Yu Yu Hakusho Fan Fiction / InuYasha Fan Fiction ❯ Paradox ❯ Release ( Chapter 14 )

Rating: NC-17

Disclaimer:
I don't own either
Inuyasha or YuuYuu;
Somebody else does.

Warning: This chapter contains graphic sexual content. If you are underage or are uncomfortable with graphic sexual content, please read the R-rated version on fanfiction.net under the same title and author.

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Chapter 14: Release

"Why weren't you keeping an eye on them?" Inuyasha shouted at Yuusuke.

"Me? You're the one who said Kagome was big enough to make her own decisions!"

"Obviously I was wrong! What the hell happened to them?" Inuyasha asked no on in particular.

Kurama, who had been kneeling at the spot where he'd last seen Kagome and Sango, stood and turned to Inuyasha. "I'm not picking up any strange scents. From the look of it, they left of their own accord."

"Dammit!" Inuyasha swore. "What the fuck where they thinking?"

"They were probably worried about Hiei and Kouga. They have been gone for a while now," Kurabara pointed out.

"So what? Those two are going to go rescue them?" Yuusuke asked incredulously.

"They were probably worried that something had happened with the human boy we're tracking," said Miroku.

"I'm going after them," said Inuyasha. Yuusuke grabbed his arm and pulled him back.

"We're not going anywhere," he said firmly. "They took Kirara with them. I'm sure they'll meet up with Hiei and Kouga in town. If we follow after them, we'll only attract attention and put them in more danger."

"So we're just supposed to wait for them?" Inuyasha asked.

"Yes," said Yuusuke. "We'll wait until Hiei and Kouga come back. If the girls aren't with them, then we'll know something's wrong."

"Something's wrong with who?" Everyone turned to look at Kouga, who was standing next to Hiei at the edge of camp. Kouga had a large, cloth-wrapped bundle slung over his shoulder.

"Where are Kagome and Sango?" Inuyasha asked.

Kouga frowned. "We left them here with you, mutt-face."

"You mean they didn't find you in the village?" Miroku asked.

"No," said Kouga, gently setting the bundle on the ground. "We weren't in the tavern. Fucking snake youkai knew Hiei was with Reikai and thought he could ambush us at the far end of town. It took us an hour to 'persuade' him to tell us where the human boy was."

"Is it Kohaku?" asked Kurabara.

Miroku knelt down and examined the unconscious boy. "No, I'm afraid it's not. But he's going to need a healer, and soon."

"Bastard was traveling from town to town, selling the kid's blood. It's a wonder he's still alive," said Kouga.

"I'll contact Botan and send the kid to Ningenkai to recover," said Yuusuke, pulling a communicator out of his pocket.

"What the hell are we all standing around for?" yelled Inuyasha. "In case you've all forgotten, Kagome and Sango are in a town full of youkai!"

"Shit," said Kouga. "Hiei and I will go after them."

*****************************************

The clamor in the tavern died down the moment two females walked in the front door. Sango and Kagome could see eight or nine youkai seated at the bar, in addition to the bartender. Hiei and Kouga were nowhere in sight.

The bartender quickly overcame his shock at seeing females in his establishment and grinned widely. "Can I help you ladies with something?"

"We are seeking our companions, a wolf and a fire apparition," said Kagome as she watched the bar's disreputable-looking patrons warily. "Have they been here tonight?"

The girls immediately regretted walking so far into the room when a couple of the youkai circled around behind them. The bartender shook his head.

"No strangers here tonight," he said.

"It's a shame that they left such beautiful ladies all alone and defenseless," said one of the patrons as he stalked up to them. Sango and Kagome both slid their hands under their clothing to the hilt of their swords.

"We must be on our way," said Sango. "I'm sure our companions are--" She turned toward the door, but found two youkai blocking her way.

"Won't you stay for a bit and enjoy our hospitality?" asked one, a hulking beast with orange hair and blue skin. "Barkeep has a special vintage tonight."

"That's right," said another. "It's not everyday you get a chance to drink human blood."

Sango and Kagome immediately stopped in their tracks. "Human blood?" Kagome asked, her eyes narrowing. "Male or female?"

"Male, but it was young." One of the youkai held a cup of dark, viscous liquid out to her. "Come on, our treat!"

At that moment, something inside Kagome snapped. In the blink of an eye, she drew her sword, and before the youkai could react, she buried the blade to the hilt in his chest. He looked down in shock before the cup dropped to the floor. Kagome stood frozen in shock at her own actions for a split second, until the youkai slid off the blade of her katana and slumped to the floor, dead.

"Fucking shit!" the blue-skinned youkai shouted. Sango drew her wakizashi and stood back to back with Kagome, while Kirara jumped to the floor and transformed in a flash of flame.

