CHAPTER SIXTEEN

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Kagome had a horrible feeling as the three humans ran behind the towering dog-demon. He hadn't said a word, but somehow she knew that he knew that something bad was happening to Inuyasha. And he was still wounded from his battle with Naraku's demon too! If he could hold out until his dad got there, everything would be okay...

Please be okay, she prayed silently.

The Dog-Lord began to slow down, until he was walking slowly along a field's edge. He stared at the solitary, red-clad figure in the middle of the grassy expanse. Kagome peered around him, relieved. Inuyasha looked okay -- he wasn't seriously hurt or anything. But then a chill went down her spine.

Inuyasha glanced back at them, and she saw the blood-red of his eyes. Tetsusaiga was stuck in the ground nearby, but he made no move to pick it up.

The Dog-Lord growled. He could still smell the blood of Inuyasha's foe, but it was fading away. Whatever had been there, it had fled. But not before driving his son away from that sword, and menacing him until he turned into a full demon... the thing his father had feared most would happen to him. It was as he had thought. Inuyasha's blood -- his father's blood -- was strong enough to drive him mad if he was threatened.

"Oh no!" Shippo cried. "Inuyasha's gotten separated from Tetsusaiga!"

"He's transformed again," Sango said faintly.

Kagome said nothing, but she pressed her hand to her mouth. Inuyasha was almost unstoppable as a full demon. When separated from Tersusaiga, his demon blood wasn't held back. He could suddenly transform if someone tried to kill or wound him, and the only way to switch him back was to give him Tetsusaiga. Until then, he would kill and kill without thought or mercy. And worst of all... if it happened for too long, he risked losing his human soul forever.

Another deep rumble rose in the Dog-Lord's chest. "Everyone stay behind me," he growled.

"Are you going to fight him?" Miroku asked grimly.

"Yes. I am the only one who can defeat him without weapons, like this." The Dog-Lord's long fingers curled into fists. "Even Sesshomaru would need a powerful sword to stop him now. But I can stop him..." His claws cracked. "Even as he is now."

He could smell the burning, sharp scent of his son's transformed blood, could feel the thickening demon aura around him. Inuyasha was crouching down, a feral grin distorting his face. Even at this distance, the Dog-Lord could see that Inuyasha's fangs and claws had lengthened, and could hear his growls. Transformed, he was little more than a beast, thirsting for blood. The Dog-Lord wasn't looking forward to what was ahead....

Inuyasha crouched lower to the ground, his roiling eyes fixed on his father. His claws dug into the dirt -- and then he leaped toward the ground. But something slammed into his arm, throwing him off balance. The Dog-Lord was jumping past him, his golden eyes flaring. Enraged, Inuyasha whirled and leaped at his father again, slashing at the elder demon's throat. But the Dog-Lord jumped back, dodging his son's claws.

Something seeped through Inuyasha's mask of rage -- surprise. Nothing had escaped him before -- not Goshinki, not Gatenmaru, not even Ryokossei. But the Dog-Lord had dodged his attacks, not once but several times. He snarled again, angered and frustrated. But the Dog-Lord kept leaping, kept dodging, coldly evading his son. He had to wear down the boy's defenses, see his weaknesses... and then...

Kagome's heart was pounding as she watched Inuyasha locked in a battle with his father. Inuyasha was fueled by his rage and blood-lust, and Kagome knew how powerful those things made him. But his attacks were clumsy. His father was experienced and seasoned, and he saw Inuyasha's moves before his son made them. He was a blur of pale color, leaping and dodging as Inuyasha tried to strike him, and failed.

"He's just dodging him!" Sango said. "How can he stop him like this?"

The Dog-Lord stopped just long enough to glare at the slayer, before leaping high to avoid Inuyasha. He waited until his son was shooting toward him, with his clawed hands outstretched. And then the Dog-Lord punched him.

Inuyasha slammed into the ground, dazed for the moment. Then he sprang up, newly angered. "You--" he said gutterally.

"Think you can beat me, boy?" the Dog-Lord growled.

He lashed out again, knocking his son off balance. Kagome winced as the Dog-Lord head-butted Inuyasha, making him stagger back. Then the Dog-Lord, seemingly as angry as Inuyasha was, threw him back against the cliffside and pinned him there. A shower of small rocks flew out as Inuyasha's back struck the cliff.

For a moment, the two grappled, and Kagome couldn't see who was winning. Then suddenly the Dog-Lord punched Inuyasha twice across the face, dazing him and throwing him back. Then the demon was pinning his son down on his back, keeping him down with his own weight. Inuyasha was helpless, but he wouldn't stop fighting...

"Don't kill him!" Kagome cried. For a moment, she was sure that the Dog-Lord would -- there was a cold, grim look in his eyes.

Inuyasha snarled and tried to head-butt his father. In return, the Dog-Lord swooped down, sinking his fangs into the flesh of Inuyasha's throat.

TO BE CONTINUED