Fox: This story takes place sometime after the end of the series, or so I assume. I don't really know.

Kyff: You don't know when your own story happens? What kind of writer are you, anyway?
Fox: -growls menacingly- A damn good one. Anything else you'd like to say?

Kyff: -meekly- No.

Fox: Good. Now if I may continue...

Disclaimer: I do not own Yu Yu Hakusho. -sniffle- Or Hiei and Touya. -cries-

Don't read this story if you're highly allergic to and/or dislike: Shonen-ai, blood, death, despair, and complete and utter mush. Mwahahahaa!

Kyff: Don't mind her, she's just a bit...unbalanced at times.

Fox: -glances up from sharpening daggers- Hey! What do you MEAN unbalanced!

Kyff: -wide eyes- Uh oh. -flees-


CHAPTER 1:
Taken!


Damn fools, he thought as he flitted through the trees at a furious pace, putting ever more distance between himself and the rowdy party still going on inside Genkai's temple. The more observant of the Makai birds squawked in irritation as the passing black blur momentarily disturbed their safe, peaceful nests; most didn't notice his passing at all. Where do they get off talking like that? Hiei fumed. Calling me Mukuro's lapdog. I am no one's lapdog! Everyone had joined together to make fun of Hiei's position as ruler-in-training in the Makai, even taking it so far as to compare him to Koenma. He was heir to nearly a third of the demon world and one of the most feared demons ever to exist, a Forbidden Child, not some circus clown to be laughed at! Even Kurama, his most trusted friend, had joined the others in taunting him. The only one who hadn't said anything was the ice master, Touya. Not that I would mind being in his lap.

Hiei froze in mid-leap. Where the hell had that come from? He stood, balanced on a branch high above the ground, contemplating this unexpected thought.

Sure, he admired the ice apparition's complete mastery of his element. And he did have to admit that Touya was good-looking, especially as far as demons went (he'd seen some pretty nasty looking demons before), especially with those beautiful blue eyes, eyes that he could get lost in, drowning in the glittering blue depths...Hiei shook his head. Was he developing...feelings for Touya? He snorted in disgust. Impossible. Only weak demons and stupid ningens felt love. What he was feeling was simple lust, nothing more.

Are you so sure about that? a nagging voice asked from the back of his mind.

Of course I am! He thought back angrily. I'm the forbidden child, I'm not allowed to love or be loved. It just doesn't work that way.

But what if you're wrong? the voice insisted. Have you ever tried to love anyone? Have you ever allowed anyone to get close to that hardened heart of yours, Hiei?

No, he admitted.

Why not?

Hiei sighed. That was a good question. Why hadn't he ever allowed anyone to get close? He supposed it was because he was afraid of being hurt the way he was when he was thrown off the floating koorime island. Not physically, of course. He could handle any amount of physical pain. It was the emotional hurt that had destroyed him, left him untrusting of the world, uncaring of anyone but himself and his sister.

Ah, Yukina. If I could tell you who I am, could you help batter down this stone barrier around my heart? he mused. Is it possible for me to love? Am I capable of willingly producing such a weakness?

Without warning, a heavy weight slammed into his back. Hiei grunted in surprise as he slipped from the branch, already mentally berating himself for his carelessness. He should have noticed any approaching demon from miles away, but he had failed and let his concentration wander elsewhere. This is why you aren't supposed to feel any emotions, you idiot!

Hiei somersaulted in the air and landed deftly on his feet, immediately falling into a fighting stance. He looked up at the branch where he had been only moments before. In his place stood an ugly demon with purple-gray skin, stringy brown hair, and a misshapen face filled with malice. Two more demons leapt out of the bushes to his right, different from the one on the branch above but equally ugly, brandishing sharp knives. Three more appeared out of the bushes to his left, and together they formed a circle around him. So, he thought with amusement, six against one. This looks promising.

His sword, broken yet again in his most recent fight, was being repaired, so he had no weapons other than his own demonic powers. Gathering his ki, he focused it into one hand to prepare his sword of the darkness flame. To his complete shock, nothing happened. He looked down at his arm and saw a thin white strip plastered to the skin. Glancing at his other arm and then his legs, he saw more of the innocent-looking strips. Dammit! How could I allow myself to be warded so easily? His ki flared with his fury.

