A/N: Well, here you go. I know that you guys are going crazy with curiosity, but I am writing as fast as I can so that you don't have to wonder anymore. In each of these chapters, I have given you very subtle hints about who it is. So, until the end, you will have to wait.
I also want to recommend a fic to you guys. Actually two of them. They are done by RavenSkyBlackhawk and called, Just A Mistake, and A Mistake Corrected. Both are excellent stories. The first one is for Sess lovers, and the second is for Kouga lovers. She is very talented and you will not be disappointed.
Now, onto the story.
Kagura had been a lot of help. Sesshomaru had helped escort the woman to the den and for a while, she had been stubborn, but after Sesshomaru introduced her to his acid whip, she finally began to see the error of her ways and told them of Naraku.
Inu Yasha had growled most of the way through her explanation and finally shut up when Kouga hit him upside the head with a rock. The hanyou fell over and then glared at his new leader as he stood up.
Sesshomaru was quiet throughout the explanation and then nodded when the witch said that Naraku's power came from the shikon, and if they removed the jewel, then they take away his power.
"It makes sense, however, he has erected a barrier around himself so that no one can get near him." Miroku said, rubbing the numerous lumps given to him by the females of the tribe.
"That's not true. There was one who could walk in and out of his barrier without even trying." Kagura said, smugly. "Kikyo."
Inu Yasha's ears flattened to his head. "How did she manage to do that?" He asked.
Kagura huffed her annoyance. "Because, you moron. She once guarded the jewel, so it would make sense that the jewel would still obey her. I told you, Naraku is using the jewel because he has no real power." She explained.
Kouga growled in frustration. "That bitch is dead, so now we have no way of getting to the bastard." He said, shaking his head.
Sango was quiet for a moment and then said quietly, "Yes, we do." She saw the curious looks that were given to her and she continued. "Kagome is Kikyo's reincarnation and the new guardian. If Kikyo could go through the barrier, Kagome should be able to as well. All we need to do is get Kagome to open the barrier for us and then sit back and let us handle Naraku."
Kouga shook his head. "No. I will not allow my pregnant mate to become involved in this. There has to be some other way." He said, his voice desperate.
Sesshomaru glared at Kouga. "I realize that you love your mate, even if she is human, but this is not just about her. This hanyou is trying to gain that damn jewel so that he can control Japan. If he does that, do you think your precious mate will be safe? He won't rest until the jewel's guardian is dead because your mate is probably the only one who can control it. I won't risk my lands or the people who are under my care to fall because of one woman." He growled.
Kouga hung his head. It was true. He, too, could not allow his people to be harmed by this Naraku person. He would have to involve Kagome. However, he could protect her better if she were near him, so perhaps this would not be that bad. He would not fail her.
Inu Yasha's mind was in chaos. He had vowed to protect Kagome at all costs, and now that she was pregnant, he would have to be a lot more careful. He could not rush into battle blindly this time. This time, he would have to take things slowly. He would not fail in his duty to her, not anymore. He failed her time and time again when he pushed her aside for Kikyo, but this time, he would not fail her. This time, he would prove to her that he did care for her, even if it was only as a friend.
Sesshomaru stared at the fire before him. His face showed no emotion, but his thoughts were on the little miko, Kagome. She had placed herself in danger to protect Rin, something that was not usual in the human species. He owed her much, and if she wanted that cursed jewel, then he would get it for her. It was the least he could do to honor his debt to her. No, he would not fail in this.
Miroku looked around. His mind was focused on one thing. Sango was looking especially good on this day and her outfit seemed a bit tighter. His eyes narrowed as he tried to imagine what she looked like underneath that leather outfit and he grinned. Even as they yelled at him, Miroku actually listened to the females. They had told him that the way to a woman's heart was not through her backside, but through her ears and eyes. If he would speak to Sango without being a hentai and show her that he wanted her not only for her body but her mind, she would be his. Up until now, he had thought that Sango was a woman who just liked to inflict pain. She was so good at it. However, he had been wrong before and it seemed that he was wrong now. So, after they killed Naraku, Miroku decided that he would court Sango, as she deserved. This would be fun.
Kagura stared at the males before her and rolled her eyes. She took in a deep breath and said, "Look, I have given you what you wanted, so now you can let me go."
Kouga lifted an eyebrow. "Really? You think so? You killed my brothers, bitch. Your fate has already been decided." He said, flexing his claws.
Kagura gulped when she heard Kouga call for his pack members. They surrounded her and every single one of them was drooling with anticipation. She closed her eyes and damned Naraku. It just was not fair. She didn't ask to be born to kill.
The wolves closed in and soon the sounds of wolves howling in victory flooded the air. At least their brothers had been avenged.
Kagome awoke and sat up in her bed. She shook her head and quickly got up and hurried into the shower. Today, she was going to go out and enjoy herself.
After her shower, Kagome got dressed and rushed downstairs. She grinned at her mother and told her what she had planned. Her mother smiled and nodded before going to her purse and pulling out a credit card. She handed it to her daughter and told her to pick up some maternity clothes.
