In His Place

WARNINGS: Implied Yaoi, Angst, Violence, Language

Hiei flashed across the Makai. Forests gave way to plains that in turn gave way to deserts where Mukuro’s roving fortress traveled. As he sped across the landscape, his mind raced to find a just retribution for the demon lord who awaited him.

He understood the jealousy that drove the woman to her actions, but still his rage burned at the audacity. She not only punished him like a child for some invented wrong but also questioned his honor. He knew it was his strength that sent him into Phobos’ care. Mukuro hadn’t said that, but he knew her tells.

Whatever he was to do with this woman, he wanted no interference from the guards. They respected Hiei and would follow him to the death, but they owed fealty to Mukuro. Until she handed control of Alaric over to him, those men would heed her rule over his. So as he approached the roving fortress, Hiei sent out a burst of ki from his jagan numbing the receptors in the guards’ minds that received silent commands from their ruler.

Hiei didn’t slow in the least when the enormous gates appeared before him. The sentries saw a blur of black and felt an ominous wind as he passed them. His path took him directly to the cyborg’s offices. Without announcing his presence, the koorime burst into the room and ploughed into the ruler, who still stood in stunned silence from her summary dismissal through the communication orb. It had taken Hiei less than an hour to cover the distance between Phobos’ torture rooms and this place.

The two tumbled unceremoniously to the floor where Hiei sat on Mukuro’s chest and drew his katana to point at her throat. “Why?” He repeated the question to which he already knew the answer. He spoke the word with a calm he didn’t feel.

Mukuro found the question even more frightening for its quiet delivery, but she held her regal air by her fingernails. Silently she sent the order to her guards. They would assist her if she just stalled long enough. “I told you, Hiei. It was punishment.”

Hiei took a deep, settling breath. He reasonable tone made him want to beat her to a pulp, but that went against his plan. Instead, the jaganshi removed the ward from his forehead and opened his jagan wide. The drug Phobos had used on it made it sore, but pain was something the demon could handle to get what he wanted.

Youki flared in the room as Mukuro fought the draw of that eye. In response, Hiei unleashed his massive youki not bothering to restrain it any longer. There was no longer a need, in his opinion, to show deference to this former leader.

Eyes blossomed all over Hiei’s body as his skin took on a green hue. The ki released though those eyes quickly swamped the energy of his prey.

“Hi-”

“Don’t speak.” A satisfying click was heard, as Mukuro’s mouth involuntarily slammed shut. “You had your chance,” he continued solemnly. “Now it is my turn. You spoke of punishment, as if your actions had just cause. I call what you did petty jealousy and betrayal.” His tone conveyed his rage, but never got loud.

The diminutive demon rose from the body on the floor and walked as his former boss slowly stood with the jerky motions of a puppet. “Stay,” he instructed before she could take a step in his direction. He had her stand there completely immobile as he grabbed her stationary and carried it from the room.

In the outer office, Hiei instructed a scribe to draw up the paperwork for Mukuro to hand over control of Alaric to her heir. When it was completed, he returned to the office to see Mukuro still standing where he left her.

Little beads of sweat dotted her face, and small lines appeared around her eyes signifying the effort that she was expending to be free of the jaganshi’s control. “Heh. Struggle all you like, but you are only wasting your energy.” The black clad demon brought the paperwork to the desk and laid it on the surface. “Come here.” He awaited her arrival with the patience of one in complete control. “Stay,” he commanded. “Igo,” he called to the scribe still awaiting orders in the outer office.

A small winged imp fluttered into the office and quickly bowed to both demons present. “What do you wish, my lords?” The obsequious little guy wrung his hands – a nervous habit – in the presence of these two greater beings.

“You will witness our signatures,” Hiei answered calmly.

“Yes, my lord.”

Silently, Hiei sent the command to the bionic woman with his jagan. “Sign.” He pointed to the line with her name underneath it.

With slightly twitchy movements indicating her continued struggle, Mukuro moved forward and took a pen from the desk. Try as she might, she could not stop her hand from moving to the paper and leaving behind her perfect, flowing signature on the line indicated.

The koorime took the pen from her suddenly limp hand – she had stopped fighting. “Thank you,” he said before he signed on his line. He then took the papers and handed them to Igo. “I want them copied and distributed throughout Alaric and a copy delivered to each of the demon lords as soon as possible.”

The two demons waited for Igo to leave before continuing their one-sided conversation. “Now, explain yourself.”

