A/N: Any dialogue within are conversations between the Blood, Kindred are included. The Blood are those like Daemon, the Kindred are the Blood Animals. Since animals can't speak through their mouths to humans, they speak through their minds to another mind. It's not as complicated as it sounds, I assure you. Also, Prick is Daemon's nickname for his brother Lucivar and Bastard is Lucivar's nickname for Daemon. I would also like the point out that Saetan is NOT Satan, and the Hell of BJT is NOT the Hell of real life.

Chapter 2

No going home for Kagome

It was becoming painfully clear, two hours after the sun set and the smell of cooking food filtered into the room, that Inuyasha was going to sleep through the night. Remaining in the chair, curled up and uncomfortable, was pointless.

"I'll be back, Inuyasha," Kagome found herself whispering, as she rose and slipped quietly from the room. She hadn't been to any other part of the house but the bathroom had been easy enough to find, and after that the kitchen was just as easy. The surprise was the twelve year old girl that greeted her from the small table.

"Kagome?" Rin seemed greatly surprised.

Kagome forced a smile at the younger girl. "Do you know where Jaenelle or Daemon went to? I'm kinda hungry..."

"Daemon says dinner isn't ready yet," Rin said quietly. "They're in the family room."

"Thanks," She watched Rin's gaze turn to the back door and bit her lip nervously. "Is Sesshoumaru out there?"

"Mmhm," Rin's eyes remained on the door.

"Ok," Kagome left the kitchen, finding the family room across the hallway. Jaenelle was on the floor between the two couches, leaning back against a huge white cat, a book resting in her lap, a wolf lying next to her. Daemon was at the desk near the window, fussing over a stack of papers and Tersa was muttering something about stubborn males. Kagome bit her lip, again, folding her arms over her torso. Ladvarian, the wolf curled at Jaenelle's side, lifted his head and jumped up excitedly to greet Kagome.

Jaenelle smiled sweetly, marking her page in the book she held. "I thought you'd be joining us right about now,"

"The chair was uncomfortable," Kagome admitted, stepping farther into the room as the wolf danced around her.

Her scent is strange! But she's very friendly! Kagome is her name?

Kagome shook her head to clear it. Had the wolf just talked? Of course, after what she'd seen since she'd been pulled into the well by the Mistress Centipede five years ago, a talking wolf wasn't much on her 'strange' meter. But she didn't dare inquire about the pile of white fur and rippling muscle behind Jaenelle. That she would worry about later.

"Yes," Jaenelle giggled, motioning for Kagome to join her. "Her name is Kagome,"

Can I go sniff the one with the ears now?

"Ladvarian, you had best let him rest. I told you, you could sniff our new friends tomorrow when they've all rested."

Ladvarian's ears fell back against his head and he whined. So much like Inuyasha's ears, Kagome mused, watching the wolf return to his spot next to Jaenelle. "I take it Sesshoumaru healed up pretty well?"

"Very," Jaenelle nodded. "He's very resilient to flesh wounds, despite the fact that he has only one arm."

"I guess I should have mentioned that..."

"It's fine," Jaenelle waved it off. "It was well healed, so we knew it was an old wound."

"Five years old, actually." Kagome reached the couch but ignored it, preferring to sit on the floor next to Jaenelle. Oddly, the white fluff didn't bother her at that moment. The cat seemed to be sleeping quite soundly.

"Dinner will be done shortly," Daemon said from the desk, scowling at the paper he held. "Sweetheart, the next time father asks me to look after the estate for a few days while he runs off to the Keep, get me really drunk so that I can look him in the eye and say no,"

Kagome laughed, closing her eyes. "I take it the estate is large?"

"Large is an understatement," Jaenelle said sweetly. "It's a lot to handle with paying the servants and making sure everything is in order. Actually, it's nothing that Beale couldn't handle, but papa has to torture his sons somehow."

"Sons?"

"I have a brother," Daemon said simply, sitting the papers aside to breathe deeply for a moment. "You'll meet the prick tomorrow,"

"Oh," Kagome giggled. "Sounds promising,"

"Just wait until you meet the rest of the family," Tersa said bluntly, ignoring the laughter that exploded from Jaenelle.

