Demon's Heart

Chapter 4

An eerie silence had filled the room around them. Their own heavy breathing being the only sound audible as each pair of eyes darted from one set to the next, and back and back again, waiting for someone to crack. Waiting for someone to grow insane with the quietness; to kill the tension that was between them. Waiting for one of them to make the first strike of attack.

The room was stifling. Sweat beaded down her forehead, tracing her nose before dropping off and plummeting to the floor. She raised a hand to wipe the remaining sweat away from her brow and the sudden movement made Naraku take a step forward, ready to defend himself against them. They were all on the defensive and alert should anything come close to suspicious or threatening.

His reaction made Inuyasha whip his hand to Tessaiga's sheath, unclipping the hold and readying himself to transform the sword in a moment's notice. He narrowed his eyes and waited to see what would be the next move. Naraku just laughed.

Inuyasha grit his teeth and sneered at him, not finding this situation one bit amusing. "What are you laughing at?" he spat.

The laughter came to a halt, noticing it bothered Inuyasha, which is what he had intended. He gave him a quick smirk in his small success. "I can see why you didn't have the stomach to become a full demon so many years ago," he lingered on the words, as if trying to keep the reasoning a secret just a few moments longer. He lightly exhaled, "if it's not your heart, it's your anger that gets the best of you." Naraku narrowed his eyes at him. "But that can be changed."

"Enough!" Kagome shouted, interrupting the squabbling between them. They both turned, wide eyed to stare at her, surprised she was able to muster the energy to be that loud. She glanced quickly at Inuyasha before setting her gaze on Naraku. "That's your plan for him? Really?" she asked condescendingly. After hearing his plan, she had thought it was a bit under-developed. The fact that he thought he would be able to control Inuyasha to do his bidding after he turned in to a full demon was comical.

Naraku was in awe that she underestimated his powers but he decided to hear her out for amusement. "You think it's not possible?" he bluntly asked, no sense dancing around the question.

He barely finished the question before Kagome was shaking her head in disagreement, smiling as she did so. "I think you take his love, if you can call it that, for me to be more than it is," she trailed off, meeting Inuyasha's stare, gazing in to his eyes she finished, "He would have no problem picking being a full demon over me this time. I'm afraid you're wrong."

Inuyasha couldn't believe what he was hearing from her. He knew they he had wanted to be a full demon in the past but that was all over. He thought she knew how much he cared for her and that he could rather be with her than anything in. He didn't understand this. He rushed over to Kagome, grabbing her arms and turning her away from Naraku. He rubbed her arm as he tried to make eye contact with her but she fought against it and wouldn't look at him. "Come on, Kagome," he begged her, slightly pulling at her chin to raise her head to meet his eyes. "You don't really believe this, do you?"

Kagome groaned as she swatted his hands off her, stunning Inuyasha in the process at the sudden contact. "Yes, Inuyasha, I do," she agreed, staring back at him.

She paused for a moment, looking in her peripheral vision to see where Naraku was. She could tell he couldn't see her facial expressions anymore, this is my chance she thought as she snapped her eyeballs back to Inuyasha. She strained her eyes as she widened them to get his attention as she winked hard for him to notice. She prayed he knew what she was trying to say without having to, because if he didn't this wouldn't end well. She wanted him to play along and go with whatever Naraku said, and she hoped he got that.

Inuyasha believed he knew what she was trying to say. The only thing he wanted to ask her, and couldn't, was what they were going to do and how long to let it go for. What would be the point of no return in this situation. Things could get bad real fast but he would play along. He threw his arms up in fake surrender, making it look like it was frustrated and giving up on her. He walked around her to question Naraku. "So, you still want that full-fledged demon?"

Sango's running came to a sudden halt when she thought she heard Inuyasha's voice. Her abrupt stop did not give Miroku and Shippo enough reaction time, resulting in them knocking in to her and the three of them tumbling to the floor on top of each other. She moaned in pain as she wiggled underneath them to get free. Shippo quickly jumped off of her legs and Miroku rolled off of her, dropping on to the floor beside her on his back, letting out a groan himself when his back made contact with the hard wood floor.

"You couldn't give us a small heads up before stopping?" He grumbled as he grabbed at his side in pain, staring up at the ceiling he almost swore he could see stars forming.

Sango rolled her eyes at his pathetic pain tolerance as she pushed off the floor with her hands to bring her torso off the ground, resting on her knees, she glared down at him beside her. "If you weren't on my ass, it wouldn't have come as such a shock," she assured him, reaching out a hand to him up.

