InuYasha Fan Fiction ❯ Novus Lux ❯ Unraveling (Part I) ( Chapter 9 )

[ X - Adult: No readers under 18. Contains Graphic Adult Themes/Extreme violence. ]

þÿA/N: I am going to be splitting this chapter into two parts. It has ballooned beyond belief, and I don t think that I want to post a chapter that is well over 15,000 words long. Additionally, it is getting really heavy to write, and I think splitting it up will make my life much easier.

That being said, I feel like I am taking some very big risks with this chapter (both parts), both in terms of content and in terms of structure. I am pretty sure that doing so either paid off fantastically, or it failed horribly, going down like a jet that s lost both engines. If the latter is the case, please bear with me for the next chapter (chapter 11, actually), and I will try to parachute us out. If the former, then that s awesome. Either way, please tell me, because I am absurdly nervous about posting this chapter (and the next part too).

Also, while I know some of you have expressed displeasure at warnings at the beginning of a chapter, saying that they give too much away, I feel especially compelled to place a warning at the beginning of this chapter out of respect for those who may have experienced thematically similar situations:

Trigger Warning (TW): This chapter contains graphic violence and sexual assault. None of what I have written in this regard is meant to be interpreted as remotely any sort of rape fantasy, or seen as sexy in any way, shape or form.

Chapter 9: Unraveling (Part I)

The crack of Sango's gunshot vibrated around them, plenty audible despite their hearing protection. It was the third such shot she had taken that afternoon, and so far nothing special had happened.

"I don't understand," Sango grumbled, removing her earmuffs and motioning to everyone else to do the same. "Inuyasha, you're sure this thing spewed fire and lightning at you guys?"

"Positive. And then the bullet exploded with the second shot when it came into contact with Kagome's barrier."

Kagome jumped slightly at the sound of her name, barely heard through her earmuffs, which she promptly removed so she could hear the conversation. Her mind had been on the previous night, morning really, when Inuyasha had carried her into her apartment and then to her bed, still fairly delirious from the anesthetic administered to her when her shoulder had been stitched up. He was so gentle, she remembered, with a touch of embarrassment.

He laid her down on her bed and removed her shoes, then pulled the blankets up to cover her. She opened her eyes a little, trying to pull the hanyou's image into focus.

"Thanks for doing this," she mumbled softly.

He didn't respond right away, instead hesitating briefly before leaning down and brushing his lips chastely on her forehead.

Kagome's eyes opened a fraction further at the action.

"Inu " she started, only to be stilled as he brushed her bangs out of her face.

"Holler if you need anything," he said quietly. "I'll leave your door open so I can hear you better." Then he rose from his seat on the edge of the bed and padded out the door, leaving it ajar. The hall light flicked off, and Kagome was left in semi-darkness, the waning crescent moon filtering its soft illumination through her blinds.

A loud bang! and a thunderous whoosh! nearly deafened her, snapping her neatly out of her daydream. Flinching, she rubbed her hands over her ears.

"Kali, you made it work!" Sango exclaimed, a little too cheerfully. "How?"

Frowning a little at Sango's oddly chipper attitude, Kali replied, "I let a little bit of my demon energy into it as I pulled the trigger. I thought since Manten was a demon, and you being a human couldn't get it to fire properly, that might be why."

"Hmm, interesting. Fire it again, just to see."

Kali put her earmuffs back on, action hastily emulated by everyone else in the underground range, especially Kagome, who was still feeling a bit sheepish for spacing out. It wasn't entirely her fault; the drugs they'd given her for the pain were still making her mind a little fuzzy.

Kali pulled the trigger again, completely obliterating a second target in a mass of electrical bolts and leaping flames. She flashed a grin at Sango, who nodded in approval, and then motioned for Kali to hand the gun over to Miroku, who took it, looking slightly confused.

He pulled off his earmuffs. "You know, this probably isn't going to work for me at all, if its previous behavior is anything to go by."

"I know. Use your spiritual power when you fire, and let's find out if we're right or not."

...

Darkness. Were his eyes open? They felt open. He shivered, suddenly feeling the chill that had seeped into his prone body from the cold, smooth surface on which he lay. With his second shiver, he felt an ache in his abdomen as he tried to slowly sit up. A mild pain began at his temples, then spread outward, clamping like a vise, getting worse and worse the longer he remained sitting upright. He lay back down, noticing as he did the gentle rocking motion of the surface beneath him. The pain in his head calming, he tried to remember how he had gotten here, wherever "here" was. But his mind's eye remained blank, not a single shred of memory flickering to life. Instead, a question blossomed slowly, Why am I not afraid?

...

Despite the fact that Miroku had pulled the trigger four separate times now, the gun refused to fire at all, each time seeming to lock up.

"See?" He said to Sango, gesturing at the gun in his hand.

She nodded thoughtfully.

"I have half a mind to say that if Kagome tried to fire it, she'd get zapped or something," he continued, glancing over to where the woman in question stood.

"Was it that negative of a response?" Kagome asked with a frown.

