Haha, this is definitely coming out late, but that's what happens when things get insanely busy. I'm not too sure it even matters when I update, though, if I do update. I know there are some people reading my story, I've even been put on alert for it and marked as a favorite, but I really would like to know what you guys think. This story isn't long, it's already almost over. There's only the epilogue after this. Therefore, please, I ask you, review!!

Also, this chapter begins to get a little mature, but it's nothing too big. It'd be like something you'd see in a PG-13 movie. Also, Hiei is OOC in this chapter, I'll be the first to admit that. However, it has its own base. I'm sure that no matter how unemotional Hiei seems, he is still hurt by his childhood. He shows that through his anger because he knows no other way to express himself. I'm sure he has insecurities, just like everyone else. So, please, accept this as part of the story.

There is No Love in Death

Chapter 4: All She Can Give

She flipped through his file, studying him, learning what she could about him because he seemed familiar and it had nothing to do with his relation to her murderer.

She smiled wanly as she shut the file. So that was why. She had refused his soul entrance into the realm of the dead before. It had not yet been his time, and it still was not. It was a good thing she was corrected in her accusation.

Machiko placed Hiei's file back in its proper place in the library and locked onto his youki once more as she walked down the last couple hallways to the outside.

"I owe you," she began, "Anything you want, within reason. It is the least I can do to atone for such a deadly mistake."

Hiei stopped in the middle of his down stroke and turned to the woman who would dare interrupt his training.

"I neither want nor need anything," he replied before settling back into stance as he prepared to resume his afternoon training.

"For some reason, I highly doubt that," Machiko disagreed, "There must be some reason you would want to meet Death so bad so as to try as many times as you have in your life."

Hiei froze.

"I have high security clearance as well as entrance into the realm of the dead; there must be something you want."

"Hn," Hiei gave in, "Follow me."

"You knew my mother," Hiei began when he had safely locked them in the room Koenma had assigned for him if he ever decided to spend the night. He had never used it before, but now was as good a time as any.

"Hina? Yes, she was kind. A good soul," Machiko replied.

"Do you know…Did she ever…?" Hiei could not find a way to phrase his question and, in shame, glared at the wall to his left.

"You mean, did she ever mention you?"

"Hn."

Machiko smiled, "Yes. When she came to me, she was torn. She had left her daughter behind to fend for herself in a world where the inhabitants were as cold as the ice they controlled. She asked me a question though: if I had received a child thrown to his death. She wanted to be with her son. She told me that if she couldn't be with him while he was alive, at least her soul would always be with his. She was so happy when she found out I had not collected your soul, though she worried about you and who you were with."

Hiei's vision was starting to go blurry and he could not figure out why.

"Your mother cared for you, Hiei," Machiko continued when she saw Hiei blink his eyes several times in quick succession, "She had wanted to keep you, but the Elder would have none of it. She cried for you every day of the rest of her life, Hiei. She loved you."

Hiei stood silent. He had remembered his mother's cries as Ruri tossed him off the island, but he had not known how much she cared for him, a male created from a forbidden relationship.

"You are not alone and you are not forbidden," Machiko continued, "How can you be forbidden when everyone around you cares for and accepts you?"

"They don't know!" Hiei replied heatedly.

"Don't they? They know your past, they know your titles, they know all that; but they still stay, they still call themselves your friends. Do not look so hard for death when you have so much to live for."

A moment of silence ensued as Machiko allowed what she said to sink in, "Let me know what the favor is once you think of it. And, don't worry, it's pretty easy to find me; just follow the large concentration of souls in one area."

She headed for the door, but before she could get there, Hiei's hand reached out and latched onto her wrist, preventing her from taking another step.

His hard eyes were questioning and Machiko could not help but feel even more for the demon who had experienced too much for his own good.

"I don't consider answering a question a favor," Machiko finally said in response to his unasked question, "I would have answered that for you anyway."

She disengaged her fragile wrist from his strong grip, "Let me know, okay?"

Hiei's gaze dropped to the dark, wood floor as he stood there in thought, a small frown marring his face as used lines appeared as dark creases along his brow and mouth.

Machiko smiled at him once more before again turning to leave, but as she reached her hand for the lock on the door, his hand latched onto her wrist once again.

"One night."

"Huh?" Machiko asked in confusion, "What?"

His crimson eyes held pain, "Accept me. For one night, I want you to accept me."

"You said one favor," Hiei breathed as he pulled her closer, "I want one night."

