Jerking his head up from where they all sat in the gardens once again Inutaisho looked at his kids and knew they could sense it as well. And the Grandkids. Something was coming. Some sort of an evil mass was headed right for them.

Sesshomaru turned and looked down at Kazemaru and Hanako. "You two. Take Kiseki, your mother, grandmother and aunt and go to the safe room. Kazemaru it is going to fall on you to make sure that doesn't get to them."

"Right Father."

Though she was worried, Kagome learned a long time ago, when everything got serious like this, just go. Stopping she kissed Sesshomaru on his cheek. "Be careful."

"Right."

Once they were all gone, Inutaisho was on the wall. Two of his sons on his right side, his girls on his left as they looked out over the vast flat lands that surrounded the palace all around. Made that way just in case of a threat. Though this was something altogether different than just an attacking army of any kind. This was pure evil.

"Father do you think it may be him?"

"I do actually. Keep your guard up and be mindful of everyone. This is black magic that he is using." Then his eyes narrowed. "I just wish I knew where he was."

Nodding to each other Yuriko and Yume closed their eyes and focused. Using Kazemaru's shard they put a barrier around the rest of the pack that were hiding right now. Then they focused and put the same barrier around the others. Their want to keep their pack safe as they fight would keep the barriers around them.

"I don't need this. You two can keep it around Sesshomaru and Inuyasha but drop mine."

Turning two sets of startled eyes to their father both Yuriko and Yume gasped. "You can't be serious?"

"I am. You forget I know black magic too. I was young when it first started out and learned all I could of the time. At the time you had to know black magic to fight with rivals because there is a good bet that they could do it too." Turning his stern eyes to them he had a glare in them. "Take mine down. I won't be able to use it on what's coming if you don't."

Reluctantly they dropped his barrier as they all turned and watched and waited for what was going to be coming toward them. It was so vile and evil that it had to be Hiroshi. It just had to be! Yuriko and Yume finally hoped that they would be able to find him and kill him so that they could be in peace.

X

Stopping all of the sudden with a glare and a growl Hiro could sense something was wrong. Wrong at home. Glaring as he flipped Mizu around on his back he narrowed his eyes. "Stay on my back Mizu."

Blinking as she shook slightly she nodded. She could sense the level of evil in that black magic just like Hiro could right now. It was immense and she wasn't sure how to deal with it. But thanks to Ayame and Koga, Hiro could. "Right."

Hiro then took off at break neck speed, using the jewel around his neck to push him faster than before. He had to get home. Something was seriously wrong!

X

Her eyes going wide Yuriko pointed toward the trees. "What the hell is that?!"

Blinking then glaring Inutaisho dropped from the walls, followed by the four pups. "That is hell. Inuyasha. I know Kazemaru can handle himself, no matter how big a glutton he is. But this isn't a normal demon attack or even a human attack. Go help him. And remember. The only way to kill these things is to take off their heads, right at the base of their skull. Any lower or higher and they will regenerate."

"Right."

Feeling Sesshomaru's energy rise he reached out and stopped him. "That will just give these things something to grab onto to get you. Dog form won't work here. Pull Toukijin and slice at the base of the skull. No where else will kill them."

"What are they?"

Looking at Yume as she took up her stance alongside her sister. "They are demonic ghouls. They are nothing but an embodiment of the evil of the one that called them forth. They can be killed but it is hard."

"Just when we could use someone else Hiro has to be gone." Yuriko then hardened her eyes as the ghouls flew at them. "Here they come!"

X

Reaching the ledge on the mountain where he could look down at home Hiro growled. There was only one demon in the world that would come after his pack with black magic like this. Hiroshi! "Damn him! Stay on my back and don't let go. But watch yours."

"Right." Mizu then pulled her own dagger as she wrapped her legs around his waist to hold on tightly and his clothes with the other hand. "Ghouls?"

"That's right. Base of the skull."

"Right. Let's go."

X

Another slice of his fire and ice swords together sent the ghouls flying back only to come right back. They had been at it nearly all day and it was starting to wear them out. "How can he have this level of magic without the jewel!"

"Beats me!" Yuriko then used a few of the wolf moves she learned from Houshou and took out a half dozen. "But we can't even go try to find him if we are stuck fighting here!"

But then a sudden commotion as dust kicked up across the middle of the field caused them all to jerk their heads up. Yume smiled as she took in a deep breath. "That's Hiro!"

