And here we go with the next chapter! I hope that you have enjoyed this story thus far—it’s not far from over—I’m not into writing many epics. ^.^ We’ll see how far this one goes. Thanks to all that have offered me suggestions and gave such great feedback for my story! Standard disclaimer applies—none of the characters within belong to me—Rumiko Takahashi is still the owner.

Sacrifice

Chapter Four

By: Lazuli

<lazulidreamer@yahoo.com>

Inuyasha looked at the silent girl as she finished cooking their meal. She had gotten better--after he had taught her how to cook. He never expected that he would have kept her around for so long, but she was becoming something to keep. He treated her like he would treat pack...offering the comfort and security that she deserved, taking care of her clothing and the rumors that had started around her. Now...he couldn't reasonably get rid of her, not after what he said.

Mate.... what on Earth possessed me to call her my mate? Now I can't get rid of her without their being more talk, and where would she go, besides? The villagers are ready to kill her for the 'bad luck' she has around her.

"Oi, Kagome." Her head shot up at her name being called. "Are you finished with that meal yet?" He tried not to sound too gruff with her. She was alone, and he had gone beyond the normal pack-mate limits by kissing her. Not that he had minded kissing her, but it was considered rude to treat her like an outcast again once he treated her like an equal.

Nodding shyly, she brought over the meal, her movements more sure than they were when she first arrived. She no longer cringed when he came in the room, and instead gave him small smiles. It seemed like she relaxed a lot after she broke down and cried against him.

"Inuyasha...why are... I mean...." She blushed and looked down at her lap. "Why do you still have me around? I know I've improved, but..." Her blush deepened as she handed him the fried meat and vegetables that she swore was a fantastic meal from her home. It was the first time making it here, and she watched him carefully as she waited for both reaction and answer.

“I like having you around.” He said bluntly as he ate the meal quickly. “You can actually cook now.” He grinned at her, and forked another mouthful in. “And you can clean.” And you kiss quite nicely. I want to do it again. He finished off the meal and tweaked her nose.

She quickly looked down at her own meal and shoveled the food in her mouth to prevent herself from making a reply just then. Her face still had hint of a slight blush, but she actually looked pleased at the thought that he thought her worth keeping her around, even if it was just a servant. But with the way he held her… comforted her when she cried…that wasn’t what she expected. She nervously smoothed down the fabric of her outfit and smiled again. The clothing wasn’t something she expected either. He said it was just for appearances, but if she didn’t really move outside the house, who was she keeping appearances for?

“Anyways, I want to take you out tomorrow. I need to get away from this house. Unless you want to stay here…?” He looked at her, one brow raised in question. He really didn’t want her to be alone in his home. He wanted her by him. By now news that she was his ‘mate’ had probably spread, and it wouldn’t work to have her all alone in the house. To his relief, she shook her head.

“It would be too empty.” She mumbled. “Too quiet…” And I would miss having you around. When did I find his company so pleasing? Like I wanted him with me. She kept those thoughts to herself as she finished the meal and collected their bowls and chopsticks. “Where are we going?” She inquired instead, already at work cleaning up the remains of dinner. She was very quick and efficient in her duties, but her eyes flicked up to Inuyasha.

“To that village I snatched you out of.” His eyes were slightly amused. “We need to show the villagers how they made a mistake.” Her eyes took on a frightened sheen.

“You’re not going to leave me there, are you?” He was surprised by the amount of fear in her voice, not expecting that type of reaction. Looking at her carefully, he moved over so that he was right next to her. “You actually want to stay a servant with me?” He asked carefully.

Nodding, she set aside the bowls carefully, drying them with a piece of her old outfit. “It’s better then being out there.” She offered him a tentative smile. “I like being here…I feel safer then with the humans out there.” She gestured outside to the sounds of the village and her expression was obvious and her feelings about the villagers easy to read. And it’s like a have a somewhat of a family again. You’re making me feel cared for again—needed.

“They area nasty bunch if they think you’re a youkai.” He shrugged and pulled her against him cautiously. “If I insisted you were a human, they’d treat you better…” His voice trailed off as she shook her head.

