”

“Cat blood! I need cat blood!”

“I'll rip her ears off!”

A fierce growl ripped through the hanyou's throat. I will not let them hurt Kagome. He wanted to tear them all apart; destroy all who dared voice hatred toward the neko. But he couldn't do that. Not only would it surely bring retribution against himself, his parents had a no-mauling policy concerning their staff.

Unless of course he was in danger, and they threw the first punch, then self defense would be tolerated.

Gathering himself, Inuyasha flexed his legs and leaped into the rafters. From there, he was able to jump to a window, high in the wall. After a moment of struggling, he freed the latch and rushed out into the night.

Within seconds, Inuyasha was on the ground running, trailing the scent of Kagome's fear. It cut though all the other smells around him, all the commotion, causing a pulse to beat behind his eyes. The intensity of his need to find her was like nothing he had ever experienced before.

Inuyasha skidded to a halt behind the swarm of youkai and instantly he knew they had driven Kagome into the fountain.

Not even thinking, Inuyasha propelled himself over the wall of demons and landed in the water of the fountain.

For once the hanyou wished he had taken a more cautious approach: only feet from where he had landed lay a crumbled and bleeding demon. Its arm was missing and it looked like someone had tried to run it through a meat grinder, hand first. All that was left was a bloody stump.

Father off, a fight was going on between three rather large youkai and a tiny form over shadowed by their height.

The tiny figure appeared to be winning. Its limbs moved with icy accuracy and force.

As Inuyasha watched, all three of the larger youkai leaped on top of the lone fighter and for an instant, it appeared it was crushed under the water's surface. Then, muffled by the weight of demon flesh smothering it, rang out what could only be said to be a ferocious growl and one by one the youkai attackers were sliced, diced, and flung off their prey in the most haphazard of manners.

Kagome stood at the epicenter of the strikes, panting from the effort. Inuyasha's breath caught in his throat. What the fuck is going on? Aren't I supposed to be rescuing her? Not her butchering everyone in reach? Oh.

The neko had turned her attention to him. That explains a lot.

Kagome's eyes were completely green and they locked on Inuyasha. She began to move towards him.

XXXXXXXXXXXXX

Water.

She hated water.

It was all around her along with filthy demons who she knew wished noting more than to do her harm. They already had hurt her; she could smell her own blood and feel the ache from bruises. None had tried to touch her yet, but only used the weapons they all appeared to be wielding to land hits from a distance. Cowards. Bastards.

Kagome stood in the fountain, her demon having completely taking over. It was not much of a change, unless one was faced with her elongated claws and fangs. Her hair was splayed out, as if by an invisible wind, whilst her youkai spread to trigger energy even in that part of her body. The hanyou might have been able to take a few of her attackers. Nonetheless, as her demon side took over, spilling youkai power through her veins so it increased the strength of her muscles, making her senses more alert, and giving her a strong, distinct thirst for blood, demon Kagome was now unquestionably more powerful.

One of us has to get the job done. Kagome's inner demon spat. The girl was strong; through everything that had happened to her, she had been able to hold her youkai at bay to keep things from becoming worse than they were—few a mortal could boast that. But now with a prospective mate so close, in addition to the fact that the demon really, really did not want this beating to go any further, the youkai was willing to do what needed to be done.

A splashing to Kagome's side drew the hanyou-turned-demon in that direction.

She smirked: So it begins.

A tall, mountainous mass of demon had stepped out of the ranks and was lumbering toward her. Kagome ducked his initial blow with ease: didn't he see she could dodge that broad side of a barn he was waving around as a weapon?

Cockily, Kagome lunged for her attacker. Until she was about halfway to him in mid air, it really was a beautiful attack, but then the much loftier demon had nipped her up, holding her so she dangled in front of him. Their eyes met and it was the demon's turned to smirk—just before he plunged the neko down into the water.

