Author's Rant

Lady A: Hey guys! Sorry for the wait. I had a few issues with this chapter, but I have finally gotten it sorted. A little bit of lime. Not too much, but a little.

Hiei: What will happen to the miko now?

Lady A: That is a good question, my little spitfire. The last chapter was a test for her soul. This chapter will have its own problems as well.

Hiei: And what of your new story?

Lady A: Hn? How did you hear about that?

Artimes: I might have spilled the beans on that, Lady A.

Lady A: *glares at Artimes*

Artimes: *sweat drops*

Hiei: *unsheathes his sword and steps in front of Artimes* I will not allow you to harm the miko.

Lady A: *sighs* Fine, but only for you, my little spitfire. Readers, a new story is up called Dancing Minds, so if you love BBC's Sherlock then go check it out! Now on to Chapter 10!

Disclaimer: I do not own Inuyasha or any other shows I make references to, so call off the army of lawyers that are camped outside my house.

Chapter Ten: Training with Taizunga

Artimes awoke groggily. Her eyes were heavy and slow to open. Once open, she found herself gazing up at the stars. She smiled softly. She always loved the stars and they were so much brighter here than in the Modern Era. Still, she had the strangest feeling that she was being watched, like there was something hidden in the stars watching her.

She sighed. She didn't really care all that much. She felt so light, lighter she has ever been. She chuckled softly. She now understood what Inuyasha had meant all those years ago.

'You're like a bird that has been caged so long that it has forgotten how to fly.'

She was free now. She could feel it in her entire body. The heaviness of her body was gone and she was so very happy. As her mind cleared of the euphoria of her newfound freedom, she realized she wasn't where she thought she should be. She was lying on the ground and was quite chilled. She would normally be in Sesshoumaru's arms or leaning against him.

She frowned and sat up. Her body was stiff and she heard a few cracks as she stretched. She looked around and saw Jaken sleeping nearby, snoring loudly as usual. She stood up and loosened her muscles some so she wasn't so tense. She must have been on the ground a while to be in that condition. At least a few days for certain.

Her head snapped up as she sensed a strange energy. Unlike the shadow's energy, this energy was not hostile and yet it seemed familiar. She glanced over at Jaken and noticed he was giving off a strange energy too. She remembered Kagome telling her about youki or demon energy. Is that what she was sensing now…demon energy? Her brows furrowed in thought. She hadn't been able to sense youki before so how come she could do it now?

'Your powers were suppressed by the pain of your soul. It prevented you from tapping into your true powers. Now that your soul has been purified, your powers are no longer hindered and can be utilized properly.' Taizunga explained sounding bored.

She scowled at the sword.

'You're a nuisance.' She replied.

'Takes one to know one.' It countered.

Artimes ignored her sword and instead focused on the energy she was feeling a short distance away. It dwarfed Jaken's energy substantially, yet it seemed so familiar that it made her head ache trying to figure out how she knew it. Eyes opened in realization. That energy must belong to Sesshoumaru, but she frowned slightly. That energy seemed small in comparison to her own. She crossed her arms and concentrated.

The energy was definitely from an upper class demon with two smaller energies very close to the other one. One of the smaller energies was exactly like the bigger one while the other had a distinct difference to it. She sighed and opened her eyes. She felt a bit put out that the energy wasn't stronger. She was hoping for a good fight so she could try out Taizunga. She trudged off into the forest to look for the energy and prayed that it wasn't Sesshoumaru.

She walked through the forest for a few minutes until she found a large meadow. She saw Sesshoumaru near the center practicing his swordplay. She realized then that the smaller energies she felt were Bakusaiga and Tenseiga. She also concluded that he must be hiding his true power to avoid any entanglements. She analyzed his movements carefully. He was both fluid and graceful. Each swing, each twist, each movement was calculated and refined.

It made her happy just watching him, but then she noticed his eyes were distant and very distracted. Whatever he was thinking about was causing him great anxiety with a healthy dose of anger and frustration. She noticed when his swordplay faltered for a moment before returning to its original flow. He was worried about something, making his movements slightly jerky but so miniscule that no one but a master of swordplay would notice.

