InuYasha Fan Fiction / Yu Yu Hakusho Fan Fiction ❯ All My Dreams Are Torn Asunder ❯ Chapter 1

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

Fandom: Inuyasha/Yu Yu Hakusho

Title: All My Dreams Are Torn Asunder

Author: Ryukotsusei

Theme: 14. Kiss (~Kiss me before you say goodbye)

Pairing/Characters: Hiei/Kagome Higurashi

Rating: NC-17

Disclaimer: Inuyasha belongs to Takahashi Rumiko and Yu Yu Hakusho belongs to Yoshihiro Togashi. I make no claims of ownership to either series, nor do I make any profit off of this fan fiction.

Summary: Treasure what moments you have, for you never know when you hopes and dreams will lie shattered at your feet. Hiei/Kagome - possible Two-shot.

Chapter One

The stench of rotting flesh hung heavily in the air, making each breath they took torturous to endure. Only one of them stood appearing to be virtually unaffected by the smell yet they all knew better. Accepting Hiei into their midst hadn't been the easiest of things to accomplish, especially considering when he'd first made an appearance it was because the apparition was searching for jewel fragments. Inuyasha had wanted to dispatch him quickly and for the most part the others agreed with him, even Kagome despite her trusting nature. However as they stood squared off with one another, prepared to do battle the unexpected had happened.

With Naraku watching their every move, the dark hanyou had seen it as the perfect opportunity to strike though it wasn't to permanently disable the fighting members of the team. No, he was looking to strike a blow to their morale and do as much damage as possible in the least amount of time. A puppet had appeared from nowhere just as Inuyasha had rushed at the arrogant demon who had yet to name himself. Shippo screamed in terror and tried to avoid the tentacles that had aimed for him yet even as quick as the kitsune was he couldn't avoid the one that had speared through his thigh. Kagome's cry of horror ran through the air, mingling with Shippo's as she raced towards him knowing even then that she was placing her own life in danger.

Even then Hiei had lived by the rule kill or be killed yet seeing the apparently defenseless human girl rushing to save a youkai child had left him stunned, narrowly avoiding the blade that had been aimed for his head. On one hand hadn't given a damn whether or not either one of the two fools caught up in the tentacles lived or not. Hell, it would probably make his task of hunting the jewel shards down easier but something tugged on his soul demanding he take action. Perhaps it was his honor, what little he had that said if nothing else he couldn't allow a child to die. Regardless he pivoted quickly and raced towards the mass of limbs flying about, drawing his sword as he did so. Already the others were trying to dislodge both the girl and the kit but they had made little progress. That had been the first time they'd witnessed his incredible speed, darting among the flailing mass that sought to impale him. The sunlight glinted off the blade as it arched down, slicing through limb after limb until the kit at the very least was freed.

Whether or not the girl lived was not his concern. Quickly he had dropped the kit and retreated a short distance away to watch the fight unfold. The inu hanyou did a decent job, though Hiei could tell from observing the man that he'd had no formal sword training. It wasn't much of a mark against the other demon, he'd trained himself as well but the main difference was that the hanyou could never hope to match his speed. After several long and grueling minutes under the sweltering heat the puppet had finally vanished, though it wasn't because they'd succeeded in defeating it. The forest echoed with Inuyasha's furious cursing once they'd realized that when the puppet had left, it'd managed to take the few jewel shards Kagome had been carrying.

Not for the first time Hiei had cursed his luck, his language echoing Inuyasha's at that moment in time. Information concerning the fragments were difficult to come by at best and when was found it was usually by sheer luck. A rumor had reached him of a girl that could sense them though the apparition had found it difficult to believe at first. Only seeing Kagome with his own eyes had convinced him to the truth of those tails. It had left him in a quandary, go searching on his own as he had been without much luck or to tag after this rag tag team. Neither option had been particularly appealing to him and that wasn't counting their opinions in the matter either.

Once his decision had been made and announced with cold authority all hell had broken loose once again. As expected Inuyasha had strenuously objected to the idea and set about trying to eliminate him without further thought. Of course that was just not something Hiei was going to allow to happen, though he mainly defeated himself instead of going on the offensive. Despite his reputation for being impulsive, Hiei had known that if he were to destroy Inuyasha it would be up to him to protect the human wench who had the gift of sight with the Shikon. It was not a responsibility he had wanted at the time.

Quickly he'd pulled a disappearing act, allowing Inuyasha to believe that the issue had been settled and he'd given up when nothing could have been farther from the truth. For weeks he'd followed them, trailing behind at a distance that kept them uncomfortable yet unable to do anything about it. Battles were fought and a few times he'd gotten involved, either to protect the wench when Inuyasha and the others were otherwise engaged or simply because he had been spoiling for a good fight. The priestess was the one to first be worn down in her distrust though he couldn't say he had cared. The slayer and monk followed after though it still took another week or so. Inuyasha was last to accept the fact that he wasn't going to go anywhere though it was obvious they would never like each other. Occasional looks thrown his way still told Hiei that some of them were worried that he'd attempt to take the jewel once they'd gotten it back from Naraku.

And now, months later Hiei could honestly say that while the jewel still appealed to him he'd found something more to hold his attention though he'd be willing to bet that Inuyasha would rather he was still after the Shikon. The other man had never seen it coming but then again neither had Kagome which had him chuckling over their obliviousness more than once. It hadn't even taken any effort on his part to gain the priestesses attention which still baffled even him. The aura he'd always given off was one of cold, uncaring precision and a loathing for emotional attachments. So what was it that had prompted the girl to seek him out? Even Sango had told the girl she was wasting her time but that had only increased her determination to become his friend. And later, something even more. It had been Inuyasha's unwillingness to decide whether he wanted to remain stuck in his past or take a chance on the future that had given him an opening into the girl's heart. The decision to take residence there had been completely taken out of his hands at the time and in his mind the blame fell squarely on Kagome's shoulders. Not that he was going to complain any. Hiei stepped closer to the girl's side until they were almost touching as they stared over the silent village. He'd finally come to terms with the way he'd felt months ago and once he had, he hadn't hesitated on acting on them.

"This is the place, I can feel it," The aura being given off by the town made Kagome's skin crawl and she knew that the illness they'd heard about wasn't naturally occurring. The feel of evil that laced the air made her want to run but she knew that she couldn't. Allowing the people of the village to suffer wasn't acceptable, they had to help in any way they could. It had taken a bit of convincing to get Inuyasha to agree though Kagome believed his protests were more for show than anything else. Hiei had been the tough one, even after all this time the man didn't care for humans which had her questioning more than once what he saw in her. Ultimately it was the belief that Naraku might have a hand in the current situation that ceased the irritable remarks from the apparition. Months had gone by and they hadn't seen the bastard, leaving them worried about just what he was planning and how much of the jewel he had since they'd been unable to locate even one shard since theirs had been stolen.

A particularly strong gust of wind had Inuyasha wrinkling his nose in disgust, "I could have told you that just by the stench. Come on, we should check it out. The sooner we bury the dead we can leave." The aura of death was overwhelming and he had a very difficult time believing that anyone down there was alive. Ignoring the way Hiei was hovering over the girl the hanyou began making his way down the well worn path. She'd made her choice months ago, he wasn't going to dwell over what his indecision had cost him.

