InuYasha Fan Fiction ❯ Making Things Right ❯ Cursed and Cured ( Chapter 15 )
[ X - Adult: No readers under 18. Contains Graphic Adult Themes/Extreme violence. ]
By: inufan625 
UFO sightings, not hardly... A dark curse and healing magic...
Anime/Manga: InuYasha Fan Fiction | Genre(s): Romance / Hentai / Action | Type: Continuation | Uploaded On: 02.11.2005 | Updated On: 07.06.2005 | Pages: 4 | Words: 4.8K | Visits: 3.6K | Status: Work In Progress
UFO sightings, not hardly... A dark curse and healing magic...
Anime/Manga: InuYasha Fan Fiction | Genre(s): Romance / Hentai / Action | Type: Continuation | Uploaded On: 02.11.2005 | Updated On: 07.06.2005 | Pages: 4 | Words: 4.8K | Visits: 3.6K | Status: Work In Progress
(**) a dream/vision
(~~) a note/letter
(*****) a scene/time change
________________________________________________________________ _____
As usual, Kagome was still asleep when InuYasha woke. He knew she liked it better when he was still beside her when she awakened, so he turned on the television, keeping the volume at a low level, which he could hear, but she wouldn’t be disturbed by. He didn’t make it a point to watch the news on most days, but the story that was on caught his attention before he could change the channel.
In an undisclosed location on the outskirts of the city, there had been some kind of disturbance. The nature of the event was unknown, but it had been reported to all the news stations and was currently being heralded as UFO activity due to the strange glow that had filled the sky.
“Ha! Doubtful,” InuYasha scoffed.
“What?” Kagome mumbled, rubbing her eyes.
InuYasha turned to the slowly waking woman beside him. “Sorry, koi,” he said. “I didn’t mean to wake you.”
She sat up and little and leaned into his chest. He responded by putting his arm around her.
“What is it?” she asked.
“A news report on what they are calling possible UFO activity, but I’d say more like possible demon activity,” he told her. “I expect Sesshomaru will be calling soon.”
He leaned down and kissed the top of her head. “I better get up. Go back to sleep. It’s still early.”
InuYasha got up and headed for the bathroom, and a few seconds later, Kagome heard the shower come on. She turned in the bed. Truthfully, she was a little tired but didn’t think that she’d be able to go back to sleep. A grin crept across her face and she climbed out of bed. He had surprised her in the shower before; maybe she should pay him back.
His head was under the water when she opened the door, masking the sound of her approach. He was leaning his head against the wall and had his eyes closed. She noticed, with amusement, that he was stroking himself idly with one hand. She opened the shower door.
“I thought I might join you, but since you seem to have things so well in hand, I guess you wouldn’t be interested,” she teased.
His eyes shot open and he growled softly.
“Get in here wench,” he replied. She giggled as his arm wrapped around her waist and he pulled her into the shower with him. He nipped her neck softly. “What did you have in mind?”
“That must have been some shower!” he said with a laugh.
“Jealous, are we?” InuYasha asked, smirking.
Miroku gave a long-suffering sigh. “Perhaps, but I am still holding out hope that, soon, my beautiful Sango will allow me the privilege of joining her in what I’m sure would be a mutually enjoyable shower,” he replied. “But unfortunately, I don’t have time to try and persuade her this morning. I have an assignment from my employer.”
“So, Sesshomaru did call,” InuYasha said.
“Yes, while you were otherwise occupied I spoke to your brother, and he seems to think that it would be advisable to investigate the ‘UFO’s’,” Miroku replied. “I was hoping you might accompany me.”
“What exactly are we supposed to do?’ InuYasha asked.
“Basically, the plan is to drive around outside of the city and see if we can detect the presence of any significant amount of youki or spiritual energy and determine if it is related to this demon in any way,” Miroku replied.
Kagome came out of the bedroom in time to hear Miroku’s reply. “So you two are going somewhere today, then?” she asked.
“Yes,” Miroku said. “That is, unless you will be needing further assistance from InuYasha this morning. I’m sure he’d much rather spend his day taking care of you, shall we say, than in a car with me.”
Kagome felt her face heating.
“Ignore him,” came Sango’s voice from behind her. “He’s just upset that at the rate he’s going, he may as well become a true monk.” She cast a dark glare at him. “If you get my meaning.”
InuYasha laughed loudly from his place at the stove where he was currently making himself some ramen for breakfast.
“I’ll go with you, bouzo,” he said when he was able to get his laughter under control. InuYasha took his bowl and sat at the table.
Kagome grabbed a yogurt and sat beside him. “Why do you insist on eating that when you are more than capable of cooking something better?”
“Well, if my wench wasn’t so lazy, she would have made me breakfast and I wouldn’t have had to fend for myself,” he replied.
“Why you…” she growled. She smacked him on the arm. “I’ll remember you said that next time you want to engage in activities similar to those of this morning. I might be too tired since I am, after all, ‘so lazy’.”
