InuYasha Fan Fiction ❯ Corporate Deception: Fate of Her Land ❯ Crying to the Heavens ( Chapter 12 )

[ Y - Young Adult: Not suitable for readers under 16 ]

Inuyasha and Kagome have been mated for over a week when the happiness they had built around them crumbles with Naraku's return. When Sesshomaru calls upon Tenseiga to aid him in battle, will his father's sword help him?

Anime/Manga: InuYasha Fan Fiction | Genre(s): Romance / Action | Type: Alternate Universe | Uploaded On: 03.02.2005 | Updated On: 03.03.2005 | Pages: 19 | Words: 24.3K | Visits: 2.7K | Status: Completed

Corporate Deception: Fate of Her Land

Chapter 12: Crying to the Heavens

By: TruSuprise

Disclaimer: Inuyasha and all affiliated characters belong to Takahashi Rumiko. The views expressed herein are solely those of TruSuprise.

Additional Disclaimer: This story is rated R and is intended for mature audiences. This chapter contains lemon content. If you disapprove of such materials, please stop reading.

A gentle breeze rustled the canopy of the lone tree above where the Inu-Hanyou and his human mate sat in the grassy clearing on the acreage of the Western Territory, a picnic basket and its contents sprawled around them. The Inu-Hanyou set his chopsticks down on top of his bowl, burped loudly, and then lay down on the red and white-checkered blanket. He sighed audibly his contentment.

Kagome smacked her lips in mock annoyance. “You must be the only person I know who'd bring ramen on a picnic.”

“What's wrong with that?” Inuyasha asked innocently.

Kagome chuckled at her Inu-Hanyou. It had been a week since they'd mated. A week of getting to know each other inside and out. Literally. Over and over again, in fact. Kagome blushed as she tried to keep her mind out of the gutter.

In the past week, Kagome had become more accustomed to being a member of the Taisho pack as Inuyasha's mate and she had been warmly welcomed by each pack member with open arms. No longer merely friends, Sango and Miroku were now her pack sister and pack brother respectively. Sesshomaru had become her pack alpha and the children, Shippou and Rin, were now her son and niece. It was a strange, haphazard family, but it felt none the less right for Kagome to belong with them, and she couldn't be happier.

Kagome's brother, on the other hand, was still melancholy, although it seemed that the more time he spent around his new family, Rin especially, Souta was beginning to come out of his shell. He had yet to speak to his big sister about his feelings regarding Kanna and the failed assassination attempt, but Kagome knew Souta was still deeply pained by the event, and he still pined for the void youkai.

Kagura had been faring no better. The elusive wind youkai had yet to leave Sesshomaru's bedroom, and between the sleepless look in Sesshomaru's eyes and after a back handed comment made by Inuyasha about the Western Lord having to sleep in the guest room had almost gotten her mate's head ripped off, it seemed that their situation was not improving either.

The past week had also been a week of waiting. Sesshomaru still insisted that the time was not yet right to attack Naraku. Inuyasha had informed Kagome that his half brother was doing nothing but adamant research, that Sesshomaru was desperate to find the Shikon no Tama before Naraku could. So far, neither Lord had found any trace of the jewel's whereabouts.

“Earth to Kagome?” Inuyasha's voice called, shaking the girl from her thoughts.

Kagome smiled and focused on the Inu-Hanyou before she wrapped up the remainder of their lunch and placed it in the picnic basket. The picnic had been a needed reprieve from days spent concerned about Naraku and their next steps. Kagome forced her mind from the weight of how to get her land back and instead focused on her mate. She stretched out and lay her body down next to Inuyasha, resting her head on his hard stomach and looking up at him happily.

Inuyasha returned Kagome's smile and his expression softened as it did only for her. His amber eyes brightened and his dark pupils focused on the woman that meant the world to him as his hand caressed the back of Kagome's head. His nose twitched and his ears flicked from side to side. He was tasting the air with his nose and listening for the slightest sound within his hearing range. He was making sure that he, and more importantly, his mate were alone and safe in the secluded clearing.

Kagome's mind again began to wander as her thoughts returned to her new family. The warmth she had experienced from them reminded her of her own deceased family, and her thoughts drifted to her childhood memories. A smile tugged at her lips as her mind brought forth a memory of a game that she and her father frequently played. “Eye spy with my little eye, something blue and white.” Kagome suddenly said.

“What?” Inuyasha asked, confused, his head cocked slightly to the side.

Kagome looked at her mate as though he were the weird one. “You've never played eye spy?”

“Keh. Never even heard of it.” Inuyasha replied.

“It's a game my father and I always played when I was young.” Kagome told her mate, and then sighed. When Inuyasha looked at her inquisitively, sensing a wave of sadness from her, she continued. “He and my mother died in the Hokkaido earthquake of 1993. They were visiting relatives. I was only twelve. Souta was only five.”

Inuyasha tensed and lifted his head to see Kagome staring blankly at the expanse of blue sky above her. :Mate sorry.: He urged for her loss.

Kagome turned to smile at him. “It's okay. You should know more about my past. It's part of what makes me who I am.” Inuyasha grunted and nodded, urging her forward. “My parents were special to me, and I'll never forget them. Souta and I were staying with my grandfather when we got the news of their deaths. Jii-chan vowed to raise us and continue to teach us the ways of the Shinto religion. He raised Souta and cared for me all by himself. He was a great man, and I loved him dearly. I never really noticed how much I missed them all until I met and you and your pack and you reminded me what it was like to have a family again. I wish they were all alive to see me now.”

Inuyasha stroked his mate's hair with his long claws. “I'll bet they'd be upset that you'd mated a hanyou.” He said detachedly.

Kagome sat up and looked into her mate's amber eyes with a scolding expression. “Don't say that, Inuyasha. They'd be happy for me. They'd be proud that I'd found someone who cares about me so dearly. And they'd be proud of you too.”

“Me?” Inuyasha asked, an incredulous expression on his face.

Kagome chuckled. “Yes, you. You have no idea what a good person you are!”

Inuyasha crossed his arms over his chest. “Keh. Am not.” He grumbled stubbornly.

Kagome smiled and lay back down. Inuyasha was a liar. She could feel his pride and honor at the very thought that her deceased family would have been proud of him. She decided to turn the tables. She wanted to know a little about Inuyasha's past also. “So, did you really never play eye spy or are you just saying that to be stubborn?”

Inuyasha shook his head. “Never.”

A thoughtful look settled across Kagome's face as she remembered their age difference due to the Inu-Hanyou's youkai heritage. “That's right, it was two hundred and fifty years ago when you were a child, eye spy probably hadn't been invented yet.” Inuyasha merely nodded, but Kagome's mind continued to run. ”What kind of games did you play back then instead?”

Inuyasha remained silent for quite some time. “Keh. I never played.” He finally spat, his voice laced with age old pain.

Kagome almost choked at Inuyasha's reaction. Not only were his words cold and bitter, but the waves of emotion rolling off his aura mimicked those same sentiments and she cringed at his pain as though she could feel it herself. She had sensed anger from Inuyasha before when he was in the presence of Naraku or Kouga, and she had sensed desperation from him before when he had begged for her to take him back, but this level of hurt and pain she had never felt before.

Kagome immediately reached out to soothe Inuyasha with her aura. :Mate?: She asked, quickly consumed with a blind desire, a subconscious urge, to do what ever she could to help and ease the Inu-Hanyou. She did not want him to suffer alone.

Inuyasha kept his head turned from Kagome, his eyes locked on the cloudless sky above. :Never spoke about past.: He clarified. :Hurts.:

“You don't have to talk about it, Inuyasha.” Kagome said softly, understanding from his overwhelming hurt alone how difficult it would be for him to open up about whatever it was that had hurt him.

Inuyasha shook his head. Kagome had been an open book since the day they'd first met. She deserved the same from him in return. :Mate should know.:

:Mate will listen.: Kagome's soul-voice urged supportively as she drew her nails along Inuyasha's arm tenderly. She was pleased that the normally closed Inu-Hanyou seemed to actually want to open up to her.

Inuyasha paused to gather his halting words. “Two hundred and fifty years ago, my mother… she died giving birth to me. My father, he must have been devastated at losing his mate, and he would have killed himself to be with her in death as most youkai would have, but I learned later that my mother's dying wish was for him to live and raise me, protect me from the hatred she knew would find me.”

Moving on, feeling Kagome's aura supporting and easing his own, Inuyasha sighed before he continued. “Territorial battles were frequent back then, and I had to learn to fight along side my father and the few remaining pack males of the Western Lands. My father died in one of those fights. Run through by a dragon youkai, right in front of me. It wasn't until his death, when I was without his protection, that I fully understood the hate that humans and youkai alike had for hanyou.”

Kagome rolled towards Inuyasha and lifted her hand to Inuyasha's face, adoringly tracing her fingers along its curves and angles. She gently brushed her nails through his long hair as Inuyasha's voice began to waver.

“Sesshomaru came for me then, a half brother I never knew I had. He saved me from one of my own pack males, intent on killing me for my tainted heritage. He was the second pack member to be killed right in front of me. I thought Sesshomaru would help me, that he had wanted to save me. He didn't. He grudgingly took me in, yet shunned me. To him, I was a smear on the family line, yet he was bound by youkai law to care for me. During battles, I was often left to fend for myself, Sesshomaru would only step in to save me when I was on the brink of death. I spent most of my childhood in and out of my youkai state, fighting for my life.” Inuyasha said grimly.

