Rurouni Kenshin Fan Fiction ❯ A Walk in the Sunlight ❯ Final Preparations ( Chapter 20 )

[ X - Adult: No readers under 18. Contains Graphic Adult Themes/Extreme violence. ]

Disclaimer - Sadly, I don't own Rurouni Kenshin. It is the sole property of Nobuhiro Watsuki and the many companies who have purchased the rights.

Chapter 20 - Final Preparations

Kenshin smiled as the sound of his front door opening and closing echoed softly into the now quiet house. Scraping the last plate clear of dinner, he gave it a quick rinse and set it into the dishwasher just as Kaoru came into the kitchen.

"Need any help?"

Shaking his head, he filled the dishwasher with detergent then closed it and glanced up, "Nope, all cleaned up. Is everyone home safe and sound?"

Kaoru grinned and nodded as she rested her shoulder against the door frame and crossed her arms. "Yeah. The last I saw of Tae and Sai, they were rounding the corner to town. And mom and dad went home..." Her smile dropped into a sardonic smirk, "... but only after dad tried to convince me again that I should be over there with them and not here with a man I'm not even married to." With a tired sigh, she shook her head and swung around to head into the livingroom. "Sometimes I swear he thinks I'm still a little girl."

Kenshin smiled at her tone but held his tongue as he followed her into the livingroom and settled down beside her on the sofa. Koshijiro had said something similar to him two nights ago when he'd come to survey the house to make sure Kaoru would be safe from the sun here. And of course to threaten bodily harm should he even think to take advantage of his little girl. Kenshin's smile widened slightly at the memory. Unfortunately that hadn't been something he'd been able to promise so he'd simply given the elder Kamiya a noncommittal nod and left it at that. Needless to say, it had been a rather interesting talk between the two of them.

"Anyway, thanks for inviting Tae and Sai. I've really missed them..." Kaoru said softly breaking into his thoughts.

Kenshin glanced to her and shook his head. "No thanks are needed. I enjoyed having them here too."

Kaoru smiled and with a soft sigh settled deeply into the sofa. "Do you... think they'll still accept me when this is all said and done?"

Kenshin smiled gently at the apprehensive look she was desperately trying to smooth away. "I think they will wonder why your eyes have changed after the so called 'operation' but that's about it. Tae-san and Sai-san both like you for who you are and I don't think that's going to change no matter what."

A tiny hollow smile whispered across Kaoru's lips and she shrugged. "You're right, I'm probably worrying for nothing. They either will or they won't and there's nothing I can do to change that."

Kenshin exhaled softly and reached out to trail his finger softly down her cheek in an effort to get her mind off the possibility of losing the only other friends she'd ever made. He knew there was no reason for her to worry but trying to convince her of that was an entirely different matter. Right now she was trying her best to keep her fear of the change and the very real possibility that she wouldn't make it all the way through at bay which cast a dark pallor over everything else she was worrying about. At this rate she just might worry herself to death.

"I'm sorry," Kaoru mumbled quietly with a crooked smile. "You must be getting sick of listening to me whine about everything."

Kenshin smiled softly and pulled her into his arms, hugging her tight. "Not at all, that's what I'm here for." His smile widened when she snaked her arms around him and moved closer. Holding her just a little bit tighter he settled his chin on the top of her head and quietly added, "I know you're scared of losing them... and of dying but I promise I won't let either one happen."

Kaoru nodded against his shoulder and whispered, "I'm going to hold you to that."

Kenshin chuckled softly and loosened his hold just enough to allow her to settle comfortably at his side within the circle of his arms. "I wouldn't expect anything less."

Kaoru smiled deviously and poked him playfully in the ribs as her head settled on his shoulder, "Y'know, if I do die I will be back to haunt you for breaking your promise. I can be a vengeful witch when I want to be..."

Kenshin laughed and shook his head. Curling his finger beneath her chin, he lifted her head so he could drop a soft kiss on her forehead, "I'll take you any way I can get you."

A swift inhaling of breath was his only answer and he immediately felt the change in the air. With a gentle smile, he lifted her chin even more so he could meet the deer in the headlights look he already knew she would fix on him. And he wasn't disappointed. Swallowing a sigh, he resisted the urge to shake his head and simply stared at her instead. Ever since the first day/night she'd spent with him it had been the same every time he happened to say something like that. It almost seemed as if she expected him to devour her right then and there. Okay maybe that had run through his mind a time or two but she didn't need to know that.

Exhaling softly to cover the smile tugging at his lips, he decided this time he wasn't going to back off like he had the previous times. Kaoru must have somehow sensed his decision though because she all of a sudden moved back as far as his arms would let her and muttered, "I - "

And that was as far as she got before he pulled her to him again and captured her lips in a gentle kiss. She stiffened for a second and he fully expected her to try to yank out of his arms. But a heartbeat later she surprised him and instead melted against him, her arms wrapping around him to pull him closer as she met him kiss for kiss. With a soft sigh, he dropped his eyes closed and simply lost himself in the feel of her as she pressed herself even closer; the scent of jasmine enveloping his senses. Humming softly in sheer contentment, he nipped her bottom lip with one fang in hopes that she would let him in, the need to taste her becoming almost more than he could handle.

