Aight, so, this beast of a oneshot is the result of me trying to distract myself from the hurt and anger of something that happened a few weeks ago. I needed something else to think about, somehow came up with this plot, then bam, this was born.

I really didn't anticipate it being so goddamn long - this beast is 41 pages - but needless to say, I'm very proud with how it turned out.

Note: There be smut.

Real

"Oomph…'N'yasha," Kagome half-mumbled, half-groaned as she tried to squirm away from the insistent prodding in her side. "Knock it off." She drew her sleeping bag over her head with an indignant grunt, annoyed at being woken up in such a way.

"Get up, wench," was the completely unrepentant reply she received, sounding much closer than she'd expected, which meant he was using his finger instead of his foot. Not that it was any better. "It's after dawn and we're wastin' daylight."

"Five more minutes," Kagome grumbled and rolled over onto her side, attempting to ignore him.

A loud snort sounded above her. "I gave you your five minutes ten minutes ago. You got five extra minutes, wench. Get up."

Kagome returned his snort with one of her own. "Oooh, five whole minutes," she mock praised, but despite herself her lips twitched at the corners. "How chivalrous of you."

"Wench," Inuyasha warned, however Kagome could hear the grin in his voice.

She smiled. "Bite me, dogboy," Kagome fired back without thinking and she heard a choked sound, like badly stifled laughter. It wasn't until after the several seconds of loaded silence that followed did she realize her mistake and she gasped as her eyes shot open, frantically twisting away from him. "Wait, no, don't—!"

Too late. Her hand was abruptly seized by larger one tipped with claws and it was being drawn upward. Before Kagome could utter another word of protest or yank her hand back, a sharp nip was delivered to the inside of her wrist by even sharper fangs and she yelped.

Her hand was released and Kagome sat up with a pout. "Inuyasha," she whined, cradling her hand to her chest while Miroku, Sango, and Shippou laughed, the traitors. "Ooww."

The hanyou shrugged, unapologetic, although his eyes were alight with amusement. "Not my fault you're so forgetful," he said a little too pleasantly and jabbed at her ribs again. "Now get up. We're all waiting for your lazy ass, in case you hadn't noticed."

Kagome narrowed her eyes and scrunched her nose, mumbling "Sadist," under her breath while she rubbed the fresh bite mark on her skin. It didn't hurt, not really; it was more out of habit than anything.

Inuyasha grinned at her but didn't refute it, instead pushing to his feet and replying with, "Hurry it up, wench, or we'll leave you behind," and then it was Kagome's turn to grin up at him.

"You wouldn't," she challenged him, dark eyes flashing in amusement.

He cocked a brow at her and drawled, "You wanna bet on that?"

Kagome eyed him shrewdly for a minute before promptly shrugging and wriggling down deeper into her sleeping bag, preparing to get comfortable. "In that case you go on ahead and I'll catch up, I'm just gonna go—aaah!"

Her surprised shriek turned into a squeal of laughter as she was bodily removed from her cozy sleeping bag by strong arms hooking around her waist and lifting her up. Dissolving into elated giggles, Kagome squirmed around in his hold, pushing at the arm around her waist and gasping when he pretended to drop her.

"Alright, smartass," Inuyasha grunted but not without a grin on his face. He juggled her around a bit in his arms just to hear her laugh again before finally setting her on her feet, breathless and beautifully flushed. "If you ain't ready to leave in the next three minutes I'm gonna bite you again."

Kagome gasped but giggled. "You wouldn't dare," she said in the face of his threat, and when Inuyasha playfully snapped his teeth at her, she squeaked and then darted away with a laugh, gathering up her bag of toiletries before escaping into the trees for some privacy.

Watching the pair with amused eyes, Miroku and Sango wore matching fond smiles as their half-demon friend continued to tease the young woman by loudly counting down the seconds until her three minutes were up. They both had to stifle their laughter when Kagome hollered back, "Y'know, I really think I could go for a nice hot bath."

"You know," Miroku mused quietly to the woman beside him as Inuyasha snorted loudly, "at times like these, I'm reminded that those two are just children."

Sango nodded, her smile turning sad. "It's easy to forget during such troublesome times."

"Indeed."

Crossing his arms and shaking his head, Inuyasha flicked an ear and slanted a narrow-eyed look at the two conversing humans. "What're you staring at?" he grumbled, cheeks red, and promptly looked away with a scowl before stomping over to Kagome's sleeping bag and kneeling down to roll it up.

Miroku smiled genially though his eyebrows shot up into his bangs. "Not a thing, my friend," he remarked innocently while beside him, Sango coughed into her hand to disguise a laugh.

"That Inuyasha," Shippou piped up from his location at their feet, munching on a sweet he no doubt pilfered from Kagome's bag. "Sometimes I swear he acts more like a kid than I do."

"I can hear you, runt," said hanyou called out from the other side of the camp and paused from stuffing the sleeping bag into her monstrous backpack long enough to level the kit with a warning glare.

Shippou's face screwed up and Sango cautioned, "Shippou..." but as per usual, the kit didn't listen and sought to do what he did best: provoke the hanyou's temper.

"Oh, yeah?" the fox tyke called back and hopped up onto Miroku's shoulder, much to the monk's terrified chagrin. "Well then you can hear this, too! You're a big fat idiot!"

"You're dead, shrimp!" Inuyasha bellowed and started for the kit, who squeaked and darted for the safety of Sango's arms. "Just wait til I—!"

A startled but very familiar shriek that was abruptly cut off drew Inuyasha's attention and instantly he spun around, the look on his face changing from anger to unabashed concern as his hand went to the hilt of his sword.

"Kagome?" he called out, brows furrowed as he started toward the trees. He heard a feminine sounding grunt and quickened his pace. "Are you—"

The air stilled, and then pulsed.

"Kagome?" he called out, brows furrowed as he started toward the trees. He heard a feminine sounding grunt and quickened his pace. "Are you—"

Inuyasha paused. Frowned and looked around their campsite as the strangest sense of déjà vu washed over him. Shaking his head, he rewound the last ten seconds in his brain, but when nothing jumped out at him or rang any alarms, he dismissed it with a mental shrug and focused his attention back on his wench.

"I'm fine," she reassured, a little disgruntled, but otherwise sounding alright, and he relaxed as relief swept through him. "A rabbit darted out from the bushes and startled me enough that I tripped over a tree root."

He grinned. "Klutz," he teased her and didn't hear anything more until she emerged from the trees a few minutes later, looking a mite miffed as she dusted off her clothes of leaves and dirt.

Her expression went strangely blank for second, but then she shot him a sharp look and her face melted into a smile as she sidled up to him. "Sorry, Inuyasha," she cooed and reached up to affectionately tweak an ear. "Were you worried?"

Amber eyes grew comically wide and a dark flush stole across his cheeks. "U-uh—" Frozen in place, wondering if she'd lost her mind, Inuyasha cast frantic glances toward their very curious friends who stood a few yards away. "K-Kagome—"

Kagome blinked, and then her face erupted into color as her own eyes widened upon realizing what she was doing. She snapped her hand back and gave a sheepish smile, muttering a quick "sorry" before hurrying over to her bag and finishing up what Inuyasha had started.

Releasing a gusty breath, Inuyasha leveled the two curious humans and smirking kit a glare filled with lethal warning before following after his wench and wordlessly taking the bag from her once she'd secured it shut. She sent him a thankful smile, her face still slightly red, and shouldered her bow and arrows. Inuyasha caught her arm before she could walk away, however, and she blinked at him, puzzled.

"Inuyasha?" she questioned softly, soft brown eyes inquisitive.

The hanyou studied her silently for a moment and she didn't miss the way he took a few discreet sniffs. Then his face softened and his hand slid down her arm to her own hand and clawed fingers gently brushed the inside of her wrist, the touch full of meaning.

Kagome beamed him and opened her mouth to say something, but a not so subtle throat clearing off to the side reminded them that they weren't alone. With matching blushes they simultaneously took a step away from each other and with a barked "Let's get moving" from the half-demon, the duo headed off into the trees together and if their friends noticed how close together they were, it wasn't mentioned.

-X-

"Dammit, Kagome!" Inuyasha roared as he swiftly dodged the thick reptilian tail that swung toward him with lethal intent. "Shoot the fucking thing, already!"

Tetsusaiga drawn, he leapt forward and used the long tail to climb up onto the giant lizard's back and tried to drive the blade deep into its neck, but the scales were too thick and he cursed vividly.

"I'm—trying!" Kagome gritted out through a clenched jaw, her body trembling as she attempted to knock an arrow for the fifth time on her bow. She was visibly struggling to keep the shaft of wood aligned while simultaneous drawing back the string, and whenever she did succeed, she'd falter at the last minute and the arrow would dive into the ground a few feet in front of her, harmless.

Add to the fact that she wasn't even charging her arrows with her spiritual energy, and it was a very strange sight to behold.

With sweat dotting her brow and shaking fingers, Kagome bit her lip and made another attempt to knock an arrow onto her bow and failed once again, however this time it was because of the sudden, crippling pain in her chest that stole her breath and had her dropping to her knees. She gasped and bent over double, pressing her hands over her heart, feeling like something was squeezing the very breath from her lungs.

"Kagome, look out!"

Sucking in a ragged breath, Kagome managed to look up just in time to see Hiraikotsu sail toward her and cleanly slice off the lizard's tail that had been swinging her way. "S-s—" she started as the slayer fell to her knees beside her, concern writ large on her face. Kagome frowned, and then winced as she shook her head.

"Inuyasha!" Miroku shouted, using his shakujo to deflect the forked tongue that snaked out toward him with a deadly hiss. He grunted and leaped back, reaching into his robes and then deftly throwing out sutras imbued with his power. "Go for the neck again, now!"

"Enough of this!"

With a battle cry that was borne from equal parts frustration and determination, Inuyasha launched himself into the air, raised the fang above his head, and then dove toward the stupid reptile's neck now plastered with the monk's sacred sutras.

"Die!" With the lizard's next exposed as it screeched its pain form the burn of the sutras, Inuyasha gave one mighty heave of his sword and cleaved the head right off. He landed roughly at the same time the severed head crashed onto the ground with a bloody splash with the body following shortly afterward but Inuyasha ignored it in favor of quickly sheathing his sword and stomping over to the two women kneeling on the ground, dangerous scowl plastered on his face and golden eyes spitting fire.

Miroku didn't have time to intercede him before the furious hanyou stopped in front of Kagome and glowered down at her so fiercely Sango winced in sympathy.

"What the fuck, Kagome?!" he hollered at her, his anger stemming from the deep rooted panic he'd felt when that tail had been seconds away from slamming into her. Had it not been for Sango... God, he didn't want to think about it.

Sango frowned and started to come to her friend's defense, but a sharp growl in her direction quelled any further protests. The look she shot him suggested she was not pleased with this method, but she didn't say anything and instead put a supporting hand on Kagome's shoulder, worrying how she'd seemed to struggle for breath earlier as she clutched her chest.

Instead of looking contrite or perhaps even confused over her sudden inability to use her weapon, Kagome surprised them both by looking and sounding quite miffed as she muttered, "I'm fine," while rubbing her chest, as if feeling remnants of pain. The completely uncharacteristic scowl of irritation on her face gave Inuyasha pause while Sango just looked even more concerned and the half-demon eyed her for a moment as he assessed her condition.

Then, as if suddenly remembering she had an audience, Kagome blinked and then shook her head before leveling Sango with a reassuring smile, albeit it looked slightly strained. "I'm okay now. There was this…weird pain in my chest that came out of nowhere." She frowned, worrying her bottom lip and she looked worried now as she tilted her head back to gaze up at Inuyasha, her eyes wide and face pale.

"It was awful," she whispered and Inuyasha smelled the salt of her tears as they brimmed her eyes. "I…I couldn't breathe, and it hurt so much, I just…m-maybe that's why I couldn't shoot an arrow?" Her gaze drifted behind him, settling on the headless body of the lizard that hadn't shrunken yet. "Did it…possess me, or something?"

Inuyasha's ear flicked and he looked contemplative as he slowly knelt down and considered her with an unreadable expression. Sango remained strangely silent, staring at her friend with puzzled maroon eyes. "No," he answered quietly, brows dipped into a frown. "It wasn't a demon, just a regular lizard enhanced by a jewel shard."

"Speaking of which," Miroku grunted and three heads swiveled around to watch the monk as he continuously severed the regenerating flesh that attempted to connect the head to the body, the end of his staff already covered in blood. "Perhaps it would be beneficial to continue this discussion later and retrieve the jewel shard now?" His shakujo landed with another jingling thud as he hacked away at more strands of muscle and tissue snaking out toward the head.

"Oh," Kagome chirped, seemingly recovered from what had just happened as she hoped to her feet and scurried on over to the monk. "Of course, M—yes. The stomach, right?"

Frown deepening, Inuyasha stood and crossed his arms, amber eyes pensive as he watched Kagome use an arrow to stab at the stomach to retrieve the jewel shard the lizard had ingested.

"Sango," he murmured quietly, and though he addressed her, he kept his gaze on Kagome. "Did you…sense anything earlier? See anything?" At her puzzled look, he clarified, "When Kagome bent over form the pain in her chest. You must have noticed when you saw the tail swinging her way."

Sango blinked and her brow furrowed as she tried to recall if she'd seen or sensed anything out of the ordinary, although she wasn't sure why Inuyasha was asking to begin with. Was Kagome ill? Did something happen?

"No, I don't think so," she answered, shaking he head. "When it became apparent Kagome was having difficulties with her bow, I made sure to stay close and keep an eye on her in case something happened. I'm glad I did." She shuddered, remembering how the lizard's tail had been seconds away from slamming into her before she'd cut it off with Hiraikotsu.

Shaking her head, Sango pushed that thought away and cast him an inquisitive look. "Why do you ask? Did you sense something?"

Inuyasha was silent for a moment, simply regarding the young woman and monk with a guarded expression before shaking his head. "Nothing," he said at length. "Forget about it."

He left her side and headed for the duo, snatching up Kagome's discarded bag on the way and leaving a perplexed Sango behind.

Kagome was staring down at the purified jewel shard in her palm with something akin to astonishment when Inuyasha appeared beside her and held out her backpack.

"Here," he rumbled, handing it over, and Kagome just stared at it blankly for a moment before her eyes widened in apparent realization and she accepted the bag with a mumbled thanks. She found what she was looking for in short order and added the fragment to the little glass vial, stashed it away again and secured it closed.

Inuyasha watched this with mounting concern and when she went to shoulder the yellow bag, he stopped her by catching her hand in his own, a completely innocent gesture compared to what they'd done previously.

