InuYasha Fan Fiction ❯ My Succubus Girlfriend ❯ Chapter Three ( Chapter 3 )

Disclaimer: I do not own Inuyasha or any characters associated with it. This story rated for a mature audience.

 

*A significant addition to Kagome's conversation with her mother. Rereading that section is highly recommended.

 

*******************

 

“You know, I wonder…” Inuyasha paused from his writing, looking up from the notebook to glance at Miroku.

 

“Huh?” he asked when his friend didn't continue.

 

“You and Kagome.”

 

“What about it?”

 

“Well, you two are going out now right?”

 

“That's right,” Inuyasha answered automatically. It had been two days since the `legendary day' where he, a formerly invisible man, managed to `get' the best looking girl in school. In an instant, he was in the high school limelight, the envy of the male students. Everyone seemed to know him. For the first time, he was actually happy with Miroku's ability to chase people away. “Why?”

 

“I was just making sure because it sure as hell doesn't seem like it.” Miroku counted off his fingers as he continued. “First, you barely talk to her. Two, you have near zero interaction with her. Three, you've made no weekend plans, four, you don't seem to worry about her rising force of groupies.”

 

“Groupies?” Inuyasha asked with a raised eyebrow.

 

“Or fan club, whatever. You know; the horde of people that follow her around?”

 

“So she has a lot of friends.”

 

“A lot of male friends. Not to mention several girls in the female group are rumored to swing the other way…” For a fleeting second, Inuyasha wondered if succubi could feed off of women. He quickly pushed away the thoughts before his brain tried forming images.

 

“I still don't know what you're getting at,” Inuyasha said as he set his pen down.

 

“What I'm getting at is the simple fact you are going to lose her to someone else. She's a hot commodity and if you don't work to keep her…” He trailed off, letting the warning of impending doom hover silently between them. Come to think of it, we really haven't done much to sell the whole relationship thing… Is it because neither of us has any experience with it or is it simply because she's not interested in it? It would make sense that she didn't have any relationship experience, especially in today's setting. She got her knowledge from me and I sure don't have anything to go off of. As for not being interested, that was the more probable answer. She was a succubus after all; by their very nature, he doubted they cared much for relationships. The only reason she had suggested it in the first place was because it would have been bothersome for her with all the guys asking her out. Hell, the only reason why she stuck around him was because of the necklace. Not that it seemed to help… he thought as he glanced over at the large group around her.

 

Standing, he looked at Miroku. “You're right.”

 

“Of course I am!” He eyed Inuyasha suspiciously. “What are you going to do?”

 

“Care for a third lunch partner?”

 

Eyes lighting up, Miroku nodded enthusiastically. “A beautiful lunch partner like that would make even the blandest food worth eating.” Turning to face the large group, Inuyasha took a deep breath, gathering his courage. Slowly, he began to walk towards them.

 

Pushing his way through the outer group, he finally caught sight of Kagome. “Hey,” he said, suddenly unable to think of anything to say.

 

“Hey,” she repeated shyly, blushing slightly as she looked down at the floor.

 

“What do you want?” a guy asked, obvious hostility in his voice.

 

Ignoring him, Inuyasha kept his attention on Kagome. “Would you like to eat with us?”

 

“Why would she possibly want that?” a girl asked snobbishly, giving Miroku a look of disgust. “Especially with him.”

 

“Why don't you go back to your own class?” Inuyasha said heatedly, glaring at the girl. She looked surprised he said something. Looking back at Kagome, he smiled. “Well? How about it?”

 

Slowly, she nodded. Standing, she looked around. “Sorry everyone, but I'm going to eat with them today.” There were several voices of protest, but they didn't follow her as she trailed behind Inuyasha. “Thank you so much,” she muttered under her breath as they walked. He nodded as he pulled out a seat for her to sit on.

 

“Here we are. Kagome, this is Miroku. Miroku, Kagome.”

 

“Pleasure,” Miroku said with a giant smile. Kagome merely nodded and smiled. Taking a deep breath, Miroku leaned towards her, eyes narrowing as he studied her. Getting close up to her face, she reddened as her eyes moved around nervously. How she was able to blush so naturally was still a mystery. “Hmm… yep,” he said nodding to himself in confirmation, moving away to a more comfortable distance. “Definitely look better up close.”

 

“T-thank you.”

 

“So tell me, what do you think of spirits?”

 

“Eh?”

 

“Come on Miroku, not now,” Inuyasha said with a groan.

 

“Spirits, you know ghosts and whatnot. What do you think?”

 

“What I think? Like if I believe in them?”

 

“Yeah!” She nodded her head. “Seriously?” She nodded again. “Well what about vampires?”

 

“Yeah…”

 

“Witches?”

 

“I'm sure—”

 

“How about ghouls?”

 

“Not really—”

 

“Demons?” Inuyasha detected a noticeable pause before she answered.

 

“Yes.”

 

“Oooh, what about werewolves?”

 

“No.” That answer surprised him. He could only assume she was answering the questions based on first-hand knowledge. With things like witches, vampires and demons running around, Inuyasha was sure werewolves would exist.

 

Miroku nodded sagely, crossing his arms. “You pass.”

 

Kagome smiled nervously. “I'm glad…”

 

Turning to Inuyasha, he laid his hands on his shoulders. “Never, ever let a wonderful woman like her get away, understand?”

 

“Y-yeah…” Inuyasha answered nervously.

 

“If you ever get fed up with this guy, you just let me know.”

 

She nodded. “You'll be the first to know.” Inuyasha shifted nervously, eyeing Kagome's smile restlessly. She looks too serious. The thought of her feeding off his best friend made him queasy.

 

“So you into supernatural stuff?” he heard Miroku say, bringing his attention back to the conversation.

