InuYasha Fan Fiction / Yu Yu Hakusho Fan Fiction ❯ On The Night Of A Blood Red Moon ❯ Chapter 7

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

Title: On The Night Of A Blood Red Moon
Author: Ryukotsusei and Cyntinell
Disclaimer: We do not own Inuyasha or Yu Yu Hakusho. We do however own the plot. Steal it and you shall face our wrath.

Warning: This chapter has a Rape Scene in it involving Hiei. I've kept the details to a minimum because I could not mark or edit out the area since it is important to the chapter. My apologies to any this offends.

As Hiei stepped into the hallway all was silent throughout the compound, he knew it was still late at night. He peered through a small crack in the wall, barely large enough to be called a window. The moon was still high above the distant mountains giving off an eerie sheen to the landscape that lay beyond. He longed for the day he could venture out into the unknown and be free of Masakazu. 'Just a little while longer and we'll be free.' His thoughts no longer centered around just him escaping, now the girl figured prominently in his plans. He would not leave her behind, he had promised her before he would help her and it was a promise he intended to keep. His honor would allow no less. As he walked he secured his black cloak in place, the feel of the fabric bringing some small amount of comfort to him. It would also aid him in this task, the pockets that were hidden on the inside would conceal any food he happened to steal on the chance someone saw him wandering the halls.

Hiei found himself still deeply troubled over his meeting with the Priestess, Midoriko. He was certain that it would haunt his dreams for nights to come. Masakazu would be sleeping at this hour so long as he moved carefully and made sure to keep to the shadows his presence roaming the halls would not attract any unwanted attention. Masakazu would be furious if he discovered what he was going to be doing since one of his methods to break his prisoners faster was to withhold decent food, providing them with only what they could catch scurrying through their confines. More often than not they broke down within a day or so and began to eat the vermin but he had the distinct feeling that this girl, Kagome, would not be reduced to doing such things. She had a fire he had not seen before in anyone other than himself, she'd fight to the bitter end refusing to give Masakazu the satisfaction of seeing her give in.

Briefly he wondered if most humans were like her. She was the first example he had really gotten a chance to watch but she was nothing like he had been told humans were. 'Midoriko acts more like a human than Kagome does.' he thought to himself remembering the indifference the spirit had shown to Kagome's current situation. 'If Midoriko is typical of the human race then they do not deserve to continue existing!' He clamped down on his anger towards the ancient Priestess. There was no reason to go broadcasting the fact that he was wandering the halls. He forced his thoughts away from the ancient Priestess and turned them back towards Kagome. 'She is not even a demon yet she fights with Masakazu harder than anyone else that's been brought here.' He remembered how she had tended his wounds after his last encounter with Masakazu even though she was afraid of him. There was no doubt about it, she was unlike any other person he had met before.

He had made his way undeterred to the kitchen and stepped inside. It had been three days since the order was announced that she was to have no food and only wine to drink. He knew all too well what the purpose of the wine was. It would act as a dehydrant and the body could not replenish the liquids lost. It would cause the body to weaken that much faster. The days since she had joined them had long begun to blur together with no sign of her giving in to his will which had prompted the order. To hell with Masakazu's decree, Hiei knew that she needed her strength for the upcoming encounters and he was determined to give her all the aid he could afford to give her. The kitchen was empty at this time of night, he moved quickly to the cupboards and began to search through them. Unfortunately most of them were bare but as he opened the last one a very uncharacteristic smile etched on the Fire Apparition's lips. Ignoring the creak the door made, he reached in and grabbed a couple of pieces of crusty day old bread. There was mold in a few different places which he broke off and threw back into the cupboard. As distasteful as it was, he had quickly learned during his years confined here that if you were hungry enough the fungus was not a deterrent. As he stuffed the bread into the hidden folds of his cloak his gaze rested on one door that he knew was off limits to everyone but Masakazu. He hesitated only a moment before opening it, his mouth watering at the contents he found inside. He knew he was taking a risk but he decided to chance it anyway. Quickly he pocketed an apple and a handful of grapes to take to the girl before shutting the door once more. On his way out he picked up a well worn ceramic cup and filled it with fresh water, pausing momentarily when he noticed the glint of light shining off of a small knife. He wasted no time in picking it up, quickly securing it in the waistband of his pants. This little trip to the kitchen had been a bigger success than he could have ever imagined. To his chagrin he realized that he had not been eating well lately either but it was something he would remedy at another time. He could go longer without food then she could. He might not know the reasoning behind it, but he knew that she must survive no matter what the cost was. The knowledge that she was human made no difference, the fact that she was a creature whose purpose was to destroy his kind held no bearing on his decision.

