A/N: Woohoo! The long awaited meeting is finally here! So I wont waste your time! On with the meeting! Oh I'm so excited! Also, thank you all so much for your wonderful feedback! That's what's kept this story going more than anything!
Disclaimer: I do not own Inuyasha. (Unfortunate, I know…sigh)
Forbidden Fruit - Chapter Five
Inuyasha
"The Forbidden Never Tasted This Sweet"
"Inuyasha." Came unconsciously from my lips as I gazed at his perfect form leaning against the tree.
"You know who I am. Good," He murmured, golden gaze still on me. "Though most who utter my name never live long enough to brag."
"Guess I'll be one of the few then." I spoke once again without thinking. I need to stop that. I know he's stronger than me. I know he's faster. I know he could kill me without batting an eye. So angering him is not something I need to do.
He chuckled slightly. "Perhaps. The night isn't over yet, slayer."
I slowly moved backwards, trying to locate any and all things that could be used to my benefit. Unfortunately, there are none. And I highly doubt smashing a rotten tree branch over his head will do much more than throwing a roll of toilet paper at him.
My movements seemed to do nothing more than to amuse him. Which infuriated me.
"So you've come to kill me." My eyes narrowed. "Don't think I'll go down without a fight."
"I would expect nothing less. Hopefully you would put up a bit more of a fight than the others. If I were here to kill you that is." That gave me a pause.
"You expect me to believe that you, lord of all vampires, is going to meet me, the one who kills all of your followers, and not try to kill me? Forgive me if I'm a bit skeptical."
"No, I don't expect you to believe anything I say. In fact, I would be disappointed if you did." He smiled slightly. If I didn't know any better, I'd say it looked as if he was proud of me.
"What do you want?" I asked. Well, I might as well go ahead and get to the point. No sense in dragging out the inevitable.
"Ah, that's right. You don't know do you?" He straightened up from the tree with his arms crossed. His muscular arms…ugh. So not the time for that.
"Know what?" I stepped back a bit.
"Why you just so happened to get sent here, and why I coincidentally happened to be here when you arrived." His eyes were lit up with amusement. Molten gold, shining through the darkness of the night.
My eyes narrowed, "It's a set up."
"Yes. But not by who you would think." I was tiring of his cryptic answers quite fast.
"So you're telling me that you had nothing to do with this little 'meeting'? You leeches really need to learn some new lines." I told him in disgust.
He didn't seem to appreciate my term for his kind, as his eyes narrowed slightly.
"You would be surprised. Tell me something slayer, have your friends been acting strangely today? The wolf in general?" How did he know that?
"Has he avoided your questions? Did he send you here tonight?" I really don't like where this is leading.
"If you have a point, make it." I growled through clenched teeth.
"Come now, the pieces have got to be falling into place." He seemed to be enjoying this a lot more than I was. I hated guessing games.
"Who sent you here?"
Suddenly, it hit me. The impact was harder than if he would have slammed me into a brick wall.
Kouga.
"He set me up." I whispered more to myself than anybody.
"Now you see. Our meeting here was not simply by chance. He wanted us to meet." Inuyasha stepped closer as I tried to get over the shock and feeling of betrayal.
It just didn't make any sense. Kouga had no reason to betray me. He is as much against vampires as I am. So then, why did he send me here alone? Knowing full well that Inuyasha would be here. Knowing that there is no way I could ever face him and hope to win.
"Why?" Was all I could stand to ask.
"That, I cannot say."
Before I knew it he was in front of me, less than a foot away. He radiated all the power and supremacy I always imagined. Just seeing his broad shoulders as he towered above me made me weak. Confidence is a powerful thing, but I have no confidence in my ability to ever hope to beat him.
"Get away from me." I warned as I thrust one of my daggers against his heart. I was being very sloppy tonight, but can you blame me?
His hand was around mine before I could blink. The icy feel of his soft skin against mine was incredible. How could I be attracted to this man? This…monster. It sickens me.