"Yeah, it felt like if I tried to push any more of my energy into it, it would have backfired, instead of just locking up and refusing to fire at all."

"Hmm. Can I see it?"

"Sure." He handed the Sig Sauer to Kagome, who took it in her right hand, her left arm being bound and immobilized to let her shoulder heal properly.

"This...this is such a bizarre aura," she muttered. "I can feel the demonic aura, but there's something else in there too..." She glanced up and exchanged a look with her fellow Spiritualist.

"It feels sort of like a spiritual aura, but twisted, right?" Miroku said.

"...Yeah," Kagome agreed. "But I have no idea what that could possibly be."

"Kaede might," Inuyasha put in.

"Yeah." Miroku nodded. "I don't know why we didn't have her down here to begin with. She'd be a lot more helpful with these guns than looking for Koh " He stopped suddenly, eyes shifting to Sango.

Her expression was tight. "Well, we do need at least one more or less normal human to test these. And you know, they wouldn't let me help search anyway. I'm too close with him and might do something rash." The last sentence dripped with sarcasm.

An awkward silence followed.

"Sango..." Kagome started. But she was interrupted by a loud clang as the metal door to the range was thrown open and Toryn rushed in.

"You guys will not believe this!" Toryn said frantically, brandishing a few sheets of computer paper.

They all simply stared.

"Uh, Toryn," Kagome started.

"What?" She said breathlessly.

"You're holding those sheets backwards."

"...Oh." She flipped the papers over and thrust them at the group.

They crowded around, staring at the printed out article.

"...Where did you find this?" Sango asked.

"It was on that Rebel Magazine website we've been trying to hack into for weeks. We finally did, and not a moment too soon, I would say."

"No kidding." She peered incredulously at the headline.

Scrap Yard Massacre: Slayers, Priestess Slaughter Demon Rights Activists. It was accompanied by a photo of the demoness who had shouted at Sango and Kikyou, slain son in her arms.

...

Sesshoumaru's head snapped up as he heard the back door open. He rose from the chair in his office and silently made his way to the kitchen.

Kagura had her back to him, sorting through her purse a few Walgreen s bags at the island counter.

"Sesshoumaru," She greeted curtly, not turning around.

In a flash, he moved from the doorway to directly behind his wife, trapping her against the counter with his hands resting on the surface to either side of her.

"Kagura," he said lowly in her ear. He felt her cringe and stiffen, and he frowned. A few years ago she would have pressed her back into his chest, reaching back to run a hand over the side of his face and into his hair, and he would turn his head, lean down, and kiss her slowly. Not anymore. He allowed a sigh to escape his lips. "I must speak with you."

"About what?" She asked tightly, fingers curling around the black leather of her purse.

"I have questions."

Kagura's eyes went wide. He can't possibly...?

"Must it be now?" Perhaps she could avoid it altogether if she could delay it.

He put a hand on her shoulder, gently turning her to face him. She met his gaze unflinchingly, but inwardly she felt a flicker of guilt at the concern and anger that danced behind his eyes.

"Yes."

Kagura's lips tightened. How much does he already know? Has Rin said finally said something...? "Fine."

"Good. What were you doing yesterday?"

Kagura crossed her arms, pressing herself into the counter. Still, her gaze steadily held Sesshoumaru's. How could he possibly know I was out? I left after he did, and came home before he did... and Rin confirmed that he didn't return in between. I only just now went to the pharmacy...

"I was working." Technically, it was the truth.

"But not at your office."

Why does he know that? "What is it to you if I choose to do my work at a coffee shop?" Also technically the truth.

Sesshoumaru's eyes narrowed. "But the nature of the work was not the usual, I think."

"Is there a reason you're grilling me like I'm an errant teenager?" She snapped. "Last I checked, Rin is your daughter, and I am your wife."

Sesshoumaru opened his mouth to respond, but the sound of a door opening upstairs followed by footsteps down the hallway stilled his tongue.

"If you're going to insist we continue this...discussion, we should move it to the basement. This isn't the sort of thing Rin should hear," Kagura said icily.

"Indeed," he agreed, turning toward the basement door.

Kagura entertained the brief notion of getting out while she still could, but when Sesshoumaru paused in the doorway, pinning her with a look, she sighed and followed after him. She shut the door behind them, turning the handle lock.

...

He let his eyes close again. It didn't matter whether he held them open or not. The dark was the same. Accompanying the rocking motion was a soft sloshing echo that seemed to permeate everything around him. Water? He thought. From his prone position, he let his hands wander the cold surface he lay on, eventually encountering round, raised dots that ran closely in a line next to what felt like a seam. ...Rivets, his mind supplied. If only it could supply him with the more important answers.

...

Kagura leveled a glare at Sesshoumaru. "Are you going to continue the interrogation?" I have to push him away, she thought. He can't know, or Naraku will

"If you must call it that."

She cocked an eyebrow at him, letting her arms fall to her sides. An idea was beginning to take hold...

"All I desire from you is truth."

"Which I gave you." She gathered her demonic power slowly, subtly.

"In part." He shifted his weight forward. He could feel Kagura's aura thickening.

