Disclaimer: I do not own Inuyasha nor any other characters created by Rumiko Takahashi.

Tsukikage

By: LilBlueFairy

Kagome was jittery. If she didn't know better, she could have sworn there was somebody watching her as she was dancing. It was a tense and unnerving gaze and it was about to drive her insane! If it wasn't for the village kids, Kagome would have screamed in frustration.

'Dang stalker,' Kagome grumbled in her mind.

After she and the children had played a bit, Kagome settled herself to watch the re-enactment of Kikyo's tragic tale. As the play progressed, Kagome found herself wondering if all this was real. It was way to surreal and reality seemed to have no place in this world.

Here Kagome sat in a beautiful vintage kimono, watched villagers perform an old version of a movie, and the smell of wood, dirt, and roasted meat ticked her nose. Small hands grasped her kimono as they watched the tale unfold. Kagome smiled and hugged the small child that sat on her lap tighter.

The children had asked her if she would sit with them during the play, instead of the pillowed seat with the more distinguished members of the village. A small balance appeared in Kagome's head. On one scale sat one of the old aging members that stared at her creepily and on the other sat the grinning children, who were giving her the biggest smile they could muster. It was a really tough choice.

Children had always made her happy and she tended to have a nurturing spirit that she inherited from her mother, who would take in every stray animal if it wasn't for Gramps allergies, who made an except for Buyo.

Kagome almost began to laugh at the look she received from members of the table, when she informed them that she was going to go sit in the dirt with the children.

One woman in a forest green kimono humped and stuck her nose up in the traditional snooty fashion and her husband merely mimicked his wife's display of disapproval.

'Well, at least we know whose in charge in that marriage, pansy.' Kagome rolled her eyes and listened to the others.

They gave disappointed and disgusted looks. The looks were soon followed by statements that stated that it wasn't fitting for a young lady, or that the children were positively filthy and that they would ruin her lovely kimono. Kagome gave them an incredulous look and soon shifted into an angry stance.

She jutted out one hip and placed a tight fist upon it as her body became rigid. Her eyes danced with a fiery light and the temperature around her small frame dropped at least 20 degrees.

Cheeks flushed, lips puckered, and people huddled in fear. Kagome's voice was rough and low as she could no longer contain her ire.

"Well, frankly I don't care about what's proper and what isn't! I'm about to become youkai-chow in about an hour, so please forgive me if I don't give a hoot about what is fitting or what will ruin the pretty kimono! Which, by the way, only serves to make sure the youkai's meal stays sanitary."

Kagome's arms folded in a challenging pose and her eyes spoke of a painful death to anyone who opposed.

The table's jaws dropped in surprise and fear, except for one, it was the elder from before. The old man gazed at her with a serious look before he began to laugh loudly. The old man laughed so hard, that soon a coughing fit shook his frail body.

Kagome's angry died down quickly and concern over-ran her features. She reached to help the old man, but he raised a shaky hand. A small smiled played on his dry lips and he motioned for her to go join the children.

Kagome really liked that man. He reminded her of her grandfather. "Thanks!" She called over her shoulder as she joined the energetic kids.

A small cry from one of the little girls next to Kagome woke her from her reminiscing. Kagome looked at the teary child and noticed that she was concentrating on the stage. Kagome looked at the stage once more and felt a tear drop fall down one of her rosy cheeks.

It seems that Kikyo had just died and cursed her ex-lover to the loneliness which he deserved.

As the actor who played the evil hanyou howled in agony, Kagome looked at all the entranced people and frowned slightly. Decided that she had done enough thinking for the day, Kagome began to relax to see the ending of the play, only to tense once more. It was that annoying feeling of someone watching her, again.

Kagome flushed with anger and bit back a frustrated groan. 'I can't even enjoy my last hour of freedom!' The continuing stare felt as if it could burn a hole through her and piece her heart. 'Image what it would felt like to see that gaze straight on.' A shudder went through her and a flood of foreboding followed.

