Hi guys!Okay, this is an idea that's been on my mind for quite a while now. It's an AU fic and you are warned that is graphic violence. Below is a portion of the first chapter. Let me know if I should continue with it or not. *hugs* Thanks a bunch!!!
In the Blood (subject to change)
Lights.
Shouting.
The smell of sweat mixing with adrenaline.
Inuyasha blinked, his gaze scanning the crush of spectators beyond the chain-link fence that sealed the circular, nine-foot fighting ring. It was hard to see, even his hanyou vision could not conquer the glare of the overhead spotlights. The stark contrast kept the sea of faces in a shroud of whispy darkness.
The white furry triangles atop his head twitched back and forth, swiveling to catch bits and piece of words and sentences amidst the roaring crowd. Not that he really gave a rat?s ass about what the people watching had to say. He was here to fight. The craving for blood was swiftly gaining intensity as the excitement of the people surrounding him grew stronger.
He could smell their anticipation, distinct and invigorating as it called forth the primal urge to kill.
Cracking his knuckles, feeling each popping joint deep into his bones, Inuyasha let the surge of power settle over him. Vivid purple markings slowly appeared on his pale face followed by fangs that extended into razor-sharp points which protruded out and indented his bottom lip. Inuyasha?s claws then elongated themselves curving into sleek, piercing talons designed for ripping flesh. The amber of his unearthly eyes bled until the white surrounding the pupil was blood red and the once gold irises darkened into deep blue slits.
The slight transformation sent the crowd to cheering even louder. The dull echo bouncing off the walls threatened to create a pulsing ache in the hanyou?s temples. But he ignored the slight discomfort and instead focused his complete concentration on his unfortunate opponent.
Directly across the ring sat a young male inu-youkai on a rickety wooden stool. The rowdy audience held his attention as he smiled confidently but his gaze darted about the blurring faces nervously, a sure sign he would be over anxious and foolhardy when fighting. To the boy?s advantage his build was slim and his muscles were in proportion with his medium frame disguising his true strength and fooling the untrained eye. Still?
This guy was a rookie fighter.
Inuyasha tested the air. The stench of wild dog drifted to where he crouched. Unlike in his own scent, there was no underlying human odor. His opponent was a demon through and through. The idea of going up against a hanyou had probably sounded like an easy victory.
Too bad Inuyasha was no rookie.
The fight would be over all to quickly, of that Inuyasha was certain. After spending most of his life inside the ring, fighting to stay alive, he was nearly as strong as an average full blood demon. But even though it gave him unexpected leverage, brute strength wound not do much good if he depended on that alone. In order to stay alive he?d been forced to develop skill. So far the combination had yet to let him down.
A growl, low and irritated, rumbled deep in his throat as he recalled what he had endured to be here. Days, months and years all blended into a monotony of blood and pain. This was his world. He knew nothing beyond the thrill of a fight and the rush of victory. This was his purpose. It was always about surviving and staying alive till the next match. There was no reward, except to be alive. There was no rest, except when pain drove him to unconsciousness. It was one never-ending cycle of torment.
These thoughts always came to the surface right before a fight. He didn?t question why. He didn?t need to remind himself that death was welcome, yet never an option. He was not trained to lose.
A movement out of the corner of his eye caught Inuyasha?s attention. He turned his head and instinctively bristled at the man that stood to his right on the other side of the fence. Obediently he lowered his scarlet eyes setting his stare at the man?s chin giving the proper respect for his dominant position.
The man laughed.
?Don?t you think you are tapping into your reserves a little early Inuyasha??
The hanyou?s ears pressed flat against his scalp as the man?s somber voice sent needle pricks of unease down his spine. ?No sir.?
?I would like an explanation.?
At the oddly conversational tone used by his master, Inuyasha shifted on haunches uncomfortably. ?You said win this match in two rounds. I?m trying for one.?
