Kagome clung to Inuyasha's back as they flew through the forest. Around them, other demons darted and weaved through the trees. Now that the time was finally here, she felt strangely emotionless. Her mind was a blank.

When they reached the edge of the covering, everyone halted. Those carrying humans let them down, and those in the first group clustered together, ready to pounce. They were waiting for her command. It still felt strange to be in a position of leadership, but she was grateful. The guards in front of the house were pacing the grounds in set patterns, sweeping their eyes over their surroundings systematically. With a brief pang of annoyance, Kagome realized that the pattern was different than she was used to. Oh well. It didn't matter. She'd just break it up.

Kissing two fingers lightly, she plunged them into the earth. A small spark ignited and traveled along the ground until it was in the center of the courtyard. A few of the guards noticed and rushed towards it.

"Close your eyes," she warned. Everyone did so.

With a loud crack, the spark exploded into a blinding flash of light.

"Go," she whispered. The first group was off like a shot. Several guards were disabled quickly and nonviolently thanks to their temporary lack of sight, but battle began to rage with those left standing.

Kagome signaled the second group and they rushed forward as well, sprinting through the chaos and dodging any shots aimed at them. When they burst through the doors, however, a second wave of guards overwhelmed them. She panicked. This wasn't in the plan.

But her team immediately leaped into action. Inuyasha darted among the crowd, picking off guards one by one, Sango started bowling groups of men over with her giant boomerang, Miroku threw charms at anyone that came near him, and the wolves snapped their teeth ferociously.

Suppressing her initial panic quickly, Kagome threw herself into the battle as well, shooting sprays of paralyzing arrows into the crowd.

"Keep pushing forward!" she cried. But it was easier said than done. For every attacker they incapacitated, four more seemed to pop up. Had Naraku brought the whole warehouse? How like him. He would think nothing of risking the lives of hundreds of slaves to guarantee his own safety. Of course, they were trying not to kill anyone who wasn't fighting of their own volition, but if the tide of attackers didn't let up soon they might have to.

No. She refused to let that happen.

Gritting her teeth, Kagome summoned a shield. It sparkled into place in front of her. Then, bowing her head, she began running forward, knocking guards aside with the shield as she ran. She'd make it to Naraku's bedroom herself and end this.

"Kagome, no!" Inuyasha cried as he saw where she was heading. "Wait!"

But she had had enough of waiting. She made it to the room and exploded the door in front of her. It was a foolish move, and she immediately felt the unnecessary drain on her power. She should conserve it; the battle had already depleted her stores some. Unfortunately, she didn't have time to think about it before a tentacle wrapped itself around her ankle and pulled her in. Her head slammed harshly against the marble hallway floor as she fell, but she didn't make a sound. Nor did she react to being roughly dragged across the carpet inside. She was too busy trying to right herself and disentangle her ankle. Where had the tentacle even come from? Her eyes flicked upwards to its source and she gasped in horror.

It was Naraku. His hateful sneer was the same, but his body now had a number of hideous tentacles protruding from it.

"Hello, Kagome," he said, tilting his head and smiling down at her.

"I like the new look," she spat. "It suits you."

"And I like your new look as well," he replied, drawing her to him and bending down to stroke her hair. "I have always thought you looked quite becoming covered in blood."

Her head must be bleeding, then. It didn't matter. She could feel it stitching itself up as always. She was more concerned about the extra pull on her powers it took to heal. It was time to stall so that she could recover some. Besides, she had a few questions she needed answered.

"How did you kill so many demons at once last night?" The image had not yet left her mind.

"Did you enjoy the show? It was simple, really. I merely sent out a notice asking anyone that was missing a slave to gather. Then I alerted them to the problem of rouge demons and requested that they each initiate preventative measures, as a public service. I was warmly thanked afterward."

Kagome suppressed a shiver.

"When did you kill my mother?" she asked next. "How long has she been a doll?"

"Hm, so you figured it out," he leered. "It was on our wedding night."

"That's sick!" Her stomach twisted. "How did you get her to marry you?"

"I threatened you, of course." Oh mom...

Kagome felt a thrill of sorrow. But she swallowed the lump in her throat and asked the most important question.

"Why?"

His lips peeled back in a sickening grin. "Because you, my dear, are my pet. I was walking one evening when I felt a pull on my senses. It was you, experimenting with your powers. You were just playing with them. You thought nothing of it. But I knew you had more power than you realized–certainly more than your mother ever knew. So I stayed and I watched you. I decided that I had to have you." If possible, his grin widened.

"Well, you can't."

He laughed. It was a dark, evil, flickering sound. "Oh, Kagome. But I do."

To prove him wrong, she pressed both hands onto his face and poured all the power she could into it. At first nothing happened, which startled her, but she kept pushing and slowly his face began to melt beneath her fingers. His features sagged, but his crooked mouth was still grinning. "Didn't I tell you?" is said as it dropped off his face. "I know your powers better than you do."

Then suddenly his features snapped back into place and the powers she had poured into them ricocheted back at her.

She screamed.