Author's note: Hey guys! So I wanted to say thanks for all the follows and the favorites! I'm really surprised at how popular this story is becoming. I hope it only continues to fill your eager hearts with joy!

I keep trying to set up an outline of what I want each chapter to be and I get distracted by an unforeseen development in the chapter and then I get lost in the tangent. LOL. I hope it doesn't read that way. This chapter is going to (hopefully) answer some more questions that you may or may not have and hopefully build up to the first major event. I appreciate your patience with me as I work my way through it, for surely another lemony tangent is sure to come. LOL

SECOND NOTE: For those of you who saw the original version of this chapter I apologize. When I reviewed it, the page did not show that there was an error in the formatting. Took me a couple of tries to get it to load properly, and to be honest, I'm still not sure what the problem was. Thank you for your patience. Thanks to Kitta160 for pointing it out. I probably would not have noticed if your review hadn't given me a heart attack. LOL

Disclaimer: Rumiko Takahashi… blah,blah, blah… Seshy is on my Christmas wish list this year and I have been a very good girl. LOL ;)

Warning: Rated M for mature. Everyone under the age of 18 should, well, really just try not to get caught ;) But in all fairness, it is rated M for explicit sexual content, potential cursing, and violence. Please read with caution and know that while I do not intend to offend anyone, I don't really care if I do. LOL. You've been warned.

Shout-outs:

Thanks to the following readers for your lovely reviews and support!

Whovian212, Kissrose36, nativebeautiie, redrake323, cherisebrady, bertabee1

This one is for you guys! Let me know what you think.

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"Miroku!" an eager little voice yelled out to me. "Miroku, wake up!" I groaned as I felt little hands pushing my sides.

"Shippo, surely the sweet Lady Moon has not yet left us devoid of her comforting bosom." As I yawned and blinked myself to consciousness my thoughts strayed to the bosom of a different lady. If only Sango were as gracious and giving as the moon. I winced as a hand struck down on my head forcefully. "Na-nani?!"

"I know where your mind went to, Miroku. And don't think I wont tell Sango that you were thinking of HER bosom when you made that remark." I glared at the adorable face of the kitsune pup sitting on my lap. I brought a hand to my face pinched the bridge of my nose as I chuckled lightly.

"You will learn one day, Shippo, that a man's mind often lingers on that which brings him pleasure. This is even more true when a man is awoken without warning and without cause."As I looked at him he just glared and I sighed in return. "What is it Shippo?"

"Sango says to get up."

"Finally! Lady Sango has decided to it is time to let me woo her!" I felt myself jump up in excitement despite the voice of logic in my head that suggested perhaps Sango wished me to get up for reasons other than carnal pleasure. Shippo seemed to agree because he hit me again. I glared down at him.

"Sango knew you would react that way. She suggested that I slap you every time you had an indecent thought. Something about training… I don't know. Anyway, get up!"

"What is going on?" If it wasn't for fun and it wasn't for battle, since there were no foolish yells from Inuyasha, what could possibly… Oh.

"Sango wants to leave. She said she would explain it on the way, so get up! She hasn't even told me yet!" With this he hopped off my lap and proceeded to gather his bag before heading out the door. I sighed again, and started packing.

Something told me that this had to do with Kagome. While I believed she needed to be contacted, we also didn't have any leads other than she was with Sesshomaru. We had spent the last week trying to find out the location of his group, but with no success. I wondered what Sango had found out.

I walked out of the door a little while later to find Sango and Shippo waiting with Kilala.

"Where's Inuyasha?" I thought I knew the answer, but figured the air should be cleared.

"With Kikyou. He left a little while ago. I figure he has no problem leaving us, so why can't we leave him?" The bitterness in Sango's voice did nothing to hide her true feelings about the half-demon. I couldn't fault her for it, we had all been losing respect for him over the last few months. His shameful treatment of Kagome only seemed to justify our upset. I was honestly surprised that it had taken Sango so long to hunt out Kagome. I walked up to Kilala and settled in on her back, holding a hand out to Sango.

"So where are we going?" I watched the anger slightly ebb from her face as she grabbed Shippo up and settled onto Kilala. With a gentle word of urgency, we were off to find Kagome.

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As the Miko laid in bed struggling with fever, I spent my days continuing the search for answers. In between meetings with the various advisors and leaders, I spent my time looking through scrolls. Jaken had finally been of some use, spending his waking hours searching for those that would be of most use to me. While I didn't find much in his selections on matings between youkai and miko, something told me it wasn't for lack of trying on his part, but rather a sheer lack of material in general.

