A/N: Wow! I'm really surprised that the first chapter was such a success! I mean I must say I didn't think it was all that great, but with all the good reviews, I was certainly proved wrong. So here's another chapter for all of you eager readers out there!

Disclaimer: Once again for all you well-read folks out there, I don't own Inuyasha, ya hear, but I do own this sick twisted spin-of-a-plot I reckon.

WARNING: Lemony alert! No readers under the age of 18 all right!

In Shackles

Chapter 2: A Breakthrough—Menomeru's Desires Revealed

I gasped when Menomaru stepped into the sunlight streaming across my carpeted floor and I whirled around to face him. My chair was knocked over and hit the floor with a muted thump beside me. All was silent as we faced off, staring into each other's eyes unflinchingly. His lips curved into small smile and I knew he could sense my fear. I gathered up all the resolve I had left and forced my eyes to show no sign of fear.

"What are you doing here," I said with a tinge of annoyance and perhaps a spark of anger.

He laughed then, the same laugh that made me shiver with fear last night before he said, "How could you say that after such a night of boiling passion between us?" I blushed and he looked utterly pleased by my reaction. "I'm here for you," he said after a short pause.

"What do you want from me?"

He smiled again and said, "I want to possess your mind, body and soul and use you as a tool to help further my ambitious rise to power here in this time. But in order for me to do so, I need to break through that spiritual barrier you have erected about yourself so that I can mark you as mine."

"You disgusting pig! I would never become your mate—not willingly."

"And that's the greatest part of it all—you will have no will left to fight me once I'm done with you." As if to prove his point he invoked his control over me and forced me over to him in the warm rays of sunlight that bathed him in an ethereal light.

I glared at him and still that smug smile remained plastered to his lips, proclaiming his victory over me. And yet I refused to give in so easily; not when I still had a fighting chance. He hadn't won the war yet, only the battle. I caught his gaze and said, "You may think you have won, but I have yet to give in to you and I will fight until I've used up every ounce of my will."

His smile broadened a bit, if that was even possible, when he said, "Then fight me—struggle until you can't withstand me. That just makes your surrender all the more sweeter." He leaned in closer, so that his face filled my focus entirely before he planted a chaste kiss upon my lips, ignoring the flash of light that ignited at the touch of his lips upon mine. And then he was gone in a gust of wind out my open window and into the warm rays of sunlight outside. Soon you will be mine, he whispered across my mind.

I sank to my knees as fresh tears streamed down my face, stemming from my fear and the utter despair and hopelessness that had pierced through my heart. What was I going to do?

I was feeling so sick with worry that I called in sick and had one of the other girls come in and cover my shift at the maternity ward. I just wasn't up to going to work right now, especially after Menomaru revealed that he would take me as his mate with or without my consent. I knew he would be back tonight and I dreaded every passing hour that brought me closer to midnight when I was sure he would return to try and take me as his mate. I slept most of the day, too nervous to do much else. I ate very little because my stomach had tied itself into jittery knots and my family soon began to inquire about my health.

"Kagome, what's wrong dear," my mother said when she saw that I had barely touched my food.

"Yeah Sis, you don't look so good," added Souta, my younger brother.

"It's nothing," I said at last. "May I be excused?"

"Of course dear," my mother said. I went over to the sink to wash my cup and the pots soaking in the sink but my mother stopped me and said, "Don't worry about the dishes dear. I'll wash them. You go on ahead and get some rest."

"Thanks mom," I said giving her a warm hug, before I trudged solemnly up the stairs to my bedroom.

Once I was inside I shut the door behind me softly and collapsed on my bed in a heap. I lay there motionless for a while and then the sobbing started. I don't know how much time had elapsed as I lay there crying, but I didn't care. I was drowning in my own despair with no hope of rescue and the knowledge that it wouldn't be long before Menomeru came for me, swooping down low and capturing—me—his prey. When I had squeezed out every last tear and my eyes were bone dry, I rolled off my bed and made my way to my bathroom to run myself a bath.

Maybe a bath would soothe my wariness of Menomaru's return and ease my tension. I turned the knobs and the water came out in a gushing rush, filling the tub with my specified water temperature. I poured my favorite bubble bath in, stripped down and immersed myself in the comforting warmth of the bath water. The warm water eased my muscle's tension and made me forget about Menomaru's visit and his intentions. It felt good to forget, but once the water grew frigid, the cool grip of worry crept back in and gripped my heart again, bringing with it a new wave of despair.

