Part I
Disclaimer: I do not own the characters of Inuyasha or the rights to the Cinderella song Don't Know what You've Got ('til it's Gone).
~v~
Mattaki, Inu no Taisho and Lord of the Western lands of Nihon stared with scarce-hidden desire at the podium in his lavish meeting room – or more precisely at who was on it, calmly speaking to the board and occasionally glancing down at her notes when asked a question.
He was actually surprised that no one else seemed to notice his preoccupation – most of those in the room were youkai and yet none of them seemed to have caught his pheromone-laced scent drifting around the entire space and aimed at one specific woman.
Kagome Higurashi, Director of Human Resources – and his own secret weakness. He'd first met her when she'd interviewed for the job as Assistant to the former Director, and he'd been bowled over immediately. No one had realized it, but she was the real reason behind his divorce from his last wife – he'd known the moment that he'd met her that he would eventually go after her and the fact that he had a wife was an impediment to that. Of course, it hadn't hurt his case with the other youkai that his now ex-wife had only married him for his money and had been having affairs for years behind his back. Not that he hadn't known... he just hadn't cared until he'd met Kagome.
The problem was that Kagome was dating his son Inuyasha – though she had no idea that he was cheating on her. Like mother, like son, he sighed. I really wish I'd stayed home that night instead of getting toasted. As Sesshoumaru would say, I should have kept it in my hakama. Except that I don't remember letting it out of my hakama... I do believe the woman fed me youkai-sake, because human sake just wouldn't have had such a detrimental effect on me. Hell, even youkai-sake wouldn't have without something more added to it. And I wouldn't put it past her to have done so, either. He sighed again. Well, at least I'm finally quit of her, though it cost me quite a bit to buy her off – it was worth every bit of yen in the end.
Now I'm free to pursue the miko – I would have paid Izayoi three times as much as she demanded in order to have my freedom. But now I have to figure out how to let Kagome in on the secret of her boyfriend's cheating – without making it seem as though I had anything to do with the situation – I don't want her to see me as another bad memory because Inuyasha is my son.
His eyes swept over her discreetly as he once again enjoyed the beautiful sight before him. True black hair, with blue highlights rather than the much more common reddish, was put up in an elegant twist on her head baring her long, swan-like neck to every demon in the room. Pale, perfect skin just touched with a light blush across her cheeks were a beautiful frame for her azure eyes – eyes that were lit from within by her reiki. He'd known other miko, but none of them had glowed like she did. It wasn't a deep glow by any means, but it was enough to show her power to any that might think of tempting it with an attack.
A straight, almost aristocratic nose sat above full, sweetly bowed lips, and her high cheekbones were a gorgeous backdrop for the rest of her bone structure. She had an oval face and her lashes were thick and curling, looking like nothing more than sooty smudges when her eyes were lowered or closed.
And all of that was before you even got to her body, which was perfection in human form. Much as his older son Sesshoumaru disliked humans, even he could not deny this one woman's perfect form and flawless complexion – he'd had to warn his son away, because Sesshoumaru had been quite smitten after meeting her and finding out that her physical beauty was actually the least of her gifts. She was smart as a whip, was what Inuyasha called a clean freak and he and Sesshoumaru just called hygienically-inclined, had a loving heart and a soul that healed all those she came in contact with.
All of that didn't stop him from also appreciating her physical aspects, not the least of which was her shape. Relatively short at five foot three or so, there was not an ounce of fat or flab on her – she was slender but curvy in all the right places and with an hourglass figure. He frowned inwardly as he felt his manhood twitch. She always had this effect on him, and it was only getting worse. Which was bad, since she was still with Inuyasha. He supposed he was just lucky he didn't have Sesshoumaru in the way, too – after he'd been warned off of Kagome, he'd met a youkai female that he seemed to be falling for named Kagura.
Oh, she was beautiful, too – but as far as he was concerned she couldn't hold a candle to Kagome. Still, her presence in Sesshoumaru's life was most welcome because it kept his attention on her and off of a certain little miko – who happened to be close friends with Kagura.
