Fallen Souls 13/25 by Cassandra

[paxbanana]

Fallen

By Cassandra

Chapter 13



The look in Inuyasha?s eyes was enough to rot away sunlight. Kagome stared, stricken, her lips parted in an o. And Kouga still held her. Feeling a sickening inside, as well as disgust with herself, she shoved his hand away, scampering away and sitting on her rear, her hands rising to cover herself from the both of them.

Inuyasha watched her for a moment, a muscle tensing in his jaw. And then his amber gaze went to Kouga who stared back for a moment before slowly rising to his feet.

?No one invited you,? Kouga growled, coming close enough to breathe into Inuyasha?s face.

Inuyasha glared, hunching a bit, and he whispered softly, ?I don?t need an invitation. I came for what?s mine.? And with one hand he pulled his haori off his body, flinging it angrily at Kagome. She caught it, bracing against the strength he had put into throwing it.

?It isn?t yours,? she said to him, her face darkening with anger. ?The Shikon no Tama is mine. It has been mine from the beginning.?

Both Inuyasha and Kouga looked at her with the same exact expression, as if she had confused them, but then Kouga turned back to the hanyou, hands clenching into fists. ?Do you really think you can take me, Inuyasha?? he asked the half-demon, his voice low and threatening.

Inuyasha almost smiled, straightening. ?I don?t think you stand a chance,? he replied and he wound around Kouga, coming toward Kagome.

?Kagome thinks differently,? Kouga said to his back and Inuyasha stiffened, coming to a stop.

Kagome stared at them both, from one to another, clutching the haori against her chest. And she flinched as Inuyasha came to stand before her, her form trembling.

?Put it on,? Inuyasha ordered her in a tone not to be argued with, ?and let?s go.?

Kagome swallowed. ?I?m not going with you?? she whispered faintly.

Inuyasha merely stared at her, his eyebrows pulled low over his eyes. And then, stooping, he took hold of her arm and yanked her to her feet, causing her to stumble. Behind him, Kouga made a sound and took a step but he whirled and lifted Tetsusaiga, the tip coming within centimeters of Kouga?s throat.

?Don?t think I won?t,? Inuyasha whispered menacingly, his grip unwavering. ?And don?t think because I?ve put up with you before that I?ll put up with you now. She doesn?t belong here with you and neither does the Shikon no Tama.? He glared, amber eyes burning hotly. ?She?s coming with me and that?s final.?

Kouga stared back furiously from the other side of the sword, and suddenly, without making a sound he was suddenly moving, flinging the Tetsusaiga away from his throat and lunging.

And Kagome dove in the way with a cry, bracing herself but standing in the way nonetheless. ?Yamete!? she shouted, cringing behind the haori and blocking his way to Inuyasha, who stood dumbstruck behind her. Kouga pulled up short, a fist raised, and the three of them stood completely still, in stunned confusion.

After a moment Kagome cautiously lowered the haori to her chest, blinking fearfully. Kouga stood before her, fist lowering and the expression on his face was one of disbelief, his eyes narrowed. She stared at him wordlessly, clutching the haori to her chest and behind her she felt Inuyasha slip his hand around her arm once more, pulling her back against him.

?Kagome-? Kouga uttered.

She shook her head at him, the sign that he should stop before he said anything more and whispering an, ?I?m sorry, Kouga-kun,? she bowed her head and went around him, Inuyasha?s hand slipping from her arm.

Inuyasha returned Tetsusaiga to the sheath, glaring ominously at Kouga, and Kouga sent back the dark look, turning his head to follow the hanyou as he too brushed passed him, following after Kagome out into the sun.







They walked in silence, Inuyasha leading, and she found herself slowing as they walked through the forest. The sun was high in the sky now, beating down on them, and she lifted her eyes to the heavens. It blurred a bit as she gazed at it, sunspots blinding her. The haori was heavy on her frame, and it flowed with her steps, making her feel as if she was grounded but also as if she floated.

The strangest feeling?

Ahead of her Inuyasha came to a stop, not bothering to look at her and she realized she had fallen behind enough to alert him. She bowed her head and quickened her step, catching up, and wordlessly, the hanyou continued walking once more.

She did not like the way his shoulders were set, nor the firm line to his back. Or the way he walked with his hands clenched into fists at his side. She didn?t like anything he was exuding at the moment. And she understood that he would be angry with her.

But she had every right to fear even walking with him.

Her eyes narrowed as she realized it yet again. He had left her stranded in her world, stealing her Shikon no Tama for his own purposes, and returning to the woman who would happily do away with him to have the jewel once more. And he was angry? She slowed once more, staring at the ground under her feet as she stumbled on, her chest throbbing.

And the bitch shot me with an arrow on top of it all?

She ignored the throbbing, shoving it away, wanting instead to focus on the point of it all. Which was that she had caught them together, red-handed, and the only way she had been able to had been because someone else entirely had opened the way for her.

She lifted her eyes to the hanyou, glaring, her anger simmering. Had the new moon passed yet? Perhaps it would be tonight.

