Disclaimer: (looks up from drawing pad) Unfortunatley no one is around at the moment which is strange...(shifts eyes menacingly) but I WILL FIND YOU ALL! Guess I must do the disclaimer once again. I own nothing and am making no money whatsoever for this fic. (Walks offstage yelling: SEE IT WASN'T SO FREAKIN' HARD! WHERE ARE YOU GUYS!)

Sorry it took so long to update. Here it is and thanks for all of you who have reviewed so far. I love you guys sooooo much!

Chapter VIII

"Why wasn't I able to see how you got your scars?" Hiei asked. "When I went into your minds, I was supposed to see ALL the bad parts." Yumi and Aya smiled.

"Well...you see..." Aya began. "Umm, before you got to the part where we got our scars..."

"I blocked you out." Yumi finished for her. Hiei glared at her only making her glare back. "I didn't want you to see that, or have us go through it again..." she mumbled. She walked past Hiei and sat down on Aya's bed; Aya followed patting her sister on the back.

"All you guys need to know is that we have them and hid them from everyone." Aya said. "We won't tell you, or show you, anything-- AT ALL." At that they both turned their backs on them. Hiei cursed beneath his breath and was about to storm out the door when Kurama stopped him. He put his finger to his lips and motioned to follow him. Hiei was skeptical, but he followed. Besides, Kurama had a mischievous look on his face.…

Kurama tip-toed behind Aya and started to scratch her behind her ears like Yumi did when he had first met them. Hiei caught on to what Kurama wasdoing and smiled. He couldn't resist having a little fun with Yumi when she was mad. He thought it was fun to pick on her. Besides she was cute when she was mad. So, Hiei stood behind Yumi and started to scratch her back like he did in the garden the other day. Aya's foot started to tap on the ground as Kurama scratched and they could all hear Yumi start to purr.

"W...w...what...do you think you're ...doing..." Yumi said in between purrs. Aya was giggling like a child as Kurama scratched harder.

"Oooohhhhh, over, over, right there..." Aya laughed. Kurama was scratching both ears by now while Yumi was starting to rub against Hiei again, purring even louder.

"Nooooo...Stop it...I'll never tell..." Yumi whined. She tried to push Hiei off, but he rubbed underneath her chin. She stopped and started to purr again. "Dang...this is unusual punishment..." Hiei laughed as did Kurama.

"So, will you tell us now?" Kurama asked. Aya looked at her sister who looked back.

Yumi, they'll just keep asking. she telepathically told her.

Hn, I guess you're right... Yumi finally managed to push Hiei off so that she could stand up.

"Fine, fine, I give," she told them, holding up her hands. She turned to Aya who, by now, was standing beside Kurama. "Here's what we'll do. To save you the trouble," she pointed at Hiei. "We'll show you guys what happened."

Aya looked questionably at her sister. "What? How can I do it too?" Yumi sighed and rubbed the bridge of her nose in frustration.

"Aya, remember what I taught you last year?" she asked. Aya took a minute to ponder the question.

"Oh! Now I remember! Yeah! I can do it..." she laughed as she clapped her hands together. "But, you are going to guide us, right?" Yumi rolled her eyes.

"Of course."

She made everyone go to the middle of the room paring Kurama with Aya and herself with Hiei. "First, we need to...ugh...touch each other somehow for you to be able to see. The more contact, the greater the ability to see it will be."

After much debate on Yumi and Hiei's part, she and Aya finally came up with a solution. They had Kurama and Hiei put their hands around their waists while Aya and Yumi put their hands on the side of the boy's heads. They pulled their heads together so that Hiei's forehead touched Yumi's and Aya's touched Kurama's. That's when Yumi and Aya began to chant beneath their breath.

"Zieber, soma, zomb, sienta, si, niem, now the chosen time has come...let the past unfold..." they chanted this in unison five times without even pausing for breath when, suddenly, the room went dark. They all closed their eyes as they saw what happened.

