-Warnings: This is a Hiei/Kurama fiction.-

-This story will be bloody and graphic.-

-This is an AU Supernatural fic that involves many creatures of folklore.-

-Disclaimer: I do not own Yu Yu Hakusho or any of the perspective characters from the show. All other characters that appear in the story, however, are my own.

-Summary: A vampire boy is rescued by three supernatural hunters from a torturous existence in an old carnival. However it is not simply out of the goodness of their hearts. The boy holds great secrets to Vampire evolution in his blood, and an evil warlord will not rest until he has that secret, even if he must drain the boy of every last drop of his blood.-

– Revised 06/29/13 –

Blood Lust

Chapter One: The Ebony Boy

The mud squished out from underneath their boots as the trio made their way into the traveling carnival's grounds. There was not much to look at or to admire, only one large canvas tent, flaps pulled open to reveal shoddy wooden bleachers that were already filling with local farmers eager to spend their meager gold to see a handful of the world's proclaimed wonders. They jabbed fingers at each other, chattering excitedly as they showed each other gap toothed smiles. A lamb that had had a second head stitched grossly to its left shoulder was lead around the ring by a rope as people guffawed over such a creature. The fingers resumed their poking and pointing and more jovial peels of laughter filled the canvas building.

Three men made their way between the wooden carts that boasted of odd side shows. Women with beards, men that ate glass, or girls that were attached at the shoulder. The path they walked was no more then stamped down areas where the grass had turned into nothing but streaks of mud. Each footfall made a squelch as the wet dirt stained their boots.

"Are you sure this is the right place?" One of the men asked. His hair was a chocolate shade of black and slicked back out of his brown eyes to give him a meaner look then his personality actually was. He wore a simple white cotton shirt beneath a long dirty brown duster. His brown cotton pants were tucked neatly into the top of his brown leather boots. A belt hung heavily around his waist, weighted down on one side by a silver pistol. The look of clear exasperation on his face was almost amusing to his partners.

"I am sure, Yusuke." A second man answered the first. A gentle smile tugged at his lips as he raised a hand, brushing his fingers through his long locks of crimson hair. Vibrant green eyes radiated intelligence as he regarded his friend. His own outfit was not much different, but the way it was worn seemed to exude much more class. A hunter green leather vest was worn over his white shirt, his own duster and pants black, as were his boots. On his belt was a coiled whip of braided black leather.

"Well if you're sure, Kurama." Yusuke muttered, one hand rising to scratch at his coffee colored locks. His gaze turned towards the third member of their party, and he smirked. "And even if it ain't, we can always stop by the bearded lady's cart and get Kuwabara a companion for the night."

"Shut up, Urameshi!" The third and tallest man spoke, his narrow gray eyes open wide. His short cut orange hair was curled towards his forehead in a pompadour, his outfit a mirror image of Yusuke's except for the fact that it was a large sword that rested on his hip. "Besides that, I'm sure she's a very nice lady and you shouldn't make rude comments about her!"

Kurama chuckled at the tall man's sense of honor, thinking that though it was very gentlemen like, he was pretty sure the bearded lady was not an 'honorable' woman. If even a fraction of what he had learned of this place was true, he doubted that anyone here had even a inkling of honor in them. His nose crinkled as the fetid stench of unwashed bodies and animal feces. How could any creature choose to live in such a place, never mind pay money to visit it? Still, they had a job to do and after handing over a copper coin each, the trio made their way to the tent. His green eyes turned towards his two friends and teammates who were now bickering fully, forcing a tight smile as Kuwabara held Yusuke in a headlock demanding loudly that the man apologize for insulting a woman.

"While I hate to break up such a touching moment." He called out, stopping the other two in their tracks. "You do realize, Kuwabara, that by insinuating that Yusuke's remark was an insult you are giving power to the idea that you are, how shall a say, unworthy? Now, if you two are done with your game I believe we are about to miss the show that we came for."

Both men blinked at their friend as they slowly processed his words. Kurama gave them the few seconds that he knew they would need, the same neutral smile on his face as he did so. Suddenly Kuwabara pulled back, releasing Yusuke who had begun to bellow with laughter. With a grunt the carrot top shoved the other towards the tent, muttering something about 'fox-boy' being right and needing to get into the tent.

The three men slipped in just as the two headed lamb was being guided off stage. The scent of the festering wound from having the second head stitched on was missed by most, but caused Kurama to raise a hand to press over his nose in an attempt to filter out the foulness. He could only hope the main attraction that the bartender back in town had ranted about was next. Such disgusting shows of mortals playing God could only be taken for so long.

A burly man suddenly stepped into the ring, a deep cobalt jacket hanging from his shoulders. Despite the layers of dirt that clung to the once rich fabric, the gleam of golden buttons down the front easily gave away the fact that it was likely the most expensive garment owned in the entire camp. He bowed to the crowd, straggling wisps of thinning brown hair falling about his face before he straightened and offered the spectators a yellowed grin.

