InuYasha Fan Fiction ❯ The Way Ice Can Turn Into Sun ❯ Self Sacrifice ( Chapter 8 )

Chapter 8: Self sacrifice

 

 

 

Kumiko was now dressed and lying on the bed in her room when Nezuna came in to announce her that dinner was ready.

She followed the quiet young woman to a huge dining room. It was mostly empty aside from the enormous table and the chairs around it. It had the same dim light as the rest of the mansion and shadows seemed to dance on the walls. At the head of the table stood the lord of the mansion who asked her to join him in a polite way:
”Please do me the honor of dining with me.”

“My pleasure.” She responded in the same tone.

“I'm sorry, I did not get your name.” He said softly.

“Oh, my mistake...You must think I am very rude...My name is Kumiko.” She answered, embarrassed.

“On the contrary...I think you are very charming.” He replied smiling.

She blushed and lowered her eyes, asking in a low voice:

“And your name is?”

“My name is Kagewaki...” He answered. It was the name of the human identity he had used before in many occasions. His own name suited him better by far though.

The servants were now bringing in the food, which looked delicious, especially to Kumiko's eyes. They began to eat but Naraku's disguised red eyes studied every feature of her face.

“Not bad.” He thought. The girl had a certain beauty that attracted him terribly, maybe it was the innocence that shined in her dark eyes that made him want her so bad. He chased the thoughts away as they reminded him of Onigumo's feelings towards Kikyo. The bandit's heart was no longer beating in his chest, his attraction for the girl was his own, it came from Naraku.

She finished eating and politely waited for him to finish as well. And so he did, not long after. He was thankful he could eat human food, unlike full youkai although he was almost one himself as he had gotten rid of the pathetic human heart within him. That almost bothered him greatly.

“Thank you for dinner, Kagewaki-sama. If you will excuse me I am very tired.” She said in a low voice.

“It was my pleasure. Go and rest. You need it. Nezuna will show you to your room.” He replied.

She was thankful for that, as she strangely didn't seem to remember the way. It was like the rooms changed places when she wasn't looking.

“I'm so tired I'm imagining things.” She thought, following Nezuna.

“Uhm...Kagewaki-sama seems like a nice person.” Kumiko said, trying to make conversation.

“Yes, the Lord is very kind...”She quickly replied.

They got to her door and Nezuna bowed and turned away. Kumiko almost fell on the bed, exhausted. She just sat there realizing she was so tired she couldn't sleep.

“I'll go for a walk...some fresh air will help.” She thought getting up and walking out of her room. She knew the way now and had no trouble getting outside. It was dark and the cold air of the night brushed against her warm skin. She started walking around the mansion, surprised to see there was no one outside.

“It must be late...” She thought.

Suddenly she felt youki and turned around to see an ugly snake-like youkai coming towards her. She froze from the shock, giving a small cry just as a male figure pushed her back, and took the youkai's full bite in her stead.

“Kagewaki-sama!” She yelled and snapped back to reality, raising her hand and trying to let the purifying energy out. The burst of pinkish white light didn't come, like something was blocking it. To her surprise, the youkai just flew away into the dark forest next to the mansion.

“Kagewaki-sama, are you all right?” She kneeled besides the injured man. The youkai seemed to have bitten his arm and the wound was deep.

“I'm fine...” He mumbled weakly.

“You...you saved me! You put your life in danger for me!” She realized looking at him with puzzled eyes.

“I couldn't let you get hurt...It was my fault after all, I forgot to tell you not to go outside. The surroundings are filled with youkai. My mansion is guarded against them by holy spells.” He managed to say, apparently struggling in pain.

“You're hurt badly, I have to clean your wound and bandage it or it will get infected.” She said in a concerned voice.

“First we must get inside or more youkai might come.” Kagewaki said trying to get up.

She helped him walk back inside the mansion and into his room and he lied down on the bed.

“I must clean your wound.” She said firmly. She spotted a glass of water on the floor near his bed and ripped apart a sleeve of her kimono. She sank the sleeve in the clear water and then started to rub his wound as gently as she could.

Naraku watched her as she took care of his wound. His youkai knew not to touch anyone in his mansion, but this girl's pure aura must have driven them mad. Good thing he was there to stop it, or else the girl might have been dead and his plan ruined. He was also thankful that damned flesh wound didn't heal right away or she would have discovered his true nature. It had worked out for the best, he thought, feeling her gentle touch upon his skin. Now he appeared like her savior and that made it a lot easier to get what he wanted. And upon everything, he had seen with his own eyes that the spells he had cast kept her purifying energy sealed just like he had hoped. Everything was working out so perfectly that he couldn't suppress a small grin.

