To my most gracious audience,

Here we are. at the end of my first published work on . thank you all for being with me and supporting me as you have, I hope that you will join me again with the next phase of my saga, The Rightful Heir. thank you again and see you all soon!

Your author,

idreamofinuyoukai

Here goes...

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Shippo fell to the ground, everything in his small body hurt, he felt like he was being torn apart by the seams, and screamed. All around, the palace there was the sounds of agony. Servants military, staff, crumbled and writhed in pain. Then at once the pain stopped. Shippo was assaulted by the overwhelming scents and noises of the palace, and passed out as Keade was calling to him. He heard her wail in fright, but he could neither move or look up to see what had shocked her.

Sesshoamru found a spring nearby. Looking into the water he saw the demon markings that adorned his face, he cringed a little seeing the markings on his eyes that resembled womens make up. Bur the dog beast, that stared back at him from the water was something that he had never imagined. He tried to change back and watched as the dog featured melted into features of another man that he did not recognize. He was young, much younger then he has looked an hour ago. He rubbed his chin, the stubble that had grown since the last time he shaved was gone. He had regressed to that of a teenager and he knew he was a man in his early thirties. He looked around everything was sharp and clearer then ever before. He could pick out the individual sounds of nature and scented the different smells. Everything was clear to him for the first time in his life.

the palace was in chaos when they arrived. There were creatures all kinds running and fighting around the grounds. Sesshoamru could hear the commotion from the edge of the forest and hurried.

Upon seeing his arrival many of the creatures fled, feeling the unmatched power that emanated from the three men.

"As your lord I command you to cease." Sesshomaru said. The majority of the grounds stilled, except for the crazed who continued to rampage. Sesshoamu grabbed a hold of a demon that crossed him and crush3d his skull in his hands. He flung the brains from his hand and the rest of the field quieted.

"I know that this is a surprise, none of us expected to become demons but I have had your loyalty this far and I ask that you re-pledge yourselves and rejoin the ranks of my demon army. There is much work to be done. As you have also experienced this chaos, so had the rest of the region." everyone, who valued their lives listened. All around demons knelt and bowed. Sesshomaru stood tall and looked at each of his men, seeing all manners of demons among them.

Touganoumaru swept inside and looked around anew at his residence.

Rin toured the palace with a kind of wonder. The creatures were unimaginable and beautiful in both their terror and elegance. She moved effortlessly through them feeling more at home then she had ever before in her life. She went to her room though, ready to lay down for a nap.

Sliding into her comfortable bed she tried to forget the anger that she had felt when naraku had called her mother a whore. She knew different, before she had gotten sick she was both kind and beautiful. Her father had left them In the village and told her that he would be home but we was killed in a raid. Rin still felt sick when she though about the way that her mother had cried. She tried to remember her father more but she always was drawn back to the same image of his retreating bach and dark hair that was very much like her own. She had gotten her eyes from her mother though. Rin drifted to sleep remembering the worst days of her life.

She had been small as a child of five winters. Her mother passed away in her arms and the same day, the villagers came to drive her out of town, calling her a leach on the community. Rin watched from the bushes as the people burned down her family hut, with her mother still inside. She ran, for what seemed like hours, before she felt it. There was a feeling of serenity, that pinged her interest, and she followed it. She tread for a mile, continuing to pursue the sense.

Then she saw him, through the bushes laying against a rock for support. He has bleeding out of his side. But he didn't show any sign that he was in pain. He looked at her as soon as she broke through the trees. He was different then anyone she had ever seen before. He sneered at her but she felt no danger being near him.

" Hello, you are wounded, sir." she said coming closer.

" Leave girl. I will kill you." he growled. She could tell that he couldn't move from his place and approached.

" I know, some water will help." she said.

" I need nothing from you, go." he turned his face from her.

