InuYasha Fan Fiction ❯ Nightwalker ❯ Corruption ( Chapter 12 )

Here is my Christmas Present to you, my beloved readers! Merry Christma-hana-kwanzaka!

 

Let me first say: I LOVE YOU PEOPLE! It's not that I was feeling downhearted about not having anyone comment on the Genocide, but more that I was surprised that only one person did so. However, that last chapter's reviews really made me feel all warm inside. Thank you all! You have no idea how grateful I am. Ivellios and InuGoddess715, Leo-mae and Madjax36, you guys have made me SO HAPPY, you can't even imagine. That was the best Christmas present EVER! And so for you this chapter is dedicated!

 

I think I'm talking too much. Well, then let's get on with it, shall we…

 

Disclaimer: Ahem, don't own Inuyasha nor had the idea to come up with him. He belongs to Romiko Takahashi alone! I don't own the Pink Floyd lyrics in this chapter either. But Rukiya, Lilliana, Kagura, Fenrir, Claire, Albier, Natalia, Christiano, Bill, and Narek are mine. Especially Narek!

 

 

Part Twelve: Corruption

 

Claire clicked her teeth. Her eyes traveled between Gloomy One and Two, Kagura and Rukiya. “So I'm supposed to go and tell the old man to leave a copy of Kagome alone, without giving it away that she and we are somehow connected? Yeah, no pressure there.” She grouched, pulling the earpiece of her music player from her pocket and placing it near her lobe. Her narrowed eyes flew from Kagura, around the dark parlor to Rukiya as she leaned next to the fireplace, then to Inuyasha who was standing with her in the middle of the room. “And another thing, you're going to ask Kagome to basically give up her human life to travel with us? What's wrong with leaving her here and letting one of us watch her?”

 

Inuyasha stepped forward. “I won't agree to that. It will take me a few days to travel from here and where I need to be. I can't keep coming back here. The fact that Narek is tracking us is also a bit of a problem. I don't think there's anyone strong enough to keep him at bay if I did assign someone to watch Kagome.”

 

“How about I stay and watch Blue? I don't mind.” Claire pointed to her chest in a fruitless offer.

 

“No offense, Claire, as strong as you are, you're no match for Narek and his capabilities.” Rukiya interjected. “I agree with Inuyasha.” She leaned away from the wall that had been supporting her, coming up between them. “It's too dangerous to leave Kagome here, especially with Narek on the loose.”

 

Sesshoumaru took that moment to lift his head. All eyes turned to where he stood silhouetted by the doorway with his arms crossed. Clearing his throat, he began. “Fenrir is here as well.”

 

Claire tensed, Rukiya sighed, and Kagura's eyes widened. Inuyasha held completely still. He was so surprised that he was immobile. “When Narek is in a city bodies disappear and aren't found. When Fenrir is in a city, corpses are come up in heaps.” He mumbled, trying to keep his temper intact. “I can't believe I didn't notice before. It was all over the human news.”

 

“Great, the `Necromancer' is in town.” Claire rolled her eyes, stomping her foot, “I can't stand that old lady! As if Narek wasn't enough of a problem, now we've got another sadistic killer on the loose.” She groaned, clearly beaten. “I take it back. We should take Blue with us.”

 

“Glad to see you agree. Now will you go and speak to your nephew for us?” Sesshoumaru raised a brow expectantly.

 

Claire blew her air out her eye with an exasperated sigh. “Fine, fine, I'll go speak to the old dude.” She dug in her pocket and raised the volume of her music player before passing Sesshoumaru in the doorway, singing. “Money, it's a hit. Don't give me that do goody good bullshit…”

 

Her voice vanished as she neared the foyer. The remaining nightwalkers took a pause after Claire's leave; plans, worries, and fears ran through their minds. Inuyasha ran his fingers over his fangs, not wanting to break the silence even though his mind contained a swamp of nervousness and annoyance. With Claire running off to have a little chat with Richard, it left him to start the task that would be Claire's reason for the visit. Suffice to say, he was not looking forward to it. Inuyasha flicked his tongue over a fang; there was a storm approaching.

 

He wondered just what her reaction would be like, although he had a clear image in his mind. She would be angry, that was certain. She was furious when he limited her freedom to the daylight. Despite the fact that he utterly denied it, and hated it, there was an irritating fear about her more then likely tangible response.

