Chapter 11

Kagome sighed as she sat outside the south house in the gardens she had quickly become attached to.

The men, more importantly Sesshomaru, would be home tonight and Kagome was sad that the time had flown by so quickly.

She had loved her time with Shippo, Rin, and Jaken, who Sesshomaru had told not to leave Rin's side, and who had tried to give Kagome an ear full about leaving with Rin without telling him, but only managed to gulp and walk away. He just couldn't stand up to Kagome after that day where she all but scorched him with her eyes.

That was one of the things that made Kagome so sad. It would be so strange not hearing Jaken and Rin's little arguments all the time.

Kagome could still hear Jaken, trying to do his job, informing Rin that he had shorter legs then she and couldn't run as fast as she could, and Rin laughing at him and telling him to grow some more, and then he could follow her around.

Kagome shook her head and closed her eyes. She was out here for a reason, and that reason wasn't to reminisce on the past three days.

She had sent Shippo and Rin upstairs with Jaken to get ready for bed as she came out here, finally getting the courage to do what she hadn't been able to do for months now.

She was going to try and reach out to her family, to see if they were in the spirit plane.

Sighing again, more from nerves than anything else, she sat atop the concrete bench.

Kagome crossed her legs Indian style and closed her eyes, concentrating to find her power deep within her body. It wasn't the easiest task in the world, given she wasn't at her strongest yet, but, finally, she was able to grasp her power and then push it out of her body.

Kagome began her deep breathing as she focused her energy into the very thin plain where way-ward spirits lived.

Just as she was going to search for her family, any of them, that same buzzing that had been coming back off and on for three days, came roaring back and Kagome lost her concentration.

Kagome's eyes shot open and her hands shot to her head to apply pressure to her forehead as it thrummed and buzzed.

"Are you alright?"

Kagome looked up and audibly growled as she saw Naraku standing in front of her. Strangely, she felt the hollow, unsteady thrumming was coming from him. It was his heart beating nervously as he looked at her.

"I just came out here to check on you, Kagome." Naraku grinned with a lecherous purr, and it was almost like Kagome could see his ill intent on his breath. Feel what he felt for her.

It made her stomach roll.

"Thank you, but I'm fine." Kagome sighed, and then whimpered as his heart beat picked up.

Naraku sat next to Kagome and she instinctively pulled her legs up to her chest and huddled into them as she wrapped her arms around her knees.

"You don't seem fine, Kagome." Naraku gleamed, and Kagome felt like she was going to vomit listening to his failed attempt to sound seductive.

"Well, Naraku, I am fine. Or, at least, I would be if you would leave me alone." Kagome groaned and lowered her head to her knees, praying he would leave and take that awful, uneven, heart beat with him.

Naraku leaned back a little and put his arm around Kagome. "You know, I did a little research on Spirit Guides."

Kagome groaned as a different heavy thrum, this once warm and slow, invaded her head and made Naraku's heart beat that much more painful in her head.

"I learned that, of all the beings in this world, they are the most likely to marry their soul mate. Do you why? It's because they can only have children with their soul mate, of course." Naraku went on, unaware of Kagome's pain.

"I learned that the bound between a Spirit Guide and their mate, shall we call it, is so strong, that the Spirit Guide's power can actually transfer to their mate . . . and that the mate will live just as long as the Spirit Guide." Naraku purred, moving so that his mouth was a few inches away from Kagome's ear.

Kagome hissed as her own heart beat began to thrum in her ear, louder than the warm, slower one, fast and heavy like she had just been running, even as she sat there. She was shivering and groaning, her whole body alert, and it only seemed to egg Naraku on, as if he thought those were good reactions.

"You and I both know demon and human relationships never work." Naraku whispered, getting even closer to Kagome, so close she could feel the heat of his breath, smell a putrid scent waft for his mouth.

Kagome gaged and clenched her eyes as she leaned harder against her knees. The slow beat was getting close, maybe less than a meter, and it was intensifying her pain.

