InuYasha Fan Fiction ❯ Midnight Blood ❯ Awkward ( Chapter 9 )

[ X - Adult: No readers under 18. Contains Graphic Adult Themes/Extreme violence. ]

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NEW AUTHOR’S NOTE:  I went back and added/changed a few things with this chapter, making it longer, adding more fluff, and a little more comedy, and still trying to fix the horrible formatting.  

Well I'm back!  I'd be happier if I didn't have to upload these chapters in such an awful format, but it doesn't seem like MM will be doing anything soon about making their system more compatible to Macs.  So again, I'm really sorry about the formatting and I hope the writing is still readable and enjoyable.

Disclaimer: I don't own Inuyasha, nor will I take credit for Romiko Takahashi's genius.
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RE VIERWERS: I want to thank you guys for your awesome patience!  And I really do appreciate you taking the time to read and review my stories.
@SPLENDID GODDESS: you gave me, not one, but TWO BIG encouragement reviews.  And one of them was this super crazy awesome long opinion. I REALLY love those. You also encouraged me about the formatting.  THANK YOU SO MUCH! This chapter is dedicated to you!
@ANGEL UP ABOVE HEAVEN: Yes, I do like me some sexy Narek, heh heh heh.  Maybe this chapter will make him...sexier.  Glad you remembered your password.  And yes, Lucy can be a pain.
@BlACKHALLOWAMEE: COOL name.  I'm glad you've been a fan.  I will finish.  I just hope I don't get writers block.  Thank you for all your kind words and I'm glad you enjoy my stories. If you want good Inuyasha fanfics, try Purity 9.
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By the time Kagome got back to her room, filled with anger so hot that it made her eyes burn, Lucy had returned.  Kagome had slammed her door before she could even see the look of intense surprise on Lucy's face.  She was about to destroy whatever was unfortunate enough to fall into her hands, had she not noticed something different about her room.
     
Leaning forward on the bed, her face covered by her hands, Lilliana looked as though she were crying.  Kagome was beside her in seconds.  "Lilliana, are you okay?"

At the sound of Kagome's voice, Lilliana jerked.  "Kagome!  You're here!  Where are-" She looked around the room.  "Where are we? How did I-" Suddenly, she clenched her blankets so viciously that Kagome could see the veins outlined on her hands.  "I can smell him.  He's here, isn't he?"  

"I-" Kagome began.
 
"I should have known."

"Lilliana, are you oh-"

"Narek took you away didn't he?"  

Kagome backed away from the bed.  The look of fury on Lilliana's face was so intense, Kagome felt as though she were partly responsible for it.  "Bastard.  No doubt he brought me here too."  She stood up, wobbled and then looked down at the green nightgown she was wearing with a frown.  

"Wait, Lilliana, you were out for weeks, you should take it easy."

Lilliana shot her an annoyed look, pushing Kagome's steadying hand away.  "If I've been sleeping for weeks, then I doubt I need any more rest."  

"Oh, uh, well that does make sense."

Lilliana gave Kagome a hard glare.  "And to think we were worried you were taken by the leader of those things."

"Don't give me that look.  Do you think I had a choice about who kidnapped me?"

Lilliana rolled her eyes and walked toward the door.  "Wait.  You're not going to ask me what I know?"  Kagome said as Lilliana reached for the knob.  

"If I know Narek, or the woman he's been working for, then I would guess that they haven't told you anything useful."

You don't know the half of it, Kagome thought.  Lilliana opened the door and was greeted right away by Lucy, who was leaning against the hallway wall with her arms crossed.  Kagome bit down on a remark, looking from Lilliana to Lucy.  The two women stared at each without saying a word, and Kagome couldn't help but feel like a wordless conversation had occurred between them because both Lucy and Lilliana narrowed their eyes at each other.  The air was so thick with a sense of restrained anger and violence that it was like walking next to a high voltage generator while wearing drenched clothing.  Anything could set it off.  Had Kagome not been so angry with Lucy, she would have wondered where this sudden animosity came from.
 
Finally, words sliced through the quiet.  "I see that you're awake.  Which means that fool hasn't done what I asked him to."

