Ch. 2: Saved by a Stranger
After Sesshomaru left the coffee house, he couldn't keep his mind off the girl. Kagome, he heard with his keen demon ears as her name being mentioned on the phone.
He could remember hearing a Kagome, it was uttered by his insufferable half-brother. He really didn't care though because he and his brother have never been close in their long lives. They've both tried countless times to kill one another but after while, things were getting old. They were equal, although he hated to admit it. It was only a few years ago that he decided to be civil to him and by then, Inuyasha found what Sesshomaru called, 'another worthless bitch.'
One reason he hated his brother so much was the thought of tainting the silver inu youkai blood further by falling in love with a human woman, a miko to be exact. Kikyo, he called her but Sesshomaru could care less. The ungrateful woman didn't last long when he took her as a mate. Only a female worthy of the demon would survive the mating ritual. It wasn't that she was weak. Kikyo was the strongest priestess in the feudal era, she just had doubts.
She was in love with another that she known for a long time, a man that she saved by the name of Onigumo who died a month after being burned in a horrible fire. She only went to Inuyasha because he was there and thought she could love him. But she never did.
It was only a bit over 500 years later, or six years ago, that he heard the hanyou speak of Kagome's name but only as a warning to stay away from her. Sesshomaru felt like he didn't needed to be told this. He would never want to get involved in the mongrel's wenches. He had his own to worry about.
If this Kagome is the same one his brother is with, then he might just get involved, mainly to piss Inuyasha off. He smiled wickedly, an evil plan formulating in his head. He was going to stop and pay his dear brother a visit.
"It's only been six years since the last time I've seen him." He left his home and headed for his car.
Kagome stepped up to the door of her apartment that she shared with her out-of-hand boyfriend. She sighed before pulling her keys out her purse and as she was inserting the key into the lock, the door flew open and in the doorway was a very ticked off hanyou.
"Where the hell ya been wench?!" He yelled at her while grabbing her hand and pulling her into the apartment.
The moment he did that, she regretted taking that stranger's advice. Inuyasha called her many times after he left while she was at the coffee house…and visiting Sango who she haven't seen in forever and in return, Sango dragged her off to the mall to spend some quality girl time together. She left the apartment around 6:30 am, it was 7:27 pm when she came back. She had to admit, although she made him angrier, she felt better about the whole thing.
"Tell me, where you've been?" Inuyasha repeated.
Kagome snatched her hand back and glared at him making him wince a bit. She would have smirked if Inuyasha didn't regain his composure and stood firm.
"I told you, I went out to get some coffee." She finally told him.
Inuyasha started pacing the room, she could see his eyes tinge pink showing how angry he was. "You're lyin', for starters, you don't smell like coffee and if you were truly there, you woulda been back hours ago. Now where were you?"
"If I don't want to tell you my damn business then stay out of it!" She yelled before turning away from him and walking to their room.
Inuyasha reached out and grabbed her roughly but she pulled away from him and slapped him before running to the door and leaving out. She went to her car ready to get in when she realized that she didn't have her keys. She cursed at her luck and decided to just try her best at running as far before Inuyasha, who was coming out the door and down the stairs as we speak, caught up to her.
Just as she turned around, a familiar silver Mustang pulled on side of her.
"Kagome, get in!" The owner of the car said after leaning over and opening the door for her.
Kagome decided that this was better than nothing and jumped in his car, slamming the door just as Inuyasha was five feet away. The driver pulled off and she looked back as Inuyasha got smaller and smaller. She sighed, now that she didn't have to deal with Inuyasha then remembered where she was. She turned to look at her savior only to look stunned at seeing the man she met at the coffee house.
"It's you…" Was her ever so intelligent statement.
Sesshomaru wanted to smirk from her surprise of seeing him again but kept his mask of indifference on his face as he continued to drive.
"Indeed." He said in a monotone.
As he continued to drive, Kagome realized something. "Hey uh…how did you know my name?"
Sesshomaru couldn't tell her that he heard her 'boyfriend' mention it when she was talking to him. No, that would reveal that he was a yokai and he couldn't trust her enough to hold that information.
"You mentioned it when you were blabbing on about the mess you made on my shirt." He said hoping that she would buy into it.
Kagome seemed to think about it. Sometimes she did end up talking to herself when she made a mistake. She sighed and looked out the window.
