InuYasha Fan Fiction ❯ Love Ain't Forgotten Easily ❯ Unwinding ( Chapter 18 )

Chapter 18

Must…find…Master…Inu-Yasha! Myoga huffed as he made his way down the path. But tired…so tired…need a…rest and…something to eat.

He heard soft footsteps coming up behind him. Perfect.

As the foot came down next to him, he jumped and grabbed hold of the tennis shoe. After making sure he had a steady grip—whoever was transporting him was a very fast runner—he dared to look up.

Apparently he had chosen a girl, evidenced by the glimpse of blue underwear beneath a short black skirt above him. His eyes widened, but the growling in his stomach took first priority. Eat first, stare later.

He hopped up her leg, choosing a place on the back of her thigh to finally bite.

A yowl ensued, and a split second later the flea felt the familiar sensation of being squished. He fluttered down to the ground, puffing himself back up a moment afterward only to find a pair of bright green eyes with feline pupils staring at him.

“Well, hello, Myoga. Long time no see.” The mouth below those eyes cracked into a grin, showing semi-large fangs.

“Good day to you, Myli. I had no idea it was you, or else—”

“Or else you would have bitten somewhere out of reach.” Her black cat-ears twitched. “So why're you out here, Keeper of Spirits? No ghosts in this field.”

“I was on my way to the Higurashi home. Might I ask why you're out here?”

“Looking for the same place, but I don't really know where it is. But, since you do know, maybe you can give me directions?”

“Yes, I can, but I want a favor in return. Could you spare a nice old flea a lift?”

Myli smiled. “Of course. Directions please?”

“Go down this path until you reach the road, turn left, and follow it until you come to a long driveway with trees on either side. That's the Higurashi manor.”

“Thanks!” She took off.

“Wait! You said you'd give me a ride!”

“I said I'd give a nice old flea a ride, not a perverted old flea!”

The Keeper of Spirits sighed. “Curse my wandering eyes.”

***

Kagome dropped her backpack and slumped onto her nice, comfy bed. That was a hard week…

Exerting serious effort, she pushed herself into a sitting position. I want to go to sleep, but I have to go tell Mom and Dad we're back. Ick.

The door creaked open, catching her attention. She glanced up mere seconds before a tiny flying furball hit her around the center and knocked her over.

“Kagome!” Shippo squealed. “You're back!”

“Yeah,” she managed to croak. Hey, wait a minute… “Shippo? Could you go tell Mom and Dad that we're back for me? I'm really tired.”

“Sure thing, Kagome. And I'll tell `em not to disturb you, either.” The kitsune bounced off the bed and walked out, shutting the door.

You gotta love him. Kagome fell over, her head landing on the oh-so-soft pillow. Ah…I think it's nap time.

She quickly fell into a fast sleep.

***

“Wakey, wakey…” Someone was whispering to her. Slowly, the miko's blue-gray eyes fluttered open.

She shrieked at the sight of someone perched on her headboard and scrambled to the other end of the bed. “What the—Myli!”

The neko-hanyou grinned. “'Sup?”

Kagome blinked. “Huh?”

“What is up?” Myli articulated slowly.

“Oh. Nothing. Why are you here…in my house?”

Myli dropped off the headboard and landed on the mattress, making Kagome fly up several inches. “I figured since we were working together we could sorta…be friends, you know?” She smiled timidly.

“Uh…sure, I guess.” Kagome returned the grin.

“Yay!” The other girl's smile broadened, and the miko wondered how her mouth could get that wide.

“Myli? If you don't mind, can I ask why you're dressed like that?”

“Oh! I'm going out to a club. It belongs to Sadie.” Bright green eyes gleamed. “You and Inu-Yasha want to come?”

“Well, I can't speak for him, but I'll go—depending on what type of club it is.”

Myli batted her eyelashes innocently. “It's Gothic, I'll admit, but you don't have to be Goth. All you have to do is look it.”

“Goth? Are you nuts? I don't have those kind of clothes…I think. And besides, Mom would kill me!”

“Do you want to come or not?”

“I'll come, but I have to ask my parents.”

“Make it quick. I'm going to go ask Inu-Yasha.”

