"You never call me anymore dear," the soft voice on the other end of the phone scolded Kagome, "I know you're a college women but there is always time to call your mother."
"I know Mom, I'm sorry," Kagome muttered for the umpteenth time in the last half hour. This is why she avoided calling her mother at all. After Kikyo's offer the other day she had been running through all the options she had and felt she owed it to her family to call before she made any rash decisions and didn't have the chance to speak with them again. "Mom I have to go, just tell everyone I love them okay?"
"Okay Kagome, we love you too," she hung up before she could start another conversation and sighed.
The offer for the whole Shikon Jewel had been swirling around her head since Kikyo left her backyard. She knew she wouldn't accept the offer without talking to Inuyasha first, since after all it was Kikyo. Her stomached burned with shame at the thought of tearing them apart and just solidified the fact they weren't ready to mate. Still she couldn't shake the ominous feeling she had gotten when Kikyo had shown up at her house. Something had changed about the priestess and that was another factor that played into why she was waiting to give her an answer. The jewel had way to much power for it's own good. It had enough to attach itself to her for reasons unknown.
She remembered the day her Grandfather had given her the jewel. It was her 10th birthday and he had been sprouting off all his crazy stories about demons to her friends. Most of them had left the party early, calling her and her Grandfather insulting names only 4th graders could sling, leaving Kagome crying in their wake. He had sat her down on their shrine steps, his bony arm holding her close to him in comfort.
"You're special kid, and that's nothing to cry over," he gave her a good nature shake of the shoulders, "here I didn't get to give you your present."
"Grandpa, I don't need or want anymore shrunken heads," she sniffled.
"Now, now you can never have to many of those! But it's your lucky day, because shrunken heads were on back order," he tugged out a small black box from his pants, "here you go. Happy Birthday!" she tentatively took the box from him and opened it. A half round jewel was nestled in it's velvet insides attached to a thin silver chain.
"It's so pretty Grandpa!" she squealed gingerly removing it from it's cozy home.
"Just like my favorite Granddaughter,"
"I'm you're only Granddaughter," she rolled her eyes as she fingered the jewel.
"Another very pretty lady who is dear to your Grandfather's heart has the other half,"
"You mean Grandma?"
"Eh...yes...you're Grandmother," he cleared his throat as colored started creeping up his neck, "anyway now lets try that on." He slipped the necklace around her neck. The jewel had a soft pink glow to it once it was placed around her neck and emanated a comforting warmth. From that day forward she kept it around her neck and it wasn't until her little brother, Souta, had tried to yank it off her did they find out she was the only one who could remove it.
Kagome smiled at that memory. The shock Souta had received had his hair standing straight for days. She sighed and slipped the necklace from her neck and cradled the jewel in both hands.
"You've caused a lot of trouble for me you know?" she whispered to it. Closing her hand around the jewel she glanced over at the clock. It was just after 4 in the afternoon and she still had to make her way to Inuyasha's before sunset.
He had called her the night before asking to speak to her in person, but she had to come before sunset. Kagome had shrugged off his strange request but decided now then ever she needed to discuss the proposal from Kikyo. Sighing once more she pushed herself from the comfort of her bed and headed out the door.
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I paced my room growing more agitated as time slowly ticked away. Maybe I hadn't stressed the importance of what time she needed to be here for our chat? Or maybe I was just a complete idiot for asking her to visit tonight of all nights. I should have just gone over to see her this morning but I could already feel the difference in my strength and with Kikyo's disappearance I didn't trust leaving my house.
I had woken up yesterday morning with the intention of talking to Kikyo about the events of last night. When I reached her room I found it empty and the bed untouched, as if she had never came home. A sickening feeling in the pit of my stomach had set in and nothing I did could shake it, so I called Kagome to tell her we needed to talk. Now sunset was nearing and she still wasn't here. I didn't want to have Sesshourmaru or Rin turn her away when she finally did show up but she couldn't know about my one night. This night belonged to me and only me.
"What was so urgent," I tried to cover my jump with a cough and a brush of my shoulder.
I looked over towards the door and couldn't help the smile that tugged at my lips. She stood with her long blue black hair in a low ponytail pulled over her shoulder, which contrasted with her white tunic. The electric blue jeans hugged her legs that disappeared into black calf high boots. She rose an eyebrow at me in amusement.
"Kikyo's gone missing," her face went blank and she nodded.
"She came to see me yesterday," I blinked in shock at her statement, "she proposed we combine our jewel halves to use it's power to free me from Naraku."
"She said that?" she nodded and walked over to my window and stood looking thoughtfully out it. Kikyo was furious with him and despised Kagome, why would she offer to help free Kagome from Naraku. The girl who disappeared after our fight wouldn't have changed her mind so fast and be willing to wish us well.
