Rurouni Kenshin Fan Fiction ❯ 'Do You Want to Live Forever?' ❯ Officer on Duty ( Chapter 18 )

Chapter Eighteen

Officer on Duty

         &nbs p;  It was a quarter to seven in the morning when Kenshin was unkindly roused out of a sound sleep by a thunderous pounding on his front door. Grumbling and scratching his head he shuffled through his apartment and looked suspiciously through the peephole. A double-take and several hoarse curses later he was throwing the deadbolt back and yanking the door open.

          &n bsp; “What in the name of Aunt Mary’s sweet ass are you doing here, and how in the hell did you here without getting your sweet ass fried to a crisp?” Not waiting for the gapping, dark-haired woman to answer, he grabbed the front of her black leather coat and hauled her inside. “The sun’s been up for over thirty minutes; are you fucking insane?”

          ;   “It’s overcast, Kenshin. I was perfectly safe, besides, I had to come.”

         & nbsp;  “Nothing is that important for you to put yourself at this much of a risk, Kaoru. Nothing.” He heaved a frustrated sigh and pulled her into his arms. “You have to be more careful, lubit. You’re not invincible, you know; I don’t want to lose you.”

         &n bsp;  “You aren’t going to lose me, simpatie. I’m not that careless. I kept to the subways and the dark shadows, and thankfully, the fog rolled in and gave the extra time I really needed. So calm down and quite playing the over protective mate with me. I’m not that fragile.” She burrowed into his throat and wrapped her arms around his waist. “And I know I’m not invincible... that’s your department.”

        & nbsp;   “Yeah, right. I’m not invincible either.” His fingers threaded through the silken mass of her hair as he cupped the back of her head. “Please, promise me you’ll be more careful. Don’t cut it so close again. You could have gotten seriously hurt this morning being out so near sunrise. Don’t do it again. Promise me, Kaoru.”

             “I can’t, Kenshin.” Her voice was muffled against him. “I can’t promise you anything like that because I don’t know when I’m going to have to make another emergency run like this.”

         & nbsp;  “What do you mean ‘emergency run’?” Pulling away, he locked gazes with her. “What’s happened? Why did you think it was necessary to risk yourself like this in order to get to me this morning? What couldn’t wait until tonight, or even for a phone call?”

         & nbsp;  “We can’t trust the phones anymore, Kenshin.”

        &nbs p;   “Why not? What’s happened, Kaoru?”

             “Come here,” She said, and led him over the couch. “Sit down and I’ll tell you what happened this morning. It’s about Okita and his undercover mission at Machavelia’s Estate.”

          ;   “Is Okita alright? He didn’t get hurt did he?” Immediately Kenshin was the concerned leader seeking after the welfare of his soldier. “We haven’t lost him have we?”

         &nb sp;  “No, no, nothing like that, but things got real interesting up there last night.”

             “Okay, what happened?”

        &nb sp;   “The Black Diamond’s in town. Flew in on his private jet just before midnight.”

        &nb sp;   “Hajime Saitou is here? In the city?” Kenshin was stunned.

           ;  “Yes, apparently there are some problems he felt he needed to come and deal personally. One being the man he ordered to replace the Military Leader, Basil, whose gone missing the last few weeks.”

             “Basil? Why does that name sound familiar?”

        &nb sp;   “You might have heard father talk about him at some point. He was with Saitou in the beginning–in the old days when The Made over threw the Monachry and murdered the Royal Family... your great-grandparents.” Uncomfortable with the subject matter, Kaoru broke eye contact and looked down at her hands. “He was Saitou’s second in command in those days, and apparently he made him General over his forces here, but a few weeks ago he disappeared.”

             “Disappeared? You mean he went out and never came back.”

         & nbsp;  “Pretty much. They are assuming he’s dead because he was completely loyal to Saitou there is no way he would just up and leave. So someone dusted him.”

         &n bsp;  “Any ideas?”

             “One... but it’s a long shot.” Her eyes met his once more. “She’s a bimbo friend of Soujiro’s that runs with Misao’s Chinatown squad. Her name is Mara. We all grew up together.”

        &nb sp;   “What makes you think she’s responsible?” Kenshin pulled Kaoru’s fumbling hands over into his lap so he could rub them between his. “Is she that good?”

         & nbsp;  “Yes and no. She got lucky one night when she was downtown patrolling my area... you know, ‘The Pimp Killer’.”

       &nbs p;    “Ah ha... go on.”

         &nb sp;  “She’d just finished off some slime in his car and was on her way home when she got ambushed in an ally by an Ancient. She claims he told her he was there the night of the massacre when The Made murdered almost everyone in our city, including the King and his family. She said he knew everybody’s names and even your grandfather... Prince Crede. I’m thinking... and mind you it is just a guess, but it strikes me as too big of a coincidence that an Ancient gets dusted and The Made’s number one General goes missing so close to the same time.”

