Chapter 10

As soon as Kagome walked into work the next day she knew she would be alright. Her anxiety was almost gone and her reiki followed strong and steady through her. She was stabilizing. Sleeping soundly next to Sesshomaru all night hadn't hurt her confidence either. Kagome's cheeks heated at the thought of him.

Kagome opened the door to the staff room. She saw Inuyasha and stopped when his face scrunched up in a look that she couldn't quite read.

"What?" Kagome said.

"Kouga!" Inuyasha called.

"What mutt-face?" Kouga shouted from the locker rooms.

"Come out here."

"Seriously, what Inuyasha?" Kagome asked again.

Kouga walked into the room and stopped as if he'd hit an invisible wall. "Holy crap."

"Guys! What?" Kagome hissed.

"You reek of Sesshomaru," Inuyasha said, his eyes still wide. Kagome's whole face burned and she was sure she was as red as a tomato.

"Yeah get it girl!" Kouga howled and then started laughing so hard he doubled over. "I never thought I'd see the day... Sesshomaru with a human."

That made Kagome frowned. "What's that suppose to mean."

Both Inuyasha and Kouga grew serious as they took in the look on her face.

"No, sorry, Kagome... it's just... Sesshomaru hated humans. Five hundred years ago he was a different person. He hated me because I was a half-breed. He hated our father because he fell for a human and it killed him, love killed him," Inuyasha said. "He changed though. It started with Rin. When he took her in Rin started to melt his heart."

"I could see that," Kagome said. Rin's joy was infectious.

"And the world has changed and he's had to passively watch that change. When he turned back into himself, he couldn't very well have come out claws blazing because these are different times. It's just... funny to know exactly how much he's changed," Kouga said.

"I certainly never thought I'd see the day," Inuyasha chuckled.

"I can't help but feel offended," Kagome said.

Kouga and Inuyasha both smiled in this soft boyish way that made Kagome sure they were terrors for their wives. "Don't Kagome. Sesshomaru isn't that man anymore and you're doing even more to change him and you don't even know it," Inuyasha said.

Kagome smiled. "Alright." She went to the girls change room to get ready for work. During the day she text the phone Inuyasha had given to Sesshomaru last night after she'd gone to bed. She chatted with Sesshomaru about the conversation she'd had with the boys.

So your brother says you use to hate humans.

Yes. Once.

Why?

Humans smell like decay. They are over emotional. They are a nuisance.

They're basically basic bitches... I just realized that.

Geez, tell me how you really feel.

I don't feel that way anymore. But I use to think those things daily.

Rin changed you?

Yes.

And you.

Kagome smiled.

I can't be that yokai anymore and I find I don't want to. Times have changed and so have I.

Maybe you're a basic bitch now too.

#blessed.

OMG Sesshomaru. Also, I can't believe you're funnier than me.

I find you very amusing.

Somehow I don't think that's a compliment.

How's work?

Good. You're grandfather is also very amusing, I can see where you get it from.

Ok now I'm sure it wasn't a compliment.

I miss you. See you at home.

Same. See you.

Sesshomaru hit send. He was getting faster at texting. Just one of the many skills he needed to catch up on. He needed to be good at it, to be good at everything in twentieth century life. He needed to dominate his dominion again.

Sesshomaru knew life couldn't be like it was. In some ways he was glad for it. Change was inevitable and good, he welcomed it, but there was something primal in him that would always be there and it needed to be satisfied. Now that he was back in his own body he would reclaim his life. A life that some witch five hundred years ago thought she could take from him.

Sesshomaru put his phone away and turned back to his work in the shed. Sesshomaru had begun sorting through the artifacts. Kagome's grandfather tried to help but eventually Sesshomaru had to usher him out.

He'd found Yura's comb, Kyōkotsu's shriveled hand, and Kana's mirror so far.

Sesshomaru cleared the shelves and set each item in place. He wrote neat labels for each, with the time the yokai or person lived and what the artifact was. The work made him feel calm, like he was sorting through a river. It helped him begin to sort through a world he'd lost.

There was a part of him that burned for revenge, but the witch who'd cursed him was long dead. She was human, there was no way she would have survived five hundred years. Maybe I should resurrect her so I can kill her myself, Sesshomaru thought as he pick up a blacken piece of bark.

A dark power shot through his hand and up his arm. The air shifted. Sesshomaru's hair rose up around him.

Something was awake.

Sesshomaru closed his eyes and reached with his senses.

It was her.

The witch.

And she was coming for him.

Sesshomaru opened his eyes. The witch was somewhere in Japan, but he didn't know where. He could feel her intent. He was her target.

His mind flashed with thoughts of Kagome. Should he tell her? If the witch was after him then she'd be involved. He lived with her after all and he... cared for Kagome.

He could stay away from Kagome's apartment so the witch wouldn't find her. Sesshomaru was sure he could stay at the western palace if it was temporary. He frowned. He shouldn't have to ask permission to live in his own house. Why had he ever let Inuyasha in and let it become overrun with his spawn.

Sesshomaru thought of Kagome's fiery spirit. It would be wrong to keep this from her. He'd tell her and then he'd let her choose what she wanted him to do.

And then I'll wait for whatever comes next.

IOU for a longer chapter next time. Thanks for the reviews. I'm glad you guys are enjoying this story so far!

My e-book/paperback The Priestess and the Yōkai: dp/B07G74GWRK