InuYasha Fan Fiction ❯ She Who the Prophecy Foretold ❯ Make Me Bad ( Chapter 77 )

Chapter 77 - Make Me Bad

 

 

Hearing a high pitched trilling sound, Officer Tantei pulled out his cell phone and flipped it open, seeing that he had a text message from his daughter. He read through it quickly before giving a short laugh. “Well, the Higurashi girl is just fine. She also says she didn't have any contact with the boy that day.”

 

“Oh?” Office Nori said, turning to look at his partner. “Well, I guess that saves us a trip. How'd you know?”

 

“My daughter goes to the same school and apparently they are in the same class in the morning. She talked to her and everything.”

 

“I knew that kid was out of his mind.” He felt a vibration and pulled out his own phone. “It's the lab. Tests on the blood are in and they want to see us.”

 

The two officers finished their coffee and rose from their desks, heading downstairs to the lab, hoping to find out just whose blood was on the knife, if it was blood at all.

 

 

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Sesshoumaru smiled as he watched Rin walking towards the well house, one hand clutching Inuyasha's and the other carrying a bag filled with the chocolate chip cookies she'd helped Hiromi make. It had been surprisingly easy to convince the little girl to return to the feudal era with the hanyou, but then the cookies certainly helped. She couldn't wait to share her home cooking with the rest of the pack. She'd even made one especially for Jaken and it was in its own little baggie to ensure it didn't get mixed in with the rest.

 

Once the two were gone, Hiromi and Sesshoumaru set out. They had some things to do that could only be done when Kagome was at school. He was rather anxious about the whole thing. He didn't know a lot about it though it had been his idea in the first place and he wanted everything to be perfect.

 

 

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Kagura had read over the scroll several times during the night, both in an attempt to fully comprehend it and as a way to pass the time. She was just about asleep where she sat when she heard rather incoherent babbling coming closer to the entrance of the cave she was holed up in waiting for the witch's return. Tucking the scroll in her sleeve for safe keeping, she rose to greet the old woman. The witch couldn't know that she'd taken it and Naraku certainly couldn't discover what she'd found. What was written on that ancient bit of paper was much too important to her freedom.

 

“Naraku is in need of my services again?” the old woman croaked out when she saw the dark hanyou's minion in her home.

 

“Things did not go entirely as planned and he requests your presence as he has need of additional information regarding the shards.” Kagura watched as the wrinkled female cracked a wicked grin and she had to suppress a shudder. Perhaps Naraku shouldn't have quite so much trust in this witch after all.

 

“This old woman is not surprised. Your master is not in the habit of obtaining all the information. No, he's much too focused on his goals. It shall be his downfall in the end, no doubt about it. Naraku's impatience and ego will be the end of him.”

 

Kagura smirked behind her fan. She didn't know just how right she was. “He has already been waiting for too long. We should go.”

 

“Yes, yes dearie. Let an old woman gather her things and then we'll be off.” Kagura simply nodded and made her way out of the cave to enjoy some fresh air before she was forced to return to the stench of death and decay that was her master's lair.

 

 

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It had taken her several days but finally the work was done, and it was absolutely breathtaking in her opinion. She only hoped that her Lord would agree and more importantly that the miko did. She'd been only slightly surprised when she'd received the orders from Jaken but in all truth she'd been expecting it for some time now. Most of the servants hadn't noticed the small changes in their Lord, but she had known him far too long to be fooled. He was no longer the cold, impassive demon he once was. Now there was a light in his eyes, a happiness that shone from deep inside, and a hope that made her want to smile every time she saw it.

 

Lady Misaki had been right, but then she'd never doubted her Lady for a single moment. She had been there to witness the change in her when she had the dream, and she'd been the first one the Lady confided in about it. Natsuko smiled softly as she carefully wrapped the items in silk and secured it with ribbons. `There,' she thought to herself. `It is absolutely perfect. The miko is a lucky girl indeed.'

