InuYasha Fan Fiction ❯ Midnight Blood ❯ Beasts ( Chapter 25 )

[ X - Adult: No readers under 18. Contains Graphic Adult Themes/Extreme violence. ]

I can’t believe I wrote this chapter. I thought I would never get this far because I was sure that no one would be interested up until this point. But it’s done! The only thing I can do is hide from the pitchforks and apologize that the update took so long. The issue with the pain in my wrists hasn’t gone away, so typing is a still a little hard and, which is also another reason I’m sure I did a lot of grammatical errors, despite my best intentions not to do so. But I hope you enjoy nonetheless.  
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DISCLAIMER: I don’t own Inuyasha, nor do I take credit for Rumiko Takahashi’s genius. I don’t own Yu Yu Hakusho, nor do I take credit for Yoshihiro Togashi’s awesome characters.
@REVIEWERGODDESS: Lol, I get the feeling Beetlejuice would annoy Inuyasha to no end. All joking aside, I’m really glad you enjoyed the bearing of souls in the last chapter. Plus you picked up on a lot of foreshadowing that I hadn’t intended. All in all, I began writing this chapter shortly after reading your last review and I think it inspired a certain scene. I hope you love this update as much as the last one.
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@KAGOME1234567890: Are both of my reviewers seeing into the future? You guys really do pick up on the little details. I have a lot more twists and turns up my sleeve. *wink* Keep reading and you’ll get some answers. Thanks so much for your review and I hope you enjoy the chapter.
His insides burned as the knife was twisted.  A second later, the blade was replaced by Narek’s foot and Inuyasha feel in a heap with his hands over the hole in his belly.  ‘‘How lucky for me that you two were headed into the desert just as I was on my way to find and kill you.Ó  
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Inuyasha had no idea what Narek was talking about. His inner beast roared for him to let it take control, but he fought it.  If he changed now, if he moved, he’d lose more blood.  He had to heal!  If only Narek would just stop kicking him!  The next hit got his shoulder, flipping him onto his back.  Narek leaned down over him, and pressed his bloody hand into Inuyasha’s stomach.  Inuyasha screamed as his insides knotted back together.  The pain faded from his stomach only to be replaced by a fire in his shoulder as Narek’s knife sunk into it.              ;
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‘‘I’ll stab and heal a hundred holes before I’m satisfied.’’
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The shoulder wound closed and then one on his thigh opened only to heal again before he felt a slash on his chest. Dizzy from the shocking cycle of wounding and healing, Inuyasha didn’t understand why the hazy image of Narek was pushed aside and why he was enveloped in Kagome’s scent. Her voice echoed in the distance.
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‘‘Inuyasha can you hear me?’’   
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His head pounding, he closed his eyes and listened. There was a frantic heartbeat next to his slower one, and a calm one in the distance. His body ached from the crushed bones in his ankle and the fresh cut on his chest. He needed blood.
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‘‘Stay away from him,’’ came Kagome’s voice.
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He opened his eyes. The world undulated into focus and he finally saw Kagome standing between him and Narek.  
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‘‘You broke out of my control. Interesting.Ó Narek advanced on her. Kagome got into a defensive stance. ‘‘Move. Or I’ll take out my frustration on you.Ó   
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Narek’s words sparked desperate movement in Inuyasha. Forcing his upper half up, half coughing his words, he said, ÒSo what was powerful enough to get the great Narek frustrated?’'
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Narek flew at Inuyasha, but Kagome knocked him to the side, using her momentum to twist his own knife on him. Inuyasha knew she wouldn’t last long. Narek’s raw strength would soon overpower her.
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‘‘What’s the source of your anger,’’ Inuyasha yelled over the scuffle.  
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Narek shoved Kagome away, grabbed her arms, twisted around behind her, and held her in a chokehold. ‘‘How laughable. You, of all people, trying to understand the underlying source of my rage.Ó He pressed the tip of the knife into Kagome’s throat. It was not hard enough to draw blood, but close enough to issue his warning.  
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‘‘What do you want?’’ Inuyasha wobbled to a stand.
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‘‘Other then cutting you into pieces? First, I’d like to know why Lilliana is in the Spider King’s castle on display.Ó
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‘‘What?Ó Kagome wriggled, stomping down on Narek’s foot.
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Narek tightened his arm, making her gasp. ‘‘And second, I want to know how you two idiots lost her.’’
