Chapter 26
"She's the one with the black hair boss." The short blue-skinned demon handed a photograph to another. A hand reached out of the dark corner and took it from his shaky hands.
"So that's Kurama's woman?" a deep voice asked. His face was hidden in the shadows and only his feet, clad in black leather boots, were seen.
"You did well Ken." The voice dismissed the blue-skinned demon with a wave of his hand. "I will avenge you, onii-san." He said to himself.
--
Amaya hopped off the bus with a smile. She deemed her visit back home a success, mainly because she was able to avoid her mother's constant nagging about how it was time for her to find a mate and settle down, like a proper daughter of the clan. She wanted grandchildren, as if her older brothers' three boys and two girls weren't enough.
Rolling her eyes at no one in particular, she made her way down the street at a slow pace, not feeling the need to rush as she usually did. She noticed a black blur following her along the rooftops and smiled knowingly, shaking her head at his behavior.
"Hello Napoleon, did you miss me?" she asked as she slammed the door of her apartment and kicked off her shoes.
Hiei was seated on her windowsill, his arms crossed over his chest, staring out of the window. "Napoleon?" he asked, turning to look at her quizzically.
"Never mind." She replied, walking into the kitchen and taking two bottles of water out of the fridge, tossing one of them at Hiei, who caught it with ease.
"You should clean this place up. It smells like something died in here."
"Shut it Emo kid." Amaya grunted, sipping her water. "What are you doing here anyway? Last time I checked stalking can still earn you a night in jail." She asked, moving to stand by him.
"What do you have on Koenma?" he asked, taking his feet off the windowsill to make room for Amaya, who accepted the gesture and took the seat.
"Why are you answering my question with a question?"
"He has a very strong policy about immigration. It would have to be something major if border patrol let you come and go as you please." He pushed on.
"You're not going to answer." Amaya concluded. "I'm not pushing you for information right? So why are you?" her irritation was growing with each second she looked at his blank expression. The nerve he had!
"I don't trust people like you."
"People like me?" Amaya asked, partly confused. "I thought we went over this the last time you dropped by."
"I've had some time to think." Hiei said with a frown.
"I'm not the enemy Hiei. How many times will I have to tell you that to make you realize?" Amaya said calmly as she got up from her place next to him. "You and I, we want the same thing, to protect the people we care about. So why won't you let me do that in peace?"
"Protect from what?"
"God!" she shouted in frustration. "It's like talking to a brick wall!" she marched up to him, seething. Grabbing him by his collar she pulled him up from the windowsill and slammed his back against the wall. "Don't play games with me shorty." She hissed, her eyes flashing dangerously. "I'm running out of patience here." Their faces were so close their noses were touching.
In a second, their positions were reversed and Amaya found herself pressed against the wall, Hiei's katana held to her neck.
"Well this feels awfully familiar." She breathed out.
"Do not threaten me woman." His hot breath caressed her neck as her leaned closer to her ear. "I could kill you in a heartbeat." He pressed the blade closer to emphasize his point. Something other than anger flickered in his eyes, making Amaya's breath catch in her throat.
The heat radiating from his body made her shift uneasily as he pushed his body closed to hers, crushing her body between himself and the wall. A muscle rippled in Hiei's arm and Amaya sucked in a breath as a shallow cut appeared on the side of her neck. Hiei watched the small drop of blood roll down and stop at her collar bone. "I suggest you start watching your mouth or I might lose my patience." Hiei whispered. Bowing his head down, his tongue slithered out and met the tiny pool of red, following its path back up Amaya's throat to her jaw and sideward to her earlobe. Capturing it between his teeth he sucked on it before biting down gently. "And I'm rarely this gentle when I lose my patience."
Amaya closed her eyes, the sensation of Hiei's mouth on her skin caused a shiver to run down the length of her body. She breathed in shaky gasps through her parted lips, cursing herself silently for letting her guard down around him and for enjoying this so much. A stifled moan escaped from her mouth, making her curse in her mind once again.
A second later, the heat disappeared. "I suggest you check the back of the fridge." He said with a smirk before vanishing in a blur.
Amaya was left leaning heavily against the wall, her knees were weak and her stomach was in knots. What the hell jet happened?! She pondered, slowly stepping away from the wall and collapsing on the couch, trying to collect herself.
--
The shadow demon smirked. He has witnessed the whole scene from, how embarrassing, the darkness under the very couch the girl was sitting on. His master will definitely repay him generously for this piece of information, but he would have to be patient. Now that he knew the Reikai Tentei were involved, his mission will surely turn out to be a lot more interesting that he expected.
--
Kai had been floating on air ever since she got out of bed. What started as the biggest FML moment of her life, turned out to be the greatest night of all.
Sachiko wasn't sure what to expect after Kai's reaction to her news the previous night, and to say she was surprised when Kai greeted her with her brightest smile and music in her voice when she waltzed into the kitchen that morning, would be an understatement. Sachiko watched with wide eyes as Kai poured herself a cup of coffee and walked out to the small balcony, humming all the while.