Sango and Miroku trailed after him, each with their minds on what they were about to do. If this was caused by a demon then they were going to have to hunt them down and put a stop to their heinous acts before another village could fall victim to the same fate. Neither one were particularly looking forward to burying the dead but it had to be done. As they moved closer and still no one came out to meet them it became more of a certainty. Questions lingered in their minds as to their own health. How much at risk were they putting themselves by venturing into this place?

"I think there is still someone alive down there," While Inuyasha's nose might be slightly better than his own, Shippo could read the energy in the air far better than any of the others. Even as weak as it was, the kitsune could feel the aura of one person though it was fading fast. How much longer the person would last he couldn't say. Whereas Kagome came from a time where even the most incidious of diseases could be cured, here in this time there were no such medical miracles. The people had to make due with what was available, the rest was in the hands of the Gods.

A hand made its way to her shoulder and Kagome didn't have to turn her head to know it was Hiei. The slight touch over the mark he'd given her only a week ago helped to calm her nerves enough to do what needed to be done. "We should go then, we might be able to help." Briefly Kagome laid her hand over the apparition's before stepping away. The instances he allowed physical contact in public was rare and it brought a slight smile to her lips despite the situation that he was seeking to reassure her. Taking a deep breath Kagome steeled herself for what she was about to see and set off after the others, leaving Hiei and Shippo to bring up the rear.

For the next several minutes they searched through the huts looking for survivors. The dead were carried out on blankets to a nearby field where Miroku was busy digging. Hiei helped to transport the bodies with Inuyasha while Kagome and Sango searched for anyone still living. Kirara and Shippo trailed along after them, hanging back slightly due to their more sensitive noses. Kneeling down on the floor, Kagome peered at one of the villagers believing at first she was dead. Only the slight sheen of perspiration gave it away that she was still alive but by the looks of it she wouldn't remain that way for long. "Sango I found one alive!"

Footsteps were heard as the demon exterminator came rushing into the hut with Kirara following soon after carrying the large duffel bag in her mouth. Dust flew into the air as it was dropped by Kagome's side with a thump, causing her to sneeze. She tried to smile reassuringly at the woman who was now gazing up at her with glazed eyes, it was almost as if she was staring right through her. "It's going to be alright, we're here now." If Kagome's words had any effect the woman didn't show it, her eyes sliding closed once more. Gently Kagome laid the back of her hand against the sweat lined forehead, testing the sick woman's temperature. A frown settled on her face as she realized how high it was. Turning to Sango, she looked the woman in the eyes. "We've got to get her fever down. Can you bring me some cool water and a cloth? I think i have some medicine that will help with the fever but I'm not sure how much good it will do for the rest."

"I'll be back in a minute." Sango got to her feet and ran for the doorway, snatching up a bowl on her way out the door. The sickness could be any number of things and she prayed that the medicine from Kagome's time would be enough to cure the woman. Seeing the fire cat running beside her she slid to a stop. "Kirara, check the rest of the huts and if you find anyone else come and get me." Seeing the cat nod once and race off had the exterminator running once again stopping only when she reached the stream. Quickly she washed the bowl out, ridding it of any grime that had accumulated before filling it with cool water and returning to the hut.

Upon hearing Kagome's shout, Hiei had finished moving one of the corpses and made his way towards where he knew his mate was. She had barely looked up when he entered but that wasn't anything unusual, her attention being completely focused on the task at hand. Without a word he set to starting a fire going, knowing that a human's health deteriorated to this point a seconds delay could cost them their lives. It wasn't long before a blaze was going that would last for several hours without being tended. Already the kit was doing as he'd been instructed, digging through the pack for the canned foods that Kagome brought from her time. Much of it was still strange to Hiei, not the least of which was that the girl was from the future in the first place. Until he'd been presented with irrefutable proof he hadn't wanted to believe it.

"Do you think she'll make it?" Shippo looked down at the woman, doubt clouding his features that this unknown woman would even be able to pull through. However he'd seen the medicines Kagome had brought from her time at work and believed they could almost bring about miracles. After all, how many times had her tonics saved Miroku's life when he'd sucked the Saimyosho into his wind tunnel?

"I'll do my best Shippo," Kagome didn't want to say anything more simply because she didn't know. Seeing Sango coming through the door with the requested water had her smiling at the older woman. "Thanks Sango." At least now she'd be able to do something other than sit and stare feeling helpless. Quickly she grabbed the cloth and got it wet, wringing the excess water out before laying it on the woman's forehead. A questioning look was sent towards Hiei which was for all intents and purposes ignored. Wasn't he supposed to be out there helping Miroku and Inuyasha now? Then again, Hiei only helped when he saw fit and if he didn't wish to there was no forcing him. At the moment he looked quite content to stand there and watch her work.

"Is there anything in particular you want me to fix?"The assortment of food that Shippo had taken out of the bag was impressive but Sango knew they wouldn't need all of it. She had a good idea of what was needed but she wanted to make sure since Kagome was normally the one that did the cooking when they weren't overnighting at a village. Already she was getting the cooking utensils out, waiting for the girl's reply. They would also need to think about what they would be eating while they were there. Of course most of what was available would be fine with her but if they were to suggest nothing but broth for dinner to the men they'd likely never hear the end of it.

Kagome considered the question for a moment before nodding. "I think one of the cans of soup will work, we don't want to overload her system with anything too heavy and she's dehydrated as it is. We'll want to fix some ramen as well unless Inuyasha or Hiei wants to go hunting, since we don't know whats causing this I think it's best if we stick with the foods I brought or a fresh kill." Seeing Hiei's eyes narrow at the mention of ramen was all it took to tell both women that they'd have fresh meat that night. No matter how much Inuyasha loved the packaged noodles, Hiei positively loathed them.

"I'll be back shortly, if anything happens while I am gone you know what to do," Hiei made sure that his meaning was understood before he walked out the door in search of prey. Through the bond he had with Kagome it was possible for her to convey certain emotions to him, particularly when she was distressed over something. Unfortunately it would be a while before she was accustomed to the concept but whenever she was in danger or distraught it worked well and that's what he was counting on. Had he not had a safe guard in place for knowing what was happening with her at all times there was little chance he'd be leaving her there while he hunted. The situation was far too uncertain for his liking, no matter the fact that the others were by her side.

Sango shook her head at his abrupt departure and turned her attention to fixing the broth. Aside from Inuyasha it had probably taken her the longest to get used to the idea that Hiei was going to be around for good and at times the hostile demon still confused the hell out of her. If it wasn't for how protective he was over the girl who had begun sorting through her medicines she would have likely brushed the idea of Hiei being romantically involved with someone inconceivable. The man was rude, sarcastic and no small part homicidal but for some reason he'd come to care for Kagome. It was something she'd likely never understand. "What did he mean by that Kagome?"

The question brought a blush to Kagome's cheeks and she refused to look up from sorting through the bottles. They'd gone through great lengths to conceal just how far their relationship had progressed though she was positive that Inuyasha and Shippo knew. The others were not so certain though and that had been Hiei's doing. As he explained it, she was already a target because of who she was and what she was capable of. There was no sense in advertising their mating and making herself even more of a target. Still, this was Sango they were talking about. The very same woman she considered a sister and could be trusted to keep anything spoken between them in confidence. Kagome nibbled on her bottom lip as she considered how to answer after giving the sick woman a dose of thick green liquid to help fight the sickness invading her body.