 

Kagome nodded. “Yeah, I guess you could say that.”

 

“Oh then you'll love this…” Miroku said, reaching for his bag. Inuyasha groaned, knowing what he was going for.

 

“You're not seriously going to get that out are you?” Kagome looked at him in confusion. “I mean, why do you even carry that damn thing around? It weighs a ton and you can't even read it.”

 

“It's still bad ass!” Miroku said, pulling the thick black tome from his bag. Inuyasha noticed Kagome's eyes flash with recognition as Miroku set it on the desk between them. “This is my baby,” he said, running a loving hand over the cover. “Check it out,” he said, opening it. Leaning forward, Kagome's eyes darted from side to side as she examined the text.

 

“This looks old.”

 

“You better believe it! This thing has to be centuries old at the least! The fact that it's in such good shape is a miracle in itself.” He chuckled. “The fact that I paid as little as I did was another.” Turning through several pages, Miroku was careful not to damage the delicate pages. “I don't know what all this stuff says, but I'm pretty sure it's like a monster guide. All the stuff that people say don't exist, the people who made this book went out and found them.”

 

“T-this is amazing…” Kagome said, her voice low in awe.

 

“Yeah, I've been working to translate some of it. You know; just bits and pieces. It's hard and slow since it's written in Latin, but I've made some progress.” Flipping to the front, he pointed at the small paragraph in the center of the page. “This more or less says it's a reference manual for some group named `Gathering of the Heavenly Cross.'”

 

“Order of the Silver Cross,” she corrected, eyes widening as she leaned closer to the paragraph. Is she actually reading it? Inuyasha wondered, watching as her eyes darted back and forth. I guess it makes sense that she can. It was a lot more common back then than it is now.

 

Miroku's eyes widened, looking from the paragraph to her. “You can read this?”

 

She blinked, suddenly realizing that she was breaking cover. Smiling, she blushed. “A-a little. I use to study Latin back in Italy.” She licked her lips, shifting in place. “Where did you get this?”

 

“Oh, some little shop tucked away downtown. It has a ton of awesome stuff there. It's where you got your necklace too right?” he asked, looking at Inuyasha.

 

“Yeah,” Inuyasha responded, resisting the urge to touch the dull crystal that rested against his chest. There was something special about the book; he could tell that by the way Kagome was looking at it. It was as if she was surprised to be looking at it. It looked as though she was about to ask more when the bell rang, ending lunch.

 

“Always at the best part,” Miroku said, carefully closing the book. “I'll have to show you more later. Between the two of us, we might be able to translate more of it.”

 

“I look forward to it,” Kagome said, smiling as she stood. Turning to Inuyasha, she bowed slightly. “Thank you for inviting me.”

 

“A-ah, no problem.”

 

“Miroku, it was great finally meeting you,” she said, bowing to him as well.

 

“Likewise,” he said, bowing in return. Giving Inuyasha one last glance, she turned away and headed back to her desk.

 

“I so want her.” Inuyasha blinked in surprise, looking at Miroku. “I know you have dibs, but god damn! You have no idea how lucky you are.” Inuyasha almost laughed. Yeah. Lucky me…

 

*******************

 

Gasping for breath, Inuyasha slowed to a stop before jogging the several steps off the track. He shook his head in disgust as he clenched his fists. Something wasn't right. He felt like he was running twice the distance he was used to going with three times the effort. Out of the corner of his eye, he saw Susan walking towards him.

 

“Is something wrong?” she asked, offering him a towel. “Your times this week are slower than normal.” Glancing down at her clipboard, she continued. “It's not enough to get too concerned, but I was expecting to see a little more consistency with last week's numbers.”

 

“Sorry,” he gasped, shaking his head. “I don't know what's wrong with me.”

 

She looked at him suspiciously before smiling, holding the clipboard against her chest. “So I've heard you've got a girlfriend.” He was shocked, face reddening. “What, you think I wouldn't keep tabs on what my best runner was up to?” No, not really.

 

“We started going out a couple days ago.”

 

“That's great to hear! I'm happy for you.”

 

“T-thanks.”

 

She nodded. “So I guess I'll let you off the hook this week, but next week,” she pointed her finger menacingly at his chest. “I'm going to crack down and we're going to get some work done. So enjoy yourself now and let your girlfriend know that starting next week—”

 

“I'm going to be busy practicing, I will.” She smiled.

 

“Good.” She took a deep breath. “Ah, that also reminds me, we won't be having practice on Friday.”

 

“Huh? Why not?”

 

“My husband and I are going back to the States for the weekend. His sister's finally getting married.”

 

“I see.”

 

“Hey now, don't look so down! It's only one practice. Besides, you can use that day to go out with your girlfriend.”

 

“R-right.”

 

Glancing down at her watch, she nodded to herself. “Well, looks like our time is up today. Try not to tire yourself out too much before tomorrow.”

 

Nodding, he placed the towel around his neck. “Tomorrow then.”

 

“Tomorrow.” Turning, she headed towards the other members. Taking a deep breath, Inuyasha headed towards the school building. At the fence, he was surprised to find Kagome waiting for him.

 

“I thought you went home,” he said as he passed her. She wasted no time falling in step beside him.

 

“We need to talk.”

 

“Okay…” Inuyasha had a haunting feeling he already knew what the subject was. She had been acting funny ever since she saw Miroku's book.

 

“That book your friend has.”

 

“I figured it would be about that.”

 

“Where did he get it?”

 

Sighing, he glanced over at her. “From that shop. What, you think he lied to you or something?”

 

She shook her head. “You don't understand. That isn't the kind of book you find lying around in some ancient bookstore! That's an Order of the Silver Cross reference book! They aren't the sort of things they leave lying around.”