*** (A/n: Uh…it's a Saturday evening, just in case anybody wonders.)

“Mom?” Kagome poked her head into her parents' bedroom. Komiko looked up from the book she was reading and smiled.

“Oh, hello, dear. Good to see you.”

“Y-yeah.” Kagome inched into the room. “Mom, do you mind if I go out tonight?”

“Where are you going, when are you going, when will you be back, and who are you going to be with?” The older woman's face was still cheery; this was standard for any time her children wanted to leave.

“To a club with that girl Myli I told you about. I'm not sure on the times—”

“If you'll let her go, we'll leave in about an hour and I'll have her back before midnight—if traffic persists.” Myli entered the room. “And Inu-Yasha has agreed to go with her.”

“Well then!” Komiko nodded. “You can go then. Just be safe, honey.”

Kagome turned to go, but was stopped by one final question: the one she had been dreading. “Kagome, wait. What kind of club are you going to?”

“Uh…heh.” Sweatdrop mania on the back of Kagome's head. “It's…sorta…Goth.”

“Really?” Komiko placed a bookmark in her novel and set it to the side. “You've never had an interest in that sort of thing before.”

“Yeah, I know.” What is she up to?

Myli slipped out the door. “I'm going to go help Inu-Yasha get ready.”

“Why are you going to a Gothic club when you don't have much in the way of Gothic tendencies?” Komiko walked over to a closed door and opened it, leaning down to start sifting through boxes.

“I'm bored and need to unwind from all the work this week?” The schoolgirl gulped. “Mom? What are you doing?”

“Looking for something, dear. Don't leave just yet.”

Okay, scared now. Kagome scooted closer to the closet, intensely curious about what her parent was so set on finding.

“Aha! There we go.” Komiko tugged a box out of the recesses of her closet. “Here, Kagome; look through here and see if you like anything.”

Now she was terrified, but her cat-like nosiness made her walk over and open the box. “What the—Mom?!”

Komiko burst into giggles. “I bet you never knew that I was a rocker chick, ne?”

Kagome, incredulity etched across her face, reached into the box and pulled out a piece of black leather. “What is this supposed to be?”

“Halter top.” Komiko dove in and resurfaced with a pair of leather gloves. “I wondered where these had gotten to. See?” She pulled one on, and Kagome's eyes widened at the sight of two-inch black fingernails attached to the end of each finger. “I was a big fan of Cat Scratch, a big-time heavy metal band. They all had gloves like this, and I ended up making my own to match.”

Laughing, Kagome pulled something else out. “O…kay…”

“My first pair of leather pants. They wore through so I got a new black pair, but I kept the red ones for sentimental value. The other pair should be in here somewhere.”

The girl, still at a loss at how her mother could've actually worn this stuff, pulled them out and set them to the side with the halter. “Okay, I think I'm good.”

“Are you sure? I've got more.” Her mother delved in a final time and resurfaced holding a pair of mid-shin-high black boots. “Well, we needed those, but not what I was looking for.” She dropped the shoes and went back in.

Kagome was eyeing the boots warily when Komiko came back out with jewelry in one hand and a very small piece of leather in the other. “My old miniskirt!”

The poor girl fell over at that mental image. “Eep.”

“Are you wearing the halter?” she dimly heard her mother ask. Shaking her head, Kagome sat back up and eyed the diminutive piece of leather.

“Eh…I don't know…”

“Oh, wait! I have a bodice that covers more skin if you want that.”

The schoolgirl sighed in relief. “Yeah, that'll work.”

“Well, find it. If you're going for Gothic and not rocker, I have a shirt to go underneath it that will make it look more…um, vampire-like, I think.” Komiko dove back into the closet.

I have the single weirdest mother. Kagome grinned. But she's so much fun.

***

Myli knocked on the door, Inu-Yasha behind her. “Mrs. Higurashi? Is Kagome still in there with you?”

“Yes, come on in.” They opened the door to find Komiko sitting on the bed. “She's getting changed in the bathroom right now.”

“That's fine.” Myli grinned. “I just brought her some makeup to complete the outfit.”

“So that's what was missing!” Komiko snapped her fingers as the neko sank onto the bed and the inu chose to sit on the floor. Myli had done something to him, and gods know where she got the clothes.

