.
"Awww, Jichan... the messy stuff is the best part."
Kurama-jichan shook his head. "Shura, I really must insist-"
Shura leaned forward eagerly as the prisoner was brought out, ignoring the fox's words. He knew that once the torture began, Jichan would relent. He was a youkai, after all, and these things were very entertaining to youkai. At least, that's what 'Tousan always told him. And 'Tousan was always right about things like that. Shura briefly regretted that Shuichi wasn't here to watch, too.
The crowd cheered at something his father had said. Shura didn't pay attention to the words- it was probably politics or something, and Shura knew that stuff wasn't interesting at all. He sighed impatiently as his father droned on for several more minutes. If only he'd hurry up and get to the good stuff!
Shura risked a glance at Kurama. The Youko was still as a statue, gaze fixed on Mukuro's pitiful Heir. Shiori-baasan walked to stand beside him, and even put a hand on his shoulder, but he took no notice of the ningen woman.
Wild cheers drew his eyes back to the courtyard below, and he realized with a start that the torture had begun. He leaned forward eagerly as his father flourished a knife. With a tiny smile, he used it to cut away Hiei's shirt and pants, leaving the short youkai exposed to the crowd, who jeered and shouted lewd remarks. Shura couldn't help but admire the little Koorime as he remained cool and aloof, refusing to acknowledge the fact that he was as naked as the day he was born.
Yomi ran one hand across Hiei's chest, lightly caressing the darker, pebbled pieces of flesh. Nipples, Shura recalled from his anatomy lessons. Yomi drew his knife across one, drawing blood. Shura watched, fascination warring with horror as his father positioned the knife slightly above the nipple, then proceeded to carve off the darker circle of flesh surrounding it.
Kurama whimpered softly as Hiei bit back a scream. Shiori-baasan buried her face against his shoulder, unable to watch. Shura flinched as his father repeated the process with the other nipple.
Yomi knelt in front of Hiei, knife resting beside that tender part of the male anatomy. Shura's lips parted slightly as Yomi cupped Hiei's scrotum. He wasn't sure, but he thought his father might be fondling his prisoner. Shura cringed in sympathy as Yomi removed first one of Hiei's balls, and then the other, saying something about fucking someone else's property. Kurama gave a soft, pained cry, as if he was the one Yomi was torturing.
His father tossed Hiei's balls into the crowd, and there was a pileup as youkais fought each other for them. Strangely enough, Shura was beginning to feel a little ill. Perhaps the sun was too bright?
During it all, the crowd remained silent, like they were afraid to draw attention to themselves. Shura had to force himself to keep watching as Yomi used the knife to remove an inch or so from Hiei's shaft. Thankfully, his father then focused on places above the Koorime's waist.
Yomi took one of Hiei's small hands in his large one, murmuring something about soft skin. Shura could almost wish he were close enough to hear. Almost.
Beside him, Kurama shook like a reed in the wind as Yomi began cutting of Hiei's fingers, one by one, starting with his thumb. Shura once again had to admire Hiei for his courage and strength- gods alone knew he wouldn't have been able to keep from screaming during all of that. When Yomi finished, he grabbed Hiei's other arm, the one with the Kokuryuha on it. He didn't bother using the knife this time, and Shura covered his ears against the sickening snapping/cracking/poping/ripping sound as Hiei's arm was torn out of it's socket.
"Your Kokuryuha can't help you now!" Yomi announced with a cruel laugh, holding up the arm like some macabre trophy. "Nothing and no one can help you now."
Hiei was slumped, knees bent, head bowed. He whimpered, but he didn't scream or cry out, or beg for mercy. Shura realized that he had developed a great deal of respect for the little Koorime, and he hoped 'Tousan would end the torture quickly. Besides feeling that the fire demon didn't deserve it, Shura was beginning to feel rather queasy.
Yomi stepped back for a moment with a smirk, as if to observe his handiwork. Or to look for another way to cause Hiei to suffer. Chuckling lightly, Yomi cracked his knuckles and struck, moving so quickly Shura didn't even see the blow, only heard the crack of Hiei's kneecap breaking. Hiei gasped, arched his back, a high-pitched keen escaping his throat. Another blow from Yomi, and both Hiei's kneecaps were broken.
Shura squeezed his eyes shut, but opened them immediately as his father began to speak.