 

With her task done, the servant made her way to her Lord's private chambers and laid the package on the soft silks and furs that covered his bed. Closing the door behind her, she made her way to the gardens to ensure that they were being properly cared for in the absence of Lady Rin. That little girl loved the gardens so much, and it would not be wise to allow them to go wild while she was away and not able to care for them. Their Lord would certainly not be pleased in the slightest. Natsuko gave a rather mysterious smile as she passed the bench under the Sakura tree, the one her Lady preferred. Soon they would return to the palace. Soon they would come looking for it, right where Lady Misaki had left it all those years ago.

 

 

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“Miroku?” Sango asked from where she sat beside the monk, both leaning against the trunk of a large tree at the edge of the field where the children were currently playing.

 

“Yes, my dear Sango?” he replied with a smirk.

 

“Do you… do you really think that we'll survive? That we'll be able to kill Naraku and finally move on with our lives?”

 

He turned his head and took in her worried appearance. He stretched his arm around her shoulders and pulled her to rest against him. “I think that worrying about what is going to happen will do nothing but make you frown, and I much prefer it when you're smiling.”

 

She tried to fight the small smile his words caused and lost. “Could you be serious for a minute?! I mean… this whole prophecy thing means we were destined to be the ones to fight him but it didn't say that we would all live through it. There are so many things I want to do… and then… then there's Kohaku. What's going to happen to him? Even if we manage to free him, Kagome is going to have to remove the shard from his back eventually and it's the only thing keeping him alive.”

 

“What is meant to happen will happen. We will fight and if we die, then at least we died knowing we defeated him, that the world is better off because of our sacrifices. And Kohaku… I know you want to save him, to make everything alright, but I am unsure as to whether he would wish to live on with the knowledge of all the things he has been forced to do by Naraku's hand.”

 

“But it wasn't his fault!” she cried out in defense of her only living relation.

“I know that, Sango. I do. But knowing that he could do nothing to stop it does not remove the weight of all the lives he was forced to take. The guilt will remain. Perhaps it would be better if…”

 

“Don't… please, don't say it…” Sango was close to tears, her tough exterior crumbling under the pressure of so many things. She wanted to kill Naraku for what he did to her family, her village, her people. She wanted to make him suffer for the horrible things he forced Kohaku to do. But most of all she wanted to save him, her last family member. He was all she had left, and even though she knew he was right, that Kohaku would be better off being allowed to die rather than be forced to live with the knowledge of his deeds, she just couldn't accept the idea of him dying, really and fully dying. Then she would truly be alone.

 

Miroku pulled the distraught love of his life into his arms. “Sango, whatever happens, you must know that we are all here for you and we will continue to be. You are a part of our family now. You have Kagome as your sister, Inuyasha and Sesshoumaru as brothers, all the boys and Shippo as nephews and Rin as a niece. Even Jaken is a part of our family, our pack. You will never be alone. And you have me,” he said with a smirk. “Can't forget about me.”

 

Sango rolled her eyes but smiled, wiping away the tears that had just started to fall. “No, I could never forget you. If I let my guard down for a second you're grabbing my ass! I can never forget you.” She let out a sigh, snuggling herself closer to his body. “Thanks though,” she whispered. “I guess whatever happens… happens. Never really thought about it that way. I'm an aunt!”

 

“You're an aunt nine times over. It will be interesting to see how long it takes us to catch up.”

 

She frowned for a moment before her eyes widened and she leaned back and smacked his arm. “Catch up? You honestly think I'm going to have nine of your children?”

 

“You know he does,” Inuyasha said with a laugh. “But you don't have a chance in the world of catching up. Not with the way Sesshoumaru's lookin' at Kagome.”

 

Sango looked up and smiled before opening her arms to Rin. “I was worried about you! Honey, you shouldn't leave camp alone, especially not in the middle of the night,” the slayer said in a motherly tone, making the monk at her side smirk.

 

“Rin is sorry. Rin didn't mean to worry you.” The little black haired girl looked at the ground for a moment before remembering her package. “Rin has cookies!” she said with a huge grin.

 

“Hey! Runts! Come `ere! Rin's got somethin' to share with ya!” Inuyasha hollered towards the boys playing in the field. It didn't take long for there to be seven smiling inus and one kitsune all looking forward to whatever it was Rin had for them. They sat down in a clump and everyone enjoyed the cookies, their compliments making Rin beam with pride. And she made sure to protect the one for Jaken since he was back at their camp, asleep according to the others.

