I do not own YYH or it's characters.

I do own Cora and any other OC's that spring up during this series.

R&R, be respectful.

Enjoy :)

A powerful storm ravaged the mountain side, with winds so strong even the tree's themselves bowed to it's will. Battered by horizontal rain and flying debris, a fragile shack stood between the lamenting tree's, it's humble exterior giving little hint of the odd encounter taking place inside. Within the dark confines of the shack garnet eyes clashed fiercely with a pair of curious, bright aquamarines who's depths lit up in the violent coruscating of the storm. "Who are you girl?"

"Hmmm..." Aqua hummed in thought, a thin cloud of confusion falling to obscure their bright core. "...I... I don't know... I don't think I'm anybody..."

Garnet narrowed in annoyance. "You don't know your own name?" Aqua shook their head making Garnet frown. "Then maybe you could tell me how you are able to resist the power of my Jagan?" Again Aqua shook their head, the confusion only growing in their depths, feeding Garnets flaring temper. "What of how I got in here? Are you so stupid that you can't even comprehend your surroundings?"

Aqua shifted away, unwilling to hold Garnet's gaze. "I...I've always been here," Aqua glanced back up into Garnet, shinning in despair despite the darkened room. "Y-you are the first person to-" Aqua stopped, placing a hand to their head as a vague memory filtered through their eyes. Lights, not unlike those of the storm that raged around her small dwelling, shouting of men, the crying of children; it lasted only a moment, and held no recognizable living beings, only blobs of moving color. And no sooner had it surfaced then did it sink back into the depths of her mind, it's undecipherable and cloudy condition giving her few answers then questions. There was only one thing that had ever stood out from the chaos, a single name, always shouted by the same voice over and over again in earnest.

"Hn. You are truly pathetic if you experience pain from thinking." Garnet bit out, misinterpreting Aqua's sudden pause.

"I... I think my name is...Cora..." Aqua frowned. "I..." Aqua shook their head in an attempt to bring the memory back to the surface; so often she experienced it with no one around, unable to obtain assistance in deciphering what it meant. But her efforts were to no avail, and rather than display her frustration she allowed a crooked smile to take the place of the tight lipped frown she had slipped into. "So, now that we have my name out of the way, can I get yours? I mean, you did just kind of let yourself in..." Garnet narrowed in annoyance, looking the small girl in front of him over.

Thin, and lacking in any form of an energy signature, this girl was useless in every way he could think of. Her sickly pale skin gave testament to her story of never seeing the world outside that shack, yet her ability to block and even retaliate against his Jagan's power gave doubt to her having never interacted with another living creature. Every aspect of her screamed innocence, and her lack of concern over a stranger breaking into her so called home spoke volumes of her naivety of the world. To be honest, he was surprised that he hadn't walked in to find her rotting remains instead of a relatively healthy...thing. He should just leave; what would be the point in giving her something as meaningless as his name, it's not like he was ever going to see her again-

"Hiei."

Cora's smirk turned into a full smile before she reached up and tucked a stray lock of her white hair behind her left ear. "It's nice to meet you, Hiei." Hiei frowned as her melodic voice beat against his ear drum, lodging it's self into his brain and sending an uncomfortable quiver down his spine. He already hated her, this stupid girl- this Cora.

"Hn."

Hiei jerked as he awoke before letting out a strangled gasp, a cold sweat sticking to his skin as the distant memory faded into the back of his mind once again. It took him a moment to gain a grip on his unfamiliar surroundings, having been thrown so violently from the past into the present. He scrunched up his nose in distaste when his surroundings started to sink in; the wall's around him were painfully human in appearance, what with all the useless garbage that hung were hung on them. His hands balled into the fabric beneath him, releasing the smell of roses and human body wash that tickled the back of his throat. Disgusting. With slow, silent movements he pushed himself up until he was sitting on the edge of the European style bed, glancing down in mild shock as it sank in that the chest wound he had been suffering from earlier was fully healed. Fingering the spot where the life threatening gash should have been, Hiei felt his brow furrow...who the hell...

