Kowareta

by thebmule

Deathfic my darkest to date. Alternate ending to the Dark Tournament. Karasu captures Kurama.

A/N - this is the ff-dot-net version posted under a mule account so that my actual account will not be banned. Enjoy and please review. If you question my identity, that's fine, as I have this posted under a different username on another site. Simply e-mail that author and reference this story. She is me, so there will be no problems. -mhmuletini

--

Every soul has a breaking point. No matter how old or young, how strong or weak, how good or evil, there is a point at which it will snap and embrace the darkness around it, making it the darkness within.

--

Kowareta

--

Kurama awoke slowly, his eyes unwilling to adjust to the dim light of his unfamiliar surroundings. Blinking and trying to ignore the growing pain throbbing behind his eyes, the kitsune moved his head slightly.

"Awake, are we?" came a soft, velvety smooth voice from nearby. Kurama tried to turn to face the sultry sound, but found himself unable to move that way. Groggily he realized his hands were bound together at the wrists. In his peripheral vision, he saw a dark figure detach itself from the shadows and approach. Again the seductive tones met his ears.

"You've slept long enough. I like to watch you as you sleep. Your beauty is so ethereal. It makes me want to claim it and take it away from the rest of the world," the dulcet voice crooned. The figure grew larger as it drew closer. Kurama had to keep squinting and blinking to try to determine to whom this shadowy form belonged.

A sudden chill ran down the fox's spine as the identity of his captor washed over him like a sudden wind. Karasu. The crow had somehow gained the upper hand over the kitsune and now had him bound and helpless, lying on his side on some sort of bier. Narrowing his eyes, Kurama began to wriggle his hands in an attempt to release them.

"Go ahead. Try all you wish to escape. You can't. Your hands are bound, your ki is bound, and soon you, too, will be bound. But by all means, satisfy your need to perform futile acts of indolence," the dark haired demon said, leaning against a nearby wall and watching his prey.

As Kurama's calm, calculated hand movements became jerkier and more panicked, he realized that Karasu was right; he could not escape like this. Stopping his struggles, he lay still, awaiting his captor's next move. A soft chuckle greeted his ears.

"Soon, Kurama. Soon," the voice echoed as the dark figure retreated out an unseen door and down a hallway, leaving the red head alone to ponder the unanswerable question of escape.

In the dim, cold environment, Kurama tried to free his hands and to manipulate his ki. Nothing. Something was blocking his energy, cutting him off from his strength and leaving him powerless. He had no idea how long he laid there. The dim light was not from the sun, apparently, as it did not move or set. In silence he waited, unsure what, exactly, he was awaiting.

A soft rustle of cloth was the first sound he heard. It cut through the stillness like a crash of cymbals, heralding the arrival of another living being. Kurama cringed inside, however, when he realized which being this was. As he feared, the tall, lithe form Karasu entered the room.

"Hello, my pretty fox. Did we sleep well? No?" Karasu taunted. "It was nighttime. Then it was daytime. Now the sun is setting again. Hmmm, you can't see that from here, can you?" Karasu meandered around the bier as he spoke, reaching out and passing his hand over Kurama's body without actually touching him. It didn't matter; the kitsune's flesh tingled when the crow's hand passed near. Touch was unnecessary.

"Perhaps you are thirsty?" Karasu asked softly. Swiftly he released Kurama's hands. In a flash, the fox swung his arms around to attack his adversary. Deftly, Karasu caught Kurama's left hand in his own left hand and twisted sharply. Kurama gasped as he was spun around, his arm pulled into a chicken wing behind his back.

"Open up," Karasu instructed. Defiantly, Kurama pressed his lips together as the taller man brought a vial to them. With a slight movement, Karasu hiked Kurama's arm higher behind his back, eliciting a gasp from the red head. As the pale lips parted, the crow slipped the open neck of the vial between them and poured the contents into Kurama's mouth. Keeping the vial in that mouth, Karasu lifted his hand, forcing Kurama's head up and allowing gravity to pull the liquid down the fox's parched throat. With a sputter, Kurama tried to spit. Karasu, however, held him firmly.

"Swallow," the crow ordered. When Kurama did not comply, he gave the arm another twist. As he gasped, Kurama's throat opened and the liquid slipped down, past the point of no return. Coughing, Kurama had no choice but to swallow or drown.

When the muscles of his neck relaxed, the fox breathed deeply. Karasu released him and stepped backwards. Without a word, the crow left the room, locking the stone door behind him and leaving the kitsune in cold, silent dimness once more.

The next time the door opened, Kurama was sitting on the floor. He had selected the corner opposite the doorway, the location that gave him the best view of not only his visitor but also the world beyond the door. To his chagrin, that world consisted of only a brief glimpse of a stone hallway, and then the door cut him off from it once more.

"Thirsty?" Karasu asked again. In truth, he was. But Kurama had no intention of showing this to the sadistic crow. From his seat in the corner he glared at his tormentor. It was then that he realized that Karasu was not wearing his mask. The demon was not internalizing his power, either.

"No? Okay, have it your way," Karasu said. Reaching into his overcoat, he removed a flask from the dark folds. Uncapping it, he waved it under his nose, inhaling deeply to appreciate the bouquet of the liquid within. With a soft sigh, the crow raised the flask to his own lips and drank deeply, savoring the taste. As he drank he watched his prey. Kurama's eye followed every move of his throat as he swallowed and unconsciously the kitsune licked his lips. With a satisfied smirk, Karasu pulled the empty vial from his reddened lips, snaking out his tongue to catch every last drop.

"Vintage 728, Western Makai. A truly magnificent year," Karasu said casually as he dropped the empty flask to the dusty ground. Turning he left once more, closing the stone door. Kurama waited until all sound had fled and then crept over to the discarded flask. The liquid was all gone, but the scent lingered. The fragrant aroma of fine, aged wine greeted his nose and filled his senses. The crow had been right; that was a particularly fine year for wine from the western region. A war had engulfed the land early in the growing season. The blood of many demons had spilled and soaked into the fertile soil as the grapes formed. The taste of the blood, the taste of the battlelust, the taste of their very ki was instilled into the fruit, and the wine was said to be the embodiment of their vigor and strength. Wistfully, Kurama turned the flask over, hoping to catch even a bit of liquid on his dry tongue. But there was none left.

When next the door opened, Kurama had no idea how much time had passed. He was hungry and thirsty. He was cold. His muscles were stiff with fatigue, for he allowed himself no sleep, and he was feeling restless from the lack of sight, of sound, of any sensation. Before the crow's form entered the doorway, a tantalizing scent wafted in. Without realizing it, Kurama emerged from his corner, creeping towards the door on his knees. When Karasu did appear, the fox did not shrink back.

"I see we're becoming more sociable. I imagine we're hungry by now, as well," Karasu said, almost conversationally, as he placed a tray on the bier. The tray held a plate. On the plate was a sparse helping of food comprising two bites of tender meat, one stalk of green, leafy vegetation, and half a small potato. Kurama's eyes did not leave the plate as he began to salivate. Even when Karasu drew closer, the food had Kurama's undivided attention.

"Your shirt and your pants," Karasu said softly. Kurama did not respond immediately. After moment, the kitsune tore his gaze from the plate. "A trade," Karasu explained. "You must be hungry after three days of nothing. Your shirt and pants for the food. Or you can die here."

Kurama glowered. He did not like these terms. But he grudgingly realized that Karasu had all the power. The crow could forcibly take the clothing if he so desired. With no ki, no weapons, and a human body, Kurama could not stop him. Karasu was generous, if anything, to even offer a trade of any sort. Narrowing his eyes, Kurama turned his back to the crow, something he usually did not do to an enemy, but in this case it didn't matter; Karasu had complete control whether Kurama faced him or not. As he began to open his pink school jacket, a soft voice interrupted him.

"Face me," the crow ordered. When he hesitated, Kurama heard the sound of the tray being picked up. Quickly he turned back around.

"No, wait," Kurama said quietly. Keeping his eyes downcast, he continued to open the jacket, this time facing his captor.

"Look at me," Karasu demanded. Slowly, Kurama raised his eyes. Staring into Karasu's gaze, he slowly removed his jacket and unbuckled his belt. Feeling the heat rise in his cheeks, Kurama kept eye contact as he bent over, sliding his pants down his legs and off. Leaving them in a pile with the pink jacket, he began to unfasten the buttons on the white undershirt, as well.

"That will do," Karasu said. Kurama paused with the shirt only halfway undone and watched with confusion as Karasu swept up the pants and jacket and turned to leave. As he reached the door, the crow paused and looked back. "Eat. You have three minutes." With that, he left, not even bothering to close the door.

In his hunger and relief, Kurama did not consider trying to run. Instead he grabbed the food and began to shove it into his mouth ravenously. In exactly three minutes Karasu returned to reclaim the now-empty plate. "Good fox," the taller form crooned. "Now rest." The crow left. The door closed. With nothing else to do, Kurama sat in his corner and pulled his bare legs under his shirt. At least Karasu had allowed him to keep that and his underwear. He was surprised. He had expected the crow to forcibly take him after all the talk about loving to take away beautiful things. Karasu's actions, while creepy, were almost reassuring. Shaking his head to clear it, Kurama forced himself to relax and try to get what rest he could.

