Disclaimer: I do not own Inuyasha or his characters, and have no right to it except as a long time fan.

Love Emerging Through Pain

Chapter Eight: Vying for Dominance

Six months had gone by since Kagome had broken down during her emotional conversation with Sesshomaru. In that time their routine had continued and been expanded upon.

Kagome had gotten into the habit of telling her daiyoukai companion her thoughts or writing them down so he could read them when she didn't feel up to talking. Because of this they had developed a quiet friendship. A friendship she never thought she would have with someone like him, but then that was when she believed him to be everything his hated half-brother said he was.

Some of it was true. He was a silent, cold, and cruel killer, but once he allowed you to get close you could see that there was more to him.

She found that he was a good teacher, a very good listener, and good at keeping her mind off of her depression. Despite the fact that he didn't like repeating himself he had no problem repeating that she was worth more than Inuyasha said she was, and not to let him have control of her. To never let him affect her again.

He had even taken the time to get a sheath for her sword made from Bakuseno's wood. Meeting Bakuseno and retrieving the wood had been a highly interesting process, and definitely one she wouldn't forget.

Kagome continued to work with her reiki, and Sesshomaru taught her how to suppress her aura and hide her scent, telling her that it was an essential skill to have, especially when you didn't want to be found. That was something she very much wanted; not to be found. Especially after he pointed out that Inuyasha could very well be looking for her.

He also had her constantly working with her weapons, and exercising when she wasn't doing that. She worked with expanding her skills with her bow, firing her arrows at moving and stationary objects, and continued to practice using her long daggers as her companion had taught her. They spared regularly with their swords before shifting to physical fighting until she was literally too weak and sore to continue.

She did sit-ups, push-ups, and used tree branches to do pull-ups. She ran laps around their camp, even when Sesshomaru wasn't setting her distances to run, widening her circle and the number of laps as she got used to a set.

As she exercised she constantly reminded herself of the one goal she had, the one thing she currently cared about: to make it so she could stand up to Inuyasha if or when she saw him again. She never wanted him to know how he had broken her or how much control he was having on her life without even being in her presence.

Kagome's mental healing was progressing as well and she was doing better. She no longer wanted to kill herself, but was still battling her depression. She was eating more and starting to feel healthier and physically fit, which all helped toward healing her mind. She had even earned Sesshomaru's trust, and was being given privacy and time alone when she needed it, which wasn't much. Just to bathe and relieve herself, but she appreciated that allowance.

Aside from her mental and physical health the more time that passed the more she was able to think on Inuyasha, to the point where she was now willing to speak his name, and what she thought of his behavior toward her. And her own culpability in how he treated her.

She remembered back to when she first came through the well and met him. How she thought he was cute with his soft white furry ears and amber eyes, but that he was rude and irritating.

As time passed, being with him day after day night after night, she got used to him and began to learn more about him. She learned of his childhood, met his older half-brother who obviously hated him, and saw that he had no one in his life. The one he used to have he believed she betrayed him, and she died believing he betrayed her. She couldn't help feeling sorry for him, and she thought that was where her troubles began.

She had allowed pity to become something it shouldn't have. It slowly morphed into love. Love for someone who hadn't earned and didn't deserve her love.

She supposed it could be expected. She had only just turned fifteen and was spending time with a good looking guy who always seemed to save the day and constantly protect her from death. A crush was bound to happen, but she hadn't grown out of it. Instead those teenage feelings had evolved into love.

She had loved him deeply. Did everything for him and almost everything he wanted. She had shown him that she respected him and loved him for the half demon he was and wouldn't change him for the world. She had even been faithful to him, never entertaining the thought of another guy that showed interest, even though they had never officially been a couple. That was just how loyal she was.

She had stuck with him through everything, even his need to keep a tainted promise to his resurrected love. Even when said corpse had tried to kill her and stolen jewel shards from her and he didn't believe her.

It hadn't helped her any that she hadn't gotten any reliable counseling on her situation. She had talked to Sango, but thinking back she realized that she herself had known nothing of true love and romance so she couldn't advise her properly. All she had said was to give him time most likely thinking he was having a hard time choosing between her and Kikyou, and that he would eventually come to his senses and pick her.

Even her mother couldn't really help her. She had helped her realize her feelings for Inuyasha but she never had all the details and never saw what was really going on in order to advise her properly.

