[ *serves up turkey* Happy Thanksgiving!]
Chapter Four
Inuyasha paced in the small living room.
"Stop it already before you wear a rut into the floor." Inuyasha scolwed slightly at his elder half brother who sat on the blue couch; Miroku sat in a recliner.
"Dude, for once, listen to Sesshomaru!" Inuyasha stopped pacing to reguard his friend with a half scowl half amusement.
"It's obvious you are in deep little brother." Sesshomaru said with a slight smirk.
"Look who's talking! You can't keep your eyes off Carolina Hero!" Sesshomaru averted his gaze, color seeping into his cheeks. Miroku burst out laughing.
"What are you laughing at? You can't even keep your hands to yourself around any woman; especially Sango Kumachi." Miroku's laughter died and Inuyasha shook his head. It was true; his friend had the bad habit of gropping nearly every woman he met after asking them to bear his children. Sango was the only one who could keep him in line for any length of time. The only woman Miroku hadn't approached was Carolina and that was because of Sesshomaru who'd protected her the first day she'd come. Miroku had always suspected that she was different and he'd been there with Inuyasha and Sesshomaru when a strange woman had barged in for the sole purpose of killing Carolina. A strange battle had ensued there and the living room had been trashed before an exhausted Carolina had driven the attacker off and then after that she'd repaired what had been demolished. She'd confessed the truth then, revealing an alien nature and origin; a guarded secret known only to them. That was a well kept secret just as she knew thier own. Miroku, decended from a line of cursed monks that had been placed by a demon that still lived somewhere. Sesshomaru, he was a full blooded demon and Inuyasha, his half brother, was half demon; his silvery hair hiding the pair of dog ears he had on his head.
A secret he'd revealed once to Kikyo before she'd died and that secret had died with her. A knock at the door neraly made Inuyasha jump out of his skin. Sesshomaru answered the door in his dark blue t-shirt and jeans as he was expecting Carolina. When he opened the door, Carolina stood there in a blue dress; the skirt swirled around her knees just barely above them. Her hair, shoulder length, fell in soft waves and was tucked behind her ears; a white rose was tucked in her hair above her right ear. Sesshomaru just stood where he was, struck by her beauty.
"Don't just stand there." Miroku murmured as he got up and nudged him in the ribs before smiling at Carolina.
"Hello Sesshomaru, Miroku. I hope you don't mind, but I brought some friends to keep you boys company." Miroku opened his mouth to protest only to have no sound come out when he saw Sango in a slim black dress; her hair, usually pinned up, fell gracefully over her shoulders. Behind her was Kagome in a deep green dress simular to Carolina's, but the dress didn't have shoulders; leaving her shoulders bare.
"Inu... yasha...." Miroku said slowly. "Man, come here." He was trying not to stumble over himself as Sesshomaru moved out the door with Carolina at his side. Inuyasha went to the door and froze. She was beautiful and seeing her in the dresse made him feel the fool in the khaki shorts and white t-shirt he was wearing.
"So, where are we off to this time?" Sesshomaru was asking as they got into her red chevy.
"To church, they're having a festival with all sorts of games and.... Oh don't look at me like that..." Carolina's voice became muffled as she got into the car and started it.
Miroku stepped back, trying not to gape at Sango.
"Ladies..." He said with some difficulty." The two came in and the four of them sat down. Sango sat down in the recliner and Miroku plopped down on the arm of the chair, unable to take his eyes off her. Kagome and Inuyasha were left to sit on the love seat.
"Well, this was unexpected." Miroku said after a long pause. Inuyasha glanced at his friend in slight jealousy; at least he was in something more decent. Miroku wore a dark navy shirt and jeans that only served to make Inuyasha fell that much more uncomfortable as he sat next to Kagome.
"It was Carolina's idea. I don't know how she talked me into this. I feel... silly." Sango said.
"Well, you look stunning." Miroku said.
"I wish she would have warned us though, I mean, I wasn't exactly expecting company." Inuyasha grumbled.
"Well, she didn't exactly tell me either; she just kinda dropped in, told me to change into this dress she had for me without saying why and then ushered me out the door." Kagome said. Inuyasha stared at her for a moment.
"For not being warned you managed to come out looking like a prom date." She smiled slightly, not exactly sure if he meant that as a complement or not. Inuyasha got up and left the room; he came back several minutes later in a pair of blue jeans that were slightly faded and his leather jacket. He tossed a pair of keys at Miroku who gave him a look of graditude before turning back to Sango; Miroku had been grounded from his car so Inuyasha figured he'd let his friend have his for tonight. He knew his friend wouldn't dent it or anything.
"Do you want to go for a ride?" Inuyasha asked.
"Sure." Kagome replied and got up.
"Hungry?" Miroku asked Sango.
"Yeah."
"I know a place we can go."
"I hope you don't mean a strip bar." Miroku looked at her abashed.
"Certainly not! Do you really thing that little of me?" Kagome followed Inuyasha out to the back of the house while Miroku and Sango went out the front.
"Do you have a preference?" He asked a bit nervously.