A long pause passed between them and Kagome's soothing aura relaxed Inuyasha and fed him strength through their soul's connection. Finally, Inuyasha found the courage to begin again. “When youkai began to either die off or assimilate with humans, Sesshomaru directed what was left of our family's wealth and power to human business. He was the first regional Lord to become a real estate tycoon, and I was put to work. At first, it was carrying loads, then menial labor, and eventually, I'd earned Sesshomaru's graces to work in his offices. He couldn't deny that I was an asset. From working my way up the social ladder, I had become smart, manipulative, and good at making a deal and although he still shunned me, Sesshomaru accepted me for what I could do. Although hanyou were becoming slightly more common place and less of a stigma, I still faced a whole lot of prejudice and discrimination.”

Inuyasha stopped and sniffed, smelling the tell tale scent of salt in the air. His mate was crying. He sat up abruptly, his own pain forgotten as he watched tears slide down Kagome's face, her head now in his lap. “What's wrong?” He asked urgently.

Kagome sat up and threw her arms around Inuyasha's neck, burying her head underneath his chin. “I just feel so bad that you've suffered so much hate and so much hardship for two hundred and fifty years of your life.”

Inuyasha's large hands wrapped around his mate's lithe form and pulled her close to him. “It's okay now, Kagome. Now I have you.”

Kagome cried harder as her mate continued. “Before I met you, I had done what I could to better my lot in life by proving to Sesshomaru my worth through my work and refusal to give up, to give in completely to the hate I had grown accustomed to, but it was Rin that ultimately broke him. Having a kid like her in Sesshomaru's life softened him, and the cold bastard finally reached out to his remaining family. Even to me. Rin is a lot like you, you know. Loving, caring, always thinking of everyone other than herself. You've done for me what Rin did for my asshole brother. And I owe you the world for that.”

“I didn't do anything.” Kagome said as she wiped a tear from her eye.

:Mate wrong.: Inuyasha urged. “Don't deny your worth, Kagome. If it wasn't for you, I'd still be the cold, unapproachable jerk I was before we met.” He scolded.

Kagome snorted, a small smile tugging at her lips as her tears began to dry. “You mean you've changed?”

“Keh!” Inuyasha exclaimed.

Kagome chuckled and rubbed her mate's back, happy to feel his aura slowly return to normal. She would have held him forever, protected him from the memories and darkness that haunted him, yet she knew the best medicine for a healing heart was laughter. “I know! Let's play hide and go seek. You're it!” She exclaimed excitedly, slapping Inuyasha on the arm.

“Huh?” Inuyasha asked, surprised at Kagome's cheerful outburst as he rubbed the spot on his arm she had slapped. Though he had been melancholy and reminiscent, his mate's bright attitude and happy spirit was contagious.

“Even if you've never actually played hide and go seek, you at least know the rules, right? Kagome asked. When her mate nodded his understanding, Inuyasha was graced with one of her bright smiles. “Well then, lets play. Just because you didn't get a chance to be a kid back then doesn't mean you can't find out what it's like to act like one now.”

A small, happy smile pulled at Inuyasha's lips as his mate stood. Kagome always knew how to lighten a situation in the simplest of ways. She was so amazing and she didn't even know the half of it. He nodded and covered his eyes with his hands. “I'll give you to the count of one hundred.” He said gruffly.

Kagome's smile widened even further, her bright brown eyes sparkling as she readied to bolt. Suddenly, she paused and frowned, catching Inuyasha off guard. “No cheating, either. Keep your eyes shut.”

The Inu-Hanyou sighed. “I won't look.”

“Pinky promise?” Kagome asked.

Inuyasha blushed. Now she was taking the child thing a little far. He looked away and folded his hands under his arms stubbornly.

“Oh come on!” Kagome whined, grabbing at Inuyasha's arms. It was obvious that her mate was merely putting up a front and was not really fighting her. She managed to pry one of his hands out and tugged on his clawed fingers. She pulled at his pinky and wrapped her own around it.

Inuyasha frowned as Kagome patted him on the head and said, “Good boy.” He growled, but covered his eyes again as she ran off to the woods to find a hiding place.

Kagome ran as far and as fast as her legs would take her through the forest's undergrowth. Her breath came in gasps and her heart pounded in her chest as she searched out a place to hide herself. Knowing she was at a disadvantage with Inuyasha's heightened senses, she tried to outwit his inu capabilities. The mental countdown in her head counted down to sixty when Kagome finally found the perfect hiding spot in the distance.

She pushed herself just a little faster and ran over a knoll and into a small creek below, ignoring the water that splashed at her shins as she bounded into the creek. Knowing the water would disperse her scent and throw Inuyasha's tracking abilities off, Kagome ran through the creek for a few feet before hopping out of it and dashing over another knoll to hide herself behind the massive roots of an overturned tree.

Meanwhile, Inuyasha was cheating by not letting a full second pass with each number he ticked off. “Ninety eight, ninety nine, one hundred!” He shouted.

The Inu-Hanyou opened his eyes and fluidly hopped to his feet. “Ready or not, here I come!” He shouted, and then blushed hotly in the empty expanse of the clearing in embarrassment. He shook it off and laughed at himself before coiling the muscles in his legs and launching his body from the ground and into the air to bound into the forest.

Now, to find his mate.

Inuyasha's nose picked up Kagome's scent immediately, the vanilla shampoo that Kagome had been using of late mixed with the uniquely individual essence that belonged to her. He tracked her easily, jogging between the trees for some time until the undergrowth became denser. The Inu-Hanyou's heartbeat increased as the grass underneath the trees gave way to layers of fallen leaves, hiding her scent slightly. Kagome had made it difficult for him to track her scent and she knew she had done it. Inuyasha growled in slight annoyance, yet smiled at the cunning of his bitch.

The Inu-Hanyou winced as the Inu-Youkai name for his mate echoed in his head. He felt the stirrings of his youkai blood warm in his veins as his nose worked double time to track Kagome's fading scent. Inuyasha realized detachedly that his prey drive was slowly kicking in. His body crouched low to the ground, his feet made no noise as he silently moved across the dry leaves underneath him and his ears flicked in the direction of any sound they could detect. His pace quickened as the undergrowth lessened and his mate's scent once again became easy to pick up. He crested a knoll at a full sprint, and then stopped abruptly, a scowl on his face.

Inuyasha growled at the creek where Kagome's scent vanished, amber eyes receding slightly to flecks of crimson as he realized that his mate was hiding from his youkai senses.

“So, my bitch wants to play?” He asked himself out loud, his voice a deep rattle as his body hunched even further into a crouch, his nose rapidly sniffing to try to detect his mate. She was purposely trying to throw him off. She was making him work to find her. And when he found her, he would see to it that she got what she deserved. Inuyasha smirked as he felt his manhood begin to rouse.

He leaped over the small creek and landed on the other side. She couldn't fool him. His ancestors may have been feral dogs, but unlike an animal, his fully developed human mind gave him reasoning, and he knew that she had crossed the creek. His nose twitched as he again detected his mate's scent, and he bolted in that direction, ascending a knoll as Kagome's scent grew stronger.

Inuyasha came to a grinding, silent halt so as not to be detected. He had found her. His mate was hiding behind the roots of an upturned tree. He crouched low to the ground, readying himself to pounce, faint purple streaks beginning to tattoo his cheeks. All was silent.

Two brown eyes poked out from around her hiding place and locked onto Inuyasha's still form. He had been spotted. The Inu-Hanyou sensed Kagome's surprise at him finding her hiding place so easily.

:Mate can't catch me!: Kagome's soul-voice echoed in Inuyasha's mind, and suddenly, his mate took off at a dead run, out of the protective forest and into a grassy clearing.

Inuyasha's prey drive kicked in fully and his eyes turned a molten crimson, the purple streaks that blazed across his cheeks now glowed with his youkai energy. His wiry strength doubled as he launched from a crouch and bounded after his mate.

Kagome's cheerful laughter rang in his ears as Inuyasha quickly gave chase. His legs pounded through the waist tall grass and the wind rushed through his hair wildly as he caught up to Kagome. Soon, she was in his arms, and he tackled her to the ground roughly.

Kagome gasped for breath as the wind was knocked from her chest, a little surprised at his roughness. When Inuyasha held her wrists pinned to the ground, Kagome laughed lightly as she struggled, her body lashing from side to side as she tried to keep from being tagged `it' in their game of hide and go seek.

“Bitch… be still!” Inuyasha spat brokenly.

Sensing a major disturbance in his aura, Kagome slowly looked up into Inuyasha's ferally primal eyes, finally noticing the presence of his youkai features. She realized too late that she had long ago triggered his youkai transformation. She worriedly realized that Inuyasha's youkai instincts were likely telling him that she was fleeing from him instead of simply playing.

:Mate sorry. : Kagome urged.

It was clear that Inuyasha was fighting with himself. His crimson eyes were squinted in concentration and a layer of sweat broke across his brow. “Bitch… just be…”

Kagome's aura could sense Inuyasha's fear through his youkai's jyaki. Though she had tried to ease his same fears before, he was obviously still afraid of physically harming her in his youkai state. Kagome understood that Inuyasha didn't want her to move because it would further trigger his youkai and he would react to his instincts. Her heart went out to him.

:Mate not running away. Only playing.: She clarified.

Inuyasha's growl turned into a deep, throaty chuckle as his youkai half resurfaced. “Mate knows. Mate wants to play.”

