InuYasha Fan Fiction ❯ Forever a Shadow ❯ A Wolf in Sheep's Clothing ( Chapter 8 )

8. Wolf in Sheep's Clothing

 

 

“Is it done? Did she recognize you?”

 

 

“How the hell would she recognize me? No one knows the better; especially not Kikyo, the woman is in a coma. How would any of them know me you fool, I didn't look like this ten years ago.” A puff of nicotine escaped the lips of Onigumo Naraku.

 

 

His sickening fake smile dimming the shadow covered room even further, as the phone to his ear became an annoyance, more so the voice on the other end of the phone his client and nephew. His sister never had a brain about her, not that he even cared, she was married off years ago, and Naraku was never that close to any of his family. However the fruit of their loins being the only decent thing she ever produced. It was all his idea to help Onigumo go after Kikyo, sufficiently destroying her life, however the car accident was unplanned, but now they had the youngest son on the InuTaisho in an emotional hell of his own making. Fitting perfectly with the plan his devious nephew had brewed up, if the youngest Chinkara brother was in pain, surely the eldest would be dealing with it as well, pain and suffering to all of those related to the late InuTaisho. The Taiyoukai had taken his nephew's ancestral mountainous estate holdings, and factories in the Pacific Northwest, sending his brother in law to commit suicide over the loss of the land that had belonged to the family for generations Ushering in his only son to run the family assets with a mentally spent mother; the matriarch being Naraku's sister, who now was dwelling in an insane asylum. It was an undertaking for the kid even having been only recently graduated from college. The death of his father was a painful blow, but Naraku's nephew was granted some relief when the Taiyoukai mysteriously died eight months later, some still believing a death by his own son's claws.

 

 

“Hey, Naraku, you still there old man?” His sisters' whelp never did respect anyone.

 

 

“Not that old pup. So what's next?”

 

 

“I'll just leak the story to the media, that should get Sesshomaru going. Lets see how he likes losing control. Just like the bastards did to my father.””

 

 

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Kouga stepped off the elevator slipping his cell back on his belt, buttoning closed his jacket, checking his reflection in the polished elevator doors. The wolf smiled at himself pleased at what smiled back. The entire floor was like a morgue, there was phone chatter, but not much in the way of happy employees that he had noticed when Kouga visited Kagome the first time. Kagome's office was empty, so the youkai headed to her bosses office, and sure enough there Kagome stood, she was staring out the windows hugging herself in the glaring sunlight.

 

 

“Someone die or what?” Kagome jumped, turning to his voice.

 

 

“Oh, Kouga. What are you doing here?” Kagome stood her back to the light giving her a haloed effect; the saddened woman appeared like a goddess, misery made her even more beautiful in Kouga's eyes, she was suffering.

 

 

“Do I have to have a reason to pop in to see my fiancée? Thought I could take you to lunch.” Kouga walked to her, hugging her small frame to him, Kagome noticeably stiffened in his embrace. Kouga held her back at arms length. “Hey, what's wrong?” Kagome's head dropped, hiding her features in raven wing hair. “Kagome?”

 

 

“It's nothing Kouga. I really don't have much of an appetite right now.” Kagome pulled away from Kouga, whom quickly caught her left hand in his.

 

 

The youkai noticed the engagement ring gone from his loves finger. “Um, Kagome, something wrong with my ring?”

 

 

Surprise animated Kagome's face; she had forgotten to put it back on after Inuyasha left last night. “Oh, no, nothing wrong, it just needs to be resized that's all.” Okay, bad lie. But hell I haven't slept.

 

 

Kouga feigned a hurt look. Lyin' bitch. Just how stupid does she think I am? Just dig your hole a little bit deeper my love. I'll bury you and your little dog shit together in it. Kouga gave Kagome a reassuring smile his canines showing.

 

 

“Oh. I was worried for a moment; I thought you changed your mind or something. So what's going on in the office, the place might as well be deserted.” Kouga cast Kagome the most innocent smile in his repertoire.

 

 

“Nothing, Inuyasha and the CEO are having some… some difficulties.” Kagome and the entire staff were placed under a gag order as soon as any of them stepped foot into the building thus morning, no one knew the whole truth, and rumors were flying rampant.

 

 

The only reason Kagome knew was because Miroku called her, to let her know what documents to send the courts, as both counselors would be held up for a while. When Kagome asked to talk to Sango she could clearly hear her friend angrily shouting at her husband, and some colorful phrases describing Kagome and Inuyasha's relationship making it clearly through the phones ear piece. Inuyasha's family was in the hospital, Kagome had remained in a numb state all morning, and still found herself trying to deal with the emotions that she had a part to play, children were hurt, his children. Kagome lost herself in thought; completely forgetting Kouga was still there glowering her direction. What was she going to do? The creepy man that she'd been seeing around turned out to be an investigator, and it was because of his pictures of her and Inuyasha's meetings that caused his wife to run the red light. Kagome might as well just cut the break lines, because now the police were involved, and Kagome's life was quickly going to fall apart, even though she did bring this on herself. How was she going to tell Kouga that she'd been screwing her boss for months? An' oh yea, by the way honey, while his family was in surgery fighting to stay alive, we were fucking our brains out. Yea, Kouga would just love that one Kagome, you idiot!

