I stumbled to my feet and braced myself. I couldn't back down, not now when I had so little time left to act. There could be no more running. When he struck, I would have to do my best to finish him with one blow. Beyond that one blow, I would be powerless to act.

Razel shot forward, his claws already moving in for the final strike. My hand tightened around my last seed as I poured energy into it. I couldn't fail.

The plant burst to life, exploding from my hand and spreading like a wildfire. The dark purple leaves curled around Razel as his claws sank into my chest. Surprise widened his eyes as he was jerked back and slowly drained of his energy. I fell to my knees, breathing hard as blood gushed from the deep wound.

The leaves tightened around Razel, draining his strength, before leaving him in a limp heap on the ground. My strength gave out and I fell forward, lying prone on the cold ground. Dimly I heard steps hurrying towards me, but it all seemed to come from a great distance.

Warm hand touched my shoulder and gently rolled me onto my back. Crimson eyes stared down at me, showing concern for the first time since I had known him. Hiei was frowning, his eyes darkening as he took in the severity of my injuries.

"Yusuke...?" I whispered, closing my eyes against the pain spreading through my body.

"The detective will live."

"Good..."

Hiei laid a hand over the fatal wound. I winced and opened my eyes to see what he was doing. Heat rushed from his hand and into the wound, wringing a startled gasp from me.

"What are you doing?"

"Don't think too hard on this, Kurama. It means nothing."

"What?"

He glared down at me as the warmth spread within me, teasing the wounds. My eyes widened as I realized what he was doing. He was healing me.

"How? I didn't know you could..."

"Yukina and I share certain strengths, though my skills are by no means as powerful as hers."

"You saved...Yusuke?"

A soft growl escaped his lips as his eyes narrowed in disgusted annoyance. My lips curved. He was embarrassed. Interesting.

"Maybe...Yusuke was right."

"What?" he asked, frowning harder at me.

"Maybe you are... a softie."

"Do you want to die, Kurama?"

I chuckled softly and allowed my eyes to close once more. "At one time I did," I murmured before sinking into unconsciousness.

I woke in my bed with a piercing headache. With great effort I rose to a sitting position and held my head in my hands. Remembering the wounds, I pulled up my shirt and stared at the faint scars left behind.

"They will fade in a few days," came a quiet voice from my left.

I turned my head and saw Hiei sitting near the window. He looked different somehow. Something had changed him.

"Thank you, Hiei."

He shrugged nonchalantly and glanced out the window. That was it. He didn't appear as guarded as before. He seemed almost...relaxed.

"Where is Yusuke?"

"I left him in his bedroom."

"Kuwabara..."

"I spoke to Koenma. He said he would handle it."

"Meaning what?"

"He didn't specify."

"I owe you a lot, Hiei."

Hiei looked away from the window to meet my gaze. "You would do the same for me. You have before."

"Still..."

"We're even."

Hiei stood and pushed open the window. A smirk quickly appeared on his face. "Looks like you're going to be having company. The detective and Idiot are heading this way."

"Kuwabara's alive?"

"Must be what Koenma meant by handling it. What a waste of space. This only proves that Koenma is a fool."

A soft chuckle escaped my lips as Hiei disappeared through the window.

Hiei paused on the tree limb overlooking Kurama's house to watch the two humans step into the house. His smirk faded slowly to be replaced by a small smile of relief.

It was over, finally. Kurama could rest, and things could go back to normal. Razel was locked away within Spirit World's dungeons. His quest for revenge was over.

Hiei turned away from the house. Things were falling back into place, and he could go back to being the uncaring demon they had come to know him as.

Author's Note: Cloaking Shadows is finished and Kurama can once more live his life without worrying if his friends are who they seem, but what of Hiei? Please review. The more reviews I receive, the faster Hiei's story will be told.