Fighting Fate

An Inuyasha fanfic

By The Story Mistress

Chapter One

He ran his lips along the curve of her neck inhaling the strawberry scent that rose from her smooth skin. "You're so beautiful," he whispered, "so delicious," he tasted her with a flick o f his tongue. "And all mine. Say it," he ordered.

"I'm yours," she said breathlessly pressing back against him as he skimmed his hands up her sides raising the thin camisole she wore. His lips left her skin briefly to remove the cami but quickly returned. She let out a throaty moan when his hands came up to cup and knead her breasts. "Only yours, Inuyasha," she said. "I want you to be only mine."

"I am yours," he said kissing his way to her ear. He loved to nibble on the dainty pink shell, and he knew it drove her crazy.

"Make it official," she said writhing against him. "Mark me, Inuyasha. I want to belong to you and only you."

His head came up and his hands left her abruptly. "You know I can't do that," he hissed. "Why would you even bring it up."

She pulled away and turned to face him, looking to eyes that had become golden slits. "Because I love you. I don't want to sneak around anymore. I want to shout to the world that I love Inuyasha Takahashi and that he loves me. I'm tired of the secrets Inuyasha."

"You know that I have no choice in who I marry or who I mate. I warned you that it would be like this. You said you didn't care."

"Because I thought I wouldn't!" she snapped. "You're a grown man Inuyasha, you should be able to do what you please, to be with whomever you want to be with."

"Being grown has nothing to do with it, I can't mark anyone but my predestined mate. It's physically impossible to mark anyone else. But that doesn't mean I can't love anyone else. You're the one I love."

"I don't care. I can't live like this anymore." She snatched up her cami and shimmied into it. "I'm leaving," She got up and began putting on the clothing that had been discarded on the way in. "Call me when you're ready to commit."

"Wait! Kikyo, wait!" But she didn't. She left leaving him with nothing but the sound of the closing door. Growling in frustration he shoved his hands into his silver hair and flopped back onto the bed. He lay there until he heard the faint sound of his cellphone ringing, then got up to search for his pants. "What?" he barked into the phone when he finally found it.

"That's no way to answer the phone," his mother chastised gently. "Where are you?"

"I'm out. Why?" he replied.

"Did you forget we were meeting today? I'm at your house."

Inuyasha groaned inwardly. He had forgotten; the tryst with Kikyo hadn't been planned. "I'll be right there." He hung up, got dressed and left the apartment."

88

"Mom," Inuyasha called stepping into his house.

"In here darling." He followed her voice to the elegantly decorated and unused living room. When he walked in she rose from the cream colored couch to hug him. "Darling, your shirt is mis-buttoned, and you're still wearing shoes, this is a white carpet Inuyasha."

"Mom," he batted her hands away from his shirt. "It's my house, if I want to track footprints all over the place I will. And I can dress myself."

"Obviously not," she replied with a pout. Inuyasha sighed and kicked his shoes off and out into the foyer.

"Happy now?"

"A little," she smiled. "I'll be happier if you take more care in dressing for tonight."

"Tonight?"

"You forgot?" she sighed. "Inuyasha, what shall I do with you? We're meeting the Yamaguchi's. Eri's daughter is quite lovely. I think she could be the one."

Raking a hand through his hair Inuyasha sighed and sat down. "Has it ever occurred to you that I might meet 'the one' on my own?" he asked. "Did you ever think that I might be tired of having you parade girl after girl in front of me?"

Izayoi looked taken aback for a moment, then knelt in front of him and carefully straightened his ruffled bangs. "But Inuyasha, don't you want to settle down and have a family? To do that you need to find your mate, and sooner rather than later."

He pushed her away. "What if I don't want to marry the stranger that fate supposedly chose? Maybe I want to chose the person I'll start a family with, the person I'm expected to live happily ever after with."

"You are choosing. Some people are so stupid when it comes to love, Inuyasha. They find it and never know or realize until it's too late. Being youkai or hanyou means you don't have to go through that agony. The youkai in you will instinctively know the one who's meant for you. She may be a stranger when you find her but if you keep an open mind and heart, the rest of you will come to love her as well."

"Whatever, didn't dad say that I'll find my mate when it's time for me to find her? Where is he anyway?"

"Off on a business trip. How do you know that now isn't the time to find your mate?" she countered. "Now, we're meeting the Yamaguchi's at Chez Carlise at 8 o'clock. Do not be late and wear something nice." She kissed his cheek, fixed his bangs again, and left. Growling under his breath Inuyasha swiped at the lipstick on his cheek. He left the living room and went to the only room in the house that he'd decorated himself. The room, with it's black leather couch, soft carpet, and red walls, was his sanctuary in the elegant house that his mother had decorated. He went straight to the liquor cabinet and pulled out a bottle of amber colored liquid. After splashing a generous amount in a glass he took a large swallow and sat down. He breathed deeply as the liquid fire scorched his throat. A few more swallows and he was relaxed completely.

He thought over his fight with Kikyo and his conversation with his mother. Mating and love had nothing to do with one another, he decided. Maybe it did for youkai, but he didn't have just demon instinct. He had a human heart. And that heart loved Kikyo. She'd come around, he knew she would. He'd told her they could never be openly together when they started getting serious and she'd told him she didn't care. He was going to hold her to that.