Kurama did not realize he was asleep until the sound of soft footsteps startled him awake. Before he had fully regained consciousness, something brushed over his hair and settled on his shoulders. "Come with me," a voice commanded him. The footsteps turned and left. Still bleary from sleep, Kurama did not respond immediately. The light pressure on his shoulders constricted as the rope drew taut around his neck and pulled him onto his side. Instantly awake, he scrabbled in the dust, trying to grasp the floor, the rope, something, anything, as his body was dragged forward a few feet by the noose. When the rope went slack, Kurama curled inwards, gasping to fill his burning lungs.

After a few deep breaths, the kitsune felt an impatient tug from the other end of the rope. Looking up he saw Karasu holding the end, his crow-like face void of any expression. After one more tug, Kurama understood the unspoken command. Slowly, dizzily, he pushed himself to his knees. When he raised his hands to remove the rope, the noose tightened just enough to send a clear warning to him. Defeated, Kurama rose to his feet. Karasu turned and continued walking. With no other options, Kurama followed.

The crow led the fox to a bedroom. Compared to the dank, dungeon-like room he had been in for...he didn't even know how long, this room was warm and comfortable. Under his stocking clad feet, the carpet felt soft and fluffy. When they reached the center of the room, Karasu turned and jerked the rope sharply, pulling Kurama against his body. The kitsune's chin, neck, and chest rested against the dark form's torso. With a superior smirk, Karasu murmured seductively, "Lose the underwear and I'll remove the noose."

Kurama's eyes went wide at this. Frantically his brain raced, trying to contrive an escape, but a snug feeling around his neck reminded him of the hopelessness of his situation. Defiantly, Kurama decided to stand his ground. The rope grew tighter. As his chest began to sear from lack of oxygen, Karasu dipped his head and whispered into his ear, so close that the warm puffs of breath tickled the cartilage shell, "Why should I wait? Strangulation is a fetish of mine, and your blue face would look so beautiful contrasted against your fiery, red hair. Your body would struggle for a while, but your limbs would go limp before you lost consciousness. You would feel everything, but you would not be able to move. Now, lose the underwear and I will remove the noose. I will not repeat myself for you again."

Fear washed over the fox anew. Slowly, with shaking hands he reached down his legs and removed first his right sock, then the left. He took as long as possible, hoping Karasu would allow him to keep the last piece. A sharp tightening around his neck dashed that hope. With his breath coming in ragged, humiliated puffs and his hands visibly shaking, Kurama reached under his white shirt and removed his underpants, shuddering as a violating breeze assaulted his more private areas. Karasu did not look at the revealed flesh. Instead he kept eye contact with Kurama and continued to hold the fox close.

When the underwear fell, the rope loosened and Karasu whisked it over the red locks and off Kurama. The fox did not move. His face flushed red in embarrassment and he stood still. His shirttails were long enough to cover the essentials, but his hips were revealed on both sides and any sudden movements, or bending over, would prove incredibly revealing. He remained immobile, waiting for either the next command to remove the last vestige of his clothing or the hands that would abuse his flesh.

"Very good. You will stay here now. Please be comfortable," Karasu said. When Kurama opened his eyes, the crow was holding his undergarments and was walking out the door. Kurama did not recall hearing Karasu pick the material up off the floor. When the door closed he heard the latch slide into place, followed by the sound of a solid bar sliding across the whole door. The fox thief did not need to approach the door to see that the lock was only accessible from the outside. Without tools or ki the door was a hopeless endeavor. Shifting his attention to the single window, Kurama was surprised that his hopes did not rise. He could possibly craft an escape out the window, but even that notion left him feeling flat. Dejectedly, he crossed the lush carpet to the bed and lay down to rest and gather his strength. He was going to need it if he planned to escape.

The morning sun creeping in through the small window woke Kurama. He blinked in the harsh light, not used to anything brighter than the dungeon, and looked around. Karasu was standing inside the closed door, leaning against the wall and watching his prey. Kurama glanced down at himself, relieved that the soft blanket covered his body and his shirt was still in place. As he arose, he noticed a covered tray on the table.

"Stand up," came the order. Deciding that to play along would be his best chance to escape, Kurama complied instantly, keeping himself covered with the shirttails. Karasu approached and circled him once, appraising him from all angles.

"Are you hungry?" Karasu asked softly. Kurama did not reply. A swift slap to his almost exposed bottom startled the fox. When Kurama turned to look at the source of the slap, he saw a fire burning in the violet depths of Karasu's glare.

"Yes," he replied quickly. Karasu nodded.

"You will have breakfast, but only when I tell you to," the crow said, uncovering the tray. A large plate of food sat upon it. The sight and smell made Kurama's empty stomach grumble loudly. Karasu paused and looked at his captive. Smirking, he reached down to the tray. A few vials of liquid sat in a glass beside the plate. Removing one filled with a clear substance, he held it up. "Water," he said in response to Kurama's suspicious glare. "Only water."

Approaching the fox he spoke again, "Open up." Kurama reluctantly parted his lips slightly, remembering the last time he had been given the same order. Karasu raised his eyebrows at the half-hearted gesture. Placing the vial to the kitsune's lips he instructed Kurama to tilt his head back. Closing his eyes, the fox complied and allowed the water to slip down his throat. It was then that Kurama realized how thirsty he was. As his eyes drifted over to the vials, Karasu laughed. "Not yet."

Karasu placed the empty vial on the tray and picked a piece of what appeared to be bacon. Popping it delicately into his mouth he chewed for a long moment before swallowing and licking his lips. "Ningen fare is remarkably good," he commented, eyeing the rest of the food. Without raising his gaze he spoke, "Lose the shirt."

Kurama's blood ran cold at that command. As hungry as he was, he stomach shrank and recoiled at the sound of those words. Karasu, however, did not look at him right away. The crow's slight pause was warning enough of what may happen if the order were not followed before he raised his head, and reluctantly Kurama removed his shirt and placed it over the back of the nearby chair. When Kurama stilled, Karasu finally looked at him, raising his gaze slowly from the ground, traveling up the exposed flesh, and lingering at any parts that appealed to him. Biting his lower lip, Kurama stood, naked and unmoving, under the scrutiny.

Karasu circled Kurama once more, admiring him from all angles. "Sit," he commanded, and watched as the fox complied. "Lie back." Kurama lay on his back on the bed, waiting for the inevitable. But Karasu did not touch his body. The crow just watched him. He watched as the kitsune's flesh shivered and formed goosebumps. He watched and Kurama shifted nervously under his scrutiny. After some time he spoke again. "Sit up; spread your legs." Slowly Kurama complied. He sat on the edge of the bed, his legs open and his feet resting on the floor.

Karasu dragged over the chair, directly in front of Kurama's open legs. Picking up the plate, he picked up another piece of bacon and held it to Kurama's lips. "Eat." Kurama slowly opened his mouth, and piece-by-piece Karasu fed him the contents of the plate.

When the food was gone, Karasu brought over the vials. He opened another clear one and ordered Kurama to open his mouth. After the salty bacon, the fox was more than ready to comply. Karasu tipped the contents of the first vial into Kurama's mouth. There was not a lot of water in them, just enough to make the fox need more. For the second vial, Karasu paused. "Lick the rim," he commanded. Kurama was loathe to comply, but he needed the drink. So he darted his tongue out and touched the glass edge quickly.

Karasu looked at his captive skeptically. "The great Youko Kurama knows what I mean. Lick it," he said almost menacingly. Instantly Kurama felt the change in the air around them. He immediately leaned in and dragged his tongue slowly around the edge of the glass vial, allowing it to explore the rim and opening. Karasu smiled. "Good fox," he murmured as he tilted the vial and allowed the small amount of water to dribble slowly between Kurama's parted lips. Still thirsty, Kurama glanced at the remaining vials. Karasu smiled and picked up another clear one. "Suck it," he commanded.

After suckling and even nibbling on the end of the vial, Kurama was rewarded with the splash of refreshment it offered. Only one vial remained. As Karasu picked it up, Kurama saw that its contents were not clear. The kitsune froze when he saw the white, thick liquid inside the final vial.

"I'm sure I need not explain the contents of the last vial to you," Karasu said smoothly. "Open up." Kurama did not move. He stared, aghast, at the vial in the crow's hand. In one movement, Karasu was on top of him. Although he was still sitting upright, the taller, clothed form was pressed against his smaller, nude one. The crow had a hold of his head and was tilting it backwards. Flailing a bit, Kurama tried to resist, but the larger figure had him restrained with a tight grip on his hair. Tilting the human's head backwards, the demon worked the mouth of the vial between his clenched lips and tilted it, allowing the thicker substance to slowly inch its way into his mouth. As the first drops reached his tongue, Kurama jerked, trying to turn his head. Karasu pulled his hair tighter and shoved the vial into his mouth until the kitsune almost choked.

"Swallow," the crow demanded sharply. When Kurama resisted, he moved the vial so it tickled the back of the fox's throat. With a gag and a heave, Kurama had no choice but to swallow, taking the liquid into his body. Choking and heaving, he felt the hand release his hair. Instantly he bowed his head in shame.

Karasu, still pressed to the fox's body, pushed forward, forcing Kurama to lie again on his back, this time with the crow between his legs. Lying still, the dark demon felt the smaller form shiver almost convulsively under him. Kurama could feel Karasu's arousal through the layers of clothing, pressing into his bare flesh. After a moment, Karasu stood. Claiming the tray and cover, he spoke, "There is a bathroom adjacent to this room. Use it. You have not needed one since so little nourishment was provided to your body. You will need one in the future. There is a bathtub. You will always be clean. You may keep your shirt. It will always be clean, as well. Do not vomit now, or I will feed you again." With that he left, not even glancing at the shaking form still lying on the bed. When the door closed, Kurama turned onto his side and pulled his knees tightly to his chest. He did not move for the rest of the day.

