InuYasha Fan Fiction ❯ The Youkai and the Exterminator ❯ Chapter Forty ( Chapter 40 )

Chapter Forty

 

 

"That's impossible!" Jano shouted angrily.

 

He didn't expect anyone to believe him, not with Kohaku sitting and dripping blood in front of their eyes. He expected Inuyasha to fight him on this one, but damn it, years of hatred and distance didn't make him the best judge of his brother. Jano had known Sesshomaru his entire life, knew his father, had been raised with him as a brother, damn it.

 

He knew the youkai well. This couldn't be his work. "I'm telling you he would never do this to Kohaku, not now. Not without a damned good reason!"

 

Inuyasha growled at him. "Yeah, I suppose that wasn't him that almost ripped Miroku's head off either. Look at the kid; he's covered in claw marks. If you know that bastard so well you should be able to recognize them."

 

Jano stared hard at Kohaku's battered face. The boy just looked up at Jano, fear and betrayal still haunting his eyes. "I'm not lying," he said softly.

 

The bodyguard's face softened and he knelt next to the boy, ignoring the way Sango stiffened defensively. If anything hurt, that did, he thought sadly. "I'm not calling you a liar," he said, his voice much gentler. "I'm just saying that it must have been someone else. Did you get a good look at who hurt you?"

 

Slowly, Kohaku leaned back and closed his eyes. "He brought us both here," the boy said, his voice distant and strained. "He woke us up and told us to come with him. So we did. Then...he stopped not far from here and told me that I was supposed to go back to my sister and never speak to him again. He seemed really angry."

 

Sango brushed his hair back from his eyes. "Why?" she asked, tears she wouldn't shed hung heavy in her voice. "Why did he hurt you, Kohaku?"

 

"I don't know." He sounded exhausted, too tired to open his eyes. "I don't know, sister. He just started hitting me. I kept begging him to stop, but he just laughed."

 

"He couldn't," Jano muttered. Sesshomaru had a sadistic streak; he was well acquainted with it. But he'd saved the boy with Tenseiga, healed him when he could have simply left him to die. Jano knew better, Sesshomaru would have from that single moment felt that Kohaku belonged to him and was under his protection. And a youkai wouldn't just suddenly turn on what he thought of as his.

 

"Ask Rin," Kohaku murmured. "She saw the whole thing."

 

He turned to look over his shoulder only to be confronted with an angry Kagome. "Jano, don't you dare ask that little girl anything! She's so traumatized she can't even speak. I think that's pretty good evidence that Kohaku is telling the truth."

 

"Why would Kohaku lie?" Sango asked. She felt all eyes turn to her and continued to stroke Kohaku's hair. "He would never lie to me, not about something like that. I...I think it's time for me to admit that I've been a fool."

 

"Sango," Jano said helplessly, sorrowful for the great misery that was settling over the exterminator's face like a shroud. "Something is wrong, can't you feel it?"

 

"I can't feel anything," Sango answered. "I don't want to feel anything right now. I don't think my brother is lying, I'm not saying that you are either. But I can't talk about it right now. I just need to be with Kohaku."

 

When Sango turned away from him, he heard a note of finality in her voice that he'd never heard before. "Sango," he said, trying to think of some way to break through that defensive shell before it hardened completely.

 

A hand fell heavily on his shoulder and Jano glared at Inuyasha. "I think it might be best if she didn't have to look at you," the hanyou growled.

 

"Yes," Miroku said suddenly. He had been very quiet up until now, but the monk moved to Inuyasha's side, his eyes hard and his anger as livid as the ring of bruises around his neck. "I think it be best for everyone if you left us, Jano. I mean no insult, but I fear your loyalty to your lord will make it impossible for you remain with us now."

 

"None of you are listening to a word I say," Jano snarled. "Can't you smell a trap when your nose is rubbed in it? Sessh didn't do this; at least confront him to his face before you assume that he's responsible."

 

Inuyasha's hand fell to the hilt of Tessaiga. "I will confront him," the hanyou said softly, his expression decidedly unpleasant. "I will definitely confront him about this, don't you worry."

 

"You're just looking for any excuse to believe that you were right," Jano answered him. "I could say the same about you, Miroku. You've both got your own reasons for wanting me to leave."