 

“I've never heard of them.”

 

“It's a secret organization within the Church created by Pope Clement IV. Its purpose was to combat the growing population of werewolves in Western Europe. They answer to no one but a select few and the Pope.”

 

“So werewolves exist?” Inuyasha asked, eyes widening. Kagome shook her head sadly.

 

“Last I heard there were only a dozen or so left. They more than likely went extinct while I was sealed.”

 

“Wow, so this Order of the Silver Cross is pretty tough?”

 

“You have no idea. If you weren't human, you didn't want to meet one of these people.”

 

Inuyasha frowned. “I thought you said they were formed to hunt werewolves.”

 

“Yes, but after a decade, they were more or less wiped out. There was hope that they would be disbanded…”

 

“But they weren't,” he finished for her. She shook her head.

 

“No. They became `protectors' of sorts. If you weren't human, you were a fair target.” She thought for a moment. “Or if you didn't believe in the Church. Or even if they didn't like you.”

 

“Sounds terrible.”

 

“It's infinitely worse than that, but you get the point. No one messed with them.” She took a deep breath. “There were a lot more of us back then…”

 

“Huh?”

 

“Demons I mean. Creatures that weren't human. Given the explosion of human population, I was expecting to see at least some nonhumans in disguise moving around.”

 

“You haven't seen any?” She shook her head.

 

“I've seen some, but not nearly as many as there should be.”

 

“Maybe they don't like it here.” Kagome bit her lip, concern in her face.

 

“Seven hundred years is a long time.”

 

“So what's the problem with the book?”

 

“I'm worried about how your friend acquired it.”

 

“Like we said, at the store—”

 

“I know, but how did they get it?” Inuyasha shrugged.

 

“You would have to ask her yourself.” He found himself in front of the men's locker room. Pressing the door open, he started to back into it only to realize Kagome had the intention to follow him. Stopping, he held out his hand, shaking his head. “This is the guy's locker room.”

 

“So? There's no one else in there.” Frowning, Inuyasha glanced over his shoulder quickly.

 

“How do you know?”

 

“Because I can't sense anyone inside,” she said in annoyance.

 

“Well I'm in here. Besides, someone might come in later.”

 

“Why are you so resistant to me coming in?”

 

“Why are you pushing so much to follow me inside?” he countered.

 

“I still have things to say.”

 

“Well wait until after I'm finished changing.” She puffed out her cheeks in annoyance.

 

“It's not like I haven't seen anything—”

 

“I'll only be a second!” he interrupted, quickly sliding inside and closing the door behind him. Rolling his eyes, he moved towards the locker. No shame at all…

 

*******************

 

Standing in front of the ATM, Inuyasha gave a silent prayer as he inserted his card. Typing in his password, his fear was soon realized by the dismally small number displayed on the small screen. “Shit,” he muttered, feeling the remainder of his strength leave him. I can't keep borrowing from Miroku and I still have two weeks until I get paid again. He wasn't sure he would be able to handle a job on top of school, but at this rate, he was going to have to. I'm sure as hell not asking him.

 

“Hey, are you listening to me?” Kagome asked from the side. She had been talking nonstop since they left school, but he had more or less stopped listening. He was taking her to where he had gotten the necklace, yet she still continued to try to pry every and all information from him. There were more important things for him to worry about than an ancient book made by a secret organization that lived more than seven centuries ago.

 

“Not now,” he groaned, waving her off.

 

“Not now? Inuyasha, this is important!”

 

“Don't tell me what's important!” he snapped, glaring at her. “You have no idea what's important! I am almost completely out of money! I still need food, rent—” He sighed, pressing his hand against his forehead. “Ever since you got here…”

 

“Oh, so you're saying I'm the reason you're broke?” she asked angrily, placing her hands on her hips.

 

“Well you sure as hell aren't helping! Ever since you've come into my life—” Stopping, he simply shook his head.

 

“What?” she asked, looking at him to continue. When he didn't continue right away, she placed her hands on her hips. “Come on, what is it?”

 

“I've been more than accommodating to you and your—special—needs over the past several days. Shouldn't I get something out of this too? Relationships have to go both ways to work”

 

“Oh? Like what?” she asked with a raised eyebrow, crossing her arms. He didn't say anything right away. He knew he should be getting something from all this, but didn't know what.

 

“I don't know,” he finally answered, his voice softer. “I just know it should be something.”

 

She was silent for several seconds as she thought, staring at him. “Okay, you said you needed money right?”

 

“Money would be helpful, yes.” He shifted in place, curious as to what she had planned.

 

“Easy enough to fix,” she said, moving closer to him.

 

“What are you doing?” he asked as she gently placed a hand on the ATM. With a flare of red appearing in her eyes, the machine instantly began spitting out bills. “Wait! What are you doing?” he cried in horror as he looked around in a panic as he slammed his hands against the bill dispenser as it spat bill after bill at him.

 

“You wanted money didn't you?” she asked, tilting her head.

 

“Idiot! We're on camera!” he said in a panic as he glanced at the black ball hovering overtop them.

 

“That's not a problem either,” she said waving her hand at the camera. “There, I erased it,” she chimed happily. Inuyasha looked at her in horror as the machine finally stopped shooting bills at him. Glancing down, he stared at the huge wad of bills beneath his hand before quickly looking away. Oh God, I'm screwed. If an officer walks by now…

 

“We can't take this! This isn't our money!”

 

“It is now. Hurry up and take it already. The faster you stop complaining about money, the faster we can focus on the real problem.”

 

“God damn it! Do you not understand the situation?” he shouted, standing up. Several bills tumbled from his grip and fluttered to the ground. “Put them back! Put them back now!”

