InuYasha Fan Fiction ❯ Darkness Before Dawn ❯ Debut ( Chapter 10 )

[ Y - Young Adult: Not suitable for readers under 16 ]

Wincing in pain as her teeth nearly took a chunk out of her lip, Kagome mentally scolded herself. Dammit! I’m doing it again! Clenching her jaw shut in order to stop her nervous habit, she took to pacing the length of her living room. In just three short hours Hell's Redemption would take the stage at The Blue Dragon night club with their new lead singer. They had gone there earlier to do a sound check and acquaint themselves with the dimensions of the performance area. Inuyasha had wanted one last rehearsal, but the nervous tension between the musicians had proved too much to overcome as they couldn’t seem to stay together. Pleading with them to relax, the frustrated guitarist had dismissed the rest of the band and stayed after to double check their equipment.

Kagome was confident in herself. She believed that she would be able to give the performance of her life. There was too much riding on this one night to let self doubt cloud her heart. They needed her.

Hell, she needed this!

The quartet had been astounded at the sheer magnitude of the club. The club was located in an old warehouse that the owners had transformed into a massive, multi-level, high-tech night club. The manager had given them a full tour of the place, explaining that the club would cater to the pop/techno scene on Friday nights and the rock/metal crowds on Saturday. Sundays would be alternated between the two for the underage audience.

Kagome glanced at the clock once more. Two hours and fifty-eight minutes! Where the hell is Inuyasha?" She grabbed her cell phone and punched in his number. I knew I should have taken my car! He better have a damn good reason for being late!

By the fourth ring, Kagome was ready to scream. Finally Inuyasha's voice crooned over the line, "Oi, Kagome."

"Where the hell are you?" she shouted into the mouthpiece. "You were supposed to be here fifteen minutes ago!"

"Relax, Angel," he soothed. "Are you ready to go?"

Kagome gave an indelicate snort. "Are you kidding? I was ready over an hour ago!"

Inuyasha's chuckle did little to settle the girl's nerves. "Okay! I'll be there in a second!" She nearly choked on her rage when the connection was abruptly cut off with a click.

Kagome narrowed her eyes at blinking numbers that indicated the call had ended in an attempt to channel her frustration through the disconnected line. "That man is going to be the death of me!" she grumbled with a sharp snap of the phone. The sudden buzz of the door bell startled the already nervous woman and a puzzled frown wrinkled her brow as she peered through the peep hole. She grinned wryly at the vision before pulling the door open.

Inuyasha leaned nonchalantly against the door frame. His long, silvery mane looked purposely disheveled with bangs fluffed and held with what must have been a massive amount of product. He wore a black leather coat that was opened at the front, revealing a tight red t-shirt beneath. Flushing slightly, Kagome’s eyes traveled down to the black leather pants and biker boots before she realized what she was doing. Her blush deepened when her eyes met his and a sexy little grin spread across his lips. "So,” he intoned in a sultry voice, “I heard there's a famous singer that lives here who's hot as hell.” Grinning as her heated flush darkened yet again, he pointedly allowed his eyes to roam over her soft curves. "I figured I'd see if she needs a kick-ass band to back her up."

Kagome giggled, his relaxed demeanor setting her nerves at ease. "I suppose that depends on the band," she quipped, moving aside to let him in. "You weren't kidding when you said a second!"

"I just stepped off the elevator when you called. I thought you said you were ready," he sighed, taking in her plain yellow tee, flat hair and the absence of makeup. The black satiny pants hugged the curves of her legs, almost as though they had been painted on. "Sango's gonna have a fit when she sees you!"

"No, she won't," Kagome corrected, gathering the garment bag and large travel case from the couch. "The manager informed us that the dressing room would be available for anyone who needed it." Kagome moved toward the door, removing the long, black hooded sweater from the peg and putting it on. The sweater fell to her knees, and the hood was large enough to shadow most of her face when pulled forward. "Sango offered to help me with my hair and makeup."

"You can't tell me that that-" he gestured to her top, “is the sexy little number Sango told Miroku about."

Kagome chuckled softly. "Baka! Of course it isn't! The top isn't exactly designed for driving comfort." She laughed as Inuyasha's brows disappeared underneath his bangs. "You'll just have to wait and see how ‘sexy’ it really is!"

Inuyasha waited while she strapped on an incredibly alluring pair of calf-high black leather boots. The spiked heels were silver tipped, and three delicate chains draped from the top of the front laces to just above the ankle. "They kinda match the masque," he commented.