Kagome was shocked to realize that the choppy, basic language that their souls used to communicate was the same language that Inuyasha verbally spoke in his youkai form. She blushed as she finally felt her mate's arousal begging for attention at her thigh and she immediately understood his reference to `play'. She had triggered not only Inuyasha's youkai prey drive, but also his sex drive. She tried to twist her wrists out of Inuyasha's firm grasp to comfort him, but was met with his protest.

“I said be still, Bitch!” Inuyasha again exclaimed, his human half once more fighting for control.

Kagome felt no fear as she defied his order. She wiggled her hands out of Inuyasha's tight grip and raised her hands to cup his face. She had told him before that she trusted her life in his hands, no matter what state he was in, and if a roll in the grass was what would appease his youkai, then Kagome was more than happy to comply with his wishes.

“Inuyasha, I told you I wasn't afraid of your youkai blood. I love each side of you, youkai, hanyou, and human equally. If you want me, you have me.” She quietly explained.

“But.. I… may not be able to… stop myself if I need to.” Inuyasha choked out, his body shaking from the pressure of holding back his youkai.

Kagome merely smiled slyly at him. “You may be afraid, but I know you won't hurt me. Besides, when have I ever wanted you to stop?”

Inuyasha's expression momentarily softened in response to his mate's trust and understanding. If his mate trusted him, then he would learn to trust himself. In a leap of faith, the Inu-Hanyou let go his hold on his youkai half.

Inuyasha's head dipped down to Kagome's neck and his elongated canines grazed her tender skin and nipped at his mark, causing her to shudder underneath him in response. His primal need and blind hunger for Kagome rolled off his aura thickly and her own immediately decreased at her mate's request to submit to him.

Inuyasha smirked at his mate's eager response. “Does Bitch want her mate?” He growled deeply, his lusty voice deepened from his youkai transformation.

Kagome flushed hotly at the Inu-Youkai term that she had accepted. She knew it was natural, especially for his youkai, to call her his bitch, though she was still trying to become comfortable with the strange term of endearment. Knowing that Inuyasha's youkai half was primal and dominating, she understood that she should remain submissive and communicate through body language rather than speech or opposition. So Kagome's reply was simply to buck her hips against Inuyasha's hardened member that pushed at her bare thigh through his jeans.

Inuyasha grunted appreciatively at his mate's understanding actions and her tantalizing scent of growing arousal. He made short work of her blouse and skirt, using his claws to tear through the flimsy material.

Kagome frowned at the loss of her new outfit. Knowing she couldn't complain openly when his youkai had control, she reminded herself to scold him for it later. When Inuyasha's rough, groping hands grabbed her breasts and his fingers pinched her nipples through her lacy bra as his mouth began to ravish her neck, all thoughts vanished from Kagome's mind as her consciousness focused on the bruising pleasure her mate gave her.

Her hands fought to pleasure her mate, but Inuyasha was moving too much and too fast for Kagome's normal techniques to be effective. It was as though he was so focused on pleasuring her that he would not allow her to reciprocate. Kagome had barely been able to pull Inuyasha's shirt over his head before his claws sliced though her bra and panties.

Leaning to one side of her body so that he was above her and yet had the use of his hands, Inuyasha slid one of his legs between Kagome's. She eagerly parted her legs for him in response. His lips roughly claimed hers, his elongated canines nipping at her lower lip as he quickly slid two of his fingers into her waiting opening. Inuyasha growled appreciatively at the wetness that was already waiting for him as his mate moaned her pleasure into his mouth, her nails raking across his chest.

“Bitch wet for mate.” Inuyasha growled hotly in Kagome's ear, his searing crimson eyes capturing Kagome's cool brown ones.

“Only for you…” Kagome moaned in response.

Inuyasha smirked and stopped. He felt his mate's disappointment, yet he pulled his fingers from her anyway and quickly stood to pull his jeans and boxers off. His youkai was demanding that he claim his mate. Before he could lie back down however, Kagome had met him, kneeling before his standing erection. She caressed its length lightly with her hand and leaned forward to take him into her mouth.

Inuyasha growled at her and pulled away. When Kagome looked up in surprise, he spun to kneel behind her. With a muscular forearm around her neck, Inuyasha pulled Kagome back to his chest.

“Want to be inside Bitch.” He growled hungrily.

Inuyasha's blunt and lusty response sent chills down Kagome's spine. She had no time to respond her same desire before Inuyasha pushed against her back, bent her over and entered her swiftly. He had mounted his mate from behind in the traditional Inu-Youkai way.

“Inuyasha!” Kagome cried as her mate filled her to his hilt, pulled out, and then slid back into her hot tightness. Her arms supported her, braced to either side where her fingers grabbed clumps of grass in an effort to remain on all fours as Inuyasha's pace quickly increased.

Kagome raised her hips and lowered her torso, concentrating on her muscles and she leaned forward slightly to feel Inuyasha's head at her opening every time he pulled back. She found that by doing this, she could tease her mate and work him up even more. She pulled forward enough for Inuyasha's head to slip from her fully and the Inu-Hanyou growled in response. He grabbed the base of his shaft and thrust it back into his mate's wet, hot depths, grunting loudly at the sensation of reuniting with her.

The Inu-Hanyou's claws pressed into the soft skin of Kagome's hips in response to his mate's teasing. He pulled her towards him roughly and held her still as he slammed into her, her tightness enticing him further. How dare his bitch try to prolong her pleasure when he wanted her to cum for him, to feel her hot release on his member?

“Bitch, do you feel me?” He barked.

Kagome barely heard Inuyasha's voice as she concentrated on the sensation of his width and length sliding in and out of her at a blinding pace. Frantic, wet, sucking sounds accompanied the feel Inuyasha's balls slapping against her core with each thrust he delivered. She couldn't resist the urge to touch herself, and Kagome precariously supported herself with one hand as she reached down to massage her nub with her other. The new position and Inuyasha's needy speed was bringing her close to orgasm quicker that she was accustomed to.

A layer of sweat coated Inuyasha's body and his breath came in ragged gasps. One hand still clenching her hips, with his other he reached forward to grab a handful of Kagome's long, black hair. Growling, he gave her hair a firm pull. With her head tipped back, Inuyasha could see Kagome's eyes screwed tightly shut and her mouth hanging open in ecstasy.

“Bitch, I asked, do you feel me?” Inuyasha repeated himself.

:Bitch feels her mate!: Kagome urged in response.

Between Inuyasha's pounding thrusts, her finger massaging her nub, and the pressure Inuyasha applied to her hair, Kagome repeated her mate's name over and over again as she fell over the edge, her orgasm taking her hard.

Feeling his mate's release, Inuyasha ceased holding himself back and buried himself into her as deeply as he could. He tipped his head back and roared Kagome's name to the cloudless sky as he emptied his hot seed into her.

Inuyasha grunted as he collapsed tiredly onto his mate's back. Breathing hard, the Inu-Hanyou felt Kagome's shaking muscles and both slid to the ground tiredly. Inuyasha growled slightly when he lost his physical connection to his mate. He lay with his back to the grass and pulled Kagome to him to keep her from the hard ground.

Kagome sighed as she watched Inuyasha's youkai recede, apparently appeased for the time being. His crimson eyes slowly faded back to amber and the purple streaks slowly dissipated. The wiry strength in his muscles softened slightly as his jyaki retracted and his aura strengthened.

The two lay in the silence of the field for some time, hot and sticky as they listened to each other's slowing heartbeats in the warm sun of the late spring day. Inuyasha's clawed fingers drew circles across Kagome's back.

“I'm sorry.” He whispered, his diminutive, ashamed voice almost too silent for Kagome's human ears to hear.

“For what?” Kagome asked.

Inuyasha snorted. “For taking you so roughly.”

“Hello? Did I seem like I wasn't enjoying myself?” Kagome chided.

Inuyasha frowned. “But…”

“But nothing. How many times did I scream your name in pleasure?” Kagome retorted.

Inuyasha blushed. “It was good for me too.”

Kagome smiled. “If this is what happens when I suggest we play hide and go seek, we'll definitely have to play that game again.”

Inuyasha smirked at his mate from the corner of his eye. “Oh really, little girl? Well then, this time, I'll give you to the count of two hundred.”

* * *

“Kagura, it's been more than a week, you must get out of my bed.” Sesshomaru insisted, sitting at the chair that had not left his bedside since Kagura had arrived. He was beginning to loathe that chair.

“I never thought I'd see the day where I'd hear you say those words.” Kagura retorted saucily, her arms crossed over her chest.

Sesshomaru cocked an eyebrow at her, unamused, though he did have to admit, the wind youkai had a point. But still, he was frustrated. Kagura had been nothing short of a royal pain in his butt all week. She had done nothing but mope, act cynical and be pushy and demanding, all at the same time for over a week since he had saved her from certain death at Naraku's hands. And to make matters worse, all of his advances had been denied, even though he knew that she wanted him as much as he needed her. Too add insult to injury, seeing his brother parading his own new mate around only made matters worse. Sesshomaru was very frustrated indeed.

“You are bound by honor to greet the rest of my pack. Kagome's been wanting to thank you for helping to save her life and Rin and Shippou have been bothering this Sesshomaru to see you since I brought you here.” Sesshomaru said grumpily. His expression softened marginally as he tried harder to convince the wind youkai. “Won't you join us downstairs already?”

“I love to hear you beg like that, Sesshomaru-chan.” Kagura taunted.

