InuYasha Fan Fiction ❯ My Succubus Wife ❯ Chapter Six ( Chapter 6 )

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

 

Citrus Warning (For entire story)

 

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

 

Sango awoke with a start. Groggy, she looked around as the cold air of the hotel room hit her bare chest. She was alone in the room. Judging by the absence of warmth from the spot next to her, she had been for quite a while. Thank God for small favors. She crossed her arms over her bare breasts as she slid out from under the covers. She couldn't remember getting under them, but from how cold the hotel room was, she was thankful she had.

 

She stretched her legs as she stood beside the bed. She was happy the man had made a silent escape and hadn't stuck around until morning. She knew from experience that the ones that did stick around caused awkward mornings. Wanting nothing more than to get into the shower to warm her skin and to wash off the grime from last night's activities, she headed towards the bathroom when something on the nearby nightstand caught her eye. Frowning, she lifted the envelope and examined both sides of the hefty object before opening it. The first to fall out was a hastily scribbled note. Thanks for the wonderful night. Crumpling the note, she tossed it over her shoulder in disgust. The envelope was still heavy, meaning something else was still inside. Tapping then envelope against her open palm, the contents finally loosened enough to slide out. Wide eyed, she examined the stack of bills. Just by looking at it, the amount had to be somewhere near a thousand, meaning the man's bragging hadn't been total bullshit. It also revealed what the man truly thought of her: that she was a whore.

 

Crunching the envelope and bills in her hand, she threw them angrily at the bed, the stack exploding in the air and money fluttering everywhere. The sound of a tongue clicking caused her to jump and swing around towards the direction that the sound was coming from. Her eyes widened as her blood froze.

 

“Now, now Sango. That's a lot of money and the man was more than happy to pay it. Don't just throw it away!” Her mouth worked in silence as she struggled to form words. Impossible! It can't be! The man stuck his lower lip out, his features taking a pouty look as he spread his arms. “What? No hellos for an old friend?”

 

“F-Father?” she stuttered, shaking her head in disbelief. “Y-you're dead!” she forced out in a whimper. It wasn't the cold that formed the goose-bumps across her flesh. It was as though every hair on her body stood out in fright.

 

“Me? Dead? Impossible.” A wide smile formed on his face as he took a step towards her, his hand outstretched.

 

“Don't touch me!” she screamed, covering herself as she took a step back, cowering near the bed.

 

“That hurts Sango,” he said, feigning hurt in his voice. He looked around the hotel room, focusing his attention mostly on the bed and at her. “And after going through such great lengths to summon me… I wonder what your man would think if he knew.”

 

“That's none of your bus—” She stopped suddenly. “Wait… summon?”

 

He nodded slowly. “I must say, suddenly losing my corporal form was quite a blow. I invested a lot of power in possessing that man… and to lose it when I was so close to breaking into your realm.” He shook his head slowly, sighing deeply.

 

“It was you? This entire time? You were behind it? You have a contract with me?”

 

Naraku's smile widened. “Of course! Who picked the demon you were to contract with? Me, or I should say, my corporal form. Like I would share you with another demon.” Once more, he reached for her only to have her shrink away.

 

Sango shook her head profusely, refusing to believe what her eyes or her ears. “It couldn't have been you! You're just tricking me!”

 

He had a thoughtful look as he explained. “I must admit, this is an artificial image of the man I possessed. I figured it would be… easier for you. My last form didn't seem to please you.” A smile crept across his face as she shook from the memory. Dark, oily skin, and unblinking red eyes filled her mind as she fought to keep the images from resurfacing.

 

“But Father Naraku was—”

 

“Me. The entire time you knew him, it was actually me in this form,” he said, waving his hand as if dismissing a servant. “Of course, at one time, there was a man who went by the name of Father Onigumo, but he ceased to be immediately after signing a contract with me.” His features turned thoughtful once more. “Funny how a man will throw away his very soul for the illusion of immortality.”

 

Sango glared at him, different emotions battling inside her. Hatred and rage filled her, but at the same time… He was like a parent to me. “What do you want?” she forced out, her voice firm.

 

“Ah right, you wish to break the contract.”

 

She nodded. “Whatever you wish… I'll do it. I just want the contract to be voided in return.”

 

He gave her a sorrowful stare. “You wish to toss me aside so quickly. It saddens me.” She stayed silent, glaring at him. Taking a deep breath, the demon sighed heavily as he stared down at the floor.

