-1Disclaimer: I do not own Inuyasha, or it's plot, characters, etc. etc. However, this storyline in mine.

This is a re-vamp of the original with, hopefully, most of the spelling and sentence errors fixed, This was the first fan fiction I ever wrote and was originally posted September 2004. I must confess I am pleasantly surprised to receive reviews 7 years later. The responses to the original reviews have been removed from the end of the chapters, but let me say I appreciated every one of them and still have them saved.

When I wrote Midsummer's Eve the Schichinintai had just been introduced so the story takes off with that data in mind. The story starts dark in the first few chapters, but does get away from the darker themes almost immediately.

If you wish to draw pictures or copy this story onto your computer to enjoy it anytime, feel free. However, do not copy and post it on another site without my permission first. If you draw a picture please make sure I get a copy of it to enjoy!

As a final note, if you submit an anonymous review your email address will not show up, so for those of you who did so my lack of response is not because I don't want to respond, but because I have no way too.

A special thanks to Moonstruck Kitten for assisting in the editing and revamp of this old gal. Reposted 8/9/11.

Warning: In the later part of this chapter is a scene of rape. This scene will be clearly marked. For those of you wishing to skip it, just skip to chapter two when you reach the marker.

Chapter 1

Midsummer's Eve

Kagome sighed in contentment as she walked down the dirt road next to Sango. Shippo was sitting on her shoulder, chattering away in her ear, while Inuyasha was in his usual place in the lead. Miroku was walking behind them with his eyes all but glued to Sango's rear.

"Kagome..." Inuyasha started.

"What is it?" she asked when he didn't finish his sentence.

She turned her attention from Shippo to him. He looked like he was fighting with himself, clearly wanting to tell her something important, but either not sure how to say it or too embarrassed to say it.

"What?" she asked again when he didn't answer, getting a little worried.

"In a few days it is going to be Midsummer's Eve," Sango guessed.

She must have been right judging by the way Inuyasha's back suddenly stiffened at the comment.

"What does that mean?" Kagome asked confused.

Many such holidays no longer existed in her time, or if they did she wasn't aware of them. A lot of old traditions had been dropped and new ones adopted, like Christmas.

"It means that youkai have a hard time controlling their instincts. On such an occasion when the barriers between the spiritual world and the mortal world are weakened, those with power, such as youkai, gain an extreme power boost. During this time of year youkai have a hard time controlling their instincts. Midsummer's Eve is the time when most youkai breed, unable to control their instincts as they are over run by the sudden powerful surge they receive," Miroku answered in that worldly voice of his.

"However, this Midsummer's Eve is going to be a particularly dangerous one for all unattached females due to the full moon. Even the stronger youkai are going to have a hard time fighting off their instincts to mate." Miroku continued.

"That is why many villagers have a celebration at night over the three days of the festival. By burning incense and candles the resulting scent will cover the smell of the females in the village. At such a time when youkai lose control of themselves, they do not care with what, let alone who, they breed with. All they can think of is claiming any suitable female as their own," Sango added.

"Any female? Is it common for a youkai to have more than one mate?" Kagome asked curiously.

"The male will generally mark the female as his, but most don't lose themselves that far. It is not unheard of for a youkai to have more than one mate, but it is not common either and tends to stick to certain races," Sango answered.

"You are going home tomorrow night for four days," Inuyasha declared firmly, silently glad Miroku and Sango were handling a subject he clearly felt uncomfortable talking about.

"A wise idea, Miroku agreed with a nod. "Kagome-sama, in the next four days your own powers are going to rise as well. Youkai looking for a mate are going to be drawn to it. Taiyoukai may be able to hold their instincts at bay, but lesser youkai will be unable to fight their instincts and most likely so after you. Unlike other women, whose scent can be hidden by other scents; your power cannot be so easily concealed. It is far too dangerous for you to remain here."

"That and you're in heat," Inuyasha grumbled.

"What? Osuwari!" she shouted, blushing in embarrassment.

Crash!

"If that is so, then you must return home. It is too dangerous for you to remain here," Miroku continued.

