Disclaimer: The characters of InuYasha are not mine, they are property of Rumiko Takahashi, Shogakukan, Yomiuri TV, Sunrise, and Viz. I do not make any money from the writing of this story.
Bad Things
"Drowning in a Frozen Lake"
Chapter One
It was a slow night at Nomu. Only a few regulars were scattered across the bar. For the past thirty minutes, Kagome had wiped down the polished counter with a lemon scented cleaner. The white rag was beginning to turn yellow from overuse. Her brown eyes checked the tip jars and sighed. Mondays were the worst. Everyone took the night to recover from the weekend. True alcoholics won her heart over. They lived sad lives, but they were her income. At least the manager only had her bartending tonight.
She dropped the towel into the sink and started organizing the cash-wrap. Pens and receipt paper cluttered the keyboard. Kagome grabbed a glass mug and tossed the Bic pens in it. The wasted tape shot into the trashcan as if it was a basketball hoop. She paused momentarily when she heard the front door bells jingle. Three men carrying expensive instruments huffed their way to the small, wooden stage. She pitied them. There would definitely not be a crowd tonight. Music would be good though. An amazing riff could make any frown turn upside down.
"Hey, Kagome! Get me another pitcher!" Kagome didn't say a word. She grabbed a plastic pitcher from under the bar and filled it to the brim with cheap beer. Her black tray already sat on the bar so she grabbed a couple glass mugs and decorated the platter with alcohol. The man in question drank beer like water. He spent hours shooting pool and ordering drafts. The day he didn't show up was the day hell froze over. Kagome propped the tray on her forearm and left her coveted position. She covered the distance within a couple seconds.
The man offered her a drunken smile, while his friend attempted to shoot the nine ball. "Thanks Sweetie. Just put it on my tab." Kagome nodded and forced a smile back. If she wanted to make money, she had to grit her teeth and bear it. She placed everything on their high table and returned to her original position.
A few minutes passed before the band began. They called themselves Chemical Bleeders, whatever that meant. She had to give them credit. The lead bassist introduced themselves and sang with fury. One would have thought they were performing for hundreds instead of a few. Kagome rested her elbows on the wet, hard counter and listened. The drummer pounded away on the bass drum, while the guitarist bore his heart. The bass guitar couldn't be heard against their wrath.
The bell rang again. She turned her head. New blood, she thought. A tall man entered the dimly lit establishment adorned in all black. He surveyed the room carefully before taking a seat at the bar. Kagome noticed he was exotically handsome. His face pale and eyes a soft gold color. She walked over to him with a small smile. "What can I get you?"
He shook his head never making eye contact. Normally, Kagome would have ignored him but something ate her. She looked him over again. A strange, cold pull radiated from him. Feeling soft, she made him a gin and tonic with lime. Kagome plopped the glass down on a coaster and left him alone.
Chemical Bleeders ended their second song and began another. The new song was gentler than the others. The screamer actually began to sing. She swayed her hips and tapped her fingers against the counter, each digit not missing a beat. Too caught up into the music, Kagome didn't notice the man watching her.
"Kagome, let's get a round of Royal Fucks over here," screamed another man from across the way. She shuffled her feet and mixed their drinks mechanically. On a busy night, she'd flip the bottles into the air and around her back. People ate it up. Tonight however, she stuck to the normal routine. She grabbed her tray off the bar once more and delivered the shots in record time. The newcomer eyed her the entire way.
"Here," the drunk laughed. "I want you to take one." Kagome said thanks and slammed the shot on the table. With one gulp, the fruity drink went down her throat and warmed her stomach. The man chuckled and handed her cash. "Keep the rest Kagome." She thanked him and walked her way back.
The cash tip was twenty percent. She noted to continue being nice to the graying male. The money made a swish noise when it landed in the jar. Kagome checked on the silent stranger and saw the well hadn't been touched, but his piercing eyes were staring at her. She returned his stare not wavering. "Do you not like gin," she asked.
"No," he replied. His voice was rich and yet, completely cold. Kagome took the drink from the coaster and dumped it into the sink.
"Would you like something else?" Nothing, he just continued to stare. The invisible pull tugged stronger. She considered it odd that she wasn't uncomfortable. Goosebumps decorated her naked flesh. Her toxic hands attempted to rub them down. The bar was at a good temperature. The chills could only be coming from him. She continued the stare down. "You're different."
The man tossed back his head revealing beautiful silver hair. "What drew you to that conclusion?"
Kagome moved to stand directly in front of him. A little over a foot stood between them. "You refuse a free drink, won't talk, and I'm getting the chills just being close to you."
"The chills," he echoed. "I give you the chills?"
"Yes, you do. Not normal chills either. You give off this sort of pull, a cold pull."
"Fascinating."
Kagome nodded. Silence overtook them. The band continued with harder rock. Screams from the amp vibrated the floor. An aged woman with a cigarette stuck in her mouth strutted to the bar. "Can I get a Coors longneck?" Kagome broke the odd conversation and grabbed the beer from the refrigerator. Popping the cap off, she handed it to the cheap looking woman. "Here," she grumbled handing the bartender her credit card. "Keep it open." With that, she left.