Lilliana’s eyes traveled from Lucy’s head to her feet and then back to her face.  If she were surprised that Lucy’s appearance was nothing more then a twelve-year-old child, she didn’t show it.  "I'm guessing that you are Lucy then?"

"So he did tell you about me."

"You seem agitated by that? Why? Must your existence be a secret?  Has what you know also been a secret?  Am I right in assuming that you're more aware about this situation then you let on?  Why else would you keep Kagome hidden away from us?"

"Oh?  We haven't even officially met and you're already accusing me of things.  I'm hurt."  Lucy put her hands on her heart in mock pain.  

"I don't need to know you to know where Narek gets his influences from.  You are both vague and secretive and not to be trusted."

"Then it would be much simpler for me to conform to your biases."

Lilliana gave Lucy a smile.  "In that case, guide me to the nearest bathtub.  Oh, and since I assume you're going to keep me here, I would appreciate it if you got me some clothes to wear.  I'd be damned if I'm going to wear this tacky, green nightgown all the time.  I'm a size medium in shirts, and a size four in jeans."

Kagome didn't know whether to laugh or stare incredulously at Lilliana.  Lucy's expression was as confounded and angry as priest in a Satanist convention.  She quickly reset her features into a calm, indifferent mask, but Kagome could still feel an air of annoyance hovering around her.  "You certainly have some nerve."

"If I'm going to be kept prisoner, I would at least like something less ridiculous to wear, and to be clean.  Is that too much to ask?"

"Humph."  Lucy turned, waving her hand dismissively.  "Tell Kagome to guide you to the bathroom.  As for your clothes, ask Kagome to let you borrow the clothes we have gathered for her.  I am not your fetch dog."

Once Lucy was out of sight, Lilliana turned to Kagome and laughed.  "That's one way of getting rid of her.  Kagome, I really need that bath."

After gathering some clothing and towels, Kagome found herself sitting on the bathroom countertop, next to the sink, as Lilliana languished in the steamy water of the ivory bathtub.   For a little while, there was a silence.  Kagome ran her finger along the silver faucet, trying to figure out what to say, as Lilliana stretched and groaned.  But Kagome's short reprieve didn't last long; Lilliana turned to her and asked her to explain what she knew.

"So those 'slaves' were humans who drank nightwalker blood when they were healthy?  That’s disgusting."  Lillian said after Kagome was finished with her tale.  "It looks as though what Lucy and her team told you isn't that different from what we knew.  Besides knowing that these slaves are human, and that there is a leader who is controlling them, there is nothing new to be learned here.  We still don't know who would give their blood to humans, or why they would bother raising an army of pain obsessed zombies to eat nightwalkers."

"I caught Lucy mumbling to herself a few times, something about these slaves searching for something."

"The only thing I can think of that these slaves would be willing to search for is more nightwalker blood and meat."  Lilliana sunk till her chin was touching the water.  "Or maybe they're looking for a certain type of blood."  

Kagome felt like a fish caught in a trap as Lilliana gave her a contemplative stare.  "Fourth generation blood?  Maybe?  What if it has some different kind of effect on humans?  It would certainly explain why Lucy's keeping you here."  

"But what's so special about me anyway?  It would be nice if Lucy would fill me in, but she keeps giving me this cryptic nonsense about how 'it would be better that I don't know unless things are as dire as they seem.'" Kagome said in a deep, mocking voice.   

"I wonder what she means by ‘dire.’"

ÒBeats me.  She and Narek are so tight lipped that even using a crowbar wouldn’t get their secrets out of them.Ó

At the mention of his name, Lilliana wrapped her arms around her knees.  She looked up at Kagome, and asked, ÒWhat happened to me when he brought me here?Ó

ÒYou mean, did he do anything to you while you were unconscious?  Don’t worry about that, I made sure to keep you with me so that bastard wouldn’t-Ó

ÒNo, that’s not what I meant.  Although, the idea of that happening is not a pleasant thought.Ó  She looked down and her feet and then put her hands over her heart.  ÒI dreamt something.  After those things attacked me, after I lost consciousness, I felt something.Ó