“I was only teasing, koibito,” he said gently. “How can I make it up to you?”
“Well, it will be awfully boring here without you all day,” she started. “Maybe if I were to go shopping I might forget that I’m supposed to be a lazy wench.”
InuYasha pulled out his wallet and set his credit card on the table. “In that case, go have fun,” he said. “Just call Sesshomaru for a car when you are ready to go and make sure you take your phone.” InuYasha turned to Miroku. “Are you ready to go?”
Miroku nodded and he got up.
InuYasha kissed Kagome on the top of her head on his way to set his bowl in the sink.
“Sango, my darling, how about a kiss goodbye?” Miroku asked giving her a dazzling smile. Sango leaned up and gave him a chaste kiss on the cheek. His smile fell and he sighed. Both Sango and Kagome laughed.
InuYasha grabbed Miroku by the sleeve. “Come on, lover boy,” he said. “The sooner we go, the sooner we can get back.”
“I have been meaning to speak to you about something,” Miroku said suddenly.
“What’s that?” InuYasha asked.
“Were you concerned that Kagome would reject you when you asked her to become your mate?” he asked.
“Are you fucking kidding?” InuYasha replied. “Things may be different this time around, but I’m still a hanyou and she’s still a hell of a lot more than I deserve.”
Miroku just nodded.
“Was there a point to your question?”
“I have been considering asking Sango to be my wife for quite some time, but I fear in light of my perceived lecherous ways, she may refuse,” Miroku admitted.
“First, those lecherous ways you’re talking about aren’t perceived,” InuYasha said.
“I am so misunderstood,” Miroku sighed. “Anyway, fearing her rejection aside, I am wondering if perhaps I should ask her anyway, since if I learned nothing else from my previous life, I learned that if I wait too long, I might not get the chance to be rejected. What do you think my chances are?”
“I think as long as you are willing to promise to stop groping anyone but her then you don’t have anything to worry about,” InuYasha replied.
“Which brings me to another problem,” Miroku said. “The symbol of my promise. Although your brother is a generous employer, I have not been in his service long enough to have the means to obtain a suitable ring. I do have some savings but…”
“If you are trying to ask me if I’ll lend you the money to help you get a ring for Sango, then don’t worry about it,” InuYasha said. “Depending on how long this takes, after, we can go somewhere and I’ll cover you. Just be sure and let me know when you plan to do it, and I’ll make sure Kagome and I won’t be home.”
“Thank you,” Miroku said.
“Hey, consider it my way of making it up to you for being an ass and not appreciating my friends until it was almost too late,” he replied.
“Has something happened to InuYasha or Miroku?” Kagome asked, not wanting to get upset without reason.
“No,” Kagura replied. “I come on my own behalf.”
Kagome let out a breath she didn’t realize she was holding. “Uh, would you like to come in?”
Kagura gave a slight nod and Kagome stepped to the side to let her enter.
Sango looked at their visitor with mild surprise. “I’ll be in my room if you need me,” Sango said, and left.
Kagome took a seat on the sofa and motioned for Kagura to join her.
“This is… awkward,” Kagura offered.
Kagome felt like she should try to do something to make peace with Sesshomaru’s mate since they were, after all, family now. “I suppose part of that is my fault,” Kagome started. “I should have come to you before now and apologized personally for certain unpleasant events.”
Kagura held up her hand. “Sesshomaru relayed your apology and you were not the only one to blame,” she said. “I should have known better than to provoke a newly mated female. I, myself, was one once. I came to ask for your help as a miko.”
“Well, I’m not exactly a miko since I never trained as one, but I will help if I can,” Kagome said. “Just tell me what you need.”
“I don’t know if you are aware, but youkai choose when to conceive their offspring,” Kagura started. “Most youkai, due to how long they will live, wait many years before deciding to have children. In youkai standards, the twenty years Sesshomaru and I have been together is considered brief, but this new situation has changed things slightly and Sesshomaru is concerned about having a heir, should something happen to him.”
Kagome nodded to encourage her to continue.
“He has come to me and asked me if I would be ready to bear him an heir. Of course, I am more than willing, but that is not the problem. I fear that I am unable.”
“Have you been to a doctor, or is there another reason you would feel that way?” Kagome asked.
“You are not youkai, but perhaps being a miko you can understand,” Kagura told her. “Since he brought it up, my youki has been speaking to me vaguely of something I don’t entirely understand, but I feel it is trying to tell me that I will not be able to conceive. I can’t go to a doctor. If the wrong people were to find out that I could not give my mate an heir, it would embolden them to take action against him. This is a matter that can only be trusted with family, especially since being an inu youkai, Sesshomaru would never be with another simply to have a child unless I was no longer living.”
“So you want me to see if I can find anything that might be causing you to feel this way?” Kagome asked.
Kagura nodded.
