Fallen
By Cassandra
Chapter 16
He shoved himself under the cold water once more, holding the small slippery bar and scrubbing himself frantically. He was dirty, filthy. Shutting his eyes tightly he lathered himself violently, and he scrubbed at himself, raking his claws to reach passed his skin, to make himself bleed. He was filthy. Filthy.
?Iie! Don?t do this, don?t do this-?
He could hear her screaming in his head, shrieking and sobbing and he clenched his jaw against the hoarse screams, scraping himself harder, lashing open his skin. The soap slipped into his gashes and it stung him but he welcomed it. He wanted that pain. Wanted to feel what she must have felt, helpless against him. Wanted to hurt the way she must have hurt. He shook in pure pain, clenching himself against the horror that washed over him.
?Hanase?onegai! Hanase-?
He had done that to her. He had made her scream in pure terror, had nearly had his way with her. Blind to everything that had been going on with her. He had told her he hadn?t cared anymore when she was all he could ever care about. And he had attacked her-
?How far did he get? How far do I go before I stop smelling him??
He lifted his claws to his head, to his temples. He wanted to cut out that voice, to turn away from it but he deserved every single pain he was feeling. He deserved all of it. More than that. Ten times more than what he had made her feel.
He deserved hell.
He slowed his feverish cleansing, ignoring the pain of soap leaking into his torn skin, and weakly he leaned against the large stone, bowing his head. The water was suddenly cold, the cursed beaded necklace heavy around his bare neck and resting on his chest. And with the cursed necklace was the Shikon no Tama, lying upon his smooth bare skin. It weighed him down so much, nearly dragged him under the water to the stream floor as if she had sat him. Wearily he allowed the stone to support himself, allowed it to hide him from the moon and her forgiving light. He didn?t deserve forgiveness. He didn?t deserve any of it.
?Not him, Inuyasha. You. It?s always you.?
Clenching his jaw he suddenly growled and slammed both fists against the rock, easily chipping off a chunk. Damn it all. He shook, suddenly wanting to weep and he hated the weakness inside him, the side of him that had hurt her. He hated himself.
A small sound came from the bank and he lifted his head slowly, facing the rock but straining to hear. He had been mistaken. He hadn?t heard-
?Inuyasha.?
Eyes widening, he straightened and looked over his shoulder, his breath leaving him.
On the bank Kagome stood on faltering legs, the fire-rat haori clothing her. He stared at her in disbelief, the soap slipping from his grasp, and as she staggered forward a step his expression shifted into concern. ?Kagome-?
Seemingly dazed she gazed at him and slowly entered the stream, ignoring the cold water and wading further into it. He merely watched her, his jaw hanging open as she neared and he saw her eyes shift to the Shikon no Tama hanging around his neck.
?Shikon no Tama?? she whispered and she lifted a hand, reaching.
Inuyasha met her reaching hand, passing it and lifting his own hand to her face. ?Kagome, you shouldn?t be up. You should be-?
?Shikon no Tama?? she said again, staring at it and only it. ?Why do you have it??
He studied her, eyes narrowing. ?Because you couldn?t hold it. You don?t have the strength to support it, to find the shards. It?s being corrupted-?
?You were taking it to her?? Kagome whispered.
Inuyasha frowned. ?Nandete??
Kagome?s face darkened a bit and she focused then, looking him dead in his eye. And she was suddenly very familiar with the cold glare on her face. Inuyasha saw Kikyo in her, the Kikyo who survived off souls. It made him stiffen in fear.
?It?s true. It?s always true. No matter how often I try to convince myself that it isn?t true, it is?? Kagome whispered and her hand came into contact with his chest, her fingers passing over the Shikon no Tama.
His skin prickled under her fingers and he managed to suppress the shudder he felt. The water surrounding them seemed suddenly colder somehow. Icy. She lowered her eyes as her hand hovered over the jewel. And then, slowly, her fingers came to rest only on his chest, trailing across his skin and making him shiver. He stared at her, lips parted uneasily and a moment later her eyes lifted to return his gaze. They were blank, those eyes. Blind, almost. But deep inside those dark eyes was a small glimmer of something far blacker.
