InuYasha Fan Fiction ❯ The Centre ❯ Forced Betrayal ( Chapter 29 )

Ok, so I got inspired. After this I am busy all weekend….thesis revisions, thesis presentation, lab reports, take home exam….work……yeah, Iza busy puppy!

Chapter 28: Forced Betrayal….

Sesshoumaru sniffed the air around him. Still no smell at all. How the hell did you hide smell? You could cover it up, but to vanish it completely? This Naraku was more dangerous than they could have imagined. At least he could still hear.

"Is she secure?" a voice in the distance asked.

"Yeah. The demon won't know what hit him," someone answered with a snicker.

Sesshoumaru's eyes narrowed. It was obvious they meant him, which meant She was Rin. Just what the hell were they planning? He cracked the knuckles of his right hand, speeding forward to find out.

Kagura gasped as the youkai appeared out of nowhere, his movements like lightning. Luckily she was not alone.

Sesshoumaru changed his course at the last second, barely avoiding the flames meant to cover him. The bitch Kagura laughed and disappeared behind a door, probably gone down one of the numerous corridors. Snarling, he faced his new target. A target that would not be living for long.

"Not so fast," the human drawled, his bald head covered by a strange bandana. Markings were painted on his face in the same color that had adorned Jyakotsu. Another one of those damn troublesome humans! Flames separated him from the human. He could feel the heat coming from them as they burned on air. How could this mere human control such power?

"Haha, if we kill him we get the bitch, right?" another voice asked. A much smaller man appeared, a cloth covering his face. Sesshoumaru got a strange chill up his back as he looked at the short little man.

`Was anyone really THAT ugly?'

***********

Rin groaned, forcing her eyes to open. Her arms felt heavy, like a great weight was pulling on them. Looking up she found herself tied, feet dangling.

`Why does everyone insist on chaining me to places? What am I, a goat sacrifice?' she thought angrily. Commotion below caught her attention. Two of the nasty humans were standing below, looking overly confident as flames separated them from a very angry youkai. Sesshoumaru! Rin gulped in a huge breath, ready to yell for him. He had to know she was here!

"SESSHOUMARU-SAMA!!!" she yelled, the force of her lungs vibrating the entire room. One of the humans looked up at her, a frown upon his face. Rin felt a pain at her neck, the collar squeezing her to the point of suffocation. It had the desired effect. Sesshoumaru's gaze caught hers. His deadly golden eyes held a promise. They would die and she would be set free.

"She's not supposed to be able to do that," the short man said to the other.

"Shut up!" the other hissed, only to find a green whip coming inches from his face. He quickly dodged, flames covering his escape. His comrade was not so lucky. Deadly claws snaked out, catching him by the shoulder. The angry youkai stepped across the flames as if they were no more than a water trickle, eye bleeding red, knuckles cracking.

"I can smell you now," Sesshoumaru snarled. "You have the same stench as that human Bankotsu."

"Shit! They got through Bankotsu?" the flame throwing man said.

"His legs don't work as well as they used to," Sesshoumaru commented, his attention turned from the small odious man injured below him. The man reached down, trying to grab something.

Rin tried to move but the collar wouldn't let her. She couldn't speak, couldn't think; only writhe in pain. The smaller man. He had that powder. The powder that immobilized people. She had to warn Sesshoumaru! They would collar him….capture him again. Even collared he would recognize her as mate. They would fall right into Naraku's hands.

Try as she might, she could only helplessly watch as the container was freed. Sesshoumaru looked back down at the man just as the entire container was tossed in the demon's face.

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

"That's my butt, not my shoulder," Sango said in the darkness. "You should know the difference."

"But this is much more enjoyable to hold on to." He received no reply, only light grumblings. There was a thud, then a slight squeak as a door knob turned. Suddenly they were bathed in bright light. Holding up Hiraikotsu, Sango made her way forward.

"So good of you to join us," a voice said calmly. "I was just getting bored."

Miroku felt his eyes sting as he adjusted to the light. A collared youkai clad in very little was sitting atop a bunch of skulls…brushing the hair of one. Skulls of all shapes and sizes surrounded her, some with hair, others without.

"What the hell?" Sango swore, something stinging her hand. A sliver of blood ran down her hand. How the hell had she gotten cut?

"Can you see it?" Miroku asked, holding out his staff. Something sizzled as a feint light purified it.

"See what?"

"The hair. It's everywhere."

"Miroku, what the hell are you talking about?" Sango asked, only to be pulled by an invisible force. She went flying back, crushing skulls as Hiraikotsu was wretched from her hand. Blood came down her cheek now.

"Such pretty hair," the youkai said. She was bent over Sango's head, a hand reaching out to pet her. Sango knocked it away forcefully. The woman lost all humor and twisted her fingers. Sango felt a sharp pain on her neck.

