Human Compensation

Kagome took a cool shower after a grueling day at work. The drive home had been hot and sticky since the air condition didn’t work in her old car. Miroku had brought in new customers nonstop. She had been busy with handling all the new accounts, plus previous ones that were there before she started working. She’d taken a quick thirty minute lunch break which had been in the cafeteria where she sat by herself feeling lonely and ignored. After work, she’d seen Sesshoumaru. He’d passed right by her in the lobby as if she didn’t even exist. Miroku had made it easier on her by keeping his hands to himself and Shippou had checked in on her every hour to see how she was doing. Still, the day which should have been exciting for her had only depressed her. She didn’t really know Shippou anymore and Miroku had completely forgotten who she was. Worse, Inuyasha, Sango and Rin were missing.
She stepped out of the shower and wrapped a towel securely around her body and stared at herself in the mirror. Inuyasha…where was he? Did he remember her? She pulled back her hair from her neck to see the crescent moon symbols and gasped in shock and fear. They were gone! What did this mean? For a moment, she panicked. She said she’d be happy knowing he was alive and well, but deep down she had hoped they would still be together in this life.

“I wonder…” she thought out loud. His apartment. She had to know if the apartment existed. It had been blown up in her previous life. She quickly dried off and put on her clothes.

“Kagome, where are you going?” Her mother asked as she watched Kagome rush out of the house.

“I left something in Yukalel,” was the only explanation Kagome gave her.

“But the sun is setting, you know I don’t like you to be in that city at night.” Her mother shouted after her. She watched Kagome jump in her car and speed off. “What’s gotten into her?”

The tires screeched to a harsh stop when she got there. Towering over the corner as if nothing had happened to it, was the apartment. She parked the car in a daze as only one thought went through her head. Inuyasha…was he staying there on the same floor in the same room? She got out and steadily made her way inside the building. It was as if her feet had a mind of their own. The fear of the unknown went through her, but she had to know. Was Inuyasha still living there? She stopped in front of his door. Her hand came up to knock before hesitating and stopping. She stood there wondering what she was doing? Again her hand went up to knock, this time before she could hit the door, it was yanked open and a hand yanked her in the room.

Kagome let out a squeak before a large hand came over her mouth. The room was dark so she couldn’t see who it was. There was only a shadow, a tall, powerful looking shadow. Whoever it was, was very close to her. She could feel his body pressing against hers and could hear what seemed like, soft sniffing? Her body froze as the person took his time slowly sniffing her. She could feel his nose rub against the crook of her neck, the same spot where her marks were suppose to be. She shivered.

“Why were you standing outside my door? I could smell you before I opened it” The voice was masculine, gruff. The voice was Inuyasha’s.

“Inuyasha,” Kagome whispered. Her arms circled around his waist and embraced him tightly. She felt him stiffen.

“What took you so long? Were you followed?” Inuyasha asked, his voice shook slightly, a telling sign what she’d done affected him.

Kagome looked up. “Were you expecting me?” She whispered in confusion.

“Of course I was expecting you!” He said greatly annoyed. “You’re late. I thought there might have been trouble.” He pulled away and turned on the lights.

They stared at each other for one breathless moment.

“Who the hell are you?!” Inuyasha yelled.

Kagome suddenly found herself on the carpet on her back. Her hands were pinned to the floor and his full weight lay heavily on top of her. She couldn’t move. She stared in the golden angry eyes, tears springing to her own eyes.

“Inuyasha…don’t you remember me?”

Inuyasha stared down at the girl in confusion and anger. He was confused because she was making him feel things he’d never felt before. Her scent had filled his nostril and sent him into a dizzy heaven of euphoria, and when she embraced him, the emptiness inside of him that he’d felt since the day he was born had quickly filled with love and warmth. He was angry because she was not his new partner. He’d seen a picture of his new partner and this girl was not her. She was an impostor.

“Who sent you? What did you do with my partner?”

“I don’t know what you’re talking about!” Kagome said as he turned her over on her stomach and held her down with his knee. She could hear him taking off his belt. “Hey, what are you doing?”

Inuyasha grabbed her hands and tied them behind her back using his belt. He pulled her up to her feet and walked her over to a chair by the window.

“Talk,” he demanded as he pushed her into it.

“About what?” Kagome asked. She couldn’t believe this was happening. He was being so mean to her, sort of like the first time she met him. She blinked at the realization, the only difference was that he didn’t tie her up the first time they met.

“How do you know my name?” He asked bending down and peering into her face.

Kagome had no idea what to tell him. Even though he was alive, he didn’t know her. She wasn’t prepared for the intense emotions that swelled up deep inside of her. She lowered her head. The only thing she could do was tell him the truth. He would probably think she was crazy, but right now, she didn’t care.

“We were soul mates in another life,” she said softly.

Inuyasha stood over her watching her small form. She looked so sad. Her long black hair hung down around her shoulders covering the sides of her face. Who the hell was she? And why was she making him feel as if his heart was about to break? The words that barely came from her lips didn’t make sense to him. He stepped back when she looked up at him. Her beautiful brown eyes were filled with tears.

“Inuyasha, how could you have forgotten me?” Her soft voice was full of pain and sorrow. He growled softly and clinched his hands into fists as her question echoed in his head and buried itself deep in his soul.

“What sort of demon are you?” He asked. She was manipulating his emotions on purpose to escape.

“I’m not a demon. I’m your mate,” Kagome said, hoping to use his terms to bring back memories of her.

Inuyasha smirked. “You lie,” he snapped. He bent her head to the side to expose her neck. “If you’re my mate. Where are my marks?”

“I wondered about that too,” Kagome said.

Inuyasha wrapped his hands around her hair and pulled her head back to look at him. He stared deeply into her eyes with an intimidating intensity enough to scare anybody. “You gonna tell me who you are and everything you know before this night ends even if I have to torture it out of you.” He expected her to be scared after that threat, instead those brown eyes of hers were staring at him with…love? His heart begin to pound as a sharp pain stabbed through it. He clutched his chest and took in a deep breath.

“Ka…go…” He had no idea what he was saying but the words were straining to get out.

Kagome stared at him in bewilderment.

A knock at the door distracted them. Inuyasha shook himself and glared at her. “Witch!” He snarled before answering the door. “Who is it?” He yelled angrily. He stopped when he saw Sango standing in the doorway. She was his new partner. Now he was more confused than ever.

Sango stepped in looking at Inuyasha up and down. “Is this your way of welcoming someone who’s going to be working with you? Well, I’m not too thrilled about it either.”

Kagome gasped out loud when she saw her best friend.

Sango turned to her and frowned. “What is Kagome doing here and why do you have her tied up?”