Yu Yu Hakusho Fan Fiction ❯ Winter Murders ❯ Hounds from Hell ( Chapter 15 )

Winter Murders

The team opened the gate carefully. The base of the mountain that the "lab" was on was surrounded by a 10 ft high fence. Thirty yards further up there was a wall circling the mountain. There was a huge wooden door that led to the other side and to the stairs leading up to the top of the mountain and the "lab." This particular gate was wrought iron. Kurama looked around cautiously, being the first one to enter since he had unlocked the gate. He looked to the right, there was nothing. He looked to the left, nothing. There was nothing in front of him either. There was literally nothing in all directions. There were no trees, no shrubs, no grass, nothing. There was only snow. The snow had drifted in certain areas, making huge mounds. Over all it was about one foot deep. Kurama carefully, slowly lifted his right foot and put it in the snow. He stepped out a bit farther, and a bit farther, until he was a good five feet from the gate. He stopped there. Hiei stepped past the gate and attempted to step in Kurama's footsteps, since he hadn't hammered out a path. Hiei found it difficult since the snow had drifted here and it was a good two feet high, nearly half his height. Yusuke stepped past the gate and went five feet to the right. Genkai went to the left. Kuwa stepped through and quietly shut the gate.

A howl echoed in the bleak nothingness. Some familiar words popped into Yusuke's head. "They had the most haunting of voices. It sounded like the maniacal laugh of a sinister madman, mixed with the cackle of a witch, and the sirens call. It repulsed, and drew you in at the same time. It called to you, but gave you the feeling that you should not go, way in the back of your mind." Yusuke swore.

"Yusuke?" Kurama asked, turning his head.

One of the mounds of snow slowly grew as Kurama said Yusuke's name. Yusuke watched in complete horror as one of the hounds of hell shook itself off. It looked just as Death had described it. "They looked like wolves at first glace, but they weren't wolves. Their fur was not fur, it was sharp pieces of steel, magicked steel. Their faces were not of the wolf, they were not sleek, their faces were broader they were shorter they were more powerful. They had sixty teeth that were as sharp as sharks, but longer. They reminded me of the elongated canines that humans picture vampires having, but thicker and stronger. Their paws were wide and powerful. Made for the toughest terrain and for the shear ripping power they encased. Their claws were as sharp and nearly as big as throwing daggers. Their bodies were made for speed, and yet built for strength. They exerted both. They were as big as a teenaged human, much larger than a wolf." The hound bared his teeth a crouch. Yusuke drew in a deep breath as it leapt for the kitsune.

"Kurama!" Yusuke yelled out. Kurama's eyes went wide and he turned. Time seemed to slow down as the next events unfolded. Kurama's eyes became cold, heartless, and as they became that they narrowed. He smiled, not a happy smile, but a smile that exuded malice. He looked like his heartless youko half. His demeanor said he wished death to all. He reached into his hair and pulled forth a seed. It grew in the palm of his hand, wrapping braches or vines around his arm and stretching outward towards the hound. Kurama moved his arm abruptly and then ducked. Hiei moved swiftly out of the way as the hound flew over Kurama. Kuwa made a startled noise and barely made it out of the way as the hound crashed into the gate several times, in several pieces. Blood was every where, covering the ground from a few feet in front of Kurama to a few yards past the gate. All eyes went to the kitsune. Kurama stood up, completely covered in blood. His coat was now red on the back; his hair was sticky, and clung to his head. Kurama shook his head, blood flew in all directions.

"Looks like we have company," he told the group dispassionately. His eyes held no remorse for what he had done like he might have had before. Kurama had been out for blood, and his actions said that he still was. "We should get moving."

"Uh…" was all Yusuke could manage. Kurama turned from the group and began making his way towards the next door on the way to the "lab." The others looked at each other, confused and surprised over the kits actions. They hadn't expected Kurama to act like that. He hadn't really acted like that before. Sure he had been dispassionate, every time he turned into Youko his emotions went haywire, but he hadn't been like this before. It seemed as though he had two personalities and that they were finally combining. Yusuke was worried that it was his Youko half that was bringing forth these blood-lusting emotions. Youko hadn't really… no, on second thought, he had been bloodthirsty. Youko was blood thirsty and smart and everything a thief had needed to be. Up until now, Kurama hadn't really acted like his Youko half when he was in his human form. Yusuke just hoped that it wouldn't affect him too adversely.

Hiei quickened his pace to catch up to his kit. He tapped him lightly on the shoulder. Kurama looked at him.

"You ok?" Hiei asked. Kurama blinked at him.

"Why do you ask?" he asked Hiei.

"You're acting weird. You're acting like Youko in your human form. You haven't done that before," Hiei told him.

"I… I'm acting like Youko?" Kurama asked a bit confused. "I am Youko."

