Haunted

Disclaimer: InuYasha belongs to Runiko Takahashi and her publishers. I make no money from this story. Haunted belongs to Amy Lee and Evanescence.

 

 

Haunted

 

Chapter 1 The Return

 

 

Long lost words whisper slowly to me

Still can't find what keeps me here

When all this time I've been so hollow inside

I know you're still there

 

-         Evanescence

 

 

The buzzer blared, like a bee woken up from its nap. The attendant at the front desk looked up from his paper, still picking his yellow, tusk-like teeth and stared moodily at the young woman who had entered the seedy hotel. Her long black hair and intense black eyes were a stark contrast to her ghostly pale skin. She hardly made a sound as she walked up to him, a battered suitcase in one hand, and another oddly shaped case in the other. He eyed her warily.

 

“What’ll it be?” the attendant grated.

 

“A room for the night,” she said in a low, monotone voice.

 

The woman’s expression or lack thereof, unnerved the man a bit. He reached for a key, and pushed the ledger with a pen tied to it by an old, worn piece of string. She picked it up, scribbled her name and date, and reached for the key. He grabbed her hand before she could remove it and shuddered…she was so cold. Their eyes met.

 

“You have to pay upfront,” he said. “Fifty bucks.”

 

Nodding, she tossed off his hand with surprising strength, and reached into the pocket of the short, flared coat she wore. He pulled the extended fifty dollar bill out of her hand before he could accidentally touch her again.

 

“Your room is up the stairs and at the end of the hall to the right,” he said, as she took the key.

 

The only response she gave him was a downcast look of her eyes, as she picked up her bags and headed for the door to the stairwell. He frowned and shivered, uncharacteristically unnerved. He had seen a lot of strangeness working here, but this woman…was fucking eerie.

 

~*~

 

Lady Kikyou had a routine she had been following for months now. Once inside the room, she threw the suitcase on the bed, being sure to avoid the window with a view of the street. It was night time, and the lights of the city filtered threw the blinds like willow the wisps trying to speak. Opening the case, she took out a black piece of felt and a roll of duck tape. She tore down the dingy blinds, and they fell in a heap on the floor with a crash. Carefully she taped the felt to the window, covering it. Experience had taught her…she could never be too careful, and she would never be truly safe if she did not take precautions.

 

Watching me, wanting me

I can feel you pull me down

Fearing you, loving you

I won't let you pull me down

 

With a soul weary sigh, Kikyou sat on the edge of the flimsy bed.  She ran a long-fingered hand over her face, as her ears were accosted by the noise of several obviously inebriated patrons entering the room next to hers. Crossing her arms under her breasts, she stared at the open suitcase she had been living out of for the past several months. On top of her clothes in one corner was a one time use, disposable cell phone. Frowning slightly, she picked it up and placed a call.

 

“Hello InuYasha, it’s me,” Kikyou said.

 

“Kikyou, it’s about time you checked in!” was the explosive reply. “Where the hell have you been and where the hell are you?”

 

“Never mind about where I have been,” Kikyou said with an air of exasperation to her former partner. “I am in town again, it’s time to end this.”

 

“What the fuck? You stupid or something – he’s still looking for you and you are right back in his territory – just what the fuck do you think you’re doing?”

 

“I know what I am doing,” Kikyou said sternly. “I’m going after Naraku, I’m done with running.”

 

“Wait, let Kagome and I help you!” InuYasha desperately replied. “Don’t do this alone!”

 

“It’s too late InuYasha,” Kikyou replied. “I was spotted at the train station, I’m sure of it. And you know you and Kagome are always being pursued by Naraku’s hit men, I don’t need any interference.”

 

“You fucking idiot – tell me where you are!”

 

The cell phone made an audible click as Kikyou hung up. She tossed the phone on the bed next to her and it slid to the floor with a rattle. Just another dead and useless cell phone, just like her life on the run had become the day she and InuYasha had betrayed their Yakuza boss, Naraku. To make things worse…he had been more than just her boss. She shivered with the memory. Next door there came a crash, laughter, and the springs on the occupant’s flimsy bed being stretched to the max.  Rubbing her arms with her hands, Kikyou felt the need to take a bath.  

 

When the bathroom was filled with steam rolling like morning fog, Kikyou disrobed. Her body was like a pale flame, with a tiny waist, and high, firm breasts. Because of the pallor of her skin, you may not notice them at once. Cicatrices wove a dance of pain endured over her back, her arms, her stomach and even her breasts. At first they may have seemed random…but they were carefully placed by a possessive hand. Gracefully she lowered herself into the square tub, her hands resting on the tubs sides, and closed her eyes. She wanted to think about her plans and their execution, but being back in town after so long brought back memories fit to turn the scalding hot water to ice.

 

Hunting you, I can smell you - alive

Your heart pounding in my head

 

The night Naraku figured out his Lady Kikyou had been in on the heist gone wrong, he had commanded her into his presence. She stood before him with her hands clasped before her and eyes cast down demurely, no idea what was coming. He sat at his desk, long dark hair wild about his head, his fingers forming a steeple in front of his face, leaving only his darkly glowing eyes visible.

 

“My Lady Kikyou,” Naraku drawled, and motioned her forward with a long fingered hand.

 

“Yes, my Lord,” Kikyou murmured and took a step closer.

 

“You are not close enough, for that you will be punished.” Naraku said darkly, and stood up.

 

Striding around his desk he walked up to Kikyou and grabbed her chin in his hand, forcing her to look up at him. He sneered down at her, teeth a white and vicious slash on his face. Then he kissed her forcefully, making her gasp for air when he was done.

 

“You are my bitch, now and forever,” Naraku said. “You will do as you are told.”

 

The memory was relentless, just like her former Lord. Kikyou closed her eyes, dark wet lashes a fringe of midnight above her cheekbones. She raised her arms protectively around her breasts and gripped her shoulders. Her nails dug into her flesh and her gut clenched as her body remembered what had happened next.

 

Watching me, wanting me

I can feel you pull me down

Saving me, raping me, watching me