I am so sorry it took so long. Really. But this should answer a lot of your questions. :)

Chapter 18

Sesshomaru rolled onto his side, a low growl rumbling in his chest as the sweet scent of his mate wafted into his nose. His displeasure was clear, last night's events still fresh in his mind. As much as he cared not to admit he had enjoyed himself, far more than he had with any of his other conquests. His beast stirred in the back of his mind, the satisfaction he felt clear and grating on Sesshomaru's nerves. "Miko, what has given you reason that it is acceptable to remain in my bed?" When he received no answer he slowly opened his eyes, feeling a slight pang on disappointment that the miko was not at his side which he quickly suppressed.

He laid in his bed with an arm draped carelessly over angered amber eyes. How could he have let himself bed the miko so carelessly? He could not deny that she was powerful, more powerful than even she herself had realized. And that night, last night her power had been so overwhelming he could actually feel it rolling over him in waves, crackling over his skin and sending chills to the base of his spine. Even thinking about it now he could feel a familiar pulsing in his sleeping pants, causing his irritation to rise ten-fold.

I will not let that insufferable Miko control This Sesshomaru in such a way. He mused angrily to himself, pulling himself out of bed and beginning dressing himself, with every item he put on the vivid image of Kagome peeling it off sprung into his head. With more effort than he cared to admit Sesshomaru's thoughts eventually left the miko and focused instead on the methods he would use to dismember the insufferable hanyou that took away his heir.

-0-

Lady Nana sighed deeply, "So explain this to me."

"I have no obligation to explain anything to you." Sesshomaru's cold words cut her deeply, the scent of his anger hanging around her, completely unavoidable.

"Oh come on," The fox groaned, her right paw sweeping over the large dining table carelessly. "if anyone deserves to hear this long ridiculous tale it's me. Come on Sesshomaru!" She pried, "We have been friends for over six hundred years."

"This Sesshomaru does not have friends."

The two sat at the grand dining hall table, empty dishware sitting in front of them. Blood ran off of Lady Nana's plate slowly, the only thing remaining from her breakfast. A full bottle of sake sat between the two, untouched by both.

Nana rolled her eyes, "Fine. Not friends. But I still want to know what the hell happened! This is all so . . ." She paused, chewing on her words. "Weird. I mean, from what I have heard-"

Sesshomaru cut her off with a cold glance, "When has basing ones knowledge on the opinions and stories of others been beneficial." It was not a question, merely a statement.

Nana growled darkly, her paw slamming on the table with a force that made the dishes rattle. "Oh stop it! She was the kind miko, tales of her kindness and selflessness have spread across all of Japan, Sesshomaru. The only people who spoke seriously of their hate for her have been people she has proven to be evil, and some of them don't even speak with true hatred! She is no longer kind, she is . . . well she is just like you. And you have been saying for hundreds of years that you will never take a mate and here you are, with the strangest mate I have ever met!"

Sesshomaru did not bother to look at the woman who claimed to be his friend. It was true, they had grown to know each other over the years; but Sesshomaru credited that to their now deceased parents' friendship. She had once known him as a child when he was more playful, kinder but now? Now he was the cold Taiyoukai of the West who showed no mercy, and everyone knew it. And she was grating on his nerves.

"What benefit does this hold for you, Nana?" Inwardly he sighed, knowing that he had more pressing matters to attend to but not having the motivation to do them, which was rare for him.

Nana stared at him for a moment, trying to think of something that would persuade the cold lord but knew no words or actions could change the mind of this stubborn youkai before her. "None." She finally spit out disdainfully, "But if you don't tell me I will ask her, and I bet she is more likely to tell me than you are!"

Sesshomaru said nothing, instead gracefully rising from his seated position and turning away from Lady Nana and making his way towards the great doors that separated him from the hall.

"Come on Sesshomaru!" Once again she was met with silence.

Suddenly the dining hall doors swung open forcefully, looking over in slight annoyance Sesshomaru nodded to the new guest. "Dai, it is unlike you to rise so early." Making his way back to the head of the table Sesshomaru sat, his back straight and the annoyance in his eyes bright.

The wolf grinned, his black tail swishing behind him playfully. His eyes were slightly drooped, sleep still weighing heavily on him. "Good morning, old friend!" Dai crossed the room quickly, stopping to slump into a seated position across from Lady Nana and nodding his acknowledgment towards the fox youkai.

