Two weeks passed by quickly, and Kagome found herself becoming quite friendly with Kagura and Ayame. Both females thanked Kagome for showing their boyfriends the light and getting them to make commitments to them. Sesshomaru's graduation was coming up and he was busy with his finals. It drove him crazy that he had to concentrate on his studies instead of being with Kagome, but Kagura and Ayame made sure that Kagome was never lonely.
Both females had taken Kagome with them to pick out dresses for Sesshomaru's graduation. As they shopped, the conversation turned to Naraku.
"Kagome, listen. I know that my brother likes you, but you really need to stay away from him, ok." Kagura said as she looked at a dress that had caught her eye.
Kagome nodded. That would not be a problem. Naraku freaked her out. He was constantly around and seemed to always smile at her. He would make small comments to her about how beautiful she was and how lucky Sesshomaru was to be in possession of her. It made her feel as though she were a piece of property instead of his mate, his partner.
Ayame grinned. She had heard some interesting news from Kouga and decided it was time to tell her girlfriends about it.
"I have something to tell you guys. It's about Kikyo." Ayame said, grinning as she nodded her approval at Kagome's choice of a dress.
Kagura also nodded her approval before snapping, "Well, out with it."
Ayame looked around and motioned for the two females to come closer to her. "Inu Yasha told Kouga that Kikyo is pregnant." She said, giggling.
Kagura smirked. "Oh, really. I am shocked. Why in the world would Kikyo not tell her best girlfriends? Could there be something wrong?" She asked, rolling her eyes.
Kagome was busy looking at the dress she selected to notice that they were being sarcastic. "That is great news. I am sure Inu Yasha is happy." She said, finally looking up at her companions.
Kagura gave Kagome a kind smile. Since Kagome had only been a youkai for a short time, she would not know that demons could smell the changes that occur in the body of a pregnant woman. "Kagome, youkai can smell if a woman is pregnant or not. Since you are so new to this, you would not know what you smell. Pregnant women give off a certain scent, usually a mixture of her own and the pup's father. Like with you, we can smell Sesshomaru's and your scent mixed together and it is strong. Understand?" She asked.
Kagome slowly nodded. She didn't understand what Kagura was getting at, but she guessed that she would find out. Ayame took up where Kagura ended.
"With Kikyo, none of us have detected Inu Yasha's scent within her. Therefore, she must be lying." Ayame explained.
Kagome thought for a minute. "Wait. I thought that if a youkai male and a human female mated, the youkai's scent would be within the human once the seed was released into her. Wouldn't that mean that their scents are mixed?" Kagome asked, her eyebrows knitting together.
Kagura shook her head. "Only for a small period of time. It isn't permanent. When you have your pup, it will take a few weeks, but you will start losing Sesshomaru's scent until the next time you mate. Understand now?" She asked, leading the females to the register to purchase her dress.
Kagome nodded. "So, basically if a youkai male and human female mate, his scent lingers with hers for a short time unless he gets her pregnant and then his scent will last until a few weeks after she gives birth and vice versa. Right?" She asked. After they nodded, Kagome asked, "So, you two have not detected Inu Yasha's scent in Kikyo's scent, so there is no way that she can be pregnant." Kagome finished.
"That's right. See, from what Kouga told me, Inu Yasha was going to break up with Kikyo. Said that he wanted some space and didn't want to mate with her. But, then she told him that she was pregnant and he is so excited that I don't think he has stopped to really take a good sniff. That happens sometimes with males. They get so excited about becoming fathers that they forget to use their common sense. Look at Inu Yasha, for example. He told Kikyo that he wanted out, and then she told him her news. If he were not so caught up in becoming a daddy, he would have stopped, smelled, and then run away like a smart hanyou. But, then again, he is not the smartest cookie in the pack." Ayame said, grinning.
Kagome nodded. She watched as the salesclerk rang up her dress. When told the amount, Kagome pulled Sesshomaru's credit card out of her purse and handed it to the girl. When she signed the receipt, the girl handed Kagome her bag and wished her and her friends a good day.
As they left the store, Kagome noticed that Kagura was really quiet. So, she decided to ask what was wrong.
Kagura smiled at Kagome. "Well, I am just thinking. Could you two not say anything to Kikyo? I hate it when a friend of mine is lied to, especially over something so important. I want to catch Kikyo in a lie. So, could the both of you please keep quiet?" She asked.
