I'm so sorry about taking so long to get this next chapter out! I feel really guilty, after all the nice reviews – and er... threatening ones as well... Please remember that I'm in college and have responsibilities outside of writing this story. And I've been suffering from a wicked case of writers block.
If you want to thank someone for managing to wrench this chapter from me then thank my reviewers and, especially, my boyfriend. You all know him as the illustrious J.D. Fielding, and he especially requested that I update Thief! as a Christmas present to him. So, Merry Christmas, love! I hope you all enjoy this overdue chapter!
Kuronue moved quickly along the sidewalk, his buckled hat pulled low to shelter his face from the falling rain. It had only begun to drizzle about half an hour ago, but the city streets had been quickly abandoned soon after. Almost alone except for the odd drunk or lonely wanderer like himself, the dark haired youkai continued to walk along, his footsteps too light and too careful to be human.
At the base of a tall, ominous apartment building he stopped. He looked up, allowing the cool drops of rain to hit his face and run down his cheeks. Hands in the pockets of his black slacks, Kuronue crouched, his nose almost touching the wet pavement. Then, with a powerful leap he grabbed the the rail of the third story balcony. Balancing easily in the precarious position, he crouched again and – again – leaped another three stories. After repeating this routine several times, he came to the balcony he had been aiming for. He slid gracefully from the rail to stand on the smooth, slick concrete of the patio.
The youkai paused for a moment to taste the air around him, feeling for any abnormalities. Undoubtedly the air up here was tainted with jukyuu, evil youkai power. It was strong and familiar. Kuronue quietly opened the sliding door and stood in the living room of the penthouse. Irritably, he shook his dark hair free of rain and began walking down the hall. It was time someone dealt with Karasu, the explosive demon was becoming much, much too dangerous. Truthfully, Kuronue had felt guilty about handing his Artful Dodger, his Botan over to the demon so easily. He hadn't wanted to, obviously, but beings more powerful himself had been involved and it was always best not upset those with absolute corrupt power.
He was not the only demon who knew of the dimensional holes between here and Makai. Others had found their way through and though Kuronue didn't like it who was he going to complain to? No one enjoyed having their territory encroached upon. But Karasu wasn't going to crawl to Koenma for help. The little god hardly had a foothold in this realm anyway, except for his ferry girls. So he was stuck facing his own problems – not that he was complaining mind you. If you want something done right, you have to do it yourself. Or so he had heard.
He felt the air for a wisp of the most recent jukyuu used, and followed it further down the hall and through an open door. The bitter smell of explosive powder made his nose wrinkle as he scanned the room. It was dark, the walls blackened and charred as if the chamber had contained a small detonation. Curled up on the floor was the sad, half burnt remnant of what he assumed was once a healthy green vine. The kind Youko liked to use.
Kuronue chuckled. So the fox had been here earlier had he? Years in the body of a human must have made his mind soft. Had he expected to keep the bomb-making demon bound for long with a few Makai vines? The youkai sighed and headed back out into the hallway, his damp, dark hair falling around his face. Karasu wasn't here anymore. His quarry had escaped, he assumed, the the demon realm.
For Botan or for the fox? He wondered grimly. Youko had put himself and the human girl into a lot danger by revealing himself to Karasu. Probably both. He added silently. For an eccentric demon like Karasu, it wasn't difficult to imagine that he'd find a way to track them down. It also wasn't difficult to imagine that he might kill them. Kuronue shook his head and darted into the living room, he slid open the patio door and leaped from the railing. He tumbled through thin air for just a moment before his wings burst forth. Counting on the darkness and the humid, misty air to conceal him, the youkai soared to the park. He had to get to Makai.
Botan slowly regained consciousness to the sound of a crackling fire and the smell of dried leaves. From the flickering in front of her eyelids she knew the warmth radiating toward her was from the fire, and from the rustling sound that was made when she shifted uncomfortably she believed she had found the source of the strong scent of green.
Opening her eyes was a struggle and she felt exhausted after she managed to crack them open. I'm in a cave... She thought, lazily watching shadows lick the damp, stone walls. Slowly, puzzlement clouded her senses.
"Why am I in a cave?" She asked softly.
"Because," A velvety whisper replied, "I brought you here."
Immediately the young woman was sitting up, her strained muscles screaming in complaint. She looked wildly around as she scooted back, her hands coming up in a protective manner as she drew her legs in and under herself, ready at any second to leap. Her frantic eyes finally settled on a figure.
Youko Kurama lounged gracefully between her and the open mouth of the cave. His back rested against a large boulder, his arms crossed and his long legs stretched out comfortably. The kitsune's almond shaped eyes were resting steadily on her and though he looked completely relaxed Botan noticed the tip of his beautiful silver tail would twitch now and again, and his clawed hands were flexing in agitation.
