Itachi awoke in a cold sweat, his chest was on fire. Quickly he reached for the pill bottle next to his bed, he chewed two of the white bitter pills. A few minutes later the burning subsided.

"Gods…" Itachi rasped. The attacks are getting more frequent….if they just weren't so damn painful….Haha what a fitting end to a monster like me.

Then he heard it, a quiet whimpering coming from another room. It took Itachi a moment to recognize the sound and it was coming from Rayne's room. He would never get used to heading her nightmares….Quickly he left his room, unable to stand her cries any longer.

Carefully he brings his hand up to touch her cheek, agony was etched on her beautiful face. Looking down he saw her hands were clenched so tightly that her knuckles had turned white. Then something caught his ebony eyes, the crescent moon on the bottom of her right wrist was no longer black but an angry red. Curiously he traced the pulsating mark with his finger tip, almost immediately the pain across her features began to lessen until it disappeared completely. He continued to trace along with the visible veins on her arms.

Suddenly Rayne's eye shoot open, her hands glowing a malicious purple as she grabbed at Itachi's throat blindly. He quickly grabs her wrists and pin them above her head.

"Rayne, wake up!"

After a few minutes Rayne's eyes slowly begin to focus and her hands return to normal as she pushes herself away from Itachi. She quickly dashes into her attached bathroom muttering incoherently as she locks the door behind her.

As the shock wore off Itachi walked to the bathroom door and gently knocked. "Rayne are you okay?" He heard her mumble something, "I can't hear you Rayne, please come out and talk to me."

In the bathroom Rayne was gazing at her appearance in the vanity mirror. Without her bracers the mark on her wrist had activated because it sensed her distress during her nightmares. Now that marks, the Blood Scriptures, were spreading up her right arm. She was lucky they'd only gone this far and that the mark on her other wrist hadn't activated, otherwise she'd lose complete control. She could hear Itachi pleading with her to open the door, but how could she?

"I need the bracers you took from me." Rayne finally spoke up enough for Itachi to hear her on the other side of the wooden door.

"Bracers? The silver ones?" Itachi questioned.

"Yes," Hesitantly she opened the door, "They help me control my powers." She cringed as she watched him examine just how far the scriptures had progressed.

"The bracers…" Itachi paused, "I had Kisame get rid of them. I thought they were a weapon. I'm sorry I didn't know otherwise I would've never took them from you."

Rayne smile lightly, "Don't worry I'll figure something out. Go back to bed, I'll be fine Itachi."

"But Rayne…"

She leveled him with her pleading gaze, "Please leave. I am not safe to be around right now."

Itachi would never admit it but he couldn't deny her anything when she looked at him with eyes. "I'll return later to check on you, but if you need anything Rayne you come find me."

"I will." She opened her bedroom door and let Itachi out, "Goodnight." She closed the door and locked it.

For a few minutes Itachi stood outside her bedroom, he could hear the cries of pain she tried to muffle. He wanted nothing more right then than to stop her pain, but he had no idea how. Who would know her pain and how to make it stop? A sudden though struck Itachi, there was one person who possibly knew how to help Rayne.

Quickly Itachi made his way down the dark corridor, after a few minutes he stopped before Hidan's room. Hesitantly he knocked on the door.

"Who the fuck is knocking on my fucking door? It's the middle of the damn night! I swear to Jashin if this is a fucking prank I am going to sacrifice you to Lord Jashin!" Hidan yelled as he got out of bed and opened his door. It took a second for process that it had been Itachi that had knocked on his door. "What the fuck do you want demon eyes?"

Itachi narrowed his eyes but chose to ignore Hidan's comment on his bloodline. "Since you are immortal you must have knowledge of Reapers correct?"

Hidan cocked an eyebrow, "Why the fuck do you want to know?"

"Hidan." Itachi warned.

"Yeah I know about fucking Reapers, probably more than most." Hidan replied, "I guess you have some fucking questions because of Rayne-chan, since you are her mate and all. So what do you want to know?" Hidan walked back into his room leaving the door open for Itachi to follow after him.

