Author's Note: Sorry this took so long, and please don't kill me for the lack of Hiei/Saya interaction. The whole premise to create a friction and foundation of a relationship between Kurama and Saki. It will be bloody and hellish when the forces of love and desire clash...smiles Enjoy

Chapter III: Shadow's awakening

Kurama quickly made his way to the kitchen to find Tenshi sitting upon his counter cleaning her claws. Koi Tenshi was the woman whom marked him during their mission to stop Hiei, and she was also Saya's closes companion before she died. No doubt by the irritated and confused expression on her face he would need to explain something.

"Why is she here in the human realm Kurama?" she asked as her face began to crack under the pressure of unanswered questions.

Kurama sat down flicking his hair to one side as he replied quietly, "You know of the sudden power change in the demon realm. Well, it's been changing because of the incident with Saya and Hiei."

Finally he had been able to put these pieces together, and began to understand what is going on. The reasoning and cause of this all had to do with Ama and the dragon technique.

He continued, "It appeared that Ama contained the key to the prison of her father, the former great youkai ruler of the Demon world. The black dragon technique was created to destroy him, but instead imprisoned him. Now with Ama out of the picture, it was easy for his return."

"Understandable in our views for Shishio has broken his seals and now demons are uniting under his rule with a powerful general as his number one warrior."

"Who is that?" he asked curiously.

"Nobody knows his name. Many demons who served Yomi and Mukuro have died at his blade. There have been a few dying survivors who have spoken of his appearance. Dressed in black, he towers in height over his enemies. Fire red hair always sways in the wind with his piercing eyes glaring before his blade meets its victim. They also say he has a matching powerful jagan eye."

He pondered for only a moment on which this person might be until Tenshi changed the subject.

"How is Saya doing?" she asked solemnly knowing the truth.

"She lives by Saki now Tenshi, and with that name she has forgotten her past and is surviving," Kurama poetically displayed.

"What do you mean 'surviving'?"

"As a human she struggles to survive, to break away from human limitations. She is suffering, and I am trying to help ease her soul into this new existence easily," he finished calmly.

"So, taking her body and making love to her human form is easing her into a human life?" Tenshi practically barked.

Kurama sat down calmly with his fresh cup of green tea. Tenshi was reacting this way only because she marked him and he was to be loyal to her. Unfortunately they lived different lives, and his demon instincts in this matter were not as concerned as her own, and she knew it too.

"Tenshi, I've told you. I live a human existence with Yoko now. I care for you…"

"But like everyone else whom you've cared for, I will be shunned as well. It's real sad hearing that from you Kurama. Isn't there anybody you can relate to enough to love?" she finished.

He was only silent to that one question, because it seemed to be nobody could be loved by him nor could any love him without getting hurt.

Saki lied asleep quietly in Kurama's bed, her breathing shallow and steady. No sounds could be heard within the room full of roses of various colors. One sound though creaked its way through the exquisite room. The window's lock began to creak faintly as an invisible force slowly unlocked it. It was like the wind outside was moving the window enough to unlock it, but whoever wanted inside grew weary of the lock.

A dark shadow materialized at the foot of her bed, a pair of blood red eyes pierced through Saki's cover to find her fragile form. She slept humbly and peacefully as the figure moved ever so slightly to her side. Strands of fire red hair escaped the hooded character with his movement.

Finally he reached where her head lied. This whole mission bothered him. Seeing this human's face brought forth memories, images of what seemed to be another life. His jagan eye opened to this displeasure as he kneeled before her.

A soothing cold voice spoke, "Saya, Wake up dear Saya."

Saki slowly awoke in a foggy state of being.

In her state she replied, "I'm okay."

A devilish smile creaked upon his face as he watched her foolish human behavior. She looked so vulnerable there as her eyes slowly opened to face him.

"Open your eyes and rise to face me," he boldly stated to her.

Her eyes bolted open, and she faced the hooded figure in a complete hypnotism. This shadow figure reached out, and slipped a pale white hand underneath her head to lift her up fully. There she sat in a haze, facing him as he unsheathed a blade.

"Who are you?" she asked in a whisper.

He remained silent as he placed the blade into her hands.

"My name is Kurowa. Remember who I am and who you once were. Remember who wielded this blade in your name," he coldly stated.

Slowly he pushed himself away before she could dare protest. His young slender hand graced a feel of her soft skin upon her face before moving away. She seemed too innocent, but behind her eyes he could clearly see the fire of his mother, Saya. Her soul was buried deep within this weak vessel, and once she awoke her powers would awake. That is what he desired most from her, the key to the Dragon of the Darkness Flame.

"Kurama, I can't argue with you over this," Tenshi finished with a sigh.

She leapt from the counter and approached him quietly. Kurama sat perfectly still as he looked up to her. Her clawed fingers stroked down his perfect face.

"You're attached to Saki now. I can see it clearly through your eyes. Promise me you will protect her at all costs," she pleaded.

He only nodded as he felt her tear his shirt open, exposing the mark she had given him. Tenshi leaned in and began to use her tongue along the scar. The fox spirit within him knew what she was doing as he felt her moist tongue healing the mark she had given him in their night of passion.

"Tenshi," he calmly noted.

As she finished, Kurama felt her hot tears falling onto his bare skin. He knew he had unsettled her with this event silently. She never spoke to him again as she left his home to return to her forest.

Kurama's choice may have been painful, but it was the only way to live a peaceful existence. Even Saki could be anybody that he could love.

Thinking about Saki perked his motivation to check on the young lady. So, he removed himself from the seat delicately, covered his exposed chest and shoulder, and began his short walk up the stairs. His thoughts continued to wonder until he first heard that voice. A voice of pure ice, and even though he could barely hear it, it still sent chills down his spine.

Quickly he moved through the door to find Saki sitting up. The bedroom window was unlocked and open as the curtains blew ever so lightly by the midnight breeze. The fading scent of a demon surrounded her as she held the all too familiar sword.

"Saki, are you alright?" Kurama asked as he sat next to her.

All she did was silently study the blade in her small delicate hands as if lost within the shining blade.

"Some man gave this to me. He had red hair and eyes to match. He told me to remember my past," she replied turning to him.

She asked pleadingly to him with pain in her eyes, "Do I want to remember Kurama?"

He took her in his arms as she dropped the blade into their laps. Why would they come like that? It sounded like that demon general who was slaughtering their own kind. They had sent him directly to her, and they didn't even take her, but left her with Hiei's old blade. The same blade that supposedly was left at the scene of Saya's death a year ago. It was like they wanted her to remember her life as a demon, but why?

"Kurama, who is this demon named Hiei?" she asked through his thoughts bluntly.

A pair of dark red eyes shot open at the very mention of his name on such familiar lips. It felt like a dream, but why would she ask Kurama who he was in his dream. Something was entirely wrong with his vision, because it was too real to be just a dream.

Hiei rustled the dead leaves from his small body as he finally for the first time in six months. That was when the laughter of his unborn son flooded his thoughts again. It tore him apart more every time he heard it. It puzzled him why the laughter had returned after her death. Why would the sound of his child haunt his every move to remind him of her and the child's death? Hiei needed to see Kurama now to make sure that was a dream, and hopefully get some idea to this all.

To Continue…