Hope you guys like this chapter. This is the juicy stuff!

Chapter 20

I don't own Inuyasha

"Where did Ikuto go?" Kagome asked Sango, stepping into the room that she was going to sleep in with just Sango and Shippo for the night.

Sango was preparing to sleep, and Shippo was going through Kagome's backpack, searching for some sweets to eat as a bed time snack. "I haven't seen him" replied Sango. "Why don't you ask Inuyasha?"

"Ask Inuyasha? Why would he know?"

"Well, it's just that Inuyasha doesn't seem like he'd let Ikuto out of his sight, seeing that he doesn't trust Ikuto and wouldn't want to take the chance of him being alone with you." She sighed. "Now that I think of it, those two sleeping in the same room might not be such a good idea."

Kagome gasped. "Man, you're right! I can't believe it! I'm such an idiot!" Kagome left the room and ran to where Inuyasha, Ikuto, and Miroku was staying, praying that nothing bad had happened. "Guys" she said entering the room. By the looks of things, Miroku and Inuyasha were talking and whatever it was about, they didn't want Kagome to hear, by the way they suddenly just stopped talking. "Where's Ikuto? You didn't hurt him, did you Inuyasha?"

"What are you accusing me for? I didn't do anything to the freak!"

"Then where is he?"

"He took his bag and left." Miroku said. "There was a small argument between Inuyasha and Ikuto, but that happened quite a while ago. I don't think he'd stay gone for so long over their little squabble."

"What squabble?" she said. "What's wrong with you two? Can't you two get along for one night?" She sighed. "Do you think he went back home?"

"Hope so" Inuyasha said.

"But it's dark and it's raining outside."

"He'll turn up, Kagome. Don't freight." Miroku nodded.

"I know Miroku, it's just that I wish he would go home and work things out with his brother. I just don't want him to get hurt before we get a chance to convince him that he should be home." She found a smile. "I won't worry anymore. Good night Miroku and Inuyasha."

When she left, Inuyasha continued with his conversation. "So, what do you think is wrong with the kid? I'm out of ideas."

"I'm not sure either, Inuyasha, but I do agree with you. I think something is wrong with him, but I don't believe he's dangerous in any way."

"I don't know" Inuyasha crossed his arms. "I still don't trust him."

Kagome left the mansion and stood out on the porch to make sure that Ikuto wasn't outside, and to her surprise, she saw his very expensive looking tent pitched up in the forest. "Ikuto?" Kagome ran to the tent, trying to not get too wet from the rain, and quickly came in without asking permission. "Ikuto!" Kagome turned her head and began to blush. "Ahh! You could have warned me!"

Ikuto had boxers on and his socks, so he basically didn't care too much, but for Kagome's sake, he took his blanket and covered himself up. "What are you doing in here?" He grabbed his pajama pants and put them on. "You can look now."

Kagome turned around, and still blushed at the sight of Ikuto's bare chest. His physical appearance was different than Inuyasha. He was more muscular than Inuyasha was, like his body was older than Inuyasha. 'It's hard to believe that Ikuto looks older than Inuyasha by two years or so when Inuyasha is so much older.' "You're 16, right Ikuto?"

"Yeah, but I'll be seventeen in a little while."

"Seventeen?"

"Yeah."

"Oh" she said gently. "So you're in 10th grade?"

"No, I'm an 11th grader. I'm graduating next year, and then I'll be out my brother's house." He had a smile on his face. "If I decided to come home anyway."

"And then what?" she asked. "What would you do? What collage would you go to?"

He shrugged his shoulders. "I don't know. There's not really anything I'd like to do." His smile fell. "As much as I'd hate to admit it, I do have the most experience in the business world and it's a life that I'm probably not going to escape, but I don't want to work for my brother, or even work with him." He smiled again. "What I really want to do is go to America one day."

"America?" she asked sadly. "You want to move all the way over to another country?"

"Yeah, my mother would talk about her life there and how she missed it. My father promised me we'd go to Disney World one day, but we never did, not once. We were that year but..." he trailed off and turned his head away from Kagome. "He even put some time aside, got the tickets..."

She placed her hand on his shoulder. "Ikuto, I'm so sorry."

"Don't be Kagome. It's not your fault." He moved his shoulder, indicating that he didn't want her comfort, and she removed it. "Besides, don't you have some homework to do on that stupid story?"