"There are many things I will allow you to do, Kagome," He murmured as he stared down at me with those molten, half lidded eyes. "But killing me, is not one of them."
I tried to snatch my hand away, but his grip was too strong. Hearing my name from his mouth sent my mind into overdrive. Yet I still couldn't understand why.
Maybe it was the adrenaline. Meeting ones greatest enemy could have that effect on a person. I hope that was all this was anyway. Or perhaps it's another dream? Well, if we start making out then it's definitely a dream. But they've never been so…real before.
"Let me go." I growled and fought against his hold like a wolf caught in a trap.
His grip never even loosened. He just kept staring at me with the most amused gaze, as if I was just the most interesting creature on this planet. Which to him, I likely was.
"I expected a bit more from the infamous Kagome." Before I knew it I was against a tree, with him holding both of my arms. I tried to kick him but he moved in the way of my legs before I even finished processing that thought in my mind. Damn him.
To the world, it looked like we were two lovers, entwined in a passionate embrace against the tree. But to us, it was a fight of dominance. A fight in which he was winning.
I know I can't beat him. I know he will be my downfall. But there is something different here. Something I'm not sure of. I hear of stories all the time about the deaths of previous slayers at this man's hand. They always end the same. But our story will be different. Of that I am sure of.
"Well you have me. What do you plan to do to me now if you aren't going to kill me?" I spoke finally after a heated staring contest, in which I was the first to look away from the molten mirrors he calls eyes. They only seemed to darken at my question.
God I hope this is a dream. Not so that he would lean down and kiss me or something. But just so that I knew this wasn't how weak and pathetic I really am.
"So eager to hear the morbid details aren't you?" He spoke dryly, as if not amused in the least by my question.
"No, I'm eager to get the hell out here and away from you." I snapped, once again forgetting my temper. He chuckled this time.
Inuyasha is one of the oddest vampires I have ever met. As I said that, he did something so unexpected, it made me stand in shock for at least a minute.
He let me go.
Once I recovered, I narrowed my eyes, wondering just what the hell kind of game he was playing. This is turning into a joke.
"What…?" I asked a silent question.
"Your wish, is my command." He smiled, once again taking my breath away with the sheer beauty this man possesses.
Normally, any other person would take the chance to run like the bats of hell were behind them. But I stayed. I just had to know,
"Why?"
"As I told you before, your death will not be by my hands. There are greater threats against you than I, love. Take caution to be wary of all, not just one." He turned his head to gaze at the starry night sky,
"As with all great leaders in the world, there are those even more wicked. Those who plot to overthrow and reign supreme. I am no different." He turned back to me and smiled.
"You have grown to be everything I expected of you and more. We are enemies however; do not mistake my mercy to mean anything different."
"I wouldn't mistake what you're doing to be any kind of mercy either." I said finally. I could not understand this man. What was his angle? His logic? What is he possibly thinking?
Once more flash of perfection through his smile, "Good. We have a history Kagome, and I can foresee a future. You are meant for great things. You have been battling for years, trying to make progress with the destruction of my kind. But the true battle starts here and now. This is only the beginning."
Then he was gone.
I didn't realize how badly I was shaking until I fell to my knees. I had just faced the most powerful and legendary vampire alive…or dead, whichever you want to call him, and lived. Not many can say that. In fact, I may be the first.
Dear god, I don't know what to think. Getting home was my first and foremost objective at the moment though.
I ran as fast as my legs could carry me. It was odd; I was freely running down the street yet nothing attacked. Kouga must have been through here.
My mind took a temporary stall as I thought his name. Kouga. He betrayed me. Can I even go home? Had he expected me to die out there?
Anger suddenly conquered all other emotions. Well he's in for a surprise. Having a werewolf skin in front of the fireplace was getting more tempting by the minute.
I got home with no incidents.
