Chapter 2

A few hours later the sun was setting as I was waiting on Miroku to return. I was sitting in the tree above the garden when the old man came from the hut.

"Hello there young man," he called up to me.

"Is something wrong?" I asked as I jumped down and landed next to him.

"No no there is nothing wrong. I just wanted to ask if you needed anything for the night? I know you and the monk were planning on waiting out here for the demon and we wanted to make sure you had everything you needed."

"We will be fine out here. Just make sure you and your wife stay inside tonight and don't come out."

The man nodded and looked at the darkening sky. "Is your friend back yet?"

"No not yet but I can take care of the demon by myself," I said.

"Yes of course. Well we shall see you in the morning." I watched the man walk back to the hut as the sun finally disappeared from sight.

"Miroku where are you?" I thought as I jumped back up in the tree. If the demon did attack tonight, I wanted him to catch my scent. Maybe if he did, he would leave the two humans alone. I settled myself into the leaves and branches. If anyone was going to show up, I would see them before they saw me.

"This demon better hurry up," I thought. "I don't want to wait around all night." A warm breeze drifted through the garden and I could smell the fresh soil the old man had turned up. I suddenly felt really tired and felt myself start to nod off when the breeze turned cold and the scent of demon became strong in the air. "Alright time to get rid of this pesky demon," I said, cracking my hands and looking around the garden.

"You concealed yourself poorly half-demon," a voice whispered right next to my ear. I jumped back onto a another branch and looked back but there was no one there.

"What? Where?" I said, looking around.

"You cannot see me half-demon but I am right with you. No matter where you go." This time the voice was right next to me but no one was on the branch. I sliced forward anyway with my claws.

"All I have to do is follow your voice and I can get you," I growled.

"Ah but you can't. See I can go into the one place where you can't reach me," the voice purred.

"And where is that?" I yelled trying to locate his scent. Pain shot through my head. It was so intense I fell out of the tree and landed on my side.

"In here," a voice whispered in my head.

I know I screamed. I felt myself roll up into a ball as my body tried to protect itself from the pain in my head. It felt like the voice was digging through my memories and my soul. I was helpless as I saw the demon go digging through memories of Kikyo and Naraku and even my childhood.

"So much pain," the voice murmured. "So much loss. This is incredible. Oh but what is this?" I felt the demon reach deep inside and find the memory of Kagome that I had when she had returned from her world to stay in mine forever.

"Were you waiting long for me?"

I remembered the joy that had filled my soul when I had taken her in my arms. The feeling of completion and knowing that she would be with me forever had given me peace.

"This woman means a lot to you I see half-demon. Losing her is the ultimate despair for you. You have come so close to losing her that it fills you with such fear. Fear that I can feed off of for a very long time."

"You...stay...away...from her," I growled. "If you...touch Kagome..."

"You will suffer greatly if something happens to her. And you can take a great deal more suffering than any normal human soul can which means that I can drain your life force for a much longer time without having to find a new host to feed off of." I heard the demon laugh in my head. "I will find this Kagome and you and I are going to play a long game of hide and seek."

"Inuyasha!" I opened my eyes to see a blurred outline of Miroku racing towards me.

"Catch me if you can half-demon," the demon whispered.

Suddenly the cold breeze turned warm and another round of pain raced through my head. Just as Miroku reached me, I felt my body relax and black spots filled my eyes.

"Inuyasha! Are you alright?!" I heard Miroku ask from very far away. I wanted to tell him to go after Kagome, to protect her but my mouth wouldn't work. Instead my body felt tired and I finally succumbed to the black abyss that was drowning me.

I had been stupid...again...

This time was no different from the rest. I had fallen into a trap and not even realized it. And she was paying for my stupid mistake...again. I had to find her. She had to be safe. She just had to be. I needed her to be. If she wasn't no telling what I may do. And it would still be all my fault.

I stopped and sniffed the air. Up ahead. She was there in the house. I raced toward the house and took a mighty leap and piled through the side of the house. Timber fell around me and the house creaked as if it might collapse.

"Kagome?!" I yelled, catching her scent in the house. I looked around desperately and saw her standing on the opposite side of the house.

"Kagome! Are you ok?" I asked. As I walked over to her, I noticed she was holding something.

