InuYasha Fan Fiction ❯ Double or Nothing: Take the Money & Run ❯ Dangerous Liaisons ( Chapter 2 )

Chapter Two: Dangerous Liaisons

 

Kagome really wanted to follow Myoga's advice but as she saw it she had one week to get the bounty or she'd be homeless and on her parent's couch.

 

Her uncle, who was cynical and not too big on personal hygiene, could be completely wrong. She might well bring Inuyasha in without firing one shot. Even if she failed it wouldn't hurt to do some investigating and surly she didn't need a gun for that. After all she did have the handcuffs and her car which had already proven once to be an effective weapon.

 

Kagome checked her Mickey Mouse watch. She didn't meet Koga until five and the cartoon gloved hands pointed out it was only one in the afternoon. That left her with four long empty hours to fill and since she'd pawned her TV set last week, then what was a girl to do?

 

She sat in her car mulling over the possibilities. First things first, if I were on the lam I wouldn't leave without telling my folks were I was heading. I should check out his old family home. Maybe his mom's home.

 

_-_-_-_-_

Years ago when Inuyasha was a toddler and Sesshomaru was in grade school their Father Inutaisho was killed in a motorcycle accident. It was a brutal death and many speculated it wasn't a mere accident.

 

Inutaisho was rumored to be the head of a major crime family and while this was never proven his funeral attendance was so large, the funeral director was forced to wheel TV sets out into the parking lot to accommodate all the guests.

 

The funny thing was if it were true than the Inu boys should've been rich. But they weren't. Left to their own devices by a disinterested step mother they were lucky to make ends meet. They scrounged by on food stamps, church charity and shop lifting. So the big mystery of the Reading area was where did the money go? Off shore bank accounts, trust funds or was it just plain stolen? One thing was for sure, the money hadn't been invested in a nice home.

 

_-_-_-_-_-

Kagome pulled up and paralleled parked her puttering and smoking car in front of the brick townhouse. It was an end unit and a long, dark alley separated it from the apartment complex next door.

 

About fifty years ago the building was a large convalescent's home but it had since been broken up into twenty stuffy apartments. Broken beer bottles, cigarette butts and Tasty Kake wrappers littered the sidewalk between the two buildings. The body of a dead bull dog lay slumped against the brick wall of the alley. Kagome's heart went out to him until he lifted his head and gave a half hearted growl at a passing pedestrian.

 

This is the place! She opened the car door and headed up the walk to the cracked concrete stoop. Kagome pressed the door bell and wasn't surprised when nothing happened. Of course it's like everything else in the Inu home. Broken. The Bull Dog barked but decided she wasn't worth the energy it would take to hassle her and went back to his nap.

 

She rapped her fist sharply on the door then tried peering through the window but the iron bars inside the frame blocked her view of the interior. An old love seat with a loud rose pattern sat under the window. It was wet and Kagome was reluctant to stand on it in an attempt to get a better view inside.

 

Kagome sighed and knocked again even louder. Come on, I know someone's home the freaking lights are on! She ground her heel into the worn welcome mat then leaned down and pressed her ear to the black lacquer paint of the door. Loud rock music…Guns N Roses...? blared from inside. No wonder they can't me knocking!

 

The door swung open before she could lift her head and Kagome was busted with her ear to the door. Embarrassment flooded her face as she straightened up to see who'd answered. The Gun's N Rose's song Mr. Brownstone blasted from the speakers in the tiny living room.

 

Sesshomaru leaned against the door frame studying her with the same attention a wolf might give a cricket, interesting but almost not worth his precious time. He was shirtless and Kagome fought to keep her eyes on his face but they kept drifting down to his thin yet nicely defined pale chest. Is he really wearing black leather pants? Oh God he really is… and they leave nothing to the imagination.

 

He leaned towards her and pushed his long silver hair back behind his pointy ears. Each ear had no less than two gold rings. A joint hung between his clenched teeth. “Oh...It's just you.” He reached for the door knob with the intent of slamming it in her face.

 

Kagome ignored the sweet smell of pot smoke and stuck her foot in the door. “What do you mean it's just you? You don't even know who I am.”

 

Sesshomaru was impressed by her sheer nerve and a quick grin tugged at his lips. Kagome's blood chilled because now he'd found her entertaining and there was no telling where this was heading.

He puffed on the end of his joint while he decided just what to do with her. “I know full well just who you are.”

