Authoress here.

Oh, there are so many reasons why I shouldn't be posting this chapter!

1.) Homework

2.) Three Way Tie. I have people waiting to read that, and since only Jewel Valentine, LadyKatsu and FierceOne are reading the Yujo Chronicles (and if you aren't one of these people, and you do read, PLEASE REVIEW!) it seems a little unfair to post a two-to-one chapter ratio.

3.) Homework…DEATH TO ECON!

And yes, Jewel, I did put the History Center in last chapter with you in mind. ANY QUESTIONS? Heh…Eibseies…

And just for you, Ankara, this here will be the partial/ implied lemon chapter I promised I would put in…So be warned, all ye readers….

Yujo Chronicles: The Final Chapter
Chapter Nine: Guilty Through Association

Domino City, Kaiba Corp. Seto Kaiba's office

"Komiko? Katsu?" Seto frowned as the two girls entered his office, both wearing mirroring expressions of stern disquiet. "What are you doing here?"

"Seto, we have some questions that we believe you can answer." Katsu said simply. Emiko stood at her side, silently glowering.

"About what?" Kiamo asked, confused.

"About a business transaction that occurred two weeks ago." Emiko spoke now, calmly. "With a firm operating under the name Tsuyukurokai Sciences."

Seto's eyes narrowed; he was instantly suspicious. How would two, seemingly normal high school girls know about that?

"The reason we ask is this," Emiko said carefully. "They have given us reason to suspect they're very dangerous."

"Listen." Seto's voice changed subtly; now he was using the same tone he utilized when speaking at board meetings. "I don't know how you know about the workings of my private business, and I don't know how you can suspect them to be dangerous as you say. Would you mind telling me?"

Katsu looked over at Emiko, who stared back for some time before giving a tiny nod and turning to face the CEO.

"I do believe you will be highly skeptical," Emiko said softly, "but you must try to keep an open mind."

She raised her arms to shoulder height, and closed her eyes. Concentrating briefly, she held the position and let her Demon energy flow.

The potted plant on Seto's desk began to writhe and grow radically, quickly spilling vines over onto the floor. Large navy and gold flowers burst into bloom, giving off an earthy scent.

"What the hell?" Seto sputtered. Kiamo was giving Emiko a horror-struck look.

"I'm a demon, and the "company" you made a deal with kidnapped my mate!" Emiko's voice rose in volume as she spoke. Electricity, kindled by her aura, crackled in the air about her, and the lights in the office flickered. The potted plant now curled and slithered along the office floor, sending feelers up the wall and curling around Emiko's legs, feeding off of her power. As she stood there, anger and terrible fear took its toll: her pupils narrowed in animal-like appearance, and her irises slowly started to take on a golden tinge. Her fingernails elongated, and her canine teeth grew and sharpened.

"Emiko!" Katsu said sharply. Her own appearance was being affected by the large amounts of demonic energy in the room. As she had once been a conductor of copious amounts of power, her body would now retain energy if it were exposed to it. Katsu's eyes, turned pale after the experience, were beginning to take on a luminescent look, and her light brown hair was rising from her shoulders slightly.

The vixen demoness took a deep breath, calming herself. The energy faded, and Katsu gave an audible sigh of relief.

"What the hell?" Kiamo asked faintly. "What the hell are you?"

"Let us explain." Katsu said gently. "It will make sense once you've heard the full story."

Ice World

Ankara sighed, sitting herself down on the roughly woven mat by the side of the path. She watched her breath mist from her lips, and her fingers toyed with a frayed edge of the mat. The colder season of Ice World had started, the rest of the demonic lands falling under winter's fist.

Right about now, Ankara thought, a touch wistful, the elders in Kare Suronial would be blessing the children, so that they may survive the cold. She missed having a family, even though the woman who had posed as her mother for so many years was a kidnapper and had allowed the council to select her own foster daughter to be sacrificed. But she had been at least loving, and attentive. Quite unlike the other apparitions, who were as cold and distant as the environment they inhabited.

The crunch of snow underfoot made her tense, every muscle in her body preparing herself for attack. No Ice Apparition had left recently, so this was an intruder. Her ears caught the faint cursing of whoever it was, and she stiffened at the deep voice. A male!

He was still hidden from view, a few turns on the path down. But his pace was quick, and it would be a matter of minutes before he turned the final bend.

Her hand found the hilt of her katana, and she glanced around for her bow.

