InuYasha Fan Fiction ❯ The Phoenix Blade: Time Lapse ❯ Hell Spawn I An Ill Wind ( Chapter 37 )

Disclaimer: Don't own…don't sue.

 

A/N: Coarse language alert! Koga and Inuyasha really bring out the best in each other's vocabulary.

 

While poking around in the Japanese/English dictionary I use, I discovered that `naraku' is another archaic word for `hell'. Not sure why it never occurred to me to look it up before…hence, the chapter title.

 

And before anybody chews me out for the way I've spelled Inuyasha's `claw attack', if you look `reaver' up in the dictionary, it means `to plunder, rob, despoil or seize', which is what I s'pose a `soul stealer' does. Was tempted to use the manga's `claws of steel' phrase instead, but then was reduced to snickers by an image of `Super Hanyou' in red tights…

 

 

The Phoenix Blade: Time Lapse

Chapter 37: Hell Spawn I - An Ill Wind Blows

 

Ж Ж Ж Ж Ж Ж Ж Ж Ж Ж Ж Ж Ж Ж Ж Ж Ж Ж Ж Ж Ж Ж Ж Ж Ж

 

“Koga! Word has arrived from our brothers who went to the castle!” The wolf prince roused himself from yet another contemplation of exactly how he was going to dismember Inuyasha to see a horribly injured pack member staggering towards him. The messenger barely kept his feet to totter up to the astonished wolf prince before dropping to his knees, fumbling inside his armour for something.

 

“Trap…Shikon shards…hurry…before too late…use it…” He pressed a long, thin shard into Koga's hand, beseeching him with eyes that were rapidly filming over. “Don't let them die…”

 

Koga bared his teeth in a snarl, fisting his hand around the shard. He could almost feel the dark power pulsing, urging him to race to his pack's defence. “See to his wounds, you two. Sit tight until I bring our brothers home.” Gritting his teeth, he shoved the shard into the damaged flesh of his forearm and then he was gone in a whirl of dust.

 

Ginta and Hakkaku went to grasp their comrade's arms, to lower him gently to the cave floor, when the wolf's body emitted a strange, repulsive squelching sound. As the two jumped back in surprise, they were horrified to watch the demon's body dissolve into a bubbling puddle of dark ooze. They looked at each other for only a moment before they bolted out of the cave entrance in pursuit of their chief.

 

Unlike their shard-powered leader, they were more than a little dampened by their passage under the waterfall; they sniffed after Koga's spoor and set off in his tracks.

 

Like Koga, they failed to notice the white fur-draped figure illuminated by moonlight on a nearby ridge.

 

Ж Ж Ж Ж Ж

 

Sango hefted the Hiraikotsu, her back very straight, her jaw set as she scanned the castle ramparts towering above her head. Kagome lightly squeezed her shoulder, then glanced over at Inuyasha, who was sniffing deeply, a ferocious scowl on his face. “What is it, dog-boy?”

 

“Place stinks like damned wolves…” the scowl deepened; Miroku was also frowning.

 

“Do you detect anything odd about this castle, Kagome-sama?”

 

“Aside from the fact that the Jewel shard seems to have vanished, or that there are no obvious demonic barriers protecting these walls? If Naraku is here, I should be sensing quite a few shards and a barrier, but there's just…nothing.”

 

“That is exactly what I am referring to. It all seems a little too…”

 

“Much like another fucking trap? Kagome, you're with me; have your arrows handy. Sango, cover Miroku…” The hanyou paused and gave the monk a concerned look. “Keh! Houshi, you must be feeling off if you didn't jump all over that comment.” Miroku smiled and shook his head. Inuyasha peered closely at him. “You're really starting to worry me…”

 

Miroku sighed dramatically and pressed his hand to his chest. “It is heartwarming to know that you care for me as much as I for you, Inuyasha.”

 

Kagome snickered at the narrow look the hanyou shot towards Miroku, then walked back to the horses to give Shippo a hug. “You seem to get stuck holding the reins quite a bit, Ship-dip…”

 

The kit stood tall. “It's okay, Kagome…you guys take care of the killing-Naraku thing, and I'll do the looking-after-the-horses thing. Somebody has to, and I'm not strong enough to fight by your side…yet.”

 

“You're a valuable member of the team, Shippo. Don't forget that.”

 

Shippo grinned bravely. “Between Kirara's teeth and my foxfire, we're set. Hey, Kagome…be careful…okay?” He couldn't keep the quaver out of his voice on that last word, and Kagome gave him another hug.

 

“Let's go, wench. See ya, runt!”

 

“Just take care of Kagome, dog-breath.” The hanyou raised his hand in a careless salute, then dropped it onto Kagome's shoulder for a quick squeeze. The four walked up to the main gate and looked at each other for reassurance.

 

“Let's see what the fucker has in store for us…” Inuyasha kicked in the gate.

 

As soon as they passed through the gates, Kagome felt that light prickle of a faint barrier slide over her skin, and then the stink of violent, messy death hit her like a sledgehammer. She staggered a bit, the bile rising in the back of her throat, but she didn't lose it completely.

 

Inuyasha, his nose twitching, the smell of blood masking everything else, walked forward into the mass of bodies and examined one closely. “They were slashed to death…multiple wounds…Miroku? Sango? Any ideas?”

 

“Something of great destructive power…what sort of demons are they?” Miroku was trying not be obvious about how tightly he was covering his nose.

 

Sango nudged a fur-pelt clad body with her toe. “Inuyasha did say he smelt wolves...I think that these are members of one of the wolf demon tribes.”

 

“Keh! Don't smell Koga anywhere, unfortunately…”

 

“This might not be his clan; there are a few others. I wonder what they were doing here?”

 

Inuyasha grunted and noticed Kagome's stricken face. He bounded back to her side and slid an arm around her, steadying her until she lost that green look. “Do you sense anything, Kagome? Any shards at all?”

 

“Nothing…did you feel that barrier when we entered this place?”

 

“A barrier? You're sure?”

 

“It was faint, but it was definitely there.”

