Eyes Wide Shut

Chapter Fifteen: Girls night out.

There comes a time in every woman’s life where she must come to terms with the fact that her gender is completely out of its fucking mind. Kagome was having one of those moments as she stared, suspicious, curious, and furious, at Ayame as she smiled indigently from the door way. Kagome, having had a very stressful few weeks decided that it was totally alright for her mind to take a little vacation as she took in the scene before.

Ayame had changed in the last five hundred years, if you can believe that. With her illusion charm in place, she vaguely resembled Miranda Priestly from that movie “The Devil Wears Prada” in the same utterly perfect put together style. Scary. Almost as scary as the fact that the bitch had her kidnapped.

Almost.

Kagome was saved from her ugly little thoughts by the lady of the hour speaking.

“Kagome darling, how nice to see you again. I’m terribly sorry that our reunion had to end up like this, but you know how thing get. Busy, busy, busy, I just get so distracted with running everything.” Ayame tittered and brushed scarlet hair away form her face before gracefully pacing to an empty chair.

“So what, Kouga dumped your obsessive ass and you take revenge by kidnapping me?” Kagome admitted to herself that was a little harsh. Ayame had been in process of, gracefully, sitting down when Kagome had spoken.

Ayame was now is the process of backhanding Kagome into a wall.

Once the white hot pain stopped shooting through her cheekbone , the point of impact, faded Kagome decided that she might has deserved a little of that. Not all of it, but not denying the fact that she had been a grade A bitch.

Not that that fact made her face hurt less or her bruise any less colorful.

Slowly she braced herself against the wall and levied herself into a standing position. As she swayed and glared at the irate wolf demon, Kagome wondered what this meant in concern to the murders.

Deciding that it would be best to ignore the last thirty seconds, Kagome plowed onward. “ I’m guessing that your humans don’t know about the other half of the organization?” Kagome watched Ayame’s face nervously as the demoness decided if she was going to allow the change of topic.

“The humans under my command are aware that there is another section in the corporation, but I keep the two separate for my own reasons.” Ayame sniffed and finally settled herself in the chair.

“So you have half cannon fodder, half actual fighters” again, Kagome admitted to herself that maybe she could be more tactful. Ayame studied her for a few moments, obviously finding her captive lacking before speaking.

“Darling, the humans are just as important as my demons, surely you know that?” Kagome studied her fingernails. The silence stretched on longer and longer until Ayame simply become tired of their little game.

“I need you to help me find the killer” Ayame looked earnestly into Kagome’s eyes, her voice grave and her face solemn. Kagome felt the first stirrings of fear curl in the pit of her stomach. The demoness eyes were missing something. Her arms and legs shaking like she’d been running for miles, her heart trying to beat its way out of her chest, Kagome had the sneaking suspicion that what was missing was sanity.

“Ayame what did you think I was doing with Kouga? Knitting the police sweaters?” dealing with the disturbed and disquieted for so many years kept most of the bite out of Kagome’s voice. Most of it anyway. Instead of another violent outburst she had been expecting, Ayame simply chuckled and re-crossed her legs as if Kagome had made a particularly amusing little joke.

“ I know you were trying to help, but I have what you need Kagome.” Kagome tried desperately to ignore the not so implied lasciviousness of the statement and plowed onward into the abyss.

“And what exactly do I need?”

Ayame smiled, cat with the cream, before slowly leaning towards her. Smugness oozing out of every pore.

“ A way to track him.” The wind exploded out Kagome’s lungs in one breath as she exploded towards Ayame, white hot rage churning like a pit of vipers in her abdomen.

“You had a way to find this monster and instead of offering to help out, you sit here like its some kind of game. Instead of helping, you kidnap me to use for yourself. Because of my being gone, people are dying and my friends are working themselves to death!” Kagome’s voice came out low and deadly, each breath being hissed out through her teeth. Because if she didn’t whisper, she would scream.

Ayame titled her head, considering. “Kagome, a few more bodies doesn’t matter. Now I have you and, and now you can help.”

Kagome launched herself at Ayame, intent to wipe that self satisfied smile off her perfect face.

The last thing she knew before darkness took was the sound of Ayame’s voice.

“Don’t worry darling, we will see each other again.”

--

Kouga awoke to sound of sirens. Their screams filled the air as he struggled to join the land of the waking. Since Kagome’s disappearance and therefore the escalation of the murders he had staying in the suite on the top floor of his office building. Throwing the covers off he staggered upright before stumbling out into the hall.

His pack was spewing out into the hall like bees from a hive. Kouga paused a moment to ascertain what exactly the alarms were actually about. His hand shot out to snag the arm of a passing pack member, a young male beta. A few huffs and growls later told Kouga everything he needed to know.

The building had been breeched.

Taking off down the hall at a dead run, never mind he was only wearing his boxers, Kouga only hoped that this wasn’t an attack.

--

Forty Five minutes later, Kouga stared at the blank wall above the receptionist desk. After the initial chaotic scrambled to get men to their usual stations, and after the even more chaotic search of every nook and cranny of every floor, nothing had been found. Well besides two of his male alphas fucking in a third floor broom closet.

But really, that kind of thing happened all the time. But beyond all that, Kouga was pissed. He had been woken up in the middle of the night. Not only had he been woken up in the middle of the night, it had most likely just been some bastards idea of a joke.

Well he wasn’t laughing.

He settled back into the comfortable embrace of the caramel colored leather of the chair and contemplated his life at that point. He was one of the men who were supposed to be keeping this monster at bay and away from innocents. Key word: supposed. And as much as he hated to admit it, he and the rest of the team were ducks in the water without Kagome. Or whatever the hell that stupid phrase was.