 

“But you needed—”

 

“Now!” She glared at him. For several seconds, there was a tense atmosphere as they locked eyes.

 

“Fine,” she said in a firm voice, not taking her eyes from his. With a wave of her hands, the bills vanished. I can't get use to that… “There. Happy now?”

 

“Not really.”

 

“First you need money, then I give you money, then you complain once you get it. Just make up your mind already!”

 

“I will not accept stolen money. You need to learn that you can't go around using magic to get what you want.”

 

“Why not?”

 

“Why not—?” He looked flustered. “Because it's wrong!”

 

She frowned. “I don't see anything wrong with it.”

 

He sighed, shaking his head. Quickly exiting the ATM, he grabbed his card and shoved it back into his wallet. “Forget it, let's go.” They walked in silence for several minutes before she broke the silence.

 

“Are you mad?”

 

“Honestly? A little.”

 

“Sorry, I didn't know you would get so worked up over something little like that.”

 

“Little? Little? That wasn't little Kagome!” He took a deep breath, calming himself before continuing in an even voice. “You can't rely on magic. I know it's easier to do things that way… but you have to understand that using it has effects on the people around you. Taking money from the machine seems harmless enough, but just think of all the people at the bank and what they would have to do when the money turns up missing. Or the fact that the money is probably insured by the government so it is really costing the people of this country money.”

 

“Sorry,” she said looking away. He felt something tug on his heart as he watched her pout. Damn it, I can never stay mad at her.

 

“J-just don't do it again, okay?” She was silent for a moment before nodding. He felt his shoulders relax. “Good.”

 

“So if we can't get money that way, how are we supposed to get it?”

 

“Well…” He scratched his chin. “By working I guess.”

 

“I can do that!” she said excitedly. Inuyasha immediately felt uncomfortable with the idea of her working. In fact, the idea of her leaving his sight for any length of time caused his stomach to coil in fright. Who knows how much trouble she would get into by herself?

 

“No way.”

 

“What? Why not? Didn't you just say I needed to do more?”

 

“Well yeah but—”

 

“You don't trust me,” she quickly finished.

 

“I never said that.”

 

“No, you didn't need to,” she said, looking away angrily. Inuyasha worked his mouth in silence before finally closing it. Taking a deep breath, he found his voice.

 

“I just don't think—”

 

“I've been on my own before Inuyasha. I don't need you to hold my hand.”

 

“Yeah but things are different now!” It was true, but that wasn't the real reason he didn't want her working. He felt that without him keeping an eye on her and keeping her close, she would slip away. Their only connection was the necklace. She didn't need him, any guy would do just fine and many of them would be more than glad to do it.

 

Without warning, she kissed him, forcing her lips against his. For a second, he stood there stunned as her tongue brushed against his lips. As his mind caught up to the situation, he quickly pushed her away. “Wha—”

 

Staring at him, she licked her lips. “So that's what you're worried about.” Blinking, he let that sink in.

 

“Ah! You read my mind!” he shouted, enraged at not only being taken advantage of, but the invasion of his most personal privacy.

 

“I'm not going to do that,” she said, ignoring his outburst. “I told you before, I won't feed off anyone else so long as I have you.”

 

Inuyasha sighed, “I wish I could believe that.” She looked angry, almost offended.

“So you don't trust your own girlfriend?” Surprised, he gaped at her. “What? You asked me.”

 

“Y-yeah, but you never said anything so I—I just thought it was in name only.”

 

“Yes, at first I was planning it to be that way.” She smiled. “But you really want me to be one.”

 

Inuyasha felt hope and happiness surge through him as he froze in place, causing her to walk several steps in front of him. Turning around, she watched him curiously. I—I can't believe it! All his problems seemed insignificant now. She is actually my girlfriend! He smiled, staring at her.

 

“What?” she asked, nervousness creeping into her voice. “Geez, you don't have to stare like that.”

 

“Sorry, I just—I wasn't expecting something like this.”

 

“Happy?” she asked with a smile. He returned it.

 

“Very.”

 

“Well that's good. Come on, let's keep walking.” He nodded, quickly moving to her side. As they walked, he wondered if he should hold her hand. No… it's still a little awkward right now…

 

“So…”

 

“Hmm?”

 

He licked his lips nervously. “We are really dating… right?”

 

“Un,” she said with a nod. “Why? What's up?”

 

He quickly shook his head, “No, it's nothing.” She eyed him suspiciously, but didn't say anything. Grabbing his arm, she pulled herself closer to him. He felt his heart flutter at the feel of her body against his. Everything bad that had happened seemed like a million years ago. Yet he felt slightly guilty about his current situation. What he hadn't been brave enough to form into words was the question that was burning within him. When will we go the next step? He had promised her that he wouldn't have sex with her, but that hadn't stopped him from thinking about it. It was impossible with such a beautiful woman at arm's length. Now that we are dating… Of course, he wouldn't push it right away. This was his first relationship and he wanted as normal of one as he could get. Sex was nothing to her, but to him… Now that I have someone to care about, I want the first time to be special.

 

He was content. For now.

 

*******************

 

“So this is it?” Kagome asked, looking at the shop curiously. Inuyasha nodded.

 

“Yeah, Miroku found this place by sheer accident.” Kagome eyed it suspiciously, her eyes naturally adapting to `see' the protective barriers around it. It was no accident. Whoever sold the book wanted him to find it. Glancing over at Inuyasha, she smiled.

 

“Can you do me a favor?”

 

“Hmm?” he asked happily.

 

“Stay outside.” She immediately saw worry spread across his face. She smiled, trying to comfort him. “Don't worry, I'm not in any danger. Trust me, okay?” It took him a second, but he finally nodded, smiling.

 

“Okay, I'll wait here then.”

