Chapter Seven
No Relief

Bright sunrays that managed to slip around the thick blinds fell across her face, making her mumble in the sleep that was wearing off. Sighing deeply, she rolled over onto her back and stretched her arms up towards the ceiling, letting her hands fall back with a grateful sigh. Rubbing her eyes, she turned over to the edge of the bed and slipped out, her feet touching the thick carpet.

Walking towards the fully-stocked bathroom as she stretched again, she wondered how such a room was kept in such condition for guests- he had not even been warned she was coming, and yet there was every toiletry she needed in the cabinets, everything was clean and full and laundered. There was even expensive Japanese cherry blossom shampoo, complete with matching-scented conditioner, body wash, lotion, and body spray.

Either Sesshomaru loved the smell of Japanese cherry blossom, or he was just going for the overkill- but she did have to admit, she adored the way that it smelled.

The shower felt amazing- it was one of the nice ones, with two shower heads. The only problem was she realized she had no clothes- no clothes at all, except the ones she had worn earlier. Cursing herself when she got out, she securely wrapped herself in a blue satin bathrobe, making sure the knot was completely in place before venturing out. Going up the stairs, she heard noises through large double doors that she had not noticed before- probably because it led the opposite way she came.

Peeking inside, she saw the two brothers talking- or arguing, by the tones that she managed to overhear- quietly as Inuyasha made himself breakfast, boiling noodles for ramen. "Three days," Sesshomaru said, looking over at Kagome as she came in. Her scent had made him take notice of her immediately. "Then I want her out." Without another glance, he stalked out towards the main entrance hall, probably up towards his rooms.

Kagome went over to the bar, taking a seat up on the high barstools. "I'm sorry I got you in trouble with your brother," she said, offering him a small smile. Inuyasha had said it would not be a problem that she came, but obviously Sesshomaru thought differently.

Inuyasha looked at her, shrugging. "He hates people. It's not just you." Adding an egg to his ramen, he looked back down. "Want some?" he asked, one bowl already sitting out and ready.

"Please, if you don't mind," Kagome said, nodding. He turned around and took a step to the cabinets, opening one and pulling out another bowl.

Glancing over at her, he grinned as he caught sight of the satin robe. "Nice. Sango came by earlier and brought you some clothes that she thought would fit you- she isn't allowed in your apartment, they would notice. You can change, but if you are more comfortable, I don't mind the robe," he added with a smirk, watching as her face got darker and annoyed- making her angry was a very funny plus to his day. Truly, though, he didn't mind at all- he was male, after all, and Kagome was little, soft, but she had her curves- a defined waist, enough ass, and boobs that were proportioned to her.

Frowning slightly, she took the full bowl that Inuyasha offered her and ignored the robe comment. "Thanks, but I will change after breakfast, and two, how did you know I lived in an apartment? You never came to my house." Taking a bite, she noticed his huff as he turned around, leaning against the cabinet to eat…- embarrassed? "Inuyasha," Kagome added, a sharpness in her voice that was masked by her confusion.

"I followed you, okay? To make sure you were safe, after Naraku attacked Sango and Miroku. I had a feeling that since they had spies, they knew you were with me. And since they had spies on you, I knew that there was something about you they wanted." Kagome was silent, and Inuyasha turned around, his face almost angry when he saw Kagome's surprised face. "Its nothing, I just didn't want another death on my head, so don't think anything about it. I plan on keeping you safe from that bastard, and it's not because I want you alive, it's because he needs to be brought down," he said, his voice raising- and Kagome knew his habit of babbling when he was nervous.

To change the subject, he shoved his mouth full and swallowed before talking again. "I have to go up to the office earlier. You can come, but we'll take a tinted car and you'll stay in the car while I'm inside. If anyone sees you…" He shrugged, sliding a finger across his neck.

His question and motion sidetracked her from the thoughts that Naraku was after her and that there was something special about her he wanted, that Inuyasha wanted her alive, but it only added the fact that she could possibly be dead after three days. Shaking her head, she poked at the ramen he gave her. "Well, I'm glad you are so optimistic. I'll go; I don't want to stay here alone."

