Disclaimer: How did you guys know I like pineapple on my pizza! Wow. Anyway, at midnight tonight, all my followers attack. I expect a full report in your next review. InuYasha will be MINE! --' ours, okay, ours…

Chapter 43 : The Power of a Miko

Kagome, still brightly glowing with miko energy crackling around her, walked out into the opening where InuYasha was still laying unmoving in a pool of his own blood. Sesshomaru walked out and stepped in front of her, drawing his sword. She looked up at his face questioningly. "Miko. Is there something you can do to help save InuYasha?"

"I-I don't know." She answered.

Sesshomaru nodded. "I will take care of Suoh. You go to my brother and see what you can do. If you can not do anything to help him, you are to leave here and go back to your village. Is that understood?"

"Yes."

"Then go." With the grace and elegance of his inu heritage, Sesshomaru attacked Suoh, sword on sword, the clanging ringing in their ears.

Kagome didn't waste any time, running over to InuYasha's side, struggling to flip his heavy hanyou body face up. He groaned at the movement and opened his eyes. "Kagome, what are you, stupid! Get out of here!" He struggled to raise himself to his feet unsuccessfully.

"Don't move, InuYasha. You're going to hurt yourself more." Kagome quickly surveyed his wounds. It wasn't as bad as the last time he fought Suoh, but the rip going from his lower chest to across his side was what worried her the most; and the fact that he already lost enough blood so that it puddled under him. "I-it's not that bad. If we can get you back to Kaede, you'll be fine."

"Keh." InuYasha's eyes started to droop closed. "Where's Suoh?"

"Sesshomaru's fighting him." Kagome grabbed hold of one of his ears and rubbed. InuYasha once again tried to stand. This time he made it to his knees before falling. "I told you, don't move." He didn't answer. "InuYasha? InuYasha!" She didn't know what to do. She didn't even have her first aid kit, not that anything in there could help her now. She slapped at his cheek. "InuYasha, wake up." He refused to stir. Kagome couldn't believe it. InuYasha was once again dying in her arms, her powerless to do anything to save him. "You-you BAKA! You're not leaving this time!"

Sesshomaru continued to fight, using the whip from his finger tips to block Suoh's tail attacks. He wasn't having any better luck than InuYasha had. The dragon-youkai had just gotten too strong, even for the inu Lord. He, himself was already badly wounded, but wasn't about to let this creature get the better of him. Sesshomaru understood all too well what this youkai was all about. Power. It was always strength, and power; being able to manipulate everyone around you with an ominous threat. He had been like that once, but with the help of a human girl and his father's fang of healing, Sesshomaru had learned that there was so much more to life. You can have all the power in the world and still never truly live a life worth living. This youkai was searching for something that just did not exist, just as he once had.

He let his thoughts subside and became fully aware of what was going on around him. He had the upper hand of Suoh for now, pinning him across his throat and chest against a tree. Sesshomaru gave a quick glace to his brother and the miko a few yards away from the battle. InuYasha was lying still on the ground, his miko crying over him. Didn't she understand what he had explained to her? If she wasn't able to help, she was to leave immediately. That was the one last wish of her dying mate. A youkai female would have obeyed, but the stubborn human was going to make his brother's sacrifice one in vain.

Kagome was full of anger, furious rage, resentment, hate, a loathing revulsion for the youkai Suoh; all masked by her sorrow and unshed tears for the hanyou that was now slipping further and futher into unconsciousness in front of her. She did not know what was happening, she wasn't even aware when it started happening. Kagome put all her emotions together, binding them as one. Her love, sadness, anger, hate, confusion, all swirling together as one soulful being, as one powerful strength. The air started to crackle with energy, small bolts of miko power appearing and disappearing around the hanyou and miko. Her eyes had been closed with concentration, but as they opened a blinding blue light shown from them, even more forming from the palms of her hands.