 

“Hurry and tell me,” she said, impatience growing. “Anything you want, name it.”

 

His right eyebrow twitched. “Anything?” he repeated, his eyes slowly meeting hers. Suddenly, she felt as if she had just been duped into doing something she would regret. He chuckled. “All this for a single man… In that case, I do have something only you can do.” His smile widened.

 

“Hurry and tell me.”

 

“I desire a human vessel; a pure, untainted human vessel that I may use to escape the hell of my realm.”

 

“I'm not going to let you possess me.”

 

He roared in laughter that continued for several minutes. Finally, he managed to calm down enough to continue. “Sango my dear, you are far from pure.” She glared in annoyance as he continued. “But your child will be.”

 

Her jaw dropped. It's not possible. “I'm—”

 

“Pregnant? No my dear, not yet at least. It is but one step in a larger task.”

 

Her features darkened. “I refuse.”

 

Naraku spread his hands before him, giving her a what-can-I-do look. “You said anything, and that is what I desire. It is a fair deal. Give me a child and you shall have your freedom.”

 

“A child you would enslave for all eternity? I don't think so. My freedom isn't worth that, nothing is.”

 

“Enslave? Sango my dear, you have me all wrong.” He feigned a wounded look. “I would be the child, or at least, my essence would be. You see, possessing a human is terribly inefficient. I have to spend most of my power to channel my will between the realms. If I was conceived in this realm however… there is a way for me to transfer a large portion of my power to your realm.” He spread his arms out before him. “No actual child would be harmed in the process.”

 

Mind racing, she tried to grasp what he was telling her. She was still trying to get over the issue of having a child. There were brief moments where she thought about her future with Miroku. It wasn't that she was against having kids, but rather her relationship with Miroku didn't quite allow for them, at least, not until recently. But having a kid wasn't quite the problem here. From what the demon was saying, it would be a hollow shell for the demon to inhabit in this realm. Did she really want to allow that to happen? Could she allow it to happen? Its reasons for crossing over were far from friendly. The chaos it would cause… Not to mention that I would have to explain it to Miroku. Her stomach turned at the thought. Things were rough now, but how would Miroku handle this situation? Not well, her inner voice answered. The thought of Miroku made her decision for her.

 

Looking up, she peered into the eyes of the illusion before her, firm resolution in her eyes. “I—”

 

His hand stopped her as he held it up before him. “Ah, I wouldn't answer quite yet. Perhaps you should take some time and think it over, ask questions, etcetera, etcetera.”

 

She bit down on her lip. That was the last thing she wanted. This wasn't the time to think, it was the time to act. “I don't need to.” One of his eyebrows rose in interest as he stared down at her. “I accept. In exchange, I want my freedom and for you to never harm or bother myself, my friends or my family.”

 

A smile crept across his face. “Done.”

 

Searing pain spread across her right hand, causing her to scream out in pain. Grabbing at her wrist, she watched as red moved across her palm and the back of her hand. The smell of burning flesh reached her nose as smoke rolled off of the spreading red. Black flesh was left behind as the red scorched her hand in a pattern. Tears running down her face, she gasped for breath as the pain suddenly left her, the red disappearing and the black ash trickling from her hand.

 

“Our agreement is complete. On completion, you shall gain your freedom.” She could barely understand what he was saying as she still fought to catch her breath, still grasping her shaking hand. The memory of the pain still fresh in her mind, she stared at her hand as if afraid the pain would return. “I must leave you now. I'm afraid that my power is not what it used to be. There is much preparation that needs attending to.”

 

Reaching up with her other hand, she tenderly touched the ash on her right hand. It fell away, revealing unburned skin beneath. She looked up. “What do I do now?” The first thing I have to do is reconcile with Miroku. Then explain the situation… She wasn't looking forward to it. Possible conversations were already playing out in her mind. “Hey Miroku. I'm sorry for everything, I think we both overreacted and I think we should give things a second chance. By the way, I need to get pregnant so a demon can break into our realm. We should probably get started now…” She mentally shook her head. Things weren't going to go well at all.

 

The image of Naraku gave her a curious look, as if it were able to see what she was thinking. “I cannot believe you still think of that man even now.” He shook his head, clicking his tongue in disappointment.

 

“He is no concern of yours. Stay away from him,” she spat venomously.

 

Naraku held up his hands and took a step back. “Relax. You are right, he is no concern of mine. He is not the one who will father my new body.”

