The last chapter of RedMoon found Tsuki in the arms of the mysterious Pierce, head of the cryptic Janus Club. It seems this new addition to the story has most of you intrigued and who am I to disappoint.

Disclaimer…

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Do I really have to keep repeating this?

In her seductive and husky voice, Pierce told Tsuki, "I need your body." She let her eyes roam downward pausing longer than necessary at Tsuki's bust, before moving her eyes back up. Smiling wickedly and chuckling, she said, "Yes. Your body will satisfy my needs quite nicely."

The words spoken so enticingly to someone considered his, made Hiei uncomfortable. He was certain Tsuki was interested in men. And he was almost certain Pierce was a woman. But he wasn't at all certain that Tsuki, with her masculine leanings, wasn't interested in women as well.

Kurama saw the frown that was creasing Hiei's face, but said nothing. His pleasure was to watch the effects Hiei and Tsuki had on each other. He would only interfere if strictly necessary to the safety of either. Or to a not so innocent bystander, if Hiei tried to rip Pierce's throat out. Judging from Hiei's face as he watched Pierce try to seduce Tsuki, there was a distinct possibility.

Tsuki unknowingly made the situation worse. In response to Pierce's bold assessment, she threw her head back and laughed. She reached up, twisted Pierce's head to the side and planted her lips on the taller woman's cheek.

Kurama wasn't fast enough to stop Hiei who suddenly appeared beside the reunited friends and gave Pierce a fierce shove. The force sent Pierce back, where her head and back met the wall. "Hiei!" As Hiei turned to address the voice speaking to him, he was shocked to see a fist coming at him. He dodged and the blow meant to land on his nose, glanced his cheek instead. "What the hell are you doing?"

Hiei touched his cheek and looked at Tsuki. Her hands were still in fists. She'd actually hit him. Tsuki was saved from whatever trauma Hiei was about to inflict when Kurama rushed next to her. "Go! Check on your friend." Turning to Hiei, "We will wait outside."

"Like Hell," Hiei began, but Tsuki ran pass him calling to Pierce. He attempted to grab her hand. He didn't want her with that strange woman, but Kurama physically smacked his hand away. Hiei's eyes narrowed and he stared coldly at his friend.

"Pierce. Are you alright?"

Hiei's eyes drifted over to where Tsuki was fretting. "It's gonna take more than a knock against the back of the head to keep me down." Pierce tried to stand straight but winced grabbing her back. Tsuki's face was full of concern and she immediately moved closer, taking Pierce's arm over her shoulder to help support the injured cross-dresser.

The little scene pissed Hiei off more than he thought possible and he moved to go towards them, but Kurama stepped forward to block his path. Hiei's face darkened and stepped closer to the spirit fox reincarnate. "Maybe you're right Kurama, and we should take this outside." The two walked side-by-side back into the elevator. As the doors closed, Hiei caught Pierce's eye and the lady grinned as she pulled Tsuki close against her body and winked.

Hiei didn't even know that his hand was in a fist or that it was shaking, but Kurama took in everything. Returning his eyes forward as the elevator began to climb, he asked Hiei, "What are you going to do?"

"I will start with breaking your fingers."

"Not about me. About Tsuki."

"This has nothing to do with Tsuki."

Kurama pressed the stop button on the control panel and the elevator grinded to a halt. "Stop lying to yourself Hiei. That outburst back there was entirely about Tsuki and you know it."

Hiei refused to let himself off track. "Don't try to confuse the subject, Fox. You will pay for interfering with my affairs."

"Fine, Hiei. We'll have it your way. Kurama turned and faced the shorter demon. "I'll let you hit me and I won't fight back."

"Hn, you've finally lost your mind." Kurama was a formidable opponent but his advantage was in outthinking the opponent. In a straight slugging match, he was not a challenge. Two punches at full force and Hiei knew Kurama would be down.

"There is a catch."

"Obviously," Hiei muttered.

"For every statement I make, you will earn one chance to strike. If my statement is false, then you can take your swing. If my statement is true, I proceed unscathed."

"This isn't a smart game to play." Hiei cracked his knuckles. "Hn, I could lie and punch you no matter what you say."