"Got a plan?" Kagome asked as the remaining youkai in the tavern circled around them.

"Nope. Just kill the lot of them."

Kagome grinned in an effort to hide her nervousness. "If you say so."

One of the youkai lunged forward with his katana, but Kirara easily batted him away with her tails. Kagome ducked just in time to dodge a swipe of claws and lashed out with her sword, but the youkai blocked with the sai in his other hand. A flash of steel to the right caught her attention, and Kagome flung the weight of her body behind her wakizashi, sending the sai-wielding youkai crashing into the blade of her second attacker. Unfortunately, the distraction left her wide open to a hard, straight punch to the face, courtesy of the bartender.

The girls quickly became separated as they were attacked by multiple opponents. Sango and Kagome held their own, but the youkai had the advantage of numbers. Kirara was doing the most damage, quickly eviscerating two of the attackers with a single swipe of her claws and an enraged yowl. One of the youkai who was lurking toward the back of the room decided to put a stop to that. He stepped forward and raised his hands, and Sango shouted in alarm.

"Kirara, watch out! He's--" Her warning came too late as the amphibious youkai shot a stream of poison out at the firecat, dousing her flames and reversing her transformation.

With Kirara out of the way, the youkai attacked with renewed vigor. Sango ducked around a feathered bird youkai and punched him in the neck. The youkai screamed as he felt the sting of the blade once concealed in her sleeve. She whirled on another attacker, blocking the knife aimed at her chest and following through with a sharp knee to the groin.

Two of the youkai had Kagome cornered with her back against the bar. She jumped up onto the table to avoid what would have been a painful sidekick, and managed to nick the youkai's shoulder with her wakizashi. The second youkai grabbed a large bottle and smashed it over a chair. Kagome was distracted by a poorly aimed throwing knife, so she was caught by surprise when the youkai jammed the broken glass into her thigh.

At the sight of her own blood, the last of Kagome's self-control shattered. She kicked out at the youkai's head viciously, knocking him to the floor. Heedless of the danger from the other attackers, she jumped down to the floor and dropped to her knees, beating the dazed youkai to a bloody pulp with her bare fists.

"Kagome, snap out of it!" Sango shouted as she blocked a katana aimed at her friend's back. Kagome was too far gone to hear her, too caught up in the thrill that each punch to the youkai's face sent down her spine. He was slumped against a chair, unresponsive, but Kagome continued to pummel him, reveling in the sensation of her fists striking the pulpy mass that used to be his face. Something in the back of her mind whispered that this was all wrong, but Kagome was in no mood to listen. It was an odd turn of luck that the pub was already filled with the scent of the human boy's blood, drowning out the smell of Kagome's.

Sango was left to take on the four remaining youkai by herself. They would normally have been no match for the taijiya, but exhaustion from the day's journey was taking its toll on Sango. She raised her wakizashi to block a katana, and could only stare in horror as the blue-skinned youkai spun to kick her in the head...

...and howled as a streak of shining steel severed his leg at the hip. Sango looked up in a daze to see Hiei and Kouga. "Oh, thank the gods," she said.

"What the hell happened to Kagome?" Kouga asked as he blocked a punch. He glanced back and was alarmed to see a tiny tendril of smoke rising from the back of the miko's neck. The youkai who was attacking Kouga suddenly stopped and sniffed the air suspiciously.

"Ah, shit! She's burning through the ofuda! Hiei, get her the hell out of here now!"

Hiei didn't think twice before he heaved Kagome up over his shoulder. She barely had the presence of mind to latch onto her sword before Hiei sped out of the tavern, leaving Kouga and Sango to handle the remaining youkai for themselves.

Now that the odds were evened up a bit and Kagome was out of danger, Sango quickly dispatched two of her opponents, disemboweling the first with a slice from the groin to the chest and severing the bird youkai's head from his neck. Kouga took out the remaining youkai with a well-aimed kick that shattered his spine.

"We'd better get out of here," Sango said as she scooped up Kirara from the tavern floor. Kouga lunged toward the door, but stopped in his tracks and sniffed. He bent down and picked up a broken bottle from the floor.

"Kagome's blood," he said with a frown. "This isn't good."

"What do you mean? It was just a flesh wound," said Sango.

Kouga lifted the bottle to his nose and inhaled deeply. "Youkai liqueur. It's drugged. There's no telling what effect this will have on Kagome."

Sango shook her head. "I think we just saw the effect," she said, recalling Kagome's sudden bloodlust. She hoped the worst of it was over.

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Hiei ignored Kagome's demands to put her down and let her finish what she'd started, until she began trying to twist out of his grip.

'Calm yourself,' he said. 'You are not in your right mind.'

