At What Price

Summary : “If you kill her,” a vicious snarl tore from the Inu- hanyou’s lips, “you die where you stand, fucker!” Inuyasha rolled from his stomach to his back and jumped up, only to land on his feet. His temper still was maxing out when Sesshoumaru got closer to the sphere that entrapped his dear friend.

Author's Note: Hello my faithful readers I am back! Did you miss me? This chp is double in length to make up for my absence or in some distorted opinions my neglecting you all. Hahaha! Enjoy and if you still want a disclaimer go to chp 1.

CHAPTER 36: I'M WITH YOU
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Sesshoumaru’s eyes burnt red as the bastard hanyou manipulated Kagome’s body. He was molding her body with the every beat of the music in erotic poses mirroring his sexual lust for Kagome. Naraku’s face was still invisible to the two brothers as they watched in fury, and he decided his next move. Naraku loved the emotional display coming from the two of them. He decided to push the envelope even farther. His tongue flickered out and traced Kagome’s cheek then traveled down the length of her neck. Naraku’s lips latched on to the sensitive skin, sucking and biting the juncture.

Sesshoumaru cursed, he couldn’t morph into his full demonic form without scaring Inuyasha’s human employees half senseless, and destroying the club. Yet, the pull in his demonic blood was screaming to be let loose, however; Sesshoumaru couldn’t allow himself to over react, knowing it would draw attention to himself. ‘I will have your blood one day bastard,’ promised Sesshoumaru. ‘I will enjoy the feel of your blood dripping from my hands as I watch you die.’ Sesshoumaru had never before felt this degree of murderous fury until now. It wasn’t until someone touched his Kagome in such a way. He was the only one who was going to touch her that way.

That’s when Inuyasha took action. Sesshoumaru watched as his head strong brother lunged at the figure holding Kagome; only to have them disappear in to the dark abyss. Inuyasha was swearing lividly when he thought that he lost the ass-hole holding Kagome captive. He turned to look at Sesshoumaru, only to see them reappear only a few feet behind Sesshoumaru. Inuyasha ran past Sesshoumaru to where Kagome was now located on the dance floor and raised a clawed hand to swipe at the bastard. Yet, the image of the pair multiplied around them on the dance floor. Inuyasha quickly pulled his hand back when his amber eyes full of hate saw five mirror images of the couple dancing around them.

“Damn, what the hell is this?” Inuyasha turned around and ogled at Sesshoumaru. “Hey, old man, a little help here?”

Sesshoumaru smirked. ‘So, this is an illusion spell that this bastard is using is it? This must be a distraction because the asshole has Kagome. Where the hell are they then? They must be somewhere else in the building.’ Sesshoumaru turned and left the crowded dance floor in haste. “Inuyasha these are just false illusions, a ploy to keep us busy while Kagome is somewhere else in the building being harassed. Let’s go.”
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
In the corner of the dark stage, away from view of others, Naraku bared his fangs as he moved toward Kagome’s neck. The sweet scent coming off her drove him to no ends. He tilted her head, so that he would have better access to her neck. Naraku could see her pulse; the pulse of the carotid artery moving in and out and a sensual rhythm that match the beat of Kagome’s pure heart.

Sesshoumaru focused all of his energy and thought into to locate Kagome. He pulled his conscious awareness away from the noise of club to find her.

Naraku moved his lips closer to the base of Kagome’s neck. A bright light started to pulsate in the darkness.

‘Kagome!’ The voice inside her commanded her attention. ‘Fight this!’ Kagome felt her soul burning as she struggled to her gain control. Her soul fought the shrouded darkness that was trying to ensnare her. ‘Sesshoumaru?’ Kagome question, as she felt a tug at her heart. It was like Sesshoumaru was seeking her out. ‘I’m with you.’ She heard him whisper, the demanding promise in the depth of her mind gave her some peace. ‘Help me,’ Kagome pleaded. It was all she could manage before the comatose state claimed her once again.

*Gasping*
Naraku could feel his body being pushed away by a forming barrier. His beaded little eyes narrowed in fury as he saw the ring on Kagome’s finger shine with a pure light that was beginning to scorch him.

Sesshoumaru, at that moment knew where she was when he heard her plea.

Inuyasha was irate with panic. It seemed that his brother wasn’t going to help him because the so-called ass left him.

Inuyasha heard his name being shouted. However, the voice was in major competition with the music blaring from the speakers.

“Inuyasha!”

It was Kikyou. ‘Damn! Not now. Just ignore her act like you don’t hear her,’ Inuyasha walked off the dance floor leaving behind a livid fiancée who was sending arrows at his retreating form.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Sango and Miroku were up on the second floor socializing with friends, when she saw Inuyasha from the balcony lunging at nothing but air. Her mouth dropped open in shock. “There’s something wrong down there Miroku!” Sango elbowed her boyfriend in the ribs to gain his attention.

