And yet another Sunday, you know what that means . . . update time! As always, thank you so much to those of you who continue reading and extra special to those who took the time to review. I had some very interesting reviews, some of you had great ideas as to how things are going to end (many of them I wish I had thought of). I love it that there are people out there interested enough to contemplate what's going to happen next. Also, someone asked how I come up with the names. I'd like to say I put a lot of thought and research into it, but truthfully, I make them up. I kind of go with what sounds good to me. I hope they don't inadvertently mean something bad in another language :-)

Disclaimer's are as before. There's more violence in this chapter, as many of you probably expected and (depending upon who that violence is directed at) were hoping for.

I sincerely hope this chapter is entertaining . . . now on with chapter 28 . . .

As soon as Sesshomaru passed through the barrier, his Youkai was flooded with the scent of Inuyasha's blood - the feel of his intended mates pain assaulting his baser senses. It was all he could do to keep his steps smooth and even. Never in his life had maintaining his exterior mask of coolness been as difficult as it was now. Inuyasha was hurting . . . again. He had failed to protect the one he'd claimed, the one whom meant more than his very own life, the one who should never suffer another harsh word nor wound again.

Following his little brother's scent, Sesshomaru wound through the dark halls, the all-encompassing blackness of the space difficult for even his pure Youkai eyes to see through. But there was a light ahead, a low glow in the echoing silence of this formidable space. Each step he took brought him closer and closer to his Hanyou, and with each footfall, Sesshomaru was equally aware that he was bringing himself nearer to the expected trap Kaplow had laid. But that was of little consequence. Whatever the fool had devised, Sesshomaru would not be defeated. Never in his life had he had something this important to protect. Failure was not an option.

Inching ever forwards, Inuyasha's hanging form came into view and again, the Lord of the West pushed his aching Youkai into the pits of his belly, knowing it was not yet time to let loose the beast within. Now within a few precious feet of his life's blood, Sesshomaru stopped as he stared at the glistening blade hovering at the Hanyou's neck.

"That is far enough, Lord of all the Asian Lands," Tullic stated, his false eyes cold with resolve.

Taking a tentative sniff, Sesshomaru weeded out the InuHanyou blood threatening his sanity, focusing in on the scorpion holding the knife at his Hanyou's jugular. He easily recognized the scent and Youkai as Tullics, but if Kaplow's abilities where what he thought them to be, that meant little.

Eyes traveling up and down the gagged form of his Hanyou, Sesshomaru's anger only grew. It was obvious Inuyasha had been made to suffer. Why had he not called for him? A call of need from his prospective mate and kin would have easily penetrated any barrier. Vision never straying from Inuyasha, Sesshomaru's voice was a cold weight. "What are your intentions, Tullic?"

This seemed to surprise the scorpion, making Sesshomaru even more suspicious. "Intentions? Are they not clear? I am going to kill the half-breed abomination you've claimed as your mate."

Ever calm, Sesshomaru countered, "If this were your only intention, you would have done so by now. This Sesshomaru finds it difficult to believe you stayed your hand only so that I would be present to witness such an event."

Smile twitching his lips, the false Tullic grinned. "Oh, I wouldn't say that's our only goal."

Our? Sesshomaru studied the scorpion Youkai holding the knife at his Hanyou's throat, all the while, Inuyasha's amber eyes appeared tired, but furious. He was frantically rubbing his wrists within his restraints, fresh blood dripping in an endless pool off his dangling toes. Narrowing his eyes, Sesshomaru had the distinct impression his little brother was up to something - that there was some form of intent behind his actions, but for the life of him, he could not figure out what. Recognizing the restraints material, he knew that physical strength could not overcome such bonds, only something as potent as the acidic poison running through his very own veins . . . discreetly sniffing the air, Sesshomaru sifted through the most intense of flavors, finally coming upon the very faint smell of his own poison as it mixed with the Hanyou's blood. Was this Inuyasha's intent? Had he been intentionally hurting himself all this time in the hopes that there was enough of his elder brother's poison left within his blood to sufficiently weaken his restraints?

Inwardly smiling, Sesshomaru wasn't sure if it would be enough, but he admired his little brother for the effort. Why he had ever considered the Hanyou dull of mind, he had no idea. Pulling his attention from Inuyasha, Sesshomaru looked back at the Youkai whom seemed to be Tullic. "It matters not what your intentions are, only that you have taken what is rightfully mine and will suffer the consequences of such a foolish action."

No more had those words passed his lips than the DaiYoukai felt a presence behind him quickly followed by his own complete immobilization. In an instant, fox magic flared around his body, binding his Youkai and body to the space where he stood. Frozen, the lights around him flared to life, revealing a large, seemingly empty warehouse. On the floor, glowing lines crisscrossed here and there, trapping him within a powerful circle of binding magic. Immediately, Sesshomaru's own power began pressing against it, breaking down each tendril of magic threatening his life.

