Yu Yu Hakusho Fan Fiction / InuYasha Fan Fiction ❯ Black Widow Miko ❯ Confrontations ( Chapter 10 )

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

I I know this was a slightly longer wait than usual between chapters, (three whole weeks!) but this one just refused to end. Hopefully, it’s got enough good stuff in it to make it worth the wait! I tried, anyway. And I hadn’t planned to post on the 4th of July, so all of the fireworks references are purely coincidental. Honest! Ebi-chan, this one’s for you! Thanks for the 200th review!

DISCLAIMER: “I’ve got a little black book with my poems in. Got a bag with a toothbrush and a comb in. When I’m a good dog, they sometimes throw me a bone in.

I got elastic bands keepin my shoes on. Got those swollen hand blues. Got thirteen channels of shit on the TV to choose from. I’ve got electric light. And I’ve got second sight. And amazing powers of observation …

I’ve got nicotine stains on my fingers. I’ve got a silver spoon, on a chain. I’ve got a grand piano to prop up my mortal remains …”

But I don’t have any of the rights to or profits from “InuYasha” or “YuYu Hakusho.” (Or to the lyrics I just quoted from Pink Floyd’s “Nobody Home” off of the ultimate album “The Wall.” ) Those belong to Takahashi-san, Togashi-san, and Pink Floyd and Roger Waters-san.

talking
mental/telepathic conversations “Hiei” “Kurama” “Youko”
(thoughts to self)

---------------------------------------------------- --------------------------------------------------------
Last time:

The things they had learned tonight were slightly conflicting, though, and rather disturbing. As impossible as it seemed, there was now a reasonable argument that could be made to suggest that the three other females in her mates’ lives could have worked together to kill them and frame her. Or, it was possible that just the one female -- the dead miko -- could have killed them all. She was probably powerful enough, at least to kill Inuyasha and Kouga, and purify their souls. He wondered about Sesshoumaru, though. She was certainly proficient with the bow and arrow, but they didn’t know if she was skilled in any of the martial arts, let alone the snake style kung fu. Touya had witnessed her meeting with the wind-witch just today. But he also said that the wind-user’s son really does look like Sesshoumaru, and there were still those damn scratches and claw marks that needed to be explained somehow. On top of all that, they needed to find a new place for Kagome and her sons to stay, and the dead miko was wandering around the Ningenkai. There was still an awful lot to do before this assignment would be over. But instead of irritating him, that thought just caused him to give a mental shrug, and settle down for some good sleep.

An hour later, he frowned and opened his eyes. He hadn’t used the oil yet, but the smell of gardenias had almost faded away, even from his skin. It wasn’t enough. Damn it.
------------------------------------------------------------------- -----------------------------------------

“Don’t go! Not you, too, … Hiei!” Kagome bolted upright in her bed and looked around the room frantically. Shaking her head to try to clear her sleep-befuddled mind, she realized he wouldn’t be there, and she immediately closed her eyes to concentrate on locating his aura. She took a deep breath and let it out slowly when she sensed him just across the hall. She had dreamed about him again. And again, he had disappeared, just like her mates. She really hadn’t expected to dream like that. Heck! -- She had spent the better part of three hours with him last night! She definitely shouldn’t be coming back to her room and having erotic dreams about being with him. What was wrong with her? And then, … And then he was gone. And she couldn’t find him. And she knew it had happened again. It was just like …

She couldn’t think about that now. But were these dreams a warning? A sign? Or were her fears just getting the better of her? And why Hiei? Hai, they were lovers, but she wasn’t mated to him. She had thought that must be a key element to what had happened. What if it was just any and every male she was involved with? But, she hadn’t dreamed about Yemon or Kurama, and she was kind of involved with them, -- at least, officially. So, was it just males she actually cared for? And, … when did she start thinking of Hiei that way? (Oh, crap! It wasn’t supposed to be like this.)

She threw off the covers and got up. Walking over to the window, she looked out and watched as the sun slowly started to rise in the sky. Resting her forehead against the glass, she sighed. What was she going to do? Should she warn him? Or break it off altogether? And if she did, would that save him? Or was it too late? Or was she just completely overreacting? Maybe she was just dreaming about him like this because she was worried about the way their relationship seemed to be changing. After all, nobody knew about them. She laughed humorlessly to herself. (If anyone was in danger, it would have to be Kurama. Or possibly Yemon. Daitano thinks I have taken one of them as a lover. And last night, Yemon flat out accused me of sleeping with Kurama. And I really didn’t like having to try to convince him I’m just as interested in him as I am in the avatar. Good thing that smoke alarm went off when it did, -- though I’m glad it was just a small fire and that no one was hurt. Lucky thing that room was empty -- the manager said it was the only empty one in the whole hotel, and it wouldn’t have been, if there hadn’t been a last-minute cancellation. Wonder what started it?)

She shook her head. She had more important things to think about. She would have to tell Hiei of her fears. Not all of it, of course, but he should know he might be in danger. Then he could decide if he wanted to call it off or not. Somehow, she didn’t think he would. While he might be yearning for the touch of another woman, she knew his desire for her was sincere, because it was aggravating him no end. She grinned at the thought. She was going to have to pay the hotel for the yukatas he had ripped up. (Worth it!)

Then she frowned. She still had to deal with Yemon. And this evening, she would be going on a ‘date’ with Kurama. She wondered, not for the first time, why her relationships with males were always so complicated, -- especially when she had things that were so much more important that she needed to take care of. She was glad they had taken this time to get away from everything else and just have fun as a family, with their friends along. She hoped they would be able to do things like this after everything was settled. She didn’t count on it, though. But as long as she could see that her sons’ futures were taken care of, it would be enough.

With one last look at the rapidly-lightening horizon, Kagome turned to get ready for the day.
------------------------------------------------------------------ -------------------------------------------


As they left the Kanazawa-Chuo hotel, located in the heart of Kanazawa, in the Ishikawa Prefecture of the Chubu region, Kagome walked along with her mother, anxious to hear all about the new man in her life. She had been overjoyed to see her waiting for them in the hotel lobby, and she had quickly introduced Higurashi Ikumi to the members of their group who hadn’t met her before. They had left Kusatsu quite early that morning to reach Kanazawa in time to enjoy the whole day. Being located in such a metropolitan area, the rooms at this hotel were considerably smaller, so everyone got their own room here, -- except for Kurama’s mother and step-father, of course. Their group practically took up the entire top floor.

In honor of Greenery Day, they were going to Kenrokuen Garden, and even though they would be walking around all afternoon, everyone had agreed that they would rather walk there. Touted as one of the three most beautiful gardens in Japan, its name means “Garden Combining Six” or “Garden of Six Attributes,” -- a reference to the six themes of beauty displayed within it: extensiveness, panoramas, quiet seclusion, antique elegance, artificial construction, and abundant water. Covering 25 acres with hills, man-made winding streams, waterfalls, and ponds, it was originally built for Kanazawa Castle.

When they got there, they decided to follow the barrier-free course, in deference to the older ones among them. Although the map they were given said it could be navigated in about 40 minutes, it took their group almost two hours to walk it, with all the joking that went on and the nature-lovers in the group pointing out various items of interest. While most of the women in the group appreciated the sight of the many fields of flowers that could be seen from the Hanami bridge, the men seemed to enjoy the actual bridges and ponds more. Master Zhang noted the many secluded areas among the trees that would make excellent spots for meditation. He would be sure to return sometime when there was no one else about.

Kuwabara enjoyed the romantic settings provided, and was perfectly content to walk along hand-in-hand with Yukina, determinedly ignoring Yusuke’s ribbing and Hiei‘s dirty looks. Shiori and her husband also took advantage of the opportunity to just stroll along leisurely and enjoy each other’s company. Genkai rolled her eyes at her four escorts, while Eishumaru just walked along beside Shizuru, watching her in a rather thoughtful manner as she interacted with her brother and the others.

Sassouta and Daitano seemed preoccupied, and spent a lot of time conversing with Ginta and Hakkaku. Ever since Hiei had told them that Kikyou was in the Ningenkai, all three of the brothers had been concerned about their mother’s safety. If it came down to a battle between the two priestesses, they knew their mother was more powerful, but they also knew she felt sorry for the other woman, and therefore was likely to be slow to attack.

Daitano had only seen her once, when they were living in the Western lands, and she had ranted and raved about how Kagome had stolen everything from her, and how she wouldn’t rest until the other miko was as dead as she was. After she was gone, his okaa-san had told him the tragic story of her and his father and how they had been tricked. He never could understand why his father had felt so guilty and so loyal to her after she was resurrected, considering the woman had wanted him to give up who and what he was in order for them to be together. But, his okaa-san had patiently explained how very alone Inuyasha had been all his life, and how he had thought that her stipulations were a perfectly logical request, since hanyous were so despised by both races. Even if he had to change completely for her, he thought she must love him to be around him at all. It had taken him a very long time to truly believe that Kagome honestly loved him and wanted to be with him just the way he was. And once he did, it had been very painful for him to realize that what he had thought was love was a very poor, shallow imitation.

His okaa-san told him that she had tried to tell Inuyasha that it didn’t mean Kikyou hadn’t loved him -- just that since she had led such a lonely life, too, she didn’t know how to love any better than that. But he had still felt guilty about wavering between the two women so long, when the difference between them and what he had with each of them was so obvious. And he had felt guilty, too, that he was alive and able to find that kind of real love, when Kikyou had died and never would. And Kagome had told her son that she truly felt sorry for the dead miko, because she had had the chance to love Inuyasha and be loved by him, and hadn’t appreciated it or let herself believe in it enough to let the trust every relationship needs grow between them. But his okaa-san had. And she would have happily spent the rest of her life with him, if fate hadn’t intervened. Not once, but three times fate had given her someone special to love, then ripped him away after only a short time. Well, Daitano was determined that she would have the chance to find that kind of love again, and he sure as hell wasn’t going to let some dead bitch take it away from her.

As if he could read his brother’s thoughts, Sassouta nodded at him. He was just as worried about the dead miko as his brothers were, but he was also really worried that his mother was going to make a huge mistake and give herself to Yemon for his sake. He knew how she felt about taking another mate, and even though she had never said anything about it, he knew Yemon’s demand for two sons had pretty much cemented her eventual refusal of his suit. But he was afraid that in her desire to give him enough time to prepare, she might end up sleeping with the ookami ruler. And even though he knew most youkai wouldn’t bat an eyelash at that, he just couldn’t stand the thought of it, -- his mother having a lover was one thing, but the thought of her taking one just to help him made his stomach churn. And something about Yemon just didn’t sit right with him. He felt a little childish, but he didn’t want her with him, even if, kami forbid, she fell in love with him, -- and it had nothing to do with the fact that he was currently in control of Sassouta’s lands. He just plain didn’t like that ookami. And there was something about the way he was looking at her today that made him want to challenge the older youkai right then and there.

The current ruler of the Northern lands might look big and strong, but Sassouta suspected he had allowed himself to grow soft, and he was pretty sure he could take him in a one-on-one fight. He was also fairly confident he would have no trouble convincing the wolves that he was the rightful leader, -- it was the youkai, particularly Ayame’s clan that would oppose him. And he knew that things wouldn’t be settled there even if, -- no, when he beat Yemon, but he hadn’t told his mother that.

The ookami were different from the inu, and most other youkai, in that respect. When Daitano defeated the wind-user in the East, he would be recognized throughout his lands as the new ruler. The same would go for Eishumaru and the nekkos, -- if Shu managed to get a challenge match. But he doubted he would get the chance. No, it would be an all-out war in the West, which was why he and his brothers had decided Eishumaru would issue his challenge first. They would fight together there, along with their allies, and hope that the other two individual challenges would be granted, and would not require battles on that scale.

Sassouta knew it was very possible that Yemon would call for one when Kagome refused his suit, but truthfully, he thought he had a good chance of provoking him into accepting the challenge. He wasn’t sure he trusted him to keep his word anyway, even if Kagome accepted him, so he wouldn’t be able to make it a matter of honor, -- it would have to be more personal than that. That was one reason he had been surreptitiously watching the ookami closely. He needed to discover the weaknesses in his character as well as the ones in his power. When he returned to the Makai after this trip, Ginta and Hakkaku had already arranged for someone to shadow him.

Even at that, when it came to the North, once Yemon was toppled, all of the clans would jump at the chance to put someone in his position. Sassouta would end up fighting challenges from all three of the major clans, and probably some of the minor ones, and they would all be death matches. He had made the others promise not to tell Kagome that. She was worried enough as it was, though she rarely let it show.

