InuYasha Fan Fiction ❯ Beautiful Miscommunications ❯ The Kidnap ( Chapter 4 )

Ch. 4: The Kidnap

 

“The light's green; drive!” He growled as Kagome looked at him blankly. The car honking behind her brought her back to reality. She pulled over to the curve before very calmly saying,

“Get out.”

“No.” He flexed his claws, insinuating the damage he could do to her in a heart beat. “Continue driving.”

“You got your jacket back; what else could you want.” She asked as she did what she was told. She didn't trust the hanyou at all. He sniffed his jacket and ordered,

“Put it on.”

“What?” She examined him, doubting his sanity.

“It smells like chemicals.” He growled while holding the wheel so she could slip the jacket on.

“I did get it dry cleaned for you… Wouldn't want you to have to smell my offensive human scent.”

“I didn't mean it like that, bitch!”

“So, now I'm a bitch as well!” Kagome slammed on her brakes as she saw the light turn yellow. She turned to yell at him, but her words were caught in her throat when she saw a pair of worried golden eyes.

“You are a lot of things, including trouble.”

“Then, why are you still in my car?”

“I'm waiting for you to finish diluting the chemical stench from my jacket…Believe it or not, there are worse smells than yours out there.”

“That's it! Out!” She started to take off the jacket when the cars behind her started to honk. It got slightly caught on her earring so she gave up on it.

“Make a right.” He ordered. “I have some questions of my own I want answered.”

“Like what?” She retaliated while following his orders.

“How does your brother, a simple taxi driver, afford to have a better entertainment center than my brother?”

“He's from old money.”

“He's a Buddhist priest.”

“One with many faults, as you may have noticed.”

“You know I can tell when you lie.”

“Yes.”

“Then, why do you bother?” Kagome gave him a shocked look. “I've been to your apartment.” He added. “You only have two or three outfits there…and the dust is three inches thick.”

“I haven't been there since I've been shot.”

“It looks like you've never lived there. You don't even keep a change of underwear.” Kagome looked pale when she turned towards him.

“You went through my underwear drawer?” Kagome screeched. “I feel so violated! How dare you? Most guys at least buy me dinner before they attempt to pull something like that! Where do you get off going into my apartment and checking out my underwear drawer? How would you like it if I did the same to you?”

Inu Yasha flattened his ears to his head. Her voice wasn't as nice when she screamed like that. “Make the next left.”

“What?” He flexed his claws, so she did what she was told. Maybe she could trick him into letting her drive him off a cliff. She completed the turn, surprised to find herself at the WcDonald's drive through. She gave him a confused look.

“Keh, you wanted dinner.” She shook her head in resignation as he ordered. “Can I get two number twos, three apple pies, four large fries, extra ketchup and sweat and sour sauce. What do you want wench?” She gave him an incredulous look before replying,

“A salad.”

“Salad? You're too damn skinny as it is! She'll have a number seven.”

“Don't I have a say in my own nutrition?”

“Not when I'm paying.” Inu Yasha smirked.

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Sango had waited until she had seen Miroku leave. Kagome hadn't come home, so she figured the apartment would be empty. She knew there was something strange going on there, and she was determined to find out what. The fact that Miroku Higurashi did not exist, except for a driver's license and a rental lease, was even more disturbing.

She forced her way in like she had done so the day before. She used the stairs instead of the elevator to avoid his neighbors. She used the same technique she had on the front door to open his apartment door. She decided to illuminate her way with the pocket flashlight; she didn't want him seeing a light on if he returned early.

She skimmed over the living room, having been there the day before, and the kitchen didn't seem too interesting, though she did check the laundry detergent box to see if they were hiding anything of value there. She was surprised at the taste and quality of the stainless steel kitchen. It looked like it had been taken from a kitchen design magazine.

She moved towards the back rooms. The first looked like a woman's bedroom. Though, surprisingly, it didn't have any windows. Moving in, she noticed a Higurashi family picture taken a few months before the shooting. Kagome was smiling on her mother's lap, while her father held her brother in his arms. They were sitting under what she assumed was the God's Tree. That too had burnt in the fire.