 

“How's Lilliana?” Kagura cut through his thoughts with her anxious tone. He looked up at his brother's mate, following her angle to Rukiya who spoke next. The young woman's eyes were downcast and her black irises were laden with concern. Lilliana's obvious illness was weighing on her conscience.

 

“Not doing too well.” Rukiya spoke her voice low. “I told her to spend a few moments near the sun. She's gotten so cold.”

 

“Cold. That's abnormal. What has she been doing?” Sesshoumaru came near Rukiya.

 

“She hasn't been hunting apparently.”

 

“Why would she do that?”

 

“I don't know, she won't tell me. I can't even look into her mind to see. Her mental state is so weak, that it seems she's not thinking, but just worrying about something.”

 

“Inuyasha.” He looked at his brother. “Maybe you should go talk to her.”

 

If it would be a reprieve from giving his none too enthusiastic news to Kagome, then he would do it, however, the fact remained, that he did not believe Lilliana would open up to even him. And even if he did speak with her, he already knew what was troubling her; it would be a waste of time. He was determined to keep her fears to himself. If Lilliana really assumed that she was the center of Narek's rage, it would be her wish to tell the others about it.

 

Inuyasha did not think that her thoughts on Narek were accurate. There was no real hint that Narek contained a bitter animosity toward her. Besides, he knew that the real source of resentment on Narek's part was the family itself. It would not help her to say that she was wrong. What she needed was to spend a day in the sun and hunt, but in her weakened state, perhaps it would be difficult for her to do so.

 

“I'll talk to her. I'm not sure she will open up to me, but I'll try.” He saw the hopeful look flutter across Rukiya's face, but he had no real intention to speak with Lilliana. If anything, he was going to persuade her to stop fasting and nothing more. She needed nourishment. It was never a good thing for a nightwalker of their family to get too cold.

 

Bidding the three of them his leave, he exited the room, intent on finding Lilliana.

 

 

 

Boredom was not the correct word to describe it. Kagome had sunk into a level of tediousness that stretched far beyond any level of dullness possible. She leaned against the balcony of her room, staring at the yard below, watching the shadows move about as the sun made its arc across the sky. It was nearing sunset and she had nothing to do. Most of the nightwalkers in the house were still asleep and she'd doubt they'd take her into the city if she asked. She had no work to be done for school, her nighttime imprisonment here giving her more then enough time and concentration to finish those tasks early.

 

She looked at a large tree branch that barely touched the stone of her balcony. Following the branch and looking down the trunk, Kagome noticed someone leaning against the bark at the bottom. Curious, and excited to see a if the nightwalker would walk in the sun, Kagome rushed out of her room, and down the steps. She pushed herself outside and into the garden, her feet swishing the grass. From the corner of her eye, Kagome saw Lilliana turn to stare at her. Her heart jumped and she scrambled to apologize. “I didn't mean to disturb you and I um…”

 

“It's fine.” Lilliana waved her hand dismissively, unemotionally.

 

Kagome gave her a long gaze. She leaned her back against the tree, under the shade with her eyes closed. Her skin was still like marble, pale and sickly, yet even with her outward appearance unhealthy looking, Lilliana remained the same beauty Kagome had seen the first time. There was this graceful and strong willed aura about her.

 

Kagome looked about. There was no one there besides them. She suddenly became excited: now was her chance to really get to know Lilliana. Of all the characters in the house, Lilliana seemed the most unapproachable. She always looked serious and she was rarely home, so Kagome never really had the chance to exchange words with her. Last night had been her first true, thought short, conversation with Lilliana.

 

Kagome tentatively came to stand by her, standing close to the shade. “Um, don't you sleep during the day?” She mentally scolded herself. That was not a very good way to start a discussion. Lilliana's pupil focused on Kagome from the corner of her eye for a moment before returning to look ahead of her.

 

“I can't sleep.” She said bluntly.

 

“Are you having bad dreams? You know like Na-”

 

“Don't compare me to him!” Lilliana shouted and as her eyes narrowed, she swung her head to glare at Kagome. That definitely had not been the right thing to say, Kagome reflected.

 

“I'm sorry. I didn't mean it like that. I just…I'm sorry.” Kagome looked down at her fingers.

 

“About what?” Lilliana's voice still carried some hostility as she returned her gaze to its original position.

