Welcome back, fellow readers~! What did you think of the last chapter? Did you like my two newest monsters? If you did, good, because we'll be seeing them again! For now, get ready for chapter 30!

~Snowy

Chapter 30: Escape!

It hurts...

Kira's body felt like it was being plunged in lava, every nerve in her body searing with white hot pain. She couldn't hear; she couldn't think. All she could do was drown in the agony that wracked her slender frame. Even the shallow breaths she managed to take sent waves of pain coursing through her. But there was something far worse than the pain; nothing but darkness surrounded her, even though she could open her eyes. She was blind.

A soft rag wiped the sweat from her brow, and a small yelp escaped her. Even the softest touch was painful. She sensed Kurama's green eyes watching her anxiously as a hand carefully cupped the back of her head as water was slowly poured into her mouth. She was laid back on the pillow and felt whoever was helping her step aside to make way for a new presence.

"How long has she been like this, Avalin?" Yomi asked as he watched her shine a light into Kira's eyes.

"Approximately 8 hours," Avalin answered as she continued checking Kira's vitals, "but the blindness started around 3 hours ago. She's also developed a high fever that isn't responding to medication. I recommend the recovery chamber."

"It seems two Shin'rou at once is far too much," Yomi muttered to himself thoughtfully. "Very well. Take her to the lab and have her sedated before putting her in the chamber."

"And what of the traitor?" Avalin asked, casting a sideways glance at Kurama.

"Take him to the lab, too." Yomi said with a wave of his hand. "I need a test subject to study the effects of Shin'rou venom."

Avalin saluted Yomi as he left, summoning a group of guards to the cell. Two of them lifted Kira off the bed, another pained yelp escaping her and causing Kurama to pull away from the three guards trying to put chains on him. However, once the guards holding Kira held her steady and she no longer cried out, Kurama put up no further resistance as the guards shackled his arms and legs. At first, Avalin thought this was strange, but one look at Kurama was all she needed to know why he didn't fight back. His gaze was fixed on Kira, and though he appeared calm and collected, his eyes were filled with worry.

A few flights of stairs later, they were in the laboratory. Once they were inside, Avalin ordered a lab technician to set up the recovery chamber. A door in the floor slid open and what looked like a stasis pod rose up from the white marble floor. The glass lid slid open with the press of a button on the control panel at the end, and the guards carried her over. At this point, Kira had begun to panic, squirming slightly in their arms as they set her inside.

"P-please, no…" Kira begged meekly, unable to see what was happening.

"Relax," Avalin said, very aware of a pair of piercing green eyes fixed on her as she pulled a breathing mask over Kira's face, "I'm not going to hurt you right now. Just take deep breaths, and you'll feel better."

Kira did as she was told, taking slow, shaky breaths as a sweet-smelling gas filled the mask. Her head began to swim as the gas took effect, closing her eyes as her body relaxed before falling into a twilight daze. Once Kira was calm and sedated, Avalin quickly hooked her up to several monitors to watch her vitals before putting an IV in her arm. Kira only flinched at the pain of the needle, too out of it to really feel much. Avalin pushed a syringe of anesthesia into the IV, putting Kira into a deep sleep before going to the control panel at the end and closing the lid. After entering several commands, a pale green fluid began to fill the chamber, Kira's hair swirling around her sleeping face.

Across the room, Kurama was strapped into a lab chair from which he glared at Avalin. She rolled her eyes with a sigh as she walked over to the intercom and called in Tolais.

"Take a chill pill, fox boy," Avalin said as Tolais came in, "she'll be fine."

"You, on the other hand…" Tolais said with a wicked smile, "…won't be."

"I'm not afraid of you, bloodsucker," Kurama growled with a fierce gaze.

"And I'm not my brother, fox," Tolais sneered as he came closer, brushing Kurama's red hair away from his neck. "I don't need you to be afraid to make a meal of your blood."