Despite this, however, Kagome jerked her hand away with a gasp as if she were scandalized by his act of affection and he balked, mouth dropping open as his arm fell to his side. Then somehow he wasn't at all surprised when she once more did a complete turn-around, her expression warming and a smile spreading across her face.

"Sorry, Inuyasha," she apologized and reached out to take his hand again; he let her, mind reeling, torn between hurt at her initial rejection and confusion at why she was suddenly acting so strange. "You startled me. Are you okay?"

She cocked her head, still smiling, and Inuyasha had the errant thought that her eyes seemed duller than normal, like they lacked her usual spirit. He likened the experience to that of staring into a stranger's eyes, and Inuyasha suddenly felt chilled without the warmth of that soulful gaze he'd fallen in love with.

He shook his head, the gears turning over and over in his mind and if Kagome noticed the thoughtful look on his face, she didn't comment. "'M'fine," he mumbled, brow furrowed, amber eyes bright as they studied her. "You're the one who..." He paused. "Are you okay? Are you still in pain?" He nodded at her chest and squeezed her hand, shifting his grip to lace their fingers together.

Kagome briefly stiffened, frowned briefly, and beamed at him while casually disentangling their fingers to pull her hand away to wave it in the air, dismissing his concern, and something in Inuyasha's mind clicked. "Oh, that," she brushed it off. "It must have been, ah, something I ate or—" She paused. "—gas. Yes, it was probably gas. I'm fine now."

She smiled again as if to prove her point but this time it seemed a bit forced and if he wasn't mistaken, he could have sworn he saw a flash of impatience in her eyes. He didn't dwell on it, however, nor did he bother to point out that if it was gas, the pain would be in her gut, and not her chest.

It was moot, anyway, because her casual brush off of his concern confirmed his suspicions. However, there was still one thing he wanted to check first, just to be absolutely, 100% certain before he did something he would regret for the rest of his life.

How to go about doing it, though, without making it obvious? If he was correct, then she'd be none the wiser regardless, but just to be on the safe side…

"Why don't you sit down for a minute," Inuyasha suggested and watched as Kagome's face went blank for just a second, almost imperceptible if one wasn't paying attention like he was, before melting into an expression of affectionate gratitude and Inuyasha had to admit, he was impressed.

"I'm okay, Inuyasha," she assured him and reached out to touch his hand; he had to fight the reflex to jerk back. "I promise. If it were something major, you know I'd tell you."

His jaw tightened the barest amount and he tried again. "But I really think you should—"

The smile abruptly dropped from her face and this time she didn't bother to mask the annoyance that filtered into her expression and voice as she snapped, "I feel fine, Inuyasha, how many times do I need to say that before you start to believe me?" She huffed and turned away, walking toward Miroku and Sango who waited off to the side, talking quietly amongst themselves. "Jeez, I think you're the one who needs to sit—"

Inuyasha didn't hear the rest of her sentence; his ears had reflexively pinned down while his entire body tensed, bracing himself for the inevitable collision with the hard ground. But an invisible force didn't pull him down, Kagome continued to walk away, oblivious, and the tide of emotion that washed through him was so strong he had to bite his lip in order to stifle the growl that welled in his throat that was equal parts anguished and pissed the fuck off.

Rage and fear warred within him, battling for dominance, and Inuyasha's hands balled into tight fists, claws piecing his skin and the sharp pain helped to ground him. His features twisted into a fearsome scowl, black brows snapped down low over fiery golden eyes and he grit his teeth so hard his jaw ached.

But it was nothing compared to the unadulterated terror that savagely speared through him, the staggering pain of his failure to protect her as he lifted determined amber eyes to watch the retreat of the stranger wearing his Kagome's face.

-X-

It was hard, unbelievably so, to not just immediately take off without any warning and go find Kagome himself. The thought that she would be in pain or suffering was enough to nearly drive him mad with the desire to search for her and destroy the source of her pain, but he knew he couldn't. He couldn't leave his friends alone with this bitch wearing Kagome's face because he was positive they would follow him, and he couldn't have that.

And it fucking killed him.

Inuyasha didn't think he'd ever been so worried in his entire life, and it was obvious to the others that something was bothering him. He was tense and more often than not a black scowl could be found on his face accompanied by a low, threatening growl, and more than once Miroku had asked if he was alright. He forced himself to lie and say he was, though when even Shippou had risked asking if something was wrong, all he could give was a noncommittal grunt. He hadn't asked again and Inuyasha was grateful.

He couldn't afford distractions. It was taking everything in him to not say "fuck it" and cleave this bitch in half for daring to take on the likeness of his Kagome. He had to force himself to remain calm, telling himself over and over again Kagome was counting on him to keep a cool head so he could find her and save her from the hell she was no doubt experiencing right now. And he would do it for her.

For Kagome, he would do anything.

Going about the rest of the day pretending to be oblivious turned out to be a rather trying experience for Inuyasha to attempt to reign in his temper because as much as he wanted to round on the imposter at any given moment so he could unleash his wrath, it was imperative he kept this new development under wraps so Miroku, Sango and Shippou remained none the wiser. While he knew they wouldn't appreciate being kept in the dark about something as vital as an imposter posing as Kagome, Inuyasha also knew that if they had been aware, they would give it away that they did and he couldn't have that. Miroku might be able to pretend to be ignorant, however it was Sango and Shippou that he couldn't trust to keep their feelings hidden. Aside from himself, they were the closest to her, and he knew they would irrevocably end up doing something to alert the imposter that they were onto her, and Inuyasha couldn't let that happen.

His Kagome's safety was on the line, and there was no telling what would happen if this stranger masquerading as the young woman discovered that they were all aware of the farce of her identity. What if, if this bitch discovered they all knew, she disappeared and they were unable to find Kagome? What if Kagome's very life depended on their ignorance, or she was used as some kind of sick bargaining chip?

No, Inuyasha couldn't risk any of that happening, so it was safer to have the others remain oblivious so he could secure her location and find out the reason behind this charade. They could scream at him later all they wanted, after he got his Kagome back, but until then she was his first priority.

And now that Inuyasha was aware, it was almost ridiculous how glaringly obvious it was to him now, and he wanted to kick himself for not realizing it sooner. She didn't even realize she was dropping an abundance of hints and signals that pointed to her being a complete fake, and it was very difficult to remained stone-faced, but he persevered.

While she obviously knew his name, she never said Miroku, Sango, or Shippou's names. Either she didn't know them, or saying them would trigger some kind of effect that would make her appearance shatter or something, but whatever the case it hadn't taken him long to figure out she was avoiding calling them by their name. She would start to say them, suggesting she at least knew the beginning letter, but would always stop herself and rephrase so a name wasn't required.

She was a good actor, Inuyasha had to reluctantly admit, but he still saw through it. Sometimes when being addressed, she would get this split second blank look on her face, as if thinking up the type of response Kagome would say, before giving it, usually with a smile. Inuyasha didn't fail to notice the discreet eye rolls, the brief scowls, and the annoyed looks that fleetingly crossed her face before disappearing just as quickly.

She may have the others fooled, but Inuyasha knew Kagome better than he knew himself, and that was one thing she was going to discover very soon. And not in a particularly pleasant way, either.

And as it turned out, the opportunity presented itself later that night, after the others had gone to sleep and it was just the imposter and himself sitting around the fire. It was perfect; with their friends out for the count, he could go about extracting the information he wanted without them getting suspicious.

He was trying to figure out how to go about doing that when she made it supremely easy on him by putting her seduction skills to the test. He had no idea if Kagome told her anything of their relationship, or if the bitch was just assuming, but whatever the case he seized the chance. He hadn't expected it to be this late before he could get any headway, and there was no telling what kind of condition Kagome could be in right now, or if she was even still...

Instantly banishing the thought, Inuyasha shook his head and turned his attention to the stranger with his Kagome's face, who infuriatingly possessed her scent as well, as he'd long ago realized she'd stolen her clothes. It was bizarre that he couldn't detect any other scent that would suggest it wasn't Kagome, but those were thoughts for another time.

With a beguiling smile, the fraud crawled her way over to him from the other side of the fire, pressed herself against him and Inuyasha wanted to snort in a mixture of disbelief and disgust. He wondered if the bitch thought she had to put up this seductive front so he didn't come on to her schemes because it was obvious she was far from attracted to him. For one, Inuyasha detected no scents suggesting she was aroused, and two, he wasn't a fucking idiot. He was almost positive now that Kagome had either exaggerated the nature of their relationship in an attempt for her to inadvertently reveal herself, or the bitch's observation skills were sorely lacking.

Or maybe there was some sort of benefit to her seducing him, but it didn't matter. Did she honestly think Kagome acted like this when they were alone? And with their friends only a few feet away? It would be her downfall.

He bit back a growl and fought to keep his face a neutral mask as she cooed softly and pawed at him, lifting herself up on her knees so she could wrap her arms around his neck and bring her face close to his.

"What are you doing, Kagome?" he murmured and feigned nervousness, flicking glances over to their sleeping friends while inwardly he was trying very hard not to bodily throw her off of him. Remnants of Kagome's scent from her clothes floated up to him, but beneath that, she smelled of nothing and it unnerved the fuck out of him.

The shifter, or whatever the fuck she was, blinked innocently at him and she looked confused. "What do you mean, Inuyasha?"

He uncrossed his arms and allowed her sidle closer to make it seem like he wasn't adverse to the idea and jerked his head toward the slumbering humans and demons. "They might hear us if we—"

Fleeting triumph flashed in those dark eyes and she smiled coyly, bringing a hand up to playfully draw a finger along the collar of his robes. "Then we'll have to be quiet, won't we?" She bit her lip and peeked at him through her lashes, tilting her head to the side and deliberately exposing her neck.

A sense of victory reflected in his own eyes but it was gone before she could notice and his lids lowered to half-mast as the corner of his mouth kicked up into a sly smirk. "No," he growled and let her believe it was from excitement and not anger. "I have a better idea."

Before she could question him, Inuyasha swiftly stood and offered her his hand. She looked perplexed for a moment then realization dawned and she smiled. As he knew she would, she took his hand and he hauled her to her feet before promptly dragging her into the trees, away from their—his friends and campsite.

He was silent, and thankfully so was she as he led her deeper into the trees, far enough away so as to not disturb Miroku and the others if things went downhill. He was fairly confident that wouldn't happen for what he had in mind, but he'd already failed to protect his Kagome. He wouldn't make the same mistake with his friends.

It was dark, the thick canopy of tree branches preventing little moonlight to filter through, but it didn't matter. Inuyasha was able to see fine, and he didn't care if she could see, and anyway he preferred it that way. It made things easier for him if things went south; if she was blind, it put him at a great advantage.

After she'd stumbled for the fifth time and her mumbled curses that she thought he couldn't hear started becoming more frequent, Inuyasha smirked in satisfaction and finally stopped. The place he'd chosen was small and secluded, with thick copses of trees surrounding it that would help muffle any sounds from any skirmishes that might take place and with little room for movement. He didn't think anything would happen, but he wasn't about to take any chances.

He allowed the bitch to look around – or at least strain her eyesight in an attempt to – and when her gaze landed on him he tugged her forward. She went willingly, trusting him.

A foolish mistake.

In the next second he had her pressed roughly against the thick trunk of a tree and her wrists held in a hard grip above her head, not bothering to leash his strength. She gasped and then hissed in obvious discomfort, but smiled at him anyway and her smile was forced, strained.

He barely kept himself from snarling at her. Fucking bitch.

"Inuyasha," she purred and squirmed a little in his grasp. "This is different, but I gotta say...I kinda like it." She licked her lips and undulated against the tree, slanting him a sultry look from beneath dark lashes.

The grin that stretched cross his face was positively lethal and tightening his grip, Inuyasha said, "Cut the bullshit."

The smiled dropped from her face and she blinked. "I...what?"

Abruptly Inuyasha's patience for her charade ran out and he dropped the tolerant façade, baring his fangs in a savage snarl as golden eyes flashed with barely contained malice and a deep, thundering growl reverberated in his chest. Keeping his gaze locked with hers, satisfied to see those dark eyes, so familiar and yet so strange, widen with fear, Inuyasha raised his free hand and brushed deadly claws against the vulnerable skin of her neck. He felt her stiffen, however she kept up the confused, fearful act.

"In-Inuyasha," she stuttered and swallowed thickly, wincing as the tips of his claws grazed her skin. "Wh-what are you do—"

"Where is she?" he cut her off in a dark growl that suggested he was in no mood for any more of her games.

He watched with satisfaction as the color leeched from her face and her eyes skittered guiltily over to the side briefly, however she maintained her act and redirected her gaze back to his, the brown depths pleading and he smelled salt. He didn't contain his snort that time.

"Inuyasha, I—I don't know what you're talking about," she tried, tugging weakly at her bound wrists. "Where's who? Y-you're not making any—"

"Enough," he barked at her and she jumped, a startled gasp escaping her lips. Beneath the faint aroma of Kagome's scent that clung to her stolen clothing, he could finally detect the acrid stench of fear and he relished it. Fear meant he was right. Fear meant she was scared.

Kagome would never be scared of him.

"You've wasted enough of my time playing your twisted little games of pretend, so now we're gonna play by my rules, bitch," Inuyasha seethed and thrust his face right into hers, fangs bared and amber eyes spitting fire. She flinched and his growl was pleased.

"I won't ask again." His words were soft, deadly and he felt her shudder, heard the audible gulp as she swallowed. "Where. Is. She."

Her breathing grew labored, her chest heaving as she tried valiantly to escape his grip. "Inuyasha, p-please," she begged, still foolishly refusing to admit to her deception, growing desperate now as she attempted to reason with him. "It's me, it's Kagome, Inuyasha, I promise, I'm—I'm not—" She sucked in a ragged breath and it was clear she was trying to come up with a way to buy some time.

Inuyasha was getting tired of hearing her excuses and was just about ready to start using a more physical method of persuasion that involved his claws when she suddenly blurted, "I can prove it!"

That gave the hanyou pause and his suspicion was evident in the way he narrowed his eyes at her and the mistrustful curl of his lip. Despite himself, however, he was curious. "Prove it?"

The imposter blinked at him, clearly shocked that he'd bothered to listen to her, but then immense relief followed quickly on the coattails of that shock and she jumped at the chance for redemption, nodding eagerly and staring at him with wide, imploring eyes.

"Y-yes," she beseeched, her gaze darting around anxiously and Inuyasha knew she was trying to think of a way to prove it to him. "I'm—I'm from the future!" she blurted, smiling, as if that were enough to convince him.

Inuyasha remained unmoved. "Not good enough." His claws inched closer, brushing dangerously close to her jugular.

She was trembling now and growing more and more frantic. "I—I'm Kikyou's reincarnation!" She bit her lip and her eyes actually welled with tears. He wanted to laugh. Did he actually think he'd fall for that?

