Disclaimer: Sometimes Life throws you lemons that you can't throw back, such as the fact that I really would love to own Yu-Yu Hakusho but know that it will never happen this side of reality.

Chapter 11

(A.N.) Sorry this took so long! Thanks for waiting!

Yusuke's P.O.V...

Kira was like a barely contained forest fire, threatening to over run the people holding it in check. Thankfully, those people were Kurama, Yukina, and, surprisingly, Hiei. I stayed far out of her reach. I was that smart, at least.

The blond paced restlessly between the couch and the wall, I think she was on her fiftieth or fifty-first round. I wasn't sure though, I had stopped counting at thirty.

"Kira..." Yukina started softly, reaching out with a small, pale hand, "you will wear a trench into the floor if you keep pacing like that."

Kira let out an animalistic growl. "I'll kill them..."

She had been repeating that for the last ten minutes since she had woken up. It had been Hiei who explained what happened, since Kira seemed too enraged to do it herself. Apparently, she had been calm when he had gone to find Kurama.

That flew out the fucking window as soon as he had left.

Botan slipped back into the room, a worried expression marring her face. She had gone to contact Koenma with the news of the girl's death, and how we had come to know of it.

"What is it?" I asked her, eyeing the fire mage across the room.

The pink-eyed grim reaper replied, "I can't contact Spirit World, Yusuke. I can't get through. All I could see was static."

Kira froze as the words undoubtedly reached her ears. "Then I guess you are just going to have to go there."

"Hold on a sec!" Kuwabara protested. "If Botan can't get through, that means something's wrong. It could be dangerous or something!"

"Satomi is dead. She is dead because we didn't move fast enough," the blond hissed at him, "We were waiting for Koenma's go ahead. While Satomi was tortured and sacrificed like an animal, we were waiting for a fucking green light. I hope something is wrong up there. It would be only the beginning of the penance Koenma should pay."

"But it wasn't Lord Koenma's fault!" Botan yelled. "How could he have known?"

Kira's head slowly turned to Botan, a fine heat emanating from her eyes. I moved in front of my partner, hiding her from the priestess. Gold eyes bore into me, seeming to pierce my skin. I expected to start bleeding under her stare.

"You're right, Botan. It's not just his fault... It's mine, and Mizuru's...and Anexis'." Her voice was empty, as was her expression, but her eyes flashed with grief and self-blame.

"This is going nowhere," I told her. Turning around, I looked at Botan. "Go and find Koenma. We need to inform him of what happened."

"Uremeshi, are you cra-?"

"Can it, Kuwabara!" I shouted, cutting him off. "Kira's right. We were fucking around when we should have been going after these bastards."

"Then what are we going to be doing while Botan goes to Koenma?" Kurama asked.

I glanced at the kitsune, grinning. "Why, we're going to Demon World of course. I think it's time we paid these sons of bitches a visit."

"For once, I completely agree with you, Uremeshi," Kira said, sound saner than she had in the last ten minutes.

"Okay then, we're going to split up into teams. Kuwabara, you and..."

Forty minutes later... (Kira's P.O.V.)

The cave dripped with stagnant water, forming puddles that seemed to seep right back into the rock through various fissures. I tapped my foot in agitation on the limestone floor. I can't believe this. They sealed me in here. They magically locked me in a cave and then dared to tell me it was for my own safety. That I wasn't calm enough to go with them and not get them all killed. I sent another dart of power at the wards, watching the sparks fly as the two powers met.

Not even a dent.

"You realize that you are wasting time and power," a low voice commented.

"Shut the fuck up, Hiei. I am not in the mood," I growled. I had been doing a lot of that lately. Of course, I had cause. Lots of it.

The Fire Apparition stood up, stretching. My eyes involuntarily followed the line of his body, which was, unfortunately, aptly hidden beneath the cloth of his cloak. God, we were in the middle of a mystical murder investigation, and all I could think of right now was that I would much rather he have his shirt off.

Garnet eyes observed me as I stared. Shit. I looked away, blushing furiously. I hate my hormones. I hate them. They always seem to find the most un-fucking-comfortable moments to rear their little heads. Of course, I think Uremeshi has it out for me too. Why else assign Hiei to "guard" me?

Another stream of magic left my hand directed at the wall, stronger this time. It slithered off harmlessly. I felt my anger building back up to the boiling point. I faced the shields completely, planting my feet. Molten power coursed through my veins, pooling into my hands.

"I wouldn't do that, if I were you," Hiei warned.

I ignored him.

I hurled the flames at the seal, throwing my entire will behind them. The two powers clashed in a flurry of sparks. This time, unlike all my other attempts, the power didn't just disappear. It rebounded and shot directly for me.

A weight slammed into my back, forcing me to the ground as the reflected attack soared over my body, right where my heart would have been. The flames dissipated quickly, but Hiei was still pinning me against the stone.

"Get off me."

"I told you so," was all he said, not moving.

If I could have turned my head, I would have glared at him. As it was, I only replied, "Fuck you."

A moment of silence was followed by, "Would you, now?" My face grew hot, my body tightened. Damn it. I opened my mouth to make a really good comeback, but it died in my throat as I felt his breath on the shell of my ear. "Answer the question, Kira."

My heart jumped, beating like a trapped thing. "Let me up," I managed to breathe out.

Hands braced on either side of my head, he lifted himself up into a push-up position. I rolled onto my back, coming face to face with the demon. Before I could shove him off me, he eased his body back down, pinning me again with its weight. "Hiei... What... Why..?"

"You intrigue me," he whispered, face hovering above mine, "You're different..." Staring up, I found myself drowning in a sea of red, mesmerized. "Tell me stop, Kira...and I will."

It took me a second to realize what he had said. I... Oh fuck. Why did I feel like this? Why now? I didn't want to take the risk. I didn't want to put my heart, my feelings, on the line again.

But I didn't want him to stop. God, that was the last thing I wanted.

Lifting my head to close the few remaining centimeters between up, I touched my lips to his, sliding my hand around the base of his neck. My movements were hesitant, uncomfortable. This was the first time I have found myself in this position willingly.

Before my mind could even wander over the past, Hiei's mouth pushed at mine, slipping his tongue between my lips. He forced my head back down, stroking boldly with his tongue. I moaned, tightening my grip on his neck. He slid one hand down to my waist, pushing at the dark cloth of my tank top. His other arm took his weight, keeping his body from crushing me. A warm, pulsing sensation gathered low in my body. I arched to his touch as he trailed his fingers lightly over my stomach.

I eventually pulled back slowly, breathing hard, trying to think. We couldn't do this now. Anexis... and Mizuru... We still had to stop them. I had to... I just had to focus on that.

Hiei seemed to come to the same conclusion because he eased back up off me, rolling to the side. I sat up, licking my lips. "Um..."

"Don't," he told me. "I know."

I watched his face. It was as cool and expressionless as always, but his eyes weren't cold. They were alive with flashed of emotion and thought. Unfortunately, I couldn't decipher any of it.

God help me. What have I gotten myself into?

(A.N.) Please Review!