Red as blood

Chapter 3

The truth

when kagome got back to the village , every one was out side. Sango looking up at the sky while talking to miroku, inuyasha was in a tree watching as birds flew by , he seemed distant now. Shippo was probably inside with kaede helping her with something. Slowly kagome made her way to sango.

"Hey!" she said cheerfully. Sango's and Miroku's eyes locked with hers and then sango looked down sadly while standing.

"Lets go take a bath." sango then grabbed kagome not letting her protest as she walked quickly to the hot springs that were near by the forest. Kagome was confused beyond anything why her friends were acting weird, but she's the one to talk, kagomes been in and out of the group non stop, picking matches with random demons, training, and anything possible to make herself stronger. Once steam came into view with a small hot springs in the middle kagome stoped sango.

"What's wrong?" kagome asked.

"Lets talk after we get in." she then slipped her kimono off, kagome fallowed suit. Once both young women were in the steamy water sango started.

"We have bad news." she said with slight anger in her voice.

"Oh no, what is it?" sango then fisted her hand up making her knuckles white.

"Inuyasha's waiting for kikyou-"

"he's leaving the group!" kagomes eyes widened.

"No some ones going to join the group!"

"Kikyou!" kagomes eyes nearly flashed red.

"How do you know?"

"We asked why inuyasha was just staring off into the sky before you came into the village and he said im waiting for kikyou, she is going to help us find the jewel." kagomes eyes turned to glass trying to hold back the tears. Anger, betrayal, and hurt went through her mind as she dunked her head under water. Sango's anger halted as she saw kagomes broken eyes.

"Kagome no matter what choice you make, you know im with you, and miroku. Shippo will be too, we have your back, and they wont get the jewel, it is yours and only yours so don't worry. Inuyasha is destroying his own life, its his decision." sango then hugged kagome tightly. Kagome nodded and the embrace and pulled back.

"Your right, they wont get the jewel, not until I leave this world." kagome then clutched the jewel around her neck, only at least 3 pieces left. They already got the ones from kouga, and now they have to find kohaku, after they find the other 2 pieces. Sango then stood up.

"Im going to head back."

"I'll be there in a minute." kagome then sat back against the side of the springs and tried to relax. She knew that when she got back kikyou would be there, with inuyasha. Tears were at the peak of shedding, so kagome quickly dunked her head under the water. This hot springs was surprisingly deep. When she traveled more on down the spring she couldn't touch the ground. Her eyes snapped open when she sensed the jewel, right in the water. Slowly she backed away from the deeper end trying to get her sword, but by then it was too late, something grabbed her ankle and pulled her under. She let out a scream before being pulled in the hot water. What ever was holding her foot was deep in the water, and stabbing its nails into her skin. She started kicking from it, but nothing worked. Air was running from her lungs as an idea went through her mind. Concentrating all her miko powers into her ankle the demon was holding it still wouldnt let go. Slowly kagome breathed out her last breath and her eyes went wide until the closed slowly. A hand from above grabbed her and pulled her to the surface. He looked down at the miko who was turning pail.

"Brother why did you do this!" sakuta yelled in the water. before his eyes water emerged from the hot springs and a demon came into view from the water. Blue hair, blue/white eyes, very pail, and soaked.

"I didn't know it was her, she had the jewel and I tried to get it, sorry brother." he then bowed to sakuta. Kagomes lips started turning blue and sakuta looked at her face.

"Damn she's going to die, what do we do!" sakuta yelled at his brother.

"You should put her down, now!" a new voice hissed. Both sakuta and his brother looked at the demon with silver hair and golden eyes.

"Hekenu, get him!" sakuta yelled but when he looked at his brother, he was across the clearing on the ground. Sakuta looked back at the demon before him.

"Put her down!"

"Never!" sakuta then found himself pinned to a tree with kagome still in his arms.

"Wh..who are you demon."

"I am the lord of the western lands! Give her to me!" he then dug his claws deeper into Sakutas neck.