Taizunga pulsed in its sheath and she watched as Bakusaiga and Tenseiga pulsed as well. He stopped to analyze his swords. The wind blew from behind her as she stepped out of her hiding place and into the meadow.

Sesshoumaru couldn't concentrate and his swordplay was suffering because of it. His miko had been asleep for nine days. Tomorrow would be the tenth day since she claimed the Soul Sword. During that time, his inner beast had been raging with worry and fear, but Sesshoumaru had faith in his miko. She had endured so much pain during the Trial of Souls and she not only survived it, but she claimed the sword, and escaped the temple grounds before the Celestial Temple disappeared.

He was still very angry that his soul had caused her pain and for one instance she doubted him, but that moment was fleeting and disappeared almost instantly. He sighed inwardly. After what happened at the temple, he could not begrudge her the sleep she so desperately needed. He had been impressed by the strength of her will before, but now he had an undeniable and unshakeable respect for her.

He did not care for humans, but she and Rin were the exceptions. Rin was his daughter and Artimes was unlike any woman he had ever known. She was truly the best that humanity could offer. She was strong in mind, body, and spirit, but there was one thing that was both strong and weak at the same time, her heart. Her heart gave her strength to endure, to live, to fight, and to protect others, but her heart also made her too trusting. He came to realize this quickly during their travels. She was quick to trust and when betrayed it hurt her deeply.

During their brief time together, they had crossed paths with many travelers. There were many times that he had to save her from touching a cursed object or accepting gifts from kitsunes. The woman was a magnet for trouble. Anything that was even more remotely dangerous would be pulled to her like a moth to a flame. He smirked inwardly. Life would never be boring with her around.

'Please let me stay by your side forever.'

Yes, she will be by his side for the rest of her life. His thoughts immediately ceased. It had finally struck him. Artimes was a human, a mortal. Humans have a very short life span and they die quickly, some sooner than others. His beast wailed at the thought of being separated from their miko. Despair crashed over him so strong that his swordplay faltered slightly before returning to its rhythm.

Was there a way to save his crimson haired beauty? He knew of only one way to save her and that was to mate her. He immediately dismissed that as an option. He would never be so selfish to mate her against her will just so he could prevent himself from feeling the pain of her loss. Their encounter with the Shadow made him see that he could not force Artimes into doing anything. It would break her spirit if he were to try.

All he wanted was for her to be happy, to laugh, to smile, and for her life to be filled with joy. Artimes had been his comfort, his peace, and the only reason he stayed sane while performing his lordly duties. She had been with him his whole life though she, herself, knew not of this. He finally had the woman of his dreams by his side and he will be damned if he lets her go now. There must be a way to save her and if he couldn't find it then he will cherish every last moment he had with her. No, he will save her. Every fiber of his being demanded it.

His thoughts were broken when Bakusaiga pulsed in his hand as did Tenseiga at his side. He examined Bakusaiga carefully. What had caused his swords to pulse like that? The wind blew across his face and his eyes widened as he inhaled a familiar scent, a meadow after a storm. He quickly scanned the area until his eyes came to rest on his miko. A smile graced her lips as she entered the meadow.

Her eyes were filled with warmth with no trace of the pain she once carried. Her aura was a bluish silver and it was pure, no signs of the sickly black at all. The pain was completely gone as though it had never existed. Sesshoumaru sheathed Bakusaiga and desperately restrained his beast who wanted nothing more than to run up and embrace her.

She walked towards them with a fluidity and grace that even the most beautiful and talented demoness could not compare to. Her inner light radiated from within her and it made her almost luminescent. It was like she was her own sun; warm, bright, and fiery. She was of the sun and he of the moon.

'She is mine!' His beast howled happily. (Insert giant dog doing a happy dance.)

It took every ounce of self-control he had to remain still and then she was in front of him. Her warmth washed over him, soothing all of his doubts and fears away. It made his entire body feel like he had been struck by lightning. He realized what he was feeling then. The emotion was joy, pure untainted joy. His miko was by his side once more and he could barely contain himself.