Sango had almost thought that the girl wasn't going to answer her when Kagome set aside the small bottle and turned to face her. What was the girl so worried about? For the past few weeks the girl had been acting increasingly strange, no long wishing to have company when going to the hot springs to bathe, skirting questions about the apparition who had just left. To top things off, tomorrow would mark a month that had passed since Kagome had returned home. Normally she'd return at least once a week for supplies if nothing else. Granted, with Hiei hunting near nightly it meant the drain on the pack was greatly reduced but still, Kagome should have returned home at least once by now. "Kagome you know you can tell me anything right? No matter what. I'm getting concerned, you haven't been yourself lately."

The worry in her friend's voice had Kagome sighing, there wasn't going to be any getting out of this one. Hopefully Hiei wouldn't be terribly upset that she'd told Sango, if so she'd have to figure out a way to make it up to him. "Now Sango, you have to promise me you aren't going to flip out over this." Being that the woman's profession was that of a demon slayer, in general her views on a human mating with a demon were biased. Few demons Sango had met qualified as worthy enough to mate with a human in the woman's eyes and Kagome knew this. Add on to the fact that the exterminator had an uneasy truce going with the apparition and Kagome knew that there was a chance Sango wouldn't take it well.

Hearing those dreaded words almost had Sango reconsidering whether she wanted to know or not. Even as she nodded her head, her eyes narrowed in suspicion though she would keep her word at least for now. "You have my word, what's going on?" As the girl's hand crept up to the edge of her collar Sango got a sinking feeling that she knew what was coming. But why would Hiei do something like that? Caring about a person was one thing but to take them as a mate? That itself was completely out of the ordinary simply because of the differences in life spans, assuming the demon in question could get over his prejudices in the first place.

As the material was pulled to the side, Kagome met Sango's eyes with a hint of defiance. While her friend might not like it the choice had been hers and she wasn't going to regret having accepted Hiei after the courtship period he'd asked for. Now the small scarring left from the bite was exposed to the warm air of the hut and the woman's gaze. Shippo for his part had remained silent throughout the exchange. Since the day that the apparition had saved his life the kitsune had looked upon the man in a slightly more friendly light than the others did and he had no objections to what had happened. "I'm sure you know what this is Sango."

"But.. Why?" It was the burning question in her mind, Kagome could get a variety of men whether in this time period or her own, all of which would be willing to treat her well. Why would she go for a sociopathic youkai? There was no mistaking the challenge in the girl's eyes, it was as if Kagome were daring her to say anything. Unsure of what to make of the entire situation she settled herself uncomfortably on the floor next to the cooking food. The broth would be ready at any time for when the woman woke up, there was nothing more she could do.

Kagome shrugged, knowing that whatever answer she gave would likely be met with skepticism but the look on Sango's face told her that the subject couldn't be dropped, at least not yet anyway, "Things happen, you know that. Does it matter? He asked to court me, I accepted and this is where it lead to. Whether he shows it or not in front of everyone what matters is how he acts when we are alone together. I know he cares and I love him so isn't that enough?" It hadn't been an easy decision to come to by any means, though none of them except for Hiei knew how hard it had been. Her last visit home had been a tearful one, asking her mother what she should do. It had been made clear that if she were to accept his proposal her permanent home would become the feudal era, though Hiei had said he wouldn't interfere with her returning to visit her family if she wished. It had brought up more questions, not the least of which was why wasn't he there in her own time? Unfortunately none of them had any answers and the best the apparition could come up with was that perhaps he hadn't survived to her time which wasn't inconceivable given the lifestyle he led.

A million and one questions flew through Sango's mind as she stared at the girl. Knowledge of demon courtships had been drilled into her head from a young age as part of her training and yet she'd missed all the signs of what was going on under her nose? The lengths the two of them had went to in order to keep this quiet left her stunned though she couldn't blame them. Had she known there would have been at least one instance where she would have pulled Kagome aside and asked her if she was out of her mind. Sighing softly Sango shook her head, what was done was done. There was no way they could go and undo it now, the only way the bond could be severed was if one of them were to die. "I hope you know what you're doing Kagome. I can't say I approve of your choice, even Inuyasha would have been better in my opinion but..." She trailed off, unsure of exactly what to say to the girl.

"Inuyasha made his choice when he refused to make one. Inaction results in the same thing, he lost and it is not your decision to say what is right or wrong." Having come up at the tail end of the conversation Hiei could not say that he was surprised by her words. Not that they made any difference whatsoever. Sango could either be a worthy ally or a formidable opponent. Either way was fine with him, it would be her choice which side she took a stand on. As far as he was concerned anyone who stood in his way of being with his mate would die quickly. Giving the slayer a hard look that conveyed the exact meaning behind his words he dropped the gutted deer on a nearby table. He'd cleaned it while he had been out in the woods, now all that needed to be done was to quarter it and set it over the fire.

Sango bristled at his words but knew what the apparition said was true. Even though she looked on Kagome as a family member the only one in the group who had a right to object under youkai standards had been Inuyasha himself and even she knew that there would have been no way they could have concealed the mating from him. Hiei had obtained all the permission he'd needed, it was out of her hands. Still, a threat had been delivered to her and now it was time to make one of her own. Sango's hand crept to the hilt of her sword though clearly Hiei wasn't overly concerned by the action. "Your claim stands Hiei but make no mistake, if you hurt her you'll find out why I was considered the best slayer in my clan."

"Your threat is unnecessary Taijiya as is your concern." The very thought that Sango considered herself a match for him in a fight was laughable in his opinion and the woman well knew what his thoughts on her skills were. Ignoring the smoldering look of outrage Hiei turned to his mate who seemed torn between disbelief and outrage over the topic of conversation. Later he'd deal with the fact that she'd broken her silence on the issue but first there were other things to attend to, such as dinner before Inuyasha and Miroku came in from digging the graves. "The others will be finished soon."

Kagome nodded and pushed herself to her feet, knowing that Hiei was right."Let me go wash my hands and I'll get dinner started." It was going to be a long evening she knew, they still had yet to set up where they would all be sleeping and who would take watch over the woman throughout the night. Until her fever broke Kagome didn't want her left alone just in case she took a turn for the worse. Automatically she started heading for the door but stopped when Hiei placed himself in between her and the exit. "What?"

Now that the woman was up close to him, Hiei could smell the scent of the disease that had invaded the village upon her body. Kagome's normal tendency towards cleanliness had been something he found to his liking, a trait that most humans did not share. Perhaps that was a reason why plagues such as this one spread so quickly throughout the human race and not demons. Most races of youkai bathed frequently whereas humans did not. Either way, he wasn't going to allow this sickness to take a hold in her because of something so easily accomplished as bathing being overlooked. "Gather your things, there is a hot springs nearby."

"But dinner..." As wonderful as a bath would be right at the moment there was just too many things that still needed to be done before Kagome could even consider it. Dinner had to be prepared, the sick woman had to be tended to and discussion still had to occur over possible causes of the illness. Miroku was likely to have some thoughts on the matter considering how even she could feel the youkai's aura that laced the air, tainted with the disease. When she saw that Hiei wasn't going to budge Kagome shook her head, this was one of those times the apparition was going to be impossible. "It'll have to wait until things are done."