The man smiled but it didn?t reach his soulless eyes, ?Good. I expect you will not disappoint me,? then he turned away, vanishing into the darkness beyond the overhead lights.
This time the growl that ripped past Inuyasha?s throat was a vicious, bloodcurdling snarl. It bared his teeth and reflexively curled his claws into the mat causing the material to shred. Something stronger than anger and deeper than hatred blossomed inside Inuyasha. Only here, inside the ring, was he free to let it out.
The bell chimed hailing the start of round one. The crowd was thrown into a frenzy of cheering and shouting. Riding the rush, Inuyasha sprang forward and the world beyond the ring drifted away in a bloody red haze.
~~~~
Getting into the trucker?s bar had been easy, almost too easy.
The bar itself was an old building, one that had seen better days and possibly withstood a fire or two, that shared grounds with a truck stop. Set away from the parked rigs and the pitiful excuse for a public restroom, the bar was situated at the far end of the parking lot adjacent to the brush that marked the beginning of the wooded area that spanned nearly a hundred miles in all four directions. For truck drivers on the open road, some for weeks at a time, this place was an oasis in the middle of nowhere.
Unless compared to the cab of an eighteen-wheeler, at first glance the bar was an eye sore. Sadly, the same could be said the bar?s occupants also. It was not the type of place someone would expect to find a fifteen-year-old girl. But to Kagome Higurashi, this place was exactly what she was looking for.
Not that it had been her life long dream to end up at a roadside dump sleeping in the rusted out shell of a car?
On the bright side, the abandoned car was shelter and it kept her invisible. It was hidden close enough in the trees that she could see the parking lot but it was far enough away to be over looked by almost everyone. It kept her hidden from people who might recognize her. That was all she really needed
But Kagome knew she was barely surviving. The last of her money had run out over a week ago. Food was scarce, sleep was even harder to come by, and she desperately needed a bath. The urge to give up was nearly overwhelming but pride and fear would not allow her to feel defeated. After hiding in the cramped car for the better part of two days, the prospect of physical movement had a chorus of angels singing its praises.
Under the cover of darkness Kagome had become a nameless shadow as she crept from the stripped and abandoned vehicle. It seemed that no one paid much attention to the young girl as she picked her way between trucks passing the occasional driver and the more flamboyant prostitute. She had held her breath all the way to the bar?s entrance, then bowed her head so that her long ebony tresses partially hid her face. There was no identification required. No one had even asked her name.
Without sparking any attention, Kagome was allowed in.
The aroma of food had been teasing her for the better part of two days. But with so few people in the bar she knew it would be quite conspicuous had she entered and tried to pick someone?s pocket in order to buy food.
Tonight, however, the broken-down building was quite literally packed. With so many people coming and going Kagome knew this was her chance to blend in and find herself something to eat.
How long had it been since she had eaten? Three? maybe four days. That seemed about right. Her last meal, if it could be called that, was when the kind, pot-bellied man she?d hitched a ride with had given her a bag of potato chips. It was a nice attempt but it hadn?t made a dent in her hunger.
Now she was downright starving.
In fear of being recognized, Kagome had held out as long as possible but there was nowhere else to find food. The small building with the half burned out neon lights and the seedy characters traversing in and out was the only stop between Nigri, the last major city in the southern province, and Cathice, the small coastal town located on the shore of the Migihara ocean. It was a good hundred and fifty miles to Cathice but from there it was only two hundred miles to the northern border.
The Northern Border?
For Kagome those words were the very sound of freedom. If only she could make it to the northern border then she would be safe. Once in the northern province she could disappear, start her life over, maybe forget the miko power in her blood?
Kagome shook her head to clear the thought away as she elbowed her way through the crowd. There was no point in thinking about the things that led her here. Food, that was okay to think about and the smell of grilled burgers and homemade chili had her stomach growling.
