InuYasha Fan Fiction ❯ The Dark Hour ❯ Insidious Plots and an Enigma ( Chapter 9 )

Ch. 9

Insidious Plots and an Enigma…

"Sess you've got a hell of lot of explaining to do."

Sesshomaru glanced up, breaking his present chain of thought. Kagura took a seat next to him on the couch. She stared at him, her dazzling green eyes filled with questions. Sesshomaru rubbed his temples, not really up for logical theories or drawn out explanations.

"I'm an idiot." He said simply. Kagura quirked an eyebrow at him, shaking her head slightly. "Come again?" Sesshomaru let out a heavy sigh and leaned back into the soft cushions of the sofa.

"I made a mistake and I think Kagome knows about me." Kagura grimaced. "Do you know for sure?" She asked. Sesshomaru shook his head. "Naraku attacked her early this morning and I picked up on her scent and noticed something strange so I went to check it out. I managed to reach her just in time and told her to run, but after I'd finished off one of Naraku's incarnations, Kagome was there and…" He closed his eyes, remembering the horrified expression on her face.

Kagura patted his shoulder. "So that's what the whole fainting deal was about, huh?" Sesshomaru nodded. A moment of silence passed between the two before Kagura asked, "Why are you so bent out of shape about it?"

Sesshomaru looked at her, a look of disbelief gracing his flawless features. "Are you serious? Kagura, there's a reason I don't broadcast to the world that my family is from a long line of demons and that same demon blood flows through my veins." He snapped. Kagura held up her hands defensively.

"Calm down, Sesshomaru. I know how a secret like that could end up if fallen into the wrong hands." She leaned in closer to him, her eyes serious. "What I want to know is why you're so worried what she'll think of your demon nature."

Sesshomaru looked away, not wanting to see the truth mirrored in Kagura's emerald gaze. `She's right,' a voice inside his head said. `You saw the look on her face and you're terrified that's what she thinks of you.'

`Me, terrified?' Sesshomaru scoffed. `Hardly.'

`So you don't care if Kagome thinks you're a monster?' The voice taunted. A low growl rumbled through his chest. Kagura rubbed his arm, concern glinting in her eyes.

"Sess, you alright?" Sesshomaru rotated his neck, working the muscles in slow circles. He was so tense he felt as if his entire body were one giant spring sprung too tight.

"Kagura, can I ask you something?" He asked. She nodded. "Shoot."

"What did you think the first time you found out?"

Kagura looked down at her lap, rubbing her hands together. She suddenly seemed nervous, avoiding Sesshomaru's eyes. "What does that have to do with anything?"

Sesshomaru took her hands in his, willing her gaze to return to his. Reluctantly, she looked up at him. "I never asked you how you felt about it. We just…" He paused, searching for the right words. "Acted like it never happened." Kagura finished. Sesshomaru nodded.

Kagura nestled closer to him and leaned her head on his shoulder. Sesshomaru put his arm around her shoulders and rested his cheek on the top of her head, breathing in the fresh scent of her raven tresses. It calmed him, reminding him of old times.

"I have to admit at first I was a little shaken, hell, I was thrown for a friggin loop." She said. "To find out that the man I loved was something completely different from what I thought was a very earth shattering experience." Sesshomaru squeezed her shoulders slightly, offering what little comfort he could after the fact.

"Throw in the little detail of demons actually existing and that's enough to make anybody run screaming in the other direction." Kagura continued, a small smile on her lips. "But I loved you enough to look past that and see you, not the demon or the mobster, but the beautiful man with the kindest soul I've ever known."

Sesshomaru growled at the last part. "Kind my ass." He grumbled. However, he couldn't resist placing a soft kiss on the crown of her head. "Thank you." He whispered. Kagura patted his knee affectionately. "If she's as great as you seem to think she is, she'll get past this."

"I don't care what she thinks and I don't care if she gets past this." Sesshomaru mumbled, not too convincingly. Kagura smirked, looking up to meet his eyes. "Sess, it's me, not some stranger off the street. I know you better than you might know yourself and you definitely care what that woman in there thinks." She said, pointing a finger toward a closed door off to the right of the living room.