As the sun sank and darkness blanketed the sliver of world visible outside the window, Kurama finally stirred. Sitting up slowly, he looked around the room again. His shirt still lay draped over the back of the chair. As he looked at it, Kurama could see the discoloration on it. 'No wonder,' he thought to himself. 'I've work it for, what? Four days? It's natural that it would be filthy. With a shudder, he looked around again, this time spying a doorway. 'Bathroom,' his mind registered. Without thinking, he collected his shirt and entered the smaller room. There was no door to separate this area from the rest of the quarters, but at this point Kurama didn't care.

The bathroom was spacious. The floor and walls were tiled in a light grey color. The bathtub was a slightly darker grey and matched the sink. Almost mechanically, Kurama plugged the drain and began to fill the sink with cold water. In the small cabinet below the sink there were a variety of soaps, shampoos, and detergents. Selecting a detergent with no scent, the fox dumped some into the rapidly-filling basin and began to hand wash his shirt.

Once his lone garment was clean and rinsed, Kurama hung it on a small peg set into the wall and rummaged under the sink once more. After sniffing and discarding a few bottles, he found a soap and shampoo that smelled reasonably inoffensive and began to fill the tub with hot water. Sinking into the comforting heat, Kurama allowed himself to relax. The soap bubbled and soon the top of the water was laden with a foamy layer of suds. Playing idly with them, Kurama reflected on his predicament.

He was stuck. He did not recall how he had been captured; the last thing he recalled was the finishing blow he had dealt Karasu in the Dark Tournament. Or at least he had though it was a finishing blow. He had passed out after summoning the last plant, and when he had awakened, he was in the dungeon. His current accommodations were far more comfortable, but they were still a prison. Looking at the white layer on top of the water, Kurama shifted his thought to his captor.

Karasu, a demon he had thought to be dead, was quite alive. The crow-like demon had somehow stolen the fox and secreted him away in this place. Kurama's previous encounters with Karasu had given him the impression that the crow was greedy, seeking his own fulfillment regardless of the pain it caused others. In fact, Karasu had admitted his covetous nature when he spoke of taking away beautiful things. He kept them for himself, destroying them so that he, alone, could claim ownership of them. But the crow had not killed him. Karasu had provided food, albeit a small amount, and had upgraded Kurama's chambers to this nice bedroom suite. Confused by the contrary actions of the demon, Kurama allowed those thoughts to wander out of his head and concentrated on cleaning his skin and hair. When he emerged from the bathroom, the damp kitsune was clean and far more relaxed. Climbing into the bed, he allowed himself to sleep for the first time since he had been caught.

Kurama awoke to a bang outside of his door and sat up, immediately alert. The sun had not yet risen outside the window, so it was still very early in the morning. When he heard the lock click, Kurama realized that the bang had been the bar that secured the outside of the door. It was no surprise then, when the door opened, revealing his captor. What did surprise Kurama was the dark, menacing, searing look in the violet eyes. Unconsciously, Kurama shrank back where he sat.

"Up," the crow ordered, clearly in a foul mood. Kurama hesitantly began to draw back the covers. Impatiently, Karasu grabbed him by the upper arm and practically threw him out of the bed and across the floor. "I said UP, you kitsune whore," Karasu spat. Some part of Kurama bristled indignantly; his human body was virgin and most definitely not a whore, but the anger seeping out of Karasu's gaze was palpable, and the fox did not voice his difference of opinion. Slowly, Kurama rose to his feet as Karasu stormed about the room.

"Damn, fucking piece of shit..." Kurama heard Karasu mutter as he circled the room. "All his brains in his muscles..." "Because I want to..." "Soft my ass..." Little bits of sentences made their way to Kurama's ears. Inwardly he cringed and Karasu continued circling him and muttering. Finally the crow stopped and looked directly at Kurama. "On the bed."

Kurama immediately went to the bed, figuring that keeping his captor happy would reduce the pain and humiliation he would receive. As he got to the edge of the bed Karasu gave further orders. "Pull the pillows together in a pile and lay over them, face down." Kurama's hands shook as he complied. Once the pile of pillows was before him, Kurama took a moment to try to adjust himself to preserve what shred of dignity he had left.

"Let it dangle; I want to see everything," came the cold command. Taking a deep breath, Kurama lay forward over the pillows, exposing his rear end and allowing his more personal attributes to lie in full view between his legs. Shaking Kurama waited for whatever the crow had planned.

To his great surprise, nothing happened. Karasu watched him. The demon's eyes devoured the flesh on display before him. For a small eternity neither moved. Finally, Karasu approached his prize. Leaning over Kurama, he gently caressed one rounded cheek of the kitsune's tush and whispered softly, "Good fox. Your obedience makes me happy. Watching you makes me happy. Good fox." With those words, the crow stood and moved towards the door. "Stay exactly as you are," he said softly, his tone once more velvety and smooth. With that, the door closed and Kurama was alone.

Not much time passed before Kurama heard voices echo up the hallway. Afraid to move and unable to escape without going to the bathroom to reclaim his shirt, Kurama lay still. The voices drew closer. Karasu was arguing with a deeper voice. The deeper voice sounded familiar, but Kurama could not place it. It was calling the crow soft and questioning his ideas about the intimacy of murderer and victim. Karasu's replies were too muted to make out, but the anger in his voice was clear at any volume. The voices fell silent as the door opened. Kurama did not look back. He did not want to know for whom he was on display.

With no warning, a form leaned over the prone fox. Karasu's voice, so close the breath tickled his neck, said defiantly, "Soft? Is this soft?" With that Kurama felt intense pressure at his entrance. He tried to struggle, but Karasu was lying on top of him. Between the restricted food and the small amount of rest he had received, Kurama could not fight off the intruder into his body. With a hoarse cry, Kurama continued to fight as something hard and painful inched its way inside of him. The kitsune could feel the dry friction tearing at him, and he wished for only a few seconds to adjust, or a touch of lubricant to ease the pain. When he felt something warm as wet make the entrance slicker, he cringed. That was not the lubricant he desired. As searing pain shot up his spine, Kurama cried out. The pain was so intense it seemed to radiate from his entrance and collect in his stomach, which flopped over and began to writhe.

When Karasu was fully sheathed in his victim he began to thrust. Each forward motion elicited another cry of agony from the helpless fox, and drove the sadistic crow to push forward harder. Kurama felt his stomach begin to rebel and contract in time with each thrust. Within ten minutes, the demon on top felt his release begin to break. His final thrust was the hardest of all, and he released himself deep within the body of his unwilling victim. Kurama felt the final thrust and the hot liquid spill within him with an almost carbonated feel to it, popping and exploding as it traveled higher into his body. At that moment his stomach heaved, and he retched yellow bile over the bedding before him, choking and wheezing as he cried out, again, in pain. The crow immediately withdrew from his body, and he pulled his knees up towards his torso. The pile of pillows prevented him from completely curling into the fetal position, but he was too much in shock to care. He began shaking convulsively as he stomach lurched again. Turning his head, he laid it on as clean a spot on the bedding as he could reach and just tried to lay still, willing the events of the last ten minutes to not have happened. The feeling of warm liquid trickling down the insides of his thighs reminded him all to vividly that they had.

In a sift movement, Karasu gathered his trenchcoat around his naked, sated form. Not even looking at the small, shivering form on the bed he turned to his guest. "Soft?" he asked in a low, singsong tone.

"I stand corrected; point made," the deeper voice replied, fading as the two left the room. The door closed and latch, the bar slid into place, and the room was silent, except for the gasps and occasional sobs of the crumpled form on the bed.

Kurama did not hear anything before he became aware of a hand rubbing his back gently. Unwilling to open his eyes, he laid still. Let the crow kill him; it didn't matter anymore. The hand kept rubbing. The gesture would have been comforting except for the events of earlier. A sound joined the rubbing. A voice. Kurama didn't care. Let it speak. Let it sing. Let it choke. He ignored everything and lay still, trying to hide within himself. The rubbing paused and the voice directed its sound elsewhere for a moment. When the sound stopped, the hand on his back and another hand began to turn him over and gather him up. Defeated and violated, Kurama did not resist, and did not open his eyes.

The arms that held him carried him somewhere. He didn't care where. The next thing he felt was warmth as his body was gently lowered into a bath. This was the first time he opened his eyes. Karasu looked at him. The violet eyes held not compassion, but perhaps the closest thing to it that the crow could feel. "Relax," the voice instructed. Unwilling to argue, Kurama complied. Gently, the demon bathed the fox, washing away the sweat and vomit that had gathered in his hair and on his body. As he bathed lower, under the water level, Kurama again closed his eyes and turned away. "Not away. Don't turn from me," Karasu chided softly, raising one wet hand to turn Kurama's face towards him. Kurama did not resist, and when the hand laid his chin on his captor's shoulder, he leaned in, burying his face in the strong neck. A shudder escaped him as he fought his shame and fear.

