Yu Yu Hakusho Fan Fiction / InuYasha Fan Fiction ❯ A Changed Miko ❯ Face-Off ( Chapter 14 )

She felt like she was swimming in a lake of tar; dark, thick and foreboding. Her impromptu nap had done little to help her, seeing as how she was plagued by dreams of what had happened. Her entire body ached, her heart felt heavy and her mind felt suspiciously like a jigsaw puzzle. At that point in time, Kagome wanted nothing more than to slip back into the comforting darkness of a dreamless sleep; her stomach, however protested soundly at the idea of being ignored once more in favor of unconsciousness. With a mental sigh, the young miko forced herself to wakefulness, only to find that she was deliciously warm and was being cradled against a very nice chest.

 

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~ *

 

It had taken a good amount of persuasive words from the silver-tongued monk to convince all in attendance that slaying the baka hanyou before Kagome was able to pass her own judgment upon him and the situation would be robbing her of something that could prove to be detrimental to her healing process. Though none present were too happy with the idea of the lovable miko having to face the bastard again, they knew she earned the right to make the choice concerning the one who had held her heart for so long.

 

The one who had abused that heart at every turn and finally shattered the strong willed girl.

 

After Kagome had fallen asleep in Miroku's attentive grasp, she had started to whimper and tremble. Her friends from both eras looked on helplessly as her face contorted in a pain none of them could ever even begin to comprehend and hot tears burned her porcelain cheeks. The monk had hugged her closer and stroked her hair softly in an attempt to calm is heartbroken friend. It seemed to have worked momentarily, but soon after she had quieted down, her whimpers had come back with a vengeance.

 

No one, save for Hiei, had seen the girl this way before. The raven haired beauty lying so broken in her friends arms had always had more strength than the Inu-tachi had combined and seeing her terrified of the things that played through her mind was disconcerting. Even the Reikai-tantei had taken notice of the girl's inner strength and unquestionable loyalty and had been impressed. This was a seemingly normal, frail ningen. And she had more heart, soul and inner fire than any one being any of them had ever met.

 

Just as Miroku raised his saddened violet orbs from Kagome to ask someone for assistance, he found himself looking into the crimson gaze of the fire apparition. A look passed silently between the two causing the monk to stand and deposit his precious bundle into the embrace of the hybrid before walking to stand next to Sango.

 

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~ *

 

Hiei had been relaxing (somewhat) in the branches of a nearby tree, silently taking in the scene between Kagome and the people who would be responsible for helping her to heal. He had let a small smile come to his lips at the exchange that took place with the kitsune pup and the miko knowing that no one was around to see it. Watching the way she smiled at the kit gave him hope that maybe she would be able to heal relatively well.

 

Those hopes had been torn asunder upon hearing her statement to the houshi and he had to pull hard on the reigns holding his demon blood in check. Every ounce of his being screamed out and clawed at him to spill the hanyou's blood and it was only the well placed words of the monk that had given him that final push back into sanity. Once Hiei had calmed a bit and rid himself of his bloodlust, he turned his attention back to the girl that had been occupying his every thought since he had met her.

 

The koorime had led a hard life. He was never meant to be in the first place and growing up as a Forbidden Child was worse than growing up as a hanyou. Kindness and humanity was not meant to be bestowed upon one such as he and he had lived through the entirety of his life by being a ruthless and cold blooded killer.

 

Upon his joining with the Spirit Detectives, Yusuke had actually asked him if he had found a demoness that he had an interest in taking as a mate. Had he been any other being, he would have full out laughed in the detectives' face. Him, the Forbidden Child, take a mate? Not in this century or any subsequent ones. Not that he had an aversion to such an idea per se or that he had any qualms in bedding a female, but it was simply something he had never even entertained.

 

Hiei was no fool and knew well that his reputation would never allow him so much as a relationship, let alone the opportunity to take a mate. And love? That idea was even more laughable than the idea of a life partner. He hadn't even been shown love by the ones that brought him into this uncaring world; how could he ever expect to feel an emotion like that from the likes of a female? More to the point, would he be able to even feel love? He knew he could feel lust. He was male and youkai; lust was a feeling he knew all too well.

 

However, taking a mate was more than just lust and primal urges. It was cementing your existence to one being. A situation he knew that would require love and trust on both ends for it to even work; and it would have to work because a life mate for a youkai is far beyond the `marriage' term that was associated with humans. He had seen many humans marry and later dissolve said arrangement due to such things as petty arguments.

