So hopefully this chapter is better than I think it is. I wrote the first draft when I was having a really crappy week, scrapped it deciding there was no way I was giving you guys anything so horrible, and rewrote it about three times. I'm still not certain how much I like it since it almost seems like a filler, but there is some very important information I had to get into it.

After this chapter, no more disclaimers. I've already said I don't own it quiet a few times by now.

I was rereading this after I posted it and realized how many mistakes I've made so I've done a quick fix up. I'm sure I didn't get them all, but it looks better than it did now. If you see any more mistakes let me know.

"speaking"

'thinking"

:Shuichi to Yoko:

::Yoko to Shuichi::

Chapter 6: Amaranth

Yusuke stared at Kurama's sleeping face, worried that he had hurt her last night. Her breath was labored and her face looked pained. The red head curled up and rolled toward him, Yusuke immediately pulling her into his embrace. He kissed the top of her head and whispered comfort into her ear, although he almost couldn't stand to touch her from the heat radiating off of her body.

"And I thought Hiei was hot," he joked lightly, trying to make himself calm down.

At the sound of approaching footsteps he gently pulled away from Kurama, preparing to spring at the first sign of danger. When Yoko walked into the clearing he growled softly, a primal urge telling him not to let the fox anywhere near Kurama.

Yoko nodded approvingly at his growl, confusing Yusuke enough to make him drop his guard for a moment. "That's a good sign," Yoko explained. "When some demons claim mates they do so only because they think it will be fun, or because they want to dominate the other. It is very rare that someone who is not claimed cares about the one they claim."

"Ok, I'm not following," Yusuke said, trying to reign in his urge to punch the other male.

Yoko sighed, setting down some clothes, a few small towels, and a bowl of water. "I'm only going to clean her up. Her human body was virgin after all and you weren't exactly gentle last night," he said as he dipped one of the towels in the water and then moved slowly toward Kurama.

"As for what I was saying earlier, you claimed Kurama as your mate last night. When you bit her you injected some of your energy into her. This is how mates are marked, although most mates will mark each other at the same time since it is not possible for a claimed demon to mark any other. The energy that you inserted into her is mixing with her own. It is a painful process, and also why Kurama is in this state now. However, by claiming her, you have effectively made sure Karasu will not be able to rape her. Only the one who did the claiming can sleep with the one they claimed. Otherwise, the energy from the dominate partner will lash out and try to destroy whatever is trying to harm the claimed. It takes a very powerful spell to break that rule."

Yusuke watched carefully while Yoko washed the dried blood from Kurama's thighs. "But I didn't even ask her…"

"No, you didn't," Yoko said sharply, not even allowing Yusuke to start his guilt speech. "But you love her, and she loves you. That's more than can be said for many who have been claimed as mates. You didn't rape her, did you?"

"No!"

"Then Kurama knew what she was getting into. She probably knew that you wouldn't be able to hold back, and if she didn't want this she wouldn't have slept with you in the first place."

Yusuke was silent as Yoko finished. He picked up the bowl of now red water and the towels he had used before standing up. "There's a set of clothes for you as well," he said before walking back the way he had come.

Yusuke just continued to watch Kurama. She seemed to be breathing easier now and her skin didn't feel as hot. He finally lay down next to her, curling up with his head under her chin, before falling asleep. He could have sworn that as he drifted off Kurama had wrapped her arms around him and kissed his forehead.

/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\

Yusuke woke to the sound of crickets, a lightening bug flickering once before it moved from his nose and flew off. He propped his hand in his head while resting his elbow on the ground when he realized that Kurama was no longer beside him, but sitting a little ways off with her back to him.

The red head had dressed in one of the simple white robes Yoko had brought and knelt, bent over something Yusuke couldn't see. Hearing him move she looked over her shoulder, smiling softly at him. "Good to see you're finally awake," she teased.

Yusuke put on his 'How-could-you-wound-me-so-horribly-when-I've-done-nothing' face. "Coming from the person who slept for over a whole day."

Kurama just continued to smile and went back to whatever she had been looking at before. Yusuke stood and stretched before walking over and kneeling beside her. "Isn't that a weed?" he asked when he saw the plant that had captured Kurama's attention.

She didn't take her eyes off of it as she answered. "Some would consider it to be, but this is an amaranth. It has just started growing so it doesn't look like much right now."

"Hang on, amaranth, I've heard that before. Isn't that suppose to be a flower that never dies?"

Yusuke was rewarded with a smile from his new mate. "Yes. There are many varieties in the Human World, but there is only one kind native to Makai. It also happens to be the hardest plant to control."

"And this is it?" Yusuke asked, looking in amazement down at the tiny weed.

Kurama let her fingers brush against the leaves. "If you hadn't given me some of your energy I doubt I would be able to do this now." She sent some of her energy into the amaranth and immediately it responded. The leaves shot out and grew fuller, and then five cream bulbs opened to five cream colored blossoms. They were small; Yusuke would have been able to fit all five blossoms in both his hands. Yet they all seemed to shine with their own light. They weren't as beautiful as Yusuke had expected them to be, just small creamy buds clustered together between thorns and leaves. But anyone who saw them could never call them ugly.