"You are sesshoumaru!" sakuta then dropped kagome when he felt the hair leave his lungs. As fast as he could he unhanded sakuta and grabbed kagome. (A.N. remember he only has one arm.). sakuta then dashed towards his brother, picked him up and disappeared into the forest. Sesshoumaru carefully wrapped the top of his kimono around her and laid her on the ground. He unsheathed his tensaiga, quickly swiping away the little green soul stealers until there were nothing left hovering above her. Slowly she opened her eyes. The pail from her skin disappearing, her blue lips turned pink, and her dead eyes turned to living. Her eyes moved up to look at sesshoumarus golden ones.

"W..what happened?" he only glared at her with his iciness making her feel uncomfortable.

"A demon had you." kagome then put her hand on her head and looked down only to look back up at him in fright. She was naked with his top kimono covering only have her chest. She wrapped her arms around her breasts and blushed a deep red. He looked at her with amusement dancing in his golden depths. Smirking he sat beside her. Kagome then recalled what happened before everything turned black.

"I was drowning." she stated. He nodded at her.

"Who or what had me?"

"There was a demon with black hair, sakuta, and a demon with blue hair who tried to kill you, but sakuta saved you. His names hekenu." a huge smile graced kagomes lips as amusement played its turn in her eyes.

"Wow I have never heard you say more than a sentence." he then glared at her.

"You asked me something and I in turn answered for you."

"Yes I know, thank you lord sesshoumaru." she then bowed. He nodded in return. They sat there like that for a while, just staring into each others eyes. Reality hit kagome right in the head as she stood up.

"I have to get back, its really dark!" she then quickly went over to her bag and pulled out a new fighting kimono. She then turned to sesshouaru blushing when he was watching her.

"Turn around."

"Why?"

"Because im geting dressed!"

"You have nothing I haven't seen before."

"You hentai turn around!" he then fallowed what she said. After she got dressed she handed sesshoumarus top kimono back to him, but not before taking one last glimpse of his toned chest. Sesshoumaru saw her and smirked making her blush redder.

"Thank you for saving me, thank you." she bowed respectfully and turned to leave sesshoumaru to his thoughts.

'Why did I save her? I could of just let them take off with her corpse? I could have left her for dead.'

'But no matter what, you wouldnt of let her suffer.'

'Shutup what do you know!'

'Your true feeling.' sesshoumaru then tried to stop thinking.

When kagome got back to the village and into Kaede's hut, she wanted to leave and go back with sesshoumaru.kikyou was sitting in the corner with inuyasha beside her, sango and miroku were on the other side of the room, sango glaring at kikyou as if she was going to kill her and miroku holding her back. Once shippo saw kagome come in the hut he leaped into her arms, which she hugged him warmly. Sango broke her glare on kikyou to look at kagome. Chicano was no were in the hut.

"You sure took long at the hot springs." miroku said with his lecherous smirk making its way to his lips. When he saw kagome blush he had a full fledged hentai smirk on his face, but was cut down when a hard bang came in his head.

"Hentai!" sango yelled after she hit the monk.

"Only for you lady sango." he then slipped his hand behind her but before he could grope her, she hit him again.

"Weres Chicano?"

"Ah yes he told us to tell you he was going into the northern lands on some kind of search, we don't really know what he was talking about but he said he will try and hurry back." sango stated after a while.

Kagome smiled and sat down by kaede who was making some dinner. After a while kagome handed sango, miroku, shippo, and herself a bowl of stew. She grabbed some cat food she brung from her time and gave some to Kirara, who mewed her thanks. Kagome put on a huge smile as she walked over to inuyasha and kikyou, handing both a bowl. Inuyasha looked guiltily at kagome as she cheerfully walked back beside sango, sat down and started eating. Kikyou eyed the food and after she watched inuyasha eat, she ate.

