You stated your case time and again.

There was no rest to be had, at least not for Kagome. They returned to Kaede's to find Sesshomaru and the demoness luring about.

"Io, what are you two doing here?" It had taken two days journey for them.

"Do you forget where it is my Ward resides half breed?"

Inuyasha rolled his eyes; he had forgotten about the little brat.

"Yeah, whatever you leaving her here or what?" He snapped,

"Stop your barking," Sesshomaru snapped,

"Yeah, whatever," He began to walk away, but two soldiers on horses stopped him "Move would ya,"

They didn't budge,

"Um, can we help you, men?" Miroku asked finally sitting down,

"We are here for Lady Almay,"

Kagome looked at the demoness,

"Yeah, and what's that go to do with me?" Inuyasha snapped,

"We must not linger, our presence is needed before my brother, that is why we came before Naraku's most timely interruption," The demoness said,

"K, you can do what you want,"

"Did my Lord not aid in the spider's death? Do you deny aiding him now?" She asked,

"Aid, he dont want my damn aid, k" He looked at Sesshomaru. "You asking, or is she?"

"You misunderstand, my brother and I are not asking,"

"You wanna fight!" Inuyasha turned to her.

Sesshomaru blocked his path, "K yeah, and since when you bend to some bitch?"

She was clearly not insulted by the name.

"I do as I wish Inuyasha,"

"Miko," Almay addressed Kagome "I am afraid your presents will also be required,"

Kagome wanted to groan. She was sore, tired, and still had not fully processed her current predicament. "Can I ask why?"

"My brother has not been very clear, but I was to look for Lord Sesshomaru and Lord Inuyasha as well as powerful Miko and trust me, Miko, when I say my brother does not seek aid lightly,"

He sounded like Sesshomaru,

"So your not Sesshomaru's lover?" Miroku blurted out.

Everyone wanted to smack their own faces.

Both Sesshomaru and Almay looked at the Monk "Demons do not kiss and tale Monk," Almay snapped, neither confirming nor denying it.

"Who is your brother," Kikyo brought to conversation back,

"Lord Valimaaru"

Everyone save Kagome, and Inuyasha looked almost perplexed.

"Uh, am I missing something?" Inuyasha asked,

"He is dark and dangerous Lord, his evil deeds could rival your brothers," Kikyo spoke coldly,

Sesshomaru cut his eyes to her, but if she insulted his person, he wasn't letting on that she had.

"He has a lot of blood on his hands for sure," Miroku spoke,

"He's evil?" Kagome asked,

"No," His sister defended "He a Lord of his people,"

"He is a war Lord," Sango said,

"He never killed a man who did not deserve it," She retorted,

"And the humans who died in his lands?" Sango asked,

"War is not pretty, and I do not deny he is no hero," She offered nothing else.

Miroku snapped his fingers "Ah Kagome, think Darcula!"

Kagome rose an eyebrow, Mirkou had read the books she brought, go figure that one had to stand out above all of them? "You're comparing him to Vlad the Impaler?" That was worrisome.

"Who the fuck is Darcula?" Inuyasha asked. He was, of course, ignored. "Oi, you got a boyfriend?" Still, he was ignored.

"Yes, deadly, rich, powerful with a quiet a tragic romantic past," Miroku recalled the story, which was based on an actual deadly person.

"So Sesshomaru without the romance bit?" Kagome said before she could stop it.

"Unless you count his sword," Inuyasha said under his breath,

Sesshomaru closed his eyes in annoyance.

"No disrespect to your death count my Lord," Miokru looked at Sesshomaru for a second "But id have to give the title to most death by slow torture to her brother,"

In other words, Sesshomaru was quick and to the point.

Almay smiled "Yes my brother does love torture,"

Sesshomaru simply preferred death, mostly death that didnt take up to much of his time, but that didn't mean he didnt indulge in a pleasure killing every once in a blue moon.

"Enough, Inuyasha, you will come," He said, leave it to this group to take something diplomatic and turn it into some uneducated jibberish.

"Oi!"

Kagome bit her lip,

"Then, I'm bringing Kikyo!"

Almay rolled her eyes and then looked at Kagome "What say you, will you offer you aid to me?"

Kagome looked at her, then at Sesshomaru, then back to her,

"I am asking," She said but Kagome was not quick to answer,

"If his request is not to your pleasure you can leave at will, this I promise you but I can tell you right now a Miko's job is not always in the path of good, the world is not bright as you see it though I must say I envy the beauty that you see in such darkness,"

This woman had a way of words, and Sesshomaru had a way with death glares.

"Fine, ill go." But she didnt have to like it.