Chapter 38: Sacrifices

Inuyasha couldn't help but growl as Kagome gasped "You bastard! How dare you threaten her in front of me!"

Sesshomaru uncharacteristically looking equally vicious, red beginning to seep in around the corners of his eyes, coldly states, "As much as it pains me to say so, I must agree with my half-brother. Such insolence will notgo unpunished!"

Naraku only chuckles a bit, "Quiet your barking, dogs! Or have you already forgotten that I hold all the cards?" he says while tightening his grip on the girls' throats slightly, causing them to yelp. This is enough to get both of them to take an involuntary step backwards, much to the pleasure of their tormentor. "Look at you! Sons of the great and powerful King, ha! You're nothing but a couple of whimpering, soft-hearted pups! Now, let my plans fruition begin! 'King' Sesshomaru, your oath, if you would, please." He concludes, raising Rin slightly and holding her in Sesshomaru's direction.

There are several moments of tense silence where the only noise was the girls' strained breathing, and every capable eye was on the full-demon royal, who's eyes were the only thing that showed his inner turmoil. Finally he spits to the side before coldly replying, murder in his voice and eyes, "Very well, if you will release my wife, I will swear on my father's honor that I nor any of my countrymen will attack you."

"And?" Naraku asks, his eyes laughing maliciously.

"And," Sesshomaru grounds out, "in the event that you are not dead by then, when I cease to walk among the living all that I rule will be given to you."

"Good dog." Naraku says before releasing his hold on Rin's now bruised throat, Sesshomaru catching her before she hits the floor, only to disappear a moment later, as if he could not bear anyone's gaze any longer (A.N. Dodges fruit through at her by angry Sesshy fans. "Alright! I'm sorry that I let it go down like that, and yes, I know that in any normal situation Sesshomaru would kick Naraku's $$, but I had to get it back down to the main to characters SOMEhow. Plz don't flame or anything for that last scene, I promise it wasn't supposed to be a bashing on him. Alright, now back to the story.")

"I believe that leaves only you, 'Prince' Inuyasha. Free the beast that lives within your soul and she lives. Do not, and watch me rip her pretty little throat out right before your eyes." Naraku says, obviously completely confident in his victory.

'Dammit!' Inuyasha thinks as he weighs the situation. 'I can't let my demon blood control me and let that nut job have me at his beck and call….but…Kagome…' he looks to her and her paling face, her body beginning to feel the effects of oxygen deficiency. 'I…I can't just let her die. I'd never forgive myself. Maybe I could charge him and rip his arm off before he has a chance to hurt her.' He bites the inside of his lip, 'No, that's to risky. I've got no clue how quick this guy is, but he's got to be pretty damn fast to have gotten in my castle and get Kagome in his grasp before I could realize it. If I can't get her away from him…and I absolutely REFUSE to let her die…then I guess…there's only one choice…' And with a defeated sigh he hangs his head, much to the delight and disdain of the other two occupants of the room.

'No, Inu…yasha…' Kagome thinks as she watches him as he squats down onto his haunches and an eerie wind begins to blow.

"Yes, that's it! Let your blood boil! Remember fear, how you hate me! Focus on the rage that fills your soul. Bring forth that demon that even your father would fear!" Naraku near chants, laughing insanely as the wind begins to pick up and seems to center on the hanyou.

'No…' Kagome's oxygen-starved brain thinks, 'don't do it Inuyasha. Don't let…him win.' She begins to panic, 'I have to stop him. I have to stop his transformation. But…how can I do it?' Her attention then focuses on the hand that held her captive. 'If I could just get free of him…' she thinks even as the wind continues to pick up. 'I have to do something soon…if I wait much longer, the Inuyasha that I love will be gone forever.' And so, with all of the strength that she had left in her weakened arms, she wretches herself free of Naraku's grasp, calling Inuyasha's name in the process. However, this only lasts until she is completely free of his grip, for left behind in his menacing hand, was her throat.

As Naraku looks on, totally surprised by Kagome's actions, he doesn't see Inuyasha's reaction, which is a total loss of all control that he'd gradually been letting go. "Bastard! You die now!" he hisses out even as he rips through the evil man.

"No…it can't be…my plan was fool-proof…fool-…proof…" are the last words muttered from Naraku's dying lips before the blood-crazed Inuyasha crushes his head under his foot.

As soon as the evil essence that was Naraku leaves the mortal plain towards a place of eternal damnation, Inuyasha's demon blood recedes, only to have the sight that meets his sane eyes nearly drive him mad with grief. Among the blood of his enemy, Kagome's body laid lifeless and empty, blood spilling from where her throat once was. "KAGOME!" he screams, running towards her, nearly slipping on the blood that littered the room a couple of times. When he finally reaches her, he hauls her into his arms, shaking her in an attempt to wake her, his shocked mind not yet processing the terrible truth.

"KAGOME! Kagome! You've gotta wake up! Come on, wench, wake up! I didn't almost give myself up to my darker half just so you could leave me now! You can't, I forbid you! You hear? You're still under my command, I forbid you to leave me!" At this point tears had begun welling in his eyes as his mind began to slowly wrap around that concept that he would reject with all his being if he could.

"No, Kagome, you can't leave. KAGOME!" he finally howls out, with only the castle and the setting sun to hear his heart's breaking.

A.N. O.O….I didn't know I had that in me. Holy crap, I think I scared myself lol. Don't worry though, remember the old saying 'It's always darkest before dawn.' And if that one doesn't help at all, remember one of my own, 'Angst SUCKS!' lol. I promise to get out the next chappie ASAP! Well, that's all I have to say for now, now onto Reviewer Replies! Many thank s to silveryuki06, Bloody Rin, ThatOneNerd, NekoYuff16, JuliaStillWater, kiwiTNT, Animegurlzrule, glenlightarrow, SitDog-Boy, AngelMiko289, and Ouka-Chan 77 for their lovely reviews. 'Hugs the reviews' I likey them bunches lol. Now for the individual responses.

galaxy guardian- Yeah, long reviews are kinda fun lol. As for your idea, it definitely sounds interesting, I'll be sure to check it out if you get to posting it, promise!

A Rose Crys Blood- Um….I'm not entirely sure how to respond to your review. Could you be a bit more specific? If there's something in particular that you didn't like, please say so , so that I can either change it or explain why it had to happen.

secretshadows- Thank you very much for your review. Srry there wasn't more Sango/Miroku action, but you know how stories can be, they kinda take on lives of their own, and this one had no qualms about going where it wanted to. 'Shakes my head' I still can't believe I just wrote that chappie.

Ame-sama- I'd be more then happy to do a sequel or something, could you help me out and give me some ideas? If it doesn't work out and this is it for these guys, at least promise that it won't be the last that you'll see of me. I could never stop writing, even if I wanted to! Lol.

Well, that's all for now, R&R everybody!