Sorry I haven't abandoned this fic

I don't own characters

Chapter 13

"Here." Hiei said handing over the parcels he'd brought the night before. "Put these on before we leave. I am certain that you will be pleased." a smirk played at his lips as Kagome opened hers and gasped.

Robes of the most beautiful blue met her gaze."They are beautiful Hiei! Thank you."

"Such fine stitches and work, but my dear Hiei, why green?" Youko questioned while slipping the robes on and practically purring in delight.

Hiei nodded pleased with the look on both his mate and lover. "Your mourning is over, is it not?"

Youko grinned as he turned to Kagome, "now Kagome, on the way back to the Ningenkai we are going to play a little game."

Kagome looked back and forth between Hiei and Youko as she faced them both. The sun was just creeping over the mountain to the east turning the sky magenta. Heh little game my butt, why not just call it what it is; hunt Kagome while she tries to avoid you. God how much time do I have? Glancing at the watch on her wrist, or rather the spot that her watch should be, she groaned. Why is this the one time I don't have it? This game is going is going to be embarrassingly short. The plant on her throat shifted and urgently began to rustle.

Youko's grin was slightly mocking as he glanced to her throat. "These are the rules dear, you may use any plant that will assist you, however you may not use your voice to control them, you will have to use only your youki. All of the plants here in the Makai are loyal to me and will tell me if you break this rule. Hiei will not be permitted to use his speed or his Jagan for the first five hours. After that he may use any ability he has to find you and the same goes for me. Is that agreeable?" The silver male eyed her thoughtfully. "As this is your first training I will give you a hint, conceal your aura, and run."

"Conceal my aura? But- Hiei..." Wait, come on think girl, you ran from youkai for three years and lived to tell about it, so this game should be simple. Training...this is training. "Alright, I accept."

Hiei nodded, "a brave answer. Go then," Kagome turned from him and faced the whole of the Makai spread out before her, "Kagome should anything happen call for me. Game or no-"

Kagome tightened her fist thinking of the hunters she and Hiei had encountered. Slowly she nodded, "I know our breed is rare and hunted. I'll be careful." she glanced over her shoulder and gave the hybrid a soft smile, "I promise."

"Hn, run Kagome your time is wasting." He smirked at the panic that flitted over her face before she ran away from them her displeasure clear from the litany of words spilling from her lips.

Youko chuckled as he stepped up to Hiei's side. "You like to get a rise out of her, don't you. The game didn't start till she left."

Hiei turned carmine eyes to his fox. "I know. Now then I suppose we have some time to kill thanks to the head start you gave her, I want to talk to you. It did not escape my attention that you avoided my question about your mourning."

"About last night?" Youko asked his eyes still fixed on Kagome's retreating figure. The breeze rustled his silver hair and exposed the fading mark on his neck. The brand was healing. "I suppose I owe you an explanation."

Hiei fought himself for a moment to maintain his composure "You suppose? I marked you as my mate and I am not blind Youko, why is my brand fading?" He frowned as Youko turned his citrine eyes away.

"The mark is fading because Silver kitsune can only mate under the light of the full moon in front the shrine of Inari. That shrine was lost when the last of my clan died. I had no intention of taking a mate at that time and thus I know not where it once lay."

Hiei growled as he ground his teeth "and, so you are telling me that we can never mate? Bullshit, I won't accept it. I'll mark you daily if I have to. You are mine, that is fact. I claimed you last night and quirk or not that claim remains. You know it, your soul knows it. It doesn't fucking matter if there is a physical mark."

Youko's shoulders sagged, "ah but it does my lover. The physical marking serves two purposes, to show the world we are one and to blend our strengths. It literally forms the connection between us. Without Inari's blessing, any claim placed on me will not remain. It was originally to keep the blood pure. I can take a mate but can not be claimed, it is a cruel irony. Back then when we ran the band together, my clan was broken- but not extinct so there was one to help with the mating if I so chose. That was the reason I was gone three days before Kagome vanished. I searching for my great great aunt. She was our clan's wise woman so if any would know it would have been her. Alas-" The kitsune shrugged.

Hiei glared at the rising sun in the distance, Kagome was no longer in sight. "Hn, I will not permit even that to prevent our mating. If we must find a shrine so be it. Kagome was originally from a shrine so perhaps she would know of the existence of other shrines. Or have ways to locate it. Regardless we should begin following her... slowly."