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Kagome was turning blue, her arms and legs hanging weakly in midair. Inuyasha forgot all the pain he felt. In that moment, nothing mattered other then getting Narek to keep talking. ‘‘What do you mean by display?’’
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‘‘Maybe I’ll take this one in for a trade.’’ Narek glared at Kagome.
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‘‘Stop!’’ Inuyasha took a stop toward them and regretted it. His entire body fought back against the movement. It was an effort just to keep his eyes open and his feet planted in the sand.
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‘‘And why should I? Look at the two of you. Exhausted, bruised, you have no chance against me.’’
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Kagome rasped, her hoarse voice breaking as she spoke. ‘‘So why haven’t you killed us yet?’’
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Inuyasha answered her question. ‘‘It’s because you need us for something, isn’t it?’’
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Narek gave Inuyasha a cold look. He let go of Kagome and she sunk to the ground, panting. Before she could recover, Narek was on Inuyasha. Defenseless, Inuyasha couldn’t stop Narek from pushing him into the sand. First Narek’s hand sunk into his shoulder, then into his ankle. Inuyasha heard Kagome cry out for him in the distance, but he could barely focus as his body blazed hotter then the sand he was lying in.    
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Something strange happened.  Inuyasha felt the bones in his ankle and the muscles in his shoulder stitch back together. The burning subsided, leaving only a small aches and pains. Realizing he was being healed, he used his returning strength to throw Narek off him. He ignored the thunk of Narek landing in the sand and ran to Kagome.  
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Still weak form the lack of air, she held on to his hand as he pulled her up. She swayed where she stood. Inuyasha faced Narek, watching as Narek clenched his fist. ‘‘Healing works both ways. I can take back what I gave with a thought. Move and I’ll reopen all the wounds I just closed. Even you can’t survive all that blood loss at once. And you,’’ he looked at Kagome, ‘‘you, still owe me a favor. Time to pay up.’’
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She hissed at him.  ‘‘What makes you think we’ll just listen to you?’’  
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‘‘Because I’m after something we all want. Lilliana.’’
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‘‘And what do you plan to do if we succeed in getting her?’’
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‘‘Not your concern.’’ He reached into one of his pockets and threw something in Kagome’s direction. A black gem landed in the sand in front of her. ‘‘That stone will glow red if you are going in the right direction. If you don’t get there by the time that moon sets, I’ll find and kill you both.’’  
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By the time Kagome and Inuyasha looked up from the stone, Narek was gone.
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Kagome collapsed against Inuyasha. ‘‘What. Was. That?’’
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He wished he had an answer but he was just as confused at the whole exchange. Kagome trembled. ‘‘I really hate this place.’’  She pulled away, squeezing the stone Narek had given them in her hand. ‘‘What do you think he meant, about Lilliana being on display?’’
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‘‘I don’t know, but it doesn’t sound good.’’
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Kagome looked at him. There was real terror in her wide-eyed expression. ‘‘Maybe he’s lying?’’
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‘He was telling the truth. We both know it. He never shows his emotions so truly otherwise.’
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Inuyasha put his hand on Kagome’s shoulder. ‘‘He was telling the truth.’’
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‘‘You can’t seriously trust him? This is Narek we’re talking about, Inuyasha.’’
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‘‘I don’t trust him, but I want to trust my inner beast. Besides, even if he were lying, we would have to go anyway. If Lilliana really is in danger, we have to go.’’
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Kagome growled and rubbed her forehead with her fingertips. ‘‘So your inner monster can read the monster that is Narek then? I really don’t like being in his mercy.’’
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Inuyasha looked at the stone in Kagome’s hand. Taking it from her, he turned in a circle, stopping only when the stone turned red. What waited for them out there? Were there more giant bugs coming their way? Could he even protect them in his current state?  
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‘‘Kagome, I want to ask you something.’’
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‘‘If you’re going to ask me to stay or go back so you can go alone, then forget it! She’s my family too!’’
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‘‘No, not that.’’ He sighed, facing her. ‘‘Thanks for protecting me.’’
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Kagome put her hand on his arm. ‘‘What’s wrong?’’
