Inulover: Hiya, sorry it took a while for the update. I really seem to have issues with starting a chapter. Hmm, my review went back down to three wonderful people. Did others not like the fight? It is action/adventure people with drama, not a love story. Though I do have more fluff in some chapters then others. Oh well.

-Review answers-

Volpi Di Spirito: glad you liked the tree shields (smile) update wasn't very soon, sorry. But hope ya like this chapter.

DragonFlyr: lol. You want it? Well then you'll like this chapter (smile) you'll see what becomes of the pendent now.

Nightshadow131: I Know, I had to put him in though, lol. Haha, yeah, I finally found someone that'd help me. Oh, and Aphrodite is a guy (though you wouldn't know it by looking at him, Oi!) lol. Yeah, I "Eiri Yuki"isn't his REAL name, it was in the manga. Thank you for the compliment (smile) I'll try to keep it up.

Inulover: on to the story! (Haven't said that in a while, lol)

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The sickly fire demon writhed in pain as his body tried to fight against the acid still running through his veins, fever beginning to ware him down. Cool hands ghosted over the heated flesh, attempting to extinguish the fire raging in the small demon. Hiei relaxed slightly under his sister's ministrations, though his body still was ridged. Yukina had been able to keep the acid from eating through his veins but it still held power over Hiei and didn't want to let go.

Yukina sighed and went to the task of changing the bandages covering nearly the whole pale torso of her unknown brother. She unwrapped the existing ones, being careful not to pull the stitches, and cleaned off the wounds a little with some antiseptic liquid Genkai had given her before tightly wrapping him back up.

Two pairs of eight gleaming red eyes watched the maiden work from afar in the safety of a couple thick bushes and a shallow borrow. Sitting patiently, watching... waiting for the ice apparition to leave the Fire Youkai's side so they could capture the demon in his weakened state. Yukina replaced the black shirt and left the room. Time for the kumo to make their move.

In the Reikai a sly shadow was steadily making its way through Koenma's castle, searching for the artifacts room as it glided across the ceiling. An hour of searching later the kumo was rewarded with the sight of a large pink door clearly labeled artifacts, 'fools. They label things so bluntly.' He crawled down the door and through the crack at the bottom, beginning to look around the gray stone room immediately.

Cain found many things in his search of the artifacts room. Charms lying on oak tables for inspections, opened books on wrought iron stands and shelves. Swords with intricately carved hilts and strange shaped blades in glass cases. Jewels of nearly every shape and color scattered all over the room were the only thing that he paid attention to. Blues, greens, purples, reds. Squares, ovals, spheres, triangles, diamonds. None, however, bared the Kanji of Devil's Heart on them, nor did he find a "staff like pedestal" as his mother had put it.

Thoroughly frustrated, Cain scuttled out of the room to find a dark corner to seethe in. This little adventure was not going as well as he would have liked. There was no sign of the jewel in the artifacts room, but he couldn't think of where else it could have been stored. Of course, Cain knew he couldn't return to his mother empty handed if he valued his life.

With newfound determination he crawled across the ceiling, looking for a room that contained the jewel he sought.

The kumo noticed that the guard was beginning to get thicker as he came closer to a specific hallway. What could they have down that hall that would call for so many guards to protect it? Cain was going to find out.

Finding a door similar to that of the one he had been in previously he crawled closer. Four ogres kept guard in front of the tan door with restricted do not enter written over it. Cain found it hilarious how they marked every last door, and that their guard was made of ogres.

With stealth that only a spider could manage, he crept down the door. 'They are such fools, keeping their backs turned,' he scoffed in his mind.

The room was near identical to the artifacts room, except that this room held a darker, more malevolent feeling to it, where as the last had felt more magical and opened. The room held the same things, swords, books, gems, charms, but none were spaced freely. Everything in the room was chained down to the floor. Swords plastered in wards and in chained cases. Books on closed off bookcases also chained. Jewels in floor cases, wards covering the glass. It was all so foreboding, the negative energy so great it made the young spider nearly back out.

He didn't however. He stayed and smirked, small but long fangs showing. If there was any place in this castle were they could hide a jewel said to have come from the heart of the devil himself. A jewel of such a deep red that it shown black, this was it.