 

“Shit. Let's get the hell out of here.”

 

Miroku was intoning a few quiet prayers for the wolf demons' souls; he nodded absently while he finished his duty. His eye was caught by a corpse. Frowning, he looked at it more closely. Did that move? He watched carefully, but didn't see anything else suspicious. Turning away, he spun back, his mouth dropping open, when the body of the dead wolf demon not only twitched, but along with its fellows, rose gracefully into the air. Headless, armless, legless, they bobbled slightly, as if shifting in an unfelt wind current…and he let out a yell as they dove towards him.

 

Kagome, Sango and Inuyasha, who were on their way out the gate, wheeled around as one and stared for a split second before springing into action. While Miroku struck out with his staff in all directions, the Tetsusaiga flashed as Inuyasha carved a path through the animated corpses to extricate the monk. Kagome and Sango protected each other's backs with Hiraikotsu and sword. The attacks were relentless; in very short order, all four were spattered and smeared with blood. As soon as they knocked down or dismembered a corpse, the body, or parts of it, arose anew to continue the assault.

 

Miroku fought his way to Sango and Kagome's side. “They are a type of puppet…someone is manipulating them!”

 

Sango sent Hiraikotsu whirling, after shouting a warning to Inuyasha. “Ugh, demon guts…where could the puppeteer be hiding? Houshi, if we can get Inuyasha to move out of the way, this would be a good time to use the Vortex.”

 

“Agreed, Sango-sama. Inuyasha! Withdraw, and I will conclude this game!”

 

Ж Ж Ж Ж Ж

 

“Kagura…enough.”

 

The demoness shut her blood-red eyes, sighed theatrically, and snapped her fan closed. “How boring…I was hoping you would let me enjoy playing with them a little longer.”

 

“The final player is about to take the stage…prepare, Kagura, for your role in this little drama...repeat to me your duties.”

 

“Let one kill the other, then remove the head of the winner as well as the shards from his legs.”

 

“Very good…the special shard the wolf prince bears in his arm should make this quite amusing.”

 

Ж Ж Ж Ж Ж

 

Inuyasha stared as the corpses, some of them no more than individual limbs, dropped to the ground and lay still. Miroku, caught in the act of unwinding his prayer beads, muttered an oath and quickly replaced them. Sango reached over and squeezed his arm, giving the startled monk a gentle smile. Miroku kept his eyes on hers and smiled briefly in return, before considering the puzzle of the corpses lying about the courtyard of a castle which was either unoccupied or inhabited by very deep sleepers.

 

Kagome glanced around before carefully picking her way over to Inuyasha, trying not to step on any large chunks of flesh. Reaching his side, she wiped a smear of blood off his cheek. “I really don't like the looks of this…I have a bad feeling…”

 

Miroku reached his own conclusions at nearly the same moment and gave a desperate shout. “Inuyasha! I believe that this is just like Sango-sama's village…we will be blamed for something that we did not do!” Any further discussion of the situation was cut off by a low, growling, and feral voice from the top of a watchtower.

 

“You fucking piece of dog-shit…what the hell have you done?”

 

Kagome cringed inwardly. Lovely, just lovely…gotta hand it to Naraku; he knows how to do it up right…

 

Inuyasha swept Kagome behind him and shifted the Tetsusaiga in his hand to point at the wolf demon. “Don't be a sucker, Koga. Your packmates were dead by the time we arrived. We were too late to help them.”

 

The wolf prince's face contorted into a horrible grimace. Kagome was sure that his fangs grew longer, and was that a tinge of red in his blue eyes? “If you're an innocent bystander, dog, why are you and your damn sword covered in their blood?”

 

“Koga! Listen to me! They were already dead…” Kagome nearly took as step back when Koga turned his fiery glance onto her. He held her eye, then noticed her bloodied katana.

 

“You, too, Kagome? You'll do your part to rebuild my tribe after I've killed this arrogant fucker. It'll be your punishment...”

 

“But…”

 

“Forget it, Kagome. The stupid wolf doesn't give a fuck he's been tricked. Hey, Koga…why weren't you here fighting alongside your pack, anyways?”

 

“Shut your fucking mouth, dog…I'm gonna rip out your lying tongue and shove it up your ass… Kagome, step aside. I'll deal with you later.” Kagome, instead of obeying promptly, stood on tiptoe to press a lingering kiss onto Inuyasha's cheek, then backed away .

 

The wolf prince spat on the ground, then charged at the hanyou and swung a mighty blow that Inuyasha barely dodged. Koga's fist slammed into the ground instead of his intended target, and the earth split open in an impressive rift that extended for a few dozen feet across the courtyard.

 

Sango shook herself. “How is it possible that he's become more powerful? Does he have another shard?”

 

Kagome's eyes were riveted on Koga's right hand. Something didn't look quite right…she realized that there was indeed a shard in Koga's flesh, but the glow wasn't its usual tainted-purple. Instead, it was almost black with a creepy magenta hue. “He has a shard all right, but there's something wrong with it…”

 

Inuyasha smirked darkly at the wolf. “Keh! Found another shard to give yourself the courage to fight me? Told ya it would be a death match…”

 

“You're nothing without that overgrown skewer, puppy. Let's see how you fight without it…” Koga dove and threw a punch right into the Tetsusaiga's blade, striking it with enough force to knock it from Inuyasha's hand and send it flying. “Now that's more like it…claw against claw…”

 

“Ya gonna toss your blade, too?”

 

Koga grinned evilly, pulled the sheathed katana out of his obi and flung it across the courtyard. It thwacked against the gatepost and clattered to the ground. The makeshift arena seemed very quiet after that, but not for long. The wolf prince blurred, and then his fist connected to Inuyasha's jaw, and the hanyou's body gouged out a significant trench as he slid to a stop some feet away.

 

“Koga! Stop this! Listen to me, please!”

 

The wolf prince straightened up and levelled a burning glare at the young woman. She swallowed, but took a deep breath. “This is a trap, Koga…you're being manipulated, probably by a demon named Naraku! The wolves were already dead when we arrived…”

 

“Don't lie, bitch.” His voice was flat and menacing.

