InuYasha Fan Fiction ❯ My Succubus Wife ❯ Chapter Eight ( Chapter 8 )

Disclaimer: I do not own Inuyasha or any characters associated with it. This story is rated for a mature audience.

 

Citrus Warning (For entire story)

 

*Not currently edited. I will update with edited version when it becomes available.

**Sorry about the bold. Fixed it.

 

*******************

 

Kagome was a mess. By the time her mother and the others arrived, she had managed to stop crying, but her eyes were swollen and red. The entire time, she cursed herself over and over, blaming herself for her sister's disappearance.

 

Sitting on the steps of a run-down building, she heard running footsteps approach. Looking up, she found her mother's worried face looking down at her. “What happened?” she demanded angrily.

 

None were wearing dresses any longer, meaning they had all used magic to change. They didn't have the energy capacity she had. If they got into a fight now… “I-I…” She shook her head, a fresh wave of tears overtaking her.

 

Her mother grabbed her by the shoulders, nails digging into her skin as she shook her. “Get a hold of yourself!”

 

“I didn't watch her!” Kagome bawled. “She was right there! It was only a moment! Only a moment!” Her mother swore loudly, releasing her.

 

“What do we do?” Eiko asked worriedly. She appeared to be on the edge of tears as well. Only Maya and Anna looked to be holding things together.

 

“We need to find her, obviously,” Anna said her voice oddly cold and calm. Apparently, she wasn't as collected as she appeared to be.

 

“Yes, but how do we do that? She could be anywhere,” Eiko said softly, turning her attention to Kagome's mother.

 

“I—” Her response was choked off. Sadly, she shook her head.

 

“There is the land god,” Maya said gently. “This area has one, no?”

 

For a second, hope surged through them, appearing in their expression. “No,” her mother said, killing it quickly. “I doubt he could get himself involved in something like this. They have rules, just like everyone else.”

 

“We could still try!” Eiko cried.

 

Her mother sighed. “I guess it wouldn't hurt. Anna, Eiko, go see if you can find Myoga.”

 

“It only takes one of us,” Anna said.

 

“Yes but I think we all have learned how important it is not to be alone, especially now.” Her mother's words caused Kagome to break into sobs once more. Her mother continued, ignoring her. “Go, quickly. We don't have much time.”

 

“Right.” Together, they both ran off.

 

“And us?” Maya asked, her eyes glancing down at Kagome.

 

“We search.”

 

“It's going to be difficult if we all stay together.”

 

“But it's far too dangerous to split up. I know what you're trying to say, but we stay together.” Maya nodded once. Looking over at Kagome, her mother bent down to get to face level.

 

“She's going to die because of me,” she sobbed. Her mother's hand connected with her cheek hard enough to nearly knock her off balance. Stunned, she looked in horror at her attacker.

 

“I told you to watch each other!” Kagome's lip quivered. The pain had stopped her tears, but her mother's words threatened to start them once more. Suddenly, her mother hugged her, squeezing her tightly. Her voice trembled as she whispered in her ear. “She's going to be okay. Kikyo's a tough woman. We'll find her. But I need you to be strong. If anyone is going to rescue her, it'll be you.” Her mother's hand stroked her hair gently as she spoke. It was then that Kagome realized her mother's hand was shaking. Though her mother looked angry, it was all she could do to keep from breaking down.

 

Taking a deep breath, Kagome nodded. “Right.”

 

Her mother released her, a forced smile on her face. “Okay?”

 

Nodding, Kagome wiped the tears from her eyes, taking a deep, shaky breath as she pulled herself together. Mom's right now isn't the time to be crying. She stood up. “Where do we start first?” Both Maya and her mother smiled. Don't worry Kikyo… We'll find you.

 

*******************

 

“Anything?” Kagome asked as Anna and Eiko slowed to a stop. They paused to catch their breath, shaking their heads sadly.

 

“It was just as you said,” Eiko gasped, looking over towards Kagome's mother. “He can't involve himself yet.”

 

“Any luck on your end?” Anna added quickly.

 

Both Kagome and her mother cursed. “Nothing. The cities a big place,” Kagome said, pressing a hand against her slick forehead. She had been running for quite some time. She had spent some energy changing into something more comfortable for running, but by now, it was soaked in sweat. The sun was beginning to rise. A sullen atmosphere settled on the women as they stood there. No one said it, but they were all thinking it. Kikyo was running out of time.

