Part 19: Having a Ball

A/N: Hello guys! I hope the New Year has been treating you well so far! I apologize in advance as things are about to take a darker turn as we head down towards the end of the story. On the brighter side, this will be a super long chapter!

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Disclaimer: No matter how much I wish for it, I unfortunately own nothing except my plot, and a few OC's here and there.

I was sitting at my vanity, just putting the finishing touches to my look before we left for Kouga's party. I was nervous, but did my best to keep how I felt buried deep inside me. Considering the stunt Naraku had pulled at the last council meeting, I feared what he would try this time around.

"You look gorgeous."

My thoughts were interrupted. I looked up and smiled at Sesshoumaru's reflection in the mirror in front of which I was sitting. As my lover looked at me, I pinned my trustworthy feather in my bun.

He was of course already dressed in his sleek black tuxedo. I could see a bulge at his hip where he had fastened his sword. Kouga might be a close ally, but one could never be too careful when visiting the territory of another Lord. I too fully intended to bring my fan along.

"There is just something missing."

He walked up to me and leaned forward, the tip of his lustrous hair brushing my shoulders. Damn, with the slightest gestures the man was able to get my engine revving. As I was lost in thoughts of my sexy husband, Sesshoumaru placed something around my neck. I looked down at my cleavage, and was pleasantly surprised to see a necklace now adorning it. It was a beautiful silver, diamond and ruby studded pendant. A great complement to the low cut black lace dress I was wearing, and a perfect match for my eye color.

"It's beautiful, thank you." I stood up, turned around and rose on my toes to press a kiss to my lover's cheek. To be honest I had been just about to put on a gold chain I had had for years, but this beautiful piece was so much better. It really fit perfectly with my dress. Unlike the show I had put on during the council meeting with my sexy silver dress, this time around I had opted for a more sedate classic curve hugging black lace number. The blood red rubies really helped make the outfit pop more. If I did not know better, I would have guessed Sesshoumaru had purchased the necklace to go especially with my outfit.

"I have something else for you." He reached inside his pocket for a small velvet box. Suddenly my curiosity was peaked. There was really only one thing that could come out of such a box. Question was what he intended to do next. We might have confessed our feelings to one another, but nothing was said about making our marriage a real one. Well, I had to stay content with what I had so far. Our relationship was already much more then I ever expected.

As I expected, Sesshoumaru retrieved from the mystery box a ring. To my surprise, I could tell that just like my fan, this ring was infused with the power of a youkai. A strong unknown youki was emanating from it. A warm and comforting sort of youki though. Now that I had opened myself up to my inner demon, I had become more attuned to youki, and reading it. Strangely, some notes in it seemed familiar, but I was certain I had never come across the youkai it belonged to.

The ring was much simpler and plainer than the extravagant diamond and ruby engagement ring and wedding band Sesshoumaru had gifted me before. After our altercation following Hakudoushi's memorial service, I had Jaken lock up in the safe the two rings and the pearl necklace his master had given me. I never wanted to see them again. They reminded me too much of the way Sesshoumaru had callously attacked me. I knew that now that he trusted me and cared for me, such a thing was not liable to happen, but I still did not want to be reminded of what had happened that awful morning.

In any case, this ring was much more to my liking. It was a simple silver band studded with small diamonds. I loved it.

"Promise me you will not take it off." He told me as he slid the piece of jewelry down my left ring finger. The symbolism of his decision to put the ring on that particular finger was not lost on me, but I chose not to comment on it.

"Why?" I raised my hand to have a closer look at the ring. The more I looked at it, the more I loved it. It was simple, elegant and stunning. A perfect combination.

"It will be there for you when this Sesshoumaru cannot." He looked straight in my eyes. "Kagura, promise me you will keep it on at all times."

I found his words cryptic, but since it seemed to mean so much to him, I decided to go along with it, and nodded my assent. Sesshoumaru visibly relaxed as soon as I agreed. Anyways, I loved the ring, so keeping it on would be no hardship. He pressed a quick peck to my lips to seal our deal.

"Let us go. We do not want to be late."

I took a deep calming breath, and followed him downstairs to our car. The whole gang, Inuyasha Kagome, Sango and Miroku were already in the limo. Despite the fact that we were attending a party, the tension was thick in the air. Naraku's surprising silence had us all nervous. In truth I was sure that just like me, everyone else was expecting the spider to pull some stunt. Frankly, I could not help but feel that this evening was sure to be full of surprises.

"That is not how I expected Kouga's house to look like…" I finally managed to choke out as we walked towards what must be the entrance.

