To Dance with the Devil

If there was anything Kagome learned it was that when one danced with the devil, they never won; even if the so-called devil was their husband, notorious and elite gangster, Takahashi Inuyasha. Too bad Kagome was stuck with him, till death do them part.

.xx.

To Meet with the Devil

"Kouga," the elite gangster drawled over a cup of coffee, "must I constantly remind you that Princess Genevieve of Sweden is not interested and that she is betrothed, to be wed, in less than a week?" Blazing ochre eyes studied the man sitting before him; Kouga Lang was the second deadliest man on earth but the world's biggest hopeless romantic. All he ever did – when he wasn't following through with orders – was daydream about the perfect wife, a couple of kids and a little Husky puppy to complete his imaginary family.

Sitting beside Kouga was Lin Miroku, the left hand man of Takahashi Inuyasha, the aforementioned elite gangster. Kouga secured himself the position of right hand man; what the difference was, he didn't know... All Kouga was positive of was that he was in the good graces of Takahashi, and that was all that mattered.

It was said to be impossible to get on his good graces, and despite being utterly grateful, Kouga was still Kouga, and he was not about to start kissing ass. Kouga knew his value in Takahashi Inuyasha's ring of sins, and he knew very well that he would not be disposed of that quickly.

"She was a prude anyway." Kouga murmured as he sipped his tea; he wasn't really a coffee drinker. He pushed his unnaturally black hair out of his stark cold blue eyes and stared lazily at his boss. "I want me a kinky wife. You know; somebody that can Kama my sutra."

Miroku snickered. "Kama your sutra? That's a new one, Kouga."

Shrugging nonchalantly, Kouga leaned back in his chair and tipped his head forward. "You have yourself a bird with legs for days, Miroku; your girlfriend's a dime so I know you're not complaining." Kouga winked at his partner. "Especially at night." Miroku almost choked on his coffee but Kouga wasn't fazed. He continued his tirade. "And you, boss... You're just an attractive, albeit deadly, fellow. You don't have to even try."

"Shut up, Kouga." Inuyasha said in a low voice. As he sipped his coffee, Inuyasha subconsciously reached up to rub the scar on his face; it started mid left cheek and stretched over to his left earlobe. The unlucky bastard who did that was quick to endure death by his hands.

Bare hands.

"You'll get yourself the kinky wife you want. Just... Don't try to look for her." Miroku advised. Kouga looked at him as if he was out of his mind.

"How do you fucking expect me to find her then, idiot?"

Inuyasha was beginning to get a headache. If Miroku wasn't smart and Kouga wasn't an elite assassin, and if neither of them were his wingmen, Inuyasha would've shot the both for being annoying. Alas, that feat wasn't possible so the gangster had to endure his wingmen's bickering.

A divine entity above answered Inuyasha's prayer; Miroku's cell phone rang. It stopped the wingmen's fighting instantly. Kouga resumed drinking his tea and examining his fingernails and Miroku pulled his phone out of his blazer's inner pocket. He had a habit of always dressing business formal or business casual. Something about the girlfriend being turned on... Or whatnot.

"Lin." Miroku purred smoothly into the phone. Within a second, Miroku's expression turned into a look of amusement. "Ahh, Miss. Higurashi. To what do I owe this pleasure?"

Inuyasha raised an eyebrow in positive interest; he had just that morning sent Akira Higurashi his telegram. His daughter was already calling? Inuyasha wasn't expecting any form of contact for at least a few days...

Not that he was complaining.

"Why don't you ask him yourself?"

Jaw tight, Inuyasha took Miroku's outstretched phone. Kouga stood up and said he was going to go urinate and Miroku began coughing loudly. Ignoring his wingmen, as he always did, Inuyasha pressed the iPhone against his ear.

"Takahashi."

.xx.

Better now than later was Kagome's ideology behind making the phone call. She could hear her brother shout at the top of his lungs, from behind her closed door, the sound resonating from the general living room area (no doubt antagonizing their father) but she decided to pay him no heed. She had to make a life or death decision and that required her immediate concentration.

See what he wants. She told herself. Deal with the situation after you've spoken to the mastermind. Kagome gulped. Let's just pray that he doesn't want to turn me into his concubine... Or add me to his collection of girls in his secret underground harem.

She dialled the number on the card and waited for an answer. Not even before the second ring was complete, Lin picked up.

"Lin."

Kagome tried to keep the shaking out of her voice. "Hi... Umm... It's uhh... Kagome?" Dammit, why'd it have to sound like a question? "Higurashi Kagome."

"Ahh, Miss. Higurashi. To what do I owe this pleasure?"

"I was told to speak to you... Or Takahashi about the erm... Situation? Are you guys being serious? Am I actually the collateral for my father not paying Takahashi back?" She knew she shouldn't have said the last bit but her heart took control and she shouldn't help it. She blurted everything out and was probably going to suffer the consequences.

You and your big mouth. Kagome thought bitterly.

