InuYasha Fan Fiction ❯ Shades of Gray ❯ Reconciliation ( Chapter 38 )

~<>~ Shades of Gray ~<>~

 

~<>~ Chapter 38 ~<>~ Reconciliation

 

As the light trickled through the venetian blinds, Kagome blinked herself awake. Stretching slightly, she rolled to her right and smiled. She could get used to meeting the golden gaze of the man next to her. Silver locks of hair slipped down his forehead as his gaze absorbed all that she was before him and all she could be with him. Kagome brought up a finger slowly and pushed the hair back over his shoulder.

 

“How long have you been awake?” she asked him while yawning.

 

“Was that English?” he gibed. Seeing her roll her eyes, he smirked, “I lost track of time; maybe before the sun rose?”

 

Kagome glanced at the alarm clock on her nightstand. It was nearly eleven. Turning back to InuYasha, she snuggled closer to him. They had successfully snuck into the house last night; her mother had gone to bed an hour prior to their arrival as per the note she left Kagome. Squeezing onto a twin bed hadn't proven to be such a hassle and they had actually fallen asleep quickly. Kagome could say it was the first good night's sleep she had in a while, and the most comfortable. She was right when she had thought all those months back that the golden eyed Adonis she had met at the club was her kryptonite.

 

“You mean you've been lying there awake for the last five hours staring at me?”

 

“You're cute when you sleep. Want to see the pictures?”

 

Kagome swallowed down what she hoped was a sick joke. “'Cause that's not the least bit creepy,” she threw back as she rubbed her face.

 

InuYasha smirked. “Well, you're beautiful so I'll swallow down the title of creepy if it gets me another night.”

 

“How does that even make sense?”

 

InuYasha shrugged, “I got to say you're beautiful, so does it really matter?”

 

Smiling, she nestled in closer to him; “I guess not. I'll let you slide on that one.”

 

InuYasha kissed the top of her head and wrapped his arms around her. “I can get used to this, I want you to know.”

 

“God forbid.”

 

InuYasha rolled her to the right, following to plant himself above her on one outstretched hand. His eyes bore into her with enough intent to make her swallow audibly. “I can get used to this too,” he whispered while grinding his hardened length against her thigh. “You ready for round three?”

 

So they had at it again, quickly, after sneaking into her bedroom. Kagome was nearly sure that she had rug burn on the small of her back from the rough sex. It was so good though; it was always good. This would be round three in the last twelve hours. Kagome wasn't sure she could keep up with his libido, but it was fun to try.

 

Kagome brought her mouth to meet his for a second before a light knock at her door ended their interaction. Startled, Kagome sat up and banged her forehead directly into InuYasha's jaw. With a loud yelp, InuYasha toppled sideward off the bed. Kagome grimaced in pain, praying that she had remembered to lock to door. Otherwise there was going to be one hell of a show.

 

“Kaggie, are you up?”

 

Souta's voice was like an ice shower. Yanking the comforter off the bed, she threw it over the startled man lying on her floor. Hissing at him to stay quiet, she replied back evenly, “I just woke up. Everything okay, Souta?”

 

“Are you going back to school today?”

 

Kagome sighed heavily while running a hand through her disheveled hair. “No honey, but I have work tonight.”

 

“Oh.” There was a heavy silence. Kagome could just about see through the door to her son rubbing his foot into the floor, trying to find the right words.

 

“What's up, honey?”

 

There was a bit more silence before he replied; “Can we go back to the park? I miss spending time with you. Oh, and then we can get ice cream!”

 

Kagome smiled softly at the door. “Maybe we can; is your room clean?”

 

Scampering footsteps answered her question.

 

Sighing, Kagome shook herself out of what she had grown to call her `mom' zone. It was really weird how fast she could snap into the mother role with that boy. She had tried to tell herself over the years that it wasn't a `mom zone' and that it was a big sister looking out for her little brother. Experience however, was starting to tell her otherwise. Looking back at the last six years of her life, Kagome wondered how it would have been if she had claimed Souta as her own instead of her mother doing so.

 

InuYasha had already begun the search for his pants. Pulling on his boxers, he nodded towards the door. "Kid brother?”

 

Kagome began to nod but something inside of her gut stopped her. Staring at the man before him, taking in all that he was caused her hesitation; his silver hair, his golden eyes… though he may not have told her, he trusted her with the secret of who he really was. Though he had talked to her honestly about the truth when it was discovered, Kagome understood all too well the pain of keeping secrets. Some secrets couldn't be told….some were buried too deep and lives were built around that lie. Both she and InuYasha understood the truth in that. They both were living examples of how a secret could ruin someone.

 

“No.” She said after a moment. Bracing herself for whatever the worst was, she stuck her chin out and retorted, “Souta's my son.”

 

The silence wasn't as awkward as Kagome expected. InuYasha studied Kagome's face for a moment before continuing to pull on his jeans. “I know.”

Of all the responses she had expected from telling anybody the news, the last one she ever thought she would hear was `I know'. Kagome was completely flabbergasted. “You…know? How? No one knows!” The warning bells, there they were again; but if she had learned anything over the past three months, it was that she had learned to keep a level head. There had to be an answer that the hanyou would provide her.

 

“He smells just like you.”

 

Kagome let out a breath she didn't know she was holding. “What?” It took a minute for the words to sink in. Self consciously, she sniffed herself and made a face. What the hell was he talking about?