Without control, Mukuro’s words spilled from her mouth. “You were getting too powerful and challenging my authority. I had to stop you anyway I could, so I sent for Phobos to teach you to fear so that you would respect my authority.” Her words rolled into one another.

“You already had my respect. Handing my ‘discipline’ over to another, lost you that respect.” Hiei took a deep breath. Normally he didn’t talk this much and he hated explaining his actions, but this imparted knowledge was part of his retribution. “Betrayal is the worst crime you could ever commit against me,” he bit out. “We are headed to Tourin and will pass Phobos on the way.”

Mukuro paled more. Phobos had already promised her a worse fate than Hiei’s at his hands. A fine trembling broke out across her muscles as she started fighting his hold again – this time to try to flee. “Y-you can’t do this,” she pleaded.

“Yes, I can.” He smiled a malevolent grin. “You just gave me the power to.” With that the koorime walked out of the office and wrangled some soldiers, who were loyal to him, to guard her until they reached Phobos.

* * *

Phobos stood by and watched as Kurama gathered the still vibrating Yusuke and led him away from his compound. Having once been a god, Phobos was still amused by how others interacted. The Pantheon had been the same way, but on a smaller scale.

He watched the redhead lay a calming hand on the other’s shoulder and the other shrugged off the gesture. After they left, Phobos was alone. That was fine. He would wait for the promised return of the diminutive demon. Then he would seek payment for his services. This Mukuro woman would rue the day she tried to use him.

The former god would accept whatever the little fire demon wanted in compensation for his pain and would return it to the demon lord with interest. That thought brought a cruel smile to his lips. This might be fun

With that thought in mind, the demon of fear settled back in his office to wait.

* * *

Hiei watched as his former prison appeared on the horizon. This would hopefully be the last time he ever laid eyes on the bionic woman or this place. He would leave her with his former captor. Maybe, she would learn her place. Of course he would leave instructions with the Phobos for her after care. It wouldn’t do to have her cross his path again in the future.

Slowly rolling his head from side to side to relieve some tension, he thought grimly, Yes, this will end it. Hiei turned at the sound of one of his men approaching.

“Sir, we will be docking shortly.” The small imp informed him.

As if he couldn’t see that for himself, he let out an impassive “heh.” The jaganshi turned back to watching the fortress’s approach. Now that he had the opportunity to look at it, the structure was rather impressive considering the master of it was not considered one of the demon lords.

Quietly, he turned around and walked back toward the interior of the fortress intending to accompany his “prisoner” to her new home. He motioned to her guards to get her and follow him, and together, they made their way to the loading area.

Mukuro was quiet in her restraints. Resignation flowed from her in waves as did fear. That pungent odor surrounded the woman in a cloying cloud. Hiei could see some of his men reacting to the fear the woman gave off.

“You really should hide your fear better, Mukuro. I know Phobos will find it intoxicating.” He was baiting her, and it was petty, but damn, it felt good. He also did not miss the shudder that wracked her frame at the mention of the former god’s name. He almost felt sorry for her, knowing what was to come for her, but that passed quickly. He wrote off the niggling guilt as having spent too much time with humans.

* * *

“Calm down, Yusuke.” Kurama’s bland tone belied the order in his words. He had chosen to accompany his compatriot to Tourin figuring this seething anger would blind the Mazoku to other dangers.

“Fuck that, Kurama.” Yusuke stormed in the direction of his keep. His energy surged violently as he sped toward home.

Shaking his head, the fox quietly followed his friend keeping his eyes open for any threats. Thankfully, there were no confrontations. The lesser demons in the area fleeing before the awesome power surrounding Yusuke.

Yusuke stormed into Tourin completely ignoring his vassals. Hakushin made a move to greet him and noticing the visible rage, discretion as the better part of valor.

When the former demon reached his rooms, he threw the doors wide and stomped over to his large bed, promptly flopped onto the surface and started pummeling the pillows until feathers flew everywhere. After a while, when there were no pillows left to beat, he curled in on himself breathing hard.

Slowly, Kurama approached and sat beside his friend. The tantrum was expected, but the desolation he saw now on the mazoku’s face scared him a little. “Yusuke,” the fox sighed, laying a hand gently on the brunette’s shoulder.

“Don’t, Kurama.” The whisper was shockingly quiet after the rage. Brown eyes swam in unshed tears when they met green. “I feel him pulling away from me, and that demon caused this. He roughly ran a hand through his tousled hair. “I don’t know what happened to him exactly, but it hurt him.” Letting out a little self-deprecating chuckle, Yusuke rolled onto his back and covered his eyes with an arm. “Gah, I’m so tired.”

