An: I have decided to take down and restart the story. I was not entirely happy with the original so I want to keep most but do some major reworking on the piece. I will post as it comes together. Thanks so much for those who followed the original and choose to read this one as well.

OF MIKOS AND DEMONS

Chapter 1

Kagome woke from a sound sleep with a gasp, it felt as if something or someone was calling to her. She sat up looking around puzzled by the odd tugging feeling that did not recede. It felt as though there was a string attached to her pulling her towards something. Untangling herself from Shippo she carefully tucked him back in to guard against the cold. Looking around she saw that once again Inuyasha was missing from their little group and sighed softly. Moving quietly through the camp so as not to wake the others she followed the tug wondering if the hanyou had gotten himself into some type of trouble.

She walked through the forest for about twenty minutes before she began to feel the vibrating tug grow stronger. Hurrying forward she gasped at the grizzly sight she found "Oh dear goddess what happened to you Sesshomaru!"

The small clearing looked as if it had been painted with blood with the demon lord propped up against a tree in the middle looking for all the world like Aries himself just resting after a battle. He snarled loud and low as she approached his eyes opening to reveal the ruby red gaze of his beast having taken over. Remembering what Sango had said about inu demons she quickly slunk to her belly whining low in her throat in entreaty to come nearer. Slowly the red retreated leaving the familiar amber. "You may come forward miko."

"I can help you if you will allow it. Raising Shippo I have managed to learn how to heal demon injuries without purification." At his nod she murmured for him to close his eyes and relax as she stripped what was left of his top. Laying her hands lightly on his chest she sent a prayer to the goddess before focusing on him. She closed her eyes allowing a picture of him whole and healthy the first time they had met to enter her mind. She never let it waver holding her powers at the surface channeling them into him as the picture became more solid in her mind she knew that he was healing.

Sesshomaru felt a warmth fill him like nothing ever had it was what these humans must call love. 'If this is love I begin to see why these silly ningen are so willing to throw away their lives to defend it.' He thought idly. As he sat there he could literally feel his body begin to knit itself back together under the mikos care and relaxed into a near sleep like haze.

Kagome finally felt that he healing was done the demon lord whole again her body shook with the amount of strength she had used making her feel faint. Opening her eyes she saw that he was fine and somehow she had even returned his other arm to him. Smiling softly she put up a barrier before collapsing onto Sesshomaru.

Sesshomaru came awake when the miko fell awkwardly into his side resting partially on him and partly the tree. "Stupid human did too much at once." He moved to pick her up gasping when both hands came up healthy and whole. "You are full of surprises little human I look forward to learning more about you." Looking around he saw the barrier and smirked at least she had been intelligent enough to take safety measures before passing out.

Inuyasha and the group had woken finding a member of their group missing and gone looking for her at day break. Inuyasha swore to himself about Kagome being a stupid woman and how she needed to take more after Kikyo as he got further and further ahead of the group. He caught the scent of her miko magic and his brother rushing in to the rescue before thinking things over.

Kagome woke warm and comfortable stretching carefully her mouth pouting a bit in confusion when she felt the fur wrapped around her and the warm being that was pillowing her head. She sat up carefully and found herself looking into amber eyes and nearly relaxed until she saw the crescent moon as well. Scrambling back she apologized quickly panicking that she has somehow ended up sleeping on the demon that had at one point tried to kill her.

"Miko calm down the scent of your fear offends this Sesshomaru." He stated flatly. "I merely made you more comfortable after you healed me, you have my thanks miko."

Sighing in relief, "You are more than welcome Sesshomaru Sama; if you will excuse me I need to find my way back to camp before Inuyasha finds me gone."

"Kagome!" Inuyasha screamed thundering into the clearing grabbing Kagome and tossing her behind him without paying attention to the fact that his claws had cut her wrist open. "Stay the hell away from her you bastard I will kill you if you hurt her."

"Says the hanyou who injures the very human he is attempting to protect. She saved this ones life hanyou. She healed me from a mortal wound and gave me back my arm I owe her a debt" Sesshomaru's voice dripping sarcasm and disdain.

"What the fuck is he talking about Kagome?" Inuyasha shouted.

"I don't know how to explain it but something called me to him. I woke from a sound sleep knowing that I was needed. Honestly at first I thought you had gone off and gotten yourself injured or something so I followed the tugging and found Sesshomaru. I healed him and put up a barrier to protect us last night that's all!" She shouted back.

"You bitch! How could you heal him after he tried to kill us so many times? Why would you betray me with how many times I have protected your useless hide?"

