Chapter Seven: Attempted Seduction, and murder

The next day, late afternoon, Kagome got up slowly and staggered into the bathroom, changing clothes and taking a long luxurious shower, evidence of her long slumber. She put on flare jean pants and a long sleeve shirt, even though it was still summer and there would be a good chance of her being too hot. In the shower, she had scrubbed herself madly, trying to get rid of the dirty feeling she had. But it stuck and she sighed as she went back into her room.

A sudden sound came from her dresser and Kagome snatched her cell phone on the second ring, flipping it open.

"Hello?" crossing her fingers that it wasn't Kouga; she was greeted with a voice she longed to hear.

"Kagome? Hey, it's Sango. Um, I found something here that might...be helpful." That was Sango's code for her finding something in her books that would solve Kagome's problems.

"Did you tell Kouga that Inu Yasha was interested in me, Sango?" asked Kagome peevishly.

"Um...no, not directly..."

"Sango..." muttered Kagome unhappily.

"Sorry. Anyway, you should get your butt over here."

"And how am I supposed to convince Inu Yasha to let me do that?" There was hesitation on the line from Sango as Kagome heaved a sigh.

"How about you tell him you forgot something?"

"That might work...okay Sango, I can't promise anything but I'll try!"

"Okay! Bye!" Kagome closed the cell phone and hid it in her sock drawer. She tried to think of a reason for going back quickly, before going downstairs.

"What if I...hide something that I need and then tell Inu Yasha I have to go over and get it?" She went into the bathroom and snatched her shampoo and conditioner, stowing them in her sock drawer also. Then she went dashing downstairs, her eyes wide in fake terror. "Inu Yasha!"

"What?" came an annoyed grunt from the couch in the living room. She could hear the television going and stomped in.

"We have to go back to my house."

"Why?" he grumbled, sitting up slightly.

"I forgot shampoo. And conditioner. My hair will be a mess by the end of today!"

"It's not that big of a deal. I don't care what you look like." That was a lie of course. But Inu Yasha didn't think anything could spoil Kagome's beauty.

"I want my shampoo!" yelled Kagome, stamping her foot. She was using every trick that had ever worked on her mom.

"No." replied Inu Yasha shortly, turning back to the TV. Kagome frowned, trying to think of what would work with him. Her mom fell for the tantrum act usually, but Inu Yasha seemed immune. Suddenly, Kagome remembered something that had worked easily with Kouga, and his thugs.

"Inu Yasha..." murmured Kagome, moving to sit next to him. He looked at her suspiciously. She leaned close to him and smiled seductively. "I really, really, really need my shampoo. Pretty please can we go get it? Just us?" Inu Yasha gulped slightly and looked at the TV, trying to distract himself. Of course, weekday afternoon television was nothing compared to the succubus sitting next to him. After an audible huff, he flipped off the TV.

"Fine." He stood angrily and turned to grab the keys to his motorcycle. Kagome grinned and stood, following after him. She was confused as to why he was mad, but at the moment it didn't matter as long as she was going to see Sango.

Inu Yasha wasn't mad at her; on the contrary, he was mad at himself for falling so effortlessly for her tricks. He didn't understand the effect his girl had on him, and that was even without her even trying.

"Um, Inu Yasha?" asked Kagome, catching up to him as they exited the house.

"What?" he replied.

"Didn't you leave your motorcycle at Sesshomaru's?"

"I got it this morning, while you were still sleeping." he answered, going into the garage and motioning to the vehicle with a wave of his hands. Neither of them had the courage or were too filled with trepidation to bring up the night before.

"Oh." mumbled Kagome, waiting for Inu Yasha to get onto the motorcycle before getting on behind him shyly. The ride to Sango's was without event, though Inu Yasha had to fight away a couple heated thoughts as Kagome gripped his waist for dear life.

They reached the suburban house quickly and when the motorcycle stopped, Kagome slid off before Inu Yasha and put her hand on his shoulder. He glanced at her in astonishment.

"How about you stay here? I won't be a minute. I just have to grab the shampoo and conditioner."

"But what if you-"

"Try and escape?" she questioned, and giggled coyly, "I promise I won't. You're my rescuer, right? Trust me, I won't run." And then she turned and went into the house. The half-demon leaned back slightly, stretching his limbs and shaking off feelings of giddiness.

"Trust her? I'm too busy trying to get her to trust me! But..." he tilted his head, pondering and mumbled, "Maybe it works both ways..."

Sango dashed over to her friend as soon as Kagome entered.

"I don't have too much time," said Kagome, "He won't wait out there long. What is it?"