"Foolish InuDaiYoukai," cackled a voice behind him, a voice that was most assuredly Kaplow's. Unable to move his mouth to speak, nor turn his body to see, Sesshomaru was trapped as he listened to the happy Youkai gloat, all the while, his own Youkai continued working at the spell. He may not be a fox, but Sesshomaru was power incarnate. And no matter what form power took, given enough time and skill, the stronger would always defeat the weaker.

"Was it worth it?" the voice behind him asked. "Worth losing your life to a half-breed that should never have been born? Bless the gods, how the mighty have fallen. Are all DaiYoukai of the Inu clan destined to repeat the same error? Are you all fated to die due to your desire for human filth?"

Sesshomaru reigned in his anger, forcing his Youkai to focus on the task at hand by promising it that soon enough, they would have their opportunity to silence Kaplow's disrespectful mouth once and for all. Eyes trapped and focused forwards, Sesshomaru could see the rising desperation of his little brother as he furiously worked his wrists against his restraints, both Kaplow and Tullic seemingly oblivious to the Hanyou's intentions. Indeed, little had changed during the fox's time of being bound to his cave. Kaplow was still arrogant. No doubt the fox was powerful, but he overestimated his own abilities and just like so many other Youkai and humans the Lord of all Asia had defeated in the past, this, more than anything, would contribute to his failure.

Hearing a sigh behind him, Sesshomaru was almost done incapacitating the last of the tendrils holding his body and Youkai hostage. "It would be more entertaining to hear you beg for your half-breeds life, but I'm afraid I can't take that risk. Allowing you even the slightest of movements would be poor judgment on my part. No matter how much I may hate you, even I must admit you are far too dangerous to allow even a modicum of leeway."

But within moments, Sesshomaru would have his leeway. Already, he had one arm and hand free of the restraints, but cautiously kept this appendage as immobile as the rest of his body. Before him, he could see the cuffs around Inuyasha's wrists beginning to give way. If his little brother were not so debilitated by his recent torture, no doubt the Hanyou would already be free.

"Tullic," Kaplow stated, earning the attention of the Youkai, Heli disguised as Tullic. "Do not move your hand from his throat." Moving closer, Kaplow was but a few inches from the DaiYoukai. Closing his eyes, the fox felt a sense of awe at the true power pulsing before him. Never in his life had he tasted such raw power. Shaking slightly, Kaplow had to wonder how much of his true Youkai Sesshomaru masked on any given day. From what he was getting right now, he was amazed anyone would be able to suppress such raw energy.

Holding his hands out before him, Kaplow knew he would have to be careful - very careful. Although he was powerful in his own right, what lay before him was more than his body could handle. He would need to be methodical so as not to overload himself.

Seeing how close Kaplow's hands were to his brother, Inuyasha's struggles increased. He would not allow that creep to lay a single claw upon his brother. Gritting his teeth in pain, Inuyasha pulled at his restraints, pushing the weakened metal to its limit and ripping his skin anew. And just when he thought he could do no more, the sound of breaking metal hit his ears as his body fell to the floor below.

Rolling to the side, Inuyasha got his body out of immediate harms way. Wrists hemorrhaging all over the floor and arms feeling like leaden weights, he somehow managed to reach up and remove the gag from his mouth. "D-don't you f-fuckin' touch him!" Staring up into Sesshomaru's eyes, Inuyasha pleaded, "Don't let him touch you."

Sesshomaru's pride at his intended mate's strength was overshadowed by Inuyasha's obvious fear regarding Kaplow's close proximity to himself. But more importantly, the Youkai disguised as Tullic had already recovered from his shock and was moving in on his Hanyou. Without further thought, the single arm Sesshomaru had managed to get free of Kaplow's magic swung forwards, his energy whip zipping through the air as it cleanly severed the hand holding that vicious looking blade.

Amber eyes wide, Inuyasha looked up as a scream tore through the air. Focusing in, he saw the scorpion Youkai's hand and wrist land with a fluid filled thud, the blade skittering across the floor. Smiling, Inuyasha turned his attention back towards his brother only to have his heart freeze within his chest. When he'd first seen Sesshomaru's whip, he'd assumed the DaiYoukai had somehow managed to free himself from Kaplow's spell, but it now appeared as if that was only partly true. Staring at his brother now, it was clear to see that that one arm was all he'd managed to free.

With his whip flying about him, Sesshomaru had not only managed to keep the scorpion Youkai from harming Inuyasha, but Kaplow had wisely jumped back to a safe distance. But with the rest of his body still trapped, his attacks were haphazard and wild. With the continued need to keep Kaplow from his body, Sesshomaru could not concentrate his energy on freeing the rest of himself from the fox's trap.

Panting with recovery, Inuyasha stared, eyes wide in horror at what he saw before him. Within Kaplow's circle, Sesshomaru stood, his whip dancing wildly around him while Kaplow stood off in the distance – preparing. Soon the low green light dancing within Kaplow's hands began growing into a massive ball of energy.

