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Finding Kagome	By : MetsukiKaraTen Category: InuYasha > Het - Male/Female > InuYasha/Kagome Views: 8806 -:- Recommendations : 0 -:- Currently Reading : 1
Disclaimer: I do not own InuYasha, nor make money from this story.

Chapter List
- 38
- 39
- 40
DISCLAIMER::
I do not own InuYasha and company, they are the brain children of
Rumiko Takahashi. I do, however, own an overactive imagination . . .

Finding
Kagome

Chapter
39

“At
the very least, you could show a little bit of compassion!”
Kagome's plea fell on deaf ears, as the hanyou stormed ahead of her
into the house. Dropping her pack in the middle of the living room
floor, he yanked off his helmet and tossed it onto the couch then
stood with folded arms glowering at her.

Exasperated
and confused, Kagome's shoulders slumped as she took in the visage of
his obvious disapproval. Sure, she had known he was temperamental,
it was laced all through the family stories. She had known how brash
he was capable of being, and that it was part of his character to
hide his true feelings behind either anger or bravado. What she
didn't understand was why he was reacting so strongly to the
encounter they had just had with the news reporter. Was he
embarrassed to be seen with her in public?

“You're
mad because that guy was recording us . . .” she ventured,
stabbing for some kind of answer, all the while feeling a sense of
foreboding. “He said he wouldn't show it!”

“That's
not the point, Kagome.” He looked away from her. “It's
their job to show it . . . You can damn well count on 'em
doin' just that. You're stupid if you think they won't do their
fuckin' job.”

“I'm
stupid?” Her hands pulled into fists. “He shook his
head!! That was as good as a promise!! He may be youkai, but he
understands the meaning of a promise, I'm sure of it!”

“Who's
youkai?” Selene asked, overhearing Kagome's rebuttal as she
entered the room. “You counting on demon promises?? About
what?”

InuYasha
focused his glower on Selene, raising a brow.

“A
reporter approached us as we were leaving the pier, and. . .”
Kagome glanced back at InuYasha, “I screwed up, I guess.”

“You
guess??” He glared down at her then announced to Selene,
“Stupid bitch healed the reporter right in front of the camera.
And she guesses that she screwed up!”

“Oh,”
Selene took a moment to think about the ramifications. “So . .
. this is bad . . . why?”

InuYasha
stared at Selene for a moment, eyes narrowed, then sighed as though
he was put out to have to explain something so obvious.

“I
gotta stay out of the news . . . I'm supposed to stay 'low profile',
and she goes and does some stupid shit like this,” he waved his
arm in Kagome's general direction then stubbornly refolded them.

“It's
obvious you haven't been doing a very good job of staying 'low
profile'!!” Kagome countered, “She knew exactly
who you are!! Mister 'I've only been here a week'!!” Leaning
toward him with her hands still fisted, she couldn't help but jab a
little harder. “At least I did something productive!!
You didn't have to break her microphone! We could have just left,
you know!”

“You
broke her microphone??” Selene asked, aghast. “Surely you
didn't have to do that.”

“The
bitch wouldn't stop askin' questions!! I told her 'no interview',
exactly the way the Jackass told me to say it . . . twice!! She
didn't stop!!” His back was up now, and Kagome watched the
irate hanyou with the brand of detached interest that feeds the
subconscious during conflict . . . so this was the real reason he
was so upset. His focus on her actions was an attempt to
deflect from his own.

“You
baka!!” She pounced, “You called me stupid!!”
Then leaning toward him with a flushed face, “You're
embarrassed because you lost your temper and you're blaming the whole
thing on me!!”

“The
Hell!!” He leaned toward her, face reddening. “You need
to fuckin' control your impulses, bitch!! That damn cat had the
camera on you the whole time!!”

“And
he didn't when you broke the microphone?? You KNOW better, InuYasha!!
He got the whole thing, and now you're busted!! Admit it!!”
Her eyes glittered with anger. “I hope they do show it . . .
Teach you a lesson, you arrogant . . . mean . . . self obsessed .
. . ARRGH!!” She stomped her foot, then cast a sidelong glance
at her shocked friend, who's head had been swinging back and forth
between them akin to watching a tennis match.

