Disclaimer: I do not own Yu Yu hakusho
warning: this chapter is pretty depressing. Major Agnst warning. Character death. Light Shonen-ai.
The authors note at end of Chapter.
Song title: hounds of love
Artist: Kate Bush
Now without further ado...
page break
... it's in the trees! it's coming!...
Genkai looked at the boys with disdain. "So, I guess we can have our meeting now that everyone is here." Kurama smiled sheepishly. Hiei looked to the side. Yusuke began laughing again.
Botan coughed. "This is serious, yusuke," she began "there are demons on the loose."
"... again" yukina sighed.
"You mean other than them?" Genkai laughed, Kurama blushed and Hiei ignored them.
"Cough. There are 'things' running around killing people." Botan continued.
"Are they demons?" Kurama queried.
"Not sure. They act like them but we can't detect them. They seem to be after a specific kind of target. A... picky eater if you will." Botan began.
"How many are there?" Yusuke asked.
"Three... that we know of, all female. I'm very sorry, Yusuke that's all we know." She said to his upset face. "Just keep an eye out."
... when I was a child...
Keiko opened the door, silently cursing herself. She had forgotten milk. She turned down the sidewalk and continued to walk. She was staying at a neighbor's house. They had needed someone to house-sit. She always was a little creeped out by the house, but it wasn't as bad as she thought. She couldn't complain,she was getting paid well.
She stopped. Where was she? when she had left the sun had barely begun to set, but now it was so dark... and where did the fog come from? She stood surrounded by trees and completely lost. Suddenly, she was helpless.
... running in the night...
Dark shadows appeared. They were running fast. He couldn't wait. Hiei took off. They were fast, but not so fast as they should be ahead of him. They eluded him. They were nothing more than shadows. Could these be the demons? They felt so... harmless like leaves tumbling from the sky. He just couldn't catch them or see them right.
... afraid of what might be...
Keiko looked about. Something was coming. She turned. Terror entered her deep doe eyes. Her scream tore into the night like lightning and split the air in half.
... hiding in the dark, hiding in the street...
Hiei tried to keep up with the shadow. It flitted and flirted along and Hiei had become equally curious and interested in the shadow. The shadow stopped without warning. Not sure why it did so, Hiei stopped as well, was this fear? Excitement? The shadow began running again. He had missed his chance. He cursed.
... and of what was following me...
Kurama continued to run. He felt so calm running. He decided to go on patrol early on. Being that none of them were supposed to be alone, they decided to stay with genkai. Patrol was his escape from everyone fighting and besides that he felt Hiei. Where had he gone and why was he running so fast? Why was his energy so inconsistent? It seemed to be coming from all directions. Was he truly moving that rapidly?
... now hounds of love are hunting...
Deep breaths. Panting more like. Shadows flirting with the darkness. Shining perversely in the night, something otherworldly and strange.
... I've always been a coward...
The leaves by Keiko's feet shook again. Keiko stared, terror and curiosity flooded her face. Yukina stepped out.
"Oh my God, yukina you scared me." Keiko breathed.
"I noticed." Said yukina smiling. Her smile seemed kind of familiar, a touch twisted. The look faded. "I'm sorry I didn't intend to." Her face innocent now, Keiko relaxed.
"Wait... what are you doing here?"
"I am... not sure, I was looking for... someone." She looked to the side.
"Do you remember how you got here?" Keiko said with apprehension.
"I'm sorry Keiko... I don't." She lowered her eyes.
"Well..." Keiko started after a moment. "Let's find a way out of here."
... and I don't know what's good for me...
"Yukina? Why did you leave?"
"I thought that... Hiei might have been mad at me. I asked him something and..."
"He is always mad, yukina"
"I don't think so." Yukina whispered. Keiko looked back at her with slight surprise.
... here I go!...
Hiei took a breath. First he would catch it then decide what to do with it. He felt elation as he launched.
... it's coming for me through the trees...
Kurama felt an unfamiliar presence near him. Then it was gone as if it had never been. Then he felt Hiei. He followed him. He seemed to be chasing something. Now he was lunging at it.
'The same feeling from before.' Kurama cursed himself. 'I'm surrounded.'
... help me, someone! help me please!...
"do you like him?" Keiko said surprised, she couldn't! They are siblings!
"I care about him... I love him." Yukina whispered. "But I don't know why."
Keiko breathed out. "You mean like... say brother and sister?"
