Chapter Eighteen

Full Demon

Inuyasha had never been in his yōkai form for so long.

Normally the transformation lasted only a few minutes, but this time it had been over an hour and there were some moments when he couldn't remember what had happened.

When his demon side took over, Inuyasha was not always aware of what he was doing.

He continued to move slowly through the forest, dragging his left leg where a deep wound ran across his thigh and leaving a small trail of blood in his wake.

At that moment, if any yōkai decided to attack he would be easy prey.

There was no trace of his human shirt left and the trousers weren't much better. Scratches and cuts were all over his chest, and he had a big burn across his back.

Moon yōkai were some of the most powerful beings that inhabited the Demon Forest, so Inuyasha was proud to have killed two of them.

He knew that everything would have been very different if there was a full moon in the sky, though he couldn't help himself anytime they crossed his path.

Those yōkai were the ones who had killed his parents so his thirst for revenge would never go away. They had robbed him of the chance to grow up knowing what it was like to have a family, though at least he had Sesshomaru by his side.

A half-brother was better than being all alone as Shippo.

Inuyasha gritted his teeth and pressed his right hand against his chest as he felt that painful pinch in his heart again.

He had destroyed the chance to share his life with someone and now he would be alone forever. No demon would accept him as her mate, and no human he could meet during his dark nights would feel for him the way Kagome felt.

And he would never feel that way about anyone ever again.

As his father explained in the book, a demon could only fall in love with his mate. And only humans were interested in love; yōkai only wanted to keep each other company and sire a few children to strengthen their clan.

Inuyasha shook his head, trying not to think of her again. He hadn't considered the possibility of changing his lonely existence until he met Kagome, and now her rejection hurt too much.

Whether he wanted to or not, he had another six hundred years of solitude left... unless some demon managed to kill him first.

The massive gates of the Taisho Palace appeared before him. Inuyasha paused, sniffing the air for Shippo.

The scent of the little fox yōkai seemed to be coming from the central part of the garden. Inuyasha made his way towards the gates and slowly walked through them.

The yōkai guarding them watched him curiously but did not say anything.

Inuyasha remembered the sense of calm he had felt in his demon form as if nothing and no one mattered.

Perhaps it would be best to stop carrying his father's sword and allow his yōkai side to take over. That way he would surely stop thinking about Kagome.

But he needed to recover from his injuries first.

He reached the central garden and heard a small cry.

"Inuyasha! What happened to you?"

At the sound of Shippo's voice, his grogginess cleared a bit and the pain worsened.

Inuyasha fell to the ground on his knees, clenching his jaw hard and gasping for air. Shippo held one of his arms.

"You're bleeding so much! Who did this to you?" the demon asked, staring at Inuyasha with a worried look on his face.

"It doesn't matter. They're dead," Inuyasha snarled under his breath, hissing as he felt a sharp pain in his thigh.

Shippo looked around nervously.

"Help me get him to the hot springs!"

Inuyasha let out a low growl as three more small yōkai surrounded him.

"Keh, I'm fine. Leave me alone."

"Shut up, Inuyasha. Your wounds are getting infected," Shippo replied, shooting him a hateful glare as he lifted him off the ground with the help of the others.

Between the four of them, they carried him to the far end of the garden where there were thermal waters that the demons used to rest and heal their wounds.

Inuyasha himself had spent many hours in those waters after his training.

The demons pulled him into the hot springs, and two of them wrinkled their noses and hurried away. A cat yōkai watched Shippo nervously, glancing sideways at the place where his friends had left.

"Let me know if you need my help again," he muttered, disappearing into the flowers a second later.

Inuyasha ripped the last of his human clothing from his body, tossing it aside and sniffling as he sank shoulder-deep in the water.

It had been far too long since he had bathed in warm water, and he could already feel the effect of its magical properties working their way deep into his wounds.

"They won't be your friends for long if they see you hanging out with the likes of me," he commented, averting his gaze to the stone wall surrounding the palace and feigning disinterest.

Shippo clicked his tongue in annoyance, shedding his clothes and sitting down on a stone beside him inside the water.

"I don't understand why they look down on you for being a hybrid. You are and will always be my friend, Inuyasha."

Inuyasha opened his eyes and smiled as he watched Shippo wash his red hair carefully while his green gaze remained fixed on him.

"You're the first demon who doesn't find me disgusting."

"They think that because they don't know you. What happened? Why are you so hurt?"

Inuyasha closed his eyes again, sinking deeper into the water and letting out a long sigh.

"I fought two moon yōkai this morning."

"By yourself?" Shippo asked, raising his eyebrows in disbelief.

"Yeah."

"But you don't have your sword, Inuyasha! You could have been killed."

He threw his head back, letting his hair dampen.

"They would have done me a favour."

Shippo gasped, horrified.

"Don't say that!"

Inuyasha ignored him and didn't move even when he heard him get out of the water. Every muscle ached and his wounds stung, but he was feeling a little better now.

He was so exhausted that he almost fell asleep.