Her hand trailed down, fingers dragging down the damp skin of his stomach. And as they dipped below the water to float further down he suddenly inhaled, his hand catching hers. ?Kagome-?
She allowed him, her jaw clenched tight as he slowly set aside her hand and his other hand still hovered close to her face, shaking a bit. Her eyes shifted over to his hand, and they caught on the gashes in his arm. ?You?re bleeding,? she whispered softly, frowning.
Inuyasha looked at his torn skin and then to her and he remembered why he was bleeding, why he had been there to begin with. Sadly, he lifted his other hand to her face as well, cupping it with his damp fingers. She seemed confused as he merely gazed at her, as their eyes met, and gently he said to her, ?I never meant to hurt you. I never meant for it to happen-?
She stared at him, eyes widening under her furrowed brows.
?This is what you wanted, isn?t it? 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-?
?I looked for you and I smelled your blood and I was scared of what I would find,? Inuyasha said to her, his gaze hard. Needing for her to understand. ?I never expected-?
?It?s disgusting, his scent mixed so close with yours-?
?And I never wanted you to be in pain. I was just angry. And scared. I still am because this?? his eyes dropped to her figure, to the fire-rat haori, ?isn?t helping you. I don?t know why you?re up and moving around but it isn?t good for you. You?re hurt-?
Kagome looked away, lips parting and she slowly lifted a hand to her chest, pressing down to where the wound was hidden under the haori. She didn?t even feel it. There was no pain, no soreness. In fact she hardly remembered where she was, why she was moving around. All she knew was that the Shikon no Tama should not have been around his neck. Not if he was going to take it to her. She lifted the hand away, instead raising it to her head and she grimaced in confusion. Something wasn?t right. There was something she was forgetting, something that had happened?
He?ll take it to her. He?ll take the Shikon no Tama to her and in the end he?ll be with her. As they should have been, he?ll stay with her. And she?ll be everything he ever wanted because she?ll have the jewel in her possession once more and she?ll have him.
Kagome winced, bowing her head, and she turned a bit, looking over her shoulder and pulling her face from his hands. The voice in her head. She had always confused it for her own but this time it had been decidedly more masculine. Almost like a second tone underlying her own. She closed her eyes, not understanding.
?Kagome.?
It?s proof that he has it now. You caught him just before he went to her. Look at him, bathing himself, the jewel around his neck. He took the jewel from you because you couldn?t support it? You were born to support it! It?s being corrupted? You are a white priestess! The only reason it would be corrupted is if anyone other than a miko were to care for it. That would include a hanyou-
?Kagome??
How long before you understand? Before you see everything with open eyes? How long before you realize that he doesn?t love you? That after all this time, even death won?t separate him from his beloved Kikyo? He hated you in the beginning because you looked like her, because you reminded him of what he had lost! And the moment she came back into the picture he went to her and declared his love for her! He chose her over you!
In her head she saw a face. A weeping face with crystal tears and a twisted mouth. Misery.
Sadness is for those who have a weak heart. You are not weak. You can be powerful. You?ve shown it already. You destroyed that youkai, didn?t you? You showed them all! Kaede, Miroku-sama, Sango-chan?all of them! You showed them! Now show it to the hanyou.
?Kagome??
The face shifted, spun in her head. Narrowed eyes, the sneering mouth. Anger.
Show him your true power. Show him that you can be as beautiful as Kikyo. More so. More powerful. More forgiving. More loving. Show him that you can grant his every wish, anything he could ask of you. Show him that he doesn?t need Kikyo, that he never needed Kikyo. Not so long as he has you?
The face shifted. Hooded, sleepy eyes and parted lips. Lust.