He shifted uncomfortably in his chair as she finished her presentation and began gathering her files and notes so she could go back to her seat – which was right next to him, of course. He watched surreptitiously as she bent down to grab her briefcase and then stood back up – gods that ass was so tight and perfect – but he was definitely not expecting her to whisper a request for a meeting after the workday was over in his ear as she sat down. Surprised, he leaned back a little and met her oddly closed-off gaze for a moment with concern, but finally nodded.
"I will be in the office 'til after six – you may come see me at five forty-five. Is that acceptable to you?" he whispered back.
Kagome merely nodded and then took her seat once more so the next speaker could ascend the podium and begin their presentation. She found her mind wandering, however, unable to keep it off the topic she needed to speak to him about after work.
For months now she'd been dating his youngest son, Inuyasha. And in the beginning she'd been somewhat happy – but that had slowly changed. He was being unfaithful to their relationship and it was time to end it. Let him spend all his time screwing Kikyou, his secretary, without having to worry about lying to her all the time. Hell, he could just start dating her openly instead of sneaking around. She couldn't help but wonder why he hadn't already broken up with her so that he could be with Kikyou.
Hmm... interesting question. Maybe I should ask him.
She certainly could only be thankful that she wasn't hurt over Inuyasha's infidelity – though the reason she wasn't made her feel like a terrible person and had actually blunted some of her anger at the hanyou. It was because she wasn't in love with him, but his father, instead. She'd certainly never expected her heart to lay itself at Mattaki's feet, and yet, when taken out and looked at it really wasn't surprising in light of his personality and intelligence – and his physical perfection just hammered the final nail into her coffin. She just might have a use for a coffin once this was all over; if Inuyasha didn't kill her for leaving him, her new love's fan club just might for daring to have feelings for him – since she was just another human in a world full of them.
Yes, fan club. Mattaki, Inu no Taisho and the most powerful and influential being alive today had himself a fan club complete with screaming fangirls. And despite the bad idea this whole thing was she'd dropped her heart right at his feet and now she'd never get it back in one piece, because even if he didn't shred it those fangirls would.
She had no illusions about herself – yes, she was reasonably attractive, though there was nothing about her that stood out enough to make her memorable. And she was also reasonably intelligent, as well. But that was all. And in the world of youkai there was almost never such a thing as an ugly female. Now that he was freed from his human wife through the divorce he'd gotten shortly after she'd started working here she was pretty sure he wouldn't want to go back to one, especially with how his marriage to Inuyasha's mother had turned out.
The woman had to be insane – if she had someone like Mattaki in her bed there was no way she'd ever do anything to chase him out of it. And being inu, his possessive instincts were too strong to allow an 'open marriage' as they were called. It had truly been a measure of his lack of care for his ex-wife that he hadn't even been bothered by her cheating, merely stating that it was better some other male than he once when a reporter had cornered him to ask how he felt about Izayoi's double life.
The question of why he'd so suddenly - after so many years of ignoring his wife's infidelities - moved out of their house, gotten a lawyer and filed for divorce had occupied the minds of nearly every female in the company - well, except for maybe Kagura. She couldn't help but smile at her youkai friend's intense feelings for the elder Taisho brother. Sesshoumaru was definitely as gorgeous as they came, though in her eyes at least Mattaki was just a little more handsome. She was glad that the truculent Sesshoumaru had seemed to return her friend's feelings, and she'd encouraged her friend and former roommate to go for it. She had, and the rest was all history and she was now living with him in his townhouse.
Her eyes fell, then, as she ruminated on her own feelings and pondered her chances of dying an old maid glumly.
Why him? Why me? Now I'm going to have to give my resignation, since I'm breaking up with Inuyasha and he probably won't want the woman that dumped his son still working for his company. I worked so hard for this position, too, and now I'm going to have to go somewhere else and start all over. At least I'll have two paid weeks to get myself another job, she thought resignedly, and I've enough money set back to cover me for a year if I don't find something right away.
