AN. : Ohayo, minna. I am back again, this time with the third chapter of this story. Hope you enjoy it. I must tell you guys, this chapter was so troublesome ... I mean it did not get out as I wanted and I had to delete a good portion of it and rewrite it. But now it is done, so once again, enjoy.

Disclaimer: I do not own Inuyasha or the characters.

Conscious … that was the only companion she had for the first hours of her traveling with Sesshoumaru. He didn't speak at all to her, or if he did it was only to tell her to either hurry up or to stop daydreaming and mind her steps. Shippou was fast asleep in her arms, so no chances she could talk with him either. And even if he didn't sleep, he wouldn't talk in fear of the demon's wrath.

Kagome lost track of the amount of time they have been walking, Sesshoumaru in front and she following him like a stray dog.

'Well that is what I feel anyway. Ironical, huh? 'cause he is the real dog around here. You shouldn't think that way. Well, sue me. I am lost. I have no idea of what will happen to me or what future has in its store for me. I feel like I am turning into Sesshoumaru's servant following him wherever he wants to go. Why think like that? He never suggested you becoming his servant. On the contrary. If I remember correctly, he said he is in your debt. Humph. Tell me, what will I do now that Naraku is dead? Now that my friends are free from his clutches and they want to start a family? Now that Inuyasha is dead? I should go home to my era. I never belonged here. I belong to the future. How about the little kit sleeping in your arms? Do you want to leave? Because if you do so, he will be motherless again. Are you able to do that to him? Humph.'

She was so absorbed in her argument with her conscious, she didn't notice Sesshoumaru stopping, so she did what everyone in her situation would do. She bumped into him, the force of the collision and her clumsiness sending her butt first to the ground.

'Miko, you need a bath.'

'Do you imply that I stink?' Kagome asked, her fury getting the best out of her. In an instant her aura flared and her scent changed from that of newly blossomed sakura flowers to that of a fiery storm.

'You are bloodied from the battle. You need to get it off yourself, or else the entire demon race will be after you.' Sesshoumaru said in a matter-of-factly tone.

'Oh … I-I-I-I …' she stuttered, her embarrassment getting the best out of her. Her face turned a deep shade of red and her aura immediately receded, her scent changing in that of a whipping tree in the rain.

'But I have no clothes.'

'Use my haori. And leave those indecent pieces of cloth you wear behind. Those are not to be worn by you anymore. Only your mate should see you wearing those outrageous garments you call clothes.'

'You-you-you dog! My clothes are common in my village. They are the uniform I have to wear in my school.' Kagome said with a scowl. She was getting angry again and she couldn't help it.

'Miko, there is a hot spring a hundred feet to your left. Hurry up. I need to check upon my companions.' was all Sesshoumaru added before going to a tree and sitting under it, leaning by its trunk.

Kagome turned around with a huff and started towards the spring. She was infuriated and she hoped that a hot bath would help her relax.

'It always did. Only that now the Ice Prince won't let me stay as long as I need. He is worried for his ward. She has been alone for three days now only with that little imp. Would you not want to return to her as fast as you could if you were in his shoes? You are right. Rin is alone with Jaken. He can't protect her from other demons. He can do only so little. Maybe I can help Sesshoumaru protecting her while he teaches me to spare. Excellent idea. You should ask him. Something tells me he will be pleased to know she would be in good hands, protected by you. I really acted like a brat. You should apologize when you return. I should, shouldn't I? Maybe I will.'

Debating with herself if she should apologize or not, she reached the spring. She went to the shore, put Shippou down and tried the water with her fingers. It was just the right temperature, not too cold but not too hot either. In an instant she woke up the kit and told him to take his clothes off so she could bath him. As a good mother, she was set to bath him first and then she could enjoy the spring also. After she bathed Shippou, she asked him to go to Sesshoumaru and stay with him so she could have some time alone for thinking. That way she was sure he would be safe. Since Naraku was killed, several low demons came out of their hiding and started attaching humans, so Kagome was now making sure her kit would be safe.

Meanwhile she and the kitsune were at the spring, Sesshoumaru was checking the area around them. He could sense some low youkai, but they were far and it didn't seem they were coming their way, so he needed not to worry for the naked ningen in the water. 'Naked … mmm … I like your way of thinking. Why don't we go closer to have a look at her? This Sesshoumaru has no desire in seeing a naked ningen's body. She is only a mere mortal for me. And yet you have given her you haori. Because her kimono was all torn. Mmmm … that was a delicious sight. Shut up. That kimono she was wearing is improper attire for a female. Unless she is a cheap female. Kagome is everything but a cheap female. She is pure; she was never touched by a male in her life. Yet she dresses like one. You heard her. It is the attire requested in her school. Humans are not educated. There is no chance she is. Ahh … but you forget she is a miko. Mikos are educated. For them to accomplish their training as priestesses, they are educated in the art of writing, reading and some others. Humph.'