The wind youkai was on autopilot now, letting the insults fly at random, barely registering that she was fighting with the one she loved, but still, she could not stop herself, for she knew she needed to keep her distance from him lest she give in to her urges. She feared that submitting her body to Sesshomaru and allowing herself to love him the way she'd always wanted to would only make her guilt worse. How could she allow herself to be happy when Kanna was still enslaved by Naraku? For all Kagura knew, Naraku could have turned his rage on her sister instead.

Sesshomaru growled but forced himself to keep his anger in check. Arguing with Kagura when she was like that would get him nowhere. “Fine then. Stay here and mope for all I care.” He barked. “But know that by doing so, you're not helping your sister by acting like a child!”

The Western Lord noticed his intended mate suck air in sharply through her teeth. He had hit Kagura where it hurt. His point taken, he wordlessly turned and stormed out of the room.

Sesshomaru slammed the door behind him hard enough to make it pop back open, then he turned on his heel and began to stomp down the hall. He stopped abruptly when he felt himself run into something solid and felt something bounce off him. Looking down, he found Kagome's little brother sprawled out on the floor.

“Souta.” The Western Lord said gruffly, before realizing he was still growling in anger. He forced the vibration in his vocal cords to cease.

Souta trembled in fear at the frightful Lord. “Se-Sesshomaru-sama… I'm sorry, I was on my way-”

Sesshomaru merely grunted, cutting the young boy off. He reached down to pick him up easily with one hand by the collar of his shirt. Assuring himself that Souta was indeed all right, the Western Lord continued down the hall to his office wordlessly. Despite the commotion of hosting all the guests in his home and the situation with Naraku, Sesshomaru still had a business to run.

As Souta's heart began to pound again and the fear induced ringing left his ears, he was about to continue on his way when he heard two things that stopped him through the partially opened doors that Sesshomaru had exited. One was a woman's voice he vaguely recognized and the other was name of his girlfriend. Souta couldn't help but pry.

He crept to the partly open door and peered through the crack. The young man instantly recognized the black haired woman who had saved him from Kanna.

“Kanna, is that you?” Kagura asked to the empty bedroom as she threw her covers off and hurriedly dropped out of the large bed.

The wind youkai scrambled to a full-length mirror to stand in front of her own reflection. At first, Souta thought she was talking to herself, but when he focused on the mirror, he could see a ghost of Kanna's beautiful image transposed over Kagura's reflection. Souta was surprised to see his girlfriend after so long. Although he had never allowed his mind to linger on the possibility for too long, he had begun to fear that something bad had happened to Kanna after he had continuously called her cell phone for the past week and had gotten no response. Yet Souta understood that the past week must have been as trying for her as it had been for him. At least he now knew that she was alive and safe. As he strained to hear Kagura and Kanna's quiet conversation, he could barely make out their words.

“Are you all right? Has Naraku hurt you?” Kagura asked worriedly. “Why haven't you contacted me before this?”

Kanna took a moment to respond, her characteristically emotionless face without expression. “I've been busy, neechan, and couldn't risk Naraku detecting me trying to contact you.”

“I understand.” Kagura said, reaching a shaky hand towards the image of her sister. “Has he hurt you?” She repeated.

“Souta.” Kanna said breathlessly. Disregarding her sister's questions, the void youkai's eyes gazed beyond her sister's body.

“What?” Kagura asked. She concentrated on her youkai senses and directed the wind to carry its scent to her nose. She then looked more closely into the mirror to confirm her suspicion, catching a second reflection by the door. It was that of Higurashi Souta.

The young intruder broke into a sweat as his girlfriend and her sister stared at him in silence. He yearned to run to Kanna's image, but at the same time was apprehensive.

Kanna observed Souta's wavering, uncertain eyes. He was worried for her, confused, but most of all, he was scared. Scared of her. “Souta-chan…I said I was sorry, Souta. Don't you believe me?” The image of Kanna asked quietly.

Kanna's normally sad face, now amplified by her distraught eyes pulled Souta in, and he slowly approached the mirror. It was as though his body was reluctant to move, and yet he couldn't help but be drawn to his love like a moth to the flame. Kagura stepped aside, slack jawed as Souta approached.

“I… I believe you.” Souta finally replied quietly.

“Then meet with me. I think we have to talk.” Kanna suggested hurriedly.

“Where?” Souta asked urgently, standing face to face with the mirror as though he could physically touch the one he held dearly.

“Koto-in, it's a quiet park on the outskirts of Kyoto. I'm already in the city on an errand for Naraku.” Kanna suggested.

“I know where that is, but it will take me awhile to get there.” Souta said, remembering a trip his grandfather had taken him on in middle school to tour important Buddhist Temples. “But tell me, have you been alright? Has Naraku hurt you? Why-”

“Just meet me at Koto-in.” Kanna snapped, watching as Souta's jaw snapped shut in surprise. ”Take one of the cars from the mansion's garage, they won't notice one missing.” She instructed.

Souta could barely nod. “I…I'm leaving now.” He managed to say, the muscles in his legs quivering from anticipation and fear.

“I'll be waiting for you.” Kanna said quietly. Her unreadable eyes looked into Souta's confused ones one last time and her image began to fade.

“Kanna, wait!” Kagura shouted, stepping towards mirror as though she could stop her sister's image.

The void youkai stared at her sister cooly but said nothing as she terminated the communication from her end of the mirror. Kagura was forced to settle with the reasoning that Kanna was likely short on time and eager to see Souta. She tentatively eyed the nervous boy.

“Kagura-sama, please, don't tell anyone.” Souta pleaded nervously, his bangs covering his eyes as he shyly avoided eye contact.

Seeing the anxious, desperate boy in front of her, Kagura was reminded of a time when she had been kept from being with the one that she loved. She owed her sister at least this much. Kagura nodded to Souta reluctantly.

Souta didn't give Kagura a second chance to think it over, he would wait no longer. He turned and fled, and never looked back.

* * *

Rin nervously glanced at her watch from where she sat in the overstuffed loveseat by the fireplace. “Souta said he'd join us in thirty minutes two hours ago.” She said worriedly, glancing to the rain that streamed down the large living room windows.

Shippou frowned at Sesshomaru's move as Rin's father distractedly moved a chess piece across the board, positioning himself strategically against his nephew.

“It's a rainy Saturday. I'm sure he just fell asleep or something.” Shippou said casually, eyeing the chessboard contemplatively. “Besides, its not like he plays with us much anyway. Ah!” He exclaimed, instantly distracted by his game as he moved his own piece to trump Sesshomaru's.

The Inu-Youkai bit back a growl as his temper flared. It was bad enough that his adopted daughter and nephew had dragged him from his office where he had been busy working to provide his family with the money they'd grown accustomed to. But the children had only wanted him to entertain them and his worthless brother and his mate. Now, to add insult to injury, Shippou had once again beaten him in this infernal human game of chess.

“But what if something happened to him?” Rin protested.

From where she lay on the plush, carpeted floor by the fireplace, Kagome couldn't help but smile sympathetically at the young girl. It was obvious that she was interested in her brother, but Rin didn't understand just how much Souta was in love with Kanna, and Kagome wouldn't be the one to deflate Rin's hopes. Kagome sighed. She realized that she ought to check on her brother anyway. He had begun emerging from his room since their trip to Kyoto a few days ago, and she wanted to continue to encourage his return to the land of the living to help him heal.

“I'll go see what he's up to.” Kagome offered, unlacing her fingers from Inuyasha's own. Her Inu-Hanyou, who had been dozing at her side as she watched the game of chess, frowned at the loss of contact and looked up at his mate sleepily.

“I'll be right back, go back to sleep, dummy.” Kagome chided him.

“Teach you to call me dummy.” Inuyasha mumbled, but promptly fell back into a light slumber.

Kagome smiled. Of course he was tired. They had only been up all night the night before, just as they had every night since they had mated. She was tired too, it was tough work being the mate of so strong and hungry a hanyou, but one wouldn't find Kagome complaining in the least.

As Kagome wandered towards the guest wing, she idly passed the weapons area of the house, marveling at the display of ancient weapons along the walls. Sounds of fighting and exertion caught her attention from an open door down a side hallway, and she couldn't help but venture down it.

Peering in through the door, Kagome found Sango and Miroku. The two had been spending much of their time away from the core Taisho pack, claiming that, due to the threat of another battle with Naraku, they had to practice their skills. They had insisted that unlike Inuyasha and Sesshomaru, they didn't have centuries of practice under their belts and therefore had to constantly train to stay in top condition.

At first, Kagome and Inuyasha suspected that their so-called training was just a cover, an excuse to be by themselves. They both secretly thought, or at least hoped that Sango and Miroku had admitted their obvious feelings for one another and were seeing each other in private, not unlike the way Kagome and Inuyasha had done not long ago. But what Kagome saw as she peered through the door belied the notion of that idea.

Sango and Miroku actually were training. Dressed in her taiji-ya garb, Sango slung her hiraikotsu at Miroku, also dressed in his own traditional flowing purple gowns. The houshi blocked the bone boomerang with his houriki, grimacing as the impact of its shockwaves coursed through his arms and down his body. The two continued to use their deadliest attacks against each other, their fierceness unrelenting as sweat poured off their bodies.

Kagome backed away slowly, fearing that if she called to either of them, she would break their concentration and cause an injury or perhaps even death in the dangerous dance Sango and Miroku practiced. The young miko admired their dedication and their intensity to their martial arts and reminded herself that she ought to be practicing with her bow as well. After all, even though they'd had a blissfully quiet week to recuperate in which they had neither seen nor heard from Naraku, it was apparent that it was only the calm before the proverbial storm. A final confrontation was imminent.

