It would take too long to get the required information from Koenma. I had always had the impression he would just send the team off without hesitation, but first now did I realise all the work he did ahead of that, gathering information, numbers, statistics and what-not.

However, I could not shake the feeling of one minute to or fro could decide everything. I had no time to lose. So with a flashlight in my belt and a folding knife I knew wouldn't really make much of a difference against demons in my pocket, I left home.

The only thing I had to tell me where to go was the small, yellow post-it note, but it was more than enough. If anything it felt like my powers and energy was rushing at such a level that I at my current state would be able to find the false grim reaper by her energy or scent alone even if she hid had the other side of the world. Post-it note or no post-it note.

I ran. Glancing to the left and then right I saw no ordinary humans to witness anything bothersome and made a soundless jump onto the closest roof. Landing crouched down I sat like that for a split second, listening, sensing for anything out of the ordinary. Then I kicked off and raced across the dark roof, sprung through the air, and onto a new roof. Onwards and onwards, in the blink of an eye I had put a mile between me and my home. The dark of a moonless early spring night offered shelter for any eyes that would happen to glance outside from their bedroom or living room windows.

Truth be told I was not sure what I was expecting. But perhaps my subconscious had been going more in the direction of deep caves or the likes. At the very least I found myself quite surprised when I saw the goal of my yellow post-it note. It took me so by surprise I actually had to stop my hasty pace to simply stare confused, a short moment also wondering if perhaps I had come wrong.

-Though the demon energy almost visibly reeking off the place however was not to be mistaken. So I pulled in a deep breath, found the door unlocked and entered the dark mansion-sized house with blank polished windows and a dark, red colour.

"I see you came after all. You took so long I was starting to wonder if you had decided to save yourself and leave your little friend here instead. I trust you kept that note to yourself?"

I clenched my fists. "Where are you? Come out," I demanded, voice trembling with suppressed anger.

The voice laughed. "Now what is the fun in that? Your friend is in the fifth room to the left after the stairs. Come get her on your own, if you can."

"That is the most cliché thing I've heard so far," I muttered, but got nothing in reply from the girl whom I could not see but knew had purple hair and had presented herself as a grim reaper trainee once. Well, that means I got nothing in reply if the demons emerging from the very walls were to be ignored.

With gritted teeth I was armed with nothing but a simple folding knife. Regardless, these demons would be wise not to underestimate me. Kurama had not neglected anything in my training, something the twenty demons between me and the stairs soon realised. -I say twenty, though it would probably only be fair to call them ten proper demons in regard to their amount of power, and even that would still be overdoing the numbers a little.

I reached the staircase only to be harshly stopped by a kick to the stomach, sending me whirling down the three steps I had managed to climb and crashing into the marble floor of the entrance hall, just half landing on my feet.

Skidding backwards I saw three males stand where I had been half a second before in the stairs. Three. Lightly tilted heads, arrogant, amused and grinning, each expression belonging to each their demon, and definitely pushing my buttons with the way they watched as my skidding came to a stop and I tried to get back up.

But the kick had been more of an impact than what I had first thought and I my knees gave away under me as I coughed at the stinging pain. "Tch." My gaze flung upwards again, narrowed, glared at them. Screw the pain. Screw my shortage of proper weapons. Screw our unfair numbers. I charged right at them.

Forwards, sharply to the left, up at the outside of the rail, a jump, a twirl in the air, a brief cut along The Arrogant's cheek. Knife beat out of my hand, a sharp jump backwards, a cut across my right shoulder, a suppressed utter of pain, a growl, a twirl of clothes and winking metal, a short bark of a laugh. What was a battle of life and death would be nothing but mere shadows and blur to the ordinary human eye, perhaps even mistaken for bizarre ghost activities.

If I were to beat them I would need a miracle.

Yet, I was still making a slow but gradual progress toward the room said to contain my friend. Gradually moving so the three were no longer between me and my destination. Slowly, surely, but I needed something more.

"Why?"

I had hit the rail in a moment of misbalance, lost my pace entirely and clung to the wood gasping for breath. A drop of blood trickled down my forehead and into my eyes. I rubbed it away.

