Sesshoumaru’s glance was measured as he stepped briskly away from his youkai entourage and led her back down into the wooded valley below. Setting her jaw, the miko followed him at a distance, adrenaline crashing through her veins. His sheet of spun silver hair gleamed in the afternoon light, his long luxurious pelt shimmering from his shoulder. Composed as he was, in full armor and dress, he seemed another being entirely from the deranged, lust-warped creature she’d last encountered.
It was unsettling, unnerving. Keeping her gaze steady, she reminded herself of what she knew—of what she had seen with her own eyes, of what she had detected with her own senses.
Of what she felt to be true deep within her heart and soul.
As they passed into a large, barren clearing, Kagome drew to a stop. “That’s far enough.”
Sesshoumaru paused, looking back at her, his golden eyes arresting her all the more. Hands balling to fists at her sides, Kagome steeled herself against him.
“I saw you with her,” she bit out, to the point. “I saw you with Mayuri.”
Turning fully toward her, Sesshoumaru held her gaze. “Who is Mayuri?”
Kagome grit her teeth, her nails cutting crescents into her sweating palms. Of course he wouldn’t remember. A lowly human—why would he bother remembering anything about her? Righteous anger flared out from Kagome, encapsulating the whole clearing in a barrier of scintillating, rose-colored light. Sesshoumaru’s eyes flicked briefly to the dome of reiki that caged them before returning to her.
“The human you were fucking three nights ago,” Kagome elaborated tersely, retrieving and arming her bow in one smooth movement before leveling the point of her knocked arrow against him. “Her name,” she growled out, “was Mayuri.”
Sesshoumaru’s expression didn’t change in the slightest. Pulling back the bowstring a little farther, Kagome released another snarling, furious breath.
“Mayuri,” she seethed again. “The least you could do is remember her name, you bastard.”
“I did not know it,” Sesshoumaru replied, his voice even and cool.
At this dispassionate admission, Kagome trembled, struggling to maintain her grip. It was fury that had propelled her here, fury that had placed her weapon into her hands. But as she faced him now, cold uncertainty trickled into the heat of her wrath.
Stoic and regal, he stood before her. His snowy sleeves, hair, and fur rippled faintly in the breeze, but otherwise he was still as a statue. Perfect as a statue—the same paragon of self-control and restraint she had always known him to be. Always believed him to be.
Kagome’s hands shook fiercely, her brows drawing together as she studied his angelic face. “Tell me you didn’t kill her,” she whispered, not fully realizing how desperately she wanted this to be so until the words were falling from her lips. “Please.”
Sesshoumaru stared back at her, his silence deafening. Damning. Kagome wilted beneath it, suffered beneath it. Though she had not thought it possible, her eyes welled as she looked upon him, her tears spilling over in a hot, caustic fall. And now she knew with crippling certainty—now she knew that there was still enough of a heart left in her to break.
It had always been in her nature to form attachments too easily. Inuyasha had known this—had tried to warn her against it. He had tried. And still, still she…
“How could you,” she accused him brokenly, her agony—her power—wreathing up around her in a torrent of white-edged flames. “She had a husband—she had a child. A boy—a young boy!”
A shadow passed briefly over his features. “It was not my intention.”
“Not your intention,” Kagome repeated acidly, the towering blaze of her reiki climbing unsteadily higher. “What does that even mean? You monster, you—” Anguished, she broke off with a vicious shake of her head. “You raped her. You murdered her. You threw her away like she was nothing—she was nothing to you, was she?”
“No, Kagome,” he said, his eyes searing into hers like the fires of hell itself. “She was nothing to me.”
A harsh, strangled sound broke from her lips. Her shoulders slumped in defeat, though he had yet to raise even the slightest defense against her—let alone an attack. A sick sadistic part of her was vindicated by what he’d said, and she knew in that moment that she could never put him down.
Faced with this utter betrayal, she thought of Kikyou—of how she’d used the last of her power to seal Inuyasha away under the mere pretense of deception. It was in this moment that Kagome realized the true difference between herself and her predecessor—it was not goodness. It was not mercy, or forgiveness—
It was weakness.
“Why…” she said softly, tremulously, as her strength began to fail, the patter of her teardrops against the dusty ground thundering in her ears. “…Why did it have to be you?”
Her reiki extinguished, her bow and arrow clattering from her hands as she sank to the ground beside them. Lying there on her side in the dirt, she gazed helplessly up at the beautiful, blurring face of the Beast that approached her and saw only the one she had loved.
Closing her eyes, she saw him still.
Inuyasha © Rumiko Takahashi
*chinnnkk*
The sound of my heart cleanly breaking in two.
