I never remembered much after I fainted in Inuyasha's arms. Blackness swallowed me up and all I was aware of was my skin burning and my blood boiling. Whatever was in Kelah's blood was potent. Except that I didn't drink more than three mouthfuls before being pulled away.

And the second his blood touched my throat, it burned like sake...and I suddenly wanted as much as I could take.

Which, unfortunately, wasn't much.

I didn't know how long I slept, but I knew I rested. It was one of those sleeps where you're aware of everything around you, but are helpless to do anything about it. I was immobile, half awake and feeling half dead.

Surely that's what I SHOULD'VE been after that night.

But the light that shone in through the hut I was in showed me different.

Shifting on the pillow my head was over, my eyes groggily blinked and fully opened. I looked to a window and cried out as if I'd been seared with a red hot poker. It BLINDED! "Itai!!" I cried out, covering my eyes with my hands. I harshly scrubbed, as if something hot and scalding was covering them. "Itai, itai, itai!!"

As a last resort, I dove back under the covers over my body, finding the light a lot more acceptable under the woven patches of dark and light. What seeped through in between the weave was ten times better. Now it was just like walking outside under the sun and having to stand the glare.

Footsteps met my ears, and I blinked. I could hear them outside...what sounded like a distance! What was going ON with me?? First I couldn't stand the light, and now my hearing was twice what it was, if not more!

"Kagome??"

"Kagome-chan!"

"Kagome-sama!"

I breathed in to assure the others I was fine for now and realized I could suddenly smell three different, distinctive scents of Inuyasha, Sango, and Miroku. With a second smell, I could pick up Shippo's mixed in with Sango's. As I peeked through the miniscule holes in the blanket, I could see, almost CLEARLY, Shippo's worried face from his place in her arms.

"Kagome-sama doushita??" Miroku worriedly prodded, quickly kneeling to my side. I watched his hand reach for the blanket, but my eyes widened at what he might do and I quickly rolled away.

There was a noise in the air that I knew to be a hiss, coming from ME I suddenly knew, and I blinked in shock. "IYA!" I shouted in fear, clutching the blanket as if it were the only thing I was wearing. I stood with it draped over my head and realized my legs felt funny. As I looked down, I noticed what peeked out from under the blanket was starting to be burned. "ITAI!!" I quickly dropped to a crouch and kept the entire blanket around my body. "Nani aru!? NANI ARU!?" I shrieked, my voice nearly hysterical. A hand went to my legs as I gently touched the burn.

"Kagome-chan, shikkari suru!" Sango shakily soothed. Apparently they watched what happened as well as I did. I watched her take a few steps to where I rolled and crouched down.

Suddenly, I felt very much like a caged animal in this small hut, nearly backed into a wall, with my friends crowding the exit.

And no way to go into the light.

My fists clenched...

"Minna yameru!" Inuyasha harshly commanded. I watched Sango's hand pause from its place in the air, then slowly withdrew. "Yameru. SARU."

With a rapid intake of breath, not really knowing what I was doing, I smelled the air like an animal and watched with wide eyes as the three left. Leaving me with Inuyasha. Probably not a good idea either.

Quiet invaded the hut, even though my ears picked up sounds outside it. Now that everyone was gone, the caged emotion left and I felt a little more like my old self.

Also very much embarrassed and ashamed of how I acted.

I sullenly switched to a cross-legged position and looked to my hands under the blanket. Though the lighting was bad, I could see every detail about myself perfectly.

Looking up to Inuyasha when I heard him sit down and cradle Tetsusaiga, I watched him from under the cloth, though a frown marred my face. "Atashi wa...nani?"

"Shitteiranai." He sighed. His head shook slowly. "I want to know what the hell HAPPENED last night! Who is that guy, and what was he doing to you??"

Kyuketsuki... I blinked and scowled. Was THAT what I was now?? He drank my blood and gave me his...that must be how a vampire is MADE.

"WELL?" He harshly demanded.

My eyes narrowed in sudden agitation. The NERVE! My hands clenched to fists and I grit my teeth...only to find a sharp pair of teeth poking my lip. I gasped and touched them, forgetting about Inuyasha again.