Itachi walked into Hidan's room and closed the door behind him, then took a seat in a nearby chair. "How did you know Rayne had chosen me as her mate?"

Hidan rolled his eyes, "I fucking knew she had a mate when she turned me down. Women don't turn this down." He gestured to his partially clothed body. "Besides no matter how much you try to hide it from everyone you bear her fucking mark on your skin. It's not complete because she hasn't bonded you souls together yet, but when she does you'll be her fucking." "Her in equal?"

"Well in life span at least. You will heal like she does and have a deep bond with her. You'll be able to feel each other's feeling and shit."

"I see." Itachi paused in thought, "Hidan do Reapers usually bind their powers?"

"No way in fucking hell, it'd be like cutting their soul in half. I read about a Reaper whose village did that to her, she wrote that the pain was worse than a thousand deaths and that she felt as if half of her was fucking missing."

"So a Reaper would never voluntarily seal themselves."

"Not a snowball's chance in hell."

"If a Reaper was sealed and those seals were removed forcefully what would happen to the Reaper?"

Hidan cringed, "They would be in unimaginable pain. All that fucking power that had been sealed would rush back into their bodies without any time to fucking adjust. I doubt it would fucking kill them though."

Itachi clenched his fists, "So that means that Rayne was forcefully bound after I left the village…" He slammed his hand down on the desk next to his chair, "Damn those fools."

Hidan whistled, "Damn I'm impressed the managed to bind Rayne. You may not fucking know this but she's the strongest Reaper that has yet to live, her soul is massive and is powers potentially limitless…if she can control them."

"Is there a way to help the pain from the backlash of having her seals removed?"

"She would need to expend all that fucking power then instead of a damn bursting it would trickle back to her, giving her body and soul time to get used to the power."

Inwardly Itachi was impressed with Hidan's wisdom on the matter but he'd never admit it to the Jashinist. "How would one go about that?"

Hidan smiled crazily, "Let her fight with all she has. I'd be happy to fight the little bitch I owe her for chopping my arm off." Then his smiled faded, "Though it would be better for her to fight someone she wouldn't hold back against, which means her friends or loved ones are out. Meaning you and me."

"Leader would kill her if she killed any of the members."

"So let her fight someone that isn't an actual member but a pawn that he uses."

Itachi smirked, "You mean let her fight Akina so you can have your cat fight."

Hidan shrugged, "Akina is strong enough to give Rayne a run for her money since her powers are fucked up right now. Plus Akina is expendable."

"Hn. I will take your idea into consideration." Itachi stood and made his way to Hidan' bedroom door, "Thank you Hidan." He left without another word. He had a lot to think on. Could he really let Rayne kill Akina just to stop her pain that wouldn't last much longer?

-2 Days Later-

Rayne was stilled bedridden from her pain, she had even started running a fever and occasionally coughing up blood. Itachi was at her side most of the time, leaving only to speak with Leader about Rayne's condition.

There was a knock at Rayne's door. Itachi got up from her side to answer it, Deidara was on the other side.

"Deidara," Itachi asked coldly, "What do you want?"

"I'm not happy to see you either Uchiha, un." Deidara spat, "Leader wants to see you and Rayne in the training room immediately, he said it's urgent, un."

Itachi shook his head, "Rayne is unable to leave her bed tell Leader I will be there shortly."

"He said you might say that un." Deidara smirked, "He told me to tell you if you don't bring her that he will tell her your secret."

Itachi clenched his jaw, "You…"

"Its fine," Rayne spoke up behind Itachi. She was sitting up in her bed. "We will be there shortly just let me get dressed."

"Rayne you shouldn't be moving around." Itachi chided.

Rayne brushed him off, "I will be fine Itachi so stop treating me like an invalid. Besides I'd rather you tell me any of your secrets than some golden-eyed soulless fruitcake."

Itachi nodded, "Very well. Tell Leader we are on our way.'

"Sure, un." Deidara excused himself.

Rayne turns curiously towards Leader her pain forgotten, "You want me to what? Who the hell do you think you are to be ordering me around? I take orders from no one, especially not some soulless doll!" She exclaims angrily.

