InuYasha Fan Fiction ❯ The Youkai and the Exterminator ❯ Chapter ThirtyOne ( Chapter 31 )

Chapter ThirtyOne

 

 

Kohaku walked slowly down the corridor to his room. He felt bad about pushing Rin away, but he didn't feel like talking to anyone. It had been hard saying goodbye to Sango, hard not knowing when he'd see his sister again. She'd looked so upset, so pained at having to leave him like this. He supposed he should be grateful that Sesshomaru hadn't sent him away, grateful that the youkai lord was still interested in preserving his life.

 

Gratitude was far from what Kohaku felt. He felt a burning anger at his circumstances, anger at being trapped here by Tenseiga when he should be looking out for his sister. And he felt a burning, gnawing fury at the demon lord who had so callously cast her to the side. It wasn't fair, he'd been so sure everything would work out and that his sister would be happy with Sesshomaru.

 

He'd felt so helpless, watching her try to pull herself together after Sesshomaru rejected her, told her that everything meant nothing and froze her human heart with his icy cruel words. It hurt, he still wasn't sure he shouldn't have gone after the demon lord to express how angry it made him, those tears. Sango brushed them away from her cheeks and tried to smile at him. Failed miserably, but she had tried.

 

"Kohaku," she said, clinging to his name like it was all she had left to live for. "I have to leave."

 

"Sister," he said and for the life of him didn't know what to say next. She knew why he had to stay behind and why she couldn't let him follow her however much he longed to stay at her side. Sesshomaru had explained it to her; he was sure when he saw the dark pain in her eyes. Sango went to him and pulled him against her.

 

"No matter what I do," she said with an edge of desperation in her voice. "I keep losing you, Kohaku. At least if you stay with...if you stay here, I'll know that you're alive and protected from Naraku. That's all I can really ask."

 

"I don't care," he said, his words muffled against her chest. "I want to stay with you."

 

"And I want you to stay alive," she said fiercely, squeezing him so tight that he thought she'd crush him. He hugged her back just as hard, wanting her to remember him, wanting to etch the feeling of her in his mind. He'd never forget again, he promised himself that much. Even if they had to be apart now, he would never again forget his sister's face or the love she felt for him, everything she sacrificed to save him.

 

Sesshomaru couldn't possibly want him around. There had to be some way around the sword's hold over him, some way to cut the bond that held him bound to an angry youkai lord.

 

"This is all your fault, you two idiots!"

 

Kohaku pulled away from his sister to see Kagome menacing Inuyasha and Kouga. The wolf looked too confused to understand why she was mad at him but Inuyasha looked uncomfortably aware of his transgression. The girl shoved the hanyou hard.

 

"If I could sit you right now," she growled.

 

"But you can't," he sneered back angrily.

 

Kagome flushed and turned away. "I know, but you deserve it this time." Everyone immediately looked elsewhere, the tension in the courtyard more than any sane person wanted to endure.

 

Inuyasha spat angrily at the ground and folded his arms. "Don't blame me for this," he said in a soft, dangerous tone. "I told you from the start this is what he'd do."

 

Kohaku felt Sango flinch and tightened his hand on hers. "It will be okay, sister," he murmured. Kagome saw the siblings clinging to each other and felt her righteous anger at Inuyasha dissolve. There were more important things to worry about.

 

"Oh Kohaku, Sango," she murmured. "I'm so sorry."

 

"As am I," a voice said quietly. Kohaku felt a soft hand on his shoulder and looked up at Makiko, her eyes soft with pity.

 

The youkai woman met Sango's gaze. "I've taken care of your things and packed some provisions for your journey," the woman said in a kind, neutral tone. She wasn't going to comment further, but saw no reason to send them away without this much. It seemed the least she could manage; it was the only option she had left.