Kagome herself was calm, and collected. Her glare as frozen as Sesshomaru's, all her emotion was gone, being turned into a pure and powerful miko energy. Her entire body pulsed; once, twice. The ground below her started to pulse also; four times, five. The pulses around them made both inu and dragon-youkai turn their heads to the miko. Both became astonished by the show of complete power coming from the human girl. The glowing surrounded her and InuYasha, making her hair fly across her face and her kimono beat against her skin. Without a thought, without even recognizing her youkai audience, Kagome took her palms and laid them upon InuYasha's chest. The glow around her hands now traveled down into him.

Suoh couldn't believe what he was seeing. The miko had summoned more power than even he had, even more than he had already stolen from her. How could it be? How could she still have that much power! He didn't care. All he knew was that power was going to be his. He wanted—no, he needed that power. He pushed past Sesshomaru and made a leap toward the miko. Kagome could sense everything going on around her. She was aware as InuYasha's wounds started to heal, she was aware that Sesshomaru and Suoh had stopped the battle, and she was aware Suoh was coming straight toward her. Without another thought, she raised one hand above her head. A fountain of her energy erupted from her palm, creating a barrier that surrounded her and InuYasha. Suoh skidded to a stop, but his shoulder slammed into the side of the barrier. Instantly he was sent flying across the clearing, hitting the ground with a sickening crack. His shoulder and arm that hit the barrier was left in shambles, hanging limply to his side.

She's using too much energy, the little fool. He thought to himself with a sinister grin after the shock wore away. All he had to do was wait. There was no way she could last very much longer using that much energy. She was trying to keep him out and heal the hanyou at the same time. Her youth and inexperience caused her to make the mistake. The miko was weakening right before him, and she wasn't even aware. Soon the barrier would fall, and he would kill the hanyou, then her. He already had all the power he needed, letting her live any longer was a risk he wasn't about to leave to chance.

Sesshomaru attacked Suoh again, sinking his claws into the youkai's back and jerking them downward. The youkai shrieked and turned to face his returned foe. Sesshomaru wasn't sure what was going on with the miko and his brother, but he would give the two as much time as he could. For what seemed like hours they fought, sword clanging against sword, claws matched against claws. Sesshomaru drew his two fingers together, once again forming his yellow whip. He cracked the whip, hitting Suoh just above his eyes, Suoh returning the favor by whipping his tail on the side of Sesshomaru's face. Even with his injured side Suoh was able to overcome the inu-youkia's attacks. With one final swing, he threw Sesshomaru to the hard ground, the inu-youkai unmoving.

"You fool! Protecting a half-breed and a mortal at the cost of your own life. How pathetic indeed." Suoh approached the barrier once more. The miko's eyes were still glowing brightly, but the light from her hands and the barrier were fading while the hanyou glowed brighter still. She's getting weary. She cannot hold the barrier too much longer. If she does she'll kill herself.

Kagome was starting to come back to her senses. She was starting to become aware of things around her. First, that she was surrounded by a blinding blue light. Secondly, that InuYasha was glowing with the same light, and his wounds were nearly completely healed. He was starting to stir under her hand. The light around her started to flicker, as she felt herself growing fainter. Holding the barrier was taking more out of her than she first assumed, so was healing the hanyou, and doing both at once was more than she could handle. "InuYasha, wake up! I…can't…"

"Yes miko. You can't. Mortals are weak. You are weak. As soon as your barrier goes down, so do you." Suoh circled the barrier with an evil smirk across his face. He watched on as the light flickered more and more. The miko's hand and eyes faded, she fell to the ground on her elbows, still trying to keep the barrier. She tried to keep up her last line of defense, she tried to hold out as long as she could, but in the end she failed. The barrier gave a final flicker before dying out completely.

Before she could catch her breath, Suoh was on top of her. His hand was around her neck, his claws digging into her throat making a small trickle of blood drip down to her shoulder. He picked her up until her feet were dangling in the air. Kagome dug her fingernails into his arm, trying to pry herself loose. Suoh cackled and tossed Kagome like she was a rag-doll. Kagome's side hit the roots of a tree as she hit the ground, rolling to a stop with her hands holding her stomach.