         & nbsp;  “How did she get him? I mean, if he was this Basil, he would have been an excellent fighter, and if she was only a moderately good opponent, how did she get him?”

         &n bsp;  “She got in a lucky throw and he landed on an old railing. Skewered him right through the chest and gut, and while he was laying there bleeding, she walked up and staked him with her boot heel... silver-tipped.”

       &nbs p;    “Yeeowch! Fucking hell! Remind me never to get her pissed off at me.” Kenshin shuddered and made a face. “That’s just nasty, and I bet she got off on it too. Didn’t she?”

         &n bsp;  “Of course. Everybody likes dusting a Made.” Kaoru favored her mate with a lopsided grin. “It’s almost better than sex.”

         &n bsp;  “Oh, now I know you’re feeding me full of bullshit, girl.”

         & nbsp;  “You think so, flyboy? Why don’t you change my mind?” Her grin was decidedly wicked.

             “Baby, if I didn’t have to go to work, I wouldn’t let you out of bed for the rest of the day.” Grabbing her around the waist, he hauled her kicking and giggling into his lap. “And you wouldn’t be able to walk right for at least a week.”

         & nbsp;  “Promises, promises.” Her soft lips hovered over his as she fisted her hands in the heavy mane of his hair. “Can you at least kiss me? I think I’ve forgotten what you feel like and taste like in the last few days since you’ve been gone. Why haven’t you been back? You said you weren’t going to be gone for so long anymore?”

        &nbs p;   “I know I did,” he murmured as he brushed his mouth over hers in a warm, sensual caress. “I wanted to come back sooner. I tried, but this damn case is getting so fucking sticky I can’t get away.”

         & nbsp;  “What case? The policemen we...”

         & nbsp;  “Yes. The reports are getting deeper and the questions are piling up. Everyone is looking at me to be the one to figure it out because it’s the ‘weird case of the year’, so it’s my ‘baby’.”

        ;     “You get the weird cases?” Her tongue traced his lower lip and her fingers massaged his neck suggestively.”

         ;    “Always...” Her butt was shifting against his thighs and he couldn’t help but slip his hands beneath her and palm those luscious leather clad cheeks. “God, you feel good.”

         & nbsp;  “So do you.” Tasting the interior of his mouth became a necessity and she dipped her tongue inside, rolling it over the top of his and wring a low moan from deep within him. “Are you sure you can’t be just a little late for work... simpatie?”

        &nb sp;   “Kaoru! Behave,” he growled in mock sternness and pushed her off his lap with obvious reluctance. “I have a reputation to uphold. I am painfully punctual. If I’m late, they’ll think the world is going to cave in or something. I have to go.”

         &nb sp;  “Fine,” she humphed at him and plopped down on the couch. “Go get dressed and I’ll finish telling you what else happened.”

        &nb sp;   “You mean there’s more?” He was incredulous.

         & nbsp;  “Yuppers. The Black Diamond is only the tip of the iceberg. The rest of the story is the reason I had to brave the sun and get over here to you. You have to know this.”

         & nbsp;  Kenhin looked at his mate with distinct discomfort. He knew he wasn’t going to like to this whatever it was, and the feeling of foreboding that suddenly crept over his soul brought a shiver of icy cold with it. “Alright,” he said as his gaze narrowed. “Come on, you can talk to me while I get ready.” Kaoru stood up and followed him down the hallway to his bedroom. “I’m not gonna like this, am I?”

         &nbs p;  “I doubt it. Father was shocked into silence and the Major almost had a seizure.”

        &nbs p;   “Great, just great.” Kenshin reached for a clean shirt. “Okay, I’m ready. Lay it on me.”

         &nb sp;  “Have you ever heard of a ‘Hitokiri’?”

      & nbsp;     “‘Hitokiri’?” Confused violet eyes locked on her face as Kenshin pulled on his pants. “Yes, it’s a Japanese Feudal term used to describe an assassin. What does that have to do with anything?”

        &nb sp;   “Well, it seems that the man Saitou chose to replace Basil with is a Made from Feudal Japan who was one of the most infamous hitokiris of that time. A real bad-ass named Shishio Makado. You ever read anything about him?”

         &n bsp;  “Shishio Makado? Are you sure that’s the name?” A strange look passed over Kenshin’s face as he sat down on the bed next to his mate and started to put on his shoes and socks. “I read about him several years ago when I was studying battou jitsu. He was the best... or the worst assassin to ever rise up during the Meji Era. I suppose it depends on your point of view, but he was not much better than a cold-blooded masochist. He loved the blood. You’re sure this is the guy Saitou has as his new General?”

        &nbs p;   “Okita saw him for himself.”

        &nbs p;   “Shit. Do we know when he got ‘turned’?”

      &nb sp;     “During the Japanese Revolution some time. The Major heard of him. That’s why he nearly went off the deep end. He said this guy’s crazy... more or less.”

