Dee: Yay! I'm on chapter twelve now! I can't believe I've made it this far. I have to thank all you loyal readers and reviewers for this. :-D

Chapter Twelve

What does Inumaji mean "in heat"?! Does that mean…. Oh, God. Kagome fought to keep her breathing even as the hanyous continued their talk in hushed whispers. That CAN'T mean what I think it does! Please, please tell me I'm wrong...

"You'll stay the hell away from her, that's how you'll get through it, asshole," Inuyasha growled. She knew he bared his fangs at the unwelcome guest. She knew he would be cracking his knuckles in exactly-----Crack! Now. He would begin growling if the other hanyou didn't take heed.

"Inuyasha, are you jealous? Do you think I could win her affections if I truly tried? Or do you think I would stoop to my baser instincts and go after her? The first is laughable; it is quite obvious that I could win her away from a brute such as you. The second, though, would be admirable. Do you plan to keep me from her for the rest of the three days I shall be here? Won't that be a little hard for you if you must also fight that…alluring scent?" Inumaji taunted.

They both must think that I'm asleep. This could work to my advantage….

Inuyasha, growling, stood; she could hear the sound of him stalking to where Inumaji lay. She pretended to murmur in her sleep and twisted to her other side so she could see the scene unfold.

Inuyasha had Inumaji off the ground by his throat, easily suspending him in the air. Sasha awoke with a start at the sound of Inuyasha slamming Inumaji to the ground. The puppy jumped in front of Kagome, barking in furious little puppy-like barks that soon turned to roars as Kagome saw his back right paw become much bigger as he transformed.

Inumaji stood in front of a fuming Inuyasha, swatting at himself as though there was dirt on him. "Are you done with your tantrum?" he asked blandly.

Miroku and Sango, followed closely by Shippo and Kirara, burst into the hut, ready to fight. "What's going on in here?" Miroku demanded. "We heard the roars and…what's got you two so worked up?" Miroku looked between Inuyasha and Inumaji, but Kagome couldn't make out his expression.

Sango crept closer to Kagome, as if afraid she would attack. "Wow, she's a really heavy sleeper." She gently stroked Kagome's bangs away from her face, much like a mother. She knew when Sango twisted around that she hadn't realized Kagome was really awake. Okay, good.

"You guys need to be quiet! Kagome needs to sleep, you know!" Shippo scolded.

But neither Inuyasha nor Inumaji acknowledged the others. They just kept their sights on the other inu hanyou, Inuyasha glaring angrily, Inumaji's face completely stoic.

Sasha stayed in front of Kagome, snarling, protecting her from the drama unfolding. Or, at least, thinking he was. I guess no one can tell I'm awake. How weird.

Inuyasha tore his gaze away from Inumaji's and stomped towards Kagome. She didn't know if he would sit down beside her or demand she get up, but Sasha wouldn't let him get close. The large dog effectively cut off Inuyasha again and again, who became more and more agitated.

Finally, Inuyasha snarled, "Move it, Sasha."

Something's different about his voice. It's not normal yet it's not his demonic one. What could be going on? Is it because of me?

Sasha, whimpering, seemed intimidated. She saw him transform back to a small puppy. Then he licked her face and curled up along the arch her body made.

"What are you doing, Inuyasha?" Shippo asked innocently.

All he got was a snarl in response and Kagome felt two strong arms go under her neck and knees, lifting her into a hard chest. It seemed like the opportune moment to "wake up" so she mumbled, "What the…what's going on, Inuyasha?" She blinked a little, not quite acting as she got used to having her eyes wide open.

But the sight of his face scared her. The markings were pulsing again, but this time, a slight red tint came to his amber eyes, much like what had happened with Kouga. She felt a squeak rise in her throat. He seemed more dangerous than he usually was when he was angry. She could tell something was much different about him. He wasn't in youkai form, but still her hanyou. What could be going on?

"Inuyasha! Put Kagome down," Miroku said quietly. He reached out towards them. "You have to calm down, Inuyasha. For Kagome's sake," the monk added swiftly when Inuyasha snapped at him.

Kagome wondered, when Inuyasha stopped abruptly, if Miroku had reached him.

"Take her," Inuyasha snarled holding her away from his body towards anyone else. "I have to leave." He sounded like he was fighting himself. She felt his arms tighten then relax on her continuously until, finally, he set Kagome on her feet.

Without any warning, he jumped, slamming through the roof of the small hut.

Inumaji followed suit, making the whole roof cave in. She covered her head as everything fell around them. Sango covered hers and Miroku's heads with the Hiraikotsu and Kirara, in her transformed form, protected herself and Shippo.

What's going on?! That Inuyasha was scarier than his youkai form….

X---X

"So, Inuyasha, it seems you were the first to break. I can't say I'm surprised," Inumaji said mildly, watching the other hanyou, who was trying to get control of himself. Something's definitely wrong here. The Fates did not tell me he would transform. They said I was in no danger. So why did Inuyasha transform into something that would easily kill me? If I was not truly immortal, that is.

Inuyasha snapped at Inumaji. "Back off." His voice was not quite as demonic as before, but his eyes were flashing between red and amber. "I don't have the patience for you, Inumaji."