 

 

“You get to call your boss by his first name? Isn't that kinda unusual? I mean I don't have a boss, but no one called my dad by his first name.” Kouga hoped to make her uncomfortable; Kagome was going to have a hard time keeping all of those lies straight sooner or later it all would unravel.

 

 

“Kouga…I…I have to run some documents to the courthouse for Miroku. How about dinner?” Kagome picked up a stack of documents, desperately wishing for her intended to leave; however, unable to meet his intense azure gaze Kagome made sure her eyes stayed locked on the floor. Kagome could have sworn that Kouga knew that she was hiding something, the way his gaze bored holes into her very soul. But that would be insanity, right? How could he? She had only agreed to marry him to spite Inuyasha, and now…well what was she going to do? Marry him? Okay, gotta get him out of hear first, worry about that later.

 

 

In college when they dated both Kouga and Kagome's families still owned their own businesses, the Taiyoukai and his sons did not come into the picture until after they both graduated and parted ways. Kouga always felt a deep, primal, attraction to Kagome, and always kept tabs on her, whether it be her jaunting across the globe to find herself, or drown her problems in alcohol in Vegas, Kouga was always on her trail unbeknownst to Kagome of course, and then when she conveniently showed up on the payroll of the very bastard that killed his father, it all simply fell into place. It was nice to finally have karma work in your favor in such a fitting way.

 

 

“Well alright my lovely Kagome. Dinner. Enjoy your day.” Kouga could not force the grin from his lips as the youkai sauntered out of the office, one hand in his pocket, the other giving a half wave, Kagome was still not meeting his eyes before he left. I felt good to be a predator again. He'd like to think cat and mouse, but this was more like wolf and lamb.

 

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It felt to Inuyasha that he had been hiding out in the bathroom for eons, starring at the hanyou in the mirror, despising what reflected back. The steamed up mirror finally drew time back to him, of course Miroku and Sesshomaru would keep the police at bay, at least until the suspect hanyou could see the remaining member of his family. Kikyo, she would be the hardest to face. Shutting off the faucet Inuyasha listened intently to all of the voices around him, a great genetic quirk of Inuyasha's father, keen hearing, it could really come in handy. There were no voices in the hall any more, just how much time did he spend zoning out? Yes, he was exhausted, yes he was quilt ridden, yes, he would rather ceremoniously disembowel himself at this moment for atonement, but losing time? The exhaustion truly was getting the better of him. Had the sun even risen on the darkest night of his life?

 

 

Cautiously opening the door an inch Inuyasha peered out relieved not to see armed police officers standing there with weapons drawn. Actually to Inuyasha's surprise the corridor was empty, the hanyou warily stepped into the hall, checking over his shoulder every few feet making sure no person of the law was nipping at his heel, by the gods no sleep, and nervous tension had made a paranoid fool out of the once proud son of the Taiyoukai. They couldn't arrest him for cheating on his wife, could they? Inuyasha forced the thought from his head, the police were the least of his worries, his wife awaited him in the room not four paces away.

 

 

Easily swinging the room's door opened Inuyasha stepped into the dim chamber, the scent of Kikyo accosted his receptive nose. Her scent reeked of weakness, and blood, how was the woman still alive? The woman Inuyasha had taken as mate lay before his dim eyes, Inuyasha would never had believed this was his wife, if not for his nose. Kikyo appeared broken, she was broken, her mind was elsewhere in a drug induced coma of the doctors doing, what lay in that bed was a husk, a torn and broken husk of the proud, self assured Kikyo that Inuyasha had fallen in love with all those years ago.

 

 

Inuyasha tried to force his legs to move him closer, but the appendages refused to obey his mental command, Inuyasha for the moment was rooted to the floor, starring dumbstruck at the form of his first love in the bed before him.

 

 

“This is to much to take, I …I can't do this. How could this have happened? You did it to yourself.” Inuyasha whispered to himself, suddenly the realization that he was all alone gripped at his heart in icy claws. His entire life lay in these hospital beds. Indifferent to his voice or touch. His wife and daughters were once upon a time his life, now because of poor decisions it was all in jeopardy.

 

 

Inuyasha forced his body to move forward to the bedside. His clawed hand curling around Kikyo's cold one, the delicate long fingers unresponsive to his, Inuyasha felt himself stare at the beautiful long fingers with perfectly manicured nails, he wished for even a trace of life from Kikyo, but there was nothing there. Inuyasha collapsed to the floor his knees contacting the tile with a hollow thud; the physical pain that bit into him was a welcome change from the emotional torment that was tearing through his psyche, he pulled Kikyo's hand to his quivering lips, softly kissing her open palm, weeping soundlessly, the hanyou's body quaking in his grief.

 

 

“Forgive me.”