I'm now officially out of school! As of today! And I have much writing to go pull out of my notebook and type... Including a completly unrelated one-shot that couldn't wait...
Chapter 34
Kisu…
I flipped another page of the crisp memoir. It belonged to some elder, long dead and gone. Ketsueki and Toku, the other members of the team, don't understand why I waste time poring over these old tomes when I could be training instead. Spilling blood, they say, gives more pleasure than reading its scratches.
I spread a hand over the page, blocking the blood-inked words from view as I committed them to memory.
They have a point, but this is what can help me, and neither are facts I'm willing to share with them. It's well known that I despise them and all the other tribe members, especially Hakujou and the current elder, for putting me in his capable hands. But, oddly, my venom towards them is what has finally earned me a sort of amused respect.
"Honestly, Kisuko," Ketsueki said, picking up one of the volumes I had set aside, "I don't know what you see in these dusty old things."
I let my amber eyes snap viciously at her before returning to my studying. A week and already the final match is this afternoon. It's no surprise that we're here, though. It is Hakujou's tournament, and we are his team.
But it is essential that I finish this before then.
"Hmmm…" She flipped long turquoise hair over her shoulder with a razor sharp nail as she idly turned pages. "How boring." Long hair is a matter of pride among my people.
Toku shimmered into view behind her and reached over her shoulder to grab it. "Hai, you should be training or feeding now, preparing for our match this afternoon." He smiled viscously, navy hair brushing his shoulders and wisping around bottle-green eyes. "You wouldn't want to disappoint your lover by being weak, now would you?"
My grip on the book tightened as unwanted images sprang to mind. Every time one of them mentions feeding, I can't help but remember…
Panic flashed through me as I struggled in Iyaku's arms. He held me still, refusing to let me move as Hakujou's voice floated through my ears. The tone was soothing, but the words…
He smiled. "I promise, koishii, you'll love the feel of live blood." He'd retrieved the neko from the yard and was now restraining it, holding its wrist against my mouth. So tantalizing… so close…
I struggled with renewed strength, in pain so strong I could barely think. My very pores ached from the 'gentle' removal of the restraints Hakujou placed on me years ago.
"Ah ah ah, darling. Be good." He grabbed my chin roughly and forced my mouth open, pushing the flesh into it. His voice became dark. "Now bite."
I fought to keep my mouth open, new fangs barely grazing the skin, until I caught a glimpse of Iyaku's face. It was so blank, devoid of expression. Was he as disgusted with Hakujou's behavior as I?
My distraction gave just enough leeway to force my jaw closed. My teeth dug deep into the neko's flesh and sweet blood exploded into my mouth as the slave screamed in agony.
I tried to pull away, to release him, but Hakujou refused, keeping his hand on my jaw and slowly drawing me from Iyaku's lap to his. The neko ended up in my lap and as the two of us met eyes, a moment of horror passed between us. The demon could do nothing but watch as I sucked him dry, and I could do nothing but swallow or suffocate.
Hakujou laughed over us, and the crying creature's eyes slowly became dull, until the corpse collapsed on me. He was dead, and I had killed him for hunger.
My tormentor gently removed the wrist from my mouth, fondly stroking the dead body's hair. "See? Wasn't' that fun?"
I looked up at him, dazed by the rushing sensation of foreign blood being absorbed by my body and the instant easing of my pain. "No, Hakujou. It wasn't."
He sighed in mock aggravation. "Oh well. I suppose you'll learn." He eyes me speculatively. "Though I do wonder what your dear Hiei would think of you now. He seemed quite amused by your pain earlier."
My addled brain refused to register Hakujou's taunt. "He… Hiei was here?"
He laughed again. "Yes, he was out by the cemetery. He heard everything."
"Oh, Toku!" Ketsueki exclaimed with mock offense and a light laugh. "You forget, she despises that little midget."
They snickered while I read the last line of the final book and slammed it shut. She draped an arm around my shoulder's and leaned her face down by mine, studying my defiant profile intently. "Though I do suppose they're the right size for each other," she mused. "What are you, and inch shorter than him?"
I gritted my teeth and returned the book to its dusty shelf. "No, we're the same height."