Artimes felt his joy in her mind and it made her smile. She realized that he had been extremely worried about her and it made her feel so warm that he cared so deeply for her. She did wonder how long she had been blissfully unaware this time. It had to be a while to stir up this kind of reaction from her Sesshoumaru.

'His swords say that you have been asleep for almost ten days.' Taizunga informed.

Artimes's smile disappeared as shock took its place. She swore a long list of curses which turned Sesshoumaru's joy to panic to worry to fear. She gave him a reassuring smile as she pointed to Taizunga. He relaxed and she turned her attention on the infernal sword.

'You can communicate with Bakusaiga and Tenseiga?' She asked in her mind.

'Apparently. I didn't know that until they responded to my call earlier.' Taizunga answered.

'Would they be willing to give me a rundown of what happened the last ten days?' She asked slightly irritated.

'Tenseiga, yes, but Bakusaiga is a little hesitant.' It answered.

'How come?' She asked her irritation growing.

'It seems Bakusaiga does not wish to betray its master by revealing too much of its master emotions during that time frame. Since Tenseiga originally belonged to Sesshoumaru's father, Inu no Taisho, it has no qualms revealing his emotions. Bakusaiga, however, is very relieved that you have awakened and is glad that you have returned. Also it congratulates you for your victory in claiming me. Personally, I think Bakusaiga is a bit too pompous and arrogant for my tastes.' Taizunga answered.

Artimes smiled slightly. She noticed Sesshoumaru frown and she sighed.

"Sorry, Sesshoumaru. Taizunga is helping me become better acquainted with Bakusaiga and Tenseiga. Apparently, our swords can talk to each other." She explained focusing on Sesshoumaru once more.

"What did they say?" He asked.

Artimes didn't want to tell him the whole conversation, so she gave him the highlights and omitted the parts about the blabbermouth Tenseiga and Bakusaiga's relief of her return.

"They said I have been out for ten days, Tenseiga wishes to give me a summary of events, and Bakusaiga congratulated me for claiming Taizunga." She summarized.

He nodded.

"Why were you asleep so long?" He asked worry showing in his eyes.

In all honesty, Artimes had no idea why she was asleep for such an extended period of time. Even with being mentally and physically drained, she should not have gone past the fourth day so what took so long?

'It was necessary.' Taizunga stated.

Artimes glanced at her sword and frowned.

"Why?" She asked aloud.

Sesshoumaru gave her a quizzical look and she smiled sheepishly.

"Oops. Guess I said that out loud, huh?" She asked smiling.

He simply nodded and Artimes returned her attention the sword.

'Why?' She said in her mind.

'During the trial, your soul had begun to fracture from the strain. It was dangerously close to shattering. After you collapsed, I was able to mend your soul, but it required time. This kind of healing could not be rushed. If I had, your body would have erupted with power, killing not only yourself, but everything in a ten mile radius of you.' It explained.

Artimes cringed slightly.

'That would have been bad.' She thought hanging her head and sighing.

She repeated Taizunga's explanation to Sesshoumaru and he nodded. He frowned once more and Artimes scowled at him.

"There is obviously something you want to ask, Sesshoumaru, so spit out already." She snapped clearly annoyed with his constant frowning.

She wanted him to smile or at least smirk. She didn't like him being upset or worried and right now, he was both.

"What happened to the pain that once enveloped your soul?" He asked a little hesitant.

Artimes stiffened at the memory of the tainted jewel. Her skin crawled as she remembered the horrible feeling of its evil power, an evil that once threatened to rip her soul apart.

"Do you remember what Taizunga said about me being Midorico's reincarnation and the consequences of Kagome's wish on the Shikon?" She asked quietly, looking at the ground.

"It said that the jewel was not entirely purified and the demons within the Shikon forced the negative energy into the soul of the fallen priestess in an attempt to destroy her soul." He answered.

Artimes nodded and took a deep breath. She looked up at him. He wasn't going to like what she was going to say, but he needed to know.

