Chapter 16

Blood dripped from his claws, and along with the blood he held the jewel. His fangs showed as he grinned with joy. His voice held the demonic nature of his being. "Too bad you will be dead soon woman. I have to say I did find you attractive. I know the human side of me desired you, it's a shame he couldn't overpower me."

Her eyes still held the pain from the attack, however they also showed love for him. Her words were faint, but he heard them. "Make sure you tell...your human side...that I loved him too. And that...he didn't fail.. He protected me to the very end…."

The youkai's red eyes looked down at the woman and laughed. "Are you that near death that you don't understand, woman? It is he that has killed you, how can you say he protected you?" He was getting angry now. InuYasha's youkai side wanted to see this woman beg and cry. But she did none of this. Only smiling and forgiving his monstrous behavior. He leaned close trying to understand the look in her eyes. "Why is it you did not beg or cry for mercy before I plunged my hand into your body? Why is it even now you forgive and love my human side? We are the same person, his weakness did this to you. Him and I are the same he did this to you just as I did. And yet you still love him, and forgive him?"

With her last bit of strength, Kagome reached up and cupped his cheek. Her thumb lightly tracing the purple jagged line. She was about to speak, but only gasped for air one last time. His youkai stared waiting, wanting to know what her answer was. But it never came…

A flash of lightning and a loud crash of thunder woke him suddenly. His eyes were wide and his breathing was fast and hard. Raising his hand he only saw the outline, until the lightning flashed again. That's when he saw the blood dripping from his claws, but there was no jewel. 'What the hell?! Was it a dream? No it couldn't be there's blood on my hands. I-I killed her, I killed Kagome, but the jewel where is it?' His mind raced with thoughts, he needed answers.

He made a move to sit up, but was unable to. A surge of pain rushed through him. It was at this time he realized it was him that had a hole in his gut. "Damn...what happened to me?" InuYasha questioned.

A door slowly opened allowing light into the room. InuYasha's eyes focused and soon he could make out a figure moving towards him. What caught him off guard was his smell. He could not get the person's scent, only the copper smell of his blood came to him. "I see you're finally awake now. Do you need anything to drink or eat? You've been resting for two days now."

It was a woman's voice, no it was her voice. "K-Kagome, is that you? Please come closer so I can see you properly." InuYasha saw the woman move closer, still he couldn't smell her scent. Once she was close he could tell it was indeed Kagome's face. Still he didn't trust his eyes completely at the moment. "Can you tell me what happened to me?"

Taking a place by InuYasha on the bed Kagome leaned close and kissed his lips. His eyes widened in complete surprise. The kiss was short and only enough to make his heart skip a beat. Kagome smiled at him and said. "You were attacked by something. When Miroku and I found you there was nothing but blood. We could tell you were bad injured and close to death. I wanted to tend to your wound, but Miroku felt it would be best to wait."

"I see." InuYasha quietly spoke. It still did not explain what just happened between them though. They weren't that close for her to kiss him. "Tell me Kagome, where are we now? This isn't our complex building." He tried once more to sit up, but still the pain was too great.

"Please InuYasha, don't try to move. You might make the bleeding start again. Just rest, we're at Koga's place for now. He offered us a hiding place here." Now InuYasha knew he needed to get up. Things were not making sense to him and the last place he wanted to be was at Koga's place. Nothing made any sense and his wound was keeping him from doing anything. And most of all why would she kiss him?

He moved his hand once more looking at the blood. It puzzled him why if she had cleaned him up was his hand still covered in blood. Only his body had been cleaned. "Tell me Kagome, why did you kiss me?" There was no answer, she simply set there beside him on the bed. It bothered him greatly. "Answer me wench!" His voice was turning angry. "Why the hell did you kiss me?"

Nothing….

"Dammit!" InuYasha cursed as his bloody hand reach for her arm. That's when the image fade like a ghostly figure. His eyes grew wide and his heart raced. 'What is this place, and more importantly what is going on?' A strong surge of pain hit him hard knocking him back into the darkness.

"Thank you for the wonderful evening, Miroku." Kagome said with a deep blush on her cheeks. This also made him turn a bit red too. "Koga is taking me to a cute little place tomorrow night. He says it's a place I'll love, although…"

Miroku could see the happiness slowly leaving her face. "Although you would like it to be InuYasha, am I correct?"

"Yeah." Kagome said, sounding so miserable and alone at that moment.

With a heavy sigh, Miroku tried to cheer her up a little before leaving. "Well Kagome, until InuYasha can truly let go of the past and move forward, I'm afraid this is how he will be. I can tell you this though. When I leave to take you out, he looks like a broken puppy. He truly does want to be the one taking you out, but he fears his youkai side." Miroku place a hand on her should and smiled. "Don't lose hope Kagome, he does love you. It's just hard for him you know."

Kagome returned a small smile. "I know, I guess I just really need to learn patients. Anyway I do hope I can at least see him someday soon." It was at that very moment InuYasha came crashing through the balcony window. Kagome turned in surprise, and Miroku quickly took action to protect Kagome. But he was a second too late. "Kagome, NO!"