Holy Hell! I just can't believe how much you all love this story! When I first began writing it... Oh so long ago... I didn't really expect it to be taken to so well. Mainly because I have never really liked this story to begin with... until Kei made his grand appearance in my imagination. If it weren't for him; this story would have quickly gone NO WHERE!

I must say though; I had no I idea that my naught little kitty was going to find so much love out there; generally because OC's usually aren't really liked all that well. Accepted... yes; liked... possibly... but loved? Very rarely does that happen. (And if paid or persuaded enough I just MIGHT CONSIDER sharing him. Might being the key word.) So I give you all my undying gratitude in your acceptance of my sneaky neko and tell you all this. Due to the many demands (mainly on another site) that I write a Kei/Kags story I have submitted to doing so. I am currently working on it and once it is finished I will begin posting it. (Most likely after I finish this story.)

Once again thanks for the support, the reviews, and for taking time out of your life to read this. Much love for you all. Keva

XX

Kei stood in the trees outside the palace walls trying not to laugh, for laughing would give away his location; but the look on his lord's face when he emerged from the hot springs was priceless. He had the face of a man who had been built up to the edge of his ultimate release only to be denied and left throbbing with painful need.

Sure he knew when Sesshoumaru managed to escape the hot springs he was going to come after him so he made sure to get outside the walls as soon as he heard the stone wall crumble around the springs. Not to mention Sesshoumaru had telepathically informed him of what he was going to do to him once he got his claws upon his miserable hide. "You have to find me first you cold bastard." He whispered to himself as he watched said bastard exit the palace walls.

Sesshoumaru sniffed the air trying to scent out the soon to be dead neko general, and quickly noted the cat sitting up in a tree far to his right. With an inward snort he swept away to the left, giving the neko the false sense that he outsmarted his lord. The cat was always so confident in his abilities to elude him, but his down fall was always his own ego. He would have the neko on his knees begging for his life before the sun moved from its position.

"Damn" Kei hissed to himself as he watched Sesshoumaru move in the opposite direction of his hiding place. It really wasn't fair; the inu had higher scenting abilities than he had; giving the mutt a clear advantage. Sure both of them could hear as well as the other and their brazier instincts were fairly similar in the sense of their youkai abilities, but Kei had a small advantage over the inu and that was his craftiness.

Dogs were pretty straight forward in their attacks and hunting skills, but he was a neko; sly to the bone. The taiyoukai was going to be in for a big surprise if he thought he was going to sneak up on him. Kei smirked as he turned and went deeper into the forest.

xx

Kagome wrapped herself in her towel and climb from the hot spring, cursing every living kind of male she could think of and even a few dead one's as well; starting with who ever sired the jackass of the west. "Really birth control should have seriously been considered the moment the bastard was conceived." She hissed to herself as she made her way towards her room.

She placed her hand on the shoji door and suddenly jerked it back like it was on fire. There was something or someone in her room that sent dark chills up her spine. She tried to shake off the feeling, telling herself it was just her imagination; but when she placed her hand on the door once again she felt cold fear crawl up her spine.

Stepping back from the door, she took off running as fast as her legs could carry her straight to Sesshoumaru's room; slamming the door shut behind her and jumping on the bed, grabbing his pillow cuddling it to her chest. "What the hell was that?" She whispered to herself in fear. "Sesshoumaru; Kei where are you guys?" She whimpered as she clutched the pillow tighter to her chest.

xx

Sesshoumaru held the neko up against the tree with his claws around his neck. "You will explain your behavior."

Kei; although having a hard time breathing, managed to smirk at his lord. "Do not pretend you didn't like being stuck alone with her." He cocked a knowing eyebrow at the demon lord. "Her arousal is all over you." He stated with a coughing chuckle.

Gold eyes narrowed and with one good squeeze he released his hold upon the neko.

"Is it so bad to acknowledge that you desire her?" Kei asked with a rub to his neck. "She is beautiful, fiery, and the first human I have ever seen stand against you."

Sesshoumaru turned and stared at the castle in the distance the contained the female. "She is a ningen."

"So." Kei stated like it meant nothing. "She is a woman; and with her spirit I bet she would be amazing when in the throws of passion." He looked over at the demon lord. "If you don't take her soon…" He started as he began walking towards the castle. "I will."

Sesshoumaru watched the neko walk away from him and growled low in his chest. He would never allow the neko to have the girl. She belonged to him and he would do with her as he pleased. With that last thought he rose from the ground on his jaki cloud and made for home.

xx

Landing on his balcony, Sesshoumaru opened the shoji door to his room and was immediately slammed full force in the face by the scent of the girl's fear. Looking into his room, he easily spotted her curled up in the center of his bed, wearing his black and silver haori. Walking up to the bed he stared down at her for a moment. "Girl"

As soon as the word left his lips, her eyes snapped open and before he could blink she was off the bed and attached to his person with arms and legs wrapped around him. He could feel her tears wetting his neck and wondered if this behavior was because of her womanly issues. Wrapping a single arm around her waist to hold her up he spoke up. "Explain"

Kagome sniffed against his neck before telling him of her problem. "Something is trying to kill me. It's in my room waiting for me." She shivered as that cold fear; a fear like she had never felt before attacked her entire being.

