Sherkoni - I'm soooooo sorry for the long wait! I have no good excuse, but I can apologize. v_v

I won't do review responses because I am scrambling to get this done as it is - I actually didn't count them... Well my most recent review was a reminder to update, and on the same day I UPDATE! You are so magic!

And another apology for all of my typos.... I can't believe you people don't flame me! It's ridiculous and painful to read! So I fixed them in the two worst chapters, but I'll have to do the other ones later....

Last note - Please go read my story that my friend and I are writing together. It is under the penname "Sherkoni and Perrararii". It is a HieiBotan (also KuramaKeiko) so I think you all would like it. ^_^

I won't delay you any longer - enjoy!

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Chapter 13

Rescuing Botan

"Hiei wait!" Yusuke called to the darting black blur, already miles ahead of them. Koenma had sent them through the portal to Makai, confirming that Botan was not in Ningenkai - and Hiei had already taken off.

"Just let him be," Kurama said. "We can very well find Tiluka on our own, just not as quickly," his nose crinkled in distaste, "his scent is everywhere."

"Yeah, and I can sense him through the trees - right where Hiei was headed," Kuwabara put in, emphasizing his point by dramatically indicating with his finger.

"It's a good thing you pointed - I would have never thought to go follow Hiei on my own!" Nero remarked sarcastically.

"Anytime!" Kuwabara said proudly, not picking up the sarcasm. Nero rolled his eyes.

Kurama bit his lip to keep from laughing and headed quickly into the forest, the others trailing him.

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Botan tried painfully to lift her head, but couldn't. She tried in vain to open her eyes, only to find a heavy cloth placed over them that smelled strongly of rancid drugs and beer. She twisted in agitation, but was unable to even move her body and her shoulders ached. 'Why do my shoulders hurt?' she thought hazily to herself. She tried to move her hand to feel, but a cold metal was placed on them - above her head. She had been chained to a wall. She groaned and wished she could see where she was.

"Hush..." came a raspy voice. "Struggling will only make it worse my dear onna..."

Botan writhed in disgust as a hand came up to stroke her cheek. Someone was caressing her and calling her onna...

Someone who wasn't Hiei.

"Don't call me that!" she croaked, her mouth dry and pasty.

The voice chuckled. "Touchy spot? Don't worry, you won't have to worry about him anymore...."

"Don't pretend to know what I'm feeling!" she yelled in putrid hate. "Let me go-"

A slender hand clamped over her mouth. "Please don't yell," the voice added. "It gives me a frightful headache.."

Botan battled against his hand, put the grip was tight and powerful on her cheeks. She could already feel a bruise starting to form where his cold fingertips pressed.

"Want to hear my plan?" he whispered in her ear. Botan remained stiff, but she figured she would hear his plan anyway.

"You wouldn't know, but Hiei and Nero got in a fight - weakening them both. Hiei thinks you hate him, but he still loves you and so he will of course try to rescue you anyway. But the only way to save you will be to unleash his black dragon, which will swallow him since he doesn't have all of his strength - or give up his soul to me. One down, four to go."

"Next, Urameshi will undoubtedly attack me in anger, but his rage will blind him to the trap I have set. Two down, three to go. Kurama will not hurt me if I threaten your life. He won't be so reckless as to unleash an attack in anger, but he considers you a good enough friend to not try an attack. He won't even notice the poison that will seep into his feet, eventually killing him. Three down, two to go."

"Do you honestly think that Nero will stick around? He is much to full of himself and his own needs to care enough to stay and act as the noble hero. Only one left. I can take care of the idiot by myself. What do you think?"

Botan now had tears flowing freely down her cheeks. "Please don't..." she whispered, knowing already that her pleas would have no affect on him. "I'll give you anything. Please don't kill my friends...."

Reiko just laughed heartlessly.

"Please don't kill Hiei..."she breathed through her tears, her head hanging low.

Reiko stopped laughing, his lip curling in a cold sneer. "How sweet. Did you love the little fire demon?" he asked coldly. Botan felt numb. "Answer me," he growled yanking her face up to his before grabbing the cloth covering her eyes, moving it to her forehead.

She glared defiantly at him "I loved him."

Reiko grinned evilly. "This is just too perfect."

Botan hung her head and let warm tears flow down her cheeks again. 'I love you Hiei...' she thought dejectedly. 'What if I never get to tell you?'

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Hiei zipped through the trees, ignoring the harsh wind that stung his face. 'Damn love and all it's conflicting emotions,' he thought angrily at himself. They had cost him his pride and caused him a broken heart. His jaw tightened in determination and pain. He was going to save Botan, kill Tiluka and then head to the Makai where he belonged.

Never again would love torment him.

Suddenly a large ominous castle came in view. He stopped at the gates - this was too obvious. Tiluka wasn't that stupid. Frowning in confusion, Hiei ripped off his bandanna to open his Jagan eye. Scanning it over the castle property, his frown deepened. Sure enough, Tiluka was inside.

So was Botan.

Kicking the doors open, Hiei stalked inside, eyes scanning for any sign of Tiluka. Suddenly, twenty or so low-class demons charged into the room, flailing weapons and shouting battle cries. Hiei rolled his eyes.

After swiftly killing three in one strike, Hiei watched in horror as more poured out of the rooms and hallways. He growled. "I don't have time for this..."

