InuYasha Fan Fiction ❯ The Centre ❯ Upping the Stakes ( Chapter 21 )

Hmm, well I could have broken this up into mini cliffhangers like usual…but it seemed kind of heartless so I left this entire scene intact.

Chapter 20: Upping the Stakes

Kagome's head felt like it was on a constant rollercoaster, undulating up and down, side to side….then she stopped, emptying the contents of her stomach into the toilet. She didn't remember getting to the bathroom. Hell, she didn't remember getting home. Wait…what did she remember?"

"Here," a voice said gently and a glass of water came into view. Kagome looked up, her eyes straining to focus in the dark bathroom. A night light was the only illumination….for which she was immensely grateful. Anything else would have been more painful. Inuyasha slowly came into focus. He looked less than happy. In fact, he had the same look on his face her mother did the time she came home way past her curfew. That utter disappointed look laced with concern. It was the perfect face to make her feel twenty times more guilty than she already did. Kagome reached up to push her hair back when firm claws beat her to it. She felt him lightly tug and pull it all up into a ponytail.

"I've done stupid shit in my life, but you just iced the cake, wench." Kagome almost laughed….then realized something. He'd just called her wench. Not bitch. He never called her wench. He called Rin wench, Sango wench….sometimes he called her woman, but usually it was bitch. What the hell was going on?

"What happened?" she asked, leaning back against the cool tub, her head throbbing. She could feel the dehydration sucking every drop of water from her body and gulped the water down, grateful when he took the glass from her and refilled it.

"How the hell should I know? You go off on some DATE with that BASTARD wolf and come back smashed and marked. You tell ME!" Kagome winced at the level his voice reached. "Keh, now you know how it feels to have overly sensitive ears," he commented.

"So I had too much to drink. It's not like I slept with him. What are you, my mom?" she snapped, wishing he'd stop standing there demanding answers.

"No, I-" he began, but abruptly stopped. "Keh, what the fuck do I care. You want to throw your life away, go ahead! That idiot wolf will be all too happy to keep you barefoot and pregnant with multiple pups in a den for the rest of your life while he goes and plays around with other females of his pack!" Inuyasha handed her a cool compress and refilled her glass again before stalking out of the bathroom, pissed. Kagome sat there trying to figure out what the hell he was talking about and a hand absently went up to rub her sore shoulder.

It was like someone poured molten lava into her veins. Kagome let out a strangled cry, tearing her hand away from her shoulder. The mark pulsed, obviously none too happy at the attempt at purification. Her breath came in rapid pants as she tried to will away the dulling pain. How the hell had Rin withstood that? Kagome suddenly felt small…..very small, and very weak.

"Dammit, woman," a growl from above came and Kagome felt herself being lifted in strong arms. "At least wait until you are completely sober to do it." The lights in the living room were off but Kagome could see Souta sitting up from his makeshift bed, concern flashing across his face. "Go back to sleep," Inuyasha told him softly. "I'll take care of her."

Kagome had never been so happy to see her bed in all her life. Her shoulder was still throbbing a bit, a reminder of her attempt to purify it. Oh why had she let Kouga get her so drunk? Drinking was not the way to relieve stress. It was only good for creating more problems than solving them. She was proof of that.

"Inuyasha?" she asked when she felt him leave her where she was. "Stay…please?"

"No way, woman. You reek of that wolf. Any longer and I'll be the one throwing up in the toilet. That's what marking does, you know. Makes you stink for any other male."

"It's not…permanent, is it?"

"No, thank god! Only mating marks are permanent. However, now he has your body tuned to respond to his. Being around him will stimulate chemical signals to influence you're receptivity." Kagome gave him the funniest look. She was clueless. He grinned, white canines flashing in the dark. "He'll make you so horny you won't be able to think," Inuyasha supplied, amused at the blush that crossed her cheeks.

"Take me back to the bathroom, I think I may throw up again," she said with a groan. "I don't want to be with Kouga! He's too possessive and forceful. What kind of guy gets a girl drunk and marks her without a sober consent?"

"The kind who feels threatened by another male and will do any sneaky dirty trick he can think of," Inuyasha supplied. She could barely make out his figure, leaning against the doorway of her bedroom, arms crossed, not looking at her. Was her smell that bad now? He had loved it before. Somehow Inuyasha loving her smell meant more to her than anything else. She was more concerned about her smell being bad than she was about the actual mark and it's implications.

