InuYasha Fan Fiction ❯ Scorched ❯ Serenity ( Chapter 6 )

Chapter 6

Serenity

(A/N-I tried to fix the problems! Gomen!)

*~*~*

The demon club seemed littered with assortments of weaker demons, all serving as either waiters or targets for the higher-ranking demons. A high-roller wasn't currently in at the moment, because from her own instincts, Kira knew that everyone would focus on nothing but the one that was the most dangerous to their health. Everyone in here was equally dangerous (or not) to each other.

 Sometimes the thought of the demon society amused her greatly. Weak demons with no skills were useless to other demons, like a group of different dog breeds. They could certainly bite, but with other, stronger breeds around, they were nothing but scrap and things in the way. The stronger the demon, the more involved in "The Youkai Mafia", as she liked to call it. No one in here was worth sparing or recruiting into their gang.

Because she and Shippo had technical skills, they just might be placed at the bottom of the gangster food chain. Sesshoumaru was, of course, The Don, and said naturally what went and what wouldn't. If anything was disobeyed, you got whacked; simple as that.

But Inuyasha would be hard to place, because his reputation was more famous amongst the humans, and they weren't supposed to believe in the first place. Naturally, his brother had disowned him, and refused to acknowledge that Inuyasha had, in fact, defeated him several times in battle, even on last minute causes.

That was the only thing the brothers had in common, though; they would never admit defeat, not even to themselves. They were the most stubborn mules ever born, and that's what made them the strongest and the most powerful of their kinds.

She stood now, unnoticed by demon society, sipping her wine with Shippo in the middle of the bar. Never did they go to places like this, especially when Inuyasha stored his own personal stash inside his own personal bar, and it made both feel detached and different from everyone else; not quite beneath them, but not better, either, and at the same time, they were nothing alike. Like milk and water; they were both liquids, but milk gave you protein and the sometimes negative effect of calories, while water quenched thirst without giving or taking anything, but you don't gain any nutrients, either.

Kira let her toothy grin escape her. Of course we're detached; we only feel confident when with Inuyasha, because he's an outcast, and outcasts should stick together.

Everyone in their little entourage was considered an outcast now, especially with their own unique abilities. Sango held a hatred for men that went deeper than personal (how deep was questionable), and also had an excellent ability for ass-kicking, especially with her upper body. Miroku was an odd, perverted little monk, but that set him in his own category altogether. He was for the good of mankind, just to the man side, it seemed.

And of course, Kagome, with her Miko powers that she didn't even know about, and the ability to contain a jewel worth the world under power without Inuyasha knowing she had it. She was also unique in that she was the only human female she ever recalled catching interest or fascination with Inuyasha (human hater) at all. He hid it well with his lack of any emotion other than anger, but only someone that had been with him as long as she had could even begin to notice when something's caught his attention, and she knew that tiny glint of adventure behind his otherwise blank eyes wasn't just about the jewel, either.

Shippo growled under his breath. "Here comes trouble."

Kira glanced up to the doorway and noted that indeed "trouble" had made a pit-stop on the worst day possible, and most everyone here had noticed. In floated one of the rarest of the kitsune breeds altogether-a deer, one of four, in fact. She also happened to be one of the most hated kitsunes of all, but she was just about naïve enough that hitting her would be the same as hitting a small child.

Where deer were graceful, beautiful creatures, she was just about the opposite. Maybe she was beautiful, but she wasn't graceful, she wasn't kind, she wasn't quiet, and she certainly wasn't worth saving. Hana was almost the equivalent of a twelve-year-old princess; the mentality and physical ability of a young child, and one of the most spoiled little brats in the world. That was what Kira despised most about her, as did probably everyone else around.

Deer kitsune had been the only breed Sesshoumaru had put his personal protection over. He simply refused to allow another species to go extinct over mere conflicts between attitudes, although he himself came close to slapping the witch once or twice himself. He only gave her one warning, and annoying him again would mean her instant doom. A species as weak as hers would be doomed without his protection, so she naturally obeyed his warning to the extent that she had so far.

But Hana still played her card of innocence when Don Sesshoumaru-sama had not been around to witness her actions. The only area she was smart in happened to be twisting things around just enough so that they were still considered the truth, without a nose like Sesshoumaru's sniffing out a lie. If anything happened to her, Sesshoumaru would be the first to investigate, and for most everyone here, that meant certain destruction.

If he even entered the room, instinct would throw every demon on their knees if his aura didn't in obedience. For someone as weak as all of them were, Sesshoumaru was practically a god, and would remain that way until someone managed to take his place.

Hana wouldn't go down, though; she was too much of a brat.

"Martini," she barked at a nearby waiter, who hastily rushed to get her order before she decided she might complain. The scowl perfectly planted on the brown-haired, brown-eyed female's face almost made Kira and Shippo both spit in reaction when he handed her the hastily mixed drink. "What the hell do I have to do to get a dry martini around here?"

"Try humping a leg, brat," Kira uttered before she could stop herself. She sipped her wine as the pointed ears of the exotic kitsune picked up every word perfectly, and the already testing scowl became hateful. She should have known; deer can hear thrice as well as cats.

Hana's eyes pierced Kira, but there was no danger, no power behind them, so Kira merely smirked. "I should have known the little bitch with that much courage had to be the only one in the bar without a brain."

The smirk turned bitterly sour. "How nice of you to come out of hiding, Hana, it must not be deer season anymore."

"I think cat is the hottest thing in the hunting bags."

She retaliated with a snort. "The last time you thought of something, George Washington was still president."

That seemed to strike a deep nerve with the kitsune, just as anticipated. She took daring steps forward to appear intimidating, and even though Kira held her ground without so much as a blink, she continued firm so as to not appear cowardly. "Lord Sesshoumaru will hear about this. He will crush the bones in your skull to dust before your tiny brain has time to react."

"At least I have a brain, slut."

"That so-called 'retort' has been around longer than I have."

The Kitsune shrugged nonchalantly. "Maybe, but it's the truth."

Hana folded her hands unevenly across her chest, pouting her lower lip childishly. She probably didn't even know she was doing it. "Lord Sesshoumaru will kill you for this."

Kira grinned. Now completely ignoring her assignment, she decided to probe the idiot for as much information as could be pulled to taunt her into making the first move. If she did that, Sesshoumaru would do nothing to help her, and she wouldn't mind seeing the deer species go extinct, anyway. "Well, I bet Lord Sesshoumaru would hear what I have to say about you before he does. He always grants last requests if it involves a simple sentence."

