InuYasha Fan Fiction ❯ Unfettered ❯ Reactions ( Chapter 18 )

[ X - Adult: No readers under 18. Contains Graphic Adult Themes/Extreme violence. ]

A/N: Sorry for the delay. I have had this one done for nearly a week, but got busy and then my email spammed the copy my beta (Thanks Doggieearlover!) sent and I had to go searching for it in the junk. Thankfully this one isn't a cliffy, though it is a bit angsty (Sorry!)

Disclaimer: I don't own InuYasha nor will I make any money from this. I'll leave that to RumikoTakahashi and those who have her persmission to do so.

With a roar, InuYasha fell to his knees, scooped Kagome into his arms and held her gently against him. Urgently he sought his brother’s gaze. “You’ll bring her back."

“I will, but I would think it best if it was not necessary,” Sesshomaru replied.

“What the hell does that mean?” InuYasha demanded. “How the hell could it not be necessary? Do you think this is what I fucking want?”

“Tenseiga will only return her life a single time. You are both facing great peril, and it would be wise to exhaust all other options before resorting to its use,” he explained.

InuYasha held Kagome’s cheek in his hand. He looked into her eyes, even as he spoke to his brother. She didn’t seem to be able to understand what he was saying, but he kept his tone soft and hopeful, anyway. He didn’t want to frighten her further, if she could in fact hear him. “What do you expect me to do? She’s dying now. Even Kaede-baba wouldn’t be able to do anything about wounds this serious.”

“Serious for a human,” the youkai reminded him. “There is power in your blood. It may already be too late, but we cannot know until it is tried. Spill your blood into her wounds and then force her to drink. If she is too near death, then it will do nothing and I will use the Tenseiga to revive her. There is a chance though, that she can be healed. I will, however, warn you that even if it works, it will cause her a great deal of pain. Just as father’s blood is too strong for you, it will be for her as well. It may also be that her miko powers will reject your blood, in which case she will certainly die. Were she not your mate, I would not even suggest that you attempt it.”

InuYasha wasn’t sure what to do. He didn’t want her to suffer anymore than she already had, but he also knew that Sesshomaru was right. They might need his sword to work on her another time. As her heart rate slowed further, he made his decision. He kissed her lips lightly, ignoring the blood.

“I love you,” he whispered, and then with his fangs, he tore into his wrist.

Sesshomaru bent down across from him and pulled the arrow from her leg. A thin stream of blood fell from his arm and he made sure to get it into each of her wounds. He then put the cut to her lips. She coughed and gagged, but he kept it there and let his blood run down her throat.

Again, InuYasha looked to his brother for guidance.

“Now, we must wait.” The youkai stood and turned towards the small home to acknowledge Rin. He knew that she had been waiting for a sign from him before leaving the safety of the hut.

The young woman ran as quickly as she could across the meadow, until she reached her Lord. “Sesshomaru-sama, I was so afraid. The wolf youkai, he warned us of the impending attack and left us to face it, but he was slain. Then a priestess appeared and Kagome fled to prevent the wolf’s remains from being purified, but she was stuck down. I tried; I tried to hold Taro back, but was unable. Forgive me.”

“Rin, you must tell me all that you can about this youkai, and of Taro’s condition. I also must know which direction he and the miko went,” Sesshomaru said.

Rin glanced at InuYasha and Kagome and then nodded. “Taro was not injured, but he was unconscious when he was taken away, by a dark thing. I do not know how better to describe it. It was almost as if the youkai was made of shadow. It was able to change its shape, but seemed solid as well. It lifted Taro into the air and he disappeared into the black and then, it too, was gone, traveling north.”

On the ground Kagome began to sweat profusely and convulse in InuYasha’s arms.

“Take her inside. It has begun,” Sesshomaru announced. “Now is the most critical time. You must watch her constantly and see to it that she does not injure herself further, and that she does not become too fevered. I will leave at once to search for your son and return at nightfall, should my sword be needed.”

InuYasha wanted to be the one out looking for his son, but there was no way he could leave Kagome. He knew that he would just have to trust his brother. Sesshomaru was powerful and capable, and InuYasha knew that he would search as if it was his own son that had been taken.

“Rin, stay and aid my brother,” Sesshomaru said. “I will return.”

The young woman nodded and followed the retreating hanyou across the field. No words could describe how badly she felt for what had happened, all because she was only a human, and not deemed fit for her Lord.