 

Her heart seemed to skip a beat as she stared at the demon in shock. “What?!”

 

He gave an annoyed huff. “Don't act so appalled. You slept with another man to contact me, no? What is one more in my service?”

 

“I'm not having a stranger's child!”

 

“You have no choice.” Her hand began to ache once more. It wasn't the searing pain it had been a moment ago, it was more a reminder that something was there. “The agreement has already been made.”

 

“I didn't agree to this!”

 

“Next time, perhaps you should make it completely clear what you are agreeing to. You stated your terms quite clearly. You never asked for mine.” The edges of his mouth tugged upwards in a microscopic smile. “You haven't changed a bit my dear. Always so impulsive… constantly rushing forward with no regards to your surroundings.”

 

Her heart pounded against her chest as realization hit her. She had been tricked. Myoga had warned her something like this might occur and she fell for it anyway. I'm so stupid! How could I let this happen? Despair weighed heavily upon her as she stared down at the floor. “What else have I agreed to?” she choked out.

 

“In due time Child… In due time…” His laughter lingered in her mind long after his image faded. Tears trickled down her face to splatter against the carpet. She had wanted nothing more than to restore her broken life. Now, she felt like she had just ruined what little remained.

 

What have I done?

 

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

 

Kagome left before Inuyasha woke. It pained her to sneak out but she knew it would be easier in the long run. Even though he had accepted that she had to go, he still would have done his best to stop her.

 

Everything happened just as Myoga predicted. Inuyasha had been angry, but that anger had quickly been replaced by worry and fear. Even though she could sense his emotions, there was really no need. It had been clearly written on his face. Looking down at her hand, she flexed her fingers, opening and closing them in rapid succession. Their lovemaking had replenished her energy, energy she feared she would have to use. Her mind wandered back to the night before. His inhibition had been temporarily forgotten. It was an experience she would not forget anytime soon. Still upset from the charm incident, his movements had been both passionate and forceful. Yet despite all his anger, he had held her tightly, as if she would slip away if he loosened his grip in the slightest. It made for both a wondrous and terribly saddening experience. The that fact both were quite vocal when Yumi was in the house made Kagome realize just how worried Inuyasha was. It also made her realize that even she might be underestimating how much Yumi knew. Her daughter had always been an extremely light sleeper. There was no possible that way they hadn't been heard. Yet despite this, Yumi never came to investigate what the noise was.

 

A chill ran over Kagome, causing her to wrap her arms tighter across her chest. It was getting colder. True, the sun wasn't out yet, but autumn was creeping up. Taking a deep breath, she released it slowly, a faint misty cloud appeared before her face. She thought back to Yumi. I really should have kissed her goodbye. At the same time, she knew why she hadn't done it. It would have certainly awoken the girl and there would be a million and one questions about where she was going. She silently apologized to Inuyasha, who would undoubtedly have to deal with the questions when he got up. Worry gripped lightly at her stomach, making her shift her weight uncomfortably. I really hope she doesn't ask any questions about last night. She imagined Inuyasha's flustered expression as he tried to explain why her mother had been yelling. The image caused her to chuckle lightly. It was true that Yumi was intelligent and could read certain situations like someone decades older, but sometimes, her curiosity got the better of her.

 

Footsteps brought her attention back to the present. Body tense with anticipation, she looked towards the noise. From around the corner, a woman appeared, causing Kagome to relax. “You had me a little worried there.”

 

Kikyo smiled. “Sorry, but if you're this jumpy right now, wait until we really stir up trouble.”

 

Kagome sighed. “I know. I'm not cut out for this sort of thing.”

 

“Nonsense,” her sister said, waving the comment away. “You're far better than you give yourself credit for.” Her head tilted to the side as she eyed Kagome curiously.

 

“What?” Kagome asked, suddenly self-conscious at the other woman's stare.

 

Kikyo shook her head. “It's nothing. I was just admiring your energy flow. God how I wish I was in your position.”

 

Kagome only smiled. She knew Kikyo wanted Inuyasha, hell, all succubi wanted her husband. She felt a little guilty keeping something so wonderful and rare all for herself, but at the same time, he had made it clear that she was the only one he wanted. The fact that he could have countless beautiful women and he decided to be with only her… it was the greatest feeling in the world. “Sorry, but even if I was willing to share, I don't think he would be.”