 

InuYasha buttoned his jeans and sat down next to her on the bed. Wrapping an arm around her shoulders, he brought her in close to him. “Every person smells, in some ways, like their parents. No siblings smell exactly alike because while they have their parents in them, they are also individuals separate from one another. Both Sesshoumaru and Kagejiro smell like my father, but past that, they have a completely different essence; you can tell their related and either brothers or cousins, that's about it. It's a demon sense; you smell like what I can only figure to be your mother and father. Souta smells exactly like you and another. If he was your brother, his scent would be more…unique. Instead he's too much like you.” Seeing Kagome study his face for a moment, he shrugged, “and I may have overhead you tell Sango.”

 

Kagome blinked wildly. “Wait…you….you were there?” Six weeks ago, when she was at the Ink Well with Sango…she hadn't expected InuYasha to follow her there. How had she not noticed?

 

InuYasha shrugged, “I knew you were in danger after the confrontation in the dorm. I wanted to make sure that asshole didn't follow you.”

 

“And Kikyo? “ God, If Kikyo knew, the whole family knew.

 

“Blissfully ignorant; what more can you expect?”

 

Kagome sighed for a moment before realizing the significance of what was transpiring. He knew that Souta was her son; he had known for months and had never told anyone. He knew her darkest secret and for once, she felt like it was actually safe. If he had been vindictive, if he was half the person he truly was, he would have told everyone when she stopped talking to him. Swallowing thickly, she couldn't ignore the tears that welled in her eyes.

 

InuYasha's back straightened an inch when he smelled the girl well up. He hated it when females cried. He always felt so helpless. Bringing a hand around to her back, he rubbed it awkwardly. He was completely unprepared for Kagome to throw herself into his arms.

 

Tears dripped down her face as she nuzzled into the hanyou's chest; tears of relief and tears of happiness streamed down her face. He wasn't a part of Bankotsu, he wasn't a part of that mess; she was so sure now. That's how Sha knew she was at the club, he had overheard her in the restaurant, that's how he knew her name, that's why she had seen Miroku there! It all made sense now and left Bankotsu by the wayside. Couple that with the fact that he knew her darkest secret…and he wasn't running out the door. Kagome rested against InuYasha for about ten minutes without saying a word. The silence had begun awkward but was quite comfortable by the end.

 

“His father?” InuYasha began, “If you don't want to talk about it….”

 

“How much did you hear between Sango and I?”

 

“Enough to know that you were in trouble and Souta was your child. That's also how I knew to be at the club that night. I knew you were going after Bankotsu, I wanted to make sure you had protection.”

 

“How could I have been so stupid?” she whispered quietly.

 

“No!” InuYasha pushed Kagome out a bit to turn to stare at her. He tilted her chin to look her in the eyes. “You aren't stupid Kagome. If anything, you're a helluva lot smarter than I am. I would never have made that connection, and though it may have been paranoid, you were protecting yourself and Souta. I can't blame you for that at all. I should have come clean earlier.” InuYasha knew what it was like to hold in a dark secret. He knew what it was like to have to live with it on your shoulders, a weight that you could never get rid of. Though Miroku finding out about him being a hanyou was inconvenient, being able to confide in someone was such a relief. He knew Kagome needed to talk about what happened, and this was the perfect opportunity. “You should talk about this, ya know? You need to talk about what happened to you. If you don't want to, I understand….”

 

“You think I was raped.”

 

That wasn't even a question. InuYasha paused for a moment before nodding slowly. “That's how you made it sound without saying it. I know you tried to go about….”

 

“No. It's not that. I…wasn't.”

 

InuYasha remained quiet, letting her tell her story as she needed to.

 

“You heard why my family and I were in Japan?” InuYasha simply nodded. “I should have stayed with Sango; it would have saved so much pain. But I didn't, I stayed with my parents with friends of Kikyo's family. They had a seventeen year old son named Kagawaki. He was beautiful and I was fourteen. He taught me things that…well…let's just say that he shouldn't have been teaching a fourteen year old.”

 

“You don't need to be censored with me, Kagome.” InuYasha ran a hand through her hair, “you can let it out.” Internally he braced himself for what he was going to hear; somehow, whenever Kagome told him that she was hurt, it felt like taking a bullet. The pain was insurmountable and made him want to kill anything that dared to touch her.

 

Kagome swallowed thickly, “he taught me how to touch a guy; he taught me how to `make him feel good'. He told me that no guy would ever want a girl who couldn't do it. He taught me how to practice oral on a banana then had me demonstrate my knowledge. Repeatedly. I thought he loved me, I thought he wanted me.” Kagome clenched her fist, feeling the anger renew all over. “I was a dumb fourteen year old girl with her hormones controlling her actions. I was so stupid; I wanted him to like me. Back here, Kikyo always got all the attention, everyone always looked at her, I was just her copy. There, he made me feel special. In reality, he was just treating me like his own personal whore. He had me…”

 

Kagome looked down for a few moments, trying to gain the courage to tell the story she had only once dared to speak. Her mother only had the abridged version; even Sango only got the bare minimum. The only one who knew the whole truth was Bankotsu, and he had used it against her. But with InuYasha's physical and mental support, she was able to continue on. It was like word vomit, every word led to more; all she wanted to do was tell him everything. The dark things that she hadn't been able to say, the things she had buried; they all just poured out.

