Kohaku glanced back at her, frowning. Returning the gesture, Kagome dragged herself upright and swiped at the blood crusting her face.
“Kagome,” he commanded. “Come along.”
“No,” the miko said again, just as hard. “I can’t.”
Brusquely, the taijiya retraced his steps to her. “What do you mean, you can’t? He’s a human-slaying youkai—he has to be put down before he kills again.”
“That won’t happen. He hasn’t killed a single woman since I found him out. He won’t anymore—I have him under control.”
“Under control,” Kohaku said, scowling down at her. “By serving as his victim? Just look at yourself. Even you can’t keep him at bay like this forever. He’ll kill you eventually—he’s killing you now.”
The one who’s killing me now is you, Kagome thought, her heart sinking under the weight of his reproach. She fought the urge to flinch as he gave her haggard form a critical once-over.
“You’re lucky to be alive as it is. You can’t afford to draw this out any longer. You can’t expect me to stand by and let him continue to torment you.”
Kagome’s eyes cut away from him. “Don’t worry about me, Kohaku-kun. I’ll be fine.”
The heat of his glare scorched into her. “What’s the matter with you? You’re a priestess!” he exclaimed, taking her by the shoulders. “You can’t go on this way. Even death would be a mercy to you.” A beat passed, and his voice pitched lower, almost to a mutter. “…Why would you choose to?”
Kagome shook her head, her gaze flitting back to his. “You don’t understand—”
“No—I think understand completely.”
Kohaku’s whole demeanor darkened as he stepped back from her. His eyes, so black and cold, stared her down as if she were a stranger to him.
“You don’t want to stop him because you don’t want it to stop,” the taijiya said, his features snarled in disgust. “Because you’re in love with him. That monster…”
Kagome’s eyes flew wide before they narrowed. Her face scalded with indignation. Her nails cut crescents into her cold gritty palms.
“Don’t be ridiculous, Kohaku-kun! Of course I don’t want this—”
“Then come with me,” Kohaku spoke with deadly calm, and when Kagome simply squared her jaw at him and stood stubbornly in place, he smiled back at her, slight and contemptuous. “But you won’t, will you? No, you’ll keep letting that beast have his way with you—”
“He hasn’t had anything of the sort!”
“But everything else, I’d wager.”
“You’re just itching to know the gory details, aren’t you?” the miko accused. “Just so you know, I haven’t so much as kissed him.”
Kohaku gave a short, dismal laugh. “Gods, that’s even worse.”
“What the hell is that supposed to mean?” Kagome growled.
Coldly, Kohaku glared her down again. “When it comes to you, what you haven’t done is more damning than what you have. You kissed me freely because I meant nothing to you.”
“Kohaku—”
“Enough,” he said, seizing her face between his hands once more. “At every turn you’ve made me your fool.” His gaze raked over her, gleaming and bitter as the rime of the black icy river at his back. “When you married Inuyasha, I believed it was the human in him you loved. But I was wrong. Again and again I was wrong about you, because there is something wicked at the core of you. Something depraved in you that makes you lust after demons. I could kill every youkai there is, and it wouldn’t matter. You would still be possessed by it.” His fingers clamped down, lancing into her temples. “If only I could slay it, this demon in your mind…”
Kagome’s hands flew to his, trying to lessen the pressure that was making her cringe in pain. Panic gripped her as she prized futilely at the vise of his hold. Fear shot through her spine. There was nothing now in his expression when he looked at her. His eyes were flat and detached—a killer’s eyes.
With a pang she recognized that look—and then, suddenly, it was gone.
“You and Sesshoumaru…” Kohaku pronounced slowly, as his grip on her relented with a throb. “You deserve one another.”
Weak with shock, Kagome could only watch numbly as he turned from her. As Kirara transformed and the two of them soared away high into the eastern skies, with the glow of her barrier searing behind them.
Inuyasha © Rumiko Takahashi
With a pang she recognized that look —
Of course she does, from when a (half)demon possessed his mind. How does that affect him, still?
“If only I could slay it, this demon in your mind…”
This line. This line! Oof. Who is the demon in her mind? Sesshoumaru? Hirokin? Or even Kai?
And when Kohaku tells her they deserve one another, it brings me back to one of the This Night lines that haunts me most.
Do you want what’s best for her, or do you want her to suffer all over again?”
