InuYasha Fan Fiction ❯ Pride & Predjudice: A Sesshomaru Tale ❯ Angels and Demons ( Chapter 17 )

[ Y - Young Adult: Not suitable for readers under 16 ]

Angels and Demons: Waiting for the Blow

Kagura pulled on her nightshirt, flipped on the ceiling fan switch and climbed into bed. She felt oddly light headed but chalked it up to the kisses and illicit feelings she was attempting to ignore. She lay across the cool, sage green sheets and closed her eyes. It was so hot. She scratched her arm. Does Kaede ever turn on the air conditioning? Those ocean breezes and cold glassesof wine are sounding better and better…

Her hand reached for her cell phone. Kagura realized who she was about to call and turned off the bed side light instead. Heis such a pretentious jerk. Why am Iso drawn to him?

She supposed her judgment was at best questionable. Naraku was a shining example of that. But how wrong was it to run around with the man who destroyed Kagome's happiness?
But on the other hand I kept Sesshomaru's letter a secret. Kagome doesn't know what he did, and who says I have to tell her. Shame flooded her chest. Yeah I'm such a good friend, a regular Hanoi Jane, just a breath away from sleeping with the enemy.

That was yet another reason she should stay as far away from the taiyokai as humanly possible. Kagura wasn't normally proponent of pre-marital relations. She'd seen where such choices had gotten her friends and she was responsible for setting a good example for Kanna. This was one huge bone of contention between her and Naraku. But now she was fiercely grateful she'd never given in. But with Naraku it just wasn't a temptation. Sesshomaru was another matter entirely. Tonight she was reluctant to sleep for fear of where her dreams might take her.

Kagura found herself making excuses and justifying actions she had yet to commit. So what if he stayed a fewnights at my place? Kanna is away most of the time anyway. Kagome won't know and if I get on his good side maybe I can change his mind about her.

She shook her head. This is all so wrong. God damn it! It's so freaking hot in here. Kagura stood and hobbled down to the kitchen for a cool bottle of water. The fridge light served as a beacon as she reached into the steel depths of the Sub Zero refrigerator.

Why does she have a fridge this big? It's a steel monster. Kagura pushed the door closed and the kitchen swam in front of her eyes. Did I get a bad oyster or what? She brushed her hand across her belly but it seemed okay. Smooth sailing and calm seas there…maybe I drank too much? She couldn't recall more than three mugs of beer. Not the image of prohibition but hardly the makings of a hangover. This will be better by the morning.
Kagura forced herself to climb up the stairs and found her way back to bed. She closed her eyes and her sleep was dreamless.

“Kagura. Wake up!”

She opened her eyes and moaned. “Sango, what is it?”

Sango leaned over her already fully dressed. “Sesshomaru and Rin are here.”

“What?” Kagura set up and saw it was ten am. Her head protested the movement and she fell back against the pillows. Something big pounded inside of her skull. She touched her temples and tried to decide what to do.

“Girl, you don't look so good.” Sango sounded concerned.

Kagura shot back. “Of course not, I'm still in bed for Christ sakes!”

Sango reached behind to the dresser and picked up a hand mirror. “Here.”

She presented it to Kagura who winced at her appearance. Her face was pale and her eyes were rimmed with dark circles. Her disheveled hair stuck to her forehead. She wanted to be upset that Sesshomaru was here while she was still in bed and looking like a wet hag but she just couldn't make herself care. “Ugh.”

Sango slipped her cool hand on Kagura's forehead. “You're burning up. That rips it. No play for you today. If you want I'll give Sesshomaru a note from Dr. Sango excusing you from all fun.”
Kagura relaxed and closed her eyes in blessed peace. Then she wondered if Sesshomaru would think he upset her the night before and she was blowing him off. That wouldn't do. How could she entertain explicit fantasies about him if he stopped talking to her?

Kagura pushed her self up to a sitting position. “Okay but I do want to see him.”

Sango raised a brow. “Looking like that, are you sure?”

She swallowed and nodded. Her whole body ached.

Sango went to the closet and pulled out her new silk robe. “Well let's at least dress you up a bit.”

Kagura sat on the edge of the bed and allowed Sango to wrap her in the robe. She ran a brush through her hair and pulled it up into a pony tail. Sango brought Kagura some pressed powder and the mirror.

“Careful.” She admonished gently watching Kagura generously powdering her face. “You don't want to look too healthy.”

Kagura fluffed her pillows and made sure there were no stray bras or panties laying about the tiny guest room while Sango went to fetch Sesshomaru.

He knocked on the door frame before entering even though the door was open. He paused when he saw her face.

“She wasn't kidding. You look horrible.”

Kagura frowned. “Thanks so much for pointing that out. I hadn't noticed.”

His face fell. “That was rude. I'm terribly sorry.”
Hmm…Sesshomaru groveling? I could get used to this.
“I guess I forgive you.”

He sat on the edge of the bed. “Well its best that you stay here. Maybe you should see a doctor.”