         & nbsp;  “Yes, that would pretty much describe him. He loved to kill people. Whether they were part of the battle, one of his missions, or just innocent people. It didn’t seem to matter to him. He got a rush off the blood. I can see where he would make a good vampire, I suppose. But he would make a very dangerous one too.”

         &n bsp;  “That’s why Saitou is here.”

         & nbsp;  “What do you mean?”

         & nbsp;  “Apparently this guy goes on some kind of a feeding frenzy when he hunts.”

             “Meaning?”

    &nb sp;       “He eats, drinks, and be’s merry with his victims... he tears them to pieces, Kenshin.”

        &nbs p;   “Oh my God.” He buried his face in his hands.

          & nbsp; “Okita said that sometimes he eats their hearts, or other stuff, but mostly, he just spreads them all over the place. Makes a real mess of things.”

          ;   “Jesus, and he’s here, in the middle of our city?”

         & nbsp;  “Yes, but Kenshin... that’s not the whole story either.”

          ;   “You mean there is still more to this fucking nightmare? You have to be shittng me.”

         &nb sp;  “No, simpatie. I wish I were, but the worst is the last.” Kaoru reached out and wrapped her arm around his shoulders and leaned her head against him. “Okita was listening to Saitou and Shishio having a conversation. He was on one side of the door, they were on the other. He said he kept hearing Shishio calling Saitou ‘Uriel’.”

      &nbs p;     “That’s his real name.”

         & nbsp;  “I know, but then he called himself something else, and Saitou called him that too.”

         &n bsp;  “He...he has a different name?” Kenshin’s face was pensive, his gaze wary.

          &n bsp; “He’s older than all us, Kenshin. He’s so old he’s insane.”

          ;   “What are you talking about?” Ice slid through his blood. The breath of The Mother was upon his face, roaring in his ears. “Who the hell is he?”

         &nb sp;  “He’s Milos, Kenshin. “He’s Milos, the son of Pythagorus. He’s the reason we are all here and things are the way they are. Okita said he called you, ‘Little Brother.’, Kenshin... he knows who you are. He knows your ‘Cel’.” Kaoru watched as the information sank into her mates head. She watched as his eyes flickered with disbelief and then filled with determination. “What are you thinking?” She asked.

          & nbsp; “That we need to start setting things into motion. We need to start making plans and putting up defense posts and watch stations.” His brows furrowed as his brain kicked into high gear. “I need Sano.”

         & nbsp;  “Sano?”

     & nbsp;      “My partner. Sanosuke Sagara, the policeman who works with me. We’ve been friends since we were kids. He’s been watching my back for more years than I care to remember, and we need him.”

         &n bsp;  “Does... does he know about...”

        &nbs p;   “Cel and The Cause?” She nodded. “Yes, he was with me at my grandfathers the day everything exploded. It was that night that I .... that we... It was the night ‘Cel’ was born. The next day he confronted me with everything, and I told him everything.”

        & nbsp;   “What happened?” Kaoru was stunned and a little frightened. She didn’t know a single human she could trust and this entire situation was making her very nervous.

           ;  “He still has my back.”

         & nbsp;  “You trust him?”

         &n bsp;  “With my life... I’d trust him with your life, lubit.”

             “Oh.” She dropped her eyes and stared at his tie. If Kenshin said he trusted this man with both their lives, then she would have to give him the benefit of the doubt. “He must be some kind of a great guy if you trust him that much.”

         & nbsp;  “Nah, not really. He’s a jerk, but he’ll never lie to you.” Her head snapped up in shock but she found Kenshin smiling and winking at her. “Yes, he’s a good guy. But he can be kinda dense and goofy sometimes. Still, you gotta love him. He’s great in a fight, and he knows the streets as good as I do. He will never betray us, Kaoru. He has already given me his word on that.”

         & nbsp;  “Does he know we killed those four policemen?”

        &n bsp;   “Yes,” Kenshin looked away. “He went with me the day I had to make the investigation. I wouldn’t have been able to do it if he wasn’t there. It was... difficult.”

        &n bsp;   “Oh simpatie. I’m so sorry. I know how hard it is for you not to admit what we’ve done. I’m so sorry.” She hugged him closer. “It goes against everything you believe, doesn’t it?”

         &nb sp;  “Yes, but nothing can be done about it now. Those men are dead. I can’t bring them back, but I can’t admit we killed them either. If I do, we admit our kind exist and that cannot happen either. It would plunge the world into chaos and we would become even more hunted than we are now. I cannot allow that to happen.” Kissing her forehead, Kenshin made a quick decision. “Come here,” he said as he stood up and walked over to his closet. “Put this on.”

         &nb sp;  “What is it?” She asked as she took the long tan garment he was handing her.

          &nb sp; “It’s my hooded trench. It should keep the sun off you long enough to get in and out of the car.”

         &n bsp;  “Okay, but where am I going?” She look confused.