Her wordless snarl in reply disturbed him. He had to find her an outlet for the rage before it consumed her, and quite possibly purified him. Her scent was growing stronger as she continued to burn through the ofuda. Hiei could feel the Jagan lapping at the edge of her mind, eagerly seeking out the increasing level of ki. Damnit. Now is not the time.

He ran down a forest path in the opposite direction of the camp, skidding to a stop when he finally sensed what he had been looking for. He hastily dropped Kagome on the ground, leaping back as she snapped at him. 'Whoa.'

"Who the hell do you think you are, dragging me out of--"

'Wait.' Kagome stopped at the commanding tone in his voice. Suddenly, she felt the ground beneath her feet begin to shake, and she jumped to the side when a gargantuan centipede youkai burst up through the forest floor, and she understood.

Finally. The devilish smile that spread across Kagome's face would have sent any sentient being fleeing for his life, but the centipede was too simple-minded to grasp the threat that she presented. She quickly slipped out of her yukata and leveled her sword at the youkai.

Hiei watched with growing pride as Kagome lashed out viciously at the centipede. She had burned the ofuda off of her skin completely, but she wasn't sending her powers into the wakizashi. No, she was taking her time with the kill, alternately stabbing and slicing but carefully avoiding all the major organs.

But after ten minutes in which Kagome completely disabled and blinded the centipede, Hiei was actually starting to pity the poor beast.

'Finish it.'

Kagome chose to ignore him, and instead walked casually down the length of the youkai, jabbing her sword in between the exoskeletal plates as she went. Hiei frowned. Taking pleasure in killing was one thing, but Kagome was enjoying the centipede's pain far too much. It wasn't like her.

Deciding that the torture had gone on long enough, Hiei stepped up to the youkai and stabbed it between the eyes with his katana, burying the blade up to the hilt and finally ending its misery. Sensing that her prey had been killed, Kagome whirled on Hiei, her eyes blazing in anger.

"You dare to take what is rightfully--"

Hiei growled and grabbed her by the waist. His only intention was to shut her up, but somehow the kiss turned into something more. Kagome dropped her wakizashi and wrapped her arms around him, hungrily delving her tongue into his mouth.

Kagome felt the blinding rage completely dissipate, only to be replaced by another primal need. She could feel her heart pounding impossibly fast in her chest, a moist heat pooling between her legs. As she tilted her head to the side, deepening the kiss even more, a tiny voice in the back of Kagome's mind again whispered that something was wrong. It took all of her willpower to wrench herself away from Hiei.

"Hiei...what's wrong with me?" Her whisper was plaintive, desperate. Hiei was alarmed to see that her pupils were dilated, very nearly drowning out the crimson irises completely.

'You've been drugged,' he replied. Hiei couldn't quite squash the feeling of disappointment that arose when he realized that her need for him was fueled by outside forces.

"Please, I need...If I don't...I feel like I'm burning up." Kagome couldn't find the words to express what she was feeling, the intense drive that drowned out every coherent thought and turned her world upside down.

Hiei, on the other hand, knew exactly what she needed, and while his instincts were screaming at him to take her then and there, to give her what she was begging for, his conscience wouldn't allow him to take advantage of her in this state.

But he couldn't just leave her like this. He pulled her against him again and forced her legs apart with his knee. Kagome instinctively rubbed herself against his leg, shuddering when the electric tingle at her center flared into a full-out burn. She moaned, digging her nails into the flesh of his back. The burn became more intense as she pressed harder, condensing into a single point, but the release she sought so desperately would not come.

At Kagome's frustrated cry, Hiei shoved her to the ground. She propped herself up on her elbows, glaring at him for all she was worth. He simply smirked at her and dropped to his knees, straddling her waist. He didn't waste time with the buttons of the catsuit, choosing instead to violently rip the top open. Kagome didn't protest as the buttons popped off and scattered into the grass; she was too busy trying to wriggle her way out of the constricting material.

Hiei stopped her before she could pull the catsuit past her waist. He was having a hard enough time controlling himself, and if she was naked and writhing in his lap, he'd be sure to do something she might regret. He settled back against a tree trunk and pulled the panting girl against him, so that she rested between his legs, her back to his chest. He slid his hand down past her waistline, beneath the fabric, and slipped a finger into her moist folds. He sought out the spot that would make the breath catch in her throat, and when she bit down on her lower lip and groaned, he knew he'd found it.

Kagome's world was slowly tilting as she gripped Hiei's arm with both hands, willing him to press harder, move faster, bring her to completion. She dug her feet into the earth and shoved herself back against him, and when she felt his arousal press against her backside, the first wave of pleasure overtook her so suddenly that her head snapped back in a soundless scream. As the intensity of the orgasm faded, Kagome curled up around herself, seeking to prolong the sensation of pure ecstasy that left her shaken to the core.