As if the toddler in her lap could sense her fear, small hands grasped her clenching hands that held him and held them close to his little chest. Kagome blinked out of her trance and looked at the little boy named Yasuo.

His honey-brown eyes looked up into her blue ones and a sense of peace washed over her. One of Kagome's hands managed to free itself of Yatsuo's grip and placed on his black feathery soft hair. Kagome really loved kids.

Yatsuo giggled and faced towards the stage again, leaving Kagome to her now peaceful thoughts. But even with the new-found peace, the never-ending stare was still lingering in the back of her mind.

'Even now, I can't relax! Oh! When I find this creep, he is going to regret the day he stalked Kagome Higurashi!'

Unable to joy the remaining scenes of the play, Kagome quickly glanced in the direction the stare was seemingly coming from, but there was only trees. Once she had thought she had seen a pair of amber eyes, but it must have been a fluke because as soon as she blinked, they were gone.

Kagome growled underneath her breath but soon stopped as the village clapped in applause for the actors. The play had finally ended and it was time to read the scrolls and get on with destiny.

As Kagome hugged the children goodbye, a wave of nervousness over took her senses.

'I hate talking in front of people.'

Yes, it was true. The girl who would willingly sacrifice herself to an unknown but apparently vicious youkai, was terrified of speaking publicly.

The elder handed her the scroll that she would be reading from and guided her shaking body to the stage. He gave a comforting smile and whispered, "Its alright my child. You aren't facing the youkai, yet."

If the old man only knew.

As Kagome ascended the first step, she had a flashback of her first horrible experience in giving a speech.

A young ten year old Kagome held her report confidently as she strolled to the front of the class. She had worked very hard on the paper and her mommy had told her it was wonderful. And moms are always right.

Not to mention Hojo, Kagome's first crush, said he couldn't wait to hear it. And if he said he couldn't wait, then Kagome wouldn't make him.

Hojo was the coolest, most cutest boy at school. With sandy brown hair and dashing smile that contained perfect dimples, Hojo, unknowingly, was the perfect image of prince charming. Not to mention, he was always kind and had a great sense of humor. Everyone loved Hojo. Even the resident bullies didn't mess with him.

Hojo held power over the school and over young Kagome's heart.

As she made it to the very front, Kagome turned around to see the whole class' faces looking at her. Every little curious eye, including Hojo's handsome brown ones, watched her every movement and Kagome felt the beginnings of fear form in her tummy.

"M-My name is Ka-Kagome Higurashi." Why was she stuttering? She wasn't afraid! But then it happened. As she began introducing her paper, a hiccup replaced the last word of the title.

The class began to giggle and that only seemed to make the hiccups worse. After the third or fourth hiccup, the whole class was laughing at her tomato-red face and her inability to stop the onslaught of hiccups. Even the teacher let out a chuckle but asked Kagome if she wanted to go get some water. As Kagome left, she looked back and saw her laughing classmates, but what was worse was the laughing face of Hojo.

His boyish charm had turned on her and was making fun of her embarrassing predicament. Even after the class's amusement had died down, Hojo would make another statement and the whole class was at it again.

After school, Hojo found Kagome crying at the edge of the playground and he said he was sorry. Kagome glared at him and stated that he was the biggest jerk and that she would never like him again. Of course Hojo said that girls were too icky to like, thus making Kagome angrier and earning Hojo a black eye.

But that's besides the point.

The point was that ever since then, Kagome had the curse of the hiccups. She could no longer go in front of an audience and give a speech or report. It just wasn't possible.

So as Kagome past the final step, she felt the beginnings of a hiccup arise. 'Oh no'

Kagome looked out among the crowd and saw a nice small clearing in the center. Kagome had an idea.

Kagome ran down the steps quickly and past the elder into the clearing. Soon the whole crowd was staring at her as if she had grown a second head.

'Here, that annoying staring can't find me, hopefully, and I won't be able to see all of the crowd so it will seem like there are less people listening to me! This has to work….'

