Disclaimer: Neither Inuyasha nor YYH is mine! And neither is the quote

Chapter 16 – Hell hath no fury like what?

There stood the Taiyoukai of the West in all his glory, several rabbits within his clawed hand. "Welcome back..." Youko smirked, taking the shocked Kagome to his lap, "Is there something wrong?" he purred, nuzzling her scalp lovingly.

Sesshoumaru dropped the rabbits, casting his level 101 glare. "You have no permission to touch her." he stated stoically, his knuckle flexing as though itching to be buried into someone's neck. Youko and Kuronue lifted their eyebrows, "Whose permission must we seek?" Kuronue was smirking in glee, "Yours?" Youko snorted in response to his words.

"Don't worry Fluffy," he pushed aside Kagome's hairs on purpose to reveal the silver rose tattoo resting on it, "We're courting, such things are trivial, especially when we wanted her to be ours." He purred, caressing her tensed cheeks.

Sesshoumaru narrowed his golden pupils, which were gleaming dangerously towards them. His hand was trembling, no, not in fear of facing them, it was trembling... trembling in the need to kill. He was beyond furious, he just went for a while to hunt and when he came back, they were sucking her lips without her consent! He would not turn his back on himself anymore, after seeing her so close to death, emotions began stirring up within him. The helplessness, the fury and the stabs of fear, he would not deny it any longer, he would deny himself no more.

From the moment he tasted her lips, all thoughts were gone save the need to possess her, mind, body and soul.

He needed her.

"Release her this instant fox." His voice was low, stern and commanding. Kuronue bared his fangs, "In your dreams Fluffy, she's ours from the moment we marked her. We follow the common youkais courting laws." He snarled, "You should know that unless agreed upon, no other are allowed to touch a youkai's soon-to-be mate." He stated coldly, daring him to move, "Remember Sesshoumaru... there are two of us." Youko added with a smoldering glare.

"It's also stated that the laws do not effect the woman's guardian and that they had the right to ensure the woman's safety from anyone." He eyed them emotionlessly, "Kagome had never mention about her parents, she had been traveling with this Sesshoumaru and given her life to the hand of this Sesshoumaru. Therefore, this Sesshoumaru is rightfully her guardian." He countered smoothly.

Both Youko and Kuronue hissed at the truth that sank into them. What none of them noticed was that Kagome had snapped back to reality ever since Kuronue opened his mouth, and now that she heard their words, she let out her very own growl.

She got out of Youko's lap with anger rolling off her body in waves, "I will not stay quiet when treated like some property." She scowled, "I am my own person, I decided what I want myself and NONE of you will control me." She emphasized. Sesshoumaru snarled back, didn't she realize that he was doing this for her own good? "You had no choice in this matter Kagome, you'll follow me right now." He ordered with an undying hint of warning.

"I don't think so Sesshoumaru-sama." She glowered, "Remember well that I'm a ningen and therefore I DON'T ABIDE YOUKAI LAWS!" she yelled, finally losing the edge. "Sure Sesshoumaru-sama, I followed you and depended on you for protection, but I never give my freedom to you! Perhaps I did with my life, but never my freedom!" she shouted, even when sitting down and glaring up with her weakened energy cackling around her, all the Taiyoukais though that she was gorgeous, like an imprisoned angel who had broke free from her cage.

As the words sank into his brain, Sesshoumaru growled at the audacity of the Miko, but decided to relent for now. Taking out a small object from his haori, he threw it to her before turning away to vent his anger on some unfortunate youkais nearby.

"And to you bakas!" she turned her flustered face to the two gulping Taiyoukai after she safely tuck the Shikon no kakera into her haori. "Till the end you two don't understand!" she exclaimed, "You two have no right to steal my kisses just like that! Kisses are meant to be shared only between loved ones! It's not something you forced on another!" she screamed in frustration.

Kuronue opened his lips to speak, only to be stopped by Youko's hand. His expression was serious, nothing like the usually sly Kitsune, no, this time Youko had entered the serious mode. "Force you say? Kagome we know that you enjoyed it. Why are you denying the fact? And we do understand Kagome, we're speaking the truth when we said that meaningless kisses are not meant to be remembered." His voice was monotonous, though it belied the soft look in his golden depth.