"I couldn't just let him die! What kind of person would I be if I just left him there to bleed out. He has people that depend on him to survive Inuyasha!"

Inuyasha slapped her hard his claws leaving gashes in her face. She looked stunned tears running down her face. "How could you Inuyasha, you promised to protect me."

Inuyasha snarled "Consider it your punishment bitch." He began moving forward to grab her but found Sesshomaru blocking his path.

"Get out of my way the wench is mine to protect." Inuyasha ranted loudly a red ring developing around his eyes.

Kagome gripped onto Sesshomaru's clothing hiding behind him trembling slightly. "You have the very one you claim is yours to protect cowering behind this Sesshomaru in fear hanyou. My debt demands that I take her from you. Even if it did not I would take her from you father would be ashamed at how you treat your pack. If you stand in my way I will kill you."

The rest of Inuyasha's group chose that moment to enter the clearing Shippo scrambling to his mother figure. "Mamma what happened I can smell your blood!" He glared up at Sesshomaru from his mother's shoulder, "What did you do?"

"I did nothing. The hanyou is responsible for her current injuries." Sesshomaru said simply.

The group looked at him as if he had grown a second head. "Surely there is a mistake here Inuyasha would never hurt lady Kagome." Miroku muttered.

"He is telling the truth Miroku. Inuyasha slapped me." Slowly she lowered her hand showing them her wounded face.

"Oh god Kagome your face how could he!" Sango turned on Inuyasha. "How dare you, she has done nothing but accept you and help you every step of the way." Calmly she drew her katana walking toward him with purpose.

"Slayer, stop the hanyou is mine. He has harmed that which is now under my protection." Sickly green poison began to drip from his claws a small smirk appearing on his face.

Kagome let go of Sesshomaru's clothing throwing her arms around him "Please don't kill him lord Sesshomaru. He was wrong but he was my friend spare him I beg you."

"Was miko?"

"I am done with the hanyou. He attacked me, and has hurt me for the last time. He may go find his dead clay bitch now if he wants to continue looking for shards." Coming to stand beside Sesshomaru, "just remember this hanyou if you collect shards at some point I will have to collect them from you. If you fight us at that point I will not hesitate to purify your ass to the lowest level of hell and beyond the point of reincarnation."

The group looked at her in shock she had spoken so calmly at the thought of killing her once friend that they were not sure that this was their friend. Inuyasha shook it off. "Bitch you will give me the shards they are mine they and you belong to me."

"I belong to no one you son of a bitch and I have taken quite enough from you. I have tried to conform to the behavior of this place long enough! I am not some weak woman to follow like this I was raised to be a strong independent woman where I came from. If you so much as show me your face before it is time for me to complete the jewel I swear to the fucking goddess that I will kill you myself. "Turning to the rest of the group, "you all are welcome to choose who you will travel with."

"I am traveling with you mom.. I.. I mean Kagome." Shippo stuttered at accidentally calling her mom.

"You are my son do not ever call me by Kagome again" Kagome smiled softly at the young kit who nearly choked her in his enthusiasm to hug her.

"I will to lady Kagome."

"As will I" Sango said.

"You can't possibly be serious!" Inuyasha shrieked unable to believe his entire pack was deserting him.

"Sit boy! Sit sit sit sit sit sit!" Kagome screamed. Turning to Sesshomaru "Will you please take the rest of my pack into your protection and allow them to stay with me Sesshomaru Sama?"

Sesshomaru merely nodded not showing the growing respect he had for the small human woman. He led them away from the whole that held Inuyasha's unconscious twitching body not stopping until they reached a nearby stream. "We will camp here for the night slayer please help the miko to look after her wounds."

Kagome knelt by the stream gingerly cleaning the deep gashes on her face. Tears of pain streamed as she did so making the pain all the worse for the salty tears getting into the open wounds. Sango sat unpacking things they would need from the first aid kit tears lighting her eyes for her sister.

"Sango I can't see the wounds.. How bad? Will they scar horribly?" Kagome's voice shook.

"Oh Kagome I wish that I could say no, but there will be scars. Those wounds are deep and terrible." Sango whispered gasping when she noticed the blood running down Kagome's arm. "You didn't tell me you had other injuries this gash is bad and far too close to the artery you could have bled out in your sleep without any of us even knowing about it. Are there anymore that I need to know about?" Sango sat back slightly looking her over for other injuries.

"No there are no other injuries Sango I had forgotten all about it in all the commotion going on Inuyasha did that when he initially grabbed me thinking Sesshomaru was going to hurt me.