"I have never lied to you." Only omitted anything important. I wish I could tell you...

She locked her reddish brown eyes with Sesshoumaru's gold ones. I'm sorry. She straightened her hand, bringing it up across her body faster than a normal eye could track, wind twisting fiercely around her palm, and flicked her wrist. The wind blade flew at Sesshoumaru.

...

"This is way too convenient," Sango grumbled.

"You're telling me," Toryn agreed. "They make it sound like the Slayers are in the business of killing all demons, innocent or not."

"Naraku," Inuyasha muttered.

They all looked at him. He sighed. "This is just like last time. He never gets his own hands dirty."

"So then Naraku is trying to get a bunch of angry demons to do the Slayers in for him," Kagome grumbled. Lovely. The pain medication was starting to wear off, and her shoulder was hurting, but she could think much more clearly now.

Sango sighed. "That's what it looks like anyway."

"The presence of all of those innocent demons was too serendipitous for it to be anything else," Miroku opined. "If we're going to have any success at all against Naraku, we have to avoid these activists as much as possible."

"I have a feeling he's going to make that exceedingly difficult," said Kali.

Toryn's face lit up. "Not if we can get into Rebel's forums."

"But you said it took weeks to crack their website," Kali reminded her.

"Well..."

"...I could help," Kagome said quietly.

Miroku smiled knowingly.

"Really?" Toryn asked, cautiously excited.

"Yeah. It's been a little while, but I basically hacked my way through college to pay for everything."

"You hacked people's bank accounts to pay for school?" Inuyasha asked, disbelieving.

"No, you idiot. People paid me to hack various websites and databases and such. I never stole money from anyone. Sheesh."

"Whatever."

"Quit it, you two," Sango cut in. "If Kagome can help, I don't care what she was using her skills for before this. If we're going to avoid walking into any more of these traps, we have to know the protest groups' movements. ...And there may be something that will help us find Kohaku."

Five sets of eyes flashed concern for her.

"I have to help him," she whispered.

"Sango..." Toryn started.

"What?"

"I...well, I was actually going to ask you to stay here to keep testing the guns with Kali and Miroku."

"Toryn, you can't order me about."

Toryn glanced at the floor before meeting Sango's gaze steadily. "Sango, I'm sorry. The Lieutenant told me to pass on this information to get your thoughts, but...that you need to stay out of looking for Kohaku right now."

Sango ground her teeth angrily. "Is that so?"

"Sango, I understand how you must feel, but "

"I don't think you do." Her voice was frigid.

Toryn glanced around, seeking support.

"Here I am," Sango continued, voice raising in volume, "having just watched my brother snatched away in front of my eyes, and I could do nothing about it, and now, you want me down here, playing around with a few pistols, and continuing to do nothing?" She was practically shouting now.

"Sango "

"Don't you 'Sango' me! I have had enough of standing around, pretending to be just fine while the only family I have left is being held somewhere against his will, maybe being tortured, or dying, or already dead! I am not going to continue like this! You can test the guns with Kali and Miroku. You saw them in action anyway! I am going to have a few words with our Lieutenant!" Sango shoved past Toryn and yanked open the door, banging it soundly into the wall, despite its significant weight.

They stood in stunned silence for a moment.

"...Uh, should we be worrying about the Lieutenant s safety?" Miroku asked jokingly, trying to pierce the stifling atmosphere.

Half-hearted laughter followed.

"I think the Lieutenant can handle herself," Toryn said, shaking her head. "I can't say I didn't expect this though. Honestly, the Lieutenant should know better..."

Miroku nodded in agreement. "I can't imagine losing someone like that and then being told I'm not allowed to do anything to help."

"I know." Toryn grimaced. "If anything, it's just asking for trouble."

"Well hopefully the Lieutenant will see some sense and Sango won't go running off by herself," Inuyasha grumbled. He'd worked with the woman long enough to know that when someone tried to stand in the way of her goals and she couldn't get them to move, she'd find a way around them before they'd even realized what had happened, proper procedure and permission be damned.

"No kidding," Toryn agreed. She sighed again. "Anyway." She turned to Kagome, proffering the article. "If you could take this upstairs up to Covert Technology Operations and tell them I sent you to help them get into Rebel's forum, that would be great."

"Sure," Kagome said, taking the stack of papers and turning to leave.

"And Inuyasha," said Toryn, "If you could go up with Kagome and give your brother a call, I think we need to get more than just cursory cooperation from the Youkai Court to deal with all of this."

He sighed and nodded. "Yeah." He hated having to be the diplomat, but the meeting the day before had been coldly polite between the Slayers and the few from the Court. And only Sesshoumaru had stuck around to help see the operation through. He glanced up, seeing Kagome had paused, holding the door open and waiting for him. He hustled through the door, muttering a thank-you as he went.

...

Sesshoumaru barely dodged, and the crescent of demonic energy cracked the plaster wall on the far side of the room.

