InuYasha Fan Fiction ❯ Of Strings and Kevlar ❯ Awakening ( Chapter 12 )

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

A/N: I don't own Inuyasha.

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Miroku looked up from his bowl of jambalaya and into the distrustful eyes of Sango's father seated directly across the square table from him. Intimidation running high, he took a chance on a smile and another attempt at conversation. “So, Mr. Higurashi… how is work?”

“Fine, boy,” the older man replied curtly.

Miroku looked to his right and tossed Sango a pleading look. She met his eyes for a brief moment and smiled beautifully as she reached for the water glass next to her bowl. “Oh, Otou-san, you're always so hard on Miroku. He's a nice guy!”

“Hmph,” Mr. Higurashi grunted, never taking his burning eyes off of him.

Swallowing nervously, he looked down into his bowl, still feeling the hard stare of the man sitting across from him. He shifted uncomfortably in his seat and fought the urge to pick at his food. Why in the hell did he always agree to these stupid dinners every other week? Was Sango really worth all of this trouble?

Suddenly, a slender hand snaked up his thigh under the table, and he gulped again before quickly glancing to his right to catch the mischievous smirk on his beloved's face as her fingers traced his length through the course fabric of his trousers.

He smiled to himself. `Totally worth it.'

Noticing her father was still watching him, Miroku coughed loudly into his fist as Sango's nimble fingers played with his zipper. He traced a single finger inside his shirt collar as his skin grew warm and flushed. What on earth was that woman trying to do to him?

“Sango,” his voice cracked as it came out a little louder than he had intended. Clearing his throat, he tried again. “Uh, Sango, can you please hand me a napkin?”

Eyes twinkling knowingly, her smirk widened as she withdrew her hand from his lap and reached across the table for the napkin holder, neatly pulling one out. “Why, Miroku? Did you make a mess already?” she purred as she handed it to him.

`Fuck, woman!' he thought, panicking slightly. `Are you trying to get me killed?!' Purposefully avoiding Mr. Higurashi's stare, he gave a lighthearted chuckle. “No, just wanted to be prepared. Just in case,” he added meaningfully, shooting a dirty look her way.

Sango only smiled and resumed eating. “So how has Inuyasha been?”

“Oh, is he the new drummer?” Mrs. Higurashi asked cheerfully, her bright voice breaking the tension in the room. “Sango says he's quite good.”

Miroku relaxed. Sango's mother was always so much more comforting than her beast of a father. “Yes, he's very good. He's been a little down lately…” he paused, catching Sango's worried gaze. “But I think he'll be okay.”

“What's wrong with him? Trouble at home?” Mrs. Higurashi asked, picking up her water glass.

“No, he lives alone,” Sango replied, blowing on a spoonful of the jambalaya. “Girl trouble, Okaa-san.”

“Ah.” The older woman smiled. “A rite of passage, to be sure. Girls can be fiendish sometimes, can't they dear?” She smiled at her daughter knowingly, inducing a blush on the younger woman's cheeks.

“Boys can be worse,” her father added gruffly, still eyeing Miroku.

“So, yeah, uh,” Miroku said nervously. “He's slowly coming along, so I think he'll be all right. He's actually here in New Orleans tonight, at a charity event his brother is holding. For a scholarship, I think he said.”

Sango froze, her food-laden spoon poised in midair. Before Miroku could say anything, her mother asked, “Sango? Are you all right, dear?”

Her light brown eyes turned slowly to look into Miroku's, her brow furrowed slightly. “Kagome is at a charity ball tonight, too. In New Orleans.” She hesitated. “…With Koga.”

“Kagome?” Miroku asked, girlfriend's father-induced discomfort temporarily forgotten. “What is she doing there? You don't think it's the same ball, do you?”

“Well, how many charity balls are taking place in New Orleans tonight?” she asked sarcastically. “All she said was that Koga invited her to it earlier this week, and that it had something to do with a youkai scholarship. Other than that, she didn't know what it was about.”

“She seemed nervous about it the other day at lunch,” Mr. Higurashi observed. “I figured it was jitters about attending such an extravagant event. Kagome isn't exactly the most `formal' of girls,” he said fondly of his niece.

