Bound by Corruption by BelovedStranger

Everyone Lies

AUTHOR'S NOTE:

Prompt: 'You cannot win them all.'

Kagome sat huddled close to the small fire she had made, though it smoked more than it gave off flame as the wood was slightly damp, and the air was chilled, the wind blowing outside the small cave she was in. She and Sesshomaru hadn’t travelled far before the skies started to pour heavier rain, dark clouds obscured the sky, lightning flashed, and thunder clapped almost deafeningly.

Sesshomaru had picked her up and used some sort of strange energy ball to transport them at impossible speeds, before depositing her here. He’d left not too long ago, promising to find her something to cook and eat, so she’d best try and have a fire going. He’d even been kind enough to supply her with kindling he’d found. However, looking at her measly fire, Kagome wasn’t sure how effective it would be to cook game, even something small like a squirrel or a rabbit.

Her stomach growled almost painfully, informing her that it had been too long since last she’d eaten. Her gaze lifted to the barrier the Inugami had erected at the cave’s entrance for her protection. At times, she envied his ease with the use of his powers as it reminded her about her own lack of control. Sometimes—like now—she couldn’t help but feel like a failure as a priestess. The best she could do with her reiki was infuse her power into her arrows. Creating barriers and other powerful magic was beyond her, and she couldn’t understand why. And then she’d recall her inner jealousy and envy she felt for her elder sister.

Kikyo was a powerful miko, one of the strongest of their calling, or so Kagome had heard, which made her feel even more inadequate considering she was the younger sibling. Shouldn’t she be just as, or near as, powerful as Kikyo, considering that they were blood related? And yet, Kagome was one of the weakest of their calling. However, though she envied Kikyo, Kagome did not hate her or have hard feelings for her. She still loved Kikyo, even hero worshiped her to some extent.

With a small sigh, she poked the measly fire with a stick.

Outside, the wind howled again, rain beating heavily against the ground. She was thankful that Sesshomaru’s barrier not only provided her with protection against any and all threats but also to keep out the elements. She was miserable enough as it was, cold and her clothes were damp. An added bonus, it kept the fire from going out. Kagome stared at the rising smoke, watching it escape the barrier. At least Sesshomaru had weaved the magic where things could leave or she’d die of smoke inhalation. She could leave, too, if she was so inclined, which she was not.

Until the saw the child.

She was small, filthy, and sopping wet. Before Kagome could get over the shock of seeing a child here of all places, a low rumble began. At first, Kagome thought it was thunder, but when a wolf stepped out of the trees behind the little girl, the sound was actually its fierce growls. Eyes wide, Kagome stared at the child and saw what the rain tried to hide; she was bleeding, her small arm hanging limply at her side, with her kimono torn at the shoulder, revealing a vicious wound.  

Jumping to her feet, Kagome quickly yanked an arrow out of her quiver she had on the ground, picked up her bow, and notched her arrow. She didn’t have much time to aim as the wolf tensed to jump his prey. With a snarl, it launched itself into the air, teeth bared at the little girl, who had stumbled and fallen to the ground with a cry. With a thwank that was almost soundless in the pouring rain, Kagome released her arrow, where it imbedded itself in the wolf’s hind leg. The animal made a high pitched whine, landing ungracefully next to the screaming girl, before lurching to its feet again, and limped away.

Fearful of another attack as wolves usually travelled in packs, Kagome quickly flung her quiver of arrows over her shoulder, and ran out of the little cave to kneel beside the unmoving form in the mud.

“Hey! Girl? Girl! Say something. Are you alright?” Kagome shouted above the storm.

When the child remained unresponsive, Kagome reached down to place her hand on her small back…only to have her palm go right through the girl. Kagome blinked in confusion. The little girl’s image flickered, then vanished—an illusion. Before the ramifications of that discovery could completely process in her mind, she felt an unfamiliar, demonic presence behind her.

She started to turn—too late.

Blackness invaded her senses, unconsciousness rushed up to drag her down into nothingness, and she fainted.