 

She looked disappointed. “I figured. I knew I should have made a move back when he was with Anna and Eiko.” Kagome gave her a disapproving look. “What? It's not like you two were together back then. You were off having fun of your own.”

 

“It wasn't fun,” Kagome said, brushing past her sister and moving off towards the street. “Everyone has to eat.”

 

They walked in silence for nearly a minute before Kikyo sped up slightly to walk beside her. When she opened her mouth to speak, Kagome shot her a warning glare. “Relax, I wasn't going to talk about that anymore,” she said, holding her hands out in front of her. “I was just wondering how much mother told you.”

 

“Only that three more are dead.” Kagome let out a weary sigh. “It's happening too fast for it to be random. Someone is definitely targeting us.” She glanced over at Kikyo as they walked. “Have any other types of demons been killed?”

 

Kikyo shook her head. “No. Someone is definitely targeting just succubi.”

 

Frowning, Kagome waited until they passed a man walking his dog before continuing. “That doesn't sound like something the Order would do.”

 

“You're telling me. Even when most demons were in hiding, they were fairly nondiscriminatory in their attacks. They were aiming for us and managed to get a couple every once in awhile, but they found a lot more other demons in-between.”

 

Kagome nodded. “The more I think about things, the less likely Order involvement seems to be. This has to be a new party.” Glancing over at the other woman, her eyes narrowed. She knew the expression and body language. There was something she wasn't telling her. “There's something else, isn't there?”

 

“I--can't. I promised Mom.”

 

“Kikyo, if there's something you're not telling me… I need to know everything if I'm going to help.”

 

“I know but—”

 

“No `buts,' I need to know everything!” Reaching out, she grabbed Kikyo by the arm, stopping her. “The sooner you tell me, the better.”

 

Rubbing the back of her neck, Kikyo looked away. “We found… marks.”

 

Her eyebrows rose in interest. “Marks?”

 

“Right, on their necks,” she continued, rubbing the spot on her own body. Kagome paled. Seeing her sister's distress, Kikyo hurried on. “But they weren't bite marks, only bruising.”

 

“That doesn't matter.” Kagome cursed, a lot. Kikyo stared in surprise as her sister rattled off several lines worth of words, repeating several in different languages.

 

“Feel better?” Kikyo asked after Kagome had finally stopped to catch her breath.

 

“No,” she answered bluntly. “You realize what this means, right?”

 

“We don't know for sure.”

 

“Marks on the neck? Succubi seemingly poisoned? It has to be a vampire, or at least, someone with vampire ancestors.”

 

“Mother and I figured as much.”

 

“Then why am I only finding out about this now?”

 

“We didn't want to worry you. Besides, you feed solely from Inuyasha…”

 

Kagome shifted uncomfortably. “If he has vampire traits, even I—” She stopped, not wanting to continue. Even I will find him irresistible. While she had never actually seen a vampire, she, like all succubi, knew what they were capable of. To humans, they were harmless unless they decided to go out of their way to kill one. A succubus on the other hand… If there was been a food pyramid, the vampires would be on the top, succubi in the middle, and humans on the bottom. Succubi got their energy from humans, vampires from succubi. Unlike succubi, who didn't necessarily kill their food, a feeding vampire always killed its succubus victim. Even when succubi had been more numerous, vampires were extremely rare and nearly impossible to kill. Nearly. While vampires could easily deal with attacks from succubi, fighting against a number of humans and succubi proved to be too much and all the vampires were killed. But just because the true vampires were dead didn't mean they were completely extinct. Hiding inside the genetic material of select human offspring lurked the remnants of the vampire lineage. A few unsuspecting succubi were unfortunate enough to stumble upon some, but as the vampiric genetic material was mixed with more and more humans, the chances of vampire traits occurring lessened. In today's world, the chances were astronomical. Meaning whoever is doing this knows exactly what they are doing and who they are going after. But what was their purpose? Succubi could be killed, just like a human could. It was far easier to shoot or stab them. Why would they take the time to poison them?

 

“You okay?” Kikyo asked, giving her a look of concern.

 

“Huh? Yeah, sorry, just got caught up in my own thoughts,” Kagome said. Whatever their goals, we need to stop them, and fast. The thought of Yumi running around while a killer targeted succubi terrified her.