 

“We won't give up,” Maya said, looking at Kagome as she spoke. It was like she had just read her mind. “We'll find her in time.” The others nodded in agreement.

 

“So what do we do next?” Eiko asked, looking around. Everyone was silent, deep in thought. If only I could use magic to find her. Her mother refused to waste energy trying. The vampire poison would make it impossible to detect her. Kagome was really the only one in the group who had enough energy left to try and she needed to save it for when they found her.

 

She jumped as her cell phone vibrated in her pocket. She remembered she had turned it on in case Kikyo somehow managed to get a call or text out. The others looked at her in puzzlement as she dug into her pocket, nearly ripping the phone out. She half-expected it to be Inuyasha, texting to find out why she hadn't come home yet. If it was, she would ignore it. Opening the phone, she frowned as she examined the sender. Unknown was displayed across the top of the message.

 

“Is it her?” Eiko asked excitedly.

 

Kagome shook her head as she opened the message. “I don't know—” She froze in midsentence as she read over the message. It was extremely short.

 

-Aoi Hana Hotel

-Room 326

 

“What is it?” Anna asked, breaking the silence.

 

Smiling, tears ran from Kagome's eyes. “I know where she is.”

 

*******************

 

“That was awfully nice of you,” Erik said, eyes watching him from the rearview mirror. “You sure they can't trace you with that or anything?”

 

Dante closed his phone with a loud snap. “No.” He stared out the window. The sun was coming up. Is she still alive? It had been awhile since he left her in the hotel. He had been surprised to regain his senses and find her still alive. He was tired and as much as he wanted to, sleep eluded him. Every time he closed his eyes, her expression haunted him. She had been in so much pain, her voice, pleading for him to end it. If she is, maybe her friends will help her. He wondered if he would get in trouble for telling her sister where she was. His client had to know, they seemed to know everything that happened. They can kill me if they want. I don't care anymore. Even if they were demons, they didn't deserve what he was doing. No one did. I only wish I stopped earlier. It was too late now. You couldn't change the past, only live on for the future.

 

He was expecting the call when it came. Actually, he wondered why it took so long. Opening his phone, he held it against his ear. “Yeah?”

 

“Excellent work Mr. Rizzo.”

 

Dante blinked, stupefied. “Huh?” he said dumbly.

 

“Excellent work. We're impressed, you were every bit as we expected. You had us worried. We almost had to step in, but you pulled through in the end.”

 

“I… uh…” He stumbled over his words. Finally, he managed to collect himself. “You wanted me to contact her sister.”

 

“Or someone else close to her. Why else would we give you their contact numbers?”

 

“Why?”

 

“That, Mr. Rizzo, is none of your concern. What does concern you, is your payment. We have deposited the other half of the agreed upon amount, plus a sizable bonus.”

 

“You mean—”

 

“You're finished. Done. You've accomplished what we hired you for.”

 

“Just like that?” he asked, suspicion in his voice.

 

“Just like that.”

 

“What about the list? I haven't even gotten close to half-way.”

 

“The list is of no concern anymore. We have what we want.”

 

“Then all those women—”

 

“Demon's Mr. Rizzo, they may look like us, but they are far from human. Everything you've done was preparation for last night.”

 

“I'm really done?”

 

“You're really done.” Dante felt the car roll to a stop as Erik stopped at a red light. “Enjoy your reward Mr. Rizzo. Goodbye.”

 

The line went dead. Blinking, Dante pulled the phone away from his ear. A smile spread across his face. I'm done! I did it! The smile vanished instantly as a sudden, peaceful understanding came over him. In front of him, Erik half-turned in his seat so he had a clear view of the back. A large, silenced pistol appeared in his hand, pointed squarely at his chest.

 

“Sorry man. I really like you, but orders…”

 

Sighing, Dante nodded slowly. He didn't feel any anger, only… peace. Actually, he felt sorry for Erik. There was a good chance he wasn't going to last much longer either. He closed his eyes. Luckily, he only felt the first shot before he felt nothing at all.

 

*******************

 

Kagome all but broke the door as she rushed inside. Kikyo was nude on the bed, her body twitching every so often.

 

“My God,” Kagome said, rushing to her side. Kikyo was burning up, her eyes full of pain. Their mother pushed her way past Anna and Eiko to leap on the bed with Kagome. Her hands moved feverishly as she pressed her fingers against Kikyo's face.

