A/N: AHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!!!!! My world has collapsed. Remember back when I said that I got to watching Inuyasha through Cartoon Network's Adult Swim? Well, it's GONE! They're not putting it anymore! They just left it in the middle! WHAT THE HELL KIND OF COMMUNIST BUNCH OF CRAP IS THAT?! I'm very upset.
On a lighter note: A gazillion million trillion thanks to Sailor Universe for the review and the pep talk. It made me smile and has spurred me to continue to post. I don't know how long I'll last posting without another jolt of reviewing so don't get any ideas, peoples about not reviewing at all, but it's good to know that at least people are reading and not totally ignoring my story. I'd hate to think I'm taking up cyberspace for nothing! ^_^ ; Oh, yeah, and Sailor Universe: I'm glad you like the possibility of Kagome's slight attitude adjustment. I wasn't sure how that might be received…
About this chapter: Well, as I write this intro, I still don't know what the title's gonna be. In case you guys haven't noticed, (which of course you will have, because you're smart people) I'm trying to follow a theme of naming my chapters after songs that have some influence in the chapter. Unfortunately, this chapter wasn't really influenced by a song, so I've been going into my archives of song lyrics trying to find one that calls out, "Chapter 4!" but none has so far.
Yey! It's the day after I wrote the above, and I've found the inspiration song! So now, the chapter finally has a title! Hip-hip-HOORAY!
Chapter 4: Temptation Waits
"You come on like a drug / I just can't get enough / I'm like an addict coming / at you for a little more / And there's so much at stake / I can't afford to wait / I never needed anybody like this before."
-Temptation Waits, Garbage
"I.D.?"
Inuyasha blinked at the man and his extended hand. Kagome had told them about some of this time's customs but he wasn't sure he knew what the man wanted.
Mirouku remembered Kagome's explanation on the handshake, but didn't remember what an 'I.D.' might be. The man looked impatient, so Mirouku stuck out his hand and clasped the brawny man's, pumping it up and down. "Mirouku," he introduced himself cheerily.
The man snatched his hand out of Mirouku's enthusiastic grip and glared at him. "You think you're funny, stretch?" the bouncer asked.
"Not stretch," Mirouku spoke, clearly dumbfounded. "Mi-row-ku," he enunciated clearly.
The bouncer didn't look pleased, but before Mirouku could comment or try to figure out what was wrong, Inuyasha pushed him aside and glared angrily at the man. Mirouku withheld a sigh. So much for trying to blend in. This wasn't going to be pretty.
"What's funny is the fact that you're wearing dark glasses at night." Inuyasha waved a hand in front of the man's face. "Can you even see me with those on?"
He was pissed enough about Kagome having taken Sango's arm and leaving them to fend for themselves, and now this asshole thought he would push them around?
Inuyasha itched to reach for the Tetsaiga but had reluctantly been persuaded to leave it at home. Not that he could have hidden it under any of his clothes since there was no space between his body and the 'leather' trousers he was wearing. The red ( ) didn't leave much to the imagination either. He happened to think that the hilt of his sword would complete the look quite well, but no one listened to him. Something about clubs not allowing weapons, although why that might be was beyond him. And this was supposed to be a more civilized era? 'Feh,' he thought.
"Listen here shorty…"
"Shorty?" Inuyasha interrupted, stepping forward in the time honored 'you want a piece of me' posture. The man started toward him, but stopped to look behind him. Inuyasha followed his glance. The brawny man stepped aside to reveal Kagome smiling at him sweetly. "Jackie," she called familiarly to the man. "They're with me, it's ok."
The man looked back at Inuyasha and Mirouku. "They're with you?" He asked, looking back at Kagome. When she nodded, he raised his eyebrows. "Why?" he asked cheekily.
Kagome grinned and slapped his arm flirtatiously. "Well, not *with* me, you know…they're like my country cousins."
"You're what?!" Inuyasha exclaimed. Mirouku held out his arm to stop him. He stopped, but still glared at her. "Wench!"
"Hey, blondie," Jackie said. "If you want to get in, you'll apologize to the lady, we only let gentlemen in this club." He grinned at Inuyasha. "House rules."
Inuyasha glared at Kagome and fumed.
Kagome shrugged. "House rules," she said. She saw Mirouku, standing by silently while Inuyasha fumed. "He can come in, can't he, Jackie?" she asked, motioning to Mirouku.
"Yeah," Jackie answered. "Sure. Clowns aren't barred, only rudeness is."
Kagome smiled at Mirouku and extended her hand to him. Mirouku took it and she pulled him to her side.
"Monk," Inuyasha growled.
Mirouku shrugged. "House rules, Inuyasha."
"Well, whatever, Inuyasha, you don't have to come, but my friends are waiting, so we'll be inside when you decide." She waved. "See ya!" she turned and disappeared into the crowd inside the doors, pulling Mirouku with her, leaving Inuyasha facing the grinning bouncer.
"That was rather cruel lady Kagome," Mirouku said as she led him through the foyer where he left his jacket.
