Warning: This chapter is graphic. I'd say it's about 'R' in rating for gore.

Nightmare

Kagome woke up to darkness. She was lying on something soft that smelled of mildew. The steady drip, drip ofliquid fell nearby. She sat up and tried to look around.

"So, you're awake."

Kagome jumped at the sound of the rough voice.

"Where am I?" she asked.

One side of her face ached abominably, and she vaguely recalled being punched. A fire flared nearby and Kagome let lose a scream. She seemed to be in the middle of a vast lake of blood. All around her hung macabre figures, some of which were making the dripping sounds she'd heard.

Sesshoumaru hung nearest her, his head at an odd angle on his neck. With him hung Kikyo, their bodies looking like they had been melted together in places. A little distance away hung Shippo. The kitsune looked flattened, as if a large foot had stepped on him, leaving bones sticking out here and there. She saw Kaede and Kohaku, Kouga, Toutousai, Miroku, Sango, and many others she knew. Many bodies floated on the lake of blood. Kagome recognized Ayame, Hakaku and Ginta. Rin's body floated face down beneath Sesshoumaru. Some of the bodies were too horribly mangled to identify. And in the distance, near a throne, was the decapitated body of Naraku, his head resting nearby.

"Welcome to my home," a voice behind her said.

Kagome shrieked again and turned. Inuyasha stood behind her, eyes glowing red and cheeks marred by jagged violet stripes. His once beautiful hair was matted and he reeked like an open grave.

"Inu... Inuyasha? What's happened to you?" Kagome stuttered.

He crouched down next to her and she nearly gagged at the smell that wafted her way.

"I killed Naraku," he said, grinning. "I defeated my brother. I even got rid of Kikyo. For you." His face hardened. "But where were you? Gone! You left me!"

Inuyasha reached out and grabbed Kagome's shoulders, his dirty claws tearing into her tender skin. She cried out and tried to pull away, but he held her tighter.

"Where were you!" he roared.

"I don't know!" she sobbed.

He shook her and his claws bit down to the bone. Kagome screamed. Inuyasha yelled at her, cursing her for deserting him and leaving him all alone. Then his voice grew soft and he pulled her close. Kagome gagged and nearly retched at the stench.

"It's alright," Inuyasha said, petting her hair. "I understand."

"Do you really?" she asked, not really understanding herself.

Inuyasha moved back so he could look at her.

"You'll stay with me forever now."

He moved like lightning and for a moment Kagome didn't understand what had happened. Then she looked down and saw his arm protruding from her chest. She gasped and blood flew from her mouth.

"We'll be one big happy family," Inuyasha said, smiling and looking at the corpses and then back to Kagome.

Kagome opened her mouth and let out a scream that faded to a gurgle and died.