The Perfect Mate by BelovedStranger

Phenomenon

AUTHOR'S NOTE: UNEDITED VERSION!! NOW EDITED!!

Iocosus—humorous, merry; facetious

Temere—blindly, by chance, casually, heedlessly

Cachinnatio—violent laughter

Iacio—to lay; to throw; to shed; to scatter; to utter

Oestrus—the gadfly, horsefly; inspiration, frenzy

Ululo—to howl, yell; to howl to; to respond with howling  

Nerampelinae—dark red garments 

Quasi—as if, just as; as it were, sort of  

He’d heard everything.

Seeing the knowing gleam in Naraku’s crimson gaze he leveled on them, there was no doubt in Sai’s mind that he had, and for some reason that terrified her. Why that was, she didn’t know. Her dark lord had been nothing but her salvation, and he’d given her a purpose, something she’d never really had before. And yet, some dark premonition warned her that something bad was about to happen.

Surely, he’d come to kill her miko.

Ice settled inside her heart at the thought. Kami, please no!

“Naraku-sama—” Sai began in a tight, thin voice.

“Naraku! What are you doing here?” Kagome interrupted, not sensing the underlying friction between her mortal enemy and maid.

Twisting her body, she lurched out of Haru’s lap, and scrambled to her feet. Facing off with Naraku, whose stare regarded her with dark humor, she took up a defensive stance, all the while in the back of her mind she worried. What if she used her reiki and her youki interfered again? At the thought, she went into a cold sweat. Surely, she’d begin to transform if that were to happen, and Sesshomaru wasn’t here to help her through the change.

She’d die.

Naraku was here, and there was no way he’d save her, and Haru was no match for the evil monster. For so long, she’d feared becoming something else, someone else, but now, at the thought of not getting through the change, of dying, she realized she wanted to live, even if that meant living the rest of her life as a demon. Kagome didn’t want to die. However, if that was to be her fate, then she’d go down fighting. She just wished she could have seen Sesshomaru one last time before she…

No, she mustn’t think like that. That her death was the only outcome to the inevitable fight that was about to begin.

Naraku chuckled. “You surprise me yet again, Kagome. A miko with demonic powers? It seems you and I are not so different after all. I started out as a human, and soon, you won’t be one either if left to live.”

“I’m nothing like you, Naraku!”

“No? Is that because you won’t start out as a half-demon as I have? There are many who would say I don’t belong in this world because of my mixed blood. How hypocritical you are for accepting Inuyasha and not me.”

“How dare you compare yourself to Inuyasha?!” Kagome shouted, balling her fists in anger at his gall. “He’s nothing like a murdering monster like you.”

Again he chuckled as if she were a naïve child, angering her more.

“Really?” he murmured, the word full of skepticism. “Have you forgotten already? Your hanyou used to kill humans by soaking his claws in their blood. But then, that was before he met you, wasn’t it? Oh, wait. There was the one time he tried to kill you for the Jewel that first meeting. Why is he so different? Why do you follow him? Forgive him yet condemn me?”

That brought Kagome up short. “He was…that was…a misunderstanding. He thought…he thought I was Kikyo…”

“And yet death was on his mind, whether it was you or her.”

Naraku’s logic—twisted as it was—couldn’t be refuted, but she tried. Inuyasha was a good man. He wasn’t here to defend himself, but she sure as hell was!

“He thought she was his enemy! You’re the one to blame for the whole mess. If you’re trying to turn me against Inuyasha, you’re doing a poor job if it. You’re only reminding me why I find you despicable! You not only kill people, you ruin lives. Worse, you enjoy it.” Kagome whispered the last, disgusted. There was no way he couldn’t see how she loathed him. It was plastered all over her face for all to see.

“What a beautiful expression of hate you have,” he commented off-handedly. “And here I thought you preached forgiveness and acceptance wherever you went.”

“Do not mock me. Enough talk. If you wish to fight, then shut up and put up.”

Trying not to rise her youki, Kagome let just a portion of her spiritual powers into her hands until they glowed pink, warningly.