 

Once they'd finished stuffing their faces, the boys demanded information from both of the recent time travelers, nearly begging for anything at all about their Mama. Inuyasha couldn't help but smirk. There was no way the wench was leaving when this all was over. She had too much to stay for. These kids ensured that he would never have to live without her, the knowledge of which made the hanyou happier than he'd been for a long time, maybe even ever. By the time she came back at the end of the week he knew that there would be no way they would ever allow her to leave for that long again. `Finally,' he thought. `Someone else to tell her to stay. Now I won't end up being sat to hell cuz I don't want her to go.' His smirk widened even more. She would be lucky to ever make it through the well again if they had anything to say about it.

 

 

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Riding in the car was a lot more nerve-wracking without Kagome beside him, but he managed to live through it. When Hiromi took him inside he couldn't believe the delicious smells the place was filled with. He looked through the glass for a while, taking in all the different styles before she drew his attention to a book filled with pictures of nothing but what they were looking for, in every shape, size, and theme possible. He finally managed to decide on one and he watched as Hiromi spoke to the man behind the counter and paid in advance. They would have to come back and pick it up closer to the surprise.

 

Where they went next, Sesshoumaru was certain that Kagome's mother couldn't possibly afford anything in the entire place but she insisted he look around. He looked at everything, amazed by the workmanship. Human technology and talent must have advanced a great deal, he decided, as no human he'd ever seen possessed anything so beautiful. His mother had a few pieces that rivaled the perfection of these, but those were made by demons, experts, only the best for the Lady of the West. The thought made him smile. Soon Kagome would be the Lady of the West. Soon she would be his mate.

 

Just when he was certain that while everything was beautiful nothing was what he was looking for; he felt a tug towards one of the display cases towards the back of the shop that he'd missed. As soon as he laid eyes on it he knew he had to have it. It wasn't perfect. Hell, it wasn't even whole, but there was something about it, something that told him he had to give it to her, and he pointed it out to Hiromi. His eyes narrowed as he took in her expression of surprise, like she recognized it and hadn't expected to find it there.

 

“How did… I…” She shook off her shock and motioned to the shop keeper that they had made a selection. The man unlocked the glass case and pulled out the specified item, laying it on a velvet mat for their closer inspection. Hiromi looked at the man for a moment before speaking. “Do you know anything about it? It looks to be an antique.”

 

“We really don't know much about it, just that it was brought in a few weeks ago by the previous owner to be sold. It appears to be broken, which is why the price is so low, but it is still strikingly beautiful, don't you agree?”

 

Sesshoumaru looked at the man on the other side of the counter with suspicion in his eyes. Something that the man had just said was a lie, but he couldn't determine which part. Why would the man lie, though? The taiyoukai decided that it didn't matter and apparently Hiromi agreed because by the time he returned his focus to the item on the counter it was gone. She nodded towards the man who was placing it in a small velvet box. He watched as she handed the man a small plastic card like Kagome had used to pay on all their shopping excursions and in just a few minutes he was holding a small bag with the precious gift in it. He couldn't wait to see her face when she opened it. Something about it just screamed Kagome and he knew she would love it.

 

 

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Kagome let out a sigh and stared at the papers in front of her while slowly eating her lunch. She felt like she'd done alright on her science exam, at least a well as could be expected considering how many days she'd missed. All around her people were wasting their lunch period gossiping, mostly about Hojo, though how the whole school knew already she had no idea. She was trying her hardest to review her notes before her government exam, but it was becoming increasingly difficult as she heard more and more students forgetting all about Hojo in lieu of discussing her.

 

Of course they had no idea she could hear them, but all over the cafeteria she could hear students discussing her and Sesshoumaru. She could hear girls talking about just how attractive he was, which caused her to feel both smug and angry. She didn't like them talking about her mate like that! `Where did that come from?' she thought to herself, surprised at the level of rage boiling just under the surface. Kagome forced herself to calm and tried to block out the female population, focusing instead on the males who were complaining about how the `pretty boy' stole their girl away, like she would have dated any of them anyway. She rolled her eyes, finding it rather amusing that so many guys were interested in her and she had no idea. Apparently they weren't interested enough to make a move or anything. At least Hojo put some kind of effort into it.

