Disclaimer: I do own 'Inuyasha' or any of its characters.

A/N: A little bit of violence towards the end of this chapter and references to other kinds of abuse. Nothing too excessive, I can't stomach that either, mine is a fair warning to those who are more sensitive or may be triggered.

Chapter Thirty-Eight: Half-Breed

"What do you want?" Inuyasha asked the panther.

"Nothing, really," he answered, devilish smile still in place. "Allow me to introduce myself: I am Shion, my friends and I just wanted to visit Sesshomaru-sama's little brother. Certainly, we didn't expect to find you rutting in the forest while your sons were left in the care of an old hag." He chuckled merrily. "You see, your brother disappeared on us without even a word and we are so worried about him we came to ask you for news about him." He started playing with the blade of his dagger, inspecting it, and then continued. "We heard curious rumours about this village and the ones who inhabit it. Apart from the fact that it houses disgusted mixed breeds and sullied Mikos."

"What would my sons have to do with it? I haven't seen my brother in days and he didn't tell me anything about something happening in the West, I assumed everything was fine," Inuyasha replied nonchalantly, trying to appear calm even though he had understood too well the meaning of his words. Someone already knew of Sesshomaru's mating, Noboru probably already knew from some time and had waited for him to leave. But right now he couldn't think about it, he needed to know if someone had really taken his children.

"Oh, they have everything to do with it," Shion continued oversweetly. "While we are here amiably talking, someone else has already struck at the palace. They are currently under attack and their leader is not even there to defend them. Pity. And when he'll return to the palace, it will be very easy to dethrone him for his ineffectiveness; he left his lands without warning, poor innocents to die without providing adequate defences. Strangely, the only survivors will be the ones who oppose him so no one will be left to support him. Every possible heir will already be dead by then," he explained casually.

"You mean to tell me you planned an outside attack waiting for my brother to leave and then came here to kill my family so that his bloodline would be extinguished and whoever is in command – I already have my guess – could take his place as the ruler?" Inuyasha summed up.

"You are not so dumb, then, half-breed," Shion retorted.

Were they really serious? There was no way they could succeed. They had underestimated him because five of them were not enough to strike down both him and Kagome. And even if they had both intern and extern help to plan an attack, he knew in Sesshomaru's army most were reliable and would defend the walls, even Shou's family would never betray his brother. It was still a huge mess, especially now that he had probably already bonded with Rin, but they could contain the damage if Inuyasha killed these fuckers soon and found Sesshomaru to go immediately to the West. He hoped Muteki and the Baba had erected a barrier able to last enough to protect him and his brother until he managed to make this fucking cat tell him what they did. If they were lucky, they had sent just one of them for two seemingly defenceless children.

Just when he felt his mate's aura reach its peak and was sure to have all the demons in the clearing within attack reach he shouted an order to her, "NOW!".

Inuyasha heard the hiss of two arrows sent one after the other and through the shrieks that followed they must have hit the mark – not that he had ever doubted Kagome's aim – and in the same fraction of time he unsheathed his sword and send a Wind Scar at the three in front of him, including Shion, definitely obliterating them.

How in the seven hells had they thought they were enough to kill them?

The two struck by Kagome's arrows never stood a chance either.

However, just as he saw a shimmering pink barrier fall on them, he watched wide-eyed the dagger Shion had sent as he shouted and just before he was annihilated by the Wind Scar flying towards him. Inuyasha grunted when it plunged deeply into his shoulder.

He had to give to him, the panther had a good aim. If his reflexes hadn't been so good after years of protecting himself and had he moved even a second later, it would have struck him in the heart, or dangerously close; from the burning he was feeling, he was sure it wasn't a simple dagger.

"Inuyasha!" Kagome shouted, losing part of her focus and almost dropping her barrier.