 

They continued in silence the rest of the way, meeting up with the other succubi. Kagome and Kikyo arrived to meet four others. Their mother stood with her arms crossed. Beside her were Anna and Eiko. It had been awhile since she last saw them. Anna had red hair now, her regular ponytail replaced by shoulder-length hair. Eiko was still the tiny oriental woman she remembered. Absolutely nothing had changed about her. The fourth was Maya. Unlike the others, Maya was distinctly Indian. Her skin was several shades darker than even Eiko's. Her jet black hair was pulled back in a long ponytail. Even with the extra layers of clothing, Kagome could tell that there was an amazing body underneath. That's a given. All of us are amazing. She had no illusions about how they looked. Each and every one of them, including herself, were drop dead gorgeous in their own unique ways. And Inuyasha still picks me. The thought sent a warm feeling throughout her body.

 

“It's been awhile,” Eiko said, quickly closing the space between them to wrap her in a tight hug. Kagome returned it happily, feeling the petite woman press against her. Besides Kagome, she was the smallest woman here.

 

“It has.”

 

“Is Inuyasha still doing well?”

 

Kagome felt a pang of jealousy, but quickly buried it. There was no reason for her to be, not anymore. Sure, she had been with Inuyasha, but that had been a long time ago. “He's well.”

 

The woman nodded, smiling happily as she stepped aside to let Anna take her place. In her typical brazen manner, Anna marked their reunion with a kiss. It was no quick peck to the cheek either. Wrapping her arms around Kagome, she pushed her tongue deep into her mouth, running it along her own. Had it been anyone else, Kagome would have been shocked at the sudden, passionate kiss. Instead, she went along. After a few seconds, Anna broke the kiss, releasing her and taking a few steps back. Taking a deep breath, Kagome steadied herself.

 

“Wow,” Kagome whispered, slightly winded. “I don't want to say I didn't expect it but…” She let her voice trail off. Anna was one of the few succubi who fed off women as well as men. It took far more effort than it was worth, but was still doable.

 

Anna grinned. “You know you liked it.” She glanced over towards the unhappy looking Eiko, resting her arm atop her shoulder. “Relax, it was only a kiss. Besides, I doubt Kagome would drop Inuyasha, even for someone as great as me.” That got eye-rolls from everyone.

 

“Maya,” Kagome said, nodding towards the other woman.

 

She bowed deeply in return. “Mother,” she said, using Kagome's title rather than name. It bugged her, but she let it go. Maya was like that.

 

“Have you told her the plan?” Kagome's mother said, eyeing Kikyo.

 

“Err, no, not yet.”

 

Frowning, she looked between the two. “What were you discussing all the way here then?” She shook her head. “Forget it, I think I can figure it out.” Her eyes locked with Kagome's. “She told you about the marks I suppose.”

 

“I can't believe you didn't tell me earlier,” Kagome huffed.

 

Her mother held up her hand, stopping her from continuing. “You know now, that is all that matters.” Looking away from Kagome, her gaze covered the entire group. “As you all know, we are most likely facing a man who has vampire-traits. What's worse: he's using his abilities to target us. We've already lost far too many sisters to this man and while we are here to find him, we need to be cautious.” She continued to look around, making sure everyone was listening. “However, I find it hard to believe this is the work of a lone man. It is far too coordinated and quick. Don't be surprised if this man has backup.”

 

“What exactly is it are we doing?” Kagome asked. She had a creeping feeling she wasn't going to like it.

 

Her mother's eyes focused on her. “We are going to hunt him down. Once we capture him, we can question him and find out what his goals are and who he's working with.”

 

“The city is huge! How can we expect to find him?” Anna asked, crossing her arms.

 

“And why just us?” Eiko tossed in quickly. “There are a lot more succubi in the city than us six.”

 

“After looking at his previous targets, I think I've narrowed down a few locations where he might be next. We will split up into groups of two so if we do find him, we have someone to call for help and protect the other.” She looked towards Eiko. “As for why I picked just us, we are the most powerful. If one of us does fall victim, the poison won't kill us outright.”

 

“Just painfully over the course of several hours,” Kikyo quipped.

 

Their mother's eyes flashed in anger. “But we have a chance to dispel the poison before succumbing to it. There is also the problem with scaring him into hiding. The most important information we need from him is who he's working for and what they want. The sooner we get this, the better our chances of preparing ourselves.” As she looked around, heads nodded in agreement. “Good. Kikyo will go with Kagome, Anna with Eiko and Maya and I will be a group.”

 

“What exactly are we looking for?” Kikyo asked, resting a hand on her hip.

