<Part 3>

 The cook nodded and moved toward Anja.

 "Oh no you bloody well don't!" She cried falling from her perch to slam her feet into his stomach.

 The Youkai seemed dazed by the meat fighting back.

 Anja got back up on top of the bar as the Youkai in the black cloak approached. "Who are you?" She asked, never relaxing her vigilance on him or the cook.

 He looked at her and froze when he met her eyes. "Shura."

 Anja looked at the cook who had grabbed a butcher knife and quickly slid out of the way with her chains as he swiped. His blow cut the bar and she slid her cuffs free.

 The cook came at her but Anja delivered a blow to his groin that felled him before she knocked his out with a near bye pan. "That's for trying to make meat out of me!" She hissed, "I happen to be a vegetarian!"
 

 Shura looked at the ningen girl with shock. She was standing proud and tall and stark naked over the felled cook, "That's for trying to make meat out of me! I happen to be a vegetarian!" The prince almost laughed at her comment . He did smile. Then Anja turned to him with hope in her eyes, "Oh Please tell me you're one of the good guys." She pleaded.

 Shura looked startled for a moment, How can she not know who I am? I am Shura! Son of Yomi and crowned prince! Everyone knows me. He took off his ankle length coat and handed it to her.

 The girl started as if just realizing that she was unclothed, "EEP!" She quickly threw the coat on. "Thank you." She looked around, "Do you have any idea where they put my clothes? My. . . Ohmygod!" She put her hand to her neck, "OhmyGod! My pendant! My necklace! Oh God I have to find them! She looked at Shura imploringly, "please! You have to help me find them. Kuro's pendant! And that necklace, it was my mothers! It's one of the few things I have left of her!"

 Shura was indecisive for a moment but then he nodded and helped the ningen free herself of her chains.

 "Thank you!" She smiled a hugged him quickly then stepped back and started searching the cook.

 Shura stood there like a statue, startled to no end. What was he doing?! Helping a ningen?! And one his father was going to have for supper no less!

 She stood and frowned, "Not here." Her heart broken look was enough to melt away any of Shura's doubts. "Shura I have to find them!"

 He nodded, "The guard who brought you must have them."

 She beamed at his revelation, "Ah! thank Inari!"

 Shura stopped at the mention of the Youko God. "What do you know of
Inari?"

 "It's something my foster brother swears." She mimicked Shuuichi perfectly, "Ah! By the blood of Inari!"

 The Youkai seemed pacified by this and kept moving toward the guards chambers.

 The girl followed close behind.

 Slipping in and out was no challenge for the son of Yomi and soon he was
handing the ningen her rings and three necklaces, two of them, he noted, were definitely Makai. And the ring looked very familiar. Probably stolen but he didn't care. What was one bauble or two to his father? He could afford to overlook it."

 The girl covered her mouth to block her happy cry and quickly slipped the jewelry on, "Thank you." She hugged him once again and kissed his cheek.

 Shura froze and touched the place her lips had caressed, "Who are you?"

 "Anja." She smiled weakly and smoothed his hair, "Thank you Shura." Then she collapsed into his arms.

  The startled price gasped and quickly checked her for wounds but found none but a huge bruise covering her back. Why then did she. . .?

 He took her to his chambers and bathed her carefully, then dressed her in some of his clothes, not understanding why the tight black  britches and black, open chested shirt seemed so much more sensual now that she wore them. He carefully brushed and plaited her hair, never once waking her, then laid he on his bed and covered her up carefully.

 "What is this you make me feel ningen Anja?" He questioned in a voice much softer than usual, "Why?"

 He laid beside her, remaining on top of the covers and blocking the view from the door if anyone was to come in. Then he fell asleep, with his arm laying protectively over his ningen.
 

    "Do you feel her yet?" Kurama asked the other two, hoping that being S class they would be able to.

 "She's alive." Hiei nodded.

 Kuronue was strangely silent.

 "Kuro?" Kurama asked.

 "It's nothing." He assured, "Just a feeling."
 

 When Anja woke up she felt a soft warmth beside her and snuggled closer to it. "Mmm." She moaned in delight, "s'nice."

 Shura jumped out for his slumber and stared down at the human snuggling into his chest. She was so. . . tiny wasn't that word, her build was strong, it was more of a child-like quality that she had. An innocence. "Ohayo." He said simply.