Kagome glanced at all the people around her. 'Please God, let it work!'

Inuyasha was furious. That damn wench wasn't showing! He had waited patiently for the play and even then she didn't show.

Of course, Inuyasha wouldn't have noticed if she had shown anyway.

The same angel -'Girl!'- from the dance had shown up again, this time surrounded by children. A light giggle floated among a breeze till it hit one of Inuyasha's silver ears, making twitch back and forth as if the small sound had tickled it.

'Damn, she even laughs like an angel.'

"WHAT!" Inuyasha's eyes nearly popped out of his head and one of his clawed hands slapped a over his uncontrollable mouth. The "what" had seemed to echo among the forest and disturb the skittish birds that resided among the nearby trees.

Inuyasha began to sweat bullets and look for any signs that he might have been discovered, but luckily the village was to wrapped up in it's activities to notice.

A large breath of relief that had been withheld came flowing forth from Inuyasha's mouth as he dropped his hand to the tree branch beneath him. 'That was way to close. Way to go dumb-nuts.'

What in Earth had possessed him to say something like that? (AN: grins)

'Maybe that damn lecher is right. Maybe I do need to get laid.'

Choosing to forget the embarrassing moment had ever happened, Inuyasha resumed his study of the girl from before. It seemed she was heading back from the table that held the sacrifice and village leaders. She paused for a moment and yelled something at the old man and headed towards the children, which meant closer to him.

Inuyasha subconsciously leaned in closer to the area where the wench sat in the middle of the noisy brats. He stuck his nose in the air and sniffed delicately trying to reach the girl's scent.

"DAMN IT!"

Inuyasha clutched his nose and tears formed in his eyes. With nose hairs burning, Inuyasha hopped off to a field of power flowers to get rid of the pungent and horrid smell that claimed the insides of his nostrils.

'Damn it! Fucking skunks…'

In a small cave made out of tree roots, a small terrified skunk prayed for its life and hoped that the powerful beast that claimed its tree had left.

After the embarrassing display of running through a nearby by field with flowers, Inuyasha resettled himself in a different skunk-free tree. His amber orbs scanned the perimeter and took note that the girl was where he left her before.

Grumbling about inconvenient festivals, Inuyasha glanced to see where the puny humans were.

'Damn.'

Inuyasha's features contorted into that of disgust and hate. It was that play again. And it happened to be at the best part too, right where he was about to kill Kikyou and received that damned curse.

Inuyasha's eyes darkened and the blood began to flow to his eyes. He looked up on the villagers faces as they smiled in triumphant when Kikyou finished the curse and 'he' howled in agony.

"Damn it. I need to go kill something." But Inuyasha was curious, 'I bet that other wench is smiling at my misery as well.'

Inuyasha's spiteful eyes glared at the girl's direction, but what he saw was surprise. A single tear ran down the girl's cheek. 'Probably mourning the miko.'

"Keh. As if I care if she's mourning for me or not." Inuyasha grumbled. The children always mourned for Kikyou. Why not her too?

A golden orb shifted to look at the girl once more. Her form had suddenly stiffened and her head was bowed slightly.

The brat in her lap must have noticed the discomfort and played with the girl a bit till she relaxed. A small smile lifted one of the corners of his mouth. 'The wench can't even take care of herself. Even the baby has to take care of her.'

Inuyasha watched as she settled back down and he began to relax too. In fact to relax.

Inuyasha would glance from the stage to her every once in a while, but didn't notice when her figure became rigid again and began to look around. As Inuyasha went back to look at her he saw her eyes drift over to his bright eyes.

'Shit.'

The surprise of getting caught swayed Inuyasha's hold on the tree and to prevent the wench from catching him he merely let himself painfully drop to the world below.

"This is just not my fucking night!" Inuyasha growled as he picked himself up from the dent which he left in the ground. As he stood, he looked to where the girl once was but was now gone.