 

“Thank you,” she said, releasing his arm. “I'll be right back, okay?” He nodded. Walking towards the entrance, she took a deep breath, crossing the protective barrier. Her skin tingled as she passed through the energy field. This is quite powerful. It made her wonder if she could even break through it had she been an unwanted visitor.

 

Finally passed the field, she opened the door and slowly stepped inside. A warm, familiar scent welcomed her as the door closed behind her. Looking around, she was surprised to find several powerful artifacts lying around. It reminded her of life before she was sealed.

 

“Welcome,” a familiar voice said as a woman entered the room. For a second, Kagome was shocked before her blood boiled as she locked eyes with the older woman. She was older looking than she remembered, but there was no mistaking her for someone else. “K-Kagome?! Oh my! Kagome! That really is you!” she said, moving quickly towards her.

 

Kagome smiled coldly, not moving. “I'm surprised you recognize me.”

 

“What kind of mother doesn't recognize her own daughter?” she said as she wrapped her arms around her. She's so much taller than me now, among other things… It pissed her off.

 

“I don't know, the same mother who seals their daughter for seven centuries?” she replied, not returning the hug. Backing away, her mother looked disappointed.

 

“I did it for your own good.”

 

“My own good?! Do you know how painful it was?! No, of course you don't!”

 

“Kagome I—”

 

“Seven hundred years mother! You can't even begin to fathom what that felt like!” Her mothers' face hardened.

 

“I only meant for it to be a year—two at most.”

 

“That doesn't make it any better!”

 

“You needed to be punished for your actions! As your mother, it is my responsibility!”

 

“Punished? How could I ever warrant such an extreme punishment?”

 

“You betrayed your Sisters. You betrayed me.”

 

“Because I stopped having sex?” she asked with a look of disgust. “It was a personal decision made by me. I didn't need your permission or theirs. I still don't. I acted in self defense.”

 

“If you wanted to protest against what I did—”

 

“What part should I protest mother, he part where you slept with the man I loved or the part where you killed him?”

 

“I didn't know he was so physically weak,” she said softly. “I had no idea he didn't have the strength to survive the feeding process.” She looked down at her daughter, collecting herself. “But what you did was inexcusable as well. Throwing a tantrum because one human died? Three Sisters died because of your actions! You had to be punished!”

 

“You had no reason to sleep with him, not with so many others in the village! He was special to me!” she cried, stepping towards her mother. “But then, how could someone like you know how that feels? You could care less about men.” Her mother glared at her.

 

“I've outlived six husbands Kagome before I could take the pain of losing them no longer. I watched, year after year as they grew older, walking their life path while I stood frozen in mine. You know nothing of what it feels like returning home from the bed of another man, seeing the pained look of the man you love, cursing his own weakness as his strength slips from his body.” She paused. “In a way, I saved you from that.”

 

“I never asked to be saved.”

 

Taking a deep breath, her mother closed her eyes. After a second, she opened them again. “Kagome please, I beg of you, I don't want to fight.”

 

“Oh no! You think I'm going to let this go after what you did to me? Nothing you say to me—”

 

“Kagome, we're dying out.” Mouth open, Kagome consciously had to close it. She eyed her mother suspiciously.

 

“What do you mean?”

 

Her mother smiled weakly, “A lot of things happened in seven hundred years.” Slowly, she pulled up her shirt. Gasping, Kagome held her hand to her mouth as he looked at her mother's exposed skin in horror. A black mark was tattooed into her skin. Exiting from her navel, it spiraled around several times. Pressed in the background looked to be a weird cross-like seal.

 

“Mother,” Kagome whispered softly, gently pressing her hand against the warm flesh. “What happened to you?”

 

“I think you know who did this,” she said with a sad smile.

 

“The Silver Cross,” Kagome said gently, anger instantly dissipating. Her mother nodded.

 

“I'm not the only one either. All succubi still living have this seal.”

 

“Why?” she asked, eyes burning as tears threatened to escape.

 

“It was about nine months after you were sealed. The leader of the Silver Cross died. With the election of a new leader, there was a radical policy shift. Demons and other nonhuman creatures were being captured in mass.” She shook her head. “Our Sisters especially. They were torturing them. Cutting them open, studying them in hopes of figuring out why we never aged. Our Sisters were being raped; I couldn't stand by and do nothing. Gathering what forces I could, I tried my best to fight them.” She smiled sadly. “We failed. Driven out by their forces, we were chased to Asia and finally to Japan. We would have made our last stand here, but I couldn't stand the idea of losing any more of our Sisters, so we surrendered.”

 

“And they did this to you?!”

 

“No, this came later,” she said, letting her shirt fall back to cover the seal. “First, they used us as weapons. Seducing the Church's enemies and later killing them. As our numbers began to grow, they began using us as expensive prostitutes or as rewards to large contributors. One of the younger girls decided she didn't want to live her life that way and killed someone important. After that, they put the seals on us. Our ability to feed is severely limited and we must do it more often. Fifty percent capacity is the most energy we can get. It doesn't matter if we feed on a single man or a dozen. It's torture pure and simple, being able to eat but never enough to sate the hunger. The seal also limits how much we can take from a single source.” She paused, anger in her face. “That way it's impossible for us to kill them.”

 

Kagome looked at her mother in dismay. “Your magic—”

 

“Severely hampered,” her mother said with a smile. “But that's not the worst of it.” Her smile turned sad as she rested her hands on her stomach. “We can no longer bear children.” Taking Kagome's hands, she closed them in hers. “Which is why you are so special to us.”

 

“I don't have a seal…” Kagome whispered.

 

“Right, I kept you sealed away as hope for the future.” Reaching down, she ran her hand over Kagome's cheek. “This is truly a wonderful time we live in. The human population has flourished. There is an unprecedented amount of sexual openness. There are men who don't ask for names and only want a night of passion. Just as humans have invented fast food, we too are able to find willing subjects like never before.”

