Summary: Kagome's stuck in a state of limbo. Despite the venom, she has yet to fully change into a vampire due to Sesshoumaru's intervention. A hunt for her attacker leads them to Forks, Washington. She's introduced to werewolves and vampires and reconnects with her cousin, Bella. There's no hesitation that she's accepted into the wolfpack- especially since the alpha has imprinted on her.

Pairing: Sam/Kagome

Disclaimer: I do not own either series. Each belongs to their rightful owners.

Prologue

Fire.

Her body felt like it was on fire. When she reluctantly opened her eyes, she found herself staring up at the familiar sight of her bedroom ceiling. The surroundings felt brighter and more intense, and she shut her eyes out of reflex. It was quiet for a few long seconds before a voice to her side caught her attention.

"You're awake, finally."

She hesitantly opened her eyes and looked at the person present with her. Surprise shot through her, most likely coming to show on her face when her eyes caught a pair of molten gold. "S-Sesshoumaru?!" She sat up too quickly, and a stab of pain raced through her core. She doubled over, a harsh gasp coming from her as she clutched at her own limbs.

"Don't move so abruptly," he stated in a cold drawl. "The venom is still present in your bloodstream."

Venom?

The comment made her pick her head back up, this time far more gently. Confusion melted onto her face, and the usually stoic demon sighed.

"You don't remember what happened, do you?" he questioned. He knew he didn't have to, considering the confusion that clung to her scent.

Kagome frowned and shook her head. "No…" she mumbled, glancing down at her lap with her brows furrowed. "What happened…?" she asked softly. It was a question directed more at herself than the demon beside her. He didn't answer, giving her plenty of time to work it out for herself if she wanted.

She could remember walking home when…-

"You're out way too late. That can't be safe for someone as pretty as you."

She froze at hearing the comment, turning to face the direction the person in question was in. A speck of unease bloomed inside her when there was no one behind her that she could see. She could feel someone around- their aura far from that of a human's, but she couldn't pinpoint where they were for some reason… Automatically, she went on guard.

"There's no telling what you might encounter out here."

She turned, only to stumble back when her eyes met a pair of vibrant crimson. She couldn't react fast enough before she was snatched by the neck and forced back. She collided with the brick wall of the building she'd been beside, a painful gash forming on the back of her head as she struggled to catch herself.

She blinked the dots from her vision, trying to shake the cloud of disorientation from her head. The world around her spun and shifted violently, but the first thing to ground her was a sharp, piercing sting on her neck. It was then she became far too aware of the large figure pressing her back. Her hands came up out of reflex, clawing into his shoulders. Just as she called her spiritual energy to the surface, he had backed off.

Bleary eyes focused on him as he stood a few feet away from her, crimson staining his mouth. The haze didn't clear from her head, and she was suddenly aware of how the spot on her neck had started to go from a stabbing pain to a burning one. She took a shaky step towards him, only to drop to the ground the following second as the burning spread to far more than just her neck. Her hand came up, trembling fingers covering the spot. A warm fluid stuck to the digits, and she was able to put it together before she fully hit the ground.

When she looked up next, she was on her own on the ground. Her senses failed her, and the only thing she could focus on was the pain coursing through her. No matter what she did, she wasn't able to dull the ache, and, the world around her faded to black.

"... he bit me," she eventually said. As she did, she lifted a hand to caress the spot on her neck. She could feel the rough scarring that was present. She looked up a second later, finding Sesshoumaru's golden stare. "How did I get back home?"

"I picked up the scent of your blood," he remarked. "When I found you, I discovered you in a… less-than-ideal state," he stated. "Your spiritual energy had suppressed the venom from taking full effect, but not for much longer."

"Venom…?" Kagome frowned. "You keep saying that," she said. "What do you mean?" Had she been attacked by a demon that tried to poison her in some way?

"A vampire's bite possesses venom," Sesshoumaru explained. At once, Kagome felt confused. "It enters the bloodstream via their bite, where it will then change the victim into a newborn."

Vampire?

"Those things exist…?" she asked. After a moment, she realized the meaning behind what he'd said. "Does this mean I'm a vampire now?" she asked. He shook his head, and she sighed in relief.

