InuYasha Fan Fiction ❯ Voices at Midnight ❯ The Price of Small Victories ( Chapter 5 )

~*Voices at Midnight*~

Meamiko

For disclaimer see first chapter.

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Kagome spun toward the voice but there was nothing there. This game was starting to grate on her nerves.

"Stop hiding Naraku!" She shouted angrily.

"I'm not the one who is hiding, miko." Kagome frowned into space. Surely he wasn't implying that she was hiding from something. "Ah, but you are, miko." She jumped.

'Shit! He read my mind!' Again she glared into space, hoping that he at least got the fact that she was in no mood to deal with him. "And just what, pray tell, am I hiding from?" She bit out angrily. A deep chuckle sounded through the woods. A second later the chuckle was right behind her and some one was breathing on her neck.

She spun around again but, again, there was nothing. When the warm breath and chuckle were behind her again she didn't move. 'Ok, apparently he doesn't want me to see him.'

He took an audible breath then let it out, blowing on her over sensitive skin. "I can smell him on you. You came close to mating." She turned bright red. 'Ye Gods he can smell Sesshoumaru on me?! Damnit it's none of his business!'

"Have you ever heard of a personal bubble?" She turned her head slightly toward him and when he didn't respond she continued on. "See, where I come from people have personal space that we refer to as a 'personal bubble.' If someone is within less than two feet of them they're invading their bubble." She reached behind her quicker than she could think and grabbed his arm to be sure he didn't disappear again. She turned her heated glare to his face. "You are invading my bubble."

A slight smirk formed on the evil hanyou's lips. "That's not all I intend to invade." He whispered against her ear. Kagome gasped at how quickly he had appeared there. "Perhaps we shall start where Sesshoumaru left off?" Kagome blanched and squeezed her eyes shut when his lips brushed against her ear.

'Please, whatever Gods are out there, please don't let him be serious. Please…' Before she could even blink she found herself on the ground with her worst nightmare hovering over her.

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'I need to take a fucking walk. Get that stupid wench out of my head.' Sesshoumaru sped off into the forest the opposite way the wench had gone. 'Forget her and her stupid hanyou.' He just needed air; no…he needed to kill something, anything. That damned hanyou would do nicely.

Finally catching the scent of his half-brother and jumped to the clearing where Inuyasha and his gang were setting up camp. Sesshoumaru frowned momentarily when he didn't see the miko. He couldn't even smell her anywhere near. He froze in place and trained all thought on finding her, ignoring the gasps and growls coming from his brother and his friends.

"Oi, are you daydreaming or something?" Sesshoumaru growled low in his throat and finally paid attention to the hanyou.

"Where is she?" He growled again. The monk and demon exterminator exchanged looks.

"Where is who?" Inuyasha bit out angrily. Sesshoumaru snarled at the insolent whelp but continued questioning. The kitsune bounced away from the two humans and jumped up on Inuyasha's shoulder.

"Where is your miko, hanyou?" The humans blanched and Inuyasha's face was wiped clean.

"You mean…Kagome?" The woman stepped forward, drawing the youkai's attention. He gave a quick nod. "We thought…well…didn't you take her?" He repressed the urge to snort.

"I did. The hanyou came for her a few moments ago and she followed him." He was beginning to get annoyed and slightly miffed.

"But he hasn't left our sight since yesterday." The monk looked deep in thought at this. The kitsune glared at the hanyou.

Ok, now he was pissed. What in the seven hells was going on here?

"Sesshoumaru-sama," The monk started. "Could you describe what happened exactly?" By now his patience was wearing dangerously thin. However when the monk used -sama

He lightened up a bit. At least he knows whom he's talking to.

"Inuyasha," He all but growled the name. "Came to my gates calling for the miko. He told her to go with him and she did." 'Damnit I knew something was off.'

Something seemed to click in the monk's head and it didn't go unnoticed. "Houshi-sama?" The exterminator asked.

"Naraku has the power to change forms. He's taken Inuyasha's form before." Again woman blanched and the kitsune started to wail, saying the miko's name over and over. Sesshoumaru turned to leave but the woman's voice stopped him.

"If you find her," She started carefully. "Please, please let us know." She knew he was going to look for her. He gave a short nod then disappeared. Inuyasha start forward.

"Lets go. We're gonna find Kagome before he does." With a few nods they left.

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"I'm not Kikyou." She said quietly as her hands tried to hold together the ripped Kimono. The evil hanyou was standing over her huddled form throwing bolts of energy the tore her clothes and skin.

"I don't need you to be. I just need the Shikon shards." He replied emotionlessly. He kneeled next to her and smirked when she backed against a tree. Her situation was not improving.

