Author: Sorry it has been so long since I have updated, but I will be updating fairly quickly for a bit anyway, I have been filled with inspiration lately… LOL.

Hiei: Was it me again?

Author: YUP!

Hiei: What did I do this time?

Author: You kissed me! (blushes)

Hiei: (blushes and kisses Author again)

Author: I will leave you to the chapter and you can leave me to my make out session with Hiei! (kisses Hiei back)

"Kirana's telepathy"

"Hiei's telepathy"

Hiei's thoughts

"Hiei's Jagan"

Kurama's thoughts

Youko's thoughts

'People talking telepathically with Hiei'

'People talking telepathically with Kirana'

(Author's note)

---------Time and/or location change---------

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Chapter 32

---------With the Reikai Tantei---------

They hadn't gone far when Hiei decided to talk to Keiko. He knew she would be able to help him in what he had to do.

"Onna, I have to talk to you."

'What is it Hiei?"

"It's about Kirana. I'm not sure if I will be able to save her from her mind. She has been really devastated since Youko… well said what he did, and I know that this may just push her over the edge to the point she hides in her own mind. And I don't know if I will be able to save her from herself."

'Hiei, if anyone can save her from her own mind it is you. She loves you so much. I know that if I was in her position Yusuke being there would be the biggest thing for me. That would help me. Am I helping you at all?'

"Yes, but Kirana… well that word has been the thing that kept her separated from other people in Reikai. That is what has always made her different, and that has always stuck out to her. She doesn't know how to handle that difference. And she is different. I am too, but not to the extent she is. Most of the time a demon will only mate with it's own kind, but she has so many different kinds… it's like she is a melting pot of power, and that is not helping her either. Plus with the Jagan she will be able to hide better than most. I don't know if I would even be able to get into her mind to save her. My point is I am going to need help with this part of it."

'And asking for help is something you are not that experienced at is it, Hiei?"

"Not really, but if maybe you could help me, and mabey help me ask for more help… I just don't know what it will take to get her back… completely back. I don't want her shell, which is what I have had for a while now. I want her back all of her! Please, will you help me. I know I will need the whole team. She feels so… alone, but if we can show her that she has a family… even if it is dysfunctional and a little… well… strange, it is a family. We are a family. Aren't we?"

'Hiei… do you really think of us as a family? Because if you do… well I don't know what to say. I have always thought of the entire Reikai Tantei as my family… especially since I am so close to Yusuke and he seems so close to all of you, but I never thought you would think that too… do you feel that way Hiei?'

"Hn. Well, maybe… yeah I do. Kurama and Kirana have been trying to get me to express my emotions. Kurama said it would help. I think it is stupid. Emotions are a weakness."

'No they are not. You know every time Yusuke lets his emotions into a battle he fights better, maybe if you would let some emotion into a battle you would fight better… not that you need to fight better… oh that did not sound right at all… what I mean is maybe it would help you. I know it has always helped me. If you keep your emotions bottled up then it will only hurt you in the long run. Emotions are… powerful. They can destroy and they can build. It all depends on how you use them. If you use them correctly then maybe you can use them to make you a stronger person, not a weaker person.'

"Maybe… Thank you Keiko."

'You're welcome Hiei. I'm glad I could help.'

Hiei wasn't sure if Keiko was right, but he was determined to get his mate back. Quickly he refocused on the direction he was going and decided that they were close enough that a break would be a good idea. He slowed and then stopped running once again signaling Botan to come down to meet the team.

"We are almost there. We need to make preparations. We need to be ready," Hiei said to the group.

Everyone nodded and they all set up a type of camp so that they could eat before the battle. Hiei knew that the best form of strategy was to talk through what they knew about the enemy, but they did not know anything except that it was a water demon and a human. But then he remembered that the others did not know that. They all sat down girls on one side of the fire and boys on the other.

"There is a water demon and a human holding Kirana," Hiei told the rest of the Tantei.

"How do you know that Hiei?" Kurama asked.

"Kirana told me. But I am getting a strange signal. It is like there are two demons one very powerful and one only mildly powerful. They are in the right place to be where Kirana said they were, but I don't sense her. It is like she is not there. But it is also like she has never been there either. I don't sense any traces of her power like I would have since she used her jagan to contact us… unless…" Hiei trailed off losing himself in thought

"Spirit chains fool."

I know… but that means…

"They know how powerful she is. They probably know she is your mate and Youko's sister. They will use that against you, but remember if they know her power they will not kill her. They won't risk losing that kind of power."

But they might hurt her.

"Botan and Youko can heal. If she gets hurt she can be taken care of. Don't forget the ultimate goal is to get her back! Don't lose sight of what is really important!"

I can't let her get hurt!

"You may have to."

I won't.

"I thought you would do anything to get her back."

Not if it gets her hurt that is not saving her.

"It is if it gets her back to you."

Shut up. No one asked you to give an opinion.

"But you know I'm right."

SHUT UP!

"Fine."

"Hiei, are you with us now?" Youko asked. "Because if you're not we can always rescue my sister without you."

"I'm here Youko. And no one will save my mate without me!"

"Then stay out of your own mind and help us decide what to do! Did Kirana say what kind of demon she was being held by?" Youko asked impatiently.

"A water demon," Hiei replied.

"And a human, but you don't think he is human right?" Youko asked more calmly.

"I don't sense a human anywhere near here, so unless the demon thinks a human is good enough to hold Kirana somewhere else he is not a human," Hiei said.

"Okay then let's go in there and kick some demon ass," Yusuke said enthustically.