Kagome had been doomed to muddle along as best she could feeling the way she did with the loving heart she had, and apparently have the jewel shards hide the truth of how low Inuyasha could sink.

She was still dreaming of memories of Inuyasha attacking her, and had noted with horror that each one showed him getting closer and closer to raping her. While she hadn't remembered the incidents he had obviously been learning from them, because each time she lost more clothing and he got further to his goal.

She knew that he had never felt guilt or remorse for what he had tried and did do to her. She hadn't remembered the attacks at the time, but she had no recollection of seeing any unexplained guilt from him and she knew what he looked and acted like when he was guilty of something.

It was still hard for her to believe but she knew a lot of his behavior toward her was partly her fault. She had accepted that behavior and allowed it to go on for years. Initially she had accepted it because she thought he didn't know better since he grew up alone and that was his way of showing affection, and later because she had fallen for him and didn't want to drive him away, away into Kikyou's arms.

Kagome could honestly say the only good thing to come out of her years of loving Inuyasha was that she learned how she loved. When she loved it was honest, complete, deep, and wholeheartedly.

It was just a shame she fell for the wrong person.

-oOoOoOo-

Kagome rolled to her left side with a light groan, her eyes cracking open unconsciously with her movement. Thirst. She thought groggily as she pushed back the top of her sleeping bag and began to slowly get to her feet. She didn't even have to look around to know that Sesshomaru was not there. She could feel the aura of his barrier surrounding the camp and knew that he would only do such a thing if he was going to be gone for any length of time while she was asleep.

The half sleep young woman took two steps in the direction she remembered the stream to be before she remembered to take along one of her major weapons. She knelt next to her sleeping bag and snatched up her sword since that was only one piece as oppose to her bow and quiver of arrows. She tied her sword to her left side as she began to make her way into the woods surrounding their little camp. Her half asleep mind told her that water was to her right, but her body began to head left instead.

She walked on and on, the cool breeze of the night air waking her fully as her light gray cloth shorts and white t-shirt were not enough to protect her from the breezy element. As she walked she began to feel as if she were being led in that direction. She tried to stop but it was as if her body refused to listen to her mind. Wearily she continued on, knowing that she was in trouble and idly wondering if Sesshomaru would find her before she got herself killed.

Finally she reached a barrier after what felt like twenty minutes had passed and stopped. She stared, unable to see the circular force, but knowing that it was right in front of her face. She grimaced and began to step forward, unable to fight off the call her body wished to heed. Once she came into contact with the barrier she breathed a relieved sigh, recognizing the energy as youki and that youki belonged to her missing companion.

Kagome continued forward, rounding trees, stepping over roots, and skirting bushes as she followed Sesshomaru's powerful youki and wondered what he was doing out there and why he needed a barrier.

Maybe something's wrong with him and that's what the pull was all about. Maybe he needed me. Maybe he's hurt. She thought worriedly as she stepped up her pace. She began to yawn as she rounded a tree into a slight clearing, and nearly choked at the sight that greeted her wide eyes.

There in all his glory was Sesshomaru, sitting on the grassy ground, slouched against a tree, his pale body naked as the day he was born, glowing slightly in the moon light. His eyes were closed, hiding the intense golden orbs she had become so familiar with. His nakedness was a shock to her system, especially since she had never seen him in such a state, but as shocking as it was it wasn't what had her eyes wide and her body frozen mid-step. No, what had her so stunned was the sight of Lord Sesshomaru, Lord of the West, pleasuring himself.

Look away! Close her eyes! Now! She commanded herself, but to no avail. It was like watching a car accident. You know exactly what's about to happen, know that you should look away before medal and blood starts flying, but you just can't seem to pull your eyes away.

Up and down his hand went, her eyes embarrassingly zeroing in on the movement. Up and down, up and down he continued as if she wasn't even there, but she knew that he knew she was there and she knew that he would never let her live it down that she stood there and watched him. He wouldn't tease and brag like some guys in her time would, but she could already see that single raised eyebrow, the side long looks, and the small smirks being cast her way at the most random of times. He was going to have her face a permanent tomato red by the time he was done with her.

A deep throaty groan and hips thrusting up snapped her out of her frozen state and she clamped her eyes shut tight, and placed a hand over them for good measure before trying to remember how to breath.

