InuYasha Fan Fiction ❯ Time Goes By; Life Goes On ❯ Kidnapped ( Chapter 17 )

Chapter Seventeen

The shrine was modest; though considerably larger than the huts he was accustomed to seeing. However, it was not as large as the castle he resided back in the feudal era. There was also a strange feeling coming from the house itself. It was a feeling that spoke a sweet whisper and surrounded everyone nearby with a sense of peace. That however, made Naraku want to wretch. He hated nice, after all, deceit was the best medicine.

After Sesshomaru, Inuyasha, and Miroku left. Naraku took his time scouting the area. Normally he would have run in blindly but right now, he knew that would not be the wisest choice. He knew the demon slayer was still inside, and though he is more powerful than she is, she could still hold her own. And he wanted to sneak in undetected and take them by surprise. Making his way back to the shadows he waited for the perfect opportunity.

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Kagome stayed at the kitchen table after the men left in search of Naraku. Her body was numb and her mind refused to function. It was if she became a living statue, her eyes were lifeless and all color drained from her face. She was not undead as Kikyou had been. She tried to think, to move but she could not do more than blink her eyes occasionally. She was in hell.

Sango stared at her sullen friend across the table and prayed to the Gods for strength. She wanted to comfort Kagome, she wanted to speak to her and console her. But it was no use. Every word uttered would send Kagome deeper and deeper into depression. This had to end. She had to get Kagome to bed and make her get some rest. And with that, she stood from the table and cautiously made her way to her friend. With one quick pull and the strength of an adrenaline fool, Sango got Kagome to her feet and practically dragged her up the stairs and into her room.

The pink room all of a sudden seemed sickening and the plush carpet whispered the intrusion. For the first time Sango hated being her, she hated having to treat Kagome like a child and she hated Naraku. Above all, she hated him. He was the reason for the animosity among her friends, for the pain and hurt in their eyes and hearts. She knew without a doubt the final battle was upon them, and come hell or high water they would win. At least if all else failed Kagome would live.

After many debates and long talks: Inuyasha, Sango, and Miroku decided to protect Kagome at all costs. She was to live no matter what. At that time, no one knew about Isamu. She had to live, she had to carry on and tell the story of her travels. They knew eventually they would see her again, but until then they had make sure she lived.

After Sango laid Kagome down and pulled the pink flowered blanket up to Kagome’s shoulders she left. Kagome needed to be alone and Sango knew that but to be sure, nothing happened she slid down the wall facing the door and there she stayed. Unbeknownst to her outside waiting was Naraku.


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Inuyasha and Miroku scoured the park, leaving not a rock unturned, a tree unclimbed. Yet there was no sign of Naraku, and by the smell, he has not been there in weeks. Now they were nowhere closer than where they started and the hour was quickly running out. They hoped Sesshomaru was faring better than they were. If anything, they hoped he had found some sort of lead, maybe even a lair.

Miroku could sense the desperation in Inuyasha’s once cocky, full of himself aura. Things have changed and the trials of their friendship had been put to the test. He for one hoped that they would overcome all the obstacles that have been thrown at them. However, he knew now that Kagome knew the truth and knew they had hid it from her for so long; it will take a while for her to be able to trust them again. But he knew as long as Kagome was still in their lives all would be well.

Inuyasha’s feral growl of disgust and frustrations snapped the thoughtful monk out of his prayer.

“Bullshit! How can a piece like him just disappear?” Inuyasha said through clenched teeth. He felt threatened as he always did when Naraku appeared, but now it was not only him he threatened but also the well-being of his family. Miroku watched as frustration gave way to anger. Another growl. This one was more primal, more instinctual as Inuyasha’s eyes changed from their soft molten amber to a fierce blood red. The once invisible purple stripes darkened.

Without a moment’s hesitation and without self-preservation Miroku grabbed Inuyasha by the wrist and fled the park. He had to get him out of the open, get him home. Home to Kagome.

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Sesshomaru followed a familiar scent to the heart of downtown . It led him past the popular stores, fancy restaurants. It took him to a dark alley. A dark alley that was more formidable than the hanyou himself. Peering beyond the light Sesshomaru could feel a pull, but the scent had dissipated. Leaving him standing on the edge of sanity, teetering toward losing what he had left.