Miroku saw the hair around Sango's neck and his mind went blank with rage. The dirty bitch was trying to kill her! He rushed forward without thinking, bringing his staff down upon the youkai's head with enough force to strain the staff almost beyond its limits.

The youkai staggered back, looking somewhat shocked and the thread loosened….but she didn't look injured. Sango clawed at her neck, pulling whatever it was away as her armor tore.

"Monk!" the youkai hissed, drawing a small sword at her belt and making a bee line for him, seeming to fly through the air. He managed to parry her stroke but then strands wrapped around his wrist, forcing him to drop the staff and clutch his wrist in pain.

`I could use the Air Rip, but I don't want to risk sucking Sango in,' he thought.

Sharp pain shot through Miroku's shoulder. The youkai laughed and ripped out the sword, leaving the wound far large than it had initially been. Staggering, he dropped to his knees.

"HIRAIKOTSU!" Sango yelled, the boomerang leaving her hand with deadly speed. Miroku had enough sense to duck as it came singing through the air above his head. The youkai screamed, dropping her sword as the huge weapon went right through her midsection. Hiraikotsu arched and returned to Sango who caught it in a well practiced slide.

"You little bitch!" she snarled. Hair swarmed from all over, covering her bisected body. Within moments she stood, brushing herself off. "You think you can kill me? I'm immortal, fool!" Picking up the sword she flew at Sango, who shielded herself with the large weapon before drawing her own short sword and meeting the woman blade upon blade.

Miroku quickly looked around. Something had to be controlling the youkai. The hair was all over the place and Sango would not last long not being able to see it. But where was the hair coming from?

A glint caught his eye and he narrowed his focus. One skull was unlike all the others. Strands of hair were coming out of it. That had to be it!

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

"Well…" Kagome said. "This is…awkward." She looked at a bright red Kouga, an even redder female wolf and a smirking Inuyasha.

"Keh, hilarious is more like it. I told you he wouldn't keep out of other women's pants. Didn't think you'd see it this early though." Inuyasha seemed all too happy over the wolf's discomfort.

"Inuyasha, now is not the time to discuss that," Kagome scolded, pulling him back out the door. "Sorry to disturb you. We'll be on our way….oh, wait a second." She hopped over bath supplies, ignoring the youkai stares she was receiving and stopped in front of Ayame. The wolf princess gave her a wary look. Kagome reached out a finger, barely touching the collar.

Thunk.

"I'm getting better at this," she said happily, making her way back to Inuyasha. A wet arm pulled her back. Confused, Kagome looked back at Kouga. The wolf had a very lustful look upon his face. Wasn't he already sexually satisfied? Kagome sure wasn't going to give him any.

"She's just a fuck, Kagome," Kouga said. "You are still my woman."

"Eh?" Kagome eeped. Inuyasha let out a dark growl, but Ayame beat him to the punch. Kouga went flying across the room and hit his head against the tile floor in a sickening crunch. No one else saw them, but there were stars dancing in his vision.

"A fuck? Just a fuck? I marked you, you goddamn bastard!" Ayame snarled, her eyes glowing a deep red. "You are MINE! Stay away from that HUMAN HUSSY!"

"Human hussy?" Kagome huffed. "Let me at her," she growled only to find Inuyasha was holding her shirt collar, keeping her from going anywhere.

"Let them fight. We got bigger youkai to purify," he said, pulling her away.

"Just a little purification," Kagome said. "One tiny zap. Please?"

"And prevent Kouga's inevitable beating? Not for the world, bitch. Let's go already." Kagome could protest no longer as he dragged her out the door.

Was she mistaken or was Ayame's aura flaming in anger when they left?

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

Sesshoumaru looked down at the human in disdain. A weird powder had covered him, threatening to poison his senses. His nose tingled as he inhaled, a bad after taste settling in his mouth. It was supposed to immobilize him.

Sesshoumaru sneezed.

"Fool," he uttered. "I have natural poisons within my body. What makes you think yours would do anything?"

The human cowered in fear as youkai claws rose and fell faster than the eye could see. Only a pile of crushed bones and a collar lay at his feet. Red eyes glowing he turned for the flame thrower.

Only he was gone.

`Rin' he thought, looking up. She was passed out, a dead weight upon her wrists. His green whip flicked out, snapping the chains that held her, his arms open to catch her as she fell. He didn't even blink as the light weight hit him solidly in the chest.

"Rin," he said, his voice low. She gave no response, air barely leaving her pale lips.

"RIN!" he repeated sharply and shook her gently. He could not see soul stealers. She was not dead, but she had to wake up. She groaned and he breathed a sigh of relief. Brown eyes fluttered open and met his, focusing on him, then softening.

Sesshoumaru bit back a curse as he smelled the stench of Bankotsu upon his beloved. She did not seem to be suffering the effects of a rape victim, but she may not have been conscious for it. He could smell it though. The blood, the power, the sheer sick pleasure the bastard had taken in it. He would find the human and Bankotsu would die a slow, horrible death….a thousand times over.