"I don't trust her," Kagome whispered as she rubbed the Shikon Jewel between her fingers, "I don't trust the jewel either."
"What do you mean?"
"This Jewel hasn't been complete for hundreds of years, there has to be a reason for it. My Grandfather knew where the other half was when he gave it to me," she looked over her shoulder at me, "he personally knew the other person, so why give them half and keep half if its power was so great?"
"Maybe he had nothing to wish for?" I questioned as I sunk down onto my bed in thought, "the jewel doesn't hold appeal to everyone. I mean did you ever try to find the other half before Naraku asked you to?"
"No," she turned to me and rested against the windowsill, "would you use the jewels power? Would you wish for us not to be...mates?"
Her question caught me off guard and stole my voice. I had wished more then once that Kagome hadn't been the one, that Kikyo had been my mate. But if I were given one wish would I wish my eternal bond with Kagome to be gone? To never feel the rush that ran through me when she barely brushed against me? Or to never enjoy her intoxicating scent to the point of euphoria?
"No," I whispered not meeting her eyes, "I believe in destiny, and to fight it only brings you trouble."
"Oh," she mumbled. That's all? I heard her question in her head and pretended not to have heard it. What had she wanted my answer to be? That I would wish to have a different mate? Or that no, I wouldn't wish for anyone else but her because I...love her? There was no way this distant and aloof priestess in front of my loved me, so why wouldn't she understand that I didn't, couldn't, love her now? "The sunset is gorgeous from here."
"Sunset?" panic rose up in my chest as my eyes darted to the window. The last rays of the sun danced across the sky in deep purples and magenta, "You have to leave!"
"What the," I yanked her from her perch on my windowsill and threw her out the door, "Inuyasha!" she yelled at me as I slammed and locked the door in her face, "What the hell is wrong with you?"
I stumbled to my bathroom leaving her pounding at my bedroom door. I leaned against the sink as I watched my dog ears disappear, my eyes bleeding to indigo. It looked like someone was pouring black ink over my head as my hair changed from it's normal silver to an inky black. The transformation from half-demon to human only took seconds but it felt like hours as I watched my powers be drained from me.
"What's going on out here?" I heard Sesshoumaru boom from the hall, silencing Kagome's cries of anger.
"He just threw me out," she snapped, "I don't know what got into him."
"And you are?"
"Kagome," she snapped and I couldn't help but smile as I inched closer to the door to listen. No one besides me had ever dared talk to Sesshoumaru in such a tone.
"The mate,"
"No, I'm Kagome, not 'the mate'." I actually snickered at the venom that laced her voice, "look I just want to make sure he's ok."
"Fine," what? No! I didn't have enough time to react as I heard Sesshoumaru break the lock and my door swung open.
"Inu-" she stopped mid sentence, eyes wide in disbelief, "you're...you're..."
"Human, weak, worthless," I growled backing away from her.
"Pretty,"
"What?" all the anger drained from me as I started to laugh. I had expected such a judgmental reaction from her. I had thought she would berate me, call me filthy names, but pretty? No that was not the reaction I had planned. The blush that spread across her face added to my near hysterics. Sesshoumaru rolled his eyes and continued his way down the hall pretending nothing had just transpired here.
"Stop laughing okay?" she snapped as she stepped into the room, kicking the door shut behind her, "is this why you wanted me to come before sunset?"
"Yeah, only Sesshoumaru knows about tonight," I mumbled rubbing the back of my hair. She walked over to my bed and plopped herself down on it, giving me an inquiring look.
"I can't read your thoughts," she finally blurted out, "it's like you're gone, I can't even feel your barriers."
"I guess the abilities that come with us being mates goes away when I'm human," I sat down next to her and frowned. Her scent was still strong, not how it was when I had my demonic sense of smell, but it was still there, and it was still just as intoxicating. "You can't tell anyone about this Kagome."
"Why would I?" she rolled her eyes and brushed her bangs out of her face. I reached out and grabbed her hand, startling her.
"I mean it, if Naraku were to find out, he'd have no problem taking me out when I'm at my weakest," she started into my eyes for what seemed like forever and I realized even if I couldn't read her mind I could still lose myself in her. Her skin was still just as silky under my touch, her eyes still the same hypnotizing espresso. She nodded as her eyes slide down to stare at my lips and I felt my heart start to race. Before I knew what I was doing I had pulled her to me, my lips crushing against hers.
She resisted for a split second before melting against me. Her hands were fisted in my hair as I devoured her mouth. My hands found their way under her shirt, running my fingers down her back causing her to gasp and I took advantage of it to slip my tongue in to dance with hers. I groaned as the taste of her filled my mouth. She was the sweetest of candies that I couldn't get enough of. I pushed her onto her back as I started to trail kisses down her neck.