88

At 8:15 Inuyasha stood in front of Chez Carlise letting his mother give him a once over. She approved of the long sleeve gray shirt shot through with silver threads and black slacks. "Maybe you should button it just a little further," she said reaching for his open collar.

He batted her hands away. "I like it this way." he reached up to fiddle with the silver chain he wore. A present from Kikyo. "Let's get this over with."

"Don't be so pessimistic, Inuyasha," she ordered taking his arm and leading him inside. "Eri and her daughter Keiko should already be here." As they walked in the first thing Inuyasha saw was a woman being led to her table. There was nothing remarkable about the woman, at least, not the back of her, which is all he could see. She was of average height, and her her clothes, a knee length black skirt and white button up with three quarter length sleeves, were nothing special. But his eyes were drawn to her. Without realizing it he stopped walking and watched the woman. She was led to a table where two men in business suits sat. "Inuyasha," his mother tugged on his arm. "The Yamaguchi's are already here, what are you looking at?"

"Nothing," he turned away from the woman. "Let's go." They were seated and a waiter showed up quickly. After they ordered Izayoi preformed the introductions and Inuyasha murmured something polite and meaningless. Keiko was pretty enough, he decided. She had dark brown hair cut in a bob and brown eyes. She was much prettier than the woman who'd caught his attention as he'd entered the restaurant, but that's the one who was on his mind. Throughout the dinner his eyes kept straying towards her. He couldn't figure out what it was about her that attracted him. Then, when Keiko had asked him some inane question and he was giving an equally inane answer when she walked by the table. Her scent washed over him, making him stop in the middle of a sentence. It was the most alluring thing he'd ever smelled; dusky and sweet at the same time. Like moonbeams and roses.

"Inuyasha," Izayoi put a hand on his arm. "Is something wrong?"

"Huh? No, it's nothing," with a shake of his head he turned back to Keiko and finished his answer. But Izayoi's sharp eyes saw the woman and remembered the dumb struck look on her son's face.

"Excuse me a moment," she said politely before getting up and following the woman into the bathroom. She stood in the mirror and checked her already perfect hair and makeup. When the woman came out of the stall and began to wash her hands Izayoi pulled out a tube of lipstick and accidentally-on-purpose dropped it at her feet. "Oh, would you mind picking that up for me? My knees are bothering me today."

"Sure," she knelt down and picked up the tube.

"Thanks..." Izayoi trailed off.

"Uh, Higurashi Kagome," she said handing over the lipstick.

"I'm Takahashi Izayoi. Thanks again." Izayoi slipped the tube into her bag and left the room smiling to herself. She went back to the table and enjoyed the rest of her evening. When the dinner was over Inuyasha walked his mother to her car. "What do you think of Keiko, Inuyasha?" she asked.

Inuyasha shrugged, "She's okay. She's not 'the one', as you like to say."

"I don't think you gave her much of a chance. You were quite distracted; care to tell me why?"

"I wasn't distracted," he said immediately. "I've gotta go. I'll be by tomorrow for lunch." He started to walk away but Izayoi grabbed his arm.

"The day after tomorrow, darling. I'll be out for most of the day tomorrow."

"Fine, see ya," he kissed his mother on the cheek and strode away.

Izayoi smiled after him, then pulled out her phone. "Hello? Jaken, darling, I need a favor. I need you to find out everything you can on Higurashi Kagome. I need the info tonight or early tomorro—what? I'm quite aware that you serve Sesshomaru, but do you really want me to wast his precious time by calling him and asking him to ask you? I didn't think so. Remember, tonight or early tomorrow. Ta ta, darling." She hung up and got into her car. "I betshe's the one."

88

The phone rang just before Izayoi got into bed that night. "Hello?" she pounced on the phone. But instead of hearing Jaken's croak she heard the deep smooth voice of her husband. "Oh, it's you," she pouted.

"You were expecting someone else?" he asked.

"I was hoping you were Jaken."

"You're cheating on me with the toad?"

"Of course not, but he's supposed to call me with some information. And you're tying up the phone line. I"ll talk to you later."

"Wait, Izayoi—" but it was too late, she hung up. She slipped under the covers and picked up a book, determined to stay up until Jaken called. She'd started to nod off when the phone rang. Yawning she reached for it. "Hello?"

"I do not wish to report over the phone," Jaken said briskly. "I've sent a report to your email account." He hung up leaving Izayoi at a loss for words. She couldn't believe he'd hung up on her. After brooding for a moment she decided that checking her email would be more productive than being upset. She'd have a word with Sesshomaru about Jaken's manners later. She jumped out of bed and padded barefoot to the study. Once there she quickly logged in and opened Jaken's email.

Lady Izayoi,

Here is the information you requested on one Higurashi Kagome:

Age: 27

Marital Status: Single

Occupation: Principal of Arisakawa School

Family

Mother

Maternal Grandfather

Younger brother

Grew up on a shrine with above mentioned family members. Attended Tokyo University.

Is currently trying to raise the money to remodel Arisakawa school to accommodate large student body.

This is all there was of interest.

Izayoi made a face at the short email. Just because Jaken didn't find something of interest didn't mean she wouldn't. She'd just have to get to know the girl herself. But how? She'd heard of Arisakwa School before...She'd sleep on it and figure out what to do in the morning.

AN: Just a warning, this fic will have a very erratic updating schedule

Also, please review