AN: Whew! This took forever to get out. Extra long chapter for the extra long wait. :) And if you like this story be sure to check out the one I'm co-writing with LadyPenguin called "Blood Fang" at www. fanfiction. net /u/ 1100478/
Kagome could feel her heart beating in her throat, and she was about to choke on it. They weren't just pictures of her—they were pictures of them. Every single photograph. He was in every last one. She stared at a close-up shot of the boy's face, mesmerized by his familiar scowl and bright, golden eyes. In this one, he was scanning the area intently, watching for something. Maybe even waiting for her. In one photo he was reaching up to brush the bangs from his eyes.
Sango spoke to break the awkward silence. "The Patrol's intelligence office keeps a listing of those with spiritual abilities across the country. Those of interest are assigned agents to keep a loose watch on them and report their findings regularly in between other assignments. After your police report we began a more thorough surveillance. I'm sorry we didn't notice him before, Kagome."
She looked up blankly as if processing the meaning to her words for the first time. "This is why you've been following me?"
Sango looked slightly shameful before answering, "No."
When Sango didn't elaborate, Kagome returned her gaze to the photographs. "Why? Why has he—when did—how long has he been stalking me?" She choked on the word 'stalking' but forced it out. That's what it was after all.
Sango sighed and raked a hand through her hair slowly, not ready for this line of questioning. "We don't know exactly. Could be weeks or months. He knows your schedule, Kagome. He knows your patterns." She didn't want to tell her that they believed he had been sent from Onigumo. It was best if she was ignorant of some things, like the danger she was in.
There was something bothering Kagome about his appearance in the pictures. She could feel it nagging at her more so than Sango's disclosure. In too many of the photos he looked saddened like he traveled with a weight on his soul. Had she ever seen him smile? The thought struck her odd, after all she had only met him once, right? It was starting to come together painfully, something about the night she had been attacked and the familiarity of his scent earlier that day—and then she realized what had been bothering her. As she stared at those penetrating eyes, they gazed right back at her. In that picture and in another and this one, too, he was looking directly at the camera.
"He knew you were watching him."
She was weak and never had a chance against him. After all, she was only a woman.
Specifically, she was Naraku's kept woman which was why Kouga, prince of wolves and rival to the Onigumo clan, was currently idling at the forest's edge. Honestly, he didn't have the desire nor the patience for this stuff. But that didn't change anything in the end.
He tensed at the sound of her approaching footfall, raising cerulean eyes impassively to greet her and remained otherwise unmoving where he leaned against the tree, arms crossed stiffly over his chest. She already smelled of death.
"You have information about the jewel of four souls."
It was barely a question.
She nodded once, and remained otherwise unresponsive.
"You know I can't let you live," he drawled, lips twisting into a half-sneer meant to reveal his fangs.
She smiled then with those sad brown eyes, and he realized why she had contacted him.
The thought made him uncharacteristically squeamish, but he pushed it aside quickly. Emotions like compassion or pity could get you killed far too easily on the battlefield.
"You were correct to assume the young priestess is connected to the jewel, though your nose probably told you that more than anything."
She was taunting him. "Get to the point," he nearly growled.
"Frustrating that she, herself, has no clue, isn't it? You must want to find it something terrible."
Frustration didn't even begin to convey how he felt. If the bitch wasn't going to tell him anything of importance he was wasting his time here.
It was only when he turned to leave that she added, "It's closer than you want to believe."
Suddenly, it felt as if the blood would gouge the insides of his veins, and he found himself unable to walk away. His jaw hurt where he ground his teeth. He didn't want to hear this, but his legacy depended on it. He wouldn't abandon his tribe. "She doesn't know where the location is."
Don't let it be true.
"She is the location."
He let out his breath slowly, feeling as if his soul leaked out in the process. After several moments, he gave a curt nod. The woman had provided the information he desired so he would give her what she wanted. After a deep intake of breath, he turned with supernatural speed, claws extended for the strike. She had a moment to flinch, brown eyes wide in surprise, but otherwise made no effort to move or block the attack. He could feel his claws slide into the soft center of her stomach, already buried to the palms and coated with her blood, the force of his attack dragging her to the ground. He was already straddling her, one palm staining the cloth on her shoulder—a needless precaution. She coughed once, weakly, and licked her lips, painting them red in the process. And then everything turned surreal.
