Chapter 16

It was as if nothing ever happened. The time lost, the fights, misunderstandings were but a nightmare. Kagome blushed as she sipped her vanilla chai tea, glancing at her phone every other minute getting distracted by the endearing texts she received from her better half. Sesshomaru had been extra affectionate and attentive since their last fight and she was enjoying every minute of it. Maybe Saya was right, the idea of her in the company of her old flame knocked some reason into him. Nonetheless, it wasn't the right thing to do, toying with Sasuke's feelings to repair her marriage. Sasuke had sent her a couple of texts since then, and she had to ignore each one due to Sesshomaru's discontent. There was no foul play in order, more so, inquiries about their children's academic itinerary in which, Sesshomaru had argued was not necessary. She complied with his wishes and ignored Sasuke. Her relationship with Sesshomaru was back to how it used to be before the drama, if not, even better and she didn't want anyone or anything to ruin it.

It was one of things in her life that was back on track, if only everything else would follow suit. Her headaches weren't as terrible, but it was still there, Kimora's nightmares continued, and she had become very distant from everyone. Samara had told her about her falling out with Arahim, she should have known a boy would cause her grief. The school was closed for the week to repair a broken water main, so hopefully it would all blow over by then. Yeye was stopping by to drop off late birthday gifts for the twins, perhaps it would put Kimora in better spirits.

Another issue that hasn't resolved was her spat with Yura during the twins birthday dinner. They haven't spoken in a couple of weeks. Yura tried but Kagome could be stubborn, even after the series of apologies but she was starting to miss her best friend. She looked up at Yura across the hall and caught her already staring at her. Kagome quickly looked away and cleared her throat.

She looked down at her calendar and tried to make sense of it. Yura usually organized her day and she hated to admit it, but it spoiled her and made her reliant on Yura's organization. Shit, I missed the conference call yesterday.

Slapping her palm across her forehead, she shook her head and sighed. I can do this, I can do this.

"I can so see you're struggling, you're focusing so hard, a wrinkle is forming between your brows and if you don't relax, it's going to stay there." Yura picked at her nails as she stood in front of the door.

Kagome sighed and rubbed the bridge of her nose. "My mind cannot even process this, I don't even know if today is Tuesday or Wednesday. I want to say Wednesday."

Yura laughed. "It's Tuesday. And that conference call you missed, yesterday, Monday, I rescheduled it for you."

Kagome fought hard to smirk. "Thanks…"

"I give you A for effort, Kaggy."

"Look, Yura…"

"Wait, hear me out one second…I know I've apologized but I just want to tell you, I was really out of line. It's your relationship and you know what's best for you. I was…just angry for you, and I guess trying to make decisions for you. I really am sorry. "

"I know you mean well. I just need you to be more supportive, even if you don't agree with me."

"Totally. I am…supportive. I wish you nothing but the best…please remember that."

"Ok." Kagome giggled, feeling confused by Yura's expression. She looked very sad.

"Is everything okay with you?"

"Yeah." She blurted quickly. "I just, these last few weeks haven't been great. Um…do you want to sneak out tomorrow during lunch, get a facial?"

Kagome looked down at her calendar.

Yura rolled her eyes. "You don't have anything until 3pm, I'll call Rachel to squeeze us to the top, you know she'll do it for you."

Kagome glanced at her reflection through her wedding photo's mirror frame on her desk.

"I do look…weathered."

"Yeah…I didn't want to say anything but since you said it…" Yura teased.

"Leave me alone." Kagome joked and they both looked at the door. Isabella popped her head in, waved and cast a quick scowl at Yura.

"Hey. I know you're busy but Marla sent me over to ask you something, if you have a minute."

"Sure." Kagome smiled. "Yura, make that appointment for 1pm, maybe we will grab a cocktail before we come back."

Yura nodded, glanced at Isabella indifferently and closed the door behind her as she walked out.

Kagome frowned at Isabella as she sat across from her.

