Protector

:blah: is the thoughts of Sesshoumaru's blood beast.

:blah: is Sesshoumaru's thoughts when communicating (well, sort of) with said blood beast.

Chapter 12: Healing Hurts

Kagome screamed in agony as the ice shards pierced her body, throwing her backwards. White-hot pain pulsed through her, in time with her heartbeat. A fresh tide of sensation poured over her as she sensed the impending darkness looming over her. With an inward sigh of relief, she welcomed it, sinking gratefully into the embrace of numb unconsciousness, as the world faded.

Sesshoumaru's ears rang from the miko's agonized cry, and saw her collapse in a boneless heap. Blood pooled around her, leaking freely from her many wounds. Even her long midnight hair was soaked in it. Her sightless brown eyes were blank, as her eyelids slowly slid shut.

His blood beast surged to life, roaring in fury. Sesshoumaru's eyes flickered between crimson and chilly gold. He barely felt the pain in his left side as his arm grew back. It should have been a painful process. He should have been screaming and writhing. But he didn't feel it. Finally, his orbs settled on fiery red. A menacing growl ripped itself from his throat as his nose and mouth elongated into a snout. His pristine hair and furry pelt whipped about in the fierce wind of youki around him. Arms and legs lengthened and sprouted thick white fur, the pelt on his shoulder became his tail. Before long, a humongous white dog stood over Kagome's prone body, snarling in rage.

Kagura edged towards Kariyu, eyes fixed upon the furious animal that was Sesshoumaru in his full youkai glory. His claws were longer than her forearm. Poisonous saliva dripped from his bared fangs, ears laid back, flat to his skull. The saliva fell to the ground, melting the rocks at his feet. By now, his left arm had been regenerated completely.

"Let's go," Kariyu muttered. Kagura nodded. In a flash, they were being borne away on the wind's back. "Until we meet again," the vampire called back over his shoulder, grinning at the sight of the miko lying half dead.

:Kill! Kill them both:

:No, you cannot pursue. The miko is hurt. She is dying.:

The blood beast roared again in ear-splitting fury, wanting to chase and dispose of the one who had injured the girl lying at his feet. Sesshoumaru fought the beast back patiently, pushing it away and locking it into a tiny corner of his mind. Turbulent, pitiless ruby eyes calmed to an even gold hue. In a flurry of movement, he rapidly shrank back into his human form.

The scent of Kagome's blood was so strong that he could barely smell anything else. It smelt sort of sweet, with a hint of spiciness and the overall metallic tang. Sesshoumaru experienced a twinge of guilt. She had sacrificed her own protection to keep him safe, otherwise he would be the one lying on the rocks and she the one kneeling over him. He owed her his life. He could have been plunged into Hell by Kariyu's energy bolt if she hadn't saved him.

Sighing, he nicked a vein in his right forearm, then held it to Kagome's pale lips, supporting her with his left arm. Detachedly, he noticed that the newly constructed arm was perfect, down to the jagged maroon slashes on his wrist. He forced his own blood down her throat. After swallowing the thick plasma, Kagome relaxed further, going as limp as an overcooked vegetable. He rose to his feet, cradling her in his arms. The blood soaked into her clothing stained his own white silk, dripping stickily onto his fingers.

Light surrounded and enfolded the two. A bright orb streaked across the sky. Aun, seeing his master pass overhead, grunted to Kirara. Flames sprouted around her paws and tails, and she surged after her mistress. Her keen nose picked up the scent of Kagome's blood, and it was much too strong, showing copious blood loss. Little patches of cloud grew beneath Aun's taloned feet, and he ponderously took to the sky, a sleeping Rin clinging tightly to his neck. They both tried their best, but were unable to catch up.

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The light orb landed in a paved courtyard. The brilliance rapidly faded away, leaving Sesshoumaru and Kagome in its place. A tall youkai came running up.

"My lord, what has happened?" he cried, taking in the unconscious miko in Sesshoumaru's arms. "Shiruka. Go and find Kiria, and bring her to the suite of rooms beside my own quickly. You will be the miko's personal bodyguard for the duration of her stay," Sesshoumaru ordered, striding towards the castle quickly. "Immediately, my lord," Shiruka saluted and sprinted away, bootheels clicking on the cobblestones.

