Chapter 6

Disclaimer: not in this lifetime

Acknowledgements:

Sockunderyourbed: thanks for reviewing and offering to be my beta reader but that spot has already been given and taken by Green Eyes and Red Hair

Gothic-Ember: haha…Anger management, there I said it…lol. Thanks for reviewing

Nordic-Nymph: glad you think so

EdgesFeather21: This is not really a love triangle…read on and find out

HieiFan666: I know what you mean about Kurama…this chapter will just make you…well read on and see

Green Eyes and Red Hair: Thanks for the help…again :)

AN: The previous chapter wasn't as long as I would have liked it to be, but I guess that it worked out alright. Don't worry, this is still a romance between Hiei and Kage, there will be some major jealousy and such.

The next morning, I woke up to the smell of bacon and waffles. I got out of bed and stretched. Last night had been the best sleep I had gotten in a long time, despite the events that had occurred. I went into the bathroom and took a long hot shower. When I got out, I still hadn't seen anyone. By now, the breakfast smells were not so well anymore. Still in my towel, I went downstairs only to find no one, and the smell of burnt food. I quickly turned off the stove and put the smoking food in the sink.

After I had rid the kitchen of any possibility that a fire could be started, I headed back upstairs and took another shower in order to get the burnt smell off me. This time when I got out, Hiei was walking by the bathroom. When I opened the door, he turned and looked at me and there was a flicker of something, I am not sure what it was, but it dissolved into a hardened expression.

"Where were you?" I asked him.

"Out."

"Ok then..."

I was about to say more, when Hiei 'hned' and walked on to his room. I shook my head and went to my own room to get dressed. After putting on a pair of baggy black pants and a black tank top, I wend downstairs. Kurama was busy in the kitchen cleaning everything up. When I came in, he stopped and looked at me. I don't just mean, casually look at me, there was something behind his eyes. It wasn't the same as what I saw from Hiei, this was different. Very different and…wrong.

"Hello," he said.

"Where were you?" I asked

"Koenma sent Botan to get us all early this morning for a very abrupt mission. I was busy making breakfast when I was swept away through the portal. We had to stop a bunch of demons from entering the Ningenkai," he said

I combed my wet hair with my fingers as I sat down. Kurama was still looking at me and not paying attention to his food.

"I think something is burning again," I said pointing to the new batch of waffles.

Kurama shrugged and turned the stove off. He then made his way over to me. I stood up and took a step back. Bad vibes were radiating from him. He looked me over and it was then that I recognized the expression on his face. It was that of lust. He reached out his hands and grabbed me by the shoulders, holding me in an unbreakable grip. I tried pulling away from him but this just caused him to hold me tighter. He pulled me up against him and nuzzled my neck.

"Please…Kurama, don't," I objected

I heard a low growl coming from him as he started kissing my neck and forcing his way up to my mouth. I jerked my head back but he put his lips on mine and slipped his tongue into my mouth. I gagged and Kurama pulled back. Tears had started to from and they were barely balancing on my eyelids. I blinked and one of the tears rolled down my cheek. I looked upon Kurama with all hatred and disgust and he licked off the tear.

At that time, everything came back to me, everything I was taught by Ketaro. I brought my knee up into Kurama's crotch and he doubled over in pain. I then kicked him and he flew into the wall.

"Never, ever, do that to me again. Do you hear me? NEVER, you perverted fuck!" I yelled at him.

I turned to go upstairs but stopped when Hiei appeared in front of me. He looked at me to Kurama and then back at me.

"What happened?"

"Forget it, just keep that asshole away from me," I said as I walked past Hiei and out the door.

I had changed my mind, I didn't want to stay here anymore, I wanted to go back to living alone and all by myself but that was impossible.

Once I was quite a distance from the house and sure that no one was following me, I removed the crystal from my neck. I started to wave it around in circles just like I had done so many times before. Once the portal appeared, I stepped through. I was back, back where I had longed to be, the Reikai.

I recognized the place where I had appeared and started making my way towards Ketaro's place. It was quite a distance but I wasn't bothered by it. It gave me a chance to think about what Kurama had done and tried to do, and then Hiei, and how he reacted. It was completely wrong. Why was Hiei acting so cold all of a sudden even though he knew that I knew that he actually had a caring side? And then there was Kurama. I couldn't believe it. At first, it looked like he was a decent nice guy, but all that was proven wrong today. I had never seen such a great lust in anyone's eyes before and it scared me half to death.

I was lucky. I did not meet one single demon on my way to Ketaro's house. When I got there, it looked the same as it always had. I went to the front door and knocked. Not long after the door was opened and there was a demon standing in front of me. He was in a fighting kimono and had a katana latched onto his side. He looked me up and down and I did the same to him. He had jet black hair that was rather short and purple eyes.

"Who are you?" he asked me

"I am a friend of Naratu. Tell him that Raven is back if you are not going to let me in," I replied.

He shrugged and did a double take on looking over me.