By this time Keade's village came into sight, the villagers busy at work getting ready for the Midsummer Festival. They started down the hill, catching up to and passing a twitching Inuyasha.

"Is there anything else I should know about this? Next time we might not be able to get to the well," Kagome asked. "And why have I never been told of this before?" she demanded angrily.

"I'll let you handle the rest Sango," Miroku said, walking off ahead, clearly uncomfortable with the subject.

Sango and Kagome continued on to Keade's hut as Miroku wandered off. Kirara followed them as Shippo went from Kagome's shoulder to Miroku's, the kitsune pup also uncomfortable with the topic.

"The last few Midsummer Eve's had normal moon phases. Inuyasha is only a hanyou so the pull is not very strong on him. He was also able to protect you from any youkai who would attempt anything. Your power has also grown considerably in the last year Kagome-chan," Sango explained.

She blushed at the compliment.

"The full moon makes it worse as the pull of it excites a youkai's blood. It is very rare for a full moon to occur on Midsummer's Eve. So rare in fact that I can't think of a single instant it has happened in the past. If Inuyasha is right, and you are in heat, every youkai within twenty miles will be after you. Even a taiyoukai may not be able to resist your power, their blood, and your scent in the next couple of days."

"What is this heat thing anyway?" Kagome asked curiously and embarrassed at the same time.

She understood that animals went into heat of course, but as far as she knew humans most certainly didn't

"It's the time when the human body is most susceptible to getting pregnant. I believe it last three or four days, at least that is what we have slowly learned over the years," Sango answered honestly. "Youkai can smell when this time is upon us, but we really don't notice it ourselves."

"I see. What about you?" Kagome asked concerned.

"I have no powers so the Midsummer Rituals should cover my scent," Sango assured her with a smile. "Inuyasha is right. You should be safer in your own time. I doubt it is a full moon there and clearly there are very few youkai."

"I see."

"However, just in case you do come across a problem, please remember this," Sango stopped her and looked into her eyes, clearly stating how important this next batch of information was. "Kagome-chan, if you ever find yourself face to face with a youkai on the brink of control, Do Not Run," she iterated slowly, firmly, and clearly. "It will only instigates their instants to chase their prey down. Do not argue with them, or do anything to anger them. It helps them lose even more control and they will hurt you, maybe even kill you," Sango hesitated suddenly before continuing.

"If you are ever caught by one, do not fight it or try to escape. Youkai have very strong instincts and it would only aggravate them. If any youkai who catches you still has enough control to speak, do not, at all costs, disobey it. It will anger them and they will lose what little control they do have. Do anything to appease them as it may let them regain more and more control. Do you understand?"

Kagome numbly nodded her head, horrified with this new information, and silently vowing to get them all back for having not warned her earlier. No wonder Inuyasha was always so protective in June. Least the bastard could have done was warn her.

"Eat," everyone shouted as they tore into dinner.

"Oi, Inuyasha, that was mine," Shippo shouted.

"Keh, first come first serve."

"Inuyasha share."

"No, it's mine."

"Inuyasha, osuwari!"

Crash!

"Alright."

Keade sighed as she watched the antics of her visitors. They were such an excitable group.

"Kagome," Keade started, uncertain if the others had warned the young woman of the upcoming dangers.

"I'm going home for a few days," Kagome said, gracing Keade with a smile.

"I see. Then you were warned of the oncoming danger?"

"Sango-chan filled me in," she answered.

"Oi, Keade-baba. Can I stay here for a few days? I want you and Miroku to put up a barrier around the house," Inuyasha asked seriously.

"Yes. But if Kagome is going home I see no reason to," Keade answered.

"Keh. The barrier isn't for her it's for me," he snorted. "I can get through the well and I don't want to lose control and go after her. I am having a hard enough time as it is," he admitted quietly.

Everyone stopped eating and looked at him in shock.

"What?" he demanded angrily.

"Inuyasha," Miroku put a hand on his shoulder, "It is good to see you are showing concern for Kagome-sama."