 

The hybrid was both envious and disgusted by the liberties humans had. Knowing that they could easily obtain something called a `divorce' that would end their union, humans never seemed to take marriage seriously. They had no need of honor or loyalty for such relationships which could be taken any number of ways.

 

Now, the little fire youkai found himself not only seriously thinking on the idea of taking a mate, but was picturing said relationship with none other than a human miko.

 

Further thought on this subject, however was not to be had this day. Hiei was shaken from his inner musings when he smelled the salty scent of tears and the unbearable smell of terror and deep rooted sorrow radiating from Kagome. He was just bracing himself to leap down to the forest floor when the Jagan pulled towards the miko of its own accord. He had felt this happen already concerning the miko so it wasn't a complete shock, but it was still odd. The Jagan was indeed sentient and had delved a little deeper into things in the past on its own, but it had never pulled towards anything the way it did to Kagome.

 

The human miko's very soul called out to his and now it seemed as though her entire being was following suit; and his Jagan wasn't about to let it slide. As soon as the Jagan flared to life, it found its way to Kagome … and the images and emotions that filtered into Hiei's mind were so strong that he was nearly brought to his knees. The poor girl's mind was awash in the memories of what she had been through with the hanyou and not just the most recent vile act. His constant nagging at her, throwing insults her way and tearing down her self esteem. It was a wonder this girl even had a will to live at all.

 

Finally, the fire youkai could take no more and forced his Jagan to let the girl be with the silent promise that he would be at her side momentarily. Once the implant was appeased, Hiei jumped down from the tree and was standing before the houshi in the blink of an eye. As soon as the monk turned his violet gaze to lock with his crimson one, he knew that Miroku was breaking inside from seeing Kagome in such a state. Without word, he took the broken tenshi from the monk's arms and settled down next to the fire with her locked securely in his embrace.

 

Hiei had just settled down against a log by the fire with the others following his lead, when he felt Kagome stir in his grasp. Originally, he had thought she would either start whimpering yet again or would simply go back to sleep. However, when he looked down into her face, his eyes locked with her dark blue ones and he had to bite back the urge to gasp at the emotions displayed there; hope, despair, sadness, a touch of happiness. `What an odd creature.'

 

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~ *

 

She smiled slightly, when she realized it was Hiei who was holding her so close. It felt good to just be held and she felt safe with him. Oh, she knew he was dangerous. Far more so than Inuyasha had ever been and she should be afraid of him. Yet, she wasn't. She felt comforted in his presence and being around him seemed to make things a little easier.

 

It almost seemed as though he cared for her as much as she had begun to care for him. Kagome had been getting over Inuyasha little by little, though it was hard and she wasn't sure she was ready or capable of loving another so soon. She didn't love Hiei…not yet anyway. Though, she could see it as a possibility. `What am I thinking? He won't love me. He is youkai. Not even a hanyou could love me.' She knew she would have to distance herself from him and already that thought made her uncomfortable. She liked being around him but she knew she wasn't worthy of him.

 

The miko was shaken from her thoughts when she felt the fire apparition move against her. She sighed once again at the turn her thoughts always took and lifted her eyes to look at Hiei.

 

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~ *

 

Time seemed to stop around the campfire. Hiei and Kagome appeared to be lost in a moment that no one else would be privy to. The various group members sat around the two in silence, waiting with baited breathe to find out something…anything. All knew she was hurting terribly; the pain in her heart and soul far outdoing her physical pain. Kagome had always been the pinnacle of light and love amidst the shard hunters and it tore at them all to see her hurt so by the one she had loved.

 

Shippou didn't really know what was going on and he didn't really care either. Kagome was awake once more and that was all that mattered to him. She had been hurt too much lately and he was scared; scared for her and for them all. He didn't know if she could recover from whatever had happened to her. He had noticed how much more lifeless her eyes had seemed when he looked at her before and he didn't like it. Swallowing his nervousness, he padded softly over to where his mother sat in the arms of the fire youkai.

 

Kagome broke her connection with Hiei, albeit reluctantly, when she felt Shippou coming towards her. Turning her head from crimson eyes, she stared into soft, slightly watery emerald ones. `At least Shippou will always love me.' Kagome thought and flashed her kit one of her famous smiles.

 

Seeing the young miko smiling that way made every person present a little lighter at heart, even though a few could still feel her lingering sorrow and pain. Hiei almost wanted to growl at the kit for getting a bright smile from the girl who was slowly stealing his heart while he had yet to since the incident. He swallowed that growl when he felt her obvious happiness wash through her aura. The kit would help her heal and right now, that was all that mattered.