"What? I didn't do anything. I'm being…friendly."

"You didn't say anything at all." Kagome shook her head.

"Exactly, that's me being friendly." Isabella rolled her eyes. "Listen, princepessa, I know you're very busy, but she sent me to ask you if you and Sesshomaru are willing to do, eh, a lover's update shoot with the girls? Next Saturday, we are doing something for Marques memory, relaunching some of his vintage lines and we are getting a lot of requests for you guys to make an appearance."

Kagome bit her lip. "I don't know, Isabella. There is a lot going on now, Sesshomaru is neck deep in his investigation, Kimora hasn't been herself, but I won't say no just yet. Let me talk to Sesshomaru and I'll see where the girls are early next week?"

"Yes, yes, of course. So, what's tomorrow with Yura?"

"Oh, we had a falling out a few weeks ago and we are going to hash things out over drinks and a facial."

Isabella studied Kagome for a moment. "Ok…just…be careful."

"Be careful with what?" Kagome cocked a brow.

"I don't know." Isabella smiled. "Just, in general. I care about you and your family, I just worry, is all."

"Thanks…Isabella. If you want to join us, you're welcomed to."

"No…" Isabella forced a smile. "Thank you, though."

"Offer stands with no expiration." Kagome added as Isabella got up to leave. "Talk to you soon."

"Ciao." Isabella blew a kiss.

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Inutaisho and Saya sat outside, drinking espressos and looking into the living room. Kagome's grandfather had stopped by with gifts. But for the last hour, the three of them seemed to be in a deep conversation with grave expressions.

"What do you think that commoner is talking about with our granddaughters?"

Inutaisho gave a gentle scoff. "Saya, do be nice. That is their grandfather. He is entitled to spending time with them just as we do."

"Yes, but he barely visits, and he gave them incense and herbs for spells as a birthday gift. Have we resumed to the ancient era? Are we raising future witches? "

"Kagome's family is very spiritual, we must respect that. And the girls are old enough to know what they want."

"They're ten years old. They do not know what they want. I'm going to go inside and see what's going on."

"Saya, so help me, I will tie you to that statue of our crest if you meddle with their time. Leave them be."

"Fine…" she sipped her espresso and continued to crane her neck.

"Our son is doing much better." He said, trying to divert her attention away. " He isn't drinking, and is home at a reasonable time each night, and he looks like he slept more than two hours a day. He's making the effort to keep his family together."

"Yes, thanks to me." Saya tucked a silver hair behind her ear. Looking proud, she sighed. "If I had not stepped in, our son would have been a divorcee and ineligible for the throne. Now, he and Kagome can work toward having a son."

"Saya…you need to accept the possibility that this is the end of our reign."

"Accept?" Saya spat. "We have been in reign for centuries. I will not accept this. How can you?"

"It may be the natural order. In my family's line, we have always bore sons. It is probably in Sesshomaru's fate to not have one."

"Because he ended up with a human!"

"Saya, one, I remind you to respect our granddaughters' mother and to not spit her title. Two, your logic doesn't make sense because Inuyasha's mother was human."

Saya pressed her lips. "I have nothing against Kagome. I have come to terms with who she is and have accepted her. It doesn't mean I can't be disappointed with the situation itself and yes, I don't need a reminder of your indiscretion."

"Saya, for the millionth time, I was never unfaithful."

"Your lies fall on deaf ears, you old dog." Saya stuck her nose in the air, her attention going back to the girls.

Inutaisho sighed and just ignored her antics. "How's Elijah?"

"I am not his keeper. He's around somewhere."

"Knowing you, I'm sure you know exactly where that somewhere is." He teased, and she couldn't help crack a smile.

"I just want Sesshomaru to be done with this stupid investigation and focus on his clan and being a leader, maybe train the girls to give them a chance at leading if we can convince the elders."

"He and Koga are making excellent progress. I have a good feeling they will make great headway soon."

