Chapter 11
Kimora and Samara sat in the great room minding themselves to their own homework while Kagome prepared dinner. Remy and Cado stood sentry by the doorway in silence. Samara periodically looked up from her textbook at Kimora. The room was quiet with the exception of the raindrops hitting the awning of the balcony. Gloom emanated the room and it wasn't from the crappy weather.
"Honestly Kimora, how long do you plan to give me this petty silent treatment?"
Kimora didn't look up from her notebook. She had been sketching and not concentrating on her assignment. She wished she had gotten expelled but, of course, because of her family's status, she could get away with murder.
"It's not a silent treatment." She murmured.
"Well, you haven't spoken to me in a week." Samara scoured.
"I have nothing to say to you. Why do you want to talk? Because you're bored and Denali isn't here? You want to talk so badly, call her."
Samara scoffed. "So, that's what it is? You're jealous. It's nothing personal, Kimora, jeez!"
"Nothing personal?" Kimora glared through her lashes at her. " How is 'I don't know how I shared a womb with this girl, I suppose it's fate's cruel joke to me.'not personal? Or 'I wish father would rescue me from this miserable embarrassment of a family I have to deal with.'"
"Oh, please, Kimora, I don't actually mean it. I just say it to-"
"To what?" Kimora spat. "To look cool to your awesome demon friends? The truth is, Samara, I don't like you anymore and if you can do me a favor and never speak to me again, I'd be forever grateful."
Kimora saw a faint twitch in Samara's brows and knew that finally, she had hit her where it hurt just like she had been doing to her for the last year.
"Fine!" Samara growled. "Like I care if you talk to me or not, you…you stupid half-breed. I will never talk to you again." She snatched her belongings and bolted out of the room. Cado following right behind her.
Kimora looked at Remy, her eyes watering. "Remy…I didn't really mean what I said to her. Why did I say that?"
Remy bowed her head. "You were angry, Miss Kimora. You were angry."
Kimora sniffled. "I want things to go back to the way they were. I want to wake up and see Dad getting dressed for work while Mom makes coffee and pancakes and I want Samara and I to joke like we used to and watch movies together."
"It will be like that again, one day, Miss Kimora. I promise you. Don't cry anymore."
"Promise?" Kimora shot a hopeful look at her.
Remy hesitated and then smiled. "Promise, now finish your homework."
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Seeing the Manhattan skyline as they drove across the bridge to DDC headquarters put Sesshomaru at ease. At least now he was in the same state as Kagome. His duties overseas were now completed and he could focus more on the underlying problems which restricted him from being with his family. It also was a bonus that he was not confined to being around Sara all of the time. Ever since their awkward incident in Italy, Sesshomaru made it a point to keep her as far away as possible if he could help it. He kept her diligent with the most random tasks such as washing his already cleaned car and assembling the new coffee table in the lobby. He'd assumed that after they reached the states, she'd jet somewhere far and change her identity after the embarrassment but she acted as nothing ever happened. Her behavior was odd and somewhat worrying but he had too much to think about.
After their car pulled up to the entrance, he was bombarded by reporters and paparazzi. He thought he was in the clear after he pushed past him but came to see something far more annoying waiting for him by the lobby elevator; his father.
"Well, well, I'm surprised to have caught you."
"I'm busy." He replied as he brushed past him and pressed the button to the elevator.
"I promise I won't get in your way." His father smiled.
"You already are."
The elevator doors opened and they all walked in.
"Father…" Sesshomaru sighed.
"You won't even know I'm here."
"Your presence doesn't go unnoticed." Sesshomaru scowled.
But his father didn't budge and the doors closed.
"Son, my life is so dull right now since my retirement. I can only play so much golf with Lord Vivaldi and his dreadful stories about the pool he installed recently and how it should be considered a landmark. I promise my presence will be most helpful. Oh, my manners! Sara, sorry, dear, how have you been?"
Sara smiled. Finally, he remembered her name. "Hello, sir. I've been good, thank you."
"You dyed your hair since I saw you last." Lord Inutaisho stated, his eyes studying her face. He tilted his head, frowned sportively and looked at Sesshomaru.
The elevator doors opened and they all walked toward his office. Inutaisho rested his hand on Sara's shoulder.