But, none of that was what was bothering him at the moment. No, at the moment, all he was concerned with was keeping that damn ookami away from her. He didn’t want Yemon using him to pressure her. He looked over at the avatar. He’d even rather she take up with that Reikai guard dog, -- and he wasn’t too sure he liked him, either. Actually, he did like him, he just didn’t like his attitude toward his mother. He was a little too smug, and far too sly, and if he took her to his bed, he’d probably sit up all night just to see if she talked in her sleep about their otou-sans. He snickered a little at that thought, causing his brother to look at him curiously, but he waved it off. Daitano wouldn’t find it a bit funny, he knew.

He looked at his mother, walking up ahead with her mother and brother. He would feel a lot better if she already had a mate -- someone strong enough to make her stay out of the fighting that was coming. Though, when he’d voiced that to his brothers, they had laughed a bit sadly, and said not even their otou-sans could have done that. Aside from wishing he could keep her out of it all, he’d rather not have to deal with any of this intrigue going on, either. While Eishumaru was extremely interested in their mother’s dealings with the group of Reikai detectives, the wolf leader, and that wind-user, he tended to agree with Daitano. They’d rather just stand their ground on their own, even if it meant the whole Makai had time to prepare for their return. But, as Shu had reminded them, after all was said and done, their mother’s fate would still be up in the air, and how they dealt with the wolf princess and the wind-user could significantly affect what happened. As for the detectives, … whatever they ended up reporting to the Reikai could mean life or death for her. Not that they would ever get their hands on her, -- not while he and his brothers were alive.

But, again, it would help if she had a powerful mate to stand with her, too. All three of them had had a long talk about that after Kagura had showed up, and they had made Jaken and Myouga compile a list of names of eligible males. And as soon as he could get her to give up this farce of a courtship, he would tell them to begin the introductions, -- starting with that ninja wind-user, Jin. A ninja ought to be able to keep her hidden from the Reikai, if need be. It was a shame that Yomi, who Jaken said was one of the most powerful males currently in the Makai, was already courting that female, Mukuro, their mother had met during the quest. They had seriously considered Raizen, but he might actually be a bit too old for her at 3,000. They knew she would balk at being introduced to more possible suitors, so they were planning to introduce them as possible allies. And they would approach them for that, too. But first, he had to talk to his kaa-san and get her to agree to send Yemon and Kurama packing.

Daitano, noticing the looks his younger brother was giving the two, had a feeling he knew what he was thinking. (Damn it. I’m going to have to tell him she’s already taken up with one of them. He’s not going to like it.) He didn’t think she was considering taking him for a mate, -- he was well aware of her fears, but it could still be a serious relationship. They would find that out when she was ready to tell them about it. And he didn’t want his brothers bugging her about it before then. There was a possibility that it was just a casual arrangement, too. It was actually kind of a relief to know she was allowing herself to have needs and wants like that, because he knew she had been completely celibate ever since Kouga died, and he just couldn’t imagine her being alone forever -- that would be a waste. He had been thrilled to hear that his obaa-san had a new man in her life. Maybe she could talk her daughter into taking a chance again.

Kagome was blissfully unaware of the thoughts her sons were having. She and Souta had been listening to her mother tell them all about her new boyfriend. She had been a little hesitant to talk about how they met, at first. His name was Morimoto Kenji, and he was a grocer, and owned a store not too far from their shrine. Actually, he owned the very store that they most often shopped at when gathering supplies for the quest. Kenji had confessed that after they began buying a lot of ramen there, he began to stock more varieties of it, hoping to keep Ikumi coming back “So, in a way, Inuyasha brought Kenji into my life,” she told her daughter quietly. Kagome smiled at her, and gave her a quick hug. She knew her mother didn’t want to make her sad by bringing up thoughts of Inuyasha, but it really was impossible not to.

And Kagome didn’t want to forget, -- not about any of her mates. It was true that moments like these were very bittersweet for her, but she thought Inuyasha would have been really glad to have played a role in Ikumi’s new romance. He had asked her once why her mother had never found another man, and he had expressed his opinion that she should several times. He thought all females should have a male to protect them, and he especially thought Izumi was deserving of having someone love and take care of her. He had always been very fond of her. She told her mother that, and they were both silent for a minute.

Ikumi went on to tell her that if anything serious came of this relationship, she thought she would be able to tell Kenji about Kagome’s unique situation and her children’s youkai heritage without him thinking she was completely crazy. Apparently, his grandmother had been a miko, and he said she had actually held some true power, -- nothing compared to Kagome’s, of course, but something beyond the norm. Kagome blinked at this, but then she smiled. Of course her mother would have taken her and her children’s situations into consideration before entering into a relationship with someone. Anyone who would be spending any amount of time with them would have to know the truth. It made her wonder briefly if Ikumi had put aside the idea of ever being with anyone after she began her travels to the past. Of course, she had been alone for over ten years before that.

Souta, feeling a bit protective of his mother, asked questions about Kenji’s age, how good a living he made, and why he didn’t have a wife or any kids of his own. Ikumi explained that he was a widower, and that he and his wife had never been able to have children. She had died 5 years ago. Souta told Kagome that he knew their grandfather had already met the man, and had given his daughter-in-law his blessing and permission to remarry if things worked out between them, but that he had asked that they live at the shrine. Since it was near the man’s store, Souta thought he probably wouldn’t disagree. Their mother blushed a bit and protested that it was rather early to be talking about them getting married, but Kagome wasn’t so sure when she saw the way her mother’s eyes sparkled. She was really happy for her, and her happiness radiated itself out to all of those surrounding them, causing the youkai to all turn their heads in her direction, and making Kuwabara and Shizuru nod at each other and smile.

Genkai was surprised to have the woman’s feelings communicated to her like that, and she thought about the implications of that kind of power being exploited. Noticing her thoughtful expression, Zhang leaned down and quietly explained that only her positive emotions could be sent to others. That ability, and her calming powers, were part of the gifts the kamis gave her that they thought would be useful in her position to help keep the peace between the three realms. And while the calm could be used to manipulate others into feeling a sense of peace and well-being, her positive emotions could only encourage a similar response, but could not be forced on others. That reassured her somewhat, but she still wondered what else the miko was capable of. She would have to talk to Yusuke and the others soon.

When they reached the end of the trail, they all agreed to walk on just a little further for one more look from the observation deck. There was a beautiful view of the Kasumiga-ike pond from there, and as they all relaxed in the shade from the Karasaki pine, they made their plans for the rest of the day. Kanazawa was a big city, and there were plenty of options for entertainment. They decided to find a restaurant to have lunch first, then they were going to break up into groups to do whatever caught their eye. Kagome’s family was going to take a walking tour of some of the historic districts, like the old samurai and geisha districts.

Shippou approached Kagome and took her aside from the group to talk. Yusuke had told him that they were going to move the family closer to Kyoto, and that Koenma had someone out searching for an appropriate place for them to live and train. The kitsune had immediately informed him that if anyone was going to find them another place to live, it would be him. He didn’t trust the Reikai to find a location that met all of their needs. So now, he had to tell Kagome where he was going. He had a feeling she wasn’t going to like it, and he was right.

“No. We’re not moving.”

“Kagome, the detectives believe you would all be safer in a new location,” he said.

“I don’t care what they believe. We don’t have time for this, and we need to stay where we are,” she insisted.

The others started to head on back and Shippou waved them on, telling them they would catch up shortly. Realizing that he was having trouble reconciling her to the move, Yusuke sent Keiko on and walked over to make sure she understood why it was necessary. He caught Hiei’s eye and nodded him over, too. From the stubborn look on her face, they might need reinforcements, and he knew Hiei wouldn’t hesitate to browbeat her into it. Sometimes it was helpful having an anti-social, know-it-all asshole to do the dirty work of bullying women, children, and small, fluffy animals to get them to do what they wanted.

“Is there a problem?” Yusuke asked politely.

“No. No problem. We’re not moving,” Kagome told him firmly.

“But you need to. Your location is known. If Kagura knows where to find you, others might, too,” he pointed out.

“It’s because Kagura knows where to find me that we can’t move. She needs to be able to contact me about that deal she offered.”

“That deal could just be a trap. The next time she comes to see you, she could bring a whole army with her,” Yusuke said, getting rather frustrated.

“It’s not a trap. She wants something from us for her son, and she’s not going to jeopardize it. Trust me, as a mother, I know,” she argued.

Hiei couldn’t believe she was being so obstinate about this. Of course they had to move. To stay would just be asking to be killed. He stepped in front of her and narrowed his eyes. “Onna, as a son whose mother let him be tossed out like so much garbage, excuse me if I don’t trust you on this. Just because you happen to care that much about your sons doesn’t mean every female does. You’re being foolish, and you’re endangering yourself and them recklessly.”

“What?!!?” She stared at him. She was completely stunned by his revelation. (His mother let him be tossed out?)

Yusuke’s eyebrows disappeared into his hairline as he stared at Hiei, with his eyes wide with disbelief. (I can’t believe he just told her that! I just expected him to yell at her to shut up and get over it because she doesn’t have any choice.)

“You have no choice in the matter, so you may as well go join your family,” Hiei said, silently cursing himself. He hadn’t meant to say what he’d said, but the damn onna had to realize how ridiculous she was being.

She was still staring at him, and for a minute there, he thought she was going to reach out and touch him. But then she squared her shoulders and her eyes lightened to a cool, icy blue. “What do you mean, I have no choice in the matter? You can’t force us to move.”

Hiei leaned in and in a low, threatening tone, ground out, “Oh, you would be surprised at what we can force you to do. So don’t push me. If you need to talk to the wind-witch, we will arrange it.”

While she was seething at his high-handed manner and threats, she was still reeling a bit on the inside from the information he had let slip about himself. But, she focused on the last thing he had said. “How will you be able to find her?”

“We are having her watched.”

She considered that for a moment. Then she slowly nodded. “All right. As long as you can guarantee we will be able to contact her whenever we need to.”

“We can do that,” Yusuke said, with relief. (Maybe Hiei knew what he was doing when he told her that. And he was right to point that out to her -- not every mother has their child’s best interests at heart, and Kagura could be using her son to set her up to kill her.)

“Then set up a meeting for as soon as we get back. I will need to let her know we are considering her proposal, and that we will contact her,” Kagome told him.

“Uh, … okay,” Yusuke agreed.

Shippou had stood silently through all this, though he had bristled when Hiei had gotten in her face and tried to intimidate her. Now he took Kagome’s arm and turned her away from Yusuke and Hiei. “Don’t worry. I’ll make sure we have everything we need. And since I will need to go ahead to make all the arrangements, I want you to have this now.” He handed her a long, slim box.

Giving him a questioning glance, she opened it to reveal a pendant with an extremely large, oval-shaped sapphire dangling from a delicate white gold chain.

Smiling, Shippou took it and put it around her neck, replacing the Shikon shard she had been wearing. “How’s that for a courting gift? Let’s see those amateurs top that.” He looked up the path, where he had noticed that Yemon had stopped to wait for her, then pulled her to him to press a brief kiss on her lips.

She blinked, then almost giggled, but managed to control the impulse, and instead hugged him tightly. “You’re a rascal, Shippou-sama.”

He grinned widely and offered her his arm. “Hai. But you made me what I am today, so you’ve no one to blame but yourself. Besides, that sapphire had your name written all over it -- it matches your eyes.”

“Why do I get the feeling that there are simply hordes of females in the Makai just waiting for you to decide to settle down?” She pretended to study him carefully.

“Because it’s true?” he said, with a wink.

As they both walked along, amiably teasing each other, Hiei frowned and glared at Shippou’s back. Yusuke was a bit surprised by the kitsune’s actions because he hadn‘t seen him flirt with her like that before, but then he remembered what Kurama had said last night about thinking Shippou was helping Kagome out with Yemon. If he didn’t think he had any real competition, the ookami ruler might press her for an answer to his offer right away. And they definitely didn’t want that to happen -- it could be disastrous, no matter which way she answered. Both possibilities presented big problems. But Hiei, being privy to the situation with the bite mark, wasn’t so sure it was a good idea to encourage Yemon to think he had serious rivals. As it was, Kagome was already thinking she would have to be extra nice to him to keep him hanging on. And he didn’t like that one bit.

As they came closer to where Yemon was waiting, Kagome thought about the night before. She was going to have to be very careful in her dealings with him from now on. She had been shocked when he had insisted on spending their ‘date’ in his room. And sure enough, after the food he had ordered had been brought in and they had each had a glass of wine, he had tried to move things into the bedroom. And when she had told him that she wasn’t ready to take that step yet, he had become angry and told her he knew she was sleeping with Kurama. She had denied it, and he had asked her about the bite mark on her shoulder. She was glad Hiei had warned her that he thought Yemon had seen it, because she was able to keep her cool when she lied and said that Kurama had been rather forward in his attempts to seduce her, but that she hadn’t succumbed to him. Actually, that part wasn’t really a lie, now that she thought about it, but she had let Yemon think he was the one who had bit her. It might have been easier to have told him Shippou did it, but since he seemed to take Kurama as the more serious rival, she hadn’t bothered to try to change his opinion, when what she really wanted to do was change the subject entirely.