Oh well, it was time for the sacrifice to read that boring scroll and then meet him at that creepy tree again.

That giant tree had always given him the creeps. For some reason Inuyasha had the feeling that something bad was going to happen, like getting shotby an enchanted arrow or something. Not to mention it had some memories as well. 'Kikyou…'

Giving a mighty sigh, Inuyasha dust off himself off and turned to the direction of the God Tree. 'Might as well start headingover there.'

So setting off at a comfortable pace, Inuyasha walked to the tree while picking out the twigs and leaves that decided to make a home in his sliver mane and grumbling about the injustice of life.

It had worked! Not one hiccup. 'I am a genius! All hail the Great Higurashi!' Kagome silently praised herself.

She had read the scroll without one single flaw. 'This is definitely my night, well sort of.'

Now she was walking behind the elder with her head bowed. 'This is it. Well, its been fun while it lasted. Would have been better if that creepy stalker hadn't stared at me most of the night, but at least I lost him.'

The villagers were gathered behind her, heads bowed reverently. Despite her unusual and strange behavior, this girl had given her life for them and for that they were thankful.

The solemn feel from the crowd behind Kagome began to seep into her, making her feel weary and tired. Each step took more effort than the last and Kagome desperately wished for the children.

They had stayed behind in the village, just incase the wards had failed the shrine and the demon was freed. Not to mention they had grown attached to Kagome in a short time and the parents would have to hold them to make sure that they wouldn't run after her.

As they neared they past the entrance to the shrine Kagome looked up and gave a shadowed smile. Not containing any mirth or light. The seriousness had grasped Kagome's soul and wouldn't let go.

Kaede led Kagome to the entrance of Inuyasha's forest and anointed her with holy water and said a small prayer, but as Kaede was walking away Kagome jumped her in a fierce hug.

"Goodbye and thanks." Kagome whispered in her ear and gave her a small true smile. Kaede gave a water smile in return and walked toward the villagers.

"As we present the sacrifice, may we remember those days of which Kikyou roamed among us and may her memory be sacred to thee. For the price of light we must send the one who may keep us from the dark and its unmentionable terrors."

Kagome grimaced as she looked into the rapidly darkening sky. 'What a wonderful speech. Really gets me excited about my lovely journey to unmentionable terrors. Maybe, if I'm lucky, she'll tell me even more appealing things.'

Kaede continued in this matter till she finally faced Kagome. With her eyes, or eye, cold and unfeeling she began to chant. A small tear made its way down her cheek but still her face remained stoic.

"Step into the unknown, sacrifice. Deliver us from this evil!"

Kagome gave a brave smile and her eyes lit with a holy fire. Nodding her head at Kaede, she set off to fulfill her destiny.

Passing the glowing Komainu, Kagome walked into the darkening woods.

Kaede finished the chant and said a small prayer, "May ye find no harm." Kaede wiped her brow that had gather sweat and looked at the fallen sun. It was slowly dying and cold winds swept past her, only to change direction.

"Hmm.. Seems like change is approaching."

The foliage around Kagome rustled and whispered of dark nightmares to her imagination. 'I will not be freaked out by some stupid sticks and leaves!'

She straightened her back and kept on at a steady pace, it wasn't until she heard the dark chuckling that she faltered. She stumbled a bit when the dark, throaty chuckle shook her to the core.

Turning around quickly with adrenaline bursting through her veins, Kagome's eyes took in …. the empty space?

Apparently this creep was messing with her and Kagome didn't like being messed with. Feeling an angry twitch form in right eyebrow, Kagome clenched her hands and kept moving.

The chuckle had deepened but as Kagome saw the clearing, the laughinghad stopped. Kagome looked at the God Tree and noticed that the sky had finally reached night. Stars dotted the sky and stole Kagome's breath away.

'I've never seen so many stars in my life.'

The beauty of the sky heightened when Kagome saw the full moon. Her mouth parted slightly to allow the sweet gasp that she took in realizing the beauty that was revealed to her.