"Let's hope."

"So…back to Elijah." Inutaisho smirked.

Saya rolled her eyes but her face turned crimson right after.

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Yeye looked through Kimora's sketchbook and listened to everything Kimora had gone through.

"Grandpa...am I crazy?" Kimora asked, innocently.

He looked up at her through his long gray brows. "Far from it, sweet child. What you're experiencing is an awakening. It runs in our family, Your mother has an ability as well, but she blocks it. You must embrace it, it can be rewarding when you know how to use it. Some of us have certain specialties. Your great great grandmother could talk to spirits. Kagome was good with dreams and sensing bad energy but she lost it as she got older, I think she just got really good at ignoring it."

"But what does it all mean?" Kimora said. "Why me? Should I tell mom and dad? Are these premonitions?"

"That's for you to find out, my dear but I think you should not fear it anymore. Don't be afraid of what comes to you. Instead, question it, ask for more information, open yourself to accept. Find some place quiet and start channeling. It's hard to say what skill you have, it can range from many. You may be able to see the future, read minds, see auras or just have strong intuition. It was once told in my family, one of our ancestors possessed many skills at once, including mind-control. But you won't truly know if you keep getting scared and shutting down. I won't tell you that these images you have drawn are not going to happen, because there is a possibility that what you are seeing, is the future. So I suggest you gather everything, you have your sister's help and support, you have mine, and we will figure it out."

Kimora grew frustrated. She just wanted immediate answers. Something just didn't feel right and it was getting worse day by day. Yeye looked through her sketchbook, his expression unreadable, especially as his eyes landed on a picture of her mother bleeding from her head, a gun shot wound. Kimora had ran a black marker across the page a few times, the image too disturbing to see but she couldn't bring herself to tear the page out.

"Your dreams are often about your parents?"

"Yes, and people I haven't even met. A few weeks ago, one of the elders attended our party and I could feel her grief, and somehow, I knew she lost someone. Her grief was so strong, it felt like my own. I don't know why I said anything, because now she knows I'm weird."

"An empath…" Yeye droned, still flipping through pages.

"I drew an image of a lady with blue hair, I've seen her before in pictures, but dad says he doesn't remember her, and it turns out it's a picture of my friend's mother. Like, why am I dreaming of her?"

"Maybe ask your mother?"

"I don't know, I don't want to freak mom out. She already gets headaches and dealing with her own drama with dad, if I tell her this, it's going to send her to the place with the padded walls."

Yeye chuckled. "Give your mother some credit. She can handle a lot."

"Yeye, how do we control the nightmares?" Samara sat beside Kimora and stroked her shoulders to comfort her. "She's barely getting sleep…and interrupting mine."

"I have some stones at home that may help, amethysts are good for psychic attacks. I have a lovely tea recipe too."

"Tea…ugh, I hate tea." Kimora rolled her eyes.

"You'll need to take a purified bath with some salt, rosemary, and chamomile. It'll lessen the stress this is having on you, help you sleep better and lastly, you'll need to practice meditation. I can show you a few techniques and breathing exercises."

"Thanks, Grandpa. It helps immensely that you don't think I'm crazy. I just wish there was a reason to why I have it, what caused it. "

"It usually is hereditary, skips a few here and there." He said and glanced out the window. "Your grandmother has been staring at us for the last hour, should we join them?"

"No," Samara scoffed. "She's just being a nosybody. Will you stay for dinner, grandpa? I'm sure mother would love to see you."

"Yes, my dear. I would love that."

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"So I told her, stop trying to tie me down, woman. Why do we need to get married to prove we love each other?" Koga rolled his eyes. "Why do women have to complicate things?"

Sesshomaru had been texting Kagome since he left the house, he listened to Koga rant for the last hour over his relationship with Ayame. Koga had been going through Sesshomaru's workforce emails, trying to undo all the damage Sara had done over the last few months.

