InuYasha Fan Fiction ❯ Secrets of the Shinju (Part III): Loss of the Demon Soul ❯ Deal with the Devil ( Chapter 11 )

Chapter Eleven

Deal with the Devil

Kagome was trembling as she walked through the dark corridors of the castle. She knew that Naraku was here, but she couldn't find him. She turned corner after corner and was met with more doors. Finally, she had to stop and calm herself. The thought of seeing him again had her so frightened that she couldn't focus her powers. Finally she thought about Miroku. He was a good friend and she couldn't let him die. She stopped shaking and followed the direction that her spirit told her to.

She came to a room with beautiful furnishings. There in a chair was Naraku. He smiled at her when she walked in and she felt herself tense up. He then stood and walked towards her.

"Hello, priestess." Kagome shuddered at the sound of his voice but kept up her face as emotionless as possible.

"Naraku, Miroku will die soon from the void you put into his hand. I came to ask you to remove it and let him live."

He again smiled and stepped closer to her. "Why would I do something like that?" She looked him in the eyes and spoke.

"Because I'm asking you to." He smirked at her.

"Why should I do anything that you ask of me, priestess?" She turned her head away.

"I will do whatever you want, as long as you spare his life." A smile spread across his face and he put his hand on her chin forcing her to look up at him.

"Don't make such promises unless you fully intend to keep them, priestess." She could again see a look of lust in his eyes and closed her own.

"I can't sit by and let Miroku die. I will do whatever it is you want as long as you remove the void permanently." He contemplated her words and then thought back to the words of Hitomi. She had told him that the priestess would come back to him on her own accord and here she was.

He stared down at her and realized that he desired to have her more than the life of the monk.

"Very well, I will spare his life and then come for you. You will come back with me willingly." His voice held clear warning as he said this. She looked up at him and fought back the tears that were threatening to overtake her and then nodded.

"Know that if you try to cross me, I will see that he is killed." She simply nodded her head again, now feeling beaten. He smiled at her and then informed her that he would arrive shortly to retrieve her.

Kagome woke in the forest again, Sesshoumaru asleep across from her and InuYasha under a tree a short distance away. She quickly got up and went to InuYasha.

"InuYasha, wake up." He opened his eyes and looked at her.

"What do you want Kagome?" He said in an irritated voice still smarting from the sight of her and Sesshoumaru. She began to cry and took the jewel shards from her neck.

"Take these; I can't keep them with me anymore." He looked up at her with surprise and took the shards from her hand.

"What's going on?" She turned from him quickly and began to pack her things into her bag. He followed and Sesshoumaru was woken by the commotion.

"You both have to continue to Toshi. No matter what, you must get to her and find out how to purify the shinju and get your demon blood returned." Both brothers watched her as she cried and packed her things.

Sesshoumaru finally spoke. "Kagome, where do you plan on going?" He could sense that something wasn't right with her. She continued to ignore both of their questions and finally Sesshoumaru stepped forward and grabbed her wrists and made her look at him.

"What is going on?" He demanded somewhat harshly. She began crying and fell towards him sobbing, holding tightly to his kimono. He put his arms around her and again asked her what was wrong.

"I have to leave, and you can't stop me. It's the only way I can save Miroku." She pulled back and looked at InuYasha. Then they heard a laugh from behind them. Both brothers stood shocked to see Naraku walking towards them. Kagome knew instantly that this wasn't the real Naraku, just one of his puppets.

Sesshoumaru moved towards Naraku's puppet intent on killing, while InuYasha pulled Kagome close to him. She pulled herself free and walked towards Sesshoumaru. She gently touched his arm and looked up at him.

"You can't…I have to go with him." She walked towards Naraku and felt Sesshoumaru grab her.

"You are not going back with him." She began to cry harder and turned to him.

"If I don't Miroku will die, I have to go."

She then pulled from him and moved towards Naraku, who held a satisfied smirk and looked at both brothers.

"I told you that I would come for the other item that I desire." Kagome made no attempt to struggle as Naraku took a hold of her. Both brothers moved towards him, but he disappeared almost instantly with her. Sesshoumaru turned to InuYasha.

"We need to move quickly. She is not safe now." They both grabbed their things and took off through the forest moving as fast as their human bodies would allow.

Kagome was brought to yet another castle. As soon as she was brought to the entryway she recognized the corridors. It was the same one she had been in a short while earlier. The puppet disappeared from her view and she stood alone in silence. Moments later she could sense Naraku. She turned and saw him gazing at her. Instantly her body froze in fear as he walked towards her.

"Hello priestess, I'm so glad you came back." He came within inches of her and then spoke in a lower voice.

"Perhaps I should call you Kagome. We will be getting to know each other on a much more personal basis from now on." He smiled down at her and then told her that her personal servant would arrive momentarily.

"She will take you to the baths and help you prepare for bed." He looked her over again and then left the room.

Miroku woke suddenly. He was in a bed in a darkened room. He looked around trying to figure out what had just happened. He was prepared to drop his staff, not thinking he could hold out any longer and suddenly the barriers in his prison had disappeared, freeing him. It was then that he was thrown back into consciousness.

He began to search for evidence of other people near by, but he heard nothing. He unhurriedly got out of bed, barely able to walk from lack of strength and the amount of time his body had been immobile. He slowly walked across the room. Kagome had told him that he was at Sesshoumaru's castle, and he assumed that is where he was now.

He called out to Sango but she didn't answer. He sighed and was happy that she was not near by. Hopefully, she had taken the children and left. Even though he was conscious now, he didn't believe he had long before his wind tunnel would go.

He lifted his hand and looked closely. Something wasn't right. He slowly moved his prayer beads, and then ripped them from his hand. He stood there dumbfounded. The void was gone. His head jerked upright. Afraid this was another cruel dream, he began to move through the castle.

Moments later he heard a voice and turned to see Sango at the end of the corridor. She rushed to him and began crying.

"Miroku, you're awake! Kagome told me that your wind tunnel was about to take you." He looked at her and then quickly pulled her into a tight embrace.

"Sango, it's gone." He said, with disbelief in his voice. Sango pulled back and he showed her. "They must have found a way to defeat Naraku; it's the only way it would disappear." Miroku said and again pulled Sango close to him.