“You
don't mean that, Kagome. You're just upset.” Selene's
confusion at Kagome's outburst was evident. Reaching toward her
friend, she thought better of it and pulled back.

“You
bet your ass I'm upset! He has the audacity to blame me, like I
invited them or something! He just doesn't want anyone to know that
he's seeing me . . . a simple . . . stupid elementary school
teacher!!” She reached down for her pack, tears brimming. “I'm
done with this, I have better things to do,” she waved her
free hand, head down and left the room.

She
didn't see the look of abject horror on InuYasha's face at her
proclamation.

“You
should call your brother, InuYasha. He's been trying to reach you,”
Selene suggested grimly. “Maybe he can smooth things over with
the station before they press charges against you.”

“Charges?”
InuYasha's expression morphed into angry disbelief. “She asked
for it!”

“Those
field mikes are expensive, and destruction of property is a valid
charge in this kind of situation . . .” Overhearing the
exchange, Kagome pushed through her door wondering if he really was
that dense. And he called ME stupid!

She
slammed the door behind her and tossed the pack onto her bed. How
could such a wonderful afternoon turn bad so quickly? She curled up
into a little ball and stopped fighting the tears. She couldn't
believe he had called her stupid. Maybe she was stupid. Maybe she
was stupid to think that he really did love her.

'You
know he wants you,' came the self talk. 'That kiss at the
wharf said it all. . .'

“I
don't know that,” she muttered, shaking her head. “ He
may want me, but . . . He doesn't want to be seen with me . . .”
She had seen the look on his face while they were at the mall when
she introduced him to her college friend, Laurel. He didn't like it
that she had called him her 'boyfriend'. Maybe she had
misunderstood. Maybe he wasn't here to be with her after all. Or
maybe all he was looking for was a plaything . . .

Maybe
she really was stupid.

Maybe she
had been stupid all along . . . to not listen to what Mikey had
been trying to tell her from the start. She hadn't shown InuYasha
the Sacred Jewel yet, and for that she felt pitifully little relief
as she clutched at it through her sweater.

But, as
warm and alive as it felt, it offered her no comfort. It was nothing
in comparison to the warmth she had felt in his arms. Her heart
lodged into her throat as she realized that what she felt for him
quite probably was not reciprocated.

“Kagome,”
InuYasha pushed the door open.

“Momma's
right,” she muttered into her hand as she hid her tear stained
face. “I must be delusional . . . delusional and stupid!”

“Kagome
. . .” she could feel his warmth as he moved closer.

“Go
AWAY!!” She shouted through her hands, refusing to look at
him.

“You
got it wrong . . . look at me, damnit,” he persisted, reaching
for her arm.

“No!”
she cried, twisting herself away from his touch. “You're right,
I was stupid to think you could ever really love me. I'm an
embarrassment to you.”

“Don't
ever say that!” He hissed next to her ear. The tone of
his voice caused her to cringe. She had never heard him use that
tone before.

Suddenly
thoughts of just how dangerous he could be fluttered through her
mind. Every bit as dangerous as Kouga. And she hadn't backed down
to Kouga. She sure as hell wasn't going to back down to InuYasha.

“Just
GO!! GET OUT!!” She screamed. “Leave me alone . . .”

Before
she realized what was happening, he had jerked her arms away from her
face and flipped her onto her back, to pin her hands over her head.
Straddling her hips, he locked her legs against the bed with his
shins, using his weight to hold her as she squirmed and squealed. For
a fraction of a second she was overwhelmed with a sense of deja vu at
the sight of the hanyou dominating her as he was. She dismissed it
with a violent shake of her head.

“Let
me GO!!” She demanded, bucking under him frantically. InuYasha
easily held her in place, his lips thinned in a grim set while his
eyes narrowed on her.

Glaring
at his determined expression with defiance, she suddenly stopped her
struggle against his hold. “Admit it, InuYasha . . . you are
embarrassed to be seen with me!”