"Wolf youkai enjoy a more… rustic type of living." Kagome, ever the diplomat said as we followed the path illuminated by wooden torches.

"You mean they're freaking savages. Keh! Now you see why I get pissed any time someone says that inu and ookami are anything alike."

"It might not be esthetic, but it makes safeguarding the place much easier." Sango admired. "It is quite ingenious." Her brown eyes took in the snow covered mountain-like structure we were walking towards, and the narrow path leading up to it. We had been forced to leave the car behind, and keep going on foot. At least the weather had warmed up, and Kouga had had the snow shoveled out of the path. Small blessings.

"Maybe, but I must admit I like to live comfortably, so dwelling in a cave carved in a mountain is just not my thing." Miroku stated. He lost his footing on a patch of ice, but Sango was there to prop him back up. True to his self, the pervert had to take advantage and copped a feel of her butt. She did not like that one bit, so she of course removed the hold she had on him, which caused Miroku to fall flat on his face. None of us stopped to help him get back up. In truth, I thought he deserved it.

Sesshoumaru's lawyer was not the only one struggling as we climbed up the slope leading to the carved entrance of the mountain. Right about now, I was happy to be a wind youkai as I was able to use the wind to balance myself. My poor friend Kagome was not so lucky, and she had to clutch her husband's arm tightly as he helped her find her sure footing on the icy rocks. Inuyasha had offered to carry her on his back, but she had declined.

"If you had told me we had to go up a fucking icy road to reach a mountain, I would have worn more appropriate shoes." I spit at Sesshoumaru. In truth I was seriously annoyed that I had probably ruined my cute black suede pumps. These shoes were among my favorite! Sigh, it would just mean another excuse to go shopping.

"We have arrived." My unhelpful lover said matter-of-factly.

We had indeed reached the mouth of the mountain and were looking at a dark cave. I had a hard time imagining one of the Lords actually lived there. We all walked to the massive wooden doors, and were greeted by two of Kouga's wolves. They wasted no time opening the gate, and letting us in. They probably did not want to keep Lord Sesshoumaru waiting. Being with a Lord did have some major perks.

I had been curious to find out what the inside looked like, and I was not disappointed. If the structure looked like a random mountain on the edge of town, its inside was a complete different story. It looked like a multi-level house that had been carved out of the mountain itself. I could make out its tall walls, windows, and a balcony on one of the sides. It was a truly fascinating structure. I didn't get enough time to take in the unbelievable sight as we were ushered inside the house, then pointed towards a corridor by one of Kouga's men. To my surprise, the hallway was carved out of stone, and so were the rooms we walked by as we followed the red carpet that had been rolled out. Despite that, it looked like a normal regular place. Truly amazing.

"Keh! I can tell the stinky wolf let Ayame bring some class around here. The place looks actually decent today."

While I did not know what Kouga's home had looked like when Inuyasha had last been here, I could feel a woman's touch had indeed been by. The roughness of the stonewalls was nicely counter-balanced by pretty tapestries depicting ookami youkai hung on the wall, and even some flowers in pots.

The corridor led us to wide double doors that were thrown open by two helpful wolves as we neared them. I have to say, I was pretty impressed by the sight that reached us. The doors opened on a large ballroom complete with wooden floors and bright chandeliers. Banquet tables laden with food and drinks had been pushed against the largest wall, leaving space for people to mingle and walk around as they wished. I could see large windows leading up to a balcony on the furthest end of the room. I had to be honest, and admit this room was quite sophisticated and simply gorgeous, a stark contrast to the rough outward appearance of the mountain, and a far cry from what I had expected to see.

"I guess Kouga's night clubs must be doing better than we expected." Miroku whistled in appreciation. "He really spruced up his place."

"Welcome my friends from the West! Thanks for coming Lord Sesshoumaru." The master of the house walked in, a proud smile on his mouth, and a twinkle in his blue eyes. "So Inuyasha, how do you like the new additions to my place? Well then again, how could someone who's still living at his brother's place appreciate something like this..."

"I may be still living in my parents' house, but at least I don't live in a cave like an animal." The insulted inu hanyou spit out.

"Oh honey, don't raise to his bait…" Kagome whispered in her husband's ear. "Are those crab puffs? Yum! I just love those. Let's go get a plate." She forcefully dragged the glowering hanyou towards the refreshments table.

"My dear, why don't we let the Lords to their business, and go in search of some refreshments of our own?" Miroku looped his arm through the woman he loved, and headed towards the drinks station. Just before she followed him, Sango, the ever-attentive bodyguard gave Sesshoumaru an imperceptible nod. I did not know what those two were up to, but I intended to find out. For now I gave my full attention to our host.