Then, the other thrumming stopped.

Now all Kagome could hear was her own heartbeat, sounding more like that of a humming bird then a 19 year old girl.

Naraku moved Kagome's braid away from her shoulder and ran his fingers along the side of her neck. "I could be so much better to you than Sesshomaru ever could . . . He's probably so cold, selfish . . . but I am an amazing lover."

Suddenly, Kagome couldn't hear anything. She couldn't smell of see anything. All she could do was feel Naraku's lips against her skin as he leaned close to kiss under her ear.

And before Kagome could take a breath, she had Naraku on the ground, her fists balled into the collar of his shirt, throwing his head into the stone path.

"How dare you!" Kagome growled loudly, bringing his head up close to her face to meet his eyes. And as she stared his down, Naraku's body was surrounded by a midnight black, surrounded my murky grey.

"You know nothing! Nothing! I swear to every kami in the heavens, if you ever, ever try to even say something along these lines to me again, even give me a look that says too much, I will send you to the grave! The grave!" Kagome screamed in his face, all her rage, pain, and irritation rushing out of her all at once.

"Kagome . . ."

Kagome's body was rushed all at once with several heart beats, as well as auras pulsing around her power as she let go of Naraku and looked up.

There, outlined in gold, outlined by a deep red shimmer, was Sesshomaru, looking down at her, smirking.

Behind him, as Kagome sat up and released Naraku, she saw Miroku, outlined by a bright, royal blue. Sango was surrounded by a soft indigo. Koga was outlined by bright yellow with tinges of murky pink. Inuyasha was outlined by blackened yellow. All of their auras were being invaded by a muddy, dark grey.

Sesshomaru's smile widened as he offered his hand to Kagome, whose head no longer thrummed, but was now lightheaded and weak.

"Come." Sesshomaru said and Kagome immediately took his hand and stood. When he started to lead her forward, though, Kagome blacked out and Sesshomaru only had a moment to catch her against his chest before she fell back on Naraku.

"Is she okay?" Sango whimpered, unsure what was going on with Kagome. She had been complaining of a minor head ache, but Sango hadn't thought it was anything serious.

Sesshomaru nodded. "Fine." and started to walk away, but stopped and turned back to stare Naraku down.

Sesshomaru walked over to stare down at the now cowering Naraku. "She was not joking." And he walked out of the south house gardens with Kagome safe in his arms.

Kagome was more than fine, but that didn't mean Sesshomaru was going to lower himself to talk to the humans.

She was simply going through what all Spirit Guides went through. The full of her power was simply breaking out of where it was stored in the body and making her stronger. A small side effect of that, however, was passing out.

Sesshomaru quickly walked into Kagome's room and shut the door. He would see to her, and then check on Rin before he went to bed.

He laid Kagome down on her bed, and then walked over to her dresser to find something for her to wear while sleeping. He came up short, however, when he saw the 8X10, silver picture frame of Kagome and her family in China.

They were standing in front of the Beijing Zoo's gate, and Sesshomaru scowled at the picture.

The demon man in the picture looked like he could be Kagome's brother the way he stood with her. His arm was leaned against Kagome's shoulder and his head leaned away as he grinned at the camera. That was not the way a demon man would stand with a woman he desired. It was a friendly pose, not one of passion or intensity.

Shaking his head, Sesshomaru quickly looked through her drawers, and cam short when he opened a drawer of her more delicate things. Decided he would resist, being too tired, he continued looking and found some thin, but long, light blue work out pants, and a white tank top.

Sighing at himself, Sesshomaru knelt down to Kagome and pulled her red sweater off of her body and scowled at the small, metallic plunk her locket made against her chest as it landed in-between her breasts.

Unfazed, Sesshomaru picked up the silver locket and chain and examined it. It was a simple design, a circular locket, a thin line of scrolling work around the edge of the face and nothing more. On the back it simply said,

'From, your favorite little brother and your beloved son'.

