InuYasha Fan Fiction ❯ A Woman Scorned ❯ Chapter 20 ( Chapter 20 )

“Do you really think that you can defeat me little girl?” Naraku chuckled as they warily circled each other looking for a sign of any weakness that could be used. He knew that if he didn't take her out fast then there was a good chance that he wouldn't live through this encounter. `I should have had her killed a long time ago before she got so powerful,' he thought angrily to himself. Without warning he suddenly struck out, almost catching Kagome in the side as she hastily leapt back. Feeling more confident, Naraku continued to press the attack, with Kagome struggling to get away. Outside the barrier, both Sesshomaru and Inu-yasha watched helplessly as the woman they loved fought for her and her kit's very lives.

 

“Damn it! Miroku, isn't there something you can do?” Inu-yasha called out in frustration to the monk a few feet away. Miroku nodded and closed his eyes, concentrating on breaking through Kagome's barrier so that they could help her. Several minutes later he opened his eyes and let a curse word slip out from between his lips, causing Sango and the others to stare at him in surprise. He looked around in irritation then smiled sheepishly.

 

“Guess I've been hanging around Inu-yasha too long,” he commented wryly, causing everyone but Sesshomaru to break out into tension relieving laughter. Sesshomaru merely looked at them with cold eyes before turning his attention back to Kagome. `Come on miko, remember your training,' he though desperately, although nothing of his feelings showed on his face. Almost as if she had heard him, Kagome suddenly straightened up and slashed out with her sword, cutting off part of the tentacle that had been about to run itself through her stomach. Part of the tentacle fell, purified. Naraku hissed in pain as the purification power continued to race up the rest of the tentacle towards the now frantic hanyou. He was finally able to make the rest of the tentacle drop off just before Kagome's purification powers reached his main body.

 

“You'll pay for that bitch!” he roared as he allowed himself to fully transform. When the transformation was complete, he stared down confidently at the small human girl, expecting to see her cowering before him. Instead, he was met with the surprising sight of her smirking up at him with a victorious light in her eyes. His own eyes widened as he suddenly realized that he had just left himself completely exposed to her purifying arrows, one of which was currently aimed at where his corrupt heart was beating.

 

“Enjoy your stay in hell,” Kagome hissed as she let the arrow fly, watching in satisfaction as it hit its mark. Instantly, Naraku's body was purified into ashes, the last look on his face was a look of utter shock that a mere human girl had managed to beat him. Once he was nothing but a pile of ashes, Kagome let the barrier around them drop as she felt herself falling towards the ground, her exhausted body unable to handle any more. She was immediately caught in Sesshomaru's strong arms. Before she blacked out completely, Kagome reached over and grabbed the other half of the Shikon jewel that Naraku had possessed, instantly purifying it and placing it with her half, completing the jewel. That was the last thing she remembered for the next several days.

 

Kagome opened her eyes slowly, wincing at the bright light that seemed to be shining directly into her eyes. She sat up and looked around, surprised to find that she was in Kaede's hut. She looked around for signs of her friends, but found herself alone. She sighed and lay back down in her sleeping bag, trying to figure out exactly what had happened. The last thing she had remembered was killing Naraku and purifying and reuniting the two halves of the Shikon jewel. A slight sound from the doorway caught Kagome's attention and she turned her head and met the golden gaze of Sesshomaru.

 

“I'm glad to see that you are finally awake Kagome. How are you feeling?” he asked in a cool voice. She noticed that he was staying close to the door and felt a twinge of hurt that he obviously didn't want to be around her now that Naraku was gone.

 

“I'm fine Sesshomaru. About the deal…if you want to call it off I won't stop you,” she whispered sadly. She felt one tear than another at the thought of him walking out of her life just like that. Somewhere along the way, she had not only fallen out of love with Inu-yasha, she had managed to fall in love with Sesshomaru. She heard a shuffling noise near the doorway and looked up, expecting to see Sesshomaru gone. Instead, she found him crouched down in front of her, his eyes blazing with a combination of irritation and amusement. Kami how she loved to look into his eyes!