 

Sango nodded, dropping her eyes as a humiliated flush colored her skin. The inuyoukai was kind natured and loyal, but Sango knew that loyalty didn't extend to her anymore. Gently, she removed Kohaku's hand from hers; it was just too painful to touch him now.

"Please, Makiko-san," she said formally, bowing slightly even as the woman's eyes widened at her actions. "I beg you, watch over my little brother. You seem fond of him and I will sleep better knowing that someone here cares about him."

 

Her mouth opened then shut again. Makiko nodded slowly, her hand on Kohaku's shoulder. "I will what I can," she said simply, not liking that she promised an obligation to a human, especially a human that her lord now found in disfavor. She had liked the exterminator, had looked forward to having her at the fortress and she was as fond of Kohaku as she was as of Rin.

 

It was not in her nature to question Sesshomaru-sama's decisions or speculate on a personal matter that was truly none of her business. Silently, she turned away and went back to her kitchen, not bidding the humans goodbye, but wishing them luck just the same.

 

Kagome reached over to hug Kohaku goodbye, sensing that Sango needed a moment or two to compose herself. "I'll miss you, Kohaku-kun," she said lightly, rubbing his hair. "I hope I'll see you again soon."

 

"Be careful," he advised, blushing hard as she was holding him very close. He felt her hand wander down his arm and something was pressed into his palm. He pulled away, staring at her questioningly. Sango wasn't looking at him; she didn't see what Kagome had done.

 

"Do you understand?" the girl asked, watching Kohaku's face.

 

"You want me to keep it?" he asked, surprised. His hand had tightened on the small glass jar and the single shard of Shikon no Tama it contained.

 

"I know what I'm asking," Kagome whispered, hating to ask Kohaku to watch over the same shard that had enslaved him. Inuyasha would probably just die if he knew what she was doing, but right now she didn't care about the offended hanyou or his opinion.

 

"It's the last piece," she told him. "Naraku will do anything to have it. This is probably the one place he can't attack openly, one place it's too dangerous to think of looking for it."

 

He had to agree with that. Inuyoukai took their security seriously and even a puppet or a shape shifter would have a hard time getting past guards that were trained by Jano. He understood the necessity of what she asked, and the sacrifice on his part. He couldn't leave and hunt the demon as he longed to, he couldn't protect his sister. He couldn't even challenge Sesshomaru over Sango's honor. But he could watch over this tiny shard and keep it safe.

 

"You may rely on me, Kagome-sama," he said. She could rely on the honor of the demon exterminators in this duty.

 

He would not fail.

 

oOo

 

Miroku had been worried, anxious since Sango took off after the bear-oni on her own. Part of him wanted to just let her be; she had to work it out one way or another. Better that she took out her aggression on hapless monsters and lower demons rather than well meaning holy men.

 

The monk glanced up, hearing Kagome continue to mutter under her breath as she dug a rock out of her shoe. Across the small clearing, Inuyasha was squatting on a fallen log, his arms folded across his chest and resting on his knees, glowering into the trees. Miroku raised an eyebrow and didn't comment. Even by his usual standards, Inuyasha was being a bastard to everyone.

 

Part of him reflected that it was just foul temper, just annoyance at Sesshomaru for being, well, Sesshomaru and also still nursing a burning anger with a certain wolf demon. Miroku sighed heavily. Maybe if he made himself absent also, Inuyasha and Kagome would talk about whatever was eating them. Either that or run off into the woods for his personal best idea of how to relieve a little tension.

 

Well, it was about all he could do and Miroku stood up, stretching like he hadn't a care in the world. He needed to be devious now; project nonchalance and disregard or his quarry would sense he was up to something. Kagome gave him a curious look as he made his way towards her, his expression open and innocent as a babe before he swooped down on the unsuspecting kitsune.

 

"Hey!" Shippou twisted in his grip, not particularly liking it when the monk snagged him by the tail. "What gives?"

 

"I was thinking you'd like to take a walk with me," the monk said winningly.