Hiei closed the kitchen door behind him and used all the stealth he had acquired in his years under Masakazu's control to get to door where Kagome was being held prisoner. This was going to be the trickiest part of the mission. The door to the cage was purposefully not oiled so it would make a very loud creak whenever anyone opened it. The reasoning was much the same as why loose planks of wood were used in flooring of the castles of the Makai. It would serve to give warning to the Lords of any intruders. He was still hiding in the shadows as he planned his next moves when the door it opened with a shrill creak revealing Ryuji. There was no eye contact between them as he made his way out of the room but the Dragon had purposely left the door open just enough for Hiei to sneak through.

Hiei was no fool, he had noticed the tension building between Masakazu and Ryuji ever since this woman had appeared but he never would have imagined receiving the help he was getting. In the end it would make no difference though, Ryuji's transgressions were far too numerous to forgive. Eventually he would be called upon to pay for those sins, however for the moment Hiei would take any help he could get. He was almost through the door when Ryuji entered the shadow in front of him effectively blocking his passage into the room. "If Masakazu finds you in here and you breathe my name I will deny helping you. Assuming he lets you live I will kill you myself, understand?" Hiei met the Dragon's eyes coldly and held them. Ryuji knew not to expect a response and proceeded to move out of the doorway, waiting for Hiei to enter the room before closing the door behind him.

Once the door was secured he slipped the blade back into his waistband. Ryuji had never even noticed him draw the weapon which was all to the good. He was willing to do what it took to get to the girl even if it had meant killing the second in command. In a way he was a little disappointed by the events turning out the way they did but realized that when the time came to act he would need to be able to remove the head from the serpent in one strike. While he hungered to feel the warmth of Ryuji's blood on his hands he knew that Masakazu was the one that had to die first. Only after that happened could he spill Ryuji's lifeblood. His eyes quickly adjusted to the darkness of the room. There was one torch flickering in the corner of the room casting shadows over much of the room yet leaving the inside of the cell in near darkness.

He could see that the girl was asleep in the corner though it was hardly a peaceful rest. Even now the girl was caught up in her nightmares, trembling as she no doubt relived the tortures that she had been subjected to thus far. He wondered what the Dragon's reasoning was for being in with her while she slept. Masakazu had left no specific instructions for the girl to be guarded that he was aware of. Even in the darkness he could still make out the severe bruising that marred the girl's skin so healing was not the reason for Ryuji's presence. He could only come up with two plausible excuses, either he was leeching the excess energy she released while trapped in her nightmares or he was indulging himself in pleasures of the flesh while watching her sleep. He quickly banished that twisted thought from his mind, angry that the Dragon would even look at her in such a fashion but knowing there was nothing to be done to stop it. He quietly approached the cell close to where she was sleeping. In the loudest voice he could muster he finally spoke to her. "Kagome wake up."

Kagome shivered in her sleep, barely taking note that her name had been spoken. She brought her bare arms up to cover her ears to block it out, no one here was supposed to know her name. It was one of the few secrets she had managed to keep since arriving into this madness. It was only a nightmare, one she wished she could escape from. They were happening more frequently now, and even though she knew they weren't real she couldn't help but feel there was some truth to them. Her friends, those she trusted had forsaken her in them. Often times taunting her about what was happening and how it was only right for her to go through it. After all, many had died due to her mistakes and they told her so. She could only cry as one by one they turned their backs on her, saying she got exactly what she deserved.