If the new moon is tonight and he becomes human, I can do it then?I can wait until they?re all asleep. It would only take a moment. Use an arrow, stab him clear through the heart. He won?t see it coming. He?ll never see it coming?

Her vision blurred.

And he?ll bleed such a dark red. He?ll look up as he?s dying and he?ll see me with the arrow, my hand around the shaft. And he?ll wish he had never crossed me. And I?ll make him beg me not to kill his beloved Kikyo. But it won?t stop me. I?ll kill her.

I?ll kill her. And him with her. And I?ll bury them separately so that even in death they?ll never be together. So help me, I?ll kill him with my bare hands?

And she realized a tear was slipping down her face.
Ahead of her he had stopped once more and he let out a sigh, waiting for her to catch up. She did so, but moving at the same pace, and she lifted a trembling hand to her face to wipe away the tear track.

?You think I don?t hear you?? he asked her, and he still didn?t face her. ?The tears don?t mean anything. I?m through trying to understand what?s wrong with you.?

She lifted her head as she reached him, her eyes widening.

And he started to move again, long silver hair floating. Such beauty, such gracefulness in that form. Her eyes saddened as she gazed after him, at his image, and she wanted it to be over. All of it, just over. She wanted him still, wanted him to want her. Not Kikyo. Not Kikyo.

?Why are you angry with me?? she asked him faintly.

He almost came to a stop, almost looked at her over his shoulder. But as she reached him once more he didn?t bother to wait for her. He moved on, tossing his retort to her as if he could no longer bring himself to care. ?I?m sure if you search your memory of the last few hours you?ll come across an incident.?

An incident. The one where Kikyo nearly killed me with an arrow? Or the one where you walked in on me and Kouga-kun?

?You were afraid I would give him the Shikon no Tama?? she whispered and she bowed her head, her hair falling about the sides of her face. ?You never wanted me to come back and when I did you saw it as a setback. And even worse was the fact that I ran from you, that I didn?t want to be near you. And that I had the Shikon no Tama.?

He was stiff ahead of her and he had slowed as she spoke.

?And you were frantic when you couldn?t find me, weren?t you? Your chance to become full demon, wasted away if you couldn?t find me, if you couldn?t have the Shikon no Tama. And you followed my scent, the whole way. To Kouga-kun, afraid that you were too late. That I had given him the jewel-?

Silently, but with fury hovering about him and staining the air, he whirled on her, taking her by the arms, close to the shoulders. She almost managed a gasp before he thrust her forcefully against a tree and pain streaked through her as she collided with the bark.

?Enough!? he shouted at her, his pupils closing into slits inside his amber irises. He shook her, causing her to wince in fear and in pain, and he yelled still, his voice hoarse. ?I was never afraid that you would give the Shikon no Tama to him! I was never afraid I would be too late! Because I was afraid for you! I was afraid what I would find because all I could smell was your blood, in the water, in the grass!? His face was dark enough, angry enough to send an icy shiver clear through her body, and she made a small sound, somewhere between terror and agony as he pulled her forward only to shove her against the tree once more furiously. ?And now, now all I smell is him!? His clawed hands took hold of the collar of the haori, yanking at it. ?I smell him all over you! Every part of you!?

She stared at him in stunned silence, cringing as he pulled at the haori still, as his claws raked her bare shoulders.

?It?s disgusting, his scent mixed so close with yours-? he growled, and as she still stared his eyes fell to her mouth, open in fear. His eyes froze there, lips parted, claws digging into her skin. And he suddenly moved into her, pressing his lean frame to hers and kissing her, claiming her. She was forced back against the trunk, a cry breaking from her mouth muffled under his own, her hands clutching his white sleeves for mere balance and he almost seemed to crush her between the tree and his hard form. But he was not careful, nor tender, hungrily kissing her, his hands clutching at the haori and pulling it down from her shoulders, yanking it from her figure to catch at her elbows. Another cry made it passed her lips, fear suddenly rising inside her in a tidal wave and she flinched away from him, trying to turn her face from his. And his clawed hands took her arms and lifted them above her head, pinning them to the trunk.

No. Oh, God, no! Not like this, not like this-

?This is what you wanted, isn?t it?? he demanded, pulling his mouth from hers and allowing her to turn her head from his. His breath was hot against her cheek, coming out in heaves as he rested his forehead to her temple, eyes closed. His jaw tightened, teeth bared between parted lips and he shook her, causing her to grimace. ?It?s what you wanted from me and when you didn?t get it you went straight for Kouga because you knew he would give it. You knew-? and he released her arms to grip her wrists with one hand, lowering his other hand to undo the haori where it was still fastened in the front.

?Iie!? she shrieked, practically sobbing, her arms straining against his one grip, fighting to shove him away feebly. ?Don?t do this, don?t do this-?

