A/N: Hey guys! Thanks as always for the reviews! I love them and look forward to more! I hope that the lack of an epic fight scene isn't horribly disappointing, but I sort of liked how this came out without one. They aren't my strongest suit, and I really wanted to focus on the competition and battle from all points of view. Anyways, please give me some feedback and I hope you enjoy!
This was it.
What could be her only chance at freedom.
She could put an end to following orders. An end to turning dancing into something she hated with her whole being. An end to being treated like she was only worth her body.
This could be the end of it all.
Or it could make everything so much worse.
The thought nagged at the back of Mai's mind, but she pushed it away. She had her friends supporting her, even though they would not all make the cut. She had years of dancing behind her to excel at her own dancing in the night's finals. And she had Hiei, who was determined to earn her freedom and make the monster who had taken it pay.
He had been silent nearly the entire day. His body was always tense, his face set in an angry, unwavering expression. She would have worried about him if she wasn't so distracted by her own thoughts. Going over dance steps in her mind, running through all of the worst case scenarios and her plans to overcome them… her mind was busy even as she began getting ready for the night.
Mai was dressed in high-waisted black booty shorts, which showed off virtually the entirety of her toned legs and accented the thinness of her flat stomach. She wore a snow white, fitted tank top with a sweetheart neckline. Black, gold rimmed buttons ran down the center of the top. Her chest looked as well-endowed as always, her curves even more dramatic with the tightness of the shirt she wore. She wore knee high black boots, heels making her a few inches taller. Gold laces ran up the back of them, popping against the black. She wore her hair down, the waves falling as they pleased. Her lips were painted cherry red, her eye make-up dark and heavy, giving off a sultry appearance. All in all, she oozed sex appeal.
"I hope these outfits will stop coming out in public, onna," Hiei commented, speaking more words in one sentence than he had so far that day. He grasped her hips in his hands, pulling her to him as she tried to duck around him in embarrassment. "In private, I will still enjoy them, however."
"Hush," she waved him off, her cheeks flushing.
He shrugged, moving his hand to wrap around one of hers. "Are you ready?"
She met him with a hard, determined look. "I think I have been ready for this day to come."
"Then let's do it."
Hiei's eyes roved slowly around the crowded room, searching for demons which were probably planted by Kazai. He looked closely for any sign of weapons or suspicious looking individuals. Finding a few, he committed their faces to memory and made a mental note to keep an eye on them. Throwing out his senses, he searched for Mai. She was meeting with Kazai with a few of the other girls.
"Have you found them?" Kurama asked quietly, casually stepping up next to the shorter male.
"Yes. Follow me."
The two slowly walked around the edge of the room, swiping drinks from a waitress as they went to make it appear like a simple go around, perhaps seeking out women who were drinking just a little too much. Kurama nudged Hiei with his elbow, inclining his head at a passing blonde. Hiei smirked at his commitment to going undetected, and raised an eyebrow suggestively at his taller friend. He elbowed him back a few times, chuckling.
"Flip your hair; she'll be completely overwhelmed," he grinned impishly.
"Women like my hair," Kurama defended, continuing their staged banter as they continued their circuit of the room. Finally, Hiei stopped walking and gestured with his eyes to where Kurama should look.
In a dark, barely lit corner of the room Hiei found Mai and three other women. They were all taller than her, but just as thin and submissive looking beneath the gaze of the demon before them. Their heads were bowed, hands clasped behind their backs. Just the sight was enough to make Hiei's blood boil. He raised his gaze to look at Kazai for the first time in years.
He looked much the same as the last time the fire demon saw him, though now he was not writhing in pain, clutching a bleeding hand. However, he still had long silver hair which flowed in curtains around his face, giving him an almost transparent, not truly there appearance. His eyes were solid black, the pupil indiscernible from the iris. They gazed down at the women, thought they held no emotion other than cold indifference. His jaw and shoulders were set and he stood at his full height, leaving no question about who had the authority.
"Let's get a little closer so we can hear," Kurama murmured, stepping forward. They moved within hearing range, pausing to mime checking out a group of girls along the way. They stopped again, pretending to look at the crowd as they listened in.
"So pick your partner that you think has the best shot at winning, got it?"
"Yes, my Lord," the women chorused.
"You are all dressed appropriately… Straighten." The four women did so immediately, and the two eavesdropping demons even heard one of their backs crack in their haste. Kazai hummed lightly as his eyes raked over the first girl, a redhead with a short bob who was wearing an off the shoulder mini dress and knee high boots. "Good, Tiana. Remember to use your legs for what they were designed to do. Especially tonight if you win."