Miroku actually chuckled. “That's true. She usually considers `dressing up' wearing a new pair of jeans and a t-shirt that isn't screened.” He would have continued laughing, but a sharp look from the elder male across the table quickly wiped the smile off Miroku's face, reminding him of his place as a guest in the Higurashi home.

“So is Kagome this girl that Inuyasha is having `girl trouble' with?” Mrs. Higurashi covered her mouth with her hand. “Oh, dear. I thought she was dating that ookami youkai?”

“She is,” Sango muttered, her opinion of that particular matter showing clearly in her tone of voice. She turned toward Miroku again. “So they're both at this charity ball, and she's with Koga. How do you think that's going?” She raised an eyebrow.

He shook his head and helped himself to another scoop of steaming food. “Honestly, with the way Inuyasha has been lately, we can only hope he and Kagome aren't raking each other's eyes out as we speak.”

***

Inuyasha moved his mouth softly against Kagome's warm, pliable lips as they stood on the balcony overlooking the Mississippi River, bathed in moonlight that seemed to be there just for them. A soft sigh escaped from each of them as they indulged in each other's taste, as if they had both been waiting for this opportunity for far too long and felt an overwhelming sense of relief now that it had finally arrived.

Her breath was sugary and soft, smelling faintly of almond. Inuyasha remembered seeing her sip on an Amaretto over ice earlier that evening, and he smiled against her lips, relishing the taste of the liqueur as it blended with Kagome's own sweet flavor. `She tastes better than I thought she would,' he thought absently. He released her hand and slid his fingers to the back of Kagome's neck, tilting her head slightly so he could deepen the kiss. She moaned lightly as his tongue tentatively stroked her lower lip, the soft sound of her approval having strange effects on his temperament. Delicate lips parted to receive him, and he fought the urge to cry out in relief as she welcomed his tongue into the hot cavern of her mouth, allowing him to sample her more freely. And sample he did.

Gently, he explored the inside of her mouth, tracing over teeth and lips before playing with her own satiny tongue, and this time he was the one to moan, riveted by the sinful allure of the young woman in his arms. How did he go so long without kissing her? He couldn't be sure, but there was one thing he knew for certain: this would not be the last time he indulged in her. Nothing would keep him from her now.

And with that mental declaration, as Inuyasha once again lost himself in Kagome's kiss, he became acutely aware of a sudden stirring somewhere deep inside himself, the sensation almost giving him reason to pause in his assault on her lips. Feeling the sudden urgent need to touch more of her, the hand on her unclothed back began to move. As the pads of his fingers glided lightly across her bare skin, tracing the gentle curve of her spine down to the wickedly low cut of the gown and back up again, he could feel goosebumps rising to contrast the warmth of her skin beneath his fingers, and he found himself pleased with her reaction to his touch. An involuntary growl, low and feral, sounded from his throat, giving voice to what seemed to be awakening within his soul and showing its satisfaction as well.

If Kagome was frightened by the sound, she didn't show it. If anything, it seemed to encourage her, evident from the way her fingers tightened and dug into the hard muscle of his shoulders. It was when she did this that Inuyasha started to lose his tenuous hold on his self-control. The stirring within him that he felt earlier had now ceased but was far from gone.

It was awake.

Kiss her harder.

It was more of an instinctive urge than a vocal command, but Inuyasha understood and obeyed regardless. He pressed his hand more firmly into the small of Kagome's back and pulled her tightly into his body, causing her to gasp in surprise. She recovered quickly and wound her hands around his neck, pressing herself even harder against him and prompting him to hold her tighter. He shuddered, knowing that he should stop before this got out of hand, but for the life of him, he wasn't sure how to do so. Now that the girl was in his arms, pressing into him, kissing him like he had wanted her to for weeks now, he didn't think he could ever let go.

Kagome suddenly broke the kiss and pulled back a little, her breaths quick and shallow as her hands returned to his shoulders. “Inuyasha?” she breathed, curiosity written on her beautiful face. She had obviously detected the abrupt change in his demeanor and seemed to be concerned for him, despite her initial reaction. “Are you all right?”

