Author's Note: Wow, I'm really pumpin these out. Don't know if that's doing anything to the quality of the chapters, but ohz wellz. I hope you like this one because it's a doozy. I actually think you're all going to hate me for this chapter...Eh. Only time will tell. RnR!

"Kurama…"

Kurama turned sharply on his heel, his hand reaching into his hair in preparation to draw his rose whip. Cold air and warm lights met Kurama's eyes as he took in the sight of the ballroom. He saw his family and friends dining and conversing with one another while Botan danced in and out of sight with another man. On occasion someone would walk by the doorway that led to the balcony on which he stood. But when he saw no one directly behind him Kurama relaxed, but only slightly. That was a woman's voice calling out to him, a voice that Kurama remembered, but couldn't wrap his mind around.

"Kurama-onii-chan…" the voice whispered again, sounding from everywhere and nowhere at once. Kurama's eyes darted around in search of the voice's origins. Again he searched through the ballrooms occupants. When out of the ordinary nothing presented itself visually, Kurama expanded his senses in hopes that he would find whoever would call out to him in such a way. He knew that voice very well, but why was he hearing her of all people? He should know the answer, but his mind wouldn't allow himself to come to the proper conclusion.

"Onii-chan…" The familiar and thick scent of Reikai's forests assaulted Kurama's nose, the aroma thick with ozone and accented by a thick undertone of kyara.* The aroma, thick with so many different smells yet so faint, inspired so many memories within him; memories Kurama thought long forgotten. It was the scent of his birthplace; the scent of the home he had abandoned? Why was he hearing her now? Why was she calling out to him now? Why now of all times?

"Moriko!" Kurama exclaimed suddenly as visions of red flashed in his mind's eye and the scent of blood was added into the mix of smells. The fear that she felt filled him with such dread and the pain she suffered traversed time and space to pierce through his heart. She was hurt, possibly dying.

"Help me, onii-chan," Moriko's voice whispered into Kurama's mind. "Please help me."

"Moriko!" Kurama called out, leaning over the railing in hopes of finding some trace of her in the night. He needed to find some way to her. He needed to help her. The scents and sensations warred with Kurama's senses, trying to pull him in multiple directions at once when all Kurama needed was one. He needed one direction, one path to travel so he could go.

"Kurama?" Kurama's head snapped to the left, just as Botan reached his side. Her eyes were bright with exuberance and laced with curiosity, a look that Kurama hadn't seen in a while. She held her hand out to him, her palm hovering over his shoulder as if unsure if he wanted her to proceed. She could see something was wrong with him, and Kurama could do nothing to hide.

Kurama leaned into her touch without a moment of thought before he pulled her into his arms. His mind raced for something to say, anything that would make Botan understand what he was about to do. He needed to leave. He needed to go and find Moriko. He needed to save her. He didn't know how long he would be gone; if it would be one night or one week, Kurama didn't know. Kurama didn't even care. His Moriko, his sweet and loving little sister, needed him now and he would not turn his back on her. He pulled Botan closer and opened his mouth to speak.

"You're not going anywhere without me," Botan declared before Kurama could say a word. She had seen the emotion in Kurama's eyes. She had seen the hesitation in his jaw. She knew something was wrong, something that Kurama had to face now.

"How did…?" Kurama looked down at Botan incredulously, amazed that Botan had been able to read him so well when others would have been oblivious to his intentions. Was it because of their growing closeness? Or was Botan's intuition truly so great? Kurama found himself at a loss of what to think about the woman in his arms. Again, Botan had proven what has been universally believed about her false. Botan was a lot smarter than she allowed others to realize, and it was strange to have her use this trait against him. Were this any other time, Kurama would have allowed himself the time to be impressed by her keen ability.

"You had this look on your face. You only get it when you're about to do something I'm not going to like. I connected the dots from there." Botan explained. She looped her arms around Kurama's waist and rested her cheek over Kurama's erratic heartbeat. "So where are we going?" She wasn't going to let Kurama go alone, not with so many things going against them.

"I don't know," Kurama answered honestly. "I just know I have to go."

"We have to go, you mean." Botan corrected. She pulled away from Kurama for a moment to wave over the nearest server. While under Kurama's watchful and curious gaze, Botan requested that the server deliver a brief message to the short young man dressed in black with the headband. She kept her words short and vague, while leaving enough clues for Hiei to put two and two together. It would not due to have their friends and family worry about their sudden disappearance. Botan watched the server walk away with a smile before turning to face Kurama.

Kurama looked down on Botan and nodded. Checking for any possible witnesses, he gave his surroundings a quick scan before grabbing Botan into the cradle of his arms and leaping from the balcony's railing and down to the garden three floors bellow. If they were going to do this, they were going to do it now. Kurama didn't know what was wrong with Moriko, and every moment spent waiting was a moment Moriko lost.

"Moriko!" Kurama called out telepathically in hopes of making a connection. Though he was not as talented in the field of telepathy as Botan and Hiei, Kurama was capable enough to send out brief messages and images. This skill was something that Kurama chose now to exploit. If he could reach Moriko, then maybe he would know where to go.

"Onii-chan, help me!" Her voice was thick with urgency, one that had been absent from her voice only moments before. There was fear in her voice, a true fear that filled Kurama's veins with adrenaline. Images flashed within Kurama's mind and he made a sharp turn to the right where thick woods grew. As he ran, he felt his body shift as his clothes tightened and ripped, allowing for his tails to break through the seam of his pants. He could not bring himself to care though, even as the crimson of his hair remained. His emotions were on overdrive, fighting for control; fighting for release. Kurama had reached his limit and he could not take much more.

