Chapter 8- Once Upon A Dream
"Let me out! Kurama! Please, let me out!" Kiara sobbed as she banged half heartily on the door. She slid down the side of door, and sat sobbing on the floor. "Kurama, please, let me out."
"I will," Kurama unlocked the door, and walked in with a steaming dinner tray. He turned again, and locked the door from the inside. "When we capture Karasu and you're safe again."
"I want to hunt him myself," Kiara shouted and sat down on the bed.
"He wants to kill you. Kiara," Kurama set the tray down on a table, sat down on the bed, and clapped his hands around Kiara's. "We're only thinking of your safety. Yongei and Amitomo, we all wish for your well being."
"And Yusuke and Kuwabara?" Kiara looked at the hangings around her bed. "What's in it for them?"
"I believe that they have generally come to care for your safety too. In their own, unique ways," Kurama put his arm around Kiara's shoulders, and started twisting a tress of her hair between his fingers.
"I don't like being locked up," Kiara buried her head in Kurama's shoulder.
"You're a desert demon, used to wide, open terrain. Understandably you don't like being confined," Kurama hugged Kiara to him.
"There's only one place where I like to be confined," Kiara laid back into the bed sheets, taking Kurama with her. "And that's in your arms," She kissed Kurama on the cheek, and then moved on to his full, voluptuous lips. Kiara made her kisses long and deep, and Kurama followed suit.
Kiara unlocked her lips from his; they were both breathing hard by now. She looked into her kitsune's beautiful eyes, "I want you, I want you,"
Kurama breathed raggedly as his hand sneaked down Kiara's waist, and to her hips.
* * *
Kurama left Kiara sleeping. He creeped out of the door, and locked it behind him. He pocketed the key, and was putting on his jacket, when Yusuke walked down the hall.
"So, you finally got some," Yusuke smiled in the darkness.
Kurama was unable to suppress a grin. "You might say that,"
Kuwabara had overheard, and walked out to join in on the conversation, "Who got some?"
"Old straight and narrow Kurama," Yusuke pointed at the teenager.
"So, that leaves only Hiei," Kuwabara said after thinking a bit.
"What leaves only me?" Hiei walked out of his own room.
"You're the only one of us who hasn't had sex yet," Yusuke said laughing.
"You mean to tell me that Kuwabara and my sister . . ." Hiei was unable to finish due to shock.
"It's a hard truth Hiei, live with it," Kuwabara smiled at the memory.
"I will, but you won't," Hiei unsheathed his katana, and resorted to chase Kuwabara down the hallway.
"Shouldn't we help him?" Kurama said.
"Yeah, let's pin Kuwabara to the ground," Yusuke yawned. "Wait, too tired. Tomorrow we'll help Hiei murder Kuwabara,"
"Good night," Kurama walked down to his room, and opened the door.
"'Night!" Yusuke called as he closed his door.
* * *
At the early hour of five in the morning, Yongei was roused from his sleep by Kiara's cries of torment, only now her screams were more colorfully worded.
"Don't know what I was thinking, locking her in there," he muttered as he swung his legs over the side of the bed.
"What?" Amitomo woke up bleary eyed.
"Nothing, go back to sleep, love," Yongei kissed him on the cheek as the sleepy man reburied himself in the sheets. Yongei walked out of his room, and down the hall to Kiara's. He knocked on the door. "Kiara, please, some of us are trying to sleep,"
"LET ME OUT OF HERE, YOU BASTARD!"
"Now, that's not nice," Yongei crossed his arms over his naked chest.
"LET ME GO!"
"We'll let you out after Karasu's caught," Yongei yawned. "Please, shut up. People are trying to sleep,"
"LET ME GO, YOU BASTARD! I WANT OUT!"
"What's going on in there anyway?" Yongei listened close to the door, and also sent out his spirit energy to find Kiara's. He did detect her spirit energy, but also that of another.
"KARASU!" Yongei sent out spirit alerts to the others, and delivered a swift kick to the door, which fell off easily; the hinges had been removed. Yongei burst into the room.