"Who does he feel threatened by? I don't have a boyfriend…." There was a long silence that followed. Kagome tried to think of any classmates who might have hit on her, the past few doormen….the boy she last dated three years ago. There was Shippou…but he was like what, four or five? Sesshoumaru had Rin, Sango was occupying Miroku in some way, romantic or not, which left only…..Inuyasha.

Realization dawned on Kagome as she sat there. How could she have been so blind? The shopping trip, the protectiveness, the willingness to throw his life away for hers. She had thought he just wanted to pay her back for uncollaring him, but he had already payed that debt tenfold. And here he was still, staying as close as his nose would allow him. Tears stung her eyes. And now she'd hurt him. Like a slap in the face she'd come home with another man's mark and stench upon her. Kagome felt cheap. Not only was she a lousy friend, she just given a boy one hell of a rejection.

"Oi, woman, you crying?" he asked from the doorway.

"No," she said, holding back a sob but the tears only began to pour faster.

"You are!" he said, approaching the bed. "S-s-stop crying," he stuttered. "You're face'll get all blotchy….or something."

"I don't care," Kagome said, flinging herself into a pillow.

Inuyasha weighed his options. He could leave her alone and escape the stench of alcohol, wolf and mark, or he could forgo his own comfort…and help her. She seemed to have realized something important and it was tearing her apart. Then there was the scent of her tears. He hated the smell of a woman crying, especially this woman.

"Why am I so weak? So stupid? Why?" Kagome demanded, pounding her pillow. Inuyasha decided he would risk passing out from the smell and gathered her in his arms, rocking her gently. "I'm sorry," she sobbed. "I'm so sorry. I barely have control of my powers, I can't find Naraku and I don't even have the strength to accept the pain of purification for my own mistake. I'm a total failure!"

"There's….another way…..for you to get rid of the mark that is," he said softly. "But it may not work." Kagome's sobs began to slow and she looked up at him.

"I should just tie myself down and accept the pain….if I die because of it I deserve it," she said bitterly. A firm hand grabbed her chin and forced her eyes to meet him, their noses inches apart.

"Don't EVER say you are weak! Yes, you are human and with that comes limitations, but that is not the same thing! So you can't fly or kill someone with the swipe of your fingertips. Think of what you can do! You leveled an entire facility! You protected yourself against a Thunder brother's high energy attack! You had the strength to faced demotion without so much as a harsh word! You passed a barrier set up on the seventh floor, guarded by a long dead miko! You even faced the wrath of a powerful demon and almost certain death to help a friend! If all that is weakness then none of us are strong." Kagome sniffled a couple of times, her tears coming to a stop. The look in her eyes went from utter sadness to a sad sort of happy….twinged with a little something else. It almost looked affectionate, the way she was looking at him. Inuyasha quickly released her chin and looked away, ashamed he was seeking that sort of look from her.

"So what's…the other option?" Kagome asked lightly.

"Uh…you wouldn't be interested," he said, not meeting her eye. Kagome frowned. He wouldn't even tell her? What it something bad?

"Is it painful?"

"Um, no…..kind of the opposite…."he said, quickly rising. Kagome captured a wrist and pulled him back down, grabbing a lock of hair to pull him to look at her.

"Tell me," she said gently. His eyes desperately tried to find something else to look at besides her.

"I….it might….not work….so….no point……hell, this'll wear off in a week or two anyway!" he finished, still not meeting her eye.

"But I may not be able to avoid Kouga for a week or two. Please, Inuyasha, just tell me." Inuyasha sighed in defeat, shoulders slumped. He gently took the hand she had on his hair, holding it between them.

"If a stronger youkai marked you….Kouga's mark would disappear."

"Would Kouga show up…like Sesshoumaru did?"

"Not with a temporary bond. He can't feel a thing…yet."

"Doesn't that leave me with the same problem, only with a different youkai?" Kagome asked, canting her head to one side.

"Not all of us think about sex 24/7," he growled, dropping her hand onto the bed and turning away from her, but he didn't leave the bed. For all that she smelled of the wolf there was a part of her that was still Kagome. He would take all he could get.

"Inuyasha, how strong are you?"