Almost fearfully she turned her head again and looked at Inuyasha, even as he said her name once more, his face pale. She didn?t know what to say for a moment, didn?t understand what she thought. He seemed just as speechless but the look on his face was still concerned. And she didn?t understand why he was always concerned these days. Not if he was going to go back to Kikyo. Didn?t that mean then that he wasn?t going to go back to her? Why would he be so worried for her if he didn?t care for her?
Slowly, a crooked smile twisted his lips, a shadow of his usual wild smile. And it broke her heart to know that he used to smile for Kikyo like that. That he smiled like that for her still. He cradled her face in his hands once more, gazing at her peacefully.
Fearfully she returned his gaze, studying him. His smile softened a bit as she came closer to him, faded entirely as she lifted her wet hands to the haori. Her heart quickened at his expression, for he suddenly seemed sickened at the sight of her. Panic welled up inside but she pushed on, coming closer to him, her movement spreading ripples throughout the water?s surface. He backed away from her, hands lifting from her face to hover at his sides as if he did not wish to touch her.
?You wanted it before?? she whispered, her face darkening.
And his face blanched. All color faded from his skin, his lips parting at her words.
She undid the haori, allowing it to open, and she pressed closer still, invading his space. With a pained grimace he hit the stone behind him, flattening himself against it and his hands clutched it in an almost frantic gesture. He quickly glanced behind himself, finding himself with no other way to go and slowly he returned his gaze to hers.
?Kagome??
?Do I still smell like him?? she asked him, lifting her face to his. ?Would you rather I smell like you??
He didn?t answer, his frame stiff but he exhaled shakily as her lips came close to his.
The haori fell from her shoulders to the crook of her elbows and, against his will, his eyes dropped. But his expression shifted to startled confusion and he lifted a hand to her breast, his hand floating over her skin but not touching her. Frowning, she looked down to see that the arrow wound was bleeding.
The bright color of the blood brought her to a pause. Too bright. Too bright. She raised her eyes to him once more and before she understood what she was saying she had whispered, ?Don?t look at it??
He brought his eyes to meet hers again quickly. And he nodded slightly although he seemed far from happy. With a softening look he placed his hand against her breast, pressing down upon the wound and she exhaled, feeling his warmth. Closing her eyes she leaned forward and her forehead came to rest on his mouth, her frame crumpling against his.
Inuyasha hesitated momentarily, his hand caught between their bodies. But then, with a deep breath, he also closed his eyes and he allowed himself to breathe her in. The scent of her hair, her skin, the warmth of her figure and the softness of her bare skin. All of her. She fit him. She complimented him.
And he loved her.
?I?m with you, Kagome??
Holding her breath Kagome pulled her head back a bit, her eyes still closed, and she lifted her face to his. She felt that he kept his eyes shut as well and she felt a small tremor run through his form as she was pressed against him. His head tilted back a bit also as she rose on tiptoe and she felt her breath mingle with his, their lips barely touching. And slowly, he bowed his head and he kissed her, a gentle brush of lips. She stood still, her face upturned, merely allowing herself the feeling of his mouth, his fingers pressed to her skin.
?Whatever happens?know that I am with you. Always.?
Saddening, she lifted her hands to clasp his arms, pressing herself to him and opening her mouth to his, tasting him on her lips and tongue. He tasted like the wilderness, the taste of the coming rain, the scent of it. She wanted more of it, wanted to lose herself in him.
His hand slowly folded against her chest, cupping inwardly almost into a fist as if he had forgotten he had let it rest there.
Do you smell yourself on me now? On my lips, on my tongue? Is that what you wanted? For me to be your possession and no one else?s, even though when I first offered myself you denied me?
Kagome lifted her hand, releasing his arm, and she trailed it upward over his bare skin, her nails scraping gently. If she continued like this she knew she could raise goose bumps on his skin, make him shiver.
A breath escaped Inuyasha shakily as he pulled his head away for a moment, bowing against her. His eyes came open to gaze at her and she returned the stare, her hand hovering at his collar.
Do you see me? Only me?
