Hey all,
Thanks for the wonderful reviews! They made me really happy, and I'm sorry I took so long updating.
I don't actually have anything to say to everyone (For a change.) Except, maybe, understand that the story is going to start taking a darker tone now as we approach the end, so don't expect as many slapstick scenes. And we're not really approaching the end, either. We're only halfway. But whatever.
I don't own Inuyasha and enjoy.
*
- In chapter four I said that Inuyasha doesn't drink coffee. Last chapter he had some with Kagome. No one caught this error, (Except for TheWhitePrincess1 and Sakura Onto Hitomi!) but I noticed the error right after posting the chapter and just wanted to apologize for it anyway. From now on, he really doesn't like caffeine.
*
Bitten
By Rio Grande
Chapter Eight: The First Mission
*
"You are a disgrace." Inuyasha spat contemptuously from his splayed out position on Kagome's couch, his golden eyes half lidded and displeased, his snow-white ears flat against his head.
"What?" Kagome guffawed, her pale hands at her earlobe replacing her normal gold studs with small silver hoops, staring intently at her reflection in the full length mirror as she did so. "I don't see how going out with my friends on the first night of vacation makes me a disgrace in any sense of the word, Inuyasha. I haven't seen them in forever thanks to this job - and if I didn't know better I'd say you were overreacting about the whole thing." She continued with the ghost of a smile on her face, as though privately amused with Inuyasha's little display.
"YOU - are a disgrace," the half demon repeated once more, undaunted. "What sort of an FBI agent goes out to have sushi with her college buddies the night before her first big assignment? We have things to do Kagome - a MISSION to prepare for! And frankly, I think you're showing a shocking lack of dedication to the FBI at the moment ..I don't know if I even want a partner who can't be committed to the case." He finished hotly, sitting up at glaring at the pretty twenty-year old from across the room.
"Inuyasha, it's just one night! This was the last day of classes so my friends all wanted to celebrate - and besides if I don't see them occasionally they'll think something is up with me. And since I can't tell them what I really do all the time I can't look too suspicious by completely avoiding them. Going out with them now is the only way I can keep up appearances," Kagome said with a sense of finality to her tone, brushing invisible dust off her short brown skirt and smoothing out the collar of her maroon striped, button down t-shirt.
"Feh, what a load of bull," Inuyasha grumped, rolling his eyes heavenwards.
"Kagome, Kagome! - I found the necklace you wanted!" Shippou chirped enthusiastically, sliding into the room on all fours, a silver charm necklace on top of his head.
"And to top it all off - you're making me baby-sit HIM for the rest of the night!" Inuyasha added, looking thoroughly disgusted with the world.
"Thank you Shippou!" Kagome said cheerfully, leaning down and picking up the necklace, while patting the small kitsune on the head as thanks. "Now how do I look?" she asked once she had the clasp done, spinning around for the two demons who sat in her living room - one looking up at her with adoration - and the other with barely contained abhorrence.
"Beautiful!" bubbled Shippou happily.
"Trashy." snorted Inuyasha, averting his gaze.
"Thank you Shippou.." Kagome sighed once more, rubbing her head with agitation and briskly traveling over to Inuyasha.
"Hey - Ouch!" the hanyou barked, covering himself as Kagome slugged him across the head with a pillow.
"I wish you wouldn't be such a monster sometimes!" Kagome cried, putting her hands on her hips and glaring at her partner. "I'm just going out for a few hours and then I swear I'll be back to help with Shippou!"
"But I'm not supposed to be here just to protect Shippou.. if it was about him we could've kept him in a safe-house - but I'm supposed to protect you! How can I do that if you're out in the city somewhere, completely vulnerable?" Inuyasha demanded gruffly, frowning. Kagome shook her head and threw her hands up helplessly.
"You're ridiculous. I just want to see my best friends! I'm surprised you even want me around so much at all." She added, wondering why Inuyasha's behavior was so over the top that Friday evening. Considering the recent turn of events - namely numerous attacks by lethal demons focused directly on her - a person would assume SHE would be the one insisting she never leave the house without a guard. Yet, that night, it seemed as though Inuyasha was taking on the roll of the cautious partner.
"I didn't say I needed to be with you all the time. I just think it's very stupid of you to want to wander carelessly around Tokyo at night when you know very well that Naraku is out there, and probably has his eye on you right now. You could at least let me come along," Inuyasha reasoned.
"No way! And have Keiko, Kiki and Hojo think you're my boyfriend? They'll be all over me about you Inuyasha, and they'll find out that you're living with me! Besides, if you went we'd have to bring Shippou, too - and neither of you look particularly human, keep in mind." Kagome reminded her partner, shaking her finger at Inuyasha, and apparently valuing her friend's opinions of her more than her own life. Inuyasha's golden eyes narrowed into two suspicious slits.
"Who is Hojo?" he asked.
"Oh come on," Kagome groaned, sensing the infuriatingly mistrustful tone in Inuyasha's voice. "He's been my friend for like, forever! We dated in high school but it's over now. So see, it's all going to be totally innocent and safe and I'll be perfectly fine for the 'big mission' tomorrow. And at the same time I'll be cooling everyone's suspicions about me turning into some reclusive hermit! Now if you'll excuse me I have to get going - and don't say anything else! You're acting like a jealous boyfriend." Kagome finished, knowing that her last jab would silence him - Inuyasha would never want anyone to consider that he and Kagome were an item - God forbid!
Quickly, while the demon was still stunned, Kagome grabbed her messenger bag from the kitchen table and swiped the house keys from the pan by the front door.
"That's ridiculous!" Inuyasha sputtered, obviously outraged.
"Whatever! Bye Shippou - take care. Don't forget to feed Buyo and Inuyasha!" Kagome called out jovially before locking the door behind her, and heading towards the apartment elevator.
"The NERVE of that bitch!" Inuyasha growled once Kagome had departed, throwing himself back into the couch and folding his arms, his lips forming a thin, angry line. He hated it when she got her way. "Barely two days ago she's on the verge of a mental breakdown and BEGGING me to never leave her - and suddenly, the second her friends give her a ring - she's totally hunky-dory again, completely setting herself up for another attack!" he continued crossly.
"Ah.. you're just put out because she's going to meet her ex- boyfriend tonight. Stop whining." Shippou said flatly, hopping onto the couch next to the doughy cat Buyo and fixing Inuyasha with a steady gaze.
"WHAT did you say, brat?" Inuyasha wanted to know, his eyes glinting dangerously.
"Um.. nothing." Shippou decided to reply, wisely, crouching behind the fat calico for protection as he watched Inuyasha flex his impressive claws forebodingly.
"That's what I thought," the demon agent responded in a much more controlled tone, relaxing once more, and staring up at the ceiling with a pensive expression on his face.
'I don't like this at all..I thought she had gotten smarter than this..'
*
Admittedly, Kagome felt a little guilty about ditching Inuyasha. It had been quite a hard day for the man - what with his brother dropping in for a surprise visit earlier, and then having to deal with painful memories of Kikyo - but Kagome had promised Keiko some time ago that she would eat out with the gang that night, and seeing as how she had been consistently ditching her friends for the past two weeks, she figured she was pretty obligated to at least dine with them this once. It would only be for a few hours anyway, and then she'd go back to the apartment, and her lame excuse for a life.
However there was something else that Inuyasha had brought up that gave the young woman pause as she briskly traveled towards 'Sushi-a-go-go' in her pea coat, her sneakers padding against the cold pavement, and her dark raven hair held back in a ponytail. Naraku.. Naraku was quickly becoming a larger, more dominant presence in her life as the days went by, and today had certainly been a turning point in that area. Kagome reflected on what Inuyasha had said to her on the roof, earlier that afternoon.
'"I think that Kikyo was also tangled up with Naraku, and that he had some part in her destruction and eventual fleeing of the country,"'
'It shouldn't bother me so much.. I never even knew Kikyo.. but the fact of the matter is I do share a lot of things with her that are probably making me more of a target for Naraku than I would have been already.' Kagome admitted with a mental sigh. 'At least, that's what Inuyasha feels.' She added glumly.
'"You don't understand.. you look so much like her Kagome. And you're a miko! Which makes you the perfect victim for Naraku! Do you know how much negative power he could absorb into the shikon no tama if he killed you?" Inuyasha had asked, a pained expression washing over his face. Kagome had been confused, and more than a little shaken, at this point in the unsettling conversation.
"B-but, as a miko, I'm supposed to have a lot of pure energy, right? How could Naraku get more negative energy from me than someone else?" she asked, almost fearfully.
"When Naraku kills you in cold blood, your fear and anger taint your soul and miko powers, giving the shikon no tama a much more considerable dosage of negative power than if he had just killed a normal person, or even a normal demon. And Naraku knows this very well - that's why he went after Kikyo. And that's why he'd go after you."'
Admittedly, Kagome had already known most of the information Inuyasha had told her; she had just never had it spelled out in such a chillingly clear way. It made her worry about her future, and how brief it might be if she wasn't careful.
'Maybe Inuyasha was right. Maybe I should have stayed home tonight.' Kagome thought, clutching herself as she stood across the street from the restaurant, suddenly feeling very exposed in the busy mob of downtown Tokyo, where her miko senses were incredibly muffled by all of the different spirit energies filing around her - anyone could come up to her now with the intent to kill, and she wouldn't even be able to tell until it was too late. Crowds weren't always the safest place to be when you were a target for a murderer, she belatedly realized.
It was funny how helpless Kagome tended to feel when her hanyou partner wasn't around..
"Hey!" Someone shouted loudly, placing a hand on Kagome's shoulder and scaring the girl out of her skin.
"Ah!" she shrieked, whirling around and slapping a hand to her mouth as she did so, chocolate brown eyes wide with fear.
"Kagome? Are you all right? I'm sorry - did I scare you?" Hojo asked guiltily, rubbing the back of his neck and smiling apologetically as Kagome all but began to hyperventilate at the sight of the tall boy. "Gee, that's the second time I've done that to you in the past week. It seems every time we meet now I end up frightening you." Hojo mentioned lightly, cocking his head.
"It's not your fault Hojo - I'm just.. a little jumpy." Kagome admitted, laughing nervously and shaking her head, cursing herself for being so easily frightened. She really needed to calm down. "I'm sorry,"
"Don't worry about it. Hey, I'm glad you could make it tonight. I feel like I haven't seen you in years! At least not since you started this job," the blond commented, linking arms with Kagome and traveling across the street as the light changed, both college students shivering slightly in the cold winter air. The many neon lights and signs illuminating the streets blurred together above the couple to give the evening sky an orange tint. And even though it was a crisp, cloudless night, Kagome could spot not one star.
"Yeah, I know. It's a real drag - but this job is really important to me now," Kagome admitted, shrugging helplessly.
"It sure seems like it," Hojo replied, not an unkind smile on his face as he held open the restaurant door for the small girl, polite as always.
The restaurant was bright and warm compared to the chilly air outside, decorated colorfully and giving off a sense of light-hearted fun Kagome realized she hadn't been able to experience in some time, what with all of the stress surrounding her case. Immediately she felt herself relax in its completely normal, non-demon related atmosphere. How long had it been since she'd been able to do anything ordinary with her life, or at least something that was exclusive for only mortals?
'I shouldn't classify my friends as 'normal', just because they're human,' Kagome acknowledged as a tall female waitress directed she and Hojo towards a booth already occupied by Keiko and Kiki, the two pretty girls waving jovially at the couple from the back of the restaurant. 'They're all a far cry from your average human, after all.'
"Kagome!" Keiko gushed, getting to her feet and throwing her arms around Kagome so quickly that the other girl had to grab onto the table to keep her balance. She laughed as Keiko continued to hug her around the neck and gush about how long it had been since they had been able to see each other outside of classes - and her guard dropped some more. She felt totally comfortable with these people; they were her best friends, and she had missed them these past two weeks she had been practically under siege by a variety of terrible demons. "Where has my best friend been? Oh - Girl, you look simply haggard!" Keiko continued, leaning back to stare into Kagome's face.
"I do?" Kagome asked, slightly surprised as she sat down in-between Keiko and Kiki, Hojo sitting to the left of Kiki and quickly shedding his heavy jacket.
"Well, I wouldn't say 'haggard'," Kiki said wryly as she hugged Kagome a bit more sedately, and smiled widely for her. "But you definitely look pale, and maybe over worked.... Have you lost weight?" she asked, concern seeping into her voice.
"Um, I don't think so.." Kagome said lightly, pretending to be unconcerned and looking engrossed with her menu as she resolutely attempted to steer the conversation in another direction. "Hmm, Alaska Rolls! Those sound good,"
"Oh, we already ordered for everyone... We know what you two like so we thought you wouldn't mind," Kiki said, glancing at Hojo as she spoke. "Is it okay?"
"Totally fine," Kagome assured her with a smile, quickly placing her menu back down as Hojo nodded in agreement.
"I'm just happy we're all together again. It's been so long since all four of us have gotten together like this. I haven't even seen Keiko in some time," Hojo admitted.
"Welllll after my, um, slightly less than satisfactory grades last year, Daddy threatened to stop funding my college expenses, so I've actually been doing some studying lately," Keiko admitted with a helpless shrug, pulling on the collar of her purple turtle neck tee-shirt, silver tiffany's charm bracelet clinking gently as she did so.
"I can vouch for her - as her roommate, I have witnessed Keiko actually taking some time to study lately. Why, just last week she even turned down a date to cram for her Ancient History final.." Kiki said with mock pride. Keiki rolled her eyes flipped Kiki the finger while Hojo and Kagome tactfully hid their grins.
"And what about you Kiki? How's the rugby team going?" Kagome asked, turning the attention over to the tall, muscular brunette.
"Well, I sprained my wrist a few days ago in a game against East Tekio - but it's healing really great and I'll be back to normal by the time the break is over, for sure," Kiki explained, pulling away the dark blue sweater sleeve covering her arm to reveal a pale, bandaged wrist.
"Oh! How did you do that?" Kagome asked, inspecting the slightly purpled skin around the ace bandage carefully.
"She got barreled over by a slightly, um, larger girl during the first half." Hojo explained carefully.
"She was a fat cow who fell on me," Kiki reiterated flatly, flexing her arm delicately as she spoke.
"You were at the game, Hojo?" Kagome questioned, cocking her head as a waitress swept over to the table with a large tray of sushi rolls expertly arranged on three different platters. Everyone moved their glasses and napkins aside as various plates of food were shoved in front of them.
