InuYasha Fan Fiction / Yu Yu Hakusho Fan Fiction ❯ Seductive Embrace ❯ Chapter 16 ( Chapter 16 )

Kagome continued to follow Youko through the darkness, buried in her thoughts of Shippo. She longed to see the kitsune that she had left behind, and wondered what he would look like after all the years since they had last seen each other. But her heart ached at the thought of him being in danger, and all because of her.

 

Youko paused as they neared the park, knowing that he would need to relinquish control over to Shuichi once again. He was worried for the girl. Although he didn't really know who this Shippo was, he could tell that it was someone very important to Kagome. He detested the thought of another male being around Kagome, but knew that she would not be happy until he was safe.

 

Kagome almost bumped into Youko, not noticing that he had stopped. She whispered an apology, but refused to meet his eye. She knew that she must look horrible at the moment. But her attempt was lost when he hooked a clawed hand under her chin, forcing her to look at him.

 

“Kagome, do not worry. We will get him back for you” he explained.

 

Kagome could tell by the look in his golden eyes that he meant every word. She embraced the kitsune as she felt the beginnings of hope sprout.

 

“Thank you Youko” she whispered.

 

Youko returned the embrace before pulling her away. He knew he wouldn't be able to do this until he was given control once more. He bent down, taking her lips in a soft kiss. He was pleased when Kagome didn't pull away, but refrained from anything more.

 

“Kagome, I have to be going now, but I will be watching over you” he said after he broke their kiss.

 

Kagome nodded her head before releasing him. She watched as he took a step back, his silver hair giving way to red, and the tail and ears disappearing. Within a matter of seconds, Shuichi now stood before her.

 

Once the switch was complete, Kurama took her hand, leading her towards the city. It was well into the early hours of the morning, and he knew that Kagome was tired.

 

“Kagome, would you rather stay at my home tonight?” he asked as they exited into the park. “It is much closer than Keiko's.”

 

Kagome was about to decline the offer, but realized how tired she really was. She nodded her head in acceptance and continued to follow Kurama towards his home.

 

Once they arrived, Kurama showed Kagome where the bedroom was. She eyed him curiously for a minute, but Kurama merely smiled.

 

“Don't worry Kagome, I'll take the couch.”

 

“Kurama, but this is your house. I couldn't do that, so let me sleep on the couch” she replied, placing her hands on her hips.

 

“Now Kagome, you are my guest. I insist that you take the bedroom. Besides, I will be up for a little longer and I don't want to keep you up.”

 

Kagome was about to protest once more, but gave up as he gently pushed her towards the bedroom. She turned towards him, giving him a warm smile. She watched as he went to his dresser and pulled out a shirt, handing it to her.

 

“Here is something for you to sleep in tonight. In the morning, we'll stop by Keiko's and get whatever you need to take with you.”

 

She clutched the shirt to her chest, not knowing how she would ever be able to repay his kindness.

 

“Thank you Kurama. For everything.”

 

She gave him a small peck on the cheek before heading towards the bed. Once he was gone, she slipped into the shirt, noticing that it smelled just like him. A small smile graced her lips at the thought of sleeping with his smell all night.

 

She didn't know how exhausted she really was until her head hit the pillow, but sleep remained elusive for her. Her mind was a torrent of thoughts, ranging from Shippo to her encounter with Youko.

 

She knew that she was attracted to Kurama, but there was also the situation with Hiei. She barely knew him, yet she felt an odd sort of attraction to him as well. She only hoped that Hiei would not come to hate her for the connection that they shared, for he was now bound to her whether they wanted it or not.

 

She began to feel the stirrings of disappointment, but didn't know if it was her own or Hiei's. She wondered if he knew what was going on with her, for surely he would have felt her distress from earlier. She gasped when she realized that he might have picked up on her emotions during her meeting with Youko, and felt the shame rise within her. Although Hiei hadn't come out and said anything, she felt like she somehow belonged to him at the moment, even if it wasn't as lovers.

 

She turned to her back, staring at the ceiling as she thought of the two that had changed her world in so many ways. She was grateful that she had met the two of them, but wondered what she would do once Shippo had been rescued. If Shippo could be put in danger just by her mere existence, then she wasn't sure if she was ready to be close to anyone at the moment.

 

With a heavy sigh, she finally drifted to sleep, her mind still plagued with thoughts of the youkai that had sneaked their way into her heart.

 

 

Once Kurama was certain that she was comfortable, he headed towards the bathroom. He had much to prepare for their departure in the morning, and a shower was on the top of his list at the moment. Shuichi was surprised by the change of attitude coming from Youko. He no longer wanted to push his advances on the distraught girl, and actually seemed concerned about her.

 

He too was concerned for her welfare. Although he had not been there physically, he could see the toll that the news of her friend was having on her. He only hoped that they would be able to rescue the kit, and that nothing had happened to him as of yet. There was also the fact that Kagome was the ransom for the kit, and knew that they were walking into a trap. But he couldn't think of any other way to go about it.

