Where Do I Go?

Chapter 4 Introductions and Something More...





Gently Kurama laid the woman in his arms upon the sofa. He studied her face as she lay in repose watching as her eyelids fluttered and then opened. " Are you well?" Kagome's brows drew together in puzzlement at the face above hers. Who was he? She couldn't recall seeing him before she went outside with Shippo and Sota.... that’s when it all came rushing back to her, the youkai and the feeling of fear that had overwhelmed her. "Shippo! Sota! Where are they? Are they all right?" Sitting she stopped as her head spun. "Take it easy, it may be a while before you are able to stand. You expelled a lot of energy in purifying that youkai." Once again she opened her eyes to meet the green ones that seemed to smile down at her. "Who are you? Where is Sesshomaru?"





Kurama smiled as he pulled a chair behind him and sat before her. "That Kagome is one of the members of my group, and my friend Youko Kurama. He came because he felt the youkai and had been trying to prevent the scene that just occurred." Kagome looked to Sesshomaru as he strode into the living room, while he had stated that this man was a friend she could not help but notice the wary look he cast upon the red head. Turning back she suppressed a gasp as she saw the man's green eyes flash gold for just an instant as he in turn stared between her and Sesshomaru. " I am sorry we had to meet under such circumstances. I do hope that you will trust me when I say that there will be no repeat of what happened out there today. As for your kit and your brother, Sesshomaru has laid them in their rooms. They will be okay shortly they just had a little bit of a shock earlier, as did you." She noticed his elongated eyeteeth when he smiled at her, and that was when she realized that he was youkai as well. He had an aura as powerful as Sesshomaru's but his was different somehow. There was the youkai aura certainly but there was also a decidedly human aura as well.









" You are a Kitsune youkai, are you not?" Kurama could not help the chuckle as it bubbled forth. He should have known she would figure him out considering what Sesshomaru had told him about her powers of perception. "In a way I am but in a way I am not. You see I share this body with the soul of the great Youko Kurama, he was a Kitsune thief who was reborn into my body along with my own soul." That would explain the two different auras thought Kagome, "what does he look like?" Kurama sighed should he show her? Or would it prove to be too much for her fragile emotional state? " I will show you when the time is right, for right now why don't we discuss what needs to be done."









*Some where in the demon plane. *



The hallway was barely lit by the few burning candles lining the table along the far wall. The demon walking down this hallway was not relishing his role as messenger; this failure that he had to report may just mean his life. In watching the footage himself he knew that the priestess was going to be hard to defeat, in fact he wouldn't be surprised if she gave his master a run for his money. Catching himself on that thought he quickly made his way over to the study doors. Knocking he waited for permission to enter while mulling over what he would say to the demon waiting on the other side. " Come in Lei." He shuddered at the utter coldness of the voice that had spoken, he knew the cruelty it hid and the rage it could portray, he just hoped now wasn't one of those times.







Once he entered his gaze swept the large room, it brushed over the shelves lining the walls and slid past the mahogany desk sitting in the far right corner. The chair sitting behind it was empty so he brought his sight back around to the far left where the fire was burning brightly. He watched as the elegant hand beckoned him over before reaching for the snifter on the small side table, then let his legs carry him before the gaze of his master as he bowed in a mixture of fear and respect. " Speak already Lei and report. I have no patience this evening." He let his eyes wander up to meet the gaze of his master; his attention was locked on to the handsome man before him. Certainly his master was attractive but something about the coldness of that violet gaze could send a shiver of unease into even the strongest of warriors. " I am sorry sir, but it would seem that Yokio failed. I have the footage here sir." Bowing once more he presented the small hand held television to him.





Ronku took in the footage as it played out before him; a derisive smile graced the sensual lips as he watched the flaring aura of the miko as she coldly plunged her hand through his lackey’s chest. The lust engulfed him as he watched the magnificence of this miko. Her beauty was almost ethereal in nature and he knew above all that he wanted her as much as the jewel. His eyes narrowed when he saw the fox thief and the dog lord with her, she would be harder to obtain now that they were around. If he was good at anything it was scheming and control, and the wheels were already turning in his mind as his plan began to form.