"She seems like a good person, I mean, she did save your sorry ass." Kagura joked. Sesshomaru eyed her in mock anger. "In all seriousness, if you found her to be worthy of your company, then I believe her character is strong enough to hold up against your family secret." Kagura stifled a yawn. She slowly rose to her feet, stretching her arms above her head.

"Once again you've cut in on my sleep so I'm gonna hit the hay." She gave him a peck on the forehead and sauntered off to bed. Sesshomaru glanced at the flashing green numbers on the DVD player. It was 8:30, making it approximately three and half hours since he'd brought Kagome to Kagura's place. He was beginning to worry that something might be seriously wrong with her, like a mental breakdown or something of that nature. After all, it wasn't every day that you find out that monsters really do live and breath among the human.

Kagura's earlier words came to him. "…if you found her to be worthy of your company, then I believe her character is strong enough to hold up against your family secret."

Could this be true? Could she look past his demon nature to what was beneath?

`Who cares?' He said to himself in utter frustration. He was tired of thinking about the whole situation so he decided to get some rest before he began the seemingly impossible task if tracking down Onigumo Iakouy.

`If he's still alive.' Sesshomaru reminded himself wearily. And that most certainly was a big if.

~~~~~~

Kouga tried for what seemed like the hundredth time to focus on the paperwork before him. He finally gave up when he realized his thoughts refused to focus on anything but Kagome.

"Shit." He cursed, pushing aside the paperwork and propping his elbows on the desk. His blood still boiled when he thought about Kagome and the asshole she was with. He still felt the strong urge to put his fist through the guy's face, but something told him there was something very dangerous about him. That didn't sit well with Kouga, especially if Kagome was insisted on being around him.

"Damn foolish woman." He muttered to himself. He admitted to himself that half of his anger was due to his bruised ego. The woman he'd been involved with on and off for the past four years had all of a sudden kicked him out of her life.

"How could she?" He asked aloud, hurt by her obvious betrayal.

"Hey, man, you goin crazy on me?"

Kouga looked up, startled out of his morose thoughts. He shrugged at his coworker's teasing question. "Nah, just having one of those days, ya know?" Greg nodded sympathetically before saying, "Well, put your game face on because you've got a customer out on the show floor."

Kouga took a deep breath, pushing all thoughts of Kagome from his mind. Now it was time to get down to business and he wasn't about to jeopardize his job for anyone, not even Kagome.

He plastered on a cheerful smile and made his way to the front showroom. Greg was talking with a tall, very well-dressed man. Although the man looked as refined as any member of the royal family, something about him gave Kouga the creeps. Kouga shook it off and headed for the two. When Greg spotted Kouga, he gestured toward him.

"This is your man." He said, giving Kouga a pat on the back before leaving the two. Kouga extended his hand. "Good morning, sir. My name is Kouga Jindei, as I'm sure you're already aware. Are you interested in purchasing a BMW today?"

The man gave him a small smile. "Actually I already own three BMWs, Mr. Jindei." Kouga's smile turned to one of confusion. "I'm sorry, sir, I was under the impression you wanted to see me about buying a car…" He let the sentence trail off as the man shook his head slowly.

"I have other matters I wish to discuss with you." He leaned in closer, making Kouga want to take a step back. "Is there somewhere we can talk in private?" Kouga hesitated, glancing around. Greg was the only other salesman on the front floor, the rest all out in the lot. The man seemed to since his hesitation.

"I don't mean to inconvenience you, Mr. Jindei, it's just that there's something very important that I need to talk to you about." Kouga thought a few more seconds before nodding his head, his cheerful smile never leaving his face.

"Follow me." He said, escorting the man to his office. Once they were inside, Kouga shut the door and turned to the man, his smile disappearing.

"What is this about?" He asked. The man sat down, motioning for Kouga to take a seat. Kouga felt a slight irritation at the man's obvious arrogance. `Who the hell does this guy think he is coming into my office and telling me when to sit?'

"Mr. Jindei, my time is very precious and I don't wish to waste it on some petty testosterone competition so just take a seat…now." Kouga felt a shiver creep up his spine at the cold, authoritative tone of the man's voice. He went to his desk and sat down slowly.

"Thank you." The man said, folding his hands in his lap.

"What is this about Mister…?" He realized that he didn't even know the man's name.

"Iakouy, Naraku Iakouy." The man said. Kouga was taken aback by the name the man uttered. Was this the infamous Naraku Iakouy, head of New York's most notorious crime family? Kouga's level of nervousness shot through the roof at this bit of information.

"Um…I'm sorry. Did you say your name was Naraku Iakouy?" Kouga asked, his tone faltering. Naraku regarded him with a hint of disgust. He dearly hoped the man wouldn't start babbling inanely like an idiot.

"Yes," He said with a sigh. "But that's neither here nor there. I came here to talk to you about Ms. Higurashi."

"Kagome?" Kouga responded in surprise. Naraku nodded, a slight frown on his face. "Yes, Kagome. She's become somewhat of a nuisance and I need your assistance."

Kouga gulped, not liking where this was going. How did Naraku know Kagome and what did he need Kouga's assistance?

"Mr. Iakouy, I don't know what's going on, but I don't think-"

"I don't want you to think, Mr. Jindei, I want you to do." Naraku said coldly, glaring at Kouga. Kouga looked away from the murky dark eyes, eyes that seemed devoid of any emotion.

"What can I possibly do to help you, Mr. Iakouy?" Kouga asked quietly, feeling as if he were selling his soul over to the devil.