"You can't do this. I don't have any." His hand came toward her face and she flinched.

"I know that now." His hand touched her cheek and traced her jaw line. Kagome flinched for what had to be the millionth time in the last ten minutes.

"Then let me go." She said shakily and jumped about a foot when he chuckled.

"Now what would the fun in that be?" Now she was shaking intolerably. His hand moved down her neck to her collarbone, moving slowly, drawing it out.

"Please…no." She said weakly, her voice trembling with her body. His free hand landed forcefully on her upper thigh and started moving up painfully. Without thinking she screamed "NO!" and thrust her hands at him before he could read her mind to stop her.

Her hands didn't stop.

She screamed when she realized that her hands were going through his chest instead of pushing him away and they were sinking deeper and deeper. Thankfully Naraku was not unfazed. His face was contorted in pain and his mouth opened in a silent scream.

She closed her eyes when his scream finally joined Kagome when she started pulling her hands back toward her, feeling a part of the hanyou's power being dragged back with her hands. She snapped her arms against her chest when they were free, her right hand clutching something precious.

When she opened them he was gone with no trace he'd ever been there.

Goody.

No really she was ecstatic…and now terribly alone. Of course alone was better than with Naraku but…still…Sesshoumaru wasn't there…

'Wait! Go back. Sesshoumaru was never there. You mean nothing to him, remember? The cold, unfeeling, beautiful bastard.'

"You jerk Sesshoumaru! You jerk! This is all your fault!" She screamed into the air knowing he would never hear her. "Baka! Baka, baka, BAKA!" With the final scream she buried her head in her hands and sobbed. When she'd had enough tears she glared at the shiny object in her hands. So much for this stupid jewel. So much pain, so many tears. Too much.

'No more. No more…I'm going to find all the shards, destroy the Shikon no Tama and Naraku then go home. Far away from Inuyasha and even farther away from Sesshoumaru.' With her new determination she stood weakly, stumbling slightly and headed back the way she came.

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Blood. The smell permeated the forest. All one had to do was follow the scent of blood and hyacinth and you could find her, stumbling down a not so well beaten path, alone and battered.

When the taiyoukai landed gracefully in front of the miko she didn't even flinch. She stared at him for a moment then smiled weakly.

"It wasn't Inuyasha." Her voice was coarse and in desperate need of water. Sesshoumaru sped toward her when he saw her teeter and caught her in his arms. They sank to their knees, facing each other. Kagome's right hand was in a tight fist and clasped tightly against her chest.

"Kagome…" He whispered against her cheek, and then moved to see her face. Her eyes were rimmed with tears and her weak smile strengthened a little. "What is it?" He asked cautiously.

"You said my name. It sounds nice when you say it." She sighed then slumped against his chest. She had used the last of her strength. He cradled her in his arms then stood searching for his half-brother's scent. When he located it he sped off.

Within a few minutes he was standing before the group and Kagome was stirring in his arms. She woke when the Kitsune yelled her name and started toward her. Sesshoumaru gave a warning growl and he stopped dead in his tracks.

"Shippou-chan?" Kagome asked sleepily. He started crying again much to her distress. "It's ok Shippou-chan! I'm ok!" She wiggled in the taiyoukai's arms and he helped her to kneel. Shippou immediately plastered himself to the miko and was crying in her tattered clothes.

"Kagome-chan." Kagome smiled at the woman who was looking at her with tears in her eyes.

"I have good news and I have bad news. Which do you want to hear first?" Again her voice sounded coarse. Miroku padded over and handed her a flask, which she took gratefully.

"The bad." Inuyasha finally said. Kagome frowned slightly at him. Didn't he care about her situation? She took a big gulp of the water in the flask and felt sooo much better.

"I was tricked by Naraku and I couldn't kill him." She paused and looked around. Miroku and Sango exchanged glances again.

"And the good Kagome-sama?" Miroku said slowly. At this Kagome smiled and held out her hand.

"I got his part of the Shikon no Tama. I did, however, get closer to him than I wanted to get it." She slumped forward suddenly and Sesshoumaru caught her before she fell completely. He picked her up again, with the kitsune, annoyingly enough.

"I am taking her back to my mansion. If you wish to come you are welcome to do so but she stays with me." Before anyone could protest he, the girl and the kitsune were gone, leaving the others to speed off after him.

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Okies there's chapter 5? Yeah 5 ^_^ A lot happened in this chapter O.o Ok so how exactly did she get the Shikon no Tama? Well you'll find out ^_^ sorry but it will get clearer next chapter. Now if you'll excuse me, my sister is dragging me to bowling. Blech. Ja!