Check and Checkmate

Kagome made one final check in the mirror, smoothing her skirt. She couldn't remember exactly what all was going on tonight, and who was supposed to be there, but Carine always said she liked this dress, so Kagome asssumed it would be appropriate. She gave her short swishy skirt one last pat, and trotted off to find her cousin.

She located Carine in her room, standing in front of her own vanity. In contrast to Kagome's short colorful dress, Carine's was long and black, with slits past the knees.

"You look nice tonight." Carine commented as she tied a silvery netted shawl aroung her waist.

"Not like you."

"Of course not.u hau have much bigger boobs. Poor dear, I'd be suprised if any of your gentleman friends could name the color of your eyes." the older woman teased as she patted a rebelious strand of her hair in place.

Kagome flopped on the bed. "Yeah, well with that shawl thing you're gonna be pretty distracting youself. What is this thing tonight anyway?"

"The annual big dinner party and meeting between the families to mark the beginning of the fishing season."

"Ahh. And we have what to do with fish, exactly?"

"Smuggling, love. Smuggling by boat. It's alot easier to slip by inspectors in the frenzy of the big fishing season. There's enough profitable smuggling venues for all the families to benefit. The meeting is where we draw up the bounderies, who smuggles what into which ports. It helps keep the peace."

"Do we host every year?"

"No, it rotates. Youkai hosted last year."

"Oh, that's right, I remeber Inu saying somehting about it - you told off Naruku's bimbo, or something."

"Mmm-hmm." Carine answered distractedly while searching for her other earring. Kagome studied her older cousin intently. To be 24 and unmarried was unusual for the daughter of the mafia, but to be the designated family heir, and wield the power herself instead of hiding behind a husband was unheard of. Many of the other family heads disapproved of her, and women like that bimbo Kikyo downright hated her.
"You do realize they're gong to broach the marriage topic again.'

Carine fastened her earring, and picked up her purse. "This meeting is strictly about fish and smuggled goods, and I, my dear cousin, am neither. Now come on, we're going to be late.

"Cold fish....."

~~{@}~~{@}~~{@}~~{@}~~{@}~~

Mob boss Hiragushi was late. Representatives of Japan's most prominent crime families milled around the West Dinning Room of the exclusive restuarant on the top floor of the Hiragushi-owened hotel and casino, The Shrine. Tonight the restuarant was closed to the public. Private Party. With out the host. As far as the male population was concerned however, the hostesses more than made up for that.

Kagome clutched her drink tightly, but quelled the urge to chug it down and grab another. Getting drunk was the last thing she needed right now, what with Inu practically attatched to her hip. She was having a hard time behaving normally as it was considering how close he was standing. And how he insisted on murmuring everything directly into her ear. This was promising to be a very long, tense evening. Hoping for a breather, she scanned the room for her cousin. Inu-Yasha has always been alittle terrified of Carine, and he was certain to back off a bit, if not leave Kagome alone completely, in her cousin's presence. But Carine seemed plenty busy herself. Judging from the company and the poisonous smile she wore, she hadn't evaded the marriage issue after all, Kagome guessed.

The double doors flew open, and the head of the Hiragushi house stroad in, aplogizing for being late without really offering an explaination. He pulled Carine and Kagome close. "Thank you girls for holding down everything on this end. I have something for you; precious baubles for my precious baubles." He slipped a bejeweled bracelet around Kagome's wrist and pendant over Carine's head, planted a quick kiss on both of their heads, then turned to usher everyone towards the tables. "Let's eat!"

~~{@}~~{@}~~{@}~~{@}~~{@}~~

Inu-Yasha tried to stifle his frustration. The dinner was long, he coudn't stand half the people here, and he was much too far away from Kagome for his liking. He never understood how his brother survived these things. It probably helps that there's no one here he wants to carry off and ravish, he thought ruefully as he glanced at Sesshoumaru. Who was studying Carine with open interest since he didn't think anyone was hinghing. Wow. Didn't see that one co. .