"Lord Dai." Nana replied cordially with what appeared to be a smile.

Dai looked over the table, spotting the full bottle of sake he grinned widely. Reaching forward he grabbed the porcelain bottle and made quick work of emptying its contents. "What are you two talking about, hmm?"

Sesshomaru looked at Dai with bored eyes, "The fox is trying to coax the story of how I became mated." He spat the last word out in disgust.

Dai hummed silently to himself, the sake warming his belly. "I would like to hear that as well, if you do not mind Lord Sesshomaru. I mean this has the promise of being a very amusing story!"

Nana let a gentle laugh escape, "Lord Dai, I must say I much prefer you in the morning. And I've been trying all morning, he hasn't said a word. What do you think of Lady Kagome anyways?"

Dai smirked, his shoulders rolling slowly shaking off the last remnants of sleep. "She is interesting indeed. Although she seems very broken, as if something is weighing on her heavily. My mate and I were discussing it before bed last night."

As if summoned Ai walked in through the still ajar door, bowing low to Sesshomaru she took a seat next to her mate. "Good morning Lady Nana, Lord Sesshomaru." She bowed once more.

"Good morning Lady Ai," Sesshomaru said cordially, "I presume you have both slept decently."

Lady Ai nodded vigorously, her sweet face breaking out into a large smile. "Yes! Thank you Lord Sesshomaru, as always your home grants us with deep sleep."

Sesshomaru said nothing, just waited for Nana to inevitably pick up the conversation.

Nana smiled at the new arrival and watched silently as one of the older servants who she identified immediately as a monkey youkai brought out a plate of what looked like raw wild boar and placed it in front of the Lord and Lady of the North with grace. Once the petite youkai was out of sight and back in the kitchen Nana spoke. "Good morning Lady Ai, your mate and I were just discussing what might have happened to Lady Kagome that makes her seem so sad."

Ai looked down in embarrassment, "I do not think Lady Kagome would appreciate us talking about her in such a negative way. But," She smiled timidly, slowly chewing on a piece of wild boar. "Before bed Dai and I heard something." She frowned gently, making Nana's curiosity spike.

Dai inhaled deeply, picking up a piece of cubed meat between sharp claws and popping it into his mouth. "She's right, there was this guard talking about how Lady Kagome has lost a child."

Nana gasped, her clawed paw flying to her deadly snout. "Who told you that?" Suddenly her eyes widened, "Sesshomaru . . . is his true?"

Sesshomaru's eyes slid to Lady Nana, his gaze narrowing and his words sharp. "Yes. It is true." Mentally he made a note to later kill anyone who had been talking about his private life.

Dai blinked slowly, something almost audibly clicking in his mind. "It was yours wasn't it Lord Sesshomaru? Lady Kagome lost your child."

Sesshomaru allowed himself a short quick nod. His irritation growing as his guests stared at him with sympathy rolling off of them in waves, making his own irritation and hatred rise to dangerous levels.

"I . . ." Ai began, trying to think of the appropriate thing to say to such a cold Lord who has lost so much. The idea of losing her own son, Tomatsu made her shiver. The angst she knew she would feel being unbearable. "Lord Sesshomaru, if you do not mind me asking but when did this happen?"

Sesshomaru pulled his shoulders back and hardened his face. He was looking at nothing, keeping his face from faltering from its common indifferent stare. Knowing that killing his guest to avoid the situation all together would end in war, he instead chose to tell them the truth. "The child was killed three months ago at the hands of Naraku. I intend to enact my revenge. This is all I will say on the subject." Rising slowly Sesshomaru nodded his heads to his guests, ready to depart and kill whichever guard let this happen.

Before he was able to take a single step the dining hall doors flew open with a large bang, standing in the doorway with wide yellow eyes was Jaken. "M-M-Master Sesshomaru!" The imp squawked, his chest heaving up and down frantically in exertion.

The room flooded with the scent of panic, not from Jaken but from every member of the palace. Faintly Sesshomaru could hear his guards in the courtyard shouting to one another, 'Who are you?' and 'How did you get in?' ringing most clearly.

"Jaken," Sesshomaru slid his hand down to Tokijin in warning, looking down on the imp with cold eyes, "What has happened?"

"Sh-she just appeared, Sesshomaru-sama! She just-" The imp squawked loudly, his hands wringing around the staff of Two Heads nervously as Sesshomaru growled low. "W-we do not know who she is, Master Sesshomaru! Bu-but she has the jewel. She is in t-the courtyard! She asked for Lady Kagome!"