The killing perfection indeed! She thought wildly as she gasped for breath. The demon before her was turning out to be more than just perfect at killing. He had a body fit for the gods, even with a missing arm. There wasn't an ounce of fat on him. He was all lean muscle, and she really had no idea those magenta strips on his face and wrist extended to other places on his body!

Okay Kagome. Just open your mouth and ask him what the hell he's doing here and that he shouldn't state the obvious. And why he called you here! I think that should cover it. She thought with a sharp nod to herself and took a breath to speak.

"Umm…why…" She began but cut herself off and threw herself to her left to avoid the demon trying to sneak up on her. She rolled into a crouch with her hands slightly in front of her to free them to grab one of her daggers or her sword, and took a look at who had tried to attack her from behind.

She took in the slight figure of a female demon with shoulder length light blue hair, skin as white as bone, eyes a pale green, and ears pointed. She wore a black yukata with a pale blue inner yukata, and a pale blue obi. Her feet were bare, her claws extended, and her fangs bared.

"Mine!" She heard the female growl at her and she frowned as she looked over to Sesshomaru, who was still busy pleasing himself as if she hadn't been attacked right in front of him.

"Well if you want him so badly go get him." Kagome said, her frown still in place as she looked back to the female demon. What the hell is this? Why doesn't he stop her? She thought as she looked at the female who was now growling at her with narrowed eyes.

"Woah woah! You can have him okay!" She shouted quickly as the female began to run at her. Her words went unnoticed so she snatched out the dagger from the sheath on her left forearm, rammed it into the demons stomach, using her crouched position and the demons momentum, and charged her spiritual power into it. The unknown female screamed loud enough to hurt her ears as she was purified into dust.

"Sesshomaru, what the hell?!" She shouted at him as she jumped to her feet, dagger still in hand. The daiyoukai didn't acknowledge her, didn't pause in his motions, didn't even turn his head in her direction. All she heard was heavy breathing from his parted lips.

Kagome sighed as she returned her dagger to its sheath. Clearly there was nothing wrong with her demon friend, so he obviously didn't need her for anything. But then why did he call her there? And why was he out here giving himself a hand job?

"Come on Sesshomaru. What's the deal?" She asked the demon with a sigh. Her answer was a throaty moan and slight shift of his head. Kagome closed her eyes and tried to will her blush away. She still couldn't believe she was witnessing the demon lord do such a thing.

"As if Lord Sesshomaru would acknowledge a filthy human!" She heard a new female voice and looked over to her left to see a female demon walking out of the trees a few feet away.

This new addition to Sesshomaru's display was tall with long golden hair, a single purple strip extending down from underneath each of her eyes, creamy pink colored skin, and a figure covered in what looked like a silk blood red kimono with two layers of under kimonos- one purple the other white, and a double layered obi to match the colors of her inner kimonos.

"You are not even good enough to breathe the same air as my lord. What makes you think you are even worthy enough to be his mate?" The golden haired female asked and Kagome gaped at her.

"Excuse me?" Kagome asked in complete confusion. "What do you mean mate? Is that why you're here?" She asked as she tried to tune out Sesshomaru's groans…and failed as a bright blush heated her face. Was he getting louder?

"Why should I tell you? I should kill you for even daring to look upon my lord's glorious body!" The golden haired female snapped.

"Well, before you do that I have a last request." She said, trying to suppress her sarcasm. "Could you explain what is going on here? I just went for a walk and ended up here. Before I could even comprehend what I was seeing I was attacked by another female who claimed that he was hers." She said to the female.

"Hmm…" The golden haired female huffed as if she thought an explanation was too much trouble to give. "My lord is looking for a mate. He put out a call and all females who enter his barrier will battle for dominance. Whoever is left standing will become the next Lady of the West tonight." The female explained haughtily, and it took everything Kagome had not to laugh in her face!

Kagome was almost positive that Sesshomaru was not in fact looking for a mate but a good lay for the night. There was no way Sesshomaru would stoop so low as to auction himself off to the winner of a bitch fight! He had more respect and honor for himself and his lands then to choose a female based solely on her fighting capabilities alone and then to literally mate her right after the fighting was all said and done without knowing anything more about her.

"Do you really believe Sesshomaru would lower himself to use such a method to choose his life mate?" She just had to ask. It was ludicrous to think that this female actually believed it. If she did then that just proved that she herself wasn't worthy enough to be his mate!

