Seven

"Well, are you going to open it?"

Glancing over her shoulder, Kagome nearly leapt out of her skin when she realized that she was no longer staring into those deep, emerald eyes that mesmerized her so well. Instead, Youko's sharp, golden orbs were practically glaring down at the sack sitting just outside the threshold.

His nose twitched time after time, before he finally huffed in annoyance. "On second thought, best just to throw it out."

"I can't do that!" Kagome exclaimed. "What if there's another person in there?!"

"I don't see why you would need another to satisfy your needs when you have me," Youko smirked. A light purr escaped his throat, as he leaned into the woman's back. He made certain that his claws lightly teased her flesh, running them up her sleeves as slowly as he possibly could.

Elbowing him beneath the ribs, Kagome was thoroughly pleased with the hiss that echoed into her ear. She smiled only a little, amused, while the avatar released her from his seductive hold. "That'll teach ya."

"Minx," he growled.

She escaped his hold a second time by kneeling down next to the sack. "What will I do with you?" she questioned it underneath her breath, feeling Youko's attempted swing to recapture her. Hopefully this one would believe her when she said he—had she ever wished for a girl? Oh God, she did not know!—was free to go, and left.

"You're a feisty little vixen in the morning, aren't you?"

Definitely left.

Reaching out, Kagome decided that it was just best to get it over with. After all, there was a high possibility that there was no person inside of this sack. And—and—damn it, there was nobody inside this sack!

She pulled the bow, watching the sack lose shape, falling limp around—

"Hiei," Youko hissed.

—the shoulders of another man. Kagome nearly cried, and she might have, if he had not suddenly leaned forward to examine her thoroughly with his dark crimson eyes. He sniffed at her, flaring his nostrils, before she finally noticed that his hair seemed to stretch toward the sky in the shape of a flame.

"Oh no," she groaned in misery. Was he going to suddenly pounce upon her like Youko had? Or was he trying to decide whether or not it was the best idea to kill her?

"Hn."

The second option seemed more likely, now that Kagome thought about it. He was a demon, after all. His aura, wrapping around her and nipping at her flesh like a naughty little dragon, practically screamed the information at her. It would have been difficult to tell he was not a demon, even without her ability as a miko.

Hiei—Kagome considered it safe to assume that was his name, considering Youko's growl made it very clear he was not happy to see the little demon—then turned away from her. He seemed to dismiss her entirely, stating simply, "Fox."

"What are you doing here?" Youko asked.

"Isn't it obvious—?" Hiei smirked.

Kagome felt her breath catch at the sight, unable to deny the jolt that went up her spine when the dark little demon grace them with that facial expression. Oh God. Oh God, how was she going to survive them both before she managed to convince them they did not belong—!

"—I, too, belong to this woman."

"Yes, well, when they were making you, I automatically assumed you would be sent away to some horny little girl that enjoys pain." Youko was not pleased. It was rare for anyone to receive more than one gift, and he could not understand why Kagome would wish for such a nasty little thing. "Forgive me."

As the sarcasm washed over her, Kagome pouted. Her day of solitude was ruined.

"Hn."

Absolutely, positively ruined.