"When I claimed Taizunga, the light of my soul forced out all the pain that it had been carrying. That kind of action has consequences. The first was that it put an incredible amount of strain on my already fractured soul. The second was that all the negative energy became physically manifested in the form of the tainted Shikon Jewel, but this time there wasn't any light within the jewel to combat the darkness. I destroyed it with my powers to prevent its dark and malevolent power from wreaking havoc in this world once again." She explained.

She watched as rage filled his eyes. Once again, the Shikon had reared its ugly head and wreaked havoc in the lives of others. She understood that all of his anger was directed towards the infernal jewel. It was, after all, the darkness of the jewel that nearly shattered her soul. Sesshoumaru cared deeply for her and the Shikon had nearly destroyed her. He was beyond angry as he clenched his fists. His body was shuddering and his eyes were beginning to bleed red.

'Distract him!' Taizunga ordered.

'How?!' She thought frantically.

'How else? Use me to spar with him. Besides Bakusaiga is itching for a fight.' It replied.

Artimes jumped back and drew Taizunga. This immediately caught Sesshoumaru's attention. His anger dissipated almost immediately and was replaced by curiosity.

"How about we spar a bit, Sesshoumaru? I want to show you my skills in swordplay." She suggested smirking.

His eye brows raised and his eyes lit up at the prospect. She giggled. They put some distance between themselves and took their stances. Artimes immediately decided to try the Getoutsu on him. She was certain that he would fare far better than Inuyasha. He gave her a curious look and Artimes realized that he didn't recognize her stance.

She smirked and raced forward using the horizontal Getoutsu. He jumped to avoid it and drew Bakusaiga. She switched to the vertical Getoutsu and had the distinct pleasure of watching surprise flitting across his face. He dodged the attack by deflecting it with Bakusaiga. The force of deflecting her attack caused Artimes to twist and flip away. She landed then immediately jumped into the air to try out her new attack. Taizunga glowed with power.

"Celestial Strike!" She yelled slashing downwards while unleashing a wave of bluish silver energy towards Sesshoumaru.

"Bakusaiga!" He yelled sending forth a wave of yellow and green energy towards her own attack.

The two energies collided and created a giant explosion of power. Her eyes widened as she landed. The explosion was expanding towards her quickly. She reacted instinctively and shoved Taizunga into the ground. It created a bluish silver barrier around her and shielded her from the blast. After the explosion subsided, she smirked at Sesshoumaru who seemed to look very impressed.

"And that was my Celestial Barrier." She commented pulling Taizunga from the ground.

"Very impressive, little miko. Now show me your best technique." He ordered smirking.

She smirked even more and took her stance.

"As you wish, Sesshy, but I will warn you now. This attack could kill you." She warned.

"Unlikely." He answered preparing his defense.

'Alright Kenshin. Let's see if that ultimate technique of yours is any good.' She thought with amusement.

Taizunga chuckled.

Sesshoumaru watched as she took her stance. He wanted to see the true extent of her abilities. He had a feeling she was holding back and his inu nature was reacting to the threat she posed. He knew that she would never challenge him for dominance, but her power was practically demanding him to issue the challenge. It was grating on his nerves. He knew he would have to do something soon or it would rip him apart.

That was the reason for demanding her best technique. It was his attempt to appease his demonic nature and his curiosity. He watched as her eyes filled with mischief and amusement. At least she was enjoying herself. His eyes widened slightly as she raced towards him at a demonic like speed. He barely had time to dodge the diagonal swing of her sword. He gasped as he felt the sudden pain in his chest.

He skidded to a stop near the forest's edge and leaned against a nearby tree. He looked down and saw a diagonal slash across his chest, blood soaking into his haori staining it red. How did that happen? He had dodged the attack and yet he was somehow wounded. He looked up at her, clearly confused by what happened. There was no blood on her sword. How was she able to injure him? She sheathed Taizunga.

"What was that attack?" He asked clearly baffled.

She smiled and began to walk over to him.

"Amakakeru Ryu no Hirameki. It's the ultimate technique of the Hiten Mitsurugi style of swordsmanship. I call it the twin dragon strike." She answered coming to a stop in front of him.

"Twin dragon strike?" He echoed.