         &nbs p;  “Your going to go to work with me.” His face was impassive but his eyes were diamond hard. “Everyone is dying to meet my new girlfriend anyway, so,” Shrugging, he helped her on with the coat. “I’ll take you under the pretense of showing you where I work.”

         & nbsp;  “And why am I really going?”

             “I need to get you and Sano together. We have a lot to discuss and we may as well do it in my office behind closed doors where it looks like I’m working on those damn reports. Okay?”

         & nbsp;  “Okay, works for me.” She flipped the hood over her head and he nodded in approval when he noted that it covered her completely.

         &n bsp;  “Want to call the compound and tell them what’s up?”

         &nb sp;  “No, the Major thinks the phone lines might be tapped. That’s why I braved the sun and came to your apartment instead of calling.”

        &nbs p;   “Ah, I think I am beginning to understand. Hmm,” he scratched the back of his head. “I need to get Aoshi out here with Sano too. They have things to organize.”

        &nb sp;   “Perhaps, simpatie, you should get Sano to the Major.”

             Kenshin turned to face his mate and found her regarding him with one eyebrow raised and half a smile on her lips. Grinning back, he had the grace to blush. “Um, that’s not a bad idea.” He cleared his throat and chuckled. “I should have thought of that.”

         & nbsp;  “You can’t think of everything, Kenshin. That’s why you have me. I’m supposed to help you, remember?” She stepped up to him and put her arms around his neck. “Or did you forget again?”

             “Forget you? Impossible.” His forearms crossed the small of her back and pulled her against him. “You’re my blood, lubit. I will never forget you.”

         &n bsp;  “I didn’t say forget ‘me’, you arrogant vampire. I said, did you forge...”

        &nbs p;   “I know what you said, lubit, but you talk too much.” He captured her open mouth with his and both their faces disappeared inside the hood. “Come on, chatty-cathy,” he mused as he pulled away. “We have things to do.”

         &nb sp;  “Insufferable.” She mumbled behind his back as he headed for the door.

          &n bsp; “Yeah, but you still love me.” Kenshin winked and grabbed Kaoru’s hand hauling her out into the hallway. “And you’d miss me if I changed.”

        &nbs p;   “Did I mention you’re arrogant, simpatie?” She asked with a gleam in her eyes.

          &n bsp; “Yup.”

      &nb sp;     “Well, I failed to mention that you’re conceited too.”

         &n bsp;  “Oh really?” He smacked her ass hard and smiled when she squeaked in surprise. “I’ll try and remember that.” He stole a quick kiss and then pulled her over to the elevators. “You’d still miss me.” He murmured against her ear and she started to laugh.

          & nbsp; “Yes, I would. So don’t you ever change you vampiric pain in the ass.”

         &n bsp;  “You got it, baby.” He chuckled and they disappeared into the elevator.

OooooOooooOooooOooooOooooOooooOooooO

 &nb sp;          “Good- morning, Captain...cold enough for you today?”

             “Hello, Cloey.” Kenshin greeted the booking officer as he entered the precinct. “You don’t know what cold is, girl.” He quipped as the cute redhead smiled at him. “This is nothing compared to the old mans patio in Manhatten.”

        &n bsp;   “Oh, I get it. Your grandpa has his own personal weather institution out on his property?”

        &nb sp;   “Almost.” He laughed as he signed in and dated the log book. “You’d think you were in Siberia most of the time the way he keeps everything shaded underneath that fucking vine canopy he calls a flower garden.”

          ;   “Oh, I get it now. No sunlight, eh?” Her blue eyes were snapping with mischief as she eyes the handsome detective. “What’s he hiding out there? Vampires or something?”

        &n bsp;   “God knows.” Kenshin winked at her and she blushed. “But I froze my ass off out there more than one night when he locked me out of the house for being bad.”

         &n bsp;  “You? Bad?” Cloey giggled and shook her head. “Nah, I just can’t see it, Captain. You’re way too anal about everything be perfect and right. I can’t see you as a bad kid.”

         &n bsp;  “You’d be surprised.”

        &n bsp;   “No kidding,” Kaoru mumbled as she jabbed him in the ribs. “Are we going already?” She asked her eyes flashing jealousy. “I thought you said you didn’t like to be late?”

         & nbsp;  “But I’m not late, honey. I just checked in...we aren’t in a hurry anymore.” He turned and peered inside the hood and met the glitter of her angry eyes. “Um, sorry.” The smile was completely disarming and devastating. Even on her. “Cloey, I’d like you to meet my girlfriend, Kaoru Kamiya. We’re playing ‘bring the S.O. to work’ today.”

             “You...your girlfriend?” Kaoru smiled spitefully as she heard the other woman stutter in surprise. “This is her?”

         &n bsp;  “Yes, Ma’am in the flesh. Kaoru meet Cloey Burns. She’s the duty officer who’s here most of the time when I come check in. Five years now, Cloey?”

