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Disclaimer: None of these characters are mine. Please don't assume that they are or I'll end up getting sued. They belong to Yoshihiro Togashi, Studio Perroit, and any other person who helped in the creation of this wonderful series. Thank you for giving me my Hiei-san (to torture...)!!
Chapter 5
Kurama cut down another youkai that had made the fatal mistake of approaching him. Kisamas! he thought angrily. I'll kill every last one of you! Somebody called his name.
"Kurama!" It was Mukuro. "Kurama! Take Yuusuke and Kuwabara and find my heir! Bring him back here, and my healer can help him immediately!"
Kurama didn't reply, but looked toward the two ningens, who grinned idiotically and followed him as he ran toward the fortress.
Mukuro watched as they left. Yes, Kurama. Get your lover and bring him to me. He will serve me even better, now that I know his true worth! The 'bionic bitch' chuckled to herself as she cut down another youkai.
Not too far away, Damasuke saw Kurama and his ningen friends break away from the main battle and head for the fortress. It is time for my revenge! the dark youko thought, grinning as he changed back to his normal form and followed.
As the three Reikai Detectives entered the fortress, Kurama felt for Hiei's ki. He gasped as he found only a weak flicker. "Oh, Inari, no..." he whispered softly. Yuusuke shot him a concerned look. Kurama avoided it. "Third floor, east wing."
"Huh?" Kuwabara blinked, slowing his gait a bit.
Kurama sighed. "That's where Hiei is."
Yuusuke stared at him. "What's wrong, Kurama?"
The kitsune looked away. "I don't know what you're talking about."
Yuusuke put a hand on his shoulder. "Bull. What's wrong?"
Kurama sighed softly. "Hiei's ki is very weak," he whispered. "I...I think he's dying..."
"K'so!" Yuusuke exclaimed. "C'mon! Let's hurry!" He picked up the pace, and they tore through the fortress.
Two sets of stairs and a hell of a lot of corridors later, they reached a long, narrow hallway with barred doors lining either side.
"He's in this hallway," Kurama said.
"Which door?" Yuusuke asked.
Kurama closed his eyes for a second, then opened them, looking slightly panicked. "I can't tell! It's like he's fading in and out of consciousness!"
Yuusuke frowned. "He must be heavily warded." Kurama nodded. "Well, let's go!" He headed for the first door and threw it open. Thorned vines burst out and grabbed him. "Kurama! Help!" Yuusuke gasped as the vines began to squeeze him painfully.
Kurama quickly exerted control over the plants, and they gently released Yuusuke. "Booby traps," the kitsune commented as the black haired ningen rose, wincing nad cursing. "I'll get rid of them." The silver youko closed his eyes, and a powerful burst of ki filled the corridor. Seconds later, Kurama opened his eyes and smiled grimly. "No more plants."
The three went down the hallway, opening each door as they went.
Kuwabara was concerned. Why can't Kurama feel Hiei's ki?! The shrimp must be hurt pretty bad...Wonder why anyone would wanna kidnap him anyway? The orange-haired ningen stopped short as he opened the next door. K'so! Hiei lay in the middle of the floor, naked and covered in blood. "Kurama..." Kuwabara murmured weakly, feeling a bit sick.
Kurama heard him despite his low tone and ran to the door. "Oh, gods!" he sobbed, and scrambled to Hiei's side.
Yuusuke tried to go in after him, but Kuwabara blocked him. "What's the big idea, ya stupid oaf?!"
"You don't want to go in there, Urameshi. Trust me." Kuwabara glanced at the door and swallowed hard. "Besides, I think Kurama would want to be alone with Hiei..."
"Why wouldn't I want to go in there?!" Yuusuke growled, pushing past Kuwabara to get to the door. He stopped and paled slightly as he saw Hiei's body, covered in blood, and backed out. "Shit..."
"Told you, Urameshi. Anyway, I figure that we'll have company pretty soon, so be ready."
"Right."
Kurama couldn't supress a sob as he saw Hiei's condition. His lover had quite obviously been brutally raped and beaten. The fire demon was bound to the floor by thorned vines, which were entwined around his arms all the way up to the shoulder. The kitsune gently removed the thorns from Hiei's flesh, then wrapped both of his gouged arms in bandages, all the way to the shoulders. Glancing around the room, he saw a bucket of water and quickly carried it over. In another corner, he saw a blanket and tried to grab it, but found that it was only pieces of a blanket. K'so! Those bastards!