 

“Did we make it?” Kagome asked, looking at her mother.

 

She nodded slowly. “Barely, but there is still time.”

 

“I'll give her some energy,” Kagome said as she lowered her head towards her sisters.

 

“No!” her mother shouted, stopping her just before their lips met. “Do that and the poison will spread to you.”

 

“Then what do we do?” she cried, holding back tears. Below her, Kikyo gave a weak moan. “Shh, save your strength.”

 

“My God! Look!” Eiko said, pointing wide-eyed towards Kikyo's stomach. All eyes turned to find… nothing. Confusion spread across their mother's face.

 

“The seal… it's gone.”

 

“What does that mean?” Anna said.

 

“For whatever reason, the seal was broken, meaning she absorbed as much of the poison as her body was able to.” Slowly, she looked up at Kagome. “One man isn't going to be able to purge the poison in her system.”

 

“Then two—or three!” Anna said quickly. “However many it takes!” Everyone else was silent. “Come on! What are we waiting for!?”

 

Eiko was the one to break the silence. “Sacrificing one man is bad enough, but three?”

 

“More like four or five. We have to ensure all the poison is expelled. If even a little bit remains… I can't even guarantee five would do it. It becomes increasingly difficult to expel if there are breaks in between. It allows the poison to spread back.”

 

“Why!? Why are we giving up now!?” Anna screamed, tears forming. “She's right there! Right there! There has to be something! Anything!” Beside her, Eiko began sobbing softly.

 

Kagome realized her mother's gaze had never left her. “There is something—isn't there?”

 

“There... might be.”

 

She knew instantly that she wasn't going to like it. In fact, she had a pretty good idea where it was leading. “It's Inuyasha, isn't it?”

 

“Yes.” Kagome closed her eyes as her mother continued. “With the amount of raw energy he holds, he's the best chance of clearing the poison.”

 

“But?”

 

Her mother hesitated. “There is a chance it could kill him.”

 

She opened her eyes to find everyone staring at her. She glanced over at the three standing against the bed before turning to face her mother. “You know I can't say yes to that.”

 

“Is it really the only way?” Eiko asked. She sounded just as distraught as Kagome.

 

“No, but it is the best.”

 

“Then what are we waiting for?” Anna said, gathering Kikyo's clothes.

 

“He's my husband!” she cried angrily.

 

“She's your sister!” Anna shouted back. She thrust a finger accusingly at Kagome. “We wouldn't even be in this situation if you had done your job and watched her!”

 

“Don't you think I know that!?” Kagome choked, struggling to hold back tears. “But how can you ask me to make a decision like this? I can't… I just can't!” The thought of losing her sister was devastating. Losing Inuyasha was just as bad. To ask her to pick between them was torture beyond any physical pain could cause.

 

“Then perhaps we should ask Inuyasha himself?” Maya asked, speaking for the first time since entering the room. Unlike everyone else, she seemed to be the only one able to keep herself together.

 

Kagome twisted her head to look at her. “What?”

 

“It's worth a try.”

 

Her head snapped over to her mother, a look of betrayal on her face. “You're going to ask him!?”

 

Her mother's expression frightened her. Her voice was unnaturally calm considering the situation. “I'm not going to sit back and just watch my daughter die. He's the best chance she has.”

 

“If he refuses?” By the rage and desperation in her mother's expression, she was almost afraid to ask.

 

“Then Anna and Maya will gather the necessary men—”

 

“You can't be serious!” Eiko cried out, horrified. “If we do that, we're no better than the Order—”

 

“If we are going to get the bastards who did this, we are going to need everyone we possibly can. Kikyo is one of our most powerful. We can't afford to lose her. We can't afford to lose anyone.” She pointed towards Anna. “Hurry up and help me dress her. We are running out of time.”

 

An icy atmosphere blanketed the room as Anna and her mother worked to dress Kikyo. Kagome sat on the bed, blankly staring at them work as she became lost in her thoughts. Kikyo… Inuyasha… Her lower lip quivered. If either of them die, it will be because of me. She jumped slightly as Eiko rested her hand on her shoulder.

 

“Don't worry, everything will work out fine.”

 

Kagome nodded slowly, reaching up to grab the others hand. If Inuyasha chose to help and saved her sister, she would owe him a debt so large she wouldn't be able to repay it in a thousand lifetimes. Her eyes slid down to the ring she wore on her finger. She knew full well what would happen if Inuyasha agreed. My punishment. It was a heavy price, but she would pay it. She had no choice.