 

She blinked, then flared. “Do you honestly think I'd attack my brothers? You are an idiot!”

 

Koga hesitated, but then Inuyasha's mouth stepped in and the moment was lost. “Give it up, Kagome. The only way for the truth to penetrate the fucker's thick skull is to beat it into him.”

 

The two demons blurred into a cursing, snarling tangle of red and silver, brown and black. Seeing that there was no immediate role for them in the battle, Miroku grasped Sango's arm. “Come, Sango-sama. I believe that the creature that was manipulating the unfortunate wolves must be nearby, due to the faint demonic aura hanging in the air. Will you accompany me on a search of the castle?”

 

Sango could barely tear her eyes away from the battle. “Is it wise to leave Kagome and Inuyasha on their own? Koga is a formidable foe.”

 

“Kagome-sama will prevent serious injury to our hanyou; I would not like to be Koga if he harms Inuyasha.”

 

“True…after you, houshi-doushi.”

 

“Why, thank you sama.” Skirting the battle zone, Sango caught Kagome's eye and signalled their intention to enter the building; the girl nodded tightly, tensed to spring into action between the two demons as soon as an opening presented itself.

 

Koga kept Inuyasha away from the Tetsusaiga, sending the hanyou tumbling with strike after strike from his shard-enhanced fist. Inuyasha was starting to get frustrated in his inability to land a single blow on the wolf prince. There was a pause, and he panted heavily, eyes focussed on Koga, who stood just out of reach.

 

“What's the problem, dog-shit? Too much for ya?” The tone was dark and mocking, and Koga cracked his knuckles menacingly. He dropped his voice so that only the hanyou could hear him. “I should keep you alive long enough to hear Kagome's screams of pleasure as I make her mine; but, as attractive as that is, my desire to kill you is even stronger. Time to die…” He sprang at Inuyasha, but the hanyou had used the respite to recover slightly. Baring his fangs, he met the wolf prince halfway.

 

“ `Iron Reaver Soul Stealer'!” They swung at each other, and Inuyasha managed to block Koga's fist…but he knew instantly that the bones of his sword hand were shattered.

 

“The fleas are biting again…oh, was that you, dog-shit? What a sissy punch…

 

Kagome had enough. She sheathed her sword and yanked out her bow, notching an arrow in preparation for a shot, when Koga roared and flew at Inuyasha. The demon became a kicking, punching whirlwind, and she couldn't take the chance of hitting Inuyasha in the melee. A moment later, Koga sprang high into the air, screamed a hoarse battle-cry, and came down fist-first into Inuyasha's gut. Kagome staggered momentarily as Inuyasha's heart faltered, and then she bolted across the battlefield, past Koga, into the smoking pit and threw her arms around her hanyou, a barrier blossoming over them.

 

Ж Ж Ж Ж Ж

 

Miroku and Sango edged cautiously through another expansive chamber, on alert of any movement in the eerily empty space. They ducked through another set of floor to ceiling hanging mats, trimmed in expensive silk bindings. Sango caught Miroku's sleeve and pointed. Through at least one more set of hangings, a bulky outline was dimly visible in the light of a shielded lamp. The slayer hefted the Hiraikotsu and hurled it on a flat trajectory. Hangings flew as the weapon tore through the flimsy draperies, revealing a baboon-pelted figure.

 

“Naraku!” shouted Miroku; Sango caught the Hiraikotsu and prepared to launch it again.

 

The hated creature chuckled evilly. “How lovely of you to come seeking me out. Unfortunately, the creature that killed the wolves is not here.”

 

“The wolves died under your orders anyways, so who actually killed them is immaterial. Why the elaborate ruse to frame us again, Naraku? You do have a love for intricate schemes, but you've outdone yourself.”

 

“I actually set my bait for the young prince of the wolf demon clan; his packmates provided entertainment and were more effective in drawing him out of his lair than just the prospect of duelling with Inuyasha. He will settle the problem of that irritating hanyou for me, and I may allow him to enjoy the miko's favours before I relieve him of his shards.”

 

“You disgust me, you inhuman, blood-sucking…”

 

“Now, now, slayer…speak softly to he who holds your brother's life in his hands…wouldn't you like to see your dear Kohaku again?”

 

“You bastard!” Sango seethed, teeth bared, dark eyes glittering. Miroku began to fumble with the prayer beads; Naraku laughed again.

 

“Ah, monk…do you think I'd make it that easy?” A buzzing sound, that Miroku was sure had not been there a moment before, resolved itself into a cloud of hell wasps, accompanied by the eruption of dark flesh writhing out from under the white cloak.

 

“Dammit, a golem…Sango-sama! Aim for the chest!” The Hiraikotsu whirled, was knocked down mid-flight…and the battle was joined with staff, sword and tentacles.

 

Ж Ж Ж Ж Ж

 

Kagome cradled Inuyasha in her arms, kissing his forehead and whispering soft words of encouragement. She kept track of Koga on her periphery, ready to increase the barrier's power if he should try to make good on his threat to `punish' her.

 

Koga stared at the body of his enemy, with the figure of the woman he desired curled around it. He expected to feel triumph, satisfaction, maybe even euphoria at his win; instead, he felt empty. Lifting his head, he scanned the corpses littering the ground, his eyes pausing now and again as he recognized an empty-eyed face. He was so absorbed in this, that he was startled by the soft, mocking voice that caused him to whirl around on pure reflex.

 

“Excellent work, wolf. You have removed this irritating thorn from Naraku's flesh, and for that you will be rewarded. Before I dispatch you to whichever hell they keep open for wolf demons, however, I am looking forward to your dance.”

 

Koga assessed the demoness before him as she flirted her overly-large fan, her red eyes glinting with malicious amusement. “I demand your name, bitch.”

 

She smiled, showing dainty white fangs between parted ruby red lips. “I am Kagura. I do hope that you will be a more amusing dancer than your fellows.” The fan flicked gracefully, and the bits and pieces of bodies rose into the air. The fan twitched; the least useful body parts dropped back to the ground. Koga was frozen in horror, and then realization exploded in his brain. He began growling, and then the growling became hair-raising snarls, his face distorting into a mask of anger.