"Some of those ningens you love so much have been pretty creative in the past." Shura's eyes followed Yomi's knife as it made it's bloody way across Hiei's chest, and down his stomach. Horror won him over completely as his father slashed open Hiei's stomach and thrust his fist inside, pulling out about two feet of the Koorime's small intestine. He was ready to throw up as Yomi tied it to the pole, and tried to get the fire demon to disembowel himself.
And then Hiei smirked. Shura felt something in his heart stir as the battered, bruised, broken and bleeding little fire demon actually laughed at Yomi. "Torture me all you like, Yomi." Hiei told Shura's father. "I understand. You just don't have the balls to kill me yourself. Just like you don't have the balls to win Kurama. You would have me kill myself, and you have to take hostages to insure you have a bed partner. I pity you."
Shura would've laughed if his father hadn't reacted so violently. He went cold all over as Yomi tilted his face up toward them. Toward Kurama. The blow should have been too fast to see, and yet it was perfectly clear, seemingly in slow motion.
Yomi's fist connected with Hiei's chin. There was a crunching sound as Hiei's jawbone was destroyed. Blood flew from his mouth, from his nose, and there was a ripping sound as Hiei's neck was torn. Then the head was coming toward them. Up, up...
Shura fell backwards off the railing as Hiei's head brushed past him, landing with a squishy THUD on the balcony. He was vaguely aware of Shiori-baasan collapsing as Jichan dropped to his knees, scooping up the head and cradling it in his arms. He could see Hiei's face clearly. It was covered in blood.
And then it blinked at him.
A scream rose in Shura's throat as Hiei's eyes opened and closed, his mouth working silently. Shura could see part of Hiei's vocal cords hanging from his disembodied head.
"HieihieihieiohgodhieihieihieiohGODS!" Kurama-jichan was rocking back and forth, tears streaming down his face as he cuddled Hiei's head. He wasn't talking loudly, but Shura could hear him clearly over the gleeful roar of the crowd.
Shura got to his knees, turned away from the gruesome scene, and vomited.
Shiori's eyes fluttered open. The noise of the crowd below was almost deafening. But their cheers didn't drown out her son's grief-stricken sobs, or Shura's frightened cries. She turned he head to stare at her red-haired boy. 'No,' she corrected herself. 'Not a boy. He was never a "boy."'
Kurama was stroking the spiky black hair on Hiei's head with one hand, cooing to it even as he wept. Shiori got to her knees, heart aching for her son's pain.
"Shu- Kurama." she called gently, fixing her eyes on his face. This was no time to be getting squeamish because of some disembodied head. Not when her son needed her.
She crawled to him, reaching out to touch his cheek. "Kura-chan.. darling, look at your mother."
He either didn't hear her or didn't care. He continued to whisper reassuringly to Hiei's decapitated head, stroking it lovingly, as though it was still very much alive and attached to Hiei's body. Shiori felt sick. Turning her head away from her son, she spotted Shura. The poor baby was letting out every meal he'd had in the past couple of days. Realizing there was nothing she could do for Kurama, she crawled over to Shura, wrapping her arms around him to support the little youkai.
"Easy," she murmured in his ear. "It's okay, Shura. Don't worry."
When Shura finished vomiting, he collapsed backwards into Shiori's arms, sobbing quietly. "B-baasan?" he whispered hoarsely.
She clutched him to her, stroking his hair soothingly. "Don't worry, Shura. Everything will be all right."
He buried his face in her chest. "How could Tousan be so cruel?" His words were muffled. "Jichan-"
She held him tighter. "Shhhhhh. I know, I know. It'll be all right." Her eyes came to rest on her son, and her heart clenched. "Everything will be all right."
"We'll see about that."
Shura froze in her arms, and Shiori twisted around to stare at the Makai lord. Yomi was covered in Hiei's blood and matter, a monster in every sense of the word. Shiori loathed him with all her being.
Yomi walked over to them, his very posture screaming contempt. "Shura." The little boy looked up. "I'm.. disappointed, Shura. I never thought you were such a weakling." Shura stiffened, hastily wiping away his tears.
"Crying isn't a sign of weakness."
Shiori's eyes darted to her son. Kurama was silent now, still holding Hiei's head, but he looked... saner, somehow. He stared at Yomi, and the emerald depths of his eyes were ablaze with anger and hatred. He got to his feet, and Shiori found herself cringing away from him. 'This is ridiculous,' she told herself firmly. 'He wouldn't hurt me.' Nevertheless, cringe away she did. It was slightly comforting to see Shura- and, yes, even Yomi- doing the same. Shiori found herself correcting her earlier observation- maybe he didn't look so sane, after all.