"Kagome damn it wake up!" Hiei knew his time was limited and if she was going to eat she was going to have to hurry. Neither one of them could afford to be caught like this, Masakazu would surely take great pleasure in disciplining the both of them if they were found. As he said her name again he reached through the bars and touched her gently hoping he didn't startle her enough that she screamed.

"Kagome?" The soft whisper seemed almost tender this time accompanied with a featherlight touch. It was the contact that jerked her into the realms of the conscious, her gaze immediately snapping to Hiei's as she flinched back. Her eyes widened considerably when she noticed who it was, there before her stood the demon that she had desperately tried to save. His crimson eyes stared at her but they were no longer looking at her with the pain she had seen in them before. Instead there was a confidence and no small amount of defiance as the little spiky haired demon extended a hand towards her. She looked down at it noticing that he held a small cup of water. Her throat clenched painfully at the thought of having something to drink besides wine. Going without food had been upsetting to her stomach and she had begun vomiting regularly. The acids she expelled ravaged her throat making swallowing painful. The wine Masakazu forced her to drink only aggravated the situation further. Water would be a welcome relief but she didn't know if she could trust him. Why should he want to help her? She could not feel any malice coming from him, just a sense of confusion and it was directed entirely towards her. Her thoughts wandered back to a few days prior when he had been unceremoniously tossed into her cage, raped and beaten. She had done her best to get him cleaned up but he seemed to be out of it then. 'Perhaps he was more aware than I had given him credit for. He must be wondering why I would help him. It seems we're more alike than I thought.'

"Kagome you must hurry. The others will be awake soon." Hiei said, urging her to take the cup once more. He had seen the indecision flash across her face and honestly he couldn't blame her for it. He was surprised as she gave him a small smile of gratitude. He knew then that he was doing the right thing.

Kagome knew that she had absolutely no reason to trust in this demon but her instincts told her that she could. She truly had nothing to lose regardless, the liquid could be poisoned, intended on taking her away from this place forever. Or it could be laced with a drug to let her be raped repeatedly in a stupor. If indeed that was the case, it would happen regardless of if she drank it or not. If she was to be subjected to another raping, she'd rather not be aware of what was happening she decided. Smiling her gratitude to him, for she was sure her voice was gone she slowly reached out taking the cup from his fingers. Slowly she brought the cup to her lips. The cool water hit her parched throat relieving it of some of the ache and she eagerly started to gulp down the refreshing liquid when she heard him speak again

"Drink slowly." He knew the condition her throat was likely to be in, she was going to need the water in order to eat the bread. As she looked at him curiously he reached into the folds of his cloak and retrieved the pieces of bread. Kagome's eyes widened as her vision locked onto the food in his hands. It had been days since she had eaten anything. When she had inquired about food before, Masakazu had laughed at her and said that if she was hungry enough she'd find something in her cell to eat. Her stomach revolted at the thought of eating the bugs that occasionally crossed the floor, they greatly resembled cockroaches and there was no way in hell she was going to eat one of them. Later on, eating no longer became that high of a priority on her list. She doubted she'd be able to swallow it anyway and had done her best to banish the hunger from her mind through meditation. It had worked well until now, confronted with food. That piece of bread in his hands looked like a full course gourmet meal to her. Gratefully she took it from him, her fingers brushing his which startled him.

She wasn't sure what prompted this generosity from him but she wasn't going to question it. Carefully she began to pull pieces from the bread, unwilling to lose any of it to the floor. As she chewed it carefully they watched each other, the feeling of contentment touching both of them briefly. Neither could explain it, indeed neither of them really wanted to. It was times like this that were all too fleeting in their current situation. Kagome's spirit was changing for the better as she watched him. In his eyes she saw that there was still hope and she clung to it desperately. Once more Hiei reached into his cloak and pulled out another handful of food. Gingerly she accepted them from him but she was already feeling full, her stomach had begun to shrink from lack of food. She knew that there was no way she would be able to eat all of the food that he had given to her and she dared not try to hide some from her captors. Carefully swallowing the combination of grapes and bread she washed them down with a sip of water before testing her own voice. "I'm sure your name is not Shadow. What is your name and how do you know mine?" She almost winced at the sound of her voice, never had she heard it so weak and raspy before but it actually drew forth a slight smile from the demon in front of her.