“No, wait, milord!”

Haru ran between them, surprising Kagome.

“Haru! Get out of the way. He’s dangerous.”

“Naraku-sama, please. You don’t have to kill her.” Then her maid fell to her knees before Naraku and grabbed onto his leg with both hands.

“Haru…what are you…” Kagome couldn’t understand what she was seeing.

Heedless of Kagome’s confusion, Sai was looking up at her lord beseechingly.

“She’s just a…naïve girl. She doesn’t understand that Inuyasha has been lying to her all this time. He should be her enemy, not you. But I’m sure she’ll listen if you talk to her instead of… You don’t have to fight,” she whispered the last.

Naraku reached down and stroked the back of her head tenderly, and yet those crimson eyes of his held no warmth for her, sending a shiver of foreboding down her spine.

“You always were loyal, from the very beginning, Sai.”

A gasp sounded from behind, drawing her attention. Sai stiffened before turning around slightly to look back at Kagome, only to see her lift her hand to cover her mouth, horror in her brown eyes as she stumbled back a couple steps.

“Sai… You’re Sai? But… No!”

“Kagome, wait!” Sai reached out a hand to her, still on her knees.

“Stay away! You killed Haru, didn’t you? That’s why…” Kagome made a sound of pain. “That’s why you look like her,” she finished in a tortured whisper, realizing that her friend was gone—dead. It hurt. Her heart was filled with such pain, Kagome fought to breathe.

“No! I mean…yes. But! It was an accident. I only wished to save you—k” Sai tried to explain desperately, only now realizing she had been a fool to kill the maid. The pain in Kagome’s eyes, the ones now looking down at her, called her a monster. And she felt like one. What had she done?

Kagome interrupted her.

“Change back.”

Not understanding, her arm feel down slowly. “W-what?”

“Change back!” Kagome shouted, tears falling from her eyes. “Stop looking like Haru. Change back, change back, change back!”

Swallowing thickly, Sai did so without hesitation. In seconds, she returned to her true form. Even her clothes became her own, the forest green she preferred. At her shift, Sai could see that Kagome was not happy to see her. No. What she saw in her miko’s eyes was hate.

God, did that hurt.

“Kagome…”

Naraku’s dark chuckle interrupted her. Why was he laughing? He was always laughing, she thought almost manically, her mind racing with self-recriminations, hurting because it was obvious she had been a fool to ever think Kagome would ever come to love one such as her.

Still, she did not want Kagome to die. Turning back to her dark lord swiftly, she got to her feet, hands spread out in a helpless, beseeching manner. Before she could even begin to once again dissuade him from harming Kagome, he spoke.

“So it’s true, Sai. You’ve fallen in love with the miko.”

Sai almost cringed at the surprised sound at her back. Obviously, Kagome was shocked. Was she disgusted by her feelings? Was this yet another reason for Kagome to hate and despise her? Sai could say nothing to refute Naraku’s words, didn’t even try. She didn’t even speak, couldn’t.

“I thought as much,” Naraku continued. “You really should learn to hide your feelings, Sai.”

Ignoring that, she implored, “Please, don’t kill her. She doesn’t know—“

“Doesn’t know what?” he interrupted. “That I’m the monster she believes me to be?” Again he chuckled. “No. The one who is mistaken, is you, Sai.”

“What—“

The sound of flesh ripping and blood splattering upon the stone floor echoed around the cave.

Sai lurched back but was held in place by the tentacle protruding from her gut. Looking down at it uncomprehendingly, she grabbed ahold of it with one hand. Blood spilled from her mouth, down her chin as she followed the tentacle back to its source. Wide eyes, filled with bewilderment, met Naraku’s crimson stare.

“Na…ra...ku-sama?” she gurgled, more blood spilling from her mouth, coating her tongue with its coppery taste.

He was grinning at her.

“You’re really shocked, aren’t you? You believed every word I’ve ever told you.” He said this as if it surprised him somewhat.

“I don’t…understand…”

“No? Allow me to clear up your confusion. I lied.”

