It took her a while before the tension left her shoulders. She should've done that a long time ago—years at least. Sighing, she rolled her hands, wrists popping, then downed half her water bottle.

Mama had always told her to be upfront with people, but she'd lost a lot of that drive while running around with Inuyasha. Low self-esteem, mixed with teenage angst, left her with little of her former self, and it had taken the better part of her remaining time at high school to rebuild it.

Kouga had barely recognized her when Inuyasha reintroduced them—old habits were hard to break when your former crush waltzed into the room looking and feeling like a million bucks. She'd taken him hitting on her in stride, but Inuyasha certainly hadn't, physically reminding the wolf who he was mated to.

His reminders tipped the scales in his favour, though maybe too much, considering how Kouga had been all over him for the rest of the night. Inuyasha was passive about it until he started playing with his ears, turning his face bright red before shoving the wolf away.

She'd loved it, loved seeing them so close and stable. Kouga had always been a flirt, but there was something different in the way he treated Inuyasha now. Maybe it was because Inuaysha's reactions weren't as loud or that she caught him staring at the wolf more often than not, but she could tell the last 500 years had done them both some good.

They were happy.

Kouga still flirted with her, but he'd rolled it back to playful banter, and Kagome knew he wasn't serious. And it helped to have an alpha male in her corner, constantly bolstering her confidence.

Not that she needed his help.

Taking another sip of water, she checked her surroundings. The path was supposed to split off in the next kilometre, and then it was a straight shot to her location. The sun had dipped low, taking the temperature with it, but it would be a while before it cooled down.

Popping the lid back onto the bottle, she grinned, settling into a leisurely stroll. She wasn't in any rush, and the forecast had said the rain would hold off for at least another day or so. All she had to do was find the spot, and she'd be—

A twig snapped, and she whirled around, eyes searching for an intruder. She hadn't sensed anyone nearby, but she'd been focused on the trail markers and making good time. She stood frozen, waiting for someone to burst through the undergrowth, but nothing happened, and the hairs on the back of her neck stood up.

Had Hojo followed her?

Taking a deep breath, she sprinted in the opposite direction, hiking boots kicking up gravel as she bounded toward her destination. It was too early; it was still daylight. Nothing was supposed to happen in the woods until the sun went down. Breathing heavily, she kept on course, her bag weighing her down with each step.

If she could just get there, she'd be fine.

She grabbed a tree, fingers digging into the bark to help her turn the corner faster, and she nearly cried in relief as she came to the mouth of a cave. Sequestered amongst moss-covered rocks, it overlooked a large cliff, giving her a spectacular view of the city below. Managing to keep herself upright, Kagome stumbled inside, not stopping until she was completely bathed in darkness.

She leaned against the wall, catching her pack before it hit the ground. She hadn't expected him to follow her; then again, she didn't expect him to show up out of nowhere, either. Catching her breath, she downed the rest of her water bottle, leaning back against the cool stone to slow down her heartbeat. She'd just hang out here until Hojo left. She was safe.

"An unwise decision, miko."

Kagome jumped, a strangled scream lodged in her throat. Her water bottle fell and rolled away, the sound echoing through the back of the cave as her eyes adjusted to the darkness. She could feel him now, skin tingling from spurts of youki, and she shuddered.

"The storm is not due until tomorrow." His voice was lower than she remembered. "What has you so out of breath?"

She bit the inside of her cheek, edging toward the mouth of the cave. "I thought someone was following me."

He growled, and she caught a flash of crimson. "I thought you had better instincts than to allow yourself to be at someone else's mercy."

"A misunderstanding on his part," she bit out, finding her voice. "He thought I invited him up here."

"And did you?" he asked.

"Of course not!"

Another flash of crimson. "Good. It would be foolish of you to do so when there are so many dangers in the vicinity."

"You said that before." Kagome blinked again, finally able to make out the outline of his body. He was shirtless, caught between eras with his modern-day slacks and pelt wrapped around his shoulder. A fine sheen of sweat glistened along his markings as he stepped into the light.

"Indeed. As you have not heeded the signs that would turn others away."

She raised her chin as he stepped closer. "I'm not afraid of you."

His smirk was feral. "You should be."

Nothing in her pack would protect her, and she already knew he was immune to her powers, so, citing his advice about listening to her instincts, she did exactly what her mind had been screaming at her to do ever since she'd stepped into the cave.

She ran.