 

“I'm gonna tear out your heart and eat it, bitch. Die!” He was in mid-spring when the bodies swayed…and crashed into him, fangs tearing, claws raking. He shook them off, roaring, and raced forward, fist raised.

 

He barely kept himself from hitting the ground completely, his momentum stopped so suddenly. Kagura hid a smile behind her fan. “You'd have trouble finding my heart to eat, but you'd be welcome to try…unfortunately, you won't survive long enough to do so. That shard you so eagerly pushed into your flesh was a clever fake, made of miasma. It has been slowly poisoning you from the moment of insertion; you will be dead when it reaches your heart.”

 

Koga glared at her with all the virulence he could muster. “Fucking bitch,” he snarled, spitting rocks.

 

“Now, now…that's no way for a prince to speak to a lady. I'll have to teach you some manners… `Dance of Blades'!” Whirling scythes of demonic energy spun towards him. Nearly immobilized by the poison, he was only able to rise to his knees and shield his vitals from being struck. It burned like icy fire when the wind struck him, and blood spurted from multiple cuts that stung like nothing he'd experienced before.

 

Kagome watched this unfolding drama with horror, and shook Inuyasha. “Dog-boy…wake up, please…this is going to get ugly…” The Tetsusaiga was too far away; she cast about for some way to get it without leaving his side. Sango and Miroku were still inside the castle…a memory popped into her mind and waved a little flag. It just might work…will it listen to me? Quickly, she grabbed the Tetsusaiga's empty sheath and used her own hand to wrap Inuyasha's limp fingers around it, then dropped her barrier.

 

She pointed the open end of the scabbard in the direction of the blade. “Tetsusaiga! Come!” Nothing happened. She tried again. “Tetsusaiga! Come…please!” A long second ticked…and then the scabbard pulsed powerfully. She couldn't stifle a whoop of delight when the katana wrenched itself out of the ground and flew towards them like a lightning bolt, slowing to slip gently into place inside the wooden sheath with a soft `click'. “Thank you,” Kagome breathed, and kissed the katana's hilt; Tetsusaiga thrummed lightly as she laid it across Inuyasha's chest. Kagura's voice alerted her to a developing situation, and she slid out from under the hanyou's head, laying him down carefully with a gentle kiss on the lips.

 

She ducked on reflex when a furry body was chopped in two by a barely visible wind blade. Kagura was smiling coolly, holding her fan extended forward like a sword. “Now, Koga, I will relieve you of those shards…hope you don't plan on running off anywhere for a while. Bleeding to death is supposed to be a very peaceful way to expire…” A blazing arrow, trailing sparks of tremendous spiritual power, grazed Kagura's ear, causing her to falter in her downward slash. She looked up in time to see a dark-haired woman calmly lining up another missile.

 

“You're fast, Kagura, I'll give you that…but I won't let you harm Koga, even if he is an idiot wolf.”

 

Kagura's eyes gleamed. “I can see that you desire some dancing lessons as well, wench. Come…try again…I challenge you.” The woman smirked, and the demoness noted the silver hue of her eyes. Kagura snapped her wrist. “ `Dance of Blades'!” Koga marshalled his thoughts enough to shout a warning before he hugged the ground as the powerful strike whirled overhead. The girl only grinned, and a barrier blossomed around her, deflecting the blades harmlessly up into the sky.

 

“My turn.” Kagome dropped the barrier and let go the arrow. Kagura dodged gracefully, and flicked her fan. This time, the deadly energy was blocked not by a barrier, but by an enormous sword, borne by a rather dishevelled hanyou. Kagome squealed his name and kissed him enthusiastically, then noticed he was holding Tetsusaiga in his left hand. “Inuyasha…?”

 

He rested the blade against his shoulder and kissed her back firmly, especially since the wolf was watching. “Oi, wench…what's the scoop with this bitch?”

 

“Her fan has a few nasty tricks…”

 

“Got it…cover my back, Kagome. My hand is screwed for a while, but I still only need one to cut this witch down to size.” She gave him a quick hug, and stepped back.

 

Kagura's red eyes narrowed. “You are like a cockroach…very hard to kill. I should have known better than to leave it up to the wolf.”

 

Inuyasha's smirk was downright evil. “Keh! You honestly thought that fucking piece of wolf-shit could take me down? What a joke.”

 

Kagura took in the fact that her opponent was holding the sword in his left hand, even though the scabbard was positioned for right-hand use. “You wish to cross blades with me, in your present condition? Is that a wise decision?”

 

The hanyou shifted Tetsusaiga on his shoulder. “Ya want some reasons? Lessee…you wiped out at least one tribe of wolf demons, framed me for it, sicced the idiot over there on me, attacked my mate…. Keh! The fact that you reek of Naraku only makes cutting you up into little pieces more attractive.”

 

Kagura laughed, a sharp and brittle sound. “A fine sense of smell, indeed. Come, Inuyasha…I shall see you dance to my tune soon enough.” The two blades, one of enchanted metal, the other of solidified storm winds, clashed against each other; Inuyasha's grip was shaken and he ground his fangs in frustration. The Tetsusaiga felt awkward and heavy in his left hand; his right hand throbbed from the damage it had absorbed.

 

Kagome watched intently from the makeshift trench she was occupying, keeping an arrow sizzling across her bow just in case. Fuming, she mentally summarized the situation. Inuyasha injured so that he couldn't swing Tetsusaiga with full strength, not to mention the damage done to his body by Koga. The wolf prince poisoned and unable to assist against this enemy…who Inuyasha said stank of Naraku…wait a minute…Her attention was caught by the demoness' cool voice.

 

“I pity your feeble attempts to strike me…I will give you a hint. I control the air that surrounds this castle…it obeys me as its mistress. Allow me to demonstrate my power… `Dance of Dragons'!” Narrow-bodied tornadoes whistled outwards from her fan, slicing through anything in their path. Kagome fended one off with a barrier, noticed Inuyasha spring clear…and watched, sick with a sense of foreboding, as one headed straight for Koga's supine form. At the last possible moment, Koga heaved his weakened body out of its path and then slumped.