 

"Maybe you should take the hint," Inuyasha said, a low, threatening growl beginning deep in the back of his throat. There were a number of things he didn't like about Jano, his cockiness, his smooth way of turning your words against you. Most of all, he didn't like that this was someone that Sesshomaru trusted, someone that would never betray him. And since he didn't trust Sesshomaru himself, that made Jano the most dangerous person next to his brother have anywhere near Kagome or Sango.

 

It didn't make him feel any better to be right about Sesshomaru. Inuyasha had expected some satisfaction when his brother revealed his true nature at last. Instead, he felt an angry hurt betrayal for Sango and a deep disgust with himself for letting Sesshomaru get away with doing this to his friend. It wasn't enough for Sesshomaru to just abandon the pregnant exterminator, just as he'd abandoned Inuyasha to the world of humans. He had to drive his true intentions home with torturing Kohaku. Just in case Sango had any stupid ideas about coming back to him.

 

And the little kid looked almost catatonic, Inuyasha felt particularly grim about that. It seemed his brother had concluded his experiment with humans. Rin sat huddled on the ground, her knees pulled up to her chest and her face hidden by her hair. Her arms were wrapped tightly around her legs and she wouldn't speak no matter how gently Kagome tried to soothe and comfort her.

 

"Just get out of here, Jano," Inuyasha said, irritation all over his tone. Just like he wanted to put his fists all over Jano's face. "You aren't wanted here."

 

"You think you can make me leave?" Jano's tone had turned deadly and Inuyasha didn't miss the minute shift of his stance. This was the professional Jano, the assassin his brother wielded like a blade. Bodyguard, my ass, Inuyasha thought, cracking his knuckles. Since when did Sesshomaru need anyone's protection? Jano was nothing more than a hired thug when it came down to it.

 

Inuyasha grinned; he'd been looking forward to this. "I think I can make you sorry you didn't leave when asked," he answered sweetly. He bared his fangs at Jano, hearing the inuyoukai's growl in response. "You wanna go now?"

 

"Stop it." Kagome didn't shout or even hardly raise her voice. She didn't have to, both Jano and Inuyasha turned almost instantly to look at her. Quietly, she got to her feet and went to stand between them with Inuyasha just behind her shoulder as she faced Jano.

 

"Please," she said, bowing her head politely. Her tone was so gentle and calm that it would be churlish to refuse her. "Jano-san, please leave. I don't want any more violence and can't be good to upset Sango like this. If you truly care about any of our welfare, you will go before anyone says anything they can't take back."

 

Hurt entered Jano's dark eyes; his expression was one of honest regret. "Kagome, you also think that I'm lying. Why?"

 

The girl met his eyes forthrightly, without any hint of uncertainty. "I do believe you," she said, reaching slowly for Inuyasha's hand and holding it tightly. "I also believe that your loyalty to Sesshomaru is unquestionable. You defend him because you believe in him and that's something we can't share."

 

"I don't deny it," Jano said. "I have pledged my life to protect Sango and her child. That's not something I can just easily discount because you've decided I can't be trusted."

 

Kagome gave Inuyasha's hand a quick squeeze before dropping it. He glanced at her curiously, wondering what she was planning. Trust me, her eyes seemed to be telling him. And she left his side to stand close to Jano, tipping her face up almost as if she was asking for his kiss. Confusion flickered across his expression; his eyes grew dark and guarded. Kagome smiled faintly.

 

"I also believe," she continued in her gentle voice, "that if Sesshomaru ordered you to kill us all, even Sango and her baby, you would do it without hesitation. With regret, yes and guilt, but you would still do it. Look me in the eye and tell me that's not so and I will believe you, Jano. Tell me that and you can stay."

 

He couldn't do it. Jano sighed, running his hand over his face as he turned away. The girl was right about him. Inuyoukai loyalty didn't fracture easily, if she could feel what he was feeling, she'd know they were wrong about Sesshomaru. But not about him.

 

"I'm sorry, Kagome," he said roughly. "I can't tell you that."

 

oOo

 

"Kagome, what's the matter?"

 

She had been unusually quiet since Jano had left and that worried Inuyasha. Privately, he was relieved to be rid of the dark inuyoukai and not because he didn't trust his damned brother. He had noticed that Jano deferred almost constantly to Kagome, listened to her. And damn it all, he'd noticed that she respected him too.