"Kagura " But he was forced to sidestep again as another blade flew past. What is she Then it occurred to him. Kagura could do significant damage if she wanted to. She wasn't a weak demon by any means. She is pushing me away. A frown pulled at his lips as another blade flicked by his face, severing a small lock of silvery hair. I will not allow it. Then he moved.

Kagura found herself pressed suddenly into the wall, Sesshoumaru's hands pinning her wrists firmly, but gently, his chest inches from hers. She met his gaze, her eyes hard and unforgiving.

"What do you want from me?" She spat, inwardly cringing at her tone.

An unreadable expression flickered in his eyes. "I want you to stop hiding from me."

She couldn't hold his gaze anymore. She let her eyes drop to the collar of his white dress shirt, trailing down to the silver-edged mother of pearl buttons that held the shirt closed just below the dip between his collarbones. Impeccable, even on a Sunday afternoon...

"Sesshoumaru..." She whispered. She felt a light touch as he let his forehead drop to hers. He still held her wrists, but his grip had lessened and she could have pulled away if she wanted to.

"I heard your voice yesterday," he said softly.

Kagura's eyes widened. "What do you mean?"

He pulled back slightly so he could look her in the eye. "Kartek."

She froze. He knows. He knows he knows he knows he Suddenly lips were pressing firmly against her own. They hadn't kissed in two years, and it might have been like the first time all over again, but thoughts of Naraku s lecherous caress made her cringe away. But this wasn t Naraku, this was Sesshoumaru, and part of her wanted to give in, wrap her arms around him and never let go again. No. She couldn't. I will not jeopardize his safety any more than it already has been. She pulled her wrists out of his grasp and shoved him firmly away.

Sesshoumaru let out a surprised grunt, and a tiny sliver of hurt flicked through his eyes. He had felt it. She had flinched, but then had started to kiss him back. The first person in his centuries of living that had him feeling something other than anger or apathy. And she was pushing him away, yet again.

"You you can t " Kagura said breathlessly. The only intimate touch she had known for the last couple years had been Naraku's control. She wanted desperately for Sesshoumaru to help erase the scars Naraku had left, and at the same time, dreaded the memories that she would inevitably have to work through. But that would mean allowing Sesshoumaru in, and she couldn t do that. Couldn't let Sesshoumaru become Naraku's pawn like she had been, in some ways still was. "Why?" She asked finally.

"Kagura." He took a step toward her. "You tell me."

Her breath hitched. She knew what he was asking.

He closed the distance between them, pressing his body to hers, running his hands over her shoulders and down her arms. She shivered, emotions running wild, unable to decide whether to press her self into his touch or shove him away. His breath brushed across the shell of her ear.

"Tell me. I am here."

Something inside of her cracked. She drew a shuddering breath.

...

Answers. He needed answers. Again, he tried to sit up. This time, no throbbing pain in his head. That was good. He thought about trying to stand. Not the best idea in pitch dark. He moved to his hands and knees, placing his right hand so he could feel the raised line of rivets on the floor. They would be his map.

...

Kagome turned the corner of the narrow hallway, coming up to a wooden door whose sign read, CTO Office. She knocked.

No one answered, and she frowned.

"You could just see if it's unlocked, you know," Inuyasha suggested from behind her.

That would be kind of rude, Kagome said. Not to mention

The door fairly flew open, revealing a rather harried looking man holding a mug of coffee with a diagram of a caffeine molecule printed on the side.

Sorry for the wait, he rushed. "We heard you knock, but we found a worm on one of our computers a few minutes ago, can you believe that? Our computers! So we were trying to contain it, but it wasn t working, so we ended up having to pull the computer offline and He stopped, seeming to become aware of his babbling. I m sorry, I know we met earlier this morning, but I can t remember your names. Just too much going on today, you know.

Kagome smothered an amused grin. No worries. It s Kagome. And that s Inuyasha, she said, gesturing behind her.
"Toryn sent us up here, or she sent me anyway, to help with getting into Rebel's forum. Inuyasha needs to use your secure line to call Sesshoumaru about working with the Youkai Court."

A small smile turned up the corners of his mouth. "Ah, okay. Well, I'll take you to see Aave* she's in charge of this ship. Oh, and in case you forgot too, my name's Hitoshi." He pulled the door fully open and stepped aside to allow them in.

They followed Hitoshi down a hallway lined with old computer equipment and just about every kind of cable imaginable. Kagome noticed a wry grin hovering at Inuyasha's mouth.

"What's funny?" She asked quietly, nudging him with her elbow.

He nodded toward Hitoshi, who was practically bouncing on the balls of his feet as they walked down the hall, and Inuyasha was surprised that his coffee wasn't spilling everywhere. "His name means 'even-tempered' in Japanese."

Kagome muffled a snort. "Ah."

They reached an expansive office at the end of the hall that was dark except for rows and rows of computers, screens glowing an eerie blue on the faces of those working with them.

"Hey, Aave!" Hitoshi called loudly, making everyone in the room jump and scowl.

A spectral woman rose gracefully from a desk in the back left corner of the room, her fair skin looking completely ethereal in the cold light of the computer screens. She made her way through the maze of desks and wires, seeming to float instead of walk.