She whispered my name, barely audible to my human ears as she clutched onto me as I traveled lower. My hands were caressing her sides as they made their way higher. Even the finest of material could not compare the how exquisite her skin felt. I rested my hand on her breast delighting in the feel of it under my palm. I squeezed as I bit her neck lightly, then found myself flung back onto an empty bed.
Kagome was standing and backing away from me panting like she had just run an marathon. Her eyes were glowing purple as she leaned against the door, her hand clenched her chest as if she were in pain.
"I..I have to go," she fled my room and I flopped back on my bed, torn. I felt I should go after her, but she was right to stop what had almost happened. I groaned as I felt my gut clench at the memory of feeling her under me. It had felt better then I had imagined, my dreams of her every night had been nothing in comparison.
"Idiot," I muttered.
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"Where have you been?" Sango demanded as she slid into the seat next to Kagome, "you've missed almost all this week and are never home anymore."
"I'm sorry, things have just gotten complicated," Kagome responded and held up a blue file, "I have all my assignments done though, so it's not a big deal."
"This year just started," she snapped before taking a deep breath, "I'm sorry. I'm just worried about you."
"I understand, and thank you, for worrying about me," she reached over and squeezed her best friends hand.
It had been 4 days since the episode with Inuyasha and she had been avoiding school and home since. She felt bad for worrying her best friend but she had come to close to ruining everything, she needed time alone. In reality she wasn't even sure if something had happened between them if it would have been anything binding since he was in human form, but it had proven how weak she was to the pull to him. It reinforced the idea of needing to rid herself of Naraku sooner than later.
"Is everything okay between you and Inuyasha?" her eyes widened a fraction but tried to keep a cool demeanor.
"Why would you ask that? I've barely talked to him,"
"Well Miroku said he had been asking about you a lot, I thought something had happened between you two," both pairs of brown eyes met each other, silently daring the other to give in first. Finally Kagome sighed and shook her head.
"I've just been avoiding him, I needed time alone," Sango nodded, her eyes not completely trusting of what her best friend said. Their psychology teacher called the class to attention abruptly ending all conversation.
Kagome inwardly sighed and started to twirl her pen between her fingers as the teacher read aloud from their textbook. Her thoughts automatically wondered to the silver haired half-demon that had been taking up a permanent residence in her dreams. She felt her lips turn downward in a frown at the memory of their last encounter.
Naraku's powers had risen to the surface the moment his teeth touched her skin. A sudden urge to rip him apart had engulfed her, nearly drowning her desire. Had she not clutched so tightly to her desire she would be negative one mate. Inuyasha hadn't even possessed his powers, what would have happened had he been in his half-demon form? Would she have been able to hold onto her humanity enough to spare him his life?
Kagome jumped at the slight vibration in her pocket. Stealthily slipping her cellphone from her pocket she flipped it open.
It's lost it's smell, any chance I can get a replacement?
She smiled despite her warring emotions in her head and exited from the text message to see the time. Less then two hours and she would be out of class, it wouldn't hurt to stop by with another night shirt, would it?
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"So have you guys...you know," Miroku wiggled his eyebrows suggestively at me and I whacked him behind the head.
Our last class of the day had been canceled so Miroku had agreed to come with me to look at a new apartment. It was strange doing something so mundane as looking for a new place to live when Kikyo was still missing. I knew I couldn't live with Sesshoumaru forever and I didn't know how long this Naraku mess was going to continue so why put it off anymore?
"You know we haven't," I muttered as I turned the corner a little to fast and Miroku slammed against his door. He glared at me as he fiddled with the radio.
"I wouldn't judge you if you had," he grumbled finally settling on some rock station. I glanced over at him as I pondered telling him about my encounter with Kagome. I felt a stirring in my stomach as images from that night bubbled up from the depths in which I had stored them.
"We...almost,"
"No way!" I glared at him instantly regretting my decision to talk to him about it, "why didn't you guys finish?"
"She freaked," I grimaced at my description, "I don't really know what happened. We were both into it and then she pushed me off and practically ran out the door."
"Geez, bet you felt pretty inadequate,"
"It wasn't like that," I swung blindly at him again as he just continued to laugh at me, "besides the strangest part was her eyes, they were glowing purple."
"Like watch as I harness the powers of Naraku kind of purple?" I nodded and Miroku rubbed his chin in thought, "maybe she doesn't have as much control as we thought she did. I think I'd stay away from her for awhile."
