Chapter four:

The next morning, Kurama awoke early with beads of sweat on his face. He nearly cried out as he woke up startled by a dream…he wouldn't even call it that. His unconscious seemed linked to Kasumi and her desperate cries for help. Somehow he was able to sense all her pain and her troubles. He tried to tell her to stay calm and that help was on the way, but she refused to listen.

Kurama got out of bed and got into his school uniform. He walked to the kitchen and saw his mother sitting at the table sipping some tea. She turned to him and smiled, but to only smile sadly at her son.

"Suichi, are you feeling well?" she asked.

"Yes, I feel fine, mother. Why do you ask?" he replied.

Shiori nodded slightly and said, "You look pale…maybe you should stay home today."

"No, that isn't necessary, mother," Kurama stated.

Shiori only nodded and watched her son sit at the table with an exhausted expression. He yawned and stretched his arms above his head then he cupped his head in his hands and sat in thought. His eyelids felt heavy on his face and he nodded off to sleep slightly.

"Suichi, stay home today, you are exhausted," Shiori said.

This time Kurama only nodded in response. He felt so very tired and he couldn't explain it. Maybe it was that he was linked to Kasumi and she was the one who was exhausted and wished for sleep, or that being linked to her drained him of his Spirit Energy.

He went to his bedroom and changed back into his pajamas. Kurama climbed into bed and fell asleep with no trouble. He dreamed of being with Kasumi and she seemed to respond well to him as if she were asleep too and linked to him.

"Kasumi," he said in his dream. "Am I dreaming?"

Kasumi smiled softly and replied, "Then we are both dreaming."

He walked to her and looked about him. It was a room filled with warm colors and soft velvet cushioning of reds. The lighting was dim and scented candles were lit filling the room with the fragrance of roses. Kurama reached her and trailed his hand along the side of her face.

"Where are we, because this feels too real," Kurama said.

"I really don't know," she whispered, "but it feels real to me too."

Everything about the room tempted and teased Kurama about his senses and feelings towards Kasumi. It shocked him more to see a tear fall from her eyes, before she acted brave and wasn't afraid to die, but now she seemed afraid.

"Kasumi, what's wrong? Are they doing anything to you?" he asked.

Kasumi nodded before burying her head into his chest, crying, "Ryushi, does awful things…he set my room up with talismans to prevent me from escaping, it only burns the flesh of a Kitsune…and he lifts up my skirt."

Kurama pulled her closer, embracing her in a tight hug. He stroked her hair and told her that she'd be all right. Kasumi only shook her head and cried some more. She was sure that her mother was looking for her and her brother was too, but it scared her that she might never see her family again. The family she has truly grown to love and care for.

"Kasumi, my friends and I, will come and save you from him, I promise," Kurama said.

"When? When will you come?" she asked, her voice pinched with fear.

"Shh…calm down," Kurama whispered and kissed her on the forehead. "We will come as soon as we can."

"Are they looking for me, my mother and older brother?" Kasumi said.

Kurama nodded, "They are worried about you and have sent to police on a search."

Kasumi could only nod to what Kurama had said. She hoped that he wasn't lying and that her mother had the police looking for her. Another tear ran down her face, but Kasumi suppressed a smile despite her fear and her grief.

She took in a deep breath and said, "Roses, my favorite flower. This room is wonderful; I wish I could stay here forever…forever here with you."

"Kasumi, this is a dream," Kurama whispered.

"Then, it is the best dream I have ever dreamt," Kasumi replied caressing his cheek with her lips.

This confused Kurama, her mood had changed too quickly. She was frightened before, but it was obvious that Ryushi had put that fear in her. Inside and out Kasumi was beautiful, kind and very smart, she never showed people that they had gotten to her, hit her weak spot. She was really more fragile then she let on and a hopeless romantic.

Kasumi reached his lips and stopped kissing him. She seemed shocked and ashamed at what she had been doing. She bowed apologetically and sat on a cushion. A blush was forming on her cheeks making Kurama smile.

"So, you do blush, I had come to think that you were unable to do so," Kurama said with a small smile.

"You find that amusing, Kurama?" she asked.

"No, only beautiful," he replied sitting next to her.