 

His voice was quiet and the music was so loud, she only figured out what he'd said because she read his lips. “Okay then, who the hell am I?”

 

Sesshomaru's lips pulled back onto a full grin baring every sharp tooth in his mouth. “You're that girl Inu tumbled and wrote about on the walls of the men's bathroom stall in the Hideaway Tavern.”

 

Mortification filled every cell in her body. Kagome let out a long suffering sigh. “That was ages ago and besides this has nothing to do with that.” God damned that no good Inuyasha! I'm gonna enjoy bringing his ass in.

 

He cocked his head and pulled up on the waist band of his dangerously low slung pants that hung several inches below his navel. Kagome tried hard not to notice he was an outtie, as she watched him trace the almost non existent W on the Welcome mat with his big toe. “If you say so...”

 

Kagome dug into her purse and pulled out the form Myoga had provided. ”I'm from Shikon Bail and Bonds, representing my uncle. We've been…out of contact with Inuyasha and I was wondering if you've seen him.”

Sesshomaru raised a brow and casually plucked the paper from her fingers. He stuck out the thumb and forefinger of his right hand making the universal gun symbol. A small spark emitted from his fingertips and her bounty hunter license form went up in smoke.

 

Kagome bit her lip but decided to stand her ground. Who the hell did he think he was? She refused to be intimidated. “So you have seen him?”

 

He crumbled the charred remains of her paper then sprinkled them over her head. “I haven't seen him.”

 

Kagome put her hand on her hip, hoping she appeared brave, when she knew the gesture was clichéd. “How long has it been?”

 

Sesshomaru's eye lids fluttered close for the briefest of moments. His purple stripes and thick silver lashes gave him an ethereal quality. “Six months.”

 

Kagome went for the gusto. “Aw come on now. You are just lying.

You don't even like him. Why are you protecting him? Isn't this house on the bond? You'll lose it if we don't find him.”

 

He considered her words then asked. “Have you checked the obits in the Reading Eagle?”

 

Kagome nodded her head. She hadn't really checked the obituaries but Grandma Kaede read them religiously. Had Inuyasha's name been listed she would've called Kagome immediately and made plans to attend the funeral. Sometimes there wasn't much else to do and Grandma loved socializing even if it was over a funeral mass. Of course maybe she did call and the phone company's already disconnected my line.

 

Sesshomaru stretched his long fingers and Kagome noticed his long claws were painted black. He cracked each of his knuckles as he spoke. “Then you already know I haven't seen him. Because the next time I see him, I'm going to kill him.”

 

Kagome swallowed. Okay, that was direct and straight to the point.

 

His golden eyes found hers and sparkled with intention. “Don't tell me you're sad?” His tone was one of mild amusement.

 

Kagome frowned. “I'm fine.”

 

Sesshomaru slowly licked his right fang and raised a brow. “Why don't you come in and I'll help you start the grieving process for my worthless, asshole half brother?”

 

Kagome's eyes widened. He was serious. She said the first stupid thing that popped in her head. “I'm sorry but I don't smoke pot.” And if Myoga is right neither does your worthless, asshole half brother…

 

Sesshomaru glanced down and studied the joint that jutted from his lips. “I wasn't offering to share that…” His eyes settled on the line where her bra pushed against her sweater. Kagome groaned inwardly and made a note to wear the baggiest shirts she owned from now on.

 

She rolled her eyes in disgust. “You hate humans, everyone knows that. Don't waste my time.” She turned to leave and heard his reply.

 

“Human women…have their place.” Yeah I just bet they do, you silver haired freak.

 

Kagome shuddered. Then she paused, licked the back of Myoga's business card and stuck it to the crescent moon on Sesshomaru's forehead. “If you do hear anything, call this number, preferably before you kill him.” She spun around on her heel, strode purposely down the broken sidewalk and called over her shoulder. “Have a nice day.”

 

She heard the slamming of the door and knew it was highly unlikely the card was still in one piece.

 

Notes:

As the author I in no way condone or encourage the use of any drugs, pot or otherwise. It was added here to serve the purpose of showing how fearless and indifferent Sesshomaru is that he'd answer his front door while smoking an illegal substance.

 

Reading PA is about ninety minutes North West of Philadelphia. As in previous tales most locations here are real.

 

I've always thought Myoga was icky…he is a tick after all.

 

Sorry this one is short, but this story's chapters will tend to be shorter to move the action along and it also allows me to update quicker.