Botan watched Kurama closely as he ran, not really reacting when Kurama partially took his demon form right before her very eyes. Kurama was under a lot of stress; that much was clear, but why? Botan knew that Kurama was upset with her dancing with Koudo, but there was more; a lot more. Kurama wasn't as infallible as he led others to believe and Botan could only assume that the events that were transpiring around him as well as his fast approaching mating time was proving too much for Kurama to handle without an outlet. They've only engaged the enemy twice, but that was a while ago so Kurama hadn't been able to de-stress through combat. Kurama hadn't been able to de-stress by any means if Botan wanted to be completely honest with herself, and she hadn't been helping the equation by much.

The flirting that transpired between Kurama and Botan, though good and fun had become increasingly charged. Since Kurama couldn't do anything about it, the energy born from their actions remained, building up within him and strumming him full of tension. Kurama needed an outlet. Kurama needed violence. Kurama needed something to exhaust himself and to relieve himself of all his pent up energy, soon. Wherever they were going, Botan prayed that Kurama would find some way to vent his frustrations, or this mission was going to be the thing that sent Kurama over the edge. Summoning her oar, Botan removed herself from Kurama's hold and mounted it without breaking Kurama's stride.

"Hop on," Botan commanded, dipping low enough for Kurama to do just as she told him to. Once his arms were secured around her waist, Botan pulled up on her oar, sending them skyrocketing into the skies just as the woods ended. Once she leveled out in the cover of the night, Botan continued in the direction Kurama had started them off in. "Where are we going?"

"There should be a mansion in that direction," Kurama explained as he shrugged off his tux's jacket. Next to be removed was his shirt, which had become increasingly tight and uncomfortable due to his sudden shift in size. The human shell that Kurama resided in was now the full height and girth of his demon form, and his fox ears and tails were now an addition to his human traits. Something was wrong with him. Why did he not take his demon form? Was his emotional state to blame for his abnormality? Was it something else? Kurama didn't have time to search for an answer, but the worry was still there.

"You're going to have to be more specific then that," Botan pressed, leaning forward to minimize rush of the air against her form. She felt Kurama do the same behind her, his torso pressing down on her back in a way that sent chills down her spine and heated her blood. She could feel the tension in Kurama's muscles, the static energy pulsing beneath his flesh in search of release.

"It's secluded and surrounded by trees," Kurama added, visualizing the rush of mental images Moriko was sending him. "Some of which are demons, others are being manipulated into weapons."

"You're brother?" Botan deduced, turning sharply to avoid detection by a group of teens stargazing.

"It looks like," Kurama growled. A new rage was born within him when Kurama realized that both Jinan and Moriko were together, and yet little Moriko was calling to him for help. Could Jinan have fallen so completely that he no longer cared for their little sister? Kurama decided to voice his concerns in hopes that in so doing an answer would come. "Why would Moriko call out to me if Jinan is there?"

"You don't think it's a trap, do you? I know Moriko's you're sister, but maybe she fell too, like you and Jinan?" Botan brought up legitimate points, ones that in most cases Kurama would have considered himself. But he knew his sister. Nothing could make her fall.

"You're probably right," Kurama agreed, regardless of what he felt. It had been three thousand years since he had last seen his sister. He changed, why couldn't she? Life had a way of throwing curve balls and Moriko was not immune to change. No one was.

"I hope I'm not," Botan sighed.

"Why do you say that?" Kurama questioned, startled by Botan's words.

"How many of your own siblings are you going to have to lose?" Botan counted them off in her head, starting with Kurama's late oldest brother and working her way downward. Jinan, the second oldest in the litter, was next to be added to the list. Botan knew that the moment Kurama had the chance he was going to kill Jinan, only this time Kurama was going to do a more thorough job to ensure that Jinan would not survive this time around. Moriko was going to be all Kurama had left of his littermates, and Botan feared what would happen if it turned out that Moriko was also a member of the fallen.

"I don't know. All of them?" Kurama didn't intend for his voice to come out harshly, but the fact of the matter was that Botan was right. If it turned out that they were heading for a trap, and Moriko was also involved with the Fallen, then that would mean he would have to kill her along with Jinan. Jinan he could kill, but Kurama wasn't too sure if he could end the life of his youngest sibling; his little sister.

"You and your sister were close, weren't you?" Botan took no offense to Kurama's tone, knowing that he suffering from the uncertainty. Kurama was known for his cruelty. He butchered and tortured for fun during his darkest days, but he was not without a heart. He may have hidden it, but Botan had watched it grow for years, shining through the shell of viciousness that Kurama had erected around it. Please don't let his heart break, he'll never survive it.

"We were. When we were kits, we stood up for each other. I was the runt of the litter and she was the only female my mother ever birthed. We had to stick up for each other. Even though we were Reikai born and had the blood of Inari in our very blood, we were still lowly kitsune. Even without our older brothers tormenting us, we had the gods and other Reigens to make our lives a living hell. It was because of our "inadequacies," as Jinan liked to put it." Kurama recounted with a forlorn smile.

"Maybe that's why she's calling you now?" Botan offered with sudden clarity. "So you can stick up for her again."

"I hope you're right," Kurama breathed. But why now? Kurama didn't want to think on the subject for much longer, needing to distance himself from the situation so he could look at things objectively. He needed to calm himself enough to formulate a plan. He was no help to anyone with his emotions running amok within him, he needed to return to his old cool-headed self. He had to, but the farther from his current dilemma Kurama went, he was brought closer to another one; Botan.