 

To Kagome's dismay, her mother shook her head. “I don't know. It could be anyone. The best way is to keep away from each other but watch the other closely. Most likely he will approach you.”

 

“I get approached all the time. How will I know it's not some random person trying to pick me up?” Anna said.

 

“His influence should work like a charm spell. It will be nearly impossible to detect if you are being influenced by it, which is why you should all keep a close eye on one another. If your partner seems too attached to someone, chances are that it will be him.”

 

Eiko gave a gloomy sigh. “Anna's like that with everyone.” The other woman stuck out her tongue, but didn't say anything.

 

Kagome's mother wasn't amused. “If you do find him, call for help and do everything you can to keep him from leaving. Under no circumstances are you to approach him. The last thing we need is both members getting charmed. Any questions so far?” More head shakes. “Okay, then I'll discuss today's locations…”

 

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

 

Dante drummed his fingers against the table. Before him was a large plate filled with pancakes, eggs and bacon, a cup of steaming coffee above it. The American-themed diner was empty besides him, another customer and the two employees, but that wasn't unexpected with it being so early in the morning. His stomach growled in protest as the delicious smell of hot food wafted up to his nose. Sighing, he grudgingly began shoveling food into his mouth. He knew the dark rings under his eyes gave away his exhaustion. Aches across his body reminded him that his body didn't appreciate the lack of sleep he was getting. It wasn't so much the lack of sleep, but the work he did between naps. Bedding a woman took work. Bedding a demon… well, that was the type of work that seemed to suck the very life from him. It wasn't the fun sort of work either. Getting them into bed was turning out far easier than he could have imagined possible. He wished it was always this easy. A few words and they were more than willing to follow him anywhere. While easy, it wasn't quick. Try as he could, meeting the deadline his clients gave was looking more and more impossible. Even now, he was searching for his next target.

 

But why am I here? The food was okay, but nothing exceptional. The entire place just screamed average. It was just an everyday family restaurant. All the women before, he had picked up at places with class. Expensive restaurants, high-class bars, fancy hotels. Why not? They were exceptionally beautiful. Even if they didn't have money, they would be allowed in simply for their looks, list or no list. It had grown into an expectation for him. It was obvious that the demons preyed off of the elite of society. If he was in their shoes, he would as well. Would he really find one here? His information said he would, but seriously? They needed sex to survive. Who in their right mind would try to pick up someone here? And why did he have to be here so damn early in the morning?

 

But for whatever reason, he was sent here. His mystery client had actually called him, telling him that he needed to be here. The bastard doesn't have any consideration. Does he know how late I was up last night? He mulled the thought around his head as he chewed on a mouthful of pancakes. Probably. He took a sip of the steaming coffee. It was his second cup. The first had yet to kick in. Poking at his pancakes, his attention was suddenly dragged towards the entrance of the restaurant as he watched two women enter. Immediately, his heart began racing and he focused his attention back down at his food. Both women were gorgeous, too gorgeous. He was beginning to learn to tell the difference between a beautiful human and an average demon. While one was shorter and had a more subtle body, both looked remarkably similar. Related? His mind quickly buried the thought. There were more important things to worry about than their relationship to each other. Where have I seen them before? Casually pulling his phone from his pocket, he typed in the password, unlocking it. Scanning through the files, he eventually pulled up the list his client sent him. Pretending he was clicking away at a text message, he went through the list. There! I knew I had seen them before! Eyes flicking over the small screen, he absorbed all the information the list had on them.

 

So the smaller one is Kagome Tanaka and the taller one is Kikyo Higurashi. Interesting… He started with Kagome's. The first several lines caused him to frown. Married? They get married? From what he had read of the list, none were married. He knew what it was like having sex with them. He shook his head slightly. Poor bastard. Sure, they were beautiful to look at, but exhausting in bed. He continued on. Priority number one, extremely dangerous. He scratched his head, cautiously casting glances at the women. The waitress had sat them near the entrance, meaning if he was going to escape, he would have to go right by them. If there was only one… He shifted uncomfortably. The time he needed a gun most was when he didn't have it. Not that I could have used it anyways. He finished reading up on her before switching to Kikyo. Minus the marriage, it was pretty similar. He learned that his hunch was correct and they were indeed sisters. The last thing he did was check her priority number. As expected, she was right below her sister at number two. Great… so I have both one and two sitting three tables away and I have no weapons to defend myself. For a brief moment, he wondered if his client was trying to test him. Toss me in among the lions to see if I can crawl my way get out…