 

“He would bring friends over and have me jerk them off. For practice, he would say, and he got off on watching. But it was never enough. Hands jobs turned to blow jobs. I refused at first and he wouldn't talk to me for days. I knew it was wrong, but I hated how he would ignore my existence. I felt special, even when between his friends legs. So I would apologize. I would apologize; how fucked up is that? He'd push me further after each of those bouts, telling me that if I really meant it, I would… fill in the blank. I suppose, looking back, that was my first exposure to a dom/sub relationship. I hated every minute of it, but I hated the neglect more. So when he told me he wanted to show me how much he loved me, I didn't dare stop him. I let him….” Kagome swallowed thickly, “I let him and I let his friends. I was nothing more than a fuck toy for them. He'd bring me to a party and….”

 

Kagome shut her mouth as she felt her stomach turn. Spinning from the bed, she grabbed her garbage can just in time. In a split second, InuYasha was by her side, holding the can with one hand and her hair with the other. Whispering words of comfort softly in her ear, InuYasha supported her while she dry heaved. Setting the can on the floor, InuYasha wrapped an arm under her chest to help hold her weight. He was doing his best to keep his anger to a subtle boil. How dare that son of a bitch use a little girl like that? When he had met Kagome, she was so shy it physically hurt. He would never have thought that nine months before she was a group whore to a bunch of idiots in Japan. No wonder why she had always shied away from him. With his mouth and his obscene behavior, he probably reminded Kagome of those assholes. The thought made him sick. But then again, what had he treated her like for the last few months? What life was she living with Bankotsu? Though it was to her own accord, she was simply reliving being someone's fuck puppet over and over; first those assholes, then Bankotsu and now him. Knowing what he knew was dangerous because he would never let her live that life again. Never.

 

Sitting back, Kagome stifled down her sobs. How had life gotten so fucked up? How had it come to this?

 

InuYasha dug into the pocket of his jeans and handed Kagome a stick of gum. Running his hand over her forehead, he sat down next to her and wrapped his arms around her. There was silence for a few minutes as Kagome tried to reign in her emotions. When she was ready to go on, she curled in tighter against him.

 

“When I realized I was pregnant, after getting home, I emailed Kagawaki. He replied by telling me that I was the whore who fucked his friends. He told me he would deny that he ever had sex with me but had a video of me fucking his friends. I….don't know if it's true but I never dared to find out. Then my parents got involved and it just exploded. My dad demanded an abortion but I was too far along. My mom wanted to claim the baby as hers so I could have a normal life, my father told her that he would sooner shun me. When mom decided to do just that, Dad threw a fit and demanded a divorce. He kept to the story by saying that his wife cheated on him. My mother lost all of her social status and really was screwed in the divorce proceedings. She got the bare minimum because my father hired the highest paid attorney he could and my mother had no money.” Blowing her nose on the tissue offered by the hanyou, she hesitated. How much was too much information? About ten minutes ago, she figured.

 

“I was so afraid to date after that, I was terrified that all guys were like that. No offense, but you only supported that belief.” InuYasha frowned but didn't say anything. “When Kouga asked me out, I figured maybe he would be different. Like all of them, he started out nice but nearly immediately he wanted sex. I refused him and he got angry. That's when I broke up with him; I didn't want to play that game again. Then I met Bankotsu. He was respectful, pleasant and understanding, probably because he had another girl or so on the side. But regardless, I dated him and started to fall for him. I thought I had found the right one, that this one wouldn't use me the way Kagawaki had.

 

“Bankotsu got me to tell him the truth about Souta and what had happened. He got me to tell him, explicitly, what I had done and what they did to me. He would tell me that I had to talk about it, and he was right. What he wasn't right about was that he used that information. He told me that I was a natural submissive, that it was a relationship I craved. He nurtured me into being his sub; he got me to simply give myself to him at his beck and call. He told me that I was his queen and all he requested of me was my body and in return, he gave me his soul. Then he introduced me to the club, he told me I had free reign to be whatever I wanted to be. He cultivated my sexuality; he taught me how to use it to my advantage. Then he sold me to his friends, making me feel as it was my decision to sleep with them. I knew it was happening all over again but…I couldn't leave. I couldn't pull myself away. I was addicted to the life style, it was like a drug. Life was…meaningless unless I was with him. We broke up and I didn't care. He told me I still belonged to him, as he did to me, but because of how high in society he was, he had to marry someone of equal stature. But he would always be mine, he assured me. I knew better but at the club, I was still his. I still had a piece of him, so I thought. So I stayed. I kept returning until I…” with a deep breath, Kagome looked up, “until I met you.”

 

InuYasha swallowed thickly as he met her gaze. This beautiful tormented creature had been through so much and was so willing to trust him. Brushing her hair from her face, InuYasha kissed the top of her head. He was numb in reality: what could he say to her? She pegged him for her hero; she had already placed him on that shelf. Couldn't she see he was fucked as well? With a scoff, InuYasha tightened his hold on her. He'd be whoever she needed him to be right now. “This is really fucked, Kagome. I just need you to know that. What happened to you is…atrocious, at best. I wish…” taking a deep breath, he considered his words. “I wish I had been there to protect you. The truth however, is that I'm no better. At fourteen, I would have lined up with those guys. Hell, six months ago I would have still been waiting. I have lived the last twenty three years of my life with my eyes closed. I've relied on my father to get me out of any situation I wander into and…the worst part was I never stopped once to think about who I was hurting or what I was doing. I know you feel that I've saved you but in a real fucked up way, I think we've saved one another. Because I see it all now, I see what's important and what isn't. I see where I wasted away my life and where I've fucked up. I want to be that guy for you, Kagome. I want to be the one to support you. But I'm not perfect; I'm very far from it. We're both….”