"Why?" I repeated. "What do I have that you want?" I needed any break possible. Talking was just one of many different ways of getting it. The Amused one thrust the tip of his sword into the carpeted staircase, leaning against it with a dull smile. "'Why?' you say? Why, merely for the joy of combating and killing strong opponents." He laughed at the expression which must have shown on my face just then. A short bark of a laugh. "It is quite the thrill finding stronger and stronger opponents, fighting them as you test yourself all the time."

They looked ready to continue where we had left off. I needed something more to talk about. And so the first thing that came to mind rolled off my tongue before I could give it a second thought: "Then your leader is quite the liar. She said she was interested in my powers."

It was The Grinning one's turn to laugh.

"Yeah, well. You don't see her around right now, do you? She is not big on killing. We'll kill you, and she will get your powers afterwards-" and as he said the following it looked like he was actually having a great time "-by eating you, that is. Heart, bones, everything." And he laughed again.

"I'm sorry if that doesn't sound very appealing to me," I noted dryly, pulling back ever so slightly to assemble my muscles for a thrust-attack.

"We didn't expect it to either. Strangely few who find it appealing to be eaten, innit?" the amused one said, and next thing I knew his sword was out of the stair and carpet and missed my head by the quarter of an inch. I could even see a couple strands of hair flail past my forehead and disappear out of sight in the air. That was too close.

"I'm afraid I can't grant your dear chief that pleasure. I happen to have quite a lot of stuff I want to do, so if you'll excuse me." I had free passage to the room. The three demons were still in the staircase, I in the corridor.

"Oh, sweetie, you seem to have forgotten something very vital."

I froze. In more meanings that one; I felt cold all over, not moving an inch as something poked gently into my back.

It was her.

"Have you already forgotten? I was a trainee with the grim reapers."

"And so?" I managed to say, surprised at my own steady, hard voice.

"Oh, sweetheart. We don't have to worry about you protesting. You see, all I have to do is draw your soul out of your body and you'll be immobilized." Her voice was soft and sweet in my ear, to the point of being nauseating. She slowly turned me around with gentle hands. "Sure, it's against the law of the grim reapers, but as I am no longer a grim reaper and only was for a short period of time, that rule does not apply to me, now does it? Don't worry, it won't hurt."

I would have protested. I would have, if I had not already been at the outside of myself, looking at the situation from free air already while she was voicing the last words. Her eyes moved from my body to where I hovered, a smile spreading wide but eased on her lips.

"Please do the honours," she gestured toward my body collapsing without anyone to control the muscles holding it up. My eyes widened as I saw the three male demons close in me. –Or the body I was supposed to be in. The Arrogant one lifted his hand without a word.

"Hey… Hey! What are you doing?"

The next few seconds many different things happened at once.

I had plunged downwards, but being but a soul I flew right through his arm. There was a yell, a blur of movement and tumbling bodies, many loud sounds, the fake grim reaper tumbled back, and fingers were buried into a chest causing immediate death.

I stared. Stared at blood dripping to the ground, coughed up to colour lips red and then the collapsing body. But it was not my body. It was The Arrogant one's.

And between him and my limp heap of a materialistic vessel, stood Hiei. He grimaced and looked with distaste at his blood covered fingers. If I remembered correctly he wasn't a supporter of such barbaric techniques if they could be avoided. But he didn't have a sword with him so it had been the only option. Sword. He didn't have a sword. Because I was-

I looked at him more closely. He was out of breath. A demon of a high level such as himself was out of breath. How fast must he have run to have his chest heave for air like that? Then the fire demon looked up at me, where I soared in the air, baffled and speechless. His nose wrinkled.

"Hn," he snorted. "As reckless and useless as ever I see, you human fool."

"Wh-" I blinked confused, taken aback for a second. "Hey…" however his words didn't leave much space for bafflement and I was jerked out of the shock without difficulty. "Hey! We both know if you had been in my place the exact same thing would have happened to you," I pointed an accusing finger, heat building up in my cheeks.

"Not likely," he turned to the two remaining male demons. A smirk snuck onto his lips, widening by the second "I would have already killed them."

"Yeah, yeah, all high and mighty, aren't you?" -though I don't think he was really listening anymore; he was already engaged in a swirling battle.

"Tch."

I saw him be forced back against the wall. High class demon or not, those two remaining others were not to be underestimated either, and he was without weapon. His right fist clenched. His right fist, and my heart skipped a beat.

