Hello to all my very patient readers. I have received countless emails asking that I continue this story. I also have a Gundam Wing story in the mix, and I appreciate your patience. I have kept you waiting long enough. Without further ado, here is chapter 8. Thanks again for your patience.

Lady Amira

Disclaimer: No, I do not own Inuyasha.

Chapter 8

Kagome glanced nervously about as Hachi flew her in the direction of Kouga's lair. Hachi noticed, and asked, "Is everything okay, Kagome?"

Kagome started, having been deep in thought. "Huh? Oh, sure Hachi, I'm fine."

"Are you sure? You seem…nervous about something. Does this have something to do with you getting separated from Master Miroku and the others?"

Kagome sighed. "I am worried about something Hachi, but it has nothing to do with the others. I'm in a bit of trouble with a demon and I'm really sorry to involve you in this."

Hachi gulped. "Will this demon come after us? I don't want to be his next meal."

Kagome shook her head. "He wouldn't eat you Hachi. He'll come after me when he realizes I'm gone, but you'll be long gone by then. He won't know you had a hand in my escape."

"Escape?" Hachi asked. "Were you taken prisoner by him?"

Kagome sighed again, "It's a bit more complicated than that."

Hachi didn't know what to make of that. "Is it Naraku?"

Kagome shook her head. "No, but I was kidnapped and taken to his castle a few days ago."

Hachi's eyes widened. "What kind of trouble are you in Kagome?"

"Don't worry Hachi. I can take care of myself. I just need you to get me to Kouga so I can borrow his jewel shard."

They traveled in silence for a while, each lost in their own thoughts. After what seemed like forever, Kagome spotted a familiar waterfall in the distance. "There it is Hachi. Just up ahead." 'Please be there Kouga. I really need your help.'

Meanwhile, Inuyasha, Sango, Miroku, and Shippo arrived in the clearing where Kagome had been kidnapped. Inuyasha sniffed the air and growled.

Miroku glanced at him. "What's wrong Inuyasha? Was Kagome here?"

Inuyasha turned and headed east, toward the edge of the trees. "She was here all right, but something isn't right. I can smell traces of two humans and something else…" He sniffed the air again. "Kagura! That devious bitch! If she hurt Kagome-"

Sango glared at him. "If she did it's your fault Inuyasha. You never should have been with Kikyo to begin with." Inuyasha glared back at her. "I already told you to stop talking about Kikyo like that."

Sango shook her head. "If you wanted to be with her, you should have told Kagome that before she fell in love with you."

Inuyasha growled. "Shut up! You don't know anything about it. We need to focus on finding Kagome." He followed her scent until he came to the edge of the trees. There he spotted something white on the ground and sped over to snatch it before the others could see what it was-Kagome's underwear.

He could smell two human males and became enraged when he sorted through the scents and realized what had happened to his friend. But what did Kagura have to do with all this? He didn't want to tell the others about what had happened to Kagome. Miroku would be appalled and Sango would most likely make good on her threat to kill him.

Shippo came up behind Inuyasha. "What is it Inuyasha? Did you find something?" Inuyasha quickly slipped the panties into his haori. "Nah. It was nothing."

Shippo sniffed the air. "I can smell Kagome and some humans. I wonder what happened."

Inuyasha shrugged. "Dunno, but we won't find out just sitting here."

Miroku suddenly called out, "Inuyasha, come take a look at this!" Inuyasha and Sango joined Miroku and Sango gasped. "Kagome's bow and arrows! She would never leave those behind. She must have been kidnapped."

She looked at Inuyasha. "Well? Where does her scent lead? We have to find her before something bad happens to her." Inuyasha sniffed and pointed southwest. "It leads this way, but it's faint. I'm not sure we'll be able to catch up to her before the scent fades."

Sango glanced at the sky, noting the dark clouds that had begun to move in. She turned a murderous gaze on Inuyasha. "You better get moving then. We need to find her before the storm comes."

Inuyasha began walking, but replied, "Even if we don't find her before then, I'm sure she's fine. It was a couple of humans that took her. Kagome's powerful. She can handle a couple of humans." He sounded confident, but he was panicking on the inside. He was terrified that the men had killed her after using her. Or maybe sold her as a slave.

It wasn't unheard of. Young girls were sometimes sold by their parents to pay debts, or they were kidnapped by bandits and sold for profit. He prayed that was not Kagome's fate. If she had been sold, they might never find her. She could have been sold to anyone, anywhere in the country. 'Please be okay Kagome. I'm going to find you. I promise.'

At Naraku's castle things were not boding well. He had watched with twisted glee as the men tormented Kagome. Everything had been going well until Sesshomaru had shown up. He watched angrily as Sesshomaru took her away. Once he reached his castle, Naraku could no longer keep an eye on the situation due to the demon lord's barrier.

She was supposed to have been taken somewhere where Inuyasha could never find her. Inuyasha and his brother were always at odds and Sesshomaru was always trying to get his brother's sword. He may very well trade the miko's freedom for the damn sword. Then Inuyasha and his friends would have their precious jewel detector back. He couldn't have that. He had no wish for them to track him down while he hunted for the few remaining shards.