Kurama's mind was suddenly consumed by her, as it has been for a long while now, but this time there was no joy to be felt. This time, all Kurama could feel was his debilitating jealousy. Another man had laid hands on her and Kurama could do nothing about it. What could he do? Kurama had no true claim over Botan. She was only his for as long as Botan allowed it. Now that she'd experienced what it was like with another, a man who was strong and capable and wasn't Kurama, she could leave him.

Kurama could feel the control that he so cherished spiraling away from him, slipping from between his grasping fingers. His mind was no longer under his command; his mind belonged to his emotions. If it wasn't the mission, it was Botan. If it wasn't Botan, it was the mission. He didn't know what to do anymore and how to handle that. In the past, everything came easy to him. He was a ruthless tactical genius. He was a master of plants. Once, he had his emotions ruled with an iron grip, but now he couldn't even maintain the simplest of plans. With Botan proving to be his perfect distraction Kurama was losing everything, and he feared that was exactly what the Fallen Ones wanted.

Attack the heart and the rest will fall.

Kurama couldn't allow for that to happen. He needed to rid himself of his confusion. He needed to surround himself with facts, not assumptions. In fact there was control, because facts did not change. Kurama could build on facts. Fact would rid Kurama's world of confusion and the more he knew the more control he would regain. He could not know about the Fallen, because no facts had presented itself, yet. He could know about everything else. He could know the facts needed to protect his heart. He needed the facts to protect Botan. Kurama had to know. Kurama needed to know.

"Did you have fun? With him?" Kurama asked suddenly, breaking the long stretch of silence that had grown between them. He needed to know where he stood if he was ever going to be able to focus again. If Botan did not want him, Kurama needed to know so he could either try harder in earning her love and affections, or back away and content himself with her friendship.

"…I did," Botan admitted with a smile in her voice. "It was nice. No one but you has ever treated me like a lady before." Botan steered her oar in a steady decline until she was able to make her way under the tightly woven canopy of increasingly ancient trees.

"Do you like him?" Kurama found himself asking, unsure how he would handle the answer if it was one he didn't like. He knew he wouldn't be able to settle with just Botan's friendship. He wanted everything; her love, her light, everything. But do I even deserve it? What do I have to offer her? What do I have that will make her stay?

"I do, but I like you more though," Botan assured him. She could feel the rise and fall of Kurama's chest as he sighed with relief. However, she could still feel the tension in Kurama's body. The anger and the hurt was eating away at him as his jealousy poisoned his judgment. "I'm sorry." Botan found herself saying.

"What about?" Kurama inquired with his head cocked to the side. There was a strange lilt in Botan's voice, one that Kurama hadn't acquainted himself with. What would she have to apologize for?

"I thought by dancing with him I would be able to find Yusuke and Kuwabara. I didn't mean to upset you." Botan reached up and ran her fingers through Kurama's forelocks. She had seen the jealousy in his eyes, and that would normally have been reason enough for her to go back to him. But they had a job to do. She had a job to do. She could not let her feelings get in the way of that, not with so much on the line.

"It's alright. If he makes you feel the way you do, who am I to get in your way." Kurama knew that Botan was telling the truth, but at the same time he found himself hard pressed to believe it. Her intentions were good, but the pain inflicted was still there. He knew Botan deserved to be treated wonderfully, in a way that he was almost angered to admit that most of his comrades did not treat her with. He felt better to know that Botan liked him more than Koudo, but for how much longer?

Botan could tell that the issue was still bothering him, but she let it slide for now. Over the horizon Botan could see the red shingles of a stone French style mansion, an odd sight when compared to the modern Japanese architecture of the other mansions a decent distance away. Turning to face Kurama, Botan slowed her oar to a stop before drifting downwards. "Are you okay?"

"I'm fine," Kurama smiled in response, leaning forward so he could nuzzle her neck and nip at one of her pressure points. He dismounted the oar once he was a short distance from the ground afterwards, needing to gather his bearings. The thick and powerful smell of the foliage filled his lungs and soothed his nerves, calming his heart and stilling the chaos of his mind. The hum of energy, the energy of anticipation and combat, entered his body. Finally, Kurama had his stillness. Finally, Kurama could think. He had been cooped up indoors for too long, but now that he was outside, Kurama could breathe again.

"So what's the plan?" Botan asked.

"For one thing, we- hello?" Kurama gasped, giving Botan a double take as the chaos reentered his mind.

In the short time that his back was turned, Botan had bound up her skirt and pinned it in place so that the skirt looked like an overly layered mini skirt so short that Kurama could see the clasps of her garter belt. She had also managed to work her hair into its usual ponytail, something that Kurama was loath to have missed. Her clip was refastened and her unneeded jewelry had been discarded. She had bundled them up in Kurama's shirt and jacket before she tucked them all under the roots of a discernable tree.

"Is something wrong?" Botan checked herself in hopes of locating whatever it was that Kurama was staring so intently at. She turned this way, but couldn't seem to find anything that was off. Somehow she managed to turn completely until her back was facing Kurama, so when she peeked up at him in hopes finding some hint as to what was wrong, she found his eyes glued to her rear. She checked again to see if her butt was showing, but again, she found nothing wrong. Realizing that he was checking her out, Botan blushed and turned sharply. Now was not the time.

"We should go now. Hopefully we'll be able to avoid detection until we get to the house, but be on your guard." Kurama waited for a moment longer, assuring himself that Botan was indeed capable of keeping up with him. He canted his head in her direction before he turned and started a light sprint towards the house. He could hear the rapid beating of Botan's feet against the moist earth a few short steps behind him and was comforted by the fact. Focus on the trees. Focus on the task at hand. Kurama chanted in his head as his energy surged and spiraled without his consent. He could feel his energy hum within his heart uncomfortably, but Kurama fought through it.