~~~~~~

Kagome found herself in dark room. She felt scared, not knowing where she was. She lifted her arms, trying to feel around her. Her arms moved around slowly, as if they were made of lead.

"Hello?" She called out, her voice echoing about the room. "Somebody please help me!"

Kagome spun around and around, losing her sense of direction and space. She felt as if she were floating around endlessly, having no specific destination. Kagome felt the darkness wrapping around her like a security blanket, urging her to give in. Just as she let her eyes drift shut, a voice whispered in her ear.

"Come back to me, Kagome."

Kagome opened her eyes, still only seeing swirling darkness. The voice sounded familiar. "Where are you? I can't see you!"

"See with your heart, not your eyes." The voice whispered, seeming to come from all directions at once. Kagome was confused by the words. "I don't understand. What does that mean?" She said, straining to see anything. All of a sudden, a blinding light flashed around her, illuminating a towering beast standing before her.

Kagome screamed as the beast reached for her.

"No! No! Noooo!"

Kagome sat bolt upright, her eyes wide. She looked around her wildly, expecting to be engulfed in darkness. Once she realized she wasn't, she calmed down. He body was covered in a light sheen of sweat, making her clothes cling to her.

She pushed the covers off her and threw her legs over the side of the bed, holding her head in her hands.

"What a wild dream…" The words trailed off when Kagome realized she wasn't in her bedroom. That's when her memories crashed down around her. Naraku assaulting her, nearly killing her, and Sesshomaru…

"Oh my god." She whispered. Maybe she was losing her mind or maybe during the attack she'd hit her head, but she remembered seeing Sesshomaru with claws, fangs, and blood red eyes. She also remembered seeing Naraku with what looked like tentacles growing from where legs should have been. She remembered seeing monsters, something straight out of a horror movie.

Kagome suddenly began trembling, the thought of what she may have seen being true frightening her. `Really, Kagome, do you think you saw Sesshomaru as some sort of monster?' Her mind argued. Kagome didn't know what to think, but she was pretty sure she hadn't been hallucinating.

`What I saw was real…I think.'

`How can it be real? Monsters don't exist, you twit!' The voice told her.

`It's real because it's what I saw and no amount of arguing with a voice in my head is going to change that!' The voice quieted down after the last statement. Kagome's breathing became shallow as she struggled to come to grips with the different thought floating around in her head.

"Gotta get out of here." She muttered as she rose unsteadily to her feet. The room seemed to wobble and spin and she closed her eyes, willing her vision to focus clearly. After a few minutes, she opened her eyes slowly, satisfied that at least the room stopped spinning wildly around her.

She didn't know where she was, but she did spy a phone hanging on the wall near the kitchen. She made her way slowly to the phone, her mind racing a mile a minute.

"Why is the phone so damn far?" She muttered, reaching her hand out for the glossy black receiver.

"Kagome?"