Shippo and Sango nodded their heads in agreement.

"What?" Inuyasha shouted, jumping to his feet. "I am not worried about her. I just don't want to be mated to her because I lost control."

"Oh really," Kagome asked in that cold voice that sent chills down everyone's spines. "I'm not good enough for you, is that it?" she demanded, standing up and pointing an accusing finger at him.

"No, that's not what I meant," he protested. "I mean I don't want to be tied to you due to a mistake."

"Oh. So being your mate would be a mistake would it?" she shouted.

"What? That's not..." Inuyasha started to protest.

"Osuwari."

Thump.

Kagome stormed out. Sango sighed before getting up and following her. Miroku and Shippo looked at Inuyasha, shaking their heads.

"What did I do?" he demanded. "Don't look at me like that."

"Inuyasha, go apologize to Kagome," Shippo shouted at him.

"What! Why? I didn't do anything. It's not my fault she took things the wrong way."

"Inuyasha no baka," Keade sighed.

"Keh." He snorted.

"Kagome-chan," Sango called as she caught up to her friend.

"I can't believe him," she fumed.

"Kagome-chan, you know he didn't mean it that way. Inuyasha is truly concerned that he may lose control and hurt you," Sango said.

Kagome sighed. She hated it when she realized she got mad at Inuyasha for no agreeable reason. Sango was right. She took a deep breath and marched back into Keade's hut.

"Inuyasha…...Sorry," she muttered

He looked at her stunned, before responding in his usual way.

"Keh."

Her temper rose again, but Sango rested a hand on her shoulder and she settled down. The rest of dinner went by in relative peace.

"Done," Miroku said proudly as he put up the last ward.

"Good," Inuyasha said coldly as he sat down in the center of Keade's hut.

"I'll be back in four days," Kagome promised.

Inuyasha just nodded his head. Shippo and Kirara sat next to him to keep him company. A store of food was packed up against the wall to last for four days and three nights.

Already Kagome could feel her power pulling at her. Her power had never felt stronger and it was slightly terrifying. She could sense lesser, helpful or harmless, youkai she had never sensed, but knew were there, before. It was amazing. If she reached out she could even sense Shippo, Kirara, and Inuyasha, though the hanyou was harder to pick up since he had the least youki.

It was evening by the time she set out for the well, wanting to wait until Inuyasha was sealed. The sun was low on the horizon before her.

"The night before, the night of Midsummer's Eve, and the night after are the three most dangerous nights," Kagome thought to herself as she walked through the darkening gloom, the sun almost set and a near full moon in the sky, missing only a faint sliver from its light.

Her miko powers were so high by this point that she was glowing slightly, though it was very faint and only a youkai, houshi, or miko would notice it. She stopped to watch the rest of the beautiful and rather stunning sunset before continuing on, although this time a little faster.

Finally the clearing came into sight. She stopped two steps in. A powerful youki was approaching rather quickly, one that was frightfully familiar. She ran towards the well, but stopped halfway across the clearing when the youkai in question appeared as if just materializing out of thin air.

"Sesshomaru?" she gasped silently; wondering what he was doing so close to the village. "Damn. My power must have drawn him. Of course he would hunt down anything that might be a threat to him," she thought half in panic and half in self reproach.

His eyes were alternating between red and gold and she could tell he was fighting to keep control. She inched towards the well slowly, never once taking her eyes off of her target.

His eyes followed her, his mouth caught in a silent snarl. She whimpered, but continued to inch towards her goal. She had but to make it to the well to be safe. He would be unable to follow her.

His youki was overpowering, so overpowering it was almost making her blind. He was so powerful right now she was not even sure she could hurt him despite her own astounding power boost.

"Almost there," she thought desperately.

Five feet, four feet, three feet, two feet, one foot.

He lunged at her. She eeped as she jumped, hoping to make it. A strong hand grabbed her wrist and threw her several feet away from the well to land behind him. She looked up just in time to see him rip apart another youkai she hadn't been able to sense under the overpowering strength of his youki.