"Dinner can wait or Sango can do it, you will come with me now." His tone allowed no room for argument though Hiei knew if it hadn't been for the concern Kagome could feel through their bond she would have likely done so anyway. The girl just wasn't the type to blindly follow orders on most occasions. A quick look over to Sango and Shippo silenced any protests that might have come from either one of them. Having Kagome disappear for a short time wasn't going to affect the woman's health any and the slayer was perfectly capable of feeding the sickly human in their absence. "Get your clothing and supplies, we won't be gone long."

"Alright give me a minute." Kagome still wasn't sure if it was alright for her to leave Sango with all the responsibility but a nod of the woman's head made her feel better about walking out even for a little while. Quickly she grabbed the bag which held her spare clothing and bathing supplies before heading towards the door. "We'll be back soon, if she wakes up go ahead and give her the broth. She won't need any more medication for another four hours." Confident that Sango could handle things now she stepped through the entranceway with Hiei by her side. They were just about to the outskirts of town when a yell got her attention, forcing her to turn. Inuyasha was running towards them with Miroku in tow, more than likely wondering where the hell they were running off to. A growl of impatience coming from the apparition meant that Hiei was two seconds away from putting both approaching males in the holes they'd just finished digging.

"Where the hell do you think you're going? In case you haven't noticed we've got a bit of a crisis on our hands!" Inuyasha was more than just a little put out that Hiei had ditched them in favor of staying inside with the women and now to see the both of them running off had his temper flaring. Crossing the last bit of distance remaining between him his hands were shoved up in his sleeves as he stared down at the two. Footsteps behind him signaled Miroku's arrival, the monk being just as curious as he was. Little got passed the pervert and more than once he'd observed the two of them sneaking off and had gone so far to comment about it to him. Fortunately the man had backed off when Inuyasha had told him to keep his mouth shut and mind his own business.

"I'm going to take a bath, I won't be gone for too long." If she were to be honest, all of them could use a good scrubbing at the moment. Miroku had more than one smudge of dirt across his face and Inuyasha's hair was speckled with it. However Kagome knew if she were to point that out to the hanyou he'd just go off in another tirade until he grew tired or she sat him, something she wanted to avoid at this point in time.

Inuyasha had been well aware of Kagome's fetish for staying clean but it wasn't even nighttime yet and there was still a large amount of work to be done. She'd take her bath but just get dirty again which would give yet another excuse for the two of them to run off together. While he might not have a say in that it wasn't something he wanted them flaunting in his face either. His ears flicked in annoyance at the look Hiei was giving him but he ignored it for the moment. "Forget it, you can take one later unless dinner is done and you've figured out exactly where we are sleeping. Most of the huts are unusable." The bodies of a good majority of the villagers had already begun to decay and moving them had been messy, causing even his stomach to turn. Sleeping in one of those huts was definitely out of the question.

"Can't you smell it hanyou?" Hiei's voice was low and dangerous as he addressed Inuyasha, cutting off Kagome's response before she had the chance to go back to her earlier indecision. The look of uncertainly on the half demon's face was exactly what he wanted, it was time for the man to start thinking instead of acting on impulse. Slowly Inuyasha came forward to smell for himself and Hiei resisted the urge to pull Kagome away from the dog as she was inspected. Knowing the man had been in contention for her affections did not allow him to rest easy when the two were together but Hiei was slowly coming to terms with their continued relationship such as it was. He'd always be possessive and it was doubtful that he'd ever really like the Inu hanyou but they'd come to an understanding. So long as Inuyasha didn't push the boundaries of the friendship that Hiei had come to accept they wouldn't have a problem.

It was slight but the taint of illness was definitely there and Inuyasha's nose picked up on it easily. If proper precautions were taken now then Kagome wouldn't take ill but if it was allowed to continue there were no doubts in his mind that she would contract the disease. In this instance Hiei had the right idea, they needed to get Kagome well away from the town. "You're right," His voice lost its earlier heat as he contemplated the girl who was staring at him with a surprised look. "Kagome listen to me, you can't come back here."

"Why not?" The question was asked not only by Kagome but Miroku as well. Since the origins of this was demonic Miroku knew that in order to rid the town of it they were likely to need both his and Kagome's holy abilities to do so. Why send her off and tell her not to come back? "Are you sure that is wise Inuyasha, all of us will be required to solve this matter. Especially if it is Naraku or a detachment that caused it." Unspoken was the worry that if it was indeed Naraku, sending her away from the main group would be leaving her open to attack. Surely Inuyasha would realize this and change his mind.

Inuyasha knew exactly what Miroku was thinking even if the monk hadn't come out and said it outright but in this instance he had to disagree. While there was a risk of Kagome being away from the main group he knew that Hiei would be more than willing to defend her to the death if necessary. If whatever attacked was strong enough to get passed him then as a group they'd have trouble as well. Still, an attack wasn't a certainty but the woman in question getting sick was if she remained in the area. "Because her holy powers are not fighting off this disease. It won't be long before she catches it and ends up like those people we just buried if she stays here." It was a blunt way of putting it but it was the fastest way for Inuyasha to cut through any objections. Turning to Hiei he leveled him a serious look, "Do you have a place in mind?" Even though he was allowing the two of them to leave didn't mean he was going to let them run off without a location just in case something happened.

"Yes, back the way we came by the narrow waterfall. There was an area not far from there that would be suitable for camp. It should be far enough away to avoid the disease." Being so far away from Kaede's village had left the group at a disadvantage, not knowing the area. However Hiei had roamed this part of Japan for quite some time and was familiar with each ideal spot which they had been relying upon. Seeing that Inuyasha remembered the spot and deemed it acceptable he nodded. Now if only they could get underway he could rest a bit easier. How the others dealt with the illness wasn't his concern. Inuyasha wasn't likely to be at risk, nor was Shippo or Kirara by virtue of their demonic energy. Sango and Miroku were another story but they could deal with their own problems.

"Do it then, we'll come as soon as we get this wrapped up. Don't let your guard down." Inuyasha watched as Hiei swept the girl off of her feet and bolted into the forest before she could continue her protests. At times Kagome could be entirely unthinking of her own safety in favor of other people, it was time to let someone else take care of her for a change. Once they'd disappeared from view Inuyasha turned back towards the village. "Let's go Miroku, we've got a lot of work to do before we can get out of here."

Sighing heavily Miroku followed, his hands going into his robes as he walked making sure he had plenty of ofudas to put a barrier up. Now that Kagome was gone it changed the strength of the shielding that would go up. It would keep most demons out but against someone of a higher class it would be virtually useless. Hopefully the demon that attacked the village at night was of the lower class variety, easily eliminated. "You're right and since I will be busy doing this I'll leave it to you to finish digging and then cleaning our rooms for the night." Miroku smirked to himself as he walked away from the flustered hanyou, ignoring the colorful curses being thrown his direction. If there was one thing the monk couldn't stand it was digging and if putting wards up meant passing the detestable job off to another, so be it.

