Okay, to make up for the horribly short chapter I gave ya'll last time, I'm making this one a little more eventful. Promise not to hate me BEFORE you read it, please!

Otulia: Uh…I take no part in this…and we don't own InuYasha…but Akemiro is Kinkatia's…-shuffles out of range of angry reviews-

But first, let's have the cool quote of the moment!

Deep into that darkness peering, long I stood there wondering, fearing,

Doubting, dreaming dreams no mortal ever dared to dream before…

-The Raven, by Edgar Allen Poe

Recurrence

"I sense a jewel shard!"

Everyone stopped walking and turned to Kagome, waiting for more information on the shard's whereabouts. It was the first one she had sensed since she had returned to the Feudal Era, and the entire group was eager to get their hands on it.

"It's only one," she continued, concentrating on its power. "That way, really close." She pointed to the woods to the right of the path they were following, dark and foreboding, even in the midday sun.

"I'm not picking up the scent of any demon," InuYasha informed them, sniffing the air.

"We should be careful anyway," Sango said. "Some demons are able to hide by masking their scent. C'mon, let's go." They set off into the trees, sticking close to one another as uneasiness crept upon them. Kagome shivered and took a hold on InuYasha's arm, seeking any sense of safety she could get from him.

It was eerily quiet, not a single forest dweller stirring. Suddenly, InuYasha cursed and dove to the side, taking Kagome and Shippo with him as Sango and Miroku jumped the opposite direction. They narrowly avoided being slashed to pieces by Kagura's familiar attack, her Dance of Blades.

"You're sharper than usual, InuYasha," she sneered, stepping out from her hiding place, her fan open in front of her at the ready.

"What are you doing here, Kagura? Naraku send you to try and steal the jewel shards again?" he countered, pushing Kagome behind him and drawing Tetsusaiga.

"On the contrary, she won't come anywhere near the shards," someone in the shadows said calmly, as if discussing the weather. "Father sent me to claim them." The speaker stepped into the open beside Kagura, the light filtering through the foliage overhead revealing a man who could only be described as a god, dressed in royal blue hakama and haori, with raven-black hair pulled back into a long ponytail, bangs framing his majestic and regal face. But his eyes were his most stunning feature. They gazed at InuYasha and Kagome, piercing in all their splendor, pure silver in color, ill intentions flickering across them in waves of unrestrained emotion.

"Who the hell are you?" InuYasha demanded. "You stink like Naraku!"

"I am called Akemiro," he answered pleasantly, giving a small bow as he made his introduction. "It is indeed an honor to meet Father's greatest foe."

With slow, measured steps, he advanced upon them. Sango, off to the side, lifted her hiraikotsu, readying herself to throw it at Naraku's newest incarnation.

"I'm your opponent," Kagura smirked, and with a swift flick of her fan, sent a gust of wind at the demon slayer, knocking her off her feet.

Akemiro cocked his head to the side, glancing at Kagura. "Dear sister, do be so kind as to keep those two out of my way. I simply cannot afford any lapse in my concentration, and Father will be most displeased if we fail to complete our task."

"You think I don't know that?" the wind sorceress snapped. "I know what I'm doing!" To prove her point, she sent Sango and Miroku dashing for cover with a Dance of Blades.

"Kirara!" Sango called, and instantly the fire neko demon was beside her, fully transformed and ready for battle. The taijiya leapt onto her back and took to the air, pulling Miroku up with her. Kagura smirked and plucked her feather from her hair, enlarging and jumping onto it, following them up through the foliage.

Akemiro watched all this with an amused glint in his eyes. "My sister seems to be enjoying herself," he said fondly. "But now, I have matters to attend to." He turned his silvery gaze on Kagome, giving her a peculiar smile. "My, you are beautiful," he remarked, letting his eyes travel over her. She ducked behind InuYasha with a squeak of fear, Shippo clinging tightly to her shoulder.

InuYasha growled as Akemiro advanced. "You stay away from Kagome!"

The demon paused, tilting his head to the side. "Oh? You act as if she is yours, but I sense she is unmarked."

His intentions hit Kagome suddenly, and she backed away fearfully, eyes wide with panic. "J-just l-leave m-me al-lone," she stammered, tripping over a protruding tree root and falling to the ground.

Akemiro's eyes widened in what could have been described as concern. "You're not hurt, are you?" he asked, stepping forward more quickly than before.

InuYasha jumped in front of him, Tetsusaiga upraised. "Kaze no Ki-"

"You're in my way," he snarled, glaring at InuYasha, and with a wave of his hand, the silver-haired hanyou was frozen in place.

"Wh-what the hell?! What did you do to me?!" His ranting was ignored, however, as the demon continued past him, and in one swift movement, was kneeling before Kagome.

"Stay away!" she shouted, frantically trying to crawl backwards, away from him, as InuYasha continued to struggle against the spell holding him captive.

