Thank you to everyone who has reviewed this story, I love your feedback! Please continue to enjoy and review!

I do not own Inuyasha, the characters are the property of Rumiko Takahashi. Similarly, I do not receive any financial benefit from this story, just the pleasure of knowing people enjoy it.

Thank you to Fawn Eyed Girl, Neutronstarchild, Gribedli, AnisaAnisa, Sapphirestarxx for your help in writing this scene, I appreciate it so so so much. Thank you to Kalcia and Hopidoodle who helped read and assure me that the chapter was on the right track!

Apologies for the delay in posting, there has been a lot going on with school and other stories that were being published. If you would like to be kept up to date with spoilers and other works in progress, come find me on tumblr, same user name!

Chapter 34

"… et them out of here, help me ge…"

"…ura, is your feath…"

Voices teased the edge of Inuyasha's senses as he fought to regain consciousness. His ears flicked, desperate to identify any recognizable sound, even as his eyes refused to open.

"… is ears, he's waking up. Inuyasha, Inuyasha, can you he…"

He fought to take a breath, trying to identify the scents of the speakers. His nose began to burn at the acrid scent in the air that quickly overwhelmed him, and his tenuous hold on reality crumbled, sending him back into darkness.

"…uck, I can't take them all, I have to get her out of he…"

"…ave to take them both, you can't separate them, she's his ma…"

Black faded to gray as Inuyasha felt movement and the brush of wind on his face. He let out a groan as he forced his eyes open, trying to make sense of where he was, what was happening and where Kagome wa...

KAGOME…

He pushed himself up, his eyes tearing from the light of the rising sun, and felt himself pitch to the side. He scrambled to stay upright, his hands grabbing onto the only thing he could, his mind barely able to process what was happening.

Where the hell was Kagome, and why was he riding a feather?

"Careful, dammit, it's hard enough to control this with the two of you! I don't need you moving around."

Inuyasha's ears flicked towards the voice, trying to place it. He narrowed his eyes to limit the amount of light and turned his head to see Kagura sitting at the front of the… well, shit, it really was a feather. He scanned the feather, his tension relaxing when he saw Kagome laying next to him. His hand reached out so his pinky could touch hers, needing the contact to assure himself she was there. Once he saw the slight rise and fall of her chest, he turned his attention back to the wind witch.

"Wh… what happened?"

"Your father's an idiot; that's what happened," Kagura snapped, shooting him a glance. "I've never met a general who is so bad at anticipating an enemy's moves."

"Wait… what?"

Kagura sighed.

"We found out about the attack at Kagome's apartment about a half hour ago. The message boards suddenly lit up about an assault on the International Student Organization headquarters. Toga didn't want to draw any attention to you guys by launching an extraction, so Shiori tried to get a hold of Kagome to tell you guys to get out."

"So what…what happened?" The spinning in Inuyasha's head was making it difficult to concentrate. He closed his eyes and had to swallow back a wave of nausea.

Kagura shot him another look that bordered on pity.

"If you are going to throw up, could you do it off the side? It's a bitch to get it out of the feather."

"Ha, ha." Inuyasha groaned as the wave passed. "That still doesn't tell me what happened."

"It was a front." Kagura's voice was hard. "They had a yokai planted in the crowd, agitating the group that was already there. They've been protesting that damn Organization around the clock, so it was the perfect cover for what they really wanted."

"Kagome…" Inuyasha breathed.

"Kagome," Kagura confirmed. "Ryukotsusei knew where to find her, and whomever is in control sent the yokai here to tell the humans that Kagome was helping the yokai on campus, and provided them the canisters. Truth within the lies. They didn't know that the canisters were full of knockout gas; they thought they were smoke bombs that would have Kagome coming out the front door."

Inuyasha growled, his eyes turning to watch the still figure of Kagome.

"And then what?"

Kagura laughed, the sound setting Inuyasha's nerves on edge.

"They hadn't figured that out. The yokai was never going to let that happen. The moment she walked out, she would have been taken."