"Why don't you ask him yourself?"

Kagome paled. "He's there?"

Her question was answered when a liquid velvet voice greeted her. "Takahashi." If it were possible to have a full orgasm just by a voice, Kagome would believe it. This supposed notorious, dangerous, deadlier-than-thou gangster had an incredibly sexy voice.

But you're not here to admire his voice. Confront him, Kagome! She wished she was as brave as she thought she was. After Takahashi greeted hear, Kagome became deadly silent.

"Miss. Higurashi, I kindly suggest you stop wasting my time and ask what you needed to." His obvious anger made his voice sexier.

Great. Just what I needed, to be infatuated with the enemy's voice. Kagome wanted to stick needles in her eyes. Inhaling deeply, she mustered up all the courage that she had and asked him what she needed to. "Are you... serious? About my father and... me?"

"Wouldn't you rather discuss this in person?" Inuyasha's voice remained neutral, as if he wasn't at all bothered by her addressing his demands in regards to her father.

"In person?" Kagome echoed. "As in you and I meet up?"

"Typically that's what 'in person' entails, Miss. Higurashi." Inuyasha sounded amused. She was definitely a character.

"Umm okay... I guess that makes sense." Kagome was breaking into a sweat. She didn't want to meet the guy! "When and where?"

"Tomorrow, three PM. I'll have Kouga pick you up at that light post you swung around today."

As expected, Kagome was silent. How did he – the limo!

"That was you?" Her voice was hardly audible.

"Somebody had to drop your father home after the horrible telegram he received today." Oh, he was trying to taunt her now. "I made sure that my men got him home safe. You're quite the biker, Miss. Higurashi."

"I will see you tomorrow." She said tightly and he had the audacity to chuckle! Never mind it had to be the single most beautiful sound Kagome ever heard, the fact of the matter was that he was laughing at her.

"See you then." With a click, the line died.

Kagome fell back onto her bed. Great, she bought herself less than twenty-four hours before she met, and probably danced, with the devil. Now to mentally prepare herself; Kagome had no intention of telling her father or brother about this meeting. Her father put her into this mess, she would fix it herself.

I need a bubble bath and a glass of wine. Kagome stepped out of her room in time to hear Souta roar:

"BUT TO PAWN OFF KAGOME?!"

.xx.

Kagome didn't go to work the following day and her brother understood. He gave her the day off, with pay, to get her thoughts together—despite the studio being her and Sango's brainchild, Souta did the accounting and payroll and, despite being two years younger, Kagome typically asked her brother for permission before taking the day off. She knew it would mess with his accounting and with him being a newly graduated accountant-in-training; he took his trade very seriously. Kagome still hadn't told Souta that she was meeting up with Takahashi Inuyasha later in the afternoon.

She wasn't planning on saying anything until after she spoke to him.

Akira left for work earlier than usual that morning and Souta and Sango were still asleep. She made breakfast for her brother and best friend before leaving to take a walk; mostly to gather her thoughts. What was she going to do? Going to say? What should she expect? Kagome was nervous... She was meeting up with a deadly gangster to settle her father's debts.

Shit like that only happened in movies.

Or storybooks.

I hope I don't end up dying. Kagome thought, feebly. Locking the door behind her, Kagome began her slow walk to absolutely nowhere. Her mind was abuzz with the various scenarios that could take place that afternoon and Kagome was bracing herself for the worst.

Kagome, subconsciously, approached the light post that Takahashi decided would be their meeting point. Why did her father take such an extravagant loan from Takahashi Inuyasha of all people? Kagome heaved a heavy sigh; she knew that only her father could answer such a question. But Akira wasn't in the state to answer anything.

Kagome's head was ducked while she walked; she was oblivious to her surroundings and, as a result, she collided with a solid, rock-hard, muscular chest. Stumbling backwards, Kagome was sure that she was going to fall onto the ground but an equally solid, rock-hard, muscular arm wrapped around her waist and pulled her into the aforementioned perfect chest.

"You should be more careful, Miss. Higurashi." Kagome felt the chest rumble as a familiar, perfect voice reverberated. Gasping, Kagome pulled back and looked up at the face of her saviour. Shit, Kagome thought desperately, knowing exactly who it was. He looks as sexy as he sounds.

"Sor – sorry." Kagome stuttered. "How did you know who –"

Inuyasha cut her off. "I have my ways." Instead of reacting to what he said, Kagome could only gawk at his unnatural waist-length silver hair; it was twisted in to a perfect braid. And his jaw! Never had Kagome bear witness to such a perfect jaw… with a remarkably perfect scar…

Stop admiring him, Kagome! He's the bad guy, remember?

"Do you have a destination?" He asked, his voice oozing with undeniable sex. Kagome took a step back and shook her head.

"Aimlessly walking. And thinking."

"How about we aimlessly walk together?"

Kagome tried not to break into a nervous sweat. She wasn't mentally prepared to face him right then... Hell, she wasn't even prepared to face him at three! "I don't want to impose on anything you'd be doing, Mr. Takahashi."