"It's not that easy Detective. We will have to be cautious. We have to make sure Kirana is not in the room, and we have to make sure the girls stay out of the way. I'm tempted to tell them to stay here, but if they get attacked in these woods… well saying my name will only make things worse. We are not yet in safe territory. We need to get them out of this forest, but that may be too close to the fight for any of our comfort," Hiei said quietly.

"Well then, I suggest we take them as far as the border to your and put them with some of your border patrol. They will no doubt follow their master's orders," Youko said.

"Perhaps you don't realize… my territory is ill at ease with the neighboring territory. It is a border dispute, so to put them on the border will not be safe, but to get them too far in and they will be too close to the fight we are about to have. This is my land… only it is being debated. They are not safe here, and to put them beyond disputed territory would put them in the clearing by the abandoned warehouse where we will be fighting. Leaving them with my border patrol will only put them in danger. They will likely be caught in cross-fire of this dispute," Hiei informed them quietly.

"Can we possibly put them at the edge of the forest?" Youko asked.

"If they stay low quiet and do not move yes, but I have a feeling that between Botan and Keiko they will not be able to remain quiet enough. Yukina is used to being hunted, I know if we told them the danger they would be cautious, but I don't think it wise to scare them," Hiei said.

"You're right if we tell them the danger we are in they would be spooked and be more likely to jump at a noise when they would need to be quiet and not move. What if we told them not to make a sound and not to move no matter what because we do now enough about this enemy? Do you think that would keep them quiet?" Youko asked.

"Do you want to chance it? I would if Yukina was separate from the other two," Hiei said.

"Keiko and Botan would not like that," Yusuke said.

"You can't leave my snow princess alone," Kuwabara said.

"She would be safer that way, she would not move, I know her. She would remain calm," Hiei rationalized.

"Maybe she could keep Botan and Keiko calm as well?" Youko suggested.

"This is pointless… without their consent we will never know," Hiei said. "We will need to ask them."

"You ask then," Yusuke said.

"Hn, fine I will find out," Hiei said.

Hiei got up and walked over to the other side of the fire. He knew he would have to tell Yukina what was going on. He knew she would be able to handle it. She was more accustomed to Makai. Possibly even the Kato Onna, but he was not sure about the human. She had seemed calm during all of their tasks in the past, but whether or not she would be ok being caught in the crossfire of a demonic dispute he was unsure.

"We are not safe here, but if you three can stay quiet you will be safe on the edge of the forest. You cannot move or make any noise no matter what. Will you be able to do this?" Hiei asked.

"I can Onii-san," Yukina answered right away.

"Well, if I will be able to see the battle I will be able to remain calm," Keiko said.

"I will be fine if I know what is going on," Botan replied.

"Even if the enemy comes up behind your hiding place?" Hiei asked gauging their reaction.

"I will not move from a safe place Onii-san, you know that," Yukina answered quickly but quietly.

"I am used to the enemy sneaking up behind, I will refrain from yelling to you to protect Keiko and Yukina however," Botan answered.

"I would be ok if Yukina and Botan were with me," Keiko said reaching out to hold the other two girls hands.

"Very well. We will set up a safe place for the three of you. You will be together, and you must not make a sound or say a word. Demons have very good hearing, and will be attracted to three defenseless females," Hiei said and walked away.

"Don't speak back Yukina, but I think you should know the gravity of the situation. My territory is in a border dispute with the neighboring territory. We are in disputed land; most of this forest is disputed land. It is rightfully mine, but I cannot protect you in it, because it is disputed. This is why the three of you must remain quiet and still. You have to make sure you do not speak. And if you do, do not mention mine or any of the other Tantei members' names. It would be disastrous."

Quickly Hiei broke the connection to his sister's mind. He knew she understood, and he knew she would not tell the other girls of this newest twist in their rescue mission. He made it back to the other Tantei members and sat down nodding to show that at least that part of the plan was in order.

---------Twilight---------

The Tantei members had made a safe place for the girls and had placed them in it. They had come up with a plan to attack the warehouse, which was little more than a small hut. They would each enter from a different place. Hiei would take the back room and enter through the window. Yusuke would take the front door. Kuwabara would crash through the one of the walls. This left a window for Youko. They would each search out the room they entered and kill whatever was there unless it was the boss then they would call for Hiei so he could extract vengeance for the kidnapping of his mate. Once they had the girls safely stowed away, they crept into the clearing each one knowing what he needed to do.

They took a deep breath and attacked.

---------Inside the warehouse---------

Kirana was beginning to get frustrated. She was tired of being pushed around and beyond sick of the invasion of her mind which kept happening at regular intervals now. She guessed they were wanting to know if she knew when Hiei and the others would come and rescue her. But they would not get any information out of her because they knew just as much as she did, if not more. She didn't even know if they would all come or not. She knew Hiei would come, and she assumed that he was the one they really wanted, but she didn't know about the others. Maybe they thought that they could defeat Hiei, but she knew better. She knew they could never defeat her either. That is if they ever let her go enough that she could fight.

Her musings were interrupted by a large crash coming from all directions.

----------------------------

Author: Tee hee! I love cliffhangers!

Hiei: Me too! Can I hang someone off a cliff?

Author: Not that kind of cliffhanger!

Hiei: What kind?

Author: The kind that an author does at the end of a chapter. Leaves the readers wondering what will happen next because they leave it like I did.

Hiei: Ahh a mental game huh?

Author: I guess. Well please review people!

Hiei: Or I will have to kill you!

Author: Hiei! Don't kill my readers!

Hiei: sighs Okay I guess I won't kill your readers, but only because you are the Author and you could do some horrible things.

Author: Yup! Well review please! Ja ne!