Adult-FanFiction.org : Inuyasha / Yashahime

He's My Girl	By : osherry Category: InuYasha > Het - Male/Female > InuYasha/Kagome Views: 11938 -:- Recommendations : 0 -:- Currently Reading : 0
Disclaimer: We own neither Inuyasha, Ranma 1/2, the fandom, nor anything else that Rumiko Takahashi has created and we’ll never make any money off of it. We shall not covet Inuyasha or his super-cool ‘Tessaiga, ’ or dang...even that gorgeous bishie

Chapter List
- 15
- 16
- 17
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Warnings: Foul language and some nudity.
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Special thanks to our awesome and talented betas: SplendentGoddess, Hedanicree and Blackdeathmessenger.
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Co-authored by Karaumea and Ai Kisugi
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Chapter 16: Laid Bare

The two days following their escape had been extremely trying for Inuyasha. It wasn't as if Kagome had been rude to him or had forgotten him. No, it had been the exact opposite. After Kagome had told both Hojo and Inuyasha that she was a lesbian, her advances toward her hanyou girlfriend had increased. Perhaps, now that she had made peace with the fact that she would never have a boyfriend, she suddenly seemed to be embracing her inner-dyke.

Inuyasha's heart rate accelerated just thinking about what Kagome had been doing to him. There wasn't a spare moment when his girlfriend wasn't trying to kiss him, grope him or get him into bed. It was not as if he didn't want to get intimate with her. In fact, Little Tessaiga was screaming in agony and begging to sheath itself into her warm body.

But, he couldn't; he wouldn't...

His girlfriend-the girl who was supposed to be his mate, the very woman he had been pining over for the past few years-had declared in no uncertain terms that she only liked girls.

And, he was a hot-blooded male. He just looked like a girl-a girl Kagome had said she was in love with.

Oh, fuck my life...

For the last two nights, Inuyasha had spent countless hours keeping Kagome's soft, wandering hands away from his chest and groin. It was a painful torture since he wanted her hands to be stroking the very parts he pushed her away from. However, he did permit her digits to explore other parts of his body. It seemed that her favorite place to touch was his ears. Since ‘Little Tessaiga' wasn't getting any attention, it now seemed to be jumping for joy every time she stroked his dog-like ears.

Every caress on his fuzzy, white appendages would conjure up images of those same hands stroking his most intimate parts behind his closed eyelids. No matter how hard the hanyou tried, he couldn't stop dreaming of her smooth, warm hands stroking ‘Little Tessaiga' up and down or her talented pink tongue licking his shaft the way she was licking and kissing the edges of his ears.

It was pure, unadulterated torment. Just having her body next to his made the fine hairs that covered his skin stand on end. It made his abdomen quiver in excitement and made the pulsing blood in his veins coalesce into a growing hardness that never seemed to get any satisfaction.

Her kisses were all encompassing, addicting and nerve wracking. Her touches were sweet, abysmal torture. He felt like he was on the edge of a precipice and that one shove would bring him down into a gaping abyss or delectable bliss. He was never too sure as to what side he would fall into or when the inevitable slide would happen.

But, Inuyasha was willing to suffer through it. He was willing to always be her girl. Unfortunately, she would find out the truth sooner or later. He had already almost lost control more than once while Kagome pressed her sweet, giving form against his. She tempted him. Her scent, her body and her actions called to him and made his body respond.

Dammit.

Little Tessaiga saw fit to leap to attention again as the hanyou detected his miko's sweet scent approaching. He surreptitiously adjusted himself through his hakama pants.

Shaya was wearing the robes of a miko. Her long, flowing silver hair was beautifully accented by a billowy, white top and red, flowing hakama pants. Unfortunately, her top was mired in dust and gray smudges from all of the moving she had been doing at the Sunset shrine.

However, even his current attire did not keep Inuyasha from being accosted again. Kagome wouldn't give him a moment of peace. The hanyou had been trying to help out Grandpa Higurashi, but his girlfriend was ignoring that fact.

Shaya's eyes widened like a prey that was being caught by a predator. His girlfriend stood on her tiptoes and smiled coyly at him through lacey eyelashes. "Kiss me," Kagome intoned. She looked beautifully innocent in her matching miko robes and ebony hair tied back with a white silken cord. But, it was her scent and that magnetic attraction that always left him wanting more that made every logical thought leave his mind.

Fuck me. As if I could say no...

He dropped the crates that he had been moving haphazardly and pulled his girlfriend behind him. There was no way that he would chance her family witnessing their lesbian tryst.

Once they were safely ensconced behind the well house, he pulled her against his body. Then, Kagome's breathless lips found his.

"Mummmpphhh..." was all that was heard from Shaya before the shorter girl moved her mouth against her hanyou's. Kagome's hands found their way around the girl's neck, and one lone hand started to caress a fuzzy ear. Inuyasha tried to hold back; he was a little unused to his girlfriend coming onto him, especially at her own home.

But, there was something about Kagome-something that made him forget that he was supposed to not let things go too far. Every time she touched him, he just lost sense of time and place. The spark that she set off with one simple brush of her hand against his skin was enough to drive a heated desire through his veins.

His mouth probed into hers with abandon. His hands that he was trying so hard to control moved against her back, pressing her giving form against his own. They were yin and yang, hard and soft, male and female, demon and miko... It was unfortunate that Kagome didn't know how really different the two of them were-not that he was even conscious of their differences at the moment. All he knew was that he craved her and was often left bereft and wanting more.

"Shaya!" bellowed the old man.

The voice was close-too close. Shaya's golden eyes widened in shock, and she pulled away from her miko.

Kagome smiled softly at her girlfriend while Inuyasha adjusted his miko robes and tried to brush out his hair quickly.

Fuck, I look like a girl who has just been ravished...

Once Grandpa Higurashi had found out how strong a ‘female' hanyou was, the man never seemed to tire of giving the girl endless chores that would be too difficult for a normal man.

"Ah, there you are, Shaya. I was wondering where you were with those crates. Can you please stop chatting with Kagome and get to work?" the older man harrumphed as he led the hanyou away from his girlfriend.

As if we were chatting...dammit!

The hanyou's mind was in a daze as he picked up the four large crates he had recently put down and then followed Grandpa Higurashi blindly.

While Shaya tried to balance the crates, she never even noticed the small boy staring at her from the branches of the Goshinboku tree. Souta's eyes were as wide as saucers and held the look of absolute betrayal.

The boy couldn't help that he found Shaya attractive. The hanyou was the most beautiful girl that he had ever seen and to top all of that, she played video games with him! She even stopped work at the shrine sometimes to show him how to properly kick a soccer ball. She was instantly his new best friend and someone that he thought about even when she wasn't at the shrine.

Souta had thought that he had found the girl of his dreams. And maybe if he was lucky, maybe he could even get a kiss out of her. He thought nothing of their ten-year age difference. He had been smitten the very moment he had seen the girl. That was why he found himself watching Shaya while she worked at the shrine. He couldn't really follow her around all day long like a lost puppy, so spying from the shrine's ancient tree seemed to be the best bet.

But now his sister was kissing another girl? And why did it have to be Shaya? It was so gross!

The boy felt betrayed, and there was only one person to talk to about all of this. He quickly scrambled down the tree. His mom would certainly put a stop to his sister putting her stinky lips on Shaya.

