Disclaimer: Sorry it took so long, my internet has really been screwed up because of my dad. Of course he cant do any thing right when it comes to my computer xD anyways here is the chapter.

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Chapter 2: Lingering Scent of Death

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Kagome tried keeping in step with Inuyasha's long strides, a wide grin spread across her face.

"What are you so happy about?" Kagome looked over at Inuyasha, who was looking at her like she had gone crazy.

"Oh, nothing." She said, her arm wrapped around his tightly. She nuzzled Shippou on the head with her other arm, who was sitting on her shoulder, nibbling on a bar of chocolate from Kagome's era.

She stopped.

"Inuyasha, I sense a sacred jewel shard near." She said, letting go of Inuyasha's arm.

"What direction?" he asked.

"Right up ahead. Not far." Inuyasha knelt down, offering his back to her.

She handed Shippou to Sango and climbed on.

"Kilala." Sango said, and in response Kilala engulfed in flames, then returned in her bigger form. Sango climbed on her back, holding Shippou with one arm and holding the back of Kilala's neck with the other for bracing. Miroku climbed on behind her, resisting the urge to grope her, since there was no point to anymore because they had confessed their love to eachother. And now he could grope her any time, but he would wait for later that night when they were in a private hut, alone and they had a bed to brace their actions.

Kagome cherished the feeling of the wind in her face, and Inuyasha's hand holding the bottom of her legs tightly, especially when he would draw imaginary circles around his legs with his nails, making goosebumps run up her spine.

Kagome leaned forward where she could whisper in his ear, "Its close, just around those trees."

Inuyasha nodded, jumping to a tree branch and pushing off hard to where they flew over the trees, in perfect view of a long black snake-like demon.

"That's it!" Kagome yelled against the wind.

Inuyasha landed on the ground with a thud, receiving a grunt from Kagome. He let her slide off her back, not shifting his gaze from the snake demon that glared right back at him with its green, beadie eyes.

Kagome grasped her bow tightly, taking an arrow out of her quiver to be prepared.

"Wheres the jewel Kagome?" he asked as Sango and Miroku set foot right behind them.

Kagome looked up, glaring hard at the demon, looking up and down throughout it's body.

"There!" Kagome pointed at the demon's head, "On it's head."

Inuyasha nodded, pulling out the Tetsusaiga.

The demon's eyes enlarged, seeming to circle around Inuyasha. The snake-demon hissed, bending its head down and coming towards Inuyasha.

In turn, Inuyasha held his sword to the side, and charging to the demon.

"Inuyasha, be careful!" Kagome yelled after him, her hands cupped over her mouth.

Sango pulled the Hiraikotsu around, ready to strike if Inuyasha was in need of her help. She ran over to the side of the demon, in range to strike but still far enough away from any attack from the demon.

Before Inuyasha could bring his sword down, the demon turned, swiping its thick scaly tail against his side, throwing him against the rocks.

Sango threw her Hiraikotsu. The demon again used its tail and brought it to the ground, leaving Sango defensless. It opened its mouth, green acid pouring out.

"Sango!" Kagome yelled, starting running, but she couldn't get there in time.

Miroku jumped out, pushing Sango to the ground, barely dodging the acid himself.

"Thanks Miroku! You saved my life!" she said, kissing him passionately, but quickly. She stood up, running tactics through her mind how to help Inuyasha, and to get the Hiraikotsu back.

"Gah! Miroku not right now! I'm trying to think!" Sango yelled, slapping the lecherous monk's hand away from her backside.

"The curse of the hand…" he reminded her, a large grin on his face.

Inuyasha stood up, bracing himself on the Tetsusaiga. Either way he came, the demon shot him down. He had to find something to distract it while he got the head off.

Before Inuyasha could think about it more, his head snapped up. The demon, it seemed to start to coil. It fell to the ground and began to vibrate, its mouth wide open and its eyes blood shot. He stared, his eyes wide, as the demon began to dissolve, starting at the tail and slowly moving up to its head.

Inuyasha couldn't move. What had just happened? Why had the demon just dissolved like that?

He walked over, examining the space the demon had just stood. He looked up and watched Kagome gaze intently at the jewel shard between her fingers.

"It's the last jewel shard. I expected it to be harder to find, but that was quite simple." Sango said and smiled, her and Miroku walking up with Shippou and Kilala in their arms.

"Yes, but I wonder why the demon just dissolved." Miroku cut in.

"Don't celebrate just yet." Kagome said, squeezing her two fingers, the shard shattering.

"W-what!" Inuyasha stuttered, wide eyed. "What'd you do?"

"I didn't do anything, Inuyasha. It was a fake."

"A fake? Then why were you able to sense it?" Sango asked.

"Remember Orochidayu? He tried making a duplicate of the Shikon no Tama, he accomplished half way of it, but it ended up being a fake. It didn't have the four souls needed, and so it wasn't anywhere near as powerful as the real Shikon no Tama, and in turn it was easily broken." Kagome reminded them.

"True, but why after so long would the fake jewels return, and now in shards like the real Shikon no Tama?" Miroku said, partly asking himself.

"I don't know, but I do know that wasn't a real shard."

"I think we should head to Kaede's village, and ask her. She might know something herself."

Inuyasha scowled. "I don't wanna waste time with that hag. She's stuck in her village, what could she possibly know?"