 

Without further thought, she shoved her bow and arrow into her quiver, leapt out of the trench and raced towards him, her shield-barrier sparking and hissing whenever the twisting demonic energy glanced off of it. She dropped to her knees beside Koga and ended up reflexively shielding him with her body as another tornado roared over the barrier.

 

“C'mon, wolfling…even though you've been a proper jerk about all this, I can't leave you to be killed by that witch…” Slinging his arm around her shoulders, she managed to drag him to his feet and haul him back to the trench, where she dumped him into an even deeper rut and then stood up to wave to Inuyasha, indicating she was back on watch. She wondered at the beady-eyed look she received, but concentrated on powering the barrier, and readying her weapons.

 

“You're awfully forgiving, Kagome…I nearly killed mutt-face…”

 

She snorted derisively. “You? Kill him? I didn't know you had such a good sense of humour, Koga. Listen, wolfling, his own brother punched a hole clean through his guts, and poisoned him to boot…you only landed one hit. Consider yourself fortunate that you're still alive.”

 

Koga grinned up at her. “Damn, I'd forgotten how beautiful you are...I'm curious about something, princess. Dog-shit called you his mate…”

 

“Yes?” Kagome's voice was as steely as her eyes. That didn't stop him.

 

He dropped his voice. “I mean, you stink like the mutt because he's hanging off you all the time…except where it counts.”

 

“Your point, wolfling?” Her voice was downright frigid, and promised great pain if he didn't desist soon.

 

“Your scent says that you mated a human…oh, I get it.” A very calculating look crossed the demon's features, and then he grinned unpleasantly. “Fucked you on his night of weakness, eh? Sly dog…”

 

“What the hell are you getting at?” The tip of a very sharp sword was at his throat, with its gimlet-eyed owner looking fit to kill.

 

Koga ignored the imminent danger, and smirked. “All I'm sayin' is, the hanyou's left himself some room for second thoughts. He sampled your favours, but left no permanent sign that you're taken…that ain't an option for us full-bloods. We either take a mate, or we don't.”

 

Kagome had to seriously stop herself from pushing her sword right through the damn wolf's windpipe to stop his hateful words. “As far as I'm concerned, I'm his mate…and you better remember that, wolfling. I'm not having any second thoughts.”

 

“I'm gonna kill him anyways…”

 

“Take your place in line behind his brother, Kikyo and Naraku.”

 

Koga watched her face carefully as she brought her emotions under control, and it was a frozen mask worthy of a taiyoukai that faced him, her eyes as hard as granite. For a long moment, she pinned him with her glance…and then her eyes slid away to examine his arm, which was turning a sickening shade of purplish-grey. Her voice was purely professional. “The demonic power in this shard is impressive. It must have been well-disguised before you touched it.”

 

“I was in too much of a hurry to look at it that closely…that'll teach me, eh?” He was suddenly anxious to put a smile back on her face, but there was no response. She looked thoughtful.

 

“I ought to purify your ass off for being such a fucking moron, but I'll try my technique out on your arm first.”

 

He jerked the limb away from her. “Have you ever done this before?”

 

A faint, bitter smile flashed briefly. “Nope; you're my first…at this, anyways...”

 

Inuyasha had missed the conversation, as it was taking all of his concentration to dodge Kagura's attacks. He figured that Kagome wouldn't hesitate to purify the wolf to ashes if he tried anything, so he forced himself not to worry about his mate being in such close proximity to Koga. He had more pressing things to worry about, such as why he couldn't see the path of the `Wind Scar'.

 

Leaping out of the way of another wind blade, he paused long enough to try to sight towards the demoness through the whirling dust and blasts of sharp-edged air. He put his brain to work, deflecting two small twisters with Tetsusaiga. She controls the wind…so we're inside her strike zone as long as we're inside the castle…can't leave the castle, so have to make the wind leave instead… It clicked in his head almost audibly, along with his fangs. “Kagome!” he yelled over his shoulder. Her dark head snapped up. “Fire an arrow at me!”

 

The owl-eyed expression on her face made him grin. “You've finally lost it, dog-boy…”

 

“Trust me, wench…hurry up, before we're sliced to ribbons!”

 

Kagome pulled out an arrow, flamed it, and rapidly sighted down the shaft. “Over your right shoulder…three, two, one…Incoming!”

 

Inuyasha grinned some more, but kept his eyes on the missile, conscious of another flight of wind blades being loosed at his exposed back. At the very last moment for dodging either of them, he ducked and spun, watching in satisfaction as Kagome's arrow burned through the whirling air, leaving a clean, fresh trail behind it.

 

Kagura was chortling in triumph. “Ha! That's the best you can do? Only good enough for a momentary pause before you die!”

 

“Hang on, wind-bitch…not done yet… `Wind Scar'!” Five flaming arcs screamed outward, enveloping an astonished demoness in brilliant light and excruciating pain…

 

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A large pile of dirt and mud, with a small carved wooden figure poking out of it, took up most of what was left of a once-gracious chamber. Miroku wiped his brow and glared at the doll, before smashing it into powder with a blow of his staff.

 

“Come, Sango-sama…we have wasted enough time with this wretched creation. I hope that our absence has not been to Inuyasha and Kagome-sama's detriment. Sango-sama? What's wrong?”

 

The slayer scrubbed at her eyes. “Once again, we have nothing to show for our efforts. No Jewel shards…nothing…and we may have endangered our friends' safety. Damn Naraku!”

 

Miroku drew Sango into a light embrace that was over as quickly as it occurred. “Damn him, indeed…let us return to our friends.” He smiled winsomely at the surprised girl, whose cheeks were stained lightly pink, and not just from her recent exertions with her weapon.

 

“Er…right…let's go.”

 

The floor trembled beneath their feet just then, and without a glance between them, they ran for the outside. When they charged out onto the veranda, they were greeted with a very odd scene.

