Paradigm of Sacrifice by Dana

Chapter 5: Twisted Aura

AN:/ Here we go with another chapter ^^. Please enjoy and reviews are appreciated :)

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Naraku lounged on a thin rug covering the cold wooden floor, his hand cradling his face as his arm supported his head. The inky darkness of soft hair fell in waves from his scalp, pooling into a seductive swirl on the floor. Some would have called him handsome (perhaps even sexy if he belonged to the space age) but most knew him as an evil hanyou who had once been human - one whom had offered his soul to a legion of demons to obtain the affections, no, the body of a woman.

His crimson eyes glared resentfully at the cool glass of Kanna's mirror, a powerful magical item that projected whatever he desired to see; and his desire was to see the powerful miko whose abilities seemed to have surpassed Kikyo's, let her soul burn in hell. Naraku's lips twisted into a satisfied smile as he thought of the miserable bitch he had so cleverly sent back to the depths of hell where she should have stayed the first time he killed her. The best part was he hadn't even had to dirty his hands.

Naraku's plans had not quite turned out the way he had expected. In fact everything had gone better than he could have imagined. Naraku recalled the panorama of emotions that had flickered across InuYasha's face as he watched his young lover completely destroy the woman he had sworn himself to protect. It had killed a part of InuYasha to know that he had failed to protect Kikyo and was unable to avenge her death; it was, after all, Kagome's purified arrow that had pierced Kikyo's heart.

And all this because of the Shikon no Tama shard. Ironic, Naraku thought, that it was the thing that Kikyo gave her life the first time to protect that would kill her a second time.

Fusing his poisoned miasma and his immense hatred into the shard, Naraku had placed the black jewel fragment into the dead miko's back. Kikyo's spiritual power had lessened considerably when Urasue resurrected her, but Naraku was still surprised at the speed in which the tainted shard took effect. Once she had become a slave to his whim, Onigumo's lust for the bitch had almost consumed Naraku's thoughts but he resisted, his disgust at the idea of fucking a corpse far stronger the bandit's desires. When Naraku desired, it was for warm flesh beneath him, around him-

A low growl vibrated in his throat as he watched the miko's soul embrace Sesshomaru; the stupid daiyoukai probably didn't even realize exactly what he was holding. When knowingly being observed, a wandering soul projects an image into the mind of the person or thing that it is being observed by. No doubt in this situation, the miko appeared before Sesshomaru in her foreigner's clothing. However, when the soul was observed but unaware, as in this situation, it takes on its natural form; in the case of the young miko, whose purity left no room for any evil or tarnish, she appeared naked when ignorant of her voyeur.

Naraku's initial annoyance at her escape from his ensorcelled adaptation of her world had been partially salved by her exposed body. Oh what he wouldn't do to that delicious form once he had her in his possession; the thoughts had been endless when he first watched her climb out of the well and land gracefully on the soft grass.

Naraku was disappointed that his plans had gone slightly awry. However, past experience had taught him that things could very easily turn around. Besides, Naraku was not so foolish; he had taken precautionary measures. That woman would not escape so easily.

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Kagome and Sesshomaru walked together in complete silence, their hands loosely clasped together. It was still difficult for her to comprehend what exactly was happening to her, and the silver-haired daiyoukai beside her seemed none too talkative. Frowning, she studied her silent companion. She had never really taken the time to peruse his delicate features since they had first met in her time. Then again, she thought ruefully, it could have something to do with Naraku manipulating my mind. Oh and let's not forget the fact that I was almost eaten by a demon.

A disgruntled sigh escaped Kagome's lips as she took in the strange purple markings that slashed across his cheekbones and hands. The expensive suit that had worn in her time was replaced with a strange white court kimono and a spiked chest plate. Although his clothing now was unusual, it had suited him much better than the straight lined simplicity of the clothing from her time. What attracted her most, was the very soft looking, fluffy scarf that he had thrown over his shoulder. Kagome reached out tentatively, hesitant to touch anything associated with the intimidating man. However, her temptation to stroke the downy material prevailed over her uncertainty and Kagome found to her surprise that the fabric was warm and... was it purring?!

