Sry for the long wait. School is keeping me from writing, I'm currently pissed off at my karate instructor, and I'm exhausted. Please forgive me. Hope you enjoy. And review!

Chapter 13: Just Beyond Reach

"Kurenai!" yelled Hiei when he was inside the abandoned warehouse which served as the Black Hearts' studio. 'Where is she?' He looked around, but found no one. He didn't sense her here. 'Rumaru said Shinya would be waiting. But where!' The apparition started cursing himself for blacking out earlier. Halfway through his stream of self-pity, a picture flashed in his mind. It was of a building, one he recognized as the Underworld. He had followed Kurama and the others there when they went to see Kurenai. Without dwelling anymore on it, he ran off in the direction of the club.


Yusuke pulled his head back into the room from the open window. "I don't see her." he told Kuwabara and Kurama. "She must've woken up and left after Kurama checked on her." The taller human plopped on the bed. "Why did the shrimp run off so quickly? We don't even know where she went." The spirit fox picked up the letter Hiei had dropped.

Yoko,

I'm sorry you and the others got mixed up in all of this. Rumaru is my problem and I dragged you into it. Sanzo has already suffered because of me. I do not want any more pain to come to the people I care about. Godfather, you did not let my father down in your promise to protect me. This was my decision, not yours. Please forgive me.

Kurenai

Fear swirled inside him, mixed with his swelling anger. 'Damn that girl! She's trying to take matters into her own hands.' Yoko growled. 'Don't get angry at her. She just doesn't want us to get hurt.' Kurama tried to reason with the fox. 'Kurenai still should not of run off alone. It is times like these that I wish she was more like her mother. Murasaki never would have done something this stupid.' Even in this distress, Kurama couldn't help but smile at Yoko's last remark.

A beeping sound had the three guys looking at Yusuke's jacket pocket. "We've got trouble."
Koenma frantically said when Yusuke opened the screen. "Yeah, no kidding." the detective grumbled. "This is serious, Yusuke! Another serge has errupted and this time it's not ending." "What?" Kurama and Kuwabara went to stand beside the detective so they could see the child ruler. Koenma calmed down and began to explain. "The demon responsible for this is no longer trying to hide his whereabouts. His power level is rising."

"Where is Rumaru?" asked Kurama. The fox knew that Kurenai was in danger and Hiei, too, since he went off after her. "Rumaru? Is that the demon?" He nodded in confirmation. "The signal is coming from downtown. It's from the cave where you fought Sensui." Koenma stated. "Wait up," Kuwabara started. "You mean to say that Rumaru is hiding out in the same cave where all of those demons almost got out. He's not going to try to do what Sensui tried, is he?" Yusuke shut the communicator. "Let's not wait around to find out."


"Ah, there you are." Shinya sat at one of the tables in the club. It was early and the Underworld was not yet open. "It would seem that Rumaru's plan worked." Kurenai stood perfectly still when he stood up and walked to her. He started to walk in circles around the komori. "Come on, cheer up. You'll like working for him. Plus," Shinya stopped and lifted her chin with his hand. Kurenai could barely keep herself from punching him. She didn't dare do anything for she feared her actions would hurt her friends.

"We can spend a great deal more time together." The dark blue-haired demon pulled her into a hard kiss. Now, more than ever, Kurenai wanted to knee him where it hurts. She cringed when he bit her lip, but Shinya was in a lot more pain as he met the blade of a katana. He jumped back grasping his right shoulder. Hiei stood in front of Kurenai. "You little..." He ran at Hiei with his own blade. The clash of a katana against a broad sword had the bat youkai covering her ears.

The two fighters were caught, blade to blade, each pushing to gain control. At first, Hiei had the advantage, but Shinya overpowered him. The fire demon was being pushed back. Kurenai searched for a place to intervene. She found her mark when Shinya stepped forward to push Hiei further back. The dagger whipped from its concealment to the komori's hand. She aimed and then threw it. It planted itself into Shinya's thigh. The demon cryed out and backed away.

He pulled the dagger from his leg. He glared from Kurenai to Hiei before he vanished. Everything was still. When Shinya didn't reappear anywhere, Hiei turned to the girl. 'Are you hurt?" he asked with a little sympathy in his voice. However, inside he was frantic.

Kurenai slowly stepped towards the fire demon. She didn't stop until there was a foot and a half of space between them. Before Hiei could react, the komori slapped him across the face. "You idiot! You could've been killed!" Hiei was stunned. He couldn't believe what she just did. "You're the idiot! Going off alone was foolish." he shot back. "I had to." she hissed. Kurenai wiped away a trickle of blood from her lip. "Besides, if you thought I was such and idiot then why did you come after me?" His answer slipped out unconsiously. "I was worried about you!"

It hit him a second later. 'I really was worried.' Hiei discovered why this girl made him so mad. He liked her, but wasn't able to show it. The komori abruptly stopped sucking her bottom lip. "You were...worried?" Like him, Kurenai didn't show emotions too often and wasn't sure how to react. Unfortunetly, neither of them got a chance to try. Shinya appeared behind Kurenai. He grabbed her and was out of sight once again.


Dun dun dun. It's a mini cliffy. Hehehe. I think I just had too much sugar. O well. Sugar is good for u. Review!