There was a staff in the middle of the room, the jewel at the top ... Black? Cain shifted his spot and the light bounced off of the surface... not black but red. He scuttled closer to find that it was no staff but a stone stand baring a skillfully carved hellhound. A beast resembling a Doberman, but the eyes were carved in a menacing glare, its body positioned in an arched curve as if preparing to attack. A pair of large stone bat-like wings jutting out of the creature's shoulder blades, rising up, creating a shallow bowl for the jewel to reside. A tiny wick poked out of the stone wing, leading into the cup.

The jewel on top baring the kanji for devil and heart, its color as dark as he was told. All was chained to the ground, wards covering the metal ropes. Cain reared back and blew fire unto the chains, burning the paper wards, melting the strong chains. An alarm sounded and he quickly stuffed the orb in his bag, grabbing the hellhound stand in his mouth and ran up the wall, resting on the ceiling.

Guards came pouring into the room, ready for attack with axes and swords, all looking around for the thief. One of the "brighter" ones gasped and pointed to the spot of the missing Devil's Heart. Cain took the chance to speed out of the room, knowing with pride that his mother would be proud of him.

The unbearable heat was starting to return, his arms were sore at the joints for some unfathomable reason. Hiei groaned and tried to shift to a more comfortable position only to find that he couldn't. He realized slowly that he wasn't lying down anymore, and what ever was against his back was cold as ice and rough.

"So, the little one is awake now?"

'That voice... what?' Hiei reluctantly opened his ruby orbs, focusing on the face of his fox.

His heart jumped when he thought that Kurama had come back. After noticing that evil smirk however, his fever-muddled mind realized that it was Yukita, not his beloved fox. A scowl settled on the fire youkai's face.

Yukita grinned, tracing a slender finger down the side of Hiei's face from his temple to his chin. Hiei roughly pulled away, wincing as the movement caused him to become dizzy.

"You don't seem to be feeling very well," she said in a mock concern.

"Where... am... I?" Hiei panted, mentally cursing himself for letting his voice sound so weak and raspy in front of the enemy.

"My cave of course, one of them anyway. I had Yutaka and Tohru bring you here, I thought that you would enjoy seeing what I'm about to do next." Hiei growled again and the kumo chuckled, leaning in close to Hiei's ear, "You and your lover will be together in hell soon enough," she whispered. Then she pulled back and placed a kiss on the small demons lips.

Hiei froze. Glazed blood ruby orbs widened, Hiei didn't know what he was supposed to be feeling; He was both disgusted and delighted.

The lips that kissed him were the same ones of his lover, the same petal softness and gentleness that he had become accustomed to. The same lips that he'd had the pleasure of feeling glide over his body; the lips that brought on whole new sensations and feelings he had never know before Kurama.

All these aspects, the softness of his lips, the light smell of roses that the fox always held, the face and body, belonged to Kurama, yes, but something was missing; his soul.

Hiei didn't feel the warmth that he always felt when his fox kissed him. The love that was always there, making him feel wanted... needed; it wasn't there.

"Hn, you should quit teasing him so much, Yukita." She pulled away and looked at her mate with a saucy stare.

"Jealous, Aracnus?" she said smugly.

"Ch, why would I be jealous of that thing?"

She turned back to her captive, chained on the wall with web shackles as he spit out the taste left behind from the kiss. "Now, now, what would your lover think if he saw you reacting this way to his kiss?" she said in that mocking, haughty voice that was grating on Hiei's nerves.

"You are not Kurama. You're a vile beast that needs to die!"

Pure rage shadowed over Yukita's features. Forcefully she grabbed Hiei's chin, her nails digging into the soft flesh.

"Watch your tone with me! I could kill you right now if I so wanted!" Hiei winced as the sharp nails dug deeper, "And you're in no position to fight me." The venom was clear in her voice, mocking and teasing tone aside, her eyes shinning as hard as cold steel.

"Mother! Mother!"

Yukita roughly released Hiei, turning towards the entrance to the cavern.

"I found it mother! I found it!" The excited young voice called to her as the tiny spider ran into the room with the staff in his mouth.

"You're back, Cain, good." She grabbed the staff and bag from him, dismissing her offspring. Cain looked mildly disappointed but obeyed his mother's wishes.