"Well, someone has to come to my games now that you're always busy! And God knows Keiko could never bear to sit through a rugby game..." Kiki sighed despairingly.
"Damn straight," Keiko reaffirmed, while popping a crab roll deftly into her mouth. "But seriously - tell us about your job Kagome! You've been so damn elusive about it - how's it going? How's your boss? Are there any hot FBI agents you'd like to introduce us to?" Keiko girl questioned with a wicked gleam in her heavily makeuped eye.
"Yeah, and have you figured out how much you're getting paid yet?" Kiki pressed in a more serious tone.
"How long are your hours?" Hojo added.
"Ah! Hold on! One at a time." Kagome said quickly, throwing her arms up as though to physically stop the barrage of questions her friends had thrown at her. "Well... For starters, my job is still pretty boring, I promise. I'm just doing the normal secretary thing, but my boss is really nice to me so that's not so bad," An image of old Kaede swam across her vision, and she continued to tick off all of the aspects of her job that she could without giving away anything important.
"I'm getting paid 2,000 a week..." She continued.
"Whoa! Go Kagome! That's a lot for a first time secretary," Kiki congratulated while slapping Kagome on the back, a large smile stretching across her face.
"I could certainly do with some pocket cash like that," Keiko added dramatically, resting her cheek in her hand.
"Well I'm working practically every day so I think it's only fair," Kagome pointed out, thinking of the long hours she spent at the office, writing up reports and training with Miroku.
"That's true," Kiki acknowledged.
"But what about the guys?" Keiko reminded Kagome, nudging the girl with her elbow suggestively. "I bet you're getting to know some of those muscular, federal agents real well, right?"
"Um!" And now pictures of the handsome Inuyasha inexorably came to mind, but Kagome furiously tried to push them down, instead attempting to imagine the silver haired hanyou embracing a coldly beautiful Kikyo in an effort to keep herself from giving into temptation again. Kikyo was dressed in her miko robes like in the picture Kaede had shown her, and he was smiling down on her lovingly. However, all this served to do was make Kagome feel cold and thoroughly depressed inside, so she shook her head once and rid her mind of ALL pictures, instead. "No... it's against office policies to become involved with other agen- er, co-workers." She said firmly.
"You're so dull Kagome," Keiki said in a matter-of-fact tone of voice, while, off to the side, Kagome realized that Hojo looked a bit relieved. She pretended not to notice and focused on her own shrimp roll intently, poking at it dully with wooden chopsticks.
For the rest of the meal the friends all spoke of this and that companionably, laughing and having a generally good time, making Kagome wistful for the days when she used to be able to do this sort of thing at least twice a week and think nothing of it. She hadn't realized just out privileged she had been back then...
Kagome had become deeply engrossed in a particularly juicy conversation with Keiko about an old friend from high school who was apparently leading a far more thrilling sex-life than Kagome, or indeed anyone she had ever heard of before, involving barnyard animals and a Russian male model - when the painfully familiar feel of her miko senses giving off their best warning signals rang sharply through her head.
"What - " she gasped softly, turning away from Keiko in mid-sentence to stare at the entrance of the restaurant. "Oh my God..."
And there, at the door, being politely greeted by the hostess, and slipping their heavy fur jacket off their shoulders smoothly, was a demon. In plain sight. At a sushi restaurant. A mere few yards away from her best friends.
"Kagome? What is it?" Keiko asked worriedly, patting Kagome on the shoulder as the thin girl continued to stare, wide eyed, at the female demon. She was a fairly attractive demon, Kagome supposed, with a lithe, curvy figure and a pretty face. Her dark hair was held back in a short ponytail by ivory clips, and straight bangs fell low around her darkly painted, crimson red eyes Kagome was sure no one could miss. Her skin was an alabaster white, her lips full and sensuous. Typical demon markings slashed down her face, and she appraised the restaurant as though she knew she were the center of attention as she was led to a table not that far off from Kagome's.
Kagome had to clench her fists while a burst of cold, mean energy blasted past her as the demon woman strutted by her table in an explosion of expensive silks and glittering jewelry.
"I-I think - " Kagome started nervously, turning back to Keiko and finding herself completely at a loss for words. What could she say? What should she do? What she wanted to do was get her friends as far away from this highly powerful and dangerous demon as quickly as possible - but she didn't think she could do this without drawing attention to herself and thus, them. This had to be approached carefully.. Kagome swallowed the rising panic that threatened to overwhelm her as she thought of one of her friends being murdered by a demon because of her involvement with Naraku, and tried to focus of Keiko. However, once she did this, it occurred to Kagome that Keiko was hardly paying any attention to her anymore.. "Keiko?" Kagome snapped, following the girl's distracted stare, and stifling a groan as she realized Keiko's gaze was locked directly on the demon as she was seated at a table off to the side.
'Wait.... seated at a table?' Kagome repeated in her head, frowning lightly. 'Why are they letting this demon just take a seat like any normal customer? Don't they notice her red eyes, and demon markings? Maybe they think it's a costume - I'm sure they can't feel her chi like I can... But still..'
"So pretty..." Keiko sighed adoringly, her eyes glittering with admiration as she continued to stare at the demon.
"'Pretty'?" Kagome repeated incredulously. "What are you talking about? You think that, that ... Woman, is pretty?"
"Well of course - but that's not what I'm talking about; it's that dress! It's simply fabulous! It looks like real silk too, and it fits her so well.... isn't that what you were looking at?" Keiko asked with honest curiosity, tipping her head at her friend and raising an inquisitive eyebrow.
"Well, I - " she stuttered stupidly, glancing around Keiko to find that Kiki and Hojo were holding an animated conversation and didn't even seem to notice the presence of the demon in the room. "I mean, it's a nice dress, but come ON," Kagome laughed, shaking her head. Keiko couldn't be THAT ditzy, could she? She wouldn't overlook the woman's demonic appearance in favor of her expensive, red silk Chinese dress..
"I HAVE to go ask her where she got it!" Keiko added excitedly, hopping up from her seat with an eager expression on her face, and heading towards the demon's table.
"What? No!" Kagome all but shouted, grabbing Keiko by the wrist and hauling her backwards, finally grabbing the attention of a mildly startled Kiki and Hojo. "What are you thinking?" she asked sharply, thoroughly confused.
"God Kagome, what's wrong with you? It's not as though it's rude or anything. I just want to ask her where she bought her dress.. people do stuff like this all the time," Keiko reasoned with Kagome as though she were talking to a very young child, and this made Kagome all the more frustrated.
"But - but - she's just! It's just!" she sputtered indignantly, as the demon picked up her own menu and began skimming through it casually, a few tables down.
"Just let her go Kag. It's NOT that big a deal," Kiki said soothingly, patting Kagome on the back as Keiko turned on her heal to go speak with the demon. "Keiko won't be impolite or anything,"
"That's not what I'm worried about," Kagome sighed with frustration, wondering if everyone had gone totally insane that night - or if it was just her. She feared that the correct answer would be the latter reason, but rose from her chair nonetheless to watch Keiko converse with the demon woman, who was still going unnoticed by the majority of the restaurant occupants, excluding a few interested looking men.
Keiko was giving off her biggest, cheesiest smile as she asked the demon where she had purchased her simply LOVELY dress, nearly giving Kagome a heart attack as she went so far as to place a hand on the demon's shoulder when the youkai lady appeared totally comfortable with the question.
Straining her ears, Kagome vaguely heard the woman reply with something like 'Oh, downtown at the Versace store on 12th...' Making Keiko's eyes widen with either recognition as she remembered where the store was, or shock as she realized just how expensive the dress must have been.
"I see, well, it's a VERY beautiful dress. And you wear it so well! Thank you, goodbye.." Kagome followed Keiko's movements all the way back to the table with cautious brown eyes, falling back into her chair when she realized that Keiko had made it back to the table totally unscathed.
'Ohmigod...' Kagome sighed, placing her head in her hands as Keiko bounced back into her seat merrily. 'I didn't realize how worried I would be for my friends... I didn't realize how badly the idea of one of them being attacked by a youkai bothers me,'
"Now that wasn't so bad, was it Kagome?" Keiko asked with a knowing grin, observing her obviously overworked friend from the corner of her eye as she sipped her tea.
Kagome stared back at Keiko flatly, listening to the sound of her own heart racing in her chest, her gaze traveling inescapably over Keiko's shoulder and back to the demon's table. There, the demon woman seemed to have finally taken notice of the young and confused miko. She stared Kagome down with dramatic blood red eyes that twinkled with undertones of mischievousness, and swiftly snapped open a delicate, yet sharp looking fan with a flick of her wrist, smiling from behind it and giving Kagome a rather suggestive wink.
*
'I guess I should just get used to the idea that demons really do live like normal people in Tokyo,' Kagome admitted to herself on the way home that chilly winter night. 'And I also should accept the fact that I'm going to be the only one who can see them for what they really are.. they're not all bad guys. I know that from working at the agency, so I shouldn't get freaked when one wants to eat out for sushi,' Her gaze flitted up to the half moon glowing dully in the city sky, and she quickened her pace subtly as she realized how late it had gotten without her realizing it. 'Still, there was something about that demon.. something very OFF about her..'
After sushi, Keiko and Kiki had suggested the group check out the new club a little ways off from campus. Hojo had readily agreed to go with the girls, but Kagome had politely refused, explaining that she had work tomorrow morning, unlike some privileged people, and she didn't want to get home too late that night. Nor did she want to get too drunk, either. Kagome wasn't sure just how Inuyasha would handle it if he caught her stumbling into the apartment at three AM, terrifically plastered and smelling like a million and one disgusting things to his sensitive hanyou nose.
The girls had been disappointed, but bid her farewell with hugs and kisses and promises to meet up again soon, because it was just too unfair how the FBI got to keep Kagome all to themselves while they had to spend practically all winter vacation without her. There had even been an essentially un-awkward goodbye embrace with Hojo, probably the first since their breakup the summer of senior year. And then they all piled into a taxi and sped off in the other direction, while Kagome was left to wander home by herself in the dark, as it encroached upon eleven PM in the city.
'Maybe it's better that I don't get to see them that much,' Kagome added as she placed her hands over her freezing ears while a particularly strong gush of cold wind blew bye. 'The less Naraku knows about my friends, the better. I don't want him to use my friends or family against me, and it certainly seems like he would have no reservations about stooping that low.'
It was only three more blocks to the apartment, but it felt like twenty as Kagome's thin legs, covered only by black tights, began to shiver uncontrollably. The trees swayed noisily in the wind, and an eerie whistling sound rang through the allies and buildings Kagome passed by, giving her the creeps as she wished to be back in her warm and cozy apartment with Shippou and Buyo and Inuyasha already.
'Oh no,' the pretty girl thought despondently as, for the second time that night, her mystic senses began to buzz their quiet warning, making all the hairs on Kagome's back stand on end, and her eyes dart around in a panicked fashion. 'Please tell me there are no demons lurking in the shadows now... Not now, not when Inuyasha isn't here..' It was true, Kagome knew she could probably call the strong agent to her side with her mind and magic if push came to shove, as she had done with Yura, but she wasn't confident enough with her abilities to feel secure with this knowledge, so the fear only continued to roll off her in powerful waves as the definite feel of some sort of demon lurked closer.
'Go away go away go away..' the mantra rang loudly through her brain as Kagome sped up her pace significantly, jogging down the sidewalk in a desperate three block dash for her apartment, thinking if she could just get in the building she'd be safe. Her breath came out in painful, ragged pants as the cold took a toll on her lungs, and the feeling of a powerful presence in her mind got stronger and stronger.
'They're getting closer! Are they behind me?' She wondered, risking a glance over her shoulder. At first it seemed as though there was nothing but murky shadows created by the looming apartment buildings, crisscrossing over the sidewalks behind her. But then she spotted a flicker of glowing red in the distance, coupled by the distinct sound of someone chuckling maliciously in her head. It sent powerful shivers down her spine and almost made her trip over her own feet as she resisted the urge to squeak with fright and surprise. 'Oh God!'
"OOMPH!" Kagome gasped/cried, smashing into something very solid as it rounded the corner quickly. She squeezed her eyes shut as she felt herself finally loose her balance and stumble backwards from the force of the collision. Her nose was numb and she smelled something salty in the air - had she broken the delicate cartilage? She hadn't realized she'd been running that fast..
"Dammit!" a familiar voice cried out in alarm, catching her before her head could snap back on the unforgiving pavement, and lifting her up with their muscular arms wrapped tightly around her small form in an almost protective gesture. "Kagome? Are you all right?"
"I - Inuyasha!" she cried, embarrassing herself with how utterly desperate and relieved she sounded. But there was no denying the fact that she felt truly protected and comforted by the sight of the tall, white haired hanyou looking down at her with concerned golden eyes. In fact, it was down right inspiring. "I'm so glad you're here!" she added animatedly.
"Well, I was just about to check up on you, considering how late it's gotten... I was worried something had happened when you didn't come home ..." He spoke warily, as though worried she would snap at him for coming to see her after she had explicitly told him to go no where near the restaurant or her friends. But Kagome only shook her head silently, bumping her forehead against Inuyasha's hard chest as though chiding herself for being so foolish. How could she have told Inuyasha to stay away? She needed him....
"Thank you, thank you." She breathed, noticing distantly that the feeling of the foreign demon was suspiciously gone from her mind. Now it was just she and Inuyasha, as far as she could tell.
"Hey," Inuyasha said, his gaze inquisitive as he hooked a finger under Kagome's chin and moved her face upwards so he could stare down at it. "Are you really okay? You look like you've just seen a ghost or something."
"Or something," Kagome agreed, shooting him a quirky little grin and moving away from his leather jacket clad form, in favor of simply hooking arms with him. She felt no need to tell him about her almost-demon encounter of a few minutes ago. The threat was gone anyway, and she had a feeling the whole episode could have been a product of her overactive imagination, stress, and simple expectancy since it was true that she had been jumped by a youkai nearly every time she had been left alone, for nearly the past week. "Come on, let's go home. I need to rest up for that mission tomorrow, right?"
Inuyasha stared down at her curiously for another beat, his head cocked cutely to the side, and his ears flicking around madly. But then he simply frowned and snorted indifferently, making a gesture that said simply 'Oh, I give up!' but turning and leading the way back the apartment nonetheless. "Yeah, whatever."