She squealed in mock delight. "Now we simply must get you two together." She paused, laughing a bit cruelly. "Unless you accidentally kill each other."
Toku joined her amusement as I tried to snatch the book from him. I just needed to recheck one final detail. "That would be quite a show. Maybe we should get Haku to order his little strumpet to make it a death match, Ketsueki." I finally succeeded and quickly checked that last passage before returning that book to the shelf as well and heading for the door.
"Oh, Toku," Ketsueki simpered. "I think we've made her angry."
No. They've just disgusted me with their vileness. I grabbed my weapons off a shelf and yanked the door to the small room open. Every night we return to this hut via portal. It's right in the middle of the village, making it impossible for me to escape. The other teams were given quarters near the ring, though there is only one team left, the Reikai Tentei. All the others have been killed or sent home crying. And all those artifacts will go to the winner of this battle.
Though I suspect the tournament is mainly to torture me, letting all of those power items fall to Hakujou is still something I would never wish for.
Distracted by the laughter echoing down the hall behind me, I didn't notice Iyaku before I turned a sharp corner and ran straight into him.
He raised one mint eyebrow and carefully righted me, touching me as little as possible before reaching into the pouch at his side and handing me an apple.
That's one good thing about no pills and no permanent shields. It turns out food doesn't make me sick any more, and I can get enough nutrients form it to keep the blood lust to a minimum and Hakujou at bay.
Just seeing the fruit awakened rumbling wants in my gut, and my fingers brushed his as I snatched it from his hand.
Time froze for a moment as my fragile mind shields ripped apart and power poured down my arm and into him, dragging my thoughts with it. I jerked back, dropping the apple. It rolled across the floor as I turned my back on him, hands automatically pressing to my temples, pushing the burning sensation back into its carefully erected prison.
When I finally had it under control he stooped and retrieved the apple, again offering it to me. This time I was very careful not to touch him.
"I don't know why you control that energy so viscously. If mastered it could help you immensely."
I shrugged. "It's more than I know how to control and Hakujou will not be the one to teach me." I bit into the apple. "Besides, what use is sending images?"
"If nasty images, very useful." He paused, and then said, "You're lucky it was me. It wouldn't do for the others to know of your plan."
I froze, and stared at him over the coveted food. His gaze was calm and cold, contained, giving nothing away. Of the tribe members I've had contact with he is the most reserved. Maybe that's why he's the only one I can barely tolerate.
But his attitude also reminds me of a very calm Hiei. I can't interact with him without feeling a pang of pain in my heart. With him around I couldn't forget my demon if I tried.
And that's probably why he's on the team, because Haku knows he reminds me.
"I don't know what you're talking about," I tried. His lips curled slightly, and my blood chilled. "Does Hakujou know?" the words were out before I could register them.
His smile faded. "I wouldn't doubt it." My spirits dropped. "But if he believes it will amuse him, he will look past it."
So there is still hope.
Iyaku eyes me speculatively. "If you wish to finish casting the form before the battle, I would begin now." He again reached into his pouch and dropped a packet of herbs in my hand. "That should save you some time. Good luck."
With the bestowment of his unexpected gift he disappeared around the corner, to tell the others of the afternoon battle plan.
I finished the apple, hung the herbs from the empty sheath on my belt, and went in search of a secluded place to work.
When I arrived at the stadium an hour and a half later the excess power I had been trying to control was greatly diminished and, to me, my skin felt like one big slithering mass of power.
My limbs felt heavy and my thoughts sluggish; it is a bad combination before a fight.
But for this to work… that sacrifice is necessary…
REVIEW RESPONSES
Arano Hanou: Blood…. MMmmm…. Ummm… I get the sentence, but I was saying that, yes, there is an aku in hakujou, and aku means evil, but hakujou as a big word also means cruel. And purple bunnies make me happy! Shrek. Good movie. I think you may be thinking Count Olaf and the Gingerbread man.
