Disclaimer: I don not own Inuyasha and characters in this story.

Chapter 4 – Instinct of Possession

"Ok, I'll see you there," Kagome replaced the phone and sighed. She had just promised Hojou to meet him for another movie. There was a reason to that, she reasoned with herself, she needed to take her mind off the hanyou.

Soul mates, she repeated to herself, soul mates don't exists, that's the stuff you read in fictions, making people believe that there were actually someone in the world that was born especially for them. "It's stupid," she muttered. For whatever reason he was telling her this, she was not convinced.

"What's stupid?"

Kagome jumped out of her skin, she was definitely loosing her touch. She had excuses for not noticing the hanyou in the bathroom today, but there was no reason to not hear Sango entering, especially when she must have came through the door.

"I'm going out with Hojou tonight," she uttered the first thing that came to her mind. It wasn't really a lie, Kagome decided, though it really did seem bizarre that she was actually preparing to go out with Hojou. He was nice to her, but going out on a date with him still seemed a little strange, especially after the two month that she had stalked him.

"Hojou?" Sango raised an eyebrow in response.

"Yeah.." Kagome waved at the general direction of the phone. "He asked, so I thought…"

"Have fun then," Sango paused, when the younger girl shot her an inquiring look, she sighed. "You weren't there for a whole lunch."

"Did you want me for something?" Kagome asked, forcing her self to stay calm, she had behaved quite normal for the rest of the afternoon, but had the Hunter noticed something?

"We received a mission for tonight, I tried informing you at lunch, but I guess you decided to disappear."

Kagome breathed inwardly with relief. Sango didn't know.. yet. "So who's the target?" she asked casually, slipping on a pair of high boots and reaching out for her dagger. She balanced it in her hand, contemplating whether she should take it with her or not.

"A rogue youkai in area four."

"A rogue youkai?" Kagome asked, sounding surprised, rogues were rare, and a rogue in the usually peaceful area four was even more rare. "Maybe I should come after all." She said, after a moment of consideration.

"No, that's ok", Sango replied, "Miroku and I could handle it."

Kagome studied her friend, the change in her tone did not go but unnoticed, but she asked no further. "Alright then", she said, slipping the dagger into the hidden strap inside her boot. "Be careful."

*~*~*~*

"You're here! Higurashi!"

Kagome smiled nervously, what's with the surprised tone? She pondered, It was as though he wasn't really expecting to be there.. She doesn't break promises that easily.. does she?

It was a fifteen minute walk and Kagome had already begun to feel guilty that she was enjoying herself whilst there was a rogue youkai on the loose. Though she decided against another excuse, Sango and Miroku would more than enough for the youkai, it wasn't as though she was much of a help whilst she was out Hunting with them anyway, they were, after all, among the best Hunters.

Kagome felt a warm hand touch hers and had the courtesy to examine whose hand it had belonged to, she was not surprised when she saw Hojou, red faced and looking at her. "A man may feel obligated to hold onto a girl's hand on a date," Miroku had told her whilst discussing one of their 'random' topics. Kagome guessed this might be one of the 'dates' he had talked about.

She did not attempt to withdraw.

*~*~*~*

His blood boiled at the scene before him, the hand that dared to touch the woman he had marked, the smile directed at the woman that was HIS.

She was HIS and his only.

Hand went to the place where she had slapped him earlier, the stinging sensation resurfaced. It had hurt too, not just physically. He knew it had been a warning, she was not fully conscious yet and he had pushed her too far, far too much than what she was ready to accept. And now she probably hated him for it, Inuyasha dug his claws into the palm of his hand at the thought, lost for a moment in his self detesting.

No, he wouldn't allow that to happen, not after the hundreds of years he had waited, watching every female that passed him for signs of her. He had waited too long to loose her to another man now.

Slowly, yet surely, he walked out of the shadows towards the two, pushing rage to the end of his mind. Softly now, he reminded himself, she was fragile and he didn't want to hurt her.

"What are you doing here?" he said in a low voice and watched her as she spun around in surprise, hand already moving to the place where he was sure a hidden dagger had laid. She was wearing black tonight, just like the night when he first sensed her presence. Her pale skin became whiter contrasting with her outfit until her features glowed in a pure way. It suited her, he decided, and it suited him fine, too.

"You're Inuyasha aren't you? I saw you in class today. I'm Hojou."

The man beside his woman turn also and was now watching him, there were no signs of fear on the Hojou, only surprise. Inuyasha nodded in reply, not trusting himself to speak. He had gone up human form, if his woman wanted to be with other humans, he would not embarrass her. Though you should be afraid, he thought, shooting Hojou a look of threat, very afraid..

Eyes went to her again, yet the glare he received simply told him that he was not welcomed.

"What am I doing is none of your business," she spat back.

My, he thought, she was ferocious as a lioness tonight, perhaps it was better to leave her with a little time to calm down. "I will come back.. for you," he murmured to her and turned, before the surprised look appeared on her face. It was very well, he would leave her.. if that was her wish.

Though he would be watching..

*~*~*~*

She was cold, numb and cold from the injuries she had received. The Hunter pushed herself from the concrete ground, using the wall behind her as a support, yet she knew she had lost. Lost and at the mercy of the rogue youkai.

Youkais nowadays did not show their true form easily, one that had been caught in its youkai form by a Hunter would be immediately eliminated, it was the only reason why most youkais choose the path of hiding instead of a brutal attack. She was careless, too, walking into what must have been the youkai's territory without having to observe the grounds first. The attack from it was sudden and its strikes fast, yes, the power that allowed this youkai to survive till today without being picked off by a taijiya.

There was no way she would be able to defeat it in the state she was in now. Of course, others would be alarmed if they did not return and their death would eventually be avenged. But the problem was, she had no wish of dying.

The taijiya shot a glance at her companion, now unconscious on the ground. A small, weary smile appeared on her lips, it was really up to her now, if she did not change into her true form, they would both surely die. She too, had chosen the path of hiding, but perhaps now was the time she should wake the part of her that had laid, asleep for the past century.

*~*~*~*

End of chapter 4 – Instinct of Possession

Inuyasha-loves-Kagome: Yup, the italics does have something about Inuyasha's past. You are absolutely right.

Gueshoo: Inuyasha was talking about Kagome's past, your are right.

insomni-maniac: ^_^ hi there again

silvermoon10 : There won't be anyone else new coming into the fic, and I do *try * to make the chapters a little longer. ^_^ kinda keeping the chapters around 1000 words for now, but I'll update more often.

Brie : o.0 that is one bizarre review. LOL!!

Lil_lo : it's ok, the italics are meant to be confusing at the first, and I realised that it'll confuse a lot of people when I first started writing this, but that's fine. You will understand it better as the story continues.

Dragon Faere: Hello! ^_^. Mm, flashback when Kagome joins the Hunter.. that sounds like a good idea. And for the part when Inuyasha first met her, that was the encounter in the first chapter.

AN: To everyone who guesses there is something about Inuyasha and Kagome's past.. you are absolutely right! But what about their past? ^_^ My lips are sealed.

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