Alright, let's keep cranking out chapters before I actually get busy again.

Disclaimer: I do not own Inuyasha. I do not profit from this story.

Fallen Among Thieves

Chapter Ten

"I'm not upset that you lied to me, I'm upset that from now on I can't believe you." – Friedrich Nietzsche

"Tell me you got something, please."

It wasn't Kagome's typical phone call introduction but she was desperate. Inuyasha had cancelled on their date three days ago, mysteriously leaving for business. What Kagome needed to do was catch him in the act, figure out how he was picking his targets and why. So far everything had been scattered, nothing in common.

Why she had gotten so far in the first place was because she determined Inuyasha Takahashi's pattern: there wasn't one. Nothing was off limits. Nothing was too hard or too easy. It opened up a ton of cases, more than a few of them tied to Inuyasha. It was easier to find his preferences that way.

"I can say it but it doesn't mean it's true." The female on the other end laughed lightly, easing the tension. "I'm sorry Kagome," she said more seriously, "but nothing's gone missing yet. It could take a few days though."

Or never. Kagome closed her eyes and took a few deep, calming breaths. "Thanks anyways Yura, I really appreciate your help."

"You better," Yura commented dryly. "But I owe you big time so I figure now we're even."

Kagome smiled. Yura Yajima was a friend she had met a long time ago, back in the years when she was a cop. The woman was a mastermind in the criminal world. She had once been the fiancée of a crime lord, who dealt with more than just drug and weapon distribution. After narrowly escaping with her life, she became the go-to person for a more than a few law-enforcement personnel. She heard about things everywhere, knew facts about certain gangs that most couldn't know and remain alive.

"Now we're even," Kagome concluded, opening her eyes and looking around the lobby of her hotel. Inuyasha was supposed to pick her up soon for their movie date. They were having dinner first and while a part of her couldn't wait, the other more dominant part felt sick.

There was silence on the other end for a moment. "Kagome, are you sure you're okay?" Yura asked suddenly. She didn't sound worried, not like Miroku did when he thought something was wrong with her. Yura understood the hardships of life, understood that things had to be dealt with efficiently and proactively to survive. She didn't bullshit and Kagome appreciated that.

"I've been better," the private investigator replied, sighing. "I just… Have you ever met Inuyasha Takahashi?"

"Once," Yura said firmly. "But not entirely. I happened to catch a glimpse of him at an invitational. It was some big flashy show and there were so many people. I never talked to him but… I knew it had to be him when an emerald the size of my fist was stolen."

Kagome frowned. "I couldn't ever find a link putting him there. You never came forward with that?"

Laughing, Yura's deep husky voice was part bitter and part amused. "I wouldn't be alive if I reported every crime I saw. To be frank, if I reported any crimes I saw."

"And yet you help little old me," Kagome murmured, more to herself.

"You're hardly old," Yura admonished. "But this world is made of give and take. I gave a lot in my early years – you know that – and now… Well, I still give when opportunity presents itself."

Kagome saw Inuyasha coming through the glass doors of the hotel lobby, his brown eyes searching her out. "Sorry Yura, it was really nice talking to you again but I have to run. I'll call you soon."

"You always do," Yura replied. "Be safe Kagome, don't bury yourself in trouble."

Smiling slightly, Kagome whispered her thanks and hung up the phone. She was just sliding it into her trench coat pocket when Inuyasha finally spotted her, a smirk gracing his features. She forced a smile to her face, trying to ignore the part of her that realized it wasn't entirely false. "Hey," she called, waving a little and stepping towards him.

"Hey yourself." Inuyasha was instantly right in front of her, one hand wrapping around her waist and the other cupping her face. He crashed his lips onto hers, pulling her as close as he could. The few days that he was gone were brutal – impossibly slow and surprisingly lonely. He had never experienced that before. Even while he was chatting it up with his target, switching papers when he wasn't noticing and conning the man into losing half his ownership in a particular investment, well… It wasn't as satisfying as he thought it would be.

Inuyasha had never been more eager to get back.

He didn't think about why.

"I'd say you look gorgeous but you're wearing that coat again and I can't actually tell other than your face," he murmured against her lips, pulling back only slightly to breathe. Kagome was panting lightly against him, brown eyes wide in surprise. His smirk grew. "Of course, I could go on about that, if you'd like."

"No thanks," Kagome answered, blinking a little owlishly. She hadn't been expecting that. No part of her was ready for him to suddenly be up in her space, taking over her mind and completely shattering all logic. If she had known or if she had been prepared, Kagome could've managed to get through it without thinking too hard. Now that he had done that, his arms tightly around her and surrounding her in absolute warmth, Kagome didn't want to go. She didn't want to leave.