 

The fox looked frankly suspicious. "And why would I want to do something like that?"

 

If there was one thing he was proud of, it was his ability to charm and persuade. "I'm concerned about Sango," Miroku told Shippou. "She's not herself and she might need our assistance. My spiritual powers are only good up to a certain point; I might actually need the strength of a real demon if she needs help."

 

"You need me?" Shippou squeaked, staring at the smooth talking monk in disbelief. "Since when?"

 

He frowned, and then wiped the expression off his face to show only affable good humor. "Shippou, you should know that I have always considered to be a most valuable ally and greatly underestimated in both your courage and your strength."

 

"Were you born knowing how to bullshit like that?" Inuyasha asked, sarcasm dripping in his tone. He jumped off the fallen tree and stalked over to them, glaring at the kitsune. "Courage?"

 

"I got lots of courage," the little fox snapped, looking extremely put out as he dangled from Miroku's hand.

 

Inuyasha snickered. "Yeah, I've seen it all the time. You're real brave until you get yourself into real trouble. Then you yell for someone to save your ass."

 

Shippou ripped his tail out of Miroku's fingers and sprang at the hanyou, his little claws clamping onto the silvery hair with a furious deathgrip. "Take that back, stupid dog!"

 

"Make me, runt!" Inuyasha started swatting at the kitsune and suddenly howled when Shippou sank his sharp little teeth into a tender ear.

 

"You shit!"

 

The fox let go and darted over to Kagome, climbing over the girl's shoulder and sticking out his tongue at the furious Inuyasha. "Did I hurt your widdle ear?" he taunted.

 

"I'm gonna hurt your widdle ass," Inuyasha growled, coming after him.

 

Kagome jumped to her feet. "Don't you dare," she hissed. Inuyasha glared at her, ignoring Shippou's smirk. For a moment he tried to come up with the perfect retort and failing, just turned his back on them both.

 

"Whatever," he muttered, sounding hurt and angry.

 

Kagome's face instantly softened and she gently brushed Shippou aside. "Inuyasha," she said quietly.

 

"Spare me," he snapped, storming off into the forest. He didn't even want to look at either of them right now and thought that Sango had the right idea. It just felt better when you had something to kill.

 

Miroku looked disapprovingly at Shippou. "Nice work. Couldn't have planned it better myself." Kagome had just sat down after Inuyasha left, a confused and unhappy expression on her face.

 

"Why is he acting like this?" she murmured.

 

She'd thought everything would be perfect. She loved him and he loved her and now everything was just going to hell again. He'd barely even looked at her since they'd left the fortress. A couple of times she'd reached out, tried to catch his arm or take his hand but he'd managed to slip away, acting like he didn't notice. It hurt, but she'd been distracted by everything going on with Sango and just pushed it away in her mind.

 

The girl scowled, forgetting that Miroku and Shippou were watching her closely. Inuyasha was just going to have to get over his selfishness, there was too much at stake and too many other people were hurting. Kagome shook her head, briskly getting up and rooting around in her backpack for a fresh pair of socks.

 

At least they knew about laundry at that fortress.

 

oOo

 

Miroku made his way through the forest, resisting the mighty urge to swat Shippou with his staff. The fox was perturbed, following along with a confused expression his usually happy face. "I don't know why what I did was so wrong!"

 

The monk glanced down at him. "Shippou, I was trying to give Inuyasha and Kagome a chance to talk privately. Your antics only made the tension worse."

 

"I didn't know what you were doing," the fox grumbled. "Why didn't you just come out and say it?"

 

"There is such a thing as tact."

 

"You were being sneaky!"

 

He sighed, stopping to look seriously down at the young kitsune. "Sometimes you need to be sneaky in order to get things done. Our friends need to talk things out and they won't do it while we're listening to them."

 

Shippou looked even more confused. "What makes you think they'll talk if we aren't there? You know how stubborn Inuyasha is and how stupid he can be."