Because deep down I don’t think Sesshoumaru wants Kagome to suffer — but she is, has been, and intuition tells me she will all over again.
Your writing is a treasure! Thank you!
<3 <3 <3 Thanks so much!! Really appreciate you sharing these lines that stood out to you in this scene and also in That Night! :)
Hope you enjoy where the story goes from here <3
I already need the next part lol. Seriously your writing is amazing. I’m so happy I found you on Dokuga! I’m also obsessed with The Pact as well. Can’t wait to finish that too
Thanks so much! So glad you’re enjoying The Pact as well <3 <3 <3
Yassss. I can’t wait for the next update !!
Yay so glad to hear it! <3
Char my angel THANK YOU FOR WRITING. Seriously outstanding work, heart-eyes forever <3
Aww thanks so much, you’re so sweet! <3
Wow another update so soon! You must be feeling very inspired.
I wish I could say I was surprised by the turn this chapter took–but I’m not. Kohaku has proven time and time again how immature and hypersensitive he is. Ironically, I feel like this chapter really showcases how selfish Kohaku is rather than Kagome. He makes it sound as though all of the hardship, love, and tragedy she has experienced was punishing him. As though she lives only in relation to his desire for her. She married to spite him and now she refuses to slay Sesshoumaru to spite him. Get over yourself, Kohaku! It has nothing to do with you.
I’m sad that Kagome doesn’t seem to be gaining an ally here. I wish she could make Kohaku understand her point of view. She so desperately needs a friend. But I am glad that someone is finally throwing her feelings in her face–she does not want to kill Sesshoumaru because she loves him, not because she sees him as a brother. Sadly, I’m not sure he got through to her. 😂 Have a lovely weekend, Char!
Haha yeah it’s nice when RL takes its foot off my throat long enough for me to get back in the writing groove 🙂 So glad you’ve been enjoying the updates, Alex! <3
"She so desperately needs a friend. " - Oh man, ain't that the truth! XD
Thanks so much for sharing your thoughts regarding these latest developments! Hope you had a lovely weekend yourself <3 <3 <3
Gotta love Kohaku and his high horse, at least Sesshomaru knows he’s a monster. I think Kohaku needs to come to terms with the fact that a lot more of Naraku ripped off on him than he’s willing to admit. Especially the way he obsesses about a priestess who helped save him and puts her on a pedestal. I also love how he tears down her love of yokai, and then rides one into battle, expecting it to stay loyal and be willing to risk its life for him.
*rubbed off
Kohaku you little turd. You had ONE job and it was to make things right with Kagome. Welp, Sesshoumaru is about to whoop his ass. I doubt Sesshoumaru will kill him because of Rin’s obsession with him but he won’t be the same when Sesshoumaru is done with him that’s for sure.
Lol yeah he does seem rather blind to some contradictions, doesn’t he? XD
<3 <3 <3
Deff agree with the other reviewers thag Kohaku is acting was immature and hypersensitive. I wish Kagome could find at least one ally, poor girl! Loving these updates!
Thanks so much, mim! Yeah Kagome just can’t seem to catch a break…. XD
<3
Whew, I’m finally caught up and I feel like I just got off of a rollercoaster of emotions. One minute I sympathize with Kagome and her decisions. The next, she’s making me throw my hands up in frustration! I’m starting to feel the same way with Kohaku, as much as I hate to admit it. It’s almost as if everyone is being poisoned morally. Kagome and Sesshomaru are literally pulling everyone down around them like quicksand.
On another note, Kanako is 100% not going to give Rin the tea, which I’m taking means contraceptive tea possibly? My fear is that Rin will get pregnant and Sesshomaru will end up killing Kohaku anyway. I also still haven’t figured Kanako out yet though. She’s such a wild card here. I know she’s devoted to Kagome…but why? Kanako’s whole vibe puts me on edge, and I have such a baaaaaaaad feeling about her.
Thank you so much for the quick updates! I get such a happy feeling seeing the update notifications in my email. Til next time ~
Yay thanks, Lee – so glad you’re all caught up! 🙂
“Kagome and Sesshomaru are literally pulling everyone down around them like quicksand.” – ahh that is such an apt way to put it!
Thanks so much for sharing your thoughts on the story so far! Hope you enjoy the next turn in this rollercoaster haha <3 <3 <3