InuYasha Fan Fiction ❯ The Youkai and the Exterminator ❯ Chapter Thirteen ( Chapter 13 )

Chapter Thirteen

 

 

Miroku nudged Kagome's elbow. "Maybe we should give Kohaku and Sango a bit of privacy?"

 

She nodded and stood up, smiling with a misty look in her eyes, and reached for Inuyasha's hand. "Come on."

 

He followed her willingly enough, that was a good indication that he was also moved by the scene. Kagome glanced up at the hanyou's face and wondered what he was thinking about. Miroku followed them a few steps behind, likewise silent with his own contemplations. Kagome made a small, satisfied sound as they quietly slid the door shut and left Sango and Kohaku alone.

 

Kagome couldn't stop smiling. It was so sad, but so beautiful. She knew a barrier had existed between Sango and her brother, that barrier was the death of their father. Maybe now they could get past it. Her conversations with the traumatized boy led her to know that he felt deeply guilty and unworthy because of the crimes he'd committed.

 

She let herself wonder how many people Naraku had forced the boy to kill, she had a feeling it was considerably more than they had personally witnessed. Her light sigh drew a quizzical glance from Inuyasha and she felt his warm fingers curling against her own, careful as ever not to nick her with his razor sharp claws.

 

She wasn't sure why he was letting her hold his hand this long, normally he would have flushed in embarrassment and so would she. It just seemed right at the moment and she was grateful that the tension between them was finally starting to ease. Although she was still hurt over what had happened, she knew he'd never meant to cause her any pain.

 

Kagome peeked up at his face again. Inuyasha's expression was thoughtful and relaxed as she had rarely seen it and he seemed unaware of her scrutiny. That made her smile. The gruff hanyou was probably as moved as she was but not as willing to demonstrate it.

 

To let him know she understood, her free hand stole around to clasp his arm and she leaned against him lightly. He looked down at her as they walked and she smiled into his eyes.

 

"What are you thinking?" she asked, feeling quite close and comfortable knowing that even though he professed a disdain for such mushy moments, he was still affected.

 

Inuyasha frowned slightly. "Just that we can't leave right now, Sango needs some time with her brother. We should give it to her, they've been through a lot."

 

She was surprised at his sensitivity, but it still warmed her heart to hear him say it. Kagome's head leaned firmer against his shoulder and her fingers laced against his. "I'm glad you understand. It would be wrong to force her to choose between going with us and staying with him."

 

"I don't mind," he said smiling a little. "I don't want to be here, but it's important for Sango. Besides, as soon as Sesshomaru decides he's done fucking her, he'll probably toss her out of here anyway. A few extra days are no big deal to me."

 

She froze, shocked by the bluntness of his words. "Inuyasha!"

 

He was confused by the annoyed flush on her cheeks and the angry sparkle in her eyes. "What?"

 

She yanked her hands away from him. "I can't believe you can be so crude and mean!"

 

"It's the truth," he snapped. Gods, why was he the only one that could see it? "He's just using her, Kagome, don't tell me you think that bastard has suddenly developed feelings. Once he's tired of spreading her legs, it will be like she never existed."

 

"You don't know that!" Kagome wasn't defending Sesshomaru as much as she was defending Sango. She sensed that what had been going on was a lot more important to the exterminator than Inuyasha wanted to realize.

 

He smirked. "I do so know that, so should Sango. That's what demons do with mortal women. Seduce them, take what they want, and when they get bored, throw them away. Come on, what other use could a youkai like Sesshomaru have for her? She's human, how could she be anything to him but a fuck?"

 

Kagome's flushed face suddenly went pale. "You really believe that, don't you? A demon couldn't want a human for anything other than just sex or a casual, meaningless affair. No matter how much the human cares about the demon, even if she loved him, he wouldn't return it, right?"

 

"You do understand," he said, breaking into a smile. He couldn't have made it any simpler but at least Kagome got the big picture now. Then he noticed that her eyes had darkened considerably and her breath was coming out in angry pants. "Kagome?"

 

"I understand all too well," she snarled and shoved him hard away from her. Surprised, he staggered at bit and stared. "I understand everything!"