 

Inuyasha, the Tetsusaiga upraised at the end of a swing…holding the sword in the wrong hand. Kagome, a short distance behind him, her bow in her hand, standing over an injured wolf prince. The unmistakeable energy surge of the `Wind Scar' was still dissipating…and the figure of a woman, who had obviously been the target, was clearly visible through the curtains of dust.

 

Miroku's eyes popped at her impressive…assets.

 

So did Sango's temper. She smacked Miroku. “Eyes back in your head, monk.”

 

Kagura threw off the tatters of her kimonos and stood as tall as she could, ignoring the blood lacing her breasts and trickling down her shoulder. Miroku couldn't take his eyes off her shapely figure and close his mouth at the same time.

 

“Eye…er…I…”

 

Inuyasha was cursing tightly. “Lucky for you I'm injured, you bitch, or you'd be in pieces right now.” He started forward, intending on seizing her for questioning, but the demoness plucked a white feather from her hair, threw it down, and stepped onto it. She was instantly borne up into the air by the transformed object, and immediately surrounded by a buzzing escort of hell wasps.

 

“This isn't over, Inuyasha…I am Kagura, and I will be back to take my revenge.”

 

The hanyou stopped dead, transfixed by the odd marking visible on Kagura's bare back, a marking that he hadn't seen for months, not since the day Kagome had broken through the well to return to him…the day he'd paid her back for her loyalty by injuring her arm. He was barely aware of the girl in question wrapping her arms…two whole, uninjured arms…around his waist, until he snapped out of his thoughts and clutched her to him, burying his nose in her hair. It took more concentration for him to separate her voice from the memories thundering through his mind.

 

“…What was that thing on her back, Inuyasha? Could you see it?”

 

“A fucking spider…the same as on fucking Naraku…did you see it too, houshi?”

 

Miroku came closer, eyes dark. “Has that evil hanyou shifted forms again?”

 

“Crap, houshi…don't even want to think about that!”

 

“Neither do I…that would be truly horrifying, considering how luscious…”

 

Inuyasha reached around Kagome and caught Miroku with a broad-sided blow of the Tetsusaiga that was hard enough to stagger him. “Damn, houshi…think enemy! Think evil! She's not `luscious', you moron. Sango! Miroku needs a couple of whacks with Hiraikotsu to de-scramble his brains…”

 

“My brains are fine, Inuyasha…we must think about the connections between this Kagura and Naraku…”

 

“Hey…how about some concern over here?” Koga's voice carried rather well in the moment of silence.

 

“Damn…” Kagome muttered, releasing Inuyasha and heading back into the trench. “I was thinking about purifying him before I was interrupted…”

 

“About damn time you agreed with me, wench.” Inuyasha snorted, following closely.

 

“Not that kind of permanent purification, dog-boy…just this fake shard that's killing him.”

 

“Keh! Get my hopes up…”

 

Kagome knelt by Koga. “Okay, wolfing…this is gonna hurt you way more than me…” She called up her power until her fingertips glowed pink, then laid two fingers over the location of the false shard embedded in Koga's wrist. A distinct sizzling sound was heard, and the faintly appetizing smell of grilled meat wafted around the courtyard.

 

“Oi! That makes him smell even worse than usual!” Kagome ignored the complaint, and just before Koga was sure he couldn't hold in the screaming any longer, she pressed into his flesh and the shard popped out. The sickly grey colour receded almost instantly, as his demonic healing ability asserted itself, and he sat up.

 

He had the temerity to smirk past Kagome at Inuyasha, who started growling. The wolf prince lowered his intense blue gaze to the young woman and smiled at her. “Thanks, princess. Think about what I said, Kagome…a full-blood makes his choice and stays with it…no second thoughts.” She flushed and looked away. He grinned at the glowering hanyou, who just knew he'd missed something important. “Guess we'll save our `death-match' for next time, eh, pup? I wouldn't be able to savour my victory quite the same way since you're wounded and all…”

 

“You fucking son-of-a-bitch…”

 

“My mother would thank you for the compliment; couldn't say the same for yours, now could we? My Kagome…until next time…” He gave her a careless salute and took off across the courtyard, but paused at the gates to pick up his sword and shove it into his obi. “I don't blame any of you for the deaths of my packmates, but know this…Kagura and Naraku are mine. Don't get in the way of my revenge.”

 

“Take a number, wolf-shit…there are a few of us ahead of you…”

 

Koga smirked, blew Kagome a kiss, and was gone. In the resulting silence, they all looked at each other. Miroku sighed and ran his hand over his hair. “I suppose we should do some clean-up…?”

 

“No fucking way! If Koga won't bury his dead, why should we bother?”

 

“I was thinking more like using the Vortex, actually.” There was a riffling of wind, and then an actual breeze gusted across the courtyard, clearing away the smell of death…and then the castle simply disintegrated. The walls vanished, revealing a stunned Shippo and a brush-tailed Kirara perched on Arashi's back. The wolf tribe's remains, however, stayed very much intact. Inuyasha awkwardly sheathed Tetsusaiga, and caught Kagome around the waist as he moved her out of Miroku's way. The monk muttered prayers for the dead as he loosened the prayer beads.

 

Inuyasha slowed Kagome with his arm, allowing Sango to go on ahead. “Koishii, what did Koga mean by that `no second thoughts' comment? Tell me what the bastard said to you.”

 

The smile she gifted him with was a little too bright. “Nothing we should talk about right now, dog-boy. Hey, Ship-dip! You okay?” She ducked out from the shelter of the hanyou's arm and hugged the kit tightly, then walked him back over to the horses.

 

Inuyasha watched her, chewing his lip, and then noticed how much his gut hurt where Koga had landed that piledriver punch. He could talk to Kagome later, since she was sure to want to treat his injury…

 

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Kagura was not amused. She angrily tugged at the rich set of kimonos she'd conjured for herself as the feather carried her towards Naraku's actual base. She was going to get some answers…grrr. How dare that hanyou use a wind attack against her, the wind witch!