Kagome spun around, startled. She realized too late that turning so quickly was a big mistake and found herself tipping over. A pair of strong arms caught her just before she hit the floor. She looked up into a familiar pair of dazzling golden eyes.

"Kagome, are you ok?" Sesshomaru asked, his eyes searching her face. Kagome pulse quickened as she struggled to free herself from his grasp.

"Let me go! You're…you're a killer! A monster!" She cried out hoarsely. A look of surprise then shame quickly passed over his features before being replaced by impassiveness.

"You don't know what you're saying. You have a fever." Sesshomaru told her calmly, gathering her in his arms and returning her back to the bedroom. He set her down gently. Kagome shook her head, scooting as far away from him as she could.

"Yes, I do! I s-saw you and…" Kagome felt weak all of a sudden, her strength seeming to flow slowly out of her. Sesshomaru reached out for her, but Kagome weakly swatted away his hand.

"Don't touch me, you monster! I want to leave!" She said, trying to climb out of the bed. Sesshomaru was by her side in an instant. "Kagome, you're not well and you need to rest. I'm not trying to hurt you, I only want to help." Sesshomaru told her soothingly, placing her under the covers.

Kagome felt her eyelids drifting closed. She was powerless to do anything, feeling her body giving in to the welcoming arms of sleep.

"I…saw…you…" Kagome drifted off to sleep as the rest of the words were forgotten. Sesshomaru looked upon her sleeping face, her skin slick with perspiration. He reached out and smoothed back a few strands of stray hair that stuck to her cheeks.

So his suspicions were confirmed. Kagome had seen him and she knew what he really was. He sighed. Even though he hadn't wanted to believe it, deep down he'd known the truth.

Kagome whimpered, tossing her head slightly. Sesshomaru frowned. He hadn't been lying when he told her she was sick, but not from a fever. She'd been poisoned. He knew the cause. She'd been exposed to Naraku's thick miasma that surrounded him during his demon form. Since Sesshomaru had been in his demon form, he'd been immune to its effects but Kagome, however, hadn't been.

Sesshomaru clenched his fists as he recalled seeing Naraku on top of Kagome, ready to do things he didn't even want to think about. He forced himself to forget about last night's events and focus on healing Kagome.

Closing his eyes, he focused on the sound of his heart beating. He could feel everything else around him falling away as the steady rhythm of his heartbeat resounded in his ears. He placed his hands on Kagome's abdomen and pressed down lightly.

He could feel the blood starting to rush hotly through his veins. Pure energy traveled from his center down to his fingertips and flowed over Kagome's entire body. Sesshomaru opened his eyes, looking over Kagome's body. His golden orbs were now overtaken with a brilliant red, watching as his energy flowed into her, purging Naraku's thick miasma from her pores. Once he was satisfied he'd gotten all the miasma out of her system, he removed his hands, the red slowly draining from his eyes.

He listened, waiting for Kagome's breathing to return to a steady rhythm rather than the raspy staccato he'd heard earlier. He sighed in relief when he heard her steady breathing.

"I'd never hurt you, Kagome." He whispered, knowing she couldn't hear him. It didn't matter since she thought differently. He looked down at her, studying her soft, petite features. She was so achingly beautiful and he knew that he'd never be able to get close to her.

