Eh, well, I finally decided to update this story. I'm having some trouble with it, but once I should be able to devote more time to I soon, so updates will be more frequent, hopefully. Special thanks to Missie…who finally convinced me to update this fic.

Chapter Three: Fruit of the Fires

Inu-Yasha emerged slowly from the temple, though his instincts were screaming at him to run. His breath was a heavy, rasping pant. His vision was tinted red. His body was shouting for action. The furor that was his mind could barely recognize the priest and huntress before him.

The cat growled deep as he approached, startling the pair. They turned to see him, obviously frightened by his appearance. Inu-Yasha almost smiled at that. No doubt they could see the stripes on his face. He could see the crimson glow of his eyes reflected in their fearful ones. He could not help the rumble that echoed in his chest. A barking laugh escaped him.

But his instincts drove him beyond their fears and his own humour. None of that mattered. Only one thing mattered. His gaze fixed upon the huntress. The intensity caused her to flinch and look away. The stupid priest quickly set himself before her, blocking Inu-Yasha. It didn't matter. She was not the one. He gave another rumbling laugh.

The frenzy of his blood was almost painful, but he relished it. The fire within him seemed to grow hotter with every moment. He turned from those who he called his companions and began to stalk in the direction of the village…there it was. There he would find it. His blood pulled him on with a single-mindedness that would have normally disturbed him. He didn't even notice when the others caught back up with him, trying to gain his attention.

Inu-Yasha did not pay any heed to what he could hear them saying. He simply ignored it. "What is going on, Houshi-sama? He has transformed again, hasn't he? But he isn't attacking anyone, and he doesn't appear to even be injured. What could have caused his youkai blood to take over?"

"I do not know, Sango. He does not appear hurt at all, yet he is unmistakably changed. It does not look like he is going to tell us what happened inside the temple any time soon. If only Kagome-sama were here…" Inu-Yasha growled happily to himself at that. Ha! He would soon fulfill their wish, if not how they intended. Oh, how he burned to see her.

His pace quickened, and soon he was thundering through the forest too quickly for any of the others to keep up. The mere thought of Kagome was driving his blood to a boil. His mouth began to water in anticipation. He could almost taste her already. The world became a deeper crimson. His thoughts were actually causing him pain, but he only ached for her all the more.

They were wrong. It was true that his demonic heritage was raging within him, but he was not transformed. Oh no. Not in the sense that they knew anyways. The only change in him was the fire in his veins, the hammering of his heart. His mind was clouded by thoughts of Kagome. Nothing else would pierce through that haze. The Fruit of the Fires. Taishakan had explained it all.

"This one fruit has power beyond anything you can imagine, little hanyou. The Fruit of the Fires will unlock the fires within you, set them free. You fear them, as all mortals do, but you lust for them as well. You have but to eat this fruit, and you shall have what you desire most in the entire world."

Inu-Yasha could not take his eyes from the small red fruit in the fallen god's hand. The temptation was too great. If that fruit could really give him that, then there was nothing that would keep him from gaining it. He could feel himself reaching out to take it without consciously trying to. His hand grasped the fruit and pulled it from god's grip.

It was hot to the touch. Fire seemed to course through it. The sensation against his skin was painful, yet pleasurable. What would it taste like? Before he could even think about it, he had taken a bite. Heat filled his mouth, causing him to swallow reflexively. It burned the whole way to his stomach, where it settled, warming him in pulsing waves of heat. Like a heartbeat.

The god smiled at the hanyou. "Eat it all, hanyou. While that one bite is powerful, you will not want to miss any of it. Eat, and feel the fires fill you."

Inu-Yasha could do nothing but obey. Already his vision was going slightly pink and his breathing was becoming laboured. He quickly devoured the fruit, reveling in the fire that spread in every vein. He had never felt so alive! But then he felt it. He felt a heat greater than he thought imaginable. And he knew precisely what it was. Everything was so clear now. It was Desire.

The hanyou had nearly torn out of the temple then, but the god's commanding voice stopped him. "Wait, little hanyou. I have a gift for you. I think you will greatly appreciate my generosity in this." Taishakan held out another fruit. "This is for the other. Take it to her."

Inu-Yasha took it thankfully, ecstatic that he would have one for her as well. She would feel it too. He could hold himself no longer. His youkai instincts were screaming at him to go to her, to fulfill his desire. Without a word to the fallen god, Inu-Yasha ran from the chamber, only slowing once he reached the main hall. His heart was thundering in his head, and he could feel his youkai blood emerging. It did not matter. It wanted the same thing he did.

Inu-Yasha felt the shape within his robes, the fruit nestled there for Kagome. He held it tightly to him. He would soon be with her, and then she would be his forever.

End of Chapter Three

I hope that things are going well so far, because I am planning on devoting some time to this story in the future to get it really going. I don't think ICY will be too long, though, since I originally planned for it to go about 5 chapters…I think it will run somewhere around 8...maybe as many as 10. Thanks for reading.

- The Dreamer, Endymion