So lost in her amazement, she didn't notice the presence behind her. Well she didn't notice it till a clawed hand wrapped itself around her torso and drew her back into 'a wall? No…' It was a hard warm chest that rose and fell with each breath.

Kagome froze in fear and lost all thought when the being ran a hand with claws through her hair, as if to test it.

'Claws? Ok, hearing about it is one thing, but experiencing it is entirely different!'

But Kagome's thoughts disappeared once again as the youkai sniffed her hair quietly then moved to the junction of her shoulder and neck.

'Ok, so he's just sniffing. That's good. I can handle sniffing! Now about how to remove this blasted arm holding me! Although, I don't really wa… NO. Bad Kagome! Bad. Don't get all hormonal on me now!'

Kagome began to squirm to see if the person would move his arm, but it got a different reaction all together.

A low growl, that rumbled the chest that Kagome was held against, filled her ears, telling her squirming was a big no, no.

But being a Higurashi, Kagome wasn't about to bow down to some whim of a cranky youkai! Squirming even harder, Kagome thought she was nearly free. But the man behind her had a different plan.

His clawed fingers dug into her side, leaving tiny cuts ensuring that if she struggled anymore that those cuts would become something much more.

Sucking air through her teeth, Kagome tried to still her nerves. Meanwhile the captor had nudged her head to the side to allow more access to her long, slender neck.

'Oh my gosh! This isn't a youkai! It's a vampire, like on Buffy! I don't want to become a member of the undead!' Her mind wailed but instead of protesting loudly like she wanted, Kagome was able to manage only a whimper.

Soon the sensation ofscraping fangs grazed her neck and a warm tongue dart out.

Giving a loud squeak, Kagome jumped in the being's arms and grasped the arm that held her. She dug her soft human nails in, even though it did no good.

Anannoyingly sexy, deep chuckle filled the air and a warm puff of air tickled Kagome's sensitive ear.

"Should I eat you now or later?"

Inuyasha entered the clearing and looked up at the sky. The sun was setting and the sacrifice was on her way. It was time.

As the last glimpse of sunlight disappeared over the horizon, pain flowed throughInuyasha's being.

It felt as if a thousand swords had stabbed him to his very core. Heat and electricity filled his veins and Inuyasha clutched his head in agony before he let out a long pain-filled howl. As the pain tormented Inuyasha's mind, his body began to change.

His senses sharpened, fangs grew to caress his bottom lip, his once manageable claws had lengthened into deadly daggers and the once clear skin upon his cheekbones now bore the jagged purple marks that told of his noble lineage.

The hanyou had left and a youkai stood in its place.

As a hanyou, Inuyasha was in control. He was able to reject his dark youkai nature but still possess the insight and instinct of both kinds.

But as a full-blood youkai, he was bordering on madness. His darker instincts came into play and one small slip could send the inu-youkai into a unquenchable bloodlust.

The youkai was almost a different person, but wasn't. It was merely the darker side that Inuyasha embraced, that possessed a deadly elegance with an addiction to instinctive thought.

And his instinctive thought was telling him that the most delectable scent was coming this way.

Inuyasha raced among the trees, adrenaline pumping into his system. This strange presence called to his blood, it made his nerves sing with anticipation, and promised satisfaction.

'It must be the sacrifice.' Inuyasha thought as he licked his lips.

As he felt the calling of the sacrifice get stronger, the feminine form ahead began to grow clearer. Always enjoying a good game, Inuyasha leapt out of the girl's sight and hid among the leaves.

The young woman had her shoulders squared and looked as if she was going into battle, even though the mere rustle of the foliage around her cause her muscles to tense with fright.

Inuyasha had to commend the young woman for her attempt for courage but he couldn't help but to chuckle at the comical sight the young sprite made.