She looked down at her hands, her once unflawed hands. Now blood trickled down her arms into the pool of tears and blood forming in front of her. She saw her reflection and was horrified. She didn't look anything like her normal self. Cuts flawed her cheeks and forehead; the blood flowing into her eyes making the illusion that she was crying blood. She cringed as she heard the whip crack again. By now she couldn't feel the pain anymore-- she had been hit too many times. What really hurt her was her sister's screaming.

"You bastards! I'll kill you if you hit her one more time!" Yumi yelled. Aya heard the chains that held her sister rattle as Yumi tried to break free. Yumi was chained in the middle of the room to the floor. Yumi heard Aya scream in pain as another whip was cracked. There was a thud as she heard Aya fall to the floor.

In the present time, Hiei and Kurama tightened their grip around the girls and grinded their teeth in frustration and anger. They couldn't stand doing nothing and only watching.

"Aya, what do you say we try a different point of view," Yumi whispered.

"Yours?"

"No. I mean something harder. A bird's eye point of view, but it will take a lot of energy. Think you can handle it?"

"Yes."

Jase hit Yumi on the head then lifted her chin and kissed her. Yumi pulled away and spit in disgust. Jase grimaced.

"You should behave more like your sister, a dog." Yumi hissed at his comment and spit in his face. "Oh, I forgot. You're a cat." he laughed. "No, a tiger!"

"Go to he---" Jase grabbed her jaw tightly keeping her from finishing her sentence.

"You just don't get it do you? You are under MY control. Not the other way around." Yumi laughed.

"That's funny. You're just scared. You and that fool over there," she nodded her head towards his brother, Adrian, "are just scared little wimps." It was Jase's turn to laugh.

"And why would we be scared of you? Maybe your eye sight has gone bad. If you haven't noticed, I'm standing and your the one of the ground at my feet," he said as he kicked her in the mouth. Yumi wearily got back up, her fatigue starting to show. She smiled.

"I wouldn't need to use magic tricks to bind my enemies' power." This made Jase mad, very mad. He was about ready to hit her again when he stopped mid-way. He smiled, an idea forming in his head.

"Hmmm...You know you're sister has plenty of scars and yet, you have none..." Yumi glared at him as he walked over to a stand that held their torture weapons on it. There was everything you could imagine from the simplest of knives to the most complex torture devices. He took his favorite knife, dragon sword, and a hot, flaming rod. He walked back over to Yumi. "You're an artist, aren't you Yumi?" he smiled a sickingly pleasant smile. He took her chin and forced her to nod. "That's what I thought," he said as he grabbed a pot and lit some fire in it. He and his brother tightened the chains that bound her to the floor, and then Jase began to work. Yumi screamed in pain as he cut deep into her skin. Aya couldn't stand to watch it.

"NO! Don't do this to her! I thought you said you wouldn't harm her..." Aya sobbed. "You said that you would let her go if I didn't say anything..." Adrian walked over to her and hit her in the mouth. She spit out blood as she looked away. He grabbed her chin and forced her to look at what Jase was doing. By now he had cut away, and was in the process of peeling off, the strip of skin he had finished. Yumi tried not to let herself scream in agony; she had bit down on her lower lip to keep herself from doing so, so hard that it was bleeding. He then took the metal rod, that he had kept in the fire until now, and put it on her bleeding flesh. Yumi was crying now, the silent tears falling quickly.

"NO!" Aya cried. "No..." That's when Yumi, with great difficulty, contacted her sister in her head.

Aya... Yumi's voice sounded strained.

Yumi! I'm so sorry; I should've told you before...I should've been stronger. I-I

Aya, it's not your fault. Listen. We'll get out of this somehow, someway. Yumi groaned in pain as Jase tore off and burned another strip. Aya, you have to be strong. It only gives them pleasure to see you cry...

But, I can't

For me, be strong...if I don't make it. Be strong for yourself, I won't always be there to help you sis...

Bu-

Aya. You can't trust everyone. Okay? So, please...be strong...

Aya sobbed again. Okay sis...I will... Aya immediately quit her sobbing and sat up straight. Adrian looked at her as if she were a different person. Aya only let silent tears roll down her cheeks like her sister's.

Four hours later, Jase was finally finished with his work.

