She should have been paying more attention. She should have noticed how alone she was in the garage. The white van next to her car that wasn't there when she parked should have set off alarm bells in her head. The sound of light footsteps behind her should have made her look over her shoulder. The gentle prickle of her reiki under her skin should have been enough of a warning. She should have heeded Inuyasha's advice to watch her back, stay alert, and make her trip quick.
She should have noticed and done a lot of things but she didn't and now she was faced with a problem.
"Haven't seen you in a while, grocery girl." She whirled around and those unnerving blue eyes were staring her down. Her heart immediately started trying to beat out of her chest and she almost dropped her car keys from her suddenly unsteady hands. "What are you so nervous for? I just want to chat."
Her reiki hummed and her initial fear turned to anger. Who the hell did he think he was, stalking her and disrupting her life? "I don't have time to chat. I'm expected somewhere...soon," she said and turned to walk away.
Faster than she could blink he was in front of her, shaking his head slowly. "Look, why don't we grab a coffee and you can tell me a story? It won't take long, I promise."
"Not interested, thanks. Like I said, people are expecting me-"
"You can knock that off now. You're lying and I can smell it," he said, tapping his nose. He leaned in a little closer, enough that she could feel the heat rolling off his body. She took a step back automatically, trying to put distance between them, but he stepped forward with her. "You know what else I can smell? Dog. And it's all over you." He took a noticeable sniff. "You fucking reek of that mutt. Guess after all that time hiding, he finally decided to find himself a warm body to-"
The sharp slap echoed around them, cutting off whatever disgusting thing Koga intended to say. Kagome stared for a second, stunned, palm stinging from the abrupt contact. Koga lightly brushed his fingers over his cheek, an equally stunned expression on his face.
When he finally looked at her, it wasn't with anger. "Huh, I knew you had spirit. Shame you're wasting it on him when you could be my woman instead." And then the asshole grinned at her.
Kagome felt her face heat and her hand twitch, barely resisting the urge to hit him again. "Like that would ever happen. Why don't you just tell me what you want so I can get on with my day?"
"The mutt, plain and simple. Turn him over to me and your life can go back to normal, no questions asked." Koga said, voice casual, like Inuyasha's life was no more consequential than the weather.
In that moment, Kagome hated him. "How about no."
"Look, you don't-"
"I said no." She took a step closer and poked him in the chest. "I know who you are." Another jab. "And I know what you did." And another. "And I know what you think Inuyasha did." If she had fangs, they would be bared. "First, you're wrong, and second, you're not getting anywhere near him. Got it?"
It was Koga's turn to take a step back, throwing his hands up to fend off. "Hey, I can only guess what he told you but I can guarantee he's lying. The sick bastard is a murderer and he's obviously using you. Let me help you."
She wasn't buying it. "I don't need your 'help' and I certainly don't believe your word over his. He's not the one threatening and harassing me, so."
Koga's face changed and his hands dropped. "You know I can make your life very difficult...little miko."
Well, if that was the game he wanted to play, she would go right along with it. She allowed her reiki curl around her, brushing against Koga's yoki, studying it. Full wolf yokai, exuding confidence, but with a slight hint of nervousness and hesitation. And...what the hell? Was he aroused? Gross. That was an aspect of her power she most certainly did not need.
"You know, I could just take you, use you as bait. He's attached to you enough that he's scent marking you so he'd come running right to me. And as a bonus, we could get to know each other." He smirked and reached a hand towards her slowly.
She let her power rise to dance around his extended arm. "Probably not a great idea for a yokai to try and kidnap a miko." Flaring her power, she was satisfied when he hissed in pain and pulled his slightly-smoking hand back.
"I wouldn't do anything drastic. How would it look, you purifying a well-respected private investigator while harboring a fugitive at your shrine? The headlines would be spectacular."
She hated that he was right. Racking her brain for a way out of this, she glared at the solid obstacle between her and her car. She calmed her reiki but didn't pull it back.