"Would you be a dear and make us two espressos? I need a moment alone with my son."
"Make mine a triple." Sesshomaru muttered as he searched his pockets for his key card.
"Right away." She smiled and looked at Sesshomaru. "Inside left pocket, sir."
Sesshomaru patted his pocket and sighed. He pulled the card and swiped his key through the lock. The light turned green and his door slid open.
"She bears a strong resemblance to Kagome, does she not?"
"You're going blind." Sesshomaru scoffed. He walked over to the windows and drew the shades open. They were nearly struck blind from the sunlight.
"Good heavens, close those shades. You will make me blind."
Sesshomaru ignored his request and walked over to his filing cabinet. He pulled out a few files and walked over to his desk to see his father sitting in his chair.
"Really, father?" Sesshomaru waved his hands.
"Oh." His father chuckled. "Old habits, sorry."
Sesshomaru sat down and leafed through pages in the folder. He focused on every little detail and jotted notes in his book.
"So…" his father broke the silence. Sesshomaru's gaze lifted from the files, unhappily. "The twins' birthday is tomorrow."
"Thank you, yes. I am aware of that." Sesshomaru uttered sarcastically.
"I can't believe they're turning the big 1-0. How time flies. You better get your act together because before you know it, they'll be 16 and hating you for no apparent reason. And there will be boys…lots of them."
"You call this being helpful?" Sesshomaru slapped the file on the desk. "I'm not absent for the hell of it. I have a job to do. I recall you being very busy and absent from my life and I turned out well, didn't I?"
Inutaisho blinked. "You really want me to answer that?"
Sesshomaru shook his head and opened his laptop to check his emails.
"So, there's a fellow around a lot, I'm sure you know. Sasuke."
"Sasuke Hideko." Sesshomaru muttered, annoyingly. "What do you mean he's around a lot?"
Inutaisho smirked. "His son has taking a liking to our Kimora. They hang out a lot. This Sasuke and Kagome seem to have a history."
"Yes, they dated in high school." Sesshomaru's face tightened but he tried to look impervious in front of his father.
His father gasped. "Lovers?"
"No." Sesshomaru spat. "they only dated."
"And you're okay with this?" Inutaisho glared. "You're just allowing this man to come into your home and take what's yours?"
"Father…" Sesshomaru's voice wavered.
"Oh, well, that is not going to happen. I will not be a step-grandfather ,to our competition no less.
"Competition? Hardly. Relax, I am not worried and neither should you."
His father stiffened. "Sesshomaru, Sasuke Hideko's son is next in line for the throne should you not bear a son. I know these traditions are archaic and misogynistic but this is one tradition that not even the ShiroInu clan can change."
"The Shirohyoma are no threat to me, father. His son is next in line if I'm no longer fit to lead and I don't see that happening for a long time."
"But at what expense are you willing to take on that chance? Your marriage? What about the girls? They need your strength. Kagome, can't give that to them, no matter how hard she tries, Sesshomaru. She is only human."
"Father, this is exactly why I didn't want you here."
"Why, because I am voicing your thoughts aloud? Because I'm hitting you with the truth you're in denial about? That man is going to lure Kagome away from you."
"I trust Kagome. She will not let her prior relationship with this man cause an indiscretion in our marriage."
"My son, it's not her that I don't trust. It's him. She's vulnerable. She's a lonely young girl with adolescent demon twins that are quite the handful. The girls continue to fight in your absence and Kagome's painful migraines make it very hard to manage them. She's getting worse. Her hands tremble, she doesn't sleep, hardly eats because her gums are aching from the protraction of her canines."
"This makes no sense, Haji said she was fine." Sesshomaru replied, remorsefully.
"You've been lied to." His father sighed. "I'm sure Kagome urged Haji to stay quiet about it so you can focus on your tasks. The quicker you finish them, the quicker you can get back to her. Haji may work for you but he'll do anything Kagome says."
Sesshomaru checked his emails on his laptop, pressing his lips tightly and shook his head. "So what am I supposed to do, father? I have a clan to lead, an organization to run and find a group of terrorists who are attacking innocent people and are threatening to hurt my family if I go near them. "
Inutaisho cast a sympathetic grin. He studied Sesshomaru briefly and noticed his son wasn't kempt as usual. A light redness rimmed his eyes from a malnourished lifestyle. He was probably living off bourbon and cigarettes. His collar wasn't pressed and he occasionally caught a twitch under his left eye.