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Shaya huffed as she managed to balance the large wooden crates in her hands.

"Over here," ordered Grandpa Higurashi as he pointed to an alcove in the far corner of the storage shed.

She bent to put the heavy load on a shelf. She let out a satisfied smile and turned around; the smile quickly faltered when she saw Grandpa Higurashi purse his lips in displeasure.

"No, I think over there would be better," added Grandpa as he waved to yet another area in the shed.

Shaya's white ears twitched on the top of her head in extreme agitation. This is the hundredth fucking time he has wanted me to move these boxes! She picked up the burdensome load and managed to heft the boxes into yet another corner.

Grandpa tapped his finger against his cheek. "Or maybe over there...?"

Shaya's claws gripped the wood with a little too much pressure, and it squeaked. Wood was not supposed to squeak.

"Oh, Father!" exclaimed Mrs. Higurashi as she entered the storage shed. "Why are you moving those?" She turned to notice the fuming hanyou, who was about to pulverize the crates with her bare hands. "Oh, Shaya! Thank you so much for all of your hard work. I think right there will be just fine..." Kunloon turned to look at Grandpa Higurashi with a look that would brook no argument. "Don't you think so, Father?"

The older man coughed and offered a single nod in acquiescence.

Kunloon moved forward and drew Shaya away from the storage shed. "I think you have worked enough today. Thank you so much for all of your hard work." Mrs. Higurashi looked pensively at the teenaged girl.

Shaya smiled sheepishly and scratched her head. "Yes, I guess it has been a long day."

Kunloon gave her a waifish smile before grasping the girl in her arms. "I was so worried about you, dear. You and Kagome were gone, and we feared the worst!"

Shaya almost let out a yelp of surprise when the middle-aged woman hugged her. She noticed the telltale scent of that other man on her-the man with that strange cologne, the man who had given him some tickets on the subway and seemed to know that he was following Kagome. The taller girl tried to pat the older woman on the back as she moved away from the unexpected embrace. "Oh, um...we were fine. It was just a misunderstanding. We just got lost from the rest of the class and took a train home."

Kunloon quirked a brow. Her wise brown eyes appeared to bore into Shaya's golden ones before she looked down and sighed. "Yes, of course." Then, her eyes lit up like the Ginza district at night. "Well, I am going to a tea ceremony with some friends. I will be back later this evening. Have a good day, Shaya. Take care of yourself and..." The older woman paused and seemed to be entreating Shaya with her final words, "...and Kagome."

Mrs. Higurashi smiled and turned to walk away, humming a song as she started down the steep shrine steps.

Inuyasha wanted to change and get out of his dusty, dirt-ridden clothes, but smelling that scent on Kagome's mother again made his dog-like instincts roar with the need to chase. He needed to know what the connection was between the Higurashis and the mysterious man, who seemed to know far too much. Is he a spy for Naraku? Why was he around Kagome and me?

The hanyou didn't think. He quickly took to the rooftops. He briefly thought about the bodyguard contingent that was now following him and Kagome wherever they went. Now try to keep up with me you fuckers!

He chuckled at his black-suited bodyguards. One of them had been smoking and was too caught up in the group of schoolgirls wandering about the shrine's grounds to notice the hanyou escaping. Inuyasha was sure that the guy would be reprimanded and then fired by Sesshoumaru tomorrow. The other one simply wasn't quick enough.

Ever since the ill-fated day when he and Kagome had been kidnapped, Sesshoumaru had made sure that the two ‘girls' were protected. Even his mom had shown up in tears, asking Inuyasha to not ever leave without the bodyguards. Well, he really didn't think the bodyguards would be of much help if Naraku ever tried to get at him again. The only thing he still had going for him was that apparently Naraku did not think he had kidnapped Inuyasha. Naraku kidnapped Shaya with the full intent of using her as blackmail to get to her brother. Inuyasha snorted in annoyance. As if Shaya and Inuyasha could even be in the same room together...not that the bastard knows that...

He patted his back and the thin, nylon, carrying case that he now had strapped to his side. He wasn't going to be caught with his pants down again. The Tessaiga would be with him from now on, even when he slept. Though, he really didn't know how he would manage to get the Tessaiga and Kagome into bed at the same time. Without truly trying, he was quickly caught up in a fantasy of getting Kagome naked and in bed, his masculine form hovering above hers and his Tessaiga still in his hands...? No, won't work. This time he replayed the scene with his handy Tessaiga on the bedside table within arms reach. OK, that'll work! The only time he wouldn't have Tessaiga with him would be if Kagome was nude and distracted him. Otherwise, he was a man on a mission 24x7!

Unfortunately, he had quite an overactive imagination and once he started to think of Kagome with no clothes on, his mind was fully occupied with salacious thoughts. Kagome in the shower, wet droplets cascading down her body... Kagome taking off her clothes... Kagome lying underneath him while he suckled on her breasts... Shit! I need to focus! Focus, dammit!

The hanyou steeled his will and followed Kunloon down a few street blocks until she made it into a subway station. Luckily, it was an early Saturday evening and not rush hour. The concrete tunnels of the subway were sparsely populated and there were not enough humans there to throw off Kunloon's scent.

Shaya tried to keep to the back, since his red and white miko garb was rather bright and noticeable. Luckily for him, at least it was much more modest than his schoolgirl's uniform. At least, he didn't have to worry about guys checking out his legs in this getup.

As he followed Kagome's mother, he couldn't help but notice that the woman was walking around like she was in a dream. She was humming a tune and almost skipping with happiness.

What in the hell type of song is she singing anyway? Inuyasha tried to grasp the song. It was at the edge of his mind; there was something familiar about it. Then, he heard her start to sing the melancholy lyrics.

It's only half past the point of no return
The tip of the iceberg, the sun before the burn
The thunder before lightning, the breath before the phrase
Have you ever felt this way?

His ears twitched again in annoyance. Hearing a grown, middle-aged woman singing a love song had to be right up there with hearing Hojo profess his love to Kagome. It just hurt to hear the words.

He tried to get the silly lyrics out of his mind. The last thing he wanted to even think about was his future mother-in-law being in love. Future mother-in-law?

He felt his chest tighten, and his eyes widened. Kagome... He wanted Kagome as his mate. He'd even marry her if he could. But, she didn't want a guy; she only wanted a girl. There was pain in him that he couldn't identify. Inuyasha wanted so badly to be the only one Kagome ever wanted but he felt like he would always come up short. He wasn't what she really wanted. He felt like a deceitful imposter.

Before he knew it, he was singing along quietly with Kunloon.

It's only half past the point of oblivion
The hourglass on the table, the walk before the run
The breath before the kiss and the fear before the flames
Have you ever felt this way?

Shit! I can't believe that I am singing this crap! A boy passed him on by and gave the singing girl a curious look. What the fuck is he staring at?

Inuyasha stopped singing, but continued to hum the love song. Mrs. Higurashi had eventually exited at the Shinjuku subway station. He was surprised to see the older woman walking a little more cautiously now that she was within a well-known, red-light district. The area was an infamous Yakuza haven.

What the fuck is she doing here? It's not safe for Kagome's mom to be here! The hanyou was positively fuming as he followed the older woman. He noted every seedy person who looked their way and made sure that he scowled at anyone close by.

