DiSClaiMEr: None of the characters belong to me. I do not claim them.

Author's Note: I hated the last chapter, hope this one makes it up. R/R

Chapter 4 Torn Hearts

Kikyo started to feel weak, sleep didn't do her much good, not without the dead souls nourishing her body and rejuvenating her. She had been without them for a week, she didn't want Rin to see them but it was getting harder to breath by the second. She slowly slipped out of Sesshomaru's palace and snuck into the night to absorb her souls in peace, without someone catching her. She didn't want the incident with Sayo to happen again.

Sesshomaru's POV

Sesshomaru was outside gazing up at the moon. He doesn't really know why he does this but the moon's pale glow seem to make him feel better; it was a peaceful solitude. He heard a rustle not too far away, interrupting the peace. He could smell Kikyo's herbal fragrance wandering off into the woods. He decided to follow her, to make sure she wasn't deciding to leave, perhaps she is doing something sneaky but he doubted it, he had a trust in Kikyo, something he didn't think he would be able to do, but he followed her, just so he could see her. He could never get tired of looking at her. Dare he say it? He was feeling a sense of love whenever he thought about her. She constantly runs through his mind, the thought of her made him feel jittery. He shook his head; those thoughts were to never leave his head! They were insane and foolish! He continued to follow her.

She stopped walking; he hid in a nearby tree watching her. She was in an open area in the woods, slowly white dragons holding souls started to surround her she was absorbing the souls! Suddenly he whiffed a familiar disgusting scent... the smell of his half-breed brother.

Kikyo's POV

Kikyo closed her eyes as each soul was absorbed into her body, kind of like taking a drink of water after a long walk in the desert.

"K-Kikyo," a familiar voice called, a voice that she didn't want to hear but longed for it to say her name, to say her name once more. She opened her eyes to see Inuyasha, he was standing there, looking at her with the same love in his eyes as it was fifty years ago.

"Inuyasha..." she said, a little astonished to see him. "Inuyasha are you not yet mortified at the fact I take the souls of the living so I can live?" she asked, changing her tone with him.

"I told you already Kikyo," he said looking away for a brief second, then his eyes gazed back into hers, "I could never find you as something disgusting and filthy. Even though you're not the same, you're still my Kikyo..." he said with warmth in his voice.

"Inuyasha..." she said quietly, looking away. The fact that he was so close to her made her want to shiver. "Where is she?" Kikyo asked.

"Kagome?" he guessed.

"Yes," she replied.

"She's sleeping, I followed your soul collectors," he explained.

"Shouldn't you go back to her?" Kikyo said, she was a little annoyed again at the fact that her name was brought up, even if she was the one to do so.

Inuyasha suddenly leans forward and slowly pressed his lips against hers, holding her by the waist. A sweet embrace, memories flooded her mind that made it almost painful. She decided to let him hold her, she didn't ever want him to let go, and she didn't ever want him to part from her side ever again. The fact that Inuyasha was near her made her feel happy...

Sesshomaru's POV

Sesshomaru watched angrily as Inuyasha kissed Kikyo. It was a different rage that he never felt before. This wasn't a silly little jealousy over a sword, this was different, the anger seems to pierce his heart, and his fingers felt numb. What were these emotions? He doesn't ever remember feeling so angry in his whole life. How could she do that to him? After what happened? His hand gripped the handle of Toukijin, slowly he drew it out, the sight of his filthy hands on her sickened him to the core. He dashed up to Inuyasha trying to slice him, but he managed to jump out of the way before he was killed but he injured him in the side a bit.

"I will kill you!" Sesshomaru threatened, shaking with anger. His hand started to glow a bright green, he had never let his anger go out of control like this before, he would usually keep his cool while fighting. In a blink of an eye his claws sunk into that half-breed's pathetic body. He dared touch his Kikyo? Inuyasha gave a horrified scream as his claws went straight through his body.

Sesshomaru withdrew his hand, Inuyasha fell on one of his knees, clutching the spot in his chest where Sesshomaru pierced him, he never felt such joy in killing his own brother. Sesshomaru took out the Toukijin again, Inuyasha was too injured to pull out his sword, this was it, and he will finally kill Inuyasha. He was about to strike but an arrow hit his sword knocking it from his hands. He glared at the person who let the arrow fly. Kikyo had shot an arrow at him!

"Kikyo!" he said outraged.

"I will not let you hurt Inuyasha, not as long as I live!" she threatened. Sesshomaru couldn't believe it! What did she see in that hanyou? Lying there lifeless, clinging to the thread of life, barely holding on, how could she prefer Inuyasha over him?

"Why are you protecting him?" Sesshomaru demanded.

