InuYasha Fan Fiction ❯ A Fool's Redemption ❯ Devil's Fancy ( Chapter 14 )

Chapter 14 - Devil's Fancy

Inuyasha never did manage to get back to sleep, mostly due to the heavy ache that had begun rising between his legs the moment his lips touched Kagome's. It had taken nearly half an hour to persuade his body to calm down again. Even now, as the sun was just beginning to cast bright streaks in the morning sky, he was having to keep a firm check on his body's natural reactions to the warm, soft woman lying beside him.

The amount of concentration he was having to put into it was annoying him a bit, though. He couldn't remember the last time he'd reacted this strongly to a woman, and he hadn't done anything more than kiss Kagome. It felt like weeks rather than days since the last time he'd indulged his physical urges, though it would have been even longer if he hadn't let those two women drag him into his shower that night—had it really been less than a week ago? So much had happened since then that it felt as if more time had passed.

She was still lying against him, her back to his chest, one of his arms wrapped around her waist. He was trying to lessen the physical strain on himself by keeping his hips pulled back, away from the temptation of closer contact, and away from the risk of that contact leading his mind back toward thoughts that might make his body even more difficult to control. The last thing he wanted was to have her wake to find him pressed suggestively against her first thing after the delicate events of the previous night. He doubted she'd welcome that gesture as readily as she had the kiss.

And he was still amazed at how well that had gone. The kiss, like everything else he'd done the previous night, had been on pure impulse. He hadn't thought, he'd simply done. From the moment his composure had been snapped by Naraku's goading, he'd been running on a kind of desperate recklessness, taking risks and pushing boundaries all night long. It was a wonder she hadn't really lost her temper with him.

And for that matter, it was a wonder that he hadn't lost his temper either. He snorted softly, remembering the instigating look Naraku had given him. Years ago, during the first few months after he'd been set free, Inuyasha had made the decision to never again allow violence to so completely take over his mind as it had on the morning of his escape from the lab. If if weren't for that decision, if he were still a violent man, he might have torn Naraku's arm clean from its socket.

That Naraku thought he had even a small chance to come between them was ridiculous. There was no way Inuyasha would let anyone try to steal Kagome away from him now. She practically belonged to him. Besides, he remembered the way she had looked in the mirror those few weeks ago. That longing was still there. He'd proven it with the kiss.

He sighed, remembering the taste of her mouth, the feel of her soft, wandering hands. The eagerness with which she'd responded to him still made his breath catch. But when he'd felt her body shaking, realized there was a hint of uncertainty in her touch, he knew that he had to stop. It had taken all the willpower he possessed to push her away, and for a terrifying moment he thought that maybe he'd gone too far. But she'd reacted calmly, even questioning why he had stopped. Inuyasha decided then that he'd taken enough risks with their relationship for one night. Even though he doubted either of them would be able to, he said to go back to sleep, and had been amazed when she'd managed it.

But as morning drew closer, the high he'd been running on all night was turning to apprehension. How would she respond to him when she woke up? Would she regret what had happened? Would she be angry at him for all of his unexplained antics? He released a long, frustrated breath. All the worry was beginning to ruin an otherwise pleasant morning.

He pushed the concerns from his mind and willed himself to spend the rest of the morning as he had most of the previous night, enjoying the press of her body, memorizing the sound of her gentle breathing and the scent of her hair.

Still fast asleep, Kagome shifted against him, leaning into his chest as if trying to find a more comfortable position. He loosened his hold, giving her room to move, and she turned onto her back with a sigh. “Needs more pepper,” she mumbled, settling beside him.

Inuyasha had to bite back a laugh. What the hell is she dreaming about?

Now that she was lying face up, his view was no longer confined to the back of her head and the curve of her side. He studied her peaceful sleeping expression, admiring the fullness of her lips. It sent his mind back to the memory of how they had felt against his own, the warmth of her tongue against his, the searing touch of her hands as they trailed across his skin.

When the faint sound of her alarm caught his ear from across the loft, he realized his mind had wandered a bit too much. He was hard again. He turned his eyes to glare in the alarm's direction. It wasn't very loud from this distance, he didn't think it would wake her. But if it did, he was going to take it out his front door and throw it over the railing. Hopefully there wouldn't be any one standing below at the end of it's sixty-story drop.

He pulled his hips back a bit more and settled his gaze on her again, letting his eyes pass down the line of her throat, to watch the rise and fall of her breasts beneath her shirt as she breathed. He placed his hand on her stomach and rested it there for a moment, wishing he could slip his fingers beneath the fabric to feel the skin underneath. His eyes drifted lower, to where the blanket lay draped across her hips, remembering the pants she still wore from the night before. They were black, and tight enough to give away the lithe form of the body within. His fingers twitched, wanting to wander lower, to undo the small button clasp and slide down below the waistline. He wondered what kind of material he'd find there. Cotton? Or something silkier?

Kagome suddenly pulled in a long breath and stirred beside him. He watched her face, now painfully aware of the extent of his arousal, silently cursing himself for letting his imagination get so carried away. For a minute, it looked as if she might fall back to sleep, but then her eyes flew open, first staring at the ceiling, then shifting slowly toward him. He tried to look groggy, as if he'd just woken up as well.

“Morning,” he said, forcing back a smile at her abashed expression.

It took her a second to respond. “Morning,” she answered finally, reaching up to nervously swipe a few stray hairs away from her face.

“Sleep well?” he asked, relieved that she hadn't immediately started trying to force her way out of his hold or launched into an angry tirade. It was a good sign.