Youko nodded and moved to keep pace with Hiei as they walked. The breeze tossed their hair and clothes playfully and despite the earlier heaviness in their hearts the morning was peaceful, for the Makai. At least it was for Hiei and Youko Kurama who were both ranked in the S class. For Kagome it was a different morning all together. What had begun as an annoying game was now her worst nightmare.

Her ears twitched madly as she searched for any danger heading her way. In her chest, her heart beat a rough staccato. The bark bit into her skin as she pressed close to the enormous tree between her and someone she never thought she would see again, because he was supposed to be dead. Her eyes burned with the need to blink but she dared not take her eyes off of him, even though he was lounging carelessly on the edge of the largest hot spring Kagome had ever seen. She wanted to run, or at the very least cover her chest where she'd begun to disrobe thinking nothing of possible risks. She could feel the gazes of want sliding over her and the kitsune preened but then she'd looked up.

How is he here? How did Hakudoushi survive being absorbed by the wind tunnel? Swallowing thickly Kagome stepped back around the tree and hopefully out of sight. He didn't see me, right? He didn't notice I was there did he? Foolish Kagome you know he did and now... Closing her eyes she willed her heart to stop racing and tried to ignore the fear clawing her belly. Inuyasha! No, he's not here. He can't save me...no that is the human in me, I am a youkai now. Hakudoushi knew me as human, he wouldn't recognize me as I am now. Breathe girl. Okay now let go of the tree.Embrace the kitsune part of you and act like he's not a living horror.

"You there, woman. Why do you stare at me with such fear. I have no fight with you." His smooth words rolled over her ears and she shivered. He sounds the same but older. Breathe. "You should come closer the heat is divine." Hakudoushi licked his lips.

Kagome tried not to gag at the realization he was flirting with her. "I also have no fight with you, I simply was not expecting anyone to be here." Did my voice tremble? Oh god. Why does everything about me have to scream sexual right now?! Even my voice draws him in and that is the last thing I want.

Hakudoushi raised an eyebrow, "something about you tugs on a memory, an old memory." his pale eyes narrowed as he walked closer to where Kagome stood next to the tree. He looked the same except his face was longer and lost the child like quality it had in the past, his hair hung in a pale line down his back and he still carried a halberd, aside from his pale countenance he resembled Naraku. With no warning his hand shot out to grasp her hair.

When had he gotten so close? "Hey what was that for?" Kagome growled as she narrowly avoided the grab.

Hakudoushi smirked ruefully, "I have decided woman that you shall be mine. I will keep you as a pet."

Pet?! Oh hells no. Kagome darted away. I should have stayed on that road I found and not wandered towards the smell of sulfur. But it was a hot spring and I wanted a bath. I have- had time but now...ack! Her thoughts cut off with a splash and heat flooded her body as she began the change back to human. She choked as she was seized from the water by her heavy ebony hair.

"Kikyo, how amusing to see that Naraku failed. No, matter my plan is the same. After I was pulled in to the darkness of that monks hand I woke up here. It took time to regenerate my body but now I am stronger. No wonder you feared me" he laughed sending panic shooting through her. His laugh was cold malice and his lips twisted into a sneer. "I will have what Naraku failed to take."

Grimacing in pain Kagome closed her eyes, now human in appearance she lacked the claws to fight back. It hurts...help me! Inu-no Hiei! "Hiei!" the scream left her lips as Hakudoushi flung her to the rocky ground. Its no use he's too far to hear me! Hakudoushi is-Her head struck the ground and darkness swam before her eyes. Don't pass out, if I do its all over. My body hurts from hitting the ground like that but I have to fight...please my friends help me.

"Hiei!" Youko said harshly ears perked to the urgent cries of the plants. "Kagome!"

Hiei glared at the fourteenth tree that his Jagan had led him to- that was not Kagome. Youko chuckled. "It appears love, that we underestimated Kagome. She is good." Youko lightly touched the tree requesting information and sighed, " Hiei, Kagome is heading towards the Mountains of fire. Should we not go after her and keep her closer to the road?"