"Kagura Onigumo. Pleasure to meet you." I extended my hand towards the grinning wolf. Instead of shaking my hand as I expected him to, he took it, brought it to his lips, and pressed a kiss to the back of it. Even as he did so, his eyes stayed glued on Sesshoumaru. That damn wolf seemed all too happy to tease the Tashio brothers. While getting under the skin of Inuyasha was a piece of cake, Sesshoumaru was an entire different story. He did not even bat an eye at the wolf's provocation. This only made Kouga grin wider.

"Where are your wife and child? I thought this evening was supposed to be a celebration of them?"

At my lover's question, the expression on Kouga's face turned from mocking to simply besotted. When it came to his wife, the man was a goner. "Ayame will be down soon. She wanted to make sure the little guy looked perfect before she brought him around."

"I look forward to seeing him. I'm sure he is as handsome as his father." My comment earned me a raised eyebrow from my lover, and a nice blush from Kouga. Considering Naraku had used me to threaten the bound between the wolf and Sesshoumaru, I intended to lay down the charm to try to get our host to like me. Clearly despite his mocking and bravado, Kouga was a bit shy. How cute.

"I have to go play host and greet my other guests." Kouga said. "Hopefully we will have a chance to chat later. It was nice to meet you Kagura."

Menoumaru and his party of gloomy looking moths had just arrived, and Kouga left to go meet them.

"Well that was not so bad."

"Were you nervous?" I took the arm Sesshoumaru extended towards me, and we started walking around the room.

"Considering how tense things got at the Council meeting, I was just not sure of the reception I was going to get from Kouga." I picked up a champagne flute form a passing waiter, and handed one to Sesshoumaru. I have to admit I was pleasantly surprised by how refined this party was. I had thought I might be a bit overdressed, but actually that was not the case.

"Kouga might be a fool, but even he would not dare insult this Sesshoumaru's woman."

While the primal part of me was thrilled to hear him claim me, the modern feminist in me hated his macho statement.

"Ooh your woman?" I snorted. "Well, my man I'm going to go over there and get tipsy on this delicious champagne. In the meantime, why don't you go ahead and do your Lordly things." I had noticed Menomarou and Kouga huddled together, and spied the moth looking at us from the corner of his eye. It seemed to me that he and Kouga were keen to have a private conversation with the Lord of the West.

Sesshoumaru looked at me intently before nodding. "Do not go far, do not remove your ring, and if Naraku approaches you, call for help."

"Yes sir! I saluted, and sashayed out of his sight before he came up with even more rules.

While the decorations, food and drinks were refined, the same could not be said of all the guests. Kouga's wolves made up the majority of the attendees, and most of them must not have gotten the memo about the dress code. They were dressed in traditional garb, which consisted of musty furs and pelts that left much of their bodies bare. Frankly I did not know who was their dry cleaner, but the man deserved to be shot, their outfits stank of wet dog. Yuck!

I walked past a cluster of them, and almost gagged at the smell. I was in sore need of some fresh air. I drained my glass, and handed it to a nearby waiter, time to go look of another form of refreshment. Us wind youkai have a hard time with being locked up without access to pure air. Thankfully, the ballroom was attached to a convenient balcony. Despite the cold, the open air was calling to me. I chanced one look over my shoulders, and was glad to see Sesshoumaru was in deep conversation with the other two Lords. I quietly slipped through the glass doors, and went outside.

I was pleasantly surprised to see that the balcony was even bigger than I thought. It was carved out of the mountain itself, and jutted forward, giving an unparalleled view of the city down below. I walked up to the edge, and leaned forward to gaze over the stone railing and took in the beautiful sight. From the top of Kouga's mountain situated at the northernmost part of town, one could see the whole panorama of the city. The city lights burned bright, and the full moon was shining that night, so despite the darkness, I could make out major landmarks. I could see at the southernmost part of town, the wharf where Zankoku had grievously injured me when we had stolen back Sesshoumaru's shipment. In the east, was the small forest that made up most of Menomarou's territory. The moths kept mostly to themselves, so I was not well acquainted with what their territory looked like. Not that I was actually interested in finding out. Those nasty looking moths really creeped me out. All I knew was that the forest was enchanted in some kind of way, and it showed. Despite the cold winter, and snowstorm we had experienced recently, the trees were still full of green leaves. Super disturbing. I rather decided to lay eyes on a most beloved sight. To the West laid my new home. To think that in only a matter of weeks, I had managed to get so integrated in Sesshoumaru's world that I could not think of anywhere else as home. Damn, I really loved that jerk.