"I trust your sense of honor." There was a pregnant silence as the weight of Kurama's words sunk in. Everyone in the group knew Hiei was honorable, by Hiei's definition of honor. The only problem was that no one could figure out Hiei's definition of honor. Pressing forward before Hiei could reject the idea, Kurama began his game. "You slept with Tsuki." He waited patiently a full ten seconds and when Hiei didn't move he continued. "You burned down the mountainside because Tsuki was kidnapped." No movement. "You wouldn't have exploded if it were anyone else, save Yukina perhaps."

Hiei smirked irritated. "You already deduced as much. This isn't much fun if you only say things you know to be true."

Kurama smiled back and waited another ten seconds. "You secretly watch her."

…

"What you did to Tsuki was partially out of revenge." Hiei flexed his fingers and waited as ten seconds passed. "And revenge was just an excuse to take what you wanted."

"Are you implying that I forced myself on her?" The very calm way Hiei spoke didn't fool Kurama, he could sense the tension in every muscle of Hiei's body.

"No," Kurama replied. Despite the fact that Hiei still had not moved, he seemed to sag with relief. "I am explicitly saying is that you've been lusting after her for a while." Ten more seconds passed by with no reaction from Hiei.

"You still lust after her."

…

"You think about her safety."

…

"You trust her." Hiei began shifting from foot to foot uncomfortably. He was trying to keep his face composed but with each correct statement he grew angrier.

"You don't like when people touch her."

…

"You wanted to punch Koenma for trying to kiss her." Hiei looked near his breaking point and Kurama fed up with his charade just asked, "Why don't you just admit it already?"

Hiei's hand shot out twisting in Kurama's shirt while he cocked his other fist back. "What? You're saying that I love her." Hiei began to swing.

"Of course not." Kurama said flatly. Hiei pulled his punch less than an inch from Kurama's face. "You don't know what love is, how you could you experience?"

"I know what love is." Hiei said scornfully releasing his friend's shirt. "When a person is so pathetic that they need another person to feel stronger or complete, they call it love."

"Is that what you think it is?"

"Am I wrong?" Hiei asked a bit too sagely.

Kurama chose not to answer that question and instead pressed the button to move the elevator. "The concept of love aside, I was saying that you care about her. That's where all the jealousy is coming from.

"Jealousy?" Hiei raged. "I am not jealous of Thing!"

"Really?" Kurama asked slyly. "Then throw your punch."

After a long pause, Hiei faced forward. "I'll pass on punishing you for your presumptions this time Kurama, but don't think I will be so lenient a second time."

Kurama laughed to himself and watched the doors slide open. "Of course not Hiei."

While Hiei and Kurama were having their man-to-man talk, Tsuki was downstairs with Pierce. From behind a discreetly hidden minibar, Tsuki had retrieved ice and fashion an ice bag from a towel. As Tsuki pressed the pack against Pierce's head and Pierce held one to her back, they discussed Tsuki's friends.

"The one that shoved me, what's his name?"

"Hiei." Tsuki supplied.

"Yeah, Hiei. That one is so head over heels, he doesn't know what to do with himself."

Tsuki pressed the pack down a little harder than necessary and Pierce winced. "Stay out of it." Tsuki said contritely, "He's not a book, so don't need to read him."

"What," Pierce watched Tsuki intently; "you're not interested?"

Looking more bored than annoyed, Tsuki tossed the pack on to desk. "You know I'm not a book."

Suddenly Pierce laughed, loud and full. "You are interested." Tsuki wandered away trying to move out of the range of scrutiny, but Pierce got up and followed her. "But…" she said watching Tsuki's body language, "you don't think he's interested."

"Oh, he's interested." Tsuki replied without thinking. Then she slapped her hands over her mouth and shot Pierce a dirty look. Removing her hands, she threatened, "That doesn't leave this room or so help me."

"Or so help you what?" Pierce asked as she grabbed and pulled Tsuki flush against her own body. She threw in her trademark devilish grin. "I'd be more than willing to help you into my bed." But Tsuki wasn't amused this time around.