Somehow she knew Inu-Yasha would look good in baggy black jeans and a black tank top. His new necklace didn't quite match, but in the dark the beads would look black. And Myli had scrounged up a matching bracelet…somewhere, plus pulled his hair back into a ponytail (she had to practically tie him down to do it, though).

“Okay, Mom, I'm coming out now,” Kagome called from inside the bathroom. The doorknob turned, and out walked—

Someone that smelled like Kagome but sure as hell didn't look like Kagome. Inu-Yasha fell over in shock, and even Myli and Komiko looked…startled.

“Well?” It was still her, all right, even though she was in leather pants, a bodice with a red silk shirt underneath it, chains, and a spiked collar that her mother admitted belonged to an old boyfriend; she hung back, suddenly self-conscious at the sight of the inu-hanyou. “Is it good enough?”

“More than, Kagome, more than.” Myli stood and walked her back in the bathroom. “But let me do your face, all right? I know how not to overdo it.”

Kagome nodded, and the neko whipped out her handy-dandy dark makeup kit.

Meanwhile, Komiko peered over the edge of the bed at the inu-hanyou, still laying on his side. “Are you all right, Inu-Yasha?”

“Huh?” He looked up. “Oh, yeah, yeah.”

“Good. Now, I have a couple of rules about my daughter. One, do not give her alcohol or drugs. Two, do not do anything that she protests to unless it is a roller coaster.”

She remained silent. “Is that it?” he asked.

“Yes.”

He nodded and sat up, then looked over at the door to the bedroom as Sota poked his head in. “Hey, Mom? Have you seen—ahhh!” There he went.

Inu-Yasha turned back around and didn't blame the kid for running. Kagome was done (except for the shoes) and she looked…creepy.

“Mom, are you sure you still want to let me go?” she asked, walking over to the bed and picking up the boots. (A/n: the leather pants flare at the bottom instead of tighten, so she can still get the shoes on underneath…if that makes any sense.)

“You know the rules, honey, and I trust you…and Inu-Yasha. Myli, no offense, but I still don't know you that well.”

“That's all right.” The neko smiled. “At least Inu-Yasha's there to protect her if I prove I'm untrustworthy, ne?”

The other hanyou rolled his eyes, mainly to keep them off of Kagome. The girl had her shoes on soon enough, and her mother escorted them to the door.

“Hold on a sec.” Kagome ran back to where Komiko was patiently holding something. The former took whatever it was, fiddling with her hands before returning to her other two companions.

“Nice claws,” Myli remarked.

“Thanks. They were…Mom's.”

The neko's eyebrow twitched as she climbed into the backseat of Kagome's father's car, leaving Inu-Yasha to sit in the passenger side. “Do we want to know why she had those lying around?”

Kagome laughed and started the car, having some difficulties because of the claws. “She's an ex-Cat Scratch fangirl.”

Myli burst into laughter. “Really! Now that I'm remembering my own Cat Scratch days, Komiko Negishi was the band's number one groupie and girlfriend to the leader, Hiroshi Higurashi.”

Kagome slammed on the brakes. “What?!”

“You never wondered how your father ended up so rich?”

“Uh…I thought it was from good investments and a family inheritance!”

“Maybe some of it, but no, your dad was the lead singer for a heavy metal band. Honestly, they were almost as huge as Metallica or AC/DC.”

“Weren't those rock groups?”

“Like I know? The point is that they were Popular with a capital P. Now, just accept it and let me navigate us to the club.”

*** (Yet another A/n: I have personally never been to any kind of club, especially a Goth one, so I'm winging it. Besides, this belongs to SADIE. She's bound to be weird; she's me. ^_^ Sorta.)

“This is it,” Myli announced as they parked in the last space of the tiny parking lot and climbed out. “Whaddya think?”

“I think I'm in over my head,” Kagome replied weakly, glancing around at the other people heading towards the front door. These were serious Goths, down to the heavy dark makeup layered on both sexes and abundance of black leather—well, black in general. That and the long necklaces with a red star pendant that all of them seemed to have…

“Come on!” Myli grabbed Inu-Yasha's wrist, circled the car, and snagged Kagome's before proceeding to drag them to the front door. “We don't have to wait; perks of being Sadie's friend in a place like this.”

Kagome's free hand flew to the shard still hidden beneath her shirt as the bouncer waved them in, not liking the feel of some of the youkai waiting in line.