"Ah, It looks beautiful, though I must say it was incredibly difficult, and I imagine painful, to get it to stay on there. You know, with your healing abilities and all." he grinned as he wiped the last of the blood off his artwork. "The dragon of chaos and pain. Rather fitting for the giving situation isn't it?" he asked as he took his knife and sword and strapped them to his belt. Yumi glared at him. "Awe, Don't look at me that way. You know that I love you." he smiled. Now, he was fixing a couple of mirrors so that she would be able to see her new scar. When he was finished, he forced her to look. He could tell from the look on her face that she immediately knew exactly what he had done.

"Yes, that's the look I was going for!" he laughed. She looked at him with pure hatred. That's when she spotted his legendary sword he had stolen.

"You know that when I get free, I'll take that sword you have there and cut your head off, don't you?" she didn't do anything to hide the hatred in her voice, but she did hide the fatigue. Jase drew the sword and held it against her neck yanking her hair back. Blood trickled from the spot where the blade barely touched the skin making Yumi jump a little and the blade's red gem glow with blood lust. Be strong she told herself, barely keeping it together.

"No, I won't kill you just yet. What would I be able to do all day? Let my brother have all the fun with his women? I don't think so," he hissed between his teeth. Adrian laughed.

"Why did you pick the stubborn one brother?" he asked. He gently patted Aya's head. "Mine will do whatever I tell her..."

"I don't know, perhaps it's because of the fun I'll have with breaking her in?" they both laughed as they walked out of the dungeon-like room. "Let's go to bed, I'm tired." they heard Jase say down the hall.

"What about them?" Adrian asked. The voices were getting weaker. They heard Jase's reply as he laughed.

"What about them!" they both laughed until they were completely gone. That was when Yumi finally fainted. With their magic gone, nobody held the chains anymore allowing Aya to run to her sister's side. She picked her up off of the ground and stroked her hair.

"I'm sorry Yumi," she said before she too fainted.

Aya was the one who finished breaking off the connection. Since they had both fainted, there wasn't any more to tell. Yumi and Aya were crying silently--the boys could feel the warmth coming from their tears. Hiei and Kurama also felt something else as well. They each felt something wet on their hands. They opened their eyes and looked at their hands. They were covered in blood. The scars on Yumi and Aya's back were bleeding immensely, almost as if they had just been cut yesterday.

"What in the--" Hiei said as Yumi and Aya opened their eyes. Normally by now the blood would stop flowing and the wounds would begin to heal, but for some reason--that Hiei and Kurama couldn't figure out--the bleeding wouldn't stop and the wounds wouldn't heal. Yumi let go of Hiei and turned to walk out of the door, letting him get a full view of the mark on her back. Blood ran all the way down leaving a trail behind her as she walked. Aya let go of Kurama and turned to her sister. She was about ready to make a move towards her, but she could tell that this wasn't the time.Hiei, however,couldn't let her leave like this.

"Wait, Yumi..." he began as he tried to walk towards her. He would've gone to her but she used her powers to freeze him in place to keep him back. "Yumi."

"You wanted to know," she said taking her hand and wiping some of the blood from her back. She walked to him and used the same hand to touch his cheek. "And now you do." With that, she walked out of the room only then was Hiei able to move again. He touched his cheek where the blood was.

"I'm going," he said as he sped off to find her. Aya collapsed in Kurama's arms due to the loss of blood. He caught her and began to treat her wounds. Later, he would have to clean up the blood before anyone else saw it.

Yumi made her way down the hall as fast as lightening. Right now she needed to be alone, away from everything and everyone. She hated reliving what had happened. She hated being reminded of how weak she was, of how she didn't see it before and how it took her so long to finally be rid of them. The only thing she could do back then was be mouthy and draw their attention away from torturing Aya. Aya had been tortured enough, it was Yumi's turn. Besides, she needed the punishment for being so stupid.

She made her way down the hall, ignoring the pain in her back as she jumped out of the window. She landed haphazardly, making her wounds hurt all the more. She ran into the forest and to the spring that she and her sister had found a couple of days before. It was a beautiful spring. It was a source of life energy for the planet making the water have power, energy, in it. It was only a pond, but after spending one whole night working on it, her and her sister had transformed it into the beautiful thing it was now. It had plants growing around the edges of the pond, everything from roses to wildflowers grew and there was a waterfall. It took Yumi the entire day to make that.