 

“Broken. I know we are.”

 

InuYasha smiled weakly and hugged the girl before him. “I want to protect you, Kagome.”

 

Kagome leaned into his embrace, tears in her eyes. It was like the sweetest release she had ever felt, bearing her soul to him. “I just want you to stay with me.”

 

InuYasha nodded into her hair, inhaling the beautiful scents of jasmine and lavender that surrounded the girl before him. “I can do that. Until you push me away, I will be here.”

 

They would have stayed together forever on the floor at the base of her bed if Souta didn't bang again on the door, some odd amount of minutes later.

 

“My room is all clean! You can check it! Now can we go play?”

 

Kagome smiled softly as she laid on the floor, cradled in her lover's arms. “Is it really clean?” she called through the shut door.

 

“Really really!”

 

Kagome scrunched up her nose. “If I look under your bed…”

 

Feet scampering off down the hallway were her answer to his `really really' clean room. Turning to gaze up at InuYasha, she tilted her face towards the door. “He'll be back in ten minutes.”

 

InuYasha smirked and shook his head. “You make a good big sister.” Seeing the smile slide from her face, he leaned down to kiss her forehead. “I think you'd make a better mom. Can I ask a question?”

 

Kagome nodded her response.

 

“Does he know?”

 

Shaking her head in the negative, she pondered the question for a moment. “He has no clue, but I wonder if it's doing more harm than good. He thinks his father hates him. He asks to meet my dad all the time, because he knows Dad lives in the tri-state area. He has no clue that's not his real dad. He's too young to understand the truth and I….I just….can't. I can't tell him the truth; it would ruin his little life. Sister to mother, mommy to grandma, I don't know if anyone would survive the transition. Besides, the birth certificate has my mother's name on it.”

 

InuYasha pursed his lips. “That can be changed…corrected. It could all be right. He will find out eventually Kagome.”

 

“Please,” she said shortly, as she pulled herself from his arms, “don't lecture me. I really don't need to hear it. I know he will figure it out one day, and I'll handle it then. Just….don't tell me what I need to do.”

 

InuYasha relented immediately. “I understand. I'm sorry, I wasn't…” seeing Kagome in the process of shutting him out so fast InuYasha knew he had to keep talking. “Has Kagawaki tried to get in contact with you since then? Have you heard anything from the asshole?”

 

Kagome hesitated from standing up. She sat down quickly again, bracing her back against her dresser. “Once. He was in the states for business with his father. His father and my father were having lunch. He emailed me telling me he would be near the house and would love to reminisce. I told him to burn in hell. I offered for him to stop by and see his child who would never know him but as expected, he had no interest. Not that I would have let him near Souta, I just wanted him to know that he exists. My own personal vengeance, I suppose.”

 

InuYasha nodded slowly, “what would you do if he….you know…tries to get involved?”

 

Kagome paused, as if never considering that an option. “I don't know. Probably go to jail for murder in the first more than likely, at least.”

 

“How do you know Souta is even his?” Hearing Kagome suck in a deep breath, InuYasha knew he just crossed an invisible barrier with a running jump. “I mean, you said that he had you….I'm not trying….”

 

Kagome nodded slowly, “I know you mean no disrespect. You're just very…blunt. It takes time to get used to.” After allowing the question to process, she answered him to the best of her ability. “Souta looks just like Kagawaki; he's a carbon copy with my eyes. It's hard, to say the least; to look at Souta daily and see that asshole in him. But it's not Souta's fault by any means and I love him. So I grin and bear it. It's my cross to bear, anyway.”

 

InuYasha nodded once. Standing up, he grabbed his guinea tee and helped Kagome to her feet. “Get dressed, Love; we have to get your brother to the park and to Rita's before four o'clock. Then I got to get you to work.”

 

Kagome stood with his help and pecked him on the lips. “You don't know how much I appreciate everything you have done.” Grabbing clean clothing, she began to piece herself together. “So what is your plan tonight?”

 

“I have some hunting to do.”

 

Kagome glanced at the hanyou as he slipped on his concealment ring. Watching his silver hair turn ebony suddenly felt like a crime; he was so beautiful in his natural form. But she understood; day after day, the façade continued. “Hunting?” Understanding washed over her as he turned his amethyst gaze on her; “You're going after Onigumo?”

 

InuYasha nodded. “I figure you'll be out of trouble at work so I will get some time to enlist Kagejiro to help me search out this asshole. And trust me; I'm sure `Jiro would love to get a personal punching bag. He's way too stressed for my liking. It's like walking around with a loaded pistol in your pants!”

 

Kagome frowned. “I really wish you would contact the police and let them handle it.”

 

“I can't, not if he has more proof about my family's lineage. I have to silence this mofo before he can start more shit than he has already.”

 

Kagome understood that more than she wanted to. Nodding once, she grabbed his hand and looked him in the eyes; “Just be careful, promise me!”