?And you went for him,? he breathed huskily, lips brushing her cheek, his silver hair falling forward heavily over his shoulder and fluttering over her bared chest. He had the haori open, her nude skin cold even in the heat of the afternoon. ?You knew how he felt, how I feel, and you went straight to him, even when I had you trapped in your own time-?

She shook her head uselessly, senselessly, whimpering, ?Inuyasha-?

?And now you reek of him. All over. All I could ever smell was you and sometimes even my scent on you and now his overwhelms everything-? his clawed hand rose, passing over her stomach, caressing her icy skin and hesitating just below her breast. And he shoved his frame against her once more, pinning her to the tree, ignoring her hands where they were stiff under his grasp. She tried to pry free from him, going so far as to try to turn her entire body but his arm wrapped around her waist, claws digging into the smooth skin of her back and forcing her to become still. And she knew this scuffle wasn?t even registering in him, wasn?t breaking through to him. The fear in her heightened, causing her to begin to flail, arching to escape his steel grip.

?Hanase?onegai! Hanase-?

His mouth parted against her face, close to her own parted lips, and she felt his tongue, tasting her breathlessly. She made a small sound inside, fighting to hold it in because even as he was frightening her he was caressing her, his own scent hovering around her, suffocating her.

And then, his knee jammed in between her thighs and her entire body stilled in bone-chilling terror. Her eyes came open, wide, and she felt it, knew where this would go if she didn?t stop him right then and there. He leaned toward her, his mouth closing over hers once more and she screamed against him, pulling furiously at her arms, struggling to keep her legs closed even as he lifted his thigh against her.

?How far did he get?? he asked her and there was a dangerous tone in that whisper, his lips hard against hers. ?How far do I go before I stop smelling him??

No?

He released her, lifting his hand to pull open his own white top. He yanked it open in a furious gesture and off one shoulder, and he pushed against her once more, his bare skin pressing to hers, so soft and yet hard.

No-

Tears fell, her eyes shutting tightly, not wanting to see. Not wanting to feel. And he kissed her again, so hungrily, almost violently. Fearfully. She felt the tremor that ran through him and she could feel it, equal parts fear and anguish. Pain. And she felt the same, deep inside, the same despair. The same coldness but heat as well, burning her as if physical. He felt ?the same way she always felt, had been feeling for a while now. But he wasn?t going to stop, not until he had her, the way he had had her in her nightmare, just as painfully, just as hurtfully.

?No!? she shrieked, her cry breaking from her mouth at last, her face streaked with tears. ?Please, no! Not like this! Not again! Not again-?

He stiffened against her, pulling away from her to stare at her. And his face was hard in his confusion, his lips parted. And softly, he whispered, ?Again??

She hung from his grip weakly, gazing at him through blurred vision.

His face turned colder than she had ever seen it. ?Again?? he demanded, practically barking. And he returned her gaze, paling, as if he seemed to understand. His words came out in a breath, faintly, then. ?I?ll kill him.?

Kagome shook her head futilely before allowing to merely hang, her body suspended against the tree. ?No?? she whispered, hiding her face, wishing to hide herself. He didn?t understand, she realized. ?Not him, Inuyasha. You. It?s always you.?

He didn?t reply for a moment and she lifted her head slowly as the silence was drawn out. But when she did lift her head, her vision clearing, she gazed at him and her heart broke at the fear, the shame, on his face. And the tear that trailed down his own face, disappearing under his jaw. She felt her insides twist in agony at that one display and softly, she uttered, ?Inuyasha-?

As if she had struck him he suddenly released her, recoiling from her. And she fell to her knees heavily, her hands barely catching her on the soft grass. Trembling she lifted her head, one hand dragging the haori back up over her shoulders to finally clothe herself and with the other hand she reached out to him slowly. ?Inuyasha-?

?Your dream?? he asked her softly, so softly. Like a child, lost. ?Is that why..? Why you cry? Why you can?t look at me sometimes??

She gazed at him as he stood there, his chest heaving, and suddenly he lifted his head, looking around as if he didn?t even recognize the clearing they found themselves in. He whirled, a hand lifting to his eyes, his breath rapid and unfocused.

As unfocused as hers suddenly.

?What?did I do?? he whispered softly, eerily, his hand wiping away the tear track, rubbing at his face roughly. As if to tear away skin.

Kagome blinked to clear her vision and she felt a sudden warmth on her chest. Slowly, she bowed her head in confusion, fighting the dizziness and under the haori she caught a glimpse of liquid as light played across its surface. Dumbly she placed a hand inside the haori, against her chest, and her fingers came away bleeding.

Damn it?

?Inuyasha-? she murmured faintly. And as he looked at her, eyes wide, she fell forward, slumping to the ground.

[Kaili Charmer]

Aww...that was cruel...Inuyasha is so mean. Kagome is so evil (but she has excuse, right? stupid bloody 4 faced demon...) And then of course the part where she finally is about to tell inuyasha and she passes out...

They always pass out before important revelances in these fics!

It's not fair!

I know you have more...care to give it soon? I really want the next part, apprehension kills me. This is getting too good!