She nodded.

"The attack requires an almost god-like speed. The first attack or dragon is with the sword. The second attack or dragon is the air rushing in to fill the void left behind by the initial swing and can be as deadly as the first. If both had hit, you would most likely be dead. You asked for my best technique and I complied. I hope you're not mad at me for injuring you." She explained.

He blinked. Mad? Why would he be mad? He was impressed. His miko was a formidable opponent and with her knowledge of future techniques, it made her an extremely dangerous adversary. He was secretly glad that she was his friend. He inwardly cringed at the thought of her being his enemy. His demonic nature was beginning to scream at him, but both his inner beast and himself forced it back down.

"No. I am impressed by your mastery of the blade." He admitted honestly.

Her eyes lit up with happiness. She clasped her hands together and jumped for joy. He smiled slightly. He was glad that she was happy.

"Okay. In return for the nice compliment, I will heal your wound." She informed moving her hands to hover above his wound.

"Heal my wound?" He echoed.

When did she learn how to use her powers to heal?

"Yes heal. Now shush, I need to concentrate." She ordered.

His inu nature snapped again when she ordered him, but he forced it down. Her eyes glowed with power and her hands mirrored her eyes. His instincts told him that it was an attack but he shoved it aside with great effort. It was getting harder to control his demonic nature. He would have to do something very soon.

He was snapped out of his thoughts as he watched his wound heal, the blood vanish, and his close mend. He was shocked to the say the least. The light faded from her eyes and hands. She lowered her hands and smiled.

"Did that hurt?" She asked a little worried.

He shook his head and sheathed Bakusaiga.

"No. I felt no pain whatsoever. A gentle warmth, but that was all. When did you learn that?" He asked curious.

She fidgeted slightly before answering.

"When? Just now." She answered honestly.

If he wasn't Sesshoumaru, he would have fallen over in surprise.

"You were not certain that you could heal me?" He asked slightly annoyed.

He was not some sort of subject she could practice on and it made him extremely irritated. His demonic nature rose again demanding that he challenge her at once to prove who was dominant. He was starting to become mentally fatigued by denying his nature.

"Taizunga says to trust and follow my instincts, so I did. I knew I could heal you and I was pretty certain that I wouldn't cause you any pain in doing so. Taizunga says it's because my powers are neither spiritual or demonic, but something called Celestial powers. It says I am a Celestial miko, the last apparently. The others of my kind were wiped out over a century ago." She explained.

So they 'select' group of monks and mikos that were destroyed over a hundred years ago possessed Celestial powers. But what had the power to kill that many beings that held such power? Did that creature or person still exist? If so, would it come after his miko? No, he will not allow anyone to harm his miko, but now that he had the knowledge of what her powers were, his demonic nature was raging so hard that it was making him sick. A deep growl resonated from his chest and it startled his miko.

Whatever he was thinking about was making him very angry. She had to find some way of distracting him again. She didn't want to use Taizunga for fear harming Sesshoumaru a second time.

'Hand-to-hand combat?" Taizunga suggested.

Her eyes lit up at the prospect. She and Sesshoumaru had not sparred in close combat since the day they first met and she was curious about how it would go this time around since her powers were no longer hampered by pain. Sesshoumaru had mentioned that she was using her powers to augment her speed, strength, and flexibility. Maybe she could give him a good workout now.

"Hey Sesshy, why don't we spar a bit in close combat? It's been quite a while since our last match." She suggested.

She watched as the anger melted away and was replaced with curiosity once more, but she frowned inwardly at something she saw in his eyes. There was more than just curiosity there and she could have sworn that it was desperation. Thankfully she had successfully derailed his thoughts once again. They moved back to the center of the meadow and their sparring match began. After a short time, Artimes realized something was off. Sesshoumaru's movements were far too slow.

'Was Sesshy always this slow or is he holding back?' She pondered easily avoiding his frontal assault.

'He is not slower. You have become faster.' Taizunga pointed out.

'I couldn't have improved that much. I mean I'm not even trying.' She retorted sidestepping a punch clearly meant for her stomach with absolute ease.