Sesshoumaru was drawn back from his thinking by a presence coming towards him. It was the small kitsune. 'So she has sent him to me to be safe and she is all alone. She is in harm's way. There is no danger around. We should keep our senses on high alert, just in case. So it seems.'

Kagome was resting with her back leaning against a rock in the spring, her body and hair cleanse after several dives in the hot water. She was content with the tickling sensation the water droplets gave her when small waves crushed against her body. She was relaxed, her eyes closed and she was humming a tune.

A lowly rat demon smelled her and he was sneaking to her in an attempt of having a fun with her. Her scent was so enthralling to the demon that he was drawn to her in an instant, her purity not helping at all. She seemed to be oblivious to his presence, but kami knows how wrong he was.

In fact, Kagome was well conscious of the presence lurking on the shore across from her. She was enraged but she was trying to keep her anger under control so she won't give away her advantage. During the four years of traveling with Inuyasha and the gang, she learned that the Shikon shards attracted all sorts of demons, and she was thankful for the lesson. She always kept her senses open no matter how relaxed she was or who she was with. If only a few shards would attract so many demons, the complete jewel that lay dormant at her neck was going to bring her more problems.

She felt the presence shifting its body so she cracked open an eye as much as she needed to take a look at it and not to give away her awareness of it. It was a rat demon. It looked just like a normal rat only the size of a human. It was not in a humanoid form and she was wondering if the reason for that was its lust for her and for the Shikon or the simple fact that it was a lower demon and it simply did not have one.

She could see the red tainted eyes, basked in lust and desire for her body and she knew he will put up a little fight but that was no problem for her. The only problem was that she was naked and had no weapon near her.

When Kagome couldn't take the demon's stare anymore she straightened and opened her eyes, facing it. She was under the water almost entirely so her body was somehow protected from the prying eyes of the rat.

As he saw her move and look him in the eyes he couldn't miss the small marking from above her heart. It mesmerized him, but also frightened him. He had heard of this kind of markings and he knew their meaning, but never thought they were real. His entire life he thought they were only bedtime stories and never in his three centuries of life witnessed he such a miracle. Without even realizing he said out loud:

'That mark.' he gasped.

'What about the mark? Do you know anything about it?'

'She does not know anything about it. I better not tell her about it. That mark will surely be the end of me.'

Seeing that the pathetic excuse of the demon does not answer her, she let her anger loose and her aura flared to such an extent, it would have purified the demon to oblivion had he been sitting closer to her.

Sensing her miko powers, Sesshoumaru tensed. 'What could have angered her to such an extent to let her powers flare? Or is she in danger for some reason? I can sense another aura near her. Can you not sense it? I must admit it is very low, but it is there. She is in danger. We must hurry up and save her.' At this Sesshoumaru straightened and took leave in a blur to help the little miko. Seeing the rat demon staring at her with that lustful expression angered him to such an extent that his vision turned red. His beast was roaring inside him to protect the girl and kill the low youkai for the audacity of even turning its gaze towards her.

He made a lunge for the rat and in a blink of an eye his left hand was in the stranger's stomach, his claws imbedded in the flesh. With an utter expression of surprise on his face the rat youkai had merely said:

'That mark … So you are …' before he was purified to oblivion.

Sesshoumaru was stunned. His marking was itchy and he had an urge to just scratch it, but he being the stoic demon lord just ignored it. Why did the miko step in the fight? He had him, he couldn't escape his grasp. So why did the miko want to kill him herself.

'Miko. This Sesshoumaru needed no help from you. Why did you purify him?'

'I didn't. He was too far for me to do it. And besides, I need a weapon to channel my powers through; I can't just purify a demon like that. I could blast him but that would mean I would have surely hit you too.'

Kagome was speechless. 'What did just happen? And why did Sesshoumaru kill the demon? To protect you. He came because he felt your aura flaring and your anger fueled it so much that you powers increased tenfold. But that demon was just going to tell me what he knew about my marking. And he killed him. And why does the marking all of a sudden itch?' At this point in her thoughts, Kagome's anger returned tenfold. The Taiyoukai killed the rat before he could tell her about the strange marking she had on her body. 'And disturbed me from my bath. I can't believe he came barging in like nothing happened. He came to help you. He was worried for you.'