 

InuYasha smirked and leaned in to kiss Kagome. Pausing against her lips, he quipped, “Psh, don't worry about me, Woman.”

 

Kagome laughed lightly and kissed him until Souta came knocking once more.

 

X*X*X*X*X*X*X*X*X*X*X*X*X*X*X*X*

 

Walking through his front door, InuYasha wasn't quite ready for the atom bomb that dropped. Miroku jumped out of his chair like a rabbit as Kagejiro appeared from literal nowhere. Both wanted to talk at the same time and proceeded to attempt to talk over one another with the exact same questions.

 

“Where the hell have you been? I've been calling you for the last twelve hours! What the hell?” Miroku thumped the front of his best friend's chest. “I could have fuckin' gray hairs from this!”

 

“Oy, Boyo; you best have gotten some ass for the amount of shit I had to `ere from your jealous lover. He's been crying none stop, and let me tell you; he's fuckin' obnoxious. Had to stop myself from ending his miserable existence, I did. Almost down one flat mate. Let me tell you, all the whiskey in this damned state couldn't make the noise stop. Then I tried to feed him the booze, see if that would quiet the lad. But the fuckin' wanker don't know when to shut his mouth.”

 

InuYasha grinned at both of them, enjoying the looks of muddled confusion pass over their face to the lack of anger in his aura.

 

After a moment, Kagejiro broke out in a grin. “Ah, so the lass offered it up, I see? Good for you, I really expected to be cleaning up blood this morning. The fuck I'm cleaning up anything else, though. Cheers,” Raising the bottle of Jameson, he waited for InuYasha to reciprocate. InuYasha smirked and raised his empty hand. With reflexes of a cat, Kagejiro belted the boy in the face with his empty hand. “Fuckin' buggar,” Kagejiro remarked as InuYasha turned with the blow, “dontcha know to call the wifey over there?” he demanded, pointing at Miroku. Waving the bottle at his younger brother, he snipped, “Don't leave me `ere next time or I'm liable to burn the place down.”

 

InuYasha cracked his jaw and wiped his face. Taking a deep breath, he pointed his finger at Kagejiro, “I'm in a good mood, so I'll let that go.” Lowering his hand, he pushed his way into his apartment and closed the door.

 

Miroku stood against the couch, his arms crossed over his chest. “So, what happened? Did you find Naraku?”

 

InuYasha nodded slowly, “Yeah, I did. Ends up that Naraku has a doppelganger for a cousin; his cousin and Kikyo were the ones in the photos, not Naraku and Kagome.”

 

Miroku hiked an eyebrow, “and you bought that? Really; you bought out the evil twin plot line? Holy fuck, InuYasha, are you that dense?”

 

“It wasn't a line, Miro. I went up to the guys room to have a word with him; it ends up being a lot more complicated than I had hoped for…”

 

“Fucking A'; we don't need any more drama in this community! I think the roof might just explode from the pressure. I know my head is about to, and not even in the fun way!”

 

InuYasha ignored Miroku for the moment, “this guy, Onigumo, Naraku's cousin once removed I think, has a hard on for ruining the Itogowa and Taisho family names.”

 

Miroku frowned, “Well that's all well and good, but the question remains; did you get some?”

 

InuYasha rolled his eyes and turned his attention to Kagejiro, “He knows.”

 

Kagejiro's eyes darkened as any joking around were tossed to the way side like a paper doll. “Was the situation contained?”

 

InuYasha snorted, amazed at how fast Kagejiro had turned militant; “No, he wasn't present. He had photographic evidence; this kid did his homework something fierce. Long story short, papa dukes bought out Naraku's father's company, who employed Onigumo's dad. Naraku's scummer father basically sold his brother-in-law or something like that out of a shit load of money and left him to rot. Onigumo has taken up the torch to ruin both family names. He had a lot of shit on us, including photos. One of which was me after a bender at Illusions in New York, still in full garb, if you know what I mean, outside of the apartment. He has detailed maps of my routes and Naraku's whereabouts. He also is following Kagome, I guess figuring that I'd be around her. We think he sent the pictures to make me want to kill Naraku; because then one would be dead and I'd be in jail with the family exposed. One way or another, he's pissing where he ain't welcome. I aim to castrate this fucker before the nights through.”

 

Kagejiro nodded, “If he has evidence of the family, we'll have to…coerce, him to give it up. It's not going to be pretty.”

InuYasha smirked, “I am so all right with that.”

 

Miroku cleared his throat, “So this shit is serious. What are you gonna do with him? Isn't he a demon though, if Naraku's a demon? Wouldn't he be outing himself?”

 

“No,” InuYasha responded as he dropped onto the couch, “first off Naraku doesn't hide that he's a demon. The problem is that Naraku is a hanyou like me. His father was a demon and his mother was human, much like mine. I don't know if Onigumo is human or not. One way or another though, this shit head is pushing buttons he ain't researched.”

 

“You're gonna take his head off, aren't you?”

 

InuYasha nodded, “I need a punching bag after this semester of hell. I have no problem taking it out on a side show freak.”

 

Kagejiro snapped his fingers, “Focus InuYasha. Where was this guy last seen?”

 

InuYasha shrugged, “Naraku says he never comes out of his room, which is where I found the closet of creepy, but he was gone when we got there. I dropped Kagome off to get her car at three…”

 

“Woah! Woah, woah, woah! Back up! You dropped Kagome off?” Miroku dropped onto the couch next to his friend. “Where did you take her that you needed to bring her back to her car? Did you get laid? Come on man, question of the century!”