 

Watching her storm away, he turned a baffled look on the monk. "What the hell was that about?"

 

Miroku shook his head, having comprehended the heart of Kagome's anger much better than his half-demon friend. "Your words stung her, Inuyasha. I'm surprised she didn't sit you right into the floor."

 

Inuyasha was puzzled. "Oh come on, she can't be that worked up over Sango and Sesshomaru. What's it to her? I just said what we've all been thinking, it's not like I said it to Sango's face."

 

The monk rolled his eyes expressively. "All this time you've spent together and you still don't understand Kagome, do you? What is it like being that damn dense all the time?"

 

He scowled at Miroku. "Who you calling dense, pervert? Just because I don't grope every female that crosses my path doesn't mean I don't know what's going on."

 

Miroku sighed heavily and leaned against the wall, folding his arms across his chest. "Then why is Kagome angry with you?"

 

The half-demon opened his mouth and shut it again, glaring at the smirking monk. "Fuck if I know, if she's mad at anyone she should be mad at Sesshomaru. He's the one who's fucking with Sango's head."

 

It was difficult to believe that anyone, even Inuyasha, couldn't have understood why his words bit into Kagome so deeply. Miroku smiled gently and put his arm around Inuyasha's shoulder. The hanyou gave him a suspicious look, not trusting Miroku, but also not honestly believing the monk would be so stupid as to grope him if there were no women around. Miroku just shook his head and grinned into Inuyasha face, only inches away.

 

"What makes you think that Kagome thought you were speaking of just Sango?"

 

Irritated, he shoved Miroku away. He didn't like anybody getting touchy-feely with him. "Who the hell did she think I was talking about? I don't know any other human females that could be in love with a demon..." It was gratifying to Miroku, quite gratifying, to see that shocked and horrified expression slip into Inuyasha's eyes as his brain finally made the obvious connections.

 

"Oh fuck," Inuyasha said softly. She thought he was talking about her, about her and him, about what hadn't been going on because he wouldn't...oh great, he'd fucked himself again.

 

Miroku slapped his shoulder and gave the hanyou a not unsympathetic grin. "Oh fuck is right, my friend."

 

"Hell, I'd better go find her and explain," Inuyasha muttered.

 

Miroku caught his sleeve before he could bolt after Kagome. "I think you've explained enough for one morning. Give the girl some time to cool off first. Otherwise you might as well be asking her to make you eat the floor."

 

"I know," he muttered. How could she think that in the first place? He'd never use her; he'd never throw her away. Except that was exactly what she had thought, had even said so when she'd accused him to sleeping with Sango. "Why are women always so difficult?" he wondered aloud.

 

Miroku shrugged. "I don't think they are, they just think differently. I've made a study on the subject my whole life. They say what they think they want, and then they want something else. I wonder if demon females are also so incomprehensible."

 

Inuyasha grinned at him. "Maybe you should ask one and find out. Just out of curiosity, you know." Miroku glanced away from his friend to see a shapely creature walking towards them.

 

"An excellent notion," he murmured as the young female in question turned down a corridor. With a roguish smile, the monk straightened his garments and went in pursuit of the female. "Excuse me, Inuyasha. I have a bit more research to conduct."

 

Shaking his head, Inuyasha left the human to his avocation. "She'll probably slap his face right off," he muttered, smiling a bit.

 

As he continued on his own, Inuyasha wondered what he should do with the rest of his time. Gods only knew how long they'd be stuck here, what the fuck was he supposed to do anyway? Kagome was furious with him; Sango and Kohaku needed their alone time. He had no mind to go chasing inuyoukai girls with Miroku either. Maybe he should just go back to the room he'd slept in and wait until someone remembered he was there.

 

Shit, what other choices did he have?

 

His instinct took him the most direct way back to his quarters; he didn't even question it, knowing that his blood and his flesh were somehow comfortable within these walls. His mind was another story. He felt much more at home in the forest, by himself or with his humans, than he could possibly feel among his own people.

 

No, not his people. His brother's people, he had no place here and didn't want one either.

 

Just as that thought crossed his mind, he turned the corner and saw Sesshomaru. Bastard must have been waiting for me, he thought, feeling that familiar tinge of anger laced hate bubbling up inside him. His brother noticed, smelled the hostility maybe, and just stood there before favoring the hanyou with a faintly condescending smile.

