Vampy: I am sooooooooooooooooooooo sorry! I didn't forget about this story, I swear! I've just been having a surprisingly busy summer. I had three weddings I had to go to (one of which I was actually in because it was my mom's wedding) and my 17th birthday. I'd like to thank everyone who has reviewed so far. *poses dramatically* You are my inspiration! You give me something to sing about! You boost my ego! You make my life worth living! Anyways, I don't own anything from Ghost Hunt.

This is a rewritten/edited version.

Gene/Ayumu/Mai in dreams

Dreams

Thoughts and Shi's P.O.V.

Jû san Yûrei means Thirteen Ghosts in English.


Shi slammed his fist against the wall of the now empty bedroom. The girl had somehow managed to find her way out of the locked room as well as the mansion itself, and had done so without Mara even noticing!

The man forced himself to take a deep breath. Anger would get him nowhere. He needed to think calmly. Mai couldn't have gone far. After all, the mansion was deep in the woods; just as he and Mara had wanted it to be when they first had it built. Far, far away from where any curious eyes would be watching. They could have been happy, could have lived a quiet and peaceful life if only. . .

Shi shook his head. He didn't have time to think about the past; right now he needed to think about what he was going to do about Mai.

"Darling, what are you going to do about that Taniyama girl?" Mara asked softly as she hovered over his shoulder. Shi slowly exhaled and rubbed his temples.

"Well, she can't have gone far. These woods are difficult to get out of if you don't know where you're going. But I don't want to risk the chance that she may be able to find her way back to the city. I'll go after her. You stay here in case that smart little boss of hers found out where we live. "

Mara watched as her husband headed out into the woods in search of their victim. A small part of her felt some remorse and sadness for what they were doing, but it was quickly squashed down by the bigger part that didn't. Soon she was skipping lightly down the halls of her home, giggling at the thought of wreaking havoc on any unfortunate soul who stumbled upon her mansion.


Mai was completely and undeniably lost. Since she had been unable to find any paths leading away from the mansion to someplace that may have at least had a telephone, she had used the tried and true method she's often relied on for difficult multiple choice questions on tests in high school. Eenie Meenie Miney Moe. Unfortunately, the dirty dish rag pointed her in the wrong direction and now she was lost in the thick, quickly darkening forest.

"Well crap. . ." Mai said out loud. She didn't like the dead silence of the woods around her. Speaking out loud helped to ease her tension, if only slightly. "Honestly, Mai, I thought your instincts were supposed to be helpful in situations like this!"

"Talking to yourself now, Mai? That can't be good for your sanity." Gene sniggered.

"Like hearing the voices of the dead is any better." She retorted, though she felt comforted in the fact that she wasn't as alone as she first thought.

"Snippy snippy little missy." Mai could practically see the grin that could be heard in her friend's words. "What made you think that the Eenie Meanie game would help you get out of the woods? It never helped you on your tests either!"

Mai looked down at the ground, a faint blush on her cheek. She frowned at the untied laces of her right shoe and knelt down to fix them, ignoring Gene's observation of her failure.

"Mai, this isn't the time to get sheepish. We have to get you back to Oliver. And," Gene dragged out the word until Mai wondered if maybe he had forgotten how he was even going to end the thought, "back to Takigawa."

Mai immediately stood up, stalking off in a random direction as if it would get her away from the dead boy inside her head. "Jealous?"

Gene paused before chuckling. "I don't have any interest in Takigawa."

The girl laughed at his reply, shaking her head since she knew that he understood what she was really asking. "That's fine, I have enough competition with Yasu."

Gene laughed as well before getting serious. "You should find some place to hide until morning. It's getting too dark for you to see where you're going and you could get hurt, considering how accident prone you are."

"Hey!" Mai protested halfheartedly. Then she sighed and found a cave like area made from tree roots to hide in, yawning loudly. "But only for a few hours. . ."

Soon, Mai was asleep.


Woosh whump. Wooosh thud. Woos- WHACK. "Would you STOP THROWING THINGS?! You're making a mess!"

Monk rubbed his head as he glared at the red head. "Seriously, what do you have in that purse? I'm lucky you haven't given me a concussion!"

"Just some cosmetics, a small mirror, a medical kit, a medical dictionary, pepper spray, my wallet-"

"Okay, okay! I get it! Jeez. . ." Monk turned to open a drawer in Mai's dresser. His face flushed as he pulled out one of Mai's bras.

Ayako smacked him again. "You pervert!"


Lin walked into Naru's office with a folder. He put it on the desk. "Oliver, I found the addresses Shi has had over the years and narrowed them down to the most likely houses in which he may be keeping Taniyama-san. Was Madoka helpful at all?"

"Yes." Naru immediately began reading the folder's contents, trying to distract himself from his racing heartbeat.

"I see." Lin watched the young man for a moment before placing his hands on Naru's desk and leaning forward. "Oliver."

Naru continued to read, not saying anything though Lin knew he was listening.

"Since we met Taniyama-san and found Gene's body, you haven't been as good as hiding your emotions from people. I've noticed slight changes in your posture and facial expressions when I'm around that seem to indicate you may have certain. . . feelings for me."

He watched as Naru stiffened slightly before meeting the gaze of the Chinese man. "Feelings? And what kind of feelings do I have for you, Lin?"

"You tell me, Oliver."

The two stared at one another, both waiting for the other to fold. They continued this until they heard Ayako and Monk return.

"I can't believe you looked through Mai's underwear drawer! Where's your sense of decency?!"

"How was I supposed to know it was her underwear drawer?!"

"You just should have!"

"N-Now now, Ayako-san, calm down." John's voice could be heard as he tried to calm the furious woman down.

Naru stared at Lin for a few more seconds before standing up and walking out of his office. "Matsuzaki, Takigawa. Did you find anything at Mai's apartment? "

Ayako flopped onto the couch with a sigh. "Not a thing. I doubt that this sicko was even there since we saw nothing out of place anywhere in her home. "

"I see. Hara-san, please make some tea."

Masako nodded as she covered her mouth with her kimono sleeve. John followed her to the kitchen to help her carry the cups out.

"What did you find out from Madoka?" Lin asked, pulling his laptop onto his lap so he could type out the information.

"The ritual Shi is trying to do is called the "Jû san Yûrei". It takes the ghosts of thirteen females and transfers their energy to the soul of someone who has died, supposedly allowing that person to be brought back to life. There has been no record of the ritual ever being successfully performed."

Before anything else could be said, a loud crash and a shout from John could be heard from the kitchen.

Naru stood up. "Lin!"

Lin whistled for his shiki as he and the others hurried to the kitchen. John was staring at Masako as she stood with her bangs covering her face.

"In the woods on the far side of town, the one who warms hearts sleeps in a cave made of roots. Hurry! Shi is close to where she slumbers!" Masako said before falling to the floor in a faint.

Every one stared at each other. Mai had somehow gotten away from her captor! But the warning in the message echoed in each of their heads.

Monk sighed. "Why can't things ever be easy?"