Blood Price by TouchFire

Prologue

"Chief! Are you sure?"

"Positive."

"But, Chief Tsubaki..."

The woman shook her head firmly. "It must be done. She's a threat to this investigation. She must be moved."

The man sighed, his gut heaving in the black, button-up uniform. With fat fingers, he rubbed the back of his balding head; the hair was whitening around the ends from all-nighters and unsolved cases. His shoulders drooped at the task suddenly thrust upon him by his boss. I really don't want to do this, he thought, exhaling through his nose.

"All right, I'll call her in," he replied with a shake of his head. "But she won't like it."

"That's not my problem..."

"Higurashi!"

Over the noise of typing keyboards, shouted demands, and shuffling papers – all normal sounds of the police headquarters - Kagome looked up from the scattered files on the desk in front of her, dark hair swishing over her shoulders like the black wings of a fluttering bird. Curious azure eyes zeroed in on the heavy-set officer as he approached her with a laidback swagger. She straightened, stuffing her hands into her pockets of her khakis – they were a brand-name pair and she found them on sale at her favorite outlet store.

"Johnson," she started with a shadow of a smile. "What's up?"

"How's the Thomas case going? Got any new leads?" asked Johnson, peering around the petite woman of five-foot-four to sneak a glance at the unorganized pile of papers.

She grinned. "Yeah. Kisanagi and I just discovered another clue that might crack this murder wide open. But you didn't answer my question."

The man coughed into a fist, his gaze darting between the Chief's office and the homicide investigator in front of him.

"Chief wants to see you."

Kagome pursed her lips with narrowed eyes. A breath hissed between gnashed teeth as she rocked on her heels. That woman is out to get me. I know it! She's been on my tail for the past three months. What does she want with me anyways? She twirled a strand of dark hair around her finger, nodding as she made her way to the main office.

"Thanks, Johnson... for feeding me to the wolves."

"No problem, Higurashi."

She left him with a wave of a hand as she entered the room, pulling the door shut behind her.

"You summoned me, Chief?" asked Kagome, dropping into one of the plastic chairs across from the older woman. A flash of amusement rose in her chest at the cutting glare she received.

"Don't get smart with me, Higurashi," the woman warned in a frosty tone.

The homicide investigator could see the tension in the Chief's shoulders, and she realized – with some reluctance – that she should actually listen to her boss. Kagome sat up straighter in her seat and threaded her fingers in her lap. She regarded Tsubaki with quiet, semi-patient calculation. If the Chief had something important to tell her, Kagome figured she had better just listen.

"I apologize, ma'am. Is there something you wanted to discuss?" she tried again calmly.

Chief Tsubaki gave a tiny smile. "Better." She rose from her seat, going around the room to turn the blinds and block any prying eyes. "Actually, there was something I wanted to discuss with you, Higurashi."

"Chief?"

"You've been a part of this force for four years now. You're a hard worker, and I'm proud to have you as part of this team. With your help, the homicide department has done a wonderful job solving cases and catching the perpetrators," Tsubaki continued, returning to her seat. She took a deep breath and boldly looked up at Kagome. "I'm afraid I must reassign you to another department of the force."

The investigator gaped, shocked. "E-excuse me?"

"I'm switching you to petty crimes and theft. Here's your identification" – the Chief placed a nametag and a necklace of shiny, black beads on the table – "and you must wear them at all times. Oh, and –"

"No."

Tsubaki looked up from her desk drawer, narrowing her eyes. "What did you say, Higurashi?"

Kagome glared at the beads and the woman in front of her, digging her nails into the arm of the seat. "I said 'no'."

"Oh? And you think you have a say in the matter?"

The investigator scoffed. She stole a glance at the beads once more that innocently reflected the light from the desk lamp. Kagome wasn't stupid; she knew exactly what those were. She could not grow up on shrine and not know what a rosary looked like. But, for what reason would she have to wear? Yes, she recalled training as a priestess for a time, meditating and honing her powers of purity and the heavens.

Where does a rosary play in this? She thought, sneering down at the poor excuse of a fashion statement. This is the police, not exorcism.

"Yeah, I think I do."

"Too bad, Higurashi."

"No."

"Take the rosary, Higurashi," Tsubaki snapped, a growl rising in her voice.

"I'm not leaving homicide, Chief."

"You have to. It's an order."

"Chief!"

"Take it."

"No. I'll quit."

The Chief froze, eyes widening with surprise. Her mouth opened and closed, making – what Kagome thought was – a poor impression of a fish. Tsubaki shot from her seat, leaning over the oak desk as her nails dug into the wood. Her body was ridged and her shoulders were hunched, tightened to spring.

"You quit, Higurashi, and you'll never walk through those doors again," Tsubaki threatened, the nerve in her jaw jumping erratically.

Kagome stood, leveling her gaze with the older woman. She narrowed her eyes and her fists balled at her sides. Her insides were on fire, as if Hell had relocated to the pits of her stomach. She could feel the fire moving through her nerves and her body tingled with billowing power. She squeezed her hands harder, feeling her nails bite into the palm of her hand.

"Let me stay with homicide, Chief. I enjoy solving cases; I like working the front lines. I want to stay there," said Kagome, trying to placate the irate woman. "Besides, you said I do a beyond decent job at it."

"Take it or leave it, Higurashi."

With an indignant sniff, Kagome whirled towards the door. She grasped the handle and yanked the door open, glaring at the woman over her shoulders.

"Fine. Leave it."

And she walked out, not bothering to look back. She snatched her coat off the back of her chair and marched to the main exit. There was no point in removing her things from her desk; she didn't keep anything there except for a few pictures and a half-finished book of Sudoku. As the door swung behind her, Kagome ignored the eyes following her exit. She blocked out the voices and the murmurs. She ignored the glances and the eyes; narrowing her own gaze at those she caught staring.

There was no going back.

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R & R, please!

A.N: Note to self - don't rush when you have a mistake. You only make more mistakes...