She made her way to the spring and threw herself in. It burned her scar from the black magic Jase had used so many times on it. She, painfully, made her way to the waterfall. The thunderous sound of the waterfall hitting the water made her ears ring as she got beneath it. She forced herself to stay beneath the waterfall, this way, her wounds would hopefully be able to heal quicker. That is, if she didn't die from the pain first, but it didn't matter. She knew from Jase that if the scar was left untreated and bleeding fortoo long then she would become extremely weak and then die.

She screamed as she felt another hundred stabs of pain shoot up her spine. She tried to lift her head up and succeeded slightly. She gasped at what she saw.

Jase.

It wasn't that hard for Hiei to follow Yumi's trail--trail of blood that is. He ran down the hall, following the trail of blood, and jumped out of the window. Since it was dark outside, it was extremely hard to follow her. He was pretty sure that he was going the wrong way until he finally decided to use his Jagan eye to find her. The Jagan eye was supposed to be able to find anything, but for some reason he wasn't able to sense her.

She must be near a great source of power... he thought to himself. He ran deeper into the woods, jumping from tree to tree in his desperate attempt to find her. She won't be dead, she won't be dead...she's too strong for this to get to her...he reassured himself. That's when he heard it--a sharp scream coming from his left. He ran with as much speed as he could endure toward the sound until he came across a spring. The water was blood-red. In the middle of the spring he could see Yumi's body floating, thankfully not upside down.

He dived into the spring and swam over to her. He lifted her onto a nearby rock and checked her pulse. He let out a sigh of relief and lied down next to her, catching his breath. The things I do for her...he thought as he looked at her. He checked her scar to see if it was still bleeding as heavily as before. He was surprised to find that the wound was healed, once again leaving only the cursed scar on her back. His mind flooded with the images he had just witnessed minutes before. Now, he could tell that he truly hated Jase and was glad he had killed him. The only reason he had killed him before was because he was an obstacle in his way. He cared nothing for the beauty who had ran and fallen on him at the time. Now, however, he wasn't so sure about anything.

As soon as he had regained enough strength, he picked Yumi up and made his way back to the house. Halfway down the path he thought he saw someone or something flash by behind him. He turned quickly only to find a squirrel scurry up into the trees. Shaking his head and reprimanding himself for being so jumpy he set off faster, jumping from tree to tree. He didn't even hear the quiet snickering coming from behind a bush down the path. As soon as Hiei was far enough a tall figure shrouded by a long black cloak emerged from his hiding spot.

"Ah, Yumi," the voice began. "You will never be rid of me that easily. You belong to me." With that he slipped into the shadows chuckling softly.

In Aya's room, Kurama was changing his shirt (it was bloody) when he heard the door open. Someone, with a squeaky voice started to call Aya's name.

"Hey, Aya. " the slurred voice began. "Come over here and give me some sugar...Yer night in shining armor is here baby!" Kurama finished changing his shirt and turned around. The person that spoke wasn't a person at all. It was an orange and brown weasel thing with pants on and an unlit cigarette in his hand. "Whoa! You are NOT Aya." it said as it scurried past Kurama. Kurama bent over and picked it up by its tail.

"Who, no, what are you?" Kurama asked. "And what are your relations with Aya?" the weasel looked at him as though he were stupid.

"The name's Kyo and I am her number one, main man!" he shouted in Kurama's face. Kurama raised an eyebrow and turned to Aya who was slightly awake by now.

"Is this... thing yours?" he asked. Kyo struggled to get out of Kurama's grip, but to no avail. Aya nodded her head.

"Yes, he is," she said. "Please, as funny as it is to see him held upside down like that, It's probably best if you set him down," she laughed. Kurama threw him to the ground making the creature, named Kyo, fall on his face. Kyo got back up and walked to Kurama.

"Ha, see that. She's my women!" he laughed as he kicked Kurama in the shin. Kurama raised his eyebrows and ignored him fighting the urge to turn into Yoko Kurama and eat the obnoxious creature.