Soon, Kunloon was walking up some rickety stairs to a tall apartment building. Streams of washed clothing hung on clotheslines, fluttering in the late afternoon breeze. The building itself had seen better days; its well-worn exterior was starting to show the plaster under the surface.

Golden eyes narrowed as Inuyasha leapt up the stairs to gain a foothold not too far away from where Kagome's mother had entered. He walked slowly and stealthily until he was in front of the apartment door Kunloon had gone through.

His ears could pick up on everything.

"Ohhh, Takeshi! I missed you!" crooned Mrs. Higurashi before the telltale signs of lips smacking against each other reached the hanyou's ears.

Eeewwwww...! If there was anything as bad as knowing that your parents were making out, it was knowing that your girlfriend's mother was doing a lip-lock with a strange man, a man who was not her husband! Not happening on my watch!

Fuming in anger, Inuyasha stormed into the apartment with his golden eyes on fire and his miko robes swishing around his curvaceous frame.

"What the hell are you doing with Kagome's mother?" yelled Shaya. She lunged forward to pull the surprised woman away from the man in a trench coat before she turned to lecture Kunloon. "And what do you think you're doing! A respectable woman like you!"

Mrs. Higurashi's eyes widened and then drew together in amusement. She started to chuckle.

It was not the reaction that Inuyasha was expecting. He thought that he would see shame or contrition but certainly not laughter. "What's so damn...umm...funny?"

Mrs. Higurashi's amused smile quickly faded as Takeshi put himself between Kunloon and Shaya.

The older man was a little shorter than the hanyou, but he was still glaring at the girl in a way that suggested the older man was the taller of the two. "What are we doing?" The man's eyes narrowed. "This is my wife!" He stopped and pulled at Shaya's clawed hand and pressed it against the pearlescent bracelet she wore on her free wrist. "Now what are you doing?"

Takeshi pushed against Shaya's hand and with one yank, and the bracelet came off, revealing a tall hanyou boy who looked rather sheepish in a girl's miko robes.

Inuyasha's ears twitched in agitation and his eyes widened in horror. He was even further amazed to see that neither Kunloon nor Takeshi seemed surprised that he had just changed into a guy before their eyes. Too flabbergasted to make a sound, the hanyou gaped his mouth open wide as if imitating a fish.

The older man frowned at the younger one with the bracelet still in his hands before he pulled back his trench coat to reveal a holster with a small sidearm. Then, he walked forward until his face was mere centimeters away from Inuyasha's.

"Now, I think you'll tell me exactly what your intentions are toward my DAUGHTER!"

Inuyasha looked down blankly at Takeshi. It took a few moments for the words that were bubbling up his throat to fully form. "Your daughter? But Kagome isn't your daughter..."

The hanyou looked agape at Kunloon, who had a silly half-smile on her lips and then to Takeshi who was looking at him with clenched teeth.

"Kagome is my daughter!" bellowed the man right under Inuyasha's furrowed brows. "And what is she to you?"

"But," stammered Inuyasha in confusion. "Her father died. She told me herself...you..."

There was something very familiar about the man. His bearing, the way he stood, his rich, coffee-colored eyes that brimmed with emotion, and his raven black hair. He almost looked like Kagome's deceased father, but the haircut was wrong and his mustache and beard were missing. The most glaring difference was the man's demeanor. Kagome's father had been carefree, jovial, but this man was hardened and care-worn. The boy sniffed the air and tried to isolate the man's scent away from the confusing cologne that he wore. Scents never lied, even if appearances could change.

"Higurashi-san?" murmured Inuyasha in disbelief.

Mr. Higurashi almost smiled despite his initial anger and stepped back. "I asked you a question, son. Now, you better answer."

"I...I..." Inuyasha couldn't help it; he started to stammer again. He looked at Kagome's father in bewilderment before he swallowed and continued. Inuyasha was never a liar; what he felt in his heart came pouring out of his mouth.

"I love Kagome more than anything. I need her and I'm scared because I need her so much. She's everything to me. I'll protect her with my life. Hell, I'd even die for her." Honeyed orbs widened in supplication as Inuyasha continued to speak. "Kami, I'd marry her now if she'd have me. But, I don't think that she'd ever want me."

Kunloon stepped forward to put her arm carefully around her husband's shoulder. It was very subtle, but the older man's stance lost its stiffness when her hands touched him and his face softened from the harsh glare that had been directed at Inuyasha. As she smiled at her husband, the corners of his mouth turned up into a crooked smile.

Kagome's mother was the first to speak. "I'm sorry about my husband's rudeness, Inuyasha. It's just that we're both very protective of Kagome. Especially since we know that both of you were actually kidnapped by Yakuza. And to add to it...well, Takeshi has been very upset that his little girl is actually sharing a room with a guy." Kunloon paused and smiled at the hanyou in miko robes. "But, I did tell him that Izayoi has already given you the lecture on keeping everything in your pants until marriage. And..." She looked up at Takeshi and gently squeezed his arm. "Your intentions appear to be noble."

The older man sighed as he ran his hand through his ebony hair. Then, he stepped back and took his gun out of its brown leather holster that was strapped to his side. He moved to a wobbly, linoleum table in the middle of the small kitchen and motioned for Inuyasha to join him.

With trepidation, the teenage hanyou followed and sat down at a respectable distance.

Once they were both seated, the older man carefully and methodically took his sidearm apart. Using the gun cleaning kit that was still on the table, the man worked quickly and precisely. Inuyasha gulped as the man closed his eyes while the process continued. Gun parts fairly flew in and out of Takeshi's hands as the small weapon was disassembled and then reassembled in record time.

When Mr. Higurashi was finally done, he fingered the smooth, oiled exterior of the black gun. "I want to make sure that we are clear about one thing, Inuyasha."

The hanyou only nodded nervously as he eyed the sidearm the older man was holding expertly.

"If you ever have any dishonorable intentions and if Kagome weds and she is not a virgin bride, I swear that your gender change will become a permanent situation."

Kunloon quickly moved in to soothe over the situation. "Dear, I know that you're upset about Rin and Sesshoumaru, but that is no reason to take it out on poor Inuyasha."

The man bit his lip and stood up. "Don't even get me started about them!" yelled Takeshi before he turned to the hanyou. "She stays pure! Got it?!"

Inuyasha swallowed hard and tried his best to nod. In the back of his mind, he wondered how long he could keep Kagome away from him. It wasn't as if he was the one trying to get her into bed now. It was her trying to get him into bed! The girl was trying to seduce him on a daily basis. The only reason he had never consummated his relationship with Kagome was because she only wanted a girl. She'd never want him, not like he was.

Saddened golden eyes looked up at the former policeman. "She'd never want me anyway, Mr. Higurashi. I don't think you have to worry about that."

Kagome's mother sat down next to Inuyasha and put her arms around his shoulders now. "What do you mean, Inuyasha? Don't you know how much she cares about you? She's had a crush on you for years. She'd even follow me to my tea sessions with your mother just so that she could get a glimpse of you. She never even dated another boy, even though Hojo was incredibly persistent."

"Don't even mention that Yakuza spawn in my presence, Kunloon," muttered Takeshi mutinously.

Mrs. Higurashi looked at her husband. All it took was one quirked eyebrow, and the man suddenly fell silent. The man then looked away while he said, ‘sorry' under his breath.