 

Miroku rubbed his face, annoyed. "That's not the point."

 

"Then what is?" the kitsune demanded. "Why are they being so dumb?"

 

He shook his head and started walking again. "Because they're in love, Shippou. Sometimes people do stupid things when they're in love."

 

"Inuyasha must be in love all the time then," Shippou answered. "He must be full of love for everything and everyone to be that stupid."

 

The monk grinned. "You might be on to something there, my friend." He turned to look at Shippou, but the young fox was standing still, staring into the trees.

 

"Miroku," he said, fear starting to color his tone. "I smell blood."

 

He peered into the darkening forest. "Where? Can you tell what it is?"

 

Shippou was starting to tremble and suddenly dashed into the trees. "Sango!"

 

"Damn," Miroku said, and tore after him.

 

When he finally got there, he thought his heart was going to stop from terror. A huge bear-oni, bigger than any of the ones they'd met in battle earlier, was poised over Sango's prone body, the exterminator lying helpless under the massive, gnarled claws.

 

Shippou didn't hesitate, didn't so much as flinch. For all Inuyasha taunted him about his courage in battle, nothing would have kept the small fox from running to save one of his friends.

 

"Foxfire!" he shrieked, blasting the demon bear with all he had.

 

A brilliant flash filled the small clearing, the bear turning in his direction blindly, snarling in rage at being denied his kill. Shippou dodged agilely, easily avoiding the sharp-clawed paws that were bigger than his entire body. As long as he could distract it from Sango, there was still at chance. "Miroku!" he shouted.

 

The monk ran stumbling into the clearing, already pulling a handful of sutras from his robe. He flung them into the bear's face, the creature snarling as the spiritual wards burned into its flesh. Miroku shouted an incantation and brought his staff down on the beast's head. Again the huge oni shrieked, this time pulling away and trying to escape him. Shippou jumped after the bear, pelting it with rocks.

 

"Get out of here!" the small fox cried, driving it away with another blast of foxfire.

 

Miroku knelt at Sango's side. The exterminator's face was pale, blood seeping from numerous gashes on her body. "This is bad," he muttered, stripping off his outer robe to wrap tightly around her. He had to at least try to slow the bleeding before he tried to move her. The young woman stirred, a grimace of pain clouding her features.

 

"Sango," he said urgently. "Sango, hang on. I've got you, you're safe now." Gently, he lifted her, easily gathering her into his arms to carry her back to their campsite. "Sango, can you hear me?"

 

She whimpered against his neck. "I knew you'd come for me," she said thickly. She seemed half delirious from blood loss, her voice slurred and painful.

 

"I'd always come for you," he whispered, squeezing her tightly. "Don't you know I love you?"

 

Her head lolled back, her face slack and barely conscious. He wanted her to open her eyes, be all right and tell him she'd heard what he told her. "Sango?"

 

"Sesshomaru..." Her voice faded away as she slipped back into unconsciousness.

 

It hurt. She thought I was him, Miroku thought dully. She wanted him to be Sesshomaru. A burning ache began somewhere deep inside his chest, like a newly healed scab had been torn open and was bleeding. He couldn't breathe from the exquisite pain of it and had to force himself to move. Sango was badly injured; she needed him to get her back to their camp so they could treat her wounds. This much blood loss could be lethal for her baby as well as Sango herself.

 

Grim, but determined to endure whatever he had to, Miroku refused to meet Shippou's saddened eyes.

 

Just as he managed to pry his feet off the ground, clutching her as tightly as a promise to his aching chest, Miroku heard the sounds of something crashing through the trees towards him. He froze; ready to drop the injured exterminator in case he needed to defend them. The sounds grew louder, something was thrashing itself his way in a terrible temper.

 

"Shippou," he said softly, hoping the kitsune would understand and toss him his staff the moment he let Sango drop.