Kagome sighed loudly and continued towards the guest wing. Finding Souta's door cracked open, she knocked hesitantly and leaned her head in through the open entryway. “Souta?” She called repeatedly but was not heralded with an answer. Reasoning that he might have passed her when she had spied on Sango and Miroku on her way to the guest wing, Kagome decided to check back in the family room to see if he had made it down.

Inuyasha woke up again when his nose unconsciously detected his mate's return. Before Kagome had even entered the room, the Inu-Hanyou groggily opened his eyes, but didn't awake fully until he heard the slightly stressed tone in her voice.

“Souta wasn't in his room. Did he come down while I was gone?” Kagome asked, slightly out of breath after jogging back from the guest wing. As the others shook their heads, a strange sensation of worry grabbed at the pit of her stomach. Something was amiss, though she couldn't be sure of exactly what it was or why she'd felt it.

Sesshomaru's eyes narrowed as he detected another presence approaching them. “So you finally decided to join us, Kagura?” He asked testily as his intended mate entered the room for the first time in a week. The Western Lord almost ate his words as he eyed his chosen curiously, wondering why she was dressed in her battle garb of all outfits.

“Cut the crap, Sesshomaru. Something's wrong.” Kagura barked at him.

“Kagura-san, are you alright now? What's wrong?” Kagome's concerned voice asked.

The wind youkai regarded the other woman kindly for a moment before pushing forward. “Yes, Kagome-san, but its not me that you should be worried for, its your brother.”

Inuyasha growled at the perceived threat. In one fluid motion, he had hopped off the floor and landed gracefully on his feet. He defensively edged himself between Kagura and his mate. “What have you done with Souta?!” He snapped.

Kagura's crimson eyes burned with rage that Inuyasha would accuse her of harming the boy after the help that she had leant him to save his mate and her brother in question. She readied a come back, but her retort was cut short by Sesshomaru's own, the intensity of the Western Lord's voice, though not a yell, was cold and calculated. It killed Kagura's voice before she could speak.

“Taisho Inuyasha, if you so much as accuse my intended mate once more, I'll have your head for it.” Sesshomaru growled

Inuyasha's jaw audibly clicked in place as he shut his mouth, tearing his gaze from his pack alpha submissively.

The Lord of the Western Lands approached the wind youkai and took control of the situation. “Kagura. Tell us what happened.” He firmly demanded.

“My sister contacted me this afternoon through her mirror link.” Kagura answered, avoiding Sesshomaru's angry glare. She knew that he'd be upset that she had not told him of the occurrence. Any communication with one of Naraku's clan would be perceived as a threat to the Western Lord “As I was talking to her, Souta-kun happened by, and Kanna sensed him. They began to talk, and I didn't stop them. It was just over an hour ago that they agreed to meet.”

“Souta is gone? Why did you not tell me sooner? The boy could be in danger.” Sesshomaru said hurriedly.

“Damnit, Sesshomaru, I thought I owed my sister at least that much to let them meet! The two of them missed each other so badly! Doesn't that sound familiar?” Kagura snapped back.

As Kagura's voice echoed in the room, no one dared make eye contact with anyone else. All present nodded sadly, save Shippou who was a little out of the loop, and Rin who only stared silently at the floor, her mind elsewhere.

Kagura glanced at the floor defeatedly. “I should have told you earlier, but I didn't because I was trying to give them the chance we never had. But… there was something about the conversation that I couldn't quite place, something didn't seem right and it had been bothering me until now…”

“Kagura-san, please, tell us.” Kagome pleaded.

Kagura regarded the young woman, not in a boat all too different than her own with a sibling to protect. A sibling she guiltily realized she might have put in danger by sending him to her sister. “It was something in the words she said. Kanna called me neechan.” She finally answered.

“Neechan?” Kagome asked, not quite understanding. After all, neechan was what any sibling should call their sister.

Kagura sighed. “My sister and I, we don't have the closest of relationships. I mean, each of us would easily give our lives for one another, since we are the only family we have left, but both of us have been through a lot. The thing is, she's never called me by so affectionate a title as neechan before.”

“So she called you neechan, so what?” Inuyasha asked gruffly, but winced at Sesshomaru's displeased stare.

“Kanna also seemed to have knowledge of the Western Mansion. She urged Souta to take a car from the garage to meet her.” Kagura admitted hesitantly. “But she's never seen this place before.”

“Kanna could have surveyed the mansion from her mirror, couldn't she have?” Sesshomaru asked.

Kagura nodded. “She could have. But all week I've been trying to contact her through the mirror link I share as her sister, and she hasn't responded. That means she hasn't used her mirror since I last saw her over a week ago. I know she wouldn't just ignore me, so I began to fear that she couldn't answer me.”

“Naraku…” Inuyasha whispered hoarsely.

Kagome's eyes shot to look up at her mate, his eyes unfocused, waves of anger and a need for vengeance rolling off his aura. After a week with no contact from the Southern Lord, had the dark hanyou finally come for them? The wall of happiness and content that Kagome had built around herself after mating with Inuyasha suddenly came crumbling down around her. Now, reality beckoned and she didn't want to answer its call.

All stood tensely as the sound of approaching webbed feet slapping the marbled floors echoed through the hallways. “Sesshomaru-sama, Sesshomaru-sama!” Jaken's voice cried as the toad youkai came screeching into the room. He froze like a statue under his Lord's calm, yet piercingly intense stare.

“What is it, Jaken.” Sesshomaru said, rather than asked his servant.

“Your favorite car, sire, the Modena is gone!” Jaken replied frantically.

“My… Modena…” Sesshomaru said. His voice was a mere whisper from the shock, though his expression was left unchanged.

“Its Souta.” Kagome said hurriedly. “We have to go after him! Kagura, do you know where he went?”

“Some park called Koto-in on the outskirts of Kyoto. That's all I know.” She replied helplessly.

Not waiting for any more small talk to slow them down, Inuyasha launched himself to his feet and grabbed Kagome by the wrist, tugging her to him. “Lets go. I don't care what these two do knowing that Souta's in danger, but we're getting him back, Kagome.”

By the time Sesshomaru recovered from the shock that a mere teenager had taken out his favorite and most expensive sports car, it was too late to call Inuyasha back. The Inu-Hanyou was gone. “Damn that hothead.” He growled.

Kagura snorted at him. “What are you waiting for? Are you coming with me or what?”

Sesshomaru eyed the pensive children. “Stay here.” He barked.

* * *

As the scenery sped by the windows of Inuyasha's R32, Kagome bickered with Inuyasha. “You shouldn't be coming with me without a disguise. The police have your description, what are we going to do if they find you?”

“Keh! Like I'm worried about some human cops!” Inuyasha spat and shrugged Kagome's concern off, but he couldn't help but notice his mate's disdaining glare, the one that reminded him that she was human too.

“I want you to stay hidden the car then.” Kagome insisted.

“Absolutely not. I won't allow you to be in the presence of one of Naraku's clan without me!” Inuyasha retorted.

Kagome frowned at him. “I can handle myself Inuyasha, but I can't risk you getting arrested.”

Inuyasha sighed. “Look, just don't worry about it, I won't be seen. The park is pretty unpopular anyway, and with all the rain we've had lately, I'm sure no one will even be there.”

Kagome sighed. She knew that there would be no way she'd be able to talk her thick-headed mate out of accompanying her and she knew it. She gave up and pulled her cell phone from her pocket. “I'm going to try to call Souta's cell, just in case he hasn't gotten there yet.”

“Keh, the kid's not gonna pick up, he already knows we don't want him seeing the girl.” Inuyasha informed her.

Kagome frowned. She didn't need Inuyasha to tell her that, she already knew as much. As the phone rang digitally in her ear, she tapped her nails on her leg impatiently. When she heard muffled motions on the other end picking up, her heart jumped.

“Neechan?” Souta asked.

“Souta, where are you? Are you meeting with Kanna?” Kagome asked hurriedly. Still on the way towards the city, her phone reception wasn't the best.

“Maybe I am.” Souta replied tartly, realizing angrily that Kagura must have told on him anyway.

Kagome ground her teeth. “But Souta, don't you remember what happened only nine days ago? Kanna almost-”

“She didn't want to do it, neechan, she apologized!” Souta insisted.

“It doesn't matter! I don't want you seeing her, Souta, she's dangerous, her youkai powers-“ Kagome began, only to be cut off by her brother.

“Oh, and Inuyasha's any less dangerous, but its okay for you to see him? I don't stand in your way of being happy, and I don't want you standing in mine!” Souta retorted defiantly, shocked at the amount of venom in his own voice.

Kagome winced at her brother's harsh words. “Listen, Souta, it might not be her, it might be-“ She wished she could have finished her urgent sentence before her brother snapped at her.

“Damnit! You're not my mom, Kagome, you never have been. Now leave me the hell alone!” Souta shouted before hanging up on her.

Kagome immediately redialed Souta's number, but was met with his voicemail picking up before it even had the chance to ring. He had turned his phone off. “Inuyasha, drive faster.” Kagome said, her voice chillingly quiet.

* * *

Souta's stomach turned as he immediately regretted his harsh words to his sister. It wasn't in his nature to be disobedient, but his heart was demanding that he see the girl he loved, and not even his dear sister could stop him. Finally approaching the park, he found a side road near the rear entrance of the park and quickly yet carefully parked the car. He felt bad about parking such an expensive vehicle on a deserted side street, but he knew that his hidden parking spot would give him a few extra minutes to find Kanna and he needed every minute he could spare. It was obvious that his sister and Inuyasha were coming for him.