Koga narrowed his eyes but seemed satisfied that she wasn't going to turn him into a pile of ash. "I gotta ask," he said. "Why are you protecting him? I could have law enforcement swarming all over your shrine within the hour, make your life a fucking nightmare if I wanted to. In fact, that's exactly what I'm thinking of doing. Why risk it over that mutt?"
An odd feeling made her pause before answering. Something felt off about his statement, something that made her reiki hum and strain towards his yoki. Letting her power mix with his again, she gasped. Cloudy, dull, and pulsing unevenly, his yoki told her all she needed to know. "You wouldn't," she said confidently.
"Wouldn't what?" he asked and she read the confusion in the odd pulses.
"Get the police involved. You don't want that."
"All I want is the stupid dog. Don't care what I gotta do to get to him."
No, that statement was all wrong but she had to test this before going any further. "I don't think that's true at all."
Koga huffed. "Don't act like you know anything about what I would or wouldn't do. I've been looking for that asshole for a long time and I'm not gonna let you stand in my way."
An idea struck her. "What's your family name?"
"Huh?"
"Your family name, what is it?"
"Matsuno. I'm sure you've looked me up by now so you should know that."
His yoki cleared and pulsed evenly. "Were the men following us that night yours?"
He was studying her now, his forehead creased with concern. "Thought that was obvious but I'll humor you. Yeah, I sent them."
Yes. Now for the real test. "Would you hurt me or my family to get to Inuyasha?"
Koga scowled, obviously not liking this line of questioning. "I'll do whatever it takes to get to him. You and your family don't mean shit."
His yoki dimmed and the uneven pulse came back. Lie. "What do you want with him?"
"I want to beat the truth out of him. And I don't like what I find, then I'll kill him."
Bright but not as clear, the pulse stronger but still a little off. True but hesitant?
He eyed her suspiciously. "What game are you playing at? Why all the questions?"
Alright, time for the big one. "Did you kill Inuyasha's father?" she asked, sucking in a breath and holding it.
"Fucking seriously? No, I didn't. My job was to protect him, a job I failed thanks to your dog." He snarled the last word, eyes full of hatred. "Toga was a friend before he hired me and I don't betray my friends."
He wasn't lying. His yoki was brilliant and clear. She let out her breath and the world tilted. "Shit...shit, shit, shit." She said it like a mantra, trying to calm herself enough to think.
"The hell is going on with you?" he asked, sounding both confused and concerned. He put a hand out to steady her, drawing her attention to her body's gentle swaying motion.
"I believe you," she said, letting his hand stay on her shoulder. "But I believe him too." She met his eyes, the piercing blue feeling less threatening than earlier. "I don't think either of you killed his father. I think you were both used for something bigger and much, much worse."
Kagome was exhausted and Inuyasha was not helping. She wasn't even halfway across the shrine before he was next to her sniffing, examining, and growling. She knew he smelled Koga but there wasn't anything she could do about it. Any attempt to explain was cut off by his angry snarls. So she'd plopped down on a bench by the sacred tree and waited for the fireworks to start. She didn't have to wait long.
"He touched you, I can fucking smell him!"
"Would you calm down and let me explain?" Kagome patted the bench next to her. "And get over here and quit acting like I have rabies or something."
Inuyasha narrowed his eyes. She smelled like the wolf and she was just sitting there, calm as ever. "No. Not while you reek like him." He crossed his arms and remained standing just far enough that he could catch Kagome's scent without the taint of Koga mixed in.
"You're being ridiculous. He didn't hurt me or kidnap me or threaten...well, he may have tried to threaten me but it backfired. Never mind...the point is, I actually talked to him and it was enlightening, to say the least." She crossed her own arms, mimicking her stubborn hanyo. "But I need to explain and you need to let me."
"Fuck that. There's no reason you should be this calm after a run-in with him. What lies did he tell you? Did he spout some shit about his innocence, try to convince you to turn me over?" Inuyasha's arms dropped to his sides and his shoulders slumped. In a small voice, he asked, "Are you starting to believe him?"