“All right, but first I have to ask you to reveal to me the true extent of your distress. I have to know so that I can get past the emotional disturbance in your youki to the physical one, if it exists.”
Kagura looked at her hands as they were clasped in her lap. “I may be a demon, but I am also a woman,” she said softly. “This is a thing I know you can understand. Were InuYasha to ask you to give him a child and you could not, how would you feel?”
“Like I failed him,” she replied. “Like I had ruined his chance to have the life he wanted by agreeing to be with him.”
Kagura nodded. “If I cannot do this I am not just failing him, but more than that. He is the eldest son. He had a duty to his father to carry on his family line. I will be failing generations of the Great Dog Lords of the West. Not to dishonor your mate, but it would be the end of one of the oldest pure demon lines.”
“I understand,” Kagome told her. Kagome led her to the bedroom left empty by Shippou’s departure. “This is probably going to be uncomfortable for both of us since your youki will fight against the spiritual energy I will have to use.”
Kagura nodded. “I am ready.”
Kagome closed her eyes and focused her attention on Kagura. She was careful to make sure and control the amount of power she used. She clenched her teeth as Kagura’s youki lashed out at her, but she could tell that the wind sorceress was trying to control it so that it would not injure her. Then she felt it - a dark presence that didn’t belong within the demon before her. She pulled away.
Kagura sat up. “I felt something.”
Kagome nodded. “I think someone has cursed you,” she replied. “I can remove it, but I don’t know how to protect you against it happening again. I think we should go to Sesshomaru. He probably knows someone who can.”
Kagome told Sango where she was going and then followed Kagura to Sesshomaru’s office. She saw a rare smile that quickly vanished when Sesshomaru realized his mate was not alone.
“I expected you to be gone all day,” he said.
“Forgive me for deceiving you,” Kagura replied. “I did not want to worry you without reason. I wanted to be sure before I came to you with my concerns.”
“And what does my brother’s miko have to do with this?” he asked.
“She has confirmed my concern and agreed to help,” Kagura told him. “As things are, I cannot give you a child.”
“You are certain?” he asked softly, coming to stand before Kagura.
“Someone has cursed her,” Kagome interjected. “I can remove it, but I can’t stop it from happening again, so we thought it best to make sure she would have protection from being cursed again before I did anything.”
“And with this curse removed?’ he asked.
“Everything should be fine,” Kagome assured him. “So, do you have someone working for you who can place protective spells?”
Sesshomaru didn’t answer her, but instead went to the phone. A few moments later, he hung up. “He will arrive in fifteen minutes,” Sesshomaru informed them. “Will you require anything to remove this curse?”
“I don’t think so, though, I may need some of that tea for after,” she told him.
He nodded.
Exactly fifteen minutes later, a man - Kagome could tell he had spiritual powers – arrived, and Kagome turned to Sesshomaru.
“Before I do this, I have to warn you that it will be painful for both of us, and if you can’t control your desire to protect her, then you need to leave.”
“I will maintain my control,” he replied.
Kagome nodded and took a deep breath. Once again, she closed her eyes, only this time her focus was specific. She knew the feeling of the curse now and hopefully would be able to do this quickly. She didn’t think Sesshomaru would lose control and hurt her, but she couldn’t help but remember how strong the desire to protect your mate was and would have felt more confident if InuYasha were there just in case. As it was, he was likely to be a little upset with her for not at least calling him before attempting to do this.
She found the curse immediately and sent some of her own purifying energy into the core of the growling darkness. She then felt the hidden purpose. The curse was intended to do more than prevent a child, but undiscovered would have grown and consumed her, draining her youki, and along with it, her life. When she was sure there were no lingering traces of the curse, Kagome pulled back and slumped down onto the floor.
The man who had come to do the protection was in awe, as well as Sesshomaru, though it was not evident on the taiyoukai’s face. What Kagome and Kagura hadn’t seen - since they had both closed their eyes against the pain - was the dark cloud that Kagome had lifted from Kagura’s body, and then proceeded to purify it with an energy so great that Sesshomaru had found himself taking a step back as it crackled against his youki.
“I don’t understand why I was called,” the man said. “My power is nothing compared to hers, or the strength of that curse. I can’t guarantee that I can create a protection strong enough to block dark magic of that magnitude. I can‘t be sure, but I believe that your mate would have been killed by that curse eventually.”
“She does not know how to establish a barrier of protection,” Sesshomaru replied.
“If it were connected to a talisman, it would be simple enough for me to show her how to infuse it with her power,” the man offered.
Kagome was more than drained but took the cup of tea that was pressed into her hand. She drank it and waited for it to restore her energy. When it did, she came to her feet.
“Is what he says true?” Sesshomaru asked.
Kagome nodded.
The man approached her and he held out a talisman. “Close your hands over this. I will guide your power with my own and seal the protection,” he said. Kagome did as he asked and felt the flow of power travel between them and into the necklace. He handed it to Sesshomaru. “It is done. As long as she wears this, she should be safe from anyone trying to place a curse on her. It would be beyond my comprehension if someone were to have enough power to subvert the charm on this talisman. If there is nothing else, I will take my leave.”