Tolais stepped in close, his fangs bared as he leaned in toward Kurama's neck. But the moment Tolais got close enough, Kurama pulled his head back before bashing it into Tolais's face. He howled in pain and surprise and fell back clutching his nose. But the action only infuriated him, and he lunged forward, grabbing Kurama by the hair and slamming his head into the back of the lab chair. Stars exploded before Kurama's eyes as his head slammed into the metal, but he didn't have time to react. A pained cry echoed through the lab as Tolais bit down into his neck as hard as he could, angrily drawing Kurama's blood into his mouth.

As Kurama's blood was drank, his body became heavy and weak, slowly growing dizzy. The room began to sway nauseatingly before Tolais pulled away, an icy pain creeping into Kurama's body from the bite mark. His joints began to feel stiff, making it even more difficult to move his already weak body. Avalin jotted down the effects of Tolais' venom on a note pad as she observed Kurama. After watching him for several hours, Avalin noticed the effects of the venom were wearing off.

I wonder… Avalin thought as she called in Renais.

"You called for me?" Renais asked as he pushed open the lab doors, walking over to Avalin.

"Yes," Avalin replied, finishing her first set of notes as she glanced up. "Drink his blood. There is something I wish to test."

Kurama tightened his fists as Renais approached, his gaze fixed on the demon before him. Renais simply shrugged, completely unphased by Kurama's glare as he inspected the bite mark his brother left. He grabbed Kurama by the hair and sank his teeth into the opposite side of his neck. Kurama's eyes opened wide as a strange numbness crept into his limbs, leaving his body paralyzed as he struggled to even just move his fingers.

Avalin brought over a pin, pricking Kurama's arm none too gently but got no response other than a confused look from Kurama and Renais. Jotting the response down in her notes, Avalin repeated the process in several different locations on his body, and yet again, there was no response to the pain.

"Just as I thought," Avalin murmured to herself, motioning to the guards by the door. "Take him back to the cell. You know what to do."

The two guards removed Kurama's restraints, carrying him back to the cell where two other guards were waiting. The pair carrying Kurama dropped him unceremoniously in the center of the room before shackling him. Once they were done, the other two guards came into the room before all four of them began circling him. The door slammed shut behind them, casting the group into complete darkness as one of the guards' boots connected hard with Kurama's chest.

Meanwhile, Yomi had come to the lab to check on Kira and speak with Avalin. Kira was still sleeping soundly in the recovery pod while Avalin checked her vital signs. Her fever had finally broken, and her heartrate was returning to normal.

"How much longer?" Yomi asked, running his hand across the cool glass that encased Kira.

"In a few minutes," Avalin replied as she entered a few commands into the computer. "I discovered something new about Shin'rou venom, and I think you'll find it interesting."

Yomi sat down in a chair by the control panel, crossing his legs patiently. "I'm listening."

"Initially, I thought Shin'rou venom was unique simply from victim to victim. But that's not the case. I had Tolais and Renais bite Kurama at separate times, and each reaction was different. Tolais' bite caused pain and joint stiffness, but Renais' bite caused paralysis and numbness. It could be a fluke, but I believe the venom effects vary from Shin'rou to Shin'rou, as well."

"How can we know for certain?" Yomi asked, cupping his chin in thought.

"More testing with more subjects," Avalin said. "We can try it on Kira when she wakes up."

"No," said Yomi with a wave of his hand. "She's been in the recovery chamber for nearly 12 hours. I want her to rest for a few hours before any more testing is done. Besides, I have an idea in mind for testing the Shin'rou venom."

"As you wish, sir," Avalin said with a bow just as an alarm on the recovery chamber sounded. "She's stable enough to come out now."

The liquid drained from the chamber, Kira's wet hair and clothes sticking to her like glue. Avalin quickly injected some medicine into her IV to wake her up. It took a few moments for Kira to come to as Avalin removed the IV and wires from her body. She sat Kira up and began drying her off with the help of several lab techs. They changed Kira's clothes before sitting her in a chair to recover from the tranquilizer.

