A/N: Well I hope you like this chapter!!

Thanks for the reviews!!

"dialogue"

--Thoughts in Kagome's head—

'thoughts'

WP

Between Lust and Love

Chapter 10: The barrier separating us

"Ok Kagome now it's your turn to attack me! C'mon show me what you got!" Sango yelled on the opposite side of the dojo.

It has being 4 days since Kagome's instructors, Sango and Miroku, had arrived to Sesshoumaru's palace. Since that day Kagome had started her tiring training. Every morning before the sun came up she would go to the forest with Miroku to train her magic powers, and in the afternoon she would spend hours practicing kendo and other martial arts with Sango, she barely had time to see Sesshoumaru for he also was busy most of the time.

"Are you sure Sango?" Kagome asked nervously, she didn't want to fight her new friend. Sango only nodded, Kagome gripped her shinai before charging at Sango.

Front. Front. Side. Front. Low. Side. 'Kagome's attacks are always the same...' Sango though disappointed blocking every move and finally attacking her on the sides. Kagome fell to the ground, breathing hard. "If you keep using the same series of attacks you won't get anywhere!" Sango ordered before motioning Kagome to stand up, normally Sango would be kind and nice with her but at training time she would become so strict. Kagome winced and caught her sides sore from Sango's attacks. Sango sighted "You need more practice. Let's take a break." Kagome nodded and both went to the gardens where Miroku was meditating near the small pond, Sango smiled maliciously before jumping on him crashing his head on the ground, a loud yell was heard and then after some time the usual slap. It was always the same.

Kagome sighted, she had progressed in her magical abilities but her combat skills hadn't improved so much, she was starting to believe she was never going to be able to hold a sword, she then sensed Sesshoumaru's presence coming up behind her. She turned around to greet him "Hello Sesshoumaru. How have you being?" Sesshoumaru looked at her from the corner of the eye and nodded asking back "How is the training? Any improvement?" Kagome lowered her head for a moment and before she could reply Sesshoumaru whispered "I see... then you should train harder." With that he left her alone. Kagome pouted. 'Mou! Why does he have to leave? We have barely have time to be together and now he just leaves me like he doesn't care!!' Kagome was silent for a moment before her thoughts were interrupted by Miroku.

"Kagome-sama would you be so kind to do me a favor?" Kagome blinked confused before nodding. Miroku smiled triumphal and asked "Sango here wants to see your great improvement in magic, so I was thinking you could show her your abilities dueling me." Kagome smiled nervously "Duel? Against you?" Miroku smiled brightly "Well of course, come!" he instructed, he went quickly to the dojo to retrieve Kagome's bow and arrows and leaded her and Sango far into the forest and into a clearing. They both positioned on opposite sides each one taking their own weapons. Kagome in the far right and Miroku in the far left, Sango in the middle so as to have a better view of the battle. Miroku motioned Kagome to start. She pulled her bow and an arrow shooting at his target, as expected Miroku dodged the attack and pulled something out of his pocket, it was a tiny bottle filled with some black liquid, he threw the bottle at Kagome. With her bow she broke the bottle and a black cloud sprung around her, making her loose her sight on Miroku, she started concentrating and suddenly aimed 3 arrows at a direction, Miroku winced in pain as one of the arrows reached his leg. He cast a curative spell on the wound before attacking Kagome now face to face, with his staff he made her loose her bow, she was now weaponless.

"What are you going to do now Kagome-sama?" he said softly chuckling a little.

Kagome smiled "What you have taught me to." With that said, she closed her eyes and a purple aura enveloped her in a bubble, making a void with her own powers the black cloud dissipated and again the battle field was clear. Sango stood in shock. But the battle wasn't over yet. Kagome started attacking without her bow, she pulled her arms over her hand, uttering a spell a ball of purple energy appeared over her head and the air around her became strong, lifting leaves up and making the tree braches swing back and forth. Miroku didn't stand there to look, he charged with his staff but a barrier stopped him from attacking Kagome, and it was then that Kagome released her energy ball, it circled Miroku, electrical shocks making him wince in pain. Kagome sighed exhausted but didn't notice Miroku freeing from her spell it was then she felt a hot punch on her ribs, a fire ball had hit her. She was now on the floor rubbing her sore ribs before standing up. It was time to end this, it was then the aura around Kagome's small body started forming and growing more and more, Miroku's aura as well began to grow matching Kagome's. Suddenly Kagome started feeling something was terribly wrong, it was too late to act, her aura broke down and the energy she was assembling imploded making her fly and hit hard a nearby tree. She shouted in pain feeling some bones cracking under her skin.

