A/N: So my friend, Dreamer of A Thousand Memories, gave me this story and told me to go with it and so I did. She never expected it to turn out like this, but I'll leave you to come to your own conclusions.

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Kurayami wandered the halls of Orochimaru's lair, thinking about her time there. She had never meant to come back to Orochimaru's service, finding it was easier and safer for her to be back at Konoha. But Tsunade wished for an insider in Orochimaru's stronghold and since Orochimaru had a thing for her, Kurayami had been the best and only candidate for the mission.

Being here reminded her of the old days when she had let the power of her demons be unleashed freely. Ceres had never been fully unleashed, but she had caused enough damage through Kurayami on villages that had never truly deserved her wrath.

Maybe that's why I'm one of the most wanted ninja in the world, Kurayami thought with a frown before she became aware of someone approaching her. Sasuke…

The boy had done some growing up since she had last seen him. He was taller and in better shape than he had been as a bratty thirteen year old. Three years under Orochimaru's rule would do that to anyone.

But his attitude remained unchanged. He still hated the world, wanted power, and hated her with an undying passion. Nothing Orochimaru did or said would change it.

In fact, it only made Sasuke's hate for her grow.

Sasuke glared at her as he walked past her. "Stay out of my way Houka," he ordered. "Without your master, you are nothing but an easy target."

Then why don't you come and do something about it? Kurayami thought but she kept the words bottled inside of her.

It would do no good for her to start a fight with him. It was just something that he wanted. He wanted to get under her skin and irritate her to the point that she attacked him. Lord Orochimaru cherished Sasuke's body and any attack she did on it would damage it severely. He would be very displeased if his precious body was harmed, but the satisfaction she would get from beating that boy senseless almost made the threat of Orochimaru's anger worth it. He was so very irritating.

"Go to your training Sasuke," Kurayami simply said, continuing her walk through the halls of the lair. "Orochimaru is expecting you."

Sasuke's eyes narrowed, she could feel it as she continued walking like his words hadn't bothered her. It made a smirk appear on her face to know that she could still get under his skin just as he could with her.

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Kurayami walked into the training room when it was time for her to practice by herself. Orochimaru liked for her to keep her strength and agility up when it was drawing closer for his war on Konoha. She was to be one of his key weapons and as much as Kurayami hated the idea, she was sure that afterwards, there would be no returning to Konoha. The people would have her exiled because of her 'loyalty' to Orochimaru. Sasuke, if he survived, would probably be subjected to the same treatment.

Why do I feel sorry for him? Kurayami thought as she watched Sasuke finish his last few attacks against nothing. Sure neither of us asked for this…not for years of servitude and five hour training sessions that demand all of our energy, but he wanted power. I was just looking for a way to prove to my dead parents that I could be an elite ninja. All I want these days is a way out, a way to be accepted by my home village. Not by the Sound. Sasuke, he doesn't care whose side he's on as long as he's in power. He's going to die before this is all over with.

Sasuke landed on the floor in front of her and glared at her. Kurayami stared at him evenly, wondering when he had gotten so tall. She had never been able to look him in the eye before. It felt odd not looking down on him like she had when they had both been in Konoha all those years ago.

"It's not your time to be here," Sasuke stated, producing a fireball in his hand. "I still have training for another five minutes."

"Check your clock, Sasuke," Kurayami muttered, crossing her arms. "My training time is now. So leave before I make you regret cutting into it."

Sasuke smirked and he threw the fireball at her. Kurayami caught it and crushed it in her hand, the smoke escaping through her fingers. "You think you're so tough Houka," he commented, circling her. "You think that since you have two demons in you that you rule the place and that you automatically deserve to be everyone's favorite. Orochimaru dedicated most of his time to you in the past and he still dedicates a large amount of his time to you, but you're no longer his favorite."

"Oh really?" Kurayami's eyebrow quirked up. "Then who is his favorite now?"

