A Hero in Disguise by Kjpanny [Damsel in Distress Challenge]
Chapter 2: Damsel in Defiance
She woke up disoriented. Her entire body felt sore, and her eyes hurt. Moaning in pain, she rolled onto her back, her right forearm on her forehead. It was difficult, but she managed to open her eyes, and what she saw startled her and made her sit up, warily.
Where the hell was she?
“What is going on?” she murmured, rubbing her face.
Allright Kagome, think, she ordered herself. What is the last thing you remember?
She didn’t have to rack her brains, as the events rolled into her mind like a badly produced movie. Tears rolled down her cheeks, as she curled into a ball.
They were dead. Mama and Souta were dead.
She shouldn’t have come back home. It was all her fault. She had to leave. Before they found her, again. She remembered their touch, that filthy touch. She remembered all too clearly what they had done to her. She had been a virgin. They stripped her of her innocence, just like they had stripped her off her family, her pride, her honor. She was nothing now. Just a useless shell.
Her tears burned hot, and her body shook with tremors. She had never felt this alone, even when she was running. Now she had no place to call home, no family to look forward to, nothing.
Her tears dried, she uncurled her body and looked at the ceiling. Now what? Now what was she going to do? Keep on running? Forever? Her gaze turned weary, the broken look behind them not diminished.
“So you’re awake?”
Startled, Kagome jumped in surprise.
A tall silver haired male stood at the door. His aura was a bit wary. One look at him, and Kagome relaxed, “It took you a long time to find me, Seshoumaru-sama. A really long time.”
Seshoumaru’s eyes narrowed, “Why are you no longer distraught?”
Kagome sat up, crossing her legs. When he saw her eyes, he read all the pent up emotions locked inside, “After everything I have been through because of my Father and you, I’m really good at hiding my emotions. I suppose I should thank you for helping me, though I don’t want to.”
“What did you mean when you said that I took a long time finding you? I wasn’t aware that I was supposed to look for you.”
Kagome raised a brow at that, “Are you saying that you never read the letter Father left you?”
“His belongings were all removed and delivered to his house.”
Kagome shook her head, bitterly, “No wonder. So for ten years, you’ve been under the impression that my father embezzled you, that he sold out your secrets?”
Seshoumaru stared at her, no knowing what to say.
“Do you know why I’ve been on the run for these past 10 years?”
“Your Father imparted some knowledge to you.”
Kagome sighed wearily, “It wasn’t some random piece of knowledge, Seshoumaru-sama. It was the complete set of blue prints for your project. Even I don’t know what it was. He simply made me memerize those blue prints and then destroyed them. He took those blue prints from your office, because he was aware that there was a spy in your firm, and he took them to keep them safe.”
She laughed them, a bitter laugh, “Obviously, he cared more for your firm than he did for his family, or maybe, he simply didn’t think that anyone would go that far for those blue prints. But they did. After they killed him, they came after me. At first they were very polite, but I wasn’t exactly stupid. I waved them off. Told them I’d look for those ‘papers’ of theirs. But when I found out about what they had done to Father, I packed my bags. They were bound to find out about what I knew, so I left. Thankfully Mama was wise enough to let me go, and Souta was just nine years old. They weren’t in any danger. I ran around for ten years, narrowly escaping them. I kept wondering why you didn’t come to my aid. I thought that maybe you didn’t care, that maybe something had happened, but no, you hadn’t even bothered to read the letter. You returned it to my house and those men found it and came after me. I couldn’t even turn in the information, for they would have killed me afterwards, so I kept running.”
Seshoumaru’s amber gaze narrowed, “Why did you return?”
She shrugged, gazing at her toes, “I was tired of running all the time. I thought that maybe they would have given up by now. I wanted to see my family. But they were waiting for me. They raped me first, then started cutting up Souta. I told them, I’d tell them, if they’d just stop, but they were having too much fun. They killed him slowly, painfully. His eyes were accusing, like they knew it was my fault his entire future was taken from him. Then they did my mother. They made me watch. Then they raped me over and over again. But they took it too far. My mind had shut down by then. I couldn’t tell them anything, and they knew it. So, they beat me up, left me there. I have no idea what they were planning to tell their boss.”
Seshoumaru came into the room, and stared at the girl, “You have been unconscious for a week, and after awakening you seem fine. You were a wreck when I found you, how are you so calm and composed now?”
Kagome stared at him, “What use is there to cry? Will it bring them back? Will it take away the fact that I’m the reason they’re dead? You don’t understand, do you? I have nothing now. I am nothing now. After taking this information from me, either you’ll kill me or leave me in the street for them to find me or kill me. Right about now, I would welcome death with open arms.”
He used his youkai speed, and slammed her against the wall, holding her up by her neck. However, she didn’t resist, didn’t struggle. In fact, her arms were limp, and her eyes haunted but clear, no panic, no fear.
What was she? Where was that little girl who adored him? This woman in front of him was broken beyond repair. She had simply stopped caring. Somehow he didn’t like that. Dropping her to the floor in a heap, he looked at her crumpled form, as she stared up at him, curiously.
“I do not like your attitude.”