The second they were in the innocent little schoolgirl was assaulted by the smell of something similar to tobacco and loud rock music pounding in her ears.

“Sadie must be in a good mood tonight!” the neko-hanyou shouted over the din. “She only plays loud music when she's feeling in high spirits!”

Only Inu-Yasha really heard her, though his ears were flattened against his head. Myli had said it was all right to leave them out; most would just assume they were really good fakes, like she said hers was.

They finally reached the darkest corner in the place, also the most crowded; however, the throng parted for Myli and ended up leading them straight to Sadie.

If she looked evil in daylight, she was positively diabolic in costume at night.

Yet she still smiled at them when they came to her table, and Inu-Yasha noted the long fangs she had apparently sprouted overnight. (Hey, he hadn't seen them before!)

“Hello, Cat. I see you brought some new friends.” Her crimson eyes flashed maliciously. “Do they know what we do to newbies?”

Yup, definitely over my head. Finding that Myli had released her arm, she shrank closer to Inu-Yasha. He unconsciously slipped an arm around her waist.

“I doubt they'll be coming back, Evil Mistress,” Myli said hurriedly. “I don't think there's any reason to do that to them.”

“Why don't we just ask them their intentions?” Before anyone could blink, the half-devil had moved to the space in front of Inu-Yasha and Kagome. Though shorter than the inu, at that moment she seemed to tower above him. “Well, you two, do you ever intend to come back to this club?”

Kagome glanced up at Inu-Yasha, but was quickly distracted by a whisper from Sadie.

“I would suggest you do this if you want to keep an eye on Naraku. I'll even go easy on you both too.

“Well?” she demanded, louder.

Swallowing thickly, Kagome nodded. After a moment Inu-Yasha did too.

Sadie's mouth curved into a wicked smirk. “Very well then.” She raised her voice even more. “My fellow creatures of the night! We have two new vict—er, recruits!”

A loud roar answered her, and onstage the music was turned down to a fourth of its original volume. Her face still contorted in a depraved manner, Sadie grabbed Inu-Yasha and wrenched him away from Kagome, marching him up onto the stage.

“I'm not going to kid you,” she hissed under her breath at him. “This is going to hurt a bit. But if you do it, none of those here will ever question your presence.”

“How often does Naraku come around?”

“Whenever I feel like bringing him. Every night or not for a few months.” Sadie shoved him away from her. “Tonight, I face these recruits myself!”

The crowd went nuts; it seemed that she did not often take the challenge herself. Someone at the edge of the stage threw them each a sword, and as Inu-Yasha hefted it he was surprised to find that it was quite real. His gaze flew up to meet hers.

She smirked, and beckoned for him to come at her. “You have five minutes to draw blood from me.”

Great. He raised the sword and charged, not surprised when she disappeared. He whipped around and barely blocked her attack.

“Very good.” She sprung backwards, then bounced up. Inu-Yasha casually put his blade above his head and felt her connect a second later.

Then there was a sharp pain in his back, and he realized the weight on his sword had disappeared. He turned, only to find the tip pointed directly at his face.

“Go ahead, move,” she sneered.

He smirked. “Okay then.” He crouched and swung at her leg, baring one fang when he felt it connect.

Unfortunately, he had only hit the loose leather of her pants. She jumped back, hissing like a pissed-off snake, then propelled herself forward and hit him on the shoulder.

Inu-Yasha heard a gasp he knew belonged to Kagome come from the audience, but he was more preoccupied with figuring out where Sadie had gone. The crowd's loud cheering was not helping him any.

Something sliced against the back of his leg, and, moving with speed he didn't even know he had, he turned—

The blade buried itself an inch deep in Sadie's upper arm. She hissed again, wrenching away, but made no move to stop the flow of blood. Instead, she raised her sword and plunged it into the floor. “Well done.”

Murmurs were rippling through the horde. No one had ever drawn blood from her!

A youkai hurried up onto the stage, bearing a long chain with a huge blood-red star pendant dangling from it. Sadie took it, then stepped over to Inu-Yasha.

“I give you the name Fang,” she said, and slipped the chain over his head. “Now you may step down and join your new comrades.”