"Doushita?" He queried, giving me an odd look.

"Nan demo nai... It's just too much to take in right now..." I vaguely answered. With a sigh, I pulled my legs to my chest and wrapped my arms around them, feeling much like a frightened child. A part of me wished Inuyasha hadn't pulled me away from Kelah, because he would've been able to help me handle whatever it was I was going through right now. The other begged for me to go back to Kelah and ask him to take this back. I didn't want it!!

Tears burned my eyes. What was I THINKING last night?! My eyes clenched shut and a hand covered my face. Whatever happened to me, I didn't know if I even COULD take it back... Was I STUCK like this??

"Kagome...nakanai." Inuayasha softly muttered. I realized he must be able to smell my tears...and I suddenly found out I could as well.

"It's...it's just...I don't think I'll...am I stuck like this?" I brokenly rambled, cradling my legs tighter. Having forgotten about my leg, I was surprised to find no pain from it and upon touching it found the skin good as new. More tears formed. "Last night was...was...a NIGHTMARE." I sobbed, sniffing. "Kelah took my...my blood and...gave me his...to make me a...a...a kyuketsuki."

I could hear Inuyasha blink, and smelt confusion from him. It amazed me that I could smell emotions from someone. What ELSE could vampires do?? Was this vampire power?

"Daijoubu, daijoubu."

"No it WON'T!" I nearly shrieked. Sudden anger enveloped me at his attitude and a fist slammed into the ground. I heard a sharp CRACK and felt my fist go through the wood. With wide eyes, I slowly pulled it into the air and stared at my hand like it was some mononoke. "Kami-sama..."

"Sore wa..."

"Nan demo nai." I sullenly murmured. I went back to my original position and stared at Inuyasha through the blanket. "So...what happened when you arrived? How did you know what was going on? What happened after I passed out? And how long have I been asleep?"

"One at a time, one at a time!" He tersely bit out. "Don't ask ME how I knew something was wrong! I was worried about your exit to the future and I took a walk. I found myself at the well and smelled blood from it. The closer I got, the stronger it became. It was both of your smells, and it confused me because I knew you weren't injured when you left. I went to your time and saw you doing...whatever."

"Kelah told me to take his blood." I evenly supplied. "It was that or die. So I did as I was told, since I didn't want to die just yet."

There was a bit of silence, either shock or anger I couldn't define by the smell. I could hear Inuyasha grinding his teeth before it stopped and he continued. "Anyway...after I grabbed you, I brought you back to Kaede's hut and the others kept a close eye on you. This all happened since last night. It's amazing that you survived. I hardly smelled any blood in you at the time."

I silently snorted and nodded. Kelah took almost every drop, then gave me his. Why didn't he kill me and leave it at that? I'd rather be dead than live like this! To never see the sun again... What would happen to me?? I'd be forced to stay here forever now.

So many close calls in this world happened to me in only a handful of months. But this horrible twist seemed the clincher.

"So...what do I do NOW?" I bitterly spat out, feeling more tears invade my eyes. Wasn't THAT the question of the year!

"I don't know. Since you can't handle sunlight anymore, you'll have to rest until nightfall. Maybe then we can go back to the future and find that guy. And get some answers."

I sighed, smelling mostly anger with bits of concern and pity from my companion. And in the under layer of that all was a bit of caring. It warmed my heart to know he cared, even a bit. "Then there's nothing else I can do except sleep..."

"I'll get you another blanket to wrap up in...just in case you shift." He muttered, standing. Almost hurriedly, he was gone. There was a shift of clothes in the air as he jumped. As he sailed away, I could hear an intense growl from him. I knew it was toward Kelah and no one else...and it calmed me a little more to know he was worried in his own way.

With a despairing, resigned sigh, I scooted back to the wall and huddled against it. After tucking the blanket under myself, my arms wrapped around my torso and I tried to blank my mind and sleep.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

Never in my life had I ever been so angry or wanted to kill something so badly! My blood boiled and I almost swore I was turning Youkai. After I filled in the others with some of Kagome's story, I retreated to my forest and sat at the tallest branch of the tallest tree I could find. Feeling the rage overload, I let up a pent-up scream and punched the bark with all my might.