"No!" I gasped, diving through the air toward them: "Don't! Please, Maka could be hurt."

If he unleashed the dragon here, possibilities were the entire house would go down. And with me being in the state I was I had no chance of getting her out of here in time. Neither would Hiei as he would have to take care of my body. Or at least I hope he would have. I caught myself actually halting in the air at this thought. He would have rescued my body… wouldn't he? Geh…

I looked at Hiei. He was glaring at me, clearly not happy about being demanded to stop. Geh –again. Those eyes, as long as he was in that mood I don't think he would think twice about leaving me.

Regardless, I pleaded again, calmer this time and with a hand reached out as if to ease a scared animal. "Don't. Please."

"Hn."

Hiei's hand fell. And I could do nothing but watch as he tried to fight his way through without a weapon, without using too much demon energy to keep the house from collapsing on us, leaving him with not many fighting-options.

But… Why is he here? I gritted my teeth watching, glancing toward where I knew Maka was –or where I had been told Maka was. This could all be a trap too. Still… he must know I saw that memory. Is he just here to make sure my power isn't extinguished with my life? I glanced toward the room again. Trying to think two things at once was starting to give me a headache. I looked back at Hiei.

Nah, probably an order from Koenma. Though speaking of which, where're-

"Really, he has no weapon and you are having that much of a trouble handling him?"

It was the fake grim reaper. –Never got to learn her name, now did we?

A too friendly looking smile spread on her lips and I felt my heart trying to strangle my lungs. "-Hiei! Watch out!" The demon's head snapped in the direction of the fake grim reaper at my words. I didn't know whether she needed to touch her victim or not, however judging by the smile she was displaying it didn't look like the distance was of any trouble to her.

"She's gonna try suck your so-" I was in the middle of fruitlessly trying to get back into my limp body when a new voice caught my attention.

"I apologise for the rough behaviour, but I simply cannot let you do that."

I had never in my life been so happy to see Kurama as I was just then. The fake grim reaper's lifted hand had been caught around the wrist by his whip, but instead of easily cutting it off, she was half a second later tangled up in plants released from the floor, with an extra thick wine around her head to cover her eyes. As me, Kurama probably didn't know exactly how the sucking-out-the-soul thing worked, so it was best to be on the safe side. However, the way he could arrive at a scene and at once understand who was the cause of what was truly amazing. –Unless he already knew of this soul-sucking-thing, which I didn't. But it didn't make much of a difference.

The demon fox had swiftly passed the wrapped up body and unleashed an attack at the closest demon who just barely dodged in time.

"Ku- Kurama, what are you doing here?"

The fox shot a glance at me across the shoulder, ducked away from a blade and smiled. "Koenma sent us after you and Hiei. Yusuke and Kuwabara will be here shortly. They were held up by a couple of demons who were not too helpful when we asked for directions."

"Oh."

I watched them for a couple more seconds in silence. Yes, they were doing better when two. As a matter of fact it was somehow mesmerizing watching them fight. Keeping track with their every move it suddenly became so clear that they really had known each other for quite a while, and were more than accustomed to each other's fighting patterns. And yes, with the fake grim reaper out of the way the threat had shrunk quite a bit. Regardless, they could have been doing better. No matter how good they were, Hiei was still missing a sword and they were fighting in a hallway so the amount of space was limited, the opposing demons were nothing to make fun of, and they had to protect my body and make sure no one made any too brute attacks to keep the house intact. Just to keep track of all that is enough to give anyone a headache.

I bit my lip. "Hey, flower-power brainiac, it's about now that your smarts are gonna kick in and find out how to get me back into my body," my voice sounded alarming, raising at the last words as one of the demons were dangerously close to having Hiei's head severed and ready to serve at a silver platter.

"I am working on it," he said. The way he could just take in everything of a situation without asking for details about what had happened was truly amazing. "Hiei-" Kurama sliced the arm clean off The Grinning one. I clenched my fists in victory as the demon's screaming voice cut Kurama off. This was the first real damage they had managed to make. The grinning one –who was no longer grinning at the moment- staggered away a little to collect himself before attacking full force again for revenge. Kurama didn't allow him that pleasure though, and swiftly evaded the demon. "Hiei, I believe Yusuke told us about how he became a detective once during a game of cards a long time ago. Do you remember?"