Just as he raised his sword to kill the group in front of him, a long green whip lashed out - shredding the demons. Hiei whipped around in surprise at a red-haired fox demon.

Kurama nodded. "We can handle this Hiei - go."

Hiei gave him a quick look of gratitude before sprinting off. He tried several doors, all leading to nothing. Upon coming to one of the last doors upstairs, he pushed open the door only to be greeted with darkness. He strained his eyes to see further into the deep abyss.

Simultaneously, a bright light flashed on - momentarily blinding Hiei. With a low hiss, he clamped his eyes shut in pain, and took a stumbling step backwards, almost slipping on some grained dust. Groaning, he forced one of his eyes open slightly. He could make out a blurry figure in blue, standing about 15 feet away from him.

"So glad you could-"

"Hiei!"

Hiei tried to shake his head clear. "Botan?" he murmured. Straining his eyes open again he saw another figure slightly above the first. It had blue hair and a slender figure....

Their Dianthus eyes were filling with concern and silent pleas....

Fire raged through Hiei's body as he instantly knew who the first figure in blue was and why the second figure was with him. "Tiluka!" he yelled, rage seething through his veins. In a flash, his sword was unsheathed and he prepared to attack.

"Do not come any closer," Reiko said, slowly pulling a dagger to Botan's throat.

"You vile piece of trash, how dare you sink to the cowardice of threatening her life," Hiei hissed dangerously, but stopped in his tracks.

Reiko let out a dark laugh and moved away from Botan, dagger still in hand. When he was a good twenty feet away from her he stopped and sneered at Hiei. "You can't hurt me anyway you imbecile. I am wearing the Jewel of the Shadow," he said cruelly. "There is only one way to destroy it..."

Hiei snorted. "What makes you think I would waste my dragon on you?"

Reiko grinned evilly. "It is the only way to kill me," he replied. "And if you don't kill me - I will kill her," he pointed the dagger at Botan, who gave a light whimper. "You have one shot Hiei," he exclaimed, opening his arms as a target. "Take it or she will suffer the consequences."

Hiei glared from Botan, to Reiko, to his arm and then back to Botan again. He knew he was weakened enough from his fight with Nero that he couldn't safely unleash the Dragon of the Darkness Flame. 'But Botan?' his mind asked him.

Hiei grit his teeth in anger. He wanted to scream from the torment of frustration and anger. How could he still care about her enough to put his own life on the line?! These feelings were so unusual for him...

Exhaling slowly, he made his decision. Unusual or not, they were still his feelings - and he would kill himself for it later if he denied them. Setting his face in a determined manner, he tugged on the corner of the bandages wrapped around his arm.

"No, Hiei, please don't!" Botan suddenly begged, tears welling in her eyes again. "Please don't do this to yourself!"

Hiei rolled his eyes. "It's a little late to suddenly care for my well being," he said bitterly, unraveling his bandages.

Botan broke down and started to sob. "I'm sorry Hiei - I know I deserve it," she pleaded. "Please don't risk your life-"

"Save it," Hiei cut off.

Reiko laughed cruelly. "If you really want Hiei, there is another option..."

Hiei stopped in mid-motion.

"You can give up your freedom, your life - to me."

Hiei raised an eyebrow, slightly considering this. If the he DID unleash the dragon, and it would probably kill him...there would be no way of making certain that Botan remained unharmed, safe and free. But if he was alive to monitor Tiluka's actions...

Botan watched as Hiei's face molded into that of understanding, even....acceptance? Botan glared at him angrily. How dare he even consider that! She was tired of pleading with him, if he wouldn't listen to her supplications, then it was obvious she would have to get through to him in a way Hiei would understand. "Don't you dare even consider it, you selfish son of a bitch!" she yelled at him, not acknowledging his look of surprise. "Are you honestly so moronic that you can't think to just leave me here?! Use your damn brain! If you give up your soul to this, this.....LOW-LIFE, I will personally kill you!"

Hiei's eyes widened as he stared at her in amused shock - a small smile tugged at the corners of his lips. However, after letting her words fully sink in, realization once again hit him and he glared back at her. "I will DO whatever I damn well please!" he contradicted. "If YOU are so moronic to think I would actually let him keep you, then you're more headless than I thought!"

Botan let a few tears slip before she angrily called back. "Don't be so moronic as to remain in slavery for someone who hasn't done anything for you!"

"Don't be ignorant to others' feelings toward you!" he snapped in response, his voice holding an involuntary softness. She had unknowingly further pressed his decision into his head. He had just been painfully reminded of some of the reasons he did love her. Without waiting for another response, he turned to Reiko. "I accept."

"No!" Botan cried, instantly losing the angry tone she had just held. "Don't do this Hiei! Don't do this to me, don't do this to-"

"You accept?" Reiko questioned, loudly interrupting Botan.

"I don't have all day," Hiei sneered, "going once, going twice-"

"Done!"

Suddenly Yusuke, Kuwabara and Kurama rushed into the room. "We killed all the - what's done!?" Yusuke cried as they arrived.

"Yusuke!" Botan cried. "Stop Hiei, he's gonna-"

Suddenly another bright light filled the room. When everyone could see again, Botan was on the floor where Hiei was and Hiei was now chained to the wall....

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Sherkoni - *evil giggle* Hope I don't take so long to update again, right? Mwuhahaha- *sees readers sharpening pointy weapons*

o_O;; Or I could do a speedy update that might take a whole of three days! ^__^;;; (heh...)