Sesshomaru pulled the locket open, and the same smiling faces from the silver frame were smiling up at him now.

The mature Fox demon had his son up in his arms and close to his face as they grinned at a photo booth camera, and the little fox winked as he seemed to be laughing. Her mother, Grandfather, and little brother were crowded close and smiling as they waved at the same camera.

Sesshomaru looked up from the locket as Kagome murmured something in her sleep.

He could care less if she woke or not and he was sitting next to her half undressed torso, but for some reason, the idea of her catching him the locket made him feel guilty.

He told her nothing of his family, he had no right knowing about hers.

Sesshomaru finished undressing her and took the clothes over to her now empty hamper. When he turned back to dress her, he inwardly debated with himself about whether or not he wanted to dress her. To be honest, he liked seeing her body, enjoyed seeing the perfect proportions of her body, and the way her jet black hair laid in a pool of braid on the bed next to her. The way her thin stomach curved as she turned it her sleep.

No, he needed to dress her . . . leaving her that way would only make him want to stay.

And no matter how much he hated it, Sesshomaru needed to see Rin, and get some sleep.

Sesshomaru did his best to ignore her curves as he slowly pulled her clothes up to fit them smugly. It amazed Sesshomaru just how much he liked this woman. He had never had an infatuation this strong before.

As he pulled her tank top over her chest, the fabric stretching over the bounty there, he examined her beautiful hair and remembered how long his hair had been. Surprisingly, however, he preferred this length and the ease it came with. He wondered how Kagome like her hair being so long. But, of course, almost all Spirit Guides wore their hair long.

Sesshomaru let his uninterrupted eye travel over to her soft, pale face. She had such clear, gorgeous skin, with long eye lashes that lay in whispering curls against her slightly pink cheeks. She had perfect lips, and that was probably why Sesshomaru was so drawn to her. She didn't have thin, crinkled lips from pursing them in an attempt to make them look bigger. They were plump, rosy lips, just the perfect lips for deep kisses.

Sesshomaru chuckled at himself and stood. He needed to go to bed. He covered Kagome with the smooth blankets of her futon, and then quickly turned to leave. But, just as he reached the door, he permitted himself one last look at the young woman on the room.

She was definitely a strong Spirit Guide . . . just like the one he'd met at the meetings in China, who had sworn she was Kagome's grandmother.

Kagome awoke to a feeling that was completely foreign to her.

She was totally at peace, but beyond that, she could feel that others were to. She could feel how they felt, without feeling it herself. She was feeling many things all at once, without feeling anything other than her own tranquility.

Her grandfather had taught her that this would happen, but she had never been able to imagine how it would feel. Thankfully, he'd also taught her how to suppress the feelings of others so as not to be overwhelmed.

Kagome quickly pushed the feelings back, and opened her eyes to scowl. Everything was vibrantly clear and smooth, almost like she'd been half blind and had never know it. Every smell and sound hit her all at once, but it didn't overwhelm her, but only intensified her peace.

"Well," Kagome chuckled as she sat up in bed, a strange, giddy joy rolling from her center to the rest of her body, "Let's see how I do at being a real Spirit Guide."

"Shippo," Kagome whispered as she braided her freshly washed hair and knelt next to her sleeping son.

Shippo opened his mouth first to yawn wide at Kagome, before he opened his ocean, blue green eyes up to look at her.

"Kagome mama?" Shippo scowled and Kagome, for some reason, giggled.

Now she knew why Koemi was so happy all the time.

"Kagome mama! Your eyes!" Shippo exclaimed and sat up in bed, and Kagome scowled a little.

"What is wrong with my eyes?" Kagome almost sang as she spoke, and then scowled more.

'Since when so I talk like that? Must be because I'm thinking of Koemi.' Kagome decided, and then smiled down at her beautiful, yellow outlined in green, glowing son. That was something else Kagome was going to have to get used to.