"Stop kidding yourself…I am a joke. I fell into their lies and traps too easily," Kasumi said with a slight growl.

Kurama placed his index and middle finger over her mouth. "Hey, I won't let you talk that way about yourself! You are smart and very beautiful, but some humans like to use your beauty and brains against you. Don't let them."

"I'm afraid, I already have. Oh, kami-sama, this is…my stupidest mistake…I should have never-" she cried, but cut herself off before she finished. She didn't want to admit that her mistake was falling in love with him, that's why Ryushi used her.

"You should never?" Kurama asked.

Kasumi turned away. "I cannot say…or will not is more like it."

She smiled at him it was a kind of sad smile, one knowing too well not to cross any boundaries. Then she gasped and looked around slightly.

"I have to go, someone has come to my room," she said in a state of panic.

Kurama nodded and let her go. She seemed to vanish and that's when he woke up, he felt dazed, but knew what was going to happen to her.


Kasumi awoke on the floor, she felt dizzy and everything came in on the fuzzy side. She picked herself up off of the floor and sat on the chair. Quickly she fixed her hair and clothes before she sat in her usual state. Ryushi came in with an evil smirk on his face.

"Kurama has only two days left to come and save you," he sneered.

"Don't worry, he will come," Kasumi replied flatly.

"Are you sure?" Ryushi asked.

Kasumi nodded and said, "Why wouldn't I be sure? Kurama has a heart unlike you."

Ryushi only chuckled and held up a rose. He held it out to her, but she refused to look at him.

"Don't you want it?" he asked.

"No, its thorns are surely to prick me as does a knife. Your rose has no love and shall whither without love and care," she replied.

"Fine, be that way," Ryushi growled and took a lighter and set the rose on fire.

He placed the burning rose in a glass vase and fire caught to the other roses in the vase. Kasumi looked sadly at the burning flowers. Only humans could be this wasteful to living things, only humans without a heart. Slowly the flames died out, but the stench of fire, burning roses and smoke hung in the room.

Ryushi made his way to Kasumi's chair, the look of lust on his face. Kasumi closed her eyes; she already felt his breath on her, the hair on the back of her neck stood up. She now was afraid more than before.

'Oh, kami-sama, no don't let him near me…I want him far away from me as possible,' she begged in her head.

Suddenly her eyes flew open, they appeared violent. Her lips curled back to a sneer and her eyes turned a pale blue, almost white. Ryushi leaned to grab for her, but Kasumi's Kitsune instincts took over her. She lunged at him grabbing him by the throat and pushing him into the table.

"I told you not to touch me and yet, you refuse to comply with my wish," Kasumi growled.

"You wouldn't kill me," Ryushi stated and ended it meekly, "would you?"

"No," Kasumi replied. "I am not heartless. I would not kill a human."

She dropped him onto the ground with a sickening thud. She turned around sharply to a henchman that was behind her.

"I would take him and leave here before I decide to do anything rash," she sneered.

The henchman nodded, his face was sweaty and pale. He picked Ryushi up by his arm and dragged the unconscious man out of the room without another word. The henchman just looked back nervously before he closed the door. Kasumi watched the talismans seal themselves back to the door.

"Now…what the hell just happened?" she asked herself.

She had strained herself to keep the Kitsune locked up inside her. Anger was the fastest way to unleash that unwanted demon. Kasumi now sat on the chair with tears falling down her face; she didn't want any more violence or trouble.

She looked sadly at the table where laid the vase with ashes scattered about it and in it. The glass had turned a smoky black as it was burned and ashes from the roses filled it. Kasumi then looked to the window. Standing up, she walked to the window and looked outside to the frozen sky. It was a deep gray color. Kasumi pressed her hands against the frosty window and looked around at the snow falling lazily down the sky. How she wished she could go outside now and walk in the bitter cold.

Her stomach growled unhappily. It was then she realized that she hadn't eaten in two days. Her body was now starting to feel weak and empty. Kasumi knew she had to keep faith and trust in Kurama and his friends, whoever they were. Although trust should never come this easy, but she had no choice at this point. And it was just a dream, right?

~*~*~
a/n: I am trying not to use a lot of Japanese, so, I will only use words like "Youki", "Kitsune", "Baka", "Ningen" and "kami-sama".