"Like, we've been together for seven years, lived together, adopted a cat together, spent holidays with each other's families, and she's going to leave me because I don't want to get married?" For a piece of paper? Like, status matters that much to you? Whatever, I clearly dodged a bullet with that one."

"Most women want marriage. If you plan on being with her, why not give it to her?"

"Because I don't want to get married? It doesn't really matter to me."

"But she does. It matters to her. You can't get upset with her for wanting something. She has every right to be upset. You clearly don't love her enough to give her what she wants."

Koga frowned. "Um, you're supposed to take my side because we are bros, since when did you become Dr. Phil? And for the record, I do love her. But what about what I want?"

Sesshomaru shrugged. "We don't get what we want, we're men. That's just how the world works. Once you've accepted that, you'll be a lot happier."

Koga snorted. "Thanks for that wholesome advice. You're sounding a lot like your dad."

Sesshomaru curled his lip. "Are you almost done? Natasha should be here soon. I want to survey these locations jotted down in Dmitri's book. We ran that symbol he drew into the database just to get ideas and a club in Chinatown called Halo popped up a few times."

"Halo? I heard of that spot. I did a gig there a few years back and-oh shit.."

"What?"

"This is so weird…I just found a whole bunch of Naraku's emails from a couple of months ago in the spam folder."

"That wretched dull-witted swine. I feel like incarcerating her for causing such botchery. What does it say, when was it dated?"

"Looks like a couple weeks before Christmas. But what I just found weird was Naraku sent you an email invite, to that club, Halo on December 14th. He said 'Hello, General. You're a busy man, I see. Come join me here for a cigar, I have much to tell you.'"

Sesshomaru adjusted himself in his seat. "That cannot be a coincidence."

"He mentions in the first few emails about certain investments, complaining that you haven't been replying to any of his texts."

"I didn't…" Sesshomaru looked regretfully. "I was in and out of meetings and I just thought he was trying to drag me out somewhere."

Koga squinted at the screen as he browsed through all of the emails. "Ok, here's the last one he wrote, he wrote 'I should be offended that our 20 year friendship means nothing to you. You are lucky I am also not sensitive. I really need you to meet with me, something foul is in the air out here. I'm hearing a lot of rumors and I'm not sure you know about it. I also feel like I'm being followed, by a woman. I guess I can't really complain about such thing. Perks of the bachelorhood. Jokes aside, old friend, this is grave. I hope you get this.'"

Sesshomaru wanted to punch a wall. Naraku needed him and he wasn't there. Not wanting his disappointment to show, he cleared his throat and stood up. Catching a couple of silhouettes passing by his office window, he grew anxious.

"Natasha is here. Let's go talk to her."

Koga shot up. "Wait, what are we going to tell her about Dmitri?"

"The truth?"

"Sesshomaru, her brother was killed. Can we just talk about how we are going to tell her?"

"No, we have wasted enough time."

"Let me tell her then. You don't have the greatest bedside manner."

Sesshomaru bristled over his shoulder at him as they walked out. They made their way down the corridor and entered the investigation room.

Natasha looked up at them. Her eyes were bloodshot red, her lips quivering. She quickly studied Sesshomaru and then at Koga and started wailing.

"No, please don't tell me. Don't tell me!" she sobbed and buried her face into her hands.

"How'd she know?" Koga whispered.

"Your face gave it away." Sesshomaru sighed and sat down across from her.

"Ms. Ashtova, my sincerest condolences."

"Why?" she whimpered. "He was just a baby. He was my baby."

"That's what we are trying to find out." Sesshomaru added, softly.

They both sat quietly while she grieved but Sesshomaru became impatient. He set a couple of files, scanned copies of Dmitri's journal and a couple of pictures of other suspects.

"Ms. Ashtova, I hate to sound insensitive, but we are pressed for time. When I came to you, you told me Dmitri had your gun. We searched his whole apartment and it wasn't there. The men that…murdered your brother, had the same tattoo as him. Are you familiar with it?"

