Author's Note: Yeah, yeah….Okay so I lied at the end of Crows of the Night but I just suddenly had this urge to continue with the other two and well…here it is. If you haven't read the first two fics (A Fox and A Dragon's Tale of Love and Crows of the Night) I suggest that you do. However, this can be read without, though…it may be a bit confusing in some parts.

A single person lay in his bed, tossing and turning. With each movement the covers wrapped themselves tighter around the flailing body and relentlessly held fast with an unsurpassed strength. Tears stained the pillow, which had been thrown to the ground, and lay there admits the pane of the floor. Hands clenching at the mattress the somewhat tan skin covered in unearthly sweat. Locks of crimson hair stuck to his forehead and his eyes remained shut tight as the passing of the nightmare continued on.

Youko Kurama, or better known in the Ningenkai as, Suuichi Minamino lived a life of pain; past remembrances that cannot be forgotten or put aside. For whenever he believes Life is safe to come out and interact with…something strikes him in the heart and he's forced to go back into hiding to recuperate.

This world of hatred, suffering, betrayal…is what Kurama once thrived in. Best in the trade of bandits, he worked alongside many partners which he once considered family… Yomi of the Makai, and Kuronue… Both of which almost died by his hand, or because of their partnership of close relation… So much betrayal, how could the past tense Youko live this life of happiness and peace in the human world?

Gasping for breath, his emerald optics shot open in a moment as he sat up clutching his chest. A look of discomfort passed his expression and he untangled the sheets from his body, swinging both legs over the side of the bed. Putting both feet upon the cold floor, he stood and wobbled into the bathroom.

Staring at his reflection with dismay, his eyes wandered down to his hands, which clenched at the sink. Upon his left was the small band of gold, which he had shared with Hiei… Only not too long ago did they embark on the journey of a secret marriage and pass their rings of affection, sealed with each other's blood.

A bond not to be broken.

But as he smiled and looked back at the mirror, the face that stared back was naught of Suuichi Minamino, but instead…Youko Kurama.

"No…" he heard the word escape his mouth as he backed up against the opposite wall with a small thud. "No!" he shouted and held his head with both hands refusing to look back at the reflection that was not his own.

"Kurama. It's time that you return to the Spirit World, yes? You've spent enough time here, you've obtained your strength and now it's time to become one again…" The flowing, stark white hair seemed to toy with the mirror, and his eyes narrowed.

Shoulders shaking, Kurama shook his head. "Get out of here…I denied you when I shared my feelings with Hiei." His tone had taken upon the tangible act of being more accusing and harsh. "You are no longer…a part of me. Nothing could make me go back to living that life!" Raising his head, he looked at the mirror with a set determination in his eyes. It gave them an almost fiery look, a sense of true, deep anger.

However, the Youko merely smiled with his thin lips. "You will regret those words…and pay dearly for your sense of action. Just a fair warning, Kurama. I offered to you, this. All of this might, power, and glory and you so foolishly threw it away." His ears turned and the white material, which hung about his form loosely, seemed to flutter with an unfelt breeze. "Eventually, you'll come crawling back to me. Begging for mercy, to once again become This. But I will merely spit upon you and laugh. You lost your chance, and now you will suffer!"

The Youko threw back his head and laughed maliciously. With each sadistic laugh, a small crack surged through the mirror until it had shattered into tiny pieces, each shooting themselves towards Kurama.

Unable to dodge the glass, Kurama put both arms in front of his face, crossing them and shut both eyes. But, the pain never came. Opening them again, he saw that each sharp piece had jutted itself into the wall around him, leaving an outline of where he sat. Kurama looked at the frame, which once held the mirror, the reflection of his true, inner self…

What could a mere reflection really do? What damage could his split personality reek upon the Ningenkai when he could only talk through a reflection at most? Questions surged through Kurama's mind as he sat on his bed, the light of the bathroom still on.

Pulling his legs onto the bed, he hugged his knees close to his chest and rested his chin on them. "Where are you…Hiei?" he thought aloud and moisture ran down his flustered cheeks.

****

Ever since their marriage, Hiei had seemed to drift away from Kurama. In the case of marriages, one would think that the couple becomes closer still, and yet…Hiei felt a sense of worry whenever he was around the kitsune.

After all, during their past interactions two had ended up becoming an all out war in which Kurama had been severely wounded, and died once. It was the fact that Hiei pinned all blame upon himself and he was at the point of suffocating. The last conversation he had with Kurama flooded his mind…

"Hiei, it's not your fault…please, don't do this…!"

"Don't you see, Fox?! It is my fault."

"No…it's not…you're incorrect---"

"You're the one who's incorrect, Kurama."

He had fused his anger out on Kurama, something that he regretted the most. Now in a deed of what he thought was self-punishment, he had chosen to stay away from Kurama for a while…at least until his anger had subdued.

"Love…what a damn emotion." Was all that he could say as he stood upon the branch of a tall tree, arms folded across his chest.

"Ah yes…Love. Though I don't see why you dislike it so much, Hiei." The voice was a toneless one that spoke of no feeling itself. The owner stood behind Hiei a few trees away a simple, plain expression on his face.

Turning round to see whom it belonged to, Hiei's eyes nearly bulged out of confusion and surprised. "K-Kurama?"

With an easy hop, Youko landed behind Hiei and draped both arms about the Youkai's chest pulling him close in the sudden surprise. "Yes, my love…" His voice was low and almost melodious and he ran a slender hand down Hiei's shirt collar. "It's been a while…" He grinned.

At the action, Hiei nearly jerked away but couldn't. He could only look over his shoulder, up at the pale face of Youko and whimpered slightly as he felt something run up his inner thigh.

Chuckling lightly, Youko pulled his tail back and after swinging to Hiei's side, kissed the Youkai's cheek and disappeared without a further word.

Hiei had to regain himself for a moment or two. That definitely did not seem like Kurama, and how did he get back into his Youko form? Only then did he notice that there was something in his shirt, which he quickly pulled out. It was a small piece of parchment, rolled up, and tied with a blue ribbon.

Pulling at the ribbon, Hiei unrolled the parchment and looked down at it with his crimson eyes. He read aloud the one word, which had been scribed on the parchment in red ink, which after close examination was not ink, but blood, "Reflections…"