Eyes frantic, Inuyasha didn't know what to do. The knowledge he had of fox magic basically came down to the paltry tricks he'd seen Shippo do as a kit along with what he'd recently learned while Shippo had been spelling his ring. At that time, the fox had both inscribed the metal and then spoken in some language he didn't understand to activate it. And then there'd been the small matter of his blood to seal the object to him individually . . . quickly looking down, Inuyasha saw the lines inscribed upon the floor and although he didn't understand them, he decided to try and fuck them up. Wrists still dripping with his own blood, Inuyasha pushed himself forwards, smearing the lines with his life's essence.

When he'd first seen Sesshomaru move, Kaplow had been both furious and terrified. Jumping out of immediate danger, he'd stood back to reassess the situation, but it soon became apparent that the InuDaiYoukai had only managed to free a single arm. Knowing he had to strike quickly, Kaplow stood back and out of reach of the Lord of all Asia's powerful whip, far enough that he could concentrate his energy into an attack that would incapacitate Sesshomaru long enough for him to get close enough to absorb the Inu's essence into his body. Mind to the task at hand, the fox never saw Inuyasha's movements.

Relieved that Inuyasha was out of immediate danger, Sesshomaru stared at his intended mate while blindly moving his energy whip around his body. Eyeing Inuyasha as he was, Sesshomaru witnessed the Hanyou's face shifting between relief and terror as he saw what the DaiYoukai could not, leaving him to believe that Kaplow was readying some form of attack Inuyasha deemed extremely dangerous. Unfortunately, there was little he could do.

Soon, Sesshomaru saw a new light of determination in Inuyasha's eyes and watched as the Hanyou pushed himself closer to the magic circle enveloping him. Angered, he wanted to scream at him to stop. If Inuyasha got too close, he'd be just as trapped as him. But, as soon as the Hanyou's bloodied wrists hit the edge of the circle, two things happened. One, Inuyasha screamed as a bolt of pure, magical energy swept through his body. And two, Sesshomaru was completely freed.

Instinct taking over, Sesshomaru dove forwards, covering Inuyasha's body with his own as something powerful exploded behind him, exactly where his body had been bound. Grabbing his little brother within his arms, Sesshomaru rolled them both as he quickly assessed his Hanyou's injuries.

"Inuyasha," Sesshomaru whispered into a lax puppy ear. "Hanyou, you will answer this Sesshomaru!"

Blinking to awareness, Inuyasha felt as if he'd just been hit by lightning, which, given the nature of Kaplow's magic was most likely a fair assessment. But despite this, there was another feeling, the overwhelming peace of knowing he was held within the powerful arms of his older brother. Sesshomaru had come for him. As much as he'd wished to keep the DaiYoukai safe, the warmth easing through his chest at the idea the bastard had actually come to protect him healed something deep within Inuyasha's soul.

"Sessh . . . " taking as deep of a breath as his lungs would allow, Inuyasha relished in scent of all that was the mighty Lord of the West.

With his Youkai slowly coming off panic mode, Sesshomaru allowed the knowledge that Inuyasha might be injured, but was still whole and alive, settle into his being. And with that knowledge, a cold calm took the place of fear. Kaplow would die, painfully for this. "Little brother, are you well enough to stand?"

"-Keh, that's a stupid question, of course I can," Inuyasha answered, completely unaware if it was true of not.

"Unfortunately, we are not safe yet," Sesshomaru growled. Although only seconds had passed, it was more than enough time for Kaplow to regroup.

"Then get the fuck off me so we can take that psycho down."

Smiling, Sesshomaru's teeth nipped at a fuzzy ear before standing, pulling his brother with him and setting Inuyasha's feet upon the ground. Neither commented on how much Inuyasha leaned upon his body for support.

With Inuyasha at his back, Sesshomaru's golden eyes quickly took in the scene. Before them, with a stupefied look slowly leaving his face, stood Kaplow. To their side, the Youkai disguised as Tullic clutched at his bloody stub, his face full of both anger and pain. Without a thought, Sesshomaru took aim and let his energy whip loose again, easily decapitating the foul Youkai who'd dare threaten his Hanyou's life.

Swallowing hard, Inuyasha stared at Heli's lifeless corpse. He'd been on the end of that whip multiple times and had always managed to dodge the most life threatening attacks. It was humbling seeing what could have happened had he been but a fraction of a second slower. With a whispered, "Shit," Inuyasha's attention was turned back to the main attraction and Kaplow's livid face.

"It appears as if you are running out of allies," Sesshomaru taunted.

Expression morphing from pissed, to thoughtful, to shear glee, Kaplow looked like the lunatic he was. "Do you think so? Looks to me like you've just killed their precious leader, Lord Tullic. If anything, you've just made my task easier."

