Inuyasha and subsequent characters imagined and produced by Rumko Takahashi are not my own. However there are characters imagined by me. I own them. I also own the plot. Thieves go to hell. That is all.

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Chapter 14

In the early morning light Inuyasha stood examining his reflection in his full length mirror. Since coming to this castle he had changed. He wasn't out of shape; his war trained body had remained tight and strong from his daily bouts with Yuki. No, what caught his attention were four long cuts that burned from his collarbone to just above his belt. They glowed dully, pulsing in time with his heart. Even as he watched they faded to thin white lines as unremarkable as his collection of battle scars.

He traced one with a fingertip and shuddered. It was a Dragon Mark. A real Dragon Mark. His brother was particularly fond of the ancient race and had made sure that Inuyasha had been educated in Dragon behavior and culture. He knew about the trials potential mates had to go through; Fight, Flight, Fire, and Dexterity.

She had instituted the Fight with the tournament in which he had proved to be the best. He admired the fact that her instincts had been to strong even with her youkai suppressed. Inuyasha knew that he had passed the trial by fire when he braved the joining flame of Kagome and her Dragon. And she measured his Dexterity when she had jumped him in the training yard. The last one had been Flight.

Inuyasha had known that it was extremely rare for a Dragon to choose a land bound mate. When he realized what Kagome had been doing, whether she consciously realized it or not, he had known the only way to "fly" with her would be the Full Moon Hunt. The Hunt was also a ritual Canine Youkai. Only two people went on these hunts and it always ended in Marking. It was his people's own mating dance.

She was his now. All that was left were the formalities. His blood spiked and his youkai practically purred at the prospect. It had been waiting too long for this day. He could not think of Naraku and the wrath that will be visited upon him from the North. Once he and Kagome are fully mated he will deal with the Spider King.

Suddenly he was overcome with nerves. He was used to war and going into battle but what he felt for Kagome was new to him. He truly loved the bold, brave, and wildly frustrating princess and he knew that he wasn't good at showing it.

He also did not know how she really felt about him. He knew her Dragon was pushing her. He needed a plan of action.

He turned away from the mirror and passed a silver bowl on his dresser without glancing at the collection of beads within.

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"Inuyasha," Yuki's voice was glacial. Inuyasha was trying to find Kagome but could not seem to locate her. Her lingering scent was old and no one he asked had seen her. He had become increasingly irate, vowing to give her a piece of his mind when he scented Yuki behind him.

Inuyasha turned, his hair standing on end when he sensed the fury radiating off of the Snow Youkai.

"What have you done," Yuki stalked down the hall towards him. The stone wall began to acquire a layer of frost and the floor became slick and icy. Inuyasha's breath puffed visibly from his lips as the temperature dropped to below freezing. He tensed, ready for a fight.

"What are you babbling about, old man," Inuyasha did not have time for this. He had a feeling that Kagome was in some sort of trouble, especially since he had not seen Sango either.

"You and Kagome," Yuki was spitting in rage and right up in his face. Inuyasha gritted his teeth against a growl. This man was not Kagome's father, what could he possibly have to say about her. He had become friends with this youkai but he would not tolerate disrespect. "She deserves better than some half breed no-account second son. She is to be Queen someday. She needs more then you could ever dream of offering her."

Inuyasha grabbed Yuki by his collar ignoring the biting cold.

"You have no claim over her," he hissed, exposing his sharp teeth in challenge, "Stand down."

"She is more powerful than you can imagine. She needs someone who can keep up with her."

"She is a Dragon," he growled. He could not believe how badly this man was underestimating Kagome. Female Dragons can choose for themselves who to bind themselves to. "No thanks to you. You shackled her and could have killed her. I know what she is, I have learned who she is, and I will give her no one else. I am the one who braved the fire for her, not you."

"You know nothing," Yuki had flinched from Inuyasha's words but shoved him away, "If she had married Prince Hojo or Kouga we would have made alliances this country will need if the North decides to attack."

"What do you know about the North," Inuyasha growled. Inside his stomach was churning. Had Yuki found out Inuyasha's original purpose in coming here?'

Yuki hesitated and spoke in a low whisper, "We have youkai who can glimpse the future. They see danger from the North. Imminent Danger. They say that the Spider grows restless."

Inuyasha relaxed a fraction, they weren't on to him, "I am no stranger to warring with the North. I will be able to help Kagome fight them. And how did you know about us anyway?"

Yuki frowned, not ready to back down yet, but answered, "I am the one who trained Kagome. I am linked to her youkai as her teacher."

Inuyasha took a menacing step forward. No one was going to have any part of Kagome except for him. "Sever it," he barked. Then a thought occurred to him.

Yuki, who was preparing for another argument was caught off guard when Inuyahsa shot him a calculated glance.

"Can you find her with that connection," he asked, hoping.

"No," Yuki said, "Only something like a mate bond can be that strong."

Mate bond? They were not truly mated yet but perhaps. Inuyasha, having completely forgotten about Yuki, touch a finger to the claw marks exposed by his loose shirt collar. The raised scars were fading. Soon there would be no visible sign that she had raked him with her power but if he closed his eyes he could see them shimmering. They were embedded in his soul.

He hopped that what he was about to try worked. He needed to find Kagome, NOW. He had a very bad feeling.

He took a deep breath and focused on her. His youkai stirred and Inuyasha knew that if Kagome had not sliced through the rosary he would never had been able to do what he was about to do.