"You can do this! Your ancestor was a freaking princess. This is just a party, you can get through this!"

So lost was I in my musing that I was surprised when I heard a voice mutter behind me. The voice had spoken so softly that had it not been for the wind carrying the words to me, I don't think I would have heard it. Someone thought it would be a great idea to use only soft light to create an intimate setting on the balcony. Sure it looked romantic, but it made easy for someone to hide out there. I turned around and made out a shape huddled in a dark corner on the other end of the balcony. I had been too taken in by the view to have paid much attention to whether there was someone out there already. Damn how careless of me!

I gingerly walked forward. I realized I was stepping towards the darkness, away from the glass doors, and the escape route they offered. I was aware I was essentially on my own now as Sesshoumaru would not be able see me anymore due to the absence of windows, but my curiosity got the best of me.

"Hello there!" I called out, taking a hold of my fan. I just meant to make sure I was protected. You never knew who could be lurking in the dark. The stranger was so tightly plastered to the wall that I had a hard time making out who it was. Friend or foe, I needed to be ready just in case.

The person-shaped shadow stepped forward, and I breathed a sigh of relief. The female ookami was no threat after all. I knew who she was instantly. The flaming-red hair was a dead giveaway. This was Ayame, Kouga's mate, mother of his newborn cub, and apparently the reason why he had turned over a new leaf.

"Hi! Sorry, I did not mean to scare you." Her high-pitched voice trembled a bit, and I did not know if it was due to her nervousness, or if it usually sounded like this. "I was just out here thinking about stuff."

"Is everything okay?" Something in her sad emerald-green eyes made me feel like she could use a friend, and before I could help myself, I was offering to help out.

"I know I should be out there, but frankly I don't want to. I know he's proud, and he wants to show off our baby, but I'm just not sure if that's the best idea. I want to keep our little cub as far away from the Lords and politics for as long as I can. Right about now, I'm seriously running out of excuses why I haven't joined the party…" Ayame finally took the time to take a breath.

I was taken aback by her openness, but held my discomfort in. I had intended tonight to do my very best to be well liked by the Wolf Clan, and I intended to do just that. I would make Sesshoumaru proud, and show him I could be a good helpmate to him. Hitting it off with Ayame could make me win brownie points, and that was surely one step in the right direction towards making sure the ookami and inu Lords stayed close.

"I understand how you feel. I'm not a mom" …yet, I added in my mind. I had gotten the ultimate confirmation that I was not pregnant a few days ago in the form of my period, but I had every intention of having my own baby in the near future. "But, if I was in your shoes, I certainly would not want those people to come anywhere near my baby." Especially not Menomarou and his insect cronies.

"Right!" Ayame rushed to take a hold of my hands. She had moved so fast I had not even seen her coming. Dang, I did not know how those wolves moved so fast! "I knew I was right." She exclaimed, bobbing her head and sending her pigtails flying all over the place.

"The way I see it, you should do what you feel is right for you and your baby. Kouga loves you; it's plain to see. Whatever you want and feel comfortable with, he will be on board." I reassured her. From what I had seen so far, the man was whipped, and she would have no trouble leading him by the tip of his nose.

"So true! I can definitely make him see reason. Thanks, for the advice." Ayame breathed a deep sigh of relief. She then paused with a puzzled look on her face. "Sorry, but I don't even know who you are."

"Kagura…" I started, but she interrupted me with a gasp.

"Sesshoumaru's wife! I've been dying to meet you! I've been so curious about you." She clenched her hands around mine, excitement dancing in her eyes. "We all wondered what kind of woman would manage to snare him. We should grab lunch someday. You can bring Kagome and her baby too. Us new moms got to stick together! From what Kouga told me, at the rate Sesshoumaru and you are going, you're going to join our mom club soon too!"

I blushed. I had tried my best to forget her husband had almost walked in on Sesshoumaru and I doing it on my lover's desk. Dang! In truth, I did not think I would be getting pregnant any time soon. While Sesshoumaru and I were still intimate with each other several times a night, as of now, I had still been too chicken to ask him more questions about the inu youkai breeding process. Maybe one day soon I would have the guts. I just did not want him to think I had baby on the brain. No use in getting the man freaked out just yet. First kill Naraku, then free mom, then have a great career as a fashion designer, and give Rin a couple siblings. If I could get a wedding ceremony thrown in there too, I would consider myself fulfilled.

A sudden drop in temperature interrupted my train of thoughts. I had felt him coming, but hearing him speak still grated on my nerves.