“Where
in the Seven HELLS did you get THAT crazy idea??” He demanded.

“Get
off her!!” Came a low, masculine growl from the doorway. Kagome
twisted her head to find Michael watching them, face contorted with
rage. “Haven't you done enough damage? Leave her alone!!”

“This
isn't your fight, Monk . . .” InuYasha dismissed him and
focused on her renewed struggle underneath him.

“The
Hell it isn't!!” Michael dug into his pocket and pulled out a
long, narrow, intricately woven paper Ofuda. Kagome watched with
horrified fascination as he flashed toward InuYasha, and looped it
around his throat then yanked.

“OW!!
SHIT!!” InuYasha grabbed at his neck, falling off Kagome and
rolling from the bed to his knees on the floor with a thump, hissing
each time his hands touched the offending article. “Son of a
bitch!!”

Kagome
sat up and observed the floundering hanyou with mounting
apprehension. Mikey had, for all effect, leashed him and it was
really hurting him. She had to fight her instinctive impulse to
reach out to him. It was burning him, she noted the angry red welts
forming around his neck.

“Let
him go, Mikey,” her tone was edged with fear. Something that
appeared so simple had brought the legendary hero down and regardless
of their squabble, she was absolutely certain she didn't like this
turn of events.

“The
Hell I will!!” Michael yanked lightly on the chain, pulling a
string of foreign expletives out of the weakened hanyou. “I
refuse to allow him to treat you like that, Kagome.”

“You
don't have any say in how I treat my mate, bouzu!” InuYasha
hissed again at the pain. “This is between me and her,
asshole!!”

His words
stung her, possibly as much as the Ofuda was stinging him. He
couldn't fight it. It had made him weak as a kitten and she couldn't
stand to see him like that. And he had called her his mate. The
contradictions in her mind swirled into massive vortex of confused
emotion, making coherent thought a struggle for her at best.

“How
can you say that? Call me that?? I'm not your . . . mate!”
Kagome moved to the edge of the bed, her emotions oscillating wildly.
“The Great InuYasha would never be mated to someone as stupid
as me!!”

“Kami,
Kagome . . .” it was a plea, and it tore at her heart.
“Haven't you heard anything I've told you?? FUCK!! Miroku,
you bastard!!”

Kagome,
finally succumbing to her intrinsic need to protect him, jumped from
the bed and slammed her body full force against Michael, throwing
him roughly against the dresser and causing him to drop the chain.

“Kagome!!”
Michael gasped, shocked at her violent assault against him.

“I
said LET HIM THE FUCK GO!!” She screamed. “You're HURTING
HIM!” Enraged, she slapped him on the cheek then reached down
and pulled the narrow chain away from InuYasha's neck. Angrily she
yanked at the thing but failing to pull it apart she threw it in
Michael's face. “NEVER AGAIN, DAMNIT!!”

“What
the Hell is going on in here??” Came a frantic demand from
Selene, as she took in the bizarre tableau from the doorway.

“You
sure as Hell defend me like you're my mate . . . a regular inuyoukai
bitch.” InuYasha gingerly touched the blistering welts on his
neck. “Sure you don't have some demon blood?”

Kagome
knelt beside him and examined the injury. “Just hold still . .
.” and she gently brought glowing fingertips to his neck.

“Inudono
was manhandling her, damnit!! I got him off her and this is the
thanks I get!!” Michael rubbed at his reddening cheek, then
wound the paper chain up as he glared at InuYasha. “At least
now I know how to kick your sorry ass.”

“Don't
you even think about it, Mikey,” Kagome ground out, as she
pulled away to examine the now unblemished neck of her hanyou.

“Right
out of a goddamn textbook,” Michael retorted. “The abused
partner always defends the abuser, Kagome.”

“Now,
wait just one minute! What did he do??” Selene demanded,
hands on her hips.

“He
had her pinned to the bed!!” Michael pointed at the bed as
though it were offensive to him. “She told him to go, and he
held her down! I wasn't about to wait around for him to belt her
one!”