 

He might have just put it down to a civil almost-friendship between them and nothing to be concerned about, but he'd noticed that Jano's eyes tended to linger on Kagome in a decidedly not impersonal way. And damn him again, he'd noticed that Kagome's face lit up whenever Jano made a joke.

 

You have nothing to be jealous about, you stupid hanyou. Inuyasha kept telling himself that but at least he wasn't stupid enough to say anything about it to Kagome. Quietly, he'd suggested to her that they spend some time alone and she'd simply slipped her hand into his. It made Inuyasha feel like nothing could ever be wrong, the way she trusted him so implicitly.

 

"I'm just..." she sighed, looking up at him with those great big eyes of hers. "I'm wondering if we did the right thing in telling Jano to leave."

 

Miroku had told him once that the most intelligent thing he could ever do was learn to hold his tongue. At the time, he'd thought the monk was just being snide, but he had gradually learned that if he thought before he spoke, things seemed to go ever so much better for him. At least where Kagome was concerned, hell, she knew he tended to bluster on and say the first thing that popped into his head. She knew that he didn't mean it when he snapped at her. Still, understanding or not, things went better when he controlled his mouth.

 

Unfortunately, this wasn't one of those times.

 

"Oh fuck him," Inuyasha scoffed. "I'm glad to have that nosy bastard out of my way."

 

"Your way?" Kagome looked at him like she was puzzled. "You didn't like him very much, did you? I thought he was kind."

 

"I bet," he muttered under his breath.

 

Kagome's eyes narrowed. "What's that supposed to mean? He never did anything to you, Inuyasha. Jano isn't your brother, I never heard him say one bad thing about you."

 

"That's because he only showed you the side he wanted to see," the hanyou grunted.

 

Kagome raised an eyebrow, folding her arms across her chest. "You're jealous," she pronounced with finality.

 

"Jealous?" Inuyasha felt his face turn red and ducked away from her piercing gaze. "I got no reason to be jealous of that son of a bitch, Kagome. I...I know...you and me..."

 

She grinned. "I wasn't talking about that, Inuyasha. I've never seen Jano as anything more than a friend and I'd say he thinks the same of me. I was talking about you and Sesshomaru."

 

"What?" Inuyasha glared at her, edging closer to where she sat on the grass. "Jealous of Jano because of Sesshomaru? That's crazy, Kagome. You must have hit your head or something."

 

Kagome laughed, her voice sounding light and happy. "Admit it," she taunted. "If things had been different, if Sesshomaru had been different, you might have liked Jano. I think it bothers you that he's someone your brother has always trusted. And Jano grew up knowing your father. No one would blame you for being jealous of that."

 

"Bah," he said, mainly because he couldn't think of any better answer. He studied her face, the way her eyes lit up when she talked to him, the way she always seemed to know what he needed to hear, even if he didn't know it himself. He was lucky, too lucky for his good senses. Grinning, he advanced on her, crawling to her side and making her giggle as he practically moved into her lap.

 

"I don't give a damn about the past," he said, his voice tender and soft. He reached out and traced her cheekbone with the back of his finger. "I only care about right now."

 

Her arms stole around her neck. "Right now, huh?" she teased, playing with his long hair until her fingers couldn't keep away from his ears any longer. "Is that all you think about?"

 

"Yeah," he muttered, kissing her suddenly. Kagome's lips opened moistly under his and Inuyasha felt smug satisfaction that she was every bit as willing as he was. It was strange for him, he wasn't used to being so readily accepted by anyone. But Kagome had never been anything else, taking him for what he was and never asking him to change. He didn't have to be anyone else with her.

 

His hand stole between her legs, making lazy circles on her inner thigh until Kagome sighed and wiggled closer to him. Her hand came down to take his wrist and move his hand until it rested somewhere even more intimate. Inuyasha nibbled lightly on her lower lip, flicking his tongue out to taste her sweetness.

 

Inuyasha eased her back, craftily starting to play with the fastenings of her bra, when an unwelcome stench invaded his nostrils and he sat back, growling angrily as he searched the forest behind them.

 

"What is it?" Kagome asked, also sitting up and pulling her shirt down.