His eyes drifted downward again and he lifted one hand to her jaw, tilting her head back and away as he leaned forward, into her neck. She closed her eyes once more, knowing that this was real. No more dreams, no more daydreams. This time it would finally be real. Here in this cold water, it would be real.
Her hand closed around the Shikon no Tama.
His tongue trailed across her neck, sharp teeth scraping gently. His hair fell heavily across his shoulder, across her shoulder, as he pressed him closer to her, nipping at her skin, so softly. A sigh broke from her as she tilted her head far back, as he wound his free hand around her back and pressed against the base of her spine. She wanted him to move his hand further down, just a little.
?Inuyasha??
He made a sound to show that he heard her, even through his ministrations, he heard her. Her lips parted in a silent gasp, her other hand snaking up to the nape of his neck and pulling him tighter against her body, her fingers slipping across his thick hair.
I dreamed of this?I always dream of this?
Grimacing, she clenched her eyes tightly shut, and she whispered, ?Touch me?please??
He hesitated against her skin, his breath hot against her.
She kept her eyes closed, almost praying. ?I need to know?that you see me. That you hear me when I speak?that you-?
?It?s you. It?s always you?? he said to her urgently, lifting his head to gaze at her with wide amber eyes.
She bowed her head, not wanting to hear him say it. Words could easily be lies and they never held any weight in her mind. In her life. And he was stalling. It?s all it was. He was saving it all for the other one.
Inuyasha gazed at her silently, his jaw clenched. And he looked at his hand, trapped between them, still pressed to her wound. His gashes were slowly closing over but they still bled, angry lacerations.
Filthy?
Kagome pulled back, to withdraw from his embrace, but his arm around her suddenly steeled, tensing. And his hand fell away from her wound, falling even as he straightened from the rock and turned them around to press her against it. She found her back up against the cold stone, his hard frame shoving her back, and his breath was coming rapidly now, misting. She clung to him, a bit fearful.
He?s acting as rough as he had before. Before when he?almost?
His fingers brushed her thigh as he pushed aside the hanging haori and his hand cupped her hip for a moment, kneading the skin there. And the water was so cold against her skin, riding up to her waist, almost her ribs. Through the water she felt him, felt his flesh glide against hers. And when his hand slid across her hip to touch her, to dip into her, she wasn?t sure whether she was hot or icy cold. All she knew was the sensation of him, having him near and touching her. Her heart stopped beating, her thoughts freezing, and she arched reflexively, her lips parting.
Inuyasha gazed at her for a moment, unsure, but as her mouth opened he leaned into her with a slight groan and kissed her, breathing out almost desperately. She whimpered against his mouth, clenching as his fingers stroked her gently, slowly. She didn?t know if he had done this for anyone before and she didn?t want to think he had ever done this for Kikyo. She didn?t want to think at all. She was almost dazed, barely aware of his mouth, his teeth as he nipped at her. His fingers as they caused her to soar. Or perhaps she was much too aware of them, unable to concentrate on one thing alone. She did know her body was reacting of its own volition entirely, her back arching, her thigh rising as she tried to push herself closer to him.
The arm around her waist suddenly tensed once more and he lifted her, supporting her above him. Their kiss was broken, his mouth trailing downwards to her breast and he hesitated momentarily, his breath hot against her skin. And then his tongue flicked out and she grimaced as she realized he was tending to her wound, lapping away the blood and caressing her at the same time. And his hand had not stopped working her below, his fingers still kneading her, rubbing. She was gasping, clutching at him, and her hands tightened almost painfully, nails digging into her palms.
He slipped a finger inside swiftly, startling her, and she stiffened, wincing at the sheer commotion she felt inside. Something snapped into her hand and she was faintly aware of it. He was definitely unaware of anything, nipping at her, a growl rumbling in his throat. Gasping, she opened her eyes into slits, the moon above, and she looked down dizzily.
Shikon no Tama?