Yukita pulled the orb from the bag, inspecting it. "He found the right thing, I shall have to praise him later," she mumbled to herself.

Hiei eyed the jewel suspiciously as Yukita stuck the stone staff into the ground, and then placed the orb in the cup formed by the hound's stone wings.

"You've heard of how humans have sacrificed their souls to the devil to obtain their desires," Yukita spoke without looking up, her voice impassive. "This is like a short cut. By burning it I can get my body back. Of course, I'm not stupid, I wouldn't use my own soul," a smirk appeared, "That is where you're lover comes in." Hiei was speechless.

A sudden spark of gold shone from around Yukita's neck, drawing the youkai's attention. Yukita's smirk widened.

"Yes, I'm wearing the sutra pendent, and no, it doesn't work to dispel my soul as must have been your intention."

'Why did I listen to that old bastard!'

"Mother, please! Extract your revenge!" Hiei looked to the corner of the room, for the first time noticing the five spider youkai.

"Shut up, Tohru!" Zeta scoffed.

"What'd you say to me?" Tohru growled, ready to attack her egg-mate. Nakano and Inuki began chuckling at there female egg-mates display as Yutaka tried to separate the quarrelling kumo.

"Get a hold of yourself, Tohru!"

"All five of you shut up!" Yukita screamed at her eldest children and they immediately silenced. "I've had enough of this, and frankly, little demon, you've pushed me too far. Let us get this over with," Yukita said.

She bit her index finger; tiny rivulets of bright blood began to run down the pale flesh. She touched the finger to the wick sticking out of a stone wing. The flame shone the color of blood as it ate up the filament, igniting the Devil's Heart. Black smoke billowed from the top of the smoldering jewel.

The eyes of the hellhound began to glow wavering yellow, a pair of ghostly, tattered bat-like wings rose out of the intricately carved stone.

Yukita laughed as the devil began to take shape. She picked up the pendent around her neck with a bloody hand, showing it to Hiei. "You see how this did nothing? You risked your life for a piece of heavy costume jewelry and now I've won!" She cackled joyously as the blood began to crawl down the belly of the kumo pendent, filling in the kanji.

The devil dog stood high and proud in the air, black wings spread, pearly sharp teeth showing through a growling muzzle.

The Kumo pendent crackled with energy, emitting white light.

Energy Swept throughout the room, blowing wildly as both the devils and pendent energies exploded and collided. Black swirling with white.

Yukita stared at the ward around her neck as it began sucking in her soul. "It was the blood that activated it?" She screamed, energy blowing and snapping her hair and clothes behind her. "Damnit! Don't let the form escape!" A shrill scream tore from her throat as she gave her last order.

'It's putting that fox back in control!'

"Nooo!" Bright white light consumed her, blasting away anything it its path.

The white light faded, revealing Kurama on his knees as he looked around. 'I'm back.'

The large dog demon swooped down at the fox and he jumped out of the way.

"I want a soul!" the impossibly deep voice rumbled through the cave, he turned to the five spiders. Kurama took the chance to run to Hiei, freeing his unconscious love from his restraints.

"Don't let him leave!" Yutaka yelled to his egg-mates. Black energy soared around them, restricting further movement.

"I want a soul!" The devil bellowed again, swooping down on Zeta. The female screamed as she exploded, blood and flesh flying as the devil devoured her.

"Zeta!" Nakano shouted.

The devil began to fade back into its stone staff, the orbs fire extinguishing. Blood painted the walls as the black energy dispersed, Kurama and Hiei gone.

The four remaining young kumo stared at the remains of Zeta, Aracnus growled.

"Yukita was a fool for bringing that thing here," his children backed up from there father as he glowered, speaking ill of their mother. "Those two demons will pay for this," he said darkly.

Kurama laid his lover down on his bed, attempting not to jostle him too much. He traced the back of his hand across his loves feverishly warm face and frowned sadly. Hiei was in bad shape from the Death Tree's acid and was even worse off after that last incident.

Kurama wasted no time in going to his closet and pulling out a blue duffle bag, extracting a seed from it. Feeding the seed some energy he allowed it to grow into a small purple pod. He went back to Hiei and opened his mouth a bit so that he could put one corner of the alien pod in. He squeezed it lightly and a milky white sap dribbled out of the tip into Hiei's mouth.