 

*******************

 

Inuyasha woke with a start. Still groggy, he looked around, trying to identify his surroundings. A few seconds and he realized he was on the living room couch. The TV was still on, the annoying DVD menu song replaying endlessly. Pain ran through his right arm as blood surged back into it. Gritting his teeth against the pain, he opened and closed his hand as the prickling sensation coated his arm. Last time I use my arm as a pillow. Looking down at the heavy weight against him, he found Yumi nestled peacefully against him. Her head suddenly looked up, her wide eyes meeting his.

 

He smiled. “Did I wake you?” She shook her head. “Looks like we fell asleep watching the movie,” he said, looking at the TV.

 

“No, Daddy fell asleep watching the movie. I stayed up until the end!”

 

“A-ah.” He scratched his nose.

 

“Mommy didn't come home last night,” she said sadly, poking a finger against the couch cushion.

 

“She'll be home soon,” he answered, looking towards the door. I hope. Reaching for his cell phone, he checked it. As he expected, there were no messages. The least she could do is send me a text. It was one thing to stay out all night with her sister and mother, it was another staying out all night chasing a killer.

 

After some careful maneuvering, he swung his legs over Yumi and sat up on the couch. The run in with Edward Small didn't help things either. He said something about a demonstration. Chewing on his lower lip, he stared at the cell phone. He was about to call when a sudden bang sounded against the door. A jolt of adrenaline shot through him as he got to his feet. There was another bang followed by the door opening.

 

“Mommies home!” Yumi squealed, running towards the door. Inuyasha was right behind her. He was shocked by what he found. Kagome, her mother and Anna all carried a limp Kikyo into the apartment. Thinking quickly, he grabbed Yumi and pulled her out of the way as they rushed past.

 

“What happened?” he demanded, starting to move after them when two others entered. He recognized Eiko, but not the other woman. They closed the door behind them. “Is everything alright?”

 

“No,” Eiko said coldly, pushing past him. The other woman gave him a quick bow before following after her.

 

“Daddy, I'm scared,” Yumi whispered.

 

He rested a hand atop her head. “Everything's okay.” This is why I didn't want to get involved! Getting down on his knees, he gave Yumi as comforting a smile as he could. “Daddy needs to go talk to Mommy. I need you to stay out here okay?” She nodded slowly. She smiled as he ruffled her hair. “Good girl.”

 

He heard muffled voices as he approached his bedroom. The voices became clear as he opened the door.

 

“…worse than I thought. She doesn't have much time.”

 

“What happened?” he asked, closing the door behind him. He found Kikyo lying on his bed. She was sickeningly pale. “Good lord…”

 

“She's been poisoned,” Kagome mother said, turning to face him.

 

“Shouldn't she be at a hospital?”

 

“A hospital can't help her—”

 

“But you can!” Anna said, interrupting as she took a step closer. Kagome shot her an angry glare.

 

Scratching his head, he looked around. He was uncomfortable with everyone staring at him. “Uh, I don't know how, but if there's anything I can do—”

 

“See! He agreed!” she declared happily.

 

“He hasn't agreed to anything,” Kagome snapped angrily. “We haven't even told him.”

 

“Told me what?”

 

“She needs to purge the poison from her system,” her mother said, stepping in before anyone else could. “In order to do that, she needs a rather large supply of energy.”

 

There was silence as they let it sink in. His expression turned to horror. “You want me to—” He stopped, unable to force the words out. He shook his head. “N—”

 

“I wouldn't ask you if there was a better way,” she continued before he could finish. Suddenly, the strength left her. The strong, mature woman withered into a weak, worry-ridden one. It was a heart-wrenching sight of a parent who was grasping desperately at the fading hope of saving a dying child. “Please Inuyasha… Please save my daughter. I beg you.”

 

“And you're okay with this?” he choked out, looking at Kagome. She looked away, unable to meet his gaze. The action spoke larger than words. He felt… betrayed. “I don't—” His words caught in his throat again as he looked back at his mother-in-law. The others around her all had a deathly atmosphere. It was unbearably depressing. His gaze bore into Kagome. “Do you want me to do this?”

 

Kagome was silent for a moment. Under his constant stare, she finally broke her silence. “I… think it should be your decision.”

 

“I'm not asking that. I'm asking if you want me to.”