“Belt
her?” Unfamiliar with the term, InuYasha's brow furrowed.

“He
was trying to get me to listen to him!” Kagome protested. “He
wasn't going to hit me . . .” she studied his confused
expression, “were you?”

“Hit
. . . you?” A look of abject horror settled on his
features. “I would die for you, Kagome. Why would I
ever hit you?”

Kagome
found herself lost once again in those golden eyes, which warmed
measurably under her scrutiny. InuYasha reached around her and
pulled her close.

“Looks
to me like it's 'Legendary Hanyou 1, Meddling Psychologist 0' . . .”
Selene folded her arms. “Of course there's that penalty for
the phone call incident this morning . . . and that disaster in my
kitchen.” She held out her hand, “c'mon Michael, lets go
see if your experiment can be salvaged, or if we need to call
F.E.M.A.”

“I
hate it when you keep score like that,” Michael grumbled and
headed out the door ignoring her outstretched hand . “This
isn't a damn game.” He cast one last scowling glance past her
at the couple now cuddling on the floor.

“Then
stop acting like it is,” Selene responded blandly as she
followed him out the door. “Let me see that thing in your
pocket . . .”

“Selene
Rodriguez!! Now is HARDLY the time for that! Get your hand out of
there!!” Came his exasperated response from down the hall.

Kagome
tucked her head under InuYasha's chin, and giggled when she heard the
flat of Sally's hand meet with the back of Mikey's head.

InuYasha
sighed, and tightened his hold on her. “Does it take him tryin'
to kill me to get you to listen to me?” He asked.

“Kill
you?” She stiffened, then pulled back to capture his eyes.
“Kami . . . that wouldn't have killed you . . . would it?”

“He's
getting stronger. And smarter. That little trick . . .” he
rubbed at his neck reflexively, “I have to fight him, Kagome.
He won't stop until I prove that I can beat him.”

“I
don't understand,” she moved to get up from his lap and he
pulled her back.

“You're
mine, damnit. I told you, I am never letting you go.” He
wrapped his arms around her possessively. “You've got it wrong,
Koi. I could never be embarrassed by you, you're . . . everything.”

“But
. . .” Kagome fingered the rosary, unable to meet his eyes,
“You didn't like it when I told Laurel that you are my
boyfriend. I could see it, so don't lie to me.”

She felt
him tense slightly, then take in a deep breath.

“You're
right . . . I didn't like it . . .” He tipped her chin up with
a crooked finger, locking her eyes with his. “Because you are
so much more to me than that. It sounded . . . too simple . . . too
casual.”

Kagome
felt her heart swell. Could he really love her so much?

“Well,
I can't call you my mate. That would be premature, don't you think?”
She cursed her logic as she watched his countenance fall. “My
friends wouldn't understand that term, anyway . . .”

“Then
let's get married,” his simple solution solicited a gasp from
her. “It's the human thing to do, right? Then there won't be
any more damn questions. Even your friends'll know that you're
mine.”

“InuYasha
. . .” She stammered, “I . . . we . . . but . . .”

“No
buts, Koi.” He pressed a finger to her lips, silencing her
attempted protest. “First I need to kick that baka's ass . . .
then we'll go do just that.” He had decided. Kagome was at a
loss for words. Her mind whirled again, something that seemed to be
happening entirely too much lately. Was he really proposing to her,
in his own strange way? Surely he couldn't be serious. She suddenly
realized her mouth was working but nothing was coming out.

“It's
not that simple!!” She finally squeaked, causing him flatten
his ears protectively against his skull. “There's the blood
test, and the marriage license, and you have to find someone to
perform the ceremony . . .”

“Blood
test??” He frowned. “Ceremony . . . Ok, ceremonies are
good . . . but a license? You've gotta get the government's
permission to take a mate??”

“Yeah,
you do,” she confirmed with a relieved sigh, resting her head
against his shoulder.

“But,
Kagome . . .” he twisted his head to look down at her. “You
would do it? To be with me?”