 

The fox nodded tensely, and then sniffed the air, his eyes wide. "Miroku, it's..." he said.

 

The monk stared as Jano suddenly burst out of the trees, sword drawn and looking deeply alarmed. The inuyoukai's nose was twitching and Miroku realized that Jano had also scented Sango's blood and made a frantic dash through the woods to find her. Their eyes met, Miroku in confusion and Jano horrified as he took in Sango's battered and blood soaked body.

 

“Shit,” the bodyguard whispered, his face ashen. “Don't tell me I'm too late.”

 

oOo

 

It was like coming back to herself after being gone for a very long time. She hurt; Sango understood that, feeling a throbbing ache that was consuming her entire body. If she'd had a choice about it, she might have considered staying asleep. Unconsciousness was much more easy to bear than waking up to a battered and abused body.

 

No, she couldn't stay asleep, she could hear her friends speaking to her, Miroku's voice gentle and urgent, Kagome's begging to be all right. She didn't like the sadness in their tones; she didn't want anyone to worry over her. She was an exterminator; she could take care of herself. Didn't they know?

 

One eyelid slowly pried back, Sango wincing as she managed to fully wake up. Two eyelids then, she might as well get it over with. Kagome's face hovered over her own, concerned and drawn with tension.

 

"Sango?" she asked, reaching for the exterminator's good hand. "Can you hear me?"

 

For some reason, she'd been thinking that he had come for her. How stupid. Sesshomaru didn't love her; he probably didn't give a damn if she died, taking his baby along with her. What else could she have expected from a youkai? She really should try to get over it, what was done was done. But a little part of her still cried for him, a little part that couldn't be ignored.

 

It was the part of her that was afraid to be alone, the part of her that was sick to death of fighting all the time. She couldn't suppress a shudder at the resentment that little part stirred. It told her that she'd made a damned big mistake in choosing revenge masquerading as duty. As much as she had loved her family, Sango was getting awfully tired of being the one to carry the burden of a slain village on her shoulders.

 

Didn't I deserve some happiness, she thought, easing back again so she could rest. She still hadn't answered Kagome but her fingers tightened when the girl's warm hand covered her own. She pressed gently so that her friend would know she was listening, but Sango really wanted a chance to think a little bit.

 

She was selfish and she was being petty. Didn't her village, her father, deserve to be avenged? Didn't Naraku deserve to be stopped? Didn't her little brother deserve to sleep peacefully at night, knowing that the monster was dead and would never be hungering after his soul?

 

Sango chided herself for being so foolish. Yes, she loved Sesshomaru. Yes, it had brought her pain when she left him, taking herself away from him to follow the path that she couldn't waver from. Oh it still hurt, the fact that he'd never seen her as more than an amusement. His words were burned in her mind. And still, damn her, she couldn't stop herself from loving him and wanting him even so.

 

Harsh voices interrupted her reflections and Sango realized that she had very nearly slipped back into the peaceful darkness. It was understandable, her stupidity had gotten her injured, and her body wanted time and peace to heal. A rush of realization then, her baby.

 

Sango opened her eyes, trying to sit up despite Kagome's hissed protests. Her baby, had she hurt it? In her mad angry lust for blood, had she managed to lose that also?

 

"My baby," she whispered fearfully, meeting Kagome's concern. "Is it okay?"

 

"I think your baby is fine," Miroku's voice said calmly. His smooth and gentle tone never failed to soothe her, and Sango's heart eased back just a bit. The monk reached out and touched her shoulder lightly, urging her to lie back again.

 

"Your injuries were not severe," he told her quietly. There was an odd look in his eyes, a grief and strange resolution. "You have a broken arm and several deep gashes, but you seem to be recovering well."

 

"See," Inuyasha's voice sounded bitter. "She's okay. You can get the fuck out of here now. We don't need you."

 

"It's not that simple." Sango's eyes widened slightly as she recognized the voice. She pushed herself up on her good elbow, her broken arm splinted and bound tightly to her chest.