"Or so help me, I'll say some choice words about your bedroom skills to your recruits. You'll never get laid again if my lips start moving."

Pierce's smile drooped a little but held. "Well, before you go extolling my many talents, wouldn't you like to try them out?" When Tsuki didn't answer, her face flat and expressionless, Pierce finally dropped the handsome rogue act and released her. "Damn it, you were always a spitfire. Hitting a man where it hurts."

Tsuki actually gave her a rather bland smile and patted Pierce's cheek in friendly affection. "And you always were cocky. All your conquests have made you rightfully so, but if you'll remember," Returning the desk, Tsuki made herself comfortable sitting cross-legged on top. "I never harbored any desire to be one of your conquests. Just get down to business. What do you need from me?"

Pierce sighed softly and pressed a button behind her desk. Tsuki waited patiently as Pierce requested a team to tend to the fallen in his office and, with a wink for Tsuki, at the entrance. Once the team retreated with their comrades, Pierce regally claimed her leather chair behind the desk.

She caught Tsuki's eye as she sat and smiled a charming smile. Tsuki had to admit that Pierce was one of her most admired individuals. She was powerful, strong, charismatic, intelligent. She had shaken off the limits imposed by her femininity. When compared to almost any man she was above par. This made the situation dire. If Pierce had a problem that was weakening her power, then it was no small problem.

Tsuki listened raptly; this would be an interesting story. "I have a rival of sorts. However, he isn't setting up shop and stealing customers. He's been taking over the businesses already established. I was aware of the organization from the start, but I found an ally in their leader. His organization weakens my enemies and he knows the cardinal secret of the Janus Club. He agreed to leave my establishments and businesses untouched in exchange that I not interfere. But our truce has come undone." Pierce lace her fingers and looked into the distance at nothing. "I can see where I was foolish. He only wanted the truce so I wouldn't crush his smaller, though more influential upstart. Now that he's assimilated the competition, he thinks he's strong enough to take me on. Last week, he came by with a list of concessions as tribute." Pierce relaxed back in her seat and gave a sardonic bark of laughter. "The bastard had the audacity to suggest ending this with no bloodshed. As if I would bow down so easily. His first concession: money. He wants a cut of the clubs' profits."

Tsuki shrugged. The situation was unstable with a propensity to blow up, but it was nothing that Pierce hadn't stared down before. You didn't get to Pierce's level in the world without people trying to knock you back down or take what was yours for themselves. Had Pierce lost her guts? "Tell him to fuck off. I don't see the issue here."

"Precisely the kind of reaction I should have expected from you. You're smart, Tsuki but far too impulsive. Mamoru is a double bladed knife. He's a politician's son with power and influence I can not match. He could make the legal side of Janus dealings very difficult. On the other side, he has deep ties with the Yakuza. He's has been making deals and doing enough favors to have some of the most powerful underworld figures in his pocket. Whether legal or illegal, he is a dangerous man to deny. An all-out war is to be avoided at any costs. With the organizations being what they are, victory would be uncertain and certainly not without heavy losses."

"Then give him the cut till you can get a better plan."

"Five percent"

"That's reasonable."

"I get to keep the five." Tsuki blinked and said nothing more. "He's also 'requesting' that I supply him with private 'entertainment' from my subordinates. As I mentioned he knows the truth about the Janus Club. He expects that I will supply with a bevy of women, who have nowhere else to turn, to fulfill his desires, while he avoids public scrutiny. After all, as Janus members they could easily blend in as part of his masculine entourage. He even sent an ambassador yesterday, to approve candidates."

An expression of shock passed over Tsuki's countenance. This Mamoru fellow was brazen to send someone collection a payment Pierce hadn't agreed to pay. "I turned him away at the door of course. But I suspect that he will return today. Despite my open defiance, Mamoru doesn't a war any more than I do. He will be patience and try to lull, seduce, and pressure me into surrender before he outright attacks.

"So far, I've been stalling on the girls but giving the cut. As can be expected morale has dropped, everyone thinks it's only a matter of time before I cave to Mamoru. I need to nip this in the bud before my whole organization collapses in on itself or crumbles from the outside. This is where you come in, dearest."