 

Her eyes darted over to her weak sister atop the bed. When her eyes returned to him, they held a firm resolution. “I do.”

 

A pained expression crossed his features as he looked away. “After all these years… yet you answer so quickly.”

 

“You think I want this?!” she exploded. “But if you think I will just stand by and let my sister die when there is a chance to save her…”

 

Inuyasha looked over at her mother. “Is this dangerous?”

 

“There is a minute chance the poison could kill you.”

 

Her answer only enraged him more as he looked back at Kagome. “Wonderful. Glad I'm more expendable than your sister.”

 

A look of horror spread across Kagome's face. “How could you even say that?”

 

“I don't know, maybe because you want me to screw your sister knowing it could kill me.” Saying it aloud only made the situation sound worse than it already was.

 

“It won't.”

 

“Oh? And what makes you so sure?”

 

“Because I know you're stronger than that,” she whispered, looking down.

 

Turning, Inuyasha slammed his fist into the wall, causing a massive crater to form. Ignoring the pain, he took deep breaths and released them nosily through his nose in an attempt to calm his raging emotions. How could she even ask me to do this? I'm her husband! By doing this, everything they had been through, everything they strived to be was all in vain. Four years. Four years we've been together and she wants me to throw it away just like that? A small part of him understood the situation. Kikyo was family to her, and had been for a lot longer than Inuyasha had been around. If Yumi was dying and the only way to save her was having Kagome sleep with another man, Inuyasha would allow it in a heartbeat. A parent saving their child was a little different, but the concept behind it was the same. Did it make him feel better about it? No, but he understood why Kagome was acting the way she was. Then he had to consider the consequences of not doing it. By the looks of Kagome's mother and especially Anna, he doubted they would let him get away with saying `no.' A simple command and he would be off to mindlessly do the deed. That might not be so bad… He squelched the thought before it could finish. The only thing he could hate more than what he was being asked to do would be doing it while entranced. So even if I say `no' and Anna and Mother allow it, there is Kagome. In her eyes, if Inuyasha said no and walked away, that would be as good as killing Kikyo. Oh yes, he could hold his head high and say he was faithful to his wife until the end, but if he did that, how long did he honestly expect his marriage to last after he had let his sister-in-law die when he had the power to save her? Not long. Even if by some miracle he managed to save their marriage, it would never be the same.

 

So I can save the marriage by being unfaithful, or destroy the marriage by being faithful. He loved the way life threw him curveballs, only instead of curveballs, they were line drives for his head. I would never be in this situation if Kagome wasn't a succubus. He regretted the thought as soon as it crossed his consciousness. It made it sound as if he made the wrong choice by marrying her. I knew going into this that it wouldn't be easy. Still, he had been more than a little spoiled over the years. Considering how succubi survived, making it this far without something like this was an amazing feat. Still, I never expected I would be the one to do this. Not that reversing the situation would be any better.

 

Leaning forward, he tapped his head against the unyielding wall, letting the pain wash over his head. With a deep breath, he finally turned around to face the group once more. “I'll do it.” He watched as relief washed over the women. “Let me say goodbye to Yumi then.”

 

Kagome's mother nodded in understanding. “But please be quick. There isn't much time.”

 

Nodding he quickly exited the room. He found Yumi sitting on the couch. “Hey,” he said, smiling. She looked over her shoulder at him. Only after he said something did he realize he had no idea what he wanted to say.

 

“Is Aunt Kikyo okay?” she asked softly.

 

“She's sick, but she's going to get better,” he said, taking a seat beside her.

 

She eyed him suspiciously. “Are you sure?”

 

Smiling, he ruffled her hair. “I told you Mommy would be back didn't I?”

 

Frowning, she crossed her arms. “Yeah, but not at the right time.”

 

Suddenly, he reached around and pulled her against him. Taking a deep breath, he squeezed her tightly.

 

“Daddy, it hurts,” she coughed out.

 

“Sorry,” he said, releasing her. “I… have to go back.”

 

She tilted her head as she watched him stand. “Okay.”

 

Smiling, he ran his hand over her head one more time before heading back towards his room. Everyone was waiting outside minus Kagome, gloomy expressions on their faces. I feel like I'm walking to my execution. He found Kagome standing next to the bed, staring down at Kikyo. She looked over as he approached.

 

“Inuyasha I—”

 

“Get out,” he said coldly.

 

Her eyes finally met his. “But—”

 

“I'm not doing this with my wife watching. Get out.”