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Inuyasha watched the black gem roll between his fingertips. The smooth texture and weight of the stone reminded him of the bloodstone Sesshoumaru had back in the human world. Thinking about home made him feel hopeless, and made the voice inside him angry. ‘‘Since we came here we’ve been struggling to keep ourselves alive. It’s no secret that the nightwalkers in this dimension are much stronger then we are. I’m sure what’s waiting for us when we reach Lilliana is just as horrific. We can’t keep escaping by the skin of our teeth. I hate to admit how weak I am.’’
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‘‘You’re not weak. You’re just out of your element. Narek is from our world, and he’s been here much longer then we have. Who’s to say you won’t get as strong as he is?’’
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He smiled. ‘‘Thanks. But my question is about my inner beast. It said it woke up because something horrible is coming.  I’m terrified of hurting you, but if I keep pushing it away, it will break out of control just like Yoko said.’‘  
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Kagome put her hand over his, stopping the stone from rolling.  ‘‘So, what then?’’
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‘‘We need all the power we can get.  Yoko said an inner beast is a source of power. I have a feeling that’s why he is so strong. He’s balanced with his inner monster to the point that he can tap into that power without letting it take over him completely. I felt it back we met him for the first time. I think I knew because my inner beast sensed his. I don’t know what kind of powers I have, other then the ability to sense unforeseen danger, or turn into a dog, but I need to control these things at will. I’m supposed to go into seclusion and let my inner beast run free until a balance is made, but I don’t think we have the time, and I don’t want to leave you alone here. If,’’ he swallowed, ‘‘if I let my inner beast loose during battle-’’
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‘‘Do it.’’
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‘‘What?’’
---- ‘‘Now!’’
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‘‘But I don’t even know how to control it. Last time I turned into a dog, and, my inner beast really has some nasty thoughts about you. I don’t know what will happen, or how to regain control.’’
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‘‘Don’t worry about that. I have an idea, Inuyasha. I want to try it.’’
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‘‘Are you sure about this? What if I-’’
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Kagome put her hands on her hips. ‘‘I’m waiting.’’   
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‘‘But-’’
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 216;‘Will you just trust me for once!’’
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‘‘All right, fine. Just give me some space? Just in case?’’
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Kagome rolled her eyes, but smiled and did as he said.
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When she was far enough, he sat down and closed his eyes, feeling frightened and foolish at the same time. How the hell was he supposed to talk to himself? ‘‘Okay, uh, you want out?’’
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The inner voice was silent. ‘‘Oh come on! Hey, you inner dumbass, I’m giving you what you’ve wanted since-’’
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‘Oooooh, I’m going to enjoy this.’
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Kagome could have stretched her hearing enough to hear what Inuyasha was saying to himself, but she gave him his privacy. She could see him sitting down some fifty feet away.  She stretched her arms and legs. If what Inuyasha had told her about his were true, then she had a pretty good idea of what he would do first. She wondered how long it would take to give an inner beast complete control and what to say when-
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She was suddenly knocked down. Kagome coughed and rubbed her eyes as sand burst upward from underneath her. She didn’t have to see to know it was Inuyasha on top of her. His scent was so powerful that it made her lightheaded. His usual woodsy musk was mixed with something new, some kind of refreshing spice.
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He bit her shoulder. Kagome ignored the sting of his fangs, which felt a lot longer then usual. She needed to concentrate; she needed to say the right things. He pressed her body close to his and began grinding his hips against her. Kagome swallowed. ‘‘Here? We’ll get sand in every nook and cranny.’’
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‘‘Don’t care,’’ he sang. His voice was much gruffer, the underlying growl sent shivers down her spine. His breath puffed against her neck, sending tingles down her chest. ‘‘I’ve wanted to do this since I woke up.’’
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Kagome really wanted to arch her back so that her chest would rub harder against his. In the heat, it really was tempting, especially after all the chaos they went through. A little pleasure wouldn’t hurt. Wouldn’t it be nice to escape the heat and forget where they were, or who they were looking for?  So what if Lilliana was on display.
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Kagome mentally screamed at herself.  She opened her eyes and bit down hard on her inner lip, enough to draw blood. There were more important matters to attend to.
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‘‘Wouldn’t you rather find Narek and bite his legs off? Or beat up all the guys that took Lilliana?’’
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‘‘ After I drink and fuck my fill.’’  
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His hand kneaded her breast, the longer claws poking into her skin through the fabric. The pads of his fingers, followed by the light scratch of the claws made a sensuous combination of hard and soft touch.  Kagome suppressed a groan, biting her tongue.  