Kagome didn’t need for Lilliana to elaborate.  She knew what Lilliana was talking about.  Simply watching Lilliana grow silent and wrap her arms around her chest and middle, as though she were afraid that if she let go she would slip back into that place, told Kagome what Lilliana had felt.  ÒWas it the same as me?  Did you feel like someone was watching you in that void?  Ready to end you at any time?Ó

ÒYes.Ó  She rubbed her arms.  ÒBut there’s more.  I just knew, and I don’t know how I knew, but before I came here, I knew we were in danger.  I knew danger was coming but I didn’t know when.  But I knew the attack was coming moments before it did.  And when I was in that place, I had another feeling.  Before that, I just felt as though I were the one in the most danger, but when I was asleep and I felt that place, I knew, I was the one that was needed, the one that was being hunted.Ó

ÒWhat are you saying?  That it is you those slaves are after?Ó

ÒNot the slaves but someone stronger, someone more sinister.  Someone who speaks to you right before you die.  Kouga described it, and when I was in that place, I heard it.Ó

ÒWhat did it say?Ó

Lilliana did not answer.  Instead, she looked up at Kagome.  ÒMaybe that’s the leader.  Maybe that’s what Lucy is trying to protect us from.Ó   

"Good luck trying to get Lucy to explain that one.  The day she actually decides to be strait with us is the day Narek wears a frilly, pink dress.Ó

Lilliana laughed.  ÒThere’s a visual for you.Ó  She gave Kagome an appreciative smile.  "Well," Lilliana said as she rose from the tub.  "We'll just have to get our information from elsewhere."

She reached for a towel and began to dry her hair.  "What do you mean?"  Kagome asked.

"I'm sure Lucy and her subordinates would be less secretive if we decided to share our talents with them."

"You're going to work with them?"  Kagome stared hard at her, waiting for Lilliana to laugh and shake her head at the joke.

"If there is one thing I learned from the last war, it's that Narek and Lucy were more informed then we were.  If I offer them cooperation, maybe I can gather information as well as find an opening to escape.  It certainly is a better option then sitting around."  Lilliana wrapped a towel around her waist and began to inspect the clothes that Kagome had picked out for her, ignoring Kagome's growls.

"I can't believe this.  They kidnap you, keep you in the dark, and hold you against your will and you're going to cooperate?"

"Swallow your pride, Kagome.  What will resisting and moping around accomplish?Ó

"This coming from the woman who is so adamant about never betraying her family?  They are our enemies remember?  How could you offer them your help-and I wonder just what kind of help you can be when they'll keep you locked up here-when you should be thinking about getting out of here and going back to help the family!"  

"Which is exactly why I'm doing this!"  Kagome would have been more intimidated by Lilliana's glare if she weren't so angry.  She prepared to retort, but Lilliana continued.  

"I need information, Kagome, and I'm not going to get it by sitting idly in my jail cell.  We're dealing with Narek and Lucy, remember?  Time to be a little more inventive."

"And what if what we help them discover is kept from our family members?  How can we help them from here?

ÒI’ll think of a way.Ó

ÒUh huh.  You know, it’ll be pretty easy getting out of here with Narek chasing after us.Ó

ÒThe more informed the family is about our predicament, the more likely they can help us.  I’m sure I’ll find a way to communicate with them.Ó

The retort Kagome had planned to say disappeared from her head.  Something in her mind clicked into place as she repeated Lilliana’s words in her thoughts.  She had kept her meetings with Lucy a secret from Inuyasha for ten years.  Why?  Because she didn't want the family to be overprotective of her or keep her locked away after she had finally gotten her freedom.  At the time, Lucy hadn't seemed like a threat. Yet, ironically, the very thing she had tried to avoid with her family was what had happened to her.  She was still being protected and guarded against her will, only her jailer had changed.  Had she told the family, they wouldn't have worried about her so much; they would have had some idea about where to look for her, or help her escape so that she could tell them what she knew.

And now, the very reason she had disappeared without a word to them was because she had kept that secret.  She had made the family worry over nothing.  If Inuyasha found out-

"Ugh, I'm not nearly as tiny as you are."