"Don't die yet, miko. There's more suffering to be had by you."

"GET AWAY FROM HER!"

Suoh spun around to see InuYasha leaning on Tetsusaiga to get to his feet. His face was shadowed with anger, his aura whipping around him in a whirlwind.

"KAGOME!" The hanyou was fast; faster than he ever was before. Suoh wasn't able to keep his eyes on InuYasha as he made his way to the miko's side. "Kagome, are you alright?"

Kagome grimaced in pain as she held her stomach tight. InuYasha brushed his hand across her forehead. "I'm…alright." Her eyes watered. "Just get Suoh, InuYasha." InuYasha nodded and wrapped her in what was left of his haori before turning to face Suoh. He cracked his knuckles and flexed his claws, looking over on the ground to see that his brother was badly injured, but he'd survive.

"WIND SCAR!" The attack left InuYasha sword and soared toward the youkai. Suoh wasn't expecting such an attack from the hanyou so quickly, losing the end of his tail by his mistake.

"You'll pay for that." Suoh growled in a low voice.

"No. You will." InuYasha swiped at Suoh with Tetsusaiga. Suoh barely had enough time to avoid the attack. He was stunned. The hanyou was stronger! A few minutes ago he was on the edge of death, and now he was stronger than ever before! How could he? How could he? It was impossible, there was no way the half-breed could gain strength during that time. Unless…

"The miko." Suoh said in an estranged voice. "She gave her remaining energy to you. She raised your power levels. How…why…?"

"It's something you will never understand. The strong aren't strong because of how much power they have. They are strong because even though they are weaker than their enemy they continue to fight. Kagome. That mortal, that human girl!" he pointed to where Kagome was laying on the ground. "She's stronger than any of us, stronger than we will ever be." InuYasha pointed his sword in Suoh direction in a threatening way. "She stood up against you even though she knew there was no way she could win. She gave me her energy so that I could defeat you. And that's what I intend on doing!" InuYasha slashed Suoh in the face with his claws and swung Tetsusaiga catching his side, making the youkai stumble backward. InuYasha didn't allow him to recover, coming down on him again and again.

"YOU'RE A HALF-BREED! THERE'S NO WAY YOU CAN DEFEAT ME!" Suoh was too shocked to fight back, receiving blow after blow. He can't do this! There's no way be could do this! He's too strong, I can't defeat him! I can't even keep up with his movements anymore, I can't touch him!

InuYasha smirked, seeing that there was no way Suoh was coming out on top this time. He was backed into a corner, trapped by his own foolish pride. InuYasha wasn't playing around anymore. He wanted to get rid of the youkai where he could help Kagome. He could sense that she was hurt pretty bad, and that fact angered him more.

"YOU CAN'T DO THIS!"

"Watch me." InuYasha growled. He raised Tetsusaiga above his head, bringing it down hard. He felt it as the blade contacted with the youkai's flesh, through tissue and bone, nearly cutting Suoh in half. The youkai's eyes were wide in shock and fear, blood leaking from the corner of his mouth. He looked down at the fang, running his hands across his wound and raising them again to gaze at his own blood dripping off his finger tips and streaming down the length of his arm. InuYasha flicked Tetsusaiga to the side, cleaning off the blood, and placed it back in its sheath. Suoh's bloodshot eyes turned to InuYasha, then the miko. With a final sinister gaze his arm fell to the ground, his body turning to dust and blowing away in a sudden gust of wind.

"His mind was weak." Sesshomaru was standing beside his brother. "This would have ended better for him if he was able to put aside his pride and arrogance." InuYasha nodded, not looking away from the spot where he last saw the youkai.

"We're going back to the village. I don't want to waist anymore time around here." He replied.