Sai blinked uncomprehendingly at his confession.

“Inuyasha and his misfits are not what I have led you to believe. I am not who you believe me to be. Every vile thing I have been accused of is true. And more.”

“No… No!”

It can’t be true, Sai thought wildly, her claws digging into the appendage that impaled her. But, looking into those wicked eyes, she knew she didn’t need the evidence of Naraku’s tentacle impaling her to know that what he said was true. He’d betrayed her, lied to her all this time. And for what?

“Why?” she demanded, coughing on her own blood. Why did everyone betray her? What wrong had she committed for this to keep happening?

His grin turned absolutely diabolical, pure evil. “Because I wanted to. It’s one thing to kill but a completely different matter to inflict pain.”

What?

“Your pain filled, bewildered expression is quite beautiful, Sai. I wish I had a mirror to show it to you.”

Then he was bringing her closer, and Sai could only gasp and writhe in agony as Naraku brought her close enough to whisper in her ear, his breath feeling too hot against her flesh.

“I won’t kill her. Kagome will live… If she survives the conversion.”

At her surprised stare, he continued. “Ah, yes. She is quite unique, isn’t she? I wonder what demon she’ll turn out to be, if she’ll still possess her spiritual powers, or will she be ripped apart by the two auras inside her?”

“What…are you…planning, bastard?”

“Now, now. Must we resort to name calling? How uncivilized. You should be happy, because I plan to help Kagome through her change. With my influence and the aid of the Jewel shards, her soul will blacken and become tainted. She’ll become a true demon, filled with bloodlust, thirsting for mayhem just as I do. Or, she’ll die. If it’s any consolation to you, I actually hope she survives.”

Knowing she had only a split second before Naraku finished her off, Sai ignored the pain she was in and wrapped her arms around him and tried to absorb him into her body.

“I won’t let you touch her!” she cried, filled with a desperate need to save Kagome. Whatever Naraku’s plans for her, they did not bode well for her miko. She’d die protecting her if that was what it took. Maybe then her soul would be cleansed of the evil she had done.

Before Sai had been impaled by Naraku, Kagome had been filled with firm resolve to fight them both. She didn’t know what Sai was playing at, pretending to be Haru, taking her away from Sesshomaru’s home, but she had a feeling it meant her death…until Naraku’s betrayal, before claiming Sai was in love with her. Kagome had been shocked, waited for Sai to deny it, but she hadn’t.

She couldn’t understand it. How could Sai’s feelings have become so deep after such a brief time together? Of course, Kagome had known Sai was attracted to her—remembering the kiss—but love? If so, it was a sick, twisted version of it, to kill Haru just so she could be close to her.

Revelations continued to be revealed to her during Sai and Naraku’s conversation. Kagome couldn’t help but feel sad for Sai even though she probably didn’t deserve it. Or did she? If not for being under Naraku’s influence and his lies, perhaps Sai wouldn’t have turned into a murderer. Her conversation with Bokusenou returned to her. That was when she’d learned of the betrayal that had nearly killed Sai, struck down from behind and left to die a painful death all because she was attracted to her own gender, because she was different. Then, how Naraku had ‘saved’ her.

Feeling conflicted, she wasn’t completely sure if she should hate Sai or feel sorry for her. But what she did know was that she had suffered a lot, betrayal after betrayal. Sai didn’t deserve this. She was just as much a victim as everyone else Naraku toyed with, ruining lives. Hadn’t he manipulated Inuyasha and Kikyo to try to kill each other? And Sango, too. Perhaps, she could come to forgive the wrongs Sai had done, but she’d never get to that point if Sai died.

Belatedly she realized that she didn’t want Sai to die.

“Sai, stop!” Kagome took a step forward, hand outstretched towards the other woman’s back, but it was already too late.

In almost slow motion, Naraku’s flesh began meshing into Sai’s. The tentacle that impaled her keeping him to her, then disappearing along with the rest of him. Left to stand on her own, Sai stumbled, almost falling to the ground.

