~Kagome POV~

I wasn't paying too much attention to where I was going; all I knew is that I needed some time alone.

As I looked around I noticed that I had stumbled onto a small little meadow, it was dotted with flowers that looked white in the moonlight. I walked into it and searched out with my powers really hoping that there were no demons around to disturb my thoughts.

Kikyo obviously felt that by me leaving I had somehow betrayed InuYasha. Then there was InuYasha himself. He has been calling me his mate since I returned, which to be honest pissed me off. Before I had left, sure sometimes he showed me that he wanted me near him, but for the majority of our time together he would constantly pick a fight with me. He would complain about all the times I had to be rescued and how Kikyo was such a better archer.

As I remembered all the times he had gone running off to Kikyo, every single time without fail I had been left forgotten. He really had some nerve labeling me his mate now. He had no right to get all possessive of me now when his choice on who he wanted in his life was so obvious in the past, why should things change now? It shouldn't, I had Alex and I knew Alex would never compare me to anyone…he loved me for just being me. I looked up at the night sky and wondered how I was going to get thought this mission without causing some serious damage to that stupid demon.

"Kagome! What the hell are you doing out here by yourself?"

'Speak of the devil and the devil will appear' I thought to myself as I turned around to see InuYasha make his way towards me with three good size pheasants in hand.

"Can't I get some peace and quiet around here?" I snapped at him "I came out here to think things over, now go away"

He walked up to me and glared at me "The fuck I am, you can't be out here by yourself, what if a demon where to attack?"

"Then I'll kick the living snot out of it….haven't you figured it out? I can protect myself now…I don't need your interference" I said then started to walk back to camp since I knew that he wouldn't leave until I did.

"I don't give a shit Kagome. As your mate it is my responsibility to see to your safety and well-being"

I turned whirled around at his statement "I am NOT your mate InuYasha. You can't just claim me after four years of not being together"

He snarled and dropped his kill to grab me by waist and pulled me to his body. I was about to blast him when I felt his fangs at my throat.

'Oh shit' I thought.

"You need to let go before I do some serious damage to you" I whispered since he was still latched on my throat. The growls and snarls that were coming out of his throat and chest vibrated throughout his whole body making my own bones rattle. Then I felt him licked my neck slowly as if savoring the taste of my skin. It almost made my eyes roll in the back of my head; the sensation had sent little shots of lighting throughout my body.

"You are mine Kagome…..the only thing that these four years did was open my eyes as to who you were. You are my lifemate. Do you have any idea what it felt like to wake up injured and disoriented from battle looking for you and being told that you had gone back to your time? Even worse, Kikyo sealed the well and told me what you said? That as long as she was near I would forget about you?" He sighed then nuzzled my neck as his arms pulled me closer, I could feel every inch of his hard muscles, his warm body and his scent where being penetrated into my very skin.

"I know….I know that you felt like I kept choosing Kikyo over you. I made more mistakes than I care to count…some almost costing you're your life; I was such an idiot. Understand that it wasn't out of love that kept me going to her; it was out of obligation and guilt. My demon never claimed you as my mate because I was so sure that you would always be here, my demon was silent because it felt you close. I think deep inside I always knew you were my mate but I was too stupid and blind to realize what my heart was trying to tell me. It was there every single time Koga came near you, or when that idiot from your time got too close, or whenever you were in danger…my instinct to protect you no matter the cost would always give me the added strength to defeat all those who would do you harm"

I wanted to push him away, I was angry at his words. That he would realize what I was to him only after I had left, it was unfair and wrong. And yet being here with him under the moonlight was everything I had wanted four years ago, I remembered when all I had wanted was to hold him, to feel like I was special to him. I had loved him with all of my heart that it pained me to know that he would never be mine that his heart would always belonged to someone else.

"Forgive me koi….I should have put you first long time ago" he said as he pulled back to look down at me "Give me chance to prove to you that I have changed, you come first Kagome, you are my first priority"

I pull out of his arms and pin him with a glare "InuYasha, you are my friend; I came back because It's my responsibility to defeat and kill off Naraku. After my mission here is done I'm going back to my era and my godfathers unit…with Alex" I said then stomped away from him.

"Damit it woman! Do you not understand that I can't let you do that!" he said as he walked over to block my path "The only thing this little attitude is going to get you is a dead boyfriend because I am itching to take a good swipe at the bastard"

"You know what InuYasha…..I don't care if you think I'm your mate, I don't care if you think you have some moronic claim on me. I am my own woman, I decide who the hell I want in my life and right now…that person is not you. So either you get your head out of your ass and deal with the shit or we part paths here. I'm sorry for leaving while you injured…trust me I did feel bad because of that, but I needed to leave. I was sick and tired of everything! Of being place second to Kikyo, of seeing your look on longing every fucking time you saw her soul collectors, of the fights, of your snide comments, of your jealously every time some male would show their interest in me. You are the biggest hypocrite I have ever known" I felt like I have been holding all this back for a long time and the dam just broke.