She
tensed as she realized that this was, after all, InuYasha she was
talking to. Subtlety was not going to work, apparently. But she
just couldn't bring herself to use the 'N' word. She didn't know
exactly how she felt about the idea, sometime in the future. The last
thing she wanted to do was drive him away by rejecting him outright
now. She would just have to convince him that it was too soon.

“Your
name would be in the paper, you know . . . more news . . .” she
added evasively. “And it probably wouldn't be very 'low
profile' considering who your brother is.”

InuYasha
grabbed her shoulders and held her a moment, his gaze intense.

“Telling
the world that you're my mate?? My wife??” He asked excitedly.

So much
for that brilliant idea. She shook herself from his grasp.

“Neither
of us even has a home right now!! Don't you think this is rushing
things?? I mean, not a half an hour ago you were calling me a stupid
bitch, and now you want to get married??” She pushed away from
him, and rose to get her pack. She could feel his eyes on her back
as she emptied the contents of her bag onto the bed. The idea of
marriage after only two days of knowing him . . . well to say
unsettling would be an understatement. Granted, she had never felt
like this before. She had never felt so . . . at home with anyone.

“Ok,
so you aren't ready.” He stated flatly, folding his arms. “That
doesn't mean it isn't going to happen, Kagome. I can wait . . .”
He watched her remove her purchases, and start to hang them in her
closet.

“I
wouldn't want to rush something that important, it takes planning.”
She turned to him, “You haven't even met my mother yet! And
who would officiate?? I've got my hands full enough with the
Cultural Fair right now . . . ” And
then, would he still want to do this if she were to tell him about
the Shikon no Tama? She wasn't so sure he would . . . she wanted to
tell him, yet she feared it at the same time. She needed her
mother's counsel now more than ever before in her life, but even that
was being denied her thanks to Mikey.

“That's
my Kagome, always so practical,” his tone wasn't very
complementary as he rose to his feet, his gaze fixed on the interior
of the open closet. “Speaking of practical, that bar . . .
it's wood right?”

Kagome
frowned, her thoughts interrupted by the inquiry. Eying the closet
pole she had just hung her new clothes on, she responded hesitantly,
“I guess so, why?”

“How
much you think it weighs?” He moved closer, his eyes shining
with intent.

“I
have no idea . . . InuYasha . . . what are you thinking??”
He was beginning to worry her again.

He
reached and lifted the pole from it's mounts, then tilted it to let
the hangers slide down to the floor, their clatter muffled by
Kagome's most recent purchases.

“HEY!!”
She shrieked, “Those are my clothes!!”

“And
this,” he hefted the dowel easily and turned it, examining it
seriously, “is the answer to my problem . . . A little heavy,”
he frowned bouncing it, then tilted his head in consideration, “but
it'll do .” He nodded once, apparently satisfied.

He looked
at her expectantly, “I'll need one more.”

~ooO0Ooo~

“Don't worry, Mother . . . He'll be back soon.”

Miranda turned from her silent contemplation of the
sunset. Ginta, who had always seemed to be somewhere off in the
background, had joined her on the small deck where Kouga had so
hastily departed her company several minutes before.

“He left so suddenly . . . I hardly got a
good-bye out of him,” she whispered, her head lowered.

“That's my fault, I told him where he could find
M'noche,” the youkai offered as explanation. “He needs to
deal with him right now, before he moves again . . . it can't wait.”

“Who's M'noche?” Her brow furrowed. She
couldn't recall having heard Kouga speak of this person before.

“He leads a tribe from the South. We've been in
alliance with them for a few years.” Ginta looked off to the
distance. “I've never cared for them, they value nothing.”

“Then why an alliance with them?” She
inquired, leaning back against the rail.

Ginta's light gray eyes settled on her, his expression
unreadable.

“Means to an end I guess,” he muttered.
“Ayame seemed to think their tactics would come in handy.”
He looked away again, his eyes hardened. “Brutal lot. I hope
Kouga ends it.”

“Brutal? Isn't that what we are trying to avoid?
Unnecessary brutality and bloodshed?” She turned away, trying
to hide the fear that was wrapping itself around her insides.