"What a treat, two beautiful women." Naraku appeared, a disgusting grin on his face.

A quick look around made me realize we were on the far side of the balcony, in a darkened corner, out of view from the ballroom, far from the main entrance. No wonder Ayame had come to that particular corner to hide while she composed herself. It was only now that I spied a smaller door located further back. This was probably how Ayame had sneaked in here, and something told me Naraku had done the same.

"Kagura and I were just heading back to the party. Our husbands are so overprotective that if we don't get back now, they will be quite worried."

I could tell Ayame was trying to help me out by giving me an exit route, but I did not want it, not just yet.

"You know what Ayame, why don't you go ahead? My dad and I have some catching up to do." I plastered as bright a smile as possible on my lips. I did not want her to rush and tell her husband about what she had just seen.

"Alright, if you're sure…" She hesitated, but still walked away from us, and headed towards the glass doors I had entered from. She did give me one last look over her shoulder, but to my relief still left me behind. I figured I had a few minutes before she tracked down Sesshoumaru, and told him to come join me.

I had promised my lover I would not remain alone with Naraku, and would call for help if that damn spider ever cornered me. I intended to do neither. I was bent on getting some answers, and knew damn well that if Sesshoumaru was around, there was no chance I would get them.

"Isn't the view of the city beautiful from up here?" Naraku sipped from his champagne flute, his blood red eyes taking in the view. "Despite the chill in the air, it's quite a treat to enjoy this evening sight."

"Don't fuck with me Naraku." I growled angrily. I was really not in the mood to hear any of this bullshit. How dare he pretend like we were old friends?!

I had so much pent up rage inside of me since finding out how Naraku had murdered my father, and ruined my mother's life only so he could have access to the Shikon Jewel. I wished I could just rip the man apart with some wind blades where he stood. The smug look on his face only made me even angrier. I may not be strong enough to cause some serious damage to him, but I was certain I could hurt him a bit.

"Fine. You want us to speak frankly, then we shall. You have been a complete disappointment to me." His oily smile left his lips, replaced by a cruel sneer. "All you had to do was seduce Sesshoumaru, bring him to his knees and destroy that repulsive dog..."

"Sesshoumaru is a better man than you could ever be." I spat angrily. My lover had more integrity in his littlest toe than Naraku had in his entire body.

Naraku took a few steps towards me, and I did my best not to step backwards. I would not coward in front of him, nor give him the satisfaction of seeing he affected me in any ways.

"Dear daughter of mine, did you make the mistake of falling in love? Yes you stupidly did. I served you to the puppy on a silver platter, and he ate you up. Let me guess… Did he propose to free your crazy mother?... Well he can't, but I can." He raised his hand, and ran his palm along the side of my cheek in a mockery of a tender gesture. "You can still be of use to me. You have been in Sesshoumaru's house, in his bed, you can help me take him down; in exchange I will grant you your freedom, and your mother's."

"How stupid do you think I am?" After all the things you've done, how could you think I would ever trust you?" I was insulted that he would dare bring up the idea of me betraying Sesshoumaru.

"I just wanted to present to you some options. If you are smart, and I know you are, you should be able to see that what I offer is a more desirable alternative…"

"Just shut up. I have nothing more to say to you." This had been a waste of time. Why did I think I would ever be able to have a conversation with that mad man? I turned around and stepped back towards the main entrance of the balcony. Time to get back to Sesshoumaru's side.

"Dear daughter of mine, we are not done talking there is so much more I want to find out from you."

To my shock I suddenly felt the wind whisper a warning to me. Just in time, I turned around, and saw the tentacle Naraku was aiming straight for my unprotected back. Even as he had been speaking to me, Naraku was deviously plotting an attack. I quickly flicked my fan in a much-practiced motion, and sent powerful wind blades to cut the disgusting appendage in pieces. My training sessions with my lover were clearly showing their efficacy. Once upon a time, Naraku would have been able to easily sneak such attacks on me, beat me, torture me and hurt me as he pleased, but no more. Before, I would not have even felt the attack coming, and I would have been pierced by his tentacle. Now I was stronger and faster than before, and there was no way he was going to be able to attack me.

"I see you have learned new tricks." He commented as the stump of his tentacle retracted in his back. The vile scent of his miasma permeated the air, escaping from where I had cut his appendage. Just to prove how much stronger I had become, I raised my fan, and twirled it, causing the cold air to bundle up his miasma and collect it into a ball; which I then hurled far and away over the mountain.

"I am not the weak and pathetic wind demon you once knew."