`Not that I ever wanted to.' He told himself with a hint of bitterness. He quickly rose to his feet, not in the mood for another round of arguing with himself. He had more important things to do.

~~~~~~

Kagome heard someone humming. She slowly opened her eyes, squinting at the bright sunlight that filtered into the room. A dark-haired woman was busy putting some clothes into a dresser drawer.

Kagome sat up, focusing on the woman's face. "Sango?" She asked uncertainly. The woman jumped at the sound of Kagome's voice and turned to her. A warm smile broke out over her face.

"Sorry, wrong girl." She said quickly, coming to Kagome's side. "Name's Kagura. I'm a friend of Sesshomaru's." Kagome gave her a tentative smile. "Kagome." She answered. She looked around. "What happened?" She asked, not remembering anything except being attacked by Naraku.

Kagura gave her a strange look before answering her question. "Well, Sesshomaru got to you just in time before that bastard Naraku could hurt you and gave Naraku an ass kicking," She paused, placing her hands on her hips. "Well overdue if you ask me, and brought you here to my place." Kagome nodded her head slowly, trying to remember any of what Kagura had just told her. She sighed in frustration when all she drew was a blank.

"Don't remember much, do you?" Kagura asked, a hint of concern in her voice. Kagome shook her head. Kagura shrugged her shoulders. "Well, it's probably because of the fever." Kagome was surprised by this bit of news. "It's probably for the best." Kagura gave her a reassuring smile before going back to her earlier task.

Kagome watched her for a few minutes before speaking again. "So how long have you known Sesshomaru?" She asked, curious to know more about Kagura's relationship with Sesshomaru.

Kagura turned to her, a thoughtful expression on her pretty face. "Me and Sess? God, we've known each other for at least six years." She said. Kagome felt a slight twinge when she heard Kagura call Sesshomaru "Sess". There was a lot more history between them than she thought.

She fiddled with the edge of the blanket. "How did you two meet?" She asked, her curiosity getting the best of her. Kagura placed the folded pants she was holding in her hands in a drawer and turned to look at Kagome. Her gaze was guarded. "Look, if this is some ploy to try to get some information on Sesshomaru for a story-"

Kagome quickly shook her head, surprised to know that Kagura knew about her profession. "No, it's not that at all." She explained. "It's just that…well, I don't know anything about the man and since we're involved…" She instantly felt her cheeks heat up at what she'd just said. Kagura stifled a giggle at the woman's embarrassed blush.

"I don't mean involved like together, I mean involved like…" She paused, thinking of the right words. "Like working together." She explained. Kagura nodded, taking a seat on the edge of the bed. Kagome mentally cursed herself for acting like a babbling teenager.

"Anyways, I'm just interested to know what kind of person he is." Kagome shrugged her shoulders lightly. "That's all." Kagura nodded, not seeing the harm in telling her a little about her and Sesshomaru's past.

"Well, me and Sess met at a charity fundraiser the mayor was hosting. Although everybody and their mother know about the Iakouy family's dirty dealings, Naraku insists on keeping up honorable appearances." Kagura explained. She noticed the questioning look Kagome threw her way.

"As for me, I was just starting out as the newest recruit for the NYPD." She supplied. Kagome seemed impressed. "You're a police officer?" She asked. Kagura shook her head. "Was, but I've since moved up to first in command of the NYPD's Special Tasks Force." Kagome's eyes widened, awed that the beautiful, petite woman talking to her had such dangerous job.

"Don't let my appearance fool you," She warned, seeming to read Kagome's inner thoughts. "I'm a real hardass." She gave her a wink and a smile to soften the harsh statement. Kagome chuckled, instantly warming up to the unique woman.

"At the time," Kagura continued, her eyes seeming to take on a faraway look. "I immediately took a disliking to Sess, I mean he was way too gorgeous, way too aloof, and he acted as if he were better than everybody in the room." Kagura scowled, but after a few moments, the scowl softened into a slight smile. "But after getting to know him, you start to understand that it's all a charade, a front."

Kagome listened in rapt attention to the words coming from Kagura's lips. She sensed the nostalgia in Kagura's tone and felt a fleeting hint of jealousy. She wanted to have the memories that Kagura shared with Sesshomaru. She wanted to be the one to tell a cute little story about how they met.

Kagura seemed to shake herself from the past. "Well, that's it in a nutshell." She said, rising to her feet. Kagome frowned. She wanted to know more.

"Were you two an item?" She blurted out, too late to stop the words from bursting forth. Kagura gave her a look of surprise. Suddenly, she seemed uncomfortable with their present topic of conversation. "I've got some other things to do, so just yell if you need anything." She said before hurrying from the room.