Sesshoumaru set Kagome on the soft feather bed gently, ignoring the blood which ruined the silk sheets. There was a knock at the door, so soft as to be barely audible to the human ear. "Enter," he said calmly. A petite female youkai stepped in, followed by Shiruka. She curtsied to Sesshoumaru, then moved to Kagome. Upon seeing the severe injuries that marked Kagome's body, she gasped in horror.

---------- (3 days later)

Kagome stirred, eyes opening. Her body was one huge ache, and her head was splitting. She sat up weakly, with slow, listless movements. Upon spotting the demon who stood at the foot of her bed and the twin blades he wielded, she screamed. Very loudly.

Sesshoumaru sighed when Kagome's shrill shriek echoed down the hallway and into his study, making his ears ring. He held up one hand to stem the words of the head chef, who wanted to file a complaint against a scullery maid who was constantly slacking off. "I will summon you again at a later date, Kakimoto. Until then, put the maid on unpaid leave. This meeting is finished," he said, rising to his feet. "Yes, my lord," Kakimoto bowed and opened the door for the taiyoukai.

The demon lord strode down the hallway, and stopped before an ornate door. Silently, he pushed it open.

"Who the hell are you?" Kagome flung at the surprised and stammering youkai. "Mikos shouldn't curse," Sesshoumaru remarked mildly from the doorway. "Perhaps I spent too much time with uncouth people," she suggested sweetly, a hint of steel in her words. "Like Inuyasha?" Sesshoumaru could've sworn those careless words slipped out without him actually noticing. Kagome stiffened. "That was underhanded," she accused flatly. "So it was," he agreed amiably. "Jerk," she snarled. "Perhaps to you," he said, unperturbed. "Fine! Whatever!" Kagome fell back, glaring at him.

Poor Shiruka stood like a statue, shocked to see the two exchanging barbs so casually. "Anyway, this is Shiruka, your personal bodyguard for as long as you are here. Try not to purify him," Sesshoumaru gestured towards him. "Why do I need a guard?" she frowned. "You are an injured miko who is currently unable to fight. Everyone in this castle is youkai except for you and Rin," the taiyoukai elaborated, evidently a little irritated that she hadn't figured it out herself. "Oh…" she murmured, expression clearing.

"Kiria, the castle physician, will come to check on you soon. I'm sure you have lots to ask, so I will return after her visit," Sesshoumaru said, shutting the door with a click. He walked away, sniffing for Kiria's scent. The healer would appreciate the knowledge that her patient had awoken.

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Kagome looked about the room, admiring the lovely furniture and room design. The ceiling was painted midnight blue. Silver stars glittered overhead, a perfect portrait of the night sky. In direct contrast, the walls were a pale blue hue, almost white. A large wardrobe was in one corner, made of highly polished mahogany, and trimmed in silver. An oval mirror hung on the wall above a large dressing table. One wall was made of glass, a giant window that offered a marvelous view. Silver velvet curtains were tied back by a strip of cerulean cloth. A writing desk and chair stood by the window. The canopy bed was made of dark wood and trimmed in shiny metal. The silk bed sheets were twilight blue. Three pillows were scattered about the bed, one supporting Kagome's head. The floor was parquet, dark tiny planks of wood.

Kagome turned her gaze to the youkai standing nearby uncertainly. He was tall, with long, flowing unbound silver and black tresses. The strange thing about his hair was that it was liberally highlighted with black. Some of the dark streaks only began after a length of silver, a fascinating pattern. He was lean, with a dancer's build rather than a wrestler's. His weapons, the two rapiers, were in their sheaths, one on each side. His ears tapered to a delicate point, as did his canine teeth. A snowflake insignia rested on his forehead, shimmering in cool iridescence. Striking blue eyes focused on her, above a slender nose. Three jagged azure stripes marked each cheek and wrist. His nails were needle sharp. He wore silver and blue – a silver haori over a powder blue undershirt and navy blue hakamas. Boots shod his feet, stopping above his ankle.