"Yes, my Lord," she replied, head bowing again. "I will perform to the best of my abilities and beyond."
The silver haired demon turned his eyes to the second female, a blonde with her long hair swept back in a simple ponytail. She wore a short dress with the sides cut out, exposing a lot of skin. "Excellent, Aimi, exactly what I wanted you to wear. And remember tonight, be vocal with him."
"Yes, my Lord," the woman said, following suit with the redhead and bowing. "I will perform to the best of my abilities and beyond."
"It's as if he has them trained," Kurama whispered, echoing Hiei's thoughts.
The fire demon nodded. "He has turned them into puppets."
The third girl, a brunette, wore a midriff-baring top and skin tight skinny jeans. Kazai nodded, saying, "Good. Now, Taura, be conscious of what he wants. He will tell you exactly what to do. Follow his every order."
"Yes, my Lord. I will perform to the best of my abilities and beyond."
Finally, Kazai turned his gaze to Mai.
"Come on now, whore," he sneered. Hiei almost lost his temper; the scum couldn't even call her by her name. "Don't look so glum."
"I apologize, my-"
She was cut off as Kazai lifted a hand and slapped her. "Do not look at me when you speak, slut."
The hanyou nodded vigorously, head bowed as she mumbled, "I am sorry, my Lord."
"Good outfit choice. Glad to see you have stopped your excessive eating and have decided to give yourself some breasts."
"My Lord always knows best."
"Do not forget it. Tonight, remember every word I have told you." He turned to the three other women. "Go pick your partners."
They each scrambled away, almost tripping over each other in the process. Kazai watched them go before grabbing Mai by the hair and lifting her face up to meet his now blazing gaze. She didn't make a sound, even as his grip tightened. "You smell like male demon, whore."
He grabbed her by the throat with his hand, the one missing a finger, and squeezed. Still, Mai did not pull away or give any indication of pain or fear. Kurama had to grab Hiei's elbow to keep him from attacking the shadow demon. The fire demon couldn't remember being so angry, not in a long, long time. His vision was turning red and he could feel the Dragon writhing like mad in his arm, aching to be released and rid its master of what was upsetting him so. Hiei tightened his bandages, glaring fiercely at the black eyed male.
"Do not think I don't know you have become involved, harlot. The smell of male reeks on you; it is repulsive. You had better perform well tonight if you are to be forgiven. I suggest you also plan to pay for your disservice later."
"I deserve your punishment, my Lord," Mai choked out as the fingers around her throat tightened again before releasing her.
"Go."
Mai instantly spun on her heel and strode back to where Yusuke and Kuwabara were waiting across the room. Hiei and Kurama hastily followed, not bothering with cover-ups this time. Once they met up with their comrades, Kurama, Yusuke and Kuwabara stood shoulder to shoulder, shielding their shorter friends from view as Hiei grabbed Mai by her arms and positioned her in front of him for closer examination. His fingers feathered over the red spot on her cheek before skimming over her throat. His eyes tried to find hers, but she was staring at the ground, her eyes shining with tears of shame.
"One of you go get her water," the fire demon commanded, turning his eyes to the other three men. Kuwabara met his gaze and gave a curt nod, disappearing quickly into the crowd.
"Yusuke, Kurama," Mai spoke finally, turning her gaze away from the fire demon who was waiting for her to say something, "Get the other girls out. Put them above me. Please."
The two exchanged a glance before nodding at her.
"Do not do anything rash, onna," Hiei said harshly. Softening, he added, "If not for your own benefit, think of your safety for mine."
The hanyou gazed into his eyes for a moment, her moss orbs unreadable. Stepping out of his hold to accept the water Kuwabara had just returned with she said, "I have to pick one of you to be my final partner."
"Well then pick, Dancing Queen, 'cause there isn't much time before we gotta start," Yusuke grinned.
"I… I think it is best if I dance with Hiei. It leaves you three free to get to the others," Mai said, her voice growing stronger as she continued. "You will position yourselves around the perimeter of the room. Hiei and I will begin the fight during our dance. We have the opportunity to take them by surprise and we will take it. You know the move I will use, just be on the alert for my signal. And whatever you do, free the other girls and protect yourselves. All of you," she looked pointedly at Hiei.
Kurama, Kuwabara and Yusuke nodded again, all seriousness.
"Go," she whispered.
"Don't act like this is goodbye, sis," Yusuke reprimanded softly, giving the blonde a one armed hug. He gave her a warm smile before he and his fellow fighters moved to take their positions around the room.
"Onna, you do know that to protect myself… I have to protect you?"
"What I know is that you will do as you see fit, and nothing I can say will change that."
