I feel like most of you already read this one since I posted a few weeks ago on Tumblr. For those of you who haven't looked at my profile in a while, this is my last post to this site. A subscriber suggested that I post an update with this information as they struggled to find me and any info on where I am currently. There are several reasons why but the main reason is convenience. I deleted my AO3 and will only be using it for challenges and events. Since I'll only be participating in IY events from now on, I'll try to do some SM equivalents to be fair. Like, make SM contributions to the IY events for people to read kind of stuff.
There are three chapters posted for this work (currently) and there will be an 'extra' on Vday as well as a new chapter this month. I will release Chapter three to the public when I release chapter four to my subscribers. If you want to find them, you'll have to go to my Tumblr. The link to it is on my profile page here. No matter what it looks like, I promise you don't have to spend a dime to read my works. Not all are currently free but there are a lot of works on my site. Players choice on what they do; wait or subscribe. Either way, you can still read me there.
I've also been trying to post updates on Tumblr in full. Sometimes it's easier to just read there instead of going to another website (I totally get that). I think I posted this chapter there instead of here and that's my confusion? Anyway, I've had a lot of people asking if there was any way to keep reading my works for free (and at all) and yes there is. You just have to go to my Tumblr to read.
Think what you will about me but in the end, this is my way to control who sees my work as well as when. Posting to so many sites was just too much for me. I was also comparing myself to others too much; here and on other sites. It's just not healthy. I hope you will all find and continue to read works from me. If not, I wish you all the best in this life. Thank you all for your support these last four years.
Chapter Sixteen
The phone popped as if dropped or something but the silence was short. "Kagome?!"
"Is mom and Gramps there?"
More hustling and popping. Her family was probably the only one who still had a landline. At least she had gotten Gramps a cordless and then forced him to install it years ago. It explained why Souta was now able to walk the phone to wherever the rest of her family was and put it on speaker.
"Kagome? Oh, baby. Where are you?!"
Even if she knew, she couldn't tell them, glancing over at Inuyasha who was focused on the road but clearly listening. "It's better you don't know, Momma. Just know that I'm safe."
"We heard the news, saw that Dākukēji fell. Did you have something to do with that?" Gramps asked, almost scolding with his tone.
Kagome was too busy fuming to be guilty. "How did you guys know that I was there?!"
There was a pause and a sigh, "Hojo told us." Mom answered her and the phone popped again, this time from Kagome's tight hold on hers. "He told us, at first, that you were busy working. Then some lie about Doctors without borders. Like I would believe such a lie, that you left the country without a word to us."
"Ug, stupid Hojo. So he just told you everything?!"
"How you saved his life in public? Yes, you foolish, foolish child! He told us everything." Gramps spat, livid.
"I didn't have a choice, Gramps…"
"Yes, you did! All those years you spent saving lives as a Miko instead of a doctor?!" She cringed. It was only the second time her Gramps had ever said that word to her in her entire life. All Kagome had ever learned about Mikos was how to hide. And to fear that word. "And the worst part was that you told that nitwit Hojo about all of it!"
She couldn't argue with that. Telling Hojo her secret had been the biggest mistake of her life. But if she hadn't, would she have ever met Inuyasha and the others? It was hard to regret her choices now so she was as honest as she could be. "I only regret getting you guys involved. I just called to tell you I love you and to let you know I was okay…"
"Kagome… are you okay?"
Souta was dripping with concern and fear for her. Kagome's eyes wandered to the man beside her. His knuckles were white from gripping the steering wheel so tight. What he was upset about, she had no clue but maybe it had something to do with being responsible for her still?
"I'm fine, Souta. I'm safe. I have friends taking good care of me. And I'm taking care of them too."
Inuyasha relaxed at that, his eyes darting to her from the road while she stared right at him. Kagome wanted him to know that she appreciated him and that she would take care of him too whenever and however she could. That she cared about him deeply, on the same level as her family. If this were a normal conversation and not one that they had to hide, she would tell her family about him in spades. But that wasn't what this was so Kagome told them all she could.
"I won't be calling you again. And I don't know if I'll ever be able… to come home." A sob stuck in her throat, threatening to choke and Kagome had to swallow it down. It hurt as did listening to the sobs her mother released, the sound echoing around in her brain. "I love you. Mom, Souta, Gramps. I love you all very much and… I'm so sorry…"
"Don't be sorry, girl. You may be stupid but, I'm proud of you." Gramps stated strong and loud.
This time, the sob ripped out of her, unable to contain it this time. "Thank you. I miss you. So much."