 

“Mother—” Kagome started, discomfort in her voice.

 

“Please Kagome.”

 

“I—” She paused. Do I really want to tell her about Inuyasha? He was a nice boy, she knew that from not only his actions, but thoughts as well. He was also in love with her, though she suspected it was more because of how she looked than who she was. She looked at things differently than most succubi. If she was going to feed from him, she would do her best to give him a proper relationship, he deserved that much. That didn't mean she was going to have an easy time with it. Instinct made it difficult to resist the temptation around her.

 

Seeing her hesitation, her mother quickly continued, “What of that boy?”

 

“Boy?”

 

“Yes, the boy who unsealed you. He has a great store of energy, does he not? I've always been good with finding tasty ones.” She looked at her hopefully. “Have you slept with him yet?”

 

“Mother!” she exclaimed. Her annoyance wasn't from her mother prying into her sex life. It wasn't a taboo a subject as it would have been to Inuyasha who would dread talking about it to a parent. To her, talking sex with her mother was as casual as discussing different meal choices at a restaurant. No, she was annoyed her mother was still trying to push her despite everything that had happened centuries ago. It may have been centuries ago for her, but it still seems like it was only weeks ago for me. At the very least, it would take time.

 

Shoulders sagging in defeat, her mother nodded, “I guess I should have known better than to give my hopes up. He hasn't figured out how to take the necklace off yet has he?” Kagome shook her head. “Good, that's good to hear.” She smiled. “There is still time then. But remember, time is something we do not have a lot of.”

 

“What is the necklace for? I know what it's used for, but this one is… different. I've never seen one like it before.”

 

“It's been modified by both me and several other sources. With any luck, it will allow us to free ourselves from this curse. The boy that wears it now is not only important to you, but to all Sisters. I'm afraid it is only a matter of time before the Silver Cross finds out about this and begins its hunt.”

 

“They are still around?” She was hoping they had died out sometime in the centuries-long skip she had made.

 

“Yes, they are much smaller than they were, but are stronger than ever. We weren't the only ones they captured and studied. They forced different types of demons to breed with human women. The worst of these are a breed of humans that are able to see glimpses of the future.”

 

Kagome felt her blood chill. Succubi were one of the few demons who were pleasant to the human eye, hell, pleasant to any eye. No demon with the ability to see into the future was one of them. It showed once more that humans could become worse monsters than the ones they feared.

 

“He has a name you know,” she said, faintly annoyed by her mother constantly referring to him as `the boy.' Though it showed how much her tastes had matured. Back before she had been sealed, her mother would have been more than happy to have him, and undoubtedly would have before giving him the necklace. It makes sense considering she made herself look older. A succubus was considered an `adult' upon reaching twenty-three. From there, the only way to `age' was to use a great amount of magic to artificially alter your appearance. Of course, it could go both ways. “It's Inuyasha.”

 

Her mother stared at her, as if studying her. “Is it something I'm going to have to remember?”

 

“Considering what he is carrying, I would think so.”

 

Her mother perked up. “Are you saying—?”

 

“I don't have much choice considering he already put the necklace on.” She hesitated, debating whether to continue or not. “And I don't think he is bright enough to figure out how to take it off,” she continued reluctantly. She instantly regretted it. It's not that he isn't bright… more like blinded. In his mind, the only thing keeping them together was the necklace. While it was true at the beginning, Kagome now had no reason to leave. He was far more caring than most men in the past and his awkwardness never ceased to entertain her. Thinking about him gave her the urge to smile. Not to mention he tastes good.

 

Her mother squealed joyfully, the late-thirty charade cracking slightly to reveal the true youth of the woman underneath. “I'll have to send word to the others. There are still many in Japan, but most have migrated to other countries now.”

 

Kagome groaned, knowing what was inevitable when her mother gathered all the Sisters together. “Do you really have to?”

 

Her mothers' expression turned serious. “This won't be solely for celebration or fun. We will need all our power if we are to protect the bo—Inuyasha,” she corrected quickly. “You know how effective the Silver Order was back then. They are worse now.”

 

Kagome felt her throat tighten at her mother's solemn tone. Shaking her head, her mother wrapped an arm around her, squeezing softly as she broke the heavy atmosphere she had created. “But enough of this depressing talk, we have time for that later! We have a lot to catch up on,” she said, leading her towards the back room. She glanced down at Kagome's breasts, a sly smile forming on her face. “You're smaller than me now.”

 

Growling, Kagome clenched her fists together. I really hoped she wouldn't catch that…

 

*******************

 

Inuyasha was getting worried. It felt like it had been days since she went inside. Hours had passed, the sun disappearing from the sky long ago. Pacing, he fought an internal war with himself. Part of him wanted to go in and yell at her for making him wait. The other part wanted to rush inside and make sure she was safe. Yet despite his urge to barrel in through the front door, he stayed outside, casting apprehensive glances towards the building.

 

Thirty more minutes passed, his patience finally reaching the end. I have to go in there— Just as he was about to head towards the door, it opened, Kagome appearing at the top of the stairs and quickly moving down them towards him.

 

“You okay?” he asked, rushing over to her. She looked surprised at his concern.

 

“Of course.” He let out a sigh of relief, exhaustion setting in.

 

“Thank God.”

 

“Sorry I took so long. There was a lot to catch up on,” she said, looking over her shoulder to look at the woman in the doorway. Inuyasha looked from Kagome to the woman. Waving, Kagome grabbed Inuyasha's arm, pulling him along.

 

“So, who was that?” he asked, looking back over his shoulder again in confusion.