"No! Don't let the fucking barrier drop, there could be others of them." He quickly stopped her from doing just that. "It's nothing. You know I had worse," he said removing the dagger from his shoulder with another hiss and sniffing it; it was coated with poison, blood was dripping from the open wound now. Shion wanted to kill him by sending a poisoned dagger at his heart. Fucking amateur! It certainly burnt but he had tried Sesshomaru's poison and survived, he could stand this one. Inuyasha had more pressing problems at hand now; they had sent another cat to his sons to have a distraction.

It was the usually coward way the mastermind behind the plan always decided to use. A soft growl began to reverberate through the clearing as Kagome kept a steady grip on her barrier and at the same time knelt next to her husband to inspect his injury.

Kagome partly cursed and partly fretted over him watching a strange substance dripping from the wound along with the blood, but just as she was about to rip off a piece of cloth from her robe to patch it he grabbed her wrist and stopped her.

Inuyasha nose twitched, along with his ears, as he quickly searched for other auras around them; when he found none he pulled her hastily on his back and started flying through the forest and towards Kaede's hut at the fastest.

"Don't have the time to," he explained, "I'll be fine." But if something happens to the pups...

He could feel the panic rising and fear swelling as he flew through the trees with Kagome clutching at him tight, eyes welling up. He prayed all the Gods two weeks had been enough for Muteki to create a barrier strong enough to hold back whoever had been sent for them. If he found even just a scratch on his pups, there will be hell to pay in the West. The bastard would be dead by the end of the day. Because he knew, he fucking knew, that the one behind everything was him.

He had gotten away with it once, a second time was not an option.

"Relax, Kagome. Breathe. I'm sure they are fine. Kaede may be old, but she still has her powers," Inuyasha tried to soothe her but his tone was wavering.

"It's all my fault. I should have brought them with me when I went to Mao's," Kagome said. "They never fell ill with human infections, her child wasn't contagious either. There was no risk. But I left them with Kaede anyway and then I thought about collecting the aromatic herbs for dinner and..." she babbled nervously.

"Kagome, stop that now. They were observing us, they wanted to take us separately and have the pups as a guarantee we wouldn't kill them. If not now they would have tried later or tomorrow. They had been planning this for quite some time, I'm sure. They knew Sesshomaru was going to be away when he mated." He squeezed her thighs as he kept flying, "Fuck, why so long? It has been more than a ten-day, what the fuck is he doing? Does he need all this time to find the entrance? At least he could have warned me, we could have been West to control the situation. Now we don't know where he is and how they are faring at the palace!"

"We'll think about that later. Now let's reach Kaede's as soon as possible."

"Oh, look at that, the grandchildren of the Inu-no-Taisho cowering behind an old frail human woman. How amusing! But then, what should I be expecting from some low mixed breeds?" the cat mocked. "What a waste, the old dog could have lived a long life if only he hadn't decided to lay with a dirty human. But don't worry pups, I'll relieve you of the family curse soon." He smirked and addressed Kaede, "I'm not gonna beating around the bush, you old hag, give the pups to me and I may consider sparing your pathetic life."

"What makes you think I'll follow your orders without a fight?" Kaede shot back. She could feel Muteki was ready, she only needed to make a signal so they could erect their barrier together. She hoped it could work because there was no way she was going to let this demon hurt the children.

"And what could an old hag and two half breeds do against me? They barely have been weaned!" he taunted. Kaede could see he was about to strike at them and they didn't have much time left. Just when she saw the cat sprang forward she grabbed Muteki's hand, closed her eyes and a vibrant gold barrier surrounded them. It was definitely stronger than the last time Kaede had seen the pup train and probably it was because right now she was helping him too, but she also knew that due to the situation he was trying to put as much as he could into it and therefore not really rationing his energy.

The seven-year-old was clutching her hand tightly while the other was curled as much firmly around his little brother, his eyes were shut and the old priestess knew that they need to knock out the demon before Muteki lost his forces; she wasn't sure that alone she could erect a barrier able to hinder the cat either.

Muteki might have been a child but her powers alone weren't enough; they weren't even near what the children had inherited from their mother; raw and untrained for the most, yeah, but still...