After every one fell asleep, that is except kagome who went outside the hut and sat down watching the stars twinkle. She didn't trust kikyou or inuyasha near her with the jewel hanging innocently around her neck. After a while she let her mind drown in pools of thoughts and memories.

'Why is sesshoumaru being nice...er...in his own way?'

'Because he probably feels sorry for you.'

'Yea your right, well I don't want him to, next time I see him, we will finish our fight.'

'Well then why did he save me, he could of easily left when I was dead, not caring at all that he could save me.'confusion cursed kagome, and it wouldnt give up.

'Well at least we saw his nice, sexy chest!' kagomes eyes widened as she put a hand to her burning cheeks.

'Shutup, I wasn't looking, and I wasn't thinking of it until you brung it up!'

'You know its unhealthy to talk to your self.'

'Shutup!'

'That means you have to too.' kagome then closed her eyes to only open them when she felt a presence near her. Her eyes met creepy brown ones. Kikyou stood by the entrance of the hut glaring at kagome.

"Kikyou." kagome then put on her face smile making kikyou mad.

"Don't play the good girl, give me the jewel!" she hissed quietly. Kagomes smile turned into a frown.

"It doesnt belong to you kikyou, im the protector of it, if I give it to you it will be tented with darkness!" kagome then got up to face kikyou.

"I was the protector and I deserve it back!"

"If you were the protector, wouldnt you be alive, wouldnt you be kind and let the souls you take be free in heaven! If you were the protector would you try your best to protect it not make a stupid wish on it. I am a true protector of the shikon no tama! I am not dead, I am nicer, I have a kind soul, the jewel will never be in your hands as long as im alive!" kikyou stepped forward bringing up her bow.

"Then I shall kill you and take my soul back, and take the jewel to make inuyasha human!"

"Three things kikyou. One my soul is not your soul, its mine, and only MINE! Two you cant lay a hand on it or you wont have a hand anymore. And three, Im not going to fight you. Because then there will be no were to hide your already dead corpse from inuyasha when he can just sniff you out. I don't feel like putting up with his whining when his poor dead kikyou is once again in HELL!" kagome then walked past kikyou making sure to bump into her shoulder on 'accident'. She left back in the hut. Kikyou stood there anger lacing her spirit as she glared at an innocent rock.(A.N. Poor rock, id want to get up and hide from the ugly dead creature glaring at me)

the next day was uneventful. Inuyasha was having an attitude, sango was getting more upset with every step kikyou took, miroku gave up on the day of groping sango, because she would take out all her anger in a little hit she sent him. Shippo clung to kagome as if she would disappear any minute before his eyes. They were on a trail they predicted a shard would come up. Kagome was at the head of the group walking happily as the wind caressed her skin and hair. Inuyasha was watching her from behind, he regretted being mean to her, she looked beautiful with her hair blowing lightly in the wind and her grace as she walked. After a while inuyasha tried to talk to kagome.

"Do you sense anything kagome?"

"Why don't you ask dead corpse... I mean kikyou there beside you." she then turned on her heals looking at inuyasha innocently. Inuyasha and kikyou stopped as fallowed sango and miroku did too.

"She is of course as you say...stronger than me in every way, and prettier." kagome then smiled sadly.

"No your not mama, your Beautifuler and stronger and better!" shippo yelled as he hugged kagomes throat. Kikyou only glared at shippo making him shake with fear.

"Don't worry shippo im not going to let her touch you." kagome then smiled and hugged shippo to her chest which made him calmer. Kagome smiled as she looked up at both kikyou and inuyasha. Sango and miroku were looking behind her head both tensed, but inuyasha was the most tensed out. Kikyou just smirked as if she had a death wish in mind for kagome.

"Yes the kitsune is right, you are beautifuler than a walking corpse." whispered a huskily voice brushing against her ear in a whisper. Kagome slowly turned around to be locked in a liquid gold gaze a smile graced her lips as a pink blush came upon her cheeks.

"Sesshoumaru-sama."