His eyes narrowed into thin slits of molten gold. "Strike two." Talons broke skin and elicited a panicked cry.

"P-please," she said on a choked sob, teary eyes so familiar but at the same not locking with burnished amber, pleading, the desperation clear as day on her pale features. "Inuyasha, t-tell me what to do so you'll believe me. Please." Tears cascaded down her cheeks and he hated how the sight stabbed at his gut despite knowing it wasn't Kagome.

Ignoring the brief flash of pain, mentally telling himself over and over that it wasn't his Kagome goddammit, Inuyasha considered the bitch before him silently, his expression not giving anything away. She wanted him to tell her?

Fine. He knew exactly what to ask for, and it was almost ironic; the proof that she wanted to provide that she really was Kagome was in fact going to do the exact opposite because Inuyasha knew, without a shadow of a doubt, there was no way she'd be able to show him what he wanted.

Finally, after several minutes in which she squirmed in uncomfortable silence while she waited for his reaction, Inuyasha grunted roughly, "Fine. Prove to me that you're my Kagome. Show me my mark."

As he predicted, the bitch balked. "M-mark?"

He cocked a brow at her and resisted the urge to smirk nastily. "Show me my mark and I'll believe who you say you are." His gaze narrowed again. "Unless...you can't." He shifted his hand, a not so subtle reminder of the repercussions if she couldn't deliver on his request.

He wasn't surprised to see her expression go blank before recognition dawned a split second later and Inuyasha had to wonder what it was she thought he meant. Evidently something that was in her power to do if that relieved smile that spread across her face a few seconds later was any indication. Doubtful, but it didn't matter anyway. He'd enjoy the look that would spread across her face when she realized she'd failed and, as his Kagome would say, the jig was up.

"O-oh," she breathed and nodded, her struggles to escape ceasing as another smile lit her face, this one trembling and Inuyasha caught a glimpse of fleeting conceit in her eyes. Heh. Thought she had the upper hand, did she? Wrong.

"Y-yes, the mark—that mark. Of course. Ah—" She tugged on her hands, a request to free them. "If you could…let my hands go, I'll show you and we can put all of this behind us, okay, Inuyasha?"

She smiled at him again, looking so much like his wench his chest constricted and he had to tamp down tightly on his emotions and force his expression to remain guarded. It wasn't her.

Inuyasha considered her silently for a moment before nodding tersely and with a growled warning not to try anything, he loosened his grip enough to release one of her hands. She brought her left one down with a little wince and then he watched wordlessly as she turned her hand palm up and displayed the inside of her wrist. Two small indents were clear as day in the flesh of her wrist, pinpricks of scarlet centered within in each where a minuscule amount of blood had welled up from his teasing bite.

"There," she said a tad too urgently and visibly relaxed when he removed his hand from her throat to circle her wrist and bring her hand up a closer inspection. "See? It's your mark, Inuyasha. The one you gave me this morning. You believe me now, right?" Her dark eyes beseeched him and he flicked a brief glance at her before going back to his inspection. "Inuyasha? You know I would never—"

He ignored her prattling and continued his observation with an inscrutable expression, golden eyes carefully guarded as he took in the exact replica of the small scar he'd given to Kagome just that morning, as she'd said. Gently he brushed his thumb over the mark, feeling the slight roughness of a healing wound and noting the faint pink tinge of the flesh surrounding it. It really did look alarmingly similar to the playful nip that resulted from her careless quip and his swift retaliation, and coupled with the light blush on her cheeks, the slight smile, and the big brown eyes staring at him so pleadingly, it probably would have been enough to convince him.

Too bad it wasn't the mark he was asking for.

Lowering her hand, but not releasing it, Inuyasha stared at her mutely for several long minutes until she started to fidget under his scrutiny and it was only then that his expression abruptly grew dark and he yanked her hand back up to join the other one in his ironclad grip. Then, to be certain she didn't pull any surprise moves such as a knee to his groin, he stepped in closer and caged her legs between his own, shoving himself against her and effectively pinning the bitch to the tree.

She hadn't been expecting that. Her mouth dropped and under different circumstances Inuyasha would have laughed at the look of outrage that briefly crossed her stolen visage right before it turned to horror and she started fighting him again, jerking at her hands and attempting to free her legs to no avail.

"Inuyasha," she gasped, shaking her head in utter confusion. "I—I don't under—I proved it to—"

"The only thing you proved," Inuyasha cut her off in thunderous growl, fangs bared and amber eyes glinting murderously, "is how much of a fake you are."

He didn't wait to hear her response, if she even had one. Without preamble, using one hand to lock both of her wrists in a tight grip, Inuyasha used the other to extend a claw and cleanly slice down the front of her shirt to expose the top of her chest, thus revealing that the bitch had also taken the liberty to don Kagome's modern undergarments as well.

His lip curled in obvious disapproval. He took this to mean that his Kagome was naked and shivering somewhere and that really didn't improve his already black mood, to which he demonstrated by uttering a savage growl and in one deft move viciously racked his claws across the soft flesh of the top of her left breast with enough force to leave three angry red welts.

The bitch wearing his woman's face and clothes yelped and she gawked down at her chest, mouth hanging out and dark eyes wide with a mixture of fear and astonishment. He could hear her heart pounding against her ribcage, see the fine tremble that took hold of her body as the confidence she'd earlier possessed slowly drained in the face of his ire.

"W-w-what—" she stammered but couldn't seem to get anything more passed the tightness of her throat. Her eyes were darting around, landing on him for a fleeting second and then skittering away again, clearly nervous and it goaded him, eager to get this stupid charade over with so he could finally get Kagome's location from her and get her back.

When at last her eyes finally collided with his own again, Inuyasha bared his fangs in a mockery of a smile and he reveled in the way her face paled even as a sort of steely determination took root in those dark eyes that were so like his Kagome's, and yet vastly different.

"Strike three, bitch," he growled and she flinched, but to her credit, didn't look away and her lips thinned into a tight line. The scared woman façade was slowly starting to fade away and in its place was growing a cold sort of detachment as the realization that she was not going to win this started to become very apparent.

Amber eyes flashing in victory, Inuyasha continued, "The mark I wanted you to show me isn't anywhere on your disgusting body, and you know why?" She didn't answer, merely stared at him with flinty pools of deep brown, but he hadn't expected her to.

With a low, dangerous growl rumbling in his chest, Inuyasha leaned in until his nose was almost touching hers and gritted out through bared fangs, "Because I gave it to my Kagome, the real one whose face you stole, weeks ago and there ain't no way you coulda known that, could you, you lying piece of shit."

The imposter gazed at him silently, those chocolate eyes icing over until finally, the façade she'd been carrying around since that very morning shattered before his eyes and the bitch behind the mask made an appearance at long last. Inuyasha watched with cold satisfaction as her features twisted into a dark, pissed off scowl that looked completely foreign on a face he loved so much. Her brows snapped low over her eyes, a flush of righteous indignation rode high on her cheeks, and the iciness in her eyes abruptly gave way to a burning hatred that, had Inuyasha been a lesser being, would have singed the skin right off his bones. Truly if looks could kill, he'd be six feet under by now.

Unfortunately for the conniving bitch, he was spiteful enough to rise from the fucking dead and give it back tenfold. Kagome always did say he was too stubborn to die, anyway. Heh.

"Bastard mutt," she spat, venom dripping from her tone and the seething rage in her eyes screamed murder. "Filthy, perverted half-breed disgrace."

He let the insult to his heritage bounce harmlessly off of him – he'd been called worse – and curled his lip at her. "Don't flatter yourself," he sneered, disgusted by the insinuation. "You may have her face, but obviously"—he flicked an unimpressed glance down at her exposed chest that, save for the three scratches courtesy of him, lacked any other mark—"the resemblance ends there."

She scoffed and made an attempt to free her hands by straining her arms and tugging hard. Inuyasha tightened his grip and dug his claws into her skin for her troubles. She hissed, and glared balefully at him. He merely raised a brow, apathetic to her plight.

Huffing in annoyance, the imposter eyed her hanyou captor and then decided to take a different approach to obtain her freedom. The poisonous look and murderous glare abruptly dissipated and then she was gazing up at him with big, pleading brown eyes, her lower lip trembling, and before the next words even left her mouth he knew what she was doing.

"Inuyasha," she cooed, her voice sweet as honey as a pout took over her features. "Please, it…it hurts. Can't we talk about—ah."

Her plan to use her current appearance to her every advantage was promptly foiled when she felt the familiar pinprick of claws pressing against her throat, into the sensitive flesh beneath her jaw. A second later her vision was filled with one livid half-demon, golden eyes churning with a seething storm that promised to tear her viciously asunder a thousand different ways if she even thought about continuing that underhanded ploy of hers. Fangs were bared in a frightening snarl and the growl that thundered in his chest was visceral, a not so subtle warning that she ought to tread very carefully if she valued her life.

"Any more bullshit comes out of your mouth and I will end you."

The threat was delivered with such fervor and vehemence she flinched back and the smallest of gasps escaped past her lips as her eyes flared wide in alarm. Was it just her imagination, or were his eyes outlined with just the faintest hint of red? And if she wasn't mistaken, light notes of violet kept fading in and out of his cheeks, but she was unable to tear her eyes away from enraged amber long enough to be certain.

Suddenly she got the feeling that she'd made a grave mistake tangoing with this particular half-breed, but pride refused to allow her to admit it, even to herself.

So straightening her back as much a she could and lifting her chin, she faced his fury with a cool glare and refused to be cowed. Despite all his growling, she didn't think he'd carry out his threat. He needed her alive, didn't he? So she could tell him where his precious human girl is. If she played her cards right, she'd be able to get out of this with her head and pride intact.

Positively seething with rage, blood boiling, his muscles trembling with the restraint to not dig his claws into this presumptuous bitch and tear her apart, Inuyasha had to remind himself over and over again that doing so would not be a very good idea. He probably would be able to track her down by himself if absolutely necessary, but keeping this imposter alive would save him time he didn't have in finding his Kagome. Every second counted, especially when he had no idea what sort of condition she was in.

But still, how dare she! How fucking dare this vile, undeserving creature pretend to be someone as pure, beautiful, and innocent as his Kagome?! All day she'd been a constant reminder of his failure to protect the one person who meant more to him than his own life, and she had the fucking gall to besmirch Kagome's name with that over-the-top, disgraceful act?!

Fuck. No.

"You are nothing to me," Inuyasha callously reminded her then and demonstrated his words by digging his claws into her neck and drawing blood. To her credit she didn't flinch, though her eyes tightened with brief pain. "You are expendable. Worthless, and at the moment at my complete mercy, so I strongly suggest you pick your words carefully from here on out." Molten amber narrowed and another savage growl trickled past tightly clenched fangs. "I only allow you to live because you make my goal easier in finding Kagome. Let it be known that I don't need you and you piss me off again, I can't guarantee your survival. Give me what I want, and you might walk away with all your limbs attached. Am I clear?"

There was a beat of charged silence in which his hostage glowered at him so heatedly he was again reminded that if looks could kill, he'd be a goner by now but then, apparently accepting or at the very least realizing that it would be in her best interest to oblige, she gave a curt nod and did not look too happy about it.

"Good," Inuyasha grunted, uncaring, and got straight to business. Kagome was waiting for him; he couldn't afford any more delays. "The truthfulness of your answer to my next question determines whether or not my hand slips, so think carefully. Is she alive?"

She rolled her eyes, sneered at him, and nodded once.

The relief that washed through him was so powerful his knees nearly gave out on him and he closed his eyes, sucking in a sharp breath. Thank god.

"Is she that dear to you, mongrel?" she asked, apparently feeling brave.

Recovering quickly, his eyes snapped open and he snarled, "Shut your trap. You're in no position to ask anything, so leave the questioning to me."

The imposter scoffed but didn't press, impatiently waiting for his interrogation to continue.

Satisfied, though doubtful she'd actually remain relatively docile for the duration, Inuyasha leveled her with a suspicious glare and growled, "All I smell is Kagome's scent from the clothes you stole from her, but beneath that there's nothing. Why?" Not an essential question, but his burning curiosity nagged at him to be abated.

She sniffed haughtily and managed to stare down her nose at him despite the fact that he was a head taller than she and his claws were currently buried in her neck. "Masking one's scent is child's play for a seasoned witch."

Realization flared to life in honeyed depths even as the contemptuous curl to his mouth suggested her response displeased him. "A witch, huh," he repeated scornfully, his derision obvious. "So you're of that hag Urasue's ilk, then."

In the first display of temper she dared to show, the witch scowled menacingly at him and spat, "Yes, you incompetent dog. Urasue was my mentor and I was to be her successor, but then that foolish old woman's obsession with reanimating the dead got her killed before she was able to pass down her knowledge to me, and now I am nothing in the eyes of my kin."

Something deep inside him twinged at the reference to his first love but beyond a passing thought Inuyasha didn't dwell on it, steeling his features and refusing to lose his composure. Now wasn't the time to think about the past.

"Tragic," he drawled sarcastically, impervious to her anger. "But since you're aware of her death in the first place, I'm pretty damn sure you're also aware that it wasn't me who killed her, and besides the fact that the whole goddamn thing happened years ago, it leaves me with one of two options. One, you're a spiteful bitch that wants revenge or two…" His eyes narrowed and his next words were growled.

"You're working with someone else, and I just bet I know who it is."

Abruptly her expression closed off and she looked to the side, turning her head as much as she could to avoid his gaze and Inuyasha suspected had she not been masking her scent, she'd be reeking of guilt right about now.

Inuyasha snorted. So the despicable demon was consorting with witches, now? The bastard must be desperate and senile if he thought a mere human with a few tricks up her sleeve would be any match for him. But, then again, the witch-bitch had targeted the one person that could be considered his weakness and strength, so perhaps Naraku wasn't as foolish as he'd thought.

Too bad for the bastard, but fortunately for Inuyasha, his chosen tool turned out to be a horrible actor.

"Typical," Inuyasha snorted, and cocked a brow when she swung surprised eyes his way. "What, you thought I wasn't expecting something like this? Naraku's been way too quiet lately with zero demonic activity to account for his whereabouts, so pulling something like this outta the blue is straight up his alley."

She narrowed her eyes at him. "You know the abomination Naraku?"

His ear flicked and his eyes hardened. Ignoring her question, he fired back, "So what's in it for you, huh? Power? Recognition? The jewel?"

"Please," she sneered, scowling in offense. "What need have I for more power when I am already the most powerful in all the covens, and recognition among those who have scorned me means nothing. And that little bauble?" The witch scoffed, dismissing the thought with a roll of her eyes. "I am a witch. Anything I could wish for is already at my disposal, you daft mongrel."