Kira's vision was blurry as she was sat in the chair. She looked around with a sleepy and confused expression. How had she gotten there? Her memory was hazy as she tried to remember how exactly she had gotten to the lab. It was then that Renais came in, his deep golden eyes meeting hers. Immediately, Kira's heart began to race and tears welled up in her eyes. The last thing she remembered was the searing pain of his fangs penetrating her neck as his brother sank his own fangs into her arm. He flashed her a smile as he walked past, and she began to shake uncontrollably. Yomi chuckled softly at her horrified demeanor before waving to the guards to come over.

"She can go back to her cell now," he said as he stood. "Come, Renais, I have much to discuss with you."

The guards helped Kira up as the two walked away, tying her wrists together before pulling her forward. She stumbled over her feet as they tugged on the rope, causing Avalin to snicker. When Kira glanced at her with a faint blush, the smug expression Avalin wore sent a chill down her spine. As they left the lab, a sense of dread filled Kira, and it grew worse as they approached her cell.

One of the guards pulled out the set of keys and unlocked the door, the other guard pushing Kira through the door. The room was dark, and she couldn't see where she was walking. The guard pushed her again when she wasn't moving fast enough, and she tripped over something on the floor. A large something. She sat up, and in the dim light coming through the open door, she could make out the red of Kurama's hair. Kira scrambled over to him, trying to wake him, but it was no use. In front of her, the guards were laughing as tears began to stream from Kira's eyes.

"What did you do to him?!" she screamed at the guards as they pulled her away from Kurama's motionless body.

"The same thing we do to all traitors," one of the guards hissed in her ear as he and his partner wrestled her into her chains. "Just be thankful he isn't dead!"

They released her once she was bound, quickly stepping back as she lunged at them, though the chains prevent her from reaching them. The door slammed shut as they quickly left, and Kira slammed her fists into the floor. It took several minutes for her to calm down, but tears still flowed down her cheeks.

Kurama was out of her reach, but she wasn't about to let that stop her. She stood up and walked to her window and removed the loose bar from it. Then, she knelt down and jammed the bar into a sleeve of Kurama's shirt, slowly dragging it closer. She stretched out as far as she could, wincing as she could feel the metal cuff tearing her skin around her wrist as she finally managed to grab hold of the cloth. Slowly, she was able to drag Kurama closer to her before she stood and dragged him toward the bed.

In the pale moonlight, Kira could see that he had been severely beaten; his lips were swollen, a massive bruise covered his right eye, and upon inspection, several ribs were broken along with his left arm. With a scowl, she reached under her bed and pull out the Angel's Tear, slipping it over her head.

Help me heal him, please! She begged the Tear.

I cannot. You do not have enough spirit energy. The Tear replied with a soft sigh. The Shin'rou venom weakened you more than Yomi expected. If you try to heal him now, you would likely fall into a coma.

What am I supposed to do, then?! Kira cried, her panic rising.

First, you need to calm down. His life is not in danger. The Tear said coolly. Second, you need to get out of here. The longer you remain here, the more likely Yomi is to find me.

And what do you suggest I do? Escape?

That's exactly what I'm suggesting. You could escape through the window if you use that bar to loosen the rest of them.

And what do I do about these chains? It's not like I have the keys.

Use your head! You'll think of something.

Kira rolled her eyes in irritation, before looking at the bar in her hands. The guards would notice it missing if she wanted to use it as a weapon, so she knew she needed something else. She looked around her cell, which was relatively empty aside from her bed, table, and chair. The table and chair were of no use; they were too large and heavy to use quickly enough as a weapon. All that remained was her bed. She studied it thoughtfully, and decided to look under the bed. To her surprise, five bars held her mattress up in the frame.

I can use this… Kira thought as she looked at the middle bar. She wedged the window bar between the edge of the frame and the mattress bar, using it as a lever to break the bar. However, the bar wouldn't budge. Frustrated, she grabbed the bar, and without realizing it, heated it until it glowed red. Pausing for a moment, she realized she could break it if it was hot enough. Once more she used the window bar as a lever, and this time, the mattress bar snapped loudly. Kira froze as she waited for the guards to come check on her, but no one came. After a little while, she repeated the same treatment on the other side of the bar, which fell on top of her with a soft thump.