"Where would you like to go?" He asked looking at her at the corners of his eyes.
Kagome shrugged, she didn't know and she didn't care, she just couldn't stand being at home…no that wasn't her home. She couldn't stand being in the same place as him at the moment.
"Well if you don't care then I hope you don't mind accompanying me to my second job." He said as he looked at her while coming to a traffic light.
'Second job?' Kagome thought. He didn't look like a guy who has two jobs, he didn't look like he worked at all. There was just something about him that made her feel like he really didn't have to work but chose to do so.
Kagome just nodded and he turned back to drive as the light turned green. She had to think about what she was getting herself into though. She was sitting in a car with a man that she has no clue about, not even his name, and was letting him take her anywhere his heart's desire. What was going on with her, he could be a rapist and was really going to take her somewhere where he could fuck her without any witnesses…then suddenly that thought didn't seem so bad to her.
'No Kagome, this man could kill you, don't think of stuff like that.' Kagome thought as she shook it off mentally.
"So um…your second job hunh, what is it?" She asked trying to stop her wondering mind.
"I play the piano at a club." He said as his driving slowed down and he turned into a parking lot.
Kagome looked at him, studying him. Now that he mentioned it, he did look classy enough to play something such as a piano.
"Stop staring at me already and come on, I have to be in to set up." He said as he got out of the car slamming the door shut.
"If only the rest of him could be as classy." She said absentmindedly but then she caught herself and scolded herself before getting out the car and running to catch up with him.
The club was empty with the exception of five workers cleaning up and four other people on the stage messing around with the amps and moving equipment around. The guys on the stage looked up to see their piano player.
"Sup man, we've been looking for ya." A tall brown hair guy with blue eyes, who was almost as tall as Sesshomaru, said. He was a youkai as well, a wolf to be exact but his demon features were hidden as well.
He then stopped, frozen in his path by the blue eyes of the woman who was standing slightly behind him. He rushed over to them, nearly pushing Sesshomaru out of the way and grabbing both of her hands.
"You are the most beautiful woman I've ever seen grace this planet in all of my long years of living…" He stopped hearing a low, inaudible growl from Sesshomaru that only he could hear. Not only was he probably going to spill his secret of what he truly is but the dog demon didn't like him jumping all over her.
Koga just stood to his full height and flashed his winning smile for her and said, "You will be my woman. I have to finish setting up the amps, see ya later."
He kissed her on the hand before reluctantly leaving her side to go back on stage. Kagome was slightly shaking up at whatever just happened and was about to ask Sesshomaru when he spoke for her.
"Koga…can be a bit attached to almost anything."
Kagome mouthed out 'oh' before looking up to see another one of the guys heading for her. This one had short black hair with the exception of the small skinny ponytail hanging from the back of his head. His eyes were a bit strange for her being a violet purple but she thought it made him stand out.
"Why hello there, I'm Miroku and…" Sesshomaru knew what was coming next but never got tired of seeing it so he let it go. Miroku put an arm around her, hand sliding dangerously low on her as he said, "Would you please do me the honor of bearing my children?"
With that he did grope her and Sesshomaru was not disappointed when the sound of a smack followed by "PERVERT!" rang in his ears.
Miroku stood there rubbing the side of his face that was now sporting a red hand print. "Wow…such strength, and a perfect ass to match. You would be perfect…Ow! Shippo!"
Before he could finish, a young teenage boy with an orange mop of hair and the cutest green eyes that Kagome's ever seen came over and pinched the pervert's ear.
"I'm so sorry, it's hard to control him sometimes." He said as he shook his head. He was a young fox youkai, also using a spell to hide his features.
Shippo then walked away, dragging him with him to the stage. Kagome heard the most wonderful sound on side of her. It was low and barely audible but she could actually feel it for most part. She looked to the male on side of her and he was chuckling.
"That's my band mates for you." He said as he shook his head.
Then another man with what looked like red eyes to her and long wavy hair in a ponytail said from up on the stage, "Don't just stand there and let us do all the work, get your ass up here."
Sesshomaru growled at the spider hanyou and said, "Alright, I'm coming Naraku." He then looked down at her and asked, "Could I get anything for you?"
Kagome didn't want to burden him anymore than he has and was about to tell him so but her stomach wouldn't allow her to turn down his offer. Sesshomaru turned his back on her and Kagome mentally scowled at her stomach for being so rude. She hoped that he didn't think anything less of her because of it.