Sesshomaru’s first act was to restore the wolf youkai. If the miko had thought him worth dying for, then he must be worthy of being brought back to life. This was further confirmed when his sword pulsed at his side.

Kouga revived with a startled cry and jumped to his feet, Kagome’s name on his lips. Her blood was thick on the air. “Kagome. What happened? Where is she? And the kid. Tell me they made it.”

“To prevent the purification of your remains so that you might be returned to life, she left the safety of the seals, and was grievously wounded,” Sesshomaru said. “InuYasha has given her his blood, but it is uncertain if she will survive. The boy was taken, and this Sesshomaru intends to begin the hunt in my brother’s stead, since he cannot leave his mate. What will you do?”

“What can I do?” Kouga asked. “I was supposed to be protecting her, not the other way around. I’ll get my wolves together and start looking for the kid, too. But first, I need to talk to him.”

Sesshomaru nodded. “I would not attempt to enter the hut. The sealing sutra have not been removed. InuYasha should be venturing out soon for water to cleanse her wounds and cool her fever. Speak to him them.”



InuYasha was thankful that the sutra that had been prepared for use during his absence had been made using his blood as well, so that he could enter their home without difficulty, and without turning himself human. He hastened to the room that he and Kagome shared, and laid her down on the futon just as another round of convulsions racked her body. She was drenched in sweat and blood.

The first thing he did was strip her of all her clothing. He left Rin to watch over her while he retrieved a bucket of water, and some cloths. Once Rin had what she needed to begin, he stood to leave and fetch several more buckets for cleaning and cooling Kagome.

“InuYasha,” Rin said softly, halting him just inside the door. “I hope that you can forgive me, and do not think too ill of me, for not going to her aid.”

“Keh, there ain’t nothing to forgive,” the hanyou replied. “There wasn’t nothing you could have done, except gotten yourself killed. You did the right thing.”

Rin didn’t say anything further, so he continued on his way.

As InuYasha filled the buckets, he became aware of Kouga coming up behind him. He picked up the water and headed back towards his home and let the youkai fall into step beside him.

“I’m sorry,” Kouga said.

“Keh, you ain’t got no reason to be,” InuYasha told him. “You died for her. You kept your word.”

Kouga couldn’t help but notice how subdued the hanyou seemed. “I’m going to help you find him. As soon as I leave here, my wolves and I will start looking.”

InuYasha nodded.

“I know you gave her your blood, and I’ve heard that whether it works or not depends on how badly the one giving of himself wants the other to live - that the stronger his will, the harder his youki will work to heal,” Kouga continued.

At this the hanyou finally looked up.

“So, I’m not going to worry about her,” the wolf youkai finished. “You should be with her though, so do you need anything before I head out?”

“The village miko, Kaede, might be able do something to help her,” InuYasha said. “And tell her that we’re going to need more blankets and bandage cloths.”

“Done. I’ll send word if I find anything,” Kouga told him, and then he took off towards the village.

InuYasha continued on into his house and found Rin laying across a thrashing Kagome. He set the water buckets down and hurried over to help restrain her. It seemed to him that the spell was never going to end, but it did after several long moments. Kagome was again covered in sweat, and had to be wiped down. They were just finishing when Kaede called to them from just outside.

“InuYasha, I was told you have need of me.”

The hanyou rose and headed out to speak to the elderly miko. He stepped outside to find not only Kaede, but two other village women, their arms laden with the items he had requested.

“The wolf youkai told me that Kagome was in great pain,” Kaede said.

InuYasha swallowed hard and nodded. “She nearly died and ain’t out of danger yet. Do you have anything I can give her for a fever and for pain?”

“Of course,” Kaede replied, and she untied the small bundle in her arms, revealing several small jars. She gave two of them to the hanyou. “The smaller is for pain. Place a single leaf in boiling water. It can be combined with two leaves of the other for her fever. The village woman have also agreed to come here several times a day to see if you have need of anything. They will be bringing food and will take any soiled items to be washed. You need only leave them outside the door.”

“Thanks, Baba,” InuYasha said sincerely.

The bouts of seizures continued for several hours. It seemed that just as they were able to get Kagome clean and the bedding changed that it would start all over again. InuYasha was only able to maintain control of himself because he knew that Kagome needed him. In truth, he was wondering if it had been worth it. Though the wounds were no longer bleeding, she didn’t seem to be improving at all.