"Isn't it obvious?" Sasuke smirked. "He sees more potential in me than he ever saw in you. That's why he spends so much time training me. That's why he gave me the full curse mark."

Kurayami's hand closed over her incomplete curse mark. Orochimaru had nothing to do with the fact that it was incomplete but she would never admit that to Sasuke.

"He gave me access to power that you could only dream of," Sasuke continued. "Even your demons don't compare because they've been tamed. All of their power is held back by seals."

"I can always break the seals," Kurayami told him, which was very true. She had already broken the seal on Ai and replaced it when Ai had gotten out of hand. "Then this power that Lord Orochimaru released in you will be dwarfed. And you would be crushed without a second thought."

"Kurayami," Sasuke said with a smirk as he stopped in front of her once more. It was the first time that he had ever used her first name in over a decade. "Why, if you have so much power, do you bow down to the pathetic excuse of a Hokage of Konoha? Why did you swear allegiance to Lord Orochimaru if his powers are so much weaker than yours?"

Kurayami frowned. She had never had him ask her a question like that. He usually skipped the questions and went straight to attacking her, but this was different.

"Believe it or not, I'm doing this for you," Kurayami admitted, staring him straight in the eye. "I owe you for taking your brother away from you. I owe you for the time you saved my neck."

"You owe me?" Sasuke repeated.

Kurayami nodded. Seconds later, she was forced against a wall with Sasuke's hand wrapped around her throat. He looked angry, but Kurayami could see something changing in his eyes.

"I do not give a damn about you, Kurayami," Sasuke hissed, his eyes turning red. "You are Orochimaru's bitch. What he does to you, I don't care. You owe me your life every time we meet because if I wanted it you would be dead. And you can't do anything about it because Orochimaru wants me untouched."

Kurayami could feel him pulling her into his eyes just as her brother had the last time she had seen him. She focused on Sasuke's eyes and resisting their power. She would not fall for an Uchiha's mind trick again.

"Sasuke, if you're going to do something, do it now because I'm getting bored," Kurayami muttered.

Sasuke blinked and the redness of his eyes vanished. "You're not afraid?"

"I'm bored, not afraid." Kurayami grabbed onto his hand and pulled it away from her throat. "You could never scare me."

A smirk appeared on his face. "One day, you will be afraid of me."

Kurayami watched him back up and saw Orochimaru standing in the doorway. There was a look in his eyes that she was familiar with by now and she felt her heart sink into her stomach. Excuses flew through her mind, but she knew that he would see through them in an instant. There would be no avoiding the inevitable.

"Kurayami, come." Orochimaru said, his golden snake eyes piercing her to the core. "There is something that we must discuss."

Kurayami blanched as she saw memories of his body entwined with hers. Her body shuddered at the memory of him touching her, being inside of her. She felt like she was going to throw up. Tsunade could never imagine the hell she was putting Kurayami through with this mission and when Kurayami went back to the Hidden Leaf Village, she would make sure that Tsunade took the brunt of her anger.

I'm only nineteen, Kurayami thought, making herself start walking towards Orochimaru. I shouldn't experience this kind of thing with a monster like him. I…I didn't want him to be my first…I didn't want him to have anything to do with me. I am Orochimaru's bitch after all…

She glanced back at Sasuke as she passed him and saw that his eyes were hard, but they were not focused on her. They were focused on Orochimaru and were full of a disgust that Kurayami had never seen in his eyes except when they were directed towards her when she was back in Konoha with him.

Don't do anything Sasuke. I'll be fine…I'll…

She shook her head slightly and followed Orochimaru like an obedient servant. Sasuke's eyes were on her back the entire time, burning two small holes into it with the intensity of his stare.

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Kurayami walked out of Orochimaru's room shortly after nightfall. She felt sick, used. All she wanted was to take a shower and scrub him off of her. No, what she really wanted was to get out of this hellhole where she was misused and take her anger out on someone who deserved it. She wanted to be free of the snake and find herself again. She wanted to be able to hold her head up high again and feel good about herself. She wanted to be loved, not lusted after.