She held it in her hand, having broken the necklace. She couldn?t bring herself to understand why she held it, nor why she was even trying to focus fully on it. She couldn?t have cared less. Below her, Inuyasha didn?t seem to care either and she was happy with that, leaning her head back against the stone and giving herself to him, allowing herself to merely feel.
I?m not dreaming?I?m not dreaming?this is happening?
Inuyasha?s mouth pulled away from her cleansed wound and he pushed away the offending haori that caught to her damp skin with his jaw, his lips brushing her breast. Her heart beat rapidly, he could hear it, and he wasn?t sure if it was just him but the water was no longer cold in the night. He wasn?t sure of anything, only that he could feel her trembling in his arms, and he could hear her gasping, almost sobbing, above him.
He wanted her. He always wanted her but at that very moment the pull was overwhelming. He had grown hard the moment she had asked him to touch her and he was struggling with himself, fighting with himself not to drag her to the bank and toss her down to have his way with her. He slipped a finger in again, clenching his jaw. She was tight around him, but hot. Almost burning him. And she was clutching him as if he was her lifeline, her embrace almost like steel. He repositioned her, bringing her down a bit but still carrying her and she slid into his arm with a soft cry, her face pinched in an expression almost of pain.
He worried for a moment. ?Am I hurting you??
Her eyes still shut tightly, she shook her head. And as his finger came free of her to trail outside of her she clamped down on her bottom lip, whimpering. He gazed at her, swallowing, wanting her still. It had grown into a mantra in his head, a quiet chant over and over.
I want you?I want you?I want you?now?now?now?
She laid back against the stone again, her legs wrapping around him, pure slippery skin and slenderness, and he also closed his eyes, reveling in the feel of her. He buried himself into her breast, inhaling her scent, wanting to feel all of her pressed against all of him. She was pure curve and softness, and he didn?t fight her when she released him with one arm, reaching down into the water, stopping his fingers in mid-caress.
?Nani?? he asked her almost inaudibly, and he lifted his head, amber eyes coming open.
She gazed down at him, leaning forward a bit to kiss him gently. In the moonlight his silver hair shone brilliantly, glowing. And he seemed so young. Innocent. She wanted to see him that way always. Her hand drifted across slippery skin, floating in the water, and her fingers finally grasped him, bringing him up short.
See me.
And he did, gazing up at her with wide eyes. His throat worked as she took all of him into her hand and his jaw clenched but she kissed him again, hearing him groan faintly. One small kiss to his mouth, and then another to the corner of his lips. To his jaw. His cheekbone. His temple. His hair. So gentle.
Inuyasha allowed her, grimacing faintly as she pulled on him, her hand sliding up his member.
This is right. It is. It is. It is?
But if it was, why was he feeling as if it wasn?t? His grimace turned into a pained wince, his arms feeling as if they would drop her, but he didn?t stop her. He didn?t want to stop her. He wanted her, after all this time, and this was the farthest they had ever gone together. So what if Miroku had said he had given up his chance? This was his second chance then. With Kagome. Finally with Kagome?
She directed him then, positioning him. He braced himself, leaning one hand against the stone she was pushed up against. And his eyes came open; he wanted to see her face when he entered her, when he finally made love to her.
But instead he caught sight of the slashes in his arm. And he froze, his skin going cold.
?Iie! Don?t do this, don?t do this-?
He stared, eyes widening, hearing her voice in his head screaming and he had never gone from feeling such a painful heat to such a bone-freezing cold in a moment. His form grew stiff against her, his eyes trained on the gashes in his skin. And slowly, his eyes trailed upward to her breast, to her wound.
?Hanase??
She had laid back against the stone, her hand still clutching him, and as he lifted his gaze to her he realized once more how beautiful she was. And how much he had hurt her.
?Hanase?onegai! Hanase-?
Suddenly shivering he pulled away from her, reaching down to pry himself out of her hand and her eyes came open, her head bowing to look at him in confusion.
?Inuyasha??