He found himself looking at Rin. Much of her hair had fallen out of its tie, and she looked exhausted, but she hadn’t voiced a single word of complaint. In fact, much like Kagome, she had remained positive, speaking encouragingly to both him and his mate. He was more than grateful for her presence, and her help.

“Something is happening,” Rin said.

InuYasha was pulled from his thoughts and watched as Kagome’s eyes snapped open. Several seconds passed, and just as he was about to speak her name, she screamed. Rin fell back and InuYasha thought his ears were going to explode. It was the most horrible and terrifying sound he had ever heard. Then, without warning, Kagome began to claw at her wounds.

She succeeded in ripping one of them open before InuYasha was able to grab her wrists and pin them above her head. When she almost managed to wrench them free, his eyes widened in surprise, and he realized that his blood was doing more than healing her. Because of this, he was forced to hold on more tightly than he would have dared under normal circumstances.

Soon, though, his hands begin to burn, and he had to force himself to ignore the pain. His jaw clenched as a fire spread up his arms and throughout his entire body. As he struggled not to cry out, he realized that he was being purified. Though Kagome was most likely not aware of it, she was channeling her spiritual powers into him, rather than purifying the youkai blood within her.

InuYasha could feel the sweat pouring from his brow, and it wasn’t long before his eyes were stinging. He wanted to reach up and wipe it away, but Kagome was still fighting him. His entire body was aching, and his senses were completely dulled, by the time he was finally able to release her.

He found himself panting furiously as he swiped at his face with his sleeves. Once his vision was clear, he could see that the strands of hair hanging beside his face were completely black.

Great, just fucking great. This is all I need. Now I can’t even smell if she’s getting better or worse. “Fuck!”

“InuYasha, are you well?” Rin asked quietly.

The hanyou turned human snorted. “Yeah, I’ll be okay. My youki will come back. Hopefully, it won’t take too long.”

It took a full day for InuYasha to return to his hanyou form, and another before Kagome showed any real improvement. It was the end of that second day that marked a full twenty four hours during which Kagome hadn’t had a single episode.

Rin was watching over Kagome as InuYasha dozed lightly at his place against the wall. She wiped a damp cloth across the older woman’s brow and Kagome stirred. At once, InuYasha was awake and beside his mate.

Kagome opened her eyes slowly, and as soon as she saw InuYasha, they filled with tears. “You came. I knew you would come someday.” She threw herself into his arms and InuYasha could only hold her as she sobbed against him. “Please don’t hate me. I’ve made such a mess of things. Everything is all wrong.”

“I could never hate you,” InuYasha said as he smoothed her hair.

“You might, you might once I tell you,” she cried. “I’ve made so many mistakes. There is so much I have to tell you. I had a baby, yours, and even when I realized that the well was open again, I couldn’t bring myself to come and tell you. I-I-I have a husband. I’m so ashamed. I married a man that I didn’t love for reasons that seemed right at the time. But now that you’re here I know I was wrong. I love you, you know. I love you so much. I always have.”

“Kagome,” InuYasha began.

“I’m so tired, and my head hurts,” she whispered. “I need to lay...”

Her voice trailed off and InuYasha realized that she had fallen asleep. He laid her back on the futon and gazed at her with a weary heart. She didn’t remember. He hoped that the memory loss was only temporary and now that she was sleeping, rather than unconscious, she would recover more quickly.

Something of his torment must have shown on his face since Rin looked to him and said, “She is doing much better. I am sure that once her fever is completely gone that her head will clear and all will be well.”

InuYasha could only nod and pray that she wasn’t being overly optimistic.

InuYasha would never be able to describe his relief when Kagome woke on the fourth day since her injury with her memory intact. She was weak and groggy, but remembered that she was in the past with him, and had been for some time. His relief, however, was overshadowed by the fact that he had to tell her about their son.

He could see how much his words hurt her as he explained to her that Taro had tried to save her, and ended up being taken. It was all made worse by the fact that, thus far, both his brother and Kouga had been unable to find any trace of Taro, Kikyou, or the bastard of a demon she was working with.

His heart clenched painfully in his chest at her silent tears, and her small nod at the news. For several long moments she didn’t say anything at all, but simply lay there staring at the roof. Finally, she rolled onto her side, facing away from him, and cried until she fell asleep.

He didn’t know what he could say to her to make things better, so he didn’t said anything. After all, it was his fault that this had happened, and he didn’t fault her for placing the blame where it belonged. It seemed that no matter what he did, he was doomed to fail her.