Kiara was unconscious now; lying in the arms of Karasu, limp as a rag doll. Her long blonde hair contrasted sharply with Karasu's black, and hung almost touching the floor. Her face and skin were no longer dark tan, but pale and flushed. She wore a pained expression on her face.
"I've drained her of almost all her spirit energy and physical energy. She's almost dead," Karasu stared hard at Yongei. "But, not yet."
Kurama, Hiei, Yusuke, Kuwabara and Amitomo rushed in behind Yongei. "YOU BASTARD!" Kurama cried at the sight of Kiara near death.
"Her life is entirely in my hands," Karasu said, caressing Kiara's head with his hand. "I will kill her, Kurama, but not yet. I'll have some fun with her first."
"You, you will pay for this intrusion," Hiei said through gritted teeth.
"Haven't you caused enough pain?" Yusuke said.
"No, not nearly enough to satisfy," Karasu grinned. He disappeared.
"Where'd he go?" Kuwabara looked around at the others.
"Right here," Karasu reappeared with Kiara. "Say good bye to your lover, Kurama. This is the last you'll ever see her alive,"
"NO! KARASU, PLEASE!" Kurama jumped forward, only to be caught and held back. "PLEASE! I LOVE HER!"
"That's what makes it fun," Karasu smiled, and then disappeared in one lightening fast movement.
"NNNNNNNNNNOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!!!!!!!!!!!!" Kurama sank to the floor, tears flowing from his eyes. "KIAAAAAAAAAAAAAARRRRRAAAAAAAAAAAAA!"
* * *
Kiara awoke three days after she had been kidnapped. She opened her tired, groggy eyes, and her eyes swept the room. The walls were black bricks, and one narrow window was above a stone bench covered in poofy cushions and pillows. A stone bathtub was under another narrow window, and a purple curtain hung on a round rail surrounding the tub. A green yukata hung on a hook with a folded towel on a black marble. Wall sconces
Kiara climbed out her the bed, a tall, black wooded four- poster with purple coverings, and felt the velvet rug between her toes. Karasu had removed her sandals. He had also taken away her nunchaku. Might as well take advantage of this luxury, she thought. She took off her clothes, and threw them into a pile before putting on the yukata. Kiara turned on the tap, and in a few minutes, scalding hot water steamed, and filled the room with a heavy fog. She stepped into the bath, and immersed herself in the hot water. She combed through her long hair, and used a soft scented soap to wash herself all over. This would be wonderful if I wasn't going to die. Kiara sat up, and looked out the window. She was atop a large tower surrounded by a thick forest of fir trees. She saw a huge wooden door, and also the large lock shutting the outside from the inside. No one could get in unless they flew up. Kurama will find a way, he'll save me.
Kiara got out of the tub, pulled the plug on the bottom, and put on her yukata. She washed her clothes, and put them up to dry on the curtain rail. Kiara then gathered her flute, and sat on the window seat. She played a slow, mournful tune, the notes floating up into the cold, frigid northern air. Steam poured from her eyes, and Kiara realized how Yongei had felt when that black fire had soared towards him: helpless, and depressed. She wavered on a few notes at first, then she was unable to play at all, she was too shaky from crying. She drew her legs up to her body, and hugged them. Kiara buried her head in her knees.
"UAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHH!" Kiara fully realized that she was going to die.
* * *
"Can't you track her energy any faster?" Kurama asked Yongei impatiently.
"Sorry, mate. If she was fully charged, there'd be no problem, but as she is now, there's no way I can track any faster," Yongei screwed his eyes shut, and focused on Kiara. He picked up a hint, going north. This pulse was stronger than the last one.
"Does that mean we are getting close?" Hiei walked beside the nervous and high strung Kurama.
"Yes," Yongei opened his eyes. "Kuwabara, can you feel anything?"