"You are indeed all grown now." Naraku angled his head, his lazy blood red eyes taking in my curve-hugging gown. I repressed the urge to cover myself. I was damned if I was going to let him get away with making me feel ashamed or disgusted with who I was.

"You're disgusting. I can't wait until Sesshoumaru does us all a favor, and rids us of you for good." I had never dared speak so candidly to him before, but I could not hold it in anymore.

Naraku smirked, and I knew I had gone too far. He only sported that kind of smile just before he did something terrible.

"Let's see if your beloved Sesshoumaru-sama can help you now."

The words had barely left his mouth that he produced three more tentacles and sent them towards me. This time he attacked me from the front. Clearly he thought the large number of appendages would be too much for me to handle. The first two flanked me on both sides, nothing a wind tornado could not handle. In a matter of seconds I had made mincemeat out of his appendages. I then turned my attention to the last one. Just as I got ready to dispatch of it as well, it stopped its progression, only inches from me, withered to a grey-brown sickly color, and crumbled in a pile of brown dust on the tiled floor.

Never had such a thing happened before. Due to the extensive abuse I had been subjected to over the years, I had become quite knowledgeable about Naraku's tentacles. They could be used to punch, beat, and even pierce flesh. They were strong enough to lift or choke a person, and were not so easily destroyed. I knew it was now only because of Sesshoumaru's training and the fan he had gifted me that I had been able to so easily rid myself of them before they got to me.

My eyes took in the pile of dust left behind by the tentacle as wind blew it away. I was so in shock by seeing the destructed appendage that I did not pay full attention to the spider hanyou. This gave him the chance to lunge towards me, and grab me by the back of my neck. His grip was too strong for me to get away, and I knew he would leave bruises behind. I wondered then how if I survived this encounter, I would be able to explain my injury to Sesshoumaru. He was going to be livid that I had left myself open and vulnerable enough for Naraku to attack me.

"You've now found out my little secret." He shouted right in my face, spittle flying from his mouth. He grabbed me even tighter, making it impossible for me to get away.

Just as I raised my hand to attack him with my fan, he produced a tentacle that wrapped itself around my wrist, preventing me from moving my hand and summoning a wind blade. As I tried to fight off his hold, he tightened his tentacle further. Suddenly, I felt a small prick followed by a sharp pain shoot through my arm. A burning sensation spread under my skin. I knew what he was up to. I had been on the receiving end of such an attack many times before. Naraku had just injected me with his poison. While it would not kill me, the toxins would make me feel ill and tired. In less than an hour, I would be rendered useless. There were no antidotes for this poison, only time would heal me. Soon the poison would make me lethargic and unable to speak. Damn it! The last time he had poisoned me, I had passed out and upon awakening, I had found myself chained in his dungeon, and been tortured for days on end. No way was I going to let him hurt me again or even worse kidnap and chain me up!

As I had no access to my right hand, which held my fan, I raised my other hand, and placed it on his chest, trying to summon some winds to create some separation between us. To my shock, the ring on my finger glowed bright and heated up. In the blink of an eye, it sent a powerful barrage of energy, pushing the spider hanyou away from me, and forcing him to let go of me. I felt the warm youki emanate from the ring Sesshoumaru had gifted me, it enveloped me, and protected me.

Now that the youki manifested itself, I remembered where I had encountered it before. It was the same force that inhabited the two swords of Sesshoumaru and Inuyasha. It was the youki that had emanated from the scabbard Naraku had proudly displayed on his wall after the demise of his greatest rival. It belonged to the former Lord of the Western lands. Touga Tashio. Sesshoumaru's father.

If my current situation had not been so dire, I would have taken the time to reflect on the significance of Seshsoumaru's gift, but considering I had one pissed off half-demon hell bent on taking revenge on my hands, I had no choice but to give Naraku my full attention. The hanyou painfully got back to his feet. I noticed he did not display his usual recuperating strength. One thing I had read in Sango's book now suddenly came back to me. The Shikon Jewel had been sought by hanyou, often towards the end of their lives, who wanted to achieve full blood youkai state, and therefore expand their lifespan. Everything clicked into place. It was as if I was suddenly hit with a bolt of lightning.

"I see you've indeed learned a few new tricks." Clearly he was as shocked as me by my new defensive technique. "If you think this will be enough to protect you, then you are sorely mistaken." He raised his hand, poised to send an attack my way.

"You are dying." I panted out as if it were the most obvious thing. " I needed to keep him busy while I thought about an exit strategy. Already I could feel myself shiver. The poison was taking over me. This is why you are seeking the Shikon Jewel." I gauded him, hoping to earn a reaction from him.