 

"Enjoying your visit, little brother?"

 

"Having the time of my life," he said, matching Sesshomaru's soft venomous tone. He drew closer, his hand automatically going to rest on Tessaiga's hilt. His brother noticed and openly smirked at him. "I do hope you're not planning on attacking me, Inuyasha. It would be suicidal, both for you and your friends."

 

"Really?" he sneered, his eyes glinting dangerously. "All of my friends or just the ones you haven't been fucking?"

 

Sesshomaru's eyes flared angrily at his half brother. "I see you're as foul mouthed and crass as ever. You can't even pretend to have manners while in your father's ancestral home. Tell me, little brother, what's it like coming home after so many years of running wild like a beast in the forest? Are you uncomfortable around civilized youkai?"

 

"My comfort isn't your problem," Inuyasha growled. Stupid son of a bitch, of course he'd know it unsettled him to be here. "I'm comfortable as hell when dealing with you at the end of my sword." As usual, his fingers were itching to wipe that smug expression off his brother's face. All the unease he'd been feeling was ripening within him, activated by the presence of the one who was the most responsible.

 

Sesshomaru smiled, obviously enjoying seeing his brother's anger growing and filling the corridor. "It must be unsettling," he whispered, loving the way his softly spoken words could so easily enrage his younger brother. "If you'd like, I could have the servants take the furnishings from your room and spread dirt on the floor. Make it more like home for you, as accustomed as you are to sleeping on the ground like an animal."

 

Inuyasha rolled his eyes. He wasn't going to let him get to him, not that easily. And it wasn't like he didn't have ammunition of his own. "I'm not impressed with your finery, never have been," he told his brother, smirking a bit. "Too good for my half-breed blood right?" He drew a little closer, well within challenge distance and saw Sesshomaru's eyes narrow in suspicion. "But maybe being half human doesn't offend you as much as it used to."

 

"You offend me just by continuing to stay alive," Sesshomaru offered, neatly sidestepping the barb about human blood.

 

Inuyasha's smile was positively sweet, an expression Sesshomaru had never seen before. "Maybe you should have just killed me when I was a child. Too bad I'm not as easy to hurt as I was back then. I guess it wouldn't have been as much fun for you anyway since I was too weak to fight back."

 

His eyes darkening at such a vile accusation, Sesshomaru stepped closer so he could glare right into his brother's face. "It would have been beneath me to murder a child, even a disgrace to our bloodline like you. As you are now, I don't have such reservations."

 

"Guess that explains Rin, I didn't know you had a soft spot for kids. Are you just waiting until she gets older? Now that I know you actually like human flesh, I guess it makes sense."

 

Sesshomaru struck Inuyasha hard across the face. "How dare you say such a sickening thing in my presence!"

 

Inuyasha barely reacted to the slap, hell, he knew his comment had been disgusting and uncalled for. "Isn't that what humans are to you, Sesshomaru?” he asked bitterly. “Just playthings to use and throw away? I know you don't give a damn about Sango or her brother. Why don't you just admit it? That you're just using her for some sick game of your own."

 

"I don't play games," Sesshomaru muttered, turning away from his brother. "My personal affairs are no concern of yours."

 

"It concerns me when it's my friend you're hurting," Inuyasha exploded. His hands balled into angry fists. "You know what happened, you should know after you took Kohaku. Don't you think that woman's had her head fucked with enough? How much more do you think she can take? Do you get off on causing pain in everyone around you? That sounds like Naraku to me."

 

"You don't have the right to question me," Sesshomaru shouted, at last showing the anger that was burning inside him. "I don't answer to you, half-breed, or anyone else alive. What is between myself and that woman is not your business and I'll be damned before I let you tell me otherwise."

 

"Heartless bastard," Inuyasha growled, his hands starting to burn for a taste of Sesshomaru's blood. "I'll tell you whatever I want. You make me sick, always have, with that stupid fucking superior attitude and the way you pretend that the way you were born makes you better than everyone else."

 

"I am superior to you," Sesshomaru hissed, his face angrier than Inuyasha had seen for some time. "Don't you ever forget it."