 

She didn't move. “I don't mind.” It sounded like a line rehearsed countless times.

 

“That's why I don't want you here.” It looked like she was going to argue, but decided against. With a nod, she walked towards the door, head down. He grabbed her arm as she was passing. If this does kill me, I'm not leaving her like this. She didn't look up until he pressed his finger under her chin, forcing her. “I love you.”

 

Tears ran down her face as she nodded. “I love you too.” Though their lips met, he cut the kiss short. He felt terrible, and it wasn't because he was about to do something that could kill him. She seemed to understand because she ran her hand across his cheek, forcing a smile. She left without saying anything more, slowly closing the door behind her. He remained motionless, even after the door clicked closed.

 

Taking a deep breath, he forced himself to move over to the bed. Kikyo lay there, utterly helpless as she weakly gasped for breath. He made an awkward start towards her only to stop. Thinking for a moment, he tried again only to stop once more. How the hell do I do this? Did he completely undress her? Did he need to completely undress? The last thing he wanted was dying naked with another woman.

 

He decided to take the middle road. After some awkward maneuvering, he managed to get her pants off. She didn't have anything under it. He cringed at the sight of dried semen. Taking a deep breath, he undid his pants. This is wrong… This is so very wrong… His body seemed to agree. It took him several minutes to finally get himself hard. Gently spreading her legs, he climbed onto the bed. God, she's burning up. He rested his hand against her skin. Just need to get it over with.

 

Taking a deep breath, he pushed himself inside. He didn't know what to expect, but it certainly wasn't this. It was… normal, or at least as normal as doing it with someone who didn't move or make sounds could be. He did his best to ignore the wetness; not really wanting to know what it was that lubricated his thrusts. He felt sick, but continued despite his feelings. Closing his eyes, he resisted the urge to laugh at the absurdity of everything, his hips moving automatically. Even if he didn't like it, his body was more than happy to betray him. As terrible as it was, he had always thought that if there was infidelity in the marriage, it would have been Kagome. Never in a million years would he have believed it would be him, and the woman he would cheat with would be Kagome's sister. And I'm doing it to save her life.

 

Keeping his eyes closed the entire time, he tried focusing on nothing but thrusting. The longer it took, the more embarrassing it became. His thoughts drifted to Kagome, who was waiting on the other side of the door for him to finish. Does she think I'm enjoying this? The thought drove him to thrust with all his might. The sooner I finish—As if on cue, he felt himself closing in on release. Pushing himself as deep as he could, he opened his eyes as he climaxed. It felt like every other time he had sex with Kagome. The entirety of his body tingled, like blood rushing into a leg than had been asleep. It lasted only a second. Pain instantly spread across his entire body. Instead of the feeling something was being sucked from him, something was rushing into him and it hurt like hell.

 

Whatever was happening, it was working. Under him, Kikyo's skin began to color again, her temperature cooling to more reasonable levels. Him on the other hand, it felt like a million worms wiggling around inside him, eating at his insides. Unfortunately, his lungs were frozen. Not only could he not scream, but he couldn't breathe.

 

And then it was over. With a great gasp, air rushed into his lungs. He collapsed forward onto Kikyo. Below him, she stirred, crushed by his weight. “I-Inuyasha?! Wha—”

 

“You… made… it…” He wheezed out as his eyes grew heavy. “That's…” Her yells were the last thing he heard before blackness swallowed him.

 

*******************

 

He was dying. Or maybe he was already dead. It was hard for him to tell. It felt like he was floating, or maybe falling. He couldn't tell surrounded by darkness. So this is the end.

 

It doesn't have to be, a deep voice rumbled. The world around him felt like it shook with the words. Fear ran across him. He was surprised he could still feel fear. The voice itself came from no specific spot. It just… was.

 

“Who's there?”

 

Someone who cares deeply about whether you live or die.

 

He looked around, or at least, he thought he looked around. “I think it's a little late for that.”

 

It's never too late, not for someone like me.

 

“Just who are you?”

 

A friend.

 

Inuyasha was silent for a moment. “Considering I'm dead and there's no white light welcoming me, I take it this isn't Heaven. Since this isn't Heaven, I would venture a guess that you aren't as friendly as you say you are.”

 

This is neither Heaven nor Hell. You are not dead… yet.

 

“Huh. Then what am I?”

 

Your soul is in limbo, unable to leave your body and unable to attach as well.