Taizunga sighed heavily.

'With your soul purified, the true extent of your powers has been unleashed. How many times do I have to tell you that, stupid?' Taizunga reiterated.

'No need to get snippy. I knew Sesshoumaru held back in our first fight. Maybe he is doing that now. I mean a human can't be more powerful than a demon lord, right?' She asked flipping away from a round house kick.

'Artimes, you are a Celestial miko. The only challenge you could ever have is if you squared off against a god. A demon lord is chump change when you utilize your powers fully, but go ahead and ask him if he is holding back. I'll bet he has been going all out this whole time.' It answered.

"Hey Sesshy?" Artimes called skidding a feet away from him.

"Yes, little miko?" He asked.

"Are you holding back?" She asked clearly curious.

"No." He answered simply.

'What? No way, Sesshoumaru doesn't lie, but it can't be.' She thought astounded.

"You're using 100% of your demonic speed and strength?" She asked disbelief coloring her words.

"Yes." He answered simply, "Are you holding back?"

'Well duh, stupid! I'm not even trying!' She yelled inwardly, slightly annoyed.

"Yes." She answered crossing her arms.

"Don't." He stated, "Give me your best."

'Is he nuts? My best could kill him!' She thought frantically.

She raised an eyebrow.

"Are you challenging me, Sesshoumaru?" She asked in a serious tone.

"Yes, I challenge you, miko." He answered taking his stance.

She stared at him in surprise.

'He can't be serious, is he? Does he realize what he's doing?' She thought her mind at a loss.

'Yes, he is serious and openly challenging you. His inu nature will not allow him to back down from a superior opponent who may threaten his dominance.' Taizunga explained.

'But I don't want to dominate, Sesshoumaru! He's my friend!' She yelled inwardly.

'He knows this, but nevertheless, you must answer his challenge or it will cause major stress not only on your friendship but himself as well. By accepting his challenge, it will prevent that from occurring. He is trying to help, Artimes. It's the only way.' Taizunga replied solemnly.

Artimes inwardly seethed and she had no doubt that Sesshoumaru could feel her apprehension. No matter how much she wanted to say no, she knew there was no other choice. She was not happy being boxed into this, but there was no way around it.

"Sesshoumaru, are you absolutely certain that you wish to challenge me?" She asked.

She needed to be certain that it was the right thing to do. She was giving him every opportunity to back out. He nodded and Artimes released the hold she had on her powers. Her eyes glowed blue with power and she took her stance.

'I'm sorry, Sesshoumaru. I never meant for this to happen. Forgive me.' She thought her heart filling with sorrow and regret.

"Then I accept your challenge, Sesshoumaru." She said preparing to attack.

Sesshoumaru knew he was in for the beating of his life when Artimes completely vanished. This was necessary and he hated himself for putting her through this. He felt the air shift behind him and he glanced back. Artimes was there, eyes glowing, and she kicked him so hard that it sent him flying. He slid to a stop and stood. Artimes was already in front of him and before he could blink, he felt her fist collide with his stomach. He heard a few ribs crack on his left side as he skidded back further.

Before he had a chance to recover, he was being hit on all sides. Blows were being landed on his legs, arms, and most certainly his chest. The pain was excruciating. Every impact burned from the Celestial powers she had radiating through her body. She appeared once more in front of him and he felt her kick collide with his already abused chest. The force of the attack blew him backwards, the air being knocked out of him.

His back hit a giant oak and the tree groaned in protest, but held firm. He coughed up blood and raised his head. She was heading straight for him, her fist aiming directly for his face. He closed his eyes and waited for the impact, but it never came.

Artimes skidded to a halt, her fist a mere half an inch from his face. She felt like crying as she took in his injuries. His body was battered, broken, and bruised. He had coughed up blood and he was clutching his left side. He opened his eyes. They were glazed over in intense pain. She had caused that pain and she felt her heart break. She had hurt her best friend and it made her sick to her stomach. Her eyes stopped glowing and she lowered her fist. She straightened up out of her attack posture, guilt filling her eyes.

"The battle is over. I win." She whispered her voice hoarse from the torrential emotions inside her.

