Disclaimer: I do not own Inuyasha or YuYu Hakusho

Chapter Fourteen: Trapped

She awoke feeling groggy and disorientated. As she opened her sleep filled eyes it dawned on her. The room, it was the same room Sesshomaru had placed her in, the same room she had escaped from. She curled into a ball and sobbed. She didn't want to be there. She wanted nothing to do with the Lord of the Makai. All she wanted was to save her friends and return to her family.

She wanted to see them again. Old friends as well as new friends. She wanted them all to be safe and somehow, that just didn't seem possible anymore.

They were coming for her. She just knew that there was no way Yusuke would let her stay where she didn't want to be. He'd never be able to face her family and Shippo and tell them that she was never coming back. It just wasn't like him.

She didn't look up as the door opened. A quiet female kitsune entered the room and placed an emerald green kimono on the edge of the bed.

"Lord Sesshomaru demands your prescence in the dining hall in ten minutes. It is wise to not disobey him." she spoke softly the words that Sesshomaru had given her. She promptly turned and exited the room.

Kagome whimpered softly. She did not want to have a meal with him. She didn't want to see him. She wanted to be as far away from him as possible.

She weighed her options carefully. Either she could refuse and anger him or she could obey and cower from him. The options were quite unfair.

She rolled out of bed carefully. The pup in her womb was acting more restless than normal. She was still months from her due date, but she feared going into labor early and without her mother nearby.

She disrobed from the delicate silk, lavendar colored sleeping garment she could only hope the female kitsune had dressed her in, and began to dress herself in the kimono that had been left out for her.

Kagome gave a soft sigh as she slipped on the kimono. The color was so similar to Kurama's eyes and she wished more than anything that she was with him and not in a dark palace with a taiyoukai she hated. She'd give almost anything to be safe with him and the others.

She had just finished tying the gold colored obi when the door to her room slammed open. Startled, Kagome fell backwards onto her rear end with a thud. A soft cry escaped her. She froze as a set of arms reached around her to help her up. She panicked and a small amount of her energy zapped the one touching her, but the arms did not move. She couldn't look. It was just a horrible nightmare and if she tried hard enough, she could wake up.

She was lifted into a set of warm arms and at the slightest glimpse of the silver strands of hair, Kagome slammed her eyes shut, her whole body shook with fear.

He said nothing as he placed her on the bed and as soon as he released her she curled protectively around their unborn child and turned away from him.

As pathetic a display it was, he understood her fear. For her it had only been a few months. Still, he could not have her disrespecting him in his own palace. She would have to learn to listen.

"I suggest you compose yourself while you are in my prescence." he turned from her and started for the door. He stopped once and turned back to her, "I hope you are not foolish enough to attempt another escape. The Makai is no place for a human to wander alone, especially not a miko. Rest assured, Kagome, even if they do come for you, they won't live long enough to save you."

He departed from her and she sobbed. This truly was a nightmare she was ready to awake from.

---- With the others ----

They had stopped just after sunset. The palace was still not in view and they could only hope they'd reach the place without any problems. It was something they knew was unlikely to happen considering their enemy was Sesshomaru.

They sat quietly around a very small fire. Hiei, Koga and Youko were off checking the forest around them. Yusuke continued to grumble. He had not been ready to stop for the night, but had agreed when Hiei pointed out his exhaustion. They both knew that in order to rescue Kagome, they needed everyone at their best.

"So, how did this happen?" Kuwabara questioned Botan, "Why is Youko with us and not Kurama?"

"Isn't it obvious?" she replied, "Kagome. He's helping to find her. Our Kurama did a lot of thinking after you guys left. He came to a conclusion and in the end he let Youko take control."

"Did he admit to liking her? Our Kurama, I mean." Yusuke asked with seriousness in his voice, "He should just admit it."

"What Kurama and I discussed will be kept between the two of us." Botan held up her hand when Yusuke tried to protest, "I will not betray a friend's trust, Yusuke. He never said I could share our conversation with you."

"You have a point." Yusuke muttered. It wasn't the answer he was looking for, but something in Botan's eyes gave him the feeling that his friend had confided his feelings with her. He smirked and chuckled.

"Back so soon?" Botan looked up from the fire as Koga sat next to her. He grinned at her.

"They sent me back." he grumbled only a little. He wasn't wholly agitated with the way they had commanded him. He did get to return to sit with Botan.

"It's alright. Both Youko and Hiei know the Makai very well." Genkai replied. She snuggled a bit more into the neko she was leaning against, "It's best you guys get some rest. We'll be travelling most of the day tomorrow."