 

Her focus was diverted once more as she heard her name followed closely by `Mama'. She knew it was going to happen, but really, how could they possibly believe that she was the biological mother of Rin? She wasn't even seventeen yet! It just wasn't physically possible, but apparently her classmates had some kind of deficit when it came to addition and subtraction. She wasn't the slightest bit surprised when she recognized Momoko's voice among the gossipers. She had to be having a field day with it, considering her love for trying to make Kagome look bad. The miko shrugged her shoulders and tried to hear only her breathing as she returned her attention to her studies. There was only ten more minutes of lunch and she was going to take advantage of each and every one.

 

 

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They were beginning to get worried. Kouga had said he would be back later the same day but it was already past noon of the next. Just where was their alpha? Had something gone wrong when he went to retrieve their `guest of honor'? They'd assumed it was Kagome so perhaps, Inuyasha had interfered somehow? But they were sure that Kouga would have returned by now, even if he had to return empty handed. They'd gathered all the things he'd requested and they now sat around the camp fire, eating and drinking their fill since no one else was going to, apparently. None of them could bear to see good meat and sake go to waste.

 

Ginta and Hakaku were the only ones even remotely sober, but they were well on their way to inebriated as well. They'd discussed their course of action during the morning hours and decided that they would wait a while longer. None of them wanted to carry all the items they'd gathered all the way back to where they'd camped close to Kagome's group. It was too far and with their luck Kouga would turn up and make them carry it all they way back. No, they were going to do just as they were told and sit and await his return. And when he did make it back they would already be celebrating whatever it was they were supposed to be prepared for.

 

“D'ya think that he forgot about us?” Ginta asked through a mouthful of meat.

 

“I (gulp) don't think so. He's probably (gulp) busy fighting with Inuyasha.” Hakaku said between giant swigs of sake.

 

“When's he gonna learn? Kagome's never gonna be his mate.”

 

“You know he never will. Even if he's realized it, he can't let it show. He made such a big deal about declaring her his woman that to take it back now would be humiliating.”

 

Hakaku grabbed a chunk of raw meat and tore into it with his fangs. “Like it isn't humiliating to be run off by a hanyou all the time?”

 

Ginta almost choked as he started to laugh. “You've got that right!”

 

 

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Naraku was once again cursing his temper for breaking that stupid mirror. He wasn't a patient hanyou, not by anyone's standards, and he'd sent Kagura a whole day ago to retrieve the witch. “If I find out that she's not doing as I told her she will pay in the most painful manner I can think of.” He sat in silence for a few minutes, just fantasizing about all the ways he could hurt his rebellious incarnation. She could definitely be fun at times. Her inability to die, since he held her heart, made punishing her so much more pleasurable. He didn't have to worry about going too far and being short one servant. He could take out all his frustrations on her and she would heal. Sure, it took some time, but it was worth it.

 

He needed that witch! He needed to find out more about the spell that she placed on the genuine shard. Would it affect any demon that used it? Or just any female? Or was the spell specific so that it would only work on its intended victim? He needed to know, and he needed to know yesterday! He was beginning to get rather angry at anything and everything. Nothing seemed to be going the way he wanted lately. First Kikyo was killed by that interfering taiyoukai and then he shattered Kanna's mirror, leaving him no choice but to reabsorb her. He was so lucky as to find out that Kagome was missing but his saimyosho had failed to find her before she was somehow returned to the hanyou's side. Then came the discovery that Lord Sesshoumaru's pups were still alive and apparently curse free. All the planning and work that had gone into that curse, all the time he spent perfecting his Sesshoumaru act, all of it wasted, worthless.

 

Then he decided that he wanted Shinya, the youngest of the black panthers, as his own personal slave for his sole use to fulfill all of his dark and twisted fantasies. Sure, he knew they were dark and twisted. That just made them even better. Knowing that they were oh so wrong just made them even more oh so right in his mind. His mind went off on a tangent then as he pictured all the things he would have done to her, would have made her do, if only things had gone according to plan. “Fuck! Why can nothing go right?! Why must I always be denied that which I most desire?” he yelled into the empty room.