*
Early the next morning, a plain looking, tan van came to a halt outside the gate of an impressively sized, all marble and glass mansion. The address read 401 in delicate gold letters, and the large manor was located in one of the ritzier and extremely reclusive areas of Tokyo. Beyond the gate one could see a sun filled stone courtyard, with many expensive statues decorating the vicinity - scattered artistically about the gardens and cobblestone roads. Even though winter had taken it's toll on the greenery, a collection of bare Sakura Blossom trees spoke of hidden beauty when the season was right, lining the path to the main entrance of the house.
An impressed Kagome sucked in a breath of awe and continued to stare at the compound, wide eyed, while at the same time a slightly less than fazed Inuyasha lazily rolled down his tinted window and pressed a button on the intercom planted to the side of the large gate, awaiting permission to be let in to the youkai mansion. He fidgeted with the tiny communicator piece in his ear while he waited for someone to pick up, remembering to act on his best behavior, as there were probably a few dozen people back at the agency listening in on everything he said.
"Hello, welcome to the Wolf Clan Compound - to whom am I speaking?" a crackly voice finally replied. Inuyasha leaned over and answered casually, in a bit of a common drawl unlike his usual clipped speech:
"We're the new hired help - we were told to be here at eight.?"
"Oh, yes. Come right in then," Without further ado the gates began to whine and squeak as they were electronically opened, leaving just enough space for the van to fit through as it hesitantly putted across the pristine looking courtyard.
"This place is so big.." Kagome pointed out a bit anxiously, her hands fisting her plain brown, knee length skirt unconsciously as she spoke.
"You knew how big it was - heck, we just looked over the blueprints for the whole damn house this morning," Inuyasha replied shortly, plainly not interested in the rookie agent's petty worries.
"Yeah, but it's different seeing it for real," Kagome explained softly, as though afraid of being overheard, while shrugging and setting about un-creasing the skirt she had just efficiently wrinkled. "Besides, I'm sure you've done stuff like this a lot in the past. This is my first official mission ever!" she reminded her partner tartly after a moment.
"Hm," Inuyasha replied indifferently, pulling his brown cap further down on his head so his face was brought into shadow, his eyes intense as he watched a butler come out of the large front doors and wait for he and Kagome to pull up expectantly. "Well, just don't blow it. Remember, you're a common, youkai maid.... well, you're a human maid, who is part of the demon circle of Tokyo.... right?"
"Right," Kagome replied in a strong voice, nodding her head straightening her posture confidently - before quickly wincing and shrinking back down. "Ouch!" she muttered irritably.
"What is it?" Inuyasha asked softly as he halted the bulky van, the back of which was filled to the brim with various anti-youkai weapons and communication devices, and certainly not cleaning supplies, as almost everyone at the compound assumed they would be. Only a select few at this mansion knew who Kagome and Inuyasha really were, and why they had come to the Prince of the Wolf Youkai's home that morning. And the fewer people who knew, the better.
"Oh, it's nothing - I'm just not used to having a gun under here," Kagome replied quickly, waving a casual hand at Inuyasha as she rubbed her thigh carefully. "Actually, I'm not used to having a gun anywhere."
After arriving at the agency far earlier than was healthy, Inuyasha and Kagome had been supplied with practically a full-blown arsenal of weapons, almost all of which Kagome hadn't the slightest idea of how to use. She had never used a gun in her life, and most of these anti-demon rifles and shotguns looked a bit daunting.
'Normal guns don't really have much of an affect of demons,' an older demon youkai agent had explained the mystified Kagome, earlier that day. 'So we have special weapons for our agents, most of which have been spelled by mikos and monks, and all of which are loaded with our very own silver bullets. Made special for the maximum amount of damage on a youkai,'
Kagome had accepted the modestly sized semi-automatic handgun offered to her, after receiving a brief rundown of just what how to use it, but left the scene feeling a bit awkward. She didn't like the idea of shooting anyone with a gun, be they demon or no, and had wished Kaede or Miroku had been there to guide her through the process instead of some random field agent. Apparently, however, Detective Kaede and special agent Miroku were both occupied with another mission of sorts that morning, and couldn't be bothered to teach Kagome the basics of essentially non-magical demon extermination.
Later, Kagome had asked why Inuyasha hadn't received a gun as well, and felt strangely satisfied to hear the hanyou explain that he didn't like to use any sort of firearm. He believed his claws had a much more effective result when unleashed, and also mentioned that he believed guns were almost like cheating when it came to battling other youkai.
"Well, now I really want to keep this one," Kagome had sighed, her dark mood not lightened by Inuyasha's callous observation, as she hesitantly tapped the holster strapped to her thigh. Inuyasha had only shrugged at her in response, his tone carefully impartial when he replied.
"It's different for you. You're so much more physically weak than anyone we'll be up against; I wouldn't be against letting you use one... It might make me feel more comfortable with you being out there in the middle of things, when you're so green with your powers. It's just different for me because I'm so much stronger," he had ended with, effectively canceling out any sweet sentiments the statement might have held.
Currently, both Inuyasha and Kagome were dressed in rather ugly, matching brown getups of that of a cleaning lady and a maintenance man, their identities as Demon FBI agents totally secret to the staff of the house. The demons working in the Wolf Prince's home were expecting some extra help that day as they prepared for an upcoming ball, and only the prince himself, and a few of his personal guards and close family members, knew Kagome and Inuyasha as the special agents they really were.
Kagome remembered to keep this all in mind as she hopped out of the van, Inuyasha leaving the keys in the ignition as he spotted a younger looking demon come to stand next to the butler, apparently the valet waiting to park the bulky vehicle in a nearby lot. The back of the van was specially sealed off by various wards and layers of steal, so the hanyou had no fear of the kid discovering the bounty of weapons he and Kagome had hidden in the back in case of an emergency.
The two attractive agents walked up to the butler and bowed respectfully, Inuyasha coming up first and regarding the stuffy looking wolf demon servant lazily.
"So, whater y'all gonna have us do first?" he asked in a low pitched, country brogue, forcing Kagome to cough violently into her hand as an inexorable bout of giggles bubbled in her throat. She could almost see Inuyasha mentally roll his eyes at her lack of restraint.
Oh boy....
*
"Please, wait in here while I fetch the Master.... he asked to see you personally, though I have no idea why. He usually doesn't trouble himself with personally inspecting YOUR type of hired help," The butler, Mr. Tsuyame he had asked the couple call him, mentioned haughtily as he turned on his heal and marched out of the finely crafted study Kagome and Inuyasha had been led into.
As it turned out, Mr. Tsuyame, a thin and willowy looking demon with small, beady orange eyes, was a total prick. But Kagome and Inuyasha had pretended not to care as they regarded the interior of the Wolf Mansion appraisingly, trying to take in everything they could, and memorize all of the various staircases and halls - all while not looking too obvious. Kagome found it was best to pretend she was awestruck by the house in order to get a good look around - mostly because she was, in fact, awestruck by the impressive structure.
"Okay," Kagome replied, nodding her head. But the butler was already out the door, his tailcoats billowing importantly behind him.
"Man, what's he got stuck up his butt?" Inuyasha snorted disdainfully once he was sure he and Kagome were alone. Kagome sighed at her partner - she personally had been determined to act a bit more mature on this assignment, now that she knew there were agents listening in on their actions thanks to the essentially invisible microphone in her ear. She knew Inuyasha was aware of this fact as well, as he had previously mentioned that it made him uncomfortable, he just seemed to have a harder time acting polite and serious in the house of their current potential-victim than she did.
The study was lavishly furnished, and, like the rest of the impressive mansion, looked extremely old. However, it wasn't the sort of old that Kagome was used to - like the deteriorating, dangerously old parts of her childhood home, the Higurashi Shrine. That temple had been around since the Feudal Era, and when living in it Kagome had often times felt as though the whole structure might fall down around her ears if she walked too hard through some of the main shrines.
No, this mansion was not THAT sort of old. It was a well-maintained, beautiful and mysterious looking old, that's wooden chests and tables were dark and glossy, and that's ceilings still retained their original intricate moldings, curving into beautiful plaster flowers. The marble floors looked as though no one had ever scratched them, despite having been around for many, many decades, and the whole place smelled musky... Yet it was an expensive sort of musk Kagome's temple had never been able to attain.
Kagome was so lost in her thoughts, some of them nostalgic for home and the family she hadn't communicated with in nearly a week, it greatly startled her when the agency's potential victim burst into the room with hardly any warning, briskly approaching she and Inuyasha with not so much as an introduction.
"Are you two weaklings supposed to be my bodyguards?" Prince Kouga of the renowned demon Wolf Clan demanded sharply, his large fangs jutting out over his lip as he gave both Kagome and Inuyasha the once over, the expression on his face clearly stating that what he saw was less than satisfactory. Kagome's mouth opened as she gazed at the demon, but no sound came out, and all that could be heard from Inuyasha was a warning growl in the back of his throat.
Kouga's very presence seemed to scream speed. Every move he made, right down to the way his pale blue eyes seemed to zip around at the slightest suggestion of movement from anything in the room, was ridiculously fast. The two other wolf demons behind him, presumably close confidents of the prince who were also in on Kagome and Inuyasha's real identities, appeared to move painstakingly slow compared to their speedy leader, even though they were of the same breed.
He also happened to be notably handsome. Kouga had deeply tanned skin and an incredibly muscular body, which was clearly defined through his black, collared t-shirt. His thick brown hair was held out of his face in a ponytail, and his messy chocolate bangs did nothing to hide his handsome and shadowed features. Even the unnaturally pointed ears, large fangs and slitted pupils did little to take away from his over all attractiveness. Besides, those things seemed to work for Inuyasha, who was quite aesthetically pleasing to Kagome..
"One lousy hanyou and a mortal girl - THAT'S the best the famous demon FBI can offer? And after I clearly stated that I wanted no part in this whole 'Potential Victim Protection Program', business.. it's truly an insult." Kouga barked in his scratchy, deep voice.
"Uhhh...." Kagome responded dumbly, while Inuyasha began to fume dangerously next to her. Who did this guy think he was?
"Now listen here pal - " Inuyasha began in a foreboding tone, before being swiftly cut off by one of the two wolf demon attendants standing stiffly behind Kouga.
"N-Now Master Kouga, you know that this is all for your benefit! Your family insisted you let the FBI take over once it was decided that you were a potential victim for Naraku... So why don't you just let them do - "
"Yes, yes, I know all that - but look at them! They're pathetic! A half- breed a silly little girl cannot possibly be fit to withstand the forces of Naraku, if he DID happen to target me." Kouga reasoned with the buff, white haired wolf demon next to him. The attendant traded glances with his partner, before beginning to speak again so that Inuyasha wouldn't have a chance to jump in once more and say something terribly rude to Kouga.
"But Sir - that hanyou is Inuyasha - son of the deceased Lord Inu! And his elder brother is the famed demon Sesshomaru!" the other wolf demon explained, as though this would placate their leader's anger.
"Yes, and that girl is Kagome Higurashi - a powerful miko! We had the FBI give us the background of the two agents they were sending over before they came - we would never let them send just anybody to guard the mansion." His companion added with a serious expression on his face.
Kouga's eyes narrowed slightly, but he seemed to accept his attendant's answers. He slowly turned around and addressed the agents once again, Inuyasha red in the face with anger, but miraculously holding his tongue at thought of the people back at the agency listening in on everything he said. For her part, Kagome was staring intently at the Oriental rug beneath her feet, unsure of what to do. Kouga sure seemed to be an insulting and rude person, and she wondered what was so pure about his soul that Naraku would consider killing him to fuel the shikon no tama.
"So, you're Sesshomaru's younger brother, are you?" Kouga asked, addressing Inuyasha first. He stood in front of the hanyou with his arms, which were bulging with muscles, folded. Inuyasha seemed pleased to see that he was about two inches taller than the wolf demon.
"Yeah, what of it?" Inuyasha responded in an equally as hostile tone. This wolf demon had obviously already blown it with the hanyou, and Inuyasha didn't seem to be willing to easily forgive the wolf prince for his previous words.
"I met the bloke once or twice. Thought he was a real ass. Just thought you should know," Kouga commented lightly.
"Yeah? Well that makes two of us," Inuyasha responded simply, shrugging his shoulders. Kouga looked briefly disappointed that he hadn't provoked more of a reaction in Inuyasha with his last comment, but he quickly recovered from the feeling as his pale gaze came to rest upon Kagome.
Kagome gulped as Kouga's eyes took on a mischievous tone. It was clear to the girl that this demon just wanted to stir up trouble with she and Inuyasha because he was spiteful over the fact that he had been given 'babysitters' to defend him against the murderer Naraku, (What was it with guys and their intolerable pride?) and so she became wary as Kouga began to grin widely at her, moving fully away from Inuyasha and quickly coming to stand close to her smaller form.
"And you're the miko, hm? The agency was right; you are powerful. I can feel it now that I get a proper look at you. I also can't help but notice that you're.. quite good-looking, for a human girl," he said smoothly, flashing Kagome a heart melting smile.
"Wellll..." she said, laughing uneasily as she felt Inuyasha grow agitated next to her, obviously not pleased that she was being sweet-talked while on the job. Quickly, she thought up something to say that would keep Inuyasha's temper at bay. "Well, actually, I've just begun training my miko powers recently, so they're not as refined as they should be, presently,"
Kouga raised a questioning eyebrow at this, and Inuyasha quickly jumped into the conversation.
"You don't have to worry. She has enough surplus of miko power in her to give Naraku a nasty shock," Inuyasha quickly assured Kouga, making Kagome blush at the unexpected praise. "The FBI knows what they're doing.. Mr. Kouga," Inuyasha said 'Mr.' as though it hurt him physically to address Kouga with an honorific. "Just let us take it from here, please,"
Kouga stared blankly at Inuyasha for a moment, before quickly transferring his attention back over to Kagome, as though the hanyou had never spoken in the first place.
"Hmmm.. Beautiful AND powerful, are you? That seems like a pretty impressive combination, Ms. Kagome," Kouga said in a smooth tone. Kagome could only blink with surprise, completely overcome with all of the compliments she was unexpectedly receiving.
"She's not THAT pretty," Inuyasha mumbled, annoyed as he watched Kouga take Kagome's pale hand in his own larger one.