"You truly love Kagome, don't you? I can tell by what happened in there; you are afraid she will leave you, much like Kikyo. But, tell me, why do you not say it to her? No one could take her away from you then. She would never look at another man if you did so." He looked closer at Inuyasha, who was trying to stop the emotions from flashing across his own face and control the demon raging against the human sensibility in him at the same time. "You know this, don't you? Yet you still act like an idiot around her. You have to decide what is most important to you."

"How do you know about Kikyo?" Inuyasha demanded, his features becoming more and more like his normal hanyou face.

"Much like Nalani and Haru, I am sent by ones who know everything. Who control everything but free will."

Inuyasha shot him a look of surprise. "Nalani…you mean these 'Fates'?"

"Yes. They have decided that you and Kagome are to marry. She has been using my brothers, sisters, and I to get you on track."

"Brothers and sisters…. You mean all those demons attacking lately?" Inuyasha roared his outrage. "Those damned Fates sent demons who could have killed Kagome! I'll kill 'em myself." He stomped to the other dog and grabbed him by the front of his haori. "Where are these 'Fates' and how do I kill them?"

Inumaji laughed in his face. "You couldn't kill the Fates. No one can. The world would have no order then; life itself would be chaos, nothing would make sense."

Inuyasha threw Inumaji away from him savagely. He turned and began walking away but stopped and muttered, "Don't ever go near Kagome. I'm not afraid to kill you. I don't care who you are."

"So you are jealous, then, that I might be able to win Kagome's heart. But how can I when you so obviously have it in the palm of your hand? I'm astounded that you do not know the power you hold over Kagome." He shook his head, slightly disgusted. "I do not know why the Fates gave you such a wonderful woman to have as your own, but I would hold onto her tight. I've noticed quite a lot of men who hold her in their hearts." He walked past Inuyasha, ready to disappear into the trees.

But a lethal in its own right snarl came from behind him and he twisted just in time to see a red and white blur dart past him. Then pain exploded through his stomach and up to his neck. He fell to the ground, black hair pooling around him. He coughed, and looked up. He saw the same thing that had killed him the first time, except for the hair was not his father's black, but a shining white.

"Don't ever come near here again. If you do, I won't hesitate to kill you," the demonic voice rang through the air, bringing the old memories back.

He stood, staggering slightly as the rip in his stomach began to close. "Inuyasha, I don't think you know who you're dealing with. The Fates would never let me die until I lose my worth to them." He felt all the rage of a thousand years fill him. He stopped it from bubbling to the surface by reminding himself that Inuyasha had not killed him then. "Now, I am going back to Kagome." He turned, wounds totally gone despite the damage they had done.

Inuyasha jumped in front of him, red eyes glowing in the night. He's not going to stop. He's going to do everything in his power to stop me from getting to Kagome. Is this part of the plan? Damn, I can barely remember it!

"Don't go near her."

Yes, this is the plan. I recall it. "I will go wherever I want, Inuyasha. And I want to be by Kagome. I am supposed to be wooing her, you know." He walked around the silver haired hanyou.

"She's mine!" Inuyasha roared, throwing all his weight at Inumaji, knocking them both to the ground. But Inuyasha had the upper hand of jealousy and anger flowing through him, easily moving fast enough to punch Inumaji in the jaw. "If you try to take her, I'll kill you!"

They fought for what seemed like hours, rolling on the dirt, Inumaji barely getting a punch in before Inuyasha would pummel him.

Finally, Inumaji stood, Inuyasha following, growling furiously, ready to kill.

But a scream rang through the air.

Suddenly, Inumaji was all alone, confused and startled that their battle had stopped. Then he recognized the word being shouted was Inuyasha. He smiled, knowing who was calling out, and nodded his agreement to Inuyasha's actions before transporting himself back to the Fates.

X---X

"It all comes down to you, Lust. If you do not fulfill our wishes, your soul will be sent to eternal damnation." The Fates glared down at the faerie standing before them. She was short, but beautiful, had been even in her life as a mortal.

"Yeah, yeah, yeah. I know. You've told me that before. Now, I want to know why you are trying so hard to get these two together," Tatiana answered, moving her gaze between the three Fates.

They glowered, unwilling to tell her. She had known they probably wouldn't answer her. She was used to not getting the answers she wanted and needed, but the Fates had broken their own rule of free will. Why would they do that unless it was something important? For shits and giggles, she didn't think so.

"Fine. Don't tell me. I'll just go on my merry little way and do as you bid."

She stomped away, angry that the Fates refused to tell her any details involving something she might need to deal with.

And how was she going to help, anyways? Buyo, unknowingly, had used her tactics of making sure that when Kagome was in "heat" it would be more pronounced than ever. And then Inumaji had gone in. What was she supposed to do?

She grinned wickedly to herself. She would have to make sure that what they did was very…compromising. She still had a few hours before she would leave to plan it all out. It wasn't how she was going to make it happen, but the actions she would take. She couldn't just push them together. No, it would be much more subtle. She had to make sure the Fates were happy.

But that didn't mean Kagome and Inuyasha couldn't be either.

X---X

Dee: Ooo, this might get dirty! Lol, or I could just be making it sound like something totally naughty and then making it REALLY something that's just a hilarious twist of words. I'm not quite sure which. But you know whatever I do will be half expected. :-D Now, the next chapter might take a little longer because I want it to be longer. Don't worry; it'll still get up. Maybe in like two days, though.