 

He was definitely displeased. Not only was he not able to give her the shard; he had no way of knowing which of the panthers received which shard. What is if was one of the males? Sure, he was dark and twisted, but he didn't want a male, or at least not just a male. Again his train of thought escaped him as images of his perfect little demoness doll being used in any and every possible way by a perfect demon doll also under his control filled his mind. Then he would not only be able to live out every single little thing he'd ever imagined, but he would also have a great source of entertainment.

 

“Should have thought of that earlier,” he mused. It would have been all the better to have siblings. Then not only would they suffer the torture and humiliation of being forced to act and react as he pleased as their minds were fully conscious but completely powerless, they would also be committing incest. Ah, just one more dark and twisted pleasure that he could have had if only things had gone as planned. That and if he'd managed to think of it earlier. Sure, he could try again. He could find some other beautiful demoness to ensnare, but his evil heart was set on Shinya. She was such a dark beauty, with raven hair and golden tanned skin, but she also held an air of innocence, something that creatures like him loved defiling. He was certain she was a virgin and most likely entirely inexperienced. Oh the things he wanted to show her, the things he would force her to experience.

 

It was settled. He would find some way to get her. If he had to sacrifice another shard and have it placed in her forcibly he would. He wanted her and no other! Only the sweet, innocent, and beautiful youngest of the black panther tribe would do. But he still needed to know what would become of the first spelled shard, as well as the poisoned counterfeits. He would most definitely not be pleased if he were to discover that his little Shinya had been poisoned by one of the other shards. He would have to find a way to either take her before the shards were distributed or take back all five of the shards to make sure she was safe. `Safe,' he thought, a dark chuckle rising from his throat to echo in the empty room. `Safe from poison perhaps, but she will never be safe from me.'

 

Just when he was about to send for the boy he felt her approach. “Finally,” he snarled, all of his impatience and frustration returning. “She will suffer for making me wait.” He arranged himself in the large throne-like chair and waited, knowing they would be entering in just a moment. There was a loud knock on the rotting wooden door and he called out a short “Enter”, watching as the ancient witch entered, followed by his last remaining incarnation. “It's about time,” he hissed angrily.

 

“My apologies, Lord Naraku,” the old woman said in a crackling, sickly sounding voice. “I was away at another's request. Your servant brought me just as soon as I arrived home.”

 

Naraku narrowed his eyes on the two. He didn't like the idea of the witch working for others when he might have need of her and he wasn't entirely sure that he believed her anyway. It was always possible that Kagura had in some way convinced her to lie as a cover for the delay. He was about to question them both further in an attempt to determine the truth of the statement but when he remembered why he'd sent for the witch in the first place he decided Kagura's fate could wait. “You will tell me of the spell. What will occur if it is used by one other than the intended?”

 

“Ah, I take it she did not receive the correct shard?”

“Answer the question, hag, or I will silence you permanently.”

 

She nodded, hiding her smirk expertly. “The spell will only activate while in contact with one you desire, my Lord.”

 

Naraku let out a small sigh of relief. At least he wouldn't end up with the mother. Sure, he could figure out something to do with her but he had the feeling she would be more trouble than she was worth. The dark hanyou continued his questioning of the witch, not noticing when Kagura slipped out of the room silently.

 

The wind witch walked carefully, stepping over the boards she knew creaked and groaned in protest. She had to hide the scroll somewhere, just in case he decided to punish her for the delay, even though it wasn't her fault. It didn't matter to him. She hoped that he would be pleased with all the old mountain witch told him because otherwise his anger would be taken out on her. Kagura silently slid open the door to the quarters that Kohaku used when they were forced to remain in the disgusting, rotting excuse for a castle. When she entered the young boy's eyes gained a light they had been missing previously and the brown orbs met with her crimson ones. She could see the curiosity in his gaze. It was expected since she rarely came to him in his room. It meant that she had something important to share, and he soon found out what when she slipped the scroll from her sleeve and handed it to him.