There; she felt the shift of nervousness in her aura and scent before it completely went back again. Hana had a secret, one worth hiding, and even though Kira really didn't know what it was, she'd make the bitch look like a fool just for her own amusement.

"You have no clue what you're talking about."

"I know, Hana. I know your little secret."

Hana froze, as did everyone else in the bar as the scent of her fear drifted into the air. "You know nothing," she snapped orderly, but she couldn't order anyone anymore.

"Oh, but I do, and if I tell Sesshoumaru your secret, he'll crush you. He may even let me watch."

She stood, frozen, contemplating what to do with hatred brewing beneath her eyes. She looked positively evil in that moment, and Kira knew she would have made a wondrous villainess had she had the power to become one. "Blackmail is illegal in all fifty states, by human and demon law, bitch."

"Ooh…" Kira grinned as she revealed the sarcastic secret. "So what you've been doing all this time with Sesshoumaru's protection isn't blackmail? You haven't been using him at all, have you?"

Silence was her response.

"So who do you think Sesshoumaru would be more likely to hurt, once all secrets are let loose? Are you really willing to risk that much of your stubborn, snobby hide?"

Shippo could sense the anger building to the point of no return, and he knew that he had no choice but to give the signal now before the women attacked each other. He headed for the door, exited, leaned against the outside pole with a single, lazy sigh, and then lifted off to go back inside again as if he had changed his mind about going outside.

"That was it; prepare your gun."

"I know what I'm doing, Miroku, I saw it, too," Sango hissed over the radio. Honestly…

"My apologies, milady. Inuyasha should be on the top by now, but he's waiting for the distraction of Kouga before he'll make a break-in."

There was a short pause, and Miroku took the time to right himself against the car in the chilly wind before Sango replied. "You sound as if you've known Inuyasha for years."

"Well, naturally; I was assigned to kill him back when I started working for Buddha."

"Kill him, eh? I wonder if he even remembers."

"Oh, I'm sure he does, he damn near killed me, but thank Buddha he released me. Merciful bastard…"

Sango's gun rang fire into the air from a building across the block, and Miroku fired his just as quickly. Guns were great weapons when fighting against demons; the sound alone confused them because of the ringing it left in their ears.

Kouga and his men were now about, searching for the source of their agony. They found nothing within sight, nothing within what they could hear, and by the looks of Kouga's face, nothing that could even describe what might have caused such a destructive noise.

A small buzz indicated that Sango was radioing him again, so the satisfied monk reached for the device as if it would come to his hand by will alone. "Yes?"

"What now?"

Miroku glanced to the roof again and saw nothing, but his eyesight caught a glance of white in the window of the top-story. "We help the kitsunes with the distraction, and follow them from there to Inuyasha's getaway."

"Fine. I'll meet you on the other side of the building."

Once she finally walked the entire block around to not appear suspicious stopping in front of the club, she nearly bumped into the monk of her nightmares, holding his arm out for her like a gentlemen near the doorway of the now unguarded hellhole. "Shall we go, milady?"

"Not like a couple, monk."

"You won't even pretend for the sake of acting?"

"No."

He finally lowered it and sighed tiredly. "You're beautiful, Sango-dear, but most stubborn in your hatred of men. Must you hate us all?"

Sango smashed the butt of her gun into his stomach and smirked when he doubled over, short of breath. "Nice try, but my eyes are up here, dammit."

He inhaled and held his breath, almost as if he'd been deflated and that would pop him back into shape. Once he finally let it out, he managed a chuckle, scratching his neck awkwardly with his hand as he stood again. "I've never met a more observant, more upper-powered woman. I'm impressed."
"Yeah, well I'm not here to impress you; I'm here to help my friend."

The monk cleared his throat and nodded towards the doorway in silent acknowledgement. They entered at once, only to see that the current "distraction" was exactly what Inuyasha didn't want to happen. It could very possibly end with a building collapsing, and human police would come nosing around.

The fight was still brewing, it appeared, and Hana wasn't the one winning.

"I will claw your eyes out!" She hissed furiously, already in the striking position.

Kira merely laughed. "You don't even have claws, you dumbass."

Hana lifted a chair like a beach-ball and smashed it into the floor, feet away from Kira. "You know nothing of my life, you son-of-a-bitch!"

"What's the matter, Hana? Afraid that everyone's going to know the truth?"

"I NEVER slept with Tore, and this is not his child!"

Kira's eyes widened in surprise before she calmed herself down to normal again. A secret of pregnancy by a cat-demon, interbreeding…what a weird child that would create. Sesshoumaru-sama would be pissed; interbreeding with a rare breed was forbidden by his law alone. "I detect a lie in your scent."

More chairs suddenly went flying, and Kira retaliated with whatever she could pick up in response, even other demons in some cases. The entire room erupted with things flying as other people decided to just start throwing what they could, hissing and growling when things hit them or the ones they came in with. Sango and Miroku just stood there like they were in the middle of an old western movie, unnoticed humans amongst the wreckage.

At least, that's what they thought until an aggressive guard of Sesshoumaru's tapped on their backs. They turned and had to crane their necks upwards to look the aggressive bear demon in the face, only to be faced with a horrid grin. "Which human wants to die first?"

Neither answered, but Sango managed to smash her knee into his solar plexus, while Miroku twisted to spin the heel of his foot into his temple in a completely lucky move. The demon still stood, but surprised now, and Sango and Miroku just began hitting him with whatever they could to keep him down. Sango favored the broken splinters of wood on the floor, and Miroku just kept kicking until he became unconscious.

It wasn't really supposed to get this far. No one anticipated that people could fight back, even being demons, if they weren't sure of what was going to happen, they would more often than not flee the situation. Because they weren't, though, Inuyasha's plan was completely ruined. Hopefully he could still get Kagome out without trouble.

The strike of a match turned all the heads in the room in complete silence. The owner of the noise was Shippo, a frightening realization to all, with a wicked smile plain on his face that brought attention to his already ridiculously insane sense of humor, and the lit match flickered between his gloved fingers. "Happy Halloween."

The humans looked to Kira, but she looked just as lost, if not more so, than they were. While everyone else waited for Shippo's next move, Hana returned again for another round of throwing things before Shippo took the building down in one pathetic flame. No one quite knew how he planned to do it, but the insane genius had something destructive in mind now that he'd gotten into the game, every one in the room now knew it.