Hiei was shocked when Kagome twisted around in his lap to face him, that far-off look still haunting her eyes as she pleaded, "More." She straddled his hips as Hiei dipped a single finger into her. Impossibly, he felt himself harden even further as she tightened around his finger like a velvet fist. Biting back a groan of frustration, Hiei rubbed his thumb over the tiny pearl of nerves as he pumped his finger into her, the corners of his lips quirking up in a smirk when she shuddered from the intensity of the second orgasm, panting hard against his neck. In the back of his mind, he puzzled over the strange new experience of bringing such pleasure to another being. His own body cried out for release, and when the girl in his arms moved against his hand again, he closed his eyes and sighed heavily.

It was going to be a long night.

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Earlier, back at the camp...

Miroku had finally had enough. "Inuyasha, if you don't stop that pacing, I'm going to see to it that we 'lose' the rest of the ramen."

"Keh!" Inuyasha jumped to the highest tree branch he could find and proceeded to glare at each of the figures below in turn.

Miroku leaned back against a boulder. "I'm just as worried about Sango and Kagome as you are, Inuyasha, but your nervousness is driving the rest of us crazy. We just have to wait for Kouga and Hiei to come back with them."

"Yeah, I'm sure Hiei and that wolf guy will save the girls," added Kurabara.

"I do have a name, you know." Inuyasha dropped to the ground at the sound of Kouga's voice.

"Where's Kagome?" He sniffed the air and growled. "And why do I smell her blood?"

"I'm fine. Thanks for asking," said Sango, who was cradling a strained left wrist.

"Hiei took Kagome away from the fight," said Kouga. "They haven't come back?"

"Idiot," grumbled Inuyasha. "Why else would I ask?"

Kouga ignored him and tossed a broken bottle to Kurama. "What was in the bottle?" Kouga asked.

Kurama lifted the bottle to his nose and sniffed, frowning at the pungent aroma. "It's a tincture of about half a dozen Makai herbal extracts in alcohol. Kagome was injured with this?"

Sango nodded. "One of the youkai in the tavern stabbed her in the leg with it."

"And what kind of an effect would it have on a human?" asked Kouga.

"The resulting liqueur is a potent neurostimulant, initiating increased levels of dopamine and the release of adrenaline. Tell me, was Kagome acting unusually aggressive?"

Kouga snorted. "That's an understatement. The youkai she was wailing on was dead before we got there. She was burning through the ofuda, too. That's why I had Hiei get her out of there."

"Then where did they go?" asked Yuusuke. "If Kagome's burned through the ofuda, she could be in trouble."

"I'm certain Hiei will allow no harm to come to her," said Kurama. "Perhaps he took her somewhere so she could work off that extra aggression."

"Fuck that," said Inuyasha. "I'm going after her." Before anyone could protest, the hanyou was gone.

Yuusuke shook his head. "The rest of us will wait here for them to return. It's bad enough that we're split up this much already."

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Hiei shifted the sleeping girl in his arms and frowned. The wound on her leg needed treatment soon. The bleeding had stopped, but it still needed to be cleaned and bandaged. Dawn's light was starting to illuminate the forest; he could only guess at how long they'd been away from camp. The others were probably searching for them.

He couldn't allow Kagome to be seen in her current state of dress. The catsuit was still pulled down around her waist, and whatever she'd been stabbed with had shredded the material on her left thigh, as well as the yukata. Both would need to be repaired and washed to clean out the smell of human blood. For that matter, the girl needed a bath as well before the ofuda could be reapplied to mask her human scent and ki.

Shifting Kagome so that she laid over his shoulder, Hiei stood and walked over to the discarded yukata and the wakizashi. He carefully wrapped the cloth around the sword, wincing when he accidentally touched the blade and was punished with an angry blue spark. He took to the trees and headed back to the camp.

Hiei stopped while he was still out of view of the camp and gently laid Kagome's sleeping form in one of the branches. When he was satisfied that she was comfortable, he contacted Kurama.

'Fox.'

Kurama awoke from a light doze when he heard Hiei's voice. 'Hiei? Where are you? Is Kagome all right?'

'The girl is fine. Retrieve my robe. Bring Kagome's pack and one of the monk's ofuda as well. Follow the path east and leave them under the large maple tree.'

'Hiei? You didn't-'

'Just bring the items I requested. I don't have time for this.'

Kouga raised an eyebrow as Kurama rifled through Miroku's backpack, but thankfully, everyone else was asleep. He found the ofuda in Miroku's pack, and threw Kagome's pack over his shoulder. Just when he was ready to head down the path to where Hiei was waiting, Sango called out to him.