"Hiei, and I'll explain that to you later. For now you need to eat." Hiei was a bit surprised that she would ask that of him. Through all the demons that had come before her, none had thought to ask him for his name, preferring to call him by the nickname Masakazu had bestowed upon him. He wondered why she was staring at him however.

"Thank you Hiei for everything. Please, you must be hungry as well. Help me finish this?" Kagome had seen him unclothed on a couple of different occasions due to Masakazu's twisted desires and knew that he went without food just as much as she did, if not more. Her offer seemed to catch him off guard but he merely shook his head and gestured for her to continue eating. For once she felt she had found a friend again and that feeling of hope swelled to greater heights. Kagome couldn't contain her joy any longer a smile and a soft laugh flowed through the room. She could see in Hiei's eyes that he was completely baffled by this sudden outburst. She decided that she would try to explain it to him a little later as she sunk her teeth into the apple he had brought to her. The heaviness of her heart that had threatened to consume her had briefly been lifted. She knew that her life was still not her own but controlled by Masakazu but for this fleeting moment she had found happiness inside the steel cage with him. The sudden creak at the door replaced the happiness and contentment with fear and terror as Masakazu entered the room holding a flask of wine. Hiei immediately spun and placed himself in between the Crow and Kagome. He didn't draw the knife, knowing that if he was going to use it he would have to surprise Masakazu with it or it would all be for nothing.

"What the fuck is going on in here?" Masakazu shouted, throwing the container against the wall. Shards of glass scattered through the air as the red liquid ran down the wall like a vein being opened. His eyes fell to Kagome who had backed herself into a corner. He didn't miss how there was half eaten apple still clutched in her hands, nor the cup which had contained water. What had been left in it spilled onto the floor when she had moved away from the bars. There was only one possible explanation and it had to do with Hiei. No other would dare disobey his direct orders. "You little fucking bitch. So you decided to play servant and bringing my whore food and water? Damn you to hell, your defiance was amusing at first but now you are becoming a little too troublesome for your own good!"

In one swift blur of movement Masakazu had his clawed fingers around Hiei's throat. Kagome didn't think about her own safety, instead she rushed up and clutched the bars. Her expression one of pure desperation, Hiei was being punished for helping her. 'He should have just left me here, now he's going to suffer and it's my fault!'

Masakazu looked over at her, his face twisted into a smirk as he watched the expressions of guilt flood her features. He ignored the way Hiei dug his claws viciously into his wrists and spun him around forcing his face into the bars directly in front of Kagome. She instantly jumped back, wishing that there was something she could do to help him. For a second time Hiei's face met the steel bars of the cage breaking his nose with a sickening crunch that echoed through the room. Blood poured freely down his face, the spray splattering down Kagome's partially exposed chest. The sight of the girl covered in his playtoy's blood made his hunger for pain soar to higher levels. It also fueled his desire to dominate the one who so blatantly disregarded his orders. Now the girl would learn that Shadow could be of no help to her, as he was nothing more than his personal whore just as she was. "You never fucking listen Shadow. It's time for another lesson and this time she gets to watch."

Almost casually he tossed Hiei through the air, his body crashing hard against the stone wall. He lay motionless on the floor as Masakazu turned his attention to the girl in the cage. Slowly he started to disrobe unbuttoning his shirt as to give himself a greater range of movement. Rage pierced the room as he stared into Kagome's eyes. She shook uncontrollably knowing what was to come. How she wished she wasn't warded at that moment, she could feel the power coursing through her begging to be let loose. She had seen him annoyed before and had taken the brunt of the attack but having to sit helpless as he stalked Hiei was almost unbearable.