She opened her mouth to answer, but then stopped, turning her eyes toward the opposite side of the loft. Inuyasha realized she'd heard the alarm. “What time is it?” she asked, frowning.

“Dunno. Clock's behind me. I haven't looked at it,” he replied, still tamping down a smile. Damn her alarm clock. If it hadn't been for that hateful thing, he might have been able to distract her mind away from the time, might have gotten her to stay a bit longer.

She cursed and tried to sit up. “How long has my alarm been going off?”

He held on tight, refusing to let her go. “A few minutes, maybe,” he said, sounding unconcerned.

“We're going to be late!” She pushed at his arm. “Let go.”

“Let's call in. I wanna stay here like this alllllll daaaay.” Dragging out the last two words obnoxiously, he released her to stretch his arms. As he expected, she shot up from the bed in an instant and turned to give him a sharp glare.

“You're more than welcome to. But I have to work today,” she said, heading toward her side of the loft.

He watched her go, allowing the smile to finally break free and spread across his face. It appeared his worrying had been for nothing. Their interactions still seemed as easy as ever. Besides that small hint of embarrassment when she first woke, it didn't appear that she held any misgivings about the previous night. At least none that had appeared yet.

He began to roll onto his back, lifting his arms to fold them behind his head, but quickly remembered his body's over-excited state, and decided it best to stay on his side instead. While part of him wanted to see how much more he could do to delay her leaving, another part—particularly the heavy one rising up from between his legs—was screaming for him to let her go, begging to be relieved of the pressure that had been building and taunting him all night.

Thankfully, Kagome didn't appear to be in the mood to take her time getting ready. It was only a couple minutes before she reemerged from behind the sheer curtains, dressed in her work clothes, hopping on one foot and pulling a shoe onto the other. She was heading back toward him.

“What is it?” he asked as she reached the side of his bed and swept her eyes across the rumpled sheets and blankets.

“The comb you pulled out of my hair,” she said. “Where is it?”

His eyes joined hers, searching the bedding. “I don't know.”

“I need it,” she grumbled, lifting up the pillow she'd slept on. Not finding it there, she reached for the bedsheets and yanked them aside.

Her question had distracted him, and it was only after she'd begun lifting the sheet that Inuyasha remembered why he still had it pulled across him in the first place. By the time he realized what she was doing, it was too late to cover himself. He didn't have to follow her wide stare to know that the tip of him was poked out well beyond the top of his pants. She sucked in a startled breath, dropping the sheet and turning away quickly, pretending she hadn't seen it. But her fierce blush gave her away.

Inuyasha pulled the covers a little higher up on his waist, clearing his throat awkwardly. It was only a second before the urge to tease overcame him again. “Didn't find what you were looking for?” he asked in as casual a tone as he could manage.

She was on her knees, looking under the bed. “No,” she said, her voice a little rough.

“Too bad,” Inuyasha mused, laying his cheek against the pillow, hugging it. A second later he heard her give a small sound of victory, and she stood, comb in hand.

“Must have fallen...” she said, avoiding his eyes as she headed to the end of his bed, bending to pick up her boots that had been discarded there the night before. “Jesus, Inuyasha. You practically tore the laces out of these things.” She held one up, inspecting the long lengths of cord that had been pulled out.

Inuyasha remembered what a pain they had been. He'd had to unlace them almost completely just to get them off. “You should wear boots with zippers,” he said.

“It'll take me forever to relace these,” she complained softly, considering the boot in her hand for a moment, and then, without a hint of warning, launched it at him. He reacted just fast enough to bat it away before it connected with his head. She hadn't thrown it very hard. It wouldn't have mattered much if she'd met her target.

“What the hell!” he said, sitting up, his voice a mix of laughter and surprise.

“That was for all the crap you pulled last night,” she said, turning toward her side of the loft. He could see she was fighting back a smile.

“You could have put my eye out with the heel on that thing!”

Kagome tossed him a smug look over her shoulder. “Suck it up, princess,” she said as she began to walk away.

He was struck speechless, staring at her back for a moment before managing a reply. “Excuse me?” he said, smirking as he pulled up his knees and wrapped his arms around them. Finally, she was in the mood to play.

“You heard me,” she called back.

“You shouldn't say things like that to your boss!” he said, having to raise his voice as she began down the stairs, heading toward the front door.

He could hear her scoff from across the apartment. “What are you gonna do, fire me?” she answered.

Inuyasha laughed. She had a good point.

*****

His laughter followed her down the stairs but had faded by the time she walked out the door. The banter had helped to calm her nerves a bit, but she knew she would be fighting a horrible blush all the way down to the domes. Her heart was still pounding much faster than normal. As she entered the elevator, her mind was spinning with the previous night's events, incessantly returning to that overwhelming kiss, the security of his arms, his body—the feel of it against hers...the sight of it, under the sheets as she'd searched for her comb...

The muscles just below her stomach gave a fierce quiver at the memory.

Truthfully, she'd wanted to stay, wanted him to pull her back into the bed and force her to stay with him for the morning the way he had the night before. She hadn't really needed the comb. She was only looking for a reason to wander back over to his bed, to drag out their time together a little longer, trying to persuade herself that she was just looking for some way to return a bit of the hell he'd been giving her. The eyeful she'd gotten had nearly ruined that plan, though.

Kagome screwed her eyes shut and released a long sigh, trying to clear her mind of everything except her morning tasks. After what had happened at the concert, she didn't want her coworkers to notice her dazed state and start asking questions, or worse, start drawing conclusions on their own. There would be plenty of time to think about everything later. Drawing in a deep breath as the elevator neared the ground floor, she steeled herself to focus on the day's work ahead and nothing else.