Oh no 😢 the feels…
❤️
well all my theories just flew out the window. i, too, was hoping it wasn’t sesshoumaru. now i’m just curious as to why he did it. i’m also wondering how this will turn out. will they get together or will she do something she might regret later. personally, i hope it has a good ending. if not, i’ll still love the story you’ve written. angst and tragedy is a sad thing, but it makes for a great story. c’ya’
Thank you, candace!! ❤️ So glad to hear that you’re still looking forward to seeing how it all shakes out!
Love the theories so keep ‘em coming if you please! We still have a ways to go before the end 😊
And the horrible truth emerges.
He did not know the women and he did not need to. They were just bodies to be used. They were stand-ins for the woman he really wanted. His brother’s wife.
He is a rapist, a killer and the male she wants. I think she was his obsession. And now she is his accomplice.
They are both damned.
Whoa…
Doug, your comment gave me chills!!
Love it!! ❤️
Long time reader, first time commenter! LOVE your stories, especially this one! Just wow, so many feels. I knew Sesshomaru was the killer, but I didn’t want him to be. Poor Kagome, she’s been through the ringer. Hope there’s some way she can redeem all those poor girls!
Hey Mel!! Thanks so much for commenting! 😊 It makes me so happy to hear that you’re enjoying my stories! Thanks again for sharing your thoughts – and glad you’re looking forward to seeing what’s in store next for poor Kagome…
❤️
Well, I don’t know what to think right now…and the chapter was short. But I’m still not enterely convinced that it was Sesshoumaru. I had the feeling that he sidestepped her questions. The way he answered her was strange.
Hopefully the next one will be longer and with more explanations.
Sesshoumaru’s a strange guy 😉
Thanks for sharing your thoughts, as always! ❤️
I actually didn’t have any expectation of how the confrontation will go so I’m really super glad that you are such a trustworthy writer Char. You always deliver. Have I told you lately that I luuurve you? 😀
Ah, this is so emotional. Yes, I didn’t have any expectation at first but while I was reading it, it was like I was watching the scenes in my head and it felt surreal to read the emotions (esp. from Kagome) a sentence or two after seeing it in my head. That’s because your characterization is on point.
I am now on edge waiting to know how will Sesshoumaru handle this. Especially since he answered Kagome that Mayuri was nothing to him. It felt like he was saying all the others were nothing to him – except Kagome. What will he tell Kagome now?
Will the next chap circle back to the prologue? I caaaan’t wait. Gah. I just wanna sleep right now and wake up to a new chapter once again. Thank you soooo much Char!
Aw thanks, Lexy!! ❤️ So happy to hear that the chapter was emotionally gripping! Was definitely hoping it would be one of the more climactic ones of the series!
Love hearing your reaction to Sesshoumaru’s last words! Slowly, we are circling back 😊
Thanks again! ❤️
Oh, my poor heart is shattered. I had high hopes that my Sesshomaru was not the Beast, rapist and murderer. Char you tricked me. When I first started reading this story on Dokuga and you responded to my review, you said nothing is as it seems and I took that as Sess was not the killer so it’s my bad that I misunderstood what you were saying. Well, this turn of events does not deter me from this excellent story…you’re just too good of a writer lovely lady. lol 🙂
I feel like such an idiot for coming up with all my silly fantastical theories to vindicate Sesshomaru’s honor. Now I sit here with my head hanging down with tears running down my face…not really, just joking…I’m just being melodramatic. LOL 😉
So as Lexy said , the next chapters will be circling back to the first chapter (prologue) as to how their fucked up relationship began in the position they found themselves in to begin with…basically Kagome being Alpha and Sess the submissive…well just in her home anyway. 😐
Both of them must have had the hots for each other I guess based on how Kagome broke down at the end after his confession. Such as life. Can’t wait for the next installment like maybe later on today if you have the time. 😉 lol
Awww Cheryl 😢 I’m so sorry! 💔
You are seriously too kind though – I’m blushing! All I can still say is that there are some more turns ahead in this twisty tale yet 😉
I absolutely adore your theories and hope you’ll continue to share! As I was reading them I was thinking, damn that’s an awesome idea lol!
Seriously though love and value the feedback and hope you continue to enjoy the ride! ❤️
I knew how this would end, but I hate how we got here. Kagome was supposed to be angry, be hurt, be betrayed, but she was supposed TO USE THAT to avenge her husband, to avenge Mayuri and the countless other women. I hate this. I hate everything about this.
Why do you enjoy hurting us? 😭
I’m sorry, I’m sorry! D’:
I’ve got a few screws loose myself, I guess 😉
<3