"Sesshomaru, let me be honest. You are quite a mess. Why don't you let me help you?"
"Father, I don—"
"Enough, Sesshomaru. It's no longer an option. This is what we're going to do. " His father interjected. "All of your presidential duties are detaining you from finding out the truth behind the threats you're receiving when you are near your family. I will take over for a little while, help out with the daily errands and meetings. You will utilize your time solely on the investigation in finding this person, Archangel."
Sesshomaru looked up at him. "How did-"
His father laughed. "You really think I am senile and naïve to what is going on? I have my men watching you at all times and reporting to me what you neglect to inform me. You want to do everything on your own, well, guess what, you can't. Not because you're not capable but because you are just one person and you have to swallow your pride once in a while and ask for help. Now," his father stood up. "Get out of my chair. I will finish up. You follow up on your leads."
Sesshomaru glowered. "Your chair?"
"Until you get this solved, yes, my chair." His father pushed him out of the chair.
Sesshomaru snorted and shook his head, grabbing his files from his desk, feeling defeated.
His father wasted no time and opened the planner on his laptop.
"Oh, and Sesshomaru?" his father called out as he reached to open the door. "The party is being held at your mother's. 4pm sharp on Friday. I hope you have their gifts ready."
Sesshomaru left the office and his father took a long moment to survey the office. He smiled and rubbed the chair's leather armrest. "Oh I've missed you."
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You're spending an awful amount of time with him is all I'm saying." Isabella frowned.
"Isabella, it's not like we go out on dates. I bump into him a lot lately. His son is close with Kimora and is at the house a lot. What should I do? And for the last time Sasuke knows I'm not interested."
Yura scoffed. "I don't know how you're not interested. He's so hot. That dark hair and intense green eyes. He looks so toned in his expensive suits. He's a decent replacement for that non-existent husband of yours."
Isabella scowled at Yura. "You shouldn't be swaying her away from her marriage with your bad opinions."
Yura curled her lip. "She's my friend and I'm trying to look out for her. Sesshomaru chose his job over her and the kids. She needs to understand that and move on. However, Sasuke is practically back in her life and he's rich, handsome and is a good father because he is always with his son and he's still in love with her."
"Sesshomaru has a lot more responsibilities and he loves his kids and Kagome. Okay, I was there when they started, I was there when they got married and when the kids were born. You've only known her since Law School." Isabella reminded.
Before Yura and Isabella got into a cat fight, Kagome intervened. She quickly held up two dresses and smiled wide.
"What do you think about these dresses?"
Yura and Isabella uttered in unison. "That's cute!"
They immediately frowned at each other.
They continued to walk around the store, Kimora and Samara browsed in separate aisles for their birthday outfits. Kagome took notice how they weren't talking to each other. She sighed and rubbed her temple.
"You really should see a doctor about that." Isabella stated.
"I just don't have time right now. I have these cases piling up by the second and the twin's birthdays to plan."
"Oh yeah, that's on Friday." Yura said, pulling the sleeve of a sequined dress. "So is this what young girls are into these days? God, I'm so old. Oh my god, Kagome…we'll be 30 next year! I can't…I'm having a panic attack."
"Relax…you have time." Kagome giggled.
"No, I'm a spinster! I'm not married, I don't have kids, I don't even have a dog!"
Isabella shrugged. "I don't think I'll ever have kids, no offense, Kagome."
"None taken…" Kagome sighed. Her voice wavered and tears immediately poured out her eyes. "I mean, I love the twins but sometimes I feel like…I shouldn't have had kids…" she whispered. "I'm a terrible mother, I mean, Samara hates me."
Both Yura and Isabella turned to face her. Isabella stood in front of Kagome, covering her view from the girls and rubbed her shoulders.
"Kagome…don't say that! Of course, she loves you. She's just little girl, she doesn't know what she's saying."
"I know…"Kagome's voice cracked. "But her words still hurt."
Kagome didn't expect to become sensitive but dealing with a migraine and juggling her job and kids alone was taking a toll on her.
"Kaggy, come on, you remember the shit we said to our parents and we didn't mean it. Pull yourself together and don't let the girls see you like this. Take a deep breath, brush it off and be strong."