She squared her shoulders and stepped out onto the atrium floor, fully aware of and trying her best to ignore the curious stares she received as she hurried toward the conservatory lab. Her determination only got her that far. As Kagome feared, the assault began the moment she walked through the door.

“Kagome!” the blonde with the curls squealed, sliding off a stool and moving out from behind her desk with an eagerness that made Kagome groan silently.

There was a muffled crash from the storage closet at the back of the room, followed by a sharp curse, and then another girl came rushing out toward her. “Where have you been?” she cried. “We've been waiting all morning!”

Evidently, neither were in the mood to waste time on pleasantries.

“What happened last night?” the blonde asked, beginning the volley of questions.

“Did he really jump across the terraces?” The other girl this time.

“That's what we heard.”

“Yeah, we heard that.”

“Did you know he could do that?”

“Why did he do it?”

“Is he gonna do it again? I wanna see!”

“Me too!”

Kagome stared helplessly at the two women standing before her. These were the same two that had dragged her into the greenhouse to watch Inuyasha smashing rocks in the quarry field. They never were very graceful when it came to satisfying their curiosity. Kagome certainly couldn't blame them for their fascination with Inuyasha's celebrity, but it did annoy her when they hounded her like this. It was as if, by being her coworkers, they assumed they had free access to a source of information about him. Often she felt more valued for that purpose rather than as their peer. She opened her mouth, struggling to come up with some solid answer that would not only appease them, but put an end to their questioning as well.

Nothing came out. She couldn't think of a thing to say, and as she stood there with her mouth hanging open, she saw that they were about to launch into another fit of inquiry, and braced herself.

“Ladies!” a sharp voice cut them off before they had a chance to begin.

Together, the three of them turned to the source of the interruption. The head lab tech sat at her desk a few feet away, staring at them over her computer screen.

“I need you two to keep an eye on those levels. If something gets through I'm holding both of you responsible,” she said calmly, but with enough authority to prompt the women standing before Kagome to quickly hurry back to whatever it was they'd been doing.

“The north well went down early this morning,” she explained to Kagome. “We don't know if it's the pump or a break in the line yet. They sent a team to find out. Until all the water cycles through we have to keep an eye on the system to make sure no contaminates sneak in.”

“We have to run physical tests every half hour,” the blonde grumbled from her desk.

Kagome nodded. “What do you need me to do?”

“Just your regular stuff, Kagome. We can handle this.” The woman inclined her head toward the door with a knowing smile, and Kagome realized that she was being offered an escape.

She quickly turned and grabbed the small case that held her testing equipment, the test schedule for the day, her lab coat and the scarf she kept with it for cold mornings, and hurried back out the door, tossing a grateful look toward her boss as she left. She knew the other two wouldn't be brushed off so easily. They would definitely find another time to plague her with their questions. But hopefully by then she would think of something to say that would bore them enough to loose interest.

Slipping on the thin lab coat and wrapping the scarf tightly around her neck, Kagome headed into the eco-dome, the cold morning air hitting her the moment she stepped inside. Her late arrival had put her only slightly behind schedule, but she knew that if she wasn't careful about making up the lost time, she might not get everything done by the end of her shift. Thankfully, the first five test sites on her list gave her no trouble. Even her sixth stop, an area that almost always came back positive for some problem, due to a fault in one of the many germination pads beneath the soil, showed no issues. By the time she made it to her tenth stop, she was completely caught up on time.

If this keeps up, I might actually get out early today, she mused as she crouched near the farthest end of the large waterfall-fed pool. She pushed the wand of her testing kit deep into the soft dirt, and sat back on her heels, waiting. She'd nearly completed her rounds in the dome. There was only one stop left before she moved on to the greenhouses.

A large gathering of brightly colored fish had risen to the water's surface upon her arrival, and they stared up at her hopefully, darting around each other, mouths gaping, ready to snatch at any bit of food she might offer.

“Sorry, guys,” Kagome said, remembering the small bag of food she sometimes brought with her, at the moment stashed away in one of her desk drawers. “No treats today. Tomorrow, though. I promise.” With a low tone, the test completed and she pulled the wand from the ground. She had just finished repacking the kit when she heard a voice call out to her over the steady roar of the waterfall.

“Kagome!” It was Emory, standing on the main path a few yards away, waving an arm high at her.

“Hey!” Kagome exclaimed, picking up the case and heading across the grass toward him.

“When did you get back?” she asked as she joined him on the walkway. The last time she'd seen him was just before he and his girlfriend had left for their trip to the ocean, nearly two months back. His hair had gotten longer, but he was still just as lanky and small as he'd been when she first met him.

“Last night,” he said, beaming up at her with his silly, childlike grin.

“You two were gone for a while. How was the ocean?”

“Cold! Anike didn't like it very much.” He giggled, then lowered his voice furtively. “But I made it up to her after the wedding.”

“What wedding?”

His already wide grin stretched even further. “Mine.”

Kagome nearly dropped her case. Over the next few minutes, Emory told her all about the wedding, his mother's incessant involvement, an unfortunate incident with the bride's dress, and some of the less carnal details of their honeymoon.

“How are things with Inuyasha?” he asked, shifting the conversation away from himself.

She snorted and rolled her eyes, and the young man laughed.

“I heard about what happened last night,” he said with a knowing smile.

