Disclaimer: Inuyasha ain't mine, so stop rubbing it in!

" " =dialogue
* * =thoughts or actions
*********** = P.O.V. change or setting and scene change
-------------- = Chapter change
~~~~~~~~ = mood change


---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------CHAPTER 12
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------


Kagome sat and watched Kikyou look through the castle window, which was no more than a hole in the wall. She silently sat there and awaited Kikyou to do something more interesting.

"It seems Inuyasha has discovered you were missing sooner than I expected. He comes running over hills to the castle as we speak. So how shall I dispose of you both? Perhaps I should kill Inuyasha before your eyes first, or you before his. How about I cast a spell to make you betray him? hmm....that sounds nice. I think that the perfect greeting for our friend would be to have the love of his life yell that she hates him."

"No! You can't! It won't work anyways...Inuyasha knows I would never betray him!"

"We'll just see about that!"

Kikyou raised her arms and began chanting. Kagome felt a searing pain as her will was pushed deep inside her. Her last thoughts before being completely taken over were, "I love you...Inuyasha."

******************************************************************************************

As Inuyasha neared the castle he could smell Kagome's scent. He didn't smell any blood and was relieved when he came to the conclusion that she hadn't been hurt...yet. He ran up to the doors and tried to break them down, but they were too strong. This wouldn't stop him from trying though. He ran back a few steps and rammed it again and again. On his sixth try, the door was opened and he fell through the doorway and on to the ground. With a groan and a rub to his head he opened his eyes and looked up into the face of the very woman he came to rescue. He jumped to his feet and embraced her. She didn't embrace back him back and he was a little hurt.

"Kagome! Your okay. Are you already escaping? Let's go!"

He looked down at her and found her amazingly calm for the redicament...no matter. He grabbed her hand and turned to run out the door. Kagome stood her ground and didn't even take a step. Inuyasha turned back to face her.

"Kagome....."

She spoke in nothing more than a whisper, "i hate you..."

Inuyasha's jaw dropped, but he quickly recovered. "Ha ha Kagome, very funny. But now is not the time to tease."

She spoke more loudly this time, "I hate you!"

Inuyasha's world came crashing down around him and his heart shattered. " No! I won't believe it! Kagome....We were meant for each other! You have to take that back!" He raced back to embrace her and she swatted his hands away.

"You were never good enough for me! Me, a princess, and you a farmer. It could never work. I have a wonderful prince that will come rushing back to my side when I call. Why would I need you?"

[No!! Inuyasha! Don't believe anything you hear. Kikyou's controlling me!]

Inuyasha couldn't believe what she had said and he felt, for the first time in his life, the beginning of tears in the corners of his eyes.

"So, it was all just a lie? I guess it was too good to be true....I guess this is goodbye then."

He turned around to face the door and found himself staring into the blacksmith's daughters face, Kikyou. She was grinning and she slammed the door and locked it. Then she turned back to face him and the evil grin turned into an angry scowl.

"You betrayed me Inuyasha."

"W-what? What do you mean betrayed?"

" We were supposed to get engaged and you disappear to run off with some princess. We could have been happy together, but you betrayed me. Now I will kill you and that bitch behind you!"

Inuyasha unsheathed his sword, the one he carried always, the Tetsuaiga. He stood in a fighting stance and snarled at her.

"Now you'll die you worthless bitch, nobody insults Kagome. I don't care if your unarmed! DIE!!!!!!!"

With that Inuyasha charged at Kikyou. Kikyou smirked, "Who said I was unarmed?" At that moment Inuyasha hit an invisible force field and was thrown back against a wall. "You see Inuyasha, I have perfected my dark arts and no mere sword can stop me!" With that, she sent an energy blast that Inuyasha deflected on his sword, it was strong though and seeps of the magic scraped along his face, leaving three slices along each of his cheeks.

"Oh yeah? I'll get you for that Bitch! Stand back Kagome! " with that, Inuyasha tried over and over again to penetrate the shield of Kikyou.

******************************************************************************************