She looked in the closet and found it packed with designer shoes, a few suits and a fine collection of skirts. Some of the shirts she recognized as the ones Kagome wore on the show. Looking down, she noticed a discarded ID badge by one of the bags. The picture was of Kagome, and, according to the bold print, it was for the Morning Scoop Daily. This must be Kagome's room. She took in the room once again, now knowing it belonged to the young reporter. The full-sized chrome bed was placed against the back wall with two nightstands on either side of it. Sango couldn't decide if the sheets were purple or blue under the little light. The wall to wall closet was to the right of the bed. Its doors were mirrors, probably designed to reflect more light. In front of the bed was a desk and shelves. The Mac seemed to be running a program. Surprised to see the large amount of audio and video equipment in the room, she pressed a button on the computer. The small television next to her screen turned on. It began to play a montage of Princess Leticia's life.

“She works here!” Sango realized. “And, she does her own editing?” Shutting the television off, she tried to make sense of the situation. It wasn't working.

When she turned to leave, she noticed the last wall was covered by a mural. She had trouble finding the doorknob because of it, but apparently, Kagome was a fanatic of the woods. Since there were no windows in the room, she dared turn on the lights. She had been right; the mural depicted a beautiful day in the woods. It must have taken a long time to complete, since even the smallest of animals had been painted with great detail. Surprised to see a bit of silver near the sacred God's Tree, she squinted her eyes and moved closer. Sango gasped. The God's Tree had an inu hanyou pinned to it by an arrow.

The security head didn't know what to make of it as she turned the lights off and moved to the next room. It could be an old myth…or something from her childhood coming back to haunt her. The decision to paint him was conscious. The details on his face were too delicate to have been something she overlooked.

She opened the next door and stepped inside. She jumped in surprise, as the lights suddenly turned on. She moved towards the bed to see who her unexpected visitor had been. “You? What the hell are you doing here?”

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Inu Yasha had had a bad day. First, he tripped over his shoes when he climbed out of bed. Maybe one day he would learn to wake up first, and then start walking. Then, the hot water was M.I.A. - again, so he had to settle for frost bite instead of a shower. To add to his problems, his old black and white television finally died, and he wasn't in the mood to connect his big screen in the living room to the antenna. It had taken him a month to connect it to his entertainment system, so he thought it best to wait until he got the cable company to hook it up, which would never happen. So, he had missed her show, her voice and her smile. But, that hadn't been the worst part. He could survive all that. He could stand by the radiator for an hour until his body heat reached normal temperatures. He could go to the bar early and see the show there. But, what made him tear out his cabinet doors was the realization that he was out of Ramen.

Given his bad day, the last thing he expected to smell when he first stepped into his bar after parking his bike in the back lot was embers and jasmine. Ayame had been moping at the bar, and if it hadn't been for that touch of holiness, he might have attributed the scent to the young wolf princess. His bartender, Shippo, looked up at him. With an annoyed face, he threw him a duffle bag and said, “Your girlfriend just left. You don't deserve her either.”

It had taken Inu Yasha less than three seconds to grab his jacket, discard the bag with the pants and chase her down. Normally, he would have given up when she pulled away, but today had been a bad enough day as it was. Then, the light turned red. His luck was finally changing. Now, they sat together in the back lot of his bar, eating WcDonald's. Well, he ate. She stared in amazement at his ability to swallow without chewing.

“You might find breathing useful.” She teased.

“Keh! You're not eating?” He asked indignantly.

“The amount of calories in this thing will kill my television career. One fry and I'll look ten pounds heavier in the morning.”

“I got you diet cola!” He protested. “After all I went through to get you dinner, the least you could do is eat it.”

“You mean kidnapping me at claw point?” She asked sarcastically.

“Like getting you to do anything is easy!” He retaliated. She shrugged and took a bite of her chicken sandwich. Fat and grease were delicious. He smirked, working on his third cheeseburger.

“My car is going to smell like food for a month.” She complained.

“Now you know how I feel about my jacket.” He shot back.

“I was only thinking that you wouldn't appreciate the blood stain…or the smell of it.” He growled lightly. After a few more bites, she dared to ask, “Why do you care about me?”

“Nani?” He asked confused.

