InuYasha Fan Fiction / Yu Yu Hakusho Fan Fiction ❯ Erased In A Moment ❯ Chapter 1

[ X - Adult: No readers under 18. Contains Graphic Adult Themes/Extreme violence. ]

Title: Erased In a Moment

Author: Ryukotsusei

Rating: NC-17

Pairing: Hiei/Kagome

Disclaimer: I do not own Inuyasha or Yu Yu Hakusho. I merely borrow the characters for my own twisted amusement.

Summary: King Enma becomes interested in the destruction of the Shikon and Hiei is forced into becoming Kagome's jailer. As cruelties are revealed and plans begin to unfold, Hiei is forced into an action he would not otherwise take but will either of them survive?

Author's Note: I know I had been breaking this up into chapters. Some people just don't like to read 31 pages at once, I've heard it often enough that more than ten pages at a time takes to long to read through.. But I came to a conclusion as I posted each chapter and waited for feedback.. any feedback.. and continued waiting. Needless to say discouragement and disappointment and I have become very good friends. I'm not going to continue complaining. If you're not reviewing then obviously something in my work is lacking that I need to fix before I even think about posting another chapter to my stories. Much love to those who have reviewed this and my other works, I'll be taking a break from the crossovers until I figure out what the hell it is I'm doing wrong.

"You have no right!" The words came out as a hiss, Kagome's stormy blue eyes accentuating just how unacceptable she found the situation. The relative comfort of the room she had found herself in had done nothing to lessen the anger she felt at being told she was now a guest of the Reikai for however long it took for King Enma to find a way to destroy the Shikon no Tama. Frankly she didn't give a damn what this so called God had decreed, all she wanted was to go home to her family.

"I'm afraid neither of us has a choice in the matter Miss. Higurashi." Koenma sighed, completely understanding why she was upset with the situation. Truth be told he wasn't any happier but his father's word was law. His protests had made little impact aside from improving the accommodation's the miko in question had found herself in. Had it been left up to his father the woman would have been shackled to a wall in the jail. He only wished that there was something more that he could do for her. ""Look I understand why you're upset, I would be as well but my father has decreed that the Shikon is too dangerous to allow outside of the Reikai. If there was a way to keep it untainted while out of your possession I'm almost certain he would allow you to return home."

Silence fell between them as she glared daggers at him. If there had been a way to keep it purified without her Kagome would have gladly handed the artifact over and said good riddance. 'It would figure I'm not that damned lucky.' God only knew how much trouble the jewel had caused, now it seemed hellbent on further destroying her life and that of her family's. "Frankly I don't care what your father says. You can't just keep me here! I have a life and my family is probably already worried sick since my little vanishing act. Take me home." Worried would be an understatement she knew, as soon as she vanished Inuyasha was likely to have assumed the worst and went to her time to see if she had been dragged there. Once he realized that she wasn't anywhere to be found all hell was likely to break loose.

Koenma stared at the ground, it was times like this he was ashamed to admit he held the position that he did. Of course his father wouldn't have come down here to explain things to the girl, he'd delegated the distasteful chore. Now he found himself at a loss for words, unsure of just how to tell her how efficient the Reikai was when it came to these matters. "About your family Miss Higurashi.... You don't have to worry about them, their memories have been altered. It's as if you never existed to them. I'm sorry."

Despair crashed through her as his words sunk in. 'It's not true! They'd never forget me!' The very idea was inconceivable, she'd never heard of anyone with that ability. Surely if it existed she would have run across it in her travels. "You're lying!" Tears welled up in her eyes but she held them back by sheer willpower alone. She wouldn't cry in front of this Godling, nor the silent observer that leaned against the far wall. In response to her distress her aura picked up, seeking to eliminate the source and bring peace to the girl once more.

"You must calm down!" Koenma knew he was in no danger of purification from the girl but the other occupants of the palace were another matter entirely. If this girl's power lashed out it could easily decimate over half the population. Ogres had no such immunity to holy energy and while they were difficult to deal with on occasion Koenma had no desire to deal with the body count that could potentially pile up.

"Calm down? Calm down!" In response to her anger her hands now glowed with holy energy. Kagome wasn't sure if she could kill a God but at this point she was willing to chance it, she had nothing to lose. "You self righteous, arrogant bastard! You kidnap me, take away my family and imprison me saying it's for the better and you expect me to calm down? You're going to be lucky if I don't kill you!"

Slowly backing up from the enraged priestess, Koenma cast a look to the demon who had remained silent through the entire conversation. He hadn't missed the disapproval in those cold eyes but there wasn't any skirting around this issue. They both had a job to do and with a sigh he nodded, giving the signal to subdue the girl.

Wordlessly Hiei reached up to the ward covering the Jagan and pulled it free. He didn't agree with any of this and frankly he believed the girl had the right idea. If it had happened to him there was no doubt heads would be rolling. However he was stuck between a rock and a hard place, like it or not Koenma still held the strings of his life in his hands. Just because he had been granted leave to return to the Makai didn't mean that Koenma had relinquished all of his power over his life. While the miko was advancing on the demigod he allowed the Jagan to open. A pulse of violet light caught the girl's attention and for one long moment she stood entranced by it's power before falling to the floor. "It's done."

Koenma breathed a sigh of relief and knelt down, picking Kagome up carefully and carrying her over to the bed. Laying her down gently he then turned to the apparition and nodded. "I'll get to work strengthening the barrier around the room, it should subdue her powers completely though with the Shikon in her possession we cannot count on it. You are to remain in the Reikai until further notice, until she accepts the situation we are likely to have a repeat of this outburst." The demigod couldn't say he was pleased with that little development either but Hiei was the only one strong enough to over power the girl. That had already been proven when they initially took custody of her. More than one ogre had given his life to the cause.

'You play a dangerous game Koenma. You won't be able to keep her forever you know." Somehow Hiei had known that his role in this wouldn't end with getting her into that cell. He refused to call it anything else, the door would be locked and access was restricted to only those with clearance. No matter how pretty King Enma dressed it up, it was still a prison. There was a time not so long ago his sister had been subjected to the same scenario, the only difference being in what her jailer wanted. No doubt the priestess would go through similar horrors in the Reikai's quest to destroy the artifact for good.

Koenma couldn't help but shake his head as he looked down at the sleeping girl. The effects of the Jagan would last a couple of hours, hopefully long enough for him to resolve some of the current issues. No one had expected her to be so powerful, even with the Shikon no Tama. The fact that Kagome had the ability to tap into it's powers had come as a complete surprise to him and now he would have to scramble to compensate for that oversight."We do the best we can Hiei, I don't know what else we can do." Reaching into his pocket the demigod pulled out a silver pendant and extended it towards the apparition.

Warily Hiei stared at it while making no move to take the object. Few things in this accursed realm were as they seemed and to be blunt he didn't completely trust Koenma. Very few people had earned that from him and neither of those two were even in the Spirit World at the moment. "What is that?"

"Protection of sorts. While it won't completely nullify the girl's energy it will deflect most of it should she attempt to purify you. I'm not going to lie and say it wouldn't be painful, you'll probably be begging to die but it won't kill you." Koenma thrust the pendant into the apparition's hand and watched as he put it on. Now at least one of his top employees could be around the girl and not have to worry about dying instantly. It was a pity though that he didn't have more of them. "I don't have much time to get the rest of this sorted out so as to your accommodations, I'll be brief. You are to stay in this wing at all times. The room next to this one is your sleeping quarters, you're free to do as you wish so long as you remain in the area. If she becomes too difficult you are to restrain her by any means necessary short of killing her. Do you have any questions?"

"What you said about her family... Is it true?" The idea that the Reikai could erase anyone from existence in such a fashion was disturbing. What was to stop them from doing it to any one of the team if they deemed it necessary. Now that he knew it was possible, Hiei had to contend with the idea that his team mates lives could be destroyed should King Enma decide to take action.

Walking to the door, Koenma glanced to the apparition and nodded. "It is true but realize that it's not something that is often done. The resources required to erase specific memories from everyone that has come in contact with the subject is astounding, not to mention eliminating all physical evidence that they ever existed. For what it's worth Hiei good luck and be careful. Perhaps you can calm her down where I have failed." With that he walked out the door, shutting it quietly behind him. It was up to Hiei to decide if he wanted to be there when Kagome woke or not.

Hiei scoffed at the demigods words, at the moment he seriously doubted there was anything he could possibly say to reassure the girl. What was more ridiculous was the thought that he could be reassuring in the first place. Just how the hell was he supposed to calm her down? Sighing heavily he took a seat at a nearby table and contemplated the problem. For that matter why couldn't the Reikai just leave him the hell alone? Knowing there was no reasonable answer for this except that he was foolish enough to get caught by the Detective, he settled back to consider the problem at hand. If he were to leave now and return once she was conscious it would only give her time to dwell on what had happened yet he found the idea of waiting around on her to be distasteful. Who would have ever thought he would have been reduced to a babysitter?

That irked him most of all, he was by far the worse choice of the team for this sort of duty. Unfortunately none of the others had the ability to control minds at their disposal so it left him as the only available option. He could only hope this was resolved quickly, before she found a way to purify him despite the protection the godling gave or he went insane from boredom. Sighing in irritation Hiei propped his feet up on a nearby chair and settled in for a long wait, there was no telling just how long it would take for the Jagan's effect to wear off since he had never used it on a miko before.

Her head throbbed in time to her heartbeat and Kagome couldn't help but wish that instead of inflicting such a cruel torture on her that he should have just killed her instead. Moaning softly she tried to bury her face deeper into the pillow, wishing for the darkness would claim her once more. Anything to relieve the pain she was now feeling. Slowly she tried to recollect what had happened while trying to disappear into the bed. She recalled the conversation with Koenma and then threatening him. After that it was a pulse of light coming from the Godling's friend. Somehow she was certain that he was the one responsible for her head trying to implode at this very moment. "Remind me never to piss him off."

Slowly Hiei's crimson eyes opened and slowly adjusted to the darkness. Night had long since fallen and since there was nothing else for him to do he had fallen into a light doze. Now that he knew the girl was awake, he couldn't help but smirk at hearing her muttering. Maybe things wouldn't be quite as bad as he imagined, if she already feared what he could do then it should make her easier to deal with. "It's good to know that you are not lacking in common sense girl."

Kagome tensed at hearing his deep voice, inwardly cursing at herself for not having sensed the presence of anyone else around her. Leave it to her fickle senses to decide they were taking a vacation. She was lucky she'd managed to survive for this long at the rate she was going. Warily she opened her eyes, trying not to wince when the light was suddenly switched on. Her vision blurred and for several long moments she had to pray that whoever was in the room with her would have the courtesy not to attack until she regained her eyesight.