Kagome and Ayame nodded. Kagome really didn't care. It was none of her business. Together, they walked to Kagura's car and got in. Kagura started her car and began to drive. She and Ayame were to meet Kouga and Hiten at a restaurant and have dinner, so they were going to drop Kagome off at the Taisho manor. It had been a good day and well spent.
When Kagura pulled up to the front door, Kagome got out and wished both females a good evening and then watched as they drove off. She glanced over and saw that Sesshomaru's car was parked off to the side, in its usual spot. She grinned and opened the door.
Kama and Inu were sitting in their chairs and smiled when they saw her. "Hello, Kagome." Kama said, cheerfully. She got up and walked over to where Kagome stood. She embraced her new daughter and then smiled when her belly began to move in. It was clear that the pup wanted some attention. Kama giggled and moved her hand down to rest on Kagome's belly. When the pup kicked, Kama sighed. She could not wait to get her hands on her grandpup. She had been having visions of herself taking the pup for a walk in a stroller. If the pup was going to look anything like its parents, Kama was sure that the pup would be a very handsome creature, male or female.
Inu smiled as he watched his mate caress Kagome's belly. She had wanted grandpups for so long, and now she was going to get her wish. Inu had at one time considered bringing up the possibility of adoption to ease Kama's longing for a pup. She had only been able to have Sesshomaru and then it was the end of the line for her as far as having any more pups. She had been so heart broken, but when their sons grew, she began to hope that they would one day settle down and have pups of their own. She would happily settle into the role of grandmother.
Kagome looked around. "Where is Sesshomaru?" She asked. Inu looked up at Sesshomaru and Kagome's bedroom door and said, "He is in your room, studying. He said that he had an announcement at dinner, but would not give us a hint of what it was. I don't suppose you know what it is?" He asked, looking at Kagome and giving his biggest smile.
Kagome shook her head. "Not a clue. After Professor Kaede's class, Kagura and Ayame grabbed me up and took me shopping for a dress to wear at Sesshomaru's graduation. Luckily, they let me tell him where I was going and get his credit card." She said, holding up her bag.
Kama grinned. "Find anything interesting?" She asked. Kagome smiled and pulled out her new dress. It was silver and white. The skirt ended below her knee and fit her growing belly. Kagome felt beautiful in it.
Kama nodded her approval. "It's beautiful. You will be the most beautiful woman at the graduation." She said.
Inu nodded. "I don't know, my mate. I think that you and Kagome both will draw the attention away from the graduates and onto yourselves." He said, winking at both of the females.
Kama smirked. "I see that you are still in suck up mode. Perhaps I will allow you back into the bedroom tonight, just for that comment." She said, winking back at him.
Inu grinned broadly, and Kagome smiled. She told the both of them that she was going to go and hang up her dress. They, however, did not notice her departure. Inu had gotten up and embraced his mate, causing her to laugh out loud and hug him back.
Kagome continued to smile as she walked up the stairs and opened the bedroom door. She walked in and gently closed the door. She saw Sesshomaru hunched over his desk and it appeared that he was in deep concentration. Kagome walked to the closet and hung her dress up. She then removed her shoes and then walked over to where her books were located and pulled out her favorite novel. She went to the bed and sat down, made herself comfortable, then opened her book and started to read.
After an hour, Sesshomaru stretched and looked over at the bed. He grinned to see Kagome sitting on their bed, reading. She had come in and not disturbed him, but rather found something for her to do and left him alone. He thought about all of his other girlfriends and knew why those relationships never lasted very long. Instead of leaving him alone when he was concentrating, they would hang all over him and beg for his attention, but not Kagome. She knew when to leave him alone and he valued that in her. He stood up, deciding that it was time to take a break. He had been writing a speech and needed all of his concentration focused on this speech. He would make his announcement at dinner and would tell his father and mother his good news. It would bring honor to their family. He walked over to the bed, and reached out to take Kagome's book from her. He smirked at Kagome's small growl of protest.
"Hello to you too, my love." He said, moving to sit down beside her.
Kagome smiled up at him. "You seem to be working hard. Your dad said that you were going to make an announcement at dinner. Can you tell me what it is?" She asked, her curiosity getting the better of her.
Sesshomaru shook his head. "You, my dear, will find out with the rest of the family. I promise, you will be happy. Now, what did you spend my money on, Kagome?" He asked, smiling down at her.
"I found a new dress that I am going to wear to your graduation." Kagome said, proudly. Sesshomaru sighed. "Well, am I going to get to see this new dress, or will I have to wait until the big night?" He asked.