Inu-Yasha walked down to much applause, but sent a worried look at Kagome as Sadie called for the other `new recruit' to step onto the stage.

The girl gulped as she ascended the steps. She knew Sadie was on her side, but how in the world was she supposed to hit her? Inu-Yasha was a hanyou and had gotten lucky.

At the sight of her, she heard snickers travel through the group. The hanyou was fortunate, but a mere human? Ha! Even a miko was no match for their Evil Mistress.

Inu-Yasha had left his sword on the stage, and when she picked it up Kagome wondered if maybe one person stationed here was enough.

“I don't believe the sword is your forte,” Sadie remarked. “Tell me, what weapon are you most proficient at wielding?”

“A bow.” She was amazed at how strong her voice sounded despite the little voice in her head going ohshitohshitohshitohshit.

“All right. Someone get her a bow and some arrows!” The half-devil raised an eyebrow at her opponent. “Do you want five minutes or do you think you'll need ten?”

Somewhere inside Kagome that struck a nerve. “I would say three except I think I'll toy with you for the remaining seven.”

She heard the gasp in the crowd and almost wanted to join them. I think the whole dark thing's going to my head.

Sadie seemed quite amused by this, pulling her sword from the stage as Kagome was handed her weapons. “Ten it is then.”

Kagome had not even drawn her bow before she felt something slice across her shoulder. She winced, but still nocked an arrow and looked around for Sadie. The half-devil, quick thing she was, managed to stay just ahead of Kagome's sense for a while before the miko felt something nick her leg. She “eep”ed and moved, inadvertently crashing into her opponent, whom had tried to come from the front.

“Oof.” Sadie stumbled backwards, and Kagome saw an opening, lunging forward with her arrow. The hanyou stepped away easily, bringing the sword up next to Kagome's head and not shocked when the girl followed Inu-Yasha's tactic and ducked, stabbing that way. Within a second the half-devil disappeared, and the miko scrambled to edge of the stage. She backed up against the wall and drew an arrow, leaving her sense open to search for Sadie.

She felt something coming from upwards and kept her arrow forward, releasing it when she thought she saw something.

Sadie stopped dead in her tracks five feet from the girl. Damn, she's good. I was barely even trying to let her know where I was that time.

Kagome nocked and released another arrow, only to be dismayed as Sadie caught it. It burst into flames, the ash floating to the floor.

Now the miko was starting to get annoyed. She—and still doesn't understand how she did it—drew three arrows at once and loosed them. All three burst into flames before they were a foot from her.

“Too bad.” Sadie came up next to Kagome, her eyes glittering merrily and her sword at her new ally's throat.

The miko bared her pathetic fangs and reached for an arrow. Uh…oh…

“All out.” Sadie held up Kagome's quiver, and it too burst into flames. (She's a pyromaniac, but it's sorta in her blood.) “Poor little human.”

Kagome narrowed her eyes at the woman in front of her and stabbed forward with her bow, successfully connecting—with tough leather.

However, it was enough to make Sadie back up. “Resourceful, aren't you?”

Kagome reached forward and plucked a sword out of the wood. “Slow, aren't you?”

Sadie looked to her hand. It was empty. That wench! She smirked inwardly. Even I didn't see that one coming.

She drew the dagger from her boot as Kagome lunged forward, meeting blade with itty-bitty blade. She whipped out the dagger's match from her other boot and slashed at Kagome, drawing a line over a small part of the girl's abdomen that was showing. The miko yelped and jumped back, leaving herself open.

Sadie came forward, intending to leave another small scratch, when she felt a pain in her side. A glance down revealed Kagome's sword to be stuck in her, crimson blood flowing down the steel towards the shocked girl's hands.

The half-devil removed herself none too gently and beckoned for the youkai bearing the necklace to come up. The people were all silent. A human…

Sadie placed the chain over Kagome's head. “Your name here is now Miko. Call it easy reference,” she added under her breath. “Join your new faction below.”

Kagome, out of breath, walked down the steps. Inu-Yasha, holding a bloody napkin to the wound on his back, came walking to her. She quickly took over, grabbing another napkin off of a nearby table and pressing it over the old one. “We have to get these taken care of,” she told him.

“They've almost stopped bleeding. After that happens, I'll be fine.” He winced as Kagome pressed a little harder.

