Purity

Disclaimer: Again, I don't own it.

Fore note: I can see people are reading this again, but I have gotten one review. I need feedback to continue. Is it good? Not good? What do you like/hate? I love getting information on where you think it should be going or where it shouldn't be.

Last Time:

What the hell was wrong with him? He growled loudly, scaring birds away as he appeared in front of Jaken. "Move the Miko's things to the room beside mine." He ordered.

"Yes, my Lord." Jaken turned. "Lord Sesshomaru?"

"What is it, Jaken?"

"Rin was concerned that the Miko may die… and I told her there was no chance. Please, do not kill her when you mate her."

Sesshomaru's expression never changed as Jaken scuttled away to do his bidding, but his eyes twinkled. He hoped she would survive as well. He was unsure if once would be enough for the monster that lurked beneath the surface.

Once would have to be enough for the monster.

At least, that is what he told himself as he walked towards his study.

Just once.

This time:

Chapter Seven

Quote: You know how I get when I'm alone.

Broken

InuYasha stood, staring down at the body that was once Kikyo. Her lifeless eyes looked at him- a kind of peace set in them. She had survived; but it was short lived. The mating had been too much for fragile Kikyo. But she looked happy. Happy that she had finally could be with the man she had loved so much. With a human body. He stared down at her, something inside of him breaking as he slumped to the floor and lifted her against him. How could he have subjected Kikyo to such a thing?

Even a half-demon, a hanyou like himself, should have known better than to do some of the things he had done to her. But why was she fully alive again? His head shot up. "Kagome…" She must have made a wish, or died. He tucked his face into Kikyo's neck; inhaling the smell of death that he was so accustomed to on her. She had smelled beautiful the day prior; like wildflowers blowing through the breeze. He couldn't cry. He had no tears to give. Just anger. Why did she not survive?

He had nobody to blame but himself. He must have messed up the mating somehow. As his eyes bled red, all he could think about was how to find the one woman he knew could replace Kikyo in his eyes.

"Kagome…"

A feral growl was heard as he left Kikyo's body in the hut they had made their own.

….

Sesshomaru paced in his study. It was very unlike him to pace. He growled at himself as he noticed just how many things he had done recently that were out of character. Clearly, Kagome had to have put a spell on him. 'Spell? More like you're growing accustomed to her presence. You desire her.' The demon growled in his head. He growled at himself again.

But it was true. He sat on the ledge of the window, watching Kagome and Rin run through the flowers in the clearing with a natural ease.

As though Kagome wasn't thinking of the mating at all.

What if he killed her? He scoffed. Preposterous. He was the mighty Lord Sesshomaru! Messing up anything was not in his nature. He was sure in his abilities as a demonic Lord and a lover in this moment; as he reassured himself he would never take her life. He was not a fool. He knew the risks of mating with a human. He had told himself over the hundreds of years that he wouldn't mate one- yet here he was, having marked a Miko. A Miko he planned to consummate with.

He really wanted to consummate. He growled at the wayward thought, running a hand through his hair. "Now I am picking up her nervous habits. Pathetic." He snapped his wrist, unleashing the poison whip. "I am not going to lower myself any further with these thoughts. I am not craving any affection from the Miko. She is simply a mistake I have made. She was in heat; what is equivalent to heat that is and that is why I did what I had."

"Don't tell her that dear." Sesshomaru's mother, who he should have sensed before she spoke, startled him. He inwardly cursed himself. "She is a beautiful woman, with powers that will clearly only improve the likelihood of powerful pups. Her chances of surviving this mating is great. Besides… she is in control of the Shikon and just having that is worth the mating." She sat down.

"What are you doing here, mother? I would have thought you to return home by now."

"Women don't like being told they are a mistake Sesshomaru." She picked imaginary fluff from her kimono. "I will return home after the Miko is your mate; officially your mate and not just marked."

"Why does that matter?"

"Another youkai can still take her."

He growled. "No. She is mine."

"So you desire her?"

….

Kagome walked towards Sesshomaru's study with a tray full of snacks, Rin by her side. "Kagome-sama, do you think he'll enjoy some of these things?" Rin pointed to the grapes and cheese. "This seems like a very human meal and Lord Sesshomaru generally likes meat."

"Too much meat is bad for you Rin, and he'll eat it and enjoy it or he can kiss my-" She smiled. "Never mind." Kagome licked her lips. "Let's just sit in the study and eat with him." They were almost outside the doors to the study when she heard the question. The silence that followed gave her pause.

It was almost as though he didn't want to answer. She could see his face through the crack in the doors, as he looked to be examining his mother in the chair she sat in. How he had not sensed her and Rin yet, she didn't know. "Yes." Sesshomaru answered. Her heart gripped tight in her chest, feeling as though a weight were crushing it. Hope bloomed in her. Maybe he did have feelings and he wasn't just a chunk of ice. A sexy piece of ice, but ice none the less. "Only because she is a powerful Miko am I willing to go through with this mating. She would be useless if she were nothing but a filthy ningen."

And just like that, the heart shattered into a million pieces.

Three things happened. The tray dropped from her hands, spilling grapes and cheese everywhere. Sesshomaru's head snapped up and his eyes locked with Kagome's. She smiled softly, finally understanding where she belonged in the world. She turned, patted Rin on the head, and walked away.

….

Rin looked at her Lord, eyes full of hurt. She was upset. Upset at his crass words. Upset at the look Kagome had given her. Upset at the wasted food. Sesshomaru's mother stood and Rin bowed to her. "Kagome-sama had wanted to share a snack with you, my Lord; but I can see you are busy." She stepped back, keeping her eyes downcast.