Then, Yemon had sat her down and told her he understood why she was entertaining Kurama’s suit. He said he knew all about the Spirit Detectives and their investigation of her. But, if she wanted to save her neck, he said the best way to do that was to accept him, because he didn’t think Kurama would actually take her as his mate. Instead, he told her that Kurama would just use her until they had enough evidence to lock her up, and he claimed that as his mate, she would be protected in the Northern lands. She had told him that she would think over what he said, but that hadn’t been enough. No, he had wanted her to prove she was equally interested in him, and so he had become quite amorous. She had been debating the merits of purifying him versus simply giving him a good kick in the crotch when the smoke alarm had gone off, giving her the excuse she needed to push him off of her and call it a night.

She was glad he would be returning to the Makai as soon as they got back to the house, but she was sure she would have to put up with his advances several more times before she could turn him down. And she was a bit concerned by his intensity and the anger he had displayed. For just a minute there, she had thought he was going to give her some kind of ultimatum, and she had a feeling it wouldn’t have been nice, -- or easy to turn down without severe consequences. He had been unfailingly charming ever since he made his offer, but last night, she had caught just a glimpse that intimated he wasn’t quite so easy-going underneath his affable façade. She wondered what he might be capable of. But, she brushed aside those thoughts and gave him a charming smile, giving him her attention as they walked back into the city.

Once they were back at the hotel, Shippou, Ginta, Hakkaku, Jaken, and Myouga all made their excuses and left -- Shippou to search for a house, and the others to take care of various tasks in the Makai. As the rest of them began to break into groups for the afternoon, Kagome surreptitiously watched Hiei. She saw that Kurama’s family would readily accept him coming along with them, and that he could go along with Kuwabara, Yusuke, and the girls. But, … she wanted to invite him to join her family for the day. She just didn’t quite know how to do it without him thinking she was pitying him for what he had told her earlier. And she did feel sorry for him. She absolutely couldn’t imagine what his life must have been like. Even Inuyasha, in his isolation, had known the love of his mother as a child. But the whole truth was, especially after the dream she had, that she just wanted him to be near her.

Genkai, who was coming along with Kagome’s family at the invitation of Hoshu and Zhang, saw the miko glance in Hiei’s direction, and guessed the approximate train of her thought. Interesting. (I wonder what their relationship is, exactly. Obviously, none of the others know they are lovers, and she is being courted by Kurama, the ookami, and the kitsune. Yet, it is also obvious, to me at least, that she wants Hiei to come along with her family, but is not sure how to ask him. Quite a complicated situation these two are in.) Well, she was interested in watching the two of them interact, so she took all four of the Spirit Detectives aside. “I thought you nitwits were supposed to be guarding them,” she indicated the three young youkai heirs. “Shouldn’t at least one of you go with them?”

“Crap! You’re right. Especially with that dead miko on the loose,” Yusuke said, with a frustrated sigh. Genkai just raised a brow at that tidbit of information.

“I’m sure my family would understand …” Kurama began, but Hiei cut him off.

“Hn. I’ll go with them.”

Genkai raised her brows slightly, but refrained from smiling or saying anything. Very interesting. (Apparently, he’s not averse to spending time with her outside of the bedroom, too. ) She glanced around at the other detectives, but couldn’t detect that any of them saw this as unusual. It must have been building very slowly for them not to notice or think anything of it.

“Arigatou, Hiei! I was looking forward to spending the day with Yukina, and I know she wanted to talk to Keiko and Shizuru about some wedding plans,” Kuwabara slapped the little fire demon on the back.

“Touch me again and she will be a widow before she’s a bride.”

Kuwabara just rolled his eyes at him. “Yeah, yeah. Well, arigatou anyway, shrimp,” And he turned and quickly rejoined the object of his affections.

“You have my thanks, as well. Since I will be spending the evening, and night, with our little widow, I did plan to go out with my mother and the others this afternoon,” Kurama confided.

When he walked away, Genkai turned to Hiei. “He seems very confident that he will be usurping your place tonight. I wonder how she will handle it?”

“Mind your own business. You have no idea what is going on,” Hiei warned.

“Are you so sure you do?” the old woman asked him.
------------------------------------------------------------------ -------------------------------------------


The day passed pleasantly enough, and Genkai was further intrigued by how easily the family welcomed, and integrated, her and Hiei, along with Lord Yemon, into their folds. Although the signs were very subtle, she could tell Kagome was rather relieved when the ookami set himself to charming her mother, instead of dancing attendance just on her all day. But what interested her the most, was the way she and Hiei interacted, without particularly directly interacting. Although he was as stoic as he normally was, the fire demon didn’t treat any of them to his usual dose of insults and derisive comments. And while the miko didn’t single him out or treat him in any sort of manner that would suggest they were more than polite acquaintances, the older woman noticed she did make sure he was included in things -- asking his opinion or preference about any activity they considered doing or destination they considered going to, and pointing out things she thought he might be interested in. She had a real talent for keeping him involved in whatever they were doing without pushing or badgering him to do or say more than he would be comfortable with. Extraordinary.

For his part, while the others may not have seen anything unusual in his actions or attention, Genkai could see how focused he was on Kagome. He watched her intently, and Genkai sensed that while her interactions with her sons were of great interest to him, the plain truth was he was simply fascinated with her -- her movements, her voice, the things that caught her eye, -- she could almost see him filing it all away to be pulled out and examined again, at his leisure.

She could tell he had possessive feelings about his lover, and he wasn’t pleased with the attempts of the wolf, and Kurama, to seduce her, but she had a hard time not smiling at the way he placed himself between the miko and any ningen man who showed his appreciation for her beauty by whistling, shouting, or trying to approach her. She wondered if he was aware of what he was doing, or if it was just some kind of subconscious action on his part.

And could he tell that the miko was going out of her way to make the outing pleasant for him? Because not only was she making sure he was a part of things, she was also providing a buffer for him against things and/or people who would irritate him, -- like Yemon, and huge crowds, in general. Several times, she had steered the group across the street or into a café or shop to avoid a particularly large or boisterous group coming their way. Hai, he did know what she was doing, and his eyes fairly glowed with approval and appreciation. Genkai was quite astounded, having never seen that kind of look on the hiyoukai’s face before. Oh, hai, there was definitely more going on between them than secret trysting. The question was, did they know it?

All too soon, at least as far as she was concerned, it was time for Kagome to meet Kurama for their date. She had really enjoyed the afternoon with her family. It was so nice to see her sons get to know and spend time with their grandmother, great-grandfather, and uncle. Souta still thought it was funny that all of his nephews looked his age or older, let alone how old they really were. But he had truly bonded with them during this week. She was so glad they had been able to take this trip.

They were all going to spend the evening together, with Genkai, Yusuke, Keiko, and Shizuru, while she went out with Kurama. Shiori and her husband were going to spend some private time together, as were Kuwabara and Yukina. Shuuichi and his friends were going clubbing. The only two who hadn’t mentioned any plans for the evening were Yemon and Hiei. Kagome asked them if they wanted to join her family, but both declined. Yemon told her he was going to make a quick trip into the Makai, and Hiei just remained silent, so she assumed he had something to do, too. As for her own evening plans, she had been a bit relieved when the avatar had answered the “Where are you going on your date?” question with a simple “On a picnic.” He certainly couldn’t try to bed her in a public park.
----------------------------------------------------------------- -------------------------------------------


“Kurama, untie me,” she said.

“Just relax, my dear,” he said silkily, as he leisurely kissed his way down her neck.

The evening had started out innocently enough, although he had surprised her by taking her back to Kenrokuen Garden. Its hours of operation were over for the day, and he had picked her up and leapt over the fences, while she held the basket he had brought with them. First, they had strolled along, taking the longer course and looking at the parts of the garden they had bypassed earlier, like the beautiful Midori waterfall, and the Ganko-bashi bridge, which is made out of eleven red stones laid out to look like geese flying in formation. The whimsical nature of it appealed to Kagome, and she had smiled and not objected when he took her hand as they walked along. That part had been pleasant, and Kurama was an excellent guide when it came to pointing out the various plants, flowers, and trees. Kagome had a pretty decent knowledge of such things herself, needing to be familiar with the various ones that could be used for healing and certain poisons, but Kurama was in a class by himself when it came to stuff like that.

He had led her to a beautiful, secluded area in a far corner of the garden, named Yamazaki-hama Hill. It was getting dark, and he had thrown down some seeds and coaxed up several clusters of Mirabilis jalapa in the area around them. Though the flowers themselves were in varying shades of red, magenta, pink, and white, they gave off a green glow. Kagome was enchanted with the flowers and asked him about them. He told her they were native to South America, and were also known as ‘marvels of Peru’ and ‘beauty of the night.’ He confessed that although their petals do normally have green fluorescent patterns on them, he had boosted the fluorescent content in them to make their glow much more noticeable, so they could actually be used for a faint light source. They had then spread out the blanket he had brought and had a pleasant dinner. Kurama had been extremely charming, -- more like he had been the first few weeks she had known him, -- and Kagome had allowed herself to relax and actually enjoy the evening with him. Then, …

He had stood and offered her his hand, and led her over to a large tree, where he had suddenly grabbed her and, kissing her passionately, backed her up against the tree. There, thick roots had grabbed her ankles, while others had twined around the tree, anchoring her arms around it behind her, and wrapping around her waist and neck, as well. She had tried to call her purifying powers to her hands to burn away the roots holding her captive, but Kurama had laughingly told her it wouldn’t work.

“There is no youki in the actual roots. I merely used some of my ki to manipulate and fasten them in place. They’re quite normal, and therefore immune to your miko powers. However, I am most interested to find out if your celestial powers can be used in this situation. I’ve thought over your battle with the wolves, and have wondered why you didn’t use your ability to manipulate the earth to protect yourself and Master Zhang, or to trap your attackers.”

“You could just ask, you know,” she said in an exasperated tone of voice. “My celestial powers are purely for ceremonial purposes, -- they aren’t meant to be used as weapons. I cannot use them to attack or defend.”

“Interesting,” he murmured, unbuttoning the top button of her plain white blouse and placing a kiss there. “I have some more questions I’d like answered.”

Which brought them to her request to be let loose, and his refusal. “You may be happy to know that in the cases of your mates’ deaths, you are no longer the only suspect on our radar.”

“Wha … what?” she asked, trying to squirm about to avoid his nimble fingers, which were continuing to unbutton buttons.

“I wonder though, why you never mentioned that the very three women who filed complaints against you had sufficient motive to commit the murders themselves?” He tugged her shirt out of her skirt waistband.

Slightly distracted by what he was saying, she stilled for a minute. “You suspect Kagura and Ayame of killing Sesshoumaru and Kouga?”

“And Kikyou. Let’s not forget the powerful miko necessary for purifying their souls into oblivion.” Now that her blouse was completely unbuttoned, he stopped and looked at her. He leaned in and kissed her thoroughly. “Tell me, why did you lie about what Kagura had to say to you?“ The fingernails on one of his hands lengthened into claws, and he sliced down through the front of her bra.

“What?!?” It was a little difficult to concentrate on what he was saying, considering what he was doing.

Cutting through each of the straps, he moved her shirt sleeves off her shoulders and down her arms, baring her to his view. “Truly magnificent. Take all the time you want to answer the question.” He bent down and latched on to a puckered, dusky bud. As he suckled firmly, he teased her other nipple with his fingertips, circling it lightly, and plucking it gently.

Kagome blinked her eyes in disbelief. This was certainly a different method of interrogation. Leave it to a kitsune … “Kurama! Stop!”

“Don’t worry, I’m listening,” he said, pausing to admire his handiwork. The moisture on her skin from his mouth just emphasized the unusual and enticing color of the succulent morsel, and he moved to pay homage to the other one in a similar fashion.

“I didn’t lie. Kagura wanted to offer us a deal, just like I said.”

“Perhaps she did. But, you failed to mention that her oldest son is Sesshoumaru’s,” he chided her. His hair was becoming streaked with silver, and a harder glint shone from eyes that lightened to gold.

He heard her sharp intake of breath. “Why would I repeat her lies? It would serve no purpose, but to upset my sons needlessly.”

Youko stared down at her now. “And if she isn’t lying?” He was surprised by the ferocious expression that came over her face, and the way she practically snarled at him.

“She IS lying! Sesshoumaru would never have been unfaithful to me!” She began to struggle harder against her bindings.