She was pressing her hands over his, putting pressure on the wound numbly and groaned, her eyes momentarily clenched in pain.
"He's going to take her from you." She smiled, flashing crimson teeth.
He leaned over her, his hair spilling forward to tickle the side of her face—a curtain of black, caressing her skin where he would not. She opened her eyes slowly to look up at him, and all semblance was gone. His mouth was suddenly dry, his stomach threatening to empty on him as he locked gazes with her, unable to comprehend the sight before him.
Dark blue.
"Kagome?" His voice cracked on her name, even as his body began to tremble. It wasn't possible.
He stared into the depths of those familiar eyes, unable to tear his gaze away and could see there a longing for things lost, unspoken grievances. She reached up, slender fingers encircling his throat, smearing hot blood across the skin. He jerked at her touch, eyes wide open and unbelieving as he watched her fade away slowly, her hands finally loosening to fall back to her side.
Once more she was the woman who had turned sad, brown eyes to him for relief.
Shit. He raked a slick hand through his hair shakily, jerking the dark strands loose from their tie as he stood, trying not to stumble. So the bitch had gotten to him in the end. He didn't bother to look back when he took off, a slew of curses left in his wake.
He was going to need a shower before his visit to the Patrol.
"He's no amateur, Kagome."
Sango had always been impressed with Kagome's perceptiveness, but she was finding it quite troublesome to her cause at the moment. If the girl knew why she was being targeted, who knew what rash decisions she might make.
"You know why he was following me." It wasn't a question.
She let the words hang in the air for several moments before reluctantly answering, "Kagome, please it's classified. Just trust me, okay?"
Sango reached out to take her hand comfortingly, but Kagome prevented her actions by standing up abruptly, her chair scraping harshly against the floor as she pushed away from the table.
"You're telling me that I don't have a right to know my own information?" She had to fight to keep from yelling as she continued angrily, "This is my life!"
She slammed her palm down on the table, refusing to react to the burn that raced up her arm to her elbow as result. "And what about this one?"
Sango peered down at the place where Kagome slid her hand away and felt her mouth go dry. The black and white photo was crinkled under the abuse of her palm but the image was all too clear.
It was a boy–the same boy–for it had to be judging from his facial features, only he was unmistakably human. And from the look on Kagome's face, she knew that something was terribly wrong concerning that aspect.
"Kagome, please tell me you don't know him."
Kouga had recognized her scent as soon as he stepped off of the elevator onto the underground level. But there was something else he was smelling, mingled with her sweet aroma, and the realization made his fists clench. He bit back a snarl and stiffly headed in the direction of her presence.
He paused at the sound of Sango's angry voice, momentarily unsure of himself, and then the door opened and Kagome came bolting out without warning. He had an instant to comprehend the sight of her tear-streaked face just before she ran blindly into his chest.
He put his arms around her gingerly, feeling a range of shifting emotions at the sight of her. "Kagome. What's wrong?"
Somehow all of his anger had drained away.
The female agent was standing just inside the doorway staring at him with hollow eyes.
He was speaking before he realized it, leading her away slowly, while she still clung to him. "Come on. Let's get out of here."
She leaned her head on his shoulder gratefully, letting him lead her down the hallway as she wiped at her eyes, already embarrassed at her emotional outbreak. He turned his head slightly to catch of whiff of her silky hair and was instead reminded of his earlier irritation.
The stench (yes, stench, because there was no other word for it) of Onigumo's half-breed was all over her, making him furious. She had been in danger, and he hadn't been there to protect her. How dare he touch her. And then he realized, it wasn't just concern for her safety that he was feeling. For the first time in a long time, Kouga truly felt jealous. But he could certainly fix that.