             “Oh, at least that.” She wiped suddenly sweaty palms on her uniform pants as she stood up and walked around the bench. “It’s nice to meet you, Miss Kamiya. Most of us were beginning to think the detective was full of it when he said he had a girlfriend. It’s nice to see for once he wasn’t blowing smoke.”

             “Nice to meet you too, Officer Burns.” Kaoru flipped the hood of Kenshin’s trench back and locked eyes with the skittish human woman. “It’s nice to know I’m not the only one he tries to bullshit.” She winked as the other woman gapped. “He really is just a big kidder, isn’t he?”

         &nb sp;  “I–ah...well, he can be.”

         &nb sp;  “Uh-huh...come on, Kaoru.” Kenshin grabbed her hand and proceeded to lead her away. “Is there fresh coffee?” He threw over his shoulder and caught the affirmative nod from the redheaded woman. “Great, I think I need some.”

         & nbsp;  “Hey,” Kaoru groused as she tugged at the iron manacle around her wrist. “Let go! I’m not going to eat anybody if that’s what’s got you going.”

             “It’s not, and I know you aren’t going to eat anybody...at least not yet, but you freaked the hell out of poor Cloey and she’s harmless.”

        &nb sp;   “Harmless hell! She’s got the hots for you.”

         &n bsp;  “Yeah, and your point?” He stopped next to the coffee maker and grabbed two styrofoam cups. “I assume you do have one, nu?”

         &nb sp;  “I...well...she was goo-goo eyeing you and it was making me crazy, okay?” She humphed up next to the wall and dug the toe of her boot into the floor. “I didn’t like it. It made me mad.”

         &n bsp;  “Ah ha! You’re jealous. That’s what made you behave like a cat in heat. I should have known.”

             “A cat in heat? You arrogant bast...”

          ;   “Tut tut, lubit.” He tapped her nose with a long index finger while his eyes laughed in her face. “Temper, temper. Here, have some coffee. It’ll make you feel better.”

          ;   “I don’t want any coffee...” She spluttered trying to avoid the cup he shoved in her hand. “I don’t like how it tastes.”

          ;   “Sorry, we’re fresh out of saucers and milk. You’ll have to settle for coffee in a cup.”

         &n bsp;  “You sonofabitch!” She hissed and sent him a clear mental image of the steaming liquid being thrown in his face. “You call me a cat one more time and I’m going to...”

         & nbsp;  “Lovers quarrel?”

        &nbs p;   “Shit,” Kenshin’s shoulders stiffened and he flashed Kaoru a toothy grin. “The gig is up now, lubit. Put on your game face. Its show time.”

         & nbsp;  “What?”

     & nbsp;      “How’d you guess?” Kenshin whirled around and came face to face with his superior officer. “Just a little tiff, Chief. Nothing serious.”

        &nbs p;   “I’d hope not.” The big black man grinned and peaked behind the shorter detective. “She looks awfully little, detective. You sure she’s legal age and all?”

         &n bsp;  “Oh yeah, I’m pretty sure she’s legal. No jail-bait for me, Chief.” Kenshin winked and reached behind him to grab Kaoru by the hand. “Wildcats maybe, but no jail bait.”

         & nbsp;  “I see,” the chief of police gave Kaoru the once over and then extended his meaty hand. “The name is Nathan White.” He said warmly and smiled when she stared at the outstretched hand. “Is she house broke, Himura?”

          ;   “Kaoru Kamiya, Chief...and last I knew I wasn’t having to clean up after her.” His voice was full of laughter and Kaoru glared at him. “But I think I need to teach her some manners.”

        &nbs p;   “You do not!” She snarled under her breath and carefully reached for the big man’s hand. “It’s a pleasure to meet you, Chief White.”

             “The pleasure is all mine, Miss Kamiya. When I heard Cloey going off about Himura bringing his girl in for the day, I had to rush right over and see you for myself.”

          ;   “Am I that big of a shock, sir?”

         &n bsp;  “That is the understatement of the century, Miss. You see the detective here has been our most eligible if not sought after bachelor for a good ten years or longer and none of us can believe he’s finally been hooked. But I must say, if I’d known how beautiful you were, I wouldn’t be so surprised.”

        &n bsp;   Kaoru blushed and pulled her hand back. “Thank-you.” She said and cast a worried look up at her mate. He was smiling down at her and his beautiful lavender eyes were gleaming with pride. “I couldn’t figure out why it seemed I was such an oddity.”

          ;   “Oddity is not the word I would use, Miss Kamiya. Miracle comes to mind–but not oddity.”

          ;   “Thank-you, sir.” She said again and found herself inching closer to the warmth of Kenshin’s body beside her.

          &nb sp; “You’re welcome.” Nathan White winked at Kenshin and then nodded toward his office. “You are going to get through some of that disaster today aren’t you? I really need those reports on my desk before the end of the week.”

         & nbsp;  “I’m working on it, Chief. But if you’d quit giving me more shit to do, I might get them done faster, you know?”