It was then that it hit him. An idea so obvious he couldn't believe he hadn't thought of it before. A devious smile lit his face. Oh, yes. It was brilliant. He called for Kanna and waited impatiently for the young albino demoness to show up.

Hachi landed at the top of the cliffs and transformed back to his raccoon self, tucking the leaf into a pocket. "You're sure about this Kagome? Wolf demons can be untrustworthy. I'm not sure it's safe for you here."

Kagome smiled at him. "I'm sure Hachi. This particular tribe is trustworthy. They're friends of mine. Their leader will help me-Kouga's really nice."

Hachi looked at her skeptically. "If you say so Kagome. I'm staying with you until I'm certain you're safe with them. Master Miroku would never forgive me if something happened to you."

Just then, Ginta came running up, grinning from ear to ear. "Hey sis, what are you doing here? We haven't seen you in a long time."

Hachi looked puzzled. "Sis?"

Kagome smiled. "I told you they were friendly. They're like family." She turned to Ginta. "It's nice to see you too Ginta. Where's Hakkaku? You two are usually inseparable." Ginta gestured behind him. "He's back there somewhere. We're in charge of the hunting today."

Just then, the demon in question came jogging up, out of breath and burdened with a dead boar. Several wolves followed behind him. "Slacking again Ginta? You were supposed to help me with-" He stopped when he caught sight of Kagome. "Oh, hi Kagome. So that's what he went running off for. It's been a long time."

Kagome smiled at him. "Nice to see you Hakkaku. I actually came to see Kouga. Is he here?"

Hakkaku nodded. "Yeah, he's back at the cave. Come on, I'm sure he'll be happy to see you." He glanced at Hachi. "So, who's the raccoon?"

Hachi glared at him. "My name is Hachi and I'm a friend of Kagome's. I'm staying with her to make sure she's safe from you wolves."

Ginta laughed. "Safe? We would never hurt Kagome. She's like a sister, since she's Kouga's-"

Kagome cut him off, "Okay, let's find Kouga, shall we?" She shoved Ginta forward. "Lead the way Ginta." Ginta and Hachi both gave her a puzzled look. Ginta shrugged and began to walk toward the cave. The wolves made a semi-circle around Kagome, sniffing and wagging their tails like tame dogs.

Kagome giggled and patted their heads. "Hey guys." One of the wolves let out a bark and bounded ahead of Ginta, the other wolves followed suit.

A short time later, they arrived at the cave behind the waterfall. Kouga was petting his wolves and turned to look at his right hand men. "Jeez, you guys took forever. How long can it take to hunt down a-" He stopped dead when he saw Kagome. His eyes widened and then he smiled. "Hey Kagome. Long time, no see."

He glared at his men. "Why are you just standing there? Make Kagome comfortable. I won't have my woman feeling like she isn't welcome here." He glanced at Hachi. "Who's this raccoon dog, another meal?" Hachi glared at Kouga. "My name is-"

Kagome cut him off. "He's a friend Kouga. His name's Hachi. He's the one who brought me here." Kouga scratched his head. "Oh, well why didn't you say so?" He turned back to Hachi. "Sorry about that. Any friend of my woman is okay by me."

Hachi frowned, "Your woman?" Kagome's face was flaming. "No, I'm not his woman, and he's well aware of that, aren't you Kouga?"

Kouga grinned and shrugged. "I told you I wouldn't stop trying to win you from that mutt Inu-trasha."

Kagome sighed. "Kouga, we've been through this a hundred times. His name's Inuyasha and I'm not some contest between the two of you."

Kouga came to her and put his arm around her. "Of course not. There's no contest. I'm way better than that whelp. Speaking of that, where is he? He'd never let you come here alone."

Kagome was getting frustrated. "Inuyasha can't tell me where to go or what to do. He's not my keeper you know." Kouga frowned. "What's wrong Kagome?"

Kagome sighed. "I'm sorry. I've got a lot on my mind. I didn't mean to snap at you. I actually came here to ask if I could borrow one of your jewel shards."

Kouga raised an eyebrow. "Sure, but why would you need to? I thought you had your own."

Kagome looked at the ground. I did, but Naraku-" Kouga growled at the mention of that demon. He tilted her chin up so he could see her eyes. "Did that bastard hurt you, Kagome? If he did, I swear-"

Kagome shook her head. "No, he didn't hurt me; he just took my jewel shards." Kouga frowned and leaned toward her. She gasped and tried to pull away, but he only sniffed her. He growled. "His scent is on you. So is someone else's. Two human men and..." He sniffed her again and his eyes narrowed. "Why the hell do you smell like the mutt's brother?" What's going on Kagome?"

Kagome shoved at him, but he wouldn't let her go. His eyes searched her face, then traveled lower and froze when they locked on the mark on her throat. He hissed. "Who, Kagome? Who marked you as their mate?" Ginta and Hakkaku gasped.