Tsuki swallowed. It was time to get her mission. "So what's my role?"

"I would think that's obvious. I want you to kill him."

Tsuki's reaction was a rather subdued, "I see."

"I know how you feel about premeditation, but you're working for me, for Janus, right now. You know how we operate. We have never shied away from murder, if it gets the job done." Tsuki sighed and closed her eyes. She should have known, big trouble for Pierce meant someone had to die. "I know you're not fond of the idea, but if you want my help, then do the job. And you do need my help. I may not have enough clout to take out this current threat to my power, but I know things you need to know."

Tsuki pondered that for a moment. It hadn't occurred to her that Pierce with her knowledge of the demon world and her underworld connections could have intelligence on the situation at hand. One eyelid lifted and Tsuki studied the absolute head of the Janus Club. Pierce was just as stubborn and ruthless as she was when Tsuki first met her. Even though the disease could destroy everything, Pierce would hold out until she got what she wanted. And Tsuki did need her help, so she nodded.

"Good to see we're of one accord. I'll make some phone calls to make sure our recruiter comes by to claim you. I'll leave the particulars of execution up to you."

"Wait a second. Won't I be a bit noticeable?"

"What do you mean?"

"You're afraid of attacking this guy because of retaliation from his ally's and family. But if the girl you supplied offs him, fingers will point in your direction."

"You misunderstand, moonbeam. I don't strike because I lack the ability to strike fast enough. He's no fool. His security and intelligence networks are something only paranoid conspiracy theorists dream up. If he sees an attack coming and he likely will, a war will have started before the first hammer drops. But if he dies suddenly, there is no time for a counterattack. His ally's will be too busy divvying up his fly-by-night empire and his father won't want to offend me without the power of his son's organization to bolster him. If Mamoru dies before he can notify his network, I walk away untouched."

"No pressure." Tsuki murmured. If she succeeded, all was right with the world. Her friends would have a place to lay low, they would get valuable information about their enemy, and a threat to Pierce blotted out. If she failed, none of that would happen, the Janus Club would either disband or be over-run, and she might end up dead for the trouble.

While Pierce made some calls to arrange for the recruiter, Tsuki went looking for Kurama and Hiei. They weren't going to like this, but they could help her come up with a plan. There was little room for error; she wanted the extra cognitive power on this one. When she approached the two men standing against the wall of lobby, she noticed the new guards' open expressions of hostility.

She took at the two guys and saw they both had smug looks. Glancing back at the guards, one lady snorted and turned her head and the other flipped them off. Obviously something was afoot, but for the time being she put that aside.

"I spoke with Pierce. We have a problem…" Tsuki truncated Pierce's speech and looked to her friends for guidance. Instead, she got the sharp edge of Hiei's tongue.

"So her plan is to market you as a whore and you're okay with it?"

"Not now Hiei!" Tsuki snapped. He had been obnoxious all day and she was fed up. "I need a plan, not criticism. My life might be riding on this. If you're not going to be of help then be a blank space."

Hiei scoffed, "Just because your former lover suggested it, doesn't make it a good idea."

'Lover? For the love of Kami, I've had it!' "Maybe I didn't make myself clear. Get. Lost. I don't need you or your brand of help."

Kurama watched curious as always but also a little wary. If anyone could press Hiei's buttons, it was Tsuki and she was doing an expert job of it right now. Hiei didn't volunteer his protection often. He was only in the world of ningens because Kurama, Yusuke, and Koenma explicitly asked. To have his concern and generosity thrown back in his face was an affront he wouldn't bear well.

Tsuki had turned her back on the searing young man so she didn't see his hands snake forward. Once again, Tsuki found herself hoisted up and twisted over his shoulder. And once again, she let loose a steady string of expletives while her feet and fists desperately tried to connect with something vital. As they passed, Tsuki called out to Kurama. Hiei paused and pivoted to eye the fox. Tsuki twisting round saw the look, as if Hiei was checking to see if Kurama would interfere. When Kurama softly shook his head and walked away heading for the elevator, Tsuki's mouth dropped agape. "Son of a bitch!" Hiei began towards the door and Tsuki was shocked that Kurama was complacent in this. Then again, he'd never stopped Hiei from grabbing her before.