"You came for me," she said softly, throwing her arms around his neck. Warning signals went off in his head. Rin was clingy at times, yes. Emotional, yes. But not once in all the years she'd known him, had she ever doubted he would come for her.

Something was wrong.

Sesshoumaru howled in pain as claws went right through his neck, the glowing power of a miko sending purification shock through his entire system. Pulling away he looked down at her in horror. Rin had a sadistic grin upon her face, her eyes wild and dangerous. His body tried to heal as his lungs gasped for air. She'd not only punctured his jugular, his wind pipe had been sliced. Golden eyes widened as they realized what she was trying to do.

"Who's the most powerful now?" she taunted, her fingers radiating power. Tenseiga pulsed at his hip, but Sesshoumaru couldn't find the strength to reach down and touch it. She sat upon his chest, obviously intending to finish the job.

`This is NOT RIN!' his mind screamed. Then all went black.

********

"No," Rin whimpered as she watched her body attack him. "Oh gods no!" The other Rin was smiling, SMILING, as Sesshoumaru fell back, shock evident upon his face. Unnatural amounts of miko power tingled at the false Rin's fingertips. Where was she getting that kind of power? Why? Why kill him?

`Because he'd too much of a danger,' her mind answered.

"Not Sess," she cried, watching in horror as her body raked a power fed hand through the youkai's throat. There would be no healing from that. Tenseiga couldn't protect an outright physical attack or purification. Rin felt her heart break, filled with an anger so strong her hands began to tremble.

"No…" she said, clenching her hands so tight blood dripped from where her nails dug in. "Not him….anyone but him."

Pure, raw, dark hatred filled her veins. The power she had welled up, fueled by her anger. She was drawing a dangerous amount, pulling from every resource she knew. She didn't care if she died. He was dead. What reason did she have to live?

"SESSHOUMARU!!!"

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

Kanna looked down at her mirror in her lap.

"What is it?" Naraku asked from above.

"My mirror….it's shaking." Kanna looked down at the small round mirror. The girl within was in severe torment, power swirling around her in a frenzy. All the other souls were fueling the rebellion, straining against the bindings that held them captive. The mirror began to vibrate uncontrollably, nearly pulling from her grasp.

"What is going on?" Naraku demanded.

"Her soul…." Kanna said quietly. "It is too strong. I cannot….hold it."

The mirror suddenly stopped shaking as an all too familiar sound echoed through the hall. The mirror was cracked.

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

Rin felt like her soul was being torn in half. Two strong forces pulled her in different directions, each one demanding she got with them. Then, all of a sudden, one let go.

Gasping like she hadn't breathed in a month Rin staggered to her feet. She blinked in confusion and looked around her. She was no longer held in the mirror. In fact, she was right where she had seen herself.

Looking down Rin choked back a sob at Sesshoumaru's limp body laying there. His eyes were dull, lifeless. Blood ran all down his neck where the false Rin had torn out his throat. His lips were wide in a soundless cry…. shock on his face. Tears flowed from Rin's eyes as she checked him for life, any sign of life.

No heartbeat. No warmth. No aura. He was completely gone. Gone forever.

Rin sobbed aloud, not caring who heard her. She wanted to be dead. Why wasn't she dead? Why couldn't she have died in his place? Why? She reached up a hand to her neck, feeling the cold metal of the collar around her neck. Desperation gripped her like a vice as she closed a hand around it, drawing as much power as she dared to break the thing. How had Kagome done it?

The collar wouldn't budge. Rin looked for something, anything, that would help. Desperately she looked at Tenseiga. The masterless demon blade. Now who would wield the blade? Inuyasha could not.

Rin gripped the sword, pulling it easily from the sheath. The blade resonated as she touched it to the collar and she heard a crack.

Thunk.

The hard metal was in pieces now, a harsh reminder of how easily she'd been controlled. She looked down at the demon blade, a great sorrow and deep regret eating at her.

"Would that you could kill me," she said to the sword. "Then I could join him. Heaven, hell…it wouldn't matter as long as I was with him." Her head rested upon the blade, tears streaming down her cheeks as she cried. A single tear rolled down her nose, dropping right where the hilt and blade connected.

Tenseiga pulsed.

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

"Oi," Inuyasha said, his hand holding hers in the dark.

"What?" she asked.

"Why don't you just admit you don't know where you're going?"

"Like you've been here before?" she snapped.

"I got instincts," he argued.

"Well I've got Women's intuition, so there."

A long pause followed.

"Well I got a sixth sense," he said.

"What? You see dead people? Hello….so do I!"

"But-"

"You know what? You think you can do a better job then fine, you lead!" Kagome snapped, coming to a stop so fast Inuyasha ran into her. He made some sort of annoyed noise and went ahead, pulling her after him.

Thud.

"Did you just run into a wall?" Kagome asked.

"Shut up."