He was distracted for a moment, thinking about how astonished he was to see the troublesome beads scattered on the forest floor, all of the magic drained out of them. For no reason that he could conceive he had gathered them all, painstakingly making sure he had every single one. He had not even had time to rejoice in his freedom and indulge in his fury at Naraku. He would celebrate with Kagome by his side.

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Kagome could not waken. Her body was frozen in sleep but she did dream.

Far away someone was waiting. Far away someone was raging. Close, so close to her heart, someone was seeking.

"Kagome." The Seeker was calling. The cry tugged at her soul and she longed to reach out, but could not. She was shackled to her useless body.

"Mine." The Enraged was reaching out to her with pitch black miasma and she cringed away. It reeked of death and decay.

The Waiter was silent as stone. They watched, they planned, they were so very patient.

And somewhere in the middle distance there was screaming. Desperate, agonized screaming.

Kagome gasped and her whole body tensed to fling herself out of bed and away from the half remembered nightmares. Only she was not in her bed, she was tied to a wooden choir with ropes that dug into her skin. She looked around and saw that she was in an empty windowless store room. The first thing she realized was that she was not in the castle. The stone that was cut to make this room was too rough and irregular. Also, she was alone with only a lit candle for company.

She strained to remember what had happened. She had been talking to Sango when suddenly she had been drowning a stink that made her sleep. Drugged, her addled mind supplied, She had been drugged. By Sango? That did not make any sense. Why would Sango drug her then haul her to where-ever-this-was? It must be some kind of mistake.

Kagome had convinced herself that after meeting Sango someone else had jumped her when Sango herself entered the room. She was dressed in full slayers gear, a well-used katana at her side. Someone had obviously taught Sango her ancestral trade.

Relived to see her friend Kagome shouted, "Sango, thank the gods, help me out of this chair we need to get out before…" Something in Sango's face, guilt and sorrow mixed with grim determination, made Kagome go suddenly cold.

"Sango, what's going on," Kagome asked slowly. She did not want to think what she had begun to think. It could not be true. It was impossible.

"I am so sorry Kagome but he has my brother," Sango bent and retrieved the candle on which Kagome could now smell some kind of herb worked into the wax. "Screaming will do you no good and your dragon should be inoculated for a few more hours. By the time you will be in any condition to attempt an escape we will be secure in the Northern Place."

"Sango, no," Kagome begged, "Why are you doing this? I thought we were friends."

"We were," Sango said, not meeting Kagome's eyes, "When we were children, certainly. And I even pretended that we could pick up where we left off but family comes first. He is all the family I have left now."

Sango carried the candle to the door and swung it shut behind her plunging Kagome into darkness.

"Sango, wait," Kagome screamed after her, "Don't do this. Please, come back."

There was no answer.

The Dragon stirred sluggishly. Betrayal, it hissed.

No no no no no, was all Kagome could answer, A mistake, a misunderstanding.

The Dark One…..the Dragon growled.

Kagome felt tears come to her eyes. Sango said that they had her brother. If only she had confided in her. Kagome would have found a way to help her friend. Now it was too late. Kagome was going to the Northern King, but why he wanted her she could only guess. Leverage? Marriage? Possibly both.

The Shadow of the Dragon slowly lengthened along the walls and solidified. Kagome could not see so much as feel the Dragon stirring. Suddenly two glowing blue orbs came into immediate focus.

What are you going to do, Kagome asked, afraid of the answer. Sango is a victim too.

I cannot permit your kidnapping, the Dragon rumbled, her clear voice gravely with ire.

No, don't…please, Kagome wasn't sure if it was the drugs or fear for her friend that swamped her with paranoia. Her head ached and it was difficult to think clearly. She was convinced that the Dragon was going to kill Sango.

The Dragon blinked at her and bared a row of glittering silver teeth, As long as she does not fight she will not die.

Wait, but the Dragon was no longer listening. Kagome was swamped with feelings of rage and desperation. She needed to be free NOW. The shadow of the Dragon paced restlessly, she could hear the drag of scale of stone. Kagome vaguely wondered how the Dragon could fit in the store room. Wasn't she massive? Kagome giggled a little hysterically. What was wrong with her? She was acting crazy.

Confinement does not sit well with dragons, the Dragon's voice also held a distinct note of impending hysteria. I cannot manifest if you are bound.

Kagome's heart began to pound and her breath became short and ragged. The walls she could not see were closing in on her. The blackness was poisoning her. She needed fresh air.

Panic bloomed in her chest taking on a life of its own. She yanked on her ropes madly until she could feel the wet trickle of blood. Still she struggled and keened her distress. Suddenly the Dragon's voice was in her ear.

Stop, heart of my heart, the Dragon begged, You are injuring yourself.

Kagome, who was beyond hearing her, screamed and screamed. She was tumbling down into the inky black. She was drowning. Dying.

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Inuyasha was frantic. Their connection was not strong enough for him to find her, no one had seen Kagome at all that morning and Sango was missing. He had combed the castle for any trace of them and was now back in the forest searching for her scent.

There, a whiff of floral spice mixed with traces of his own scent. It was faint and distorted by something that made him sneeze repeatedly. He would not be able to follow it. Even now that slight breeze was dissipating it.

He growled in frustration.

Inuyasha was considering storming the Northern Palace and slaughtering everyone who stood between him and Kagome when a familiar wave of power washed over him.

His head came up and he grinned viciously. Kagome was frightened and hurt, someone was gonna die.

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AU

What's gonna happen? Who knows? Oh yeah….ME! MUAHAHAHAHAHA!

More to follow.

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