Miroku took it willingly, as they pulled themselves up against each other. Dusting their bodies off they looked for where Shippo went. Standing behind them with his ear pressed hard against the wall, he motioned for them to come and join him. "I hear Inuyasha and Kagome!" he exclaimed but in a whispered voice.

Sango and Miroku rushed over to listen. They could hear the two of them arguing back and forth and were so confused why they would be. "They're fighting?" Sango whispered, looking at them with a scrunched nose.

Miroku shrugged his shoulders, shaking his head. "Not surprised, really," he admitted, exhaling. "He probably insulted Kagome about being captured and him having to come to her rescue, again."

Sango and Miroku had lifted their ears off the wall as they tried to figure out which would be the best way to get in there, aside from beating the wall down. If Naraku was behind that wall with them, they figured maybe a surprise attack would be best to throw him off guard and if he wasn't in there, he may trap them all. They agreed that no matter what that a surprise attack would most likely be best for whatever was going on in that room with or without Naraku. The only issue was getting in there safely and some what quietly.

As they debated in hushed words Shippo overhead part of the conversation on the other side and his jaw hung open in shock. He leapt on to Sango's shoulder and tugged at her ear to get her attention. "Shippo!" she squealed as she reached for her ear. "What is it?"

"We need to get in there, Naraku is planning on turning Inuyasha in to a full demon using Kaguya's mirror!" Shippo exclaimed as loud as he could knowing he needed to be quiet.

"Kaguya? The Celestial Maiden impostor?!" Miroku gasped, shocked and confused at the thought of her being alive and on Naraku's side. "How-how did she survive? Why is she teaming up with Naraku? How did they even fix that mirror, it was shattered.." he paused, his mind going faster than his voice could. "What's his reasoning for turning Inuyasha in to a full demon?"

Shippo starred back at him, wide eyed and mouth opened before he rolled his eyes and shrugged. "How could I know any of that? I've been with you guys running through these halls forever," he jumped off Sango's shoulder, standing he glanced back at Miroku, "I know as much as you do," he paused briefly, "which isn't much, apparently." he mumbled to himself.

Miroku stepped forward, raising a hand in objection but Sango reached out a hand to stop him before trailing off laughing. Shippo was right and it was amusing to see him put Miroku in his place.

Shippo's ears twitched in the direction of Kagome's voice. "I think if we go this way it should bring us to them." He pointed back down the hallway they came from.

"Pft," Miroku snickered. "That's the way we came from. Did you see any doors or ways through?"

"Get back, you two." Sango warned them.

She had picked up her hiraikotsu and was getting ready to aim it towards the wall in front of Miroku and Shippo. They scrambled to get out her way, moving aside and coming behind her to not be in the way of her weapon or the destruction that would come from her throwing that thing through that wall. She took a deep breathe, exhaled, "HIRAIKOTSU!" and launched her boomerang forward.

Inuyasha's ear twitched. He could hear something fast approaching and swiftly cutting through wood and he smiled to himself knowing it had to be the gang, it's about time, guys he thought, as he darted towards Kagome he yelled, "GET DOWN!" as he pulled her to the floor and covered her head.

The hiraikotsu barreled through the wall beside them and flew through the air just above their heads and landed in the adjacent wall, making a loud thud as it stuck in to the wall. Through the gapping hole that it had made, Sango, Miroku and Shippo rushed in to the room to see Inuyasha and Kagome covered in debris and Naraku pressed against the back wall, most likely just being missed by the hiraikotsu. The trio ran over to Inuyasha and Kagome, pulling boards off of them.

Standing, Kagome could barely see, as she coughed, through the dust that was floating around her. Her vision adjusted through the foggy air and seen her Sango only inches away from her face. She practically fell in to her arms at the sight of her friend. Shippo was right behind Sango as he jumped on to Kagome's head, hugging her from the side as he too coughed from the dust.

Pulling away from the embrace she was curious if they were here alone. "Where's Miroku?" she asked, trying to look around the room as the haze from the dust was finally starting to settle and they were able to see more than a few inches in front of them. She could see Miroku over top of Inuyasha trying to pick a beam off of him, him slipping and falling on top of the piece of wood, pressing it harder on to Inuyasha's torso.

"Get off me!" Inuyasha hollered as he kicked the beam, along with Miroku, off him.

Miroku landed a few feet away on his back again, almost knocking the wind out of him. Inuyasha rose to his feet, brushing the dust off of him and then realising he was stabbed by a piece of wood on his side. He grabbed the shattered piece of wood and pulled, ripping it out and throwing it on the ground beside him, as he seen Naraku come in to view. He walked away from the wall and towards them.