Damn! She thought, cursing her stupidity. She had left the weapon in her hut a little closer to the village. She lived apart from the others in Ice World, closer to the edge, but still it was too far away to retrieve the bow.

She inched her way along the ridge overlooking the path, and decided to ambush the intruder before he could recover and attack her. Although she practiced nightly with her katana, she had never faced an opponent.

A dark cloaked figure rounded the bend, passing almost directly beneath her. Ankara hesitated, and then acted quickly. She sprang down on the man, preparing to drive her blade into his back.

The man was skilled. As soon as she landed on his shoulders, he fell with her momentum and used it to roll her onto her back. His cloak fell into her face, and she grappled with the material, trying to free herself and make an attack. Meanwhile, he whipped a sword of his own out and pressed it to her stomach.

Ankara threw the cloak over the side of the cliff, and swung her katana up. A hand caught her wrist, and she looked up sharply.

Hiei had her arm held fast in one hand, the other holding his blade next to her stomach. His eyes were fixed on hers, wide with shock.

"Hello, Hiei." Ankara said softly, releasing her katana.

"Hello, Ankara." He replied. She watched as he winced a little, apparently giving himself a mental beating for the stupid reply.

He released her and sheathed his sword, breaking their gaze and looking down. "It's been awhile."

"Why did you leave without saying goodbye?" Ankara pressed, her voice still quiet.

"I wasn't wanted here." His reply was short and clipped.

"You didn't know that."

"They threw me off the cliff when I was a helpless child. Why would they change their minds when I'm older and dangerous?"

"Who cares about them?" Ankara sat up, sitting in the snow, heart beating so loudly (to her) she was surprised he didn't hear it.

"What do you mean?" Hiei glanced up at her, glaring.

"I wanted you here!" Ankara said, returning his glare. Once she noted his reaction of open-mouthed surprise, she launched herself at him. He fell back into the snow as her first fist connected with his shoulder, and her second one found home in his stomach. He caught her hands and yanked on them. Ankara overbalanced and fell halfway on top of the fire demon. His glare was now two inches away from her face.

"I'm here now, aren't I? Idiot girl!"

Ankara's eyes flew open in shock as Hiei pressed his lips to hers, twisting his shoulder so she tipped onto the ground. He leaned over her, embracing her fiercely, not allowing her to squirm away.

Ankara felt tears squeeze out beneath her eyelids, and she wrapped an arm around the fiery man's neck, returning the kiss.

Finally, they broke apart. Fiery eyes matched dark ones, and Ankara broke the silence.

"You're heavy."

"I don't care."

"Me either." Ankara grinned, and swatted him in the face. "That's for probably bruising my lip."

"Weakling."

Laughing, Ankara shoved Hiei off of herself, and she stood. The fire demon did as well, glancing over the cliff edge. "So much for my cloak."

"Are you cold?" Ankara asked. He returned her question with a glare. She shrugged. "If you are, I've got furs at my home."

"Hn."

"Stubborn ass." Ankara said fondly. "Come on, follow me."

Three hours later

The solitary window in Ankara's one –room house let in a beam of light from the sunset in, and it fell directly into Hiei's face. He groaned, and opened his eyes. Rolling over, he ran a finger down Ankara's bare arm, making her shift in her sleep. As she did so, the sleeping fur slipped off of her back.

Hiei rested his cheek on her naked skin, enjoying the feel and warmth of it, and remembering the previous events of the day. He looped an arm about her waist, and let his fingers stroke her stomach gently.

He tried to fall back to sleep, but he found himself too awake. Slipping quietly out from beneath the sleeping fur, careful not to disturb his bedding partner, he collected his clothing and put it on. He was just sliding his sheathed katana back into his belt when he heard her groan.

"Hiei?"

"Hn?"

"Oh good, you're still here." Ankara propped her chin up on her folded arms, gazing at him. "I thought you would leave again."

"I will be."

"What?"

"But you're coming with." Hiei's voice was gruff, but domineering. Ankara smiled, running a hand through her pillow hair.

Rapid footsteps were their only warning. The door flew open before either could make a move to hide.

"Good evening, Anka-Oh!" Sekima dropped the platter she had been carrying, the bowl smashing into a million pieces. Sekima stared, horrified, at the man standing protectively next to Ankara, who was clutching furs up to herself.

End Chapter

Authoress here.

I thought this would be a good place to stop for today. (Grins wickedly)

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