"Gee, thanks," Kagome deadpanned at the silver haired demon.
"Obviously this puppy doesn't know how to treat his partner right. What say you be my personal bodyguard for the day, Kagome? Inuyasha can patrol the grounds, but I'd feel much better if I knew I had a full fledged miko by my side," the prince said enticingly.
"I'm not so sure," Kagome replied hesitantly. That hadn't been part of the plan they had made back at the agency. She had Inuyasha were supposed to patrol the grounds, disguised as servants, and search for any signs of Naraku's handiwork around the compound. Like errant spider heads in the dining room, etc.
"Hey, why don't you let US do the planning here, MR. Kouga!" Inuyasha barked, disliking the situation more and more. Why did he feel so ANGRY when he watched Kouga link hands with a slightly doubtful looking Kagome? Why did he feel the need to attack something when that stuck up wolf smiled down at her playfully?
"This is my home, Agent Inuyasha. I won't let someone like you push me around here. I think this situation is fine - don't you, boys?" Kouga asked his two official looking attendants, who had fallen silent ever since Kouga had taken a distinct interest in the pretty raven haired FBI agent.
"Yes Master Kouga, it's very good. We can show Mr. Inuyasha around the mansion, and Ms. Kagome keep you from harm..." One of the wolves said, nodding his head affirmatively.
"Wonderful! Then it's all settled," Kouga said with a sense of finality to his tone, pulling Kagome closer to him by their linked arms, and briskly leading her towards the door before she had a chance to say anything about the matter. "Please Inuyasha, if you have any questions, don't hesitate to ask one of the boys."
"H-Hey, wait!" Inuyasha called after the tan demon, looking harassed as he watched Kagome give him an apologetic glance before being whisked out the door, practically stumbling over her own feet because of the fast pace at which Kouga was traveling. "Kagome!"
But then Kagome was jogging down a series of marble halls with golden chandeliers dangling from the ceiling, Kouga keeping a firm, warm hold on her arm, and smiling broadly. She felt confused and off center as she tried to take in all of the foreign things around her, barely remembering she was now supposed to be acting the part of a humble maid since she was out of the study. She distantly realized Kouga was saying something to her, and quickly tried to focus on the sound of his voice, rather than the ringing in her head.
"I'm quite happy the FBI sent me someone as attractive and talented as you to be my guard. I've never met an actual miko before, though I've heard great legends about them." Kouga was saying in a friendly tone, making Kagome blush. He threw so many compliments at her without batting a lash, and this habit of his was making her quite flustered. Inuyasha was never like this. "At first I was completely adamant about not having the FBI in my home, since the Wolf Clan is obviously more than capable of taking care of itself... But now I don't mind it so much," Kouga finished with a roguish wink down at Kagome.
"That's... nice," Kagome decided to say, her smile big and fake. "But, uh, where are we?" she continued in a more hesitant tone, as Kouga threw open a pair of large doors to what looked like a well furnished common room of sorts. In this new room, there was a wall-to-wall maroon carpet, rich wooden paneling, a bulky looking fire place, and a collection of comfy looking, dark velvet couches pushed against various walls.
"This is my room.. well, one of them." The wolf prince reflected, leading Kagome over to a couch and proceeding to sit down himself, cushioning his head with his arms and smiling up at Kagome roguishly. Kagome bit her lip and clasped her hands together behind her back, not taking a seat next to Kouga, as he obviously had expected her to. "My training hall is the next room down, and my bedroom is behind that door right over there.." He pointed at a door in the right hand corner of the common room. "If you're interested."
"Uh, no, that's okay, actually..." Kagome responded quickly, waving her hands in front of herself. "Actually, you know, I'm supposed to be acting the part of a maid right now, and I don't think anyone's going to believe I'm actually hired help if you keep treating me like a - a special guest or something," The fact that she was supposed to be a maid drew Kagome's attention back down to her shapeless brown dress. Kouga thought she looked attractive - when she was wearing THIS potato sack?
Kouga shrugged, looking indifferent, the expression on his face very similar to the one Inuyasha wore when he wanted to make it clear he didn't really care what Kagome thought.
"It doesn't matter. Honestly, I look at this whole protection thing as a bit of a joke. I mean, what are the chances of Naraku really coming after me, anyway? He's just some random psycho - I'm not worried about him. Besides, I'm pretty sure I could take him on even if he did feel like trying to attack me or my clan" he explained breezily. Kagome's eyes widened and she stared at Kouga incredulously.
"What are you talking about? Naraku has killed many, many demons in just the past few months, and he would definitely be someone to worry about if there is even the smallest possibility that he would come after you or your loved ones," she insisted, having first hand knowledge of just how threatening Naraku truly was. Kouga raised an eyebrow at the pretty priestess, his eyes abruptly taking on a more serious tone.
"What do you mean he's killed lots of demons in the past few months? I've hardly heard anything about it.. it hasn't been in the demon papers very much, and they'd talk about it if they knew he was on a rampage, or something." Kouga said speculatively.
Kagome suddenly felt as though she had done something very unintelligent, as she distantly remembered Kaede mentioning something about how they were attempting to keep the Naraku case under wraps from the public, and how it could cause total panic if word about Naraku's killing spree got out to the demon population, or even the human population. She knew that the demon people were aware that Naraku was at large, however they didn't realize just how dangerous he was, nor how serious his case was becoming. Sighing deeply, Kagome tried to think of a way to get herself out of this situation.
"Well.. maybe I was exaggerating a bit," she offered lightly.
"No, you weren't. I can tell." Kouga corrected her quickly.
"What? How do you know that?" Kagome questioned, folding her arms obstinately. "I was just trying to scare you so you'd take this operation more seriously, that's all!" she insisted fiercely.
"No, you WEREN'T." Kouga responded, all out frowning now. "I'm a demon, remember, my heightened senses can tell me when you're telling the truth or not. Why didn't the agency inform me of Naraku's record before I got involved in all this? If he really has been killing lots of people lately, my clan should know about it! The FBI only told me he had killed one or two demons previously, and that he was reported to be in the area...."
"I'm telling you - you're wrong! I was just kidding!" Kagome continued to argue, undaunted.
"Dammit woman, stop lying to me!" Kouga growled, getting to his feet, and suddenly acting none-to-friendly with Kagome. Apparently, Kouga was an entirely different demon when it concerned the protection of his clan.
"I'm NOT!"
"Yes, you are!"
"No, I'm definitely not!"
"It's no use telling me that, I know for a fact you weren't lying you crazy miko bitch!"
At this, Kagome gasped sharply and, without stopping to think about the consequences of her actions, she zipped forward and slapped Kouga across the face. Kouga seemed so unprepared for the shy looking mortal to do something like that, he didn't even block her attack.
It wasn't that hard of a slap, and certainly nothing that would cause damage to the Wolf Clan Prince himself... But it did leave Kouga looking rather shocked as he held his cheek with one hand, his blue eyes wide with blatant surprise.
"OhmiGod!" Kagome squeaked, bringing a hand to her mouth, horrified. "I didn't mean it! I'm so sorry! Are you all right?" She approached Kouga once more, gently taking his hand away from his cheek so she could inspect him carefully, terribly afraid her slap might leave a bruise on his face. However, she seemed to have left much less of a mark than she had first assumed, and Kouga's cheek was simply a bit pinkish, but otherwise in fine condition. Kagome bit her lip and looked up at him, wondering if he was going to send her back to the agency now, and request another agent for the mission. Inuyasha would be so mad at her... And Kaede and Miroku would be disappointed!
However, to Kagome's utter surprise, when she looked back up at Kouga - he was smiling at her once more.
"Beautiful, powerful, AND spunky, hu? Agent Kagome Higurashi - you are the perfect woman."
Kagome distantly felt her jaw hit the floor as she stared up at Kouga flatly. What kind of a demon was this? Was he totally insane? She had just bitch-slapped him across the face, and he was already back to flirting with her!
"Come on, I'll show you my bedroom now - I have a feeling you'll really like it," Kouga said in a firm tone, leading her towards the back of the room while Kagome was still in a daze, nearly dizzy with relief over the fact that he hadn't been angry with her, but terribly confused about it nonetheless.
"Wait, hold on a -" Kagome had just begun to protest, when the sound of something whooshing quickly through the air caught her attention, and an odd feeling formed in the pit of her stomach. Her powers began to tingle forebodingly.
Kagome spun around to look at one of the floor length windows lining the wall, just in time to see a female demon in an expensive dress crash noisily through the glass while perched gracefully on a giant.. feather.
*
Author's notes:
Three guesses as to who THAT is! Yep. It's Kikyo! Haha.. just kidding. Anyway, sorry again for taking two months to update, I'll try to get the next chapter out sooner, but don't count on it. Next chapter - The Demon Bounty Hunters. Which means we actually get to meet Sango, for real.
Anyway, there are some people I would like to thank now... Let's see:
Lonemoon23: Haha.. well, I kind of did take a long time, but it's all good!
ArtemisMoon: You're right, Inuyasha WAS due for a bout of jealousy. But that's what makes him great, right? Thank you sooo much for the tip about the dots, I totally didn't know about it, and it had really been bothering me!
Silver Magiccraft: Thanks for noticing the long chapters, lol. I really do try to make them pretty long, because I hate it when authors spit out little, three page nothing chapters. (This one was 23 pages or something - but it doesn't really count because of how long I took with updating! Oh well..)
Nonsequitur: Thank you for defending me about Kagome's reaction with the spider heads! I hadn't even considered your point of view when I wrote that chapter, I was only really thinking about how gross it would be to have a spider sitting on you, but you're totally right. I hope you can always say that Inuyasha and Kagome are acting in character for my fic, and thanks for reviewing! - Oh, and for your later review, I'm not leaving this story dead in the water, I promise! I'm just having trouble updating!
The Random Queen: More? Yes. Soon? Um, I tried.
Diamondgirl: Ha, I guess I took your advice pretty well. I took a breath of fresh air for two consecutive months! And yes, I WOULD like a laptop.
Gueshoo: I'll try and be faster!
Rambling Coffee Addict: You were right - it was Kouga! And although I'm afraid Kouga wasn't totally in character (I always have a hard time portraying Kouga correctly - don't really know why.) I'm glad you're happy about it. I'm sorry about the period problem - they were all supposed to be '.', but my computer doesn't let it show up like that on ff.net. I think I fixed it for this chapter, thanks to ArtemisMoon, but if I didn't. sorry! I'll try to work it out next time. Thanks for reviewing!
Atlas-86: I'm sorry I didn't talk about Sango and Miroku at ALL this chapter - but you'll find out how they know each other next chapter, I promise.
Sylaera: Whoa! Thanks for the super long review.... Those are always my favorites. You're right, I hate how some people make Miroku out to be just some hormone driven freak of nature, too. And I promise I'll try to make it so that Kagome and Inuyasha profess their love for one another after at least TWO weeks. Sorry to interrupt your Counter-Striking... Thanks for reviewing!
A friend: You're right! - and when did I put u instead of you? Yikes!
Saro: Wow! My very own Oreo and pocky alter! That's so cool! Thanks for understanding how frustrating writer's block can be for an author, as well. I don't think I'm over it at all, but I'm trying to be really dedicated for this fic because it has so many great reviewers.
Cataluna: Thanks! (Sorry, I'm running out of things to say!)
ScorpionOcean: I'm glad you stumbled across it too! Thanks for reviewing.
Josie: I'll update the next chapter sooner, just for you!
Biganimefan1: Glad you think my fic is cool!
Yosei/ambereyes: One of my fav reviewers! Or rather.. Two of my fav reviewers. You're really cool and nice and I really appreciate it when you remind me about what an ass I am by not updating! I really take it into account and try harder when you make me think about the people who are expecting an update. Also, you're funny!
Gracelyn: Thank you for saying the characters aren't OOC! - the idea really plagues me when I'm writing. I'll think about posting the deleted WAFF scenes for interested reviewers.. but I'm afraid it might just be a little out of place. Thanks for reviewing!
TheWhitePrincess1: The story kept you up until 4AM? Wow I'm sorry! I don't think I'm going to be writing the other fic about Kagome and Kikyo, because there were just too many complications with it - but luckily I've started up two other totally random IY fics I will not update because I'm in a writer's block, and I've got a new Rin/Sess fic coming out as well! (I LOVE that couple - only Rin has to be older.) You were one of the two that caught the coffee slip up! Eeek!
TheKaitouFireFox: Aw! Thanks!
Gloria Underhill: Still working on the writer's block.... ehhhhhh.. thanks for reviewing!
Crystal Lily: Heh, you'll find out soon enough!
KaT aka Mistress Shinigami: Yeah, I JUST got Sango in last time. (Honestly, I was tired of writing that chapter, so I cut her debut short.) But she didn't make the cut this chapter! Oh well.
Cherry Destruction: Well, it WAS a long chapter! I'll try to make the next one equally as lengthy.
Kai Aki Ti: Ah! Here's more! More!
Tigerelly: It's continued!
Hanamaru285: Thanks for reviewing!
ME: You think I'm funny? Really? That means a lot to me; because I'm always worried I just come off sounding stupid in this fic. Thanks for reviewing!
Ka-chan: Thank you SO MUCH for suggesting the Ranma ½ fic: After You. It's been a long time since I read a good Ranma fic, and it was definitely in the spirit of 'One for the Money'.
Sakura Onto Hitomi: And you were person number two to notice the coffee slip up! I'm sorry, it was just me lacking in continuity.. and also, I think, coffee plays such a major roll in my life, it's hard NOT to make Inuyasha drink it! But thanks for noticing - It's nice to know reviewers are actually paying attention!
Pruning Sheers: Ah! You're like, one of new favorite reviewers! I really appreciate how you reviewed for almost every chapter - it was totally cool to find all those reviews at once. And I appreciated all of the comments you made, as well. I'm glad you liked the hamster analogy, and also - you're so right! I don't know why I made Kagome's mom make ramen, I was totally not thinking. In the future I'll try and make NO ramen comments, since you seem to have an aversion to it. However, Kagome doesn't live that far away from her family right now, so she WILL be visiting them frequently, and they will be visiting her frequently, in turn. This is mainly because in the novel this fic was originally modeled after, the main character, a fully grown woman, hangs out with her family a lot as well. Anyway, thanks for reviewing again, and I'll try and update soon!
~Rio Grande.