 Anja looked up and smiled before she yawned and stretched out like a cat, "Ohayo." She replied, "Shura?"

 "Hmm?" He asked softly, his face inches from hers.

 "Thank you." She smiled still a bit groggy from sleep, "For helping me."

 Shura nodded but didn't move away. His gaze was focused on her lips. "May I. . .?"

 Anja's smile became softer, "hai."

 Their lips met and Shura felt a wave of warmth and lightning course through his veins. He buried his hands in her hair as she had hers and pressed closer, unsure of how but wanting to get closer. Anja showed him how when she slipped her tongue into his slightly parted lips. Shura moaned and followed suit. They both held each other until they had to stop in order to breath. "Wow." Shura breathed, "That was. . ."

 "SHURA!" The bedroom door slammed open.

 "EEP!" Shura jumped and turned to face his father, "I can. . . um. . . I can explain you see. . . ah. . ."

 "What do you think you're doing?!"

 "Um. . . sleeping?"

 "With?!"

 "Uh. . ."

 Yomi glowered, "Let me help you, the person in that bed with you just
happens to be my supper!"

 "EEP!" Anja ducked behind Shura and wrapped her arms around his chest.
That man was Yomi, she didn't want to take on Yomi!

 "You can't eat her father!" Shura cried
 

 "Father?!" Anja jumped up from the bed and backed toward the window.

 "Shura we do not play with our food!"

 Anja had had enough of this, "I am no one's meal!"

 Shura looked at Anja startled. No one had talked back to his father in ages!

 Yomi was almost as startled as Shura. "What?"

 "I said I am nobodies supper!" Anja hissed.

 The blind ruler just stood in the doorway for a moment. "Who are you?"

 "Nightwind Anja." She said proudly.

 "Of what house?"

 "Wha. . ."

 "Do you work for Mukuro?"

 "Hiei does."

 "Who is Hiei to you?" Shura asked recognizing the name.

 "A sort of a foster brother."

 "What about your real brothers." Yomi asked.

 Shura could have killed his father for the pain that question brought to
Anja's eyes.  "Dead."

 "Sisters?"

 "Dead."

 "Parents? Aunts, Uncles, Grandparents?"

 "Dead, all dead."
 

 Shura stood up and took the ningen into his arms as her pain bled out like a wound reopened. "Shhh."

 "They died just a few days ago."

 "Ah Anja, I'm sorry."

 Anja sniffled and nodded, laying her head on Shura's shoulder and the
youkai prince put his arms around her, rubbing her back.

 "Shura get away from that thing!" Yomi hollered.

 Shura glared at his father, "No."

 "What?!"

 "I have. . . feelings for her father."

 "She is human!" Yomi was appalled.

 "So?!" Shura growled.

 "Humans are weak!"

 "Hey I resent that!" Anja hissed from Shura's arms.

 "It is true! Shura what kind of irresponsible, chicken hearted, slack jawed. . ."

 Anja giggled slightly, "Whoa Yomi, time to switch to decaf."

 Shura giggled and Yomi's eyes went wide, "You're dead!" he hissed.

 Anja Eeped and ran behind Shura. "It was just a suggestion!"

 Shura couldn't help himself, his laughter filled the castle.
 
 

 When the trio of rescuers reached Yomi's castle Kurama almost yelped in surprise as a guard grabbed his arm urgently, "Kurama! Thank God! Hiei! You guys need to go to Shura's room, Yomi is having a fit!"

 "Yomi?" Kurama looked at Hiei and Kuronue, both shrugged.

 When the reached Shura's room they heard a loud crashing sound, Shura pleading, and an EEP! That sounded very familiar. They hurried inside.

 When they saw what was going on the Youko's fell to the ground laughing, Hiei even smirked a little. Shura was hanging on his fathers legs trying to stop him, Yomi was searching the bed angrily for the source of the EEP, and Anja peered down at them both from her perch on the bed's canopy.

 "Kurama?" Yomi suddenly stood strait and tall, "Is that you Youko?"

 "H. . . Hai!" Kurama got out through his laughter.

 "Hiei does that thing," Yomi pointed in Anja's general vicinity, "Belong to you?!"

 "She is my Imouto." He confirmed.

 "Then get her out of my sight!" The king screamed.

 Anja snickered at his choice of words an Yomi dove at the bed again. "All I
did was tell him decaf would help!" She squealed as he found her hiding place and ran to hide behind Shura again.