Kagome's face was red with embarrassment. "It's not what it looks like." she muttered. "He didn't—"

Kouga glared at her. "The mark is there, plain as day! A demon marks his mate to brand her as his so no other demon can touch her. Tell me what's going on."

Kagome pulled away, making a mental note to check her throat when she got home. "I don't have to tell you anything Kouga. You're not my keeper any more that Inuyasha is. I just need to borrow your jewel shard so I can go home to my world. Please."

Kouga shook his head. "Not until you tell me what's really going on." Kagome sighed. "Not with all these guys here." Kouga took her by the arm and walked toward the cave entrance. He glared at his men. "What are you guys staring at? Eat your dinner. I'll be back."

After they were out of hearing range Kouga let Kagome's arm drop and crossed his arms over his chest. "Well?" He asked. Kagome swallowed and took a deep breath. She started to explain what happened hesitantly, and then it came out in a rush. Kouga listened to her without interrupting, his jaw tightening as she went on.

When she finished she peered up at him through her eyelashes. "Please say something." Kouga continued to stare at her and finally said, "So are you telling me this guy raped you?" Kagome blushed and shook her head. "No. The slave traders raped me. Sesshomaru didn't; he saved me from them."

Kouga glared at her. "You mean to tell me you let that demon make you his mate? Do you realize what that means?"

Kagome glared back at him. "You know Kouga, this really isn't your business. I don't know what happened with Sesshomaru, but I sure don't remember him marking me—that, I would have remembered."

Kouga snorted. "I'm sure. When a male demon marks his mate, he makes a blood exchange. He mixes his blood with that of his mate, creating what's called a blood bond. He can sense the emotions of his mate through the blood bond, and sometimes influence emotions as well. It's possible he made you think you wanted him."

Kagome shook her head. "It wasn't like that. I can't explain it. I just want to go home, okay? I can't do that without a shard of the jewel, and Naraku took mine. I'm asking you as a friend to please lend me one of yours."

Kouga studied her for a moment. "Did he hurt you? Is that why you want to go home?"

Kagome shook her head. "No, it's not like that. I never wanted to be mated to a demon. I just wanted to defeat Naraku and make the jewel whole again. Becoming some sort of princess was not part of the plan."

Kouga raised an eyebrow. "Princess, huh?"

Kagome sighed. "Sesshomaru is the lord of the Western Lands."

Kouga laughed. "You mean to tell me that Inuyasha is of noble birth?"

Kagome nodded. "We're wasting time. I need to get home. Are you going to let me borrow your jewel shard or not?"

Kouga shook his head. "I don't get it, Kagome; but if you think you're safer in your own home, then I'll let you borrow a shard." He used a claw to puncture his left arm and took out the shard. He cleaned the blood off and handed it to her. She smiled at him. "Thank you Kouga. I really appreciate it." She leaned up and pecked his cheek, then ran back toward the cave, calling for Hachi.

Ginta met her at the entrance. "That raccoon dog already left Kagome. I think all the wolves sniffing him made him nervous." Kagome's face fell. "How am I supposed to get home without my ride?" Kouga came up behind her and turned her to face him.

"I'll take you Kagome, but I just want to try something first." He lifted her face and leaned toward her. When his lips were inches from hers, she realized what he intended to do, and she gasped. "Kouga, I don't-"

"Shhh. It's okay Kagome. I won't hurt you." His lips touched hers in a gentle kiss. Kagome didn't feel a thing, except discomfort. She liked Kouga as a friend. This wasn't right.

Seconds later, Kouga pulled away as if he'd been burned. His eyes searched hers and he murmured, "I've wanted to do that for a while now. I had to choose now to do it. I wanted to find out if it was possible to do that to another demon's mate. It's possible, but not without pain."

Ginta cleared his throat and Kagome jerked out of Kouga's arms, blushing furiously. She drew back her hand and slapped Kouga across the face. "You jerk! What were you thinking?"

Kouga smiled sadly and rubbed his cheek. "It was just a test Kagome. I hope we can still be friends. If that demon lord ever hurts you, you can come to me for help. I want you to know that, okay?" Kagome looked at the ground and nodded. "I know Kouga. I'll always be your friend."

Kouga smiled. "Good. Now, how do we get to your home?" Kagome pointed back the way she came. "It's that way, but you don't have to do that for me. Lending me your jewel shard was enough."

"I thought you said you were in a hurry. I have the fastest legs of anyone around here. Come on." He picked her up and looked at Ginta. "You and Hakkaku are in charge until I get back, got it?" Ginta nodded. "Sure thing boss." He looked at Kagome. "Bye sis. I guess we'll talk to you later."

Kagome smiled at him. "Bye Ginta." Then Kouga took off faster than the wind, and she held on tight as they headed toward the well. Home.

Meanwhile, at Sesshomaru's castle:

Jaken came upon Rin in the garden and rolled his eyes upon seeing the child making a crown of violets. The child really was useless. He called to her. "Rin, where is that bothersome wench?"