Kagome's mom sighed as well and then quirked a smile at the flabbergasted hanyou sitting next to her. "Things aren't as bad as they seem, Inuyasha. Know that my daughter loves you and has always loved you." She took a wisp of silver hair that was obscuring his face and brushed it away. "You two are fated for each other. A red string of fate has connected the two of you since the moment you were born. I don't think we could keep the two of you away from each other if we tried. Now, please watch after Kagome. Sesshoumaru's guards and Takeshi are keeping an eye on her as well. But until Takeshi is able to finish his undercover assignment, we all must be cautious."

Inuyasha shook his head in confusion. "Undercover assignment? Does Kagome even know that her father is alive?"

The older woman looked melancholy for a second before patting her husband's hand. "No, she doesn't. Even I was in the dark for some time. We all thought he had died. The police told us that he had died in a boating accident. But I had known he was infiltrating Naraku and his yakuza. Rin and I assumed that he had died in a drug deal that had gone bad."

The older man put both hands on his wife's for support. "It wasn't supposed to happen that way, honey. I did fall off the boat, and it did blow up. And yes, Naraku had found out that I was a spy for the police and wanted revenge. But, I survived. It took me over a month to get back to civilization, and by that time, my funeral had already taken place. Damn, woman. You don't know how sorry I am for you having to go through that."

Tears brimmed Mrs. Higurashi's eyes. She sniffled, but it was Takeshi's thumb that wiped the errant tears away. Then very gently, her husband's lips met hers. It was a chaste kiss of tears and sorrow, but when he pulled away, her eyes brightened again with the carefree nature that was Kagome's mother. She squeezed his hand again in return. "I know that now, dear."

Softened coffee orbs gazed at Kunloon in pure longing and unadulterated love. Takeshi put his arm around her shoulder and kissed her head before continuing.

"By the time I got back, Rin had disappeared. Then, my department told me to stay away from my own family. I was supposed to stay undercover. Otherwise, Naraku would know I was alive and my family would suffer from his revenge. But when my wife finally broke down, I couldn't hide anymore. I saw my wife without the knowledge of the rest of my family and my department. But, this will end once Naraku is taken down."

Kunloon pursed her lips. "What are we going to do about Rin? I'm glad that you finally found her, but to know that she's working as a stripper..."

Suddenly, Inuyasha thought back to the day that Rin had confessed to her sister and when he had followed Rin back to the Seventh Heaven. There was a lot more going on, and apparently, even Rin's family didn't know the entire truth. "But, she's not really a stripper. She's actually there trying to find evidence against the people who supposedly killed her dad. She's trying to take them down."

"What?!" yelled Takeshi in astonishment. "You can't tell me that my shy Rin has taken to stripping just so that she can find evidence against Naraku?"

Inuyasha only nodded solemnly.

"Shit!" exclaimed the policeman as he gathered his gun and put it back in his holster. "I have to stop this, Kunloon. Our baby is up against one of the most feared criminals in Japan!"

Inuyasha had never seen Kagome's mother flustered before. He heard the telltale sign of her heart starting to race and fear crossing her face. "What are you going to do, dear?" she asked with unbridled concern.

The man adjusted his trench coat and stood up to walk outside. He turned to look at his wife. "I'm going down to the station to let them know what is happening with Rin. We'll need to put the Seventh Heaven under more surveillance, and I think that Sesshoumaru needs to know that I'm around again." The man then spun and pointed a finger directly at the hanyou. "And, you! You better protect my daughter. No more of this stupid shit that you've been pulling these past two years. Clean up your act and make sure that Kagome is safe. You're both in a shitload of trouble if Naraku finds either of you again."

The hanyou nodded tersely as the front door slammed violently.

Kagome's mother walked up to him and smiled warmly. "Let's get back home, dear. Can you walk me back to the shrine?"

Inuyasha gathered the bracelet that had been left on the table. When he put it back on his wrist his masculine form quickly morphed into a voluptuous female's.

Kunloon whistled. "My, oh my. I don't think that I'll ever get used to that. Even after my husband told me that you were using a concealment charm, I still found it disconcerting." Then the middle-aged woman smiled to herself and continued. "It's a good thing that my daughter knows who you really are."

The hanyou's head turned sharply at her comment, giving the woman a questioning look that was tinged with fear. "Wh-why do you think that she knows?"

Mrs. Higurashi chuckled as if his question was stupid. "Why wouldn't I? We know that our little girl would never go around kissing another girl." She gave the pseudo-girl a measuring glance from the corner of her eye before she added, "I know that if my husband found out that you kept this from her, he'd never let you near our daughter again."

Inuyasha's eyes widened at the implicit threat coming from one of the most forgiving people he had ever known. If he didn't tell Kagome soon, he was going to be screwed by her parents. If he did tell her, then she would most likely ask him to go to hell.

Oh fuck...

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

Kouga was sulking as he slid open the door to the common living area of the dorm room. His cerulean eyes were dull with hopelessness, and a pout graced his full lips, turning them into the epitome of subtle feminine seduction without the wolf's knowledge. He had spent the past hour trying to pour his heart out to Sango in the library. For some reason that he couldn't place, he felt the need to vent to someone after seeing Ayame with her boyfriend. Unfortunately, Sango had not agreed to leave with him when the librarian had kindly thrown him out of there for disturbing the silence with his chattering.

Kouga scoffed in anger. Stupid Sango. He couldn't fathom how a history project could be more important than his nonexistent love life. Where was that stupid hanyou when he needed him anyway? Inuyasha disappeared the moment the classes were over that day. Some friend he was. It wasn't as if the mutt was a good listener. Kouga just needed to talk to someone-badly.

"Stupid Inuyasha," he muttered moodily right as he opened the door to the bedroom he shared with Ayame and literally jumped at the sound of a frightened gasp.

"Shit!" he exclaimed before he noticed Kagome standing in front of Ayame's wardrobe with a piece of folded leather in her hands. "Kagome?" he asked in surprise. "What are you doing here?"

The miko's wide-eyed, deer-caught-in-headlights expression immediately turned to one of guilt. "H-hi, Kori!" she blurted out. "Just borrowing something from Aya." When Kori glanced at the cloth in her hands, the miko hid it behind her back and gave the wolf a nervous smile.

Kouga's eyes narrowed in suspicion before he dismissed it with a smile. If he couldn't have a man-to-man conversation, why not have a girl-to-girl one? He needed to get it out of his chest one-way or the other. Besides, Kagome was a good listener, definitely better than Inuyasha was. "Actually," he started as he beamed at the girl. "I'm glad you're here. I need to talk to someone badly."

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

High heels clicked on the smooth pavement as Kagome walked out of the Tokyo Metro station. She squirmed in discomfort in the black leather pants she wore but tried to pass it off as if she was brushing the dust from her calf with her foot. Her pants were too tight where they shouldn't be; her feet ached from the high stilettos she wore for the first time in her life; her hair was too heavy with the generous amount of spray she used to curl it; her face felt like she was wearing a mask with the heavy makeup; and the thin, red halter top she wore did nothing to protect her from the chill of the night air.

When they had been kidnapped two days earlier, Inuyasha had let it slip that the day he had followed Rin, she had gone to the Seventh Heaven - the club where the hanyou had met the people that had kidnapped them. So, that was where Kagome was headed; she had to see what her sister was doing in a gentlemen's club and make sure that she was safe.