Kira frowned. There was alcohol all over the floor, and her genius of a partner was going to drop the match in a far-kempt chance of proving his worth as a demon, without realizing who would be harmed in the process.

It appeared they were in for a very long night.

*~*~*

He thought she was bleeding to death in front of him.

Then again, who wouldn't, seeing so much blood coming from what seemed like nowhere? She shuddered uncontrollably in his arms. Her eyes were unfocused, her breaths shallow, as if it was almost impossible for her to breath, and maybe it was. He had no idea what could have been going through her head, no idea what could be done, no fucking clue as to what exactly was even causing this nosebleed from hell in the first place. It wasn't human, at all; it wasn't even something he'd seen demons do.

His hands held her up almost helplessly because he didn't know what else to do. The blood was now dripping on his hands like hot paste, playing havoc on his senses, driving him both batty with hunger and livid with anger, making it that much harder to think straight about what should be done. He wanted to stop the blood, lick the blood, and kill for more at the same time, and that took the meaning of multiple personalities to a whole new level.

Above all else, being helpless because of lack of knowledge was the worst thing in the world to him, to all of his personalities. The human was in horror, and the demon fiercely boiled the blood beneath the surface of his skin in pure rage. He was supposed to protect her, and now he knew he wasn't doing his job. He couldn't possibly in the state he was in.

"Don't touch her!"

Kouga's fist flew into his temple before he could stop it, hard, knocking him away onto the cold ground beneath him. SHIT…I have GOT to pay attention…

Kagome dropped to her hands and knees once released, suddenly panting like she'd just run a mile, somehow feeling the pain of Inuyasha by the sound of his voice as he rolled with the force of the blow and growled. A tremor shot down her spine unexpectedly, causing her to arch her back painfully in her semi-conscious state. She could feel the pain, the ground beneath her hands and feet, but she couldn't see straight or sense anything with her instincts. It was like sleepwalking, but she knew what was happening. She could hear Inuyasha slide gruesomely across the floor when a punch equivalent to being slammed by a ton of bricks knocked him away, and she cringed at the thought of anything happening to his gorgeous face.

Inuyasha cradled his cheek for a moment, regaining the feeling in the joint of his jaw. He was slightly surprised he was still conscious considering the blow was both un-obstructed and unsuspected. With a sigh, he noted Kouga was above him, waiting skeptically, like the king of the hill, grinning down at all who was beneath him.

That was exactly the kind of arrogance that pissed him off the most. Those who stood above him, claiming that a half-demon was never worth anything, never worth existence. He'd lived for all these years, putting those arrogant monsters in their place, never letting himself be belittled because he refused to put up with it.

The difference this time was a woman he'd sworn to protect appeared to be suffering, and the disparaging bastard in front of him wouldn't let him help her, in fact proclaimed that he was forbidden to do so.

His arms were shaking in anger. He'd earned his goddamn reputation with hard work, and no sonofabitch wolf was going to rip it from him by stripping him of honor this way. He'd see him in hell first.

Inuyasha twisted, sweeping Kouga's feet out from under him unexpectedly. As the wolf landed with an unnatural thud, the hanyou snarled and managed to kick him in the side, a feat he assumed impossible with the incredibly dizzying headache. Kouga grunted and rolled away, and Inuyasha did the same to get up on his feet before the tacky demon grabbed something and started beating him into the floor.

He would have laughed at himself had the circumstances been different. He'd never been in such a situation before in which he basically lost within the first five minutes. The galactic punch to his head had rattled more than just his brain. Not only could he probably not outsmart his enemy, he could hardly see Kouga, too. The wolf would eat him alive.

Inuyasha manage to jump a heated punch from above that left a large crack in the cement. He had no idea what to do other than avoid him and strike back when he was near. His headache was increasing; blood trickled down his temple, leaving a warm, sticky trail in his hair and on his skin. It was oddly annoying to him, and then it occurred to him that he was more upset over blood ruining his leather coat than escaping Kouga's quick and dangerous fists, possibly for his life.

The thought was equally annoying.

Calm. All at once the confusion stopped. Her mind focused to one smooth train, all unnecessary thoughts emptied, and her spine straightened as she stood, slowly and provocatively. She inhaled deeply, as if breathing fresh air for the first time. Renaissance…The word simply popped into her head, like a stray thought or memory. The normal part of her brain responded in definition. Renaissance, or rebirth…to be born again.

Kagome's vision had been enhanced immensely, almost as if she was seeing through a thin sheet of red tinted paper, with all the objects in the room highlighted in a neon yellow. Body heat made the vision a light blue, strange for heat, she noted, but it didn't matter.

Her sense of smell had heightened incredibly, with so many scents flowing around her it was hard to decipher what was what. She lifted her hands and viewed dainty claws on her fingertips. Her tongue traced the indisputable points of fangs in her mouth, and her body felt reenergized, empowered, full of strength and agility that she had never known before.

She wasn't even surprised.

"Renaissance." Still staring at her hands, she let her lips upturn into a smirk, her eyebrows snapping into place evilly above her eyes. She understood, and the knowledge filled her with perverse joy and deviousness. For once in her life, she could have what she wants, take it, and no one could stop her, no matter how hard they may try.

She would have what she desires, now, and from now on she'd get exactly what she wants, when she wants it. Maybe she'd even have people cowering in fear, and following her every whim.

Kagome narrowed her eyes at Ginta and Hakkaku, standing off to the side, waiting for directions from their distracted boss. She flashed her fangs at them in a toothy grin, awakening them from their stupor, and confusing the hell out of them. "Rebirth," she simply stated, in a voice that was hardly hers. "I feel so absolutely wondrous."

Both wolves frowned and straightened in confusion, sharing odd glances between themselves. After moments of whispering their thoughts and confusions back and forth, Hakkaku glared evilly back. "The wench is playing games, and it's gonna get her killed."

Kagome could not describe what came over her; what her brain was thinking of saying was not what was coming out of her mouth. It was almost as if she didn't have complete control anymore. "Really now? You think you can kill me?" She chuckled lightly, even sadistically. "Come now, I had assumed wolf demons had at least pea-sized brains?"

"You're a fool if you, a mangy little human, think that you can defeat two demons at once."

"I could do more, if you like." The grin remained on her face, but her mind was practically screaming. For Pete's sake, why am I saying these things?!