Thanks for the wonderful reviews! They made me really happy, and I'm sorry I took so long updating.
I don't actually have anything to say to everyone (For a change.) Except, maybe, understand that the story is going to start taking a darker tone now as we approach the end, so don't expect as many slapstick scenes. And we're not really approaching the end, either. We're only halfway. But whatever.
I don't own Inuyasha and enjoy.
*
- In chapter four I said that Inuyasha doesn't drink coffee. Last chapter he had some with Kagome. No one caught this error, (Except for TheWhitePrincess1 and Sakura Onto Hitomi!) but I noticed the error right after posting the chapter and just wanted to apologize for it anyway. From now on, he really doesn't like caffeine.
*
Bitten
By Rio Grande
Chapter Eight: The First Mission
*
"You are a disgrace." Inuyasha spat contemptuously from his splayed out position on Kagome's couch, his golden eyes half lidded and displeased, his snow-white ears flat against his head.
"What?" Kagome guffawed, her pale hands at her earlobe replacing her normal gold studs with small silver hoops, staring intently at her reflection in the full length mirror as she did so. "I don't see how going out with my friends on the first night of vacation makes me a disgrace in any sense of the word, Inuyasha. I haven't seen them in forever thanks to this job - and if I didn't know better I'd say you were overreacting about the whole thing." She continued with the ghost of a smile on her face, as though privately amused with Inuyasha's little display.
"YOU - are a disgrace," the half demon repeated once more, undaunted. "What sort of an FBI agent goes out to have sushi with her college buddies the night before her first big assignment? We have things to do Kagome - a MISSION to prepare for! And frankly, I think you're showing a shocking lack of dedication to the FBI at the moment ..I don't know if I even want a partner who can't be committed to the case." He finished hotly, sitting up at glaring at the pretty twenty-year old from across the room.
"Inuyasha, it's just one night! This was the last day of classes so my friends all wanted to celebrate - and besides if I don't see them occasionally they'll think something is up with me. And since I can't tell them what I really do all the time I can't look too suspicious by completely avoiding them. Going out with them now is the only way I can keep up appearances," Kagome said with a sense of finality to her tone, brushing invisible dust off her short brown skirt and smoothing out the collar of her maroon striped, button down t-shirt.
"Feh, what a load of bull," Inuyasha grumped, rolling his eyes heavenwards.
"Kagome, Kagome! - I found the necklace you wanted!" Shippou chirped enthusiastically, sliding into the room on all fours, a silver charm necklace on top of his head.
"And to top it all off - you're making me baby-sit HIM for the rest of the night!" Inuyasha added, looking thoroughly disgusted with the world.
"Thank you Shippou!" Kagome said cheerfully, leaning down and picking up the necklace, while patting the small kitsune on the head as thanks. "Now how do I look?" she asked once she had the clasp done, spinning around for the two demons who sat in her living room - one looking up at her with adoration - and the other with barely contained abhorrence.
"Beautiful!" bubbled Shippou happily.
"Trashy." snorted Inuyasha, averting his gaze.
"Thank you Shippou.." Kagome sighed once more, rubbing her head with agitation and briskly traveling over to Inuyasha.
"Hey - Ouch!" the hanyou barked, covering himself as Kagome slugged him across the head with a pillow.
"I wish you wouldn't be such a monster sometimes!" Kagome cried, putting her hands on her hips and glaring at her partner. "I'm just going out for a few hours and then I swear I'll be back to help with Shippou!"
"But I'm not supposed to be here just to protect Shippou.. if it was about him we could've kept him in a safe-house - but I'm supposed to protect you! How can I do that if you're out in the city somewhere, completely vulnerable?" Inuyasha demanded gruffly, frowning. Kagome shook her head and threw her hands up helplessly.
"You're ridiculous. I just want to see my best friends! I'm surprised you even want me around so much at all." She added, wondering why Inuyasha's behavior was so over the top that Friday evening. Considering the recent turn of events - namely numerous attacks by lethal demons focused directly on her - a person would assume SHE would be the one insisting she never leave the house without a guard. Yet, that night, it seemed as though Inuyasha was taking on the roll of the cautious partner.
"I didn't say I needed to be with you all the time. I just think it's very stupid of you to want to wander carelessly around Tokyo at night when you know very well that Naraku is out there, and probably has his eye on you right now. You could at least let me come along," Inuyasha reasoned.
"No way! And have Keiko, Kiki and Hojo think you're my boyfriend? They'll be all over me about you Inuyasha, and they'll find out that you're living with me! Besides, if you went we'd have to bring Shippou, too - and neither of you look particularly human, keep in mind." Kagome reminded her partner, shaking her finger at Inuyasha, and apparently valuing her friend's opinions of her more than her own life. Inuyasha's golden eyes narrowed into two suspicious slits.
"Who is Hojo?" he asked.
"Oh come on," Kagome groaned, sensing the infuriatingly mistrustful tone in Inuyasha's voice. "He's been my friend for like, forever! We dated in high school but it's over now. So see, it's all going to be totally innocent and safe and I'll be perfectly fine for the 'big mission' tomorrow. And at the same time I'll be cooling everyone's suspicions about me turning into some reclusive hermit! Now if you'll excuse me I have to get going - and don't say anything else! You're acting like a jealous boyfriend." Kagome finished, knowing that her last jab would silence him - Inuyasha would never want anyone to consider that he and Kagome were an item - God forbid!
Quickly, while the demon was still stunned, Kagome grabbed her messenger bag from the kitchen table and swiped the house keys from the pan by the front door.
"That's ridiculous!" Inuyasha sputtered, obviously outraged.
"Whatever! Bye Shippou - take care. Don't forget to feed Buyo and Inuyasha!" Kagome called out jovially before locking the door behind her, and heading towards the apartment elevator.
"The NERVE of that bitch!" Inuyasha growled once Kagome had departed, throwing himself back into the couch and folding his arms, his lips forming a thin, angry line. He hated it when she got her way. "Barely two days ago she's on the verge of a mental breakdown and BEGGING me to never leave her - and suddenly, the second her friends give her a ring - she's totally hunky-dory again, completely setting herself up for another attack!" he continued crossly.
"Ah.. you're just put out because she's going to meet her ex- boyfriend tonight. Stop whining." Shippou said flatly, hopping onto the couch next to the doughy cat Buyo and fixing Inuyasha with a steady gaze.
"WHAT did you say, brat?" Inuyasha wanted to know, his eyes glinting dangerously.
"Um.. nothing." Shippou decided to reply, wisely, crouching behind the fat calico for protection as he watched Inuyasha flex his impressive claws forebodingly.
"That's what I thought," the demon agent responded in a much more controlled tone, relaxing once more, and staring up at the ceiling with a pensive expression on his face.
'I don't like this at all..I thought she had gotten smarter than this..'
*
Admittedly, Kagome felt a little guilty about ditching Inuyasha. It had been quite a hard day for the man - what with his brother dropping in for a surprise visit earlier, and then having to deal with painful memories of Kikyo - but Kagome had promised Keiko some time ago that she would eat out with the gang that night, and seeing as how she had been consistently ditching her friends for the past two weeks, she figured she was pretty obligated to at least dine with them this once. It would only be for a few hours anyway, and then she'd go back to the apartment, and her lame excuse for a life.
However there was something else that Inuyasha had brought up that gave the young woman pause as she briskly traveled towards 'Sushi-a-go-go' in her pea coat, her sneakers padding against the cold pavement, and her dark raven hair held back in a ponytail. Naraku.. Naraku was quickly becoming a larger, more dominant presence in her life as the days went by, and today had certainly been a turning point in that area. Kagome reflected on what Inuyasha had said to her on the roof, earlier that afternoon.
'"I think that Kikyo was also tangled up with Naraku, and that he had some part in her destruction and eventual fleeing of the country,"'
'It shouldn't bother me so much.. I never even knew Kikyo.. but the fact of the matter is I do share a lot of things with her that are probably making me more of a target for Naraku than I would have been already.' Kagome admitted with a mental sigh. 'At least, that's what Inuyasha feels.' She added glumly.
'"You don't understand.. you look so much like her Kagome. And you're a miko! Which makes you the perfect victim for Naraku! Do you know how much negative power he could absorb into the shikon no tama if he killed you?" Inuyasha had asked, a pained expression washing over his face. Kagome had been confused, and more than a little shaken, at this point in the unsettling conversation.
"B-but, as a miko, I'm supposed to have a lot of pure energy, right? How could Naraku get more negative energy from me than someone else?" she asked, almost fearfully.
"When Naraku kills you in cold blood, your fear and anger taint your soul and miko powers, giving the shikon no tama a much more considerable dosage of negative power than if he had just killed a normal person, or even a normal demon. And Naraku knows this very well - that's why he went after Kikyo. And that's why he'd go after you."'
Admittedly, Kagome had already known most of the information Inuyasha had told her; she had just never had it spelled out in such a chillingly clear way. It made her worry about her future, and how brief it might be if she wasn't careful.
'Maybe Inuyasha was right. Maybe I should have stayed home tonight.' Kagome thought, clutching herself as she stood across the street from the restaurant, suddenly feeling very exposed in the busy mob of downtown Tokyo, where her miko senses were incredibly muffled by all of the different spirit energies filing around her - anyone could come up to her now with the intent to kill, and she wouldn't even be able to tell until it was too late. Crowds weren't always the safest place to be when you were a target for a murderer, she belatedly realized.
It was funny how helpless Kagome tended to feel when her hanyou partner wasn't around..
"Hey!" Someone shouted loudly, placing a hand on Kagome's shoulder and scaring the girl out of her skin.
"Ah!" she shrieked, whirling around and slapping a hand to her mouth as she did so, chocolate brown eyes wide with fear.
"Kagome? Are you all right? I'm sorry - did I scare you?" Hojo asked guiltily, rubbing the back of his neck and smiling apologetically as Kagome all but began to hyperventilate at the sight of the tall boy. "Gee, that's the second time I've done that to you in the past week. It seems every time we meet now I end up frightening you." Hojo mentioned lightly, cocking his head.
"It's not your fault Hojo - I'm just.. a little jumpy." Kagome admitted, laughing nervously and shaking her head, cursing herself for being so easily frightened. She really needed to calm down. "I'm sorry,"
"Don't worry about it. Hey, I'm glad you could make it tonight. I feel like I haven't seen you in years! At least not since you started this job," the blond commented, linking arms with Kagome and traveling across the street as the light changed, both college students shivering slightly in the cold winter air. The many neon lights and signs illuminating the streets blurred together above the couple to give the evening sky an orange tint. And even though it was a crisp, cloudless night, Kagome could spot not one star.
"Yeah, I know. It's a real drag - but this job is really important to me now," Kagome admitted, shrugging helplessly.
"It sure seems like it," Hojo replied, not an unkind smile on his face as he held open the restaurant door for the small girl, polite as always.
The restaurant was bright and warm compared to the chilly air outside, decorated colorfully and giving off a sense of light-hearted fun Kagome realized she hadn't been able to experience in some time, what with all of the stress surrounding her case. Immediately she felt herself relax in its completely normal, non-demon related atmosphere. How long had it been since she'd been able to do anything ordinary with her life, or at least something that was exclusive for only mortals?
'I shouldn't classify my friends as 'normal', just because they're human,' Kagome acknowledged as a tall female waitress directed she and Hojo towards a booth already occupied by Keiko and Kiki, the two pretty girls waving jovially at the couple from the back of the restaurant. 'They're all a far cry from your average human, after all.'
"Kagome!" Keiko gushed, getting to her feet and throwing her arms around Kagome so quickly that the other girl had to grab onto the table to keep her balance. She laughed as Keiko continued to hug her around the neck and gush about how long it had been since they had been able to see each other outside of classes - and her guard dropped some more. She felt totally comfortable with these people; they were her best friends, and she had missed them these past two weeks she had been practically under siege by a variety of terrible demons. "Where has my best friend been? Oh - Girl, you look simply haggard!" Keiko continued, leaning back to stare into Kagome's face.
"I do?" Kagome asked, slightly surprised as she sat down in-between Keiko and Kiki, Hojo sitting to the left of Kiki and quickly shedding his heavy jacket.
"Well, I wouldn't say 'haggard'," Kiki said wryly as she hugged Kagome a bit more sedately, and smiled widely for her. "But you definitely look pale, and maybe over worked.... Have you lost weight?" she asked, concern seeping into her voice.
"Um, I don't think so.." Kagome said lightly, pretending to be unconcerned and looking engrossed with her menu as she resolutely attempted to steer the conversation in another direction. "Hmm, Alaska Rolls! Those sound good,"
"Oh, we already ordered for everyone... We know what you two like so we thought you wouldn't mind," Kiki said, glancing at Hojo as she spoke. "Is it okay?"
"Totally fine," Kagome assured her with a smile, quickly placing her menu back down as Hojo nodded in agreement.
"I'm just happy we're all together again. It's been so long since all four of us have gotten together like this. I haven't even seen Keiko in some time," Hojo admitted.
"Welllll after my, um, slightly less than satisfactory grades last year, Daddy threatened to stop funding my college expenses, so I've actually been doing some studying lately," Keiko admitted with a helpless shrug, pulling on the collar of her purple turtle neck tee-shirt, silver tiffany's charm bracelet clinking gently as she did so.
"I can vouch for her - as her roommate, I have witnessed Keiko actually taking some time to study lately. Why, just last week she even turned down a date to cram for her Ancient History final.." Kiki said with mock pride. Keiki rolled her eyes flipped Kiki the finger while Hojo and Kagome tactfully hid their grins.
"And what about you Kiki? How's the rugby team going?" Kagome asked, turning the attention over to the tall, muscular brunette.
"Well, I sprained my wrist a few days ago in a game against East Tekio - but it's healing really great and I'll be back to normal by the time the break is over, for sure," Kiki explained, pulling away the dark blue sweater sleeve covering her arm to reveal a pale, bandaged wrist.
"Oh! How did you do that?" Kagome asked, inspecting the slightly purpled skin around the ace bandage carefully.
"She got barreled over by a slightly, um, larger girl during the first half." Hojo explained carefully.
"She was a fat cow who fell on me," Kiki reiterated flatly, flexing her arm delicately as she spoke.
"You were at the game, Hojo?" Kagome questioned, cocking her head as a waitress swept over to the table with a large tray of sushi rolls expertly arranged on three different platters. Everyone moved their glasses and napkins aside as various plates of food were shoved in front of them.