"Ignorant human! You know nothing of demon rituals or rights! You cannot even address my Lord properly! Of course this is how he will choose his mate otherwise he would not have gone through the process of setting up all of this!" The golden female snapped and Kagome shook her head and closed her eyes before she ended up rolling them and making the female foam at the mouth for her insolence.

"Well I wish you the best of luck in your success." She began, trying to keep the sarcasm out of her voice. "I'm going to go see if I can get back to sleep." She said and began to turn before the female's voice halted her.

"You cannot leave. Once you have crossed the barrier it will not let you out unless you are the last female standing." The golden one informed her.

"But you said that this is how Sesshomaru will choose his mate. You yourself called me a filthy human. He wouldn't want to mate with a human, so why wouldn't his barrier let me out?" She asked, her eyebrow raising in a very Sesshomaru way.

The golden female sniffed and turned away from her and walked back into the woods. Kagome sighed and turned to Sesshomaru who was still at it, their little conversation not having phased him at all.

"I really hope you aren't using this to choose a mate, because if you are then you certainly don't deserve the respect I've been giving you all these years." She said as she walked pass him and began to head back in the direction she came from.

She walked and walked until she ran face first into the barrier she had passed to enter the area. She hadn't been expecting that at all and fell back on her butt. Why wasn't his barrier letting her out? Surely he didn't think that she would actually participate in this cat fight to the rights to spend the night with him?!

Kagome sighed as she got to her feet and patted the dust and grass from her butt and then placed a hand on the invisible barrier and poked and pushed at it to no avail. She sighed once again and held back a yawn. It wasn't going to budge and she was having a good night, so she didn't want to try using her spiritual power and risk ticking the daiyoukai off to the point of immediate death.

Guess I'll go back and try and get some answers out of the man. She thought as she turned around and began to trek back to the naked demon.

She spread her senses out, something she should have done when she first passed through the barrier, and found more youki signatures then she cared for. Some were weak and some were powerful; nowhere near the range of Sesshomaru but still cause for concern.

Speaking of weaker ones… She thought as she sensed a lesser demon headed straight for her. She looked over to her left and saw a brown dog the size of a bear. She quickly pulled her dagger from her left forearm, charged it with her spiritual powers, and threw it at the massive dog. It landed in its chest just beneath its head and turned it to dust. She went and collected her dagger, grateful that Sesshomaru had taught her how to throw them, and then continued on her way.

Kagome didn't sense anyone near the naked demon and was sure that they were all busy eliminating the competition at the moment. She stepped around a tree and once again laid eyes on her naked companion pleasuring himself. She bit her bottom lip as she watched him, a steady blush rising to the surface and a tingling feeling beginning in the pit of her stomach. She had to admit, the demon looked incredibly sexy with his perfect body lying there, his hand steadily stroking himself, his lips parted just enough to show a hint of fangs, with his long silver hair resting on the grass around him.

Snap out of it girl! You're here for answers not to gawk at him! Get a grip! She berated herself and shook her head then took a deep breath.

"Alright Sesshomaru. It looks like I'm stuck in here." She said with a sigh. "I don't suppose you could take a break, and let me out of here could you?" She asked hopefully and received a moan in reply.

"Riiiiight. I didn't think so." She said quietly as she put her hands on her hips and continued to watch him. She couldn't believe she was actually watching him, but she just couldn't seem to pull her eyes away. And a secret part of her wasn't trying very hard.

"Well, I think I have two options." She told the moaning and groaning demon before her. "Option number one, since you won't speak to me I can come over there, assuming I don't get intercepted by one of the many females roaming around here, and help you and see how you react to that. Maybe you'll get angry enough to do something about the pesky human who doesn't want to be here…or maybe you'll just continue to sit there and enjoy it." She mumbled the last part.

"Or option number two, I could go climb a tree and watch the action until there's only one demon female left. Then I can make a run for it because there's no way I want to be around for whatever the two of you will do." She said with a huff, and then stared at him as if she was waiting for him to throw in his opinion.

He did of course. Another moan followed by more heavy breathing.

"Option number two it is the. Although you'd probably enjoy option number one wouldn't you." She grumbled as she turned around and walked to the tree she had had to step around twice now.

