What Lies in the Shadows Chapter 8, an inuyasha fanfic

First, some thank you's! Darkness dawns, I really appreciate your reviews and hope that you continue to read my little story! And one of you lovelies called what's doing to happen...hehe enjoy and please review!

There was something eerily familiar about the bursts of blue and pink light that consumed the daiyoukai, as he slipped down the passage of time. The mixture of Prussian and azure blue, shot through with hints of pale pink were mesmerizing, and his amber eyes widened imperceptibly as he fell, his hold on the woman tightening.

Their feet alighted on the ground steadily, as Sesshomaru still had his iron grip on the mikos tiny hand, she slipped down due to their lathe height difference, her balance thrown off. His reflexes kicked in almost immediately, hauling the woman upright, not unkindly, and consequently flush against his body. The Mikos breath ghosted against his neck in a gasp of shock. Her tiny hand clenched around his fingers briefly.

But these motions went almost completely unnoticed by the taiyoukai. As soon as they had alighted in the woman realm, his senses had expanded. Sight, touch, and unfortunately, smell. The acrid tang of pollution, of unwashed bodies, of the unsanitary overwhelmed the youkai's olfactory cavity. His breathing speed up, his eyes closing in slight panic at the sheer amount of information he was taking in.

It was too much.

The taiyoukai felt his iron control slipping, his mind sliding into a slight panic at the images and scents bombarding his senses. Too much too fast.

The little woman was about to thank the imperious taiyoukai for catching her, when she saw him shut his eyes. His breathing, that she could feel as their chests were close as could be, started to speed up. She could feel his pulse racing.

A sigh of sympathy escaped her lips, for the lord to be in the completely alien place, and she gently placed a hand on his cheek. Her kind azure eyes looked up into the aquiline planes of his face, her own breathing steady and calm.

"Sesshomaru?" She kept her voice low, and hopefully calming. "You need to focus on me. Try to block out everything else, okay?"

His honey eyes snapped open. Usually, they were hard and cold as glass, but she could now see a a hint of his apprehension as his iron control slipped away from the demon. His hands moved to her waist, holding her still as his silver head bent slightly, nose close to her hair.

Vanilla and rain. The woman's peculiar, but calming scent rushed into his nose, flushing out the other unsavory smells of the city. He was grounding himself, closing his mind to the mass amount of information present. His breathing returned to its usual deep, slow pace. The demons control was almost back in place, the lid over his muddled feeling almost sealed when the Miko moved unexpectedly.

Her toned armed came up and gently wrapped around his shoulders. She could just barely reach around them, as he was bent down to her level at the moment. The raven haired woman's eyes slipped closed as she hugged him tentatively, her calm aura rising up to tenderly brush against his.

Sesshomaru was prepared for annoyance. Unfortunately, he was again shocked as his senses flooded with pleasure at the gently gesture. The woman was taking the time to comfort him, to help him. Thought he usually would have laughed at the thought, he couldn't deny that at this moment, he needed it.

And he desired it.

Her lithe form pressed against his was not uncomfortable, and had motions filled him with a sense of calm, even contentment. He sighed, breath tickling the hair above her ear.

"Thank you." His baritone was soft, barely loud enough to hear. But Kagome caught it, and she nodded briefly, a smile across her features before she stared to step back.

A shivered ran across the mikos body as the warmth of the demon was pulled away from her taiyoukai took one last deep breath before observing their surroundings.

The well house was quaint, but its wood was clean and clear of dust from her oji-sans upkeep. The doors were opened, and he could see a clearing of grass, with an odd looking house on one end, and the impressive goshinboku on the other side. The towering tree was serene, and a memento of his time.

He inclined his head towards the impressively large ornament of nature. "If such a fragile specimen has survived, surely my superior species has too."

Kagome rolled her eyes at the imperious demon. Despite his moment of weakness, she supposed that some things would never change. "You could be right, but we don't know yet."

He merely smirked at her. "This Sesshomaru is always right."

"Are not."

"Are too."

"Are not!"

"Miko, you are merely denying the truth."

Kagome's mouth was open wide, ready to shout out a retort to his imperially smug face, when her mother walked out of the small house. They had been walking towards it among their banter.

"Kagome! I haven't seen you in a while, my dear." Her mother rushed up to give the young woman a soft hug, which was gladly returned.

"Mama! How have you been?" She exclaimed.

"Very good, and you, my dear?" Her eyes looked over her daughters form, before flitting to the man next to her. The dark eyes widened in shock, in finding that it wasn't Inuyasha who was standing next to the woman, but a taller, colder looking man. Not to mention, a bit more demonic.

"Ah, please excuse my rudeness! I'm Kagome's mother, Azumi. And you are?" She was about to extend a hand in polite greeting to the imperious man, but upon meeting his icy eyes, decided against it.

"Ah, mama, this is Sesshomaru. We've been traveling together for a while now." Kagome gave him a fond glance, before continuing to walk to her house. Azumi gave him a nice smile in greeting, and followed after her daughter.

Sesshomaru sniffed lightly as he walked behind the two women. They looked very much alike, Azumi baring the tell tale marks of age, a more refined version of her daughters wild beauty. But their form, hair, and voice were all strikingly similar.

"Tell me, how has Inuyasha been? Is there any particular reason why he didn't come with you this time?" Sesshomaru grit his teeth as the hanyou was mentioned, the mikos scent flooding with sadness and nostalgia.

