Chapter 3

Sesshomaru opened his eyes to the sun streaking through the trees. A faint smile flickered across his face when he looked down at the woman he was holding until she began to awaken. Her long-lashed eyelids fluttered open to reveal chocolate pools.

Kagome awoke to find a gorgeous man looking at her. His arms were strong but gentle around her, his silver hair blowing slightly with the breeze, the sun lighting up his face. His golden eyes glittered with kindness and compassion. She giggled when his tail gently tickled her shoulder.

Wait. Silver hair, golden eyes, a tail?

"Sesshomaru!" Kagome tried to leap up and out of his arms, but when she stood on her legs, waves of pain forced her to collapse. Sesshomaru immediately jumped up to gracefully catch her.

"You should not be moving around so much in your condition."

When she had regained enough strength, Kagome to a look at herself. She gasped at realizing her near nakedness, and quickly tried to cover herself, to no avail. She also noticed the deep wounds down her back, more out of where the pain was originating from than actual sight.

"What are you doing here?" Kagome was trembling down to her very core. Here she was, at the mercy of Sesshomaru, who has no mercy to begin with!

Sesshomaru could feel the girl trembling in arms. He had to catch himself to stop from smiling. He found her fear slightly endearing. "I found you unconscious, being attacked by a youkai, and severely wounded. You could thank me for helping you."

He helped me? "So why did you help me?" I thought Sesshomaru hated humans.

Sesshomaru put on his best stoic face. "You saved Rin. I was indebted to you."

Then why was he holding me? "Well, I should be heading back." Although how, I don't know!

Sesshomaru smirked. "How exactly do you plan on doing that?"

Before she could even attempt to answer, she heard some rustling nearby.

"Sesshomaru! What did you do to Kagome?" Inuyasha leapt out of the bushes.

"I have done nothing wrong. I simply destroyed the youkai that attacked me. Your woman happened to be near by."

But that's not what he told me! Kagome suddenly realized Sesshomaru was still holding her. Inuyasha looked just about ready to explode.

She tried to climb out of Sesshomaru's arms, but she felt the waves of pain again. Sesshomaru noticed her struggle but would not put her down.

Inuyasha started to growl. "Why are you holding her? Put her down!"

"I do not need to explain myself to a half breed like you. I will gladly put her down if she would just stand up."

Kagome looked at him, horrified. He knows I can't get up! Why would he do this? She started to get up again, forcing herself through the pain. Just as she stood on her two feet, an absolute tsunami of pain hit her, and her world flickered in and out of sight.

Inuyasha noticed her trembling and grew worried. He finally noticed that what she was scantily wrapped in was cloth to cover wounds. Just as he looked back at her face, he saw a sight he never wished to see again. As she tried to take a step forward, the cloth on her back came undone and he saw awful, yellow-green flesh where her wound was. Kagome s face completely drained of blood. Her eyes rolled back in her head and she collapsed to the ground.

Inuyasha was horrified at what he had seen. Even Sesshomaru was appalled. Her wound had not been nearly that bad last night. The strong miko had totally and utterly collapsed, and she looked as if she would be out for quite a while.

Inuyasha came to his senses and gently picked Kagome up and rewrapped her wounds. Cradling her gently, he hurried back to the village, hoping Kaede could help her. Inuyasha was so preoccupied with Kagome that he didn't notice Sesshomaru following behind. He also missed the sincerely worried expression on his face.