Kagome struggled under the surface. She had been caught off guard when he thrust her into the dirty water, and was now struggling for all she was worth. Her eyes flashed an iridescent green that could be seen from the surface of the murky fountain.

Not again. I will not let this happen again. This time there was hope, not the limitless despair that had blanketed the hanyou before.

Her hands moved up to grab the wrist of her attacker. Even through the water, she could hear the laughing of the other youkai. It only served to make her angrier.

For a moment, she let body relax, letting them believe she was weakening.

“What? Dead already little one?” The youkai who had been holding her down asked, pulling her out of the fountain. On that cue, Kagome forced her hands up further, stretching the muscles in her arms, and clawed her way through the appendage that had been pinning her beneath the water's surface. The limb stood up to her talons like butter to a turbo weed whacker, and Kagome found herself standing, the demon's hand and lower arm still attached to her neck while its original owner thrashed about cursing her name to every kami.

Languidly reaching back, Kagome plucked off the severed limb and tossed it into the deeper water. Her eyes watched the motion of her own fingers as they flicked it away, catching a line of blood journeying down her forearm, over the back of her hand.

My blood. “You want my blood?” Her raspy demon voice called out the crowd. No one particularly answered her, but many of the demons were watching her with fear.

Kagome brought her hand to her lips and slowly licked the fluid off her skin. She swished it around her mouth for a moment then hawked the bloody spit onto the back of the now armless youkai who cowered not far away. “Take my blood!”

Again, she surveyed the mob. “Anyone else want to try to kill the hanyou?”

There was a twittering about her and three large youkai stepped forward. They leered at her and before anyone could bat a lash, they were swinging blows, and Kagome was landing some of her own.

It was then that she picked up on the scent.

Inuyasha.

Kagome knew the inu hanyou was nearby, even if she couldn't see him yet. That knowledge made her only fight harder.

A loud splash rippled the water of the fountain and glancing over her shoulder, Kagome saw Inuyasha standing, examining her handy work with the other youkai.

He's here. She smirked to herself. The distraction had given her attackers the window they needed to all simultaneously pounce on her and for the second time that night, Kagome found herself floundering under the water. Her lungs burned with their hunger for air and her eyes stung from opening in the dirty water. However, this time, Kagome did not need to play tricks in order to save herself.

Not only did she feel a stronger urge to fight her best in front of the hanyou Kagome's demon had designated as her mate, but her attackers had been sloppy with their strike.

They were laying over her, their bodies prone to her claws and one by one. Howling our her war cry, she was able to gain purchase on their flesh with her talons so she could maim and fling them indiscriminately away until Kagome was standing free of their watery trap. The neko hanyou panted from her effort, and looked around the crowd, silently challenging anyone else to step forward.

When she had made a full circle, her eyes came back to Inuyasha. The demonic green covering her normally brown eyes met his gold gaze.

Kagome smirked and licked her lips.

The hanyou might not be able to tell the inu how she feels, but I sure as hell can show him. Kagome's full demon side leered to herself as she began moving toward Inuyasha.

With every step she took, the other youkai around the fountain moved away, many of them turning to flee.

Demon Kagome slowly stalked up the slanting floor of the fountain until it became level and the water's waves only rippled around her ankles.

Inuyasha was practically in her grasp.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

Sango was stomping her way toward the kitchen when Miroku grabbed her and spun her around to face him.

“Where are you going? We're talking.”

“I have to go—Kagome—”

“Kagome can wait. I…I have to ask you something.”

If she had not been in a blind panic to get back to the hanyou, Sango might have noticed the uncharacteristic nervousness in Miroku's tone; the pleading look in his eye.

“You don't understand—”

“Sango! Please—”

“I have to—”

Instead of trying to reason with her, Miroku kissed her, hoping to get her attention back on him. For an instant it appeared his ploy had worked and Sango leaned into him, kissing him back wholeheartedly. Her hands even came up to rest on her chest, but then she remembered herself and broke away.