“Miko? Are you awake? Kagome?”

That…voice… It sounds familiar…

Just as Kagome was blinking her eyes open, trying to focus on the man who hovered over her, she felt a large, warm palm cup her right cheek tenderly.

“Sesshomaru?” she murmured, but as soon as she uttered the Inugami’s name, she knew it wasn’t he.

“No, Kagome. Don’t you remember me?” the man asked, drawing his hand away from her face.

Her sense of touch told her that she was lying on a futon, on the floor, a large kimono blanketing her, and a small pillow under her head. However, as soon as her sight came in to focus, she saw someone she never thought to see again.

“Onigumo?! Is that… It can’t be. You died!”

A bewildered Kagome stared up at the handsome bandit commander, her eyes travelling over his face, not understanding how he was kneeling beside her. He was wearing different clothing, dark blue hakama and haori, though his haori had a green and yellow bow pattern along the fabric, and he wore a sleeveless, purple robe over it. Even his long, black hair was pulled back into a high ponytail, though a few tresses spilled over his shoulders. He was alive, and though his face was pale, it was the same complexion as she remembered, not cold and lifeless. Or so she thought. It was dark in the room, no candle was lit, and outside it still sounded like a storm was raging.

Onigumo’s small chuckle held no amusement. His dark brown eyes regarded her strangely, but there was still warmth behind that emotion she could not seem to place.

“I would have, no thanks to your…friend.”

“My friend?” Kagome asked in confusion, her face scrunched up in a frown, not sure who he was referring to.

“Are you thirsty?” he asked unexpectedly, reaching by his right side to pick up a pitcher of water and pour the liquid into a small cup.

Just then, lightning flashed, and Kagome had a clearer view of the room she was in for a few seconds. It wasn’t small nor was it large, and on her right was a closed screen, keeping the elements from rushing into the room. A barren room. The only thing inside were them and the futon she was on. The lack of furniture and décor made her uneasy. In fact, this whole situation made her uncomfortable. How had she gotten here—

“Kagome?” Onigumo asked, calling to her when she did not answer right away.

“Ah, yes. Thank you.”

Sitting up, she reached for the cup he held out to her, their fingers touching. While she drank, lubricating her dry mouth and parched throat, she eyed him, trying to remain calm even though she wanted to demand answers and go into hysterics.

“What happened, Onigumo?”

Kagome meant how had she gotten there. The last thing she recalled was a small girl who’d been injured, trying to escape a wolf, only to learn that it had all been an illusion. She remembered feeling a demonic presence then nothing. However, Onigumo thought she meant what had happened to him, and how he’d escaped with his injuries.

“It was a miracle,” began Onigumo. “I tried to escape the burning hut, but with my shattered knee, there was no way for me to escape.” The smile he had was self-mocking. “A just end for a bandit such as me, wouldn’t you say?”

“Then how did you…”

“Escape? Not on my own, that’s certain. Do you know who informed the villagers of my identity, Kagome?”

Onigumo watched her carefully, to see if she had been a part of his attempt in murder. He didn’t want to believe such a thing of her, not after all she had done to try to help him, but he had to be sure. He’d missed her these last few days, his little bird. Had Kagome missed him, too? Mourned for his supposed death? Gazing at her new clothes, he was pleased to see her out of those ugly rags he’d last seen her in, but the fabric was expensive. Obviously, the Inugami had given her better clothes. Funny how Sesshomaru dressed her in garments so similar in coloring to his own. Had that been on purpose? Was it a sign of his possession of the girl? More importantly, had the beast taken her innocence? Just the thought of that bastard touching Kagome intimately boiled his blood with anger and jealousy.

At his question, she shook her head, denying having any knowledge to the perpetrator who’d sold him out. He believed her, for her expression was without guile, and her eyes met his squarely. Kagome had far too expressive a face, but at least it served him well when he questioned her.

A feeling of profound relief swamped him, and he smiled gently at her, before lifting his hand to stroke the back of her hair. Her black tresses were silky soft, beautiful, just like the rest of her.