 Kurama, who had started to calm down, burst out laughing again.

 Kuronue had tears of mirth falling from his eyes. But when his eyes found Shura's he stopped. Something passed between the two of them, and Kuronue wasn't sure he liked the message.

 Hiei seamed to sense his unease and he jabbed Kurama in the ribs so he would hush.

 The fox got the message and looked over to Anja and Shura, "Time to go. Say good bye Anja."

 "Good bye Anja." She teased.

 "Anja. . ."

 "Ok niisan," She said brightly before she muttered, "Grump."

 "I heard that!"

 Anja smiled and kissed Shura's cheek, "thank you." She smiled. As she passed Yomi she managed to ‘accidentally' ram her foot into his ankle then ducked with a loud squeal as he lunged for her.

 Shura tossed her his long coat, "Don't forget this." He smiled.

 She smiled back, "Thank you." And turned to follow the three demons home.
 

 "Wait,. . . did she just call Kurama brother?"

 Shura thought for a moment and promptly face vaulted.
 
 

 When the got home it was dark out, Anja slipped up to her room where Kuronue already waited and slipped into her Pjs.

 "Feeling better?"

 "A little." She smiled, "I feel alive again."

 "Good." He kissed her gently, "I like you alive."

 Anja closed her eyes and reveled in his taste as they lay down together.
Kuronue moved to take his fox for but Anja stopped him, "Kuro could you just stay Youko tonight, or human? I need to be cuddled right now."

 Kuronue sighed and nodded, "Hai koi."

 Anja smiled and lent the boy a pair of extra large boxers and T-shirt that she
wore in the summer and they cuddled up together. Sharing warmth and love."
 

 Hiei sat watching Kurama put the finishing touches on his homework. "Done?" He asked.

 "Yes, finally." Kurama smiled. He took the little Koorime in his arms,
"Mine."

 Hiei closed his eyes as a safe feeling enveloped him as it always did near
Kurama. "Hn."

 Kurama led him to the bed and they lay down. They did nothing more than
hold each other, but both needed comfort after sharing Anja's pain. They needed to have love with them as they slept, needed to be loved.

 Later in the night Kurama felt a gentle weight settle between him and Hiei, it was Anja, "Anja?"

 "I needed to be near you guys tonight, is that ok?"

 Kurama smile, "Hai Anja. Imouto-chan."

 Hiei grunted in his sleep and put his arm around Anja, pulling her closer.
Kurama scooted closer too, to make room for Kuronue who was now pressing to get in too. The twin bed groaned in protest but held up and all of them slept knowing they were not and would never be alone.
 

 Outside the window, Shura watched in painful solitude. He wanted to be a part of that love. Father is wonderful to me, but he is to regal to really show caring or love. How I wish I could be inside with them! He shook his head, his eyes misted over and he blurred out of sight, back to the cold walls of the Makai castle of his father. I'll come back tomorrow, and see her again. He promised himself.
 

 Yuusuke and Kuwabara stopped by the next morning. "Ohayo, are Kurama and Anja here?"

  "We were going to go on a picnic." Kuwabara said.

 Shori smiled, "They are still asleep if you would like to wake them you can."

 Yuusuke pulled open the door to Kurama's room and burst out laughing, "Shori-san if this keeps up you should maybe get Shuuichi a bigger bed!"
 

 "What?" Shori and Kuwabara went to the door as well. Shori smiled and Kuwabara almost burst a gut laughing.

 Two boys of similar height, a girl a little taller, and a very small boy were all
tangled together on the bed. The air in the room felt heavy with sibling contentment and love. Shori couldn't help but borrow Anja's camera again to snap some pictures. She realized the dark hard boy who looked so much like Shuuichi was the fox from before and smiled. "If the two of them would turn to foxes it would save a lot of room, ne?" She smiled and walked away. Yuusuke fell to the floor laughing.

 "Hn?" Anja looked up at the duo. "Close that door! Hentai!"

 "Hey your the one sleeping with three guys!" Yuusuke teased.

 Anja jumped to her feat and chased the two downstairs and out the door.

 "Anja!" Shori cried, "You are not dressed!"

 The American didn't listen.

 Shori smiled, it was good to have another child in the house. She felt horrible
for Anja's pain, but at least she had them. Anja could stay as long as she wanted.
 
 
 

~tbc~

Raihne