InuYasha Fan Fiction ❯ Destined Love ❯ chapter 4 ( Chapter 4 )

A/N: I don't own the song! Or Inuyasha and co.

Chapter Four

They never saw him.

They never sensed him.

They never heard him.

They never smelled him.

But that didn't mean he wasn't there, perched in the shelter of a particularly leafy tree with rivers coursing down his face.

Kagome, why? was all Inuyasha could ask.

He had to know.

No, he needed to know.

He dropped to the ground with feline grace, landing on one knee, and ran towards the castle. His fury and subsequent adrenaline spurred him on to ever-greater speeds, and he reached the tall doors well before Kagome and Sesshoumaru did. He could see them, just inside the borders of the grounds, and he composed his features into an emotionless mask and sat down to wait.

Kagome immediately knew something was wrong when Inuyasha failed to comment on her current - true - form.

"Inuyasha, what's - "

The hanyou turned his gaze on his half-brother, asking, "Why? Why, Sesshoumaru?" in a curiously hoarse whisper. Kagome suddenly realized he'd been crying. She stepped towards him and enveloped him in a hug.

The white-haired prince wrapped his arms around her tightly, returning her embrace and loving the feel of her body against his. Deep down he knew they weren't meant to be, that it couldn't last…but that didn't mean he couldn't try. Suddenly Kagome released him and took a half-step away, singing under her breath.

I am the sun

I am the heir

I am human and I need to be loved

Just like everyone else does

I've already waited too long

And all my hope is gone

I am the sun

And the heir

Of a shyness that is criminally vulgar

I am the sun and the heir

Of nothing in particular

You shut your mouth

How can you say

I go about things the wrong way?

I am human and I need to be loved

Just like everybody else does

I am the sun

And the heir

Of a shyness that is criminally vulgar

I am the sun and the heir

Of nothing in particular…

Inuyasha and Sesshoumaru were both staring, open-mouthed, identical over-awed expressions on their faces. They'd never known the princess could sing. Kagome reached out and caught Inuyasha's hands in hers, and, still singing, pulled him into a dance.

You shut your mouth

How can you say

I go about things the wrong way?

I am human and I need to be loved

Just like everyone else does

There's a club, if you'd like to go

You could meet somebody who really loves you

So you go, and you stand on your own

And you leave on your own

And you go home, and you cry

And you want to die

When you say it's gonna happen "now"

Well, when exactly do you mean?

Is that how she feels? Inuyasha thought sadly.

Sesshoumaru's question was more jealous: Does she love Inuyasha more than me?

See, I've already waited too long

And all my hope is gone

You shut your mouth

How can you say

I go about things all the wrong way?

I am human and I need to be loved

Just like everybody else does…

The singer heard Sesshoumaru's almost-accusation, but didn't spare any thought for it. She was a little preoccupied with trying to explain something to Inuyasha.

"I love you, Inuyasha," she began -

Sesshoumaru gave a quiet curse and stalked away -

Inuyasha's eyes went wide and his heart began to race -

Sesshoumaru moved out of earshot -

Kagome took a deep breath -

" - but just as a friend."

Inuyasha's face fell, but his voice was steady. "I know. I've always known. But…hey, it was worth a try, right?" he asked, forcing a smile. He gave her hand a final squeeze and turned to leave. He hesitated at the doors. Turning to face her, he grinned and said, "You know, you really are beautiful in your true form."

Kagome couldn't respond. Her eyes shimmered in a silent thank-you.

Safely inside and away from prying eyes, Inuyasha allowed a forlorn smile to cross his lips. Sesshoumaru, you lucky dog…literally…

I can't believe that…that bitch! Sesshoumaru raged inwardly. She led me to believe that she really did love me, and then she turns around and says she loves my brother… Kagome, you will pay, he vowed. His eyes glittered with a black light.

There was a soft knock at his door, repeated again a moment later. He pointedly ignored it.

"Sesshoumaru," Kagome said quietly, easing the door open.

The silver-haired prince responded with a flat emotionless "What?"

Kagome bit her lip. Something was quiet obviously not right. He wasn't acting like someone who'd just professed his undying love; rather, his attitude was cold, the kind of greeting he'd give his mortal enemy.

"Why'd you leave?" she asked softly, shrugging off his tone and moving over to sit beside him on the edge of the bed.

Sesshoumaru stood abruptly and turned on her, eyes flashing. "Go back to your lover, wench," he snapped. "You don't need to play games anymore. I heard everything. Get out of my sight."