Kagome snapped out of her thoughts.  She watched as Lilliana tried to wiggle her leg into the pants.  The fabric refused to go any higher then her thighs.  Lilliana growled and reached for the bra instead.  She then balked at the size of the cups.   "There is no way this will fit."

"Well excuse me for having smaller breasts then your almost D cups." Kagome huffed.  

Lilliana put on the bra and then glared at Kagome for laughing.  Her breasts bulged out of the fabric.  It looked as though she were wearing a skimpy pink bikini that was two sizes too small.  

"Looks as though your fun-bags are trying to escape their bindings."  Kagome said between gasps of laugher.   

Lilliana tossed the clothes unto the floor.  "How does she expect me to stay here when I don't even have clothes in my size!"

She reached for a towel, wrapped it around herself, and then walked out of the bathroom.  Kagome followed her back to their room, watching Lilliana search through the closet for better clothes.  ÒThis is ridiculous!Ó  Lilliana said.  ÒThere isn’t a single thing in here that will fit.Ó

She sat down on Kagome’s bed with her arms crossed.  ÒI’m going to have a word with Lucy about this.Ó

Kagome giggled.  ÒYou might as well walk around naked.  As if Lucy would-Ó She stopped laughing as a sly smile crept over Lilliana's face.  "I have an idea, Kagome."

"An idea for what?"

"For a way to make our wardens give us some 'outside time.'"

The knowing and sneaky smile on Lilliana's face gave Kagome a tingle of excitement and mischief down her spin.  At the same time, it made her feel very wary.  "What are you planning?"   

"It's a little crazy, but just go with it."  Lilliana pulled down the pink, frilly panties she was wearing, discarded her towel, and headed toward the door.  
Kagome jumped in front of her.  "You can't mean to tell me you're actually going to walk around naked!  I was just kidding!"

"That's the idea."

"Are you NUTS?  What if one of the men sees you!  What if Narek sees you!"

Lilliana rolled her eyes.  "Don't you have any faith in me?  I can handle him.  Compared to those heart-eating things, Narek is harmless."

Kagome was taken aback.  Narek?  Harmless?  Sure, as harmless as wearing a bacon dress while being stuck in a cage with a starved lion.  "But what if he-"


"Just trust me."  Before Kagome could protest Lilliana was out the door, and had only taken a few steps around the house before a cry of outrage was heard.  

Kagome ran down the stairs just in time to see Chase rush past her with a mixture of what looked like appreciation and fear on his face.  As she walked into the kitchen, Kagome gaped at Lucy's flabbergasted expression and Lilliana's indifference to her nudity.

"What are you doing?  Put some clothes on, you fool!  Do you know what male nightwalkers do at the sight of such undress?  I’m not about to have sex-starved nightwalkers, right after summer, be distracted by some idiot who doesn’t understand the importance of modesty."

Lilliana shrugged coolly.  "I did say I refuse to wear that tacky, stinky nightgown."

"And what about the clothes that Kagome has allowed you to borrow?"

Lilliana huffed derisively.  "Look at me, Lucy.  Do my breasts look nearly as small as yours or Kagome's?  I'm taller, my hips are fuller, and I'm not nearly as scrawny.  And you said, 'I'm not your fetch-dog.'  I refuse to wear clothes that are two sizes too small, and you don't seem inclined to shop for me, so I have no choice to walk around naked don't I?"

Lucy's incredulous expression transformed into a feral snarl.  "How dare you-" She prepared to lunge.

"Beating me up isn't going to force me to wear clothes.  You can knock me out, but I'll be awake eventually, and back in my state of undress.  There is no way I'm wearing one of your nightgowns again, and if I so much as find myself in one, I'm ripping it to shreds.  Secondly, what do you think your underlings will think of you when they see you attacking a nude woman?  You're keeping me prisoner here, and I suspect you won't allow me to go back to my home to gather my clothes, so you could at least let me shop for some."    

"While I do appreciate such a delectable sight,Ó came Narek’s smooth voice, ÒI'm inclined to agree with her.  It would be far too, how can I put this mildly, distracting, to have such a morsel walk around in such a state."  