"This is my fault Sango I have depended on all of you to protect me. I let Inuyasha believe he had the right to control me. If I had been myself from the beginning I would have left the instant he had started to act that way towards me. The thing is I can't regret it. If I had tried to search down the shards on my own I would have died. I would never have met the sister I have always wanted or found the son of my heart. The fact that I have no regrets even after this, it makes me feel even weaker." Kagome sobbed.

"That does not make you weak, but strong! It takes a strong person to admit something like that. The question dear sister is what do you plan to do about it?" Sango prodded.

"Sango I know I was not born to your village and there are rules, but would you please train me to fight?"

Sango grabbed her sister holding her tight to her tears slipping through her tightly closed eyes. "I was hoping that you would ask honestly. I would be honored to pass on the ways of the slayer to a miko like you. It would bring my family great honor to have the shikon miko as a sister."

Sesshomaru chose that moment to make himself known "Miko." He called out coming forward. "I came to treat your wounds."

"Thank you my lord, but Sango is looking after it for me."

"I can ensure that there are no scars miko." He stated.

"Honestly I want the scars. They will be a reminder of what happens when I am unable to care for myself. Sango has agreed to train me this wound, those scars they will remind me to be strong through that training and beyond." Kagome shocked them both.

"That is an honorable decision miko. You surprise me over and over. Tomorrow we will leave to meet up with my group then if your decision to train stands I think that you and your group should travel to the western palace with me. There your group can rest and train for a while before continuing the search for the shikon jewel."

Kagome looked questioning at Sango. "What do you think?"

"In a month with hard work we could get a good base on your training and continue while we travel after that." Sango smiled widely.

"It looks as if we will be coming with you my lord. Thank you for your kind invitation." Kagome bowed slightly.

When Kagome returned to camp her face was bandaged and she had taken something for the pain. "Guys I am going to get some rest if you don't mind I took something to help with the pain, but it is making me sleepy."

"It's alright momma go to sleep we will watch over you." Shippo snuggled into his mother's arms happily.

Kagome shivered even in her blankets as the cold night went on. Sesshomaru moved the girl to his lap covering her with his tail. He smirked as she and the kit snuggled deeply into his fur. "I know that you are awake and staring at me slayer. What is it you want to ask?"

"What is it that you plan to get out of this? Kagome has been hurt too many times I will not allow it again while I breathe." Sango's voice shook with emotion.

"You feel as though you have failed her slayer but in truth all of this has been a catalyst to make her stronger. You have nothing to fear that I will bring her harm. I feel as you do she will come to no harm while this Sesshomaru lives. She saved me even when I would have asked why or what was in it for her, but she is not that kind of being now is she. I owe her a debt. I find though that I want to know her better. I no longer look at her as ningen or miko she just is. My curiosity and protective instincts have been aroused." Sesshomaru answered.

"She doesn't ever think about the past or her own safety when it comes to others she just helps regardless of any danger. All of us in this group owe her in some way, and have been adopted into her family our pack was never Inuyasha's it was Kagome we followed. I tried to kill her, Miroku kidnapped her, and Shippo stole from her nearly getting her killed in the process. Look at us now sister, brother, and son. It makes me wonder though lord Sesshomaru, what part of this little family will you take." Sango snuggled back down into her bedding satisfied with his answers leaving the demon to his thoughts.

Sesshomaru watched the girl get back up again for what had to be at least the hundredth time that day every time it took a bit more to knock her down though, every time it took longer for her to go down. He could see the bruises and the pain in her face but the girl refused to give up. Finally while her back was to them he signaled the slayer. It had become their habit for her to pretend to be tired so that they could force the miko to rest.

"I'm tired Kagome lets go soak in the hot spring." They were only a day away from the palace of the western lands.

Kagome sank into the water with a happy sigh letting it soothe her muscles. "You know Sango I am honestly pleasantly surprised at Sesshomaru's lands. I half expected there to be no human settlements at all and if there were any I did not expect them to be so well tended. The peasants have good lives and are well taken care of."

"Well he does get fierce over what is his so I guess it should not be too surprising. The people within his territory are under his protection and he takes those responsibilities very seriously as we have already seen." Sango answered.

"I had not realized just how much I allowed Inuyasha's judgment to sway me. I was a fool to take so much on faith knowing what Inuyasha is like. I admit that Sesshomaru is cold and fierce, but he is a good man. It is amazing how we got the two brothers so backwards isn't it?" Kagome giggled.

Sango looked askance at her sister. "Exactly what are your feelings toward Sesshomaru really Kagome? Are you falling for him? After the way you have been treated for so long it would be understandable that his kind treatment would turn your head."