Exhaling the smoke from her lungs, Kai watched as it curled beautifully in the still, early morning air. A silly tune was stuck in her head and she couldn't hold back the smile that brightened her features. She watched the few people on the street below her, some on their way to work and some only now heading home. The goodnight kiss the received last night floated vividly in her memory and clutching the railing in her hands, she threw her head back and yelled "Good morning everyone!" laughing as a few people jumped slightly, staring at the wild haired girl grinning at them from above.
A strong wave of nausea suddenly hit her, making Kai fall back into her seat. Maybe she was being so giddy she was actually making herself sick?
Moments later the sick feeling disappeared, and putting out her cigarette she walked back in, still humming softly, but turning down the voltage of her smile.
--
"You're back!" Kai exclaimed as Amaya walked into the locker room.
"I meant to call but I got… distracted." Amaya smiled apologetically. "How was life without me?" she asked, returning Kai's hug.
"Unbearable, I cried myself to sleep every night." Kai said very seriously as she pulled a frilly apron out of her locker.
"Yeah, it's really showing…did you forget what a moisturizer is too?"
Kai laughed as she sat down, waiting for Amaya to finish changing. "Bitch."
"I love you too sister." Amaya smiled, blowing a kiss at Kai. "So really, what were you up to?"
"Well…Shuuichi and I went out on a date yesterday." Kai beamed.
"Oh?" Amaya stopped pulling on her dress and stared at her friends, her arms in the air.
"Mmhm." Kai giggled at her.
"Well...Details!" Amaya yelled, waving her hands in the air.
--
Kurama was humming in the shower. He hummed while pouring himself a cup of coffee and while he was getting dressed. The thought of Kai pressed against his body kept him humming on his way to work, rising more than a few eyebrows. Eventually one of his coworkers, Rika, a chubby girl with huge eyes told him to go and call the girl before she stuffed her fist down his throat.
He knew he wanted to see her again soon, but he didn't know if calling her the next day would be the right thing to do. She was different, refreshing, maybe because she was so young. She made him feel nineteen, his human age, and normal, something he has never been. He didn't want to chase her away.
On the other hand, maybe being straight forward with her wouldn't be such a bad idea. He never hesitated about getting what he wanted before, and he wasn't about to start now.
With this decision set firmly in his mind, he pulled out his cell phone and walked to the back of the workroom, responding to Rika's nod of approval with a nod of his own.
--
Kai watched the young couples that filled up the café this particular morning with a soft smile. She was always rooting for young love, but normally the lovey-dovey atmosphere would've chased her out of the room.
Shuuichi made her feel wanted, like she was the center of his attention. He saw more in her than just another airheaded party girl. Maybe this time she finally stumbled upon something real. Something vibrated in her pocket and she retrieved the object, releasing a squeal.
'Meet me at the flower shop at 21:00' with directions to the store. The text message she received was from the very person she was thinking about not a moment ago.
Smiling brightly she continued about her day, only she wasn't really there. In her mind she was in Shuuichi's arms, his voice soft in her ears, and she smiled at every person she passed.
--
It seemed like he spent over half his time in the Ningenkai on rooftops. That is, when he wasn't with one of his teammates or at the temple – quietly watching over his sister.
'Do you have a precious person?' that pain in the ass youkai asked him once. He could understand her wanting to protect Kai, but why? Why would a human girl need protection from the daughter of a well known clan in the Makai?
It bothered him, something in his gut told him her story wasn't as simple as that (but when has his life ever been simple?) and now, thanks to the oaf's father, everything he has come to cherish over time was facing some invisible threat. Why couldn't she understand that in keeping whatever secret she had, she was putting herself and Ka in more danger? She couldn't see that he could and wanted to help her.
The blonde was a frequent visitor in his mind now and the events of the morning did nothing to help with that. He gripped the metal bar he was leaning against harder, hearing it groan softly under his grip.
Shaking his head in agitation, he disappeared from the spot he was standing at, thinking that maybe some time in Genkai's forest would help him clear his mind.
--
The blue skinned demon rubbed his hands together, chuckling darkly as he watched the grey eyed girl walk into her building. His master would be pleased with how quickly he located her.
The sun was slowly setting behind him. He had spent hours staking her house and he was getting restless, but his mission demanded some patience and patient he will be until the time to make his move came.
A few hours later, the girl finally left the building. The only source of light on the street was the few street lights in the parking lot, which struck him as weird, as the neighborhood was the best Tokyo had to offer, but not half bad. But who was he to question fate, it only made his job easier.
His steps matched hers as he closed the distance between them.
She froze as she felt a breath in the nape of her neck but didn't have a time to respond as the blow to her head knocked her out.
"Oh, master will be so pleased." He cooed, lifting the girl over his shoulder like a sack of potatoes. Making sure he stayed in the shadows, he hummed a happy tune all the way to his master's hide out, Kai a dead weight over his shoulder.
Dun-dun-dunnn.
x's&o's