 

“That… doesn't sound good.”

 

It can be fixed.

 

“How?”

 

I need only your word and I shall make it so.

 

“My word?”

 

Yes. Release me from the shackles that imprison me. Allow me to help you.

 

“Help me?”

 

You seek power yes? I hold powers that gods themselves fear. Release me, and they shall be yours.

 

Inuyasha considered what the voice was saying. “It sounds too good to be true. Obviously you were imprisoned for a reason.”

 

As I said before, your life means a great deal to me. You live, I live. You die, I die. I do not offer myself for your benefit, but for my own.

 

The situation suddenly became clear to him. “You're the demon that Myoga sealed inside me! You're the one Naraku tried to summon!” He began shaking his head, or at least, it felt like he was. “No way! I'd rather spend eternity here then free you!”

 

Is that so?

 

The blackness peeled away. Inuyasha found himself in his apartment, only it was… different. Frowning, he looked around. The furniture had changed. The carpet and walls were different colors. “Where is this?”

 

The future, the voice answered. Frantically, he looked around. Like before, he couldn't make out where the voice was coming from. At least he could see something. He walked over to the couch, freezing mid-step as something caught his eye. It was a digital picture frame, the images automatically shifting after a few seconds. The pictures weren't of him and Kagome. Instead, she stood next to another man, smiling happily at the camera as he wrapped his arm around her. To the side was a woman he didn't recognize.

 

“How far is this?”

 

Three months since your death.

 

Inuyasha backed away from the picture frame. His feet went through the small table as if it didn't exist. “You're lying. She looks too happy for it to be only three months.”

 

Succubi don't feel the kind of emotional attachment humans do.

 

“That's bullshit.”

 

The door opened. He turned to watch the man from the picture enter, setting down several large bags. “I'm home,” he called out.

 

“Welcome home!” Inuyasha watched, horrified as Kagome rushed to the door, wrapping her arms around him and kissing him deeply. “How was Italy? Did you find what you were looking for?” The unknown man shook his head sadly. She looked sad as well. Gently taking his hands, she pulled him out of the entranceway into the living room. “Well, I finally have you back for myself. I don't want to waste any more time.”

 

Inuyasha pressed his hands over his eyes, not wanting to watch. To his dismay, he could see through his hands. He turned around only to find them once more. No matter where he looked or what he did, the scene played out before him. Kagome giggled lightly as the man undressed her. She let out a squeal as he pushed her back onto the couch, climbing over her. “Koga!” she moaned.

 

“Stop it! I don't want to watch this! STOP IT NOW!” he roared. The scene suddenly changed. He was in the same place, looking at the same thing, only Kagome wasn't there. Like before, the room looked different. “Where am I now?”

 

Four months after your death.

 

The door bust open. It was the same man, but his appearance was different. He looked thinner, more ragged. Worse still, he looked hurt. “Kagome! Kagome come on! We have to go!” Silence greeted him as he stepped into the living room. White snow covered his coat. “Kagome?” Inuyasha followed the man down the hall, entering his—no—their bedroom. Inside, he found Kagome against the floor. She looked peaceful resting in a pool of blood, a large red stain in her blue sweater. A man in a black robe stood over her. Face hidden, he looked towards the man who shouted in rage, leaping at him.

 

Inuyasha wasn't quite sure what happened, but the robed man raised his hand. Energy crackled, slamming into the man and tossing him across the room. The man's lifeless body crashed against the dresser, breaking it before collapsing against the floor, smoking heavily. That was of little concern to Inuyasha, his gaze still transfixed on the lifeless Kagome. The image was too painful for him mind to comprehend, so it simply stopped trying. Even in the comatose world around him felt numb.

 

The robed man looked up at Inuyasha, his face still cloaked by the shadow from his hood. A long, withered finger exited from the confines of the robe and pointed at Inuyasha. It took several seconds for Inuyasha to realize he was the one being pointed at. Emotions rushed back into him, fear pricking his skin. “You can see me?” That shouldn't have been possible. According to the voice, this was a vision of the future.

 

“You took from me, so I shall take from you.”

 

“I didn't take anything from you!” He followed where the finger pointed as it lowered from his chest to his stomach.

 

“Death for you, death for Him. Give me Him and I shall give you her.” His other hand gestured towards Kagome.