“You made it obvious you disliked my scent when we first met…”

“I don't dislike your scent.”

“But you said…”

“My regulars get nervous around mikos.”

“Why didn't you say that to begin with?” She asked indignantly.

“I did!”

“No, you said my stench was offensive.”

“Same thing.” He shrugged. She punched his arm causing him to hide a small wince.

“No, the way you said it was offensive and uncalled for. Had you said it the other way, I would have left without arguing with you…you…baka!” Kagome yelled angrily.

“Still doesn't explain why you think I care about you!” He quickly changed the subject. He wanted to rub his arm, but resisted. The girl had a strong left hook.

“You were helping Sango find me…you chased my car down so you could talk to me…I get the feeling you're not about to let me disappear out of your life.” Inu Yasha stiffened. He should be happy that she wanted to disappear: Less people around to take care off. But, he wasn't.

“Keh! You took three bullets for me without hesitating.”

“So this is your way of saying thank you?”

“Keh.” He grumbled unsure of himself. He was surprised to find her soft hand on his arm. She smiled at him before saying,

“I'm grateful, but I didn't take those bullets intentionally. I thought they would miss us both if I knocked you down.” Her smile was soft and caring, and Inu Yasha couldn't help but laugh.

“I guess we're both wrong.” Kagome suddenly felt comfortable next the hanyou. She felt safe.

“Inu Yasha…”

“Yeah,” he turned towards her, surprised to find worry and uncertainty in her eyes.

“Promise me you'll be careful. Whoever ordered your assassination is still out there. Next time you might not be so lucky.”

“Kagome…” How was he going to tell her that she had been the intended target? How could he look into her big eyes and say someone wanted to kill her? “I promise.” He couldn't. He would just have to keep an eye on her. The girl smiled in relief and he felt a weight being lifted from his shoulders.

She looked at the radio clock and realized how late it was. “I have to get going…Miroku is going to kill me!”

“Keh, I got a bar to run.” Kagome started to take off the jacket went her earring got caught for a second time. She screeched, and he was hovering over her within a second.

“Inu Yasha?” Kagome was surprised at the gentle hand that caressed her neck as it freed the earring. His breath was so closed to hers…their faces only a few inches apart. The scent of embers increased as he helped her push the jacket off her shoulders. It would be so easy to take her: Move in, take her lips, move to the backseat, and do what he did best. Her eyes looked cobalt in the low light as his claws brushed against the back of her arm. She moistened her lips lightly as it became hard to breath. He hadn't missed the lust in her eyes…the same eyes that had held worry for him just a few moments prior.

Inu Yasha pulled back as if he had been burnt. He couldn't get out of her car fast enough. He heard her sigh and by the change of her scent she had regained her bearings. He didn't understand what had just happened, but he couldn't do it. He couldn't kiss her while she looked at him like that… What the hell had he gotten himself into?

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Sango stared angrily at the young man laying on the bed wearing only a pair of silk mauve pajama pants. He smirked standing up and walking towards her as he did nothing to hide his chiseled chest and abdomen. His defined arms reached out to her.

“Well, my dear Sango, I should be asking you the same thing.” His violet eyes dared her to move. “I live here.”

“I saw you leave fifteen minutes ago!” She protested, very unhappy that he had fooled her somehow.

“Only went down to move my car…I'm not allowed to park there after seven. Imagine my surprise to find you sneaking into my apartment. The only reason I could fathom for you to do such a devious thing was that you wanted to surprise me in naked in my bedroom.” He slipped his hands around her small waist and pulled her close. She blushed as she raised her arms to push him away. “I knew you couldn't resist me. It's obvious our souls were meant to be together. My meditation has told me so.” Sango's eyes darkened as she slapped the young monk.

“Did your meditation also tell you to put your hand there?”

“No, that was the curse.” He replied moving away. “I can't help it. My hand has a mind of its own. When it sees a beautiful woman with such a delicate derrière like yours, it must worship it.”

“Teach it to worship from afar.” She grumbled before turning to leave.

“You know you would get a lot more if you played nice.”

“Excuse me?” She turned surprised.

“You bug my apartment; you break into it… If you want to know my availability, all you have to do is ask. I am free for the taking.” He smiled suggestively.

