Chapter 10,
Past
"You have to let me see him!" Sango shook the locked front entrance to Inuyasha's condo building. "This is important!"
"I'm sorry miss but the owner of the top floor has strictly forbidden any guests at this moment. This includes, and is not limited to you, his assistant." he did seem apologetic but also annoyed with how Inuyasha always seemed to cause door trouble for him. He was probably tired from all the crazy broads demanding to see him.
"Listen, guy." Sango began assertively pointing at him through the glass, "This is something Inuyasha would want to know about, a matter of life and death! And if you don't let me through it's him you're going to have to answer to!" The doorman seemed to contemplate this for a moment before answering.
"I'll take my chances." and with that he had turned around and walked back behind his big desk, dead to the world. Sango kicked the door angrily, "Stupid bullet proof glass, what hotel needs bullet proof glass?" If it wasn't, she would have seriously considered breaking it. She flipped open her cell phone hitting the number one speed dial for the millionth time that day and tried not the think of the time a deranged woman had actually shown up and tried to shoot Inuyasha. Glass saved his life.
"Pick up you stupid hanyou!" she growled listening to the rings and eventual answering service. "Dammit!" Sango had to stop herself from throwing her cell phone to the ground and smashing it in frustration. She turned around and stomped quickly back to her car and jumped in, maybe she could get a hold of him through her... A little bit later she pulled up to another fancy looking apartment, only this one wasn't in the best part of town. She got out and made sure to lock the doors, the doorman barely looked up to notice her come in and soon she was on another elevator headed for the 5th floor. Good thing she had had to come here before to find Inuyasha. She got off and knocked on the first door to the right. There was silence. "Fuck." Sango groaned turning away to head back to the elevator.
"Keep your panties on, I'm coming." a groggy voice bubbled up from a ways behind the door. Sango stepped back and was greeted with a dishevelled looking Kikyo as the door creaked open. "What the fuck do you want?"
"I need to borrow your cell phone." she pleaded grudgingly, Inuyasha wasn't likely to answer any unknown numbers, because he was sure to know it was her, he wasn't stupid. But maybe, just maybe, he would answer for Kikyo.
"Ha, fat chance bimbo." Kikyo laughed like Sango had said the funniest thing in the world and began to slam the door in her face.
"Wait!" Sango stuck her foot in the way and flinched slightly as the door crushed it between it's self and the frame.
"Are you fucking crazy? Get off my doorstep!" Her voice was shrill now and annoyed.
"Please, this is important." Sango could see this really meant nothing to her.
"What's in it for me?" Kikyo shot back, always looking out for number one.
"I'll set up a date for you and Inuyasha, he owes me. You and him can talk, make up." Sango wasn't exactly sure how things came to be between Inuyasha and Kikyo but she did know Kikyo didn't want to give up her meal ticket, not without a fight.
"I'll hold you to that Sango." Kikyo smiled wickedly and pulled her cell phone out from between her breasts, which were trying to escape the tiny tank top she was wearing above shorts that must have been meant for children.
"Thanks..." Sango grabbed it and pressed one, it seemed Inuyasha was first on everybody's list these days. She held the phone a ways away from her face and listened to the first three rings.
"Didn't I tell you to stop calling me? This is getting ridiculous, we're over." Inuyasha's voice came clear on the other end of the line and Sango almost dropped to her knees in relief.
"Kagome's in trouble." She didn't bother saying who it was, he would know, and this was the only way she could grantee he would stay on the line. There was a few seconds of silence and Sango almost thought he would hang up, but of coarse, he didn't.
"What do you mean?" His voice was unsteady now, shaking slightly. Obviously just hearing Sango's voice filled him with rage but the news she was giving him seemed to chill him to the bone.
"Inuyasha how did you know Kagome's real name? How?" She ignored his question, she needed answers.
"What the fuck do you mean Sango? Tell me what's happened to Kagome!"
"That's right, her name is Kagome, her real name is!" Sango yelled angerly into the phone, how could he know who she was and not have said anything? Just played like he didn't know a thing about her! How cruel. There was silence again.
"What do you mean?" Sango was getting annoyed, all these questions, no answers.
"A demon man came to pick up Kagome today, he had all her paper work and her name is Kagome, her birth name."
"How...?" he sounded like he was in disbelief.