 

He grabbed her wrist none too gently and threw her over his back as he broke into a run. Kagome bounced on his shoulder, digging her hands into his back to keep her balance.

 

"We've got trouble coming," he snarled.

 

oOo

 

"Kohaku?" Sango's voice was soft, pulling him gently from the light doze he'd slipped into. "Are you feeling any better?"

 

He wasn't, he felt sick. He didn't know why he'd lied, why he'd told Sango that Sesshomaru had forced them out of the fortress. Kohaku's eyes opened and slid over to Rin, who was lying curled up between Kirara's tails. She was whimpering in her sleep, her small shoulders shaking. Miroku sat next to her and continued to stroke her hair from time to time, but it didn't help.

 

All his fault. Everything was his fault. Hot tears started to leak from his eyes and he felt Sango's cool fingers brush them away. Everything was so messed up, so badly twisted. If only he'd stayed dead the first time that Naraku had killed him, if only there'd never been a reason for Sesshomaru to rescue him from the evil monster. Then she never would have turned to him, fallen for him. She never would have been hurt. She would have grieved for his death, but it would have been a clean grief. And his death would have been clean as well.

 

His sister's body suddenly stiffened and Kohaku found himself pushed from her lap as she scrambled to her feet. "Miroku," she said tensely. "Something's coming."

 

The monk jumped up, standing protectively over Rin with Kirara. His hands tensed on his staff, glaring around him. "Is it Sesshomaru?" he asked harshly.

 

Sango opened her mouth to reply but a host of youkai burst from the forest. A horde of them appeared, slavering and snarling. With a primal growl, Sango threw herself at them, using Hiraikotsu as a cudgel to beat them away from Kohaku. The boy crouched behind her, staring as the monsters advanced. There were so many, Miroku and Sango battled furiously. Kirara's angry yowls filled the air as she joined the fight.

 

Rin's terrified whimpers echoed in his ears as blood splattered around them. He should go to her, he should join the fight. Still, Kohaku couldn't force his body to move.

 

"Damn it!"

 

Inuyasha fell into their midst, letting Kagome slide from his shoulder and the young woman immediately fell to the ground and wrapped her arms around the frightened little girl. Kohaku could hear her soothing the child, but Rin just buried her face in Kagome's chest and sobbed hysterically.

 

It was all his fault.

 

He couldn't take it anymore.

 

"Kohaku!"

 

Sango spun around and saw her brother running away, scrambling wildly through the thick brush at the edge of the forest. Another demon came snarling at her and she batted it away with one hand, holding Hiraikotsu in her other like a shield.

 

"Kohaku," she screamed again, desperate to follow him.

 

Suddenly it was clear to her why he ran, Naraku must have sent these monsters when he found out that Sesshomaru had withdrawn his protection of her brother. Fury filled Sango's heart, damning the daiyoukai for leaving Kohaku vulnerable to that monster again. He was running because he knew they were after him, he knew that the attack was aimed at him. It had to be. Sango fought off another pair of demons, blood splattering her face and hair as she waded through the thick of the fray.

 

Inuyasha and Miroku could handle this fight without her, she realized. Kagome was still hovering protectively over Rin, but they shouldn't need her purification for a lowly horde like this. They were strong in numbers, but she could tell these were nothing but lesser demons, driven by blind fury but not smart enough to organize themselves into a combined attack. She had to go after him. No matter what else happened, Sango wasn't going to let her brother be captured by that monster again.

 

"Sango," Kagome shouted, seeing the exterminator suddenly run and bolt into the woods. She stood up, carrying Rin in her arms as she watched Sango disappear. "Inuyasha," she cried. "Sango went after Kohaku."

 

"Damn it all," the hanyou snarled, tearing apart another demon. Blood covered both of his hands but he hadn't drawn Tessaiga. In close fighting like this, the sword would only hinder him. He couldn't use it freely when one of his friends might be caught in its attack. Kagome scrambled behind them, crawling behind a fallen log with Rin.

 

The little girl shook, her eyes wide and terrified as she watched the slaughter. Kagome stroked her hair and rubbed her arms. Kagome cursed the fact that she was useless. Her arrows wouldn't do anything, she already knew that. Without her spiritual abilities, she was a pitiful archer and worse, she might strike Inuyasha or Miroku by mistake.