"That damn fool will just make things worse if he doesn't know how to kill them!" Inutaisho focused on two different things. Using his level of black magic to keep a force around the palace. It was weak but it was keeping them out for now. A glance up at the zig zag pattern and he couldn't help but growl. "That pup and his…."

But then he gasped as his eyes went wide when his sun spun in a circle with his sword, taking out a couple of dozen of the ghouls like he had done this a million times! But there was also a white wolf hanging off his back!

Stopping as he moved to stand between his father and sister he sighed. "Drop."

Nodding Mizu dropped down then pulled her double ended blade and locked them together, moving to stand next to him.

He knew all eyes were on him. But he also knew that they had to find the core. There was no demon scent anywhere near here. There was a puppet like the one Kagome and Sesshomaru told them about that Naraku used. But he had to figure out which one was the puppet!

"We will explain everything later. But Hiroshi isn't anywhere near here."

Her eyes popping after she took out a ghoul that came at her Yuriko glared and growled. "He has to be! There is no way that he could do something like this if he wasn't here!"

"Puppets!" Glaring down at his sister he stood his ground. "I just got home after spending a year training with Koga and he told me the same thing Sesshomaru and Kagome did. That a puppet can do anything the real one does. Just like something like this. I checked, there is no demon anywhere near here that would be related to Mama other than the two of you."

Sending lighting through a line Sesshomaru narrowed his eyes. Why didn't he think of that sooner! "It makes sense. Naraku was able to deceive me as well with the damned puppets he had."

"So how do we find it?"

Looking at Yume he smiled. "In the core. Right in the middle of this battle is the one that isn't a ghoul and just looks like a demon from hell so to speak." Then he started move but was stopped and looked back at his father. "What?"

"You aren't doing it. I will. You go out there and get….."

Jerking free from his dad he sighed. "I am not as weak as you think I am and I will prove it when this is done. I have fought things like this every day for the last six months. You need to trust me like you told Mama to trust Yuriko and Yume." Then he was gone, once again zig zagging through the ghouls as he searched out the puppet taking out more at a time than it could bring back.

Spinning around and taking out a few of her own Mizu laughed. "Don't worry about Hiro. He will be just fine you will see."

X

Jumping to her feet Hanako gasped. "No way!"

Looking at her cousin Kiseki also had wide eyes. "It's his scent. But it is different somehow."

With a giggle as she fell back down to sit next to her mother, Hanako covered her mouth. "Oh my gosh I can't believe. He didn't come alone either."

Glaring with crossed arms Hiromi looked at her grandkids. "Stop talking like that and tell us what you smell?"

Looking over at her, Kiseki was nervous about saying it. "Well for starters Hiro is fighting with them. But he is different somehow. His aura is totally different and his smell is well…."

"What?" Her throat constricting Hiromi was already picturing the worst possible thing.

Pulling her eyes to her, Hanako laughed. "He didn't come back alone. Grandma our next cousin, your next grandkid is gonna come from Hiro. He has a mate."

Paling Hiromi just looked at her. "You are sure?"

Nodding Hanako took another long inhale. "I am sure. He is all over the place I can't focus on his. But she is with Grandpa, Papa, Yuriko and Yume. And it is very clear that she is his mate from her smell alone."

Dropping her head Hiromi sighed. "Oh man. I thought I had more time at least with him. But at least he is home now what is going on needs to be dealt with.

X

Finally after what seemed like forever, Hiro came up on a barrier and was bounced backwards. There it was. The puppet glaring back at him. Focusing and using the jewel, and the small amount of magic that he learned from Ayame's grandfather he charged his sword. "You hear me don't you Hiroshi. Know this. Your days are numbered. My sister's and I are coming for you."

Then charged through the barrier taking the puppet down by slicing the doll in half. The second it was destroyed, the ghouls vanished in a puff of black.

Turning and going back, he slid to a stop next to his mate as she put her weapon up. "You alright Mizu?"

"Yep. I think your family wants to know what is going on though."

Looking up at his wide eyed father he sighed. "I will tell everyone everything, but after Mama gets it all out after she sees me again." He then took Mizu's hand and lead her in the gate. Leaving shocked and gawking amber and green eyes following them. Winking down at her he smiled. "I told you dad would be the one that was most shocked."