"I already finished it" she said angrily while crossing her arms "and if that was a stupid book, then what is a good book? What's your favorite since you don't obviously like good classics?"

Ikuto looked at her once more and smiled. "I'm not telling." He started chuckling. "You'd laugh at me." He sat down on his air mattress and shook his head. "I'm not telling you that information."

Kagome looked around and noticed how good the tent actually was. There was no sign of water actually getting in. It was secure and comfortable. No wonder why his backpack was bigger than hers. She sat down beside him. "Come on and tell me before Inuyasha comes looking for me."

"Why do you do what that guy wants all the time? You know, if you like some one else" he smiled sexily at her "then it should be your business and your business alone."

She playfully hit him in his arm. "Oh come on, Ikuto! You're stalling so much! Just tell me already." She gave him the biggest and sweetest puppy dog eyes she could, and he couldn't resist any longer.

"Okay, okay fine. My favorite all time story is..." he mumbled the title so she couldn't hear him, but she playfully hit him once more, a little harder.

"What was that?"

"The Ugly Duckling" he said a little louder, blushing from embarrassment."

She struggled not to laugh. "Oh, well I can see how that story would be more brilliant than Shakespeare." She began to laugh, but made herself stop when his slightly brown complexion started to turn bright red. "It's cute Ikuto, really. Why is it that story? There are lots of children stories. Why that one?"

He stopped blushing a little and replied meekly. "My mother would read this story to me. It was always my favorite one. I loved when she read it to me." Ikuto began to instinctively move in closer to Kagome.

"Why?" Kagome moved in closer as well. "Ikuto" she said sorrowfully. She was scared to ask her question, but couldn't resist. "Do you feel like the ugly duckling sometimes?"

"Sometimes." He didn't think he'd tell a girl such emotions before, but when he starred into her eyes, he couldn't help it. He felt like he wanted to give her the world. He couldn't pull himself away from her, and the thought of Inuyasha and the others coming to find him or Kagome didn't even plague his mind. There was only Kagome. She was his only concern, the only thing he cared about, and he was leaning in for a kiss, and Kagome knew it.

"Uh" she pulled away "why are you out here...in the tent?"

Ikuto pulled away and sighed. "I felt uncomfortable." 'Just had to ask, didn't you Kagome?'

'That was a close one! Nice try Ikuto.' She started to blush. 'I've really got to get a hold of myself. I...I was leaning into that kiss. What about Inuyasha? I can't just kiss Ikuto...' "What made you feel uncomfortable?" A pang of anger suddenly hit her. "Did you and Inuyasha get into another fight?"

Ikuto knew if he was Inuyasha, there might have been a sit coming on, but he remained calm. "No Kagome, it was nothing like that. I mean, we did fight, a lot as a matter of fact, but that idiot isn't enough to make me come out in the storm." 'I really don't want to explain all of this.' "It's just that, no one really trusts me after what Inuyasha said. Miroku doesn't. I can really tell he doesn't trust me, and even you feel uneasy about me Kagome, and don't say that you don't!"

She put her head down. "Ikuto, there is something strange, I'll admit that, but I know that I can always trust you." She smiled and looked into his eyes, his beautiful eyes. "I know that I am always able to trust you." She put her hand on his. "Listen, I know whatever it is, it's not even that important. I know you'd never hurt me. I know you'd do anything to protect me..." she accidentally leaned in again "just like I'd never let anything happen to you. We've got to look out for each other, you know?"

"Kagome, that's not the only reason, and I'd rather not explain the other. It would only make you feel uncomfortable. It would upset you and your friends."

"Why?"

"Because my logic seems like nonsense to them, and it will to you to." He pulled his hand away. "It does to most people."

She grabbed his hand again. "Just go ahead and tell me."

'Oh, boy, here we go.' "Kagome Miroku bothers me slightly. He's a good strong guy and I can totally deal with hanging around him, but when we walked in the mansion today and he did the fake exorcism and when he started praying in front of the little Buddha picture, it really creeped me out."

"But why?"

"Well, I don't believe in that kind of stuff."

Kagome was left speechless and was offended by what he said. "But it's right in front of you! You've seen demons and I've met a couple of gods before. How can you not believe in this stuff?"

"Well, I can't deny the existence of demons, but how can you honestly say you've met a god before? I mean, isn't the definition of a god some one all powerful, all knowing, and everywhere?"

"Well, I guess by some people's definitions, but..."

"Have you actually met someone like that?"

"No" she said angrily "have you?"