Allowing his hand to drop back to his side, Hiei stared at the girl with indifference. It would seem she was suffering from a massive headache but no serious side effects which made him relax slightly. Even if Koenma had given the order he wouldn't have put it past the godling to blame him should any damage come to the girl from knocking her out. It was said that shit always rolled down hill when something went wrong and he had no intentions in being covered in it.

Slowly the black blur resolved into a solid shape as her vision cleared and to Kagome's dismay she realized just who the mysterious person was. Pushing herself up into a sitting position she quickly repositioned herself against the wall, never taking her eyes off of him. He'd already demonstrated he could render her defenseless with merely a look, she wasn't about to take a chance on what else he could do. However that didn't stop her from questioning him, if nothing else maybe he could give her some answers and she could figure a way out of this hellhole. "Who are you and why are you here?"

Silently Hiei regarded her, debating on whether or not to answer her. Normally she'd be lucky if he even told her his name but for better or worse they were stuck together until the Reikai figured the problem of the jewel out. Giving her a slight bit of information might make things more bearable between them though he wasn't exactly hopeful on that possibility. Had the roles been reversed he'd have already been making another attempt on her life. "My name is Hiei and I am here because I have been assigned to look after you while you are here."

"Great, just what I need. A babysitter." Kagome crossed her arms over her chest as she contemplated her surroundings. 'I guess it could be worse, they could have thrown me in chains with only rats to keep me company.' Her gaze went to the small window just over the apparition's head and sighed. Wards hung from the glass, there was no doubt they were meant just for her. She'd almost be willing to chance them if she knew just how to get home from here. But since she didn't know where 'here' was aside from Koenma's explanation of the three realms, she had no way of knowing just how to get back to the Ningenkai.

His scowl deepened upon hearing her assessment. Just because he had been thinking the same thing earlier didn't mean he wanted to hear it voiced. It was degrading enough that he had been reduced to this position in the first place however he let the comment go as he continued to observe her. As her gaze trained to the wall just over his head he didn't have to look to know what she was thinking. "I wouldn't try it. Assuming you made it past the wards you have no way to get back to the human realm short of kidnapping one of the ferry girl's."

"So I really am stuck here then." Allowing her head to rest against the wall she closed her eyes. For the moment Hiei didn't seem to be threatening, in fact he gave every impression of not wanting to be there at all. That thought brought her some small comfort, if she was going to be forced to be miserable then someone else could share in it as well. Bitterness threatened to overwhelm her as she thought about everyone she had come to care for. Hell, she knew life wasn't fair but didn't she at least deserve some sort of break here and there? "Why now?" She opened her eyes to glare at the apparition, wishing there was some way to make him feel all the pain that threatened to consume her. "Dammit why now? If the jewel was so damned important to everyone here then why didn't you guys take it before any of this started? Or does your boss just not care whose lives he destroys as long as he gets what he wants?"

Impassively he listened to her continue with her ranting, knowing that there was nothing he could really do to stop it. So long as she didn't get violent he'd let her vent. Bottling ones emotions up was something he was extremely familiar with and he didn't care to experience what would happen when it exploded with all the power of the Shikon no Tama behind it. "I do not claim to understand what goes on in the fool King's head but I can tell you this. If he believes it is for the good of the three realms there is no amount of pain or suffering he will not hesitate to inflict. The harder you fight against him the more drastic his measures will become."

If Hiei thought she was just going to curl up and die because of the possibility of pain he was sadly mistaken. She'd been through too much in her life to just roll over because some bastard she had never met had told her to. "Look buddy, one way or another I am going home and this King will not stop me. If it means I have to purify a God then so be it. I refuse to let him take my life and my family from me!" Kagome wasn't sure if her powers would even work but she did have the completed jewel. If push came to shove she would use it and gain her freedom. Figuring out how to undo what had happened to her family would come later, after she'd managed to escape.

A smirk crossed his face, for some reason he was glad that the fire in her eyes only intensified. Despite what Koenma had told him about her travels to the past he was almost certain she'd be like every other human female he had run across. Most of them had some backbone but when threatened with bodily harm they'd fall into submission without a struggle. This girl however was proving most entertaining, it would be interesting to watch if that spark died out when Enma began experimenting on her with ways to destroy the jewel. "We shall see how your resolve holds up then. Personally I do not care what you do outside of this room, just do not inconvenience me. I've been ordered to keep you calm, I'd rather not have to keep you unconscious for the duration of your stay."

Kagome stared at him for a long moment before chuckling. It would seem Hiei was just as unhappy about the circumstances as she was. Aside from his tendency to call her girl she thought she might just be able to get along with this strange demon. If nothing else the idea of being asleep constantly was not appealing, nor was the thought of being cursed with a headache every time he used that third eye. Outside of this room however was another story, already she was making plans to give these Reikai idiots hell. They'd regret the day they even thought about taking her away from her family.

~*~

Pain coursed through her body but still she fought on. Kagome wasn't about to give these bastards an inch, not when she knew exactly what they had planned for her. Viciously she lashed out at the blue haired man who was attempting to restrain her. Shouts for Hiei to aide them had been ignored, the apparition telling them plainly he wanted no part in this torture. He'd brought her as requested, that was enough.

Blood spewing from his nose, the medical assistant stumbled away from the girl as she brought her elbow up into another man's ribs. Cracking could be heard from the impact followed by a harsh grunt. Kagome didn't wast any breath screaming at them, it was taking all of her concentration to keep the four men at bay.

“Stupid bitch! Quit fighting!” Roughly the doctor grabbed her arm, locking it in place as the other three men wrestled the girl to the floor. Hastily he reached into his pocket and withdrew a syringe filled with a clear liquid. “Hold her still!”

Kagome squirmed, managing to wrench her arm free and began to escape the hold the others had on her. Kicking out, her foot connected with one of the assistant's face and she took pleasure in the shout of pain that soon followed. Before she could make good on her escape however the final man had grabbed her by the hair, slamming her head roughly into the marble floor. Blackness threatened to overwhelm her as pain exploded through her head, her movements stilling as she tried to fight off unconsciousness. From a distance she could feel her arm being jerked roughly once more and then the stinging sensation of the needle being inserted beneath her skin.

Hiei watched Kagome slump limply in the medical teams hold. Frowning he surveyed the damage that had been sustained by all parties and truthfully he was not pleased. She was merely a human girl, they should not have had to resort to such tactics in order to subdue her. Blood littered the once pristine conditions of the room, only a small portion of it the miko's. The first time she had been brought to this room he had not been present, had Koenma chosen to make an appearance once more. Surprisingly enough Kagome had been compliant, following him easily enough which led to his dismissal for the duration of her examination. He had not been pleased to see her carried back into the room, bloodied and unconscious.

To that end he had resolved to come with her to the next 'examination' to see what was going on. Now he understood as he watched them place her on the metal table none too gently. Moments later she was strapped down with thick leather restraints as they began to remove her top. “What are you doing?” Hiei wasn't sure of just what this procedure entailed but if it involved touching the girl in some inappropriate manner they would find themselves headless. While he might not have any attachments to the girl in question it went against his honor to stand for such a thing being done.

“Our jobs now I suggest you stand there and do yours. Your assistance is not required.” The doctor looked down his nose at the short youkai, displeased that the man even had to be there but it was Lord Koenma's orders. Roughly he poked the reddened skin from the incision sight. The jewel had become quite the problem, it had been thought that once they removed it that they'd be free to examine it at their leisure. Much to their dismay however the Shikon had decided the safest place was inside of it's guardian once more and returned to her body. Any thoughts they might have had about locking it away and releasing her turned to dust in light of this new development.

While his assistants were busy hooking the priestess up to oxygen the doctor was busy swabbing down the incision sight with iodine. While Koenma would be able to revive the girl should she die it became a problem and the last thing he wanted was to put up with the Prince of Hell breathing down his neck over mistreatment of the girl. Already he was certain he was going to hear it over the fight they had just had with her but if the apparition had cooperated it could have been avoided completely.

Hiei watched with irritation as the man began cutting through the stitches that held her wound shut. It wasn't long after that he reached inside and pulled out a blood covered object, no doubt the fabled Shikon no Tama. 'All this trouble for that?' He didn't bother to hide his disgust. The Reikai had stooped so low as to torture all for some pink jewel that wasn't easily detected while it was in the girl's body. In his opinion they should have left it as it was, maybe giving the girl a body guard. There was no need to resort to such drastic measures.

Immediately the jewel's color began to darken, the crimson covering it doing nothing to conceal the taint that was taking place. Quickly the doctor placed it in one of Kagome's open hands and allowed her powers to instinctively purify it. Time was of the essence now, they had fifteen minutes at most to run their tests on the artifact before it would once more return to her body. Removing it once more continued to be a problem as the jewel fought off their efforts to contain it and eventually they would be forced to allow the girl to return to her quarters to recover.

Curiosity got the better of Hiei as he moved closer, waiting to see just what it was they were doing to the jewel. Once in Kagome's grasp it had reverted back to a blinding pink as had been expected. His gaze trailed along her exposed upper body, taking note of the various scars that adorned her skin. She had indeed been through hell and back it would seem and the journey only promised to get worse as time passed. Blood dripped to the floor from her limp fingers even as they clutched at the Shikon.

“Step back, you are in the way.” The doctor snapped at Hiei as he moved into position with an open spell book perched precariously on one hand. Once he was certain that he had room to move he began to chant, following the spell exactly. A dark mist surrounded the jewel, pulsating in time with his words. As if in protest the jewel flared violently, trying to repel the darkness before it shattered into dust. “We did it!”

Somehow Hiei knew it was not going to be so easy as he stared at the floating particles in the air. Apparently those fools were so caught up in their so called victory that hadn't noticed they way they softly glowed, swirling around it's Guardian. Every so slowly the dust began to condense, reforming into the orb that had supposedly been destroyed. Hiei shook his head when the fools finally noticed what was happening. “As you were saying?”

“That's impossible!” King Enma had been so certain that the spell would work and demanded the destruction of the jewel take place immediately. How would he go before his Lord and explain their failure? The doctor trembled at the thought, knowing how violent the God could be when he was displeased. The experiment was a complete failure and even now the jewel was returning to the girl's body.

“Fool, you should know by know when dealing with anything mystical nothing is impossible. Your experiment failed, shouldn't you be concerned with healing her now?” Hiei glared at the man who sat there fuming as the miko continued to bleed. He resolved to speak to Koenma about the idiocy he had just witnessed. Surely there had to be a better way than this.

Given the circumstances the doctor was of half a mind to rip the damned thing out of her once more and try again. Surely the spell had to work! However taking one look at the demon who watched his every move he knew that to do so would be risking his own life. He wasn't sure why the apparition was so concerned over what was happening to her. According to his sources the man had no prior connections with her and had been said to detest the very thought of looking after her. Ignoring the way the hybrid was glaring at him he moved to pick up a needle and thread. After cleaning the wound he stitched her up quickly and made a mental note to try again in a weeks time.