You're not quite yourself, you fool. A voice hissed in the back of her mind. You're so ridiculously obedient it drives me insane. Always by the book, is it? How are you going to mind yourself out of this one? For once, I'll do things my way, the way that you should be doing them, and you're gonna watch.

Kagome's eyes widened considerably. W-w-what the fuck?What's going on?!

Happy Halloween, bitch.

She mentally fumed at that. I'm not a bitch! I don't care who you think you are, don't call me that!

Well, a stubborn human…I've got my work cut out for me.

Kami, I'm a COLLEGE student, not a crazy old hag with insanity as the only thing going for me!

The voice cackled, and Kagome noted that the voice she was hearing was actually female; a very dominant female that does exactly what she wanted, precisely when she wanted it. She was even similar sounding to the voice that was actually leaving her mouth.

Do you honestly believe that there will still be a College after a couple of weeks?  You're lucky to be alive in one.

Her attention turned to the fight behind her when a pained grunt sounded. Both males had their knives pulled, circling each other, each a bruised mess, and Inuyasha managed a cut on Kouga's arm before the bastard dashed with his speed to the side, diving back in for another shot.

Inuyasha wasn't doing well. The hit on the head must have done more damage than she thought. He seemed a little distracted.

She could feel her muscles tense in anger, while at the same time, worrying for the condition of the Hanyou. Oh, my, Inuyasha…

You want him safe, correct?

Kagome paused, still watching the scene before her as Kouga pinned him to the ground in a pure display of strength. She felt her chest vibrating with an unfamiliar growl. "I do," she said loudly, in a voice that was a strangled, seductive version of her own, once again puzzling the wolves now behind her. It was probably the only thing in her life that she said and meant with all her heart and soul, without it relating to her family.

Then you let me think for you. I'll protect him, and I'll get you out of this mess. Just surrender yourself to the blood.

She frowned, and it was only then that she realized she did still have partial control over her body. She wasn't sure if she really approved of the idea of possession, by whatever the hell this thing was. W-who are you?

Your better half. Do it; let yourself go. You'll know what's happening, and you can regain control if you try. Once you learn to do things my way, I'll teach you how to control my powers yourself.

Sighing, Kagome shook her head. She was having a conversation with herself in her head. This was insane…then again, she now knew that anything was possible, and this certainly felt possible.

She could talk, communicate, probably negotiate…but if this "thing" wanted her to let go to the "blood", whatever that meant, then it might not be safe to trust it. What will you do?

Kick wolf ass, and save your crush. I'll do nothing more, nothing less.

The scent of blood hit her hard. She knew it easily, but she had never reacted hungrily, nor did she act enlightened like she was now. The scent of Kouga's blood suddenly had her aching for more uncontrollably. Blood was now a craving, like candy.

Do enough to help him; that's it.

Blood's been spilt. Bite your tongue, now; the blood calls to me…

She actually felt it as her human blood lost control, felt it like she was falling slowly down into a hole. She could still see, still feel everything that was happening, but her body was now under control of the other blood, even though she was still not certain what, exactly, the other blood was. Her voice could reach the one in power, and that may mean that she will still have the ultimate control underneath the surface by communicating mentally. That blood had forced her down, so perhaps she could do the same if needed?

Not that this didn't concern her…She was so worried about Inuyasha's safety that the puzzling question of her sanity wasn't important at the moment. Whatever was happening to her, she'd allow, for now, only if Inuyasha would be safe. She didn't know why he was so important to her, but it was.

Arms wrapped around her shoulders, jerking her off balance. People attached themselves to each wrist, and dragged her backwards, letting her heals lug on the floor as they led her pointlessly nowhere. The scents indicated that the wolves thought they could handle her, after all; a victorious underlay further telling of their arrogance.

Kagome let them drag her a little while without putting up the slightest bit of a fight. She grinned.

The sweet, metallic glint of blood hinted on his tongue. Kouga had nearly busted his jaw with a brash uppercut, and now his entire jaw felt numb. That was the main focus as he backed against the wall, a bloodied knife in his hand, his sleeve brushing against his mouth to clean it of blood. A bored growl left his throat, slightly clogged with blood, and he glared at the tiring demon with who he'd been wrestling all night as he began working on his shoulder, which had suffered a harsh strike from his opponent.

Inuyasha realized that this was pointless, careless, and downright stupid. All that was getting done was a bunch of cat scratches and slices. One of them had best inflict a dangerous wound for anything to get done, even though the head wound had his head pounding, and blood stinging his right eye.

"Got anything better than that?" Inuyasha taunted, hoping to get something done.

Kouga smirked arrogantly, and left his shoulder. "Didn't know you were looking forward to dying." Mentally, Inuyasha noted that he may have found that funny, but his voice was growing tired. They had to get up and do damage, or they'd just fall asleep on the ring.

A loud, sickening crash snapped everyone's attention away from whatever it was they were doing. There was a hole in the wall, revealing pipes and wires, with a mess of cracks and plaster, dust particles nearly sheeting the room completely in white. Beneath the hole was Hakkaku, with a very stunned look on his face, and a gouge on his shoulder that it was suspected to have come from something other than a knife.

Ginta suddenly joined him, but this time, Inuyasha and Kouga both witnessed the explanation. Kagome was overhauling them by gripping their wrists as they gripped hers, using her back and lower leg muscles to throw them over her shoulder like a bag of potatoes. She wasn't even breaking a sweat.

In fact, she was grinning devilishly, a fact that worried both demonic males instantly.

Her claws were sheeted in blood. It didn't seem to occur to her that the demon men were watching her as she observed the clawed hand with heightened interest, and flicked her tongue out to lick it off her fingertips.

After watching the stunning incident, Kouga bristled and motioned towards her. "What the hell are you two waiting for? Get her, you idiots!"

Yes, come catch the weak little human. I thought you big bad demons could handle me."

"No way am I going near her again!" Hakkaku growled. He stared, terrified at Kagome, with the lime-green eyes, and shuddered at the sense of power the eyes alone seemed to hold on her. "She's not a freaking human, I don't care what her smell says!"

Inuyasha's eyes narrowed onto hers. It was so shocking; the color wasn't even one he recalled seeing anywhere before now…What the fuck?!