Kagura dismissed the suggestion. “My doctor is in the same building as my office and that's at least a four hour drive. I'll be fine in a day or so.”

“I could recommend my doctor. He makes house calls.”

“No doctor has made a house call in the last thirty years!”
Sesshomaru's expression read, wanna bet? “If I ask it will be done.”
Kagura smiled weakly. “That's kind but not called for. I think I'll live…eventually. Unless, I got West Nile from those mosquitoes at the cemetery.”

“I'm sure that's not it. West Nile takes longer to manifest than this.”

Kagura nodded, “Good to know. Now I feel much better. So what are you going to do today without me?”

He shrugged. “Go to a movie I guess. Rin wants to see some animated thing with zoo animals.”

“Well have a good time without me. It's okay though because I wouldn't be any fun.”

He laid his hand on her blanket covered knee. “I'll be back later, just to check on you.”

“I assure you, Sango and Kaede have everything under control. If I die, I'm sure they'll beep you.”

A wrinkle appeared on his forehead and he frowned. “I don't find that particularly funny.”

Kagura answered. “Yeah, you're right. You are much too classy to be paged. Okay then if I die we'll send a messenger.”

“You know what I meant.”

She closed her eyes and sank back into her pillows. “Yeah I know. But complicated topics are beyond me for the moment.”

Kagura waited for his reply but it was interrupted by the ringing of her cell phone. She picked it up and answered. “Hello?”
Iz's loud voice came through the speaker. “I'm sorry to bother you but there are two…um developments I thought you so know about.”

Kagura motioned to Sesshomaru and he brought her a notepad and pen. She balanced the pad on her knee and mouthed. “Thanks this will just be a sec.”

She put the phone beside her on the bed and pressed the speaker button. “Okay Iz you're on speaker now. So what's the sitch?”
“Well the Sea Turtle Rescue called and they can't find Kanna. It might not be anything because a number of them camped on the beach but they wanted to check here and see if she'd called you.”

Kagura bit her lip. “Okay that's odd. I'll look into it.”

“Girl, did you break it off with that Naraku guy or what? He's been standing outside the building, calling every hour and sending the cheapest cheesiest grocery store flowers. I'm a little concerned for your safety.”

Kagura's heart stopped. Sesshomaru knew Naraku had spent time with her but he had no idea they'd been a couple…until now. Before last night she hadn't thought it was any of his business. Now she regretted not mentioning it.

She slowly looked up and his expression was a flat scowl. Oh yeah, this is such news to him. She could almost hear the grinding of his teeth.

Iz continued, “So can I call the cops on him or what? Security has already spoken with him. Ya know…I could always sick that goose on him. That would fix him.”

Kagura snapped. “Yes call the police. I'll look into this and if there is anything important I'll call.”

“Okay boss, over and out!” Beep and she was gone.

Kagura looked to Sesshomaru for a reaction of any kind but there was nothing.

“I'm so sorry…I thought you knew. I thought that's why you wrote the letter.”

His voice was a ragged whisper. “I knew that's what he wanted however I didn't realize how close you were.”

Kagura was quick to point out. “We were never close. He just hung out allot.”

Sesshomaru cut his eyes at her and she saw they were rimmed with the angry red she'd witnessed the night before. Oh shit! Please don't eat me!

He pressed his lips tightly together and did he just growl?

Kagura tried again. “We never had a connection. He was always so awkward. My friends haven't even asked about him since I kicked him out of my life.”

Sesshomaru stood and turned his back to her. “He's dangerous, you're lucky he hasn't hurt you.”

She sighed, “I realize that now.”

Sesshomaru moved towards the door and Kagura's heart jumped to her throat. Please don't be this way… Stay, don't run outon mebecause ofthis.

“I'm…leaving.” He stepped through the doorway and was gone. His words had a finality to them she couldn't dismiss.

Kagura fell back onto the bed. Her head hurt too much to deal with this. Maybe he'll get over itand be back later…was her last coherent thought.
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She awoke and saw the windows were dark. It was night. God how long have I slept? The pounding in her head was dull and unending. Kagura had a vague memory of Kaede bringing her some medicine. Her mouth was dry and tasted like dusty burlap. I guess he didn't come back...

.
Movement at the foot of the bed caught her eye. The woman in blue from the cemetery stood only feet away. Kagura's first thought was. I'm dying? But no, she felt the breath in her lungs and decided she was still alive…for now.

The lady in blue held a long katana sword in one hand. Her face was fully visible and Kagura recognized a set of pointy yokai ears protruding from wavy white hair that hung loose to her waist. The sword…so it's all true! What the hell? Did she follow me here? She stared at Kagura with milky white eyes that had no pupils.

The spirit leaned across the bed and her lips moved. Kagura couldn't hear her voice but she appeared to be shouting something. She began to crawl up the bed and Kagura wished she had the strength to run but she couldn't move.

Then she read the woman's blue lips that stretched across her skeletal face. KANNA, KANNA, KANNA…HE'S GOT KANNA.