"Now, now, no need to be so rude," Akemiro admonished gently, reaching out a slender hand to stroke her cheek.

Shippo, who had been quietly clinging to her shoulder all this time, suddenly leapt at his face, fox fire in hand. "I won't let you hurt Kagome!"

Chuckling, the silver-eyed demon brushed away the attack and caught the poor kitsune. "Aren't you adorable?" he said, smiling. "What a pity I have to do away with you. But perhaps you could entertain me some beforehand?"

Shippo squealed in fright as he was tossed in the air. With another wave of his hand, Akemiro halted his descent, leaving the frightened young demon suspended immobile in the air. "Please don't try to fight it," he implored. "It's really no use. I've enclosed you with my youki, and am using it to control your body. There is no escape."

"Damn you, let him go!" InuYasha shouted, catching Akemiro's attention.

"I'd nearly forgotten about you, InuYasha," he stated. "Why don't I use this kit to demonstrate the extent of my abilities?" By simply twitching his fingers, he proceeded to make Shippo dance around InuYasha in a comical fashion before perching him on a small rock.

During this time, Kagome had managed to get to her feet unnoticed, and was slowly making her way behind the trees and out of view. All she knew was that she had to get away, to find Sango and Miroku, and to help InuYasha and Shippo. But above all, she could not give this demon the chance he wanted. She wouldn't be able to handle something like that.

Kirara suddenly burst through the leaves behind her, Sango and Miroku clinging tightly to her so as not to fall off, followed closely by a very irate wind sorceress. "Stop running like cowards!"

Kirara landed on the forest floor, skidding to a halt, Miroku and Sango immediately getting off her back. Sango threw her hiraikotsu with all her might at Kagura, narrowly missing Akemiro, who was watching the exchange with mild interest. But Kagura swung her fan and summoned a gust of wind, turning the weapon back at its wielder.

At the last second, Miroku shoved Sango out of the way, taking the blow himself, and falling to the ground, unconscious. "Miroku!"

Kagome saw her chance, and quickly grabbed an arrow; she drew back on her bowstring and took aim. She doubted she could hit Akemiro, suspecting he would be protected by a barrier like Naraku's, but if what he said was true, and he was keeping InuYasha bound with his youki, then maybe she could purify it and release him. The arrow bit through the air, glowing brightly, and passing within inches from the hanyou. Instantly he was freed, and charged headlong at his captor.

And then, everyone but she and Kagura froze. "What a bother," Akemiro sighed. "Sister dear, I thought you said you could handle them. Yet here you are, breaking my concentration."

"Do you honestly think I wanted them to come back down here?" Kagura demanded, snapping her fan shut angrily.

"I wouldn't put it past you. But no matter; I'm afraid you'll just have to kill them now, while I have them subdued."

Kagura glared at him, infuriated by his degrading tone of voice. She flicked her fan back open and pointed it at him. "You are such a pain! Why don't I just kill you instead, and save myself the trouble of putting up with you!" Not a moment later, she dropped her weapon and fell to her knees, clutching at her chest, her face contorted in pain.

Akemiro shook his head sadly. "Father has been more than generous with you, sister. You should watch yourself; he may not be willing to deal with your antics for much longer."

He received a hate-filled glare in return, but pointedly ignored it, turning his attention back to Kagome. "It seems your miko powers purify my youki before it can touch you," he remarked curiously. "Ah, but this makes it all the more entertaining."

Kagome dropped her bow in panic and fled into the trees behind her. She was just out of sight when Akemiro vanished in a flurry of footsteps, overtaking her almost immediately and throwing her to the ground.

In the next instant, he was on top of her, his lips pressed to hers, silencing her scream. She struggled to get away, and, remembering what Sango had taught her, swung her hand up, but he caught her wrist and forced her arm back down, trapping her other arm in the process. Tears fell from her eyes as she continued to struggle, fighting back the memory of the bandit.

When he finally freed her mouth, she gasped for breath, staring fearfully up at him. "Please, stop," she sobbed, knowing that her plea would fall on deaf ears. He looked at her sadly, and wiped a tear from her face. "There's no need to cry, dearest," he said softly. "No need at all." He kissed her cheek tenderly and ran his palm down her side, finding the edge of her shirt and slipping his hand under it. She couldn't take it anymore, and screamed.

Back where he had been left, InuYasha heard her crying out, and something within him snapped. With renewed vigor, he struggled against Akemiro's binding youki, fury rising within him. He had promised Kagome that he would protect her, and he'd be damned if he failed her now!

Using every ounce of his strength, he finally broke free and rushed past Kagura, still on her knees, after Kagome. They hadn't gotten far, and as he came into sight, he saw Akemiro look up at him, calm surprise evident on his features. The demon quickly jumped up, leaving Kagome free to get away, and she scrambled out of the way in a panic, tears streaming down her face.