Kagome closed her hands into fist, "You still don't understand! My body might have betrayed me because I'm attracted to the both of you!" she shouted as red started to colour her cheeks, "But that was just physically! My mind is a totally different thing! Both of you don't love me, you're only interested in me for my strangeness. It's not for me! It's j-just for w-what I am! N-not w-who I am!" she cried, her voice stuttering.

Kuronue snapped back, "At first it might seem so Kagome." He gritted his teeth, trying to control the rage within him, "But people change Kagome! Even youkais like us can change! You're the one who don't understand us! We tried to show it to you, but you never noticed! All that was in your mind was what? I'm too young for this! What was that? You didn't even bother to ask what does this!" he pulled the sleeves of her haori to exposed their marks, one was a pair of bat wings while the other was a silver rose, "You didn't even ask what do these marks mean!"

Kagome cringed at the sight of his violet turning red eyes. What had she done? She never saw this side of Kuronue before. Kuronue had always been the calm and composed one, a little bit flirty but he was a gentleman. Seeing this part of Kuronue was frightening, it scared her!

"Do you even realize that with this mark, you're literally the Lady of the Eastern Lands? One that will remain with us for eternity? No you don't. Did you even once ask yourself why is it you, out of all other women in the world that receive this mark?" he glowered, his eyes flashing crimson in rage, "No you never, why? Because you didn't see us! We showed you everything through this mark, but you just didn't see!" he finished by shaking her shoulders.

"Kuronue, that's enough." Youko pulled him away so that he could kneel in front of the stunned Miko. "Kagome" he placed a palm on her cheek, his voice gentle, "What Kuronue meant is that at first, it is true that we are merely curious about you. But after you join us in our home, after that..." he paused, "misunderstanding" he said in distaste, "everything change."

Kagome raised her teary pair of sapphire blue eyes to him. Youko smiled, "It may seem unbelievable since you've been traveling with Sesshoumaru, but we youkais do have emotions, joy, sorrow, pain. We are no different from you beside the fact that we refused to show it. This is a hard period Kagome, we can't risk anything." He lightly peck her forehead, "Believe me, even that Fluffmeister have feelings, I've seen him cry centuries ago at the death of his mother." He murmured to her ear.

"Why... why are you telling me this?" she whispered as sobs raked her body, she still didn't understand. She was so lost in this confusing situation.

Youko smoothed her hair affectionately, "You're powerful and unique Kagome, but don't get us wrong. We gave you this mark not because of that. We chose you, out of all other, we chose you because we have feelings for you, deep feelings." He purred, "Being powerful and unique are just added bonus, we could care less about that." He stated honestly.

"Kuronue was mad because you can't seem to see that we're serious." He traced his own mark with a thumb, gazing at it with ineffable emotions in his eyes. "Did you know that once these marks were completed, it means that you'll spend the rest of your life with us? It might seem strange hearing this from us, but we will stay loyal to you Kagome, we will never betray you. It may seem impossible, but we guarantee that once we take you as our mate, we will never look at another." He swore solemnly.

Although he had spoken his part, there was still slight uncertainty and doubt in her eyes. Youko's hand slid down to her chin, and with his index finger, he lifted her head, "What's wrong Kagome? Is it not enough?" he frowned, "We can protect you like no other, we will stay loyal to you, and we can show you things that none other can..." he stared deeply into her eyes.

"We can see to your every need... What more could you want?" he asked.

Kagome lowered her eyes to escape his intense ones, "I... I want love."

Youko sighed, he was about to speak when Kuronue interrupted him with a hand on his shoulder. His eyes were back to their usual violet hue, now seeming tender and calm. "Now let meask you this Kagome..." his voice weaved the words soothingly, as though urging her to relax.

"Do you need love to be happy?"

Kagome jerked away from Youko's finger at the question, her shoulders were tensed as she stared from Kuronue to Youko with brine that was threatening to spill from her eyes. Youko maneuvered himself behind her, pulling her flush against him, growling lightly to her ear in an attempt to soothe her. Kuronue took the vacant spot at her front, "No, you don't. Even you yourself know that you don't need love to be happy." He stated, "We youkais never believe in love, but there's one thing that many of us know to be true." He whispered, leaning closer to her other ear.