The young Higurashi knew that he was in for a lot of trouble if, or more like when, he was caught, not only for leaving the Western Mansion with no warning, but for taking such an expensive car from Sesshomaru's garage. Of course, he'd had no choice, the Modena was the first car he'd found with a set of keys already in its ignition. The thought of what the Youkai Lord would do to him when he'd found out he'd taken his car caused Souta to swallow audibly.

Souta hurriedly hopped out of the car and turned his cell phone back on and waited for the screen to warm up. Five missed calls, he realized, all from his sister. He disregarded the messages that were surely waiting for him and dialed another number, Kanna's cell, the same number he had been trying for the past week, yet Kanna had never once picked up. It hadn't been until he had intercepted Kanna's communication with Kagura that he had heard from her again. As Kanna's voicemail greeted him after five rings, he realized she wasn't picking up now, either. He pushed the troubling thought to the back of his mind as he found the granite pathway that would lead him to the center of the park.

It was deserted. The rain fell in a slow, steady mist as Souta hurried on the narrow path flanked by dense pines and bamboo. He passed a moss-covered garden in his hurry that, due to the mist, felt more like a cemetery. In the distance, he saw the main temple buildings. Inside their partly opened wooden, shoji screened doors were monks at prayer, their orange and red robes barely visible between the trees and through the thickening fog.

Knowing he was reaching the center of the grounds, Souta slowed. His heart rate increased, pounding loudly in anticipation and worry, for he could see a white head of hair in the distance.

Kanna stood in the middle of the clearing next to a stone lantern. Her white features and strange white kimono that Souta had remembered her wearing the night she had tried to take his life all blended in and became almost indistinguishable in the thick mist. Souta's bangs began to plaster to his forehead as he slowly approached her, finally stopping only a few feet before the girl he loved.

“Kanna-chan.” He whispered breathlessly as she took a step towards him.

Silently, Kanna rose on her tippietoes and slid her arms around Souta's neck, pulling his trembling body towards her. Suddenly, familiar bright lights filled Souta's vision and a blinding pain coursed through his body. His face contorted in a grimace as a sensation that he had felt once before enveloped his body again.

* * *

Kagome gripped the door handle tightly, her knuckles turning white as Inuyasha downshifted violently and whipped the car around on a residential street. She distractedly realized that it was the first time she'd ever seen anyone pull a u-turn at sixty miles an hour. She would have praised Inuyasha's much improved skill with handling the stick shift and really learning his gears, but right now, she was fighting the forces of gravity to keep herself in her seat.

“What the hell was that for?” She cried.

“I saw the Modena on a side street back there. Souta didn't park at the opening to the park, he went in through the rear!” Inuyasha informed her.

As Inuyasha pulled onto the small, gravel side street he came to a squealing stop less than an inch from the Modena's bumper. The R32's engine had barely been cut off before the Inu-Hanyou had launched himself from the car. He knelt down in front of Kagome who looked at him oddly. “Get on my back.” He demanded.

“What?” Kagome asked, looking at him curiously.

“Look, we're wasting time, I can get us there much quicker!” Inuyasha snapped. :Now. Mate!: He urged.

Kagome knew that her mate was right, the Inu-Hanyou was many times stronger and faster than an average human. She did as he asked, wrapping her arms around his neck and her legs around his waist, barely secure on him before he took off in leaps and bounds, his nose working hard to track Souta's scent.

The mist had begun to fall heavier, and as they entered the clearing in the middle of the park, Inuyasha halted, his feet digging into the ground to stop his forward momentum. Kagome felt helpless as she saw Kanna embracing her little brother, a sadistic grin contorting her pale face as she held her mirror to Souta's back.

“She's about to suck his soul from his body!” Inuyasha barked.

Kagome gasped, finally understanding the deadly nature of Kanna's power. Souta's body was frozen stiff and his face was clenched in unbearable pain, unable to prevent the death that awaited him. A death not only of the body and the mind, but of the very soul.

Inuyasha's claws bit into his palms as he realized that there was nothing he could do to stop Kanna. She was too close to Souta for him to use his Sankontessou. He tensed when he realized he didn't even have Tessaiga on him. They hadn't even thought to bring Kagome's bow and arrows. All he had to protect Kagome, Souta, and himself was his unnatural strength and fighting skills, and he couldn't even use those skills with Souta's attacker so close to him. There was nothing he could do.

“Souta!” Kagome screamed.

By the time Inuyasha could turn around to acknowledge her, his mate was running across the field straight for the boy. He opened his mouth to call Kagome back, to yell her name, to do anything he could to stop the foolish woman when a bright light, brighter than even that of Kanna's soul sucking mirror, suddenly halted Kagome in her tracks.

The void youkai dropped her mirror and the light that had formed from within it with the intention of sucking Souta's soul from his body instantly extinguished itself and the heavy glass and ceramic ornament fell to the mossy ground at Souta's feet. Kanna's face twisted into a grimace of pain as a concentrated light that came from behind her gathered at her back and a sphere of dark matter, what appeared to be some type of consciousness, began to be sucked from the girl's petite body.

Inuyasha rushed to Kagome, pulling her to him and not allowing her to approach.

“Kanna? Kanna? What happened?” Souta asked frantically as he became aware again, fear tainting his voice as he tried his best to ignore the pain caused by having his soul almost pulled from his body. Kanna dropped to the ground bonelessly and Souta knelt down next to her. He grabbed the void youkai by her shoulders in an attempt to steady her as her body shook on the ground, the back of her skull slamming into the granite pathway repeatedly.

Before Souta could follow Inuyasha's movements, the Inu-Hanyou had grabbed the boy by his shoulders and leapt away, carrying him away from the monster withering on the ground. Inuyasha landed next to his mate and set her brother safely on his feet between them.

“That's not Kanna, Souta. That's Naraku.” Inuyasha told Souta darkly as Kagome held her brother close.

Realization dawned on Souta and he looked up, tearing his gaze from the writhing creature on the ground to see a second Kanna in the distance. “Kanna?” He asked, disbelievingly.

It was Kanna who had stopped the strange creature with her own appearance from taking Souta's life.

The real Kanna concentrated on her weapon as she slowly walked forward into the clearing, the lights growing brighter as the black substance was pulled farther and farther from her duplicate's body. The jyaki that flowed from the strange orb made it clear that the sphere was Naraku's consciousness. A spark of hope blossomed within Kanna at the prospect of destroying it, leaving Naraku in limbo, a soul without its guiding being. For with a soul without its consciousness would leave its host an unthinking, unfeeling vegetable, and in Kanna's mind, that would be a more fitting state for Naraku than any other.

The body of Kanna's doppelganger, now curled into the fetal position on the soaked ground, clenched and contorted as Naraku's consciousness was nearly pulled from its body. When the void youkai's likeness suddenly convulsed and seized, both Inuyasha and Kanna watched it wearily. Inuyasha stood in front of Kagome and Souta, sensing a great evil swiftly approaching.

The contorted, frozen body of Kanna's duplicate suddenly began to melt, the shapes and colors of her female form merging together as it formed another, more sinister shape. Souta and Kagome gasped in surprise and fear, but Inuyasha and Kanna merely sunk into defensive stances, already having anticipated his arrival.

What was once Kanna's likeness had now become the body of Naraku himself, kneeling in unconsciousness as the garb of his baboon fur formed around him. The black sphere of consciousness that waited patiently outside the body was suddenly reabsorbed, and the form that was now Naraku blinked his eyes to gain his bearings. A sinister grin pulled at Naraku's lips as he then turned to glare coldly at Souta, Kagome, and Inuyasha.

Inuyasha had expected an attack on him or those he hid behind his body, but when the dark hanyou turned instead to Kanna, he gasped as Naraku took off at lightening speed, already to the other end of the clearing. Naraku's arms shot out to grab the void youkai around the neck and he held her in place.

“You'd dare to try to kill me?” Naraku's voice tore through the open clearing. “I thought you to be loyal and unquestioning, one of my favored weapons. But now I know you to be as foolish and useless as your sister. I no longer have a need for you. You will meet the end your sister should have met, and is yet to meet at my hands.”

:Mate. Help her!: Kagome urged.

Inuyasha sunk into an offensive stance, readying his attack. He normally wouldn't have tried to help a member of the enemy's clan, yet his mate had begged him, and a small part of him agreed that it was the right thing to do. He was growing soft. “Sankon-“ He began.

Naraku suddenly roughly picked up the white haired girl and pressed her body to his own. Inuyasha was forced to cut his voice short in response, halting the attack of deadly projectiles. Had he let them fly, they would have injured Kanna as much as they would have injured Naraku, more so knowing that Kanna's weaker body would have suffered more.

“Coward!” Inuyasha spat.

The dark hanyou ignored the irate Inu-Hanyou, and as he held the small girl to his body, a purple gas began to radiate from his very being, enveloping the two of them.

“Shouki.” Inuyasha said quietly, already knowing Kanna's fate. “It's a poison gas.”

“We need to do something!” Kagome shouted. Sparing a glance at her numbly frozen brother next to her, Kagome lunged in the direction of Naraku and Kanna.

Inuyasha darted after his mate and pulled her back, his claws pinching her upper arms warningly. “No, its too dangerous!” He barked.