"You follow the Hokage's orders do you not?" He replies.

"But that's different, unlike him I owe you no loyalties. I will not do as you ask."

"Then I guess you'll just have to die." Leader snaps his fingers.

The next thing Rayne knows she's lying in the training area on her back with Akina's hand wrapped around her throat. She looks up into Akina's eyes with such hatred and malice that it sent shivers running down the woman's spine, "I think you should let go of me Akina." Rayne suggests, venom dripping from her words.

Akina laughs bitterly as her violet eyes swirl to gold, "I don't think so." Rayne notices her new fangs as she speaks.

"What are you?" Rayne demands.

Leader laughs, "She is a special one, just like you Rayne. Akina is a vampire of sorts she drinks the blood of her foes gaining any of their powers for a time and siphons some of their chakra as well."

Rayne head butts Akina and flips back, "I'll be dammed if I let you bite me you little bitch." She leaps up and over the railing to land kneeled before Itachi, "Can I borrow this for a second?" She reaches into Itachi's cloak and withdraws his sword then jumps back down into the arena.

"So you'll fight me and show Leader-sama your true strength?" Akina asks.

"Nope," Rayne replies simply, "I'm going to fight you so when I kill you I never have to hear your voice again you mate theft." Rayne points her new sword at Akina and smirks.

Akina charges with blinding speed, circling Rayne like she were prey. "It's been three years, he's probably moved on by now." Rayne closes her eyes and concentrates on Akina's soul, ignoring everything else. "So many years not seeing you, don't you think he would have gotten lonely? I mean he has needs too you know, I bet he slept with another girl, even kissed her. Can you imagine it, some other girl taking your place?" Akina giggles vilely.

"What's she talking about Itachi-san?" Kisame whispers to Itachi.

"She's trying to get under Rayne's skin by saying I've cheated on her, but it won't work."

"Why?"

"It's simple, because Rayne knows better than that."

Rayne opens her eyes a little bit to see Akina smiling like mad. She mentally sighs and closes her eyes again.

Akina clinches her fists and tries again, "I wonder why he never came back for you, if he loves you so much. Why did he leave you in that village all alone?" Rayne's eyes shoot open as hurt expressions stream across her face. "With all those people that hate you and blame you for the death of innocence's."

"She just crossed the line, mercy is no longer an option now." Itachi mumbles to himself.

"Oh did I hit a nerve?" Akina sings, "Come on Rayne, come and dance with me. I want to see you dance for your life." She launches herself at Rayne and grabs her from behind, "I guess you're not as strong as you thought you were." Akina bites into Rayne's neck.

Rayne smiles sinisterly as a low rumbling laugh protrudes from her lips, "I really hate people like you Akina. Do you really think I'd just let you get this close to me?" She flips the sword around in her hand so it faces her. "Why don't you try sucking on this?!" Rayne rams the blade through her own abdomen and through Akina's diaphragm. Rayne winces and hacks up a little blood, "You only got one lung left now."

Akina pulls herself off the sword while spitting up blood, "Are you insane? You could've killed yourself!" She performs a basic healing jutsu to heal her punctured lung and gash in her chest for the most part. "Hehe… look who's hurt now."

Rayne struggles to remove the blade, but is unable to pull it out. Pathetically she falls to the ground then begins to drag herself away from the advancing Akina, who chuckles at Rayne's predicament.

"She's truly amazing." Itachi smirks sensing Rayne's power rise drastically.

"Who is? Akina?" Kisame whispers.

Itachi shakes his head, "You'll see, Rayne's about to have some fun at Akina's expense."

"In the daylight,
I'm your sweetheart,
Your goody-two-shoes prude is a work of art.
But you don't know me,
And soon you won't forget,
Bad as can be, yeah you know I'm not so innocent"

Rayne sings softly as she stands and rips out the blade, a vicious smile crawling onto her lovely face as her blood floats into the air shaped as rose petals and fly around her. Her voice strengthens,

"Better beware I go bump in the night,
Devil-may-care with a lust for life,
And I know you,
Can't resist this
You know you
Are so addicted.
Boy you better run for your life!