The pain was welcome against the emotional I felt and I slammed my fists into it repeatedly. The wood cracked after a while and the top part of the tree broke off and fell to the ground below. I stopped and panted, clenching my now bleeding knuckles. My claws dug into my skin and broke it, but I just dug them in deeper.

Nothing would stop this rage until I killed this bastard Kelah.

With a loud growl, I gave the tree one last punch and jumped from the branch for the ground below. As soon as my feet met ground, I pushed off and ran. I ran unbound with all the anger and anguish I still felt.

What happened to Kagome should NEVER have happened...and I didn't protect her as I always had when she was here. I couldn't stop this from happening.

And that's what pissed me off the most.

I couldn't save and protect her.

Time seemed to stop as my heart became heavier with so many thoughts and insights to what would happen now. I stopped in shock from a thought and skidded to a stop a few feet from a cliff.

Kagome would be like this possibly for the rest of her LIFE.

She'd never be able to go home and live her normal life.

The smell of her blood was decayed, yet still alive somehow. She smelled more like Kikyo now than normal.

I harshly swallowed and realized that whatever a vampire was, it couldn't be good. I didn't know what they were; I'd never heard of them before.

'But I swear Kagome...if there's a cure, I'll FIND it!'

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

When night fell, I was the one chosen to stop and check on Kagome. The others were overcome with concern, as was I, and I found myself wringing my hands in anxiety the closer I got to her hut. What would happen to my dear friend??

I stopped outside the flap and hesitated. Would she want me inside? Pressing my lips together, knowing I HAD to see if she was okay, I pulled it aside and poked my head in.

I blinked to adjust my eyes in the even dimmer light and looked around. All I saw was blackness. "Kagome-chan?" I whispered. "Doko?" A small movement in the corner caught my eye and I took a step into the room. As my eyes adjusted, I found that raven hair outline from under the blanket and froze when she looked my way.

A cold dread followed up my spine when I met Kagome's GLOWING yellow eyes. When she blinked, it remained. Only when she looked away, did the glow leave.

Sad to say, it creeped me out a little.

"Sango-chan? Doushita?"

"Ano...Kagome-chan...your eyes are-" I stopped and gulped at the bit of fear I felt when she stood and took a few steps toward me.

"Sango-chan onegai, shinpai suranai." I received a small, labored smile. "I won't do anything to hurt any of you."

I startled. Was THAT what she thought?? "Kagome-chan. I KNOW you wouldn't do anything to hurt us. Your eyes just startled me. The pupils glowed yellow, almost like an animal's."

Her mouth thoughtfully pursed to one corner. "Must've been the moonlight..." She muttered, shaking her head. After a second of silence, she gave me another smile and we stepped outside.

"Kagome-chan daijoubu?" I tentatively queried, keeping an eagle-eye on her. If anything happened, it would be necessary to push her back into the hut for safety. I would never forgive myself if anything happened to my friend.

"Hai." She took a deep breath and a smile lit her face. "Though this is horrible, the smells...the SIGHTS...so beautiful. I can see so clearly." Her face swung to me. "Where's Inuyasha?"

My head shook. "I don't know. He disappeared shortly after telling us what happened and making sure we took care of you. He hasn't been back yet."

"He's nearby. I can smell him. I'll go find him."

"IYA Kagome-chan! You don't know what'll happen-"

"Daijoubu Sango-chan." She easily reassured. "I feel a lot stronger than when I did this afternoon and I feel confident." Her eyes flashed as they caught the light when she looked to her hands. "I feel stronger than when I was human."

"Yare...yare...we're coming with you." I firmly ordered. "I'll worry myself much more if you leave and I can't make sure you're alright."

"Arigatou Sango-chan." A hand rested on my shoulder and gave a very gentle squeeze...almost like she was afraid she would hurt me. "Let's go then."

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

I didn't want to get into an argument with Sango-chan about these powers I felt. If she wanted everyone to come with me, that was fine. But they'd have to return to the village when Inuyasha and I went through the well.

If I could still GO through the well...