Kagome gave Inuyasha a playful wink as she stood. The added height brought her to eye level with him. "That was why I bought them! But let me tell you, it was hell breaking them in! I've gotten some pretty strange looks at the market and down in the laundry room for the last few days!"

Inuyasha laughed as he picked up the travel case. "Well, I think the only looks you'll get tonight are lusty grins from the guys and jealous glares from the girls in the audience."

"Nah," Kagome retorted playfully as she closed and locked the door behind them. "The girls will be too busy drooling over you!"

"Keh," he scoffed, but the ego boost widened his smile.

When the elevator reached the lobby and the doors slid open, a slightly perturbed looking Koga was standing before them. "Oh, hey Princess," he greeted.

"Hi, Koga. Long day?" she queried.

"Yeah, and it's not over yet," he grumbled, moving out of the way to let the couple step out of the elevator. He and Inuyasha exchanged a curt nod by way of greeting. "That new client I told you about is demanding I review an addendum to a contract before she signs. Of course I can't simply do that and return the damn thing. No, I have to meet her for a drink and go over it with her."

"Oh," Kagome whispered in disappointment. "Well, I guess it can't be helped." She had really been looking forward to having at least one familiar face in the crowd tonight.

Koga tipped her chin up to meet his gaze. "Don't worry, Princess. I'll be there." He flashed his most charming smile. "There's nothing that could keep me from the debut performance of my favorite client with her new band!" Koga pressed a soft kiss to her temple, then told her, "Get going. I'll see you later."

"Client?" Inuyasha asked suspiciously as they exited the building.

"Koga's called me that since before he was my actual agent," she quickly assured him. "Don't worry, Inuyasha. I didn't sign any contracts or anything."

Inuyasha's phone rang while he held the passenger door of his Mazda Miyata open for Kagome. "What's up, Sango?"

Kagome could practically hear every word of Sango's tirade through the earpiece and smiled when Inuyasha rolled his golden eyes dramatically. "Yeah, yeah. Did you take your pills this morning?" the guitarist asked sarcastically as he closed the door. "We're in the car and on our way right now," he assured the still shouting bassist as he slid into the driver's seat. "We'll be there in less than fifteen minutes!" Inuyasha snapped the phone shut and roared the engine to life.

Kagome stared at him wide eyed. "There's no way we'll make it in less than thirty minutes!"

"Wanna bet?" Inuyasha flashed the girl a wicked grin. "Hold on tight, Angel!"



Sure enough, Inuyasha pulled into a parking spot thirteen minutes later. "You can open your eyes now, Kagome. We're here."

Kagome sighed with relief as she popped the seatbelt and stumbled from the car. She even managed a queasy smile when she spotted Sango racing toward them.

"You're damn lucky, Inuyasha!" Sango shouted, snatching the travel case out of his grasp. “Miroku's in there checking out the other bands. After this band is done there will be two others, then Paradise Scorned," she snarled out the band's name. "We go on right after them, then one more band after us."

"Damn, I was hoping we were the last band!" At Kagome's questioning look, he explained. "The last band leaves a lingering impression more than the others." He turned toward Sango again. "What does the competition sound like?"

Sango and Miroku had been among the first to arrive so they could check out the other bands that were performing. "So far, three out the five bands that have performed so far may give us a run for our money, including the one on stage now. They're practically flawless! The only advantage we may have over any of them is the fact that they are all playing cover music." Sango handed both of them the stage passes that ensured the bands access into the heavily guarded backstage areas. The couple slipped the nylon lanyards over their heads and showed the cards to the burly men standing sentinel at the side entrance. With a curt nod, the bouncers let them pass.

"Where's Miroku stationed?" Inuyasha questioned the bassist.

"He's in the Gold Lounge on the second level. Just take the stairs at the end of this hall," she directed, "then follow the corridor out into the club area. It sits directly across from the stage, so you can’t miss it! Flash your pass and they'll let you in." She took Kagome's hand a smiled. "Come on, Angel; let's go get our game faces on!"

Kagome laughed. It was odd hearing Sango use the moniker she had adopted. The singer was so used to hearing it as a term of endearment from Inuyasha. Yet they had all been reminded by the guitarist not to use Kagome's real name in front of anyone in the club. I'm really here, this is really happening! A shiver of apprehension ran down her spine before she could suppress it. Keep it together, Higurashi! They're counting on you!


Kagom e gasped in pain. "Sango! Not so tight! I have to be able to breath, ya know."