"Shhh," soothed the crow. "You're not a kitsune whore. I knew the moment I entered you. You were pure." Kurama nodded unconsciously. Buried in Karasu's neck, his face hidden from his tormentor, he did not see the covetous smile on the crow's features. The hand slipped from Kurama's face and slid back under the water, between the long, slender legs, and began to clean the flesh there. Kurama did not move. Karasu took as long as he pleased to finish cleaning his victim before draining the tub and drying the fox with a towel he bad brought in with him.

Once the kitsune was dry, Karasu carried him to the bed and tucked him in, sitting him up against the pillows, leaning slightly to the side so no pressure was applied to his sore, torn entrance. The bedding had been changed, by whom Kurama did not know; he had never seen anyone else in this place before, and the deep voice did not sound as if it belonged to a servant. As he pulled the covers up over Kurama's waist, Karasu sat on the edge of the bed. Reaching into his black coat, he pulled out something shiny. It was a beautiful brush made of pure silver and fine boar bristles. Kurama ignored it, staring straight ahead and feeling dead inside.

"I got this for you," Karasu said in a soft, even tone. He raised his hand and gently grasped some of Kurama's damp hair. Raising the brush he tenderly slid it through the strands. He repeated this action over and over, gently petting the hair with his hand in between each stroke of the brush, until the red mane was dry. Setting the brush on the bedside table, he murmured, "You may keep it here." Gently he adjusted Kurama's position so that the fox was lying down, pulled the covers over the thin form, and left the kitsune to sleep. Although it was only midday by now, the human was exhausted.

Kurama did not hear his captor enter the room at dinnertime. Karasu left the tray of food on the table and did not linger, locking the door behind him.

The next morning the crow was surprised to find the tray untouched and the fox in the same position he had been left in the previous afternoon. Approaching the bed, he called out to his captive, "It's time to get up, sleepy fox." Kurama did not answer. Impatiently, the crow drew the covers off the fox.

The thin, naked form in the bed shuddered a little, but it did not stir. The skin glistened in a cold sweat. Karasu narrowed his eyes. Reaching down he touched the flesh of the kitsune. It was hot to the touch. "Damn," the crow swore. Humans were so fragile. The weak body must have gotten an infection from being torn, both at his entrance and deeper inside when the explosive semen penetrated the lining of his intestines. Tucking the covers back up around Kurama, the taller figure left the room, not bothering to close the door.

When he returned, Karasu carried a small assortment of vials and bottles. Sitting again on the bed, he drew the unconscious form into a sitting position and cradled it before him. Opening the first bottle, he poured a small bit of the contents into Kurama's mouth. When the kitsune managed a feeble swallow, Karasu continued. By the time he laid the form back down, he had fed Kurama several types of juices rich in nutrients and a tonic to fight infection. He covered the fox with a light sheet and left, allowing his victim to sleep and regain his health.

Kurama was in a hazy darkness. The darkness held him captive. With one hand the darkness offered him comfort and support. With the other hand it offered him pain and humiliation. Kurama never wondered how the darkness even had hands; his mind was too fuzzy to realize the incongruity of its own hallucinations. The darkness gave him both of these offerings. It spread its arms wide to envelop him. He could not tell if its folds held the consolation of a hug or the suffocation of death. The last thing he saw was feathers, blacker than the darkness itself, obscuring him from the world, from everything.

"Kurama?" a soft voice reached him. "Kurama, can you hear me?" The darkness was there. The darkness was around him. The darkness... was only the underside of his eyelids. His eyes fluttered open and his green eyes looked around in confusion. Where were the feathers? His blurry vision landed on a face framed with dark hair. "Drink this," the voice came again. A glass pressed against his lips and Kurama drank deeply and without reserve. The glass withdrew, and Kurama took a deep breath. As his vision cleared he could make out the features of the face and he realized he was in a bed, supported by a strong arm that belonged to the same body as the face.

Karasu sat the glass on the bedside table. "You're awake," he said gently. Kurama did not respond. He was too confused. This person, this demon, had hurt him, but the care he received now was soft and almost kind. The kindness did not shine in the violet eyes; they held only lust and greed. But the eyes were not holding him securely and giving him the drink to ease his burning thirst. Ignoring what he saw in the eyes, Kurama allowed the arms to comfort him some more.

When next Kurama awoke, he was alone in the bedroom. It was dark outside. There was a tray of food on the table. He sat up, wincing at the soreness in his lower back region. Sliding out of the bed, he nimbly crept to the door, ignoring the burning sensation from his abused rear end. Pressing an ear to the door, he listened carefully. Nothing. With the stealth of the great youko thief, he crept into the bathroom, slipped on his shirt, and made his way to the window.

When he recalled how easily he had lain in the arms of his tormentor, he shuddered. He had to leave. He understood now. Karasu had not killed him or taken him earlier because the dark crow wanted to break him. Death alone would not slake the fiend's lust. Carefully, Kurama hoisted himself up to the raised ledge and slid the window open. Peeking out he saw that the ground was roughly three stories down. Glancing back into the room, he looked around for something to aid his descent. His eyes landed on the bedding. 'Well, it is a bit cliché, but if it works,' he thought wryly as he stripped the bed and began to tie the sheet corners together.

The bar slid away from the door and the latch clicked loudly as it unlocked. The tall, dark figure entered the room quickly. The first thing the crow noticed was the difference in temperature. The room was considerably cooler than it had been the last time he left. Glancing at the window, he saw the reason. The sheets trailing out the open portal told him all he needed to know. His face brightened as a sadistic smile spread across his lips. "So, my beautiful little fox wants to play."

Kurama made his way quickly through the dense foliage. His ki was still stunted; there was something about the building he had just left that blocked his demonic power, but he felt a small tingling of it as it struggled to return. If he could put enough distance between himself and that place, he could use the plants to aid his escape. For now, they were not so compliant, but at least they bowed slightly, allowing him to run faster. He felt he was making considerably good time when a loud "snap" sounded to his left. He froze. Scanning the area visually he saw nothing. But he could have sworn he heard a twig break. As he began to move again, he heard a rustle of underbrush. Stopping, he watched the surroundings once more. A soft chuckle spurred him into motion. He ran as fast as he could, willing the plants to slow his pursuer with all the ki he could muster.

Karasu was impressed. The flora was actually trying to hinder his progress towards his prey. He didn't think the fox would be able to gather that much power in his current state. This excited the crow, and he reveled in visions of the fun, intimate games that they would play when this one was over. Undeterred, he made his way through the restraining foliage to follow his escaped toy.

Kurama burst into a clearing. The bright moonlight illuminated the area. He paused. Running through the open would make him an easy target. But the clearing was wide, and staying in the denser growth along the edges would slow him down. He had no time for indecision though. As he took the first step into the clearing, the sound of ripping vines behind him urged him back into a run. As he raced towards the relative safety of the forest beyond the small meadow, a shadow blotted out the moonlight. Looking up, Kurama saw a scene from a nightmare. Dark arms opened wide to enfold him. He tried to back away, to fight, but they grabbed him and pulled him into their depths. A hug-like embrace squeezed the air from his lungs and threatened to suffocate him. His struggles lessened to flails and then only to half-hearted jerks as the darkness took control of him. Barely conscious, he felt the darkness lift him and carry him away.

Although he never truly lost consciousness, Kurama had not been aware of his surroundings. When he came to, he was on a floor. His arms and legs were tied in a spread eagle position and he was on his back. His shirt was gone, leaving him naked and exposed. As he looked around he saw his captor standing over him, also naked.

"What a fun game you came up with. I love to chase," Karasu crooned, a wicked grin on his face. "Let's play another, shall we?" the crow said as he moved to stand straddling Kurama's chest. "Open up."

Kurama tried to tug at his bonds as Karasu descended into a kneeling position only a few inches in front of his face, but he was unable to budge. Karasu grabbed his bangs and held his head still. "What did I tell you about repeating myself?" the crow said. Kurama only stared at him defiantly. With an ever-widening smirk, Karasu pulled hard on the fiery red hair, causing the kitsune to gasp. That gasp was all he needed. Pushing his hips forward he entered Kurama's mouth. Before the fox had time to react a cold, menacing voice cut through his thoughts. "Bite and I shall show you the true measure of agony, as well as every human or demon you have ever known." Eyes opening wide, Kurama let his jaw go slack to accommodate Karasu.

The crow smiled victoriously as he moved his hips, riding Kurama's mouth. As he plunged deeper, he heard the fox choke and gag a bit, but that only heightened his pleasure. Once he established a rhythm, he continued leisurely, drawing as much enjoyment from his act as he could.

"This is nice. You're very warm. And wet. But something is missing. What could it be?" Karasu looked down. Anger burned in Kurama's eyes, but the fox was obviously unable to reply verbally. Karasu adopted a thoughtful look, never faltering in his movements. Snapping his fingers, he said brightly, "I know! We need to set the mood. We need music." Looking down once more, he looked right into the green eyes at his crotch and said, "Hum."

With no alternative, Kurama tried to hum around the flesh filling his mouth. With each forward motion of the demon's hips, the tune would be silenced as he hit the back of Kurama's throat. As he drew back, Karasu heard the melody pick up again. Each time the sound was smothered, the crow felt a rush flood through him. Each rush was stronger than the last. Coupled with the extremely pleasurable vibrations of the warm, wet throat around his flesh and the angry, defeated look haunting the green eyes below him, he knew his end was not far of. With a few more forward thrusts, his groin jerked and clenched and he spilled his seed into the fox's throat.