 

Desperately, she looked back to where Sango had entered the forest. One thing she could do, she could follow Sango and Kohaku and drag them back before the demons realized their forces had been split.

 

"Stay here," she whispered to Rin. The poor child was crouching behind the fallen log, making herself as small as possible and hiding her eyes. Kagome felt awful about leaving her, but she knew that Inuyasha and Miroku wouldn't let her be hurt. Slinging her bow over her shoulder, Kagome seized her arrows.

 

"I'm going after Sango," she shouted. "I'll be right back."

 

"Kagome, don't," Inuyasha yelled over his shoulder. A furious monster leapt at him and he dodged, neatly dismembering the beast and letting the pieces fall around his feet. "Kagome, stay here!"

 

Ignoring him, she ran off after Sango.

 

oOo

 

Sango pushed through the forest, her eyes searching wildly as she tried to track her brother. She was better than most about woodsmanship, she knew how to follow a trail. If that hadn't been enough, her nose was picking up a faint echo of Kohaku's scent. She could smell his dried blood that she'd tried to wipe away, his sweat and his fear.

 

When did I learn that, she wondered, shoving angrily at tree branches. When did I learn to tell the difference between Kohaku's scent and any others? One hand pressed against her belly and Sango felt her blood surge in recognition. She could feel the baby's presence inside her, guiding her. Its youki was alarmed by her leaving the protection of Inuyasha and Miroku's presence, it wailed at her that she was putting them in danger.

 

"Hush," she muttered, pressing her palm against her belly. She had to find her brother, the protective instinct was growing stronger and the exterminator could tell her child also sensed this, because it quieted.

 

Is this real, she asked herself. Am I communicating with my unborn child, he or she is really that strong? Her pregnancy seemed hardly real to her, a dream, a long awaited dream. For Sango had long thought about the day when she would fall in love and carry the child of that love. Her joy in her unborn baby was only dimmed by the knowledge that the child's father would utterly reject them now.

 

She had already lost her family, lost her brother once and had him restored to her. Sango's jaw tightened in determination as she pushed on through the thick, foreboding brush of the forest. She did didn't like to lose.

 

She would not lose again.

 

oOo

 

"They just keep coming," Inuyasha grumbled as he sliced apart yet another youkai with little effort. "They aren't even trying to fight, they just keep throwing themselves at us like sheer numbers would drop us."

 

Miroku flung a sutra into the advancing horde and said a quick prayer. The paper glowed brightly before shattering into a multicolored burst of light as several demons were destroyed at once.

 

"They do seem to be pacing themselves," the monk replied at last. He swung his staff widely, it taking hardly any effort for him to defend himself from the onslaught. His eyes narrowed suspiciously as another seemingly endless stream of demons appeared to take the place of the fallen.

 

"It's definitely Naraku's doing," Miroku commented, seeking Inuyasha's annoyed gaze. "The question is, why is he wasting these on us? Naraku can attack much more strongly if he wished. It's almost like he's trying to keep us busy."

 

"Keep us busy?" Inuyasha glared menacingly at the attacking monsters. When he stood still, they milled about, only engaging him when he actively tried to destroy them. His lip curled slightly. "It has to be a trick," he muttered. "The minute we drop our guard, these things are going to go for the kill. Maybe he thinks if he wears us down, we won't be able to fight when it really matters."

 

Miroku nodded. He spun around and cleared three demons from his path with a single blow. He looked over at Inuyasha and found himself matching the hanyou's grim smile. "Either that or he's got something worse planned."

 

oOo

 

Kagome wiped sweat from her forehead and pulled on a branch. She had taken a lot for granted while traveling with Inuyasha. For instance, she'd never thought about how he always was in front when they went into a dangerous area. How he always cleared the path for them, not just of enemies, but also of branches and brambles. His claws made short work of any vegetation, but Kagome knew she'd never commented on it or praised his consideration for his human companions.

 

That had to change, she admonished herself. He was so precious to her, so vulnerable in his own way. She thought that making mention of the small things he did without thinking might be the key to letting him know he was always appreciated. She grinned without realizing it, for years the cocky attitude had fooled her. Inuyasha put up such a good show about not caring about anything, brushing aside compliments like so many flies that had annoyed him.

