Chapter 22: Strength of Defense
"Hn."
"What?"
"This Akitoki, he is not a current part of your life it seems..." there was an odd sense of satisfaction in his tone, though if Kagome noticed, didn't mention it.
"Well, I wouldn't say that..."
He tilted his head. "Explain."
One of his descendants works for me at my company. He's my executive assistant." The man in question was so much like Akitoki at times it was almost scary. Just like his precursor, the man also harbored unrequited feelings for the demoness, yet he did a much better job at hiding it than his ancestor had.
"Hn. And what is the family name of this man?"
"Hojo...wait...why are you so interested in him?" narrowing her eyes suspiciously, the demoness considered his earlier smugness.
"He is important to your search. How I have no idea."
"Okay…."
Standing from his seat, Sesshomaru rolled his shoulders before replacing the concealment spell and glasses on his person. Strolling towards the door, his steps didn't pause even when Kagome's voice rang out.
"Wait! Where are you going?"
"Home." he curtly answered.
Hopping up from the couch, the thrown demoness stared at his back upset. "What about all the stuff about my past you were going to tell me?"
Slipping on his shoes, the proud demon sighed. "I have given you ample scope to help you with your hunt. As I told you before, I can only aid you so much directly."
"But…"
"Get down."
"Huh?"
Swinging back around, Sesshomaru growled at the woman to obey. When she didn't move, he lunged for Kagome and pushed her down onto the floor, ignoring the demoness who released a snarl of her own which quickly becoming a gasp when her penthouse window shattered overhead, a piercing screech being released by whatever suddenly found itself in the middle of her living room.
Looking beyond Sesshomaru's head, Kagome stared wide-eyed at the creature which remained floating in midair. Possessing the face of a human with a sharp pointed beak, the rest of its body was covered in reptile like scales all the way down to the protruding wings on its back. As it prepared to dive for the two beings on the floor, Kagome couldn't help but utter out the words, "Are you kidding me?"
Though it had appeared to be a challenge, Sesshomaru had beheaded the bird demon so rapidly Kagome still had trouble believing even a dog demon could move so fast. While he kept busy examining the hideous creature, the woman herself took the moment to look at her now ruined living room which was littered with glass, feathers, and from the look and smell of it, urine from when the monster had pissed after being slaughtered.
Standing up to his full height, Sesshomaru reached into his breast pocket and retrieved his phone, only glancing up at the demoness for a moment to give yet another order. "Get dressed."
"What?"
"Go to your bedroom and put on some clothes. Pack a bag as well. It is not safe for you to be here."
"But...where am I going?"
With the phone to his ear, Sesshomaru pinched the bridge of his nose, a migraine beginning to form in his brain. "I have no other options, you are coming with me to my home."
"Sesshomaru-sama! I don't think that's wise!"
"What the..." Glancing at her shoulder, Kagome rose an eyebrow at the flea who now stood there, having sworn he had been gone ever since the dog demon had walked into her home. "When did you..."
"The flea is a coward," Sesshomaru muttered under his breath. Marching past her into the kitchen, the demoness listened to bits and pieces of his conversation which sounded vaguely like it was taking place in old Latin.
Her gaze remained focused on the red-faced flea as he talked, the woman's face blank as she became lost in thought, trying to figure out just how much of her life was a lie.
The car ride was painfully silent, Sesshomaru focusing on driving while Kagome kept distracted listening to music on her phone's mp3.
She had actually been impressed by the efficiency of his subordinates. By the time she had dressed and packed a bag like he requested, his men had come and disposed of the demon, cleared up the shattered glass and blood, and even placed cellophane over her broken window to give the illusion that she was just remodeling. "Big remodel my ass…." she whispered to herself, invoking a grunt of acknowledgment from Sesshomaru.
Feeling a hand tapping her on the knee, Kagome pulled one of her earbuds out. "What?"
"There are certain things we need to clear up before you enter my home."
"Okay? Like what?"
"First, I do not live alone."
"I figured that much…."
"Hn. My pack lives with me, my younger brother Inuyasha, his mate Kikyo and their daughters Kaede and Ume."
"Your brother is mated?"
"For the last three hundred years," Sesshomaru confirmed. "He was only two hundred and four when he married the priestess."
"A priestess?"
"It is irrelevant."
"Oh...Alright…"
"I also have a number of subordinates and servants who you will see periodically, they have been ordered to avoid you unless absolutely necessary, so do not be offended if they see you but do not acknowledge you."
Rolling her eyes, she responded nonetheless . "Fine."
"And as it stands, this is the second demon to actively attack you. Things have changed, and I do not know why. Until I can figure this out, you are not to leave my home unless myself or Inuyasha is accompanying you. You will have to be more closely guarded now."
At this Kagome resisted. "Excuse me!" narrowing her eyes at him, the demoness shook her head at his newest command. "I don't need to be followed around like some high profile celebrity. I have a job, a life outside of all of this, I don't need you in my business like that. I..."
"You will abide by my decision," he said, softly yet firmly. "Up until now I have been monitoring your every move, nothing has changed except for your awareness of it. I cannot risk you losing your life and placing my people in even more danger. You will be safe so long as you actually listen to what I am telling you this time."
The scar on her palm burned a bit as he spoke and involuntarily a shudder ran through her body with the pain. Her instinctual parts reminded her of his alpha status; he wasn't trying to take her freedom but protect her life and the lives of his pack and subordinates. "Okay…." she conceded. "Anything else?"
"Not at the moment, but I reserve the right to change my mind, as I see fit."
"Of course…."
As they pulled up into the gravel driveway and Sesshomaru prepared to get out, he removed his hand from Kagome's knee which made her realize that the entire time they had been talking in the car, he had been touching her there without her noticing, almost like it was natural.
A/N: Hmm….They're living together now….wonder what might happen under the cover of the night? Lol Please review -Theores