"What? What are you talking about, what games?" Kagome asked, genuinely confused. She looked him full in the face, eyes pleading. "Please, Sesshoumaru…I love you."

The recipient scoffed. "Yeah, you love me. And Inuyasha. I suppose you love Naraku too, and probably Miroku and every other guy you've ever met as well. I told you, get out!"

Understanding clicked. "Please, Sesshoumaru, listen to me," Kagome said, standing and taking his hand in hers. "Yes, I said I love Inuyasha, and I do - but not like I love you. You didn't stick around for the whole conversation. If you're going to eavesdrop, learn to do it properly, love," she said with a wry grin and a quick kiss.

Sesshoumaru's ears pricked up in interest, but he avoided her eyes. Until, that is, Kagome put her palm on his face and made him look at her.

"I told him I loved him as a friend," she said. "Nothing more, nothing less. Maybe there was something once, but it's gone now… You're the one that caught and held my heart, Sesshoumaru. It's you I love. Not Inuyasha, not Naraku…just you."

Sesshoumaru considered this for a fraction of a second before deciding that he believed it… And if she is lying, he told himself, well…it's worth it.

"And I love you, too," he whispered, pulling her into a passionate kiss.

They were just getting to the good part when there was a sharp rap on the door. They tried to ignore it, but it returned, louder, and finally they had to come up for air anyway. Somewhere in their heated moment they'd ended up on the bed with Kagome sitting on Sesshoumaru's lap; she couldn't restrain a little giggle at the whimper of protest he made when she got up. She moved to the side of the room, out of the way, and Sesshoumaru got up wearily.

"Come in," he called.

Inuyasha didn't notice her as he walked in, or if he did he did a good job of ignoring her. Which was good, because at the moment her face was strangely pale and she was forcing herself not to shudder.

Naraku, she thought. Why is he coming? Then, belatedly, Wait…why am I so terrified? I'm in my true form, and he has no control over me anyway… Her nervousness subsided to a more manageable level, and she tuned back into the half-brothers' conversation.

"I'm resigning my betrothal and turning it over to you," Inuyasha was saying. "I've already asked Mother, and she said it's all right…so, good luck, I guess." He favored Sesshoumaru with a small smile.

"Huh?" was the oh-so-smart reply he received. In her chosen corner, Kagome had to force herself not to jump for joy.

Inuyasha gave a theatrical sigh. "Must I spell it out for you?" he teased. "I have r-e-s-i-g-n-e-d my b-e-t-r-o-t-h-a-l, to you. M-o-t-h-e-r has already said that it is all right and that you two are to be - " He was interrupted by the door apparently flinging itself open.

"Naraku is at war with us!" Sango shouted, bursting in. Miroku appeared only a split second later. It took the demons a moment to recover their hearing, and then another for the significance of her news to sink in. Sesshoumaru was the first to snap to reality.

"Explain," he demanded.

"Well, he hasn't actually declared war," Sango said quickly, "but he's just outside the gates, with thousands of thousands of his demons - and a few humans too - and they seem pretty psyched up. He says he will not stop until he has…well…Kagome," she finished in a whisper.

At this point, Kagome decided it would be a good time to come out of the corner.

"What. The. Hell," she said simply.

Miroku and Sango gasped in surprise, as they hadn't yet heard of this new side to the princess. Sango was speechless; Miroku, of course, new just what to do.

"My beautiful maiden goddess," he said, falling to his knees before her and taking her hand, "your beauty blinds me and leaves me in awe. I would be so honored if you would do me the great favor of - "

"Miroku!" Sango growled -

" - bearing me a son?"

There was a moment of silence; there was some serious sweatdropping going on in the room. Sango nearly facevaulted, steam rising from her ears; Sesshoumaru snarled something sinister under his breath; Inuyasha was making a valiant (and mostly unsuccessful) attempt not to laugh. Miroku cringed unnoticeably, waiting for the sound slap that was sure to come his way. He expected it; it always happened.

What he didn't expect was for Kagome to bend down and kiss him on the cheek.

Sango turned another shade of read, and the steam began to billow out in great clouds. The vein on her forehead was looking frighteningly large.

Sesshoumaru glared at the lucky recipient; if looks could kill, Miroku wouldn't have even been a pile of dust. He'd've been lucky to be left in pieces as large as subatomic particles.

Inuyasha choked on his laughter.

Miroku blinked very, very rapidly.

Kagome smiled.

All the males' hearts skipped a beat or three.