"Kagome, listen," Souta started, taking the phone away from someone, hearing it click as the speakerphone was turned off, "they're watching our house. I see them in their cars and hanging around the temple. I think I can lead them away on a wild goose chase if I just…"
"No, Souta, no. You will stay home and safe. Tell them the truth about anything they ask you just don't tell them about my gifts. Understand? Do not say a word about Mikos. You've never heard the word before and you have no clue what they're talking about. It's important Souta. Life or death."
"Yeah, I know, I just think that…."
"They will take you. You, mom, Gramps. They will take you and test you and use you as bait for me."
"Shit, Kagome, what did you do?" Souta sounded breathless, scared.
"Don't worry about it. Or me. I'll be fine. Just keep you and the family safe. I'm relying on you Souta."
There was a small, almost imperceptible sniff and a tiny groan. "This isn't fair, Kagome. We all just want you home. This fucking government…"
"Souta, don't say anything more."
She didn't think the wires were tapped or anything but that didn't mean they weren't listening to the house somehow. For all she knew, the government viewed her as just another escapee. No one knew about her, about her blood or heritage, and no one knew she was the one that destroyed the runes.
"I love you. Take care of mom and gramps for me."
"Love you too, Big Sis."
The line went dead and Kagome let out another sob; bigger than before what with her family no longer listening. The car was otherwise silent and she carefully handed the phone back to Inuyasha. "You okay?"
It was weak but she gave him a nod. Other than having to tell her family goodbye forever, she was great.
Inuyasha opened up the phone again but only to break the flimsy and ancient cell phone in half and toss it out the window. A sound escaped from her mouth at the destruction; there was no question in her sounds but Inuyasha still understood her perfectly.
"It served its purpose."
He had gotten that phone just for her to call her family. That fact alone caused another sob to crack out of her throat. Inuyasha may not have liked it, but she slid to his side and coiled into his shoulder. As she expected, he gave her the comfort she needed; wrapping an arm around her to hold her tight. It wasn't really fair, of course, Inuyasha would give her what she needed without asking. But she just had to say goodbye to her only family; she needed her new family more than ever. And Inuyasha was that and more.
The small whimpers and sobs slowed but she didn't move away and Inuyasha didn't let go. Eventually, Kagome decided to test out the radio in the car. I took her a while to find a decent station; mostly fuzz for the antiquated system. She finally landed on some Jazz and left it.
"You like Jazz?"
Turning, she found Inuyasha with a brow quirked upwards as his eyes danced between her and the road. Kagome shrugged, settling back in her spot against him. "Sometimes." Silence fell over them, the winding and seemingly random notes of a trumpet talking instead of them. It was calm, peaceful but she felt the need to say more. As if Inuyasha was waiting for it. "When I performed surgery… a scheduled one, not the ones I did in the ER, I played Jazz."
"Really? Why?"
She peeked up at him through her lashes, giggling at the sight of his scrunched up nose. Inuyasha was clearly not a fan of Jazz. "Well, when you're standing for hours at a time with your focus set on a task; it can be more tiring than you think it is."
He huffed. "Keh, no shit. Try being on a stakeout with Miroku."
Desperate for more, she turned to face him. Far from safe by automotive standards; Inuyasha looked uncomfortable with her current position. Her back to the dash so she could look right at him as he drove, Kagome didn't hide her interests in the slightest.
"So… why Jazz?" Inuyasha wasn't going to share and it made her reluctant to as well. She didn't even realize she was pouting until he chuckled and strummed her out-turned lip with his thumb. "Finish your story and I'll tell you some of mine. And sit right, dammit!"
Giggling again, she returned to his side and buckled in. The demon next to her didn't bother with his seat belt but Kagome knew that was a lost cause and didn't press. "After a while procedures become more like muscle memory. Jazz is so fluid and random. You could listen to the same song by different artists and it would sound like a different song each time. Even different performances of the same song by the same artists. Each time is a new experience. It was nice to just… listen to the freedom that was in it. Even now, it reminds me of the life I had and the happy parts of it. I loved being a doctor…"
She trailed off in her personal pity party. It's not like she was the only one in the car that lost everything.
"There was this one perp who kept slipping through our fingers. Then Miroku and I figured out one of his… ticks. We caught the bastard but I had to sit in a dank alley for eighteen hours with Miroku in my ear to catch him."
"What was the tick?" She asked, her curiosity on high.
A grin spread on his face from it but his eyes never left the road. "He liked to dumpster dive."
Her brows pulled in from her confusion. "I don't get it, how's that a tick?"