Kagome nodded and took deep breaths. "You're right, you're right. Thanks for being here with me through this, you guys. I don't think I could do this alone."
"You are never alone." Isabella uttered consolably. "I'm here for you always."
"So am I!" Yura frowned.
Kagome laughed and they all continued random topics as the girls searched for their birthday outfits.
"Mom, can I wear this for my birthday?" Kimora stood next to a saleslady and held up a short black sequin dress with cuts around the midriff.
Yura and Isabella laughed while Kagome's mouth dropped.
"Absolutely not!" Kagome snatched it from her hands. She looked at the saleslady. "She's nine years old, are you kidding me?"
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Sara stared at the mountain of folders on her desk and sighed. Her fingers tapped the keyboard lightly as she dreaded how long each of these files would take to sort through. She wondered what happened since Sesshomaru left for the day and didn't tag her along. It was also strange that his father was in his office.
Thoughts from her embarrassing encounter in Italy flooded her mind and she closed her eyes and bit the insides of her cheek.
It wasn't supposed to happen like that. Lana warned her not to fall for him but how could one not fall for him? It was impossible. He was perfection. Everything about him was loveable. He was everything she ever wanted in a man. Smart, sexy, caring and powerful. She was so close to winning him over. She remembered the way he caressed her cheek, the way he stared at her lips. She wasn't crazy. He wanted her. She didn't believe that he was only drunk and she reminded him of his wife.
She pulled up recent pictures of Kagome on the internet. She found an article on an Entertainment Web magazine interviewing Kagome on her marriage.
Interviewer: Lady Kagome, you and Sesshomaru are quite the power couple. You guys married pretty young. In New York city, the statistics of anyone marrying under the age of 24 and divorcing within six years are almost at 75%. Now, you're almost 30, and your marriage has reached past a decade and you have two daughters, no less. What is your secret?
Kagome: (Laughs) Well, Garret, I don't know what makes us different. We love each other, and that's it.
Interviewer: But don't you guys fight?
Kagome: All of the time. But we work on those fights and 90% of the fights are so silly when you really think about it. I think the key to any successful marriage is love, trust and partnership. You have to be a team.
Interviewer: But how are you a team? He's never around anymore and people are starting to question your relationship.
Kagome: Well, first off, our relationship isn't so ordinary. He's the leader to the demon community and he's in charge of the largest defense organization. I knew what my life was going to be life when we became serious and I was prepared for it.
Interviewer: Are you really? With all due respect, Lady Kagome, it must get lonely when he isn't around and the public is starting to notice you are always with another guy, Sasuke Hideko, interpreter for the united nations. There are a few pictures around of you and him getting pretty chummy.
Kagome: Sasuke is just a friend. We've known each other a long time. Our children go to the same school. That's it.
Interviewer: Ok, I'm sorry if that came off as interrogational, my lady. This column is solely focused on how to keep your marriage so let's get back to that. How do you spice things up?
Kagome: (laughs) Um, well, truthfully, we don't see each other often so distance makes the heart grow fonder, I guess.
Interviewer: Anything else? Some tips for the ladies out there?
Kagome: Don't stop trying. Just because you're married doesn't mean you have to stop. You have to act like you're always trying to win each other over. Every time he's away and comes home, I will cook his favorite meal, I will listen to his problems.
Interviewer: What is his weakness for you? What do you do to keep him wrapped around your finger?
Kagome: (laughs) Oh, um, I don't know. I guess I wear my hair up because he likes my neck and he has a weakness for my perfume. It's a vanilla musk that was made for me when I was modeling. It's called 'Amant'. I think it means lover in French.
Sara continued googling pictures of Kagome, studying her smile and watching videos on the way she walked. She had been so consumed, she hadn't noticed how much time had passed.
"Hm, I'm not a secretary, but shouldn't those folders be put away or somethin'?" a startling raspy voice droned behind her.
Sara hit the escape but on her keyboard and stood up abruptly. "U-um, hello, I…was just"
"Stalking my best friend online?" Koga probed with his icy blue eyes. "Listen, lady, Sesshomaru and Kagome already have way too many obstacles in their relationship and the last thing they need is another one. I ain't an idiot. You have 'Single white female' written all over that desperate face of yours. I can see you're trying mega hard with this Kagome-wannabe getup but it ain't gonna happen."