Kagome hesitated for only a moment before charging forward. “Sai!”

Catching her from behind, Sai’s legs went out from under her, and they both landed heavily on the ground, Kagome on her knees with Sai over her lap, her back supported by Kagome’s arm. Blood soaked into her kimono, but she hardly noticed.

“Sai? Are you alright?”

Green eyes flickered open, a small smile spreading across blood covered lips, before shadows converged across her expression. Her smile slipped then was gone.

“Don’t worry, Kagome. I’ll heal. You…should go. It’s not safe here. I can’t…protect you like this should another be drawn by the scent of my blood and investigate.”

“I’m not leaving you! Naraku—“

“Is dead,” Sai interrupted gently. Water filled her eyes. “I’m so sorry, Kagome. For everything. I didn’t…” She shook her head. “I know it doesn’t mean much, and it doesn’t fix what I have done, but I am truly sorry. I never meant to hurt you. Never you.”

“Sai…”

Sai was smiling again, a gentle smile, before lifting a hand to hover near Kagome’s cheek. “I just wanted you to know how much I lo—“

Crying out, her hands fell to her chest, clawing at her own flesh.

“Sai? Sai! What’s wrong?”

“He’s…a…live…”

In a grotesque contortion of moving flesh, Naraku’s face split open the front of Sai’s robes, crimson eyes staring back at her. It so freaked her out, damn near close to scaring the life out of her, Kagome almost shrieked and dropped Sai.

“Did you really think you could kill me so easily, Sai?”

Before either of them could move, bones cracked, ribs splitting through flesh with a horrendous wrenching sound, and blood splattered everywhere as Sai’s chest cavity burst open, and a dark mass slithered out.

Hot liquid splashed over Kagome’s kimono, on her face, her hair, soaking her in sticky blood. And all she could do was blink the blood away and stare wide eyed down at the meaty flesh that was once Sai’s chest. A choking sound, a shudder of pain convulsing her still living body. Kagome lifted her horrified gaze to meet Sai’s. She almost choked, too, not because of the overpowering scent of blood and meat, but for the bewildered, green eyes staring back at her, as if Sai couldn’t believe what was happening to her. Almost like a lost child seeking answers.

A scream built its way up Kagome’s throat as she witnessed ruined lungs attempting to draw breath and a heart that was all but shredded yet still tried to beat, only managing to kill Sai faster with even more blood leaving her body. Kagome had seen many gruesome things before while fighting demons and coming upon lifeless human corpses, but nothing like this.

Off to one side, she heard Naraku say, “Your body is worthless to me, Sai. I won’t be taking it for myself. Die in peace.”

Kagome ignored him for now even though that left her open for any attack, because Sai’s lips were moving, and she was staring up at her, trying to make her understand something. Blood gurgled from her mouth, an awful wheezing sound instead of speech left her red lips, but Kagome was sure she was saying, ‘Forgive me’.

As Sai lay dying, she never once took her eyes off the last thing she wished to see before she parted from this world—Kagome. This time, she knew there was no one coming to save her. And even if Kagome wished to, her injuries were far too extensive. Why was dying always so painful? And why did she have to die when she still had to protect Kagome before she met a similar fate—or worse? All she could do was ask for forgiveness for her failure.

Kagome watched as the light left Sai’s eyes, her last breath shuddering out of her in another spray of blood. Before she could even think to move, the air moved around her right before a slithering tentacle raced by her, wrapped itself around Sai’s corpse, and threw her body into the cave wall with a sickening thud, bones cracking and blood splattering everywhere.

“My, what a lovely shade of red you are wearing, Kagome. It makes you look positively bloodthirsty, if not for the helpless look in your eyes. Let’s fix that, shall we?”

Turning her head, Kagome got to her feet though her chest was weighed down with sorrow for all the useless deaths that continued to happen around her. New names were to be added to the list, both Haru and now Sai.

“She didn’t deserve that,” she told Naraku.

“Feeling sorry for our Sai, now are you? Even after everything she’s done, you still forgive her? Makes a man wonder what it takes to get such high regard for himself.”