Suddenly Inuyasha felt the pressure of multiple Youkai pushing against his own. The scents and sounds surrounding them proving they were not so alone as they'd once thought. Eyes wide, he scanned the vast, not so empty space around them and was dismayed to find the floor crawling with spider, centipede, and scorpion Youkai. And, not only that but there were a few other lone species thrown in here and there just for good measure. "Fuckin' hell."

Mask as stoic as always, Sesshomaru surveyed the scene. He had not felt nor smelled these other Youkai, but given Kaplow's abilities, that was not surprising. If Inuyasha were not so debilitated, these cretins would be nothing. Unfortunately, that was not the case. "Hanyou, you will stay behind me."

Offended, Inuyasha would be damned if he'd let Sesshomaru take on all the risk. "Like hell! I ain't so weak as to need your jackass self to protect me."

"Inuyasha," Sesshomaru growled low, only to be cut off by what could be described as a bubble of pressure suddenly popping, quickly replaced by a new, slightly different one.

"What the fuck was that?" Inuyasha asked, eyes wide as new scents invaded his nose. Whipping his head to the side, his face lit up at the snarky grin alighting not one wolf face, but three. And it wasn't just Kouga and his wolves, but Kadira and that little kappa, Jaken as well.

Tail swishing merrily behind him, Kouga cracked his knuckles. "Hey mutt, did ya miss me?"

"Naw, actually, it was kind like a minivacation away from your fleabitten ass."

Laughing merrily behind his father, Jallial slapped Kouga on the back. "I like him. Don't suppose we could keep him?"

"Idiot," Maliona replied. "Only if you wanna end up like that one," she said while pointing to what was left of Heli.

Glancing between the two, Inuyasha quickly figured out these weren't just any wolves, but most likely Kouga's own pups. Shaking his head, he had to wonder how on earth Ayame had stayed sane.

Ignoring his pup's antics, Kouga quickly became serious as he analyzed the situation. There were an awful lot of Youkai gunning for their collective asses and although he was more than ready for the fight, they'd have to be careful if they were all gonna make it out of that building in one piece. "Looks like you could use a hand, eh Sesshomaru?"

Sneering, Sesshomaru might not like the Wolf King's demeanor, but he was pleased they'd finally arrived. Given this, plus the shift in pressure he'd just felt, it was obvious Shippo had been successful and was now in control of the barrier surrounding the warehouse. And, if that was the case, then he no longer had to hold back.

Rage filling him, Kaplow stared at the newcomers and had to wonder how things had gone this badly. The barrier he'd placed should have only allowed Sesshomaru entry. A few moments ago, he'd felt his own magic breached and soon after another settling over them. That could only mean one thing, that another powerful fox Youkai had dismantled his work and replaced it with their own. Reaching out his senses, Kaplow touched the edge of the barrier, his frown only deepening as he recognized the magical signature. "Shippo."

Hearing that name, Inuyasha's head snapped up. "What's the runt got to do with anything?"

"Shippo removed the barrier Kaplow had around this structure and replaced it with one of his own," Kouga answered. "Took the little fluffball long enough, but he did it and from the looks of it, just in time."

Inuyasha felt a flush of pride run through him. Shippo was both powerful and capable. He'd grown up well and he could only hope he was a tiny reason why. Giving a silent, way to go runt, in his head, Inuyasha pushed slightly away from his brother as he found just a little more strength.

"Do you truly think this changes anything?" Kaplow taunted before closing his eyes in thought. Not long after, the number of Youkai standing within the room seemed to not only double, but possibly triple. Opening his blazing green eyes, the fox looked smug, but there were small trails of sweat glistening down his face.

Eyes narrowed, Sesshomaru knew the latest additions were no more than a complex Delusion, but it was impossible to tell the real thing from the fakes. "Kouga."

"Yeah, I know. Don't worry, we got this, you kill that fuckin' fox."

As if on cue, all hell broke loose.

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Although they'd started out in a fighting circle, soon the wolves were scattered throughout the building, each engaging in their own battles as frustration began taking a heavy toll. Youkai after Youkai attacked, and yet only one in two or three were the real thing. Not being able to tell who was a true threat and who wasn't, they found themselves wasting energy and concentration on needless opponents, thus affording their true threats opportunities to inflict damage. Growling low, Kouga witnessed his son taking a hit deep to the ribs and knew some had to have been broken.

Watching closely, Kadira tried making sense of the madness ensuing around her. Jaken was doing his duty and shooting off waves of fire from the Staff of Two Heads, but they were having the same problem as the wolves. With Jaken taking care of the business of keeping her safe, the miko grabbed her crossbow and settled an arrow into place. With so many Youkai, it was difficult to get an individual read, but if she concentrated enough, there was something out of place . . . a haziness to some of their individual auras . . . releasing purifying energy into an arrow, the miko aimed and let fly. Immediately, the Youkai it hit fell to the floor, writhing in agony before disintegrating into the air. Satisfied, she drew another arrow and this time aimed it towards one of the Youkai whose aura appeared different. As soon as the arrow hit, the Youkai shimmered and was gone, yet her arrow continued through where the beast had been, landing with a thud upon the concrete floor.

