Hey everybody! Well, it's 2:36 in the morning on Sunday, but I wanted to get you the next chapter as soon as I could. I hope you're ready for this one. Real shocker at the end.

There won't be any end commentary because there are times when it is better not to speak.

Diclaimer: ChibiBean does not own nor claim rights to InuYasha or any of its characters. Thank you.

Enjoy.

Betrayal

The hour of Sade's arrival was drawing close when the group met up at Kaede's hut. The others watched as Azurine heatedly paced around the room.

"I'm going to die, I'm going to die, and then everyone else will die, too…"she mumbled under her breath. Her robes snapped and swayed softly in her wake.

She walked past Kagome and InuYasha. They were fretting over the InuYasha's coming transformation that wouldhappen when night fell. She passed Sarah and Yuto who were sitting together, talking quietly. Yukito was playing with a fold in his new monk's robes, lilac in color.

As Azurine made what seemed like her hundredth pass, Miroku put a hand on her shoulder, bringing her to a stop. "You're not going to die. You made a promise to me, remember?" he said, smiling brightly at her.

"Yes, I suppose I did…Miroku…if something happens…but I'm still alive, will you wait for me?" she asked hesitantly.

"Of course! What, do you think I'd find a woman to say 'yes' to me again, so quickly?"

"Well, you're handsome and lovable. Of course someone else would love you." She kissed his cheek and, blushing deeply, remembered the others were watching. They, though, seemed to be studying a particularly interesting speck of dirt.

"Hey…" said Azurine, looking around. "Where's Shippo?"

Sarah looked around. "I don't know. Didn't he come back from the springs with you?"

"No. He went after you to help get your clothes from the monkey."

"I never saw him!"

Azurine paled. "SHIPPO!" She ran out of the hut and into the woods looking for the kitsune, the others close behind.

Sadie

Sadie held the fox-boy tightly in her arms for fear of dropping him.

She was a sad little girl. She didn't want to hurt him, but she was relieved that it hadn't taken much to render him unconscious.

She looked down at Shippo as he mumbled in his sleep.

Her head shot up as she heard people screaming.

"Shippo! Ship, where'd you go?"

The chase was on.

The gang

Azurine was about to give up. Whatever had happened to Shippo had rendered him unable to answer their cries. Was he kidnapped? Or…worse?

At that moment, luckily, InuYasha caught on to Shippo's scent. "Wait! I can smell him. He's that way…and there's a smell like yours and your mother's, Azurine," he added.

"Great. Who could it be this time?" Azurine sighed in frustration.

Miroku caught her in a one-armed hug. "I said calm down. We'll find Shippo so don't worry."

"I can't help it. He's like my own brother."

"I know. Just trust me. Things will turn out all right," he said, soothingly.

Jealousy flared in Yukito's heart. Miroku didn't know how lucky he was.

Cain

Cain wandered tirelessly through the woods, still on the search for Azurine.

"That girl is going to pay when I find her," he growled. "She is definitely going to pay." He fingered the silver, Celtic-style ring in his hand. Everything that was Azurine was locked inside.

From the time she was born to her twelfth year of life, a year before her meeting with Sarah and Yukito, memories were stowed in this convenient little ring. Memories of dark things: death, destruction, pain, fear, loss; the reason that too much smoke was lethal to her; her true form.

This ring was sure to kill her, torture her, but no. He would not let that happen. He'd save her, own her, without anymore dispute. She'd be his, his to do with as he pleased. There was so much fun in store, but his idea of fun would turn your stomach.

Sarah and Yukito would pay as well. They let her out, made her happy. Anyone else Azurine was with at the time would have to die, too.

Sade

Sade positioned herself, readying to ambush Azurine and the rest. Just then, her victims, minus a scared-to-tears Shippo, walked below her.

Just ahead, she'd lashed the kitsune to a small tree. The perfect bait.

Sarah was the first to spot him. "Shippo!" She cried.

"S-Sarah? Get me out of here!" he yelped.

Sarah rushed forward, but Yuto threw his arm in front of her. "Stop. It's a trap. You could get hurt."

Azurine shoved her way forward. "Mother! Show yourself! Return Shippo to us, and let us be!" she shouted into the trees.

Sade let out a high, cold laugh and dropped down before them.

"Witch!" InuYasha yelled. "What do you want with us?" he drew his Tetsusaiga, but it did not transform.

"Oh no," Kagome whispered.

"It's getting quite close to sunset, don't you think?" Sade asked, a wicked grin on her face. InuYasha growled.

"There's someone I'd like you all to meet. This is my daughter, Sadie." The young girl materialized from the shadows and stood beside her mother. The streak of red in her hair flashed violently in the half-light. "She so wanted to meet her big sister."

