The Race For Kagome

By: LadySol

Rating: R

Disclaimer: I think this goes without saying, I don't own Inuyasha and Co. although I do own the good ol' boyz Korii, Mael, and Kentai. You may borrow them if you so wish, I'll I require is recognition, so don't go stealin' and claimin' em as yerz! Got that!? Umm, okay point made. Anyway, enjoy the ficcy.

Chapter 3: A New Face

Kagome felt herself being lifted and instantly the breath was knocked from her. The almost electric feeling of pure magick shot through her-the shock of it as if someone had doused her in freezing cold water. Kagome tried to gasp for air, but found the misty blue light that surrounded her to be thick and constricting. A yelp escaped her lips before she could stop it. Kagome clutched at her stomach, hanging in mid air with a small cyclone of wind surrounding her. She began to feel things inside her twist and bend, things Kagome knew should damn well be stationary. She didn't know what to think when she felt her heat shudder. It was with the crunch of bone that started the screams again. Breath or no breath Kagome would make her discomfort known.

Dear Kami! Everything hurt! Kagome's joints were on fire, her knees especially. Tears of a new kind flowed now. No words could do justice to the intense agony of what she was experiencing. Someone was twisting her to their will physically inside and out and it was fucking terrifying. All thoughts left Kagome's mind and all that was left was the unadulterated pain. Screaming her throat raw wasn't helping to lessen the pain but it was all she could do, it was the only thing she was in control of. The pull of this force holding her in the air and clawing around through her inners workings was so concentrated and resolute that for the first time in her life, Kagome Hiragashi felt completely helpless. Pain shot through her gums and down her canines. Kagome's screams intensified with panic as she both felt and heard the teeth crack and tasted the blood filling her mouth. The tips of her ears heated up, as well as her fingertips. But that heat was nothing compared to the sheer burning she felt on her back. It was as if someone was holding a red hot iron to her back. Kagome was half sure someone was.

Then, just as quickly as it came, it was gone. Kagome was dropped to the floor and hit the ground hard, jarringly so. At first she simply didn't know what to do, so she opted to lay there on her side shaking from the intensity of what she had just experienced. The ashes on the ground stuck to her sweat covered skin. Wait...

"Ashes?" She rasped. Kagome struggled to lift her head and took a pained glance around the cave. It was empty. Midoriko and the mass of demons that had surrounded her in the frozen depiction of her final battle-It was all gone. Kagome was more than willing to bet that the ash she lay in was none other then the remains of the lost priestess. She groaned. She didn't hurt anymore, but she damn well ached. Also, so couldn't seem to stop shaking. Kagome stopped trying to get up and look around and just collapsed. It felt worse then the time she had run the mile in gym class. She wasn't a runner. A small chuckle escaped her.

"After running around all the time in the Feudal Era I'm sure I'd test out faster then ever before." Ouch that hurt. Okay no more talking, she decided. Kagome was extremely content to fall into the black abyss that was calling her name right now when a familiar face popped into her field of vision. Concerned amber eyes gazed down at her.

"Inu..." She murmured, not bothering to finish his name. It hurt too much. Inuyasha simply stared at her and Kagome began to wonder why. His soft voice pulled her from sleep's enchanting summon.

"Don't worry, Kagome. We'll fix it, I promise. Whatever it is, I'll put you back to normal again, okay?" Oh. Was she actually hurt? She didn't feel hurt, just sore. Maybe she was in shock. Kagome smiled up at him.

"I'm glad you care again, my Inu." And that's when sleep took her.

Inuyasha gaped at the figure beneath him. It was Kagome, he was sure of it-and yet it wasn't. He wasn't sure who this new face belonged to. All he knew was that he wanted her...BADLY. Inuyasha shook his head, chasing those thoughts away. Before she had passed out Kagome had told him she was glad he cared again. An icy blanket wrapped itself around him.

"You Baka Onna. I never stopped caring." Inuyasha was helping her. Why didn't she see that? Inuyasha wasn't an idiot by any means. He knew the battle with Naraku was up next and that it was inevitable. There were no more Jewel Shards left, he was simply stalling for time. Naraku was his greatest enemy. Inuyasha knew that he had done some bad things in his past, but he was done with all that now. In many village stories he played the role of the villain in a tale of one of his past acts. But in this battle between him and Naraku it was different. He was playing the white knight this time. Inuyasha bent down and scooped Kagome into his arms.

"I'm not sure if I can win this one, Kagome. I don't know if I can protect you. I can't be in love with you if I'm going to die."