Rin looked up. "Do you mean Lady Kagome, Master Jaken? Lord Sesshomaru is going to marry her, you know. She'll be the Lady of the castle soon. You should be nicer to her."

"Yes, yes, you impertinent child. Have you seen her?" Rin nodded. "She was looking for Lord Sesshomaru a while ago. I don't know where she is now." Jaken rolled his eyes at that. "Useless child." He muttered.

Jaken made his way back to the castle, deep in thought. 'I wonder what is going on? Why does Lord Sesshomaru want the wench? There are many female demons who want to be with him. And where did the girl get to?'

He was so lost in thought he didn't watch where he was going and collided with Sesshomaru as the demon lord was coming out of the castle. He landed on his rump with a muffled "Oomph," He looked up to see his lord standing over him. He scrambled to his feet and bowed. "My Lord! Welcome back."

Sesshomaru looked down at him. "Jaken, what are you doing? Where is Kagome?" Jaken bowed his head. "I was just looking for her myself Lord Sesshomaru. She has inadvertently injured Ryu with her powers. It's nothing serious."

Sesshomaru's eyes narrowed. "Where is he?" Jaken gestured. "I believe he is in his room, my lord."

Sesshomaru went to Ryu's chambers and arrived in time to see the healer cleansing a minor burn on his cheek. He recalled the first day he had brought her here, and how she had burned him. The pain was nothing to trifle with. He had endured worse, but to a demon like Ryu, it would be excruciating. He watched the healer tend to the wound then waved her away. He stood by Ryu until the tiger demon opened his eyes a few minutes later. "My Lord!" he exclaimed as he jumped to attention.

"The miko used her powers on you. Do you recall why?"

Ryu nodded. "I'm afraid it was because of the drugs. She was very upset."

Sesshomaru nodded. "She was, but she will get over it." He looked at his captain out of the corner of his eye. "I take it you took those drastic measures to please me?"

Ryu bowed his head. "Yes, my Lord. Did I overstep my boundaries?"

Sesshomaru shook his head and smirked. "I was quite pleased. I want you to rest for a while. Do you know where Kagome went?"

Ryu blushed. "I'm sorry My Lord, but it pains me to admit that I passed out shortly after the lady injured me. Really, it was an accident. She was angry and her power flared up quite suddenly. She seemed surprised by it."

Sesshomaru nodded. "It's all right, I will find her. I will have second Captain Shinta take over your duties until you are healed." Ryu nodded. "Yes, My Lord."

Sesshomaru left the room and went in search of Kagome. Rin bumped into him as he came around the corner. "Oh, hello Lord Sesshomaru!" He smiled at her. "Rin, have you seen Kagome?" The girl shook her head. "Not for a while. She was looking for you earlier. Maybe she's hiding!" Sesshomaru shook his head. "I don't think so Rin, but why don't you help me search for her."

Rin grinned. "Yes my lord!" After a search of the castle and grounds, Sesshomaru determined Kagome was gone. She had run. He became angry. His mate dared to run from him? Even after he had warned her not to. He had been gone most of the day, so she could be a good distance away. Where would she go? Inuyasha was the most logical answer. He thought of her throwing herself into his brother's arms and hissed.

No! He wouldn't let the half breed touch his mate. He left the castle quickly, searching for her scent. He followed it until he came to the river in the woods. Her scent stopped there. She must've gone into the water to mask her scent. She was a clever one, his female. He would make it so she'd never want to leave him again. He could persuade her with the blood bond, if needed. He had to find her first. He began following the river.

The rain that had begun as a drizzle had quickly turned to a downpour. Inuyasha, Sango, Miroku, and Shippo took shelter in a nearby cave that Inuyasha had spotted. They had eaten and were sitting around the fire.

Inuyasha was in turmoil thinking of what could have happened to Kagome. He was sorry he had hurt her, and he was also confused about his feelings. He knew he loved Kikyo, but he didn't know what to make of what he felt for Kagome. His feelings for her had somehow shifted over the past couple of years without him realizing it. She was like family, but more. He cared for her and was very protective of her, but it was different from what he felt for Kikyo. In any case, he had to find her first, and he wasn't sure how he was going to do that. The rain had washed away what little of her scent had remained. They were back to square one.

On the other side of the fire, Miroku and Shippo had fallen asleep and were unaware of their friend's dilemma. Sango, however was watching the hanyou, and could see that he was deep in thought over something. She had a feeling that Kagome occupied her friend's thoughts and felt a twinge of regret. She had been pretty harsh with him since Kagome's disappearance.

Inuyasha started when Sango suddenly dropped down beside him. The demon slayer hadn't spoken to him much other than to berate him for what had happened to Kagome. He looked at her warily. "What is it, Sango? You gonna yell at me again?"

Sango shook her head. "No. I wanted to apologize for yelling at you so much before. I can see that you're upset about Kagome. I know how you feel. You've always been protective of her. I feel the same way. I've come to love Kagome as a little sister and I got upset when she vanished."