For a second, she was too stunned to speak. She must have misheard him, right? "Are you being serious right now? After everything, that's what you think?"
He threw his hands up in frustration. "Well, what the fuck am I supposed to think?"
She was much too tired for this. Reading yoki was exhausting, apparently, and she was feeling drained from her encounter with Koga. "Inuyasha, please. I don't have the energy to argue. Don't you trust me?" she asked. Was it slightly underhanded? Yes. Did she care at the moment? No.
He growled but relaxed his posture as he finally took in her appearance. She looked beat to hell and back, her body drooping, eyes barely held open, hands lying limp in her lap. Worry and curiosity finally won out and he took a few tentative steps towards her. "You're sure he didn't hurt you?"
"Would I lie to you? No, and even if I did, you'd be able to smell it. Right?"
He nodded once then made his way over and joined her on the bench, putting an arm around her shoulders and rubbing his hand over the spot that smelled like the wolf. "Sorry," he mumbled. "I guess I overreacted."
She snorted. "You guess?"
"Keh. What did you think was gonna happen when I smelled him on you?" He cocked an eyebrow at her. As far as he was concerned, he could have reacted much worse. At least he hadn't tried to backtrack the scent to kill the asshole.
She leaned into his side and rested her head on his shoulder, sighing. "I discovered something new about my reiki today." She tilted her head to look at him.
"Yeah, what?"
"I can read lies and truths in yoki."
His arm tightened around her. "That's...that's not possible," Inuyasha said. At the very least, he didn't want it to be possible. "Kagome, are you...are you sure? Because...fuck."
"Well yeah, but…" For a second, she didn't understand his worry. But then she realized… "Oh, shit." She understood the sudden fear in Inuyasha's eyes. She was a human lie detector. People, the worst kind of people, would kill to control that kind of ability. 'Fuck' was right.
"Yeah, oh shit is right. You need to talk to Kikyo because having that kind of power isn't worth the trouble...it isn't worth possibly losing your life." Intense fear gripped his heart. The thought of losing her, of someone hurting her, of her dying...it was too much.
"Hey, it's not that serious. Besides, I've got you to protect me, right?" She nudged him in an attempt to lighten the mood. "Nothing is going to happen. It's gonna be fine," she tried to assure him. When he didn't relax, she reached up and cupped his cheek, soft and warm against her palm. Her thumb brushed a small soothing pattern against his skin and he slowly relaxed. "We need to talk about what happened today," she said and let her hand drop back to her lap. "And I need you to have an open mind and try not to get angry."
"It involves Koga so no promises," he grumbled, resting his cheek on top of her head.
She sighed knowing that was the best she was going to get from him. "First, I need to test my lie-detection skills. You're going to have to be my test subject but I don't want to look at you while we're doing this because your ears and face may give you away."
"Excuse me, I'm not that easy to read." He pulled away and tried to look as offended as possible.
"You are."
"I'm not."
She huffed and started listing. "Your ears are back and your face is scrunched up because you're annoyed and offended. Your hand is fidgeting because you just want to get this over with and your knee is bouncing because you're anxious about what I have to say about Koga. Your other hand is squeezing my shoulder because you're worried about me. And now your eyes are wide and your ears are straight up because you're in awe that your amazing girlfriend can read you like a fucking book."
He narrowed his eyes and did his best to stop twitching. "Keh, lucky guess."
"Sure, whatever helps you sleep at night. Now turn around so we can do this. You sit at one end and I'll sit at the other."
Inuyasha huffed but moved to one end of the bench, back to Kagome. They let their yoki and reiki flow out to meet in the middle. "So how's this gonna work?" he asked.
"I ask a question, you answer, I read your yoki to see if you're telling the truth, you tell me if I'm right. First question: What's your favorite color?"
"Green."
"You're telling the truth."