 

Unless it involved fighting a big monster with Tessaiga, she had noticed that Inuyasha wasn't inclined to brag about anything. He bragged about the Tessaiga, about how he could use the mystical sword. But she wondered again, what he really felt. It was possible that much of his suspicion was just his own insecurity. Jano had brought all that insecurity and past rejection to the forefront when he'd suggested they go to the fortress.

 

Kagome understood inuyoukai better now; she'd had to learn in just the few days they'd spent among Sesshomaru's people. Inuyoukai were blunt, some gruff to the point of unfriendliness, even the kind Makiko seemed to treat her with a guarded respect. Kagome wondered what they'd really thought of their lord's choice in mates. Had they been appalled just by her humanity, or was there something else hiding behind those curious stares? She hadn't had a chance to figure that out.

 

Still, they'd taught her volumes about Inuyasha, even as a hanyou she could tell that he should have been treated as a prince among his own people. She had expected more resistance, more tough brashness like they'd had from the young demon Yasuke. His father Hisuni had been what she had been expecting.

 

The majority of the people had been accepting of Inuyasha even as a hanyou. His human companions were seen as more suspect, she was sure, but she could still recall the sensuousness of Hiromi's voice when she'd commented that Inuyasha's human heritage meant nothing when compared to his youkai bloodline.

 

She was still thinking hard about that when she suddenly felt a very cold breeze. It washed over her, making her stop in her tracks and shiver. A fetid smell reached her nostrils and Kagome started, turned around, and saw him. The primal reaction was one of fear, absolute loathing and terror. The creature in front of her was nothing like a normal demon and she could see herself reflected in eyes that danced like black flames.

 

"What are you?" the young priestess breathed.

 

His smile was pure evil; darkness billowed from him like a shroud. Instead of answering, he reached out one dead white hand, tipped with long black claws. Kagome flinched away, not wanting him to touch her. It made her skin crawl.

 

"Don't run," he said, in a voice that sounded like oil poured over sandpaper. "I'll catch you, girl. You won't like it."

 

Kagome kept backing away from him, not really making an effort to escape, but filled with a human instinct to put as much difference between herself and this unclean thing as possible. "What are you?" she whispered again. "You're inuyoukai, but you're not."

 

He smiled at that and through his ravaged features, she got the impression he might have once been handsome. His hair was a matted mass of darkness that trailed over his shoulders. His arms were like tree branches, thick with muscle and taut pale skin stretched over his powerful frame. The demon's clothing was torn in places, shredded and stained with the blood of too many victims to count. Kagome shivered again and felt her heart turn over when he flicked a dark red tongue over his pale lips and looked at her intensely.

 

"You're a pretty thing," he muttered, his eyes pulling on her skin as he looked at her legs. Kagome felt defiled, having such a creature look at her. She wanted to run, to hide her face and cringe away. There was no way, no way at all, she couldn't survive if he wanted to...

 

"It's a pity I can't play with you," the dark demon rumbled. "You'd die from it and Naraku wants you alive. For now."

 

"Naraku?" Kagome burst out. "He sent you after me?"

 

"Yes," he hissed. "The other demons were just to distract your friends, you are my prey this time, priestess. You will come to me now." He held out a hand with the air of someone who is used to being obeyed and for a moment, she saw something of the command he'd once had. This was a creature that had been feared by all that knew him, loathed by those who knew him best. Kagome shuddered and turned away, unable to keep looking at him. She had no defenses, no way to save herself.

 

Inuyasha, she thought, closing her eyes to pray. Where are you?

 

A cold hand clamped onto her shoulder and Kagome started, twisted away from him and tried to pry his fingers from her flesh. "No, please," she cried as he reached for her.

 

"Get your damn hands off of her!"

 

Kagome saw a pale blur as Hiraikotsu spun over her head. The demon snarled and ducked, letting go of her suddenly and shoving her towards the ground. "Someone wants to play," he hissed.

 

Sango's expression was dark and forbidding as she caught the spinning boomerang in her hand. Deliberately, not a trace of fear in her face, she stepped between Kagome and the monster.

 

"If you want her," the exterminator ground out, fury filling her eyes. "You're going to have to get through me first."