Kagura sat up and the lady disintegrated into mist and was gone. She grabbed for her cell phone and looked at the clock. It was two am. She counted fast. Greece is seven hours ahead of us so that means it's gotta be nine am there.

She tried Kanna's cell first. It went immediately to voice mail. Okay no big surprise there…of course it's offbecauseshe's on another continent.

Kagura dialed the Sea Turtle rescue next. A woman answered in Greek but switched to English after Kagura introduced herself.

“I don't know when she left but we think she went home.”

Kagura held her breath. “Why would she leave? Did something happen?”

“No, she was happy then she just disappeared, her bunkmate Joan says she was emailing some guy. Maybe that has something to do with it.”

Kagura's fatigue faded and was replaced with a stone of fear lodged firmly in her gut. Thinking quickly she called the Bank. They had twenty four hour customer service and until now she'd never had the need to test it.

“Can you look at the joint college checking account and read me the most recent check card purchase?

And sure enough there was a Delta air plane ticket purchase pending. Kagura scratched down the transaction information and then called Delta. The woman on the other end of the line was purposely unhelpful.

“Mam, that ticket was purchased by a young woman over eighteen years of age. Any information I release would be a direct violation of her privacy.”

Kagura's nails dug into her sweaty palm. “Fuck privacy, she's my baby sister and she's missing. Get me your supervisor.”

Twenty minutes later she was told the last stop had been in Myrtle Beach not Charlotte. Kagura dialed the Bank again and learned there had been a $500 ATM withdrawal on King's Highway. But the card hadn't been used at a hotel. They must have paid cash for a hotel on the strip. Cheap and sleazy, it's right up Naraku's alley.

She took a deep breath and a cold drink of water. Then she called Kagome and woke her up.

Kagome had caller ID and answered the phone abruptly. “Do you know what time it is? Even Molly is mad at you.”

“Kagome listen to me. Kanna isn't in Greece. She's run of to Myrtle Beach somewhere and is missing. Has she contacted you?”

“Oh God…no she hasn't.”

“Call me if she does!” Kagura disconnected.

She called her home answering machine on a whim to check the messages. She had 10 new messages. The first nine were all hang ups. The last was Kanna.

“Kagura, I didn't like Greece so I came home. I'm safe, please don't worry, I'm at the beach with Naraku. He says to tell you hey. Peace out!”

The message was eighteen hours old. Cold waves of terror and rage washed over Kagura. It was the moment of truth. She dialed 411 and got the phone number for the Georgetown-Horry county police department.

“Police, how may I direct your call?”

Kagura's jaw clenched but she still spoke the words. “My little sister is with a known sexual predator and he's taken her to Myrtle Beach. I need to file a missing persons report. I have pictures with me and can fax them to you. I'm in Charleston but I can be there in two hours or less…”

The woman's voice was strong and matter of fact. “How old is the minor?”

“Seventeen, no wait. She turned eighteen two weeks ago…”

Pause, then the reply. “Mam she is a legal adult. How long has the woman been missing.”

“Nearly twenty four hours…”

“How did you learn who she was with?”

Kagura wiped her forehead on her new silk robe. “She left a message on my answering machine.”

“Did she sound upset?”

“No but she left camp without telling anyone to meet him and she doesn't know what he is. I just found out myself last week and because she was out of town I haven't had a chance to tell her.”

“Is she in high school?”

Kagura shook her head. “No she's a sophomore at USC.”

“Mam, this woman is legally an adult. You can file a police report in the Charleston police station and have them fax it to us but there isn't anything we can do until she's been missing for three days and there is evidence of foul play. It appears she's a college student who left of her own free will and is out partying. I know you're upset and I'm sorry but that's the extent of what we can do.”

Kagura clicked the phone off. She stood up and felt her knees wobble but couldn't tell if it was her nerves or illness.

She pulled on jeans and a t-shirt while leaning against the door for support. She picked up her purse and hunted down her keys.

Sango was in the hall heading to the rest room. “Hey germ girl, where you off to?”

“I think Kanna's left Greece and is at Myrtle with Naraku.”

Sango made a face. “Why the hell would she do that?”

“I don't know but he's some kind of twisted bastard. I'm going to find her.”

“I'm going with you.”

Kagura shook her head. “Please don't. Stay here instead in case she calls or shows up. She's knows how to get here and has the number as well.”

Sango hugged her. “Please be careful and keep us up to date.”

Kagura hit a Krispy Kreme drive through and grabbed a huge cup of hot coffee. She headed out on I-26 going a smooth 80 mph. She wasn't sure what she would do if and when she found Naraku and Kanna.

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Notes:

Bridget Jones: “You think you've found the right man, but there's so much wrong with him, and then he finds there's so much wrong with you, and then it all just falls apart.”….Bridget Jones, The Edge of Reason 2005

Daniel Cleaver: “Well you know what a fan I am of any woman married to Mark Darcy”…Bridget Jones, The Edge of Reason 2005