His face contorted into a smirk, full of gleeful malice, and Kagome reeled back, terror pooling in the pit of her stomach.
"You've proven to be quite evasive," he said, running a hand through his hair, suddenly steadier on his feet than before. "You almost had me thinking I'd never find you. Though, I suppose I have others to thank for that, too."
No.
No no no.
It wasn't real. He wasn't real. The dreams were just that—dreams. She was safe here—
He reached for her again, and she threw up a barrier in panic, Hojo hissing and waving his hand, skin smoking. "That wasn't very nice, Kagome. I worked so hard to get your attention."
She shuttered; the sound of her name on his lips had the cold hand of dread wrapping around her heart, and she took another step back.
Kagura's hands grabbed her shoulders, her confusion evident in the furrowing of her brow and the wave of her fan. "What's wrong? Is there another—"
"The webs. The spider," Kagome whispered, pointing at Hojo.
Kagura frowned, stepping in front of her. "You said he was human."
"He felt human!" And he still did. Even as he stood there, red eyes glowing, she couldn't feel anything from him.
Hojo looked down at himself, as if seeing his body for the first time, and his smirk broadened into a more sinister version of what had been an innocent smile before. "Ah, yes. I thought this form might make me seem more approachable. But I suppose now that you have graced me with your presence…" he trailed off, and the twins hit the ground with the force of his youki.