"Well, I did enjoy riding on the bike if that's what you mean." He felt a surge of relief. Kikyo had hated his motorcycle and refused to ride on it. He led her to the black bike and handed her a red helment before grabbing a black one for himself. She mounted behind him as he set the motor roaring to life; startled a bit, she clung to him, which only made him smile as he turned the bike towards a dirt alleyway and sped off into the street. Kagome felt a thrill as the wind whipped through her hair; she leaned up against him for warmth, laying her head against him. He felt warm shivers go through him and he knew in his mind it wouldn't be long before he wouldn't be able to resist the urge to take her in his arms and kiss her.
Sango stared at him in surprise when the waiter had gone.
"I... I never once thought.... I mean... this is amazing!!!" Miroku smiled slightly.
"It helps when your parents own the place." Her eyes went wide.
"They OWN this?!?!"
"Yeah, I"m use to coming here as my parents hold family reunions and lots of business meetings here."
"No wonder they acted as if you came in reguarly!"
"Yeah, just one of a few things few people know about me."
"I suppose I've a lot to learn then." She smiled as she said so teasingly; he only laughed.
There's more truth to that then you know. He thought to himself.
Sesshomaru shook his head in wonder as he chased her around the church from game to game. He actually had to admit that he was having fun. After a few hourse of games she turned to him.
"Hungry?"
"Yeah, I know just the place." He smiled as he handed her the stuffed white tiger he'd won for her. She handed him the keys to her car and the two went out of the church; Carolina wondered all the while where he planned to take her. She hugged the stuffed tiger before setting it into the backseat as he started the car.
"So, where are we going?" She asked after a while, the drive had been companionably silent before then.
"You'll see." He answered cryptically. There was a comfortable silence that followed. She began to get a bit nervous though when he drove out of town and then, about an hour later, she saw it; a beautiful mansion sitting on a hill. The windows were lit dimly with a homely sort of apperance instead of a scary one. She stared at it in awe as he parked the car in the driveway and a man opened her door for her. She climbed out; still staring. Carolina followed Sesshomaru silently into the manison and into a sitting room near the end of a long hallway. In the room was a small table with with a white cloth on it; a single rose stood in the middle of the table between two candles. At one end of the room was a collection of art and to her left, at the other end, was a fireplace witha roaring fire and adeep green couch before it with a fur rug near the hearth. Large windows ran along the other wall and over looked a large garden.
"This is...." Carolina said breathlessly. It was beautiful. He smiled and took her hand in his as he led her to the table. He pulled out the chair for her and she sat down.
"You own this?"
"Yes, I bought it a few years ago." He smiled slightly as he sat down and dishes were brought out. Fish, bread, salad, mashed potatoes and corn. Mushroom sooup and shrimp with dip. There was also steak and for desert was cheesecake topped with cherries and cherry syurp. Carolina was delighted with the meal as she saw the elaborate feast he'd set up for them.
"This is wonderful!"
The delight in her eyes and in her voice made him smiled.
"I'm gald you enjoy it." After the meal a man came in with a violin and began to play. Sesshomaru got up and went over to her and held out his hand to her. She didn't hesitate to take it and stand up. He put one hand around her waist and was going to take her other hand into his, but she'd wrapped her arms around his neck, so he put his other arm around her waist as well. His gaze met hers as they swayed to the music. She smiled before laying her head against his chest; he did sort of tower over her, but that had never bothered her. Other girls had only admired him from afar and had been almost fearful of him because of his heigth and the strange markings on his cheeks and forehead. The purple stripes on his cheek marked him a dog demon and the purple cresent moon marked his bloodline. Being a half demon, Inuyasha possessed neither and with a mold of teeth and folding his ears into his hair he'd been more readily accepted as "normal" despite that his claws couldn't be hidden. Carolina had never been shy except when she'd first met him. Yet it was when he realized she wasn't scared that he'd become intregued. They'd nearly been a couple for about a year now. Even when the song ended she didn't let go of him. He had manuvered her over to the couch where both of them now stood on the rug. The violinist had left them alone, but neither seemed to notice. He moved slightly, letting go of her to sit down and she followed him. She slipped off her shoes and tucked her legs beneath her as she curled up next to him. He put an arm around her, wondering how it was that she fit next to him as if she'd been made to despite the vast differences between them. Just as he thought to kiss her she looked up at him; he didn't hesitate to pull her into his lap and wrap his arms around her before he kissed her gently. He'd never known to long for anything in his life as he'd felt a longing all night to kiss her and to hold her in his arms.
He felt a thrill of pleasure as she wrapped her arms around him. He held her closer as he deepened the kiss, something he knew was a risk, but she didn't push him away. Carolina was enthralled in the kiss; tingling with pleasure from her head down to her toes and and as he deepend the kiss a hunger began to grow between them. One neither had experince before nor had ever thought to until that moment. One Sesshomaru fought with all his will while Carolina examined her own in nervous wonderment as they held each other with only the sound of the fire cackling mercilessly. A symbol of what raged within them.