 

Naraku waited; he knew the moment his incarnation came through the barrier, could easily sense her irritation. A dark smile twisted his handsome features. Time to remind the wind witch who her master was…

 

“Naraku!” The raised pitch of an angry feminine voice carried through several halls, and several sets of fine split-bamboo hangings flapped wildly in a violently gusting wind. He composed his face into a study in indifference as the fuming female demon stormed across the tatami mats, her red eyes practically shooting sparks.

 

He smiled blandly, knowing that it would infuriate her further. “Dearest Kagura…you appear somewhat perturbed. Did the battle not go quite as you planned?”

 

“You…you used me! You sent me up against that sword without any warning…he almost killed me!”

 

“This…upsets you?”

 

“Upsets me? I ought to…urk…” She fell to the floor, clutching her chest, as Naraku firmly squeezed a red pulsating mass that had appeared in his hand.

 

“Allow me to remind you, Kagura, that you are mine to do with as I see fit…as a mere extension of my flesh, you are mine to command. If you are no longer useful to me, I will reduce you to a formless, shapeless lump of matter without a second thought. Remember who is master here.” He lightly crushed the beating heart again before tossing it back into a graceful porcelain vase.

 

Kagura, writhing in agony on the floor, felt her determination to be her own mistress burst into an ever-burning flame within the empty spot where her heart should beat. Freedom…

 

“Kagura.” His hated voice pulled her out of vivid images that featured Naraku's severed limbs decorating the castle gates. “Your noble sacrifice allowed me to determine the secret of Inuyasha's sword…go now, and catch up with your elder sister. I have sent Kanna on ahead to prepare a little surprise for our hanyou, one that I am sure my lady Kikyo will appreciate.”

 

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A waning moon peeped from behind the trees, silvering the upturned eaves of the small derelict summerhouse standing alone in the overgrown gardens of a once-magnificent estate. Light flickered around the door- and window-frames; inside, a small brazier, salvaged from the wreckage of the main house, sent off a cozy warmth.

 

Shippo was cobbling together a meal out of odds and ends of rations, since the venison was but a memory, and there'd been no time to hunt anything. Sango sat against one wall, Kirara snuggled in her lap, giving Miroku black looks. The houshi was oblivious; his staff rested across his knees, his arms folded into his sleeves, a look of intense concentration on his face.

 

Kagome tended to Inuyasha, the contents of the medical pack laid out beside her. The hanyou contentedly enjoyed the view; it had warmed up enough in the small building that she had shucked her leather tunic and unbuckled her body armour. He admired the way the firelight both warmed and shadowed the contours of her skin, and bronzed the fall of dark hair spilling over her shoulder. Her slender fingers felt good on his skin as she cleaned, medicated and bandaged the wound in his abdomen, and then taped his hand.

 

He'd be healed by morning, of course, but he wasn't going to pass up the chance to be touched by his mate when she was half-naked and in such close proximity. He had just made a move, breathing lightly in her ear and making her shiver, when Miroku finally spoke up.

 

“I believe that Naraku has discovered a way to birth demons from his body.”

 

The profound silence that greeted this remark was finally broken by an emphatic “Eeyew!” from Shippo.

 

“Hold it, houshi. Maybe we ought to eat first, because I have a feeling that what you're gonna tell us might put us off our food.” They all nodded vigorously, and Shippo passed out the meagre portions. Miroku stirred his around, and finally offered his mess tin to Shippo.

 

“Here, my fine young kitsune…you're a growing demon and need your strength.”

 

Inuyasha paused while awkwardly manipulating his chopsticks in his left hand. “If the houshi's too worried to eat, then I know the news is gonna be bad. You might as well spill, Miroku.”

 

The monk rubbed the back of his neck, then fiddled with his prayer beads. “Naraku is a being created from many demons fusing together. If he has developed a method of splitting off demonic power form the main source housed within himself…”

 

Sango daintily wiped a rice grain from her lips. The track of her fingertip distracted Miroku momentarily. “If this wind witch…`Kagura' was her name? …shares only his flesh and not his mind, that would explain both the spider mark on her back and the reason why she didn't know much about us…it was as if she'd never fought you before, Inuyasha, and you've faced Naraku several times. You were absolutely sure about her scent?”

 

“Keh! I'd know that bastard's stink anywhere.”

 

“She was truly magnificent…for such a monster to create such beauty…” Miroku's voice trailed off, as he became aware of the scorching looks being directed his way from the dark-eyed girl across the brazier.

 

Inuyasha put his mess tin aside and watched as Kagome absently cleaned up the last few grains of rice in her meal, her mind obviously elsewhere. She better not be thinking about that idiot wolf… She then began shuffling the medical supplies back into their case. As soon as she clicked the fasteners closed, he scooped her backwards into his lap, settling her against his still-bare chest and wrapped his fire rat around them.

 

She stiffened, but then relaxed into his warmth. He wondered about the moment of hesitation, but that didn't stop his hands from gently wandering under the concealment of the thick fabric. Kagome squirmed when he started lightly stroking certain body parts; he smirked into her hair, knowing that her cheeks were bright pink, and not entirely from the heat of the brazier. Regretfully, he stilled his hands and folded them around her waist, cuddling her gently while he brought his mind back to contemplating the source of Naraku's apparent new powers. “Kagura was impressively strong…if Naraku can create something like that, why didn't he do it before?”

 

Miroku's voice was very soft. “Because he couldn't do it before; somehow, he has acquired the means to plague us with more troubles. I fear that we are entering a time of continuous and dangerous conflict with him…we must all be on our guard at all times if we hope to survive.”

 

Kagome shivered in Inuyasha's arms; he pulled her tightly to him. He noticed that her fingers were almost compulsively rubbing the hair bracelets circling his wrist…he was suddenly sure that whatever the wolf had said, it had something to do with their mating. Then the light went on. Koga could smell his human scent…but he wouldn't be able to figure out that it had happened on the night of the new moon. Whew. Then it must have been something else…he growled and hugged Kagome tighter. Bet the fucking wolf propositioned her again…but she'd just zap him and be done with it…right?