He approached Yomi, and the lord took a defensive stance. "You-" Kurama shifted Hiei's head to one arm. "You threatened my family, forced me to betray those who trusted me... you killed my friend." He shook Hiei's head, as if trying to draw attention to it. "You gods damned, mother fucking-" He ran his free hand through his hair, and suddenly he was holding a rose. "ROSE WHIP!"
His attack was sudden, but not unexpected. Yomi stepped aside as the thorned whip hit the place where he had stood only seconds ago. He moved quickly, darting behind the kitsune and grabbing his wrist. "Don't be a fool, Kurama!" he shouted as Kurama's heel connected with his shin. His other arm snaked around Kurama's neck, as if intending to strangle him. Kurama's teeth sunk into his arm, and Yomi cried out. He released Kurama's wrist to cover his mouth, and Kurama jerked his whip back, leaving a long, bloody scratch down Yomi's cheek.
"Kisama!" the lord snarled, releasing Kurama completely. The Youko whirled to face him, whip in hand. Yomi rushed him, and they crashed into the railing, the impact causing Kurama to lose his hold on Hiei's head. Kurama cried out as it began to fall, and he dropped his whip to grab a fistful of spiky black hair to keep the head from falling to the courtyard below.
Yomi pinned Kurama against the railing with his greater weight, hands going to the redhead's throat. "You are a fool!" he hissed, hands tightening around Kurama's throat. "You could have had anything! Wealth, power, whatever you want could be yours!" The kitsune began to gasp for air as Yomi blocked his windpipe.
"But you were too caught up in your pathetic ningen life to see that the world- all three worlds!- were yours for the taking! I would have given anything to make you happy." One hand released his throat, creeping along his arm to grab his wrist. "You're a sentimental fool, Kurama, the worst kind." He was squeezing Kurama's wrist, crushing it, trying to force the kitsune to drop Hiei's head.
Kurama struggled vainly, scratching at Yomi's shoulders and back with his free hand. But Yomi continued to tighten his grip on Kurama's neck and wrist, and the redhead was forced to release the head or have his wrist crushed.
Yomi let go as soon as he dropped it, and Kurama immediately tried to dive after it. Yomi grabbed a fistful of the Youko's red hair and jerked him back. The redhead collapsed against his legs, panting, tears rolling down his cheeks.
"H-hiei..."
Shiori began to cry as Yomi hauled her son to his feet by his hair. Shura huddled against her, trembling fiercely. She didn't bother trying to soothe him- she knew it would be a wasted effort. So she only sat there silently, cradling Shura in her arms and watching Yomi drag her son off to whatever fate the Makai lord had in store for him.
And Shiori was afraid.
Hands tucked in his pockets, Toguro watched Hiei's execution, and then the scuffle on the balcony above them, with an unfeigned nonchalance that Karasu envied. And to think that he had once been able to view the world so indifferently. That thought was almost painful, considering the position he was in now. Kurama had taught him how to love, and how to be happy.
And then he had taught Karasu how to hurt, and the pain was almost enough to bring him to his knees. And yet, no matter how much he tried to force himself to think only of Kurama's treachery, images of their lovemaking, his teasing smile and warm laugh, and the tenderness in his eyes when he'd gazed at Karasu was all the dark youkai could bring to mind.
Yusuke didn't share his sentiments; that was for certain. His eyes had been cold before they had been brought to the courtyard to watch Hiei's torture and subsequent execution. Now they were like ice, so cold they burned. He had watched Kurama and Yomi fight on the balcony dispassionately, as had Toguro and Genkai. Kuwabara, fool though he was, at least showed some concern for Kurama's well-being.
"Well, now," muttered one of the guards, scratching his head. "I'd give up this month's pay t' know what's goin' on up there."
"Plain enough to me," announced another. "They's fighten' over who gets t' keep th' head!"
Others either nodded their heads in agreement or shook their heads, some offering other reasons for the scuffle. Karasu snorted softly at the sheer stupidity of Yomi's soldiers. Well, at least this way he'd never have to deal with a revolt- these morons didn't have enough brains between them to figure out how to tie a shoe, much less plan an uprising.
"That's none of our business!" The leader told them. "And I think it's about time we got these prisoners back to their cells, before Yomi-sama gets angry with us."