"You're mistaken…" Sara interrupted. "Sesshomaru asked me to purchase a new dress for Kagome. I wanted to make sure she didn't have one that looked like the one I was about to buy…"
Koga cocked a brow, looked over her shoulder and sighed. "Oh…my bad. Ugh…really, I'm totally sorry. It's just…it feels like everyone and their mother want to be with Sesshomaru or Kagome. It's fuckin' exhausting. I feel like I have to fend people off with bats, you know? I didn't mean to call you psycho…shit, really, can I buy you coffee or somethin'?"
"No…"Sara shook her head and forced a smile. "I really should get to work."
"Of course, again, my bad. Is Sesshomaru in the office?"
"No, he's gone for the day. How'd you know he was back? He's been keeping a low profile." Sara cleared her throat.
"His father told me he needed company."
"You don't strike me as someone Sesshomaru could be friends with, no offense."
"None taken." Koga shrugged. "I'm just so damn likeable."
Well, I don't like you, she thought. But Koga's concerns about her seem to dissipate and she was sure he bought her lie. She definitely had to be more careful. Was she being psychotic? No, no way. She just really wanted something more than she's ever wanted and will do whatever it takes to get it, now what's psychotic about that?
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Kagome rested in the bathtub with a hot wet towel on her face. Her arm slung over the bathtub's ledge, her fingers tracing the rim of her glass of Sauvignon Blanc. Her head was pounding, her senses were heightened. She could hear Samara and Kimora bickering in the next room. Luckily, Sesshomaru's mother was there to help out. She could hear her stun them into silence with her powerful vocal chords that bellowed castigation. And there it was…silence, at least from them.
You have to be strong. Don't let it control you.But it was too late. She was already suffering the aftermath of her stress. Her gums were sore from the constant protraction of her canines. Her eyes burned from the light. Water dripping from the faucet sounded like explosions as it hit the water each time. If she could control her breathing, convince herself that all will be okay, she could be functional by Friday but she had to make sure to keep to herself.
She got out of the shower, dried herself and got into her warm robe. She grabbed her glass of wine and walked out of her room. Lady Saya was standing by her bed with a food tray in her hands.
"Is that for me?" Kagome looked confused.
"Of course. I don't eat any of this rubbish. That filthy wolf told me that eating cheeseburgers always makes you feel better."
Kagome smiled. "His name is Koga. When will you call him by his name?"
"When he stops calling me Lady Woman upon his greets." She sighed. "You need to eat."
"Why do you care? Let's be real here, you don't like me. You put up with me because I'm the girls' mother."
"Exactly and I know how important it is for them to have one, and for the record, It's not that I don't like you…it's because…you're uncontrollable."
"Uncontrollable?" Kagome scoffed.
"Yes, you never listen. We all tell you what is good for you and you do the opposite. Why are you working? You don't need to. We have an infinite amount of money for you to be comfortable. You should be coming with me to spas, charities and bookclubs but instead, you pile on the stress of work when all of your attention should be to those girls."
"I like working. I feel good helping people."
"You should help yourself first."
"I took a couple of days off."
"You should take a few years off." Lady Saya frowned. "You're not looking well. How are you supposed to stand by my son and look like that?"
"Look like what?" Kagome glanced at the mirror.
"You're wasting away. You look like death, my darling. So, for once, can you please listen to me? I am a mother and I do know what's best. Please, just grant me one day of satisfaction and if you are not feeling any better, I will not bother you."
Kagome smirked. "Fine, what is it you want me to do."
Lady Saya almost looked surprised. She had expected Kagome to put up a fight. A half smile escaped her lips and she clasped her hands.
" I want you to finish this bottle of wine, after that burger, of course." She handed her a bottle of Chardonnay.
"The whole thing?" Kagome's eyes widened. "Are you trying to make me into an alcoholic? I do have kids to tend to, you know."
"Let me take care of those girls today. You drink this wine, read a really good book. Tomorrow, we're going to drop off the girls at your mother's and you and I
are going to the spa. We're getting a royal treatment and then we're going to plan the birthday and set everything up to keep your mind distracted from what's bothering you."