Reaching behind him, Kurama caught Botan's wrist in time to turn sharply to the right and leap into the branches of a nearby tree. Kurama then secured an arm around Botan's waist to steady her, adjusting her until her back was braced against the tree's trunk and her feet were balanced on the thicker portion of its limb. Botan cocked her head to the side curiously, but didn't say anything to question Kurama's actions. He gestured downwards and both lowered themselves into a crouch.

Down bellow they could see an interesting tree demon gliding in the direction of where they once were. The large tangle of roots that made up its lower body slithered and writhed against each other in their rush to investigate the soil. The roots of the demon's body pierced the earth and the demon shivered as it absorbed the limited knowledge that one location held. The creature arched its back, revealing a Noh mask for a face to its unknown watchers.

Kurama held his finger to his lips in silent warning to Botan. The creature was on to them, something Kurama could not allow. Kurama gently eased himself onto a lower branch with his palm braced against the bark of the tree. In a sudden and sharp stab of youki, to quick to be detected, Kurama took control of the tree. His breath shuddered when the youki left his body, leaving behind a slight emptiness that Kurama craved more of. The release wasn't enough, but the small amount of emptiness lowered his heart rate and slowed his breath to more acceptable levels. The roots rose from their resting places at a painstakingly slow pace, making no sound to alert the demon to its activity.

A seam cleaved its way across the Noh mask before it was split evenly in two to reveal many rows of jagged teeth. The demon's chest heaved, each rise and fall growing in size as the creature readied a mighty bellow.

Botan gasped, clutching at the tree to keep steady and silent as the roots under Kurama's control skewered the demon before a sound could be made. The roots wrapped around the demon and pulled it back into a newly formed hollow within the base of the tree's trunk. Botan watched from above with mixed emotions about what had happened. It had been so easy; so quick and silent. The precision and lack of hesitation that Kurama had exhibited was almost frightening.

"We should go." Botan jumped when she Kurama's words met her ear. She would have fallen from the tree had Kurama not caught her, which she was grateful for, but at the same time she was at a loss. Turning to face him, Botan wondered how it was someone so wonderful was capable of such ruthlessness.

Seeing that Botan was troubled, Kurama lowered his head to nuzzle her cheek and neck. He could feel the rapid beating of her heart and the short and shallow gusts of her breathing. She was unnerved by his actions. Kurama didn't understand why though, she had seen him kill before. Kurama made a move to voice his concerns, but his worries were laid to rest when Botan nipped at his jaw and pressed her face into his neck. Kurama sighed with relief even as the tension that had left him was replaced with another tightness in his chest. She was fine with him, and even though his actions clearly bothered her she wasn't going to hold them against him.

They had a mission to accomplish, using whatever means necessary to meet its completion. "Let's go." With a firm hand latched onto Botan's wrist, Kurama guided Botan across the increasingly narrow branch before leaping across to another. Botan was pulled along with him, and though he feared for her balance in such an action, she proved quite capable. The thousands of years on her oar have proved to be a great asset to her it seemed. Kurama loosened his hold on Botan's wrist and allowed his palm to slide over the smooth skin there until he was able to lace his fingers with hers.

Hand in hand, the two navigated over the tree tops, avoiding a small handful of sentry demons until they came to a point in their travels where the trees dwindled in numbers. Kurama bit back a swear when he saw a cluster of tree demons a short distance ahead of them. Taking a few steps back, Kurama managed to trap Botan between his back and the tree. At this time Kurama released his hold of Botan's hand and turned to face her. He bit his lip as his mind rushed to formulate a plan that would keep them from detection.

Seeing the plans darting across Kurama's eyes, Botan relaxed against the tree. Though she had no issue with her balance, she was not used to wearing heels and the strain on her legs was starting to catch up with her. She lifted one leg and started to rotate her foot to alleviate the pressure on her ankle before she kicked her leg back and caught it with her hand. The stretch on her thighs hurt a little, but she knew it would prove beneficial in the long run. Dropping her foot onto the branch, Botan repeated the process for the other leg.

"Take off your shoes," Kurama ordered suddenly.

"What?" Botan cocked her head to the side, dropping her foot back onto the branch. Botan looked around to see if she could maneuver to a branch that allowed her ample room to follow Kurama's orders, but that proved to be unnecessary. Botan's face turned beet red when Kurama dropped into a kneeling position in front of her. Botan struggled to focus ahead of her, her eyes gluing themselves onto the demons not to far away from them.

All the while, Kurama removed her shoes and balanced them a short distance behind him. His hands didn't leave her though. Instead, Kurama trailed his hands upwards over Botan's leg until they reached her thigh. His hands maintained a kneading motion, following the curves of Botan's leg in a soothing motion. The massage ended when his fingers found the front clasp of her garter belt. He unfastened it slowly then reached around to do the same to the back. Botan bit back a moan when one of Kurama's hands went between her legs on its journey to the back of her leg, his knuckles grazing dangerously close to her nether region. Once her thigh high stalking was loose, Kurama eased the black nylon downwards to expose the smoothness of her leg.

The scent of Botan's arousal struck Kurama hard, affecting him almost instantly. All thoughts left Kurama in a rush, leaving behind a hunger that ran so deep it was consuming without the will to restrain it. His release was right there. It would all go away in one instant; one act. He would be free of the tension, of the frustration. He would be free of it all. He would be able to think. He would be able to breath. He would be able to be his old self again.