         & nbsp;  “Yeah, yeah, yeah. Go cry to your priest, Himura. Everybody’s busy these days. Just get them done before I find someone who can.”

         &n bsp;  “Uh-huh...like there is anybody else.”

         & nbsp;  “You know, if you weren’t the best detective I had, Captain, I’d replace you with a monkey. At least he’d get work done when I told him to.”

         &nb sp;  “Yeah, but think about your banana bill–expensive.”

      &nb sp;     “Get outta here will ya?” Nathan burst into laughter and thumped Kenshin on the shoulder. “I have better things to do that spare with you.”

         &n bsp;  “Right. You’re just afraid of losing again.” Kenshin wrapped his arm around Kaoru’s shoulders. “Talk to you later.”

             “If you live that long.”

         & nbsp;  “Do you always talk to your superiors like that, simpatie?”

        &nb sp;   “No, just the ones I respect the most.”

         & nbsp;  “Huh?”

     &n bsp;      “Never mind, baby. It’s a human thing.”

             “You mean it’s a human ‘guy’ thing.”

             “Whatever, yeah. Its that. Come on, we got things to do and Sano will be here any minute.”

          ;   “Oh, is he as punctual as you?”

         &n bsp;  “Hell no. That boy has never showed up to work sooner than ten minutes late a day in his life. He’ll be late for his own funeral one day.”

         &n bsp;  “What?”

     &n bsp;      “Nevermind...”

& nbsp;           &ldq uo;Another human thing?”

             “Yeah, I guess we’re going to have to educated you on sarcasm and cliche’s.”

       &nb sp;    “Goodie, I can hardly wait. But I warn you, I already have a pretty good handle on the sarcasm thing.”

             “No, really?” He led her through the door of his office and shut it behind them. “I would have never guessed.”

        &nbs p;   “Shut-up.” She grinned and tossed the trench across the back of a chair. “I’m not the only one who has things to learn about being in a new world with new people.”

          ;   “Meaning?”

    &n bsp;       “Meaning you’re just as stupid at being a vamp as she is when it comes to figuring out human cliche bullshit.”

        &nb sp;   “Sano!” Kenshin beamed at this partner who was setting behind his desk with his feet up. A donut in one hand and an espresso in the other. “You’re early. What happened? Did your dog die?”

         &n bsp;  “Very funny, fang-boy. No, my dog didn’t die. I just thought I’d see what was so hot about being here before everyone else showed up.”

         &nb sp;  “And...”

     &n bsp;      “Eh,” the tall man shrugged and took a bite out of his donut. “You can keep it. Nothings going on at this hour. It’s boring and quiet.”

             “Exactly, moron. I can get work done when its boring and quiet. You know, work? That thing we’re supposed to be doing with all these reports?”

        &nbs p;   “Nah, nah, nah.” Sano wiped his hands on a napkin and threw it away. “You do the reports, hot-shot. I keep the chief off your back. That’s the deal we made.”

         & nbsp;  “And when did we make this deal?”

         & nbsp;  “When you became a Captain and senior partner, and I became the grunt with the big appetite.” Sano grinned and dropped his feet to the floor. “Besides, you know I don’t know shit about these reports. You have to redo them every time I help you fill one of them out anyway, so what’s the big woof? It’s not like you aren’t going to have to do them by your lonesome no matter what so quit whining. It’s getting old.”

         &n bsp;  “Oh, I like you already, Sano.” Kaoru’s smile was three miles wide as she approached the grinning Sargent. “Anyone who can talk to my simpatie like that and live has either got to be the bravest man in the world...or the stupidest.”

        &n bsp;   “I got a few old bullet scars to show you how brave I am...”

         & nbsp;  “Yeah, but all you got to do is talk to him for five minutes to find out how stupid he is.” Kenshin’s voice floated over from his side of the room.

          &n bsp; “Hey, she’s not asking you so keep your opinions to yourself.”

        &nb sp;   “Is this another one of those ‘respect’ things, Kenshin?” Kaoru asked as she started to laugh. “You two set in here all day and insult each other because you respect one another?”

        &nbs p;   “Me? Respect him?” Sano stood up and wiped donut crumbs off his desk and threw them at the chuckling redhead. “I just try and tolerate his arrogant, twisted ass because no one else will work with him. I mean, you tell me? Who else in this world has to put up with a partner that turns into a glowy-eyed, fang-freak that flies? Hmm?”

         &n bsp;  “You forgot the six inch claws...”

        &nbs p;   “Yeah, those too. Have you seen those suckers?”

        &nbs p;   “Yes, Sano,” Kaoru laughed and wandered over to Kenshin’s desk where she perched up on the corner. “I’ve seen the claws, and the fangs, and the glowy-eyes.”

        & nbsp;   “Hmm,” The tall detective suddenly blushed and started scratching the back of his head. “I–ah... I guess you would have, huh?” His eyes were dancing as he locked gazes with her and he shrugged. “I sort of forgot about that.”