Carine did, however, and kept her head bent away from Sesshou's heated gaze, as she identified the stones on Kagome's bracelet for her, since some where rather rare. As head of the large precious stones and fine metals smuggling ring that her family owned, Carine was quite the expert on gems, and was famous for her fondness for them. even as she talked to Kagome her fingers spun the rare white jade pendant her father had just given her, the last piece she had needed to complete her jade collection. For some reason her eyes jerked up at that moment, and locked into Sesshumaru's. They stared at each other for several seconds, neither wanting to look away first. Finally Carine quirked an eyebrow at him, and cooly brought her wine glass to her lips, casuing Sesshou to glance away. Several other eyes notice this interesting little developement, and quiet murmers immediately began at the far end of the table as how this might end.

~~{@}~~{@}~~{@}~~{@}~~{@}~~

The cool night air was a relief after the long stressful meeting. Carine sighed and closed her eyes, breathing in deeply. Marriage had been brough up, not once, but twice, and that ass Naruku had openly suggested that she take her leave along with the rest of the women and family members not involved in the business aspect once the meeting had officially began after dinner. And then Sesshoumaru had spoken up in her defense. Which was strange to say the least. While she appreciated the gesture she didn't need his help, hiding behind a male champion only proved Naruku's cause. And Sesshou's increased interest in her as another complicated issue. Not that she wasn't attracted to him, becasue she was. But Carine made it a point to never take a lover that was more powerful or assertive than she, it kept them from trying to control her. And she wasn't at all sure that was all he wanted either. She got the distinct feeling he was thinking 'trophy wife' every time he saw her.

Lost in her thoughts she almost jumped when the two warm hands reached out to massage her shoulders. Almost, but not quite. She steeled herself against such a response, which would have implied that she didn't know he was there, and was therefore vulnerable. "You seem tense, Carine." The long fingers continued to kneed her tired muscles, as the voice whispered into her hair.

"Long day."

"You work to hard."

"I have to work hard Sesshou. You're not allowed mistakes when you're a woman playing in the boy's club."

"Good thing you don't make any then. Have you ever considering blessign another family with yur skills?" he turned his attention to a particularly tight knot, an Carine had to bit back a moan. Struggling to keep her voice cool and indifferent like before, and to drag her thoughts away from certian other moan-filled activities that she would realy go for about now, she responeded.
"I am not inclined towards marriage at this point, nor am I inclined to discuss it, again."

Sesshumaru stopped his massage and turned her to face him by the shoulders. "Forgive me, milday. Let me walk you to your car. And no, I am not implying you can't find it, or make it there safely. Just think of it as insurance against some other brute trying to coerce you into talking of marriage."

Carine looked at him a moment, then laughed. "Fine."

~~{@}~~{@}~~{@}~~{@}~~{@}~~

Carine? Where's Carine? EEp! Inu-Yasha! Kagome shot him a rather nervous smile as she waited for her cousin and father to appear. "What are you doing here, Inu?"

"Just thought I'd say goodbye to my girl." He snatched up her hand and raised it to his lips.

"I'm not....oh...." Kagome suddenly found it very hard to think about anything else except the heat of his mouth as it caressed her palm. Noticing her distraction, Inu-Yasha quickly pulled her to him, crushing her against him. His sudden movement caused her to gasp and he took full advantage oe ope oppurtunity to slide his tongue into her mouth, kissing her deeply. After about a minute, Kagome remebered that she was supposed to be avoiding this kind of thing ofr some reason, and after about three tries, she managed to push him away roughly. None too soon either, because her cousin and his brother chose just that moment to come around the corner.

Inu-Yasha gulped and disapeared as soon as he saw Carine, not willing to stick around in case she figured out what just happned. Her father showed up then too, and Sesshoumaru said his goodbyes, restricting his kiss to Carine's hand. All three piled into the limo, where Kagome tried to look like she wasn't flustered and blushing, and Carine tried to pretend that she didn't notice that Kagome was flustered and blushing. Her father seemed to notice something else, however, they were short one person. "What the hell is Miroku doing?"

"Sango." The cousins answered in unison, then disolved into giggles as the head of the family stormed off in a cloud of curses to undoubtedly find his assisstant in a very compromising situation.

Once her father was out of earshot, Carine trained her best penetrating look on Kagome. "Whatever has gotten into you? You seem....tense." she stressed the word, leaving no doubt as to the double entendre.

"I'm fine, really. Nothing that a hot bath won't fix." Kagome attemptd to shrug it off.

"Riiight. You really think I don't know what that means?"

Kagome's face matched the garnet in her new bracelet perfectly.