I hadn't thought of that and it kept me pretty preoccupied as we marched up the hill overlooking the village. I stopped and deeply inhaled to find his location and knew Inuyasha was in a tree by the elevated smell. It was diluted the closer it was to the ground.

I had to smirk as I led the band into the forest. Where ELSE would Inuyasha be? Certainly not on the ground. He felt more comfortable in a high place where he could see everything and be safe.

As we walked, I was so amazed and occupied with these new heightened senses. My hearing, smell, sight, and strength. I could hear crickets walk around us and their legs shift as they prepared to jump from our path. I could smell the sap from inside trees and the mustiness of the well yards away. Even in darkness with the moon rarely flitting through the canopy of trees, I could see as clearly as if it were day. And my strength...that was already proven when I found I broke a clean hole through the hut floor.

No longer was I a fragile human...now I was something else.

And I didn't know if I liked it or NOT.

"Inuyasha!" I called, going deeper into the forest. How far did he GO anyway?? "Inuyasha doko??"

We were nearly on top of the well and I circled around it before even coming to the clearing. I felt a small bit of fear as the smell invaded my nose. I knew I was just too scared to face Kelah just yet. Maybe after another day here, I would be able to calm down enough to demand answers and a way back to myself. Also become accustomed to these changes a little more.

"Where did he go, the next VILLAGE?" Shippo remarked.

"No clue." Sango muttered.

I smirked as we kept walking through the forest. They were all agitated and becoming annoyed now. I could smell it on all three, even though Miroku didn't say anything.

"Inuyasha! I know you're out here!" I called. I stopped and took a dredge of air. "He's nearby. You three wait here. I can find him faster and then we'll go to the well."

"Are you sure that's wise Kagome-sama?"

"If anything Miroku-sama...I'll be able to see what ELSE has changed about me." I explained. "I'll be back as fast as I can." Not waiting for their answer, I took off in a dead run.

Not too far away, I skidded to a stop and nearly fell over from such an abrupt pause at finding the trees blur by me during my run.

I looked around in awe and felt my mouth gape open. "S...sugee!" I breathed, breaking into a smile. Feeling like a child with a new toy, I smelled for Inuyasha again and took off. The wind blew my hair back and the cold bit at my skin, but I rarely felt it through the exhilaration. This was the GREATEST!

A thought hit my head as I started pinning down his location.

Were these powers something like what Inuyasha possessed? The heightened smell, sight, strength, hearing, and speed? An interesting prospect.

His scent stopped and I did as well. I paused under a large tree and looked way up. "Inuyasha!" I called. "I know you're up there! I can smell you!"

"Kagome? What're you doing here?" In a rustle of clothes, the hanyou jumped the large gap and in seconds stood before me. "Where are the others? Did you leave them just to find me?" He spat out.

I dumbly stood and blinked at the amount of pent up anger I smelled from him. He was almost shaking from it. There was a small, dried blood smell coming from him as well and I wondered about that. "Inuyasha..." I breathed. I took a step forward and stared into his eyes. "Nani? What's wrong?" He blinked and shock rolled off him. "What??"

"Your...eyes. They flash gold..."

I blinked and looked up into the sky, finding the moon litter through the leaves. "Hai. Sango-chan and I figured out it must be a reaction to light."

"Let's head back. We'll tell the others we're leaving and they can go back to the village. The sooner we get you back to normal, the better."

I scowled at his harsh tone, feeling a little hurt. "I'm fine right now. I'm adjusting better now that it's dark. Vampires are night creatures. I take it you've never heard about them before?"

"Iie."

I smirked and started walking. "Then I'll fill you in on the way of what I've read. Race ya!" With a gleeful smile, I took off in a run, laughing at the startled smell before Inuyasha almost matched my pace and kept up.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

Just before we reached the group, I smelled something disturbing. Something we DIDN'T need right now.

A youkai.

It didn't smell very powerful, but I didn't want our journey hampered in the least of getting answers for returning Kagome to what she was before. NINGEN. Even though it was an almost amusing complex to run full out with her like this, I liked the human Kagome better. That's what made her so special.

