Chapter 14

"Ah, Onigumo's slave," Kikyo said, stopping as Kagura landed in front of her.

It was rare that Naraku sent his minions, which was a bit perplexing to Kikyo. Usually it was Naraku that confronted her.

"I come with news. Lord Sesshoumaru and Kagome have recently become closer," Kagura informed.

"And you bring this news hoping it will hurt InuYasha?" Kikyo asked. "They are dog demons. Lord Sesshoumaru can invoke a pack clause if he so wishes. It would not affect InuYasha, considering the brothers have recently resolved past issues."

"I don't care. I'm just the messenger," Kagura replied, quite bored, and prepared her feather for transportation again.

"Then be gone, pathetic demon," Kikyo waved her off.

'That bitch. When I am free as the wind, she will be punished for her insolence.' Kagura growled to herself, leaving the undead priestess.

She had always shuddered in Kikyo's presence. She was much like Naraku, full of hate. She had heard that Kikyo had loved Inu Yasha once, but nothing in her current existence reflected her feelings. She shot at him and his group, and even put him under spells, wanting to drag him to Hell. Kagura was confused on how a woman who lived once as a priestess duty bound to the Jewel of Four Souls, could be so callous. Her reincarnation did not seem anything like her in personality.

Kikyo watched the wind demon leave. She knew that Kagura wanted her freedom. Her obvious disdain of Naraku was what alerted Kikyo that fact a long time ago. Her thoughts veered from Kagura to Kagome.

'Hmm. Kagome is from the future. The jewel permits her to pass through the well to arrive here. Perhaps since I have a part of her soul, this will work. Ah, yes, I shall go there and seek out a demon to destroy her family. If I have to suffer Hell without InuYasha, she will suffer life without her family,' Kikyo concocted her plan, resuming her journey.

Kikyo let her soul carriers lift her to the well with their preternatural speed, seeming but a blur of white light through the forest. The collectors left her at the lip of the well.

She looked within the cold musty well, and pulled herself over. As she had presumed, the well welcomed her, encompassing her in eery blue light, pulling her into the future.

Once on the other side, she noticed a roof above the well and climbed out. Her collectors had not made it through, so she was on borrowed time and had to make her visit brief. She was not surprised that they would not be able to come through as she was not from this time and her slithering soul companions did not carry any shards.

'A shrine. How ironic that she tended to a shrine in such indecent clothing,' she said, quite disgusted.

Kikyo focused with her powers, reaching out to sense any demons.

'Ah, there are demons, but some of them with blood in small amounts. The stronger have tried suppressing their demonic powers, even Lord Sesshoumaru. Ah! the dog lord exist,s as well as InuYasha, but his presence is very weak,' Kikyo frowned.

'I would have thought Lord Sesshoumaru would have disposed of Inu Yasha. How pathetic,' she sneered.

"Wench, you called?" a voice behind her asked.

Kikyo turned, her emotionless eyes locking onto the demon. She sensed that it was a large bear demon.

"I did no such thing. But since you are here, I have a proposition for you," Kikyo smiled coldly.

"I don't make deals with smelly undead bitches," the demon snarled, his blue green eyes tinging with red.

He did not like this woman. She looked like a statue and smelled like a graveyard. It reminded him of the movie "Pet Sematary", by Stephen King. He knew the female before him was suppose to be dead, but here she stood and it gave him the creeps.

"Ah! But what if it involved a shard of the Jewel of Four Souls? Would you indulge this undead priestess one request?" Kikyo asked, bribing him, lifting a shard from a pouch, that was tucked into her top.

"Hmm, you don't say, the Jewel of Four Souls? That must be what I smelled on you. Hell yea, I'd oblige," the demon grinned, his eyes dancing with glee.

"This shrine. A priestess who looks similar lives here with her family. Kill them. Leave her to live, but make sure she sees them dead. If you succeed, within a week, I will come back and award you with two shards," she replied, observing his reaction.

The demon scratched his dark brown hair and then replied, "You have a deal. What name do you go by?"

"Names are not necessary. Just know, the priestess you are waiting for will have blue grey eyes. Mine are brown. This is the only thing you need to know," Kikyo turned, and then walked toward the building holding the well.

"Yes, it will be done," the bear demon bowed.

He would have refused the priestes, but she promised a jewel shard, which all demons knew could boost their power. He was not particularly a violent demon, but he did need to hunt and frankly the wildlife was scarce, so he resorted in hunting straggling humans at night. It was against demon law now to hunt down humans, but he was not much for human as food. Meat packed in grocery stores had blandness, and not even blood to satiate a demon's blood lust. The request she had was too easy. He was from the neighborhood, and not many people came to the Sunset Shrine, except on the weekends. He had seen the family before, and never thought them to be bad people, so it was strange that the undead priestess asked for the family to be killed and the daughter to live. Then it dawned on him.

'They look alike!' he realized.

This revelation did not sit well with him, but he was demon, and having a piece of the jewel was definitely more important to him. He sighed, and then prepared himself for what he was about to do.