“Yes,
Mother . . . now.”
She turned to find his eyes on her again, sparkling with warmth this
time. “It's your influence on him . . . it will push Kouga to
do what's right. Ending the alliance with those . . . animals.”

“Isn't
my mate taking a risk meeting with . . . those
animals . . . alone?”
Her emphasis on his term for them was not lost on Ginta.

“Mother . . . Your mate is a formidable warrior.
Granted those assholes can be vicious, but only with the weak.”
He spoke slowly and stepped closer to her for emphasis, “They
can't hold a candle to Kouga, and they know it. He'd wipe the floor
with them.” At the intensity of her examination of his eyes,
he bowed slightly, lowering them in deference. “They're nothing
but a pack of cowards, and have no honor.”

Silence fell between them as she chewed on this new
information. If they had no honor, then they surely would fight
dirty. And Kouga was alone. As powerful as he was, he was still
alone.

“You should be with him, backing him up . . .
not wasting time here with me . . .” she muttered irritably.

“I serve him best where I am, Mother. There is
no more honored duty than protecting you, the First Mother . . .
and the Heir Apparent,” he replied, his tone gentle. “It's
as close to a sacred trust as you'll find among our people.”

Miranda turned to him, her eyes narrowed in
contemplation. His expression was open and honest, there was no hint
of deception to be found. Nor was there concern for the safety of
his leader. He truly believed what he had said about Kouga's
prowess. The fact that he kept calling her mother grated at her
psyche. What the heck was that about . . .

“First Mother?” She reached out brushed his
cheek with the back of her fingers, encouraging him to meet her eyes.
“Explain.”

“You are the mate of our leader, and carrying the
heir. That makes you First Mother . . . Didn't Kouga explain it to
you?” Ginta's response held a hint of irritation.

“No,”
she answered flatly, blinking as she absorbed the response, she
turned away. “I guess it slipped his mind.” Once again
she found herself envisioning Kouga as Peter Pan, but this time
followed by a host of lost boys, all looking to her to
mend their clothes and prepare their food. The thought was not a
pleasant one.

She heard a sigh escape her guardian, laced with a hint
of exasperation. Apparently he didn't always see eye to eye with her
mate's way of handling matters. But, he deferred to him, regardless.
Just as he appeared to be deferring to her, now. A long silence
passed between them, as she watched the surf and struggled against
her worry.

“He'll be home soon. Hopefully he will have
closed this bloody chapter and we can move on to better days,”
Ginta offered hopefully, breaking the silence. She suspected he
could scent her worry just like Kouga could.

“Then they will just . . . what? Leave?
Peaceably?” Her doubt was obvious. “Why don't I believe
that?”

“If they're smart, they will. If not, there'll
be a fight. You've got to understand, they are no more than thugs.
I was against the alliance from the start,” he reached to touch
her arm, and she flinched away. “Ayame was the initiator, she
didn't have the same respect for ningen as Kouga. Probably because
of her jealousy of Kagome nee-san.”

“Kagome? Why was she was jealous of Kagome?”
Miranda knew that Kouga's feelings for the girl ran deep. Perhaps
she wasn't the only one of his women to sense that.

Her thoughts were interrupted by the sound of an
approaching car down the street. It wasn't a commonly traveled road,
as it dead ended not far past her house. Looking up she recognized
the vehicle as belonging to the surfer. She wasn't prepared to deal
with him, but with Kouga being absent, she would have no choice.

“Perfect . . .” Ginta muttered, a hint of a
grin on his face. Reaching to the table for her lighter. “I'll
light the torches, it's getting dark for human eyes . . . Kagome was
our adopted pack sister, a human girl. She aided our tribe on more
than one occasion, along with her friends. Kouga . . .” he
stopped, watching Hojo approach from the road, “Kouga announced
his intent to take her as his mate, and actively tried to win her,
and that pissed Ayame off. She hated humans because of it, I think.”

“You sound like you really liked Kagome, Ginta.”
She peered at him, as he shuffled his feet with discomfort.