We both skidded to a stop and I looked to her eyes, finding them shining in spots as she looked around. That was an unsettling thing, to see her eyes do that. It made her look like an animal.

"You smell that?" She breathed, eyes wide.

"Hai. We'd better find the others." I darkly ordered. I sniffed the air for the Youkai's position and heard Kagome doing the same. My head jerked over before I scolded myself to get over it. Until she returned to herself, I would HAVE to get used to this. It WOULD be interesting...since she was nearly my equal now.

My ear twitched as a sound reached it. A cry of pain!

"Sango-chan!" Kagome cried.

"Iko!" I called, taking off again. She quickly matched my pace and we reached the battle area in no time.

I rapidly assessed everything in a split second and unsheathed Tetsusaiga. I ran to the Youkai, weapon ready to slash, when it turned and spit something at me.

Poison.

I quickly twisted and landed on the ground. "What kind of Youkai is that??" I called, keeping an eagle eye on it.

"Hebi-oni!" Miroku called. "Don't let its spit touch you! It's acid!"

"Yosh!" I called back. I charged the battle again, ready to slice. "What do you want hebi?"

"The ssssmell of power..." It hissed. "Comessssss from here. I'll take that for mysssssself."

I realized it must be talking about Kagome and I growled. "Like HELL!" I shouted, dodging another attack. It slithered around and Tetsusaiga missed the bit of its tail by inches.

"Sango-chan, daijoubu?"

Out of the corner of my eye, I watched Kagome run to Sango.

And pause.

Then fall to her knees.

"KAGOME!" I called, anxiety lacing my heart. What happened?? The hebi wasn't even NEAR her!

"Ack...the...PAIN..." She grit out, a hand clenching her shirt. Hallowed breathing met my ears.

"Power...isssssss mine."

"KUSO!" I sprang into the air as the snake shot forward to Kagome. My heart skipped a beat as I jumped again to catch up. That pause to see what was going on cost me.

"Kagome-sama!"

"Kagome-chan!"

Both Sango and Miroku hurried to her aid, but they were only human and too slow. Even with the snake's massive size, it was still fast.

I wasn't bothered about it catching Kagome, I was concerned more about the rapid breathing and heartbeat reaching my ears. Something was happening to her body and I had no clue what. The helplessness toward her meshed with anger and I slammed Tetsusaiga to the ground, managing to pin the snake's tail in the process.

The high-pitched hiss of pain it gave was enough to shatter glass and I covered my ears in torture.

It kept screaming and I looked to it. It was trapped and for now I was going to see what was wrong with Kagome before killing it. "Kagome! Doushita??"

The writhing stopped. Her form nearly folded into itself as I smelled pain from her, though it seemed to lessen a great deal. Vulnerability speared frozen fingers in my heart and I clenched my fists. I HATED this!!

Then everything seemed to stop, save for the snake futilely trying to free itself. I wasn't worried about that as much as I was the odd feeling coming from her.

Everyone breathed her name in question and I held my breath in expectation. What would she do now? Was she okay??

Slowly, her head rose and those eyes flashed in the moonlight. Fists previously clenched in pain flattened and pressed against the ground as she stood. "Hun...ger... Hungry... Chi." She evenly murmured. My ears flattened in anxiety. She rarely sounded like Kagome. This wasn't good.

Then, it was all I could do to keep her blurred form in sight as she rapidly zigzagged around the snake and its wild attacks before reaching its side. The others cried out her name in confusion and worry, but they went unheeded. In disbelief, I watched in near horror as she jumped and her nails grabbed hold of its scaly hide, her mouth latching onto its body.

Savagely drinking its blood.

**I am a BEGINNER Japanese learner...so if these are not 100% correct...please let me know if you care to do so. I only have a web page to learn from, a dictionary, and a few months experience to work with.**

Translations: Nani aru?-What's happening? Saru-Leave

Shikkari suru!-Get a hold of yourself! Minna yameru-Everyone stop

Chi-Blood Atashi wa...nani?-What...am I? Nakanai-Don't cry

Sugee!-Cool/Awesome! Hebi-one-Snake-ogre Hebi-Snake