A/N: An update so fast, there were no reviews yet for the last chapter. I told some of you I had a lot of free time today.

Disclaimer: I do not own the Inuyasha characters, manga, anime, movies, etc. They belong by copyright laws to Rumiko Takahashi et al.

The Nekomata Guardian

Ch. 3

Sesshoumaru was ready to kill someone. And it wasn't going to be a quick death by slicing off someone's head. When he'd read the note from his brother, he'd been enraged. Whoever had come for Azami had better be ready for a fight because he wasn't letting anyone near his mate that meant her harm.

Slamming into the suite he shared with his beloved, the demon lord snarled openly. Azami, who had been resting before dinner, opened her eyes at the sound. "Anata?"

"Inuyasha sent me a note. I must go to his village. There could be trouble."

"Trouble that he can't handle? I don't believe that. What's really going on?"

"It seems that Lady Kirara has detected an intruder of other origins. It is neither youkai nor human."

"Other? You mean…?"

"Indeed. I do not want you to worry, koneko. I shall investigate. If they mean you harm, I will annihilate them."

"But…they could answer so many questions, Sesshoumaru. What if someone's been looking for me? Didn't Yuki tell you that my great-grandmother had told her that her people were like youkai but not? What if that's who is here?"

"It is a possibility. I want you to stay here. The pup is giving you trouble already."

"I am two months gone with child. It is quite common for me to be having morning sickness. Most humans do, anata."

"Still. You will remain."

"Absolutely not. If there's some chance this is a relative, I want to know. And I can't believe you want me to stay here with your mother as a companion. Satsuki-sama is not here now."

Sesshoumaru frowned, in complete sympathy with her desire not to be alone with his mother for an extended length of time. "I will not put you in harm's way."

"I won't be, if I'm with you." Azami smiled winningly, knowing he was going to cave. A male dog demon liked to be flattered in such a way. It satisfied their ego to think that their mates had such confidence in their ability to protect them. She held out a hand so that he could help her rise. "Please, Sesshou? I want to know the truth. If there's any chance…" Tears studded her eyes, her hormones getting the best of her.

"Fine. We will leave first thing in the morning." He sighed, knowing that he would have to get used to the fact that her needs came before his own. His desire to protect her notwithstanding, he wanted her to have the answers that had so far eluded her. Even his youki had not been able to heal the forgotten memories of her childhood that were the result of her accident.

"Thank you," Azami said softly, snuggling into his warmth. The early fall air was cold high on the mountain. Even though there were places in the castle to have fires, youkai rarely needed to light them for heat. A stove had been built in their bedchamber right after their return so that she could be warm. So far, the only place she felt completely warm was in his arms. Not that either minded.

Sesshoumaru clasped her to him lightly; afraid any sudden movement would result in a mad dash to the pot kept beside the raised futon. It seemed that his pup did not like the activity of late. Or rather pups; he had the nasty suspicion that she was carrying twins. He couldn't yet tell for sure but in another few days the scents should be distinct enough to let him know. It would be interesting to see what she made of that if it were true. He just hoped that one pup was a boy. That way he wouldn't be completely surrounded by women.

"Sesshou, is something else wrong?"

"Hn, I was just thinking."

"Oh, nothing bad I hope."

"Ridiculous," he answered. "Come, it is no doubt time you ate. And the kitsune is probably hungry."

"Kitsune?" Azami questioned, pulling away from him. "You mean Shippou delivered the note? Why didn't you say he was here?" She dressed swiftly, moving out into the hall without waiting for her mate. Sesshoumaru trailed behind her silently, knowing there was no right answer to that question. If he tried to explain that it hadn't been foremost in his mind, she'd just get angry. The kit was his adopted nephew and as such should have been given due consideration. Something she would point out with a glare if he opened his mouth.

No one ever said the demon lord didn't learn from his mistakes.

The royal inuyoukai couple didn't start out first thing in the morning like Sesshoumaru had planned. In fact, it was almost midday before they left the castle. Shippou floated beside the dog demon as he coasted along. Azami couldn't take the speed with which he'd wanted to travel so Sesshoumaru had to content himself with the plodding pace.

They didn't make it to Inuyasha's until much before dusk and by that time Azami was ready to retire for the night. She ate little and gratefully went to bed in the same room she and her mate had used before. Her other half sat silently at the table, sharing the time with his sibling and listening to what they had to say about the stranger in their midst. Kirara sat on one end of the low table, nodding or shaking her head as the occasion and question called for. She might not be able to answer them verbally at first but that didn't mean she couldn't correct Miroku and Inuyasha as necessary.

"I do not like this, Inuyasha." The demon lord put his empty cup down, noticing that his sister-in-law and Sango were drifting to sleep. "We will speak about this again in the morning. For the moment, you should tend to your women."

"Sure, let's go, wench. Time for bed." Kagome merely nodded, not making an issue of the name. Which just went to show how tired she was.

Kirara watched the two young men gather their families and retire for the night. Going outside with the demon lord, she perched on the well so that she had a better view of the woods. "Do you think the stranger is a threat, Lady Kirara?"

"Mew," she said shaking her head. Kirara was well aware of his concerns. There was also little doubt that Azami had wormed her way into coming. Both brothers and Miroku were hard pressed to deny the women they loved anything if it was possible. Azami's lost memories of before she came to Japan might just be able to be restored or at least reconstructed by the being that had come.

"Show me where this creature was, if you please." Since realizing who she really was, the dog demon had been unfailingly polite to the nekomata.

Kirara jumped down, wandering to the edge of the clearly. She nosed the spot where the woman had stood just as she had done for Inuyasha. "Mew?" she asked, wanting to know whether or not he had as much trouble sensing the other aura as his brother had.

"Hn. If this being has any ill intentions, I will not hesitate to eliminate it. I do not care if it is related to my mate."

"Mew!" she yelled, in complete agreement.

"I leave the guarding to you, Lady Kirara." That he did so answered her question. He couldn't sense anything out of the ordinary either. Knowing that his sense of smell and hearing was even better than his brother's made the situation dire indeed. She twitched her tails and went back to her spot on the edge of the well. It might tire her out but there was no way she was going to let this batch of kittens go unprotected.

Regardless of what any one of them thought, they still needed their nekomata guardian.