Kyo snorted and jumped up onto the bed. "Baby, I'm back! I knew I wasn't there when you left, but I'm here now." he moved to hug her, but she only grabbed him by the tail as Kurama had done, making his face level with hers.

"Is that alcohol I smell?" she asked. He laughed nervously. "And what did I tell you about smoking?" she shook him and made the pack of cigarettes fall out of his pants. Again, he nervously laughed and avoided eye contact. Aya sighed.

"Excuse me for intruding on your...reunion, but who or what exactly is he?" Kurama asked. Aya giggled.

"In short, he used to be a human I met a long time ago." she answered. "But he made me mad, so I turned him into this." Kurama laughed.

"Remind me not to get on your bad side."

Hiei took Yumi to her room and lied her on the bed. She was wet and shivering, so he used his fire powers to heat her up and dry her off. Then he tucked her under the covers, putting the rose he picked for her on the pillow beside her. That's when the idea suddenly struck him. He ran to Kurama's room, hoping to find him. He wasn't there, so he went to Aya's room.

"Kurama?" Hiei asked as he walked into the room. He looked around only to find Aya and a weasel-like creature. "Where's Kurama?" Hiei asked. That's when he spotted Kyo sitting quite smugly on her lap. "And what is that?"

"To make a long story short he used to be a human, but he made me mad. So...voila!" she answered. Hiei raised his eyebrow. The short ottsel stood up from where he was sitting, walked over to Hiei, and held out his paw.

"The names Kyo and you must be..."

"Hiei." someone said behind him. Hiei turned to find a small cat-sized, dark blue dragon walking through the door. Hiei looked questionably to Aya.

"Shiva, you're here too?" Aya excitedly asked. The dragon nodded her head and flew to Aya's bed allowing her to pet her back. Then, the dragon turned to Hiei.

"So, you're the one who took care of my master?" the dragon asked. Hiei nodded. Shiva's red eyes looked him from head to toe; suddenly she flew up to him and landed on his shoulder. "I like you." is all she said as Hiei turned his head to her. Shiva allowed him to pet her long neck.

Aya smiled. "That's strange...usually she doesn't let anyone but Yumi or me touch her." Hiei smirked and he was pretty sure he saw Shiva, in a dragon-like way, smirk as well. Again, Aya laughed. "So, why do you want to find Kurama anyways?" she asked.

"Nothing," he said as he turned to leave. Shiva spoke up.

"He wants you to make some flowers for him." Hiei stopped and looked at Shiva. "You're not the only other one in this house who can read minds."

"Oh! I can do it for you!" she said as she jumped up. Hiei sighed and covered his face with his hand. Aya was at his side now, leading him over to Yumi's room. "So, what kind of flowers do you want?" she giggled. Hiei started to blush; he could've sworn that he heard the dragon laugh.

"Aren't you sore?" he asked.

"Umm...yes. But I'd rather do this before I go back to sleep!"

"Fine...I want roses." he mumbled. Aya smiled.

"What color?"

"That color." he said, pointing to the rose he had lied next to Yumi. Aya smiled again.

"How many?"

Hiei smirked.

When Yumi woke up, she could smell the scent of flowers all around her. She had her eyes closed since she was still sore from what had happened. She rolled over in her bed and hit something hard. She opened her eyes to find Hiei sitting beside her bed with his head on her pillow, asleep. His clothes were wrinkled and his hair was a little damp. Could he of...she thought to herself. She looked around her and was breath taken. Roses were everywhere. The most beautiful purple and pink roses she had ever seen surrounded her. They were beside her bed, on her bed, on the floor, just everywhere.

"He really outdid himself," she heard someone, a familiar woman's, voice say. She turned around to find Shiva sitting on her pillow.

"Shiva!" she laughed as she hugged her pet. "I'm so sorry I left without you..."

'"It's alright," Shiva said. "I found you. And besides, it seems as though you've made a very...close...friend," she nodded towards Hiei. Yumi could tell she was smiling. "He seems okay, better than the last." Yumi smiled then abrubtly quit, her eyes growing with anger.