Lei was a bit disconcerted by the smile that had appeared on his master's face, he could only hope that whatever was about to happen he would survive it. The slim youkai barely suppressed the shudder that engulfed his frame when his master’s eyes fell on him once more." I want you to find out who her family is, what they do, and all of their routines. I will need a trump card to ensnare this prey, oh and Lei send Phu this time he is what will get the job done. Remember if you fail this time your life will be forfeit, go now and leave me!" He almost laughed out loud at the increase in his servants’ heartbeat as he raced out the door. He so enjoyed intimidating others to get what it was he wanted. Now all he needed was a little patience and soon he would have the jewel and the delicious woman who guarded it. Yes it seemed for once one of his advisors had not lied to him. When Minato had first told him of the jewel and the last priestess who had protected it he had been skeptical to be sure. After all how could a human woman have lived over five hundred years? From what he had been told of the miko’s last battle she should have died, as the only survivor ever recorded formally was the dog demon. Sure there had been legends passed down of the priestess who had fought but she had disappeared without a trace when the battle had ended. When the leopard youkai had told him that it was true that he had witnessed the girl himself his interest had been peaked. Seeing her confirmed his advisors descriptions and he couldn't wait to have her trembling in fear beneath him.











*Kagome's Home*



Kagome was once again sitting at her kitchen table with both youkai. Her mother had arrived and thanks to Kurama's intervention had taken the rest of the family to her aunt’s house for a time. Their safety was her number one priority, and knowing they were safely away from the city eased her mind some. Getting back to the matter at hand her eyes took turns sliding over first Sesshomaru and then his friend, she couldn't help the shiver that wracked her form at the predatory looks in both pairs of eyes. When she began to hear growling she decided that she had had enough, "If the two of you would quit spouting testosterone and sit down for a moment, maybe we could tackle the matter at hand hmm?" Sesshomaru flushed guiltily while Kurama merely grinned; oh this one was definitely the perfect choice! The fire and spirit she possessed definitely called to him. It seemed that for once he and red agreed on a woman, because Shuichi was definitely interested in this girl as well. " I am terribly sorry Miss Higurashi, it seems that I am over stepping my bounds as far as Sesshomaru is concerned. I should be okay as long as I don't touch you, look at you, or speak to you, is that about covering it Fluffy?" Kagome couldn't help it she busted out laughing! Oh these two were definitely going to be fun! " I am sorry but I have never heard anyone refer to Lord Sesshomaru as Fluffy before." stifling the giggles that still threatened she continued. "However as amusing as that is, it is besides the point. I am the only one who will say who can talk to me, touch me, or look at me for that matter! Now what is this all about ... Fluffy?!" She could not help it she just had to! After all it had been more than two years since she had laughed so freely that the tears ran down her cheeks.





Sesshomaru had to count to ten before he looked at her! He could not believe she had just called him by the immature nickname that Youko had given him. When his eyes finally did fall upon her it was to see her once haunted eyes shimmering with mirth, his breath had been completely stolen from him. In that moment he was reminded of what this woman was like before the grief had overwhelmed her, and he was as much a fool for her now as he was for her then. " I am sorry Kagome it seems I have become over protective in my old age. Something I never thought capable until Rin."





She watched as the smile faded from his eyes when he mentioned his human ward, she lost her own smile then as the laughter faded away and she was brought crashing back into reality. That's right she needed to be planning how to defeat a new enemy not poking fun at Sesshomaru. All too quickly her mind started wandering back to that fateful day two years ago and once again she was awash with grief and pain. She couldn’t help the pain that gripped her when she relived the last moments she had spent with those as close to her as family.





Sesshomaru could've kicked himself for bringing up the past when she had been so clearly enjoying herself. He had forgot how fresh the past was for her and he cursed inwardly as he watched the laughter die from her eyes. From the looks and sound of things Kurama was ready to do more than kick him as he alternated between growling in his direction and a soft whimpering in Kagome's.



Kurama did not know what had triggered the change in Kagome but he was sure it had to do with something Sesshomaru reminded her of. All he could smell surrounding her was grief and pain. It was then that he and Sesshomaru caught scent of a new arrival, someone very familiar and in unison they wondered how Kagome would react.





Motioning for Kagome to stay seated Kurama went to answer the door. He sighed knowing that the one waiting on the other side would be as impatient as always.