Chapter 24

Kagome fired off her scared arrow as Adimara finished chanting her spell. Just as Kagome had promised, the spell wave reflected off the group and disappeared. Kagome's arrow found its mark deep in Kanna's mirror. As the mirror cracked, souls began pouring out of the mirror and flew away, out of the room they were in.

"Kanna! What happened?", Adimara demanded the child.

Kanna merely stared, as Kanna was want to do, and softly said,

"The spell of the mirror has been broken by Kagome's arrow."

Kagome, Mashai and Sesshoumaru watched as one final soul left the mirror and found its way back to the limp body of its owner, laying beside Mashai. As the soul re-entered Inuyasha's body, he groaned, as he started to come to. Relieved to see her mate returning to his old self, Kagome turned and faced her enemies. Sesshoumaru had already launched into a poison whip attack, aiming it at the scheming witch, but witch magic was still faster than a demon's vine whip and she disappeared into a puff of mist. Kanna turned and began to walk away.

"Kanna!", Kagome called to the demon child, who turned around at the sound of her name, "Where is Naraku and Adimara?"

"They are not here.", she responded.

Mashai started to head to Kanna, intent on holding the demon child as a hostage, but before he reached her, she, too disappeared. He headed back to where Kagome and Sesshoumaru were, Kagome kneeling down to examine her injured mate.

"Oh my God! I feel like I've been run over by a fleet of Mack trucks.", Inuyasha moaned, holding his head.

"No. Just Naraku. You were full demon for a while.", Kagome said to him.

Inuyasha looked up and saw Mashai and his anger began to overtake him, even with how exhausted he was,

"Mashai, you bastard. I should rip you to shreds!"

"INUYASHA! Stop your barking! Mashai is on our side!", Sesshoumaru commanded.

"HUH? What did you just say?"

"He's on our side, Inuyasha.", said Kagome, "He saved me from being killed by you when you're soul was first sucked out by Kanna."

Inuyasha stared at his wife, "I ... I nearly killed you?", he said, taking her into his arms.

"There is no time for this, Inuyasha. We need to figure out a plan to destroy Naraku and Adimara."

"Yes, they have the jewel and have been using it to resurrect our old foes, such as Tsubaki and the Shichinin-Tai.", Kagome informed him. She kept from him all the people he had murdered as a full-blooded demon.

Using Kagome's magic, the four transported to the secret compound in the forest. The pups there were thrilled to see their father back as a half-demon. Kagome insisted he go and rest. She stayed with him and Yasha joined them and together they explained all they knew to fill him in. Yasha, wise to his mother, knew to also keep quiet for now all the people killed at his Otou-san's hands.

After Inuyasha fell asleep, Kagome and Yasha rejoined the others.

"Mama,", asked Kai, "Uncle says that other souls besides papa's flew out from Kanna's mirror. Who did these souls belong to?"

"I'm not sure, Kai. Naraku's been killing people off for a long time. Some of those souls probably belong to those people."

"What will happen to their souls? If their bodies are dead and buried ...", continued Shinta.

"Then their souls should ascend to wherever their religious beliefs believed in. Or, like ghosts, they'll walk the earth, not realizing they are dead.", Kagome theorized.

"Will Papa be alright?", asked Sage.

"Yes, dear. He'll be fine after he rests. And then he'll be non-stop until he finds Naraku and Adimara."

Kagome's mind wandered to the idea of the house they were now living in. The compound in the forest was a place that the family could reside in for years, if necessary. Inuyasha had designed it before World War II to be able to withstand the strongest nuclear bombs. Inside was every creature comfort you could want, and should power ever be lost, multiple generators and a small hydroelectric plant was inside the mountain compound. They had a large, mountain water fed stream and an enclosed hydroponics garden. Inuyasha left no stone unturned when he thought this place up. Another section had many farm animals fed the best grains and food - their wastes used for electricity and fertilization. Numerous pups lived here year round and took care of the plants and the animals. It was Inuyasha's crowning achievement.

If necessary, Inuyasha had also built underground roads that led to his home, Sesshoumaru's home and both their offices in British Columbia. These were only used in extreme emergencies and luckily, to this day, had not needed to be used. But, now that Naraku was back in their lives, Kagome wondered if that day would soon be here.

As her male pups tossed around battle plans, Kagome wandered into the master bedroom suite. Inuyasha slept peacefully in the kingsized bed covered with rich Egyptian cotton sheets and a soft down comforter. Deciding she needed a bath, she went into the master bath and drew herself a steamy hot bath in the beautiful garden tub surrounded by candles and flowers. She lit the candles, turned the lights down low and started the bubble jets. Removing her clothes, she stepped in and laid down. Soon, all the thoughts about Naraku had vanished. As she felt her muscles relax, she felt her mind wander. In Kagome's relaxed state, she heard a sinister voice,

"KILL HIM! KILL INUYASHA!"

Kagome squirmed as she tried to wake up, but her body felt paralyzed. She couldn't open her eyes, couldn't move her arms or her legs.

"KILL HIM!", the voice repeated, "KILL INUYASHA!"

"Why?", her mind asked the voice.

"He is your enemy, child. He tried to kill you."

"No. It wasn't his fault."

Still the voice insisted, "KILL HIM! YOU MUST KILL HIM!"

Kagome now found herself able to stand. Climbing out of the tub, she walked naked and dripping wet into the master bedroom. Reaching into the closet, she pulled out the .357 magnum Inuyasha kept in there. Loading the gun, she cocked it and walked over to the bed. Aiming it at the back of Inuyasha's head, she had her hand on the trigger,

"KILL HIM, I SAY, BEFORE HE KILLS YOU AND YOUR PUPS!", the voice screamed in her head.

Then a male voice was heard behind her,

"Okaa-san?"