What was currently allowing them to create a barrier able to hinder the cat was her experience united with both their energies.

If one of the things were to fall...

The shock painted on the cat's face would have been amusing if the situation hadn't been so dire. He crashed against the shield and was thrown to the ground, directly into the fire pit scattering bowls and porridge all around him. A loud hiss accompanied the noises, not only the demon had been burnt by the fire, but the power surrounding the shield had caused him several reddish lesions. Had the contact lasted longer than a couple of seconds and had the barrier been more powerful he wouldn't have survived the impact.

"Fucking hell! What the fucking is this?" he shouted enraged.

"Language, ye foul beast. We are in the presence of two impressionable children," Kaede said, surprising even herself she could find the time to taunt him now.

"As soon as I'm gonna find the way to demolish this fucking barrier you'll be the first to die, old crone!" he threatened waving a clawed finger at her and hissing because of the burns. "I can see the brat won't last long and what will you do then? Are you even a real priestess? Otherwise, you wouldn't have to rely on some abominations like that." He spat on the ground. "I've never seen something so disgusting, demons mating with holy women. This family of degenerates has crossed the line." He smirked crossing his eyes with Toga, "You are right to shake, half-breed, soon you all will be dead. My companions have probably already kill your father and they are having their fun with your mother. After all, it must be fun to take a miko, even if already sullied... hearing her pleasurable screams. I sure as hell can't wait to have my turn." Muteki's skin was flushed and he tightened his grip on both Kaede and Toga's hands but he didn't let the demon distract him; supported by Kaede, the barrier didn't waver once.

"Yes, I think I'm gonna enjoy the show. I'll sit here while I wait for your pathetic barrier to drop, half-breed."

"A pathetic barrier that managed to hurt you, it appears," A voice called from behind him.

When Inuyasha and Kagome finally arrived at Kaede's hut, the first thing they saw was another battered cat, with his hands tied up behind his back and an ofuda on the bindings, limiting his movements. Miroku was thumping him with his shakujo every time he refused to answer his questions.

Kagome and Inuyasha frantically searched for their sons and they found them next to Kaede. They were unable to avoid the loud sigh of relief that escaped them.

Toga was crying and clenching the priestess's hand, Muteki was trying to appear more collected but it was clear to everyone that he was as much scared as his brother, he also appeared worse for wear. Not far from them Sango was in her old slayer outfit and with her Hiraikotsu, that probably had been the weapon to struck down the cat.

As soon as Muteki noticed them, both of their sons came running towards Kagome, sobbing and clutching at her when she dropped down and pulled them both in a tight embrace. Inuyasha sighed in relief again once he assured himself they weren't hurt. He swore those had been the most damn difficult minutes of his life. He thanked every God their opponents had been so naive to think one demon was enough to stop his children.

He peered at the cat demon who was observing the display with disdain and bared his fangs. He would have made sure the cat suffered enough before drawing his last breath.

"Mommy, mommy," Toga cried in her chest, clenching his hands in her robes. "I was so afraid, the bad demon told us you were dead and that he would kill us too." More tears fell down his cheeks. "But we knew you and daddy are too strong and no one could hurt you, right?" he asked looking up at her. He then peered at his father and saw the blood marring his suikan. "Daddy, you're hurt!" he cried in full panic mode.

"Don't worry, Toga, dad is strong, that is only a scratch for him," Muteki tried to reassure him but with wide eyes and panic in his voice too while the younger pup escaped his mother's arms and jumped in his father's; his voice wavered and tears were welling up in his eyes.

Kagome cupped Muteki's cheeks and started checking if he was fine. "You're fine, honey? What happened? You looked so drained." She pressed him to her chest and he started crying silently too once he was safe in her embrace. He could try to be an adult sometime, he thought it was his job as the older brother to take care of Toga when they were alone, but he was still a child, after all, and Kagome cried more at the thought of what could have happened to both of them.