The streetlight on the corner created bat like shadows on the ‘tagged’ walls. Local gangs claimed this as their turf, yet, none was here to defend it from intruders such as him. The news had called them ‘Minions of Satan’; however, he knew they were just troubled teens with no guidance.

Turning on his heel, he started back toward the shrine. This was the closest he had gotten to Naraku and he had felt it down to his core. The strong pull, the familiar scent, and the blackness of the alleyway had given him away.

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Stretching with a genuine yawn, Souta grabbed the blanket off the couch and covered his mom before heading to bed. It had been a long and tiresome night for the lot of them. Once his hero – Inuyasha – showed him the power of human error, now he saw him as no more than a sneaky human. Deep below the amber eyes, white hair, and dog-ears of a half-demon, Souta knew he was just a human. And being of mortal decent had more power of the less emotional demons.

He knew his dog brother was lying with the best of intentions, but at what cost. He now had seen that Inuyasha could lose everything from Kagome to his son. His flesh and blood.

Skirting past the worrisome demon slayer, Souta moved down the hall to his room. The bed called to him, begging him to lay his head. The white sheets, the navy comforter were inviting and even with all the drama downstairs and out in the streets, Souta found sleep easily. Too easily. Even the shrill cry of Kagome in the room across the hall did not wake his deep slumber.

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Naraku watched with growing interest as the light went on in what he guessed was Kagome’s room. The open curtains allowed him front row seats to see Sango put Kagome to bed and walk out the room leaving her alone. Finally, something was really going to go right.

With the stealth of a black cat, Naraku bound up the side of the house as Inuyasha used to and with minimal effort, he was in the sickening pink room.

Kagome still stared into another dimension as he covered the room in an impenetrable barrier. Of course, with her in this state he knew it would not take much to get her out of the house; however, he was not going to take any unnecessary chances.

A soft glow from his hakama revealed the almost complete jewel. Its once pink glow was now black with evil. Even the tainted jewel had enough power to pull Kagome out of her stooper and move forward to the object. It was not until Naraku grabbed her did she realize what was happening.

Thunder boomed. Lightning cracked. The storm was not over instead it was just beginning.

Moving to the already opened window Naraku tightened his grip around his flailing prey. But before he could move to cover her mouth… she screamed. He knew her desperate yell would wake the house, but when no one tried to enter the room, he fled.

Kagome fought tooth and nail, as he carried her away to an unknown destination. Her fear-weakened body provided no solace. Rubber limbs flailed never reaching their target, leaden legs drug behind her, and tear saddened eyes burned with the heavy drops of rain splattering her face. This was the end. However, her – once silken – voice gruff with emotion never failed her. The screams were deafening, almost menacing. They reverberated off every object in the vicinity, coming back on them like echoes. However, echoes usually faded after time, these screams floated like the proverbial black rain cloud over their heads.

Naraku grimaced. He did not know which he would prefer more, a screaming infant or a screaming woman. Both had soul shattering screams, and if he had a soul, he would be worried. Soul or not he knew his ears would bleed if he had to sit in a confined space with both.

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Dripping wet and uncomfortable all three – Miroku, Inuyasha and Sesshomaru – arrived at the shrine steps a few minutes short of an hour. Grim faces and tense bodies spoke volumes. They had not found Naraku. Well at least Inuyasha and Miroku had not found him, but the look in Sesshomaru’s golden eyes laid the truth. A truth that could break a family apart, could ruin a friendship, or even worse ruin a once strong love.

“Sesshomaru, have you found something?” Miroku asked, never taking his eyes off the aristocrat. He could see the warmth that now resided in the once assassin. It was strange to say the least. Though the change was welcomed, he hoped that his fighting instincts were still there buried deep within his heart. That, however, was a demonstration he would have to wait for.

“Indeed I have,” Sesshomaru said, cutting his eyes at the observant human. He should have known the monk’s intellect would be able to see through a false façade. “Let’s get inside out of the rain and I will tell you all I know.”

“NO!” Inuyasha growled. His demon blood was boiling, surfacing. Luckily, he had been able to control it from taking over so far, but with the declination of an answer from his brother, that control was becoming weaker by the second.

“Inu…” Miroku started, but was cut off by a claw around his throat.

“We. Talk. Here,” Cutting his eyes to Sesshomaru, Inuyasha tightened his hold on Miroku’s neck.