Machiko blinked in confusion as she studied the koorime's expression. He was lost, so lost, and looking for anything to grab on to. Machiko sighed.

"Hiei," she began and the kajihenge's form started to weaken as if he sensed the denial in her voice, "I am Death, Hiei. I cannot give you what you need-"

"How do you know what I need?" His eyes burned and his grip tightened considerably, but he forced himself to calm once he noticed the fear in the woman's eyes. "How do you know?"

"Because everyone needs the same thing," Machiko replied as she lifted her hand to the center of Hiei's chest, "Human, or in your case demon, companionship and love. I can give neither."

Hiei glared at the woman in front of him as he shook her hand off of his chest, "If you had listened at all you would have realized I neither want nor need those from you. Accept me for one night! I want-"

He could not finish the sentence; he could not make himself that vulnerable.

Machiko looked on in pure empathy. He was hurting so much and he was so confused. She brought her hand up to his cheek and smiled softly, "Alright. One night."

Hiei looked up with shocked eyes. He had not truly expected her to accept his proposal, but here she was, offering herself to him. He stood still, not sure how to continue. Machiko noticed his confusion, however, and took control of the situation, wrapping her arms around his neck and bending down to give the first kiss.

It was truly electrifying and Hiei could not help but return the action that paralyzed his thoughts. Everything centered on the tingling pressure on his lips. It had been a long while since he last lay with a woman and the pure physicality of it shocked him.

When Hiei took things no further Machiko realized she would have to momentarily dominate. Her mouth opened and her tongue flicked along Hiei's lips before she nibbled softly on his bottom lip until he granted her access.

She was experienced, of that there was no doubt and Hiei soon felt more emotions within one moment than he had his entire life. It was wonderful and soothing and yet so terribly heartrending. He did not know how to react or where to go. Her kisses left him breathless, her caresses motionless and he mindlessly followed her silent commands loving every moment of the encounter.

Never once had he allowed the woman to dominate in his previous sexual encounters – it was just the way things were done with demons. Men dominated and there was no emotional attachment; Hiei supposed he was breaking both rules of nature at the moment but realized he did not care as a warm feeling flooded his soul and filled him to the brim. Never once had he felt so complete, so whole, so unbroken; all because she was willing to accept him.

Machiko led the smaller fire demon to the bed and the two tumbled onto the covers when the sudden contact with the mattress took Hiei off guard and he lost his balance, pulling the both of them down onto the soft comforter. His lips immediately found hers again and a hungry strength pushed at the slower pace that Machiko had previously set.

No. Slow. She refused to follow his pace and kept at her own, overruling his instincts, keeping his mind in control. She could not help him, could not heal him, if the encounter became a mindless fuck.

So Hiei listened to her silent commands and the two solitary beings spent the night in each other's arms. And as Hiei fell asleep, limbs entangled with Death herself, a tear leaked out of one of his eyes and dropped to the twisted sheets below, transforming into a beautiful gem halfway down.

Machiko stirred and slowly opened her eyes in the very early morning hours. The man in front of her was dead asleep, his arms tossed heavily around her. She watched him for a few minutes with a soft look on her face before slipping out of his loose grasp.

He shifted once and the woman held her breath as she waited for him to fall back into a heavy sleep. He flopped onto his back and did so, leaving the red gem he had cried shining in the folds of the blankets.

Machiko reached out and grabbed it.

She dressed silently, grunting only once as she tied the silver obi in a butterfly knot and twisted it around to the back. She placed her hand on her stomach as she glanced back at Hiei with a sad smile.

"I told you I could not give you more," she reminded the man in a whisper. She glanced once at the beautiful tear gem before dropping it into the bag she hid in her obi and slipping silently through the door to his hallway.

"Sneaking away?"

Machiko froze before swiveling around to the voice that had called out to her.

"He knows I could not give him what he needs," she replied coolly to the redhead, "Even if he refuses to admit it."

Kurama eyed her momentarily before bowing to her, "Who am I to question?"

The woman smiled softly before replying, "You are his friend. Please continue to take care of him. I should not be meeting him again for a long time."

Kurama returned the soft smile before nodding and stepping into his own room.

"I must thank you once more for all your help in caring for my human shell while I was locked away," Machiko stated sincerely with a stiff bow.

"Of course," Kurama replied while returning the bow.

When he lifted his head, she had already disappeared, never to be seen by them in that life again, although not to never disturb their lives again.