Inuyasha thought for a moment, his mind slowly processing what he was hearing.

"Knockout gas?"

"You'd be surprised what nasty tricks humans have devised over the centuries. Normally it wouldn't affect a yokai, but…"

"But?"

"This is why I say your father is an idiot who didn't anticipate Ryukotsusei's move. If you have 500 years with nothing but time, how would you spend it?"

"Fuck…"

"You got it." Kagura looked over her shoulder, approval in her gaze. "Ryukotsusei spent the 500 years thinking about your father and his allies, including Koga and the Kitsunes. One of your biggest strengths is your sense of smell, so he turned it into one of your biggest weaknesses. Strong smells will overwhelm you, and as you saw, knock you out."

"So they've been watching us and knew I was there… fuck."

"Actually, no. Nothing that we saw or heard showed that, but they probably hedged their bets just in case any of your family or Koga were with her. But it also meant your father couldn't come charging in like he wanted; Shiori and I were the only ones who could get in and get Kagome out."

"Wai…"

"We were sent to get Kagome out of there." Kagura shot him another glance. "No offense. Shiori is the one who said you needed to be with her when you woke up or it would be bad."

"Where are Sango and Miroku?"

"Shiori has them. She isn't as strong as you, but was able to get them out the window and into her car, they will meet us at the Ookami compound. I can carry three of us on my feather, but any more than that and it is too unstable."

"Kagura…" Inuyasha's voice was soft, "thank you. Really, thank you."

He saw a faint smile on Kagura's face.

"We're almost at the compound; she should wake up so…"

A bolt of lightning struck the feather, and Inuyasha felt the feather start to shake as Kagura struggled to right it.

"KAGOME!" Inuyasha yelled as Kagome began to slide off the edge, scrambling to wrap his hand around her wrist, halting her movement.

"Hang on, I can't keep us up!" Kagura cried as the feather began to lose altitude. "We are still too far out from the compound, shit."

"What can I do?"

"Get ready for a fight." Kagura's face was grim as she struggled to keep the feather in the air. "I know who threw that bolt and who he leads, and it's not going to be pretty. We would need Kagome to have a fighting chance."

Inuyasha looked over at Kagome, worry in his eyes. The burning of his nose was finally clearing, and he dragged himself carefully over to lay beside Kagome. He held her hand to his lips, breathing deep, looking for her scent of vanilla and roses. He felt panic and rage building in him as he caught how faint her scent was.

"We need to get her to Rin, she'll be able to… FUCK HOLD ON!"

A second bolt struck the feather, and it began to collapse under them. Inuyasha dragged Kagome into his arms, curling himself around her as they fell.

"JUMP!" Kagura ordered, leaping off the feather, Inuyasha immediately behind her just as a third bolt hit, and the feather exploded, ripped apart by the currents of electricity as the outer veins darkened and shattered.

Kagura pulled a fan out of her belt; with a flick of it, a rush of air moved to meet them, slowing their descent. Kagura landed at the top of a tree and pushed off, leaping to the ground as Inuyasha landed beside her, Kagome safely in his arms.

"We need to move; are you able to run yet?" Kagura whispered, her eyes darting around the wooded area they had landed in before turning to Inuyasha. Red sclera stared back at her, his pupils tinging blue in the gold, turning them a strange shade of green as purple markings began to creep across his face.

"Just tell me where to go," he snarled.

"Follow me and stay close," Kagura hissed, "we have company."

She took off through the woods, Inuyasha following close behind her. He could smell the acrid scent of sweat and hunger from the yokai around them drawing closer, a sickeningly sour scent that set him further on edge.

"We're fucking surrounded," Inuyasha growled.

"Ambush," Kagura swore. "Smart. Let's hope the others figure it out and get here."

"How far out are we?"

"Still about a mile. I'm not as fast as you, so we can't outrun them."

"Maybe I can; just point me in the right…"

A spark of electricity was Inuyasha's only warning, and he launched himself into the air with Kagome in his arms seconds before lightning struck where they had stood.