"Why are you being so nice? It's kind of scaring me." Kagome teased.
Lady Saya sighed. "For a long time, I was trapped in darkness built by my anger and hate and it was a nasty place to be and it made me an awful mother. I suppose I am just trying to redeem that past and make sure you don't end up there. I love those girls, whether you believe me or not and you are part of those girls so I guess…I sort of…care…about your well-being. Anyway, I better not see a drop left in that wine bottle. I'm going to take the girls out for movie and dinner so they won't be in your hair. Ciao Ciao."
Kagome watched her leave and held the bottle of wine in her hand. This is so pathetic, she thought. Drink alone? But she decided to humor her. It took her a while but she finished her burger while watching an action movie. She stayed in her room the whole night while Haji stood out her door and as told, she finished the whole bottle of wine. Within the next few hours, she was in a drunken stupor.
She took a trip down memory lane as she played the music she used to listen to, danced while she tried on all her dresses that still had price tags on it and sang alone to a few songs. She decided to play make-up artist and dabbed bold colors on her face with glitter. She found a part of her old costume; a pair of angel wings in her closet and put them on. She grabbed her phone and took a hundred selfies and sent them to Sesshomaru.
"Ha!" she hiccupped. "Gonna show you what you're missin' buddy! Tell me this is only about work yet you drag your secretary all over the place with you!"
She pressed a few buttons on her phone and activated the video recorder and panned it to her face.
"Hey, babe….yeah, it's me, your wife, you know, do you remember? Because I used to have a husband, I think. Yeah, " she hiccupped. "You must be having fun in Italy with your secretary, well, I'm having fun here too, you know. Yeah, so, I'm totally fine. I'm like…having a blast here with my…my…wings and my cheeseburger was amazing! I think that…"she started to laugh as she crawled on her bed, still facing the camera to her face. "I don't…think I can do this anymore, you know. I want to…I need…more burgers, yeah, and a husband to sleep on this empty side of the bed with me." She laughed.
She stopped recording and pressed the attach button. A few names popped up and she selected Sesshomaru's. To send or not to send? Why not, she thought and sent it. She laughed and hiccupped as she rolled in bed. She sprawled out her arms and legs and felt herself drifting off into sleep. She smiled in complete oblivion unbeknownst to the consequences that tomorrow would bring. She hadn't a single care in the world.
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Sesshomaru was trying to focus on his dinner meeting with Cardinal Thomas, but his thoughts were elsewhere as he listened to the video file Kagome had just sent him through an earpiece. At first, he wanted to laugh but he couldn't because he could sense pain from her message whether she intended to or not. Of course he could see that she was clearly drunk but it wasn't that he was bothered by. She was trying to tell him something but she copped out. She was trying to tell him that she couldn't do it anymore. She couldn't live like this anymore. He felt his heart race as he reached for his glass of water and looked at the Cardinal.
"Everything alright, my lord?" he said, his eyes fixed on his.
"Yes, my apologies. I just…"
"It's alright. No need to apologize. I can see that what you're paying mind to is of utmost importance."
"Well, you're a diligent man and-"
"So are you, so don't be hard on yourself. What answers do you seek from me?" Cardinal Thomas forked his salad.
"Right." Sesshomaru set his phone aside and cleared his throat. "I'm sure you heard about the radical group 'the Angelos" and their leader Archangel. I was wondering if you could provide any insight you may have, perhaps you have received news from the commissioner. He doesn't like me very much."
"Well, my lord, as rumor would have it, you've arrested his brother, didn't you? "
Sesshomaru glared. "His brother was smuggling immigrant hanyous' and using them as sex slaves."
Cardinal Thomas put his hands up. "Relax, Lord Sesshomaru, I wasn't attacking your actions. I was just pointing out the obvious. Anyway, about the Archangel, I don't have much but I think what I know, might help. The first organization was cultivated in the West Village which means, he most likely started here, in New York City. So, perhaps, the main cult you're looking for, is right here."
"But the murders in Italy, in Germany?"
"You ever thought perhaps it's to lure you away from here? Of course if there is a conspiracy with demons, who will most likely be the first to call? You. From what you tell me, this person has it out for you and it's personal. You said that every time you're near your wife is when you receive all those threats. This person wants to ruin what you have with your family."