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‘‘Why didn’t you do this when you had control the first time? When you saved me from the worm?’’
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‘‘No enemy, no danger this time. No injury this time. Just you. NOW.’’
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Kagome forced herself to focus on what he said, trying not to think of his tongue sliding over her shoulder and neck. The second he kissed her, Kagome knew. He didn’t care about the future, or power, or sticking a balance with his more logical half. He only cared about the present, and what he wanted was instant gratification.  
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She slapped her hands on his cheeks, pushing him away. He growled at her, clearly annoyed. Kagome grit her teeth when she got a good look at his face. There were blue markings that resembled jagged cuts on both of his cheeks. His eyes were completely red, just as they would be when he had bloodlust. Except, this time, his expression was much hungrier. It was the exact same look Narek had when he had leered at Lilliana back at Lucy’s house.
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‘‘I’ll never give that chicken shit half of me back control. Just like I won’t let you break off from me.’’
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He grabbed her hands, holding her wrists over her head with one hand. His other hand lifted her chin. Before his lips met hers, Kagome said, ‘‘Why is he a chicken? Just how are you better then him?’’
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‘‘Let me show you.’’ He slipped his hand under her jeans and slid a finger inside her.
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This time Kagome did arch her back. He smirked, the longer canines making him look deranged. ‘‘Okay, I get it! You’re better at sex. Is there anything else you can do better, because that isn’t enough to impress me.’’
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Another finger slid into her. ‘‘But it’s enough to satisfy ME.’’  He began to pump his hand.
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Kagome pressed her thighs together despite the fact that a tiny part of her wanted to spread them apart. He began to pull her shirt and bra away from her skin with his teeth. She needed to get this over with fast. ‘‘Humor me. What can you do?’’
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He didn’t stop moving his hand or sliding over her breast with his tongue. In the sweetest voice she could muster, hoping her voice wouldn’t break, she said, ‘‘Oh please! Hearing about the kind of power you have really turns me on.’’
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‘‘Faster, stronger, better senses, better instincts, faster healing, change shape into our beast form, can foresee danger, can cause pain with a touch, make dogs do my bidding,’’ his tongue slid over the fabric covering her nipple, ‘‘and I have much more stamina.’’
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Kagome got what she needed. She wriggled and hit him hard in the stomach with her knee. He didn’t even budge. She felt a rumble against her breast as he laughed at her for even trying. Damn, the inner beast was strong!  And she was too weak from her previous ordeal and the extra blood he had just taken. But he made one mistake: he was touching her.
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Focusing on where his hand was trapping her wrists, she jumped into his memories. The intrusion into his thoughts made him twitch. He growled, refusing to stop. Kagome probed deeper, rushing through memories of wanting sex till she found the right one: the memory of when Inuyasha had told her all of his fears. She brought the memory to the surface, and then found the worried memories he had over Lilliana, and then added the memories of Lucy, of back home, of the family, anything that would awaken the logical part of his brain.  
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It did the trick. Inuyasha yelped like she had slapped him and practically jumped off of her. Kagome sat up, trying to catch her breath. She rearranged her clothes, watching Inuyasha look around frantically as though he didn’t know where he was. The red from his eyes slowly faded, as did the blue markings on his cheeks. His claws and fangs shrank back to their regular size.
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Kagome cleared her throat. ‘‘You’re inner beast really lives in the moment.’’
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The sound of her voice brought him back to reality. His eyes traveled from her face to her shirt and then to her jeans. ‘‘Oh shit! I didn’t mean to-’’
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‘‘Don’t apologize!’’ Kagome stood, waving her hands. ‘‘I knew you would do that.’’
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‘‘But what if you hadn’t stopped me? What if that didn’t work?’’
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‘‘Always with the what-ifs! I did stop you, uh, or your inner monster.’’
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‘‘That was very risky.’’
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‘‘Whatever. The point is, we know the extent of what you can do now.  And, as an added bonus, you don’t have to worry about hurting me so much because I have a way to stop you.’’
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ÒSo I just let loose when I feel like it until we have equal power?’’
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‘‘I’d rather you do it in battle when it isn’t just you and me so that you could channel that power to the right place.’’
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‘‘Yeah right.’’ He sucked on his middle and ring finger like he just had a delicious meal. Kagome felt as though her jaw would hit the ground if it dropped any lower.  ‘‘What’s with the face?’’ Inuyasha asked.  