Lips parted, he shook his head dumbly, freeing himself of her. ?No?? he whispered to her, trailing backward from her. ?No-?
?Inuyasha!? she said again and this time her face was a bit frantic, her hands clutching at his arms as he lowered her slowly to stand on her own legs. ?Nandete-?
?Not him, Inuyasha. You. It?s always you.?
He grimaced, closing his eyes against her voice in his head, against her voice as she called to him here, and he turned from her, shoving away her hands. Disgust rose in him, not at her but at himself, and he suddenly needed to have her stop touching him, stop reaching for him. He floated backward out of range of her hands, even as she followed.
?Inuyasha! Matte o-?
?Iie,? he said quietly and he moved toward the bank, his hair floating on the surface of the water.
Kagome stared after him for a moment, her entire world suddenly spinning.
No. No, no, no. No! No! No!
Something tsk-tsked in her ear, in her head. And the world seemed heavy, spinning heavily. Even his figure moving away from her seemed strangely, horribly wrong and she grimaced, lifting her hands to her head to stop the onslaught of wrongness.
You?re going to her. You?re going to her. You?re going to her-
?Why can?t it be me?? she suddenly screamed at him and he paused, turning his head a bit to hear her but not turning to face her. The gesture angered her, infuriated her. ?Why?? she demanded, shouting at his back. ?Why can?t it be me??
He did turn then, a frown on his face. ?Why would you want it to be you?? he asked her in confusion. ?It isn?t you. It?s me-?
?It?s her!? she cried, trembling. And she ignored the look of complete and utter confusion on his face. ?It?s always her! After everything I?ve ever done for you, after everything I?ve sacrificed for you! I was willing to be with you! I would have given you everything of me! Everything!?
Inuyasha stared at her, paling. ?Kagome-? And his eyes suddenly lifted to her hand as she pointed at him furiously.
?She never loved you the way I loved you. The way I love you! She never could!? she shrieked.
Inuyasha lifted a hand to his collar, suddenly looking down when he found himself clutching only the cursed necklace.
?And you can?t even bear to finish it! You can?t bear to touch me!? She took a step forward, clutching the Shikon no Tama in a tight grip. ?Do you see her face in your head when you look at me? When you were touching me, right now, were you seeing her face? Were you making love to her right now??
The hanyou?s eyes moved with the Shikon no Tama, studying it as she gestured in her rage. And then his amber eyes lifted to her face and he held up a hand slowly to calm her. ?Kagome-?
Her mood suddenly shifted, right before his eyes, and she came forward another step. ?What do I have to do? For you to just see me, what do I have to do? Do you want me to dress like her? Wear my hair like hers? Even if you call out her name when you?re with me, please! Please-?
He gazed at her, caught between disbelief and sudden grief. Her face was pale, tears rising in her eyes. And she had been furious only a moment before. He merely stared at her, wordlessly, as she came forward again, shivering. And he wasn?t sure if she was cold or afraid, if it was that the haori was hanging open in the cold water or if she was just overcome with emotion. He went to her once more, slowly, and he reached out to take hold of the haori and to close it over her figure. ?Kagome-?
She looked down as he did so, staring dumbly. And she blinked, eyes shifting, her expression one of pained disbelief, anger, and misery.
I can?t believe it?I can?t believe it?I can?t believe it?
Wordlessly, she pulled away from him, drifting out of his grasp. And she hesitated, still dumbfounded, before going to wind around him.
I can?t believe it?I can?t believe it?I can?t believe it?
He watched her, lips parting. ?Kagome-?
Anything at all?I would have given you anything?and you still won?t part from her. No matter how much I say I love you, no matter how much I offer myself to you?
She came closer to the bank, staring at herself in the reflection and she was a pitiful thing, pale and ugly. So ugly. Her hair wasn?t like Kikyo?s, not as smooth. Her face wasn?t as beautiful as hers. And her eyes weren?t as serene. She wasn?t like Kikyo. She would never be like Kikyo.