"Nonsense" He almost growled. "There is nothing to fear in my castle."

Her head shook against his neck. "You're wrong. Ever since the party something in this place has been off." She pulled her face from his neck so she could look into his eyes. "Like something or someone…" She furrowed her eyebrows slightly. "No, someones, as in more than just one being; do not belong here. Can't you feel it?" She whispered with wide fearful eyes hoping, wanting him to feel what she had felt for days. She never said anything, thinking it was nonsense and possibly her own irritability causing her unease; but when she went to her room she knew it was more than just her irritability.

Sesshoumaru felt what she was describing days ago, but dismissed it as ridiculousness. After his palace had been breeched twice he made sure that his barriers and guards were bumped up to the point that even a mosquito couldn't through without being noticed. Ever since he brought the girl home, it has been one disaster after another and his patience was quickly coming to an end.

He attempted to peel the girl from his person only to find; that like the last time she was attached to him in such a fashion, she was practically glued to him. "Girl you will release me." He was shocked when she slowly loosened her hold from him and slid down his front until her feet were on the floor; but she didn't let go completely. Her hands were locked into his haori with a death like grip on the white fabric.

"Don't leave me alone." She pleaded with fear in her voice.

Sesshoumaru jerked her hands from his clothing. "You are safe here." He stated as he turned to go and examine the girl's room; only to have her grab a hold of his haori from behind. He halted for a moment to inform her that she would release him but decided to ignore it to avoid the resistance she would surely give him. 'Kei, you will meet me in the hall by the girl's room.' Sesshoumaru ordered telepathically.

'Hai' Was the neko's response as he and the girl attached to him exited his chambers.

xx

As he drew closer to her door, she drew closer to his body almost to the point that she was flat against his back.

Kei stood in front of the shoji door to Kagome's room and smirked when he saw Sesshoumaru coming down the hall with the girl directly behind him, holding on to his haori like it was a lifeline. "So what now?" He asked as they stopped in front of him.

"Open the door." Sesshoumaru ordered and almost flinched when the girl readjusted her hold upon him, causing her fingernails to dig sharply into his flesh. Reaching behind him, he grasped her wrists jerked them from her hold upon him. He followed that up by unsheathing Tenseiga and shoving it into her hands. "It will protect you." He stated as he turned back to the door.

Kagome gripped the sword to her chest tightly and backed up against the wall across the hall from the door. "Don't go in there." She whispered, feeling the darkness of death hiding behind the door.

Sesshoumaru placed his hand on the door and could feel the essence of whatever was in the room seeping though the frame of the door. He looked over at Kei and a silent agreement was passed between them; then Sesshoumaru slid the door open, revealing a room covered in a very unnatural darkness.

As the two youkai began to enter the room, Kagome's panic; over the fact that if they went in there they were going to die, got the best of her and she shot forward to block them from entering. "NO!" She screamed as she slammed the door shut, in effect shutting herself in and them out.

Gold and copper eyes narrowed at the closed door and just as Sesshoumaru reached up to open it again, a spine shattering scream sounded from inside the room, forcing Kei to kick the door down. They were greeted with Kagome being held up in the air by two tentacles and Tenseiga glowing blue trying to protect itself from the evil.

"Naraku" Sesshoumaru growled as he shot into the room in a blur of sliver and white.

"Kagome! Purify it!" Kei yelled as he slashed out at the many tentacles that suddenly enveloped the room; slashing and stabbing at the two youkai.

"I can't." Kagome whimpered then cried out when the tentacles began to squeeze her tightly.

"Girl you will do as you are told." Sesshoumaru growled menacingly, as he shot his poison whip out, aiming for the source of the tentacles.

Again she whimpered as she called her powers forth; afraid that she was going to purify the two youkai she loved dearly. Tenseiga pulsed out its blue power, matching the strength of her pink purifying powers, covering the room in a strange purple light.

Naraku hissed against the burning of her purification energy and the swords protection powers. Before he could be purified he was going to kill the girl. As the tentacles that were wrapped around her body began to slowly melt into ash, he constricted them tightly around her body, trying to break her in two before she could escape.

"Girl" Sesshoumaru bit out in agitation. "Kill him now." He ordered as he locked his angry gold with her fearful blues.

Kagome's lip quivered as she kept her eyes locked with his while she increased her powers.

Kei hissed as a tentacle shot through his thigh and using his claws he cut it from his body, falling to his knee. "Son of a…" He trailed off as another tentacle shot towards him.

"Kei!" Kagome screamed seeing her friend fall to the floor. Suddenly her fear was replaced by anger, causing her powers to flare out filling the room with her rage.

Naraku screamed in pain as her powers surrounded him burning him from the inside out.

With one last burst of power, Kagome fell to the floor drained of all energy and a small pink stone rolling from her body. She gave a quick look around trying to spot either of her youkai companions and felt her eyes fill with tears when she didn't spot either one of them. "Sesshoumaru…" She whispered before darkness stole her senses away.