Chapter 9

Tia woke up during the night to be fed. As Kagome nursed her, Inuyasha tried to continue getting more of what he had been getting. In the most seductive voice he could muster, he said,

"Can I have some milk?"

"I would say yes, but you know how protective Tia is of her food supply. She always growls at you and kicks your chin and I just don't feel like having you scruff her tonight. See, she's already starting to growl.", said Kagome, as a low growl came out of Tia's throat at Inuyasha's closeness to the teat..

"Selfish kid.", said Inuyasha, looking square at his daughter, "Well, then, I just go and get some juice from the end she doesn't use.", he said, as he pushed apart Kagome's legs and settled himself down there, lapping at her juices. Kagome moaned her approval as Tia quietly went back to eating, satisfied she had gotten rid of the threat to her food.

The next day, Kagome packed up Tia and headed over to Lizzie's place. Upon entering, she was surprised at all the newspaper clippings that Lizzie had on the table. Setting Tia down in her chair, Kagome and Lizzie poured over the papers.

"See, Kagome, this is why I think he's a demon. Look at these papers from this area in the 1800's. He's all over the place. And he's old in all of them. He just has a different name."

Kagome looked at all the papers Lizzie had. Lizzie also had old town photos. In them was Jones only with a different name. Hubert Jackson. Then Lizzie showed Kagome old books from even earlier but in other parts of Canada. And the U.S. The description in all of them matched. The attitude described in the books, even the jobs he held. All matched newer pictures and descriptions.

"Plus,", said Lizzie, "Look what I found in the local papers from up north."

Kagome looked. In the photo in a more recent paper from a town just north of where they were was an article about Clayton Walters. The picture matched the man Kagome had seen in the house.

"Ok, fine. He has to be a demon. But what's the mystery with the house still being able to be seen by the likes of us? If he's moved on to a new town..."

"That house was there for over a century until it burned down. But, I don't know what his connection is to it or why he stays there.", said Lizzie, "But I want to find out."

"But why? Who is he hurting, Lizzie?"

"The woman on the rock scares people. Our tourism is down and people have moved out. They don't like the thought of a haunted town."

"I can appreciate that.", said Kagome, thinking of the harassment that had started with her family.

"I'm going to do more snooping around the house.", commented Lizzie.

"I wouldn't. But I can't stop you.", said Kagome, even though she was thinking of doing the same thing, "I have to go Lizzie. My daughter flew in from Tokyo yesterday and I..."

"Oh Kagome, may I meet your family sometime? I would love to meet real demons."

"I don't see why not. I'll arrange it soon. But, right now, I want to see my daughter. I haven't seen her in months. Bye for now.", said Kagome, as she packed up the baby and left.

Arriving back home, she was happy to see a rental car in the driveway. Izayoi was here.

"Hello everyone.", Kagome called out cheerfully as she walked in the door.

Izayoi greeted her and took the baby,

"Hello precious. Say hi to your big sister, sweetie.", Izayoi cooed.

"Where's your father?", asked Kagome.

"On the patio with Mashai. He's being stiff about it all, but I think he is trying to be civil."

Kagome laughed and then Izayoi said,

"So what's with the dog ear crap? I had someone down the street ask me if I had dog ears too and I told them only in a anime maybe and I asked them why they wanted to know. They said that the maid that worked here said we were freaky dog people. Devil worshipers and beastiality freaks is what we're being called."

"It will blow over, I hope."

"Papa said Sage was seen without her necklace. Not outside I hope."

"No. The maid saw her and now she's spinning tales."

"The maid that's here now? Keiko, I think her name is."

"We have a Japanese maid? Of thank goodness. No, it was the last maid, Jessica. A human. This one is supposed to be demon."

"She is, that's why I wondered."

"MAMA!", Sage came running in through the front door, crying, "MAMA! They tore my necklace off."

"WHO DID?", asked Kagome, worried for her daughter's safety.

"Some kids down the street. They ran away. They broke my necklace and called me a dog bitch."

"DAMN! INUYASHA!", Kagome called, heading out the back door.

"What is it?", asked Inuyasha.

"Some kids from the neighborhood broke Sage's necklace."

"How many people saw you, Sage?"

"I don't know. I covered my head and came running home."

Inuyasha looked outside. There were a number of neighbors looking at his house. Seeing him, they started to look away or go inside.

"Houston, we have a problem.", he commented.

"Great!", said Kagome.

"Oh let them stare. Everybody's different.", said Izayoi.

"For now, let's go back to the patio.", said Inuyasha.

"Where are the other pups?", asked Kagome.

"Shane, Ian, Kellen and some of the older pups are outside. They can handle themselves. Bunza has the rest on the beach. Except for Josh and Juliet. They're on the patio.", said Inuyasha. As he said that, Josh came toddling in,

"Papa,", he called to his father, "I got a wee-wee."

As the girls giggled, Inuyasha said, "Yea, so, do we need to announce that bit of news? You're a boy - all boys have wee-wees."

"Do you gotta a wee-wee, Papa?"

Inuyasha stared at his son and then said, "By the gods I hope the hell that's what it is. Otherwise, someone's been playing a cruel joke on me for nearly 700 years. And if that's not what it is, I need to punish your mother because obviously these 118 pups ain't mine."

As the girls laughed louder, Josh just looked confused.

"Huh?", he said.

"Oh never mind. Yes, I'm a boy, ok? Now go back an play on the patio."

"Well, that lightened the mood.", said Izayoi, catching her breath.