And he was still there, still in her space, still crowding up against her and holding her like she was his tether to the earth. He was smirking at her, all beautiful dark eyes and full pale lips. It wasn't her fault – not her fault at all – that she tilted her head back and kissed him again. When her arms slid around his shoulders she couldn't even tell herself this was all for pretend. Her mind was currently occupied, also known as melting down.

"I'd love to do this some more," Inuyasha whispered, voice whiskey-rough that sent heat down her spine. "But unless you want to cancel the reservations we should go. We could, however, just stay here and delight the guests."

Kagome let out a breath and pulled back. His hand was still on her hip though and it was distracting, making it hard to think. "Delight them?"

Inuyasha smirked. "The porn would be fantastic."

For making a comment along those lines, most guys that Kagome had seen would've been punched in the face, or told a rather abrupt 'goodnight.' But Inuyasha was devilish, incredibly charming and undeniably hot. Hell yes the porn would be fantastic.

"Let's go, shall we?" she asked, glaring at him slightly because she couldn't simply allow the comment to slide.

Inuyasha chuckled and grabbed her hand, all but dragging her out of the building.

They ended up at some casual bar, eating finger food and drinking alcohol as they laughed at some soccer players running on the screen. The night had been smooth and easy, and Kagome almost forgot that she was dining with a con artist that stole things for a living. It was really hard to remember that when he was touching her, flirting with her and unabashedly letting everyone at the bar know it.

"Alright, alright," Inuyasha said, chuckling to himself after he finished a gulp of his beer. "So you investigated a guy that was not cheating on his wife, but was instead taking dance lessons because he was preparing to propose to her? Why would he take dance lessons?"

"For the first dance," Kagome explained, rolling her eyes. "He was a big planner. He'd already booked the venue."

Inuyasha raised his eyebrows. "But he hadn't proposed yet?"

"Nope, he was just really cocky," she responded, suddenly giggling and pointing to the big television screen on one of the bar walls. "Oh, another one fell," Kagome said of a soccer player. "This is why I watch football, because when they fall it's a lot more…manly looking."

"First of all, football is soccer and secondly, do I need to point out all the jokes where football can be seen as the non-manliest sport ever?"

Kagome rolled her eyes. "I was talking about American football for one and shut up."

Shrugging, Inuyasha smiled at the server when a new beer was put in front of him. "There aren't too many girls that I know that enjoy football. Do you actually understand any of it?"

"I know about ninety-percent of it, except for some strange rules that seem to come out of nowhere," Kagome replied, picking at another chip from the basket.

"Who taught you all that stuff?" Inuyasha asked, leaning casually back in his stool.

Smiling a bit, Kagome shrugged. "A family friend – his name was Totosai Yanami. He knew my father before he passed away when I was little. It was just me, my mom and my brother so he helped a lot. I remember how he always told me a specific code for his favourite play. He taught it to my dad apparently, yelling RED-11, RED-11. I don't really remember my dad saying it but my mom goes on about it from time to time still. Totosai used to shout it when I did something that made him proud. Can you imagine graduating from the police academy and hearing that?" She chuckled a little, mostly to herself as the memories flooded her.

Inuyasha tilted his head. "I didn't know about your father, I'm sorry." He watched her then, analyzing the wistful sadness in her eyes. She didn't know her father, he speculated. She was probably too young to remember much more than faded memories. "How old were you?"

"Five," Kagome murmured. It was then that she realized she was talking, and not just about pointless things like sports and news. She was discussing personal information, things that a con man shouldn't know. Her brown eyes sought out his, trying to read what he was thinking. Kagome could only see kindness, an attentiveness about him that made her feel almost important, like he genuinely cared.

Of course, he conned people for a living. Acting was an integral part of his survival.

She really needed to remember that.

"So how was your business trip? I never asked." Kagome tried to steer the conversation away from herself, fiddling with her black hair and trying to let it fall down her back. It felt too close around her neck, making it suddenly too hot.

Inuyasha looked at her in fascination. She was doing that tell again with her hair: the one where she'd deflect away from herself. He smirked nonetheless. "It went well, as far as conferences go," he answered. It was time to test a theory. "The Thunder Brothers always put on an interesting show."

And just like that he saw it, a glint in her eye that was far too revealing. Her guard came up a millisecond later but he got it. He understood perfectly well.

Kagome was still looking into him. He had to tread carefully.

"I've never heard of them," she responded, casually and with an air of indifference. He had to hand it to her, she was a good actor. She could bluff with the best of them. But no one could get past him. "What do they talk about?"

"Global environments, good ethical practices in business and the like," Inuyasha responded. "It's fairly dull stuff."

"It was pretty far away. Hone is…how many states over?"