“Hey, guys!” Myli popped up in front of him. “Great job. But, unfortunately, our little night is backfiring. Fang, I really really need to put makeup on you or something.”

“Hell no!” he growled.

“You're the only one he might recognize. Miko's in no danger.”

“What do you mean? Who might recognize him?” Kagome asked.

“Who else? Naraku's ugly ass decided to show up.”

“What?” Inu-Yasha snarled, his hands clenching into fists. The girl behind him jumped, striking his wound and making him growl in annoyance.

“Oops. Sorry, Inu—”

“Don't call him that!” Myli snapped. “In this club he is only known as Fang. Now, aforementioned…” She blinked. “I know that word how? Anyhoo, Fangy boy, we really need to find some way to hide your face. If Naraku—okay, Evil Master—I hate calling him that but he's Sadie's husband so—”

“Get to the point already.” Inu-Yasha rolled his eyes at the chattering neko. “What do you want to do to me?”

“Well, not to be rude or insulting or nothing, but makeup might help…” She trailed off at the sight of his glare. “No. Okay, I don't really want to bandanna up the ears because that's sorta your identifying trademark at the moment and if they disappear there's the whole suspicious thing `cause someone's bound to tell him about the—”

“Will you get to the fucking point already?!” As Myli stared up at him, she could swear his eyes flashed red. She gulped.

“Okay, just play dumb then. You don't know any Inu-Yasha or Higurashi…pretend you're high or drunk or something if he comes by!” Myli ran, wanting to get away from the scary inu-hanyou before he harmed her.

“She's kinda ditzy, isn't she?” Kagome remarked.

“You think?” He turned around. “They're starting to heal now, so—”

“I hear you both managed to draw blood from the Evil Mistress.” Inu-Yasha's back stiffened as Kagome “eep”ed and darted behind him.

High…nah. It'd just make him more suspicious.

“Yeah, that's right. What's it to you?” Inu-Yasha knew there was probably no chance that Naraku wouldn't recognize him, but it didn't mean that he himself had to recognize Naraku. (A/n: Confusion much? @.@)

“I just wanted to congratulate you.” Naraku was even creepier in Gothic wardrobe and shadows. “She's my wife, so I know how hard it is to do that sort of thing.”

He doesn't mean it's hard for him, does he? No way. Inu-Yasha continued to stare into the crimson eyes he hadn't seen for centuries, and a stray thought flitted through his head. I can't believe I trusted this guy.

Naraku's eyes narrowed slightly. “Have we met before?”

“I doubt it.” Right, he doesn't know I'm not a ghost anymore!

“You have any siblings?”

“No.” Semi-true; Sesshoumaru is dead, after all.

“Then I suppose I was mistaken.” Naraku turned and left, leaving Inu-Yasha to breathe a sigh of relief.

Then he jumped back as Sadie popped up in front of him. “He identify you?”

Inu-Yasha shook his head. “He thought I looked familiar, but he doesn't know I'm not a ghost anymore.”

“Good. Then you should be able to come here freely, even though he may keep an eye on you. When you go to leave tonight, come to me first.” And she was gone.

“She's eerie sometimes.” Kagome peered around him. “Suppose it's the devil blood or the fact that she's married to creepy incarnate?”

“Both.”

***

Inu-Yasha went up to the bar and ordered two Cokes. They arrived after a few minutes, and he waded back into the throng to find Kagome after sniffing to make sure they held no alcohol.

She was against the far wall, and some guy with a wolf tail was talking to her.

The hanyou was still halfway across the room when the wolf reached out and grabbed Kagome's arm.

“Come on, honey, I'll be real nice.” He was also drunk.

The girl shrieked and batted at him, drawing some blood with the wicked nails on her glove. The wolf backed up a step, but now his interest had peaked.

“Got claws, do you?” he purred, pinning Kagome between him and the wall. She took another swipe at him, but he snagged her wrists and placed them above her head.

Yipe! Kagome saw that he was leaning in closer and started struggling to get away; strangely, this only seemed to egg him on.

The wolf was only an inch or so away when a clawed fist slammed into his head and sent him flying. Kagome looked up as Inu-Yasha took a protective stance in front of her.