She was chattering endless nonsense, trying to sooth the dull ache in her chest with the sound of her own, calm voice, willing her hands to stop trembling even as she glanced to him with fake smiles and crinkled eyes. He was watching her intently as they progressed down the colorless hallway, but he couldn't focus on her words. Instead, he found himself drawn to the contour of her lips, mesmerized by their simple movement as they pursed and parted, pouted, piqued him. And then he was moving without thought of consequence, watching the impact of her body where it hit the cinder block wall as if from a distance, unable to comprehend the weight of his own actions even as he pressed himself against her–into her–and felt the heat of her where their skin touched. It was her surprised yip at the unexpected action that brought him crashing back to reality, but it was too late to turn back now. It was his scent she should be wearing, the presence of another's maddening him to the point of action.
"Kouga, wha–"
His lips were suddenly there, cutting off her words completely. Kagome "mmphed" into his mouth in surprise, the reaction quickly becoming a quiet moan when he refused to relent, instead forcing her lips to part for him as he deepened the kiss. Her breath hitched in her throat, and with eyes closed, hands sliding to rest against his chest, she opened to him. She was drowning in the sensation of it all, savoring the warm wetness of his mouth, and suddenly found it hard to breathe. What was she doing?
She tried to push him away, becoming more frantic when he refused to break the kiss, instead a low growl rising deep within his chest as he pinned her wrists above her effortlessly, raking his free hand up the inside of her thigh slowly, the pressure from his claws against her jeans making the skin tingle. She began to buck against him lightly in her struggle, causing him to grasp her hip to steady her as he pressed his body harder against her, whining at what she did to him. Oh god, don't do that.
Finally, he broke the kiss, afraid if he didn't he would lose control, and caught her cobalt gaze with a lazy grin. Only his eyes gave him away, dark and churning emotion, intently searching for any sign that she might want him, too, feel the things he had just felt, need his touch as much as he wanted hers.
"Kouga, stop. Someone will see us."
She was nearly panting, her body clearly having reacted to his advances.
"Would that be such a bad thing?" His voice was languid, calm, cocky.
Her body burned where she was trapped against him, thirsty for attention, craving more of his touch. No. And he couldn't possibly care about her. "Yes."
He leaned forward, and she thought he would kiss her again, but instead she felt the hot touch of his breath on her ear.
"You're mine, Kagome. Tell me you don't want it."
She was shifting against him again, futilely, frowning in annoyance as she squirmed. "Don't talk like you own me."
He chose not to respond by words but instead with slow, deliberate strokes of his tongue. She melted against him, eyes sliding closed even as the whine escaped from her throat. He was working his way down, licking and sucking at the feverish skin of her throat when she convulsed against him suddenly, blue eyes wide in surprise as she cried out wordlessly. He pulled away abruptly, ending her orgasm before it could even start and leaving her with the barren feeling of his absence. Anymore and she wouldn't have forgiven him. Besides, he had accomplished what he set out for: it was his scent that now completely covered her body.
It had been three weeks since Kouga had walked her home that night. And somehow the memory of that kiss still burned on her lips. It was then that she had agreed to be "his woman." The thought of it made her blush a little, but really not much had changed. Kouga was understandably busy so she had barely seen him twice since then. All in all, it didn't make for much of a relationship. How could she trust that he cared about her when he was never around?
To keep her mind off things, she had re-devoted herself to her studies, but her grades hadn't seemed to improve any. So much for grad school. And she hadn't seen the white-haired boy since that day. It was stupid to keep thinking about him. Especially now that she had a boyfriend. But somehow she couldn't get the image of that black and white photo out of her mind. The only thing she had managed to pry out of Sango and Miroku thus far was his name.
Inuyasha.
But in the end, they hadn't even guaranteed that it wasn't merely a codename. He had saved her life twice, and she knew nothing about him. It was extremely frustrating.
The truth was, she had been more than a little lonely. Even the Patrol had abandoned her a little less than a week ago. As quickly as her life had changed, it had seemingly gone back to normal.