Sango rapidly rushed by her side when she fell to the ground. Miroku as well was as well next to her.

"Kagome-chan! Kagome-chan!" Sango called. Kagome opened slowly her eyes whispering her friend's name, but fell unconscious. Miroku started casting healing spells on Kagome's body when suddenly Kagome's purple aura formed a barrier, throwing Sango and Miroku away from the girls body. "Nani?" asked Miroku. Sango was surprised "Houshi-sama, it's Kagome's aura." Miroku frowned 'No... this can't be!' "Sango, go get Sesshoumaru-sama." Sango without question went quickly to get the busy taiyoukai.

I felt a familiar aura forming in the woods, I knew it was Kagome practicing with that lecherous monk. But then something strange happen and Kagome's strong aura disappeared and reappeared 'Strange...' I thought for a moment before catching the taiji's scent. "Sesshoumaru-sama!" she exclaimed gazing up at me, I frowned "What is it?" she tried to catch her breath and said "Kagome-chan is in trouble." This made me worry, and I ordered her to lead me to her.

When I stepped on the clearing I noticed Kagome's body on the ground, her face and clothes covered in dirt, I then saw the monk putting some strange papers a few feet away from her body. I felt anger for a moment, but before I could say anything he came up to me "My Lord Kagome-sama is trapped!" I frowned and went straight at Kagome, her training gi and hakama were torn and stained with blood and she was turning pale, it was then I noticed she was bleeding from a wound on her back, I quickly went closer to touch her, but it was then an electrical shock alerted me not letting me coming anyway near her, I groan. "What is this magic?" The monk came closer to me bowing politely "It seems Kagome's powers have taken over her own body." I nodded in understanding 'She has created a barrier over her own body...' "We need to take her out of there... Do something!" I ordered angrily I was starting to lose control, Miroku looked down at his feet "I'm afraid there's not much I can do, Kagome has lost control of her powers, the only way she can pull out of that barrier is by gaining her control again, but I fear she won't be able. She's too weak and right now she's unconscious, if she keeps losing blood she will die eventually."

The taiji angrily shouted "No! I won't let that happen!" She pulled her boomerang and yelled before delivering the strike "HIRAIKOTSU!!" unfortunately the boomerang flew away from the barrier, not making a single scratch. "Physical attacks won't have any effect, only magic can destroy the barrier." Miroku informed, I was sick of him. I lift him by his collar and snarled at him "Stop your worthless chattering and do something about it!!" I threw him to the ground and called the servants. Shinobu was the first to arrive, she stared nervously at Kagome's limp form, I ordered her to build a tent around Kagome that way she would be protected. With all the movement Rin came to the spot asking what was happening.

"Rin is worried, what is happening, is Kagome-chan ok?" she said with teary eyes.

I patted her head slightly reassuring her "Do not worry, everything is going to be fine." She nodded and Jaken took her to her room. I went inside the library.

For a couple of hours Sesshoumaru stayed in the library reading and trying to find a way to break Kagome's barrier. Meanwhile Sango and Miroku where helping to build the tent in which Kagome's body will be guarded. "He really cares for her." Sango pointed, Miroku sighted and nodded silently while putting paper amulets around the place, maybe he would be able to pull out a healing spell through Kagome's barrier. "Is Kagome-chan going to be ok Houshi-sama?" she asked sadly. Miroku looked away from his task and into Sango's sad eyes "Don't worry I'll try to do all I can to at least heal her, but I honestly don't know if she will be able to pull herself out of her own barrier." Sango nodded sadly, Miroku sighted and pulled her into a comforting embrace "I'll figure a way."

They stayed like that for a while, before Miroku retrieved to his own room to study the situation.

Preparations for Kagome were long and hard, all of the servants have being working for hours trying to build something to cover Kagome's body, it wasn't so easy because of the fact that they could barely get close to her. Sesshoumaru had gone to the construction and see how Kagome was doing. Miroku had lend to Sango some healing scrolls and some had worked as to heal some of Kagome's cuts, but her bones were still broken and she had lost a lot of blood. Her lips were turning blue and you could see her shaking, she still hadn't woken up.