Karasu's contempt was reflected in his eyes as he and the others were led back to their cells. When the guards had locked the door behind them, he resumed his position by the cell door. Kuwabara sat a few feet from him, leaning against the cell wall, while Genkai sat in the center of the cell, expression vague. Toguro remained standing.
"Now what?" The carrot-top's voice was subdued. He was obviously greatly disturbed by Hiei's death.
"We wait, Kuwabara." Genkai told him. "Warded as we are, there isn't much we can do at the moment."
"We won't be warded for long." Kuwabara told her solemnly. "Kurama will come through for us. I can feel it."
Genkai shook her head in disbelief, but it was Toguro who spoke. "How can you have faith in someone who betrayed you? Even if he does help you in some way, people who switch sides so easily can never be trusted. If he's really shown you his true colors, you'd be a fool to trust in him again."
'He's talking to me,' Karasu realized with a start. He took a deep breath and closed his eyes. 'It doesn't matter whether or not he can be trusted again,' Karasu thought bleakly. 'because he's not going to come.'
Kurama slumped in the chair, arms folded over his chest, a distant look in his eyes. He was quite certain that today had been the most horrible day in all his thousand-whatever years of life. He blinked back the tears that had been threatening to spill for the past hour. For some reason, he just didn't want to cry.
Kaasan sat in the seat across from him, with Shuichi perched on the arm of the chair. He almost smiled at that: under any other circumstances, she would have had his hide for not sitting in the seat of the chair, which was where a person's bottom belonged, according to Shiori. Except, of course, that smiling would hurt to much. He winced inwardly, because even thinking about the injuries caused them all to begin hurting again. His only comfort was in knowing that it could have been worse, that Yomi could have killed him, but hadn't.
It was a cold comfort, indeed.
He raised one hand to the black pouch around his neck, now stained with Hiei's blood. He fingered it lovingly, almost reverently. It was all he had left of Hiei. The teargems, and Hiei's words of advice.
That brought his thoughts to Karasu. 'Oh, koibito,' he thought sadly. 'You may never forgive me, but I'll always love you.' He'd dreamed of Karasu every night since that incident with Yomi their first day in what was once Mukuro's palace. In his dreams, he'd plead with Karasu, either to forgive him or to make him pay for betraying his love. He often begged for death, but Karasu wouldn't raise a hand against him. In the dream, anyway. Kurama was sure that if they were really facing each other, it'd be a different story entirely.
"Anou... Jichan?" Kurama jumped when Shura placed a small hand on his arm.
"Shura!" he exclaimed. "Don't startle me like that." Shura mumbled an apology. "What are you doing here, anyway? Not that I'm displeased," he added hastily at Shura's expression of hurt. "but I thought Yomi was going to keep you busy-"
Shura nodded. "Yeah, he wanted to train me real hard 'gainst some tough people, but I ran away." He held up something, and Kurama thought his heart was standing still as he recognized what it was.
"I got these for you, Jichan," Shura said, thrusting the ring of keys at him. "The yellow one unlocks the cell Yusuke-san is being held in. The green one unlocks the cell your other friends are in, and the blue one will unlock all the chains."
Kurama forced himself to breathe evenly as he took this most wondrous gift from Yomi's son. "A-arigatou, Shura. How can I-"
The kid shook his head. "Don't worry about it, Jichan." He glanced at Shiori and Shuichi, who were watching with interest. Well, Shuichi looked on with curiosity; Shiori's eyes held fear. "I'll take Shiori-baasan and Shuichi and we'll all hide together. Okay? Oh, and-" He stuck his hand in his pocket, and pulled out a dagger, offering it to Kurama. "You'll need this to cut the wards."
Kurama nodded, forcing an encouraging smile to his face as he took the blade and stood. "Kaasan, Shuichi-kun." He leaned down to embrace them both. "Go with Shura, okay? And don't worry. Everything will turn out all right. Ne, Shuichi?" He ruffled the boy's hair affectionately, and he nodded.
As he turned to go, his mother grabbed his hand. "Kurama."
"Kaasan."
She stared deeply into his eyes. "Don't get hurt, Kura-chan."
He smiled faintly. "I won't, Kaasan." He thought that even Shuichi had recognized the lie, though.
Karasu drifted in that place that wasn't quite sleep, his mind wandering in pleasant little circles. He was thinking about Kurama, and that night in the water. He'd love to do that again, but-
He shook his head unhappily, not wanting to be reminded of his current situation. Unfortunately, the gesture served only to draw him into complete awareness. Sighing, he gave up trying to sleep. It would come in it's own good time.