"That's what I want to know. How did you come up with that name Inuyasha? Did you know who she was?" Sango sounded angry and accusing now, she felt herself shaking.
"No...no way...i..." he stumbled over his words, obviously lost in some memory of the past.
"HOW INUYASHA?" she knew she should lower her voice, but couldn't help it.
"I...when I was little, there was a cat... I decided to name her Kagome because on t.v..." he seemed to be choking out his words now.
"What was one t.v?"
"There was a girl on the news..." Sango could hear Inuyasha swallow hard, "A two year old girl had gone missing, she was kidnapped Sango." She didn't say anything, it was like both of them were in shock. "Her name was Kagome, I named the cat Kagome because I thought that they were the same, both lost, both scared." There was silence now as this sunk it. "Could she be, could my Kagome be that girl..?" More silence, the question answered itself, the time line matched up perfectly, he saw the news cast when he was seven. That was fourteen years ago, when Kagome would have been two. This was no odd coincidence, this was the real thing. And Sango had just handed Kagome over to someone who was most likely her kidnapper.
"Oh god..." Sango sobbed sliding to the floor. "What have I done?"
"Sango calm down, I need you to tell me everythin-" Inuyasha didn't get to finish before Kikyo swiped her phone back from the woman on the floor.
"Hey!" Sango got up and almost tackled Kikyo.
"You didn't tell me this was about that little slut! I don't want Inuyasha anywhere near her! Good riddance to the bitch, I hope that fucking demon kills her!"
-SLAP- Kikyo stumbled back a few feet into the doorway and clutched her face, shock and embarrassment littered her face. "You bitch!" she hissed and sprung out at Sango who was ready to tear her a new one when her phone began ringing. Instead of staying to teach Kikyo a lesson she took off down the stairs. "I HOPE YOU ALL DIE!" Kikyo screamed out in a very ugly manor and slammed her door. Sango barley noticed as she skipped groups of 3-4 stairs on her way down. She opened her phone not stopping.
"You really picked a lovely one with that tramp Inuyasha." she groaned hurdling another group of steps.
"Never mind that Sango, do you know where that man took Kagome?" His voice didn't waver anymore, but it was terribly urgent.
"No, all I know is his name is Naraku, and that he drove a black car with tinted windows." Inuyasha typed away at a laptop he stored in a desk and never really used. Because of his work he was terribly good with a computer. He could find almost any piece of information as long as he had something tied to it, like a name.
"I don't know..there's a few "Naraku"s that stand out, do you know anything else? Anything?"
"He's a demon, he has long black hair and red eyes. He smelt weird, like rotten earth." Inuyasha clacked at the keyboard for a little while more while Sango got to her car. She unlocked it and jumped in jamming the key into the ignition and starting it up with a roar, she set off at an illegally high speed towards her boss.
"I've got it, I know who he is."
"So tell me!" Sango cried into her cell, half relieved half terrified for the answer. But she never got one, instead she heard a click and then empty line on the other end of her phone. "No!" She hit the gas even harder, hitting all new kinds of illegal. She got to Inuyasha's place in no time, but much to her horror and dread, his car was already gone.
"Fuck." Inuyasha snarled speeding down the road, why this guy? Why did it have to be a fucking glorified, modern mob boss. Naraku ran or was part of almost every shady deal that went down in Tokyo at night. He ran the entire underground network, the black market, human prostitution, illegal demon fights, you name it he was the dark face behind it. But he had so many people working for him it was almost impossible to trace anything back to him, and if anyone managed to, they were either payed off or expunged. Why did he want Kagome? What could he gain from kidnapping her all those years ago? Inuyasha's car skid to a stop out front a seedy looking bar, this was a well known stomping ground of Naraku's. He got out and didn't hesitate going in at all, the buff demon out front stuck his arm out in front of Inuyasha who grabbed and twisted until he let him through.
As he entered the dark dingy place his eyes adjusted, it was actually a lot bigger inside than it appeared outside. But that was probably because the floor sank down quite a few meters, it was built into the the earth. And over time the entire place took on the dank and unpleasant smell of dirt. He walked down a long staircase and onto a dance floor, pushing his way through the crowd he looked around for the man Sango had described. There, surrounded by a crowd of people at a luxurious circular booth in almost the middle of the club Inuyasha saw him sitting. His arm around a small dark haired girl beside him who seemed to be trembling and kept pulling up the strap of a skimpy outfit she was obviously uncomfortable wearing. "Kagome..." Inuyasha headed straight for the table, his arm outstretched towards her. He was stopped at the edge by two lean but strong people, one a demon woman, and the other a large male demon. It seemed Naraku really liked to surround himself with his own kind.
