Hey everyone, it's been a while. I'd like to apologize to Kouga fans for brutally murdering him last chapter. I'm sorry, but I'm not too big a fan of Kouga, and I don't know, I thought he may be pissed off. Sorry. Also, I know last chapter was a little gruesome at parts, but hey, demon Inuyasha can be nasty. Ok, that's all I have to say, so on with the chapter!

Disclaimer: I don't own anything.

Winter's Night: Chapter 22

Kagome's POV

There was red everywhere, dark but bright against the black that surrounded me. I ran, searching for a way out, to find someone familiar. Suddenly I felt something catch my feet and I fell forward. I pushed myself up off the ground, my eyes going to the thing that had caused me to fall. I gasped and quickly backed away.

Kouga's corpse lay there, ripped apart, blood all over him and the blackness beneath his still body. I felt tears well in my eyes as I stared at his lifeless eyes, glazed over with death. He was a friend, nothing more, but still... it hurt... I continued to stare, my tears never falling.

I jumped when I heard a low growl behind me. I turned around slowly and my eyes widened as they met deep red ones. The growling grew louder and I backed up. The figure was covered in shadow with the exception of his eyes and I felt fear run throughout my entire being. I stepped back again and tripped over Kouga's body again. I stared up at the figure from where I was and my eyes widened as it stepped from the shadows.

I jolted upright and gasped. I breathed in heavily and wiped some sweat from my forehead with the back of my hand. I looked around and noticed I was inside a hut lying on the fur bed that Inuyasha and I shared.

"It was just a dream..." I sighed and leaned back against the wall. I looked down beside me and saw Kiyoshi laying beside me, his golden eyes open and staring at me with curiosity and a bit of fear in his eyes. "Aw baby..." I whispered as I lifted him up into my arms, rocking him gently. I smiled as his eyes drifted shut, but frowned when I noticed red marks around his neck. "What the..."

"Kagome?" I jumped slightly and looked up to see Inuyasha standing in the shadows by the doorway, just out of the reach of a small fire that burned in the room. "Are you ok?" he asked. I blinked a few times but nodded.

"Or course, why wouldn't I be?" I asked.

"Well you passed out and before that that damned wolf knocked you out." I heard him say, venom dripping from his voice as he said the word wolf.

"Kouga?" I asked still a little confused. My eyes widened as I heard him growl and watched his golden eyes flash red.

"Don't say that name." he growled as he closed his eyes, and I could see him clench his fist at his side, a bit of blood dripping from his hand. My eyes widened and I stood up, laying Kiyoshi down on the bed.

"Inuyasha, calm down, you're hurting yourself." I said, walking towards him. I took one of his hands in both of mine and unclenched his fingers, using the sleeve of my kimono to wipe the blood away from the already healing holes in his palm. I went to wipe his claws but gasped when I looked at them. They were longer than usual, and had dry blood on them as well as the fresh blood that he had just drawn from his own hand. He pulled it away and looked off to the side, staring at a spot on the floor.

I frowned, and reached up, cupping his cheek with my hand. He turned his head to look at me, and the light of the fire caught his face, allowing me to see it. My eyes widened as I traced purple stripes with my fingers. His eyes were golden, yet he still adorned with the stripes that showed he had demon blood in him. My head felt fuzzy, and I remembered my dream. I felt tears in my eyes as I stared into his golden orbs.

"Inuyasha..." I whispered. "What... what happened?" I noticed his confused look and explained further. "I-I don't remember what happened... between you and... Kouga..." I saw him lower his gaze and forced him to look at me again. "Please... tell me."

He nodded slightly and took my hand, being careful with his claws. He led me over to the bed and sat down, pulling him into his lap, my back to his chest, his arms around my waist and forehead resting against the back of my head.

"He came to the village a few days ago, you've been unconscious since..." he said slowly, his voice quiet. "He attacked us, angered at the fact that you had mated with me when he had declared you his woman." I heard him growl but he continued on. "You took Kiyoshi and ran back here and I fought him off, except he dodged and went after you."

I nodded, my memory coming back to me. "I remember that... and up till I felt him prick my neck..." I felt him tense and I placed my hands over his causing him to relax, but only a little.

"I got pissed and he just ignored me and went straight for Kiyoshi, saying he never should've been allowed to live... He was going to kill him." I gasped, my eyes widening. I felt his hold on me tighten and he spoke again. "My demon blood took over... only this time, I had control. I ran at Kouga and grabbed his neck. Sango and Miroku took Kiyoshi and you back to Kaede's hut while I stayed and fought Kouga. We went back and forth, but I was so pissed that he even thought of taking you and killing our pup... I ripped him up... I slaughtered him, his blood covered the ground. My demon blood burned in my veins, satisfied that he was dead. T-Then I saw you... you passed out, but I caught you brought you back here..."