Inuyasha was surprised. He hadn't realized Sango felt that strongly about Kagome. He stared into the fire and muttered, "It's my fault she's gone. If I hadn't left her she'd still be safe with us."

Sango laid a hand on his arm. "Don't be so hard on yourself Inuyasha. We're going to find her. I know in my heart that Kagome is alive and well. If she wasn't, we would be able to feel it."

Inuyasha frowned. He hadn't thought of that. It was true they had some sort of connection. He would feel if she were gone. That still left the dilemma of locating her. She could be anywhere. He recalled that Kagura's scent had been in the clearing-that meant that Naraku may have had a hand in Kagome's disappearance, and that made him worry. Naraku was the embodiment of everything evil. Who knew what he'd done to Kagome-if he was the one who took her. Maybe it was time to track the wind sorceress down and ask her some questions.

Sango saw the worried expression on the hanyou's face. She was worried too, but a thought had just occurred to her. "Inuyasha?" she began. Inuyasha looked at her. "What is it Sango?"

Sango smiled. "I think maybe we should head back to the village. Kagome may have gotten away from her captors. You said you lost her scent a while ago. She could've doubled back to the well and gone home."

Inuyasha's eyes widened at that thought. "Why didn't I think of that before?" he exclaimed. "Kagome has the ability to put up a barrier that makes her scent undetectable. Of course! The humans that took her would have been easy for her to defeat." He jumped to his feet. "Come on Sango, let's go!"

Sango laughed. "Settle down Inuyasha." We can't go out in this rain. We'd all catch a cold. We need to wait until it lets up."

The hanyou sat down and growled. "Well as soon as this damn rain stops, we're getting the hell out of here. We need to find Kagome."

Sango smiled. "Just have patience Inuyasha. We will find Kagome. For the time being, you should get some rest." She lay down on the blanket she had taken out of her pack. Kirara came over and curled up next to her, purring contentedly.

Inuyasha sighed impatiently and leaned against the cave wall, closing his eyes. "Don't worry Kagome.' He thought. 'I will find you.'

Miles away, caught in the same storm, Kouga and Kagome had found shelter deep within a forest. Kagome sat on the ground by a large tree, shivering from the cold. Kouga had gone to find some wood to build a fire. She glanced around nervously. The woods were full of demons-she could feel them. If they attacked she had no weapon to defend herself.

She looked down at her hands, wondering if she could use her spiritual powers. She had only been able to tap into that raw power a few times; mainly when her life was in danger. Much of her energy had been drained today. She had used it to keep her barrier up. Kagome had let the barrier drop as soon as she and Kouga had gotten to 'camp'. She recalled how she had burned Sesshomaru. She shook her head. She didn't want to think about him. He was more than likely out searching for her now, despite the rain.

Kagome swallowed at that thought. There would be hell to pay if Sesshomaru got to her before she reached the well. He had warned her not to run from him. He had said his kind liked it. He was a full blooded demon. He enjoyed hunting down his prey before killing it. She shivered again. He was hunting her right now…

He wouldn't kill her, but he would punish her. 'I might not mind if he catches me'. Kagome shook her head to clear it. What the hell was wrong with her? Ever since she had spent the night with him…gods, she didn't want to think about that either. The thought was exciting, and that was so wrong. She had to escape to her own time where she was safe from the demon lord and his dominating ways.

Hopefully, he'd forget all about her. She looked up at the sound of footsteps coming closer, and smiled at Kouga as he came into camp, arms full of firewood and carrying two dead rabbits. She was relieved to have something to think about besides Sesshomaru.

Kouga nearly dropped the wood he was carrying when he caught Kagome's scent. Whatever she had been thinking about had her aroused. She was also in heat. The demon inside him demanded that he claim her, but the logical part of him knew better. She was already claimed. There was nothing he could do about it. He would just need to learn to control his demonic instincts around her.

He had kissed her earlier today, and had suffered a sharp, burning pain in his head. He didn't care to repeat that experience. He took a deep breath and walked toward the miko. She was smiling at him, the perplexed look from earlier gone.

Kouga knelt down and began building a fire. The silence between them was uncomfortable. Kouga cleared his throat and casually remarked, "Did you have a barrier up before? Your scent changed a while ago—it got stronger."

Kagome, relieved for the change in subject, replied, "Yes. I can project a barrier that masks my scent and aura from demons. I didn't want Sesshomaru tracking me down, so I kept it up all day—you probably didn't notice because you were inside it all day."

Kouga nodded and began skinning the rabbits, the fire blazing warmly. "So why did you let it down?" Kagome sighed. "I can't keep it up constantly because it drains my energy. I don't want to be useless if any of these demons decide to attack us." Kouga glanced at her. "I can smell them out there, but they won't attack us."

Kagome raised an eyebrow. "How do you know that?" Kouga grinned. "They're just low level demons. They wouldn't go up against me." He speared the two rabbits with sticks and placed them over the fire to cook. He went to the stream to wash his hands and came back. "Besides," he continued, "If they did attack, you wouldn't be fighting. It's a man's job to protect a woman. I mean, you don't even have a weapon."