"Rin."

"I must go complete lessons for the day." She went to turn.

"Rin." He said more firmly. "How much did you hear?"

"Enough to know that Kagome-sama will never stay with us." Tears filled her eyes. "You've ruined everything Lord Sesshomaru!" She threw a grape at him before she turned and ran away to her favorite hiding place.

….

Kagome walked and walked and walked. Through the woods she strolled. There had never been any real reason for her to stay after all. She had been delusional to think that he had grown attached to her; that he wanted her to be around. It had been months of her living in the castle. Months of her spending time with him, months of teaching Rin. And now that she knew that she was just useful because she was the Shikon Miko? Of course. All anyone had wanted her for in this era was her ability to sense the shards.

"Why did I have to fall down that well?" She whispered. She stopped at a stream, leaning down to splash her face. She was strong. He had told her before how much he had not wanted to mate a Miko before. "So why is it that is the only reason he is willing to mate me now?" She chewed her lower lip. "Unless he is hiding his feeling. Which he probably is. What an asshole." She shook her head, wiping the water from her face with the sleeve of her kimono.

"You haven't changed a bit." She jumped at the voice. With wide eyes, she looked up to see the one person who she did not want to see. The jewel, embedded in her body, glowed like a beacon to a demon. "How is it that you still live and the jewel is still whole?"

"InuYasha…" She whispered. She stepped back, tripping over the hem of the kimono to land on her bottom. "What are you talking about?" InuYasha sniffed the air, eyes landing on the hem of her neck.

"You've been marked to be a mate by Sesshomaru? That is a surprise. After all; he hates humans, doesn't he? I am surprised he marked you."

"He does not care for me." Kagome stated. "If you must know, it is so there will be powerful heirs of the Taisho line." She lied.

His eyes roved her figure through the kimono, causing her to want to wrap her arms around herself. Her bottom was getting cold from the ground. When had it started raining? She shivered.

He jumped, landing to hover over her on crouched legs. He straddled her waist, looking down at her with blood-red eyes. She took a shaky breath. He grabbed the collar of her kimono, ripping a large part of the fabric away to look at the mark. "You've yet to complete the full mating. Even a hanyou like myself can tell. You don't have his scent anywhere except here." He touched the mark with a claw, causing blood to drain and a burning sensation in her neck. "I had completed the mating ritual with Kikyo." He started. "Kikyo was human. I assumed Sesshomaru had killed you off. Or you had wished her whole. But the jewel still exists…. I could bring her back." His eyes narrowed on her. "Wish her alive Kagome." He reached out, touching her cheek with a clawed hand. "Bring back the person I love, Kagome." He grabbed her by the throat. "Or I will give her life myself."

She swallowed. She was probably going to die here.

And she was fine with that.

She closed her eyes.

"No."

….

Sesshomaru growled angrily as he rushed through the forest, following the trail Kagome had taken. How could he explain anything to her if she left? Frustration bloomed anew in his chest as he smelled a scent he shouldn't have. 'InuYasha is near? That mutt has no business being here.' Anxiety, though he would never admit to it, and concern had him uncurling his poison whip. InuYasha would die if he lay a hand on Kagome.

He hoped he was not too late.

Rin would never forgive him if Kagome died.

He would never forgive himself if Kagome died. His pack was incomplete without her. "Bring back the person I love, Kagome, or I will give her life myself."

"No." He heard ahead, as though she were standing beside him. He heard the crack. He growled ferociously when he breeched the clearing and saw Kagome lying unconscious, kimono open as InuYasha prepared to rip the jewel from her abdomen. His roar of fury caused InuYasha to look up, eyes wide. The demonic energy that spilled from Sesshomaru sent birds and demons alike scattering from the area for miles. Kagome was bleeding from the wound on her head; he could smell it.

"Get away from my mate." He stepped closer to InuYasha, who smiled at him with an eerie sense of calm.

"She'll be dead soon."

"You will not cause her any more harm than you already have."

At that, InuYasha sliced down her abdomen. "I will harm her." He growled. "I must get the jewel. I must wish Kikyo alive again."

"Your Miko was dead for years. She is not meant to dwell amongst the living."

"Kagome is not meant for this time." His claws slashed another bloody path through her skin. Kagome didn't so much as flinch. He could barely hear the beat of her heart.

"Kagome is MINE!" He growled, youki spiraling out of control around him. InuYasha plunged his hand through her abdomen. Sesshomaru lost it. He launched himself at InuYasha, who fled faster than he had ever seen before. Kagome lay in a puddle of blood. She grew whiter and whiter. He landed next to her, leaning to lift her body against his. There was no time. She could not die once more. He bit into the mark of her neck; feeling the transfer of power from himself to her. He smelled the strong stench of blood as it soaked into his hakama. He had never attempted to save a human in this manner. He had never attempted to save anyone in this manner.

But he had also never been mated before.

He clenched her to his chest as he pulled back, looking down into her face. Her pale face.

He could not hear her heart beating.

His heart felt as though it were going to stop beating beside hers.

"Do not die woman. I want a mate. I want you." He touched his forehead to hers, feeling foolish and stupid… "I do not know what you have done to me, but I have grown accustomed to your presence. Accustomed to your scent. I marked you because I desire you." And he stopped. "I do not think I can live without you." He growled.

He fell to the ground, very dramatically in his own mind, and held her against him. For the first time in his life, he felt like crying. He raised his head to the sky and howled.

….

Th-thump. Th-thump. Th-thump.

….

If that doesn't warrant some reviews I don't know what to do!

Jaime