She paused, and then volunteered, much to his surprise, "I had already planned on avenging my late mentor. Naraku merely provided a means to an end." The witch sniffed and lifted her thin, daring him to object her admittedly poor decision.

"So you're telling me," Inuyasha started and the disbelief rang clear in his voice, "the only reason why you're doing Naraku's bidding without any benefit to you or being forced, is because, what? Boredom? Twisted satisfaction? A need to cause disruption?"

She lifted her eyebrows and shrugged, unashamed. "Yes," she answered, the vagueness of her answer deliberate if the slight upward twitching of her lips was any indication.

If Inuyasha had cared one way or another about her answer, he would have demanded she stopped being purposely evasive, but as it stood, he didn't and time was running out. Yeah, Kagome was alive, but there was no telling the state she was in, how wounded or weak she was, and just the thought of his Kagome in any kind of pain had a renewed sense of urgency washing through him, tensing his muscles and eliciting a rough growl to rip from his throat.

The witch didn't say anything more to provoke his temper, though she did eye him warily and feebly tug at her hands. He strengthened his grip reflexively and she muttered several colorful curses under her breath. Inuyasha wasn't stupid; he knew a witch's hands were imperative to their spell casting and shit, because without them they were virtually powerless. They relied on their magic far more than any physical combat, and he wasn't about to let her have that advantage over him.

Despite every instinct inside him telling him to command the bitch to take him to Kagome, there was still one thing Inuyasha wanted to know in order to take the steps to prevent this from happening again. Not like he was about to let Kagome out of his sight for the next fucking decade, but it never hurt to be safe.

"Alright, bitch," he said and couldn't contain a devious smirk when she scowled at his chosen nickname. "There's one last thing you're gonna tell me, and then you're gonna take me to Kagome. Got it?"

An aggravated frown marred her features. "What do you mean I'm taking you to her? Why can't I just tell you where she is so you can let me go and sniff her out yourself, you damned bloodhound?"

Inuyasha snorted and scowled down at her. "You don't honestly think I trust you to tell me where she is without lying to save your own ass, do you? Give me some credit, bitch."

The witch growled impressively well for a human and huffed in irritation, because he was right. She would have lied to save herself, and then cast her most complicated cloaking spell so he'd never be able to find her. Rolling her eyes and grumbling under her breath, she jerked her head, an impatient gesture to get on with it already.

He did, without preamble. "How are you doing it? A spell? An illusion? The only being I know who can alter their appearance to look like someone else is Naraku and you sure as hell ain't him. Spill."

Dark eyes rolled in exaggerated annoyance, although if she were honest, she'd been expecting this question. Didn't make it any less irritating to explain, however, because describing witchcraft to anyone other than a magic user tended to be frustratingly difficult. She didn't have a choice in the matter, though, so she'd keep it simple for the half-breed and pray he didn't ask any more questions.

"An illusion? Don't make me laugh. What you see before you is very much real and a spell is only part of it," she began and closed her eyes, gathering her thoughts while ignoring his growl of impatience. "Every witch is born with a...pocket, for lack of a better term, inside them that can be used to store things of the spiritual nature. Energy, magic...a soul." Her eyes flipped open and somehow she wasn't surprised to find him glaring down at her, face twisted into a scowl and ears pinned back. Ah, so he put two and two together already. Surprising.

Somehow managing to keep the gloating smirk from surfacing on her face, the witch continued, her voice crisp and curt, "I withdrew a large portion of your human girl's soul and stored it in that magical pocket. I could have used a simple glamour spell, of course, to achieve the look I desired, but possessing the soul of the person increases the power to be nearly failsafe. Think of it as putting several large rocks onto a piece of parchment to keep it from blowing away. One would have done the job, but more is better.

"With a quick incantation, I 'activated' it, so to speak, and was able to transform myself into this 'Kagome.' Even without these strange...garments of hers, I would still smell like her. The clothing was necessary, as I couldn't very well walk around nude. There's more to it, of course, but that's the gist. Doubtful your simple half-breed brain can grasp all of the delicacies and details."

Ignoring the slight to his intelligence and refraining from the powerful urge to rend her to fucking pieces with his claws, Inuyasha had to mentally repeat to himself over and over that she'd said Kagome was alive. Maybe wounded, weak, or unconscious, but alive and Inuyasha would take that option over anything else any day.

Because to think anything otherwise would surely be his end. The thought that she was still breathing, that her heart was still beating was enough to ground him, keep him sane, to calm the storm of his inner rage that he wanted to unleash for her sake. Kagome was alive, he refused to believe anything different, and despite the fact that he didn't trust her not to lie when it came to Kagome's location, strangely enough he felt that she was at least telling the truth when she'd told him that.

Maybe because she knew lying would only result in her death, but whatever the case, he was grateful.

"You withdrew her soul," Inuyasha repeated in a low growl, deep pools of dark honey narrowing in deadly warning. "The last time that happened she—"

Perhaps sensing where his thoughts had gone, the witch rolled her eyes and cut him off, "Relax, dog, I said I took out a portion of it. Your human's soul is abnormally large, so taking enough to suit my purposes while still leaving some behind for her to remain functional was a simple task. My orders were to keep her alive, and take you to him without being discovered." She cocked a brow and her tone was laced with a hint of irritation as she finished dryly, "Obviously I failed in that last part so as far as I'm concerned those orders are null and void now, and as soon as I take you to your weak human wench, I'll be on my merry little way and I'll never have to breathe the same air as a filthy half-breed again."

Though his jaw tightened and his eyebrows slanted low over his eyes, Inuyasha didn't say anything and promptly decided it was time to get going. They'd already spent enough time chatting and he was anxious to get to his Kagome, to feel her in his arms, hear her voice, and take in her sweet scent.

Using the grip he hand on her wrists, he brought her hands down with a growled, "Try anything and I'll cut 'em off," before using Kagome's destroyed shirt to slice off a strip of cloth with a his talons and use it to tightly tie her hands together.

With ill grace, scowling the entire time and grumbling under her breath about manhandling hanyous, she allowed him to bind her wrists, glaring at him the entire time, though it hardly fazed him. He'd received the same glare from the same face countless times and at this point he was immune despite it coming from an impersonator instead of the real thing.

"Damn—watch the claws, beast," she hissed as one of his talons nicked the inside of her wrist, right over the fake bite mark. "You already scored my chest; I don't need another reminder of my unpleasant time with you."

"Trust me," Inuyasha grunted as he tightened the knot and yanked to make sure it held. "The feeling's mutual. Alright, let's go," he said gruffly and attempted to turn her around so he can propel her forward. "It'll be dawn in a few hours and I don't know how far away it is. Get movin'."

Despite his urgings and rough jabs to her shoulders, she didn't budge, her face screwing up into a fierce scowl. "Wait a minute," she protested bitingly and jerked away from him, evading his attempts to shove her forward. She disregarded his deep growl of warning and went on, "I went along with your little interrogation and answered all of your questions truthfully without fail. The least you can do is show a little decorum and oblige me just this one time, hanyou."

Then her eyes narrowed and she said a little too casually, "I find myself to be quite weary after the day's events, and I just might forget which direction your precious human is located." Her features turned sly and her lips curled slightly. "It would just be too bad, wouldn't, if by the time I remember where she is that it's too late and by the time we arrive she's already perished by some grisly means, perhaps by a hungry demon?" She shrugged, completely unconcerned.

Glaring daggers at her now and with a steady, pissed off growl, Inuyasha ears were pinned back in obvious displeasure and he thought about refusing based purely on principle, but after another moment of thought decided against it. The bitch probably would lead him all over the damned countryside if he didn't abide her curiosity, and it was time he couldn't afford. He figured a few minutes answering her question was better than hours of useless wandering.

His reluctance clear as day, Inuyasha gritted out "Make it quick" and put a hand on the hilt of Tetsusaiga in evident warning.

Thankfully she heeded his words and cut right to the chase. "How did you find out?" She gestured to herself with her bound hands, a puzzled frown on her face. "My disguise is impeccable and I even withdrew a portion of her memories for better convincing, and yet you discovered I was not your human wench. I highly doubt you figured it out from pure intuition."

Inuyasha cocked a brow and snorted loudly as he casually crossed his arms, confident she wouldn't try and flee, though if she did he could easily thwart it. "Think pretty highly of yourself, don't you, witch?" he sneered and watched her face contort into another scowl. "Despite what you may think, your acting is pretty damn horrible. Maybe if I hadn't known Kagome better than I know myself you would've fooled me, but too bad, so sad for you, isn't it."

A cross between astonishment and anger twisted her features into an interesting expression and Inuyasha couldn't hold back the positively gloating smirk that spread across his face, golden eyes flashing with ill-concealed triumph.

"What," he taunted snidely. "Thought the half-breed was too stupid to figure it out? That he couldn't put two and two together and see through your sorry attempts to act like someone I've known for the better part of three years now?" He chuckled darkly and bared his fangs in another nasty smirk. "Surprise, bitch."

The witch stood there in mulish silence, trembling with anger, glaring at him so hotly it was evident she was wishing him a very gruesome death right now. That was exactly what she'd thought, damn him, and the fact that he'd seen through her façade infuriated her. How had a mere half-breed managed to trump her, a seasoned witch that could burn him alive with a flick of her pinky finger?!

Resisting the urge to stomp her foot in a fit of childish anger, the impersonating witch huffed and bit out in an attempt to save some face, "You still didn't have it figured out until the end of the day, dog. If my acting was truly so horrible, it should have taken you much less time, so don't go getting prematurely conceited." She gave a haughty lift of her chin, daring him to object.

To her horror and endless aggravation, he did. "Oh, I figured it out long before then," he boasted, golden eyes glittering with arrogant delight at her obvious annoyance. "Fact, I suspected it just this morning, when you tried to be all flirty in front of my friends, and it wasn't until after I killed that lizard with the shard that I was absolutely certain. You didn't realize it, of course, but by the hints you were dropping left and right I'm surprised the others didn't pick up on it, too."

Knowing she was going to regret it, the witch glowered and hissed through tightly clenched teeth, "Hints?"

He shrugged, seemingly nonchalant, but the amused glint in his eye said otherwise. "Don't worry," he mock assured, "they weren't very obvious, but because I was on the lookout anyway and I know Kagome, they were noticeable only to me. Like you'd get this blank look on your face sometimes when searching for a reply you'd think Kagome would say. I heard things said under your breath Kagome would never say, saw the brief looks of annoyance and frustration, and you never called the others by their names." He cocked a brow. "Dunno why, and don't really care, but that was pretty strange."

By this point the imposter was gnashing her teeth, her face flushed red with anger, and her brown eyes snapping fire at him. She was mostly mad at herself for having been so careless, but also because he was being a complete ass about and enjoying her evident fury.

Inuyasha considered her silent for a moment, his expression giving nothing away, and looked ready to say something else, changed his mind at the last second and bit his tongue. "Aside from the fact that you can't shoot a bow to save your life," he continued and raised a hand to flick a claw against the beads around his neck. "What really tipped me off was when you said 'sit' and I didn't plunge face first into the ground."

She gave him a strange look at that, clearly puzzled, but he shook his head, deigning not to elaborate. "The thing is, though," Inuyasha said in a completely unexpected voice that was so different than before that it caught her off guard and her confusion gave way to wariness. "Even if you hadn't made it obvious you were a complete fake, I still woulda figured it out. Wanna know why?"

She didn't even realize she was backing up until her back hit the tree he'd had her pinned against earlier and her heart started to beat a little faster as the half-breed advanced, closing this scant distance between them so she was able to clearly see the way his expression changed from calm and collected to something considerably more dark. A shudder crawled along the length her spine like icy fingers of foreboding and she tried very hard to ignore the apprehension that sat heavily in her stomach, suddenly making her feel sick and chilled to the bone.

Watching with something akin to horrified fascination, unable to tear her gaze away, the witch watched as Inuyasha leaned in until she could feel his breath on her face, until all she could see was the undeniable seething fury that lit those honeyed depths ablaze she could have sworn they were nearly glowing in the dark of the night that surrounded them. The deep, rolling growl that pumped through his chest and trickled past fangs bared in a silent but no less lethal snarl had her skin pebbling and a blanket of apprehension to settle over her, heavy, thick, suffocating.

Maybe it was some deep-seeded instinct, or perhaps even a well-hidden fear that had her shrinking back against the tree, as far away as she could get from the towering and very angry half-demon growling at her. Whatever the case, something inside her recognized that she was powerless against him. It was clear to her now; this half-breed was a male on a warpath in search of his mate, the female that was more precious to him than his own life, and foolishly she had put herself in his path, preventing him from getting to her. She was nothing more than prey in his eyes, weak, fodder for his bloodthirsty claws. And Inuyasha?

He was all predator, hell-bent on getting back what was his, and nothing was going to stand in his way.

Despite the ever-growing cold feeling in her gut, however, and the trepidation that was making it hard to breathe, she stood her ground and refused to look away, instinctively knowing that if she did, it would be a very, very bad idea.

Inuyasha must have sensed her fear, and though he didn't smile, his amber eyes flashed with wicked amusement and satisfaction, glad she'd apparently finally got the point that he was not one to be trifled with, especially when it came to his woman.

"Because unfortunately for you," Inuyasha snarled, his voice so deep and gravelly she almost had trouble deciphering his words, "what I have with Kagome is real and can't be replicated by some cheap imitation. My relationship with Kagome is stronger and more profound than you will ever understand and you couldn't even begin to hope to scratch the surface, you conniving, deceitful little bitch."

She flinched and was unable to hold back the quiet gasp that escaped her lips, her eyes flaring wide. He sneered at her and continued, "Now if you're done wasting my time, I advise you shut the fuck up and walk before I forget that I'm not supposed to kill you."

And before she could protest or get in another word edgewise, he pulled back, spun her around and roughly shoved her forward, uncaring as she stumbled and nearly fell face first into the ground. Inwardly seething at the rough treatment even though she was still visibly shaking from what had just happened, she clamped her mouth shut and had no choice but to obey, taking a second to orient herself, listening to the soul trapped inside her and allowing it to guide her in the right direction.

With nary a glance at her hanyou captor she started walking eastward, ignoring the imposing force following silently behind her.

-X-

"I-Inuyasha...!" Her voice was breathy, husky.

"Shh, Kagome," a voice growled back, rough, sending shivers down her spine. "You don't want anything to hear us, do you?"

A rustle of clothing, a quiet gasp as hungry lips descended on a slender neck. "N-no," she whispered as eager hands found purchase on the steely muscles of a smooth, hard back. "But—"

"Quiet." A mouth closed over hers in a hot kiss, stealing her words, her breath, her heart with every lick of his wicked tongue, every heated growl and nip of dangerous fangs. Calloused palms slid down the bare sides of her body, claws grazing before seizing shapely hips and jerking her upward to meet his own.