She stepped on its roots carefully with her bare feet and stretched to reach the lowest branch. The tree wasn't too tall or too short. It was tall enough for her to hide in but short enough for her to manage to get in and out of it on her own.

Once her little fingers were wrapped around the branch she planted a foot against the trunk and began to pull herself up. She continued up until she found a comfortable spot that afforded her a good view of the perfect demon on the ground. She then suppressed her aura like he had taught her and did the best she could to hide her scent. She hadn't gotten the hang of that yet, so she was just going to have to deal.

All I have to do now is keep as still and quiet as possible, and hope that no one notices me up here. She thought as she watched Sesshomaru. She couldn't decide which angle looked better. The one from the ground or the one from above.

Who says I have to choose? She thought slowly as her arousal built. She was beginning to understand that that was what was happening to her. She hadn't felt this way with Inuyasha so she hadn't been sure what was happening to her, but she was now able to put the pieces together as her body reacted around a very naked Sesshomaru.

The longer she sat there watching him the more aroused she got. She even began to think that she could feel his pleasure because she seemed to be reacting at the very same time he did.

After a while of being so lost in her arousal and the sensations she was feeling from him, she became aware of a demon perched in the tree next to hers. She could feel the eyes on her and she managed to pull her eyes away from Sesshomaru long enough to look at her.

"What?" She asked quietly as she turned back to Sesshomaru.

"What are you doing here human?" The female demon asked with a growl and Kagome sighed.

"I got stuck in the barrier and he clearly wasn't about stop what he was doing to let me out, so I figured I'd hang out up here and enjoy the show until which ever female ends up being the last standing. Then once the barrier was down I plan on getting out of here and going back to sleep." She explained quietly.

"I'm human after all so I also figure there's no point in me risking my life for a demon who wouldn't want me." She added, wondering if that would get the female to leave her alone so she could get lost in her thoughts again.

The female was quiet after that and Kagome suggested that she might want to try the same thing if she could. That way when there was only one left she could go down there and only have to worry about fighting that one and be well rested when she did it. The female seemed to agree so they sat in their respective trees and watched the naked daiyoukai and the occasional fight as it passed them by.

If I wasn't waiting to be in love for my first time I'd sleep with Sesshomaru in a heartbeat. Kagome considered as she watched the demon lord. The thought unfortunately brought to mind that she had been in love with Inuyasha and yet she still hadn't given herself to him.

That's probably because I didn't trust him despite loving him, and for good reason since I found out he was having sex with Kikyou when he was supposed be courting me and love me. She thought morosely as she remembered how she realized what he had been doing when he would leave camp in the middle of the night when he thought everyone was asleep.

Despite her love for him she hadn't been interested in sleeping with him without a commitment, and she hadn't been interested in only having a physical relationship. She had at least that much self-respect for herself not to give herself away for a few moments of fleeting pleasure as if that was all she knew she would get from him.

She tried to imagine what the appeal would be of having sex with a dead body, but she couldn't even make her mind go in that direction. Instead she tried to consider if it was the emotions he felt that let him do such a thing.

He must have loved her a great deal to overlook the fact that she was a corpse. That her body was cold and she smelled like dirt. Kagome thought with a sad frown.

She hated Inuyasha so much. He had lead her own, used her feelings to get what he wanted, and tried to rape her repeatedly, and yet she still loved him! He had done everything to drive her away, to destroy any feelings she had for him, except kill her. What was it going to take for her to lose the love she had for him?!

Is this what Kikyou felt when she was resurrected? This love-hate business? She wondered. If so, then I suppose I have a better understanding of her now.

Her mood darkened and her arousal began to fade at her thoughts. She frowned deeper and looked away from Sesshomaru as her mood continued to darken.

-oOo-

Sesshomaru cracked his eyes open, turquoise pupils surrounded in red gazed at the ground beyond his feet as he felt the aura of the miko change. Her bright aura, clear to him even with his eyes closed, darkened and he knew that her mind was no longer on him.

He took a deeper breath then he had been to taste the air and find her emotions. Sad, frustrated, depressed. She was thinking about the half-breed again, and right now that was not good. He hadn't been worried about her when she first arrived because he knew she could take care of herself, but now that she was sad and depressed it was possible that she wouldn't fight back should she be attacked.

