Stepping out of the club was like leaving an alternate universe. It took a few minutes to adjust from the blaring tempo and flashing lights. Kagome filled her lungs with a huge breath of the night air. She glanced up to her handsome mate, to see him doing the same thing. She could feel him relax. She walked next to Ayumi with Sesshomaru on her left. "I can't wait to get these shoes off," she complained to Ayumi, who agreed wholeheartedly with her. Souta said that he couldn't understand why women bought uncomfortable shoes. Ayumi and Kagome both spoke at the same time when they said, "We do it to impress our men!" They all laughed out.
After crossing the street they headed down a couple of blocks to the bus stop. It was nice, Kagome thought, walking with them. She had enjoyed the night, except for the altercation with Kenta, of course. Sesshomaru suddenly stiffened and sniffed the air. He stopped and peered around, looking for something. The others stopped as well, waiting for him to speak. "What's wrong Sesshomaru," Souta whispered, with concern in his voice.
Kagome could barely smell the it, but she new it was the same thing she smelled at Kenta's shop. She pushed closer to her mate who obviously smelled it as well. He pulled her to him and said, "We have visitors." Souta immediately grabbed Ayumi and pushed her behind him, next to Kagome. The two men circled as they searched for signs of movement.
Four men stepped out of the ally just ahead. Kenta's laugh echoed through the night. The hair on her neck stood up when she heard the sound of metal. They were armed! She couldn't believe her eyes. "Kenta, what in the Hell are you doing? Why are you doing this?" She was struggling to look over Sesshomaru's arm as he shielded her from view. His voice was stern and smooth as creamy fudge when he spoke, "How dare you endanger the mate of this Sesshomaru, Lord of the Youkai Western Lands. Ningen you are about to die."
Kenta peeled out in sarcasm-laden laughter. His men joined in as well but their obvious humor was interrupted by a women's screaming. "Sesshomaru-sama, Sesshomaru-sama, please I beg you to spare them!" Kagome could not contain her fear of how this situation was destined to end any longer. She knew this was all her fault and she had loved Kenta for many years. Besides, the police were already suspicious of them, Kenta missing would mean terrible trouble. This just couldn't happen!....so she screamed out to her youkai lover hoping that he would spare them.
She looked out to the four men and found them all staring at her... including Souta and Ayumi. Souta rolled his eyes at her in brotherly frustration. "Hey Sis, they are the ones with the guns, in case you didn't notice." His voice was trembling just a little and it became clear to Kagome that Souta was afraid for their safety. 'Oh Kami I'm an idiot' she thought then said calmly, "Souta do not be afraid. Ayumi please don't be scared. We are in no danger." She turned and looked toward Kenta and his men and yelled out in the most pleading voice she had in her, "Kenta, please....I'm begging you, if you want to live,...please for me....put the guns down and back away slowly."
Kenta threw his dark shades to the ground and reached for his weapon. Kagome clearly seen the look in Kenta's eyes the moment he faltered. It all happened as if in slow motion. Kenta's gun was half up when Sesshomaru's right hand began to glow. His shocked expression turned to meet a taiyoukai's lethal red stare. There was a moment... a very brief moment...when Kenta doubted his actions. Human nature was against him tonight. When his body sensed the danger it made ready to do one of two things. It would 'take flight', sending him running from this monster, Or it would fight for survival.
"What the fuck?! What the hell are you," Kenta yelled as he pointed the revolver toward the beast. His men awaited his command. "Kill that mother fucker!" Ayumi's scream rang out in terror as bullet fire began. Kagome watched the whip grow to length in a fraction of a second. Sesshomaru wielded his weapon with ease. Six times he snapped it with the speed of light. The bullets turned against their masters, buckling the four black hearted men, and sending them crashing in a heap onto the concrete.
Sesshomaru had Kenta by the throat before anyone seen him move. The women were sobbing behind him. His poison was dripping down the throat of his prey. His voice rumbled from his chest as he spoke, "There are fates worse than this ningen. You should thank Kami that this Lord Sesshomaru, has spared you a tortuous death." With that he dropped Kenta's head to the cold mortar beneath him, Stood gracefully and turned to his mate.
Kagome was completely in shock. Kenta tried to kill her, and she had to watch him die. She felt no anger toward her mate. She knew he was only protecting her. He stood staring down at her, his eyes fading from crimson to amber, waiting for her to speak. Sesshomaru reacted the only way he knew how. He only hoped that his miko wouldn't hate him for what he'd done.
She reached out to him and he pulled her close. He held her tight, hoping to ease her pain. She sobbed into his chest, but managed to say, "I love you Sesshomaru." His heart leapt at her words. He never wanted to bring her pain. Kagome opened her fuzzy, tear drenched, eyes and could see Souta holding Ayumi tightly in his arm. He was whispering softly in to her ear. Kagome pulled from her lovers arms and knelt down beside her brother and best friend.
