I own nothing...But someday, I will have my own series published!

I can only hope it will be as interesting as some of the things I have read...sigh...Please no Flames. I write only for my own enjoyment and share only because I what to repay those of you who write for others! Yeah, I'm a selfish bastard!

Sylvannastar

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The Shadow Youkai

She was right in front of them running full out.

"She isn't stopping." Boton said with worry.

"Run, Dammit!" She flew past, ducking under the arm Kuwabara had suddenly flung out in an attempt to catch her. They just stood there dumbfounded as she ran away from them for the second time.

Kagome kept running, ignoring the stitch in her side, and turned the corner. Somehow the damn thing had gotten ahead of her again! She turned back, retreating the way she had just come.

"She's comming back." Kuwabara said in disbelief.

"She's insane!" Yusuke said.

They stepped together to block her way. The girl skidded to a halt seconds before crashing into the tall figure she knew as Shuuichi and a short man dressed in black.

"What is wrong with you people!?" she shouted. The looked at her in amazement.

"Us? You are the crazy one!" Yusuke yelled back.

"Umm...Are you okay?" the blue haired girl asked reaching out a hand.

Kagome's eyes flashed blue fire in anger. "Me!? I'm not the one standing in the center of the path talking to floating heads in the sky! When there are-" She looked up. "You! I knew there was something weird about you!" She shouted poking a finger into Kurama's chest.

Kurama looked at he affending finger calmly. Then he caught her hand in his and looked at her. "Perhaps we can help you-"

Kagome cut him off with a short burst of desparate laughter and pulled her hand away. "I only wish you could!"

She backed up and looked around nervously.

"She's gonna run again" Hiei whispered quietly to Kurama. He nodded once to indicate that he had heard.

Kagome only took one step when the way was blocked by the dark form.

She spun around and suddenly he was there too. She growled at him and tried to surprize him by feigning to the right. It didn't work.

Her chest heaved and her legs shook with exhaustion. She pressed her hand to her side and glared harder at the guy. He was not intimidated, but then, neither was she.

Kagome remained tense and watchful.

"Who are you?" Yusuke demanded forcefully.

"You already know who I am." They were all lined up against her now. She looked them all over carefully. When her eyes returned back to Yusuke, they widened in terror and shock. It was here...behind the boy...And she didn't have her arrows or Inuyasha around.

Yusuke blinked and smiled knowingly. She must have just realized who he was.

She started running again but this time she ran right into him and shoved him as hard as she could to the side. The move had been completely unexpected and sent everyone stumbling aside.

Kagome broke through the line and found herself face to face with a set of gleaming pointed teeth. "Oh, shit."

Kuwabara yelped and crab walked backwards. The others regained their balence and scattered. Hiei drew his sword and crouched down. Yusuke lept back up and stared. "Where the hell did that thing come from?!"

"Caught you," the monster smiled at the girl.

Kagome gulped and felt her blood drain to her feet.

Kagome was inches away from death and no one could attack without hitting her too.

"RUN!" Kurama yelled at her.

"She was. hehehehe! Until you stopped her. hehehe..." The monster almost giggled.

Kagome dived to the side but wasn't fast enough. One massive, clawed hand tore open her side and skattered her blood across the sidewalk. She rolled to her feet and clutched the wound.

The monster grinned and faded into the shadow.

"Where did it go?" Yusuke yelled.

"There!" Kuwabara pointed to their right.

Kagome ducked another swipe and fell to her knees. The clang of metal on scaled hide and a flash of movement caught her attention. Suddenly she was yanked up by strong arms and flung out of the way in a dizzying spin. The monster laughed and faded again.

Kagome found her balence and thanked the man at her side breathlessly. Hiei glanced at her and caught her eyes. What he saw there suprized him. Anger, determination, pain, concern...she was so easy to read! She pulled away from the grip that he had not realized he still had on her. Suddenly, from under their feet, a clawed hand knocked Hiei away. He lept back into the fight, but again the beast was gone.

Kurama flung his rose whip at the demon's arm as it reached for Kagome again. It pulled taught and went limp just as suddenly, as the youkai vanished once more into the shadows. He wound his whip back up with a flick of his wrist and waited patiently for the monster to show itself again.

Why was it after the girl?

Kagome sidestepped and jumped before any of the others knew it was preparing to grab her again. It missed.

"Get out of here!" Kagome panted. They didn't even look at her. "Go! I don't want anyone hurt!" she pleaded.

"No way, girl." Yusuke growled. "I haven't even gotten a single hit in yet."

"Me neither." Kuwabara held his glowing spirit sword in front of him.

"I'll take care of this!" SHe sounded desperate.

"Oh yeah? How?" He snapped.

Kagome wanted to "sit" him but he wasn't Inuyasha no matter how like him he sounded.

"I'll think of something!" She whispered.

"Just try staying alive, human." Hiei said.

"Youkai stubborness!" SHe hissed back at him.

Hiei faultered in his step. She knows I'm Youkai?

A massive hand shot out of the dark about ten feet away from them. The guys charged in unthinking. Boton and Kagome were now exposed and the demon vanished again.

"SHIT!" Yusuke turned around in time to see Kagome caught.

From her own shadow on the ground, the beast spung up and grabbed Kagome. She gasped as the monster's fist enfolded her and pressed painfully on her wounded side.

"Kukukukuku. I win!" The demon pulled her up and let her legs dangle off the ground.

"Not...yet...you..."Kagome gasped as the monster's hold tightend. "...haven't."

"Kukuku" he brought her closer to his massive jaws. "What do you think you can do now? Kukuku"

"THIS!" Kagome flung up her hands and pressed them to the demon's face. The blue glow of her Miko powers swirled brightly before exploding in a burst of white light.

The oni yelled while every one covered thier blinded eyes. When they could see again, Kagome was laying on the ground, unconcious. The moster was gone. Well, most of it was gone. A few stray fragments were scattered around the girl.

"What the hell just happened?!" Yusuke demanded.

Kurama ran to the girl's side and lifted her into his lap. "Boton!" he yelled to hurry her up.

"Oh!" she ran over and pulled the scraps of cloth away from the wound. "It's-it's already begining to heal!" She glanced at the woman's sleeping face. "I can't use my powers! There is a barrier on her!"

"Who, for Kami's sake, is this girl?" Yusuke asked again.

No one had an answer. At least, no one concious did.

Koenma appeared above them. "What did I miss?"