"You haven't seen anything yet bitch. I can promise you that." Masakazu growled as he approached the slack body on the ground. "Get the fuck up boy I haven't even started to punish you for your disobedience." When Hiei began to pull himself to his feet Masakazu's boot caught the side of Hiei's head sending him backwards into the wall. Blood sprayed onto his boot and dripped to the floor. He had practiced this form of torture for a very long time now and knew how far to take his fun before it became lethal. What fun is torture if they don't survive he would always say. He knew the true torture is always the waiting. He picked up the beaten body and approached the cage with the boy taking note in how Kagome's eyes tracked his every movement. "Come here girl!" Masakazu growled at her, she was going to get a front row seat to the show.

Unsure if her body would respond she made her first attempt at standing to follow the orders given. She no longer had any strength inside her body and fell helplessly on her face. Knowing that if she didn't obey it would only be worse for the both of them she slowly crawled through the muck and mire on the cage floor until she was face to face with her captor. Masakazu held Hiei's face right against the bars mere inches from her own face. She could see the damage both his boot and the cage bars had caused him. 'Oh God, please be unconscious!' She hoped this would end quickly with him boring and leaving but she knew that the thought was but foolish girls dream as she noticed his eyes looking into her soul.

"Please let him go!" She knew that it was a futile hope but she had to try. Even if it meant that the Crow turned his attention to her, Hiei had suffered enough for trying to help her. Her heart was bleeding just as badly as Hiei was at the moment, she wanted nothing more than to take him away from this and apologize for getting him into trouble. Masakazu however only smirked at her, there was no way he was going to let this go unpunished.

"Are you still awake my pet?" Masakazu asked brutally slamming his face into the bars in front of Kagome. More blood sprayed onto her face and soaked the thin piece of cloth that preserved her dignity. Masakazu felt himself grow hard at the sight presented before him. "Was it fucking worth it?" Again his face was slammed into the unforgiving steel. Kagome was almost positive that the last time his face hit the bars it shattered his cheekbone. The sickening feeling of watching this boy being beaten for something he did for her was too much and she quickly emptied the contents of her stomach onto the floor.

"You see boy she didn't even like the food you brought." Masakazu laughed, so much had been risked for the girl and she couldn't even manage to keep her stomach from rebelling. "Your efforts were wasted boy, you should know better than to become attached to a weak human." He knew his words struck a nerve in the girl when she closed her eyes and began to tremble.

"Fuck you!" Hiei managed to mouth out albeit very faintly. He was surrounded in a sea of pain but was holding onto his consciousness by a mere thread.

"Oh most definitely I will boy, after I feel you have had enough and as of right now I am not even close to satisfied." Masakazu quickly scanned the room as his vision narrowed on the shards of glass that littered the ground in front of the far wall. Once again he grabbed Hiei by the back of his neck he flung him into the ground a few feet in front of the broken glass so he would slide through the glass into the wall. The added bonus of the alcohol that would seep into his open cuts made Masakazu even smile a bit. He turned to face Kagome once again. "Should I stop, whore?" He paused for a moment but as soon as Kagome opened her mouth to plead for him to leave Hiei alone the Crow continued, not giving her the chance to speak. "I didn't think so either. If he is paying for you eating I want you to fucking eat!" He pointing at the puddle of vomit at her feet delighting in the way she paled when the meaning of his words hit her. "Eat wench or you will be next!" To back up his words he entered the cell that confined her, leaving Hiei to try to gather himself up off of the floor.

Sheer terror raced through her veins as she looked at the puddle of vomit in front of her. With a sharp turn of her head she pondered her dilemma and that pause would cost her. A hand grabbed the back of her head driving it into the ground where she was expected to eat. The impact sent her spinning, the smell making her gag as she was choking in the pool of her own waste.

"Leave her alone you sick fuck." Hiei's voice was a bit stronger this time as he tried to stand. There was no way he was going to allow the Crow to harm her, not while he was still able to move. His hand slipped underneath his cloak and he waited for the perfect opportunity to strike with the blade he had concealed. He was lucky that he hadn't lost it so far, and even luckier that the cloak had continued to conceal it even though the material was now shredded and all but useless.