And in the end, because she wasn?t Kikyo, Inuyasha would never be hers. That?s all it was. Inuyasha would never be hers because Inuyasha already belonged to someone else. Someone better than her. And she was better than her because of Inuyasha. It was a never-ending circle that she couldn?t break into, couldn?t be a part of. There was no room for her there. Inuyasha and Kikyo. Kikyo and Inuyasha.
I won?t have it?
So perfect. From the beginning, they had been perfect. The half-demon tamed by the priestess. The Priestess brought alive by the half-demon. A perfect union. Perfect.
I won?t have it?
The Gods had seen them fit to be together except Kikyo had been taken early from him and he had been left behind. And because that had happened they had sent back Kikyo?s soul in the form of a girl from the future. They had even formulated the way for the two souls to be together except when Kikyo had been created once more in a separate form there had no longer been a need for her. There was no need for Higurashi Kagome. Only Kikyo mattered, no matter how much Kagome loved Inuyasha.
Was it always supposed to be like this then? Because if it was?I won?t have it. I won?t.
She paused in mid-step and slowly, very slowly, she turned to look at Inuyasha. He gazed at her still, a hand lifting toward her and she watched it come to her in slow motion.
I?ll kill her. I?ll rid this world of her once more so that it will only be me here. And I?ll watch you suffer. I?ll watch you mourn her death. And after you?ve finished mourning, I?ll kill you as well?
His hand came closer, slowly, fingers reaching. And he had said her name, his face sorrowful.
I?ll tear your skin from your body, rip by rip. I?ll stab you, burn you, decimate you. Scatter your ashes throughout this pathetic world, let the breeze carry you away as if you had never existed. You?ll never come back again, I?ll make sure of it. And Kikyo as well. I?ll break each and every bone, tear her hair from her body, flail her.
His fingers brushed her arm.
And I?ll enjoy it!
And suddenly the Shikon no Tama in her hand swirled black, fully. She felt it, felt the light recede inward and vanish and felt it cloud up instantly. Black electricity broke from her, causing the hanyou to recoil as he was struck with it and he stared at her in disbelief, smoke rising from his burned flesh. His lips parted once more as he looked at the black electricity surrounding her and he seemed almost too numb to speak.
At last. At last?
?Kagome-? Inuyasha whispered and he reached for her again, a frown furrowing his brow.
You?re too late. You?re too late. You?re too late!
Her jaw clenched, her vision dimming, and she murmured in a cold, black tone, ?Osuwari.?
The necklace around his neck shimmered and a moment later he was yanked down into the water, a cry breaking from his mouth. She watched him break the surface, stared as he vanished from her site and air bubbles rose. And she whispered it again. Then once more.
?Osuwari. Osuwari. Osuwari??
Even underwater the cursed necklace obeyed her. And she wanted to smile, wanted to laugh aloud. It felt so good. Finally, to be free of all the pain. To finally be allowed to do what she wanted, when she wanted. And how she wanted it done. She wanted to throw her arms into the air and laugh, hear her laughter resound through the dark forest.
But instead she merely whispered over and over again, ?Osuwari. Osuwari. Osuwari??
Drown. Drown, drown, drown!
A small shiver crept up her spine suddenly and she found herself whirling, lifting a hand automatically. And a ward froze in mid-air before her, snapping straight and then slicing in half, almost as if with an invisible sword. She arched an eyebrow and looked to the bank to see Miroku standing there, heaving. And his eyes widened as his ward slipped, falling to the water?s surface to float serenely.
She shook her head at him, face darkening. ?That wasn?t nice, Miroku-sama?? she said quietly.
Miroku stared at her, his face paling. ?Kagome-sama, be careful. You have much power. I can feel it from here, but you?re angry-?