A small flash of fear, striking Kagome as ridiculous even as the thought occurred to her, swept through her that perhaps word of her night in Inuyasha's bed had somehow gotten out. “What?” she asked, a little too quickly. “What did you hear?”

“About what he did at the concert,” Emory said, frowning, obviously having noticed the sudden anxiety in her response.

“Oh, okay,” Kagome said, relieved and feeling foolish for it.

Emory raised an eyebrow at her. “Why? Did something else happen?” he asked.

“No,” she answered, again too quickly. It was clear from his expression that he didn't believe her.

Perceptive little punk, Kagome thought sourly. She sighed, figuring she might as well tell him. If there was anyone who could offer insight into Inuyasha's behavior, it was his old assistant. Besides, she knew very well Emory wasn't a gossip, especially when it came to his former employer.

“He made me sleep in his bed last night.”

Emory coughed out a laugh. “What?”

“He grabbed me and wouldn't let me up,” she added peevishly.

The young man stared up at her, looking as if he was having difficulty holding his smile in place. “You slept with him?” he asked.

“Not with him,” Kagome said, her face burning with embarrassment. “Next to him,” she corrected.

The boy's smile slipped entirely this time, shifting to an expression of open wonder. “You slept in his bed? With him?”

“He didn't give me a choice,” she mumbled, grateful she had decided against also telling him about the kiss.

“Wow,” Emory said, his stunned gaze drifting.

“It's weird, isn't it?” she asked, cringing at his reaction.

His eyes snapped back to her. “No!” he said, shaking his head. “Kagome, I don't think you understand.” He paused for a moment, as if making a careful effort to choose the right words. “Have you ever seen Inuyasha bring a woman home?” he asked.

She thought back, realizing that she hadn't. Even the few ladies who had been brave enough to show up at his door had all been politely turned away.

“No,” she answered.

“Neither have I,” Emory said. “Inuyasha never shared his bed. With anyone.”

She frowned slightly, considering his words. “Even when you worked—” she began, but Emory cut her off with a quick shake of his head.

“Never,” he said. “He didn't stay with anyone either. He always came home. Alone.”

It was true during her time working for Inuyasha as well, she realized.

“You're the only one he's ever done that with, Kagome,” he said, his voice thoughtful.

She swallowed, her blush suddenly raging at this new understanding.

“Well,” Emory said as a fresh smile lit up his face. “I guess I don't have to worry about you two getting along anymore. You're doing way better than I expected.”

Kagome felt her face growing even hotter. She was going to have to find some way to get that hateful reaction under control.

In a poor attempt to hide her embarrassment, she muttered, “I'm glad you have so much faith in me.”

He leaned in closer with a sly expression. “You sure nothing else happened? You haven't picked up any of his naughty habits have you?”

Kagome answered by stomping on his foot.

Emory jumped back with a squeak. “Even worse!” he cried playfully, retreating back down the path the way he'd come. “You've picked up his violence!”

“I'm never telling you anything ever again,” she shouted after him, smiling.

He disappeared with a wave over the bridge and into the cave entrance to the middle tower, and Kagome turned and began heading toward her last test site in the dome. She realized she was once again behind schedule and quickened her pace. The conversation with Emory had not only delayed her, but had also completely derailed her effort to keep all thoughts of Inuyasha from her mind. As she finished the final test in the dome and headed toward the greenhouses, the nervous distraction she'd steeled herself against while leaving the apartment, the same distraction she had been determined not to let pull her attention away from the morning's work, once again saturated her mind. There could be no more shying away from the fact that their relationship had undergone a profound change, but the understanding was going to take some getting used to. Over time, she'd become so accustomed to Inuyasha's hostility that this new affection still seemed incredibly strange.

She was relieved to find the back greenhouse, the one used to grow fruit, closed for pollinating. The humming of bees was loud enough to resonate through the sealed glass doors. It saved her a good half-hour of work, and by the time she was finished with the grain house she was again ahead of schedule.

Pausing at the entrance of the newest and nearly completed greenhouse, she took a hardhat from a pile that had been set aside for visitors who weren't a normal part of the construction crew. She set it on her head and used the shadow of the brim to allow her veiled eyes to freely roam the massive glass and iron building. Inuyasha was here somewhere. She wanted some idea of where he was before she headed in. She finally spotted him, high on a rafter at the far end of the building, helping with setting a large glass ceiling panel into its frame. Hopefully, he would be too busy with the task to notice her wandering the fresh soil beds below.

The first layers of soil had been laid out only three days ago, and each day when she came in to test it he had stopped whatever it was he'd been doing to walk with her for a few minutes, using the excuse that he was 'just taking a break'. She hadn't minded his company. But his new unpredictability made her nervous. Considering what had happened between them the night before, who knew how he would act around her in public now. If she could just finish this last set of tests without him noticing her, she might be able to put off finding out for a little while longer.

The soil beds—wide, five foot deep troughs set into the floor of the building—were only partially full at two layers with another three yet to be laid. Because of this, she had to gently jump down into each one, to avoid damaging the delicate germination pads resting just below the bottommost layer, and then hoist herself back out before moving on to the next. She worked her way quickly down one side of the building and then started up the other, expecting Inuyasha to interrupt at any moment, but he didn't seem to notice her from his perch high above. They appeared to be having some trouble fitting the heavy glass into the frame.

Kagome was standing in the second to last trough, wiping dirt from her hands, when movement from above caught her eye. Looking up, she found Inuyasha heading toward her, walking easily with perfect balance down one of the iron support beams that ran the length of the arched ceiling. She'd been spotted after all.