 

Kagome smiled, “My mother.”

 

“Mother!” he squealed, quickly looking between Kagome and the woman as the distance grew. His previous thoughts felt all the dirtier now. I had fantasies about my girlfriends' mother… A shiver of disgust ran down his back. Kagome pulled him closer, her voice a whisper.

 

“Inuyasha?”

 

“Hmm?” he asked, looking down at her. An innocent smile touched her lips.

 

“If you value living, don't even think about it. Remember where I eat.” Throat tightening, he set his eyes forward, nodding profusely.

 

*******************

 

Several days in Japan was already enough to make her miss home, or at least, the closet thing she could call home. The streets here were packed with people. It wasn't that she couldn't handle crowds. Cities in Italy weren't exactly spacious, but nothing could be compared with here. As much as she wanted, going home wasn't an option. Not until her task was finished.

 

The club was packed, surprising for a Thursday night. She could feel the music resonate in her chest as the bass crashed against her in a steady beat. The place was sweltering as people jammed themselves together, not seeming to care that their every movement crushed themselves against another. It reeked of sweat, alcohol and sex. Sango's network of operatives had eventually led her here, to this illegal club tucked away in the center of Nagoya. It was the perfect place for what she was looking for.

 

With a sway to her step, Sango made her way through the crowd towards the bar. Her jeans hugged her body, low enough to show the top of her black g-string. One of the spaghetti straps of her coal black halter top hung off her shoulder as she leaned against the bar. Ordering something, she turned towards the crowd, pretending to sway with the rhythm of the music. Her real goal was to examine the others at the bar. Catching her target at the far end of the bar, she allowed a faint smile.

 

The bartender returned with her drink. Paying him, she pressed her red lips against the glass, allowing some of the strong liquid to enter her mouth. Alcohol was forbidden to her except when the mission called for it. While the mission didn't expressly call for its consumption, she allowed herself the small temptation. It will make the remainder of tonight tolerable.

 

Over the course of several drinks, more than one man attempted to pick her up. She quickly shot each one down, disgusted with their promiscuous behavior yet a little jealous of her disguised character. Gone was her black hair. Cut wildly just above her shoulder, it was a blonde-purple blend. Her eyes were a deep blue. It was impossible to match her regular image with what she wore now.

 

Properly buzzed, Sango stood from her leaning spot at the bar. Time to get this over with. Purpose in her step, she weaved through the people crowding the bar towards her target. She was a beautiful woman who looked to be in her late twenties. She was watching the crowd, her lower body moving with the beat as she leaned against the bar. Her outfit revealed a great amount of skin.

 

“Hello there,” Sango shouted over the music, stepping in close to the woman. She looked surprised at the sudden interruption, but quickly recovered.

 

“Hello yourself,” she answered, her eyes quickly running over Sango.

 

Smiling, Sango stood uncomfortably close to the woman. “The names Sarah.”

 

“Izumi,” the woman responded. “You new around here?”

 

Sango nodded. “Yeah, I'm only here for a couple days.”

 

Izumi smiled. “I hope you're enjoying Japan.”

 

Sango ran her eyes over the woman, making her thoughts obvious. “So far I am.” Izumi held her smile in place as Sango leaned forward. “I've heard some things about you…” she whispered, or as close as she could get to one and still be heard.

 

“Is that so?”

 

Pressing her lips against Izumi's, Sango ran her tongue against her partners' lips as she rested her hand against her side. Breaking the kiss, she locked eyes with her. “Interested?”

 

Izumi ran her tongue across her lips before responding. “I charge double for women.”

 

“Money's not a problem.” Smiling, Izumi nodded.

 

“Then follow me.”

 

Grabbing the offered hand, Sango was led through the crowd towards the back of the building. Two burly men in suits stood guarding a black door. They moved aside upon Izumi's approach, opening the door for the two. Once behind the door, the music instantly faded into a dull thump. Leading her down a narrow hall, Sango glanced at the black doors as they passed. Behind each one, countless things could have been happening, whether it was drug deals or sexual debauchery, the only limit was how much money one was willing to spend.

 

“In here,” Izumi said, guiding her into an open room. Inside was surprisingly plain. A bed was at the far end. A table to her right was covered in toys of all types, bondage equipment waiting below. Sango had to force herself from gagging.

 

Moving towards the bed, Izumi began to unbuckle her belt. “If there are any special requests…”

 

“Answering my questions would be a wonderful start,” Sango said as she leveled her gun at the woman's head. Turning around, Izumi blinked in surprise.

 

“Where—”

 

“Illusion spell,” Sango said with a smirk, the holster at her side becoming visible. “You think you were the only ones with magic?”

 

Izumi looked at her in horror. “Y-you're with the Order!”

 

“You know who I am, great. That will make things a little easier.”

 

“I-I haven't done anything wrong!” the woman gasped, tears forming in her eyes. Sango looked around the room, her eyes resting on the bondage equipment.

 

“Can't say I agree with that.” Glaring at her, Izumi didn't say anything more. Father Onigumo was right, I am the perfect choice for this mission. She could see the fear in Izumi's eyes. Unlike men, Sango was completely immune to her charm magic. Had I been a male, I would be dead right now. “Are you going to cooperate with me, or am I going to have to do this the difficult way.”

 

The succubus' shoulders sagged in defeat as she nodded. “Please, I don't want any trouble. I have a son—”

 

Sango laughed. “Such an obvious lie might work on others—”

 

Izumi glared at her, puffing up. “Just because I am unable to bear one myself does not mean I cannot be a mother! I took that poor child in off the streets—”

 

“So that you may have food close by? Nice try demon, but efforts to gain my sympathy are a futile exercise.”

 

“I would never—! I love my son!”

 

“Ha! Like your kind can feel love.”