Sesshomaru sitting close by keeping an ear out to the girls perked up listening closely. "Well I don't know to be honest, my feelings are very confused. I grow more attached to him every day. I am attracted to him, but I know he is not fond of humans and hates hanyou. I guess you could say that I am attempting to avoid falling for him. I wouldn't want to fall for someone and have that person feel obliged to take me on and resent me for it or have any children that would come from hated by their own father." Kagome blushed hotly.

"You say that, but you sleep curled into him every night." Sango teased getting splashed for her trouble.

'Attempting to avoid falling for me that human is so odd that I can never figure her out. I can say that I feel the same way honestly. I don't even think of her as human anymore just a woman.' Sesshomaru thought idly.

Kagome made it a point to sleep separate from Sesshomaru that night. After everyone was asleep she cast a barrier over the camp and went back to the hot springs. Sitting on the heated rocks she concentrated on the power inside of her. Training her body would mean nothing if she did not train her power as well. At the moment all she could do in combat were barriers and arrows filled with power. She needed to have better control than that if she wanted to defend herself.

Holding a pebble she picked up she found the stream of power inside of her directing it slowly coaching it until she could channel it directing this part of her powers was so much more difficult than using her healing abilities. She was panting and sweating, but she was very proud of the small pebble that was glowing brightly in her hand. Soon she managed to channel it into her dagger and into a sphere that she could throw directly. Curious she found a dying tree and began to channel her powers into it singing to it softly. She began to see images of village children happily playing among its branches or sleeping at its base. She saw the attack that had wounded it and left it an empty shell.

Opening her eyes she saw that it was in glowing health now. She could hear its spirit singing back to her. "I had heard of people like you but I have never honestly seen that kind of power used. I wonder if you even realize how very special you are." Sesshomaru came up behind her.

Kagome shrieked loudly holding her chest shrinking back against the tree. "Don't scare me like that Sesshomaru!"

"You have not answered my question miko."

"You already knew I had the ability to heal Sesshomaru. I am just like every other miko." Kagome shrugged.

"That is where you are wrong. What you just did with the tree, you sang to its spirit and combined it with your own until it was healed. That is not miko ability but one uniquely your own."

"That is not possible Sesshomaru I am human and from the future where there is not even such a thing as demons. Even our mikos are for show since they don't have to fight anymore their powers lay dormant. There is no way that I am something more than an ordinary miko it is not possible" Kagome stuttered out.

Sesshomaru let it go knowing he was going to get nowhere with the little miko. "Come you need to rest miko." He picked her up carrying her back to camp before she could protest. Once there he handed her the kit before settling both of them in his lap with his tail covering them.

"We can sleep by the fire in my blankets to keep us warm.."

Sesshomaru cut her off. "I have found that I like this method of sleeping miko. I am a dog after all and we are very social animals."

The next morning it only took a few more hours travel to reach the palace. It was beautiful built like it rose up out of a fairy tale book. Kagome looked around her amazed at the beauty. She felt a lot of demon energy at the gate and though Sesshomaru passed with no issues the rest of the group was barred from entering.

"Please let us pass we are traveling with Lord Sesshomaru." Kagome said kindly.

"Our lord only travels with one of your kind and she is a small girl." The guard sneered at the human his weapon tracing along Kagome's neck to her collar line. "You are a pretty thing though if you want into the palace I suppose I could find work for you for a while warming my bed."

The guards head was suddenly missing and Kagome was sprayed with blood as his head was suddenly removed from his body. Kagome shrieked looking up in shock at a red eyed Sesshomaru.

He picked her up holding her possessively "Does anyone else want to insult or impede this Sesshomaru's pack?"

"Come I will show you all to your rooms." He said absently as he began to walk.

After everyone had been shown to their room Kagome found herself still in Sesshomaru's arms. He had brought them to what had to be his bed chamber. The bed looked to be big enough to hold his demon form and was covered in fine white furs and silk. The room elegant in white with silver accents had doors leading to a private bath and a dressing room. She was about to ask him why he had brought her here when he bent his head to her and ran his tongue over her cheek cleaning the blood. "Sesshomaru what are you doing!"

His answer was merely a chuffing growl as he continued to clean her leaving Kagome blushing madly but not being able to break out of his hold. When she was clean he sat her carefully on the edge of the bed before transforming and crawling into bed. The huge dog used a paw to pull her closer laying his head next to her and curling his body protectively around her. She settled down to sleep mumbling about silly dogs and their stupid pack habits.