I forgot this in the fic, but if you're wondering how Kurome could just go around town with a tail and ears, she was wearing a trenchcoat, and a bandana. Oh & no one noticed, so I give a future spoiler...didn't you wonder how young Kurome. (back to Kurome's past chapter) ended up seeing all of her family dead except for her brother Akitou? so what happened to him?

nigens- humans

hanyou- half demon

kitsune- fox

youkai- demon energy

Chapter 16

Once they made it out of the town where no nigens could see or hear anything, Kurama and Kurome turned around. The figure that was stalking them stopped in his tracks. He was about 6 feet tall with short spiked red hair, and red eyes to match. He looked like a human, and you would think he was, if you couldn't sense his youkai.

"What business do you have with us?" Kurama sternly asked him.

"I want the fire hanyou." the figure demanded while pointing to Kurome. She glared at him, and Kurama protectivly stepped in front of her.

"I don't know what your business with Kurome is, but she will not be going anywhere." the kitsune assured him.

Then the demon started to focus his youkai, and charged at the two.

"Go to the temple." Kurama commanded Kurome as he slightly pushed her to the side, and summoned his rose whip.

Kurome ran off, and took shelter behind some trees.

'I don't want to get in Kurama's way, but there's no way I'm just gonna leave like that.' she thought to herself. She peered around the side of the trunk of a tree she has hiding behind, as she watched the battle begin.

'B class fire demon...' Kurama thought as he made a stance, preparing to dodge the attack.

The demon formed a fire sword, and slashed at Kurama. He dodged with incredible ease, and latched his rose whip out, giving the demon a good scar on his chest. The demon cursed something in japanese that Kurome didn't know as he slumped down so he was supporting his wieght on one knee. Kurama cautiously walked up to him.

"What is your business with us?" Kurama asked again.

"I'm here for the fire hanyou." The demon repeated.

Kurama inwardly sighed, this was getting him nowhere.

"Why do you want her?" Kurama questioned.

"She has power that needs to be unlocked, and with that power..." The demon began to reply. It was a distraction for his true plan. He suddenly hurled his fire sword at the tree Kurome was hiding behind.

Kurama quickly reacted, and lashed out his rose whip to stop the sword. But his weapon was not able to make contact with the sword. A fire barrier repeled his whip, and set the whole thing on fire. Kurama was forced to drop it as the sword plunged into the bark of the tree, immediatly setting it on fire.

"Eeep." Kurome quietly shrieked as she backed away from the tree. Then the fire escaped the tree, and headed towards Kurome's body. But her body didn't catch on fire, instead it absorbed the fire.

Kurama started dashing towards her, and reached her after her body was done absorbing the attack.

Kurome clentched the front of her shirt in pain.

"Are you phsyically injured?" Kurama asked her, worry pained his expressions.

Kurome didn't reply, but her grip losened up on her shirt within seconds, and the pain disappeared after a few more moments.

"I am now." she replied, giving him a half smile.

"Are you still in pain?" he asked her.

"Not anymore, maybe my body absorbed the attack because I am also a fire demon, and it just took a few seconds to get used to the power of his fire attack." Kurome told her companion.

"Are you sure you're alright now?" he questioned.

Kurome nodded, then ran forward ahead of him a little to show that she was in good enough condition to run and walk.

Kurama walked up to her, and then noticed that the fire demon was sprawled on the ground, dead.

'He put his life energy into that attack, but why?' Kurama wondered.

"Should we be getting back?" Kurome asked him. Kurama nodded in response.

They made it back to the temple and started to go back up the stairs. Once they reached the top of the steps Kurama noticed that Kurome was panting.

"You're not alright." he stated while he placed his hand on Kurome's arm. He quickly removed it and winced in pain as he examined his burning hand. Kurome's temperature was extremely high, she was a walking oven.

Then she started to slightly close her eyes as her vision blurred.

"Bloody..."she mummered as she collasped.

Kurama quickly reacted and caught her before she hit the ground. Then he hid his arms and hands underneath his coat sleeves to try and provide some protection against her extreme body temperature.

'Hiei!' Kurama called out in his mind.

Hiei appeared next to him within a couple of seconds.

"What happened to her?" Hiei asked, quickly analizing the situation.

"We were attacked, I'll tell you the full story later. First help me get her into the temple." Kurama told his friend.

Together they made it into the temple, and layed Kurome on her bed in her room.

"Alright, what happened to her?" Hiei asked.

Kurama explained about the demon following them, being attacked, and then Kurome absorbing the demon's attack.

"Then she collasped when we reached the top of the steps to the temple." Kurama finished.

Hiei looked over to Kurome, then back at Kurama.

"Go get some cold water, and a cloth." he commanded.

Kurama nodded then left the room.

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I don't wanna stop there but I'm sick myself, and I need to go to bed. I have a huge english project I have to work on this weekend so I won't be able to get the next chapter up until next week. sayonara