Helpless to his passion, weak to his touch and powerless against the powerful tide of intense sensations he was evoking, she could do nothing as he enslaved her to his every whim, touching her without mercy, his lips a sinful weapon as the blazed a path down her neck to her exposed chest.

Fingers twined in sterling hair and her back arched as wet heat enveloped her breast, sending jolts of tingling pleasure arcing through her body and eliciting a needy moan. She felt him grin against the softness of her flesh; swiftly she snagged an ear and tugged in retaliation.

A grunt. "Wench," he warned and laved the sensitive skin around the tight peak with his tongue.

She hummed under her breath and bit her lip to stifle a giggle. "Bite me, dogboy," she fired back thoughtlessly, too lost in the haze of pleasure to notice the wicked flash of amber before a sharp nip on her breast jolted her back to awareness.

Her gasp was equal parts pleasured and alarmed as brown eyes flared open eyed and gazed down at the smug looking countenance of her lover. He stared back, his mouth twitching, but when a snicker escaped her mouth, he lost the battle to retain his grin, and then they both started laughing under their breath, soft giggles and husky chuckles echoing in the silence of the night.

Lips brushed against the bite in tender apology and then abruptly Inuyasha surged up her body to claim her mouth in another torrid kiss, clawed hands gliding up her body to cup her breasts and thoroughly distract her from her mirth.

She smiled against his lips as slim arms went around his neck. He growled, she sighed, and together they discovered each other's most intimate secrets, touching, caressing and loving until the first fingers of predawn light stretched over the land.

Kagome came to with a sharp gasp and a splintering pain pounding through her head. She several excruciating moments she struggled to catch her breath, her chest heaving in an attempt to regain the air that she'd felt had been brutally sucked straight from her lungs. The action agitated her already sore and dry throat and she winced as her head protested every little movement it made.

After what seemed like a small eternity, though she knew it to be only a few minutes, Kagome was finally able to drag in steady lungfuls of air and she concentrated on regulating her erratic heartbeat. Thankfully her headache diminished slightly in intensity as well so now it was a no less painful but tolerable dull throb in her temples. Every muscle in her body ached, her shoulders felt like they were about to be dislocated, and her arms were numb from loss of blood circulation, but she more or less ignored the state of her body as her mind sluggishly attempted to reconnect into reality.

Blinking tired caramel-colored eyes open, Kagome stared sightlessly down at the dirty hut floor ridden with the dead bodies of various rodent demons and then the shivering started, the bone-deep chill that had blanketed her body returning with a vengeance so strong she had to clamp her mouth shut so as to not bite her tongue. The violent trembling made her headache worse and an involuntary whimper escaped her lips as her eyes once more blurred with the tears she'd long ago though she'd used up, but apparently her body kept producing. She closed her eyes again and took deep breaths, telling herself to remain calm, that crying would solve nothing and she couldn't afford to lose any more precious hydration.

Her body was already weakened without proper protection from the cold, food, or water, and though she knew she couldn't have been imprisoned in this dilapidated hut for more than a day at most, she felt like it had been years. Add the fact that the majority of her soul had been cruelly stripped away from her it was a miracle Kagome was even conscious. As it was she was barely hanging on, weakened enough to remain coherent and alive, but unable to free herself from this hell she was in.

Naked, shivering, and restrained from the surprisingly sturdy ropes wrapped tightly around her wrists – or maybe she was just too weak to make much of a difference – Kagome was forced to remain on her feet by the ropes that hung from the only ceiling beam with just enough slack that she could keep her feet on the ground, but not bend her knees. The position strained her shoulders and her thigh muscles were killing her, however there was nothing she could do about it. For hours after that strange woman who stole her face and clothes had abducted her, Kagome had tried to escape, but having her soul taken had immediate effects. Her voice was nothing louder than a whisper and her strength had all but deserted her. She was utterly helpless, and had it not been for her spiritual powers, she'd have perished long ago.

Her leg chose that moment to cramp up painfully and Kagome let out a whispering cry, biting her lip as she bent her knee trying to relieve the pain. But since she couldn't put pressure on her foot she had no choice but to ride it out until it faded and she closed her eyes, gritting her teeth and almost unconsciously as a distraction, her mind took her back to the pleasant dream she'd been cruelly yanked away from.

Breathing through the pain, she brought back to mind the feeling of his hands on her skin, his warm breath washing over her face, his mouth as he trailed hot kisses along her jaw and neck. The sound of her name murmured in his husky voice, honeyed eyes staring at her with something Kagome dared think of as love and a hint of fang peeking through smirking lips. The feeling of his claws as they dragged over her skin, her hips, down her thighs, across the flatness of her belly and further south to her chest.

For one, blessed moment, the heat that suffused her body temporarily chased away the chill and Kagome smiled, hardly noticing the fading pain in her leg now ass she greedily reveled in the sensation. Reluctant to face reality again, thought back to how and when their relationship had largely progressed, and to this day it remained one of Kagome's most precious memories.

It had started innocently enough. Around a month or so ago, Kagome and Inuyasha were sitting around the fire one night while Miroku and Sango had taken Kirara to investigate a shard rumor. Shippou had been feeling under the weather and so had opted to stay with Kaede, and since the duo hadn't felt the need to accompany their friends on a simple excursion that would only take a few hours tops, they had been alone for the first time in what seemed like ages, and Kagome had wanted to take advantage of that.

It hadn't been easy, but with some good-natured ribbing and teasing, she'd gotten Inuyasha into one of his rare playful moods, the one he only ever allowed himself to show around her, and somehow or another a brief game of tag had started. It was restricted to just running around the campfire in their small clearing, but it had been enough and Kagome's laughter had rang loud and clear as Inuyasha chased her around the small space, his grin genuine as he made it a point to reduce his speed to prolong the game. They both knew he could easily catch her within seconds, but what was the fun in that?

Kagome couldn't recall how exactly it had happened, but after a few more minutes of chasing each other around, Inuyasha suddenly had his arms around her and they were tumbling to the forest floor in a tangled mess of arms and legs. She remembered staring up into golden eyes that burned hotter than the sun, remembered how her heart had started racing in her chest. They were both silent as they gazed at one another and it was like time itself stopped.

Then Kagome breathed his name and with a growl Inuyasha had crushed her mouth under his own and before they even knew it, or could stop themselves, clothes were strewn around the clearing, skin was deliciously bared, and hands explored while heated kisses were exchanged. Neither thought to question what was happening, allowing it because they both wanted it with a fierceness that had reared up out of nowhere. The desire was strong, the need was stronger, and together they were able to forget, just for a little while, all the fear, the pain, and the seemingly never ending journey to destroy an evil demon that was hell-bent on destroying them.

The memory started to fade, and no matter how hard she tried to hold onto it, Kagome was unable to keep reality from creeping back in and she blinked her eyes back open as more tears welled in the brown depths. They cascaded down pale cheeks and though her body wanted to release the sorrow that filled her to nearly overwhelming, she lacked the strength mentally and physically so to make up for it her chest heaved as her breathing grew labored.

"Inu..." Kagome whispered, trying to ignore the way the ropes chafed her already raw and bleeding wrists as her body shook from a combination of coldness and grief. She knew he would come for her. Kagome was confident he had already figured out the witch that had stolen her identity wasn't her and he was searching for her right now. Inuyasha knew her better than she knew herself; there was no way that fake would ever be able to fool him, Kagome was sure.

She had to be strong for him. She had to keep fighting; she couldn't give into the darkness that was constantly creeping in on her subconscious, threatening to consume her alive and she knew if she gave in, she would not wake again, and she refused to have that happen.

Bleary eyes drifted open and landed on the mark located on the top of her left breast, her precious hanyou's mark. She smiled; the scar had yet to fully heal and Kagome hoped it never would. She never wanted it to fade away, never wanted the reminder of that passionate night to leave her body. It branded her as his, just like the scratches she'd left on his back branded him as hers.

A sigh escaped her and it sounded ragged and weary. "Inuyasha...I'll wait...for you..."

Black crept into her vision and Kagome's body went limp as the darkness prevailed.

-X-

"Here."

She sounded bored as she gestured him forward, or maybe that was just the exhaustion catching up with her, and as Inuyasha brushed by her with a growled warning to not try anything, she merely rolled her eyes and leaned against the tree, watching with dispassionate brown eyes. He idly wondered why she hadn't changed back into her true appearance yet, but then figured it had something to do with that damn spell she cast, the one that anchored Kagome's soul inside her so she was able to retain her appearance for longer with no issues.

It bugged him, but there wasn't much that could be done about it, so he did his best to ignore her while he strode forward and paused in the center, frowning as he looked around with a speculative gaze. He was standing in what appeared to be a vacated campsite if the stench of unwashed male bodies was anything to go by and as he stared down at the fire pit, idly noting the animal bones littering the ground beside it, a niggling thought teased the back of his mind, urging him to remember as a sense of familiarity washed over him and it clicked.

His ears perked straight up and he swiveled his head to pin the witch with a calculating stare. "This is our campsite from this morning," he observed and his hard glare demanded an answer.

The bitch looked exasperated as she raised a brow and drawled, "Yes."

The ears pinned and it was clear he was trying to hold onto his patience as he growled out a tad warningly, "I'm pretty damn sure I woulda noticed my wench parading around the fucking camp before we left. Explain." His tone brooked no room for argument and suggested she do so quickly.

She rolled her eyes and scowled. "Don't be daft, bloody mongrel," she spat and pushed away from the tree, striding across the clearing to stand between two trees that looked oddly familiar to him. "I knew you to be a fool, but I at least expected you to be smarter than this. When did you last see your wench?"

Brown eyes glowered at him, the hatred in them nearly palpable, and had he not already known it wasn't his Kagome, the look would have cut him to the quick. It still made him uneasy, but he was able to push it to the side once he told himself he'd be staring into those eyes – genuine, kind and warm eyes – very soon.

Inuyasha snarled at her, but instead of sharping his claws on her like he wanted to, he actually did think back to when he'd seen her last—the real Kagome, not this witch bitch imitation. If his suspicions were correct, she'd swapped places with her this morning after he'd woken her up and the only time she'd been out of his sight was when—

"You wouldn't dare," she said in the face of his threat, and when Inuyasha playfully snapped his teeth at her, she squeaked and then darted away with a laugh, gathering up her bag of toiletries before escaping into the trees for some privacy.

Resisting the urge to groan and wanting to kick himself in the ass for his own goddamn stupidity, Inuyasha stormed over to his reluctant companion and fisted a clawed hand in the front of her stolen shirt, ignoring her gasp of outrage as his thrust his face close to hers.

"Why didn't you just say that in the first place, bitch?" he growled at her and really, he should have been expecting her reply.

Returning his snarl with a black scowl of her own, the witch sneered, "You've done nothing but bark and growl at me for hours, and I've lost count of the number threats you boorishly delivered. You didn't really think I was going to make this easy, did you, vile beast?"

She sniffed and gave a haughty lift of her chin, wishing, for the first time, that she could zap this blight on the human race into nonexistence. What had his whore of a mother been thinking, letting the abomination live? She must have been of unsound mind, to even consider letting this thing draw its first breath.

Golden eyes narrowed into thin slits of amber fire and his jaw tightened as a low, dangerous growl reverberated in his chest. The grip he had on the ruined shirt tautened and he did nothing but glare into her eyes until her scent shifted and he could detect the acrid stench of fear leaking from her pores. A second later her gaze wavered and she looked away, features twisting into a stubborn yet annoyed scowl.

He snorted inwardly but didn't waste time reveling in his victory. "You have five seconds." He abruptly released her and jerked his head, his meaning clear.

She stumbled a bit and then huffed in irritation when she regained her balance. "So uncouth," she muttered, tossing her head to flick raven bangs out of her eyes. "Haven't you any manners, mutt? Oh, wait. Of course not. You're a dog."

His frown deepened. "Four."

She considered him with a bored tilt of her eyebrow and intoned, "I grow weary of your ineptitude."

Inuyasha's lip curled and the growl rose in volume. "Three." A hand rose and clawed fingers flexed in obvious meaning.

The witch's brow furrowed and her lips thinned before she snapped, "Do you honestly believe you'll get anywhere with that attitude?"

Fangs were bared in a fearsome snarl and his voice was a guttural growl that echoed with a thousand promises of pain if she did not heed his less than subtle demand. "Two." Talons inched closer to her neck.

She flinched that time and flicked a wary glance at the claws dangerously close to her throat. "I—my hands, they need be—"

Talons pressed against the soft underside of her jaw. "One—"

"Oh alright, alright!" she cried, jerking away from him and the claws threatening to decapitate her. She glared at him in clear displeasure, the set of her jaw petulant while her eyes flashed with ill concealed ire. "Bossy mutt. If you'd freed my hands I'd have—"

"You don't think I'm that stupid, do you?" Inuyasha cut her off with a derisive snort and pegged her with a stare that was far too perceptive for his lowly status. "I may be just a stupid half-breed, but even I know your kind don't need your hands for something as simple as a cloaking spell. You forget, bitch, I've been alive longer than even the pathetic humans that bore you, so why don't you use that smart mouth to do something other than try my patience, because I swear to fucking god the next time you piss me off you'll be choking on your own blood."

By the time his tirade was over she was back to her glaring, silent self and satisfied he'd gotten his point across, Inuyasha leaned down so his face was inches from her own and growled, "Now cast. The fucking. Spell."

The witch bristled, her temper obvious in the way her bound hands fisted and she grit her teeth, but to her credit she actually did what she was told, however not without one last biting remark, though Inuyasha was far from surprised at this point.

"This human wench must have the patience of a saint," she hissed and gave him one last sneer before roughly brushing past him and heading a little further into the trees from where Kagome's scent, though faded, was the strongest. "I haven't the faintest idea how else would she be able to put up with such an ill-mannered, miserable mongrel like you."

Yeah, Inuyasha silently agreed, crossing his arms and keeping a watchful eye on her as she paused to study the trees before stomping over to an old oak and pressing her bound hands against the rough bark. You and me both, bitch.

She started muttering under her breath and Inuyasha couldn't be sure if it was part of the spell or if she was cussing him out – he suspected the latter – but then the open space beside the tree suddenly started shimmering, reminding him of the ripple effect from dropping a pebble into a smooth pond. Then before his eyes a structure started to appear, becoming more and more corporeal as the seconds dragged on until Inuyasha was staring at a dilapidated, run down hut that looked as if it had been abandoned for many, many years.

And Kagome's scent was coming from inside.