 

As he slipped into the shower, he decided that he would once again pay a visit to Hiei in the morning, and hoped that his friend would be there. He would also see about Yusuke and Kuwabara coming along with them as well, for they would need all the help that they could.

 

 

~~~~~*~~~~~

 

Hiei sped towards Genkai's, wanting to check if Kagome was still at the temple. Despite his search, he had not found any thing that would be of help to them, so he was going to use his last resort and talk with Kurama.

 

Once he arrived, he immediately noticed that Kagome was no longer there. He was surprised a little that he felt disappointed at the prospect of not seeing her, but quickly dismissed it. He knew that the girl was getting to him too much, so the sooner their link was broken the better.

 

As he headed towards Kurama's, he was once again glad that he had blocked her emotions from himself once he had reached Makai. He didn't know if the link would still be viable through the barrier, but would ask her once he saw her again. The situation was something new to him, so he didn't know what it would entail.

 

Although the idea of them being linked hadn't set well with the Jaganashi, he wondered if it would really be a bad thing after all as he headed towards his destination. He knew that he was growing more attracted to her with every encounter, and seriously considered pursuing her. He knew that she felt something for him as well, for he had seen the looks directed his way and had felt her feelings of longing for him.

 

After a while, he finally reached Kurama's. He could sense that the kitsune was home, so showed himself in, not knowing if he was asleep or not. He would have to ask him how Kagome was doing when he took her home, for he was sure that her wounds would still be bothering her a bit.

 

It was when he had closed the patio door behind him that he caught the now familiar scent. His eyes widened in surprise, not knowing what she was doing there. He opened up the link between himself and Kagome, but still did not receive anything. He could hear the shower running, and noticed that the door to the bedroom was still open.

 

If she wasn't in the living room, she could only be in the bathroom or the bedroom. He could feel the envy rise inside of him, though he didn't know why. He had told Kagome to have Kurama escort her home, but then again, he hadn't meant to Kurama's.

 

He slipped into the bedroom, and the last thing that he had expected to see lay before him. Kagome was curled up on the kitsune's bed, a peaceful look overtaking her features. He approached the bed, brushing away a few stray hairs from her forehead as she slept. She leaned into his touch, but what she whispered struck a nerve.

 

“Kurama.”

 

He turned his back to the site, knowing that he needed to leave before he did something that he would regret. Now that he thought about it, he could smell the kitsune all over her, and it disgusted him. Not only that, but she wore one of his shirts as well. He knew that he had no claim over the girl, but he could not help the feelings of jealousy that surged through him at the thought of Kurama and Kagome being together.

 

He heard the water in the bathroom cease, so he quickly made his way out of the apartment, for he did not want to see Kurama at the moment either. As he sped through the trees, he began to question his feelings for Kagome. He almost felt grateful for the revelation, for now he knew that Kagome was just like the rest of the human females that he had come into contact with. Not wanting to return to the temple, he headed towards the next best place. Makai.

 

 

 

 

~~~~~*~~~~~

Kurama stepped out of the bathroom, wondering what had caused Hiei to leave so quickly. He could feel the anger radiating of the Jaganashi, and wondered what made him so upset. He peeked into the bedroom to check on Kagome, and that was when it occurred to him. He must have thought that the two of them had slept together.

 

 

`Well, it seems that we will have some competition after all' Youko commented, clearly amused at the idea of Hiei being jealous.

 

`We should at least explain to him that nothing happened between us.'

 

`Let him think what he will. If he really has his heart set on the girl, then he will come back for her' he replied.

 

`What if he refuses to help us retrieve Shippo?'

 

`If he does, so be it. We will be more than enough for this little mission.'

 

`Are you sure. We really have no idea what we will be up against.'

 

`We will have Yusuke and Kuwabara along with us.'

 

`I guess that would do, though Hiei would be a much better option.'

 

Youko remained quiet, not wanting to discuss the Jaganashi any longer. Shuichi sighed, knowing that they still had much to prepare for if they were to leave in the morning.

 

He began packing his bag, but only the necessities as he saw fit. He didn't know how long they would be in the Makai, so he they would need food along with his standard plants and provisions. He knew that it would be dangerous to take a human female into the Makai, and a miko no less, so he made sure to take along any medicinal plants that he had on hand.

 

He sighed as the last of their provisions were packed, stretching out on the couch. As he drifted off into a light sleep, his last thoughts wandered on the girl now sleeping in his bed.

 

 

 

~~~~~*~~~~~

 

 

Kouga hurried towards Lord Sesshoumaru's estate. He did not look forward to facing the Taiyoukai, especially with the news that Kagome would be entering Makai. But the more he thought about it, they really had no choice. Shippo's location would not be revealed until Kagome was in the Makai, so that left them with little options. But he knew that Sesshoumaru would rather sacrifice Shippo than risk the jewel, for he knew all to well what devastation it could bring.

 

He agreed that it was dangerous for Kagome, but Shippo was his friend, and he would not sit back and let the kit die. Once the hiding place of Shippo's captor was revealed, Kagome could be pulled back and out of danger. He only hoped that Sesshoumaru would agree to the plan, or Kagome may have one more youkai to rescue, if there was anything left of him.

 

 

 