 

He began punching the keys, actually typing a message this time. Come get me ASAP. Selecting Erik, he pressed send. Stuffing the last few bites into his mouth, he finished off half his coffee before grabbing the check and heading towards the register. He felt the gaze of the two women on him as he waited for the waitress to come around to help him. Handing her the check and money, he turned around as he waited for the change. Both women were staring at him. Forcing himself to remain calm, he gave them a wide grin, and winked. With a roll of eyes, they looked away. He caught himself before he could let out a sigh of relief. Taking the change, he casually strolled from the restaurant. Outside, Erik waited in a silver BMW. Did it stand out? Yes, but it was better than a limo.

 

Not waiting for Erik, he quickly slid inside the back, slamming the door. Confused, Erik climbed back into the driver's seat. “Go,” Dante ordered, glancing back at the diner. He could see the women through the window. Only after the car was moving did he let out a big breath, letting the tension roll from his body.

 

“Everything okay?” Erik asked from the front.

 

“God, I hope so,” he muttered, resting his head against the window with a thump. Regardless of the reasons why they sent me there, I get the message. The demons are looking for me.

 

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

 

Kagome shifted uncomfortably in her seat, her eyes constantly gravitating towards the man a few tables away as he played with his phone.

 

“Something wrong?” Kikyo asked, stopping to thank the waitress as she delivered their drinks.

 

She shook her head. “No, not quite.” There was something about the man, something she couldn't shake. From what she could see, there was nothing special about him. He was completely normal, yet at the same time, maybe too normal. There was nothing, nothing that stood out. It was weird. Every human stood out in some way.

 

“Well you've been looking at that guy behind me the whole time we've been in here.”

 

“I can't help it,” Kagome said, reddening as she forced herself to look away.

 

Kikyo looked at her with a raised eyebrow. “Finally taking an interest in other men, eh?”

 

Kagome gave her a dark look. “It's not like that.”

 

Her sister chuckled. “You should have some variety. Don't you ever get tired of eating the same thing?”

 

“No,” she answered immediately. It was mostly the truth. Even with Inuyasha's rare red energy, there were times where she was less than enthusiastic about feeding. “And I never will.” She hoped the finality in her tone would stop Kikyo from trying to convince her otherwise.

 

“For now.” She continued seeing Kagome's blank expression. “You do remember he's human, right?”

 

“Of course,” she said automatically.

 

“That means he's going to get old.”

 

She shifted uncomfortably in her seat. It wasn't that she forgot, more like she just didn't think about it. “I know, but he is half-demon. So maybe…” She knew it was a stretch, but she had to hope.

 

Kikyo gave her a sad smile, a look of pity in her face. “He is getting older. It isn't too obvious, so maybe you haven't noticed.”

 

Kagome looked down at the table. She had noticed. Like Kikyo said, it wasn't obvious, but there were small hints that showed he was aging. She on the other hand… “I know.”

 

Kikyo seemed to get the idea that it was an uncomfortable subject, so she tried to brighten the mood. “But you have twenty or thirty years before you have to really worry about it.”

 

Twenty or thirty… How long will I live? Nine hundred? A thousand? Considering no succubus had ever died of old age, it was anyone's guess. Movement caught her attention. Looking past Kikyo, she watched the strange man stand up and move towards the register. Kikyo followed her gaze.

 

“You think something's odd with him?” Kikyo asked softly. Now that the man wasn't behind her, she could look without drawing attention.

 

Anxiety gripped her stomach as she continued to stare at the man. Is he the one we're looking for? If he was, both her and Kikyo were in serious trouble. Both were close enough that if he tried charming one, he would get the other. But he was fairly close and she didn't have the sudden urge to ravage him. She mulled over the thought about temporarily separating with Kikyo by heading towards the restroom or something, but her thought process was interrupted when he turned around. Grinning stupidly, he gave them a wink. Kagome rolled her eyes and looked away. What am I thinking? It couldn't possibly be him. Now she was worried he would come over and start talking to them because they had been looking. He started towards their table. She stared down at the table. We're not interested in you. We're not interested in you. We're not… she continued to chant, hoping her mental projections would be picked up by the man. It must have worked, because he continued past them out the door.

 

“What a weird guy,” Kikyo said in a low whisper after the man had left. She took a second to think. “I'd do him.”