 

His father had taught him the very bare basics of reading and writing. He hadn't been expected to need more. He wasn't a lord or a scribe or anything else that required such knowledge. He was a fighter, a demon slayer, and their knowledge was passed down through the generations with stories and legends. Slayers didn't keep a written collection of their knowledge, knowing that if it were to fall into the wrong hands it could be used for evil purposes. If demons knew what they knew about other demons, their weaknesses and faults, then the information could be used in battles, and it could lead to an all out demon war as they fought against each other in search of greater and greater power and wealth.

 

Kohaku unrolled the ancient-looking paper and he scanned over the symbols, looking for any he could recognize. “I cannot read,” he whispered.

 

“Shit,” Kagura hissed. “I can only read some of it. I'm going to have to take it to someone to find out all of what it says.”

 

“What does it say that means anything to us?”

 

Kagura smirked wickedly before she took the scroll from his hands, sitting down beside him. She began pointing out characters, identifying them for him as she went along. His brown eyes widened more and more as she went on. They definitely needed to find out the entirety of the scroll because what she had read to him was important, very important. It might just be their chance to escape him. It clearly said that the great evil, who they assumed was Naraku, would be defeated, but the details of it, the when, who, and how was lost to their illiteracy. When she'd finished she rolled it back up and handed it to the boy once again.

 

“You hide it somewhere in here. He would never search your room. He still trusts you completely. I will have to take it to someone to have them read it to me.” Slowly a smile spread across her face, a look of genuine happiness. “The miko! Kagome, I have seen her reading and writing before. She should be able to decipher it, and if she cannot, Lord Sesshoumaru surely could. Perhaps this will be enough to prove to them that I wish to assist them in that bastard's downfall. Maybe after I give them this they will trust me.”

 

Kohaku smiled back, and it actually reached his eyes, something she'd never seen before. Suddenly the boy had been given hope, and even the smallest amount of hope could make a world of difference. He might actually find a way to be free. He might be able to see his sister once again, and not from opposite sides of the battlefield. His young tortured life had hope for the future once again, hope that Naraku could and would be defeated. Too bad he wouldn't live to see it.

 

 

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Neither officer quite knew what to say, how to respond to what they'd just been told. The lab had to have made a mistake somehow. The boy wasn't that crazy, was he?

 

“Are you sure?” Office Nori asked slowly.

 

The lab tech nodded with a half-smile. “I ran the test four times, just to be sure. The blood on the knife isn't human.”

 

“But then what is it? Is it blood at all?” Officer Tantei said in confusion.

 

“It's blood alright. It took me a while to get a result for such an obscure sample. It's dog's blood. Akita, to be specific.”

 

“You mean the kid stabbed a dog before running through the food court? That doesn't make any sense!”

 

Comprehension slowly dawned in Officer Nori's eyes. “Wait now. He said that they were demons, that they growled, that the boyfriend had fangs and claws, right?”

 

“You don't think…”

 

“Think that he somehow believed that whatever poor dog he ran into was his romantic rival, that Higurashi girl's boyfriend? It might just be possible. Makes a kind of sick sense. He is crazy after all. Maybe he was having some sort of hallucination.”

 

Officer Tantei nodded and they both thanked the lab technician before heading back up to their office. “But then where is the dog?” he asked his partner as they slowly climbed the stairs.

 

“Hell, the thing could be anywhere. If he didn't hurt it enough to kill it then it would have ran. Somebody might have picked it up and taken it to a vet, or maybe it found its way home. Or maybe it's laying dead in an alley somewhere. Where it is doesn't really matter. The kid's gonna be in the psych ward for a good long time just based on the interrogation. The information that he stabbed a dog? That'll just put the icing on the cake.”

 

“I guess that means the case is closed then?”

 

“Yeah. Besides the mall thing, without the actual dog and a complaint filed by the owner there's nothing to charge him with. He'd be found unable to stand trial the way he is. He'll probably just end up in the nut house until they decide he's safe to release.”

 

“I suppose the girl, Kagome, got off pretty easy then. Her and her boyfriend got lucky that they weren't staring down the end of that knife. Feel kinda sorry for the dog though.”