Kurama pressed his face on Botan's thigh and started to trail his lips and tongue upwards until he reached the lowest edge of Botan's dress. His hands soon followed in Kurama's sultry ascent until they found Botan's hips, lifting the skirt of her dress enough to expose her only a fraction. His tongue darted out to caress her, dampening the black lace of her panties even more. As he continued, Kurama lowered one of his hands from Botan's hip in favor of completing his original task; removing Botan's stalkings.

Botan bit her lip to keep from making a sound, unsure what to do. They shouldn't be doing…this…here. They were in danger and Kurama was running a great risk. She needed to stop him, but it felt so good. "Kurama," Botan gasped when he suddenly lifted one of her legs to rest over his shoulder. One hand shot to his head, her fingers tangling themselves in his crimson hair to pull him closer while the other rose over her head to grasp the branch above her. "Kurama, we need to stop," Botan panted urgently, looking down at him imploringly. What she saw was his golden eyes rimmed with red.

"Onii-chan!"

"Kurama!"

"Kurama?"

So many voices registered within Kurama's mind; prompting him to still his actions long enough to calm down a fraction to listen in. His ears twitched atop his head, pivoting around in search of any nearby threats. Finding them, Kurama slammed his free hand against the tree behind his intended, allowing his youki to surge forward. There wasn't even a sound, but the smell of acid and chloroplasts entered his lungs and added to his sudden high, pushing him farther over the edge while scrambling his thoughts.

"Kurama?" Botan hissed, trying to gain his attention and snap him out of the trance he was in. Even though the tree they were in had eliminated the three demons below, it was only a matter of time before others came to investigate the powerful scent their blood emitted. The smell was making her dizzy and weakening her resolve, but she could not give in.

Kurama's lips started to move upwards as he stood. He adjusted his hold over Botan's leg as he went, coaxing it to wrap around his waist so he could press his growing erection against her moist heat. Almost ruthlessly, Kurama yanked the front of the dress down to expose one of Botan's breasts to his attention. He showered the flesh with feverish kisses and gentle nips before he continued on his upward trek. He pressed his chest firmly against hers, lifting Botan up to allow for increased closeness before clamping his mouth over Botan's neck.

"Kurama, stop," Botan mewed, the pleasure inflicted on her body making her voice come out breathy and almost needy. Botan could feel her own body betray her as she rocked her hips and arched her back. Kurama's mouth was so hot against her neck and with each bite, lick, and suck against it sent spikes of ecstasy throughout her body.

Kurama pushed Botan harder against the tree and bucked his hips against her in a pale mimicry of what he had planned for her. Kurama moaned his delight when Botan's legs wrapped around his waist tighter, pulling him closer. He massaged Botan's thigh with one of his free hands while the other found purchase of Botan's bare breast.

Botan squeaked when Kurama's teeth bit into her neck, not necessarily hard enough to hurt or break the skin, but enough to surprise her with its sudden harshness. They needed to stop, now before things went to far out of hand. "I'm sorry Kurama, but this is for your own good." Bringing up her hand from Kurama's hair, Botan found his shoulder and gave him a powerful shove. Botan's hold on the branch above her was the only thing that saved her from the same fate Kurama suffered; a fall from their high perch on the tree.

Kurama landed on his back, the landing winding him completely while providing the jolt he needed to return to his senses. Kurama coughed and gasped for breath, looking around himself with an edge of panic. Rolling over, Kurama lifted himself onto his hands and knees and continued to wheeze. What did I do? Kurama asked himself as he struggled to find clarity in his mind.

"Kurama, are you alright?" Botan called from above, not willing to risk getting to close to Kurama unless he truly was hurt. She dropped herself to lounge on her stomach across the branch, checking Kurama with her eyes to see if any damage had been inflicted by her actions.

"I'm fine," Kurama coughed, not really knowing what else he could say. Even from a distance, the heady aroma of the blood around him coupled with the sweet and musky perfume of Botan's arousal filled him with such need and longing, clouding his mind and impairing his judgment. It didn't take much to realize what had happened and shame filled his heart. He had succumbed to his lust, almost to a point of entering a frenzy.*

Botan made a move to drop from the tree, but Kurama held up a hand to stop her. She stopped and observed Kurama with an edge of anxiety. From her vantage point, Botan watched Kurama withdraw a seed from his hair and force it into the ground. Mere moments later, a small plant grew from the soil at Kurama's prompting. It was a small stalk of green that rose and curled as the weight of several small berries began to weigh it down. Without any conscious thought on his part, Kurama snatched up the largest of the berries once it was dark with ripeness and popped it into his mouth. The tension left Kurama in a rush, and that was all Botan needed to chase away the last of her hesitation.

She dropped from the tree and trotted over to Kurama's side. Dropping to her knees, Botan pulled Kurama into a seated position and began to fret over his back. "I'm sorry," she apologized while healing a large cut from Kurama's back. Fortunately Kurama managed to avoid the acid during the fall, but even so Botan scooted the both of them farther away from the substance.

"Don't be," Kurama told her, refusing to look Botan in the eye as he pulled away from her hold. "I should be the one to apologize to you. If you hadn't pushed me from the tree, I would've…" Kurama couldn't finish his sentence. Not only had he endangered their lives, he had forced himself onto Botan. Kurama's stomach clenched with nausea, born from his regret and self-loathing. What have I done? All he wanted was control. All he needed was a moment of clarity, but not for such a price. He would have taken Botan, without her consent and without any regards for the pain she would suffer, simply so he could think like he used to. I'm disgusting…

"But you didn't," Botan pressed. "You're a demon under a lot of stress and approaching his mating time. Things like this happen, but everything's alright." Why is he doing this? Why now? Botan moved closer to Kurama in hopes of bringing him back out of his shell. She could see the affects his actions had, and even though she was upset by the turn of events, she understood what had happened. She was fine. Kurama had stopped. Everything was fine now. They could continue with their mission and deal with the new development between them when they got home.