"Inuyasha, do you have a better idea?" Kagome cut in.

"Yeah! We can just move on and look for the real shard!" he snapped.

"Well we're going to Kaede's no matter what you say. For one, she might know a little more than you. And two, I'm running out of supplies. I need to get home for a while and atleast get two days of school in."

Inuyasha narrowed his eyes, but knew that he couldn't win this fight.

"Pfft. Whatever." He knelt down, Kagome climbing on his back. "But I'm going with you." Plans of two nights alone with Kagome ran through his head, and for a second, he felt worse than the lecherous monk. Brushing the thoughts out of his head, he tried to conseal a smirk that tried to surface.

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At the last waves good bye, Inuyasha wrapped his arm around Kagome's waist, and hoisted them both up and into the well.

Inuyasha, still holding Kagome by the waist, jumped out of the well in a single jump.

Kagome slid the door open, stepped in and slipped off her shoes.

"Mom, I'm home!" she yelled into the kitchen, knowing that was where her mother was always.

"Oh, welcome home dear, and I see you brought Inuyasha back with you. Well I guess that means there wont be any left overs from dinner tonight." She said softly.

"Hey!" Inuyasha barked, it taking him a couple seconds to get it.

"Shes kidding Inuyasha, calm down." Kagome said, lightly pushing him on the chest.

"Feh."

The two sat at the table, watching in awe as Kagome's mother brought in dish after dish of steaming food.

After dinner, Inuyasha followed Kagome up stairs, closing the door behind him. Plopping down on the bed he waited in silence for Kagome to get done with her studying.

Kagome yawned, out-stretching her arms and stood up from her chair. She walked over to her drawer, pulling out grey shorts and a dark purple tank top. Inuyasha watched wide-eyed as Kagome changed right in front of him, not bothering to ask him to leave, or going to the bathroom and locking the door. Not that he minded a bit.

He mentally kicked himself for thinking so much like the monk, ashamed and angry at himself for picking up the monk's habits.

Kagome walked over and layed next to him. Inuyasha hoisted his head up on his hand, using his other to trail his finger nails on her leg, smirking when he felt her whole body shiver. He knelt down, pressing his lips against hers. She lifted her hand, cupping it over his cheek, asking him to go on.

He nibbled her bottom lip, urging her to open her mouth, and she obeyed his unspoken command. He ran his tongue on the inside of her mouth, teasing her tongue with his own.

She did the same, running her tongue along his teeth. She flinched, pulling back.

"Ow!"

"What?"

"I cut my tongue on your tooth!" Inuyasha smirked.

"Lemme see." She stick out her tongue, Inuyasha immediately putting his lips around her tongue, using his own to lap off the blood.

He pulled back, grinning ear to ear.

"Your as bad as the monk, maybe worse!" she teased. He glared at her, and she giggled. She leaned up, and pulled him down against her, locking their lips.

Inuyasha lifted up her shirt some, running his hand up and down her stomach.

He trailed kisses down her her neck, kissing her pulse. He leaned back, looking into her eyes. Knowing exactly what he meant, she nodded, a small smile forming on her lips.

He knelt back down, carefully, not to hurt her, digging his fangs into her skin, permanently marking her. Several feelings overwhelmed him, all coming at once that he couldn't tell. All he knew that she was now his, and his alone.

He laid beside her, turning her to face him on her side. Before kissing her once more, he pulled her close, whispering in her ear. "I love you Kagome."

She pushed back, looking up at him. She smiled and snuggled close to him again. "I love you too, Inuyasha." Both fell asleep, Inuyasha mentally slapped himself on the back for locking the door just in case Kagome's mother tried to walk in on them.

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Inuyasha jumped out of the well, Kagome tightly in his arms. They both had had the thought about the night before implanted in their minds since they had breakfast.

Inuyasha looked up. Something was strange. It felt like something was…burning. Or had been burnt. He threw Kagome around onto his back, ignoring her angry voice asking him why he done that.

In a flash of silver and red, he was off.

Coming out into the clearing of the forest, he stopped dead in his tracks.

Kagome, too, had stopped whining about her now having a headache, and stared dead on at the village. Or now what was left of it.

"W-w…" Kagome stuttered, a knot began forming in her throat. "What happened…"

"A fire."

"But…how…and what happened to Sango? Miroku? Kaede?" she managed.

They stared on in horror at what was left of Kaede's village. It was all gone, and all that was left was black coals, and the lingering scent of death.

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Ooh. I like this cliff-hanger xD Ah, enjoyable! You want me to update sooner, well you got to review! Yes, I know. This angers you? Exactly why I have this bullet-proof sheild! –puts up sheild- I'm ready for you!

Ok anyways, here are a couple awards to make you happy:

For liking the stories sequel, but then insulting the first story – C.A.M.E.O.1 And Only

First to play out a short story on their review – crazzyredhead (I can believe the crazy part xD)

First to cry over my story (ok maybe not the first xD) – oOwolvenhanyouOo

Love you all, reviewers! Love you lots you readers! Anyways, enjoy and cant wait to see the reviews I get! O.o although I am a tad bit scared at how you will react to this cliff hanger.

Ah yes, I am going to my cousins on Friday. I don't know when the next chapter will be up for certainty, because my dad of course messed up the computer so we have to bring his friend over to reset the WHOLE thing so yeah, don't know :D