Sadie studied Azurine, who, in turn, looked at the girl in terror. Sadie stepped towards Azurine, paused, smiled kindly and threw her arms around her older sibling. "Sis!" she sighed.

"Huh? Wha…? Ow! Eeps! Let me go!"

Sadie's hug was like a death grip and it slowly drained Azurine of her power.

While the others struggled to aid Azurine, Yuto stood by, watching Sade. The witch laughed at him.

"It's about the time you returned to me," she said, capturing his eyes. Yuto's eyes fluttered and his face began to change. He no longer looked kind and gentle. He now had a look of confusion, like he was struggling with something.

He grasped his head. "No, Sade. I won't go back. I quit."

"You do? I'm afraid you can't. You're under contract, signed in blood by your parents when they sold you to me. You belong to me until the day you die."

Yuto stumbled toward her. "Th…that's right. I'd forgotten." He smiled at her."Heh. That was a mean trick you put on me, making me forget my past so I would get close to her...No. I mean…How could…"

Sade laughed. Sarah slowly averted her gaze from Azurine to the struggling Yuto. He's a slave? What's going on? He can't seem to decide who he is.

"What's the matter? Can't remember your true self?" Sade crooned, grasping his chin and forcing him to look at her. "I'll give you a hint:your not this kind saint you've pretended to be all this time. You are my most loyal servant."

Yuto began to laugh. It was a hollow, evil laugh. Sarah froze. The Yuto Sarah knew was gone. She stepped away from the others. They were oblivious to what was going on. They were still busy fighting off Sadie's hug.

Sarah walked toward him. "Yuto, come."

Yuto's feet started toward her as the bead's spell workedand the man looked at her in anger. Sade simply scoffed. "Are those nasty beads bothering you, Yuto? Here." She snapped her fingers and the thread holding the beads snapped. The beads fell, scattered on the ground, but still Yuto walked forward, though, now, he was in control of his body.

He spoke as he approached the trembling Sarah. "My orders, lady, were to kill you. I've put it off until now on my masters orders, but I will finally finish my job." He unsheathed his sword and continued walking toward her.

Sarah cried out and threw her hands out, summoning her powers. Her hands stayed bare, but for a single spark of flame that died instantly. She looked at her hands in alarm.

Sade laughed again as the girl stood in shock. Azurine was finally freed just as InuYasha transformed into his human form.

Sade walked forward. "Girl, you can't use your powers. Don't you get it? Haven't you noticed yourself getting weaker and weaker? Yuto's been sucking away at your powers all this time, whether he knew it or not. This is why I told him not to kill you. I wanted to make sure you were helpless when the time came."

Sarah had been quiet the whole time. Now she exploded. "NO! Yuto never hurt me because he loves me! He told me so! He said I was beautiful!"

"Ha! You're such a little fool. Do you honestly believe that someone such as Yuto could ever love a pitiful creature like you?" She hugged Yuto from behind. "The truth is, they were all lies. You're nothing." She let him go and stepped back. "Now Yuto. Finish this."

Yuto grinned malevolently as he gripped his sword tighter. He swung at her and she ducked. He swung again, but she ran under his arm. He was too fast for her and grabbed her by the back of her dress. He flung her in front of him and she stumbled. She turned to him and began to yell."Yuto, stop! Don't…uh." The others watched silently, too shocked to move.

Silver glinted from Sarah's back. A moment later, the blue of her dress grew black and purple as blood poured from her wound and seeped into her robe. She slowly reached a hand to Yuto's face and touched him. He barely moved as she looked at him, her eyes full of love. "Y...Yuto. I know…you're there. I j…just want you…to know that…I…" Yutopulled the blade roughly from her stomachand,shuddering, she mad a small chocking noise. She began to fall backwards, still reaching for him. The others watched in horror. It seemed to take an eternity for her to reach the ground. Seconds before she hit, one last thing escaped her lips.

"I love you, Yuto."

Her body hit the ground, hard, blood pooling around her. Azurine finally broke out of her shocked state and ranto her friend. "SARAH!"

Shippo finally calmed down enough to use his foxfire on his bonds. He broke free and followed Azurine. Azurine scrambled atSarah's throat, desperately searchingfor a pulse. The skin beneath her fingers was cold and lifeless. The color was already gone from Sarah's face. She waited. Nothing, not a sing;e heartbeat.

Azurine stumbled back and looked up at Yuto who sneered down at her. "Oh, god…no," she whispered. "You killed her. You KILLED her!" she screamed.

"Congratulations," Sadie commented, walking over and nudging the dead form of Sarah with her foot. "This is your first innocent in a while, huh?"

Azurine couldn't take the sight any longer. She scuttled to her feet and ran as fast as her legs could carry her, Shippo and Miroku at her heels, a dazed Yukito behind them. InuYasha and Kagome would be following at any moment.

Sarah, however, would not.