~~~~~*~~~~~

 

 

Kurama woke early, knowing that there was still much to be done. After dressing, he entered his room quietly, gazing down on Kagome's sleeping face. She looked so peaceful that he didn't have the heart to wake her, so he decided that he would stop by Keiko's himself to gather what she would require. That way she could get the rest that she would surely need.

 

As he walked towards Keiko's, his thoughts turned towards their problem with Hiei. If last night was anything to go by, then Hiei did indeed have some feelings for Kagome. That didn't set well with either of them, for they didn't want to fight him if it came down to it, but Kurama wouldn't back down either.

 

`We will let her choose then' Youko replied.

 

Shuichi thought on it for a moment. `But won't that still cause problems with Hiei?'

 

`Hiei is honorable, and he will back down when she chooses us' he explained.

 

`You sound pretty sure that she will choose us' Shuichi replied, not missing the arrogance with which Youko spoke with.

 

`We will see' he answered.

 

Shuichi left it alone as they approached Keiko's, knowing that there would be no changing the kitsune's mind. Even so, there really was no way around the situation. Either they relinquish all interest or continued in their courting of Kagome, and backing down was surely not something that Youko would do.

 

After gathering what they thought she would need and letting Keiko know that Kagome would be spending a few days with them, they headed back to their apartment.

 

Once inside, they set to the task of contacting Yusuke and Kuwabara. While Yusuke didn't seem too pleased with being woken up, he was more than happy to accompany them if it meant an opportunity for him to fight. Kuwabara was also more than happy to come since it was for the protection of a girl.

 

When that was done, he decided that it was now time for Kagome to wake. He entered his room, sitting beside her on the bed. As much as he would have liked to sit and watch her sleep all day, he gently nudged her shoulder.

 

“Kagome, you should be waking now. We will need to leave soon” he whispered softly.

 

Kagome opened her blue eyes, locking them with his green. She smiled at him before sitting up, making sure that the blanket still covered her bare legs.

 

“Good morning Kurama” she replied. She felt very refreshed, but no sooner had she noticed that, a torrent of emotions hit her, causing her bright smile to quickly fade.

 

Kurama noticed this, placing a hand on her shoulder. “Kagome, what is the matter?”

 

Kagome shook herself out of her stupor, putting on another smile as she turned to Kurama. “It's nothing.”

 

Kurama didn't really believe her, but didn't want to push it anymore. He moved from the bed to retrieve the items that he had gotten from Keiko's. Once he came back, Kagome pushed him out of the room, saying that she needed to get dressed, but in reality, she needed to get a hold of the emotions coursing through her mind.

 

When she was finally alone, she sank down to the floor, placing her face in her hands. She had no idea what was going on with Hiei, but it wasn't good. She had never felt an anger this intense, but also mixed in was a feeling of disgust.

 

While running through the possibilities, one that she hoped wasn't the case popped up. What if he knew about her encounter with Youko? She didn't really know why he would be upset, only if he truly held some feelings for her. She shook off the sensations as best she could, knowing that she would have to keep them to herself. Kagome didn't think that Hiei would want everyone knowing about their connection as of yet, so she would just have to wait until she got the chance to speak with him.

 

No sooner had she finished dressing, she heard what sounded like other people in the living room, and one sounded very familiar. She pushed the feelings to the back of her mind as best she could before heading outside the bedroom.

 

She was surprised to find Yusuke seated on the couch, along with another man that she had yet to meet.

 

“Yo, Kagome. How have you been?” he asked as he stood.

 

She didn't know exactly what he was doing there, so she acted like nothing was out of the ordinary.

 

“I'm doing great Yusuke. And you?”

 

Yusuke was about to answer when Kurama cut him off, coming out of the kitchen.

 

“I see that you are ready. I have asked Yusuke and our friend Kuwabara here to join us, if that is ok with you?” Kurama explained, noticing the surprised look on her face when she had seen them.

 

Kagome smiled at the two young men before pulling Kurama into the kitchen.

 

“So how much do they know?” she asked once they were out of hearing range.

 

“I only told them what they needed to know. I don't know how dangerous this will be, and both Youko and I want you to be protected.”

 

Kagome nodded her head in understanding. As long as they didn't know about the jewel, she was fine with it. She followed Kurama out into the living room, pausing as he shouldered a pack.

 

“We have one more stop before we head to Makai. I would like to see if Hiei would join us as well.”

 

Kagome turned pale at the thought of seeing him at the moment. Although she needed to talk with him, she dreaded the thought of confronting him at the moment.

 

“Kagome, are you ok there?” Yusuke asked when he saw her change in color.

 

“Oh, yeah. I'm fine, really” Kagome replied, knowing that she had to get a hold of herself.

 

“Are we off then?” Kurama asked. He knew that something was wrong with Kagome, but he just couldn't put his finger on it. He didn't think that she had seen Hiei last night, for he was there for only a matter of minutes, but it was still a possibility.

 

He waited at the door, locking as soon as everyone was out. They then headed towards the one place that Hiei would be if he were in the Ningenkai.