"Power calls to power Kagome." Youko muttered.

"As do soul, to soul." Kuronue finished.

Kagome was incapable of controlling the persistent tears anymore, so she allowed them their freedom. She shook her head, 'Why are they telling me this?' millions of questions were reeling in her mind. Again she shook her head, her hands went up to cover her twin listening appendage, "Stop it... Onegai... Stop it..." she whined, "Onegai..." this was too much! Everything was too much for her! She couldn't handle it! She refused to hear it any longer!

Youko and Kuronue gazed at each other and let out a breath, "We apologized for forcing this to you when you're still recovering..." the Kitsune Taiyoukai shifted her so that she was curled up in between his open legs, "We just want you to know that, we can and will protect you like no other, we can make you happy." Youko whispered and began rocking her back and forth, lulling her to sleep with gentle strokes on her raven mane.

"Perhaps Kagome, if you give us the chance... we can love you..."

She was so tired, exhaustion finally taking its toll on her as her mind slowly shut down. But before the process was completed, a picture of a blue rose surfaced in her mind. Unknowingly, she took hold of Youko's haori and murmured,

"Blue Rose-san..."

Two words, two simple words, it were all it took for the crimson blood to seep into their eyes, "Curse that Fluffmeister..." Kuronue hissed, baring his gleaming fangs. It was hard to buy the fact that this barely 5,6ft tall ningen managed to make the mighty ones fell from their graces, just a few simple words and they were ready to kill whatever that crossed them.

Perhaps the old saying need a little modification, for this phrase would indubitably manifest in every youkais' mind if they ever stumbled across them right then.

Hell hath no fury like two Taiyoukais scorn.

"Keh! Yaseookami! Stop following me!" a silver haired hanyou shouted as he sprung from branches to branches, with a brown blur under him.

Said brown blur, now known as Kouga, shouted back, "You're the one that need to stop following me around you Inukoro!"

For days these two hot-tempered youkais have been journeying at breakneck pace, taking only several hours of break during the night. When they saw Sesshoumaru and the other two, no doubt the Taiyoukais of the East, heading towards the Northern land in such rush, they know that something was amiss.

Inuyasha was first to realize that Sesshoumaru always ride on his dragons like some king when he joined a battle. Now that the dragons were missing along with the pathetic excuse of toad and kid, he could only guess what was wrong: Kagome.

'Damn it Kagome, you better be alive.' He sniffed the air and nodded to himself, he could vaguely smell her, that sweet aroma of hers. She was just some distance ahead, with Shippou and a few unknown yet familiar scents.

"You baka, put me down this instant! I can walk!" Kagome's stubborn voice could be heard even from miles away. Youko winced in pain, glaring at the woman that was thrashing about in his arms. "Silence woman! And stop struggling, three days is not enough rest for your body." Youko dared her to disobey with one look from his eyes.

Kagome defiantly raised her head to the challenge, she was about to retort when Shippou's voice interrupted her, "Yes Okaa-san, three days is not enough!" Shippou sat comfortably on the Kitsune's shoulder. Kagome sighed, even her little Kit was against her. She smiled though, when she saw how the two Kitsunes interact, Shippou had started to open up to Youko when they returned, the memory was still fresh in her mind.

- Flashback –

Kagome was rested in Youko's open legs once again, looking around, she spotted Shippou sitting beside the fast asleep Jaken and Rin. He was glancing at her from time to time in uncertainty.

"What's wrong Shippou-chan?" she asked, gesturing for him to come closer. Shippou bit the bottom of his lips, locking his emerald green orbs at her, then shifting them to the figure behind her in nervousness. Kagome giggled when she noticed it, "Shippou-chan, it's okay... Youko won't harm you." She convinced.

Shippou stood up, then hesitated for a moment, scanning over the face of his Okaa-san for assurance. Taking a deep breath, he took a testing step forward. When he saw that Youko seemed to be watching him with gentle sun-kissed orbs, he took another, and another. It was only when he reached a few feet away did his breathing become laboured, yet, he still insisted on moving forward, approaching his mother.