“Go!” She cried, dodging around him and back into the kitchen.

Miroku bowed his head, disappointed.

Suddenly, Sango's face popped back outside. “Come by here tomorrow. We'll talk more.”

And with, that she was gone.

Miroku suddenly felt better than he had in some time.

XXXXXXXXXXX

When Kagome began walking toward him, rising out of the water like some kind of glorious deadly sea siren, Inuyasha knew all he wanted to do was run.

The green eyes didn't help his fear; the fact that her clothes were practically hanging off of her slim form did not do anything for the lusty images passing through his mind.

But still Inuyasha stayed rooted in his place. He wanted to help Kagome; someone had to. His father had assured his demon blood would stay in check. Evidently, no one had done the same for Kagome. Her demon had taken over and now she was a danger to herself and everyone around them.

Including him.

Or so he thought.

Kagome had made her way up out of the pit of the fountain and was now standing before him. Smirking. The bloody bitch is smiling at me and she's probably about to disembowel me.

He gulped, preparing himself for the worse. He tried to ready himself to stop any blow she might deal him, but in the end she was far too fast.

One moment they were just standing there, staring at one another. The next, Kagome's hand lashed out. Yet, instead of feeling pain, Inuyasha only experienced the brush of her fingers over the skin of his face.

“My bitch,” the demon purred, stroking his cheek. Inuyasha's ears spun forward at the sound. He had always imagined hearing Kagome's voice; he just never thought it would be so deep and gravelly.

Maybe it's from the transformation. Wait? Bitch? I'm no one's—

Inuyasha's internal monologue was promptly silenced when Kagome kissed him. Then again, quickly and concisely smushing her own lips to his might have been a better way of putting it. Inuyasha could feel the green heat burning into his head and he scrunched his eyes shut so they would not be scorched by the intensity of hers. He could feel her little hands moving up through his hair to the top of his head where they began to toy with his ears.

Even in her demon form she isn't hurting me.

He remembered earlier when Kagome—in her hanyou form—had brushed his hair. She was making him feel…good again, just like she had before.

Shaking, Inuyasha's hands came up to grasp Kagome's waist, pulling her more toward him. The neko hanyou made a purring noise deep in her throat and moved to deepen their kiss.

I wish Kagome would kiss me like this, Inuyasha thought as the demon's elongated fang brushed painfully into his lip. When she's herself.

Jolting with the realization that though he was locking lips with Kagome's body, but perhaps not all of her mind, Inuyasha pulled back. He quickly moved his hand up her arms and grasped her. “Kagome snap out of it!” He gave her a gentle shake.

The neko blinked at him, her hands still trembling on his ears. “What is it?” Her head cocked to one side.

“Kagome? You're safe now. I won't let them hurt you. Come back.”

Demon Kagome only hissed in response, jerking her hands back to her body and took a step away from Inuyasha. “I am Kagome, dog.”

Inuyasha sucked in a deep breath. He did not like the glint that had come into Kagome's green eyes: “No, you're not the Kagome I know. Let her comeback before you hurt someone…else.”

The demon growled, her lips pulling back over her fangs. Then, without warning, she leaped at Inuyasha shoving him hard, backward. He tottered of the edge of the fountain's lip, but thankfully finally fell to the side of the shallow water, landing flat on his ass. The hanyou had only been down a moment and was still trying to make sure he was not about to drown when he felt a weight climbing over him.

Wiping his soggy bangs out of his eyes, Inuyasha found himself looking once more into the green eyes of the neko hanyou turned demon, only now she was straddling his waist and looking at him hungrily.

“You're not getting away from me, bitch,” she said as she smiled at him in a way that made him almost believe she was mocking his inu youkai heritage. Leaning forward, she kissed him lightly before pulling back to look him full in the eye.