"Kagome-sama," Rikichi, a man that usually was seen at Kaede's side, helping her when needed, suddenly appeared at her side bowing. "If I may, we can explain what happened."

"Please, Rikichi," she said. Inuyasha turned to him too, Toga secured on his uninjured shoulder.

"We heard some cries coming from Kaede-sama's hut and we knew you had left the children there when you had to tend to Mao's little daughter. When Jiro and I approached the hut we noticed the demon threatening them and Kaede-sama and your son defending themselves with a barrier. We couldn't find your husband so we run to ask Miroku-sama and Sango's help. They stopped him and then we tied him up. Miroku-sama tried to get some answers from him but to no avail," he summed up.

Inuyasha turned to Kaede who seemed fine and unscathed. "You're fine baba?" he asked.

"Aye, my boy," she answered. "I'm just worried your child might be a little too tired," she explained waving a finger at Muteki. "He did a great job the first time using a barrier since he is still learning. Without him, mine wouldn't have resisted long against the demon's attack. But he drained himself and he needs to sleep."

Kagome passed a hand through his hair and then kissed him on his forehead. "You're gonna drink a tea to help you regain your energy before you go to sleep ok?" her son nodded. "We also need to see your wound, Inuyasha."

"I'm fine, we need to make that one speak right now," he growled pointing out to the cat demon. He had to refrain from using his usual language because of the pups but it was damn difficult when he was so enraged.

"Where have you been, Inuyasha?" Miroku finally spoke up, his eyes were hard and judging him. He had seen the state Kagome was in, her robes were all wrinkled and stained and he had noticed the marks on her necks when Toga had grabbed her. He couldn't believe the half-demon had been having his way with Kagome while his children were in danger.

Inuyasha noticed the disapproving way Miroku was looking at him and growled. "We were attacked by other five demons and I had to gain as much information as I could. They are all dead now, but the leader threw a poisoned dagger at me and we still need detailed information. That's the only reason this disgusting cat is still alive after he tried to attack my pups," he spat out.

Inuyasha passed Toga again to Kagome, even if the pup tried to cling more at him. "I'm fine, Toga," he reassured him kissing him on his nose and ruffling his hair, "but I need to leave you with your mother now. Can you do it for me?" The kid nodded despite not being convinced and Inuyasha wiped other tears with his thumbs before he turned to Kaede. "Baba, we're gonna use your hut for now. Miroku, help me bring him inside. I still don't wanna touch your charged ofuda."

He made to head towards said hut when Kagome stopped him. "Your wound," she cried, "I don't care what you say, it's still poison, it needs to be treated," she told him with a hard glare that she usually used when her sons didn't want to do something she told them to.

"Kagome, you need to be with the pups right now and my legs are itching to kick this demon's ass," he tried to make her understand, his tone implying she should let the topic drop.

Kaede interrupted them then recognizing the panic in Kagome's eyes but also Inuyasha's enraged aura. "I'll treat his wound, child, don't worry. I'm still the one who taught ye almost everything ye knew. Ye need to bring your children home and let them rest," she said.

This time Inuyasha was the one complaining; sometimes Kaede didn't know which of the two was more stubborn. "No way you're gonna go through the forest alone after some demons attacked all of us," he ordered. "You're gonna wait for me. No discussions." His eyes switched to red for a moment, and he fisted his hands unable to avoid his body from trembling in rage. It was too much.

Another threat to his pups, another to his mate. He was lusting for blood and dying to tear someone limb from limb; he actually had a few names in mind. Why Kagome couldn't understand how unstable he was right now?

He was a fine half-demon, poison or not, he would heal in a blink of an eye, that was nothing for him, she knew that. But she was a human and their children still too young. He was the one who had to worry about them and certainly couldn't let them cross the forest after everything that had just happened.

Before Kagome could even think to open her mouth to debate, someone else interrupted them again.