Kagome was rather unnerved. This woman's aura was strange human, certainly, but a touch of demonic energy moved at the edges, a bit like Inuyasha's, but much less pronounced. Kagome frowned and glanced at Inuyasha, whose expression indicated that he'd noticed the odd aura as well.

...

Sesshoumaru.

Yes? He asked, drawing back to look at her properly.

Kagura closed her eyes, drawing another deep breath. We should sit down. And you need to stop touching me.

Sesshoumaru s expression tightened, but he nodded anyway, letting his hands fall to his sides. He turned to the squishy, purple sofa, the one that Rin had insisted would be cozy and welcoming when they d re-finished the basement into a den, complete with a large flat-screen TV, several full-to-bursting bookcases, and a mini-fridge.

Kagura sank down, grateful for once that Rin had insisted on the ugly, albeit extremely comfortable, sofa. Its soft upholstery was much more soothing than the stiff leather and modern lines of the one in the living room. She sighed. Where to begin?

Next to her, Sesshoumaru studied her face intently, but did not infringe on her personal space. The eight or so inches separating them may as well have been a chasm thousands of miles across.

She chanced a glance his direction. If our positions were reversed, I might have given up on him by now. And if I hadn t, I would want to know too. It was the thought that had entered her mind unbidden when Sesshoumaru had turned her question around on her, and she repeated it to herself, strengthening her newfound resolve to share some of her burden.

Kagura looked away, unable to hold Sesshoumaru s gaze, his eyes that betrayed deep concern despite the tight rein he always held on his emotions.

I ll never forget the date, she started, speaking to one of the bookcases. It was easier that way. December 27th, two days after the Christmas before last. Almost two years ago.

Sesshoumaru nodded slightly. He remembered. Kagura hadn t come home until almost 5 a.m., they d had a fight, and she had slept in the guest room ever since. She never told him what really happened that night, and he hadn t wanted to go behind her back, but eventually he d had no other choice. He d asked his sources to try to find out, but the trail was cold, and Kagura s demonic powers could make her impossible to track if she so chose.

I told you that I was working late, the same as the night before, and the same as the days leading up to Christmas day. I wasn t lying. Working at a law firm was like that, and she was a partner, which meant even longer hours. But I was omitting.

Omission. How she had deceived Sesshoumaru, how she continued to deceive Naraku. She swallowed, her hands fisting around the cuffs of her sweater.

I left my office at around 10 that night and started to walk down the one block to the parking garage. It was a Sunday, so there were only a few people downtown at that hour. I was still wearing my charm, and they must have been too at first, because I never felt them coming &

Kagura hurried down the street that was intermittently lit with yellowish streetlamps, taking a glance over her shoulder. It was one of those too-quiet winter nights where the snow muffled the city noises, and she felt like she was being followed. The feeling had happened before, several times, but each time, nothing had come of it, so she tried to brush it off as useless worrying brought on by too much stress.

The trial for a corporate fraud case began next week, and she was the prosecuting attorney. She and her cohorts at the firm had spent months collecting data and putting together the case, and now it was all coming to a head. This particular case was complicated by the fact that one of the clients had indicated demon involvement, which of course she couldn t talk about with the other partners at the firm, so she was working over-time even more than usual to put together separate documents and files to bring the case before the Youkai Court. So much for a relaxing holiday, she thought. She had hoped to take off the couple of days after Christmas, but that plan had gone out the window when she received a 5 a.m. phone call the previous day. At least I got one day off &

Suddenly, a wave of demonic energy crashed over her. Kagura gasped at the powerful invasion of her senses she could feel even through her charm, and before she could react, she found herself thrown to her knees, hands yanked behind her back. A viciously clawed hand jerked her face upward and shoved a cloth in her mouth, slapping a piece of duct tape over it, just as she felt tape also bind her wrists. Panicking, she managed to shove backward against one of her attackers, sending herself and the assailant tumbling into the snow drifting in the street gutters.

She stumbled to her feet and out of the drift to try to run, but found her self caught around the waist in an inhumanly strong grip. With as much force as her cold muscles could muster, she jammed her knee into the crotch of her attacker and followed it with a hard stomp to his instep. He doubled over, and she broke away again, hoping to get to a more populated area her corporate district was all but deserted.

A shot rang out, snapping the brittle air like an ice sickle, and she felt sharp pain blossom between her shoulder blades. Odd, I m still running, she thought, detachedly. Then she realized that it didn t feel like a bullet at all it felt like her vision blurred and she stumbled, barely regaining balance more like a needle gray invaded in her peripheral or a dart she tripped again, this time falling heavily onto the pavement tranquilizers

When she awoke, she had to blink several times to be sure her eyes were indeed open. Either she had been blinded, or she was in pitch dark, and she had no idea which. Anxiety seized her for a moment before she got a handle on herself to try to analyze her situation. First, she noted that her hands were still bound with tape, though her mouth had been un-gagged. She could feel the press of her charm around her neck, the jade pendant bouncing under her shirt as she sat up. A headache seized her, but she ignored it.