"What have we got here?" The demon woman spoke up running her finger down Inuyasha's chest.
"Don't touch me wench." Inuyasha barked at her pushing her aside, "I'm here for Naraku."
"Nobody gets to talk to Master Naraku." The big demon chipped in moving closer to Inuyasha.
"Kagura, Goshinki, settle down. I think this hanyou might have business with me." He waved off his two body guards and let Inuyasha through to the edge of the table. Inuyasha didn't take his eyes of Kagome who stared right back at him. "What have I, the humble Naraku, done to deserve a visit from such a famous and wealthy half demon?" His words were harsh and his eyes cold and as he said this he brushed a speck of dirt off of the expensive and gaudy dark purple sute he was wearing.
"You are not Kagome's father." Inuyasha words were strong and full of rage.
"No...I think I am." he laughed back mockingly and Inuyasha reacted by slamming his hands down on the table. This ceased the demon's awful chuckling and his face grew serious. "What does it matter to you, boy? What is she to you?" Inuyasha glared at him bearing his fangs.
"I love Kagome, and I plan on taking her back with me." This started him laughing again.
"My my, little Kagome, what did you do when you managed to escape to gain such a prestigious man's heart?" he grabbed her chin roughly and made her look at him, "You are a sly little minx aren't you?" and he pushed his mouth onto her's, forcing her to kiss him by holding her chin in place with his hand. Her eyes shot open and deaden in response, she seemed to struggle slightly to no avail. He pulled away and licked his lips. "There's just something about this human girl that seems to get demon's blood boiling, am I right Inuyasha?" Inuyasha was in uncontrollable rage, he lept forward across the table and tried to grab Naraku, he wanted to beat the shit out of him. But the two demons from earlier restrained him.
"Let me go!" He growled fangs bared, now he was glaring at Naraku with all the hate in the world. Kagome shook beside him, tears forming in her eyes.
"No I think we need to have a chat Inuyasha, sit down." he motioned to a spot on the bench across from him and his people and the two demons push him into a sitting position and stayed glued to his shoulders. "Before all these...ugly actions. You wanted to know how I came into possession of Kagome?" he baited Inuyasha who bore into him fiercely. "Since you're so curious and it's such a riveting tale, I'll divulge in you, just this once." He smiled a wicked grin and began. "I acquired Kagome when she was only two, just a babe. I of coarse had never planned to keep her this long." He motioned to the now teenage girl beside him, "But some circumstances change my original plans. You may have not known Inuyasha, but a long time ago their was a very wealthy family called the "Higurashi"s." This last name made Kagome flinch and the tears in her eyes spill over and trickle down her face. "There, there my sweet." Naraku spoke in mock sympathy and continued his dreadful story, "Now I was just starting out back then, needed a quick buck. Can you believe my luck? Coming across the infant daughter of one of the richest families in Japan?" Naraku's face was utter glee and it made Inuyasha sick to his stomach.
"You took her." His voice was beyond disgust.
"I did." he replied proudly. "And it was a perfect plan too, take the girl, demand a huge ransom. Perfect but..." his eyes clouded in thought.
"But?"
"Well obviously it didn't work out like that, because look who still has little Kagome?" he spoke in a cruel teasing voice directly to Inuyasha.
"What happened to her parents?" he growled accusingly.
"They died! Can you believe that? Right after i kidnapped their daughter they up and get in a car crash before they can pay me my money! Isn't that just hilariously ironic?" Kagome seemed to be falling apart beside him and Inuyasha spat,
"Let me guess, you frame someone else for the kidnapping, and with no other living relatives to claim Kagome you show up out of nowhere, a family friend, to adopt her. Like a fucking hero."
"Exactly." Naraku smiles triumphantly. "At first I was only keeping her alive for the inheritance, but now." he leaned down and pressed his nose into Kagome's hair breathing in, "Well now I just like her company."
"But she got away once." Inuyasha continued, trying to break the contact between the demon and Kagome.