"Do not touch the Mokomoko," Sesshomaru whispered, the hint of threat lingering between them. Kagome flinched away as his golden eyes looked upon her with disapproval; the man certainly was intimidating and a battle waged within her as to whether she should be nervous about being near him in this mood, or whether she should be amused. After all, how couldn't she be when Mokomoko had started to whimper when she removed her hand? Unable to resist, Kagome burst into a fit of giggles, deflating Sesshomaru's censure.

Sesshomaru stared down at the strange woman, completely at a loss. No one had ever been able to hear Mokomoko but for Sesshomaru; the young miko shouldn't even be able to feel the warmth that radiated from his companion. To anyone but a full blooded demon of his lineage, Mokomoko merely appeared to be an accessory to Sesshomaru's royal garb. However this unusual woman was able to see the creature's true form. Looking away from her, he hurried his pace, eager to rid himself of the vexing woman - eager to rid himself of her contagious laughter that ignited emotions within him that he did not wish to explore.

Kagome quieted as Sesshomaru lengthened his strides, realizing that she had probably wounded his pride. After all, it had appeared that she was laughing at him, when in truth she was overwhelmed by adorable creature that graced his shoulder. Struggling to maintain his quickened pace, Kagome felt a wave of guilt wash over her; she hadn't meant to offend him. It was the last thing she wanted to do when he had not only saved her soul from being consumed by a demon, but had saved her from Naraku as well.

"Sesshomaru, I- I'm sorry if I hurt your feelings." Kagome kept her head down, a hint of red creeping across her cheeks. She had not seen the subtle widening of his golden eyes, or noticed that he had stopped walking. As she felt the tug on her hand, she struggled once again to regain her equilibrium before turning to look at him. Was Sesshomaru so shocked at receiving any sort of kindness? Her eyes softened as she watched him attempt to keep his composure; he and InuYasha were more alike than they would admit.

Kagome's heart skipped a beat. Sesshomaru had mentioned once before a man named InuYasha while she was in her own time, but he had never once mentioned any familial relationship with him.

"There was a man you mentioned before - back in my time or inside my mind, wherever we were - his name was InuYasha." She paused as he looked at her through narrowed eyes. Resisting the urge to wring her hands, she stared him straight in the eyes. "Is he your brother?"

It was hard to miss the obvious shock of surprise that electrified his golden eyes and Kagome knew she had remembered something important.

"Yes, that half-breed is my brother." Kagome saw right through the vehement dislike in his tone; Sesshomaru was attempting to mask another emotion, most likely jealousy. What had happened to these two men that cause them to be so bitter towards each other? At least, she assumed, the feeling was mutual. Before she could comment on it, Sesshomaru tensed, his nose twitching at a faint smell that would not reach her own olfactory senses. However, whatever was disturbing the dog demon's nostrils caused chills tickle Kagome's spine.

"Sesshomaru, what is it?" Her mind scrambled frantically to recall why this sensation felt so familiar to her, but it came up with nothing. Kagome bit back her frustration as she waited for an answer from Sesshomaru. He stayed silent for a moment, his eyes reddening slightly around the iris before returning to their normal color. Kagome knew she should probably be a little afraid of the way that his eyes turned but after the past couple of days, she was pretty much indifferent. Having her life constantly in danger, her soul separated from her body, and knowing her memories had been erased but being powerless to regain them, Sesshomaru's bloody eyes suddenly didn't seem so out of the norm.

"It's a demonic aura and its close by," Sesshomaru said quietly. Kagome tensed; so that's what it had been. Kagome realized that the familiar sensation was her telltale sign of a nearby demonic presence. Closing her eyes, Kagome let her mind empty and her body to relax. As she allowed her soul to locate the origin of the demonic aura, images flashed in her mind; an albino child holding a circular mirror, a raven beauty glaring purposefully at something beyond Kagome's vision, and a flash of lustful crimson eyes. Gasping, her eyes snapped open.

"It's Naraku." Kagome was surprised with herself. Broken recollections had drifted through her conscious mind, assisting her with the use of her spiritual powers. However, the unusual sensations from reading the demonic aura were unfamiliar; Kagome knew that she had never done anything of the like before.

"Are you sure?" Kagome nodded quietly, her mind suspended in turmoil. She had these abilities, understood things that should make no sense to her; her body seemed to recall that which her mind had forgotten.