She whimpered from the bruises her rather rough landing gave her before forcing herself to be quiet and froze, not daring to move as he quickly finished with the other youkai. She hoped he would leave and forget about her, but he didn't. The moment the other youkai was obliterated past any point of recognition, he turned to face her. His eyes were now a deep red with no sign of intelligence. He had lost the fight to control his blood.

He stalked up to her and she cursed slightly as he grabbed her, dragged her to her feet by the scruff of her neck, and took a strong whiff of her scent.

"Please, let me go. You don't want to do this," she pleaded as softly and calmly as she could.

He growled low and feral. She whimpered in fear as he threw her over his shoulder and took off. The world went by in an unrecognizable blur and she screamed in fright as the landscape rushed past them.

His armour dug into her stomach and the ground raced by, making her slightly ill until she shut her eyes and clamped her mouth closed to stop screaming. She took deep, slow breaths, trying to calm down. It took all of her willpower not to fight and struggle. To remain still and pray he would regain control before anything else could happen.

The speed lasted for a while, how long she wasn't sure. The next thing she knew she was tossed to the ground to land on something dusty, but soft. She dared to open her eyes as she looked around without letting him out of her sight.

They were in a cave and she was sitting on what appeared to be old animal skins of some sort, although it was too dark to see very well. Judging by the dust, it had been a while since this cave had been used for anything.

She looked up at her captor, his eyes still glowing red as he approached her. She wanted to run, but was paralyzed in fear. There was no escape. He was between her and the only exit, and he was far stronger and faster then she was.

"Please don't," she pleaded softly. "You don't want to do this. I know you don't."

If he heard her, he made no indication. She tried to move away from him, but he caught her and pinned her beneath him. Fear turned to panic and it took all of her willpower not to fight him, to reign her miko powers in before she lashed out and angered him.

Warning: All right, here it is. Those of you who do not care to read scenes of un-consensual sex please stop now and wait for chapter 2.

"Please," she whimpered again.

Her pleas fell on deaf ears as his claws shredded her clothing. She started crying by this point; her eyes squeezed shut in an attempt to block out what was happening to her. She could hear the rustle of cloth, though it barely registered to her distraught mind.

He turned her over, than seemed to leave her for a second. Before she could begin to hope he had changed his mind, his touch returned, only this time there were no clothes between them.

He forced her on to her hands and knees and now she truly did sob out loud, whimpering for him to stop. She wanted to fight, but Sango's words came back to her. If she fought, it would be worse.

It hurt. Oh god it hurt when he thrust into her unprepared body brutally and without the slightest hint of mercy or hesitation. The first stroke was one of many that followed immediately after it, given her formally virgin body no chance to adjust. He was violent as his clawed hand held her steady beneath him.

She cried in pain and loss as he took her harder and harder, blood flowing down her hips where his claws dug into her flesh to keep her steady beneath him. She sobbed in agony as it continued to flare in her hips from his claws and between her thighs from his violent thrusting. He was giving off a pleased, feral growl at the back of his throat.

"Please," she whimpered to herself, "please, make him stop. Please. This isn't how it was supposed to be," she thought through her pain.

Finally he released himself into her, biting her at the same time. She screamed in pain as his fangs bit down on the base of her neck, blood welling out of the wound that he eagerly lapped up.

"He marked me," she realized in shock as he finally released her and she fell to her chest, instantly curling up and ignoring the blood running down her thighs from the claw marks on her hip and the intense pain coming from her violated area. "He marked me," she whimpered again.

She knew what that was. Sango had explained it to her that many youkai marked their mates, including inuyoukai. Her friend felt it important to tell her about it just in case Inuyasha ever developed a brain and asked her to mate.

She curled up tighter and cried. She stiffened as a hand wrapped around her and pulled her into his warm chest. She tried to pull away, but a warning growl stopped her. He nuzzled her and continued to lick the mark on her neck until it stopped bleeding.