"Shit…" Kouga sighed, and with a lightning fast sprint, he had taken off at top speed towards the girl, like a sonic jump. Do it yourself the first time, dammit…

He slammed into her, toppling her over onto the floor with a grunt, putting them instantly into a very provocative position. She'd seen him quick enough to have his hands locked with her own, pressing against hopeless male upper body strength, but he was too quick to stop, so he had her lower body pinned to the floor with his own, his leather pants scraping against her hips.

She snarled at him, baring fangs that he'd never seen. He blinked for a second in pure bombshell, and then pressed down against her upper body, shoving her back down into the floor, showing her he could make her go through it. "I don't care what has happened to you; I wanted you to be my mate, and that still stands, dammit! You're gonna start acting like a mate, by obeying me."

Kagome spat at him, and just as quickly, he released her arm and backhanded her, hard enough that she saw stars instantly. She growled and began struggling against him, making him work to hold her, and used her lose hand to attempt to repay the favor, only to have it caught between his harsh, steal fingers. "You dare to hurt me?"

"Burn in hell!" Kagome hissed in that demonic voice, twisting and moving her shoulders harder than ever now. The right side of her face was numb, but throbbing, reminding her that it wouldn't remain numb for long. A little pain wasn't going to deter her, though; he could smack her around all she wanted, and he would not win this battle.

When he took and snapped her wrist unnaturally backward, however, the break was a different story. She screamed from the unexpected pang of pain, and with the shock flying through her system came a tremor that suddenly pulled the demon blood back into hiding, exposing the normal, human Kagome again, only in just as much agony over her broken wrist.

She was suddenly back to herself, but the pain in her arm was so much more than it had been. It wasn't helping that Kouga still held it between his fingers. "Let go of me, dammit! That hurts!"

"Then maybe you won't disobey me next time."

"OWW! I don't have to obey you, I'm not your anything!"

He squeezed experimentally and smirked at her shout. "Oh, yes you are, and I want to hear you say so."

The distracted demon had failed to notice that in taking in another problem, he'd completely forgotten his first one. Inuyasha hit him hard with a metal pipe he'd plucked from the broken wall in his time distracted, and managed to knock him off of her with the bloody blow to the head. The unconscious demon hit the ground close enough to his demon goons that they first worried over their boss, then lifted him, and carried him out of the situation.

Inuyasha stilled for a moment to calm the dizziness and nausea from the head wounds, letting his pipe drop loosely to the floor. He looked her over in one sweep, taking in a lot of information exhaustedly. Blood was staining her front from that massive nosebleed that he still had no explanation for. Not only that, but blood stained her shirt from cuts on her body, and a drop of blood slid inconspicuously out of her mouth to drip down the sides. He hoped it was from her nosebleed and not an internal injury.  Her wrist, which she was now clutching, was a dainty purple and already began to swell. Her cheek, the part that he hated the most with her injuries because of her face, was badly bruised, but he wasn't sure if it would swell or not. He really hoped it wouldn't.

Once he was done, he squatted down beside Kagome on the cold, blood-spattered floor, and observed the clean break as she panted in pain, trying to keep from touching it, while trying at the same time to breathe like a normal human that didn't have blood dripping down her throat. "Hold it against your stomach," he finally said, gently grasping her elbow to steer it in place. "You won't bump it there."

She watched him curiously, at the same time watching her black and blue wrist in slight interest (she's never had a broken bone before this), and mused at how easily he tore the leather of her ruined coat into a thin strap. He then tied it around her neck, and then placed her forearm in the homemade sling. "I'll have Kira look at it later."

"Kira?" She asked quietly.

"One of my kitsune counterparts." He wiped at the blood in his mouth and winced when he touched a loose tooth. The salt of his sweat and blood had his right eye wincing, but he was too stubborn to close it. He silently hoped he'd rattled the brain of that bastard pretty good for that. He also hoped that the damage was permanent for what he had done to Kagome's wrist. The bastard had no right whatsoever to do such a thing, to anyone, human or demon, female or male. Her cheek had also not put the mangy mutt in his favors.

He'd die if he did that to her again.

Kagome carefully observed him, noting with distaste that some of his cuts and bruises didn't seem well at all. She disliked the mars of his skin, and the blood in his mouth, knowing there'd be bruises there sooner or later. "Are you ok?"

Inuyasha paused and looked at her. She waited patiently for an answer, looking him right in the eyes with her obviously back-to-normal eyes, and honestly wanted to know of his well being, when her injuries had surpassed his own. He didn't know why he felt that was so odd, or why it was pleasing to him that she'd even wanted to know. He shouldn't be caring. "Yeah. Are you?"

Shrugging nonchalantly, she motioned towards her wrist. "This is the worst of the damage."
"What the hell came out of you?"

It was a good question; one she didn't know the answer of, and now that she had her head back, she pondered over what, exactly, that was, and exactly how long it intended to stay. She responded thusly. "I refuse to answer that question on the grounds that I don't know the answer."

He snorted. "Well, we're going to figure it out, but we need to get out of here." Carefully, he helped her to her feet, gently holding on to her waist when her own dizzy spell hit from the throbbing side of her face. He steadied her, and sighed, mentally realizing that inhaling her natural scent didn't do him any favors. "Gods, careful, woman…"

"Sorry…"

The ground shook, and screams, growls and howls overtook the building. The strong scent of smoke filled the room, even though smoke was not visible, and the heat of the fire was felt through the walls. Things were heard falling, burning, and running, since demons with intelligence were evacuating the alcohol-loaded time bomb. The building had been engulfed in flame in a matter of seconds, it appeared, and he knew damn good and well which of his demons was responsible for it.

Goddammit, Shippo, can't you do anything halfway?! He snapped to himself, holding Kagome closely to him as he headed for the nearest exit out of this hellhole. He'd simply stated "I don't care what it takes to distract them, just don't blow the place up." Of course the Kitsune would take him literally. He didn't blow up anything, but that didn't mean he couldn't burn anything down.

He shook his head carefully. The only thing that mattered now was getting this girl out safely, now that he knew she was protected with him. "Come on, we'll get you out first. They can handle themselves."

As she let the most beautiful man she'd ever seen lead her outside, his arm around her as he tended her wounds and took care in not harming her, she couldn't help but wonder if he insinuated that she couldn't handle herself like an adult, but thought better of questioning it.

After all, it wouldn't do her any good to question the unnecessary, especially when he'd never insulted her before. She was always told there was no point in fighting. Maybe now, she'd actually believe what her teachers had taught her.