Sesshoumaru stood, cradling his left side, and he involuntarily winced in pain. He saw her cringe when he did so and he was mentally berating himself for putting her through this. He knew she was strong, but to think that she had completely dominated the fight from start to finish was astonishing to say the least. His inner beast whined weakly at being beaten by a human female, its pride and ego more broken than his body.

His beast eventually conceded that their miko was, in fact, their alpha. She had defeated them so soundly that there was no room for error. She was no longer his miko, but he was her Sesshoumaru. He saw the guilt and pain in her eyes and it hurt him more than his injuries. He never wanted to hurt her and he was mentally cursing his inu nature.

He shifted slightly and the pain shot through his body like mini explosions. He fell forward unable to withstand the pain any longer. He grunted in pain as she wrapped her arms around him to prevent him from falling. He hadn't realized the true extent of his injuries. The pain was even more excruciating now than it was mere moments again.

"Sesshoumaru!" She cried out unable to hide the pain and worry in her voice.

He felt warmth spread through him as her powers washed over him. She was trying to heal him. He could feel the desperation in her aura. The pain began to subside slowly as her powers took effect. He stood when he felt her powers retract. She had completely healed him in under a minute. She was truly remarkable.

He looked into her eyes and his heart twisted painfully. Their blue depths shimmered with unshed tears. He had caused her pain and he needed to tell her why, but more importantly that it wasn't her fault. This had to be done, but it didn't make the situation any less painful, for both of them. He knelt before and he heard her gasp. He knew without a shadow of doubt that she was not going to like what he had to say, but she needed to know.

"Do not feel guilty, Artimes." He stated his head bowed and looking at the ground.

She stared at his prostrated form unable to move. He had said her name. He never used her name. He called her 'little miko' or 'his miko'. Why? Why did he use her name now?

"Why are you bowing like that?" She asked shakily.

She had a feeling that she knew the answer but her brain wasn't quite working yet. The shock of him bowing and saying her name had her brain turned to mush.

"You have bested me in combat and have won the challenge that I issued. Both myself and my inner beast have conceded defeat. You are our alpha, the leader of our pack. I serve and protect you. I must obey your orders. I am loyal only to you, my lady." He answered.

Artimes couldn't believe what she was hearing. She never wanted this. She fell to her knees and her tears gave way and flowed down her face. He looked up at her and she saw the worry in his eyes.

"I don't want to be your alpha. I am your friend. I only wanted to be your equal, nothing more. I never wanted this. I didn't…" She trailed off, her voice ceasing to function as her tears flowed steadily down her face.

"Just because you are my alpha does not mean we are not friends. It just means that the dynamics of our friendship has changed." He stated.

"But I don't want you to treat me any differently. I want you to call me your miko like you've always done. I never minded you calling me that. I was proud to be your miko. I was happy when you gave me my nickname, little miko." She whispered clutching his haori and leaning her head against his chest, "I don't want things to change. I want things to be as they were before. I want to be your little miko."

'Do something! Our alpha is in pain! Help our alpha!' His beast wailed.

"If that is what you wish." He stated.

He watched as her aura flared with anger. She looked up at him, dried her tears, pushed him onto his back, and straddled him. Her hands were still clutching his haori and her eyes were filled with rage. What had he done to cause such a reaction? He remembered his words and mentally kicked himself. Of course she would take it the wrong way.

"That's exactly what I mean, you baka! You're already treating me different! I don't want you to serve me or do everything I tell you! That's not how friendship works, you baka! We work together as a team, as equals! Stop treating me like I am some damn queen! I am your friend, your comrade, your companion, your ally, and I am your miko, you baka!" She screamed her rage building with every sentence.

*Lime*

He needed to do something quick or she would lose control of her powers, but what? He didn't have any experience dealing with angry females. He had no idea what to do. What could possibly cut through her anger and make it vanish? His ears were ringing from the intensity of her shouting. There had to be something he could do. Finally a thought popped into his mind and he acted on it.

