I know the chapters are pretty short lately, but I'm doing what I can.

I own nothing but Kairi Johnson.

Here's chapter 14 of Secrets and Heartache!

__________

Thankfully, Keiko was only too happy to go along with the deception, even if she was just a little confused by what exactly had happened. And Kasumi had seemed very happy, believing Kairi was showing more interest in her academic studies.

It was decided that her blindfold would be taken off outdoors. She was fidgeting uneasily and nervously pulling at a fold in her shirt. Obviously, she was NOT looking forward to this.

The others stood off to the side as Kairi and Hiei sat right across from each other on the lawn. The girl was blushing down the roots of her hair, not entirely sure what was going to happen once the blindfold came off. But from what Ranma had told her, she knew it was going to be an intense experience.

"I don't know when, and I don't know how... but I'm going to get Shampoo and that old woman for this," she muttered darkly under her breath. Had she seen Hiei's smirk, she would have blushed further.

Hiei gave a barely perceptible sigh as he reached forward and untied the woman's blindfold. "Let's just get this over with, onna. We can both conspire against the two of them later." The woman still had her eyes shut tight. He smirked again. "Come on. You just have to look at me and that's it."

Kairi gave a sigh of her own as she slowly opened her eyes and looked at Hiei. A long moment passed with her just gazing at him and then her eyes glazed over slightly and a light blush tinted her cheeks. Then, she snuggled right into Hiei's chest, giving a contented sigh.

"Hiei-kun," she purred seductively.

Hiei's eyes went wide at this action and his fingers twitched slightly, as though he couldn't decide whether he should push her away or take advantage of the situation and cop a feel. The woman felt very... curvy. He felt his own cheeks heat up.

Yusuke immediately started laughing at the sight. "Oh, DAMN!!! I SO should have gotten a camera for this!!"

Kurama looked on with a small smile on his face, but Youko was less than impressed.

I hate you, Red. That could have been US, but instead her attention is being wasted on Hiei.

Why? So you could take complete and utter advantage of her? She is not truly aware of her own actions right now, and when she comes to her senses once more she will more than likely be terribly embarrassed about this whole situation.

In spite of the seriousness of the situation, the kitsune could not help but make a wisecrack of his own.

"Hiei, I wasn't aware that you were even capable of blushing..." he stated, a wry smile on his face.

The hybrid glared at them all, noted their smiling faces and scowled. Kairi was still pressed right up against him and pressed her face into his neck. Deciding on what action to take, he scooped her up into his arms and fixed them all with a look.

"I don't like spectators. We will spend the remainder of this time alone."

Before anyone could say anything, he was gone, Kairi right along with him.

Kuwabara swallowed thickly. "Are you sure it's a good idea to leave the shrimp alone with her when she's like this?"

Kurama waved it off. "She will be fine. You have no need to worry. Hiei will not do anything that would hurt her. He knows she's not in her right mind right now."

The human frowned slightly, as if he didn't quite believe it, but said nothing. Instead he looked at Mousse who had been standing quietly watching. "And how are you doing, buddy?"

He blinked and looked at him. "I will be all right. This is not the first time Shampoo has rejected me in such a manner." He looked at the position of the sun. "I should be headed back though. Elder Cologne will want me to do the cleanup before the afternoon rush."

Yusuke scowled slightly. "I say you just let them do their own damn cleaning for once after what they tried to pull with you and Kairi."

The boy shook his head. "I am a male in a matriarchal society. My punishment would be severe if I shirked my responsibilities." He shrugged. "I am used to it. However, as I was in my cursed form on the way here, my vantage point was not the best. Would it be possible for one of you to please guide me back to Nerima?"

Ranma sighed. "I've gotta head back myself, so you can just come with me... as long as you promise not to attack me."

Mousse shrugged. "Deal."

"Kay, just let me get some hot water and we're on our way."

Genkai stepped forward then. "Just a moment." She fixed Ranma with a look. "I understand that you had a brief spar with my best student the other day. I would like you to come back here sometime so my favorite dimwit can learn a thing or two about actual martial arts, if you would be so willing."

Female Ranma grinned. "Hey, you got it, Granny! I'll come back in a few days, okay?"

Yusuke snorted in amusement when he saw Genkai's eyebrow twitch. "She's gonna get you now, buddy. Never call her Granny unless you have a death wish."

Ranma grinned and shrugged as she headed inside with Mousse in tow, intent on getting a kettle of hot water and then heading home.