 

“Always a softie for the animals, aren't you, Nori?”

 

Officer Tantei laughed. “Hey, considering what we see every day, I'd take a dog over a human any day.”

 

 

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They'd made it back to the shrine just in time for Sesshoumaru to start his solitary walk to Kagome's school. It was certainly interesting. He had no idea just how bold the females of the time were until he was alone and in public. He'd had at least five females, all dressed in much too little clothing, hand him small pieces of paper with numbers and names on them, some saying “Call me,” whatever that meant. He'd simply stuffed them in his pocket and continued on his way, figuring he could ask Kagome about them later.

 

A few merely waved at him, and quite a few winked. One had been so bold as to walk up in front of him and put her hand on his chest. He'd had a hard time removing her from his person while controlling the urge to rip her arm off. No female was allowed to touch him but his Kagome, and certainly not strange women in the street that smelled of too much perfume and sex. He found himself with a very strong desire to take a shower. Maybe he could convince Kagome to assist him? He smirked at the thought and found that he had arrived at his destination, apparently a little early.

 

He leaned against the waist high wall that surrounded the school grounds to wait for his sweet miko mate to be. When he heard a shrill ringing sound coming from inside the building he guessed it was the `bell' she'd mentioned earlier. Knowing she would be coming out soon he took the time to look around, curious about the place that, if she wasn't destined for something else, she would have spent her entire day five days a week. He'd heard as students began filing out of the school, everyone talking and laughing as they went, but he still didn't turn his eyes to the entrance.

 

His attention was captured when a soft, feminine voice whispered to him. He knew it wasn't Kagome immediately. He could tell not only from her scent or her voice but also by her aura, but he was curious as to who was approaching him here while he was waiting for another. He almost smirked when he recognized the girl as the one they'd run in to at the children's clothing shop. Apparently she hadn't quite gotten the picture as she was very obviously arching her back to draw attention to her breasts that were almost escaping from her way too small and only half buttoned uniform shirt, trying to entice him he assumed.

 

“What was your name again?” she asked in a breathy voice.

 

“I do not believe I told you my name, and I do not intend to now, either.”

 

Momoko narrowed her eyes in anger, frustrated that this male didn't seem even the slightest bit attracted to her. She just didn't understand it. Every guy she'd ever met had wanted her. Why was this one any different? She was determined to ruin this for Kagome, and smirked when she realized that he was waiting for her, which meant that she would be coming any moment now. She leaned in closer to the tall and incredibly sexy male, one hand coming up to trace lazy patterns on his chest with her odd looking fingernails. He stared at her fingers in an attempt to figure out why she appeared to have something similar to claws but in a bright pink. They were obviously fake but he just couldn't understand the point. What would a human female need with fake pink claws?

 

She was sure she was getting somewhere with him. Apparently he liked her nails, which caused her to smile. `Twenty bucks well spent,' she thought as her other hand came up to touch the tips of his long silver strands that were lying over one shoulder. Momoko let out a yelp of surprise when she was suddenly yanked backwards by her hair.

 

“That's just fucking great! Now I'm going to have to wash his hair and throw away that shirt! I liked that shirt! What the hell do you think you're doing touching him? He's mine!” Kagome hissed; her lips curled in a threatening snarl.

 

“What the fuck? You bitch! How dare you pull my hair!” Momoko screeched at the very angry miko.

 

Sesshoumaru looked on, lost somewhere between arousal and confusion. She was acting more and more like an inu bitch every day. The way she was defending her claim on him made him want to throw her over a shoulder and take to the sky so they could make it to her bed faster. He was confused too though. Sure, Kagome swore every now and then, a habit picked up from Inuyasha no doubt, but he didn't think that she would physically attack someone, especially in her time.

 

Kagome met eyes with her enemy and sneered. “I had to get you off him somehow!”

 

“It sure didn't seem like he wanted me off of him. We were having a nice time getting to know each other. I don't think he's as much yours as you think he is!”

 

Kagome's eyes flitted from the offending female to her male who had a bewildered but heated look in his eyes. “You think so? If he wants you he's welcome to have you, but I can promise you that he isn't so stupid as to stick his dick in something as overused as you!”