"Kurama?" she asked, rubbing her eyes. "Is Kagome back yet?" She gently laid a sleeping Kirara on the ground next to her and stood up.

"I believe she and Hiei are just east of here, down the path. Hiei contacted me and asked that I bring his clothes, Kagome's pack, and one of the ofuda."

"I'll take them," said Sango, yanking said items from Kurama's hands. "Where are they?"

"Hiei wanted me to leave them at a large maple tree on the path. I really don't mind--"

"I don't care," snapped Sango. She turned on her heel and walked into the forest. She didn't care how close Kagome and this youkai were; Sango wasn't about to leave her injured friend alone in his company any longer.

When she reached the large maple tree, Sango stopped and waited. After a minute passed and Kagome failed to appear, Sango's impatience finally won out.

"Kagome!" she yelled. "I've got your stuff here!"

Without warning, Hiei dropped from the tree and landed right in front of Sango. He narrowed his eyes at her. "The fox was supposed to leave the items I requested here."

"Where's Kagome?" Sango asked, ignoring the youkai's angry glare.

"She is sleeping. Leave the things here, and I will take care of her."

"Absolutely not," said Sango, clutching the bundle to her chest. "I want to see Kagome. I'll help her bathe."

Hiei increased the intensity of his glare, but the taijiya didn't budge. After a few moments, it became apparent that he would either have to give in to her demand or fight her. And while he knew that he could beat the woman to a pulp, he doubted that Kagome would appreciate it.

"Very well," he finally said. Hiei leapt back up into the tree and tossed the cloth-wrapped sword to the ground. Seconds later, he followed with Kagome in his arms. At the sight of her half-naked friend, Sango's hand immediately flew to the hilt of her sword.

"What did you do to her?" Sango demanded. "If you took advantage of her--"

"You greatly underestimate the girl's powers if you think that such a thing would be possible. Are you finally acknowledging your own pathetic incompetence in training her? Perhaps I should relieve you of your role as the girl's sensei."

"Of course not!" Sango shouted. "But she's unconscious! It doesn't take a genius to see that you--"

"Woman, you will cease the insults immediately. The miko has been drugged and just spent a great deal of time slaughtering a centipede. She is merely exhausted."

Sango's hand reflexively tightened around the grip of her sword. "You mean to tell me she fought half-clothed?"

"Don't be ridiculous." Without further explanation, Hiei turned his back and began to walk in the direction of the nearest stream. "Come. If you wish to help bathe the girl, follow me. I don't have time for pointless accusations." Sango let out a growl that betrayed just how many years she'd spent in the company of an inu-hanyou, but she picked up Kagome's sword and followed him anyway.

Hiei stopped when he reached the stream and gently laid Kagome down on the sandy bank. Without waiting for the taijiya to arrive, he proceeded to pull the girl's remaining clothing off of her.

"What on earth are you doing?" Sango's indignant screech almost made Hiei cringe. Almost.

"She is injured and covered in the scent of her own blood. Do you propose that we leave her like this?"

"Of course not, but you're not going to bathe her! You go back to camp, and I'll take care of her," Sango said, shooing the youkai away from her unconscious friend.

Hiei stepped back and scowled at her, but he wouldn't leave. Instead, he folded his arms over his chest and stood watch while the taijiya carefully undressed Kagome and washed away the blood.

Sango ignored the petulant fire apparition behind her and instead concentrated on tending to Kagome. She was relieved to see that the circular gash on Kagome's thigh was her only real wound, other than the dark bruising that was blooming around her left eye. The wound was already scabbed over, and Sango was careful not to reopen the scab while she cleaned it. Once Kagome was as clean as Sango could manage without submerging the sleeping girl, Sango laid Hiei's robe out on the ground next to Kagome and rolled her friend onto it, wrapping the folds of fabric around her.

"You forgot the ofuda," Hiei observed.

"I was just getting to that, you jerk," Sango snapped back. She gently lifted Kagome's head off of the ground and pressed the ofuda to the back of her neck.

"It's not working," said Hiei. He could still pick up Kagome's scent.

Sango sighed. "I guess Miroku's going to have to do it," she said. "You take her back to camp. I'll wash the blood out of her clothes." Hiei bristled at being ordered around by the human woman, but he silently hefted Kagome into his arms and walked back down the path to camp. Halfway there, Inuyasha dropped from the trees and landed in a crouch in front of Hiei.

"Where the hell have you--" Inuyasha choked on his words when Kagome's scent hit him full force. It wasn't her normal scent; it was...that, and the smell of that seemed to be coming from Hiei, and not the freshly bathed girl in his arms. Inuyasha sputtered for a few seconds before he managed to draw Tessaiga and point the fully transformed fang at the fire apparition's head.