That sounded like good advice expect I practically invited her over tonight, but I would keep that from Miroku, let Sesshoumaru find my body if they got out of hand. I hadn't decided if I wanted to throw caution to the wind and try our fate at mating or if I was going to be the good half demon and wait patiently. The later choice didn't sound like as much fun, and as time passed the tension between us was going to become unbearable.
"Wow, you're really upgrading from your last apartment," Miroku let out a low whistle as we pulled into a parking lot for a 25 story building.
A garden that was over flowing up white,red, pink, orange and yellow roses sat as the courtyard, which I had read in their ad every apartment had a view of. The driveway to the secured entrance looped around the courtyard while parking lots that lead to under ground parking sat on either sides of the building. The building itself looked like it was practically made out of glass due to the floor to ceiling windows. The first three floors were commercial property. The first and second floor were dedicated to shopping while a restaurant took up the whole third floor. The fourth floor was divided into storage for each living quarter.
"I decided to finally dip into my inheritance," I mumbled as we parked in the first open spot I could find, "We're gonna look at one of the penthouses."
"I could get used to you living here," Miroku muttered as we approached the entrance. Double glass doors slid back allowing us into the marble floored lobby. An older gentlemen in a stiff black suit greeted them, his gold plated name tag read Chiyoko Yamaguchi.
"Greetings, are you here to indulge in some retail therapy or enjoy a one of the finest 3 course dinners at The Gardens?"
"I'm actually here about an available penthouse," I replied and fought the growl that was trying to make it's way out as the man gave me a once over, a look of disgust on his face.
"We only allow viewings by appointment," he replied in a haughty tone.
"I did make an appointment, it's under Takahashi," the man's eye bulged and he started to spew apologies all over us, "may I just see the key please?"
"Yes, yes sir! Once again my apologies, and please, feel free to enjoy a complimentary meal at The Gardens for my insolent behavior," I just rolled my eyes and snatched key card to the elevator. Once we were safely inside the elevator Miroku could no longer hold it in.
"Damn, are you like royalty or something?" he blurted out. I sighed and rubbed the back of my head.
"Not royalty, but my father did provide the funding for this building," Miroku whooped with laughter as the elevator dinged open to an expansive living area..
"Whoa," I nodded in agreement as we walked in. Our footfalls were muffled by the plush white carpet the covered the floor. The living room sunk in two steps facing the windows that took up the wall. If you didn't step down into the living room and instead turned right the carpet soon gave way to the marble floors of the dining room and kitchen, which was filled with state of the art appliances. If you wished to turn left once stepping off the elevators the plush white carpet continued down the hall to three bedrooms and a guest bathroom.
"This might be a little to big for me," I mumbled, eyes still glued to the view from the window. We were currently on the top floor and could see a good portion of the city, "but that view may be worth rattling around this place by myself."
"Besides once you and Kagome mate I'm sure there will be plenty of little Inus to take up the space- ouch!" Miroku rubbed the spot I had whacked him on.
"I just broke my girlfriends heart and you're talking about me having pups with another women already?" I gave him a look that I hoped conveyed how much I disapproved of his thinking. I had only been contemplating the act of mating Kagome because the urge was starting to eat away at me. Could a demon go crazy in only two months of meeting his mate and not claiming her? Guess we'd be finding out soon.
"So are you going to take it?" Miroku question pulled me out of my thoughts. I sighed and looked around again trying to imagine what to do with the place.
I hadn't had the best relationship with my parents. My mother had died when I was young and my father hadn't handled it well. He treated Sesshoumaru better then I did well into my teenage years. When the old man was on his deathbed he had told me I reminded him so much of my mother he couldn't stand the sight of me, those were the last words he ever spoke to me. So when my inheritance became available I let it sit in the bank and rot.
I had started to work as soon as I was able to and saved every penny while I was under my father's roof, and later Sesshoumaru's. I turned 18 and bought my small condo and only kept a part time job to help pay the other bills and small necessities. When Kikyo started to become a permanent part of my life I spent the majority of my savings taking her out anywhere she wanted to go. So now I was left with a burned down condo and only the few clothes I had been able to buy while living with Sesshoumaru, it was time to suck it up and use my father's money.
"Yeah, I'm going to take it,"
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Author's Notes:
I hope you guys enjoyed this chapter! I'm kind of going with the flow as I write so I'm still trying to figure out what to do with the characters.
Thank you to LadyUChiha1994(I did read your one shot, nicely done ^.^) Awesumlishus(Thank you for your faithful reviews! Still working out exactly what the potion is going to do.), kittychic0895(Thank you for your faithful reviews too) and frozen water droplet (I know! I don't know if she will or won't yet! Time will tell ^.^)
And thanks to everyone who's put this on their alerts and favorites, makes me feel warm and fuzzy inside.