`I don't know,' he thought to himself, panting, but he swallowed and nodded as he caught his breath. “Yeah,” he said, fighting against his baser instincts and forcing himself to loosen his hold on her body so she could right herself. Once she was steady on her feet, his hands moved to her waist, the silky material of her gown easing their trek. “I'm fine.”

Her brown eyes glowed in the moonlight as she smiled almost sadly up at him. “Inuyasha….”

“No,” he responded, knowing what she was about to say. “Don't go back. Please.”

Her head bowed, resting her forehead on the his sternum. “I have to. He'll come looking for me.”

“No,” he repeated, pulling her into his body once more and embracing her. “He'll smell me on you, Kagome. Just stay with me. I'll protect you from him.”

Her arms wound around his trim waist, her hands playing with the ends of his hair as she pressed her cheek to his chest. “He won't hurt me,” she insisted, and then paused for a moment before continuing. “Inuyasha I know what you want, and…and it's what I want, too. But I need to go to him now. I can't leave him like this.”

“Fuck him.” He held her tighter and closed his eyes. “You don't owe him anything, Kagome. He treats you like he owns you, like you're his fucking property. No man, human or youkai, should treat his woman like that.” He dropped his head to murmur into her sweet-smelling hair. “I wouldn't treat you like that.”

“I know,” she whispered.

His eyes opened. She knew?

She pulled back and cupped his smooth cheek with her soft hand. A genuine smile flitted across her kiss-swollen lips as they uttered the words that shouldn't have meant nearly as much to him as they did. “You're not like him.”

Her touch was like witchcraft. “Kagome,” he pleaded, leaning in to kiss her again, only to be stopped by her fingers pressing into his lips.

“I have to go,” she said more firmly, the unmistakable scent of sorrow leaking into her natural scent as she stepped out of his hold.

Desperate to rid her of that emotion that too often gripped her—no matter what the reason—he lunged forward and captured her lips in another ardent kiss, cupping her face in both of his hands and refusing to be deterred. Before she could react, he released her and peered into her shocked eyes. “Don't be sad. I hate it when you smell like that.”

Her eyes widened even further. “You can smell that?”

“Feh.” He smirked, pleased to have been able to distract her. “I can smell all sorts of things.”

The blush that graced her cheeks and nose made her irresistible, and he just had to kiss her again. He gave her a chance to return it this time, holding her close as she pressed her lips back into his. A soft whimper from her throat was all it took to boost his ego, having been a bit deflated when she had made to leave. Their lips parted with an audible smack as he opened his eyes, seeing hers were still shut in the lost haze of their quick passion. Inuyasha brushed the stray curls out of her face and behind her shoulder, coaxing her to reveal those beautiful, coffee-colored eyes for which he had fallen so easily. “Kagome, let's get out of here, together. We can go out and get some dinner or something, or I can just drop you off at your apartment. I don't care where we go. Just please don't go back to him now.”

She said nothing more as she sobered from the touch of his lips, but grabbed one of his hands with both of hers and turned her head to place a soft kiss on his palm. He watched her look at him again and smile grimly as she slowly released the hand, stepping backward toward the balcony door that led to her responsibility in the ballroom. His kissed hand, still warm from her lips, curled into a loose fist and rested in front of his stomach, the other hanging limply at his side as amber eyes observed her hesitant retreat.

Kagome finally reached the door and turned to open it, then looked back at him once more. “You taste divine,” she whispered, blushing brightly in the moonlight, before stepping inside the building and out of his sight.

Inuyasha stared at the door for a full minute, willing it to open again but knowing it wouldn't. She had returned to Koga for the evening, and as he stood there trying to hate her for doing so, he knew she had only done it out of duty. She was trying to be honorable, and he had to accept that. Didn't he?

`No!'

Turning toward the river as he had when she first came to him, he watched the slow current glitter in the moonlight as if it was acknowledging his warring emotions. He knew he shouldn't be getting involved with her; he'd known it from the beginning and had almost convinced himself this week that he could resist her. But then, tonight had come, and he had kissed her, effectively squandering all hope of turning his back on her now. Now things were different. Now his instincts were calling the shots.

Now Kagome was his, and he was hers.

With that settled, Inuyasha turned and made for the door to head back to the ballroom. The wolf was about to be in for a big fucking surprise.

