Spring was in full bloom with all it's beautiful flowers. Kagome felt like spring had bloomed in her life as well. Life had a renewed vigor for her, and everyone around her had noticed. Things were different for Kagome after she opened up to Sesshoumaru and they had become close. They spent a couple of days a week together, and she would stay with him at least once a week. Rin was excited about the whole thing, and took up the rest of Kagome's time. She had waited for so many years to see her lord happy.

Rin was keen to his feelings, and had known for years that he had some regrets from the past about the little miko. He had saved her on a few occasions without knowing precisely why. It was easy for Rin to understand these things. She really did have a way of simplifying matters. Rin's plan to bring the two together had worked perfectly. She knew that if she had left it alone that Sesshoumaru would have moped around the house and not done anything, and Kagome was so unsure of herself that she would have avoided the stoic lord altogether. She couldn't have that. Besides, who wants an angry daiyoukai stalking around the house.

Kagome was attending a few more classes and getting through more of her studies. Sesshoumaru and Rin were happy to help her when they could. Although Sesshoumaru would end up distracting her in the end. She would always laugh about it later, but would try to be frustrated when he would begin to divert her attentions. Ultimately, everyone was happy with their current situation. Kagome felt a connection and a wholeness that she was lacking, Sesshoumaru felt complete in his heart, and Rin felt like her family was almost complete.

Kagome was walking home from the bus stop in the afternoon, and stopped in a cafe for a cup of tea to carry home. She was in her, now usual, cheerful mood when she was stopped by a man on the street.

"Would you help me young woman?" He said with a silky voice.

"Oh." Kagome stopped abruptly not expecting a person in front of her. "Sure."

"Could you direct me to the Higurashi Shrine." The man asked her.

"That's dumb luck. I am Kagome Higurashi. I am going home now. Follow me." Kagome said with a smile to the stranger.

Because she was lost in her own thoughts she was unsure what the man looked like. She hadn't really bothered to look at who was talking to her. She looked sideways at the man to get a better look at the man she was escorting to the shrine. He was a relatively tall man, with short black hair, and brown eyes. He was in all honestly, fairly nondescript. He wore a simple black suit with a white shirt and tie, and black shoes.

"What business do you have at the shrine? If you don't mind me asking?" She said after a moment of evaluating the gentleman.

"I have business with the shrines caretaker." He said simply, and then turned his head to look at her. "Have you lived at the shrine long?"

"All my life." Kagome's voice was proud.

"Really. That's interesting." His eyes moved forward again.

Kagome led the man to the shrine and retrieved her grandfather for the man. The two men sat together talking for a long time. Finally, they got up and went out into the shrines large grounds. Kagome had a strange feeling about things all of a sudden, and watched over her grandfather from a distance. The men walked into one of the shrine storehouses, and she imagined that her grandfather was looking for something. Kagome wanted to know what was happening with this stranger. After a while the two exited the storage room, and they moved to another one that was farther back on the shrines property.

Kagome followed after the men again. Keeping herself hidden from sight she tried to get close enough to listen. Edging herself closer to the entrance she strained to listen to any conversation that was going on inside. Kagome could hear her grandfather mumbling to himself and some boxes shuffling around. He was definitely looking for something. The young woman edge around the corner slightly to try to get a view of what was going on inside. She saw her grandfather on a step stool pushing around boxes and piles of items on a top shelf at the back of the store room. The stranger was standing behind him silently observing.

"Ah, here it is." Her grandfather chirped in triumph.

"Very good." The stranger said as his voice grew deeper and more sinister. "Bring it to me."

When Kagome's grandfather turned around to were his face was visible, she gasped. His eyes were lifeless like the times that she had seen people being controlled by demons in the past. He stretch out his arms and handed a long box over to the stranger. The man opened the box directly, and reached inside. The man pulled up a sword by it's sheath. Gripping the sheath in his right hand he raised it up in front of him, and gripped the hilt with his left. The man pulled sharply on the hilt of the sword to strike the blade from it's prison. A swirl of demonic aura wrapped around the blade as the metal began to thrum with a pulse.

"On to the next piece of business." The man said as he turned around.

When he turned around the doorway was empty though he could sense that she had been there. With a wicked grin the man transformed. His hair grow to his waist and red marks etched into his cheeks, one on each side. Two small horns sprouted from the top of his head and two fangs pushed past his lips. His suit faded to a black hakama and kimono, with a deep green obi around his waist. He pushed the sheath into his obi and thrust the sword sideways, slicing through the air, and stopping to rest it at his side. Kagome's grandfather fell to the floor untouched and unconscious.

Kagome ran back to the house as quick as she could. She raced up the stairs and into her room. Once inside she began to tear apart her room looking for something. She rifled through her closet and then her drawers, before running back down stairs. Her mom and Sota were sitting in the kitchen; both looking after the frantic woman that burst through the door panting.

"You guys need to get out of here." Kagome half yelled between breaths.

"Kagome, what's going on?" Her brother yelped.

"That man is not what he seems. I think he is youkai. You guys need to get out of here now." Kagome yelled the last as she pulled Sota from his seat.

She pulled them from the house and out into the courtyard. "Mom, have you seen my bow and arrows?"

"I think they are still in the well house. I left them there when you came back." Her mom stopped and looked at her daughter with those eyes that spoke so many felling to her.

"I'll be fine mom. You two get away now." Her daughter was stern about them leaving.

After her mother and brother were heading down the shrine steps she turned to head for the well house. When she was facing back the way they had come, she saw him. The youkai that she knew was the stranger she led here. He stood fifty feet from her across the courtyard. He smiled at her and gave a small chuckle about her bravery. Sizing up her options, Kagome decided to take the chance at a sprint to the well house. It was just a short distance on her left. Although he was youkai, she might be able to make it in time. She had to at least try. With a quick side step she was off and running for the small shack. To her surprise the strange youkai did not move to come after her as quickly as she had expected. He merely walked without concern toward her. For a moment she thought about the times that Sesshoumaru had tried to kill her and how he moved in much the same way. It was then that she realized that he was going to kill her, but not if she could get to her weapon first.

She darted into the well house without shutting the door behind her. With a calculated jump she made it to the bottom of the steps in one agile leap. Her mom was right. Next to the well frame was her bow and a quiver of arrows. Grabbing the bow and slinging the quiver over her shoulder with another quick leap up the steps she was standing in the doorway again. The dark youkai was still leisurely crossing the courtyard to the well house. Kagome ran out into the open courtyard for some room and nocked an arrow. Taking aim at center mass she pushed her spiritual powers into the arrow and let it loose. The arrow flew swiftly through the air in the direction it was fired, but it whizzed past the left shoulder of the youkai that still pursued her. Kagome pulled back and fired again; the flare of her spiritual power engulfing the arrow. The menacing youkai twisted his sword in a circular motion in front of his chest and knocked away the arrow. Kagome gasped in horror as her arrow was easily tossed aside.

"Now it is time for you miko."

Sesshoumaru sat slumped on his couch looking through a book, but not really reading it. Suddenly, he sat up straight as a rail. His ears twitched slightly as his eyes narrowed. Kagome. She was upset he thought to himself. What is bothering her? He thought to himself. No, she's not upset. She feels fearful and threatened. Sesshouamaru stood and moved for his study in a blur of movement. Someone is after her. A thick feeling of fear ran through him when he thought about someone trying to take her from him. Sesshoumaru was filled with fear. He was fearful.