 

By now a crowd was gathering, everyone very interested in who was fighting and why. There were cheers and shouts from the swarm of students around the two girls and Sesshoumaru, some laughing as they agreed with Kagome's remark. Sesshoumaru was watching Kagome closely. Something about her aura was off and it dawned on him that he needed to get her away from the crowd and especially the whore before something bad happened.

 

“You're one to talk, Mama!”

 

“Oh fuck you! She's my daughter, yes. I love her like my own, but I didn't give birth to her! How stupid are you that you can't do the math on that one? How'd you make it this far in school? Are you offering yourself to the teachers for grades just like you give yourself to the boys for attention?” Kagome was absolutely livid. How dare this girl even think to speak of her pup?

 

Sesshoumaru was up and behind Kagome in an instant, his arms wrapping around her waist. He buried his face in her hair and let out a soft low growl that was meant to calm an inu bitch. It was the only thing he could think of to defuse the situation and he refused to allow his beast the freedom it desired to calm its mate. He felt her tense muscles go limp in his hold and moved his face to the side to see Momoko over her shoulder. “You would do well to keep your filthy hands to yourself in the future, or I may just allow her to teach you the lesson you sorely need.”

 

Momoko's mouth dropped open in shock and for a moment she looked rather like a fish out of water. Everyone in the crowd was laughing now and she found herself completely and utterly humiliated by Kagome Higurashi once again. She watched, frozen, as Sesshoumaru moved to put an arm around her shoulders and led her away, the crowd parting in front of them. They were almost a block away before Kagome made a sound and he was surprised at what she chose.

 

Kagome started laughing. She couldn't believe she'd just done that, that she had actually said those things. She'd wanted so badly to just dig her claws into the bitch. She looked down at her hands and was only half surprised to see that she actually did have claws at that moment. “Sesshoumaru?” she said while still giggling. It was just exhilarating to say what she was thinking for once, to not take shit from anyone. It felt wonderful.

 

“Yes, my little miko?” he purred in her ear.

 

“Look,” she held out her hands. “I have claws. And I had the strongest desire to gut her with my bare hands. I think maybe your youki is doing more than we thought.”

 

He slowed to a stop and took her hand in his own, the one not busy being wrapped around her shoulders. He slid the tip of his finger across the pointed edge of the claw on her index finger and was surprised when he saw blood instantly. They were real, sharp, and deadly. He was even more surprised when Kagome grasped his hand and brought it up to her face. First she just seemed to be examining the injury that was already beginning to heal, but then she pulled his bloody fingertip into her mouth and his knees almost buckled at the feeling of her tongue flitting across his digit, cleaning it of all remnants of his blood.

 

“This Sesshoumaru agrees,” he said once she released him and he regained full control of his mind and body again. “Since when do you desire to taste my blood?”

 

She looked up into his eyes and smiled at him. “I don't know… but I liked it.”

 

She was startled when his hands both came up to her mouth, moving her upper lip just a bit higher. “And since when do you have fangs?”

 

Her own hands came up, fingers extended to slide along her teeth. She winced when she cut both of her index fingers on her new fangs and immediately found her fingers in his mouth. “Hey! No fair!”

 

He smirked at her once he released her fingers, both perfectly healed. “And just what is it that you claim is not fair?”

 

“You got two fingers! Come here!”

 

He pulled his hands out of her reach. “As arousing as I find this, perhaps we should take it somewhere more private?” He chuckled softly as her eyes widened in surprise, and she looked around like she was just realizing that they were walking along the sidewalk where others were passing both on foot and in cars. “Come, Kagome. This Sesshoumaru very much desires for you to do as you said earlier.”

 

She took his offered hand and they continued to walk. “What did I say earlier?”

 

“That you would have to wash this Sesshoumaru's hair. I do believe a shower would be nice and relaxing, don't you agree?” He knew he'd won when he smelled her arousal, filling his nose with its sweet, seductive, and completely unique scent that was purely Kagome.

 

Kagome leaned closer to him and murmured in a teasing tone, “Sounds good to me.”