~*~

Running while carrying another person was never the easiest thing to do especially when they were curled up in your arms. After a while it'd become necessary to shift her to his back, the pack she was carrying had become too unwieldy for him to manage along with her additional weight. Once she'd been repositioned it made traveling much faster and they'd reached their destination in no time. As Hiei had set her down his first priority had been to get her clean. "Follow me, the hot springs aren't far from here." Two months ago if he'd have insisted on escorting her to bath it was likely that she'd have protested the idea but now Kagome merely nodded and shouldered her pack once more. Since they'd mated it had become a routine for them, Kagome being unwilling to bath alone in the woods and Hiei being unwilling to allow her to bath unguarded.

"You felt the energy of the demon who'd caused the plague Hiei, tell me honestly. How long do you think it will be before it's taken care of?" While she could make assumptions about what she thought would happen Hiei usually had a better grasp on the circumstances and Kagome knew it. As they pushed through a small bit of brush she glanced over at the man who was wearing a blank expression. Usually when they were alone he relaxed slightly though the apparition would never be what she deemed extremely open. Now seeing him like this made her wonder if her estimation of a week or two was off.

Hiei knew that her worries stemmed from the possibility of her friends contracting the disease but there was nothing he could do to reassure her they wouldn't. The longer they remained in the village the worse their chances were. They should have just steered clear of the area in the first place, then none of them would have been put at risk. "It depends on if the woman lives. Should she die the best course of action would be to burn the village to the ground, allowing fire to cleanse the area of the taint. If she does not however she'll not recover quickly and she cannot be taken to another village for treatment. It would risk spreading the disease elsewhere. Realistically, they are looking at months of effort to save one woman." Branches broke beneath their feet as they continued trekking through the underbrush though Hiei knew they were getting close. The humidity in the air had increased dramatically, they'd be there within another minute or so.

Even at the risk of her own friend's lives Kagome couldn't wish death on the woman just so they could leave faster. All she could do was pray that they remained safe and took whatever precautions that were necessary to insure they didn't become ill. Over the past couple years of her journeying into the past Kagome had slowly begun to instill in them the need to bath every day, hopefully this would be one of those times when the guys didn't protest. "I guess we're going to be here a while then aren't we?" Kagome came to a stop at the water's edge, dropping her bag on a large rock and looked over to the apparition. She never knew whether or not he planned to take up a position in a tree and watch as she bathed or if he'd decide to join her instead.

"Go ahead and get undressed." Sensing that no one was around to disturb them Hiei gave her the go ahead to unclothe, neither would take the chance if someone happened to be nearby. As the apparition watched Kagome peel off her clothing he gathered up the discarded garments earning a surprised look from her. It was likely that she'd bitch at him later for this but it was something that needed to be done. Quickly he walked over to a patch of bare earth and laid the clothing down upon the ground. With the smallest burst of energy the material was ignited and reduced to ash quickly.

For a moment Kagome stood there surprised that her clothing was quickly being burned to a crisp before her eyes narrowed at her mate. "What the hell did you do that for?" Granted she had another couple of sets of clothing tucked away in the bag but that didn't mean she wanted him to torch the ones that she'd been wearing. Kagome stood there nude and fuming as she stared at her mate. "I should return the favor you know." The idea was tempting but she liked his cloak too damned much to burn the thing, she'd have to come up with some other form of revenge to get even with him.

Hiei rolled his eyes and began to strip down, peeling his cloak off first before kicking off his boots. "They were contaminated and we don't have a way to cleanse them. You have others and the ones you lost can be replaced so don't be foolish." Oh Hiei knew he was in for it with the look that Kagome leveled at him for those words but he wasn't particularly worried. The most she could do was try and drown him in the springs but as he'd proven to her before he could go a long time underwater without breathing. "Besides.." With that word he tossed his own clothing upon the ground where the remnants of hers laid and ignited them as well but they material remained unharmed. "As you can see, attempting to burn mine would be pointless. If you wanted me naked on the other hand, all you needed to do was ask."

Glaring halfheartedly at her lover Kagome lowered herself into the steaming water, groaning as the warmth seeped into her sore muscles. "You're a jerk you know that?" One of these days she was going to have to pull the secret of his clothing out of him. To this day she couldn't understand how he could pull the cloak off without worrying about the sleeves and then put it back on by just draping it over his shoulders. She'd asked once and he'd merely smirked saying it was a secret, caused by the type of material it was made of. The water lapped at her chin and began soaking her long hair, this being one time she neglected to put it up knowing she'd need to wash it thoroughly as well.

"When have I ever claimed to be otherwise?" Hiei tossed the bar of soap over to the girl as he lowered himself into the water as well. For a moment it looked as if she'd drop it to the bottom of the springs before her hands closed firmly around it. Leaning back against a smooth rock Hiei watched her begin to clean her body, content to remain where he was for the time being. Eventually she'd moved her hair out of the way and turned, exposing her back to his view. The bar of soap was held out in an offering which he took, giving into the silent request. Slowly his hands slid across her skin, massaging the tense muscles as he went. An obscene moan came from Kagome's lips, signaling her enjoyment of the treatment she was receiving.

Leaning forward slightly, Kagome gave the apparition complete access to her back and shoulders. As his hands works the tension slowly left her body leaving her limp and leaning backwards against his chest. As his slick hands moved to the front of her body a smirk tugged at the edges of her lips, clearly he was enjoying himself as well if the hard shaft rubbing against her back was any indication. "Hiei.." As those teasing fingers ghosted across her nipples she arched into the touch, her eyes closing in pleasure when she felt soft lips teasing a sensitive spot on her neck.

Hiei growled heatedly as she responded so eagerly to his touch but it left him with a delimma. His cloak was a distance away and not easily accessible ruling out the possibility of him taking her out of the water. "Stand up." His words were soft yet commanding as he whispered in her ear, his hands stilling when she did as he asked. Within moment he was standing behind her, guiding her over to an area in the water where she could stand comfortably. Softly his hands ran down her back, tracing over her firm backside before returning to her shoulders and pushing her forward. "Spread your legs and stay like this." Taking a step back to enjoy the view, the apparition licked his lips as his eyes roamed over her exposed flesh. Water trailed down her skin, accentuating every curve of her body. He couldn't wait to devour her.

Anticipation coiled deep within Kagome's body as she heard the demon moving behind her once more, his hands settling on her hips as he went to his knees. The first scorching touch of his tongue caused her to gasp and close her eyes while her back arched giving him better access to her core. As the tongue began to force its way deeper into her, his name spilled from her lips encouraging the hybrid on, this time without fear of being overheard. Firm fingers brushed against her clit then, retreating only once before returning with a vengeance and pushing her closer and closer to the edge of ecstasy.

With their times together being so limited Hiei knew that it wouldn't be long before she came and redoubled his efforts. Already his body was aching with the need to be buried deep inside of her, taking once again as his instincts demanded. The first taste of her essence upon his tongue was exquisite as her walls clamped down around it. Roughly he forced it in as far as he could, her cries of passion music to his ears. It was a sound he could definitely get used to hearing and for the duration of their stay he fully intended on taking advantage of their solitude.

Only once her trembling had subsided did Hiei stand once more, pressing in closely behind her. The tip of his erection found her dripping folds easily, forcing its way inside. The sweet friction had him panting with need and scrambling for control even as Kagome pushed back against him, fully impaling herself on his thick shaft. "Don't move." The command was growled in her ear as Hiei tightened his arm around her waist and used his own hand to brace himself against the rock she was leaning against. Unfortunately his little vixen had other ideas, grinding her backside against his hips in a blatant invitation to move. It was too much to resist as he pulled back, almost withdrawing from her completely before slamming his length back in.