“So, you are saying you think Kagura killed him.” He reached down and slowly began to lift up the simple black skirt she was wearing.

When she felt the material begin to slide up her thighs, she wished she had worn pants. Or at least a straight, fitted skirt, instead of this loosely-flared one. “No, I don’t believe she could have. Kagura is not powerful enough.”

“We thought that as well,” he purred, as he sliced through the sides of her panties and let the material fall to the ground. “So, you believe all three females were working together to kill your mates and frame you. Did you ever see them together? Does Princess Ayame know the snake style kung fu, as well?” He leaned in and licked her neck, and slowly began working his way down her body.

“No, I don’t remember ever seeing them together, and I really can’t imagine them being guilty -- in the first place, I don’t think they were powerful enough to kill them, and in the second place, they loved my mates, too. And I have no idea if any of them know snake style kung fu, but I highly doubt it. So, … STOP!!”

Youko did stop. And he stepped back and looked at her curiously. “You do realize that by making the case for it being them sound weak, you make the case for it being you seem stronger. Or do you have another theory you would like to put forth? Any other suspects we should be looking into?”

Was he seriously asking her opinion? “I … no, I can’t think of anyone else who would have been capable of killing them.”

He grinned at her wickedly then. “And I don’t suppose you are willing to save us time and confess …”

She just glared at him.

“Well, then, I suppose we can continue this delightful conversation.”

Suddenly, she yelled, “Let me loose! Now! Kikyou is …”

And an arrow whistled through the air, and was knocked aside just a few feet from them by Youko’s whip as he spun around to face the threat. With a growl, he quickly reached out to touch the tree to release her. No sooner did the roots retract themselves, than two more arrows sped their way. Kagome was just able to move enough to avoid being pierced through the heart, but the arrow grazed her arm as she dodged out of the way. Youko was able to deflect the other arrow with his whip again.

“So, girl, you have found yet another to take Inuyasha’s place,” the other miko said contemptuously.

Putting a hand to her arm, Kagome’s eyes widened in alarm as she looked at her attacker. “What have you done, Kikyou?” The slight wound was bleeding more than it should have been, and the power from the arrow had felt … off.

“Surely you didn’t expect me to just sit around and wait until I found you? I told you that I won’t be satisfied until you are quite dead. And after your battle with Naraku, your powers have grown considerably. Tsubaki may not have been a match for you, even before you grew into your powers, but I can assure you I am.”

“No, … You wouldn’t …”

“Wouldn’t what? Wouldn’t form a partnership with youkai to boost my own strength? Wouldn’t send my soul stealers after the souls of youkai females as well as human women to harness their power? Oh, hai, I most certainly would, if it meant I could finally kill you.”

Youko looked back and forth between the two females. Kikyou was dressed in traditional miko chihaya, only instead of red, her hakama was a dark burgandy, and her kimono was cream-colored, instead of white. She was, indeed, very beautiful, with her pale white skin and long black hair. Her features were delicate and elegant. But that was where her resemblance to Kagome ended. She was taller, and emitted none of the warmth that flowed so freely from the widow. Her manner was cold and full of an icy hatred, and her movements were as stiff as her voice was stilted.

“She has become a kuromiko,” Kagome told him quietly.

“Well, this just gets more and more interesting all the time, doesn’t it, Youko?”

“Hai, it does, Red. And it might be wise to contact Hiei and have him and the others join us here. I think we need to take that one in.” As he spoke, he slowly moved apart from Kagome, so he could try to capture Kikyou while she was focused on the other woman.

“You took everything from me. My soul, my powers, my duty, the man I loved, -- even my face. You lived the life that should have been mine, and you disgraced me by mating with not just one, but two full-blooded youkai. And even now, you are still whoring yourself out to youkai.” She sneered as she pointed at Youko. “And you still have a weakness for inhuman features. You were never a true miko. But no matter. Now I will take it all back -- all that is left, and you shall take my place in hell.” And she released another arrow at Kagome, while at the same time sending two shikigami at her.

That was when Youko chose to attack. His whip knocked the bow from her hands, and then swung back, leaving a long gash across her midsection. Kagome was able to reduce the shikigami to ash before they even reached her by simply holding up her palms, and she deflected the arrow by raising a barrier. “Youko, no!” She tried to warn the kitsune as he approached Kikyou and reached out to grab her, but he was thrown back forcefully as she erected her own barrier. When Kagome ran over to see if he was all right, Kikyou took advantage of her distraction to pick up her bow and shoot another arrow in her direction.

Unable to draw his whip again in time, Youko leapt up and shielded her with his body. When the arrow hit him, he fell backward against Kagome, and immediately transformed back into Kurama’s usual form. “Oh, no!” She quickly reached for the arrow to dispel its power before Youko was further purified. It burned her hands, but she held on and poured her ki into it until it disintegrated. “Kurama?” She tried to help him sit up, but he pushed her away, “Protect yourself!”

As she rose to her feet, placing a barrier around Kurama, she could feel Hiei rapidly approaching. “I can’t let you kill anyone else. This is between you and me,” she told her nemesis.

But Kikyou stood there in shock, staring at Kurama. “He’s human. How is that possible? He was a full-blooded youkai just a moment ago. I know he isn’t a hanyou.”

“He’s an avatar. You let your hatred of all youkai blind you to it.” And Kagome closed her eyes and focused on calling the missing piece of her soul back.

“Oh, no, you don’t! You won’t defeat me so easily,” And as Kikyou’s soul stealers lifted her into the sky, Kagome opened her eyes and saw that she had encased her entire body in a thin, black barrier that was holding her soul and the souls she had stolen from young women tightly inside her. “You won‘t be able to hide from me again. You know I can always find you.”

Cursing to herself, and wishing for her own bow and arrows, Kagome called her powers into her hands and formed a shimmering pink bow out of her ki. Hiei and Kurama watched as she sent a flaming pink arrow of ki after the rapidly-departing kuromiko. When it hit, the black barrier was instantly shattered, and they heard Kikyou scream, but in the next instant, she was out of sight. “Damn it!”

“You couldn’t destroy her?” Hiei asked.

“No, the energy it took to form the bow and arrows weakened the effectiveness of their power.” She dispelled her barrier and dropped to her knees next to Kurama. “Lie down, -- this isn’t going to feel very good.”

He chuckled weakly. “Now that has to be the most unusual proposition I’ve ever received.”

But before she could do anything, Hiei grabbed the sides of her blouse and pulled them together across her chest. “Cover yourself, onna.”

Blushing, she quickly buttoned the shirt. Then she placed her hands over the wound on Kurama’s stomach, and concentrated on sending her powers into it. It was difficult, because she had to send a small amount of her purifying power as well as her healing ki throughout his body to counteract Kikyou’s dark powers, and she broke out in a sweat at the effort required to maintain the delicate balance needed. When she was done, she raised a brow at the avatar, who had also broken out in a sweat, due to the pain. “I suppose Youko can be glad for Kikyou’s conversion. He has enough darkness in his soul that is similar enough to her dark powers to mitigate some of the effects. Of course, I think he’s powerful enough not to have been completely purified by just one arrow, even if she was still a pure miko. But, he would have been incapacitated for a week or more. As it is, he’s going to be weak for a couple of days.”

Yusuke and Kuwabara had finally made it there, and had stood silently with Hiei and watched while she tended to Kurama’s injury. “So, I take it you were responsible for the fireworks we saw,” Yusuke said to Kagome. “What happened to the dead miko?”

“She got away,” Hiei said curtly. He was furious. The damn fox had contacted him to tell him the dead miko had attacked, and when he arrived, he saw the fox sitting on the ground injured, and his blasted onna facing off with the other female while only half-clothed. And on top of that, he could smell her blood, and see several small areas of dead grass leading away from one of the trees over to where she had been standing. Then, not only did the damn kuromiko get away, but he could tell that healing Kurama had taken a lot out of Kagome. He supposed it was because of the opposing nature of the other miko’s power. And she had long, thin burn marks across both of her palms. This was all because those damn ‘suitors’ insisted on spending time with her alone. Well, that wasn’t going to happen again. He was beyond furious. And when his eyes fell on the scraps of cloth over near the tree, he incinerated them, with a vicious growl rumbling in his throat.

“It looks like we’re going to have carry Kurama back to the hotel,” Yusuke commented. “Kuwabara, go see if you can get us a taxi up near the front gates. I don’t want to have to carry him through the city, -- with all that blood, we’d attract too much attention.”

“I’ll take her back and return with a change of clothes for him,” Hiei said.

“Hey! Great idea! That way we’ll avoid any awkward questions from the driver.”

“Hai. Arigatou, Hiei,” Kurama said, closing his eyes.

“Is he gonna be okay?” Kuwabara asked quietly.

Kagome nodded. “He needs to rest to regain his strength, and let Youko’s ki replenish itself. And he’s probably feeling a little sick from the influx of dark miko power followed by pure miko power. Both would have been a shock to his system. But, he will be all right.”

Seeing how tired she looked, and the blood on her arm, the tall detective reached out and touched her shoulder. “Are you okay?”

“Hai,” she smiled. “It’s just a scratch. And I just need a little rest, too, -- I’ve never tried to counter the effects of a kuromiko’s hama no ya before. And using my purifying powers to counter hers on a youkai, without harming him further, was a bit tricky.”

“I never thought about that. I guess it would be,” Kuwabara said.

“I’m not going to stand around here all night while that idiot tries to think. Come on, onna,” Hiei said impatiently, as he grabbed her uninjured arm and pulled her over to him, where he picked her up and left in a black blur.

“Should we have let Hiei take her? He’s such a mean little bastard,” Kuwabara worried out loud to Yusuke.

“Aw, he might be rude to her, but he won’t hurt her or anything. And it is the quickest way to get her back to the hotel and get some clothes for Kurama so we can get him back,” Yusuke answered him. “Shit. That Kikyou really must be powerful to have taken him down like that.”

“I think Kagome was saying Youko was the one Kikyou shot with her arrow,” Kuwabara mentioned, as he folded up the blanket and tucked it under Kurama’s head.

Yusuke’s eyes widened, and he ran his hand through his hair. “Shit, I think you’re right. That’s even worse!”

“Well, I guess I’ll go get that taxi. The shrimp’ll be back soon.”

“Yeah, you’d better get going.”
--------------------------------------------------------- ---------------------------------------------------


Kicking the door closed behind him, Hiei set Kagome down. “Take off your clothes and get in the bed.”

“Um, Hiei? I … I don’t think I …”

He rolled his eyes at her. “You need to sleep. But first we should clean your injuries.” And he went to get a wet washcloth. When he came back out of the bathroom, she was still standing by the bed. He narrowed his eyes at her and pushed her down to sit. Extending his claws, he ripped her shirt down the back, so it fell down her arms into her lap.

“Wha … ? Why did you do that?” she demanded. “I could have unbuttoned it.”

“Hn. I already told you once to take it off.” And he ignored her indignant huff, and started wiping the blood off her arm. When he saw the mark the arrow had left on her upper arm, he frowned. It was just a shallow flesh wound. “I am surprised it bled so much.”

“So was I. I think her dark powers must have had a multiplied effect on me since our ki are such polar opposites now.”

He turned his attention to her hands. “How did you get these?”

“Trying to get the arrow out of Youko.” She looked down at the floor. “It’s my fault he was injured, -- he was protecting me,” she said quietly.

Hiei raised a brow at that, but didn’t say anything. He wished he had some kind of salve to put on the burns. He would see if Kurama had something when he returned. In the meantime, he walked over to the wardrobe closet and pulled out the hotel’s yukata and cut some strips from it, causing Kagome to shake her head at him. Then he wrapped one around each of her hands, and one around her arm.

“What have you got against hotel yukatas?” she grinned.

“Hn. This is the only thing they’re good for,” he answered, letting his gaze linger on her breasts, and smirking when a light blush colored her cheeks. Burning her shirt, for the multiple reasons that it was ruined, it had her blood on it and would draw her sons, and because he was irritated that it had been unbuttoned when she was with Kurama, he told her to be sure to mask her scent and aura. He had already made her put up a barrier at her room, so her sons, and anyone else who might be looking for her, -- like that damn wolf, -- would assume she was in there. “Get some sleep now. I’ll be back after we get the fox settled.” And he left. He hesitated for a moment in the hallway. He was uneasy leaving her there unguarded, but the only ones of their group who were back were Yukina and Keiko, who had come back to the hotel when Kuwabara and Yusuke had taken off.