“Why not heal her instead?” Hiei knew that there were several beings in the Reikai that had the ability, it would be nothing to eliminate the wound that had been created. No doubt the girl would be grateful that some thought had been given to her comfort at least and it prevented the risk that it would get infected.

Turning to the sink the Doctor began washing his hands while the assistants disconnected her from the breathing apparatus and redressed her. “Don't you think we tried that? Something about her energy prevents us from doing so, it's quite possibly a side effect from the jewel attempting to protect the girl from foreign energies. There is nothing we can do, she'll have to heal on her own.”

“Interesting.” Hiei gazed down at the girl as her restraints were removed. The girl was becoming more and more of an enigma as the days passed. “How long will the drugs last?” He knew that he'd be the one to carry her back to the room, that was a given. He wasn't sure about leaving her alone afterwards. Disorientation was sure to follow and the last thing they needed was for her to tear her stitches if she happened to panic.

“Another hour at most. I want her back in a week, one of my assistants will inform you of the specific time. I'm assuming I don't need to tell you how to tend her incision should she fail to do so herself.” At the moment the Doctor would put nothing past the girl, if it meant making his life a living hell she was likely to do so.

Resisting the urge to roll his eyes at the question Hiei picked Kagome up carefully, being mindful of her injuries. He disliked the idea that they would come for her again so soon but it wasn't up to him to make these decisions. The most he could do would be mention it to Koenma and see if it made any difference. The demigod had his hands just as tied by his father, there was little that they could do for the girl.

Without waiting for any further instructions Hiei walked from the room and down an empty corridor. Thankfully Kagome was of a comparable size and it didn't cause him any difficulty in carrying her to her quarters. A few ogres passed by, their eyes lingering over her limp and bloodied form. Tales of her struggles has spread through the palace and there were few who would chance being near her even when she was behind the barriers much less out of them.

Once he reached her door Hiei placed his palm on the slick panel of the sensor. A tingling sensation raced across his skin as it tested him for clearance before the door slid open to admit them both. He debated as to whether to place her on the bed in her bloodied condition before deciding he had no where else to put her. Briefly he wondered again why he was the one to be assigned to her as he began the process of unclothing her. The shirt was salvageable since it had been removed prior to the procedure but the pants were a lost cause. He ignored the fact that he had a half naked female in bed as he stripped them from her legs.

He wasn't about to lie to himself, she was pretty but taking advantage of an injured priestess who had been kidnapped had never been something he had ever thought about doing and he wasn't about to entertain such thoughts now. Removing himself from the edge of the bed he walked over to the dresser and pulled out a pair of sleeping pants. They would be adequate for now, she could change again later if she liked. Working quickly he redressed her and then pulled a sheet up over her still form. Retreating to his normal position at the table, he waited for her to awaken.

It was the sound of the storm raging outside that finally pulled her out of the darkness. Slowly she attempted to sit up but stopped as a searing pain engulfed her side. It would figure the bastards wouldn't give her any pain medication, they hadn't the last time either. Her eyes drifted shut once more even though sleep eluded her. It hurt to even breath at the moment but that didn't stop her from whispering out into the darkness. “It didn't work did it?”

“No.” Even from this distance he could see the disappointment crash down on her. She would be a fool to believe something like the Shikon could be destroyed so easily. “Enma is displeased, the storm is the result of his anger.” A bolt of lightning raced through the sky as if to emphasize his point. He could only imagine how bad things were down in the Ningenkai as compared to the Spirit World.

Kagome sighed then, it had all been in vain and there was no use in fooling herself. They would be back, she didn't know if it'd be tomorrow or the next day but there was no denying they would return. “Damn.” Slowly she opened her eyes and stared at the apparition who had yet to look away from her. “How long do I have?” If nothing else she'd learned that he was honest about what he knew.

“A week unless Koenma can get an extension.” He stared at her, analyzing every pain line in her face. So far she'd manage to impress him with her endurance but how long would she be able to keep it up. He'd seen demons give up the fight long before she had. “Will you continue to struggle? If you become more compliant they may make things easier on you.”

“As if.” She snorted weakly. It'd be a cold day in hell before she let them do whatever they wanted without a fight. “I'm not going to just lay there while they try to cut me open for some stupid reason. I might agree that the jewel needs to be destroyed but I didn't volunteer for this crap.” The memory of a man's nose being crushed from her kick made her smile slightly, at least she'd been able to give as good as she got until the one bastard tried to bash her head in.

Hiei nodded his approval, so far she was not disappointing him. The girl had more guts than a lot of apparition's he knew. At this rate she'd easily give Yusuke a run for his money as far as being stubborn went. Of course, the two would probably get along great he realized even if he wasn't sure how he would manage to retain his sanity around the both of them should they ever meet.

Raising an eyebrow at Hiei's expression, Kagome wondered at what had amused him. To date she had never seen him smile. Smirk yes, which usually meant nothing good for the one it was directed it. But now, an actual smile graced his face even if it was a small one and she got the distinct impression that he wasn't even paying attention to her anymore. “What's so funny?” At the moment she could see nothing humerus about the situation.

As his attention returned to the girl Hiei had to shake his head. Even the expression of bewilderment on her face was so similar to the Detective's it was uncanny. Perhaps it was for that reason he had managed to relax around her so quickly. “A passing thought, nothing more.”

“Fine be that way you jerk.” There was no heat in her words as she closed her eyes once more but not before seeing the look of surprise on his face. It was as if he wasn't used to people speaking to him like that, which was entirely possible. The few visitors she had tended to look at him warily, as if he'd lop their heads off with the slightest provocation.

Leaning back he had decided he had indeed pegged her right. She had the same spark to her that the Detective did yet at the same time an innocence about her that he doubted Yusuke had ever possessed. In that respect she seemed to be very much like Yukina, someone who tried to see the good in everyone. It was an interesting combination, one that had him intrigued and wanting to learn more.

~*~

Two days later found him speaking with Koenma over the issue of Kagome's examinations. Already the assistant had stopped by to inform him of the exact time they expected the girl to be brought to them as well as telling him some about the procedure. It would seem that the Doctor was unconvinced that the spell was not the proper one and that he intended on repeating it. This time however he planned to use a power focus to help channel the energy of the spell while further subduing the girl's holy energy. Now he just needed to convince Koenma that this entire plan was absurd though he knew it was likely to get him nowhere. “It won't work Koenma, the Shikon is too strong. Sooner or later you'll end up killing the girl and then you'll have no one to keep it untainted.”

“Have you forgotten I have no choice in any of this?” Koenma pinched the bridge of his nose, trying to ward off the headache that was growing. It didn't matter who he spoke to, he was catching hell on all sides. His father demanded results and was furious this hadn't been resolved already, the Doctor's team wanted to increase the frequency of the examinations and Hiei wanted them reduced. He just couldn't seem to make anyone happy.

“I care not for your problems. You left me as the caretaker of this girl, do not bitch when I do my job.” While Hiei could sympathize with the need for expediency there were lines even he wouldn't cross. The more time he spent with her the more she reminded him of Yukina and now his dreams were haunted with what he had seen. However instead of Kagome being strapped to the table it had been his sweet, innocent sister. Having experienced two nights of the same nightmares he was ready to disembowel the next person who came near the girl.

It was all Koenma could do at the moment not to scream in frustration. He liked this less and less by the moment and even though Hiei wasn't aware of it he had reviewed every single moment of the last probing done to her. He'd even gone so far as to reprimand the Doctor and inform him that such measure were not to be taken again however the man had gone straight to his father and had his orders overridden. King Enma wanted this resolved as soon as possible, the amount of pain caused in the meantime was immaterial so long as he got the results he wanted. “I've done what I could, most of the decision making has been taken out of my hands. The Doctor doesn't even report to me anymore, he's gone over my head.” As he stared at the apparition a sad realization dawned on him. The girl hadn't even been there a full week and she was already touching the hybrid. He wasn't sure to what level as of yet, but it was there none the less. “Hiei, I know this might be hard but.. don't get attached to her. I have a feeling this is not going to end well for her.”

“Don't be a fool Koenma. There is no attachment, as soon as this is over I will return to the Makai and not give this a second thought. But while I am here I will not do a half assed job.” Scowling at the demigod, Hiei refused to admit there was any possibility that Koenma was right. Just because she reminded him of his only family did not mean that he had feelings for her. Looking out for her best interests was something that he had chosen to do, it was something that any one of the other guys would have done. The only exception was that he could hold his temper in the face of what had happened and what was still to come. Yusuke or Kuwabara would have already been at the throne room, demanding that King Enma let her go.

“See that you keep it that way then.” Rumors had circulating and truthfully they worried the demigod. Theories had been thrown around as to just why the Shikon refused to be separated from its guardian. What was so different now from before? Koenma couldn't answer that, the only possibility he could conceive was that it was tired of being separated from the girl and had decided to take matters into it's own hands.

Hiei almost asked what the godling knew that he wasn't telling but decided against it. There was nothing he could do even if he had the information, it wasn't as if he could take the girl away. Enma would hunt the both of them down, nothing would change except he'd be jailed for attempting to help her escape. “If you have nothing further that would be of interest to me then I will be leaving.”

“No, that will be all.” Koenma watched as the apparition turned on his heel and stalked out of the room. It was regretful that any of this had come to pass and he was feeling more than a little guilty for having dragged Hiei into this. He'd seemed the best choice at the time but the demigod was no longer so certain. While the Jagan was an invaluable asset when dealing with the girl, so far she hadn't given him another reason to use it. Perhaps he should have chosen someone else to watch over her instead. Kurama would have been able to maintain a distance between them, his cold way of thinking would have easily seen the necessity of what had occurred. However he'd never thought that Hiei would allow himself close to anyone, especially not a miko. Whether the hybrid wanted to admit it or not, Koenma wasn't fooled by his little tirade. Thoughts of pulling him off of the case came to mind but that could worsen things, both for Hiei and the girl. Resigned, Koenma knew the only thing he could do was wait this out and pray that a solution could be reached before things became any more complicated.

~*~

Kagome looked up when she heard the door open. She had thought it a bit strange that she hadn't seen Hiei at all today, normally he'd put in an appearance for at least a few minutes before running off to God only knew where. She never questioned him about it though, he was only there because he had to be not because he wanted to. She couldn't help but feel extremely lonely, even when he was there with her. But at the same time she was grateful for his presence, while he wasn't exactly friendly he helped to break up the monotony of her day. So it was of no great surprise that she smiled when he walked through the door but it quickly faltered seeing the expression on his face. “What's wrong?”

