A/N: Holy crap I'm back!!! It's a fucking miracle! I know, I know, it's been ages upon ages since I last updated this story, and I'm sorry, but at least I'm updating it! I haven't forgot about it ya knowÉit's just been out of my head for a umÉcouple months and now it's back. I actually, to be honest, have no idea where this is going. But probably as I write it'll go somewhere, right? Right. Anyway, enjoy the new additionÉit's intense!

Disclaimer: I don't own Saiyuki, which is unfortunate because I would very much like to own Gojyo. And chain him to my bedpost. Hee, hee hee. I do, however, own The Waking Hour and all characters represented therein. Steal them and I will force my sex-hungry monkeys upon your genitals. Have a nice day!

Chapter Three

"What do you mean that was the Sanzo party?

Mitaru sighed in frustration for at least the fifth time that day. She was getting tired of having to repeat herself. "I told you, Jigen, that's what Kai said.

"Where is Kai, anyway?" D interrupted.

"No clue," Mitaru told him, shrugging. "You know how he is; randomly disappearing and reappearing. Really pisses me off.

Jigen scowled, his mind still occupied with the earlier subject. "But I still don' get it, yo!

"Ugh! Jigen will you just drop it already?" Mitaru snapped. "Kai said it might be hard to believe, but come on! Why would Kougaiji lie to us?

"Yeah, yeah, I guessÉ" he mumbled. "And when's Kai comin' back, Ôey?

"Don't know, Ji," D said, giving Mitaru a break. Mitaru thanked him silently,

"Aw, this is wak, man!" Jigen exclaimed, pounding his foot into the floor. "We gotta gig in two days. Two days! How we gonna play without our supa'star?

Mitaru rolled her eyes. "He'll be back before then. If he isn't, I'll hunt him down and kill him.

D strummed a few chords on his guitar. "So, I wonder what our alleged party is up to.

The she-demon grinned. "Wanna find out?

Gojyo took another long swig of his beer, still agitated from the fight with that damned chimp over the remaining morsels of Gojyo's dinner. Speaking of the monkey, he was now snoring loud and peacefully, his mouth hanging open as if it's still being crammed to the bursting point with food.

"LousyÉ mumble idiot monkey

"Oh c'mon, Gojyo. He's not that bad.

Gojyo snapped his head up to see Hakkai standing in the doorway, Hakuryu sitting restfully on Hakkai's shoulder. He was smiling that lazy smile again.

"Did I say that out loud?" Gojyo asked into his bottle, despite knowing the answer.

"Mm-hmm." Hakkai stepped into the room, shutting the door softly behind him. "Sanzo's gone.

"Good.

Hakkai chuckled. "I figured you'd say that." He reached into his back pocket and pulled out an almost-empty pack of cigarettes. "Got a light?

As if he has to ask. Gojyo threw it over. "Why are we staying here?

"Can't you guess?" Hakkai said, almost reproachfully.

Gojyo hissed through clenched teeth. "There's something the monk-bastard wants to know." It wasn't a question.

"Mm. And it involves our demon friends.

He was referring to the three at the bar the previous night. After hours of discussion, the band had come to the unanimous conclusion that all three were demons, probably somehow connected with Kougaiji, that arrogant demon prince. Which was a waste, in Gojyo's opinion, since that girl had been the hottest chick he'd seen in some time.

Nonetheless, the edges of his mouth twitched in anticipation. He needed a smoke. "You really think they're with Kougaiji?

Hakkai shrugged a shoulder. "With our luck? Probably. But if they are, I'm surprised they haven't attacked yet. It's a sign that most likely their tactic is to try and befriend us first, then take us down when we least expect it.

Gojyo really needed a smoke. "So are we falling for it?

"I guess we'll decide that when Sanzo gets back and decides for us.

Damn it. This, of course, meant that they could be there in that dinky little town for days, even weeks. Once Sanzo put his mind to something, there was no way of talking him out of it. Why the hell did that monk always have to figure out everything?

With a heavy, submitting sigh, Gojyo threw himself back onto the stiff bed. Damn. He really needed that smoke.

Genjo Sanzo was uneasy.

Thin smoke hovered above the butt of his cigarette, having nowhere to go but up. The wind had stopped recently, meaning that something wasn't right.

Or that the wind had just stopped blowing, Sanzo scolded himself mentally. This damn trip was making him paranoid. He wondered if, somewhere, the Merciful Goddess was laughing.

"Need some company?

Sanzo barely flinched at the question, and he didn't have to turn his head to know who the speaker was: the girl from the bar. The demon.

"No," he responded blatantly. "Go away.

He could feel her smiling. "Yes you do.

She annoyed him already, even more by the fact that he could tell his annoyance amused her. So that was her game. Well, Sanzo wasn't in the mood for playing.

"I know what you are.

She laughed, a cold, almost cruel sound. "I'm not surprised. But I know what you are too." She paused. "That's a fancy shakra you got there.

Sanzo flinched, a barely visible movement. The bitch was mocking him. "Just what is it you want?

She moved to stand in front of him, and it was then he noticed how pretty she was; too pretty, especially for a demon. It made her that much more dangerous. Gojyo wouldn't stand a chance.

"What I wantÉ?" she repeated slowly, swaying back and forth as she did. "What we want is for you to leave us alone.

That was unexpected, and as much as Sanzo hated to admit it, it had actually surprised him. Damn, she was good.

"I see no reason to fight you," he said.

"I do.

This too, caught him off guard. IShit./I "Is there something I should know?

"Probably." She cocked her head to the side. "Look, just keep the fight between you and any other demons to yourself, if you don't mind. We don't want to get involved.

"Who's Ôwe'?

"Myself, Jigen, D, andÉ" she trailed off, her bright fuchsia eyes becoming distant. Sanzo narrowed his own. After a few seconds, she finished, "and Kai.

Kai. The word resonated within Sanzo in a way he didn't like. And what he really didn't like was the way this demon chick was toying with him so easily.

"You look perplexed," she said.

Sanzo snarled, the cigarette slipping from his fingers to the floor. His fists were clenched now. "Bite me.

She laughed again. Gods he hated that laugh. "Be careful what you ask for.

"I thought you didn't want to fight.

"I said we didn't want to fight. I never said anything about me.

What the hell was she playing at? "I'm getting sick of your game, demon-girl. What the hell do you want?

The fact that she looked so shocked, in turn, shocked Sanzo. "Game? What game do you mean? And I already told you what we want. Priest-boy.

He really hated the way she mocked him. If there was just some way to get under her skin, maybe he could get some answers. Maybe

"Not what you all want. Just you.

That worked, for he could see the break in her attitude and the hesitation that had resulted from it. But Sanzo tensed when that hesitation transformed into a smooth and malicious smile.

I want to kill you.

A/N: Okay, okay, so I lied that Kai was going to be in this chapter. But I know for sure that he'll be in the next one because I'm starting it off with him. So yay. Isn't Mitaru cool? Poor SanzoÉsecretly snickers I'll hopefully have chapter four up sooner than I did chapter threeÉI really am sorry about that delay. I'll try not to let it happen again. That often anyway.

-Meru