The Past To Hate

Chapter Twenty-Three

They stopped at a village that night. No fake services were needed, a few of the men had been injured while hunting. A demon had attacked killing most of the men. Those that were left layed injured in the village elder's home. They had seen the miko clothing on Leiko and begged her to help the men. Kagome had also pleaded, they needed help.

So Kagome and Leiko were sent to the main house while the others were shown to a small room where they would be fed. Kagome almost lost her lunch at the carnage. Twelve men were lying on the floor blood oozing out of open wounds, one guy had bone sticking out his leg. Two women were around helping trying to patch them up.

"Leave. I want everyone out but me and Kagome." The women just stared at her.

"I'm not leaving my husband." She was holding the man's stomach, Kagome looked good enough to see that the man's insides were starting to come out.

"You will if you want him to live. In a few minutes he will be dead." She glared at the woman causing her to run out. Once the room was cleared she grabbed Kagome's hand. "Come."

She sat in the middle of the room as the men moaned in pain. "We will have to do this or they will die."

"What are we going to do?"

"You saw Sesshomaru's arm right?"

"Yeah, you did that?"

"Yes, you are capable of it too, now come." Kagome sat in front of her mocking her position. "When I tell you I want you to expand you energy. Mine will exceed yours but yours will help. Relax." She concentrated on the wounded men around her. "Okay, now."

Kagome did as she was told. After a few seconds she felt her power surround her body, pulsing. The feeling it created was calm and soothing. Her soul felt at peace. Then she felt Leiko's power wash over her, she gasped at the sensation. Both powers collided and swirled causing the building to be swallowed by a bright light. Feelings started running through Kagome, her feelings and Leiko's. She felt her own love for Inuyasha, then Leiko's love for Sesshomaru. It was almost the same, both intense, pure. Then she thought of Sesshomaru bringing her feelings for him to surface. For some reason feeling her love for Sesshomaru brought up Leiko's feelings for Inuyasha. The feeling of love gripped them both. Kagome suddenly felt the bond between her best friend and the girl sitting in front of her. It mirrored hers with Sesshomaru, she bore Inuyasha's mark.

The light slowly faded, Kagome felt herself coming down. The men were heard panting and moaning in the background. Kagome looked into the green eyes staring back at her. She pointed a finger at her, "You're mated to Inuyasha."

Leiko knew she'd sensed it. "Yes, but he doesn't remember."

"What do you mean? How can he not know?"

"We slept together Kagome. He didn't mean to mark me." She knew she had to do better than that at Kagome's glare. "It wasn't the first time. The reason I didn't come that one night is because Inuyasha found me the night before. That was the first time. It sort of just happened. He instantly regretted it. He made it clear he didn't want me to come back around, so I didn't. Then everything else happened. Then I left last night to be alone he followed me. It happened again, but his demonic side took over long enough to mark me. He doesn't remember it." Tears fell down. "I'm sorry, I have been dishonest. I knew of your relationship with him but when he was with me, I couldn't help but want him."

"Its okay. But shouldn't you let him know that he did it. He claimed you, doesn't that stop him from claiming someone else." Kagome squeezed her hands.

"Yes, and I'm sure when he goes to claim Kikyo he will realize that he must have claimed me. But we don't need another reason for him to hate me. At least not until we've killed Naraku. Please, let me keep his scent unnoticed until then."

"Yeah but why would Inuyasha sleep with you if he didn't love you." Kagome asked.

"I kind of threw myself at him." She blushed at admitting it. "He's a man and he's half demon, guess he couldn't say no."

Kagome didn't believe that. She was sure Inuyasha loved her. But it was between them, she had enough problems of her own. "Okay."

The men were beginning to stand up, looking for wounds that were no longer there. The man that had the oozing intestines ran out to find his wife. Kagome smiled, "She'll be happy won't she. That was kind of tiring."

"You'll get the hang of it, you just need some more training." Leiko stood up and waited for Kagome to join her. They walked outside to be greeted by the village elder and the town's people.

The old man bowed in front of both of them. "Thank you so much. How will we ever repay you?"

"You can start by stopping that nonsense." Inuyasha came walking up, growling.

"How bout some food and a place to sleep?" Kagome asked. She wanted some food and then some sleep. Since she hadn't gotten much last night. A blush covered her cheeks. Would Sesshomaru come see her tonight?

"Yes, I agree with Kagome." Leiko let him lead them into the same room where the others were waiting. Both girls ate their dinner in silence while Sango and Miroku talked.