"Sorry," the girl apologized, loosening the corset-like stays that ran down Kagome's back. "Is that better?" When the singer nodded, Sango tied the black cords at the base of the satiny top. "I just wanted to make sure you didn't give the audience an extra show,” she giggled.

Kagome laughed heartily at the image of her falling out of the exotic top. "Well, my friend, I think I'm as ready as I'll ever be." She moved to the full length mirror and checked the overall picture she made. "Thank you so much for helping me! I never would have been able to get this thing on by myself."

Sango embraced the singer from behind, mindful of the delicate fabric that draped from the choker collar to the leather bands at Kagome's wrists. "I should be thanking you, Kagome," she whispered. "You're the best thing that could have happened to us!"

"Oh, Sango," Kagome murmured, resting her hands on the arms that were wrapped around her shoulders. In just three short weeks, the two girls had become almost as close as sisters. Kagome felt the wetness gathering in her eyes from the heartfelt exchange and quickly fanned her eyes. "Stop it! If you make me cry, all that hard work will be wasted!" They separated with a giggle. "How much time do we have left?"

Sango glanced at her watch. "We go on in twenty minutes. The stage hands are probably setting up our equipment as we speak." At the sight of Kagome’s sudden pacing while shaking out her arms, Sango’s concern overrode her own tensions. "Are you nervous?"

"Scared shitless, actually," was the somber reply. Kagome nearly laughed out loud at the panicked expression on the bassists face. "Don't worry; I did this before every performance. It's actually a calming exercise. I'll be fine in a few minutes."

Sango gave her friend a skeptical glance before shrugging slightly. "Well, I guess I'll go round up the guys. I'll meet you back here in a few minutes, okay?"

Kagome just waved her on, concentrating intently on her breathing. In her mind, she methodically ran through every aspect of the first song, recalling exactly where everyone else would be, the location of the equipment and cords, and where she would move during each moment of the performance. It was an old routine for her, but surprisingly it still worked. The first moments were crucial to creating the atmosphere they had planned. Whoever is listening up there....please help me pull this off!

A soft knock sounded at the door, followed by Sango peeking her head inside the room. "You ready?"

Kagome halted her pacing, shook her whole body slightly to release the tension in her muscles, and took one last, calming breath. "Let's do this," she replied with a confident smile. Sango beamed with pride, her own confidence level rising at the sight of the now self assured Kagome.

Out in the quiet hallway, Inuyasha and Miroku leaned against the wall across from the dressing room discussing the performance of Kikyo's band, Paradise Scorned. Inuyasha chuckled. "They were so weak! I knew they wouldn't be able to pull off that riff! Hell, I can barely pull that off!"

"I'm amazed Kikyo was willing to sing a cover," Miroku commented distractedly, watching Sango's delightful figure as she leaned into the dressing room. What I wouldn't give to just reach out and caress--

"Focus, Pervert!" Inuyasha snapped when he noticed the drummer's gaze wander. "Just because Kikyo's band sucked doesn't mean we are home free! We really gotta be on top of our shit! Just remember, follow Angel's lead through the first number, it's all about her......voice......." Inuyasha's jaw went slack and the words he had been about to utter were forgotten the moment Kagome stepped from the dressing room.

"Holy shit," Miroku whispered in awe.

Standing before them was a vision in black and silver. The top-- if you could call it that -- was pitch black; the material was satiny smooth, yet hugged the woman's curves like supple leather. At her neck a black choker collar held the sleeveless top up. Kagome's chest was bare, while fine silver chains draped from the collar to the cups of the "bra" that concealed her breasts. The material was cut away from the midsection, leaving her skin exposed to just above the belly button. The supple garment clung to her sides just above the curve of her hips before sloping to a V at the juncture of her pant's button. Black leather bands adorned her wrists, and a sheer silver veil fell from the collar, draping over the singer's delicate arms to connect to the wristbands. The fabric crossed behind her back, cascading to just above her boot-clad ankles.

Inuyasha fairly drooled when Kagome did a little spin for them. Is that a.....corset?! He bit back a moan at the erotic images that sprang to mind. She couldn't possibly have known my obsession with laces...... The supple flesh of her back was bare from the collar to where the lacings began just below her shoulder blades. The length of it covered maybe six inches of her back, and that was all that kept the woman's considerable assets from spilling out.

Kagome cast Inuyasha a nervous glance. Unable to decipher his expression, she immediately assumed the worst. He hates it! Oh, God, what do I do know? "I don't have anything else to where!" she blurted out, nearly in tears.