 

Shippo heated water, and while he made tea, Kagome wriggled loose in order to clean the wolf blood off her leathers and properly look after her sword. Inuyasha caught Miroku watching her with a little too much interest as she unclipped the lower seams of her trousers and slid them off without removing her boots. Kagome was oblivious, but he sent a low warning growl in the monk's direction, who hastily looked away…straight into Sango's dark glare.

 

After the tea was drunk and the bedrolls prepared, Miroku announced he was taking first watch, so took up his staff and exited. Sango slid into her bedding and held it open for Kirara. Kagome unbuckled her boots, and began taking off her body armour, but then hesitated. Inuyasha reached to touch her cheek. “I'm here to protect you…get comfortable.” She gave him a quick smile, put the vest in the pile with her leathers, and rolled into the bag. Shippo was about to jump in as well, when a look from the hanyou stopped him in his tracks. Grumbling, he went around the brazier and curled up at Sango's feet.

 

Leaving his haori and juban and moving quickly, Inuyasha unzipped Kagome's bedroll and squeezed in with her. Predictably, she instantly tensed up, so he was careful to keep his hands in neutral territory until she relaxed against him. He brushed her hair away from her neck, and settled in to wait with his nose pressed against her warm skin, drinking in her scent. Kagome surprised him with what she said into the silence.

 

“Sango? You aren't going outside to sit with Miroku?”

 

A very derisive snort had them both raising their heads for a better look. Sango was glaring into the fire with enough heat to start her own blaze. “I wouldn't want to interrupt him when he's thinking about screwing beautiful female incarnations…I wouldn't want to catch him doing something embarrassing.”

 

There was a long pause before Kagome worked up some nerve to say something else. “Er…he's just seemed so down since Naraku gave him a glimpse of his potential death…”

 

“Trust me…he's recovered from that shock completely.” There was no mistaking the sour tone; the slayer rolled over to face the wall, effectively ending the conversation. Kagome settled back into the protective circle of Inuyasha's arms, feeling rather sorry for Sango. She'd reached out to him from behind her walls of pain…I know he feels strongly about her, too. If he starts propositioning women again…

 

The hanyou waited until regular breathing announced the fact that the others were asleep, and then gently nibbled on Kagome's ear until she turned towards him, her grey eyes dark with sleep. They flew wide open when he worked his claws under the band of her bra top and began pushing it upward. “Inu…!”

 

“Just want some skin against mine, koishii…nothing else, since we have company. C'mon…I promise.” She studied him intently before nodding, and then sat up awkwardly to tug the article of clothing off over her head. He gulped when her breasts were revealed and almost changed his mind about the `nothing else', but a quick glance over at their roommates put his mind on a safer track. Kagome snuggled into his chest; the feel of her erect nipples pressing against his skin nearly derailed his resolve again, so he concentrated on counting the tiles visible through the roof slats for a while.

 

“I know you're not sleeping, wench…something's bugging you.”

 

After a long moment, she sighed lightly. “Koga said something really stupid…”

 

“Keh! No surprise there.” Silence. He waited a few more moments, then tilted her chin up. “Tell me, Kagome.”

 

She twined her fingers into his sidelock before answering. “He said…”

 

“Something about our mating?”

 

Kagome's eyes widened. “You heard him?”

 

“No…but you've been quiet and kind of prickly ever since, and I want to know about this `second thoughts' shit.”

 

Her grip on his hair became downright painful. Wincing, he pried her fingers away from the silver strands, letting her grip his hand instead. Finally, she spoke in a very small voice. “He said that since we did it on your night of weakness, it meant you could…change your mind.”

 

His claws dug in where they were cupping her bare shoulder; she yipped. Inuyasha hastily relaxed his grip, while deciding between several extremely painful methods of death for Koga. He managed to keep his voice low. “That fucking bastard…He'll pay for that.” He kissed her forehead, her nose, her lips…and that kiss lasted a long time, until he was fairly sure he'd reassured her. “Do you think the Tetsusaiga would have responded to your call if I wasn't completely yours?”

 

Kagome was of a mind to say that she wasn't too sure if being his mate had much to do with the katana's response, when he kissed her again and her brain shut down conscious thought for a few blissful moments.

 

When he broke the kiss, moon-shaded dark pools gazed up at him, and he had to take a tight grip on his complaining youkai instead of diving in and losing himself in their inviting depths. “We could go outside right now and find a convenient tree or something…but that's not safe, with Naraku and his wind-bitch on the loose.” He dipped his head, and purred against her lips. “I like the way you play with my ears… I want to be able to enjoy mating you without having to worry about being caught with my hakama down…”

 

Dark lashes flicked, and lips curved in a pouting smile. “I've been telling you that all the long…um…in a tree?”

 

“Keh…up against it, wench.” He grinned at her blush. “Keep looking at me with those soft eyes, though, and I'll forget about waiting.” He kissed her again, but broke it when things became a little too intense and her arousal went straight to his groin. Tucking her back under his chin, he smoothed his hands over her skin, rubbing little circles on the base of her spine, and smiled into her hair when she finally fell asleep, her fingers still entwined with his.

 

It's all Naraku's fault…

Looks like we're going to have to wait until this current round is over before we can show that bastard wolf that Kagome is ours…

Huh? We? Ours?

::rolls eyes:: Should've told the slayer that dinner could go to hell the other night at the hot spring.

Not sure if Kagome can maintain a barrier without the help of her arrows if she's preoccupied…

::smirks:: Only one way to find out.

Do you really have to be there?

She's our mate, hot stuff. Yours, mine, ours…you got a problem with that?

It's just the first time you've included yourself in the equation.

I've always been part of the equation... Deal with it.

If I become a full demon, what does that mean?

Kagome finds out how much fun your better half can be.

If you hurt her...

::smacks forehead:: As if I'd harm our mate, you twit!

Er…why are we having this conversation now, instead of a long time ago?

Better now than after something happens.

Is something going to happen?

Let's just say that an ill wind is blowing… from the northwest…

 

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