So, that is it, Kadira thought as she knelt down, placing a hand on Jaken's shoulder. "Jaken, aim your fire where I tell you."

Although he was loathe to admit it, Jaken did respect the old miko at his back. She did not disrespect his Lord the way so many other humans and Youkai did and thus he'd long ago deemed her worthy to stand at Lord Sesshomaru's side. With a single nod of his head, Jaken's beak clamped down in concentration as his bulbous eyes focused on where Kadira pointed, only to be dismayed when his fire went through each and every one of their quarry. Although the Youkai disappeared, he was obviously expending precious energy on the wrong targets. "Lady Kadira, we are aiming at the wrong thing."

"Precisely." Pushing her arthritic legs up, Kadira yelled for the closest wolf. "Maliona!"

Claws slicing through the neck of her latest attacker, Maliona turned towards the miko only to see Kadira wave her over. Fighting tooth and claw, she finally managed to make it to the miko and kappa. "Are you in trouble?"

"No, but I think I can help aim your attacks to where they are needed."

Smiling, Maliona wiped the blood from her fur. "Then get to it, miko."

Bending back down to Jaken's level, Kadira stated, "Jaken will fire and dispel Kaplow's Delusions, those left behind will be the real opponents. Jaken, we must clear as many as possible to help Lord Kouga and his son, Jallial as well."

"Just tell me where to aim."

"Very good." With a hand on Jaken's arm, the miko guided him to those she suspected to be Delusions, and soon enough, the field began to whittle away, leaving only the true threat behind. Quick to act, Maliona wasted no time and jumped into the fray of those they now knew to be real Youkai. Catching on quickly to his sister's antics, Jallial moved in and between the two of them, they were finally making some serious headway.

Relieved that his pups were kicking ass as well as protecting each other from further harm, Kouga sped through the room, using his powerful legs to maim any and all whom came in his way.

With Kadira lighting the way, the false Youkai vanished into the nothing they were created from leaving the Lord of all Asia to deal with Kaplow.

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Calm and cold, Sesshomaru let loose another one of Bakusaiga's strikes but the old fox was tricky and constantly made perfect Delusion's of himself, leaving Sesshomaru to wonder who was the real Kaplow and who wasn't. Time and time again, he had no choice but to attack the one whom seemed the largest threat, and time and time again, it was but another false fox.

Growing tired of the game, the DaiYoukai looked behind him, checking on Inuyasha. Unfortunately, his little brother had had to fight off his share of Kaplow's minions. So far, the Hanyou was holding his own, but the strain was telling. There was a slight tremble to Inuyasha's limbs and he was having to rely more and more upon his Blades of Blood to keep the attackers at bay. Assuming it wasn't a Delusion, Sesshomaru could see Tessaiga resting along a far wall, but he could not reach it. Although he doubted his brother had the strength to transform the blade, at the very least, the sheath would help protect him. Eye catching movement to his side, Sesshomaru was forced to remove his attention from his Hanyou once more as yet another version of Kaplow came at him, this one dissolving just like the rest as soon as Bakusaiga's strike hit him.

Hands on his knees, Inuyasha felt his heart thudding within his chest. He knew his situation wasn't good, but he'd be damned if he'd simply lie down and quit. Sesshomaru needed to be able to focus on that damn fox, not worry about his sorry Hanyou ass. Seeing another spider creeping into the edge of his vision, Inuyasha dipped his claws into his torn shoulder once more, letting his Blades of Blood fly, striking the spider Youkai in its abdomen and sending it flying across the room. To be sure, it was far from dead, but it'd take some time to regenerate enough to be a threat soon.

Panting, the Hanyou fell to one knee, unknowingly making crazed green eyes blaze in triumph.

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He'd stayed, hidden within the rafters of the enormous building. Hidden and waiting for just the right opportunity to strike. Knowing Sesshomaru could do nothing but keep attacking the versions of himself he sent, Kaplow patiently waited for the half-breed to tire enough.

Snarling with rage, Kaplow's eight tails whipped behind him as he waited for his moment. The half-breed abomination would pay and pay dearly for ruining his plans. First, Inuyasha had refused to call to his brother, and then, the Hanyou had refused to die like he was supposed to. And, not only had he escaped, but he'd somehow managed to free Sesshomaru completely from his well laid spell.

Irritated, Kaplow stared towards the ceiling and the invisible barrier holding him captive within his own hideout. Between the current Delusions he was trying to maintain, along with the attacks he'd already mounted, he did not have the necessary juice to break through the barrier Shippo had erected around the warehouse. Trapped and with no other options, Kaplow was more determined than ever to succeed. Shippo was another point of anger Kaplow willingly laid at the Hanyou's feet. That little fox had always been naively loyal, betraying his own kind to aid the Inu's of the West.

