InuYasha Fan Fiction ❯ Possession ❯ Two ( Chapter 2 )

Possession 02

 

 

Present Day

 

 

Kagome was awoken by the touch of a soft, respectful hand on her shoulder.

 

"Ma'am?"

 

The flight attendant hovered over her, regretful of waking her first-class passenger. "We'll be landing in Tokyo in a few minutes, ma'am. Please put on your seatbelt."

 

She nodded and sat up, rubbing her eyes and deeply regretting the drinks she'd consumed in flight. Her head was pounding and the inside of her mouth had the texture of a sandbox and the taste of bitter alcohol. She looked out the window, seeing the familiar patterns of her homeland as the plane made its approach. How long had it been since she'd been back to her childhood home?

 

At least seven years, she decided. It had to be at least seven. She'd seen her family since then, flying them out for quick, expensive visits to Hawaii and showing off her rather astounding success. She didn't scrimp when it came to things like that, her mother didn't have to work at all if she didn't want to and Kagome was pleased to have Souta enrolled in an excellent school. Her little brother didn't want to go to university, he'd wanted to take a year or two off to travel and see the world.

 

Kagome smiled, thinking of Souta's determination to become a rock star, or a professional baseball player, whichever came first. Between her and her mother, they'd managed to convince him to continue his education. He didn't like it, but he wasn't going to shame himself by refusing his sister's generosity. She'd worked so hard to become a success; it would be an embarrassment to the family if he didn't take the advantages she was prepared to offer him.

 

Kagome studied the ceiling of the cabin, her fingers twirling idly on the armrests. At least she'd managed to change into more appropriate clothing before getting herself drunk enough to sleep. She was dressed all in black as befit one in mourning. Since receiving the news, she hadn't let herself think much about her grandfather.

 

They'd been close once and she'd adored him as a young girl. As she'd grown up and asserted herself more and more, their relationship had become distant and strained. Jii-chan didn't understand why she'd insisted on sealing the well, but then again, she never told her family a single word about what Inuyasha had become.

 

When she'd finally returned home through the well, that last heart wrenching time, she'd deliberately turned her back on everything that had happened on the other side. How could she tell them that the man she loved was perfectly capable now of coming through that well and visiting a vindictive punishment on them for her disobedience? She didn't want them to know, so she hadn't explained anything.

 

Her family had wondered and worried at her silence, at the anger that poured off her body in waves. She'd thrown herself into her schoolwork with a blinding fury, ignoring her friends and everything else to make the top grades. She needed to make perfect grades in order to undo the damage she'd done to her education. Perfection was all she could tolerate even now. Kagome Higurashi held herself to extreme standards and lesser beings were to be held in contempt.

 

As the plane slowed for landing, Kagome braced herself for the little twinge in her stomach when they touched down. It was no secret that she didn't like flying, it was also no secret that she flew constantly. Scott had asked her about that once, why she continued to take cases and assignments that required so much travel.

 

At first, she'd been able to pass it off as just ambition. If she wanted to get the notice of important people, she needed to take on the high profile and difficult cases that meant constant travel, constant living out a suitcase. Ironically, that was the one aspect of her life that held any similarity to her former life in the warring states era. She was still living out of a backpack, albeit the backpack had grown in size and had expensive designer tags.

 

Even though she didn't like flying, she disliked being idle much more. Kagome enjoyed her work, enjoyed it passionately. She loved being the one in control, the one with all the power who made the decisions. It was delicious and she also adored the satisfaction that came with doing things better than anyone else her age. She'd had to step on a few toes along her way, but that was how the game was played. If her associates didn't like it, they could kiss her lily-white ass.

 

She used everything to advantage and never missed a trick. Being smart and ruthless didn't hurt, being born with a beautiful face and having a sexy body didn't hurt either. No one who knew her well would have accused her of sleeping her way to the top. She didn't have to; she was too damn good at what she did to rely solely on pleasuring some man to bring her success. But it smoothed the way in some respects. She'd been very lucky to have gotten the job with her firm right out of law school, too damn green to be useful, but smart and thirsty for experience.