Kurama made sure that Hiei had drunk all of the liquid in the pod before leaving and coming back with a bowl of cool water and a cloth. He dabbed the cool cloth against the heated face of his lover. Now that Hiei had taken the antidote for the tree's acid he would be fine, but Kurama wanted to give the demon some comfort. Kurama was tired himself but he wasn't going to sleep until Hiei was relaxed and peacefully asleep.

Kurama let his free hand grab the pendent around his neck. He had been able to see everything that conspired between him and Yukita. Had seen how badly Hiei had been wounded by one of his own attacks as he risked his life to get this tiny pendent around his neck. Kurama couldn't help but wonder where Hiei had gotten it in the first place. Kurama smiled softly, Hiei truly did love him if he was willing to go through all he had in order to save Kurama.

Hiei began to stir slightly and Kurama watched intently as those lovely ruby eyes focused on him. He saw how Hiei tensed slightly at first and then relaxed as his eyes locked with Kurama's. It only took looking into the emotional and currently sad emerald jewels for Hiei to see that Kurama was truly back.

He sat up slowly, ignoring the lightheadedness and his lover's pleas to lie back down. Kurama squeezed his eyes shut against the building tears as Hiei kissed him. Kurama placed his hand on the back of Hiei's neck.

"Hn. Baka," he said lightly and jokingly as they broke apart. Kurama buried his face into the side of Hiei's neck, letting the tears he had been trying to hold back fall.

"I'm so sorry Hiei. I put you through so much. Gomen nasi, I'm so sorry," he spoke with a shaking, watery voice. "I could see everything that she did to you but I couldn't stop her."

"It's alright, fox."

"No it's not!" Kurama looked at his lover in the eyes and Hiei's heart almost broke. "I nearly killed you, Hiei," he spoke softly; ducking his head down, his body trembled with the sobs he was holding back. Hiei lifted Kurama's face and kissed away the falling tears.

"I don't like seeing you like this, Koi. It doesn't suit you. Don't blame yourself."

"But it is my fault-" Hiei leaned in, kissing his fox again to silence him.

"I don't want you thinking like that."

"Hiei-"

"There's nothing you could have done to prevent any of this."

Kurama gave him a sad smile and wiped his eyes on his sleeve. "Genkai and Yukina must be worried."

"Huh?"

"With the way you were captured by those two. I suppose I should let them know that you are safe." Kurama stood up and pushed Hiei back into the bed. "You should rest, I'll be right back," he said quietly as he walked into the hall.

Kurama held his hand over the receiver, noticing how badly he was trembling. He pulled back his hand and held it to his chest, taking deep breathes to try and calm down. The emotional stress had shaken him up more then he had thought. He reached for the receiver again and called Genkai. No one answered, which he suspected they wouldn't, and he left a message telling them that he was back and that Hiei was alright and at his house. Even if his words hadn't convinced them that he was back then his emotional voice would definitely alert them.

Kurama placed the phone back and leaned on the wall, slipping down to rest on the floor, shaking. He wrapped his arms around his chest, trying to calm down. Feeling he could at least support himself he stood and went back to his room.

"Kurama?"

"You are supposed to be sleeping, Hiei."

"What's wrong? You're shaking," he asked, ignoring Kurama's words.

"Nothing, Hiei. I'm fine." He walked back to the bed and Hiei gave him a look that clearly said don't you dare start this again.

"I'm just tired, Hiei. It has been a rather emotional day."

"Then come to bed," Hiei moved over to make room for his fox to crawl in.

Kurama smirked and stripped down to his boxers, laying his clothes on the ground. He crawled in next to his lover, turning off the bedside lamp.

Hiei wrapped his arms around him and Kurama did like wise as fatigue finally caught up with the both of them.

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Inulover: And thus ends that. I rather like how this chapter ended up turning out. Don't be fooled though, it's not over yet.

Hiei: Like any one would even care.

Inulover: I am really starting to get pissed off at you.

Hiei: hn.

Inulover: grr. Whatever. Please review and tell me what you think.

Ja ne