"Why do you bring up the obnoxious detective?"

"I mean to recall he told us something about how they matching his soul and body back together-" Hiei looked like he would interrupt him, but Kurama continued: "-yes, she is not dead like he was, but it is worth a try."

I could see Hiei wrinkle is nose annoyed. "Hiei," Kurama urged. "We will not win like th-"

"Kurama!"

"Where are you going you fool?"

Hiei was by my body, glancing at my soul which was half way in the direction of Kurama. Kurama who was cut along the side of his face and down his chest.

"He'll manage," Hiei said shortly. And he was right. Kurama had kept himself from hitting the ground, and looked to have found his balance again. It was two against one. Red drops of blood gave the already dark carpet even darker stains. My fists balled up, teeth clenched. I was so useless like this. It was r-

A faint feel of pressure to my mouth. In the corner of my eye I saw the weirdest picture I would probably ever witness; Hiei sat on the floor, bent over my collapsed figure, one hand behind my head and lips- My eyes widened, but then I was jerked backwards: Sucked right back into my own body through my own stomach. For a moment my surroundings twirled, spun, and became hazy.

Then, next thing I knew, I was blinking with eyes that felt strangely heavy. The next thing I knew, I was staring straight up into crimson eyes. Next thing I knew, I had frozen stiff. And next thing I knew, Hiei was leaning back again, looked at me with a strange, critic, gaze. Then he got up with a "you plan on lying around all day?" remark. And so the next thing I knew, he had turned to face the other demons with one hand out to the side; he was waiting for me.

Though when he turned, had he-? No, I couldn't possibly have…

I got up slowly. My knees felt a little wobbly, but other than that I was ready to go.

…he couldn't possibly have been smirking, right?

Well, that put aside; time to forget all that had happened for now and co-operate with this annoying asshole, as it was, after all, the only hope I had to save Maka in one piece. Though, as I finally put eyes on the fighting scene again I found it was not as critical as I had thought: Yusuke and Kuwabara had entered the stage. And right now the detective briefly glanced at me and grinned widely.

"You sure choose your moments all right, Hiei."

"Yeah," Kuwabara snickered, was almost sliced in two which made his snicker vanish for about three seconds before returning, "Don't mind us, just keep going."

What is- oh boy. I was confused at one moment, but at the twitch of Hiei's shoulder I wasn't left like that for long. Yusuke and Kuwabara must have come right in the middle of our kiss.

This was the second time I was kissed by that demon. What on earth is the world coming to? And for a moment I was lost standing there staring. Confused again.

"What are you doing, you fool? Do you not plan to rescue your pathetic human friend? Transform."

"…E-?"

Hiei had grabbed my hand and jerked me a step forwards. I just barely managed to keep standing with my sorry excuse for knees. And as I glanced into his face again before collecting my thoughts on the transformation I could feel his hand so very clearly around my own, and with that arouse this oddest –not to mention stupidest- feeling in my cheeks.

Oh boy. Not good. You've got to be kidding me.

I transformed. Fast. Before Hiei could see the change in my face. This was really bad. Really, really bad. What on earth had inspired this sudden thing –reaction –feeling …thing?

"Don't you dare read my thoughts, demon."

Due to the transformation we were forced to once again combine our minds to make fighting even possible. That was a known thing, and no matter how little I like it, we really had no other choice.

"Why would you thoughts be of any interest to me?"

"No one pisses me off as much as you do."

"Then we have more in common than I thought. Now shut it, you annoying human."

Weren't we a loving team?

"She's okay."

It felt like all my muscles were melting away. The tension left my body and I suddenly felt extremely tired. But Maka was okay. She was a sleep for the time being. –Or passed out. Either way it didn't make much of a difference.

I pulled a hand through my hair. "I just hope she didn't see or hear anything unnecessary, otherwise we'll just have even more trouble." I flopped backwards from my crouched-down position after feeling her pulse and checking for wounds, to land on my bum, and sighed heavily. "I don't have any more energy for any more problems."

"Yeah, I know what you mean," Yusuke said. He had just finished contacting Koenma through one of those fancy mirrors, reporting everything was okay, and leaned against the wall. He didn't look all 'full of energy'-like either.

"And you had to go and run off too, sheesh. Think about the troubles you put us through. Koenma was about to choke on his pacifier."