"Oh come now, Tersa! Our family isn't that bad!"

"HA!" She seemed to glare at Daemon for a moment. He just gave her a look of innocence and Kagome found herself grinning. Tersa was obviously his mother and was scolding a "boy" who had done something a bit fiendish.

"Sibling rivalry?"

"More like Lucivar did something spectacular so Daemon set out to better him and ended up on his ass and covered in mud,"

Daemon scowled at the man flanking the doorway. "If I remember correctly, Khardeen, you were the one that suggested I do what I did in the first place,"

"Since when do you ever listen to me?" Khary grinned, making way for Morghann, his wife, who looked like she'd been beaten severely with the 'I-need-sleep-desperately -but-don't-want-to-sleep' mallet.

"Since you told him it was good idea. Besides, both of you were also under the heavy influence of several Gravediggers," Morghann muttered, letting herself fall onto the couch in a huff. She used the arm of the couch as her pillow, her hands folded over her stomach. Her red hair was slightly tangled from a long day of work and healing.

"Darling," Daemon mused, smiling. "If you keep this up any longer I believe a round of fussing will be in order."

"If anyone's going to be fussing it will be Arianna because I wouldn't let her have a nutcake before bed," Morghann muttered, giving the males in the room a glare of warning. "I'm in no mood to have my pillows over fluffed and my blankets jammed under me so that I can't move. I'm tired, that's all. Understand?"

"Oh perfectly," Khary grinned.

"Quite wonderfully," Daemon chimed in, smirking.

"Mother night..."

Jaenelle giggled, shaking her head. "So," She looked to Kagome who was smiling faintly, her arms still wrapped around her chest. "What can you tell us about how you ended up here?"

"Hm..." Kagome's eyes narrowed as she fought to remember everything that had happened. "We were on the trail of an old enemy when we bumped into Sesshoumaru. Inuyasha was a bit frustrated and angry over our enemy getting away and Sesshoumaru was in the way, so he initiated a fight. I've seen the brothers fight before, but it was more intense this time,"

Rin found herself in the family room, sitting down next to Tersa while Kagome continued. "I don't know why they have to hate each other so much. So long as Inuyasha stays out of the Western Lands, Sesshoumaru really shouldn't worry about him. But I guess they're always going to fight over the fact that their father left Tetsuseiga to Inuyasha the half breed instead of Lord Sesshoumaru the full blooded demon and heir to the Inutaishu throne." She drew in a deep breath, prepared to make the full drawn out speech of a story. "Inuyasha got a little mouthy and Sesshoumaru just reacted. I guess their hatred finally fueled a fire. Anyway, after a while Sesshoumaru got so angry that he sent a very powerful and very violent attack at Inuyasha, but I guess Inuyasha and Sesshoumaru both realized what would happen when that attack hit and they both dove after myself and Rin and covered us. There was a bright light and then...well...next to a brief moment of consciousness when I saw Tersa, that's all I remember."

"You have no idea how you ended up here?" Jaenelle asked, puzzled. In the realm of the Blood, any number of things could have happened when a powerful blast of jeweled strength was too powerful and backlashed. She knew first hand what that could do to a person physically, but she hadn't explored the possibility that it could also cause a shift in the realms. It was astonishing all in its own that something like that was even possible.

"Well, I guess that backlash coupled with the power of the Sacred Well when it was destroyed sent us here," Kagome felt tears stinging her eyes. "Which means that even if we did get back home again...I could never go back to..." The realization hit her like a brick to the head and sank in deep. "Mom...Grandpa...Sota..." Her left hand came to her mouth, stifling the chocking sob that escaped her throat. The pain overcame her, wracked her, had her bending forward until she couldn't control the crying. A hand found her shoulder, gently squeezed it in support, in understanding, in apology. Kagome's sobs deepened as Inuyasha sank to the ground next to her and folded her into his arms, still too weak to spark her temper to stop the tears. Thank goodness it was the night of the new moon or the salty smell of her tears would have had him reeling. He hated it when she cried. It tore him up inside and he had a good feeling he knew why.