Sesshomaru stopped the man. “The miko, should she be protected as well?”
“I would worry more for the one who would try to curse her than for her,” the man replied. “I would be surprised if they would survive the attempt. In addition to the protection of her own power wrapped around her more tightly than her own aura is that of a very powerful youkai, although I do not know how it is possible for it to exist along side her spiritual powers and not be purified. Had I had even the smallest of dishonorable intentions when attempting to merge our power, I dare say I would have been killed.”
“Very well. Thank you for your services. Your payment will be sent to your account by the end of the day,” Sesshomaru said.
The man bowed and left.
“Is there anything else you require?” the taiyoukai asked Kagome.
“I was going to ask for a car so I could go out today,” she replied, having decided that shopping would be a good way to get her mind off what had happened today.
“It will be ready when you are. There will also be two members of security following you,” he told her. “They will introduce themselves before you leave so you will be aware of their presence.”
Kagome nodded.
“And thank you.”
She smiled and left.
Sango was waiting for her when she came inside, and after a brief explanation, they left to go shopping.
“That in itself troubles me,” Miroku offered.
They had been driving for hours and had come up with nothing.
“We should have at least at some point felt energy from a spiritual nexus, if nothing else. It is almost like the balance in this area is too perfect.”
“Do you think that could be how he is hiding?” InuYasha asked. “By balancing out the energy around him, and last night, the balance was upset for a time?”
“That would make sense as well as explain the marked lack of any kind of energy in this area,” Miroku offered.
“Well, I say let’s call it a day,” InuYasha suggested. “If that’s the case, then we won’t be able to find anything now anyway.”
Miroku nodded his agreement and they headed back into the city.
“So are you up for a quick shopping trip, or would you rather wait?” InuYasha asked.
“No time like the present,” Miroku replied.
InuYasha drove them to the same store he had gone to get Kagome’s ring. Miroku marveled at the amount of bowing a scrapping done when he and InuYasha walked into the store. Miroku looked around while InuYasha spoke to the store manager.
Miroku knew Sango wouldn’t want anything too big and bulky, and he also knew that he didn’t want to get her anything ordinary, since she was no ordinary woman. One ring quickly stood out. He saw it and knew it would be perfect, and called InuYasha over.
InuYasha worked out a deal with the manager and they paid for the ring, and Miroku was happy to find that he didn’t need to borrow as much as he had thought would be necessary.
They left the jewelers and went home.
InuYasha went inside, and immediately, he detected a scent that he detested. He ventured inside and didn’t see anything out of the ordinary, but it was making him crazy not knowing why Kagura had been there, and even more so, since Kagome wasn’t home. He picked up the phone ignoring Miroku’s questioning look at his preoccupation.
Kagome was sitting with Sango drinking a coffee when her cell phone rang. She looked at the caller id and saw that it was InuYasha. “I see you’re home, koibito,” she said.
InuYasha relaxed. “Where are you?”
“We stopped for coffee, but we should be home soon,” she replied. “Is something wrong?”
“Other than the fact I come home my mate is gone and she didn’t think to leave me some way to know why my house would smell like my brother’s mate, no,” he replied. “So why is that?”
“I’ll explain everything when I get home,” she told him. “We’ll leave right now. I love you.”
“I love you too, wench,” he replied.
“I thought something might have happened to you since Kagura had been here,” he whispered.
“I’m sorry I worried you,” she replied. “I forgot all about your super doggy senses. Kagura was here to ask for my help. I’ll remember to leave you a note of something if it happens again. Are you hungry?”
“Why don’t I order something and then you can tell me why Kagura would ask for your help while we wait?” he suggested.
Kagome nodded her agreement.
They called for the food and then Kagome explained the situation to InuYasha. His first concern had, of course, been whether or not the same thing could happen to her, followed closely by his anger at her for not at least calling him and telling him what she was going to do. Thankfully, she was temporarily saved by the arrival of the food.
“I’m sorry,” she whispered. “I promise to call you first next time and I’ll try and make it up to you now, if you’ll let me.”
He crossed his arms. “Just how exactly do you plan to do that?”
She smiled. “I thought you might like to see what I bought today for starters, and from there, you can use your imagination,” she replied. “So, do I get to try?”
He smirked at her. “I won’t promise to let you off the hook, but I guess it can’t hurt to let you try,” he said.
She leaned down and kissed him and then picked up a small bag and went into the bathroom. InuYasha had a feeling that he was about to be coerced into forgetting all together why he was mad, and yet somehow, he couldn’t seem to make himself mind at all.
When the bathroom door opened, he knew his feeling had been right, since at the moment, he was having trouble simply remembering to breathe.