To my surprise, instead of displaying shock at my guess, he let out a nerve-grating chuckle.

"You are so smart. So, now you see how determined I am to get my hands on the one thing that will keep me alive. The youkai I have absorbed over the years are rebelling and the only way to hold on to them is the power of the Shikon. It will turn me full youkai."

I was horrified by what he had just told me. I now understood that Naraku was willing to do whatever it took in order to reach his goals. This was far from over.

"It seems your short time away from me has taught you quite bad manners. It is time I remind you what happens to little girls who behave badly." Naraku raised his hand, and a cloud of miasma gathered in his palm. I clutched my fan tighter. I had no intention of running scared anymore. "I do not think your protective ring or pathetic wind attacks will keep you safe from this."

"Maybe not, but this Sesshoumaru will."

So absorbed had Naraku and I been in our battle of wills that we had failed to see we had an audience now. The balcony doors had been thrown opened, and the party guests were now staring intently at us. I could spy Ayame behind her husband, a reassuring smile on her lips. Clearly she had been the one to call for reinforcements.

My lover stepped up to me, and placed himself defensively in front of Naraku. "Did I not tell you not to engage him?" Sesshoumaru muttered under his breath. I could tell he was unhappy, but oh well it had allowed me to get to the bottom of things. Once he heard what I had found out, he would definitely forgive me for breaking my word.

"What's going on here Naraku?" Kouga asked as he too stepped up. Clearly, our host was pissed to have his grand soiree disrupted.

"Nothing Kouga-sama. My daughter and I were just having a small chat." Naraku retracted his attack, and spread an innocent smile on his lips. If one did not know better, seeing the innocent look on his face, they would have thought that he and I were just trying to resolve a familial argument.

I bit my lower lip. It would not help in any way to air our grievances in public.

"Naraku..." Sesshoumaru growled under his breath, he seemed seconds away from pouncing on the spider hanyou.

The tension was thick in the air. Unless I wanted to see my lover and Naraku come to blows right there in front of the other two Lords, I needed to act, and fast! The question was what could I possibly do.

"What a boring party. I frankly expected some form of grander entertainment." An unmistakable voice lamented. The new comer joined us, sipping from her champagne flute. "At least the refreshments are palatable."

"Sakura-sama, you honor us with your presence." Kouga bowed to Sesshoumaru's mother.

"Naraku, it seems you have yet to learn proper manners." Sakura commented, a bored expression on her face.

"My apologies for hurting your sensibilities Lady Sakura. I shall take my leave for now then." With one last bow towards the magnificent older woman, the spider hanyou, walked through the crowd and left the party.

"Mother?" Sesshoumaru acknowledged her presence. Obviously he was as surprised by her presence as I was.

Sakura had put on a kimono even more luxurious than the one she had worn the last time I had seen her. Clearly, she had come ready for a party. She glided over to us, her movements so graceful that her eight-layer kimono barely stirred.

"I just aimed to satisfy my curiosity about some things." She stated matter-of-factly. "You gave this to her." She then whispered only loud enough for Sesshoumaru and I to hear. In a move faster than lightning, Sakura grabbed my hand, and took a quick look at my ring before letting go of my hand. It had all happened so fast that I was not sure if it had actually happened.

"It is this Sesshoumaru's right." My husband stated strongly.

This answer prompted one of Sakura's magnificent eyebrows to arch in surprise. "Things are getting even more interesting." She gulped down the last of her champagne, and after a quick nod to her only son, she too took her leave, gliding the whole time. The crowd literally parted to let her through. I may not like her, but even I had to admit the woman just commanded respect.

"It's freezing out here. Let's all go back inside, eat, drink and enjoy ourselves, the night is far from over." Kouga shouted, prompting all of us to go back to the ballroom.

I could feel cold dread spreading throughout my stomach. Naraku had given up too easily, and this did not bode well for me and the ones I loved.

Despite Kouga's cheer, the party had not lasted long after my altercation with Naraku. We had all ridden back home to the mansion in complete silence. I could tell Naraku's poison starting to take a serious toll on me. Sweat beaded on my forehead as fever settled in, and my eyes started drooping in exhaustion. Keeping myself awake had become a struggle. Thankfully Sesshoumaru kept his thoughts to himself, and only when we were in the safety of our bedroom did he deliver a tongue lashing to me. I had thrown off my dress, and quickly sat at my vanity when a wave of dizziness hit me. I hoped Sesshoumaru had not noticed my imbalance. I quickly undid my hair and took off my makeup. After the roller coaster of emotions I had been through in the last few hours, and Naraku's attack, I was eager to get to bed.