Tonight was the best time to execute her plans since the hanyou had disappeared when they had been about to leave her family's shrine. He hadn't even mentioned the club's name before-no doubt because he feared that she would want to see the place. Kagome was sure he wouldn't let her go there if he was aware.

Despite her determination, the possibility of running into her kidnappers frightened the miko. She had to take precautions to avoid being recognized in case those bad guys were there as well. That was how she ended up with the image of a badass motorcycle chick...

...and the blabbering wolf demon next to her.

Kagome sighed tiredly when Kori-or Kouga, as the miko now knew him to be-whined pathetically. "I don't understand what he finds in her! I mean, she's not that beautiful... and, she's not even rich!"

When the wolf had started complaining about the boy he had been into and the boy's girlfriend, Kagome had been confused at first. Why would the very male wolf demon have a crush on a boy? Was Kouga gay? It had taken her fifteen minutes to realize that he was actually trying to get her advice concerning a girl he liked. But of course, since he was a pretend-girl, his crush had to be a pretend-boy.

"Money is not everything, Kori," mumbled the miko tiredly. She tried to listen to his every word. She really did. But, hearing the same comments repeatedly for an hour was quite tiresome.

Since the demon had walked in on her rummaging through Ayame's wardrobe, he had not left her tail, and neither had he stopped talking. He had even attempted to enter her room when she had been changing. Of course, there was no way Kagome would let him sneak a peek at her.

Despite the door that had been shut in his face, Kouga had not been discouraged and continued his rant from the other side. Seeing that she wasn't going to get rid of him anytime soon, the miko had to tell him where she was going. Kouga had offered to go with her, claiming that he could use a drink as well. Even though she hadn't been looking for a companion, Kagome had happily accepted. After all, it wouldn't hurt to have a strong wolf demon beside her while she pranced around in the middle of the night looking like a tramp.

She flashed Kouga a small smile that she hoped was encouraging as he prattled on about the fine qualities of the ‘boy' that had left him wanting. She was glad for his presence mainly because of the creepy ‘men-in-black' that hadn't left the girls' tail since they stepped out of the school grounds. But still, the miko was close to regretting her decision to let the walking chatterbox tag along. She hadn't known that men could talk so much.

Her Inuyasha was nothing like that.

With a dreamy sigh, Kagome let her mind wander to the tongue-tied image of her boyfriend. When she touched him or kissed him, which she did in abandon since she had realized the enormity of her feelings for the hanyou, all he could do was grunt or moan. At least, she knew how to shut that boy up.

Finally, after a long walk down the crowded street, the flashing lights of Seventh Heaven caught her attention. Kagome held on to Kouga's arm as they walked up to the bouncer and smiled in greeting. The burly guy took one look at the two girls, and with a shit-eating grin plastered on his face, he let them pass without paying.

The club was packed with mostly male patrons that were already well on their way to drunkenness and dancers and waitresses in various states of undress. Kouga moved with determination, splitting the crowd into two like the Red Sea as he passed with the strength hidden under his charm and headed directly to the bar. Feeling several hungry gazes on her, the miko shuddered and clung to the wolf demon's arm with all that she had.

Once they reached the bar, they were immediately offered seats by two middle-aged patrons. The girls accepted the offer gratefully. When the guys hovered behind them with disturbing grins on their faces, Kagome thought that perhaps they meant for the girls to sit on their laps instead. Luckily, Kouga's fierce glare sent them away before his warning growl turned into a war cry.

As if nothing happened, Kouga turned to the bartender and flashed him a flirtatious smile, earning two free drinks for his efforts. The miko gaped at the demon partly in amusement and partly in horror. It was more than a little disturbing to watch a straight guy flirt with another straight guy. And, the way Kouga seemed to be comfortable with it and pleased with his accomplishment... She certainly hoped her hanyou never tried to use his feminine charms like that.

It would be the end of Kagome's world if this charade of being a girl left a permanent mark on Inuyasha.

"I like your new image," stated the wolf after he downed his drink in one big gulp and put the glass down with a thud. "I bet Shaya would've loved to see you like this. Why didn't you wait for her?"

"For what?" asked the miko flatly, as if the answer should have been obvious. "So that she could tie me up to keep me in the dorms?"

"She sure would," the wolf said with a chuckle before he muttered, "Lucky bastard." As Kagome laughed along with him, Kouga signaled to the bartender. After another disarming smile, this time followed by a wink, he received one more free drink from the drooling man. Turning in his seat with his full glass in one hand, the demon leaned against the bar and got comfortable enough to watch the show.

Kagome mimicked his stance, glad that she could now scan the club from her point of view. Unfortunately, Rin was nowhere to be seen. After a few minutes, she noticed Kouga eyeing the dancer on the main stage. His gaze lingered on the woman's bare breasts before he shook his head dismissively. Amused by his antics, Kagome goaded him, "Sexy, huh?"

When Kouga looked at her questioningly, she nodded in the direction of the blonde dancer. The wolf demon shrugged nonchalantly. "She's all right, I guess. The hair color's a bit off, I think. Red would have been better," he said with a decisive nod. "And the boobs..." He raised his free hand and pretended to measure the size of the dancer's breasts from afar as Kagome unconsciously folded her arms over her bosom protectively. "Nah... too big. They shouldn't be bigger than your hand can cover, like..."

"Like Ayame's?" blurted out the miko, tipped off by the pseudo-girl's comment about the hair color.

Kouga's hand froze in mid-squeeze. "Wh-what?" he stammered.

His reaction only proved to Kagome that her guess had been right. She grinned mischievously. "It's Ayame, isn't it? The one you've been pining after."

"How the hell did you know?" asked the wolf demon. His feminine voice turned high-pitched at the end with his panic.

"Oh, please," said the miko as she rolled her eyes. "You're not as secretive as you think you are, Kouga."

The boy was downing his drink when he heard the name she used. He started coughing as the liquid he'd been drinking went the wrong way. "Fuck!" he cried out once he was able to breathe again. "What did you call me?"

"You heard me," said Kagome lightly and went back to scanning the crowd.

"How did you find out?" asked the wolf after a while.

"I can see through your charm," said the miko in a sing-song voice, grinning as she glanced at her companion's dumbstruck face.

Kouga gulped nervously. "You can see through my charm," he repeated slowly as if trying to digest the information. "And..."

When his voice trailed off, uncertain if he wanted to reveal more than the girl already knew, Kagome completed his thought. "And, Inuyasha's."

"Shit!" exclaimed the demon with his eyes comically wide. "You really know. You knew all this time and..." He pointed at the miko with his forefinger as he started, "You and the mutt..." But, he stopped as a new thought occurred to him. His brows furrowed, and he folded his arms across his ample chest. "Wait. Does he know that you know?" he asked defensively.

Kagome's only answer was to shake her head in the negative.

"But, you've been fooling around with him," he stated, receiving a nod from the girl as his confirmation. Craning his neck curiously, he asked once again to make sure, "But he doesn't know?"

Kagome shook her head again, trying to suppress the giggle that welled up in her chest at his stupefied expression.

"So, you've been messing with him all this time?" asked Kouga incredulously before he settled back against the bar and whistled in admiration. "Damn. You're sneaky... and cruel."