 

Shippou returned his mother's smile rather hesitantly, still not entirely comfortable around the very strong and dangerous youkai. He could tell that the hybrid cared for Kagome on some level, but he wasn't ready to just hand her over to another youkai unless his intentions were true. So, the young kitsune puffed up his little chest and steeled his courage before closing the gap between him and the young miko.

 

Hiei had been watching the kit closely from his position with Kagome. He knew that Shippou viewed Kagome as his mother and had been wondering how the pup would react to his presence. He felt the young one's hesitation, but he presented no fear whatsoever and this intrigued the apparition. Letting his Jagan free just a bit, he felt around the thoughts of Shippou. `He better not hurt my momma. I don't care how strong he is. No one will hurt her again.'

 

Of all the things that the koorime had expected, these thoughts weren't on the list. He assumed the kitsune's thoughts would be plagued with more worrisome thoughts of his own safety or some such thing. Finding only concern for his `momma' made his eyebrow arch in curiosity and intrigue. This little youkai, barely old enough to be on his own, was ready to stand up to the Forbidden Child for his surrogate human miko mother. `She may not be his biological mother, but he is definitely her kit.'

 

At this, Hiei internally smirked. Shippou would help Kagome greatly.

 

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~ *

 

Stepping up in front of Inuyasha, Sesshoumaru grasped the hanyou's chin none too gently with his clawed hand and forced his half-brother to meet his gaze. The Taiyoukai could smell the regret and sadness that radiated from the hanyou and saw the pain reflected in his eyes.

 

“What have you done this time, little brother? Is there no end to your shame?” The Demon Lord asked with an angry edge to his icy tone that sent shivers down Inuyasha's spine.

 

“Fuck you Sesshoumaru. None of this is any business of yours. Besides, I am sure that your `full youkai' sense of smell has already told you more than enough.” Inuyasha spat angrily. He just wanted this nightmare to end and right now the only thing that could make it worse than seeing the arrogant dog in front of him would be to see that equally arrogant wolf.

 

Before Inuyasha had time to comprehend what was going on, he felt the long, deadly fingers of the Western Lord wrap firmly around his neck. His amber gaze widened slightly as the air was squeezed from his windpipe. “You, hanyou, are in no position to speak to me in such a way. I am well aware of what has transpired here and it sickens me. I may not be a lover of humans, but that little miko was exceptional. She offered you more than any other being ever would and you have destroyed her.”

 

“You…don't know…the whole story…Sesshoumaru.” The hanyou panted out in between his slowing breaths of air. He knew that he would die sooner or later, be it by his own brother's hands or someone else's. He had fucked up in the worst possible way this time, and no amount of apologizing was going to save him; but he wanted Sesshoumaru to at least know that Kagome was still innocent.

 

Sensing no air of deceit, Sesshoumaru eased the grip on Inuyasha's neck enough to allow him to breathe properly. The Great Lord knew that the hanyou was still alive for a reason. He had been witness to how protective the other members of their rag-tag group were when it came to the little miko from the future and he was sure that if the hanyou had not yet been slain by one of them, that he should remain alive. He was also curious as to what exactly had transpired, for he could tell that the miko's scent, while scared, was still untainted; and someone had done a rather nice job of restraining the hanyou with plant life.

 

“Speak half-breed, if you have something to say. You are wasting my time otherwise and my patience grows thin.” He said, slipping once again into his stoic mask and overly bored tone. Inside, however, the Taiyoukai was simply itching to see the miko and make sure that she was alright. While she was a human, Kagome was possessed of more heart and strength than he had ever known. He only felt it right to assure her safety since it was his `brother' that had so wronged her.

 

Glaring daggers at the bored look on Sesshoumaru's face, Inuyasha swallowed the words that were bound to bring about his death. “Someone stopped me…before I took her completely. She is still innocent. She has friends here from her time and I assume they are all at the village.”

 

“You had better pray that she lives, hanyou. I doubt that any human, and very few youkai, could survive a loss of blood like this. If I get to that village to learn of her demise, I will be back to take your life in exchange for hers.” Sesshoumaru said in a dangerous voice, flexing his claws and releasing a small amount of poison.

 

“Stand in line you arrogant dog. As it stands now, I can think of at least seven others who would love to tear me apart. You are all welcome to it too.” Inuyasha spat with no real anger in his voice…only pain and sorrow. It hurt to know what he had done and he wasn't sure he could live with it, even if Kagome vouched for his life.