InuYasha Fan Fiction ❯ Pools of Crimson ❯ Fear of Not Knowing ( Chapter 2 )

[ Y - Young Adult: Not suitable for readers under 16 ]

Disclaimer: I don't own any of the InuYasha cast. The only one I do own for now is Kariko.

Summary: What happens when InuYasha and the gang, run into an ancient demon known as a vampire, in present time lore. What will Kagome do when she finds out the demon has ties to the Higurashi family tree, which ends with her and Souta? The gang soon learns that Kagome may be the key to some great prophecy.

A/N: Thanks to everyone who reviewed this new Story it means a lot. Hope you enjoy this part as well.

Chapter 2: Fear of Not Knowing

By Tainted InuShemeeko

InuYasha couldn't help but be on edge; this fog seemed to be following them everywhere, and it was very nerve racking. Two days had passed since Kagome had, had that terrifying nightmare.

`Something just doesn't feel right about this fog. Kagome seems to be tired all the time now…it's not right. Then again with all the strange nightmares she's been having, no wonder she's tired.'

InuYasha then turned to look at Kagome as she tossed in her sleep. He sniffed the air around her, and among the scent of honeysuckle and strawberries, there was the smell of sweat.

`Damn Kagome's having another nightmare. It has something to do with this fog I just know it; but why is it that it's not affecting the rest of us?'

That was a question that he feared that he would never find an answer too. The fact that Kagome seemed to be the only one suffering bothered InuYasha a lot. Unable to stand seeing Kagome struggle in her sleep, he gently touched her shoulder. When that didn't work, he glanced around him and lifted Kagome into his arms.

“Kagome, wake up. You're having a bad dream again.”

She moaned as she looked up at InuYasha with sleep hazed eyes. It took her a few seconds to realize where she was at.

“InuYasha, what's going on, what happened?”

InuYasha sighed gently as he answered her.

“You were having another nightmare again.”

Kagome looked down at her lap after hearing this.

“Oh, I'm sorry if I woke you up.”

He just shrugged his shoulders at her,

“I was already awake so it doesn't matter. You weren't screaming like the other times. Can you remember anything at all Kagome?”

Kagome however, just managed to frown at him.

“No, I'm sorry I don't. I don't even remember dreaming.”

InuYasha gave Kagome a small smile, as he sat down on the ground with Kagome still in his lap. His golden eyes darted around to make sure his other friends were still asleep.

“It's no big deal, so don't worry about it.”

He flinched went he realized how cold Kagome's skin was.

“It's still pretty late you know. You should get some more sleep; I really don't want to have to carrying you around all day. I will if I have to though.”

Kagome couldn't help the small smile that appeared on her lips after hearing InuYasha's remark. She also couldn't stop it when sleep started to pull at her lids once more.

“Good night InuYasha.”

InuYasha sighed as he looked over at Kagome as she slept. It was then that he noticed two round bruises on Kagome's neck.

`That's strange I wonder how she got those bruises on her neck. I don't remember them being there a few days ago, weird…where could they have come from?'

None of this sounded right to InuYasha. The memory of Tsubaki and what she did and tried to do to Kagome came to mind. He however, didn't like where those memories led him.

`What if someone is trying to curse Kagome? But how would they have gotten to her? Besides all of this fog, nothing strange has happened.'

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A few miles away the woman from earlier, with the same long raven hair and dark brown eyes, seemed to be laughing at something off in the distance. Yes, at last she had found the heir to her family. When the group had passed by her hiding spot in the shadows, she was able to get a reading off of the young woman being carried on the back of the inu hanyou.

“Soon Kagome, you shall aid my cause. If you don't, then you will have to suffer as I have. You will be alone in this world of darkness; your friends will want nothing to do with you.”

The woman in the shadows gave it some thought as she gracefully began to follow the small group of friends.

“Then again, the curse on our linage has already been awakened. The transformation shall begin soon. I am interested to see how your friends react to it. I have a feeling it shall be very entertaining.”

Her mind then wandered to someone else who still walked on the earth and yet did not belong.

“Why do you wander the earth Kikyo? You should still be in the grave; the curse never got a chance to wrap its cold fingers around you. Yet your body is as cold as death itself.”

This was something she would have to wait to find out. For now she had other things to worry over.

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InuYasha's body stiffened as he felt the heat rolling off of Kagome body. Why was she so warm? Without warning he stopped in his tracks, catching both Sango and Miroku off guard. Seeing that InuYasha had stopped, Kirara landed on the ground a little ways away from him. Sango and Miroku watched as InuYasha carefully moved Kagome from his back.

Sango's voice was soft as she spoke, “InuYasha, what is? What's wrong?”