Sometimes it didn?t pay to be petite and short and Kagome was once again learning that lesson as she was forced to move with the flow of people. Her plan was to keep moving, scope out a likely drunkard to borrow money from- borrowing sounded so much better- and eventually make her way to the bar. But then something unexpected brought her to an abrupt halt chasing all thoughts of food and hunger right out of her mind.
From the entrance the fenced cage off to the left had looked like the kind of platform a topless dancer would perform on. Kagome hadn?t given it much thought until a bell sounded and a second later the cage came to life with the ferocious sound of animals fighting. The sudden surging of the crowd pushed her forward and soon she found herself thrust to the front only to gape in fascinated horror.
Kagome had never seen a youkai fight up close before. Like most people she had seen the professional league on television. It was a celebrated sport but to Kagome it had always come across as fake and unrealistic. It was tame in comparison to what she was witnessing now.
Right before her very eyes two youkai, young boys hardly older than herself, were attacking each other viciously. Teeth were bared and claws were tearing as they struggled, locked together both aiming for the other?s throat.
A started cry tore from Kagome?s lips as blood, such a deep crimson it was nearly black, splattered sending a few warm drops landing on her face. She would have wiped it away but she couldn?t bring herself to breathe, much less move. She was mesmerized with her eyes fixed on one youkai in particular.
The boy?s white hair was matted with blood and sweat. What was left of his shirt hung in bloody tatters off of his shoulders accentuating the angry gashes across his back and chest. His muscles flexed, moving beneath his skin with subtle grace that was even more pronounced by the fine sheen of sweat that covered his flesh.
He was a magnificent creature. Even in this violent frenzy there was an air of control about him, as if something truly dangerous were being leashed. That feeling was only strengthened by the cold, cunning look in his scarlet eyes.
Kagome wanted to look away. Nausea crashed over in strong waves, twisting her stomach inside out. There was so much blood. The entire ring was covered with it. It was like a scene from her worst nightmare? her very own memories?
She?d seen enough blood to last two lifetimes and with blood often came death.
Kagome was unaware her hands were shaking. An icy numbness was taking hold of her, blurring the sight before her with past images she had hoped to one day forget. There was no looking away.
It happened so fast. One moment the boys were circling each other in a macabre dance and then there was a flash of claws and suddenly the fight was over. The exotic boy with pale hair was victorious. His opponent slumped to the ground in a lifeless heap. A puddle of crimson formed around the dead youkai?s head where half of his throat had been ripped out.
Slowly the pale boy fell to his knees, blood loss causing his muscles give away under the strain. Kagome?s eyes widened even more as the youki he radiated lessened and a human aura took shape around him. The question forming in her mind was answered before it was even asked. He was a hanyou. No wonder he looked different than most average youkai when in human form.
The ice surrounding Kagome?s heart began to melt. He was cursed. He didn?t belong with youkai because he was not one of them and humans wouldn?t understand him because? they never did. She knew what it was like to be caught in between, never knowing which way to go and never truly belonging anywhere?
As if Kagome?s melancholy was felt by the hanyou, he lifted his head and pinned her with eyes that were no longer scarlet but the most beautiful shade of amber she had ever seen. Instantly her human heart squeezed in compassion for the creature. But there was no time for empathy. The hanyou?s youki continued to roll off of him in dark waves and a cold fear filled her as she realized it was going to collide with her own violet energy.
Bracing herself, Kagome forgot to breathe. Then there was nothing but pain, not superficial physical pain but something that bore down into her soul and obliterated all else. It burned like a hot iron placed in her chest and she instinctively clutched at her heart. She had been afraid of purifying him but instead his energy was corrupting her own. No not corrupting, more like communicating?
But before Kagome could grasp what was happening, the golden eyes fixed on her own flashed with fear before narrowing in anger. As quickly as the link was made it was broken when the hanyou reared back in an attempt get away from her. He scuttled across the ring, crouching low as a warning growl rumbled in his throat.
What had she almost done?
?No powers?? she whispered the words unconsciously but hearing them against the roar of applause brought forth a surge of panic.
She had to get away.