         & nbsp;  “How could you forget about that?” She cocked her head to the side and regarded him with mock seriousness. “Don’t tell me you forgot I was a vampire too?”

         &n bsp;  “Umm, well... you are awfully pretty, you know. I guess I sort of got sidetracked from that particular fact.”

         & nbsp;  “Uh-huh.” Kaoru met the laughing gaze of her mate and then looked back at the embarrassed human man. “I guess I can let that slide this time, Sano, but you better not forget again.”

             “Oh, no Ma’am. And you do know that my name is Sanosuke, right?”

             “Um, I seem to remember Kenshin mentioning something about that, yes. Why, is it important I know your entire name?”

         & nbsp;  “Well, no, but sometime in the future if you have to introduce me to somebody or something you might want to know what it is.” Sano blushed again. Why was he acting so completely stupid around her? Was she that beautiful? Yes!

          ;   “I’ll try to remember that. And in case you didn’t know, my name is Kaoru...Kaoru Kamiya.”

          ;   “Ah, I did know that, but it’s still nice to meet you. Fang-boy here isn’t the best at introductions sometimes.”

        &n bsp;   “Like you two gave me the opportunity.”

             “True.” Kaoru ruffled her mates hair playfully and hopped off his desk. “But as it seems we have introduced ourselves, Sano, I think it’s time we talked about what I’m doing here. Don’t you?”

         &n bsp;  “I was wondering about that.” ‘Playtime’s over.’ Sano returned to his desk and sat down. “Why did you risk getting fried to come to the office today? Speaking of which...I can’t believe the captain did the risking himself considering how much you mean to him. Must be pretty important.”

        &n bsp;   “Yes, I guess you could say that.” Kaoru blushed and cast a meaningful look over her shoulder. “Do you want to tell him, simpatie, or should I?”

         &nbs p;  “You know the story, lubit, and he may as well get used to hearing things like this from you. The two of you have to start trusting each other at some point. This is as good a place to start as any.”

         &n bsp;  “Hey, this sounds bad. I’m not going to like this, am I?”

         &nbs p;  “I doubt it...I didn’t.” Kenshin stood up and headed for the door. “Want some fresh coffee?”

          ;   “Am I going to need it?”

         &nb sp;  “Probably.”

      ;       “Great, just great. Lots of cream and sugar.”

             “I know.” Kenshin opened the door and then paused. “Kaoru, baby, I’ll see if I can find you some tea. Would that be better than the coffee?”

          ;   “Yes, please. I really was serious before. I can’t stand how it tastes.”

          ;   “Okay, you want lemon?”

             “And cream, please.”

          ;   “You got it, honey. Be back in a few.” The door closed.

             “I’m really not going to like this, am I?”

         &nbs p;  “How much do you know about vampires, detective?”

        &n bsp;   “Enough to make me dangerous, I guess. Kenshin’s grandfather educated me a little bit, and he’s been doing some off and on the last little while himself. It sure isn’t like the movies.”

          ;   “No, it isn’t like the movies.” Kaoru sighed and pulled a chair around the end of Sano’s desk so she could set next to him. “And it’s not even what I was raised to believe.”

        &nbs p;   “What does that mean?”

         & nbsp;  “The entire fabric of our history...it’s been based on a lie. On one single horrible sin, and now it’s up to us, Kenshin and the rest of our kind, to make it right before it’s too late.”

         & nbsp;  “He’s always talking like it’s the world he has to save. Are you rowing in the same boat as him?”

         &n bsp;  “Yes. If we fail in this task, the world will become the home to the most monstrous, merciless race of beings you can imagine. And the human population will be nothing more than cattle and produce.”

        &nbs p;   “You mean ‘food’, don’t you?”

         &n bsp;  “Yes, that is exactly what I mean.”

         & nbsp;  “The whole world? Not just New York?”

         & nbsp;  “The whole world, Sanosuke. This is just where the battle is going to start. The War is going to stretch over the ocean and spill onto almost every foreign soil you can think of. None will be immune.”

          ;   “World War III?”

         &n bsp;  “But on a scale that is unimaginable.” Kaoru lowered her head and considered her next words. “It is not just the world powers that are in danger of being over thrown. It is humanity itself.”

          ;   “How long do we have?”

         & nbsp;  “No one knows, but that fact that Lord Cel has finally risen and come to claim his place as First Leader among my people tells us that time is running out. The Made have amassed an enormous army and there are legions stationed in every major country across the world. However, they wait for word from their supreme commander before they will do anything. We must stop that order from ever being issued. We must stop The Made from releasing their army into the human population.”

        & nbsp;   “Okay, how do we do that?”

         & nbsp;  The door opened and Kenshin stepped back into the office. “By making them fight us instead.” He handed Sano a fresh cup of steaming coffee and Kaoru a mug with a tea-bag tab hanging out. “We attack them and force them to focus their attention upon us and away from the humans. In doing this we bring the war onto our battlefield under our terms and force The Made to engage our army.”