The next day came bright and early for the group. The rest did wonders for the morale of both girls. Of course, Kouga and Inuyasha were still in foul moods. They decided to walk today instead of rushing. It looked like a storm would begin soon. The clouds in the distance were almost black. Heavy rain was coming.

Kouga was walking in the middle with Hakaku and Ginta, who'd caught up sometime during the night. They were busy talking amongst themselves. The three women took up the back, Shippo on Kagome's shoulder. Inuyasha and Miroku was ahead of the whole group. The sky suddenly opened up, letting lose. After an hour the dirt road they were on was completely soaked. Mud puddles were everywhere.

Leiko remembered having a mud fight with Kouga once. Of course the boy had cheated. She smiled to herself, time for some payback. She suddenly stopped next to a mud puddle and scooped a handful. Kagome and Sango just gave her a weird look as she formed it into a ball. She started running forward trying not to laugh and give herself away. The ball soared across the distance slamming in the back of Kouga's head. "Score." She threw her hands up in truimph.

"Fucking brat." He brought his hand up to get the mud out his hair. She bent down got another handful, instead of taking the time to form a ball she hurled it at him. This time it him in square in the face. "Oh, its on now."

She ran behind Kagome but he threw the mud anyways. It pelted the girl in the face. A look of complete shock crossed her face.

Kagome bent down and got a handful. She threw it but got Ginta instead. Sango decided to join in, everyone but the two men up front started throwing mud. Leiko felt mud pelt her in the back of the head. Kouga was standing there laughing with a big smile on his face. She eyed the big puddle behind him. Before he could blink she ran and jumped on him. He fell back from the force landing on his back. The water splashed as they landed.

"Gross," he reached down and brought a handful up to hit her in the face.

She was sitting on his middle holding him down. Without bothering to wipe her face off, she reached down and grabbed mud in both hands. He opened his mouth to yell at her and she aimed the mud for it. Most of the mud hit his face but he got a mouthful. He started spitting, trying to get most of it out.

Ginta and Hakaku broke out in laughter seeing their comrade with a mouthful of mud. Kagome took advantage of their distraction and pelted both of them in the face. "Ha!"

Leiko was looking down at his muddy face and started laughing. "Serves you right."

"Oh yeah," He started tickling her.

"Stop, stop!" Her sides started aching but he didn't stop. She soon found herself under him, pinned in the mudhole. "Gross, this damn nasty water is getting in my hair.

"You think a mouth full of mud is funny?"

"On you yes. Don't you dare." He had both her arms pinned down. "I swear if you do, I'll kick your ass when I get up."

"Well, seeing how I gotta use both my hands to hold down your arms, theres only one way for you to taste it." He cocked a grin.

"Don't you even think about it. Scruffy, you better stay away from me." She saw his head coming down and tried turning her head. That only suceeded in getting nasty water in her ears.

"Don't be a spoil sport." He closed his mouth over hers. When he tried to force his tongue in her mouth, she bit down on it. "Ouch, Raggie."

"Get the fuck off her!"

Kouga looked up to see the hanyou glaring at him. Hnn, he didn't think so. Kagome had been taken from him, she was forever lost to him. If he couldn't have Kagome then he'd take Raggie as his mate. Inuyasha obviously still wanted the dead miko, so it was none of his concern. "Whats it to you, dogshit? Jealous?"

"Yeah right, we need to get going. We don't have time for you two to be playing around." Okay he was totally forgetting to add the fact that everyone else was still throwing mud. "I don't care if you fuck her, just do it on your own time." He was about to say something else when he got hit in the cheek with a very large mud ball.

Kagome smiled as she hit her target. "Ha, take that Mr. Grumpy Pants."

Inuyasha walked over to her and threw the girl over his shoulder. She screamed and banged on his shoulders. He deposited her into the nearest puddle.

Leiko tried not to let the hanyou's comment bother her but it did. Kouga saw the hurt flash in her eyes. He smiled down at her, he'd see just how much the hanyou didn't care. He brought his mouth back down on hers. He used her gasp of suprise to slide his tongue in her mouth. She didn't know what to do, her first instinct to bite down. Yet, Inuyasha's comment had stung. So, she just layed there. She was suprised to find that he really wasn't a bad kisser but it still left her feeling hollow, empty. She turned her head to the side, "Get off me Kouga."

Something in her voice told him, he'd gone too far. He climbed off her and backed up. The moment he stepped back, a body hit him full force knocking him to the ground.


Please read and review