I scowled. My youkai had been far from helpful and the few advisors I truly trusted in the shiro were of no help either. I would need to make a visit to Bokuseno. The wise, old, and stubborn tree-youkai would be the most likely of any to know what could be expected of such a mating. I hated having to see the old fool. His answers were never comforting, but at least I could be sure of their reliability.

"Jaken" I called coldly.

"Y-yes, Milord!" He came running around the corner, eager to present himself to me. I watched as he tripped over a book in his earnest and face planted at my feet. "What can this lowly servant do to help, Milord?!"

"Ready A-un." And stepping on his head, I walked over the pathetic idiot while making my way to the door.

"Y-yes, Milord!" I made a point to ignore the sheer devotion in his voice and the scent of gleeful tears as I heard him rush to do my bidding.

I walked the halls of the Shiro, intent to complete some minor tasks before heading out. Along the way I took note of the voices talking all around me. While I had paid little attention to them in the past, my youkai seemed intent on honing in on them since having brought Rin to the shiro. That practice seemed to have become even more important since bringing our mate into the residence as well.

"Why haven't we seen her?"

"I hear she is a miko!"

"Why has the Lord taken a ningen?"

"I'm sure that if I could get Sesshomaru into my bed-"

I felt nothing as I heard the conversations all around the shiro. They all seemed to be focused on the miko. While part of me was unnerved by the thought of her so easily brought to their lips, I understood that it was the way of those who had little to admire, envy, and gossip about those who were of worth.

Safe.

We were of one mind, then. We would keep her safe. As I finished my tasks for the day, I would make a point of adding more security to her rooms before heading off. I needed answers and she needed rest, this was how it needed to be.

Take.

While I greatly wished to satisfy my desires and the throbbing erection between my legs in her tight pussy, I could not bring myself to disturb her as she struggled with illness. My youkai did not seem to be bothered by this turn of events, simply purred when near her and lusted after her when I was working.

In her sleep, the ona had taken to sending me images of my naked flesh above her, memories of her hands stroking and thrusting herself to climax, and the ever present feeling of lust and desire. The first time I had received them I had been surprised to find her still sleeping, curled into my pillow as she slept. I left my moko-moko behind for her to hold and had regretted the decision shortly after as I could feel her stroking it in her sleep. I had been unsuccessful in obtaining it back from her.

After making the necessary stops and making the necessary adjustments to her guard, I slipped out of the shiro and found myself traveling to reach Bokuseno.

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I lost track of all time as I slept. The fever wore me down a little more with each passing hour. My muscles had begun to ache, my body sore, and I was sure that I was going to be torn in two.

Beside me, I could feel Rin's ever present fear. Most of the time she sat chatting to me, content to not hear my voice in response. There were times where she told me stories of Sesshomaru's greatness. She shared with me the story of how she came to be his companion and was quick to mention her Lord's displeasure with wolves. Even in my sleep I groaned at the thought of Kouga and his pack eventually finding me and the drama that was sure to ensue.

"Tomorrow is the moon festival, Kagome-chan. Rin wishes you would be better by then, but if you can't go then I will save you a sweet bean cake like the one Hari snuck to me!" I could hear the faint smile in her voice as she tried to make herself seem fine. While I don't think she wanted to worry, especially since Sesshomaru seemed to show no signs of fear, I could tell with each day she was losing that battle.

Once again, I drifted into the nothingness that was sleep.

….

I heard footsteps. It was difficult to tell how far away they were or to whom they belonged, but as I drifted in and out of sleep, I knew I heard something. The smell of sweat and anxiety tinged the air.

That thought seemed to slip from my mind as I fell again into darkness. Smelling anxiety… how could I smell…

The drawing of a knife. I tossed in my sleep as I thought I heard a weapon… maybe not a knife, but something. Despite the pain spreading up my arm and into my head, I felt myself grip the small girl cuddled into me. She must have fallen asleep too. Was this a dream? What was-

And then above me, I could hear the slow and even breaths of someone above me. I could smell their rancid scent and taste their confidence and anxiety. It was an odd combination. And then I felt them move.

My eyes snapped open, and several things happened all at once. I recognized the shape of a female above me, an ugly dagger drawn above my chest. I felt my heart thud in my chest and as I failed desperately to move my limbs, I felt a hair rising power pour forth from me. The subtle shimmer of pink could be seen as it first pulsed around me and then pushed forcibly through the intruder and then across the room.

I heard the demon's hiss of pain before it started to scream. The shock of that scream echoed through me, and I felt the child at my hip stir at my side. I heard her tiny gasp as she woke to the scene and grasped at me fearfully.

