Deceit, Lies and Malice

(FanFiction/Inuyasha/Angst/CharacterDeath)

By Danyealle

Chapter 14

:::…Three Months Later…:::

It was almost midnight when he saw the ghostly, eerie white soul collectors floating by.  With a deep, resounding sigh he hopped out of the tree he was perched in and prepared to go meet the being he could actually now say that he hated worse than Naraku.  Before leaving the camp, he woke Kouga so he could keep an eye on things.

Nodding then giving him a sympathetic look, the wolf demon moved over to the fire and settled in.  Like the other nights he had done this, he would stay awake until Inuyasha returned.  He wasn’t only alert for any threats to the camp, they weren’t at full strength and were a bit vulnerable, but he was keeping his ears open in case Inuyasha needed help.

It had been a week since Inuyasha had seen the walking ceramic figurine, a week he had enjoyed he thought to himself ironically.  A while back he had figured out that when the woman vanished for more that a few days at a time she had gone to Naraku.  It had taken him a while to link this connection but eventually he was able to detect the faintest whiff of the arachnids miasma on her.  When she saw him frequently that smell wasn’t there.  He guessed that they thought he, or anyone else, wouldn’t be able to catch a smell of it with the powerful stench of graveyard soil.  It did do that for a while, until he got blasted with the stuff a couple times.  After that he had been able to distinguish the smell from the others that clung to her.  That was just another example of Narakus’ arrogance.  The arachnid didn’t make many mistakes but he had this time and it had given Inuyasha a bit of an edge.

After following the disgusting, eel-like demons he found himself in a small clearing not far from where they were bedded down for the night.  After kissing her, something that made his stomach almost revolt, he settled down by her on the ground and casually wrapped an arm around her. 

While telling him about some of the villages she had traveled through and people she had helped she snuggled closer to him and was letting her hands roam over his body, leaving him disgusted; something he did his best not to show. 

When her cold hands stroked down his chest, moving to his crotch it took all his will power to suppress a shudder.

“You know Inuyasha,” she said in a sultry voice, “I’ve come up with a way that we can bring me totally back to life.”

“Oh?  How’s that?” he queried, sounding distracted as she would expect.  Realistically he was paying very close attention to what she was saying because it wasn’t something he had heard about before.

“If we get rid of my re-incarnation the rest of my soul will come back to me then I know of a person who can do a spell to turn this body to flesh.  So, I will be back with you just how you want,” the woman purred as she rubbed her hands across his abs.

Immediately, his brain began to work at lightning speed and his heart began to pound.  This was most certainly a new development and one that wasn’t welcome either.  He was well aware that ‘get rid of’ meant kill.  Yes, he had been aware for a long time about the animosity Kikyo held for Kagome but this level of hatred and malice was new and quite disturbing.

“Can’t be done,” he mumbled as he nuzzled her neck in what she perceived as a distracted manner.  “Sesshomaru has her heavily guarded.  Even I can’t get near her alone, there has to be at least two guards with her,” he said in a huff.

“I have a couple people at his fortress,” she replied, talking to him in the tone of voice you use for a petulant child.  “They can get to her without too much of a problem,” she murmured, kissing him as her free hand drifted downwards then glided over his crotch.

Jumping a bit because his nerves were now jangled because of what she was proposing.  It was also the first time that she had done anything overtly sexual like that.  While his mind was racking over the information she gave him and piling on things he needed to remember or try to get out of her.  Somewhere, crowded among the information, the point that she would need to stop her roaming hands soon or he would have to because if she didn’t she would get suspicious because there would be no way in hell he could get it up for the bitch.  Growling softly, he thrust his hips up a bit like he was eager for her touch then asked in a hitched, thick voice, “Who do you have in that bastards fortress?  That thing is tighter than bark on a tree.”

Quickly, she named off three low-level guards and two maids.  The two maid’s names sent chills down his spine.  They had been there long enough that Sesshomaru would have trusted them to tend to Kagome. 

Tracing her tongue over his ear, she droned, “Just give the word Inuyasha and Kagome will trouble us no more.”

While she made herself cozy against him the woman starting to pull his clothes off. He realized the time had come to end the nightmare.  It was obvious that if he didn’t Kagome would be in serious danger.  Quickly, he pulled away from her and stood up, looking at her, his face unreadable.

Brow furrowed, she looked up at him, “Inuyasha?  What’s wrong?”

“No way in hell Kikyo!”  he spat at her, voice cold and hard, “Kill Kagome?  No fucking way!”

Standing, she looked at him, face composed in its normal serene mask.  “It’s for the best Inuyasha.  This is the only way we can be together without interference.  Isn’t that what you want?  To finally be with me again?”  Her voice was light and almost girlish but her eyes were now cold as frost covered stones.

His facial features were mask of unmitigated fury; Inuyasha snarled and flexed his claws.  “No, that isn’t what I want.  I want Kagome, not you!”  He shouted.