"Well, someone has to come to my games now that you're always busy! And God knows Keiko could never bear to sit through a rugby game..." Kiki sighed despairingly.
"Damn straight," Keiko reaffirmed, while popping a crab roll deftly into her mouth. "But seriously - tell us about your job Kagome! You've been so damn elusive about it - how's it going? How's your boss? Are there any hot FBI agents you'd like to introduce us to?" Keiko girl questioned with a wicked gleam in her heavily makeuped eye.
"Yeah, and have you figured out how much you're getting paid yet?" Kiki pressed in a more serious tone.
"How long are your hours?" Hojo added.
"Ah! Hold on! One at a time." Kagome said quickly, throwing her arms up as though to physically stop the barrage of questions her friends had thrown at her. "Well... For starters, my job is still pretty boring, I promise. I'm just doing the normal secretary thing, but my boss is really nice to me so that's not so bad," An image of old Kaede swam across her vision, and she continued to tick off all of the aspects of her job that she could without giving away anything important.
"I'm getting paid 2,000 a week..." She continued.
"Whoa! Go Kagome! That's a lot for a first time secretary," Kiki congratulated while slapping Kagome on the back, a large smile stretching across her face.
"I could certainly do with some pocket cash like that," Keiko added dramatically, resting her cheek in her hand.
"Well I'm working practically every day so I think it's only fair," Kagome pointed out, thinking of the long hours she spent at the office, writing up reports and training with Miroku.
"That's true," Kiki acknowledged.
"But what about the guys?" Keiko reminded Kagome, nudging the girl with her elbow suggestively. "I bet you're getting to know some of those muscular, federal agents real well, right?"
"Um!" And now pictures of the handsome Inuyasha inexorably came to mind, but Kagome furiously tried to push them down, instead attempting to imagine the silver haired hanyou embracing a coldly beautiful Kikyo in an effort to keep herself from giving into temptation again. Kikyo was dressed in her miko robes like in the picture Kaede had shown her, and he was smiling down on her lovingly. However, all this served to do was make Kagome feel cold and thoroughly depressed inside, so she shook her head once and rid her mind of ALL pictures, instead. "No... it's against office policies to become involved with other agen- er, co-workers." She said firmly.
"You're so dull Kagome," Keiki said in a matter-of-fact tone of voice, while, off to the side, Kagome realized that Hojo looked a bit relieved. She pretended not to notice and focused on her own shrimp roll intently, poking at it dully with wooden chopsticks.
For the rest of the meal the friends all spoke of this and that companionably, laughing and having a generally good time, making Kagome wistful for the days when she used to be able to do this sort of thing at least twice a week and think nothing of it. She hadn't realized just out privileged she had been back then...
Kagome had become deeply engrossed in a particularly juicy conversation with Keiko about an old friend from high school who was apparently leading a far more thrilling sex-life than Kagome, or indeed anyone she had ever heard of before, involving barnyard animals and a Russian male model - when the painfully familiar feel of her miko senses giving off their best warning signals rang sharply through her head.
"What - " she gasped softly, turning away from Keiko in mid-sentence to stare at the entrance of the restaurant. "Oh my God..."
And there, at the door, being politely greeted by the hostess, and slipping their heavy fur jacket off their shoulders smoothly, was a demon. In plain sight. At a sushi restaurant. A mere few yards away from her best friends.
"Kagome? What is it?" Keiko asked worriedly, patting Kagome on the shoulder as the thin girl continued to stare, wide eyed, at the female demon. She was a fairly attractive demon, Kagome supposed, with a lithe, curvy figure and a pretty face. Her dark hair was held back in a short ponytail by ivory clips, and straight bangs fell low around her darkly painted, crimson red eyes Kagome was sure no one could miss. Her skin was an alabaster white, her lips full and sensuous. Typical demon markings slashed down her face, and she appraised the restaurant as though she knew she were the center of attention as she was led to a table not that far off from Kagome's.
Kagome had to clench her fists while a burst of cold, mean energy blasted past her as the demon woman strutted by her table in an explosion of expensive silks and glittering jewelry.
"I-I think - " Kagome started nervously, turning back to Keiko and finding herself completely at a loss for words. What could she say? What should she do? What she wanted to do was get her friends as far away from this highly powerful and dangerous demon as quickly as possible - but she didn't think she could do this without drawing attention to herself and thus, them. This had to be approached carefully.. Kagome swallowed the rising panic that threatened to overwhelm her as she thought of one of her friends being murdered by a demon because of her involvement with Naraku, and tried to focus of Keiko. However, once she did this, it occurred to Kagome that Keiko was hardly paying any attention to her anymore.. "Keiko?" Kagome snapped, following the girl's distracted stare, and stifling a groan as she realized Keiko's gaze was locked directly on the demon as she was seated at a table off to the side.
'Wait.... seated at a table?' Kagome repeated in her head, frowning lightly. 'Why are they letting this demon just take a seat like any normal customer? Don't they notice her red eyes, and demon markings? Maybe they think it's a costume - I'm sure they can't feel her chi like I can... But still..'
"So pretty..." Keiko sighed adoringly, her eyes glittering with admiration as she continued to stare at the demon.
"'Pretty'?" Kagome repeated incredulously. "What are you talking about? You think that, that ... Woman, is pretty?"
"Well of course - but that's not what I'm talking about; it's that dress! It's simply fabulous! It looks like real silk too, and it fits her so well.... isn't that what you were looking at?" Keiko asked with honest curiosity, tipping her head at her friend and raising an inquisitive eyebrow.
"Well, I - " she stuttered stupidly, glancing around Keiko to find that Kiki and Hojo were holding an animated conversation and didn't even seem to notice the presence of the demon in the room. "I mean, it's a nice dress, but come ON," Kagome laughed, shaking her head. Keiko couldn't be THAT ditzy, could she? She wouldn't overlook the woman's demonic appearance in favor of her expensive, red silk Chinese dress..
"I HAVE to go ask her where she got it!" Keiko added excitedly, hopping up from her seat with an eager expression on her face, and heading towards the demon's table.
"What? No!" Kagome all but shouted, grabbing Keiko by the wrist and hauling her backwards, finally grabbing the attention of a mildly startled Kiki and Hojo. "What are you thinking?" she asked sharply, thoroughly confused.
"God Kagome, what's wrong with you? It's not as though it's rude or anything. I just want to ask her where she bought her dress.. people do stuff like this all the time," Keiko reasoned with Kagome as though she were talking to a very young child, and this made Kagome all the more frustrated.
"But - but - she's just! It's just!" she sputtered indignantly, as the demon picked up her own menu and began skimming through it casually, a few tables down.
"Just let her go Kag. It's NOT that big a deal," Kiki said soothingly, patting Kagome on the back as Keiko turned on her heal to go speak with the demon. "Keiko won't be impolite or anything,"
"That's not what I'm worried about," Kagome sighed with frustration, wondering if everyone had gone totally insane that night - or if it was just her. She feared that the correct answer would be the latter reason, but rose from her chair nonetheless to watch Keiko converse with the demon woman, who was still going unnoticed by the majority of the restaurant occupants, excluding a few interested looking men.
Keiko was giving off her biggest, cheesiest smile as she asked the demon where she had purchased her simply LOVELY dress, nearly giving Kagome a heart attack as she went so far as to place a hand on the demon's shoulder when the youkai lady appeared totally comfortable with the question.
Straining her ears, Kagome vaguely heard the woman reply with something like 'Oh, downtown at the Versace store on 12th...' Making Keiko's eyes widen with either recognition as she remembered where the store was, or shock as she realized just how expensive the dress must have been.
"I see, well, it's a VERY beautiful dress. And you wear it so well! Thank you, goodbye.." Kagome followed Keiko's movements all the way back to the table with cautious brown eyes, falling back into her chair when she realized that Keiko had made it back to the table totally unscathed.
'Ohmigod...' Kagome sighed, placing her head in her hands as Keiko bounced back into her seat merrily. 'I didn't realize how worried I would be for my friends... I didn't realize how badly the idea of one of them being attacked by a youkai bothers me,'
"Now that wasn't so bad, was it Kagome?" Keiko asked with a knowing grin, observing her obviously overworked friend from the corner of her eye as she sipped her tea.
Kagome stared back at Keiko flatly, listening to the sound of her own heart racing in her chest, her gaze traveling inescapably over Keiko's shoulder and back to the demon's table. There, the demon woman seemed to have finally taken notice of the young and confused miko. She stared Kagome down with dramatic blood red eyes that twinkled with undertones of mischievousness, and swiftly snapped open a delicate, yet sharp looking fan with a flick of her wrist, smiling from behind it and giving Kagome a rather suggestive wink.
*
'I guess I should just get used to the idea that demons really do live like normal people in Tokyo,' Kagome admitted to herself on the way home that chilly winter night. 'And I also should accept the fact that I'm going to be the only one who can see them for what they really are.. they're not all bad guys. I know that from working at the agency, so I shouldn't get freaked when one wants to eat out for sushi,' Her gaze flitted up to the half moon glowing dully in the city sky, and she quickened her pace subtly as she realized how late it had gotten without her realizing it. 'Still, there was something about that demon.. something very OFF about her..'
After sushi, Keiko and Kiki had suggested the group check out the new club a little ways off from campus. Hojo had readily agreed to go with the girls, but Kagome had politely refused, explaining that she had work tomorrow morning, unlike some privileged people, and she didn't want to get home too late that night. Nor did she want to get too drunk, either. Kagome wasn't sure just how Inuyasha would handle it if he caught her stumbling into the apartment at three AM, terrifically plastered and smelling like a million and one disgusting things to his sensitive hanyou nose.
The girls had been disappointed, but bid her farewell with hugs and kisses and promises to meet up again soon, because it was just too unfair how the FBI got to keep Kagome all to themselves while they had to spend practically all winter vacation without her. There had even been an essentially un-awkward goodbye embrace with Hojo, probably the first since their breakup the summer of senior year. And then they all piled into a taxi and sped off in the other direction, while Kagome was left to wander home by herself in the dark, as it encroached upon eleven PM in the city.
'Maybe it's better that I don't get to see them that much,' Kagome added as she placed her hands over her freezing ears while a particularly strong gush of cold wind blew bye. 'The less Naraku knows about my friends, the better. I don't want him to use my friends or family against me, and it certainly seems like he would have no reservations about stooping that low.'
It was only three more blocks to the apartment, but it felt like twenty as Kagome's thin legs, covered only by black tights, began to shiver uncontrollably. The trees swayed noisily in the wind, and an eerie whistling sound rang through the allies and buildings Kagome passed by, giving her the creeps as she wished to be back in her warm and cozy apartment with Shippou and Buyo and Inuyasha already.
'Oh no,' the pretty girl thought despondently as, for the second time that night, her mystic senses began to buzz their quiet warning, making all the hairs on Kagome's back stand on end, and her eyes dart around in a panicked fashion. 'Please tell me there are no demons lurking in the shadows now... Not now, not when Inuyasha isn't here..' It was true, Kagome knew she could probably call the strong agent to her side with her mind and magic if push came to shove, as she had done with Yura, but she wasn't confident enough with her abilities to feel secure with this knowledge, so the fear only continued to roll off her in powerful waves as the definite feel of some sort of demon lurked closer.
'Go away go away go away..' the mantra rang loudly through her brain as Kagome sped up her pace significantly, jogging down the sidewalk in a desperate three block dash for her apartment, thinking if she could just get in the building she'd be safe. Her breath came out in painful, ragged pants as the cold took a toll on her lungs, and the feeling of a powerful presence in her mind got stronger and stronger.
'They're getting closer! Are they behind me?' She wondered, risking a glance over her shoulder. At first it seemed as though there was nothing but murky shadows created by the looming apartment buildings, crisscrossing over the sidewalks behind her. But then she spotted a flicker of glowing red in the distance, coupled by the distinct sound of someone chuckling maliciously in her head. It sent powerful shivers down her spine and almost made her trip over her own feet as she resisted the urge to squeak with fright and surprise. 'Oh God!'
"OOMPH!" Kagome gasped/cried, smashing into something very solid as it rounded the corner quickly. She squeezed her eyes shut as she felt herself finally loose her balance and stumble backwards from the force of the collision. Her nose was numb and she smelled something salty in the air - had she broken the delicate cartilage? She hadn't realized she'd been running that fast..
"Dammit!" a familiar voice cried out in alarm, catching her before her head could snap back on the unforgiving pavement, and lifting her up with their muscular arms wrapped tightly around her small form in an almost protective gesture. "Kagome? Are you all right?"
"I - Inuyasha!" she cried, embarrassing herself with how utterly desperate and relieved she sounded. But there was no denying the fact that she felt truly protected and comforted by the sight of the tall, white haired hanyou looking down at her with concerned golden eyes. In fact, it was down right inspiring. "I'm so glad you're here!" she added animatedly.
"Well, I was just about to check up on you, considering how late it's gotten... I was worried something had happened when you didn't come home ..." He spoke warily, as though worried she would snap at him for coming to see her after she had explicitly told him to go no where near the restaurant or her friends. But Kagome only shook her head silently, bumping her forehead against Inuyasha's hard chest as though chiding herself for being so foolish. How could she have told Inuyasha to stay away? She needed him....
"Thank you, thank you." She breathed, noticing distantly that the feeling of the foreign demon was suspiciously gone from her mind. Now it was just she and Inuyasha, as far as she could tell.
"Hey," Inuyasha said, his gaze inquisitive as he hooked a finger under Kagome's chin and moved her face upwards so he could stare down at it. "Are you really okay? You look like you've just seen a ghost or something."
"Or something," Kagome agreed, shooting him a quirky little grin and moving away from his leather jacket clad form, in favor of simply hooking arms with him. She felt no need to tell him about her almost-demon encounter of a few minutes ago. The threat was gone anyway, and she had a feeling the whole episode could have been a product of her overactive imagination, stress, and simple expectancy since it was true that she had been jumped by a youkai nearly every time she had been left alone, for nearly the past week. "Come on, let's go home. I need to rest up for that mission tomorrow, right?"
Inuyasha stared down at her curiously for another beat, his head cocked cutely to the side, and his ears flicking around madly. But then he simply frowned and snorted indifferently, making a gesture that said simply 'Oh, I give up!' but turning and leading the way back the apartment nonetheless. "Yeah, whatever."
