Yu Yu Hakusho Fan Fiction / InuYasha Fan Fiction ❯ Through Hell and Back ❯ Secrets and Attractions ( Chapter 4 )

Chapter 4
Secrets and Attractions

 

Hiei waited by the boarder. He held his arms closely to his chest and wished he had brought his cloak with him. Finally he started to sense his teammate's approaching energies. Kuwabara's did indeed feel weak, but they were still quite a distance from the boarder.

Hiei's frustration was building as quickly as his body heat was dissipating. A sudden, hard drop in Kuwabara's energy, however, had him rushing through the barrier back into the violent storm of the second level. He was at Kuwabara's side just in time to slide the last pendant into place.

“Hiei! Thank Inari!” Kurama said, breathing a sigh of relief.

The stones began to change from a pale pulsing blue to a vibrant steady light in seconds.

Kuwabara's eyes opened slowly. “Wow, I thought I was a goner that time!” He joked, his weak voice nearly lost in the thunder, even to the demon's ears.

“Hey, Kuwabara, you look like hell!” Yusuke teased.

“Yeah, yeah, make fun of the weak human, why don't ya. We can't all be freaks like you, Urameshi.” Kuwabara retorted.

“What are you doing here?”

Kurama started a little at Hiei's unexpected voice in his head. “The ones who kidnapped everyone are staying in a castle on an island in the 9th realm. It's the only place in the entire underworld that doesn't drain a living being's energy, but first we have to get a key from the guardian of this realm.”

“How have you been getting through the barriers?”

Kurama's face took on a confused expression as he answered: “The same way you just did. The barriers are intended only to keep the dead from crossing, not the living.”

Kurama couldn't help but laugh at the surprised expression that crossed Hiei's face. “That sneaky little…”

“Hey, Hiei,” Yusuke yelled, “Why are you here anyway?”

Hiei cast a long glance at Kuwabara, knowing that the news about Yukina would upset him greatly. Hiei feared that the oaf would insist on coming with him, and gods knew once his mind was made up, there was no changing it.

“The woman who is curing Yukina sent me for a rare herb.”

“Is Yukina gonna' be ok?” Kuwabara asked.

“The human girls are in more danger, why don't you worry about them.”

“Hiei?” Concern dripped from Kurama's mental voice.

“It's not looking good.” Hiei replied flatly. His mental voice was emotionless. Too emotionless. It didn't fool Kurama.

“I'm sorry…”

“She's not dead yet, save your condolences.” Hiei snapped.

“Where is this herb?” Yusuke asked.

“The 8th realm.” Hiei answered, glad for the distraction.

“When you get to the next realm, look for a cave. There's a fire.”

“Thank you, Hiei.”

“Be careful, Hiei.” Yusuke yelled over the thunder as he handed Hiei the pendant back.

Hiei nodded, taking the necklace, and was gone in a blur. Upon reaching the cave, Hiei stripped off his shirt, the moisture on it had begun to freeze the material. It wasn't until he reached the fire that he noticed Kagome's arrows had been stuck in the ground around the fire, and her clothes were draped over them.

“Resourceful.” Hiei commented as he hung his shirt over a couple of unoccupied arrows.

When his compliment seemed to go unnoticed, his attention was drawn to Kagome's form. She was huddled in a sitting position in the corner, wrapped in his cloak.

“Hey.”

When that too went unanswered, Hiei felt a surge of adrenaline, and the taste of bile rose in his throat.

He walked cautiously over to Kagome and gave her a nudge. Her form slid from its sitting position against the cave wall, to the ground. The cloak slid back, revealing her face. Her eyes were closed as if she were sleeping, but there were fresh tears on her cheeks.

“Dammit!” Hiei growled, “She said not to fall asleep! Stupid Onna!”

Hiei slipped the pendant around her neck, and shook her. “Wake up!” he barked, but the only response was a whimper from her. “Kagome!” he yelled again, shaking her violently.

“Inuyasha…why?” she mumbled as more tears streamed from her eyes.

Hiei slapped her hard enough to redden her cheek, but it didn't faze her.

The Jagan opened slowly and began to emit a green glow. Hiei moved to cradle Kagome's head in his lap, before emitting a green beam of light from the jagan to her forehead. Hiei let his own eyes slide shut, allowing the jagan full control, feeling it meld his consciousness with Kagome's.

Hiei looked around to find himself in a world that was a strange blending of ningenkai and that of the second and third realms of the underworld.

As rain soaked his skin he had to remind himself that his physical body was still safe back at the cave.

Well, relatively safe.

Hiei hated using the Jagan like this; it left his physical body completely open to attack. An enemy could walk right up, slice his throat and walk away. The very thought gave him a sense of urgency.

 

Hiei wandered through a forest, not even sure of the direction he was going in. There was no color in this world, it was all grey. There were no scents, no sounds, everything felt dead.

Hn. Human's dreams aren't very vivid.

Suddenly Kagome's voice cut through the stillness, the anguish in it the most real thing in this strange reality: “Inuyasha!”