Determined to not be abducted against her will, Tsuki twisted towards the guards, pleading earnestly. Each woman took one look at her, a hard look at Hiei, and pretended they hadn't heard her. Finding no aid in that quarter, Tsuki cried out in frustration and as usual took things too far.

In her fury, she grabbed the back of Hiei's pants and pulled with all her strength. This achieved the primary goal, Hiei did release her. More like dropped her…on her head. And he stomped on her hand accidentally as he trampled around trying to right his garments. That was okay though, because he planned to do much worse to her once he remedied himself.

After her linoleum kiss, Tsuki managed to stagger to her feet around the same time Hiei finished rearranging his clothes. Hiei's hand twisted in her hair before she could scurry away. He was shaking her and yelling. Tsuki tried to pull free and regretted it immediately. She was liable to walk away with a chunk of hair and some scalp missing if she tried that again. Pushed to this point, she aimed her hands towards Hiei's face and took a deep breath to call on her abilities.

Hiei saw her and jumped back releasing her hair before he got a dose of poison in the face. As he stood opposite her, he realized things had gotten out of control. It wasn't his intention when he picked her up to fight her. This needed to stop.

He shifted out of a fighting stance and stood straight. "Onna, why are you so infuriating?"

"Why am I so infuriating?" Tsuki asked her voice going up on the strain in her tone. "Do you even acknowledge how you drive me insane? You can't manhandle me every time you don't get your way."

"I can do to you," Hiei asserted, "whatever I want to do. YOU are not the alpha here."

"Alpha? Who gives a fuck about ALPHA?" Tsuki screamed. "You're the only one concerned with that bullshit. I don't like ultimatums or commands tossed in my direction with an expectation of obedience. I use my superior brains and moderate strength to make sure I'm safe from pricks that do that. But I'm not hung up on who's dominant and who's submissive."

"Don't confuse the issue."

"I'm not Confusing the issue, I'm Clarifying the issue. Dominant and submissive." Tsuki scoffed. "Is that the only way you know how to relate to others, subjugation? Those you lord over and those who lord over you? You're more fucked up than I am when it coming to interpersonal communication." Tsuki itched to throw something and smash his face. "Just because you think you're better than me, doesn't mean I'm yours to push around!"

For the breadth of a second, all of the air in the room disappeared. Tsuki held her breath and Hiei also didn't inhale. Purple light was bursting from beneath the bandana so violently that the cloth blew from Hiei's forehead. His knees buckled from the onslaught of emotion and he braced himself up on all fours on the ground.

He heard Tsuki call his name. He couldn't tell if her tone was concerned or fearful. He looked up at her and an emotion: white hot, blinding, and maddening, consumed him. Before he knew it, he had lunged at her. Too shocked by the Jagan's spike in power, she was hit full force and went down under Hiei's weight.

The next thing she saw was his open palm rearing back. Tsuki's eyes narrowed. Her face set into a nearly forgotten mask, emotionless and cold. But her eyes were speaking. They told Hiei want she thought of him in that instant, they dared him to follow through and face her wrath and hatred. That look stilled his hand against her. The purple light faded and the Jagan drifted shut as Hiei lowered his hand. He didn't want to hurt her, he was just so...angry. She said she wasn't his and he snapped. He hadn't meant to take it this far.

The tears came so quickly, two beads hitting the floor. Then he was on his feet and out the door. Tsuki, still on the floor, calmly picked herself up. She was too used to out of the ordinary-ness that had flooded her life recently. Not that she wasn't disturbed by this newest incident. She finally understood what Hiei wanted last night and why.

He was becoming an emotional wreck. His temper had always burned bright, but it was a controlled fire. Oh yes, he could be ruthless, cruel, and vengeful. Until recently, as recently as the Jagan spikes if Hiei was accurate, wild and emotional weren't common to his personality.