The door to Yukina’s room opened, and Genkai stepped out. He hadn’t known she had returned as well, and hadn’t bothered to check. She walked over to him and quietly asked if everyone was all right. He told her Kurama was injured, and that Kagome was resting. She noted the set of clothes in his hand. “I will keep watch while you bring Kurama in. You need to hurry. The others will probably be returning in the next hour or so.” With one last glance back at the door to his room, which didn’t go unnoticed by the old woman, he disappeared.
---------------------------------------------------------- --------------------------------------------------


In the Northern lands of the Makai, a certain ookami leader slammed the door to his bedchamber. “Who the hell do you think you are, sending a summons for me?”

“Aren’t you happy to see me?” A female stepped from the shadows in a corner of the room, and slowly let the robe slide from her shoulders to the floor.

“Your interruption is keeping me from achieving our goal.”

She walked over to the bed and lay back on it, running a hand across her bare breasts. “You mean you haven’t managed to sweet talk your way into her bed yet? You’re slipping.”

“I am not the only one who is pursuing her,” he reminded her, taking off his shirt and letting it drop.

“Hai. And Kagura believes she has already taken one of them as a lover, since it was not you who was with her when she went to see her.” She lifted a leg in the air and ran both hands down the sides of her thigh, before lightly running the fingers of one hand across her feminine folds, spreading the moisture already present.

“I believe I know which one it is. In his position, he can hold the threat of punishment from the Reikai over her head. Of course, that would be your fault, since you are the one who swore out the complaint against her.” He stepped out of his pants and threw them on a chair.

“At the time, I did not think of making her punishment fit the crime. And I did not have you to help me. Not that you have been much help so far. I can’t believe you can‘t seduce the woman -- unless you simply don’t measure up to her Taiyoukai mates.”

He stalked over to the bed angrily and grabbed her by the shoulders. “You really are a bitch, Ayame.” Then he flipped her onto her stomach, and pulled her hips up. “So act like one.” And he plunged inside her roughly, causing her to cry out.
------------------------------------------------------------------ ------------------------------------------



Less than an hour later, Hiei quietly stepped into his room and closed the door. After they had brought Kurama back and taken him to his room, Yusuke had contacted Botan to tell Koenma what had happened. Instead of just following her around, if any of Koenma’s people spotted her, they needed to catch that bitch. Or at least contact them so they could go get her. They might not be able to prove she had killed the Taiyoukai yet, but she had attacked Kagome and Kurama. Or Youko. Either way, she was on the run from the Reikai now, and Koenma was dancing a jig to have these other theories start to look better and better all the time. He was already choosing a suite in the palace to designate for Kagome to stay in when she was in the Reikai serving her duties as Celestial Liaison.

Kurama had been completely out, so Hiei had gone to Genkai for something to put on Kagome’s hands. Since she seemed to know what was going on, she might as well be useful. She hadn’t said a word to him, but that knowing look on her face had really pissed him off. Hmph. Maybe she didn’t know as much as she thought. (Damn nosey onna.)

He shed his clothes and brought the jar of salve over to the bed. He frowned when Kagome didn’t rouse at all when he unwrapped her hands, rubbed the salve in, and rewrapped them in the gauze Genkai had given him. And when he crawled in the bed and pulled her into his arms to settle her against him, and she still didn’t move, he was seriously disturbed. He knew her sons had said that she needed to sleep to heal, but these injuries weren’t serious at all. Just how much of her ki did she have to use to heal Kurama? And if she had to sleep this deeply to replenish it when she healed someone with serious injuries, then she was completely vulnerable at those times. He didn’t like that thought at all. She definitely needed someone to protect her. He unconsciously tightened his arms around her. It was a miracle the fool onna had survived as long as she had.

He brushed those thoughts aside. She was safe now that she was with him, so there was no point in worrying about it. He thought back over the day. He still couldn’t believe she had protested moving. But, watching her with her mother and her sons, he knew she truly believed what she had said about Kagura -- she thought that, as a mother, Kagura would put her son’s best interests first, and would keep faith with her in whatever deal they made as long as it helped him. He had seen Kagome with her sons enough to know that she was like that, -- it was just one of things he found fascinating about her, -- and now he could see that her mother was, too. He had overheard their conversation about the new male in her mother’s life, and he had been very interested to hear that she had taken into consideration whether or not the man would be able to accept Kagome and her youkai children. The only other woman he had ever known who truly put her child’s best interests above her own was Kurama’s ningen mother, Shiori. But Kagome just seemed to take that as a given. Foolish onna.

He hadn’t meant to reveal his own past the way he had, but perhaps it was for the best. Maybe she would wise up and stop looking for the good in everyone she met. She might live longer that way. She had been completely shocked, but she had managed to surprise him yet again. While he could tell she had wanted to reach out to him, she had put aside her sympathy for him and continued with her stubbornness, refusing to let him bully her into doing what he wanted. It was infuriating. She had forced him to spit out that they would make sure she could contact the damn wind-user whenever she wanted. She had a really irritating knack for making him say things he didn’t intend to. It had to be a side effect of the spell she had him under.

The rest of the day had been surprisingly pleasant. Truthfully, he had been glad for the excuse to go along with Kagome and her family. If he had had to watch that idiot with his sister all afternoon, he might have come up short one brother-in-law. And it had been … nice to see Kagome enjoying some time with just her family. Really, it would have perfect, if he could have strangled that damn wolf and hung his body from one of those flagpoles so many of the buildings had out to display the carp streamers for the Boy’s Festival tomorrow. He really had to hand it to the onna, though, -- she had kept the ookami from irritating him too badly. Hell, she had kept everyone and everything from irritating him too badly. Except for all those damn ningen males who wanted to get their hands on her. He frowned at the memory. There were just so damn many of them.

And that just brought his thoughts around to another situation that was really gnawing at his gut.. The damn onna had been half-naked when the dead miko had attacked. Had she had second thoughts about Kurama? Had his charm made her think he might be serious in his courtship? Or had Youko finally broken through her defenses and convinced her to sleep with him? Would she do that? She had approached him with this arrangement, and while it might not be anything more than sex, -- freaking amazing sex, -- … and touching, -- soothing, comforting touching, -- … and … well, it just didn’t matter exactly what the hell else it was! The point was, he wasn’t about to share her with anybody.

He could feel the growl rising in his chest, and he glared down at the top of her head. He would make sure she knew the boundaries this relationship tied her in to. He remembered the scraps of cloth that had comprised her bra and panties lying on the ground underneath that tree, and he could feel his fangs and claws elongating at the thought of Kurama or Youko taking them off of her. She had been so solicitous of his injury. And what the hell had that look on her face been when she had said Youko had protected her?!!? He was on the verge of shaking her until she woke up, so he could show her who she belonged to, when she stirred, just the tiniest bit, and he heard a small distressed sound. Then she began to glow with a soft white light, and he felt a wave of calm flow into him. Still without really rousing, she reached around him and hugged him tightly, then snuggled into him.

Damn onna. She was manipulating his emotions again. He really should just put himself out of his misery, because it was becoming painfully obvious he couldn’t kill her. He ran his hand up and down her back and let out an uncharacteristic, frustrated sigh. Here he was. Naked, hard as a rock, and in bed with the witch who had cast the most infuriating spell known to any male anywhere on him, and she was naked, and he couldn’t do a thing to relieve the need her enchantment caused. All he could do was lie here and hold her while she slept. At least he could enjoy that unique, bewitching scent of hers … Damn it! He had told her to mask her scent and aura. She was right under his nose, and he couldn’t detect her scent at all. Oh, the kami were definitely laughing at him. He had a feeling they had been laughing at him ever since Koenma called them all into his office to tell them about this assignment. As a matter of fact, he knew they were.

He remembered the things he had said to Kurama and Yusuke about how they should simply not let her seduce them into her bed. He couldn’t believe how naïve he had been. He had had no idea she was such a powerful sorceress. It was a good thing she was starting to look innocent, because he really would hate for all of his teammates to come to see him in the Reikai just to laugh at him for being victim #4 of the Black Widow Miko. If that happened, he would demand she purify his soul, too. There was no way he was going to listen to their crap for eternity. His lips twitched just the tiniest bit at that thought, and he rubbed his cheek against the top of her head.

Funny, … he was able to regulate his own body temperature, and manipulate the temperature of the air around him, so he was always comfortable. So, why was it that the warmth from her body, pressed up against him, made him feel more comfortable? And even though she wasn’t easing his sexual ache, or touching and caressing him the way he had come to crave, somehow, her presence was still soothing. Even if it turned out that she wasn’t a killer, she was every bit as dangerous as he’d thought her to be from the start -- maybe more. He closed his eyes to rest for a minute.

When he opened them, he noticed the light coming through the window was different. He had fallen asleep. He lifted his head and looked at the clock on the nightstand. It was a little after 4:00 a.m. He had slept for over 5 hours! And before long, some of the others would be stirring. He listened to her soft breathing, and was relieved to note from the rhythm, that she was in a much more normal state of sleep than she had been earlier. The warmth of her breath on his neck made him want to close his eyes again, but he knew she would want to be back in her room before anyone got up and about.

“Kagome,” he said quietly, brushing the backs of his fingers across her cheek, “you have to wake up.”

She just reached up and touched his hand, and pressed it to her cheek. He froze. What was it about the simplest gesture from this onna that caused such strange and unfamiliar sensations in him? He was going to have to find a way to break this damn spell, because it was just not acceptable to have someone else controlling him like this. And apparently the damn thing gained strength the longer he was under her thrall. It was bad enough not to be able to control his body’s need for sexual gratification, then she had added in the yearning for her touch, and now… well, now he just wanted to be with her at all hours of the day and night. It was intolerable. And he was going to make her get up and leave before this new addiction took hold any stronger than it already had. In a few minutes.

“Kagome, it’s almost 5:00 a.m.”

“Wha …?” she mumbled sleepily.

“It’s almost 5:00.”

“What?” She sat up quickly. (Oh, no! I’ve got to get back to my room. Crap! How did it get so late?) She rolled out of the bed and started looking around for something to put on. “Why didn‘t you wake me?” The only things she found were her skirt and the yukata that Hiei had cut strips from to bandage her hands and arm. With a sigh, she tied it around her the best she could.

Frowning at the abrupt way she had scrambled out of his arms, in very clipped tones, he told her, “I tried to wake you earlier.”

She stopped and looked at him. “You did? Gomen.” And she walked over to the bed and reached out to touch his face.

“Hn.” He accepted her apology with less than good grace, but he let her caress his cheek.

When she noticed the gauze around her hands, she gave him a questioning look. “You rewrapped my hands?”

“I put some salve on them.”

“Oh, … arigatou.” She stood there for a moment, then leaned forward and pressed her lips to his cheek. When she straightened up, she immediately turned and left. After she closed the door, she leaned back against it and covered her face with her hands. This was … not what she had bargained for. He was not who she had thought he was. He was so much more. And this was becoming so much more. And she just really didn’t know if she could handle that.

Taking a deep breath, she started for her room. She jumped when she heard another door opening, and stood there wide-eyed as her grandfather stepped out of the room across the hall, also wearing one of the hotel’s yukatas.

“Jii-chan?”

“Kagome?”

They both stared at each other a minute, then looked away nervously.

“Hm. Well, you know I have always had a problem with sleepwalking. I guess it runs in the family,” the old man said.

Kagome smiled at him then. “Hai, I guess maybe it does.”

“Well, I’ll see you at breakfast,” and he headed for his own room. And after staring after him for a few seconds, she went to hers.

Having heard the voices in the hallway, Hiei had pulled on some pants and walked over and opened the door, just to make sure Kagome hadn’t had any trouble.

“Hmph. If you‘re lucky, in another 30 or 40 years, she may sleepwalk as good as her grandfather,” a raspy voice from across the hall drew his attention. Genkai was standing there in her doorway, smoking a cigarette.

Hiei just raised a brow at her before stepping back and closing his door. (If she started sleepwalking any better than she already does, I’d be taking up residence in the Reikai. Thirty or forty years, huh? )
--------------------------------------------------------------------- ---------------------------------------


Less than an hour later, Hiei sat in Kurama’s room, scowling fiercely at him as he lay back comfortably on the bed. To say that he had been less than pleased to find Kagome already there, checking on the avatar, was an understatement. Just what the hell had happened on their ‘date’?!? After making Kurama promise to take it easy for the day, she had gone to talk with her sons. She wanted to let them know what had happened with Kikyou.

“So, Youko is still unconscious,” Hiei said.

Kurama gave him a rather amused smile. “Hai, though he seems to just be resting now. I expect he will be awake in another hour or so. I’m sure he will be much gratified to learn of your overwhelming concern for him.”

“I take it he was too distracted by his attempts at seduction to notice the dead miko approaching,” the apparition accused him, -- his contempt clearly written on his face.

“Actually, at that moment, he was more distracted by something Kagome had said,” the avatar answered. At Hiei’s questioning look, he continued, “We were discussing our other suspects, and she said she doesn’t think they did it.” He watched the fire demon for his reaction, and was rewarded by the brief look of surprise that lit up his eyes.