"No it's not!" Kurama countered, removing himself from Botan's side and putting as much distance between them as he could without leaving her sight. "Had you not pushed me out of that tree, I wouldn't have stopped." He would have taken her completely, and he was disgusted with himself to know that he wanted to. He wanted to do it right then and there. He didn't care about getting caught and the distant whispers of his sister's cries were so faint that his body and mind ignored them. All for the sake of control.

"But you did," Botan argued. Rising to her feet, Botan stomped over to Kurama and forced herself into his arms. She needed Kurama to calm down. He couldn't lose control. She needed him to be in control. She couldn't do this without him.

"Botan, I…" Kurama stared ahead, refusing to look down or allow his arms to loop around Botan as he had grown accustomed to. He didn't deserve to hold her. He knew that now. His lust was going to destroy them both and jeopardize the lives of everyone. He would gain his control, but he wasn't going to ever be a threat to Botan again. Once Moriko was saved, and the pageant was over, Kurama was going to separate himself from Botan until he was able to completely keep himself in check. He cared for her too much to risk Botan's light. Even if it destroyed him in the long run, Kurama was going to ensure that this never happened again.

"Stop it," Botan commanded firmly. She reached up and gripped Kurama's forelock tightly before giving it a harsh tug downwards, forcing him to look at her. "What's done is done and nothing happened: Stop beating yourself up about it." What she saw in his eyes startled her into letting his hair go; his eyes were emptying of emotion and the gold and emerald of his eyes was becoming glassy. She could see him retreating away from her, taking with it a secret that Botan feared even though she could not tell what it was.

"But I wanted to!" Kurama snapped, gripping her shoulders tightly so Botan could see the truth in his statement. "I wanted to, and I still do. The only thing keeping me sane right now is our current mission and that damn scar."

"You think I don't know that?" Botan retorted vehemently, almost failing in her attempt to keep her voice down. "I'm not so naïve as to think otherwise, but there's nothing we can do about that right now." She was losing him. She could see it in his eyes. He was erecting a wall between them, pushing her farther away. Don't do this. Please don't do this.

"No, there isn't, but it doesn't change the fact that this will happen again and again until I succeed, and the next time there won't be a tree to push me out of," unless Kurama could find another outlet for his chaotic emotions. I will find myself another mate. That's the only way to keep Botan safe and to succeed in this mission. Once my need to mate has been sated, then everything will be made much clearer. I need to help Moriko now.

"When the time comes, if the time comes, I'll figure something else out." Botan promised with gentle eyes. Please don't leave me. "Till then, don't torture yourself with 'what ifs,' we have enough going against us, do we really need another?"

"No, we don't. But I…if I were to…I'd never forgive myself. I can't be the one to hurt you." Kurama dropped his arms and allowed for Botan to embrace him again. He would leave her. He had to. I love her so much. I'd sooner die then hurt her.

"You won't be, Kurama. You could never hurt me," Botan assured him. Why do I feel as if he's saying goodbye?

"I pray that you're right. We should go now, we've created a bit of a ruckus and it's only a matter of time before we're discovered." Grabbing Botan's hand, Kurama led Botan along the wall of the mansion until the reached the outer edge of the garden behind it. Slowly he felt himself become drained and empty, his heart fading into darkness. The pins and needles of numbness filled his stomach before blooming like a flower to engulf his whole body. Kurama ignored the feeling, knowing that it would pass in moments.

"What did you eat anyway?" Botan asked while she waited for Kurama to discern a safe path to follow. Something was off about him. The hold he had on her hand was lax. The stiffness in his body melted away. His pulse fluttered in an abnormal rhythm. What was going on?

"I ate a reiketsukan berry*," Kurama replied simply with an air of detachment. He was eyeing the wall to see if there was any way to scale it without triggering the plants to react.

"What?" Botan exclaimed, shock thick in her voice and horror etched onto her face. "Are you crazy? That stuff-"

"In small doses it curbs my libido and keeps my emotions in check. I've been using it since I was fifty; I know what I'm doing." Kurama assured her flippantly, even so, he could see the disapproval in her eyes. "It's the only thing that will keep me from going into a mating frenzy." Kurama explained farther in hopes that she would understand his reasons. He knew the risks, but the benefits outweighed them.

"But the side effects-"

"Won't affect me," Kurama interrupted with a soothing smile. He could already feel the glorious oblivion born from the emptying of his emotional heart. With the absence of his emotions came clarity. He really needed clarity if he wanted to keep both Botan and himself alive and save his sister. "To counteract the affects of the poison I make a panacea from peonies*. I'll be fine."

"I thought you took mates during your season," Botan stated, running through Kurama's file mentally in search of any signs that would prove her information wrong and his drug use correct.

"I did, but I still used the reiketsukan to keep my head in the game since I never stopped working during my mating time," Kurama explained. He then walked over to Botan and pulled her onto his back. He waited for her to settle before he ran towards the wall and ran up it until his hands found a groove for him to hang from. Looking across, Kurama swung his body side to side until he deemed it time to wall run across to a protruding beam of wood.

"Why? Was stealing that important to you?" Botan hiked her legs up higher around Kurama's hips to keep them out of his way, locking her ankles around his stomach. This gave Kurama the leg room he needed to hop across two more beams of wood and reach the wooden awning.