Kagome let out a huge sigh and leaned back against the fluffy pillows. She didn't need Kagura to answer the last question. It had been clear in her face and her tone when she'd told Kagome about her and Sesshomaru's first meeting.

She felt saddened by the fact that it seemed an impossibility that she'd ever get to know the man behind the curtain. He'd managed to save her life twice and she didn't know a thing about him.

Giving up for the moment on trying to figure out the mystery that was Sesshomaru, Kagome instead focused on another mystery man. She looked around, searching for her purse. She spied it on the night stand and dug through it, plucking out her cell phone. She searched through her contacts instantly finding the name she was looking for. She pressed the "send" button and waited while the line rang.

"Speak to me." A voice said into her ear. Kagome couldn't help the smile that tugged at her lips.

"Miroku, it's me." She responded. A cheerful chuckle sounded in her ears.

"Kag, baby! How are you? I was beginning to think you'd forgotten all about me." Miroku said. Kagome rolled her eyes, imagining the insincere pout on his lips. "I'm fine Miroku. How are you out there in the beautiful country of Japan?" She asked.

"I'm loving it, Kagome! The fast-paced lifestyle, the wonderful people…just wish you were here." He said.

"Well, I need to ask a favor of you." Kagome said, her tone turning serious. Miroku sensed the change. "What's up?" He asked. Kagome explained to him about the Iakouy family, which he was no stranger to, and Onigumo Iakouy.

"So you want me to dig around for this Onigumo guy? Sounds like a dead end, Kag." He said, his tone doubtful. There was no one Kagome respected more in the field of journalism than Miroku, but she had a hunch about this.

"I know it sounds fishy, Miroku, but if anybody can uncover whether or not Onigumo is alive, I know you can. After all," She said, her tone becoming a bit cocky. "You trained with the best." Miroku laughed heartily.

"How can I forget? You made my college life a living hell, always slapping me around and what not." He replied. Kagome laughed. "Well, if you wouldn't have always been groping me like a pervert, you might have had a much more pleasurable experience."

"Speaking of college," Miroku said, a thought coming to him suddenly. "How's my girl Sango?" Kagome rolled her eyes. "If she heard you calling her your girl, she'd be screaming at you right about now." Kagome joked. Miroku chuckled. "Tell her I was asking about her and I promise to get on this as soon as possible." He said referring to Onigumo Iakouy.

"Thanks, Miroku. I owe you one." Miroku smirked. "I'll think of something." Before Kagome could reply, he gave her a cheerful goodbye and hung up. Kagome smiled, shaking her head slightly. She definitely had to get new friends.

Kagome placed the cell phone back in her purse and decided to seek out Kagura about getting a shower. She stopped when she noticed Sesshomaru in the doorway. As usual, his face was totally blank, his eyes sparkling in the sunlight.

"Sesshomaru." She said softly. He looked back at her, standing there motionless. Kagome was confused by his behavior. Even though she usually couldn't tell what he was thinking, he at least made the effort to talk to her. Now, he just stood there, almost as if he didn't want to come any further.

Before she could rethink her actions, she went to him, throwing her arms around his neck. "Thank you." She whispered, closing her eyes tightly, wanting desperately for him to make contact with her.

Sesshomaru's façade faltered as Kagome tightened her arms around him. This was a far cry from the woman he'd dealt with earlier, the frightened woman who'd wanted nothing to do with him. Could it be that she'd accepted it?

Hesitantly, Sesshomaru returned the embrace, unknowingly breathing a sigh of relief. "I was sure you'd never want to see me again." He admitted quietly. Kagome's brow furrowed, leaning back slightly to look into his golden depths.

"Why wouldn't I? You saved my life again and I'd be a fool to be angry with you." She said. Sesshomaru looked at her, thoroughly puzzled. "Well, this morning when you said…" He let the sentence trail off as he saw the confusion clearly written on her face.

She didn't remember. His heart sank when he realized that she had no idea what he was talking about. So she wasn't hugging him out of acceptance, it was out of gratitude. He dropped his arms to his side, disentangling himself from the embrace. Kagome frowned, slowly lowering her hands from his neck.

"Never mind. This morning you were sick and didn't know what you were saying." He said, turning his face away from her. "As for saving your life, it was necessary in order to thwart whatever plan Naraku has up his sleeve."

He didn't miss the look of realization and hurt that shone on Kagome's face at his words. He brushed aside any temporary feelings of guilt and regret and turned on his heel, leaving Kagome to stare after him, missing the tear that dropped silently to the floor.

a/n: got some good things cooking up in the old head…hope everyone is satisfied with the story so far…i was going to make this the chap where kag found out about sess's demon side, but decided to hold off until a really good moment, which isn't too far off…well, anyways, keep reviewing and thanks for reading…makes me feel so special!