“Hands off, you mangy wolf,” he spat. The wolf youkai—he could smell it now—staggered to his feet and glared coldly at him. Apparently he had been sobered by the punch delivered to his jaw.

“Just like old times, eh? And here I thought you were dead.”

Inu-Yasha's eyes widened. “Koga?”

“Who else, mutt?” Koga wiped away a trickle of blood that ran from his mouth. “It's been a while; what, five hundred years?”

“Five hundred and one, but not nearly long enough.” The hanyou handed Kagome the drinks, miraculously not spilt—how he managed that was anyone's guess—and cracked his knuckles. “Never figured you to be this type.”

“I'm not. The Goth chicks here are easy to pick up.”

“Is that so?” Someone appeared beside him, causing the wolf to jump sky-high. “How the hell did you get in without a pass?”

“Friends who still happen to be members.” Koga sneered at the half-devil. “I also came to challenge you again, seeing as a hanyou and a miko got past you tonight. Your game must be off, and I thought I'd take advantage of it.”

“You won't.” A dark silhouette appeared behind Sadie, quickly turning into Naraku. “You were banned; you cannot rejoin us for at least fifty years.”

The half-devil glared at her husband. “I've got it under control. Go back to the table.”

He glared down at her, crimson meeting crimson and fire almost literally crackling. “Don't give me orders, woman.”

Within a millisecond he was on the floor, Sadie sitting on his abdomen and hand wrapped around his throat. Her fangs were now dripping venom, burning holes in his shirt and the flesh underneath.

“I do whatever the hell I feel like,” she hissed. “Ssso I sssuggessst you do as I sssaid and go back to the table. Isss thisss clear?”

He nodded, and she stood up. Remaining dignified, he climbed to his feet and brushed himself off before turning and leaving. Sadie turned back to Koga, her fangs returned to what they had been at the start of the evening. “Well?”

“I'm going,” Koga muttered, and deserted the area in a hurry.

Inu-Yasha and Kagome's eyes were wide as Sadie turned to them. “We'll talk later.” And she pulled her disappearing stunt again.

“She…could've killed him. Right then and there.” Kagome's blue-gray gaze flew up to meet Inu-Yasha's amber. “I think we made the right decision in siding with her.”

“Unless she's playing both sides. Then we're in serious trouble.” He took his drink from her and downed half of it in one gulp. The cold helped him come back down to reality. “What I want to know is why Koga decided to come after you.”

“Alone girl at the back of the room. That and I heard him say something about a resemblance to an old girlfriend or a bookend. I don't know; I wasn't paying attention.”

“The girlfriend comment makes sense.” He caught Kagome's weird look. “Koga Yamamoto? Remember?” Nope, still no reaction from the girl. He sighed. “That was Kikyo's ex-husband.”

The miko nodded, eyes like dinner plates. “Oh…” Too much happening too fast, she decided, taking a drink of her Coke. Must unwind.

I think being dead was easier. Inu-Yasha could feel the stress wearing on him, along with the slight sting as the wounds on his back and leg healed.

***

Naraku. Was. Pissed with a capital P.

He did not like having his weakness shown in public, but it angered him that the suspicious hanyou had been so close by. He just looked too much like Inu-Yasha…but Inu-Yasha was dead, a ghost floating around an old mansion. This one was here and solid.

He glared across the table at Sadie, who returned it right back. She excused herself from her current conversation and walked over to him, sitting on his lap.

“What is it now?” she asked.

“You know perfectly well what it is,” he returned quietly.

“Refresh my memory.” She started playing with a lock of his hair.

He sighed. “I thought we agreed you would not deface my image in public. I can't show weak spots at any time.”

“Oh.” She leaned forward and scraped her fangs over his neck, smirking at the shudder she received in reply. “Sorry. Is there some way I can repay you?”

He stared at her. “I think you already know my price.”

***

A/n: …And that's where I leave it. I'll leave it to your imaginations what his price is, because I ain't telling, at least not until I find it out myself. *sees readers giving an odd look* What?! I was bored; can't you tell? ^_^ I was in happy Goth mode, so I just typed it. *more odd looks* I'm on sugar, don't ask.

Inu-Yasha: Crazy wench…

Me: ^_____^ Ears! *attacks Inu's ears*

Inu: -.- I hate it when she does that.

Me: ^_^ Live with it.