Inuyasha's changed appearance was a momentary shock to the group but considering what they'd seen so far of the group, Sesshoumaru being a mystery all of his own, the shock was soon replaced with solemn silence. Kagome cried into his chest, her fingers curling into the bright red robes of the Fire Rat. This was it; she could never go home again and he was partly to blame.

"I shouldn't have provoked him," Inuyasha's voice was soft but full of emotion. "For once in my life I could have listened to you and I didn't and now you can never go home again. I'm sorry, Kagome, I'm so sorry,"

Even Rin had thought about the ordeal and had started crying herself, though her sobs weren't as audible.

"Little one?" Tersa prodded, staring at the girl.

"Leave me alone!" Rin cried, racing from the room towards the kitchen and the back door.

"I'll go after her," Morghann offered. "Arianna gets like this, too."

"I'll check on the status of our meal," Khary also left the room.

"Daemon," Jaenelle murmured, motioning towards the door. "Come on, Tersa, let's leave them alone."

"That means you, too, Kaelas," Tersa shoved the cat, pointing at the door, her arm taught. "Don't be a bad kitty, Kaelas, come on, out." The 800 pounds of feline muscle, strength, and temper stretched out lazily and then left the room, Tersa following close behind.

"Kagome,"

"It's not your fault," She finally murmured, pushing away from him. "I'm just as much to blame as you are. I prodded you into going after Naraku. If I hadn't then we wouldn't have run into Sesshoumaru. This wouldn't have happened and I would be h-home right n-now...and..."

Inuyasha shook his head, thumbing her tears away. "No, Kagome."

She wouldn't argue with him, she didn't have the will to. "Can you forgive me, Kagome? If it helps, you can say it...I won't argue with it..."

"Inuyasha!" He was taken aback in surprise, shocked at her sudden move towards him. He grabbed her, toppling backwards onto the floor, Kagome's lips pressed firmly against his own. The shock abated quickly as Inuyasha gave in to his own feelings. Now was as good a time as any to show her that he cared.

"Why are you crying?" Morghann asked, seeing Rin on the bench at the far end of Tersa's garden, sobbing into her hands.

"Go away..."

Morghann paused, taking a deep breath. The girl obviously wanted to be alone, she sensed some kind of deep emotional stress. The twelve year old girl seemed to be torn in so many different ways...it reminded her of Jaenelle when the woman was a child, only Jaenelle had been much younger when she had been like this. Of course, the rape hadn't helped her at all and if it weren't for Surreal and Daemon that terrible night, Jaenelle might not have survived at all. Rin, besides having black hair and different eyes, reminded her strongly of Jaenelle.

"Rin,"

"Go away, I don't want to talk to you! I just...I want to go home..." Rin looked at the woman that offered comfort, hating her because she didn't know her at all.

"I thought that if we talked you might feel better. My daughter, Arianna, feels better after she talks to me,"

"I don't want to talk to you," Rin repeated, frustrated. At least the girl had stopped crying. Morghann sat down on the bench beside her anyway, offering her a listening ear and silent stillness. A few long minutes passed before Rin sat back and finally gave in. "I'm too young,"

"Too young?" Morghann inquired, ignoring the faint rustling behind her. Someone was approaching and she had a good idea of who it was. Sesshoumaru obviously hadn't wandered off very far. He must have heard Rin's heated statement and come to investigate the matter further.

"To be like her," Rin whispered. "To be to Lord Sesshoumaru what Kagome is to Inuyasha. I'm too young,"

Morghann just stared at the girl, puzzled into stillness. "How do you mean?"

"He won't have me,"

Morghann slowly began to understand what Rin was getting at. She could understand, if what Kagome had said was correct and that Rin had spent most of her life with Sesshoumaru, that the girl would have eventually fallen in love with her protector. But at twelve years old? The poor girl...

"I see," Morghann murmured, taking a deep breath. "Would you like to hear what I think about it?"

Rin shrugged, biting her lip.