The soft slosh of water echoed around her, and rivets pressed into her through her clothing. The surface she sat on was frigid, definitely made of metal. She banged her heel firmly on the floor, listening to the sound reverberate through her prison. She took a deep breath, piecing the clues together. Water. Rivets. Metal. Hollow echoes. A boat. One large enough to have a sizable hull, so probably on Lake Michigan. She had eaten around eight that night, and she was now only slightly hungry, leading her to guess that it was some time around midnight, possibly one, if the tranquilizer had affected her appetite. So I can t be that far offshore, since the office is a bit of a drive from the lake. The thought was little comfort though. No one would know where she was.

A distant bang sounded, followed by footsteps. Lights came on all at once, and she had to shut her eyes against the glare. A chuckle reached her ears. She cracked her eyes open, unsure who or what to expect. Despite the presence of her charm, she still felt the dark demonic aura that rolled off the intruder.

A handsome demon strode into her line of sight; his long, wavy black hair cascaded around his shoulders, and dark bangs highlighted red eyes that were uncannily almost the mirror of her own when she removed her charm. Beautiful as he was, an unmistakably evil smile provided a small visual manifestation of the oppressive aura that hovered around him.

Still, he did not speak, and Kagura stood frozen under his gaze. Suddenly, he was directly in front of her, hands reaching around the back of her neck she flinched away, but instead of the expected blow, she felt his fingers at the clasp of her charm. It came away in his hands, gold chain and jade pendant catching the light. He dropped it into her coat pocket, then stepped back to observe her reaction.

Kagura was baffled. Is he letting me go? No...surely this must be some kind of trap. So she simply stood, unmoving, waiting for him to take some sort of action.

"Hmmm." His smile widened. "Interesting. You are not freeing yourself."

Kagura's gaze narrowed, and she shifted her hands, which were still bound with duct tape. Now that her charm was off, she could easily snap through the restraint, but it seemed she had judged correctly that he'd expected her do just that.

"Ah, I see now. You think yourself unpredictable, and that being so may help you." He started to pace around her, circles slowly tightening.

Kagura stared straight ahead, trying to keep her expression as blank as possible while she used her senses to follow his ever-closer movement.

"How unfortunate " His hands shot out, faster than she could track, grabbed her and flung her against the metal wall, her head cracking against a curved, vertical support.

She hissed in pain. He's so fast And before she could pry herself from the wall, he was pressed against her, chill hands gripping her jaw as he forced her face toward his.

"How unfortunate that I am the only one who knows tonight's outcome." He ground his pelvis into her hips, and a wave of nausea washed over her. Lips crushed harshly against hers then, and fangs raked into the soft flesh. She could feel him taste her blood with his tongue.

Tape ripped as pure, hot anger rose in her like a tidal wave, replacing the nausea. Her hands shot out, driving two wind blades into each side of his neck, piercing all the way through and slinging blood everywhere. Or she thought it was blood. As he stumbled backward, she noticed that the thick, sticky substance spurting from his neck was an odd purple-black color.

She sucked in a breath. He was laughing quietly, and the stream of ichor pulsed in rhythm. Her eyes widened when a thought occurred to her. Is this the demon Sesshoumaru told me about? The one who he, along with his father and brother's mother, defeated in battle, but couldn t kill? Is this Naraku? If it was, then he was still toying with her.

"Kagura." He revealed that he knew her name.

What else does he know?

He stood fully upright, and she watched, horrified, as the wounds she had inflicted sealed themselves before her eyes.

He stroked his neck almost affectionately. "Accelerated Regeneration," he said casually. "A useful ability." His lips curved in a small smile.

Kagura's face contorted in a hateful expression. You will not break me. She flicked her fingers in a precise, lightning-fast pattern, and a whirl of wind blades shot from her hands, tearing gouges in the floor before slashing into the opposing demon, who did not evade quite fast enough.

He grunted as chunks of flesh were torn away, splattering the floor with dark fluid. But as fast as he was shredded, he repaired himself, sealing the last cut while dodging a final stray blade, which ripped through the far wall.

The boat rocked then, and water trickled through the gash, pooling on the metal floor. The hole was just above the waterline, allowing through small sloshes with each motion.

A sickly smile slithered across the demon's face. "Be careful now, unless you want to sink this ship."

Kagura gulped. Most of her direct attacks used some type of sharp edge, and she had hoped, perhaps foolishly, that the boat might either be reinforced, or made of a material that would at least somewhat withstand her demonic energies. She wished they were on the deck of the ship, where she could gain control of a large enough air mass to sweep him and whatever cronies might be around overboard.

She flicked her wrist and a much smaller mass of air slammed him into the wall, rocking the ship to the side. She held him there, pinned, but it was hard to maintain pressure of such a strong gust for so long, and the ship appeared to be listing dangerously. Deftly, she flicked her other hand and drove five precise blades straight toward his chest.

They never connected, as a dense, purple barrier rose up, cutting both the wind knives off, as well as her hold on the mass of air pinning the demon to the wall.