"Inuyasha."

When he opened his eyes, he saw Shippo beside him holding a white kimono in his hands.

"Here, put this on. You can rest in my room for a while if you want."

Inuyasha sat up, sneering at him.

"Thank you for offering me my own room, runt."

After dressing, he strode towards the huge palace with a very worried Shippo following in his footsteps.

"Your brother is not here," the fox commented quietly as they ascended the steps.

"I don't care."

Inuyasha walked down the halls of the building until he reached the door to his room.

He opened it and dropped softly onto the bed, stifling a groan into the pillow. His head hurt too much.

"Why are you so tired?" Shippo said, sitting down next to him.

He snorted and closed his eyes.

"Transforming into a full demon always leaves me exhausted."

He felt Shippo's small hand pat his right arm.

"Rest, Inuyasha. I'll be back in a little while to check on you."

A small growl rumbled in his chest but he didn't move.

"I don't need you to take care of me."

"I'll do it anyway," Shippo added, chuckling before leaving the room.

Inuyasha sighed, tilting his body and wincing in pain.

He had fought on instinct, without thinking, and everything had quickly spun out of control.

His demon side had killed the two yōkai and then he had also attacked two others he had encountered up ahead.

When Inuyasha regained consciousness, he was lying on the forest floor surrounded by a pool of his own blood.

He knew he was still alive by a miracle.

Inuyasha clutched the feather pillow tightly, sinking his head into it.

He still couldn't believe it had ended like this.

Just a few hours earlier he was sleeping on Kagome's sofa with her in his arms. And now he was hurt, hiding in his brother's palace and heartbroken.

But he would keep his word. Kagome would never hear from him again.

The monsters wouldn't bother her again.

Kagome opened her eyes, smiling as she saw the sun's rays streaming through her window.

She was lying on the bed, leaning against Inuyasha's chest. He stirred slightly as soon as he noticed she was awake, burying his nose in her hair.

"Hello, Kagome."

"Good morning, Inuyasha. You've stayed all night," she said, lifting her head so she could see his face.

His big grey eyes were fixed on the wardrobe but she saw him smile.

"Because you asked me to. Did you sleep well?"

"Better than ever," Kagome acknowledged softly, stretching her legs out under the covers.

Inuyasha lay on top of the duvet and kept tangling one of his fingers in the strands of her hair, giving her goosebumps.

Kagome smiled and rested her head in the crook of his neck, enjoying his body heat and the manly scent she loved so much.

Nowhere else did she feel as happy as when she was in his arms.

He continued to play with her hair and his hand slowly moved down to her neck. Kagome felt his long fingers wrap around her throat and press gently.

She frowned when they squeezed a little harder, making her cough.

"Inuyasha? What are you doing?"

She looked up at him again, very confused, and gasped when she saw that his eyes were now golden and were staring down at her.

Inuyasha gave her a mocking smile, tightening his grip on her neck and grabbing one of her arms with his other hand.

"Stupid human."

Kagome screamed and he released her, standing up as he laughed so darkly it made her hair stand on end.

His long hair was now silver-white and he was once again wearing the red suit she had seen in the forest.

"Run while you can," he hissed with contempt, clenching his fists as he ran his tongue over his fangs.

Kagome jumped up and stormed out of her room without looking back. She ran and ran until she reached the door to her house, opening it and rushing out in terror.

Suddenly she was in the middle of the Dark Forest, dodging trees and trying to keep her feet from getting tangled in their roots as she kept running as fast as she could.

She knew that, if he caught her, it would be the end.

Her heart was pounding so hard it would leap out of her chest. The darkness was getting deeper and deeper and with each step she found it harder to move forward through the undergrowth.

She could hear Inuyasha's laughter getting closer and closer. He was going to catch her.

Kagome could no longer see anything. Something hit her leg and she lost her balance, stifling a groan of pain as she fell to the ground.

She sat up as best she could, propping herself up on her elbows. Her pyjama trousers were ripped and there were four bleeding cuts on her left leg that went all the way down to her ankle.

She glanced up and saw Inuyasha stop in front of her, licking the blood that covered one of his claws.

Kagome blanched. It was her blood.

His lips curved into an evil grin as his eyes turned red and his fangs lengthened.

"Good riddance, human," he growled, lunging at her.

Kagome jerked awake, sitting up on the mattress with a hand on her chest and her eyes wide.

It was the third night she'd had horrible nightmares about the forest and the yōkai, but this was the first time Inuyasha had been a part of them.

She swept her eyes around her room, trying to calm herself.

The day was beginning to break and everything was still dark, but no one was there. She was alone.

Kagome took a deep breath.

'It was just a dream.'

She lifted her hands slightly and saw that they were still shaking.

'What if you're wrong? What if it's another premonitory dream?'

Kagome shook her head, rubbing her face with her hands as a shaky sigh escaped her throat.

He wasn't coming back. And, if he dared to, she could confront him with her powers.

She had no idea how to use them, though she knew they activated when she was in danger.