And it's working. Sesshomaru ran his fingers through his hair and leaned back into his chair.
"Cardinal, I need something I can work on here. I have a group of human terrorists killing humans now and trying to frame demons for it. If we don't catch them, before we know it, we'll return back to segregation for the safety of our own kind and I don't want that, do you?"
"of course not," Cardinal bowed his head. "I'm sorry about your friend, Mr. Onigumo but have you followed any hints from his report? Have they granted you a second autopsy?"
"Yes, it was finally approved yesterday. His body is being transported back to the DDC, this time I'm going to have a look at it as well, see what they missed."
"There is one thing I should tell you, Lord Sesshomaru, something I just now noticed, those cufflinks of yours, the crescent moon?"
"Yes?" Sesshomaru turned his wrist to view them. "My family crest."
"Well, in the last year, we've arrested a few men suspected to be members of the Angelos and a few of them bore a tattoo on their wrists of a crescent moon with a sword through it, most specifically, a Japanese sword called Ame-no-Murakumo-no-Tsurugi, which means-"
"Sword of the gathering clouds of Heaven…" Sesshomaru finished.
"Yes, but it was only a select few of these men who bore these tattoos and the other members didn't have it. I thought you should know that, maybe it will somehow help."
Sesshomaru fell into another daze and looked down at his phone. He looked at the Cardinal and stood up.
"Thank you, Cardinal."
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"I can't believe I listened to you." Kagome groaned through her pillow. Lady Saya stared at the video that Kagome made and chuckled.
"You honestly sent that to him? I told you to read a book, not make a video." She uttered between laughs.
"Are you really laughing? This is beyond embarrassing. I kind of want to die right now." Kagome stood up.
"Well, if that doesn't bring him home in a hurry, I don't know what will." Lady Saya smirked. "It looks like you may have lost your mind."
"Oh my god, he is going to think I lost my mind." Kagome went into her bathroom to brush her teeth. "Was this your evil plan? To make me drunk so I can make a fool out of myself so your son could end up divorcing me?"
Lady Saya pursed her lips. "Right, because I predicted you would naturally get into costume and make a video of yourself telling him you want to end your relationship."
"I didn't say that!" Kagome retorted defensively.
"My darling, yes you did. If you read into the message, it's not what you're saying, it's how you're saying it. You're saying you're exhausted and cannot live life like this anymore."
"Oh my god, is that what I said?" Kagome looked at the video again. "Oh no…"
"No, this is good, my darling. This is a way to light a fire under his behind and speed things up. Now, we're going to the spa, we'll make you look desirable and you're going to have lunch with that man, Sasuke."
"What?" Kagome looked appalled.
"I love my son but he needs to feel threatened. He works better when threatened. I'm sure that seeing you 'moving on' will force him to succeed in this nonsense and he can come home again."
"You're nuts. You're pimping me out so Sesshomaru can get home faster?"
"Pimping you?" Lady Saya repeated awkwardly. "Not at all, my darling. I'm just using you as bait."
"You're horrible and conniving, you know that?"
"Yes." Lady Saya preened with a snake-like smile. "But watch it work and then you'll thank me. Quit wasting time, we're going to the spa. I already told that Sasuke you'll meet him at noon at Adalberto's."
"Oh my god, you even picked Sesshomaru's favorite restaurant? What are you trying to do?"
"You'll understand one day, darling, that our kids will always be our kids and we will always come to their aid whether they want us to or not. Now go take a shower. I will pick out your dress. Hurry now."
Kagome was in complete shock and couldn't process what was happening. She reached the bathroom door when Lady Saya called her name. She looked back.
"How is your headache?"
Kagome blinked and looked at her. "It's gone."
Lady Saya grinned. "You see? Now abide by what I say. I know best. I will fill you in on what to do next."
Kagome entered the shower and Lady Saya dialed a number on her phone as she searched for the perfect dress for Kagome.
"Yes it's me." She said into the receiver. "I did my part, how did you fair with our son, did he step down from that chair?"
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Inutaisho smiled. "Yes, he did, and I have no intention of giving it back for a while until he settles this ordeal. The problem with Sesshomaru is that he knows Kagome will wait for him and that's not enough incentive for him to find out what's keeping them apart. He needs encouragement and if that's with this man Sasuke, then so be it."
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