"Please come in Karasu-san. I have heard so much about you. Naratu will be greatly pleased to see you," he said as he bowed respectfully.

I wonder what lies Naratu had been telling them. I gave a light bow in return and walked into the mansion. As soon as I stepped inside, many memories came flooding back to me. I smiled to myself as I remembered the things that Ketaro taught me and then how I came to visit Naratu and he made me play games with him and then as he got older, how he made me spar. I told the young demon that he could go and that I knew my way around the place. It looked like he was about to object, but he turned and quickly made his way down the hall.

I was admiring all the old decorations that I had passed by on my younger years and have never taken any notice of before, when I heard someone clear their throat behind me. I turned around and saw Naratu standing there with a cocky grin on his face.

"Rumor had it that you got caught by Koenma. I guess the rumors are wrong, unless you escaped. It is good to see you again Kage," he said stepping up and giving me a hug.

Both Naratu and I had decided a long time ago to forget all formalities when around each other and I was glad that he had remembered.

"It is true. I was caught but I decided to take a break. Things aren't working out between me and some of the Spirit Detectives."

"You mean that after you get over whatever happened, that you will go back?" he asked looking a bit sullen.

I nodded my head. "They will find me one time or another and then I will surely be locked up. At least working with the Spirit Detectives gives me some sort of freedom. But, that is enough about what has happened to me. I guess you are still working on that training thing?" I asked

"Yes. Right now I am sensei to several boys all of which are advancing quire rapidly," he said.

"If I remember correctly, you were also a fast learner. I guess you must have been to take over the position that Ketaro held. It was a sad day when he died."

Naratu bowed his head in reverence, but then looked back up again with a bright smile on his face.

"I want you to meet my students. I have told them about what you have done for me," he said

"What have I done for you?" I asked

"Well, first of all, you saved me from my father, two, you gave me hope of a new life, and three, you helped me become the fighter I am now," he said with pride.

"I hope you appreciate it," I said through laughter.

Naratu laughed along and grabbed my hand and led me to a large training room. Just Naratu's presence was enough to drive away all my thoughts away from the events of this morning. No, there was nothing romantic going on between Naratu and I, he was more like a little brother to me than anything else.

In the training room, there were three boys practicing their kata. Once they noticed me and Naratu, they stopped and gave a respectful bow. They looked at Naratu with questions in their eyes.

"You may stop for today. We will have dinner in an hour, there you can talk to Kage all you want, that is, if she wants to talk to you," said Naratu.

I elbowed him with a slight grin on my face. The boys gathered their things and placed the weapons they had used back in their original spots. They then left. I walked over to the racks which held all the katanas. If you have seen the movie Kill Bill Vol. 1, the assortment of katanas was like that, but the rack they were on, was more modern

"Kage, I think that it is time we fight against each other again. I have grown stronger since last time we sparred, so I don't want you to hold back," said Naratu.

"Hey, bishonen, what kind of person do you think I am, huh?" I said with a smile.

"Funny. Just pick one of the katanas and then we can start."

Naratu was the first to start with a series of attacks, all of which I either successfully blocked or dodged. I then advanced upon him but he also held out well. We kept on going at each other for some time. Naratu actually got a few hits and I had a couple of cuts on my arms and legs. They were slightly bleeding but I knew that I would be fine; I am immortal, am I not. Naratu knew that he could cut me as deep as he wanted and that I would be fine, there would of course be some pain involved but I wouldn't die. He also knew that he was not to sever any of my limbs, mainly my head. If I lose my head, I am will most definitely die, immortal or not. He was the only one who knew in what ways I could die, other than decapitation.

Poison would be my final demise. Not just any poison though. The tears of my lover, my relative, and my own would all have to be mixed together with the petals of the Aisuhana. Strangely, there was a cure but it is better if I don't go into that right now.

About forty-five minutes after we had started, I was wiped out. Apparently, Naratu had really advanced since I had last sparred with him. I was on my back and barely holding my katana against Naratu's to keep him from cutting me very badly. I was just about to give up, when Naratu went flying against the wall. He hit it with a loud thud and fell to the floor, unconscious. I was on my feet in an instant and was just about to go over to Naratu when someone grabbed my arm and spun me around so that I faced him.

Before me was Hiei.

"What are you doing?" I asked him angrily.

He frowned as I pushed his hand away and went over to Naratu. I checked him to make sure that he was fine and he was. I then turned back to Hiei and looked at him accusingly.

"Can't you tell when people are in a kumite?" I asked him

"Hn," was his only response

I walked over to him and punched him hard in the stomach. Something which he obviously want expecting otherwise he would have blocked me.

"What the hell was that for?" he asked me

"That was for you being you. This morning I tried to talk to you and you pretty much ignored me, and then when you walked in and saw that something was going on in the kitchen... You are a rude sadistic bastard, Hiei. I can't believe that I thought that you were actually a considerate person. What are you doing here anyways? Koenma sent you to get me?" I asked him

"No. Actually, I am here about Kurama," he said looking me straight in the eye.