Sesshomaru pushed past the imp, causing Jaken to stumble and fall with a frightened gasp. Sesshomaru was furious, the idea that someone had forcefully entered his castle without him noticing irked him. His eyes flashed dangerously as he made his way to the courtyard, fighting back the overwhelming urge to spill blood.

-0-

Kagome stood in the courtyard with her hands hanging limp at her sides. Her eyes were narrowed dangerously while a threatening growl rumbled in her throat. Around her things seemed to be moving in slow motion, soldiers dragged their words out so long Kagome had trouble deciphering what they were trying to say while birds flew painfully slow above her. Briefly Kagome let her eyes dart about, noticing a gentle ripple in the air around her.

"What is this?" She snapped, her teeth gritting together.

"Ah, this?" A gentle laugh escaped the woman standing before Kagome. Her eyes were black, like her pupils had broken open and let the inky blackness spread without restraint. Her hair swirled around her face like it was floating in water, the shiny white tendrils almost hypnotic. A piece of black sheen fabric wrapped carelessly around her hips and chest, doing nothing to hide what was underneath. "It's a little trick I picked up over the years."

Kagome growled loudly, her hands curling into fists. "Who are you? Why are you here?" She raised her eyes to meet the woman in front of her, and she regretted it instantly. A shiver tore its way down her spine violently.

The woman grinned, a row of sharp teeth making Kagome's heart clench in fear. "None of that is important. What is important-"

"It is important." Kagome snapped, her eyes flashing red momentarily. She was fighting, every part of her told her to run from this woman. Her heart was racing, small beads of sweat appearing on her forehead. No . . . no I will not run. I will be strong, I will be strong. Taking a deep breath Kagome steadied herself, steeling her nerves. "Who are you?"

The woman raised an eyebrow, her dead eyes making Kagome want to cry out. "I was told you were nice, so this is very disappointing to see you like this. Anyways like I was saying," The woman grinned once again, laughing breathily as Kagome gasped and slowly fell to her knees with her right hand curled around the fabric covering her heart. "I have something for you!" The woman cooed as her hand curled gently, an almost complete Shikon jewel resting in her palms. "I assume you want this?"

Kagome looked on in disbelief, "How . . .?" It came out in a pathetic whimper, making Kagome curse herself.

"Oh someone like Naraku is no feat for me. Those demons he controls though, those were awfully annoying. I mean they would appear almost out of nowhere and they would just keep coming and coming. But still, he is dead. So are those awful reincarnations of his, except that wind witch. She is alive and well." She shrugged, walking towards Kagome so gracefully it looked as if she was floating. Flipping her hand quickly the jewel fell to the ground bouncing once before rolling in front of Kagome. "I assume you want to combine the other parts of the jewel together make your wish and all that right?" She paused, looking Kagome up and down before grinning brightly. "Ah, I see."

Kagome looked up at the woman not three feet from her, she let a small whimper escape her lips before reaching slowly towards the jewel. "What do you see?" She whispered.

The woman grabbed the jewel with more speed than Kagome thought possible. "It's pointless, not only do you not have the remaining jewels but your heart is too black to make a wish." With one quick swish of her wrist the jewel was gone, making Kagome cry out. "I wonder why that is? I'm assuming it's because of that Akihiko pup of yours." She kept going, spurred on by the way Kagome's face twisted in anguish. "I did see him when I . . . visited Naraku. Oh he was a mess, crying for you. Sesshomaru would have been so ashamed."

Kagome looked up at the celestial woman before her, the hope in her eyes momentarily chasing away the fear she felt. "Akihiko . . . he's alive?!"

The woman scowled, her beautiful features turning dark. "Yes. He is alive. Which is very . . . disappointing."

Kagome didn't understand what was going on. The soldiers around her had stopped moving all together, everything was still. No wind touched her face, even the warmth of the sun seemed absent. Everything except her and the woman before her. Kagome tried to say something, but the fear held her back. Made her shiver and curl herself into a ball on the ground. "Where is Akihiko?" She whimpered, her eyes sliding shut willing everything to just stop.

Kagome screamed as the woman grabbed her face excruciatingly tight. Her skin was soft but she felt cold, like she had been bathing in ice. The claws on the end of her fingers pricking into Kagome's temples without mercy. "I do not know where you pupis." She spit the word out like venom, the disgust she felt for Akihiko rolling off of her in waves. "But I assure you, Kagome. I will find him. And when I do I will kill him." With a dark smile the woman all but vanished.

