Disclaimer: I don't own YYH or practically anything else. Though I wish I owned Hiei grins maniacally

Genkai's First Student by Toxic Tears

Chapter 7: Nightmares

For the second time since he had known her, Nikai's whimpering awakened Hiei, but this time she was still asleep. He walked to her side as she tossed and turned. Sitting on the edge of the futon, he stroked her hair in an effort to calm her. Nikai unexpectedly turned and wrapped her arms around Hiei's waist, jerking him of balance and practically on top of her. Hiei tried to get up, but she whimpered even more and held onto him tighter. He sighed and got in a better position. Untying his bandana, he opened his jagan and tapped into her dream. There was no light what-so-ever and it was hard to see anything at all. Suddenly he recognized Nikai walking through the darkness calling out various names. Hiei just watched.

Nikai had been walking for a while now.

"Somebody answer me damnit!" She was scared and couldn't admit it. Even as a demon who usually loved the dark, it was starting to get to her. She began to run, never bumping into anything. Suddenly a figure appeared in the dark. Nikai stopped running when she heard heavy chains clinking together. It was Sukara. She was staring straight ahead with her emotionless eyes. "Sukara?" Nikai whispered. Without a word, or looking away, Sukara raised her hand and pointed to the side. Nikai followed her finger and gagged as she saw something she never wanted to see. Hundreds of bodies, covered in blood and obviously dead. Some were rotting, but near the very front were the freshest ones. Nikai's breath caught in her throat as she saw who it was. The Tantei and their women. She collapsed to her knees but refused to cry. Crying out of pain and crying because of emotions were two totally different things. She turned to Sukara who was still standing there motionlessly. "You did this." she hissed.

In a raspy, unused voice, Sukara said, "Yes and you were helpless to stop me." The hollow-eyed girl faded away to leave the mourning Nikai alone.

After a few minutes, she slowly crawled over to Hiei's body and tried to wipe the blood away with her sleeve, to no avail. The blood that was dripping from his mouth and the side of his head only came out in a bigger gush. She looked over at the rest of them. Kurama's once beautiful red hair was no longer its normal color, but black with dried blood. Yusuke and Kuwabara's bodies were mangled and looked like every bone was broken. And the girls. The girls were the saddest sight to see. Keiko and Botan had been slashed through the stomach with clawed gloves, which Nikai knew as Sukara's specialty weapon. Shizuru looked as if she had tried to fight, for her hands were clenched into fists, but a sword was still sticking out of her chest and she hadn't had a chance. Last was Yukina. Blood stained her blue kimono in several places and hiroseki stones were scattered around her. Nikai stood up, not able to bear the sight anymore. Without warning, all of the bodies disappeared, but leaving the huge pool of blood behind. Nikai thought she saw something in the center and started to walk towards it. The sticky liquid dragged at her feet. It was much deeper than she first expected. Suddenly Nikai tripped and fell in face first. When her head resurfaced she spluttered and wiped it out of her eyes. A moment later she realized she was sinking into the pool like quicksand. She let out a choked scream that turned to a gurgle as the blood raised over her head.

The last thing Hiei saw was one of her hands flailing desperately looking for something to hang on to. He wanted so badly to grab the hand and pull her up safely into his arms, but there was nothing he could do. Suddenly, the dreamscape changed to a raging sea. After looking closer, Hiei realized it wasn't water, but more blood churning in her dream. 'What in her mind could have caused such a vivid nightmare?' he wondered.

Nikai felt something wet all around her. She opened her eyes and saw that everything was tinted a deep red. Realizing what it was, she opened her mouth in shock and the blood rushed down her throat. Swimming as quickly as she could, she broke the surface and gasped for breath. Nikai had never seen so much blood before in her life and her demon side was making her giddy. She started to laugh hysterically and couldn't stop.

"I have-hahaha-to get-hahaha-to shore! HAHAHAHAHA!!!" So she swam, never really getting anywhere because of the waves, and laughing the whole time. Suddenly a huge wave came up and dragged her under again. This time she didn't resurface.

The dreamscape changed again and Nikai was lying on some very jagged rocks. She coughed up some blood, but then sat up. Upon seeing a black-clad figure, she stood up. Walking over to Hiei (A/N: The dream one of course, the real one can only watch but can't interfere) she smiled. He wrapped his arms around her and she instantly felt secure.

"Wait, Hiei you were dead just a few minutes ago." Feeling a slight change in his body, she looked up.

"He is dead." Shoula said. Nikai hurriedly backed away, but not before he snatched at her necklace, breaking the chain. He held it in his hand as she looked on in fear. After a few long moments, Shoula closed his hand over the orb and squeezed hard. There was a sound like cracking glass and Nikai screamed in pain. There were more cracking sounds as Shoula shifted his grip and she knelt down, still screaming. In the real world, her hold on Hiei became so tight that it nearly cut off his air.

"Ok Shoula, you win! Now please, just stop!" she shrieked. Shoula stopped squeezing and smirked.

"I knew you would see it my way. Now come koi." He held out his hand and trembling, she took it. Shoula pulled her to him and crushed her lips beneath his. Nikai felt so empty, she wanted it all to end. She just wanted to die.

At that point, the dream ended and Hiei retied his bandana. He looked at the still sleeping girl beside him and then at the necklace she was still wearing. 'What is it?' His hand moved toward it, but Nikai started trembling again and he decided not to bother it. Instead, he pulled her closer and tried to soothe her by stroking her hair. In her sleep, she buried her face in his chest and breathed in his scent.

"Hiei, you smell like ashes and a forest after it rains." She murmured.

'Do I really?' he wondered. 'I wonder what she smells like.' He pressed his face into her hair and inhaled. 'Lilies, smoke, and...poison?' He sniffed again and it was definitely there, the faint smell of something toxic.

What's with that? I know, but this is a suspense story, so I'm gonna keep you loyal fans guessing!

Hiei: I hate Nikai

Nikai: walks in Do you want to get another beating?

Hiei: Hn

Nikai: about to punch him

TT: Now, now Nikai, holds her fist away you know how stubborn he can be

Nikai: Hn

Hiei: Stop using my word

Nikai: HHHHHNNNNNNNNN!!!!!!!!

TT: You know, that's not even a word.

Hiei & Nikai: Shut up!

TT: FINE!!! Please review everybody!