InuYasha Fan Fiction ❯ The Secrets of Salvation ❯ minds made up ( Chapter 1 )

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

“I promise you.”
“Your word means nothing to me.” Kouga spat back.
“I have taken Kikyo away from InuYasha. What now could bring him any more pain than this?” Naraku answered as a grin tugged at the corners of his mouth. Kouga clutched the bottle tight in his hand. His stomach was twisting with excitement and foreboding. He couldn’t shake this horrible feeling, but he knew what he had to do. He had waited long enough and this would be for the good of everyone, even if the hanyou wouldn’t see it that way.
“What is he waiting for!” the annoyed hanyou almost yelled. Miroku sighed as he continued absently rubbing the palm of his gloved hand.
“I think right now, he is getting exactly what he wants.” InuYasha looked at him questioningly. “Don’t you see what it’s doing to all of us? The waiting is the current torture Naraku is providing. He’s hidden somewhere with all but three shards in his possession and laughing at our distress over his lack of action. He’s lead us into torturing ourselves.” The monk said.
“I agree with you Houshi, but I also think that Naraku still hasn’t discovered how to fully taint the jewel.” Sango interjected. Kagome looked around Kaede’s small hut and briefly studied the faces of her friends. Sango, the strong and proud demon slayer, was plagued with worry about her brother who was in the clutches of Naraku himself. Miroku, the perverted monk, carried with him always the knowledge that if Naraku wasn’t destroyed soon, then he would soon be killed by his family curse, pulled into oblivion by the air void on his own hand. Shippo, the young kitsune whose family was killed by demons that had gotten their hands on the shikon shards. Then there was InuYasha. The half demon half inuyoukai that had the love of his life taken away by Naraku, but not before they were lead into the false belief that the other had betrayed them. Her heart ached for all of them, and right now she wished she was as strong as Kikyo so she could be of more help to her friends. She knew she had always been a burden to them, but now it was worse. It was her fault that her friends were in such terrible danger.
“That’s not the only reason he hasn’t come after the rest of the jewel shards.” Kagome said quietly. Then all eyes were on her.
“Kagome?” Miroku pressed her to continue. InuYasha sat forward a little from his sitting position where he leaned against the wall.
“He can’t make the final jewel merge on his own. He needs help.” She said as she gazed into the golden eyes of the Hanyou across from her. InuYasha saw fear in her eyes and immediately the hairs on the back of his neck stood up and a growl threatened to emerge from his throat. It became a reflex for him to want to destroy anything that could make Kagome have the scent of fear on her. Suddenly she dropped her gaze to the floor. ‘Perhaps I should have told them sooner.’ She thought. ‘Or perhaps I shouldn’t be telling them at all.’
“Whose help?” InuYasha asked as he leaned in farther. He wanted more than anything to hold her just then. The scent of fear coming from her was all but driving him crazy. ‘What could be so bad?’ He thought. ‘Doesn’t she know that I’ll protect her from anything? Doesn’t she trust me?’ “Whose help Kagome?” He said a little more forcefully.
“Mine.” She whispered. The lump in her throat threatened to turn into tears and she had trouble talking through it. She wondered if anyone had heard her, she had barely heard herself, but then she remembered InuYasha’s superior youkai hearing.
“What do you mean yours?!” He said frantically, almost angrily. Kagome steeled herself. She had to be as strong as her friends always were. She would not cry, she would not let fear over take her. She would face this. She looked back up and tucked some of her dark hair behind her ears.
“I’ve been having strange dreams and I thought that they were nothing more than that, but…” She took a deep breath before continuing. “Kikyo has been telling me through my dreams that it will take more power than Naraku has to fuse the final shards together. She said that he needs my help, my… spiritual powers.” She was sure to study InuYasha’s face while she gave them all the news. She always did that when Kikyo came up.
“Kagome,” Sango said sensing the tension. “Are you sure they weren’t just dreams?”
“I wouldn’t discount the power of dreams like these.” Miroku said. “In the end it’s up to Kagome’s gut to tell us whether they are truly warnings or just dreams. What do you say Kagome?” Miroku said with a warm reassuring smile. Kagome bit her lip for a moment before answering.
“I know that Kikyo was really talking to me. I know that what she says about Naraku is true. I know it and I feel it.” At this point, little Shippo, who had been uncharacteristically quiet up until now, jumped from his perch on Miroku’s shoulder and into Kagome’s lap. He looked up at her with wide eyes and gripped the front of her school uniform tightly in his hands.
“Then Kagome, you have to run away. You have to go back to your time and hide until we destroy him.” He said frantically. Kagome smiled at him and stroked his head.
“It doesn’t matter where I go Shippo-chan. Naraku will find me or at least cause more suffering while trying to find me. I can’t run away from this.” She said as a smile for the kit’s benefit graced her lips. “Don’t worry Shippo, it’ll be okay.”
“Of course it will be okay you baka.” InuYasha said as he folded his arms. “This doesn’t change anything. We’re still just going to destroy Naraku and take the jewel back..” Kagome smiled at his gruffness. It was reassuring that he reacted to this the way he did everything else. It was reassuring, but it didn’t change her mind. Kagome was still determined to leave them, but at least now they would have some idea why. Right now she just wanted to be alone and think and she remembered that Kaede was not far away tending to a man that had fallen ill.