Hiei ran through the forest. He found Kagome chained to a tree in such a way that she was being forced to look at what was in front of her.

Before her was a spiritual boundary, and inside the boundary was an inu hanyou in the arms of a priestess who bore a striking resemblance to Kagome, but her eyes were cold, and her face a frozen mask. She did not wear her heart on the outside for the world to see as did Kagome.

As Hiei got closer, he realized that the woman's feet were disappearing into the slush as she slowly sank. As he watched, the woman's hug became a crushing hold, and the dog demon began to cry out in pain.

“Inuyasha!” Kagome yelled again, and this time Hiei could hear the sob in her voice.

Hiei rushed forward, grabbing the chains that held her in place and breaking them. “It's a dream, come on, let's go.” He urged, but Kagome rush forward through the barrier.

“Let him go!” she screamed, attempting to no avail to pry the woman's arms open.

“Kagome?” the hanyou asked seeming to be unsure it was her.

“Inuyasha! You have to get away from her! She's dragging you into hell!”

“What? You're crazy. Kikyo loves me, and I love her.”

Kikyo's grip on him tightened, and he whimpered.

“She's hurting you!”

“Go away. He has chosen whom he wishes to be with,” The other woman's cold voice was the perfect companion to her icy stare, “Isn't that right, Inuyasha?”

“Yes, Kikyo, I'll go anywhere with you.”

“No, Inuyasha! Why?” Kagome sank to her knees in the freezing slush, tears pouring from her eyes. She watched helplessly as they met in a passionate kiss before their heads sank beneath the slush. “No!”

Hiei's breath caught in his chest. He hadn't thought until this moment that hearts could actually break, let alone that the sound of one shattering could be heard in a single cry.

She loved him.

Hiei had never been one to act on impulse, at least not when it came to showing affection for others, but as Kagome sat there, body wracking with sobs, he found himself walking over to her, and placing his hands on her shoulders.

Kagome awoke, opening her eyes slowly, but tears still fell like rain from their tortured depths.

“Kagome?” Hiei was desperate to stop her tears. Normally the tears of women had little effect on him, mostly eliciting comments about how emotions were as useless as they were senseless, but her voice still rang in his ears. Her pain and sadness were on display for his every sense. He could feel her sobbing form trembling against him, see the sadness and regret in her eyes, smell the salt in her tears, and taste the bitterness of the bile that rose in the back of his throat every time her anguished voice echoed in his memory.

“Kagome, look at me.” The command came out harsher than he had intended, but she obeyed, turning tear brimmed eyes to Hiei's garnet ones, “It was only a dream.”

“That's just it…” She breathed, fighting against the sob in her voice, “It wasn't just a dream.”

Confusion overtook Hiei's features as he tried to grasp what she was saying.

“Inuyasha….I loved him… and she…he let…he chose her…chose to let her take him to hell, to here!”

Hiei paused as he let her jumbled words and the meaning behind them take root. “He's a fool. You're a fool! Mourning over someone who would rather die with someone else than live with you.” Hiei's voice scolded Kagome, and she knew his words were the truth, but her shattered heart didn't care.

“I know,” she said, as more tears fell, unbidden, “It's pathetic. I'm pathetic.”

Hiei released a sigh as he realized he was only making things worse.

“What makes you think they would be in this realm?” He asked, attempting to calm and distract her.

“Kikyo…she was a resurrected spirit. She could only sustain life by consuming the souls of young women. I figure that would land her a spot here.”

“And what makes you so sure his spirit stayed with hers? He could have been sent to spirit world.”

“Do you really think that's possible?” Kagome asked hopefully.

Judging by how disorganized spirit world tended to be, Hiei was betting a little thing like a misjudged soul could go un-noticed for a very long time. Rather than state this however, he gave what he hoped was a reassuring smile and nod. “Koenma may wear diapers, but he's actually quite good at his job.”

“I hope so. The thought of Inuyasha being trapped in a place like this breaks my heart.” Kagome's voice cracked as a few more tears escaped.

“Hn. Seems to me that it's he that broke your heart.”

Kagome gave a weak smile. “That too.”

“Is that the reason you wanted to come with me? To find him?” Hiei fought to keep the anger out of his voice.

“No! Of course not! I want to help your sister! She seems like a very kind person.”

“She is.”

“Thank you for saving me. I knew even as I fell asleep that I shouldn't, but my energy just bottomed out.”

“We should get going.”

“Right. Just let me get dressed.”

Hiei's eyes traveled down and his brain registered for the first time that she was naked, save for his cloak. The bare shoulders and hint of cleavage that shown beneath the cloak was less than many teenage girls showed in public on a regular basis, however, coupled with the knowledge that she was naked; it was more than enough to start a flush creeping up Hiei's neck.

“Hurry up.” He muttered as he moved to the other side of the fire, closer to the mouth of the cave, grabbing his shirt and sword as he passed them. He sat down with his back to her.

Kagome nearly groaned audibly at the loss of the warm, smooth chest, and the protective arms that she had fit so comfortably into. Hiei's temperament reminded her of Inuyasha, but there was also something very different about Hiei. She hadn't quite figured out yet what it was, but she was pretty sure she liked it.