"Yep. Can I ask how you're doing this? Like, is my yoki whispering all my secrets to you?"
"Not exactly. It gets kind of cloudy and pulses unevenly after a lie and clears up when you're telling the truth. There's more to it than that but the rest is going to take practice and probably varies from yokai to yokai. It's also...instinctual, I guess? I'm not sure how but I could tell that Koga was...he was...ugh, I don't want to even say it."
"Say what?" He turned and saw her wringing her hands. "Kagome," he said, a growl building in his chest.
She turned her head but still couldn't look at his face. "He was...turned on," she said under her breath.
He obviously heard her because he was off the bench and kneeling in front of her in a heartbeat. His growl grew in volume and he had to fight back his rising yoki. Taking her hands in his, he asked, "Did he touch you? Is that why I can smell him? I swear, I'll go right now and-"
Kagome saw his eyes flash red and scrambled to calm him down. "No, no that's not...He didn't do anything like that, I promise." Her words relaxed him slightly but didn't let go of her hands. "I got a little dizzy and he put a hand on my shoulder to steady me. That was the only time he touched me."
"Still, what the fuck?" He calmed and quieted the rumbling in his chest but he wasn't finished asking questions. "He was...fuck. And you could tell?"
"Unfortunately, yes. I'm not thrilled about it either but he didn't do anything so you can stop squeezing my hands now."
"Sorry," he said, letting go and standing, though that was the last thing he wanted to do. His instincts were yelling at him to take her somewhere and cover her in his scent, erase the stench of wolf, establish that she was his. Instead, he asked, "You sure you're up for this right now?"
She nodded. "Get back to your side so we can get this over with."
"Alright but if it's too much we're stopping." He could smell how exhausted she was by now. He took his place and waited.
She started easy with simple yes or no questions. As she gained confidence, her inquiries grew more complicated with multiple parts needing to be answered to allow him to throw in half-truths. Inuyasha caught on quickly and mixed his answers accordingly. Question after question, Kagome accurately determined truth from lie. Her confidence grew and she decided to have a little fun with it.
"When's your birthday?"
"Tomorrow."
"Liar, obviously."
"Alright, April 1st."
"Nope."
"February…"
"Getting there."
"24th."
"Good, now I know when to buy you a present," she said, entirely too pleased with herself.
"Being with you is the only gift I need," he said, corny but honest.
"Shut up, dork." She paused and remembered something a little more serious she was curious about. "How did the concrete outside the well house end up cracked?"
"Can I refuse to answer?" he asked. That wasn't his proudest moment and he wasn't keen on reliving it.
"Yes, but I would really appreciate it if you answered this one."
He sighed but didn't fight her on it. She probably deserved to know how fucking stupid he was. "I was pissed at myself so I punched the ground."
"And?"
"And, what?"
"There's more you want to say...or don't want to say."
"Fuck, Kagome. These creepy mind-reading powers are really not fair." He knew he shouldn't have said it the moment the words finished leaving his mouth. The smell of salty tears reached him and he moved next to her to pull her into a hug. "Hey, sorry. I didn't mean that. I just-"
She shook her head and buried her face in his chest. "No, you're right. It is a little creepy and I shouldn't be trying to pry into things you don't want to tell me."
He tightened his hold on her and buried his nose in her hair, breathing her in. "It's alright. It's new and I'm sure we'll work out some boundaries. I trust you."
"I know. I can't…" She pulled back to look at him. "I can't let anyone know I can do this. I don't even want to tell Kikyo all of it. But, Koga...I used this on him. He's gonna know."
"Fuck the wolf. He's probably too fucking stupid to realize what was happening anyway." He let his forehead rest against hers and brought a hand up to cup her neck. "Nothing is going to happen to you, not while I'm around." His head tilted so he could press a kiss to her lips, brief and comforting. "I'll protect you with my life, Kagome."
