Ch. 20 –

"What?" Sesshomaru can't believe his ears.

"You heard me Lord Sesshomaru. Go ahead, do it, kill me." Her now hallow voice sounds in his ears.

"What is wrong with you Kagome?" Sesshy speaks before he can stop himself.

"I don't know Lord Sesshomaru. But apparently something must be for Inuyasha hates me."

Sesshy hugs her, shocking both of them. Kagome was too broken to really think about it more then a few minutes. Sesshomaru let it go, too concerned seeing her so broken. "There is nothing wrong with you, Kagome. My little half brother is a fool." A short while later Sesshomaru finds himself sitting on a tree root holding Kagome in his lap, running his fingers through her hair. "Never think that there is something wrong with you. You are as you should be." Kagome falls asleep, her head on Sesshomaru's shoulder.

End Flashback

"I will not allow you to take what is rightfully mine from me." Kagome puts up a shield with one hand and runs forward, charging Kikiyo.

-Why are Kagome's eyes glowing red?- Khan thinks to himself.

Everything goes quiet and Khan looks over to find an arrow going strait through Kikiyo, the arrowhead glowing blue. "Have a nice trip down to hell you bitch. Inuyasha is waiting for you." Kagome yanks the arrow out, releasing the souls Kikiyo had absorbed. The dead miko crumbles into dust and is blown away in the wind. "Now release my brother you annoying little pests." The soul stealers vanish in a flash. "Good." She collapses.

"Sis!" Khan runs over immediately. "Are you alright?" He is pushed back as blue light surrounds Kagome. Her hair grows longer with added blue highlights; she grows fangs, claws and a tail that looks like the tip was dipped in blue paint. A pair of black wolf ears tipped with blue appear on her head as the blue light surrounding her starts to fade away. "C'mon demon-miko Sis." Khan picks her up. "Let's go home, now that your task is finally over." He transforms and heads back to the Western lands. With Khan's speed they arrive at the castle 2 days later. "We're home Sis." Khan announces. "Sis?" He gets no response. "Kagome! Wake up!" He switches back to his human form and shakes her gently. He finally gives up and just walks inside, still carrying her. Sesshomaru senses them within the castle and comes running down the hallway. "Oh good I don't have to go find you." Khan hands Kagome over to Sesshy. "Here's your mate, good night." He goes over to his room, puts up a sign that says Disturb me and die and slams the door shut behind him.

Sesshomaru looks over his unconscious mate, taking in her new features. "You're even more beautiful then before; if that's even possible. I'm glad you're home Kagome, I've missed you. Rin has too of course, but most definitely not as much as me." He nuzzles her. "I expect that you'll be out for the rest of the afternoon. I'll let Rin know that you're back at dinner." He carries her to their room and gently lays her on the bed. He quietly leaves the room.

( Dinner)

"Is Okaa-san back yet!" Rin asks impatiently.

"Must you ask that every time there's a meal?"

"But Otou-san!" Rin whines. "Okaa-san has been gone for a really long time! Rin counted 5 days!"

Sesshy sighs and looks over at the little girl. "Yes, she is."

"Really?" Rin gets excited.

"Yes. Your mother and Khan got back an hour ago."

"Why is Okaa-san not with us now then?"

"She's sleeping. You will see her in the morning."

"Where's Master Khan?"

"He's sleeping too."

"Why are they both sleeping?"

"Because they're tired."

"Why are they tired?"

"Because they had to go visit an old friend and they're tired from they're journey back here."

"Why did they have to go visit an old friend?"

"They had some business to attend to. Now stop asking questions and eat your food Rin." A slightly aggravated Sesshomaru glares at his daughter.

(The next day)

Kagome wakes up, finding herself in a room. She sits up and looks around. "I'm home. How did I get here?"

"Khan brought you back home after you passed out."

Kagome looks over to find Sesshomaru sitting up against the backboard watching her. "Sesshy!" She tackles him.

"You know, you're missing something in your new looks."

"I am?" Kagome gets up to go look in a mirror. "What?" Sesshomaru gets up and goes to stand beside her. "This." He touches her forehead with an index finger and a blue crescent moon appears there. "Now everyone who sees you will know who you are."

"Guess I can't run away the huh?" She teases.

"Absolutely not." He hugs her. Now let's go downstairs for breakfast I'm sure Rin is waiting to see you at the table." The two of them get dressed and head to the dining room.

"OKAA-SAN!" Rin yells as they enter the room. The little girl jumps out of her chair and is immediately attached to Kagome, hugging her tightly. "Okaa-san is home!"

Khan walks in, just in time to witness the scene, and stifles a laugh. Him and Sesshomaru go to sit down, Oliver joins them 3 minutes later.

"Alright Rin, I missed you too. Now it's time to eat, you have to let go so we can go sit the others."

May Rin sit on Okaa-san's lap? Please?" Rin looks at Kagome with big watery eyes. "Please Okaa-san?"