“You travel with Sesshomaru.”

Her chocolate eyes turned wary. “Yes.”

“And you have many questions that need answering.”

This time, she nodded her head. Lifting her left arm, she gently, but firmly, batted his hand aside, stopping his petting, causing him to chuckle.

“Still uneasy around me, little bird?” he murmured wickedly. “Do you really believe I would attack you?”

“Enough games, Onigumo,” she said in a low, commanding voice. “How did I get here? Why am I here? How are you…healed so quickly? I have many questions, and I’d like them answered, please.”

“You’re no fun,” he complained good-naturedly. “Alright, business first.” Then he grinned mischievously at her. “Then perhaps we move on to the pleasure.”

Kagome rolled her eyes at him.

“Can’t you be serious for five minutes? This is serious here!” she chastised him.

And like it had never been, Onigumo’s smile vanished.

“Sesshomaru told the villagers of my identity. Is that serious enough for you?”

Kagome stiffened, her back going ramrod straight. She’d heard him wrong, right? Surely Onigumo hadn’t just said that…that Sesshomaru was the cause of the whole, gruesome ordeal? She stared blankly at the man beside her for long seconds.

“Sesshomaru..?” she whispered.

No, please tell me I heard wrong, or that this is some kind of sick joke, she silently thought, trying to will Onigumo to retract his words.

However, Onigumo nodded, dashing her silent hope. Worse, he went a step further to describe exactly what had happened.

“After you left, Sesshomaru appeared,” Onigumo began in a hard, tight voice, obviously still angry—more than angry, actually—about what had happened. “He made sure that I was aware that I had outlived my usefulness concerning my failure to know the location of your sister, and that he’d come to reclaim you for himself. Even as the angry villagers approached, I could hear their screaming and shouting, the bastard let me know that they’d come to take their revenge on the commander of the bandit forces that has terrorizing the country side of late.”

Kagome emanated a small sound of dismay. This can’t be true. Onigumo was wrong, lying. That grisly day not so long ago filtered back into her mind easily. The shouting villagers, the angry faces, the burning hut, and Onigumo’s screams of agony. It was all too clear in her mind’s eye, every last detail, even when a villager had struck her with a rock. She still had a bruise on her forehead from that time, though thankfully her bangs hid the small wound.

Then she remembered Sesshomaru saving her out of nowhere, and even he had admitted that he’d been watching over her without her knowledge. He hadn’t lifted a finger to try and save Onigumo, not that she should blame him for that, or expect him to save everyone in need. But she couldn’t stop herself from feeling some resentment towards his attitude towards human life, his blatant disregard for anyone other than himself. He was right; he didn’t have to save everyone. But it was the right thing to do, regardless. Ignoring another’s plight when it was within one’s power to give aid was…

Kagome shook her head. She shouldn’t be judging Sesshomaru, and yet she couldn’t seem to stop herself. It was wrong, wasn’t it?

And if Sesshomaru had been watching her, knew of her dire circumstances when the mob turned on her, then he’d allowed that rock to strike her. Why? As punishment? She wouldn’t put it past him. He’d told her that he’d never hurt her so long as she followed their contract, but he’d never said he wouldn’t teach her a lesson by another’s painful hand.

Sesshomaru claimed that he’d protect her. He had, but he’d also allowed her to come to harm. The only answer she could come to as to why he’d do that was to teach her a lesson. And what was that? The answer came to her readily; it was so obvious, even she could see it.

Sesshomaru hadn’t been happy with her for choosing to help Onigumo instead of leaving him to die and follow Sesshomaru. Had he been trying to tell her—silently—that she couldn’t survive in the world without his protection? She sure as hell had felt grateful for his rescue, indebted to him, thought more kindly of him for saving her—again. If that had been another one of his aims, he’d succeeded.

“Are you saying that Sesshomaru had been jealous of…you and me?” Kagome asked on a whisper, already knowing the answer before Onigumo confirmed it.

Yes. She knew Sesshomaru was possessive, that he considered her his for as long as the contract remained active between them.