Kagome held up her hands for him to see. Kouga snorted. "What? You think you could kill a demon with your bare hands?" he scoffed. Kagome just smiled. "I could, actually. My powers have grown a lot the last few years. I'm a lot more powerful than most people think,"

Koga looked at her skeptically, but shrugged. "Either way, we won't have to worry about it. I'll be able to hear if a demon gets within a hundred yards of us. I'll kill it before it can think twice, so you can rest easy Kagome."

Kagome leaned against a tree. "I don't think I'll be able to sleep. I'm afraid Sesshomaru will find me before I can get home."

Kouga frowned. "Are you sure he didn't hurt you Kagome? You seem awfully afraid of him."

Kagome shook her head. "I'm not afraid of him. He would never hurt me. It's just that he warned me not to try to run away from him."

Kouga nodded. "Inu demons love the chase—it's exciting for them, and his demonic instincts take over during a hunt. It's not wise for a female to run from her mate anyway. Once the mating is complete, the two need each other-constantly."

Kagome sighed. "I don't get this mating stuff Kouga. I don't really want to talk about it."

Kouga was silent for a moment, and then asked, "Did he force you to mate with him Kagome? Is that why you're so against it?"

"No, Kouga, that's not it. It wasn't Sesshomaru's fault. It was Ryu, the captain of his guard. He decided to drug my food to make me more….susceptible to Sesshomaru's charms."

Kouga choked on the water he had been drinking. "You mean you were given an….aphrodisiac?"

Kagome blushed. "Okay, this conversation is officially done now. I don't want to talk about it anymore." She leaned back and closed her eyes. Kouga followed suit, but was far from being relaxed. He pictured Kagome, naked and writhing in bed, desperate for the touch of a male. The thought of that male being himself got him hard as a rock in an instant.

He groaned. Great, an erection was just what he needed right now. He was an alpha male and had a very healthy sex drive. It wasn't his fault, it was just nature. He glanced at Kagome to make sure she was sleeping and stood to make his way to the opposite side of the clearing. There he spotted a group of bushes. He entered the bushes to find they concealed a small pool of water. He could use a bath, he decided.

He stripped off his clothes and waded into the cool water. It felt good against his aching shaft. He swam around for a while, hoping to cool off so he wouldn't have to take care of himself. It didn't work. It had been a long time since he'd had a woman. Ever since Kagura slaughtered his men and he went after Naraku he hadn't thought much about sex. That was a bad, because male demons needed sex.

He was blaming his arousal on Kagome. She had painted an erotic picture for him by telling him about the aphrodisiac. Kagome was a passionate girl, mostly showing it in her anger. She'd be exquisite using that passion in bed, he was sure. He groaned again as he wrapped his hand around himself, imagining it was Kagome's hand. Gods, what a stimulating thought. He began stroking himself and continued to fantasize about Kagome.

Kagome hadn't realized how tired she was until she closed her eyes. She was asleep almost instantly. She became lost in a dream of days gone by when she and her friends traveled together searching for jewel shards. The dream changed and Sesshomaru was standing before her, his eyes glowing crimson.

'I warned you not to run from me Kagome.' he growled. Kagome turned to run, but he was faster, one arm snaking around her waist, the other capturing her wrists to keep her from moving. Their bodies touched everywhere. Kagome could feel Sesshomaru's erection against her lower back and gasped. He growled again, in satisfaction. He leaned down to smell her hair and nuzzled her ear, darting his tongue out to l lick the shell of her ear.

'When you resist me you only make me want you more' he whispered. His lips traced a path from her ear to her throat, until he came to mark that branded her as his. He suckled on it and Kagome couldn't stop the moan of pure pleasure that escaped as she felt a jolt of desire clear to her toes. She didn't understand how he could do this to her. She didn't want him to, but her body seemed to have a will of its own. Sesshomaru reached both hands up to cup her breasts, finding her nipples erect, begging for his touch. He was annoyed that her kimono was in the way of his exploration, and untied the obi, letting the offending garment slide to the ground.

He sucked in a breath at the sight of her naked backside. His lips returned the mark on her neck. Kagome moaned again. She just couldn't help it. Sesshomaru was pleased. 'Why do you fight me? You clearly want me' he murmured. 'Do you want me to show you?" he asked as he trailed his hand down her stomach.

Kagome shook her head and gasped, 'No, I-' She cried out as his fingers delved into her. Sesshomaru was pleased to find her hot and wet; so ready for him. He was damn near ready to burst. He thrust two fingers into her and used his other hand to tease her nipples. He gently thrust against her backside, needing to take some of the pressure off his groin.

Sesshomaru teased Kagome's clit with his thumb as he thrust his fingers in and out of her slick channel. Kagome found herself thrusting back against him. She couldn't seem to help herself. Sesshomaru shed his clothes in moments and pushed Kagome down until she was on her hands and knees. He growled in her ear, "Now Kagome, I'll show you that you are mine.'