Taking his normal seat, Hiei stared at her while debating if he should tell her what he had learned or not. He wasn't sure which would be worse truthfully, knowing what was to come or being taken by surprise. But as she stared at him in concern his gut twisted. How betrayed would she feel if she learned that he knew what was happening and he had withheld that information? “The frequency of the Reikai's experiments are to increase. They are determined to find a way to destroy the jewel and no amount of persuasion will sway King Enma.”

Kagome bit her lip as she contemplated what he had said. She had expected it really, seeing the angry glare in the Doctor's expression when he had stopped by yesterday to inspect her incision. She was sure the man hated her, as if it were her fault that the jewel had a mind of its own. What she wouldn't give to hand the damned thing to them and say here. At least then they could quit cutting on her. Turning slightly she stared out the window, for once taking no joy in the peaceful surroundings that lay just beyond the glass. “I want to go home.” A wistful tone had entered her voice as she thought about her family.

A blanket of sadness had settled around the girl within moments and stared at her intently. Why was she still holding onto the life she had left behind even after learning what plans King Enma had for her? Surely hanging onto the past would only make dealing with the here and now more difficult. Hiei supposed it was the same for the kitsune, he could return to his own past but his mother tied him to this human life. “What were they like?”

“My family you mean?” At his nod a small smile crossed Kagome's face as she resettled herself, smoothing the comforter across her lap. An image of her Grandfather came to mind, his wrinkled face forming perfectly for her as he spouted off some nonsense, looking for all the world like he knew what he was talking about. ”Well, there were four of us. Myself, my mother, grandfather and little brother. They live at Higurashi Shrine but you knew that already, it's been in the family for generations through my mother's side. Grandfather tends the grounds and makes all the necessary preparations when it is time for a festival.” More than once she had been coerced into helping the old man. At the time she had been disgruntled at being volunteered but now, should she get the chance to help once more she wouldn't voice any complaints.

“He's just a bit crazy you know though I don't mean that in a bad way. Researching demon lore and mystic artifacts used to be a passion for him, unfortunately with his age many of the legends he once knew somehow tangled with others. Anymore you can never be sure what is actually the truth when he gets to talking but we love him anyway.” Kagome remembered on more than one occasion trying to correct the man over some historical battle that he had gotten mixed up and failing miserably. It didn't matter that she was traveling to the time when these took place, no one could argue with him.

“Knowledge of demon's was common in your family before your trips to the past?” The thought was intriguing to him. As far as Hiei had been aware all knowledge of demons had been erased from the ningenkai. What had been left were a few legends that had been allowed to remain for various reasons. But Kagome spoke as if there were more than just bits and pieces of a legend or two, embellished by an imagination.

Kagome considered the question carefully before answering. “Well, I wouldn't say it was common knowledge exactly. I never believed in any of his wild tales until it was too late. On the other hand though there was no denying some of the artifacts he kept hidden. For my birthday he once presented me with a demon's mummified hand. Don't ask me where he got it, I didn't ask and I'm still not certain I want to know.” She remembered that day vividly, having handed the green thing off to her cat. Now that she thought about it, the thing kinda reminded her of Jaken. Somehow she doubted that Sesshoumaru would be amused at the thought of his retainer becoming cat food.

Hiei nearly chuckled at the disgusted expression on the girl's face. No doubt it would have offended her to receive something so grotesque. Even Yusuke's idea of presenting Keiko with a food processor for her birthday along with a recipe book had to have been a better choice than a demon's hand. Still, he would have been interested in hearing just how he had acquired it in the first place.

“Then there is mama. When all of this started I thought she'd have a harder time with it all. But instead she's been rather supportive, including welcoming Inuyasha into the family. Of course, they didn't believe me when I said he had two puppy ears until he walked through the front door one day.” Kagome giggled, remembering the expression on Inuyasha's face when her own mother had walked up to him and tweaked his ears. “Of course, she did the same thing I did and had to rub them. Inuyasha was rather upset at being manhandled. Souta yelling that his turn was next didn't help matters any either.”

“Souta is your brother?” Somehow Hiei found it strange that a human family would accept demons among them so easily. Even Kurama refused to tell his family just what he was, fearing their condemnation. Should most human families be the same way? His thought strayed to Kuwabara and his sister Shizuru before brushing them away. Of course they'd accept the supernatural easily, they couldn't claim to be anywhere near normal themselves.

Nodding slightly, Kagome realized that this way the most interest the apparition had ever taken in her. For once he no longer looked as if he were pissed off at the word, instead he seemed genuinely curious. “Souta's younger than I am by a few years. He's been the best about all of this I think. He looks up to Inuyasha as a sort of role model, even if his manners aren't the best in the world. There's been times when I've been so rushed with time hopping I had completely forgotten about things like my homework and he'd take it on himself to bring them to me even if it made him late for his own classes. Of course, I think part of it is because he feels bad. Bouyo, our cat was the reason I was pulled into the past. Souta knew he was in the well house but was too afraid to go and get him himself so I went instead. Then Mistress Centipede pulled me into the well and he couldn't stop her. Poor kid, afterwards he told Mama and Grandfather what had happened and they didn't believe him. Ever since that day he's tried looking out for me when I am home as a way of making up for what happened I think.”

It was slightly surprising to him finding out he had yet another thing in common with humans, most of the ones he had studied didn't seem to care about their families to such a large degree. Courtesy was given yes but it only extended so far. Most siblings it would seem would rather fight than look out for one another. “You seem to care for them a great deal.”

“I do, it hurts to think that they don't even remember me. I can't see why all this was necessary.” Kagome stopped herself before she became depressed again. She had managed to shrug off much of the sadness but she knew it was there lurking, waiting to strike once more. Instead she picked up her own line of questioning. Surely Hiei would have his own story wouldn't he? “What about you? Any friends of family to speak of?”

Hiei hesitated before answering her. Usually he would divulge no information on himself to anyone, even his teammates were limited in just what they knew about him. However this girl was being so forthcoming and she was trapped, unable to make good on any information she would be given. To be honest he doubted that she would use it to her advantage even if she did gain her freedom. “I have a sister though she does not know of our relationship.”

“Why not?” Curiosity drove Kagome to ask the question in spite of the way he seemed to hesitate before answering her. There had to be some pressing reason for him to withhold the information from the girl, especially with how blunt and straightforward the apparition appeared to be.

Sensing no malice in the question he decided to humor her. After all, it wasn't as if he hadn't been asked this question before. In fact Kurama seemed to be the worst about hounding him to tell Yukina. Yusuke on the other hand seemed to understand his reasoning even if he didn't necessarily agree with it. He couldn't help but wonder how she would be. “Tell me, if you learned you had a brother and searched for him how would you feel in finding out he was a thief and a murderer. Not someone who killed merely out of self defense but because they enjoyed the adrenaline rush of taking someone's life?”

The question startled Kagome for several long moments as she stared at him, unsure of what to say. “I'm.. not sure. I think it would depend on what drove him to that point.” Had the same question been asked before she went to the past she would have been horrified, now however she had to look past the initial knee jerk reaction. “In some ways, that's exactly the way Inuyasha is. His life hasn't been easy and there is no denying that he's had to steal and fight in order to survive. Though he'd probably deny it, I know he enjoys killing sometimes. It's in his eyes when he fights and each time he uses the Tetsusaiga I can see the enjoyment he gets watching the enemies turn to dust. Granted, he doesn't necessarily go looking for trouble but it always seems to find him. I could accept him as a brother easily and without reservation.”

Hiei wasn't exactly sure what to make of her answer. If he didn't know better he'd think he was talking to a demoness in disguise. Humans were supposed to shrink away in revulsion at the thought of someone taking sadistic pleasure in killing, not saying they could understand and accept it. This strange girl continually surprised him. “You are strange for a human, even Yusuke had a difficult time in coming to terms with the life he had found himself drawn into.”

“I've been told that. Quite a bit actually, few people in the past could accept how easily I became friends with Inuyasha. Few people here in my own time would be able to accept the changes I went through due to the past. Even if they didn't know the reasons why it happened, they still didn't know what to make of it.” Kagome sighed, realizing just how true that statement was. Eri, Ayame and Yuka were constantly harassing her to be someone she wasn't. Doing the average thing most teenagers did no longer held any interest for her and dating the boy next door seemed positively dull. Who would take that when they could have someone exciting like Inuyasha or Kouga? “So is that why you won't tell her? You think she won't accept you?”

“I believe she would, but it would destroy the image she has held of her brother since she learned of his existence. I would not take that dream from her.” It wasn't a matter of thinking Yukina would shun him. Instead he knew she would welcome him with open arms but he would still know what she had lost when she did. While the Koorime might never mention it, the knowledge would continue to haunt him and he had enough weighing down upon his shoulders. He didn't want to add to that burden.

“I suppose it's ultimately your decision on whether to tell her or not. I can't say whether you are right or wrong in your thinking. If it were me, I'd want to know and I'd be willing to take the bad with the good. Either way though I'm sure you'll make the right decision in the long run.” Kagome gave him a slight smile, she could see his position even if she didn't agree with it. She didn't know the girl and couldn't begin to imagine how she would react to the knowledge. Hiei was the only one who could make the choice on telling her or not.

It was slightly surprising to him that Kagome didn't immediately launch into the 'It's cruel to keep it from her' argument that the others were so prone to do. It was a miracle that Kuwabara hadn't figured his secret out by now and for that he was grateful, if he had there was no doubt in his mind that Yukina would have found out a long time ago. “At least you're sensible. The others would be doing well to take a lesson from you. They have made it their business to interfere where it is not their concern.”

“Maybe if I knew her it would be different but since I don't, it's not my place. Besides, you're the only one I can talk to in this place. If I alienated you where would that leave me?” Kagome had no desire to speak to that pacifier junky, it was all she could do not to scream at him when he visited her on the few occasions he had made the attempt. The ogres were afraid of her with good reason, if she thought she had half a chance to escape she'd have purified them a long time ago in the attempt. Hiei was the only one who seemed to give half a damn about what was happening, even if he remained cold towards her most of the time.

“Climbing the walls in your boredom and driving me to distraction I suspect.” On more than one occasion her incessant pacing and attempts at conversation had driven him from the room. Hiei didn't want to imagine how much worse it would be should she decide to truly attempt annoying him. Thankfully though she had refrained, threatening her with bodily harm at this stage in the game would probably get him laughed at. With everything else she was going through he wasn't likely to carry through with it.

Kagome laughed then, somehow knowing exactly what he was thinking. He was always so serious and for a while she despaired over him ever lightening up any. Of course, given the circumstances it would be difficult for any humor at any point but at least they were putting forth the effort. His attempts to distract her were more than welcomed at this point in time. “You might be right about that. but somehow I think you enjoy when I do it more than you let on.”