"Nothing like that," his lips twitched and he smirked, ever so slightly. "I'll call one of my men to send the limo. Are you in the mood for seafood or Italian?"

Oh great. He was taking her out to eat while they had their talk... This was so not going to end well.

"Any fast food joint is fine, really."

"Don't be modest, Miss. Higurashi. We are going to spend quite some time together in the future; may as well get used to my lifestyle now." Kagome's blood ran cold. Her concubine theory seemed more and more plausible. Her life was over!

Taking a deep breath Kagome said Italian was fine. Inuyasha pulled out his phone and called Miroku. "Send Kouga with the limo." Without waiting for a response, Inuyasha hung up. He slipped the phone into his inner blazer pocket – it was then that Kagome noticed that the man before her was donned in business formal attire. He looked sharp in his black suit and red dress shirt. Kagome also noted that his tie lay limp around his neck.

And for some reason, that added to the sex appeal.

"While we wait for Kouga, tell me about yourself."

Kagome looked at him as if he were crazy. He is asking me to tell him about myself? The urge to retort in a snarky fashion was strong, but Kagome bit her tongue. She had no idea how this… this… person would respond to sarcasm. Kagome was hesitant given the fact he was who he was; Takahashi. Responding with 'you probably already know everything about me' could, potentially, prove to be extremely fatal.

"Are you concocting an elaborate story to impress me, Miss. Higurashi?" Kagome was unaware of when Inuyasha gripped her upper arm and began tugging her towards a bench not too far off.

Kagome broke out of her reverie and her eyes locked with Inuyasha's laughing ochre orbs. She had to give him credit for his incredible physique, but! She was not allowed to feel physically attracted to the single most dangerous person in the world who would, soon, ruin the lives of three innocent individuals. "Not really, Mr. Takahashi."

"Please," he drawled his voice sinfully sweet. "Inuyasha is fine. And if you're worried about speaking your mind, do not worry… I won't do you any harm."

Yet. Kagome finished his sentence in her mind. Her heart was racing— what do I do?! Trust him, or be cautious? Ugh, don't be stupid, Kagome. Be cautious.

"Kagome... may I call you Kagome?" Inuyasha sat down on the bench and pat the empty space beside him. Kagome joined him, albeit reluctantly, however she kept a safe distance from him. Relax. Kagome forced her shoulders to relax and sat up straight.

"You may…" Not like I could tell you not to call me Kagome. Honestly, he is quite dull…

Who was she kidding? He wasn't dull at all… au contraire, he was probably incredibly intelligent. Inuyasha was merely being very polite and Kagome couldn't help feel slightly guilty for not responding to his questions. But could he blame her? Kagome exhaled loudly and rested her chin in the palm of her hand that was propped on to the table. "Honestly? I'm very afraid of you."

Inuyasha chuckled and the sound exuded pure masculine. Kagome bit her lower lip and ducked her eyes; that was embarrassing…

"Just speak your mind, Kagome. There is no point in being afraid; I did tell you that we will be spending a lot of time together…"

Concubine theory.

"And, because I know how to read expressions very well, you will not be my concubine."

Kagome was taken back and could only gawk at Inuyasha. He grinned, showing his canine fangs—is he a mind reader? Alas, Kagome decided not to hide that last thought and spoke what she was thinking. "Do you have mind-reading abilities, Mr. Takahashi?" Her concern caused Inuyasha to laugh, a bit louder that time. Kagome was coming to the conclusion that Inuyasha quite possibly had the best laugh she had ever heard.

"I said to call me Inuyasha." He took a moment to study her before crossing his arms. "And, to answer your question, I am not. You, however, are very expressive with your face. You seemed to be getting more and more scared as we sit here… I am not going to dismember you; I am quite nice. And I take sarcasm very well." At his last point, he winked at Kagome. She wasn't even going to ask how he knew she was thinking that— "I had Miroku do background checks on all of the Higurashi's before loaning your father the yen." Well, that answered her question. "The checks are intensive so I am very well aware you are fluent in five languages: Japanese, Mandarin, Cantonese, English, and Sarcasm."

At that Kagome couldn't help but laugh. So big bad elite gangster had a sense of humour? That was unexpected.

"Then let us restart?" Inuyasha was glad that Kagome was finally beginning to relax. He could only imagine her reaction and response to him when he revealed the condition on which he loaned her father the money. "Tell me about you?"

With no inhibitions, Kagome blurted out the first answer she thought of when Inuyasha initially asked her about herself: "What's there to say? You must know everything given the intensive research you've done."

Without missing a beat Inuyasha laughed. She was feisty, as he predicted, and he liked that. It would, however, make his condition that much more difficult to present. Oh well, Inuyasha never backed down from a challenge…

"Touché, Kagome."

Somehow, what he said gave Kagome a little more confidence than she had previously.

Maybe this won't be as bad?

Boy, was she ever wrong.

.xx.