Author's Note: New story by me. This is what happens when you watch Inu Yasha followed by the movie "The Lost Boys". It's kind of like a crossover, but not really. Basically, it's the characters of Inu Yasha as vampires and slayers. Hope you like it.
Disclaimer: I do not own Inu Yasha nor the storyline of "The Lost Boys". Now, are you satisfied?
HIDDEN IN THE SHADOW.
Author: emotionless
Summary: Inu Yasha and Miroku have dedicated their lives to fighting vampires with the help of a select few. What happens, though, when those they trust become those they must destroy? The answer lies hidden in the shadows.
CHAPTER ONE.
* * * * *
"This way, Miroku. I can smell her here. She has got to be in the attic with the kid."
The dark-haired young man nodded, shaking his short pony-tail in the process, as he raced behind the nimble silver-haired hanyou. "I know what you mean, Inu Yasha. This place is just screaming 'evil bloodsucker'," he replied, taking the stairs two at a time to keep up with his partner.
"Don't I know it," Inu Yasha mumbled, still ahead of Miroku, bristling slightly at his comment. He had to get there first; maybe if he did, he might be able to talk her out of it.
As if he could read his mind, Miroku answered Inu Yasha's thought. "She's a vampire, Inu Yasha. You can't save her, no matter how hard you try."
Inu Yasha did something he rarely ever did -- he stumbled. Quickly, he turned around and stared at Miroku, irrational fury emblazoned in his amber eyes. "You don't know that, Miroku. You know the rule, as long as they don't make their first kill, they're still only a half-vampire. And if she's still only half..."
"Inu Yasha, if she hasn't made her first kill yet, if she's still only half," he began, his tone of voice implying that he believed in no such thing, "then we still need to find and kill the head vampire in order to make her normal again."
"But..."
"But nothing, Inu Yasha. You know what we are sworn to do. Find the vampire, kill the vampire -- no matter what. I'm sorry it had to be--"
"Never mind, Miroku. You're right, I should know better. We took an oath to rid this earth of the undead and I intend to follow it," Inu Yasha said coolly before turning away and re-starting the run. "C'mon, we're almost there."
Miroku didn't respond. Instead, he doubled his speed in order to stay right on Inu Yasha's tail.
Within moments the pair had made it to the top of the rickety building. Of course it had to be old and rickety, though. Where else would a vampire make her lair? Inu Yasha sighed as he looked at the closed door in front of him. Did he really want to go in there? With a sidelong glace, watching as Miroku withdrew a vial of holy water and a sharp wooden stake from his belt, Inu Yasha answered his own question. He did.
"Here you go, buddy," Miroku whispered, handing Inu Yasha the stake a little unsteadily. "Are you ready?"
"Feh, of course I am," Inu Yasha smirked, wiping any trace of emotion from his face, as he snatched the stake out of Miroku's hand. Then, before he could change his mind, Inu Yasha kicked open the door to the attic and snarled, "Kiky-Ouch!"
Ouch?
"Ouch!"
"Wake up, sleepyhead," Miroku said merrily as he tossed Inu Yasha's clothes and equipment onto his sleeping partner. "Kaede wants us to meet her down at her office. Seems she got new blood that she would like us to meet. Female blood, so I hear," he continued, rubbing his hands eagerly.
Eager to escape the same nightmare that haunted him every night, Inu Yasha picked up his pillow and threw it across the room. "Pervert. Can't stop thinking about females for a minute," he muttered before pulling his favorite red shirt over his silver hair. "And that was so a weak pun, might I add."
"Oh, hush you. Girls aren't all that bad. In fact, they're great," Miroku replied, slicking back his hair so that all of the strands were in place in his ponytail. Gotta look good for the new girl, right?
"Feh. Humans are humans. Almost as bad as vampires," Inu Yasha growled as stood up and smacked Miroku upside the head, messing up his hair.
"Hey, I resent that. Just because we can't all be half-demon like you, doesn't mean that we humans are all that bad."
"Well, I never said that being half-demon was all that great neither," Inu Yasha mumbled, lower than before so that Miroku couldn't hear him.
"Anyway, I think that your being a half-demon is pretty cool, though. I mean, it really helps to have a hanyou as your partner in this business. What would I do without your strength and sense of smell?" Miroku smiled to himself when he saw the scowl fade from Inu Yasha's face. When in doubt, flattery will get you everywhere.
"You'd probably already be vampire chow," he replied, a smug grin coming to his face as he grabbed the keys to the car he and Miroku shared and ran out the door. "I'll drive."
Miroku sighed as he picked up his comb and began to fix his hair. Maybe next time he'll forget about the flattery and just bop Inu Yasha upside the head with his vampire staff.
* * * * *
Screech.
"We're here," smirked Inu Yasha as he squealed the car to a stop right in front of the apartment building.
Miroku, his hands gripping the armrest and his eyes slightly bugging out of his head, just stared wordlessly ahead.
Inu Yasha climbed out of the car, shut the door and took a few steps towards the entrance of the building. When he noticed that Miroku was still sitting in the passenger seat of the car, he doubled back and peeked through the window on Miroku's side. "Oh, come on. I didn't drive that fast," he said with a hint of a smile. Then, reaching through the open window, he leaned over and patted Miroku on his shoulder. "Now, let's go. We don't want to keep the old hag waiting."
"I heard that, Inu Yasha."
Inu Yasha whirled around and scowled when he saw a woman wearing sunglasses come strolling out of the building. With her brisk manner and her grey hair cut in a sleek style, it was hard to believe that this woman was an old hag. True, she looked to be around fifty in appearance, but the way she carried herself and the manner in which she spoke made her seem decades younger.