Yukina smiled with her eyes. She opened her mouth to say something, but she was cut off by scream.
"What was that?" Keiko said.
"We need to run now." Yukina said fear creeping into her whisper like voice.
... take my shoes off...
Fear filtered into Yukina and Keiko the moment they began to run. The dark night closing in around them. Running felt futile, there was nowhere to run. The night was small and everything to fear was behind them, around them. They were running toward their own fear.
Yukina slipped. Keiko turned and looked back at her. Yukina looked up blood red eyes full of fear. The wet grass staining her bare ankle, her shoe in the mud nearby. Keiko took every inch in, how she wanted to just look away.
... and throw them in the lake...
A man's corpse fell into the water unceremoniously, his lover falling afterward. A tall woman with fur covered limbs stood up. She laughed.
"I see Anuia and Basker have found some new prey. I'll have to go and see if I can beg off some scraps." She laughed nails glinting in the dark light.
... and I'll be... two steps on the water...
Keiko took a step back. Her foot splashed up water from a puddle. She hesitated.
"Go get help... I can't run. Go!" Yukina said in a normal sounding voice. "It's okay Keiko, hurry" she said reassuringly.
Keiko turned and ran. She was afraid enough so she could run forever, she had to find someone. 'Oh yusuke.' She thought despairingly.
... I found a fox...
Hiei had been missing them over and over again. Now he had them exactly how he wanted them. They jumped down, he would get them this time. He lunged at the shadow and... contacted. He felt something sticky under his hands and smelt iron and roses.
"Kurama?!" Hiei said uncertainly.
"Hiei?" Kurama whispered weakly.
Hiei stood up awkwardly. Kurama remained on the ground.
"You're bleeding." Hiei said without question.
"Only a bit."
... caught by dogs...
"What happened to you?" Hiei said "the demons?"
"More like Will'o wisps. I believed I was following you." Kurama evenly stated.
"Really? Why were you following me?"
"If I said I was worried..."
"I won't believe it."
"I was avoiding the others and felt like a good chase." Kurama said sheepishly.
"A practice fight? Now?" Hiei said genuinely confused.
"Just a run... that's all."
"With me." Hiei stated turning his back on Kurama.
"That wasn't planned or a necessity."
"So then..."
"it's just better that way."
... he let me take him in my hands...
Hiei reached out to kurama's wound. "Here I'll..." he pressed down on it to try to keep the blood in. The crimson liquid trailed gently out of Kurama's side and over Hiei's fingers. He lowered his head and pressed harder.
Kurama whined softly. Hiei's hand warmed up suddenly to searing heat and burnt shut the wound. Kurama's mouth opened in the silent scream, then relaxed.
"Why didn't you cry out?" He whispered. Kurama made no move to answer. The fire demon moved his hands over the wound. "You'll scar. If you had done this instead of me..." he trailed off. His tone remained matter-of-fact.
"I won't scar." Hiei looked surprised. "I never do." The fire demon gently stood up. "Hiei, don't go far, please. I will soon be asleep."
Hiei stopped. Will Kurama survive if he left? Did kurama want him here?
Kurama began breathing hard. Hiei returned to his side. Noticing Hiei, Kurama blushed. "I'll be fine."
Hiei leaned in in pressed his ear to his chest.
... his little heart, it beats so fast...
Kurama's blush darkened and his eyes widened. With a look of almost curiosity Hiei touched Kurama's chest with his hand. Like a rhythm all his own Kurama's heartbeat raced.
"Your heart seems fine." Hiei spoke in a tone of slight amusement as he drew his hand away.
Kurama leaned back toward Hiei's hand. This time Hiei tinted pink. They both took a breath when skin touched shirt.
"Your turn." Said Kurama breathlessly.
Hiei moved his hand across the fabric before really thinking about it. Kurama's blush changed slightly and he closed his eyes and turned away.
"Um" unsure what this meant Hiei stopped and pulled away his hand... mind racing.
Green eyes pulled red ones in and they stared. Both moved suddenly to each other, Kurama melded into him, his legs pulling Hiei closer. Their arms wrapped around each other. Lips touched ever so gently. Kurama's hair fell over Hiei's shoulder.
... and I'm ashamed of running away...
From nothing real...
A rustle of the leaves near Hiei prompted the fastest escape from each other possible including Hiei going so far to ascending a tree.