A snort met that suggestion, even though he occasionally found her antics amusing he wasn't about to provoke her into a demonstration. He'd rather go ten rounds with Kuwabara, assuming of course that the human could last that long. “If you believe that I might just have to accuse you of being delusional.” Hiei stood then, fully prepared to leave the room. “You should rest, they come for you in the morning.”

Her mood dampened then, of course they would come. He had told her that the examinations would become more frequent. Kagome wasn't certain how much longer she would be able to cope. Her side still throbbed from the last time they had sliced her open, how much longer could this go on? She nodded to him indicating that she had heard. “Thank you for telling me. Will you be there tomorrow?”

“I will.” As much as he disliked the thought of having to watch them tear at her yet again, he wouldn't leave her to face it alone. Briefly he wondered when he had begun to think of her as slightly more than a job and then cursed Koenma for being right. He was getting attached. Without another word he walked out the door, confident that she would be more than capable of taking care of herself for the night.

As he entered his own room, he stripped his cloak off and draped it over a nearby chair before heading over to the bed. Even through the thick walls he could hear her moving around, most likely preparing to sleep. Even now he could tell her movements were slow and pained, most likely she wouldn't be able to put up much of a fight in the morning. He wasn't sure if that was for the better anymore or not, the assistants were likely to be twice as harsh with her seeing that she couldn't fight back. It was merely another reason for him to go, he'd be able to somewhat keep them in line.

~*~

Hiei was beyond furious, somehow he should have known that his warning to her that night was only the beginning. It had been two months, two whole fucking months of Kagome going under the knife every few days and the powers that be still didn't have any answers. The girl had even died on the operating table once due to the strain.

Knowing that there were specific requirements that needed to be met in order to revive someone once their soul had departed the body, the apparition had taken action. Ignoring the enraged voices of the Doctor and his assistants who were busy trying and failing to revive her, he'd snapped the restraints that had held her in place and carried her limp and bloodied form to Koenma's office. The demigod wasn't pleased in the least to have his office doors kicked in but seeing the problem he quickly took charge of things. Since that day Koenma had been present for each examination just in case of another incident but Hiei's patience was quickly wearing thin.

Somehow he'd managed to grow attached to the girl, he wasn't about to speculate just how it had happened. The fact just remained and he wasn't going to try lying to himself anymore and deny it. Hiei knew that he should be there in the room with her, this last trip to medical had been especially rough on her but even with as hardened as he was he knew he needed a break to collect himself.

Pushing through another set of doors, he was well aware that he was breaking the order Koenma had given him to remain in the wing Kagome was contained in. At the moment though he really didn't give a damn just what rules he was breaking. Ogres looked at him curiously as he passed and somehow he just knew that word would travel quickly that he was wandering the halls. 'Let it, I need a good fight right about now.'

However he paused when he entered another corridor, familiar voices washing over him even though they spoke in low tones. When Kagome's name was mentioned he moved in closer, using every bit of stealth he had ever possessed in order to find out just what was going on. The Reikai team was never very forthcoming to begin with and he was well aware that they would clam up if they caught sight of him.

“Is he certain? It's taking quite a risk, I mean what if he is wrong?”

Hearing such words couldn't possibly mean anything good Hiei knew. Everything they had tried and failed so far had been “risky”, if they managed to come up with something else that even this assistant was worried about then Hiei wanted to know exactly what they had planned.

“Well this is the King we are talking about, his information is about as good as it gets. It would make sense though, we've established the jewel has bonded with her soul, otherwise it would have never reincarnated with her.”

Hiei sneered to himself, King Enma was wrong on so many different things it would be laughable if this wasn't such a serious topic. As it stood he could probably provide them a list that it would take a week just to get past the first page and yet these fools believed that the God was infallible despite having seen for themselves just how wrong he could be when dealing with the girl.

“I suppose you're right. Simultaneous destruction of the jewel and the girl's soul would probably do it. Without an anchor there is no way for it to return, it should just cease to exist.”

Fury gripped him as he listened to them talk about Kagome's life as if it were something so easily thrown away.'The fools! If they are wrong they will destroy us all!' Hiei didn't even want to think about what would happen if the jewel did indeed reform without someone to keep malice from tainting it. Destroying Kagome's soul would eliminate any chance of salvation that they would have, there weren't any other miko's in existence that were strong enough to deal with the artifact.

“Everyone seems to be in agreement on that point, thats why preparations are already being made. Apparently this spell only works under a full moon so we have to wait another three weeks for it to take place.”

Three weeks, it wasn't much time to come up with any feasible plan but Hiei wasn't about to let them kill her for their own selfish reasons. Being unwilling to deal with the “what ifs” did not not justify their actions and it was all he could do not to spill their blood in that very instant.

“So I take it the examinations are off then? There's no point to them if they already have a plan in place.”

Hiei forced his temper to cool as he continued to listen. If the experiments were to stop it would help the both of them out in the long run if he had any intentions of getting Kagome out of there. As weak as she was at the moment they wouldn't get passed the front gates before they were captured.

“Yeah, they've been canceled. I don't know why they didn't come up with this sooner, it would have made things so much easier when dealing with that girl. I was getting tired of her breaking my nose every chance she got.”

The sound of their voices began to drift away as he continued to stand there. It didn't matter, he'd learned more than enough and now he just had to think of a plan. Three weeks was enough time for her to heal and regain some of her strength, it was just a question of where could they possibly go that the Reikai wouldn't find them. As much as he hated to admit it, he was going to need help.

Retracing his steps, he made his way back towards Koenma's office. Hiei knew that the man hadn't wanted to do this in the first place, he was their best chance for help in getting out of this godforsaken place. Going to the Ningenkai was not possible, the Higurashi Shrine and Genkai's temple would be one of the first places that the SDF would look when the search began. While he was certain that between himself and Yusuke they could hold off their forces without drawing Kurama and Kuwabara in it but that didn't mean he wanted to endanger his sister either.

Likewise, heading into the Makai was too predictable as well. Mukuro might understand but she was also one for expediency so there was no telling what her stand in this instance would be. Frankly he wasn't willing to risk it, not when he was putting his own life on the line by helping her to escape.

That left one possibility, staying in the Reikai. As he walked Hiei considered the possibility further. It would be the last thing the SDF or Enma would expect of him and there were plenty of places that they could seek shelter. Of course, shielding would have to be maintained no matter what happened otherwise the sensors would hone in on them and leave them powerless to escape. Overall it was the best course of action he could think of, perhaps Kurama would have been able to come up with a better plan but at the moment he didn't have the luxury of the Kitsune's intelligence at his disposal.

Hiei pushed open the doors to Koenma's office without hesitation, his expression never faltering. He was determined on this front and one way or another he would be taking her out of the palace, with or without the demigod's help.

Koenma slowly set aside the stamp and pushed a stack of papers away from him as he somberly regarded the tense apparition. Visits to his office by the hybrid were infrequent, only coming when Hiei demanded some sort of consideration be given to the girl's comfort. One small truth came to him as he stared into that impassive face, Hiei knew. Koenma didn't know how the demon knew but the fact still remained. Hiei was always like that and to this day Koenma still hadn't figured out just where the apparition managed to get his information. “Somehow I'm not surprised to see you.”

“Cut the crap Koenma, when were you planning on telling me?” Judging by the look on the demigod's face the man had guessed exactly why he was there. 'Good, it saves me from having to explain it to him.' He wasn't quite sure who he was more pissed off at the fool's he had overheard, Enma for coming up with this insane plan to begin with or Koenma for hiding it from him.

“Don't get so excited Hiei, I just found out myself yesterday. Despite what my father believes I don't think it will work. A wish didn't do it, nothing else that he has attempted has made any difference. I suspect this won't as well, it'll just leave us with a tainted jewel to deal with.” Koenma sucked furiously on his pacifier for a moment. He'd brought all of this up to his father but of course he hadn't been listened to. Instead King Enma had looked at him with amusement and cited a lack of experience for his son's doubts about the plan.

Hiei stared at the man for several long moments, trying to gage just how much help the demigod was likely to be. He'd stood up to his father once before and it had nearly gotten him executed. Would he be willing to do so again? Paltry arguments here and there weren't something that was likely to gain Enma's wrath, helping the girl escape on the other hand just might be worse than when he helped Yusuke. “If you know it then let her go Koenma.”

It was something that Koenma had been thinking of as of late, but he worried about her likelihood of being able to remain undetected. Allowing her to leave just to be captured again would put them all in danger, yet he couldn't just set her up for execution. Regardless of his father's thoughts Koenma didn't believe she deserved that fate. “If I were to do this I want your word. You will stay with her and do everything in your power to make sure that my father can't find her. If your not willing to do this then don't bother asking for my assistance.”

“I'd already planned on going that route Koenma. It would be sentencing her to death leaving her to her own devices.” Hiei wasn't about to tell the demigod just how far Kagome had gotten beneath his skin, there was no way in hell he'd leave her once she'd been freed. Granted he wasn't entirely certain how well he would fare against the entire SDF but he wasn't going to let her go without a fight.

Koenma nodded, accepting his answer easily enough. He wasn't blind to the feelings Hiei had for the girl, he just hadn't been certain if they were strong enough for him to be willing to risk his own life. “I take it you have some place to go then?” When Hiei looked at him with narrowed eyes he held up his hands. “Don't look at me like that, I need to know if I'm to help steer them away from the both of you!”

Indecision made it's home in Hiei's chest as he considered the question. On one hand he had no desire to give Koenma any more information than necessary. If Enma had even the slightest hint that his son knew their whereabouts he would stop at nothing to get that information. But the demigod could be very useful in helping to alter any sensor readings that might happen to come in, thereby keeping the SDF away from them. Knowing they would need all the help they could get, he decided to give Koenma an answer. “Somewhere in the Reikai. It is the last place they would expect us to be. Shielding will be difficult with the artifact and her natural powers, you will take care of the problem.”

“Hmmm shielding. That would present a problem wouldn't it. I can't erect a barrier, that would be a dead give away. But...” Koenma punched a few keys on his computer, accessing the security grid. “However the sensors that would track you can be tampered with.” It wouldn't take much to alter, he'd just have to make sure what he was about to do was well concealed. “If I were to change things just before you left it's certain that it would be noticed. But if I block out your energies now, it's not as likely that they'll be found. I don't think they'll look this far back.”

What Koenma had said made sense, though he wasn't exactly confident. The SDF tended to be thorough and if they had the slightest clue that Koenma had helped them, they'd comb every inch of his office including that computer. Regardless though there wasn't anything that he could do about it now. “We need a supply of healing ointment sent to her room as well as whatever you believe will aid in her recovery. Kagome won't last an hour in the condition she is in now.”

“I'll see to it. Be sure to inform her of what is going on Hiei, the more time she had to mentally prepare the better.” Koenma entered the last line of code in that would eliminate all further keystrokes, thereby hiding exactly what it was he was doing. The demigod barely looked up when he heard the doors opening once more, signaling Hiei's departure.