"Not quite," he said. "When I came across you, it wasn't too late for me to intervene in the process." The confusion in her eyes wasn't lost on him. "My blood is able to delay the process, so, to do just that, my blood now flows through you. The venom still resides within your bloodstream, but it's in a dormant state for now."

"Is there any way to get rid of it entirely?" Kagome asked. "Or will I…-"

"Surely there's a way to remove it," he remarked. "That's far from necessary at the moment," he stated. Kagome cocked her head to the side, confused. "The main concern is finding the one who attempted to turn you in the first place."

"Right." Kagome nodded. The thought of them still out there made her feel uneasy. She didn't know why she'd been targeted in particular, but she didn't like it.

Examining herself in the mirror, she could identify the faint changes already. A frown marred her expression as she spotted the red bleeding into her usually blue eyes. It wasn't noticeable from a distance, but it was different from what she was used to seeing.

A few seconds dragged by before a figure came up on her side. She didn't react at first when a protective arm draped across her shoulders. After a pause on her end, she glanced up to spot blue eyes peering down at her.

"C'mon, chin up, Kagome!" Koga said, tugging her more into his chest when her frown deepened. "It'll all be handled in no time, just you watch."

Kagome sighed and shook her head. "It's not that," she responded. When she moved, Koga let his arm fall away so she could have space. "Is it noticeable?" she asked then, deciding to get someone else's opinion. Who better to ask than Koga, after all?

"To be honest, yeah," he responded, folding his arms over his broad chest. "Not for the reasons you're mulling over, though."

"Huh?"

"Your scent's not the same anymore," he sighed. "Sure, your natural scent is still there, but…" He paused, and Kagome could tell he was carefully considering his words to not offend her. "It's not like you smell bad, but it's just Sesshoumaru's scent hanging around you now," he stated. "Could be worse," he added with a shrug. "You could reek of one of them."

Kagome shook her head, unable to help the small smile on her face. "Is that all?" she asked.

"You're askin' me?" he asked, motioning to himself.

"Who else pays so much attention to me?" she responded.

Koga bit out a laugh, not bothering to deny her claim. "Of course you're different," he stated. "Now don't go worrying your pretty little head." He prodded the middle of her forehead, making her purse her lips in a pout. He grinned, flashing a mouth full of gleaming teeth. "We'll get this all sorted out, and you'll be back to yourself before you know it."

Kagome nodded, agreeing with his claim. After all, she had no reason to doubt the claim.

"You ready to go?" he asked, and Kagome glanced up with worry in her eyes.

"... are you sure it's okay I go?" she asked. "After all…-"

"You're expected," he stated. "They know you're coming."

Kagome nodded, but she wasn't able to fully squash the unease she felt forming in the pit of her stomach. Maybe it was just because of everything happening at the moment, but she felt uncertain about it.

"If you're worried about anything, don't be," Koga said. "They'll love you," he said as if it was the most apparent thing in the world. "After all, who wouldn't?"

"I just wish it was for different reasons," she admitted, and he nodded. "Where is the meeting at?"

"It's being hosted in La Push, Washington," Koga answered. The location sounded familiar, and Kagome thought about it for a few moments. Koga noticed her silence, and he prodded her gently. "You okay?"

"Yeah," Kagome nodded when she finally pieced it together. "I know that place, is all."

"You ever been there?"

Kagome nodded. "Back when I was younger, I'd visit my uncle and cousin in Forks all the time," she stated. "We'd go to La Push occasionally to visit my uncle's friend." Thinking about it, she realized just how long it'd been since she'd last visited. The last time was before her father passed away.

She pushed the thought far from mind, knowing she had other worries she needed to focus on. Still, she couldn't help but wonder how they were doing.

Auroua-chan: I've been working on this for a little while now.

Timeline-wise, this takes place after New Moon. Kagome is Bella's cousin, and she was targeted likely because of that. In the next chapter, Kagome will be meeting the wolf pack and running into Bella while she's at it! Koga and Kagome have a platonic relationship, but he still has his nickname for her obviously.

Anyway, that's it for now! Thank you all for reading and I hope you all enjoyed. Hopefully I caught all the errors before posting, but if not sorry.

Please remember to Review&Favorite&Follow, thank you!

Bye for now~