*~*~*

Kagome had only ridden in one limo before this, and this was the second time in a week she'd been in one. This time, though, it wasn't against her will. It was quite an improvement over what she'd accustomed to.

Her mind was a simple blur as she followed her new caretaker to the vehicle three blocks away.  He'd said nothing since they'd left the building.

Not that she expected him to say much…

In fact, that was one of the redeeming qualities in him, that she'd seen so far, anyway; he only said what needed to be said, and didn't generally communicate with people that annoyed or pissed him off. If he didn't speak with you, it meant he didn't want to, and he wouldn't pretend to do something he didn't like.

Being cooped up in that room for so long, Kagome had taken time to appreciate the somewhat fresh air of the nighttime city. It was very chilly; the cold with the slight gust of wind, very fresh and crisp. It would be the first signs of fall this year, and while holding the hand of this dream man, she would definitely take advantage of it by being cold, and gathering closer to him for his warmth if he didn't offer his coat.

She couldn't help but wonder, though, where his other counterparts were, and why he wasn't going back for them when he struck her solely as an honorable, reliable man. The burning building was about to fall down when she'd left, nearly exploding in flames after they'd hit a block away, and she was certain that the rest of them were inside, but it appeared that his main concern was her…and his bleeding head.

Of course, she didn't mind being his main concern at all. The warmth of another body after being locked up for a few days was just as invigorating, even that of a man she didn't know too well, or the most beautiful man alive that she'd been dreaming about ever since she'd met him. Knowing that he was demon didn't bother her, and knowing that he was on her side was even better, because it meant she could continue to daydream about him without feeling guilty or betraying to the human race.

Now, she sat next to him in the limo, cradling her wrist against her chest. She'd taken a fascination in the different colors the joint was changing since that was about the only thing she could do with it. It throbbed and ached, even when it wasn't moving, with intensity that she never knew could exist. Her first break, and she could barely remember how it had happened. Hell, everything had happened fast enough, she could barely keep in mind anything. The only thing she knew was that she was going insane.

But as long as she was crazy next to Inuyasha, she really didn't mind. She'd never tell him that, though.

"Dammit," he hissed, bringing her attention to him. He was wiping at the cut on his head, trying to remove the remains of blood off his skin so that he couldn't scent it anymore. The limo was moving, every once in a while hitting a bump, thus making it harder for him to tend his head without hurting himself. He winced with the resulting headache and growled under his breath.

The question rose in her throat, but the metallic tinge of blood in the air held her tongue. She'd never been able to scent something like this before, without there being lots of it to scent from. She shook it off, however, and continued with her thoughts. "Do you…uh, want help?" She asked uncertainly.

"No."

"You can't see the cut; you don't know what you're working on."

Inuyasha snorted, still tending his head, purposefully ignoring her. "I said, no thank you."

With a shake of the head, she let it go. Apparently he wasn't a people person, and he liked being able to do things himself. Since he saved her, she wouldn't press the issue, but she wanted to argue until she'd won the argument. It was an irritating need.

The window between the back and the front seat rolled down, but because the front was dark, Kagome couldn't tell any important features of the driver. "Where are they to be picked up?"

"Just pick a street corner around here. They'll figure it out." Inuyasha continued cleaning his head wound, barely paying attention to the window.

"Of course, sir." The driver rolled up the window and pulled over almost immediately.

Inuyasha reluctantly removed the bandana for the first time that night, and Kagome just blinked at what she saw.

His ears were so cute, dog-ears, and they were very real. She didn't hold back from her first instinctive reaction; touching them.

Inuyasha froze at the unexpected feeling of fingers on his ear. He had expected her to stare, to ask rude questions about them, even, but definitely not squeal and scratch them. He was unable to react rudely, but unable to stop another reaction that would surely loose him.

"They're so cute!" Kagome cooed, rubbing a little more of the soft fur on the backside of his ear. She could almost swear she heard a small purr coming from somewhere, but when he carefully placed his hand on her wrist and steered her away from his ears, the discernable sound went away. She almost pouted, but that would have been pathetic.

"Yeah, well, now that you've touched them, and seen them, you don't have to anymore."

Her hand pulled out of his slight grip. "You're not a big people person, are you?"
"No." Using his hands, he began combing through his hair to detangle it. Kagome found it strangely masculine the way he did it, even though normally a feminine gesture.

"Why not?"

At first, she didn't think he had heard her, because he continued on with what he was doing without any hesitation. When he finally stopped and looked at her with those expressive eyes, she was hopelessly lost in them, and would have given him anything if he hadn't seen the things he'd seen to make his eyes so dark and mistrusting deep down. "Why should I be a big 'people person' when people have isolated me for six hundred years? Why should I give a flying fuck about other people, when no one cares about anything other than themselves?"

It was a good answer. She tilted her head at him curiously. "That's not true for all people. I'm not one of those people. And I think you'd have to care to have saved me."

"It's my job to save you."

"Yeah, well it's not your job to tend my wounds and care about me first. And jobs can always be rejected; who's gonna hurt you for doing them?"

"Have you ever had a job, bitch?"

The phrase that would have normally scarred her, didn't affect her properly. She somehow knew, as crazy as the thought sounded, that bitch was actually a secretive term of endearment. To all humans, it would have been insulting, and he probably meant it that way. "Yes, I have, and I quit when I didn't feel like doing the work anymore."

Inuyasha grunted, dabbing at the side of his head again. "Look, you know nothing about me. If I have a job to do, I get it done. My job was to find and look after you; I did, and I will."

"Maybe you're supposed to look after me, but that's it. You're just supposed to make sure I'm not killed or kidnapped."

He sighed. "Yeah, well, it all adds up."

The door opened before she could say anything else, and the only familiar face she'd seen all night popped in, completely surprising her. "Sango?"
"Oh, Kagome, you're safe!" She sped in and wrapped her arms around her roommate in pure relief. Kagome clutched her back while watching the arm with the cast, relieved that the anger she'd last seen at the apartment was gone. They were both sorry it had ever happened, and relieved that both were ok.

"I'm here, it's ok."

Sango sat back, realizing with slight apprehension that she had, in fact, been injured. The blood on her shirt was more than shocking, and her cheek and hand…she suddenly felt furious. "Who-who did this to you?!"
"My captor."