Kagome thought about it for a few moments. "You are going to have to wait. If I have to wait for your announcement, you get to wait to see my new dress. After all, it is only a couple of days, and I promise that you will like it." She said, reaching up and stroking his face.
He leaned into her touch. "You are not playing fair, you know that?" He asked as he closed his eyes and savored her gentle strokes.
"Well, I am a female, and we never play fair." Kagome agreed. She took her hand away and then decided to ask Sesshomaru about Inu Yasha and Kikyo.
"If I ask you something, will it stay between you and me?" She asked, glancing at him.
Sesshomaru nodded. He was curious as to what could have changed her mood so quickly.
Kagome took in a deep breath. "Kouga told Ayame, who told me and Kagura, that Kikyo is pregnant. Is there any truth in it?" She asked, staring at her mate's face.
Normally, Sesshomaru kept a stoic mask on at all times, with the exception of around his mate. But, his face hardened and he shook his head. "She isn't pregnant. I would have smelled the change in her scent." He said.
Kagome sighed. "I was afraid that you would say that. Kagura wants us to keep it quiet until she thinks of a way to confront Kikyo. Ayame said that Inu Yasha tried to break up with Kikyo and that is when she told him. I wonder what he is going to do when he realizes that she is lying."
Sesshomaru narrowed his eyes. "I can tell you what would happen and it won't be pretty. Kikyo did a foolish thing by claiming to be pregnant. She should know by now that canine youkai are very loving towards pups, and to tell a youkai or hanyou in this case, that she is pregnant just to keep him from leaving her is monstrous. Once he finds out, Kikyo won't be safe anywhere. He will do his damnedest to pay her back."
Kagome paled. "He won't try to harm her, will he?" She asked.
"I don't know. But, Kagura had better hurry up and think of something soon. If not, I will confront her myself and deal with the situation. I may not really like my brother, but he is still family and I won't allow family to be tricked." Sesshomaru replied.
They looked up when Jaken knocked and said that dinner was served. He took Kagome's hand in his and led her downstairs. His eyes narrowed when he saw Inu Yasha and Kikyo sitting together at the table. How he longed to bust her in her lie, but he had promised Kagome, and so he would wait, but not for long.
When they had all been seated and served, they began their dinner. Inu told everyone how his day went and Kama told Kagome that she got a few baby magazines for her to look at. It was time to start deciding on a theme for the nursery. Kagome giggled. She was now worked up about her pup's birth and could not wait to start shopping for the pup's clothing. Sesshomaru reached over and rubbed her knee, silently telling her that he, too, was excited.
Finally, dessert was served and Sesshomaru decided that it was time to make his announcement. He cleared his throat and stood up.
"I have to tell you something, and I am quite excited about it." He said, looking at his parents. He reached down and grabbed Kagome's upper arm. He pulled her up and brought her to his side for support. "I have been named as valedictorian of my class. I will be making a speech in front of everyone at the graduation." He said, looking directly at his father.
Inu stared at his son. Sesshomaru had followed in his footsteps. He had redeemed himself in the eyes of the youkai community by committing himself to his mate and now, he would honor their family by being named as valedictorian just as his father was so many years ago. It was a real honor to be considered the brightest in the class. Inu stood up and patted his eldest son on his back.
"Congratulations, Sesshomaru. You have much to be proud of." He said, shaking Sesshomaru's hand. Kama stood up as well. "My, my. What an achiever. I am so proud of you, my darling. You are going to be the best valedictorian that the university had ever had." She said.
Kagome hugged him and smiled up at him. "I must say, that is quite an honor. I am so happy for you."
Sesshomaru smiled at his mate. He leaned over and kissed the top of her head. "I told you. Nothing but the best for you, Kagome. You deserve a mate who is as smart as you are beautiful." He said, smirking down at her.
Kagome blushed. She glanced over at Inu Yasha, who sat deep in thought. Kikyo was staring at Inu Yasha as well. She looked worried. Kagome switched her gaze back to her mate, who was also staring at his brother. He had a smirk on his lips and asked, "Inu Yasha, are you alright?"
Inu Yasha looked up at his family. He slowly nodded his head. He then broke out into a large grin. "Congratulations, big brother. But, I also have an announcement." He said, smiling down at Kikyo, who paled.
Kagome noticed Kikyo's expression and her attempt to silence Inu Yasha. She kept whispering that it was Sesshomaru's moment and not to spoil it. Sesshomaru's smirk only got wider as he said, "Nonsense, Kikyo. I would love to hear what my brother has to say."