It had happened once before, the day she entered the forest. She didn't understand it at the time, but her hand had glowed and burned the yōkai, forcing him away from her.

And that demon was Inuyasha. Kagome shuddered as she remembered the pain she felt when he sank his fangs into her skin.

Though he had promised not to return, she didn't trust his word.

At least he seemed to be the only yōkai who was capable of leaving the forest. If those monsters could get into the city, there would be more people who had seen them and the government would have trouble controlling them. Chaos would ensue.

And, besides, Kagome suspected that all the humans in the city would be dead.

The demons were much stronger and more powerful, and the proof of that was that the people who had wandered into their territory hadn't come out alive.

Except for her and Sara.

Kagome snorted softly at the thought of her friend. She and Sango had called her a couple of times, but she didn't feel strong enough to have a conversation.

She didn't want to lie to them and she still wasn't ready to admit that Inuyasha was the yōkai who had tried to kill her.

Kagome felt a sharp pain in her chest every time she thought of him. Tears welled up in her eyes as she climbed out of her bed, and she blinked several times to keep from crying.

How could he have tricked her like that? That demon had made her fall in love for the first time and she couldn't feel more betrayed.

But there was one thing she kept asking herself all the time.

Why had Inuyasha been so insistent on taking her to the forest in the first place? Had he only approached her because he wanted to kill her?

Questions she would never know the answer to, and it was probably just for the best.

She couldn't bear for her heart to break anymore.

Kagome left her room, locking herself in the bathroom to draw herself a hot bath.

She could still feel the adrenaline coursing through her veins. She needed to relax and stop thinking about the demons that tortured her every night in her dreams.

What she really needed was to stop thinking about Inuyasha, though it wasn't going to be easy.

"Kagome?"

She opened her eyes when she heard three small knocks on her door.

"Who is it?"

The door opened slowly and her two best friends entered the room, watching her with serious looks on their faces. Kagome sighed, dropping her head back onto her pillow.

"What are you two doing here?"

"Coming to see you, of course. What's wrong with you and why aren't you answering your phone? Even your mother is worried," Sango said, sitting on the edge of the mattress and narrowing her brown eyes at her.

Sara took a seat next to her, placing a hand on her shoulder.

"Slow down, Sango. Can't you see her face? She's really sad," she commented in a whisper, resting her other hand on Kagome's legs and squeezing affectionately.

She looked away, feeling her eyes burning again.

"If you want to talk about it, we're here to listen," Sara added softly.

Kagome sighed, wiping away her tears with the back of her hand.

"Okay. I think... I think it might be a good idea to talk to someone about this. But I'm warning you, you're not going to like it."

"I thought so," Sango replied in a deep voice.

A few hours later, Sara got off at the last bus stop and walked to the edge of town.

She was still reeling from what Kagome had told them. Inuyasha, the guy who made her feel so special, was the demon who had attacked her.

But there was something that didn't fit.

Based on Kagome's description and what she had seen while she was half unconscious, Sara was certain that he was the one who had pulled her out of the forest.

If he was a murderous beast... why had he saved her?

It didn't make sense.

For weeks now she couldn't stop thinking about the other yōkai, the one who had protected her by killing the three demons that had cornered her when she had wandered into those dark trees.

What if they weren't all evil?

Sara let herself be guided by the strange feeling that had been pulling her into the forest since she was a little girl, walking along the fence until she reached the industrial park.

It was so late that it was completely deserted.

Ignoring the shiver that ran down her spine, Sara stopped by the huge metal fence.

The thing that called out to her was there, right behind it. She could feel it.

"Hello?"

Sara stepped closer, digging her fingers through the diamond-shaped metal holes to grab hold of it.

There didn't seem to be anyone among the ancient trees. Everything was completely silent.

"I know you're there. I can feel your aura," she added, trying to keep her voice from trembling.

Sara nibbled on her lower lip nervously, waiting patiently with her eyes fixed on the spot where she felt the presence.

After a few minutes, she heard the sound of footsteps crushing the leaves.

She held her breath as the creature stepped out from behind one of the trunks, as imposing as she remembered.

Although he was in the shadows, Sara could recognise the same ornate white kimono she had seen that day. His long silver hair fell over his shoulders and down to his knees, and a furry stole draped over his shoulders.

"What do you want?"

Sara gasped. That deep voice could never belong to a human.

"You... you saved me."

The yōkai's golden eyes narrowed. When she saw that he wasn't going to reply, Sara spoke again.

"I just wanted to know your name."

The demon took two steps forward until he was only a few metres away. Sara scanned his face with her gaze, pausing at the crescent moon on his forehead and the marks on his cheeks.

How could an evil creature be so beautiful?

Sara felt her face flush at her own thoughts.

"My name is Lord Sesshomaru."

She couldn't help but smile when she heard his name.

' Perfect assassin.'

"I'm Sara."

Sesshomaru took a step back, hiding in the shadows again.

"Don't come back here, human."