InuYasha Fan Fiction ❯ Finding Kagome ❯ Chapter 25

DISCLAIMER: I do not own InuYasha and company, however I DO own an overactive imagination...

 

 

 

FINDING KAGOME

 

 

 

Chapter Twenty Five

 

 

 

 

There was definitely trouble in paradise.

 

Miranda grimaced as she looked around at the mess Kouga had made of her kitchen while searching for what he had referred to as 'proper victuals'. He had rummaged and slammed around every cupboard. The refrigerator, and even the microwave had suffered abuse during his rampage, all the while swearing and accusing her of believing herself to be some kind of fowl or rodent. She thought he had known she was vegan, she had certainly told him so . . . perhaps he hadn't fully understood what that meant.

 

She sighed as she reached for a broom to sweep up the lentils he had so unceremoniously dumped all over the kitchen floor, just as that freaky punked out sidekick of his, Ginta had shown up on her back deck. She had seen the guy a couple of times before, but he had never come inside, and she quite honestly hadn't wanted him to. There was just something off about him, with his multi hued hair and weirdly twitchy, subservient attitude

 

But then again, there was something off about Kouga too, wasn't there? Just Kouga hadn't put her off. No, something about him had intrigued her from the start. She wondered if Ginta was one too . . . a youkai. The whole idea still seemed too fantastic to her, but she had to admit there were too many oddities about Kouga to dismiss it completely. One thing was certain, he was most definitely male, and a dominating one to boot.

 

'Men . . . you can't live with 'em and you can't shoot 'em . . .' she mused. Not that she would ever use a firearm, but she liked the saying. It reminded her why she had chosen to stay single for so long. Well, at least until now. Had she really allowed that to happen? The sensation of her multiple abrasions confirmed for her that she really had. And he had made it clear that it was more than a one time deal. He had called her his 'mate'. She wondered how long that would last.

 

Men were such fickle creatures.

 

The way Kouga had just taken off so quickly after talking to Ginta had left her head spinning. Hardly a word, just a head back in the door with an order for her to eat something, and then gone in a flash. Damn, but he could move fast.

 

Then Ginta had looked at her strangely. Not that that was so unusual from him, but this time there was an air of shock in his too pale tweaker eyes . . . 'and what was up with that weird little bow before dashing off after Kouga?' She shook her head.

 

Biting at her still slightly swollen lower lip, she set the broom aside and went to shut each of the cupboard doors, reaching to grab a half-empty bag of rice cakes as she went.

 

Curious as to how her refrigerator had fared with the Ookami's thrashing, she opened the door to pull out a pitcher of organic apple juice. As she did she noticed the holes neatly punched by Kouga's claws in the plastic bottle of pomegranate juice. It had spilled all over the floor of the refrigerator, still dripping maliciously from the metal grate. She sighed in resignation, opening up the drawers to find it pooled on the bottom around the raw vegetables.

 

Shutting the door, she thought about how she really should make him clean it up, since he made the mess. But no, he's run off leaving it for her to do. Typical. She knew it shouldn't surprise her. Pouring her juice into a small glass, she shuffled with it to the table where she sat, to pull open the newspaper she had retrieved during Kouga's rant.

 

She refused to let him get to her. Well, maybe it was a little late for that.

 

She'd clean it up in a little while.

 

Same news different day . . . another Redwood Mangler report. It had been a few days since the last one, this one seemed exceptionally gruesome, and closer, near the Lake County Line. They were moving south, closer to more populated areas. She shuddered, then frowned suddenly feeling very alone. Looking out the window at the surf crashing on the beach but not really seeing it, she wondered just where Kouga had run off to. Damn him. He said he'd be here if I wanted him . . . needed him . . .

 

She shook herself. Being alone never bothered her before, why should it now? She was having trouble ignoring that knot that was forming in her stomach and had been ever since he left. He'll be back, if for nothing else to retrieve this stupid headband . . .

 

She reached to pull it off, then hesitated. What if what he said was true? Everything else he said was so wildly fantastic, was it such a stretch to think that the pelt could have some kind of spell on it? She gingerly ran fingers along her abused neck, noticing that it was much less tender than it had been just a short time ago, and decided it couldn't hurt to keep the thing on a little while longer.

 

Glancing back at the newspaper, she found an article about the gala planned for the opening of the new production of 'Don Giovanni' at the opera house. Now here was something more upbeat. She could use some lighter fare right now. A champagne reception was planned to celebrate the recently completed renovation of the ancient building. They were calling in extra police to patrol the area for the event, there was something about the city council's refusal to increase the law enforcement budget to the requested amount. So much for lighter . . .