"No, her energy's too weak," Kuwabara frowned. "Sorry Kurama,"
"It just makes me so mad!" Kurama stopped suddenly, and punched a tree. It wasn't very effective, and Kurama's knuckles had been stripped of skin. "Karasu could have killed her by now, and I . . ." Kurama struggled for words. "I don't want to lose her!" Kurama sunk to the ground, his hair falling in front of his face. Silver tears fell to the ground, and Kurama received sympathetic looks from everyone. Amitomo sat down next to Kurama.
"I know how you feel. I was constantly worrying about Amitare when he was alive. And that feeling was multiplied by a million when he, when he passed away," Amitomo wiped a few stray tears out of his eyes. "I still can't come to terms with it."
"You don't have to talk about it," Yongei put his hand on his shoulder.
"Wait a minute," Yusuke's eyes bugged. "You two are a couple!" He pointed accusingly at Yongei and Amitomo.
"Yeah, took you long enough to figure out," Yongei straightened up, and crossed his arms.
"You make a lovely couple," Hiei said sarcastically.
Yongei picked up Amitomo, and rustled his hair. "Don't we though?" He put Amitomo in a half headlock and grinned. Then he closed his eyes sharply, and opened them again.
Kurama jumped up, "What is it? A tingle of Kiara's energy? A pulse?"
Yongei started to run north, the others followed close behind. "No, a surge. She's gaining back energy at a very fast rate,"
"Yes," Kurama smiled as he ran. "Hold on, Kiara,"
* * *
Steam thicker than fog had filled Kiara's chamber. "AAAAAAAH HA HAHA! I DON'T WANT TO DIE!" Kiara's voice rang through the stone room. "AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHH!"
Kiara was cried out. She crossed the room to the bath, and took off her yukata. She put on her top, and tied the drawstring on her skirt. She took up her flute again, and played a traditional burial song from her desert tribe.
"Is that really necessary?" Karasu unlocked Kiara's door. He strode slowly across the room, and sat down on the bed.
"Going to kill me now?" Kiara sounded depressed and bored.
"You seem to have gotten a different view on this," Karasu's eyes narrowed suspiciously.
"Let's just say I have resigned myself to it," Kiara sat on the edge of the bathtub, and started to play her flute.
"That's a pretty tune," Karasu stood up and sat down next to Kiara. "Very pretty," He leaned into Kiara's lips.
Kiara suddenly played a high-pitched screech. Karasu jumped up, and put his hands over his ears. Kiara continued with her high playing, the notes piercing the quiet of the room. Karasu fell to the floor, knelling on the cold stone, hands still covering his ears to no effect. "Stop it, stop the noise," he growled.
Kiara played a long, high sharp before removing the flute front her mouth. "You should have known I would have never allowed you to kill me without a fight. Good bye you bastard." She strode to the still open door. She was about to walk out when Karasu suddenly appeared before her.
"Not so fast," Karasu grabbed Kiara by the neck, and flung her down on the bed. He put his hands on her neck and waist, and glared at her with contempt. "You will not die yet. Not before I've had my fun,"
"Let me go," Kiara glowered at him. "I will never allow you to get the Flame, I will not allow you to kill me, and I will never be yours,"
"I will have you," Karasu insisted. "You know that I love you. And, when I love something, I like to take it away,"
"Go to hell!" Kiara said.
Karasu's hands massaged Kiara's body, "I've already been there," He lay on top of Kiara and kissed her on the mouth.
"I plan to bring you back with me from the Land of the Dead, after Hades has what he wants."
"So, that's the deal: You get Hades the Flame, and he gives you your soul back," Kiara turned her head away from Karasu kissing her neck.
"Basically, and I get you til the end of the world," Karasu's purple eyes glowed in the darkened room. "Think, it could be like this, all the time,"
"You'll never have me, Kurama will . . ."
Karasu put his finger on her lips and made a shushing sound. "I'll have you, whether you like it or not," Karasu's hand moved along Kiara's body until he found the drawstring to her skirt. It would be very easy to undo.
AUTHOR'S NOTE- Karasu is a character of conflict for me. On one side, he has really pretty purple eyes, and he's completely gorgeous. One the other hand, he's completely nuts and a sick bastard.
That's all I have. How'd you like this chapter?
Suri