A/N

Nominations have started on -crosses fingers-

Enjoy and Review?

-puppy eyes-

~Smo

Disclaimer: I do not own Inuyasha.

Chapter 14

Kagome grumbled to herself. Her insides were screaming at her to stay in the carriage, but she couldn't. Sesshoumaru was ahead of her, and she'd be damned if he would widen that gap.

She stared at the small flat in front of her. She remembered the fancy butler threatening the large man that lived in the townhouse she was currently staring at. The stable boy sat next to her, with the same look of shock on his face.

"What you doing here, ma'am?" He asked, pulling his hat down further. "You're embarrassing me, if I am seen in this high priced carriage it'll mess up my street reputation!" He exclaimed.

Kagome couldn't resist the soft laugh before she asked the question. "Do you know who lives in that house?" She asked him.

The boy leaned over her to get a better look, but Kagome noticed the thirteen year old glimpsing at her chest every now and then. She cleared her throat, pushing him back into his seat. "You better know the man that lives there," she told him.

The boy flushed, but nodded his head. "I don't know his name, but he's a lady's man. I think he's popular in the barbers. He's got some fascination with hair," the boy mumbled. Kagome was reminded of Yura, and gave a shutter of the previous day.

"Alright," Kagome nodded in comprehension. She opened the door and shouted to the driver. "The nearest barber, please," she instructed.

She then looked to the boy. "Do you mind asking about him?" She asked. She felt guilty, using this boy.

The boy shrugged his shoulders. "It's no problem, this is my street anyways," he added. Kagome felt bad. This boy lived in such conditions when he wasn't working at her stables.

"What does your mother do?" Kagome asked curiously.

The boy looked startled at the question, before he sighed. "She died when I was younger, my dad is a miner though," he added, as if it would better suit her question.

Kagome gave another nod, deep in thought. The carriage stopped before she could open her mouth again. He smiled smugly at her before he hopped out and ran into the barber shop. Kagome sighed and leaned deeper into her seat.

She felt no better than Sesshoumaru; using the boy to get information. After this she would take the boy back. She was putting the boy's life in danger.

The last thought put her into gear. She opened the door and stepped down from the carriage. The barber shop was small, and she knew that the people that owned it lived here as well. They welcomed their customers into their home every day.

As soon as she stepped in, the place seemed to go quiet. Kagome felt as if she were an outcast. "C-Can I help you, ma'am?" One of them said. It was an older woman, large and when she smiled Kagome saw the rotted teeth that were barely hanging on.

Kagome gave a soft smile, but her eyes scanned for the stable boy. She found him and pointed. "Y-Yes, I'm with him," she added.

They all looked shocked at the gesture before the lady nodded and gestured to a seat. "You want a trim?" She asked. "We got curls, too, ma'am."

Kagome wanted to say no, but something told her to accept their hospitality. She gave a nod and inviting smile. "Sure, sounds fun," she added, even the boy looked at her funny. The woman gave a laugh and gestured for one of the workers to head over to Kagome.

The young woman came over, a small pink dress fluttered around her. Two black ribbons tied her hair in two pigtails on each side of her head. "What do you want us to do, ma'am?" She asked.

"I-Just a trim will be fine," Kagome instructed, feeling somewhat nervous about having a stranger cut her hair. She and her sister Sango usually went to a more reputable shop. It was strange going into a salon she'd never heard of and requesting anything more than a trim.

The lady pulled a pair of clippers from a bowl of steaming water before combing Kagome's hair out. "Your hair is wonderful," someone else mused from behind her. Kagome was afraid to move with the metal blades so closed, but she gave a small 'thanks' and a smile.

Her ears tried to pick up the conversation the boy was having. He was talking to one of the hairdressers. She didn't like that she couldn't hear it.

When she heard the first 'snip' that came from the scissors, her back straightened. She shut her eyes, hoping that it wouldn't be a mess.

Something tugged on her sleeve. Kagome peered out of one of her closed eyes. The stable boy smiled up at her. "I got him," he whispered. "He's in a small farming city just a little west of here. He has a woman there that treats him whenever he wants. She's a single mom," the boy added.

Kagome's eyes widened at the mention of the woman. Could a man so violent care for a woman? If he could hurt a child, wouldn't he hurt her? The boy there, was that who the teeth belonged to?

Kagome suddenly shivered at the mere thought of it. The violence against children, against women, disgusted her.

A small jingle echoed through the store. Kagome was thinking too hard about the foul man who may have had something to do with Shippo's abduction to look at the new visitor.

The voice haunted her though. "You look out of place," his silky voice made her toes curl. Her stomach did a flip of both anger and excitement. She momentarily yelled at her innards for their betrayal.

Sesshoumaru was a pig of a man. He didn't care who he used as long as they served to thrust him up higher on his selfishly-built pedestal. He used her to gather clues, and then refused to tell her what they were.

"What brings you here?" She asked stiffly. The woman currently working on her hair sensed the displeasure in her voice and turned to Sesshoumaru. Kagome finally looked at him through the mirror. He was no longer in his Commissioner uniform.

Instead, the man in front of her wore a white button up shirt and a black vest over it. A small hat was cupping his head, but a few silver tendrils lingered in front of his golden eyes. "Sir, we don't want any trouble in here between you and the lady," she got out nervously, looking to her boss for help.

The older woman came over with an angered, puckered look on her face. Her eyes were narrowed, cheeks sucked in and lips pursed and ready to argue. "Please, leave sir," she got out.

Sesshoumaru laughed quietly under his breath. "If you ladies wish, I could get my uniform back on and come back..." he trailed off.