He entered her in one swift, hard stroke and Kagome screamed in pleasure. He groaned and picked up the pace. Kagome was panting and thrust back against him. He grasped her hips to hold her still. "I don't think so my beautiful miko." he growled in her ear. Sesshomaru held her still as he pounded into her mercilessly. Kagome cried out as she neared her climax. Sesshomaru could sense it and leaned down to bite into her shoulder. That sent her over the edge and she screamed as the orgasm took her.

The dream took a sudden twist when the forest faded into total blackness.

Kagome glanced down to find she had her school uniform on. That was strange since she didn't wear that anymore. She began walking forward tentatively, unsure of what was going on. There was nothing but total blackness all around her.

From the pitch black came a voice. "Come to me Kagome" Kagome spun. The voice seemed to be coming from behind her. There was nothing there. "Who's there?" she demanded. Naraku suddenly materialized a short distance away. He chuckled at her startled expression.

"What do you want?" Kagome asked him. Naraku smirked. "You, little miko. Only you." Kagome recoiled. "Why? You already took my jewel shards." The demon took a step toward her as she took a step back. "That is true miko, but I need you to help me locate the remaining shards."

Kagome glared at Naraku. "I would never help you Naraku!' The demon shook his head and tsked. "What a shame. If you do not come to me of your own free will, I'm afraid I'll have to kill your friends, one by one."

Kagome didn't back down. "You won't kill my friends Naraku." she countered. "We will get the jewel and we will destroy you!" Naraku laughed. "Not only will I kill them my dear little miko, I will take great pleasure in doing so."

Kagome tried not to show the fear she was feeling. "Even if you did manage to kill them, I still wouldn't help you." she said coldly.

Naraku was suddenly in front of her and she tried to run, but found she couldn't move. He laughed softly and caught her chin, forcing her to meet his crimson gaze. "If you do not obey me, I have other methods of persuasion." He circled until he was behind her. Kagome tensed, expecting an attack, but it seemed Naraku did not intend to attack her.

One arm was suddenly around her waist, the other hand circled her throat and he murmured in her ear. "I know your darkest secrets, Kagome. I know what you desire." His breath in her ear made her shudder in revulsion.

"What are you talking about?" She snapped. He chuckled and waved his hand into the void. An image appeared of Sesshomaru pounding into her from behind and she gasped, her face flaming. How did he know about that dream?

She gasped again as the hand that circled her throat slid down to cup her breast. Kagome tried to struggle against his hold, but she was somehow paralyzed. Naraku murmured," Oh yes, I know of your desire for the daiyoukai. I have been in your mind since you fell asleep. I took great pleasure in watching you. I can change my appearance at will—I could be Sesshomaru, if you wish. Would you like me to show you? " Kagome felt physically ill. The thought was revolting.

"Will you obey me now, miko?" Kagome shook her head frantically back and forth. She would never obey him. He laughed softly, and his voice suddenly turned husky. "Very well, you leave me no choice." He suddenly tossed her to the ground, but there was no ground. A bed materialized and Kagome landed upon it. She was still paralyzed and could do nothing as Naraku leaned over her.

"I would find this more interesting if you tried to resist me." He decided. He waved his hand Kagome was able to move. She scrambled out of the bed, or rather she tried to. Naraku was on her in moments pinning her to the mattress with ridiculous ease. He laughed wickedly at her attempts to escape.

"Stop it!" Kagome shrieked, struggling to free herself. He leaned down to lick her ear and whispered," I shall desist-if you come to me of your own free will. I only want a few more jewel shards. Is that too much to ask?" He caressed her belly, trailing his hand down, stopping just shy of the hem of her short skirt. "I do so enjoy tormenting people my dear, but I must say I have never enjoyed it quite as much as I am right now." Then, Naraku was gone, replaced by Sesshomaru.

Kagome renewed her struggles, screaming at the top of her lungs. "No! You can't do this to me! This is just a dream, I need to wake up!" From somewhere in the void, another voice could be heard. It was saying her name. The image of Sesshomaru faded, and Kagome continued to scream.

Kouga came running as Kagome's scream tore through the forest. He found her thrashing around on the ground. It looked as though she were fighting off an invisible attacker. He knelt down and shook her awake. "Kagome! Wake up, it's just a dream!"

Moments later, Kagome's eyes flew open and she bolted upright, gasping for air. Her eyes locked with Kouga's and she began to cry. He was a bit stunned when she threw herself into his arms and sobbed. He awkwardly patted her back, at a loss for words. He didn't say anything, and Kagome didn't mind. She just wanted to feel safe. She quieted down after a while, and eventually slept.

That was how she woke up the next morning. As soon as she realized she was sleeping in her friend's arms, she scrambled to her feet. Kouga immediately jumped to his feet, ready to fight. He relaxed when he saw it was only Kagome. "Are you okay Kagome?" He asked. She nodded. "I'm fine Kouga. I think I just need a bath."