"You belittle me, insult me, use me then threw me away. There are only so many times that you can kick a dog before it starts biting back…well you took your last kick so the next time you think you have any claim on me you better keep away or I will bite and trust me I'll be drawing blood"

With that I walked away from him.

When I got back to camp I saw Alex standing away from camp looking up at the sky. His arms folded his legs apart and his shoulders stiff. He looked like he was on the alert. I smiled fondly at him; he was on 'look out'.

"Alex?" I said softy as I touched his arm making him look down at me frowning.

"Are you okay puţină dragoste" he said softy calling me his 'little love' I nodded to him "Are we okay?" he asked next almost hesitantly.

"Yes" I breathed then wrapped my arms around his waist "We are okay"

"You seemed so upset by what Kikyo said, I was afraid you were having doubts about us now"

I felt awful. Alex has been my rock for the past two years, how could I just leave without at least explaining things to him? He deserved better than what I did.

"I will admit that it stuck a sensitive spot but I think things are going to be okay now" I said then looked back to see InuYasha walk into camp and gave the pheasants to Miroku before leaping up to sit in one of the branches of the trees.

Alex was looking down at me then looked to were my gaze lingered then sighed before he rubbed his face with one hand.

"Kagome, I understand how you feel about him. You have never kept it hidden from me, I knew this wasn't going to be easy when I volunteered to come, but if you are having second thoughts about us…then I rather know now"

I shook my head at him "No Alex, it's not like that. Yes I still care for him, but too much has happened between us, too many misunderstandings, too many insults and bad blood that I don't think we could ever wipe it clean"

He saw him nod then he smiled at me almost knocking me senseless, he had that devastating effect on women. He pulled me into his arms, cradling me to his chest while he laid his cheek on top of my head.

I could hear InuYasha growling but he kept his distance.

"I think we have an audience" murmured Alex "want me to tranq him?" he said with a laugh

I chuckled shaking my head at him "No..I think our little 'talk' in the woods made my feelings very clear"

"I had a feeling that was going to happen" he said but I couldn't detect any jealously in his words just an observation. He grinned at me then leaned down to kiss my lips softly, making me sigh at his familiar touch. As I leaned into his body I kept getting a sick feeling in my stomach, as if some internal radar was telling me that this as wrong. I ignored it along with the snarls emulating from a nearby tree.

When he pulled back he rested his forehead to mine "Come on…you need some sleep" he said as he took me over to where he had laid down our sleeping bags.

I stifled a yawn as I realized just how tired I was. It's been a very emotional night.

"Yeah..I'm beat" I looked over to Sango and Miroku who were eating "Hey guys, I'm gonna hit the hay now"

"Yes, I think that is a good idea" said Miroku finishing up his portion of pheasant "We all know that InuYasha likes to make an early leave"

I nodded but then noticed at the cold look Kikyo was giving me.

"The past is past Kikyo, drop it" I said sternly but not before she sighed "I still think you're making a mistake Kagome, why can't you see that what InuYasha and I have is friendship now? I have no desire to pull him to hell with me anymore"

"Because too much has happened to make me forget" I gave her soft smile "I don't hold any grudges against you Kikyo, we are one you and I, and to hate you is to hate myself. Please let's just drop it and let it be" with that being said I then started to disarm myself for the night.

Taking the quiver off my back I then unzipped my bulletproof vest, then unclipped the straps to my knives that where concealed under the vest. Next I undid the holder to my guns that where at my thighs placing one of the guns right next to where I would be laying.

"Uh…what is all of that?" said Sango who was watching me intently.

"My gun" I said then realized that they have not invented guns yet "It's like an automated arrow only it shoots out the tips at incredible speeds. It kills instantly if you shoot it right" I said then took the other Ruger out of the holster making sure the safety was on and handed it to Sango for her inspection.

"Why do you carry these instead of the bow and arrows that are customary to priestess?" asked Kikyo who was looking at the gun with distaste.

I didn't expect her to understand, but then again nether did I when I asked the same thing to Uncle Rick.

"Kikyo, you know I don't belong in this era. I was born in the 21st century and the reason why my powers where so dimmed here was because I kept trying to use weapons that where from your era..not mine. I am your reincarnation Kikyo, that means that your soul…our soul has had 500 years to become stronger but it wasn't showing before because I kept trying to bring it down to your level..sorry I mean no disrespect, but it remains the truth. The only reason I am as strong as I am now is because I am finally using the weapons of my era. The same way your bow gives you strength" I unclipped my steel black bow and gave it a hard yank so that it retraced into my sniper bow "this is what gives me mine" I finished handing it over to her for examination.