The manager stiffened. It would be bad business if the police were snooping around her shop. Most of her clients were criminals, and they wouldn't like coming to a place the cops had just been to. "T-That won't be necessary," she mumbled, trying to plaster on a fake smile.

Kagome glared at him, recapturing his eyes. "You have no business here," she growled out to him.

"I have a few questions," Sesshoumaru added, tipping his hat politely to her. "I was going to call on you later. I am glad I could kill two birds with one stone," he proclaimed.

Kagome's eyes narrowed, "How... convenient."

The woman behind her got back to work. Snipping and cutting at the bottom of Kagome's hair. Sesshoumaru walked up to the stable boy seated next to her. "You invited your Lady to come to a local barber?" He asked curiously.

"No," the boy answered. He didn't like Sesshoumaru either by his eyes. "The Lady wanted to come down here and learn more about me," he said with a glimmer of cheerfulness in his eyes. Kagome felt rather fuzzy about his lie.

Sesshoumaru chuckled dryly. "This is quite a coincidence then," he murmured. "You see, a prisoner of mine said his brother frequented this establishment. His name is Hiten, I believe..."

Kagome cursed mentally. Sesshoumaru was jumping on to her clue. He would be in front of her in no time. The manager spoke up, interrupting her train of thought. "Yes, he comes in here," she grumbled, "but I told them the same thing I'll tell you. I have no idea where he's off to now. Ever since his brother was picked up by you, he's been out of town."

Sesshoumaru hummed under his breath. So, Hiten had made a run for it. That wasn't comforting information. It meant that he was probably tying up loose ends including Shippo and any one that knew of the job.

"The last time I saw him was two days ago, and he was heading over to Yura's to go see Honey," she added. Kagome's eyes widened. She hadn't gotten that part of the story. The stable boy shrugged his shoulders, he hadn't either.

"That was after we talked to her," Sesshoumaru mumbled.

"After I talked to her," Kagome sneered at him. She'd be damned if he took the credit. Kagome saw him cringe, but questioned it instantly.

The woman began to curl her hair with hot rods when Sesshoumaru neared her. Kagome's guard went up instantly.

"I would like to apologize about our last... situation," Sesshoumaru grunted. Kagome didn't know whether to trust him or ignore him completely. She went with the latter for safety reasons.

"Some things can't be forgiven," Kagome responded harshly. She shot out from her chair and looked to the woman. "Is it done?" She asked.

The woman attempted to shake her head, but saw the look of determination in Kagome's eyes. "Y-Yes it is," she answered.

Kagome nodded and pulled off the pouch of money she held. She handed it to her, turning away and leaving. She snatched the sleeve of the stable boy, even as the hair dresser called out from behind her, "Lady, this is too much!"

"Keep it!" Kagome shouted over her shoulder, "It's compensation for having to deal with him!"

Sesshoumaru's smirk didn't make her feel better as she opened the carriage for the boy. The driver was putting out his cigarette in a hurry.

Kagome lifted her dress in, but was pulled back out by a strong arm. Sesshoumaru's strong chest kept her from falling backwards. His lips were suddenly near her ear and his quiet laugh made her shiver. "You shouldn't run, Lady Kagome," he whispered.

"I'm not running," Kagome hissed. "I'm avoiding!"

His other hand grasped her hip tightly, keeping her flush against him. "I will be at your house tonight. I believe there was an opera in the theater by a famous Italian composer. Your sister is going, you should enjoy it as well," Sesshoumaru added. "I'll fetch you around dusk."

Kagome laughed sharply at his cockiness. Did he think she would bow for him like all the other women? He was the masculine version of a skirt lifter. "I decline your offer," Kagome returned defiantly.

"And why is that?" He whispered, his lips searing a trail of fire as they danced across her neck. Her body betrayed her, tilting her head to the side to give him better access. She missed the flash of red that flickered in his eyes at the gesture.

"I already have an escort," Kagome returned. She hit herself in the head then. There was no time to find an escort on such short notice. Kouga would take her up on the offer, but she assumed he'd already purchased a woman to hang on his arm for the night.

Plus, she'd been avoiding that wolf after explaining her situation. He had been so angry at both her and Sesshoumaru. He had lectured her like a father would a child, telling her that she was a woman, and women couldn't do a man's job.

Kagome had been angered the entire night. She didn't see the difference between a woman and a man. Sure, men were stronger, and they were anatomically different, but if given the proper training, a woman could do their job.

"Who might that be, my Lady?" Sesshoumaru whispered, no, growled into her ear. Kagome shivered. He sounded so primitive, so dominant. It was hard to stay confident in her excuse.

"You have no one," he said harshly. It caused her to jump at the bitter tone. "You shouldn't lie to me, Higurashi." Her name, when spoken in such a manner shocked her. A sudden hit of arousal hit her.

She should not feel such a reaction. He had spat her name out so violently, but it was the feeling that he was jealous that sparked it. He didn't want her with any other man, and she would use that knowledge to make him suffer.

"I could have anyone!" Kagome returned, shoving away from him. Without another moment, she jumped into the carriage and slammed the door shut. The stable boy slammed his fist on the carriage wall to signal that they were ready to depart.

Sesshoumaru only waved toward her innocently. "I will see you tonight! Be ready!" He called out. That damned smirk never leaving his face.

Kagome flushed brightly as the stable boy gave her a look. The boy was trying to ask her quietly what the hell Sesshoumaru and her were doing together.

"I-I hate him," Kagome swore, but hated the sudden feeling of denial that filtered through her.