“We all loved her, Mother. She was our pack
sister, even though she never did come back to live with us. . .”
he trailed off for a moment. “She was kind and considerate, a
really sweet person. I cried when I heard that she'd died,” he
whispered, looking down briefly then fixed her pointedly with his
nearly translucent gaze, “Ningen lives are too short.”

Stricken with his intensity, Miranda was at a loss for
words. This youkai seemed to hold all life with the deepest of
respect. Human too. She felt a sense of regret that she had not
made effort to get to know him better before now.

“Good, a witness!” Ginta's expression
brightened as he moved to greet Hojo.

“Witness? For what?” Miranda turned toward
the approaching young man, trying to put on a smile for her
unexpected guest, and not completely succeeding.

“Miranda,” Hojo's eyes were warm, implying
affection, which was unexpected. He took her hand and held it
gently.

“Kouga isn't here, Hojo. He had some business to
attend to,” she glanced at Ginta.

“That's Ok. I kind of wanted to talk to you,
anyway. I've been working on the website, and I need some feedback .
. .” he glanced at Ginta's expectant expression warily.
“What's up?”

“You're my witness. I wanna be the first,”
the youkai stated simply.

“What are you talking about? First of what?”
Miranda lowered herself to the bench, and patted beside her for Hojo
to join. At least he too was human, and for that she felt a sense of
kinship.

“When Kouga presents you to the Tribe, all the
males of age will be expected to pledge their fealty to you.”
He grinned and winked. Lowering down before her on his knees, his
pale gray eyes met her emerald with an intensity and conviction she
had never seen on that face before.

“Ginta, please . . . get up . . .” she
pleaded, leaning toward him, then whispering, “You're making
me nervous.”

“No,” he refused. “I want this.”

“If it's that important to him, you should let
him,” Hojo whispered into her ear. “It can't hurt
anything, right?”

“I supposes not, it just seems . . .
unnecessary.” She sighed, then motioned for the youkai to
continue.

Ginta nodded once, then pulled his weapons, a katana
and what appeared to be a long hunting knife. Crossing them in the
air, he then laid them at her feet. Placing one fisted arm across
his chest, he spoke.

“I, Ginta of the Ookami, pledge my sword, my
blood, and my life to you, Miranda, First Mother of our Tribe,”
he then dropped his forehead to the deck in total and complete
submission..

Miranda's jaw went slack. There was definitely more to
this creature than she had given him credit for.

“Damn,” Hojo whispered, impressed.

Miranda could feel Hojo's gaze on her as she
considered an appropriate response, since it was apparent that Ginta
was ever so patiently waiting for one.

All she could think of was how Arthurian the whole
scenario seemed, enhanced by the flickering torchlight. Like they
were children playing at the Kings Court, and she was expected to
knight him. That he felt there was a need to do this at all nagged
at the back of her mind. Dangerous times were ahead, no doubt.

“I have no sword to pledge . . .” muttered
Hojo, a hint of disappointment in his tone, which elicited a
surprised glance from Miranda and a loud shushing from Ginta, who
patiently held his prone position.

“Just do your job, witness . . .” he
growled. “You'll get your chance later.”

Miranda wanted to laugh. It all seemed so silly, and
now Hojo wanted to play too. Attempting to school her expression,
she reached down and touched Ginta's shoulder lightly.

“I accept your pledge, Ginta of the Ookami. . .
in the name of my unborn child.” There, that should do it.
Humor the youkai. Since her child would be half youkai it did make a
certain amount of sense. Though to her, the whole thing just seemed a
little to surreal to take seriously.

“And for you too, Mother . . . please . . .”
she heard a pleading tone to his request, far from the growl that he
had just given Hojo. This was very important to him. This was no
game for the youkai.

“Alright.”
She rephrased her response, her expression slowly morphing from
amusement to reflect the serious intent of the offering being made to
her. “I accept your pledge, Ginta, for myself and
for my unborn child. May the days of your service to us both
be long.”

She watched as he let out a relieved breath, and seemed
to relax. Apparently her response had been acceptable that time.
Lifting his head, the youkai had the brightest, dimpled smile on his
face. It was really quite endearing. Her heart warmed as she
returned his smile, both sets of eyes twinkling in the flickering
light of the tiki torches.