In the grip of Naraku, Kanna merely allowed her body to hang limp, waiting in baited breath for her end to come. An end she would welcome, one she had desired for far too long. She smiled momentarily, happy that she had at least saved Souta from death by Naraku's hands. The rest would be up to Inuyasha. She allowed herself one last glance at the boy she loved before unconsciousness began to caress her brain. “I'm sorry.” She whispered.

As his girlfriend was obscured from his view by the thick, purple gas, something inside Souta's confused, numbed mind snapped as he finally realized that he was watching the one he loved die. The young man felt his legs try to move, try to run to her, try to stop this nightmare that had ruined not only his shrine and his home, but his life, wanting nothing more than to stop the monster that was Naraku.

He had barely taken his first, halting step when Inuyasha and Kagome both threw their arms around him to stop him. Souta kicked and screamed at being restrained, his fist slamming Inuyasha in the face and his heels kicking Kagome in the shins repeatedly.

“Let me go!” Souta yelled, struggling with all his strength, “Kanna, Kanna, you have to fight back!” He repeated over and over again as tears began to stream from his eyes.

Her vision was already fading as the void youkai heard Souta's plea through the ringing in her ears as she lost the grip of consciousness. She knew she was no contest against Naraku's strength, and her weak body would not hold out for much longer. But she was okay with that fact.

After all, Kanna had already resigned her life. Little more than week ago, she had tried to kill the one she loved, and for that, she would never forgive herself, even if Souta could somehow forgive her. Besides, her death was what was best for her and Souta. He would move on and hopefully find his chosen, and she would finally be free of her life of torment. Though she knew that Souta would not understand her reasoning, for Kanna, death was the only answer to her life of pain, her one and only wish. In her last moments, she cherished her few happy memories of her sister and the one that called her his girlfriend as she welcomed death with open arms.

* * *

They were just getting off the highway ramp, looking for the entrance to Koto-in when from the corner of his eye, Sesshomaru saw Kagura go rigid. The wind youkai's back straightened, she sat erect, and her eyes stared vacantly ahead.

The Western Lord's foot lifted off the gas distractedly as he turned toward Kagura. “Are you-” He began.

“Damn it, Sesshomaru, drive!” The wind youkai shouted at him as she tried to ignore her instincts, her primal feelings, the very sensation that let her know without a doubt what had just happened. She told herself that what she was feeling couldn't be true. Her little sister couldn't possibly be dead.

* * *

Kanna's body hung limp in Naraku's arms, her head tipped backwards and lolled side to side as though her neck were a rubber band. Finally in the tense silence, Souta let out a devastated, gurgling scream as he fell from Inuyasha and Kagome's hold to collapse to the ground.

Naraku released his grip on Kanna and her lifeless body fell to the saturated moss at his feet in a shapeless, haphazard heap. He then turned to Inuyasha and Kagome, his cold, crimson eyes focusing on them, the expression on his face an icy smirk. The dark hanyou chuckled.

Kagome shivered. It wasn't the dampness of the rainy, late spring day, it was the sound of Naraku's cruel laughter that had triggered her spine to crawl. She had never been one to honestly despise another living being, but ever since Naraku had tried to turn her against Inuyasha, and then had taken her land, Higurashi Kagome had learned the meaning of hate. She looked at the black haired man with obvious disgust and anger.

“Well, if it isn't the half-breed and the naïve miko.” Naraku said casually.

“Fuck you, Naraku.” Inuyasha barked, sinking into a defensive stance, his hackles already standing at full attention.

“Stop wasting my time, Inuyasha.” Naraku said casually, brushing the Inu-Hanyou off before he addressed Kagome. “Did you know that I've torn your precious shrine upside down in search of that damn jewel to no avail?” Naraku roared at her.

Inuyasha flinched. Through their clan's spies, they'd known that Naraku had hired contractors to tear down large sections of the Higurashi Shrine, but he'd never had the heart to tell Kagome, and had decided he wouldn't tell her unless Naraku had found the Shikon no Tama before they could. The Inu-Hanyou's stomach dropped as he watched Kagome's jaw hang at the news.

“Torn upside down?” Kagome repeated Naraku's words haltingly.

“Really, you should stop by and see the place sometime, you wouldn't even recognize it.” Naraku responded smugly, the chuckle returning to his voice. “Now tell me!” He roared. “Where is it? Where is the Shikon no Tama? I know it's in your possession.”

Kagome shrugged her shoulders, stunned and speechless. Why was he convinced that she knew where the jewel was, and how could she possibly have it with her?

Inuyasha growled and sunk lower, taking a step towards the evil hanyou. How dare that bastard demand anything from his mate?

Naraku only laughed at the Inu-Hanyou. “What are you going to do, attack me? You don't even have your puny sword, not that it would even be able to protect you against my power. Now get out of my way, my problem is with the woman. I'll pick my bone with you later, dog.”

“Keh!” Inuyasha exclaimed. “If you think I'll let you anywhere near my mate, you're dead wrong, Naraku.” He barked.

“Mate? No wonder she reeks of you.” Naraku spat. “She's a hanyou's whore.”

Inuyasha could no longer hold himself back. Between the insults and the threat of the danger Naraku posed to his mate, he disregarded his own safety and leapt at the dark hanyou, releasing the attack he had stored within himself.

“Sankontessou!” He shouted as the clawed projectiles flew from his hands and scattered at Naraku.

The evil being merely smirked at the childish attack and waited for the last moment to turn his body to the side. Faster than the Inu-Hanyou could follow, Naraku grabbed Inuyasha by the wrist and pulled him into his own barrage, allowing the sharp weapons to sink into Inuyasha's flesh. The Inu-Hanyou bared the pain and winced as he caught the brunt of his own attack, but he knew that Naraku wasn't done with him yet.

As he turned around, the Inu-Hanyou received Naraku's fist to his gut, knocking the air from his lungs and breaking several ribs. Naraku hadn't even given Inuyasha a chance to recover before the dark hanyou's other fist caught him in the shoulder, shattering it upon impact. Inuyasha howled in frantic pain and disorientation. He dropped to the ground face down and couldn't see Naraku use his blinding speed to slide next to Kagome.

The dark haired woman gasped in surprise as the dark hanyou rushed towards her. She had no weapon, no means of protection, not even the slightest inkling of how to defend herself against his immense strength and power. Kagome merely froze in his evil aura, the jyaki that spilled from his aura almost hypnotizing her. Naraku took a brief moment in his approach to glare at her body as though he were sizing her up.

Kagome hadn't the time to wonder why the Southern Lord was eyeing her so intently as though he were searching something. It took Naraku only a fraction of a second before he pulled his fist back and suddenly punched, yet his knuckles never hit Kagome. Instead, he thrust his fingers into the flesh above her right hip.

The young woman's mouth dropped open, the pain so excruciating that she couldn't even find her voice. Kagome felt Naraku's digits moving under her skin and through her flesh as though they were searching for something. She felt him grab onto something solid and then, as though he had found what he was looking for, Naraku quickly took it and pulled his hand from her before he launched himself away from her. Kagome's legs collapsed beneath her as she began to hyperventilate from the shock and the pain of the intrusion.

Inuyasha pulled his beaten body from the ground, his frame shaking from dizziness and anger. “Kagome!” He roared, his voice cracking and breaking from the stress to his vocal cords. He could feel his mate's soul crying, her physical and mental distress too great for her to even use her soul-voice.

The young miko detachedly heard her mate scream her name. In her blurry, misty view, she saw Naraku standing over her menacingly, holding a round, pink orb in his hand that was covered in her own blood. She had never seen it before, but somehow, she knew exactly what the pastel colored sphere was the moment she laid her eyes on it.

It was the Shikon no Tama.

Kagome knew no more as blackness claimed her.

Watching his mate fall unconscious in horror, Inuyasha launched himself at the dark hanyou. Sweat poured from his brow as each pounding footstep jarred his shattered shoulder and broken ribs, yet no pain was great enough to keep him from protecting and avenging his mate. Inuyasha had no weapon and he knew the battle with the stronger hanyou would be hopeless, yet he focused Naraku in his blurry, skewed vision.

A deep growl broke from the Inu-Hanyou's throat, and he felt his youkai blood begin to boil. As the painful, double heartbeat slammed inside his chest, he welcomed the surge of youkai blood, now craving not only Naraku's death, but to see the dark hanyou's blood on his claws and feel his heart beat it's last in his hands. He hoped his youkai blood would grant him the power needed to defeat Naraku, but if not, then he would die trying.

Inuyasha didn't hear Sesshomaru and Kagura as they approached the clearing and shouted to him, he didn't even smell them. The only thing that registered in the Inu-Hanyou's berserker brain was revenging Kagome's injury and the power of his youkai blood that surged through his veins as he homed in on Naraku.

Yet, as Inuyasha approached the dark hanyou, Naraku didn't even acknowledge his advance. The dark hanyou's attention was instead focused on a strange pink orb he held in his palm. Inuyasha's youkai didn't care what Naraku was doing, and he pounced at the evil hanyou regardless.

Inuyasha's claws sunk deep into Naraku's flesh and the Southern Lord's tainted blood sprayed both their bodies and spilled thickly on the ground. When Inuyasha's purple stripes blazed across his cheeks, he thrust his fist into Naraku's chest to find and tear out his heart, intent on holding it while it beat its last.

With his clawed fist imbedded in the dark hanyou's chest, Inuyasha had expected a fight to the death, shouki, a hoard of minions, anything other than Naraku simply falling to the ground in a heap.