Rin didn't pay him any mind and set of to find the river that she had cam upon in the forest. Rin was resourceful and managed to create a small cup from leaves and dried bamboo shoots. She drank some for herself and carried back what she could fro the injured man. When she set it down before him she smiled. " drink it, it will make you feel better." she suggested. He was trapped in her gaze and fought to keep from bending to her will but he found himself reaching for the container and drinking as she had said. Rin cared for him for two days before he told her who he was. He demanded that she leave him but she confessed that her parents had both died.

" Child, Rin, leave me alone. I do not wish to be burdened with a child. I have the duties of a Lord to attend."

" My lord. I will not be a burden." she promised. He tried to leave her several times after he was able to walk. Each time she would call out to him and run after him. He would fight to get away but she knew that he remained just in front of her out of her sight. After three days he stopped and waited for her. She caught up to him and watched as he held out his stoic hand to her and she accepted it gratefully. He carried her the rest of the way to the palace and placed her there under his protection. She had always felt safe. She had known since the moment that she saw him that he would be her protector. She could trust him with her life and she clung to him, grateful for the safety that he provided.

That was three years ago. Rin came awake when she heard the door to her chamber open. She knew that he was there and turned, sitting up. " Lord Sesshomaru." she said happily. He looked different but she loved the pretty markings that covered his cheeks and forehead. He scented the room.

" Rin, there is much that has happened this day, I want to know if you are harmed." he said coming closer and sitting near her on the side of her bed. She shook her head.

" I am alright, my lord."

Misaki felt her body convulse and her energy dwindled causing her to rapidly age. She cursed and dragged herself to the mirror at the far side of her chamber. She waved her arm before it and nearly gasped when she saw Naraku bleeding and unconscious in the forests. He had been defeated. She frowned and swept her graying hair back over her shoulder.

Misaki walked to the window of her chamber that faced the western lands. " have you came back to ruin my plans sister, or is it you brother that has meddled in my fun. I will just have to see to this personally." she muttered to herself. Summoning a cloud of demonic energy Misaki stepped out onto it and whizzed away into the afternoon sky.

She found Naraku easily and stepped gracefully onto the forest floor. " mistress." Naraku grumbled trying to pull himself up. She smiled at her faithful minion and knelt to him taking his face in her hands lovingly.

" Naraku, you have watched this region for many years. And, you have done an acceptable job, up until now." she frowned.

" No my lady... I will redeem myself."

" shh. Naraku, we both know that you failed me.." she leaned down to kiss his forehead and felt him tremble crying in pain and fear. He begged her, pleaded on deaf ears. Misaki pulled his aura into herself and devoured him. Standing she looked down at his empty clothing and picked up his chest covering to wipe her mouth. Turning her eyes toward the demon village at the edge of the forest. " I will just have to do this my self." she said blandly, and set off toward the village.

Shippo came to, looking at Keades shocked face. He heard Kagomes' voice in the background and reached out for her. She grasped his hand.

" kagome..." he struggled to sit up she was looking at him shocked.

" Shippo. you're a fox demon." she said and pulled on his bushy tail. Shippo looked behind him and felt the fangs in his mouth with his tongue. He scented the air and almost passed out again from the assault on her senses.

" Child, Shippo." he heard lord Sesshomaru' voice and trembled. Looking up he knew was almost overwhelmed by the force of his aura. He gulped and reached for Kagome. She brushed his hair back gently. " You are a demon, as this curse has been lifted the area has been unsealed and the demonic energy belonging to the inhabitants of the village has been restored." Shippo looked from one person to the next.

" Kagome smells different." he observed and wrinkled his nose. " he scent burns my nose. He said before sneezing.

" That is because she is a priestess. But do not fear her powers. You are safe with her." he said assuring the young demon. Shippo felt stronger, faster everything that he had ever wanted seemed just at his fingertips.

" Shippo, you have a cute tail" Rin said running in happily. Shippo got up and found that he could not only see farther but run faster without getting tired. He chased Rin all around the room and ran cirles around her when she got tired. Shippo sat on a low chair and scented the air once more.