"He'll get in," Kagome said confidently. She waited at the door and squeezed his hand, smiling. "You ready?" she asked.
Mirouku could feel the energy coming from inside. He returned her smile and nodded.
+~+~+~+~+
Inuyasha could fell the thumping coming from inside the building. Kagome had told them there would be a great many people but the amount of scents inside nearly overwhelmed him. His heart started to beat in time with the sounds inside, Kagome had called it music, and something primal called to him, enticed him. Something instinctive and very appealing: the scent of adrenaline and excitement, of the hunt and—his heart sped even more when he realized—of mating.
There were so many people…more than a village, more than three villages. He had a momentary sensation of panic when he realized that Kagome's scent was no longer strong and that he couldn't feel her near or hear her heartbeat.
His first instinct was to storm the place, to tear it down until he found her. The violence of this feeling surprised him, but the sound and scents from within made him feel that it understood. That, if ever there was a night to do it…to give in to his primal nature, tonight was it. The music cajoled, promised, tempted.
He looked up at the bright and near to bursting moon and felt his feelings intensify. 'Tonight was the night that anything could happen.' He breathed in the scents of the city around him, of the dancers below, of the night itself. 'Yes,' he thought. 'Tonight, temptation waits.'
He closed his eyes against the brightness and softly, as if slowly becoming visible, he sensed—no—felt her. Sitting there on the roof of the building, feeling the vibrations of the music beneath him and the light of the moon on him, he felt so connected to Kagome that he fancied he could see through her eyes, could feel as she felt: energized, happy, the pulsing primitive beat burning through her blood just as it did through his. Perhaps, perhaps in that moment they were one.
'Do you feel me, Kagome?' he thought.
*What I'm saying is, don't stay.*
The connection was gone suddenly, like a door shut in his face and he felt strangely alone. He blinked away the strange spell and sighed. 'She doesn't want you.'
He walked to the skylight he had planned to use to enter and looked through, down into the glittering throng below. He didn't question it when he found Kagome without even trying; it was as if he had known where to look all along. Her scent seemed to intensify with the visual and he sighed. Then scoffed.
He should just go. She didn't want him anyway. What the hell was he doing there? He was uncomfortable in the clothes...the leather of the pants was so tight that…well, actually, it was tight enough that it almost felt as if he weren't wearing anything at all. His clothes, although comfortable, were weighty at time. With the leather clad legs he felt almost as if he were naked from the waist down. It had taken some getting used to, but he had to admit that he didn't mind them so much. But the top…well, the mesh top was light and cool, letting his skin feel the breeze and the lack of sleeves did make it easier to climb…he didn't have to worry about the long sleeves getting in his way or weighing on his arms. And he even had to grudgingly admit that he even liked the color. The panel covering his chest and back was a dark blood red while the panels on either side of his body were a platinum kind of silver that almost matched his hair. It was a lot more form fitting than he was used to, but again it wasn't strictly uncomfortable.
Okay, so maybe the clothes weren't all that uncomfortable as he might have initially thought. But he had a spell on his ears so that they wouldn't be so sensitive to the loud noises. A spell! It felt like half his senses were gone…like he was going around with cotton in his ears. Then again, it wouldn't wear off for another few hours anyway, regardless of whether or not he was there….
What the hell was he thinking? Kagome had been acting strange since they got back from that old woman's village. He was the one that should be pissed, shouldn't he? After all, they did all that treck to and from without a single jewel shard, even though everyone thought the old witch *must* have one and nothing. Nothing at all for their trouble except some prediction that had everyone freaked and a strange acting Kagome. 'Feh,' he repeated, standing. He wasn't going to stick around where he wasn't wanted.
He came back down with a thump as he felt the jolt of warning go off like a bell in his head. He immediately sought out Kagome. She was laughing, talking and joking, and although he couldn't hear her, he knew she was not afraid. So…what had set off alarms?
He scanned the area around her and knew that although he could see nothing particularly strange about the scene, there was something there he should notice. 'There,' he thought, focusing on a man down the counter from Kagome who was staring at her with a predatory gleam in his eye. He couldn't sense demon blood. He was human, so then why…?
The man slowly lowered his vision, taking in every inch of Kagome's exposed form and Inuyasha realized that the man was sizing her up. As an opponent? No. The look in his eyes said he didn't want to fight her, he wanted to…to…Inuyasha's eyes widened. To mate with her!
Inuyasha looked at the man next to the first. He too was looking at Kagome. And at the other end, the man was looking at Kagome. Every man within a five foot radius of her was looking at her as if they thought she'd taste like something sweet.
The scent! Of course! And Kagome's excitement and energy might be mistaken as…
"Oh, hell no," he growled under his breath, standing.
+~+~
A/N: Okay, so I happen to be very proud about this little glimpse into Inuyasha's head. From this point forward is where things start to get interesting. I'm going to have a little fun here, people, just a warning. Kagome might act a little OOC from here on in, but that's the point, isn't it? I want Kagome to explore another side of herself…I'll leave it at that. ;-)
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