After wetting a piece of the blanket, Kurama gently wiped some of the blood from Hiei's back. He used that cloth until it was too bloody to use anymore, then wet another one. After three rags, Kurama spread salve on Hiei's relatively clean back.
The kitsune then layed out pieces of the blanket beside Hiei and rolled him over onto it. Kurama gasped as he saw his lover's gashed chest and face. Tears fell from his eyes as he saw the dried blood caked around Hiei's Jagan. Carefully, Kurama wiped the blood from the unconscious fire demon's face, taking great care around the third eye.
"Gods, Hiei, what did they do to you?!" Kurama whispered hoarsely as he retrieved some more bandages from the bag and wound them tightly around the little fire demon's forehead. There was no response from the boy except for the rise and fall of his tattered chest. Kurama wet another cloth and started on it.
Hiei suddenly moaned, his eyelids fluttering. "Hiei?"
At the sound of Kurama's voice, Hiei tensed. His beautiful crimson eyes opened slowly. Kurama smiled at him sofly. The fire demon whimpered weakly and turned his head away, closing his eyes tightly. A black tear gem fell to the stone floor. Hiei flinched at the sound it made. Another tear gem joined it. And another one.
"Oh, gods, Hiei! Please don't cry! You're going to be alright!" Kurama's tears fell to Hiei's face. The fire demon looked confused and opened his mouth to speak. The silver kitsune continued, unaware of Hiei's efforts to speak. "I'm going to get you out of here! I promise, koibito!" Hiei looked even more confused. Kurama sighed softly and wet another piece of cloth, gently wiping the blood from the fire demon's chest. Hiei flinched as the kitsune touched him. "It's okay, Hiei."
The Forbidden Child began to struggle weakly as Kurama got further down his torso. "Hiei! I'm trying to help you!" Hiei stopped struggling and lay still, breathing hard, his eyes filled with terror. "Hiei..? What's wrong?!" Oh, gods, what did they do to him?!
Hiei flinched and swallowed hard. "P-please...d-don't hurt me..." he whispered, more tear gems falling to the floor.
Kurama smiled weakly at Hiei, tears coursing down his face from his sorrow-filled golden eyes. "Don't worry, koibito. I won't let anyone hurt you ever again," the kitsune whispered, his voice shaking. Hiei trembled as Kurama tenderly touched his face. "Let me get you cleaned up a bit, then we'll get out of here, okay?"
Hiei just nodded, unbelieving, his eyes filled with suspicion and fear. He looked away. Why is he lying to me?! I know what he did! He doen't want to help me!
Kurama sighed. Inari, what did they do to you?! You don't trust me anymore, itooshi. And I don't understand why... Kurama took a deep breath and willed away his tears. But I'm going to get you out of this hell-hole...no matter what! Kurama gently wiped more blood away. And found two bloody strips of material. Wards!
The kitsune quickly grew a leaf dagger, sliding it under the material. Hiei jerked as the weapon touched him. "No..." he whispered grabbing for it.
Kurama restrained him gently. "I'm just going to get rid of these wards. Don't move." Hiei lay very still as Kurama removed the wards. As soon as the dagger was away from him, he kicked at the kitsune's face. And missed. Kurama grabbed him as he struggled, holding him until he stopped. "Hiei-koi..."
Hiei winced as Kurama touched his injured back. The kitsune caught sight of another ward around Hiei's neck. "Hiei, there's another ward around your neck. Don't move. I'll get it off."
Hiei froze in terror as the dagger was at his throat. Kurama cut through the pain amplifier, and suddenly, Hiei went limp with relief.
Kurama grabbed him, concerned. "Hiei! Are you okay?! What happened?!"
The fire demon glanced at him tiredly. "It was a pain amplifier..." he whispered, his eyes half shut.
Kurama stared at him in horror. "Oh, gods!" The kitsune rummaged in his bag again and pulled out a pair of Hiei's pants and a shirt. He carefully dressed the little fire demon, then slung the bag over his shoulder and picked him up, heading toward the door. Hiei was too exhausted to care.
Kuwabara and Yuusuke looked up as Kurama came out, carrying the little fire demon. Yuusuke walked over. "Is he alright?"
"I hope so," Kurama said softly.
Suddenly, the two of them were thrown to the floor as someone plowed into them. A dark youkai stood before them, holding Hiei. A dagger was pressed to the little fire demon's throat. "Sorry to kill your hopes, Kurama." The demon's form shifted and changed. Revealing a Kurama-lookalike. "This is who your lover has known as his torturer."
On to Chapter 6
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