"No." He said quietly. "I knew you'd be mad. One thing you never do with some one is discuss religion, if you want to stay out of an argument."

"So what are you then?" She calmed down. "I'm sorry, but I'm just curious. I don't know a lot of people that...you know."

"I know what you mean. I knew you'd be offended, seeing that you do live at a shrine." He sighed. "The truth is that I don't really believe in anything Kagome. I just...never really did. My father wasn't a religious man, nor was Suno. I wasn't raised in the teachings of any religion and I turned my sights towards what was in front of me, but..." he ran his hands through his hair, thinking he was saying to much "my mother was very religious."

Kagome began to put two and two together, and was disappointed in some manner, but shrugged it off. "Ikuto, if you're a Christian, then I'm not going to not like you because of it."

"I'm not" he said bluntly. "I was just saying that my mother was, and she took me places sometimes...I was never really anything Kagome, and when my mother died…" he shrugged his shoulders "I kind of stop believing in everything. I became so lonely. I was just living because I was. I did what I did, because I was made to. Learned what I learned, because I was taught. There was no purpose or anything. So, I guess you can say I'm an atheist. I'm not saying that there's nothing, I'm just that I don't know what yet, and I'm sorry if I offend you, but I don't think I'd ever sway to what you're doing, and these things around in this time does make me feel very uncomfortable." He chuckled. "Sometimes I still think all of this is some sort of dream. I still feel like I should wake up."

She slightly smiled "Oh Ikuto, do you not believe in anything?"

"There is one thing that I believe in Kagome" he placed his hands on Kagome's soft cheeks and stroked them gently. "I believe in you and me." He couldn't take it any longer. He felt like he was holding back too many emotions, and Kagome herself felt the same way. She didn't know what to do, but she wasn't exactly fighting Ikuto off as he got closer to her lips. "Kagome"

"Ikuto" she replied back, gently and fragile. She had so many mixed feelings, but one of them knew that she wanted that kiss.

"Kagome" just before his lips touched hers, Ikuto's ears picked up a voice from far away. "What was that?" They both stood up, and Ikuto was too focused on the danger approaching. Kagome however was a little dissatisfied. "Kagome, why don't you go back inside the mansion? I'm going to go check things out."

"What? You can't be serious! I won't let you go on your own!"

"It was probably the wind."

"You think so? I don't really sense a demonic aura or a jewel shard."

"See, it was just the wind."

"Then why do you want me to leave? You think I'm in danger and you want to protect me!"

"Actually it's cold and raining and I'd like to change out of a pair of pajama pants."

"Oh" she blushed. "Okay, well I'm going to let you change then." She couldn't stop blushing as she left the tent. Before she went back inside the mansion, she searched the area and saw a few men out in the woods that seemed trusting enough. 'I guess it was just them, but I am going to bring my arrows back to Ikuto, just in case he needs them.' She ran back inside the mansion, while Ikuto left the tent to search around.

"Is anyone out here?" he asked while he was traveling deeper into the forest. 'Maybe this is really stupid. I mean, it's probably nothing and I shouldn't be going alone. Maybe I should get Inuyasha...' He began to imagine what Inuyasha would say and do.

"What's wrong with you? You're just a stupid mortal, you know that? You were too scared to travel in the forest? Ha! I knew you should have stayed home. I don't give a crap about you! You can die for all I care!"

"Just forget it! That stupid freak wouldn't come out here to help me."

"Young man!" Called a voice. "Come, I need your assistance!"

Ikuto couldn't see anyone. It was the dead of night. 'Like I'm that stupid.' "Why should I? You're probably just a demon out to get me!"

"Even if I was a demon, what use would you be to me?" The voice said.

'I guess he's right. No one here knows I'm a billionaire. That kind of blows the whole list of why I am important.' "Okay, but just so you know, I can and will hurt you if you try anything." Ikuto walked deeper into the forest and began to get worried. 'I should head back.' He saw the man, lying in the rain, with blood all over his body. "Hold on!" Ikuto ran to the man and saw that he had been shot with arrows several times. "What happened?" Ikuto didn't know what to do. There were so many that he knew there was nothing he could do for the man.

"Other men came. They were possessed by demons."

"Possessed?"

"Yes, I was too, but there was a village a day's journey headed south from here where a priestess lived. She helped me and cast the demon out. The other men, they were told by the demon's master to kill me for betraying her. She was so angry and they attacked me."