 

Inuyasha ground his teeth, not backing down, their faces only inches apart and an electric connection of hatred flickering between them. "At least I don't have to trick a lonely human girl into falling in love with me."

 

He was surprised when he saw his brother's anger flicker and dim, a closed expression covering up the anger as the icy mask dropped back into place. Damned if he knew why, but his comment had obviously stung his brother in some deep place. Sesshomaru turned away, a sweep of long white hair whipping lightly across his brother's face.

 

"You know nothing about it."

 

He stared at his brother, not quite believing his reaction. Inuyasha was confused again, he'd been hoping for a more physical confrontation, had even felt the youki building inside Sesshomaru's body as they traded insults. It just didn't make sense. "Are you saying it's not a game to you, are you telling me that you aren't just playing with Sango?"

 

"Why do you want to know?" his brother's soft voice drifted back to him. "Are you just curious or are you jealous of me?"

 

"Jealous of you?" snapped Inuyasha. "Why the fuck would I be jealous of you? I don't have any interest in Sango, not like that!"

 

Sesshomaru smiled darkly, glancing back to Inuyasha with a bitter look in his eyes. "Jealous because you haven't got the nerve to bed the woman you desire. What are you afraid of, little brother? That she'll reject you or leave you like everyone else? Or maybe you're just frightened this girl will seal you to a tree like the last one did. How pathetic, you should have known that a priestess wouldn't return the affections of a worthless hanyou."

 

Smirking at his brother shocked expression, Sesshomaru stalked away and left Inuyasha with the sordid contemplation that there was no small truth in what he'd said.

 

oOo

 

"Okay, maybe this wasn't such a good idea," Kagome murmured. Storming off in a huff was fine when she knew where she was going, but now she found herself hopelessly lost. She'd tried to backtrack her steps and find Inuyasha but all the corridors looked the same and she had a feeling she was working her way deeper into the massive stone fortress.

 

"How do they ever find their way around here?" she wondered aloud as she turned down the third dead end in a row. "Oh smell, stupid. They can probably smell where they're going and that keeps them from getting lost. You'd think Sesshomaru could put up signs or something."

 

She giggled at the idea of asking Inuyasha's chill faced brother for such a request. She could just picture the annoyed look that Sesshomaru would have if he were asked to put up signs to direct nose-blind humans around his home. Kagome sighed, looking around her and feeling more and more like a mouse caught in a maze.

 

Well, there was no help for it; she'd just have to keep wandering around until she found a youkai to direct her back to her friends.

 

If they'd even speak to her. Kagome had no illusions about a friendly welcome. Makiko and Jano seemed to be the exceptions to the rule regarding humans. And she had a suspicion that Makiko's kindness might only be that of a dutiful servant obeying her lord's order.

 

She shook her head. "No, that's not right either." She'd seen a look of genuine affection in the woman's eyes when she looked at Kohaku and Rin. Whatever else the youkai woman might be, she seemed to actually care about her human charges. Jano was a bit more mysterious, she couldn't think of why he'd brought them here in the first place.

 

Kagome snorted, she doubted if he'd been ignorant of the existence of his own lord's brother. Funny that he sure didn't seem to be acting on Sesshomaru's orders. She'd kind of hoped maybe the demon lord was using it for an excuse to see Sango. She'd not even had a chance to ask Sango if Sesshomaru had been happy to see her.

 

She was sure they'd been together; Sango's blushing when she showed up for breakfast was all the confirmation she needed. And if Inuyasha thought she'd missed his crack about taking a bath...

 

Kagome blushed and mentally berated herself for her nosiness. She really had to stop nagging Sango about her affair with the youkai. You're just jealous because she has an affair to brag about, she told herself sternly. If Sango was one of her girlfriends from back home, she could count on the girl wanting to share juicy details of her forbidden romance with the strange and mysterious demon.

 

Sighing, she shook her head, turning down yet another endless looking passage. Sango was no schoolgirl and Sesshomaru was definitely no love struck boyfriend. She had no right to pry, no excuse for anything other than nosiness for wanting Sango to share information about her personal life.

 

"I've been spending way too much time around Miroku," the girl muttered.