"Hah," Inuyasha scoffed, filing his bowl again. "Sesshomaru won't hurt you."

"I'm not scared of him, I just-

"Uh-huh. That's bullshit." Kagome was about to open her mouth, to retaliate. "Just face it. If anything, he would just give you his infamous glare of death."

Kagome stopped and snapped her mouth her closed. "If looks could kill," she mumbled quietly, taking another bite of her ramen. If looks could kill, Sesshomaru would have no problem taking over the entire world- all the people would just die out.

Shaking his head, Inuyasha shrugged. "Whatever, just go get ready. Your clothes are in the bag on the couch." Draining the broth, he set the bowl in the sink and turned to go back to his rooms.

"M'kay, thanks," Kagome said, swallowing her bite.

"Keh, I didn't do anything."

--

Kagome sat in the car, waiting for Inuyasha and playing with the radio station. His office building was huge- one of the biggest in Tokyo, which wasn't a surprise. Sesshomaru owned it, after all- and Inuyasha said he had expanded the business that his father had made after he inherited, as well as owning all his land. Inuyasha had inherited most of the material items.

She had a lot to think about- she stayed low in the seat, still scared of a maybe attack. She had never been so close to death so many times in forty eight hours; she was up to two, and she didn't want to make a three- after all, the third time is the charm and each attack got more violent. It seemed like this Naraku had incentive, like he knew something about her that she didn't know, or she had something he wanted. Neither made sense, she wasn't special.

The other thing was Inuyasha- she had grown to like him, in other ways than just finding him attractive. His rough manner became less offensive and more just Inuyasha, and she knew that he was soft underneath- obviously he cared enough for her life, even if he made up some long, drawn-out lie about why he saved her.

She was pulled from her reverie when the door opened- they had taken on of Sesshomaru's spares, a car that he said he had never driven. In a way, that really didn't surprise her- Sesshomaru seemed to have a lot of excess, and that was including money.

"Turn it to the news," Inuyasha said fast as he got in. "I want to know if there has been an attack or anything."

Nodding, Kagome clicked the seek button until she heard an announcer, sitting back and listening to the current situations in the city.

"Just in- a fire has broken out in downtown Kyoto, destroying half of an apartment complex on Blossom Street. It was said that the owner of the apartment, apartment 11, was not home, and the source of the fire has not been identified. Investigators did not manage to find the source, and the flames were put out before anyone was harmed…"

"Oh Kami," Kagome murmured, dumbstruck as the announcer continued on about a traffic accident. "…That's my apartment."

Inuyasha sped up, speeding back towards Sesshomaru's posh apartment complex. "What could have happened? Did you leave anything on?"

Kagome thought, scrambling to find an answer. "No, I…I don't use any of the electronics, really, because of the bill. I pay for food at work because it's cheaper, and unless something caught fire because of something I had plugged in…"

Inuyasha cursed and turn off the car, getting out and slamming the door- there was no way all these attacks and the fire was coincidence. Kagome followed, walking quickly to keep up with Inuyasha as he brushed through the doors. The trip in the elevator was tense as Inuyasha bounced his foot, and he ushered Kagome before him as he got into Sesshomaru's apartment. "Hey, asshole, turn on the news," Inuyasha called, leading Kagome into another door she never noticed. There was the living room, the entire back wall glass- the couch was a large sectional sofa, a large plasma TV covered the wall in front of it. A fish tank that looked like it was for saltwater sea life was one of the many decorations among the rugs and paintings. "That's Kagome's apartment. Apartment's don't just burst into flame."

He froze when he saw Sango sitting uncomfortably on the comfortable couch while Miroku was sitting in his chair beside her. Sesshomaru was off by himself, standing by the window. "Yeah, we know," Sango said grimly, leaning on her crutches as she stood. "And Jinenji's dead, he was attacked. He was trying to stop them from breaking into his library, where they were getting at old books about myths and legends…"

"And we are pretty sure Naraku and his cronies don't read on old Japanese tales for fun," Miroku added grimly. "Something is going on, and Kagome has inevitably become tied up in it, our help or no. They didn't get anything, as far as the records show."