"There's been an increase in spiritual activity going on lately. I've been called to other assignments since you are no longer in any immediate danger."
Of course Sango hadn't elaborated on how, why or when she had been in any immediate danger.
"I'll be checking up on you from time to time and Miroku will, too, once he's finished with his rehabilitation so you've got nothing to worry about, Kagome."
She slid the objects across the table slowly, a solemn look on her face.
"But just in case, I want you to have these."
Kagome fingered the small handgun thoughtfully. Inuyasha had given up on her, too, chased away by the Patrol. She had become increasingly sensitive to the demonic presences around her, proof of it from her time spent near the Patrol's lock up or with Kouga's wolf gang. But not once had she felt anything similar to what had lead her to him that time. It was probably better that way. After all, wasn't he the enemy?
Still, she had never thanked him.
"She's out of your league, Inuyasha."
It was something he had told himself hundreds of times over, but somehow hearing it from the old hag made him furious at the thought. "You think I don't fucking know that?"
He shattered a ceramic vase without thought. Kaede sighed, refusing to lose patience again. Had her hair not already been gray before taking in the half-demon, it surely would have turned by now. The boy had quite the destructive streak when he was angry, and he was always angry.
"She's human." He let his shoulders droop at his own explanation, dropping the cluster of crushed daises at his side, in the process littering the vase which they had previously occupied. He stared at the ruin on the ground, his eyes a swirl of complex emotions.
"Because she's a priestess," Kaede corrected dryly. "She's in a dangerous state right now; she could purify you if you get too close."
He looked up suddenly, surprise widening the features of his face. "What?"
"Why do you think you are drawn to her so strongly? She possesses the jewel you subconsciously seek. She'll protect it with her life without choice or thought, against friend or foe, Inuyasha."
"No. It's not like that. I'm not some mindless animal!" He seemed almost horrified at the accusation, unwilling to accept it even as the doubt and uncertainty twisted painfully inside his chest. "I'm not—"
"No? Tell me then, Inuyasha, who is it that slaughtered those fugitives two years ago? You've got human blood on your hands. I've seen the pictures in your file."
She saw the memory and regret flood his eyes even as he lowered his face to hide behind his bangs. His fist was shaking at his side as he ground out, "It's not—it was an accident. They were . . . unfortunate enough to run into me right after a mission. I wasn't myself yet."
He looked to her suddenly, eyes wide and pleading. The sincerity of it surprised her, but she had to know.
"And the child?" She could feel the hardening in her face even if she did pity him.
His face paled, and for a moment she thought he'd be sick.
"I didn't. I swear. They had this little girl. She—but I couldn't—They—"
He choked and suddenly took off, jaw clenched in determination. He paused at the door long enough just to shout back at her, "I won't let anything happen to her."
"If you go to her you will only cause trouble!" she called after him, but the stubborn boy was already gone.
"Geeze," the young fox sighed and crossed his arms over his chest where he sat on the kitchen counter. "He wasn't even healed yet."
He was panting, the wounds near his spine reopened in his haste. He slid down the cool, stone wall of the alleyway for a rest, no longer able to scale the buildings or race across rooftops. He leaned his head back and closed his eyes, exhaling deeply. What was he doing? He had absolutely no plan of action. If he ventured too close to Kagome's house he would surely be found out. It had nearly been a month since he had seen her. Maybe the old hag was right and he should just leave her alone. But he couldn't do that. He had made a promise to protect her even if it was just to himself, even if she didn't know or care either way. He groaned bitterly at the thought.
"I miss her."
The words sounded hollow to his ears, the confession flat and pitiful. His situation really was hopeless.
"How utterly touching."
Kagura.
He felt the cold fear snake down the side of his face, numbing his jaw and teeth, an instantaneous reaction even as his gold eyes opened wide in the direction of her voice. The blades were already hurtling down onto him, already licking at his skin in anticipation, a precision execution worthy of her rank. His voice cracked as he cried out in unspeakable pain, frozen even as the wind's edge slashed and ruined his skin. He slumped over, limp as if the strings holding him up had been severed completely. Next would be the thin thread of his fate.