"Ah!" The mixture of pleasure and pain had her crying out, needing more from the demon behind her. Reaching around her hand caressed Hiei's hip even as he withdrew from her once more before tightening her grip and pulling him forward encouraging the apparition to take her hard. A rough pace was set, once that had Kagome begging him for more as he rode her without care. Rough fingers moved up to tug on a hard nipple increasing her pleasure.

The sounds of their rutting filled the air as Hiei panted behind her. Leaning forward he draped himself over her back, rocking even deeper into her core. His lips settled next to her ear and nipped sharply as she pushed against him. "Pleasure yourself for me." The command had Kagome's hand moving towards her center, fingertips brushing the underside of his cock briefly before retreating to rub against her clit. The added stimulation had her walls clenching around him almost painfully, tightening with each stroke he gave her.

Kagome sobbed from the pleasurable overload, her legs nearly giving out from underneath her. Strong arms wrapped around her waist holding her in place as her climax struck hard. The throbbing deep within her only intensified the feeling as he continued to stroke her walls. Warmth flooded through her body as the apparition hit his peak as well, emptying himself deep within her body. Slowly he eased himself out of her warmth, sinking back down into the water and taking Kagome with him. For several long minutes they rested there in each others arms. The silence was finally broken by Hiei when he noticed she was about to doze off. "We should finish washing, then we can rest."

Reluctantly Kagome nodded her agreement before pulling out of his arms and submerging herself completely. Only once her hair was thoroughly wet did she begin to shampoo it as Hiei cleansed his own body. Getting the shampoo out took a few minutes but soon enough she was on the bank with a towel pressed into her hands. Hiei had used his fire abilities to dry himself leaving the towel to her while he pulled the blanket out of her pack. His eyes strayed to the clothing that remained sealed in bags that prevented them from getting wet in case of rain. Shaking his head he zipped the pack closed again, after they'd rested Hiei knew that he would take her again and clothing would only get in the way.

Settling down on the blanket Hiei waited for the girl to come to him which didn't take long. His cloak was now pillowed beneath his head as he watched her approach with the towel wrapped around her body. Slowly she settled down next to him, her head coming to a rest on his chest. As her eyes closed, Hiei began running his hands through her hair slowly drying the silky mass with his increased body heat. A pleased hum came from her lips as she leaned closer into his touch making him smile slightly. Anyone who saw him in a private moment like this would have to die but for now they were alone and he could be free to touch his mate without worrying about the repercussions. Slowly his own eyes began to close though he kept alert for anyone approaching as he allowed her to sleep.

~*~

"Dammit Sango is this supposed to be edible?" All Inuyasha wanted was a chance to eat and then to finally rest. His mood had lightened considerably upon hearing that dinner was ready but it had fallen quickly enough when he'd seen the condition of the venison. Over done didn't begin to describe it, what had she done? Fallen asleep while they'd been working? Reluctantly the hanyou poked it with the eating utensils that Kagome had left behind, wincing at the hard tap the metal made on the meat. Somehow he doubted that even the Tetsusaiga could make a dent in it.

Sango's eyes narrowed in irritation at the hanyou's antics, though those of Miroku and Shippo hadn't been much better. She was a passable cook at best but she'd been so busy taking up the tasks that Kagome would have been doing she lost track of time. "Fine Inuyasha you can cook tomorrow!" At the hopeful looks that the other two gave the hanyou a growl that would have made Inuyasha proud under other circumstances escaped her throat. "And you can finish cleaning this place up and you can go hunting for more food tomorrow since this obviously isn't to your liking!" With her arms crossed angrily, Sango glared at the half demon daring him to object to what she'd said. Let's see how he liked being the one to do everything around here for a change!

"Feh, cleaning is womens work." Wisely Inuyasha refrained from saying cooking was as well, he couldn't wait for this to be over with so Kagome could return to cooking as well. Wistfully he looked over to the packages of ramen, debating on whether or not to ask her to fix that for him before decided it wasn't worth chancing. If Sango could overcook the meat so thoroughly she could probably burn water as well and then his noodles would be ruined. His attention came back to the annoyed demon slayer just in time to see a chunk of the ruined meat flying through the air towards his head. "Hey! Watch it!"

"Women's work! No wonder Kagome sits you so much Inuyasha!" Right about now Sango was wishing she could invoke that rosary around his neck. Then again, two more around the other males would be nice as well. Already Miroku had made a hasty exit as soon as Inuyasha had opened his mouth with the obnoxious statement. Women's work indeed. Shippo wasn't far being him, not wanting to get hit by flying projectiles even if they weren't aimed at his head in particular. Inuyasha was the last to leave though it wasn't without much screaming. Maybe this would teach him to keep his big mouth shut.

Inuyasha beat a hasty retreat from the hut, mourning the fact that he would go hungry that night and likely the next day unless Miroku was feeling generous enough to cook for them. His own cooking wasn't that much better and if he could get someone else to take over, Inuyasha wasn't about to stop them from doing so. Ignoring the mild look of irritation that Miroku was giving him, Inuyasha lept up into a low hanging treat branch. "So Miroku, you wanna cook tomorrow?"

As tempting as it was to tell the hanyou to fend for himself Miroku knew that he'd be left to suffer as well. Now was one of the times he was thankful that Mushen had taught him how to cook, even if his skills in the kitchen would never win any awards. "Yes I will, if only to spare myself the fate you have cast upon us with your ill chosen words. Really Inuyasha, what possessed you to say such a thing?" Leaning against the tree he glared up at the half demon, squinting against the fading light. Even he wouldn't be so foolish as to say something that offensive to Sango even if he believed it to be true.

"What'd you expect me to do? Lie and say it was good? I'm not going to break my teeth monk!" So maybe he'd gone a bit overboard but women were always so touchy. Half the time there was no telling what would set them off. Staring off into the distance Inuyasha watched the tree line. The shadows were lengthening signaling that night was quickly approaching and soon the village would be shrouded in darkness. For some reason though the wind brought ill feelings towards him, as if something weren't quite right. "Do you feel that?"

For a moment Miroku was silent, trying to figure out just what it was that Inuyasha was sensing. A frown crossed his face as he concentrated on the barrier, trying to determine if anything was amiss. Nothing had crossed the line just yet though he could sense the weak demonic auras that moved through the trees. It was nothing out of the ordinary just yet. "No, nothing Inuyasha. The barrier is in tact and there doesn't seem to be anything stronger than Hachi in the woods tonight." Slowly he leaned against the tree and looked up at the hanyou who still hadn't broken his gaze from the trees. "Inuyasha?"

"No, somethings out there. I can feel it." Leaping out of the tree, Inuyasha landed lightly next to the Monk and placed a hand on his sword. The wind shifted once more, blowing his hair to the side and bringing the smell of decay to him once again though this time it wasn't from the village. "He's here. The bastard who did this is here." It couldn't be a coincidence, this feeling of wrongness coupled with the strong odor of the plague and Inuyasha knew it. "Be ready for anything, I think the bastard's going to show himself soon."

Miroku fingered the beads that kept his wind tunnel closed as he waited though to be honest the prospect of sucking in a demon that could cause a plague less than thrilled him. It had already been determined he could be poisoned through the hole in his hand, contracting an illness wasn't out of the realms of possible either. "Should we call Sango?" Truthfully he was reluctant to do so until they knew what they were up against. Losing the woman to an ill planned battle was to be avoided at all cost.