__________

Hiei, meanwhile, had found a tree with a suitable branch a few miles from Genkai's temple, and had sat down, holding the now smitten Kairi in his lap. She was still snuggled right up to him, but he was relieved now that they didn't have an audience to further embarrass him.

Although it had only been a matter of minutes since she had gone under the spell of the Day Pill, he was relieved its effects weren't quite as potent as he had feared. He had been worried that the Pill might have acted as a form of instant aphrodisiac, but thankfully, that didn't seem to be the case. It merely affected ones emotions, and not their sex drive. Or at least that seemed to be the case so far. The woman's attention to him had been reserved to nothing more than snuggling and minor rubbing up until this point. That small content smile had yet to leave her face.

A little curious, he dipped into her mind and found she was positively basking in his heat and seemed to want to simply remain like this for the time being. Given the circumstances, that suited him fine. Hoping to keep her satisfied, her raised his body temperature by a few degrees and honestly wasn't sure if he was relieved or not when she snuggled in even closer to him. Hiei kept his arms around her for the sole purpose of ensuring she didn't fall from his perch, and he tried to ignore the feel of her body against his with very little success.

I am going to kill Kurama, he thought, allowing a few fantasies of the kitsune's death to run through his mind. As logical as his reasoning had been, Hiei hated being put on the spot as he had been.

Almost a full hour had passed with them simply cuddling in the tree when the woman in his arms stirred. He looked down curiously and froze, his eyes widening when his eyes locked with hers. Absolute love and devotion was in those blue-green eyes. Looking into them now, a strange sensation went through Hiei. He had never had anyone look at him in such a way and, even if it was the product of some form of Amazon magic, it made him feel very odd.

Too busy trying to puzzle out these sensations, he didn't even notice the woman closing the distance between them before her lips were against his own.

He was frozen for a moment, indecision coming to him. He considered her circumstances, factored in his self control, and decided that it wouldn't do any harm to indulge himself just a little. He started to return the kiss, keeping a close watch on his own self control. He almost fell off his perch when the woman brushed her tongue against his lips, asking for entrance. He wasn't accustomed to dealing with women, but especially not one who was suddenly so bold! He guessed women from overseas really were different from what he was used to.

Ensuring his self control was still well in hand, he continued to indulge himself, and couldn't help but marvel at the taste of her. She leaned into him, her chest pressing up against his own as she deepened the kiss further. For the first time, he was thankful it was him and not Kurama. Had it been the fox, she would have been on her back by now. He tightened his hold on her slightly and just allowed his hands to roam her back, keeping his touches appropriate given her situation.

They stayed like this for a few long moments, the hybrid allowing himself to enjoy and somewhat lose himself in the contact. However, when he felt her little hands contact the bare skin of his stomach, he snapped back to reality. Somehow her hands had made their way from around his neck to under his jacket and shirt without his realizing it. Kissing and mild caresses were one thing, however... he would not let their bodies have skin to skin contact. He knew his own limitations, and he knew better than to risk it.

He reached down with one of his hands and caught hers, gently pulling them from beneath his jacket and shirt. "Let's not get carried away, onna."

She looked up at him again, her features flushed and her lips swollen from their kissing. Her eyes were glazed over slightly from lust. "I want you, Hiei-kun," she breathed.

His eyes widened significantly when he smelled her arousal and then he frowned inwardly. He felt himself becoming tempted to accept her invitation. His inner beast wanted to pound into her until her voice was gone from screaming his name, but he couldn't allow it to go beyond what they'd done already. The risk was too great that he would lose his self control and take full advantage of her willingness. He had to put an end to this now.

He reached up and removed his headband with one hand as his other arm pulled her into his chest once more. Placing his fingers at her temples, he activated his power and put the woman in his arms into a deep and dreamless sleep. Relieved that he was no longer faced with those wide, pleading eyes and her deliberately trying to mold her body against his, he held her in his arms once more and enjoyed the quiet serenity of the surrounding forest.

__________

After being gone for about three hours, Hiei returned, holding the now soundly sleeping Kairi in his arms. Genkai smirked when he entered the temple and saw Kairi's sleeping form.

"Did she get a little too frisky, Hiei?"

Hiei snorted. "She was getting rather... insistent. I felt it best to put her to sleep rather than risk my own self control. Do you have a room where I can put her? She should sleep until the effects of that accursed pill have worn off."