“It doesn’t work that way and you know it.” Her voice was firm as she looked up at him. “The color of my eyes is what got me here in the first place. At least I’m safe being with you.”

He chuckled and tugged on her hair. “Oh, so I’m nothing but your bodyguard now?” He teased. “I didn’t realize you were so important, Kagome.”

She made a face at him. “I’m not the royalty.” She pointed out dryly. “I’m just an ordinary girl, as far as I’m concerned. One that’s a miko, and a poor one at that.” She tugged on his ears, pleased with the slight growl that emitted.

“Kagome… “ He whined and made a face at her, moving his ears out of the way. “That’s not important. It’s important that you’re staying with me. I wasn’t going to give you up even if you wanted to.” He smirked.

“Oh, and you were so confident that I would stay with you?” She tugged on his ears again. “You arrogant little…” Whatever else she was going to say was cut off by him muffling her with his lips.

Once he pulled away, he smirked again and touched her lips with the tip of his finger. “I can keep you here because I’ve claimed you.” His smile widened at her outraged look.

“I thought you said you weren’t like that!” She finally sputtered. His arms gripped her waist. “You didn’t seem to mind when I kissed you before.” He tilted his head. “And you didn’t refute the statement of you being my mate.”

She looked stunned at that. “But we… we haven’t done anything.” She stammered. She had learned a lot about youkai from him. About how a mate was claimed and how they would be perceived by other youkai if the mate was weaker. It wasn’t mentioned about humans. Inuyasha hadn’t explained that to her, and she assumed it was because of his mother.

Looking unconcerned, he moved away from her, putting the bowls away in their proper spot. “I’ve put a claim on you, and that’s what everyone else sees. That’s what they are going to expect to see. Plus I like kissing you. It’s nice.” He shrugged and sat across from her again. “Are you uncomfortable with being claimed by a youkai?”

She looked down. “I never dealt with youkai before I met you. I never thought about them at all. Where I come from, they don’t exist.”

His eyes widened and his expression was stunned, then disbelieving as he looked at her. “That’s ridiculous.” He muttered. “Youkai are everywhere. There isn’t a place in all the world where they don’t exist in some form.”

“Where I come from they are nothing but myth.” She said shortly. “You don’t exist in my world, sacrificing blue-eyed girls to youkai doesn’t exist…” She shook her head. “My parents don’t exist…” The last sentence was said almost too softly to hear.

He lost his arrogant expression and touched her hand lightly. He knew what it was like to lose a parent…She started at the unexpected touch then gave him a weak smile, shaking her head.

“It’s not important, Inuyasha. That’s in the…past.” She paused before saying the word, an amused smile on her face, replacing the pained one. “Tell me, Inuyasha…what do you do when your past is the future?”

He didn’t have an answer for that, just simply pulled her into his arms when she started to cry again.

**

Kagome kept on looking around the woods, nervous at the small sounds that emerged from the high branches of the trees. Her eyes flicked back to Inuyasha, and she wondered if he was just going to leave her…despite the way he was acting with her. She didn’t really believe that he would abandon her—but it was just her fear that she would be left alone again. She didn’t want to be left alone…and being with Inuyasha meant that she wasn’t alone. She however, was getting tired from the long walk. When they had made the trip the last time, he had carried her, now she was on her own two feet.

I’ve gotten lazy, that’s what it is. I was so used to taking buses and trains that I hardly ever walked. My training at the shrine left me strong, but now I’m only sitting around all day, cooking and cleaning. That hardly makes me fit for walking miles upon miles. I’m thirsty, too.

Inuyasha kept his eyes on her most of the time, ears alert for any sounds of danger as they made their way through the twisting forest paths. He noticed that Kagome started to lag and her threw her an annoyed look. “Why are you walking so slow?” He asked. Her feet were practically dragging in the dirt, but she lifted her head enough to shoot him a nasty look.

“We can’t all be youkai.” She muttered. “Some of us are human and need to rest occasionally. Or take a drink.” She was clearly very tired, and her face red from not being able to rest. “Pardon me while I exhaust myself keeping up with your pace.” She would have gone on longer when Inuyasha simply rolled his eyes and lifted her on his back.