Tsuki stooped down and plucked up the two new beads. In the bright light here, she could see the beads weren't black as she originally thought but a dark crimson. The mystery behind these crystal tears also worried and confused her. In her heart, Tsuki knew how this was going to go and she wasn't looking forward to it.

Pocketing the beads Tsuki turned her mind to her real problem. One that apparently she would have to resolve on her own without the help of others she thought she could count on.

Three hours later, Tsuki found herself in the midst being in over her head. The recruiter had collected her and taken her to a compound in the countryside, not too far from the city. In an ornate set of rooms too grand for Tsuki's taste, an attendant commanded her to bathe, dress, and await her benefactor's pleasure. Apparently, Mamoru was eager to play with his new toy. He arrived, as she was coming out of the bath. He also arrived with an entourage of well-bodied guards who occupied the corners, windows, and entrance.

Mamoru attributed his guest's nervous behavior to her new position in his life. He didn't realize that her aversion and evasion was born from being trapped in a room with six bodyguards who looked strong enough to break her neck a glance, with no more than a terry cloth robe for protection and no escape plan.

Tsuki thought she hit upon a stellar idea when Mamoru asked her to serve sake. She took hold of her courage and steeled her nerves. Taking the sake from the table, she took a swig and offered her mouth to Mamoru. Pleased his guest was warming to her wanton role; Mamoru leaned forward and enjoyed his drink. After that, Tsuki fought to keep bile from rising up from her roiling stomach as she allowed Mamoru to kiss her, though she was studious in keeping his hands from straying to intimate places.

There was a brief moment of fear when Mamoru shoved her down and she was sure she wouldn't be able to deter him without bringing severe attention to herself. In a twist of blessed fate, Tsuki saw when the poison he'd unwittingly but willingly sipped from her lips reached his heart. He collapsed on her, his soul gone before he landed. His weight pressed down quickly and Tsuki groaned as the air whooshed from lungs. Worried the guards would recognize what transpired she prepared to flood the room with miasma. Instead, the guards chuckled amongst themselves and began exiting the room, joking about their eager boss.

Tsuki lay there for a full minute unreasonably scared to move. Realizing this might be the only chance she had to escape she shoved off the body and scrambled back to the bathroom to get her clothes. She dressed hurriedly with shaking hands. Pausing, she looked at her hands; they just wouldn't stay still.

'No time for this, think about it later.' Tsuki rushed out the bath straight to the window. As she undid the latch, the door burst open. "Sir, we've been attacked. We need…" he trailed off as he saw Mamoru lying unmoving with his eyes staring empty into the distance. His eyes flew to Tsuki, caught in the act of trying to flee.

Tsuki chose to dive behind the couch nearest to the window and as she dived, the glass shattered. The guard had whipped out his gun and opened fire. She was fast and she might be able to dodge his aim, but she wasn't fast enough to out run a bullet. The bullets began ripping through the couch and Tsuki cowered low to the ground.

The shots rang out loudly and suddenly stopped, there was a distinctive clicking as the gun tried to discharge a bullet in an empty clip. A few more seconds of soft clacking sounds and Tsuki realized he was changing the clip. Taking a chance Tsuki flashed from behind the couch. His aim was better than Tsuki thought. He corrected his deflection after two misses, nearly hitting her with his third slug. Frightened, she dived behind a breakfast bar. The bullets followed her tearing a path across the wall bringing down plates, glasses, pans, and utensils. In particular, a large knife sliced Tsuki's arm in its descent. As bullets tore through the bar, splintering wood, Tsuki's hand closed on the handle of the blade and a plan formed.

Gritting her teeth, the diminutive assassin sat waiting for a way out of this hell. The sound of gunfire disappeared and Tsuki heard the telltale clicking of the empty chamber. High on adrenaline, her body heaved forward intent on burying the knife in the enemy's chest. She was up and vaulting over the bar before her eyes registered the sight before her. The guard wasn't reloading. HE HAD PULLED OUT A SECOND PISTOL.

She was moving full force through the air unable to change her trajectory. The first shots went through the bar as his face registered shock. He hadn't expected her to rush him. The shock transitioned to smug malice as he deftly angled the handgun higher.