"I'm two steps shy of being a kleptomaniac, and no amount of sex was going to change that. Besides, I usually only took a mate to control my instincts. Nothing every really came of my matings." Whether or not Kurama intended his words to serve as an explanation for his future actions, he did not really know, but he knew that he wanted Botan to understand that mating was completely physical for him. It was instinctual and all mates that weren't her would mean nothing to him. He couldn't tell Botan why, not while so much was at stake, but he could at least tell her in part that he didn't care about anyone else.

Kurama crept across the overhang until he reached a large window that peeked into the second floor of the three story building. Ducking low, Kurama peeked in to find a sitting room lined with book shelves. The room was empty and upon farther inspection Kurama realized that the window had no latch, so it had no way to be opened.

"Didn't you have any children?" Botan inquired, sliding from Kurama's back so she could move on her own. Suddenly, she didn't want to be too close to him. She feared that while she was he would somehow be able to read her emotions. She didn't want him to know how much he was hurting her now with his feigned emotions and previous actions. She didn't want for Kurama to have to resort to such drastic measures to keep from succumbing to his instincts. The fruits were dangerous and Botan didn't care that he had been using them since he was so young, he couldn't live his live in a drugged stupor. She wouldn't let him.

"I have us pumped so full of neem* that such a thing is impossible," Kurama replied with a low bark of laughter. "If I ever learned anything in Reikai, it was how to dodge that bullet."

"I take it you don't want kits." Botan didn't really know how she felt about that. Granted she was pleased to know that Kurama didn't have a family that he left behind, but at the same time she wasn't so sure. She would give anything to have children, and yet hear Kurama was sneering at the prospect. Was this how he truly felt?

"Someday I might, but that day hasn't come yet." Kurama looked back to check on Botan, and found himself picturing in his mind's eye what she would look like with child; with his child. She would be beautiful…Kurama bit his lip and turned away. Now was not the time to think such thoughts, no matter how tempting they may be. "There's a balcony farther up," Kurama announced after a while. "We should be able to get in through there."

"You lead, I follow," Botan nodded in agreement. She watched Kurama closely as he hopped and found another groove in the stones that made up the house to hang from. Bracing his feet against the wall, Kurama scaled the wall up to the gutters not that far away. The metal strained under his weight, but held up so Kurama could make his way over to the balcony's railing. He waited for her at the edge, balanced on the railing with his back flush against the wall. Occasionally he would look away to peek inside through the glass sliding door, but there was no threat of being caught just yet.

Steeling herself for the task at hand, Botan located the recess in the stone wall and hopped to it. Fortunately it was deeper than it looked so she was able to get a good grip on it. Lifting herself up, Botan bounced about until she figured she had enough momentum to reach the gutters above her. She almost missed, but she managed to reach the gutters and hang from it without the echo of bending aluminum complaining about her weight. Botan took several deep breaths to calm her suddenly frazzled nerves before she slowly made her way over to the balcony. She wasn't as swift as Kurama was, but due to her inhuman strength Botan was able to make due with her limited capabilities. When she was close enough, she felt Kurama snake his arms around her waist and pull her over the railing with ease.

"You're a quick learner," Kurama complimented, pleased with Botan's observational skills. He wasn't all that sure about leaving Botan to figure her way across on her own at first, but she needed to learn sooner or later if she wanted to continue being his partner. He may have decided to claim another as his mate, but Kurama was no fool. He had absolutely no intention of letting Botan continue unattended. She was the key to his heart, whether he wanted to admit it or not, and he would be damned before someone took her away and hurt her to get to him.

"Thanks," Botan blushed. "What next?" Botan questioned as she peeked into the bedroom beyond the glass. Just as she did, the bedroom door opened. Botan dropped into a crouch and ducked behind the wall. "Jinan," she mouthed up to Kurama. He nodded in understanding before lowering himself as well to peer into the room.

Slung over his shoulder was the naked body of Kika and trailing behind him was another female, one that neither he nor Botan could recognize. Both Jinan and the woman were naked as well, their arousals evident against their sweat slicked bodies. The door was barely closed before Jinan threw Kika onto the bed and crawled on behind her, his eyes lined with red and his lengthened incisors gleaming in the flickering candlelight. Without any moment's hesitation, Jinan spread Kika's legs wide and entered her body with a powerful thrust of his hips.

Botan squeaked before turning away from the window and scooting closer to the railing, her face flushed with embarrassment. Her mortification only grew when her cheek collided with Kurama's groin. Instantly she clamped her hand over her mouth to keep from making another sound, before sending a particularly nasty glare to Kurama. She had heard him chuckle at her, and she really didn't appreciate that in the least.

Kurama finally decided to take pity on Botan before swooping down and lifting her up off the ground. Swinging her onto his back, Kurama leapt high into the air and landed on the mansion's roof with barely a 'thump' to announce his landing. He then let Botan slide off before leading the way towards what looked to be a weakness in the roof itself. It would take a short while, but Kurama knew what to do in order to create a new entryway for Botan and him to exploit. But first to be sure, Kurama laid his palm flat over the indentation in the roof and explored it with his youki. There were nor charms or seals around it, nor were there any other entity present that would wish to do them harm.

Botan saw Kurama reach into his hair for a couple seeds and decided that then would be the only time she was going to get a break. She was increasingly tired from their endurance intensive trek to and around the house while exceedingly uncomfortable for reasons she'd rather not delve into. Though she wouldn't dare to admit to it out loud, Kurama had scared her. She knew his mating time was coming, but she had no idea how powerful a hold it had on him. What that meant for their budding relationship, she didn't want to think about, but beyond that she was worried. It bothered her that Kurama would resort to drugs, a very dangerous one at that, to keep calm. It was just so…strange.