Kagome felt as though the world had dropped from beneath her as her stomach did a few uncomfortable loops. Right at that moment, she wanted to jump in front of Lilliana and shield her, but it was already too late.  Narek had already gotten a rather nice eyeful.  Kagome stared, white-faced, at him.  He was lounging on an armchair, with his arms crossed and his feet on the glass coffee table, eyeing Lilliana with what Kagome could only describe as raw, ferocious hunger.  She had seen that look before, in Inuyasha’s eyes.  Back when she was human and he needed her blood, his eyes would darken with need.  

But Narek’s gaze was different.  His eyes didn’t just have a predatory shine to them.  They were filled with greed, and Kagome had a suspicion that if Narek ever got his hands on Lilliana, having her would not be enough.  She felt her skin prickle in disgust when Narek ran his tongue over his upper fangs.  His eyes moved up and down, slowly, as though he were memorizing every curve of Lilliana’s body.    

Kagome hoped she was never at the other side of his gaze.  She looked at Lilliana.  Her pose was still indifferent, but Kagome could tell, from the intense shade of red on her face, that Lilliana was absolutely mortified, and very, very angry.  

"Argh!  Fine!  Narek-" Lucy pointed at him.

"Yeees?"  He said silkily.

If lightning were able to come out of a nightwalker's eyes, Lucy would have electrocuted him with her glower.  She spoke through her teeth. "Get this woman some clothes."     

Narek stood.  "A pity."

"You're letting him go buy me clothes?  Has he ever shopped for a woman before?"

"I don't want to hear excuses about his fashion sense."

"And if he brings back some ridiculous items that don't fit?  He doesn't seem to have much of an issue having me walk around in such a state, what if he brings something that he choose because he knows I will never wear it."

"Indeed.  I'm quite inclined not to cover up such beauty."  Lilliana grew two shades redder.

"I THOUGHT YOU SAID IT WOULD BE DISTRACTING TO SEE HER IN SUCH A STATE, YOU SCOUNDREL!" Lucy bellowed.

"It is.  It is also quite tempting."  His eyes lingered on her hips.  Lilliana twitched nervously at his leering, and it looked as though she was about to cover her breasts with her arms.  She stopped and resumed her cool stance, but her legs were shaking.  Luckily, Lucy was too angry to notice the mistake.   

"AAAAAH!  YOU!"  Lucy pointed at Kagome.  

"M-me?"

"Go with him!"

"W-what?"  Shopping with Narek for ladies' clothing was the last thing that Kagome had imagined would come out of this plan.  Had she not been so surprised, she would have laughed at the sheer ridiculousness of such a thing.  

"And you-what are your sizes?"

"Medium in shirts.  Size four in jeans.  Twenty-eight C in bras and size six in shoes."  

"You heard her Narek.  Get going.  The sooner you get clothes on this fool, the sooner I can lose my headache.  Stick to well populated areas, and don't you DARE let her out of your sight!"

"Oh, so I'm the fetch-dog now?"

Lucy shivered irritably.  She looked as though she were ready to jump on the next person that said something to annoy her.  "NOW."

Kagome was so shocked, she didn't even complain when Narek grabbed hold of her elbow and dragged her out the door.  Of all the things she had expected, this wasn't one of them.  At the very least, Lilliana's plan did work in one way.  Lucy had allowed Kagome some "outside time," but with Narek as her bodyguard, what could Kagome hope to accomplish?

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"Did you see that guy over there?"  

"The one with the Asian chick?"

"Do you think they're dating?"

"If they are, it's too bad.  He's so hot.  And those eyes!  Woo!"

"I wonder what happened to him.  You know, the scar?"

"Maybe he's a war veteran or something."

"Sign me up for whatever squad he's on.  I didn't know men like that existed!"

Kagome tried her best not to grit her teeth.  It was the same reaction in every store they had gone to.  They were in a mall where the remaining light from the setting sun illuminated through the glass roof.  Charlotte Rouse, New York & Company, Victoria's Secret, you name a store and they had been to it.  Narek had expensive taste and had no problem paying in cash the items Kagome had selected.  It was also a good thing that Kagome didn't buy much, going for more practical wear then the truly trendy ones.  