A crowd had been silently watching the altercation from the time Miroku and Sango had arrived and suddenly an older woman approached them bowing. Kagome was still the priestess of this village, after all. But she had some courage to approach them when Inuyasha was in this state; they all know no one was to interrupt the half-demon when he was enraged.

"Kagome-sama, if I may. My hut is the one nearest to Kaede-sama's, you can let your sons rest there and make sure they are fine. We all would feel better if you didn't have to cross the forest alone," she offered humbly. Inuyasha nodded in acknowledgement and Kagome hastily thanked her.

The threat was still there, but at least Inuyasha knew his family was safe and near him at the moment. Next, he will have to make the bastard talk.

His eyes hardened turning again to the cat. The demon would be good for now, he would start to release some anger on him.

"Oh, Fumi, thank you. Are you sure we don't disturb you?" Kagome inquired at the same time.

"Of course not, Kagome-sama. My husband is still in the rice fields and my youngest is visiting my oldest's hut. I have all the space you need. Come, come, we can't let you go back through the forest after the risk you all taken," Fumi answered leading towards her hut, Sango helping her with the children that were still clinging desperately to Kagome.

Kaede retrieved a cream and started treating Inuyasha's wound as soon as they settled in her hut. It wasn't anything too dangerous for him, but the poison was slowing the healing process and she couldn't let it spread further. A scratch like that would have already healed right now otherwise.

"So speak, you fucker," Inuyasha immediately told the cat, when Miroku slammed him face-down without so many ceremonies. He was so enraged he had almost purified him, Sango and Richiki had stopped him, saying that Inuyasha would have probably wanted to interrogate him. The demon had come specifically for his sons; there could have been a reason. If someone else had attacked Inuyasha and Kagome, they had probably planned everything.

"I'm not gonna tell you anything, you disgusting half-breed," the cat spat out vehemently. "You're gonna go down anyway. As soon as the attack at the palace succeeds, Noboru-sama is going to take you lot's place and relieve us of you mixed-breeds and human lovers," he shouted. "You cannot do anything. While we're speaking, he has probably already destroyed his opponents and took the powers. When your brother will come back from rutting that other human, it will be too late."

"Thank you," Inuyasha said, slamming a foot on his chest so hard they heard his ribs cracking. The cat grunted and tried to fight back, but the binds burned him and he hissed.

"As long as there's an ofuda on that cords, you can't do anything," Miroku reminded him. "Besides, you already told us enough," he smirked. The demon paled, apparently, he wasn't even so smart and they thought that Inuyasha was dumb just because he was half-demon; Miroku shook his head.

"You confirmed that Noboru is the one behind everything. I also presume that is letting you doing everything else while he waits in the backgrounds to claim his prize. I'm gonna tell you how everything went and you're gonna tell me if I'm right or not. He probably gathered some demons living outside the Western Lands, he promised them whatever they wanted and convinced them they could win with inside help. How foolish of you to think you could actually succeed. We have been waiting for an attack of his for quite some time now; the First Commander was already prepared for the eventuality. When Sesshomaru will find about the ordeal, he will kill everyone who fought against his army and has betrayed him. Meanwhile, Noboru can claim he had been unaware of this attack. He had planned everything, included his backup plan. Isn't it?" Inuyasha inquired, crashing his foot on the cat's chest a little more.

"I'm not gonna tell you anything," he repeated hissing for the pain. They didn't expect so much resistance. Sure, they knew the half-demon was strong, they had seen him in action. But they thought that once they had his children, they could do anything. Instead, the damn pup had been able to erect a spiritual barrier and had burned him when he tried to approach them. Who would have thought two fucking pups needed more than one demon to be captured?

Fucking abominations. Demon children with spiritual powers.

Inuyasha turned to the monk who had observed every movement and facial expression of the cat. "Miroku?"

"Just like that," he confirmed, "he got paler and his pupils widened. He couldn't contain his reactions even if he tried," he explained still smirking.