"So, you're Shiruka-san, right? What's your full name?" Kagome asked curiously, shattering the uneasy silence. "Yes. I am Oohara Shiruka, at your service, my lady," he replied cautiously, bowing. "Oh, drop the 'my lady' thing. I'm no noble, call me Kagome. I'm Higurashi Kagome and I'm a miko. Now tell me, what type of demon are you?" she sat up and leaned forward, eyes alight. "I am a snow tiger youkai, m- no, Kagome," he answered, smiling. "Is that so? I've never seen anyone like you before…" she scrutinized him closely. "I come from the far north. My family and I are the only snow tiger youkai in these parts of Japan. Most of us are not inclined to move to a warm place," Shiruka explained. "Aa… so it's like that…" Kagome crinkled her brow in thought.

There was a knock at the door, and Kagome swiveled her head to look at it. "Enter," she called. A small youkai came bustling in, a basket of cloth bandages and medicine on her arm. She curtsied to Kagome, smiling widely.

"Who are you?" Kagome queried. "I am Kiria, the castle healer, my lady," she replied, setting out pots of sweet-smelling ointment on the bedside table. At Kiria's gesture, Shiruka bowed and moved to guard the door outside in the hallway.

Kagome examined Kiria minutely with her eyes, fascinated by her coloring. Fawn-hued hair was kept in a boyish bob, and she had kind black eyes, dark as a raven's feather. Her skin had a light covering of fur, slightly thicker than a human's. She was small, and moved a little jerkily, in short bursts. Her small button nose and pointed ears twitched occasionally. She wore a light brown dress, a few shades darker than her hair. Her skirts rustled as she moved about.

"Excuse me for asking, Kiria-san, but what type of youkai are you?" Kagome asked, openly ogling the healer. "I'm a hamster youkai, my lady," Kiria smiled, looking up. "Please, call me Kagome," the miko sighed, privately wondering why everyone in the castle was so damned polite. Kiria hesitated. "Sesshoumaru-sama might not be pleased," she said tentatively. "Screw Sesshoumaru. Tell him to come look for me if he has a problem," Kagome grinned, eliciting an answering smile from Kiria.

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A short while later, Kagome's wounds were smeared with a fresh layer of ointment and neatly rebandaged. Kiria was excellent at her work, being gentle by nature. Kagome had only felt a few random twinges of pain, and those had been quickly soothed.

"Did you know that you are the first hamster youkai I have ever met?" Kagome yawned, cracking her knuckles absentmindedly. "I'm not surprised. We hamster youkai do not like to fight. We are peaceful by nature. If I am not mistaken, you exterminate youkai when they attack you. Hamster youkai do not attack unless greatly provoked," Kiria explained. Kagome nodded thoughtfully.

There was a tap at the door, and Sesshoumaru walked in, Shiruka following behind him quietly. He nodded to Kiria, who curtsied respectfully, then took herself out, dragging Shiruka along by one ear. Muffled protests from the snow tiger demon were barely audible as Kiria closed the door.

"Okay, so why am I here?" Kagome wasted no time on pleasantries. "If I did not bring you here, you would have died," Sesshoumaru told her bluntly, sinking into a cushioned chair gracefully. Kagome moaned softly. "You should have let me die," she whispered. Sesshoumaru blinked a few times. Had she really said htat?

"Are you coherent, miko?" he queried, frowning suspiciously. "Yes, I am, and I don't appreciate the insinuation that I'm delirious," Kagome shot him The Look. If looks could kill, he'd have been struck dead on the spot.

"Then why do you want to die?" he asked, wondering whether her gray matter had been jumbled up in the fall.

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A/N: Whee! Fast update. Because I was really looking forward to writing a castle scene. Haha! Anyway… for those who requested music transfers. Please remember this – all songs that I send to you are only samples of the official CDs for Inuyasha. I bought one and saved it on my computer. Please delete all files I send after 24 hours. If you choose not to do so, it has nothing to do with me. Okay? Good.

Also, I missed out one song – Four Seasons by Namie Amuro, from Movie three… 'Tenka Hadou no Ken' or something like that. Oops.

And, I wanted to ask those of you who are in international schools or live in America. When are your holidays and exam periods? Please tell me… I'm curious. Thanks!

Remember to review!

Kyasarinyume07 signing off as usual, yawning a bit.