"No need I'm already here." It had been Kirara's shift in attitude that had alerted her to the trouble though for the moment Sango still couldn't see what the problem was. One of her profession though knew that meant very little, it was only a matter of time before the demon made its appearance. Thankfully Shippo had stayed inside with the sick woman, this was no time for him to be caught in the middle of a fight. Hiraikotsu was quickly readied to be thrown at the first sign of their opponent. Now all they needed to do was for the bastard to show themselves.

"My my it seems as if my trap worked perfectly."

The voice had them all tensing, searching for the owner of that hated voice. Inuyasha had the Tetsusaiga unsheathed in an instant and fully transformed, waiting for Naraku to appear. "It's about time you showed yourself you bastard. Come out and fight, it's time we settled this!" It would be a difficult battle with Kagome gone and Hiei would have been an additional help but at this point they had no other choice. They'd been searching for months for any trace of Naraku or the jewel and continually came up empty handed. Who knew how much longer it would take if he were to disappear again.

"Ah Inuyasha, I sometimes wonder if you will ever change." Stepping out of the shadows Naraku regarded the three of them with amusement. He'd known that they'd been hunting him ever since he'd taken their part of the jewel. The same artifact that now hung completed from around his neck, completely black with the taint of evil. His eyes scanned the crowd, his brow raising in question. "I see you are missing at least one person and I don't mean the kitsune. Where is she Inuyasha?" In his mind Kagome would be his greatest adversary and she was one to be eliminated quickly. Sending out his aura he searched the immediate area, coming up empty. The girl was gone as well as the apparition she'd seemed so taken with.

Inuyasha brandished his sword at the man, fully intending on rushing out to take his head. There was no way he was going to allow the man anywhere near Kagome and Inuyasha could only pray that Hiei was keeping her safe at this very moment. "Oh she's safe, not that you'll get a chance to see her again cause you'll be dead!" With that he left forward charging the barrier and the hanyou just beyond. Another shadow materialized out of nowhere, a diseased hand striking out at him as he ran past. "What is this? Another detachment? Feh, figures you don't have a chance of winning without help. Not that he'll do you much good anyway!"

Amusement raced through him hearing Inuyasha's words, making Naraku chuckle. The fool truly had no idea, though he was about to learn very quickly. "Yes Inuyasha, it is another detachment though if I were you I wouldn't be quite so arrogant. Do you know how he caused the plague to spread so quickly?" Already the hanyou was upon him though Naraku wasn't ready to engage him just yet. Inuyasha needed to know just what Takahiro was capable of and what he would do once he'd found the priestess.

Having heard enough of the heated banter going on Sango had released Hirakotsu towards the detachment in hopes of taking it out before it could use whatever attacks it possessed. A shudder of revulsion and horror filled her as the creature moved to the side but brushing his hand against the women. As if returned Sango watched the normal brown coloring distort to a sickly green. Uncertainty filled her as it approached, should she try and catch it as normal even though something had been changed? Not willing to chance it, Sango moved out of the way and allowing it to continue past, striking the ground some distance beyond and coming to rest. Warily she drew her sword, waiting to see what was going to happen next.

"Do you like him? That is only one of the tricks he's capable of." Now that Naraku was certain he had their attention he carried on, never taking his eyes off of his opponents. "You're lucky you avoided it Sango, its become tainted. One touch would have the disease spreading through you at an unstoppable rate. Direct contact kills within minutes, contracting the disease from someone else however can leave you lingering for weeks. Not even Kagome can stop it and that's precisely who I'm here for. Without her, you are powerless to take the jewel back! Takahiro, find the girl and kill her. You may feast on her rotting corpse once you are done." Obeying his command the detachment took off in the direction that he'd seen the small apparition leaving from earlier with the girl. Now that he knew they hadn't returned it would only be a short while before they were found.

"Over my dead body!" Inuyasha raced after the detachment hoping to kill the damned thing before it could reach Kagome. Hiei would do everything in his power to stop it but if all it took was one touch then the woman he'd taken care of for years could be in very real danger. As he ran he ignored the calls of Sango and Miroku though he knew that he was leaving them in a difficult position. It was doubtful that they could take Naraku on alone and win but there was a decent chance that the bastard would up and leave now that he'd delivered the message he'd wanted.

Seeing the hanyou run off, Miroku knew that they were in trouble. Instead of leaving like Inuyasha had expected, Naraku stepped through the barrier as if it weren't even there and continued approaching them with a look of malice. Close combat was now the only option they had unless he chose to use the wind tunnel which he wasn't even certain if it would work against its creator. The woman he'd come to adore was already on the move, her blade flashing in the fading light as she sought to strike him down. It was deflected with the wave of a hand though Sango wasn't about to give up. Grabbing his staff he joined in the fray, hoping to score a lucky shot.

Shippo watched from inside the hut, desire to go out there and help warring with the knowledge he'd be all but useless in the fight. Not much more than ten minutes had passed and already Sango was injured, a blast of raw energy having struck her in the side. Still she fought on though ignoring the blood that seeped through her outfit. She'd survived worse in the past and Shippo was hopeful that this would be another of those times were it was just another scar to tell stories about. His eyes widened as he watched how close the slayer had gotten that time though she was quickly struck down. Miroku's voice could be heard calling out to her as he raced to the woman's aid.

The sword had been wrenched free from her grasp as Naraku straddled the woman's back. "Sango no!" The blade was poised high above the hanyou's head and arching down towards the demon exterminator. Kirara was already on the move, seeking to throw the man off of her before he could land a killing blow. The force of her weight was enough to shift his aim enough that the blade pierced her shoulder, pinning her to the ground. Kirara was thrown free, a blast of miasma tearing through her stomach and dropping her dying body to the blood spattered ground.

"Kirara!" The sight was too much for him, Shippo raced out of the hut fully intending on doing what he could to help his friends. Miroku was throwing sutras in an effort to drive the bastard off of Sango before he could finish the job. While Naraku was distracted Shippo hurled himself at the man, tiny claws sinking deep into the flesh of his neck, ripping and tearing what he could. Blood flood beneath his fingers as he sought to tear the man's throat out. Roughly he was pulled free and thrown clear of the fray, no one noticing how he'd cut the thin cord that secured the Shikon jewel around Naraku's neck.

"Use your wind tunnel!" It was a risk but Sango knew it was one of the few options they had left. Staring Miroku in the eyes she willed him to do as she commanded. If they didn't do something Naraku was going to succeed in killing them all. "Dammit do it Miroku!" Her voice jerked him out of his stupor, his fingers pausing just before pulling the sacred beads free. "Do you want us all to die?" The pain in her voice was harsh, filled with unshed tears. Kirara was dead and there was no telling how Shippo had fared, he'd never come back. It was likely he was dead or dying, just as she would soon be. Already the pain in her shoulder was almost unbearable and she could feel Naraku's hands closing over her neck, ready to snap it.

