*See chapter one for disclaimer*

A/N: Thanks to those few of you that are reading this. I also wanted to say a special little 'Thank-You' to Wind Dasher and Raven Sin. They have some great stories on here and you should check them out when you get a chance. Also, I'm posting this before the go-ahead from my beta, so other than spellcheck and grammar, it may not be up to par. I do use a beta to make sure that I don't make any obvious and lame mistakes. The only problem I've been having with her is that she has been busy and it takes her quite awhile to get back to me. As stated before, if you spot anything completely wrong, or have a suggestion, don't feel shy about speaking up; Email me and let me know.

*Ch.2-Dark Redeemer*

He had just finished wrapping the black leather strap around his right arm and tying it around the wrist when he heard the first scream echo from the trees. It was quite strange; he hadn't sensed anyone or anything near when he first arrived.

"Help!"

He discerned the voice as decidedly female, and for a moment, thought to return to his task of dressing and heading on his way home. His partner would be waiting for him to return from casing an intended target for a robbery they were set to commit, and if he were late, Kurama might begin to worry that something had gone wrong. He should be homebound, not entertaining thoughts of sticking his nose where it didn't belong; he wasn't exactly in the business of saving damsels in distress, especially in Makai. Yet this voice, this scream for help, danced in his pointed ears like a song from an enchanted Tenshi in Ningenkai lore. If for nothing else, he would investigate the source to catch a glimpse of what sort of creature could elicit such a call for aid. The worst that could happen would be to stumble onto two female demons engaged in a catfight of sorts. He raised an eyebrow and his lip upturned in a sly grin.

"One of these days, your wicked imagination is going to be the end of you, Kuronue."

He chuckled lightly as he spoke aloud, having not been accustomed to talking to himself, and placed a wide brimmed black hat upon his head. His dark hair gathered in a ponytail and stuck out of the top, and a single golden buckle adorned its center. There, the finishing touches to a trademark ensemble. He wanted to look presentable when he tore the scantily clad women apart, and no woman could resist a man in black. His fanciful musings lasted for only a brief minute before the disappointing reality set it. Unfortunately, he knew that what he would find in these woods would be far worse than two women skirmishing. The only females in these woods could handle their own, and in most cases, the men steered clear of them out of fear. Something was out of sorts, and the uneasy feeling growing in the pit of his stomach sent him tearing into the woods like an inquisitive madman.

It didn't take long to reach the spot he'd been beckoned to, due partially to his impressive black wings and partially to his extremely long strides. It was as he suspected, two enormous demons taking advantage of a female that had mistakenly walked into the wrong place. The greater of the two, a demon with broad spiral shaped horns on either side of his head and yellowed razor sharp fangs, held the squirming girl down while he attempted to unclothe her. The other, a fuzzy, mediocre excuse for a demon, stood to the side eagerly waiting his turn. What a disgrace. No matter that he, himself, was a thief, forcing oneself onto an unwilling, and defenseless female was never an acceptable transgression.

"Couldn't find a woman that would give it to you freely, boys?"

Reika sighed in relief, and everything seemed to fall silent when the dark demon stepped out from the behind the screen of densely packed foliage, surprising everyone as his husky voice resonated around them. The only visible sign of his position in the dark was a white skirt-like sarong that hung open freely in the front and revealed black leggings underneath.

"Get out of here, bat boy, this doesn't concern you!"

"Bat boy? Why fellas, I'm offended. I'm not really a bat you see, actually my name means 'Black Crane'."

The one eyed demon snorted and spit on the ground, purposely aiming at Kuronue's feet.

"Well that wasn't very polite." Kuronue said, inspecting the steaming saliva as it streaked down his black leather boot.

"And what are you going to do about it?"

"Too bad my partner Kurama isn't here to see this, he does enjoy watching a good massacre."

The two demons grew silent. Had he just spoken the name of the legendary bandit Youko Kurama? It couldn't be, could it? If he was the companion of Youko Kurama, it could only mean that he was Kuronue, his slightly less cruel and cunning partner.

"Kuronue."

"Ah, so you know who I am; how flattering. Too bad you won't be around to tell others of your brush with fame."

He had come like she hoped he would. His presence was intense, and now that he stood before her, she could get a closer look at his face. He was handsome, and his looks rivaled the impressiveness of his poise. Reika watched as Kuronue reached around and pulled two shining silver scythes from behind his back. He was definitely striking, and she would never have anticipated that she would choose a legendary and feared thief as her target. It seemed the idiot attackers weren't the only ones having a brush with fame; she herself was having an unexpected encounter with infamy.

His movements were graceful and fluid, like a theatre dancer, and he was a master of his weapons, wielding them with little or no effort. Nouru and Akikazu made several vain attempts to block the blows, pulling daggers and slashing back at the imposing outlaw as he struck at them. Reika watched in awe as the thief sliced and swung at her offenders, finally reducing the mountainous giants into small piles of gelatinous flesh.

"There, now you can go. I would suggest getting out of these woods quickly or you just might meet a new set of boyfriends. This isn't the place for a young girl, but I guess you've already discovered that."

"Thank you, I don't know what would have happened if you hadn't come along. I…"

Reika paused; this was going to take some dramatics if her plan was going to work and here was her big chance. While she had sustained some injuries during the initial scuffle, they weren't serious enough to be of any real concern, and Kuronue seemed to be giving her the brush off. She would need a reason to remain with him for a short while, enough time to implement her plan. She inhaled deeply, appearing as if she were going to speak again, and then slumped to the ground with a thud.

"I'm sorry, I…you should be on your way. Thank you again."

Kuronue rolled his eyes and sighed impatiently. From the look of things, the girl had been hurt and terribly frightened by the attack. It hadn't been his idea to be a nursemaid to some strange girl that was stupid enough to wander into the dangerous woodland, but then again, it hadn't exactly been his style to play the hero rescuing damsels in distress. He was no saint, but he was no monster, either. He had done what he felt was the right thing, and he would continue doing what his heart told him the right thing was. It just so happened that at that moment, it was telling him the right thing would be to tend to the girl until she was well enough, and then escort her out of this dangerous area.

"Come on, I can help with your injuries."

Kuronue kneeled down, taking the slender female form into his arms and lifting her so that he could make his way back to the makeshift camp by the lake. She felt limp in his arms, and her head instinctively positioned itself into the crook of his neck; the dark hair mingling with his own was devoid of any distinction. Anyone happening upon the pair might have mistaken them for twin demons, with their ebony wings and midnight hair. He smiled slightly; it had been many years since he had encountered a demon of his specific breed of youkai, and this meeting with a similar looking female made him realize that there would always be an empty part inside of him longing to be whole, no matter how close he and Kurama were.

Kurama. He was wise and powerful, and he had taught Kuronue things he would never have discovered on his own. Kurama taught him a few things about what plants had medicinal properties, so he would be able to use the little knowledge he did have to aid in the girl's healing. He looked around the forest floor; there would be an abundant amount of plants to suit his needs.

When they finally reached his camp, Kuronue laid the girl on the ground, taking care to be gentle.

"I need to find a few things, and I'll only be gone for a minute or two. I promise I won't be too long…"

"Reika." she said weakly. "My name is Reika."

"Reika. Rest now and when I get back, I'll build a fire."

Kuronue turned and walked into the darkness. A wicked smile fell on Reika's lips as she watched him disappear into the black void. What a shame she would have to kill him, it was so hard to find a man that was both attractive and caring. She stifled a small chuckle and grinned; he had fallen for her act completely.

"My dark redeemer, Kuronue."