Disclaimer: Okay, you know the drill…I don't own Yu Yu Hakusho or any of the characters. I don't make any money off this so don't sue me either! I don't own anything but the characters and the plot…so please DO NOT take them and use them as your own. .

Author's Note: Well the 2nd chapter's up. Hope you like it! Again, PLEASE REVIEW! I love you all verrrrry much!

Chapter Two: the Shadowmaster

Team Kereru's captain gritted his teeth as he shoved three of his next fighters into the ring. The announcer smiled and shouted into her microphone, "Okay… Ladies and Demons the next fighters will be Xiao, Rallis, and Vinson from Team Kereru and from Team Crimson…Team Crimson? Um…who's going please?" A figure in a dark purple cloak jumped into the ring.

She spoke loudly, "Just call me the Shadowmaster." She allowed the cloak to slip down and off her, exposing a well toned body. Her hair was long, jet black with violet streaks running threw it. Her eyes were violet as well. She wore a tight black leather halter top with tight black leather pants. Her black boots were high heeled and came to just below her knee.

Kurama almost choked on his tongue, "THE SHADOWMASTER? RIA? But, she's supposed to be dead!"
Hiei shook his head, for once in his life very confused, "That's a little odd."
Kurama shot him a look, "A little odd? That's strange as hell!"
Kuwabara just stood there, "Um…who's this chick? And why does it matter if she's not dead?"
"It matters because she was-is one of the most infamous assassins of all time! She was supposed to be human, but I seriously doubt that now," Kurama said vaguely.
Yusuke turned toward Kurama. "Well she could have never died in the first place…I mean if you weren't there when she allegedly 'died' than how would you know for-"
"But I was there! So was Hiei."
"Oh, never mind than," Yusuke shrugged.
"Maybe this fight will shed some light on what she is," Hiei said.

Vinson cast a fearful look at Godu, "Captain…um…I think we should forfeit, I mean we're fighting the Shadowmaster, what chance do we have?"
In one second Ria was standing on the other side of the arena, and then right behind Vinson. No one had even seen her move!
"Are you afraid of death? Hmm? Is that why you do not wish to fight me?" She whispered sensuously.

Xiao and Rallis took her movement as a cue to start the fight. They ran at her, weapons drawn. When they we're right behind Ria, she suddenly wasn't there. They stopped and looked around, confused. A light, but wicked laughter issued from somewhere behind them. They turned quickly around…and gutted themselves on Ria's drawn stilettos. She smiled maliciously and sent pure Darkness through both of her blades, and into the creatures on them. Xiao and Rallis exploded. Ria ran her small blades across her tongue and then turned her attention back to Vinson.

"Are you going to give me an answer? Hmm?" She purred seductively.
"I…um…ah…" Vinson stuttered, fear absolutely reeking from him.
Ria let out a laugh that was like poisoned chocolate, "Fear is such a delicious meal!"

She lunged at Vinson. The poor creature didn't even move, he was too frozen by fear. As she landed on him, Ria brought out her two stilettos and shoved them into his stomach. In the same instant she latched onto his neck and began to suck his blood. The more blood she drew, the more her spirit energy flared and increased.

"Well that does explain a lot," Kurama said, still shocked by what he was seeing. "So, Ria's not a human…she's a vampire."
Hiei shook his head, "No. She is not a vampire, her skin is too dark and her spirit energy doesn't have the same taint as other vampires'. She has to be Dhampir."
"Dhampir, what the hell is that?" Yusuke asked.
"Well that would make more sense," Kurama said, talking more to himself. He turned to Yusuke, "A Dhampir, detective, is the child of a vampire. The child is usually less powerful than the vampire parent. Though, in Ria's case I think that's incorrect. Dhampirs are usually scorned by the vampire world at large…they are usually slain in the cradle because if allowed to come into the power that they do possess, they are great vampire hunters."
"Oh," was all Yusuke could say.

Ria got off of the corpse that was once Vinson and smiled at the crowd. Vinson's scarlet blood covered her teeth and lips. She turned slowly and spotted Kurama and Hiei at the top of the arena. She smiled wider exposing her elongated canines. She then turned and glided towards the announcer.

"Well, darling, are you going to announce my victory?"
The announcer cringed away from Ria and yelled quickly, "The winner ladies and gentlemen is the Shadowmaster!"
Ria disappeared and reappeared right behind the announcer. She was about to sink her fangs into the panicked girl's throat when a soft voice rolled like thunder across the arena, "Enough, Ria…I've had my fill of your little games for today."

Ria's eyes flicked over at the speaker, the red cloaked leader of Team Crimson. A scowl appeared on her bloodied features, and than just as quickly, vanished. She nodded slowly and dropped the startled announcer. She then walked off the arena, picked up her cloak, but didn't bother to put it back on.

"Thanks," the announcer said to the leader.
"No gratitude is necessary. I stopped her because it's a hassle to get a new announcer in the middle of a fight, not because I cared about her feeding on you," the leader said simply.

"Now that is bizarre," Kurama said looking at Team Crimson's leader.
"What's bizarre Kurama?" asked Kuwabara.
"The Shadowmaster stopped at another's command. She is supposed to be impossible to control, and she shows no allegiance to anyone," Kurama said still looking at the red-cloaked figure.
"What if someone paid her enough? She is an assassin after all," Yusuke suggested.
Hiei snorted, "You can't pay the Shadowmaster enough…she'll kill the target you set for her, get the money, and then kill you."
"Whoa," Kuwabara said.
"Then how did the captain stop her?" Kurama sighed, "There must be something else at play here."
Hiei thought about this a second before responding, "Respect."

"What? You think respect is enough to keep an assassin like that loyal to someone?" Yusuke snorted.
Hiei shot him a look, "Look Detective, it could be a lot of things, but this is the most likely. Let's put it this way, if a fighter is better than you, don't you have some kind of respect for them?"
Yusuke nodded, "Yeah, sure."
"It's the same thing for assassins. The Team Crimson's leader is probably a lot stronger or better than Ria, thereby earning her respect. Hell, they could even be friends."
Kurama considered this, "Hiei I think that you're right, however I can't sense a single trace of spirit energy from the leader. The next fight's starting so we'll continue this later."
"Agreed."

Next chapter: The Lightbringer, up soon! Reviews and Rants always welcome!

-Zaren