Disclaimer - I do not own Inuyasha...though I certaintly wish, like many I'm sure, that I did.

Summary - On a dangerous game of cat and mouse Inuyasha fights for his own life and those of who he loves. After the last shard was collected, the final jewel fell into the wrong hands. Those wrong hands belonged to Sesshomaru. But he didn't even want it right! He was intrigued by how much power one could have and made his wish to become the strongest demon ever and imprisioned Inuyasha and the others. Now for his own amusement he sends his little brother out on a hunt. Inuyasha's life is slipping away in the hands of his brother and Kagome is the only one who can keep him alive. After proclaiming their love for one another will he have enough strength to keep her alive too and out of harms way before Sesshomaru takes her as his own?

Chapter 1: Hide and be Seeked

"A game." He muttered, running through the forest, tree branches scratching across his face. As a child his brother called this a harmless game of hide and seek, something to pass the time, but as they grew older, this game got deadly and more dangerous. His eyes narrowed at the thought of always being caught but never it and he shouted to the sky. "This is not that game!" Springing into the air, his long silver hair blowing in the wind, he landed on a thick branch, outstretched from a tree and searched for any sign of his enemy, his enemy from day one, his older half brother Sesshomaru. Ever since Sesshomaru got his greedy hands on the Shikon Jewel, his undying thirst for power grew and everyone was in danger, Inuyasha his hanyou brother more than anything or anyone. 'He didn't even want the jewel, so why did he take it!' His unanswered questions screamed across his mind.

He remembered that haunting day so clearly, having it played in his dreams and thoughts more than a million times over.

"Kill him Inuyasha!" Kagome shouted.

"Do it now!" Miroku had shouted.

Sango shouted at him too. Their voices reached his ears but they had no effect on him as he stared up into the golden orbs of Sesshomaru as he pinched the jewel between his fingers. His grin of vengeance scarred the heart and mind of his little brother forever. And that moment of silence as he opened his mouth to make his wish, it rang through his ears like a piercing bell.

Why couldn't he do it? It was so easy, Sesshomaru was right in front of him, served on a plate and yet he couldn't kill him. Could it have been because they were brothers? Kagome and the others had always wondered that but he crushed it down with his no's.

"Inuyasha," Sango had started as she approached the spot where he had sat resting in the corner. "I had been thinking about your encounter with Sesshomaru and it bothers me to think that you couldn't kill him because you're family. I understand though, how hard it is. I would never be able to kill Kohaku given your situation."

His usual temper kicked in right about then and his voice was loud enough for all to hear. "I don't share no love or feelings with Sesshomaru. He hates me and I despise him! I would have killed him whether or not he was my brother!"

His anger reached a boiling point and he jumped back down into the trees to hide in the shade as he continued his escape to no where. Just by the look in their eyes he knew they were silently asking why he couldn't do it then. He didn't even know himself. After Sesshomaru made his wish, the demon lord was using Inuyasha's friends and himself as slaves and personal assistants. Sango had been forced by Sesshomaru to make him the finest and most dangerous weapons to kill his little brother and others considering her knowledge of weaponry. Like he needed them though, by using the Shikon Jewel's powers so selfishly, he became the strongest demon known in all the lands. Miroku became Inuyasha's personal doctor to tend to his wounds after this so-called game. But most importantly, what had happened to Kagome? Sesshomaru had a sudden interest in her and made her his advisor to lead his evil self to Inuyasha during his daily goose chase around the grounds in which he now owned.

"That bastard." Inuyasha spat, reaching a clearing with a small stream. "This wasn't the way it was supposed to happen." Stopping to take a drink from that stream his thoughts began to wonder until that day Kagome had come to talk to him when they were so close to gathering the last shard.

Inuyasha sat in his normal position high in a tree, arms crossed and eyes focused on the setting sun. He could smell Kagome's scent approaching but he did nothing to acknowledge that he knew she was there.

Kagome stepped out of the bushes that led away from where Miroku and Sango sat around the fire and walked under the tree where Inuyasha sat and looked up at him. "Inuyasha?" she called his name softly, almost a whisper.

As usual she had interrupted him of his deep thoughts and decisions over Kikyo and herself and he couldn't control his voice as he shouted down to her. "What do you want now!"

Kagome smiled. It always confused him when she did this. He was so rude to her and yet she always managed to stay cheery around him. "Do you still plan on using the jewel to become full demon?"

Her words of full demon echoed through his mind. At that moment in time his answer was yes and he told her that but now, now was different. After this incident, his mind had changed but it was already too late. The Shikon Jewel had now disappeared from the face of the earth.

"Damn you Sesshomaru." He cursed, ridding the splashes of water from his mouth, using his sleeve.

Suddenly, the sounds of people approaching perked up his dog ears and a low growl escaped his mouth as he smelt who it was. Turning his body fiercely around on his bent legs, he bared his fangs at his enemy standing before him.