"You see, cat? One way or another you're gonna give us some answers. The only difference is that if you don't speak now the process is gonna be painful and I'm already pissed at you for what you tried to do to my sons," he said. He then noticed some burn marks on his arms and traced them slowly with his claws. He chuckled while the demon hissed again. "Oh, what do we have here? It seems that what you called an abomination managed to hurt you, didn't he? A grown-up like you being hurt by a seven-year-old," Inuyasha mocked him. "But then, it's my son we're talking about, it's natural," he snickered.

"Always so modest, Inuyasha," Kaede commented, patting the shoulder she had just bandaged.

Inuyasha growled. "Oi, baba! You never learn, do you?" he glared at her and she chuckled. "Now," he got back to asking questions, "what I want you to tell me is how you knew what my brother was planning to do..." he cracked his knuckles and pressed his foot more in his ribcage.

"Do not squeeze him too much, Inuyasha," Miroku interjected, "he has to breathe to answer."

Inuyasha nodded and lowered the pressure. "I know no one can follow my brother without him noticing it. So that's not the answer I'm looking for. Who is the fucker that betrayed him at the castle?" The cat still refused to answer and Inuyasha nodded at Miroku, the monk patted his robes to show him he had everything he needed. "Noboru trained you lot very good, I see. And for what? To send you to certain death. I can't believe he is so confident to think that a fucked-up plan like this could work against us. He waited all this time for this? You think he's gonna help you now? Send someone to see if anyone survived when none of you will come back to West? Fat chance, you're just pawns for him. He's too scared to confront me directly, so he sent some low demons that even a baby could deal with it," he taunted.

The cat kept hissing the glared at him. "Shut up! You have no right to speak of Noboru-sama like this, you are too dirty for him to soil his hands with."

Inuyasha burst out into laughter, slamming his hand on his knee. "Oh, God! That's too fun!" he said wiping his eyes. "Did you hear that Miroku?" He turned to the cat, "Is that what he had been claiming to you? That I'm too low for him? Is this the reason he kept sending others to me? Is this the reason why he sent someone else to kill my pups when they were newborns? Not because he was afraid of even a baby?" he asked menacingly, kneeling and grabbing him by the neck and embedding his claws in it, anger surfacing at the mere thought of the other attacks on his sons. "Noboru is a weakling; he had been trying to enter in my brother's good graces licking his boots since the day my father died. He thought he could at least kill me because I am a half-breed, but when he saw what I am capable of, he wetted his pants and let others die for him," he told him, his tone low and feral. "He never fought for anything in his life. He always used treachery and deceitfulness to get what he wanted, what he thinks he should have, from the day he pressed for my old man to mate his sister. Pity nothing has ever gone how he wanted, and never will," he finished.

He threw him to the ground and stood up, making a sign to Miroku to proceed. "I could have spared you some pain, but since you don't want to collaborate, you don't leave us another choice..." he trailed off, crossing his arms. "I'll have fun watching you writhing in pain," he hissed angered, "let's see if someone else tries to use my sons against me." He so wanted to beat him to a pulp. Kaede eyed him sternly, he 'kehed'.

Miroku knelt and grabbed another ofuda from his robes, "Now, this one is quite special," he started explaining. "Kagome-sama and I worked on it for some time. It doesn't kill a full demon if used but it causes quite a bit of pain and burns. We thought we could use something able to immobilize the victim without turning him to ash, you see. It should be used with tougher demons but we will make an exception. I'll remove it once you decide to start telling us the truth."

He placed carefully the ofuda on his chest and almost immediately, the demon started screaming and trashing, his eyes shut and the breathing erratic. Smoke was surrounding him, his skin flushed and the previous burns were now bleeding profusely. They had created this solution for demons that couldn't be kept at bay with simpler methods and at the same time couldn't be killed immediately, but this one was weaker and Miroku didn't like the display. However, Inuyasha was too enraged to care, he just needed answers and he could understand the half-demon; if someone had targeted his own children, he would have been equally furious.