"Yes Shippou-chan, come here..." Kagome cooed, a hand reaching out to welcome him. To her surprised, Shippou did not walk into her embrace, instead, he stepped beside her, staring up at the Kitsune Taiyoukai in both awe and fear. Youko smirked, this Kit was intelligent for his age, which could be no more than 50 ningen years. He removed a hand from his soon-to-be mate's waist and held it out in front of the little pup.

Shippou swallowed a lump in his throat and laid his baby-like hands on it, clasping his index. Kagome watched in curiosity as her little baby brought said finger up to his neck, to the point where Youko's claw was lightly grazing his throat. Although she knew that Youko would never harm him intentionally, panic still coursed through her, what if Shippou accidentally pushed it in?

The Kitsune Taiyoukai relaxed himself before pulling back his hand, only to pat on his orange head, one that would turn crimson red when he reached the age of two and a half centuries, the time for his Kitsune evolution.

Kitsune was unlike other mammal youkais in their aging system. Whereas other youkais grew as they aged, a Kitsune would remain in their pup state for two and a half centuries, after which he would instinctually create and hid himself in a cocoon for seven days. When the process was done, out came a full-grown Kitsune.

Youko recalled the time of his evolution, there had been many assassination attempts even from his own servants. Had it not been for Kuronue, who stayed guard without getting even a blink of sleep, he might have came out half-grown or worse, dead. The process could only be done once in a lifetime, if one Kitsune came out half-grown, he would stay like that for eternity. Many Kitsunes committed suicide for that humiliation they had to endure, being a half-grown Kitsune.

"Okaa-san! I did it!" Shippou pounced on the weak yet healthy-looking Miko. "I touched him! He patted my head! Does that mean that he's my Otou-san?" he grinned from ear to ear.

Youko let out a chuckle whereas Kuronue, who was hanging upside down a tree branch, smirked, "You can call us that Kit." He stated, folding his arms, trusting his legs to do their job.

- End Flashback –

However, she was pulled out of her thoughts when she remembered the reason she was like this in the first place. "Sesshoumaru-sama, can I go home? I really need to go home! I haven't been home for more than a month!" Kagome exclaimed. Sesshoumaru stopped in his tracks, gazing up towards the sky. Memories flooded his mind of how everything started when she asked to go home. He went under the shade that the tree so graciously provided without a single word.

Youko gently placed his precious bundle on a boulder, kneeling a leg down by her side, "Where is your home little vixen? I'm sure that Fluffmeister will allow..." he took her knuckled and boldly planteda kiss on them.

Kagome shifted uneasily, glancing towards her guardian for help, was he still angry about the incident? "Urmm... Ano..." she was not sure what to tell him, should she reveal her secret? That she was not from this time?

Just as she was about to make her decision, a shiver went down her spine. Her shoulder tensed as she whirled her head to the direction of the West.

"Inuyasha... Kouga-kun..." she muttered.

Youko's eyebrows twitched, "Stop changing the subject little vixen, you won't get away with it." He snorted.

Kuronue, who was showing Shippou the joy of hanging on a tree, stopped when he heard footsteps approaching them, fast. With the squealing Kitsune in his hands upside-down, he kept his mouth shut to enjoy the show.

"Kago-" before the Kitsune Taiyoukai could utter another word, he was being slammed down to the ground by some bastard from behind. "Kagome!" two loud and rough voices were heard.

Sesshoumaru place his hand on the hilt of Tenseiga, but never once did he move. Kuronue raised an eyebrow, he had seen that hanyou once before, and that Ookami prince... he had met him on several celebrations. He grinned at the pitiful sight of the trampled Kitsune Taiyoukai, oh if only he had the ca-me-ra thing now...

"Kouga-kun! Get off! You'll suffocate Youko!" Kagome gasped at the Ookami prince who was currently squatting ON the Taiyoukai of the East's head! Kouga got off almost immediately, "That doesn't matter, Kagome! Tell me that you're not courted by the Taiyoukais!" Kouga desperately tugged her haori apart, exposing her creamy shoulders. Inuyasha growled at seeing the two marks, his hand on the hilt of Tetsusaiga instantly.