Oh, God! The things he’d done to her, the things she’d let him do to her. Just thinking of the sexual acts they’d done together made her sick with revulsion. Sesshomaru had lied to her. She had let a murderer…

Trying to distract herself, she asked, “How did you heal so fast? Your knee seems to be much better.” Impossibly better. There’s no way you could have healed in just a few days, not with a shattered knee. In fact, that injury should have crippled you for life. She didn’t say what was on her mind, but she was thinking it, eyeing said knee with confusion.

Onigumo gripped the knee that had been broken, prompting her to look up and stare into his eyes again, waiting for his answer.

“Magic.” He winked at her. “But I’ll get to that part later, but first…”

Kagome couldn’t believe he’d just dismiss something so important without telling her! Magic? What did he mean?

“He’s been lying to you, Kagome, from the very beginning,” murmured Onigumo.

Kagome blinked, momentarily confused as to what he was talking about. Then she remembered. They’d been talking about Sesshomaru, and his part in the villagers trying to murder him. Onigumo’s words implied that there was more she was yet unaware concerning Sesshomaru. Did she even want to know? Yes. No. Maybe… 

She didn’t ask, but Onigumo told her anyway.

Onigumo could see the hurt in Kagome’s eyes, and somehow knowing that she blamed Sesshomaru, judged the Inugami for his murderous actions even though Onigumo was not a saint himself, filled him with contentment. No. It was more than that. He was happy about her reaction. Gratified by it, for it gave him hope that he could win her for himself and make her his. He wasn’t sure why, but Kagome had become an obsession of his. Her kind spirit and innocence had ensnared him, and he wanted her.

“I have it on good authority that Sesshomaru was there when your village was destroyed.”

“You mean my village you destroyed,” Kagome reminded him, glaring hatefully at him for the first time since seeing him.

She hates me, he realized, trying not to show his surprise.

Of course she’d hate him, he chastised himself not a second later. He had been a part of her village’s destruction, killing everyone and burning everything in sight. And yet, her bad feelings towards him, her anger, hatred, and resentment had surprised him. She’d helped him, spoken kindly—if shortly—to him, that he’d almost forgotten about all that he’d taken from her, and to remind her now when he was trying to make her hate Sesshomaru, to reject the demon, was not a smart move on his part.

He felt like kicking himself, cursing his stupidity. However, it was too late now to take back his words, and far too late to take back what he had done to her home. He couldn’t turn back time, couldn’t bring back the dead. He’d hurt her; Onigumo could see the accusation and pain in Kagome’s expression, and he felt…sorrow for the pain he had caused her.

If you hate me so much, he wondered, then why did you help me? Why didn’t you let me die? He didn’t ask, couldn’t. He didn’t think he’d like the answer or deserved to ask, to question her motives.

Trying to rectify the situation—if possible, though it could never right the wrongs he had done—Onigumo went back to the point he had been making before she’d interrupted him and given him her death glare.

“Yes, I have not forgotten,” he said gravely, before moving on to what he’d been about to say. “However, Sesshomaru was aware that the bandits, my forces, were coming. He could have sounded the alarm or tried to stop us, but he did not.”

Disbelief was predominant on Kagome’s face, and Onigumo was sure that she was being stubborn not because she didn’t believe that the Inugami was incapable of such a thing, but because she was reminded of his involvement in ransacking her village. She was going to be purposefully stubborn, he knew. Her intentions were all too clear on her expressive face.

“I don’t believe you,” she spat, her hands bunching her blanket in her anger. “Why would Sesshomaru do such a thing? He has no reason to lie to me about that. I admit, even if he had been around, he probably wouldn’t have saved the village, but he had no reason to lie to me about not being present upon your arrival.”

“So naïve,” an unfamiliar, male voice cut in, surprising both humans.