Morghann nodded, looking back towards the cottage. "If you love him as much as you seem to, a few years will pass by very quickly. You're only twelve years old, Rin, and I believe strongly that that is the reason why Sesshoumaru will not have you. Rin, you must understand that your body isn't ready for a commitment like this and I have a feeling that he knows that. Give it time," Morghann gently touched the girl's shoulder. "Love him from a distance if you must, but don't leap before you tether yourself down, you could lose everything you hope to gain,"

Rin looked to Morghann as the woman rose and left the garden towards the cottage. She dried her eyes, content to sit back on the bench and stare at the stars for a while and turn Morghann's words over and over in her mind. Was the woman right? Would Sesshoumaru take her as his when she was old enough, when her body was ready for such a thing? She loved him, she knew that already, but did he return the emotion?

If he didn't and she asked him to be her mate would he make her leave? Rin forced such a question from her mind, unwilling to think about such things. Besides, the rustling behind her was starting to command all of her attention. Rin swiveled on the bench, staring into the darkness with narrowed eyes.

"Who's there?" She asked, swallowing hard in her sudden anxiety. The rustling stopped and didn't come again for a few long moments. She rose from the bench, a moment of stupidity overcoming her as she walked towards the bushes. Something was back there, something big and covered in white fur. Was it that huge cat?

"Rin?"

She stopped, turning to face Sesshoumaru. "Sesshoumaru!" She smiled, her eyes bright.

"You've been crying," He studied her intently. "Did something happen?"

"No, no!" Rin waved her arms, walking towards him, her investigation of the rustling forgotten. "I just got a bit silly, that's all."

"Rin! The food's ready if you're hungry!" Morghann called from the doorway.

"Go eat, Rin."

"Nope," She said simply, smiling. "Not unless you come in and eat, too."

Sesshoumaru studied her again, his face expressionless. "I'm not kidding either, Sesshy."

He choked, staring at her. "I..."

Rin flashed him the most beautifully mischievous smile he'd ever seen and it set him on fire. He immediately gave in and let her lead him back towards the cottage. He couldn't deny her when she gave him that smile, but he would inquire later about her new spunk and the new name, which he would only tolerate coming from Rin's beautiful mouth. If anyone else said it they were going to have a huge chunk of their bodies bitten off.

Besides a complete feeling of awkward tension at the extended table, dinner seemed to be going by quite smoothly.

"This stew is wonderful," Jaenelle complimented the hearth witch that stayed with Tersa as she refilled the glasses.

"That's because you didn't cook it,"

"Damnit, Khary," Jaenelle glared. "Do you have to keep on with that? So I can't cook, so what?"

Khary gave her a sweetly innocent grin, jamming a spoonful of stew into his mouth as she flashed him a sarcastic look.

Inuyasha and Sesshoumaru, however, were exchanging glares every two seconds. Sesshoumaru sat at the table next to Rin but didn't eat, obviously, well to Inuyasha, flaunting his superiority over the rest of them.

Kagome devoured her stew in no time at all, having been completely famished.

Finally, after over ten minutes of unwelcomed attention from his half demon brother, Sesshoumaru declared, "I call a cease fire,"

"A truce? FEH!" Inuyasha turned away from his brother, focusing on his bowl of stew. "And I would do that why? I don't trust you, you son of a bitch, so don't you dare think I'm gonna start now,"

"Inuyasha," Kagome sighed, her shoulders slumping. "You can be civil at least. Hell, you don't even have to acknowledge his presence. Just don't throw any punches and I won't have to say 'it' and embarrass you."

"Kagome," Inuyasha hissed as Sesshoumaru seemingly smiled at his younger brother.

"I suppose I can blame the control that she has over you on your being a Hanyou."

"WHY YOU!"

"SIT BOY!"

"GYAH!"

"Hell's fire!" Jaenelle gasped, her eyes wide.

"Mother night," Daemon muttered, fighting the laughter he felt coming as Inuyasha grumbled and fought the spell.

"If the darkness can't be merciful then we're all doomed," Morghann choked.

"That's what you get," Rin giggled.

"Why must you do this to me, Kagome?" Inuyasha asked, red faced. The spell had lifted but if he got up he'd have to see the grins on the other's faces and the smirk on his elder brother's face. I think I'll just stay here for now...

End chapter! Well, what do you think now? Better? Still confused?