It had only been a few minutes, though it seemed longer when the cat begged them to stop, to free him, he would say anything. He knew he would die anyway, but that pain was unbearable and excruciating. "I can always put another one if you change your mind once I remove this one," Miroku warned him. The demon shook his head, understanding, tears falling uncontrollably down his face.

"Very well, I see we finally understand each other," Inuyasha said, going down on his haunches and peering at him. "Are you ready to tell us what you know?" Kaede approached them with a cup of water to give him and they waited for the demon to drink and regain some breath before he started speaking.

"It's true everything you already said," the cat started. "There's a maid infiltrated in Sesshomaru's quarters and she had been passing us information for quite some time. She had listened to him speaking with his mother about coming to your village to mate the girl. We knew he would be away a little longer than usual. We also already had troops ready outside his lands waiting for a command. Noboru-sama continued to gather outside allies for a while, there are a few people out there who don't like Sesshomaru and want him dead so he took advantage of that. When he left, Noboru waited a couple of days and then sent a message to everyone and prepared the few who were going to attack the palace from the inside. His purpose was to kill everyone who was an obstacle to our plans, there are some tough demons supporting Sesshomaru that needed to be killed first."

Inuyasha gritted his teeth; he knew too well the one he was referring to, starting from the First Commander. He had been following the army since day one and he knew the majority of them now. Some were a force to reckon with and had always showed Sesshomaru undying loyalty. Noboru would have known them for sure if everything he had done all these years was observing and calculating. He hoped they resisted until he could go to their aid.

"How long the valley had been under attack?" he demanded.

"Two days. When we went for you there had been deaths on both sides but no one seemed to have the upper hand yet. We arrived a day ago and watched you for a while trying to catch your kids and mate alone to make sure you cooperated. When we saw that your mate had left the pups to the old hag we decided to split, but then you reached her and..." he couldn't finish because Inuyasha suddenly grabbed him by his neck again and slammed his head hard on the floor. One wrong move and the cat was dead.

"You were watching us?" he asked menacingly.

"I... I w-wasn't... they sent me to take the pups then. The boss said he wanted to have his fun before he killed you, he s-said if he let you the last f-fuck she would have been better p-prepared for him," he stuttered.

"Inuyasha! Don't kill him!" Miroku pleaded while putting a hand on his arm to stop him from choking the demon. He understood that the demons Inuyasha had already killed had watched him while he was with Kagome and that had only increased his blood lust. "We need to move right now, you need to get as much information as you can and then find Sesshomaru before going west. Don't let him get to you." Slowly, he made sure Inuyasha freed the demon from his grasp.

The hanyou had barely regained his control when he spoke again, his voice strained. "What were your intentions with her?" he asked, eyes closed and fists clenched. The demon seemed uninclined to answer and he began to punch him viciously in the face, "ANSWER ME!" he shouted, eyes bleeding red.

Kaede stopped Miroku from reaching Inuyasha, the half-demon was clearly lacking control right now and trying to interfere wouldn't be a good move.

"He... he," the cat started to say. Inuyasha tightened his grip around his neck and he hastily replied, "Noboru-sama told us that she was to be brought at the palace once the attack succeeded because she could be at least good for a fuck before he killed her. The boss thought he could have his fun too before we brought her to him." He didn't have the chance to say more because Inuyasha started again with an array of fists. This time Miroku weasel out of Kaede's grip and reached Inuyasha, grabbing both of his arms from behind and trying to control him.

"Inuyasha, you have to stop! You don't want to kill him," Miroku said, barely containing him while he struggled. "Kaede-sama, go call Kagome, I can't keep him still!"

"NO!" Inuyasha shouted at the idea of letting this bastard see his mate again and then stilled. "I'm not killing him... yet" he spat out. "I still have another question for this prick." The demon was breathing hard again, his eyes were swollen and lips split, his face a bloody pulp now. Inuyasha's knuckles were cracked too and soiled with his blood. Kaede came closer and passed him a wetted cloth that he took without a word. "How many people the fucker sent to the palace?"