His first instinct was to forget about the bitch and barge inside without another thought, ready to destroy whatever dared to threaten his Kagome, his desire to protect roaring through his veins and boiling his blood. In fact his muscles tensed and his knees bent as if ready to lunge across the scant distance, Kagome's name welling up in his throat, a howl of desperation as a sudden urgency swept through him so strongly a soft whimper managed to escape his throat.

But then movement in his peripheral halted him like something had physically held him back and he grit his teeth so hard his jaw ached. His ears flattened on his head, his lips peeled back off his fangs into a fierce, dangerous snarl and his fingers flexed as if itching to shred the thing that held him back. Unfortunately, common sense and logic just happened to not be in the physical plane of existence, and Inuyasha forced himself to relax, concentrating on his breathing as without even realizing it, his hand moved down to clutch Tetsusaiga in a death grip.

Nervous shifting off to the side drew his attention and an ear swiveled around to train on the source before golden eyes shifted over to do the same, zeroing in on the bitch that started the whole goddamn thing.

He growled. Well, half of it wasn't physical; the other half was steadily inching her way behind the large oak, doubtless an attempt to flee and a quelling glare accompanied by a sharp growl stopped any further movement. She froze and fidgeted uneasily as she stared at him, wariness in every line of her face, and it was then that Inuyasha realized his demon blood must have gotten too close to the surface and altered his appearance. He could feel his claws shrinking and the twin pricks in his lower lip disappeared as his fangs retracted to their normal size. No doubt the red tinge in his eyes was fading and the violet streaks that marked his linage to his father were dissipating as well, so it was no surprised she looked so spooked.

Good. Now she knew what would happen if she really, truly pissed him off, which as this rate was entirely plausible. She seemed to get a kick out of trying his patience again and again by continually lying and deliberately withholding information. If he were being honest with himself, he was equally shocked that he hadn't killed her ten times over by now as he was that she didn't seem to realize the more cooperative she was, the more likely she'd walk away with her head attached to her body.

And at the moment, it was looking less and less appealing to have that as an option.

"Well?" the bitch in question suddenly snapped, impatience evident in the way she glared at him and how she jerked her head toward the newly manifested hut before lifting her bound hands expectantly. "Your human is inside. I have done as you've demanded, beast, now release me so I may be on my way and away from you."

Inuyasha's ear flicked and he regarded her steadily for a moment, his face giving nothing away, before wordlessly walking over to her and reaching out to fist the ruined shirt at the shoulder and shove her roughly toward the hut. She stumbled forward with a grunt and only his grip on the shirt prevented her from falling face first onto the ground.

"You must really do think I'm stupid if you think I'll let you go without giving Kagome's soul back," he quipped and didn't miss the way her face screwed up in annoyed frustration. He smirked cruelly and barked out a laugh. "Thought I'd forgotten, did you? You should know by now not to underestimate the 'stupid' half-breed. Now quit stallin' and move."

She shot him a baleful glower over her shoulder but nonetheless went without further protest, though she did emit a few grumbles as he forcibly ripped off the pathetic looking reed mat that served as a door and propelled her through it, following close behind.

Nothing could have prepared him for the sight that greeted his eyes and the anguished sound that left his lips was completely involuntary. It was like somebody punched him in the gut while simultaneously stealing the breath from his lungs; his vision blurred briefly, his knees suddenly felt weak as his stomach churned uncomfortably and he actually had to shoot out his free hand and dig his claws into the wood of the doorjamb to keep from collapsing. Her name was on the tip of his tongue, but the tightness of his throat prevented anything from escaping past his lips.

In front of him, the witch shifted uneasily, as if ironically disturbed by what she herself had made happen, but Inuyasha ignored her in favor of forcing himself to take in his precious Kagome's current condition. As he'd suspected, she was without a stitch of clothing and she shivered even in her unconscious state. Bare body suspended by chafed wrists with ropes that appeared to merge with the ceiling – magic, Inuyasha dazedly realized – her head was hanging between her shoulders, hiding her face, but the large bruise on her stomach was clear as day as well as the numerous cuts and scrapes on her legs that were smeared with dried blood. There was a nasty looking bite on her thigh that looked on the verge of infection and considering the dead bodies of various low level demons that littered the floor around her feet, it was obvious she'd blasted them with her power before they could finish making a meal out of her.

The need to go to her was so strong, the desire to cut her down and take her into his arms so powerful it was near palpable. And maybe Kagome felt that need, or perhaps she was just so attuned to him and his aura that even unconscious she could sense him because she chose that moment to stir slightly before slowly lifting her head, struggling as if it weighted a hundred pounds, and caramel-colored eyes – familiar eyes, eyes he knew and loved and missed – collided with wide, stunned amber.

Kagome blinked once, twice, before those beloved pools of rich brown flared wide with recognition and the utter and absolute relief that filled her gaze felt like another punch to the gut, leaving him nearly breathless. Tears welled and cascaded down her pale cheeks as her lips, tinged with the lightest blue, mouthed his name and something in his chest constricted, twisted, made it suddenly hard to breathe and Inuyasha knew in that moment that he would never love someone as strongly as he loved Kagome.

Clenching his jaw, his eyes pleading to wait just a little bit longer, Inuyasha forced himself to look away from her and focus his attention to the as yet silent witch standing beside him. He still had a grip on her stolen shirt and he used it to thrust her forward. She gasped at the unexpected rough treatment but he ignored it, using his body to block the only escape route as he laid one hand on the hilt of his sword while the other flexed sharp claws, a not so subtle reminder to not try anything foolish.

"I don't think I need to tell you what to do," he growled, ears pinned back, his entire body tensed in his restraint to not charged forward and do something reckless. Like kill the vessel holding Kagome's soul hostage.

Huffing as she righted herself, somehow still managing to hold an air of superiority despite her current circumstances, the witch muttered, "Ungrateful beast," under her breath before turning away form him and facing the restrained woman whose identify she failed to adequately steal.

She studied the young woman silently for a moment, ignoring the low growl behind her that steadily grew in volume the longer she stood there and did nothing. Tired brown eyes glared weakly back at her and it was a testament to how weak she was when the girl continued to remain silent. When she'd first abducted her, the damn woman wouldn't shut up, screaming at her from within the Silence Bubble she'd put her in so the damn dog wouldn't hear her struggles.

Scoffing, the witch rolled her shoulders and offered snidely, "You should have told me your dog was so damned persistent. You aren't worth the trouble he's put me though, human."

Kagome's eyes narrowed and her mouth formed two words.

Fuck. You.

Behind them, Inuyasha smirked.

Rolling her eyes, the witch took a step back and cast an expectant look at the woman before her, raising a brow and saying impatiently, "Well? What are you waiting for? Take back your soul, wench, so I can leave."

Inuyasha frowned and was about to ask what the hell she was talking about, but then before he could open his mouth, the witch grunted and stumbled backward as something had knocked into her and then he watched in astonishment as a filmy, pure white vapor started drifting up from the witch's body before floating over to Kagome as if drawn by an invisible force and with a start Inuyasha realized Kagome was calling her soul back to her.

His mouth dropped, recalling how the fake Kagome had clutched her chest and fell to her knees while battling that lizard demon yesterday, and suddenly he understood. It was Kagome. His beloved Kagome had been calling her soul back to her and the witch had fought against it, and had apparently succeeded.

He didn't have time to dwell on that revelation for long, however, because Kagome suddenly gasped and he watched as color flooded back into her face, her lips turning soft and pink and her beautiful dark eyes lighting up as her strength slowly returned. She wouldn't be completely recovered of course, but having her soul returned no doubt helped the process along significantly.

Almost as quickly as the entire thing had happened, it was just as suddenly over and Kagome slumped forward, or as much as she could while being held aloft by the ropes at her wrists. She was panting softly and still shaking, though not as violently as before, and assured she was going to be okay, Inuyasha turned his attention to the witch and instead of staring into the features of his beloved, the face that greeted him was completely different.

Apparently not all witches were old and ugly like Urasue had been. This witch was surprisingly attractive and considerably younger with long brown hair, startling green eyes and a round, soft looking face that placed her in the age range of early twenties. Right now those pretty features were screwed into a scowl directed at him and though her face was different, Inuyasha easily recognized the spark of hatred in her eyes.

Almost automatically he schooled his own features into a mask of indifference as she purposely strode forward and thrust her bound hands into his face.

"Since we're done here," she hissed, her patience evidently at its limit, "I would like to return home sometime today, so if you don't mind." She shook her hands to emphasize her point, her stance stiff and lips thinned into a tight no-nonsense line.

Inuyasha's expression was guarded as he stared at her without comment, the gold of his eyes like chips of yellow ice; cold and sharp, not missing even the smallest detail, and still his face gave nothing away when her expression darkened and she started to fidget restlessly. He flicked a glance at Kagome, assessed her quietly, then directed his calculating stare back to the bitch that had hurt his beloved and his split second decision must have shown in his eyes because the witch suddenly blanched, her eyes went wide and she moved to dart away from him.

The clawed hand that shot out and snagged her shirt prevented her from getting very far and there was genuine fear in the desperate cry that ripped past her lips as he dragged her closer then pinned her against the wall.

"No!" she screeched, struggling valiantly and using her restrained hands to try and punch him. A much stronger hand seized her wrists and raised her arms above her head until her feet dangled half a foot off the floor. "No! You can't! You—you beast! You mongrel! We had a deal!" Sobbing now she writhed and pushed and kicked, arching her back and looking over his shoulder at the woman silently watching the whole thing, her eyes pleading, begging for her to do something.

Kagome stared mutely back, saying nothing, not an ounce of sympathy to be found in her eyes or face.

The witch looked terrified now and tears were actually streaming down her face as she struggled, using her feet to kick and push against his legs but was an unrelenting force, his hanyou strength no match for her.

Claws were suddenly pressing against her throat and she instantly stilled with a choked gasp, turning wide, frantic green eyes back to hanyou. "Please," she begged, shaking her head, desperate, willing to do anything. "Don't do this. You said I could—we struck—you can't—"

"I lied." The note of finality in Inuyasha's voice made her flinch and as she struggled to breathe, he turned his head the slightest bit and without taking his eyes off of the witch, murmured, "Close your eyes."

Kagome sighed and her eyes fell closed, more from exhaustion than anything else, but wordlessly obeying him all the same.

"N-no, no, don't, please, don't, please—!"

There was a rustle of fabric and the desperate pleading was abruptly cut off as a wet choking sound suddenly filled the hut, and then a brief silence before footsteps headed toward the door and gradually faded. Kagome wasn't worried, though. She knew he'd be back, just like she'd known, without a shadow of a doubt, that he would find her.

Inuyasha didn't spare the corpse he'd just dumped behind the hut even a second glance before walking back to the front and returning to his Kagome, eager to release her from those fucking ropes get her far, far away from this hell she'd unwillingly found herself in. It had physically hurt to see her strung up like that like some kind of fucking puppet, high enough off the ground so she couldn't bend her knees and relieve the pressure from her arms and shoulders. No doubt she would be sore for weeks to come, but he would be there to help in anyway he could, and if that meant staying in her time for a month or even five, so be it.

Despite the fact that he knew what he was walking in on, Inuyasha still felt a tangible ache in his chest at seeing her like that so he wasted no time in crossing the scant distance, a little surprised but relieved the magic suspending the ropes seemed to hold even though the caster was dead. He didn't spare it another thought however as he stopped in front of her and though her eyes were closed, he knew she was alert and conscious, patient as she waited for him to free her.

Clenching his jaw as his ears drooped on his head, Inuyasha exhaled roughly and carefully hooked an arm around her waist, stepping in close and holding her tight against him, taking as much as her weight as he could as he lifted his other hand to her wrists.

"On three," he rasped, waiting for her to brace herself. Once he cut the rope holding her up, the lack of strain on her shoulders and arms was going to be painful and he wanted her prepared for it at least a little bit.

Kagome inhaled slowly, he felt her tense against him, and she nodded once.

Swallowing thickly, Inuyasha decided it was best to get it over with so poising a single claw next to the rope, he rumbled, "One...two...three."

His ears flattened at Kagome's agonized cry and she immediately fell against him but he caught her easily, snapping his arms around her and holding her so tightly it was a wonder she could still breathe. Her cry turned into a sob and though her arms must have been killing her, she found the strength to raise her hands and clutch his suikan as the scent of tears drifted up to him.

"Kagome," Inuyasha rasped, just as Kagome uttered his name in a breathless gasp, and for a moment he simply held her against him, bearing the entirety of her slight weight and burying his face in her hair. "I've got you, Kagome," he murmured over the sound of her breathless sobs, his arms shaking, eyes feeling hot, his words rough, barely audible through the tightness of his throat.

"I've got you."

Over and over Kagome sobbed his name and she was hardly aware when Inuyasha managed to use one arm to shrug out of his suikan while keeping the other secured tightly around her waist so she didn't fall. Blessed warmth settled over her shoulders as he wrapped her in his firerat before sweeping her up into his arms, but instead of striding out of the hut and instantly heading away from this awful place, Inuyasha promptly sank down onto the floor, gathered her as close to him as he could, and held her while she cried.

With shaking hands Kagome clutched his kosode in a white-knuckled grip as uncontrollable sobs ripped from her sore throat and heaving chest, her cheeks wet with tears, tasing the salt on her lips but uncaring as she buried her face in his chest. Her small body shook against him with the force of her cries and he only tightened his hold, murmuring gently to her, rocking her in his lap and allowing heir to have this release she so desperately needed.

Kagome suspected he needed this just as much, to just hold her close and revel in her nearness. She could hear him taking in her scent, felt the vibrations of his growls in his chest, and the warmth of his lips as he kissed her head over and over, reassuring himself and her that he was there, he would always protect her, and he would never leave her side.

With trembling arms, and ignoring the pain that lanced through them as she mustered the strength to slip them around Inuyasha's neck, Kagome sucked in a breath and laid her head over his heart, closing her eyes and letting his heartbeat lull her into a state of lethargy, finally able to get the rest she so desperately needed.

"Inuyasha," she whispered hoarsely and then issued a long, ragged sigh. "Take me home."

Swallowing thickly, Inuyasha said nothing as he cupped the back of her head and pressed his lips against her forehead for a long, drawn out minute. Then with nary a word he tightened his hold on her and swiftly stood, taking a moment to make sure his precious Kagome was wrapped tightly in his suikan before turning around and leaving without a backwards glance.

-X-

She was sleeping peacefully and Inuyasha was grateful.

Sitting in the darkness of Kagome's room, reclined back against the well on her bed and sightlessly staring out the window into the night, Inuyasha ran his fingers through Kagome's hair with slow, measured movements, not wanting to wake her, but at the same time needing to touch her. Donned once more in Inuyasha's suikan with her head nestled comfortably in his lap and one of her arms wrapped around his thigh, Kagome's breaths were deep and even and the rhythmic sounds lulled Inuyasha into a sense of content lethargy.