Welcome to the nightmare in my head,
(Oh god!)
Say hello to something scary,
The monster in your bed,
(Oh god!)
Just give in and you won't be sorry,
Welcome to my other side,
Hello its Mz. Hyde!"

Rayne begin to spin around while weaving the blood petals between her fingers, lacing them into something.

"I can be the bitch,
I can play the whore,
Or your fairytale princess who could ask for more.
A touch of wicked,
A pinch of risqué,
Good girl gone bad, my poison is your remedy

Better be scared, better be afraid,
Now that the beast is out of her cage,
And I know you,
Wanna risk it,
You know you
Are so addicted.
Boy, you better run for your life!"

She reaches out towards Akina, petals dripping from her finger tips to the ground and rippling on the floor. Out of a suddenly found sense of self-preservation Akina erects a chakra barrier.

"Welcome to the nightmare in my head,
(My god!)
Say hello to something scary,
The monster in your bed,
(My god!)
Just give in and you won't be sorry,
Welcome to my evil side,
Hello its Mz. Hyde!
Hello it's Mz. Hyde!
Hello its Mz. Hyde!"

Finally the petals merge into a beautiful yet horrific red scythe, Rayne's very blood trickling from the razor-sharp curved blade. Rayne twirls it above her head, whisking it through the air then takes a swing at Akina's amethyst colored barrier. It strikes with a gallant and solid boom sending shockwaves of power pulsating throughout the room, however Akina's shield holds fast. Rayne drops her scythe, it splashes on the ground like a bucket of water on cement. She peers through the amethyst haze with the unfeeling eyes of death itself, but deep down one could see the cold, lonely darkness. Rayne's lips curve up into a small sadistic smile as she blows lightly on the field causing the amethyst haze to turn clear. She could now see the fear in Akina's liquid gold eyes, the pure fear of death and the darkness. Rayne places her palms and cheek on the barrier and begins to sing once again while caressing the field gently.

"I'm the spider crawling down your spine,
Underneath your skin.
I will gently violate your mind,
Before I tuck you in.
Put on the blindfold
There's no way to be sure,
Which girl you'll get tonight!

The barrier begins to crack.

"Welcome to the nightmare in my head,
(My god!)
Say hello to something scary,
The monster in your bed,
(My god!)
Just give in and you won't be sorry,
The nightmare in my head,
(Oh god!)
Say hello to something scary,
The monster in your bed,
(Oh god!)
Just give in and you won't be sorry,
Welcome to my evil side,
Hello it's Mz. Hyde!
Hello its Mz. Hyde!"

As she sings, her chakra cascades out of her body, drenching every syllable that parts from her lips. Unable to withstand Rayne's torrent of power the barrier shatters into thousands of purple splinters. Suddenly they stop mid-air, Rayne's hands rise in the air, the splinters being held by her enormous power. Rayne smiles lovingly as she releases the shards back at Akina. Akina screams in agony as the shreds of amethyst rip through her tender skin. Rayne throws her head back, arms spread wide looking at the ceiling then she flips her head forwards and bows. "Fin." Effortlessly Rayne scoops up Itachi's sword and wipes the blood of the blade with Akina's tattered shirt, then flings it into the wall above his head.

"Astounding," Leader compliments Rayne graciously on her performance, "You sing beautifully Rayne, a spectacular performance. Sasori go take Akina to the medical squad, see if they can…" He stops as a crippling chakra bears down on them, stealing the very air from their lungs.

Rayne licks the blood from her hand "I still want to play." She throws a ball into the air, the ball explodes with a blinding white light and smoke screen.

As the smoke clears the members notice that Itachi is no longer among them, they quickly turn their attention to the arena where, as they guessed, Itachi and Rayne begin to square off. Itachi has his sword in hand ready to strike while Rayne bares only a kunai with a curved blade.

"I'm ready to play Rayne, are you?" Itachi taunts stepping closer, Rayne changes her stance. He cocks his head to the side. "Changing stances are we? Seems you've grown Rayne…in more ways than one perhaps?"