"Because I love him!" Kikyo said. "Something you would never understand!" she shouted. She might as well aim the arrow she has steadied on her bow and let it fly straight into his heart, at least he would be rid of these silly emotions. How dare she tell him that he couldn't understand love? When he loved her! Sesshomaru growled at Inuyasha and quickly left.

This was the last time he would let him be so easily swayed by human emotions. Kikyo had no desire to be with him, so he shouldn't desire to be with her either! He was so furious he didn't know what to think anymore, he felt like he had to kill something to think straight, that wasn't a bad idea either. There was a village not too far from here... but he thought against it.

"That would just make Kikyo angrier, "he thought, then he remembered he didn't want her anymore, "Why would I care if she becomes angry? I'm going to ask her to leave and never let another woman sway me ever again!" He thought bitterly.

"Sesshomaru?" Kikyo called, interrupting the debate in his head.

"What?" he snarled on accident. She looked sad again, he suddenly didn't feel so angry anymore, he didn't have any desire to destroy that village, only to hold her and take her sadness away.

"Why were you following me?" she asked. He didn't want to answer her, he tried his best but his anger spilled out once again.

"Can you not stop seeing him?" he asked coldly.

"I love Inuyasha," she told him again. That stupid phrase brought vomit to his tongue.

"But he's already with that other girl," he said calmly, trying not to look desperate.

"I know," she said sadly, looking away.

"Can you not forget him?" he blurted out, he wished he didn't say that. She looked at him strangely.

"Sesshomaru, stop it! You're acting like you're-!" Sesshomaru grabbed her, staring at her straight in the eye.

"Say it! Acting like what?" he shouted dangerously.

"Like you're in love with me," she said slowly. He eased his grip on her; this was the moment of truth. It was now or never.

"Because I do love you," he replied softly in a weak voice.

Kikyo's POV

She was awed, there was no lie in his eyes. There was no deceit. She always thought his heart was made of stone but here he was, staring her straight in the eye telling her that he loved her.

"Sesshomaru..." she didn't know what else to say. He was beginning to lean forward towards her face. She panicked, what was he doing? Her heart started to beat faster than it ever had. Before she knew it his lips were on hers, her eyes widened. Why was this happening? So many emotions were coming to her, she couldn't deny her feelings for Sesshomaru but she couldn't accept them either. Her body felt tingly as he held her tight against him, she didn't want him to let go but she had to.

She broke away from his arms.

"I'm sorry Sesshomaru," she apologized; she could tell he was hurt by the look in his eyes. "But my heart belongs to Inuyasha," she quickly turned and left him there.

As soon as she was a fair distance from Sesshomaru tears started falling from her eyes. Hot tears burned her skin, everything was blurring. Why did he have to do that? Why couldn't she just accept his love? She managed to get back to Sesshomaru's home; she didn't know why she went back, maybe because she knew he wouldn't be there. Rin greeted her. She looked at her confused.

"Why is Kikyo-sama crying?" she asked. Kikyo collapsed to her knees, supporting herself by holding onto Rin. She held Rin close to her as she cried. She promised herself that she wouldn't cry anymore, but she just felt so torn. "Is Kikyo-sama okay?" she asked, worried. Kikyo didn't reply. Rin got the message that she didn't want to say anything.

"I'm sorry Rin," she said.

"It's okay!" Rin assured her. "But wouldn't it be better to cry to Sesshomaru-sama?" she asked. The mention of his name made her heart sting a little, she couldn't talk about him. The thought of him made her want to cry some more.

Sesshomaru's POV

He never felt so numb in his life. He wanted to cry, but he couldn't, it was like a deficiency. He hasn't cried since he was 12 years old. How could she do that to him? How could he be so stupid? He knew she was still in love with that hanyou but he thought for sure she would feel the same! How could he ever go back and face her again? Let alone explain to Rin. He didn't know what to do, he never felt so confused in his life. He just sat there, leaning against the tree trying to get his head straight. His heart just felt like it was being squeezed tightly.

Perhaps he could forget it ever happened and make Kikyo leave them and continue like he never fell in love at all. That would be best, he knew but he could never forget. The strange thing was that he wasn't even angry, he was just... sad.

"Where is that half-breed?" he thought. He was very badly injured and Kikyo didn't take long to find him. Maybe he could find Inuyasha and finish him off. He couldn't smell his scent; all his senses were blocked up by the numbness he felt throughout his body. He wanted to get up but couldn't. He never had been such a mess in his life.

If love meant pain, he never wanted to love again...

A/N: TT poor sesshomaru! This is probably one of the most dramatic of the chapters; it isn't all that fluffy until the last few chapters I guess. I know their relationship is moving very fast but I'm not a very patient person.