"Kagome-chan, Kagome-chan!" She started shaking me, but I couldn't move. The weight of my limbs was too much to overcome and the pain shooting through me left my mind wheeling. As I saw the demon step forward to attack again, fear shot through me once more and a stronger pulse of shimmering pink light exploded from my chest as I heard Rin begin to cry. This time, I noticed the subtle touch of blue around the edges.

I watched as the demon was pushed back against the walls of the bedroom forcefully and the doors to the room slam open. I could see the guards fighting to get in, but unable to get past the barrier I had built around us. I could feel it pushing away from me, forcing the youkai into the wall harder. I was surprised to hear the wall crack as the youkai screamed.

Around me, a more solid shade of pink and blue swirled up and pulsed a final time. Time seemed to stand still as I first watched the silent recognition by the commander at the door, his eyes widening as I heard him yell for his companions to run. I heard the pounding of their footsteps and their yells to clear the area.

I saw the surprise across Rin's face and felt her arms still as her grip loosened on my arm. I felt the throbbing of my head as my already weakened form struggled to contain whatever this power was. I felt the sudden tightening of a band around my waist an realized that Sesshomaru's moko-moko was wrapped around me. I felt the prickling of its fur against my skin as it stood on end.

And as the power flared outward in a solid pulse of energy, I saw the look of horror and pain cross the demon's face as it disintegrated against the wall.

And then all I knew was darkness once more.

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Bokuseno had proven to be somewhat helpful. While he had not been able to answer all of my questions pertaining to youkai-miko mating, he had been able to answer some questions about the bond.

In retrospect, he had not seemed much surprised by these questions. He had explained that such bonds were common between youkai mates with a true affinity for one another. While he certainly held his tongue about the reasons behind the miko and I sharing a youkai bond, the slight twitch in his features belied some suspicions. I had not been successful in acquiring them.

None the less, the visit had been worth the time. He had explained that the bond was likely to continue to grow, that the strength and depth of our bond would be reflective of the strength and depth of our affinity for one another, and that there really was no knowing where the bond would end. He had shared a few anecdotes from other youkai throughout history, some of which suggested that the bond could go so far as to read each other's thoughts. Factors such as distance and consciousness seemed to have no impact. I wondered if the same could be true of time.

Leaving the forest, I felt as if I had more questions than answers. While I now knew the potential for the bond and what it meant in terms of our relationship, I still had no answer as to why the bond existed in the first place. She was ningen, not youkai. And while my youkai kept yelling MIKO again and again, my mind did not recognize that as a suitable reason. A miko's powers were opposite to a youkai's power.

The way Bokuseno had described it, the bond was a sum of the power between two youkai. Humans had no power to add to that of a youkais, which explained why Father and Izayoi had had no such connection. A miko's power should detract from a youkai's power, thus the sum of the powers should result in a neutral field. How could a positive charge come from a neutral one?

Once more, logic seemed to have no place in the world.

I continued on my trek back to the shiro. It wasn't a long journey when I traveled on my own. A-un had proven to be a worthy companion, but I had left Jaken behind. There were some tasks that simply needed doing on one's own.

As we came within a few miles of the shiro, I felt a wave of something wash through me. At first it felt like confusion, but then darkness seemed to swim back into place. The miko must be sleeping restlessly.

HOME.

The youkai did not agree. As I nudged A-un on a little faster, an image came to the forefront of my mind. A darkened room, I could smell anxiety and something familiar. Through the darkened room I could see the features of a demon above me, knife drawn, and then the swift movement of the blade. I felt fear, that was not my own, consume me as the vision of a shimmering pink aura pushed outward. I felt the fur on my moko-moko rise and I felt the shiver that ran through my spine as I felt the undeniably strong miko power.

This was not a dream. The fear that washed through me was real and as I realized this, I felt the blood rage through me, my eyes tinting. I tore away from A-un and found myself charging off to the shiro.

Images confronted my senses as I pushed to get back, the animal in me roaring as I fought to control it. As the shiro broke the horizon before me, the image of a screaming face filled my mind before I watched the pulse of pink and blue power break through the walls of the shiro in the west wing.

TBCTBCTBCTBCTBCTBCTBCTBCTBCTBCTBCTBCTBC

Notes: So I felt like a cliff hanger. I know there is no Lemon in the last few chapters. I promise there will be more soon. In the mean time, I will leave you to ponder the events thus far. I'd love to hear what everyone thinks is happening. I'm always open for feedback and though I have a vague idea of where this story is going, I am always on the look out for suggestions.

There will be more coming for Sango, Miroku, and Shippo, so never fear! As for everyone else, well… It should be interesting.