"You are fast; I will give you that." A man hovered above them, two spinning wheels attached to his feet. His long black hair tied in a braid down his back, but what drew Inuyasha's attention most was the trident over his shoulder.

"Hiten," Kagura hissed, opening her fan as she came into a crouch. "I was wondering how long it would take the vermin to crawl out of the dirt."

Hiten chuckled as he flew closer to the ground.

"Kagura, seems someone plucked your feathers." Hiten's voice held a hint of smugness. "You can live to fly again; just give us the girl."

"Fuck off," Inuyasha snarled, his fangs curling over his bottom lip as he clutched Kagome closer.

"I think you've made the dog mad, brother." A stout yokai with a reptilian face appeared from the trees, his bald head mottled with the shadows through the leaves, the five lone hairs atop his head nearly invisible as he moved. His head turned to face his brother, and Inuyasha saw the small braid hanging limply down the yokai's neck.

"You may be right, Manten," Hiten chuckled, " he looks positively rabid."

Inuyasha's ears twitched as he caught the sounds of footsteps and slithering in the woods. Shadows moved through the forest around them, and the feel of the threatening yoki surrounding them had Inuyasha growling even as Kagura stepped up next to him. He scanned the woods, pulling Kagome closer to him as he tried to identify who or what was out there. His nostrils flared as the stench of lesser demons burned his already sensitive nose. Fuck, there were at least fifty others around them, and he didn't have any fucking weapons with him. His gaze slid to meet Kagura's eyes, and he saw his own determination reflected in them. Her eyes crinkled as she darted her gaze to Kagome, then back to him, telling him without words what they needed to do. He shifted Kagome in his arms, letting her know he understood.

"You can't escape; give us the girl and we will let you go." Hiten

"That's bullshit and we all know it, Hiten," Kagura hissed, her hand tightening on her fan as she glared at the thunder yokai while Inuyasha started to ease himself behind her.

"True, but it was worth a try. He doesn't care about you; you can walk away, Kagura, no questions asked. The dog and the girl stay, though," Hiten laughed.

Kagura's fan opened as her eyes narrowed, her burgundy eyes snapping in anger.

"No? Oh, well." Hiten whistled once, and the waiting yokai prowled forward.

Inuyasha quickly lowered Kagome to the ground, spinning so she lay protected between him and Kagura. He watched as the yokai in the woods began to close in, many taking to the air, their bodies flying like snakes behind them, others ambling towards them on two legs. The only ones that Inuyasha was worried about were the oni and insects. The other yokai could be taken out quickly; however, Oni and insects, particularly the spiders, were cunning and ruthless in battle. One thought kept echoing through Inuyasha's head.

There was no way in hell he was letting anything near Kagome.

He crouched down, feeling his claws lengthen as he snarled. The lesser yokai began to circle: snarling, hissing, and screaming at the trio. Hiten floated above the din, his wheels holding him above the mass of bodies as he smirked at Kagura. Inuyasha watched as a cloud formed under Manten, lifting him up as well to watch, a gleeful expression of malice twisting his face.

Inuyasha growled as an oni carrying a club began to break from the horde, creeping forward, its gaze fixed on Kagome, its horns glinting as it moved into the light. Other yokai began to slither behind it, daring to press closer.

"Steady…" Kagura whispered as she lifted her fan in front of her face.

Inuyasha rose out of his stance, setting his feet for balance, his hands tensed at his side as he watched, poised and ready for the first attack.

They didn't wait long. The first oni that had moved let out a howl as it charged them, leading the other yokai to scream as they pressed forward.

"DANCE OF BLADES!" At Kagura's shout hell began to break loose.

Lashing out at the oni with his claws, Inuyasha was only vaguely aware of the crescent shapes flying through the air. He felt the oni's flesh give beneath his assault as it screamed in rage, swinging out with the club as Inuyasha threw it backwards, hurtling it into the oncoming horde. It barreled into the press of bodies, crushing several beneath its weight. But there was no time to watch. Wrapping around his arm, a snake-like yokai dug its teeth into his forearm before Inuyasha sliced its head off with his free hand, snarling.