"W-what?" he sputtered. Kagome looked serious.

"If you marked me….would you…uh….forcefully stimulate chemical responses?" she finished lamely. Inuyasha caught on to what she was suggesting. She actually considered him worthy?

"Kagome, I will not deny I have wanted you the moment I laid eyes on you. However, I don't want you just reacting because of a mark. It would be like drugging you….or getting you drunk," he said with a smirk, causing her to blush. He leaned forward, his forehead resting on hers. "That's not the Kagome I'd want. I'm not sure I want to risk a possible blow to my manhood though. If Kouga's mark stays it means he's stronger than me….I'd rather be in ignorant denial if that is true."

"Now who thinks they are weak?" Kagome teased, eyebrow lifted in mockery. "Please, Inuyasha…will you at least try? For me? If it doesn't work I won't tell anyone….and I'll….I'll lock myself in this room till the mark goes away!"

"Except you've been evicted, bitch," he said with a smirk. "Or did you forget?"

Kagome nearly jumped for joy. He'd called her bitch again! That meant he wasn't distancing himself anymore. Kagome pulled her shirt to one side, exposing the unmarked shoulder. The playful mood suddenly changed and Inuyasha's intense golden stare flickered to her, decades of seriousness catching up with him.

With a sigh he wrapped an arm around her waist and pulled her to him, bringing her legs around him into a straddle. Kagome was blushing bright red now, her heart beat increasing to double time as he pulled her shirt down farther, licking his lips. Unfortunately she was watching him with a mixture of confusion, anticipation and weariness.

"Can you not watch me?" he growled, suddenly feeling very self conscious.

"What am I supposed to do, stare at the ceiling?"

"Bitch, if I don't do this properly it really won't work and it will be like I am biting you….rather painful if you ask me."

"So you have to get in the mood?" Kagome asked, eyes sparkling with mischief. He wasn't sure if that was good or bad. She reached up and gently caressed an ear, watching in delight as it had the desired effect. Inuyasha groaned and closed his eyes in pleasure, all tension, doubt and hesitation floating away. The half healed muscles in his chest protested as his body tensed with sudden waves of anticipation. The lower half of his body was definitely ready. And just as he coming down from the sudden high of pleasure he felt soft lips press on his, gently brushing themselves across his in a teasing kiss. It was a chaste, inexperienced kiss, but it drove him ten times more wild than anything he'd ever had before. Like a minute sample of ambrosia from the heavens above. It was just what he needed, half ripping her shirt down as his eyes flashed red.

Kagome never felt his teeth sink into her shoulder. Her body tensed and all she felt was the warm of his mouth upon her shoulder, a strange warm sensation filling her body with satisfying heat. She slowly descended from the sensational nirvana, her breath coming out in pants. Inuyasha was slowly licking her shoulder, sending slight shudders through her body.

"EW!" Kagome heard coming from her door. Souta and Shippou were standing here, sleepy eyed but worried. "We hear screams and you guys are just making out. Man, sis, keep it down! Some of us don't want sex ed as a second hand experience!" Souta pulled the door shut with a slam. Kagome felt embarrassed as hell, hiding her face in Inuyasha's shoulder. She could feel his shoulders shaking in silent laughter.

"I screamed?" she whimpered.

"Hell yeah! I doubt Kouga got an orgasm like THAT when he marked you." Inuyasha had an arrogant smirk on his face, chest puffing up like a peacock.

"O-orgasm?" Kagome stuttered. "Oh god, I'm so embarrassed."

"Who knew you'd be a screamer," he teased.

"It's your fault!" she said, then realized that was not quite what she should have said. If anything, his grin got bigger. "You and your damn chemical stimulations," she growled, rolling over in a huff, still embarrassed. He chuckled and got off the bed, tucking her into the blankets. "Where are you going?" she asked as he headed for the door.

"I need a shower…..a very cold shower," he said in a low voice. "Get some sleep. I'll wake you for school." Now it was Kagome's turn to smirk. Poor puppy got all excited and had to go cool off.

Orgasm huh? Kagome thought as she closed her eyes. Damn, no wonder Rin is horny 24/7.

<7am>

"Sis? YO SLEEPY CHICK!"