"Least this one has all his teeth." Yusuke muttered under his breath, knowing that Kurama and Kuwabara would be able to hear him over the noise of the mostly drunk crowd, earning him a grin from both.

"Ladies and gentleman!" The ring leader called out, waving one hand out in a sweeping gesture towards the crowd as though without the gesture they may have thought he were talking to someone else. Kurama had to muse that such a fact was actually very likely. "We have a special treat for you tonight, something that no man can explain! Something that no science can even being to understand! Tonight we bring you a creature of such strange and disturbing origins that some believe he was born of the devil's loins! Or maybe it is that he is actually an angel, but that would be for your own eyes to decide!"

The man took a step back, doing so with another gracious bow. All of the noise that had just been pouring from the bleachers seemed to peter out at the idea that they might be about to lay eyes on a demon or an angel. Such a creature was no two headed lamb or woman with hair growth problems. This was what they had truly come to see, human nature dictating that they be drawn in to see that which would frighten them, leave them with sleepless nights, because of their never ending curiosity for things of the occult.

There was motion in the ring, a few heavy set workers carrying items into the small ring in the center of the tent. One was stool on which was set a large tub of water. The sight of this made Kurama stiffen. If they had what he thought they had, what was being set up was to be a gruesome scene. From the other side, a man lead in another lamb. The bloody circle on the creature's shoulder showed that it was the same poor beast that had moments ago been paired with the head of a corpse and would likely tomorrow be the corpse's head on the next wooly mammal. From his spot just off to the side of the ring, the leader re-emerged, his yellow smile never wavering.

"I will warn you now, my good folks, what you are about to witness will be disturbing and children should probably be escorted out of the tent." His voice was far too jovial for one that was giving such a disclaimer. "For I present to you the creature its self...The Ebony Boy!"

There was a rustling from the back flap of the tent, the sound of a short scuffle occurring just out of eyesight. The three friends all stood, grim faced and tense as the loud rattle of chains proceeded the canvas door being flung open and the creature being lead in. It was apparent right away that the title of 'Ebony Boy' was fitting as the so called creature appeared to be nothing more then a boy standing only about four and a half feet tall. He had a shock of jet black hair that stood straight up in spikes, a white star burst outlining the shaggy bangs that fell over his forehead. They did nothing, however to hide the sharp almond shaped eyes of crimson that glared out with both anger and panic. The only clothing it seemed he had been allowed was a tattered pair of black pants with holes in both knees and enough mud and blood caked to them to make even the idea that they were black questionable. A thick black leather collar was strapped around his neck, the outside plated with silver, the heavy chain being used to drag him towards the center of the ring attached to it.

"That poor kid." Yusuke's voice was quiet and pained as he spoke and Kurama had to echo the thoughts in his own mind. 'The Ebony Boy' was both thin and pale, obvious signs of malnutrition. It seemed that despite his desperation to break free, in his weakened state he could hardly muster up the strength needed to wrench the chain from the hand that was leading him towards the center of the ring. There was an almost painful horror in those ruby eyes, a knowledge of what was about to come and that like every time before it would be agony he would have to endure because those that pressed in around him were nothing more then vultures waiting to feed off his pain rather then help him escape it.

The man in the blue coat stepped forward after two other men had come in and gripped the struggling boy's arms. Still he thrashed and snarled, switching between threats and simple feral noises to try and see himself released. All of it fell on deaf ears as the ring leader held up his hands to show he was going to speak again.

"This strange boy exhibits symptoms that no man has been able to explain in practical terms." He waved a hand towards the dirty boy and motioned with one finger towards the basin of water. "They can only say that he is a monster! A creature of dark origins! Such a fact is thought because of his intolerance towards water, a substance used to clean and purify the soul. Watch how his flesh burns at the mere contact with the liquid!"

When the words were spoken one of the men holding the boy took his left arm and shoved it into the water. The reaction was immediate. Steam rose from the liquid as the hissing sound of boiling water rippling through the crowd. The boy's head snapped back with a screech of pure agony as the flesh on his submerged arm seemed to begin to boil and burn. The flesh wrinkled, bunching in stark white bumps as it pulled away from the muscle underneath leaving gaping and raw wounds. Parts began to blister and ooze as the muscles them selves began to brown as though meat on a skillet. The boy continued to wail and fight, trying in desperation to remove his arm from the cause of his torture. When it was finally yanked free, the boy went limp in the arms that held him, the gory mess that was his limb held up for the crowd to see. In some parts the flesh was already beginning to peel away like curling sheets of paper.