“Shippou did tell us that even though everyone else suspected the dead miko of murdering Inuyasha, she did not,” Hiei said, thoughtfully.

“Hai, he did, didn’t he? And do you know why she thinks that? She said she doesn’t think the other females were powerful enough to kill her mates, and she didn’t believe they would, even if they could, because they loved them,” Kurama informed him.

“Hn. It figures. She balked at moving, too, because she believes the wind-user will not do anything to harm her or her sons, because she has asked them to help her son. She is absurdly naïve when it comes to others’ motives. She seems to believe everyone feels the way she does about family.”

Kurama gave him a curious stare. “So now you believe she couldn’t have killed her mates because she loved them?”

Hiei snorted. “I didn’t say that. I believe she loves her sons, and would do anything in her power to help them.”

“Hmmm. You may be right about that. But the best thing for them might be for her to turn herself in.

“So you still believe she is guilty.”

Kurama linked his hands behind his head and looked up at the ceiling. “Probably. I don’t know. But something isn’t right about our other theories. We’ve never come up with an explanation for her obvious scuffle with Sesshoumaru, and I think she may have a very valid point, -- I’m just not so sure those other females could have killed him. Even Kikyou. She is certainly very powerful, but as Kagome pointed out, she couldn’t have purified Youko with just one arrow. From all accounts, the only wounds on Sesshoumaru were from the dagger in his chest and her fingernails on his arm. And the Taiyoukai were all killed without their bodies being purified, -- just their souls afterwards. I think Kikyou might have been able to purify the souls, and she could have killed Inuyasha, especially since he was in his human form and was killed by an arrow through the heart. That seems to be her main method of attack. And Ayame might have been able to kill Kouga, -- though we still don’t know if she or either of the other two study snake style kung fu. But Sesshoumaru , … I just don’t think Kagura, or any of them were powerful enough to kill him. And I’m not 100% sure Kikyou could have purified his soul completely, either. The only one I’ve met that I’m positive has that kind of power is Kagome. But, I can’t understand why she would say that. I would think she would be happy to encourage us to look in other directions.”

“She is … very complicated,” Hiei said, as he got up to leave.

“Hai, … hai, she is. And very intriguing,” Kurama smiled wickedly. “It’s a shame we were so rudely interrupted last night.”

The only response he got was the closing of the door.
----------------------------------------------------------------- -------------------------------------------


After breakfast, everyone said their farewells to Kurama’s mother and stepfather. They were heading back home to prepare for the work week. After many thanks were expressed, and promises extracted from Kurama that he would come home to visit soon, they left. It was actually a relief to him, as he wouldn’t have to try to keep up appearances for his mother’s sake. He just told the others he was still a bit tired, and went back to his room to rest some more until the afternoon.

Yusuke also let everyone know that Yemon had been called away on important business, and would not be rejoining them. He took his teammates and Kagome and her sons aside to tell them that apparently there had been some trouble in the Northern lands, but that Yemon hoped to have everything back under control within a week, and that he would come to visit Kagome as soon as he could. Then Yusuke handed her a small box and told her it was a gift from her suitor. Inside was a ring with a huge, square-cut ruby set between two round diamonds. Blinking at the extravagance of the gift, she asked Yusuke to make sure someone thanked the ookami for her. Then she put the box in her pocket. (That Shippou! He started this. He’s going to laugh his head off when I show him this. I just hope Kurama doesn’t start handing me jewels, too.)

The remaining members of the group were going to spend the day doing some more sightseeing, then that night they were letting the young guys pick the hotpots to hang out at as their way of celebrating both the Boy’s Festival and the end of their trip. They would all be heading for home tomorrow morning. So, they headed for the Myoryuji Temple. Often called the Ninja temple, because of its many hidden staircases, traps, and other hiding places, it was actually designed as a safe place of prayer for feudal lords who wished to follow the Buddhist ways. They all enjoyed exploring the 4-story, 7-level building. And after stopping by some of the local shrines, and doing a bit of shopping, they went back to the hotel to see if Kurama felt up to joining them for lunch.

He did. And afterwards, they went to Gyokusenen Garden. Though it is nowhere near as grand as Kenrokuen Garden, its tranquil atmosphere made for a pleasant afternoon’s walk. Kagome strolled along beside Kurama, as they navigated the winding paths up and down the hill the garden rests on, and admired the bridges and numerous bodies of water, as well as the flowers, plants, and trees. She was feeling terribly guilty about how badly Youko had been hurt by Kikyou while trying to protect her. Hai, he had been way out of line, and she was still annoyed with both Kurama and Youko over their underhanded tactics, -- actually, she still couldn’t quite believe Kurama had actually tied her to a tree, and started undressing her, while interrogating her about her mates’ deaths. (Who does something like that?!!? Only a kitsune!)

But, the situation between her and Kikyou could only be resolved by the two of them, and the thought that Youko, -- that anyone, -- had been injured because of it, -- because of her, -- just filled her with guilt. She should have put Kikyou to rest after Inuyasha was killed, but she just hadn’t been able to bring herself to do it. And now, Kikyou had tainted what was left of her soul even further. The next time they met, she couldn’t allow herself to be distracted by concern for anyone else, -- it was time to end it. In the meantime, she wanted to be sure Youko and Kurama didn’t suffer from any ill effects of the purification.

Her attentiveness to Kurama was a source of irritation to Hiei, though. And he dealt with it by glaring darkly at Kurama and snapping viciously at Kuwabara. Kagome was unhappy at the evidence that he continued to harbor such hard feelings against the tall, gentle man. And she wondered about the hostile looks he was giving the avatar. Was he angry because his teammate had been injured? Did he think he had been careless? Or was he blaming him for Kikyou getting away? Or was it … something else? Something she didn’t even want to think about? Like the way he had taken care of her last night. Like there was something between them. Something that could get him killed. (Crap, I really need to warn him. I have to let him know he may be in danger.) And it was with these thoughts in mind that she let the others lead her around that evening.

After dinner, they ended up deciding to go to Mokkiriya, a live music club. Daichi and Chikao had hoped to go to Puddle, which was a basement bar, or Pool, which was a rooftop bar, but Kagome had refused, since they were under 20, as were her cousins, at least by appearance. She subtly matured her sons’ and brother’s features a bit, though, so there wouldn’t be too many eyebrows raised at them being at the club. She wished Shippou were there, because his powers of illusion were so much better than the meager ones he had helped her develop after she had gained her celestial powers. She was able to mask their markings without trouble, and to smooth the points of their elegant ears, but more than that took quite a bit of concentration to achieve. And she had to be careful so the differences were subtle enough not to arouse suspicion among their human companions who didn’t know what they were. The slight aging of Sassouta and Souta were the most noticeable, of course, but was explained away by a little make-up and their choice of clothing. Sassouta and Eishumaru’s height worked in their favor. And even Souta was taller than most boys his age, which helped. Eishumaru was quick to ask Shizuru if she felt more comfortable being seen with him looking 18. She rolled her eyes and told him he was still way too young for her, but he just grinned and placed her hand on his arm and started off for the club.

Mokkiriya was crowded and the band was loud, so the youkai among them had to tune out their senses to some degree. The women took turns dancing with the various males, and Genkai even got Hoshu out on the dance floor, where Yusuke hooted and hollered at them. Hiei refused to dance at all, even though he was tempted to dance with Kagome, and spent the evening glowering at all the males who did. Fortunately for his temper, she turned down all the ones who weren’t in their group. Unfortunately for his temper, the bartender at Mokkiriya wasn’t very meticulous about making sure everyone he served was at least 20, and Kurama’s stepbrother and his two friends were having a great time, and were getting a little too friendly with Kagome. He nearly went through the roof when Chikao weaved his way unsteadily back to the table where his friends were sitting, and started telling them how soft her lips were and how she tasted like strawberries when he kissed her.

“Really? She didn’t have any strawberries at dinner,” Shuuichi said, with a slightly puzzled look on his face.

“I know! That’s what’s so fantastic about it -- it’s like her natural taste or something,” Chikao nodded.

Hiei had to leave. Now. Or else there was going to be blood shed. That was his lover they were talking about, damn it! And at the moment, he wasn’t sure if he would get greater satisfaction from severing their heads from their bodies, or strangling the damn onna. She still hadn’t kissed him. Oh, he knew she wasn’t the one who initiated the kiss with the boy, but why the hell was every living, breathing male able to sneak up on her and take her by surprise that way?

Seeing the apparition‘s hasty retreat, Kurama asked, “Hiei? Where are you going?”

“Out. There are too many damn ningen in there.”

“Then I take it you will be happy when we return to our semi-isolated state tomorrow.”

“Hn.”

The avatar smiled. He knew his friend too well. Frankly, he was surprised he had put up with the large group for as long as he had, -- especially considering the new state of affairs between his sister and Kuwabara. Hai, Hiei would definitely be happier to leave the city and the crowds behind, -- even if he was stuck playing bodyguard to three youkai, who probably didn’t need bodyguards, and a murder suspect, who apparently did.
----------------------------------------------------------- -------------------------------------------------


After Kagome closed the door and put up a barrier, she walked over to the bed and took off the yukata she was wearing. Draping it across the nightstand, she stood there for a minute, waiting for Hiei. He didn’t say anything as he walked over and joined her, taking off his pants and letting them drop beside the bed. As she got on the bed, he crawled over her and stared down at her for several minutes, as if he was looking for something in her eyes.

“Hiei? Is something wrong?”

She thought she saw a brief flash of disappointment cross his face. Then, to her surprise, he grabbed one of the pillows and moved down the bed. Situating himself between her thighs, he lifted first one of her legs, then the other one, placing her knees over his shoulders. Then he propped the pillow underneath her hips, tilting her pelvis up towards him even further. He was irritated with her for withholding part of herself from him, and he was irritated with himself for wanting it. But, if he couldn’t have the strawberries, he was going to have the honey.

With one impatient swipe of his tongue, he parted her folds and fastened his mouth over her. Her hips jerked in reaction to the unexpected suddenness of his action, and he pressed his palms against her pelvis to hold her in place. Unlike before, when he had started out trying to assuage her need, this time was all for him. He plunged his tongue in and out of her rapidly to provoke the response he wanted.

Kagome was completely awash in a tidal wave of sensation. She would have laughed if she could, though. This was so … Hiei. She knew what he wanted -- he wanted her to come. Now. And in his own trademark, no-nonsense, get-to-it way, he was going to make it happen. She admired that about him. When he decided he wanted something, or needed something, he went after it in a direct fashion. Or if he thought something needed to be done, he just did it. His methods might be a bit ruthless at times, and he definitely could stand to work on developing some patience, but he was always honest. Of course, that direct manner of his was threatening to completely overwhelm her right now, but all she could do was react and feel.

Replacing his tongue with his fingers, Hiei moved up just slightly in order to work on that small nub of flesh he knew would speed her response. He felt a bit intoxicated by her scent and taste. And those little sounds she made were quite gratifying, too. Not in the mood to do any teasing, though he’d keep that thought in mind next time, he simply suckled on the tiny bud until he felt the small tremors begin to ripple out from her center. He quickly moved his hands to hold her thighs still, and savored the sweet taste of honey that flooded his mouth for a moment, before determinedly searching out as much of it as he could find with sweeping, lapping strokes. And when he had satisfied his hunger for her taste, he was ready to satisfy his other hunger.

Unhooking her knees from their position over his shoulders, he let her legs slide down, but kept them flat against his chest as he sat up on his knees, instead of letting her grip his sides with them. When he leaned forward over her, he admired how limber her entire body was, but he had known she could handle this position easily, -- she had demonstrated her flexibility many times with him already. Grasping her hips firmly, he wasted no time in joining their bodies. At least, as far as he could. He grunted, and frowned his displeasure. After a few more hard, forceful thrusts gained him no more than a few inches entrance, he realized this just wasn’t going to work, -- he should have known, as tightly as he fit in the most basic positions. But before he could move to something else, Kagome told him, “Lift up more.” When he extended his arms as if he was about to do a push-up, she bent her knees and pulled them to her chest, and hooked her ankles over his shoulders. It was a very similar position, but with her knees bent, she was more open to him. Still, the extension of her leg muscles in that direction pulled her abdomen and thighs taut, making movement torturous for both of them in an intensely pleasurable way. It would have been nearly impossible, if she hadn’t already been so slick from her previous orgasm. As it was, he stopped for a minute when she gave a loud cry as he slid fully home. He might have been focused on fulfilling his own desires, but he didn’t want to hurt her.

Her face was tight, and her lips were parted as she breathed in through her mouth. He couldn’t tell anything from her eyes, because they were closed again, damn it. “Kagome?”

