A/N: This is not really a new chapter but after my "editing" the previous chapter it just became too long and I decided to split it up. Cheers!

Chapter 2: The Wager

When they reached a suitable clearing they stopped and Hiei drew his blade, Hina just looked at him calmly and spoke.

"I would like to put a wager on our battle"

"Is you life not enough of a wager…or could it be that you're rethinking this fight and are trying to come up with some clever way of escaping with your life?" Hina replied to his remark with a genuine and bright smile, obviously amused at his cockiness.

"No such thing, actually I am very serious about this battle I intend to either win or die, now as for the wager …" she took a long pause, clearly finding it difficult to continue "are you familiar with some of the customs of my people?" her question was meet with silence. "Partnerships between males and females are formed on the basis of power and respect, the most powerful look for that same power in their partners in the hopes of producing the strongest warriors. Although this is the primary purpose these unions are respected, lasting a lifetime and can be very romantic…"

"How long do you plan torture me with this pointless story time? Or has your strategy changed to simply bore me to death?" Hina looked down with embarrassment but quickly recovered her composure and looked back at him intensely.

"I simply wanted to explain my reasons to you but very well, let's begin. I don't know what I can offer you other than my life. However, if I win I want the opportunity to be by your side." Hiei momentarily lost his composure form the surprise of her statement.

Is she trying to distract me? "I don't understand what you're getting at but seeing as you won't win it really doesn't matter, I agree to your conditions." He drew his katana and the battle began.

Within a moment the tranquility of nature vanished. Animals fled for safety and the landscape fell victim to the thundering storm of clashing blades. The fieriness of the battle was as intense as a savage flame, consuming all that came across it. This is a little different then the last. Hiei thought to himself, Its clear she is no longer testing the waters as before, she's giving me everything she has. He was uncertain of her reasons but he welcomed the challenge. The battle ensued for what seemed like ages, with neither party able to advance upon the other, neither party able to take the definitive step towards victory. The brilliance of the encounter began to die with the passage of time, exhaustion wearing at their bodies. They came to a stop and stood at a distance from each other.

"This is going nowhere" Hina said through her heavy breathing, as they both stood apart, staring at each other in an apparent stalemate. Hiei only looked at her in silence, to proud to admit that he felt the same. Hina took a deep breath before she suddenly charged toward him, Hiei stood for her charge but when they met she only used her katana to shift his, quickly dropping her own and allowing this blade to cleanly pierce her left shoulder. In her right hand however, she held dagger which was dangerously pressed at his neck. The battle was finally over.

"I won" Hina said almost questioningly. Hiei looked down at the dagger at his neck.

"I suppose you did."

"Good" was her only reply as she dropped her dagger, reached behind his neck, and pulled him towards her, kissing him firmly on the lips before she collapsed into his chest. It was then that he looked down and saw the large pool of blood at her feet. He removed his blade from her chest and picked her up. I should just let her die for her foolishness that was a pointless win. He thought to himself as he ran her back to the camp. When he arrived he was met by the concerned faces of their companions.

"She'll need medical treatment" He said answering the shared question that could be felt in the air. Kurama walked up to him and took Hina from his arms then followed Miki inside.

"Thank you for not killing her, although I never pegged you to be one to show mercy." Aya said as she looked at Hiei.

"I don't, but she won" he said flatly. Yusuke stared in disbelief, obviously gagging the level of damage each had received.

"She ran into my blade in order to gain the definitive blow" was all he said in answer to his unvoiced question.

"I see, that certainly sounds like my sister."

Hina Walked in with a try of tea and placed it before Kurama.

"Smells nice" he said as he took the cup she served him and put it to his lips.

"Thank you, I sure hope Master Hiei will like it" She replied.

"You're always trying to please him"

"I can't help myself, I just want to make him happy" She said as she looked down at her hands, folded into each other on her lap.

"I understand how much you care for him, I just wonder how much longer the situation between the two of you will last" He quickly regretted his worlds and tried to cover them with gayety "Really he's such a numb skull, you should just bash his head in next time he drags you off to go training. You've beaten him before and I'm confident you can do it again." Kurama was referring to Hina's fight with Hiei that had taken place six months prior. The injury that she had procured had taken her nearly a month to recover from, even with Kurama's extensive knowledge of plants and her impressive restorative abilities. When she had finally recovered from her injury her sisters and the group sent from sprit world had already defeated their enemy and recovered her mother, though lady Usagi was never found. Because of the quick dismemberment of the ruling power in demon world Hiei and Kurama were ordered to stay and keep an eye on demon world until things were able to settle into a more favorable order. That placed aside, the results of Hina's battle with Hiei had not turned out as she had intended them to. When she had made the wager she had wished to remain by his side as his lover, he however, had taken the request in a different way and instead treated her more as a pupil or servant, which is what she had become. At first Hina went along with it in hopes that with time she would gain his love but six months had passed and she seemed to have made no progress.

"It's not as easy as it seems you know" she replied with a chuckle "I just don't understand it seems that the more I try to get him to love me the more he hates me. Lately he seems to be avoiding me and he won't even let me visit my sisters anymore. The only time he'll even look at me is during training"

"He has been acting rather odd as of late and the training seems to have gotten more intense" Kurama said between a sip of his tea.

"Yes, although I don't mind it. Actually I look forward to it because when where're fighting it is like he and I are the only people alive, it almost feels like he belongs to me." She said with a sad smile as she looked back down at her hands.

"Hey don't look so down. Tell you what, if he continues to be so oblivious towards your feelings I'll get an ogre to sit on him." He said as he placed his arm around her shoulders. They both chuckled at his last comment but their laughter was interrupted when Hiei walked into the room and gave them a cold stare. Hina stood at once and gave him a deep bow.

