For a moment, after he'd said her name, the only thing Inuyasha could do was stare at the dark-haired taijiya. His mind couldn't register the fact that she was right there in front of him, very much alive. Every single one of his senses told him as much. Her scent was the same, her appearance was the same, her eyes were the same . . . she wasn't a reincarnation, like Kagome.

As his mind tried to wrap itself around this latest development, the taijiya smiled and took a few steps towards him. She knelt in front of him and took one of his hand into hers.

"We have much to discuss, Inuyasha," Sango murmured. "Like how much I've missed you . . . and want you."

That brought him out of his stupor, allowing him to take a deep breath. As soon as he let it out, he spoke.

"What's going on? How come you're still alive?"

"Because I'm demon," she smiled, rising to her feet and pulling him with her. "I always have been."

"But," his brow furrowed as he frowned, "you slew demons . . . you . . ."

"Smell like a human?" she finished. At his nod, her smile grew wider. "Yes. A simple trick we'd learned over the decades. We became disgusted with how some demons lost their way and would consume humans for the sheer pleasure of it. At first, it was difficult, slaying fellow demons . . . but, as we continued and we perfected our human disguises, it became easier to slay those who abused their own powers."

"But . . ."

"Shhh . . ." she placed a finger on his lips. "We have time, koishii. All the time in the world."

"What?" His eyes widened. Had she just called him what he thought she did?

"We have time . . ."

"No," he shook his head. "What did you just call me?"

"Koishii," she replied. "Why?"

Inuyasha narrowed his eyes at that. Only one person was allowed to call him that, the one he had chosen to mate with. No one else could.

"I'm not your koishii," he stated, a low growl lacing itself into his tone. "Never have been and never will be. Do not call me that ever again."

The smile faded from her face as she gazed at him. A shiver ran down his spine as her eyes took on a cold glare and she spoke once more.

"We'll just see about that, Inuyasha."

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Kouga fought back a groan as he slowly came to. For some reason, his head pounded and he couldn't recall why. The last thing he could recall had been that last mating session with Inuyasha and how unbelievable it had been. He also knew that he'd had some wine with the dinner that Inuyasha had prepared but nothing that would cause him to feel hungover.

Inuyasha.

The moment he thought of his lover's name, Kouga's eyes flew open and he bolted forward. Everything flooded his memories. Inuyasha laying on the kitchen floor, out cold. Something hitting him in the back of the head . . .

As his senses came alive all at once, Kouga became aware that he wasn't alone in Inuyasha's house. There were three others, humans, and they were dousing the place with gasoline.

"Make sure nothing is left standing," one of them ordered. "The boss won't be happy if there's anything left."

"We know," came the irritated retort. "Make it look like the wolf did it in the process. We do know what we're doing."

What they said after that, Kouga wasn't sure. He saw red, not because they were talking about framing him for burning Inuyasha's house to the ground but because they were touching his mate's home, threatening it. He knew that Inuyasha would be devastated if he lost this place. Inuyasha had told him about this place in a phone conversation before Kouga had left Japan, how he'd lived in this house for the last one hundred fifty years. It was Inuyasha's sanctuary, his home. No one had the right to touch it. No one.

Letting out a feral growl, Kouga snapped into action. He wouldn't kill the humans. Not yet, anyway. Not while they were in Inuyasha's home. He wouldn't let his koishii come home to that. Not as long as there was eternity. After all, he needed one of them alive. They knew where Inuyasha was, who had decided to kidnap the hanyou and take him away from the wolf.

Terrified screams filled the night air as Kouga lunged at them . . .

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Miroku let out a soft, frustrated sigh as he read over the book that Kagome had handed to him before finally pushing it away. He would never understand the problems that the book had presented to him, not even with Kagome's help.

It had been several weeks since he had agreed to come to the modern era with Kagome. To say that her query had shocked him had been an understatement. He thought for sure that it would have been Inuyasha that she would have asked but then . . .

'Things have changed between them,' he thought somewhat morosely. 'She doesn't love him. Not like she used to it.'

In many ways, Miroku felt guilty for the changes that had occurred. He had liked Inuyasha, had considered the hanyou to be the brother he never had, and would have never even thought of pursuing Kagome . . . until Sango began to change. Why, he didn't know. She just . . .had and it had broken his heart when she'd disappeared as well, taking Kohaku with her. After that . . .

'After that, I came here.'

For a moment, he stared blankly at Kagome's desk, the book still in front of him. There were still many things that he had to adjust to and it depressed him when he thought of the finality of the situation. Then he shook his head, his demeanor cheering instantly.

'I can't worry about that,' he told himself, glancing at the door as Kagome entered. 'I have plenty to be thankful for, especially this gorgeous creature in front of me.'

He rose to his feet to greet her in his usual manner – a kiss on the lips and a quick grope to her firm behind – when he noticed her downcast expression. Concerned, he quickly approached her.

"Kagome? Is everything all right?" he inquired.

She said nothing right away. Kagome merely sighed and kept her gaze averted, as if she were trying to prepare herself for whatever it was she felt she needed to say. It scared Miroku for a reason he couldn't quite identify. Then she raised her head and murmured, "Ginta and Hakkaku just approached me . . . Kouga called them. He says he needs our help in finding Inuyasha. Again."

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Kouga drew a deep breath as he placed the phone back into the receiver. The humans he had slaughtered had been less than helpful in telling him what he wanted to know. Even though their lives had been on the line, they had still refused to talk. The only thing he'd been able to discover had been that Inuyasha was back in Japan and that it wasn't Sesshomaru who had sent them after the hanyou.

'The last place he wants to be,' Kouga had fumed. 'Whoever did this is going to pay and pay dearly. But I can't find him on my own. I need help.'

So he had placed a few calls to some old friends. Now there was only one call left to make.

'I just hope Inuyasha will forgive me for this,' Kouga prayed as he dialed the number.

"Moushi, moushi, Negumi residence."

"Hello, this is Nichi Kouga calling. I need to speak to Sesshomaru right away. Please tell him it is urgent. It concerns his brother, Inuyasha."