"Kaede. So glad to see you," Inu Yasha said, bowing slightly in respect, ignoring the comment he had just made. "Is that a new pair of sunglasses?"
The woman just snorted when she heard her sunglasses being mentioned. Due to a vampire attack in her youth, Kaede had lost the use of one of her eyes; as it was scarred and disfigured, Kaede wore a pair of sunglasses at all times as to hide it from the view of others. "My, my, aren't ye clever Inu Yasha?" she asked in her softly accented voice as she strolled past him and walked up to the car. "And such a speed demon behind the wheel as well?" she added upon seeing Miroku still sitting inside the vehicle, the color slowly coming back to his face.
"Hey, when you got it, you got it," Inu Yasha retorted, not exactly meeting the cold gaze of his mentor and boss. It was so hard to believe that this woman was the head of their anti-vampire campaign.
"And you, Inu Yasha," interrupted Miroku, finally able to move and speak again after the horror of being in a car that was being driven by the speed-obsessed half-demon, "do not 'got' it."
Inu Yasha growled slightly at his partner as he watched him open the passenger side of the car and get out. "What was that, Miroku?"
"Boys, boys. Can we save the testosterone battles for later? I called ye down to me office for some rather interesting news this fine morn. Please, follow me." Kaede turned on her heel and began to walk back into the building. Miroku and Inu Yasha stared each other down for a moment before grinning and following her into the building. They had been partners for years and had been fighting with each other for almost as long. In fact, if they were ever to be civil to one another, Kaede might just have a heart attack.
"Now," began Kaede, knowing by their heavy footfalls that the two boys were behind her, "I have a few things to discuss with ye today. First, I heard tell of another vampire attack out in the countryside. It seems that there is a creature of darkness attacking children in a small village, sucking their blood and leaving them to die on their front porches. I don't think that there is more than one doing so, because if there was, the adults would be in danger not the wee ones." Kaede led them through the corridor of the building, whispering as she went along, though no one else in the building could hear her. The reason for that was simple -- there was no one else in the building. Kaede had bought the entire building many years back in order to run her business without others prying their noses into what the actions of the Anti-Vampire League were. Not that many cared, though; not many people believed in vampires. In fact, most of those who discovered the existence of the AVL just thought them to be insane lunatics and paid them no more thought.
"Second," she continued, as she walked down the corridor, made a sharp right and entered a waiting elevator, "I want to say that the two of ye did a great job defeating that pair of vampires over in the city last week. Quick and easy and without all of the media nonsense." Kaede sighed as the elevator stopped at the sixth floor and the doors opened, allowing the three of them to exit the elevator and to begin walking down another long corridor. "I swear, this world just isn't ready to hear all about vampires and the actions of ye slayers."
"That's O.K., Kaede. Me and Miroku don't really need all the thanks for doing our job. Just watching those damn bloodsuckers bite the dust is enough satisfaction for us, eh Miroku?"
Miroku looked over at Inu Yasha and nodded. "Definitely."
"I'm glad ye feel that way, boys. But, don't ye ever get tired, slaying vampires all the time? Wouldn't ye like some help in your feat?" questioned Kaede as they came to a door hidden at the end of the corridor. But, before either male could reach for the door and open it, Kaede stood in front of it. "What do you think?"
"No way, Kaede. We don't need no help," Inu Yasha answered, quite loudly, as if he knew what Kaede was suggesting before she suggested it. "Besides, one human in this team is enough."
Miroku looked at Inu Yasha, scowling at the stubborness in his partner's amber eyes. "Hey, I resent that again, Inu Yasha. But, I'm used to it, so whatever," Miiroku replied, losing his annoyed tone of voice, before turning to face Kaede. "So, Kaede, does that mean you found us some help?"
"Aye."
"Female help, perhaps?" Miroku asked as he rubbed his hands together eagerly, drool beginning to for at the corner of his mouth. Inu Yasha rolled his eyes. Wasn't he supposed to be the one acting like a dog, not Miroku?
Kaede smiled again. "Perhaps, Miroku," she replied as she moved aside and opened the door. Inside the quaint office stood a strong and sturdy, though undeniably pretty, female. "Boys I want ye to meet the newest additions to our team. This woman right here is Sango. I found her through and internet search and I must admit that she has quite a history when it comes to the exterminating of the vampires."
Sango bowed slightly in the direction of Miroku and Inu Yasha. "It's an honor to meet you two. I have heard so much about you from Kaede. I'm so impressed how you guys were able to trick that one vampire into taking a swig of holy water. Pure genius."
"Why, thank you," remarked Miroku, a large smile coming to his face as he looked Sango over, "it was all my idea."
Inu Yasha snorted but made no comment. He may be forced to meet and work with this human but it didn't mean he had to like her.
Kaede ignored Inu Yasha's less than warm welcome and faced Sango. "But where is your partner, child?"
"Oh, she had to run in the bathroom for a sec. She said she's be right out -- Oh, here she is now," added Sango when she heard someone approaching from the corridor, heading towards the office.
When the occupants of the room heard someone begin to turn the handle, Kaede's smile widened as she began to introduce the second new addition to the team. "Inu Yasha, Miroku. I want to you to welcome Sango's partner and friend, K--"
But, the second the door swung open and a smiling raven-haired teen entered the room, Inu Yasha scowled and took a step back. "You," he yelled, momentarily stunned before regaining his composure and reaching beneath his coat and pulling out the spare stake he kept on his person at all times. "You must die... again!"
* * * * *
So, what did you think? I hope it wasn't so confusing. And, if you like it, don't forget to review!