Kurama tried to sputter and cough, but his full mouth prevented that. He had been mid-hum when the hot liquid gushed into his throat. Unlike the time Karasu had forced it down him gullet from the vial, this time it had an effervescent quality, like hot seltzer was drowning him, as miniature explosions detonated in the milky fluid. Desperately trying to breathe, Kurama began to see dark and light spots cloud his vision. Then his mouth was empty and he was free to gasp for air.

"Mmm. Wasn't that a fun game?" Karasu purred into Kurama's ear. "Are you ready for round two?" Kurama eyes opened as the crow slowly slithered down his form to his groin. Before he could protest, a wet warmth engulfed him.

Karasu bobbed his head, massaging the flaccid flesh in his mouth with his tongue while his hands kneaded the fox's inner thighs and groin. Almost instantly the body of his victim responded, betraying its owner and giving in to the carnal pleasure it was being given. The dark demon continued to tease his victim closer and closer to release.

Before Kurama's body had a chance to climax, Karasu leaned back and admired his work. The human's body was tense, but not nearly so much as the saliva soaked area still attached to Karasu's lip by a thin strand of spit. Blowing gently, the crow enjoyed the shiver that ran through his victim. Reaching his hand up to Kurama's mouth, he gave one command. "Suck."

Kurama closed his eyes and resisted the mixed feelings his body was experiencing. He was ashamed, violated, humiliated, yet his body screamed for more, begged for completion. "Suck or I go in dry, again," the voice said harshly. Knowing the threat was real, Kurama opened his mouth and accepted the fingers that groped their way in. As he swirled his tongue around the digits, they caressed and explored his mouth. Even this small motion and contact served only to heighten his arousal. Finally, unable to restrain himself, he gave in and began sucking the fingers in earnest.

Karasu felt the change in his victim, and removed the fingers with a cold smile on his face. Keeping eye contact with his prey, he allowed his first finger to enter the fox's body. Surprisingly, the green eyes that stared back at him were lustful and not hateful. With that to fuel his own lust, Karasu felt his body rise to the challenge as he inserted a second finger.

After a quick preparation, Karasu shifted to align himself with the body beneath his. Rubbing up against Kurama's entrance, he paused. He was pleasantly surprised when Kurama shifted his hips and let out a small grunt of need. "What, Fox?" he asked softly. A moan answered him. Pushing forward just a bit, he asked, "Do you want that?" Panting, Kurama just stared at him with need written clearly on his face. "Well?" Karasu asked, teasing the puckered entrance again.

"Ye..." Kurama began, but stopped himself. Another little push from the form above him put him over the edge into the world of careless lust. "YES!" he cried, bucking his hips as forcefully as he could. In a single motion, Karasu entered him so forcefully it pushed his hips off the ground. The pain he felt was buried under the pleasure of a direct thrust to his prostate. Screaming in pleasure, the kitsune bucked wantonly, seeking fulfillment. Karasu did not delay. Setting a fast pace, he buried himself within the body of the fox, only to withdraw almost fully out and thrust in once more. Their sweat mingled as their bodies rubbed together, seeking the same goal. Leaning forward, Karasu nuzzled into Kurama's hair to smell the scent of his victim's sweat and lust. He gasped when he felt a hot tongue trace his collarbone.

Kurama couldn't help himself. He was so full, so hot, and so damn horny. He licked the salty skin of his rapist, allowing his teeth to graze the smooth surface. Sucking and gasping, he tried to pull his arms in, to grab hold of the form riding him, but his bindings prevented him from doing so. Never once did he try to bite the flesh or shake off the crow.

Karasu leaned back, looking at his victim. He had total control now, and he knew it. Lifting Kurama's hips, he thrust forward into the fox's prostate a few more times before the kitsune climaxed, shooting his essence all over his abdomen. With a snarling grin, Karasu pulled out of the fox and finished himself by hand, sending his seed to mingle with the white puddle already spreading across the smooth planes of Kurama's stomach. Kurama watched him intently, his "lover's" completion adding satisfaction to his own.

Karasu moved away and left Kurama to lay in post-orgasmic bliss while he put on his robe and picked something up off his nightstand. When he became coherent once more, Kurama realized Karasu was sitting on the floor at his feet, watching his body. "You enjoyed that," Karasu commented. Kurama did not argue. Reaching out, Karasu took Kurama's left foot in his hand and began to massage it, working the tension from the muscles and making them relax. "It could be like that, you know," Karasu said softly, bending and rolling each toe gently between his fingers. Kurama sighed as the massage relaxed his whole body further.

Moving on to the right foot, Karasu began to hum softly as he worked. Kurama closed his eyes and allowed himself to enjoy the gentle touch. As Karasu finished up with the second foot, he paused. "Would you like it to be like that?" he asked. Green eyes opened and looked at him, but Kurama did not respond.

"If you do, then you must remember one thing, my beautiful fox," Karasu said gently. Reaching behind him, he picked up the knife he had gotten from the nightstand. "Don't piss me off," he hissed through clenched teeth, as he pressed the blade deep into Kurama's heel and drew it upwards, cleaving the flesh on the underside of the fox's foot from heel to toe. Kurama screamed as the cold metal bit and sliced cleanly through the skin, muscle, and nerve, revealing the white of bone before the red blood covered it and stained it pink. Slowly, methodically, Karasu picked up the left foot and repeated the movement, leaving another rift in the flesh. Keeping his eyes locked on Kurama, he licked the blood from the blade and set it aside.

"You are my beautiful fox. Say it," Karasu ordered as he dipped his fingers into the pool of their combined semen on Kurama's stomach. "Say it," he repeated as he pressed the white fluid into the first cut, using his ki to cause it to bubble and explode within the wound, charring the flesh, cauterizing the severed vessels, and killing any bacteria that could cause infection. Kurama's scream reached new heights, but the words did not come forth. "Say. It," the crow again ordered, dipping his fingers once more and forcing the volatile, ki-laced juice into the second wound.

Screaming, wanting only to end the agony, Kurama tried to form words, but the pain kept changing them to incoherent shrieks. Finally, after the tiny explosions in the second wound died down and Karasu was dipping his fingers for the third time, the tattered fox managed to squeak out a feeble, "I'm yours." Karasu paused.

"You're my what?" he asked.

"Your, your...I'm your beautiful fox," Kurama sputtered, gasping.

"And what do I do with beautiful things?" Karasu prompted, swirling his fingers in the creamy substance once more.

"You take...them...away," Kurama replied brokenly.

"Good fox," Karasu soothed, lifting his dripping fingers to his mouth and licking them clean. "Mmmm, delicious. Taste," he said softly, recoating his fingers and bringing them to Kurama's lips. Reluctantly the fox opened his mouth and allowed the crow to twirl his fingers inside. Cleaning the digits with his tongue, Kurama swallowed their combine essences. Karasu smiled. Caressing Kurama's face with his saliva-soaked fingers he repeated, "Good fox."

Karasu sat back and picked up the knife. Standing, he replaced it on the nightstand. When he returned to Kurama he held something in his hands. "I like to have you here. It would piss me off if you tried to play hide and seek again," Karasu said, almost nonchalantly, as he reached out, bringing the thing to the fox's neck. This thing was a collar. A light chain connected it to the nearby bedpost. Snapping it onto Kurama, the crow released the bonds from the fox's arms and legs. "Sleep," he ordered. Without question, Kurama laid down where he was and closed his eyes. Sleep came upon him far more easily than he expected, drowning his pain, stifling his shame, and easing his doubts about what he had just felt. The darkness embraced him and blotted out everything. As he dreamt, the darkness smiled at him, dissolving and becoming one with him, erasing everything inside and making room only for itself.

Kurama awoke before the sunlight entered the window. Lying on the floor, he looked around the unfamiliar room. The events of the previous night came back to him in a flash. Before he could get up, however, a noise about him drew his attention. Sitting up, he looked for the source of the sound. Karasu was in the bed. The crow was just waking up. Looking over, violet eyes met green. With a superior smile, Karasu nodded to his captive and pushed the blankets off his nude form. Standing and stretching, he walked around the bed to stand by Kurama. The fox never took his eyes off the taller form as it moved. Squatting, Karasu disconnected the chain from the bedpost. "Bath time," he said in a low voice.

As Karasu walked away, Kurama tried to arise to follow. Searing pain in the soles of both feet sent him crashing back to the floor. The crow paused as the kitsune tried again to rise. After the second failed attempt, Kurama realized the problem. Karasu had effectively hobbled him the night before. Knowing it was pointless to try to stand or walk, but knowing he had to keep his captor happy, Kurama began to follow the crow on his hands and knees. Leading him by the chain and collar, Karasu made his way through a doorway into a luxurious bathroom. The tub was large enough for two and a whole variety of soaps and oils adorned a shelf above it. Selecting his favorite, Karasu turned on the taps and began to fill the tub. "Sit," he directed his captive. Seeing nowhere else to sit down, Kurama sank the small distance to sit on the floor. Karasu looked at him with approval and fastened the chain to a nearby towel rod. Climbing into the tub, Karasu looked at the fox. "Bathe me."

Kurama complied immediately. Remaining on his knees, he picked up a sponge from the holder on the side of the tub, poured a liberal amount of liquid soap on it, and began to rub it between his hands to work up lather. When rich, luxurious foam formed, he began rubbing the sponge in small circles over the flesh of Karasu's shoulder. Working quickly, he cleaned every part of Karasu visible above the water. Receiving no instruction to stop, he continued under the surface, cleaning every inch of the dark demon's body. When he was finished, he rinsed the sponge in the water and drew it up to Karasu's shoulder, wringing it out and letting the warm water run down the arm. When the suds were gone, he reached for the shampoo. A voice stopped him. "Enough."