He was nearly overhead when his pace suddenly slowed, his posture shifting forward. She caught the glint in his eye and realized, almost too late, what he was about to do.

“No!” she cried, raising her arms.

Inuyasha, already heading into the fall, spun around and grabbed for the beam, catching it under his arms with a pained grunt.

“What?” he shouted at her, obviously startled and confused by her warning.

“Don't you dare jump down here!” she yelled back, pointing to the ground beneath her feet. “You'll break the germination pads!”

He glared at her for a long moment. Kagome met his gaze defiantly until he finally looked away, snorting out his indignation. But instead of pulling himself back onto the beam, he slowly lowered himself until he hung by his arms, idly kicking his feet back and forth, as if content to stay there for a while. The smirk on his face made it quite clear he was doing it just to torment her.

Instead of giving in to his challenge, she picked up her equipment and headed toward the edge of the trough. As she lifted herself out and began moving to the last soil bed, a heavy thump sounded on the pavement behind her. She turned and greeted him with a flat expression.

“What happened to acting normal?” she asked.

“No point now that everyone knows it's an act,” he replied, shrugging.

Kagome rolled her eyes and began walking again, Inuyasha falling into step beside her. She was suddenly torn between being irritated with him for his obnoxious little stunt, and being happy that he was again choosing to spend time with her of his own accord. But as they walked together in companionable silence, she realized that the moment he'd joined her, all of the anxiety and uncertainty that had been choking her mind the entire morning had begun to dissipate, like the sun chasing away morning fog. Even if she'd wanted to remain angry, she didn't think the warm feeling that his presence sparked within her would allow it. Sneaking a quick glance at his face, she noticed his confident expression, as unclouded now as it had been when she'd woken up beside him.

Stopping at the edge of the final trough, she set down her equipment case and eased herself over the edge and gently onto the soil.

“Are those things really that fragile?” Inuyasha asked, holding the case out to her.

She nodded, taking it from him, and wandered a few feet away. “We already had to replace one on the other side that broke during installation.”

“So why can you walk on them but I can't?”

“Because I'm walking, Inuyasha. Not jumping down from two stories up. You can come down here if you really want,” she said as she continued along the trough, stopping every few feet to insert the testing wand into the soft ground.

“No, thanks,” he sniffed, feigning sudden disinterest. “Don't wanna get my boots dirty.”

She snorted. “Don't pout. Once the last three layers of soil go down, the pads will be protected, and you can swing from the rafters all you want then.”

He appeared to be willfully ignoring her, turning something over in his mind.

“What if something heavy accidentally fell in there before then?” he asked. “Like a cement block. Would that break it?”

Kagome narrowed her gaze at him. “I really, really hope this is a hypothetical question.”

“Of course.”

“Then, yes. It probably would.”

He considered that for a moment and then continued. “And if it needed to be fixed, does that mean I'd get to see more of you in here while that happened?”

She tried to hide the smile in her voice as she replied, “No, but you'd probably get to see the very angry team of engineers who would be doing the repairs. I imagine they'd have a lot to say to whoever was responsible for the 'accident'.”

“Hypothetical accident,” he corrected.

“Of course.”

“Hmm. Never mind then. I probably wouldn't be around to watch it pan out anyways.”

“Why not?”

Inuyasha's playful disposition seemed to fall a bit. “Did you hear about the main break?”

“I heard about the problems with the north well,” she said, thinking back to her earlier conversation with her coworker. “So it was a break after all?”

He nodded. “The guys who went out to check it this morning just called in. The pumps are working fine, but there's a new lake growing a half a mile or so away from the well station, along the pipe line. I worked on a similar main break about a year ago, so they asked me to help out. Somehow I ended up being named team foreman.” The last bit was muttered through his teeth.

“That's good though, isn't it? At least you'll get to be in charge,” she said. With a low beep the last test finished and she began repacking her equipment.

“I'm in charge of enough around here. I'd rather let someone else take the responsibility for once.” He sighed. “We won't know how bad the break is until we get out there and start digging. If it's small enough, we might be able to patch it. If not, we'll have to replace the entire section of pipe. We'll probably be out there two to three days.”

Kagome's heart sunk a bit at the news. Just when we're finally starting to get close, she thought. The disappointment must have shown on her face as she walked to where he stood above her on the edge of the trough. When she looked up at him, his thoughts seemed to falter and he said nothing for a moment, then he cleared his throat and continued.

“The team will come back here at night, but just long enough to eat and get some sleep, and then we'll leave again in the morning. So I won't be around much,” he said, bending down to take the case from her.

“I see,” she said softly, handing it to him and bracing her palms against the ledge to push herself up. But before she could, he was suddenly crouching in front of her, the corners of his mouth pulling up in a presumptuous grin.

“Will you miss me?” he asked.

“Get out of the way so I can pull myself up,” she replied dryly.

“That wasn't nice. I was being sincere,” he said, affecting a hurt expression and slipping his hands under her arms. With a sudden, effortless burst of strength, Inuyasha lifted her out of the trough, swinging her high into the air, and then gently set her down on the pavement in front of him. He'd done it so quickly that she'd barely had time to react with anything more than a tiny squeak of surprise as the earth had disappeared from beneath her.

“You didn't warn me this time,” she gasped, steadying herself against him. It was only then that she noticed how close together they were standing. He hadn't bothered to put any space between them when setting her back on her feet. She stood only a few inches from him, near enough to feel the warmth of his body contrasting with the cold early winter air.

“You were mean to me, so that's what you get.” He smiled down at her. “Since I won't be around, think of the next few days as a vacation.”