Kuwabara looked his way and started to say something, but closed his mouth as they heard a key being inserted in the lock. "What now?" he muttered under his breath.
The door opened, and Karasu found that he quite suddenly could not breathe as Kurama poked his head into the cell, obviously looking for someone. Them. Him.
"Kurama!" Kuwabara leapt to his feet, grinning like the idiot he was. "I knew you'd come for us!"
The kitsune came completely into the cell, placing his finger against his lips to indicate the need for silence. Kuwabara nodded, all but bouncing with excitement and happiness. The Youko scanned the cell, his eyes at last falling on Karasu. He walked quietly over, picking out one of the keys on the ring he held and kneeling beside Karasu.
This close, Karasu had a better view of Kurama, and he didn't like what he saw. A single, large bruise covered one cheek, and his lower lip was swollen and had obviously been bleeding earlier. The pained look in his eyes suggested more bruises elsewhere. Memory of Kurama's betrayal seemed to disappear with the realization that Kurama was hurting.
Kurama used the key to remove his shackles, and then produced a dagger. For a brief moment, Karasu thought Kurama intended to end his life there, and was surprised when the wards fluttered to the floor. 'He's still wearing my jacket,' Karasu noted with surprise. Their eyes met, and they were both frozen in place for what seemed like hours, but was only mere seconds.
Kurama stood abruptly, and was using the key on Kuwabara's chains before Karasu had a chance to say anything. Shaking his head, he stood, forcing himself to take a deep breath.
Kurama had come. Everything would be all right, now that Kurama was with them.
Wouldn't it?
Kurama finished Kuwabara and moved on to Genkai, hesitating before unlocking her. She showed no signs of outward hostility, but Kurama worked quickly, and hurried on to Toguro.
When he had finished, Toguro surprised Kurama (and Karasu, Kuwabara, and Genkai) by grabbing his wrists in one hand, the other holding his chin, forcing the kitsune to look into his eyes. Almost a minute passed, and Toguro released the Youko.
"Let's get out of here." he said.
Kuwabara was the first out of the cell, and the others weren't far behind him. "Oi, Kurama," the carrot-top muttered. "Where is Urameshi."
"Two cells down," said Kurama, pointing. He tossed the ring of keys to Kuwabara. "The yellow one opens the door, and the blue one will take care of the chains." He paused, then tossed the knife. "Use this on his wards."
Kuwabara nodded and strode over to Yusuke's cell. Kurama bit his lower lip, and winced at the pain. "Ah.. I think we need to down the hallway to the right after we get out of the dungeons." the redhead told them. "Follow me."
Kurama led them out of the dungeons, and they took the aforementioned hallway, which led to a rather large room that had no obvious purpose. The kitsune stood in the middle of the room, frowning at the various doors. "Well," he said at last. "That last one leads to the courtyard. We could try to escape through there."
"I don't think you'll be going anywhere, Kurama."
The Youko whirled, eyes wide. Everyone's attention was on Yomi. The powerful youkai lounged nonchalantly in one of the doorways, holding a struggling little kid by the collar of his shirt. Beside him cowered Kurama's mother, and a young, unfamiliar ningen boy.
"Yomi.." Kurama's eyes were filled with fear. "Yomi, don't hurt them!"
Snorting, Yomi dropped the little boy, and gave him a quick kick in the side. "Why shouldn't I?" the Makai lord demanded. "You've corrupted my son. Look at him, Kurama! He's betrayed his own father," Yomi raged.
Kurama flinched, but it was the boy who spoke. "That's 'cause you were wrong, Papa! You were wrong to kidnap Shiori-baasan and Shuichi, and you were wrong to kill Hiei-san. And now you're wrong again!"
Yomi was pale and trembling with rage. "You dare speak to me that way? Ungrateful wretch!" Yomi formed a ball or pure power in his hand, preparing to strike down his own son.
"Not so fast, Yomi!" He didn't pause. Instead, he turned to Yusuke and flung the ball at him.
Yusuke dodged easily, dragging Kuwabara with him. Letting go a Kuwabara, Yusuke charged Yomi. "REI GUN!"