"You heal very quickly." A voice said from his left, making his body tense up in preparation for an attack. Hiei snapped his head to the side, taking a moment for his brain to pull up the memory associated with the young red headed boy that sat across the room from him. It didn't take Hiei long, as the memory was from just a few hours prior. He remembered attacking this child, believing the boy had been allied to the demon responsible for his chest wound. As Hiei looked him over a little more closely, Hiei decided that he hated this child already; this boy's green eyes were nerving to say the least, and the way he held himself so confidently told Hiei that this child was either very stupid, or was capable of more then he appeared. Thinking back on the fight, even being wounded, Hiei was sure this boy could handle his own, but it seemed Hiei had gotten off pretty lucky this time. Anybody else would have killed him on the spot, but this strange boy... if anything, Hiei was indebted to this child for healing his wound. "It only took four hours; surprising for how deep it was. You are lucky to have come across someone with knowledge of the Makai's healing remedy's."

"Hn." Hiei glanced down at his chest, his lips pulling into a tight line. Four hour's... she was sure to be dead by now. The thought made his stomach churn, which only added to his frustration; he hated her, so what did he care if she was eaten by that disgusting demon? Because it would make him harder to beat, that's why...

"You spoke in your sleep," the boy said making Hiei scowl at him. "Nothing to personal, just a couple of names." The boy sat forward, giving Hiei a piercing stare. "Yukina and Cora; two women, one of them recently in your possession, and both taken by Yustade." The boy sat back then, a calculating look taking over his face. "At first I believed your reasoning behind the Jagan was to find these two women, but judging by the energy level coming from you, you've had it much to long to have gotten it for that reason..."

Hiei growled, fed up with the boy's musings. He retrieved his shirt and cloak from the end of the bed as he stood and made his way for the window. "You talk to much; I should have killed you." Hiei placed one foot on the open windows sill, testing its stability; human ingenuity could be so feeble. "In thank's for healing my wound, I'll give you some advice; your naivete will be the end of you one day."

"You still intend to fight? It's to soon." The boy warned gently, allowing Hiei's so called 'advice' to roll off his back.

Hiei scoffed. "The more he eats, the stronger he becomes."

"And he has these two women." Hiei glared at the young red head out of the corner of his eye. "And one of them was recent enough that her scent is still clinging to your skin; it is possible that he has already devoured her. What will you do then? His power will be greater then your first encounter."

"So long as she didn't do anything foolish, he'll have gained nothing from her." Hiei said with a sneer. "Yustade would gain more strength from eating a human infant." He saw the boy give him a confused look, a question swirling through his eyes so quick that Hiei hardly caught it before it slipped away. Deciding not to give the odd human spawn another chance to stall him, Hiei pulled himself onto the open windows sill, his legs poised to propel him into the darkened suburban night.

"Whats your name?" Hiei paused for only a second, contemplating weather or not to tell this stranger anything other then what he already knew, which was to much. But then he thought back to their brief fight; the boy had skill. And something about his energy didn't sit quite right with Hiei. Maybe It would be best to keep this little 'human' close for the time being.

"...Hiei." Before the boy had a chance to say anything else unnerving, Hiei flashed out of the window, leaving behind a stoic looking red head...he is way to talkative... and nosy... with that final thought, Hiei pushed the child to the back of his head, intent on focusing on his search. If he hurried he might be able to get there before Yustade was able to start digesting his idiot.

"I'm coming with you!" Hiei glanced over his shoulder in irritation, only to find the same red head from the bed room... catching up to him?

"Oh, really. Why?" Hiei asked with restrained annoyance. He didn't have time to babysit! He had to confront Yustade! He had to make sure that that stupid girl didn't get herself killed!

"I have my reasons." The boy said, making Hiei nearly roll his eyes. He'd seen Yustade snatch a young human girl with short black hair and brown eyes. Hiei could still hear her annoying and useless screams for help, as well as his confusion over why Yustade had taken such a weak victim. Maybe it was to get back at this strange boy...

"You still talk to much!" Hiei suddenly hissed.

The boy chuckled as they jumped from roof top to roof top. "We will see about that after Yatsude."

The warehouse Yustade called home was every bit as filthy and disturbing as Hiei had imagined it would be. Hundreds of abandoned crates were stacked up to twenty feet high, with a handful of crates shattered on the ground leaving their contents, dismembered retail mannequins, strew about in such a way it was as if he was surrounded by the dismembered corpses of Yustade's victims. The scene sent a disturbing shiver down Hiei and his new tag-along's spines, the innocent yet gory sight placing a heavy sense of foreboding in their chests. Their arrival, though subtle, was very quickly noticed by Yustade who greeted them boisterously, a ragged, blood stained dark blue tank top clutched tightly in one of his 12 massive hands. A trail of drool, tinted pink and red, ran down the side of his jaw, an indication to Hiei that he had just recently eaten; and the top, along with the scent of the blood that stained it, ignited an instant fury with in Hiei's chest.