(~~) a note/letter
(*****) a scene/time change
________________________________________________________________ _____
As usual, Kagome was still asleep when InuYasha woke. He knew she liked it better when he was still beside her when she awakened, so he turned on the television, keeping the volume at a low level, which he could hear, but she wouldn’t be disturbed by. He didn’t make it a point to watch the news on most days, but the story that was on caught his attention before he could change the channel.
In an undisclosed location on the outskirts of the city, there had been some kind of disturbance. The nature of the event was unknown, but it had been reported to all the news stations and was currently being heralded as UFO activity due to the strange glow that had filled the sky.
“Ha! Doubtful,” InuYasha scoffed.
“What?” Kagome mumbled, rubbing her eyes.
InuYasha turned to the slowly waking woman beside him. “Sorry, koi,” he said. “I didn’t mean to wake you.”
She sat up and little and leaned into his chest. He responded by putting his arm around her.
“What is it?” she asked.
“A news report on what they are calling possible UFO activity, but I’d say more like possible demon activity,” he told her. “I expect Sesshomaru will be calling soon.”
He leaned down and kissed the top of her head. “I better get up. Go back to sleep. It’s still early.”
InuYasha got up and headed for the bathroom, and a few seconds later, Kagome heard the shower come on. She turned in the bed. Truthfully, she was a little tired but didn’t think that she’d be able to go back to sleep. A grin crept across her face and she climbed out of bed. He had surprised her in the shower before; maybe she should pay him back.
His head was under the water when she opened the door, masking the sound of her approach. He was leaning his head against the wall and had his eyes closed. She noticed, with amusement, that he was stroking himself idly with one hand. She opened the shower door.
“I thought I might join you, but since you seem to have things so well in hand, I guess you wouldn’t be interested,” she teased.
His eyes shot open and he growled softly.
“Get in here wench,” he replied. She giggled as his arm wrapped around her waist and he pulled her into the shower with him. He nipped her neck softly. “What did you have in mind?”
*****
The water was cold when they finished their shower, but neither noticed. InuYasha left her to dry her hair and went to get dressed. He exited their room a few minutes later to find a very amused looking Miroku sitting on the couch.“That must have been some shower!” he said with a laugh.
“Jealous, are we?” InuYasha asked, smirking.
Miroku gave a long-suffering sigh. “Perhaps, but I am still holding out hope that, soon, my beautiful Sango will allow me the privilege of joining her in what I’m sure would be a mutually enjoyable shower,” he replied. “But unfortunately, I don’t have time to try and persuade her this morning. I have an assignment from my employer.”
“So, Sesshomaru did call,” InuYasha said.
“Yes, while you were otherwise occupied I spoke to your brother, and he seems to think that it would be advisable to investigate the ‘UFO’s’,” Miroku replied. “I was hoping you might accompany me.”
“What exactly are we supposed to do?’ InuYasha asked.
“Basically, the plan is to drive around outside of the city and see if we can detect the presence of any significant amount of youki or spiritual energy and determine if it is related to this demon in any way,” Miroku replied.
Kagome came out of the bedroom in time to hear Miroku’s reply. “So you two are going somewhere today, then?” she asked.
“Yes,” Miroku said. “That is, unless you will be needing further assistance from InuYasha this morning. I’m sure he’d much rather spend his day taking care of you, shall we say, than in a car with me.”
Kagome felt her face heating.
“Ignore him,” came Sango’s voice from behind her. “He’s just upset that at the rate he’s going, he may as well become a true monk.” She cast a dark glare at him. “If you get my meaning.”
InuYasha laughed loudly from his place at the stove where he was currently making himself some ramen for breakfast.
“I’ll go with you, bouzo,” he said when he was able to get his laughter under control. InuYasha took his bowl and sat at the table.
Kagome grabbed a yogurt and sat beside him. “Why do you insist on eating that when you are more than capable of cooking something better?”
“Well, if my wench wasn’t so lazy, she would have made me breakfast and I wouldn’t have had to fend for myself,” he replied.
“Why you…” she growled. She smacked him on the arm. “I’ll remember you said that next time you want to engage in activities similar to those of this morning. I might be too tired since I am, after all, ‘so lazy’.”
“I was only teasing, koibito,” he said gently. “How can I make it up to you?”
“Well, it will be awfully boring here without you all day,” she started. “Maybe if I were to go shopping I might forget that I’m supposed to be a lazy wench.”
InuYasha pulled out his wallet and set his credit card on the table. “In that case, go have fun,” he said. “Just call Sesshomaru for a car when you are ready to go and make sure you take your phone.” InuYasha turned to Miroku. “Are you ready to go?”
Miroku nodded and he got up.
InuYasha kissed Kagome on the top of her head on his way to set his bowl in the sink.
“Sango, my darling, how about a kiss goodbye?” Miroku asked giving her a dazzling smile. Sango leaned up and gave him a chaste kiss on the cheek. His smile fell and he sighed. Both Sango and Kagome laughed.