"Jase." she hissed. Quickly, she turned to her dragon and asked, "Shiva! Tell me, do you sense anyone around the house. Do you you sense Jase or Adrian anywhere?" Shiva's own eyes gleamed brighter red as she tried to reach out for his prescense. After about a minute she slowly shook her slender head.

"I'm sorry, but I do not sense anyone or anything out of the ordinary right now. Why?"

Yumi sighed in relief. " Oh nothing, I must've been dreaming or something. Anyways, yes, I suppose he is nice...wait a minute! I'm not infatuated with him or anything!" she yelled making Hiei stir in his sleep. "Eeep, look at what you made me do!" she whispered. "So, how long have you been here? I presume that Kyo is here as well?" she asked quickly trying to change the subject.

Shiva nodded her head. "Yes, he is here and we've been here for quite a while." This made Yumi blush as Shiva's grin grew wider. "Why can't you ever admit your feelings...?" Shiva sighed.

Yumi looked at Hiei again. "I guess he is cute..." she laughed. Shiva flew to Yumi's shoulder.

"I'm no expert, but I think so too." This made Yumi laugh louder. Hiei stirred again, but this time he woke up. "I'll leave you two alone..." she said quickly as she flew out the window ignoring the death glare to her back.

"Hello Sunshine." Yumi smiled turning back to him. Hiei sat up and smirked. Then, remembering his surroundings and what he had Aya do, he blushed.

"Umm...Hi, what time is it?" he asked. Yumi looked at her clock.

"Six in the morning." she answered. Hiei sighed and lied his head back down. Yumi lied down so that her head was beside his. "Yes, I agree. It is too early." He lifted his head and looked at her.

"Are you really okay now?" he asked quietly. Yumi smiled.

"Thanks to you." Hiei blushed deeper. "Thanks for the uhh...get well flowers." she gestured around her.

"Your welcome." he smiled. Yumi cocked her eyebrow. "What?" he asked.

"Did you follow me, jump into a pond, drag me out and take me all the way back up to my room, then give me flowers to make me happy?" she asked. Hiei looked away from her blushing even deeper if that was possible. Yumi snickered. "Wow, you're in danger of becoming a pretty nice guy!" Hiei grinned and took the pillow out from beneath her, making her almost fall off the bed since she was leaning on it.

"Maybe not just yet." he grinned as he hit her over the head with it.

"Hey, I'm sore!" he hit her over the head again. "Ooooh. That's it! "She punched him over the head, playfully, making him drop the pillow.

"Hey! I saved you!" he pushed her.

"You hit me on the head" she pushed him.

"I gave you flowers!" he pushed her back.

"And they're pretty!" she laughed as she tried to punch him again. He caught her fist, so she tried to hit him with the other. Again, he caught the fist.

"So, what are you going to do now?" Hiei laughed pulling her to his eye level. She pushed him down, but he didn't let go of her as she thought he would. Instead, he kept his grip on her making her fall on top of him.

"Ack, Geez, don't you ever give up?" she asked, she was still on top of him-- her head on his chest. For some reason she couldn't seem to pull herself off just yet. She smiled. He's so muscular and well...hot. Of course she had her mind guarded at all times now.There was no way in hell she was goingto let him hear any of hercurrent thoughts.She raised her head so that she could see his face.

"Never." he grinned. She smiled and was about to make a snappy comeback when he suddenly kissed her. It was a quick kiss, only lasting for about a second. Yumi blushed even deeper than Hiei. "Sorry." he quickly apologized as he got up and was about to leave. Yumi was still stunned. "But I've been wanting to do that for a long time..." he said as he reached the door. He had it open when Yumi was suddenly in front of him.

"Hiei," she said as she turned and slowly shut the door. "You're an idiot." he looked away from her, but she turned his face back to her own. "That's NOT something you have to EVER apologize for..." she said as she kissed him back. This time the kiss lasted longer, a lot longer.

XOXOXOXOXOX

(dramatic pose) tada! Hope you all like! Sorry it was a bit late, but I had to make it all nice for you all! I love you reviewers, so review some more!