The demon lord sensed her distress and anger and was curious as to why the change so sudden.

'You! Why did you kill that rat demon?' Kagome spit the words with such a force and hatred, Sesshoumaru's eyes narrowed against his will.

'Because he was a danger for you.'

'I can take care of myself. I had everything under control before you came. And he was just about to tell me about the marking on my body just before you killed it.' At this point in her screaming, Kagome stood up straight, facing the Taiyoukai, the upper part of her body no longer under the water. As if on cue, Sesshoumaru's eyes left her face and started traveling down, taking in every inch of her soft skin. When he reached her chest, his gaze lingered for a while, looking at her curves, before they traveled upwards again towards her face.

When Kagome realized that she no longer was under the protection of the water and that Sesshoumaru was checking her up, she immediately turned around, diving herself in the hot water up to her chin, all the time blushing ten shades of red. Her scent immediately changed from that of a fiery storm to that of a whipping tree in the rain. She was embarrassed.

'Miko, why are you embarrassed of this Sesshoumaru. Your body holds no secrets for me.'

Bad choice of words. Kagome was now even more embarrassed and her face turned into a very interesting shade of red, not even daring to turn her gaze to the Taiyoukai. 'Ohh … where is the hole I could crawl in and stay there when I need it? And why does he not leave already so I can get out of the water and dress? He does not leave because he still wants to protect you.'

'S-S-Sesshoumaru … Do you think you could, ummm, maybe leave or turn around so I can dress myself?' Kagome stuttered in a whisper, head low, looking in the depths of the stream. She was too embarrassed to look him in the eyes.

At her request, Sesshoumaru turned his back to her and said only:

'Hurry up, miko. I don't have the whole day for you to take a bath.'

'Well if you wouldn't have come and kill that demon, I would have been done a long time ago. And I would have known what this strange marking on my skin means.'

'Hn.' was his response. He was still thinking about who killed the rat. He couldn't feel another aura in the vicinity, so the three of them were the only ones at the stream at that point. 'Than who purified that youkai? And what did he say before he died? He said that I am something. But he had no time to continue. This is very interesting. Do you think that it was us who killed it? Are you out of your mind? We are a demon; we can't just purify another demon. Well I have a theory. Do you think that maybe when she returned our hand she gave us some of her powers? And you gave her some of ours? The marking on our body and on hers are twins, the only thing different is their coloring. Could it be that the pink droplet on our chest means miko powers and the green one on hers means our poison? Hn. It is an interesting theory. This Sesshoumaru will find out if this is the case. Why didn't you tell her we have a marking like her on our body also? Because she is just a ningen. Yet you were mad when you saw that demon giving her such a lustful look. Were you jealous? Never. This Sesshoumaru was barely protecting the human. She is now part of my pack. Whatever.'

While Sesshoumaru was debating with his beast, they had been on the road for quite some time. Kagome was following him, the kitsune in her arms, fast asleep. It was getting dark and she couldn't see anymore so he decided to stop for the night.

'Miko, we will stop here for the night. Rest.'

Kagome didn't need to be told a second time. She laid on the cold ground, Shippou in her arms and tried to sleep. But the itch from her marking wouldn't give her peace. The Taiyoukai saw this and understood that their bond went very deep and frowned.

'Miko, why are you distressed?'

'The marking itches me since you killed that demon. And I feel strange, as if something other than blood flows within my veins.'

'Miko, extend your arms.'

Kagome did as she was requested and in the moonlight she saw something shine at the very tips of her fingers. Examining them closer, she couldn't stop the gasp escape her mouth. There, instead of her always broken or bitten to the flesh nails, stood a perfect set of claws, hard as the steel and as white as the ivory. They were the exact match of Sesshoumaru's, only hers were more delicate.

Sesshoumaru couldn't believe this has happened. 'Could it be that this happened because of the bond? Is it possible that our bond somehow gave us some of the other's powers? If it is true that means I have purifying powers and she has my poison in her claws.' This gave him another idea.

'Miko, concentrate on your claws and try to draw poison in their tips.'