Kagome was drawn back to reality as a warm arm was sliding in behind her knees and she was lifted off the ground. Nearly losing her balance, Kagome squeaked with surprised, throwing her hands around Sesshomaru's neck, clinging to him as if her life hung in the balance.

"Miko, while I would advise holding on tightly, I do not think it necessary for you to choke me," he said, a touch of amusement in his tone. Kagome was so embarrassed by her actions that she had not even felt the slightest bit of shock that he showed emotion, and a good one to boot. Loosening her chokehold around his neck, Kagome clasped her hands tightly behind his neck instead, refusing to meet his gaze. She watched instead as he took off, the small buildings and farmers fields that wreathed the village becoming nothing but a blur of color.

Placing the young woman gently on the ground in front of the old hag's house, Sesshomaru watched as apprehension stole over her features. He knew that she felt the same thing as he did; a strong demonic aura surrounding the house. What had confused Sesshomaru was the power of the aura. When he had been here before, Sesshomaru had detected the faintest traces of Naraku's scent - so what had occurred between then and now?

Kagome started slowly towards the house, her apprehension slowly burning inside her; the feeling of wrongness that Naraku's presence always gave her seemed intensified, a prickling sensation slowly spreading from her chest outwards. Within minutes Kagome was on her knees, her entire body having gone numb from the aura. The fear that had bloomed inside her chest seemed to clench around Kagome's heart - breathing became a laborious task. It was then she felt the intense burning sensation in her thigh.

"Miko?" Sesshomaru knelt next to her, concern flashing in his eyes as mokomoko's whimpers grew into threatening growls. Kagome clutched tightly to Sesshomaru's hand, unconsciously channeling some of her pain onto Sesshomaru.

"I can't move...m-my leg...burning." Kagome took several short breaths, attempting to overcome the sudden pain. Sesshomaru's concern grew as her bright pink aura began to darken; Naraku's aura was beginning to taint her own. Her face scrunched up in a twisted mask of pain, Kagome looked at him with pleading eyes, "Sesshomaru, please. I...need to get to my body...quickly."
Wasting no time, Sesshomaru picked up the young woman much the same way he had Rin, noting the way that the darkness that permeated her soul seemed to generate from a spot on her upper thigh. He hastily carried her into the hut where her friends were waiting patiently. Mokomoko slid off his shoulder and onto the miko's soul as the group crowded around Sesshomaru. The tall demon placed Kagome gently on the floor, mokomoko purring contentedly as it wrapped itself around her body; for now, the creature would relieve her pain.

"Sesshomaru! Why hasn't Kagome woken up yet? What are you even doing when you go into her head?" InuYasha asked angrily. His hand rested on his Tetsusaiga, the threat of violence lingering in his gaze. Sesshomaru's eyes narrowed dangerously, a sneer curling his lips. He pointed one sharp-tipped nail at his younger brother as anger darkened his gaze.

"Don't presume to know so much; and I would take care to remember exactly who you are talking to." The warning hung heavily between the two brothers before the brunette warrior stepped between them, facing InuYasha. Her eyes sparkled, pleading with InuYasha to be reasonable.

"We don't have time for this. Kagome's been asleep for far too long and if she doesn't wake up soon, she could die! So put your petty differences aside, and let's help her. Please." Sango turned towards Sesshomaru, tears barely holding on to the dark lashes lining her brown eyes. Lines of worry creased her skin as she hesitated in her query, "How is she doing, Sesshomaru?"

"She is sitting on the floor, waiting for an unexpected pain to subside. It seems Naraku has more control over her body and mind than we initially thought. A black aura is beginning to consume her soul which means Naraku's poison is spreading throughout her body." The deadly calm in his voice silenced all occupants in the room. If the situation hadn't been so dire, Sesshomaru probably would have made a dig about InuYasha's inadequate sense of smell. However, he focused his attention on the old miko. Kaede looked thoughtful for a moment before speaking.

"So Naraku intends to kill Kagome then?" Kaede asked.

"Bastard probably intends to absorb her powers while he's at it," InuYasha spat out. Sesshomaru shook his head; InuYasha always looked for the simplest explanation to a problem, but Naraku was too complex for that. Naraku would not bother himself with the hassles he had gone through simply to absorb the miko into himself.