'Why would I care what he thinks?'
"Kagome, what would you like to eat?" Sesshomaru asked as he kept walking. She walked behind him then he handed her a menu when he got close.
"Oh no, I-I couldn't."
"Nonsense, I can't stand seeing a hungry woman." He said before thinking, 'The sound of her stomach would throw me off focus.'
Sure it was a quite rumble to human ears but to Sesshomaru, it was like a thunder storm. Even though he his senses are dulled in his disguise, he could hear it clearly.
"But this food is kinda expensive…"
He silenced her with a look that held no room for arguments and she turned her attention to the menu in her hands. She picked out a small meal that didn't cost too much which consisted of a cheese burger and fries and a lemon iced tea to drink with it. He told her where to sit while she waited on her order and then went on stage to help out his associates. Not long after she got her meal, people started coming in the club, first heading to the bar before sitting down with a drink in their hand. After about thirty minutes, the club was over half full and then Miroku came up on the front mike just as the guys settled in their places.
"Good evening and welcome to RJ's nightclub. Please enjoy your evening while we play a little something for you all to listen to."
The audience gave a small applauds before settling then they started playing. Kagome was wrapped in a wave of sound that soothed and lifted her spirit up a bit. She was never into jazz but the melodies that those guys were putting out made her want to be more into it. It felt like each one of them was putting their souls into it, she could feel their auras, but something was a bit different.
Miroku, who plays the saxophone, seem to be normal but his aura had a little something extra in it. Naraku's, the base guitarist, was a bit stronger than his, darker too. Shippo who strummed happily on the electric guitar, had a very strong, energetic aura, Koga's was the next strongest. Her eyes then led her to the man on the piano. His long slender fingers worked the keys like nothing she'd ever seen before. They were quick and graceful just like the rest of him. She closed her eyes and allowed herself to get lost in his music and his aura. It was very strong, it was very unheard of. She could tell that it had the power to suffocate her but it surrounded her and freed her mind of her troubles.
Sesshomaru stole glances from her every once in a while. He actually smirked at her seeing her fully relaxed for the first time since they met.
'She should relax more often.' Sesshomaru thought while still playing.
When an intermission came, Sesshomaru took the chance to check up on Kagome.
"You're looking a bit better." He said as he neared her.
Kagome turned and smiled to him, "I'm feeling better. It could be because I left my phone so I haven't been getting any calls."
"The cold shoulder didn't work?" He while sitting down next to her.
"No and speaking of, I ought to hurt you for telling me that, he was an even bigger pain in the ass then usual." She sighed and turned away.
"Well you didn't have to listen to me, it was just a suggestion. Haven't you heard the saying 'if someone told you to jump off a bridge?'"
"A bridge does sound good right now."
He changed the subject feeling that she really had enough of her gate keeper and just had a little small talk, mostly about how he ended up working there. He told her that he's been there since the place first opened about three years ago but it wasn't bringing any customers. He came up with the idea of turning it into a jazz club and started playing the piano. He and the guys go way back, literally, except Miroku.
He and Naraku were somewhat rivals in the feudal era although Naraku is a hanyou. Koga was somewhat of another rival, an annoying one but what could he do, the wolf is the prince of the Southern lands. Shippo was an orphan fox youkai that he ran across one day while patrolling his lands. He was going to scare him off for trespassing but his young ward and the only human to get to know the true him, Rin, became friends with him. He couldn't deny the girl her happiness when she asked for him to let the fox stay. As for Miroku, he ran into him while he was dealing with one of his clients. He learned how persistent the supposed monk could be. Miroku found out all about the demon soon after, especially the demon part.
The guys watched as they all took their break.
"She's a cute one, she seems very innocent. I didn't think that he would go for that type." Naraku said as he took a sip of his drink.
Miroku looked at the hanyou and said, "You don't think that she's one of his 'clients' do you?"
Of course, being the only beings close, or brave enough to be close, to the taiyoukai, they know about his activities outside the club.
Shippo looked up at the two. Even though his appearance is that of a fifteen year old teenager, he was far from that age and had the mind of a very intelligent adult.
"I don't think so, she doesn't smell like him."
"But there's still a possibility, what if he just met her?"