He hadn't been reloading, thus the timing that was so crucial shortened. Somewhere inside Tsuki knew she wouldn't make it, but she was determined to strike a blow. She landed in front of her target and swung the knife. A painful scream cut through the air and he guard dropped to his knees. Blood quickly pooled around his body flooding out from where his arm should have met his hand.

Tsuki stood straight and beheld a gruesome sight in awe. She had struck quicker and lived as a result. The man with the gun was writhing around on the floor as blood pooled around his body from his severed hand. His moans were gut wrenching and Tsuki watched transfixed as he groped for his lost appendage.

There was something supremely disquieting about seeing the large man with tears streaking down his face as he cradled his bloody hand to his abdomen, rocking back and forth. All the while groaning or murmuring loudly to himself. As he rocked, he fumbled with the hand and it belated dawned on Tsuki that he was trying to pry the gun from the fingers. The words he was murmuring suddenly struck home. Over and over as he desperately tried to get the gun, "I won't miss again."

Tsuki's revelation followed on the heels of the gun falling from stiff dead fingers. Even as he pulled the trigger, she swung the knife. The blade sliced through his throat a moment before the bullet pierced her heart.

He fell forward in his own blood and choked as the blood blocked his air passage. The force from the bullet pushed Tsuki back, but she didn't fall. She expected pain like this to be a hot burning sensation; this pain was somewhat unexpected. Instead of fire, she felt ice, freezing pressure. And it was spreading through her chest.

She pressed her hand to the wound and stunned herself by how much blood she found. As she stared at her blood soaked hand, her vision wavered. 'I tried so hard, I really did.' She tried to make her way the window. If she was going to die, she didn't want her body found here with these ignoble gangsters. But her body wasn't working with her. Every step, every breath spread the frost in her chest.

'I'm not even going to make it out of this room.' That was a depressing thought, but that was her luck. The last time she sincerely thought she would die, she made a wish, and that hadn't come true either. 'No luck in death, I suppose.' She forced her way to the bullet riddled couch and sat down on the ruined leather.

As she leaned back, footsteps echoed as someone came down the hall. She was tempted to fight, at least throw the knife and hope it found its way to a vital organ, but her vision was blacking in and out and the cold had spread to her arms. With closed eyes, she threw her head back. 'Fuck it. It's not like it would change anything anyway.'

That scene greeted Hiei as he finally found the room for which he was searching. Tore apart by gunfire. Splashed with blood and three dead bodies. Of course, he was only interested in the one on the couch.

He had fought hard to get here, who knew so many humans could occupy so small a space. All of them ready to die for the master. Dealing with them had caused him precious time.

In truth, less than a minute, but in that minute a guard had run off to save Mamoru and discovered Tsuki trying to flee. Their brief battle had resulted in what Hiei was viewing now. He slowly walked through the room and came to stop in front of Tsuki. Her torso was covered in red, her face was sprinkled with cuts, and her arm was bloody.

He stood there for a long time, staring at her body. He expected the Jagan to malfunction or to lose control of his powers. Nothing happened, just quiet. In the silence, he could hear distant sirens. The police were on the way. Leaving her here was not an option. If the autopsy revealed her demonic heritage, Koenma would be in a bad position. Also, she was …someone of importance to him.

He wrapped her in his cloak and lifted her bridal style. He began to make for the exit when he paused and looked down into her face. Through the void he had been feeling since finding her body, he felt something. Elation, joy, relief. She was breathing. Faintly, shallowly, barely, but breathing. His feet moved faster as he ran back to the Janus Club. His mood shifting to worry, even fear, because he didn't know how much longer she might keep living.

OMG! Writers block for the fail.

Happy Thanksgiving readers. This year I'm grateful for my sweetie, the love of my family, and the fact that I finally have a concrete ending in mind for the story. Sorry, but I get hung up on details and even though we have at least…four or more chapters left I didn't feel comfortable writing unless I knew what would be happening with certainty. Then it just came to me, everything. All the stuff I already planned and how to make it all stick together.

Just how long can Tsuki hold onto her life? Find out on the next chapter of RedMoon: The Blood Red Moon Prophecy.