Kagome looked at him confused. 'What does he mean by "draw poison in their tips"? I can't do that. I have no such ability. I only have purifying powers. Why don't you try it though? What can happen? By the way, nice set of claws you got there.' She looked at him again, but the only thing that graced his face was just a glare for she didn't do what he told her. With a shudder of her shoulders, she turned her attention to her hands and concentrated. At first nothing happened. That was when Sesshoumaru told her to concentrate on the 'something' flowing within her veins besides her blood and try to gather that substance into her claws. When she tried she couldn't believe her eyes: deep green droplets of poison appeared under her claws and dripped on the ground, instantly burning the grass in their path.

'What happened with me?' Kagome asked, frightened to see that not only she had claws but she actually drew poison in them.

'Miko, there is something I have to show you.' With that, Sesshoumaru undid his sash a little so he could move the undershirt he usually wore under the haori. When he moved it, Kagome's eyes widened in surprise. There, just above his heart, stood the twin marking of her own.

'Why didn't you tell me you had one too? How is this possible?'

'It happened when you restored my arm. Your energy rushed into my body and I fell unconscious because of the amount of pain. When I woke up, my hand had grown. Then I felt the purifying powers rush out of my body through the same point they entered, here just above my heart' he said, pointing to the marking 'and saw it rush back to your body, healing the gash you had from the battle. But instead of leaving a scar, the powers left you with that marking. And I guess that was when I got mine also. I believe that rush of raw power formed a bond between us and it gave us some of the other's powers. Therefore I have some miko powers from you and you have my poison and my claws. You should thank the gods for that, for my claws can pierce anything and as for my poison, there is nothing that can stand against it.'

'Arrogant bastard. You can't keep yourself from bragging, can you? I must admit you are right with that. But if what he said is true, that means …'

'So it was you that killed that rat. Now I understand some of the things he said about the marking. When he said that to you, he must've known there has to be a twin. Why didn't you tell me you had one too?'

'This Sesshoumaru has no reason to explain himself to a mere ningen.'

'Well, this Kagome is entitled to an explanation and I deserve it. And my name is KAGOME! Do you want me to spell it letter by letter for you? Maybe then that Sesshoumaru will use it.' She snapped, pissed off by the constant use of "miko" instead of her name.

Hearing her speaking to him with no respect enraged the stoic Taiyoukai to such an extent his eyes turned red. In an instant, he was next to the girl, hand gripping her neck, chocking her to death. To say Kagome was frightened at such a display of ferocity towards her would be an understatement. But this didn't last too long, for she raised her now clawed hands to his wrist and dig them into it drawing poison at the same time. Sesshoumaru was startled, which made him drop her. Not only she was not afraid of him, but she defied him by injecting him his own poison.

'Pathetic human. If she thinks my own poison is going to hurt me she is mistaken. Feisty. I like her. She had the courage to stand her ground against you and defy you. She is courageous, powerful and now she has your poison flowing in her vines. I guess killing her slowly with it is out of the question now, isn't it?'

'Miko, you will never defy this Sesshoumaru again if you do not want to pay the consequences.'

'I am not your servant to treat me like one, so stop threatening me.' Kagome said, giving him a very Sesshoumaru-like growl.

'You have to learn how to respect your superiors, girl. You would better start showing me the respect I deserve before I start punishing you.'

'I will show respect when I will receive respect. You are not worthy of me giving you my respect until you do not show some back. And I told you that I am not a lowly servant to be punished by you.' At her last words her aura flared so high, Sesshoumaru had to back down a step. She was so powerful he could taste the energy on the tip of his tongue. He could feel her power brimming, surfacing, waiting to be used.

'Oka-san'

In an instant, Kagome's power receded and she turned her gaze to the sleepy Shippou.

'What happened Shippou-chan? Did you have a nightmare?'

'I felt a very strong aura and I was frightened, oka-san.'

'Shh … nothing happened. There is nobody here to hurt you. I will protect you.'

'Such power. Yes, I must agree. She has so much raw power it can compete with this Sesshoumaru's. I will take a liking to train her in using it. Yes, indeed. Did you see the look on her face when she released her powers? Such a fierce look she gave us I felt the need to shudder. Such a perfect female. Very beautiful and powerful, with motherly instincts, she would be a very good mate. She is perfect for us. This is what we have been looking for our whole life. Hn.'

'Miko rest. Tomorrow we will continue our journey.'

Kagome scoffed at his order-like sentence but laid down nonetheless. She was starting to feel drained from restraining her powers. And she still felt odd, as if something was changing in her body.

Little she knew …

AN. : I would like to thank you people for the reviews. And keep reading this story, I promise I will update as soon as I can.

Ja ne.