"A few," Inuyasha replied, smirking. She had a good memory, he'd give her that. Now he wanted to see what she'd do with this. "It was unfortunate that the conference was so early. I had to drink a ridiculous amount of coffee just to stay awake. Seven-thirty in the morning is not a good time to lecture about saving the world from evil businessmen and women."

"What like some sort of green superhero? A pro-environment Batman?" Kagome asked wryly, unable to suppress her grin.

Inuyasha smiled. "Exactly like some kind of green superhero, although I'm not sure about the Batman part." He looked at the basket of food that they had finished and the additional beer that was now almost completely drained. Kagome's cocktail was long finished and she was looking at him like something amazing, like something that she couldn't quite grasp but really wanted to. "Want to get out of here? We do have a movie to make after all."

"You mean the movie that started forty minutes ago?" Kagome asked, rolling her eyes. "You kind of dropped the ball on that one Superhero Takahashi."

And right then and there, everything shifted. His heart missed a beat, breath suddenly stopping. Taisho, he thought, almost angrily. My last name is Taisho. But she wouldn't know that. Only Sango and Shiori knew that piece of information. "Well then we'll just have to improvise," he murmured. His voice was maybe a bit rougher, like he just downed whiskey and didn't let it settle smoothly down his throat.

By the way that Kagome looked at him, she noticed. "And what do you have in mind? I hope it's not catching criminals who look like penguins."

Smirking despite the irony of catching a criminal, he shrugged. He called for the server, who looked a bit irritated at how he was beckoned. When Inuyasha asked for the bill, he took only a few moments before returning. Inuyasha dumped cash into the folder and rose, reaching out for Kagome's hand. "I can promise you there will be no penguin masterminds involved," he said.

When Kagome clasped her hand in his, he didn't let go. He held on even as they exited the doors, the hostesses cheerily saying goodnight. The air was cool around them and Kagome's hair blew everywhere in the wind. Her dark brown eyes were shining in the light of the lamps above, cheeks flushed. The hand that wasn't in his was clutching at her trench coat. Yet another question he had to figure out.

Kagome Higurashi was extremely complex and more than little fascinating. It made him want to find out more about her – everything about her. And it wasn't even for the reason that it should be for.

"What?" the private investigator asked suddenly, her eyes narrowing even as her lips twitched up. "You're looking at me funny."

"Oh, it's not in a funny way," Inuyasha murmured. "Believe me." He pulled her to him, just like he did when he saw her in the lobby of the hotel she was staying at. His hands circled around her jaw, sliding back to her neck and gently pressing his lips against hers. He was gentle, giving her the time to step away that he hadn't earlier.

Kagome let him control the kiss, letting him hold her in place as he softly sucked at her lower lip. She sighed, raising her hands to cover his own. "I'm not going to break," she whispered, stepping right up into him, claiming his lips and licking her way inside.

It was just one of the many mistakes she made that night. Kagome could tell herself that it was all for the sake of pretending and getting information.

But it wasn't, and that was a terrible, terrible realization.

And later on, when she finally made it back to her hotel, Kagome switched on her laptop. She didn't immediately stop by to talk to Miroku, she didn't want him to see how swollen her lips were from a few moments ago when Inuyasha thoroughly ravished her mouth in the lobby. It would just create questions that she didn't want to make up answers to. The fact that she had to even make up answers was her number one problem that told her she was in big trouble.

She waited for the Wi-Fi to come up before searching the Thunder Brothers and a list of their conferences on global ethics and environmental protection. Kagome clicked on several links, making her way through the site until a PDF opened up with the locations and times of all of their lectures.

Monday, October 18th, 2010 at 7:30 a.m. Shit.

There was an exact conference that went along with what he earlier claimed. The bastard knew it too, knew that she would check on him.

Maybe he actually did go. Kagome rolled her eyes at herself. An internationally wanted con man wouldn't go to that unless there was something important there. It was something to look into however, even if it held little importance. She would have to see if Yura could help her talk to some guests of the conference, see if any of them recognized Inuyasha. Of course, Yura had told her on the phone that nothing was gone, not so far. So even if he wasn't there, it didn't matter. It led her absolutely nowhere.

Kagome banged her head against the desk, resting there until the frustration left her. Stupid, attractive th– no.

Just stupid. Just stupid thief.

Inuyasha knew that Sango was in his apartment long before he entered the room. The primary reasons were the smell of burning food – to which he desperately thought not again – and the sound of her singing.

At least she was in a good mood.

"Please tell me you didn't ruin another perfectly good set of pots and pans," Inuyasha hollered, stepping into the living room and dumping his jacket.

Sango laughed from the kitchen. "Oh the black will come out you worry-wart," she shouted back.