She swallowed thickly and took another deep breath. She heard the question in his voice, but was having trouble speaking. At this angle, with him sheathed completely inside her, the penetration was so deep, and he filled her so completely, that she felt like he had taken up residence against her womb. “I hope you don’t want that back.”

He stared at her in shock when he saw the corners of her mouth curl upwards. She was joking with him? Now? He blinked. Then his lips twitched. She had to be the most unpredictable, interesting, fascinating onna ever born. “Not right away,” he answered, with a chuckle.

She smiled and opened her eyes, and he was mesmerized by the way the color in them shifted from a warm, bright blue to a dark, midnight blue and back again. He knew her eyes darkened with her arousal, but he was fascinated to see how they changed back and forth as her passion was mixed with humor. He remembered the dark violet shade they turned when she was frustrated, and he wondered just how many shades of blue they changed to. More than ever, he wanted to see what color they were when she climaxed. So, when her eyelids fluttered closed again when he began to move, he grunted, “Don’t close your eyes.”

And so, they watched one another closely as the shadows moved across the wall and the moon rose high in the night sky. The only sounds in the room were their harsh breathing, the friction of flesh on flesh, and the occasional low moan, sometimes feminine, sometimes masculine, sometimes both. The intensity of his thrusts matched the expression in his eyes, which glowed like crimson flames, and Kagome was lost in them. She had felt that he couldn’t go deeper inside her, but she suddenly had the sensation that he was brushing up against her very soul, and while she had willingly given her body over to him, the thought of him becoming entwined with her at such a level pulled her out of the almost-hypnotic state she had been in. And when she came to herself, her awareness of the heights Hiei was driving her to doubled, and her eyes widened. Then she shut them tight with a strangled cry, and turned her head from side to side.

The second her eyelids closed, Hiei also snapped out of the trancelike state he had been in, and growled in frustration and anger. How the hell he had lasted this long, he had no idea, because the way her body was gripping him so tightly threatened to pull his release from him with just the tiniest movement. He couldn’t take it any more, but he’d be damned if he was going to come before he saw what color her eyes were when she did. Why the fuck did she close them anyway? She did it every damn time. Was she thinking of someone else when she came? Was she wishing he was someone else?

“Open your eyes, damn it!” he ordered her.

At the sound of his tone, her eyes flew open. She couldn’t even begin to think why he sounded so angry, -- at that point, she couldn’t even begin to think But as she locked her gaze on his face, she forced herself to keep her eyes open, even though the feelings and sensations flooding her body were almost too intense to bear. And as the world shattered around her, all she could see was a pair of crimson eyes.

Hiei had thought he would come the second she did, when the viselike grip of her inner muscles clenched and released him in powerful, jerking movements. But the sight before him held him so transfixed, his body didn’t react. Her irises had turned completely black, and he couldn’t distinguish them from her pupils. Then, when that first spasm shook her body, it looked like someone had set off fireworks in her eyes. Bright flashes of a brilliant, light sapphire blue seemed to shoot outward from her pupils, and they sparkled and danced until they overtook the black. He stared in awe until the lights settled into her normal, warm, bright sapphire blue color, and then with a groan, he closed his own eyes as he finally came with a rush that was almost painful. He groaned again as he slowly pulled out and then collapsed beside her.

As her breathing slowly returned to normal, Kagome’s mind was awhirl with confusion. Had she done something wrong, or had she been mistaken about what she thought she heard in his voice? Was it just the acute passion that had made him sound so harsh? No, something was definitely wrong, -- this was the first time in a long time that he hadn’t pulled her to him afterwards. “Hiei? Why was it so important that I keep my eyes open?”

He didn’t say anything for a minute, and she turned on her side and propped herself up on an elbow to look at him. His eyes were still closed as he reached over and took her hand and placed it on his chest. Without even thinking, she began to lightly stroke and caress his skin.

“Hiei?”

“I wanted to see what color they were. They change, and I was curious.”

She smiled at that. Inuyasha used to tell her he liked to watch her eyes change color.

“And I wanted you to see who you were with, for once.”

Her hand stilled. “What?”

As he lay there, he thought back over his earlier irritation that every damn male they came across kept kissing her, while she still refused to kiss him. And last night. When she was with Kurama, they had been doing more than ‘talking about the other suspects who might have murdered her mates.’ She was half-naked when he got there! Her damn bra and panties were lying on the ground. And she had been so attentive to Kurama ever since. Even when they got back to the hotel tonight, she had gone to his room to check on him and Youko to make sure the days’ activities hadn’t been too much for them. Well, … fuck that! He was way past feeling possessive about the onna who happened to be his lover, -- he was fucking jealous!

“You heard me.”

Kagome sat all the way up. “Hai, I heard you. I just don’t think I understood what you meant by that.”

Now he sat up and glared at her. “I meant, I wanted to be sure you knew who you were fucking, instead of closing your eyes and thinking of someone else.”

Her jaw dropped open. “Are you out of your mind?!!? Of course I know who I’m with! Who else would I be thinking of?” She was completely shocked.

“Hmph. It could be anyone, -- one of your dead mates, the wolf, the boy who kissed you tonight, … or maybe you changed your mind and wish you had chosen to take Kurama as your lover instead of me,” he snarled.

She jumped out of the bed. “You’re crazy! I don’t think about anyone else when we’re together, and I certainly do not want to be with that sneaky kitsune! And even if I wanted to, which I don’t, I could never mistake you for anyone else. I’m not the one wishing for someone else’s touch.” She immediately remembered her earlier thought about Hiei going after something after he decided he wanted it. How could she have forgotten? Apparently that didn’t extend to the matters of his heart. “Unlike you, I approached the person I wanted to be involved with.”

She was throwing him off-track. “What the hell are you talking about? And if you haven’t changed your mind about Kurama, then what the hell were you two doing when that damn kuromiko attacked?” he demanded.

“I’m talking about your obvious feelings for Yukina. You should have told her you were in love with her instead of waiting around until Kazuma proposed to her. You knew he loved her, too. And now that she’s out of your reach, suddenly you want to be comforted and touched after having sex with me. You know what? This was a bad idea.” She grabbed her yukata and headed for the door, but stopped and whirled around to face him. He was frozen with shock. “And you want to know what Kurama and I were doing when Kikyou attacked? He was busy taking my clothes off while interrogating me about my mates’ murders, and I was just standing there like a damn sitting duck for Kikyou’s arrows because he had tied me to a tree!”

“WHAT?!!?” Hiei jumped out of the bed. “Don’t you move another step. What do you mean he tied you to a tree? And don’t be ridiculous, -- I’m not in love with Yukina. She’s my sister, damn it!”

He saw the confusion that came over her face, and she frowned and shook her head slightly. “Your sister? How can that be? Why didn’t you tell me when I told you I had tried to find out about your family to invite them along on this trip? And why are you acting so angry at Kazuma if you gave him your permission to marry her?”

“I didn’t give him my permission. They don’t know I’m her brother. Only Koenma, Botan, Yusuke, Kurama, and Genkai know. And probably Keiko, since I’m sure that damn detective can’t keep his mouth shut. Now answer my question -- what did you mean when you said Kurama tied you to a tree?”

“They don’t know? Why not? She has a right to know.”

He stalked over to her. “Damn it, onna! I’m not going to discuss this with you right now. Answer my question!”

She stared at him for a minute. “He tied me to a tree. With its roots. Then he started asking me questions and unbuttoning my shirt.”

He narrowed his eyes at her. “Why didn’t you use your powers to get away from him?”

“My purifying powers wouldn’t work on the roots because he they didn’t have any youki -- they were normal tree roots. He just used his ki to manipulate them. And I’m afraid I don’t have any other powers that could help me in that situation,” she told him.

“You couldn’t manipulate his emotions to make him let you go? Or shape the ground into something to cut the tree roots?” he asked.

“No. The only power I have over others’ emotions is the ability to calm and ease tensions. And I can only use my powers over the earth’s properties to consecrate or commemorate the ground ceremonially.”

“I’m going to kill that damn fox,” he muttered to himself. “So, why are you being so nice to him if he almost got you killed?”

She looked down at the floor. “Because he shouldn’t have been caught up in a fight that has nothing to do with him. And in spite of his underhanded methods, I know he is just doing his job. And even though he believes I am a murderer, he risked his life to protect me. In his own way, he is quite … honorable.”

(I’m still going to kill him.) “All right. Get back in the bed.” And he walked back over to stand beside it.

She just stood there and stared at him.

“You got me all riled up, onna.”

“I got you riled up? You’re the one who was throwing out ridiculous accusations. And now you want me to come over there and soothe you?” she asked, in disbelief.

“Damn it! If you don’t want to take care of this infuriating need you gave me for being touched, then just remove the damn spell!”

“Excuse me?”

He just crossed his arms over his chest and glared at her.

“Are you saying someone put a spell on you?” She stepped closer to him to examine his aura.

“Stop acting so innocent. You know damn well you did this. It was bad enough that you infected me with this infuriating desire that robs me of control of my own body, and can only be quenched by having you in my bed. Then you had to go and make it worse by instilling this gnawing craving to be petted. And don’t try to tell me you didn’t plan it all along, -- I remember you telling that idiot I was nothing but a big pussycat. Hell, I should just slit my own throat now and be done with it before you have me needing to keep a pair of your panties in my pocket so I’ll have your scent with me wherever I go.”

She stared at him again. Then her lips started twitching, and she had to put a hand up to her mouth to stifle her giggles, while he just continued to glare daggers at her. “Ahem.” Getting herself under control, she stepped up to him and reached out and put a hand on his chest and cupped his cheek with the other one. “Hiei? You know I didn’t put a spell on you, right?”

He looked searchingly into her bright blue eyes for a minute. “Damn.”

She started giggling again.

“It’s not funny, onna. And now I want something else before the touching.” He pulled her flush against him, and she could feel his hard, hot length pressing into her abdomen. When she pressed herself closer, he picked her up and slid her down onto his cock. The hotel yukata, which had been loosely draped over her shoulders, went fluttering to the ground. When he got them both onto the bed, and stated to lay her down, she shook her head, “Un-uh,” and pushed him down on his back

She lay on top of him, and after shifting so he was completely sheathed in her warm, welcoming depths, she closed her legs and stretched out fully on his body, locking him tightly inside her. “You just lie still,” she told him.

He arched a brow at her. “As if I have a choice.”

“And don’t bite me if you decide you want to go faster, or finish things, or whatever, because you’re at my mercy,” she grinned.

“Hn. I should just bite you now and do this my way.”

“Then you’d never know if you like it or not.”

“Onna, do you not see, and feel, where I am? Of course I like it.”

The teasing smile on her face turned serious, and her eyes glowed warmly. “Hiei, …”

She leaned up just a little, and he could feel her breath on his lips, before she turned her head slightly to the side and brushed her lips across his jaw.

He let out the breath he had been holding, in a silent, disappointed sigh. (Almost.) Then, as she began to move over him, he wrapped his arms tightly around her and let her take over the job of bringing them both pleasure.

With her arms wrapped around his neck, she slowly slid up and down his body. The entire length of her body rubbed along his, which was both pleasant and torturous in and of itself. But the real torture came from her upward movement, where he was clasped so firmly inside her, that as she moved, her inner muscles dragged all along his length. Or maybe it was from her downward movement, where she ever-so-slightly opened her thighs just enough to take him back in, and he could feel her feminine flesh part and absorb him into her as if his staff was a part that was supposed to be there. She hadn’t lied, -- he was at her mercy. With her legs clasped together like that, it wouldn’t do him much good to try to take control by thrusting into her, and truthfully, it was feeling too good for him to want to. He would never have let another female have such control over him, -- especially in such an intimate way. But with Kagome, somehow it felt more like she was giving something to him, rather than taking something from him.

As she continued sliding her body along his, he admired the strength in her arms, and ran his hands down her back, following the lines of her muscles. Underneath her soft, beautiful, feminine exterior was the firm, disciplined body of a female warrior. A body sculpted by necessity and hardship. And he knew if he could delve even deeper, he would find that underneath that warrior’s frame, still lie the tender heart and soul of a caring, nurturing female, unlike any other he had ever known. She was a study in contrasts. He had told Kurama she was complicated, but he thought the truth was more than that. He didn’t think they would ever figure her out because there was nothing or no one to compare her with -- she was unique. Really, he couldn’t fault the fox for being so intrigued by her. But he was still going to kill him.