"I'll ask you one last time. Who was the Ice maiden you ate?" Hiei spoke with venom that prompted a smug smile from Yustade, showing off his rows of razor sharp teeth, which were also stained red from his meal.

"Heh Heh Heh; I don't remember."

Hiei sneered at the smug bastard, his teeth grinding together so harshly he was starting to taste copper on the back of his tongue."And of a girl with hair like prisms? Or let me guess, you don't remember her either." His voice was hard, trying hard to hold back his temper; he couldn't attack Yustade carelessly, he knew that much. But that smell- he knew exactly who's blood stained the dark blue top.

"Nah, I remember that one." Yustade lifted the tank top to his face, letting his tongue lave over one of the many blood stains that adorned it. Hiei bristled as the demon purred in satisfaction. "Sweet little thing," Yustade threw the tattered top at Hiei's feet. "Tasted like strawberry's." Hiei snarled; he didn't know what a strawberry was, or how it tasted, but he knew one thing for sure; he would carve Yustade into pieces and extract Cora with his own, bare hands. Hiei reached into his cloaks, clutching the hilt of his katana so tightly he felt as well as heard his knuckle pop against the strain.

"You kidnapped another girl today. Were is she?" It was the red head that had spoken this time, making Hiei pause in his movements; he had forgotten that the boy was even there. And now he was regretting letting him come; he had a score to settle with Yustade, one this pathetic little human would never understand.

"You know her? I'll give you a hint," Yustade reached into his loin cloth, pulling out what looked to be a piece of dark green fabric covered in blood; a shred of a skirt. "Recognize this?" Hiei scoffed; he was not shocked that Yustade had already eaten that weak human girl already, even if she was a waste of the demons energy. The young boy however, became enraged. He reached into his pant's pocket, retrieving a blade of grass which made Hiei's brow furrow in confusion. With a flick of his wrist, the boy turned the small blade of grass into a full sized sword, making Hiei rethink his idea of the boy getting the way.

"YOU FILTH!" The boys blade landed on the monsters hand, knocking the soiled fabric from his grasp. Hiei jumped in soon after, landing a small blow on Yustade's large leg., growling in frustration when he hardly nicked Yustade's thick hide. They continued like this, each landing separate blows, with little effect. The demon snickered as it countered every attack they aimed at him with swings of his mighty fists.

"You are so pathetic!" Yustade shouted as he slammed two of his fists into both of their cheeks, sending them both flying across the warehouse. The two young men recovered before they hit the ground, and with a quick glance towards each other, they came to an understanding. At the same time they attacked, pairing up against the behemoth of a demon. "Attacking in pairs now? You two have quite the nerve!" Yustade managed to dodge their attacks, cackling like a mad man all the while.

Red gave Hiei a nearly invisible nod, and the two went at it again. At the last second, Hiei flitted off, leaving the boys side. The demon glanced around in surprise. He looked up, a knowing smirk playing across his terrible face. Red shouted as he swung his grass blade towards Yustade's face, only to be blocked by one of his many hands. "How naive!" He shouted as he swatted the boy away. "How useless!" He brought a fist back, slamming it into Hiei's face. "To easy!" Hiei's face shattered, falling into a million pieces. Hiei's cloak fell away, revealing nothing but air. "What? A Doll? A TRAP?!" Hiei appeared from from his station in the shadows, flitting into the demons sight, cloak missing and tank-top discarded, his blade raised to give the killing blow. "Shit!" In a quick motion, both red and Hiei took their last shots, Hiei taking off his head, and the boy slicing him clean in half at the waist. The demon fell to the floor, his severed head and torso rolling separately from each other.

As Yustade's head came to a stop at Hiei's feet it spoke one last time. "Not to bad... to reward you, both girls are safe... I don't know any ice maiden... I-if I'd eaten her...I wouldn't have lost...". He died then, his severed head and torso still twitching as his nerve endings tried to register their sudden disconnection from his brain. Hiei stared blankly down at him, a strange sense of discontent falling onto his shoulders; Yukina hadn't been here from the beginning, which meant that this had all been for nothing. Flicking Yustade's blood from his Katana, Hiei glanced around the now quiet room, trying hard to spot a clue to his idiots whereabouts.