Damn that Inuyasha. Eyes narrowed in unparalleled hate, Kaplow stared down as the Hanyou kept yet another attacker at bay. Shaking his head of the notion that the Hanyou would find some way to escape, Kaplow thought, No, the half-breed would pay! He would kill the mongrel in front of Sesshomaru, just as he'd planned and in his grief and rage, the Lord of all Asia would be vulnerable. It was Kaplow's only chance at victory and he was damned well going to take it. Years upon years of being bound to that rocky cave wall with only his foolish father, Isan as occasional company. Years of wasted life. Years of frustration, all coming down to today. Things had not gone according to plan, but that only meant the plan needed to be amended, not abandoned.

And there, that was what he needed to see. Smile curving the edge of a lip, Kaplow watched as the half-breed went down upon a single knee. He'd finally reached his limit, which was good, because the fox found his own powers wearing thinner and thinner. Soon, there would be precious little he could do either mentally or physically. With a final effort, Kaplow pulled together his dwindling energy and in a single burst, created multiple versions of himself to attack and distract the InuDaiYoukai while the real thing leapt from his hiding place, landing before his weary prey.

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Panting, Inuyasha struggled to stay upright. All his body wanted to do was curl into a ball and sleep for another five hundred years. Behind him, he heard Sesshomaru utter a low growl before charging into a group of Kaplow's, both of them praying that at least one of them was the real deal as his brother was drawn further and further away from his position.

Flipping an ear back, Inuyasha caught an odd sound and had a fraction of a moment to dodge as a hand glowing with green fire shot towards his chest. Although he'd missed the full strength of the blow, it had managed to catch his side and the Hanyou found his body nearly unresponsive as electric pain shot through his system.

Biting his lip to avoid screaming his pain, Inuyasha's eyes traveled upwards and towards his assailant, only to go wide in surprise and fear. Kaplow. The real Kaplow was standing before him, a look of pure glee lighting his green eyes as he stated, "Hello, half-breed."

Everything in his mind screamed for his body to move, but Inuyasha's body had been pushed beyond what it could do. With his muscles still trying to recover from the jolt of electric fire they'd taken just moments ago, the damned things could do nothing but sit there and twitch their uselessness. He was going to die, something his tormentor knew well.

"Nothing to say? No final words?"

Clenching his jaw, Inuyasha did manage a, "Fuck you, asshole."

"Not today," Kaplow jeered as he pulled his arm back, his claws alight in emerald fire as he took aim at the helpless Hanyou's heart.

Inside, Inuyasha's Youkai screamed, but it was of little use. Amber eyes clamped tight with regret, his thoughts went to his brother and inside his head, Inuyasha screamed, "Sesshomaru!"

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Attention focused on the shifting forms of the Youkai fox before him, Sesshomaru was just finishing up with the last of them, all the while pissed that yet again, Kaplow was too unworthy to attack himself, when he heard it. In an instant, the DaiYoukai's head exploded with pain, his name reverberating through every nook and cranny of his mind . . . "Sesshomaru!"

Without thought, the Lord of the West finally gave his body and mind over to his Youkai. All throughout the warehouse, Sesshomaru's Youkai flared as it bounced off the barrier set in place by Shippo.

Nothing more than a shot of energy, Sesshomaru's dog form rematerialized over Inuyasha's debilitated form, his fangs dripping poisonous acid while his crimson eyes narrowed down on the bane of their collective existence – Kaplow.

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Eyes pressed tightly together, Inuyasha lay upon the cold concrete, waiting for the blow that never came. As the seconds passed, he began to wonder just what was going on, why the room had become so deathly silent, only the sound of his own heartbeat could be heard within his head.

Taking a deep breath, Inuyasha felt the intoxicating scent of his brother as it rushed into his system. And along with that smell, came the deep growl of something so much larger than Sesshomaru's humanoid form. Slowly opening his amber orbs, the Hanyou's vision was clouded in pristine white fur, four paws surrounding and protecting his helpless body as a snarling dog took aim at its target.

Responding in kind, Kaplow let what was left of his Youkai loose, transforming into his true form, a huge fox with burning red eyes. Each of his eight tails armed with razor sharp blades swinging like mad in their effort to spear the ferocious dog before him.

All around the young Hanyou, Kaplow's sharp tails slammed into the floor as they continued their quest for Inu blood, but Sesshomaru was infinitely quicker and easily dodged the flying tails while keeping them away from his little brother's body. Soon enough, a loud wail erupted through the cavernous building, the sound echoing repeatedly as it reverberated off the rafters. Finally able to at least raise his head, Inuyasha saw the back of his brother's body, but when the large dog turned, blood rained down on the cement, creating puddles of Kaplow's crimson fluid, his body nearly cut in half as it was crushed within Sesshomaru's massive jaws.

With poisonous acid washing into what was left of the fox, Kaplow's body began disintegrating, leaving an acrid smell lacing the air. Disgusted with the thing within his mouth, Sesshomaru dropped Kaplow's remains with disdain, letting them slop upon the floor to join the blood pooling there.