"For once, the Detective is right," the fire apparition said, taking the blonde by the shoulders and moving his face closer to hers. "This is not the end."
"Just in case it is…" the blonde bit her lip nervously. "In case I can't stand up to Kazai, or I am subject to his punishment-"
"Alright ladies and gentlemen!"
"Mai!" Hiei prompted urgently as the DJ paused as the crowd turned to focus on him.
"I love you!"
Hiei was in shock.
He had even been warned this day was coming.
But still, he was blindsided.
Mai loved him? Him? Thieving, murdering, forbidden child him? A demon who had killed more people than he could count? Who had almost no friends and, consequently, next to zero skills in communication and socializing? He who would constantly come close to losing control over his instincts?
His mind was blown.
Thankfully, they had to move apart as the crowd surged and moved off the dance floor and the first couple began to dance. He tried to force her words from his mind – he couldn't be distracted during the coming dance which would be the catalyst to the fight that would end the entire thing. Several lives were in the balance, depending on their success that night. He had to collect himself and focus.
Focus so he could make sure the woman who loved him was safe.
Yusuke's eyes roamed the crowd, ignoring the couple dancing out on the floor. He rolled his shoulders casually, stretching out the muscles and preparing them for the coming battle.
His eyes found Hiei, whose normally blank expression was not present. He looked surprised, caught off guard. The hanyou could only imagine what had shaken the normally in control demon. Cracking his knuckles, his resolution to kick some serious ass hardened.
The second couple stepped up and Kuwabara watched them for a few moments. They were good, but the orange haired male wondered if they were really good enough.
He lifted his eyes, looking at Yusuke who was a standing against the wall perpendicular to the one he himself stood against. His old friend nodded his head to the side and Kuwabara followed the gesture with his gaze. He saw Hiei, looking shaken, an emotion he had never seen the Shrimp express before.
Shit.
Did that mean they were all screwed?
Nah. They'd all be okay. After all, the great Kazuma Kuwabara was here.
Kurama had been watching Hiei since taking his spot on the wall opposite Yusuke. He saw the range of emotions flashing across his friend's face. He could only assume it was in response to something Mai had said or done. That could not bode well either for tonight or else the near future, no matter what she said to him, good or bad. If it caught Hiei off guard, it was going to complicate things.
He saw Hiei's face harden and knew that his friend's head would at least be in the right place for the fight that was due to begin any moment.
The redhead just hoped that whatever had happened didn't throw the fire demon off afterwards. Because really, despite their optimism for Mai's sake, who knew where the night would leave them?
Let's do this.
Mai nibbled Hiei's earlobe flirtatiously, the signal that the fight was about to begin. She was ready for this; she had trained, and she had all the motivation in the world to win.
She pressed her back against Hiei's front, sliding her way down him as she swayed her hips, circling her bottom against him. Making her way back up, she felt Hiei's hand on her hip. He gave it a reassuring squeeze as she reached behind her, raking her fingers through his hair before pulling out his sword from its spot hidden beneath his jacket. She threw it up in the air and he flitted up and caught it, making quick work of the demons who had rushed them as soon as they saw the weapon. He touched down on the ground briefly before jumping up again, backflipping to land behind her, presumably to fight the demons closing in there. Mai ducked into a squat as he sailed over her, extending both of her hands out in front of her. The demons charging her were immediately sliced by her Sonic Wave, falling to the ground in a bloody, unconscious lump. She rose to a crouching position before pushing off the ground and flying over the heads of the clubbers and fighting demons. Kazai was slipping out the back door and she was not going to let him go.
The hanyou flew at him and tackled him to the ground, ready to give it her all to take down the man who had made her life a living hell.
Or else die trying.
Hiei brought his blade down, slicing through another demon. He sensed a presence moving in on his right and ducked, flitting behind the oncoming foe. He stuck his blade through him before swinging his katana to the side, unceremoniously ridding the blade of the limp body. Diving forward, he charged his fist with flames and slammed it into another enemy.
Will it ever end?
Impatiently, the fire apparition flicked his sword to the side harshly, clearing the blood from it in one swift movement before sheathing it once more. He kept the flame alive in his fists, determined to make his way through the surprisingly large resistance as quickly as possible.
He had to get to Mai.
Mai flew backwards, landing roughly on the ground and skidding back. She jumped to her feet, ignoring the cuts now open on her legs. The blonde opened her mouth, blowing out a huge gust of wind at Kazai. He smirked, melting away just before he was hit by it. He reappeared in front of her and she quickly ducked, narrowly avoiding his fist. She swung her leg out in an attempt to knock his legs out from under him. He jumped back avoiding her attack easily.