But she was trapped here until Tsunade saw fit for her to return to the Leaf Village. She was trapped with Orochimaru's caresses and sickening persona. She wanted out of there. Now.

But she couldn't leave Sasuke alone with the snake. That was her duty as given by the Hokage. The only way out was to get Sasuke to come with her and she knew that he would never come with her.

Why couldn't I be nicer to him when I was younger? Why did I have to do all those horrible things to his family and to him? Why did I make that mistake with Itachi? The hate between us will make everything so difficult. It's not right…but I have to stay here until Orochimaru comes close to transferring bodies. Then I can kill the snake and get Sasuke out of here.

She sighed. I hope you're happy with what you're making me do Tsunade because right now, I hate you…and Ceres wants you dead…

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Sasuke leaned against the wall, listening for anyone that would be walking at night. He knew Kurayami's schedule by heart now. Every time Orochimaru needed to 'discuss' something, she would return to her room, shower, and then walk around for hours. He knew how long it took for her to make one complete trip around the lair. He knew that she would smell of fresh cherry blossoms…He knew everything about her…

He smirked at the thought of her. It hadn't been that long ago that he had gone out of his way to try to destroy her. But now, she was all that he could think about. Not even the promise of power from Orochimaru could get her off his mind. She was a source of power he had never considered. She had been a childhood friend before she went off on a mission and never came back, but he had never known that she held so much power.

But that power was being smothered by Orochimaru. She was losing herself in the killing of many ninja that Orochimaru sent her after. She was being tortured by that snake and…by him.

There was still so much hate in him towards her. She had called Itachi weak and abandoned the Uchiha boys, choosing to join the very organization that Itachi later joined. But she had suffered under the hands of Orochimaru for years. It was only recently that he had taken a sexual interest in her and Sasuke detested the idea of the snake touching someone who had been his friend as a child. It should have been him that made her suffer, but not to this extent.

She said that I don't care about her and I agreed with her, Sasuke thought, glancing up when he heard movement to his right. But I would never wish this treatment on another person. She was my friend and she's here because of me. Kurayami…she's something else.

Kurayami appeared around a corner, her eyes lowered to the floor. Sasuke hadn't seen her look so down before and his heart clenched painfully.

I shouldn't be acting like this or thinking about her this way…I hate her, but that hate is turning into something else. Something I never felt for any other girl…

"What do you want Sasuke?" Kurayami asked, lifting her eyes as she came to a stop a few feet away from him. "Shouldn't you be asleep right now?"

Sasuke smirked. "Maybe I was looking for a challenge."

"I'm in no mood to play games. If you want to challenge someone, then I suggest you go find Kabuto and wake him up. He'll give you somewhat of a challenge." Kurayami looked away from him. "Just leave me alone."

Sasuke forced her up against a wall and wrapped his hand around her throat again. She looked at him with sad eyes, unable to bring the fire to them after all that she had been through that night. The scent of cherry blossoms filled his lungs as he pressed his body close to hers, pinning her against the wall.

"I'm afraid that I can't do that, Kurayami," Sasuke said, tilting his head to one side. "You are all that I can think of these days. I need you to get out of my head, out from under my skin. It wouldn't be fair for me to leave you alone when you won't share the courtesy."

"I can't help you."

"Yes, you can."

He applied more pressure to her neck and saw her wince, heard her make a small sound of pain. It wasn't his goal to hurt her. Not this time at least. He eased up the pressure on her neck and brought his lips to hers in a demanding kiss. It took only a moment for her to respond to his actions. Her lips moved against his, deepening the kiss as he pressed himself even closer to her.

Sasuke tasted strawberries on her lips and he liked it. He pushed himself against her, so that he could feel her heartbeat against his skin and felt her chest rise and fall against him with each breath she took. His hand slid away from her throat, trailing down her side to catch her hand and pressed it against the wall above her head, repeating the action with the other hand.