Kagome shrugged nonchalantly, taking his remark as a manifestation of his surprise instead of an insult. "I can't help it. He's too cute when he's flustered."

"Cruel indeed," mumbled Kouga as he shook his head disapprovingly. "You have no idea what you're doing to that boy, do you? What you've been doing to him for years?"

This time, Kagome was the confused one. She was also a little offended by the accusative tone of his voice. She set up straight and faced him before she demanded, "What are you talking about?"

Mimicking her stance and putting his glass on the bar, Kouga explained heatedly, "That boy has been crazy about you ever since I've known him, and here you are, playing with his feelings..."

"Hey!" exclaimed the miko, cutting the wolf's tirade. "Stop right there!"

"What?" asked Kouga in mock surprise. "Are you not playing with him?"

"No!" she cried out immediately. But, the moment she thought about it, she realized that what she was doing with the hanyou could be called playing. "I mean, maybe... in a sense..." she added guiltily.

Anger flashed in the wolf's eyes, confirming to the miko that he took her words in the wrong way. "No, it's not like that!" she added hurriedly. "I... I love him."

"Huh," said the wolf as he eyed her suspiciously. "Are you always dishonest with the ones you love?"

Kagome sat up straight, more than a little offended by his comment. "Now, wait a minute," she gritted out before she started poking his hard chest with her finger. She ignored the bartender's excited gasp at seeing the girl fingering her female companion's boobs. "How can you call me dishonest when he's the one that's keeping his real identity from me?" she asked the wolf in disbelief.

Kouga glanced at her finger before dismissing it and narrowing his eyes at her. "He can't tell you the truth. First of all, it will put his life and yours in danger. Second, that boy wants you badly. How do you expect him to tell you the truth when he doesn't know how you will respond? What do you think would happen if I went to Ayame and blurted out that I lied and that she's been sleeping in the same room with a guy she never met before?"

"It's not the same," grumbled Kagome stubbornly, though his explanation made sense to some extent. "We're in a relationship."

Kouga flinched at her words, and Kagome felt bad for pointing out that he was not together with the object of his affections. "Kouga, I'm sorry..." she started only to be silenced by the wolf.

"True, it's not the same," he said looking down at his lap before he turned his blue eyes on her; the anger in them made the miko shiver. "It's worse," he continued gravely. "The poor guy thinks you're a lesbian and that you like his female persona better. He probably thinks that you wouldn't want him if you knew the truth. You can't expect him to be honest when he thinks that he'll lose you for sure."

Kagome bit her lip as she mulled his words. Could it be possible that her affections toward Shaya were keeping the hanyou from telling her the truth? But, I told Inuyasha that I loved him. Wouldn't that encourage... She gasped as she remembered what she really had done. Oh, no! I told Shaya that I loved her, not to Inuyasha! If Kouga was right, she had successfully hindered her plans with her overexcited reaction two days ago. She huffed in irritation. If that was the case, she would have to work harder to make her hanyou talk. "You really think so?" she asked the wolf finally.

"Yes." Kouga snorted before he continued, "I might give him hell every chance I get, but Inuyasha is a good guy and he's my friend. He doesn't deserve to be lied to. Not by you of all people. The guy didn't even glance at the girls I threw at him for years just because he was in l-..." Just when it was getting really interesting, the boy stopped abruptly and clenched his mouth shut.

"He was what?" asked Kagome, dying to know what he was going to say.

However, the wolf shook his head stubbornly. "Never mind. If you won't tell him the truth, then I will."

That was enough of a distraction for the miko. She forgot about Inuyasha's past immediately and cried out in panic, "No!" Clasping her hands in front of her chest, she begged to the demon. "Please don't. I'll have him confess. You'll see. Just... give me tonight." When the boy seemed hesitant, Kagome took his hands in hers and gave him her best puppy look. "Please understand, Kouga. I need to hear it from him. I need him to be honest."

Kouga sighed in defeat and glanced away before looking back at her sadly. "He honestly cares about you."

Seeing that he was going to comply, the miko gave him a grateful smile and squeezed his hands once before letting go. "I know that he cares about me. I just don't know how much."

Kouga chuckled in amusement as he took his glass back and got comfortable in his seat. "Girls," he uttered, shaking his head hopelessly. "You don't realize a good thing even if it hits you in the head."

"And you do?" shot back the miko with good nature. "You don't even realize your feelings for Ayame."

The wolf raised an eyebrow at her comment. "My feelings...? If you haven't noticed, I've been telling you my feelings for her for the last two hours."

"Oh, I noticed, all right. I notice more than you do," mumbled Kagome pensively. It fascinated her how clueless men could be when it came to the matters of the heart. She watched him take a big gulp of his drink with a grin on her face before she blurted out, "You're obviously in love with Ayame, but you can't name it for the life of you!"

Once again, Kouga spluttered his drink all over his jean-clad legs. "Love?!" he exclaimed incredulously.

"Yes, my friend, love." Patting the shocked demon's shoulder sympathetically, Kagome stood up from her stool. "While you chew on it, you'll have to excuse me. I need to visit the restroom."

Even though she enjoyed Kouga's company, which was something she had not expected, the miko had not forgotten why she was there. She had been searching the crowd for Rin since they had arrived. Unless her sibling was not hiding in a shadowy corner of the dimly lit place, she was not in this part of the club.

Kouga moved to stand up to accompany her, receiving an impressive glare from the girl. "No, mister," she said with finality. "You won't step a foot in the ladies room if I can help it. Enjoy your drink. I'll be back shortly."

When the demon smirked at her comment and nodded gamely, she flashed him a smile and turned to face the dozens of patrons enjoying the fine qualities of the establishment. Steeling her nerves against the stares of the opposite sex, the miko left her escort with determined strides and headed for the door with the sign that said ‘Staff Only.'

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

Kouga sighed as he lounged in his bar stool chair, watching the g-string clad stripper that was gyrating against the pole in the middle of the stage.

After what Kagome had said, he couldn't help but picture Ayame up there instead. Wild, red hair whipping around her face, her lithe athletic body sliding up and down the pole...

His thoughts often found their way to her. He didn't really notice when the change happened. At first, she was just an annoying roommate and the stench of her boyfriend on her had made him irritable. He scrunched his nose up in distaste. He hated the way her boyfriend's musk covered up her spicy, cinnamon flavor. He swore that boy smelled like a skunk.

He sniffed. It was almost as if that wretched smell was right under his nose, causing his face to contort in disgust.

That was when he realized where the stench was coming from.

Fuck. The asshole is actually here!

The blue eyes of the ebony-haired beauty surveyed the room. Numerous gentlemen turned their heads in glee when Kori had them in her sights. But, her bored and disgusted gaze kept them from trying to pick up on the single girl.

Then, Kouga saw him in the corner with a half-naked brunette giving him a lap dance. The cheating wolf demon had his face in the girl's tits, and the woman was moaning on top of him.

I'd be moaning too if that reeking odor was next to me.

An evil smirk formed on the wolf's face once the implications of what he was witnessing dawned on him. What would your girlfriend think if she saw you in a strip club with another girl on your lap, asshole?

Kouga nearly chuckled with glee as he brought out his cell phone and punched the speed dial for his favorite girl.

"Hey, Ayame..." chuckled Kori as loud rock music blared in the background. "Why don't you come down and party with us tonight?"