Koga, who was grumbling to himself, couldn't take it anymore, he didn't like the guys talking about what his new obsession could be doing with Sesshomaru.
"Break's over guys, let's get back on stage." He growled. The other guys hid back their smiles as they saw their wolf friend stomp to the stage.
Sesshomaru saw the guys heading back on stage and slowly stood up. "Well, I should be heading back up then."
Kagome gave him one last smile before he turned away and walked over to the guys to continue the show. Closing time came a lot sooner than Kagome had hope and it was time to leave. She complimented on their performance and said goodbye to the guys before following Sesshomaru out to his car. As she buckled up, she had to wonder where she will go. She didn't want to go back to the apartment, she just wasn't ready to deal with Inuyasha just yet. She just got her peace of mind back.
"Do you have another place to stay? A family member or a close friend? I think that if I bought you back now, you probably won't get any sleep at all." It was like he really could read her mind, he sure has been doing so often since she met him.
She thought for a while. She couldn't go back at home, it was just too far and she wouldn't be able to get to her job as a waitress on time.
"My friend Sango, she always told me that she has room for me. I was never able to stay with her though because my boyfriend wouldn't let me go." She said as he started up the car and drove off. She gave him the directions to her best friend's home. The house really belonged to her parents but after they died, she and her younger brother inherited it. While on the way, she called Sango to prepare a room for her. It only took almost thirty minutes but they soon pulled up to a small house in quiet suburbs.
She was about to step out when he leaned over and placed a hand on her hand. She was curious to what he was doing and watched as he got out the car, walked over to the other side and opened the door. He used his other hand to help her out and she reluctantly took it.
"What, can I not be a gentleman to you?" He said as he took note of her questing look.
"I guess you could but you didn't open the door for me when we were at the club."
"That's because I was late and couldn't let things like opening doors hold me up."
Kagome glared at him while hitting him lightly on his arm. He got back on his side and rolled the window down.
"Will you be alright here?" He asked as he started the car.
She knew what he meant. "Yea, I would be aright. I'll at least have a week of peace before he figures it out. He's not the brightest bulb."
'Yea that sounds like the half-breed.'
"Alright then."
Kagome turned to go to the door but stopped feeling a large warm hand wrapped around her hand and pulled her backwards. She turned around and met the warm eyes of the now dubbed 'gentleman.'
"You know, there's one thing I've been wondering all day." She said now that she was thinking about it.
He raised a questionable eyebrow. "And that is?"
"You never told me your name, what is it?"
Sesshomaru smirked and she felt all the butterflies in the world flutter around in her stomach, she didn't think that she couldn't get enough of that smile and the way he looked at her. With her distracted mind, she didn't realize when he pulled her closer to him, or when he tilted her head with his free hand to bring her face closer to his, what she did realize was soft lips that were placed on hers in a chaste kiss. He let her go and pulled off.
Kagome stood and watched as he disappeared down the street. She even stayed there when Sango came by her side and looked in the direction she was looking at.
"Kagome who was that?" Sango asked with a small smile. She had heard the car pull up in the driveway and dressed knowing that it had to be Kagome. She looked out the window just in time to see her best friend kiss the man in the car.
Kagome blushed and a hand slowly came up to feel her lips before she slowly said, "I don't know."
It was then that she noticed that there was something in her hand. She opened her hand and there was a small white card to the clinic. She looked it over, there was no name on it, just the name of the building and a few contact numbers. She turned inspected it more and saw written down:
You may need this, and don't say that you don't.
Sango took her inside and tried to get Kagome to explain but she could see how tired she was so she let her take a hot shower before letting her settle down in the spare bedroom. She would get her to explain in the morning. Kagome looked at the card once more and then touched her lips. She thought it over and over again, it was just so easy to talk to him. It helped that he was drop-dead gorgeous and his voice was enough to turn her into putty but there was something else.
His appearance was strangely familiar. The platinum blond hair and light hazel eyes was something that Inuyasha was able to have whenever he concealed his demon features with the jewel he wore around his neck. Now that she thought of it, the two favor one another almost exactly, the only thing different was that her gentleman was taller, his face was more angled, broader shoulders…probably more chiseled, his arm sure did seem kinda firm…
'No, don't think like that.' Kagome thought as she shook it off. It's really been a long day, she really needed some sleep. So with that, she turned the lamp off and gladly let sleep take her.