Blood oozed between Inuyasha's fingers as he drew back, making sure he was between Kagome and their attackers. The blood seemed to pulse on his claws as his yoki surged, coursing through him with his adrenaline, leading his actions.

"Hijin Kessō!" Inuyasha slashed his blood soaked hand towards the mob. As it left his hand, the blood solidified into blades, decimating a small group of the yokai. Inuyasha's eyes gleamed as he turned, using the same attack to tear another group to pieces.

"Dance of Dragons!" Inuyasha felt the wind pick up behind him, his hair streaming in the flow. Yokai screamed as they were sucked into Kagura's tornadoes and ripped apart by the winds.

The oni pushed itself back to its feet, green blood running down its red skin, its mouth curled back to show its fangs. Pain was no deterrent to an oni, Inuyasha knew; all it did was piss them off, making them even more dangerous. If it was just the oni, Inuyasha wouldn't be worried, but because there were still too many of the other yokai to contend with, he couldn't just focus on that oni.

The oni screamed as it launched itself at Inuyasha. Inuyasha swore; moving out of its way would leave Kagome open to its attack, and there was no way in hell he was going to do that. Inuyasha lashed out with a fist to the oni's jaw, then cursed as the Oni caught him upside the head with the club. He staggered, his head ringing from the blow, as he struggled to remain standing. As the oni prepared to attack again, Inuyasha's yoki surged, and he could feel his injuries fading, the pain no longer affecting him: just the need to protect his mate.

"Come on, you fuckers." Inuyasha's growl was barely audible over the rush of wind from Kagura's attacks.

The oni held back as the other yokai attacked en masse, bodies slithering over Inuyasha, pulling him away from Kagome and towards Manten. Snake-like forms wove around him while the insect yokai slithered in to overpower Inuyasha. The oni began to slide towards Kagome, saliva dripping from its fangs as it approached.

Manten's laughter rang over the area, drawing Kagura's attention for a crucial second as she looked back, her eyes wide as she saw Inuyasha brought to his knees by the sheer mass around him. A blast of wind from her fan blew the oni back and away from Kagome as Kagura turned her back to the remaining yokai and Hiten.

The clearing went white and Kagura screamed. As the light faded, Kagura's clothing barely clung to her, scorched by Hiten's lightning bolt.

"You fucking coward! Too scared to face me on my own?" Kagura scoffed, her voice pained, as she turned back to Hiten and the yokai that stood beneath him.

"Why bother? The dog is down, there is no way you can win."

Kagura felt the rising yoki behind her and smirked. "Want to bet?"

A loud howl was heard a moment before the bodies surrounding Inuyasha were torn apart. Inuyasha panted as he rose, his eyes glowing red as he turned to the oni, his fangs hanging over his lips. A sickening snap was heard as Inuyasha seemed to disappear and reappear in front of the oni, the body collapsing in a heap at his feet. Red and gold eyes lifted to Hiten and Inuyasha's claws flashed as he prepared to leap.

A soft groan stopped Inuyasha dead, the red fading from his eyes as he saw Kagome's hand move. In an instant he was back beside her, a hand on her shoulder, telling her not to move.

Worried gold filled Kagome's vision as her eyes opened. She knew Inuyasha was speaking, but she couldn't make out his words. His hand brushed her cheek as his lips moved soundlessly again. The world around her spun as she tried to move, her head felt as though it was filled with cotton, a sour taste in her mouth that nearly had her gagging. But, Inuyasha was there; he was ok… he was…

A movement out of the corner of her eye was the only warning. A lizard-faced yokai stood facing them, its mouth wide, and she could see the electricity building in its mouth, aimed at….

