Captive Inu

Chapter 35

With a small grunt, Kagome opened her eyes only to see pitch black. She blinked a few times, but even her youkai sight couldn't pierce through the darkness. Dust and mold filled her nose, the stench so strong she nearly gagged.

"Sweet, sweet Kagome," a sinister voice called out. "We are reunited at last."

An image flashed in her mind, a man she'd never seen before. He was a ningen, though he wore soldier armor carrying the symbol of the north. He had a thick mass of unruly dark hair held back by a green head band. His eyes were kind. They were a brownish green color and just underneath his left eye was a perfectly round beauty mark.

The image disappeared as quickly as it came, making Kagome frown. 'What was that?' she thought.

In a dramatic show, several candles were lit simultaneously, lighting up her surroundings. She sat up, looking around in a near panic. Just a few moments ago she was on the battlefield with her friends, but now she was sitting on the wooden floor of Naraku's room in his castle. The hanyou himself was sitting across from her, grinning from ear to ear. His narrowed red eyes were focused intensely on her. Sweat beaded across her brow. She tried to stand to her feet but found that her hands and feet were chained to the floor. All she could do was sit there and watch him watch her.

He was back in his ningen form, toying with a lock of his wavy hair. "It's been a long time, milady."

Kagome glared at him. "Not nearly long enough."

He chuckled. "There's that spark I've been missing. Tell me, how has Lord Sesshomaru been treating you this past year?"

Kagome bristled, her hatred spiking at him speaking of Sesshomaru so casually. She tried to break free of the chains. She tried to summon her whip and poison claws, but nothing happened. It was the same as when he had her drugged and immobile. Only this time she had her memories still.

"Trying to flee is pointless, love. Unlike before, your body isn't the thing that is confined. It's your mind. While your body is still out there on the battlefield, your conscious is here with me. And this time there is no escaping."

Pausing, she asked, "Where are we?"

His brows lifted ever so slightly. "You do not recognize this room? It is where we made love countless times."

Her upper lip twitched in disgust. "No, I mean, where are we? We were just on the battlefield and you transformed into some gross dragon creature."

"Ahhh, yes. I merely allowed a friend of mine to take over my body to repay a debt. You have heard the stories of Ryukotsusei, haven't you? The greatest dragon to ever live, a creature who was so powerful that even the gods could not kill him."

"Why?" she breathed. She'd heard stories of the dragon and the sword he was turned into, but that was thousands of years ago. Most people thought it was merely an old tale. "Why would you possibly want to unleash something like that? A demon like that, he isn't capable of loyalty. He will kill you all the same."

He smiled widely. "Why, indeed, milady. The dragon cannot kill me. We are now one and the same. To kill me he would only kill himself."

"But what is the purpose of reawakening him? What is your endgame?"

He tilted his head curiously. "Before I answer that, let me ask you something first, Kagome. In the entire time we spent together, have you ever wondered, why you?"

Kagome's hateful glare never wavered. "Does it matter? I was an anomaly, the first born female heir in all of Japan. My blood was craved by countless youkai from all over. You are not the first to try and kidnap me."