 

"Jano-san?" she murmured, looking questioningly at the black haired youkai when he turned to face her. "What are you doing here?"

 

He grinned, happy to see her conscious. "Apparently nothing useful, I came too late to help. Shippou and Miroku had already taken care of your attacker."

 

Attacker? With a rush, she remembered the angry bear-oni she'd been fighting with, remembered how it had torn into her flesh with a savage anger. Then nausea gripped her, thinking of her delight in slaughtering its mate, the way she'd worked her dagger to cause the maximum amount of pain and damage without a lethal blow.

 

She'd played with it; she'd acted like a heartless youkai herself, torturing the creature and pursuing it into the forest when it went to protect its young. The tiny cub's wide eyes, the way those sharp little claws had turned on her. She'd felt sorry for it, regretting what she'd done and even the baby oni had exacted its revenge, mocking her for her pity and reviling her for her actions.

 

Revenge. The taste of it was constantly on her tongue these days, gnawing at her with an insistence she found difficult to ignore. Costly, capable of making her pay dearly with what she cared about. She shook her head, her denial more at what had happened than to Jano's reply.

 

"That's not what I meant," she said quietly. "Why are you here now?"

 

He looked uncomfortable, a little sheepish. "I was ordered," he said softly, not meeting anyone's eyes.

 

"To come after me?" she answered, just as soft. No one said anything, even Inuyasha held his tongue, watching the bodyguard for his response. "Did he send you to take me back?"

 

"No," Jano said, studying the patterns the dying sunlight flung up against the trees. It was sunset, the sky darkening as the forest settled in for the evening. Miroku had built a small fire as soon as they'd returned with Sango's unconscious, bloody body. Kagome had immediately set to the business of dressing the deep scratches, binding the broken arm as best she knew how.

 

Jano thought she did a good job of field dressing, a little surprised by some of the methods she used. He'd felt the break in her arm himself, wincing a bit for her pain when he'd felt the heat and swelling of the injury. It looked to be a fracture, maybe more than one. In any case, the exterminator wouldn't be doing any fighting with that arm for some time. He reflected that it might be wise to try and persuade her to return to Sesshomaru under the circumstances.

 

He knew she was still waiting for his reply; she would wait all night, watching him impassively with those huge dark eyes. Jano looked down at his hands and sighed. This was the part he'd been dreading, he'd actually hoped to be able to follow Sango at a discreet distance, watching her and protecting her without her being any the wiser. Now he was here, looking at her confused, battered face and he had to face the misery his lord had caused with no way of comforting it.

 

"I'm sorry, Sango," he said quietly, still not looking her in the eye. Makiko would say he was a coward, but he really didn't want to see her pain. "I don't know why he did what he did and I'm sorry for that. But I have my orders and I'm not going to defy them. I'm supposed to protect you. I apologize that I didn't get here in time to spare you those injuries."

 

"Protect me?" Sesshomaru's words still echoed in her mind. You have been an amusement, nothing more. I am no longer amused with you now. She shook her head, wincing a bit as new pains made them known. "For how long?"

 

Jano met her gaze unhappily. "I don't know."

 

"You don't know?" Inuyasha sneered. He thought he'd heard just about enough. They were done with Sesshomaru and all his damn people. At this point, he really didn't give a shit if he ever met another inuyoukai for the rest of his life.

 

They hadn't listened to him when he'd warned Sango about his brother. Someone had to be realistic, not caught up in all that romantic crap that had been spewed around. He was sick of it, he was angry as hell and covering it up by acting like a prick, he knew it.

 

The truth was that deep inside him, in a place he didn't like to touch, he ached for Sango and the child she would bear. He knew too well what it meant to be rejected, cast aside like something dirty, something worthless. It burned him with an unreasonable fury that Sesshomaru had thrown someone else away.