Inuyasha sighed. As if he'd ever be so lucky. Making his way cautiously forward, he stopped when he saw Sango eating some sort of pasta with black-spotted sauce covering it. "How many times do I have to remind you that you always heat sauce on low?"

Scoffing, the raven-haired woman waved dismissively at him. "That takes too long."

It was definitely a lost cause. He took one look at the dishes stacked haphazardly in the sink and wondered if the effort was worth it. Possibly but possibly not. "So what's got you in such a good mood?" Inuyasha asked, turning his attention back to her.

Sango narrowed her magenta gaze at him. "What makes you think I'm in a good mood?" she countered.

Inuyasha rolled his eyes. "Oh I don't know. Maybe it's the fact that you cooked a meal when you hate cooking."

"I do not."

Inuyasha raised his eyebrows at her.

"Okay fine," Sango admitted, gathering up another forkful of pasta and chewing it slowly. Inuyasha waited patiently, knowing all of her stall tactics. When she finished she groaned. "I may have, maybe, found a guy that I may, possibly, potentially go out with."

Laughing wasn't what Inuyasha meant to do, but that's certainly what came out. "You are so lame," he remarked, shaking his head and exiting back out into the living room. When Sango followed him, burnt pasta and sauce wrapped around her fork, he laughed harder.

"I do not enjoy your amusement at my expense," Sango huffed. "Come on, don't be mean!"

"Alright, alright," he chuckled, biting his lower lip. "I'll stop. What's the guy's name?"

Sango snorted. "No, no. As if I'd give you his name. You would track him down and threaten him. I will tell you, however, that we met at a coffee shop."

"Romantic."

"I'll end you."

Inuyasha shrugged. "I was serious." His smirk ruined the effect.

Hitting him in the chest, Sango then crossed her arms. "You asshole. Never mind this, how was your date?"

Debating whether he should keep pressing for details or just go with the change in topic, Inuyasha ended up picking the latter. "It was good. I got a lot of information about her." Flopping down on the couch, he watched as Sango placed her horrible dish on the table and sat beside him. "I'm not sure if anything's useful but the order wasn't exactly specific."

Sango hummed. "Why…why do you think…?" She paused but Inuyasha got it anyways.

It brought him back to just less than a month ago, when he got the order that…really messed things up.

"Well this is for you; we both know who it's from. I'm heading off to bed but call me if you need me."

Inuyasha took the white envelope from his friend's hands and glared at it, wondering what cool new thing he'd have to do next. Being a con artist made him versatile in almost every field, giving him challenges where the sky was the limit.

"Thanks for the soda," Sango called, a second later being followed by the click of the shutting door.

Drinking slowly from his pop, he finally settled and opened up the envelope. And then, Inuyasha grinned. Learn everything you can about Kagome Higurashi.

It wasn't just the challenge that drew him to the private investigator. It wasn't just the fact that he should keep his friends close and his enemies closer.

No. Kagome was another assignment from his mysterious boss.

Inuyasha had almost forgotten – had completely forgotten – when he kissed her goodbye. Hence everything was really messed up, especially in his head. Getting thoughts about how she said his fake last name and wishing that she knew…

"I don't know," he finally whispered, answering Sango's long ago question. "She must have something the boss wants I guess." He didn't like guessing. Inuyasha was a thief, a con artist, a criminal mastermind. He didn't guess. He knew. But this was a whole new level of shit he couldn't handle.

Nodding, Sango slapped his leg and got off the couch. She brought her pasta dish with her and when she came back, a white envelope was in her hands. "Sorry, I left this in the kitchen. You have another assignment. I found it in my mailbox earlier today."

Inuyasha took it and ripped it open. The words were typed, in a boring font that was pretty standard with writing programs. He read the order and frowned.

"Isn't the Inoue Tower…?"

"Sixty-some-odd stories high? That would be correct," Sango replied.

Inuyasha smirked. "Well then this is going to be a hell of a lot of fun."

Comments to Acknowledge:

(): Aw shucks, you're so sweet. Thank you!

Whoobonhooaglo: Updating too quick? I didn't think there was such a thing ;) Everything is great in Author Land. I'm hoping for an extended stay *sighs*

NurNur: Thank you darling!

KagsYasha: Well I think I update pretty quickly considering all the stories I have on the go. In this week alone I updated 3 stories and posted a new one. So it sucks that you have to re-read but unfortunately, I am not a monogamous writer, at all. Ever. I tried once. Then I created a library of future stories that's...more than a few pages long. Updates should, however, be a bit faster now that summer is here and the only thing keeping me busy is cheerleading, colour guard, marching band, my full time job, a wedding, my house being completely renovated so I have to move, keeping up my high-performance athlete training for the summer and fencing. I should be set.

Despite what you may think, this chapter was extremely important.

Feedback is much appreciated :)