The old woman nodded and lit up a cigarette. "Yes. Yukina, show Hiei where the guest rooms are, please."

The Ice Maiden nodded and gave Hiei a sweet smile. "Follow me, Hiei-kun."

Following his sister down the halls, he ran into Kurama. The kitsune blinked upon seeing him and then his eyes widened, catching the woman's scent. "Hiei! Kairi's scent! It's..."

The hybrid rolled his eyes and snorted. "Hn. I know, Fox. Why do you think she's sleeping now? I had to stop her before she got too... enthusiastic."

Taking in her scent once more, Kurama frowned inwardly. In such a short amount of time she had become aroused? It was definitely a good thing he had insisted Hiei be the one. Otherwise the woman would have kissed her virginity goodbye due to a one night stand with a horny Youko Kurama.

Kurama decided it would be best to just let Hiei get the woman settled in for what was going to be a long sleep, and just wait for him in the sitting room of Genkai's temple.

Hiei followed Yukina to a guest room and set the woman down on the single bed inside, making sure she was comfortable before leaving once more.

When he returned to where Kurama was, the look on the kitsune's face set him a little on edge. He could almost hear the teasing already.

"So... Hiei.... tell me what happened after you left?"

The hybrid growled. "Nothing that is any of your concern, Fox."

He smiled innocently. "Well... I did smell you all over her. I know you did more than merely hold her for the entire time..."

Hiei's eyebrow started to twitch. "Don't make me cut out your voice box, Kurama. We kissed and that was all. I would not allow her or myself to go beyond that."

Youko pouted within Suichi. What a wasted opportunity.

Suichi inwardly rolled his eyes. Yes, Youko. I'm sure she would have appreciated waking up and realizing that she had lost her virginity with a boy she hardly knows... especially after so recently having a horrible break up with a boy that she loved and trusted. Hiei saved her from unnecessary stress and humiliation.

Kurama knew better than to keep needling his friend. "And what will you do now?"

He crossed his arms and leaned against the wall. "Hn. I'll stay until she the effects of the pill have worn off and she wakes up. I'm curious to know how much she will remember."

The kitsune looked at him. "And if she remembers it all?"

Hiei shrugged. "It won't be a huge deal. We didn't do anything extreme.... though she might be embarrassed if she remembers just how...." He smirked. "Hands on she was trying to get with me."

Suichi winced as Youko cursed a blue streak in the confines of his mind. Hiei's smirk widened with his own private victory.

He sighed. "Well, I guess you'll see. I have to return home now. I promised mother I would do a few things for her, but tell Kairi I'll see her probably sometime in the afternoon tomorrow."

The koorime nodded silently.

__________

After spending the night and most of the next morning either napping or lounging in the trees surrounding the temple, Hiei journeyed back into Kairi's room, Genkai behind him. The old woman was perhaps the only person he didn't mind going with him into the room... aside from Yukina, but his sister was currently doing her morning duties around the temple.

Entering the room, they saw she was still sleeping soundly on the bed, due to the deliberate effects of Hiei's jagan eye. The Reiki Master looked at her watch and nodded. "It should be safe to wake her up now, Hiei. The effects have worn off by now."

Nodding, he went up to her and placed his fingers at her temple, releasing her from the sleeping hold of the jagan. She stirred and opened her eyes a little groggily. She blinked when she saw Hiei and Genkai standing at her bedside.

The old woman smiled at her. "Well, good morning. You've had yourself a nice long sleep. How do you feel?"

The girl took in a deep breath and let it out slowly. "Aside from a headache, I feel fine." Her eyes fell on Hiei and she turned bright red.

"What can you remember, onna?" he asked, his arms now across his chest and his expression neutral.

She blinked and seemed to think back, before she slowly shook her head. "I remember you taking off my blindfold and me looking at you but... I don't know. I sort of blacked out." She cleared her throat a little nervously. "Did we uh.... do.... anything?"

He smirked and she turned even redder. "I wouldn't let it go beyond kissing, onna, though you... tried to push the matter. I decided it best to put you to sleep."

Genkai chuckled. "Hiei was back here only three hours after he took off with you. He said you were getting too insistent."

The girl moaned and let her head fall back onto the pillow, one of her hands coming up to her forehead. "It's official... I don't know when and I don't know how... but I'm going to get Shampoo and Cologne for this..."

Hiei snorted and crossed his arms. "Hn. You and me both, onna."

__________

Please tell me what you think! Read and Review!!