Sighing happily, she nodded and placed the card in her purse. After she ate, Kagome skipped out of the house and down the street. She could not wait to go shopping. It was summer and she knew that she would probably see her friends.
When she finally made it to the huge shopping center, Kagome was not disappointed. Her friends saw her as she came into the shopping area and quickly ran up to her. Yumi hugged Kagome and whispered, "Your mom has got one hell of a reputation now. Did you know that now Eri's dad wants to ask her out?"
Kagome lifted her brow and pictured Eri's dad. The man was good looking, but really rude. Her mom would not go for him.
Kagome allowed Yumi to pull her over to a table and then Yumi left to go and get them a snack. Eri told Kagome all of the current gossip. When Yumi came back, the girls munched on nachos and then Yumi gasped.
"That guy keeps staring at you, Kagome. He is such a hottie!" She exclaimed. Her eyes were wide and she gave the young man a grin.
Eri craned her neck and giggled. "What a body. Kagome, you have gotta see this." She said.
Kagome rolled her eyes. She wasn't interested in anyone's body unless it was Kouga's. Shaking her head, she told her friends, "I'm not interested. Go up to him if you want, but leave me out of this."
Yumi squealed and jumped up, followed by Eri. They approached the guy and started a conversation. Kagome waited for several minutes and then looked over at where her friends were. They were still in a conversation, but a large sign blocked Kagome's vision of the guy. Not that she cared, but she was curious as to who could have made her friends so interested. Shrugging, Kagome stood up and walked away from the table. She had some shopping to do.
She prowled from one store to another and found several different dresses. Each one was soft and Kagome happily purchased them. Her mother would like her choices. So would Kouga, seeing as how the dresses came down below her knees.
Yumi and Eri finally caught up with her and had silly grins plastered over their faces. "Well, Kagome. You might not be interested in him, but he is sure interested in you. All he wanted to do was talk about what your likes and dislikes were. He asked what kind of movies you watched and music you listened to. If you ask me, he fell for you hard and on first sight. But, he better be careful. Hojo has become a bit possessive of you and has been telling everyone that you are his girl." Yumi said, rolling her eyes.
Kagome sighed. "Tell Hojo that he is not my boyfriend and if that guy asks about me again, tell him that I already have a boyfriend." She said.
Eri glanced over at Yumi. "Um, he wanted me to give you something." She said, as she handed Kagome a small bag.
Kagome lifted her eyebrow and then sighed. She opened the bag and found a small velvet case inside. Pulling it out, Kagome rolled her eyes as her friends freaked out. Yumi told her to hurry up and when Kagome opened the case, she and her friends gasped.
There was a gold chain with a ruby heart nestled inside of the box. Kagome's eyes grew wide and she looked at her friends.
"Ummm, I think that we need to find this guy and give this back. It looks expensive." She said.
Eri nodded. "Well, yeah. Did you notice the name? Kershaw's is a very high-priced jewelry store. Basically, everything you buy in there will cost you an arm and a leg." She said, her tone factual.
Kagome glared at her friends. "Come on. We are going to this Kershaw's and asking for them to contact the young man. I don't want any gifts." She snapped.
Yumi's eyes glazed over. "Well, if you don't want it, can I have it?" She asked. She quickly shut up when Kagome gave her 'the look'.
The girls made their way to the jewelry store and once inside, Kagome stepped up to the counter and handed the man the velvet box.
"A young man presented me with this lovely piece of jewelry, and I was wondering if you have his name so that I may return it." She said.
The gentleman smiled kindly at Kagome and then opened the box. He sucked in a deep breath and said, "This piece is from our 'Lady Love' collection. Let's see…Yes, I have the young man's name and he has requested that we not give out his information to anybody. I am sorry, young lady. I can't go against his wishes. He is a very valuable client of ours."
Kagome huffed. "Do you think that you could call him and ask if he will speak with me? I can't accept a gift this expensive. It would not be right." She said, her voice desperate.
The young man felt sorry for Kagome and nodded. He told her to wait a moment and then picked up the phone. He dialed a number and then began to explain to the person on the other end why he was calling. After a few moments, the young man hung up and said, "His assistant has informed me that his employer knew that you might try this and that you are out of luck. He said that the necklace is yours and to shut up about it. Ain't romance grand, his words, not mine."
Kagome was fuming. The young man handed the case back to Kagome and watched as her friends led the fuming girl out of the store.
Kagome whirled around on Yumi. "Ok, did the asshole give you his name?" She demanded.
Yumi shrugged. "To be honest, I was not listening. I was more interested in the way he filled out that shirt of his." She said sheepishly.
Eri nodded in agreement. "You should have seen the way his jeans fit over his ass. Talk about eye-candy." She giggled. "And that hair of his. It was long and prettier than anything I have ever seen. He was truly a god among men. Too bad he has the hots for you, Kagome."