" There are a lot of demons aren't there?" he asked looking around. Kagome nodded.

" The village was made up of mainly demons, it seems like myself Keade, Miroku, Saongo and her family were the only human inhabitants. She explained. Shippo looked at her understanding for the first time.

" I want to be with you still. Do you love me, even if I am a demon?" he asked. Kagome smiled brightly at her young friend.

" There is nothing that would make me love you any less." she said taking the child in her arms.

" Does this mean, that your going to stay and be with lord Sesshomaru' and be my family as well?" Rin asked innocently.

" Rin I will stay as long as lord Sesshomaru wants me." she said turning to look at her husband. He nodded, telling her that he indeed wanted her to stay and took her hand in his own.

Touganoumaru toured the village he experimented with speed endurance and accuracy and found his skills sharper then he had ever imagined. He looked into the fading daylight and saw the first stars twinkling through the sky. He set off for the north that day. Not looking back to the place that had stolen much from his life. He turned to look into the distance he would return to the place of his birth and redeem himself for the death of his wife, if the old demoness would see him he planned to beg her forgiveness. taking one last look at the disaster that he had left for his sons to clean up, he sighed, and summoned a traveling mist to carry him to the tribe and flew into the distance.

In the private chamber of the western lord, Sesshomaru waited until the stars had totally conquered the night sky, before waking Kagome from her rest. He had been watching her sleep all night and could not stop himself any more from waking her.

" What is it Sesshomaru? " she asked sleepily.

" I am a demon now. I am beginning to forget what it's like to be human." he said concerned. He had been thinking about this since he had returned. He had been shocked himself when he saw the look of terror that had crossed her face. Kagome sat up and reached for his hand.

" You are not human. You never were, and its alright to be what you are meant to be." she said reassuring him.

" this is all so new, I do not know how to control this, and I am afraid that I will hurt you." he admitted trying to scent for her reaction, she was calm, unwavering and when he looked at her she was sitting up staring at him with eyes that told him how foolish that he was being. she had a way of correcting him when he wasn't thinking clearly. he exhaled the breath that he hadn't realized that he had been holding and sat up beside her.

" I know that you wont hurt me. I love you." she said taking his face in her hands and rubbing his cheek with the pad of her thumb. he caught her and and folded it between his own clawed hands.

His eyes were filed with gratitude and genuine nervousness when he leaned forward and lifted her chin in his fingertips. Closing the distance between them, he placed his lips against hers and pulled her close. " I want you to stay." he said meaning it " I will never allow you to leave me, you are mine, and I will always protect you." She felt the tears well up and he wiped them from her eyes.

gasping Kagome felt the strength leave her body when she felt his hands caress her back and follow the line of her hip, almost as if trying to memorize her, she found strength grasping his shoulders and felt the granite like flesh of his naked back. Kagome was mesmerized in the feel of protection and comfort that being in his arms brought to her. finding some courage of her own she leaned up to place her lips against his and moved closer.

Sesshomaru' mind was brought to attention scenting the change in her. She grasped his skin trying to reach for the pleasure that he was awakening in her, and he was beginning to loose patience himself. Sesshomaru took a steadying breath, and chastised himself for being in too much of a hurry when his claw scraped her thigh, and a red bead dripped from the cut. Kagome did not notice and complained when he pulled back to look at it.

The scent of her blood was tempting, instinctually he leaned to the scrape and licked it before he could even understand what he was doing. Kagome sucked in a cold breath, startled at the unexpected action, but froze when the red hot stare of her husband told her that he wanted more. she whimpered, feeling the lust that surfaced in him as soon as he tasted her blood, he licked his lip where some of her blood had smeared his skin. Then he was on her before she could make a sound. sesshomaru crashed his lips to hers and pealed her youkata from her body. Kagome shivered embarrassed, but he didn't care, couldn't focus on any thing else. With adrenaline and hormones batting at his defenses, he was barely able to control his hands as he touched her every where, wringing throaty moans from her, until finally with his eyes locked on hers he entered her unable to wait any longer.