 

She wondered how that was affecting her cousin. She had heard that she had been promoted, so she would probably not be involved with opening night, though knowing Selene she might just volunteer. Wait . . . Selene has a friend that's into Japanese history, mythology stuff. Maybe she could shed some light on this 'youkai' business . . .

 

The knot in her gut grew tighter. Her world had begun careening out of balance, and she was at a loss as to what to do to stop it. I haven't talked to her in while, maybe she can give me a reality check in the process . . .

 

Of all the people in Miranda's life, Selene was the most realistic. She had a no nonsense way about her that made law enforcement a perfect career choice for her. Not that she was always serious, far from it . . . but if anyone could put Miranda back on track, it would be Selene.

 

Reaching for the phone, she pressed the numbers for her cousin's cell phone. It rang several times and just as she was expecting it to kick over to voice mail, there came a whispered answer.

 

“Rodriguez”

 

“Selene? Did I catch you at a bad time?” she must be with Michael. I suppose it's still early for some people . . . she mused.

 

“Hey Randy! How's the crystal ball business?” her tone still hushed, Miranda heard her moving around, then a door close.

 

“Other than feeling like a vampire? I'm getting tired of the night work . . . can you tell?” she grinned.

 

“I know what you mean, I hated night shift . . . oh!” her voice rose to normal conversation level, “did you hear about my promotion?”

 

“Yeah, I did . . . way to go!”

 

“So, what's up cuz?”

 

Miranda hesitated, it was a basic question. Simple really. She didn't want to sound like a total idiot. She doubted that was possible.

 

“I wanted to ask you something . . .” she began. “Your friend . . . the one that introduced you to what's his name . . .” This was a running theme between them, since Miranda's first meeting with the man. He had known nothing about her profession when he had made an offhanded comment about people seeking psychics instead of professional therapy, which most of them really needed, rather than bogus fortune tellers. It set a theme for their relationship, or lack of one.

 

“Oh no you don't!” Sally laughed on the other end. “His name is Michael and you know it!”

 

“Right . . . well, your friend . . . the teacher, didn't you tell me she was into Japanese mythology and the like?”

 

“Yeah, she is. Why do you ask?” Was that a guarded sound coming from her?

 

“I was wondering, has she ever talked about any kind of . . .” how to word this, “I dunno... supernatural beings?” Her query was met with silence. She decided to try a different angle. “There's this guy . . .” she realized her error before she finished her sentence, but it was too late. “He's really special to me, Sally.”

 

“What has that got to do with supernatural beings?”

 

“Well . . . he seems to be kind of an . . . expert . . . and I just wanted to check out some of the stuff he's said.”

 

“What kind of . . . 'stuff' . . . has he said?” her cousin asked. Yes, that definitely was a guarded tone. Miranda suddenly felt as though she were jabbing a stick at a hornets nest. But she'd come this far, she might as well take the plunge.

 

“He told me about a kind of . . . being . . . called a youkai. He's from Japan, and he told me that long ago they were worshiped there . . . like gods, but now they have to hide to survive.” There, it was out. She worried for a moment about having worded it exactly the way she had while she waited for Selene to respond.

 

“Gods, huh?” came the reply, finally.

 

“That's the word he used . . . so . . . you're a cop, have you ever encountered anyone that seemed . . . I dunno . . . a little odd?”

 

“I work in San Francisco, for crying out loud!” Selene chuckled. “What does that tell you?”

 

“Touche`. . . ok, so has your friend ever said anything about it?” There was another moment of silence. Miranda began to rethink her decision to make the call in the first place. She feared she was beginning to sound like a total fool. “I mean legends . . . myths about them . . .” she explained.

 

“Sure,” Selene replied hesitantly, then added, “She's from a long line of practitioners.”

 

“Oh, really . . .” a small light was dawning on Miranda.

 

“Yeah, she's put together a thing for the cultural fair in a few weeks, a story told in her family about the Shikon no Tama, a sacred jewel.”

 

Miranda took a moment to absorb this information. Jewel? Practitioner? BINGO?

 

“Hm . . . he talked about a jewel too, actually . . .” could it actually be the same one? oh that would just be too easy.

 

“Well, there are a million stories out there about ancient, magical artifacts . . . Seems to keep Hollywood busy, anyway . . . hers is just one of them,” Selene chuckled again, then got very quiet for a moment as though she were thinking. . “Miranda,” her cousin's voice took a deathly serious tone, “in her stories the youkai are not gods, they're monsters . . . demons.”

 

Miranda stiffened. Demon would equal evil. Not good.

 

“Huh?” she responded stupidly, her tone did nothing to disguise her shock. She shook her head, thoughts racing, 'Kouga is many things but he certainly is not evil . . .'

