Sanctuary

Author's Note: It's so good to be back! Exams were harsh and dull! And summer is finally here! So much typing to do! Truthfully, this chapter was made while I studied for exams… you know like a little break from reality, so it was really just lying there in ff.net collecting cyber-dust until mid June.

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Kagome stretched her sore muscles and sat on the large mattress. Lately, SesshouMaru had been edgy and strict with her training, as if he was expecting things to happen soon.

'I guess it's the instinct that drives him to…' she thought as she combed through her long hair.

She lazily traced patterns on the mattress and hoped that SesshouMaru would be finished with his patrolling. She examined her claws and smiled, she'd gotten used to her youkai side and loved it. She now knew what was so important to InuYasha.

Suddenly, she got a strange sensation in the pit of her stomach. As if her instincts were telling her something was wrong.

The doors opened and SesshouMaru came inside. He strode towards Kagome and smiled, wrapping his well-toned arm around her.

' Wait… arm?' she panicked as she noted that the youkai only had one arm. She slowly backed away from the silent youkai.

" Who are you?" she snarled, fear and her instincts taking over.

"kukukukuku… forgotten me already, have you?" it cackled.

"No! NO!"

Kagome frantically scrambled out of his reaches, but it was too late. All she saw was a sea of darkness as he rendered her immobile and blew powder in her face.

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InuYasha barely heard the 'thump' in SesshouMaru's chamber, since he and Mariko were training. Without the Tetsusaiga in his arms, he would never be able to control his rage.

"What was that?" he asked the neko.

She twitched her ears and sniffed the air.

"Something is not right," she said slowly. " I smell SesshouMaru-sama… but there's something different about him… something… "

"-Naraku" InuYasha growled. "That was what Naraku had smelled like when he took Kikyou's form…"

Mariko gasped. "Kagome!"

They flew up the stairs and opened the doors to his chambers cautiously, they did not find Kagome in the room.

" InuYasha? Where's Okasan?" Shippou asked as he poked his head out the door. "I was yelling for her, but she didn't come…"

" I have to find SesshouMaru!" InuYasha said as he gritted his teeth. He loved Kagome, he owed her his life… and he would not lose her to Naraku!

Shippou climbed into Mariko's arms as she gently rocked him back to sleep. 'Find him soon InuYasha… '

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SesshouMaru sensed his half-brother's presence and wondered what was wrong. Something at the back of his head had told him that something was indeed amiss.

" SesshouMaru!" InuYasha yelled. "Naraku has Kagome!"

SesshouMaru felt his knees go weak. 'No' His irises went red and he unconsciously transformed into a large white dog with crushing fangs.

He sniffed the air and began to search for his mate. He vowed to kill Naraku and make sure that nothing of his remained.

" Take Okasan and the kits. Go back to the North-West," SesshouMaru growled. " Naraku will not be easy to beat!"

InuYasha nodded. " But we have to hurry!"

" Without a plan, we may as well just hand him whatever else he needs!" SesshouMaru said through clenched jaws. " Check to make sure if nothing else or no-one else was taken!"

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Kagome woke up in a dark, humid cell with her arms chained to the wall. Her throat felt dry and her lips were cracked.

" I'm glad to see you're awake," said a low masculine voice.

She turned towards the source of the voice and found herself staring at pools of pure sapphire. Naraku had long wavy black hair, and a posture that a stick would be proud of.

She glared at him as he squatted before her, holding out a ladle of water.

" You've been out for quite some time," he said, as he forced the water down her throat.

Kagome stayed silent. Though she was thankful for the water, she hated the man that condemned two people to a horrible fate.

Naraku stayed there, watching her. Waiting for some kind of a response, one in which Kagome would not give. He smiled at her rebellion, and reached to touch her cheek. Kagome flinched away and didn't bother to look in his direction.

" You will learn to cooperate, Kagome," Naraku sneered. " Once the jewel is completed, the keeper shall have to give me a wish!"

Kagome stared at the west wall, but became curious. She hesitantly turned her head and made eye contact with Naraku. " What does that have to do with me?"

Naraku stared at her wide-eyed and unbelieving. " You have no clue? Were you not told?"

"Of what?" she asked.

" You are the keeper of the Shikon no Tama. The one chosen by Midoriko herself."

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Author's Note: mwahahahahahah! Its good to be back! A bit shorter than before tho… but that's okay. I just forgot what I was going to write all those weeks back. It'll get longer once I get to the last two or three chapters.