I grinned sloppily. "I feel very, very guilty. Please forgive me."

"Hmm, I'll think about it." But my grin was returned by the tired detective and we turned then our attention back to Maka on the floor.

"Better get her home, huh?" Kuwabara mumbled.

"Yeah, but how?" Yusuke groaned. "We can't just drop her off after all the ruckus her school and parents caused. Anybody know of a free store house?"

"I am sure we can find one." Kurama smiled at Yusuke's words and was bending down to gently pick up the unconscious girl. "I, Yusuke and Kuwabara will take care of it. Hiei, could you take Fai home, please?"

"No, I'll come w-" I began but was cut short by a smiling, redhead:

"No, we will take care of it. You look ready to pass out any moment, so it's better if you just go home. And besides, we can't have your parents start worrying all over again, now can we? That would make all our efforts meaningless."

I had to admit defeat. If my parents accidentally woke up and found me gone, I'd be in trouble. So I sighed, nodded, threw a last glance at Maka to reassure myself she was okay and half-heartedly waved the three males off.

And there they go. I closed my eyes for a short second. I'm all alone with fire-dude.

"Hn."

I opened one eye. Hiei had stuffed his hands in his pockets. He wasn't looking at me.

"Let's go," he said.

He was by the door now. It had stood open, so he didn't have to pull his hands out of his pockets to exit the room. If I stayed on the floor I wonder if he would just have left without looking back. He too didn't look like he had an over-load of energy left and probably wanted to find a nice tree to nestle in. A calm tree instead of my window. I bit my lip, and before I could think twice about it I had already said it:

"Why did you come?"

Hiei stopped.

"You know I saw that memory. You know I know why you paired up with me. This had nothing to do with you, it was my friend, yet you came. Why?"

His back was still towards me as his voice breached the cool air, low but steady: "Why do you think, foolish human girl?"

The muscles in my jaw tightened. "So you really did come just to make sure the power our connection produces wouldn't be taken away from you. I really am nothing but a sword to you, huh, demon?"

"Shouldn't you be getting home? Or else you'll have the police looking for you again."

He started to walk away. He was already half way through the door opening. He hadn't even looked at me, and his voice had just been that steady, cold, rough voice that didn't even care what it was saying to me.

I was up off the floor and at the door in less than a blink. And in less than a blink I had a handful of his scarf in my fist, glring at him. Completely and utterly furious.

"You used me. I actually trusted you, and you fucking used me, and all you have to say is 'shouldn't you be getting home?'? At least be a real demon and say it to my face, asshole!"

His red eyes were so calm, so calm. Not that glaring gaze they used to be, not narrowed. Just calm, almost bored, looking at me.

"And what is it that you would want me to say?"

They describe it as to 'see red' in books when the main character gets really angry, and I could have sworn that right then and there a red shade was draped across my vision.

"'What I want' you to say? You know what I saw; you know memories can't be fake. Stop playing the fucking idiot."

And what did he do then? What did the God-damned demon do then?

He smirked. The demon in front of me fucking smirked. Arrogantly, looking down at me; nearly amused.

"This is why humans are stupid."

He had caught my fist before I noticed what I was doing. And before I could say anything in reaction, he had my hand twisted loose from his scarf and me pushed against the wall in the hallway.

"What do you think you saw?"

His voice was calm, despite his intensely staring eyes. Or maybe they just looked intense because of the colour. I'll admit I was a little thrown off either way. The sudden change of pace and positions had me all out of balance in my mind. Yet somehow I managed to activate my vocal chords and spoke slowly:

"What I saw? I saw you, talked into working with me with the promise of power."

"Hnh." His smirk was still there. "You really are a fool. Who was talking to me?"

"I… I don't know. I didn't see him."

After that he didn't say anything. Instead he just watched me. Watched me breathe slightly faster than what was normal, after the surprise of his sudden actions. In the back of my throat my heart pounded uncomfortably hard. And Hiei continued to look at me, almost thoughtful. –Though when was he known to think things over? This entire day was getting out of balance.

The smirk on his lips had slowly faded to a more neutral face. And it was about then that I felt it: A presence in my mind. I forced it back, though the intensity increased. Regardless of this, his efforts did not leak onto his face, even though I figured after a few quiet moments he had to be concentrating quite a lot.