"Only for breakfast."

"Yay!"

(Later.)

Oliver walks into Sesshomaru's study. "Do you know where Lady Kagome is?"

I believe she's outside with Khan testing herself."

"With her new powers?"

"Yes. She wants to find out how well she can handle them."

"Thanks Lord Sesshomaru." Oliver leaves and goes to the practice courts. "Wo!" He stops at the fence to watch, too awe-struck to go further.

Kagome and Khan are in the middle of a fight. Kagome is in blue jeans and a black tank top, her training outfit. Her hair is pulled back into a high ponytail and her eyes have blue flames in them. Both are running with demon speed, attacking and blocking at free will. Kagome shoots blades of fire at Khan, a whip made of water forms in his hand and he slashes at the attacking disks. Fire and water attacks are thrown back and forth between the two. Finally Kagome adds her miko powers to her pyro attacks and send Khan flying into the fence just a few feet from Oliver.

Oliver looks over at a stunned Khan. "Are you ok?" Khan looks at Kagome, joggine over to see if she had won, to Oliver's worried face. 2.5 seconds later Khan just starts laughing. Oliver helps him up. "I will probably never understand why you laugh when you get hurt. Underestimated her huh?"

"Only a little. That was fun though."

"It's fun to be thrown 300 feet into a wooden fence at 20 miles per hour?"

"I didn't know you were calculating everything."

"I wasn't. I was merely making an educated guess based on the facts from my observations."

"Yeah… whatever. That was fun."

"You're insane Khan, do you know that?"

"Many have told me so."

"Did I win Bro?" Kagome reaches them.

"This time, yes you did."

"Oh yeah!" Kagome starts dancing around. "I won! I won! I won!"

"I'm glad you're happy about winning a simple fight."

"Of course! I beat you!"

"I let you win."

"No way! I won fair and square!"

"Only because I said you did. If this was a real fight I could've killed you."

"You could not!"

"I could too!"

"Na-uh!"

"Ya-huh!"

"No!"

"Yes!"

"Now children, it's not nice to bicker on such a nice day." Oliver separates the squabbling pair.

"Who are you calling a child?" Khan questions.

"If I was a kid I wouldn't have a mate or a daughter." Kagome snaps.

"You're definitely sister and brother. There's no doubt about it. Your argueing clearly shows that."

"Okaa-san!" Rin come running over. "Otou-san wants to see you!"

"Thanks for letting me know Rin. Isn't Jakken supposed to be with you?"

"Master Jakken had to run an errand for Otou-san."

"Alright. Well why don't you stay here with Khan and Oliver ok?"

"Will Master Khan play with Rin?"

"Maybe, if you ask him nicely."

"Yay!" The little girl runs over to Khan. "Will Master Khan play tag with Rin? Please?"

Khan looks from Rin to Kagome and back to Rin. "Sure."

"Yay!" Rin turns to Oliver. "Will Master Oliver play with Rin and Master Khan?"

"I guess so."

"Yay!" The 3 of them run around tagging each other. Kagome takes off for the castle.

She finds Sesshomaru in his study pondering over a piece of paper in his hand.

"What's up Sesshy?" Kagome walks over to stand beside him.

"This is a letter from Lord Alvin."

"And?"

"It's concerning Jonah. I must go."

"When will you return from the Northern Lands?"

"2-3 days if I travel fast."

"Why must you leave?"

"Because he is requesting my appearance."

"But what if I miss you while you're gone?"

"Well then mate…" He pulls her onto his lap. He nuzzles her, making her laugh. "I'll just have to make it up to you when I get back."

"Must you leave now?"

"If you want me to come home on time, then yes."

"Aww…" She pouts.

"Hold down the fort while I'm gone."

"Ya ya. You owe me a kiss before you leave."

"As you wish mate." He tilts her head back and kisses her on the lips. "I will see you soon." He leaves the room with a smirk on his face, knowing that Kagome's breathing was a little bit faster then when she had first entered his study.

(That night)

"Okaa-san?"

"Yes Rin?"

"Where is Otou-san? Rin wanted to say good night."

"He's on a business trip. He'll be back in a few days."

"Will you read to Rin again?"

"I'd be happy to." Kagome tucks Rin in bed and then starts to read from Rin's favorite book. "Once upon a time…"

(An hour later)

"That's all for tonight. Good night little one."

"Good night Okaa-san." Rin falls asleep.

Kagome blows out the candle and leaves the room. She walks down the hallway and goes into her room. She lights a candle and walks over to the bathroom to get ready for bed. A few minutes later she's sitting in bed reading. Her ears twitch at the sound of something outside the window. He quietly gets up and goes over to the window. Kagome reaches for the curtains, a gust of wind blows through the room making the candle go out. She is suddenly tackled to the floor by a large animal from outside the window. The glowing yellow eyes stare down at her with an evil-like glare. She screams, the sound echoing throughout the castle. And a giant paw silences her.