"We need to find them quickly; we don't know how fresh the blood is on those cloth's." Red said as he began to inspect the crates and piles of ruble. Hiei grunted in agreement before he too started his own search. He tore open crates, only to find them empty, or half filled with mannequin parts. After his fifth one he was starting to feel silly; if only he could use his Jagan to-

"Hiei! Over here!" Hiei flitted to the red heads side. He was kneeling over something set up against the dirty wall. "She's still breathing; it looks like she hit her forehead." Hiei knelt down and inspected the unconscious girl. Her snow white hair lay tangled over her left shoulder, stained and sticky with partially dried blood. A few small cuts littered her arms, her torso left bare apart from her chest wrappings due to her tank top being destroyed. At least Yustade hadn't been sleazy enough to remove her pants, though they too were torn up, no doubt from her struggling. Hiei couldn't help but feel a little proud that she had at least attempted to fight back, even if he was mildly disappointed to actually find her alive.

"I-i'm going to go find Maya..." Hiei looked up to see the boy's red cheek's as he turned to leave; good. He had no business seeing Cora like this anyways. The boy left then, leaving Hiei to somehow awaken the sleeping idiot.

"Hey," Hiei taped her cheek. "Wake up, stupid girl." Nothing. She did't even flinch. Hiei grunted in annoyance; he didn't want to shake her around to much, it might reopen her wound. "Come on idiot. We have to get out of here." Again, nothing. Damn... I might as well heal her wounds a little...at least then I stand a better chance of moving her with out making matters worse... He glanced over his shoulder, activating his Jagan eye. He located the boy on the other side of the building, tending to the same young girl with short black hair that Hiei had seen Yustade take earlier that day. Satisfied that he would be left alone for the time being, Hiei picked Cora up by her waist before sitting down against the wall with her settled between his upraised knees, her legs folded under her and the uninjured side of her head laying against his shoulder.

Hiei hated healing her; his only method went far beyond the fringes of his comfort zone, but he didn't have the advanced healing abilities as some demons; it was one of the few traits he somewhat wished he would have inherited... With a scowl Hiei gently brought Cora's injured head up to his mouth and, with quick sure movements, he laved his tongue along the length of her injury, clearing it of blood and dirt. The blood flow increased as the old, dried and infectious blood was cleaned away.

The sting from her wound reopening must have been enough to draw Cora back to reality as she groaned in protest, one blurry blue eye opening in an annoyed and pained glare. She grabbed hold of Hiei's wrists, weakly tugging on them in a half assed attempt to get Hiei to stop doing what he was doing. "Hiei... that hurts..." He grunted, taking note of the slowing flow of blood that came into his mouth. After a few more licks the blood stopped flowing, telling him that the wound was closed enough to continue healing on it's own.

Hiei pulled back, licking his lips clean of her blood; it's to bad Yustade didn't eat her, he would have been in for a treat, and he would have saved Hiei the annoyance of having to heal her himself. Though Hiei was sure Yustade had the flavor wrong; Hiei couldn't quite place her flavor, but it was sweet, and left a tangy after taste at the back of his throat. "Hn. Don't be so weak." Cora glared up at him, her cheeks puffed up in annoyance against his palms. Hiei smirked; she looked anything but intimidating with her sleepy blue eyes and pouting lips. He hated her so much. He should have left her here to rot.

"Dick..." Cora pulled his hands from her face, only to groan when a dizzy spell hit her like a brick wall.

Hiei scowled at her in annoyance. "Don't make me regret coming here stupid-?" Hiei stopped mid insult when Cora's eyes suddenly rolled and she fell face first into his shoulder, her nose pushed up in an almost comical way. He scoffed, readjusting her in his hold before getting to his feet. She grumbled at him, her arms coming to wrap around his neck and shoulders much to his annoyance. Before he could remove her hold on him, the red headed boy came around a pile of crates, shooting Hiei a smug smile that made Hiei bristle in aggravation. "Shut up."

"I didn't say a word Hiei, but we should get going; I can hear the police in the distance." The red head said, holding Hiei's cloak out to him.

Hiei grunted in irritation as he and the red head turned the corner onto the young boy's street, each one carrying their respective cargo against their backs. After wrestling with her in order to get her to let go of him, Hiei was able to wrap Cora in his cloak, seeing as her top was far from salvageable. But it wasn't the annoying female or her snores that were grating on his nerves at that moment. "You wiped your woman's memories." Hiei stated bluntly to the red head next to him. He couldn't really explain why it bothered him, and frankly it wasn't really any of his business, but damn if he wasn't a little curious.