I heard him stop talking, my brain a complete jumble of different things. His words echoed in my head and the sight of Inuyasha killing Kouga filled my mind. Tears welled in my eyes.

"He tried to take you and kill Kiyoshi... I had to kill him Kagome, or else he would've killed our son and would've kept coming back for you." I heard my mate whisper from behind me. I nodded slightly.

Kouga, the arrogant wolf demon who had kidnapped me, fought with my mate numerous times, declared his love for me even though I could not return it, my friend and our group's ally, was now dead. He was killed by my mate because he thought that I was his and that Inuyasha had forced himself on me, killed because he tried to take me away, killed because he tried to murder my son.

My eyes widened and I looked over at Kiyoshi, whimpering in his sleep. I felt Inuyasha release me and I crawled over to him, lifting him into my arms. I rocked him and looked at the faint marks on his neck. The marks made by Kouga.

I was brought from my thoughts when I heard movement, and I looked up to see Inuyasha rise from his place on the bed. My eyes traveled up him, from his claws to his ears and back down to his face, where the purple markings were even more noticeable than before. I looked up at his golden eyes and though they were looking away from me, I could still see the anger, worry, and bit of guilt within them.

"Inuyasha... I understand and it's alright." I said softly, my eyes never leaving my mate. He nodded and looked over at the fire.

"Kagome... I want you two to go stay with Kaede for a while." He spoke so quietly that I barely caught it.

"Why?" I asked, standing up, Kiyoshi still in my arms. He looked over at me, worry and a bit of fear showing in his expression and his eyes.

"I'm going away for a bit..."

"Then I'm going with you." I said, stepping forward.

"No." he said, his tone meaning that there was no room for argument. I looked down.

"W-Why are you going?" I asked, holding back the tears that now threatened to fall.

"Because..." I watched as he raised his hand and looked down at his claws before running one finger down the stripe on one of his cheeks. "My demon blood was awakened again and even Tetsusaiga hasn't been able to fully subdue it. I...I don't want to risk you being hurt by me, so I'm going to hopefully find a way to subdue it again."

I walked over to him and stood before him. Tears slipped down my face as I stared up at the man I loved. He frowned and wrapped his arms around me, pulling me close, but being careful of Kiyoshi in my arms. I cried into his haori as he rubbed my back soothingly.

"Please... don't go..." I whispered as I continued to cry.

"I have to koi..." he whispered, kissing me lightly on the forehead.

"When...?" I asked quietly.

"In the morning." He whispered back.

I looked up at him and he wiped the tears from my cheeks. He then picked me up and laid me down on the bed, lying down on his side beside me. I placed Kiyoshi between us and curled up as he wrapped his arms around me, pulling me to him. He pulled the blanket up over us and rubbed my back. My tears stopped and a sudden blanket of calm fell over me.

"I love you..." I whispered as felt myself drifting off. I felt his lips against mine for a moment.

"I love you too koi..." Those were the last words I heard before unconsciousness took over.

I awoke to warmth on my face and opened my eyes to see the sun shining in through the shade covering the window. I sat up and looked down at the empty space beside me.

I picked up Kiyoshi and held him close to me, bowing my head, closing my eyes tightly. I stood up and walked through the door into the main part of the hut. I looked around at the emptiness, a pot of leftover stew sit in a pot steam rising from it, probably having been warmed by a fire that had been put out.

I continued on and walked to the door and out into the chilly morning air. A few villagers were already awake and working in the fields and some village women were gathering food from the crops growing near the rice patty fields. I looked down and saw foot prints in the soft dirt leading off towards the forest. I looked across the small bit of field to the forest, staring, hopefully to get a glimpse of red. I shook my head and frowned, closing my eyes and bowing my head.

True to his word, Inuyasha had left. I felt tears in my eyes, but I held them back, not allowing them to fall. I raised my head and looked back at the forest.

"Please be safe Inuyasha... and come back soon." I whispered into the wind before turning back into the hut to gather some things and go to Kaede's hut.

Ok, that's it for now. Sorry for the short chapter, and for now being gone for another week. Eh heh heh... Anyway, this is an idea that came to me as I typed, so let me know what you all think.

Oh and while writing this chapter I listened to the CD "See Into Your Soul" by Tim Reynolds. Let me know how this one compares to the other chapters, when I listened to "The Moment" by Kenny G.

Please review!

Ja ne!