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‘‘N-nothing. Do you still have that stone? We should get moving now, we s-still have to find Lilliana.’’  
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He pulled the gem out of his pocket. Kagome snatched it out of his hand and began walking, pretending not to hear Inuyasha say Òsmart girlÓ in a gruff voice under his breath.  

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ÒOh my god! Will you shut up?Ó
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Kagome turned to stare at him with an eyebrow raised. After running for the better part of what he assumed was an hour, Inuyasha and Kagome had slowed to a walk. Inuyasha was beginning to wonder if the desert had an end. Much like the Infinity Meadow, it stretched on and on without any visible landmarks for them to tell where they were or how far they traveled. At least the stone that Narek had forced on them still glowed. Inuyasha wouldn’t have minded the run through the sands, especially since the running was helping him to get used to the heat, but the trek was getting increasingly annoying because his inner voice wouldn’t stop grouching.
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‘I almost had her! Damn! Oh the things we would have done. You can’t seriously not want to-’   

‘‘No.’’
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‘< i>Couldn’t you just let me out for just a little? There’s nothing here but us. Just one hour and then we can go find Lilliana.’
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‘‘I said shut UP!’’
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‘‘I’m not saying anything,’’ Kagome screamed at him.
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‘‘Not you! Me! I mean, my inner beast.’’
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He really needed to learn not to talk to himself around her, he thought as Kagome hugged her arms to her chest and then turned away from him. If she was going to pretend that nothing happened between them then so was he. The last thing he wanted was to stop and have a quickie when Lilliana was in danger. The added threat of Narek coming back and killing them if they stopped was another point of concern. Why the hell didn’t his inner beast see that? All this time, it was calling him the idiot when it was putting sex before responsibility. Was he really that fickle?
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‘‘Enough walking.’’ He took the stone from Kagome’s hand and began running, putting himself ahead of her so that his eyes wouldn’t focus on her backside. Man it was hard running over sand, but the feeling of his feet pounding against the ground as he increased his pace cleared his head. Soon all he could think about was the stone in his hand and putting one foot in front of the other. Then the stone’s color dimmed. Inuyasha stopped.
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Kagome stumbled into him. ‘‘Are we going the wrong way?’’
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He turned in a circle. No direction he faced made the stone glow. Was it broken? Did they pass their destination? ‘‘Any ideas,’’ he asked his inner voice. As if carried by the wind for his nose only, a familiar scent drifted to him. Inuyasha crushed the stone in his hand.
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‘‘Hey! We needed that!’’
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Inuyasha ignored Kagome’s scolding. He scanned the dunes around them. ‘‘I know that stank.’’
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‘‘I don’t smell anything.’’
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‘‘Narek will be here soon.’’
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He could see the muscles in her shoulders and upper body tightening. She stood alert next to him, waiting. The moon overhead was beginning to set at the far end of the horizon. They were right on time.  A dust cloud passed by, and Narek appeared behind it. Before either of them could move, Narek cocked his head.
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Narek wanted them to follow. Kagome slipped her hand into Inuyasha’s, squeezed his palm and let go as if to warn him to be on his guard. He nodded at her, hoping to tell her to do the same. Narek moved over several hills of sand before he suddenly stopped. As Inuyasha walked up the hill, a metal spiral appeared out of the sand. At the top of the hill, he saw it all.
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Kagome sucked in her breath next to him. There was a city built into an abysmal crater in the ground. The hole was so deep, that buildings disappeared in the blackness the lower they looked. Out of the center of the hole was a singular spiral tower made out of metal, but Inuyasha did not care what was up. The city below was enormous, people darting around like ants over bridges beginning at one side of the crater and ending at the other. Even the walls of the hole had doors and windows.
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The city was truly hellish compared to the eerie calm of Ghost Forest and the cold, empty beauty of the ice nightwalkers’ mountains. How fitting that Narek was the one that led them there. The man himself pointed, not into the hole, but to the spire that stretched out of it.
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At the very top of the spire was a blue stone with something inside. Kagome squinted, trying to get a good look and shook her head. It was too far for her. But Inuyasha did not have to get close to see it. His inner beast hissed in anger, and his eyes could see farther then before. He knew what was inside that stone, a stone that was not really a stone but a piece of ice.
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‘‘Lilliana.’’