"I don't want anything to happen to you either, you know. You've already been through so much." A lock of silver hair brushed against her cheek and she reached up to run her fingers through it. She wanted to stop talking and kiss him again but they still had things to discuss. "We're quite the pair; just two walking targets." She laughed but there was no humor in it.
"Keh. I can kick just about anybody's ass and you can purify anybody with yoki so I think we'll be fine. And if that doesn't work then at least I can run fucking fast." Inuyasha grasped the hand she was running through his hair and brought it to his lips. He placed a kiss on her palm then placed it over his heart, not missing the slight shiver that went through her. "We're done talking about this today."
"I won't argue," she said, yawning. It was well past dinner by that point, both of them too wrapped up in each other to notice the passing of time. Kagome leaned further into his embrace when his other arm came up to wrap around her. She took whatever comfort she could all while thinking about ways to stay in his arms for as long as possible. How would he react if she asked to stay with him for the night? Her body warmed at the thought and she had to concentrate on her breathing so she wouldn't start panting. The images that came with those thoughts were...
"Hey, what are you all tense for now?" He sniffed and she fought down her rising panic. Damn him and his sensitive nose. "Oh," he said, his voice low and husky. "Whatever you've got going on in your head, you may want to rein it in a little. Not that I'm complaining, but…"
"Stop, just stop talking." She swatted his chest and buried her face in his neck. "You're as bad as Miroku."
"Woah, let's not get carried away here. I've got a long way before I can even compete in the same league as that pervert."
Silence fell between them for a few minutes as they stayed molded together, hands gently running along arms and backs in innocent and comforting exploration. Kagome's breathing evened out and she listened to Inuyasha's heartbeat in sync with hers. This was how she wanted every day to end, wrapped in the comforting embrace of Inuyasha, of the man she...she loved...oh.
Where the thought came from didn't matter because once it was there she knew it was true. She was in love with her stubborn, over-protective dog boy. Her hands stilled for a second and she leaned back to look up at him. He gave her a puzzled look but didn't say anything. "Inuyasha, could you...would...is it alright if, damn." She looked away, embarrassed. This shouldn't be that difficult.
"Hey, you alright?" he asked, cupping her cheek and turning her face back towards him. "Whatever it is, just say it. It's only me."
If he knew what she was thinking he would know that that was the problem. How did you ask the person you just realized you were in love with if you could spend the night with them? Without it sounding like you just wanted to have sex with them? Not that she didn't want that, at some point. Just, maybe not tonight. "Could I...stay with you tonight? I don't want to sleep alone after everything that happened today." She finally looked back at him, letting the hope show on her face.
His answer was to lean down and kiss her, a gesture that she eagerly returned. When they broke apart, he said, "Like you even have to ask." His voice came out low and husky and she thought maybe it wouldn't be so bad if something happened tonight. She was confident he wouldn't push her to do anything she wasn't ready for.
She trusted him completely. "We should head in," she said. "I feel like I could sleep for a week."
He placed one more soft kiss on her lips and scooped her up bridal style to carry her to the house. When they got to the door, he stopped to listen. Sota was up in his room and Mama was in the kitchen doing dishes. "You hungry?" he asked, setting her down but not letting her go completely.
"Only a little. I should probably eat something small before I try to sleep."
"Alright then, go get yourself ready and I'll put something together." He paused, his mind still reeling at her request. "Did you...um, where do you want to sleep?"
"Y-your bed is bigger so I guess I'll sleep with you. In your bed. Sleep in your bed, with you."
He chuckled and pulled her into a hug. "Stop while you're ahead, hmm?"
She nodded against his chest and tried to catch her breath. "Sorry, just, tired." And flustered, and confused, and possibly horny. Maybe this wasn't such a great idea.
They went their separate ways in the house and about a half-hour later they were settled in Inuyasha's room at his little table. Kagome was bathed and in her pajamas and Inuyasha had changed into sweats and a tank top. He'd made them both instant ramen which they were eating in companionable silence. They were both a little tense, stealing glances at one another and exchanging small smiles.