He moaned as he continued to stroke himself and looked over to the miko. She wasn't looking at him. He already knew this. He had known the moment she looked away. His sharp eyes could make out her expression clearly. She looked so sad and distracted. That was okay. He would protect her regardless of her mood. He had promised to keep her alive and he would, even if that was against the rules. Not that they mattered. The miko had been right in her earlier thoughts. He wasn't looking for a mate. He just wanted a night of mind blowing sex.

He had been walking around for weeks now so sexually frustrated that he was in pain. If he didn't respect the miko so much, and take into account her wish to wait until she was in love, he would have seduced her weeks ago. Instead he sent out a call, one that clearly stated who he was and what he wanted. Well, what he wanted in terms of what the call allowed. They had come and he had been able to tell that this night was the one where most would arrive. He had been relieved beyond belief when the first females began to enter his barrier.

However, unlike the miko, he knew the moment she walked passed his barrier that she was going to be the last female alive and he therefore wasn't going to get any sex that night. She wasn't aware that he didn't have any control over the barrier once he put it up. It wasn't going to come down until there was one female alive, and it didn't matter if she was demon or human. He obviously wasn't about to let her die just so his body could get some relief, so it was rather clear that she would be the last female standing. And she would be. Whether she had to kill the last female or he did.

He watched as the female in the tree next to the miko jumped down. He knew that she believed he had been eyeing her, and he didn't mind. If that got her away from the miko all the better. He closed his eyes and turned his head away just as he made out another female jumping toward her. Clearly she had been waiting to pick off any who approached him.

Well, since he wasn't going to get any tonight he might as well enjoy himself until all that was left was the miko.

-oOo-

Kagome suppressed a sigh as she closed her eyes. Why did she have to have it so hard? Why couldn't he just love her? Why was the choice between a warm loving body and a cold body full of hatred so hard to make? Why did she have to compete with a dead body? Not even a real one at that, but one made from dirt, bones, and clay? Why couldn't she just….

Her thought was cut off abruptly as she let out a startled yelp as she felt herself being flung through the air. She hit the unforgiving ground hard on her left side, her swords hilt digging painfully into her skin and pressing against her bones. She couldn't help whimpering in pain as she rolled slowly onto her stomach and began to get to her feet. She'd gone a good distance in her flight. She was now in Sesshomaru's line of sight should he decide to open his eyes sometime that night.

As she began to turn to see what the heck hit her she felt a sharp burning pain rip at her left side and she let out a piercing scream and collapsed to the ground under the pain. She lay on her stomach, her eyes clenched shut, and her hands in tight fists as she tried to gasp for air to try to even begin to think pass the pain. She wasn't sure if she could do it when she suddenly felt an intense feeling surround her body and slowly move away in what felt almost like a heavy caress.

She turned her head slightly, when the first thought through the pain was that it was Sesshomaru's youki, and cracked her eyes open to see Sesshomaru still in the same position and still pleasuring himself. The only difference was that his eyes were wide open and staring right at her. Those eyes, turquoise pupils surrounded by blood red, were more intense then his golden gaze. It was the first time she had seen his eyes open like that since she had come across him inside the barrier, and first time she had seen his eyes that color in years.

Kagome felt stuck. Those eyes held her captive and judged her. How was she supposed to move, to fight when she was in so much pain? He had beat her up pretty good when he was teaching her how to defend herself with her hands and feet, and when he was teaching her how to use her sword, but never like this. He never made her bleed, never made it so that she couldn't move or walk, never made it so that she could hardly breathe. What was she going to do?

Again she felt his youki surround her and watched as his eyes narrowed at her. She closed her eyes and took a deep breath. She didn't know how he was doing it, but he seemed to have dulled her pain for the moment and she was going to take advantage. She spread her senses out to locate the female who had attacked her so viciously, and found her to be closer then she would have liked.

She opened her eyes and got to her hands and knees and quickly rolled herself toward Sesshomaru when she sensed the female coming at her. When she came to a stop she got to her feet then dropped to a crouch, her instincts screaming at her to get low, and watched as the female sailed over her head and landed a few feet away from her.

Kagome leaned forward, bracing herself on the ground with her left hand, her right wrapping around the hilt of her sword. She pulled on it, the medal sliding from its sheath as she pushed off the ground and began to run toward the female. Her left hand joined her right on the hilt as she channeled her spiritual power into the blade. Her eyes narrowed but stayed firm on her target as she approached and swung with all her might, slicing clean through the middle of the woman. She watched as the two halves began to fall before purifying and falling to dust on the ground.