As soon as he said Kurama's name, my heart fell and a look of pain crossed my face. That was something that I so desperately wanted to forget but knew that I never would.

Hiei reached out and pushed a strand of hair away from my face. I couldn't stop myself. I started to cry. Instantly, Hiei took a step forward and pulled me into a hug. He patted my back rather awkwardly but I didn't care.

"What am I going to do Hiei?" I asked as I pushed myself away from him after composing myself. "I mean, I am sort of on the team as my punishment and Koenma probably won't take me from the team and I can't face Kurama again, not after what he did."

"Kage," Hiei said in a low voice, "Kurama said nothing about what happened, so I need you to tell me."

"But…"

Naratu chose that moment to gain consciousness.

"Who the hell are you and what are you doing here?" he asked as he pulled out his Katana

"Naratu, don't worry about it. Meet my friend, Hiei. Hiei, meet a friend from my past, Naratu," I said.

I had placed my hand on Hiei's arm when he had reached for his katana, but he didn't draw it, he just held his hand on the hilt. Naratu gave a stiff bow in recognition, but I could tell that he didn't like Hiei at all.

"Naratu, would you mind if Hiei eats dinner with us?" I asked him

Naratu looked at me and it appeared as if he was going to say no but when he noticed my hand on Hiei he nodded and then left without a word.

"We can go to my room and talk there."

I let go of Hiei and led the way to my room, the one in which I had stayed while under Ketaro's guidance. After Ketaro had passed, Naratu had decided to keep the room just as it was for me, so that I would always feel welcomed at this mansion.

I closed the door behind us and went to my closet as Hiei went and sat on the bed.

"I have to take a shower, get all this blood off me and since you are a telepath…"

I took my clothes with me into the bathroom and turned on the water. When I was finally in, Hiei decided to start the conversation.

Are you going to tell me?

Yes. I guess that Kurama was overcome with lust

Hn

Please don't do that. Not now when I actually want to have a rather decent conversation with you Hiei.

Fine. Please continue.

After I had talked to you in the hall…

I told Hiei the whole story and he didn't say a word. When I was done 'talking,' I was also done with my shower. I pulled on a black tank top and baggy black pants along with a pair of black army boots. I didn't put on any jewelry or makeup.

When I stepped out of the bathroom, I found Hiei laying on my bed with his eyes closed. I shook my head and went and stood next to him. I was just about to jump on him when he opened one eye and looked at me.

"We will sort this out when we get back, but if I can remember, you invited me to dinner," he said.

I shrugged as he got up. We both went down stairs to the dining room where Naratu and his students were waiting for us. Hiei and I took our seats, on the floor because there were no chairs. All throughout dinner, I was asked questions about what I had done in my past. I was forced to tell the story of when I rescued Naratu and then killed his father. It finally ended up to where they asked me about being captured by Koenma and how it was being a Spirit Detective.

I glanced at Hiei and he didn't look at all interested in the current conversation, but he was looking at me and he seemed to be in deep thought.

No one had asked anything about Hiei and for that I was glad, I didn't want to explain what he was doing here or that he was a Spirit Detective himself. The dinner ended and everyone said goodnight. I told Hiei to go to my room where he could sleep and that I would see him shortly. Naratu had told me that he wanted to talk to me alone before I went up myself.

"Who is this Hiei exactly?" asked Naratu.

"A friend. Do you remember that demon I told you about who helped me in that alley? Well, that is him. Don't look so concerned. Everything is fine and no we are not in a romantic relationship," I said

"Just be careful Shadow, I don't want to see you get hurt," he said

I nodded and told him goodnight. I then went up to my room, to find Hiei in my bed but he wasn't asleep. I went to the other side of the bed and got in.

"Do they know where we are?" I asked Hiei.

"No, I came on my own accord."

"You know that we are probably going to be punished for this…"

"Hn"

There was some silence and I was about to close my eyes when Hiei spoke

"Kage, I will be there for you from now on. You spoke the truth when you said that Koenma won't give you another punishment," he said

I smiled and turned to him and scooted closer. I then kissed him on his cheek and said thank you. I then tried to move over to the other side of the bed but Hiei grabbed me around the waist and pulled me against him and just held me, and like that we fell asleep.

You would think that I would have been squeamish about things such as this after my experience with Kurama but strangely enough, it didn't bother me around Hiei, and I was actually happy about it, being held by Hiei I mean.

Vocabulary:

Kumite: sparring match

Kata: sequence of techniques

Aisuhana: Iceflower

AN: I hope that you liked this chapter. I bet that most of you didn't expect these things to happen. I know that I didn't. When I reread what I wrote I was actually surprised. I write in the middle of the night most of the time because I cant really do it any other time but I am half asleep when I write and don't remember the half of it. But, I really hope that you will review because your comments are appreciated. Oh, and this is the longest chapter that I have written so far, six pages on Microsoft Word, YOSHI! (all right!) You know what? I want to change the name of this story...if you have any ideas please tell me.