He nodded absentmindedly to the last of his pack reporting in, one ear on the gossip about his two alphas that were found in the closet. When the man walked off, Kouga stretched languorously before letting his head fall to rest on the chair back. He was debating simply pulling a red eye when a yawn caught him off guard.

Well, a few more hours of sleep wouldn’t hurt. With a disgruntled sigh he levied himself slowly of the all too comfortable embrace of the chair. He absently inclined his head in the various directions of those who called out a late “goodnight leader” to him on the way to the gleaming elevators.

He pressed the “up” button and pointedly ignored the betting pool to his left about whether or not he would punish the two alphas for fucking while on duty.

The elevator doors finally closed him in, shutting off the incessant babble. He was already half out of his borrowed clothes by the time the door opened onto his floor.

Shrugging the shirt off his shoulders and into his hand, Kouga casually strode into his makeshift bedroom. Upon flipping the lights on, Kouga found Kagome bound naked in the middle of his bed.

He paused and rubbed his eyes. Surely not. Surely not. He stared, stared some more, before finally creeping closer to the edge of the bed. She certainly looked liked Kaomge, smelled like Kagome.

Glared like Kagome too. It was the glare from behind the duck tape that finally convinced him. He quickly reached forward and gently peeled the tape of her mouth.

”Kouga, untie me right now or I will purify you so fast your head will spin.” Kouga was startled back into action as the sound of Kagome’s threat rang through his ears. His claws made quick work of her bindings.

When he was finished, he smiled into her face, careful to stay on her face. Just happy to know that she was alright. As he opened his mouth to tell her that, she lunged foreword and delivered a slap directly to the side of his face strong enough to jerk his head.

“You stupid jerk! You were mean to Ayame and now she’s working with the killer!”

--

Nataseria was, generally, a laid back person. But having your girlfriend kidnapped under the very noses of those who swore they would protect her, with no clue as to her condition or location, will change a man.

In the weeks following Kagome’s disappearance, he had come to terms with the fact that Kagome’s and his time was numbered. Not because either didn’t care for the other, but that something like this would happen to one of them. And one day the other would come home to an empty house.

It was just going to happen.

But at the moment he was going to sit in Kagome’s house, smell her fading scent, and pretend. His knuckled tightened on the steering wheel, a burst of sorrow he couldn’t quite hold back as he fought to accept the inevitable. Blinking tears out of his eyes, he pulled into her driveway.

Pulled into her drive way behind an all too familiar car. Nataseria felt the first stirrings of rage pour hot and fierce into the pit of his stomach. His claws lengthened behind his illusion spell as he paced slowly but surely towards the front door. The telltale scent of dog hit his nose as he neared the house and he snarled silently in the back of this throat.

When Nataseria saw the remains of Kagome’s front door, his contempt for the half demon grew exponentially. Filthy brute. He carefully stepped back wood shards into the entry way. A delicate sniff indicated the mutt had, of course, invaded Kagome’s bedroom.

Claw extended, tail whipping wildly, eyes red with rage, hackles raised, Nataseria made his way to the bedroom ready for a fight.

Only to stop dead in his tracks at the sight presented to him. A broken man sat on the floor, a scrap of green silk in his hands. Inuyasha seemed not to notice him standing in the doorway, giving him time to cool his head.

His one meeting with the half demon had painted a picture of a possessive violent ex who simply wouldn’t take a hint. But, seeing deadly clawed fingers run softly over the delicate material, the drooping ears, and a look on his face which could only be described as the love of his life had been taken from him, Nataseria felt his heart clench in turn.

This wasn’t some brute who couldn’t take a hint.

This was a brute madly in love who knew better than to say a word about it.

Nataseria sighed, running clawed fingers over his scalp, before politely clearing his throat. It said something about Inuyasha’s emotional state that his only reaction was to slowly raise his head and peer blearily at him. Under the weight of those broken eyes, Nataseria’s harsh words stilled in his throat. He only said:

“I’m sorry too” Inuyasha nodded at him, a dry ghost of a smile quirked his lips. . Nataseria stared a long moment into golden pools that had seen far more than he ever would.

Nataseria cared for Kagome. Loved her even. But not even on the same level of this man. This mans world revolved around her. But Nataseria was selfish, as all of us are.

“I know you’re smart enough to not to say anything to her. And I’m sorry you fucked up, because you to deserve each other-“ Inuyasha smiled tiredly again, fingers still running over the smooth surface of the shirt “ but I love her too, and I’m not going give up on her until…” he trailed off. Not sure where exactly he would step out of the ring.

Inuyasha narrowed his eyes slightly before answering.

“If you hurt her, cause her harm, make her cry- I’ll kill you.” Looking into amber pools filled with equal part self-hatred and hatred, Nataseria had no doubt that the half demon would hold his threat true.

He simply nodded before adding: “I’m gonna call the cops in about twenty five minutes, to give you some time. Don’t get caught alright?”

Nataseria didn’t wait for a reply before he turned on his heel and left the house.

--

As soon as Nataseria stepped into his own home, he became aware that he was not alone.

--

Sorry this took so long, but my life hit the fan. And now, an official announcement: I will finish this story. I will never just abandon it. I might let it go months between updates, but there will always be updates. So please, no rude e-mails about “have I abandoned the story?” I have other projects, and large amounts of laziness to attend to.

Thanks for reading, and thanks for the patience!