Now that he had explicit permission for removing Kagome from the Reikai, Hiei allowed himself to relax slightly. Koenma would do everything in his power to make sure they went undetected once they had left. Until then they would concentrate on planning which would mean spending even more time than usual with the girl. It was a development he wasn't going to complain over, he'd come to find he rather enjoyed her company on most days and even if he didn't it would have been something he would have needed to get used to.

A few minutes later he found himself entering her room once again and was unsurprised to see her sitting by the window. As usual a rather forlorn expression graced her features until she turned to look at him, her eyes instantly brightening. It wouldn't be long before that happiness disappeared he knew, how could it not when he was the bearer of such bad news? “We need to talk.”

Kagome instantly turned guarded as she looked at him, her entire posture becoming one of wary alertness. Despite the injuries done to her body, her instinct began to kick in as she waited for the bomb to fall. The apparition never said that phrase and meant anything good by it. “We do?”

Knowing that the room was likely to be bugged, Hiei opted for using the Jagan to carry on this conversation. From here on out every word uttered would have to be thought about carefully if they were to avoid cluing King Enma and his lackeys in. Nudging her mind slowly, he waited for her startled expression to ease before projecting his thoughts to her. 'I have learned of King Enma's plans. What we speak about from now on must not be uttered aloud. Can you agree to this?'

Kagome nodded slightly, the mind touch had startled her but it wasn't painful. Hiei was unlikely to hurt her intentionally anyway and it helped to dissipate more of her anxiety at having him in her head even though it did nothing for the fear she felt of the unknown threat. Unsure of just how telepathy worked, she hoped he would only need to read her thoughts. 'I agree. What have you learned?'

'In three weeks time Enma intends to hold an execution. He believes that since your soul is tied to the jewel if he were to destroy it the jewel would be eliminated as well.' Pausing to judge her reaction, it was much as he expected. Hiei watched her carefully, waiting to see if she would slip into shock. To his relief she did nothing more than pale and stare at him in shock. 'Needless to say I think he's expecting too much out of this experiment and Koenma does as well. Therefor two days before they come for you we will be leaving.'

'You're... You're going to help me get away?' Tears welled up in her eyes as she stared at him. There were times she thought he cared more than he let on but it was always so hard to tell with him. If he was willing to risk so much to help her get away, it had to mean something. Truthfully his news had startled her but somehow she had known it was coming. Sooner or later they had to think they'd be better off just killing her and hoping it would destroy the jewel. If they had asked she could have told them it wasn't likely to work, the Shikon always did have a mind of its own.

While the thoughts were flying through her head, Hiei clearly saw each and every one of them. For now he ignored the questions of how much he liked her. There wasn't time to worry about such thing at the moment and truthfully he didn't want to. He was very well aware that he'd just given his word to Koenma that he would stay with her and he wasn't delusional enough to believe that the Reikai would ever stop in it's pursuit of Kagome or the jewel. That made them inseparable, at least until one of them died. 'We'll leave at night and head for shelter. I know you can shield your energy, I suggest you work on strengthening that shielding while you have the chance.'

Kagome nodded, her shielding wasn't the best in the world so it only made sense that she work on it while she could. Failure was not an option, not when it was more than just her life on the line.'I will, I promise.' As she stared at him she got to her feet and began walking towards him slowly. Thankfully he didn't move, just watched her approaching him with slight curiosity.

Knowing full well what she was about to do, Hiei contemplated moving before deciding against it. It would be pointless, if he tried she'd just continue to pursue him until he gave in and most likely would aggravate her wound in the process. He tried to tell himself if was just a simple gesture of gratitude but as her warm arms slid around his shoulders he couldn't deny the joy he felt flowing from her. It was addictive and for the briefest of moments he closed his eyes, allowing the contact to continue. However after allowing the feeling to continue for a few moments he gently pushed her away. 'You should be resting, moving about will not aid you in healing faster.'

'You're right.' Kagome pulled back reluctantly. For some reason she'd felt at home in his arms and the thought both warmed her and confused her at the same time. As for the apparition his expression was still as closed as ever yet there was a softer tone in his mind voice now, something she couldn't help but dwell on. Slowly she made her way back towards the bed, easing herself into it before turning bright eyes on Hiei.'Thank you, for everything.'

Nodding to her, Hiei stood once more and made his way towards the door. 'I must go, there is much I must do if we are to be prepared. I will return once the sun sets, for now rest.' As he walked out the door he made his way towards the library. The Reikai's records were extensive and while he knew the palace like the back of his hand, the rest of the spirit world was a mystery to him. Maps of the realm would be essential if he were to get some idea of where they were going.

~*~

'It's time.' Night had long since fallen and Hiei knew that it was time for them to make their move. He knew Kagome had been waiting for the signal that they were leaving but he'd wanted to make sure that they wouldn't be spotted. Keeping a set routine had become crucial, even more so on this particular day to avoid raising suspicion.

Kagome sat up at the gentle mind touch. She'd been ready to leave hours ago, already having taken the time to get dressed. Of course, none of her own clothes had been appropriate for sneaking out of the palace and it had been up to Hiei to rectify the situation. Thankfully they were close to the same height and his clothing fit her fairly well, if not a bit tight across the bust line. 'I'm ready, let's get out of here.'

Quickly Hiei led her over to the door, pressing his hand against the panel. 'Wait here.' He knew she wouldn't object to the order, he had to make certain that there was no one in the halls that would see them leaving. More than once they had discussed just how this was to be executed and the girl was well aware that she should follow any order he gave because their lives depending on it.

A warm hand slipped into her own, giving a slight tug. Without protest she followed closely behind him, trusting in the apparition not to get them lost in this maze of a palace. Kagome winced as their footsteps echoed through the hallway, if anyone were around surely they would hear it and come running.

Hiei's thoughts were running on much the same idea and knowing it was a distinct possibility he sped up. There was no way she'd be able to run all the way there but the sooner they were out of this place the better. 'Hurry, we don't have much time.' He'd timed this almost perfectly, during the changing of the guards but it only afforded them a ten minute window.

'I'm trying!' Even though she was no longer injured, Kagome still had an ache in her side from the previous abuse she had endured. Still she didn't complain as she picked up the pace, hoping that it would be enough.

Coming to the intersection that led to the throne room, Hiei slid to a stop which brought Kagome up short as well. It was unlikely that Enma was in the room now but this wasn't the time to be careless. 'Follow me slowly.'

Mindful of just how heavily she put her feet down, Kagome walked behind the apparition while holding her breath. This was the second most crucial aspect of the escape, once they were beyond this corridor only the front doors remained.

Only once they were well past any danger did Hiei bother with a barely audible sigh of relief. Breaking out into a run once more, he pulled Kagome along after him. He could hear how labored her breathing was but there just wasn't the time to slow down. As the doors slowly began coming into sight he stopped once more.'Dammit!'

Kagome's thoughts mirrored the apparition's as he pushed her up against the wall and into a shadow. The guards were supposed to have left by now but for some reason they had remained to talk with the new shift. 'What do we do now?'

'We find another exit.' Guiding her along the wall, Hiei searched for the corridor that would lead him to the room they had used when the artifacts of darkness were stolen. He'd wanted to avoid using this route if at all possible, there was a strong likelihood that Koenma had strengthened security there.

Not for the first time Kagome was impressed at just how well Hiei seemed to know the layout of the palace though he seemed hesitant when they approached a small room at the end of the corridor. Silently she waited while he did a scan of the area with the Jagan, knowing that if they were caught here there would be no escape.

Sensing nothing out of the ordinary Hiei pushed open the door and nearly scoffed when he saw the interior. Nothing had changed, there was no added security, no bars on the windows. Hell the lock they had broken hadn't even been repaired. Without a word he moved to the window and pushed it open. Barely pausing long enough to pick the girl up, the apparition leapt through the opening and disappeared into the darkness.

Kagome clutched at the front of his cloak and closed her eyes as the scenery flew past. Knowing she might as well enjoy the ride while she could, she tried to relax. Once they were beyond the perimeter of the palace Hiei had told her that she would need to run as well. His abilities to carry her extended only so far and there was no sense in exhausting them at the beginning of their journey. “Hiei where are we going anyway?”

Glancing down at the girl for only a moment, Hiei then redirected his attention to a mountain that was in the distance. Leaping over a fallen tree, he shifted her slightly in order to secure his grip. “You see the highest peak over there? That mountain is said to be sacred, allowing none with evil intentions to enter. I do not know if it is true or not but from the maps I examined it seemed ideal for our needs.”

Kagome stared at the massive rock formation and paled in the darkness. It wasn't the size or the explanation that startled her but the sheer distance they would have to travel in order to reach it. She wasn't entirely sure how they would reach it before they were noticed to be missing. “How long will it take us to get there?”

Coming to a stop, Hiei set Kagome on her feet. Humans were notoriously slow, it was one of the reasons he had chosen this particular spot. Anything further they would never reach in time, as it was their destination was pushing it. He only hoped Koenma succeeded in doing his part in buying them some precious time. “If we do not stop, approximately six hours. Longer if you get tired and need to rest.”

“I guess we need to keep going then.” Kagome made the decision right then to push herself to the limits in order to keep from being a burden, Hiei certainly wouldn't thank her if she decided to complain the entire time about the distance. As they set out once again Kagome was grateful for the time she had spent in the past. If nothing else it had built up her endurance, something she was positive she would need before the night was out.

As they ran the apparition kept a very close eye on the girl. Hiei wasn't a fool, he knew that sooner or later her body would give out and it would be up to him to see she made it to the mountain. Even so, he was mildly impressed with the determination that she put forth. There was no doubt she was not one of those soft bodied females who could barely pull themselves off of the couch.

But all the determination in the world would not make up for her physical limitations and eventually they were forced to slow to a walk while she caught her breath. Reaching for her bottled water, Kagome took small sips. Their supplies were extremely limited, taking only what they could carry without slowing them down. It would be up to Hiei to hunt for them because without her bow she was useless for finding food. Fortunately there were other things she had learned in the past so she wouldn't feel completely worthless.

Just how long they would end up remaining in hiding was anyone's guess. Hiei had outright told her it could easily be years for the Reikai was unlikely to give up in their pursuit so easily. “How long do you think it will be before they notice we are missing?”

“If Koenma does his job another ten hours, perhaps longer. They should have no reason to check on you though I wouldn't put anything past them. Preparations for your death are well underway and with luck they will be too busy to bother with you.” Visitations from the medical staff had become infrequent but that was always subject to change as Hiei well knew. Assuming they didn't stop by to confirm any of their data it might not be until the next day before any of them made an appearance.

Kagome nodded and tucked the water bottle away once more. “We should make it then without a problem.” Once more she began to run with Hiei easily keeping pace beside her. Doggedly she ignored the stitch in her side that refused to disappear and concentrated on putting one foot in front of the other.