 

Izumi shook her head sadly. “I see the Silver Cross ways has not changed since the past. They still corrupt their own youth to—”

 

“Silence!” Sango said, finger tightening on the trigger. Instantly, the woman was silent, eyes widening slightly. “Where is the Shikon Jewel?”

 

“Why don't you ask your masters? They are the ones who have it.”

 

“Don't lie to me!” Sango shouted, stepping closer. “I know you demons brought it here to Japan. Where are you hiding it?”

 

“Even if I told you, you won't be able to use it.” She paused. “Or your master.”

 

“Is that your final answer?”

 

Izumi stared at her, eyes moving towards the gun. After several tense seconds, she looked back at Sango. “Will you let me go?”

 

“Depends on your answer.”

 

Taking a deep breath, Izumi looked towards the floor. “Tokyo, it's in Tokyo.”

 

“That's a start, but Tokyo is a big place.” Perfect for hiding something.

 

“I don't know the exact place, but Mother Clara would know. She holds several of our artifacts that managed to survive.”

 

Sango was shocked. “She's still alive?” Silver Cross agents reportedly killed her centuries ago. If she is still alive… no wonder the succubi are so restless. I will have to report this to Father Onigumo immediately!

 

“Despite your best efforts to do otherwise, yes,” Izumi said with a prideful smile. Such a small victory… God will punish her for her crimes sooner or later.

 

“Where can I find her?”

 

“I don't know,” Izumi said. Her eyes widened at Sango's glare. “Honestly, I don't! I haven't spoken to another succubus in nearly six years!”

 

Sango lowered the gun, causing the woman to sag in relief. “I believe you.”

 

“Thank you,” Izumi whispered weakly, collapsing to her knees. Tears ran down her face as she bowed her head. “Thank you so much.”

 

“I never said I'd let you live.” Terror-filled eyes met Sango's as she pulled the trigger. Silence filled the room as Sango stood frozen, gun locked in her grip. The small ping of the empty shell casing hitting the floor rang in her ears louder than the gunshot had. Below her, the woman who was known as Izumi looked blankly at the ceiling, a red dot between her eyes. A pool of blood began to form under her long black hair. Stepping closer to her, Sango towered over the fallen demon. “Be glad your death was quick, it was better than my parents got.”

 

Turning, she fished the cell phone from her tight pants. There was only one number programmed. Pressing the speed dial, she held it to her ear, waiting for it to connect. On the second ring, she heard a click as the connection was made. “I need a clean-up at my location,” she said. There was no response, nor did she wait for one. Closing the phone, she holstered her pistol and opened the door. Looking quickly in both directions, she closed the door behind her and began walking farther down the hallway. Opening the phone again, she quickly punched in the number she knew by heart. Someone answered by the first ring.

 

“Yes?” the comforting voice answered.

 

“Father Onigumo,” she whispered, her heart quivering.

 

“My Child, do you have favorable results to report?”

 

“Yes Father. The Shikon Jewel is in Tokyo.”

 

“Most excellent! I will have travel arrangements sent to your hotel.” His praise sent shivers down her back, causing her chest to puff out in pride.

 

“I also have something else to report.”

 

“Oh?”

 

“Mother Clara is still alive.” Silence answered her.

 

“Are you sure?”

 

“Yes Father. The demon made that quite clear.”

 

“This is most disturbing news.” Sango slowed her pace as the silence grew.

 

“Father?”

 

“I am sorry Child, I was lost in my thoughts. And what of this demon?”

 

“Eliminated Father.”

 

“As expected, you're work is a beacon of hope in these dark times we live in. I will make sure that our Brothers and Sisters know of your work so that they may aspire to your greatness.”

 

“You say too much—” She could feel her face flush.

 

“No, what you have done today… I am sure even His Holiness will hear of this.” Sango felt her throat tighten at the thought of her name being mentioned to the pope. “Now I must go, there is much for me to do.”

 

“Of course Father.”

 

“May He light your path.”

 

“You as well Father.” The line went dead. Closing the phone, she pushed it into her pocket, picking up the pace. Reaching the fire escape, she pushed it open and stepped outside into an alley. No alarm went off nor were their guards outside. It was there for quiet escapes.

 

Looking both ways she made sure she was alone as she moved deeper into the alley. She quickly found her book bag. Once she was sure no one would see her, she rolled up her top to reveal the mark on her stomach. Pressing her hand against the black ink, she closed her eyes in concentration. Unraveling itself from its ornate design, the ink began to bubble, dissipating itself. Crying out, she collapsed against the brick wall as pain ran through her. Her head felt like it was splitting apart as her eyes and hair shifted back to its natural colors. She could feel her hair grow longer. The sickening sound of snapping bones could be heard as she returned to her original height. The fabric of her top tightened painfully as her bust increased.

 

Transformation complete, she collapsed to the ground, gasping for breath as hot tears fell from her face. The pain faded, allowing her to catch her breath. Quietly, she stood, pulling the bag up with her. Opening it, she quickly removed the tight clothing she wore into more modest ones. Tossing the bag into one of the dumpsters, she walked towards the opening of the ally. Grabbing her hair, she quickly pulled it into a ponytail before stepping into the busy sidewalk, instantly blending into the crowd.

 

*******************

 

Phew. I wrote this chapter once, didn't like it, wrote it again, didn't like it, finally, I think this one is acceptable. I keep feeling that I am pushing the relationship too fast. Hopefully it's semi-plausible.

 

Many thanks for the reviews! Thank you JBird7986 for the tips, I hope this chapter will be a step in the right direction. As such, I may or may not rewrite this chapter *again* depending on how the writing for the next chapter goes and feedback.

 

*Edit notes at beginning under disclaimer.