"Of course." Sesshomaru started to walk away, then stopped, looking at InuYasha from over his shoulder. "You would do well to bring the miko back to my castle first. I have healers that could tend to her."

Kagome. Was she okay? InuYasha knelt by her side as his brother walked away. "Kagome?" the girl turned to face him. "Hey. You alright wench?"

"InuYasha… Suoh! Where…"

"He's gone for good this time, so don't worry about it. I asked if you were alright."

"I'm fine,…but I think I need to see Kaede." She crossed her arms in front of her, her eyes brightening with tears.

"Sesshomaru's castle is closer. His healers can take care of you and we'll stay there tonight and head back to the village first thing in the morning. Alright?"

She nodded as InuYasha scooped her up in his arms and walked back toward the castle. Something was bothering Kagome, he knew. He could sense her distress and worry; she was a bit scared as well. InuYasha had learned that his mate loved to keep her secrets, but he also knew sooner or later she would tell him what was wrong.

………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………

Back at Sesshomaru's castle, Sesshomaru had called in a human healer from a nearby village. The old woman was a bit reluctant to enter the castle of youkai, but in the end her need to help the injured outweighed her fear of the youkai. She was sent up the stairs to the small room Kagome and InuYasha had shared. InuYasha stayed downstairs in the main room waiting for the old healer to give him news about his mate. Sesshomaru had gone to his own room a few minutes after returning. InuYasha wasn't too worried about him. He would heal fast and most likely wouldn't even accept the assistance of a healer if it was offered to him, not that InuYasha cared…

"Was Lady Kagome injured badly? I'm sure she'll be alright, Lord Sesshomaru told me so. He also told me the two of you will be leaving in the morning. I wish you could stay longer, but I guess Lady Kagome should go back to her village." Young Rin sat across the table from InuYasha rubbing the two-tailed cat in her arms.

"Keh." InuYasha sat with his arms dragging on the floor and his chin propped on the edge of the table.

"She told me that Lady Sango had a baby girl named Mai. I like that name. Lord Sesshomaru said that it's just one more mortal human to deal with, but I don't think he really believes that. What do you think Master InuYasha?"

"Keh." He sighed.

"And Master Jaken…"

"Why don't you do something useful and see how long it will be before I can go see the wench."

"Alright!" she jumped from her seat and ran up the stairs, Kirara following close behind. Finally, he thought, I can get a little peace and quiet around here. It wasn't long before the girl was helping the old healer down the stairs with a smug look on her face. "You can go up now, she's all done. I think Lady Kagome really wants to see you now."

InuYasha nodded as he squeezed passed the two up the stairs. He silently opened the door and closed it behind him. Kagome was resting on the futon a few feet away. She smiled weakly as the hanyou approached. "So, what did she say wench?"

Kagome sighed. "She said I'm fine, everything's fine, just a little bruised."

InuYasha didn't believe her. Though most of the fear was gone, he could still sense her anxiety. "Kagome, there's something else bothering you. Why don't you just tell me what's wrong, wench!" Why can't she ever just tell me what's wrong with her? Why does she always have to keep secrets from me like she does? It just doesn't make and sense, I'm her mate now! She's suppose to tell me these things!

She looked up at him with worried eyes. "I was worried what you would think at first, but now I know that this involves you too. I-I just couldn't bring myself to tell you…"

A/N::cowers: don't hate me, please! I know, bad Tsucasa, bad, bad, bad Tsucasa. Making all you poor readers suffer through a bad cliffie like that, you should be ashamed::sigh: But I do promise the next chapter will reveal "Kagome's Secret".

To TheDevilsMostTrustedServent: Umm… wow. That was certainly the most…how do I put it… intresting? No, no… the most confusing… no… Um… the strangest? Yea, that'll do. That was the strangest review I've ever gotten. Arigatou.

To silverwolf: Who told you where I LIVE? Grrr…. Time to move my den again… Grrr….