Kikyo's expression went from pale to green. She listened as Inu Yasha said, "Kikyo and I are also going to have a pup. She is pregnant."
Silence met his announcement. He looked around the table and noticed everyone's shocked expressions. Finally, Kagome smiled and said, "Congratulations."
"Thanks, Kagome. We are so happy, aren't we, Kikyo?" He asked, pulling Kikyo up to stand beside him.
Kikyo nodded. She looked over at Inu and Kama. Neither of them had said much, but she could see that they were upset. It was no secret that Kama really didn't care for Kikyo. She thought that the young human female was a bit forward and only wanted Inu Yasha for the family's money. However, she kept quiet about her thoughts and watched as her youngest son fawned over his girlfriend.
Sesshomaru released Kagome and walked around the table. He stood over Kikyo and took in a deep breath. His eyes widened. She had been telling the truth. She was indeed pregnant, but he could not detect Inu Yasha's scent mixed with hers, so what could it be? He made himself nod at his brother before shaking Inu Yasha's hand. "Congratulations, little brother." He said, giving Kikyo a strange look before walking back over to Kagome.
Kikyo let out a sigh of relief. She was sure that Sesshomaru had figured out that she was not pregnant, but lucky for her, he didn't say a word. She smiled up at Inu Yasha. So far, so good.
Soon, Kikyo was on her way back to her house. As she drove, she had a smile plastered on her face. Her cell phone rang, and she happily answered it.
"Hello?" She asked.
When she heard the caller's voice, she instantly paled.
"What do you want?" She asked.
She listened as the caller gave her specific instructions and when they hung up, she directed her car to Shikon Park. It was obvious that the caller wanted a meeting and was not about to be denied.
Kagome waited until she and Sesshomaru were back in their room to ask Sesshomaru why he looked at Kikyo funny.
"What is wrong? Why did you give Kikyo that look after you sniffed her?" Kagome asked.
Sesshomaru shook his head. "I can't understand it, but Kikyo is indeed pregnant. She did not lie. However, I can't detect Inu Yasha's scent with hers. In fact, I can barely detect another scent at all, but it is there." He explained
Kagome's eyes narrowed. "Could it be that she is early in the pregnancy and that is why you can't detect Inu Yasha's scent?" She asked.
Sesshomaru shrugged. "It is possible. When is your next appointment with Dr. Tamio? He asked.
"Friday. It is early in the morning, so it won't interfere with the things you need to do for graduation." Kagome replied. She smiled down at her mate. But, he did not return her smile. It was clear that he was bothered. However, she had learned very quickly that if he wanted to tell her what was wrong, he would. So until then, it was wise to leave the matter alone.
"Good. I will be going with you. Do you know what she is going to be doing?" He asked, finally gracing Kagome with a glance.
Kagome shrugged. "I am guessing that she is going to do and ultrasound and check me over. I believe that I am going to have to have blood drawn also. I hate needles." She said, pouting.
Sesshomaru chuckled. "So, we will be finding out what we are going to be having, correct? I can't wait. Mother will be so happy to learn what colors to start looking for. Have you thought of a theme for the nursery?"
Kagome nodded. "I would really like to do a teddy bear's picnic." She replied, grinning.
Sesshomaru shook his head. He was thrilled that Kagome had started to get excited about decorating for the baby and had even cornered him into thinking of baby names with her. He found that his most relaxing times were when he and Kagome spoke of the pup. He was truly happy.
He helped Kagome turn down their bed and together, they settled into the sheets. Sesshomaru reached for the remote control and then flipped off the lamp. Soon, they were engrossed in a movie, all thoughts of Kikyo gone.
Inu Yasha sat in his room and allowed his body to relax. He had never been so happy. He was jealous of Sesshomaru at one time. He had a gorgeous mate and had a pup on the way. Kagome was everything a mate should be and it was constantly pointed out to him by others that Kagome forced Sesshomaru to be more personable and approachable, at least when she was with him.