"Where is the bastard? If I ever find him, I swear I'll-"

The rant was suddenly cut short, and Kagome was puzzled over the strange look plastered on her face. Before she could ask, though, Sango swung around and punched the nose of the man behind her, who had managed to paste his hand on her hindquarters, as if he had the grounds.

Kagome giggled when Sango began cursing in just about every language she knew, and then started screaming about agreeing to work on the same state as the lecher, when all he seemed interested in was her ass. Inuyasha just scowled, seemingly growing more annoyed with the monk with every word that left her mouth. She wasn't sure, but she suddenly had an irking that he was holding back a slap, and didn't doubt that he would give it.

"Now, Sango, I-"

"You hentai sonofabitch!" She smacked him again for good measure. "How dare you touch me, again?! And right in front of Kagome, you…you bastard!"

Miroku suddenly flew in face-first with the help of Kira and Shippo behind him, shoving the dizzy pervert into the limo floor. He sighed, as if dreaming, and blinked up at Sango above him. "It can't be helped, my dear; it can't be helped."

"I don't believe you," she fumed, sitting herself down beside Kagome. "Touch me again and I'll smack you into the future."

"Do you promise?"

"I'm gonna hit you both in a minute," Inuyasha snapped. The limo door shut behind Shippo and the car started moving to their next destination. Only Inuyasha, though, knew exactly where that was, but he seemed so irritable to conversation that no one dared ask him where that was just yet.

"Well, don't you look like hell," Kira stated, climbing up beside him on the seat to view his wounds, careful not to touch them without telling him what she was doing. Surprises pissed him off more than anything. After taking a glance over him, she looked to Kagome and smiled, reaching out her hand. "I'm Kira, the only sane one of the demons."

Kagome paused for a moment, before awkwardly using her other hand to shake. "Kagome…ah, no longer…sane human."

The demonness viewed her wrist and winced. "We'll have to put it back in place."

"W-what?"

"I'll fix Inuyasha up first, ok? If I don't fix your arm, it'll never sit right again."

She blinked as the seat sank in behind her. She automatically knew that getting it put back was not going to be one of the better experiences in her life.

Kira was a perfectly likeable demon, and there was something delightfully insane about the kitsune male that was strangely cute and childlike. Getting along with them didn't seem like a future problem, though she was slightly wary of Miroku now, but overall he seemed pretty friendly.

Somehow, though, she knew that if he ever got too friendly with her, Inuyasha would set him straight, or break every bone in his body, but either way, Miroku wouldn't win. Strange how these thoughts were occurring, and she'd only known him for an hour or so…

Said hanyou suddenly put his attentions to the kitsune male that she had yet to know the name of. "What the hell did you do?! I told you people to make a distraction, not destroy the bastard's club!"

Shippo smiled sheepishly and shrugged. "Sorry…I just got into the moment. Everyone started throwing shit, thanks to Kira's fight with Hana, and I-"

"WHOA, wait a second," she began when Inuyasha set his deadly glare on her, instead. "The bitch started shit with me, not the other way around, and no one said anything about dumbass deer demons showing their ugly faces in the bar."

Inuyasha growled, clenching his fist into the seat beside him. "I told you fighting was out of the question, Kira. I never said to anyone that I'd gotten her out yet, now did I?"

The kitsunes shared looks of guilt before redirecting it to their leader. "Gomen-nasai," they said simultaneously. Their apology only brought another scowl from the demon, and sorry winces from them.

"If that fucking establishment had gone down before I'd gotten her out, I'd have ripped both your heads off and kicked them into the river."

Kagome glared at him wholeheartedly. "Inuyasha, that's not something you should say, even jokingly."
When everyone in the car looked at her, she sighed and let her head fall back against the seat again. She got the message; he wasn't kidding. Somehow, though, the thought of him killing to prove a massive point didn't quite surprise her like she thought it should.

"Did Sesshoumaru-sama return this night?"
The monk's stray question brought everyone's attention off the topic, much to Kira and Shippo's relief. Inuyasha managed a new facial expression that Kagome hadn't seen yet; it resembled something akin to having seen someone sprout another head, right before his very eyes. "No, he left and stayed gone. Why?"
"When at the bar, I could have sworn that off in the distance, I could feel the intense energy of a powerful demon's aura, not necessarily putting off the power, just being in the area."

"I felt something, too," Kira observed. She began applying alcohol to the cut on Inuyasha's head, ignoring his growls of protest, and placing her hand on the other side to help keep him still. "I wasn't sure what it was, but it felt pretty powerful to me."

"I don't know what you felt, but it wasn't him. I would have smelt him." Inuyasha cursed under his breath, and the sound of something burning or stinging was heard crystal clear on the air. "Dammit, what is that, acid?!"

Kira huffed amusedly and continued dabbing at the cut. "Why don't you stop being such a baby? It's a cut; you've had worse."

"I'll give you worse…" He growled and crossed his arms protectively across his chest. Kagome couldn't help the small giggle she gave at the image he presented; he looked so much like her little brother, especially when he didn't get his way.

His ears flicked annoyingly in her direction, and his expressively golden eyes soon followed to give her a scowl. "The hell's so funny?"

"You," she stated without missing a beat. "You look like my kid brother."

"I don't look like a fucking kid, wench; especially anyone in your family."

It was suddenly clear to everyone in the car that Kagome had a hard time deciphering his insult as a mistake on his part, or a bat of arrogance. She assumed the latter, and smirked at him. "So you're saying I'm ugly, and you're not?"
Now obviously bored with the topic, he sighed. "Yeah, that's what I'm saying."

She knew then that she may have just caught him at a sore topic. He was insecure about his looks, thus judging others by saying they were worse than his. Psychology did have it's moments in her life, after all. Of course, the thought that he thought of himself as ugly was downright ridiculous since it was all she could do to keep from practically jumping him, but it was still an obvious problem to him. And since he'd just called her ugly…

"If I'm so ugly, why'd Kouga pick me for a mate?"

He blinked twice without moving anything else. Kagome tried to read him with body language, but he remained still, and even the small flicker that could sometimes make ends meet just behind the eyes laid dormant to the blanket of pain. Nothing else on him moved, except for a tiny flicker in his ear.

What the hell's that supposed to mean?

"He's got shit for brains, idiot," he finally spat. "He'd have asked anyone with breasts if he thought they might say yes."

She managed to place her good arm on her hip, but the other settled for its place at her side. "At least I got Kouga. I don't see you with a wench on your arm."