InuYasha grabbed Miroku by the sleeve. “Come on, lover boy,” he said. “The sooner we go, the sooner we can get back.”
*****
InuYasha drove as they headed out of the city. They didn’t have an exact location, only a general area. As it was, it would take at least an hour to get out of the city and then who knows how long to search such a wide area.“I have been meaning to speak to you about something,” Miroku said suddenly.
“What’s that?” InuYasha asked.
“Were you concerned that Kagome would reject you when you asked her to become your mate?” he asked.
“Are you fucking kidding?” InuYasha replied. “Things may be different this time around, but I’m still a hanyou and she’s still a hell of a lot more than I deserve.”
Miroku just nodded.
“Was there a point to your question?”
“I have been considering asking Sango to be my wife for quite some time, but I fear in light of my perceived lecherous ways, she may refuse,” Miroku admitted.
“First, those lecherous ways you’re talking about aren’t perceived,” InuYasha said.
“I am so misunderstood,” Miroku sighed. “Anyway, fearing her rejection aside, I am wondering if perhaps I should ask her anyway, since if I learned nothing else from my previous life, I learned that if I wait too long, I might not get the chance to be rejected. What do you think my chances are?”
“I think as long as you are willing to promise to stop groping anyone but her then you don’t have anything to worry about,” InuYasha replied.
“Which brings me to another problem,” Miroku said. “The symbol of my promise. Although your brother is a generous employer, I have not been in his service long enough to have the means to obtain a suitable ring. I do have some savings but…”
“If you are trying to ask me if I’ll lend you the money to help you get a ring for Sango, then don’t worry about it,” InuYasha said. “Depending on how long this takes, after, we can go somewhere and I’ll cover you. Just be sure and let me know when you plan to do it, and I’ll make sure Kagome and I won’t be home.”
“Thank you,” Miroku said.
“Hey, consider it my way of making it up to you for being an ass and not appreciating my friends until it was almost too late,” he replied.
*****
Kagome and Sango were trying to decide if they wanted to go to the mall or if they wanted to go to some smaller shops around the city when someone knocked on the door. Kagome got up and looked outside to find someone she never expected to see standing at her door. She opened it.“Has something happened to InuYasha or Miroku?” Kagome asked, not wanting to get upset without reason.
“No,” Kagura replied. “I come on my own behalf.”
Kagome let out a breath she didn’t realize she was holding. “Uh, would you like to come in?”
Kagura gave a slight nod and Kagome stepped to the side to let her enter.
Sango looked at their visitor with mild surprise. “I’ll be in my room if you need me,” Sango said, and left.
Kagome took a seat on the sofa and motioned for Kagura to join her.
“This is… awkward,” Kagura offered.
Kagome felt like she should try to do something to make peace with Sesshomaru’s mate since they were, after all, family now. “I suppose part of that is my fault,” Kagome started. “I should have come to you before now and apologized personally for certain unpleasant events.”
Kagura held up her hand. “Sesshomaru relayed your apology and you were not the only one to blame,” she said. “I should have known better than to provoke a newly mated female. I, myself, was one once. I came to ask for your help as a miko.”
“Well, I’m not exactly a miko since I never trained as one, but I will help if I can,” Kagome said. “Just tell me what you need.”
“I don’t know if you are aware, but youkai choose when to conceive their offspring,” Kagura started. “Most youkai, due to how long they will live, wait many years before deciding to have children. In youkai standards, the twenty years Sesshomaru and I have been together is considered brief, but this new situation has changed things slightly and Sesshomaru is concerned about having a heir, should something happen to him.”
Kagome nodded to encourage her to continue.
“He has come to me and asked me if I would be ready to bear him an heir. Of course, I am more than willing, but that is not the problem. I fear that I am unable.”
“Have you been to a doctor, or is there another reason you would feel that way?” Kagome asked.
“You are not youkai, but perhaps being a miko you can understand,” Kagura told her. “Since he brought it up, my youki has been speaking to me vaguely of something I don’t entirely understand, but I feel it is trying to tell me that I will not be able to conceive. I can’t go to a doctor. If the wrong people were to find out that I could not give my mate an heir, it would embolden them to take action against him. This is a matter that can only be trusted with family, especially since being an inu youkai, Sesshomaru would never be with another simply to have a child unless I was no longer living.”
“So you want me to see if I can find anything that might be causing you to feel this way?” Kagome asked.
Kagura nodded.
“All right, but first I have to ask you to reveal to me the true extent of your distress. I have to know so that I can get past the emotional disturbance in your youki to the physical one, if it exists.”
Kagura looked at her hands as they were clasped in her lap. “I may be a demon, but I am also a woman,” she said softly. “This is a thing I know you can understand. Were InuYasha to ask you to give him a child and you could not, how would you feel?”
“Like I failed him,” she replied. “Like I had ruined his chance to have the life he wanted by agreeing to be with him.”