Aimed at Inuyasha…

Inuyasha heard the crackling of electricity behind him and spun, leaping to put distance between himself and Kagome, trying to draw the attack away from her, watching as Manten followed his movements. He just needed a distraction: something that would let him get close.

Flashes of images flew through Kagome's mind… Inuyasha's body jerking from a bullet, Inuyasha bleeding, unmoving on the ground, Inuyasha turning to ash in front of her.

"Inuyasha!"

Kagome's scream made Inuyasha's blood run cold. Waves of golden power began to undulate under Kagome's skin as her reiki rose, her hair beginning to dance around her body. Manten's mouth closed, the yokai nearly choking on his lightning as he backed away from the rising reiki.

Kagome's eyes closed as she surrendered herself to the storm that raged around her, fed by her fear. Her body shone like a beacon, energy radiating out of her as her hand raised, a pulse of power dropping all yokai to their knees in pain. Inuyasha saw Hiten and Manten fall to the ground as their power failed to keep them airborne. Kagome's eyes opened as she stepped forward, her now golden gaze focused on Manten. Her head fell back as she screamed again, power bursting forward out of her in a rush, purifying all yokai in its path.

Inuyasha forced himself to stand as he felt his yoki fading, his now black hair blowing in the wind caused by Kagome's power as it surged over the mass of bodies towards Manten, turning everything to ash. Manten screamed as the power hit him, his body disintegrating as his cries were suddenly cut off.

The flow of power from Kagome did not ease.

Inuyasha jumped out of the direct path and raced to Kagome, fear making it difficult for him to breath.

"Kagome… Kagome!" He cried, his hand reaching for her arm.

The flow of reiki that poured into him the moment his skin touched hers nearly brought him back to his knees. He could feel the storm coursing through Kagome, her reiki swirling through them both. He felt a flickering response of power inside himself—a surge of his yoki—and the reiki began to circle it, caressing it... almost feeding it as his yoki began to grow stronger, like a building fire.

The growing flow of reiki began to pulse through Inuyasha, he could feel himself growing stronger, even without his yoki, and he knew…

He could control her reiki.

Inuyasha wrapped Kagome in his arms, concentrating on pulling back her reiki. He felt the energy in the area drop as her power settled over them like a mantle. In that moment, Inuyasha could see the ties between them, the gold of their energy almost identical, ribbons wrapping around them, weaving them together. The two ribbons of energy seemed to reach for each other, trying to merge, only to be forced apart, and he felt their energy, no, their souls, weeping as they pushed to be closer.

"WHAT THE HELL DID THAT BITCH DO TO MY BROTHER!" Hiten screamed as he struggled to stand. "I WILL KILL YOU FOR THAT!"

Inuyasha's eyes rose to the trident now aimed at them. Kagura lay panting on the ground, her hair smoldering from being brushed with Kagome's energy. He knew he couldn't get them out of the way fast enough, but there had to be somethin…

"Fall back, Hiten."

A woman's voice echoed through the clearing.

"Fuck that!" Hiten yelled, drawing back his trident to throw it.

"HITEN," the voice hissed. "Fall back, now. Others are coming, and we have the information we need."

Hiten snarled, his red eyes narrowing at Kagome as he rose into the air.

"This isn't over," he promised before disappearing.

"INUYASHA!" Toga's voice rang through the area and Inuyasha closed his eyes in relief as his father, Sesshomaru, and Koga ran into the clearing.

Inuyasha started to pull back from Kagome when her reiki suddenly evaporated, and he felt her go limp against him.

"Kagome!" Inuyasha's panicked tone had everyone turning to see Inuyasha dropping to his knees, Kagome cradled in his arms. "She's not … oh fuck she's not breathing…" tears fell down Inuyasha's face as his head dropped. "Don't do this don't this… FUCK."

Toga knelt beside his son and Kagome, taking her wrist into his hand.

"She's still breathing, pup; it's just faint. We need to get her back to the compound. Totosai is on his way with a car, but I can get her there faster. Follow behind us, and then? I need to know everything that happened."