With the fox dead, what remained of Kaplow's Delusions faded from existence, leaving only a few lingering traitorous Youkai for the wolves to clean up.

Nudging the carcass littering the floor with his nose, Sesshomaru's dog form gave a final snarl before turning to his intended mate; the Hanyou still lying far too still upon the floor, Inuyasha's breath coming in short pants of barely controlled fatigue and pain. Licking the remaining blood from his lips and muzzle, the DaiYoukai lumbered over to Inuyasha's resting place, gently sniffing him for further injury.

Feeling Sesshomaru's cool, wet muzzle against his skin along with the calming scent of his elder brother, Inuyasha let loose a rare whine, a noise he hadn't willingly made since he'd been an abandoned pup. Sesshomaru was here and Kaplow was dead. Gods above, it was over and for the first time in his life, Inuyasha knew he did not have to crawl off somewhere to hide in the hopes that he could recover alone, and in peace. No, this time, there was someone there. Loathe as he was to admit it, the thought that he did not have to try and pull his broken body into some dank, dark cave, was more than a relief.

Hearing his little brother's whine, Sesshomaru gave a deep, resonating growl of protection. Sniffing and licking, he made his way down the Hanyou's body, all the while reassuring himself that although Inuyasha was damaged, he was indeed alive and whole. Once his Youkai had been completely satisfied of this fact, Sesshomaru's body shimmered as he shrunk down into his elegant humanoid form. With deadly clawed fingers, he grazed the backs of his knuckles over a deep bruise upon his Hanyou's face. "Inuyasha?"

Smile quirking his lips, Inuyasha nuzzled his cheek closer to his brother's hand. "-Keh, d-don't look so w-worried. Nothin' but flesh wounds."

Knowing that was far from true, Sesshomaru nevertheless found his lips tipping up into a slight smile. This was why his Hanyou was so very precious. "You will let this Sesshomaru be the judge of your injuries, Hanyou." Studying his little brother's still slightly twitching muscles, Sesshomaru frowned. "When we get home, there will be a lengthy discussion as to this habit you have of throwing yourself at the mercy of your enemies."

Swallowing hard, Inuyasha felt his saliva as it ached down his parched throat. He knew that tone of voice and could only imagine he was in for a whole new world of pain, just as soon as he got over this one. And speaking of said pain . . . grimacing, Inuyasha clenched his jaw as Sesshomaru picked him up, cradling his abused body within his arms as mokomoko came up to nuzzle his cheek. At his new height, he could finally take in the rest of the scene, thankfully noting that although Kouga and his pups looked tired and there was more than a little wolf blood scenting the air, all three appeared upright and stable as they surrounded an exhausted looking Jaken and one very satisfied miko.

Amber eyes locking with blue, Inuyasha smiled as Kouga smirked. "Hey, muttface, you doin' okay over there?"

"Just worry about your own damn self," Inuyasha gruffed.

"What? Me? I'm right as rain. Got to do some major ass kickin' while you and the bastard Lord were playin' with the fox." Face brimming with pride, Kouga looked over his pups and a true smile split his face. "Good to see some of my prowess got passed along."

Snorting, Maliona raised her nose to the air. "I don't know what you're talkin' about. I learned everything I know from mom."

"What?" Kouga started, his mouth gaping open as his daughter broke into peels of laughter.

"Wolf King, is this Sesshomaru to assume that you are all well enough to return home upon your own power?"

"-Feh, of course we can get there by ourselves. The pups have taken worse beatin's durin' trainin' than they took tonight." Blue eyes casting off to the side, Kouga was very proud of his pups, but he'd also had moments of being mightily worried. His proclamation of their strength was no boast, but at the same time, they were his offspring and he loved them fiercely. Of course getting Inuyasha out safe was a relief, but nothing compared to the ease of mind he got knowing he wouldn't have to explain to Ayame why he hadn't been able to protect one of their own.

Attention moving from the wolves to Kadira and Jaken, one of Sesshomaru's eyebrows rose ever so slightly at the drained kappa. "Jaken, do you require assistance?"

Immediately perking up at his name, the little kappa stood taller. "N-no, my Lord." Sniffing dramatically, Jaken's bulging eyes watered. "But thank you for your concern, I live only to serve – "

"Fuckin' hell," Kouga muttered before slamming his fist down on top of the kappa's head, instantly knocking him out. "This days been stressful enough without havin' to listen to that crap."

"Lord Kouga, Jaken and the Staff of Two Heads were extremely helpful this day," Kadira scolded.

"Yeah, yeah, and pretty soon we're gonna have to hear about it again and again, but it ain't gonna be this day." Without another word, Kouga scooped the imp up into his arms, rolling his eyes at the limp form he now cradled.

Safe within Sesshomaru's arms, Inuyasha couldn't help but snicker at the sight and knew Jaken would be screaming like a banshee if he knew the position he was currently in. And, evidently he wasn't the only one as Shippo finally joined his friends and asked, "What happened to Jaken?"