Suddenly, footsteps echoed down the hall outside her cell, and she quickly scrambled out from under the bed, replacing the window bar and sliding under the sheets on her bed. Her head hit the pillow just seconds before she heard the lock click and the door swung open. She closed her eyes and slowed her breathing as they came closer.

"She's sleeping," one guard said to the other. "The sound must have come from another cell."

"It must have," the other responded. "Let's go."

Kira stayed still as the door closed as they left and waited until the sound of their footsteps faded before climbing out of bed to retrieve the bar under the bed. She carefully slid it under her pillow before removing the loose bar from the window again. It was a few hours until dawn, when the guards would return for her for whatever Yomi had planned that day.

Working as quickly and quietly as she could, she chiseled the remaining window bars loose enough to be removed. She had just finished replacing the last bar when she heard footsteps coming toward her cell. Sitting up on the edge of the bed with an exhausted expression, she waited as the guards open the door.

"Good morning, Princess," one of them said, flashing a toothy smile as he and his partner unlocked the chains on her wrists.

Kira mumbled a quiet good morning as she slid her hand slowly under her pillow while they knelt down to unlock the chains on her ankles. In a swift and sudden motion, Kira ripped the bar out from under her pillow, striking both guards over their heads with bar as hard as she could. They fell to the floor, unconscious, and Kira quickly took the keys and finished releasing her ankles before knocking the bars out of the window. She grabbed Kurama and hoisted him onto the bed before climbing out the small window, standing on the inch-wide gap just below it. She reached in through the window and slowly pulled Kurama through, falling backwards as an alarm sounded as he slid into her arms. In midair she twisted and turned as they plummet to the ground at high speed, spreading her wings just feet above a training ground full of soldiers. The back of her nightgown was torn open by the force of opening her wings, and a soldier was nearly able to grab it but was just out of reach. More shouting followed as a steady stream of soldiers flowed onto the field, carrying bows and dart guns. They fired at her, but she slowly gained altitude, even though Kurama weighed her down heavily.

"Don't let her get away!" They shouted, running after her.

Kira began to panic as she saw the sheer number of soldiers following her, beating her wings faster. There was no way she was going to escape at this rate.

Please don't let them catch me…! Kira thought to herself, desperately trying to gain speed.

Out of nowhere, a breeze kicked up and caught Kira's wings, lifting her higher into the sky and sped her toward a snow-covered mountain range in the distance. But before she got too far away, she felt a sharp stinging sensation in her right foot. Looking back, she saw a dart sticking out of the arch of her foot and immediately began to feel drowsy. It took everything she had to stay awake and every ounce of strength to stay airborne as the wind carried her away.

But it didn't last long. After what seemed like only a few minutes, Kira crashed into a massive snowdrift in an open area in a forest atop a mountain. As they hit the ground, Kurama rolled from her arms, stopping a few feet away from her. Kira's vision began to blur as she stood to take in her surroundings. Dark clouds loomed overhead and the wind began to howl as snow started to fall. She looked around for shelter, finding a small cave just past the edge of the trees that surrounded the small meadow.

Stumbling, Kira grabbed Kurama's unbroken arm and began dragging him toward the cave. Once inside, Kira collapsed onto the cold stone floor, her body tired and unwilling to move. With the last of her strength she pulled Kurama toward her, spreading her wings out to cover them both to keep warm. She lost consciousness as the snowstorm raged just outside their small haven, wiping any trace of their crash landing from the world.

Sorry this chapter took so long to post, but I hope you liked it! Yomi is going to be sooooo furious when he learns Kira's escaped on her own, but for Kira, their location is a more pressing matter. She knows they need help and fast. Only time will tell if she gets it before Yomi finds her. So stay tuned for Chapter 31: A Matter of Survival! Also thank you for those of you who have left reviews. I very much appreciate them and I hope you will leave more!