"Hello little brother." Sesshomaru grinned, his golden eyes flickering in the sunlight and he pushed a strand of hair blocking his view of Inuyasha out of his face. "Jaken," he called.

"Yes m'lord?" the little green toad demon scurried out from behind his master, his staff tucked in his arms so he could carry the velvet pillow with Sesshomaru's new weapon on top.

Sesshomaru picked up the weapon and pulled off its sheath to reveal a small sharp dagger. "Such a fine day for hunting isn't it Inuyasha?" he teased, swinging the dagger around as he spoke and slowly stepping forward. Inuyasha stretched out his claws, ready for a fight and moved back into the water to keep the original distance between them. Sesshomaru frowned at Inuyasha's attempt to pull him into battle. "Inuyasha, if you hadn't been talking to yourself this whole time, you wouldn't be in this situation." He watched as Inuyasha dropped his hands and narrowed his eyes at him. "Advisor, come advise me." He called over his shoulder, a fang slipping over his bottom lip as he waited.

Stepping quietly from the bushes to the side of Sesshomaru came Kagome, dressed in a royal green elegant yet torn evening gown that Sesshomaru insisted she wear during her stay. Inuyasha gazed at her exhausted, paled complexion as her hazel eyes met his own. She looked at him, a saddened face pulled at his heart then she dropped her gaze, not being able to bare what was to come. Stopping by Sesshomaru's side, she pulled out a small vile from inside the pocket on her dress and handed it out to him.

"Nicely done my dear." Sesshomaru said, brushing his clawed fingers through her knotted ravenous locks of hair.

Kagome pulled his hand out of her hair and held his palm up then thrusted the tiny bottle into his hand. "I told you not to call me that." She whispered through clenched teeth.

Sesshomaru frowned, displeased with her behavior in front of his victim and wrapped his fingers around the glass container containing a red substance. "I'll deal with you later." He spoke harshly, warning her that there was pain to come then turned to face his still half demon brother's figure, his golden eyes staring coldly at him. "But right now, there's you."

Inuyasha already knew what was to come, his body would freeze with pain and he'd fall, that's all he remembered really but he didn't even try to flee from it. Sesshomaru was capable of far much worse and if he found this more amusing or better for his 'little brother' then so be it. He watched the demon lord carefully as he opened the vile in his hand and poured out the red liquid over his sharp weapon. As Inuyasha looked into those cold eyes he wanted to rip him apart for having a large smirk across his face.

"Tell me advisor, where is a place on this worthless piece of shit that hasn't been yet cut through the bone?" he asked, throwing the bottle into the ground, allowing it to smash into tiny pieces without a care. Of coarse, he wasn't the one not wearing any shoes so why would he? If it stabbed through Inuyasha's foot then it would make the chase a little easier.

Kagome knelt down to the ground and began picking up the small pieces that had scattered along the ground, trying her best to avoid her master's question but to also save Inuyasha from more pain. She felt a hot glare on her body but she didn't move, she didn't want to tell Sesshomaru where Inuyasha could be hit, she wanted to keep Inuyasha alive.

Sesshomaru glared at her bent body and grew furious with her ignorance. "I asked you a question bitch!" He lifted his hand and backslapped the side of her cheek making her roll over onto the ground, dropping the broken glass that she had picked up into her dress.

Kagome gasped and shut her eyes, feeling the hot pain she had just endured rise into her head. Covering her reddening cheek she stumbled to her feet and looked at Inuyasha, apologizing a thousand times for what she had to do. It seemed like he understood too when he nodded, almost telling her to do it. 'Does he want to die?' Kagome wondered, wanting to ask him but was unable to do. Sensing Sesshomaru's anger growing she began searching through her memory of where Inuyasha had not been stabbed or cut. "U-under his ribs on th-the left Sesshomaru." The shakiness in her voice was quite noticeable but she tried her best to stop it for Sesshomaru would not be happy.

Sesshomaru grinned, finally receiving his waited answer and prepared his weapon. "Sleep well my dear little brother." Flicking the dagger in a forcefully motion, it pierced through Inuyasha's skin, sending him to the ground as the poison mixed with his blood.

Kagome shut her eyes as the vision of Inuyasha's eyes rolling back into his head flashed through her mind. She had seen it so many times that it just wouldn't go away. 'I'm so sorry Inuyasha.'

"Jaken, bring him back to the castle." Sesshomaru ordered, taking one last look at his brother's motionless body as he fell face first into the water below him. 'Pitiful. He doesn't even put up a fight anymore.'

"Yes m'lord! Right away!" Jaken shouted, running over to the seemingly dead half demon.

"As for you." Sesshomaru started, towering over Kagome. Her hazel eyes once filled with happiness and joy were now cold and faded looked up into his own. He chuckled to himself to think that he was the one responsible for it, for everything that ruined her original happy life. "You're coming with me. It's time for your punishment." Grabbing tightly around her arm he pulled her away while Jaken followed, dragging Inuyasha's body behind.