The Inu-Hanyou blinked in confusion and shock as he hopped away from Naraku's disintegrating body. Once the torn and tattered pieces of Naraku's remains slapped wetly onto the wet ground, the chunks of human body instantly turned to piles of dirt.

Inuyasha's youkai transformation came to a grinding halt and reversed itself from the shock, and within moments, the Inu-Hanyou was back to himself, though worse the wear for both the energy expended by his transformation and the injuries dealt to him by Naraku. The Inu-Hanyou stared emptily at the mound of dirt before him that had once bared Naraku's likeness, the dry and airy dust turning wet and muddy from the misty drizzle.

Inuyasha pounded the earth before him, his fist sinking into what had once been the body of Naraku. “Kugutsu! Fucking puppet!” He roared, the pain of his shattered shoulder causing him to double over and almost retch.

Despite the confusion left in the wake of Naraku's puppet and the pain in his body, Inuyasha would not be stopped or slowed down when he knew his mate was injured. He set it aside in the back of his mind as he crawled the few feet to Kagome's body.

The Inu-Hanyou was instantly relieved when he registered the slow, even rise and fall of Kagome's chest. His mate was unconscious, yet alive. Still, Inuyasha's heart thumped and his stomach dropped when he saw the blood that had pooled next to her hip. He tipped his head back and roared to the misty sky in frustration that he had not only put his mate in danger, but had allowed her to get injured. He had allowed himself to be fooled by Naraku once again.

Inuyasha detachedly heard the wailing cries of Kagura above his own. Her voice echoed around the clearing as the wind youkai ran to her dead sister, Sesshomaru trailing her closely. They had arrived too late to save her.

Seeing his brother's mate lying unconscious on the ground, Sesshomaru wanted a status on his pack member. “Is Kagome all right?” He barked to his brother.

Inuyasha snapped back to reality to look at the injured girl he knelt before. She was losing blood. She wasn't in any real danger, but the Inu-Hanyou frantically pulled his soaked shirt from his torso, balled it up and pressed it to Kagome's wound to stop the bleeding. He managed to nod his head to his pack alpha to let him know that she'd be fine.

Souta registered that his sister was injured, but realized that she would be okay under her mate's care. He numbly rose to his feet to slowly walk towards his fallen girlfriend, once again cradled in her older sister's embrace as Kagura mourned her death, crying to the heavens.

Sesshomaru stood a respectable distance from Kagura, his hand reaching out to the empty air, wanting to console her. But before he could, out of the corner of his eye, and through the thick, poisoned scent of the remains of Naraku's shouki and kugutsu, the Western Lord saw and smelt a saimyoushou dart to the puppet's remains only to buzz away quickly.

He vaguely noticed that the saimyoushou carried something odd. The Inu-Youkai's canine eyesight homed in a round, pink orb clasped between the insect's legs. When Sesshomaru concentrated on the curious object, he sensed an enormous power emanating from within it.

The pieces popped into place as Sesshomaru realized just what the strange orb was. His stomach sunk as he realized that the Shikon no Tama had reemerged. The Western Lord phased his body, moving at such a speed that all that could be seen were blurred streaks that vaguely showed the direction of his movement as he chased after the bee youkai.

Sesshomaru drew his sword, a second blade secured above his Taisho family heirloom of the Tenseiga and drew it behind his body. His skilled swing missed the winged insect by the barest of margins, causing the saimyoushou to falter in its course due to the massive amount of spiritual energy the Western Lord's blade wielded. Yet it managed to resecure the orb as it continued to ascend to the sky.

The Shikon no Tama was out of his reach. It was gone, and Sesshomaru knew it was on its way back to Naraku.

Wondering where the jewel had come from, Sesshomaru snapped his head back towards Kagome, where his brother was busily tending to a gaping wound in her side. Had Naraku wanted the girl dead, even his puppet could have easily terminated her. But it seemed that Naraku had been more interested in merely maiming her, singling out a specific reason to injure her. Sesshomaru mentally connected the dots as he was sure Naraku himself had. The Shikon no Tama had been in Kagome's body all along. It had been resurrected within her.

Though Sesshomaru was surprised that such an unassuming woman had unknowingly held such enormous power within her body, he remembered that her ancestor's dead body had been burned with the jewel. The Inu-Youkai only hoped that if the jewel had been resurrected inside of her body, that the power of her ancestors was as well. Kagome would need every last ounce of strength she could muster if she was to be involved in the fight that was to come.

“Naraku's saimyoushou escaped with the Shikon no Tama.” Sesshomaru said plainly to inform the others.

Receiving no response, he looked to his pack. Sesshomaru was surprised to find that, once looking at them and their pained, distraught faces, he realized that at the moment, the Shikon no Tama wasn't important. No, lives hung in the balance here. It was no longer about just finding the jewel. Now that it had been found, the real nightmare would begin.

Though the end of life as he knew it could very well be nigh with Naraku in possession of the jewel of legend, Sesshomaru needed to tend to his family, his pack, before all else. At the rate the saimyoushou traveled, it would likely be hours before it reached Naraku, and even then, the Inu-Youkai was secure in the fact that the evil hanyou wasn't even likely to know how to use such a powerful and ancient weapon. He comforted himself with those thoughts and turned back to his prospective mate who cradled her dead sister, and Souta, who knelt close and wept openly for Kanna.

“You promised me we'd save her together!” Kagura wailed, tears beading in her crimson eyes as her stare pierced Sesshomaru's very soul. “You promised!”

The remembrance of Sesshomaru's promise hit him like a leaden weight. He had failed his chosen, his intended mate, and now, her sister was dead. He approached the mourners slowly, one hand on Tenseiga. His dark spirits lightened at the thought of the fabled sword which might right the terrible wrong of Kanna's death and might free him of having broken his promise. His fingers gripped Tenseiga's hilt firmly, yet, the feeling of dread that he had felt all along only worsened when he found that his sword would not respond to the deceased body on the ground.

The Western Lord stood behind Kagura and rested a hand on her shoulder. The wind youkai turned to him, clutching her sister tightly to her. The tears that slid down her porcelain face broke the stoic Lord's heart and she looked at him with hopeful eyes.

“Sesshomaru… you can bring her back… can't you?” Kagura asked, her voice breaking.

Sesshomaru sighed. He had brought only one person back from death, and that was his very own Rin. At the time, Tenseiga had demanded that he slay the demons who had begun to carry the young girl's soul to the other world and bring her back to life. But now… Tenseiga lay still and deathly quiet at his side, unresponsive.

Yet, Sesshomaru would have done anything in his power to fulfill the wish of the one he loved. “I will try.” He finally responded haltingly.

Kagura's sobs abruptly ceased as she watched him wearily. The Western Lord was never unsure. About anything. Yet, she was willing to do whatever it took to have her sister back. She dropped all previous grudges and quarrels she had been holding against the Taisho alpha, not only because he would give her back her sister, but because he had done the same for her the same for her long ago.

“Please, Sesshomaru, I'll do anything.” She begged.

Sesshomaru examined the normally strong, stoic woman. He didn't want anything she could give him under such circumstances. He only wanted her to be happy. “Step away.” He demanded.

Kagura nodded and gently set her sister's lifeless body back on the wet ground before stepping back, pulling Souta with her by his collar.

Souta eyed the two youkai skeptically. Could this Inu-Youkai really bring his girlfriend back to life? He waited with baited breath for Sesshomaru's answer.

Sesshomaru stepped closer to Kanna's body, feeling their hopeful eyes on him as he grasped the hilt of his sword. Tenseiga. The useless sword that was made of his father's fang that he had never wanted in the first place, but had brought him Rin, the greatest joy of his life none the less. He prayed that it would agree to return Kanna to her older sister as well.

With a single, fluid movement, the Inu-Youkai pulled Tenseiga from its sheath and swung it at the dead void youkai. His heart sank at the end of the swing. No spiritual energy, no response, nothing. Only silence and death. As he had suspected, Tenseiga would not bring Kanna back from the dead.

Sesshomaru's rage began to build at the injustice and he was tempted to destroy the only weapon his father had left him when Tenseiga finally reacted. The hilt vibrated gently and his brain suddenly filled with understanding. The sword was communicating with him. The Inu-Youkai held on to his lain grain of hope, perhaps Tenseiga would reconsider.

Then, his heart fell further. Sesshomaru resignedly placed Tenseiga back in its sheath and turned away from Kanna's dead body before proceeding to walk away.

“Sesshomaru!” Kagura screamed tensely.

The Western Lord's stomach twisted at her cry and the renewed smell of her tears in the air, the salty scent cutting through even the remaining shouki that hung in the mist. He finally turned back to his would-be mate and regarded her in defeat. He had no power to un-break his promise to his intended.

“Her soul refuses to return to the world of the living. Such was Kanna's wish. I cannot bring her back, Kagura.” Sesshomaru said quietly.

The wind youkai's wails returned and she threw her body atop her sister's, sobs wracking her frame as Souta watched in silent mourning.

* * *

Author's notes:

Phew. I told you that the plot was making a come back after all that fluff and lemon. This was my first character death, and let me tell you, it was difficult to write. How'd I do? Please review! Please?… um, please?

I'd like to thank Youkai Musashi for her awesome beta-job on this fic and all her fun, helpful reviews. Thanks so much! To my other awesome beta, who's worked so hard on my previous chapters, Scherezade, the full youkai Inuyasha lemon was all for you!