Kagura nodded. “If I cannot do this I am not just failing him, but more than that. He is the eldest son. He had a duty to his father to carry on his family line. I will be failing generations of the Great Dog Lords of the West. Not to dishonor your mate, but it would be the end of one of the oldest pure demon lines.”
“I understand,” Kagome told her. Kagome led her to the bedroom left empty by Shippou’s departure. “This is probably going to be uncomfortable for both of us since your youki will fight against the spiritual energy I will have to use.”
Kagura nodded. “I am ready.”
Kagome closed her eyes and focused her attention on Kagura. She was careful to make sure and control the amount of power she used. She clenched her teeth as Kagura’s youki lashed out at her, but she could tell that the wind sorceress was trying to control it so that it would not injure her. Then she felt it - a dark presence that didn’t belong within the demon before her. She pulled away.
Kagura sat up. “I felt something.”
Kagome nodded. “I think someone has cursed you,” she replied. “I can remove it, but I don’t know how to protect you against it happening again. I think we should go to Sesshomaru. He probably knows someone who can.”
Kagome told Sango where she was going and then followed Kagura to Sesshomaru’s office. She saw a rare smile that quickly vanished when Sesshomaru realized his mate was not alone.
“I expected you to be gone all day,” he said.
“Forgive me for deceiving you,” Kagura replied. “I did not want to worry you without reason. I wanted to be sure before I came to you with my concerns.”
“And what does my brother’s miko have to do with this?” he asked.
“She has confirmed my concern and agreed to help,” Kagura told him. “As things are, I cannot give you a child.”
“You are certain?” he asked softly, coming to stand before Kagura.
“Someone has cursed her,” Kagome interjected. “I can remove it, but I can’t stop it from happening again, so we thought it best to make sure she would have protection from being cursed again before I did anything.”
“And with this curse removed?’ he asked.
“Everything should be fine,” Kagome assured him. “So, do you have someone working for you who can place protective spells?”
Sesshomaru didn’t answer her, but instead went to the phone. A few moments later, he hung up. “He will arrive in fifteen minutes,” Sesshomaru informed them. “Will you require anything to remove this curse?”
“I don’t think so, though, I may need some of that tea for after,” she told him.
He nodded.
Exactly fifteen minutes later, a man - Kagome could tell he had spiritual powers – arrived, and Kagome turned to Sesshomaru.
“Before I do this, I have to warn you that it will be painful for both of us, and if you can’t control your desire to protect her, then you need to leave.”
“I will maintain my control,” he replied.
Kagome nodded and took a deep breath. Once again, she closed her eyes, only this time her focus was specific. She knew the feeling of the curse now and hopefully would be able to do this quickly. She didn’t think Sesshomaru would lose control and hurt her, but she couldn’t help but remember how strong the desire to protect your mate was and would have felt more confident if InuYasha were there just in case. As it was, he was likely to be a little upset with her for not at least calling him before attempting to do this.
She found the curse immediately and sent some of her own purifying energy into the core of the growling darkness. She then felt the hidden purpose. The curse was intended to do more than prevent a child, but undiscovered would have grown and consumed her, draining her youki, and along with it, her life. When she was sure there were no lingering traces of the curse, Kagome pulled back and slumped down onto the floor.
The man who had come to do the protection was in awe, as well as Sesshomaru, though it was not evident on the taiyoukai’s face. What Kagome and Kagura hadn’t seen - since they had both closed their eyes against the pain - was the dark cloud that Kagome had lifted from Kagura’s body, and then proceeded to purify it with an energy so great that Sesshomaru had found himself taking a step back as it crackled against his youki.
“I don’t understand why I was called,” the man said. “My power is nothing compared to hers, or the strength of that curse. I can’t guarantee that I can create a protection strong enough to block dark magic of that magnitude. I can‘t be sure, but I believe that your mate would have been killed by that curse eventually.”
“She does not know how to establish a barrier of protection,” Sesshomaru replied.
“If it were connected to a talisman, it would be simple enough for me to show her how to infuse it with her power,” the man offered.
Kagome was more than drained but took the cup of tea that was pressed into her hand. She drank it and waited for it to restore her energy. When it did, she came to her feet.
“Is what he says true?” Sesshomaru asked.
Kagome nodded.
The man approached her and he held out a talisman. “Close your hands over this. I will guide your power with my own and seal the protection,” he said. Kagome did as he asked and felt the flow of power travel between them and into the necklace. He handed it to Sesshomaru. “It is done. As long as she wears this, she should be safe from anyone trying to place a curse on her. It would be beyond my comprehension if someone were to have enough power to subvert the charm on this talisman. If there is nothing else, I will take my leave.”
Sesshomaru stopped the man. “The miko, should she be protected as well?”