Into the clearing came a muddy and frightened Keiko.
"Kurama... help her...I... I... ran away... I left her... she'll die..." she fell to her knees sobbing. Hiei was immediately at her side.
"Who?... what are you running from?" Kurama asked.
"Yukina..." Keiko studdered. Hiei's eyes widened and he ran flitting most of the time in the direction that Keiko had ran from.
... I just can't deal with this...
Keiko sobbed on the moist leaves. "It'll be my fault."
Kurama looked after Hiei. He had to go after him. He looked to Keiko. "Could you show me the way?"
... but I'm still afraid to be there...
"... I can't... but... but..."
"Keiko if you want her to live and Hiei too..." Kurama trailed off speaking evenly but with a passion.
Keiko shook her head. "I... I... I'll try. OK."
... among your hounds of love...
Yukina couldn't see them but she could feel them. They felt an unquenchable thirst for something.
... and feel your arms surround me...
She felt them grabbing hold of her arms and her legs. She willed herself not to scream.
... I've always been a coward...
Keiko heard yukina scream split the night. She wanted to run. She looked to kurama hurrying behind her.
... and never know what's good for me...
'Hiei' Kurama thought 'oh yukina please be safe.' He looked to Keiko "Be strong."
... oh, here I go...
Yukina struggled to release herself from their nailed grip as Hiei burst out of the trees, his eyes wide.
"Hiei!" She screamed, pulling, always sobbing and screaming, eyes closed.
... hold me down...
Hiei reached out. Laughter filled the area. He couldn't move they'd kill her... right? She was a hostage they would let her go... right?
Yukina's body slacks, but she continued to sob. Her haggard breath making soft white clouds.
... it's coming for me through the trees...
Kurama sped up leaving Keiko behind.
... help me darling...
Slowly they let their nails drag along her arms, pearls bounced across the ground.
"Stop!" Hiei yelled "stop!"
Their cackle was like a popping fire as they both pulled harder on her arms.
"Stop!" Hiei screamed desperation laying like soft snow over the words.
... help me please...
Yukina looked up to Hiei. Her eyes soft, sad, empty. No matter how hard he had trained, how fast, nothing mattered here. He would get to watch for die. Without being able to do anything.
She opened her mouth and her soul floated out, the moment it was released they tugged, and her body gave way. Blood splattered the leaves, her captors ran using her limbs as paint brushes making the forest red.
... take my shoes off and throw them in the lake...
They ran out of the forest, Hiei mindlessly at their heels. They made their fire crackle cackle.
They disappeared as they ran over the water, their brushes abandoned in the lake.
... and I'll be two steps on the water ...
Hiei ran into the lake and swam to where they had been.
... I don't know what's good for me...
Kurama walked over to Yukina and closed her waxed eyes.
... I don't know what's good for me...
Keiko fell to her knees, tears rolling off her cheeks as she sobbed openly, the moonlight making her seem unreal.
... I need love X5, yeah!...
Kurama closed his eyes almost in silent prayer.
... your love...
"Where was Yusuke?" Keiko thought to herself out loud. "Why wasn't he here?" she said brokenly. "He's supposed to stop this... he... he..."
Kurama turned his green gold eyes on Keiko his eyes filling with tears "Would it have made any difference?! If Yusuke was here?"
... take your shoes off...
Hiei gulped water trying to swim and breathe all at once. He reached out and felt the cold something touching, it felt like skin... he pulled bits of yukina toward him.
... and throw them in the lake...
Hiei came out dripping lake water, he pulled his body from it with difficulty. He began to walk back to her.
... you know what I really need?...
"I failed." Hiei leaned over yukina's body breathing into her. His voice was monotone, without emotion.
"Hiei?" Kurama breathed, tears on his cheeks but his voice even. Hiei ran.
... do you know what I really need?...
Keiko screamed into the night with voice shrill and the moon shined brightly blissfully unaware.
... I need love X4 yeah!...
Author's note: we'll here is the next chapter. I'm actually really excited for this story. Even though I'm not sure anyone is even reading it. Please give me reviews although I'll continue this story either way. This story is my baby. And I think it includes just about everything... though I have to admit it's not really a mainstream fan fiction. Like I think I said before I have several more chapters of this written already. Not typed but written. So it should be pretty soon that I'm able to actually upload more. I hope someone will read this. I also hope no one hates me for killing off yukina. There are more character deaths to come.