 

“Well, I can understand why you would hate me, I mean, after what you've been through. I'm really sorry about that.”

 

“I don't want your sympathy.” Lilliana's indifferent tone masked the cheerless note she had forced down. Kagome noticed it. “Listen, let me make this clear as crystal.” Lilliana continued, “I don't care about you. I don't care for any human; they betrayed me. The only reason I would put up with you is because I worry for Inuyasha and his wellbeing. I don't intend to get friendly with you!”

 

A furious retort came up in her throat but she bit it down. Kagome breathed in to calm the anger that had arisen. She didn't want to lash out because it would make coming to a mutual understanding with Lilliana even more impossible. Obviously Lilliana was going through much. She had suffered through the brutality of watching her brethren die, and now she was anxious of Narek. Kagome wasn't surprised that she wasn't friendly toward her. She was a human and Lilliana had long since lost faith in them. She couldn't imagine what Lilliana must have been through, but she couldn't help wondering why Lilliana did not take the same path as Narek had.

 

“Okay, so you're not my friend.” Kagome tried picking her words carefully. “But, can I still ask you something?”

 

Lilliana sighed. “Will it get you to leave me alone?” She was slightly perturbed, her weighing thoughts sounding in her voice.

 

“What's your story?”

 

Lilliana gave Kagome a perplexed glance. “My story?”

 

“What was it like, you know, when you were human?”

 

Lilliana gave another powerful sigh. “I was born in Yerevan, the capitol of Armenia in 1901. My family moved to a small town, close to the border of Turkey. I lived a quiet, happy life.” She paused, her nostalgic look being replaced by a grim one. “And then I turned fourteen. That's when the genocide started. When they sent soldiers into our village to terrorize everyone I knew…I was only nineteen when I was killed and Rukiya saved me.”

 

“That young?”

 

“I'd prefer not to talk about it.” Lilliana's eyes were glazed.

 

“Listen, uh, I know that you don't like me-”

 

“You're right, I don't like you.” Lilliana stood. “So why don't you just leave me alone. You've heard my story.”

 

Kagome gritted her teeth. “Listen, I do feel for what you've been through, and, believe me, I don't want to associate with nightwalkers any more then you want to with humans, but if we are going to be close to each other for a certain time, can't we call it truce or something? It's clear that you don't want to be my friend, but I don't want a rival or an enemy either. I understand that you hate humans, but that doesn't mean that you can believe that I'm the same as everyone else. I'm my own person.” She growled.

 

“Truce. Fine. I'll agree to that.” Lilliana huffed. “Are you done?”

 

“Yeah.”

 

“Then do you mind leaving me? I've got a lot on my mind.” Lilliana sat back down, her back against the trunk of the tree and her arms crossed. Kagome gave her a short glance before stomping off into the house.

 

 

 

Inuyasha was bewildered as Kagome stormed passed him without a word. She had been mumbling something inaudible under her breath as she walked up the steps and slammed her door closed. Pushing her out of his thoughts for a moment, he returned to his search for Lilliana, following her scent and emerging in the garden. Looking about, he walked out under the sun, his skin heating at its touch, and came into the shade of the tree Lilliana was resting against. She spared him a brief glance before looking ahead again.

 

“I thought I'd find you here.” He said, leaning down.

 

“Have they sent you to ask what's wrong with me?” Lilliana asked quietly.

 

“Straight to the point as usually.” Inuyasha answered.

 

“I'm sorry, Inuyasha, but I can't tell you. You wouldn't think it was important if I did.” She was right.

 

“Good, because I really don't want to know what's worrying you if you don't want to talk about it. I'm actually here to tell you that you have to go hunt. You can't keep fasting, it's not good for you.”

 

“I'm fine.” Lilliana said, dryly, untruthfully.

 

Inuyasha reached for her wrist, circling his long fingers around her ivory skin. She had paled and her skin had reached the temperature of ice. It stung his hand. “When was your last hunt?”

 

“A week before Kagome joined us.”

 

He stood, hauling her up by the arm. “You have to stop this Lilliana, they're all worried about you. If you don't want to go into the city, why don't you bite an animal instead?”

 

She didn't look at him. “I don't have an appetite.”

 

“Don't lie to me.”

 

“I just can't hunt, okay!” She yelled tiredly, pulling her hand away.