"You don't understand," Inuyasha shook his head but still grinned, "this guy was obsessed with it. He got all his food from dumpsters behind grocery stores and restaurants. If it wasn't free, he wouldn't eat it."
"What? Why?" He just shrugged. "That's pretty unsanitary. But I guess if he did right… it would be pretty smart." Inuyasha said nothing, just quirked a brow and grew his grin to show a few fangs. "He wouldn't leave a trail that way. If he didn't have cash, he could feed himself and stay hidden."
"There you go, now you're thinking like a cop." Inuyasha patted her knee like a child but she found she was far from offended by the show of affection. "The guy was crazy paranoid. As he should be, we were all looking for him."
"What did he do?"
Inuyasha opened his mouth but then stopped. She could actually hear the words halt inside his throat; stopping himself from saying too much. "He did… really bad things."
"Was he a human or a demon?" Inuyasha took his eyes off the road to shoot her an incredulous look. "It's a valid question. Humans can be just as dangerous as some demons." Inuyasha sighed and she crossed arms over her chest in indignation. "May I remind you, I'm human? Don't think I haven't noticed the way you all flinch whenever I move a certain way."
"Have I flinched?" Not away from her like the others so she shook her head and Inuyasha's hand returned to her knee. "You can't blame them. If you remembered what you did…"
His words trailed off but his touch didn't; softly rolling the fatty flesh of her thigh around with his fingers. Her skin was starting to warm all over from it when he slipped his hand back to her knee to rest.
"You were very scary, Kagome. Terrifying. But I know you would never hurt any of us. Only those who deserved it. Which puts you in a different category than the bastards I put away. You're far and away more powerful and pure than any of us."
oOo
Inuyasha had his beanie and shades on even inside the grocery store. The industrial-sized supermarket only had a few others milling around but it felt crowded. Each person they passed lingered on them, eyeing them up and down.
It didn't seem to bother Inuyasha; slumped over the handrail of the massive cart, list in his hands. "We're probably going to need two carts."
Only because he let her, Kagome snatched the list from him and looked it over. Everything on it had a number next to it to indicate the amount. The long list was astronomical when you included the numbers with Xs next to them. "How are you going to pay for all this?"
A couple passed them; a hard stare passed his way and Inuyasha pulled the hood of his dark red hoodie out from under his hair and covered his head even more. Now, only a few wisps of silver hair showed and stood out even more on his shades and red hoodie. "We have money, don't worry about it."
When Kagome didn't look appeased, Inuyasha sighed loudly and grabbed her bicep gently to pull her into his side.
"Dad… Sess and my father never trusted human banks. So along with the cabin (he left us), he buried and left the Tashio fortune buried in the woods. And Sess has the map."
Twenty gallons of milk, fifteen cartons of eggs, a butt load of instant ramen, and other things like noodles, canned goods, cheese, meat, bread, and junk food later; Inuyasha pulled the overloaded cart to the section in the middle of the large store that housed other goods. Like books, movies, and clothing. "Get yourself whatever you want."
Inuyasha grabbed a book off the shelf and leaned heavily onto the cart again. This time, it didn't so much as budge from his weight. He was nose deep in his book when she left him there to search the isles. Underwear first; grabbing a sensible pack of bikini cut. Glancing behind her and finding Inuyasha not paying her any attention, she grabbed a few lacy sets. Cause you never know right?
She was guessing on sizes, holding them up to herself, and going off of that. Soon, her arms were full of everything from sweaters to deodorant. Dropping them as neatly as possible, Kagome put her pile towards the front of the cart, hoping to keep Inuyasha from seeing a few things like the lacy bra set. But as she stood upright, he leaned over to inspect and then grabbed the large pack of razors she picked up for her fuzzy legs. The smirk on his face didn't match the glower on hers, even with her cheeks aflame.
"What do you need these for, Kagome?"
Showing her irritation in full, she ripped the oversized package from his hands while he chuckled. "Maybe I just don't like hair!"
"Oh yeah?" He took a step closer to her and towered over. "Where do you not like it exactly?"
His hand started at her lower back and slowly inched its way up. Any second now Kagome was going to pass out from holding her breath. "I… I don't think… that's your business?"
Inuyasha's nose touched the tip of hers. "But what if you hate it on faces? I don't want to grow a beard if you don't like them."
"What… why does that matter? What I think shouldn't matter…"
"What if I told you it does?"