"Did you not promise to stay away from Naraku?" As I had expected, he was livid at the stunt I had pulled. I knew his anger stemmed from the fact that he worried about me, but I was seriously not in the mood to get into an argument. My body felt sore all over, and I had a killer headache courtesy of Naraku. The only thought permeating my brain was that I needed to sleep. I could not think of anything else.

"I had every intention of doing that, but he approached me." I croaked. My head was spinning, and I felt nausea rising up. I had reached my limit.

"Kagura!"

"Please…" My words were starting to slur slightly. I swallowed, affecting a calm even voice. I would be damned before I let Sesshoumaru know I had been poisoned. "I'm exhausted, let's talk some more in the morning." I begged just as I slipped between the welcoming sheets of our bed. I was not in the habit of running from a fight, but I knew that soon enough I was going to pass out. Better I did so while in bed, so my lover would think I was merely falling asleep.

Sesshoumaru clenched his jaw in anger. Obviously he wished for our conversation to continue, but in the end he decided against it. He probably realized how exhausted I was. Good let him think I was merely tired, rather than the victim of a poisonous attack. He shut off the lights, and joined me in bed. His anger seemed to have evaporated, at least for now, as he wrapped his arms around me. I was relieved, just feeling him next to me helped my aches and pains diminish.

Evidently I would have to wait until morning and call a family meeting, so I could share my new findings about Naraku's motivations. By then the toxins would be out of my blood stream, and I should be able to talk and think properly. Now that I knew Naraku's secret, we were getting closer to ending him permanently. These were my last thoughts before I gave into the oblivion of sleep.

I suddenly woke up with my heart pounding in my chest. I reached to my side for Sesshoumaru's comforting presence, but I only met warm empty sheets. A quick look outside the windows let me know it we had been sleeping for only a few hours, as it was barely past dawn.

I heard a shout, and soon realized the reason for my discomfort was a commotion downstairs. I stood up fast, and felt lightheaded. Obviously my body was still not purged of Naraku's poison. I had to take things easy. I left my bedroom, and as best I could, rushed down the flight of stairs. I did not even take the time to tie a robe over my nightgown. In the foyer, I was shocked to see a sobbing Kagome being held tight by a surprisingly misty-eyed Sango. The tough bodyguard opened her mouth to say something to me, but then clamped it shut again. My heart pounded even faster. Only something truly terrible could make them both so emotional. A part of me did not want to see what had them all so upset, but I knew I needed to, so I moved forward.

Sesshoumaru suddenly appeared in my line of sight, blocking me from seeing over his shoulder by hugging me close and bringing my face to his chest.

"Do not look." He whispered in my ear.

I fought back, and tried to shove him away. I was not a child to be coddled. Unfortunately he was bigger and stronger than me, and right about now he was determined to hold on to me.

"Whatever it is, I have to see it for myself." I mumbled, my words muffled against his chest.

He held on to me tighter, but in the end he knew I was right, and that he had to let me go. His arms fell off, and hung limp at his side. I noticed then that he had clutched his hands so tightly that his claws had pierced through the soft skin of his palms, leaving bloody crescents behind. I made a mental note to bandage his wounded hands as soon as we dealt with whatever was happening.

I continued forward, and saw next Miroku and Inuyasha on the front steps of the mansion. Despite the late hour, and cold air, the door was wide opened. Strange. The young human was barking angrily on the phone, surprising, as I had never seen him lose his cool, and the hanyou was crouched next to a strange shape. The first thing to hit me was the telling metallic smell of blood. It was overpowering. My sense of smell was not the only one to be overwhelmed. My eyes rested next on the strange shape next to Inuyasha. I tried to make sense of what I was seeing, but I struggled. I wondered if the poison was still affecting me so badly that I was having a hard time seeing what was in front of me. I blinked, and focused my attention.

The first thing I noticed was the blood splattered pink fabric. The pink satin was soaped in so much browning blood that it made the color hard to tell, but I would have recognized this fabric anywhere. The pink pastel shade had reminded me of a five-year-old girl's Easter dress, and I found it not suitable for a grown woman, but she had loved it, claimed it made her happy, and had insisted I made her a dress out of it. She had said it brightened her mood, and made her feel happy. It was her favorite dress. She only wore it on special occasions. I had made that dress three years ago, just before she had been taken from me and locked away.

I slowly padded to the mass of pink and blood and crouched close to the prone form.

"Mom?"

To be continued…

A/N: You knew I just had to start the New Year with a cliffhanger! Things are about to get emotional around here! The next chapter will be named Broken Pieces.