"But you are also Shuiichi and Kurama," Hiei said.

"I know that. Why do you say that?"

"You don't seem to comprehend that normally you act like Kurama, a relatively good average of your two personalities. Right now you're acting more like Youko then Shuiichi."

"Is that a bad thing?"

"No! I didn't say that…."

"It seems to me that you think it's a bad thing."

"That's not what I meant…"

"Then what did you mean? That you like my human side better than my Youko half? Is that what you're saying?"

"You know what I meant."

"No I don't. It seems that you don't like the Youko me."

"I respect him and love him as much as the rest of you!"

"You sure have a funny way of showing that, accusing me of acting more like him and telling me it's a bad thing."

"I never said it was a bad thing!"

"You implied it with your choice of words."

"I didn't…"

"You can't deny the truth Hiei; you love my human side more. You the way he's soft, and caring, and weak. You like being able to protect him. You like the fact that he doesn't out-rank you, over-power you, and control you. You like that. You don't like that Youko is powerful, and uncaring, and controlling. You respect his skills as a fighter and as a thief. You love the way he loves you through Shuiichi's human form. But you don't like that he's the dominant. You don't like how he's in control. You don't like the way he can be in control of a situation and can take care of himself."

"It's not true!" Hiei shouted. The group collectively raised their eyebrows, turning to listen in on their conversation now. Kurama looked at Hiei, a bit surprised.

"I love all of you," Hiei continued, in a low voice. "I love that you're caring. I love that you're controlling at times. I love the way you look, and feel. I love every bit of you. I love that you care for others above yourself. I love that you can be heartless and callous at times. I love the way you fight. I love to watch you. I love your voice. I love that I can protect you, and yet have you protect me. I love everything about you. I love being subordinate to your dominant. You're dominant in both forms. It may not be my favorite pastime to be on bottom, but I love being beneath you. You know how much I hate to submit, but with you it doesn't seem like I'm submitting. It feels right. Don't think that I don't love both of you. I don't even think of you as separate most of the time. I love you."

Kurama's eyes had filled with tears, that speech had touched him at so many levels.

"To me, you just have two bodies. You're the same person," Hiei said. He took Kurama's hand in his. Kurama leaned down and kissed Hiei on the cheek.

"Thanks Koibito," he said. Hiei smiled at him.

"Oh so cute!" Yusuke blurted out, immediately regretting doing so as a few vines wrapped his hands together behind his back, shackled his feet and gagged him. "Mmph!"

"Baka," Hiei said. He threw a snowball at the defenseless Yusuke.

"Knock it off children," Genkai said. The guys looked at her. "Kurama, untie Yusuke, we're going to need him."

Kurama took his vines off Yusuke. Hiei looked towards the wall and saw four more hounds. He swore. Death hadn't lied about their power; they were defiantly S-class. Hiei drew his sword. Kuwa also drew his. Kurama turned back and raised an eyebrow.

"They're not that hard to defeat," he told the group. They all stared at him. "Ok, it wasn't hard for me."

"Thank you," Yusuke said. He looked at Genkai. Genkai had turned to look behind the group. Yusuke saw three more hounds there. He wasn't too concerned though, they were munching down on their fallen buddy.

"That's not a very cheery thing to do," Yusuke muttered.

"You four take out those four," Genkai said. Yusuke started to protest, but was cut off by Genkai. "You need to get to those humans. I'll take care of the three down there. We don't have time for you to argue. Just do it!"

Kurama nodded and started cautiously up to the four. Hiei followed behind him, staying out of sight. Kuwa went up to Kurama's left as Yusuke went up to his right. Kurama reached into his hair and pulled out his trusty red rose. Yusuke began to charge.

"Die evil Hound form Hell!" Yusuke shouted. He blurred to the beasts right. The beast kicked him in mid punch.

Kuwa went to his target cautiously. He slashed at the beast's face, but hit air where the beast should have been. He cried out as the hound hit him on his back.

Kurama slashed at the hound in front of him with his whip. It was gone by the time his whip reached it. The hound cried out as Hiei's sword slashed through its flesh. Kurama slashed the other hound, cutting it to pieces and splattering blood everywhere. Yusuke charged up his spirit gun and fired at his hound. Kuwa turned and plunged his sword through his hound's neck.

"That was surprisingly easy," Yusuke said as he wandered over to Kurama and Hiei. Kuwa stood up and moved over to his friends, muttering something about blood on his coat.

"Too easy," Kurama said. He knelt down beside one of the hounds. It still had a pulse.

"Kurama?" Yusuke called out to his friend. The others had already gone to the gate. Hiei was picking the lock. He opened the door and moved swiftly to the side. Five feet of snow slammed into Kuwa, burying him. Yusuke laughed as Hiei smirked. One of Kuwa's legs and both his arms could be seen and were struggling in the air. Kurama would have found it funny, except the hound in front of him was coming back to life.