Kagome shrugged, “Don’t concern yourself with my behaviour. All I’m supposed to do is give you the information, and then leave, unless you want to kill me yourself.”
“Why are all you choices related to death?”
Now Kagome scoffed, “Why? Do you really think you have to ask that? This is all your fault. No, in fact, my father’s fault. He was always so in awe of you, that he was ready to sacrifice his life, heck, even his family to protect your damn company! Look at me! He made sure I was stripped of everything in life, family, innocence, honour, everything! You want me to go find my happily ever after? Well, guess what, Seshoumaru-sama, happily ever afters don’t exist!”
She continued in a small voice, “I thought they did. I would look at you when he brought me to work and pretend you were a Prince, but those idealisms are long gone. I know where I stand, what I am. You just take what you need to take, and let me go.”
Seshoumaru clenched his jaw, “Your father risked everything to save my company and you assume that I would let his only daughter die.”
Now she stared at him, “You believe me? You haven’t read his letter and you believe me?”
Very simply, he stated, “You do not smell of deceit.”
Kagome released a breath, and stood up, facing him, “You and my father have already controlled my life up till now. Now take your damn blue prints and leave me alone.”
“You shall stay here, and be protected. I will find the responsible party and they will be dealt with. But you shall remain here. From now on, you will be under my care.”
“What is this?” Kagome stared at him, “Some round about way of taking the burden of guilt off your shoulder? By taking care of me? Do you forget, Seshoumaru-sama, that I have been been taking care of myself for the last ten years. I don’t need you, or anybody else. When I needed someone, nobody came, so I don’t need you, nor your protection. I will draw you the blue prints and leave by dawn.”
Seshoumaru snarled, his eyes flashing red for a moment, “You shall stay. That is an order!”
Kagome stood her ground, “I have been toyed enough by you and Father! I will not stay!”
He didn’t understand why, but the more she said refused, the more angry he became. He was offering her a gift, why she wouldn’t accept it was beyond him. The fact that she wanted to die was making him panic for some reason. He couldn’t understand that either. He hardly knew the girl. He would consult Bokenso on this problem, this entire problem, but for now he wanted her to listen to him. SO he did the first thing that came in his mind.
Pushing her against the wall, he marked her. It was just a nip, but a drop of blood was drawn. It was so fast that she barely had time to register it.
“You will come down to dinner and we shall discuss this further.”
With that he was gone.
She stared at the empty doorway, and barely registered the fury, till she had smashed the vase against the wall, “You son of a bitch!”
She cursed the inuyoukai with all she had and flopped down on the bed. It didn’t occur to her till much later that it had been ten years since she had lost her temper as such.
She woke up disoriented. Her entire body felt sore, and her eyes hurt. Moaning in pain, she rolled onto her back, her right forearm on her forehead. It was difficult, but she managed to open her eyes, and what she saw startled her and made her sit up, warily.
Where the hell was she?
“What is going on?” she murmured, rubbing her face.
Allright Kagome, think, she ordered herself. What is the last thing you remember?
She didn’t have to rack her brains, as the events rolled into her mind like a badly produced movie. Tears rolled down her cheeks, as she curled into a ball.
They were dead. Mama and Souta were dead.
She shouldn’t have come back home. It was all her fault. She had to leave. Before they found her, again. She remembered their touch, that filthy touch. She remembered all too clearly what they had done to her. She had been a virgin. They stripped her of her innocence, just like they had stripped her off her family, her pride, her honor. She was nothing now. Just a useless shell.
Her tears burned hot, and her body shook with tremors. She had never felt this alone, even when she was running. Now she had no place to call home, no family to look forward to, nothing.
Her tears dried, she uncurled her body and looked at the ceiling. Now what? Now what was she going to do? Keep on running? Forever? Her gaze turned weary, the broken look behind them not diminished.
“So you’re awake?”
Startled, Kagome jumped in surprise.
A tall silver haired male stood at the door. His aura was a bit wary. One look at him, and Kagome relaxed, “It took you a long time to find me, Seshoumaru-sama. A really long time.”
Seshoumaru’s eyes narrowed, “Why are you no longer distraught?”
Kagome sat up, crossing her legs. When he saw her eyes, he read all the pent up emotions locked inside, “After everything I have been through because of my Father and you, I’m really good at hiding my emotions. I suppose I should thank you for helping me, though I don’t want to.”
“What did you mean when you said that I took a long time finding you? I wasn’t aware that I was supposed to look for you.”
Kagome raised a brow at that, “Are you saying that you never read the letter Father left you?”
“His belongings were all removed and delivered to his house.”
Kagome shook her head, bitterly, “No wonder. So for ten years, you’ve been under the impression that my father embezzled you, that he sold out your secrets?”
Seshoumaru stared at her, no knowing what to say.
“Do you know why I’ve been on the run for these past 10 years?”
“Your Father imparted some knowledge to you.”
Kagome sighed wearily, “It wasn’t some random piece of knowledge, Seshoumaru-sama. It was the complete set of blue prints for your project. Even I don’t know what it was. He simply made me memerize those blue prints and then destroyed them. He took those blue prints from your office, because he was aware that there was a spy in your firm, and he took them to keep them safe.”