"I don't know exactly, r-really. I only know he tried to collect as many allies as he could. It wasn't easy, because out there they knew your brother's strength and were too afraid to go against him. I also know that a wolf tribe killed the messenger Noboru-sama sent to ask them to collaborate," he whispered, his voice barely audible.

Inuyasha cracked up. "That's good, I'd have liked to see it. Your boss didn't even check which demons were our enemy or not, what an amateur!" He turned to others and told them, "I don't need anything else. From now on, this one is our prisoner. I'm gonna need him when we go to West. Baba, I am afraid you will have a housemate for a couple of days. But at least I am sure you can keep him at bay like this."

"Don't worry, Inuyasha. If he thinks he can stand up to me just because I'm old he's got it all wrong," she replied.

The half-demon nodded, "Let's go Miroku, we're gonna check on the women and then form a plan," Inuyasha said before leaving the hut.

Kagome had managed to calm her children and put them to sleep when Inuyasha finally entered Fumi's hut. She was still antsy and afraid about everything that had happened just a couple of hours before and when her mate hastily embraced her, it didn't help the fear and discomfort she could sense vibrating from every pore of him. They stayed like this for some minutes, the other inhabitants of their hut in silence, while they sought comfort in each other's arms. Inuyasha kept stroking her back soothingly and kissing her wherever he could.

"How are you?" Inuyasha finally asked his arms secured around her, his face hidden in her hair and the lips near her ear. Those softly spoken words were enough to make her burst into tears, clinging desperately at his robes. Inuyasha let her cry and ignored Miroku and Sango next to him, still aware that this wasn't his home.

"They tried to kill them again, Inuyasha! First Muteki when he was barely six months old, then Toga and now this. If we hadn't started teaching Muteki how to erect a barrier they could have been dead by now or worse," she cried, fat tears falling on her cheeks. Inuyasha tried to wipe them and then cupped her face, touching her forehead with his and staying like that for some seconds.

"Don't..." he told her, "Don't think about what could have been, please," he begged. The last few hours had been too much for him, from the panther making sexual comments about his mate, the cat threatening his pups, Noboru planning to abuse Kagome. His control was unstable and Inuyasha needed to assure himself his family was next to him and safe. Kagome realized that and hugged him tightly; her face rested on his chest, his frantic heartbeat somehow calmed her. At least, they were together now. But for how long? If the West was really under attack, Inuyasha had his duty there and couldn't stay at the village for so long. Could he leave them now? With the risk of someone else coming to attack them, he would be uninclined to leave them alone.

"Inuyasha," Miroku interrupted them after some time, "you need to find Sesshomaru as soon as possible," he reminded him.

"Sesshomaru could be everywhere. If he doesn't want someone to find him, then it's useless even to try," he retorted. "What I really should do is go to West, but there's no way I'm gonna leave my family here right now unattended." He spoke with finality to let him know he wouldn't budge on that. His own family was at risk and his family always came first; too many times already had he already put their lives at risk.

Before Miroku could add something, he spoke up again, "I am not saying I don't trust you, you know that, but we don't know who they could send next time and the more protection they have the better. If I leave now and someone sees me at the palace, they will assume that I left them with you, I am not taking any risk," he concluded. How could Miroku even suggest he left them there without help?

"That's why you need me, mutt!" a voice they immediately recognized shouted from outside.

Everyone faces turned towards the door; Inuyasha rolled his eyes inwardly but wasn't really annoyed with the sudden visitor. No doubt he came to check on them if what the fucking cat had told them was true.

"We take the pups and go back home, now!" Inuyasha told before hastily thanking Fumi for her help and going to meet the demon that was waiting for them outside.

There was no time to lose.

A/N: We still don't know where Sesshomaru is and the valley is still under attack but at least we know what the original plan is and who the culprit is – yes, he, had you any doubts?

Who has just arrived in the village? No doubts about him either.

Until next time!