Praying that Sango knew what she was doing, Miroku unleashed his most powerful attack. There was nothing gentle about the winds that surged forward, tearing free chunks of ground and debris from the surrounding area. Nothing in it's path was safe from its fury as the winds increased, taking in everything in its path but still Naraku held firm to the woman beneath him. The sword was anchored deeply enough into the ground to keep her pinned there for the moment though the monk couldn't imagine the agony she was going through as she clung to the grass.

Abruptly the dark hanyou was yanked free and approaching at a rapid pace. It was now or never and Miroku knew this was likely to be their only chance of killing him without Inuyasha or Kagome present. Bracing himself the monk stood firm, ready to suck the bastard into the depths of nothingness. Abruptly the winds died, the hole in his hand disappearing.

Naraku dropped to the ground panting harshly, his hand going to his chest in search of the jewel's power to finish his enemies off with one crushing blow. Rage welled up in him when he realized the jewel was missing and there was no trace of its power anywhere nearby. "You fool!" There was only one conclusion that he could draw and that was that the artifact had disappeared into the void. There was no way to get it back, no way to return it to his hands. Where it lay now was completely unknown and until its location could be determined he would be little match for the group. Growling feraly Naraku vanished, needing time to recover and rethink what was to happen next.

"Sango?" Miroku made his way unsteadily towards the woman to make sure she'd come through the winds okay. Blood continued to drip from the wound in her shoulder but otherwise she looked to be alright. "Don't move, I've got to pull this out." Once she'd nodded his hands closed around the hilt of the sword, pulling it free in one smooth motion. Quickly he tore off a piece of his robes and applied it to the wound, hoping that pressure would be enough to stop the bleeding.

With great pain Sango sat up, fighting off the wave of dizziness that threatened to overcome her from blood loss. "Shippo... Find Shippo!" She'd be fine for the minute, her main concern was for the kitsune kit who'd tried to save her. Unwillingly her eyes strayed over to Kirara and took in the sight. There was no hope for her companion, she'd given her life to ensure her mistress stayed alive. Moments later Miroku came back, Shippo cradled in his arms.

"He'll be fine, we just need to get the both of you inside." Slowly Miroku helped Sango to her feet and led her inside the hut to tend her wounds. Shippo would be alright with rest, suffering only a minor head wound that would leave him groggy for a few days. As he cleaned the sword wound in Sango's shoulder he couldn't help but wonder how Inuyasha was fairing against Takahiro.

If Inuyasha had experienced any misgivings over Hiei taking Kagome so far away from the village he was rethinking them now. Already they were ten miles from the main battle, Takahiro was incredibly fast but Inuyasha wasn't about to give up. It helped that the demon didn't know exactly where to search so Inuyasha took a risk, praying it would work. Abruptly he swerved away from the demon and began racing down a path that would lead to a ravine with no way out. Frantically he ran, as if he were hoping to reach Kagome in time. It wasn't long before the diseased menace passed him by, continuing down the path. Smirking to himself Inuyasha put on another burst of speed and drew the Tetsusaiga when he'd reached the end. "This is the end of the line for you asshole! Wind scar!" Roughly he cut across the fissure unleashing an attack that the demon had no hopes of avoiding. It's dying screams bounced off of the ravine walls as the energy tore through it, vaporizing it into nothingness. Turning from the site of its destruction, Inuyasha raced back towards the village praying that Miroku and Sango had been able to hold Naraku off long enough for him to return.

~*~

It was the sudden feeling of wrongness that had Hiei opening his eyes but for the moment he couldn't sense anything out of the ordinary. All of his senses went on alert, his body tensing even as he continued to hold Kagome in her sleep. Something was definitely wrong even if he couldn't pinpoint exactly what it was. His unease was what stirred his mate from her slumber, though he refused to let her go. A wave of energy caressed his senses and he knew that somewhere a battle was being fought. There was a good chance that it was the demon who'd plagued the village and for that reason Hiei relaxed only slightly, knowing that there was nothing that they could do.

"What is it?" Kagome trusted Hiei's sense far more than her own, knowing that aside from sensing jewel shards they were just about useless. She'd been entirely too comfortable sleeping as she had been and was wondering just what had gotten him riled up. Looking into his face revealed nothing, not one clue for her to go by though his hand did resume running through her hair.

Unsure of what her reaction would be, Hiei remained silent for a few moments before speaking. "Inuyasha and the others are taking care of the demon who caused this I would imagine." Feeling her tense in his arms had him looking down at her. "There is nothing that we can do to influence the outcome of the fight. By the time we got there it would likely be over and the original risk still stands. We will wait for word of what happened."

It was tempting to tell him that she was going anyway but Kagome knew he was right. Without his help she'd never get there in time and it would leave her an easy target for anything else that was lurking in the forest. Slowly she settled back against his chest content to lay there for a few more moments. Food was going to become a priority soon and she knew it but moments like this were special to her. A comfortable silence stretched out between the both of them, neither anxious to break it when the feeling of wrongness spiked once more. This time it was enough that it had even her jerking in surprise. "What's.. what's going on?"

By now Hiei had reached for his sword, sitting up completely while trying to figure out what was going on. This feeling was different and directly tied to Kagome, he could feel it reverberating through their bond. While he wasn't sure what the hell was happening to her he would kill the one responsible for causing it in the first place. Uneasily he looked around when Kagome calling his name in a shaky voice drew his attention once more. "Kagome!"

Kagome stared at her hands when were shaking, fear coursing through her as she watched small wisps of light rising from her skin. It was slow at first but gaining speed, her body disappearing into nothingness. Frantically she looking at Hiei who could only stare at her helplessly. It felt as if she were being pulled away though she didn't know why. What had happened? Why was this happening to her. No answers were forthcoming as Hiei reached for her in an effort to stop her from leaving. "Help me Hiei! Please!" The feeling was slowly changing into one she was all too familiar with, passing through the well. "No! I don't want to go!"

"Dammit!" Hiei reached for her as if his touch would be enough to anchor her in place. Her words told him all he needed to know, for some reason she was being pulled to her own time. This couldn't be happening, he wouldn't allow it! He'd only just found her, he wasn't going to let her go now. Tears were now streaming down Kagome's face as he pulled her closer in an effort to keep her with him. "Don't go Kagome... you can't go."

It sounded as if his voice were now coming from across a great distance and her body was slowly going numb to his touch. Pulling back slightly she looked him in the eyes, trying to memorize every detail of their final moment together. Desperately Kagome leaned forward, bringing her lips to his conveying just how she felt to him. As he kissed her back she could feel the raw emotions pouring through her soul though she could do nothing to ease the pain of her going for either of them. Slowly she withdrew, knowing she had only a few more moments left before her time would run out. Bringing her hand to his cheek she willing him to believe her. "I'll be waiting for you, please come and find me Hiei. And always remember, I love you."

As Kagome vanished Hiei felt empty inside though he believed every word she'd said. "I will Kagome, you have my word." Fiercely the apparition hoped that wherever Kagome was she could hear him. Old doubts resurfaced as to whether or not he would live long enough to see her again before his determination kicked in. He would survive, one way or another. Something else had to be keeping them apart in her time and once he found out what it was, God help the person responsible. He'd show them no mercy. Slowly he stood and pulled his clothing on, stopping only to pick up the pack that contained her belongings. It was time to return to the village and find out just what the hell had happened to tear the both of them apart.

Please read and review telling me what you think. A second chapter is possible depending depending on my muses and whether or not there is enough interest in a conclusion to this fic.