"Yes, regrettable." he sighed waving his hand in the air as if to shoe away some bad memory, "The little mouse slipped out one night when I had gotten careless, searched and searched but she's just so good at hiding." His voice got lower and a hint of annoyance could be heard.
"Give her to me." Inuyasha's voice was serious, and somewhat business like.
"Now why would I ever do a thing like that?" Naraku laughed.
"I'll give you two times her inheritance in return." Inuyasha's face didn't falter.
"Why Inuyasha, that would with out a doubt bankrupt your company." his voice still had the playful hum it possessed but now he seemed more serious. Inuyasha didn't doubt money was the only think that spoke to a guy like him, money, and the power that came with it.
"I don't care. I'll get it all and deliver it to you in return for Kagome and her guaranteed safety." Naraku seemed to be thinking this over and Inuyasha held his breath.
"Don't do this Inuyasha," Kagome whispered quietly, "Don't ruin your life for me."
"I can't live without you Kagome." Inuyasha responded trying to convey his feelings to her through his eyes. Naraku glared at them both, taking in everything that was happening between them and it made him and as calm and calculating as he was, a flash of something like anger, or maybe even jelaousy passed over his face.
"No deal." he smiled and pulled Kagome closer to him. "I think I'll make Kagome my wife, with her guardian's consent that is." he laughed cruelly and bent down to kiss Kagome again. She pulled away from him and reached out for Inuyasha. She let a blood curdling cry,
"INUYASHA!"
"YOU BASTARD!" Inuyasha managed to pull himself free from the two demons, obviously caught up in the interesting exchange and shot across the table. His claws met Naraku's flesh and dug in, he lifted up his right arm and let it fly across Naraku's face. Naraku was sort of trapped behind the booth but lifted up his arms to protect himself,
"Someone get this rabid mutt off of me!" He yelled out angerly at all the by standers. Suddenly and unexplainably Sango was beside Inuyasha, it all seemed to happen in slow motion. Sango was there, she was pulling Kagome up from beside Naraku and was turning around to run only to be blocked by a group of demons. Inuyasha let go of Naraku who he had to have punched at least 23 times and hoped was dead but very much doubted it. Cockroaches like him always seemed to survive. He turned around and barrelled through the crowd pulling Sango and Kagome along behind him. It almost seemed like most of Naraku's lackeys didn't even try to stop them, he wondered if Naraku had a single truly loyal friend but laughed at the idea before they somehow managed to break free back through the entrance. Inuyasha had punched and kicked and clawed their way through and now sported a series of colourful blood stains on his shirt and pants. He took Kagome from Sango with a look that meant more than "thank you" and ran to his car. Sango parted and got into hers and they took off down the street in a cloud of dust. Inuyasha allowed himself to steal a glance at Kagome in the passenger's seat beside him once they were a safe distance away, it didn't seem like anyone was fallowing them.
"I never did anything with him." She was crying, "I swear I never did anything with him Inuyasha."
"I don't care Kagome, I love you." He said and reached across patting her head the way he used to. She looked up at him and burst into more tears.
"I'm so sorry, I'm so sorry...I couldn't remember anything." She rubbed at her eyes like they were on fire, "I didn't know, not untill I saw him, then it all came back. What he did to me and my family!" A fresh wave of fear and tears washed over her and she covered her ears like she could still hear his disgusting voice.
"I know, I know. Everything is alright now he can't hurt you Kagome, I'm here and I'll never let go of you ever again." What he did want to let go of was the steering wheel. He wanted to reach across and hold her so bad. She continued to cry, and he let her until she seemed to run out of tears and fell into an uneasy sleep from exhaustion. Inuyasha gazed down at her motionless form.
"I'm the sorry one." he whispered, "I should have protected you better." his grip tightened on the steering wheel and he almost didn't hear his cell phone the first few times it rung. He answered,
"How is she?" it was Sango of coarse.
"Asleep."
"Inuyasha...I'm-" he cut her off.
"Enough sorries! This isn't either of your fault, if anyone's it's mine!" he growled in frustration, why did things have to be like this?
"What are we going to do with her?" Sango questioned now, sounding concerned but ready to help with anything.
"I don't know..." Inuyasha answered staring down at his little pet, "But she's staying with me." what now?