Ayame's voice seemed confused as she tried to respond. "Kori? What? On a weekday? I can't... I'm studying."

"Pffftttt," muttered the blue-eyed wolf demoness. "You study too much, girl. You need to relax, like Kagome over here. We're drinking it up together; it's our girls' night out at the Seventh Heaven!" Kori's eyes then fell upon Ayame's boyfriend, who was obliviously enjoying the attention of the nearly naked woman in his lap. "Come join us. It'll be fun!" And that way, you can see what a cheating ass your boyfriend is...

Ayame nearly stammered in skepticism, "You're having a girls' night out... in Seventh Heaven... with Kagome?"

"Yeah," drawled out Kori. "We're just two chicks hanging out and getting a few drinks. And, this place is great. They let us walk right in for free. We're even getting some free drinks."

"You...Kori, don't you understand what sort of place you are at? That place isn't safe. Remember what happened the last time I left you alone and they spiked your drink! If I hadn't gotten there in time! Shit, girl!" Ayame paused and seemed to be yelling something at Shaya. Then she returned to the phone call. "I'll be right there, don't move! And for Kami's sake, stop drinking the free drinks! You never know what's in them!"

His roommate ended the call amid Shaya's agitated voice in the background.

He should have felt guilty; he should have felt some remorse. But, all he could think about was revenge and making sure that Ayame finally saw her boyfriend to be the lying cheat he had always hoped the jerk would be.

Kori smirked at her cell phone and kissed it in glee. The exuberant wolf demoness perked up as she swung off of her stool and headed for the front of the club. Ayame would get there soon, and once her eyes had been opened, he'd finally be rid of that jerk, who inexplicably had his roommate's affections.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

The halls of the dorm were crowded with pajama-clad teenage girls, sharing the latest gossip of the day before they had to go to bed as the hanyou sullenly made his way to his room.

"Did you see what she was wearing?" whispered the familiar voice of Kagura from a few doors down. She was talking to her cronies in front of her room. "I swear that girl's gotten out of hand. It will be no time before she starts whoring herself on the streets."

Inuyasha rolled his eyes at their stupidity before he completely ignored their gossip and annoying giggling. He couldn't care less about whom they were denigrating this time; he had more important problems to deal with.

When he had gone back to the shrine with Mrs. Higurashi, Kagome had already left. Perhaps for the first time, he had been glad not to see her. His meeting with his girlfriend's parents only made his dilemma harder to solve. They thought Kagome knew who he really was, and he wished with all his heart that it was the truth.

But unfortunately, it wasn't.

He knew that he had to tell her, but he also knew that if he did, he would lose her for good. Because, Kagome loved Shaya; she had declared it loud and clear. How was he supposed to tell her that there was no one named Shaya?

Would it be any different than killing the girl's lover if he told her that Shaya never existed?

It had been bad enough when he couldn't even talk in front of her. How could he survive if she looked at him with hatred in those beautiful chocolate orbs he adored?

Still without a sound decision, the hanyou sighed tiredly and opened the door to the dorm room he shared with Kagome and the wolves. The living room was silent. Ayame sat by the dining table with her books sprawled on the wooden surface. She looked up from her homework and gave the hanyou a small smile in greeting.

Inuyasha saluted the girl with two fingers to his temple and headed directly for his room. He slid open the door, hoping to find the object of his frustration in bed. He took in a deep breath to savor his favorite fragrance. No matter how wound up he was, Kagome's scent would always calm him down.

His ears twitched in surprise when he realized that her scent was not as potent as it should have been. He turned on the lights to see that the room was empty right as Ayame's cell phone rang in the next room.

"Kori? What?" he heard the wolf demoness ask. "On a weekday? I can't... I'm studying."

The hanyou returned to the living room, curious as to what Kouga was talking about. He didn't need to strain his ears to hear the wolf from the other end of the line as Ayame looked at him and asked in disbelief, "You're having a girls' night out... in Seventh Heaven... with Kagome?"

Alarm bells went off in Inuyasha's head the moment he heard the club's name. What was Kagome doing here and what had the stupid Kouga been thinking, taking her to the wolf's den? "I'm going to kill that shit-head," he grumbled before he bolted out of the room, ignoring Ayame as she yelled after Shaya to wait for her.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

The loud bass of the music reverberated in the narrow halls and thumped in sync with Kagome's pounding heart as she moved forward with timid steps. So far, she had stumbled into five private rooms and witnessed more than enough disturbingly bold sexual positions to last her a lifetime. Unfortunately-or fortunately, considering the scenes that were burned into the poor girl's retinas-there was still no sign of her sister. She came to another corner and hesitated. Her determination was waning with every step she took. How would she survive if she saw Rin with a big, ugly man, bent over a...

The miko clenched her eyes shut and shook her head to scatter the horrible image that flashed in her mind only to stumble back when something hit her-hard. Oh, God. I'm so busted.

While she was expecting to come face to face with one of the guys that had kidnapped her, the sound of her name from a familiar voice made her gasp in surprise and relief.

"Kagome? Is that you? What are you doing here?" asked Rin in a hiss as she glanced around to see if there was anyone to overhear the siblings' conversation.

"What do you think? I was looking for you," snapped back the miko, suddenly irritated by her sister's less than pleasant greeting.

"How did you know that I would be here?" asked the elder girl as she furrowed her brows partly in confusion and in disapproval.

"I have my ways too, you know," grumbled Kagome, raising her chin stubbornly. But, the relief she felt at finding her sister unharmed quickly won against her annoyance, and she pulled Rin into a hug. "I haven't heard from you in days and I had to know that you were fine. I know you have your reasons, but I wanted to see what you were doing in a gentleman's club," she mumbled against the older girl's hair before pulling back to look her over. "And what are you wearing?" she asked incredulously as she appraised Rin's scantily-clad form with wide eyes. "Or, not wearing."

Rin folded her arms on her bare belly self-consciously. "I'm working here. It's the only way I can get close to the Band of Seven. You shouldn't be here..." she uttered before she stopped abruptly. She cocked her head to the side and bit her lip in thought. "Or, maybe you should..."

The glint in her sister's eyes told the miko that she was planning something. "What is it?"

Still chewing on her lip, Rin sighed in resignation. "Earlier today, I was supposed to meet Bankotsu to discuss my new routine. When I went to his office, I heard voices behind the door. It was father's voice, I know it. I think Bank was listening to his video records... for what, I don't know, but I need to get those records before he hides them again or deletes them. But, you see... Bank doesn't leave his room until night, and I have to be on stage when he does. He's meeting some of his associates tonight, and it'll be no time before they lock themselves into his room after my show." Once she was finished, she took the miko's hands in hers and looked her in the eye. "Kagome? You can't pick locks, can you?"

The younger girl shook her head. "You know I can't, onee-chan. You're the one who takes after dad."

"I'm doing this for dad," said Rin as she squeezed her sister's hands. "Kagome, you have to help me."

"But... how? I... I can't..." stammered the miko in confusion.

Grinning mischievously, the stripper threw her arm over the schoolgirl's shoulders and turned to lead her deeper into the establishment. "It'll be a piece of cake; I swear. You'll be safe. No one will know the difference."