"What the fuck do you think this is?" he snarled. "You can't just take her when she's drugged and expect to get away with it!"

Hiei leapt back. This was the second time he'd been accused of taking advantage of Kagome's drugged state. He could feel the rage coming to a boil. If the hanyou didn't back off soon, Hiei would not hold himself accountable for his actions.

"You fool," Hiei spat. "Can you not see that you're putting the girl in danger?"

Inuyasha's eyes drifted to Kagome, still lying unconscious in Hiei's arms. "You're a coward, hiding behind her after taking advantage of her like that!"

"I have done no such thing, and if I have to put her down to teach you a lesson, you'll continue to put her in danger. Can you not tell that she no longer has the protection of the ofuda?"

Inuyasha had to admit that he had a point there. He sheathed the Tessaiga and stood aside. "I'm not through with you yet," he said as the fire apparition passed by. "You and I are going to have a little talk once we get back to camp." Hiei ignored the hanyou's continued grumbling as he walked the rest of the way back to the camp.

Everyone was wide awake by the time Hiei and Inuyasha arrived. "What the hell have you done to my woman?" Kouga shouted, pointing accusingly at Hiei.

"Houshi, you will reapply the ofuda for her," Hiei said as he set Kagome down near Miroku, pointedly ignoring the wolf.

"Of course," said Miroku. He rolled Kagome to the side and peeled the ofuda off of her neck before reapplying it. This time, the spell worked correctly.

"What happened after you left the tavern?" asked Yuusuke. "Why didn't you bring her back here?"

"She needed to work off the bloodlust induced by whatever drug was in her system. A centipede youkai donated his life for the cause," Hiei said by way of explanation.

Inuyasha wasn't satisfied with his answer. "Then why do you smell like--"

"If you know what's good for you, you will cease this line of questioning. I doubt that the girl would appreciate you prying into her personal affairs. If she wishes to answer you, she will do so when she awakens." Hiei disregarded the angry flare of youki coming from the wolf and the hanyou, and instead settled down cross-legged next to Kagome.

The rest of the group -- Kagome's friends, in particular -- continued to send worried glances in her direction throughout the day, but they largely left her in peace due to the brooding fire apparition at her side. Kurabara, Yuusuke, Inuyasha, and Miroku took the opportunity to catch up on some training, while Kurama scoured the forest for rare plants to add to his collection.

Sango sat quietly at the edge of camp, meticulously mending her friend's torn clothing while Kirara slept off the effects of the poison nearby. She had to shorten the sleeves of the yukata in order to make patches with the extra cloth, and then hem the sleeves before repairing the ripped fabric. Sango focused singlemindedly on her self-appointed task; she would not allow herself to sit and fret idly over her friend's condition and the questionable trustworthiness of the youkai who was watching over her. As the hours passed, Sango worked with measured deliberation, carefully drawing out each tiny, perfect stitch as long as possible.

Of course, Sango couldn't ignore the problem altogether. She had to admit -- if only to herself -- that Hiei's stubborn vigilance was a point in his favor. He didn't move a muscle for almost the entire day, stirring himself only to growl softly in warning whenever someone came too close for his taste. If he had done something untoward to Kagome, surely he wouldn't stick around to bear the brunt of her wrath when she awoke...not to mention the wrath of Kagome's other self-appointed "protectors."

After a light lunch, most of the group settled down for a much-needed nap. Kurama, however, ignored Hiei's pointed glares and sat down next to the fire apparition. "Kagome's been asleep for a long time," he observed. "Perhaps something is wrong with her."

"It is a natural sleep," said Hiei. "She exhausted herself."

"Now that you mention it, you did have a rather interesting scent about you upon your return this morning," Kurama said, ignoring Youko's insistence that he approach the subject more directly. When Hiei didn't reply, Kurama sighed and reached over to grip his friend's shoulder. "I know what kind of an effect the tincture probably had on her. You can hardly be blamed in the face of such temptation."

Hiei twisted away from Kurama's hand. "Do not speak of that which you know nothing about. You should know by now that I am more than capable of controlling myself."

Kurama's expression betrayed his surprise. "You mean you didn't--"

"No."

"And she was--"

"Yes."

"Gods, Hiei," Kurama said in an awed whisper, "you actually care for her."

"That's absurd," snapped Hiei.

Kurama shook his head as he suppressed a grin at his friend's expense. "You can deny it all you want, but we both know that it's true. All this time, I thought you were acting out of instinct, what with the possessiveness, and the growling, and the irritability, and the physical proximity, and the clothing thing." Kurama ticked the offending symptoms off on his fingers until he was practically choking on the waves of rage flowing off of Hiei. "But to have such an opportunity present itself and then turn away... That must rail against every instinct you were born with."