***

Koga looked at his watch and clenched his fists. “All right, I'm going after her,” he growled.

Sesshomaru put a firm hand on his shoulder, shocking the wolf nearly out of his skin. “You will not,” he commanded. “My event will not be disrupted because you don't have a tight enough leash on your bitch.”

Koga shrugged the hand off his shoulder but stayed put, mumbling as he crossed his arms over his chest, “Don't call her a bitch. I think that's what got me into this fucking mess to begin with.”

“It seems to me that was the final straw, not the first.”

The wolf scowled at the apparent wisdom of his friend's words but didn't have time to reply, because that was the moment that Kagome made her reappearance at the far end of the ballroom. Catching her attention with as serene of an expression as he could muster on his face, Koga motioned for her with a simple wave of his hand, and she smiled and waved back as she worked her way through the crowd toward him. As she squeezed between the dancing couples, Koga stepped away from Sesshomaru and watched her approach with a guarded heart, only allowing himself to notice the smile she gave him and ignoring anything which might have shown evidence of betrayal. But as she got closer, there was something about her that he was unable to dismiss. The scent on her skin, on her gown; it was pungent, and it was fresh.

And it smelled of dog.

Koga saw red as he quickly cut through the guests and closed the now short distance between them. She dared to betray him again?! Was his trust in her for nothing? His hand whipped out to grip her bare bicep, undoubtedly scaring the girl more than he was intending to. His voice low and dangerous so as not to be overheard by the others around them, he pulled her close so she could hear his words over her startled gasp. “Where the fuck were you?”

Her fear vanished before his eyes, quickly being replaced by something much more hostile. Kagome's own eyes narrowed even as she turned her face away from his. “I was talking to Inuyasha.”

`So she admits it freely?' He loosened his hold on her arm, but kept her in his grasp. “Why do you smell like him?”

Her expression was becoming angrier by the second. “I hugged him. He's my friend, Koga. Am I not allowed to hug my friend?”

“Why did you hug him?”

She tried to shake out of his grip, but he held steadfast. Her insolence was enraging his alpha instincts, and it was all he could do to keep them in check for her sake. Leaning in closely, he growled his next words. “Don't make a scene in front of all these people. Just tell me why you hugged him, Kagome.”

Angry brown eyes met his in defiance for a brief moment, and then she turned away again before she spoke. “No.”

“Dammit, Kagome.” He purposefully kept his voice low, knowing it was intimidating her but not knowing of any other way to get an answer out of her. Why was she being so stubborn? “You can't lead him on like that. Don't you see the mutt lusts after you? He may think -”

“Don't call him that,” she demanded.

Koga blinked. “Call him what?” Her face remaining away from his was beginning to annoy him.

“You know,” she said, still facing away. “What you just called him. Don't call him that.”

Ignoring the supposed sympathy she held for the half-breed, Koga searched through the faces in the room before finally spotting him near the musicians' stage, noticing he was watching them intently. Turning back toward his woman, he pointed in Inuyasha's direction. “Kagome, you can't give him reason to believe his feelings for you may be returned, or he may never leave you alone. Shit, he may be stalking you already. Look at him over there! He just keeps staring at us… at you!”

Her eyes darted in the direction in which he gestured, as did Koga's. He saw the resentment in the hanyou's eyes, and for a brief moment, he almost pitied him. The poor bastard wanted something he would never get, but then again, he had to be accustomed to that by now, being the half-breed fuck that he was. Facing Kagome again to drive his point home, Koga was shocked by what he saw. Her soft brown eyes had glazed over with moisture, and Koga was forced to restrain himself from attacking the hanyou when he saw the unfiltered emotion in her gaze. The affection, the fucking desire in those eyes projected from her being and shot straight through Koga's heart like bullets from a firing squad. She… she actually wanted this half-breed?! Koga seethed in jealousy. Was this really happening? For two and a half fucking years he courted this bitch for jack shit in return, and now she wanted a hanyou? A mutt?!

Her eyes closed then, and he growled aloud when he saw a tear drop down her soft cheek. His heart was breaking upon the realization that she felt desire for another when Koga hadn't even bedded her yet, but his determination never wavered. He had to do something about this now before he lost her to the mutt. His instincts would have to be subdued if he was going to accomplish this, however. He knew he was going to have to placate her if he had any chance.