Seeing people's auras.

"Your eyes are very, very blue, almost silvery blue! Like Koemi's!" Shippo smiled and Kagome laughed.

"That's because I'm like her now, I have all my powers." Kagome smiled before she stood up and went to Shippo's closest. "Now let's get you dressed and down for breakfast."

"Okay!" Shippo laughed and bounced out of bed, picking up on Kagome's energy.

After 10 minutes of playing and questions, Kagome had the newly dressed Shippo on her back and out of the west house.

As she walked down the path, she saw Rin twirling around with a new, white rose, wreath atop her head and Sesshomaru following her.

Kagome smiled as she saw Rin pulsing lavender invaded by a soft, cloudless sky blue. She was a purely peaceful, imaginative child, even with the thin line of black that was trying to invade her heart, but she wouldn't let it. Sesshomaru, on the other hand, was surrounded by deep, almost crimson red, that glittered gold around the edges and invading the red. He was realistic, survival and logic oriented.

"Rin!" Shippo called and the little girl stopped her twirling and started in Shippo and Kagome's direction.

"Hello!" Rin cheered, and then ran to grasp Kagome's legs in a tight hug. Shippo climbed up on Kagome's shoulders a moment before he jumped down and excitedly addressed Rin.

"Kagome mama has all her powers! Her eyes are so pretty!" Shippo cheered, and Rin pulled away from Kagome to look up at her face, or more over, her eyes.

"Wow," Rin exclaimed, "they are so beautiful! Sesshomaru-sama, look!" And Rin turned to Sesshomaru and pointed at Kagome.

Instead of the uneasiness that normally followed Kagome's desire for Sesshomaru, all she felt was she smooth calm, and those feelings. She was completely confident and at ease.

"Good morning Sesshomaru." Kagome giggled before she bowed her head to the demon lord.

"Aren't her eyes pretty?" Shippo asked.

Rin nodded, "They are beautiful."

Sesshomaru starred into Kagome's eyes and she knew she blushed, but she wasn't ashamed and didn't want to hide it. Of course, she knew she was only this confident because of the new power, and that it would go away, but she didn't care at that moment.

"Hmm." Sesshomaru finally said and Kagome did her best not to giggle, but a little bit got out.

"Come on Kagome," Rin smiled, "Let's go to breakfast!" And Rin pulled Kagome past Sesshomaru and into the South house.

"I'm just saying, it's times like last night that I am so happy we have cameras out in that garden!" Koga laughed and everyone laughed with him. As he looked up from his food, proud of himself, he stopped as he saw Kagome walk in. She was dressed like any other day. A dark pair of jeans, long sleeved, sheer black shirt over a black camisole, but she was different.

Kagome laughed as everyone followed Koga's eyes and starred at her.

They were each pulsing with a different combination of colors, and almost all of them made Kagome even happier.

"Are all of you okay?" Kagome giggled as she sat for breakfast with Rin and Shippo close.

"Your eyes . . .?" Miroku, a royal blue and violet aura, said and Kagome nodded.

"Almost all Spirit Guides eyes change when their power is released, some lighten, and some darken. Some get a mat, or ,like mine, metallic, hue to them." Kagome explained softly.

Ayame, a soft yellow and gold, took a deep breath and smiled. "You smell even better now."

Kagome bowed her head. "Thank you!" She grinned, finally understanding what Ayame meant, her smell changing as well. Everyone had little, natural smells clinging to them.

"Are you feeling okay Kagome?" the turquoise encompassed Sango asked and Kagome smiled.

"I feel amazing. I know, I'm acting strange, but that just comes with the territory of getting new power and not knowing how to express, or suppress, it." Kagome explained and Sango smiled happily.

That was when Kagome felt a very sick, almost slimy aura press against hers, and before she could stop herself, Kagome loudly gagged.

A/N: Getting to the end of all the chapters I already have typed up, Sad to see it slow down! :tears:

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