Kouga pointed toward the clearing. "There's a little pool in the middle of some bushes over there. You better hurry though. We should get going. The sun is already up." Kagome nodded and walked toward the pool while Kouga got rid of the evidence that they had camped there.

Kagome entered the little clearing and stripped off her kimono and jumped into the pool. She quickly scrubbed and got dressed. She returned to Kouga and gratefully accepted the leftover meat from last night's supper. When she finished Kouga crouched down so she could climb onto his back. He sped off and Kagome put up her barrier around both of them.

Meanwhile, Inuyasha and the others had made their way back to Kaede's village. Inuyasha searched the village and surrounding woods. No sign of her. He returned to the village to let his friends know he was going to Kagome's time to look for her. He jumped into the well, praying he would find her on the other side.

Sesshomaru had made no progress with his trek along the river. He was getting angry. The rain had washed away any trace of her scent. He needed to find her before his idiotic brother did. He knew the mutt was looking for the beautiful miko. A growl rumbled in his chest at the thought of his mate and Inuyasha together. Gods help Inuyasha if he dared to touch his mate.

Sesshomaru headed in the direction of the village near where the pup had been sealed to the sacred tree. He had heard that was where Inuyasha lived now. That may be Kagome's destination as well. He sped up, hoping to find his mate soon. Mated demons needed the constant companionship of their females. Kami help anyone who stood in his way.

Kouga arrived in the village with Kagome and set her down. "So this is where you live?" he asked. Kagome shook her head and ran in the direction of the Bone Eaters Well. "Not exactly Kouga. I need to go a bit farther." Kouga sighed and scooped her up, running in the direction she had indicated. In mere moments he came upon an ordinary looking well.

He set Kagome down and inspected the well. His eyes widened at the scent. "This is the Bone Eaters Well I've heard about?" Kagome nodded. "Yup."

Kouga watched in confusion as she set one foot on the edge of the well as if preparing to jump. He grabbed her arm. "Kagome, what are you doing?"

Kagome frowned. "I'm going home." Koga was confused. "But this is a well…" Kagome sighed. "I knew I'd have to explain this sooner or later. You probably aren't going to believe me anyway. This well is made of wood from the sacred tree, so it transcends time. My home is actually about 500 years in the future."

Kouga's jaw dropped. Kagome rolled her eyes. "Yea, I figured you would react like that. I need a jewel shard to pass through the well to my own time. I'll stay at home until it's safe. I'll return your jewel shard as soon as I can." Kouga was still too stunned to say anything. Kagome pushed his hand away so she could jump.

She was about to do just that when a low, rumbling growl resounded through the clearing. The sound made her head snap around, and the hair on the back of her neck was raised. Twenty yards way, Sesshomaru stood motionless, his eyes locked on her. Her heart skipped a beat. She had been afraid he would find her before she was able to get home. She tensed, ready to jump, but Sesshomaru growled menacingly. "Don't move Kagome."

Kagome froze. Or rather, her body did. She wanted to run, but couldn't move. He must be using the blood bond. Kagome was terrified. He looked ready to kill. In seconds, he was behind her, one arm around her waist, the other hand sliding under her kimono to cup her leg just behind the knee. "I warned you not to run from me Kagome." He murmured in her ear. He sounded calm, but she could sense how angry he was.

Kouga had finally found his voice. "Hey buddy, just cool it. Kagome wants to go home."

Sesshomaru turned his glowing eyes on the wolf demon. "Kagome is none of your concern, Wolf. This Sesshomaru does not take orders. If you want to keep your head, I suggest you leave." Kouga was about to argue, when a flash of red came streaking out of the Bone Eaters Well. Inuyasha had returned.

It took him mere moments to figure out what was going on. Kagome was perched on the well as if she were about to jump, Sesshomaru was behind her, holding onto her a bit too intimately, and Kouga seemed to be arguing with him. All he cared about was the fact that his brother was touching Kagome. Sesshomaru hated humans, and he had tried to kill Kagome more than once.

He growled at his brother and drew his sword, prepared to fight. "Get the hell away from her you bastard!" he snarled.

Kouga rounded on Inuyasha. "Hey, mutt face, you just back off. I was protecting Kagome since you were slacking again."

Inuyasha growled at Kouga. "I don't have time to deal with you Kouga. Get the hell out of here."

Sesshomaru swiped at both males with his poisonous claws, causing them both to jump back. "I am taking Kagome home now. If you do not wish to die, let me pass. Gods help you if you try to stop me." Inuyasha took an offensive position with his sword, and Kouga cracked his knuckles. The three male demons faced each other and prepared for battle.

So ends my next chapter…an extra-long one for being so patient. Please read and review. I am anxious to see what all my readers think of where this is going.

Also, if you hadn't noticed, I have decided that Naraku will play some sort of roll in this. I'm not sure where I'm going with it as of yet. Just his usual evil and mayhem, I suppose. And making appearances in Kagome's wet dream. ;) I thought that was a yummy idea. At some point I will probably write a Nar/Kag fic. That should be fun.

That's it, then. So long until next time!

Lady Amira