Another three hours past by before they were forced to stop again, this time because Kagome stumbled and dropped down to one knee heavily. “Gimme... a moment, I'll be fine.” The tearing sensation just wouldn't go away though and it took her breath away. She didn't want to complain though, she had to pull her own weight in this.

Hiei watched her critically, he had been expecting something like this for some time now. What surprised him was that she hadn't complained and even now was trying to force herself to continue. They were over halfway there now, it would be difficult but he knew he could carry her the rest of the way if need be. Kneeling down in front of her he touched her shoulder. “We cannot afford to be delayed any further. Get on.”

Kagome stared at him in shock for a moment as he presented his back to her. When he touched her she had almost expected him to tell her to suck it up and get back on her feet. The offer of a ride was surprising but she wasn't about to complain. Biting her lip to hold back a groan, she pulled herself to her feet and wrapped her arms around his shoulders. As his hands slid beneath her legs for a moment she was reminded of Inuyasha and the way he used to carry her. It had taken her a long time to come to grips with the fact he no longer knew she existed but she still carried the hope that eventually they'd find a way to undo what King Enma had done.

It was difficult to manage the extra weight but it wasn't long before he grew accustomed to carrying her in such a fashion. Had she been any taller he doubted that he would have been able to do it, at least not without slinging her over his shoulder or some other method that was guaranteed to offend. The only drawback to this method was the way she was pressed up against him, her body molding itself to his. Strongly reprimanding his body to behave itself, he tried to ignore the feel of her breasts pressing up against his back.

“Stop squirming!” With the way Kagome was rubbing up against him it was slowly wearing away at his concentration and he nearly breathed a sigh of relief as she immediately went still. With luck she would believe it was because it unsettled his balance as he ran instead of the tent that was beginning to form in his pants. Somehow he doubted she would appreciate knowing just where his thoughts were trying to run every time she brushed her center against his back.

Kagome tried to remain as still as possible while he ran but every time he leapt over a fallen tree or stream it made it increasingly difficult. Normally she would have snapped at him for taking such a tone with her but she stopped herself just in time. He was the one doing all the work now and he could easily drop her on her ass while telling her to run on her own. As his hands slid higher up her thighs in order to get a better grip she inhaled sharply. She could feel the warmth of his hands, even through the heavy black material.'It's just adrenaline, nothing more. It happens when in risky situations!' Unfortunately while she knew that was true in a lot of cases, she'd often wondered what it would feel like to have him touch her like he was now but going even further.

'Not much longer now, then we'll be safe.' It was a good try in redirecting the way her thoughts were going, Kagome was almost half certain he knew just the way he was causing her to feel as he sniffed the air experimentally a few times. One way or another she had to get her thoughts out of the gutter! It seemed like it had taken forever but eventually the flat ground had given way to rolling hills and she could feel the near constant incline that Hiei was running against.

His body was in agony, there was no two ways about it. If it wasn't for the way his groin tightened when he smelled her arousal it was the way his legs were beginning to feel like dead weight and his arms were feeling the strain of being held in one position for so long. If it hadn't been for the fact that they were so close now, Hiei would have forced her to walk again just to give himself a reprieve.

While the maps had been fairly detailed about the mountain range and it's elevations, no further detail had been listed such as where caves were hidden. In a way he was thankful for that, it meant that should they come looking this way it would be more difficult to find them. Trees surrounded them on all sides as they made their way up the mountain, the lush undergrowth making it difficult to distinguish where a cave might be hidden.

As tempting as it was to use the Jagan, he didn't want to possibly give their location away. Instead Hiei paid attention to the smallest details, a shadow that looked a bit off or a depression in which certain types of plants grew. Seeing a likely prospect he set Kagome on her feet, making she she was able to walk on her own before moving away. “Stay close.”

Watching as he pulled his katana, Kagome stayed nearby as he approached a darkened area. Plants grew all along the opening, signaling that it hadn't been used in quite some time. As the apparition pushed the leafy plants out of the way Kagome stayed just outside of the entrance as he went inside. Just because it appeared unused did not mean that there might not be another entrance into the chamber. She didn't come all this way to be eaten by a bear should they disturb ones slumber.

Carefully Hiei examined his surroundings for any signs of occupancy. A few old bones lay scattered on the floor, large teethmarks indicating some large animal had once used the cave. However all the signs were old and it was unlikely that it would return. Moving further into the cave he discovered a second chamber which had several cracks in the ceiling for ventilation. A larger crevasse was located near the roof which upon closer inspection revealed a third room, though to reach it he needed to crawl through the tight space. It was a perfect place to hide should someone stumble upon the cave.

Returning to the entrance he beckoned Kagome inside. It wasn't exactly the most comfortable of surroundings but it would do. Once he had procured some animal skins sleeping quarters could be made. He watched as she explored the two rooms, carefully waiting for her reaction. Whether she liked it or not, they weren't likely to find much better.

Kagome was slightly surprised by how spacious it was inside. The entrance way did not give any indication of the interior being quite so large. Of course, it wasn't a five star hotel but it beat being killed because of the jewel any day of the week. Smiling she turned towards the apparition, realization finally dawning on her. “We made it!”

While Hiei had been expecting some sort of reaction out of the girl, he hadn't been expecting her to launch herself at him. All of his previous aches disappeared at that moment as she wrapped her arms around his waist and pressed her lips to his. Crimson eyes widened in surprise feeling her pressed up against him so firmly.

As if only just now realizing what she had been doing, Kagome started to pull back with a blush firmly painted on her face. She couldn't believe she had just done that, what had possessed her to kiss him. “I'm sorry Hiei I shouldn't have done that.”

Feeling her start to withdraw, Hiei tightened his arms around her and pulled her back in closer. He didn't give a damn if she thought she should have or not, the girl had been driving him insane with need ever since he had picked her up and he wasn't about to let her become the shy maiden once more. He'd smelt her arousal earlier just as it was beginning to spike again when he refused to let her go. Not giving Kagome a chance to protest he sealed their lips together once more, taking the opportunity to back her up against the wall.

Kagome melted as his tongue slipped into her mouth, unsure of just what came over him but not minding in the least. The few kisses she'd shared before this with Inuyasha couldn't begin to compare. Those had been soft and sweet, these on the other hand were hot and demanding, full of passion as he relentlessly explored her mouth.

Without breaking the kiss, Hiei brought his hand up to the clasp in his cloak and yanked it free. Without looking he flung it to the ground, spreading it out as a makeshift bed. While taking her hard and fast against the wall was appealing, since it was her first time he knew he would have to be gentle with her.

Once the offending material was gone, Kagome allowed her hands to explore his toned chest. There was no doubt in her mind what was about to happen, the hard length pressing so insistently against her thigh was proof of that. Ever so slowly she rubbed her leg against that throbbing member, teasing him even as his own hands began to slide beneath her shirt.

If there had been any hesitation on his part, they flew away as she touched him so intimately. The girl wanted this just as badly as he did and who was he to deny himself in the pleasure of her body? When her fingers slid over one of his nipples, tugging it lightly he growled and tightened his grip on her. Moments later he had her pinned to the floor on top of his cloak, her expression one of surprise and desire. Giving her a feral grin he leaned forward to whisper in her ear. “Before this morning is through I'm going to have you screaming my name, begging me to fuck you.”

“You think so huh?” Kagome grinned wickedly at him, if he wanted to play she could return the favor in kind. As she waited for his answer her hands made their way down his body, skimming lightly over his stomach before slipping beneath the waistband of his pants. As his cock slid into her hand, she squeezed it gently pulling a groan from him as he thrust against her. There was no doubt who was in control of the situation as she continued to stroke him slowly.

If only she knew how she was playing with fire teasing him like that. She'd pay for this little show of dominance later, once he was certain he wouldn't hurt her. As it were he was tempted to tear the clothes off of her and prove just who the alpha was but he managed to retain some of his control and instead pulled her hand out of his pants. As enjoyable as he found the attention she was wearing entirely too many clothes and the situation needed rectified.

Kagome nearly asked if she had done something wrong when he stopped her, but the question died as his hands sought the edge of her shirt and began pushing it up. Moving to help him, she extended her arms above her head, shivering as the cooler air hit her bared skin. The bra was the next to go, the clasp falling open easily with a flick of his fingers.

Eager to taste her, Hiei leaned forward and ran his tongue over a taut nipple. Feeling her arch up, silently demanding more he took the hardened peak into his mouth and swirled his tongue over it even as one hand began working on her pants. As her hands tangled into his hair he moved to the other nipple, nipping it gently and drawing a gasp from the girl. Smirking against her flesh he repeated the action before bathing it with his tongue. It would seem his little miko enjoyed a bit of pain with her pleasure.

“Hiei.....” Kagome groaned as he suckled on her breast, she needed to feel more of him. The desire coursing through her had become insistent and demanding as he continued to tease her relentlessly. Suddenly he pulled back, his eyes darkened to almost black as he stared at her half nude form. She waited breathlessly to see what he planned to do before his hands were back, caressing every sensitive area of her stomach before gripping the waistband of her pants and slowly working them down her hips.

Seeing her bared to his view, the only piece of material left being her flimsy white panties Hiei began to work on his own pants. Standing up over her, his hand fell to the red sash that held them closed and pulled it apart easily. Black fabric pooled to the floor and the apparition stepped out of them, his erection standing proudly away from his body.

Kagome's eyes lingered over him appreciatively, only slightly intimidated by his size. While she knew it was likely to be painful at first, she couldn't deny that she wanted to feel him bury his throbbing length deep within her.

Kneeling down between her legs once more his fingers slid over her dripping folds, coating them with her wetness. He chuckled when she spread her legs wider in a wordless plea for more. Wanting to torment her for a while longer, his thumb brushed up against her jewel and rubbed slowly. Her body trembled in anticipation, craving even more of his touch and he felt his control beginning to slip as she moved her hips trying to increase the pressure.

Just as Kagome thought he was going to push her over the edge his fingers withdrew slightly, sliding down and teasing her entrance. “Please...” The word fell from her lips as even her body begged for more. In answer to plea a single finger slipped passed her barrier and began thrusting slowly.

As Hiei felt her body begin tightening around his finger he settled himself between her legs. Never stopping in the slow thrusting, his tongue sought her clit out and brushed against it. Her reaction was instantaneous, her back arching as her hips began to move against him. Sucking her jewel into his mouth, he nibbled it gently before attacking it ruthlessly with his tongue.

“Oh God!” Her voice echoed off of the stone walls as pleasure overwhelmed her. Trembling from the sheer force of her orgasm, she moaned as he continued to lap at her folds, eagerly devouring her juices. Only when she whimpered from sensual overload did he pull away completely and cleaned his fingers of her nectar.