He pulled her to him and kissed her, effectively cutting off her screams. She froze for a moment, stunned by the action, but what she did next surprised even him. She opened her mouth to allow him entrance and he delved deeper into her mouth. Their kiss grew more heated and passionate. Her taste was intoxicating and he craved more of it. He knew he should stop, but didn't. He was too enthralled by the sweet tasting beauty who was conveniently straddling him directly above his member.

He continued to explore her mouth allowing her to deepen the kiss herself. She laced her fingers through his hair and pulled them deeper into their already passionate kiss. Her hips began to rub against him in a soft rhythmic motion. His member responded and grew hard, his groin burned like fire. She moaned against his lips as she separated to breathe and he wrapped his arms around her and pulled her back into the kiss. She didn't resist and he began his exploration again.

His hands moved instinctively to her bottom and he cupped it firmly, grinding her against his hard member. She gasped in pleasure and he claimed her mouth once more. He wanted her. There was no denying that he wanted her. He wanted her to be his mate, but something was holding him back. What was preventing him from claiming what he desired?

Artimes had been more than shocked when Sesshoumaru kissed her, but what shocked her even more was when she responded to him. Her body's reaction was staggering. She didn't know whether to be shocked or turned on by the fact that he was holding her bottom and grinding her against him. She could feel how hard he was with every pass and it felt good. His taste was divine, his scent was soothing, and the heat of his body made her feel like she was on fire. She wanted him.

She knew Sesshoumaru was like a sex god, but she wanted him anyways. If his actions and stiff member were any indication, he wanted her as well. She wanted to feel him inside her, moving inside her. She wanted to feel his mouth teasing her breasts and feel the warmth of his caress across her bare skin. The shadow's energy wasn't present. This was all them. She moaned as he slipped her shirt off her shoulders and trailed kisses all the way down to her cleavage. This felt so right and yet something inside her told her to stop, but why?

*End lime*

Her brain suddenly kicked into overdrive. She was human not demon. His father had abandoned Sesshoumaru and his mother for a human princess and a hanyou child. She couldn't let Sesshoumaru walk the same path as his father. It would destroy him; his reputation, everything he has built, and his lands would be ripped to shreds and plunged into chaos.

She summoned all her willpower and tore herself from Sesshoumaru's embrace. She stood up, straightened herself out, and looked back at him. He was standing now and she saw the pain of rejection in his eyes. She looked straight into his eyes and even though her resolve wavered slightly, she held firm.

"I will not let you walk the same path as your father." She stated and walked away.

Sesshoumaru felt like he had been slapped and had freezing water poured on his head as she walked away. He was at war with himself. He wanted to be angry at her for rejecting him, but he couldn't. She was trying to save him from following in his father's footsteps, but he wanted her. By the kamis, he wanted that woman. He wanted her even more now, knowing that she was trying to keep his honor as a lord intact.

He knew if he mated a human, his position as Lord of the West would be questioned. He would be considered weak for mating a human and worse still a traitor for mating a miko. Because of his father, it was now considered taboo to mate with humans and it meant certain defeat in the eyes of his enemies. He growled and clenched his fists in rage. His beast pawed at him and asked a question he wasn't expecting.

'Do you love her?' It asked.

His anger dissipated quickly. Did he love Artimes? He wanted her as his mate, to be by his side forever, and he wanted nothing more than to make her happy, but did he love her? He growled loudly because he didn't have an answer.

Author's Rant

Lady A: Well damn, had to split chapters again. Anyways, quite a twist huh? Never expected her to become his alpha, now did ya? *smirks evilly*

Kurama: You find amusement in just about everything, don't you?

Lady A: *rolls her eyes* Not everything, but I do find certain things funny.

Hiei: Leave her be, fox. You're distracting her.

Kurama: I am not one to remain silent, Hiei. You of all people know this.

Hiei: Don't remind me.

Lady A: I like being distracted. I sometimes come up with very unusual ideas and twists when distracted.

Hiei: Oh joy. Now we get even more of your ridiculous nonsense than usual.

Lady A: *scowls* You're a jerk.

Hiei: I know.

Kurama: *sighs* Readers, please leave a review. Also, flamers will be met with violence.