Miroku was losing air. His head was swimming with dizziness and his body felt of lead. He knew he was going to pass out soon if he could not break free. With the last of his strength, he pulled his leg back, poised to kick. But before he could swing forward, Inuyasha suddenly let go. The hard, wet pavement seemed to meet him half way, and with an audible thud, he hit.

This was not going well, at all. Miroku had seen Inuyasha's transformation in the park. The eyes, the purple stripes, the elongated fangs were a dead giveaway. He had hoped to get him back to Kagome before the beast took full control; however, Sesshomaru seemed to have other plans.

Sesshomaru turned to face his brother, “He is somewhere down town. I followed his scent to an alley, but there was a…” he was cut off. Sango screamed as she ran from the back door.

“Sango!” Miroku cried, getting to his wobbly legs. He was going to let Inuyasha have it once this was over. “Sango, what’s wrong?” Miroku had a hard time standing, therefore he moved to the stairs and sat. They needed to hear what Sango was frantic about, but until Inuyasha calmed down that was not be the wisest choice. “Sango, come sit with me,” Miroku knew Sesshomaru would hear the conversation. Hell even Inuyasha might hear it, but he had to know what was going on. It took a lot to upset Sango and with her ragged breathing and wide eyes, he knew it was just that.

Sango contemplated the invitation for a while before joining her love on the stairs. It was just too much to take and she did not even know where to start. Hammering heart, downcast eyes she was hurting. And the cause for her hurt was her own stupidity. How could she tell the man, whose love for Kagome outshined even the brightest star that she allowed her to be kidnapped?

“Kagome is gone,” she said, keeping her head down and her voice low. “Naraku. He must’ve…” her voice trailed off when she heard the growl. Lifting her head, she expected to see a raged hanyou, but what she got was more than she bargained for.

The once hard but caring amber orbs, were now blood red. His fangs were sharper more deadly. The stripes matched those of his older brother. They signified full demon. ‘How could this be?’ glancing the feral man before her she noticed his sword – the barrier that kept his demon form locked away – was missing. Not missing, so much as left behind. Since coming to Kagome's time Inuyasha had not had the sword on him at all times. Per Kagome, she told him that to walk the streets with a sword as formidable as the Tessusaiga would be insane, immoral. But that could not be the answer. The only time she had ever seen him transform away from the Tessusaiga was when his life was in immediate danger. This transformation was brought on by anger, pure rage.

“Where is she?” Inuyasha bellowed. The booming question startled everyone, even Sesshomaru who stepped to the side just in time to see his wife descending the slick, wet stairs.

“C’mon get inside before you catch your death.” She ordered, before turning to head back the way she had come.

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Kagome woke disoriented. ‘What happened?’ she thought. She could remember Naraku in her room, but after that, she could not recollect the events. ‘I must’ve passed out between the shrine and here. Where is here?’

There was a cool breeze wafting in through a cracked window and though the sun was rising, it provided no light to the location. The musky smell of decay was prominent, the shadows of felled rafters signified abandonment.

A wail of fear, aggravation, and rage formed in her throat, but before she could make her own a sound, a soft cry in the corner caught her attention. She could hear him she could hear her baby. But she could not see him. The thick shadows obstructed her view of anything farther than two inches. Not knowing heads or tails was excruciating. Pains in her wrists almost went unnoticed, until she moved. Not only was she humiliated, violated, and pissed off she was also tied up.

Her wrists throbbed with the tightening of the bounds and she could feel all circulation cease. ‘Just great!’ Again, the wail formed; if she could get anyone’s attention, she and her child could be saved. But the fact that she did not have the slightest clue to her whereabouts, would anyone be around to hear her in the first place.

She heard Isamu again. This time his crying was more prominent. He was closer, somehow. A ping of familiarity hit her. ‘It’s here. The shikon is nearby, I can feel it.’ Before she could turn in the direction it was coming from, there was a hand on her throat.

“Ku ku ku, Nice of you to wake up.” Naraku’s tone cold and indifferent sending chills down her spine.

“You bastard! Let! Me! Go!” she screamed, “You do know Inuyasha is looking for me and him,” nodding toward Isamu.

“Good, I wouldn’t want to kill you or this worthless infant without Inuyasha to see it.”

The last thing she saw was Naraku’s malicious smirk before the world went black.