Before she could react and grab her bow he pulled out Tetsusaiga and with one blow reduced her to soil and ash, her empty clothes fluttering to the ground.  Standing there, breathing like a raging bull, he glared at the pile that had once been the woman he loved.  He fought an internal battle to keep himself from whipping it out and pissing all over what was left of her.  In the end it was what he felt for Kaede, not Kikyo, and the respect he had for her that kept him from desecrating her remains.

After getting his temper under control he realized the urgency of getting word to Sesshomaru so he tore off towards the camp.  When he was within ear shot he began shouting for everyone to wake the hell up. By the time he stepped foot into the camp everyone was on their feet and ready for a battle.  Immediately he began barking out orders.  Miroku grabbed one of Kagome’s sealable containers then went to collect what remained of the miko.  Kouga, after hearing what the message for Sesshomaru was, tore off as fast as he could for the Western Fortress.  The wolves were fast but he was faster.  The rest of them quickly broke camp and headed towards Edo.

~~~~~~~~~~@~~~~~~~~~~

Sitting bold upright in bed, Kagome’s eyes were wide as she clutched her chest.  Instantly, Sesshomaru sensed something had happened and was awake and fully alert. Putting a hand gently on her shoulder, he asked with concern, “Kagome?  What’s wrong?”

Turning her wide eyes on him she said, voice almost a whisper, “Kikyo is dead.”

Brow furrowed, he was quiet for a minute then asked, “How do you know?”

Taking a deep breath, she grabbed his hand and squeezed it. “ I just got back the part of my soul she had.”

Immediately, he pulled her into his lap and held her.  While doing that his mind began to race over what he knew was going to have to be done and how to prepare for the message he knew was coming from Inuyasha.

After a short time, he gave her a soft kiss then slid out of bed and started dressing.  Her small hand on his bicep stopped him.  “Don’t ask me how I know, I just do, but I need to stay close to you,” she said, eyes locked with his.

Though it sounded vague, he believed her.  Kagome was powerful and didn’t always know the extent of her own power.  If she said something was telling her to stick close to him then he would have her do just that, no questions asked.

Within an hour both of them were fully dressed and in his study.  Kagome was on the sofa, calmly reading a book, looking totally unruffled.  In contrast the normally stoic Sesshomaru was agitated and fidgeting.  Though his face was its usual blank mass his aura told of his mood.

An hour later Kouga arrived.  Immediately he got down to business.  After delivering Inuyasha’s message he gave a detailed account from what Inuyasha had told him of what had taken place.  As was to be expected the Western Lord was furious.  Calling his most trusted generals, he ordered the arrest of those named with further orders to find out if anyone else was involved.  If there was they were to deal with them accordingly.  At least, he thought, there was finally a place to start weeding out traitors.

As dawn finally began to peek over the horizon Kouga, Kagome and Sesshomaru headed out towards Edo. 

~~~~~~~~~~@~~~~~~~~~~

It was full daylight and the village was bustling when they arrived.  Inuyasha and the remainder of his pack hadn’t made it there yet.  Sitting Kaede down, they told her what they knew transpired.

Sighing, the old miko just nodded.  She had known for some time that this would the end result of Kikyo’s return.  That what had been brought back was merely a poor imitation of what Kikyo had been in life.  Her sister would never have helped something as evil as Naraku or many of the other things she had done since she was returned to this plane.  She, like others who had known the miko in life, felt her death and re-internment of what remained of her was for the best.  As far as Kaede was concerned, the Kikyo that had walked for so long after being brought back wasn’t her sister.

It wasn’t until after noon when Inuyasha and the others finally made it.  The first thing they did was deliver Kikyo’s remains to Kaede so she could begin the task of once again putting her sister to rest.

After that Kagome fussed over Inuyasha and her other friends, making sure they were fine.  When she finished, Inuyasha pulled her into a tight hug then gave her a lingering kiss, ignoring the gasps of those watching.

After breaking it off, he just held her close to his chest and sighed, “It’s finally over.  No more of that shit!”

Holding him tightly, she nodded, “Finally.  I was so worried about you,” she whispered.

“Keh… you know you don’t need to worry about me wench,” he snorted, using his normal gruff and bluster tone.  Then he softened it.  “But I’m sure glad you do.  It’s nice to know someone loves me enough to worry about my safety.”

Smiling, she reached up and rubbed his ears just how he liked it.  “I always worry about you dog boy, you know that.”

Releasing her from the hug, he took her hand and walked over to Sesshomaru.  She took the taiyoukai’s hand and gave it a squeeze, smiling up at him.

Caressing the back of her hand with his sword, calloused thumb, he looked down at her, eyes twinkling.  Looking back at the others, who were staring at them, mouths agape.  Smirking, he said, “Let’s find a quiet place to talk.  I think it’s time everyone learns what had really been going on.  Don’t you Inuyasha?

“Way past time,” the hanyou chuckled.