Positioning himself at her entrance, Hiei rubbed the head of his cock up and down her center. “Tell me you want me.” It was not a request, his voice was sharp and commanding as he continued to tease her. Heavily lidded blue eyes opened to meet his own piercing stare. His body ached to be inside her but he wouldn't, not until she begged him for it.

Kagome bit her lip even as her body continued to tremble with excitement. His slow, torturous movements were sure to drive her insane yet she didn't want to beg for it. Pushing against that hard length, she tried to coerce him to move without her saying a word however she should have known better. He was nothing if not persistent.

“You know what I want. Give it to me.” His voice turned seductive as he pulled back slowly, denying her of the feel of his cock against her. His hand wrapped around it, slowly pulling while she watched his every movement. Hiei knew she was lost when she licked her lips as his thumb ran over the head of his aching length.

She moved then, her hand reaching forward and joining his in touching his cock. His body jerked as her fingers brushed over the sensitive skin. “I need you Hiei. Please.” Slowly she pulled back even as he moved forward, settling himself over her body. Warm lips sought hers even as he positioned his length at her entrance and began to force his way past her barrier.

The resistance was minimal when he felt her hymen break though it was still a fight to bury himself deep inside of her. A whimper escaped her and he immediately stilled and released her lips. “It will pass.”

It didn't hurt, quite the contrary she was enjoying every second of having him inside of her. “Don't stop.” Kagome panted as she wrapped her legs around his waist, pulling him in deeper. Her hands roamed his back, feeling every muscle ripple as he moved against her.

One hand fisted in her hair and Hiei brought their lips together once more. Tongues slid against each other as their bodies strove to drive each other over the edge. She was so tight around him, pulling him in deeper with every stroke and he couldn't help but move faster against her. Thrusting hard, he knew she was about to go over the edge when her nails raked across his back. Feeling her walls beginning to pulse, he slid an arm underneath her waist, changing the angle of penetration.

Kagome cried out as she came, his cock brushing up against a sensitive spot and driving her over the edge. Her lover's movements became more frantic as he moved within her, his hard length throbbing with each thrust. Suddenly he tensed and a searing warmth spread through her as he emptied his seed deep within her body. She clung to him as he remained pressed tightly against her, seeking to drive himself deeper into her warm depths. Slowly though he relaxed and rolled them both over to their sides, never pulling free from her body.

~*~

Kagome stared over the fire at Hiei as he sharpened his sword. Winter was fast approaching and they only had a limited amount of time before all of the game disappeared. Snuggling further down into the furs he had provided, she contemplated inviting him to join her once more. She'd been surprised at how easily they had fallen into a routine but she wasn't about to complain. For the most part they had nothing to worry about except for a food supply through the winter.

Of course, there had been a couple of close calls when searches had made their way past the cave but the entrance was well hidden for as long as the greenery held out. Eventually though it seemed as if the SDF had directed their attention elsewhere and with luck they wouldn't return.

Looking up from his task, Hiei's eyes softened as he looked at her. It was strange how he had truly managed to find peace, never had he expected it to be with Kagome of all people. The others would probably laugh at him if they could see him now, perhaps it was a good thing their location remained a mystery. He was certain once he'd felt the kitsune's aura in the immediate area but he had never made an appearance. If there was one demon guaranteed to be able to find him Kurama was the one. Perhaps Koenma had told him of what had happened and he was doing his part to ensure they weren't found. He'd have to remember to thank him if he ever got the chance again.

Yukina was the one he really missed however, but he knew she was safe. One of the few times he had chanced using the jagan he had discovered she had returned to the Koorime island, more than likely to bear her first offspring. Her time to reproduce was fast approaching and she needed to be in the frigid environment she had been born to. Thinking about being an Uncle made his thoughts wander back to the girl who was watching him so intently. Would she ever bear children? Neither of them had the power to prevent it happening unless they wanted to give up their addiction to each other's bodies which was something he just couldn't see happening. Shaking off these thoughts he stood, it was best not to contemplate such things until it came to pass. “There is a herd of deer in the meadow half a miles walk from here. I will return shortly, don't leave the cave. If someone approaches, you know what to do.”

Nodding slowly, Kagome pulled herself to her feet and allowed the hide to drop from her shoulders. More than once Hiei had drilled her on getting to safety, the small chamber in the second room was the only spot where she knew she had a chance of being safe. To that end they had moved fairly large rocks into it, a means of barring the entrance should she have enough warning that someone was near. “I know. Be careful out there.” Slowly she pressed her lips to his but pulled back before he could deepen it. More than one days hunting had been ruined because she had distracted him. At this rate they'd starve to death.

Knowing he had a job to do, Hiei didn't pursue her any further. Instead he secured his cloak about his shoulders and flitted through the cave entrance. With luck it would only take him an hour or so to hunt and clean his kills. Then began the tedious task of drying the meat, thankfully Kagome had picked up on how to do it properly on her trips to the Feudal era. He reached the meadow quickly enough but cursed as he saw it was empty, sometime in the morning the animals had moved off.

It wasn't a huge setback though, Hiei was more than skilled enough to track a herd of deer. Searching for the hoof prints he quickly determined a direction and set off after them believing they wouldn't be far away. About two miles later he was begging to regret thinking it would be so easy. Something had startled them into running and it had taken a while for them to settle down.

Seeing movement in the distance he unsheathed his katana, preparing to go in and cull the herd. However the vague feeling of wrongness settled within him and caused him to pause. Years of fighting for his survival had taught him to never ignore his gut instinct and right now it was screaming at him. Turning quickly he disappeared from view, determined to get back to the cave.

Kagome stirred from her nap, hearing the sounds of footsteps entering the cave. “Hiei? That was quick, were they gone?” However the expected answer never came, just the sounds of footsteps coming closer. Bolting upright Kagome saw the shadowy figure of a man, someone who was definitely not her apparition. Scrambling to her feet she ran towards the second chamber hoping to make it to safety when an energy blast hit her in the back, stunning her.

Weakly she pushed herself back to her feet but by then it was too late. The man was on her in an instant, his hand fisting in her hair and pulling her off balance. “Don't struggle, you are under arrest by the order of the might King Enma.” Her blood froze hearing his words, there was no way she could stop him from taking her. With Hiei gone she was virtually defenseless.

A cry escaped her lips as her arm was twisted behind her back and she was roughly propelled forward out into the daylight. Any hope she had of escaping disappeared when she saw fifteen officers standing before her, all wearing the uniform of King Enma's elite force. 'Hiei... help me.'

As if the Gods had answered her prayers a black blur appeared in their midst. Sharpened steel sliced through the nearest guard before they even realized he was upon them. A second fell to his blade even as they turned to meet his attacks. He barely glanced at Kagome even when she was thrown to the ground. He knew that even a moment distraction with these fools would mean the death of both of them.

Kagome watched in horror as the man who had struck her fired a blast at Hiei as his back was turned. The apparition barely moved in time, the fiery energy catching a glancing blow off of his shoulder. Without caring about her own safety she launched herself at the man who had tried to kill him, trusting in Hiei to take care of the rest.

A sharp crack echoed through the area as the commander backhanded the girl, snapping her head to the side before driving the priestess to her knees. Their orders had been bring the girl in by any means necessary and he wasn't about to let her get away with attacking him. As he advanced towards her a sword erupted through his chest, ending his life instantly.

Jumping back into the fray Hiei battled on, determined to take them out. It was down to ten now, still terrible odds considering how powerful they were even as individuals. Desperation gripped him as one began chanting a binding spell, one he'd be lucky if he could overpower. Knowing that his options were running out he quickly stripped the wards off of his arm, preparing to summon his most dangerous attack.

It was risky calling the dragon with Kagome so close but he had no other choice. His aura spiked even higher as the Darkness Flame began to surround him. “Dragon of the Darkness Flame!” Calling the beast from the pits of hell took all his concentration but it was with satisfaction he knew that his enemies were about to die. However that satisfaction turned to horror as the creature turned its head, staring inquisitively at the girl Hiei was trying to protect. With a deafening roar it surged forward, slamming into Kagome and driving her to her knees once more.

Kagome screamed as the beast hit her head on, the flames surrounding her in a whirling vortex of energy. Massive jaws clamped onto her side, teeth piercing the skin causing hot blood to course down her leg. Closing her eyes in agony, Kagome prayed for it all to end quickly instead of lingering in the hell she had found herself in.

Violently Hiei used every ounce of energy to pull the dragon back only to find it refused to obey his call. His lover's screams echoed through the clearing as the fire bathed her in its eerie light yet refused to consume her. “Kagome!” His voice was filled with pain as he watched it rip into her body and begin to take on a strange violet glow. As quickly as it had attacked her the dragon pulled back, the flames around her dying out as she slumped to the ground unconscious.

Turning eerie glowing eyes on its spectators, the dragon regarded them each with deadly intent. The Shikon had called to it, whispered sweet promises of more freedom for a small price.... and it had accepted. No longer would it be bound to the pits of hell, nor forced to ride upon the fire apparition's arm. No longer was it under anyones control, save the small girl on the ground and even that was limited. The price of that freedom was protection, the Shikon grew tired of the threat to its Guardian and sought out the one being who would be virtually unstoppable. Combined with its own infinite power, no one would ever touch the Priestess again.

Viciously it tore at the SDF members, hunting each one down as they tried to escape. Those foolish enough to run died first, incinerated in mere instants. Those who tried to fight were devoured, their power being absorbed into the jewel and fueling the dragon's rage. Only when it turned to the Apparition that once controlled it did it pause. 'That one is her chosen, another protector.'

It wished to rend Hiei limb from limb for caging it as he had but the Shikon would not allow it. Roaring its fury at being thwarted it turned, surging to the peak of the mountain and proclaiming its territory. Any who dared enter did so knowing they sought death and the dragon would welcome them gladly.

Hiei watched the beast go, uncertain of what just happened. As he scanned Kagome with the Jagan's energy he realized that she was no longer in possession of the artifact. Turning wide eyes to the beast who glared down at him, he realized what the jewel had done. Shaking his head, Hiei knew that this would change everything. Would Kagome still need to be in contact with the Shikon to keep it purified? He wasn't certain but he could pick up the beasts chaotic thoughts and realized just what they had gained. Even Enma wouldn't dare challenge them now, however this did present complications. Returning to the Ningenkai was not a possibility with the creature unrestrained and he would not subject Kagome to the Makai. Perhaps staying here would be for the best, they would need to discuss it.

But first she needed tending to, picking her up gently Hiei carried her back in the cave. Laying her down slowly on the furs he was careful of the injury she had sustained in the fight. As she opened her eyes to stare at him in confusion, he rested his hand on her pale cheek in a soothing gesture. While he had much to explain to her, for once he knew everything would be alright. “It's over Kagome, it's finally over.”