 

She'd been in competition with four others for it, all of them top in their classes, all ambitious and hungry. In the final interviews, the senior partner who had the final decision had smiled at her with a trace of condescension, folded his hands on his desk and asked a question.

 

"Miss Higurashi, your credentials are impeccable. This firm would be indeed lucky to have a candidate like you in this job. I've asked the same question of your rivals and now I'm asking you. What is it that sets you apart? What is it that makes you different? Why should I choose you above the others who are every bit as capable and deserving of the position?"

 

She'd been waiting for it, she'd been anticipating and counting on it. Kagome had been studying him closely as he'd evaluated her and she hadn't missed a single time his eyes had lingered on her breasts or her legs.

 

She had deliberately restrained herself from dressing provocatively, unlike the other two female candidates. Instead her skirt was almost shapeless, hanging unfashionably past her knees. The heavy suit jackets and dull blouses made her appear matronly compared to other young women her age. Her glossy dark hair that usually fell over her shoulders in loose waves had been primly tied up in a bun.

 

She looked like a schoolteacher, she knew it and knew that it had captured the attention of those who wondered why such a beautiful woman would hesitate to use her appearance in every way possible. Was it because she wanted to get her position solely on the credentials of her brain and her worthiness?

 

No.

 

Kagome stood, looking at him with a cool and distant expression she'd spent hours mastering. Then she'd let her clothing drop, piece by drab, dull piece. As more and more perfect, snow white skin had been revealed he'd said nothing, just watched her. When she'd bared her chest, he'd taken a sharp, congested breath and eased back in his chair. The remote expression vanished and his eyes now burned with want. She raised her arms and released her heavy mass of hair, letting it fall over her shoulders in shining waves.

 

And she felt no shame at all, none, only a cruel sense of satisfaction as she stepped out of her clunky shoes to walk around the side of his desk. He turned to face her as she straddled his legs and sat down in his lap. Very gently, she took the sides of his face and drew him to her, stopping when the man's lips touched the tip of one perfect breast, his tongue darting out helplessly, his hands grabbing for her hips. He pressed his mouth against her flesh hungrily and Kagome smiled.

 

"What makes me different, Yubari-san? What sets me apart from the others?" she said softly as he sucked at her breast. He wasn't even listening by now and her whisper drifted over his head like a wish.

 

“What makes me different is that you're going to give me the job."

 

 

Ten Years Earlier

 

 

Kagome's hands shook as she took the package from Kaede. "You're sure this will work?" she asked and tried not to curse herself for being a fool. The old priestess sighed heavily, kneeling down on the plain wooden floor of her hut. Kagome sat also, more graceful in the way her knees bent and her legs tucked under her.

 

"It will work," Kaede said, folding her hands in her lap. "You tell me your grandfather is a shrine priest, he will be able to assist you."

 

"I never said he was good at it," Kagome put in quickly. She remembered how her grandfather had tried to seal the well once before and Inuyasha had just breezed by his sutras and incantations like they were nothing. And that was when he was only half demon. This would be different, she thought, her palm flattening over the small, wrapped package of wards and sutras Kaede had prepared for her.

 

This time it would be her sealing the well, her power alone that would keep the portal closed. As far as she knew, Inuyasha was the only demon that could possibly use the well; therefore the incantations had been specifically designed to resist his youki. All they needed now was for Kagome to have the will to use them. Her jaw hardened. To protect her family, she had no other choice.

 

Kaede watched the emotions flicker over the girl's face. Hope and desperation, denial and grief. Determination and bitterness so vivid it made her heart want to break. So much pain, so much hardship the girl had endured in her quest to protect the jewel from Naraku. Only to complete her task successfully, right the things that went wrong and cast that hell spawn monster back into the darkness from which he'd come. Kaede felt old and tired as she looked at her young friend.

 

"When are you planning to do this?" the elderly priestess asked.

 

"Tonight," Kagome answered, her fingers playing with the frayed edges of her sleeves. Kaede eyed her critically, seeing the dark circles under her eyes, the almost painful thinness of her frame. The way she jumped at the slightest sound, flushed in humiliation when she spoke.