"You are reading far too much into my actions, fox. I don't know whether to be flattered or insulted at the amount of thought you seem to have put into this."

Kurama remained unperturbed. "Like I said, you can deny it to me all you want, but you had best be completely open with the girl if you're serious about this, because she won't be satisfied with anything less. One such as her needs the constant reassurance and comfort that only an honest lover can offer. If you cannot fulfill that role, then rest assured that someone else will."

"And I suppose you think yourself to be the perfect candidate," Hiei said bitterly.

"I don't think I could offer her that," Kurama said. "Perhaps, in time. But I am certain that someone else would step up to the plate long before that would happen." He smiled as Kagome rolled over and threw an arm over Hiei's legs, clutching at the fabric before she settled into a deeper sleep. "You see how she cannot stand to be alone. If she was desperate enough, she might even turn to the wolf." Kurama carefully avoided looking directly at Hiei, instead brushing an imaginary speck of dust off of his pants, waiting to see if the fire apparition would rise to the bait. He was not disappointed.

"I would kill him myself before that could happen. She deserves--" Hiei cut himself off before he revealed too much about what he thought of Kagome, but Kurama was nothing if not perceptive.

"Indeed. She does deserve better than being the fourth mate of a wolf in Makai. Who knows? Perhaps there is a human boy out there who could--"

"No human could possibly compre-- Damn you, Kurama! This ridiculous discussion is over!" Hiei turned his back to the kitsune, but Kurama couldn't resist having the last word.

"Think about it carefully, Hiei. She is far too precious a gem to let slip through your fingers. If you have any intention at all of having a lasting relationship with Kagome, you must let her know how you feel." Satisfied that he'd given Hiei enough food for thought, Kurama retreated to the opposite end of camp and laid down for a nap.

Hiei clenched his fists as he stared down at the girl curled up so peacefully next to him. He'd never asked for this, never even dreamed that it was possible. But now he was stuck with a dilemma that refused to be ignored. As much as he'd like to tell himself that Kagome's appeal to him was purely physical, he knew without a doubt that she called out to him on a completely different level.

Kagome calmed the opposing forces within him in a way that he'd never experienced before. He was beginning to dread the inevitable closure of this mission, knowing that no matter what the outcome was, he would no longer have an excuse to remain with her. What then? Could he go back to the way he'd lived his life before Kagome without regret? The fact that he couldn't honestly give a positive answer to that question bothered Hiei to no end.

I am Hiei. I need no one.

And yet...

The question remained: did he want her? Kagome had accepted him as he was, without pressuring him to change to suit her. Not even Kurama had let his defenses down so readily. And strangely enough, the more Hiei let Kagome know about himself and his past, the more she seemed to like him. He had serious doubts as to whether he'd ever come across another woman who would do that.

Did he deserve her? Perhaps that was the most important question. Hiei hated to ask that of himself; it was something he'd never before taken into consideration, whether he "deserved" something that he might want. But the fox was right. Kagome was something special, someone entirely unique, able to bridge the gap between youkai and humans without effort or second thought. She was a miko, taijiya-trained, and yet she had confided in him that she couldn't find a moralistic ground for distinguishing between the two races. How had such a being come to exist?

The fact that Kagome was a creature of such purity was, no doubt, part of her appeal. In that respect, and many others, they were nothing alike. She was a ray of light to those around her, inspiring her friends to bring out the best in themselves. And she needed those friends in a way that Hiei could scarcely comprehend. He was aloof where she was affectionate, dark where she was light, tainted where she was pure, youkai where she was human.

We are complete opposites. We have no business being together.

And yet...

Hiei felt a mystifying sort of kinship with this odd young miko. She had an unwavering loyalty to her friends and allies that he both understood and respected. Her determination to protect her brother was something he could identify with, as well as the righteous indignation, the overwhelming drive for vengeance. Then there was the fact that she was a creature caught between worlds, belonging neither in the wildness of the past nor the civilization of the present. Isolation was a feeling he knew all too well.

All things considered, perhaps there were only two things really holding him back. One of those was the Jagan's disturbing interest in Kagome. He still couldn't decipher the implant's puzzling curiosity about her, and he didn't trust its motives.

The other problem was equally troubling: what exactly did Kagome want of him? Hiei had been rejected repeatedly and thoroughly so many times in the past that the very notion of acceptance was foreign to him. And yet, he found himself wondering whether he could handle being rejected by Kagome.

True enough, she hadn't been horrified by the Jagan, hadn't recoiled at what he'd shown her of his past. The fact that she'd shared herself physically with him, even just a little bit, hinted that there was something more to her desires. After all, she wasn't the type of girl to go around flinging herself at every willing male. He knew for a fact that she was inexperienced. But at this point, he still couldn't be sure that she wanted something more from him.