A breeze billowed in the narrow alleyway as the female demon landed before him.
"First the wolf boy and now you. When did my life become so damned boring?"
She was tapping her fan impatiently against her lips, maroon eyes narrowed and calculating as she watched him clutch his side shakily to slow the blood flow. "By all means do something."
When he made no move to attack, she sighed, dropping her arm apathetically. "I suppose you'll die there if I just leave you. Or rather you should if you know what's best for you."
He looked up at her, distrust and tears staining his face. It took her a moment to realize he was growling.
She plucked the tiny, alabaster feather from her hair with a fluid flick of her wrist, and was within moments airborne. "If anyone asks, I never found you."
She glanced back one last time, an unreadable expression on her face as she disappeared into the night clouds.
She was dreaming about a precious jewel when she saw him. The waist deep water was black, his white hair instantly catching her eye where it blurred on the rippling surface.
"Where have you been?"
He wrapped his arms around her waist, resting his chin on her shoulder, pressing himself against her back. She could feel his breath on her neck, and she shivered in the cold night air. He moved one hand up the front of her slowly, his palm brushing across her left breast to rest over her palpating heart.
"Right here."
She stared into the endless void of the water, mesmerized as his fangs elongated, gleaming in the moonlight where they bit into his bottom lip, his thick hair billowing in a wind she could not feel. She gasped at the feel of his hot tongue on her skin, and then his claws dug into her chest. The scream caught in her throat, unspeakable pain, and then he was gripping that same jewel in his hand now pink with her blood, his scarlet eyes wild and terrifying when he looked at her. He threw her to the side without a word, discarding her roughly, and she gasped when she hit the cold water, the force plunging her into the dark depths of the lake.
Kagome was instantly jarred awake, the final image haunting in her mind as she clutched at her chest painfully, eyes wide and unseeing in the darkness. It was the third night this week she had dreamed about him, and this one was by far the most disturbing. She closed her eyes, taking deep breaths to calm herself. It was only a nightmare.
But then she felt it. That tiny prickling in the back of her mind. And she reopened her eyes.
He's out there.
Silently, she padded to the window and threw it open, savoring the sudden blast of summer breeze in her face as she leaned out to peer at the moonless sky. After a few moments of waiting, she sighed in disappointment. There was nothing to indicate that her instincts had been right. Maybe it was just wishful thinking. She stared down at the midnight grass below, dark and unchanging in the absence of light.
Kagome threw on a tank top and jeans and rushed down the stairs, grabbing her bag on the way out, not bothering to close the window.
It had only taken three days to fully heal the deepest of Kagura's cuts, but the unnatural damage from the sleepers was taking much longer. Inuyasha gritted his teeth as he slid down slowly in the now familiar alley. It was a humiliating way to survive, but he didn't have much choice until he fully recovered, and now on the night of the new moon, he was finding the wounds to be taking an even harder toll on his human body. All in all, he had started to regret leaving the protection of the old hag, a rash decision seemingly with many consequences. It made him furious to be in this situation in the first place. If only he had more power. . .
A car engine shutting off near by instantly caught his attention. It was unusual for a vehicle to be out at night unless it was demon or police related. Had the Patrol finally located him? He crept toward the opening and peered out from the shadows, surprised to find a very unsure looking Kagome scan the area before taking off in the direction of local park. His eyes widened at the sight, confused and unbelieving. What the hell was she doing in the downtown district this late a night? What if she—Inuyasha choked at the thought, forcing himself to his feet to stumble stiffly after her.
He rounded the corner, and she was suddenly before him. His eyes widened at the confrontation, and she knew then that they were indeed violet. Her face remained hard as she questioned, "Why were you following me?"
He was more than a little surprised at the situation but opted to respond with his usual callous silence, hardening his face to keep from giving anything away. What he really wanted to ask was why the hell she was out here. Did she have some kind of death wish?