Carefully, I slid open the window in the kitchen. Surprise always was my favorite tactic, and it wasn't about to let me down now. Damn him. I trusted him more than anyone and he betrayed me. Who else was in on it? Kikyo definitely. But Miroku and Sango…never. They wouldn't turn on me. They would rather give their own lives.
But then again, that's what I thought about Kouga too.
My scent would probably give me away long before I could spring any surprise. But hopefully the shock would get him.
Slowly I peeked around the corner in the kitchen. Maybe nobody was home yet? I couldn't see in the garage to tell if the jeep was back. Hm, no voices…it's a possibility that they weren't back.
But just to be sure, I opened the garage door, and the jeep was there. They must be in bed. Odd, if Sango and Miroku weren't in on this, then they would be out searching for me…not in bed doing nothing. My hopes were slowly getting dashed at every turn.
My resolve got stronger and I quietly went to Kouga's room. He and Miroku had rooms on the bottom floor, while Sango and I slept on the top.
I opened the door, silently thanking Miroku for oiling the hinges a few weeks ago. Even though he had only come up with the idea to get a chance on peeking at Sango in the shower. Damn pervert.
There he was, asleep in his bed. I started shaking as I pulled out a dagger. Silver. The only thing that would permanently harm him.
The shaking got so bad I wasn't sure how in the hell I could do this. He was my mentor. The closest thing I had to family since my father left me. Who am I kidding…I can't turn against that. I dropped the dagger and turned to leave. I guess I should have known that sound would stir him. As soon as I turned around I felt him behind me.
I was pulled to his warm chest.
"Kagome…your okay." He murmured into my ear as he clutched me tightly to him.
"Yeah…much to your disappointment I'm sure." I spat acidly.
His eyes widened, "What? What the hell are you talking about? I've been worried sick."
"You sent me there. You knew he was waiting. Why the hell did you send me to my death!" I snapped, pulling away from him.
He sighed, "Well your alive aren't you?"
My glare only got darker.
He raised his hands in defeat, "Alright…I admit I sent you there, and I knew he was there. But you have to understand I had no choice. You had to meet him face to face, and I couldn't interfere. It's a trial every slayer must face at some point. Kikyo chooses when. You have to understand that it wasn't a plot to get you killed. We didn't want that at all." He pleaded with me.
"Oh, and I suppose my time came sooner than the others. Thanks just oh so much. If he hadn't let me go then I would be dead! And all you can do is come home and go to bed! Thanks for the fucking concern!" I was blazing now.
He winced. "I couldn't do anything about it. If I had then it would have messed everything up. Do you have any idea how hard it is to obey Kikyo sometimes? But I did. And you can ask her; it took every bit of restraint I had to not go after you. Miroku and Sango had to be given sleeping pills in order to not go after you."
"Fuck you Kouga. And Kikyo. You can both go rot." I turned to leave and he grabbed my arm. The next thing he knew I had a silver chopstick from my hair at his throat.
He had no choice but to release me and watch as I stormed upstairs.
I closed my door and slid down it, covering my face with my hands. It made no sense to be angry. It was something they had to do. But betrayal is something I've never been able to handle well.
I sat there for hours, just thinking about everything. I supposed I should forgive Kouga. No matter how angry I was; he's still an ally. I think. I suppose it was just the effect of everything. He was right.
Inuyasha was right. There are other threats besides him, yet I've just been confining myself here, in hopes of running into him. I laughed quietly as it hit me. I've been wanting to meet him. Yet I'm getting so furious with Kouga for finally granting my wish. I sighed finally crawled into bed. Apologies could be given later. For now, I just wanted rest.
Inuyasha once again clouded my dreams; I can't get a break even in my sleep can I?
A/N: Okay, finally! The long awaited chapter 5! Sorry if it's a bit…bland. I'm trying to get everything back together so I can get back on track! Don't worry; things will start getting better soon now that I'm back in the game. )
Next time in Forbidden Fruit: 'Daddy'- Kagome reveals just who sent her that letter.