"Hiding her aura and scattering her energy won't protect those children Youko. She has to learn to fight and use her new powers. The well could open at anytime and then it will be too late." Hiei clenched his fist and glared at the setting sun. "We are going back to the human world so I can fix Kurama. But then tomorrow we train no more games. She has to be ready. I'm taking her to Yuusuke."

"To Yuusuke? But you know what his training is like." Youko moved to stand beside his mate, "I understand you wanting her to be capable to fight, but why such burning desire to save a kit and that girl Rin?"

Hiei's gaze grew distant and a pained expression flitted over his features. "Because Youko, I never want to see what I saw that day. I never want to see such a broken and defeated look on her face. Kagome should be smiling not catatonic. I was never sure if you noticed but our Kagome stopped really smiling that day. Her smiles were hollow and never reached her eyes. I regretted that I wasn't there." the last was said with barely a breath of sound but Youko heard it. "Between all of us we can teach her."

"You mean that because you care for her, you cannot teach her with a callous hand. You will go soft on her. Its not a weakness Hiei it means that you truly love her. To be honest I too am unsure whether I could go all out against her. Yuusuke would be impartial as would Shuuichi. we should hurry love. Kagome is waiting," he said gently before shifting to the smallest of his forms, a five tailed fox the size of a house cat. With a hop he leaped to Hiei's shoulder and then curled around the hiyoukai's neck. This way you can run your fastest, lover Youko thought at Hiei. Suddenly Youko went still and he growled. "Hiei!" Youko said harshly ears perked to the urgent cries of the plants. "Kagome!"

Hiei's eyes narrowed as his fist's tightened. "Aa. Hold on." At his fastest there were very few youkai who could see him let alone keep up so Youko's actions made sense. Hiei took off as a dark blur, a flying shadow just like his name. Panic and bloodlust warring equally inside him spurred his feet to go faster. He had heard the plant song convey their urgent cry and every fiber of his being burned with rage.

The hot water caressing her skin made her sigh in pleasure. "Ah heaven." she sighed sinking a little lower. She couldn't help the pleased giggle that slipped from her lips. "I won. I can't believe I really did." her ear twitched at the sounds of Mama cooking downstairs in the kitchen. Mama had been surprised to see her alone but greeted her with a bright smile and the offer of bath or dinner first. Both sounded wonderful but she wondered how angry Hiei would be that she had pulled such a trick. Would Youko be angry too? She closed her eyes reaching out her aura towards the rift searching for any sense of Hiei. She jumped at the dark amused chuckle.

"Worried we'd be upset is so very like you. You won, well done. You earned a rest enjoy. Youko and I will pick you up Monday." She felt the brush of lips over hers and then she was again alone. She hadn't felt him come in and she hadn't felt him leave. Slowly she raised her fingers to her lips and smiled softly. Hiei had praised her. It was the first time she'd gotten praise from a male not in her family not counting Miroku whom she also classified family. A throat clearing startled her from her thoughts.

"I thought, while Hiei takes care of a couple errands that I would take the opportunity to get to know you better. Is that alright Kagome dear?" Youko asked from where he sat casually leaning against the counter.

His eyes were soft and pleading but his smile was warm. He was beautiful and her pulse quickened. She licked her lips, "what would you like to know?" she asked trying to force down her sudden desire to have him inside her. They had been thorough last night so she shouldn't be hungry.

"Everything, Kagome. Where you grew up. How your childhood was. Your likes, dislikes everything. Before we became lovers I wanted us to be friends. Or rather looking back that is what I wanted. Confide in me love, I won't let you down. Right now we need be no more than friends if that is what you wish. If you wish that's all we need ever be. Of course I would love nothing more than for you to fall in love with me as well. But we can just be as we are." Youko took a breath and looked over at her, he easily read the lust in her gaze. "I forgot what its like, being a kit. Are you hungry?"

With a smile Kagome shook her head. The rattle of chains startled her awake. Her pulse climbed as she realized she'd lost consciousness and had no idea where she was. The room was dark and cold smelling of stone, mold and old blood it made her stomach roil. The heavy shackles she wore cut into her skin at her wrists.

She reached out her aura and swallowed thickly the only plant life near her was the vine at her throat. In her human form she could do very little, she assumed because in human form she thought like a human. Ok Kagome, this isn't the first time you have been kidnapped so take a deep breath, ugh not through the nose. You can get out of this if you think. First you need water so you can change back.