Kumiko interpreted his expression wrong and rubbed his wound even softer:

“Am I hurting you?” She asked with concern.

“No.” He said simply and watched with satisfaction the way the girl's delicate fingers touched his skin.

When she was done cleaning his wound, she carefully wrapped her kimono sleeve around it, tightening it:

“It's not as good as a real bandage, but at least it will stop the bleeding.” She stated, examining her work.

“It's perfect.” He answered, his dark reddish eyes piercing through her.

“Thank you for saving me.” She whispered, still holding his injured arm.

“It was nothing...” He said smiling, although to him it really was nothing. “I realized I don't know anything about you.” He added.

“Oh...well, there isn't much to know...I am from another time period and I was brought here by a half-demon named Naraku for God knows what and now I'm hiding from him here. That's it.” She said smiling.

He seemed astonished and with his eyes examining her every reaction, said:

“I have heard about this Naraku, but know nothing about him.”

“I don't know that much either, but from what I heard he is a being resulted from many youkai devouring a corrupted human soul and his desire is the Shikon no Tama.” She said still holding his arm in her hands.

“A corrupted human soul devoured by many youkai...” Naraku thought... So she knew...

“That sounds horrible.” He replied, appearing disgusted.

“Yep...I can't help but wonder why he brought me here, why me...” She said absently.

“You'll find out soon enough my little Miko...” Naraku thought, hiding the satisfaction he felt.

He took her hands into his and said softly:

“Do not worry, you are safe here.”

“I...should go back to my room, it's late.” She said, blushing.

He released her hands and said simply:

“Since the servants are all asleep I will escort you back to your room.”

“Thank you...” She mumbled, awed by his politeness.

They walked through dark shadowy corridors that gave the girl chills and made her thankful he was with her. When they arrived at her door, she entered the room and said:

“Good night, Kagewaki-sama.”

“Good night, Kumiko.” He said softly, turning around to leave.

“Sleep tight...” He added in his mind, his now red eyes shining in the dark and an evil grin on his face.

She sat down on her bed thinking, wondering why she couldn't purify that youkai. She extended her arm and tried once more, it was a strange feeling, as if the purifying energy was blocked by something. It wasn't gone, she could still feel it inside of her...

She didn't know all that much about it yet so she decided to just let it be. For the moment there was nothing threatening her anyway. She closed her dark eyes and cuddled inside the soft blankets.

 

 

Naraku entered his room and lied down on the bed. His fingers reached for the bandage she had made and stroked it absently.

It was like her soft touch was still there, lingering on his skin, like her scent.

Soon he would have what he wanted, a night with her and the full Shikon no Tama. “Soon, little Miko...” He said to himself, stroking the bandage. The wound underneath had already healed.

 

 

Sesshoumaru had picked up Inuyasha's scent. He quickened his pase and shortly reached his brother and the others.

“You again!” Inuyasha growled.

“I have not the patience to deal with you today, hanyou” Sesshoumaru warned.

“Sesshoumaru-sama, where's Kumiko?” Kagome asked, realizing the reason for his anger.

“Naraku tricked her into running away from me. I have to find her and kill that insolent bastard. Give me any information you have about him.” The taiyoukai ordered.

Kagome looked at him with worry shining in her eyes and answered:
”We haven't found out anything about him yet, but there's something strange about the Shikon shards...”

The demon lord gave her an inquisitive look.

“I've felt it once when Kumiko was here, it was like...they were drawn to her somehow.” Kagome said. “Now they seem to be back to normal, just glowing strangely since we headed in this direction.”

“I understand.” Sesshoumaru said simply and took to the air in the direction they were going.

“Wait, you bastard!” Came Inuyasha's irritated voice. “That girl saved our butts once and Naraku's with her, so we're coming to!”

“Do as you please.” The taiyoukai said. “But do not expect me to walk in your pase.” And with that he was off, farther then they could see.

“That conceited bastard!” Inuyasha frowned and started walking faster.

“Poor Kumiko...” Kagome said sadly. “I hope that bastard didn't hurt her.”

“We have to hurry” Said Sango, jumping on the back of her fire-cat youkai, Kirara, followed by Miroku and the little fox youkai.

Kagome got on Inuyasha's back and they took off as fast as they could in the direction the shards indicated.

 

N/A: If there's anyone who's NOT on vacation and actually gets to read this, please take a couple of minutes to leave a review! Thx!