"Oh...okay hold on." Ikuto looked around him, trying to estimate how long it would take for him to get back and it would take a few minutes. He couldn't even see the huge mansion from where he was. "Oh...okay...just hold on mister. I'll get help. Just hold on!" The man gasped for air, but then was not able to get any, and the man lost his life. "Oh no. I've got to warn Kagome and the others."

"Too bad no one warned you sooner, boy." Ikuto stood to his feet and turned around to see a demon, a female demon with long silver hair and eyes as red as blood, and skin the color of snow. In her hands, she carried a wooden box, one with a giant lock on it and chains. The box was shaking uncontrollably. "This should be fun."

Ikuto stepped away and got into a fighting stance. "I figure you're a demon and by the looks of things, not a very strong one."

"Oh, but I am, and so are my followers." From the shadows of the forest, other men emerged. Their eyes were glazed over with evil, and Ikuto was surrounded. "Prepare yourself boy."

"For what?" A man behind Ikuto grabbed him from behind and put him in a head lock. Ikuto tried to force the man off of him, but the others began attacking while Ikuto tried to free himself. Ikuto used his legs to push his weight on to the man that had a hold of him and then did a split in the air and kicked two men that came his way. Another man came, and Ikuto kicked his face. He then raised his legs in the air as much as he could and then put his legs on the ground and bent over, making the man behind him lose his support from his legs and Ikuto was able to flip the man and regain air. "Is that the best you've got?"

"No" the demon said. The box that she held began to shake even more. "My demon wants to come out and play." She laughed sadistically.

"Ikuto!" Kagome ran in the tent, but he wasn't there. "Ikuto, where are you?" She searched around for him, but couldn't see him. 'I've got to get Inuyasha.' She ran back inside and straight to Inuyasha. Miroku was rested under a blanket, and Inuyasha was sleeping in his usual position, but immediately woke up by Kagome's presence.

"What's the matter?"

"I think something's the matter. I can't find Ikuto. I think he went into the forest, and I think I sense a demon."

Miroku rose up from him slumber and yawned. "He's still missing?"

"Yes! Please, we've got to find him!"

"Good work boy, but not good enough."

Ikuto put up a good fight, but he was out numbered and something wasn't right about the men attacking him. They were stronger than most men should be. "What's wrong with these people? Are they even human?"

"Are you? You were pretty close to escaping, but my men were too strong for you. What's the matter? What are you really?" Ikuto's legs were limp and his arms were being held by two different men while the rest of them surrounded Ikuto and the female demon. "This is truly amusing." She held her box with one hand and with the other; she touched Ikuto's face and rubbed his cheek with her thumb. "You humans really do amuse me, and my pet just can't seem to wait until it gets you."

"Gets me?"

The female demon just smiled, turned around, and placed the box down. "You're going to really enjoy this." She broke the lock that was on it and opened. There was a shriek from whatever was inside and it tried to run away, but the female demon grabbed a hold of it. "This is going to be fun, when she turned around, Ikuto gasped.

"What is that?" He struggled to get free. "What is that?" It was like a giant worm, with four giant antennas on its head. It was a parasite. "W-what's that for?" He did everything within his power to get free, but couldn't. "Let go of me! Let me go!" He was moving his legs and arms as much as he could, but the men holding him were too strong. "No!"

The female demon lifted his shirt and admired Ikuto's physique. "You will do great things." She held the demon closer. "So many great things." The demon was struggling to get closer to Ikuto's body. "What is it about you? My demons have never been so eager to get to a human before." Ikuto was too busy struggling to care about what she was saying. "I suppose it won't matter. We'll find out."

"I smell him!" Inuyasha said.

"There's a demonic aura up ahead as well!" Miroku said.

"I hope we get there in time" said Sango. "I've got a really bad feeling about this."

"Why did that idiot go out on his own?" Inuyasha said. "Something's wrong."

"There he is!" Shippo yelled.

When they saw him, he had passed out. He was soaking wet and bleeding all over, and he looked so pale, as if he was dying. "What happened to him?" Sango asked.

"I sense a demonic aura."

"But where?" Kagome looked around for the demon, but couldn't see it anywhere. "Where do you think it's coming from?"

"Isn't it obvious?" Inuyasha bent down and looked at Ikuto's face. He looked as if he was going to die. "It's inside him."

To be continued...

A/N: The real drama begins next time! Aren't I mean? Poor Ikuto! You've got to review so I can update next time!