"Genkai!" he shouted. Genkai turned her head to the kitsune. "Be sure to get their blood on you! They come back to life if you don't have their blood!"

Genkai gave Kurama a thumbs up and then motioned for him to go. Kurama nodded and made his way over to the others. He grabbed one of Kuwa's hands and pulled his friend out of the snow.

"Thanks Kurama, I thought I was going to suffocate for a second there," Kuwa said gratefully. Kurama nodded.

"Do you even know what suffocate means?" Hiei taunted.

"Yes I do," Kuwa said. "It means you can't breathe due to something obstructing that process, resulting in death."

"…"

"I sure showed you shrimp!" Kuwa chirped happily. He stepped through the gate and onto the shoveled stairs.

"Hey look, someone knew we were coming and shoveled for us," Yusuke said as he followed Kuwa in. Kurama shook his head, following his fellow spirit detectives. Hiei walked through and shut the door.

~*~*

"They made it to the stairs?"

"Yes."

"Damnit! I had hoped the Shades would have taken at least one out…"

"Shades are rather incompetent if they're fighting someone who has fought them before."

"How was I supposed to know he'd fought them before?!"

"Because you sent them before."

"…"

"Do remember what tactics you've used before Xania. If I were you, I wouldn't repeat the mistake you had with the Shades."

"Don't tell me what I should and should not do Death! I am in charge of this operation!"

"I'm not so sure about that…"

"What?!"

"I don't think you are in control of the situation at all."

"And who's fault is that?!"

"…"

"That's right. It's your fault. You messed up the plan."

"I didn't mess up the plan, the forest intervened."

"The forest intervened. Yeah right! The forest doesn't have a personality. It's a bunch of ice trees."

"Everything has a soul… personality was your word."

"Not everything."

"Everything."

~*~*

"So bored out of my mind," Yusuke complained. They weren't even halfway up the stairs. "How many stairs so far Kuwa?"

"A… this stair makes 102," Kuwa said rather dead-pan. Kurama shook his head. They were counting the stairs to pass the time… at least Kuwa and Yusuke were. Kurama looked over at his lover.

"You ok love?" Kurama asked. Hiei looked at him, his eyes visibly brightening.

"Yeah, just promise me we won't ever have a conversation over that again," he said. Kurama smiled and wrapped his arms around Hiei's shoulders.

"Hey guys," Kuwa said. "I can't count while you're doing that."

"How many stairs Kuwa?" Hiei asked maliciously.

"Uh…." Kuwa paused in his walking. "I forgot."

"Kuwa!" Yusuke shouted at his carrot-topped friend.

"Sorry," Kuwa mumbled.

"128," Kurama said. Hiei looked at him, astonished. "From the step I'm on to the bottom."

"Gee thanks Kurama!" Kuwa yelled enthusiastically. He climbed to the stair Kurama was on.

"Baka Kitsune," Hiei murmured.

"It's better than the tow of them beginning a stirring rendition of 100 bottles of beer on the wall," Kurama purred into Hiei's ear. Hiei nodded.

"Let's get to the top of this thing!" Yusuke shouted merrily. Hiei shook his head.

~*~*

Death wandered into the lab. Xania was watching the progress of the spirit detectives from one of his towers. She went over to the tanks of the three, gently placing her hand on the one labeled: "Angua."

"Soon I will know peace, and the world will know ASH," she said to herself.

~*~*

"How… many… stairs…Kuw…a?" Yusuke barely managed to say.

"2043," Kuwa managed to say. Both were out of breath from all the climbing they had done. Hiei was sitting down, while Kurama studied the lock on the front gate. He tried the knocker. No one answered.

"Did you really expect that to work?" Yusuke asked. Kurama turned and smiled at him.

"Welcome to the castle of Xania," a voice said from behind Kurama. He turned, rose in hand, to face Death.

"His lordship is waiting for you all," Death said.

"You're not Death," Kurama said. "You don't have her voice."

The imposter shook her head. The cloak disappeared. The black dress beneath became a white silk dress. Black skin became ivory, and black hair became a shade of startling blonde. Her dress was down to her feet, flowing and blowing in the wind. Her arms were bare, showing the symbol of "The Chosen Few." Yusuke gasped.

"Jinai?"

Spaz: Yo. I said next week and I deliver next week. Sorry I didn't have it done on Sunday, I had to write something else for a scholarship. Well, here it is. The Death/Xania bit will be closing soon, but worry not the story will keep going because the next arc is the ASH arc. I will hopefully have an update every week, but who knows… busy schedule. Well, hope you liked it and as always: reviews rule!