Miroku winced at the jab his girlfriend gave him, but he turned to see what Sango was talking about. The pair watched in confusion when they saw Sesshoumaru’s eyes shine a bright blood red. ‘Trouble!’ The word rang in Sango mind like a siren.

“Lets go Sango dearest.” The couple ran off to find out what was happening.

Naraku fell back hard on the ground by the force. The cause was the magical barrier surrounding Kagome. He failed this time, but next time he would not. Naraku laughed at the woman engulf in a silver white barrier, sealing her away from reach. “I always get what I want Kagome,” Naraku said endearingly, “and I want you.” He whispered the last part like a caress into the obscurity of the stage before disappearing into air just seconds before Sesshoumaru and Inuyasha came crash through the back of the stage.

What the brothers’ saw halted them in there immediate tracks. There, Kagome was suspended in the air within a sphere of light. It crackled with electricity when Inuyasha got to close to it. Sesshoumaru smirked at the sight. ‘The sphere protects Kagome, but Inuyasha hasn’t figured that out yet.’

“Inuyasha!” Screamed Sango as she watched him attempt to attack at the sphere. “Don’t touch it.”

“Kagome is in there damnit! What do you want me to do?! We can’t leave her in there.” Inuyasha scowled when he rounded to look at Sango.

“Inuyasha,” Miroku cautioned. “I think it wise to listen to Sango. We don’t know what will happen if you touch it. It might kill Kagome or even you.” Miroku added. Tension was building between the people surrounding Kagome. Miroku however didn’t feel anything evil about the barrier that held his friend suspended in air.

Sesshoumaru listened to them argue for what felt like an eternity in the dimly lit stage. He knew the ring had protected Kagome, it was the ring his father, InuTaishou, had given his mother when they had become mate. After, his mother’s death, however; Sesshoumaru was given the ring, that in hopes that someday he would marry. Marry someone who was his equal in all things. But, Sesshoumaru would have never thought that this mere human woman would ever have the ability to tap into the power that the ring held. ‘Interesting…’

“Well then, what the hell do we do? We just can leave her like that!” Inuyasha roared.

Sesshoumaru knew this was another chance to humiliate his brother further. If he could save the woman that he once loved it would hurt his pride. Not to mention, make Inuyasha furious because he was helpless to do anything for Kagome. ‘You chose wrong Inuyasha,’ he thought to himself. Sesshoumaru moved with determination in his step, as he closed in on the sphere that entrapped Kagome.

“Sesshoumaru! What the hell to you think you are doing?!” Inuyasha jumped in front of the Taiyoukai to inhibit his progress near Kagome.

“Out of my way, half breed!”

The two brothers faced off until Inuyasha made the first move. His fist was wildly thrown toward Sesshoumaru’s face with such great speed that it almost hit him. Almost. But, the Lord of the Western Land would not fall for such a poorly planned attack, and gracefully moved his head to the side before reacting. Inuyasha’s body turned ever so slightly giving Sesshoumaru the advantage to take down his younger brother down in one swift motion. Inuyasha stupidly left himself wide open. Sesshoumaru’s clawed hand enclosed around Inuyasha’s fist in a crushing grip. Sesshoumaru, while he turned his stupid brother’s arm up behind his back. The sound of bones crackling was almost deafening; causing Inuyasha to wince in pain.

“Sesshoumaru, let him go. This isn’t going to make matters any better.” Miroku cautioned, as he stepped forward to break up the fighting between the two. Miroku swallowed hard. ‘What am I doing getting in the middle of these two fighting? Last time I did that I received a broken nose for my troubles. Oi, what am I thinking?’

“Can you two just put aside this little boy fight for now? We have to save Kagome!” Sango yelled at Sesshoumaru and Inuyasha.

Inuyasha wasn’t listening as he moved out of the hold Sesshoumaru had him in. He brought his other free hand out in an arc aimed again for Sesshoumaru’s face, yet again. Sesshoumaru however dodge it and shoved Inuyasha, with one hand in a violent motion to the ground. Inuyasha landed face first.
*THUMP*

An artic look from Sesshoumaru made Miroku shiver, but Sango on the other hand did not. She just stomped over to Sesshoumaru and gave him a hard look back.
This only mildly amused him as the woman before him tried to intervene. Sesshoumaru however knew Kagome wasn’t in danger, and that gave him something to barter with. Beside that, his brother did make the first move to insight the fight.

“What would Kagome say if she saw you to like this?” Sango paused when she saw that the brothers weren’t going to stop their altercation anytime soon. “Just think of her reaction to the two of you!” Now Sango was pleading, changing her tactic. ‘Oh, let this work. Please, oh, please let this work.’ she chanted over and over again.