When asked about it years later Yusuke never tried to describe the flowers. All he would say was that they were beautiful, and compare them to moonlight. Of course, he left out the feeling of complete awe that had filled him at that moment. He would never hear the end of it from Kuwabara if he carried on about flowers.

Kurama leaned against him when she was done, energy spent. Yusuke immediately pulled her into his lap, positioning her so she could still she the amaranths. "Normally they are red or green, and they don't have thorns. Those in the Human World are also much smaller than these," she said as she laid her head on Yusuke's shoulder.

"I guess everything will grow around you, wont it?"

Kurama chuckled softly. "If only. There are two more differences between these amaranths and those of Human World. For one, these actually wont die. However, if they are plucked by someone who hasn't planted them they will turn to dust."

"But no one planted these, did they?"

Kurama smiled softly. "We planted them."

"Huh?"

"I know this will seem "girly" to you, but it is the only way they appear."

Yusuke growled in frustration. "Are you going to tell me, or just keep being vague?"

"The reason these amaranths are so rare is because they are the only true sign of love in the Makai."

Yusuke laughed. "You're right, it does sound a bit girly." He reached out, one hand wrapping around one of the blossoms.

"What are you doing?" Kurama asked worriedly, almost jumping out of Yusuke's embrace.

"We're still going to have to fight Karasu before we leave, and while I have no intention of letting the lunatic even see you again, it's better that we have every weapon available to us, right? Besides, you said I could pick this thing and it wont die."

Kurama nodded slowly. "Yes, but Yusuke, Karasu sealed most of my power. I can undo this spell but it'll take time, and I'm not sure I will even be able to remove it completely. There's no way I would have enough energy to manipulate an Makai amaranth into a weapon."

Yusuke kissed her brow, plucking the flower and placing it behind her ear. "Then just keep it as a reminder," he said as he kissed her softly, yet passionately, pulling her to him as he laid back on the soft grass.

/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\

"There's two Hieis?"

Hiei quickly slashed at his double and jumped back, taking a defensive position, the other Hiei mimicking him perfectly. "What did you expect? We're in a different dimension, of course there's alternate versions of us here."

The other Hiei finally turned his eyes on Kuwabara, eyes widening in shock. "Kuwabara!" he shouted, rushing at the carrot top.

Kuwabara screamed, trying to get some defense up before the other Hiei reached him, but he was too slow. However, instead of a sword piercing through his spine he looked down to see that the other Hiei was…hugging him.

"Huh?"

/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\

Shuichi stood in Raizen's throne room, looking out over his kingdom toward Karasu's domain. "Yusuke and Hiei will bring her back."

Shuichi spun, startled by Raizen's sudden appearance. "My lord," she said softly, bowing gently before turning back to the window.

Raizen sighed, hands coming down to rest firmly on Shuichi's shoulders. He felt the woman stiffen under him, but leaned down and whispered in her ear, "You are like Yusuke's ancestor. You may not have the same personality, but there's the same spirit behind your eyes."

"Is that why you risk your son's anger by being close to me?" Shuichi asked coldly, turning to face the silver haired demon.

Raizen just smiled down at her. "Yes. If my son had not claimed you first, I would have as soon as I saw you." He couldn't help but grin slightly at the shiver that went through Shuichi.

"Why are you here?" she asked finally. Her voice was steady and calm, but her body just seemed tired.

'Of course she would be,' Raizen thought. 'Her daughter has been captured by a lunatic, her husband and his best friend may not return from trying to save her, although no one will tell her that, and her I am harassing her.'

Normally the demon lord would have made some other remark, but instead he pulled out a small wooden box and handed it to her. Shuichi took it tentatively, and opened it slowly. Inside was a small comb, about five inches long. The comb itself was faded gold, as well as the leaves and thorns on the handle. Resting between the leaves and thorns was an amaranth flower made of silver. It was exquisite work, and extremely old.

"My lord," she said softly, "I cannot accept this." She tired to close the box, but Raizen stopped her.

"This is an heirloom from your house, created at the time the Human World and the Makai merged. It was created for the lady of the house at the time, so that she had a weapon to protect her. Inside the handle is an unknown poison that we have been trying to recreate for some time. It is deadly to demons, but does not effect humans." Gently taking the comb from the box he leaned down slightly to slip it into Shuichi's hair, where it shown brilliantly against the red. "If ever you need to use it just press down on the handle and the poison will seep into the comb pricks. One scratch will be enough to kill most demons."

Shuichi looked at the empty box then up at the demon lord. "Thanks you," she said sincerely.

"There is no need to thank me, you are my daughter after all."

Raizen turned and briskly walked out the doors of the throne room. "Hokushin! Send messengers to Yomi and Mukuro! Karasu has just declared war on the United Kingdoms!" (1)

/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\

1. I swear I didn't mean this to sound like the United Kingdom. I just couldn't think of anything else for it. If anyone has any ideas I'd be glad to hear them.

Yay, another chapter done! Next chapter starts the climb to the climax! Anyways, I have decided on if Kurama will get his male body back or not. This is mostly to do with me still wanting to do the other story I mentioned in my now deleted author's note. I will be writing it, and yes it will be another gen ben because I like them and there are not a lot of them around. However, that story will not go up until this one is done.

Also, for anyone reading the Dragon Knights story, it will be on hiatus until this one is done.

Please drop me a review to tell me what you think and I hope to see everyone back for the next chapter!