Her outburst snapped Inuyasha back to reality. "I was wrong, you're not an angel," he told her reverently as his lips quirked up a bit. "You're a Goddess!"

Kagome beamed at his praise, the rest of her anxiety flowing out of her with a sigh of relief. "So, you like it?"

"Angel, you may not even have to open your mouth once the judges get a good look at you!" Inuyasha hauled her into his arms, swept her off her feet and spun around while laughing. "We may win without having to play a single damn note!"

"Hell's Redemption," a stage hand called from down the hall. "You're up in five! You need to get to the stage entrance!"

The guitarist returned a giggling Kagome to her feet and took her hand. "All right, you heard the man. Let's go kick some ass!" Inuyasha led the way, pulling Kagome behind him. Miroku wrapped an arm over Sango's shoulders and followed them down the corridor.

Just before they turned the corner to the stage area, Kikyo appeared before them. She cast an assessing look at the new singer and sneered. "Well, look at the rat, all dressed up. I'm sorry to say that whore's garb won't earn you enough points to beat us!"

Inuyasha growled low, but ceased when Kagome squeezed his hand. He nodded before moving to brush past the hateful woman that stood in their way.

"I'd wish you luck, Inuyasha," Kikyo laughed haughtily, "but I doubt it would do you any good!"

Kagome stopped dead in her tracks and faced Kikyo. Doing her best Inuyasha impersonation, she scoffed. "Keh! Who needs luck? WE have talent!" She turned away with a sniff, following a snickering Inuyasha to the back stage door.



In uyasha looked deeply into Kagome's eyes, trying to lend her a little extra strength. "You can do this, Angel. Forget everything else. It's not about them." Her tremulous smile widened as his encouraging words parted the haze of doubt in her brain and the adrenaline rush of anticipation and excitement kicked in. This was it; the culmination of all their hard work and dedication. The blood pounded through her veins, washing away all the doubt and anxiety and replacing it with exhilarated joy.

The stage announcer was building up to the introduction. "Ladies and Gentlemen! It is my great honor to bring you 'Hells Redemption'!"

"Nothing else matters but you. Everything else is all just a whisper," he said. He brushed a chaste kiss upon her lips for luck before running onto the stage at his introduction. The crowd cheered wildly as he, Sango and Miroku took the spotlight.

Kagome was left in the shadows, even when the announcer said, ".....and finally, introducing the newest member.....The Dark Angel!" The house and stage lights were extinguished and a low fog crept across the front of the stage. Kagome stepped up behind Sango, remaining tucked in the shadows behind the curtains while Miroku clicked the beats on his sticks. The music reared to life, pounding through the building for a moment before dying away. Slowly the stage lights brightened, revealing the musicians, but not the singer. Kagome's haunting voice echoed eerily through the hazy darkness while the programmed keyboard alone accompanied her.

Catch me as I fall
Say you're here, and it's all over now
Speaking to the atmosphere
No one's here, and I fall into myself

Miroku softly brushed the cymbals as the volume of her vocals increased. The echo of Kagome's voice receded while the tone grew in strength. The audience was still, almost as though they were waiting for the revelation of this hauntingly beautiful specter. The stage lights brightened a little more, but still no angel could be seen. Miroku added the solid beat of the snare and bass drum as they moved through the verse.

This truth drives me into madness
I know I can stop the pain, if I will it all away....

The rhythm gradually increased as Inuyasha and Sango caressed their instruments, joining in the building swell of the music even as the house lights began to fade. The crowd held its breath as the club was plunged into darkness for a split second before the first line of the chorus was delivered. In a flash of blinding light, the hypnotic sway of an unfamiliar set of hips was suddenly illuminated as Kagome stepped into the spotlight.

Inuyasha slid sensuously up to his microphone, his lips practically stroking the mesh screen as he whispered into it while Sango's slightly stronger voice merged with his. It was as though they were the angel's conscious, extolling on what the singer refused to impart.

Don't turn away
(Don't give in to the pain)
Don't try to hide
(Though they're screaming your name)

The audience was awestruck at the masked beauty and several had to blink to assure themselves the apparition before them was actually real. It wasn’t long before thunderous clapping and the calls to the Dark Angel began. The guitar ripped into the now wildly cheering throng and the lights flashed and swirled above them as the music carried them all to greater heights.
Don't close your eyes
(God knows what lies behind them)

Kagome swept an arm out to the audience and the timbre of her voice begged them to take heed of her message. The spectators responded with shouts and whistles, acknowledging her attempt to warn them, but not fully comprehending what she was trying to say. The crowd was too caught up in the driving rhythm and mystical vision of the Dark Angel.
Don't turn out the light
(Never sleep, never die...)