"Never do that! Ever!" a ferocious growl was heard as a green whip came down on Kouga's offending arms. Had it not been for his speed, Kouga would have to say goodbye to them.

Both he and Inuyasha watch as a silver figure stood before Kagome, pulling her haori up to preserve her modesty. Kagome was grateful, slightly surprised at the respect Youko had for her. She had assumed that he was a pervert worst than Miroku.

"You bastards." Inuyasha unsheathed his prized fang as the Koumori youkai stood beside his partner, Shippou on his head. "Hey Inuyasha! Get away from my Okaa-san and two Otou-san! You baka!" he stuck his tongue out. He wailed though, when Inuyasha snarled at him, escaping into the protective arms of his mother.

"Inu-" "You have no right to scare our pup like that, being Sesshoumaru's half-brother makes no difference." Kuronue hissed out in fury.

"He isn't your pup!" Inuyasha clenched his Tetsusaiga, "Kagome is coming back with me! She isn't your plaything!" he demanded firmly, not caring that he was talking to the two possibly most powerful youkais in Japan.

"Never, not even in your dreams." Kuronue went to his battle stances, his scythe in his grasp. Youko smirked, slapping his whip down in respond to the upcoming battle. Kouga scowled and called upon his Goraishi, all rational mind gone save the need to kill these youkais and proved that he was the strongest and the best for Kagome.

The four youkais circled each other, not even noting the ki of anger that spiked in the air. Kagome was fuming in rage at the sight of them glowering at each other.

"INUYASHA! OSUWARI!" she stood up and screamed her lungs out.

BLAM

Youko, Kuronue and Kouga jumped out of their skin at her shrilling shriek, all three backed away when she stomped towards the face planted hanyou. "I can't believe you Inuyasha! Why do you bother with my affair when you have Kikyo? Why are you so jealous? You are not my mother! You grrrr... OSUWARI OSUWARI OSUWARI!" she yelled to the Inu hanyou who managed to pull his head up, only to be slammed down again.

Shippou by then had scrambled to Jaken and Rin, huddling together. Ah-Un's eyes were twinkling with mirth as they watched the scene played under the shade.

"All I want is to go home NOW! My mother is worried sick! I don't care what you say, Youko and Kuronue are going to take me home, WITHOUT YOU do you hear that you SON OF A BITCH!" immediately, a hand slapped over her lips as horror flashed through her twin sapphire blue orbs.

Ah-Un let out a contented growl of laughter, even Sesshoumaru's lips curled up in an amused smirk. A Miko, a supposedly purest person out of all being, cursed! Furthermore,this particular Mikowas the guardian of the Shikon no tama!

Painfully, the hanyou lifted himself, moaning curses while the Koumori Taiyoukai questioned about Kagome's village. Again Kagome grew silent and unsure, glaring at the three Taiyoukais and Kouga, what should she say?

"Keh! She live 500 years in the future, way out of your reach!"

TBC...

Lady Kurama: OKOK I know that you all want to kill me for taking so long, but trust me, you don't want to know what happened to me. Anyways, I don't know when I will update next, hopefully it won't be long but I'm not so sure myself, I'm sorry -sigh-

Reviews

toothpick99: Hahaha thx for liking this fic, I happen to like peaches too : P

Merely another reader: No, dun worry, I know that my tenses sucked and I don't mind Con' Cri' coz it's my bad -sheepishly- for some reason seem to urmm how do you say it, when I checked,I noticed that some of the words being linked together when it wasn't in the notepad, strange huh?

Angel2005399: MASHMALLOW i want i want i want i want! U BETTA GIMME MY MASHMALLOWS!

Luvergirl1632: check this kagkur website! katakoi.kloud-nine. com / storyline /join it together -winks-

Demonlordlover: Not really, they really care abt her, they're lords, you can't blame them for thinking that they can get everything they want hehehehe -grin-

xSesshomaru's Girlx: I am so jealous of KAG! -sobs-

midnightloon: If i tell you, where would the fun be? hauhauhauhauha all i can tell u is, i don't think i'll be adding any OC in this, i don't really like OC