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Chapter 14

Kurama effortlessly entered the fortress. It didn't take long to figure out Jadus was being held in the west wing under tight guard. Using his plants to disable guards, Kurama made his way to where Jadus was held. Pulling a leaf from his hair he fashioned it into a key and entered the room. The boy they were to rescue was on a cot in the corner of a windowless room. As Kurama approached him he could see that Jadus had been beaten. "Jadus… Jadus wake up." Shaking him the fox realized he was unconscious. Before he could form a plan to get them out more guards appeared, trapping them. Silently he spoke to Hiei with his mind. 'Looks like I might need some help after all Hiei-koi.'

Within seconds of the request for help the guards at the door were in pieces on the floor. Behind them Hiei sheathed his katana. Not wanting to repeat Kurama's mistake Hiei didn't enter the room. Kurama took a moment to tend Jadus' injuries while they waited for the rest of the team. When they appeared Yusuke laid out a new plan. "Kuwabara, you carry Jadus, that leaves three of us to fight our way out of here." And fight they did, what appeared to be an endless wave of low-level demons. Knowing the only way past all the guards would be to remove their leader, the team headed for the main hall, Yusuke and Hiei in the lead, Kurama protecting Kuwabara and Jadus from behind.

Approaching the main hall the demon guards thinned, leading them to their leader. Inside Spike awaited them. "You four puny creatures thought you could steal my prisoner? Your arrogance will get you killed." Without waiting for him to move Yusuke and Hiei attacked. For a large demon he was surprisingly agile, dodging their attacks while striking at them. It turned out his spiked tail was not his only weapon. He could also shoot energy balls from his hands. Several minuets into the fight all three combatants had sustained minor injuries.

Kurama had led Kuwabara, still carrying Jadus, to one side of the room. With a wall protecting them on one side he was able to fend off the demon guards that continued to advance. Lowering Jadus to the floor Kuwabara used his spirit sword to help Kurama. They fought for some time before it appeared they had killed the last of the demons. Both turned their attention to see if they could help their teammates, but before they could enter the fight there was a loud cry.

"KURAMA!" Hiei's katana was sailing through the air to slice a demon that had risen and was about to attack the fox from behind. With his attention on Kurama, Hiei was unable to evade one of Spikes deadly poison darts. Hiei, grabbing his shoulder, went down.

"HIEI!" Kurama launched his rose whip at Spike catching him around the neck immobilizing him long enough for Yusuke to get off a good shot from his spirit gun. Spike went down. Withdrawing the whip and allowing his teammates to deal with Spike, Kurama ran to Hiei.

Drawing Hiei gently into his arms, Kurama removed the dart, pausing a moment to smell the poison before throwing it away. "Koibito! You're going to be alright. I won't let anything happen to you." Hiei slowly opened his eyes to look at Kurama. "Sorry Kitsune. It wasn't supposed to end like this. I love you Kurama." Then Hiei went limp in Kurama's arms. Pulling Hiei tight to his chest the Youko sobbed. "No! Hiei please, no!"

Yusuke and Kuwabara stared in horror at the scene before them. Turning to Spike, Yusuke tried to rouse the demon slapping him and yelling at him. "Wake up you bastard! We need the antidote! Wake up!" It was no use. Spike wasn't dead, just too injured to answer.

Just then a woman carrying a child entered the hall. She was a demon, like Spike, only without spikes on her tail. She stopped and stared in shock at her mate. Before anyone else could move Kurama was at her side snatching the child from her arms. In a deadly voice he demanded, "Give me the antidote or your child dies!" Kurama had removed a seed from his hair and it now formed a long dagger which he held at the child's throat.

Kuwabara rushed forward grabbing his arm. "Kurama, let the kid go. You can't do this."

Shoving Kuwabara aside, Kurama never took his eyes from the woman. "If Hiei dies you all die. Spike's not dead. Give me the antidote and we will leave without killing any of you." The woman nodded then, with a quick look at her child, she ran from the room. She returned a few moments later with a vile of green liquid. "Pour some on the wound then make him drink the rest. He will sleep a couple of days but will have no lasting side effects."

Trading the child for the vile Kurama did as she instructed. "How will I know it's working?"

She had moved to check on Spike. "The poison slows and then stops the heart. You should be able to feel his heart beat stabilizing."

Checking Hiei's pulse the fox nodded. "Yes, it's stronger and regular now."

Jadus took that moment to wake up. "What the hell is going on?" Kuwabara went to check on him, telling him he was being rescued.

Yusuke looked to Kurama. "Can we move him yet? We really should get out of here."

Kuwabara approached them, offering to carry Hiei. Kurama growled, "Don't touch him!" Then Kurama lifted Hiei, cradled him in his arms and left the fortress.

Outside Yusuke pulled out a communicator and called Koenma for a portal to the Reikai. Once there he turned Jadus over to Koenma. "Now we need a portal near Genkai's. We need to get Hiei to Yukina."

Kurama stopped him. "No. I'm taking him home. Koenma, I want a portal near our home in Makai."

Conceding to the fox's will Yusuke nodded. "Alright Kurama, but we're going with you. We are not leaving you till he wakes up."

Accepting the offer, Kurama carried Hiei through the portal, with his friends right behind him.

The portal opened just outside the warded and trapped area of the demon couples home. Guiding them in Kurama, spoke quietly to his plants, then to his friends. "Hello babies. These are my friends and they are welcome here. You should be able to come and go at will if you follow the path I just led you through."

Knowing there was nothing in the old tree house, Kurama led them to the vine covered den. Yusuke helped him get Hiei settled before helping Kuwabara start a fire and gather some food. Years ago Kurama had planted lots of fruits and vegetables nearby since they were Hiei's favorites.

The next two days were a little odd, at least Yusuke and Kuwabara thought so. Every morning after seeing to Hiei's needs, Kurama would leave. When he returned he would work at the tree house until late at night not letting the others know what he was doing or let them up in the tree house. He checked on Hiei often, unable to resist the urge to feel his love's heartbeat. On the third day Hiei woke up.