At some point, Inuyasha had snaked his arm around her and wrapped it around her waist. Which meant he was accentuating his words by giving her hip a squeeze. It all had her head tumbling; slowly putting the pieces together to give him an answer. "You… you don't…. You don't have to worry about me. A beard wouldn't bother me and if it did, then I would be the one that should sleep elsewhere."
Inuyasha groaned, leaning his head back and huffing hot, agitated air to the ceiling instead of in her face. "Jeez, Kagome I'm not talking about our fucking sleeping arrangement." His eyes tilted back down to her (a lopsided grin on his face) but she was distracted. Not letting go of her, Inuyasha turned in the direction of her stare. "What is it?"
"Demon. Right over there."
She didn't dare speak above a whisper or point. The demon with his arms around her could hear her just fine and so could the one across the aisle from them, turning at the sound of her words. Her breath caught in her throat as the female demon's eyes rolled over the two of them. Kagome didn't recognize the woman but it was a huge prison. There were plenty of people she didn't know.
The way Inuyasha tensed and tightened his hold though; she had a feeling he knew her. "Let's go."
He hustled her to the checkout and practically flew through the process. Kagome kept looking around to see if anyone noticed his fast pace and if the other demon was following them. From the very beginning, she had felt uncomfortable. It was like everyone was watching them. Even though they got looks as they entered and as they shopped, it was in her head that they were anything of interest. That said, Kagome felt something creeping up her spine as she slowly turned to look around them.
"Focus on me and getting out of here," Inuyasha grumbled, lifting four stacks of water bottles like they were nothing. He was so focused on leaving, he forgot to hide his demon. "We need to leave now."
Kagome had a feeling that, if others weren't waiting for them to return with supplies, Inuyasha would have left all of it behind. She helped with restacking the items back on the cart and Inuyasha fed the self-checkout machine the money. He quickly got irritated so she switched with him, not even batting an eye at the technology that he was clearly inexperienced with.
With all the people inside the store, Kagome felt it was even creepier when they were alone in the parking lot. Well, not alone, because someone was leaning on their car waiting for them. Inuyasha growled and pushed Kagome behind him.
"That's a lot of food, even for you Inuyasha," the demon woman from the store purred at them, "is your friend behind you pregnant or something?"
"Fuck off, Yura." The woman laughed and Inuyasha pushed forward like he would ram her. "Get in the car." He growled at Kagome.
She moved to do as ordered but the one called Yura moved into Kagome's way. "You smell different. Not quite human."
"Get the fuck outta here, Yura, before I get you locked up!"
"Again? You don't have the same pull as before, Sergeant Tashio." Well, that answered how they knew each other. "Words going around that you and your friends ran off with a very important person…"
"Oh yeah? Says who?"
Inuyasha's face was red with anger. He was using it to hide his fear. She could tell because the color of his aura didn't match his expression at all. His usual dark red when he was angry was pale yellow instead. The same color it had been when Onigumo wanted her to fight Naraku.
"Who else? Think real hard, dumb ass."
Inuyasha's aura turned white and Kagome knew he had the answer. Meanwhile, Yura's aura remained a blood-red color the entire time. Which was strange, like Yura felt nothing or something.
Kagome blinked and Inuyasha held Yura by the throat off the ground. "You tell that mother fucker to stay away from Kagome or I'll break him into molecules."
The chuckle Yura released was strange since it had to go around Inuyasha's fingers as he squeezed her esophagus. "He has everyone out… searching for her… it won't be long…."
With a small grunt, Inuyasha threw Yura. Kagome watched as her body flew, landing on the other side of the parking lot from them. In shock, Inuyasha had to grab her face hard in his hands. "Load up the car and get the fuck outta here. Understand?"
The keys were magically in her hands and Kagome stumbled to do as asked. Mostly because she was too busy watching the two demons fight in BROAD DAYLIGHT in a populated area! The fluffy gray clouds that moved in helped very little in concealing the growling creatures at the end of the parking lot. She had witnessed Inuyasha in battle before but it was nothing like this. Now she saw just how much the runes had held him back.
A mental slap to the face and Kagome started loading the supplies into the car like her life depended on it. It all seemed pretty stupid, shopping like a regular couple and then loading the stuff in the car. They should be running! But it wasn't just the two of them they had to take into consideration. If they were caught or killed, the others would be SOL though. It was a tricky spot to be in because Kagome and Inuyasha were the only ones human enough to go out in public save for Miroku who was struggling to contain his curse as it were.
They had to get the stuff and get back home or the others would suffer.
