Hiei froze. Kagome watched him through tormented eyes. In the end, she knew he would believe her. If no sooner, when Naraku showed up at their doorstep, they would all believe her.

"I thought you killed him."

Yes, Hiei could distinctly remember seeing the bastard purified when Kagome's memories had flashed through his mind. That had been the only pleasant minute of the whole lot.

"I did but he's back somehow. I've felt him at the back of my mind for weeks now. This is the first time he's managed to…visit me."

Hiei's grip tightened instinctively around the trembling miko he held in his arms. While he had never been one for physical contact of any kind, this girl had gained his respect both as a warrior and as a fellow being who'd been forced to overcome enormous odds. She also reminded him of his sister…and anyone who touched his sister died.

"Hiei? Can we leave? Please?"

Hiei glanced around at the carnage, at the blood stained dungeon, at the rusty weapons and scattered remains. Leaving was beginning to look like a very good idea. He tapped Kagome between the eyes and watched as she slowly faded.

Hiei looked around once more before he too allowed himself to depart as well.

When Hiei opened his eyes to the outside world, he couldn't see Kagome through the mass of male bodies suddenly surrounding her. Kagome was crying into Sesshoumaru's haori sleeve. Yusuke was handing gauze, bandage, and antibiotics to Kurama, who was steadily wrapping Kagome's still bleeding wounds. When Youko had given up control, Hiei would never know.

"What happened Hiei?"

Hiei merely shook his head. He was still having trouble processing the encounter himself and he wanted to be sure he fully understood it himself before he tried explaining it to anyone else…but there was one thing he could tell them.

"That bastard's alive."

Sesshoumaru's head snapped toward the hybrid, his eyes glowing with anger and disbelief.

"That is not possible. I witnessed his death with my own eyes."

Hiei glared at the ground furiously. His hand twitched, desiring to grab hold of his blade and slash the demon to pieces and make sure he was dead. He glanced at the shaking miko, overwhelmed by her similarity to his sister.

"So did I. So did she; however, he is alive now."

"Not for long."

Hiei glanced toward Kurama, surprised to see Youko's golden eyes glaring out of Kurama's body. The kitsune was allowing Kurama to finish bandaging Kagome but was obviously having difficulty restraining his bloodlust.

Whatever happened next, he had no doubt that someone was going to die.