Kagome woke with a start, falling out of the bed and landing on something soft that gave an uncomfortable grunt when she landed. Inuyasha opened a sleepy eye, looking unamused that she'd fallen into his lap. Souta was laughing from the other side of the bed.

"Dude, sis, you promised pancakes! That takes time, start cooking woman!" Kagome groaned, vaguely remembering promising pancakes in the morning. She pried herself up, giving Inuyasha an apologetic smile and a brief kiss, leaving a startled hanyou as she made her way to the kitchen.

One hour later everyone was fed, Souta gone, Kagome showered and dressed for school and Shippou was given explicit instructions to not answer the door for strangers…Kouga included. Inuyasha picked up her bag and opened the doorway for her, his eyes scanning the hallway for potential trouble.

"You don't have to walk me to school you know," Kagome said.

"Keh," was his reply, eyes searching everywhere as they walked down the street. He seemed unusually tense, like he expected someone to jump out of nowhere at any second. Kagome yawned, letting him do all the worrying. Days of being cooped up in a bed and apartment must have gotten to him. He looked like a caged animal by the way he was walking.

"Kagome!" Rin shouted from the train station as they made their way toward the school. She was being followed by Sesshoumaru who was scanning the area much like Inuyasha, only less frantically. He stopped and sniffed, his nose curling in disdain as Kagome came closer. Luckily for Kagome he refrained from comment.

"You ok? You have black circles under your eyes," Rin said, but before actually getting an answer she went on to happily chatter about something or other.

"You sense it?" Inuyasha asked his brother in a low tone. Sesshoumaru gave the tiniest of nods. They carefully moved away from the two women, claws flexing.

"Inuyasha?" Kagome asked, turning to find him gone. She was getting a rather strange feeling. Rin suddenly stopped too, her bubbly attitude suddenly disappearing. She pulled Kagome closer to her, eyes scanning the area. Gods, Kagome thought. Is everyone paranoid today?

"Where do you think YOU are going?" Inuyasha snarled above the crowd. Students screamed, dispersing away from the angry hanyou flanked by a dangerous looking youkai. He was holding a guy with black hair by the neck, demanding answers. "You want to explain why your scent has been following us?"

"Danger over Sess?" Rin asked. He nodded. "Ok, I gotta run to the ladies room. Let me know what you get out of him." She gave him a quick kiss on the cheek and went scampering off.

"Inuyasha, what are you doing?" Kagome asked, rushing up. The man looked familiar. Hey…isn't he the creepy guy that was in the elevator with me when I went to the seventh floor? Kagome asked herself.

"He's been following you, Kagome, I've been smelling his scent for days. That's not all. He reeks of Naraku! Just what the hell were you trying to do? What's Naraku planning? Fess up bastard!" Inuyasha demanded, giving him a forceful shake.

"If you don't feel like telling him you deal with me," Sesshoumaru offered, the tips of his claws glowing green.

<Ladies room>

Rin yawned as she washed her hands. All this running around trying to find Naraku was exhausting…not to mention her fights with Fluffy. She loved his pride, but the aggressiveness was getting out of hand. Having a prejudice was one thing, acting in a violent manner on it was another.

Rin nearly jumped out of her skin when she turned and nearly ran into a boy with a sad, far away look on his face.

"Hey, this is the girls' room! Pervert!"

"I am not here for that," he said calmly.

"What the hell are you in here for? You seem a little young for a janitor. Hey, you kind of look familiar, do I know you from somewhere?"

"Naraku wants to talk to you," the boy said. Naraku? That got her attention.

"Well he can do so after he has a meeting with Sesshoumaru's claws." Rin pushed past the boy, walking away from him which was her first mistake. Her second was to think she could overpower him just because he looked small. Her third was to think he came unaided.

Rin groaned in pain as she attempted to push herself off the floor of the bathroom. The boy pressed something against her neck and she heard an audible click. A hand flew to her neck, fingers closing around the familiar metal.

He'd collared her!

<Outside>

"What do you mean you don't know?" Inuyasha demanded. "You're his fucking underling!"

"But I was not given orders to do anything."

"He's not lying, Inuyasha, drop him," Sesshoumaru said.

"The only thing you are is a pathetic distraction! Now I'm late for class!" Kagome said. "Creep." Sesshoumaru suddenly got a very disturbing look upon his face.

Distraction? Oh gods, RIN!