Kurama found that he had to look away. He had seen many gruesome things in his life time but none so coldly done. This boy was being tortured nightly with an agony that the carnival folk could not even begin to understand and every one viewed it as a show, entertainment. They worked all week and then turned their wages in to see a mere child being torn apart. A hand rested on his shoulder, fingers squeezing. Kurama looked up to see Yusuke staring back at him, fury barely contained in those eyes. The man was having the same problem watching this, but they had to be sure. Too often they had been tricked by illusions and honest medical disorders to simply go raging in like a group of reckless cowboys.

Another series of pained howls drew his green eyes back to the ring only to find the ring leader himself slicing into the flesh of the boy's unburned arm with a silver knife. The pale skin tore easily, releasing flowing rivers of blood so thick it almost looked black in the shadowed tent. The boy's ruby eyes were darting around desperately now, trying to seek out the face of someone that might actually stop their gawking and try to help him. Those pained eyes suddenly locked with his own and for a moment Kurama was almost sure he could hear the boy crying to his very soul, begging for freedom or for death. His emerald orbs softened as he wished there was some way he could assure the boy that it was almost over, that he would soon be alright.

It was the scent that broke the gaze, that bitter coppery aroma of the liquid of life with in every human being. The boy's eyes went wide as his battered form turned to where the man in the blue coat had slit the throat of the lamb, letting the gush of blood fill a goblet he held beneath it. The crowd gasped now, a few women finding this too much and breaking for the exit. The disturbed murmur rippled through out the inside of the tent and Kurama had to stop himself from laughing at the horrid injustice of it all. This poor boy had been boiled alive and cut open before their very eyes, yet it was the death of the sheep that brought them the most discomfort in viewing.

This did not seem to matter to the boy though who now only had eyes for the blood that was steaming within the goblet. He leaned forward in his captors' hold, trying to get close to the drink, desperate for even just a taste. Kurama could see even from a distance the tips of his stubby fangs elongating with the hunger that must have been burning through him as his body cried for the substance to both sustain and heal him. Still the man withheld it from him for moments longer, lifting both arms up in the air to address the crowd that remained.

"Now you shall witness that which has made many scream, demon, monster! That which makes obvious that the world is safer with this creature locked up in our hold! Nothing you have seen yet will disturb you quite like this, and I can assure you that nothing else every will!" He turned now, bringing the goblet to the lips of the gasping boy as he bellowed. "I show you all the power of the devil himself!"

The body slurped hastily at the offered cup, trying to pull in more of the still warm blood than the ring leader was willing to offer. It was obvious the man would only allow him to have just enough to get the job done and no more, which explained the boy's pale and thin state. He was being starved. Still, some was better then none and as the heated liquid trickled down his throat the horrid injuries he had just suffered began to knit themselves together. The puckered flesh of the burn began to smooth out as the knife wounds began to seal themselves. After only a few meager sips, the boy looked as though no harm had just befallen him. The man in blue pulled the goblet back away, tossing it to the side. This action drew a devastated cry from the boy who twisted against the arms that held him. It was obvious that he would be willing to hurl himself to the floor and lick up the blood. The idea caused Kurama's stomach to roll and he turned his back on the scene as the large men started to escort the boy back out of the tent, ignoring his pleas for just a little more.

"There's no doubt." Kuwabara's voice was thick with emotion at the sight they had all just witnessed. "He is the one we're looking for."

Kurama could only nod, not trusting himself to speak yet. He could still feel the echos of agony from when he had made eye contact with the boy. The red head knew that even if he had not been the one they were after, he would have done everything in his power to save him anyway.

"Once the camp goes to sleep we get him out of this hell hole." Yusuke muttered, shoving his hands in his pockets and heading for the flap of the tent. He had no interest in the rest of the show. "But first things first. We must prepare for the Day Walker."

The three men left the carnival grounds in silence after the horrid scene they had witnessed waiting for dusk to bring salvation to the boy.

-B-l-o-o-d-L-u-s-t

Hiei could only moan softly as he was thrown ruthlessly to the floor of his prison, just another barred wooden cart. His form crumpled down onto the scattered furs laid out like the bed of a beast. It made sense though, seeing as all of them viewed him as such. He was nothing more then their mutated animal in a cage. And not just any cage. No, these men knew what they were doing. Whether it was by researched knowledge or by sheer luck he did not know nor cared about. Either way it had lead to the inside of the cage's walls and ceiling being lined with a thin sheet of silver. The only part that was not was the floor. When they had first taken him in and starvation had not yet stolen his strength, he had attempted to escape by breaking through the floor boards only to find that a large vat of holy water awaited him.

His entire body had been seared to near death and the carnival owner had only given him enough blood to heal about half his bodies injuries. After that they had left him in searing agony for days to, as they said, 'learn his lesson'. He had never been the same since, body starved of all its reserves of blood just to keep him alive. His strength had fled him and he became nothing more than a money making prop in the carnival.