"Good afternoon master Hiei, I have made you tea, if you care to take a seat I'll…"

"I don't want it" he said as he looked at that tea that sat on the table before Kurama.

"Come now Hiei it's really good," Kurama's comment was ignored.

"Get your katana and meet me outside" he said as he turned around to leave but not before he caught Hina and Kurama sharing a knowing look that infuriated him.

Hiei's anger blazed as he waited for Hina, it swelled and itched over his entire body. He could not understand the reason for his anger and this ignorance fuelled it all the more. Why was he so bothered by the fact that she was with Kurama. He struck a boulder with his fist so that it shattered around him creating a cloud of dirt so thick it almost made him miss Hina's figure standing before him.

"What took you so long?" He said with irritation swimming through his lips, knowing full well that she had not taken long at all. I'm sorry was her only response and this silence picked at his irritation. He quickly drew his katana and charged toward her, she barely managed to dodge the unexpected attack as she fell to the side, allowing his blade to scrap her right arm. What did I just do Hiei, thought to himself, realizing that he had intended to kill her, his attack was too fierce and sudden for practice. I have to control my anger or I will kill her. Hina looked at him in surprise.

"Just get out of here" he said as he sheathed his katana and looked away, ashamed of his loss of control.

"Master Hiei, what have I done to anger you?"

"Don't be stupid that's like asking why I am mad at an insect, you're not important enough to anger me." He looked away from the hurt in her eyes. "Now go back and play with Kurama or something I want to be alone."

"Then what has angered you, I'll do anything in my power to help" Hiei felt the pain in her voice it was so strong it forced him to look at her. What he saw made him sick, he could tell she was desperately trying to hold back the tears that had began to materialize at the corners of her eyes.

"Actually, I want you to go back to your sisters. I don't need you hanging around me anymore." Hiei struggled with a huge confliction within himself as he said these words, why had he said them? He didn't want her to go, he wished he could lock her up and keep her with him. He wanted to posses her but if he did he would keep hurting her. He began to walk away; he needed to get way before he changed his mind. Hina said nothing. She is probably happy now that she is free of me. To his surprise he felt her run up behind him. she slam him into a tree.

"No" she said fiercely as she stood before him.

"What do you mean No" he replied, recovering from the surprise.

"We had a deal remember?"

"Well I'm breaking it" He said.

"Well then let's make another wager." He chuckled, and then got really serious as he looked at her.

"Stop playing around, this isn't a game." He felt her furry swell from his words and she shoved him violently so that he was well against the tree that trapped him to her.

"Do you think I'm not serious?" She said walking toward him and slipping off her robe so as to expose her chest. Hiei couldn't help but stare at her fleshy pink breast beautiful he thought. He felt himself blushing feverishly, so he looked away.

"What are y-"

"This scar is the one you gave me, is this not proof enough of how serious I am?"

So that's what she wanted to show me. He thought to himself, he had not even noticed the scar, he was too preoccupied with the sight of her breast. Hiei continued to look away "Why don't you just put your clothes back on"

"Huh" Hina looked down at herself, just realizing how much she had exposed herself. She was about to readjust her clothes when she looked at Hiei, who continued to look away. She stopped and forced him to face her. She saw the heavy blush on his cheeks and was overjoyed with the realization that at the very least he saw her as a woman. She dropped her robe and stood naked before him. Hiei's blush intensified and he tried to look away but she held him there with her body, pressed firmly against hers, she began to kiss him. His initial resistance quickly melted away with the heat of her lips. His lips parted, permitting her tongue entrance, the kiss was hot and wet, and as she pulled away she bit at the bottom of his lip. Hiei moaned softly at the sweet pain, she wrapped her fingers in his hair as she stared into the ember of his eyes.

"Hiei, I love you. I really love you" He placed his hand around her small waist and pulled her closer to him, allowing his erection to press against her. Hina was a little startled at first but quickly embraced the idea of being able to finally belong to Hiei, to be part of him, with him. She kissed him passionately and helped him slip out of his clothes. She gave him soft small kisses all along his neck and down his chest while she allowed her hand to explore his lower body. Unsure of what to do she used his soft moans and grunts as a guide. She kissed his nipples and circled them with her tongue, sucking softly. Hiei's heavy breathing excited her, causing her movements to become more forceful. Hiei pulled her down to the ground underneath him, all the while kissing her and running his hand up and down her subtle curves. Finally coming to a stop at her breast, he cupped and squeezed them, tracing the pink pearls with his fingers. She let out a long moan that excited him. It was time. He entered her slowly at first, building a slow steady rhythm. When he felt her body pulling him closer he increased his speed, thrusting deeper and faster.

"Hieiiiiii, I love you" She said through a hard moan as they reached climax together. She lay on his chest and traced his chest with her fingers, stopping occasionally to plant small kisses on his body.

"Hiei, What do you feel about me?" He was silent for a moment then replied.

"I don't know"

"You don't know if you love me"

"I don't really know what love is, so I can't say I love you." She was silent for a moment, thoughtful.

"Then what do you feel about me"

"I know you anger so much it's hard to control. I hate it when I see you laughing with other people and not with me. I also hate it when you want to leave, I'm afraid that if you leave you won't come back." Again she was silent and thoughtful. Then a small smile came across her lips.

"Is that why you don't let me visit my sisters because you're afraid I wouldn't come back" He replied with a small grunt. "Then at lest you do feel something for me. It's ok if you don't love me now because I love you enough for the both of us and I promise I'll make you fall in love with me Hiei."

"Don't get your hopes up, I can't promise that I will every care for you and I will never be able to make you happy," he replied indifferently.

She chuckled as she hugged him tight "Sorry but you're never going to be able to get rid of me."

He began to kiss her and they made love once more under the cover of trees.