Angrily, he tore off the ward covering his Jagan eye. He hated to use it, but...he didn't have much choice. He didn't have the patience to beat all of the demons into submission, and he wanted to find out why they were attacking him. Any half-sane demon without a death wish knew to stay far away from Hiei and his nasty temper. He opened his Jagan eye slightly, but slammed it shut again as he felt a blinding pain shoot through his entire body like lightning.

Oh...gods... he thought. What in the hell was that? Deciding to try the direct approach, Hiei flitted over to the nearest demon and broke his neck with one blow to the face. He took out three more before the leader, laughing, snapped his fingers. The wards tightened against his skin and the forest swam in front of his eyes.

What is...this? Hiei was thoroughly confused. Luckily he didn't have time to contemplate the strange wards because in the next instant everything went black.

Touya bid his friends a last farewell just as the sun was beginning to set and stepped into the portal leading to the Makai. He had not been able to take much enjoyment from the party since Hiei left, and he finally decided it would be best if he returned to his home in the demon world before he ruined anyone else's night with his gloomy mood. He could celebrate the winter solstice elsewhere.

In truth, he was quite worried about the little fire demon. He had stormed out nearly an hour before, an expression of wicked anger on his handsome features. Touya knew the others did not mean any harm by their teasing, but he could also see that Hiei had not handled it well. Unlike most demons, Touya had another kind of power--empathy, the ability to sense emotions--coupled with his spirit awareness. He generally kept this ability a secret. It had saved his life more than once, and he was unwilling to give up such a useful defense. He felt the power of Hiei's rage when he left, and was afraid he would get into trouble. Angry demons were not known for their caution, and the winter solstice had the odd effect of amplifying already strong emotions in demons.

That was another reason Touya left. His feelings for Hiei were so intense that it hurt.

He was deep in the heart of a Makai forest when he felt Hiei's ki flare up in anger and--fear? No, not quite fear, but he did sense some unease. Hiei, what have you gotten yourself into now? He debated whether or not to turn and go in the direction he felt Hiei's ki coming from, but thought better of it. He will only think I am a nuisance. I am sure he can handle it, he decided. The ice master had taken only a few steps when he felt something that made his blood run cold. He felt a flash of agony from Hiei, followed by confusion, and then...nothing.

"Oh, no," he whispered. "Hiei!"

Touya bolted through the forest, unsure of whether or not he was going the right way because he could no longer feel Hiei's energy. He felt nothing. He felt nothing at all from the fire demon, and it scared him.

He could well imagine what had happened. Hiei was furious at his teammates for picking on him. He wouldn't bother fighting them because most of them were drunk, and it would have been a pitiful fight. Touya had actually had very little to drink, but he, of course, had not been part of the group taunting Hiei. He would never willingly hurt Hiei in such a way. Finding no suitable way to release his anger among his teammates, Hiei left for the Makai, and tangled with the first demon he found.

And judging by what he found in the clearing, Touya was willing to say that Hiei had lost. Shattered branches and shredded leaves were everywhere. Still with death, four hideous demons were twisted into unnatural positions on the ground. Blood was splattered on the trees.

A flash of white caught his eye. Stepping gingerly over the carnage, Touya knelt down and picked up the small cloth. Is this a ward? He wondered. He brought the cloth to his nose and inhaled. It was definitely Hiei's scent, the unmistakable mixture of trees and wind, but he found no other traces of the demon. Why would Hiei be wandering around without one of his wards? Unless...unless he had been carried off while he was trying to use his Jagan eye or his dragon. Dammit, Hiei, I had better be wrong about this!

Touya stood and closed his eyes, sending his awareness out into the surrounding forest. He searched for several minutes without finding a single demon. How unusual, he thought. I don't even sense any low-class demons, and they are usually numerous enough to be a plague.

He finally found what he was looking for when a faint trace of Hiei's ki reached his senses. He was unconscious, so it was hard to judge how injured he was. Hiei's body was moving away at a rapid pace, so Touya was certain that he was being carried, yet he did not sense any other demons. They must be masking their ki, he decided. But what would they want with Hiei?

He sighed and opened his eyes. He had to get moving or else he would lose them.

Relax. Hiei will be fine. He is a strong demon, he told himself in the hopes of quelling the knot of fear that weighed heavily in his stomach. As he set off at a ground-eating lope, Touya wondered again about the identities of Hiei's captors and their hidden plans for Hiei. I only hope that I do not find him too late.