This was the reason fraternizing between co-workers was often looked down on, though Inuyasha didn't actually work for his father's company as did Sesshoumaru; he was the owner of the company's son and so the standard rules should have applied. She'd been flattered at his interest at first but leery, but over time he'd broken through her reserve and she'd decided to ignore the rules.
And that was why she was sitting here as she was, about to lose everything she'd worked so hard for. All because that bastard of an ex had to go and cheat on her with his secretary.
He didn't yet know that she knew what he was up to those days he was 'working late'. Since he didn't work for his father, instead going to work in a friend's company, there hadn't even been any gossip about what was going on to warn her. No, she'd been blindsided to come home to the apartment they shared – only to find him in bed with that witch Kikyou. He didn't even know she'd been there, because she'd simply turned around and walked out – not hurt, but angry and disgusted. She would certainly not be sleeping in that bed again. As soon as she'd explained to Mattaki-sama what was going on and why she was resigning, she would go to a hotel for the night. Tomorrow, after Inuyasha went to work she'd go pack up her things and have a moving company come get it and deliver it to a storage place until she could find an apartment of her own – in a different complex and preferably on the other side of Tokyo, far away from her cheating, lying ex.
The rest of the meeting, indeed of the day, went by in a concentrated blur to Kagome and before she knew it, it was time to head upstairs to beard the lion in his den.
Nervously clutching her resignation letter in her hands she walked out of her office, ignoring the odd looks sent her way as she headed for the only elevator to the top and thereby to the boss. Once she stepped inside the doors closed and she pressed the button for the floor that Mattaki-sama's office was located on.
Hopefully, he won't take it too hard and I'll get out of his office alive. Why couldn't his damned son be more like him and less like his mother?
Oh, yes, she knew of Izayoi and her legendary infidelities – and her husband's complete lack of concern about them. And it seemed that like mother, like son, because Inuyasha was following in her footsteps exactly. Maybe, because of his life with her, he'll believe me and not be angry that I'm breaking up with his son?
She could only hope that was so, and as the elevator doors opened into his office she drew in a deep breath and gathered all her courage. After bolstering herself as much as possible she stepped out of the elevator and walked past Mattaki's secretary's desk, as she had already gone home for the day.
Reaching his door, she rapped softly just as the time hit five forty-five, and pushed it open lightly when beckoned to enter. After the door closed behind her, she turned and looked up at her boss and a shiver went up her spine as he smiled faintly at her.
"Please, sit down," he invited, waving his hand at a comfortable looking chair a little to the side of his massive desk. "I am quite curious about why you would need to see me in private like this. Is there some problem here at work?"
She shook her head as she sank down onto the proffered chair, grateful for his offer, because her knees were decidedly weak – and not just because she was dreading what she was about to do. Swallowing heavily, she reluctantly handed him the letter and said, "I'm here to turn in my resignation, Taisho-sama."
Stunned, Mattaki looked from her to the letter and then back; after a few moments of taking that in he got angry, though he struggled to hide it. No way was he letting her get away after everything he'd gone through to get rid of Izayoi so he could have her. "I believe I am entitled to know why you are leaving. Has someone else offered you a higher salary?"
"No! No, sir, that's not it at all. I don't have another job lined up." She blushed and looked down into her lap at her hands, which were twisting and turning together nervously. "You know that I have been dating Inuyasha, of course. But that relationship is now over, and I don't think you'd want the woman who dumped your son working for your company anymore."
Incredulous, Mattaki just stared at Kagome, unable to believe what he was hearing. "So let me get this straight – you're only leaving because you thought I'd be angry that you are breaking up with Inuyasha?"
Put like that, it did sound rather ridiculous. She fidgeted under his now stony glare.
"Let me take a stab in the dark, here – is it because you found out he was cheating on you?"
Now it was Kagome's turn to be stunned. "Y-you knew?" she whispered, somehow hurt that he'd known and not told her.
"I found out yesterday," he said curtly, "when I came home and found him with the woman in very... intimate circumstances in the poolhouse. I still don't understand this-" he gestured to the letter that he'd let fall to his desk, "-however. Dating Inuyasha wasn't part of your job description, after all."