At his deep chuckle, the young sprite looked around in apprehension. 'I could have some fun with this…'

Inuyasha followed the girl, confusing her with his amusement. Right before she could see theclearing, Inuyasha stood behind her and laughed, causing her to whirl around in fear. The little one was quite amusing.

Her stance told of anger and Inuyasha laughed harder as he played with her some more.

After she made it to the clearing, Inuyasha heard her give a small gasp at the night sky. He smirked, allowing a fang to rest over his lip and gazed at her soft curves from the behind her. 'While, I admitthe skybeautiful, I find this enchanting young one more entertaining.'

Inuyasha could no longer fight his desire to hold this woman, to breath in her essence and to taste her warm, flushed skin.

He pulled her tight against him and reviled in their nearness. His clawed hand plunged into the silky raven waves before him and enjoyed the soft texture of her hair. He lifted it to his nose a took a teasing whiff, paying more attention to the girl's reaction more than the smell.

Her body tensed in alarm and then she began her torture.

Her small form squirmed against Inuyasha's larger one and sent pleasurable shocks down his spine, but now was not the time for pleasure. It was time to indulge.

Growling his disapproval of her movement, Inuyasha was about to continue his exploration till the girl squirmed more. Did the girl wish to do it on the forest floor?

But the tense jerkyanimation of her body and the trace of fear in the air, told him that it was far from it.

He held her form tighter and dug his claws inher sideto prevent any more movement. She soon stilled and got the message. Inuyasha merely smirked.

'Now back to business.' Inuyasha moved the silky locks out of his way and sniffed herenticing scent whichwas locatednext to her jugular, or her life force.

After taking a sample of the scent, what happened next in Inuyasha's mind was only to be described as pleasure, comfort, pain, and loneliness.

Pleasure and comfort from the gentle combination of spring and lavender with a hint of power, and pain and loneliness from the harsh reality that this scent didn't belong to him and reminded him of how long he went without it.

'Well we will just have to ramify those bad feelings now won't we?' Inuyasha thought to himself as he grazed the young woman's neck with his deadly fangs. As if to apologize for nearly scratching her, Inuyasha allowed a moist pink tongue to taste her savory skin. It was heaven on earth with a side of whip cream.

The sacrifice gave a startled squeak and jumped in his arms.

Inuyasha gave a mischievous smile and chuckled at the antics of the woman he was holding.

His chuckle soon died down and his tongue yearned for another delightful taste. Smelling her hair once more, he leaned near her ear and lightly teased, "Should I eat you now or later?"

That was a bad move.

Tsukikage: Moonlight

Hey! Sorry for the long wait. Life got a little busy, but I hope that this chapter will make up for some of it. So what do you think about the characterization? I know its not like the characters much but Fanfiction is well fanfiction. Please tell me what you think about the story so far. The ending was a bit more darker but the story is relatively light, I promise. I don't know if I'm capable of writing something dark, so no worries. Thanks for reading!

Reviews are my inspiration.

Shout Outs:

Agent-doo: I'm so glad you like this twist with the Inuyasha cast! I love A.U.s and enjoy reading different plotlines. I hope that you've enjoyed this new turn of events.

Palikani: I mean. Wow. I felt so honored! I've enjoyed Inuyasha fictions for along time. They're really good. I'm glad your friend wanted to you to try them! I hope I'm doing good enough for your to keep on reading IY fics.

Elena: I'm so sorry! I wanted to updated so bad! Especially after I read your reviews (which thanks for the multiple!). Please forgive this lowly one for not updating quick enough!

Priestessmykala: I'm glad you've enjoyed my characterization so far! I hope this chapter pleases you!

xXaLwAyZ-LosTXx: Yep, this is defiantly and Inu/Kag! I squealed when I you called my story interesting and I got a "friggin awesome"! Not to mention that I can keep you guessing. That is something I'm trying to achieve and thank you for reviews! (Three times! Woot!)

FallenInsaneDemon: Sorry, it wasn't soon enough. I'll try to go quicker! Thanks for your support!