When their cups were empty, Inuyasha took them to the kitchen to throw them away while Kagome hesitantly climbed into his bed and made herself comfortable. Well, as comfortable as she could with all the possibilities hanging over her head. To distract herself, she took a second to look around and noticed a small wooden box sitting on his nightstand. Upon closer inspection, she realized it was a partially solved puzzle box. Would Inuyasha mind if she tinkered with it?
"Go ahead, I'm at a loss with that thing," Inuyasha said from the doorway.
Kagome picked it up and started flipping it around in her hands. "My grandfather used to solve these, at least, according to mama, but he stopped doing them a long time ago. Where'd you get this one?"
Inuyasha sat next to her, his body drooping slightly. "It was my old man's. He...he gave it to me when he...died."
She raised her head and met his gaze. "I'm sorry, I didn't mean to bring up bad memories."
"It's alright. I've learned to live with it, with some help of course." He gave her a meaningful look before turning his attention back to the trinket in her hand. "Can you solve it?"
In answer, she fiddled with the box for another minute, sussing out its secrets, until the last compartment opened. Inside was a miniature replica of a sword resembling a fang with a tiny band of soft fur around the guard. "There ya go," she said, handing over the prize.
"Huh, it's a mini Tessaiga." Inuyasha held the sword in his palm. It was surprisingly heavy and he wondered briefly if it was made of actual bone.
"Tessaiga? Is that the name of the sword?"
Inuyasha nodded. "My father left the real thing to me. I don't really use it though."
"Not much use for a sword when there's not rogue yokai running around everywhere." She yawned, the force of it making her slightly dizzy.
"You're not gonna last much longer," he said, putting the sword and box on his little table and settling himself down next to her.
She didn't argue and there was some awkward maneuvering and adjusting as they figured out their sleeping positions. Kagome ended up laying on her right side and facing the wall, Inuyasha curled up behind her. It was time to find out if he was a cuddler.
"Inuyasha?"
"Yeah." He was closer than she thought, his breath puffing against her neck.
"Could we…could you...um?" She wiggled backward to bring their bodies even closer together.
He wrapped his left arm around her waist and pulled her back against his chest. "Thought you'd never ask."
She snuggled into him, fitting perfectly against his body. "Can I ask you something?"
"Nope, go to sleep."
She pouted even though he couldn't see her face. "Please?"
He kissed the top of her head and tightened his arm around her. "One question."
"Why the miniature sword?"
"Huh?"
"I mean, why'd he leave you the little box with a little hidden sword?" she asked and twisted her head so she could see his face, so close to hers. "Does it mean something or…?"
He recalled how his father passed him the small box, treating it like a secret to be guarded. "I'm not sure. Maybe."
"Do you think he mmph-" Inuyasha's lips covered hers, silencing her. As much as she wanted to be angry about his interruption, she couldn't. He felt too damn good pressed against her, mouth molding to hers. She tried to follow when he pulled away but the angle didn't allow it.
He chuckled at her attempt and the heated look in her eyes. "I said one question." He kissed her again before she could protest.
His hand trailed up her arm to her elbow and she shuddered against him, her skin tingling under his fingers. She turned to press further into the kiss and ran her tongue along his lips, seeking entrance that he eagerly granted. They were bolder this time, their tongues trailing along every available surface. They both moaned when Kagome's tongue found first one then the other deadly tips of his fangs. The trust in that small act set Inuyasha's head spinning with a wave of powerful emotions.
He needed to touch more of her, and now. He slipped one arm under her shoulders to turn her more on her back and bring her even closer. His other hand started caressing her stomach through the thin cotton of her shirt, drawing tiny patterns with his fingertips. Her muscles quivered under his ministrations and her head fell back, exposing her neck. She gasped and sighed his name when his lips and tongue left a burning trail along her jaw, down her neck, then back up to her ear.