“Or perhaps, it was not meant to be. At least not today.” The demon shrugged, and leaned back just before her eyes rolled into her head and her entire body sagged in on itself. Inuyasha's hands whipped out and gathered her in his arms so that her head did not go beneath the surface of the water.

Realizing that they were still surrounded by a large number of youkai from the manor, Inuyasha drug himself to his feet, the unconscious Kagome still in his arms. He blushed at the thought of what all the demons now staring at him with worried gazes had just witnessed. Great.

Embarrassed and still angry that they had been trying to kill the woman in his arms, Inuyasha slowly began to walk out of the fountain, through the remnants of the mob who let him pass without hindrance.

When he was almost back to the manor, Inuyasha froze at what he saw.

Gulping, he clung to Kagome's unconscious form for fear he would drop her.

Why now?

XXXXXXXXXXXXX

“What are you doing, you silly, silly little man?”

Midori was perched high above the ground, watching her husband and his army as they rested from the heat of the day in the shade of the forest.

The neko youkai had been travelling across the Demon Lands for some time, looking for signs of her daughter, but all the leads she had found were old and of little consequence. Out of desperation, Midori had headed toward the Western lands even though it was the Realm of the Dogs. If Kagome had ended up there, there would be little hope for her, but the demon refused to leave any stone unturned. The precious few traces she had gathered pointed west, so west Midori headed.

It was at the beginning of her second day of travel that she had thought she smelled a familiar scent, but brushed it off. However, at midday, when the heat burned out odors, making them more pungent, Midori knew she was near her husband. Taking to the trees, she tracked him and had come across not only Deshi, but his entire army.

Now, she lounged in a tree, listening to the men talking below, trying to find out what exactly was going on.

“My lord, the scouts have returned,” one man said who had just joined Deshi's council.

“And?” Lord Higurashi asked with a raised eye brow.

“We are nearly five days march to Takahashi Manor.”

Deshi was silent for a moment, thinking. “Very well. We will camp here tonight and tomorrow I will ride out with only a few necessary men. You will wait one day and then follow after. Whatever happens, the army must be in place the day after the night of the new moon. That is when the wedding is planned, and I refuse to allow my daughter to be married to a demon cur. Kikyou is our priestess and she must be protected.”

How very interesting, Midori purred to herself, tuning out the voices below. My husband, how silly you are. Using your daughter as bait so your army can attack. And you seem to have forgotten about Kagome. For that, I will not forgive you. Little man, you had better watch your back.

Reclining into the crux of the tree, Midori decided it wouldn't hurt to take a cat nap before she was on her way. She would kill two birds with one stone: she would find Lord Takahashi and beg for his help in finding Kagome in exchange for her knowledge concerning the army that was about to attack his home.

I wonder how Kikyou takes to being married to a demon, Midori wondered, just as she fell asleep.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

After Inuyasha left the dinner table, all Kikyou could do was stare at her plate. She feared to eat anything she if did not know where or what it had been. Especially in a demon's house.

She had been sitting for some time, listening to the demon lord snore from his seat at the head of the table, when Kikyou felt a hand on her arm. Looking over, she saw Lady Takahashi meeting her gaze.

“It is a lovely evening, my dear. Would you care to accompany me on a stroll, I can give you a tour of grounds?” She smiled at Kikyou, her eyes warm and motherly—if ever so slightly critical. Kikyou could tell when someone was sizing her up, and that was exactly what the Lady was doing.

“Will we be quite safe?” Kikyou asked. She would rather be safe than sorry. Lady Takahashi was probably so used to being around these monsters that she forgot the danger of walking amongst them after the sun had set.

Izayoi looked at her future daughter in law even more skeptically than she had before. Yes, when she had come to the Takahashi manor as a bride to Taro, she had been afraid. But there had not been another human within a hundred leagues. Could this girl handle being married to Inuyasha? Kikyou knew the house was peaceful and welcomed humans, and yet she questioned her own safety.

