Chapter 8: Into the Past & Future

'Kikyo!' shouted Inuyasha, playfully, while chasing her down the stone streets of Egypt in the moonlight. All the street-side merchants had long since retired to their homes.

Kikyo was far ahead of him, but close enough to where he could still see her. She stole into an alleyway and wait for him to catch up. Inuyasha was faster than she had anticipated and caught her before she could get away again.

'I got you now,' he smirked holding her tightly. Kikyo put her arms around his neck, and quickly kissed him on the lips, teasing him. She was about to do it again, but he put his hand on the back of her head, deepening the kiss. He held her like this, until he broke for air. Kikyo drew herself up to him, but this time she went on her toes and placed her cheek on his own, and whispered into his ear, 'I love you,'

'I love you too,' he whispered back. He then nuzzled and kissed her cheek. Kikyo smiled, 'What if I told you that we could be together forever, Inuyasha? Would you love me, for always?' she asked. 'Forever and always, Kikyo,' he answered, huskily. She shivered, but not from the cold. It had been a long time since she could feel anything, until she had met Inuyasha.

'Do you trust me, Inuyasha?' she looked into his eyes. 'With all my heart,' he answered. Kikyo placed her hand on his cheek, and kissed him on the lips. Then, she lined his jaw with kisses, and moved to his neck. She kissed, once, twice, and then felt it. Kikyo could feel the vein pulse with the hot blood that she had restrained herself from for almost a year now, waiting for the right moment to make him one of her own. She kissed the spot once more and felt her fangs come break free from hiding. Kikyo saw Inuyasha's chin rise a little higher, and she sank her teeth into the chosen vein.

/--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------/

"Inuyasha?" Kagome waved her hand in front of his face. It woke him from his stupor, and he shook his head, trying to clear the foggy memory.

"Uh?" was his response. "Her name was Ki…Kikyo?"

"Kikyo," he said.

"When was the last time you saw her?" asked Kagome.

"It was the night she… you know," Inuyasha seemed uncomfortable with the subject. Kagome noticed this, and decided to drop it… until she got too curious. Kagome felt almost jealous of Kinky, or whatever her name was, but the way Inuyasha had corrected that girl's name…

"How about we build a fire, I'm getting hungry," Inuyasha started towards the fire pit. "I swear you're a walking stomach, you know that?" Kagome giggled. She would drop it…. for now.

/---------------------------------------------------------------------------------/

"Kagome, where were you last night?" Sango asked.

"Umm… out with Inuyasha." Kagome said, almost inaudibly.

"What? You didn't… you know… right?" she replied, bug-eyed.

"NOO!" Kagome shouted, her own eyes the size of plates. Well, he did see me naked… at that thought Kagome's face went the shade of a deep magenta.

Every one in the group stared at her then. Her face reddened even more, if that was possible. Kagome shrunk back from the rest of the group, realizing that she was probably causing a scene.

"We don't have much further to go everyone, so keep up! I don't want anyone complaining, or lost!" Rin shouted back to the rest of the campers.

"How can they get lost Rin? We're only about 5 minutes away from camp," said Sesshomarou.

"I've had kids get lost in their own cabins before, if you can believe that. Actually, There was girl this spring that went into her cabin to go to sleep and the next morning, she was nowhere to be found. Her bed was never slept in, and when the police came to investigate, they couldn't find any DNA, or footprints. It was like she had never come to camp, even though everyone knew her. The FBI couldn't find a trace either. They were searching for weeks. It must have been horrible for her parents. Not knowing where she is, even now. She could still be alive, for all they know." Rin's eyes were filled with sorrow.

"What was her name?" asked Sesshomarou, cautiously. He didn't want to be the reason for making her cry, but that didn't mean that he wasn't curious.

"Nyeme," Rin replied.