"I think I have had enough of this." His voice rose from behind the shield, its edges crackling with power. "You will bend for me " he swept the barrier aside. " or I will break you."

His hands rocketed toward her, arms lengthening, and she felt their cold grip secure her midway through her attempt to leap aside. They flung her into the floor with such force that her body dented the metal, and had she been human, she would have been dead in that instant. Instead she let out a shout of pain as her breath was knocked out of her, and tried not black out, though that might have been welcome when a pair of malicious red eyes filled her vision

Kagura paused, breathless. "Then he then he " She couldn't go on, couldn't say the words aloud. She couldn't look at Sesshoumaru either, whose aura she could feel winding tighter and tighter with every word she spoke. She closed her eyes, feeling tears prickle at the corners. I will not cry. I will not cry. She did not cry then. She would not start now. I will not cry. It was a mantra.

"Kagura." Sesshoumaru's voice was low, surprisingly soothing, completely counter to the tension she could feel emanating from him.

Her eyes snapped open, lashes wet with unshed tears. Still she did not look at him.

"Sesshoumaru, he " Again she stopped. She felt him shift toward her, reaching out to put an arm around her, and she cringed. "Please don't," she whispered hoarsely. "Please don't touch me." She felt him draw away.

Kagura inhaled deeply, and when she opened her eyes, she saw Sesshoumaru's pale hand held out in front of her, an offering. More tears gathered.

"I know you do not want me to touch you," he stated, "but if you would like to hold my hand, you may."

Her eyes widened, and one tear escaped down her cheek. He was offering her support, but more than that, he was offering her control. She could choose to have contact or not.

The tears came in a rush then, and she reached out and gripped his hand tightly in both of hers as she collapsed forward, catching her elbows on her knees so she was bent over her lap. She bit her lip harshly, stemming the sobs that fought to wrack her body as salty tears ran down her face and dripped onto her jeans. Perhaps it was all right if she let herself cry this one time.

...

He muddled forward in the dark, hand leading him along the line of rivets on the floor. Abruptly, his fingers came in contact with something solid, something preventing further forward progress. He stretched both hands in front of him and discovered that he'd reached a wall made of metal, much like the floor. The slosh of water sounded just on the other side of it. His mind finally connected the dots. A boat. He stood up carefully, bracing himself on the wall so he didn't stumble with the rocking motions of the vessel. He was debating whether to try following the wall to see if it went anywhere when lights came on all at once, blinding him with their brightness.

...

The pale woman proffered her hand to Kagome, who took it and tried not to jump as the strange aura prodded her senses.

"I'm Aave, but you know that already." Her voice was remarkably low and rich, completely counter to what Kagome had expected from the ethereal woman.

"I'm Kagome and I hear that you all could use some help breaking into Rebel's forum?"

Aave sighed. "Indeed. Their main website was difficult enough. How a group like theirs managed to afford such top of the line security, I have no idea."

Inuyasha and Kagome exchanged glances. They had a pretty good guess about how Rebel afforded such a thing.

"Maybe we ought to go somewhere with fewer people," Kagome suggested. "Inuyasha can delay his phone call, and we can see how much we collectively know about Naraku."

Aave nodded. "Hitoshi," she turned to address the man, "We're going to the main conference room, so if you could get the Lieutenant to come down there, I would appreciate it."

"Um, but that worm we found

"You pulled the computer offline already, right?"

"Well of course."

"Then don't worry about it. I'll grab someone who's not too busy and let them finish sorting it out."

Hitoshi sighed. "Alright, I'll call the Lieutenant and have her meet you at the conference room."

"Good." Aave turned briskly, beckoning Kagome and Inuyasha to follow.

...

Kagura sucked in a deep breath, still gripping Sesshoumaru's hand tightly in her own. I can do this. He deserves to know. She straightened, letting their joined hands rest on her knee as she gave her attention to the bookshelf once more.

"He pinned me to the floor, not just with his hands, but with his energies. He was so powerful, too powerful, for me, alone

His hair fell around his face, blotting out some of the light from the room, and all she could see were his eyes. Those blood red eyes that nearly crackled with controlled power. And she couldn't move. He was holding her wrists with his hands, but the rest of her body he hadn't physically pinned refused to move a singular inch. In her peripheral vision, she could just make out a faint, dirty purple cloud that seemed to cover her body.

As she glared up at him, he smiled, showing a set of fanged teeth.

"You're hardly in a position to defy me anymore, Kagura." He stood up then, watching her continue to struggle against the energy bonds he'd placed, her eyes getting angrier, but also beginning to fill with legitimate fear.

"Your body," he continued maliciously, "shall do what I will."

Suddenly, Kagura was forced to her feet, feeling like hundreds of hands were pulling her up, all over her body, directing her movements. She watched herself in horror as she first removed her wool coat, followed by her suit jacket, and then her fuchsia colored blouse. Her hands shook as she tried to keep her fingers away from the buttons, to no avail.

He approached her, slithering into her personal space. He brushed his fingers against her cheek, and she felt herself pushed to lean into the touch as though she wanted it.

"So eager," he breathed.

