Yet another chapter! Things are starting to get verrrry interesting!

And then…he moved away. Not just moved, either, but backed away from her as if she had the plague.

"Wha- What the hell was that?" she gasped. He avoided looking at her. "Guards." he shortly. She looked, and there at Kurama's feet were two Oto-nin. The kitsune's frowned, as his nose twitched. "Why does she reek of…arousal? Hiei, what, in the name of Koenma, have you done?"

Hiei glared at the red-head. "I was hiding her from the guards, fox. It's hardly my fault that the stupid onna thinks I'm going to rape her, or something equally foolish." he snarled. He turned on her, fury clear in his eyes. "As if I would lower myself to rut with a ningen. I'm not you, fox."

Sakura's eyes prickled at his harsh rebuke. Kurama caught it. "Hiei, " he suggested, "why don't you go ahead, and clear out the rest of the guards? Cherry blossom-chan and I'll go look for her friends."

With a short 'Hn', the shorter male was gone, in a blur of black. Kurama gently took Sakura by the arm, leading her in the opposite direction down the short hallway.

"I think he likes you." he said abruptly. She looked up, disgust in her gaze. "Don't lie. He hates me."

"Not at all." Kurama said mildly. "You just have to understand where he's from. Hiei's ruthless, merciless, but once you have his trust, he'll die for you. And he doesn't trust easily, cherry blossom-chan."

They walking in silence for another minute, before Kurama spoke again. "He's been shunned and hated his entire life. When he was barely more than an infant, he was…exiled from his home, his people, simply for being born. He's had to fight for anything he ever wanted. But, he's been doing his best to change, to become someone could be proud of…he's been protecting you, cherry blossom-chan, despite how much it goes against his instincts. And, just now, when you thought he would take advantage of someone under his protection...you hurt him. And he forgives about as easily as he trusts."

Sakura opened her mouth to reply, but Kurama interrupted. "Here." He tapped a heavy-looking door. "You friends are here."

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