She laughed them, a bitter laugh, “Obviously, he cared more for your firm than he did for his family, or maybe, he simply didn’t think that anyone would go that far for those blue prints. But they did. After they killed him, they came after me. At first they were very polite, but I wasn’t exactly stupid. I waved them off. Told them I’d look for those ‘papers’ of theirs. But when I found out about what they had done to Father, I packed my bags. They were bound to find out about what I knew, so I left. Thankfully Mama was wise enough to let me go, and Souta was just nine years old. They weren’t in any danger. I ran around for ten years, narrowly escaping them. I kept wondering why you didn’t come to my aid. I thought that maybe you didn’t care, that maybe something had happened, but no, you hadn’t even bothered to read the letter. You returned it to my house and those men found it and came after me. I couldn’t even turn in the information, for they would have killed me afterwards, so I kept running.”
Seshoumaru’s amber gaze narrowed, “Why did you return?”
She shrugged, gazing at her toes, “I was tired of running all the time. I thought that maybe they would have given up by now. I wanted to see my family. But they were waiting for me. They raped me first, then started cutting up Souta. I told them, I’d tell them, if they’d just stop, but they were having too much fun. They killed him slowly, painfully. His eyes were accusing, like they knew it was my fault his entire future was taken from him. Then they did my mother. They made me watch. Then they raped me over and over again. But they took it too far. My mind had shut down by then. I couldn’t tell them anything, and they knew it. So, they beat me up, left me there. I have no idea what they were planning to tell their boss.”
Seshoumaru came into the room, and stared at the girl, “You have been unconscious for a week, and after awakening you seem fine. You were a wreck when I found you, how are you so calm and composed now?”
Kagome stared at him, “What use is there to cry? Will it bring them back? Will it take away the fact that I’m the reason they’re dead? You don’t understand, do you? I have nothing now. I am nothing now. After taking this information from me, either you’ll kill me or leave me in the street for them to find me or kill me. Right about now, I would welcome death with open arms.”
He used his youkai speed, and slammed her against the wall, holding her up by her neck. However, she didn’t resist, didn’t struggle. In fact, her arms were limp, and her eyes haunted but clear, no panic, no fear.
What was she? Where was that little girl who adored him? This woman in front of him was broken beyond repair. She had simply stopped caring. Somehow he didn’t like that. Dropping her to the floor in a heap, he looked at her crumpled form, as she stared up at him, curiously.
“I do not like your attitude.”
Kagome shrugged, “Don’t concern yourself with my behaviour. All I’m supposed to do is give you the information, and then leave, unless you want to kill me yourself.”
“Why are all you choices related to death?”
Now Kagome scoffed, “Why? Do you really think you have to ask that? This is all your fault. No, in fact, my father’s fault. He was always so in awe of you, that he was ready to sacrifice his life, heck, even his family to protect your damn company! Look at me! He made sure I was stripped of everything in life, family, innocence, honour, everything! You want me to go find my happily ever after? Well, guess what, Seshoumaru-sama, happily ever afters don’t exist!”
She continued in a small voice, “I thought they did. I would look at you when he brought me to work and pretend you were a Prince, but those idealisms are long gone. I know where I stand, what I am. You just take what you need to take, and let me go.”
Seshoumaru clenched his jaw, “Your father risked everything to save my company and you assume that I would let his only daughter die.”
Now she stared at him, “You believe me? You haven’t read his letter and you believe me?”
Very simply, he stated, “You do not smell of deceit.”
Kagome released a breath, and stood up, facing him, “You and my father have already controlled my life up till now. Now take your damn blue prints and leave me alone.”
“You shall stay here, and be protected. I will find the responsible party and they will be dealt with. But you shall remain here. From now on, you will be under my care.”
“What is this?” Kagome stared at him, “Some round about way of taking the burden of guilt off your shoulder? By taking care of me? Do you forget, Seshoumaru-sama, that I have been been taking care of myself for the last ten years. I don’t need you, or anybody else. When I needed someone, nobody came, so I don’t need you, nor your protection. I will draw you the blue prints and leave by dawn.”
Seshoumaru snarled, his eyes flashing red for a moment, “You shall stay. That is an order!”
Kagome stood her ground, “I have been toyed enough by you and Father! I will not stay!”
He didn’t understand why, but the more she said refused, the more angry he became. He was offering her a gift, why she wouldn’t accept it was beyond him. The fact that she wanted to die was making him panic for some reason. He couldn’t understand that either. He hardly knew the girl. He would consult Bokenso on this problem, this entire problem, but for now he wanted her to listen to him. SO he did the first thing that came in his mind.
Pushing her against the wall, he marked her. It was just a nip, but a drop of blood was drawn. It was so fast that she barely had time to register it.
“You will come down to dinner and we shall discuss this further.”
With that he was gone.
She stared at the empty doorway, and barely registered the fury, till she had smashed the vase against the wall, “You son of a bitch!”
She cursed the inuyoukai with all she had and flopped down on the bed. It didn’t occur to her till much later that it had been ten years since she had lost her temper as such.