Disclaimer: Yeah yeah, Inu is sooo not mine.

Chapter 15

Kouga returned to his study. Inuyasha was growling slightly at Shippo, but Shippo had already begun to ignore Inuyasha. He moved across the room to get himself something to drink from Kouga's wet bar.

"Isn't it a little early for a snifter, Shippo?" Sesshoumaru asked in his deep, velvety voice. He was now seated on one of the leather sofas in the office.

Shippo snorted into his glass. "Not when I have to put up with Inuyasha's bullshit at nine in the morning."

Kouga chuckled and resumed his seat behind his desk.

"So where is Kagome?" Inuyasha asked gruffly, staring intensely at Kouga.

"She and Sango have gone out for the day," Kouga replied, watching Inuyasha with hooded eyes.

Sesshoumaru, who was lounging on the sofa quite peacefully, sat up straight when he heard this. "Who's with her besides Sango? Did they go alone? How could you let her go alone?"

Kouga held up his hand. "Do not worry, Sesshoumaru. The girls have a chaperone."

Shippo looked up from his glass, frowning. "But I just saw Hiro coming from the basement. If he's here..."

"I know. Hiro's watching the monitors today. Yuki is with the girls," Kouga replied easily.

"You've got to be kidding, Kouga," Sesshoumaru blurted out, feeling panicked. "You let that womanizing son-of-a-whore watch over My Kagome?"

"YOUR Kagome!" Inuyasha cried, but he was ignored.

Shippo laughed, feeling a trifle buzzed. Kouga's imported whiskey really packed a punch. "That WOMANIZER just happens to be one of the most powerful elves who ever lived."

Sesshoumaru stared at Shippo while he attempted to calm himself. Getting upset was just not the thing. But now he knew why Yuki didn't have any particular scent.

He knew about elves somewhat. But he also knew that Yuki was a damned pervert who had better keep his filthy paws off Kagome if he knew what was good for him. "You DO realize, Kouga, that elves are born attracted to holiness. I've known about elves for several centuries now but have never met one. What I DO know, is that they are the protectors of the mikos who hold the Shikon no Tama."

Kouga nodded slowly. "I know of what you speak. What is your point, Sesshoumaru? I thought we were all here for another purpose."

Inuyasha nodded vigorously. "Yeah, let's cut to the chase, you morons. Every moment I'm wasting here listening to this bull, I lose time being with MY Kagome."

Sesshoumaru turned his cold, amber eyes on his brother. "If you do not shut up, I will ask Kagome to Osuwari your ass into next week." He turned back to face Kouga. "Anyway, as I was saying, elves are born attracted to holiness."

"Yeah, I got that part. What of it?" Kouga asked, raising one jet-black eyebrow.

Sesshoumaru leaned back on the sofa. "Hiro is attracted to Kagome, is he not?"

Kouga nodded and Sesshoumaru continued. "I'd be willing to bet Yuki feels the same way."

Kouga and Shippo stared at each other before bursting into laughter.

"You...you're joking, right?" Shippo gasped, holding his stomach. "Yuki? Like Kagome?"

Sesshoumaru and Inuyasha looked at the two bakas as if they had just completely snapped. "What's funny?" Inuyasha growled.

Kouga wiped his eyes with a shaky hand. "There's just no way Yuki could have any real feelings for Kagome. He's always preferred older, more experienced women. A girl like Kagome would have nothing to offer a jaded man like him."

Sesshoumaru's perfect brows snapped together. "I thought you were paying attention to me. I see now you were not. Elves are born attracted to holiness. Do you get it? Hiro was easy to figure out. His face is an open book. He is not so experienced as Yuki is. Yuki is more controlled where his true feelings are concerned, but this is one thing he cannot run or hide from. Kagome is a holy miko. He's attracted to her whether she's his type or not."