Kurama leaned back as Karasu stood, letting the water run down his skin. "Enter," he said. Kurama had some difficulty getting over the side of the tub without putting any weight on his feet, but he did succeed. Once he was in the tub, Karasu motioned for him to turn around, away from the crow. He complied. Sitting back down, Karasu began to clean his prey. He started with Kurama's back and worked his way front. When he got to the fox's abdomen, he pulled the smaller form back to lay against his stomach. Kurama did not resist. Carefully, attentively, Karasu cleaned the dried evidence of last night's activities off the toned skin. His hands drifted lower, and Kurama did not argue. The kitsune instead spread his legs to allow his master access. Karasu smiled in victory as he washed lower, leaving no measure of the body before his untouched.

When the bath was over and they had washed each other's hair, Karasu led his victim back to the bedroom, again securing him to the bedpost. Leaving for a moment, he returned with a small blanket. "You may lay on top of this," he directed as he tossed it to the kitsune. Kurama caught it and laid it out, situating his still unclothed form on top of it. Smirking, Karasu got dressed and left the naked fox alone.

When Karasu returned, several hours later, he placed a tray of food on the floor near the kitsune. Kurama sat up, but did not make a move towards the tray. "You may eat," Karasu directed as he went about other business. Quickly, Kurama ate the food he was given. When night fell, Kurama was still on his blanket. Karasu undressed and climbed into the luxurious bed. Kurama did not move. Almost as an afterthought, the crow leaned over the side of the bed. "Sleep," he directed. Kurama complied, sleep coming to him quickly.

The next day progressed similarly. When Kurama obeyed, Karasu smirked victoriously. As the sun set and the crow climbed into the bed, he sat up and looked at his faithful pet fox on the floor. "Would you like to enter the bed?" he asked. Kurama nodded. Karasu motioned for him to enter. The bed was high, and Kurama had a hard time climbing in without the proper use of his feet. But using his arms, he pulled himself into the bed. Karasu lifted the blankets and Kurama wriggled under. "Face away from me," Karasu ordered. Kurama did. The kitsune heard some noise behind him: a wet, rubbing sound. As Karasu lay down, Kurama felt two wet fingers probing his entrance. As he shifted, a voice behind him stilled him. "Stay." Uneasily, Kurama remained still as the intruding digits probed deeper within him. When they were completely encased in his body, the familiar voice of the crow behind him said, "Sleep." Although sleep did not come to him as easily this night, he did eventually drift into slumber, the crow's fingers still inside him.

During the night, Karasu awoke. Feeling the form of the slumbering kitsune beside him, still engulfing his fingers, he reached out his tongue to taste the salty skin of his prey. Instead he got a mouthful of hair. Brushing the red locks to the side with his free hand, he tried again. Again, he got the hair. Sitting up, his violet eyes narrowed, he reached into the bedside table drawer and took out a knife.

Kurama awoke with a start when teeth bit into the soft flesh at the back of his neck. Opening his eyes, he was startled to see a puddle of crimson before his face. Quickly he wondered why the blood was in front of him when the pain was behind him. The answer occurred to him soon enough. The puddle he saw was not liquid. It was hair. His hair. What remained on his head was short and jagged, coming no further down his neck than his hairline. Moving to sit up, Kurama felt the teeth still embedded in his flesh and the fingers that had returned to enter him as he slept. He remained where he was. When the teeth released him, a voice behind him simply said, "Sleep." Without question, he complied. Unseen by the fox, a smile spread over the crow's features as he leaned forward and licked the exposed back of the red head's neck hungrily.

The next morning, the fingers were still in place when Kurama awoke. He did not move, even though he knew the crow was wide-awake. He just watched the pile of hair before him. Karasu enjoyed this game, and he left his fingers buried in Kurama for a few hours after they had awakened. When he finally had a better game to play, he removed his fingers and told Kurama to stay as he left the room. He returned about twenty minutes later with a tray.

Setting the tray on the bedside table, he told Kurama to turn onto his side and lift his top leg. The fox complied uneasily. Although Karasu had not forcibly taken him in a few days, he was still scared whenever the crow gave him orders like these. Only his burning desire to keep his captor happy fueled his compliance. Karasu took something off the tray. "Do you recognize this?" the crow asked, showing the object to the fox. Kurama nodded, swallowing the lump that formed in his throat. "Good," Karasu nodded. "I believe the ningen call it an enema. I've never used one before, so we'll have to see how this works." Kurama closed his eyes and a shudder went through his body as he felt the tip of the plastic container probe his entrance and slide in. The rush of liquid inside of him made him jump. As Karasu removed the empty container he wondered aloud, "I wonder how this takes to work?" With that he went into the bathroom and left the full fox on the bed.

Kurama's discomfort began to grow as the fluid in his bowels did its job. The need to relive himself grew greater by the moment. He wanted to go into the bathroom, but he knew the chain around his neck did not reach that far. Besides, he probably couldn't make it in time on his knees and his feet were useless. Shaking, he struggled to keep control of the muscles that blocked the flow of the liquid out of his body. Karasu waited, watching from the bathroom doorway, until the shudders became visible. Grinning, he approached the bed with an armful of towels.

"Looks like it worked faster than I thought," he mused, piling towels around Kurama's rear. "Well, let's go," he said. Kurama shook his head, struggling to keep his muscles tight. "You have to go, now relive yourself," Karasu ordered impatiently. Kurama bit his bottom lip and shook his head again, unwilling to suffer this humiliation on top of those he had already faced. Karasu sighed. He went back into the bathroom, and Kurama heard the water run briefly. When the crow returned he had a damp hand towel in his hands.

Karasu sat down on the bed beside Kurama. Shifting the fox so one leg was out of the way, he used the warm, wet cloth to gently massage the kitsune's opening in small circles. In an almost soothing voice he crooned, "It's okay. Let it go. Good fox, let it out. That's right." Kurama felt his muscles give way under the gentle coaxing. He cried out in shame as he lost his control and the flood of liquid exited his body, cleaning out his bowel and spilling into the towels. Wordlessly, Karasu tossed the soiled towels into the bathroom and returned to the tray.

Turning to Kurama, he showed the fox the assortment of vegetables on that tray. "Now that you have room, are you hungry?" he asked politely. Afraid of what the answer would inspire, Kurama did not respond. His stomach, however, rumbled loudly. "I see," Karasu said. "We must be sure to eat our five servings of vegetables every day," he said in a schoolteacher voice as he picked up the first piece of food on the tray: a carrot. "Of course," he said, more to the carrot than to Kurama. "Most people don't get their five servings a day. I wonder why? Do the vegetables not taste good? I'm not familiar with ningen food, so I can only assume this is the case. So how can we make them taste better? Perhaps if they were sweeter?" Karasu waved the carrot in front of Kurama as he spoke; the kitsune's hungry gaze never left the food. When he commented about making the vegetables sweeter, Karasu picked up a bowl. In the bowl was honey. The crow dipped the carrot in the honey, coating it completely. Turning to Kurama, he gave the familiar order, "Open up," but he did not turn to Kurama's face.

As Karasu turned away from his face, Kurama felt a slimy, sticky sensation at his entrance. Trying to shift his hips away from it, Kurama heard a menacing voice order him to lay still. Fearful of what the crow was doing to his body, but more fearful of the darker demon's wrath, Kurama stayed still as the carrot entered him and began to move in and out of him. The only time he moved was when the orange stalk brushed lightly against his prostate. After some time, Karasu removed the carrot from Kurama's body.

"See, my beautiful fox, that was not so bad," Karasu crooned, turning back to Kurama's face. "But it does seem a waste to throw away such good, healthy food." One hand shot out and grabbed Kurama's jaw. "Open up." Kurama shook his head, trying to avoid the honey-soaked, used carrot coming at him, but the crow held him fast. Pressing the carrot against his lips, Karasu worked it into the fox's mouth and pushed it in deeply. "Bite." Kurama closed his eyes and shook his head. "NOW," Karasu hissed. When he opened his eyes and saw the fire in Karasu's gaze, Kurama knew better than to disobey. Revolted, he closed his jaw, biting off the piece of carrot in his mouth. "Good fox. Chew." Eyes watering in shame and disgust, Kurama moved his jaw. "Swallow." Kurama gulped. Karasu smiled. How many servings are ningen supposed to get again? Five?" he asked as he picked up a stalk of celery and the honey.

Kurama was about to vomit. After the celery they had progressed to a small zucchini. Karasu was now molesting him with a honey-drenched cucumber. He knew that the cucumber would share the same fate as its predecessors, in his stomach. Each piece of food, once removed from him, would be presented to him to eat. He had tried to resist once, with the zucchini. The burnt welt from the explosion on his side still stung. Sure enough, Karasu removed the cucumber and pressed it to the fox's lips. Closing his eyes and fighting to urge to vomit, Kurama accepted a bite, chewed and swallowed. Karasu had already informed him that if he were to throw up his nutritious dinner, they would have to start all over again and make sure he got extra nutrition the second time. Kurama did not want to know what that might be, so he forced his stomach to calm down after each bite of soiled food.

