"So, the half-breed wants to play now? I just don't think it will be as enjoyable as Kagome's screams in the throes of agony…ooh, even thinking of that pert little mouth opening wide in terror excites me. Let's get this over with so I can finish what I started."

Growling low in his throat, InuYasha lunged for him, but was too slow as Naraku punched him in the gut, spraying miasma around them. InuYasha jumped back and covered his nose.

"I should have known you wouldn't fight fair, Naraku."

Chuckling, Naraku tilted his head to the side, "it doesn't matter how you do it, all that matters is winning."

Moving faster than InuYasha could see, Naraku side-swiped him and cut across his waist, infecting him with poison. InuYasha grabbed his side in pain as it bubbled. Why did he feel so weak in comparison to this bastard?!

Towering over him, Naraku did a swift knee to the gut and watched the hanyou crumble to the floor.

"While you have been a philandering pig, I have been improving myself, so the fact you thought you could beat me is laughable."

Just then, a voice came from his earpiece, "InuYasha, I'm sending your brother to you with something to help."

"It might be a little late for that."

Naraku leaned down, "who are you talking to?"

"Someone you aint."

That provoked a punch to the face, and a groan from his father, "must you always antagonize people?"

"InuYasha!"

Sesshomaru ran up the stairs and offered a sword to him, but the hanyou had to get off the floor so he could grab it. So, thinking fast, InuYasha moved his leg around to kick Naraku's legs out from under him, and leaped over to retrieve the sword.

"What is this piece of junk?"

His father growled, "it is not a piece of junk! I had this sword made for you when you were a pup, so one day when you found your mate, you would have a way to protect her. Now, use it on that son-of-a-bitch!"

Smirking, InuYasha wiped the blood from his mouth, "you don't have to tell me twice."

Watching Naraku get up, InuYasha readied his stance and watched the sword transform into a giant fang.

"Wow, alright Naraku! I'm ready to take you down once and for all!"

"You wish, half-breed!"

Naraku moved in for his attack, but InuYasha was ready and swung his sword, sending a shockwave of lightning through the house, but Naraku moved out of the way before it reached him.

For the first time that night, Naraku felt a sliver of fear climb up his spine. Running over to Kagome, he pulled her up by the hair and wrapped his arm around her waist, hand landing on her breast. If she had been awake, she would have been mortified and struggling to get free.

"Come at me half-breed! But, if you cut me then you will also cut her down."

"Naraku, leave her out of this!"

Suddenly, a creepy laugh erupted from him, "don't you get it yet? This started as a way to get vengeance, but now I just want her. I've never had such a receptive woman before. I don't think I'll ever get tired of her."

"Naraku, I'm only giving you one last chance to release her."

"Really?"

He moved his hand, massaging her breast roughly, "I don't think that's going to happen."

Glaring at the site before him, InuYasha heard a voice in his head, but it was darker and deeper than his father's.

"Drop the sword."

"Why?"

"You want to save her, don't you?!"

Looking down at the fang, he let it go and watched it fall to the ground; it felt like slow motion as it thump thumped onto the floor, and everything went black.

Naraku was confused with what was happening, but the jolt of power was like static friction in the air, alive and humming. The hanyou lifted his head and gone was the face of InuYasha, in his place was a demon! Red eyes, long fangs, and two purple stripes across his face. The demon cracked his knuckles as he readied his claws for some action, his smile dripping with malice.

"You dared to touch my mate. Now, you must die."

Naraku looked all around as the demon moved so fast that he couldn't even see him! One minute he had Kagome, and the next she was gone, taken by the demon inhabiting InuYasha's body. Glancing behind, Naraku was unprepared for the slice to his throat. Holding it, he tried to back away, but the demon ripped a couple of wood rails from the stair rail and stabbed them into his hands and the wood floor on each side of Naraku, pinning him to that spot.

Leaning down, the demon growled low and deep.

"You don't deserve a quick death, so you will slowly bleed out from your neck, choking on your own blood until you drown in it."

Naraku couldn't say anything since his vocal chords refused to work.

Kagome woke up slowly to feel something strange. InuYasha was…licking her back, and it was so painful!

"Aaaaah!"

"Be still. I must clean and heal your wounds."

It was InuYasha, she could tell, but his voice sounded so guttural and wild.

"I'm sorry, Inu. It just hurts so bad."

"I will make it hurt less."

Without warning, she felt his hand on her breast, gently rubbing.

"InuYasha! Wha-what are you doing?!"

"Making you forget about the pain."

She hated to admit it, but that is exactly what it was doing. Feeling weak, she couldn't push him away, even if she wanted to.

"What happened, and where are we?"

"I killed Naraku and took you into a room to clean and heal you. My mate shouldn't bear scars that I caused."

"InuYasha, I don't blame you for this. Naraku chose the sins he committed."

"So did I, when I messed with his wife."

They stayed silent after that as InuYasha finished healing her, but he didn't let go of her chest, instead he began kissing her back and neck, enjoying her sounds of pleasure.

Stopping, InuYasha turned over to see her face, and she gasped as the red eyes looked lovingly at her.

"Um…InuYasha?"

"It's me, well I'm a part of him. I'm the demon side of him, and he had no chance of saving you if I hadn't taken over."

"I had no idea that InuYasha had a hard time controlling his demon side."

"He doesn't. This is the first time I've showed up, because no one messes with my mate and lives."

"Your mate? InuYasha, we haven't even said if we love each other or not, so how can you call me that?"

Leaning down, demon InuYasha captured her lips and delved his tongue in, rubbing it passionately against her own. She swooned as her body went weaker. He let up, but spoke onto her lips.

"I don't care if the half-demon hasn't said it yet, you are my mate because I'm deeply in love with you."

"I'm in love with you too, my horny perverted boyfriend."

Smirking, he gave her one more kiss before walking out the door and into the hall where the sword was at.

"You better be happy I like you, hanyou, because I have half a mind to stay for good."

Leaning down, he grabbed the fang and felt his consciousness receding.

InuYasha lifted the sword and turned around, expecting to see Naraku, but the hall was empty. Sniffing Kagome out, he found her on a bed putting her shirt on. Without thinking, he rushed over and held her, kissing her forehead, cheeks, nose, and finally her lips.

It was desperate and sweet. Kagome smiled into it and sighed in contentment when he moved away.

"I love you so much, Inu."

Staring at her, he didn't know what to say or if he was ready to say it. He pulled her back into a hug and thought of the way it felt when he thought he lost her, and he was able to admit his love to his dad, so he needed to man up and tell her! Leaning down, he pressed his lips against her ear, "I love you too, Kagome."

Smiling wide, she buried her face in his chest and could have stayed that way forever, but Sesshomaru came in.

"Sorry to interrupt, but we have a lot of dead bodies out here, along with Naraku's miasma permeated the air, so can we get out of this hell hole now and save the emotions for later?"

"Sure bro, let's go home."