“I would worry more for the one who would try to curse her than for her,” the man replied. “I would be surprised if they would survive the attempt. In addition to the protection of her own power wrapped around her more tightly than her own aura is that of a very powerful youkai, although I do not know how it is possible for it to exist along side her spiritual powers and not be purified. Had I had even the smallest of dishonorable intentions when attempting to merge our power, I dare say I would have been killed.”
“Very well. Thank you for your services. Your payment will be sent to your account by the end of the day,” Sesshomaru said.
The man bowed and left.
“Is there anything else you require?” the taiyoukai asked Kagome.
“I was going to ask for a car so I could go out today,” she replied, having decided that shopping would be a good way to get her mind off what had happened today.
“It will be ready when you are. There will also be two members of security following you,” he told her. “They will introduce themselves before you leave so you will be aware of their presence.”
Kagome nodded.
“And thank you.”
She smiled and left.
Sango was waiting for her when she came inside, and after a brief explanation, they left to go shopping.
*****
“Well this was a colossal waste of time,” InuYasha complained. “Maybe it really was a UFO, because I sure haven’t felt any youki or spiritual energy.”“That in itself troubles me,” Miroku offered.
They had been driving for hours and had come up with nothing.
“We should have at least at some point felt energy from a spiritual nexus, if nothing else. It is almost like the balance in this area is too perfect.”
“Do you think that could be how he is hiding?” InuYasha asked. “By balancing out the energy around him, and last night, the balance was upset for a time?”
“That would make sense as well as explain the marked lack of any kind of energy in this area,” Miroku offered.
“Well, I say let’s call it a day,” InuYasha suggested. “If that’s the case, then we won’t be able to find anything now anyway.”
Miroku nodded his agreement and they headed back into the city.
*****
Nearly an hour later they were back.“So are you up for a quick shopping trip, or would you rather wait?” InuYasha asked.
“No time like the present,” Miroku replied.
InuYasha drove them to the same store he had gone to get Kagome’s ring. Miroku marveled at the amount of bowing a scrapping done when he and InuYasha walked into the store. Miroku looked around while InuYasha spoke to the store manager.
Miroku knew Sango wouldn’t want anything too big and bulky, and he also knew that he didn’t want to get her anything ordinary, since she was no ordinary woman. One ring quickly stood out. He saw it and knew it would be perfect, and called InuYasha over.
InuYasha worked out a deal with the manager and they paid for the ring, and Miroku was happy to find that he didn’t need to borrow as much as he had thought would be necessary.
They left the jewelers and went home.
*****
It was late afternoon by the time they got back to the house.InuYasha went inside, and immediately, he detected a scent that he detested. He ventured inside and didn’t see anything out of the ordinary, but it was making him crazy not knowing why Kagura had been there, and even more so, since Kagome wasn’t home. He picked up the phone ignoring Miroku’s questioning look at his preoccupation.
Kagome was sitting with Sango drinking a coffee when her cell phone rang. She looked at the caller id and saw that it was InuYasha. “I see you’re home, koibito,” she said.
InuYasha relaxed. “Where are you?”
“We stopped for coffee, but we should be home soon,” she replied. “Is something wrong?”
“Other than the fact I come home my mate is gone and she didn’t think to leave me some way to know why my house would smell like my brother’s mate, no,” he replied. “So why is that?”
“I’ll explain everything when I get home,” she told him. “We’ll leave right now. I love you.”
“I love you too, wench,” he replied.
*****
Kagome and Sango arrived home a short while later. InuYasha pulled her to him as soon as she stepped inside.“I thought something might have happened to you since Kagura had been here,” he whispered.
“I’m sorry I worried you,” she replied. “I forgot all about your super doggy senses. Kagura was here to ask for my help. I’ll remember to leave you a note of something if it happens again. Are you hungry?”
“Why don’t I order something and then you can tell me why Kagura would ask for your help while we wait?” he suggested.
Kagome nodded her agreement.
They called for the food and then Kagome explained the situation to InuYasha. His first concern had, of course, been whether or not the same thing could happen to her, followed closely by his anger at her for not at least calling him and telling him what she was going to do. Thankfully, she was temporarily saved by the arrival of the food.
*****
After dinner, they once again retreated to their room so he could pick up where he left off, but she interrupted his tirade with a searing kiss.“I’m sorry,” she whispered. “I promise to call you first next time and I’ll try and make it up to you now, if you’ll let me.”
He crossed his arms. “Just how exactly do you plan to do that?”
She smiled. “I thought you might like to see what I bought today for starters, and from there, you can use your imagination,” she replied. “So, do I get to try?”
He smirked at her. “I won’t promise to let you off the hook, but I guess it can’t hurt to let you try,” he said.
She leaned down and kissed him and then picked up a small bag and went into the bathroom. InuYasha had a feeling that he was about to be coerced into forgetting all together why he was mad, and yet somehow, he couldn’t seem to make himself mind at all.
When the bathroom door opened, he knew his feeling had been right, since at the moment, he was having trouble simply remembering to breathe.