 

InuYasha grunted, “The hell I was going to let her go home alone with two stalkers following her. I still got to take care of Bankotsu and that's hell enough. Now I got another problem that sadly, takes precedence.”

 

Miroku groaned, “So you played hero, that's all well and good. But seriously, did you get laid? Are you two fixed? Will you stop being a worthless piece of shit swooning over the thought of her now?”

 

InuYasha eyed his friend for a moment before shrugging, “I need to detail the interior of the Hummer.” Not waiting for Miroku's response, he turned to Kagejiro. “I know you've stuck around to help out, and I really appreciate that. This shit is on like Donkey Kong. First Onigumo then Bankotsu; I'm just gonna go down my list and get rid of these fuckers as I can.”

 

Kagejiro nodded, “protecting the family secret is the highest priority. We will compromise this target, eradicate the threat and then we'll handle your other concerns.”

 

InuYasha stretched on the couch and stifled a yawn. He was too tired for this shit. “I'm gonna take a shower, then it's on. We got us some hunting to do.”

 

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Kagome entered work on time with a smile on her face that could light up that dimly lit building. Pushing past the counter, she breezed past her boss, barely paying attention to just how busy it was in the establishment.

 

“Good evening, Hiten,” she called back behind her. Dropping her purse and coat in the back room, she waved at the chefs who all cheered their hellos. She loved the workers at the Regent, even if they couldn't cook worth a dime. Walking back to her boss, she tied on her smock and finally took a look around the establishment. They only had two waitresses on for the night shift and it was already jam packed. She made the third waitress with no hostess. It was going to be a very busy night. It was a good thing, then, that she was in such a fantastic mood. They day with InuYasha was outstanding; he was so good with Souta. Watching Souta actually have a guy he could look up too was amazing. Souta took to InuYasha instantly and wouldn't stop talking about him, so her mother had informed her. Maybe this was a good thing.

 

“You're beaming like someone shoved a flashlight up your ass,” Hiten responded from where he leaned against the counter, a toothpick sticking out of the corner of his mouth. “What gives? Get laid?”

 

“I'll ignore the sexual harassment for once,” she replied with a smile, “because I am in too good a mood to be brought down.”

 

“No shit? That date of yours pan out?”

 

Kagome nodded, “Yeah, you could say that.” With a smile, she pushed past him.

 

Hiten grabbed her arm before she could exit from behind the counter. “Girly, you seemed pretty upset on the phone. I ain't wanta' pry, but this is some seriously one-eighty. You sure everything's kosher?”

 

Kagome put her hand over Hiten's. “For once, yeah, yeah I am sure it's good.”

 

“I ain't ever seen you happy before.”

 

“That's because I hate slinging dishes, but today I'm all right with it.”

 

“Got another date coming up?”

 

Kagome laughed. “I will be seeing him again, without a doubt.”

 

“Good, now get in the back and make me some money. Cause it's either here or on the street corner, you pick.” Hiten winked at her then turned back to the cash register.

 

With a smile, Kagome went into the back to find the night's specials. Not that it really mattered, it was a diner and the only thing good was the sandwiches and fries and maybe breakfast items. Chatting it up with Federico, the sous-chef, she caught up on the latest gossip of the term.

 

Aayme, one of the two other waitresses, slammed her way through the double doors to drop off her order. Taking one look at Kagome, she smirked, “Come on, we're getting our asses handed to us out there. We need backup!”

 

With a laugh, Kagome joined her friend.

*X*X*X*X*X*X*X*X*X*X*X*XX**X*X*X*X*X*X*X*X*X*X

 

It was close to midnight when the diner finally slowed down. Apparently Lakewood High School had just finished their musical and the cast had felt it appropriate to celebrate there. Tips from kids sucked; they rarely ever tipped over fifteen percent, and that was only if you were lucky. Eight hours into her shift, Kagome had only made about fifty dollars.

 

“Talk about a crap hole of a day,” Kagome cooed to Hiten as the manager entered the back room. “A lousy fifty bucks and three more hours to go.”

 

Hiten wiped a fake tear from his cheek, “my heart bleeds for you. Don't worry, Princess, I'm sure it will pick up in here. Besides, you're in such a fantastic mood, nothing can bring you down, remember?”

 

“Hiten, it's the overnight. No one will be here but cops and drunks, possibly together. Can I leave?”

 

Hiten barked a terse laugh. “Fuck no, honey; I'm leaving. You got till three to make some more cash. I'm telling you, the street corner is the way to go.”

 

“Thanks but no thanks?”

 

Hiten laughed and rubbed her shoulder. “All right, chica, you behave and stay for your shift. If anyone leaves early, it's Aayme; she has to get home to get her son. Besides, there's a table requesting you.”

 

Kagome tilted her head, “A table requesting me?” Making a face, she glanced at the clock. Who would be looking for her out here in the middle of the night?

 

“It's three dudes at table 5.”