Sesshomaru turned, eyeing Kagome. After trying to keep his burning gold eyes, she finally dropped her head to the carpet and Inuyasha stopped his growling, looking down at her. "They want her."

Miroku nodded, scratching his head. "She can't stay here. People know where Sesshomaru lives, and they know he's related to you." He nodded towards Inuyasha. "They've never seen Kagome anywhere without you; they will put those facts together sooner or later." Miroku paused and Inuyasha frowned, bunching his hands into fists- light growls were escaping his mouth. "I suggest your house. No one knows it's yours."

"Oh? And how the hell do you suggest we get there?" Inuyasha demanded. "They know my car."

"Take Jakken's," Sesshomaru said, heading towards the door. "You two get back to your normal lives, and I'll make it seem like Inuyasha is away on a business trip. I have to go make phone calls." An official order by his boss given, all three nodded. Sango got up and positioned herself- she was now using only one crutch- and Miroku wheeled himself towards the door.

"We'll confuse them until we get this all sorted," Miroku said, pausing by Inuyasha and Kagome. "We'll explain everything to Kaede. You two stay down, we don't think they are after just one of you. At this point, I don't think any of us want to lose you." Weeks of nursing and check ups had grown her and Miroku closer- Kagome had found that if she kept her distance, she and Miroku were more than able to become friends without his hand getting in the way.

"Yes, be careful, Kagome," Sango said, giving her a one-armed hug. "The hospital wouldn't be the only thing hurting if you died."

Kagome smiled and gently patted Miroku on the shoulder. "You two be careful, too. You've gotten the worst end of this entire ordeal…I'm so sorry."

"Don't apologize. Be careful. Give us some warning you're safe, okay?"

Kagome nodded and Inuyasha clapped Miroku on the back. "Keep me updated," Inuyasha said, giving a rough one armed hug to Sango. "We'll be back as soon as possible, and Naraku will die."

Miroku sighed as he wheeled out of the room. "We are getting no relief from this," he said, shaking his head. "I cannot wait until I can sleep without interuptions again."

--

"This is yours?" Kagome asked, staring up at the house- not what she was expecting.

"My dads. An inheritance- he and my mother used to come for vacations here."

"Oh."

That explained the size- it was a small log cabin in the middle of the woods, secluded. It was no wonder no one knew that it was Inuyasha's- he did not seem the woodsy type. Stopping Jakken's old Honda Civic, he turned off the headlights. It was eerie, with the shadows and the noises.

"Come on," Inuyasha said, getting out of the car. Opening the back, he pulled out a few bags he had shoved full of things and shouldered them, leaning against the car as he waited for Kagome to grab her one bag.

"Did you take stuff from Sesshomaru?" Kagome asked with her one tote bag filled with the items she gotten today from Sango.

Inuyasha nodded, easily keeping the bags in one hand as he unlocked the door in the other. "One bag is full of shampoo and shit- Sesshomaru had his last girlfriend design the rooms and she went a little overboard on the matching scent things, so I took what was in my room for you. I've got my unscented crap because that shit makes me sneeze. Then some towels, bed sheets and blankets. Pillows, too."

"You didn't have to steal!"

"He hates guests, he doesn't need them," Inuyasha replied lightly, flicking on the lights to the old cabin- it not cleaned and very unused, immediately making him sneeze form the dust. "And obviously, this place is unused and no stocked with anything. It was cleaned off the last time they vacationed here."

Kagome made a face as she entered, keeping her bag off the dusty floor. "…Gross."

"Keh, what did you expect? This place hasn't been used since I was like seven." Motioning for her to follow, he led her down a hallway and nodded towards the only room. "It's a pull-out couch in the living room," he said. "I'll sleep there. We'll get settled tomorrow, but it's to late to do anything tonight."

Kagome nodded and went into the room, flicking on the light. She would defiantly have to do some cleaning. "Inuyasha," she said, turning. He stopped and looked at her, his bags still in his hands. "Thanks- again. I wouldn't be alive…"

"Yeah, I know. Night, wench."

--

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