 

What is he doing to her, the old priestess wondered, beyond what a man does with a woman he desires?

 

It was her spirit that was being broken. That was why Kaede was willing to take the risk of angering the youkai who stalked the forest. She no longer called him by his name, when she saw him she clamped her lips together to keep from railing at him.

 

Look at her, Kaede wanted to scream. Look what you're doing to the girl who loves you. You're breaking her apart with your cruelty. Let her go, Inuyasha, let the child go back to her family and the people that love her.

 

"I'm leaving tonight," Kagome said, sounding as if she needed to make herself believe it. "After he's asleep, I'll go to the well. He's sure he can come after me whenever he wants, that means that he won't hurry. He doesn't think the well can be sealed against him. He's sure he's too strong."

 

"I hope he's wrong," Kaede said quietly. If this failed, Kagome would almost certainly die a painful death after witnessing her family's torture and execution. Youkai, she thought in anger. Damn the demon, she never should have forced them together. Her own guilt was keenly felt, was it not herself that had given Kagome the rosary that bound Inuyasha, was it not herself that had insisted the girl and the hanyou work together to recover the shards?

 

She remembered that conversation very well, how he'd blatantly informed them that he was after the jewel for his own reasons. Like Kagome and everyone else, she'd thought he'd changed. She thought the girl had melted away his anger, warmed his heart with her steadfast devotion.

 

What a way to find out they'd all been wrong about him, what a price to pay. In spite of the risk and the knowledge that he might take out his frustration on her, Kaede resolved to do whatever she could to save Kagome. She'd been too young to protect her sister; she wasn't going to let Kagome die as well.

 

"I should be going," the girl mumbled, standing up. Kaede also stood, cursing her old bones as they reminded her of her age. "Kagome child," she said, holding out her arms. It would likely be the very last time she saw the girl, she fervently hoped it was so.

 

"If I'd ever had a daughter," the priestess said warmly, "I'd want her to be just like you."

 

Kagome buried herself in Kaede's arms. "You've always been so kind, even from the beginning you were kind. Promise me you'll look after Shippou for me, I can't stand the idea of him being all alone in the world."

 

After Sango and Miroku's deaths, the little fox had become withdrawn, almost feral. He'd clung to her for a time, seeking comfort where he could. She knew he was still in the forest somewhere; he came to the village for food now and then. The villagers weren't happy about it, seeing him as the demon he really was, but Kaede was different and insisted that as long as the kitsune child caused no harm to the human residents there was no reason to run him off.

 

Shippou was terrified of Inuyasha now, having seen what his friend had become in his greed and desire for power. Kagome flinched, knowing why the little fox stayed away from her. He'd seen the way she let Inuyasha use her at night, heard the sounds that came from her throat and he must have recoiled in fear. She couldn't explain such matters to a child anyway; she was barely more than a child herself although in this era she was a woman grown. It would be like explaining to Souta, something she had no intention of doing.

 

How could she ever tell her little brother that the hero he'd worshiped had become something else entirely, something dark and cruel?

 

"I have to go," she said at last, regretfully breaking Kaede's embrace. "He'll come looking for me soon."

 

 

Present Day

 

 

I really must give Grace a raise, Kagome thought as she exited the airport. A sleek black sedan was waiting for her, the name Higurashi spelled out in kanji and English letters on the placard the uniformed driver carried. She'd been intending to take a taxi to her mother's home, but as usual her secretary had anticipated her every need.

 

Her heels clicked against the pavement as she approached the car. Kagome's dark hair was sleek and held back at the nape of her neck by a single black ribbon, the sophisticated cut of her clothing made it cling to her frame. She knew how she looked and smiled behind her dark glasses at the appreciative looks being cast her way.

 

Men had actually stopped to watch her swaying walk. She looked expensive, exotic and alluring, as well as utterly unattainable.