 

But Sesshomaru wasn't here for him to vent at, all he had left was Jano. Slowly, he advanced on his brother's bodyguard, smiling his most unpleasant smile. He had a message for Jano to deliver, one he'd like to hand Sesshomaru himself, but this would have to do for now.

 

They didn't need him to watch over Sango or anyone else.

 

Jano took note of the hanyou's serious expression and groaned inwardly. This was a confrontation he'd expected, but that didn't mean he'd been looking forward to it. The young half demon stopped, staring at him fixedly.

 

"I don't care what that bastard ordered you to do," Inuyasha said in a cold voice that would have been worthy of Sesshomaru. "I want you to leave, we don't need you and we don't want you around. Same for that stuck up prick, you tell him I said so."

 

His eyes narrowed. Nobody took that tone with him, nobody who knew him well. "And if I refuse?" Jano said, half in challenge.

 

There was no mistaking the deadly look that entered the hanyou's eyes. "I'll make you leave."

 

Tension filled the small clearing as the two dog demons stood eye to eye. "Okay," Jano said softly, not backing down. "I will respect your wishes, hanyou-sama."

 

Inuyasha rocked back on his heels; he'd been expecting a fight. Jano just stood there, hands clasped behind his back and not looking at all intimidated for someone who had just given in. Inuyasha found that to be extremely suspicious in itself. It was a trap, it had to be.

 

"Yeah right," he snarled, glaring at Jano. "What kind of idiot do you think I am?"

 

"Do you really want me to answer that?"

 

This could get unpleasant, Kagome decided, and jumped into the confrontation herself. "Inuyasha," she said quietly, touching his arm. "He said he'd leave, what more do you want?"

 

He yanked his arm away from her, scowling. "I'll believe it when I see him leave," he snapped.

 

Jano tilted his head to the side, not missing the strange tension between the hanyou and the girl. "You'll see me leave," he said easily. "You won't see me following. I'm not one to go against my lord's wishes. Even when he's being a pigheaded fool, a well known family trait from what I understand."

 

He turned his back on Inuyasha, dropping to one knee beside Sango. "I mean it," he said quietly. "I will protect you with my life, even if you don't want me to."

 

Her gaze was veiled, guarded. "I don't need anyone's protection," she said finally, her fingers picking at the bandage wrapped around her arm. "I'm used to taking care of myself. I don't know why he told you to come here, I think it's best if you leave."

 

Very slowly, he reached over and touched the back of her hand. "I know this must be hard for you," he said.

 

Her gaze tore up to meet his. "Do you really?" she asked, a trace of bitterness in her tone. "How the hell could you possibly know what I'm feeling? Do you know how it feels to give yourself to someone and have them throw you away and make you feel worthless? All because you swore a vow to avenge the lives of the ones you loved?"

 

"I know about loyalty," he answered steadily. "And I know about pride. And I know a great deal about being stupid and stubborn. I'm asking you, on behalf of a friend, to not fight this."

 

"A friend?" Sango asked sarcastically. "Is that how he sent you, as a friend?"

 

Jano smiled faintly. "I wasn't talking about Sessh. He's the most stubborn bastard I know and hell itself will freeze over before he admits he might be wrong. The friend I spoke of was Kohaku. Your brother wants you to stay alive, so remember he has a better idea than the rest of us about what you're up against."

 

"Kohaku," Sango murmured, looking away. Tears welled in her eyes and slowly slipped down her face. In her self-absorbed pity, being angry at everything, she had very nearly forgotten him. That hurt, which was unforgivable. Maybe it was just the trauma of getting injured, maybe it was her hormones going crazy again, but Sango felt her resistance melt and fade away and she had to control herself otherwise she really was going to turn into a sobbing wet heap.

 

"Maybe you should stay."