He remembered a few days ago when he had left class and walked outside. He saw his group sitting under a couple of trees and Sesshomaru was propped up against one with Kagome sitting between his legs. He had his hands on her stomach and was rubbing it, feeling his pup kick at him and then laughing when their tiny pup strained to get near his hand. It was clear that the pup was aggressive, trying to get at its parents for attention even before it was born. Kagome had laughed as Sesshomaru told their friends that Kagome had taken the habit of cuddling up to his back at nights, and the pup had decided that his lower back was the perfect target for kicking. Every morning, he would wake up with a sore back and a very happy mate. Apparently, Kagome told him that if she had to go through the pains of carrying the pup, he could deal with how she slept, and she had decided it was much more comfortable on her side, her belly resting against Sesshomaru's back and her leg thrown over his. Inu Yasha wished that he could trade places with Sesshomaru, and it was his pup that everyone was so excited about.
Now, he had what Sesshomaru had. He was going to have a pup. Now that Kikyo was pregnant, he decided that he would throw away his plans and mate her. He wanted to make sure that he respected the mother of his pup, and he would not force her to be single when she delivered. He finally felt like he had something to look forward to. When Sesshomaru made his announcement, Inu Yasha was actually happy for his brother. He no longer felt that he needed to compete with him. He would finally have what Sesshomaru had, a family. Nothing could take that away from him. With that thought, Inu Yasha drifted to sleep, a smile playing on his lips as he thought about how his pup would look like.
Kikyo parked her car and sat in the dark. Finally, a pair of headlight was seen and a car parked next to hers. Kikyo closed her eyes and gulped. She didn't really want to see this person, but he now had her and could ruin her chances with Inu Yasha. She heard a tap on her window, and she pressed the button to make the window roll down.
"Ahh, Kikyo. It was so nice of you to come and meet me." Naraku said, his eyes glinting in the streetlight.
"What do you want, Naraku? I have to get home. It's late and I need to go to bed." Kikyo said, her eyes narrowing.
Naraku smiled. He leaned in and took in a deep breath. His eyes widened and he stepped back. "My, Kikyo. Who would have thought?" He asked, shaking his head.
Now Kikyo was getting angry. "What in the hell are you talking about, Naraku? Get to the point of why you wanted to meet me and let me go home."
Naraku smirked. "I just wanted to see you, my dear. I wanted to thank you for Monday night. It was magical for me." He said, smiling at the angry woman.
Kikyo paled. "It was not magical. It was a mistake." She said, starting up her car.
Naraku leaned over and whispered, "Well, what would you say that we let Inu Yasha know what happened Monday and let's let him decide if it was magical or not. You will continue to meet me here every other night and you will give me what I want, or I will tell that idiot boyfriend of yours that you slept with me and that you were the one who initiated it. Hell, I'll even tell him that we had been together off and on for a year until Yura came into the picture. Now, get out of your car and follow me. I need a release and you are going to provide it." He growled, opening up her door.
Kikyo's lips trembled. She turned off her car and got out. He smirked at her and led her into the forest. He stopped when he thought that they were far enough from prying eyes. Once they were far enough away, Kikyo proceeded to follow every single one of Naraku's desires. When they were done, Naraku stood and silently dressed.
Kikyo also stood up. Her hands were balled into fists at her side and she felt dirty. "Sesshomaru will never allow you near her. I also know that Kagura is going to warn Kagome about you. You will never get Kagome into your bed, idiot. Why not give it up?" She asked, glaring at the hanyou in front of her.
Naraku smiled at her. "Kagome will be mine. If I have to, I will kill off the competition. But, until I make my move, you will continue to do as I say." He said, walking away from her and back down the path that they had taken.
Kikyo quickly dressed and followed him. He was already at his car when she arrived. He glanced over at her, and then shook his head. He got in his car and started it up. As he drove away, he lit up a cigarette and took in a deep breath. He drove away from Kikyo and allowed their encounter to cloud his mind. While they had rutted, he had been imagining that it was Kagome that he was making love to, however, Kikyo was many things, but she was not Kagome. However, she did share one thing with Kagome. She was pregnant. He smirked. He had to wonder how Inu Yasha would take it when he found out that Kikyo carried Naraku's child and not his. Well, it wasn't his problem. It wasn't as if he was going to do something as stupid as Sesshomaru and accidentally mark a woman that was supposed to be a quick screw. He didn't give a damn that he had fathered a child with Kikyo. He would take care of Kagome's pup before taking care of Kikyo's pup any day. Now, he had to think of a way to get Kagome to see him as someone she could rely on. The question was, how?
Kikyo got into her car and drove home. When she got to her house, she went inside and to her room. She saw that she had a call on her answering machine, and she played it. It was Inu Yasha telling her how happy he was and that he missed her. His loving message reduced her to tears and she dropped to her knees as her body rocked with sobs. How was she going to get through this?