Blinking sweet blue eyes, Kagome met Mattaki's gaze for a moment before she had to turn away. I'm acting like a silly schoolgirl with her first crush, for kami's sakes! "S-so... you don't mind having your son's ex-girlfriend still working for you?" she asked with hope – after all, she hadn't really wanted to leave, she'd only been doing it because she'd felt that it was better that she resign rather than wait around to get fired.
Mattaki snorted. "Not at all." He picked up the rather crumpled letter and tore it up before tossing it in the trash. "I'm going to forget you ever wrote that, okay?"
Nodding agreeably, Kagome stood up nervously, preparing to make a run for it – her hormones were screaming at her and all she wanted to do was pounce her boss and have her way with him. She couldn't allow him to find that out, though, or she really would be fired.
"Sumimasen, Taisho-sama, I did not mean to waste your time," she said with a low bow, before straightening and starting towards the door. She hadn't taken two steps before her boss was standing in front of it.
He'd scented the desire on her, though she was doing a very good job at hiding it his senses were too strong to be so fooled. And if she had feelings for him rather than his youngest bratling perhaps he wouldn't have to wait as long as he'd thought.
"Tell me, Kagome," he murmured as she came to a stunned halt, "how did you find out about Inuyasha's infidelity?"
Caught off-guard at that inquiry, Kagome took several moments to answer. "Uh, well, I caught him with her at our apartment. They were in bed together."
"Then how is it that Inuyasha doesn't know that you know what he is up to?"
Regaining her equilibrium again, she said, "I made sure he didn't," crisply. "When I caught them, I simply turned around and walked out without making any noise. Which reminds me," she scowled, "I'm going to have to buy a new mattress set, because I certainly don't want the ones on the bed now after what I saw."
Leaning in a little more in an attempt to dominate her just a tad as well as to see how she would react, Mattaki let his voice drop into a purr. "Or you could just share mine," he said suggestively, watching her carefully for her reaction.
"W-what?" she stammered, looking bewildered. "What did you say?"
"You heard me, Kagome. My son is a fool, but I am not so inclined and since the kami have seen fit to drop you in my lap I can do nothing but thank them for that."
Before she could react he leaned down and kissed her, the advance so sudden that Kagome was almost unable to think at all or even fight him off. Not that she wanted to do that, anyway, but...
"Open for me, Kagome," he rumbled sexily against her lips, and with a sighing moan she did just that, completely unable to deny him despite her total shock that this was even happening.
What is this, anyway? A little evening fling? Oh, dear gods... her mind fried out just then as he did something fabulous with his fangs and her lower lip that had her knees going out from beneath her. It didn't matter much, though, because Mattaki just rumbled with pleasure and clasped her to him even more tightly.
He didn't pull away until both of them were gasping for breath and then a most arrogant expression crossed his face as he caught the dazed look in her eyes. "You look even more beautiful now than you always do, flushed from my attentions and with your eyes all hazy," he murmured in an intimate tone that kept her knees from cooperating with her as she tried to pull away and stand on her own.
Kagome desperately needed to wake herself from her stupor, and forcing her mind to clear at least a little she looked up at a very self-satisfied Mattaki with a furrowed brow.
"Uh... uhm," she started, oh yeah, just great, I sound like a moron, "what are you doing, Mattaki-sama?" she finally managed to get out, though to her embarrassment and his amusement it was little more than a high-pitched squeak.
"I think it is very obvious what I am doing, little miko," he purred, lowering his head to her again and nuzzling into her neck.
She shook her head to clear it of the daze and stepped back, though her legs were still shaky. "I'm sorry, Mattaki-sama, but I don't do flings or one night stands or any variation thereof," she said primly, though her body was screaming at her that she could definitely enjoy it if she tried it - as long as her partner was this male and no one else.