Inside, she was shrieking at her body to stop, to fight the hundreds of hands pushing and pulling and prodding, but there was nothing, nothing she could do. Fighting the hands hurt, sending shooting pain down the limbs that she tried to reclaim. But she couldn't just give in; her mind would not allow it. She only hoped she'd still have her mind to herself by the time this was over.

A corporeal set of hands at her hips derailed her train of thought and brought fear screeching to the forefront of her emotions. He'd hooked his thumbs in the waistline of her black dress pants.

"You will kiss me," he commanded.

She tried Oh god she tried to fight the movement of her head tilting back, her lips parting. Jolts of lightning lanced her neck, and she screwed her eyes shut, the only part of her body she could still move of her own accord. Then his acrid taste was on her lips and tongue, his breath carrying the iron tang of blood and a stench of carrion. Her gag reflex was almost strong enough to briefly thwart his controlling magic, but instead, pain raced down her throat and into her gut where her reflex tried to defy his power.

He yanked her dress pants down along with her underwear then, sharp nails leaving scratches and a trail of blood down the outsides of her thighs.

A wave of utter terror crashed over her as her body laid itself down on the icy metal floor, legs spread to the demon before her.

&

He heard some shuffling and a few bangs, then soft footsteps. He cracked open his eyes, squinting in the harsh glare of the lights. He could just make out the figure of a woman, and as she drew closer and his eyes adjusted, he saw that she was only a little taller than he, with honey blonde hair and lightly tanned complexion. Oddly, she wore a police officer s uniform. He relaxed visibly at the sight, out of place as it was. Then woman smiled and paused, one hand on her hip.

You think you re safe now or something, pretty boy?

He blanched. There was something undeniably creepy and lecherous in the woman s tone of voice. She stalked forward, this time moving to circle around him. He turned with her, not allowing her out of his sight. She smirked.

On your toes now, huh? Good. You might be younger than I usually like, but I can still enjoy watching you get nervous. She licked her lips. Naraku said he had a surprise for me. I guess you re what he meant. She sighed theatrically, stopping her circle, then looked him directly in the eye. Well, I can t look a gift horse in the mouth, can I?

His eyes went wide as her hand shot out, grabbing him by the collar and slamming him into the wall. His head cracked against the metal painfully, and he saw stars. He felt the woman s body press against his, her breasts pushing uncomfortably against his chest. He tried to shove her away, but she was much stronger than she looked.

Come now, she cooed, Surely I don t appear that repulsive.

He shuddered at her tone. Get get away from me, he hissed.

Amazingly, she let go of him and took a step back. How rude of me, she said with an air of false politeness. I haven t properly introduced myself, though I of course know who you are, Kohaku.

The mention of his name snapped something inside him as he doubled over, memories suddenly crashing down on him. The mission Sango he followed her the fight, his capture the spider demon, Oshou He looked up, breathing hard.

Remembered a few things, have you?

Where s Oshou? He asked.

That ugly arachnid? Long gone. He s got demons to rile up. Now

Where are we?

On a boat. Stop asking so many questions, her voice lowered lustfully, or need I remind you who is in charge here?

He lowered his eyes in silence, inwardly gagging at her tone.

I thought so. She smirked. Where was I? Ah yes, I was going to tell you who I am &so that you know who your master is.

Kohaku s gaze snapped toward her, fear creeping into the edges. What could she possibly

This, she gestured to herself, pausing at her police badge on her shirt, is Jenna, my she took a step forward, charmed form. She watched gleefully as Kohaku s eyes widened. That s right, you don t have a counter-charm yet, so you can t see me. She slipped a silver ring with a round, white stone at the center off her ring finger on her right hand.

Kohaku stood frozen as he watched the transformation sift over the woman. Blonde hair turned pale blue, almost white, and blue eyes turned completely black with no visible sclera. Twisting, lavender facial tattoos ran down her temples to her jaw and continued down her neck, where they disappeared under the collar of her regulation police shirt. Her body emitted a pale purple glow. She would have been beautiful had it not been for her expression and posture that awoke a base terror in the pit of Kohaku s stomach.

I am Achrann.* Her voice crackled with electricity as she closed in on Kohaku, once again pressing him between herself and the wall. She leaned in, almost brushing her lips to his ear. And Naraku made a mistake when he gave you to me. Because when we are done here She ran her tongue along the shell of his ear, making him flinch as the wet, acidic touch left blisters in its wake. the only orders you will heed are mine.

&

A/N: So that s it for Part I. I m awful for breaking things off there, I know. But Part II should be out relatively soon, as I ve already written a significant chunk of it. Also, I m not sure how many people picked up on this, but Jenna/Achrann is indeed the same Jenna from chapter 1 who sexually harassed Inuyasha while he was stuck in the holding cell after receiving a speeding ticket and being arrested on a robbery charge. I just wanted to make sure everyone got that, since I know it s been over a year since I started writing this story. What do you think of her reveal as a truly terrible villain?

Some quick name explanation:
* Achrann is the Irish word for strife/confrontation.
* Aave is a Finnish word meaning, ghost.