Two pairs of brown eyes turned towards the doorway to eye the stranger standing there. He was tall and impossibly gorgeous. Onigumo was a very handsome man, but even the bandit paled in comparison to this stranger. His hair was long, spilling over his shoulder to his broad chest, wavy and dark brown. He had a sculptured face the gods’ themselves would envy, almond shaped eyes, and a striking ice blue color that glowed in the shadowed room. Looking at his collar, she saw that he wore two garments under his haori. The layer closest to his body was white, the other a pale blue, and his haori was a darker blue but not the midnight color of Onigumo’s. His haori even had small, gold swirl patterns across the fabric, and his hakama was a deeper shade of blue, similar to Onigumo’s. 

But unlike the bandit, this stranger had a long and short sword sheathed at his left hip. And he was a demon, Kagome sensed, tensing at the realization. Before she could ask who he was, he spoke again, his deep voice low but easily heard.

“Do you really believe that Sesshomaru had no ulterior motive, miko? What is the one thing he’d wanted you to do after all your friends and family had died?”

“I don’t—” Kagome began with a frown only to have the answer pop into her mind.

Revenge.

Kagome sucked in her breath on a soft gasp, remembering. Sesshomaru had wanted her to become angry at the bandits for what they’d done, to take her revenge upon them and make them pay with their lives. She lifted a hand to her head, feeling a headache coming on. Sesshomaru hadn’t let her village be destroyed because he hadn’t felt inclined to play the hero, he’d wanted them all to die, for everything to be destroyed to further his aim in tainting her, to corrupt her.

Pain made every beat of her heart pound uncomfortably against her chest, and she moved her hand from her head, to place it over her chest, as if she could stop the pain, but that was impossible.

“Y-you’re lying,” she whispered. He had to be lying!

“Am I?” the stranger asked her conversationally, as if it didn’t matter to him if she believed him or not. “He’s lied and manipulated you into many things. Take your contract for example. It’s not real.”

“What?”

She hadn’t heard him right. Surely, she was misinterpreting his words, and yet dread pooled low in her gut, for she had a sinking suspicion that he might just be telling her the truth.

“You heard me. Your contract. It doesn’t exist. Neither of you exchanged enough blood. It takes more than a small prick from each of you to form a contract with an Inugami.”

Angry now, Kagome got to her feet, refusing to stay on the ground while this man looked down his nose at her. Onigumo was quick to follow her example and rise, but when he said her name worriedly, before attempting to put a hand on her lower back, she pushed his arm away, ignoring him.

“And who are you to voice such accusations? What proof do you have?” she demanded heatedly, glaring into his ice blue eyes. 

“Why, I’m an Inugami as well. If anyone, I would know how a contract is made between one of my kind and a human.”

Realization struck. “You’re Tatsuo, aren’t you?”

“Heard of me, have you? So Sesshomaru’s been gossiping about me behind my back, has he?” Tatsuo asked lazily.

He crossed his arms and continued to meet her gaze, unfazed by the emotions swirling inside her breast, uncaring how his words savaged her heart and mind.

“As if I’d trust you! You’re Sesshomaru’s enemy. You’re just trying to turn me against him. Well the jokes on you ‘cause I don’t believe a word you’ve said!” Kagome said heatedly, her voice raising.

“I admit that I am not the most trustworthy demon, and I do have a certain dislike for Sesshomaru; however, I am not lying to you,” Tatsuo replied calmly.

His calm in the face of her anger only set Kagome’s teeth on edge.

“You have no proof,” she said again. “If you do, then let’s see it.”

“Kagome,” Onigumo said, regaining her attention, but she only spared him a glance before returning her gaze to the Inugami standing in the doorway.

“So this is what you meant by magic healing you. Tatsuo saved you, healed you. You made a contract with him, didn’t you?”

Now she cut him another sidelong glance, looking Onigumo straight in the eye though she kept Tatsuo in her periphery vision. She didn’t trust this Inugami, and she sure as hell didn’t trust Onigumo either.

Onigumo stared helplessly at Kagome. Things were not progressing as smoothly as he had planned. He supposed that was an idiotic oversight of his. He should have realized that convincing Kagome would be difficult, but Sesshomaru was a demon. Surely a miko would not place much trust in such a being? Or at least, that had been his thoughts concerning the matter. Was Kagome blind and had misplaced feelings for Sesshomaru?

