Chapter Seven: Liar, Liar, Pants on Fire

"Let me out of here!" Kagome screamed. Her voice rang out through the castle. She sighed in defeat. She'd been shouting her lungs out since mid afternoon, right after Sango dropped her off at her house. The guy came up behind her and ran, taking her with him as he bounded through trees and dashed past cars. He brought her here and knocked her out. When she came to, she was dressed in a white bridal gown, off the shoulder with little white pearls on the helm.

Kagome leaned back against the wall, where she'd been chained. A man approached her, lifting her face to his.

"Kagome, my love. Don't you recognize me?"

"Kouga?"

Kouga smiled down at her and released her chin. "You remember me. Good."

"Kouga, what's the meaning of this?" Kagome demanded, glaring down at him, then her attire.

Kouga smiled. "Well, not that the dog turd is out of the way, you and I can finally be together."

"What do you mean, out the way?"

"Didn't you hear, Kagome? The bastard's dead."

Kagome paled. "Dead? But Sango said-"

Kouga threw a red cloth to her feet. Kagome nudged it around and realized it was Inuyasha's haori. A large hole was in the back of it.

"As I said, dead."

Kagome sobbed. "Why would Sango lie?"

Kouga kneeled down and hugged her. "I don't know, but there's the proof."

He sniffed at her ear. "What is that?" He sniffed again as Kagome sobbed. Kouga moved her hair away from her ear, glaring at the back of it.

"When did this happen?" he yelled as he shoved her head to the side. Kagome whimpered.

"Oh, that's just great. I go through all the trouble to bring you here, and you're already the dog breath's mate!"

"What are you talking about, Kouga?"

Kouga paced in front of her, snarling. "This just ruins everything."

"WHAT ARE YOU TALKING ABOUT?"

Kouga finally looked at her, anger flashing in his eyes. "Why didn't you tell me you were his mate?"

"Because I'm not."

Kouga jerked her hair roughly. "You have his mark behind your ear."

"I don't know a thing about it."

Kouga considered this before releasing her. "That's right. You were passed out when he did it. I could have stopped him if it hadn't been for that bastard Sesshoumaru."

He kissed Kagome's forehead tenderly before turning around. "No problem. We'll just cut it off."

Kagome paled. "Are you crazy? You can't cut off my ear, Kouga."

"Yes I can, and I will."

He sauntered out of the room. Kagome watched him go, wondering for the first time since she met him if it would be a good idea to kill him.

********

"When did you notice she was missing?" Inuyasha bellowed, sending any animal on the premises scurrying.

The servant shuddered. "We received word just a few hours ago, my lord, right around the time you came in the door."

Inuyasha shot another dirty look at Sango, who lowered her head. Sesshoumaru burst into the room.

"How long has she been gone?" he asked.

"Apparently a couple of hours."

Sango nodded in agreement. Sesshoumaru rubbed his forehead, his eyes closed.

"Who has her?"

"We don't know yet," Inuyasha answered as he paced the floor. Another servant came in, holding a two pieces of paper in his hands.

"My lord," he said as he came to a stop at Inuyasha's feet.

"We have pictures."

Inuyasha snatched them out of the little man's hands and dismissed him. He stared at the first one, with Sesshoumaru looking over his shoulder.

"That's a wolf, isn't it?"

Sesshoumaru nodded as Inuyasha flipped to the second picture. He growled.

"That's Kouga's place."

He marched down the hallway to the old Armory, Sesshoumaru, Sango and Shippou following behind him. Inuyasha tossed everyone their weapons, tossing Shippou a bow, arrows, and a dagger.

"You should be armed, too."

"Alright, if you say so."

They climbed to the roof of the house, where Sango called Kirara. The fire cat appeared and transformed, bowing so Sango could climb on.

"Let's go get her," Inuyasha growled. They leaped into the sky, leaving Miroku to wonder if they'd be back in time for the party.