 

“What makes you think this Sesshomaru wants to break our…arrangement?” he purred in a soft and silky voice. Kagome blinked at him, her brown eyes huge and tear filled. Sesshomaru felt the last barrier around his heart crumble to the ground permanently as he gently pulled her into his arms and buried his nose in her hair.

 

“Baka miko do you not yet realize how this Sesshomaru feels about you and Shippo?” he whispered into her hair. He felt her tense up and pull back slightly so that she could search his face and eyes with her hopeful yet wary ones.

 

“I…I see something…” she trailed off, still uncertain. After all, her first love had rejected her so why should Sesshomaru be any different? After all, she was only a weak human and not a very pretty one to boot. A slight growl from Sesshomaru pulled her from her thoughts as she realized that he had picked up on her feelings.

 

“Listen to what I am saying and put whatever that baka brother of mine told you behind you! Yes you may be a human, but once we are mated that will change. Even if it didn't this Sesshomaru loves you for who you are and not what you can or cannot do,” he growled as he gently ran the back of a hand down one of her smooth satiny cheeks. He waited uncertainly, wondering if she was still going to reject him even after he swallowed his rather enormous pride and shared his hidden feelings with her.

 

Kagome stared at him, the full meaning of his words finally sinking in. She smiled slowly, a bright loving smile that Sesshomaru had only seen her show Inu-yasha. She threw her arms around him, completely startling him and knocking him backwards. She landed on top of him and grinned down at him, her eyes sparkling with her love for him as well as tears of joy. They kissed, their tongues dancing together in joy as they strove to show the other how happy they were with each other. The sound of someone softly clearing their throats in the doorway caused them to break apart and Kagome to quickly scramble off of Sesshomaru. She looked up to find a highly embarrassed Sango and a highly amused Miroku standing in the doorway. The other thing that Kagome noticed was that they were holding hands.

 

“We're not interrupting anything are we?” Miroku asked with a playful waggle of his eyebrows. Sango smacked him upside the head and scowled at him before turning to look at her best friend with a slight blush.

 

“What he MEANT to ask was if we were going to be invited to the wedding,” Sango said with a small laugh. Kagome leapt up, wobbling slightly as she found her balance and grabbed her best friend in a tight hug.

 

“Of course you are! You're going to be my maid of honor! By the way, when are you and Miroku getting married?” Kagome asked slyly. She burst out laughing as Sango's face turned beet red and Miroku smirked.

 

“We, uh, we actually haven't set a date yet,” Sango mumbled much to Kagome's amusement. She then turned and hurried out the door, almost yanking Miroku's arm off in the process. He moved quickly to catch up with his blushing bride to be to avoid any irreparable damage to his shoulder socket. Kagome watched them go, amusement and fondness written all over her face. She felt Sesshomaru come to stand behind her and wrap his arms around her, pulling her back gently but firmly against his muscular chest. He watched the newly engaged couple make their way towards Kaede's hut, occasionally stopping for a kiss, or in Miroku's case, a quick grope which still earned him a firm slap across the face. Kagome laughed out loud, suddenly feeling so much freer than she ever had in her life. She lifted up the complete Shikon jewel that hung from her neck and smiled as she closed her eyes and silently made the wish that would finally allow the poor souls trapped in the jewel to find their rest. Immediately, Kagome and Sesshomaru were surrounded by a pure white light, temporarily blinding them. When they could see again, they found themselves facing a smiling warrior woman dressed in an outfit similar to Sango's slayer uniform. Sesshomaru stepped from behind Kagome, dropping his hands to his side as he bowed respectfully to the powerful warrior priestess before him. Kagome looked confused but followed his lead.

 

“Come now, there is no need for such formality! We're all friends here,” the woman said with an even bigger and kinder smile. Sesshomaru and Kagome straightened up, Sesshomaru watching the woman with a cautious respect and Kagome just looked confused. Sensing her confusion, the woman turned towards Kagome first.