 

Inuyasha sighed. He had hoped it wouldn't have to come to this. “Is your fear of Narek really that strong?”

 

The reaction was just as he expected. Lilliana's eyes widened, and her breathing hitched. “I'm not afraid of him.”

 

“Sure you're not.”

 

“I'm not afraid of him!” Lilliana snarled, clenching her fists. Then more softly, she said, “I'm afraid of what he might do.”

 

“What do you mean?”

 

When she didn't answer, he sighed resignedly and turned. “It doesn't matter anyway. We will be moving on soon. Promise me that you'll hunt again after that.” Hearing her give him her word, he walked back into the house.

 

 

 

Claire rubbed her eyes, looking up at the tall building. “Well, old man, let's get this over with.” She huffed to herself as she entered. Deftly maneuvering herself so that the human employees wouldn't see her, she quickly appeared by Richard's office door, inhaling in preparation. This is so stupid. She thought. How could she possibly advise Richard to leave Kagome's drone alone without letting it loose that she was linked to her family somehow. Stupid vague, Gloomy One and Two, she clicked her teeth thinking about them.

 

Tentatively, she opened the door and walked in. Richard was sitting at his desk, Sango and Miroku in front of him. Several other humans were in the room and they all turned to stare at her when she came in. A few carried shocked expressions, but Claire ignored them as she walked up to Richard's desk.

 

“Uh, hi Rich. We need to talk.” She began.

 

Sango and Miroku watched her wearily but said nothing. The other workers made a move for the door, but Claire really didn't care if they leaved or stayed. There wasn't really anything private to say. She looked at Richard, her long dead half-sister's grandson, her nephew. Thinking her words over, Claire opened her mouth to speak. There was this sudden heaviness about the room, it made her fidget. She suddenly felt nervous, her heart beating fast.

 

“What can I do for you Claire?” Richard leaned forward on his desk, crossing his fingers.

 

“Um, remember that girl you brought in here a couple days ago?” Claire said breathlessly. Sango and Miroku moved away from Richard's desk, standing on opposite walls of the room.

 

“Do you mean Kagome?”

 

“Yes…uh, do you know what happened to her?” From the corner of her eye, she saw Miroku, Sango and the other humans move behind her, blocking the door.

 

“Not necessarily. She seemed to have escaped through the back door of this building. Why do you ask?” Richard said patiently.

 

“Well that is…you see…” Why was her chest heaving? Maybe the room was too hot, or was it her imagination. Perhaps she was thinking too hard about how to tell Richard about Kagome that her head was now buzzing. Or maybe it was just an abnormal emotion. She was never this anxious. Why did the room appear to be getting smaller? Claire squinted.

 

“Are you alright, Claire?” Richard asked.

 

Claire tried to focus. She felt the humans behind her move, but she couldn't hear what they were saying, her head began pounding. What was going on? Was she getting cold?

 

“Richard?” Something poked her neck and she brought her hand up to touch it, but the moment her finger grazed whatever it was, Claire was on her knees, gasping. Her bones felt as though they were ablaze and her muscles quivered, shook and broke. She collapsed to the floor, her vision getting blurry.

 

 

 

When Claire came to, her sight was still hazy. Distorted shapes moved about, muttering things she couldn't understand. She tried moving her limps, but her entire body ached from even twitching her finger. Her bones felt as though there were a hundred tons on each inch. Her head pounded, but at least her eyes slowly adjusted to the dim light of the room and she made out two figures: one feminine and the other, masculine. She tried moving again, and felt that she was strapped to something.

 

Slowly the voices of the two figures began to make sense in her mind. “So nightwalker venom really is life-threatening to other nightwalkers.” The female said. “Amazing what a tiny dose like that could do, but…”

 

“What's the matter? We finally have a live nightwalker, we can finally see into their anatomy.”

 

“Is this right? I mean, isn't she Richard's great aunt or something? Plus she's never really hurt anyone and she looks like a kid.”

 

“You can't be having second thoughts now Sango. You agreed to the plan remember? Besides, no leech is trustworthy. You've seen what they've done to the people in the city.”

 

“I guess your right, Miroku.” The presence of the two vanished and Claire found herself alone in the dim room.