 

Kagome rolled her eyes, shaking her head. She glanced down at her watch. It was still way too early to start their stakeout. Picking up the menu, she scanned it over. “We came in here to kill some time. I'm going to order something.”

 

Kikyo picked up her menu. “Might as well.”

 

Kagome thought about the odd man for several more minutes before the waitress came to take their orders. By the time their food arrived, the man was long forgotten.

 

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

 

Inuyasha awoke with a start. Looking around, he quickly found himself alone in the room. Frowning, he moved his arm to feel the other side of the bed and found it cold. He took a few deep breaths, trying to push the upsetting thoughts from his mind. She could have at least said goodbye. He left it at that. Getting to his feet, he looked down at the bedding as he stretched. Frowning, he scratched the back of his neck. Now that Kagome wasn't here, he was going to discover all the little things she did that he had taken for granted. Magically cleaning the bed after a nights worth of activities was the first. Leaving the covers as they were, he headed towards the bathroom to take a shower. The hot water felt good as he wiped the sweat from his body and warmed up his skin. He tried to force himself to think about things other than Kagome, but not matter how hard he tried, he found that his thoughts always gravitated back to her.

 

I wonder what she's doing now. Countless thoughts ran through his mind, most of them bad. What I would give to protect her. It was supposed to be his job to protect the family, not hers. His stomach rumbled, bringing attention to his hunger. Sighing, he shut the water off and dried himself off. Once dressed, he headed towards the kitchen.

 

He was surprised to find Yumi sitting there, a bowl in front of her as she chewed nosily. The chewing slowed as she looked over at him. Her expression looked like a kid who just got caught stealing. Smiling, he shuffled into the kitchen. “Morning,” he said, grabbing a bowl himself.

 

“Morning,” she said softly.

 

Grabbing the box, he eyed it curiously before tipping the contents into his bowl. “I didn't know we had cereal.” It had been a long time since he had it. Pouring some milk in the bowl, he sat down and started eating. He glanced over to Yumi, who mournfully looked down at her cereal, moving it around with her spoon. “What's wrong?” The fact that she was acting depressed made him worry. It took a lot to get her down.

 

“Mommy isn't here,” she mumbled sorrowfully. “Mommy had a fight with Daddy and now she left, just like Auntie Sango.” She sniffed, rubbing her eyes as she fought tears.

 

“W-what? Yumi, we didn't fight! Mommy is going to be back later tonight!” He rested his hand atop her head, ruffling her hair slightly. “Where did you get the idea that we were fighting?”

 

She didn't sound convinced. “I heard you two last night… Mommy was yelling.”

 

His face flushed. Right, last night we… Quickly, he pushed the images of last night aside as something started to stir happily in his pants. “Uh… Well, that was… Not a fight,” he finished lamely.

 

Her eyes narrowed. “You're lying! You started it.”

 

“Eh?”

 

“You always pick on Mommy!” She sighed softly, shaking her head slowly. “Poor Mommy. I understand why she left.”

 

“`Poor Mommy?' Wha—” He shook his head, trying to understand what was happening. This isn't how a child is supposed to act! Everything from her tone to her body language, she seemed more like an adult than a child. He furrowed his eyebrows angrily. “She didn't leave and we weren't fighting!”

 

“Then why was Mommy yelling?”

 

He opened his mouth to answer, only to close it as he struggled to find something to say. “She was… happy,” he explained awkwardly.

 

“Ah!” she said suddenly, surprising him. “You were playing that game again!” she said, pointing a finger accusingly at him.

 

“Game?”

 

She nodded, puffing her chest out proudly, as if she had answered a question no one else knew. “Mommy told me all about it!”

 

“She did?” His voice cracked. When was this?! There was a part of him that was glad Kagome had already explained things, but the majority was uncomfortable with the idea that his daughter knew what they were doing at night.

 

Yumi nodded again. “Yep! She told me I had to wait until I was older to play though,” she added sadly, her lower lip out slightly in a pout.

 

He laughed nervously. “Much, much older,” he said.

 

Her eyes narrowed once more as she stared at him. “Are you sure she's coming back?”

 

“I'm sure.”

 

This time, the answer seemed to satisfy the girl, her attention turned back to her cereal. He let out a deep breath. He had just got up and he was already exhausted. Is this how the entire day is going to go? He shook his head in awe. How does Kagome do it?

 

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

 

Many thanks to Jay for editing and everyone who left a review. I hope you enjoyed the chapter.