Kagome took in a deep breath, and without warning was plunged into darkness.

-0-

Her body felt heavy as she trudged through the blackness that surrounded her. "Where am I!?"

If she wasn't able to see her own body in perfect light she would have assumed she was blind. Reaching a hand forward in hopes of touching something Kagome gasped, bringing her hands to her face she raised an eyebrow much like Sesshomaru would have. "What . . ." Her hands were clawless, "What is happening here?"

"Well," The voice made Kagome want melt in relaxation, "The best parts of you are human. You wouldn't think so . . . but it's true."

Kagome turned, moving much slower than she would have hoped. "Oh," Kagome asked, looking at the woman before her. "It's you." Not being able to help herself, Kagome grinned brightly. "How are you, Kasumi-san?"

The woman before her smiled softly, cool blue eyes looking Kagome up and down almost unapprovingly. Kasumi's hair, much like the first time Kagome saw it, mesmerized her. The thick turquoise locks fell to the ground and trailed behind her like ocean waters lapping at the earth. Her skin was pale, almost translucent while white lips curled on the edges to create a small tight smile. She was clothed in a silk blue kimono void of any detail or decoration, the white obi around her thin waist almost shining. She looked like a goddess, making Kagome feel that even if she touched the woman before her she wouldn't be close enough.

"I am well." Kasumi said shortly.

"And how are you?" Moriko said quietly besides Kasumi. Her forest green hair tied high on her head.

Kagome gasped lightly, "Moriko! What are you both doing . . . here?" She looked around, her movements feeling slow and weighed down. "Where are we?"

"Kagome," Moriko said quickly, "It is important that we talk to you."

Before the miko could say anything Kasumi started to speak, her soft voice so serious it made Kagome swallow hard. "The last time you saw me was almost three years ago today. What I gave you that day was a gift."

Kagome nodded, "Right, you taught me how to hide Akihiko's aura."

"And I gave you a gift as well, Kagome I helped you stay alive so that he could be born." Moriko said, "Nearly six months after that."

Kagome bowed, "Yes, and I thank you both every day for giving me those gifts . . . even if they were useless." She frowned deeply, the pain flowing out of her and making the two youkai women in front of her flinch.

Kasumi shook her head, her voice picking up in speed. "It was not in vain Kagome. It all needed to happen, all of it. That woman you met, she is our sister and she has plans to kill the child. He has a future greater than you could ever imagine, and he must fulfill it or all of Japan will fall."

Moriko started speaking, her voice just as frantic. "It is not just the child, you all have fates far greater than yourselves. Our sister . . . she is very dangerous."

"What does she want with Akihiko?" Kagome plead, her heartbeat spiking in fear.

"She wants him dead." Kasumi said matter of fact, "But this cannot happen. Your son Kagome, he is with our father. While I wish that was good news it is not, it is only buying you time."

"Our father is a wise man," Moriko started, the smile on her face making Kagome want to wince. "Wiser than anyone you will ever meet, in this or in your time. But he can only do so much."

Kagome shook her head, stepping towards the woman and frowning when they stepped back. "Who is your father? How do I find him? Why does your sister want him dead? Answer me!"

"We cannot." Moriko said sadly, smiling softly towards Kagome.

Kasumi stepped forward quickly, pressing a chaste kiss to her forehead. "You must figure it out on your own, but be quick. We do not have much time."

Both sisters retreated quickly, disappearing into the black sea surrounding them. Kagome reached out, internally begging them to come back and to answer her questions. To tell her something that would get her son back. Anything to ease her suffering. But there was nothing, nothing but the blackness and her own pain.

In front of her a small bead of white appeared, begging Kagome to go towards it. Giving in Kagome started to trudge through the blackness smiling in relief as her movements got easier and easier the closer she got. The bead of white grew larger as she got closer, begging her to just touch it. Kagome started to run getting closer and closer finally close enough to tireaching a hand out she was surrounded by white.

Blinking heavily Kagome looked up and into the face of Sesshomaru.

"Wench," He growled low. "What happened in the courtyard?"

Kagome gasped loudly, her eyes widening as she struggled to rise to her feet. "Akihiko is alive, Sesshomaru. He's alive."

00000000

As always I hope you will review. :) Thank you very much for reading!