As she increased her pace, Kagome couldn’t help but admire the body of the male beneath her. The whole path she was following up and down his body was torturing her own. The feel of her breasts rubbing against his chest had her nipples so sensitized she was surprised there weren’t sparks shooting off of them. As it was, it felt like there were sparks shooting inward, blazing tiny, fiery trails just under her skin. She liked the way it felt when her legs rubbed along his, too. And her abdomen. The sweat from their bodies cut down on the friction and made her sliding movements even smoother, and she relished the feel of his skin against hers. And the taste of it, as she dragged her lips and tongue up and down his neck. (Oh, he must like that too, judging by that low, rumbling moan.) She smiled and filed that information away for future reference.

She was glad he had let her do this, and still a little amazed that he allowed her to take the lead sometimes. She wasn’t at all sure he would, since he was a very dominant male. But if he wanted to be “petted,” she thought he might like a good, firm rubbing. The only problem was, she wasn’t going to be able to keep this up much longer, because she liked a good, firm rubbing, too. And the contrast between his body and hers was driving her crazy. She felt acutely aware of his maleness, -- all over. And it made her want to respond on a very primitive female level. Most of all, she was struck with the awareness of just how perfectly they fit together. In more ways than one, -- though one way was foremost in her thoughts at the moment. And as she concentrated on that spot where their bodies melded into one, the feel of his thick, rigid length entering her soft, yielding flesh, over and over again was sending wave after wave of unbelievable pleasure throughout her body, from her center to her toes and fingertips. He was so large, and hard, and yet she accepted him and accommodated him into her body so readily, -- not always easily, but always readily. Her desire for him was as great as his for her, and she found herself having to mask the scent of her arousal quite often when she was around him.

The tingling, electrical pulses were building up inside her, and she felt her eyes closing, the way they often did when her senses were overwhelmed, but she made an effort to keep them open. Hiei saw how her eyelids fluttered, but then opened and how she focused on him. He was so hot, both inside and out, he felt he might erupt into flames any minute. Did she have any idea how much control he was exerting to stay still? He was literally gritting his teeth with the effort. And when he heard her breath hitch, and felt her shudder as her downward motion became more forceful, he ground out in a raspy voice, “Damn it, onna. First you make me a pussycat, and now a cow.”

Her eyes were wide, and he saw that the irises were nearly completely black again. Good. “A … cow?” she managed to gasp out.

“Hai. You’ve certainly been trying to milk me like one, and I don’t know how much more I can take.”

She gave a half-laugh that ended on a moan. “Then why don’t you give it up?” Then she leaned forward and whispered in his ear, “But I would have sworn you were a stud bull instead of a cow.”

That did it. He might not be able to thrust in and out of her, but he didn’t need to. He just grabbed her hips and held her to him as he emptied his seed into her in powerful, jerking bursts. And he was rewarded with the fireworks that went off in her eyes.

When they both sagged limply with exhaustion and supreme satisfaction, Kagome started giggling. Hiei raised his head and cocked a brow at her. “What’s so funny now?”

“I was just wondering, if I were to stroke your back, would you purr or moo?”

He turned them on their sides. “Why don’t you find out?”

And they lay there, perfectly content, while she gently ran her hand all over his back, side, and up and down his arm. He closed his eyes and inhaled her heavenly scent, until the tang of saltwater hit him, and he realized she was crying. Tipping her chin up to look at her, he asked, “What is it?’

“I was thinking about what you said yesterday about your mother.”

He stiffened, and said harshly. “I don’t want or need your pity.”

“I pity her. She missed out on so much, and she doesn’t know what a fine son she had. I just don’t understand how someone could give that up. It’s like Kikyou and Inuyasha. She loved him, but she just couldn’t bring herself to be with him the way he was, and she missed out on everything, and ended up with nothing.”

He thought over what she said, and he believed she meant it. She really was feeling sorry for Hina, and for Kikyou. “You truly don’t believe she killed him, do you?”

“No.”

He stroked her hair. (Damn it. If it wasn’t Kikyou, then who, if not her?)

“Why won’t you tell Yukina you’re her brother?”

He didn’t answer her.

“You love her, don’t you?”

“… Hai.”

“What good does your love do her if she doesn’t know about it?”

They were both quiet for a long time. Then she moved to get up. “It’s getting late. I should …”

“Stay.” He tightened his arms around her.

She looked at her hand against his chest. “I … I can’t.”

“Why not? What will you do when you get to your room?”

“Take a quick bath and try to get a couple hours of sleep. You should try to, too.”

“Hn. I will, if you’ll relax. You might as well sleep here. I will wake you in time to go to your room before anyone is likely to be in the halls. Unless your grandfather is sleepwalking again.”

(It figures he would know about that.) “I don’t know …”

“Onna, I am perfectly comfortable, and if you move, you will disturb me. So, shut up and go to sleep.”

She wanted to. She really, really wanted to. But, the closer they became, the more danger he would be in. “Hiei, I need to warn you. I am afraid that you may be in danger because of me, -- because of this.”

He blinked at her words. Something clicked. (She thinks her mates were killed because of her. And not because they scorned or rejected the other females, either, because there is no female who would object to me being with her. She thinks it’s strictly someone out for revenge of some sort on her, or someone just trying to hurt her by making sure she is alone. Crap! We need to look into her enemies, not just these wannabe romantic rivals. Though it still could be one of them, just out to make her life miserable, I suppose. Damn it, damn it, damn it! And what does her warning me say about the possibility that it was her? I really was beginning to think she was only guilty of Sesshoumaru’s murder. Is it possible she didn’t kill him, either?)

“Hiei? I’ll understand if you’d rather just stay away. It would be the smart thing to do.”

“I thought I told you to go to sleep.”

He could feel her hesitate, and knew she was debating on saying something else. So, he rubbed his cheek against the top of her head, and ran his fingers through her hair some more to relax her. Finally, she did, and in minutes, he could hear her breathing begin to slow and even out. “Arigatou, Kagome,” he whispered. And as she gave in to sleep, Kagome briefly wondered when he had begun calling her by name.

Hiei lay there for a while, then moved so he could reach over and turn out the lamp on the nightstand. When he resettled her in his arms, he held her a little away from him at first, so he could look at her face, as he thought over the many things they had talked about. She had almost kissed him. He was sure of it. (Damn foolish onna.) But he wasn’t sure who was the bigger fool, -- her, or him. Her, because she had offered herself to him in the first place. Or him, because he had taken her up on it. Not that it mattered now.

He brushed aside the hair that had fallen over her shoulder, so it spread out behind her on the bed. Then he nuzzled into her neck, and kissed his way past the faint traces of the scars that comprised her mates’ marks until he found the spot he wanted. Drawing the sensitive skin into his mouth, he sucked on it gently. And in her sleep, she tilted her head slightly to give him better access.

She had offered herself to him, and he had accepted. So, for now, she was his. And frankly, he didn’t care who knew, though he knew she had her reasons for keeping their relationship a secret. It wouldn’t bother him a bit if her sons disapproved, or if his teammates called him a fool.

His fangs elongated, and he scraped them lightly over the area he had claimed, barely pricking the skin in one tiny spot.

And even if it turned out that she had killed all three of her mates, if he decided he wanted to keep her, then not even Koenma, King Enma, or the whole damn Reikai would be able to take her from him.

He licked the single drop of blood that had welled up. Then he lay back, and pulled her tightly to him, and went to sleep.
---------------------------------------------------------------- --------------------------------------------


The next morning, everyone scurried about, gathering their things and saying their goodbyes. There were choruses of thanks for being included in the trip, and promises to visit made. Kurama told his step-brother and his friends that he would try to make it to their housewarming party, right before they ran off to catch their train. Kuwabara promised Yukina he would come to see her as soon as they found out where they would be relocated, and Yusuke did the same with Keiko. Genkai and Hoshu were arguing over the merits of various talismans, until Genkai told him that when he was ready to admit he was wrong, he could come visit her temple. With a twinkle in his eyes, he told her that when he did come, he would prove he was right. Kagome and her mother exchanged knowing looks.

Souta told his nephews that he would come to their new place for a weekend visit and bring some embarrassing childhood photos of Kagome with him. But the one scene that got the attention of all those who were left, was when Eishumaru walked up to Shizuru and said, “I have decided that I don’t like this habit of yours.” And he plucked the cigarette from between her lips and tossed it away. “My woman should have better things to do with her mouth.” Then he dipped her back over his arm and kissed her passionately.

When he let her back up, she looked around at all the shocked faces. “What?” She turned to Kagome. “You did say I could call you shuutome, right?”

Kagome blinked, then laughed. “So I did. Well then, daughter, Kazuma will definitely have to bring you to see us, along with Yukina, when we are settled. Until then, I hope you will all be safe and happy.” She bowed to the group, and stepped back to where Daitano and Sassouta were waiting next to Botan, who had come to take everyone home via portal. After whispering something to Shizuru that actually made her blush, much to everyone’s astonishment, Eishumaru joined them, with a cocky smile, and they stepped through the portal into the living room of their house.

Shippou was waiting for them, and he informed them that he had found a place he thought would be suitable. They could go there as soon as Kagome had concluded her business with Kagura here. As they looked around, they saw that most of the furniture had already been moved. Kagome turned to Yusuke, who said he would go into the Reikai with Botan to send someone after Kagura. And she and her sons went into the game room to talk.

It was several hours later before Yusuke returned with the wind-user. When he did, Kagome greeted her and asked her to take a walk with her in the garden as they talked. Daitano, Eishumaru, and Sassouta were upstairs, making sure everything important had been sent on to the new house. Shippou offered to accompany Kagome, but she refused, saying she and Kagura needed to speak alone. The wind-witch smirked at the kitsune as she looked him over. “My, my. Haven’t you grown? So handsome, too.”

“And you are as beautiful and sly as ever. And still wishing for things you can’t have,” he replied.

She shot him a dirty look, then eyed the three remaining Spirit Detectives. Her eyes lingered on Kurama, and he raised a brow at her obvious interest. Then she turned to Kagome, and they left through the back door. Hiei nodded at the others, then slipped out after them.

The two women strolled along in silence for a few minutes, then Kagura spoke. “I must commend you. Your new lover is almost as handsome as Sesshoumaru. I understand he is an avatar for a kitsune spirit. Is his other form as well-favored?”

Without betraying the momentary shock she had felt when she thought Kagura had discovered her relationship with Hiei, Kagome said, “I didn’t ask you here to discuss my personal life.”

“You have decided to accept my offer?”

“We have decided to negotiate the terms of your offer.” She stopped walking and faced the other woman. “We both know that your son is not Sesshoumaru’s. He would never have done something so dishonorable as to be unfaithful to me, even if he hadn’t loved me.”

Kagura’s face turned red, and her eyes narrowed. “Dishonorable? To follow his heart? No, Kagome. What we both know, is that he only took you in to fulfill his sense of family duty. Hai, he was indeed a most honorable youkai, placing his duty ahead of his own desires. And you, -- you didn’t even recognize his worth. All you ever thought of during your whole quest was that hanyou. I have to hand it to you, I never thought you would be able to make Inuyasha see you with that dead bitch forever trying to lay claim to him. But something went horribly wrong, didn’t it? I don’t know if he changed his mind and decided to go back to her, and I don’t care. But his death ruined my life.” She pointed to her chest. “Sesshoumaru loved me. But he tried to stay away after he was forced to take you as his mate. And when he realized he couldn’t ignore his feelings any longer, and began coming to me again, he wanted to put you aside and take me as his true mate.

You must have been suspicious, and by then you had realized how good life could be as the Lady of the Western Lands, so you announced you were pregnant with his heir, effectively trapping him with you forever. You knew he would never put aside his heir’s mother. I never gave you enough credit. But still, Sesshoumaru could not deny his heart. It is no coincidence that he turned up dead just days after I told him I was also expecting his child,” she spat at the miko.

Kagome clapped her hands slowly. “Bravo. An award-winning performance. Or do you truly believe what you are saying?” She tilted her head to the side and studied the woman standing in front of her. “Sesshoumaru did care for you, you know, even if he didn’t show it. But he didn’t love you. And after that first time you came to see him after we were mated, he told me you had never been lovers. And he certainly would not take a lover after we were truly mated. So, I know he did not father your son. I can understand your wish for him to have a settled, secure position, and if he fights alongside us when Eishumaru makes his bid to reclaim the Western lands, he will be rewarded with just that.”

“You bitch!” Kagura swung at Kagome, but she deftly dodged the blow. “Ginjiro IS Sesshoumaru’s, and as such, he is entitled to half of the Western lands.”

“You will have to prove that, Kagura,” Kagome said calmly.

“Perhaps I should just wait until they do lock you up for murdering him.”

“Then you will still be waiting long after your soul has been delivered to the Reikai,” a deep, smooth voice came from behind her.

She whirled around to face the interloper. “Sesshoumaru?!!?”
----------------------------------------- -------------------------------------------------------------------
End Chapter Ten