They then watched as InuYasha's ears flattened to his head.

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InuYasha winced as Kagome moaned in her sleep, his nose picked up the scent of sweat. His golden orbs widened as he watched beads of sweat start to build on her forehead. None of this was right, something had to be wrong. Kagome had to be ill, it was the only thing that made sense. Then the two small bruises on Kagome's neck came into mind. Once he was sure of what he wanted to do, he let the others know of it.

“We're stopping here for the night, Kagome needs rest. We'll continue traveling in the morning.”

Miroku, Sango and Shippo continued to stare at InuYasha as he pulled out Kagome's sleeping bag and then made her comfortable. Noticing that his friends hadn't moved from their spots InuYasha turned to look at them.

“What? The three of you have a problem or something? If you want to keep going be my guest, but I'm staying here with Kagome.”

The three of them were once again caught off guard; however it was Sango who spoke up first.

“No of course not InuYasha, if you and Kagome are stopping so are we.”

Miroku nodded in response of Sango's words.

“Yes, why would you think otherwise InuYasha? Kagome is our friend as well.”

A guilty looked passed over InuYasha's eyes as he looked at his friends, and then shifted his gaze once again over Kagome's sleeping form.

“It's just ever since Kagome had that strange dream, something has been off with her. Something smells fishy around here, and it's not the water.”

Both Sango and Miroku turned to glance at their sleeping friend. After looking at Kagome for a bit, Sango noticed the same two round bruise on her neck that InuYasha had seen earlier.

“Those bruises on Kagome's neck, I don't remember them being there earlier this week. Where on earth did they come from?”

InuYasha's gaze never left Kagome as he answered Sango.

“I don't know, but I do know that I'm going to find out how she got them.”

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Kagome's breathing was labored as she continued running on through the darkness. She was searching for a way out, but she had yet to find it.

“Where am I? Why does this keep happening to me?”

A pale light began to shine up ahead, making Kagome pick up her pace. However what she was about to find was not what she had expected. A high pitched shrieking reached her ears, causing her to cover them. It was then she realized that she was inside of a cave; and that cave was filled with thousands of bats.

“Ewww bats! Out of everything it could have been; why did it have to be bats?”

That's when she heard the same sad and forlorn female voice from before.

“Child, who is the blood of my blood, come and seek me out. Come and set me free, break the curse that keeps me.”

“If you're cursed why would I want to break it? How do I know that I can trust you?”

“Listen and follow your heart, for if you do not you as well will be damned. Come to me,you have the power, to end all of our suffering.”

“But I don't…”

The dark world that Kagome had once again been plunged into started to fade away as Kagome felt as if her body was going numb on her.

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Kagome blinked as she slowly started to come too. She was back in camp with all of her friends. Shippo and Kirara lay curled up beside of Sango, Miroku the lecherous monk was leaning against a tree trunk a sleep. While InuYasha, Kagome saw, was asleep in the highest branch in the trees.

Before Kagome realized it she was standing and walking into the forest. The gentle, caring, but sad voice continued to speak to her as she walked deeper into the forest and away from her friends. The strangest thing was that she had no clue as to where she was going. Yet at the same time she knew where every rock and branch was going to be.

Within a half hour Kagome found herself standing in front of a mouth of a huge cave; the creepy part of it that the cave looked just like the one in her dream. Then, without really realizing it, Kagome started to walk inside the cave. The strange sad and soothing voice led the way inside.

“That's right Kagome; you are the blood of my family. Come, come and set us all free.”

“I must set you free.”

She continued to walk until she came to a piece of stalactite that was blocking her path. Unable to pass through because of the stalactite Kagome stopped in her tracks. She was about to turn and leave when the soft voice of the strange woman spoke to her once more.

“Kagome, don't turn back. You have the power to break through…use it now. Come to me, as of right now I'm the only one to understand you. I am the only one who knows what you're going through.”

A wave of dizziness struck Kagome for a mere second, causing her to fall to her knees. Kagome felt a cold gentle hand rest on her shoulder. When she turned to look, she was greeted with a pair of sad brown eyes. Catching her breath at last, Kagome asked.

“Who are you?”

The woman then gave her a warm, yet cold smile, as she answered her.

“My name is Kariko. I'm here to help you though this, Kagome.”

Kagome's eyes widened in surprise; when she heard Kariko's voice whispered inside her head once more.

“Use your powers Kagome; break through to the other side. You must do it now.”

Without warning, purifying energy erupted from Kagome's right hand. The stalactite disappeared the minute Kagome's purifying powers stuck it, turning it to dust. She then watched as Kariko stepped in front of Kagome and into the cavern. The sound of beating wings could be heard as thousands of bats flew around Kariko.