"Yes. She will be safer not knowing what has transpired tonight. Not knowing what I truly am." Hiei scoffed. "I am simply saving Maya the pain of being my weakness. If you have any pity for Cora, you will do the same."

Hiei growled; this boy knew nothing about anything, and yet spoke as if he knew everything. "Your a coward. You don't want to lose her, so you push her away to the extremism of removing her memories." Hiei spat, readjusting his hold on Cora's thighs as she shifted in her sleep. "And don't go lumping me in with you; if I had my way I'd have been long rid of her, but she insists on following me around-"

The red head sighed, his eyes growing sorrowful. "Would you not be willing to do the same? If it meant keeping her alive?"

"No."

The boy chuckled. "So, she means so little to you." Hiei gave him a suspicious side long glance. Was there a threat in there? It was hard for Hiei to tell; this child spoke in riddles, and it was becoming pretty obvious to Hiei that this strange human child was cunning in nature. Which meant, he was a great actor. " What is your relationship with her? You claim indifference, but your actions towards Cora in the warehouse speak other wise."

"Our relationship is none of you business." Hiei growled out.

The boy nodded, a small smile growing on his face. "So you do care for her."

"Hn."

"And your worried about her being used against you."

"She's not stupid enough to get caught, but even if that were to happen, I wouldn't care-"

"But she did get caught."

Hiei paused in his steps, his eyes narrowing dangerously at the back of the boys head. "She was distracted-"

"By your wounds, yes." The boy continued to walk ahead of him, leaving Hiei to stew for a moment; he was getting very tired of this child's game of twenty questions. "That is why I have decided to remove Maya's memories; to save her the pain of one day watching me die. Humans are such fragile beings-"

Hiei sneered, a growl escaping his chest. "Cora isn't human." He bit out. "What's your name anyways?"

The boy paused then, glancing over his shoulder at the suddenly serious demon."My human name is Suichi," Hiei grimaced; what a terrible name. "But you may call me Kurama."

"Hn, well Kurama, say what you will, but I do not plan on removing her memories." Kurama sighed, giving up the fight of reason with this young, temperamental demon. They walked on in silence until they made it to a specific house on the block. Hiei instantly recognized it as the house he had fled from earlier in the night. Kurama silently walked around to the back of the home, and pointed to the still open window of his bed room.

"You can leave Cora in there for now; her run in with Yustade has obviously taken it's toll on her." Hiei's eyes narrowed.

"You expect me to leave her alone in your strange human house?"

Kurama sighed; while he understood Hiei's reluctance, he didn't really have time to deal with the small demons wariness. The placement of the moon signaled to him that his mother would awaken to take the transit to work soon, and he had to be back in bed and 'sleeping' by then as to not worry her. " I am simply offering a safe place for her to rest. You are welcome to stay with her if you wish. I won't be long in taking Maya back to her home."

"That's not very smart or you, inviting two strange demons to sleep in your home. What makes you think you can trust me?"

Kurama smirked. "Hiei, if I felt I couldn't trust you, you wouldn't have woken up."

Hiei scoffed and disappeared into the house, being careful not to awaken the sleeping female on his back. He made his way over to the bed and gently placed Cora onto the soft sheets, scrunching up his nose in displeasure as the boys scent wafted up from the mattress; she would need a bath to get his stench off her skin. Stepping back Hiei hesitated in taking his leave reluctant to leave her there. But he had more questions for Kurama... with an annoyed grunt he flitted out the window, leaving Cora to sleep in a strangers bed.

Hiei and Kurama were on their way back to Kurama's house, having left Maya sleeping in her room. Hiei had his hands shoved deep into his pockets, his eyes closed, and his mind in deep thought. They had been walking in silence for most of their short trip. "Why would you risk your life for that human?" He asked out of the blue.

Kurama gave him a side long glance. "She... is an important person to me. My mother is as well, even though she too is human. I would do anything to keep them safe." Kurama answered calmly. He knew that it was a strange notion, a demon being protective over humans. Just the fact that he was stuck in a human body made him a 'traitor', but to actually care for them, was a reason for death to most demons.

"Hn. That is the most idiotic thing you have said so far."

Kurama gave him a contemplative look, before smiling softly. "You must also have someone important to you? Cora for example-" Hiei glared over at him. "Or this Yukina. You even had a Jagan implanted just to find her."

"You really talk to much." Hiei sneered. Kurama secretly smiled; this demon was almost to easy to read...some times. Hiei suddenly stopped walking; they were a block away from Kurama's house. Said red head stopped as well, a little further ahead then Hiei, and looked at him over his shoulder.