 

oOo

 

He was terrified; he was running through a darkened forest. Things, horrible slimy things were after him and he couldn't get away. His breath caught in his throat, he stumbled over some gnarled tree roots. He'd dropped his weapon, he didn't know how because he'd tried so hard to fight. This time there was no fighting, this time he couldn't get away. Naraku was going to find him, he knew where he'd run to, and he knew where his sister was hiding.

 

Kohaku choked in terror, scrambling up again. He had to find Sango, he had to warn her!

 

Sobbing now, he stumbled his way towards her, fighting with all his strength, with every step to keep moving. It didn't matter if he was hurt; nothing that happened to him really mattered. What was important was Sango; he had to find his sister before it was too late.

 

She was walking into a trap and she didn't even know it. If Naraku got to her first...Kohaku didn't see any reason to keep on living after that. The village where she was staying wasn't far away now, he was sure to be in time to warn her, keep her from danger, and protect her, as he always should have.

 

Then he was there, he saw her, standing alone, turning to face him. Her face lit in a happy smile, her hair falling over her shoulder and her hands reaching out to him. Relieved, he ran towards her, not seeing the danger rising up behind her, the demon that had lain concealed. He shouted a warning too late...always too late.

 

Naraku's laugh echoed in his head and Kohaku fell to his knees from the pain of it. His sister was lifted up, bright blood pouring from the massive wound at her throat. She was bleeding to death right in front of him and still he was helpless to move, frozen in time, his knees sinking deeper into the soft, malignant earth.

 

Horrified, he tried to struggle up, but his legs were held tight. Worms and slimy crawling things, many legged things came out of the ground and swarmed over his thighs. He swatted at them frantically with his hands, but still they ate into him, consuming his living flesh.

 

Naraku smiled and presented his sister's lifeless body to him. "You're still mine, Kohaku," the monster leered. "Thank you for giving me your sister as well. With a shard in her body, she will make a most useful servant."

 

"You leave her alone!" he cried. "Take me instead!"

 

"I already have you both," Naraku hissed. Kohaku stared as his sister's eyes opened, lifeless and blank, accusing him with their emptiness. She slowly turned away from him, opening her arms to Naraku instead, letting the monster touch her; run his clawed hands down her back so that her yukata fell away in shreds and Kohaku could see the terrible scar on her back.

 

His scar, the one he'd given her with his own two hands.

 

Naraku tilted her head back and devoured her lips with a hungry kiss. Kohaku thought he was dying, the light around them was rippling and as he watched, Naraku became taller, stronger, feeding on his sister's soul. His inky black hair started to lighten, falling around him in molten silver strands. Kohaku could only hear the thudding of his own heart when Sesshomaru raised his golden eyes and looked at him, slowly lifting his lips from Sango's and smiled with Naraku's horrible, mocking grin.

 

Kohaku screamed.

 

oOo

 

Sesshomaru sat up, going from light sleep to instant wakefulness, a surge of angry power boiling in his veins. Something had disturbed his rest, disturbed it to the point where his demon aura was crackling around his body like muted lightning. Snarling, not bothering to dress, the youkai lord strode naked from his bedchamber to the balcony outside his study.

 

He threw open the door with a mere touch of his power, setting the ancient casement vibrating against the stone. The night was cool; the wind tore at his hair, whipping the silver white mass into a frenzied cloud. Dark destruction glowed in his eyes as he regarded first the waning moon, shining cool and implacable as a demon lord's soul.

 

His gaze cast outward, towards the mountains, the pass that Jano had recently traveled upon his orders. His mind sought her, instincts older than time were at work and Sesshomaru stood frozen with the marble perfection of a statue while the moonlight poured over him and lit his pale skin with an eerie luminescence.

 

Instinct. When nothing else could be trusted, an inuyoukai believed his instincts. He didn't have to see, didn't have to hear, but his mind answered to a different call, an ancient call, one that could not be denied. With a hiss of pure rage, he stormed back inside to dress and make ready for battle. He knew.

 

His mate had been injured.

 

There would be hell to pay.