Disclaimer: I don't own Inuyasha. Trust me, if I did, you'd know about it. Insert: "money, money, money" song.

Chapter 4~

Inuyasha crouched silently in a tree. He'd been in that position for hours evaluating his relationship with Kagome. He didn't shun her attempts to be close to him by choice, it was the fact that any female who got too close ended up dead. After his mother and Kikyo died he'd promised himself that it would never happen again.

Although it was hard for him to admit it to him to himself, he had grown very fond of Kagome, and soon found himself anxiously awaiting her return. And when it came time for her to go, he's dig his nails into the sides of the well while he was on top of it. After hours of Kagome coaxing, and reassuring him (not to mention a few sits) he would reluctantly and slowly hop off. It had seemed like fate wanted to be alone, forever. How could he get her to understand? Seeing her kissing Koga was enough to make his heart bleed with sorrow and envy.

He shook his head, 'No, I shouldn't entertain ideas of Kagome and me having a romantic future together. I wont. It is better for both of us this way. Besides Kagome is from the future. Where there were plenty of *ugh* men who could provide her with the lifestyle she will some day want and deserved. ' He decided to start catching fish for dinner instead of having somber thoughts about his relationship with Kagome.

The shadowed figure took a step forward and was still concealed by darkness. Kagome reached for her bow and arrows while Shippo placed a leaf on his head, said an enchantment, and transformed into a tree stump. A centipede emerged from the shadows. Out of its mouth were energy beams aimed at Kagome. She dodged left, then right. She decided to take a shot.

' If I make it, Shippo and I will be safe for the night, if I don't… No I can't afford to miss.'

She placed the arrow into the bow; she pulled back, aimed and released the arrow. It had hit the centipede in the heart. Neither Kagome, nor Shippo noticed the fang-toothed demon hiding behind the trees. 'Soon, my sweet girl. Soon. That centipede will tire you out and then I will get to play with you…soon.'

Kagome collapsed against a tree. She scanned the area for any other demons, 'something's not right.' Just as she was about to call on her young, kitsune companion, the fang-toothed demon came up behind her and bit into her neck.

What was it about the hentai this evening that made Sango go weak in the knees? In all the time she had known him, this was a side of him she had never seen before. He seemed to acting genuine, for once.

At that moment they heard a girl scream piercingly. Without hesitating, they grabbed their weapons and ran in the direction the scream came in.

Once they arrived, they looked for signs of struggle, a demon, anything that would lead them to what happened. Blood seemed to be painted onto the grass and dirt. Then they saw it, the fanged-demon with its fangs in Kagome's neck, her eyes looked vacant and her voice was barely above a whisper. She seemed to be pleading with it.

"Please, please." She seemed fatigued as she struggled and shifted to free herself. When that didn't work, she moved to make herself a little more comfortable. Her bow and arrows had been knocked to the ground, although she stretched out her hand it was just out of her reach.

Sango used her poison powder (sorry, I'm going by the video game here.), while Miroku used ashen salt (Video game again.) and once Sango got Kagome out of the way, Miroku used his Kazanna (wind tunnel) on the demon. With a high-pitched screech, it was gone.

Back at the camp, Mariko awoke to a high-pitched screech. She got up and walked surreptitiously, so that she wouldn't wake Kaede. ' Where did Sango and Miroku go? What made that high pitched screeched noise?' She didn't know what to think as she ran through the woods.

Shippo popped out of his transformation," There was a centipede, but Kagome took care of it. Then the fanged-tooth demon appeared out of nowhere. It took us by surprise."

Kagome lay in Sango's lap," We need to cover her wound soon, before…"

Mariko had just reached the clearing; her eyes were terror stricken fell on Kagome. Apparently, she had seen the trail of blood. Her eyes traveled to Shippo, "What, what is that thing?!" Her eyes darted wildly from a blood-spattered Kagome, to the infantile kitsune, "Did it do that to… -to Kagome?"

Shippo looked the adolescent over. Apparently she didn't know he could talk. "No, not me. But the thing that did is gone." He took a step closer.

"Don't come any closer!" Mariko screamed.

" Don't worry, Shippo wouldn't harm any one." Miroku's voice was softhearted and reassuring. Almost like silk.

" What did this?" Mariko asked as she took eloquent steps toward Kagome. " Never mind, will Kagome be ok?" Her words faltered. She knew she didn't want to know. At least that way she could keep up the illusion that this was some elaborate dream, even though she knew deep inside of her, somehow with out Miroku and Sango saying anything that it all made perfect sense.

Miroku ripped a long, narrow, piece of clean cloth from his robe and tied it around Kagome's neck. "She's lost a lot of blood, but she'll survive."

Let's get her back to camp." Sango said gently as she gingerly touched around the wound.

Miroku scooped Kagome into his arms," Shippo where is Inuyasha?"

"He and Kagome got into another fight. Something about Koga." Shippo retorted.

"As soon as we reach camp, we must go to sleep. Once Inuyasha calms down, he'll go to the well to look for Kagome. When he notices she didn't travel that way, he'll head to Kaede's hut. We'll head to Kaede's hut by day break."

Kagome awoke to see people bustling around her picking up their belongings. She'd realized she was lying on a cot. For the first time since she woke up, she felt something wet, thick and sticky that smelt sort of like copper. She touched her neck and instantly felt excruciating, convulsing pain. She brought her hand up to her face to see blood.

"Good, your up," Mariko said as she hugged her friend. Miroku turned around, "I'll need to redress your wound, and then we'll be off to Kaede's hut." An hour later, they left for Kaede's.

Two hours later, Inuyasha walked languidly through the forest when a rusty, viscous smell filled his nostrils, making him a bit nauseous. He stopped and sniffed, 'I've smelt this blood before.' After a minute it came to him, " No, Kagome!"

There was no mistaking it, he couldn't explain it, but she had a very distinctive smell to her that both excited him, and made him feel content, as if there was no such thing as evil in the world. He walked to where the smell was coming from. The ground seemed to have been showered in blood. Kagome's blood.

Then he picked up Miroku, Sango, and Shippo's scent. There was another scent there, after a few minutes he figured it was Mariko. There were also two other demons that traveled here, from their scents about the time Kagome was here. Why didn't Miroku and Sango protect her? What had happen?

Inuyasha's worst fear was soon realized. Kagome was dead.

A/N: sorry if this is getting to be a romantic story. I'm a romantic at heart and my stories tend to end up like that. I would have posted earlier, but my computer decided to be retarded. That's my department (lol!)