The blonde resumed her defense position, but was surprised when the shadow demon disappeared again. A harsh blow to her back knocked the air from her lungs. Her mouth opened in surprise, and she felt blood spurt from it as pain radiated from the spot that was hit. She spun around, raising a hand charged with a ball of wind energy, but her wrist was caught in a vice grip. Mai struggled, teeth bared as she snarled in anger. Kazai tightened his grip and gradually the wind died in her palm. The pain of her constricted joint was increasing with the tightness of Kazai's hold until it popped and cracked audibly. Mai growled and rocked forward violently, headbutting Kazai and finally freeing herself from his hold. She jumped backwards, assuming her defensive position again.
Green eyes noted her hand hanging limply from her crushed wrist and she frowned before raising her good hand and sending out her Sonic Wave, the only attack that had proven effective on her shadowy enemy.
Kazai let out a growl of his own as his skin opened in a multitude of gashes.
"Enough!" he snarled, raising his hand in the air. His fingertips glowed black and Mai felt the seal come to life on her hip.
Then pain was the only thing she could register.
Hiei took a breath as he toed the final body off the blade of his sword. Yusuke and Kuwabara were taking care of the last few enemies. The fire apparition was about to help Kurama get the women Mai requested they help ready to go when an agonized scream filled the air.
He immediately flitted in the direction of the scream, his heart pounding. Bursting outside, he froze at what he saw. Mai was on the ground, writhing in pain and screaming as if she was being tortured. Her hands were lost in her hair, gripping chunks of her honey waves as if she wanted to rip them from her scalp. The energy from the seal was thick in the air, and Hiei could only guess how much pain Kazai was causing her.
The shadow demon stood above the hanyou, grinning sadistically down at her as she rolled from side to side, tears falling down her cheeks as she continued to cry out in pain.
He drew his sword, springing forward at Kazai. From over his head, he brought the blade down, aiming to slice the demon clean in half. The silver haired enemy noticed at the last moment and was able to move back just enough to make the wound a superficial one that ran diagonally down his torso. The demon instantly dematerialized, his presence filling the air around him. Hiei reached up and tore the bandage from his forehead, opening his Jagan eye. Immediately, he pinpointed where Kazai was reforming, coming out of the shadows behind him. The fire demon whirled around, the darkness flame consuming the blade of his sword.
He was all business.
Every fiber of Mai's being was on fire. It was like each and every one of her body's cells was bursting and exploding over and over. The pain wasn't even coming in waves; it burned her whole body unceasingly, its strength never wavering. It was worse than being burned alive - at least that would end.
She couldn't stop screaming except to take a breath, filling her lungs with what felt like more flames. It was unbearable. She just wanted it to end.
She couldn't fight it.
She just wanted it to end.
Hiei vaguely regretted not concentrating on teaching Mai to feel with her senses rather than her element; it was a huge disadvantage when fighting Kazai. He moved from his shadow form to his solid form constantly, making it hard to pinpoint his location even with his senses. If it weren't for the Jagan, the fire apparition would not have been faring so well in the fight.
However, with one decisive slice of his sword, he had brought the enemy down to the ground, a wide gash in his abdomen opened for him to slowly bleed out from. It was the most painful way the Jaganshi could think to end him without it taking too much more of his time. Stomping a foot down over the wound, blood gushed around his boot, earning a raspy moan of pain from the demon.
The sound of Mai's screams had ceased, presumably because Kazai was out of the energy needed to control the seal.
"You are getting your comeuppance," Hiei snarled. "You were not even worth my Dragon. Burn in hell for what you have done."
"I may pass, but your own punishments are in the future," Kazai rasped, before his eyes turned a dull, glassy black. Hiei pressed his fingers to the place where his artery should have been pulsing. There was nothing, and the fire apparition nodded, his death confirmed.
He turned, scrambling to kneel next to Mai, his cold, fighting demeanor evaporating. She was sprawled on her back, her skin impossibly pale. Tear stains covered her face, but no more were falling. Her lips were parted but the breaths coming from between them were shallow and spread out. His fingers went to find her pulse, his heart skipping a beat when he found it pounding feebly beneath her skin.
Reaching into his pocket with hands that were fumbling and shaky for the first time in his memory, Hiei took out his communicator. He flipped it open to find static for a second, followed by the face of the Reikai prince.
"Portal," he barked before slamming the device closed.
He picked the hanyou up bridal style and had just straightened his back when a portal appeared before him. With Mai clutched tightly to his chest, her body limp and losing its warmth, Hiei stepped forward into the portal, his heart racing in a panic; he could not lose her.
As the portal closed behind him, the sound of a tiny stone clattering to the ground was the last thing he heard.