“Hold on tight, then.” He said. “I go very fast if I’m not worried about someone slowing me down.” It was clear from his tone of voice that they had been going slow enough as it was, and he was actually slightly pleased that they would be getting there at a decent time. She had to grip to his shoulders tightly as they practically flew through the trees, and she closed her eyes tightly as the wind rushed passed her and her memory of the first time this had happened to her. Things were better now with him—she wondered what type of reception they would receive at the village.

Hakura was the first to spot them, and by the way her eyes widened and the shrieking the echoed back into the forest, it was clear that they weren’t going to be welcomed with open arms. Kagome squeaked in surprise as the villagers stared at her with open hostility, fear and loathing on most of their faces as they were able to see for themselves how close she was with the hanyou—she thought more closely about it. They’re probably surprised that I’m alive at all.

Kikyou stepped forward; bow in hand as she stared down at them hatefully. “You brought nothing but bad luck on this village.” She bit out, her voice trembling with suppressed anger. “And now you’re coming back to it?” Her eyes flicked to the protective stance Inuyasha had taken beside Kagome. “And instead of dying honorably, you decide to become his whore. How…pleasant.”

Gasping in surprise, Kagome stepped forward, her eyes fearless as she glared angrily at the miko. “You bitch!” She hissed out. “I’m no whore…not his or anybody’s. Inuyasha was actually acting like what you aren’t. Human.” Her expression showed her disgust. “He saved my life, and didn’t throw it away because of your superstitious bull about me being bad luck for you.”

Kikyou’s eyes widened as she staggered back, looking like she had been hit struck. It only took her a few moments to recover, but her gaze was even more hateful as she turned it back on Kagome. “You are a little whore. That’s the only reason why a youkai would take a human—so she would warm his bed for him. Ask Inuyasha was his mother’s role was in his father’s house.”

Inuyasha froze, his entire body vibrating as the low growl rumbled from his chest, his eyes promising retribution for what Kikyou was saying about his mother. Kagome risked a quick look back at him and bit her lip. He was so angry… but she didn’t blame him. She would be in the same situation, have the same reaction that he was having—although he was acting more restrained then she ever would be. She made a quick decision and gripped his hand.

“I know that his mother was his father’s mate—like I am.” She said softly. “She wasn’t a whore—although you certainly seem to be acting like the jealous bitch who didn’t get her man.” Kikyou flinched and Kagome knew that she hit a nerve.

“That it, isn’t it?” She taunted, enjoying the different shades of red that Kikyou’s face was turning as she tried to contain her anger. “You’re jealous—you wanted Inuyasha and you know that he wouldn’t have a woman that would throw an innocent girl away to her death.”

Inuyasha was strangely silent by her side, the soft sound of his breathing and the way he gripped her hand were her only clues that he was still there.

Kikyou looked like she was ready to rip apart Kagome with her bare hands while the villagers talked amongst themselves when Inuyasha finally spoke up, his voice quiet and serious.

“I came here because my father decreed that I would watch over these lands once I came of age and chose a mate. You are under my protection now—and my mate is over you—far above what you can imagine.” There was no teasing edge to his voice, and Kagome wondered just what she had stumbled into. The villagers certainly have seemed to grasp the situation and they paled, their gossip turning into incoherent babbling as they begged Inuyasha for forgiveness.

Kagome looked up at him as well, asking silently for an explanation. He seemed so…sure of himself now—arrogant—but acting unlike she had seen him before.

“Inuyasha-sama…” One of the younger women stepped forward. “We … we apologize for how we acted… we had no idea…”

“That I would be back to claim my heritage? No youkai will attack these lands as long as I am their leader. You should remember that was the real reason why young maidens were left to youkai—not to get eaten but to see if they were potential mates. Kagome obviously does not want to go back to you—and so I have claimed her as mine.”

The red had faded from Kikyou’s face to be replaced by a sick, greenish gray color and she nodded slowly. “I thank you, Inuyasha-sama.” Her voice was stiffed and the formal tone obviously forced. Inuyasha just smirked at her and bowed mockingly.

“I will be back to oversee matters.” He said. “If I hear of any more of the situations that occurred her before, then be sure that I will make sure your village is not able to recuperate from the losses that will occur.”