“With everything you've put me through lately, I think I need one,” she said.

Inuyasha bent his head just enough to touch his forehead to the rim of her borrowed hard hat. His breath, like his body, was warm against her as he said, “Enjoy it. When it's over, you might find it hard to get away from me for a while.”

The intensity with which he spoke those words stirred an excitement within Kagome that she'd never felt—never allowed herself to feel—with Inuyasha before. She wondered at the meanings, the promises, behind those words as he leaned down further to touch his lips to hers. Embarrassment instinctively flooded her at the thought of others seeing the two of them like this, and her first reaction was to pull away. But instead of giving in to that impulse, she rebelled against it, perhaps a bit too much. Grabbing a fistful of his coat to steel her nerves, she pressed up into the kiss, determined not to let any further doubt ruin the moment. He was the one who kept taking the initiative to push her in the direction she had wanted to go all along. It was time to start trusting him.

His lips were just as warm and enticing as they had been the night before, though a bit rough from the cold morning air.

“Easy,” he breathed, pulling back a little. “You'll get me all worked up again.”

“Ah, sorry,” she said with a flushed smile and stepped away, picking up her case from where Inuyasha had left it. “When do you leave?” she asked.

“At two, once the morning shift is over. We'll be back sometime late tonight.”

“Three days, huh?”

“At the most.”

“Well, I hope it doesn't give you too much trouble,” Kagome said, turning from him with a devilish grin. “But if it does, I won't mind the extra time off.”

His only reply was a snort and a chuckle as she walked away. Stopping at the door to return her hardhat, she turned to watch as he headed back toward the other end of the greenhouse, springing easily into the overhead beams to rejoin his coworkers, still struggling with the same pane of glass.

By the time she made it back to the lab, she was only slightly ahead on time. Luckily, the others all seemed too busy with their work to continue the earlier inquisition. She uploaded the data from her equipment into their computer, made sure they didn't need her help with anything else, then retreated quickly out the door. The realization of just how tired she was didn't hit her fully until she walked into the apartment and noticed she was still wearing her lab coat and scarf. She stared down at the extra clothing and sighed, suddenly wondering how much sleep Inuyasha had managed to get the night before. If it was any less than what little she'd gotten, the rest of his day was probably going to be very unpleasant.

But it was his own fault, really. She certainly hadn't been the troublemaker last night. Letting loose a yawn, she headed up to her room, unwrapping the scarf from around her neck and shedding the coat as she climbed the stairs. She flopped down onto the mattress and glanced out the giant windows, noticing a few black clouds gathering around the tops of the distant mountains.

More storms, she thought, her mind hazy with the pull of sleep. I hope he doesn't get rained on.

It was nearly dark when Kagome woke later that evening, the excitement of having an unexpected night off driving her out from under the covers and toward her phone. A few minutes later, plans had been set, and an hour after that, she was out the door and on her way downstairs to meet Sango. Together, they spent the evening dancing, drinking and talking, high above the crowds on the red prince's terrace, after Sango's insistence that they shouldn't waste the opportunity to have it all to themselves while Inuyasha was gone.

It was just after 2 a.m. when she got back to the apartment. The large space was silent and almost completely dark, except for the soft red glow of the heating tower next to Inuyasha's bed. She crept up the stairs to her room as quietly as possible and brushed the curtains aside, walking on sock-covered feet across to his side of the loft. She stopped a few feet away, afraid that getting any closer might risk waking him. He was buried under his thick blankets, only the side of his face and a sweep of hair, reflecting red in the light of the heater, were visible. His breath was heavy and even, and she smiled, remembering the feeling of it against her neck.

Without a sound, she turned and headed back to her side of the loft.

He was already gone by the time she woke later that morning, just as he'd said he would be. It always felt so strange to wake up on those rare occasions when he wasn't there. She felt restless, like there was something she needed to be doing, but besides getting herself up and ready for her own job, there was nothing to do. The day passed uneventfully. No one bothered her as she made her rounds through the new greenhouse. No one dropped from the ceiling to greet her, and she thought how ironic it was that just the day before she had been trying to avoid him. Now that he was gone, she missed even that small amount of time together.

Kagome told herself she was being ridiculous. She lived with and worked for the man. She spent the majority of almost every day with him. What did the loss of a few minutes matter?

Well, it mattered plenty. What made it so special was that he chose to spend that time with her. There was no oath-bound obligation, no employee and employer, no red prince and his assistant. It was just Inuyasha and Kagome, enjoying each other's company, even if they did often end up annoying the hell out of one another.

She kept telling herself that it was for the best. The greenhouse wouldn't be under construction forever. Sooner or later there would be no reason for him to keep going there every day. And so she decided that, when he came back, she'd make sure not to take their morning visits for granted anymore.

Once her shift was over, she headed back up to the apartment and set to a few routine tasks: putting away laundry, hanging fresh bath towels, doing the dishes, changing his bedsheets as well as her own. Soon the afternoon had faded into evening. Sango was working, and so Kagome decided to stay in for the night, entertaining herself with a few movies that Inuyasha had laying around, and then a long, hot bath and a book.

She crawled into bed shortly after, glancing at the clock as she reached to switch off the light. It wasn't even after eleven yet. He probably wouldn't be back for a while. The sky beyond the windows was cloudy tonight—there were no stars or moon to replace the artificial light. Darkness filled the loft, with the exception of the small lamp next to Inuyasha's bed that she had left on for him.