"You guys go ahead and rest. I'll wait for the others to return." Koga stated and not allowing the others to protest. He waved them off.

"Thank you." Botan said softly and giggled at the faint blush that passed Koga's cheeks. She laid down next to where he was sitting.

---- With Hiei and Youko ----

They had been sitting in the same spot for more than twenty minutes, neither saying a word to the other.

Hiei's jagan continued scanning the area, but there was nothing nearby to alert them to any danger. For some reason Sesshomaru had yet to send anyone out to find them.

"I have a feeling he wants to face us himself." Youko finally broke the silence.

"Let him. He can't face all of us." Hiei replied.

"He'll try to. The sword he wields, the legendary Tetsusaiga, is capable of destroying one hundred demons with just one stroke."

"We should be able to disarm him. It'll just take..."

"Teamwork? You can say it, Hiei, it won't kill you." Youko grinned slightly.

"Tell me again why you're here?" Hiei scowled.

"Simple really. I want her. My other half wants her. It's been a long time since I've stolen anything from a taiyoukai. Stealing the girl back will be quite the challenge." Youko smirked. He liked a challenge.

"What about Sesshomaru? You can't have her..."

"Unless he's dead, I know. He'll be taken care of." Youko growled lowly, "You can bet on that."

"Let's head back to the others. There's nothing out here." Hiei rose to his feet. In a quick blurr he was gone.

"Hang tight, Kagome. We're coming for you." Youko stood and started making his way back to the campsite.

Kagome stared at the bright moon in the sky from the balcony ajoined to her room. She knew he was right. She couldn't escape from him this time. Not in this condition. She wouldn't even risk it. Where would she run to if she even tried? This wasn't Feudal Japan. She didn't have a well she could escape to or friends to run to for protection.

Her eyes widdened and she looked around. She had been so absorbed into her own fears that she had forgotten just how close a couple of her friends were. How they needed her to help save them.

She hesitated by the door to her room. There was no way to sneak around without Sesshomaru knowing, but she had to find them. She swallowed her nerves and opened the door slowly.

The hallways were faintly lit, but she recognized the nearby stairway that led to the lower level. She went slowly at first, doing her very best to keep quiet. As she neared the bottom of the steps she stopped and looked around. Once satisfied she was alone, she continued her exploration, unaware of the set of golden eyes watching her every move.

She felt her way around and picked up on the energy of female kitsune she had seen earlier. She located the kitsune just coming out of the kitchen.

"Um...excuse me." Kagome said timidly. The kitsune turned to face her, surprised by the human's appearance.

"Y...yes?" she replied quietly.

"The garden, can you tell me where it is? I can't sleep." she asked quietly. The kitsune stared at her. She could just see her lord watching from the top of the stairs. He gave her a short nod of approval.

"I will bring you there." the kitsune answered, "This way please."

Kagome was led through the dining hall and out through a large stone doorway. The kitsune stopped and motioned for her to continue on the path.

"Thank you." Kagome gave a slight bow and walked away.

The path wasn't very long and before she realized it, Kagome was standing in a vast and beautiful garden. The structure containing her two friends standing in the very center.

She wanted to cry as she stepped before her two friends. They were right there and she had no idea how to help them, how to free them from their confinement. She ran her hand across the surface. The top layer seemed to waver under her touch and the bracelet on her wrist glowed faintly. Kagome stared at the bracelet. Was there a connection?

"It's faint. Maybe because my energy still hasn't recovered from that blast." she pressed her fingers against it harder, "It reacts with my energy. Why though?"

"What are you doing out here?" his cold voice asked from the dark and Kagome spun towards the sound. She paused and scanned the area. She knew he was there, she just couldn't sense him or see him, "I asked you a question."

"I..." she was at a loss for words. She stared up at her friends.

"You did not have my permission to come out here." he stepped from the shadows and approached her. His cold, golden eyes narrowed on her. She stepped back and found herself unable to move any farther.

"Don't..." she whispered, "Please don't..."

He stopped as a faint glow engulfed her and the spread out. He smirked slightly. He had been unaware that his mate was capable of such skills as making a barrier.

"When did you come into your miko powers? You weren't this strong when you left." he remained where he was, observing Kagome from a safe distance.

"I...It was..." she shook her head. She was growing faint, "I...need to...lie down."

The barrier around her dropped and Kagome fell forward unonscious, landing in Sesshomaru's arms. He lifted her into his arms and carried her back inside to her room. Before leaving her in her bed for the night he took along a new toy in the form of a tiny silver bracelet.

"It was brave of him to give this to you. I'll have to remember to thank him when I return his spirit detective to him in pieces."