The thought angered him, for that creature did not deserve her regard. Neither did he, but he dismissed the thought quickly. He could change, redeem himself. Something. However, a demon was nothing but pure evil, especially in Sesshomaru’s case. He had to open Kagome’s eyes to Sesshomaru’s deceit.

“Can you really say that you trust Sesshomaru, Kagome?” he asked. “Look at me! I’m living proof that he’s lied to you. Who else would have known about my true identity? He told the villagers. Sesshomaru is the one who’d tried to have me burned alive!”

“That’s enough! I don’t have to believe you,” Kagome cried, glaring at Onigumo, even taking a step back from him. “Who are you to call another a deceiver, a murderer when you have committed the same crimes countless times?”

“Kagome,” Onigumo said through gritted teeth, stepping up to her and grabbing her by the shoulders. “Listen to me. He’s lying to—”

“Don’t touch me!”

She jerked away from him and moved farther back, out of his reach.

“I don’t believe you!”

“You don’t have to, but you do,” Tatsuo said.

Before she could turn back to him, the Inugami moved fast, crowding her against the wall, though he didn’t touch her physically. He was too close, unnerving her by his intimidating presence. Though he wasn’t really threatening her, Kagome didn’t want him this near her. She was forced to tilt her head back far just to meet his gaze.

Tatsuo’s eyes seemed cold, and not just because the color was such a light blue, striking really, and unnerving as hell staring into them this close.

“You believe everything we’ve said,” Tatsuo said.

“Tatsuo,” Onigumo said, his voice hard, not liking how close he was to Kagome.

“Do you believe I plan to cause her harm, Onigumo?” he asked without glancing away from her. Then he seemed to dismiss the other man’s presence.

He was right, damn him! Kagome did believe them, because, while she didn’t know Sesshomaru that well, she knew enough, and she wouldn’t put it past him to lie to her. Why did it feel like a betrayal? Sesshomaru hadn’t betrayed her, he’d just lied to her. Monstrous lies. They didn’t have a contract? Why? Why hadn’t he forced a true contract on her? Instead of doing so, he’d lied about it. Which mean, everything he’d forced her to do, to watch, was for nothing. The thought was painful.

All those lives she’d stood back and allowed to be snuffed out, all that blood on her hands—for nothing. With bleak realization, Kagome recalled everything Sesshomaru had done to try to corrupt her. Though the people he’d murdered were vile, evil men, she was a miko. It wasn’t up to her who lived and died. She was no man’s executioner. That was up to the law, not her.

She’d let him inside her body. They’d had sex. Kagome only now realized that Sesshomaru was probably only taking advantage of her confusion concerning Kikyo and her lover. He’d used her insecurities, her station, against her, twisting logic, and easily manipulating her feelings to get what he wanted. Her innocence. That was part of their ‘contract’, not only to corrupt her soul but to possess her chaste body. And she’d given that to him.

She thought she’d been using him that first time they’d lain together, when in actuality, he’d used her. Worse, he’d played her. She was such a fool.

Kagome looked away from Tatsuo, unable to hold his penetrating gaze for a second longer. All the fight went out of her. However, the resentment she’d felt for Sesshomaru since meeting him festered, growing inside her, almost choking her with bitter anger.

Her family and home was gone, her peace of mind and naïve innocence concerning the world and the people who lived in it was shattered, but what really made her hate Sesshomaru was that she’d allowed him to get inside not only her mind, but her heart. He’d made her care for him, to believe that he wasn’t as bad a person as he appeared. Because of her stupidity in thinking that he was not fully a terrible being, she’d allowed him to have her body. It was a gift a woman could only give once, and she’d given in to a monster.

And she despised him for that.

Tatsuo chuckled, the first sign of emotion from him, which had her glaring up at him, wanting to slap that smirk right off his face for laughing at her. And he was laughing at her; she knew it.

