One Heart – Chapter 4
Youkai Inu-Yasha shook off the effect of the spell and looked around him. It should have been difficult to see around the darkness at the bottom of the well, but his eyesight was improved with the added youki. He eyed the human sitting across from him. There was something very familiar about him, and yet very disturbing. His instinct told him to put as much distance between himself and the lavender-eyed, dark-haired man sitting across from him as he could.
Following his instincts, he bolted from the well and over the steps of the mini-shrine, slamming open the door before racing across the paved courtyard of the shrine complex. He was over the wall in a flash, leaving the well and the strangely familiar man far behind.
He headed out of the city. The sounds and smells of humanity assaulted his heightened senses. He had to get away and figure out what to do. Something wasn't right. He had never felt this way before. His muscles surged with a strength and speed he had never experienced. His sense of smell took in even the smallest scent as he passed through the streets of Tokyo, keeping to the less populated side streets. The large human population made him uncomfortable. He only thought to find a place away from the crowded city. Away from the well and the human who had looked at him with an expression of surprise and shock.
It took him only minutes to find the outskirts of the city, and only minutes more before he was in an area of wilderness. He paused to survey his surroundings, trying to catch any hint of other youkai in the area.
The only living beings he could sense were the small rodents and birds that populated the woods he was in. No sign of other youkai. Not even a faint trace of one who had passed this way before. He did, however, detect the faint scent of humans, although by the faded scent he knew it had been a while since they had passed this way.
He continued to search, not completely certain what he was looking for.
Youkai Inu-Yasha reveled in his new-found senses, thinking to himself that this is what the Shikon no Tama would have done for him had he managed to steal it so many years before. This is what he had wanted his whole life. To truly be a youkai, and not some weakling half-breed, brought forth by the union of a youkai and a human. He had been strong as a hanyou. Now his strength as a youkai would be unchallengeable. He dared any youkai to stand up to him now.
However, the more he searched, the more he became aware that he appeared to be the only youkai around. He had sensed countless humans while moving through the city, but no youkai. Now, even in the wilderness, he found no trace of his kind. The lack of other youkai worried him.
Youkai Inu-Yasha hunted to fill the emptiness in his stomach. After he had fed his hunger, he became aware of another emptiness inside him. An emptiness that went much deeper than hunger. He didn't understand the feeling at first, but soon realized that something was missing. Something very important to him.
He jumped into the branches of a nearby tree and settled himself with his back to the trunk. He had to think. He felt compelled to return to the old well, even with the uneasiness he felt for the human that was there. It was as if there was something else there, something he needed. He felt incomplete.
After a while, Youkai Inu-Yasha jumped down from the tree and started back to Tokyo, back towards the old well and whatever it was he was searching for.
This time, however, he didn't travel at full speed. He was in no hurry to see the dark-haired man who had shared the bottom of the well with him.
He skirted the more heavily populated parts of the city, but once again felt a compulsion. It drew him to a large brick building. The windows were dark and there was no sign of anything living in or around it. The place seemed familiar to him. He glanced up at a particular window and half-expected to see a face at it. He could almost visualize one there – a young woman with long, dark hair and large, soft brown eyes. He could almost see her in his mind. He could almost smell her scent – a soft mixture of florals with the unique fragrance of a human female.
His memory of her scent was so clear that he could swear it was real. Suddenly it hit him. The scent was real. The female had been here only a short while before. Her scent was unmistakable, circling the brick building and moving off in the direction of a nearby park. Youkai Inu-Yasha followed.
One thing disturbed him. In addition to the scent of the female was another scent. A scent equally familiar. It was the scent of the man from the well. He clenched his hands at his sides, his claws digging into the flesh of his palms. Why the hell would that man be with the human woman? She was, after all, HIS woman. Yes, she was the one he had chosen for his life-mate. He could remember her clearly. Kagome. He had chosen her, but had not yet laid claim to her. That he would do when the time was right. However, he was not going to let another male attempt to take her from him. He would do whatever it took to protect her.
He continued to follow Kagome's trail as it led through a nearby park and through an area of shops and restaurants. The area seemed familiar to Youkai Inu-Yasha. He vaguely remembered being here before. He stopped and looked inside the window of a small grocery store, his attention caught by the sight of a young woman with long dark hair. He pressed his face against the glass to see more clearly. No, the woman wasn't Kagome. He peered through the window but could see no sign of his woman. He continued down the street, still following the double scent of Kagome and the strange man from the well.
Further down the street the trail stopped as it entered a building. Looking through the window he could see tables and chairs and a number of humans sitting at the tables, eating. Once again he pressed his face to the glass, peering into every corner of the room.
Then he saw her. Kagome. She was sitting at a table near the back of the large room. Next to her sat the dark-haired man from the well. Youkai Inu-Yasha growled softly to himself. He didn't like the way this human sat so closely to her. He was being far too familiar. Yet, Youkai Inu-Yasha was hesitant about approaching them. His uneasiness regarding this dark-haired man remained strong.
He continued to watch as several young women entered the building and sat down with the young couple. He reacted with distaste when he saw the dark-haired man put his arm around Kagome. This was unacceptable. He would have to do something to rid Kagome and himself of this human intruder.
After several minutes the three women left, stopping outside to giggle and talk about Kagome and her "boyfriend". Once again, Youkai Inu-Yasha growled softly to himself. The girls hadn't noticed him, so entranced were they with their gossiping about their friend.
He turned back to look into the building, surprised to see another human male had approached the table where Kagome sat. He was tall and smiled constantly as he spoke with her and the other human male. He didn't stay long. He continued to smile as he left the building, only to frown and shake his head when he got outside. The three young woman noticed him and ran over to him.
"Houjou," the one with the headband looked at him with concern on her face. "I see you met Kagome's boyfriend."
"I was beginning to think I had a real chance against the guy, with the way you girls described him. You told me he was supposed to be a real jerk. That guy seems pretty nice to me. And, you can tell by the way Kagome looks at him that she's stuck on him." Houjou sighed. It was equally as obvious to him that the guy felt the same way about Kagome.
The four young people walked away together, still talking as they moved away from where Youkai Inu-Yasha stood. They hadn't noticed him as he stood in the shadows near the front of the building. At least this was one human male he wouldn't have to worry about. Kagome had been pleasant to him, but from the look on her face he could see that she had no real interest in the young man.
Youkai Inu-Yasha continued to watch Kagome and the dark-haired man as they ate their meal. He silently followed them as they left, watching for any indication that he needed to take action.
The walk back to Kagome's house was uneventful. Youkai Inu-Yasha felt relief when the dark-haired man kept his hands in his pockets and complained the entire way. He would not have to take action against the human. At least not yet. One thing was certain. He needed to get Kagome away from this man. He would have to watch for his chance.