Hearing the dismissal in those words, Kurama stood. “Get some sleep, Yusuke. If you don’t mind, I will stay in Tourin until Hiei returns.”

Yusuke mumbled, “If he returns.” In a clearer voice he said, “Sure, your rooms are open to you.”

“Thank you,” Kurama responded, politely ignoring the mumbled comment.

As he closed the door, he heard the whispered; “I can’t even defend my mate.”

* * *

As Alaric crawled to a halt outside the compound, Hiei jumped to the ground and flitted into Phobos’ lair one last time.

In the office just outside the torture room, Phobos sat at his desk. He didn’t even look up when the diminutive demon approached. “Have you brought her to me?” The former god commanded an answer despite his quiet tone.

“As was your bargain with her, she is yours.” Hiei silently directed the guards who had followed him to hand over their burden to the man behind the desk. Before he left, Hiei intoned, “If you tire of her, contact me and I will see to her…retirement.” He walked out without waiting for a response.

Phobos quietly watched as the guards followed their new leader obediently. He smiled at his new captive. “How does it feel to be replaced?”

“I’ve not been replaced,” she answered waspishly. “This isn’t over yet.”

“There you are right.” He walked over to Mukuro and placed a hand on her head. “It is just beginning.” A wicked grin crossed his features. “But it would appear that you have been replaced. He seems to fill your former role quite nicely, and I must say, I like his attitude better.”

* * *

Hiei instructed the drivers to turn the fortress toward Tourin next. He had told the detective that he would meet him there, and he planned to keep his word. As the fortress moved across the Makai landscape, he tried to sort out the visions he had had over the last few days.

The jagan was too worn out to check on his sister, but based on the presence of Kurama at his “rescue,” it would appear that not all of the visions were real. This conclusion was heavily supported by the tumultuous emotions he felt through the still existent link he had with his mate.

He determined that the visions were mostly fabrications born out of his fear of loss. Not that he would admit to such fear aloud. Admissions like that were surely signs of weakness he couldn’t afford, especially now that he held the title of demon lord.

By the time Tourin crested the horizon, he had reconciled the fact that the visions were not real. However, he felt he still needed to deal with the fears that birthed those visions, so that they couldn’t come back to haunts him again.

But first, he had to calm his mate. With that thought in mind, Hiei went in search of his advisors and his generals and gave them instructions to look after things in his absence.

* * *

A black clad shadow paused in the doorway to Yusuke’s bedchamber. The physical pull was just as strong today as it was after the initial mating, but it was the emotional turmoil that gave the demon pause. Not usually one for strong emotions, Hiei was at a bit of a loss.

Shaking off his reluctance, Hiei approached the sleeping man, Yusuke’s face was slightly contorted as though his dreams were a struggle. Just as Hiei reached the bed, Yusuke whimpered, “Hiei.”

“I am here, Yusuke.” Hiei stated in an uncharacteristically comforting tone.

Yusuke jolted awake. “Hiei?” He gasped. “You came. Are you okay?”

His expression never changed from his usual surly countenance, but he nodded curtly.

“You don’t plan to stay.” It wasn’t a question.

“I am leaving Alaric on your border. My men are to take your orders as my own.”

Yusuke clenched his teeth. “How long?”

Hiei shrugged.

The toushin nodded, understanding that Hiei needed time to recover. It hurt that he wouldn’t accept his comfort, but Yusuke understood the nature of the beast.

Hiei nodded again silently and flitted from the room.

Yusuke sighed dejectedly and flopped back on his bed. “Fuck,” he muttered with far less enthusiasm than he felt. However, seeing the diminutive demon, even if only briefly, calmed him enough to give into the exhaustion fully. He closed his eyes and slept soundly for the first time in days.

* * *

Hiei had only one more stop to make before his hiatus. Following the familiar youki, he found Kurama sitting quietly in his room reading.

“Good evening, Hiei.” Kurama greeted in his usual cool, polite manner.

“Fox.”

The two demons stared silently at one another. Finally, Kurama nodded. “I’ll watch him for you.”

Not bothering to voice his appreciation, the hi-youkai darted to and out the open window beside Kurama. He quickly disappeared into the darkness.

Taking a deep breath, Kurama sighed. “Hurry back, Hiei,” he whispered to the unresponsive darkness. “He needs you, too.”