Kagome moved toward Inuyasha, a hand clasped against her chest. Her desperate tone beseeched him to understand the darkness within her heart. The audience moved and swayed to the rhythm flawlessly created by the three musicians while captivated by Kagome’s passionate vocals. She weaved her pain around them like a shroud, encompassing all that could hear her. Her anguish became theirs and when she turned away from the guitarist to face the crowd, they erupted with a deafening cheer.

I'm frightened by what I see
But somehow, I know that there's much more to come
Immobilized by my fear
And soon to be blinded by tears
I can stop the pain, if I will it all away
If I will it all away...
Kagome paced along the front of the stage, calling out her siren's song once more. Her arm spread out to her side and the gossamer fabric flowed gracefully behind her as she moved. New strength poured into the conviction of her words as she desperately tried to convey all the fear and insecurities of the darkness that imprisoned her. Yet the earnestness in her tone somehow seemed to spread a small beacon of hope to those surrounding her. This woman existed in the shadows, yet here she was, warning them away from the dangerous temptation such a life offered.

Don't turn away
(Don't give in to the pain)
Don't try to hide
(Though they're screaming your name)
Don't close your eyes
(God knows what lies behind them)
Don't turn out the light
(Never sleep, never die...)

The anguish and confusion of her mind was echoed by Inuyasha. The sensual timbre of his chilling vocals made him appear to be the temptation that lured Kagome to embrace the world of darkness. He was a demon taking possession of her soul, beckoning her to become his queen in this realm of shadows.

Inuyasha's husky whisper moved without pause into the next verse and Kagome's own slightly more solid voice melded with his as they described the inner turmoil of her existence. The combination was intoxicating, driving the audience to raise their hands up to the Angel, offering her a way to escape the pull of temptation. She leaned over the edge of the stage with a hand outstretched to the churning masses. The desperate crowd reached back for her, but her elegant fingers remained just beyond their grasp.

Fallen angels at my feet
Whispered voices at my ear
Death before my eyes
Lying next to me, I fear
She beckons me, shall I give in?
Upon my end, shall I begin?
Forsaking all I've fallen for, I rise to meet the end


Kagome's fingers just barely brushed the tip of the people closest to the stage as they strained to save her innocent soul. As the last of the words left her lips, she shrank back from the mob, lifting her hands and face toward the heavens in answer to Sango's angelic harmonizing. When the music came to a sudden halt, with only the bassist's fading voice into the silence, the crowd tensed, waiting to see if salvation would be granted to the Dark Angel.

Inuyasha drifted over to Sango’s microphone, trailing his fingertips across Kagome’s shoulders as he passed. His actions caused the masses to jeer and he smiled at them evilly, reminding them that he had already taken possession of her soul.

The music crashed through the stillness, bringing forth cheers and cries of relief from the audience and Kagome swayed and moved to the energized rhythm.

Kagome once again moved along the stage, the conviction of her voice reaching out to the audience. She was crying out for them to understand, begging them not to fall into this world where only searing agony waited to consume them.

Don't turn away
(Don't give in to the pain)
Don't try to hide
(Though they're screaming your name)
Don't close your eyes
(God knows what lies behind them)
Don't turn out the light
(Never sleep, never die...)

The Angel moved away from the crowd, unable to accept the salvation they were frantically offering her. The stage lights dimmed as the guitars and drums ceased playing. The singer crossed her arms over her chest until her hands rested on the opposite shoulder and slowly sank to her knees, hanging her head in utter defeat as she surrendered to the darkness once more. Sango and Inuyasha separated as the last line lingered in the air while the programmed keyboard played on. Silence hung thick in the atmosphere for a moment while the audience seemed to hold their breath, waiting for more. The stage was shrouded in darkness, until the Dark Angel was suddenly illuminated by the spot light in the center of the stage.

The crowd erupted in cheers, whistles and cat-calls as the players bowed. Kagome's lifted her head, smiling brilliantly at the audience. Tears slipped silently from her eyes as she accepted Inuyasha's hand.

He pulled her slowly to her feet and spoke softly into her ear. "You got them, Angel." The shimmering light in his molten orbs conveyed not only his pride in her ability, but gratitude for joining them in their journey.

Kagome raised the microphone to her lips. "Thank you," she softly said to him, her voice thick with emotion. The singer then turned her smile back to the audience and called out, "Thank you so very much!"