Realizing he was still holding her arm, he finally relinquished his grip and placed his hand gently on her back in an attempt to soothe her. “Kagome, I -”

His fingertips had barely met her skin before she fled out of his reach, escaping through the crowd and out the nearest set of double doors.

***

Sesshomaru watched the exchange between Koga and the human girl with restrained amusement, wondering whether the ookami had any idea how little control he had over her. She was undeniably defiant, this one. He had never pegged Koga as the type to allow a woman to act in such a way to him, especially in front of other youkai, but apparently he had been mistaken.

He also observed some things to which the wolf seemed to be oblivious, such as the fact that the woman smelled of much, much more than a mere hug from his brother. Of course, Koga's inferior sense of smell was not picking up on this, which only added to Sesshomaru's amusement. Her lips looked slightly puffy as well, which Koga also seemed to be either unaware of or ignoring. Lastly, he noticed she would never breathe in Koga's direction when she spoke. `Hiding the half-breed's breath now, are we?'

Sesshomaru was certain of her activity before she had returned to the ballroom, but her emotions became clear as well when she met the hanyou's eyes after Koga so unwisely pointed him out to her, and Sesshomaru actually found himself pitying the wolf. This female was already out of Koga's desperate grasp, and the fool didn't even know it yet. Then Sesshomaru watched him make the biggest mistake of the night: he let go of her arm. She was gone in a flash.

Koga remained where he stood with a pathetic display of defeat on his face as he watched her flee his presence. Sesshomaru glanced to his right where Inuyasha had been standing by the stage and noticed he, too, was making a quick escape out a different set of doors. He scowled. Would Inuyasha really be so careless? No doubt, the woman was mildly attractive for a human; even the mighty Sesshomaru would admit that much. But was she worth the trouble the hanyou was risking being involved with her? Would he regret his choice to pursue the woman once the consequences of such recklessness took effect? Koga would undoubtedly not stand by and allow his female to be taken so easily. Was Inuyasha ready to defend himself against a scorned youkai male for the sake of a mere human female? `He has too much of Otou-san's blood in his veins,' he decided.

Sesshomaru waited for about fifteen minutes, seeing Koga was still staring at the door through which the woman had fled. The charity ball carried on around the wolf, the various humans and youkai in attendance drinking and dancing and laughing as if he wasn't even there, which only made him stand out even more as an abandoned, stagnant fixture surrounded by merriment. Sesshomaru, having had enough of this embarrassing show of disgrace, finally approached Koga with his usual air of dignity. He noticed the stench of failure surrounding the wolf, making Sesshomaru wrinkle his nose in disgust. How pathetic to allow oneself to be manipulated in such a way, and by a woman, no less. Looking at the door, the inu youkai offered him a chance to redeem himself. “What will you do, wolf? She seems to have been running from you all evening.”

Before Koga could respond, a vibrating sound came from his breast pocket, and he absently reached into his jacket to retrieve the source of the noise. Sesshomaru subtly peeked at the phone to see the message there.

From: Kagome

Not feeling well. Sango took me home. Talk to you later.

Sesshomaru suppressed his amused sneer. The female was definitely out of the wolf's grasp.

“She… she left,” Koga said, disbelief ringing in his voice as he stared at the phone in his hand.

“How did she leave?”

Koga shook his head and frowned, slipping the phone back into his pocket. “Her cousin's family lives here. She and her boyfriend come here on the weekends sometimes. Kagome must have called her to pick her up.”

`Of course she did.' Sesshomaru mentally rolled his eyes.

Glancing first toward the stage, Koga's frowned deepened into glower as he looked around the ballroom, his scent morphing into one of irritation as blue eyes became narrow slits. “Where's your asshole of a half-brother?”

Sesshomaru watched the wolf carefully, observing his rage slowly build as assumptions—correct assumptions, but assumptions nonetheless—formed in his pea-sized brain. He didn't answer at first, giving the situation some thought. After all, whose fault was it really that Koga couldn't control his bitch?

“Sesshomaru. Where is he?” Koga's voice lowered menacingly.