'Kagome...' Sesshoumaru thought over and over again, he had tried to seek a way to free her from that prison but couldn't. All he could do was hope the scrolls of the monk would work and that she would wake up and free herself.

"Sesshoumaru-sama..." came Rin's voice behind the taiyoukai, she was wearing her night yukata.

"Rin you should be in bed..." he scowled

She looked down at her feet and then back at the tent. "Rin wants to see Kagome-chan..." I looked at her for a moment, then I stared at the taiji coming out of the tent, she seemed to have heard the girls request for she looked at Sesshoumaru and nodded. The taiyoukai took the little girl by the arm and guided her into the tent, it was filled with incense and a fire around Kagome, the walls had the monks scrolls and he could no longer smell blood over Kagome, he was glad.

He felt Rin clutch to his hakama not very sure if she really wanted to see the state of Kagome. He motioned her to look and she was somewhat glad to see she was not bleeding. "Kagome-chan..." she whispered stepping closer to her, the area of the barrier was marked so she knew when to stop from closing in.

When she noticed Kagome was still unconscious she began to silently sob. Sesshoumaru put his hand over her head, softly caressing her hair and started "She will be fine Rin." Rin turned around and hugged the taiyoukai uttering softly "I want her back... please Sesshoumaru-sama... bring her back...". Sesshoumaru felt something in his heart hurt when he looked at Kagome, she was so close and yet unreachable, he too wanted her back.

In that moment he promise himself he'll do anything to bring her back.

Anything.

:::::Kagome's head:::::

--I feel cold.... I feel so cold... It's so dark, what happen?—

"You're trapped!" said a high-pitched voice near her, she tried to look around but her body wouldn't respond to her orders.

--Why can't I move? Who or what are you?—she inquired, feeling frustrated from not being able to move her own body.

"You can't move because I don't want you to move. And I'm someone you know, hehe! I'm you!" After that a small girl over 6 years old appeared in front of Kagome, she wore a mask and was giggling and hoping around Kagome's numb form.

--You're me? The what am I doing here? What happen? Let me move!—

The girl started giggling again "Nope! I won't let you! You hurt yourself, if I let you go you'll hurt us both!" she yelled, Kagome could feel her body become all of the sudden heavy, like it was sinking on the floor below her. She started panicking –What are you doing? I'm... sinking... please... stop this!!—she mustered all the power she could to use her body but nothing worked, she could feel colder every minute that passed. The little girl kneeled in front of her and said "I'm keeping you safe, the bad youkai wants to eat us!"

Two words rang in Kagome's head "Youkai" and "Eat" she exclaimed –Sesshoumaru? The youkai? He won't eat me, or you!—The little girl pouted "No! You like him that's why you can't see it!!" She then disappeared leaving Kagome sinking into the cold oblivion.

--Sesshoumaru...--

:::::End of Kagome's head:::::

It must have being very late.

Sango had come to bring me some meal and tell him the scrolls had worked but only partially. I was thankful for that but still I wasn't hungry, I needed to find a way to help Kagome.

I had Buda scrolls, old parchments with spells still none of them would work for this kind of situation. "Maybe something related to Kagome's strange powers..." I said to myself skipping some pages, I then read something: "...families from this strange clan were exiled and now live in the wild....they were known to possess strange powers....women from this clan were named "mikos" for only they could control these powers.... Purple aura...." It hit me like Sango's boomerang over my head 'Kagome... she's a miko....'.

Now that I knew Kagome's origins I could easily find a cure.

After half an hour I had read all about the strange clan, only to find at the end some information about the present situation, I read: "..... purifying powers.... Shielding.... Only to be broken when performing the Inuyatsu.... Inu-youkai blood needed.... The ceremony will...." I gasped in surprise. I couldn't believe what I had just read, but I knew there wasn't any other way to bring her back.

'I need to inform this to Sesshoumaru-sama.'

Miroku left his room to go immediately to taiyoukai's chambers. He knew what was to be done.

A/N: I know it wasn't long but I'm running out of ideas, I really wanna get to the good part of it (lol)!!

Anyway hope you liked it.

Thanks again to my reviewers!!

WP