 

“You heard me . . . whoever this guy is, just . . . be careful . . .” her warning was low, and serious as a subway derailment. Miranda was frozen for a moment, uncertain about how to proceed. One thing was blatantly obvious to her, Selene had not denied their existence. She hadn't said that youkai are a myth. A blatant denial of their existence was what she had been expecting. But evil?? Kouga is not evil!

 

“It's a little late for that . . .” she reached up and touched the headband, her fingers then drifting to the place where he had marked her. As she touched it, she felt an unmistakable warmth, a sense of reassurance.

 

“What do you mean?” Selene's voice was bordering on sharp.

 

“He . . . he . . . spent the night with me . . .” she stammered. “Well, more like morning, but I guess you get the idea.”

 

“Is this Miranda Rodriguez?? The one who swore off men forever . . . after . . .” Here came her reality check, but she wasn't so sure she wanted it after all.

 

“I know,” she interrupted, not wishing to dig up past mistakes. “I told you, there's something special about him.” She touched his mark again, and the knot that had been plaguing her began to recede. “I think he might be . . . the one, Sally.”

 

Her cousin was silent on the other end. Miranda knew there were things she wasn't being told, but she didn't know how to ask about them. She wasn't sure she wanted to know. Kouga is not evil!

 

“It sounds like you have already decided about him.” Selene's tone sounded resigned, and concerned all at once. “Do we get to meet him?”

 

“I would like that,” Miranda said hopefully. Even if it did mean that headshrinker boyfriend of Selene's would have to be involved. “What are you doing Saturday night?”

 

“Making a trip out to your beach house I think . . . oh! Wait . . . can Kagome come along?”

 

“Kagome . . .”

 

“She's had a rough week, and I don't want to leave her alone. And who knows, maybe she and your boyfriend can debate the divinity of youkai or lack of it, and compare stories about magical gems.”

 

This was going to be very interesting, provided she could get Kouga to stay around long enough. And maybe the headshrinker would butt out if the two of them got to talking about supernatural and superstitious folklore. That would be worth seeing just by itself.

 

“It sounds like a date then, what time should we expect you?”

 

“Let me get back to you, I need to confirm with Mikey and 'Gome,” why did Selene sound worried?

 

“Okay, well leave a message on my voice mail if I am not around, I might go shopping . . . or something,” she looked at the rice cakes in front of her and frowned. “Hey! Weather permitting we can do a bonfire, like the old days . . . why don't you bring that old acoustic of yours?”

 

“I can do that, you supplying the tequila?” her cousin countered.

 

“I can do that . . . just . . . no naked dancing this time, agreed?” Miranda chuckled. Tequila and bonfires had inspired some interesting behavior when they were younger.

 

“Only if you promise to keep the gas can AWAY from the fire . . .” Selene warned.

 

“Oh ouch . . . you KNOW I didn't do that on purpose . . .” It had been a wonder how no one had been seriously injured when it caught fire. It had been open, so it hadn't exploded, thank the stars. That had been, what . . . five years ago? Six? “Okay it's a deal . . . no gas cans at all.”

 

“Miranda . . .” Selene pulled her back to the present. “What ever you do, just know I love you. I really do want you to be happy.”

 

“Thanks,” she was caught off guard. “Let me know what time.”

 

“Will do.”

 

She pressed the end call button and returned the phone to it's charger. Kagome, huh? This should be a very interesting weekend.

 

She took another bite of the bland rice cake, and had the thought that this must be what eating cardboard was like. Where did that come from?? Must be stale . . .

 

Chewing laboriously, she bit her tongue. Once she got past the pain and the tang of her own blood in her mouth, she ran her finger along her tooth line to discover that something had changed. Her own mouth somehow felt foreign to her. Sticking out her tongue, she crossed her eyes trying to examine the damage she had wrought on it. Frowning with her lack of success, she ran to the bathroom to look into the mirror, and at first didn't recognize her own reflection.

 

There were subtle changes. Her eyes were what stood out the most. Normally a dark hazel green, they had lightened, seemed to almost shimmer and stood out more than they ever had before. Sticking out her tongue to examine the damage, like a poorly placed piercing was a very neat puncture mark to the side of the tip. She raised her upper lip in a grimace into the glass and found that her eye teeth had . . . elongated. She had fangs.

 

“Well, I'll be damned . . .” she wondered out loud, then smirked. “With these I could bite him back!!” She stood there grinning like a fool at the thought. Turning and lifting her hair, she found the bruising on her neck had become only light yellow swatches. Even the most significant mark left by her lover had nearly healed.

 

Her overall appearance had not really changed, but the subtle changes that had occurred lent her an almost feline appearance. All this from a love bite?

 

She wondered what else she might have to look forward to, and her smile slipped as she realized that everything had changed now.

 

Everything.

 

 

 

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