Bonds by Kessa

The Vow

Kikyo Mitsui was not a person to be easily riled to excessive emotion. 

However when her younger cousin of five years showed up out of the blue on her doorstep, in tears and in a grief filled voice told her of the situation she was in, that rare anger bubbled up.  

"I don't know what to do," Kagome whispered miserably. She stared down at the tea Kikyo had served, but remained untouched. "How could he do this? And expect me to just go along with it?"

Eyes narrowed, Kikyo wondered the same. "You did say you would not stand for such an dishonourable act."

"Of course!" Kagome's eyes flashed momentarily. "I even said I wanted to break up-but he refused!  He said, 'You belong to me; there will be no break up.'"

She sat quietly, then added in a barely audible tone, Kikyo, if not for her enhanced senses thanks to her mate, would not have caught the words. 

"He refused to leave her too."

Lips pursed with anger, Kikyo glanced over as she felt the arrival of her spouse and mate.  Moving into the door of the kitchen, his red eyes took in the scene. 

Flushing, embarrassed, Kagome stammered a greeting to her cousin's hanyou mate. "I'm sorry to intrude..."

"Think nothing of it, little bird," Naraku placed a gentle hand on Kagome's head in comfort before he took a spot at his mate's side.  Sharp eyes studied her before sliding to Kikyo in question. 

"Kagome-chan's dog of a boyfriend has apparently been holding back relevant information," Kikyo murmured, an edge of anger to her normally soothing tone. "He has an arranged fiancée and did not think it was important to mention as he took a relationship with Kagome-chan."

Brows drawing together, Naraku took it in.  "That is rare. What does he stand to gain?" 

"He...he's the heir to the Tashio companies." Kagome murmured, wiping at her face discreetly.  "To inherit he must mate the woman chosen," she lowered her face to hide her expression. "I thought that he cared enough for me," her words turned slightly bitter. "Apparently his name and his inheritance is more important."

Suddenly a buzzing filled the room. Naraku and Kikyo watched as the younger woman jumped and then pulled out her vibrating cellphone. A glance to the screen made her delicate features darken before she hit the silent button and ignored the call.  "Sorry."  She murmured. 

"Is that him?" Kikyo asked. 

Shakily, Kagome nodded. "He's been calling every hour. I don't want to talk to him. I said all I needed to say."

Her phone chimed softly. Reading the text, Kagome's eyes widened. 

"Kagome-chan?"

"He's...threatening to come find me," she whispered. Looking up, her face was full of panic, eyes wild. "I can't let him find me, I...I just can't do this."

"Calm, little bird," Naraku soothed. "We will help."

"Y-you will?"

"Yes," Kikyo said firmly, coming to a decision. "We will help. And I know how."

~*~*~

"Keh, I don't know why you had ta bring me along," a voice muttered sourly. "It's your bitch missin'."

Golden eyes scanned along the half crowded room sharply. "Be silent," a cultured voice returned. "And do not call her that."

Huffing, the younger of the two slouched back and stared out bored. "Why go through all this, anyway?"  He waved his clawed hand lazily. This, being the wild goose chase he had been forced to go on with his half brother who was apparently determined to find some human wrench he was 'taken with' according to his father. 

Grumpily, Inuyasha eyed a group of girls walking by whispering and giggling as they eyed up his half brother, who of course was the usual ice bastard and ignored them. 

What do they see in him?  Ain't no personality to like, just them pretty boy looks. Inuyasha snorted, then his ears pricked forwards with interest as Sesshomaru stiffened and his youkai flared. 

Following the others gaze, his brow cocked as he saw a woman walking further down the crowded streets. Tilting his head, he resisted the urge to scratch the back of his neck in confusion.  Wasn't the wrench his icy brother after single?  This woman clearly had her arm tucked into a man's. Peering closer, he tried to get a angle were he could see their faces better.

"That her?"  He asked. "Looks like she's moved on right quick."

A half snarl escaped the older inu and he turned a gimlet glare on Inuyasha. 

"Okay, okay."  The hanyou muttered and straightened to walk ahead. 

Eyes narrowed, Sesshomaru followed at a distance.  Was it Kagome?  His youkai swirled around him with agitation. It couldn't be, she loved him only. 

She wouldn't dare take another male!  He growled to himself. 

He watched as Inuyasha caught up to the two and with his usual belligerence he cut between the two and halted in front of them with a smirk. 

"Keh, caught you wench."  He eyed the male, a hanyou like himself. "Didn't take you long to forget the bastard.  Impressive."

"Silence, hanyou," Sesshomaru came up from behind. "Kagome.  Come."

Eyes narrowed when she didn't immediately move, he went to reach for her when the hanyou, a spider, he thought with distaste, moved and wrapped his arm around her shoulders and drew her back protectively. 

Held fast to the spiders side, Sesshomaru got a good look at the woman and his eyes widened as he realized his mistake. 

Brown eyes narrowed on him. "I do not respond to such arrogant demands, unless my mate gives them for good reason."

"Who are you?"  Sesshomaru demanded as Inuyasha grouches in the background. "We got the wrong wench??"

"Kikyo."  She informed him coolly. 

He glared at her. Her features were similar to the missing woman. A relation?  "You carry Kagome's scent on your person. Where is she?"

"Someplace safe." She said softly. 

"Safe?" He echoed with disbelief and outrage. "You think I would harm her?"

Unruffled by his youkai bearing down, she met his gaze challengingly. "Did you not?  When you kept your other relationship a secret?  When you refused to abolish said relationship for just her?  When you chose power over her love?"  She paused and lifted a brow. "If you think you did not harm her, you are a hypocrite."

He snarled at her. "How dare you?!"

"I dare." She said in a cold, unflinching tone. "I dare because I was the one she came to crying and heartbroken!  I was the one who had to encourage her to eat and keep healthy, I was the one who had to drug her to sleep so she wouldn't keep reliving her last encounter with you in her nightmares!"

By the time she had finished, her voice had rose to a near shout and attracted several listeners who were murmuring as they looked on. 

"You meddle were you have no right," Sesshomaru hissed. 

"I have every right," Kikyo retorted. "As I am family. You are only a dishonourable male in capable of telling the truth from the beginning of your arranged marriage. You are the one who lied to Kagome, who gave you every part of herself and only asked for returned love, which you throw away for power and reputation."  For the first time, Kikyo released the barrier which kept her miko powers restrained and let them rise to match his own power. 

"You bring harm to a fellow miko and harm to her purity with your deceit." She intoned. "Know this, youkai Sesshomaru Tashio. Without Kagome's love you will never know true happiness. Until that cold heart of yours allows warmth to enter and your greed for power disappears, never shall you see Kagome again. This I vow."

Frozen, the inu could only stare. Turning away, held close to her mates side who watched over her in silence, she met the openly shocked gaze of the inu hanyou. "You will be my messenger for the hanyou and youkai alike," she said simply. "All miko and houshi know of this vow." 

Dumbly, he nodded and did nothing as they walked away. 

Little did the brothers know that several phones had been out and recorded the interaction. One in particular sent the video along with a message. 

Blue eyes seeped out crystal tears as the video played out.  At the end, when the silence stretched out, Kagome closed her eyes and a bitter sweet smile played on her lips. "Thank you Kikyo-chan."

~*~*~

Just a little something new. For Siera's Kagome and Kikyo Sister Forever Challenge.  I hope to post more to this story eventually so please be patient.  Not really edited. Once I have access to computer and better internet I'll check for mistakes. 

Kessa