Finally, Karasu placed remaining half of the cucumber aside. "Ah. What's left?" he sighed, looking over the half-eaten food on the tray. Smiling, he picked up the last serving. Kurama's eyes widened when he saw it. It was a string. At the end of the string were radishes, starting small and getting progressively larger. After the largest radish were small beets. Karasu dipped the whole strand into the honey and turned away from Kurama's face once more. The kitsune could feel each bulb enter him. One after another they were pushed into him, penetrating deeper and deeper into his body. The last beet was downright painful, moreso than the cucumber had been. Once it was in, Karasu placed his hands on the fix's slender hips. Slowly, he repositioned the fox, exposing his groin.

With a lecherous smirk, Karasu bent and took Kurama into his mouth. With his talented tongue, he quickly brought Kurama to hardness and began to suck in earnest. Kurama felt his muscles tighten from the intense and sudden pleasure. As he tightened, he felt the bulbous vegetables crowded inside him more and more acutely. His climax came quickly, and Karasu was ready. The crow grasped the end of the string and as Kurama spilled into his mouth, Karasu ripped the string out the fox, causing him to scream out his mixed pain and pleasure in one breath. Before Kurama's mouth closed from the scream, a radish and a small beet were thrust into it and a hand covered it. Kurama had no choice but to chew and swallow, tasting not only the tainted fruit and honey, but a trace of his own blood, as well.

"Good fox," Karasu praised, removing his hand. Kurama gasped for breath. Karasu placed the rest of the string on the tray and covered it once more. Kurama sighed in relief, but his sigh was cut short as Karasu took his hips and turned him face down. "My, my, how sweet," the crow murmured, parting Kurama's cheeks and lowering his head. Kurama felt the warm, wet tongue of his tormentor touching his entrance, cleaning off the residual honey and blood, and even going so far as to enter him. Burying his face in his pillow, he knew there was no other humiliation the crow could force upon him. Karasu smirked at his victim's surrender as he continued to rim the fox long after the honey was gone.

When he was finished, Karasu arose from the bed and picked something up from the nightstand. Turning to his fox, he ordered Kurama to look at him. When the kitsune looked up, Karasu held a cone shaped piece of plastic in his hands. "Ningen have the most interesting stores. They sell these. I find them fascinating. You will use this when you sleep from now on," he decreed. He did have the courtesy to squeeze a small amount of lubricant onto the end of the thing before inserting into Kurama's entrance, though. After the vegetables, it did not hurt nearly as much as Kurama thought it would. Once inserted, the plug stayed in place nicely. Karasu, satisfied with this game, took the tray and left Kurama to sleep.

The next time he entered, Karasu brought a bag with him. Waking Kurama gently, he removed the plug from the kitsune and told him to sit up. Opening the bag he withdrew a gift for his pet, for good behavior. Although wary of "gifts" at first, Kurama's eyes lit up when he saw this one. It was a shirt. The shirt was long enough to cover the fox's private areas, ending just above his knees. Karasu slipped it over his head. "You may wear this during the day. You will sleep nude," he said as he also removed the collar from Kurama's neck. Kurama smiled widely. He was so happy he had pleased his captor. Karasu smiled his sadistic grin back and left the room. So it was that Kurama would wear the shirt during the day. He would remove it when Karasu wanted sex and he would sleep nude at night, with the plug inserted into his rectum and Karasu spooned up behind him. Escape did not cross his mind anymore. He just wanted his master to be happy.

On the third day of this now comfortable routine, a loud explosion rocked the building. Kurama, sitting on his blanket and wearing his shirt, looked up at the unlocked and open door. That did not sound like one of Karasu's explosions. It sounded more like a wall collapsing into rubble. Patiently the kitsune waited for his master to respond. More explosions sounded somewhere in the building. Kurama had no idea where they were coming from; he had never explored further than the bedroom and bathroom. Besides being where Karasu wanted him to stay, he was still unable to walk on his damaged feet. He was content with these two rooms as long as it made his master happy. Hurried footsteps approached. Kurama looked up, awaiting the crow. The figure that entered the doorway, however, was not his captor.

"There you are! We need to get out of here. What the hell happened to your hair? Nevermind, the others are keeping that bastard busy. Let's go," said Yusuke. Kurama did not move. "Come on!" the youth urged. There was something funny about this place. It dampened their spirit energy considerably while Karasu seemed unaffected. Hiei said something about Quest class demons manipulating energy to form objects and the objects being immune to the effect, but the detective had not been listening. All he knew was that the longer they stayed here, the weaker they would get. Hurriedly, he reached out to grab the kitsune and drag him into action. He was shocked, however, when Kurama shrank away from him.

"Huh? Look, Kurama, we have to go, NOW!" Kurama shook his head. Losing his patience, Yusuke seized the fox's arm and pulled him to his feet. Kurama tried to resist, but the searing pain in the soles of his feet caused him to fall to his knees instead of fight off Yusuke. "What the?" Yusuke asked as the red head fell. Grabbing Kurama's leg, he saw the festered scar on the sole of the foot. "That bastard," he hissed as he threw the fidgeting red head over his shoulder and ran. Kurama tried to flail, but Yusuke just held tight and escaped. Kurama never spoke a word during the entire exchange.

Hiei had just drawn blood with a vicious sword swipe. Kuwabara stood to the side. His reiki had faded to the point that he was no longer able to form his spirit sword. Even Hiei's power had dwindled so his only available attack was his katana. But his skill with the blade was impressive, and kept the crow at bay. Several energy bombs erupted around him, but with his Jagan unbound, the sanjiyan avoided them easily to land another blow on the taller demon. Karasu stumbled backwards and fell to sit against a wall. Before Hiei could strike again, however, he detonated a massive array of bombs, driving the hiyoukai back.

"Oi! Let's go!" Yusuke's voice carried over the fight. Bruised, singed, and out of energy, the trio of detectives abandoned the fight with the crow and retreated to the human world with their rescued companion. They emerged from a portal near Genkai's temple and immediately headed there to take advantage of Yukina's vast healing skills.

The elderly psychic, Genkai, her apprentice, Yusuke, and their guests, Kuwabara, Hiei, and the humans, Shiori, Kazuya, and Shuuichi Hatanaka sat on the tatami mats waiting for the koorime to emerge from the bedroom. They had placed Kurama on a futon and left so that the healer could work in peace. They were scared.

Right before the rescue, Botan had arrived with news that both raised their hopes and turned their stomachs. The good news was that they had finally located the stronghold where the sadistic crow was holding their companion. The bad news was that Kurama's name was on the projected death list. If they did not rescue him immediately, they would lose him forever. Even without that incentive, the kitsune's friends had launched the rescue mission at once. Once they returned with the fox, Koenma confirmed that Kurama was no longer on the lists, but their friend was obviously deeply affected by his experiences. Not dead apparently didn't mean wholly alive, either.

Yukina finally stepped out of the bedroom, closing the door behind her. The room was silent as she turned to face the waiting crowd. "He is resting," she said softly. "I have healed what I can, but some of the damage is too great, and some was inflicted with a great amount if ki. It may never fully heal. He will be able to walk, but not easily. He will not speak. Shiori-san," she turned to face the human. "I cannot heal emotional injuries. I think he should see a human doctor for those. They are many and deep." The human nodded numbly.

"May I see him?" she asked softly. Yukina nodded. Shiori stood and entered the room quietly, her family allowing her some time alone with her son before they followed.

Shiori approached the futon slowly. The red head rested on it, staring at the ceiling. He had no expression on his face. She sat next to him. She wanted to say so much, but she didn't know where to start. Over the three weeks of his absence, his friends had had no choice but to tell her his secrets. She knew he was a demon in human form. She knew his past. She knew of the Dark Tournament, from which he had so mysteriously disappeared during the final match. His team had won the tournament, having been forced to fight and unable to pursue him until the fight had ended. That's how they lost his trail in the first place. The abduction had been well planned. But now, looking into the vacant eyes that refused to look back, she had no idea what to say to her own son.

Finally, she had to break the silence. "Shuuichi, I... I learned a lot about you and your friends and, and your past over the last few weeks. I..." She sighed as tears welled up in her eyes. "I want you to know that I love you. You are my son. I missed you, and I was so scared I would never be able to see you again and tell you that. So now that we're together, I just want you to know. I love you, my son. I always will." She broke off, tears falling freely from her eyes. Kurama did not respond. She arose and left him, exiting the room before her family had joined her. As her husband took her in his arms, he asked her how it went.

"I'm losing him. I can feel him fading," she whispered. Hatanaka just rubbed her back and tried to soothe her. After that, the others visited in turn. Each told Kurama they were glad to have him back and wished him a speedy recovery. Only one did not say these things

Hiei entered slowly and quietly. He said nothing. He removed the ward over his Jagan and appraised his friend's energy. "I'm sorry, Kurama, my friend," he said softly. Sadly, he replaced the ward and left the room.

Shiori took her son home the next morning and made an appointment for him to see a doctor that afternoon. The doctor was a family friend. He was discreet and could be trusted to give her the truth. He was also a psychiatrist and could examine Kurama both physically and mentally. The doctor was kind enough to make a house call when he heard the details of the situation.

When the doctor emerged from the bedroom and came downstairs, Shiori and her husband were sitting nervously on the couch, waiting for him. He sat down in the chair opposite them, a grim look on his face. "I've examined your son," he began. "Shuuichi will not speak. I asked questions, but he acts as if I am not there. I performed a physical examination as well. There's no easy way to say this. Your son has been raped. Most likely repeatedly. He has been abused. His physical condition is remarkably good; he's healed very quickly. But his mental condition is another story. I want to admit him to the hospital. In his current state I do not know what he may do. He could try to hurt himself or others. I doubt he will eat or drink willingly. There is nothing I can do on an outpatient basis. I'll make some calls and we can take him there tonight."