Her throat tightened in fear and she felt her pulse begin to race. Though her body was exhausted from their chase earlier, fresh adrenaline coursed through her, dulling her pain and quickening her reflexes. Fight or flight was taking over as her brain began running through possible plans of escape.
As if he could read her mind, several vines burst from the ground and wrapped securely around her legs. Surprised and scared, she clawed at them, but was forced to stop when more vines sprang up and wrapped around her wrists.
"Please stop," the youkai commanded in a voice so quiet she had to strain to hear him over the pounding of her heart. Botan stopped struggling but did not relax, her muscles remained tense and her stomach flipped uneasily as his golden eyes locked onto her. She and the deadly legend watched each other for several minutes, she with trepidation and not a little fear, he with careful consideration and even some amusement.
"The Artful Dodger," He finally said, those adorable and sharp silver ears swiveling toward her. "A character in Oliver Twist, is he not?"
Botan blinked.
"A pick-pocket if I recall..." He continued.
The blue haired girl nodded slowly, her brow furrowing in confusion.
"How... How did you know?" The last she knew, youkai didn't go around reading novels from the human realm. Youko's quiet chuckle surprised her, and she shivered at the way it rumbled through her, like the vibrations of a powerful thunderclap.
Instead of answering her, he tilted his head to the side and regarded her closely. Botan shifted uncomfortably under his attentive gaze and found his molten eyes were too much for her. She looked away.
The fox demon watched her in amusement and pleasure. This was better than he could have hoped for. The dreaded new thief of Makai, the one who was usurping his title as the most skilled and feared villain of the demon realm was bound and sufficiently intimidated in his presence. Best of all, it was his beautiful and fascinating little blue-haired human female. This really was turning out to be delicious.
"It suites you," he offered, smirking wickedly before adding, "Botan."
She fearfully narrowed her amethyst eyes, her body shaking as she focused on him once more. She tried and failed miserably to keep the tremor from her voice.
"How do you know my name?"
Careful, Shuichi chided, voicing his concerns in Youko's mind. Can't you see you're scaring her?
Quiet, the youkai snarled, pushing the red-headed human's consciousness down, not keen on having his fun interrupted, a little fear is good for her. He smirked at the girl, his full lips sliding back to reveal pointed canines. Overall, the expression wasn't exactly comforting. If Botan was not held down by vines she would have tried to make a run for it. As it was she only managed an involuntary whimper.
Fluidly, the demon stood up, walking slowly over to her. Botan craned her neck to see his face as his nearly seven foot frame towered over her.
"You know who I am?" It was more of a statement than a question. Of course she knew who he was, she must. Why else would she be trembling in his presence?
"Youko Kurama," she whispered.
Pleased, his smirk widened. "That's right," he purred. "And now it ends."
This is it, she thought, he's going to kill me. She wondered how he was going to do it. Would he summon his famous death plants and let them devour her? Or would he simply tear out her throat with his claws? Deciding suddenly that she didn't want to see his face when it happened, she lowered her gaze to her bound wrists and hunched her shoulders. She bit her lip so hard that she felt blood trickle into her mouth. Clenching her hands in resignation to whatever was about to take place, several warm tears slid ticklishly down her cheeks and splashed onto vines that wrapped around her arms.
Youko paused when the smell of salt reached his nose, followed by a headier scent.
Stop it! Shuichi raged, She's terrified! Enough's enough!
Shut up, the youkai growled, realizing he had gone to far. He dropped to one knee in front of her and brushed his fingers over her tear stained cheek. He was hurt when she flinched away from his caress as if he had burned her. She was crying. He really had frightened her badly. He could smell her blood and he ran one clawed finger over her lip to examine the injury.
"Stop," she begged, jerking her head away, "Don't touch me. Just get it over with."
Youko lifted one delicate eyebrow in surprise. Get it over with? She thought he was going to kill her? The kitsune frowned deeply, he had meant that the chase had ended, not that he was going to end her life. He growled in annoyance, stopping immediately when he realized he was scaring her even further.
"Stop," he demanded, grabbing her shoulders. "Stop," he said again when she tried to shake free. "I'm not going to kill you!"
Botan stopped struggling and looked at him, wide eyed. Youko returned her stare, for all the world looking as if she had offended him.
"You're not?" She asked slowly. The demon snorted.
"No." The vines around her loosened and he pulled the young woman into his lap, growling softly when she stiffened in fear. Hadn't he just said he wasn't going to kill her? Didn't she know she was his?
No, Shuichi reminded him. She doesn't. She's scared of you – you've chased her down and tied her up and frightened her out of her mind."
