New Chapter probably sooner than you expected, I'm just really excited to get to the action in this story but, at the same time, I think the story before it is worth telling. Either way I'm antsy. Thank you so much for your kind words! Your reviews never fail to put a smile on my face. Enjoy!
Kagome opened her mouth to speak. Then closed it again. She didn't feel shock. She didn't really feel much of anything. She bounced his statement around in her mind, before shrugging. Someone trying to kill her just wasn't new and exciting. She looked at Sesshomaru, waiting for him to go on.
"In the last one hundred years every High Priestess was killed before the age of twenty. Though we will try to protect you and keep you alive, it would benefit you to try and master your powers. That might help you live a few extra years."
Sesshomaru looked bored.
He's pretty cavalier when it comes to me dying.
"Only a few years?"
"You might live longer than the rest, most awaken at the age of twelve or thirteen. But, either way, it will only be a matter of time. Almost every demon will be after you. And though most will be lower class demons and very easy to kill, there are a lot of powerful demons who want nothing more than to see you dead."
Kagome only nodded. She didn't know what to say. A few days ago the only one who seemed to want to kill her was her father, it was hard to wrap her mind around the fact that now she was practically being hunted.
"You also released an immense amount of energy when you awakened, so it's almost impossible to know how many demons know where you are."
Kagome remembered Inuyasha saying something to similar to that when he picked her up. Kagome finally opened her mouth to speak. Sesshomaru cut her off.
"Any questions you have I'm sure will be answered in time." Sesshomaru said directing his eyes back to his papers, the meaning in his words clear. "Get out I have work to do."
Kagome sat there and looked at him before she stood up. She had many questions but she was sure she could ask Sango. She uncrossed her legs and stood up, heading towards the door. Sesshomaru's voice stopped her.
"Also next time you are in my presence, you will be properly clothed."
She continued out the door, feeling the cool air on her semi nude stomach. She pulled it closed meaningfully.
Inuyasha was leaning against the wall, one leg propped up, arms folded over his chest. He had on a leather jacket similar to the one he had loaned her, and jeans ripped in all the right places. He looked like a model. The dangerous bad boy every girl loved.
"You ready to go?" He asked, still stapled on the wall like a poster.
She rolled her eyes and swatted him in the stomach before walking away laughing. He doubled over, following after her while holding his stomach.
"So how'd it go?"
"You know your brother is an ass right?" She asked, letting Inuyasha take the lead.
"Hey, half brother," Inuyasha said. sending a smile over his shoulder at her.
"He wouldn't let me ask any questions, so can I ask you?"
"Sure, I'll try and answer."
"I've been having trouble sleeping lately. Like I'm dreaming about something that's really intense but I don't remember when I wake up."
Inuyasha was quiet, pausing beside a door.
"The High Priestess before you told me that she used to have dreams like that. That they were a mixture of her memories and memories of her past lives. I don't think she could remember her dreams at first either. That's really all she told me about it."
That makes sense.
Kagome wanted to know if they would happen every time she went to sleep, but she doubted he knew anymore than he told her. He disappeared into the room and she could hear a garage door opening. She followed him outside to their, very obnoxious, four car garage. Kagome looked around. The ceilings were high, the walls a pristine white. The floors were even tiled.
"God, how does Sesshomaru afford all this?"
Inuyasha unlocked his car and opened the door for her.
"Sesshomaru has had a lot of time to acquire his wealth."
Inuyasha pushed the door closed before crossing the front of the car and joining her. His car started easily and he quickly backed out of the garage. Kagome watched the mansion grow before her eyes, and as Inuyasha peeled out down the long drive way she turned around to watch it recede into the distance.
They rode in a comfortable silence. Kagome leaned her head against the window and watched as dark shapes morphed into trees and bushes by the headlights, then back again in to an endless nothingness.
"Kagome?"
Kagome didn't move but responded with a quiet, "Hmm?"
"You don't have to answer, but what happened the night before your birthday?"
She was silent for a long time but he just waited patiently. The sound of the trees whipping past them filling the dead air.
"I think I'm going to need a little more time before I can talk about it."
Inuyasha nodded. She looked down at her hands, dimly lit by the dashboard light.
"But when I'm ready to talk about it, I promise I'll tell you."
She chanced a look at Inuyasha. He was smiling softly.
"Sounds good to me."
She looked back at her hands, smile in place.
It took them 45 minutes to make it back to town. Kagome checked the time on Inuyasha's dashboard and groaned.
She hadn't eaten all day and her stomach growled.
She looked at Inuyasha, "What are the chances Sango actually has food?"
Inuyasha smirked, "Slim to none."
Inuyasha stopped at a pizza place by Sango's house. Kagome climbed out of the car and quickly walked through the door Inuyasha had already propped open for her. Inuyasha followed her in and yelled a greeting to the guy working the register.
He looked familiar and she assumed he went to their school but she couldn't place him.
"Kouga! Long time no see."
The two boys shook hands and laughed. He was on the short side, maybe a few inches taller than herself. His hair was in as long high ponytail, and he had a head band on the same neon color as the words on his shirt. He was ripped. Lean muscle apparent under his shirt, and his eyes were a piercing grey.
"So the usual three pizzas?"
Inuyasha looked back at Kagome. She smiled and held up four fingers.
"Make it four."
Kouga turned his eyes to Kagome, and her blood ran cold. She didn't think he meant her any ill will, but she could tell he was a demon. He had no markers or identifiers, she just knew. Kagome's smile dropped.
"So, who's your friend Dog Boy?"
Inuyasha smirked, "This is Kagome. Kagome, this idiot here is Kouga."
Kagome waved a little before looking away. Inuyasha looked back at her before dropping an arm over her shoulders and pulling her up to the counter beside him.