“This Sesshoumaru was only going to help Kagome when his half wit, half breed brother attacked.” Sesshoumaru gave an eerie look at his brother that wavered on anticipated amusement and hatred. He walked away from Inuyasha who was still on the floor now trying to get up on his uninjured arm. Sesshoumaru could hear his younger sibling growl a threat at him.

“If you kill her, you die where you stand, fucker!” Inuyasha rolled from his stomach onto his back and jumped up. His temper still was maxing out when Sesshoumaru got closer to the sphere that entrapped his dear friend. Inuyasha was tense as he expected a jolt of something to flare from the sphere keeping Sesshoumaru away, but it did not send a charge of electricity out in defensive. The sphere on the other hand started to turn a gold color, as Sesshoumaru moved scant inches near it. Kagome’s form turned within the sphere.

“Inuyasha,” Sesshoumaru paused before he touched the barrier, “watch you pathetic cur and learn!” Sesshoumaru’s hand touched the surface of the sphere making an ancient Kanji symbol appear. Nothing seemed to happen right away, but soon a small hole appeared in the barrier causing Sango to gasp in awe. It continued to grow out.

“How does it feel, Inuyasha, to know that you can’t even protect what you still want, but can no longer have?”

“What the hell does that mean?!!!” Inuyasha barked at his brother.

The barrier faded totally when Sesshoumaru stroked Kagome’s cheek. Her body was falling down, back to the ground below, as gravity took over without the barrier to levitate her. Inuyasha moved with speed unseen to the human eye. Even Sesshoumaru’s keen eye sight didn’t see what his younger brother did until it was too late. Inuyasha caught Kagome and cradled her in his arms.

“Kags! Please wake up. Kags?” he implored the woman in his arms.

Kikyou was incensed because he had left her alone on the dance floor, but now all she could do now was see red as her Inuyasha held that tramp in his arms.

A groan came from Kagome as her silver eyes fluttered open. “Sessho-,” she caught herself before she called Inuyasha by his brother’s name. “Inuyasha.”

Nevertheless, that slight error uttered was heard by all. Inuyasha tensed has he held her. ‘Was that what he meant he could not longer have her?’ Kagome wasn’t chained to him any more. ‘Just friends?’ His thought reminded him. Inuyasha was engaged, and yet wondered if he made the wrong decision thousands of times.

“You’d better let go of her if you don’t want to sleep outside in the dog house tonight!” Kikyou seethed between her clenched teeth.

“Calm down princess.” Sango sneered at the woman. “Kagome was attacked and Inuyasha was just helping her.”

Kikyou turned her attention over to Sango. “Well, I wouldn’t doubt that considering the way she it dress! It just yells assault me, I’m an easy whore!” She replied in a cold demeanor.

Sesshoumaru almost killed the bitch right then and there, but did not give into the urge. He still wanted to see the looks on there faces when he announced his and Kagome’s engagement. ‘Then after that,’ he mused, ‘if I wish to kill them I will.’ But, inwardly Sesshoumaru knew that time would not sway his desire, which in the end would still be to kill the vile bitch.

Sango about flipped her lid, she stormed after Kikyou who was now slinking backwards towards Inuyasha. “If you want another black eye, Princess, just keep it up.”

Miroku lunged for Sango as she looked ready to pounce on Kikyou. ‘That’s all we need right now, is another fight.’ Sango struggled in Miroku’s surprisingly tight hold on her. “Sango,” he whispered in her ear. “this will not accomplish anything expect …” He didn’t finish. The two watched as Kagome went sailing through the air again.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
“Sesshoumaru!” Inuyasha whispered as he got up with Kagome in his arms. “she came with you, she can leave with you. I feel it is best if the both of you leave. Now!” After he finished his demand. Inuyasha tossed Kagome like a ball back at his older brother. He had no doubt that Sesshoumaru would catch Kagome, that is why he didn’t even bother giving a second glance back as he walked away. Inuyasha was deep in thought as he took his leave with Kikyou in his hold.

Someone was after Kagome, even him. The question was why? And what would they gain? Inuyasha’s last evocative thoughts were of Kagome before he totally dismissed the entire group standing behind him. ‘Kagome, I do love you but,… Please. Do not haunt me. I made my choice, and I will live with it.’ Somewhere in his mind, Inuyasha had a feeling that he had already lost her sometime ago. Then another question came up. ‘But, to whom? Well, who ever it was, was one lucky man.’ Oh, but little did Inuyasha know that it wasn’t a man at all. Never once did Inuyasha notice the ring on Kagome’s finger held the crest of the InuTaisho clan.