Silent Storm 2000: Updates are good for everyone's heads…
Pen Against Sword: (sweatdrop) You reviewed. Lady snake? Remember the gifts the gang gave Kisu way back? The daggers and the glaive? Guess what her weapons are, and there you have the answer of the meaning of the dagger. As for the looking away… it's probably a combo of all of those… As for your predictions…. (smiles) You'll just have to wait, though things are probably a little more obvious after this chapter. (?) Harry Potter! EEE! Can't wait. (hits head) Darn! I still have to pre-order my copy! And give me links to piccies once they're up! And I don't get out of school until Monday. I'm in the midst of killer exams at the moment, which is why, though this chapter has been finished since last week, it didn't get typed until Friday. Same for the lovely one-shot I wrote when I should have been studying.
Darkness Shall Set You Free: (evil smirk) Yes, run he should.
Jasmine Reinier: This review was the one that helped sway me to put the final battle round in, instead of just cutting the entire thing but the final battle like my lazy fingers were urging.
Ciardra: (laughs) I agree with you one hundred percent!
Fate's Child Destiny's Friend: (sweat drop) Yes… Write more story! I need more story! And 'The Best Defense" got reported and deleted by someone. I'll send you the link where the author said it's also posted.
OneWhoWalksWithPigeons: Ficcie… ficcie… ficcie… ICE CREAM!
Fire-Crow: (laughs) Aye, just a wee bit sad. And killing is the best part. (evil smile)
Mistress of the Keys: Hiei is the one that should be pitied I suppose… but he won't even admit anything, so he doesn't deserve it…
Baka Hanyou Rahvin: Telling defeats the purpose of writing the fic. (smile) But yes, it was Hakujou that put the original binding spell on Kisuko. (tilts head to side) And I don't know what it is either, but the killing definitely makes him sexier.
Niana Kounji: (sweatdrops) Do you really want Hiei to be careful? Or would you enjoy it more if he made many stupid mistakes, as long as he's fairly in character? Knowing you I'm guessing you want him to suffer (smile) so I'm not gonna pass this warning on (Hiei locked in closet so he can't kill the plot) and pretend it didn't happen. And explosions are fun. They make pretty fire.
(laughs) And yeah… killing tends to do that for him. And nope, your doubt should pan out correctly, unless he knows something I don't… That's always a possibility…
Gothic-ember: You and everyone else. Now… is Dark just being an annoying author? Or does it all have a point…? (leaves decision to faithful reviewer types)
SilverDragon63: Kurama's very perceptive like that, though I kind of wish Yusuke and Kuwa hadn't developed into oblivious fools in this piece. And yes, same dagger, same glaive. No comment on the love thing.
Chimataki: (shudders at the very mention of Mary-Sues) And thank you. It makes me feel fuzzy, hearing that people appreciate my writing, even if it makes me want to barf sometimes. (laughs) As for the several months, for these characters there was no other way to do it. (wink) You can't get over instant dislike immediately, even if it is masking a deeper interest. Guinea pig…. Urgh… at least it's demonic qualities make it more interesting, ne?
LilPurrfection: Merci. And I'll definitely try now that school is nearly out.
TrickstersThiefGirl: Blood… is such a wonderful substance…
Kamikaze-Watermellon: (laughs) So much uncoolness. This is good. And Pepsi! Yay! Though I'm more a Coca-Cola person myself.
Hiei's1girl: (grin) Better late than never. And thanks. It's a treat hearing that the characters are… in character, I suppose. If they weren't there would be major issues, now wouldn't there?
Dragonmount: Blood 'tis wonderful… did I already mention that?
Devonny of the Other Dead: Urgh… 'Tis sad, the first time people start asking for the finishing length. It's looking to figure about 40 chapters not including the epilogue. (grim) And if you mean the picture I think you do, yes, please send it!
Asilin Kheldarson: MMM! You updated. Thankies for the heads up! And no, no beating Hakujou until it's over.
Madoka: Merci, and will do!
Wolf-black-flame: Thanks! I hope you enjoy the rest of it, though there isn't all that much left.
Broken Shadow Hawk: (laughs) It'll be good to know who you actually are. Ick. I don't like writing the tournaments out completely… it has no relevance to the story, so why bother? And take ten chapters off that estimate… That should be about right for the story length. As for the rest, can't tell you the plot, now can I? And our Kisu still has her Christmas presents, meaning three of the four daggers from Hiei and the Glaive from the others. Bonne appetite!