"Implications…" She somersaults into the air, "Are not needed on the battlefield. Only the weak talk where words have no meaning." Rayne lands on one hand kicking at Itachi with a flurry of revolving kicks.

He dodges with quick reflexes and a grace that only he possess, "Words are for those who can afford to spare the energy to waste." Itachi grabs one of her ankles and jabs his sword at Rayne's middle.

She shifts her upper body with astounding speed and blocks his futile attempt to impel her belly with her bowed kunai. Sparks fly, spraying both of them in a glory of golden rain. "Nah, I think you're just full of hot air." She laughs pushing his sword back. "Come on at least try, I'm getting bored and you know what happens when I get bored." Rayne releases herself from the bladed struggle, arching her back enough to where Itachi's blade skims across her neck and chin then into the floor. Itachi instantly lets go of Rayne's ankle and kicks her across the arena and into the stone wall cracking it.

"And you're over confident." Itachi says scanning Rayne's immobile features waiting for her to make a move.

"That hurt. You've made a big mistake Ita-kun, now I'm irritated."

Itachi watches her carefully, listening to every word. He remains emotionless as she pulls herself from the wall and stalks past him. "I don't make mistakes." He swiftly reaches out his hand and grabs Rayne's arm.

She swirls around with a sweet smile and a heel flying straight for his face. Itachi spins still holding Rayne as he successfully dodges and tosses her off balance. She falls on her back. An irritated Rayne jumps back up and comes at Itachi fists blazing in every direction with blinding speed. She manages to land a few hits before jumping back out of Itachi's reach.

"Ow." Itachi says as he removes his Akatsuki cloak to look at the already purple bruise on his shoulder. "You got me pretty good... Huh, not bad, not bad at all."

Rayne shrugs, "What doesn't kill you only makes you stronger, right?" Her tongue snakes out to wipe the blood from her busted lip. "You know it'd be pretty cool to have Akina's powers, but apparently they mustn't work very well because if she could use my powers she'd be healed by now. Just goes to show you nothing beats the original."

He appears in front of her puts a hand on each of her shoulders, "You did very well in that fight with Akina. I'm impressed with how strong you've become."

"Yeah…" Rayne rolls her eyes, "You can let go now." She knocks his hands aside, "Besides I don't remember saying you could touch me."

"I don't need your permission to do anything." Itachi retorts.

Rayne gets in his face, "You need my permission to do everything." She kisses him on the cheek.

"That's all? After three years?" Itachi smirks.

"Okay then…" She leans in but stops and knees him in the balls. Itachi falls to the floor holding his crotch. "That's for leaving me three years ago after you killed the clan." Rayne kicks him in the stomach with half of her inhuman strength. "And that's for leaving that damn letter. And this is…" Itachi closes his eyes waiting for Rayne to attack him again but nothing came. Then he feels a warm sensation on his lips. He opens his eyes and sees Rayne kissing him. She opens her eyes and stands. "For coming back." She walks out of the arena and up the stairs to where the rest of the Akatsuki members are. Rayne stops in front of Leader. "Happy now?"

"More or less. I…" He is cut off by Rayne's hand striking him across his face.

"And that's for keeping him from me." She shoves him and Deidara out of the way and continues on walking down the hallway, disappearing as she turns the corner.

Itachi limps slightly over to Leader, "Sorry Leader-sama about her slapping you." He bows deeply.

"It's alright, her anger was well placed. I kind of deserved it." Leader rubs her cheek. "Damn that hurts." He walks past Itachi down the other hallway back to his study.

"Hey Itachi-san are you okay?" Kisame asks concerned.

"Hn." Itachi nods. "What the hell are you looking at?" He asks the other members angrily, "Shows over." Quietly they shuffle out, all except Hidan.

"She looks to be feeling a hell of a lot better." Hidan comments. "Fucking told ya a good fight was what she needed. If you didn't have your head up your ass she would've been out of fucking pain a couple days ago."

Itachi nodded, "Hn."

"I don't know why she fucking chose you. You don't deserve someone like her." Hidan tossed over his shoulder as he walked down the hallway back to his quarter.

"I know…" Itachi whispered to himself.