"Kagome, the two of us should hang out sometime and get to know each other better."
The suggestion seemed innocent enough, but they all knew what he was implying. Inuyasha responded quickly, lightly punching Kouga in the arm.
"Lay off her, she's mine."
His?
Kouga rolled his eyes, before leaving to put in their order.
Kagome looked up at Inuyasha, trying to keep her face neutral.
He looked in the direction Kouga went before leaning down to whisper in her ear.
"Kouga comes on really strong, but he already has a girlfriend. I'm trying to keep him out of trouble."
Kagome laughed before whispering back, "Are you calling me trouble?"
"You're all kinds of trouble," Inuyasha said with a wink before straightening up.
Kouga was back at the register, rolling his eyes at the two of them.
"Your food will be ready in ten minutes."
Inuyasha chatted with Kouga and eventually Kagome detached herself from his side. She wandered around the shop. They had the shirts for sale with "Banging Pizza!" printed on the front in various neon colors. The shop had way too much going on in a painful obvious effort to look cool and young. But she found it endearing in a way, and found herself smiling. She wandered closer to where the boys were talking. their tones had dropped and they were practically whispering to each other.
She couldn't help herself, and eased over to them. She looked at the TV but her ears were tuned to them.
"Her? She's the High Priestess?"
"Yeah."
"She's so... dainty."
Dainty? They all knew he meant weak.
"She's just been through a lot."
Kagome didn't know whether she should thank Inuyasha or yell at him. Thats not exactly what she would call sticking up for her.
He's right though. I am pretty non threatening.
She decided he said the best thing he could say.
"Well I suppose she won't be yours for long. It's only a matter of time before Sesshomaru gets to her."
What does that mean?
Inuyasha was silent for a moment. Kouga spoke again.
"I'm sorry. Forget I said anything."
Inuyasha snorted, "You ain't wrong though."
A high pitched beep from deep in the kitchen effectively ended the conversation as Kouga retreated into the back. Kagome sat down on a stool,her eyes on Inuyasha's back. His back was wide, the leather of his jacket pulling gently. She made no move to approach him, just watched as he propped his head on hands.
Kouga emerged with 4 boxes of pizza stacked one on top of the other. She watched as Inuyasha straightened, reaching for his pocket. Kouga shook his head, pushing the pizza boxes across the counter.
"I'm not doing this for you but to pay tribute to Kagome," Kouga said with a smirk. She met his eyes and he bent his head down slightly. She nodded her head.
They let the shop and climbed in Inuyasha's car quickly.
"That was nice of him to give us the pizza for free," Kagome said conversationally as she buckled herself in.
"Get used to it. You're going to have more money than you know what to do with."
Kagome never had much money. Her family had always been poor until they moved into this new house, and even then, Kagome never had money. She didn't know what to say. So they rode on in silence. Sango's house was not far and in less than 10 minutes the pair was climbing the stairs to her apartment. When they reached the apartment Inuyasha turned the knob and walked in. Kagome's face twisted in confusion and concern.
All the lights were off and she whispered to Inuyasha nervously, "Does Sango always leave the door unlocked?"
That can't be safe.
Inuyasha snorted quietly, "Sango is more than capable of taking care of herself."
"Can we turn a light on or something? I'm starting to get creeped out."
Though Inuyasha had gone inside, Kagome still stood in the hallway, nervously clutching two of the pizza boxes to her.
"Yeah but be quiet, Miroku and Sango are sleep in the back."
Kagome stepped just inside the door, gently grouping the wall for a light switch. Her hand breezed over picture frames before landing on the switch she hoped was for the living room. She flipped it and light flooded the doorway.
Better than nothing.
The light was dim in the rest of the apartment but she could see enough and she followed Inuyasha into the kitchen. She easily found the light switch and set the pizza down on top of the other two boxes waiting on the counter.
"How do you know that Miroku and Sango are a sleep back there?" Kagome asked, cracking open the pizza box and stealing a slice of pizza.
Inuyasha smiled before following her lead and grabbing a slice for himself.
"I'm half Dog Demon Kagome, I can smell everyone who has been here for the past 5 days. And I can tell by their breathing that they're sleeping."
Kagome swallowed.
"Wow! You can hear them breathing? Even from in here?"
Inuyasha laughed at her, "What do you think the ears are for?"
Kagome laughed, covering her mouth with her hand so she could answer him, "I thought they were just there to make you look cute."
"If by that you mean, ruggedly sexy, then yes."
The two of them laughed, chatting amiably while they ate.
Together they devoured one whole pizza and half of another. Kagome yawned, stretching her arms behind her back.
Inuyasha put the pizza's in Sango's bare fridge before shrugging on his jacket.
"It's late, I'm gonna get going."
Kagome felt her stomach drop. They were having so much fun, she was sad to see it end. But she smiled any way, before agreeing that he probably should hit the road if he wanted to make it back to home by a semi decent hour.
Kagome walked him to the door, where they stood and stared at each other awkwardly. Kagome looked down at her shoes, saying a quiet "Drive safe" to the ground.
Placing his hand gently on the top of her head Kagome heard him laugh. She looked up at him, her heart hoping, but for what she was not quite sure. Inuyasha rubbed her head vigorously, tossing and tangling her hair. Kagome batted blindly at his hand, her view obstructed by her hair. Her voice caught in her throat as she forced herself to whisper instead of yelling like she wanted," Inuyasha, you ass, stop it!"
Inuyasha's hand disappeared from the top of her head and Kagome's hands dropped to her side, her hair was a wreck. She quickly pulled the mess on her head back from her face in time to see him laughing and waving good bye. Kagome rolled her eyes before closing the door behind him.