"Are you going?" Hiei closed his eyes, and Kurama noticed just how tired he looked.

"Yes. I can't stay here for long."

"What about Cora? Is she not your traveling companion?" Hiei scoffed, throwing his head to the side arrogantly.

"I have to return to the Makai; she would never survive, and I cant waste time with saving her useless hide every second." Hiei's words and tone were harsh, but Kurama could hear the lower, much harder to hear anxiety; he didn't want to risk her getting hurt.

"I will watch over her. You may not believe me, but my mother is one of the most caring people I have ever met, in either of my lives; she would be glad to take Cora into her home." Before he finished speaking Kurama was surprised to feel another presence in his mind; he has had dealings with psychic invasion a few times in his existence, but as Hiei used the Jagan to poke through his mind Kurama felt goose bumps rise on his skin. It was not very pleasant. After only seconds, Hiei's presence left his head, and he seemed to be satisfied with what ever it was that he was looking for.

"Hn. I don't care what happens to the stupid girl, but if you insist on taking her in, then I won't try to stop you." Hiei turned, debating weather or not to take his leave; he had no reason to stay, now that Cora would be well looked after...I have to get back to my search... she would only slow me down...

"You are leaving right now? Do you not wish to say good bye to her?" Hiei looked at the boy who had in one night earned his trust.

"No. I will leave in the morning before she awakens."

"Then I am to assume that you will be back; you know she will be mad that you didn't say good bye." Kurama said as they continued their trek. "Will we ever see you again?" Hiei paused... will I ever see them again... such a pointless question, with an obvious answer... he really does talk to much...

Hiei flitted off, leaving Kurama to stand under the lamp light. "Hiei... until next time."

Hiei reappeared in Kurama's bed room. He scanned the home with his Jagan, finding an empty spare room just down the hall. As gently and quickly as he could he lifted Cora from the bed, being careful not to wake her as he flitted into the spare room. He placed Cora on the spare bed, wrinkling up his nose at the small layer of dust that lay over the blankets. But hey, it was better then nothing. With one last scan of the home (noting that Kurama had returned) and after blocking the door to ensure no one would barge in unexpectedly, he crawled into the bed and leaned against the head board.

He had no intentions of sleeping, even if his body did need it; he just couldn't let himself relax enough to fall into slumber in this new environment. Cora slept on though, her back pressed firmly against his thigh. He could feel her moving with each breath, the action smooth and comforting to his frayed nerves. She hand't been devoured. But now Hiei was going to leave her. He had looked into the Kurama's mind and found nothing but pure intentions when he had offered to allow the woman to stay with him. Kurama's memories of his mother, while bathed in confusion over her actions, were nothing but positive; she never even punished him.

Cora would be well looked after, and he could focus on his search. She would be mad. Hell, she would probably try to rip his throat out the next time they met; but she would eventually get over it. She didn't need him to be around all the time, and with Kurama she didn't have to worry about being picked off by some demon in the middle of the night. Cora sighed in her sleep as she rolled over to face him, her arm casually slinging over his legs in a lose embrace, cause an odd flip in his stomach and his cheeks to become unnaturally hot.

Yes. He needed her to stay here so he could focus.

Cora groaned as the sun lit up her face; she hated mornings. The sun was always to bright; what the hell did it have to be so cheery for? She moved to rub her eyes, pausing when her fingers closed around what sounded like a piece of paper. Her eyes groggily blinked open, taking a moment or two in order to adjust to the bright light that shined in through the...window? Sitting straight up, Cora looked around the strange room with wide eyes. Throwing herself from the bed she had previously been sleeping soundly on, a scent caught her attention just seconds before she made to escape via the near by window; campfire smoke and pine. Hiei. She relaxed; if Hiei had been here then she couldn't be in to much danger. He had been in this room at some point.

"I wonder where he is?" She looked down into her clutched hand, eyeing the paper there. It was folded into forth's, her name written in clean calligraphy on it's surface; Hiei's hand writing. She raised a brow; it wasn't like him to leave notes for her. She unfolded the paper, and read his message, her eyes widening as she went over the message again and again.

Do not follow me. Do not speak of me. Do not let on that you know who I am, to anyone. Do not wait for me.

Stay with Kurama.

It was signed with a thumb print of blood. Before the message had fully sunk in, the door to the bed room opened, banging loudly against the back of the dresser that barricaded the door. It was at that exact moment, that all hell broke loose on the Minamino household.