Inuyasha slammed Yura into the pavement just as she shut the trunk. A small crowd had gathered and sirens blared in the distance. Kagome stopped all her movement, waiting and watching. Inuyasha must have been listening to her movements to make sure she did as she was told. Because as soon as she stopped, his glare flicked to her, blood-red eyes finding her.
"I said, get out of here," he whispered and she heard, just like last time, "I won't tell you again."
"No."
"Fucking eh, Kagome!"
She glanced behind, the crowd moving back from her as well now. "Even if I would leave you behind like that, I don't know how to get back!"
The growl he released was LOUD! It vibrated Kagome from where she stood, a good ten feet away. The crowd all stepped back and many ran back inside. At least now no one would get hurt in an accident.
Inuyasha landed one last punch to Yura's gut and kicked her back into the thick dirt and brick boundary around the parking lot before racing to her side. In a blink, he was pulling her by her bicep to her side of the car and roughly throwing her into the seat. She was still fumbling with the seatbelt when he wrenched his door open and slammed himself into the seat.
"Hold on."
The tires spun, sending smoke and a loud squeal into the air as Inuyasha pushed the car into reverse hard. It was painful how long it took for the wheels to find purchase and pull out of their spot. But as soon as they righted themselves, their way was blocked by a dirty, bloody, and pissed Yura. Everything went black as strange strings grew out from the woman and quickly wrapped around the car. Inuyasha punched the car into reverse again, the tires squealing again but this time because they were trying to move but the chassis was held in place. Kagome had been holding it together but when the window next to her broke (glass and darkness spilling in) she couldn't help but scream.
"Shit!" Inuyasha cursed, using his claws to cut at the moving string.
One thick strand wrapped around her wrist and squeezed. "AH!"
It burned, the black string cutting as it twisted and coiled around her skin. Inuyasha quickly slashed it but the bracelet remained, cutting deeper. Kagome clawed at it but only scratched herself. "I can't get it off!"
If left on, Kagome was sure it would cut off her hands. Inuyasha growled and shifted, the car suddenly lurching forward. There was a scream and the blackness that surrounded them flew back in a blink, revealing Yura plastered to the hood of the car. Inuyasha hit the breaks and Yura went flying. Kagome felt sick as she watched her body roll and finally stop. But then Inuyasha continued to go forward towards the limp body.
Kagome wore her horror on her face and Inuyasha just shook his head. "If we leave her alive, she'll tell Naraku everything she saw."
Her hand shot out and grabbed his leg, the one pressing the gas. "Don't do this. It's not who you are."
"It is who I am. It's who I am when my Mate is threatened."
Kagome swallowed something bitter down her throat, salt on her lips from her tears that burned her cheeks. "Please, Inuyasha. Don't do it."
He pressed on the gas harder, barreling them towards Yura's prone body. But then he suddenly hit the brakes, making them shift hard in their seats. He said nothing, staring ahead at the body on the ground. The sirens were almost on top of them now; Yura was out cold and would be back in custody soon.
Pressing on the gas again, Inuyasha turned, heading for the exit. Kagome didn't release her tension of breath until they were back on the highway. The string was still wrapped around her wrist but it had stopped tightening.
"Yura. She was Green or a natural. Meaning her power was based on things from nature. Her hair. Others can control dirt or fire or water. Some can control blood."
"And you were the one that put her in jail the first time?" She asked.
Inuyasha nodded but when Kagome was silent, he added more. "She's one of Naraku's lackeys. Killing people for him while he was inside."
Her eyes went to the hair still wrapped around her wrist and struggled to breathe when she imagined such a death. Inuyasha's fingers burned when he touched her, her sleeve pulled up high and letting her skin get colder than she realized. The air was whipping around them thanks to the broken window. Of course, she was freezing.
"We need to get that off. Naraku or one of his followers could use it to track us." Just as the words left his lips, the hair went slack; falling to her lap and turning to dust. "That was fast. What did you do?"
She shook her head, silently telling him it wasn't her and he turned back to the road with a huff. "What does this mean? Is Yura letting us go or something?"
"No," his voice was weird as was his aura, flickering with gold, "no she wouldn't be that kind."
"Then… I don't understand…"
"Yura's dead."
A whimper squeaked out of her lips, turning to face him in the manner he hated, her back to the dashboard again. "She wasn't that injured! There were no runes, she would have healed by the time we left the parking lot."
"Those sirens? They were demon control. And when they got to Yura, they killed her on sight." Her brain felt like sludge; Inuyasha looked her dead in the eyes and she vaguely thought that his orbs had never looked so gold before. "They're not taking us back to jail. It's kill on sight for demons now."