"Kagome what are you doing?"

"She cannot hear you anymore Inuyasha. She is ours now," said a voice from Kagome's arms.

As I got closer, I could see a light-haired infant lying against Kagome's chest.

"What the hell?" I whispered as I felt an evil aura emanating from Kagome.

"She is ours now Inuyasha. She will be our eyes and we will find the last few shards of the Shikon Jewel. She is now Naraku's slave," the infant said, a cruel smile on his face.

I looked up at Kagome and saw that her face was blank and her skin had an unusual paleness. But her eyes screamed terror. She was pleading with me for help.

"Free Kagome now," I demanded, grabbing my Tetsusaiga and letting it transform.

"You cannot hurt me without hurting her," the infant snickered. "So what will you do?"

"I hope he will alright. Miroku did you see anything?"

"No I arrived to find him writhing on the ground and screaming. He seemed to be in a great deal of pain."

"There are no wounds on him just bruises it seems. Maybe he fell out of the tree?"

"I would assume he did. His choice spot for hiding is in the trees."

I groaned and opened my eyes. Sango and Miroku were seated next to me. The old man and his wife were on the other side of me. The lady tended to a fire that was near me. It felt good. My skin was cold and clammy.

"Miroku? What is going on?" I asked. They both looked down at me and I could see their faces relax.

"Inuyasha! You are awake," Miroku said.

Sango put her hand on my forehead and asked, "How do you feel Inuyasha?"

"My body is stiff and there is a throbbing pain in my head," I replied noting how good Sango's warm hand felt on my head.

"You are so cold," Sango said.

"Here is an extra blanket," the old lady said, handing it to Sango. She nodded her thanks and spread it on top of me. Already I could feel the warmth start to spread and heat up my body.

"Thanks Sango," I said.

"He said thanks?" I heard a voice chirp from somewhere behind Sango. "He must be ill!"

"Is that Shippo?"

Shippo jumped up and was perched on Miroku's shoulder. "Yup. I was visiting Sango when Miroku came home. We insisted on coming."

"Inuyasha what happened to you?" Sango asked.

"We heard you screaming outside but we stayed inside like you told us because we were not sure what was going on," the old man said.

"Good thing you did," I murmured. "That demon would have gone after you too."

"The demon attacked you?" Miroku asked.

"I was waiting in the tree for the demon when suddenly I could hear his voice but I couldn't see him. Then I think he possessed me or something. He went rattling around in my memories and then..." I jumped up and looked over at Miroku.

"Did you see Kagome?"

Miroku shook his head. "She had not yet returned. The trip is long and I was there earlier than she was probably expected to return. Why?"

I made my way to the door of the hut, stumbling as the room spun.

"Inuyasha!" Sango exclaimed, running over and grabbing my arm. She helped to steady me and let me lean against the door frame.

"Kagome is in danger," I said. I could feel the panic start to build up in my chest. Miroku stood up.

"How is Lady Kagome in any danger?"

"I don't have time to explain this right now!" I growled. "We need to leave now and find Kagome!"

"But Inuyasha you are in no condition to..." Shippo started but I cut him off.

"I have to! I have felt worse than this before." I grabbed the door, swung it open and took off at a fast pace outside. My stomach threatened to heave but I forced myself to continue on. I had to reach Kagome before the demon did.

"Inuyasha wait up!" I looked behind him and saw Miroku racing up to catch up with me. He was carrying Sango and Shippo was riding on his shoulder.

"Hurry up monk!" I yelled back at him. Miroku matched my speed and started running alongside me.

"Tell us what happened while we are on the way," he said.

"The demon feeds off of people's fears. It can create illusions and then it feeds off of the fear," I replied. "Well the demon found out my worst fear and he believes I will be an excellent host for his bag of tricks. He said that because I am a half-demon, my soul can outlast a human's soul and he won't have to find a new host for a long time."

"Interesting," Miroku said. "This demon can create his victims and feed on them for as long as their soul remains intact."

"He could in fact never die as long as he feels the presence of fear," Sango remarked.

Shippo's voice which was quite brave despite his scared face. "So what is your worst fear Inuyasha?"

"Isn't is obvious?" I said feeling the panic start to swell again.

"Something happening to Kagome."

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