When he growled, she thought for sure that the most beautiful demon in the world was about to be the last thing she ever saw. Instead, his eyes closed, and if possible, he sank even lower in the seat, but enough so that normal people wouldn't have noticed. "I don't want a fucking wench, otherwise I'd have someone."

"I don't think so."

His eyes opened instantly. "Who asked you, anyway? Just shove it and mind your own goddamn business!"

"I would have if you didn't call me ugly!"

Inuyasha snarled, meeting her unrelenting gaze with one of his own. "Well, I wouldn't have called you ugly if you hadn't laughed at me, and called me a kid!"

She shook her head. "Why are you so mean to everyone in the world?"

"You try being a 600-year-old Hanyou in a human/demon world!"

Sango sighed. "Both of you, shut up!"

Surprisingly, they did, but not without a huff and a slam back down into the seat.

Another small breath, and she felt instantly better about her ride with perverts and arsonists. "I'd like to know what the hell's going to happen now? We got Kagome back, we're in the limo, so now what?"

"We hide," the hanyou stated almost lazily, yet still domineering enough that he'd still kick ass as a superior if someone did something they weren't supposed to under his watch. "We hide because I haven't gotten everything else figured out yet. She'll be first on their hit list."

"Why don't you just let them have me?"

Once again, he blinked, and she settled for knowing that he was either unprepared, or thinking about a way to answer. "Suicidal?"

"You seem to hate me enough-"

He scowled, pushing Kira's arm back with his own to sit up, using what she felt was his entire body to glare at her. "Do you want me to hate you?"

"No."

"Then why do you sit there and piss me off, then wonder why I'm mad a moment later?"

Kagome let her shoulders show how insane she thought he truly was. "How the hell am I supposed to know what pisses you off and what doesn't?! I've only known you for a couple of hours!"

"I'm a fucking male! That should give you a hint!"

"HEY!!"

There was a loud ringing in her ears that Kagome wasn't used to, thanks to Kira's loud and demanding mouth. By the way Inuyasha held his own ears down to his head, and growled as if she'd just sold his soul to the devil, Inuyasha felt the same way she did.

The car sat in silence as everyone tried to calm down. Using breathing methods from a technique she learned in Yoga, Sango began the process of slow breathing to slow the beating of her heart. Kira simultaneously followed before she spoke again. "I'm done with Inuyasha for now. It's Kagome's turn."

She couldn't stop herself as she gulped loudly and very noticeably. "Is this going to hurt?"

Kira and Inuyasha shared a look that she couldn't read, and the next thing she knew, Inuyasha's strong arms were holding her once again, dragging her to him, only this time, they pinned her upper body and good arm to his chest while he squatted behind her. "Like hell," he finally stated, using his loose arm to grip her upper bad arm, pulling her elbow back to rest on his knee for a firm, still hold. His legs surrounded her hips enough to keep her lower body from moving too much, but they did put hentai thoughts in her mind about exactly what was now resting behind her.

The Kitsune observed the wrist as she stood up in the makeshift doctor's office, blowing bangs out of her face before looking directly at the new human comrade. "It's a clean dislocation; he pushed it back and pulled it out at the same time. I can put it back, and as a human, you'll be able to use it again in a week or so. Inuyasha has to hold you still, though, so that I do it right the first time."

A shiver crawled down her spine at the thought of the pain to come. It hurt just looking at it, and yet she expected to grab it and push it back into place? This had to be a dream! Any second now, worms would start crawling around everywhere, and her alarm clock would ring, and it'd be time for another boring day of school…right?

Warm breath on her neck relaxed and woke her, made her believe suddenly that he was there to help take away some of the pain. Even if it weren't true, she'd pretend he was there to comfort her because he didn't want to see her hurting, and his arms and warmth were the only comfort he could offer.

It was a lovely dream…

It wasn't as fast as she'd hoped it would be, though. Kira grabbed her palm and wrist joint, and immediately pain ricocheted down her arm to what had to be the very center of her soul. It hurt so badly she shouted out in pain that stemmed to every part of her body now, and that had just been the grabbing. Kira hadn't even started moving her wrist yet.

Inuyasha's arms tightened around her, and his breath hitched when she instinctively reacted to the pain being caused by trying to move away from it. Obviously, she was causing some problems. He knew it was awkward to even hold a human struggling just right, but humans were easy to hold still since he was Hanyou.

She was fighting like a demon.

He nearly laughed when it was over. It was a feat that hadn't been conquered easily, but Kira had finally put it back, and Kagome hadn't passed out in pain, although she damn near did. She looked like literal hell, though; pale, hair a mess because of the fight she put up, and cold tears trailing down her cheeks, sadly forgotten in the midst of the terrible pain. She didn't even notice them, she was too busy clutching to herself.

Inuyasha sat himself back against the seat, panting slightly in relief. "Fuck, woman…what the hell are you?"

Kagome just blinked, clearing her eyes of tears that she didn't notice were there. She glanced to him, and the change in his features said something certainly surprised him about her. Fear clutched like a small leech in the pit of her stomach. "What is it? What's wrong?"

"Y-your eyes changed colors again. Like they did in the building."

"She smells different," Shippo added.

Kira nodded. "Feel the power."

Miroku smiled humbly in innocent fascination. "I thought I was hunting a human girl, but this is becoming rather intriguing. Tell me, Kagome-sama, what exactly are you?"

Her mind was a cloudy blank of numbness again. The fact that her eyes were changing didn't scare her. The fact that her hands now sported claws didn't really scare her, either. The fangs in her mouth certainly fascinated her, too.

No, what scared her was the look on Inuyasha's face that said he was almost scared to know what she was, or what it was that she could possibly be. He was the one in charge, and he didn't know how to react. He didn't have a fucking clue.

Miroku's fascination never drained, and Inuyasha's weariness never failed, either. It was all read in the eyes, the way they looked, and their scents, and that little fact scared her more than anything else had ever. It didn't worry her in the building when Inuyasha's life was at stake, but now…now it was just plain spooky. She could not possibly know things about them by the way they smelled; she wasn't a dog!

The voice was back, laughing at her. The faces in the car waited patiently for an explanation that, for once in her life, she didn't have. She could feel it; as the pain resided, so did the voice. Her features backed down, as well, but since she was too tired to care, she let a graceful shrug end their conversation into uneasy silence.

Inuyasha watched her the entire way.