the enclave

When the man deposited her on a sofa some thirty minutes later, Kagome knew she was somewhere louder than outside, and while enclosed, the area was absolutely enormous.  The smell of leather and fur didn’t abate, but it was padded out with the smells of food and drink. After a few minutes, the jacket was pulled off her head, and she was faced with a large warehouse… or something like it.

Bare bulbs hanging from the ceiling by the dozens cast the whole building in a dim, golden light.  Exposed brick and corrugated metal tastefully decorated the walls. Concrete floors were painted with epic adventures and deep, red runes like an immortal tapestry.  Rich, red upholstery covered a variety of lounges and chairs, and fur throws in grizzled grays, browns, and silvers were strewn across anywhere it seemed likely for someone to sit.

“Welcome to the Enclave.”

Kagome turned to look at her host, now perched on a tall, wingback chair.  He was examining her in a very disconcerting way when the sharp, quick footsteps of another drew her attention.

Before she could catch a glimpse though, a mound of cloth hit her square in the face.

“Kouga.  I swear, you say you reject me for no damn reason, but then call beggaring my clothes for this ?”

Kagome took issue with being called ‘ this .’  

At least she now had a name.  ‘Kouga’ was grimacing when she finally managed to pull through the pile of clothing articles.

“She’s a baby, Ayame.  Even you wouldn’t leave her there like that.”  The female turned and looked at her for real this time, eying the white kosode with distaste.  “See?”

“Fine.  I understand.  What are you going to do about it?  It can’t stay here.”

Kagome took issue with being called ‘ it ,’ too.  With a snarl, she stood from her seat and sent the offerings tumbling to the floor.  “Is it too much for anyone’s manners around here to ask my name ?  Instead of calling me baby and   child and it , for gods’ sakes, just ask my name!”

Ayame eyed her warily, and a little sulkily, before deeming to say, “Fine.  Tell us.”

“ Ask .  You’re a grown woman, surely you’ve got some manners somewhere,” Kagome snapped.  She heard a suspicious snicker from Kouga’s direction. “I’ve heard your name already, Ayame-san , so no need to introduce yourself first.”

Ayame put the livid in lividity; red from ears to neck, green eyes narrowing in indignation, she growled, “Have some yourself, brat .  You don’t belong here, so don’t make out like you do!”

“I don’t care whether I belong or not.  It doesn’t stop you from being civil,” Kagome snipped.  “I’d as soon stay in funeral garb as use clothes from a- a—”

“You can call her a bitch, little one.  She can’t deny it.” Kouga smirked and stood, scooping the clothes up from the floor, depositing them in her arms.  “But to make up for her bad manners, I’ll ask you. What’s your name?”

Kagome pouted down at the clothes.  They were nice clothes.  They were brands she’d never been able to afford in all her life, and looked barely worn.  She glanced up at Kouga, and with a sigh, said, “Higurashi Kagome. My family owns the Higurashi Shrine in Shizuoka.”

The red-head hissed.  “You brought an exorcist here?!”

Kouga seemed to give her a cautious sniff.  Kagome wanted to pinch his nose, because don’t sniff me, even I don’t know when the last time I had a bath was , but she tamped down the fidgets as he made a face and said, “She’s got power — don’t know how it stood the change — but I don’t think she’s trained.”

Feeling like the man was on her side — more than anyone else at the moment, anyway — Kagome finally felt relaxed enough to ask.  “So… okay, exorcist or priestess whatever aside… what do you mean by change? And earlier you were asking about a sire…?”

It felt like the whole room went silent.  Dozens of eyes stared at her, Kouga and Ayame not excluded.

“You… you’re serious?”

Kagome didn’t like the note of disbelief there, so she braced for the worst.  “I woke up alone in a crematorium just hours from being turned to ash. What am I missing?”

The clamor that overtook the room was impressive.  She heard sharp yips like dogs getting their tails stepped on, several swears of varying strength, at least one “DEAR MARY MOTHER OF GOD” and several calls for the blood of the idiot that did this.  Ayame stood aghast, so horrified her lips curled back to reveal unexpectedly sharp canines. It was the first clue that registered.

They had fangs.

With a hard swallow, Kagome turned to Kouga just as he leaned over to look her in the eye, taking her by the shoulders.  He made a few false starts, and finally croaked a dry, “I don’t have any experience with this. We can’t make new ones like they can, so I’m sorry.  You’re- damn, I’m sorry.”

Kagome felt her heartbeat speed up.  What clues did she miss? Kouga pulled on her gently until she sat down on the couch again, those mesmerizing eyes still locked on to hers as he knelt, begging her to understand.  Just as he opened his mouth, another clatter loud enough to wake the dead rattled through the building, followed by a sing-song voice Kagome knew all-too-well.

“Miroku the traveling priest, at your service!  Now, where’s this baby vampire I’ve heard about?”

Baby vampire .

Looking the monk in the eye, Kagome declared, “Miroku-sama, that joke is in bad taste.”

He froze, smile disappearing in an instant.  Plastic bags bulged around red things she didn’t want to know what were.  Behind him, a man with a silvery mohawk trailed in with a nervous smile and a tail tucked between his legs.

It seemed as if the haze of fear and worry that had clouded her mind the last several hours was gone at last.  As Hakkaku closed the door behind him, Kagome felt a great lot of rage building up in her chest and, cooling it to Arctic temperatures, she leveled the man a fearsome look.

“Am I a vampire?”  Despite several yards of distance, she could distinctly see the nervous gulp that bobbed his Adam’s apple.  “Miroku-sama. That was not a rhetorical question.   Am I a vampire ?”

Trying for a lighter tone despite his brows scrunched with worry, he said, “Just a baby one.”

Kouga’s head dropped to her lap, and she heard a grumble resembling, “Not the way I thought that’d go…”

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