“Thank you,” he lowered his head
deferentially, then retrieved his weapons, sheathing them, and stood.

“I'm not Ookami, and I have no sword . . .”
Hojo looked thoughtful. “But Kouga has promised me a place by
his side.”

Ginta examined the young man for several moments. “I
can remedy that,” he looked at Miranda for approval.

“Oh, no you don't . . .” she waved him off.
“That's something Kouga should decide.”

“Oh, he's decided – he's just been too
preoccupied to follow through. I think I know Kouga's mind . . .
and he wants this one bonded.” He nodded toward Hojo.

Miranda studied the youkai's open expression. It was
obvious to her that he had no hidden motives, he really believed this
is what her mate would want. Far be it for her to stand in the way
of progress. It had been her idea to bring in human followers, and
Hojo was the catalyst. It just made good sense that he be brought
into the tribe.

“Then, so be it.” Miranda shrugged, sitting
back. How this would be accomplished was piquing her curiosity,
considering how she had been brought in. At least the guy would have
some warning.

Ginta motioned for Hojo to join him on the deck, each
on their knees facing one another. Pulling his hunting knife, he
slowly slit the inside of his forearm and handed Hojo the blade,
watching him expectantly.

Miranda smiled, now understanding what was happening.

Hojo held the knife in his hand, frozen as he gaped at
the dripping wound on the youkai's arm, a shadow of horror crossing
his features.

“Do it, boy,” Ginta hissed menacingly, “Or
I'll do it for you.”

Hojo glanced at Miranda, who smiled at him
reassuringly. “It's ok, Hojo . . . He's bringing you into the
brotherhood.” She nodded, “Trust me . . . Do it for
Kouga.”

His lips set in a thin, grimly determined line, Hojo
brought up the blade and dug it into the softly yielding flesh of his
inner forearm with a low gasp. Ginta quickly grabbed his arm in a
warrior's grip, and producing a wide leather cord from his belt, he
looped it around their arms, binding them together.

“I
accept you as my brother, Hojo . . .” he tightened his grip and
shook it slightly which drew Hojo's eyes away from their concerned
examination of their arms. Locking him in his gaze he proclaimed,
“You are now of my blood, my pack, and my tribe. Nothing
can break this bond . . . short of death.” Hojo swallowed
noticeably, and Ginta nodded once.

Miranda could not hide her awe at the simple ceremony.
Hojo was now one of them, just as assuredly as she was. A blood
brother to her sworn protector. An unbreakable blood oath.

Ginta unwound the cord that held their arms. “You're
gonna notice some changes,” he grinned at the anxious young
man. “Trust me, it's all good . . . don't look so worried!”
He slapped him amiably on the shoulder as he rose to his feet. Hojo
looked at his wound and tried to pull a smile, and found it wasn't as
difficult to do as he'd thought when he glanced up to meet Miranda's
smiling eyes .

“We should wrap that,” she suggested,
rising to go into the house.

“Miranda, I need for you to look at the website .
. .” Hojo's request was cut off by a low growl from Ginta, who
had produced his short blade and waved it in his face.

“You'll address her properly, whelp!” He
ordered, grabbing him up by his arm.

“Ginta!!” Miranda gasped. “You treat
your blood brother like that??”

“Damn straight! How else do I teach him proper
respect?? Now, address her properly . . . or lose your tongue!”
Ginta glowered at him, his grasp tightening.

Miranda shuddered noticeably. Youkai values were going
to be a challenge to adjust to.

“M-mother,” Hojo swallowed hard, eyes
crossed slightly as he focused on the youkai blade that was right
under his nose.“May I request your assistance with the website?
Um . . . ma'am?”

“Better,” Ginta announced, releasing his
hold. “You're a smart one,” he replaced the knife and
patted Hojo heavily on his back with a smile, eyes twinkling.
“You'll do fine, I think. You learn quick.”

~ooO0Ooo~
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Finding Kagome