Making an exasperated, irritated sound of disgust, Kagome nailed him with a hateful glare. “This is all a game to you. Another’s suffering and death is just one big joke to you.”

Naraku took a step towards her. “Does that upset you?” Another step. “Do you hate me?” When he advanced again, Kagome took a step back. “Would you like to punish me?” he murmured seductively, slowly walking towards her even though she continued to take a step back for every one he made. “To make me pay?”

Her back hit the wall, just feet from Sai’s lifeless body. She hardly noticed what with Naraku loaming closer yet. Then he was leaning over her, his breath at her ear, and for some reason she froze, unable to move.

“You don’t have what it takes to kill me. I doubt you even have it in you.”

Without thinking about the consequences, Kagome placed her hands on his chest though she hated just the thought of touching him; she charged her palms with her reiki, and sent a powerful blast through them. Naraku went soaring, crashing into the far wall, spider webs cracked into the stone, branching out around him where he made impact.

“Let’s test that theory,” she gritted out, calling on more of her powers, intending to obliterate that vile smirk right off his face.

Too late, she realized her mistake. Heart pounding, almost deafening her, her youki rose within her. Eyes widening in compression, she whispered, “You wanted this to happen…” before her auras battled with each other, leaving her a twitching mass on the ground.

She was distantly aware of Naraku chuckling. Then hands were on her shoulders, turning her around and lifting her torso off the ground. Even as she writhed in agony, sparks flying around them, Naraku didn’t seem to notice, not even when his hands began to burn from touching her.

“So helpless…” he murmured as he watched her. “But not powerless. You have so much potential, Kagome, and I’m going to help you realize it.”

Dark youki flared around them as Naraku built his aura. When he lowered his head closer to her own, he murmured something.

“You look so much like her.”

Kagome was hardly aware of it when his lips descended on her own, at least not until he channeled his youki inside her through their connecting mouths. It was only until that moment that she realized she’d never really known what pain really was. Agony the likes of which she’d never felt before first centered around her heart, threatening to burst the organ where it beat frantically in her chest. With every beat of her heart, blood flowed through her body, sending shockwaves of torment from her heart to every organ in her body. It was like a raging inferno, hotter than fire, trying to melt her from the inside out.

Organs shifted, spasming within her. Every nerve in her body, from her head, to her fingers, even down to her toes, was screaming in agony. Twitching, convulsing on the ground, her back bowed to such a painful degree, it was a wonder her spine didn’t break. She almost wished it would, because every bone in her body felt close to shattering. It was too much. She couldn’t take such pain and live, didn’t even want to go on living. There was nothing but pain. No memories of her friends, of her family, or Sesshomaru, nothing of what made her Kagome left in her mind. All that remained was the agony she could not escape.

Choking, she was choking. Naraku’s youki felt corrupt and evil, flushing out her humanity, consuming her youki, trying to make it like his own, and her reiki sparked out like a light, leaving her in the dark filled with nightmares.

**********With Sesshomaru and Company**********

The next morning, everyone was in Sesshomaru’s study save for the Eastern Lord, who was locked in his room, grieving for his lost child. Thankfully, Sesshomaru had good news to impart. One of his scouts had found Kagome, along with Sai still using Haru’s body, in a small cave many miles away. As soon as she was located, they had not tried to apprehend her from the demoness, but noted the location even in the dark of night and returned as swiftly as they could to inform their lord. They had just recently returned, and Sesshomaru had everyone summoned. By the time everyone appeared, it was already dawn, and Inuyasha was able to greet his friends as a half-demon.

As he’d promised, Sesshomaru had remained with him all through the night. They hardly spoke. Inuyasha resting against a wall but never falling asleep, while Sesshomaru tried to distract himself with paperwork. None in his household had been aware that his brother had transformed. His secret kept. What was one more human when the castle seemed to be overrun with them now a days?