 

Kagome's eyes lit up. InuYasha was probably done with his search for Onigumo. Undoubtedly, Miroku and Kagejiro had gone out hunting along with him. Hopefully they came up empty handed. Kagome really felt that the issue should have been dealt with by the police but she understood the need for secrecy. Onigumo could blab his story to the police, or worse, the press. They would be all over that kind of gossip and that would spell trouble for InuYasha's family. No, she understood the need for stealth and the desire for InuYasha to handle this without Naraku. Why the two men hated each other so much was beyond her; they really lived very similar lives. If anything, Kagome would have thought them to be friends. But they weren't, would never be and if anything, this situation was growing worse by the minute. As long as no one was hurt, that was Kagome's answer to all of this.

 

“That's great! Awesome! Have a good night.” Waving once, she turned on her heels and nearly ran out of the kitchen.

 

“Love, makes me sick,” Hiten said while shaking his head. Walking to the backroom, he shut the door to finish the night's paperwork.

 

Kagome barreled out of the kitchen nearly glowing. Walking down the counter towards the back of the establishment, Kagome rounded the corner and froze dead in her tracks. Feeling as if an invisible barrier had knocked the wind out of her lungs, she gasped for air. Sitting at the table ten feet from here was Suikotsu, Ginkotsu and Kyoukotsu. Gin and Kyou were the highest paid body guards on Bankotsu's payroll, and also his cousins…or was it brothers? Sui…well, her and him just had an awful relationship. He was the asshole who had patched her up after Bankotsu had wailed on her, and was the one who had suggested killing her to get rid of the evidence. Kagome could feel her hands begin to shake as she met Sui's gaze.

 

Reaching out with one finger, he beckoned Kagome to come closer. The smile on his face was lethal. “Hey baby, did you miss us?”

 

Backing up one step, Kagome turned on her heels and ran. Throwing her order pad onto the counter, she booked it with all of her might into the backroom and grabbed her purse and her coat.

 

Hiten startled behind the desk as Kagome slammed her way through the door to grab her things. Without a word, she was out the door just as fast as she had entered.

 

“Kagome!” Hiten stood up and ran out the door, only to see Kagome fly out the back door. Hiten stared at the door before walking out into the restaurant in complete confusion. The table that had requested her was cackling with enjoyment and Hiten's eyes narrowed. Walking brazenly over to the table, he brought both of his hands down on the laminated edge. “What the hell did you say to my waitress?”

 

GInkotsu smirked. The man was built like a tank; his shoulders were larger than any professional football player Hiten had ever seen. Half of his teeth were replaced with metal and he looked as if he had been in several thousand fist fights. “We just wanted to say hello.”

 

Hiten shook his head. “I don't know who the hell you are, but you're out of here! Get out, now!”

 

Suikotsu simply leaned back against the wall. “It's been a real long day for us, pal. Cut us some slack, we didn't even get to say hello before the bitch took off like a scared rabbit.”

 

Hiten stood up straight and turned away. “Since you don't feel inclined to leave, I'll call the police. They'll remove you.”

 

Kyoukotsu stood up as Hiten turned to leave. The man was nearly seven feet tall and built from pure muscle. “See friend,” he spoke evenly as he reached out and put one massive paw on Hiten's shoulder. “I don't think that's such a good idea. What's going to happen is that you're going to get us coffee from that pot, right there, and come have a seat with us.”

 

Hiten's eyes widened as he took in the threat. He turned to look towards the back door. “What's going on? Who are you?”

 

“We're just paying a friend a visit. Don't do anything stupid; I really would hate to see your business burned to ashes over a simple misunderstanding. I don't think they pay you enough to handle that kind of pressure,” Suikotsu smiled as he lit up a cigarette. “You dig?”

 

*X*X*X*X*X*X*X*X*X*X*X*X*X*X*X*X*X*X**X*X*X*X*X*X*X*X*X**X*X

 

Rushing out the back door, Kagome jumped off the cement step and ran for her car as if the hounds of hell were at her heels. Slamming into the side of the silver Elantra, she pushed her key into the lock. She didn't dare look around her as she jumped into her car. Pulling her door shut, she locked the door and shoved her key into the ignition. She hadn't even realized that she had begun crying until the she felt one tear hit her shoulder. Hyperventilating, she turned her key with shaking hands. Nothing happened. She turned the key again and then once more. The dead of night were her only response to her equally dead engine. Closing her eyes, she attempted to get her wits together. Opening one eye, a shadow caught her attention. She slowly looked towards her passenger seat with complete trepidation. Sitting next to her was her car battery, cables and all.

 

Her breath came in wild pants, rigid and painful to her constricted chest. Her hands fumbled as she reached for her purse. She had to call InuYasha. She should have done that inside! Rationalization washed over her at that very minute; she had panicked and lost her only witness. Grabbing her phone was quite the challenge, but as she flipped it open, all hope died. The phone was completely dead. Hitting every button she could, she screamed and threw the phone down to the floor. How could she have been so stupid? This was a complete set up and she walked right into it.

 

A light tapping at her driver's side window sealed her fate. Her breathe came in short pants as she closed her eyes and prayed that this was all some awful nightmare.

 

“You can't stay in there all night.”

Opening her eyes amidst the blinding tears, she glanced to her left. Right outside her window stood the devil from her dreams.

 

Emerald eyes stared back at her intently; a triumphant smile splashed across is egomaniacal face. He had won. Bankotsu tapped on the window again with one gloved hand.

 

Gloves? Kagome swallowed thickly, her entire body now trembling. Was this it? Had she managed to screw up bad enough to give him room to end her life? Looking around at the deserted back of the building, she knew her answer. She also knew that he would get away with it.