Apparently digesting this new information, Kouga and Shippo watched as Sesshoumaru rose to his feet. "I will be coming back later to talk with Kagome privately. You could try to stop me, but I highly doubt you will be able to and I advice you not to. If you do so, I will tear you and your house apart to get to her. You have been warned." With that, he turned on his heel and gracefully walked away, his long silver hair swaying behind him.

Inuyasha watched his brother leave and turned to look at Kouga. "Yeah, the same goes for me. Bastards..." he muttered, following Sesshoumaru out of the study.

It was noon and Yuki was already weary. He had a newfound respect for Hiro. How did he manage to keep up with these two crazy females?

Kagome and Sango went from store to store, insisting they absolutely MUST look through every single item that caught their shining, almost feverish, eyes.

Now it was one pm. They had covered most of the mall and Yuki was totally exhausted. Thankfully, the little beasts had finally gotten hungry. While he drove them to a nearby restaurant, he realized that he hadn't gotten a chance to hit on Kagome yet.

He frowned delicately, which drew giggles from Kagome and Sango, who were watching him intently through the rearview mirror. He smiled back at them. They were really quite pretty girls, but far too young for him.

He turned his attention back to the road. Damn, he needed to get Kagome alone! He could sense her staring at him and that began to drive his need for her through the roof. It was all he could not to bring the car to a screeching halt, jump in the back seat and take her right there in front of Sango.

Instead, he tightly clutched the steering wheel and kept driving. He needed to think of a way to get her alone.

After lunch, he'd figured it out. He grinned wickedly to himself as he drove the girls to a local nail salon. He watched them get manicured and pedicured through his half-closed eyes. It concerned him, her and his motorcycle...

Ahh... Now THIS was his favorite pastime...watching the fair sex in their natural environment. It was quite wonderful to behold. Their small, delicate hands being buffed and polished; long, slender legs with their pants legs rolled up exposing smooth, alabaster calves and delicate ankles and feet... He could sit here all day, just observing them covertly.

Quietly, he slipped into a light doze.

Kagome and Sango were watching Yuki as well. The golden-haired angel had finally dropped off to sleep.

They giggled silently and whispered to each other. They had been plotting all day on how to make the elf upset, wishing to know how he looked when he was pissed off.

Kagome had been finished first, so quickly she paid. She slipped on her sandals (for she knew she would be getting her toes done) and grabbing her purse, snuck out of the salon.

Yuki was dreaming. In his dream, a nameless, faceless evil hunted Kagome. Every where she went, it was there, waiting for her. Yuki felt powerless to stop it but he knew he must for he was her protector. He couldn't fail her like he failed Midoriko. He and Hiro must protect Kagome...for the evil was close.

Yuki shot up out of his seat. The sense of evil was near. Panic-stricken green eyes saw immediately that Kagome was gone.

"Where is she!" Yuki growled at Sango. The girl looked startled and stared up at him. He got in her face, feeling the evil coming closer. "Where is she!"

Sango's eyes were huge in her small face. "S-she just stepped outside! We didn't mean to upset you, we swear!"

Yuki whirled around and stalked angrily out of the salon.

Kagome was sitting outside on a bench, swinging her legs and admiring her newly polished toes. She looked up when she noticed something tall, blond and furious standing in front of her. "Hey," she said sweetly, smiling up at him.

Yuki dropped to one knee before her and gathered her in his arms. "Damn it, don't you EVER do that again!" he breathed in a rush.

Kagome frowned against his shoulder. "Hey! What's wrong with you? We only wanted to see you pissed off. I wasn't really going to disappear on you."

Yuki pulled back and looked into her eyes. "Never do that again. I'm not your bodyguard for nothing, you know. We elves are the protectors of the holy mikos who carry the Shikon no Tama. It's my duty to keep you safe."

Kagome's eyes widened. "I...I had no idea. I'm sorry, Yuki. I won't run away from you again."

Yuki's large, warm hands cupped her face gently while he studied her face. The evil he sensed earlier was retreating. Should he tell her? No, that wasn't a good idea.

It was a very familiar evil.