"No, not really."

"Can you tell us what you do know?" Koga asked.

Natasha's gaze fell to the table and she looked up at him. "I will tell you everything I know, please…just find who did this and make them pay."

"That is the plan." Koga added.

"Do you know a place called Halo?"

"Yes." Natasha said. "It's downtown, right? Eh…I think my brother…" she paused, another sob broke out. "h-he went there sometimes with a woman."

"Do you know her name?"

"No, I don't…" Natasha cried. "I should have known her name but I was just so mad at him that I was trying ….eh, not to care."

"Why were you mad at him?" Koga asked.

"When I brought him from Ukraine, I was going to college. I stopped going to school to pay for him to go to college instead. He was going to be doctor but then he met this woman and she took him to parties all the time. Then he started drinking and smoking. He's only 19, and this woman was probably my age, maybe a little older…like 30. Something wasn't right about her."

"What did she look like?"

"Like prostitute. Always wearing wigs, short skirts and see through shirts. She is very pale, red eyes."

"Red eyes?" Sesshomaru paused. "She was a demon?"

"Yes…I guess she was." Natasha shrugged. "She would come and pick him up at my place and then she would sleep over without asking me, so I got mad and Dmitri and we argued, then he moved out last month. He wouldn't tell me where he was staying."

"Alright…" Sesshomaru shuffled the papers in front of him. "What about others, did he get other visitors?"

"Yes…these three guys…human, would come over late at night and they would all talk out in the hallway."

Sesshomaru slid a few photos in front of her, and a couple of sketches of the suspects that got away yesterday.

Natasha pointed to the sketch. "That's one of them. I don't know his name, but he came by a few times with Dmitri's girlfriend. That night, Dmitri kept asking me to show them my gun and I told them no. I kept getting funny feeling and eh…it was missing a couple days later."

"Ok…anything else you think may help? Places he liked to hang out?"

Natasha bit her lip as tears continued to fall down her cheek. "He loved Chinatown. There's a bar there called Yellow that he liked. There is a new condo they built by…eh…the Manhattan bridge. It's…eh…called Skyview. I think his girlfriend lives there because I kept hearing him say that over the phone."

Sesshomaru glanced at his watch. "Ok, thank you, Ms. Ashtova. We will need you to stay in town in case we have more questions."

"Yes…of course." She said, sniffling.

Koga and Sesshomaru walked out of the interrogation room and headed back to his office.

"I'm so freaking confused." Koga said. "You have Dmitri as part of the Angelos which you said is a human organization against demons yet his girlfriend is a demon?"

"well, I don't think it's against demons. I think it's against me. Look at their tattoo, it's my crest with a sword impaled through it."

"Can you really not think of anyone you did dirty to?" Koga remarked.

" It's a long list…but it's getting late, I have to go back to the manor."

"Uh oh, look who's got a curfew now." Koga made a whip sound and Sesshomaru scowled.

"Kimora hasn't been feeling well and I need to be there. We'll convene tomorrow at 7am and then plan out the places we're going to follow up with."

Sesshomaru buttoned his jacket and Koga gave him a onceover. "I don't know why you're saying bye to me, I'm going back to the manor with you."

"Don't you have a home?" Sesshomaru joked.

"You're hurting my feelings, bro. You know you guys are my home."

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Authors note:

Hi guys….yeah, I know…it's been two years. I do apologize for making a lot of you wait and don't blame those who've given up on me. I had a lot of changes in my life and fell into a deep hiatus between (career change, divorce, and starting a new life) I haven't written nor read anything this whole time but I'm trying to get that groove back. I want to thank those who have sent me private messages on this site and to those who have gone as far as reaching out to me on Instagram (Saint Augustine and Vitamin Young) to remind me that I have a story to finish. I need that kick in the butt and it's so lovely to hear from you guys. I hope you'll give me another shot.