Sango grabbed her hiraikotsu's out of the wall beside them, readying it. Kagome took Shippo in her arms and stood behind Sango while Miroku quickly forgot he was in any pain, stumbled to his feet and made his way behind Inuyasha for protection. Naraku was assumed at how unaware they were of what transpired before their arrival. They were oblivious to the plan that he had in store for their comrade.

Naraku was growing tired of this. Enough was enough, it was time. He reached out a hand to Inuyasha and motioned for him to come to him. "Come, Inuyasha," he demanded.

Without even fighting against it, Inuyasha stepped forward in Naraku's direction. He was immediately stopped when Sango threw her hiraikotsu in front of him, it sinking in to the ground, blocking him from Naraku. Inuyasha shot a look at Sango, who stared back at him confused. "What are you doing?" Sango pleaded, not understanding why he was abiding by Naraku's command.

Naraku laughed; he was enjoying this far too much. "He is becoming what he truly wants to be, a full demon, with a little help," he got them up to speed as he pulled a mirror from his robe. It was Kaguya's mirror and in perfect condition. Naraku showed the mirror to them, reflecting Inuyasha on the inside. Inuyasha stepped around Sango's weapon and got closer to Naraku.

Miroku didn't think what Shippo had said before was true, he didn't think it was possible for that to be the same mirror Kaguya used. "How did you get that mirror?" Miroku shouted at Naraku as his fists clenched, not believing he was going to put Inuyasha and Kagome through this again.

Naraku grinned back at him, assumed that this was getting to them and that they knew it was a fool proof plan. "Easily, when you destroyed it," he looked over to Kagome for a second and then back to Miroku. "with your arrow, Kanna's mirror allowed me to travel to the Dream Castle shrine where it was left behind and we were able to repair it with pieces of the Shikon Jewel." Naraku flashed a hand by in front of the mirror and it glowed like the Shikon No Tama did.

Sango glanced over at Kagome at her side. "You want him to do this? You barely snapped Inuyasha out of it the last time," she whispered to her quietly enough to not be noticed by Naraku.

Kagome knew it was a gamble. She knew that it wasn't the best plan but they had to get Naraku's guard down. With that mirror having the ability to deflect their attacks back at them, it was almost impossible to defeat him hand to hand. They had to be smarter, they had to make it seem as if he was winning and to get arrogant and that's when they would be able to get the mirror away from him. She nodded to Sango, understanding her friend's concern with this idea. "I know, but I don't see us having another option. It's okay, Inuyasha is strong-willed, it'll take more that a little dark desired to turn him, again."

Deep, and it was very deep, down, however, she was nervous about him releasing his powers of darkness and realising the true freedom as a full demon. The blood lust alone would do him in. Miroku slowly moved over and joined them as they watched anxiously at Inuyasha and Naraku.

Inuyasha stood before Naraku as he pulled the mirror up in front of Inuyasha, his face reflecting back at him in the mirror. He could feel his heart begin racing, his palms sweating and his throat was so dry he almost couldn't talk. "Well, what are you waiting for?" Inuyasha managed to bark at Naraku, wanting to get this plan in to motion already. Inuyasha glanced one more time over to Kagome, before closing his eyes, preparing himself for the transformation.

Naraku began chanting. The mirror began to glow and pulsate like a heartbeat.

Inuyasha could feel his chest tightening. He gripped one breast as his breathing began to quicken. He felt his claws rapidly growing from his cuticles. His fangs ripped through his gums as they grew in size and length, piercing the inside of his mouth from the sharpness. He could feel his face burning as purple veins stemmed from the side of his head and coming under his eyes. He couldn't see them but he knew they were there.

He let out a deep growl as his back arched, cracking his spine and ripping his kimono to shreds. His eyes opened wide from the pain. Pieces of red lightly fell through the air to the ground in front of him. He raised a hand, catching a few pieces of red fabric and flashes of blood soaked claws flashed before his eyes to the point he didn't know which was real. He tightly shut his eyes again, fighting against the visions.

He could then smell the strong scent of blood and at first didn't know where it was coming from. Then he realised it was from him. He moved his hand to his side, running his hand along his cut, smearing his own blood on his claws as he pulled his hand up to his nose. He breathed the blood in to his nostrils and his whole body shivered. The iron smell was so intoxicating to him. He needed more.

His mind was racing of his past slaughters. The villagers bodies came in to view. The sound of crying coming from them as they screamed in horror and begged for their lives. The feeling of his own hands ripping through human flesh so easily. The look of their blood running off of his claws down his hands and staining his arms. The adrenaline of the power he processed over those weak people pumping through his veins. It was the most addictive feeling he knew. He could feel his heartbeat slowing. His memories being a half-demon were being distorted, contorting those memories of happiness and love with his friends in to more massacres at his hands.