Yomi leapt out of the way. Seeing his chance, Karasu sent one of his bombs at the unsuspecting youkai. It connected with Yomi's shoulder, and the blind man cried out in pain as the explosion tore through his shoulder, and a portion of his cheek and neck. Unfortunately, it hadn't taken out anything vital.
But it had given Yusuke the opportunity to do some damage. He aimed straight for Yomi's chest, and released his weapon with a shout. It smashed into Yomi, knocking him off his feet and sending him flying into a wall.
The Makai lord staggered to his feet with a grimace. "You little bastard!" he snarled. "I'll make you pay for this." His aura flared to almost blinding brightness. "I'll make you all pay!" His maniacal laughter bounced off the wall, amplifying it. He charged Yusuke, swinging his fist menacingly. Yusuke rushed to meet him, and their two frightening powers clashed, waves of power washing over them. It was a contest of wills, and the winner would be determined by who lasted the longest. Unfortunately, Yusuke wasn't in any condition to be doing it. Karasu looked at Toguro, and their eyes met. 'We have to do something,' was their shared thought.
Toguro tossed off his coat, and his muscles began to grow. 'He's going for the full hundred,' Karasu realized. Eyes narrowing with determination, Karasu gathered his bombs.
Toguro launched himself at Yomi, knocking the blind lord off his feet. Yusuke almost fell to his knees, so shocked was he. Karasu sent his bombs after Yomi with a feral grin. He managed to avoid a few, but Toguro's attack had unbalanced him. Yusuke looked about to protest at their interference, but then thought better of it. Instead, he aimed for Yomi's head, determination reflected in his very posture.
"REI GUN!"
His aim was true, and his blast hit Yomi's with an explosion of brain matter and blood. Yomi's body was flung backwards, and crashed to the floor with a dull thud. Standing there, Yusuke was shaking his head slowly, as if unwilling to believe it was finally over.
Struck by a sudden, alarming thought, Karasu quickly scanned the room for Kurama, seeing with much relief that the kitsune was with his mother and the two children. He strode quickly over to them.
"Kurama," he called. The kitsune turned to him with a smile that warmed his heart.
"KURAMA!" His smile faded as Yusuke stalked towards him. "You son of a bitch!" The boy was screaming, enraged. "How can you smile like that when Hiei is dead? DEAD, you bastard!" He reached Kurama and grabbed the Youko by his collar, hauling him to his feet. "Dead because of you, Kurama! It's your fault he's dead."
By the stricken look on Kurama's face, he seemed to share Yusuke's opinion. "Yusuke, I-"
"What?" The dark-haired boy shook him hard. "You want to say you're sorry? You want to apologize?" He pitched his voice higher in a bad imitation of Kurama's husky alto. "'Oh, I'm sorry Hiei's dead. I really didn't mean for Yomi to kill him.. it just sorta happened.'" Yusuke punched the redhead. "BASTARD!" he screeched, flinging Kurama to the ground.
"Yu..su...ke.."
The punches came in rapid succession, mostly concentrated on his torso and gut. Karasu couldn't even see half of them. Kuwabara grabbed his arm, trying to pull him off the unresisting kitsune. Karasu grabbed his other arm, and together they pulled. He was surprised when Toguro grabbed Yusuke around the waist and lifted him easily into the air.
"Oi, what's the big idea?!" The youth struggled in Toguro's grasp. "Lemme go!"
"Not until you promise to leave Kurama alone." Toguro informed him.
Yusuke stopped struggling and stared long and hard at Kurama. "All right," he said finally. "I'll leave him alone... for now."
Shrugging, Toguro dropped him. With an air of wounded dignity, Yusuke got to his feet, pointedly ignoring Kurama.
"Yusuke..." The youth looked down at him angrily. Kurama got to his knees, fumbling with a pouch that hung around his neck. Karasu watched curiously as Kurama reached into the pouch and pulled out a single, gleaming gem. It seemed to glow in his palm as he offered the gem to Yusuke.
"From Hiei," the Youko whispered.
Yusuke plucked the gem from Kurama's palm and studied it for several minutes. Finally, he looked up, and the anger in his eyes was a terrifying thing.
"You.. you bastard..." Snarling, Yusuke raised his fist and slammed it into the side of Kurama's head. The redhead collapsed, blood pooling around his head. The ningen woman was screaming.
"Yusuke," Karasu heard himself saying as he stared at his lover's limp body. "You broke your promise."
Their eyes met, and Yusuke was the first to look away. "I don't know which one of you I hate more," he whispered.
. .