"Sasuke," she breathed when his lips traveled down her jaw line to her throat. "Sasuke, we can't do this here."
Sasuke knew that. There were eyes everywhere in these halls and everyone knew that Kurayami was Orochimaru's. But tonight was the night that she would take the first step at being free.

"Let's go to my room," he whispered in her ear, gently biting the lobe.

She shivered against him and let him lead the way, her hand still entwined with his.

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Sasuke felt Kurayami stir next to him. She was a restless sleeper, he had realized. She never stayed in one position longer than a few minutes before moving again. But she stayed in his arms all night long, her body pressed against his so innocently. She looked almost peaceful in his arms and when she opened her eyes to look at him, a small smile graced her lips.

"Sasuke, we're going to be in so much trouble if Orochimaru finds me with you," she whispered, letting her smile fall. "Whether he wants your body or not, he's going to be furious with you for having me in your bed…he may kill you."

"He can try," Sasuke said, his cockiness returning easily. "But in the end he'll still want me for my body…just as he wants you to warm his bed every night." He pushed himself up onto his elbow. "I can't stand the thought of you with him…I won't share you with him, Kurayami."

Kurayami sighed and looked away. "Sasuke, I'm thinking about getting out of here…getting away from the Sound Village and never coming back."

"Where will you go?"

"Back to Konoha." She looked at him. "I'm on a mission Sasuke. That's the only reason I came to the Sound Village in the first place. I had to keep an eye on you for the Hokage and keep you safe from Orochimaru."

"You're here on orders?"

"Yes. But this is far beyond my comfort zone. I have to get out…and I want you to come with me."

Sasuke looked away from her. "You want me to go with you? Back to the place where we are forced to suppress our power…back where you are hated because of what you are?"

"Sasuke, things have changed in Konoha…believe me, they have. People are missing you. If you don't come back to Konoha with me, I can't get away from Orochimaru. I'll always be his sex slave and favorite weapon. You'll be used for your Sharingan until you've reached your full strength, then he'll take over your body." She sighed. "Without you, I can't go back to Konoha, Sasuke. It's my job to protect you and bring you back to Konoha…but if you stay until the end…well…"

"You'll remain Orochimaru's pet…" Sasuke narrowed his eyes and grabbed her hand possessively. "I won't let that happen. Tonight, it ends." He looked at her, his eyes burning red. "Tonight Orochimaru dies his final death."

He turned and climbed out of bed, throwing his clothes on. Kurayami sat up, holding the sheet to her chest. He kept his back to her as he pulled out weapons with which he would kill the snake.

"Sasuke," she whispered. "Do you really think that you can beat him?"

"You doubt me?"

"Sasuke, beating up on me when I don't give a damn doesn't compare to killing Orochimaru." Kurayami said, standing next to him completely dressed. "He is dangerous and he could easily take even me out if he tried hard enough." She frowned. "Unless I unleash Ai."

Sasuke looked at her as he slid his weapons into easily accessed places on his person. "We'll take him out together. With our combined strength, he will fall." He reached out and cupped her face with his hand. "But if he gets to me, I want you to run. Run and don't look back."

"Sasuke, I can't leave you," Kurayami breathed, resting her hand lightly against his. Her soft smile turned into a smirk. "Let's go kill that snake."

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Orochimaru's body quivered, twitching on the ground for a moment. Then it became deathly still. Kurayami stood next to Sasuke as the body ignited and their former master started burning. Kabuto and the other Sound ninjas' bodies lay on the floor in pools of their own blood. No one in the lair moved, nothing leaped out at the two of them or threatened their lives.

Sasuke reached out and took Kurayami's hand in his. She glanced at him and he nodded. They turned and walked out of the Sound Village for the last time…

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A/N: So, what did you think? Let me know! And while you're at it, check out my other Naruto stories, please. Thanks! ~ Scarlet