She cried herself to sleep and didn't wake again until around midnight, when he stirred and forced her back onto her hands and knees. She whimpered as he took her again, not stopping until he poured his seed into her before letting her go. It hadn't hurt as much this time, her body and mind too numb from shock to truly notice what was happening to her.

He curled up against her again, his own body heat being the only thing keeping her warm in the cold cave, his arm wrapped possessively around her. This time she fell asleep almost instantly, her body too exhausted to stay awake. He woke her at dawn, once again forcing her up.

She didn't fight. She had no strength left to fight. When he finished with her, he stood, dressed, and left without a word. She continued to remain curled up for an hour before finally gaining the energy to move and check her wounds. She was in agony and moving around hurt a lot. Tears of pain, loss and fear streamed down her face.

A little later the sun managed to shine into the cave and she could tell that it was not very big. She was, indeed, lying on dust covered animal skins that appeared to be quite old. A fire pit was in the center of the cave and there was some wood stacked against the far wall with a flint and steel set right next to it.

"An old trappers cave," she figured silently and numbly as she stood up shakily.

Her body was sore and she whimpered as she looked for her clothing. It was torn to shreds and there was nothing left of it to even consider clothing. She shook the dust out of the furs before wrapping it around her.

Her body was covered in blood, sweat, dirt, and the sticky residue left from his mating. She walked to the entrance of the cave and looked down to see a steep incline. It was climbable, if you were a youkai. For a human it would be damn near impossible.

She returned to the centre of the cave and cried, half hoping he would never return and half hoping he would and get her out of there. As the day went on she sat in numbed silence, broken by the occasional sob as she forced herself to remember everything Sango and Miroku had told her.

She was marked. That meant no other youkai with half a brain would dare touch her. It also meant she was mated to him for life or until one of them died. She had no doubt as to who the first one to die would be. She was, essentially, his. Females were subservient to the males in most cultures.

The sun started to set and she finally stirred, starting a small fire after much difficulty. She relieved herself outside of the cave in the corner of the small plateau. She curled up in the now mostly dust free skins, trying to keep warm and praying for rescue.

The feel of a powerful youki approaching broke her out of her trance. Her back was to the entrance, but she knew who it was without looking. He had come back, and his youki was higher than ever.

She whimpered as he approached her, his shadow falling over her. She tried to hide further under the hides, hopping he would ignore her. The sound of rustling cloth destroyed that hope.

"Turn over," a snarled voice commanded.

She whimpered as she complied, looking up to see his naked body before he straddled her. His eyes were still red, though not as darkly as they had been the night before. Somehow he had managed to gain some control back, though it was not enough to stop himself.

His skin was hot against her chilled flesh. She turned her head to the side, unable to look at him. A pool of white hair cut her vision off just before his mouth found her neck and gently began to nibble on it.

The feel of it sent a tingle up her body and she got goose bumps as he continued.

"Do not fight," he whispered into her ear. "I will lose all control if you do."

She nodded her head to let him know she understood as his mouth continued to explore her. His hand started to explore one of her breasts and she felt her body begin to respond to the strange touch. She couldn't help but to moan pleasantly, slightly horrified with herself, though her mind was too numb to really care.

He toyed with her a while longer before his knee forced her legs apart. She didn't fight, just continued to stare at the fire, letting the dancing flames set her into a type of trance that helped rescue her mind from what was happening to her body.

He took her slowly at first, but picked up speed as he came closer and closer to his release. She whimpered a little until he finally released himself into her. She felt tears streaming down her face as he rested before he rolled off of her and pulled her against his chest. She didn't fight.

She didn't sleep and wasn't at all surprised when he stirred around midnight. The moment she felt him stir she obedient rolled onto her back, most certainly not wanting to go through it the way they had the night before.

His hand and mouth massaged her body until she relaxed slightly. She couldn't help but moan in pleasure as he found sensitive spots. It sickened her that her body could betray her so easily.

He was gentle this time, and the time at dawn. This time he did not leave, but rather fell asleep again. Curled up against him, she also finally fell asleep, her body and mind too overcome to stay awake. The fire had long since burned down to coals before going out.