Sango had seen enough, it was going too far. She tugged at Kagome's sleeve, she was scared this was going passed the point of no return for Inuyasha now. "Kagome, you have to stop this, before it's too late, before he's gone," she said, motioning for her to go. "You have to destroy the mirror."

Kagome was mesmerized watching this take place in front of her. It was like she was reliving it all over again, watching him change from one form to the next almost as easy as flipping a switch inside his brain. It was surreal. She was standing there shaking, her knees so weak she didn't know if she could stay standing let alone walk over to him and fight against him to come back. "Sango," she whispered, trying her hardest to form words that made sense. "what if I can't get him back?" she exasperated, as Sango pushed her through them and towards Inuyasha.

Kagome stared at Sango for a moment, before composing herself. She had to do this, she was the only person who would be able to do it and it was her stupid idea in the first place, too. She got her footing and ran full speed towards Naraku and the mirror.

Sango and Miroku readied themselves to help her; Sango picking up her hiraikotsu and Miroku gripping the beads on his hand.

Just as Kagome got it to the mirror, Naraku jetted a long tentacle-like arm out to try and grab her but it, and half of him, was taken out as Sango whipped her boomerang at him. With two hands out in front of her Kagome grabbed hold of the mirror and without a second thought she slammed in on to the floor, breaking the mirror in a thousand shards.

Inuyasha's body had been convulsing, adjusting to the transformation, all the while with his eyes closed shut. As soon as she smashed the mirror, his body had relaxed and went limp as he stood frozen in place, almost like he was asleep standing up. Almost like he was dead. Kagome moved to Inuyasha, she grabbed hold of his arms, squeezing them as hard as she could, trying to bring him back to reality with her. "Inuyasha!" she screamed as loud of her lungs would allow her to. "Inuyasha, please! Open your eyes!" she desperately begged, her voice shaking with every word.

Tears were blurring her vision as she shook Inuyasha's violently back and forth. She let go of his arms and she pounded on his chest trying to get a reaction out of him, trying to knock him back to her but it wasn't working. And then she remembered.

Almost like before, tears streaming down her face, she reached up on to her toes and kissed him, leaning in to his body. She kept kissing him, waiting for him to kiss her back but this time was different than the last.

His body was freezing. Her hands happened to rest on his chest as she kissed him and she couldn't feel a heartbeat or even his chest heaving up and down from breathing. She pulled back, moving her hands back to his arms as she rubbed them, instinctively trying to warm him up. She looked at him and could see his sharper fangs peeking out of his lips and looking down to his side, she seen his claws were still very long. "Inuyasha," she murmured so low that only him would be able to hear her. She hoped her voice could break through to his sub-conscious, but she was starting to lose hope.

Kagome rested her forehead against his chest as she closed her eyes. She didn't know what else she could do to bring him back to her. Her mind was going through scenarios and ideas trying to remember something that could help her. She kept replaying the last time and didn't know what she did differently. She knew this was a risky plan. She never should have gambled this side of him, especially from the past experiences. They could have probably made up a better plan had she not just gone along with Naraku's plan. Guilt consumed her and almost swallowed her whole when a voice brought her back to reality.

"KAGOME!" it yelled.

At first, she had thought it was Inuyasha's voice in her mind from one of the many times he had yelled her name, but it was different. It was a female's voice. Sango's voice. As Sango's voice brought her back in to reality, Kagome's head rose and fell against Inuyasha's chest without her doing anything. He was breathing.

She could feel his hand slowly, almost playfully, tracing up from her waist along her arms and stopping around her biceps, where she has holding on to him. And then she felt pain; shearing pain. Something sharp digged in to her arms as a burning sensation washed over her arms, making them feel numb. The sudden pain made her eyes snap open. She leaned back, moving her forehead off him as she was faced Inuyasha's chest.

She could hear a small growl brewing in side him as the grip on her arms got tighter. Her eyes followed their way up his body and as they made their way to his face. The point she made eye contact with him her jaw nearly dropped. Staring back at her were two big, blood-thirsty red eyes.

A/N: Hey guys, I'm back! I just recently posted a new chapter for Getting Back On Track and now this chapter after I took a huge break from writing. I wanted to get back in to writing to finish these stories but also to fall in love with writing again because I lost it for a while. I'm planning on one more chapter for this story and then if the inspiration and drive is still there probably a sequel depending on how I decide to end this one. I have a few ideas but not a concrete one yet! Hope you guys enjoy this chapter after a long wait, I apologize! And hope you're here for the rest of this story and wherever it goes after this! Happy reading :) - Lovers