Sesshomaru would have liked to go after her himself without waiting for Kagome’s friends to show and be brought up to speed, but it was possible Naraku would make an appearance before or when they got there, and the more fighters he had on standby to keep Kagome safe, the better, he thought. It didn’t go past his notice that soon she would transform and attempting to use her spiritual powers would only quicken the inevitable. Should she be in danger and in the middle of changing, he could not guarantee her safety. He couldn’t be in two places at once, fighting off enemies and helping her through the conversion.

So, he would grudgingly accept Kagome’s friends’ assistance in this one manner. But only this one time.

They were just about to leave his study and go after Kagome when Kikyo clutched her chest with a pained gasp and fell to her knees before flopping over like a fish out of water and began convulsing on the floor. Sparks flared over her body, her reiki battling demonic energies. Believing someone was attacking them, everyone but Inuyasha went on the defensive, looking around for the enemy.

Inuyasha fell to his knees beside Kikyo, calling out her name frantically. He tried to touch her but got zapped in the process.

“What the hell is happening to her?!” he shouted to no one in particular. 

“Miroku,” Sango murmured, ignoring Yasuhiro when he moved to stand at her back in a protective manner. “Do you sense anything?”

The monk shook his head in answer, though he continued to glance around. “No, Sango. If there is an enemy, I don’t know where he is.”

“Could it be Naraku?” asked Yasuhiro.

“No,” answered Sesshomaru as he stepped around the three and moved to stand over Kikyo, who continued to moan and writhe upon the ground in obvious agony. “I’ve seen this before.”

Inuyasha looked up at him, worry clear in his amber gaze. “What? What is it? What’s happening to Kikyo?!”

“Kagome went through similar convulsions when both of her auras rose at once. They fought each other, and she would have died had I not intervened.”

“How is this happening to Kikyo?” Inuyasha asked fretfully, trying to hold Kikyo down when her back bowed painfully off the ground even though it burned to touch her.

“This Sesshomaru is not sure, but something is different here… I believe Kagome is in the midst of transforming. But that doesn’t explain why her deceased predecessor is having similar effects.”

“Well,” Sango began, glancing down at Kikyo worriedly even though she was not too fond of the woman. “When Kikyo was brought back from the dead, a piece of Kagome’s soul was needed to animate her. They’re spiritually connected.”

Everyone in the room stiffened, save for Kikyo, when a dark aura filtered through the room. Naraku’s youki was emanating from the dead priestess, consuming her reiki and changing the youki that had surrounded her.

“What’s going on..? Why do I sense Naraku? And…it’s coming from Kikyo,” Miroku wondered aloud.

“Naraku is attempting to influence the change. Kagome cannot survive without another’s aid,” Sesshomaru said, worry causing his heart to speed up. His mate was in danger, and he was not there to protect her. If he lost her… No!

“Don’t just stand there!” Inuyasha hollered at his brother. “You said you saved Kagome when this happened to her, so help Kikyo, dammit.”

“Hn.” Kneeling beside the dead miko, Sesshomaru regarded her critically. Perhaps there was a way for him to save Kagome through her. “If Kikyo is able to be influenced by Naraku at this great a distance, then perhaps Kagome with be, too, in a like manner if I counter Naraku’s influence by an even greater show of strength. A worthless half-breed such as he can never come close to my power.”

“You think you can save them both, Sesshomaru-sama?” Miroku asked quietly, worried for Kagome. Sango reached out and clasped his hand, her gesture hidden from Yasuhiro unintentionally by his purple robes. They both feared for their friend’s safety.

“We are about to find out,” Sesshomaru answered. Then he glanced at Inuyasha. “Do not interfere.”

“Yeah, yeah. Just help… Hey! What the hell do you think you’re doing, Sesshomaru?!”

Sesshomaru had grabbed the back of Kikyo’s skull, holding it in place so she couldn’t flay her head back and forth, and kissed her. She tasted like the grave mixed with clay, and he hated it, hated that he had to go to such lengths with this woman to save his own. Without preamble, he flared his youki and thrust it inside Kikyo, praying his efforts reached Kagome. She would not be tainted by Naraku’s filth, not if he had any say in the matter.