Shiori shook her head. "Tomorrow. I will not take him before tomorrow," she said resolutely. The doctor opened his mouth to protest, but she cut him off. "I am his mother. I don't know how I know this, but I do. My son is dying, Doctor. I can feel him getting further and further away. I will not lose the last night I have with him to the hospital. If he is alive tomorrow, I will bring him to you. But I think..." She couldn't finish. The tears spilled down her face as her husband wrapped an arm around her.

The doctor nodded. He knew she was probably right. "Fine. But you need to be aware of a few things. Don't be surprised by anything he may do. Victims that are subjected to certain types of treatment become dependent upon their abuser, and actually come to depend on the abuse itself. He may try to hurt himself for that reason. I would prefer he were in the hospital to prevent this, but if he has given up the desire to live, then perhaps a night with his family is for the best. Please call for an ambulance if anything happens. I will talk to you tomorrow, no matter what," the doctor said. With that, he left. Shiori peeked in on her son before she went to talk quietly with her husband.

The three detectives sat at the temple, a heavy silence between them. Although they did not usually spend their free time together, they felt the need to be in one place, easily reachable, in case something should happen to their friend. This evening they sat with Yukina. Kuwabara was the first to break the silence. "How long, do you think, until Kurama is, you know, better?"

Yusuke looked at his friend. "No time at all. He's been through a lot. Remember how many times he got beat up, almost to death? He'll bounce back for sure," the detective said with a little too much enthusiasm, as if he wanted to convince himself.

Yukina shook her head. "His energy was wrong. There's something else that I can't put my finger on, but it's bad," she said softly.

"He's broken," Hiei's quiet voice interrupted. The other three looked at him questioningly. "His soul is shattered, his energy is split, and he is broken," the hiyoukai elaborated.

"Nah. Kurama's strong," Yusuke disagreed.

"And his soul is so old," Kuwabara said.

"That doesn't matter," Hiei said coldly. "Every soul has a breaking point. Once you find the right buttons to push, it's easy. That crow broke him." What Hiei did not say is what the fate of a broken soul would be.

Shiori and her husband sat together for a short while before she got up. "I need to check on him," she said flatly. Kazuya just nodded and let her go. He knew she was going to say goodbye.

Kurama was restless. His body was tired, but he could not sleep. He didn't know why. The doctor had examined him. It had been embarrassing, but he had survived worse. Casting his eyes around the room, he looked for something to help him rest. His gaze landed on his desk. In the pencil cup was an assortment of markers and highlighters. One had a particularly thick shaft. Getting up, he slowly, painfully limped across the room and picked it up. Just as slowly he returned to his bed, looking at the bright, cheerfully colored shaft he held. As he lay down, he put it into his mouth, wetting it. He removed his clothing, tossing it carelessly to the floor. Bunching the blanket against he wall, he backed into it so it spooned up against his back. Taking the marker from his mouth, he reached behind himself. Sighing, he inserted into his opening and then relaxed into a comfortable position in the bedding. He did not stir when the door opened and his mother entered.

Shiori was surprised to find her son naked with the comforter so awkwardly arranged. When she had looked in, right after the doctor left, he had been fully clothed and lying on his back. She sat delicately on the edge of the bed. "Shuuichi?" she asked softly. The red head did not answer. "Shuuichi, I know you're hurting right now. I would give anything to make that pain stop. I want you not to hurt anymore. Tomorrow, I want to take you somewhere where they can make the pain go away. Will you let me do that, Sweetheart? Will you let me help you? I just want to help you. I just want you to go somewhere that it doesn't hurt. I love you, Shuuichi." Shiori wiped her tears away as she looked over he son's naked form. She did not miss the placement of the marker, but she did not comment either. From what the doctor had told her, it made sense. She leaned front and kissed her son on the temple. "We'll go tomorrow, okay?" she whispered, her tears falling to land in his hair. For the first time since they found him, Kurama responded. He reached out one arm and hugged his mother. Shiori knew he was saying goodbye, as well. With a final kiss, she left him alone in his room and closed the door, sinking to her knees in the hallway as she did.

His mother's words rolled around in his head. Somewhere the pain would end. Make it go away. Sitting up a little, removing the marker, Kurama knew where the pain would end. Struggling, he got out of bed and put on a long tee shirt. Carefully, he eased out the window, using his ki to convince the tree outside to lower him gently to the ground. Slowly he made his way away from the house.

Karasu narrowed his eyes as he surveyed the damage to his home. The same rock base that dampened the ki of non Quest Class demons had shielded him from prying eyes for many years. Now a large portion of that rock lay in heaps of rubble at his feet. Those damn detectives would pay. And as if that wasn't bad enough, they had the gall to steal his property! Still fuming, he turned his back to the damaged wall. A flicker on the horizon caught his attention. As the spot resolved into a figure and as the figure became recognizable, a victories smirk spread across the crow's features. As the figure hobbled close, the dark demon spoke, "You came back. I knew you would be bound. I won you. Say it."

"You own me," Kurama replied faithfully.

"Yes, you are my beautiful fox," Karasu said in his velvety voice. "And what do I do with beautiful things?"

"You take them away."

"Yes." Without another word, the crow led the fox to the bedroom they had shared. Instantly Kurama shed his shirt and lay on the bed. Divesting himself of his clothing, Karasu mounted the kitsune and prepared him gently before entering his body. This time instead of the fast, frantic pace he had set in the past, Karasu took his time, thrusting leisurely into the form below him and making the fox moan and writhe in ecstasy. When their completion drew near, Karasu placed his hands on Kurama's chest. With a few more thrusts, he felt Kurama's seed splash between them and felt his own essence release deep into the fox's bowel. Using his ki, he injected it through their joined bodies into Kurama's abdomen and though his hands into Kurama's chest. Kurama never broke eye contact as the series of small explosion tore through his intestines and organs. Green eyes remained locked with violet. Kurama felt the pain inside, but he welcomed it. It was the only feeling he had left.

Karasu watched as his pet fox kept looking at him. Slowly, the beautiful face grew paler and dark shadows gathered under the vibrant eyes. The fox gasped and coughed once, a bubble of blood bursting in his mouth and causing a single trickle of crimson to trek from the corner of his mouth down into the bedding. The verdant eyes remained open as the last spark of life left them forever. Smiling, Karasu withdrew from his victim's body. "That was fun," he whispered into the unhearing ears. Feeling better than he had earlier, Karasu got dressed and left, leaving the house, the bed, and the kitsune behind as he searched for a new victim to play with.

Koenma sat in his office, stamping the endless flow of papers that crossed his desk. Stamp. Stamp. Stamp. Sta... The godling paused. The file in his hands was familiar. It was Kurama's file. Placing the stamp down, he paged through the file looking for the source of the error that landed it in his judgment pile. He froze when he came upon his answer. There was no error. The fox spirit turned human was dead. Ignoring the growing pile of files and papers, Koenma read the file carefully. When he was finished, he sat silently. Although death was a daily occurrence, he truly mourned the passing of his friends. Even the ones who had started as adversaries.

When Shiori opened her son's bedroom door, she was not surprised to find the bed empty and the window open. She hoped that wherever he was, her beloved son would find peace.

Hiei sat in his tree, pondering. The demon has started life alone, reviled, and discarded. Throughout the years he had survived. He had lied, cheated, stolen, and murdered to stay alive. Only recently had he discovered the luxury of friendship. The four detectives had formed a close-knit group of friends, although he would never admit that the Oaf had earned his friendship. Of the group, Kurama was his closest friend. The kitsune was the closest friend the fire demon had ever had. He had begun his mourning when he saw Kurama in the temple. He knew, from the moment he saw the fox's energy, that his best friend was not long for this world. When he felt Kurama's energy move from his mother's house to a portal and into Makai, he did not stop the redhead. Kurama's spirit was already dead. It was just a matter of time before his physical body caught up.

It was Hiei, alone, who traveled to Makai to retrieve Kurama's body. He knew that death in Makai was ugly on a good day, and he knew his teammates did not have the fortitude to see their friend as he most likely was. The fire demon was right. He gathered the remains and took them to the human world for burial, stopping only once to bathe the body in a lake and cover it with some clothing he had brought from Ningenkai. When he turned the corpse over to Kurama's family, the evidence of Kurama's last moments was gone, he was dressed, and his eyes were closed. Silently, the hiyoukai turned and left.

Shiori accepted Genkai's offer to provide a resting place for her son at the temple. Kurama was buried beneath a large cherry tree, in a place he often sat while Hiei trained in the nearby woods. The detective team, Kurama's human family, and even Botan and Koenma came to pay their last respects. Botan had ferried Kurama's soul to its final destination and he slept now, forever in peace, in the vaults of Reikai. When the group dispersed, one figure stayed behind.

Hiei knelt by the freshly packed earth of his best friend's grave. Reaching into his cloak, he withdrew a single item. "You gave this to me once, to remember you by while I was away. You said you infused it with enough ki that it would never wilt. Perhaps if I give it back, somehow, in your slumber, you can remember me," he whispered, laying the black Makai rose on the grave and disappearing into the forest.