So far, the only thing Kagome had accomplished, other then buying clothes, was to try her best to look completely normal next to the very man that had stolen her humanity from her.  The journey into the city was the most nervous experience Kagome ever had.  Narek dragged her along without looking or speaking to her.  Kagome had no idea how she was able to stay so near him without screaming.  After all that he had done to her when she was human, all the intimidation, and the danger he always alluded to, she half expected him to mentally or physically assault her.  The feeling of when and if an assault was coming, and the idea that he could attack her if he felt like it, was draining.  When they had entered the shopping mall, Kagome’s hyper vigilance, and the way she seemed to try and put as much space between herself and Narek as possible, made several humans look quizzically their way.  

It soon drew on her that Narek wouldn’t do anything to her in this crowd.  While he was there, keeping her in his sights at all times, he spoke little.  He simply followed her.  Soon, the idea that her awkwardness around Narek had been drawing too much attention made Kagome at least try to pretend that he was someone she wasn’t completely and utterly mistrustful of.  The last thing she needed was to put humans in danger, because she was sure that Narek wouldn’t have any problems bringing harm to people just to blackmail her into behaving.  

However, shopping with him hadn't nearly been as horrific as Kagome had thought it would be, but those damned women were beginning to get on her nerves.  Every store they had gone to, several teenagers, women in their early twenties, and even some middle-aged women, had ogled Narek as though they had never seen a man before.  Kagome had lost count of how many times she had wanted to tell these women that Narek was the kind of man that would taunt, frighten, use and dispose of them without a second thought.  He was dangerous.  But that's not what the women saw.  They saw a tall, handsome young man with an attractive facial scar.  It didn't help that Narek played the part of a supportive shopping buddy a little too well.  It frightened Kagome that his charm toward the women that were brave enough to approach him, and the female employees that interacted with him, was all an act.  This was the same man that had almost killed her.  

Even though Narek did very little to draw attention to himself, his ever-present otherworldliness drew notice.  At the very least, the annoyance Kagome felt toward all the attention quickly overrode the sense of caution and fear she felt whenever Narek was around.  It was a good thing she was getting used to his presence, because he didn’t let her out of his sight, just as Lucy had ordered him to do.  Any time she found herself even remotely alone, and before she could even formulate a plan to escape or hope to lose him, he would reappear.  The man was like a walking tracking device.  So much for Lilliana's plan, and after all the humiliation she had gone though.

"Jeans, shirts, socks, bras, underwear, and one jacket.  All she needs now are shoes."  Kagome said to herself.  She yelped when Narek grabbed hold of her elbow and led her into a store.  Kagome was about to glare at him when she heard several women sigh wistfully.  

"Wow.  That guy."

"Two extremely hot guys in one day, can you believe it?"

"And what about that gorgeous woman we saw?"

ÒMaybe they’re holding a modeling shoot nearby or something.Ó

Kagome tried her best to appear unconcerned even though all she wanted to do was stomp and huff irritably.  She focused on shoes, trying her best to ignore Narek and his groupies.

"Hello there.  Is there anything I can help you with today, sir?"  She heard a woman say to Narek.

ÒNot particularly.  I’ve just been dragged along for the ride.  Perhaps you could help my friend here.Ó
_
ÒOh, are you sure I can’t help you find a pair of shoes?  We have an excellent selection.Ó  

That was it!  Kagome reached for the first pair of size six sneakers she found.  She needed to get out of there and get out of there now.  She reached the counter and then looked around for Narek to come and pay for her items when suddenly she realized, Narek was gone.  

A strange mixture of emotions hit Kagome.  On the one hand, she let out a deep breath and then began looking around frantically, half expecting him to reappear.  But when a few minutes passed and Narek was nowhere to be found, Kagome felt an intense sense of-dread?  The man had been watching her like a hawk all day.  For him to suddenly disappear, it felt as though an invisible security net was lifted off Kagome.  A part of her mind thought that this was her perfect chance to flee and Kagome began thinking about the best way to escape the mall and run straight to the family.  Yet, as soon as an idea for escape came to her, her thoughts were interrupted.  There was a scent of another nightwalker in the air, and it was close.  