"No, I won't bear you a son, or a daughter for that matter. I don't know you, let alone love you. But I do know - " here she leaned farther over to whisper into Miroku's ear - "I do know a very lucky woman whom you love who has the same feelings for you as you do for her. Ask her - after you're married. And I know you will be."

Miroku blinked again. "Who?"

Kagome sweatdropped for a fraction of a second. "Tell me, who do you love?" she whispered back.

"Er…S-s-s-s-Sango," he gulped. He had never told anyone before, and he never planned to, but somehow this goddess-made-flesh seemed to demand a truthful answer.

"Good…" Kagome whispered. "Remember what I said." Then she straightened, and looked everyone straight in the eye. "Now back to business. Destroy Naraku and his army…now!" She swept through the door and raced down the hall, the others at her heels.

Kagome stood next to Sesshoumaru in front of the castle, the silver-haired prince's army at their backs. "They are coming from the north and the east. The only way still open to us is the south," she stated.

"How do you - " Sesshoumaru was cut off by an evil laugh.

"Ku, ku, ku…. So, who is the pretty thing you've next to you, dear friend Sesshoumaru?"

Sesshoumaru growled and opened his mouth to answer, but Kagome squeezed his hand and took a small step forward. "Now, Naraku," she said with a hurt _expression, "has my appearance really changed so much? Or did that last kiss leave you so stunned that you don't recognize me?"

"M-miko?!" Naraku stuttered. "But how is that possible? You are human!"

Kagome sneered. "So you think. I have no human blood in me."

Perfect, Naraku purred inwardly. She will be even more powerful as an - as a demon. We will rule together, her as my mate…

Sesshoumaru snarled. He may not have heard the demon lord's exact thoughts, but he'd caught enough to get a pretty good sense. Kagome stepped back beside him and lay her hand on his upper arm; he quieted quickly.

Naraku's demon followers were silent, staring in unashamed awe at her otherwordly beauty. The angel could hear their thoughts clearly: We have to kill her? Why must we kill such a creature? She smiled, and their hearts skipped.

"None of you want to fight me," she said, addressing the mob and spreading her arms in a gesture of peace. "You follow this man, this evil being, so blindly. Do you not see? He tempts you with empty promises." She was prepared to continue, but her speech was cut short by the evil being himself.

"Silence! I make no false promises, and no empty threats. Disappoint me, and each and every one of you will fall…but follow me faithfully, and you shall reap the rewards. I promised you power; power you shall have, for the small price of Sesshoumaru's head," he finished, flashing the target a sadistic smile. The demon army swept forward, slamming into the defending line with immeasurable force, and the battle was on.

The noise was terrible. Agonized shrieks from the wounded, trampled underfoot; the clash of sword on teeth and the crunch of bones shattered in impossibly strong jaws. Kagome and Sesshoumaru fought back-to-back, slaying those who dared to attack them while keeping an eye on the battle as a whole.

"There are too many!" Kagome shouted over her shoulder. "Your army cannot keep them off much longer!" Sesshoumaru knew it to be true; they were losing, and losing badly.

"Well, what the hell am I supposed to do about it?" he snapped back. A wildly swinging sword nearly took off his foot; it didn't improve his mood.

"Have them change to their demon forms," Kagome urged. "I know it's risky, but it's your only hope - our only hope."

Sesshoumaru hesitated for a fraction of a second before bellowing out the order. Almost instantly the battlefield went from hectic to chaotic; not all of the demons could control themselves around fresh blood as Sesshoumaru, and many were turning on their allies. But more were ripping into Naraku's demons with renewed ferocity. Sesshoumaru, who had decided to ignore his own order and remain in his normal form, gave a grim smile. Then he blinked in confusion; the slight glow that Kagome had been giving off had suddenly vanished.

"Kagome?!" he yelled, spinning.

"What?" she bellowed back, annoyed. "Little busy now - talk later!" It took him a moment to find her among the general melee. She had changed again; now her still-glowing skin was mostly covered by a tight black body suit and lightweight armor, and her right fist was clenched around the hilt of her sword. She looked more like a goddess than ever, with her hair swirling about her face in a nonexistent wind and her face flushed with her exertions. Sesshoumaru could tell that her powers were struggling to surface. Demons and humans alike fell two or even three at a time before her onslaught.

Standing alone in a momentary calm, Kagome flashed the silver-haired prince a smile, and he returned it. Then a look of horror crossed his face, and he shouted something unintelligible. She cocked her head.

Rapid movement at the corner of her eye caught her attention, and she spun. Sesshoumaru screamed her name. She tried to duck, but it was too late…