“Stop, Inuyasha!” Miroku demanded when his friend reached for Kikyo with an obvious intent to snatch her away from Sesshomaru. “Can’t you see he’s trying to help? You condemn Kikyo and Kagome both if you interfere.”

That got Inuyasha’s attention, and he settled back with unhappy eyes, until he looked at Kikyo, and the gleam in his stare turned worried again.

“I hope it’s Sai trying to convert Kagome and not Naraku,” Sango murmured.

“As do I, Sango. As do I,” Miroku replied.

Both men—Yasuhiro and Miroku—converged around Sango, placing comforting hands on her. Neither man tried to stop the other. The situation was too serious for petty jealousy.

For long moments, Naraku’s taint filled the air, until finally, Sesshomaru overpowered the hanyou’s influence. Everyone hoped that it was the same for Kagome.

Just then, something impossible began to happen. Though no one could see it, the demons in the room could scent the change. The bones and ashes from Kikyo’s grave, the last remnants of her real, human body, reacted to the powerful youki presence. Clay melted away, becoming real flesh. Organs sprouted inside her body, a living heart beating within her breast for the first time since her death, and blood flowed through newly formed veins.

Inuyasha blinked before his mouth fell open in shock.

“That’ not possible,” Yasuhiro was heard murmuring.

“What? What are you talking about?” demanded Sango fretfully.

“She’s… alive,” whispered Inuyasha.

“What do you mean, Inuyasha?” questioned Miroku.

“He means,” began Yasuhiro, “that the woman is no longer a clay imitation of her previous self. She’s been given a new, living body.”

Just then, something stranger happened. Black, dog ears very similar to Inuyasha’s sprouted on Kikyo’s head, and there was the unmistakable aura of another hanyou in the room.

Through it all, even though he was aware of the changes happening to the woman beneath him, Sesshomaru did not stop feeding her his youki. He was just as confused as the rest as to how such a phenomenon was possible. It was just as unlikely as Kagome possessing both spiritual and demonic auras. But then again, if Naraku’s human body could become that of a demon’s—or at least half—then why not a corpse given new life when Kikyo’s human essence was locked inside her clay body? Flesh and bone sprung forth from her ashes to create a new body.

Her new claws raked against the wooden floor, gouging five distinct lines into his floor. Right now, he didn’t care, because seconds later, the fighting energies stopped, returning to lie dormant inside her. Perhaps forever, because as Sesshomaru broke the connection of their mouths and lowered her back to the floor, the new heart inside Kikyo’s breast no longer beat, no air flowed through her lungs.

She was dead.

Her body may no longer be that of an animated corpse, but now there was no more life flowing through the living body she had obtained from the conversion. An ironic end.

“Kikyo!” Inuyasha wailed, moving to hold her lifeless body in his arms, no longer caring that she had changed, that she was somehow like him, an inuyoukai, half-human, half-demon.

“Does this mean… Is Kagome dead?” whispered Sango, tears falling down her cheeks in rivers.

**********Back with Naraku**********

Naraku stood motionless above the comatose Kagome. When he’d felt Sesshomaru’s youki flaring around the girl, intercepting his connection, he’d been filled with rage, and had attempted to regain control, but failed. Now, instead of a youkai in his likeness laying before him, an inuyoukai took the place of the priestess Kagome.

He chuckled darkly in some disappointment when she remained unmoving. It hardly mattered to him what demon she turned out to be only that she lived through the change.

“But you did not,” he murmured before throwing his head back and laughing, his voice rising higher and higher, echoing around the small cave until his ears were ringing with his amusement.

Shoulders still shaking with mirth, he glanced down at Kagome’s lifeless face.

“Rest for eternity, Kagome.”  

AUTHOR'S NOTE: Evil cliff hanger, I know, but at least I gave you all THREE chapters in one day, so don't hate me too much.

ALSO, only FIVE chapters left and the story is complete! The end is near. Who will survive? Has Sesshomaru lost Kagome forever?