“What a fierce expression, miko. I can feel your bitterness and hatred emanated off of you in waves. It leaves a noticeable dark spot on your pure light.”

He leaned in towards her, placing his left hand on the wall inches from her face, and put his face right before her own. Kagome leaned more heavily against the wall, not liking how he hovered over her.

“If you don’t back up, I’ll give you a taste of my pure light,” she warned him softly even though she wasn’t sure she could back up her claim.

“Threatening me?” he murmured, his breath brushing her cheek. He didn’t sound afraid or even concerned about it, which angered her. “I’m not going to harm you, little miko. However, I will give you the power and resolve necessary to obtain the revenge you would otherwise deny yourself.”

Before she could even think to form a reply to that cryptic comment, Tatsuo placed his palm over her heart and began to murmur in a language she did not know. Blinking up at him in confusion, Kagome hesitated too long, realizing too late that he was performing magic—on her.

“Stop!” she shouted.

Sesshomaru stood gazing at the empty cave. Though his barrier was intact, Kagome was not within, so she had to have willingly stepped out. He could smell her scent just outside the cave, right where he was standing. Why had she left the safety he’d provided her with? And that other scent. Anger built inside him that the Inugami would dare come after one of his possessions. Was Tatsuo aware of Kagome’s unique soul, the natural purity in her nature, and sought to have her himself?

Underneath his anger was worry, because regardless of Tatsuo’s knowledge concerning Kagome, there was no knowing what he had planned for the girl. However, with everything he knew about the other Inugami, Sesshomaru knew that it didn’t bode well for his miko. Rape. Torture. Tatsuo could easily make her mad, insane from both physical and mental torture. Sesshomaru didn’t want to think about all the ways one could go about accomplishing such a deed, but he did, and every imagining only made him angrier and more worried.

Not only was his pissed at Tatsuo, his ire was also directed towards Kagome, that stupid girl. Why had she left his barrier? Right now, that hardly mattered. What did matter was reclaiming her before too much damage was done to her. Just the thought of what state he was going to find Kagome in filled him with dread, but also anger.

Tatsuo, you bastard, he inwardly seethed, clenching his molars and his hands into tight fists, his claws digging into his palms, drawing blood.

Sesshomaru inwardly berated himself. He hadn’t been aware of Tatsuo’s presence, had even moved farther away from Kagome when he’d sensed a few demonic presences nearby. They were weak demons, low level, but possible threats to Kagome, and he’d hunted them down and slain them as quickly as possible, before killing a rabbit for her dinner. He’d even skinned and gutted it for her, but now the small carcass lay abandoned and forgotten in the forest as he moved closer to where he’d left her, picking up Tatsuo’s scent. Now he realized how stupid he had been. Those low level demons had been a distraction while Tatsuo abducted the miko, and right under his nose.

It made him feel gullible, like an idiot, but above all, a failure. Kagome was his to protect, and he’d failed her.

Sesshomaru’s eyes settled on a tree not far away, finally heeding the pulse of youki that emanated from the spot. Ignoring the rain, his wet clothes that hung heavily on him, even the mud that sucked at his boots, Sesshomaru’s eyes narrowed on the bark. A large chunk had been stripped away from the trunk of the tree at his eye level, and a message cut into the wood.

All it gave was directions. Obviously, Tatsuo wanted him to go there. There were no demands, no assurance that Kagome or even Tatsuo would be waiting, and it was most likely a trap.

It didn’t matter.

Though Sesshomaru had lost to Tatsuo by allowing him to get past his guard and take Kagome, he would win her back and kill Tatsuo once and for all.

Turning on his heel, Sesshomaru used the fastest means of transportation under his command, allowing a ball of energy to surround him, and headed towards his destination. In the back of his mind, he wondered why he worried for the girl so fiercely.

What was she doing to him?

AUTHOR'S NOTE: Surprise! Yes, I did have Onigumo make a return visit to this story, but NO he did not turn into Naraku. Onigumo is still human and will remain as such in this story, but he does have his own Inugami. This was always my intent :3