Give her a chance. She has only just arrived. This is her first time out of her room in unfamiliar territory.

“We'll be fine,” Izayoi answered, keeping her smile plastered on her face. She took Kikyou's hand in her own and led her to the door.

They had only stepped out the front door when Izayoi noticed something was off. First, it appeared every single member of her household staff was out in the front yard. Some were gathered around the fountain, but even those appeared to be dispersing.

The second was her son.

I wondered where he ran off to in such a hurry.

Inuyasha was trudging up, out of the fountain, heading slowly toward them. He carried something in his arms that looked…like…a girl?

As he came closer to them, Izayoi saw that yes, her son was carrying a girl.

Could this be the Kagome he was speaking of?

It was then that Inuyasha saw his mother and fiancée. To Izayoi, he took on a distinctly embarrassed expression and a pink dust covered his face that she, with her mother eyes, could see, even in the dim light.

“Mom! Um…Keiko? What are you doing here?” The hanyou gulped.

“We were taking a short stroll. Would you like to accompany us? Or are you…occupied?” Izayoi tried to smooth things over, glancing over at Kikyou.

The girl, who usually looked bored or afraid, was staring at the woman Inuyasha currently had in his possession. Kikyou's brow had scrunched, her eyes flaring in what appeared to be anger. Could it be from jealousy? Following her intense gaze down to the other girl's face, Izayoi was so startled she gasped.

Whoever Inuyasha was holding looked exactly like Kikyou. And had cat ears. And needed some new clothes—fast. A hanyou? A neko hanyou? A nearly naked neko hanyou?

“Inuyasha?” Lady Takahashi asked, her line of sight moving up to look her son in the eye. “What is going on?” She couldn't stop the tremor in her voice.

Inuyasha looked over at Kikyou, momentarily appearing as confused as his mother. “I—um—I need to go home. I'll see you tomorrow.” With that, the hanyou pushed passed his mother and betrothed and headed off into the night, leaving the two women to their own shock.

Trotting feet from around the side of the house caused both brooding women to turn in that direction. A flush faced Sango arrived out of the shadows, surveying the remains of the chaos around the fountain. She came to a dead stop in front of Izayoi and Kikyou, looking worried and confused.

“What happened?” The maid panted. “Where's Kagome?”

“Kagome?” Izayoi and Kikyou asked in unison.

Sango stared at them blankly, something registering in her mind. “How do you know Kagome? And who are you?” Sango directed to Kikyou.

The priestess appeared taken aback by the question, and Izayoi stepped in to answer for her: “This is Kikyou. She is to be Inuyasha's bride.”

“Oh,” Sango blushed at her blunder. Quickly, she recovered to ask meekly, “Is Kagome alright?”

“If you are referring to the neko hanyou my son is carrying around, then yes, she appears to be breathing, if not presently conscious.”

Sango visibly relaxed. “Thank kami.”

“Yes,” Izayoi looked at Sango with a hard gaze. “While I'm thrilled the young lady neko is fine, Sango, I believe you and I need to talk.”

Sango went pale again, but nodded agreement. She couldn't deny the lady of the house. Glancing over at Kikyou, the maid was suddenly stuck by how much Inuyasha's betrothed looked like Kagome.

She did not however have time to ponder the resemblance as Lady Takahashi was already directing her back to the manor for what surely was going to be a night long discussion.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

A/N: She speaks! And before you ask “how?”, it's going to be explained next chapter! So wait for it! Along with all the other stuff that was unresolved in this chapter! Or maybe the chapter after that! Or the one after that!

Seriously, I was looking at my outline, and I realized this fic only has like 4-5 chapters left. Or at least that's how many that were in my outline; it was a cut off a little short in my opinion. A couple of the points in my outline could be combined, so it might be less. Or it could be more. Who knows.

Thanks to everyone who reviewed or added this to their favorites or alerts. It means a lot and really does make me write faster.