/--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------/

Inuyasha had heard the entire conversation. He was glad that Miroku hadn't. He didn't know that the girl he had found or the girl in the story was one in the same. But there is a strong possibility. And as for her name… there was a possibility that they were different girls… right? This was all too much for his mind to handle. But he had to find the records for that girl. Inuyasha was sure that they had a picture somewhere in the files. That girl's image was permanently burned in mind, and, if he could find a picture, then he could be sure that it was the same girl or not. But there was one thing he needed to find out from Miroku…

"Hey, Miroku," Inuyasha said, while pulling on his shirt.

"Yeah?" replied his roommate.

"Do you still have that picture?"

Miroku froze. "You mean… the one of Nyeme?" he said, his eyes downcast. "Yeah," Miroku nodded his head in answer. Her memory had almost disappeared in light of his old childhood friend, and Inuyasha just had to bring it up. "Why?" Miroku asked.

"Can I see it?" asked Inuyasha. He knew that this was a touchy subject for Miroku,(wow, Miroku has a TOUCHY subject that isn't Sango's ass?) but he had to see it.

In response, Miroku stood and kneeled before the bed and pulled his empty suitcase from under his bed. It was a dark navy blue one that had a black interior. Miroku lifted up the bottom lining, and there appeared the back of a traditional picture frame. He retrieved the light oak colored frame and handed it to Inuyasha. Inuyasha turned it around and saw a photograph of a girl with short brown hair and big silvery violet eyes. Inuyasha's mind flashed the picture of the girl he had found. It was exactly the same, only in this picture she was smiling happily in a boat on a river. It was ironic that a river was her final resting-place too. How am I going to tell Miroku? he thought.

"Thanks, Miroku," he handed the picture back. "Lets go pick up those chatter-boxes and get this dance over with." Inuyasha quickly changed the subject before Miroku could ask any questions.

/------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------/

Kagome had been sitting down for more than in hour now. She was beginning to regret letting Sango do her hair.

"Sango," she whined.

"I'm almost done," she said.

"That's what you said 15 minutes ago," Kagome complained.

"Ok, ok, I'm… done," Sango clapped her hands together and smiled triumphantly.

Kagome looked in the mirror. She was stunned. Sango had twisted half her hair in an array of complicated knots and braids. The other half was free to flow down her back, with some locks in curls. Kagome had to admit that it was worth the wait.

"Sango, you should be a hair stylist for movie stars," said an amazed Kagome.

"No way! I couldn't put up with those plastic Barbie brats every day of my life, not for all the money in the world! I go crazy around the preps at school! Could you imagine what I'd do around movie stars?" Sango said, exasperated.

Kagome was laughing really hard. "Plastic Barbie brats?" she cracked up. Sango was giggling too. "Hey don't mess up your hair, Kags." She said, as they both settled. Then there was a knock on the, signaling the guys' arrival. Kagome hopped of the bed and skipped to the door. The door flew open to reveal Miroku and Inuyasha. They both looked drop dead gorges. Inuyasha, in a deep crimson musule shirt and black baggie pants. Red looks good on him, Kagome thought absently. Miroku had dark blue jeans and a purple T-shirt that said 'Player' on the front in black letters. "Very fitting Miroku," said Kagome. "Are you guys ready to go?"

"You betcha," said Miroku.

Inuyasha was stunned. Kagome looked beautiful in the dress she was wearing. It was a spaghetti-strap dress that went down to her lower thigh, about 6 inches from her right knee, and went down just below her left knee. The dress was black polyester with blood red velvet roses all over. In the back, the straps criss-crossed all the way down her back. Her feet were adorned with black strapy 3 inch heels. Her toes were painted a dark crimson.

"Inuyasha, are you…drooling?" asked Kagome with a smirk.

"I wonder what he's thinking of," Miroku said smiling.

Smack

"That was unnecessary," Miroku said rubbing his smarting head.

"Pervert," Inuyasha muttered.

"Come on everyone, we don't want to be late to the party," Sango called from inside the room. She was wearing a black skirt that reached mid-thigh and a dark pink halter-top that had even darker pink Rhine stones decorating the front. The only thing that covered her back was the strings that held the top on. She had on black sandles, and her toes were painted a light pink.

"I can't wait to dance the night away," Kagome slipped her arm through Inuyasha's, pulling him with her.