Chapter 7: It is time

"TO YOUR POSITIONS!" Sesshomru yelled.

The soldiers took their places. Sesshomaru grabbed me, pulling me behind the rows of soldiers. Sango and Miroku took off on Kirara, while Inuyasha placed Kikyo a safe distance away, before returning to the soldier's side; at the forefront. The soldiers went forward, attacking the demons that poured out from him. I took one step forward, but Sesshomaru stopped me.

"Do not go any closer. Attack from where you stand."

"Sesshomaru-"

"Trust me," he said, looking me in the eye.

I could feel a tingling sensation on the mark

I grit my teeth. "Fine."

I notched three bows in my arrow, letting them fly. They struck him in the chest, disintegrating parts of him. That's when I saw it. His heart. It quickly disappeared out of view, while he regenerated. Kikyo shot her arrows, and Inuyasha hacked away at the demons. Miroku's wind tunnel became useless once Naraku released the saimyosho. Koga ran through them all, ripping those apart. He came in contact with. Still, it wasn't enough. This was getting us nowhere. We were only keeping them at bay. The majority of us would tire out before Naraku would. I looked over at Sesshomaru. He stood there watching everything unravel.

"Sesshomaru-"

He grabbed me by the waist, sprinting around everyone, and making his way to Kikyo. This was beginning to take a toll on her as well. She was dead and her power was not her own. She was running on borrowed time.

"Aim for his heart," Sesshomaru ordered.

"I do not take orders from the likes of you."

Sesshomaru took a step towards her. "You will do as you are told. Or, I will kill you myself and feed your clay body to the demons." He spat.

Kikyo gripped her bow tightly but said nothing. I clenched my jaw to keep from smirking.

"You will aim for his heart until your bows run out. Kagome and I will take care of the rest."

She scowled at him but did as she was told. Sesshomaru grabbed my hand as she released her arrow, and shot straight up into the sky. We were almost close enough to touch the clouds. It all happened so quickly. I had forgotten to breathe.

"Trust me." He whispered.

He pushed me away. I was freefalling backward looking up at him. My eyes went wide at the sight before me. He had transformed into his true form. The form I had seen all those years ago. This majestic white dog was so big it blocked out the sun. He dove down and passed me. I grabbed onto his fur, holding onto him tightly. The air whipped my hair around wildly. I looked down, and two more arrows pierced Naraku's chest. It was a tight opening, but I could make it. Sesshomaru dropped down onto him, pinning him to the ground. I quickly slid off of his shoulder, arrow in hand. I landed in the opening of his chest. His flesh began to wrap around us both. It was pulling me in. A tentacle wrapped itself around my throat and another shot out stabbing me in the side.

"AHHHH!"

I gripped the arrow tightly. It glowed pink. This was our last chance. I drove it into his heart. He roared so loudly that the ground shook. His body slowly began to disintegrate. I gasped for air and gripped my side. I fell backward hitting something hard. I looked up and saw it was Sesshomaru. He was stark naked, with only white fur wrapped around his bottom half. He looked me over and helped me to my feet. I looked over at the top half of the carcass that was Naraku. Sesshomaru helped me over to him. I glared down at him. He laid there guts spilling out and flesh dripping from his bones. His body slowly turned to ash. I got down on my knees, leaning in towards him ignoring the pain in my side.

"You look so pitiful. I can't wait to watch you die, Naraku. At least I got to break you before you took your last breath." I whispered.

I pulled away looking him in the eyes. I watched a single tear roll down as he took his last breath. His body stiffened and turned to ash, leaving behind the other quarter of the jewel shards. I plucked it off the ground and purified it. I placed it with the other half I had. It formed together, sparkling brighter than I had ever seen it. Sesshomaru helped me up once again. We came together. I tried my best to ignore the dead bodies of soldiers scattered across the floor. The rest of them stood off to the side, as they waited for their Lord's orders. I leaned on Sesshomaru, earning me stares from the rest of the group. All but Kikyo. She only had one thing on her mind. She stepped forward and held out her hand with the mark on it.

Hopefully, this will work.