For some odd reason, a piece of her conversation with Emory suddenly echoed in her mind. He always came home, he'd said. She really didn't understand why her mind had offered up those words, but as she sat staring across the loft at the empty bed, she found them strangely comforting. Sinking into the covers with a sigh, she closed her eyes and was soon asleep.

A slight movement of the bed woke her some time later, and she felt the sheets lift and then settle again. The haze of sleep cleared just enough for her to realize that she was no longer alone, but before she could whip around to see who had joined her, a familiar voice said quietly, “It's just me.”

She let out the startled breath she'd been holding, and then sucked in another, preparing to turn and confront him. But she didn't get the chance as Inuyasha eased in behind her, fitting his chest to her back and trapping her against him with an arm.

“Is this alright?” he asked, his mouth delightfully close to her ear. It only slightly tempered her annoyance at his boldness though.

“If I say no, will you go back to your own bed?”

“Probably not.”

“Then I guess it's okay,” she sighed.

“So agreeable,” he said, laughing gently and settling down beside her.

Unlike when they had first shared a bed, this time sleep came easily for both of them.

Kagome awoke alone in the morning, but with the wonderful memory of Inuyasha's warmth beside her. Like the previous day, this one also proved to be mostly uneventful, and by late afternoon she was determined to find a way to avoid the tedium of the night before. It would be another evening without Sango, but this time Kagome didn't let that hold her back. She considered visiting with her uncle, but was informed when she reached the top of the stairs to his terrace that he wouldn't be coming down to the hall until much later in the night, if at all. Left with few other choices, she finally settled on dancing as her diversion of choice. The hall was crammed full of people. Blending into the crowd would be easy. After a quick drink to loosen up—she always found it easier to dance after a drink or two—she waded out into the mass of people that filled the dance floor.

As she began moving with the music, her eyes wandered through the crowd, passing over the faces that surrounded her, most belonging to strangers, almost all of them nameless to her. She'd been in this city for nearly half a year now and still knew so few people, thanks to her time-consuming arrangement with Inuyasha. As she swayed in time with the rhythm, she though to herself that she ought to do something about that. It would be nice to have more friends.

After what felt like hours, Kagome finally pulled herself free of the throng and made her way toward the best place she knew of to rest and relax. And the one place that was, at the moment, accessible only to her. The iron stairs leading up to the red prince's terrace seemed unusually long as she climbed them, especially after so much exertion on the dance floor. She unlocked and opened the door at the top, closing it behind her, and then headed for the mini-bar along the wall.

Drink in hand, she settled herself on the long couch that faced the railing and stared for a while at the crowds below, feeling grateful for the privilege to have the terrace all to herself. When her glass went dry, she refilled it, but only once. For her, there was a very fine line between tipsy and smashed. With three drinks in her system, it was a line she was already recklessly close to, and one that she didn't really feel like crossing tonight.

She was staring down into the crowd again, her mind swimming unpleasantly, when she realized that someone had opened the door and walked onto the terrace. She turned her head too quickly, and once the world stopped spinning, she was surprised to find Naraku heading toward her, an effortless smile set into his handsome face.

It took a moment for the shock to clear her mind—the booze wasn't helping—before she could greet him properly.

“Hi,” she said simply, her face pulling up into a welcoming smile.

“I'm not bothering you, am I?” he asked.

Kagome shook her head. “Not at all.” She nodded at the expanse of couch beside her, a polite offer to join her if he wanted to. She remembered that she hadn't yet had a chance to apologize for her abrupt departure during the concert, and was suddenly grateful for this unexpected opportunity.

Naraku seated himself and leaned back, relaxing against the cushions. “I hope you don't mind, but I noticed you sitting all by yourself over here and wondered if you might want some company,” he said.

“That was nice of you,” she said, trying to tamp down a slight blush.

“You looked lonely, and I couldn't resist,” he said, grinning. “I heard Inuyasha's still out fixing the break.”

“Yeah. He said it might take a few days.”

“I see,” Naraku said. “Must be pretty boring without him around.”

It was like he'd read her mind. She nodded. “It's weird not having anything to do.”

“But it must be nice to have some time to yourself.”

“It is.”

“Have things between you two gotten any better? I remember it was a bit rough for you at first.”

Kagome nodded again, and this time her head spun in response. It must have shown.

Naraku chuckled and nodded at her empty glass sitting on the low table before them. “How many have you had tonight?”

“Evidently too many,” she replied.

He reached for the glass and stood. “Water?” he offered.

Kagome gave him an appreciative smile. “Yes, thank you.”

She watched as he stood and headed toward the mini-bar, finding herself fascinated by the graceful movements of his tall, slightly muscled frame, and the sway of his black hair, hanging loose down his back. He was so elegant that it was almost unnatural. Not wanting to be caught staring, she averted her eyes as he returned and resumed his position beside her on the couch.

Naraku handed her the glass, and after a few long, slow sips, Kagome sighed. “I should have paid closer attention to how much I was drinking. It's a little embarrassing...” She trailed off, letting out a nervous laugh.

“Don't be embarrassed,” he said, his tone softening. “It's not like I found you passed out on the floor. That's something to get embarrassed about.”

She grinned up at him, finding herself suddenly much more comfortable. It was all that damn charm and charisma of his. After that, they slipped into easy conversation for a while, seeming to talk about everything and nothing at the same time. His presence was remarkably calming, she thought as she listened to him speak, his deep voice adding to the soothing effect.

It wasn't long after that the subject of discussion shifted to Inuyasha. Kagome started when she realized they'd been talking about him for a while and she hadn't even been aware of it. She was loosing track of the conversation. The water wasn't doing it's job. She swallowed another mouthful.