Kariko watched as four of the smaller bats, started to fly around Kagome. Another aura was starting to blend in with the one from her miko powers.

`The transformation is already starting. The younger bats are flocking to her as they would their mother. We're running out of time, if she is not the one to save the Higurashi line, then who?'

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InuYasha's eyes snapped open as a strong aura pulsed through out the clearing, causing him to awaken fully. His golden eyes looked down to where Kagome's empty sleeping bag now lay.

“Kagome, KAGOME!”

`What the hell does she think she is doing, running off in the middle of the night? She could get herself killed! Then again, why would she go running off in the first place?'

None of InuYasha's thoughts made sense as he continued to follow after Kagome's scent. He then came to a stop as another scent mingled in with that of Kagome's.

“Kikyo?”

`No, wait a minute, it's not Kikyo. It smells of old death, but at the same time it holds a similar scent to both Kagome and Kikyo.'

InuYasha turned to look behind him as a call from Kirara could be heard. Sango, Miroku and Shippo came into view as the fire cat came in closer.

“It's about time you guys caught up to me.”

All three passengers that were on Kirara, frowned down at the hanyou as they glared at him. Sango was the first to speak, a sarcastic hint in her voice, as she spoke in a low tone.

“He acts as if we were late on purpose, when he's the reason we're late.”

Miroku sighed from his place behind Sango.

“Indeed, it's just InuYasha's way of hiding his true feelings for Kagome.”

Shippo's small voice chirped in to agree with Miroku.

“You said it Miroku.”

InuYasha's right eyebrow started to twitch as he heard every word that passed from his friend's lips. He however, didn't have time to deal with it; he had to get to Kagome.

Shippo then jumped onto InuYasha left shoulder as he looked at the dark creepy cave that lay before them. The sight of it caused the young fox demon to swallow hard.

“K-Ka-gome, went in there?” He asked his little voice shaking as he spoke.

“Yep I'm positive.”

That was InuYasha's response to Shippo's shaky question. That is until the kitsune spoke again.

“A-are you s-s-sure you sm-ell Kagome inside this cave, InuYasha?”

InuYasha simply nodded as he answered Shippo's question for the last time.

“There's no doubt about Shippo, Kagome's scent is unmistakable. It leads into this cave, so that's where Kagome is.”

Shippo swallowed once more as he and InuYasha headed inside of the cave, with Sango, Miroku, and Kirara following close behind them.

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Kariko felt her body stiffen as a feeling of dread swept over her body. Her brown eyes quickly turned to look at Kagome.

`Have I truly made a mistake for bring her here? Shall she also be burdened with the same pain as I?'

Her eyes quickly shot toward the back of the cave as muffled voices draped with shadows could be heard.

“No! I shall not allow you to take this child from me.”

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Kagome's heart skipped a beat and her breath caught in her throat, as if she had swallowed an ice cube with out chewing it. Why was she so cold all of a sudden, and why did she feel as if she was about to be ripped in two?

“Inu-Yasha!”

An aura of pink, light blue, and red flashed and danced around her body as she cried out for InuYasha.

“INUYASHA!!”

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InuYasha's heart froze in his chest as he heard Kagome scream his name. This only made InuYasha pick up his pace as he ran through the shadows of the dark cave. His pace had picked up so much that poor little Shippo had lost his grip, and had fallen off only to be caught by Sango.

“InuYasha, wait for the rest of us!”

“I ain't got time to wait for you Kagome's in trouble. I'm going on ahead; you catch up when you can.”

Without another word to his friends, InuYasha was simply gone. It was almost as if the shadows had swallowed him. That feeling didn't help Sango or Miroku feeling any better about the situation they were in.

“I don't like this Miroku. Whatever is happening up ahead can't be good.”

Miroku voice was serious as he spoke to Sango.

“I believe you are right Sango. There is a strange aura of demon energy up ahead, and I don't like the feeling I'm getting from it.”

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Kariko did her best to shield Kagome from the dark shadow as it loomed closer to Kagome.

“Stay away from her! She is not yours to have! She is my child; she is of my flesh and blood.”

The muffled voices continued once more, this time they were more forceful.

“Kariko, you foolish child, we, I own you thereforeI now own her. Yet there is something different about this human girl. It doesn't not matter,for in time she shall belong to me as well.”

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(A/N: Ok this is the part were you can yell and scream at me. Oh well I didn't know how to get you to come back for more. This was the only thing I could think of. Come Back Next Time For: Ch. 3: Falling into Shadow.

Ja ne!

Tainted InuShemeeko)