“Watch your tone with me, wolf,” he warned. “Inuyasha is gone. I sent him on an errand while you were grieving the escape of your woman. He won't be back tonight.”

Huffing indignantly to himself, he finally straightened up, his scent still reeking of anger and defeat. “Fine,” he muttered, buttoning his jacket. He took a quick look around again before announcing, “I need a drink.”

Sesshomaru watched him stride away in search of liquor, secretly wondering if Koga really was as clueless as he seemed. `You'd better know what you're getting into, Inuyasha. I will not cover for you again.'

***

Kagome closed her phone and set it in her lap after sending the text message to Koga. She looked to her left with a grateful smile. “Thanks for getting me out of there.”

“No problem,” Inuyasha answered, his handsome features visible in soft blue glow from the dashboard of his car.

The top of the convertible was up, and despite how she always asked Koga to keep the top up when she rode with him, Kagome was surprised to currently find herself longing for the feel of the wind on her face. She admired the black leather interior and idly wondered how much the car must have cost him. She shot him a curious glance. “I hope you don't mind my asking, but how can you afford a car like this?”

He frowned a bit and hesitated for a few seconds before finally replying, “It was a gift from my old man.” The finality of his tone made it clear to Kagome that he wasn't going to say anything further on the topic.

`His father must be very wealthy.' She frowned as she looked out her window at the busy downtown New Orleans nightlife. She had no idea Inuyasha came from money, and if she was forcing herself to be honest—something she seemed to be doing a lot of this evening—she had to admit it was a bit of a turn-off. Koga had a small fortune himself, and although he still worked for a living, he never missed an opportunity to remind anyone of his wealth, including Kagome. The money card never scored very highly in her book. On the other hand, Inuyasha had never pointed out that his family was rich, so that had to count for something, right? At least he wasn't full of himself. `Well, not in that way, anyway,' she thought, smiling to herself as she remembered some of his antics during drumline.

Kagome looked down at her seat and languidly ran her fingers along the soft leather next to her leg. She had to admit, it was pretty nice compared to the cheap fabric seat covers of her Camry. So, he had an expensive car. So what? Did that mean he would use his money to get himself everything he thought he deserved in life, including women? She didn't think so. His actions and behavior in the time that she'd known him so far indicated that he wouldn't be so shallow, but beyond even that, he just didn't seem like that type of guy. He didn't seem… like Koga.

The revelations were coming to her in waves this evening.

“Inuyasha….” She looked up just in time to catch him watching her fingers out of the corner of his eye before he blushed and returned his gaze to the road. Looking down at her hand, she noticed the slit of her gown had opened to show a fairly generous portion of her bare thigh. Her face heated dramatically as she shifted the skirt to cover herself more properly. `What's the big deal? I show more leg than that in my shorts. Then again, my shorts won't accidentally ride up far enough for anyone to catch a glimpse of anything important.' That thought only infuriated her blush, and she quickly turned away before he caught it.

“What were you going to say?” he asked, anxiety evident in his wavering voice.

“Um….” She fidgeted, trying to remember what her train of thought had been when she was admiring the leather of her seat. Stupid leather; look at how much scandal that caused! “I was going to say that it's a nice car.”

He seemed almost disappointed in her response, as if he had been expecting something different. “Oh. Thanks.”

“Sure.” Kagome peeked at him again, briefly wondering what he thought she was going to say when another, more important thought suddenly came to mind that she had to give voice to. “Inuyasha, are you mad at me for leaving you on the balcony?”

To her surprise, he immediately shook his head. “Feh. You did what you had to do.” He glanced at her again with a small smile. “But I am glad you came out there in the first place.”

She blushed again. How did he always get that reaction out of her? “Well… it was worth it.”

“Definitely,” he agreed, sounding much more like his normal self now.

She smiled as she looked into her lap shyly, fiddling distractedly with her cell phone.

Inuyasha's large hand then rested itself on the gear shift, teasingly close to her knee as he spoke again. “Also, I'm glad you decided to leave the ball before dinner was served.”

“Why's that?” she asked curiously, watching his telltale smirk return in full force.

“Because now I get to take you out.”

“Oh.” She grimaced. “Inuyasha, I don't know if that's such a good idea right now.”