Again she collapsed, the point of her sword digging into the ground to keep her from falling on face as her fingers turned white from her grip around the hilt. She squeezed her eyes shut trying to block out the pain. She didn't know when he had stopped dulling it but it was there now, back with force, and she had to deal with it.

She groaned and pulled her sword from the dirt and returned it to its sheath and looked over at Sesshomaru as she wrapped her hand around her wound. He returned her look for a few moments before closing his eyes and seemingly focusing on pleasuring himself.

Kagome bit back a whimper and crawled over to the tree directly across from the tree she had started out in on the other side of Sesshomaru, and leaned against it in almost the same manner the naked demon was against his tree. She hissed as she settled her right hand over her wound once again. It was pointless to try and hide now. She couldn't make it up a tree even if she wanted to, and the blood would only attract the demons anyway. She considered trying to heal herself but she didn't want to waste energy that she was probably going to need the next time she got attacked.

"Ugh! I hope whatever female wins is worth it!" She grumbled to him and threw a glare in his direction for good measure, and received the sexiest moan she'd ever heard, including all the ones he'd released that night, in response. "And if she's not, I'll kill her myself and you can spend the rest of the night tending my wounds and moaning like that until the sun comes up!" She mumbled with a fierce blush as she closed her eyes.

She didn't see the tiny smirk that graced his lips before it faded.

Three more times Kagome was forced to defend herself and purify her attackers. The only energy she was willing to spend on herself was enough to keep herself from bleeding out from the wound on her side. After she purified the last female to attack her she spread her senses out once again and noticed to her dismay that there were only powerful females left. She hoped she would only have to deal with one of them.

As time passed she watched Sesshomaru, slightly aroused from the show he was putting on, but in too much pain to really enjoy it. She eventually closed her eyes and tried to tune out his moans and groans as she focused on sensing the auras left in the barrier. Two were headed her way but it looked like one took out the other before it got very far.

Only two left. I hope I can manage to not have to deal with either of them. Kagome thought wearily as she shifted her position slightly against the tree she was slouched against.

She wasn't sure when it happened but apparently she stopped trying to sense the auras around her, so it was a bit of a surprise when a demoness more beautiful than the rest she had seen came walking out of the woods on the other side of Sesshomaru. She wearily looked at the female demon wrapped in three layers of silk kimonos with equally light purple silk-looking hair as she tried to sense whether the barrier was down or not.

No such luck. The barrier was up and as strong as ever. It looked like Sesshomaru really didn't care weather a human or demon won, and it looked like if she wanted to live she would have to find a way to kill this demoness who was probably the most powerful of all the females who had been within the barrier.

Kagome sighed heavily as she struggled to her feet. She leaned back against the tree and looked at the female who was slowly getting closer. She now stood near Sesshomaru's feet. Kagome sighed again and threw a glare at the daiyoukai before pushing off the tree and moving toward the female.

"Just know that I hate you Sesshomaru. You and your damn barrier!" She grumbled as she stopped a few feet away from the demoness.

"Such insolence." The female said in a voice that sounded like bells. "The lord certainly does not need a female who will speak that way to him. Especially not a human." She added before moving faster then Kagome could see and sent her flying into a tree so hard she thought her back was going to snap.

"Ugh…and I suppose you think he needs one who will only say things she thinks he wants to hear?" She asked in irritation and pain as she struggled to her feet once again.

"Filthy human! Such disrespect. You should feel honored that you were even able to pass through the barrier." The female growled out before attacking her again.

Suddenly Kagome was feeling hits from all over, so quickly that she wasn't even given time to fall down. The last hit was to her face. She felt a sharp stinging and a cold feeling down her check, and she just knew that she was bleeding as she hit the ground.

"At least I know what I've gotten myself into better then you do!" She snapped as she kicked hard at the demons legs, causing her to fall to the ground.

Just as she had gotten to her hands and knees she felt a clawed hand grab her left ankle and pull. She fell with a huff as the wind was knocked out of her and tried to pull her leg away, when she suddenly felt heat and then pain on her lower leg. She couldn't help the small scream that left her mouth as she felt the demoness' fangs pierce her tender skin. In desperation she kicked out with her right foot and connected with the demoness' face, and rolled away and onto her feet, limping slightly from the bite against her calf.