"I seem to have allowed you to escape," Akemiro said thoughtfully. "No matter; I'll simply bind you again."

"Go ahead and try!" InuYasha snarled, bringing Tetsusaiga up and charging forward.

Akemiro swung his arm up and pointed at him, silver eyes narrowing dangerously. He concentrated his youki on the incoming hanyou, smiling with morbid satisfaction as he felt it rush toward his opponent. InuYasha staggered, meeting resistance, but pushed through it, determined not to fall into the trap a third time.

Akemiro backed up swiftly, narrowly avoiding being sliced in two by Tetsusaiga. "It isn't possible for a mere half-demon to resist my binding!" he snarled, losing his cool.

"Don't you underestimate me!" InuYasha returned, slashing at him again, and once more, just barely missing his target.

Several more times, Akemiro sidestepped InuYasha's swings, formulating a plan. If he couldn't make InuYasha his puppet, he'd have to do the next best thing. With a flick of his wrist, he forced Miroku, just waking up, to march into the scene.

"What's going on?" the confused monk asked as he advanced on InuYasha. "Why can't I control my body?" His eyes wide, he involuntarily lunged at his friend, stumbling as he fought against Akemiro's control.

"Dammit, you bastard, leave him out of this!" InuYasha yelled angrily, sidestepping Miroku's punch.

"Oh, but this is so entertaining," Akemiro said smilingly, his fingers twitching as he controlled Miroku's movements, making him go after InuYasha again and again.

Kagome stared wide-eyed at the scene unfolding before her. InuYasha couldn't attack Akemiro while Miroku was in the way, and unless he was stopped, Miroku would remain his puppet. It seemed so hopeless. There had to be something, anything she could do…

Her eyes alighted on one of her arrows on the ground nearby. They had scattered when she had fallen to the ground. They were useless, however, without her bow, and she was shaking too much to be able to aim properly even if she had it. Her spiritual power purified Akemiro's youki…Miroku's should, too!

"Miroku!" she shouted, voice quavering. "He's controlling you with his youki! Use your spiritual power!"

Miroku did as she instructed, and was immediately freed. InuYasha smirked as he stumbled out of the way, and raised Tetsusaiga above his head. "Wind Scar!"

The force of the attack was astounding, and should have obliterated Akemiro, were it not for the barrier that sprang into existence around him. He laughed merrily. "It appears that Father values me. You shall not be able to harm me!" Grinning, he thrust both his arms toward InuYasha as the barrier faded, sending the full force of his youki at him, determined to regain control.

Kikyo frowned and lowered her bow, resuming her silent observation from the trees. Not even she could break through one of Naraku's barriers unaided, and so, she could not harm this new incarnation, however much she loathed him. She could only hope InuYasha would be victorious.

InuYasha smirked, raising Tetsusaiga once more, the blade turning red.

"You shall be mine to command!"

"Backlash Wave!"

Kagome and Miroku were forced to cover their eyes against the light of the impact. Wind swirled angrily around them, whistling through the trees and knocking branches to the ground. A high, agonized scream was heard above the gusts, and then…nothing. They lowered their arms to see InuYasha, panting heavily, standing alone amid a circle of destruction, Tetsusaiga still held out in front of him, fully transformed. He had put everything he had into his attack, and had miraculously succeeded in breaking through the barrier. Akemiro was no more.

Tetsusaiga pulsed, once, twice, and glowed a faint blue before returning to its normal state. InuYasha, disregarding the change, hurriedly slid it back into its sheathe and rushed to Kagome, kneeling down in front of her. He embraced her lovingly, hating how badly she was trembling, hating the stench of Akemiro all over her, and hating himself for being weak. "I'm sorry," he whispered into her hair.

As she began to cry again, Miroku slipped away, back to where Sango, Shippo and Kirara had been caught in Akemiro's spell. Kagura was nowhere to be found.

Kikyo listened as InuYasha comforted Kagome. Now that she knew what had happened, why InuYasha couldn't leave the girl, she felt less bitter about his actions, and even angrier at Naraku. Only he would stoop so low as to use something like that against his enemies. Determination in her cold eyes, she walked away; she would make sure Naraku was sent to his grave.

Crimson eyes turned away from the mirror.

A voice, normally cool and collected, snapped angrily at the girl holding the round looking-glass.

"Leave me, Kanna."

The white child padded noiselessly from the room, leaving her master to his thoughts.

I underestimated him. It will not happen again.

Ta-da! What a wonderful chapter, ne? Anywho, this is a reward to all of you who have been with me since the beginning, and have put up with my procrastination, badly written and unbearably short chapters, and lack of ideas. You should all thank O-Mega Lead for giving me the ideas, actually. So, review, and look for the next chapter! It's not started quite yet, so it may take a little longer to get up than this one did, but I'm starting on it right away!