Nocturne - An Inuyasha Fanfic

Chapter Twenty Four: Good Faith

Nocturne - Chapter Twenty-Four: Good Faith

Rated - M (for suggestive adult themes, references to some violence, and coarse language)

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Disclaimer: I do not own Inuyasha.

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She felt groggy, and every one of her limbs was heavy. Her eyes burned and felt dry all at once. She blinked to ease the pain, though that seemed the only movement she could make at the time. As her faculties returned, Kagome nearly had a panic attack, dragging in shallow breaths while she recalled the Onibaba.

It took a moment for her to school herself into a trim level of calmness, recalling her escape from the hag. Her hands and feet tingled like she had fallen asleep on those limbs, blocking the blood supply to her extremities. The sensation was almost painful but welcomed while she began clenching her fists to get the blood flowing.

Kagome took a few moments to turn her head to assess her surroundings. She was inside a building, likely a royal apartment based on the furnishing. Underneath her was a pallet made from excellent quality materials. It was bright, nearly mid-day, but she had no way to tell how long she had been out.

She tried to remember what had happened, and the memories began to flood back. Her ability to move had returned for the most part, and she sat up and clenched her chest. 'Setsuna!' Her baby. Kagome looked around the room frantically to see if her child had also been brought here.

There was no sign of anyone else, and she let out a tiny sob of relief. The baby's absence was not a guarantee that she hadn't been taken, but Kagome wanted to remain optimistic. Plus, Inuyasha would have never let anything befall the baby, and he had been hot on the kidnapper's trail before she'd lost control of her body.

A tiny prick in her neck was all she recalled before she'd crumbled to the ground, her legs useless accessories beneath her. She had been fully conscious but paralyzed as the giant bird demon landed before her. She could feel its demonic energy wafting around her and heard its unearthly voice while it taunted Inuyasha. Kagome could only see straight ahead, her vision filled with the monstrous bird that pulled her up and into the sky. It was somewhere high in the clouds that she lost consciousness.

Her legs seemed trustworthy enough to risk standing. She took it, one leg at a time, and wobbled towards a set of doors that were at the edge of the room. No one seemed to be guarding her inside the room, so they had no idea of her status as a miko. Good. She may need to use that ignorance against her captors later.

Kagome reached the door, but it slid open before she was able to touch it.

"Ah, you have awoken."

Did her eyes deceive her? The man that stood before her looked remarkably like Sesshomaru, if only insomuch that he was an inuyoukai. He had long silver hair tied up into a knot on top of his head, fastened with an ornate clip. His eyes, golden like Sesshomaru's, were set into an amused tilt. He also had face markings, though they were crimson red and resembled jagged strips that ran under his eyes, giving him a somewhat sinister look. Kagome changed her mind; the coloring was all that the men held in similarities.

The inuyokai took a step into the room, causing Kagome to take an involuntary one back. He smiled with satisfaction at her hesitation.

"I am Fan Tsenpo, lady...." he tilted his head and waited for her to supply her name.

"Kagome," she responded, slightly surprised by the steadiness of her voice.

"Hnn. How quaint." He moved further into the room, pushing her back as well. "You seem rather unremarkable, even for a mortal woman. Though, I can see why your beauty would be enough to give the Lord Sesshomaru pause."