“I think I’m going to go see if Kaede needs any help.” She said as picked Shippo up and deposited him on the floor. Before she could even get to her feet InuYasha was standing over her.
“Baka! You want to go wandering off alone in the dark right after you tell us that Naraku is probably looking for you! Keh. I don’t think so.” He said as he folded his arms again and looked away from her.
“InuYasha, I’ll be able to sense Naraku and the jewel shards if they are anywhere near here. I’m perfectly safe right now.”
“InuYasha why don’t you just go with her and Sango and I will start dinner.” Miroku said as he got to his feet. Sango eyed him suspiciously but he merely smiled back at her. Kagome looked to InuYasha who simply used his most versatile and favorite phrase, “Keh.” She took that as a begrudging yes and made her way outside. She had wanted to be alone to think and somehow InuYasha’s presence always impeded that process. When he was around she most often found herself dwelling on thoughts of him, and while she often thought of him when they were apart it was a little easier to focus on other things. She shrugged mentally. She would figure everything out in due time and she was actually kind of happy to have company right now. She hadn’t told her friends everything that Kikyo had warned her of in her dreams and the news she had gotten made her feel … lonely. She tried to clear her head by breathing in the cool evening air that was so much more refreshing here than in her time. This time also had clearer skies so one could see more stars, and so many trees and beautiful forests. Most important of all … it had InuYasha.
‘There I go again.’ She thought to herself. She looked over at the hanyou who had been so distant lately. She figured it was because of Kikyo, and didn’t blame him. It dawned on her that she may soon be feeling the way InuYasha was feeling right now. Having to say goodbye to the person she loved most in life. She decided she should take in everything about him, since this could be one of her last times seeing him. His long white hair almost glowed in the soft moonlight and his beautiful face was set in an annoyed expression, as usual. Still, she saw in his eyes a soft kindness and so much pain, and a longing… She studied his strong form, his sharp claws curled around his muscled biceps, claws that struck fear into the hearts of many but not her. She looked down at his bare feet and smiled before her eyes fell upon the rosary around his neck. She would have to do something about that soon… At that thought Kagome felt tears threaten again. Thankfully InuYasha pulled her from her thoughts when he barked out,
“What are you looking at?”
“Just your rosary.” She said quietly. “You’ve had it on for such a long time…”
“Keh. And?”
“Nothing InuYasha. I was just thinking about it.” He cocked an eyebrow at her.
“You’re being weird Kagome.” She replied with,
“Hai.” And then snaked her arm through the crevice of his elbow and linked her arm with his. His eyes widened and he stiffened in shock, like he did every rare time she did something like this. Then he relaxed and inwardly delighted in the contact. He breathed in deeply, hoping she wouldn’t notice, and lost himself in her scent. He opened his eyes after a few moments and looked down at her face and saw a light blush painting her cheeks. He loved to see her blush. She was so beautiful with her dark hair against her fair skin. After three years of battle and a different kind of life than she was used to he saw his Kagome, yes that’s what he called her in the privacy of his own thoughts, become a warrior. He was proud of her, though he had never told her so, and he knew she had become a vital part of their group. She had saved all of their lives at some time or other, and had saved his in more ways than one. Then the guilt began. He should have told her some things long ago, and now that he could tell her without it effecting anyone else, he was still too scared to do so. He was ashamed of his own cowardice, but one day things would be different. Suddenly Kagome stopped and he looked at her too see her raise her hand and point.
“Shikon Shards coming straight towards us.” She said. InuYasha immediately drew Tetsusaiga and placed himself in front of Kagome leaving his free hand on her waist to keep her behind him, all the while a low growl was emanating from his throat. After few moments of peering over InuYasha’s shoulder Kagome spoke. “It’s okay InuYasha. Now that it’s closer I can make it out better. There are only two shards, so it’s just Kouga.” InuYasha’s growl grew. A few moments later a strong wind assailed them and when it died down Kouga was standing in front of them all cocky smiles and starry eyes. Kagome placed a hand on InuYasha’s shoulder to calm him down and stepped out from behind him.
“Kagome!” Kouga said brightly. He came up to Kagome and took one of her hands in his and brought it up to his mouth to place a light kiss on it. The action was complete before Kagome even knew it had started and then InuYasha was in front of her again, growling louder than ever.
“Do you really want to lose your lips?” InuYasha said through gritted teeth.
“What’s wrong dog turd. Upset that she let mine get closer than yours?” InuYasha suddenly got a very wicked smile on his face as he entertained the idea of doing to Kouga what he had always wanted. Surely Kagome would let him after what Kouga had done to her.
“I’m giving you the chance to leave but I’m hoping you don’t take it. I would really love to end this right now.” Kouga opened his mouth but Kagome spoke first.
“Would you both knock it off! This is really getting old.” She said as she stomped her foot and folded her arms, actually looking quite InuYasha-esque. InuYasha grunted and Kouga smiled at Kagome and asked for her forgiveness politely. Kagome rolled her eyes and then remembered that this was one of those last few things she needed to take care of.
“Actually Kouga, I’m really glad you’re here. I need to talk to you.”
“Really Kagome? Well, perfect. I have something I want to give you anyway, so lets go have that talk.” Kouga fingered the pouch at his side while he smiled at Kagome, his insides churning with trepidation. Could he really do this? Should he really do this? No, it was too late. He had already made up his mind. It had to be done.