HELLO HUMANS!

I have not died!

I know I'm not technically SUPPOSED to use a chapter for an author's note, but…

First of all, I want to say I'M SUPER SORRY and I feel I owe you guys an explanation - I said I'd update in a few days and then disappeared. Unfortunately, a completely devastating and unexpected death rocked our family in the beginning of January and we are still doing our best to heal through it at the moment.

My muse for everything kind of.. Ran away with everything going on - but I'm trying to get back in the swing of things - I've been writing little random stories to help lately and I honestly just want to get back to normal. Within the next few weeks, I want to start re-watching the series to get myself back in the groove - I've also been going through and re-reading previous chapters WHICH I have been slowly editing and adding on to because I feel like my writing has changed since I first started this story when comparing the first chapter to the last posted chapter :P - special shout out to those reviewers who pointed out some of my mistakes - I'll be working to correct those! :)

Also BIG LOVE to user smilebang for the concerned message - seriously, thank you, thank you, thank you. It actually meant a lot that someone who didn't even personally know me took time out of their day to message me - some people I know in real life couldn't even be bothered with that, so thank you from the bottom of my heart :)

Anyway! Hopefully, I can get myself back at it again. Thank you to those who have stuck around and thank you or the patience! Hopefully, you'll be seeing me in a couple of weeks with 'Chapter 27: The All Seeing Eye Part 2'!

IN THE MEANTIME (spoiler alert ;P) - Here are some sneak peeks from (1) 'Chapter 27: The All Seeing Eye Part 2' and (2) 'Chapter 28: Run.'

SNEAK PEEK: The All Seeing Eye Part 2

Hiei raised an eyebrow, his crimson eyes momentarily darting to the hilt of his blade, a smirk finding its way back onto his face, "Are you sure?"

Kira shrugged one of her shoulders carelessly, "Probably," She flinched when she felt a firm grip at the very end of her hair, but when she opened her mouth to question she felt cold metal slide against the top of her shoulders, followed immediately by the familiar sound of one long, clean slice. Her canine-like ears gave a few large twitches, feeling the sudden lack of weight on her scalp - he really just cut most of her hair off… Her eyes batted several times as her brain tried to process that seemingly simple fact.

"You said probably," Hiei's voice held a mock-apologetic tone to it as he returned the shoulder shrug casually, smirking as he re-sheathed his blade; releasing the mass of hair carelessly where he had discarded the old wrappings - at least it wouldn't be in the way now. "Up," He said sternly, grasping the bottom of the severely over-sized shirt she wore on either side.

Kira huffed indignantly, but rose both of her arms above her head nonetheless, "I am not-" She stopped abruptly with a sharp intake of air as she felt his rough knuckles graze her sensitive sides, sending a foreign shiver across her icy skin, her ears giving a few more twitches as the shirt's collar ran over them - the action, once again, did not go unnoticed; a set of crimson eyes tracing the eruption of goosebumps down her spine - but she quickly finished her statement as she dropped her arms back down to her sides, "A child,"

"Then don't act like one."

SNEAK PEEK: Run

Kira stared down at the pale yellow orb in her hand, her fingers tracing its smooth surface as her chocolate eyes strained to adjust to the darkness, the cool night air washing over her and giving a gentle calm to her inner animal.

This way would be easiest.

No drawn out, heartfelt goodbyes, no tears from Keiko or Yukina, no ache in her chest as she looked into the eyes of her comrades for what could potentially be the last time.. She had known this day would come from the second she dove headfirst into this mission, but what she hadn't accounted for was these people. This strange mismatched group of humans and demons that had managed to claw a rift through everything she had once known.

Her mind began to wander to a familiar pair of crimson eyes; but she quickly relinquished the thought to the back of her mind. She couldn't do that right now, any other time but now. Now was pivotal to her return. She had dozens just like herself, waiting to hear news of their victory, that they may finally serve the one purpose they were created for...

She needed to go home..

She took a deep breath, giving the tiny fragile ball a squeeze in her palm and tossing it out into the unkempt grass in front of her. Sure enough, seconds later that familiar swirl of blue erupted from it's core.

But her entire body froze as she sensed a gentle presence cresting through the treeline behind her..

"Sneaking away in the middle of the night?"

So much for that plan...