"No. Not from what I saw in her mind. I am not entirely sure what Naraku plans but it is definitely a lot more sinister than that..." His words trailed off as his focus was distracted by Kagome's movement towards her body. She moved slowly as if every inch forward caused her more and more pain. As she reached out to touch her body, her soul wavered from pink to black. Trying again, Kagome had gotten similar results.

"Sesshomaru?"

"She is trying to rejoin her body," Sesshomaru said, distracted. As her fingers made contact with her body, she hissed and drew back. Kagome turned to look at him, her eyes dark with frustration.

"Miko?" he asked uncertainly. Mokomoko had begun to growl again as it settled around Kagome; her big brown eyes filled with tears as she met his gaze.

"I can't join back with my body, something is wrong with it. It isn't just the miasma covering my body either, because I should have been able to repel that." She looked pensive for a moment, unconsciously rubbing at the spot where the black aura was generating on her body. Pausing, Kagome glanced down at her leg, a sudden realization hitting her. How could she not have figured this out; but no, wait, there was no way that it was that. Kagome looked back up to Sesshomaru a flash of fear and dread causing her eyes widen.
"Sesshomaru, I need you to check my body for any...er... abnormalities," she said, her eyes suddenly glued to the floor. Under any other circumstance, Sesshomaru would have been horrified at the idea of even touching her. However, he knew exactly what she was looking for - and he hoped to kami that they were both wrong.

Kneeling beside her body, Sesshomaru lifted one leg up, trailing his claws along the underside, feeling for any aberrations in the skin. He paused as he reached the soft spot behind her knee, his stomach tightening as her malleable flesh broke out in gooseflesh beneath his touch. Fascinated by her body's reaction, he prodded the sensitive spot with the tip of his claw, eliciting a gasp from the miko's soul. Glancing in her direction, Sesshomaru noticed that her clothes had faded away and her soul sat naked but for mokomoko's well placed fur.

As her creamy flesh was exposed to his eyes, Sesshomaru's wandering hand clenched into a fist and he had to bite back a groan. All sensible thought fled his mind as he drew small circles in the small nook at the back of her leg. Locking gazes with the young woman, Sesshomaru watched her facial features change as he touched her nubile flesh.

Kagome flushed a deep pink as she felt Sesshomaru's warm hands caressing her leg; she had originally thought that it was a good idea to have him check her body because she trusted him, but now she wasn't so sure. The feeling of his sharp claws tracing along her smooth skin sent chills down her spine, causing her to shiver.

"What the fuck do you think you are doing?" InuYasha asked dangerously. Sesshomaru snapped back to reality to find three sets of eyes focused on him, Miroku looking away awkwardly. Kaede and Sango sat unable to look away from the intimate scene before them, their cheeks growing steadily warmer. InuYasha, however, had his eyes narrowed on his brother; looking back at Kagome, Sesshomaru found her face was now a rather fetching shade of red as she realized what had just happened.

What had just happened though? Sesshomaru had never received a reaction from wandering souls when he had touched their comatose bodies before, so why had Kagome's soul reacted so strongly? Sesshomaru himself had been intensely effected by the situation which unnerved him. What gave this young woman her powers and why did she affect him so strongly?

"The miko cannot join her soul with her body. There is an unusual demonic aura surrounding her body that reeks of Naraku, which you would know if you'd actually use your nose. However, it is not that alone which is preventing her; the wench asked me to check her body for any peculiarities." Sesshomaru kept his face deadpan to cover the turmoil inside of him. He had experienced feelings such as this before but it had never been for a human and it had never been uncontrolled. The sooner he got her away from him the better.

"Seems you were enjoying that a little too much for someone who is simply 'inspecting' her," InuYasha muttered. Sesshomaru glared at him, not bothering to offer a reply, before studying the miko's soul again. It was strange but her immense pain had started as soon as the demonic aura began to generate from that spot high on her leg. Sesshomaru grasped the edge of Kagome's skirt and yanked it up, despite the protests of the observers. The little blood was in his cheeks left them as his eyes reddened with rage. On her thigh were two vicious looking slashes where Naraku had sunk his fangs into her and ripped away the flesh. Barely able to contain the dark anger that filled his gut, he pulled her skirt back down and stood up, giving himself time to maintain his composure.

"She's been marked."