“Why not? We're hungry, and we're dressed to kill. I say we hit a nice restaurant in style, but if you'd rather go home and change first, that'd be fine, too.”

“It's not that.” She dropped her nervous gaze to her lap once more. “It's just….”

“What?” he asked somewhat impatiently.

She met his eyes as they sat at a red light. “It's just that… I'm still with Koga technically, and I don't want to -”

“Betray him. Got it,” he finished for her bitterly and turned to face the road again. The light turned green, and Inuyasha honked at the car in front of him when it didn't move right away.

“Inuyasha, please understand,” she pleaded, resting her hand soothingly on his strong forearm. “I like you. I really like you. But I need to break things off with him before I can think of being with you. How would you feel if I cheated on him to be with you? How could you ever trust that I wouldn't do the same to you?”

“Kagome, you keep running hot and cold,” he griped as he maneuvered his way through the busy streets toward the interstate. “I know you like me, but you're not willing to do anything about it. And like an idiot, I just keep trying to win you because I can't give up, and in turn I just keep getting more of your rejection.”

Her heart clenched at the frustration in his voice. “I'm not rejecting you! Didn't you hear what I just said? I'm going to break up with Koga for you!”

Inuyasha gave her a skeptical look. “Really?” he asked genuinely, his tone betraying the hope he harbored.

Really? Was she really ready to do what she had been wanting to do for over two years? Was she really willing to risk….

“Yes!” she cried, more to herself than to him as she tightened her grip on his arm. “I want to be with you, Inuyasha. I've wanted to for a while, but….” She trailed off.

He nodded blankly, his expression and voice unreadable as he merged onto the interstate. “I see.”

A few minutes of uncomfortable silence followed, each lost in their own thoughts. Eventually giving up on trying to discern what he was thinking, Kagome released his forearm and watched the street lights of the freeway whiz by her window. She knew she was definitely starting to feel something substantial for Inuyasha, but was it costing her her integrity? She had already lied to her boyfriend—again—in order to be with Inuyasha, if only for the duration of the ride back to Baton Rouge. And, she had kissed Inuyasha while still dating Koga. Actually, if she were to get technical, Inuyasha had kissed her, but she certainly had done nothing to stop him.

And what about that kiss? She had deliberately disregarded Sango's warning and had wholeheartedly allowed him to kiss her, and she'd be damned if she would ever regret it. But Kagome had noticed right away when something changed in Inuyasha's behavior during the long, passionate kiss on the balcony. At one point he had become somewhat aggressive. Not frightening in any way, but… dominant. Possessive. Animalistic.

And the craziest part was that she had liked it.

“The inu breed is of the most ruthlessly possessive of all youkai. They tend to be jealous, aggressive, dominant, over-protective….”

Sango had certainly hit the nail on the head with that analysis. Kagome wondered if Inuyasha would continue to be as territorial as he had seemed during the latter part of that kiss if they started dating. Koga had displayed many of those same characteristics with her over the course of their relationship, albeit to a lesser degree, and she had never been fond of them.

Of course, it was only tonight that she realized exactly how much—or how little—she really thought of the wolf. Those mannerisms had been nothing but a nuisance with him, but she had a feeling that she would allow Inuyasha to get away with them much more easily. No, she didn't want a raving lunatic for a boyfriend, but what would be wrong with a little passion from someone for whom she cared so deeply? She was well aware that she was holding Inuyasha to a different standard than she had ever held Koga, but wasn't that reasonable considering she felt so much more for the hanyou than she ever did for the youkai?

`So much more….'

A warm, clawed hand affectionately gripping hers in her lap pulled her from her thoughts, and she faced the owner of that hand again to see him watching the road ahead of him, a somber expression marring his features. “I don't want to be led on, Kagome.”

She covered his hand with her other one and smiled, hoping to reassure herself as well as him. “I'm not trying to lead you on, Inuyasha.”

He returned her smile, having heard hers in her voice. “I guess I'm pretty lucky to have been so persistent with you.”

“I guess so,” she teased, squeezing his hand. Suddenly feeling bold, she leaned over the center console a little bit and whispered playfully, “Although I think I'm the lucky one. If you had given up on me, I wouldn't have had the chance to kiss you tonight.”