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

A blur of red and white jumped from rooftop to rooftop as Inuyasha raced toward the Seventh Heaven. "I oughtta..." he huffed out before he leaped high at the edge of a building. "...kill that horny wolf," he finished after he landed with a grunt. It was obvious to the hanyou that the free peeks they had gotten in the showers almost every day had not been enough for his amorous friend; the boy just had to go to a strip club for more.

What really bothered Inuyasha was that Kouga had managed to drag Kagome along. His miko was sweet and naïve, and that damned place was not only packed with horny males, but it was also the den of the bastards who had kidnapped them. He trusted his longtime buddy with his life, but not with his love. If something happened to her... He shook his head as he jumped once again, not wanting to continue that train of thought. She should have waited for me, dammit!

As light as a feather, he landed on the ground in the alley next to the front entrance of the Seventh Heaven. With one hand on the case that held his Tessaiga, he crept up along the sidewall of the large building and peeked around the corner. He relaxed when he saw that none of the members of the Band of Seven were hanging around the club's entrance. However, he noticed another figure he recognized easily and his jaw clenched in annoyance.

Kori's tall, curvaceous figure paced up and down the pavement. The wolf glanced around nervously and checked his watch every few steps as if he was waiting for someone too important to miss. The waiting's over, you idiot. Your angel of death is here.

Narrowing his eyes and clenching his fists, Inuyasha stepped out of the alley and stopped right behind the anxious wolf, who was too focused on watching the other end of the street to notice his approach. With a fast maneuver, the hanyou had his friend in a headlock, squeezing the boy's neck enough to keep him from screaming like a girl.

"What the fuck?" wheezed the demon as he clawed at the arm around his throat.

However, Inuyasha was relentless. "Exactly," he hissed against the wolf's ear. "What the fuck are you doing, wolf-shit?!"

"Inu...Inuyasha?" croaked out Kouga, coughing and holding his abused throat after the half-demon had shoved him away.

Inuyasha cracked his knuckles menacingly. "Why the hell did you take Kagome here, you baka?" He glanced around quickly then, and his brows furrowed in anger. "Where the fuck is she?!"

"I-I didn't..." the wolf started before his eyes widened comically. "Shit!" he cried out. "I forgot about her!" Hearing the hanyou's growl, Kouga hurried to explain, "She went to the restroom and she was still gone when I came out here."

"You retard," hissed Inuyasha between clenched teeth as he grabbed the demon by the collar of his shirt. "You left her alone in that shithole?!"

"Sorry, man. I had to come out to meet Ayame and I..."

Ignoring the disturbing image of his hands so close to the pseudo-girl's voluptuous bosom, Inuyasha shook him once, cutting his explanation. "Never mind," said the hanyou before he eased his hold on his friend and pushed the guy away. "I'll find her."

He turned his back to the disheveled demon and stomped to the double doors of the establishment, grumbling about stupid, good-for-nothing, dick-headed wolves. He became aware of the burly bouncer only when a large hand stretched in front of him, hovering dangerously close to his nonexistent boobs.

"Wait a minute, lady," said the bouncer. Inuyasha glared at the offending appendage, and the man snapped his hand back as if burned before clearing his throat nervously. "Aren't you in the wrong place?" he asked as he eyed the half-demon girl's miko attire pointedly.

Inuyasha snorted in mild amusement. "I'm meeting someone here." Narrowing his eyes, he added seriously, "And, I'm already late."

"If you say so," murmured the bouncer and nodded to the sign behind him with the entrance fee.

Inuyasha had no time to waste with arguing for money. Kagome could be in trouble right that second. Cursing for his luck, he plunged his hand into his white shirt. While the bouncer watched with wide eyes, he took off a bunch of crumpled bills from between his deceivingly large breasts. "This should be enough," he muttered as he shoved his hard-earned money to the big guy's face and hurried to the door.

"Hey!" shouted the bouncer. "What do you have in that bag? Do I need to see it?"

Smirking, the hanyou looked back over his shoulder. "My vibrator!" he yelled without stopping. "Do you want to see it?"

As the big guy gaped in shock, Inuyasha pushed through the double doors and was instantly overwhelmed by the heavy stench of the place. "Stupid wolf," he grumbled once more for good measure. If it hadn't been for Kouga, his miko would have been safe in the dorms and in his arms by now. How was he supposed to find her in that crowd with all the disgusting odors clogging his nose?

A dark, leather-clad man announced the next dancer as ‘the Lady of the West' while Inuyasha struggled to make his way through the crowd. He stuck to the walls at first, not wanting to stumble upon the creepy guys that had kidnapped them. He saw a petite girl with long, dark curls and a killer body take the stage. The upper half of her face was hidden by a sparkling mask with angel wings at the sides that seemed in harmony with her white, feather boa. As she started gyrating her hips awkwardly beneath the barely there white kimono she wore, the hanyou dismissed the show and returned to scanning the club for his beloved.

He couldn't see any traces of Kagome, but he spotted the members of the Band of Seven in a private lounge, immersed in deep conversation. Relieved that he wouldn't be noticed by them any time soon, he dared to approach the stage on his way to the ladies' room.

"How long does it take for this girl to pee?" he grumbled under his breath as he pushed away a drunken patron that was reaching for the dancer's dangling boa so that he could pass. Then, a thought occurred to him and Inuyasha stopped dead in his tracks. What if something happened to her while she was alone in the restroom? His hands trembled momentarily in fear, and he took a deep breath to ease his nerves enough to let him race to the back of the club.

It was then that he noticed the miko's scent.

Relief flooded through the hanyou knowing that his girlfriend was close by. He sniffed once more for good measure. Yep. She's here. He looked left and right, expecting to see his beautiful miko. But, she was nowhere to be seen. He breathed in deeply, letting his nose direct his gaze to the source of her sweet scent.

His gaze went up instead of left or right.

The Lady of the West stood frozen on the stage, gaping at him behind her mask with wide eyes.

He would recognize those chocolate orbs anywhere.

"Kagome?" he mumbled in shock before he realized exactly what his girlfriend had been doing there. White-hot anger spread through his body as if a bucket of boiling water had been spilled over his head.

Authors' Notes:

#1: The song in this chapter that Mrs. Higurashi sings is "Glitter in the Air" by P!nk. You can listen to it at: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3stsDXki__U. It's a sweet, mature love song.

#2:Onee-chan. Big (older) sister.
Yakuza. Japanese mafia

#3: Were you wondering how Takeshi knew that Inuyasha was really Shaya? That was revealed back at the beginning of chapter 7. You might want to re-read Takeshi's scenes now that you know who he really is. He's been acting ‘in-character' all along...

#4: This is one chapter that just got away from us. After 25 pages, and only being about 1/3 of the way through the chapter, we decided to break it into three sections. The next two parts are already being written...

#5: Ai is having way too much fun writing the parents in this story. Their personalities just seemed to come to life on their own accord. She saw Takeshi Higurashi as being more like Kagome, who is also very emotional and to add to that, he's also a hardened policeman. (Don't mess with Takeshi!) Also, a little cultural note...in Japan a woman who is still a virgin on her wedding day is still highly regarded. Keep in mind that they still have arranged marriages in Japan (cue in Ranma 1/2); their culture is very unlike Western culture in this regard. Takeshi might seem a little overbearing, but according to his culture he's supposed to keep his daughter ‘pure' until she is married. Somehow the authors believe that his over protectiveness is not going to make much of a difference, however...
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He's My Girl