 

Damn, was she ever going to find her way out of here? It would be embarrassing to have them search for her. Inuyasha would make a spectacle of himself once he figured out she was missing. Then he'd tear the place apart stone by stone to get to her.

 

Her cheeks pinked slightly at the visual. Whatever it was they had between them, however much she was confused by him and wondered about his feelings, she could count on him coming after her. Inconsiderate and crass, sometimes just downright mean, he'd kill himself to find her if she was lost. She'd figured out that much a long time ago. Nothing, not demons or hundreds of years, not final exams or her own sometimes unpredictable temper, nothing would keep the hanyou from getting to Kagome.

 

"Maybe I misjudged him again," she said sadly, regretting her anger from earlier. "He's too dumb to know how it sounded. I should have known he didn't mean it like that. He wasn't talking about me."

 

Resolved to find her own way out of this before she had to be searched for, Kagome decided she would find a youkai to ask for help. To hell with them if they didn't like humans here, the least they could do was point her in the right direction. She noticed a bit of light coming from a side passage, tossed back her hair and boldly entered, looking for demons.

 

She regretted it almost instantly. Inside the small wardroom, four sets of confused youkai eyes were staring right at her. From their clothing she could assume they were members of the fortress' guard. Sitting at a rough wooden table, the remains of a recent meal still graced its weathered surface and mugs of something smelling faintly of alcohol were resting in their hands.

 

They stared at her as if she was an apparition and Kagome blushed when one of them tilted his head to the side as if wondering about the shortness of her skirt.

 

"Uh, hi," she said.

 

One of the demons, a grizzled looking veteran, leaned on his elbows and gave her a look of baffled curiosity. "Hi yourself, girlie. You looking for something?"

 

His tone wasn't threatening and Kagome felt a sense of relief and tried to smile. "Um, I seem to be lost. I was just wondering if someone could help me find my way back."

 

Another gave a coarse laugh and sipped from his mug. "A lost little human girl, that's a new one. Sure didn't think they'd let you people wander around loose like this."

 

She was embarrassed, she knew they could tell. "I'm sorry to be a bother," she said quietly. "I didn't mean to get myself lost, but I can't find my way. Can you please help me?"

 

They started laughing and Kagome was confused. The one who'd laughed first stood up and leaned against the table, dark amusement in his gaze. "Now why should we help you when it's no fur off my back if you wander around here for days? Don't worry, sooner or later they'll notice you're gone and someone will sniff you out."

 

She didn't like the tone in the guard's voice and she sure didn't like the way they kept staring at her legs either. Kagome had faced down more powerful enemies in her time and she wasn't going to let herself be talked down to by a pack of dog demons.

 

"Fine," she snapped. "If you're going to be rude about it, I will find my own way. I don't need your help after all."

 

Kagome spun around on her heel; quite sure her face was bright red by this time. "Stupid dogs," she muttered. She about jumped out of her skin when the one who'd stood was suddenly in her way, blocking the door.

 

"Stupid dogs, did ya say? Look, boys, this girlie's got some spark to her. Maybe I might help you out, human. Depends on what you're gonna do in return."

 

Her eyes flashed at his suggestive leer. "I said I don't need your help. I'll find someone else." She had faced down numerous demons, evil monsters like Naraku and his creations. She wasn't going to be put off by a half drunken inuyoukai that thought he could intimidate her. Without as much as a trace of fear she glared at him.

 

"Get out of my way!"

 

He grinned and didn't move. One of the others gave a short bark of laughter. "Better move, Nizo. That human girl looks like she could take you apart."

 

Nizo chuckled. "I don't know about that, I think she's all bark and no bite. Not that I wouldn't mind giving her a nip for that sharp tongue." He leaned a little closer, sniffing at her in an appraising fashion. "You're not bad smelling either. Pretty cute for a human. Tell you what, feisty girl, give us a kiss and I'll let you go. I'll even help you find your way back to the other humans if you're nice about it."

 

"Forget it," Kagome bit out. Her hands were curling into angry fists. She had faced down Inuyasha in a full demon rage, this hairball didn't know who he was dealing with. "I'm not going to kiss you, I don't want to get fleas."