His right ear twitched in response to her breathy words. “Feh. There was no way I was going to give up on you, wench.”

His cocky smirk, once so irritating to her eyes, was having a much different effect on her now, and she quickly leaned back into her seat lest he catch something with his powerful nose that she didn't want him to. However, his broadened grin at that moment did nothing to appease her embarrassment, nor to dissuade the rush of blood to her cheeks. Thankfully, he remained silent on the matter and only held her hand for the remainder of the ride to Baton Rouge.

Inuyasha exited the freeway and turned onto Dalrymple Drive, slowing his speed to a crawl on the nearly empty street. Recognizing his stall for what it was, Kagome smiled and squeezed his hand, which was still firmly holding hers in her lap. “Wanna put the top down?”

He gave her a surprised look. “I figured you didn't want to get your hair all messed up. It looks like you put a lot of work into that,” he teased as he released her hand and gestured toward the top of her head.

“Hey!” she retorted, laughing in spite of herself as she brought a self-conscious hand to her hair. “I'll have you know Sango helped me with this.” She grinned at the mocking look he gave her and started pulling out the pins in her hair. “Just shut up and put the top down, will you?”

His eyes glimmered as he chuckled, reaching for the button to grant her command. Within seconds, the warm night air was blowing easily through her loose locks as she raked her fingers through them. Finally feeling more like herself, she sighed happily and looked to her left, admiring the way Inuyasha's silver mane waved behind him in the slow wind. He caught her eye and grinned as he downshifted to stop at a red light. This time, she reached for his hand as it grasped the gear shift, running her fingertips lazily along his knuckles and the raised tendons. She smiled when the strong hand flexed and tightened on the knob and his skin heated under her touch, knowing he was watching her every movement with rapt golden eyes.

They finally made it to her apartment, and Inuyasha walked her to her door. He even kept his hands to himself as she climbed the steps in front of him, a feat that Miroku would never be able to claim while following Sango.

While he was still behind her, Kagome quickly reached into her cleavage and pulled her apartment key out of the gown's built-in bra. She had put it there instead of in her clutch out of fear of it falling out of the trendy accessory's open flaps. After reaching the head of the stairs, she turned toward him and smiled coyly, suddenly feeling like she was returning from a junior high school date as she stood awkwardly in front of her door.

Inuyasha gave her a suave smile and reached for her hand. She let him take it and pull it toward him, effectively tugging her body close to his for another kiss. His other hand gently cupping her jaw, he kept this one short and innocent until he began to pull away, nipping her bottom lip suggestively. She giggled at his boldness, admitting only to herself how that one little act was leaving her wanting more.

He smiled and lifted their joined hands to her eye level, tapping the apartment key between her fingers with the claw on his thumb. “Where did this come from?”

Her smiled dropped suddenly, and her fiercest blush of the night made its appearance at the knowing look in his twinkling amber eyes. “Um….”

“Never mind.” He chuckled and gave her one more quick kiss for good measure. “I'll let you go with that one.”

Kagome couldn't help but to laugh in relief. She unlocked the door and stepped inside her apartment, turning to face him once more. “Good night, Inuyasha. And thank you again for giving me a ride home.”

That characteristic smirk graced his lips, revealing a sharp fang as he stuck his left hand into his trouser pocket, looking every bit the GQ cover model he could probably be. “My pleasure, wench. Now shut the door before I invite myself in.”

Biting her lip, she smiled demurely. “If I said no, would you turn away?”*

“Not a chance,” he immediately replied, confidently shaking his head. “You'd come around eventually.”

Kagome nodded, satisfied with his answer and slowly closed the door, noticing he kept his fervent eyes on her for as long as he could. Once she heard the latch click into place, she turned her back to the door and leaned against it, sighing contentedly like a smitten teenager. `What is he doing to me?'

Deciding a hot, relaxing bath was in order, she pulled off her heels and glided across the living room carpet toward the hallway, intent on allowing herself the rest of the evening to fantasize about Inuyasha rather than fret about Koga.

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

* “Try Again” by Aaliyah. The lyrics to this song inspired the last section of this chapter.

Merry Christmas! :)