She frowned as she tried to pull back the string but found it hard to do so "How can you use this? It's so unyielding"

I nodded then took back my bow and pulled out one of my diamond edge arrows and pulled it back expertly. Now that I had my bulky vest off the muscles on my arms, stomach and chest where clearly visible as I pulled the string as if it were a violin. I let it fly as it speared the stem on an apple. The apple landed on the grown, the arrow never broke the skin of the fruit.

"My bow was designed for me specially and I have four years of training to master it" I said as I saw their shocked expressions.

"Wow Kagome" said Shippo as he ran up my shoulder "You sure have grown into a powerful priestess"

I smiled as I ruffed his hair "Thanks baby..want to sleep with me?" I knew that Shippo missed me and he always used to sleep with me. He nodded happily.

As I bid everyone good night as I ignored the pair of eyes I was sure where following me.

~InuYasha POV~

Mate

Damit! My demon wouldn't leave me alone. It wanted the blood of that bastard who slept so close to what was mine. I could almost taste his blood as I imagined gutting him alive. I snarled as I see him kneel by Kagome who was fast asleep and caress her cheek as if he had the right to do so. When she had pulled off her outer black top I almost groaned at the sight of her curvy little body. The way her body was toned and sleek yet clearly all woman had my demon calling out to its mate. The power she held as she expertly handed her strange black bow was amazing, she was all woman in a deadly little package.

'Little angel of death' I saw how appropriate that name was for her now.

I drop down form my tree careful to no wake Kagome as I land directly in front of her sleeping form in a crouch baring my fangs at the man. He narrows his eyes on me but doesn't attempt to reach for his weapon. I take a step back so that now Kagome's body was in between my legs as I challenge him to move me.

"If you know what's good for you…I would suggest you stop touching, kissing and assuming that my mate is yours" I snarl at the man.

After what Kagome told me in the meadow I knew that I was very close to losing her forever and I wanted to whine and hold her close to me. I wanted to claw inside of her sleeping bag and pull her to my body so that on one could pry her from me. If it wasn't for this man who held a part of her heart it would have been easier for Kagome to come back to me. Her words rang in my ears as she yelled at me everything that had been bothering her for the past four years. I called myself every bad name that I could think about for the way I had behaved with her in the past.

"You know what's funny about this demon? Is the fact that I had just as much time with her as you have if not more and yet in the two years that you've had her she's suffered more than in the warfare jungles of South America. She's seen shit no innocent should have seen, trained to the point of exhaustion and yet…she's overcome all of that. Then she comes back here and now I see more pain in her blue eyes than while back in our time. Tell me…what does that tell you? She's better off with me, you don't deserve her"

I growled as I move so that I was crouched by her head "What the fuck do you know about it?" I spat out not letting it show just how much his words ran like poison in my blood because I knew it was true "You know nothing of our past, your just here to help her defeat Naraku. Do you even know the history behind that?"

I wondered just how much Kagome told him about our mission.

"I know he's evil and needs to be defeated, that is enough for me. I've been on much more complex missions with her so as long as I'm with her I don't give a shit who I need to take down. For her I will walk into hell without hesitation"

Fuck. This bastard was going to be hard to get rid of. He was just as devoted to Kagome was I was. If I wanted to win over Kagome I had to play my cards right, I had to make her see that I have grown and changed; that we were made for each other, our souls called out for one another. With that in mind I smirked as I got up to my full height and looked at the other male.

"Okay…how about we call a truce?" I felt the words like acid down my throat; this was going waayyyyyy out of my instincts.

I saw the prick raise a golden eyebrow at me then chuckled.

"Oh I see…okay sure why not demon? Truce" he said holding his hand over to me. I grimaced at his outstretched hand but grasp it to seal our deal.

I let go of his hand as quickly as I could, I would have to wash it as soon as possible. I hated his scent which was all around my mate, but I had to suppress the urge to grab her and rub my body on hers to get rid of the stench.

I jumped on top of the branch which over looked Kagome so that I could act as guard. I would bide my time and execute my actions just right. By the time the month was over Kagome would be in my arms where she belonged, where she has always belonged.

As I looked at Alex I saw that he was propped up on a tree with his weapon keeping guard as well. The fucking idiot thought that he had the advantage, I wanted to laugh at him but I didn't. Smirking I let my eyes linger over Kagome's angelic face.

Mate. Our Mate.

'Soon….' Then an old saying popped into my mind when it came to battle strategy that made me laugh softy.

'Victory to the spider'

I would wait, perched as I observed and play the part and when the moment was right I would strike.