"Ah there is still some fight left in you!" Masakazu exited the cage via teleportation. "I was about to give up on you and work on this lovely whore you helped bring to me." He noticed how Hiei seemed to be waiting for something but his opportunity to strike never materialized. He kicked Hiei's feet out from under him, knocking him to the ground and then he drove heel of his boot down on Hiei's arm shattering it at the elbow. "I never said for you to stand."

The clang of metal echoed through the room as the blade that Hiei had in his hand fell against the stone coldness of the cavern's floor. An eerie silence fell through the room as three set of eyes fell upon the knife. Kagome's jaw dropped and Hiei lay in motionless as Masakazu quickly retrieved the knife in front of him. Tears streamed down Kagome's cheeks as she watched helplessly as to what was about to unfold.

"Was that for me you little fuck? Did you plan on trying to kill me? Slit my throat in my sleep?" Masakazu grabbed Hiei's shattered elbow picking him up. The pain was too much this time and a brief grunt of pain escaped his lips. Without a second thought the blade was placed to Hiei's cheek and pressed down sending a nasty gash to his face. Kagome screamed to him to leave him alone but by now Masakazu was in a murderous rage. With a glancing blow the pommel of the knife struck Hiei in the throat sending him reeling backwards gasping for air. Blood coated the floor as the blade shredded what clothing Hiei was wearing leaving gashes where the blade struck skin. "The greatest thing about you boy is I care not if you live or die." With that being said a barrage of fist strikes showered Hiei's head rendering him unconscious. Kagome was not sure if even a demon would be able to survive this brutal assault. Quickly the Crow picked Hiei up and placed him once more in front of the bars next to Kagome. He held his hips in the air while Kagome looked on in horror, thanking every God she knew of that Hiei was unconscious for what was about to occur. Once Hiei was secured in place Masakazu proceeded to undo his pants freeing his arousal.

Within moments the sexual assault had started as Masakazu plunged deep into his body forcing his entire weight down on top of him. With each thrust it would force Hiei's face into the steel. As fiercely as she tried to stifle the sobs threatening to break free they defied her wishes and escaped her lips much to the amusement of the beast in front of her. All of this because someone cared enough to try and help her. "Please stop!" Kagome begged him, no longer caring if it meant that she would end up taking his place.

"Bitch you have no idea how badly I wanted you this day and had to settle for this boy. Perhaps I can be convinced to take my turn with you instead.' Masakazu never ceased in his assault upon Hiei's body but it made no difference.

"No!" Hiei had regained consciousness as soon as he had been penetrated. As much as he desired to be out of this situation he would not allow her to trade spaces with him. The damage was already done to his body, there was no point in the both of them suffering because he had been caught. He opened his eyes and locked gazes with her. He willed her to stand down and allow this to happen, he had already watched much the same happen to her before and he didn't want to see it again.

'Why is he doing this for me?' Kagome couldn't understand it but she reacted to the silent order he had given her. She bowed her head in acknowledgment of what he wanted. She looked at Masakazu glaring defiantly. She vowed then and there that he would pay, not for the atrocities that he had committed against her but for the damage he had done to the one person who showed compassion to her. Once this was over she would do everything she could to help Hiei. She sat there mute as she watched Masakazu rape the only one she trusted in this realm. It took all her strength not to reach out and comfort the face being beaten into the bars for her. A few moments later it was over as his seed was spilled unto Hiei's back. She almost breathed a sigh of relief as she realized he was finished with him. He had already stood and began to adjust his clothing when Hiei rolled onto his back with a groan. Masakazu smirked and held up the blade that had triggered the violent assault. With a viciousness that surprised even Kagome the Crow thrust the blade into Hiei's chest, chuckling in satisfaction as blood sprayed from his lips. With that being done, he opened the cage to the cell and tossed Hiei inside with her.