"Miss?"  

Kagome jumped.  She looked back at the store clerk.  "What?"

"That will be twenty-one seventy five?"

"O-oh.  Sorry, my, uh, friend left the store.  Would you mind holding onto the shoes and my shopping bags until I find him?"

"Sure."  Said the overly perky girl.  She accepted Kagome's items with a smile and put them behind the counter.  "We'll hold onto these till the end of the day."

"Thanks."

Once Kagome was out into the store, she began to search for Narek, but couldn’t find his scent.  The scent of the other nightwalker, however, was getting stronger.  It was headed her way.  She knew better then to make a scene with so many humans walking around.  Yet, if that scent were not a nightwalker, but a slave, then it would mean that all these humans were in danger.  Good nightwalker or not, Kagome knew better then to catch the attention of humans.  
  
She walked as slowly and calmly as her nerves would let her.  When she had made it out of the mall, she blended into the shadows of the buildings.  The scent of the nightwalker followed her and Kagome knew for sure now.  She was being followed.  Where was Narek?  

Anger became Kagome’s fuel as she walked forward, keeping half her thoughts on how to properly deal with her pursuer, and the other half on the rage she was nurturing at Narek’s sudden flight.  Kagome ran, hoping she was at least fast enough to reach her family's house.  The scent followed. Before long, she found herself in the shade of a tree in an abandoned lot.  The scent was close, and it didn’t look like Kagome would lose it by the time she reached the family home.  She prepared for an attack.  Something white flashed in her peripheral vision and Kagome whipped around, ready to defend herself when-

When she came face to face with Inuyasha.  He stood at the far end of the lot, his gaze fixated on her face.  His expression showed nothing but shock, and Kagome immediately forgot about who or what was following her.  Instead, the look on her face matched his.    

He never gave her time to speak.  In the next second, she found herself in his arms.  It was his scent that surrounded her and his heartbeat she heard when she pressed her head against his chest.  Nothing existed but him.  All of the excuses, the thoughts she had been practicing for weeks, everything she had wanted to tell him, explain to him, flew for her mind.  She listened to him breathe out, pressing her closer to him as though he were afraid that if loosened his grip, she would fly away.  All she wanted to do at that moment was forget all the complications that had happened in the past few months and go back to that moment when all she had to worry about was getting used to being around the family again, getting used to being around him again.      

"You're okay!"  His arms tightened around her back.

Kagome squeezed his shoulders, hoping it would reassure him somehow.  He had worried. She wanted to pull away to make him look at her, to tell him the truth, to stop making him worry and blame himself.  But she held on instead, fearful of his reaction.  Months of being on her guard, watched and kept in the dark had made her want to cling to something that was kind for once and it seemed as though he was content to do the same.  

She didn't know how long she held onto him, it could have been seconds or minutes, but she wished it didn't end.  She didn't want to have to explain all the angry questions she knew he was had.  All she wanted make the moment last, to feel his genuine concern and presence.  She wanted to ease her heart of the sting of making him worry by letting him feel that she was real and with him again, for she knew that when it was over, she would have to explain.  And it wasn’t going to be easy explaining to him why she had disappeared, why she had lied to him for ten years.       
     
"Well, well, well.  I hate to interrupt such an obviously heartfelt reunion."

Kagome felt Inuyasha stiffen.  He took his eyes off her and glared with suspicion at something beyond.  Kagome turned, looking at the woman that had interrupted them.  Long silver hair framed an ivory face.  Her icy, blue eyes betrayed her casual stance.  The scent of excitement and malice that radiated off her told them that she was not there for a friendly conversation.   
 
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Well guys, there you have it.  I hope you enjoyed and I apologize for the grammar errors.  I've proofread, but I was also trying to get you guys this chapter as fast as I could.  I also hope the format didn't make it too hard to read.  As I said before, there's no other way to upload these.  I'm really sorry about that.  Please review! Thanks!
Jian


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