 

So that's what had been going on. They had injected venom into her. No wonder she felt like she was dying. She tried struggling again, but the poison had left its mark deep into her. She could barely blink without the searing pain of the toxic following. It didn't make sense. How was it that she was feeling dizzy and weak before the venom was put in her?

 

“W-what the hell is going on?” She croaked. Her voice was gone.

 

“Do you want me to tell you?” Claire's eyes widened at that answer, the light burning her irises, and an agonizing pulling feeling entering her skull. She knew that voice and despite how excruciating it was, she managed to snarl as the owner came into view. She'd recognize those red eyes and flaming, orange hair anywhere.

 

“It's been far too long Claire.” She said in mocking sweetness, walking about the table, or whatever it was that was holding Claire down.

 

“Fenrir, you bitch! What's going on here? And what the hell have you done with Richard.” Claire tried to make her tone hateful, but it was rather difficult without her voice.

 

“Oh, I've done nothing to your sweet nephew, but I can't promise I won't do anything in the future. Let's just say that I've given him a little friendly advise. You sure seem to have faith in him, after he betrayed you, poisoned you and tied you down for experimentation.” Fenrir laughed in a singsong voice.

 

“Shut up! When I get out of here, Fenrir-”

 

“Oh, but that's just the thing, you see,” Fenrir smiled, “you won't be leaving for a very long time.”

 

 

 

It wasn't until a couple hours later that Kagome came out of her room. It wasn't enough that she had been angry about Lilliana's refusal, Kagome had felt a thousand times worse when she had gone to close her balcony doors a few minutes afterward. It was either her imagination, or she had seen Inuyasha kneel by Lilliana in the shade. After a few moments of exchanged words, the both of them stood and seemed to be filled with some intense emotion. What was going on? Kagome had demanded in her mind.

 

Not knowing why she had felt horrible, Kagome had slammed her balcony doors closed and tried to ocuppy herself but she couldn't shake the image of the two of them from her mind. Why should it matter, she asked herself. It wasn't any of her business what Lilliana and Inuyasha had spoken about.

 

Kagome decided to push those thoughts aside as she came down into the large hall of the house. Looking up, she noticed Bill speaking to the object of her dilemma. The pair of them spared her a brief glance before returning to their conversation. As Kagome came closer she heard Bill say, “It's been two hours. She shouldn't be speaking to Richard for this long.”

 

“Don't jump to conclusions. She could be hunting.” Inuyasha answered.

 

“Wouldn't she have contacted us to tell us the news about Richard's reaction?”

 

“Who are you talking about?” Kagome asked as she came closer.

 

“Claire.” Bill said bluntly. “We sent her to speak with our nephew around sunset and she hasn't come back. I'm worried.”

 

“So am I.” Kagome, Inuyasha and Bill turned their eyes to Rukiya as she appeared from the parlor. She walked up to them, her eyes looking distant. “She would have at least contacted me when she finished speaking with Richard.”

 

“That's what I said.” Bill seconded. “Maybe we should go check on her.”

 

Inuyasha was silent for a moment but then nodded. “There's no telling what kind of trouble that little brat could get into.”

 

“I'll go tell Sesshoumaru and the three of us will go see if everything's all right.” Rukiya quickly told them before walking off to do her task. Bill decided that he would join her, leaving Kagome and Inuyasha alone.

 

There was a bit of a heavy air between them as they stood in the hall. Kagome randomly looked at him from the corner of her eye. He returned her gaze every time he caught her staring, but remained as silent as she was. She bit her tongue, fighting the urge to ask about his talk with Lilliana earlier. Not to mention that she hadn't seen him since he bit her yesterday, a blush flared in her cheeks.

 

He couldn't make conversation even if he tried. There was no way to tell her that they would be leaving without her imminent fury at him for taking her away. How would he begin to tell her his news. He'd been avoiding it all night, especially since she seemed cross when she passed by him earlier. He would have to tell her eventually and now seemed like the perfect time. Inuyasha frowned. This woman irked him and he hated it.

 

“So, uh,” Kagome began, “how've you been doing?”

 

“Fine since I bit you yesterday.” Kagome's face heated at his answer.

 

“Right, well…”

 

“Inuyasha!” Rukiya and Bill appeared and Kagome cursed her rotten luck, but quickly pushed aside her slight annoyance at Bill's countenance: he looked anxious.

 

“Something's not right.” He said as he came near.