"Ah, I haven't seen him for some weeks now, mama. Last time I came through the well..." She paused, taking a deep breath, but was interrupted by the older woman gently.

"This seems like a long story. Why don't we all come inside, and continue over some tea?" The raven haired Miko flashed her an appreciative smile.

"I would like that." She said softly. Her mother smiled back at her, before assuring everyone in to the kitchen.

Sesshomaru looked around the house inquisitively. The furniture was like nothing he had ever seen. Strand metallic smells, and some unknown scent, one of...not metals, but particularly mixed alloys and such. Hmm, he would have to ask about that later. The Miko sat down at a long, High table, gesturing to the seat next to her. He graciously sat down, eyes still surreptitiously observing their surroundings.

"Welcome to my home, Sesshonaru." She said lightly, eyes twinkling. The large Inuyoukai looked so out of place in the modern house, with his regal dress and dangerous swords. He inclined his head politely to her.

"Ah, please excuse my rudeness! I'm Kagome's mother, Azumi. And you are?" She was about to extend a hand in polite greeting to the imperious man, but upon meeting his icy eyes, decided against it.

"Ah, I haven't seen him for some weeks now, mama. Last time I came through the well..." She paused, taking a deep breath, but was interrupted by the older woman gently.

"This seems like a long story. Why don't we all come inside, and continue over some tea?" The raven haired Miko flashed her an appreciative smile.

"I would like that." She said softly. Her mother smiled back at her, before assuring everyone in to the kitchen.

His glittering Amber eyes were flirting about the house, and landed on the cup of tea that was neatly placed before him. The demon nodded his thanks at Kagome's smiling mother, who had given her daughter a similar cup of the steaming drink.

"Okay dear, so why haven't you been with Inuyasha recently?"

Kagome sighed, her attention shifting from the daiyoukai to the cup of jasmine tea, gently warming her hands. "Well, last time I went through the well, I found him with Kikyou. They...they mated."

A gasp of outrage came from Azumi, and one hand lifted to her face in shock. The other gently grasped Kagome's hand, squeezing it comfortingly. The young miko smiled at her mother gratefully, but her eyes spoke of her sadness.

"After I saw that, I uh, kinda...ran away. And I ran into Sesshomaru," at this her face reddened and she added under her breath,"Quite literally. Anyways, we've been traveling since. And he's been teaching me lots too."

Azumi cast her curious dark eyes warmly on the taiyoukai. Kagome was giving him a find look, and there was a spec of warmth in his golden eyes. "Thank you for taking care of my daughter." She said softly.

Sesshomaru didn't turn to acknowledge her words immediately, his eyes following rosy blush that swept it's way up Kagome's neck and cheeks. Amused, he turned towards her mother.

"She has joined my pack, therefore I am under obligation to provide for her well being." The mikos uttered a light gasp at his words.

"You said that we weren't sure if I was joining officially!"

He smirked. "You have proven yourself a valuable asset to this Sesshomaru." Despite the fairly cold words, Azumi caught the glimmer of happiness in their eyes. The corner of her might twitched up at her daughters obvious feelings. Well, obvious only to her.

"Well, be that as it may, you didn't have to take her in." Her gratitude was well felt, despite the matter of fact tone. "Are you two staying the night?"

The miko met Sesshomarus gaze questioningly, letting him choose. He sniffed lightly.

"That would be amendable, yes."

Kagome's thousand watt smile broke out, and she exchanged an excited look with her mother.

"Well, I'll start cooking then!" The older woman said happily. "You two go and amuse yourselves. But be back by nightfall."

"Okay mama! Love you!" Kagome called out happily as she rose from her seat, rushing to the door. Sesshomaru stood gracefully, following her after a short bow to her mother.

The two had curious conversation as they descended the shrine steps, the afternoon autumn sun bathing them in its orange hue.

"You live with two others beside your mother?"

"Yep, my brother and grandpa. How did you know?" She gave him a curious look, but he merely tapped the side of his nose. She rolled her eyes.

"Oh yeah, youkai senses."

"Superior senses." That joking remark was greeted with a glare, but he could smell her amusement. Sesshomarus eyes lightened at the banter, but narrowed as a certain scent struck his nose.

His own smell.

But different. It was aged, and tinged with the metallic and dirty aura of this time. His head snapped up as he felt his demonic signature.

"Kagome." Her head snapped to him, not used to hearing her name from his lips. "Don't leave this place." He said before leaping into the air, taking off in a ball of glowing energy. Kagome's eyes widened in shock, as she sunk to her knees on the shrine steps.

Sesshomaru quickly landed on top of an impressively tall building, his eyes narrowed, and a hand braced on tokijins hilt as he started at the being before him.

Long, flowing silver hair. Imperious golden eyes, though much warmer than usual. The Prussian blue moon and magenta stripes were achingly familiar to him. Though clothed in strange black pants and matching jacket, he was recognizable enough. Sesshomaru looked across the building at his future self.

/Thank you all for reading! As you may have noticed, there isn't an official name for Kagome's mama, so I found her one. Azumi means safe place, so I thought it was very fitting.

ALSO A POLL!

Do you guys prefer shorter chapters, but quicker updates, or longer chapters, with a larger break in between?

Please review!