 

It was a psychological game she played upon the males of the species. Kagome enjoyed making men want her, but she enjoyed crushing them even more. Sometimes it was in the boardroom when she weaseled a deal that left the other side gasping. Sometimes it was the cold dismissal she gave them in the bedroom when she finished with a lover. That was part of the reason she'd divorced Scott, he didn't satisfy her need for dominance, it was too easy and Kagome didn't like things to be too easy.

 

Why did I ever marry him, she wondered. The driver of the car slipped his placard under his arm with a crisp gesture and opened her door without saying a word.

 

Kagome didn't so much as nod to him, knowing that western manners regarding service people would be woefully out of place in Japan. She settled herself in the plush interior of the car and helped herself to a small bottle of mineral water. Her head still ached from the scotch she'd had on the plane and she did not want to greet her mother smelling like a drunkard.

 

As the car moved smoothly away from the curb, her luggage carefully stowed in the back, she crossed her silk clad legs and leaned back with a sigh. She was home, the air in her nostrils reminded her of childhood. Her mother was not going to be happy when she informed her of the divorce. Mrs. Higurashi had liked Scott from the moment they'd met and why not? He was charming and handsome, so polite he made everyone he spoke to feel like royalty.

 

That's why I married him, she thought, answering her own question. I knew that I could control him; I knew that everyone would adore him and gush on about how perfect he was for me. How he'd make me happy.

 

As if either of them had been truly happy in the marriage, it still astonished her that he'd fought her on the divorce. It was the only time he'd ever fought her about anything.

 

It was that spinelessness that had driven them apart, made her hunger for other men to touch her. She was just defective when it came down to it. He was beautiful and not too bright, but he had a winning smile and a warm personality that made people melt like butter.

 

A useful quality when you were on a career fast track that meant you had to display an impressive spouse. Scott's family had money, but she hadn't married him for that. It didn't mean a damn thing to her other than it would impress her colleagues and associates.

 

And he'd reminded her of someone that she'd cared about. With his dark hair and deep blue eyes, he could have been Miroku's brother. Kagome hadn't been in love with the monk, but she missed him acutely when she allowed herself to think about it. She was sure he would have helped her, prevented Inuyasha from using that jewel. Of course, Scott hadn't had any of Miroku's wisdom to compliment his charm and she'd never seen him try to grope anyone. She might have had more respect for him if he did.

 

The ride passed far too quickly for her preference and Kagome sat in the car after it had stopped and dreaded the next few hours. She had to spend some time with her mother, that wasn't what she dreaded. It was the house itself, it was going up to her old room and letting the memories of her teenage years wash over her.

 

It was looking out her bedroom window and seeing the grounds of the shrine, avoiding letting her eyes linger for too long on a certain shack that contained a certain well. There was a tree on those grounds she also had to avoid, if she stood under its branches and looked at it too hard, she was going to cry her heart out. And Kagome hated crying more than anything else.

 

She didn't think about him anymore, she told herself that at least twice a day. She was pleased with her life now and found nothing lacking about it. Kagome had the kind of job ordinary people fantasized about, the glamorous lifestyle that was lauded in the movies and on television. She had an endless supply of skilled lovers to take care of her sexual needs, wanting nothing from them other than what their strong bodies could provide.

 

And none of them left her vulnerable, that was what she liked best about them. They'd never made her feel the way Inuyasha had, but that didn't matter. None of them had ever made her feel as horrible, damaged and worthless either. Kagome's fingers tightened on the door handle even as the driver opened it, extending a gracious palm to assist her. She allowed him and stood staring at the tall steps that would take her into the shrine.

 

"The car has been hired to be at your disposal, ma'am," the driver said politely. He extended a small card to her and gave her a very Japanese bow of respect. "Just call the number when you wish for transport."

 

Kagome nodded slightly and turned away, taking the steps slowly. Her thoughts were dark and depression settled over her shoulders like a burial shroud. She had to come back here someday; she'd always known it.

 

I hate you. Twenty steps from the top.

 

I hate what you did to me. Ten steps from the top. Oh dear god.

 

I'll never forgive you. Five steps from the top.

 

I can see the tree from here…

 

I'm so sorry Inuyasha.