Then there was what he said, about her scar. Though a great part of her was ecstatic to know that Kurama wanted her as much as she wanted him, it hurt to know that Yuri was still able to ruin her life and her chances at happiness. Frenzied or not, Botan wanted to be with Kurama, and she wasn't going to lie and say she didn't enjoy Kurama's attentions. Mating time or not, Botan wanted to be with Kurama, but like he said; her scar was the only thing keeping them apart. Will I ever be free of it? Botan's thoughts turned even more sour when Botan recounted Kurama's mannerisms after he ate the fruit.

A sense of foreboding filled her heart. Kurama was planning something, something to do with their relationship. She knew she wasn't going to like it. She knew it was going to break her heart. But what could she do? Kurama was really freaked out by what had happened and she was worried he would take drastic measures to ensure that it didn't happen again. What was worse, she feared that the reiketsukan berries were only a small part of the equation.

"Botan," Kurama called out to her, waving her over once he had her attention. When he saw her stand and start walking over, Kurama stood up and dropped into the hole he had created. Instantly a wall of sound met his ears as chaotic laughter and screeches of pain. Kurama's heart skipped a beat as rage flooded his system. Drug or no drug, Kurama was so consumed by it that he couldn't process or feel anything else.

Botan landed just as Kurama vanished in a flash of silver, leaving her alone to ponder what had happened. She didn't have to think long however when a mind numbing shriek met her ears. Botan followed in Kurama's footsteps and ran forward with complete and total disregard for the potential consequences. When she came across another opening in the floor, Botan immediately dropped through it onto the soft carpet below.

She found herself in a hall with a choice; since she hadn't seen where Kurama had gone she could either follow the hall to the left, or follow it to the right. Both directions led to another hall that ran perpendicular to the one she was in. She couldn't hear anymore screaming, but she also couldn't hear any sounds of conflict to let her know that Kurama had arrived to save the day. An ominous feeling settled over Botan and she couldn't help but fear the worst. A soul was crying, and yet Botan could not sense what ailed it. Something was blocking her.

Her bare feet didn't make a sound as Botan followed the hall to the right, fiddling with her watch as she went. She needed to find Kurama, only then would she be able to find the pained soul. She found Kurama's location within moments on her watch, which showed that Kurama was two floors directly below her. With that information in hand, Botan followed the hall she was in to a staircase and followed it down. When she arrived at the first floor, Botan was stunned in place.

Kurama was fully transformed; his face was contorted into a vicious snarl and his claws dripping with blood. In his hand he held his whip, poised to strike at the next available opening. Behind him, was another kitsune, a nude woman who cowered behind Kurama while clutching at her bleeding neck. Behind her, blood pooled from her lower back, staining her tail and skin red. Next to her tail, were four other extrusions from her spine, but they were ravaged and torn. Her tails had been torn off, the limbs strewn over the floor as if tossed aside in disinterest.

"Botan," an unfamiliar voice jeered. "What a pleasant surprise to see you here." The voice was thick with a monotone sarcasm that Botan knew very well even with the change of voice.

"Ran," Botan growled.

"In the flesh," he replied, stepping out of the shadows and into Botan's line of site. His was the body of a young middle school student, a young boy with bright blue eyes and golden blond hair. He had a little black mole to accent his cheek, giving his appearance a very glamorous quality to it. His blue uniform was in near pristine condition, without a single crease out of place save for where four long gashes slashed across his chest and bleed. "I hope you like the body I had chosen, I picked this one especially for you."

"Let him go." Botan commanded. "Let him go and leave this place."

"And ruin my fun? Not likely." Ran snorted. "Moriko, Napasti van milost!*"

*1 – Kyara is a Japanese kind of agarwood used in incense. Agarwood: [ 沈香 ] – from heartwood from Aquilaria trees, unique, the incense wood most used in incense ceremony, other names are: lignum aloes or aloeswood, gaharu, jinko, or oud. Kyara is currently worth more than its weight in gold according to wikipedia.

*2 – A frenzy, or rather a mating frenzy in this case, is when a demon (or other non-human) loses complete control of their body as they are maddened by their lust. When this happens they mate with their intended until the frenzy subsides, whether their intended wants to or not. Those under the thrall of a mating frenzy are increasingly dangerous, capable of great feats of carnage and madness in the pursuit of those they wish to claim. Fortunately for Botan (and everyone else) Kurama was stopped before a true frenzy was able to take hold.

Mating frenzies can be triggered by:

1.) lots of stress

2.) jealousy

3.) constant denial

4.) being a young (and of low intelligence) demon

5,) outside influences like drugs, potions, and alcohol.

Currently Kurama is suffering from the two major ones, so yeah. Good luck Botan.

*3 – The reiketsukan berry is a plant grown in Makai used as a recreational drug. It numbs the mind and body, while slowly poisoning the user. High doses and side effects lead to hallucinations, vivid dreams, loss of morals and emotions, deterioration of the organs, brain damage, and later a slow and painful death for which there is no cure.

*4 – Peonies have been used all around the world as a panacea, which is a cure-all type thing. Peonies have been used to treat everything from minor boo-boos, to poisoning, to pregnancy, to STDs, and to other major boo-boos.

*5 – Neem is an herbal contraceptive used in India by both men (orally) and women (as a spermicide).

*6 – Serbian for attack without mercy.

Author's Note: So...do you hate me yet? I hope you liked this chapter...if only a little. But fear not my dear readers. The cat and mouse between Kurama and Botan will come to an end soon with favorable results... But I know something you don't. Something big is going to happen, can't you tell? This is only part one of the entire fic after all and i'm an evil person.