 

A second later, a fist burst the glass of her driver's side window. The same hand wrapped around her hair and yanked. Kagome screamed with pure terror as Bankotsu pulled her, by her hair, out through the broken mess of a square hole. She felt the pieces of remaining glass tear into her back and her sides with wild abandon, she could feel her blood rushing through the wounds and soaking her uniform and the interior of her car. The next feeling she had was her face hitting pavement and broken glass. It was as if she was simply watching the transaction; she had barely any control over her emotions or her physical actions. She was sobbing and bleeding profusely from multiple wounds.

 

A gloved hand wrapped around the back of her neck. He meant to kill her, of that she was sure.

 

“I warned you,” was all that he hissed at her. Pulling her to her feet by her neck, he shoved her forward towards the car at the end of the parking lot.

 

Kagome counted each push, every shove. `Three…four….' She was five paces from her car, seven from the back door. If she could get into the kitchen, she could get help. If she screamed now, he could snap her neck. But a distraction could prove enough time. His hand tightened around the back of her neck, his fingers squeezing around the sides. How could she get him to let her go? Taking one more step, she decided to just go for it. What more could she lose? In her hand, from when she hit the gravel, was a three inch shard of glass from her window. Flipping it in her bleeding hand, she stabbed Bankotsu in the thigh.

 

As expected, the man howled in pain. Releasing her grasp on her, Kagome bolted like a scared deer for the building. It was only five…four…three…steps away.

 

Bankotsu grabbed Kagome's hair as she was two steps away from the back door. Her entire body snapped back like a rag doll. She jerked back with a scream. “Help!” she bellowed, as Bankotsu clung onto the bleeding girl in his arms. Kagome screamed again, and brought her fist back to hit the glass in his leg again, driving the shard deeper. She fought like a hellcat, she fought for her life.

 

Bankotsu wrapped one arm around her waist and the other around the neck. Pulling her backwards, he reached the car he was dragging her towards. Slamming Kagome forward, he pounded her face into the metal frame of the roof. Kagome laid dormant for a moment, dazed from the impact and blood loss. Her face was pressed up against the roof, her body held by his against the frame. He pressed himself against her as hard as he could, taking the control back from the girl before him. Only then did he reach down and wrap his fingers around the glass in his leg. With only a grunt of acknowledgement of the pain, he pulled the shard from his leg. Within the same stroke, he stabbed it into Kagome's shoulder.

 

Kagome saw white. The pain was blinding and the world lost focus. She was dead, she knew that. There wasn't time, there was no way to contact InuYasha and she was his. He was going to kill her. Kagome choked down her scream to a hoarse sob as pain erupted all over her body again.

 

“Get…into the car,” Bankotsu seethed.

 

“Go to hell,” Kagome replied numbly. Her body was screaming in pain; the new wounds, the gashes and the old memories of what he was capable of.

 

Bankotsu panted twice, the only sign that Kagome was putting up a decent enough struggle, and then wrapped his hand around her hair.

 

Kagome kicked out with her back leg, attempting to catch him in the knee, or the wound, or hell, his balls would have been a perfect target. But he blocked her attempt, jerked open the door and literally threw her into the backseat of the black extended Buick Regal. Moving into the car with her, he slammed the door shut and the car peeled off.

 

Only once the air conditioning was blasting into the back and Bankotsu had taken three or four breaths, he turned to his captive. “If you have any other weapons on you, now would be the time to tell me.”

 

“Eat me,” she hissed back venomously.

 

“I'd watch your tongue,” he shot back, “and a word of wisdom; not a good move,” he crooned while glancing down at his leg. “If I were you, Kagome, I'd be doing everything I could to make nice with me right now and make this an enjoyable ride.”

 

Kagome raised an eyebrow as blood continued to flow from the wounds on her back, her sides and her face. “Really? Seriously?” she asked while trembling. The last thing she was going to do was submit to him again. “I told you once; you lost your power over me. You can kill me…”

 

“Oh, I plan on it.”

 

Kagome did everything she could to ignore the pure malice in his voice; “but I will never submit to you again.”

 

“You will,” he replied evenly as he reached into the side door of the car and pulled out a handle of Grey Goose. “You're going to submit and when I'm done with you, you're going to beg me to kill you.”

 

Kagome shook her head, “you can believe that if you want to but I will never beg for anything from you again.”

 

Bankotsu opened the cap to the bottle, took a swig and then placed the bottle in the cup holder. Turning to Kagome, he smiled a devil's grin. “We shall see.” Grabbing the girl by her head, he shoved her off the seat and down onto the floor. Placing one foot on her head, he reached with his other hand and ripped the shirt clear off her back. “I wouldn't want you dying of sepsis,” he raged as he increased the pressure of his foot on her head. Grabbing the bottle from the side of the vehicle, he let out a deep breath. With a tip of his hand, he poured the alcohol onto the open wounds on her back. “You think,” he calmly stated, as Kagome screamed in pain, “that you will not beg. But believe me, Kagome, before this day is through, you will learn the meaning of pain. Only after I have tortured you, bled you and have taught you why no one dares to defy me will you beg me for death. Then, and only then, will I become the angel of death.”

 

*X*X*X*X*X*X*X*X*X*X**X*X*X*X*X*X*X*X*X*X**X*X*X*X*X*X*X*X*X*