I grabbed my towel off the rack and dried my self, before I slipped on my robe and opened the bathroom door. Steam preceded me as I entered my dark bedroom and switched on my bedside lamp. It took my eyes a while to adjust, but once they did, I dressed in another simple nightgown and quietly slipped underneath the cool covers of my bed and switched off my lamp on my nightstand. The minute the light went out, the shadows returned in a rush, filling every nook and cranny with its looming darkness. I tried to ignore the shadows, but I was afraid he would suddenly emerge and take me away—away from my family, my friends, my life . . .

Tears welled up in my eyes and I forced them back with fierce blinks. I didn't want Menomaru to come for me. All I wanted was for all of this to go away and turn out to be a dream—just a terribly morbid dream. Before long I drifted off to sleep, with silent tears streaming down my face in long, wet rivulets. Dreams swept me away in a swift torrent and the world was encompassed by darkness.

I dreamt of him. His face haunted me, lurking within every shadow and every corner. I awoke startled by the feel of a hand caressing my face and a dip in my bed from the weight of someone sitting beside me. I sat up in instantly; there was a flash of light when Menomaru's hand was forcefully repelled by my spiritual barrier. I scooted away from him, squishing myself between my headboard and the wall and watching him with wary eyes.

Menomaru stared down at his wounded hand before his cool gaze shot up to look at me, cornered on my own bed. "It seems that your barrier is weaker when you are asleep. I was able to touch you physically without the barrier repelling me."

"What did you do to me, while I slept I mean," I whispered from my corner, huddling in on myself.

He stared straight at me as he said, "Do you think so little of me that you believe I would take advantage of you while you slept?"

"Oh and taking advantage of me while you have control of my body is any better! Quite frankly I don't know what to think of you. You're just a despicable being in my eyes."

He smiled then and said, "Am I so despicable Kagome?" He moved in closer crawling across my bed until his face was mere inches from mine. My pulse sped up and my mouth went dry. What was this feeling? I couldn't be attracted to him, could I? He drew in a deep breath near my face, taking in my scent and I flinched. "I can smell your excitement Kagome," he said.

I blushed and opened my mouth to deny it, but he put a warm finger to my lips briefly, before my barrier kicked in and burned him again. My mind went numb at that small touch and I didn't understand why. What was wrong with me? The bed shifted as he scooted away from me and sat at the end of my bed. I watched his every movement taking comfort in the space between us, which gave me room to breathe easily and think clearly.

I felt a sharp tug on the shackles of power he had about, and I was forced from my snug corner near my headboard and the wall. His power coaxed me, enticed me until I was propped up against my pillows at the middle of my headboard. I sat there frozen in place because I couldn't move. At last he turned to face me, his eyes a blazing crimson in the darkness.

"I will find away to chip away at that barrier of yours and then I will take you as mine this time." I forced myself to concentrate on battling his power, but he only laughed at me. "It's no use Kagome," he said finding my struggles utterly amusing, "you cannot break my control over you."

I glared at him because that was all that I could do and he simply gave me cool eyes, showing no sign that he was disturbed by my heated gaze. I wasn't at all prepared when my nightgown was ripped away in a rain of cloth. I blushed at being suddenly stark naked before him. A grin stretched those sensuous lips of his, flashing a bit of fang.

"Kagome . . . Why aren't you wearing any lingerie?"

I couldn't suppress the deeper shade of hauteur from burning my cheeks when I said, "I was hot . . ."

"Were you? Hot for what?"

"And what exactly is that supposed to mean? Are you implying that I dressed without lingerie to make it easier for you tonight?"

"Perhaps . . . "

"Listen, what I wear or don't wear is none of your concern," I said ignoring my embarrassment.

"Really? I believe it is my concern. I believe your lack of clothing has everything to do with me," he said with a grin.

"Whatever! Believe what you like! I did not purposely dress this way especially for you," I cried fighting to make my point clear.

He gave me a look that said he didn't believe me and sadly I didn't believe myself either. I just glared at him because there was nothing else I could do for the time being. There simply was no way of dissuading him of his belief that I would dress like a kinky slut because I knew he was coming for me tonight. For Kami's sake, what had I been thinking when I dressed myself for his return? Clearly my thoughts hadn't been all too virtuous.

Had I really dressed in a flimsy nightgown just for him? No—I refused to believe I would do something like that; at least not for him. It had to be some form of mind manipulation or that's what I told myself. He crawled back over to me—so close like the night before—and sat before me with only a line of heat separating our bodies. I suddenly had a desire for him to close that gap between our bodies and touch me, explore my body with warm hands, in a feverish frenzy.