Kagome shrugged. "Well, he can look all he wants. I don't want him." She said, her voice angry. Damn it, where in the hell was her mate when she needed him. Probably having the time of his damn life.
Kouga was miserable. He missed Kagome and not even seeing that wind witch ripped asunder did much to improve his disposition. He finally told Inu Yasha to go and get Kagome, and he felt a tremendous amount of guilt at having to tell her that she would have to be the one to break through that damn barrier, but at least they knew where Naraku was and could end his threat once and for all.
He watched as his people gathered around the corpse of the witch and cheered her demise. It was clear that they felt avenged, but for some reason, he did not feel all that glad. He would have liked to see the bitch suffer more than what she did.
Sesshomaru watched the wolf tribe with uninterested eyes. He did not care for such theatrics, but he would stay and tolerate them, at least for now. He had been given a den suited for visiting nobility, and he had been pleasantly surprised at how nice it was. It would do. Kouga had told him that once Kagome returned, he could eat at their table.
He stood up and walked to the den that he had been given. The miko should be back before dinner and he wanted to relax before having to deal with her or anyone else.
Inu Yasha had left quickly and had promised to have Kagome back in time to make dinner. Kouga was panicked that Sango would try to force more of her food on him and actually seemed quite desperate. Now, as he ran, he grinned at the thought of his own little mate in their kitchen, making him something to eat. She had promised to feed him well, and then gave him a taste of dessert. Needless to say, he was in quite a hurry.
He finally arrived at the well and soon found himself sitting in Kagome's mother's kitchen, in a chair, having his ears rubbed by Mrs. H.
He rolled his eyes and submitted to the woman's whims, but only because he did not want to upset her. His golden gaze was brought to the sliding glass door when it opened and Kagome came stomping into the house.
Kagome was obviously upset. "Some asshole bought me jewelry and is making me keep it." She said, her eyes flashing.
Mrs. H. looked shocked for a minute and then asked, "What kind of jewelry is it?"
When Kagome pulled out the case, her mother's eyes grew wide as she studied the name of the store. "My, whoever this is has very good taste." She said. She opened the case and immediately recognized the necklace.
"Kagome," She breathed, "This is from the "Lady Love" collection. From what I have heard, each one of the pieces in the collection cost a lot of money and that each piece of the collection is supposed to symbolize an attribute of a woman. This necklace is supposed to represent a woman's heart. It is the most expensive piece in the entire collection."
Kagome stared at her mother in wonder. Did she not see the point? Where the point Kagome was trying to make to her mother slipped past the stunned woman, it did not pass Inu Yasha.
The hanyou stood up and growled, "Who is the bastard that gave you this? I'll go and set him straight."
Kagome shook her head. "I don't know who he is, only that he was at the shopping center today and that he told the store that he did not want to speak to me. He is supposedly in love with me, at least that's the way it sounded. Why are you here, Inu Yasha? Did Kouga send you?" She asked, hope laced throughout her voice.
Inu Yasha nodded. "Yeah, we need to go. Get your shit and get back downstairs. Your mate wants you. Sango is threatening him again, and he is desperate to have you back." He chuckled.
Kagome smiled and took the box from her mother. She sighed and said that she would be back down. Stomping up the stairs, she went to her room and grabbed a few items before placing the box into her desk drawer. She looked in her mirror and gasped. Whirling around, she looked at her bed and found rose petals spread all over it. An envelope was propped up against her pillow and with a shaking hand, she took a hold of it and turned it over. She opened the envelope and pulled out a folded piece of paper.
When she opened it, she gasped. It was a drawn picture of her, sleeping, with the words, "Forever, My Love" scrawled across the bottom.
Kagome dropped the picture and backed away from it. She yelled for Inu Yasha and when he came thundering up the stairs, she pointed at the picture and whispered, "He was in my room. Inu Yasha, he has been inhere while I slept."
That was enough for the hanyou. He grabbed the picture and stuffed it into his haori. He grabbed her hand and led her downstairs, let her say goodbye to her mother, and then marched her out to the well house where he promptly picked her up and jumped into the well.
Kagome was shaking. This entire thing was freaking her out. When they got to the feudal era, she felt safe. Inu Yasha jumped out of the well and started running. He would reassure her every so often that every thing would be alright, but the way he said his words told Kagome that he was not so sure. Kami, she just wanted to be in Kouga's arms at that moment. He would protect her.
A hand reached for the ringing phone and listened as his assistant filled him in on what was happening.
So, she had gone back, had she? Well, it would be the last time so he would not worry about it. It was better this way. This time, he would not allow anything to come between them.
He smirked when his assistant told him that Kagome had tried to return the necklace to him, however, he knew that she would try and find him, so he made sure to make it impossible. He hung up the phone and thought about Kagome.
Those two friends of hers were very entertaining. They way they kept drooling over him told him that he had not lost his touch with the ladies.
Flipping his long hair behind him, he stood up and looked outside his window. Soon, she would be where she belonged; in his arms and in his bed and this time, nothing would come between them ever again.