The door opening drew Masakazu's attention and his gaze snapped around to see Ryuji looking inside the room. Without a word Masakazu left them to themselves as he went to find out exactly what it was that Ryuji wanted. Kagome rushed to his side ignoring the creak of the door signaling they were alone once more. Tears trickled down her face as she brought his head into her lap. She wasn't sure what she would be able to do to help him but she did her best to try and contain the bleeding. She removed all the glass shards she could reach but wasn't sure what to do about the blade inside his chest. She knew that if the blade stayed embedded then the real harm would be averted for the moment. Removing it would cause massive bleeding that would most likely kill him. He was already too weak from the loss of blood from his other wounds.

Hiei knew that his body had been pushed too far this time, the only one who would be able to save him this time would be Ryuji and there was no way to summon the Dragon. Which was assuming that he would be willing to help him in the first place and that was doubtful. He felt moisture falling onto his face and looked up, surprised that the girl was crying over him. He closed his eyes once more, unable to handle the raw grief he saw in her eyes. He was becoming cold, something he rarely felt and tried to move closer to the meager warmth Kagome's body offered. It was then that he realized that there was someone else in the room with them and his eyes opened once more. Kagome could also feel the presence but she could not see it.

Her hands ran through his hair gently offering what little comfort she could. Hiei was losing his battle, with each breath he was closer to his last. But Kagome would not give up hope on him, there had to be something that she could do for him. He was paying the ultimate price for her survival and she couldn't stand for that. Hiei's hand reached forward grasping at nothing but the words were much clearer this time.

"I can't go yet! I need more time." Hiei whispered into the air, trying to convince the presence that was pulling him into the blackness. His job wasn't finished, he had made promises. Kagome's eyes widened as she felt the presence getting closer and power gathering. Whatever it was that was in the room was trying to take him from her.

"No!" Kagome shouted at him, her grip tightening on his laboring body. "Stay with me Hiei! I need you!" She couldn't let him die, there had to be something that she could do. She searched her soul for a shred of power, anything that could help him even though she knew she was restrained from using her abilities. As she searched desperately she latched onto the one power source that was not dependent on her abilities. Surprise filled her as she realized what it was but she didn't hesitate. She had been willing to stay in the Feudal Era to stay with those that wanted and needed her. This was no different.

Abruptly the Shikon Jewel emerged from beneath her skin. The orb was shining a luminescent pink which began to surround her and Hiei. Tears fell from Kagome's cheek dropping on to the Jewel, enforcing the desire she had to save her friend. Swirls of light filled the room and his body was beginning to heal before her eyes. Slowly gashes mended, bones healed and his breathing became easier. Grasping the blade lodged in his chest she quickly removed it hoping to spare him as much pain as possible. In a matter of minutes, Hiei was healed of all life threatening injuries though the Jewel no longer had the power to heal him completely. Minor wounds remained though they would heal within a days time. The color of the Jewel had also changed, there was no longer any color at all just a transparent ball that submerged inside her body once again. Kagome knew she had used the last of the Jewel's power to save his life but she didn't regret doing so.

Hiei opened his eyes to stare into hers, wondering exactly how she had managed to heal him so well. He remained where he was however, lacking the strength to get up. He tried to make sense of what happened, he remembered a pink light and warm energy. His mind traveled back to Midoriko and how she had said that Kagome was the Guardian of The Shikon no Tama. 'But she said it was sealed away! Would Kagome have used that to save me?' One look at the relief that was evident in her eyes told him that indeed she would.

"I'm so glad your okay. Please don't leave me Hiei!" Kagome had slid down onto the floor next to him burying her face into his chest, not caring that her tears were falling onto his bare skin. Her words were whispered but he picked them up easily. He would never understand her. It made no sense why she cared so deeply about what happened to him but he accepted it. No other had done so before and while he was unsure of how to deal with these new emotions coursing through him, he would face them as he had everything else in his life. Hesitantly he brought his arms around her as she continued to cry into his chest.

Special thanks to my beta Mary!