I blushed and averted my gaze at my shameful thoughts and he caught my chin and held it. My barrier didn't repel the touch of his hand this time, and he became bolder brushing his warm hand down my collarbone and across my nipples briefly. I shuddered and my breath came out in a quivering sigh. Even after that, my barrier still didn't flare to life and he took the opportunity to close the distance between our bodies and kiss me. And the kiss was anything but chaste, unlike the one he gave me before.

His tongue and lips assaulted mine in a bruising clash while his hands pressed our bodies firmly together. I was breathless by the time he pulled away and he instantly took it upon himself to tease my nipples with his tongue, lips, and a few nips from his fangs. I couldn't help the helpless cries of titillation that escaped me with each and every nip, tug, suck, and slow flick of his tongue against my now hardened nipples. It felt so good and yet I said, "Please stop . . . " The minute the words stumbled past my lips, my barrier was invoked with a flash of light and Menomaru was thrown backwards by the force of it.

"Damn . . . I almost had you," he said before he swore silently. "It seems I'll have to break your concentration and make it so you can't gather enough air to breathe let alone speak." He gave me an eerie, knowing smile before he said, "And I know just how to do it . . . "

I would have cringed away from him if I could have moved at that point, but I was forced to stay rooted to my spot. I felt the cool "hands" of his power spread my legs wide apart, exposing me in all my glory to his intense scrutiny. My cheeks flamed a bright red as all the blood rushed to my head all at once. I averted my gaze because I knew what I would find; the same dark look he had in his eyes the night before when he first saw me naked. The feel of his warm hands caressing my inner thighs drew a whimper from me and compelled me to look at him.

The look in his eyes almost melted me away; there was such a look of warm passion in his eyes now that it blew me away completely. I at first believed that Menomaru was nothing but a manipulative egotist, but perhaps there was a softer side of him I had yet to see. He caught me staring and the warmth of passion that was in his eyes was replaced by a different kind of heat—the heat of pure, unadulterated lust. The cool "hands" of his power teasingly stroked my inner thighs along with his hands, drawing little whimpers from me. He said nothing as his power crawled inside my entrance and started to slide slowly in and out of me.

A long moan tumbled from my lips and it morphed into a melodious cry as his power squeezed itself inside me again. I sighed as his power slid out of me again and his name caught in my throat. I would not moan his name. I would not give away how good he was making me feel. I bit my bottom lip fiercely to silence my cries but it was no use and I screamed his name.

Menomaru smiled, clearly pleased by my submission as I panted below him. His power began to rub my clitoris feverishly and my cries of titillation increased in their intervals and volume. I couldn't breathe; I felt so hot; and I could feel myself growing close. For a while all that filled the silence were my pants and cries as Menomaru used his power to work me into a frenzy of lust and need. He leaned in close to my skin then and took a whiff of my scent.

"Yes . . . that's it. I can feel your control slipping. You barrier is weakening," he said.

As if to prove this fact he placed a hand warmly against my left breast and cupped it. When nothing happened he slid his hand down my body and pressed his finger inside me. I arched my back, bringing my entire lower body off my bed with a cry of his name, before I collapsed back on my bed.

"Yes . . . almost there . . . I can feel it. Your close . . . so close."

I could feel it too and I knew the instant I climaxed, he would embed his fangs into my neck and mark me as his mate. I didn't want him to mark me as his and prayed to Kami that someone would save me. In the blink of an eye, Menomaru flung my covers over my naked body and darted out my open window and out into the night seconds before my door was flung open and my Mom, Grandpa, and brother Souta clamored inside my doorway with worried looks on their visages.

"Are you alright dear," my mother asked. "We heard screams coming from your room."

"Yeah . . . I'm fine," I said. "It was just a nightmare."

"Oh, alright then dear. Goodnight."

"Goodnight."

And with that they left my room and shut the door behind them softly, leaving me to the clutches of the shadows clinging to my walls. I knew Menomaru would be back to finish what he started tomorrow and I knew that I had lucked out this time thanks to a little intervention from my family. But I was pretty sure my luck—like all things—was finite and would eventually run dry like water in a drought.

A/N: Thanks to all those who reviewed for the first chapter! And this time I want more reviews! I want at least one from each of you readers out there, because I want to know what you think. It doesn't even have to be that long. Just tell me what you like and what you don't like—that's all. Well until the next chapter! I'm out!

FYI: I've started a rewrite of this story. It's called Searching for Love, Sleeping with Danger. Please check it out and let me know what you think.

Silver Moon Vampiress