CHAPTER 6

"I'm feeling tired, Hiei," Botan said after a few minutes. "I'd like to lie down so could you please leave?"

He was ready to make his exit anyway. "Hn," he said, "But if you need me I'll be on the grounds."

She nodded and lay down on the bed. Hiei waited until she'd closed her eyes before he left the bedroom through the window. He landed on a path below the window. He righted himself and looked back up at her window. She had gotten up and closed it. So she hadn't been asleep after all. She'd just wanted to get him out of her room, not that he cared either way.

He took his eyes away from her now closed window and started down the path, his black hair and clothing blending in with the deepening shadows. The least she could have done was not lie, he thought. If she had asked me to leave her alone I would have. There was no reason for her to do that unless she's planning something she doesn't want me to know about. That conclusion sounded logical but he had no idea what she would be planning. Was she going to sneak out of her room and try to escape? If that was the case she probably would have told him. Was she planning on sleeping with Donovan? Another impossibility. She hated the guy. All well. It's not important anyway.

"She doesn't know what I really intend," Hiei heard a voice from somewhere close by say. "She thinks I just want her back so I can marry her."

Hiei stopped. Marry her? Is that Donovan? he looked around the statue he'd stopped by and saw Donovan in his office, talking on the phone. Since the man had left the window open Hiei could hear every word.

"I know what she really is," the man was saying. "I know where she came from and what she can do." he stopped to listen a moment. "Do you really think I'd marry her just for that? Come on. You know me better than that. Why else would I be tracking her down every time she snuck away?" Donovan snickered. "She is a bad girl. Why can't she just stay put? Doesn't she know I waste too much money looking for her?" he stopped a moment. "Well this time when I found her I got myself a bonus." he listened. "Well you know that pint sized demon that had the nerve to attack me for no reason? Well I found him too. My men have been keeping track of him but somehow he's disappeared and we can't seem to find him." he listened for another moment. "Well he wasn't very important to begin with but if he knows Botan then he knows the Prince of Hell too."

Prince of hell? Is he talking about that brat, Koemna?

"Well once I deal with that little ferry girl and that demon nothing will stand in my way of getting what rightfully belongs to me," Donovan said. "I should have gotten that title not that whiny diaper wearing brat!"

Yup he was definitely talking about Koemna but Koemna had lately opted to staying in his more adult form. Probably because he didn't want to feel short when he went out with his girlfriend Ayame. But how does this fool know Koemna? Hiei wondered. And why does he think Koemna's title is rightfully his? Isn't he just a regular human being? Something told Hiei he might have been wrong about that. Is he from Spirit World?

"Do not worry about cost," Donovan said into the phone. "Once I claim my rightful title cost won't be an issue anymore." Hiei saw him smile sinisterly. "All I have to do is get that little ferry onna to talk and things will go from there." Donovan's face returned to normal. "But that aside, how is your sister? I didn't see her around here today..."

The rest of the conversation wasn't important so Hiei tuned it out as he ducked back behind the statue and let what he'd just learned go through his mind. So there was more to Donovan than he thought. He was more than just a moronic human who couldn't let relationships go. He had a real reason for constantly searching for the ferry girl and it wasn't love. I should tell her, he thought. She has to know so she can keep her guard up. he glanced back at Donovan's window but the man was still talking about unimportant stuff so he got out of there and retraced his steps back to Botan's bedroom window.

When he got there he saw the light was still on. Good she was awake. He looked around himself to make sure no one was watching him then jumped up onto the window sill.

Botan was busy reading a book when she was startled back to reality when she heard a soft tapping on her window. Gasping, she dropped the book onto the floor and shot a glance at the window, expecting to see something sinister. Well the shadow at the window wasn't all that sinister but the glowing red eyes still gave her a start. When she realized who it was her heart returned to it's normal pace and she went over to open the window.

"Hiei!" she exclaimed, before she let him step into her room. "You scared me half to death!"

He smirked at that comment and slid past her and onto the bedroom floor. "I wouldn't have had to tap on your window it you hadn't of locked it on me," he pointed out.

"Well I didn't think you would be coming back so soon," she replied. "I wanted to make sure Donovan had no way of coming in here."

"Why would he want to do that?" he wanted to know, staring up into her face.

"You know," she said, folding her arms. "it's obvious."

He snorted at that. "Hn!"

That made her defensive. "Well it is!" she exclaimed.

"You're not God's gift to men, you know," he said, walking over to the chair she'd been sitting in and picked up the book she'd dropped. "Personally I don't even understand why he likes you so much." he went on, examining the book. "There are far better looking woman out there-"

"Hey!" Botan exclaimed, offended. "That's not very nice and besides, when did you start caring about how beautiful women are?"

"Since I turned eighteen," he replied shortly.

She said nothing. She'd forgotten he was that old now. "Sorry," she said.

"It's not important," he said, tossing the book onto the bed and turning to her. He put his hands in his pockets. "I came back here because I overheard something you might want to know about."

She stared at him. "What?" she asked. "What are you talking about? What did you hear?"

He wasn't sure if she'd be relieved at the news or disappointed but he was going to tell her anyway. "Donovan doesn't really love you," he said in a flat voice.

She just stared at him. "What?" she asked.

"Donovan doesn't really love you," he said again.

"Then why does he keep on going after me when I leave?" she wanted to know.

"Because he needs you for something," he replied.

"What?"

"I'm not sure," he admitted. "But I heard him talking on the phone with someone about Spirit World and Koemna."

"How does he know about Koemna?" she demanded.

"I don't know," Hiei told her. "But he must know him because he mentioned him by name."

She started pacing, biting a fingernail thoughtfully. "Are you sure?" she asked.

"Why would I lie about something like this?" he wanted to know.

"I don't know," she admitted. "Maybe you're jealous or something."

"Jealous?" he asked. "Of what?"

She didn't give him an answer, instead she changed the subject. "What else did he say?"

"He said something about claiming his rightful title," Hiei answered and shrugged. "I have no idea what he means but that's about all he said before he started asking whoever it was about their sister not coming around anymore." the koormine noticed the look on her face. "What? That part wasn't important so I stopped listening."

"Hmm," she said, turning away from him. "Maybe I should tell Koeman about this..."

"Do what you want," Hiei said. "But if that man is from Spirit World I won't get into trouble if I kill him."

Botan didn't know what to say to that kind of comment.

A/N

I'll stop here because I don't know what else to say. And the plot thickens. Now you know Donovan's real intentions. I wonder why this fic makes me think of the Corpse Bride movie...

Oh my god... I can't believe you people. I updated this fic last week and I didn't get a single review. Well now I know what you really think of it. If I don't get at least one review for this chapter I'm not updating anymore. I hope you're happy.