Finally getting some voluntary muscle movement back into his limbs, Inuyasha uselessly struggled within his brother's grasp. "Hey, let me go a second."

The tightening of Sesshomaru's arms was his response. Eyes narrowing, Inuyasha wanted to be mad, but the soft feel of mokomoko gently rubbing along his body made it damn hard to be pissed and soon he settled back into complacency.

"Don't worry about the toad. I just conked him on the head to get him to shut up," Kouga answered. "You okay?"

Rubbing a clawed hand across the top of his head, Shippo nodded. "Yeah, although I feel like I wanna sleep another week. Somehow, I don't think I'm going to get that lucky."

"Is this Sesshomaru correct in assuming you were able to maintain the barrier?"

Blowing out a deep breath, Shippo looked down at Inuyasha's bruised face, knowing full well that if his adoptive father were severely hurt, Sesshomaru wouldn't still be standing there asking him such questions. "It held, although at one point Kaplow did his damnest to get out. I wasn't sure if you'd want him free or not, but I figured if he was that desperate then most likely things weren't going his way, so I kept him inside." Scratching his cheek with a claw, Shippo added, "He must have already been fairly drained by that point because at his full strength, I couldn't have kept him inside."

Not bothering to explain to the fox why Kaplow's energy had already been severely taxed, Sesshomaru said nothing more and as Shippo turned and bent over to check the magic circle Kaplow had used to ensnare the Lord of all Asia, Inuyasha gasped. "What the fuck's that little thing stickin' outta your ass?"

Craning to the side, Shippo's green eyes widened at the patch of stubby fur barely a tenth the length of one of his full-grown tails. Soon, a bloodied finger was poking at it. "Awe, it's so cute," Jallial taunted.

"Kouga, get you're fuckin' pup away from my tails!"

"Don't be like that," Maliona answered, her eyes wide with wonder at what her sibling was playing with. "It's so tiny and fuzzy," she squealed.

Scooting forwards and away, Shippo's hands clamped down over his ass while his own fingers prodded his latest appendage.

"Is that an eighth tail you're sprotin?" Inuyasha asked, jealous that the other's could touch it and he couldn't.

Unable to help his grin, Shippo nodded. "Seems like it."

"Holy fuckin' hell, runt. That's amazin'."

Worn through and through, Shippo blushed a faint pink at the compliment, knowing full well that it really was amazing given his age. Given his already tired state before coming to get Inuyasha, he'd wondered how he'd been able to both break Kaplow's barrier and hold one of his own (no small task considering the amount of raw Youkai energy slamming against the thing). Feeling the slight fuzz between his fingers, the fox knew this was the answer – an eighth tail. Most likely it would take near a century for the full effects of having another tail to take hold, but the amount of strength it had already added was amazing in and of itself.

Impressed, but apathetic, the Lord of the West had only one final goal in mind – get his intended mate home and remove the "intended" part of that sentence for good. "Lord Kouga, you and Lord Shippo will eliminate the rest of the trash in this facility."

"Awe, can't we leave it 'til later," Kouga whined. "I ain't as young as I used to be."

"Wolf – "

"Don't worry, Kouga, I think I've got enough magic left to do most of the work, although, somebody's probably going to need to carry me home afterwards."

Without hesitation, Jallial volunteered, "Oh, I'll do it."

No one in the room missed the lustful scent rising from the young wolf. "Damn, pup, you're hornier than your mom when she's in heat. First you're goin' after the mutt and now the damn fox. Soon as we get home, we'll start lookin' for a nice wolf bitch for you to settle down with."

No more had those words left his mouth than Kouga felt a hand clamp down on his shoulder. Turning, he looked into the sky blue eyes of his daughter. "Haven't you been payin' attention dad? I don't think a bitch is what Jal is after."

Blinking once, Kouga caught on pretty quick. "Like I give a fuck which way his dick swings. The point here is that the boy needs somethin' to stick it in."

"Oh gods," Inuyasha groaned. "Get us the fuck outta here, Sesshomaru."

Leaning down, Sesshomaru lightly nibbled a puppy ear. "Nothing would make me more pleased, little brother."

Quickly moving to the wall holding up Tessaiga, Sesshomaru's mokomoko curled around the swords sheath, gently raising it to settle within Inuyasha's lap. With their father's fang secured, the two Inu's silently left, Jallial's inquisitive inquiries into who might be prospective mates ringing in their ears as the star filled night lit up their golden eyes.

Yeah! Inuyasha is safe and they both helped rescue each other. Well, that leaves only one chapter left in the main story (remember, I've written a 1 chapter epilogue, so technically we've still got 2 more Sunday's to go). Next chapter will finally remove that all important, "intended" from Inuyasha's mate status.

Thanks so much for reading and hanging in there. Barring any major catastrophe's, the final chapter will be up in one week. Reviews are always appreciated and keep me smiling :-)

Until next week . . . lunamist