*
Early the next morning, a plain looking, tan van came to a halt outside the gate of an impressively sized, all marble and glass mansion. The address read 401 in delicate gold letters, and the large manor was located in one of the ritzier and extremely reclusive areas of Tokyo. Beyond the gate one could see a sun filled stone courtyard, with many expensive statues decorating the vicinity - scattered artistically about the gardens and cobblestone roads. Even though winter had taken it's toll on the greenery, a collection of bare Sakura Blossom trees spoke of hidden beauty when the season was right, lining the path to the main entrance of the house.
An impressed Kagome sucked in a breath of awe and continued to stare at the compound, wide eyed, while at the same time a slightly less than fazed Inuyasha lazily rolled down his tinted window and pressed a button on the intercom planted to the side of the large gate, awaiting permission to be let in to the youkai mansion. He fidgeted with the tiny communicator piece in his ear while he waited for someone to pick up, remembering to act on his best behavior, as there were probably a few dozen people back at the agency listening in on everything he said.
"Hello, welcome to the Wolf Clan Compound - to whom am I speaking?" a crackly voice finally replied. Inuyasha leaned over and answered casually, in a bit of a common drawl unlike his usual clipped speech:
"We're the new hired help - we were told to be here at eight.?"
"Oh, yes. Come right in then," Without further ado the gates began to whine and squeak as they were electronically opened, leaving just enough space for the van to fit through as it hesitantly putted across the pristine looking courtyard.
"This place is so big.." Kagome pointed out a bit anxiously, her hands fisting her plain brown, knee length skirt unconsciously as she spoke.
"You knew how big it was - heck, we just looked over the blueprints for the whole damn house this morning," Inuyasha replied shortly, plainly not interested in the rookie agent's petty worries.
"Yeah, but it's different seeing it for real," Kagome explained softly, as though afraid of being overheard, while shrugging and setting about un-creasing the skirt she had just efficiently wrinkled. "Besides, I'm sure you've done stuff like this a lot in the past. This is my first official mission ever!" she reminded her partner tartly after a moment.
"Hm," Inuyasha replied indifferently, pulling his brown cap further down on his head so his face was brought into shadow, his eyes intense as he watched a butler come out of the large front doors and wait for he and Kagome to pull up expectantly. "Well, just don't blow it. Remember, you're a common, youkai maid.... well, you're a human maid, who is part of the demon circle of Tokyo.... right?"
"Right," Kagome replied in a strong voice, nodding her head straightening her posture confidently - before quickly wincing and shrinking back down. "Ouch!" she muttered irritably.
"What is it?" Inuyasha asked softly as he halted the bulky van, the back of which was filled to the brim with various anti-youkai weapons and communication devices, and certainly not cleaning supplies, as almost everyone at the compound assumed they would be. Only a select few at this mansion knew who Kagome and Inuyasha really were, and why they had come to the Prince of the Wolf Youkai's home that morning. And the fewer people who knew, the better.
"Oh, it's nothing - I'm just not used to having a gun under here," Kagome replied quickly, waving a casual hand at Inuyasha as she rubbed her thigh carefully. "Actually, I'm not used to having a gun anywhere."
After arriving at the agency far earlier than was healthy, Inuyasha and Kagome had been supplied with practically a full-blown arsenal of weapons, almost all of which Kagome hadn't the slightest idea of how to use. She had never used a gun in her life, and most of these anti-demon rifles and shotguns looked a bit daunting.
'Normal guns don't really have much of an affect of demons,' an older demon youkai agent had explained the mystified Kagome, earlier that day. 'So we have special weapons for our agents, most of which have been spelled by mikos and monks, and all of which are loaded with our very own silver bullets. Made special for the maximum amount of damage on a youkai,'
Kagome had accepted the modestly sized semi-automatic handgun offered to her, after receiving a brief rundown of just what how to use it, but left the scene feeling a bit awkward. She didn't like the idea of shooting anyone with a gun, be they demon or no, and had wished Kaede or Miroku had been there to guide her through the process instead of some random field agent. Apparently, however, Detective Kaede and special agent Miroku were both occupied with another mission of sorts that morning, and couldn't be bothered to teach Kagome the basics of essentially non-magical demon extermination.
Later, Kagome had asked why Inuyasha hadn't received a gun as well, and felt strangely satisfied to hear the hanyou explain that he didn't like to use any sort of firearm. He believed his claws had a much more effective result when unleashed, and also mentioned that he believed guns were almost like cheating when it came to battling other youkai.
"Well, now I really want to keep this one," Kagome had sighed, her dark mood not lightened by Inuyasha's callous observation, as she hesitantly tapped the holster strapped to her thigh. Inuyasha had only shrugged at her in response, his tone carefully impartial when he replied.
"It's different for you. You're so much more physically weak than anyone we'll be up against; I wouldn't be against letting you use one... It might make me feel more comfortable with you being out there in the middle of things, when you're so green with your powers. It's just different for me because I'm so much stronger," he had ended with, effectively canceling out any sweet sentiments the statement might have held.
Currently, both Inuyasha and Kagome were dressed in rather ugly, matching brown getups of that of a cleaning lady and a maintenance man, their identities as Demon FBI agents totally secret to the staff of the house. The demons working in the Wolf Prince's home were expecting some extra help that day as they prepared for an upcoming ball, and only the prince himself, and a few of his personal guards and close family members, knew Kagome and Inuyasha as the special agents they really were.
Kagome remembered to keep this all in mind as she hopped out of the van, Inuyasha leaving the keys in the ignition as he spotted a younger looking demon come to stand next to the butler, apparently the valet waiting to park the bulky vehicle in a nearby lot. The back of the van was specially sealed off by various wards and layers of steal, so the hanyou had no fear of the kid discovering the bounty of weapons he and Kagome had hidden in the back in case of an emergency.
The two attractive agents walked up to the butler and bowed respectfully, Inuyasha coming up first and regarding the stuffy looking wolf demon servant lazily.
"So, whater y'all gonna have us do first?" he asked in a low pitched, country brogue, forcing Kagome to cough violently into her hand as an inexorable bout of giggles bubbled in her throat. She could almost see Inuyasha mentally roll his eyes at her lack of restraint.
Oh boy....
*
"Please, wait in here while I fetch the Master.... he asked to see you personally, though I have no idea why. He usually doesn't trouble himself with personally inspecting YOUR type of hired help," The butler, Mr. Tsuyame he had asked the couple call him, mentioned haughtily as he turned on his heal and marched out of the finely crafted study Kagome and Inuyasha had been led into.
As it turned out, Mr. Tsuyame, a thin and willowy looking demon with small, beady orange eyes, was a total prick. But Kagome and Inuyasha had pretended not to care as they regarded the interior of the Wolf Mansion appraisingly, trying to take in everything they could, and memorize all of the various staircases and halls - all while not looking too obvious. Kagome found it was best to pretend she was awestruck by the house in order to get a good look around - mostly because she was, in fact, awestruck by the impressive structure.
"Okay," Kagome replied, nodding her head. But the butler was already out the door, his tailcoats billowing importantly behind him.
"Man, what's he got stuck up his butt?" Inuyasha snorted disdainfully once he was sure he and Kagome were alone. Kagome sighed at her partner - she personally had been determined to act a bit more mature on this assignment, now that she knew there were agents listening in on their actions thanks to the essentially invisible microphone in her ear. She knew Inuyasha was aware of this fact as well, as he had previously mentioned that it made him uncomfortable, he just seemed to have a harder time acting polite and serious in the house of their current potential-victim than she did.
The study was lavishly furnished, and, like the rest of the impressive mansion, looked extremely old. However, it wasn't the sort of old that Kagome was used to - like the deteriorating, dangerously old parts of her childhood home, the Higurashi Shrine. That temple had been around since the Feudal Era, and when living in it Kagome had often times felt as though the whole structure might fall down around her ears if she walked too hard through some of the main shrines.
No, this mansion was not THAT sort of old. It was a well-maintained, beautiful and mysterious looking old, that's wooden chests and tables were dark and glossy, and that's ceilings still retained their original intricate moldings, curving into beautiful plaster flowers. The marble floors looked as though no one had ever scratched them, despite having been around for many, many decades, and the whole place smelled musky... Yet it was an expensive sort of musk Kagome's temple had never been able to attain.
Kagome was so lost in her thoughts, some of them nostalgic for home and the family she hadn't communicated with in nearly a week, it greatly startled her when the agency's potential victim burst into the room with hardly any warning, briskly approaching she and Inuyasha with not so much as an introduction.
"Are you two weaklings supposed to be my bodyguards?" Prince Kouga of the renowned demon Wolf Clan demanded sharply, his large fangs jutting out over his lip as he gave both Kagome and Inuyasha the once over, the expression on his face clearly stating that what he saw was less than satisfactory. Kagome's mouth opened as she gazed at the demon, but no sound came out, and all that could be heard from Inuyasha was a warning growl in the back of his throat.
Kouga's very presence seemed to scream speed. Every move he made, right down to the way his pale blue eyes seemed to zip around at the slightest suggestion of movement from anything in the room, was ridiculously fast. The two other wolf demons behind him, presumably close confidents of the prince who were also in on Kagome and Inuyasha's real identities, appeared to move painstakingly slow compared to their speedy leader, even though they were of the same breed.
He also happened to be notably handsome. Kouga had deeply tanned skin and an incredibly muscular body, which was clearly defined through his black, collared t-shirt. His thick brown hair was held out of his face in a ponytail, and his messy chocolate bangs did nothing to hide his handsome and shadowed features. Even the unnaturally pointed ears, large fangs and slitted pupils did little to take away from his over all attractiveness. Besides, those things seemed to work for Inuyasha, who was quite aesthetically pleasing to Kagome..
"One lousy hanyou and a mortal girl - THAT'S the best the famous demon FBI can offer? And after I clearly stated that I wanted no part in this whole 'Potential Victim Protection Program', business.. it's truly an insult." Kouga barked in his scratchy, deep voice.
"Uhhh...." Kagome responded dumbly, while Inuyasha began to fume dangerously next to her. Who did this guy think he was?
"Now listen here pal - " Inuyasha began in a foreboding tone, before being swiftly cut off by one of the two wolf demon attendants standing stiffly behind Kouga.
"N-Now Master Kouga, you know that this is all for your benefit! Your family insisted you let the FBI take over once it was decided that you were a potential victim for Naraku... So why don't you just let them do - "
"Yes, yes, I know all that - but look at them! They're pathetic! A half- breed a silly little girl cannot possibly be fit to withstand the forces of Naraku, if he DID happen to target me." Kouga reasoned with the buff, white haired wolf demon next to him. The attendant traded glances with his partner, before beginning to speak again so that Inuyasha wouldn't have a chance to jump in once more and say something terribly rude to Kouga.
"But Sir - that hanyou is Inuyasha - son of the deceased Lord Inu! And his elder brother is the famed demon Sesshomaru!" the other wolf demon explained, as though this would placate their leader's anger.
"Yes, and that girl is Kagome Higurashi - a powerful miko! We had the FBI give us the background of the two agents they were sending over before they came - we would never let them send just anybody to guard the mansion." His companion added with a serious expression on his face.
Kouga's eyes narrowed slightly, but he seemed to accept his attendant's answers. He slowly turned around and addressed the agents once again, Inuyasha red in the face with anger, but miraculously holding his tongue at thought of the people back at the agency listening in on everything he said. For her part, Kagome was staring intently at the Oriental rug beneath her feet, unsure of what to do. Kouga sure seemed to be an insulting and rude person, and she wondered what was so pure about his soul that Naraku would consider killing him to fuel the shikon no tama.
"So, you're Sesshomaru's younger brother, are you?" Kouga asked, addressing Inuyasha first. He stood in front of the hanyou with his arms, which were bulging with muscles, folded. Inuyasha seemed pleased to see that he was about two inches taller than the wolf demon.
"Yeah, what of it?" Inuyasha responded in an equally as hostile tone. This wolf demon had obviously already blown it with the hanyou, and Inuyasha didn't seem to be willing to easily forgive the wolf prince for his previous words.
"I met the bloke once or twice. Thought he was a real ass. Just thought you should know," Kouga commented lightly.
"Yeah? Well that makes two of us," Inuyasha responded simply, shrugging his shoulders. Kouga looked briefly disappointed that he hadn't provoked more of a reaction in Inuyasha with his last comment, but he quickly recovered from the feeling as his pale gaze came to rest upon Kagome.
Kagome gulped as Kouga's eyes took on a mischievous tone. It was clear to the girl that this demon just wanted to stir up trouble with she and Inuyasha because he was spiteful over the fact that he had been given 'babysitters' to defend him against the murderer Naraku, (What was it with guys and their intolerable pride?) and so she became wary as Kouga began to grin widely at her, moving fully away from Inuyasha and quickly coming to stand close to her smaller form.
"And you're the miko, hm? The agency was right; you are powerful. I can feel it now that I get a proper look at you. I also can't help but notice that you're.. quite good-looking, for a human girl," he said smoothly, flashing Kagome a heart melting smile.
"Wellll..." she said, laughing uneasily as she felt Inuyasha grow agitated next to her, obviously not pleased that she was being sweet-talked while on the job. Quickly, she thought up something to say that would keep Inuyasha's temper at bay. "Well, actually, I've just begun training my miko powers recently, so they're not as refined as they should be, presently,"
Kouga raised a questioning eyebrow at this, and Inuyasha quickly jumped into the conversation.
"You don't have to worry. She has enough surplus of miko power in her to give Naraku a nasty shock," Inuyasha quickly assured Kouga, making Kagome blush at the unexpected praise. "The FBI knows what they're doing.. Mr. Kouga," Inuyasha said 'Mr.' as though it hurt him physically to address Kouga with an honorific. "Just let us take it from here, please,"
Kouga stared blankly at Inuyasha for a moment, before quickly transferring his attention back over to Kagome, as though the hanyou had never spoken in the first place.
"Hmmm.. Beautiful AND powerful, are you? That seems like a pretty impressive combination, Ms. Kagome," Kouga said in a smooth tone. Kagome could only blink with surprise, completely overcome with all of the compliments she was unexpectedly receiving.
"She's not THAT pretty," Inuyasha mumbled, annoyed as he watched Kouga take Kagome's pale hand in his own larger one.