A month had passed since she'd been taken away from him and forced to remain in that run down hut, tied up, naked, and unprotected. Inuyasha had gone straight to the well as she'd bade him to, figuring once he'd gotten her settled in her time and properly cared for, including treating her wounds, he would go back and track down the others to explain everything that had happened. He was sure, once they realized he and Kagome were gone, they would head back to Kaede's village after making an effort to find them, so he was confident he wouldn't have to waste time hunting them down. Kagome was his first priority, and being by her side took precedence.

Kagome was asleep by the time he'd arrived on the other side, and her mother had taken it surprisingly well. After a brief and watered down version of what happened, she'd simply conveyed her deepest gratitude at his determination to retrieve her daughter before instructing him to take her upstairs to her room and she'd handle the rest. As much as he hadn't wanted to leave her side, he also couldn't stay without letting the others know, so after settling her in bed and kissing her brow with a murmured promised to be back as soon as he could to the still slumbering woman, he'd launched out the window and disappeared back down the well.

As he'd suspected their friends were in the village and grateful he wouldn't have to track them down, he had immediately launched into a sprint, following his nose and not surprised to find it leading him to Kaede's hut.

He kept the explanation short and to the point, however with a little more detail than he'd given Kagome's mother. They'd all been shocked at the revelation that the Kagome they'd traveled with all day yesterday had indeed been in imposter and though he'd been expecting the questions they all launched at him with quicksilver speed, it still annoyed him. Kagome needed him, dammit. He didn't have time to stand around and answer questions!

Kaede, bless her soul, must have sensed his irritation because she quelled any further questions by simply standing up, drawing everyone's attention, and then telling Inuyasha to go to Kagome and take care of her. There would be time for questions later, after the young woman was properly taken care of and he could give them an update on her recovery.

Inuyasha had barely taken the time to nod before disappearing almost as quickly as he'd come, leaving their worried friends behind.

Kagome was in the bath he arrived five hundred years in the future, and he waited outside the bathroom, listening to Mama Higurashi's gentle tones as she spoke with her daughter, Kagome's weary sounding replies, and the sound of running water. It worried him, but he knew she was in good hands. When Mama cracked open the door shortly afterward requesting assistance, he was surprised but didn't show it as he swept in, wrapped her up in his suikan once more and carried her back to her room.

She'd sleepily insisted she wear his firerat in lieu of pajamas right before promptly passing out for the next fifteen hours.

When she woke, some of her strength had returned and she was feeling much more like herself, however she still could not lift her arms without feeling pain. A trip to the doctor's revealed that thankfully nothing had been torn or broken, and the bite on her thigh received three stitches. The bruise on her stomach had darkened, as all bruises got worse before they got butter, however thankfully his concern for cracked ribs was put to rest.

For the next month, Kagome practically lived in his suikan, only taking it off when bathing, and Inuyasha had to admit he didn't mind in the least. He liked it when she wore his firerat, and her scent was a permanent fixture on it now. He suspected it had a lot to do with it being a security blanket of sorts; being completely naked for nearly twenty-four hours had to have left some kind of mental scar, but he never questioned it. She seemed to be holding up pretty well, anyway, mentally wise. Inuyasha was relieved to note that there didn't seem to be any lasting damage from the awful experience, except for the occasional nightmare, which was expected.

He was always there, though, to wake her up and hold her afterward, always ready to comfort and tell her over and over that he would always be there to protect her. Kagome never failed to calm down after that and often she fell back to sleep cradled in his lap and wrapped securely in his arms. Most of the time Inuyasha joined her in slumber and whenever he woke up, he was never surprised to find a blanket draped over them and the pleasant sent of Mama Higurashi lingering in the room.

During their extended say in Kagome's time, Inuyasha made trips to the other side of the well every so often to keep their friends posted on her condition and when they were coming back. There was no set date yet; Inuyasha was leaving the decision entirely up to Kagome and she gave no indication of wanting to leave, so he didn't press the issue. He didn't care where they stayed, as long as he was with her.

It was during some of their late night conversations, the nights when Kagome was unable to fall asleep, that a few blanks had been filled in for Inuyasha that had perplexed him. Apparently, the reason why he hadn't been able to hear her struggle when the witch had sealed her in the hut had been because of some kind of silencing spell. Kagome likened the experience to being in a bubble, trapped and unable to fight back or scream for help. Another thing he'd learned was that, just before the bitch had shown up to try and take Kagome's place, she had evidently frozen time for a brief period which explained how she'd managed to entrap her, put her in the run down hut that he could have sworn hadn't been there before, strip her of her clothes, steal her soul, and tie her up in the span of maybe four minutes. He remembered that strange sense of déjà vu he'd gotten that morning, right after Kagome's startled scream, and now it made complete sense. He'd been reliving the past minutes and hadn't even realized.

God, he fucking hated witches and their goddamn tricks. If he never ran into another one again, it would be too soon.

Before either of them knew it, a full month had passed and Kagome was more or less back to her usual self. She still felt some residual soreness in her wrists, arms and shoulders, but it was nothing like before and she was able to easily ignore it. Inuyasha and Mama Higurashi were supremely glad that she didn't seem to be suffering from any mental scars, but then again it wasn't that surprising. Kagome had always been strong, in spirt and in body, so when she suddenly announced yesterday at dinner she wanted to go back to the past the next day, her mother smiled proudly and kissed her forehead while Inuyasha had merely grunted as he shoveled his third cup of ramen into his mouth.

But then he'd grabbed her hand under the table and Kagome's smile was bright.

The young woman in question suddenly stirred, drawing Inuyasha away from his musings, and he looked down to find a slight frown pinching her brow. Instantly he resumed his ministrations, smoothing her hair with his hand and tenderly brushing her bangs away from her face, claws caressing, his touch loving.

She stilled, and Inuyasha thought she might settle back into slumber, but then she suddenly released a sharp gasp and her body jerked as her eyes flew open. Fingers curled into his hakama as she blinked rapidly and he could feel her shuddering against him. Then just as abruptly she relaxed and a ragged sigh whispered past her lips, her mind coming full back online and connecting to reality.

Frowning slightly, Inuyasha slipped his hand into her hair and massaged the nape of her neck, causing caramel eyes to blink sleepily up at him. "Hey," he murmured. "You okay?"

Wrinkling her nose in such an adorable way that the corner of his lips twitched, Kagome sighed again then aimed a small but genuine smile at him. She opened her mouth, but before she could answer a yawn snuck up on her unawares and Inuyasha chuckled quietly.

"Mmm," she hummed and released her hold on his thigh to take a moment to stretch, arching her back and extending her arms over her head, not without a minor wince. "Yes," she finally answered, her voice pleasantly husky. "Just a small nightmare. Nothing too bad, I promise."

Even with the assurance his frown didn't lessen and he looked a tad skeptic. Her nightmares were few and far between now, and less intense, but he still worried whenever she had one. He wished he could protect her form the evils of the mind too, but all he could do was be there for when she woke up.

"Sure?" His voice was a low rumble as he moved his hand and ran the back of his claws across the softness of her cheek.

Kagome's eyes softened and grabbed his hand with both of hers, dragging it down to kiss his fingers. "Yes," she whispered and allowed him to haul her upright with the grip she had on his hand. She giggled and his frown finally faded.

He tugged, and Kagome took the hint to climb into his lap, settling her knees on either side of his hips as her arms wrapped around his neck and she tucked her head under his chin. A content little growl started in his chest and he happily gathered her close, putting his own arms around her and nuzzling her hair, inhaling her sweet scent. He grinned. She smelled like Sakura blossoms and him and he loved it.

They stayed that way for an undetermined amount of time, saying nothing and simply basking in one another's presence. The moon's silver brilliance shone brightly through the bedroom window and splashed across them like an ethereal glow. And to Inuyasha, that's what Kagome was, and bathed in the moon's light, she was perfect to him, beautiful and glowing and his.

Feeling like the luckiest goddamn hanyou bastard alive, Inuyasha pressed a kiss to her head and Kagome chose that moment to remove her arms from around his neck and then slip them into the open sides of his kosode, hands sliding over his sides and then pressing against his back with a little hum of content. She felt more than heard Inuyasha's chuckle and she smiled, moving her head to brush her lips against his bare chest in a feather-light kiss, right over his heart. She received a pleased rumble and another kiss to the head and it gave her the courage to finally mention what she'd been thinking about for the past few minutes.

He expected her settle back against him and doze off like she usually did, so when her scent suddenly shifted and he detected a trace amount of apprehension and felt her tense slightly, he pulled back a little and stared down at the top of her head with a puzzled tilt to his eyebrows.

"Kagome?" he questioned softly. "What's wrong?"

Closing her eyes, Kagome sucked in a bracing breath and leaned back onto his thighs, her hands moving to idly toy with the edges of his kosode while her eyes stared at his stomach.

"Inuyasha," she started, gathering her words. "Can I...ask you something?"

He cocked a brow at her, clearly perplexed at this sudden change in behavior, but gestured for her to continue with a nod.

Keeping her eyes glued to his abdomen, paying she wouldn't regret this, she asked haltingly and a little shyly, "Do, ah...do you...w-want me? You know, like...like that." Her face flushed a dark red and she ducked her head, biting her lip.

Inuyasha's eyebrows shot up into the fridge of his bangs and his mouth dropped slightly. "What?" he asked incredulously, wondering if he really did just hear her ask him if he wanted her. What the f—

Kagome winced but forged on, determined to see this through. "Y-you haven't touched me since...well, that night," she continued and vaguely gestured to her chest, "and I was just...well, I was wondering if you...still wanted me." Still refusing to meet his eyes, she used a finger to idly trace the defined lines of his abdomen to distract herself while he waited for his answer, her face red and heart pounding in her chest.

Too stunned to feel embarrassed about the topic of conversation, Inuyasha could only stare down at her in a mixture of confusion and astonishment, at a complete loss.

"Kagome," he started, shaking his head. "Where's all this coming from?"

Not the answer she was hoping for. She hunched her shoulders and bit her lip, not knowing how to answer, so she didn't, staying quiet and keeping her gaze focused on his abdomen. His very nice abdomen.

Realizing she wasn't going to answer and the longer he remained silent, the more sour her scent became from mounting apprehension, Inuyasha sighed roughly through his nose and decided to be honest with her. He didn't know why she wanted to have this particular conversation now, but far be it for him to deny her anything.

"I haven't touched you because I didn't think you wanted me to," he answered her at length and was gratified when Kagome lifted her head and paused her very distracting pastime of tracing his stomach muscles. "You're the one who put a stop to it before things went too far that night, Kagome. You said you weren't ready. I listened."

Not bothering to resist the urge, Inuyasha lifted a hand and brushed flushed her cheek with his claws before sliding his fingers into her hair and running them through the dark tresses. "I'll wait for however long you need, Kagome. You're too important for me not to." He kissed her nose, then her forehead, and suddenly Kagome felt foolish for ever having said no to this wonderful, beautiful man.

It was true; she had stopped things that night before they could get too heavy, because at the time, she'd been frightened. The thing was, though, Kagome still didn't have a solid answer as to what exactly she was frightened of. The pain of her first time? The new and unfamiliarity of intimacy? Or perhaps it went deeper than that and the fear stemmed from unresolved issues including her hanyou's heart and a certain reanimated priestess, but whatever it was, it just seemed so small and insignificant compared to what she had endured.

Kagome didn't like to brag, but she did have the mindset of whatever didn't kill her made her stronger, and she liked to believe that because of recent events, her relationship with Inuyasha had definitely strengthened. In the span of just a month, Kagome now felt closer to Inuyasha than she ever had before and her previous fears suddenly seemed so unfounded and childish.

She felt silly now, for ever wanting to wait for something that she knew she wanted with an absolute certainty that was a little startling, but the love she held for him washed away any lingering feelings of doubt or fear, leaving something warm and wonderful to bloom in her chest.

"What if..." Kagome began softy, dropping her gaze back down to his stomach and this time deliberately gracing the hard contours of his abdomen. "What if I don't want to wait anymore?"

Inuyasha sucked in a sharp breath even as a shiver crawled along his spine at her ministrations. His ears flattened and he looked distinctly uncomfortable as he stammered, "K-Kagome—"

"I only said no before because I was unsure of my feelings," she went on and finally looked up to lock gazes with him, her dark eyes earnest and so full of love Inuyasha's breath caught. "Everything was just moving so fast, you know?"

He nodded, because he did know, but it hadn't been enough to make him stop things. He'd wanted Kagome for far too long, loved her for even longer it seemed, to actually use his head to do the sensible thing and stop it before they regretted it.

"But, Inuyasha," Kagome continue and the smile she bestowed him with was beautiful, genuine, and just the slightest bit naughty as she scooted closer on his lap and leaned in. "You've been so wonderful this past month, doting on me, protecting me from my own nightmares and doing everything in your power to make sure I'm taken care of."

"Keh," Inuyasha murmured, his eyes growing hooded as they dropped to stare at her mouth. "'Course."

Her smile widened as her hands slid up her stomach to press against his chest. "I feel like what happened to me has only brought us closer," she breathed, so close now he could feel her breath fan over his lips and her scent was damn near intoxicating him. "Don't you feel it, too?"

Closer? Fuck yeah he felt it. A low growl echoed in his throat as his hands fell to her hips, deigning not to answer her.

"I'm ready, Inuyasha," Kagome whispered to him, her voice a sultry little purr that sent jolt straight to his groin. "I want to be even closer to you. Inuyasha..." She sighed and her lips brushed his in a feather-light touch. "Will you kiss me?"

Inuyasha didn't answer with words and instead let his mouth to the talking for him, closing that scant distance between them and claiming her mouth in a slow, passionate kiss that lit a fire in his gut and turned his blood to lava. Kagome moaned and pressed herself tight against him, hands sliding up his chest to dive into his hair and twine in the silver strands as he ravished her mouth with hot sweeps of his tongue, ravenous for her taste, greedily swallowing every little moan and whimper that bubbled up from her throat.

With his resolve shattered and his inhibitions similarly scattered to the four winds, Inuyasha let her feel just how much he wanted her by sliding his hands down to cup her ass and then guiding her into a slow grind against his rapidly hardening cock.

"Mmm," Kagome moaned into his mouth, moving her hands to clutch at his shoulders as she rocked against him. "Feels good."

"Keep moving," he instructed her in a low growl and waited for her nod before removing his hands and pushing his suikan off her shoulders so he could take her shirt and lift it up over her head. With her hips still working against him, Kagome obliged by raising her arms and then gasped when something hot and wet closed over her nipple, sucking greedily while a calloused palm teased and toyed with the other one.