 

His friends laughed hysterically at that and the guard's face darkened. "Oh, she's got you there, Nizo," one of the other guards snickered. "I like this human, she's got a temper!"

 

"Shut up," Nizo snapped, glaring at his friend. He definitely wasn't used to humans who refused to be intimidated. He'd expected a little begging to be left alone. Not a snarling response worthy of any youkai. Still, the angry smell of her was interesting and he thought she'd cave if she were pushed a little.

 

"That's no way to act when I'm being friendly," he growled lightly. His hand came up and reached for her hair, wanting to touch the glossy dark strands. "Just be a good girl and stand still. I'll do all the work."

 

Kagome flinched when something fast and metallic streaked in front of her face. The dog demon screamed, his hand had been pinned to the wall with a sharp knife. Blood was flowing freely from the wound and Nizo cried out again when he tried to free himself, the blade was embedded so deeply in the wood that he couldn't pull himself free.

 

Jano was in the doorway, his face shadowed by a dark and disturbing scowl. "Nizo, you fucking idiot. Didn't you hear my orders that the humans were not to be touched?"

 

"I didn't touch her," the demon gasped, blood pooling down his wrist.

 

Jano glanced at Kagome for confirmation and she nodded. "He didn't touch me."

 

"Good, then I don't have to kill him today," Jano growled. Of all the stupid morons for the girl to find. Nizo's three companions sat pinned in their seats by Jano's fierce grin. "And you idiots just sat there, didn't you? If this little encounter had gotten just one step further, Nizo would have that knife in his mouth and you three would be paying for his lack of intelligence right along with him."

 

They flinched and didn't look up, guiltily exchanging glances with each other. Jano snorted at their scared expressions and lifted Nizo's mug from the table, gave it a quick sniff and sipped at the harsh brew. Nizo whimpered as he tried to shift himself into a more comfortable position.

 

Jano glared at him. "Quit your whining. I'm letting you keep your fingers and your life today." He went over to stand threateningly over the pained guard. "You gonna remember to follow orders now or do I need to organize a remedial training session for you and your friends?"

 

"I'll remember," Nizo whispered, his eyes closed in pain. Jano slapped his cheek none to gently.

 

"Good boy," he growled softly. Then he turned a gentler look on the shocked girl. "Come on, Kagome. I'll take you back to your rooms." She nodded wordlessly and let Jano take her arm to steer her out of the wardroom.

 

He paused and looked over his shoulder, fangs glinting maliciously. "I'll want that blade back, Nizo. Don't forget to clean it for me."

 

Kagome frankly stared at him as they walked along, his hand still holding her arm firmly. "You wouldn't really have killed them, would you, Jano? Not for just touching me."

 

"Damn right I would have," he answered cheerfully, a trace of the fierce expression he'd worn earlier still in his eyes. "That fool knows better than to play around like that. And those idiots with him are no better. When I give a serious order, I expect it to be obeyed."

 

Kagome sighed heavily. She supposed such violence was just a way of life to inuyoukai. Jano glanced down at her, slightly confused.

 

"I hope they didn't scare you too much. I like to think they wouldn't have hurt you."

 

"They didn't scare me, I've seen worse," she murmured. She just didn't like the whole idea, she'd wandered into their territory and due to some stupid boasting and maybe too much drink those men would have gotten killed over her. Kagome didn't like the idea one bit. Jano stopped and reached out to turn her chin to face him.

 

"You aren't seriously feeling sorry for those fools, are you?" he asked in a wondering tone.

 

She nodded. "I can't help it. I was raised to respect all life, in my world the worst thing you can do is kill someone. For them to lose their lives over something so stupid would be so wasteful."

 

Jano blinked at her. What an outlandish idea, he thought. "Well, they aren't going to die today," he offered, smiling a bit and hoping the sad expression in her eyes might lighten. "You don't have anything to worry about, if anything it was a good lesson for them. I can't have my people disregarding orders, Kagome."

 

She smiled faintly and he relaxed, walking her forward as if she'd run off stupidly again.

 

"Besides," Jano continued cheerfully. "Nizo could have actually kissed you. I wouldn't wish that fate on my worst enemy."