 

Inuyasha started laughing. The robed figure didn't move. In fact, it didn't react at all. “Nice try, but I'm not buying it.” He looked over at the smoking corpse of the man that had been hit by the energy blast. “Who was it, Koga? I don't recognize him and I doubt Kagome does either. She may be a succubus, but she isn't one that would move on that quickly and let another guy move in.” He shook his head. “Trying to scare me into releasing you isn't going to work, sorry.”

 

“I am Four. I seek the forthcoming. You have entered my world.” The robed man spread his arms apart, hand disappearing back into the sleeve. “We are Five. Give us Him and we shall give you her. Give us Him and we shall give you her. Give us Him and we shall—” The robed figure began floating towards him, repeating itself continuously.

 

Inuyasha backed away as it approached. “Stop! Stay away from me!” Turning, he found himself encased in blackness once more.

 

If you die, your family will as well. Release me and I will give you more power than you could ever hope for.

 

He felt a shiver run through his body, the image of Kagome still fresh in his mind. He's lying. He's making things up so I would release him. Even though he knew that was happening, he couldn't let go of the sickening feeling that resided in his gut. What if it was true? What if his family really was in danger? Even if he was ninety-nine percent sure the voice was lying to him, would he gamble the wellbeing of his family on a one percent uncertainty? Could he? “These Five… I can defeat them?”

 

With nothing more than a wave of your hand, the voice answered. Not even a god could stop you.

 

Though he couldn't see his body, he could feel it. It was shaking. He didn't need to think about it any longer. He had made his decision. “What do I have to do?”

 

Six glowing-red eyes appeared from the darkness. A massive mouth followed, razor sharp teeth appearing as blackness separated the two rows. It shot towards him. With a scream, the mouth engulfed him.

 

*******************

 

Inuyasha awoke to the feeling of nausea. He had barely opened his eyes when he felt his stomach lurch. Automatically rolling to his side, he emptied the contents of his stomach. Luckily, there was a bucket sitting against the bed. He managed to get most of it in. Only a few seconds passed before he heaved again, depositing a fresh batch into the bucket. A hand gently rubbed his back as he puked for the third time. Coughing and gasping for air, Inuyasha's stomach finally calmed enough for him to see what exactly he had been throwing up. It wasn't the sort of vomit he was use to. Inside the bucket and the floor around it was a black sludge. Thin wisps rose from it as it evaporated. It took a second for him to realize he was seeing energy rather than physical liquid. He had just finished the thought when the forth wave hit. Exhausted, he fell back onto the bed, staring up at the ceiling as he gasped for breath. His head was pounding and he felt miserable.

 

Kagome's smiling face appeared above him, her hand pressing a towel against his sweaty forehead. “You still have a fever, but the worst has passed.” She sounded relieved. When he tried to sit up, she pressed down against his chest, forcing him back down. “You need to rest. You absorbed a lot of poison and your body needs time to expel it.” As if on cue, he rolled over. It felt like his insides were trying to escape through his mouth. Groaning miserably, he rolled back onto the bed. Kagome replaced the towel as he closed his eyes.

 

“How long was I out?” he asked weakly.

 

“About twelve hours.” Her voice sounded strained. “There were a few times I thought I would lose you.” She started laughing. Only after a few seconds did Inuyasha realize it wasn't laughter. Lowering her head, she pressed it against his chest.

 

“I'm not going anywhere,” he said, resting his hand atop her head. “How's Kikyo?”

 

“She's fine now, better than before actually. After you—” She stopped suddenly as painful memories surfaced. “After you cured her, the curse didn't return.”

 

“That's good to hear. And Yumi?”

 

“The others took her to play—”

 

“No!” he cried, sitting up. Kagome leaned away as he emptied another stomach-full of sludge energy into the bucket. Groaning, he found himself staring at the ceiling once more.

 

“Don't move. You're not finished recovering yet.”

 

Ignoring her warning, he reached over to grab her arm. “Don't let Yumi outside. Too dangerous…”

 

“She's fine. The five most powerful succubi are there to protect her. Besides, Kikyo knows what the man looks like.”

 

“No,” he gasped, tightening his grip. Between the vomiting, the fever and the moving around, his body was quickly approaching its limit. “Too dangerous… They know… Five… Can't…” His warning broke down into nonsense as Kagome wiped the sweat from his face. His grip on her arm slackened and his arm fell to the bed. Eyes rolling up into his head, he closed his eyes as exhaustion finally took its toll.

 

*******************

 

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