He did not even open his eyes to watch the man close him in his cage. Pain was still humming through his system and his left arm felt crippled from the elbow down where the water had burned the flesh off. The small amount of blood he had been given had been enough to heal the outer wounds but it would still take some time for the nerves to stop thrumming.

Hiei wasn't sure how much longer he could take this. They were giving him more injuries then blood and his body was struggling to keep up with the unbalanced equation. It was getting bad, to the point that even the smallest amount of blood sent him into near roving bouts of hunger induced insanity. At one point a worker had gotten a chunk of their arm ripped out by a dog and he had clawed at the inside of his cage until the silver burned down his fingertips to the bone in a desperate need to drink, the thirst burning in his throat and roiling his stomach in hunger. It had taken four buckets of water to subdue him. At least they had been kind enough to leave a rabbit in his cage for when he woke up.

So he would either end up dead from the hunger or killed when he went so crazy they could not pull him back. He curled up tighter on the furs, thin arms wrapping around his shivering body. It seemed lately that he was always cold. Strange, he never thought cold would bother his type. A trembling hand gripped one of the furs and he tugged it over his bare chest, desperate for warmth. It was the first time in his long life that he actually wished for death. He could no longer take being a brutal side show for a gaggle of half brained humans that took pleasure in seeing his pain. There was never one that saw what he was that ever even spoke up for the idea of mercy on his behalf.

His crimson eyes opened to take in the blurry sight of the carnival's grounds, for some reason thinking back to the earlier show. He had just remembered that one face he had looked upon this time. Those soft emerald orbs surrounded by the long crimson hair. It was the first time he had ever seen someone watch him with such an expression of horrified anger. For the briefest of moments he had felt a connection with another person, a concept that had become foreign to him. In a way it had eased him to realize that someone out there felt pity for him. Maybe it meant that someone out there would actually save him one day.

Hiei let his eyes drift shut again, slipping away from the real world into dreams. Sleep would help the pain that still ached through his body. Just a little sleep before they would come for him again and rouse him to put on another show. A part of him actually looked forward to it as it would be the only time he was given even a mouthful of blood. The sounds of the movements around him became a distant muffled drone as he simply continued to float through this hell that had become his existence.

He wasn't sure how long it had been before a voice seemed too close. No one bothered to get near his cage until it was time to drag him off to the ring. A soft moan left him as he tried to curl up farther beneath the fur rugs. The pain was still too fresh and he was not ready for another show. For a brief moment he considered playing dead, hoping they would simply leave him to rot rather then try to force him into another round of torture.

"Oi, Ebony boy...wake up." The voice called out again with that hated nickname. A voice he did not recognize. This strangeness is what drew him from his fog and to facing the one that called him.

A pair of chocolate eyes peered back at him, sparkling with something he hadn't seen in so long it was almost hard to place at first. Kindness. He could only peer back, completely baffled by this until his gaze moved. Standing behind the first man were two more, and one of them was the crimson haired, green eyed man he'd seen at the shown earlier.

"Hey, you with us Ebony?" The brown haired man called out again, concern in his voice. "It'll be much easier to get you out of here if you can move on your own."

"Do...don't call me that." He rasped out, lips pulling back to show a set of stubby fangs. That name, that ridiculous name that the man in blue called him. He hated it. They have never even bothered to ask his name, saw him as simply a beast they could collar and name themselves.

"Our apologies." The red head stepped forward now, leaning close to the bars that separated them. "Would you care to tell us your name so we have something to call you? Mine is Kurama and these are my partners, Yusuke and Kuwabara."

He blinked gently, not having expected such a civil conversation from anyone. The shock must have been apparent in his gaze because the soft smile on Kurama's face grew even softer. His hand reached forward, slipping through the bars to rest on top of his own thin, cold hand. The touch was so gentle that Hiei almost cried out for more, for the man and his friends to save him. However he knew the pain of betrayal and he knew that it was more likely that they would leave and he would still be behind these bars. The twisting thought caused him to pull his hand back and wriggle a bit farther away from them. Kurama frowned as this.

"Please." He pushed the issue. "We really mean you no harm."

Crimson orbs narrowed as though judging the validity of this statement. Finally a soft breath pushed past the pale lips and that raspy voice managed to force out another word.

"Hiei..."

Kurama smiled at this and moved his hand back through the bars towards Hiei's hand gripping it tightly. The boy couldn't help the groan this time as his body seemed to soak up the warmth of the other man's hand. For some reason it made him feel safe, chased away the pain. Still he clutched onto the wariness that something was going to go wrong. Nothing ever worked out well for him, ever. That was until the red head spoke words he never thought he would hear.

"Well then, Hiei the Vampire, we are here to set you free."