“Because no one wants you…” She was about to leave, when she thought of something. “There is one thing.” He looked at her hopefully. “Why don't you and your sister have windows in your rooms?”

“This side of the apartment is next to another building, we can't have windows.” He shrugged disappointed she hadn't asked for a massage or even a quick kiss.

“Why not move the rooms to the back? There are windows there.”

Miroku shrugged, “We rather have larger rooms than windows, and with Kagome's murals, it's like there's one there.” He motioned the mural by the door. This was also another scene of woods, but instead of a hanyou, she was able to see a shrine and a monk in purple robes standing at the center of a crater, holding his hand out as if to stop the demon that was lounging at him. She couldn't help but notice the similarities between Miroku and the painted monk.

“She's very talented.”

“Yes she is!” Sango tuned him out as he began to sing Kagome's praises. It was obvious the young man was very fond of his younger sister. She took another look at the room. It was decorated the same way as Kagome's, except that Miroku's computer desk was packed with audio equipment. “I help her edit and digitize her interviews…the ones for the newspaper.”

“How long has she been living with you?”

“She has her own place…”

“I know she doesn't live there.” Sango cut him off as she examined the picture of a young Miroku with a man he resembled greatly on his nightstand.

“I don't like her being too far. I've lost too much as it is.” He took the picture from her.

“You look a lot like him.” She whispered.

“You should go.” He replied coolly. Sango nodded as she saw the storm of emotions in the monk's eyes. She had touched a nerve, and she wasn't going aggravate it. She was lucky he had only tried to hit on her. He could have hit on her and called the cops.

She returned to her car, but before leaving, she did check the street sign to verify what he had said. She hadn't bothered to bug the apartment. He had caught her, so would know to look for it. But that didn't mean his cab was off limits. She had placed a new tracker bug in it before he moved it. Not only could she hear what he said, but she would also know where he was. She played with the buttons until she got a signal. That was strange… According the tracker, the cab was on the fourth floor of the building next to her. She turned on the microphone to hear Miroku's voice say,

“You know, Sango dearest, the only place I don't mind an obsessive possessive girlfriend is in the bedroom. You have to learn to trust me and give me my space. I promise every time a beautiful woman with an excessively short skirt stops my cab, I'll think of you.” The whistle of the bug falling from four stories nearly deafened her. She cursed. That bug had cost her a third of this year's budget. “Damn that monk!”

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Kagome sat patiently on the dark corner. It was getting late, and she was getting edgy. It wasn't because she was in a bad neighborhood after dark without any maze in her purse. It was because her source was late, leaving her with too much time to think about what had happened with Inu Yasha. Why hadn't he wanted to kiss her? Didn't he find her attractive? And, why did she care? It's not like she wanted to kiss him? She knew better than to get involved with a story, and lets face it, he was the biggest story of her life. This would only complicate things… Her editor wouldn't be please.

Speaking of her editor, she had a few questions to ask her. Like, why did she insist on Kagome going to get the quote, and why hadn't she bother to call and check on her?

Her passenger door finally opened and a dark figure entered.

“You're late.”

“I was being followed.” The hoarse voice replied. “I won't be able to meet for a while. It is necessary I disappear for some time.”

“Understood. What do you have for me?”

“Naraku didn't order the hit on Inu Yasha, but he did order the other hit.” Kagome nodded. Noticing the hesitation in her informant's voice, she asked,

“Anything else?”

“Something is going down…Naraku's office is being guarded tightly.”

“The Ookami prince is missing.”

“I know; he's what they're guarding.”

“Thank you.” Kagome handed her mole an envelope.

“I don't do this for the money.”

“I know, but I wanted to keep you safe.” The figure opened the envelope and saw something that had been forgotten for centuries.

“Thank you.” The figure retreated as quickly as it appeared. Kagome pulled a cell phone from her glove compartment, ignoring the one that was sitting in its holder on the dashboard.

“Old Miko? We need to talk…Later, we have a situation…understood.” She rolled down the window and threw the phone out. A few seconds later it was crushed by oncoming traffic. Life had just gotten complicated.

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Down time at work is still very limited. Moving officially starts today. I'll be going soon to help relocated the freezers.