As Hiei sat waiting for Kagome to get dressed, he noticed that he could see her reflection in the buckles on his sword's sheath. He knew he shouldn't, but he couldn't help but watch as she turned her back to him and let his cloak slip to the ground.

For a human, Kagome's body wasn't remarkable. She didn't have the figure of a model, nor the physique of an athlete, but Hiei found himself instantly fantasizing. He longed to run his hands over the smooth, milky skin of her back, to run his other through her silky raven hair, as his eyes feasted on the stark contrast of the two.

He couldn't help the smirk on his lips as she bent over to step into her panties, her hair fell forward to reveal more of her shoulders, and he saw the first flaw in the porcelain perfection before him. Kagome's right shoulder muscles were considerably more developed in comparison with her left ones. To his own utter dismay, Hiei found the imperfection to be quite a turn on.

The females of demon world were not unlike most human women. There were two basic stereotypes with very little variation. There were those who were weak and sought a mate capable of protecting them, and those that were strong, and used that strength to dominate others and to obtain anything they so desired. Kagome was different. She had the strength and she chose to use it as little as possible. She didn't desire power or control, even though it was at her fingertips. She was the perfect blending of the two faces of women, and he realized that what he had come to despise individually, he found beautiful when blended together on the right canvas.

As Kagome turned toward the fire to grab her shirt, Hiei's eyes were drawn not to the supple curves of her breasts inside the modest, white bra, but to the scar on her side. What most men would have thought disturbing or ugly, Hiei found exciting, and he yearned to trace it, to feel its texture, to know it, to know her.

What the hell is wrong with me? Hiei thought, the spell on his sanity broken when her shirt was once again covering her.

“Ready!” Kagome said cheerfully, all traces of her prior distress repressed back into whatever corner of her soul she had reserved for them, no doubt bringing them out only when she was alone.

“Let's get going then.” Hiei said, standing as he tried desperately to ignore the uncomfortable pressure of his pants which suddenly seemed about 2 sizes too small in a rather important area.

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

The rest of their trek through the frozen muck was uneventful, and they were both happy to discover that it was indeed the smallest level so far. Hiei for one was grateful for the chill of the air, and the distraction of having to watch his footing.

Once they reached the barrier, Hiei turned to Kagome. “By the way…I learned something very interesting about these barriers…”

“Oh really?” Kagome asked nervously.

“Seems anyone with a pulse can pass through them.” Hiei said an accusing tone to his voice.

“Imagine that!” Kagome said with a nervous little laugh that made it impossible for Hiei to even feign anger.

“I can't imagine why your sacred powers didn't pick up on that.” He said, choosing sarcasm over anger.

“I don't know,” Kagome shot back, almost mockingly, “maybe for the same reason your demonic powers didn't.”

Hiei rolled his eyes and let out a huff before continuing through the barrier.

The next level they entered was nothing but a continuous earthquake, caused by the percussion of two very large weights being pushed together by a seemingly endless line of souls behind each giant weight.

“And what were their crimes?” Kagome asked, having to get close enough to Hiei to be heard over the noise, that her scent flooded his senses.

“These people had an insatiable greed for worldly possessions, no matter who they hurt in the process of acquiring them.

“I wonder how many I've sent here for seeking the jewel.” Once again the sadness invaded her eyes, and it upset Hiei more than the previous times.

I'm falling for a human? That seems absurd, even to me.

Hiei grabbed Kagome, once again slinging her over his shoulder.

“This will be faster. When it comes to balance you humans are hopeless.” Kagome didn't have time to answer, only to gasp in surprise before they were moving again.

By the time they reached the next barrier, only a few minutes had passed, but Hiei could feel that it had taken a toll on his energy.

I still haven't fully recovered from that vampire's attack…my energy is beginning to drain faster.

Hiei kept his hold on Kagome as he passed through the barrier and the fog that followed. The smell in this realm was particularly bad, but there was something familiar about it. Amidst the smell of rot and smoke and heat there was something that was setting warning bells off in Hiei's head.

Burnt flesh.

It was the smell he always linked to the dragon, for that smell was pungent after he called it forth in battle, both from his opponent's charred remains, and from his own destroyed arm.

Hiei's next thought sent a chill through him, despite the intense heat that embodied this realm. Souls don't have flesh. That means there is…or were… living beings here…that means the souls here will be strong.

“Are you going to put me down?” Kagome asked a little weirded out by his cautious behavior.

“No, there's danger.” He said as he stepped tentatively from the fog onto the ground. His feet sank past the layer of ash, into molten coals that instantly began melting his boots.

Hiei let out a gasp, jumping high into the air, but the second he landed he wished he hadn't, as his feet sank deeper into the hot ground, this time burning his legs.

“Hold on tight.” Hiei warned, before taking off at his top speed.

This could drain me, but I can't afford for either of us to get hurt now.

 

 

Japanese Words:

Onna-Woman

Hanyou-Half-demon Half-Human