As Kagome stood looking at the demoness holding her face, she became aware of an annoying pain in her right shoulder and looked over to a red patch in her shirt along with a rip the length of her middle finger.

When did that happen and why didn't I feel it before? It was definitely painful enough to be noticed right away. But then again she was in quite a bit of pain. She sighed heavily and gritted her teeth as she pulled her sword from its sheath, her shoulder burning from the motion.

"Why would you even want to mate someone you don't even know?" She suddenly asked the female. "You know, what? His name, that he's powerful, and that he's a lord? Is that all the information you need to mate with someone?" She asked.

"A filthy insolent human like you would not understand." The female said disdainfully. "My lord is a cardinal lord after all. He is incredibly attractive, wealthy, and, more importantly, can give me whatever I want. I will live in luxury and comfort for the rest of my like."

"You trifling, money hungry, gold digging bitch!" Kagome said angrily, disgusted by the female. "You're not worthy enough for my friend to screw you let alone consider mating material!"

"Females like you make me sick!" She continued as her anger built, her eyes beginning to glow. "Selfish, wanting to entrap a wealthy male, and only thinking of yourself and your wants. You remind me of a half demon I know, and since he isn't around for me to get rid of I'll have to settle for you!"

Kagome stood there, her eyes glowing white with her power, her mind unconsciously pushing her power to her sword making it glow a bright white. She raised it toward the demoness and watched as a beam of pure white light shot out of the tip of the blade and crashed into the demoness, purifying her instantly.

She lowered her sword once the beam stopped and soon after it dropped from her suddenly nerveless fingers. The power faded from her eyes and her natural blue eye color came back into view as she collapsed to her knees, her eyes closing just as her vision went black.

-oOo-

Sesshomaru stopped pleasuring himself and opened his eyes when he began to feel the miko's power rise. He watched as she raised her sword and felt even at his distance the sting of her power as it shot off her sword and toward the demoness. When she lowered her sword he got to his feet and watched as it slipped from her hand and hit the ground, her knees soon following. As he moved toward her she collapsed to the ground and lay there motionless.

Not unexpected considering how many wounds she has and how much energy she'd used. He thought as he knelt to the right of her body.

He picked up her sword and sheathed it at her waist before turning her onto her back. He took the time to look her over and get a good look at her wounds. They were bad but not as bad as the one on her side. The claw marks were deep and smelled, to his sensitive nose, as if they were in the beginning stages of getting infected.

Still, they would be no trouble for him to heal, but he didn't think she would be too thrilled about how he would do it. The only reason he was even going to do it was because she hadn't deserved what had happened to her this night and because she had lasted and killed all her attackers by herself. It was the least he could.

Although, he was also doing it for selfish reasons. The smell of her blood was driving him crazy and he just had to know what it tasted like! Did it taste as good as it smelled? He hoped so. It smelled like her natural scent, only much much stronger. It smelled delicious and it was making him harder then he already was. It had taken all his self-control not to jump her when she'd first been injured.

Sesshomaru reached over and turned her face toward him, seeing the deep scratch marks on the right side of her face, and watching as her eyes fluttered open.

"Ses…Sesshomaru." Kagome said tiredly as her eyes began to focus on his face. "Is the barrier down?" She asked as she slowly blinked at him as she tested the movement of her arms and legs. She felt so weak.

"Yes." He answered. "Come." He said as he pulled her into a sitting position and moved to kneel between her legs. He wrapped his arm around her lower back, making sure that his hand avoided her wounded side, and began to get to his feet.

His actions made it obvious what he was doing, so Kagome wrapped her arms around his neck and her legs around his waist as he stood up straight. She tensed slightly at the hard pressure she felt between her legs and listened in apprehension as Sesshomaru groaned deeply. She didn't feel like her legs had the best grip but now she was more than a bit leery at adjusting her position.

"Go ahead." She heard him say as if he was aware of her situation. He probably is. That's why he said what he said. She thought as she tightened her arms and pulled herself up slightly and tightened her legs, unconsciously sliding against him and adding to the pressure against the both of them.

He groaned loudly and she moaned softly, and then she blushed, embarrassed at her reaction and sorry for causing him discomfort.

"Sorry." She said softly.

"There is no need to be. You cannot help how your body reacts." He stated simply before he pushed off the ground and went sailing high into the air.