         & nbsp;  “Do you have an army, Kenshin?” Sano leaned forward and blew at the steam coming off the top of his cup. “It sounds like these other vamps have a force of thousands to deal with...”

          ;   “Millions, my friend. There are millions of them. About five hundred to hazard a guess.”

             “Holy shit! And you have how many in comparison?”

        & nbsp;   “A lot less. That is where you come in.”

         &nb sp;  “Me? What are you talking about?”

             “I need people, Sano. I need humans to help in this war. Humans I can trust and know will fight with me and my kind not against us. If our peoples do not pull together in this battle, neither of our species will survive it. Mine will be obliterated and yours will become food for the Gods.”

         & nbsp;  “Okay, I think I see where you’re going with this. What do you want me to do?”

         &nb sp;  “I need you to come with Kaoru and me tonight.”

        &nbs p;   “Where?”

    &nb sp;       “Ellis Island.”

          ;   “Ellis? What the fuck is out there?”

             “The Black Lands....the compound where Kaoru and our kind are stationed. It’s a massive underground complex that houses over five thousand people as well as a medical facility, a military center, and an archive of ancient history. I need to take you there so that I can get you familiar with the rest of the Slayers and Major Shinomori.”

        &n bsp;   “Major...you’re really serious about this army thing, aren’t you?”

         &n bsp;  “Yes, would you think I would be otherwise?”

        &n bsp;   “No, not really. But you’re going to take me to a compound full of five thousand vampires? Me? One human? Jesus, talk about a mouse in a cat-house.”

        &n bsp;   “You will be perfectly safe, Sargent. Surely you know that by now.” The musical baritone voice slid into the room as the door opened and closed soundlessly. “Have you been injured while in our company yet? Even when Ken-san was reborn were you harmed?”

          ;   “I–ah, no.” Sano’s face paled as he stared into the jewel-like blue eyes that regarded him so directly. “I wasn’t.”

         ;    “Then you should no, my tovarus, you have nothing to fear.”

         & nbsp;  “Grandfather.” Kenshin put his coffee down and moved to embrace the man who just entered his office. “You got my message.”

        &nbs p;   “Desigur, my boy. I came as soon as I could.”

             “Thank-you. I need your counsel.” Kenshin smiled into the youthful face that looked so much like his own and felt the gripping strength of the princes embrace. “There is much to do.”

         &nb sp;  “I am well aware of that.” Crede nodded and shrugged out of his hooded jacket spilling the incredible length of his white hair down his back. “I would not brave the sun for just anyone, Ken-san, but for you and the chance to look upon The Source...I would do so many times over.”

         & nbsp;  “I am in your debt, Grandfather.”

             “Nu, we are all in yours.” Crede turned and allowed his eyes to settle upon the face of the only woman in the room. “Kaoru...” He whispered as he extended his hand to her. “I have not looked upon your sweet face since you were a tiny child.”

             “You–you remember me, Highness?” Kaoru stammered as she rose to her feet and accepted the prince’s hand. “I never knew you knew who I was.”

         &n bsp;  “Your beautiful mother, Magdelena, was married to one of my fathers finest retainers. I remember your family well and was there the day she pledged herself to Gallion. He was the finest man I knew at that time.”

         & nbsp;  “He still is a fine man, Highness.”

        &nb sp;   “Desigur. He is General is he not?”

         &n bsp;  “Desigur, and he has been the leader of our clans here for centuries.”

        &n bsp;   “Of this I am aware. He led in my place. It was far too dangerous for me and my family to stay with the clans. We would have brought much chaos to the fragile peace, but through Gallion, I was always able to maintain knowledge of what was happening. He has been my eyes and ears for a very long time.” Crede gently squeezed Kaoru’s hand and then raised it to his lips and kissed the knuckles. “You are more beautiful even than your mother, my lady. The Fates chose well claiming you as The Source. I am honored to meet you at last.”

         & nbsp;  “Grandfather, did anyone see you enter? I will have a terrible time explaining why you’re here if they did?” Kenshin was closing the blinds of his office windows. “Having Kaoru here with me today was simple enough, but you? That is an entirely different matter.”

          ;   “Of course no one saw me, Ken-san. I am old, but I have not slowed any. There were perhaps a few rustling papers to herald my passing, but nothing more than that.”

         & nbsp;  “Good. Then we can talk in peace. As I said, there is much to do.”

         &nb sp;  “Indeed, and your mate, Sanosuke, and I will begin. If I am not mistaken, you have work to do that will ensure you keep your day job.” Crede’s sense of humor was still intact and Kenshin smiled.

             “Yes, I do.”

         &nb sp;  “Then there is plenty to keep you busy while we talk. If we need you, we know where to find you.”

         &n bsp;  “Hmm,” Kaoru giggled and kissed the princes cheek. “And I thought the ‘respect’ thing was just a human problem.”

TBC