I pushed off of Sesshomaru and limped over to her. I place my hand on top of hers, the same way we had before. She had a wicked grin on her face. Our hands began to glow.

"Goodbye, my reincarnation,"

I waited a few moments before I smirked.

"Goodbye Kikyo."

Her triumphant look had turned into one of worry. I'm sure she couldn't understand my lack of misery. I gripped her hand. Before she had a chance to speak. A white sphere shot out of her chest. Her body dropped to the ground. The rest of my soul slowly lowered into me. It felt like the wind had been knocked out of me. It took me a few moments to recover. I felt whole again. I looked down at her. Her eyes were white and empty. Cracks appeared all over her body. She favored that of a porcelain doll that had been dropped. She was finally gone. I looked up at Inuyasha to see his reaction. He only looked away from her. I guess he had finally let her go. Or he was good at hiding it. I stumbled back and Sesshomaru caught me. I felt dizzy and everything became a blur. Then, it all went black.

I opened my eyes and blinked a few times. To let them get adjusted to the dark. I sat up, touching my side. It wasn't bandaged, but the wound was closed. I fiddled with the jewel around my neck. I couldn't wrap my mind around the fact that it was whole. I slipped out of bed. I went over to the door and slid it open. I was back at the western palace. I looked down at what I was wearing. My clothes had been changed. It was another dress. Or a frock as Sesshomaru would have called it. It must have been another one of Rin's.

"I want to see her!"

I hurried down the hallway back to Sesshomaru's study. Koga and Inuyasha were standing in front of Sesshomaru's desk.

"What's going on?" I asked.

Sesshomaru stood up and came over to stand by me.

"Kagome, tell me it isn't true."

"What are you talking about Inuyasha?"

"He says you two are mates," Inuyasha said through clenched teeth.

"Is it true?" Koga whispered.

I could see the hurt look in his eyes.

I sucked in a breath.

"It is true."

The color drained from both of their faces. Sesshomaru snaked his arm around my shoulder. He tucked my hair behind my ear, pulling it back over my shoulder. He was showing them the mark on my neck. I shivered when his claws grazed against my skin. Inuyasha clenched his fists.

"Why Kagome? Why would you do this?!"

"Watch your tone halfbreed. I have already told you about questioning her."

"Why'd you do it Kagome?" Kouga asked.

He had this whine in his voice. I had never meant to hurt anyone, but I needed to live. I needed to survive this. It was the only way.

"I had no choice," I whispered. "In order to get Kikyo's help she wanted the rest of my soul. As stupid of a decision as it was I agreed. I did it for all of you because I care about all of you; Naraku needed to be gone. But I didn't want to die. Not soon after that, the idea came to me to ask Sesshomaru for help. I thought he could save my soul with his sword, but he said the way I wanted to go about things would not work. That's when he proposed another option. I needed to live and he needed a mate. It was more than a fair trade. She could not steal my soul if I was linked to him."

"Why kagome? Why him?" Kouga bit out. "You could have asked me. I could have save y-"

Sesshomaru drew his sword, pointing it at Koga's throat.

"Leave here wolf."

Koga looked at the tip of the sword and then back at me.

"I will not repeat myself," Sesshomaru said.

Koga took one final look at me before jumping through the study window.

Inuyasha shook his head, letting out a low laugh and it was a bitter one.

"Don't you already have enough?!"

Sesshomaru only stared at him.

"You already have it all. You have the birthright, the riches, the status, you're full-blood, and you… you had our father… you had to go and take Kagome too."

I had never seen Inuyasha so… vulnerable.

"Had you not been preoccupied with other distractions. She would have been yours. Your lackluster life is no one's fault but your own. As for your other qualms, blame your father. Now leave. You have overstayed your welcome."

Inuyashas drew his sword. "I am not going anywhere without Kagome! Are you really going to stay here with him, Kagome? Sango, Mirkou, Shippo! They're all waiting for you back at the village. You cannot stay here with him. Please, just come with me." he begged.

I stood closer to Sesshomaru. "I'm sorry Inuyasha," I said, looking away from him.

He pushed past Sesshomaru, going out of the window. He did not look back not once.