A hint of softness passed across Hiei's eyes as he studied the slumbering miko, curling a stray lock of her hair around his finger. He felt some of the tension bleed out of him as he admitted to himself that, yes, he did want her companionship in a way that he'd never before considered with another living being. Whether she returned the sentiment remained to be seen, but Hiei was determined to find out.

*****************************************

The first thing that Kagome's sleep-fogged mind registered as she regained consciousness was the soreness. Oh, gods, I'm sore in places I didn't even know I had muscles. She groaned and slowly opened her eyes. It took a moment for her to recognize the crimson eyes that stared back at her.

"Hiei? What happened?" 'We were at the tavern, and then--'

Kagome sat bolt upright when she suddenly remembered, and immediately regretted the hasty action when every muscle in her body screamed out in protest. She bit her lower lip to keep from crying out, glaring at Hiei when he chuckled.

'I'm insulted that you didn't find my performance more memorable,' said Hiei.

Kagome blushed and looked away. She was saved from having to reply to that comment when Kurabara noticed that she was sitting up.

"Hey, guys! Kagome's awake!"

Inuyasha was the first to rush over to Kagome, dropping his bowlful of ramen by the fire without second thought. He crouched in front of her, peering into her face with such intensity that Kagome had to bite back a giggle.

"What happened to you?" he asked. Kagome glanced up from her hanyou friend to see that everyone else had gathered around as well, waiting silently for her answer.

"Do I smell ramen?" she asked instead. "I'm pretty hungry."

"Of course!" said Sango. "You haven't eaten anything since last night!"

"Last night?" Kagome asked as Sango went to retrieve a bowl for Kagome. She frowned when she saw that the sun was setting. "How long have I been out?"

"We really aren't sure, since you were already unconscious when Hiei brought you back this morning ," said Inuyasha, glaring at the fire apparition.

Kagome gasped. "You mean I've been asleep all day?"

"That is to be expected, considering the drug that was introduced to your bloodstream," said Kurama.

"I knew something was wrong with me, but I just couldn't stop myself. I really lost it there, huh?" Kagome asked, giving Sango a grateful smile as her friend handed her a steaming bowl of ramen.

"You had me worried. It was almost like the time with Gatenmaru..." Sango trailed off, but Kagome knew exactly what she was talking about. When Inuyasha lost the Tessaiga and killed all those bandits...was I really that bad?

"What happened after he took you away from the fight?" asked Inuyasha.

"Hiei took me to kill a centipede youkai," she said solemnly.

Yuusuke snorted. "How romantic. Hiei's version of a date." Inuyasha still suspected that there was more to the story, but he couldn't gather the courage to ask. By the way she remained so close to Hiei, it was obvious that nothing had been forced on her.

"Hey! Where were you guys last night?" Kagome asked, suddenly changing the subject and turning to Hiei. "Did you find out anything about Kohaku?"

"Unfortunately, no. It seems that we were following a false lead," said Hiei.

"Yeah, it was some other human kid," Kouga said. "Botan took him back to Ningenkai."

"What was another human boy doing in Makai? And how did he get here?" Kagome asked.

"A youkai was selling his blood," said Yuusuke. "We haven't figured out where he came from or how he got here. The kid still hasn't regained consciousness."

Kagome's face fell in disappointment. "You mean we've been wasting our time? How are we supposed to find Naraku now?"

"We don't know," Kouga said grimly. "That's what we've been trying to figure out all day. At this point, we're completely out of leads."

Kagome slumped against Hiei's side. "What do we do now?" she asked.

No one had an answer for that.

*****************************************

Naraku's stony facade betrayed no emotion as he regarded the spy who bowed low before him.

"So soon," he murmured.

The spy swallowed hard. "Y-yes, my lord. Hiroshi is--"

"Dead, I'm sure," said Naraku. "You are dismissed."

"Th-thank you, my lord." The spy slunk out through the open shoji door, grateful that he'd been allowed to retain his life in spite of the news.

Naraku frowned. It was but a minor setback, but he hadn't planned on the miko and her group finding his red herring so quickly. It had been simple enough to kidnap a second human boy on the same trip to Ningenkai that he'd taken the miko's brother. Finding a willing buyer who would parade the child around Makai was easier still.

But now, Naraku would have to find yet another distraction for the group, something to draw them away from him. His carefully laid plans would be shot to hell if they found him before his corruption of the boy was complete. He mused over his options. Something big enough to delay and distract them, but not so powerful as to kill the miko...

A faint smile tugged at his lips as Naraku came to a decision. Yes, this would prove to be most entertaining indeed.

Edited 17 May 2005