Kagomes' hands clenched in the sheets when pain shot through her, but as soon as he began to move she was gasping unable to believe what he had awakened in her, she was helpless nearly at the point of tears when he reached something inside her that set off an explosion of reactions through her. crying out, she held on to him as an anchor. he was close too, he could feel the ecstasy that was rising in his entire body, he growled and tried to be gentle but found himself helpless to the feel of her body surrounding him. finally he crested, moaning aloud and holding her with arms like iron bands to him, until he was able to once more see past the red haze that had overcome him. taking control of himself once more he move away from her and settled back onto his side and propped himself up on his elbow. she was still coming down and had her eyes closed with a smile playing across her features. Sesshomaru felt his chest tighten, looking at the smile that held more influence over him then any other being possessed. he wanted to keep it there, always.

feeling protective Sesshomaru pulled her to his chest and breathed in the her scent which making her smile grow" I love you." he said to her , meaning it. he was still amazed that she was really in his life. it was more then he had ever expected, that so much had happened and still he had her there with him. She cupped the side of his face.

" I love you too Sesshomaru." she said before drifting out of contentiousness.

Sesshomaru watched over her all night and was content when she awoke the next morning and rolled over with the blanket wrapped around her. Going down to the dinning hall he discovered his fathers departure and sighed much the same way that his father had. He had suspected as much. Inuyasha was yawning and looked at him bored.

" So, dad took off... did he say anything to you?" he asked Sesshomaru didn't answer. He had not seen or heard from his father since the day before and was perplexed with the idea that his father had left him to clean up everything from the curse.

" Lord Sesshomaru what are we going to do now." Hyate asked he flashed his pearl white fangs and shook his wolfs main which has put several inches on his hair and claws. Sesshomaru was satisfied with this question.

" That is simple. I will become the most powerful demon in existence." he said confidently.

" What, your not powerful enough already." Inuyasha said not shocked by his response. " really what is your plan, world domination?" Inuyasha snorted. Sesshomaru growled at him threateningly and shut his brother up.

" I will reassert my reign, as a demon. I am to carry on grandfathers name and become the most powerful demon in japan." he said done discussing it. Inuyasha believed him and just shook his head. He wanted to get out of there himself. He scented the power from his brother and knew in his heart that Sesshomaru did not need his help in protecting Kagome, or Rin. It was okay with him, he was going to miss Kagome, but he could live without his brother.

Sesshomaru walked through his palace and marveled at the sense of uncertainty that the future held for him. He rounded the corner to where his wife waited for him in their chamber and entered the still dark room. He opened the curtains letting the light in and waking her simultaneously. Kagome groaned and rolled over.

" Sesshomaru! I need a few more minutes of rest. She complained muffled in the pillow beneath her head. He walked over and yanked the covering off of her.

" Kagome, there is still much work to do, as the lord and lady of the region we have a responsibility to ensure the safety of our lands. Wit the recent turn of events. Let us suffice to say that our people need us." he said leaning over her and picking her up out of the bed. She clung to him grumpily but sighed knowing that she had lost the battle for sleep.

They did have a lot of work ahead of them. Thinking about it set Kagomes' teeth on edge but as she looked up at the serene look on Sesshomaru's face she knew that after what they went through together they could handle anything.

AN: eeeek! so exciting. now don't forget to check on the sequel. it will tie up a lot of loose ends as well as introduce a few new characters! its called the rightful heir just click on my page and enjoy. also, if you wanted to check out my SESS/KAG one shot, called silent night..* update 5/15/16 rightful heir is in reconstruction for anyone who might have started reading it and has found it erased. I will repost it as soon as I fix a horrid plot error. thank you all for your patience and support! please review and tell me what you think :)