"Well, I think I thought of a way for you to get free and possibly save Kouga," said Sango excitedly.

"What is it?" Kagome asked, walking to a couch and sitting down primly.

"You have to..." Sango grinned wickedly and Kagome looked at her skeptically.

"Have to what?"

"Get him to like you. Seduce him, Kagome! Isn't that what you did to Kouga? It worked on him! That man would do anything for you."

Sango was right, when Kagome had first met Kouga; she had done the pursuing, with the right looks and gestures. It got Kouga to eventually chase after her. She wasn't sure it would work with Inu Yasha, but she remembered how quickly her little tricks had worked that very morning. And she wasn't even trying very hard. This might work after all...

"You could be right Sango..."

"The other reason I asked you over here is because we need to devise a way of communicating. So I know you're okay. You've been kidnapped by Inu Yasha, of all people; I need a way to know if you're not dead!" Sango said with desperation. Kagome thought a moment before glancing at her roommate and beaming.

"I've got it! I can text you each night! You still have that cell phone, right?"

"Yeah..."

"Well, each night before I go to bed, I'll text you saying everything's okay. That way Inu Yasha won't know! How's that?" said a triumphant Kagome.

"Perfect!" replied Sango with relief, "Okay, now you should probably grab some shampoo and get out there!" Kagome nodded in agreement and started to head up the stairs when she heard something next door. Screams and crashing emitted from the brick house neighboring her own. Kagome only faltered a moment before she rushed out the back door and over into the other house's backyard. The entrance in the rear stood wide open and Kagome moved towards it, listening carefully, before she slipped inside and looked around.

The house was dark and an ominous silence was broken only by the occasional voices that could be heard from upstairs. Kagome crept forward closer to the stairs and front hall, a sense of dread filling the very pores of her being. A prone form lay in the living room adjacent to the front hall. A gasp came from the young woman when she realized what it was.

The body of her neighbor.

Well, to be truthful, it was the man of the house, Mr. Haipa. Kagome knew he had a wife and small son. She staggered back from the still body, blood seeping into the carpet, to glance upstairs. She had a bad feeling about the rest of the occupants.

Tiptoeing upstairs, Kagome almost stumbled over the stiff remains of Mrs. Haipa who was near the stairs, in front of a room labeled with a cute little fox that read "Shippou". Kagome knew the little boy, as she had babysat for him once or twice. He was a spunky little thing that craved attention most of the time, though there were strange moments when he skittered off, to return only moments later.

A sharp noise came from Kagome's left and she spun around to see a group of men through an open door riffling through Mrs. Haipa's jewelry box. She was gripped with fear before she recognized one of the men. Then a scathing anger filled her as she shouted.

"Hakkaku!" The accused turned and blinked at her in shock. "What have you done!" He stepped towards her unsurely.

"Miss Kagome?" his slurred voice told her of his recent drinking. "What are you doing here?"

"It doesn't matter!" replied Kagome savagely. Though Hakkaku had four other gang members with him, all armed, Kagome felt no fear. Besides the fact that they wouldn't dare touch her because of Kouga, she felt a terrible rage over the two deaths of people she had liked, though barely known. "Did Kouga tell you to do this?"

"He...told us ta question people about your disappearance...that's what we did!"

"And killed two innocent people in the process! Or did you kill three? Where's the little boy?" asked Kagome, desperately hoping he was alive.

"That runt? He disappeared awhile ago. Stupid bugger." muttered Hakkaku. Kagome stared at him in shock. "Hey! Kouga's lookin' for ya...we should prolly take...ya to him." He lurched closer to her and she staggered back.

"Don't you dare touch me!" He reached out for her arm when there was a snarl and someone appeared in front of Kagome. Hakkaku stared at the angry form of Inu Yasha before flipping around and shouting something to the other men, and all five of them vanished out the window.

"Cowards." muttered Inu Yasha before turning to reprimand Kagome, only to discover her shaking violently and gasping for air. She gazed up at Inu Yasha with hollow glazed eyes.

"I have...to find Shippou." she mumbled, looking around, "Hakkaku said...they didn't kill him. He's got to be here!"

"Calm down!" said Inu Yasha reaching forward to grab her. But she pushed him back, shaking her head.

"No. I have to find Shippou!"

"Who?"

"The little boy whose parents are lying on the ground!" she pointed at the woman on the floor, dead and Inu Yasha frowned.

"Okay. You know these people?"

"They were my neighbors..." murmured Kagome before opening the door to the room labeled "Shippou" and opening the door.