?Yes,? she whispered, and her eyes had turned black entirely, no difference between her pupils and her eyeballs. ?I?m very angry.? And with a growl she dove forward. She didn?t know how she got to him in one leap and she didn?t much care in the end. All she did know was, had Miroku been at full strength and healthy, he might have put up a bit of a fight. She came down on him, black light breaking from her hand and streaking outward in forks, and the monk fell to his knees under it, grimacing as his flesh was burned. With another growl she reached for him once more, with her other hand.
And against her will she found herself suddenly floating backward off the ground and flying into the air, her body reacting of its own wish. Her hand lifted once more, to the side, and she caught sight of the bone boomerang only then, frozen in mid-whirl close to her side. She hadn?t known it had been there, hadn?t seen it coming-
It snapped in half suddenly, shards and pieces flying. And below her appeared Sango, going for Miroku. She stared at Kagome in disbelief and then to the boomerang as it hung suspended in the air, and with a cry she knelt beside Miroku, clutching him as he settled in pain. ?Hoshi-sama!?
The bone boomerang fell to the water in pieces, splashing loudly.
?Kagome-chan!? Sango cried, and her face was fearful as she looked up at her, Miroku?s wounded form in her embrace. ?What are you doing??
Kagome looked at the exterminator, face clouding. ?Something I should have done such a long time ago?? she sighed.
Water splashed behind her and she whirled in time to see Inuyasha spring from the surface, claws bared. She recoiled in mid-air, startled, and anger shot through her. Cold fury. With a cry she swung her arm upward and black power burst from her fist, smashing into the hanyou. He was thrown backward, a shout breaking from him, and his body crashed against the large stone. The face of the stone cracked under the hanyou?s figure and he fell to the water once more with a grimace, weakly.
?Kagome!? Sango shrieked.
?Enough!? Kagome shouted, her eyes trained on the hanyou who barely managed to keep himself standing. ?This has been a long time in coming. But it can wait. I have things that need to be done first??
Inuyasha looked up at her, growling angrily.
She smiled at him darkly. ?Show me your anger, Inuyasha?? she whispered softly to him, ?And I?ll show you mine.?
And then, feeling light, she closed her eyes and felt herself vanish, the Shikon no Tama glimmering with its black light ominously.
Inuyasha watched her vanish into the night, vanish into nothingness, and only when she was gone could he settle limply, exhaling painfully.
?Inuyasha!? Sango shouted and he righted himself once more, looking toward her. The exterminator held an unconscious Miroku, a hand pressed to his bleeding wound. ?What happened??
The hanyou looked to his clothes, strewn across the bank not far from her but he didn?t care. Slowly he came from the water, dragging himself over to the exterminator and to Tetsusaiga, lying next to his clothes. Sango watched him, not caring that he was nude, and her face was pinched. ?Kaede?s unconscious back in the village! I left Shippo-chan with her and then this one,? and she motioned to Miroku, ?went off running! What is going on??
Silent for a moment Inuyasha turned and began to get dressed, his thought whirling furiously. He picked up Tetsusaiga as he finished, gazing at the sword, and quietly he said, ?Miroku was telling me about a youkai. Before. Not now. About the youkai attack and how something had happened. To all of us.?
Sango nodded. ?He tried to explain it to me as well,? she said.
Inuyasha also nodded. ?I think?we just saw the face of it. Whatever is attacking us, taking us over.?
The exterminator frowned at him. ?I don?t understand?? she whispered.
The hanyou didn?t reply, instead stooping beside her and lifting Miroku carefully. The monk weighed almost nothing and he propped the monk?s form on his back, Sango assisting him. ?We?ll see if Miroku can explain it,? he said. And he waited as Sango went and collected her bone boomerang, her face drawn and suddenly old.
This is only the beginning?
To be continued...
Sorry I haven't posted in a while. School work has been so hectic I haven't been able to even get online for leasure reading.
Duuuuuude...DUDE! Whoa....WHOA! I don't even know what to say to this chapter. So much action! So much turmoil! So many personalities! Can we say schitzo, or what? Bipolar? hahaha...quadpolar? Where'd she disappear to? Kikyo? Oooh...i wanna know!