They seemed to be discussing the incident at the concert a few nights prior. Here she'd been, wanting to apologize and had almost missed her chance.

“I am sorry about that,” she said, her brain too fuzzy to tell her whether or not she was slurring her words. She didn't think she was.

“It wasn't your fault, Kagome. Besides, a man willing to do something like that just for a woman's company...” Naraku trailed off, letting his words hang in the air before continuing in a warm, almost sensual voice. “He must have really wanted you.”

A moment later, barely audible, he added, “...with him.”

Her mind sluggishly worked to process his words. She'd heard the last part, but was still focused fully on what he'd said before that. He must have really wanted you. A shiver rolled its way down her spine.

His voice was closer to her ear now, the words coming slowly, more deliberately. They had a distorted sound, as if she were hearing them through the far end of a metal pipe. “Inuyasha cares for you so much. The time apart is hard for him, too. If you only knew how much he cares for you, Kagome. How much he needs you.”

Staring out over the hall with unseeing eyes, her mind flooded with images and memories of Inuyasha, with all of the sensations he had created in her over the past few days. All she could think about, all she could see, was him, and now his words were coming softly into her ear again.

“Let me show you. I want to be close to you. I want to feel you...”

There was a hand, Inuyasha's hand, on her chin, gripping gently, turning her face away. She felt his mouth tasting the line of her jaw, and then begin moving lower.

“Close your eyes, Kagome. Just feel...”

There was something different about Inuyasha's voice. But the words, oh those words were exactly what she'd been wanting to hear for so long. And as she did what he asked, his hands began roaming.

“Feel...” he whispered as his fingers slipped under her shirt, dragging warm lines across her stomach, up to the hollow between her breasts.

“Inuyasha,” she breathed.

“More, Kagome. I need more.”

She arched against his hand as it slipped over her bra, fingers digging at the material.

“That's it,” he breathed against her neck, nipping at the skin with sharp teeth.

And then, as if they had never been there in the first place, both hands were gone, replaced suddenly with the crush of his mouth against hers. His tongue shoved at her lips, but when she opened them for him, he wouldn't go deeper. Slowly, the kiss changed. It became gentle, almost affectionate.

“Open your eyes,” he said finally.

When she did, she found herself staring into a pair of startling red eyes. They were not Inuyasha's.

With a shriek tearing its way from her throat, her world went black.

Continued in Chapter 15 - Shutting Out the Sun

A/N: Long author's note is long.

And the chapter started out so nicely, too. Just to let you guys know, I really didn't want to stop there. It was my original intention to end the chapter a little further into the story, but that would have made this release stupid long, and the place I ended up leaving off at, while slightly maddening, just ended up working better. I know, I hate me too.

The good news is, though, after feeling a bit brain stunted while working on the last chapter (kudos to iPoe for picking up on that, lol. By the way, lady, congratulations on the book deal!), my writing feels like it's finally getting back to the way it used to be, which makes me quite happy, and not...feeling broken in the head, for lack of a better way to put it.

To those who reviewed, thank you so much! It was awesome to hear from all of you, and I was so glad to see that many of my old readers are still around and haven't given up on me! And thanks for all of the well wishes too!

And holy cow! Huge thanks to the IYFG members who nom'd, seconded, and voted for AFR last quarter! It makes me incredibly happy to know so many people enjoy this story so much.

As always, I hope everyone liked chapter 14, god-damned cliffhanger ending aside. Please let me know what you think!

Now, on to questions!

To Lizz456: 1. Sorry for not getting this out over the weekend ;), and 2. You asked for book recommendations, so here are a few, all titles that I consider favorites (and I'm an absurdly picky reader). In no particular order:

- The Glass Books of the Dream Eaters, and it's sequel, The Dark Volume, by Gordon Dahlquist. I spent the last few months reading these, slowly, so as to drag out the experience longer. It's a scifi-Victorian type of story (I refuse to use the term steampunk), full of dark alchemy, evil cabals, steam powered technology, erotic encounters, and danger, mystery and suspense on nearly every page. And Cardinal Chang is a babe. 'Nuff said. Highly recommended.

- Graceling, by Kristin Cashore. An original, highly enjoyable fantasy read, even if it is classified as teen fiction. And Poe is also a babe.

- Howl's Moving Castle, and its two sequels, Castle in the Air and House of Many Ways, by Diana Wynne Jones. Excellent bunch of books right there.

- Memoirs of a Geisha, by Arthur Golden.

- Red River (manga), by Chie Shinohara. Best. Damn. Shojo Manga. Period. I love it. I love it more every time I read it.

To cu-kid: I'd love to work another performance scene in here somewhere, and actually considered it a while back while writing the outline, but I still can't think of where it would go as the story stands right now. Who knows though. This thing tends to write itself. If it wants one, it will find some place for me to put one x)!

To Ryo: Your English was perfect, my dear ;) Thanks for the sweet review!

This is mostly for AFF users (but also for anyone else who's interested): I know some of you wanted to be added to an email update list, but some who asked had no address in the profile and hadn't included one in the review. If you do want to get emails when I update, just let me know and make sure I have some place to send it to.

Influential music for this chapter

Diamond Crevasse - Sheryl Nome starring May'n, Macross Frontier OST 1, Nyan Furo

Je t'aime, Je t'aime - Tommy february6, Tommy Airline

Enjoy the Silence (Mike Shinoda remix) - Depeche Mode, Mike Shinoda