"You have a way with people."
Kagome lifted an eyebrow. "Are you being sarcastic or honest?"
"How do you take it?"
She propped an elbow on the bar and looked around the room. Everyone seemed content. "It would depend on what way you're referring. Alcohol makes anything go a certain way."
"Clever," he smirked.
"I guess I'll take that as an honest compliment."
"Your name is Kagome?"
"Yes, it is. What's your name?"
The man's eyes sparkled. The quiet yellow became a vibrant gold. Kagome had never seen anything so beautiful. "Sesshomaru." His name rolled of his full lips like honey.
"That's a unique name. It suits you."
Another sweet silence spread between them. They stared at each other comfortably. Sesshomaru's coldness tickled her body to a new level. It felt as if it was clashing into her soul and absorbing her. The connection she was making to this man was unprecedented. Men walked in and out of her life frequently beginning with her father. She made no attempts to seek relationships. Serving at the bar was the closest she got to male interaction these days. This handsome man however was quite different. He was like a fresh, new breeze.
"Kagome, we need another pitcher!" She shut her eyes and went through the motions again. She gathered a new pitcher and mugs. Like every other time, Kagome filled the pitcher to the brim and steadily walked the beer to the old man. He reminded her of his tab and she collected the used dishes. When she arrived back behind the bar, Sesshomaru was gone. He left nothing in his place. She tossed the dirty cups into the washer and sighed. The pull had vanished. It would be another long night.
The remaining three hours ticked by. Kagome served quietly and efficiently. The friendly man bought her two more shots and played a round of darts. The Coors' woman left with two haggard men wearing leather, and the stragglers closed out their tabs tipping low. Clean up went by quickly, and the manager left her to turn off the lights and lock up. Every night was always the same.
She gave the bar one last look over before she stepped outside and locked the door. The chairs were up, floor swept, and cash in the safe. Kagome dumped the keys into her oversized purse and headed for her car. The street's fluorescent lights created a long shadow of her body on the cement. She took a deep breath and smelled rain. The damp air clung to her skin. She took a moment to soak in the moist aroma, and then felt bumps begin to rise on her flesh. Kagome didn't need to turn around to know Sesshomaru stood behind her. "Sesshomaru," she whispered.
Strong arms wrapped around her. They weren't forceful or aggressive. She felt herself slack against them. His silver hair blew over her shoulders and blended with her black tresses. "You aren't afraid." Kagome knew it was a statement, not a question. She just remained still. Sesshomaru pulled her tighter against him and put his face in her hair. She could hear him inhale deeply. "You smell ravishing."
"Cigarettes and alcohol is ravishing?"
He didn't reply. Sesshomaru turned her around until her doe eyes were looking up at his. They stared at each other once more. The intensity of the stare disabled her. She knew if he let go, she'd fall onto the street in a heap. Her body was falling apart before his eyes.
"You felt me."
"I did. It's hard not to."
"Many don't. It's a rare to find someone who does."
"I really wouldn't know."
Sesshomaru's lips curled into a dangerous smile. He closed the facial distance between them and placed a savage kiss on her lips. Kagome's body responded before she could think. With matched fury, her pink lips devoured his. She pushed her arms upward and wrapped them around his neck. This motion set off a trigger. The mysterious man forced her mouth open and began battling her tongue. Her warm saliva mixed with his cold. Kagome believed at that moment she had never been kissed before.
Deeper into the kiss, Sesshomaru bit her bottom lip. Blood began to fill their mouths. He lifted her off the ground and took her back to the bar not once breaking the kiss. Her body was slammed against the brick wall, but the pain was erotic. A familiar heat began to consume her body, desire. Kagome wanted this silver haired man more than air. She unwrapped her arms from around his neck and began trailing his body. Underneath the button-down shirt was solid muscle. Her slender hands reached the bottom hem and slid under. His skin was as cold as his aura.
"A lamb," he whispered hoarsely. "Do you know what I am?"
Kagome took in a deep breath. Had she been breathing? She refused to stop caressing him. Her hands continued to glide against his abs. "A lion."
He smirked once more. His mouth attached to her neck sucking and nipping. Kagome pulled her hands from under his shirt only to undo his buttons. She found the task extremely difficult once he bit hard into the nook of her neck and shoulder. Blood poured freely. His tongue lapped it up. Kagome moaned deeply from pain and pleasure.
"I've waited a long time for you."
She couldn't figure out a cunning response not quite understanding what he meant. Normal men didn't suck blood out of women, and then again, normal women didn't enjoy it. A dizzy sensation anchored her. His aura plowed into her instantly. Kagome felt like she was drowning in a frozen lake. She couldn't focus, couldn't breathe, and couldn't think. The world turned upside down and her hands dropped. Sesshomaru bit once more in the same spot holding her in place. Death crept in mind.
"You're mine now."
Kagome lost consciousness after those words. The world went black. All she could feel was complete and utter darkness.