His eyes widened, and he stepped back shakily when he felt the hard press of the barrel against his stomach. Her expression remained cool, and his heart sank at the severity of his situation. It was obvious that she knew. She stood tense, gun pointed in a two-handed grip to keep from trembling. He frowned then; she was waiting for his move. He knew he could easily overpower her, but instead he slowly raised his hands to rest on his head, fingers interlocked. He stood silent, waiting for her move.
"Catch," she said, tossing a sleek pair of new cuffs his way.
"Where did you get these?" he scowled as he snatched them out of the air. He had a sinking feeling he already knew the answer to that question.
The gun never wavered. "Put them on. No, behind your back."
He complied, feeling more and more desperate by the second. He should have known this was how it would end. But he didn't want to accept it. He didn't want it to happen this way. And the cuffs were going to cause a problem should he need to escape; he was fairly certain they'd be resistant even to his demonic strength when it returned in the morning.
"Sit. There on the curb."
Her voice was hard, leaving him empty and emotionless. He sat slowly, trying to hide his wince at the pain and it was then that she noticed the blood on his clothing. When he had sat with his back to her, she checked the cuffs, making sure to tighten each one. He swore, despite himself—he had not tried to deceive her, and now the metal dug into his skin, cutting off his circulation. "What now?" He could hear the tightness in his voice.
"We talk."
She sat next to him, gun pointed carefully at the ground, and he felt her side press against him like a comforting weight. He sighed, letting all of his emotions leak into that one action. He had a feeling this wasn't going to be a two-sided conversation.
"It's not safe for you to be out here."
She ignored his statement, instead explaining, "I've seen pictures of what you are."
He lowered his face slightly, hiding his eyes behind his dark bangs. He had known she'd see them eventually; he'd been reckless to stick around this long. At least she wasn't going to waste any time destroying him.
She studied him carefully but was unable to discern his thoughts. It didn't help that his face was partially hidden. "I think you're gorgeous."
He looked to her then, and she saw the hurt that filled his eyes. It pained her to see such a deep emotion even though she didn't know why. She watched the surprise, uncertainty and hope fill his features at her words, each of them flickering away to be lost in the dark void of his eyes after only a second. He left his questions unspoken, unable to voice them.
"Why have you been following me?"
He looked away again, his hair falling forward once more. "You already know that."
Was he referring to that first night when he so mysteriously walked into her life? The memories came flooding back to her, painful and disjointed. Because I love you. "I don't understand."
He remained silent, not knowing what to say.
"Why?"
"Please, don't make me answer." The words were strained and left him feeling hollow, like he'd just sold his soul. He didn't know what he'd do if the Patrol had told her who he worked for. How could he possibly explain to her that he never meant to hurt her? How could he think she'd ever believe him.
She sat silent for a moment, and just when he thought she'd press it, she continued, "How long then."
He could have lied, but it wouldn't have mattered at this point. "Almost two years."
He heard her gasp and felt his breath come out a little shaky as he stared at the ground; he couldn't bear to look at her. Hadn't he had a nightmare about this once?
"But—"
"Why do you think I was there to save you by the lake that night?" His voice cracked from his sudden emotion, and he turned to look at her with fierce eyes. "Did you think it was a coincidence that anyone else would be out there that night? That anyone would risk their safety for yours?"
"I didn't—"
He leaned forward, cutting her off abruptly with his kiss. She blinked in surprise, barely registering the brush of his lips against hers or the salty taste of his skin before it was over.
"I suppose you'll turn me in to the Patrol now. That is where you got your shiny new toys." His voice was accusing and his jaw set as he refused to look at her, bitter at the thought.
She touched her fingers to her lips lightly, suddenly feeling guilty and confused. How had this turned around on her somehow? Sitting so close to him, he looked very human, and even if he was the mesmerizing half-demon that was stalking her, it was true that he had saved her twice now. Did she really need to fear the anxious, dark-haired boy who now sat at her side?
"No."
Again, he blinked in shock. How was it that she always seemed to surprise him? "Then what are you going to do with me?"
She sighed, and he felt her weight become more solid against him. "I'm tired, Inuyasha. Let's go home."