It was Mattaki's turn to blink in surprise. "Did I say that was what I was seeking?" he asked, frowning at her. "I am not interested in what would be considered a one time tryst." He met her suspicious gaze with a knowing sigh. "It seems my son has made you suspect anyone of the male gender with his infidelity, and I can only apologize for his careless use of your heart. He follows in his mother's footsteps." He reached out and took her arm, leading her back to the seat she'd sat in earlier, and he leaned against his desk right in front of her.
"Then what was that all about?" Kagome asked, brows still furrowed suspiciously as she peered up at him.
He didn't answer for a moment, seemingly contemplating something, but before she could get agitated that he hadn't answered, he spoke. "Do you know the reason why I finally divorced his mother?"
The seeming change in topic took her aback; with a curious shake of her head, she indicated that she did not.
"Then let me enlighten you. I divorced Izayoi because of you," he said bluntly, smiling at her shocked gasp. "By the time I had finished interviewing you that very first time I knew that I would be pursuing you, and so Izayoi and all her affairs had to go. It cost me a pretty penny to buy her off but it was worth it a thousand times over because it freed me to take you. However, by that time you had started dating Inuyasha and I could do nothing about it. But I know the boy too well, and I frankly expected him to start cheating at some point, so all I could do was bide my time." He sighed. "It was so hard sometimes, to see you and yet not be able to touch you... I envied Inuyasha terribly and when I found him with that dreadful secretary of his yesterday, I cut loose and gave him a beating he won't soon forget."
Too stunned to say anything, Kagome just stared mutely up at Mattaki as all her dreams seemed to be coming true in the moment.
With a chuckle, Mattaki kept talking. "But I have a confession to make – perhaps it makes me a bad person, but I almost wanted to thank him for being just like his mother and doing what he had done. If I hadn't been concerned about you being hurt by his actions, I would have." It was his turn to frown, then. "But I did not know how to tell you, how to handle the situation at all. I really didn't want to hurt you-" his expression turned quizzical, "-though it seems that is not a problem, as you don't seem to be anything but angry at him. Why is that?"
Kagome cleared her throat, her mind still spinning in warped little circles, though she blushed deeply at that question. "I... it wasn't done on purpose, I honestly didn't even realize what I was doing until I had caught Inuyasha with Kikyou, but... I wanted you, you see," she said in a small voice, shame coloring her tones as she looked at the floor. "I didn't think that would ever happen, and when Inuyasha began pursuing me so ardently, I... accepted him. But when I found him with her in our apartment, I quickly realized just what I'd been doing because I wasn't hurt at all – just extremely angry. And then I got angry at myself for being so shallow, even subconsciously," she finished, sheepishly twisting her fingers in her lap and unable to look up at her boss.
Mattaki couldn't deny that he was very happy with what she'd just said to him. After all, it wasn't as though she'd deliberately dated Inuyasha because she couldn't have him, and he could tell that she felt terribly about it once she had realized. But this only helped his case – he didn't have to worry about being a rebound fling nor did he have to end up waiting more months to begin his pursuit of the beautiful woman.
"So you mean to say that you have... feelings for me?" he asked, ready to pounce the woman and take her right where she sat. He was having a very hard time holding back.
Still unable to look up at him, Kagome nodded shakily, her scent flooding with nervousness – a fear of rejection. "H-hai."
She shivered when one elegant digit lifted her chin, and her eyes flew to his in surprise.
"There is no need to fear," he said softly. "I would not have rejected you had you come to me."
Unfortunately, there was still a bit of suspicion and wary reserve in her eyes. "What do y-you want from me?" she asked softly, a bare exhalation of air, needing it to be said aloud and in a blunt manner so she could be certain of what was happening between them.
"I want you. Simple as that. I want you in my home, in my bed, but I won't accept a short-term liaison, so do not think to escape me in such a manner. After you have had a bit of time to get to know me in a more personal manner I will mate you, Kagome. I would do it now if I could, but you are not youkai and humans take longer to be comfortable in such situations. So I will wait, though it isn't an enjoyable thought."
Silence filled the room as Kagome stared at him in shock.
~v~
A/N: Welcome to my little Inupapa/Kagome A/U, everyone! It's just a short little somewhat ooc piece, three chapters.
Amber