I was only playing, Youko defended sulkily, I didn't mean to scare her this badly.
"Botan," He whispered, holding her gently, "Calm down."
"How do you know my name?" She asked again, her voice strained.
"Shuichi," he said softly, running his fingers through her hair. He had expected this to calm her down, but it had the opposite affect. She squirmed in his arms, narrowing her eyes in anger.
"Shuichi!" She flailed, squirming to get out of his grasp. Taken by surprise, Youko almost lost his grip on her. "Shuichi!" She seethed. "What did you do to him! If you hurt him I swear I will rip your heart out you son of a --"
Frustrated, Youko pinned her down, growling a warning.
She doesn't know about our connection, Shuichi said urgently. She thinks you must have hurt me for information. The kitsune could feel his human counterpart's swelling pride at the blue-haired beautie's concern for him. Youko rolled his eyes and grabbed Botan's wrists to keep her from landing any punches.
"I didn't do anything to him," he snapped. "Kami, woman would you calm down!"
"You're a liar!" Botan squirmed, panting for breath. The demon had to wonder if she had any idea how alluring she looked.
"I am not," he sighed. This wench is exhausting! First she's scared, now she's a spitfire.
She stopped moving, breathing heavily and looking up into his fiery eyes.
"Prove it," she breathed. "I want to see Shuichi."
Realizing his time with her was almost up, Youko was reluctant to let go.
She wants to see me, his human side whispered. Step aside, I can calm her down.
"I'm sorry I frightened you," the kitsune's voice was soft, and caused Botan to pause. The silver-haired demon leaned down, his lips brushing over her cheek and to her ear, his soft hair clouding her vision as it fell around her face. "Please don't hate me... Botan..."
"Botan..." The youkai's voice was changing. The velvety timbre becoming more musical, more familiar. Suddenly the body over hers didn't seem so large and imposing. Blinking slowly, the silver hair that had been tickling her face was now tomato red and as he pulled away the face that she looked into was not that of Youko Kurama's. The molten gaze that belonged to the fearsome youkai was gone, and instead she was drowning in the most beautiful pair of bottle green eyes.
"Botan," he whispered to her, human fingers – fingers without deadly claws – were brushing through her hair. He smiled sweetly at her and she nearly burst into tears, confused and relieved all at once.
"Shuichi?" Her voice broke. She sat up, throwing her arms around him and nearly collapsing in relief. His arms circled around her waist, holding her trembling form against him, giving her a solid foundation to cling to. After several minutes she pulled away, quietly studying the familiar boy who held her.
"But... How? Youko..."
"Youko Kurama resides within me," He whispered. "Our spirits are connected." It was a relief to say it. To tell her. He wanted nothing more than to explain and make her understand his dual nature.
"He didn't hurt me, Botan," he murmured softly. "He's apart of me. By hurting me he would hurt himself."
Botan shook her head, confused and emotionally drained. She could only stare at the boy before her. It was surreal to see him in the setting of a cave in the Makai jungle.
"But.."
"But," Shuichi interrupted, the question burning inside of him. The question that, in his excitement at capturing her, Youko had forgotten to ask.
"What I want to know, Botan... Are you really the Artful Dodger?"
He hoped she would say no. Any excuse she made and he would take it, anything at all. He did not want her to be the one Koenma was searching for. It would kill him.
Unfortunately she gave him the answer that broke his heart.
"Yes."
Karasu seethed. He tore his way through Raven tower, his jukyuu boiling within him. So intense was it that his normally dark hair was nearly platinum, and he was surrounded by a hazy glow. He could smell Youko, he could almost taste him. The smell of a forest, of flowers. Roses.
Raging, he practically flew down the stairs and out the broken door. Botan was gone. That filthy marauder had taken her. The thief wasn't dead after all, he had simply been hiding in a human body! Tricking his beautiful Botan into thinking he was really an innocent human boy...
Karasu bared his teeth, his blue eyes flashing wildly. Gathering youkai power into his hands, he formed a small, silver, winged ball. He tossed it lazily over his shoulder and it flew haphazardly into the tower. The demon didn't bat an eye as the bomb went off, bringing the tower down. Rubble flew past him and the earth trembled from the blast. Scowling, the demon shoved his hands in his pockets, wondering where to look next.
You can't hide from me, fox! And when I find you... I will make you pay.
Normally I would thank the reviewers of the last chapter individually – but there were almost eighty of you! My thanks would be longer than the chapter! So instead of thanking you one by one, let me just say: Thanks to all my reviewers. You have no idea how much you mean to me. I haven't dropped off the face of the earth, I promise, and however long it takes this story WILL be completed eventually.
I also have a chapter for Captive in the works, so expect that soon.
Merry Christmas, everyone!