But I suppose I was not one to talk. I didn't even have any left-over powers to even think about my own facial expression. And as we stood there it was hard to believe I once had felt comfortable sharing minds, that I had let him willingly. That time felt faint and far away.

At some point my eyes had squeezed shut to keep up concentration, though I didn't notice until Hiei let up on some of his force and I had enough free attention to notice my own eyes. However even when I did, I continued to keep them shut, because even though he had eased up, his presence was still there, knocking on my door.

"Hn."

I still didn't open my eyes. His hand around my fist pushing the back of my hand against the wall tightened. Or maybe it loosened, I wasn't sure. I could feel his other hand at my elbow that he at some point had glued to the wall as well. What happened to getting home so my parents wouldn't wake half the city?

"Normally you would let me straight in."

"What are you talking ab-"

I could feel his breath brush across the skin on my neck. Slowly, from my ear to the nape, he was so close, less than half an inch from me.

"Hn."

His breath was hot against the nape of my neck. My eyes flung open as a tingling sensation chased up along my legs, through my stomach and all the way to the tips of my hair.

The wall around my mind broke, and like it came across an old radio I could hear him snort a pleased "humans" from far away. Then memories flashed before my eyes. Brief, blending with each other, mixing.

… you okay? … why… are you in my scho-… tried to be patient… your fault… the joy of combat and killi-…he has no weapon… choose your-… Oh boy, not good, you've got to be kidding me.

And abruptly it let me go. I could once again see what was in front of me, as I was gasping for breath even though I didn't know why. And though I did not notice myself, my body was shaking slightly. It had never been like this before, with such a knock-out clash. But now the connection had been broken again.

As I let my eyes fall gradually and tried to ease my breath, I caught Hiei's gaze. He had put some space between us so we could look into each other's faces, and first now did I come to think of the fact that he had seen the exact same things I had, felt the same things from the mess of fresh memories.

"You," he said slowly and it took a tremendous amount of willpower not to look away.

"What?" I grumbled, doing my best to stand still. It was nothing, right? He was an asshole demon and I was a normal human being; that was all. It was nothing more. He had just happened to let me cry on his shoulder once and taken care of me for three weeks. Compared to his normal, annoying behaviour, that just had me a little confused, nothing more.

"I see." And a smirk twisted the corners of his mouth in the most frustrating way.

Then he leaned closer, all the while keeping my eyes locked with his. If I could jerk back I would –miles and miles back, but the wall was blocking my path, and the hands around my fist and elbow didn't seem to be letting go any time soon.

Hot breath danced across my collar bone, made unwilling goosebumps rise. The tip of his nose slid along my skin, lips gently touching when reaching the nape of my neck, sending waves of tingling sensations through my body as he reached one very sensitive spot. My eyes squeezed shut. Though by now I was barely standing at my own two feet.

This wasn't happening. This couldn't be happening.

I felt his teeth on my skin, and then the demon bit me, roughly yet gently at the same time. My mouth fell open, a whimper of a gasp slipped and I hazily cursed myself for it. I could feel the demon smirk against my skin.

His one hand released my elbow, and my arm fell limp to the side. The demon's hand began tugging at my jacket, pushing it upwards together with my sweater exposing my stomach to free air.

However, when I felt his fingers on my skin it was like someone snapped my mind back to the world of the awake and I started struggle against him. The cool night air pulling through the house and brushing along my belly pulled me out of the shock-like trance, and my free hand was up against his chest in a second, pushing him away from me.

"Stop it. What do you think you are doing?" I gasped, and from an unknown energy sourced I built up a hot glare sent in his direction, making him let of my other hand. "I hope you are aware I am still beyond angry with you, and whatever you're trying to pull off; it isn't funny."

But even though he had backed away a little, the hint of a smirk still lingered on his lips and the next he said had me a nano-inch away from punching him square in the face: "Though you seemed to enjoy it."

"Shut it. You haven't even answered my question."

Was is just me or did Hiei's smirk widen a little at this?

"Answered your question? I think I was the one to ask the last question though?"

I didn't reply at once to that, and when I then recalled he actually was right I had no reply to give. And needless to say; that did not really help my case. The fire demon sighed –or groaned- sliding his hands back into his pockets.

"The one you heard talking to me in that memory was Koenma."