"Aaahh." Biting down on her lip, Kagome let her head fall backward and closed her eyes, still rolling her hips and grinding herself down onto the delightfully hard ridge of his erection. "Inuyasha."

In reply he gave one last lick to her nipple then brushed an infinitely tender kiss over the mark he'd left on her breast what seemed like forever ago, nuzzling the soft flesh and Kagome smiled at the loving gesture, taking it for what it was. Her hand drifted to a furry ear and stroked the soft sensitive appendage, returning his affection with her own, and she felt him smile against her chest.

Then his mouth descended on her other nipple and she gasped, jerking her hips forward and whimpering when Inuyasha responded by thrusting up against her with a rough growl, hands clamping down on her hips and ensuring she kept up that hard grind that was slowly driving him insane, but felt way too fucking good to stop. He was painfully hard, throbbing with the need to plunge into her wet heat over and over again, but strangely he was in no rush to end this, wanting to draw it out for as long as he could, wanting to drive her made with desire.

"Inuyasha," Kagome whined, hands buried in his hair, breathing ragged and so wet she was leaving a damp stop on the crotch of Inuyasha's hakama from her soaked cotton shorts. "I want you."

The confession was said on a near sob as she spread her thighs wider and canted her hips at an angle so her clit rubbed against his cock. The resulting jolt of pleasure elicited a sharp cry and she arched her back, her entire body shuddering as the ache in her core intensified.

Breasts thoroughly worshiped and glistening enticingly, Inuyasha worked his way up her neck, leaving hot kisses in his wake and gently scraping with his fangs and his hands slipped into the back of her shorts and cupped the bare cheeks of her ass. He squeezed, and couldn't help but smirk at his lover's soft squeak that quickly turned into a moan when he rocked against her.

"Are you wet for me?" he growled against her lips and swiftly removed a hand so he could work at the ties of his hakama, freeing his erection with a rough grunt.

"Yes," Kagome gasped, trembling, hot, achy, so ready for him and far too gone to feel embarrassed. Her fingers dug into his shoulders as she bucked and gyrated against his cock, fingers knotting in the hair at the nape of his neck, and she felt his hand brush against her stomach, she looked down to find him releasing his cock from the confines of his hakama and the sight sent a rush of heat straight to her weeping core.

She licked her lips, but before she could touch that wonderfully hard erection pressing insistently against her covered snatch, Inuyasha suddenly hooked an arm around her waist and then he was flipping them over, pressing her into the mattress with his hard body and kissing the ever-loving shit out of her.

Eagerly Kagome kissed him back, slicking her tongue along his, nipping at his lips and reveling in the soft growls and quiet groans he emitted. Her hands were everywhere, in his hair, exploring his chest, racking down his back, cupping his ass then shifting back to the flit questing fingers over the tantalizing line of silver hair below his navel. She felt his growl reverberate through his entire body and she shivered, her nipples tightening from where they were pressed against his chest, her stomach quivering and hips rising against him, needing more of that delicious friction.

With a deep growl Inuyasha caught her hand and then drew it further down between them, wrapping her fingers around his cock and groaning whens he squeezed him of her own violation. "Feel that?" he rumbled, unable to resist rocking into her hand. "Don't ever doubt that I want you, Kagome. I always fucking want you."

He sealed his declaration with a hungry, demanding kiss, thrusting his tongue inside and temporarily stealing all coherent thought. He pulled away one long ravenous moment later and a breathless Kagome gazed up at him through half-lidded eyes, panting through kiss-swollen lips and a fetchingly scarlet face.

Dark eyes flared with sudden understanding, recalling all of the times Inuyasha would randomly disappear for nearly half an hour at a time during some days and giving up on her search only to find him waiting for her in her bedroom, calm as you please and acting like he hadn't just pulled a vanishing act for twenty minutes.

"Always?" she breathed, biting her lip as she imagined just what he was doing during those times he was gone.

Golden eyes flashed wickedly and the growl that reverberated in his chest sent pleasant tingles racing through Kagome's body to center at the very core of her. "Always," he rumbled and crushed her mouth under his in another torrid kiss.

For several heated minutes Inuyasha thoroughly ravished her mouth, using lips, tongue, and fangs to drive her wild while his hand slipped beneath the waistband of her panties and discovered slick heat. The growl that issued from his chest was all satisfied male approval and he used his fingers to bring her to the brink, rubbing her clit and teasing the slippery folds with deft strokes until Kagome was writhing and keening and begging, and then abruptly stopped. He withdrew his hand, brought his hand up and kept his eyes on hers as he sucked his fingers clean.

Trembling, aching and feeling hot all over, Kagome watched with half-lidded eyes as he licked clean the evidence of her arousal off his fingers and it was one of the hottest things she'd ever seen. A moan trickled past her lips and she arched her back, hands fisting in the sheets below her as she wordlessly pleaded with him to relief the agonizing ache, to give her the release she so desperately craved.

Amber eyes racked down her undulating form appreciatively and his lips pulled back in a pleased snarled, flashing fangs and the sight had her core pulsing with need, sending a fresh surge of liquid heat to dampen her already sodden panties. His name fell from her lips on a pleading moan and then he was shifting back, hooking his claws into the garment and drawing them down her legs before carelessly dropping them to the floor. His kosode was short to follow as he shrugged out of it, landing in a heap on floor, forgotten.

Clawed hands slid up the smoothness of her thighs, teasing the sensitive skin on the inside, before bending down and pressing a kiss just below her navel, his breath fanning over the black curls nesting above her entrance and lips curved into a smirk as her quivered beneath his touch. He wanted to use his tongue, taste her unique spice until she was screaming his name, but that have to wait for another time. Right now he wanted nothing more than to sink into her tight heat and fuck her senseless.

Exhaling roughly, Inuyasha kissed his way back up her body, nipping gently with his teeth, soothing the brief sting with a hot swipe of his tongue, and pausing to once more pay homage to her breasts. He paid special attention to the fading mark on her left one, sucking a bruise onto the pale skin and looking quite proud of his handiwork when he was finished. Small hands tugged on his hair and he took the hint, surging the rest of the way up to meet her lips in a passionate kiss that drew a guttural groan from him and sent a shaft of heat splintering through him.

"Fuck," he cursed and used his hands to urge her legs to wrap around his hips. Kagome complied with a little purr that sounded erotic as fuck and he responded with a deep hedonistic growl as he surged his hips forward, thrusting his cock against the hot wetness of her and swallowing her gasp with his mouth.

"Inuyasha," Kagome whimpered, thrashing below him as she tugged at his shoulders and squeezed her thighs, rocking her hips and grinding herself on his cock. She cried out and did it again, shamelessly rubbing her clit on his hard shaft, moaning at how good at felt, need more, desperate, the ache nigh unbearable.

"A-aaah," Inuyasha groaned and swore under his breath, slamming a hand down onto the bed and hanging his head as he drew in harsh gasps of air. "D-dammit, Kagome," he growled, gritting his teeth as he forced him to remain still, his body shuddering with his restraint. "If you do that again I'll—"

"Yes," Kagome cut him off on a breathless moan, canting her hips and rubbing against him again. They both groaned and Inuyasha had to clamp his hand down on her hip to stop her before he blew his load too soon. "God, yes, please. I want it, Inuyasha. Please!"

An involuntary jerk of his hips drove his cock through the slick folds again, the glistening head nudging her clit and she mewled, hands darting forward and racking down his chest. Still, he resisted, clenching his jaw so hard it ached and he was almost positive the hard grip he had on her hip would leave a bruise.

"Kagome," he gritted out, needing absolutely certain that this is what she wanted. "Are you sure—"

"Inuyasha," she interrupted him in a voice that was as close to a growl as a human could get and in his surprise he momentarily forgot his inner battle and looked up. She was glaring at him, her face flushed, lips swollen and dark eyes spiting fire as she hissed out, "I swear to god if you don't fuck me right now—"

She didn't get to finish. One second she was threatening to rip off his cock if he didn't fuck her with it right now, and the next he was buried inside her to the hilt, thick and hard and so good. Her threat tapered off into a cry of pleasure, tossing her head back as her body jolted with his pleasurable intrusion. She barely noticed the pain because he was already moving, pulling his hips back and delivering hard, shallow thrusts that sent spirals of sharp, searing pleasure coursing through her body.

With one hand braced on the headboard with an ironclad grip, claws digging into the wood, while the other cupped her ass, Inuyasha groaned long and low as he pulled out and thrust back into her tight sheath. She was so fucking hot, so deliciously wet, and he watched the easy glide of his cock as he plunged into her over and over.

"God," he panted and then grunted as he gave a powerful thrust that drew a sharp cry of pleasure from her and a heady growl from him. "So good, Kagome."

With a harsh grunt he increased his pace, fucking her fast and hard now, smoldering amber greedily taking in the beautiful sight of his lover's breasts as bounced from the force of his thrusts. Her nipples were tight and dark pink and suddenly possessed with the need to taste them again, Inuyasha snarled and dove forward, taking one in his mouth and sucking hard, swirling his tongue around the stiff peak and biting down gently.

Kagome shrieked and then immediately slapped a hand over her mouth to smother any further cries of passion, her face flushing form a mixture of embarrassment and pleasure. Her door was closed, but that didn't mean her family wouldn't wake up if they heard any kind of screaming coming from her room, however muffled it was. Inuyasha's dark chuckle reached her ears and she swatted at his shoulder. He retaliated by switching her to other nipple and giving it the same treatment with vigor.

Her moan was muffled and annoyed, Inuyasha growled and released her breast, reaching up to grab her hand and pin it to the bed. "No," he growled and nipped her lips. "I wanna hear you." He emphasized his words with a hard thrust, slamming into her and smirking wickedly at her gasping moan.

"J-jerk," she muttered, biting her lip hard to stifle her cries despite his arrogant demand. "My f-family—"

"Ask me if I care," he returned and promptly shut her up by claiming her mouth in a hot kiss that stole her breath and all coherent thought, pulling back after several heated seconds to rasp, "Let them hear how good I'm fucking you."

After that Inuyasha did everything in his power to get her to scream for him and fucking hell, did she deliver. Fingers digging into his shoulders, hips working urgently against him, meeting him thrust for thrust, Kagome keened, wailed, cried out her pleasure as he slammed into her again and again, merciless, his thrust unforgiving, powerful, so good. Through erasing every thought from her mind except him, Inuyasha reveled in the way she begged for him, her body thrashing, thighs squeezing his hips, her tight walls fluttering and clamping down hard around his cock, and he knew her climax was approaching.

He was right there with her, and he wanted them to come together, so uttering her name on a rough groan, Inuyasha leaned down, silenced her cries with a demanding kiss, and released her ass to reach between them and stroke the hard bundle of nerves hidden in her folds, driving her further into the throes of ecstasy

"In—u—" She gasped, frantic now as she moved against him, desperate for the release that was just out of her reach, close, so close. She clawed at his shoulders, his chest, lifting her hips to meet every mind-blowing thrust. "I—can't—"

"You can," he grit through clenched teeth, bringing his other hand down to grasp her thigh and wrench it to the side, spreading her open even wider and fucking her now with hard, deep thrusts. "You will."

Dark eyes, heavy-lidded and glazed over with heady desire, clashed with impassioned, heated amber and with a soft snarl, Inuyasha leaned down, gave her a rough kiss, and growled against her lips, "Now."

Kagome's mouth dropped open on a soundless scream of his name as her body obeyed his sinful command, becoming taut as pleasure so intense swamped through her entire being her vision momentarily went white. She heard a hoarse shout of her name as Inuyasha's hips jerked against her in a series of hard, shallow thrusts and she felt a pleasant warmth as he collapsed on top of her.

For several minutes neither of them moved as they came down from their mutual climax, breathing hard, bodies trembling and hearts racing. Gradually the sweat cooled from their bodies and still neither wanted to move, relishing the closeness, basking in the newfound intimacy, but then Kagome shivered and Inuyasha found the strength to heave himself off of her with a rugged sigh.

Instead of moving off, though, he caught her mouth in a slow, lazy and thorough kiss that Kagome happily returned, reveling in the pleasant heat that curled in her belly and spread outward. She hummed in appreciation and he kissed her again, over and over until she was breathless and giggling and only then did he shift onto his side and draw her into his arms.

Snuggling into his arms, feeling warm, lazy and thoroughly sated, Kagome sighed and hummed in contentment, smiling when claws lazily dragged up and down her side in an absentminded gesture of affection. She kissed his chest, felt his low rumble of pleasure and then the warmth of his lips as he brushed a kiss against her brow.

She must have dozed off because the next time her eyes fluttered open Inuyasha was pressed against her back, his arms were around her waist and his face was tucked into the nape of her neck while his chest moved slowly with the deep breaths of sleep. She blinked, wondering why she was awake, and then found out as second later when her bladder rudely told her she needed the bathroom.

Wrinkling her nose and huffing in annoyance, reluctant to leave the cozy nest of warmth and hanyou, Kagome sighed and managed to wriggle herself free from said hanyou's arms without waking him. She took a moment to wrap herself in his suikan before silently opening the door and disappearing down the hall.

If she'd looked back, she would have seen the smirk curling her half-demon's mouth as he shifted onto his back and stretched his arms behind him, pillowing his head in his hands, ears cocked toward the door, waiting.

The sound of the toilet flushing drifted into the room a minute or so later, followed by his woman's soft footsteps on the carpeted hallway. They paused, as Inuyasha knew they would when she noticed the three open doors, and then he wasn't at all surprised when she muttered darkly, not even bothering to be quiet, before stomping back to her room and at this point Inuyasha was grinning in unabashed amusement.

Kagome appeared in her doorway, red face and glaring, and without preamble she launched herself onto her bed, grabbed a pillow and started whacking him with it. "You—insufferable—prick! How—dare you—allow—me—to think—my family—was—home! You—jerk!"

Too busy laughing to properly fend off her attack, Inuyasha simply raised his arms to protect his face and ears as Kagome continued to pummel him with her pillow, berating him between hits at his audacity to not let her know they were alone in the house.

Eventually Kagome had to pause to regain her breath and rest her arms. Inuyasha acted swiftly, yanking the pillow from her hands, tossing it aside and pinning her down on the bed with her hands clasped in his own. He was still grinning and chuckling quietly under his breath while Kagome pouted, clearly still a little miffed at his deceit, however as Inuyasha began to pepper kisses all over her face, she gradually relaxed until a smile curved her mouth and soft giggles were escaping her lips.

He tasted that smile, stole it for his own, and as his arms pulled her close and hers slipped around his neck, Inuyasha thought that this was what he'd wanted. This was happiness. This was hope, this was trust, and this was unadulterated love in its truest form. This…

This was real.