"I'm sorry this happened, you guys. Please don't blame Sesshomaru, he only meant to protect us. He would never hurt either of you, please believe me. I'm sorry that I wasn't completely honest about him, but I love him very much and needed to protect him." Her voice sounded rough from her screaming and tears, but she hoped that she sounded as sincere as she felt. Souta looked at her and smiled, "I really don't think you have to worry about protecting him." He chuckled a little, and Kagome joined in. Ayumi grabbed her hand and squeezed it tight. "I trust you," she said with a tiny smile.
The moment was broken when a voice called out, "Freeze! Raise your hands above your head!" Detective Minoko had his gun pointed at Sesshomaru. Kagome panicked, "My Lord, please do as he said... for me!" Sesshomaru neither moved, nor did he raise his hands. "I mean you no harm detective. Why do you insult this Sesshomaru with your feeble weapon?" Kagome looked to Minoko to see what she never expected. He lowered his weapon and snapped it into the holster.
"Well Mr. 'Inuyoko', I guess if you can kill four armed men at once, that I wouldn't stand a chance." The detective moved slowly around the youkai lord. Careful not to display signs of aggression. He'd been following the group all evening, and was a witness to the power of the taiyoukai. His great grandfather used to tell him of an ancient race called youkai. His father scolded the old man constantly for filling his sons head with such nonsense. After what he just seen and heard, he knew the tales were true.
Minoko crouched down beside Kenta, and checked for a pulse at his wrist. There was none. He also had burns on his throat, where the skin still bubbled. He dropped his arm and checked the remaining three. All dead, by their own weapons. On two of the men he found small plastic bags filled with a white powdery substance. He checked Kenta's pockets, to find a wad of yen and a small bag of the same stuff. He carefully opened it and touched a dab to his tongue, "Cocaine, my friends."
He rose slowly, and calmly began speaking to them all, "I have been following you all as a part of my investigation into the museum theft where Miss Higurashi is employed. I suspected that you, Miss Higurashi, may be the link to solving the crime, but my men and I have been unsuccessful developing that theory. Your phone has been tapped, so we were aware of your outing this evening. It's my night to be your shadow." He shrugged his arms and stared down at the fallen group of men. "What I didn't count on was this. It appears that Kenta Yamaguchi doesn't take rejection well. I've been waiting outside the club. I was close behind you, but lost sight when two men started fighting next to me. One of them had a knife, which forced me to subdue him. By the time I caught up, well... you were...uh...er...doing your thing."
Kagome listened to the detective's statement. She silently thanked him for remaining so calm. "Detective, what do you intend to do with us," she asked? She held Sesshomaru's hand tightly in her own.
Ayumi spoke up in a tiny frightened voice. Everyone, except the taiyoukai lord, turned to better hear her, "Please detective, my friends are good and honest people. Sesshomaru only protected us from being killed by these men."
Detective Miroko agreed with the girl, but he couldn't ignore the potential danger, he saw in the youkai. After tossing it in his head he said, "To be honest, I'd be locked away in an asylum if I told the truth of what happened here tonight. I hope I'm right in doing this, but I don't think I have a choice. I'm going to let you all go. I've called for backup, they should be here any minute. I'm going to say that they were dead when I arrived on the seen. With the drugs I've found and the weapons, it can be chalked up to 'drug deal gone bad'. You'd be amazed how many times that's used as a cover-up for unexplained deaths. You'll be clear of suspicion, since you were never out of my sight." He winked at Kagome then stopped and took in a deep breath. "One thing though, Mr. Inuyoko, I will be popping by on occasion, just to make sure you are feeling....um...well. Stay out of trouble and keep your temper in check. Let the police handle things. Can you agree to that?"
Sesshomaru listened to the human patiently. He sensed only honesty in the mans words. He smelled no deceit, and believed that he could be trusted. "Detective, this Sesshomaru does not lie to you now. My mate is my most valued treasure. I will always protect her from harm. As far as the theft of the Unknown Warrior...your search is over, he is standing before you now." He almost smiled at the look on the detective's face when the truth was spoken. He continued, "If you wish to...visit...us on occasion, you are welcome. As for 'keeping my temper in check', this Sesshomaru has only lost his temper three times in five hundred years."
Sesshomaru turned to Kagome, "Come my little miko, let us be off." Kagome quickly said 'Arigato', and 'Sayonara' as his arms circled her waist. With a flash of blue light they rose into the night sky and headed for home.
Sirens wailed in the distance and Souta let out a nervous laugh, "My sister never could fall in love with an average guy."