"Gee, thanks," Kagome deadpanned at the silver haired demon.
"Obviously this puppy doesn't know how to treat his partner right. What say you be my personal bodyguard for the day, Kagome? Inuyasha can patrol the grounds, but I'd feel much better if I knew I had a full fledged miko by my side," the prince said enticingly.
"I'm not so sure," Kagome replied hesitantly. That hadn't been part of the plan they had made back at the agency. She had Inuyasha were supposed to patrol the grounds, disguised as servants, and search for any signs of Naraku's handiwork around the compound. Like errant spider heads in the dining room, etc.
"Hey, why don't you let US do the planning here, MR. Kouga!" Inuyasha barked, disliking the situation more and more. Why did he feel so ANGRY when he watched Kouga link hands with a slightly doubtful looking Kagome? Why did he feel the need to attack something when that stuck up wolf smiled down at her playfully?
"This is my home, Agent Inuyasha. I won't let someone like you push me around here. I think this situation is fine - don't you, boys?" Kouga asked his two official looking attendants, who had fallen silent ever since Kouga had taken a distinct interest in the pretty raven haired FBI agent.
"Yes Master Kouga, it's very good. We can show Mr. Inuyasha around the mansion, and Ms. Kagome keep you from harm..." One of the wolves said, nodding his head affirmatively.
"Wonderful! Then it's all settled," Kouga said with a sense of finality to his tone, pulling Kagome closer to him by their linked arms, and briskly leading her towards the door before she had a chance to say anything about the matter. "Please Inuyasha, if you have any questions, don't hesitate to ask one of the boys."
"H-Hey, wait!" Inuyasha called after the tan demon, looking harassed as he watched Kagome give him an apologetic glance before being whisked out the door, practically stumbling over her own feet because of the fast pace at which Kouga was traveling. "Kagome!"
But then Kagome was jogging down a series of marble halls with golden chandeliers dangling from the ceiling, Kouga keeping a firm, warm hold on her arm, and smiling broadly. She felt confused and off center as she tried to take in all of the foreign things around her, barely remembering she was now supposed to be acting the part of a humble maid since she was out of the study. She distantly realized Kouga was saying something to her, and quickly tried to focus on the sound of his voice, rather than the ringing in her head.
"I'm quite happy the FBI sent me someone as attractive and talented as you to be my guard. I've never met an actual miko before, though I've heard great legends about them." Kouga was saying in a friendly tone, making Kagome blush. He threw so many compliments at her without batting a lash, and this habit of his was making her quite flustered. Inuyasha was never like this. "At first I was completely adamant about not having the FBI in my home, since the Wolf Clan is obviously more than capable of taking care of itself... But now I don't mind it so much," Kouga finished with a roguish wink down at Kagome.
"That's... nice," Kagome decided to say, her smile big and fake. "But, uh, where are we?" she continued in a more hesitant tone, as Kouga threw open a pair of large doors to what looked like a well furnished common room of sorts. In this new room, there was a wall-to-wall maroon carpet, rich wooden paneling, a bulky looking fire place, and a collection of comfy looking, dark velvet couches pushed against various walls.
"This is my room.. well, one of them." The wolf prince reflected, leading Kagome over to a couch and proceeding to sit down himself, cushioning his head with his arms and smiling up at Kagome roguishly. Kagome bit her lip and clasped her hands together behind her back, not taking a seat next to Kouga, as he obviously had expected her to. "My training hall is the next room down, and my bedroom is behind that door right over there.." He pointed at a door in the right hand corner of the common room. "If you're interested."
"Uh, no, that's okay, actually..." Kagome responded quickly, waving her hands in front of herself. "Actually, you know, I'm supposed to be acting the part of a maid right now, and I don't think anyone's going to believe I'm actually hired help if you keep treating me like a - a special guest or something," The fact that she was supposed to be a maid drew Kagome's attention back down to her shapeless brown dress. Kouga thought she looked attractive - when she was wearing THIS potato sack?
Kouga shrugged, looking indifferent, the expression on his face very similar to the one Inuyasha wore when he wanted to make it clear he didn't really care what Kagome thought.
"It doesn't matter. Honestly, I look at this whole protection thing as a bit of a joke. I mean, what are the chances of Naraku really coming after me, anyway? He's just some random psycho - I'm not worried about him. Besides, I'm pretty sure I could take him on even if he did feel like trying to attack me or my clan" he explained breezily. Kagome's eyes widened and she stared at Kouga incredulously.
"What are you talking about? Naraku has killed many, many demons in just the past few months, and he would definitely be someone to worry about if there is even the smallest possibility that he would come after you or your loved ones," she insisted, having first hand knowledge of just how threatening Naraku truly was. Kouga raised an eyebrow at the pretty priestess, his eyes abruptly taking on a more serious tone.
"What do you mean he's killed lots of demons in the past few months? I've hardly heard anything about it.. it hasn't been in the demon papers very much, and they'd talk about it if they knew he was on a rampage, or something." Kouga said speculatively.
Kagome suddenly felt as though she had done something very unintelligent, as she distantly remembered Kaede mentioning something about how they were attempting to keep the Naraku case under wraps from the public, and how it could cause total panic if word about Naraku's killing spree got out to the demon population, or even the human population. She knew that the demon people were aware that Naraku was at large, however they didn't realize just how dangerous he was, nor how serious his case was becoming. Sighing deeply, Kagome tried to think of a way to get herself out of this situation.
"Well.. maybe I was exaggerating a bit," she offered lightly.
"No, you weren't. I can tell." Kouga corrected her quickly.
"What? How do you know that?" Kagome questioned, folding her arms obstinately. "I was just trying to scare you so you'd take this operation more seriously, that's all!" she insisted fiercely.
"No, you WEREN'T." Kouga responded, all out frowning now. "I'm a demon, remember, my heightened senses can tell me when you're telling the truth or not. Why didn't the agency inform me of Naraku's record before I got involved in all this? If he really has been killing lots of people lately, my clan should know about it! The FBI only told me he had killed one or two demons previously, and that he was reported to be in the area...."
"I'm telling you - you're wrong! I was just kidding!" Kagome continued to argue, undaunted.
"Dammit woman, stop lying to me!" Kouga growled, getting to his feet, and suddenly acting none-to-friendly with Kagome. Apparently, Kouga was an entirely different demon when it concerned the protection of his clan.
"I'm NOT!"
"Yes, you are!"
"No, I'm definitely not!"
"It's no use telling me that, I know for a fact you weren't lying you crazy miko bitch!"
At this, Kagome gasped sharply and, without stopping to think about the consequences of her actions, she zipped forward and slapped Kouga across the face. Kouga seemed so unprepared for the shy looking mortal to do something like that, he didn't even block her attack.
It wasn't that hard of a slap, and certainly nothing that would cause damage to the Wolf Clan Prince himself... But it did leave Kouga looking rather shocked as he held his cheek with one hand, his blue eyes wide with blatant surprise.
"OhmiGod!" Kagome squeaked, bringing a hand to her mouth, horrified. "I didn't mean it! I'm so sorry! Are you all right?" She approached Kouga once more, gently taking his hand away from his cheek so she could inspect him carefully, terribly afraid her slap might leave a bruise on his face. However, she seemed to have left much less of a mark than she had first assumed, and Kouga's cheek was simply a bit pinkish, but otherwise in fine condition. Kagome bit her lip and looked up at him, wondering if he was going to send her back to the agency now, and request another agent for the mission. Inuyasha would be so mad at her... And Kaede and Miroku would be disappointed!
However, to Kagome's utter surprise, when she looked back up at Kouga - he was smiling at her once more.
"Beautiful, powerful, AND spunky, hu? Agent Kagome Higurashi - you are the perfect woman."
Kagome distantly felt her jaw hit the floor as she stared up at Kouga flatly. What kind of a demon was this? Was he totally insane? She had just bitch-slapped him across the face, and he was already back to flirting with her!
"Come on, I'll show you my bedroom now - I have a feeling you'll really like it," Kouga said in a firm tone, leading her towards the back of the room while Kagome was still in a daze, nearly dizzy with relief over the fact that he hadn't been angry with her, but terribly confused about it nonetheless.
"Wait, hold on a -" Kagome had just begun to protest, when the sound of something whooshing quickly through the air caught her attention, and an odd feeling formed in the pit of her stomach. Her powers began to tingle forebodingly.
Kagome spun around to look at one of the floor length windows lining the wall, just in time to see a female demon in an expensive dress crash noisily through the glass while perched gracefully on a giant.. feather.
*
Author's notes:
Three guesses as to who THAT is! Yep. It's Kikyo! Haha.. just kidding. Anyway, sorry again for taking two months to update, I'll try to get the next chapter out sooner, but don't count on it. Next chapter - The Demon Bounty Hunters. Which means we actually get to meet Sango, for real.
Anyway, there are some people I would like to thank now... Let's see:
Lonemoon23: Haha.. well, I kind of did take a long time, but it's all good!
ArtemisMoon: You're right, Inuyasha WAS due for a bout of jealousy. But that's what makes him great, right? Thank you sooo much for the tip about the dots, I totally didn't know about it, and it had really been bothering me!
Silver Magiccraft: Thanks for noticing the long chapters, lol. I really do try to make them pretty long, because I hate it when authors spit out little, three page nothing chapters. (This one was 23 pages or something - but it doesn't really count because of how long I took with updating! Oh well..)
Nonsequitur: Thank you for defending me about Kagome's reaction with the spider heads! I hadn't even considered your point of view when I wrote that chapter, I was only really thinking about how gross it would be to have a spider sitting on you, but you're totally right. I hope you can always say that Inuyasha and Kagome are acting in character for my fic, and thanks for reviewing! - Oh, and for your later review, I'm not leaving this story dead in the water, I promise! I'm just having trouble updating!
The Random Queen: More? Yes. Soon? Um, I tried.
Diamondgirl: Ha, I guess I took your advice pretty well. I took a breath of fresh air for two consecutive months! And yes, I WOULD like a laptop.
Gueshoo: I'll try and be faster!
Rambling Coffee Addict: You were right - it was Kouga! And although I'm afraid Kouga wasn't totally in character (I always have a hard time portraying Kouga correctly - don't really know why.) I'm glad you're happy about it. I'm sorry about the period problem - they were all supposed to be '.', but my computer doesn't let it show up like that on ff.net. I think I fixed it for this chapter, thanks to ArtemisMoon, but if I didn't. sorry! I'll try to work it out next time. Thanks for reviewing!
Atlas-86: I'm sorry I didn't talk about Sango and Miroku at ALL this chapter - but you'll find out how they know each other next chapter, I promise.
Sylaera: Whoa! Thanks for the super long review.... Those are always my favorites. You're right, I hate how some people make Miroku out to be just some hormone driven freak of nature, too. And I promise I'll try to make it so that Kagome and Inuyasha profess their love for one another after at least TWO weeks. Sorry to interrupt your Counter-Striking... Thanks for reviewing!
A friend: You're right! - and when did I put u instead of you? Yikes!
Saro: Wow! My very own Oreo and pocky alter! That's so cool! Thanks for understanding how frustrating writer's block can be for an author, as well. I don't think I'm over it at all, but I'm trying to be really dedicated for this fic because it has so many great reviewers.
Cataluna: Thanks! (Sorry, I'm running out of things to say!)
ScorpionOcean: I'm glad you stumbled across it too! Thanks for reviewing.
Josie: I'll update the next chapter sooner, just for you!
Biganimefan1: Glad you think my fic is cool!
Yosei/ambereyes: One of my fav reviewers! Or rather.. Two of my fav reviewers. You're really cool and nice and I really appreciate it when you remind me about what an ass I am by not updating! I really take it into account and try harder when you make me think about the people who are expecting an update. Also, you're funny!
Gracelyn: Thank you for saying the characters aren't OOC! - the idea really plagues me when I'm writing. I'll think about posting the deleted WAFF scenes for interested reviewers.. but I'm afraid it might just be a little out of place. Thanks for reviewing!
TheWhitePrincess1: The story kept you up until 4AM? Wow I'm sorry! I don't think I'm going to be writing the other fic about Kagome and Kikyo, because there were just too many complications with it - but luckily I've started up two other totally random IY fics I will not update because I'm in a writer's block, and I've got a new Rin/Sess fic coming out as well! (I LOVE that couple - only Rin has to be older.) You were one of the two that caught the coffee slip up! Eeek!
TheKaitouFireFox: Aw! Thanks!
Gloria Underhill: Still working on the writer's block.... ehhhhhh.. thanks for reviewing!
Crystal Lily: Heh, you'll find out soon enough!
KaT aka Mistress Shinigami: Yeah, I JUST got Sango in last time. (Honestly, I was tired of writing that chapter, so I cut her debut short.) But she didn't make the cut this chapter! Oh well.
Cherry Destruction: Well, it WAS a long chapter! I'll try to make the next one equally as lengthy.
Kai Aki Ti: Ah! Here's more! More!
Tigerelly: It's continued!
Hanamaru285: Thanks for reviewing!
ME: You think I'm funny? Really? That means a lot to me; because I'm always worried I just come off sounding stupid in this fic. Thanks for reviewing!
Ka-chan: Thank you SO MUCH for suggesting the Ranma ½ fic: After You. It's been a long time since I read a good Ranma fic, and it was definitely in the spirit of 'One for the Money'.
Sakura Onto Hitomi: And you were person number two to notice the coffee slip up! I'm sorry, it was just me lacking in continuity.. and also, I think, coffee plays such a major roll in my life, it's hard NOT to make Inuyasha drink it! But thanks for noticing - It's nice to know reviewers are actually paying attention!
Pruning Sheers: Ah! You're like, one of new favorite reviewers! I really appreciate how you reviewed for almost every chapter - it was totally cool to find all those reviews at once. And I appreciated all of the comments you made, as well. I'm glad you liked the hamster analogy, and also - you're so right! I don't know why I made Kagome's mom make ramen, I was totally not thinking. In the future I'll try and make NO ramen comments, since you seem to have an aversion to it. However, Kagome doesn't live that far away from her family right now, so she WILL be visiting them frequently, and they will be visiting her frequently, in turn. This is mainly because in the novel this fic was originally modeled after, the main character, a fully grown woman, hangs out with her family a lot as well. Anyway, thanks for reviewing again, and I'll try and update soon!
~Rio Grande.