"Kagome," he groaned into the side of her neck, breathing deeply and taking in her wonderful scent, spicy with her arousal. It was almost too much, having her this close. His brain was scrambling to memorize everything she liked, every way she enjoyed being touched, to file away for future encounters.
Cheek pressed against his forehead, Kagome cupped his face and tailed her hand up through his silky hair. When she found his ear, she began to rub it in little circles, reveling in how soft and warm it was. A content rumble, almost a purr, coming from his chest was her reward and she had to resist the urge to giggle. She'd never felt like this before, like her emotions were overflowing, like...like if she didn't let them out somehow she would burst from pure joy and love.
Growing bolder, her other hand covered the one that was still rubbing her belly. She moved it gently upwards to just below her breasts before letting go, leaving the choice to him. He was more than welcome to explore further, and fuck, did she want him to. But if he wasn't ready then she wouldn't push.
Hand still resting just below the swell of her chest, Inuyasha kissed his way back up to her mouth. He pulled back to meet her eyes, hazy with lust. She was such a sight lying there, her hair falling over his arm, cheeks flushed, chest rising and falling rapidly with her heavy breathing. She tilted her head and whimpered, the hand on his ear moving to the back of his head to gently encourage him towards her again.
How could he refuse when he wanted it just as much. He kissed her fully, not an ounce of shyness remaining. Emboldened by the kiss he finally, finally let his hand trail up to cup one soft mound. Even through her shirt, he could feel her nipple pressing into his palm. He massaged gently then let his thumb brush over the hardened peak. She moaned into the kiss and arched her back, seeking more contact.
Her skin was on fire and they were still fully clothed. What would this be like when they were skin to skin? The thought alone had her squeezing her thighs together. She'd been able to feel him, hot and hard, pressed to her hip for some time now. And there was...quite a bit there to feel. An occasional jerk of his hips kept reminding her how much she and their activities were affecting him. Vaguely, she realized they should stop soon. She was still tired and drained from her day but everything just felt so good!
Unfortunately, Inuyasha came to his senses first. He pulled back and moved his hand from her breast down to rest on the bed by her side. "You need to get some sleep, woman before we end up doing something that'll keep us both awake for far too long. I can see how exhausted you are."
She hated to admit it, but he was right. She nodded and turned so she could burrow her face into his chest. "I know," she said. "That doesn't mean I have to like it."
He chuckled and they wrapped their arms around each other, a little awkward at first but soon they found a comfortable position. Inuyasha somehow managed to drag the blanket over them before they both settled for the night.
Nestled in the warmth and safety of her love's arms, it was only as Kagome was drifting off to sleep that she realized she left out an important part of their conversation earlier: she'd never actually told Inuyasha that she thought Koga was innocent.
Snap
"He wants to see you."
Snap
"Why does he always send you?" she asked the small, pale child-like creature.
Snap
The girl maintained her blank stare. "I do not question, I only listen."
Snap
"Whatever. I'm going." She snapped her fan closed one more time.
She found her 'boss' in his usual spot, sitting on the floor of his office surrounded by several glowing jars. He didn't look up when she entered.
"The unsealed miko interests me. I was going to have you kill her, along with the dog, but I've changed my mind. Start making accommodations for her arrival."
"Heh, are you planning on inviting her over for dinner?" She hated the man before her, though 'man' was a generous term for him. Creature or perhaps abomination would be more accurate. And though he held her life in his hands, she couldn't help but antagonize him on occasion.
"I will send someone to retrieve her shortly. Be ready." She turned to leave but he wasn't finished. "Oh, and Kagura? Kill the dog."
Notes:
I'm thinking of taking a week off to get further ahead of myself. I have the next two chapters written but I've been slowly catching up (I'm usually 3-4 chapters ahead). However! The next few chapters are pretty intense and I don't want to leave anything major hanging so I'm going to do my best to stay ahead until I hit a calmer point in the story. I will definitely put it in the notes the week before if I decide to go that route so there won't be any surprises.
Thanks to everyone for reading so far and for the few reviews I've gotten.
