Chapter 11: Real Men Are Protectors

As Kagome walked out of her bathroom, she was met with the admiration of her friend. "Oh, Kagome you look incredible!"

"Thanks…"

"I mean it!" Sango assured her. "Nobody can pull off crystal grey like you do!"

"It's not my best color in the world…"

"Kagome just take the damn compliment!"

"Fine. Thank you very much, Sango."

The woman grinned. "See? That wasn't so hard now was it?"

She didn't respond. Stepping into her matching suede heels, she smiled when she immediately became four inches taller; these should have been around for women much sooner. Turning back to Sango, she gave her the normal rundown. "As always; you have free reign of the house while I'm gone, within reason of course."

"Of course!" Sango repeated, holding her hand over her heart. She tended to spend the night with Kagome after she returned from a charity event. The fact that she lived in a luxury hidden refuge penthouse didn't hurt either.

"So that means no bringing over Miroku again and rutting in my living room."

"It was one time!"

"I walked in on you two."

"And we stopped immediately!"

"You were upside down." she shuddered as the memory of the kama sutra position they had been performing ran through her mind.

"You know Kagome-san if you would bother to date you would know passion overtakes reason sometimes. It was a moment of weakness!"

"The way he was humping you, was definitely not a display of weakness." shuddering for effect, Kagome grinned coyly when Sango blushed hard and turned to stare out the bedroom window. She was always so fun to tease. "Now, there's wine in the cabinets and food in the fridge, and I also bothered to have the movie channels reinstalled last week so go for it. Don't make a mess you won't clean up and don't burn my house down." gathering the rest of her things, the demoness quickly placed the concealment spell on her body and after giving Sango a hug goodbye, left the woman alone in her penthouse while she headed for the most boring event of the century.

Stepping into the museum, the first thing that reached Kagome's senses where the sounds of contemporary music playing over the speakers. All around, the various wealthy contributors to the museum stood in assorted groups, their conversations reaching her ears as she made her way towards the back where a full service bar was set up. Ordering a simple glass of wine, the demoness went into huntress mode; scanning the crowd of the elite for a familiar face from Hojo's file. Spotting a gentleman who had been searching for an architect to rebuild his childhood home; Kagome quickly threw back her drink and after making sure her appearance was presentable, boldly made her way over to the businessman who was speaking with someone whose back was turned to her.

Standing just behind his associate, she politely waited for a break in the conversation and once they paused, Kagome dove in. "Ah, Fukuro-san?" looking over his associates shoulder, the man's eyes widened considerably when he saw her and excusing himself; stepped around his temporary affiliate to hold out his hand to the woman. "Fukuro-san?" she repeated, taking his outstretched hand. "I'm sorry to bother you like this but…."

"Oh it is no trouble at all, my girl!" the forty something year old man interrupted, a rather bright smile on his face. "You were right to call me that! I am Fukuro, Teruo," keeping a firm grip on her hand, the syndicated bookstore owner continued to talk at a rapid pace. "I was hoping to see you at this event, but to think you actually approached me! I've been meaning to talk to you for quite some time but every time I tried you were gone out of town. Your work is incredible! I saw your latest reconstruction in Morocco and after finding out you were behind the original blueprints I just knew that I had to…"

Seeing the sweat drops on her face, the associate that had been talking to Teruo mercifully came to her rescue. "Fukuro-san, do you not think your getting a little ahead of yourself?"

"Huh, oh yes of course! Forgive me." coughing, embarrassed; Teruo dropped Kagome's hand. Smiling sheepishly at the woman he politely introduced her to his comrade. "That was rude, forgive me," he said. Turning to his associate, he introduced them to each other, "This is Eichii Minamoto, president of the Juora Corporation, there is no doubt in my mind you have heard of them, after all they are the largest technology company in Japan and" turning to look at her, Teruo noticed the pale hue her skin had undertaken, almost as if she were in shock. "….Kagome-san...are you alright?" realizing he had used her true name by accident, Teruo was about to come up with an explanation when he noticed the way she was staring at Eiichi. Looking back and forth between the two, the man held back a sigh when an understanding hit him. They were busted. Keeping his voice low, he asked, "So you already know?"

"It's you…."

Standing stiffly in place, Sesshomaru gazed back at Kagome with an unreadable expression on his features. His disguised black hair was combed back out of his face and noting the shocked look she gave him, adjusted his glasses as he thought on her response. "Hello."

Continuing to stare, Kagome could only manage one word, "You…."

"Yes. Me."

"How…" she asked, referring to his disguise.

"The same way you manage to."

"But…."

"Did you find the book?"

Snapping out of her stupor, Kagome grimaced and responded, "No, I haven't but…" he disrupted her excuses.

"Then we have nothing more to say to one another. Good night Abigail." bowing his head to the two demons before him he turned on his heel and walked off, soon disappearing into the crowd.

Her brown eyes wavering, the cloaked demoness choked back a sob. For some reason his dismissal...hurt. Feeling her palm burning again, Kagome rubbed at it absently; her clutch purse serving as a cover while she openly scratched at her hand. Turning to Teruo she was about to speak when he answered the question she was just about to ask.

"Tokuoka-san you must forgive him, he is only following your predetermined fate, you know as well as I do that he handles sorrow in unconventional ways."

"I actually didn't know that," Kagome confessed. Looking around to make sure she wasn't overheard, the demoness revealed her most guarded secret, "I can't remember anything he's talking about. I don't even know where to begin looking for this book he's so interested in."

"Hm…." gazing at her curiously, the man's coal black eyes flashed bright orange for a moment; making Kagome draw back in surprise.

"Your one of us too?"

"Owl." he responded curtly; running his hand through his hair.

"I don't understand any of this."

"That is understandable, but trust me you will, sooner than you think."

"But according to him it's been two hundred years…."

"And in all that time, he has been protecting you in secret. But he is tired. He has sacrificed a lot to ensure your well-being."

"Wha…." her eyes widening, Kagome demanded to know, "What did he do?"

"How about instead of just telling you, I show you?"

"How?"

"Follow me." holding his arm out to her, Kagome graciously took it and held on tightly while he led her through the sea of unsuspecting humans at the gala.

A/N: This chapter was so hard to write for some reason. Well, at least it's been edited! ;) I tend to do that with the harder chapters. Don't know why I have writer's block! Anyway please review! -Theores