Unfortunately his action had a completely different effect than the one he desired because Kaoru suddenly tensed and threw herself back. Snapping his eyes back open, he almost smiled at the wild look flashing through her shining sapphire eyes that clearly said she hadn't fully realized what she'd been doing until that very moment. A heartbeat later she jerked away from him and jumped to her feet. "Um.. I... ah... think I need a shower." And with that she spun around and vanished down the hall into her room. Moments later he heard the bathroom door slide closed.

Sighing softly, he chuckled under his breath and grabbed the remote to flip on the television as he sagged heavily into the sofa. And once again she'd managed to dodge his advances, but this time he wasn't going to let her off. For the past two days he'd let her slip through his fingers, giving her time to adjust to him and her new surroundings but that was all going to come to an end tonight. The truth was, they were running out of time, he could no longer give in to her shyness.

Stifling another sigh, he settled back heavily and absently flipped through the channels. At least he now knew that she was receptive to his touch, now all he had to do was press his case which he was more than ready to do. To be honest having her here with him day in and day out without touching her had just about pushed him to the edge. A hundred and fifty years was a long time to remain celibate and unfortunately he was feeling the lack most keenly. If she made him wait much longer, she might just find herself devoured as she'd feared these past two days.

Kaoru sighed heavily and rested her forehead against the hard wood of the bathroom door frame and tried in vain to cool her seriously overheated body, the memory of his hard chest pressed firmly against hers weakening her knees. Kami-sama this was getting to be too much. Who would have thought staying here with him would turn out to be so difficult. If he kept doing that she was never going to be able to keep him at arms length.

Snorting softly, she straightened and set her sleepwear on the small shelf beside her then set to work undressing for the shower she really didn't need. Funny thing was she didn't want to keep him at bay, not really. Over the last two days she'd come to realize something that she never had before and that was the fact that she enjoyed his attention. She liked the light caresses and stolen kisses he would give her whenever he got the chance. It made her feel... loved.

Smiling shyly at the thought, she felt a light blush suffuse her cheeks and quickly stepped into the bathing room and set the water a little cooler than normal in an effort to dampen the warmth spreading through her entire body. This was the first time she'd ever felt this way about anyone and the truth was, she was scared. Scared by her own emotions, scared that she'd overstep some kind of unseen boundary and he'd disappear like all the rest had.

A sharp pain speared her chest and she forcefully pulled herself back from that train of thought. Setting to work, she half-heartedly washed her body then quickly scrubbed her hair. Finishing up as fast as she could, she shut off the shower and wrapped herself in one of the thick black towels resting on the shelf above her head. Almost immediately she found herself enveloped in Kenshin's unique scent and she inhaled deeply as the memory of his arms holding her tight suddenly flowed over her skin.

Exhaling softly, she smiled ruefully and shook her head at herself as she stepped from the bathing room. She was already a lost cause, she just didn't want to admit it. But maybe it was time she did. What did she have to lose, anyway? Absolutely nothing. And if she was to be brutally honest with herself, this could very well be the only time she would have the chance to share this with him. Because the truth was, she may be dead by the end of the week with never having experienced the closeness she craved with the only man she'd ever loved.

Dropping her eyes closed, she wearily rubbed her forehead with the heel of her good hand. Who would have thought she'd ever be in this position? Most definitely not her. Scoffing softly, she sighed and dried herself off then used the edge of the towel to wipe the fog from the small mirror above the sink. As her image became clear, she scanned what was left of the blisters on her shoulders then turned so she could see the ones on her shoulder blades. It wouldn't be too much longer before they would be completely healed, two more days or so if she wasn't mistaken. At the thought a wave of ice crashed through her veins and she shivered, that meant there was only two more days before she underwent the change that would either give her the life she'd been praying for or take what little bit of life she had left.

Her throat tightened slightly as the butterflies that had taken up permanent residence in her belly fluttered to life and she shoved the thought from her mind. There was no use worrying about that now, there was nothing she could do about what was to come. What happened, happened.

Doing her best to settle her nerves, she gave her attention back to the mirror and finally smiled as she met the shadowed sapphire eyes looking back at her. It was true that she may not be able to do anything about the outcome of the change but there was something she could do. She could give in to the nearly overwhelming desire she'd been desperately trying to douse for the last two days and make them both happy. If she continued to run from him, she may die without ever having shared all that she was with him so there was no reason to hesitate anymore. Not really. And it wasn't like she didn't want to, because she did, very much.

Her knees weakened slightly at the thought and she fisted her good hand around the edge of the sink to keep from falling. It was easy to think that though, wasn't it? But did she have the courage to actually go through with it? Could she really allow him to see all that she was? Swallowing nervously, she simply stared into the suddenly unfamiliar eyes gazing back at her and then it hit her as her breath hitched softly in her throat. Yes, she could.

All of a sudden a kind of peace flowed through her veins as the truth became clear and she smiled. But if she was actually going to go through with this then it had to be now, tonight. Because she knew if she continued to stand here thinking about it, she'd somehow lose her nerve and never go through with it.

An almost inaudible sigh escaped from between her lips and she sagged slightly in defeat. Okay, now that she had managed to talk herself into this how was she suppose to go about initiating it? It wasn't like she had the guts to simply walk out there naked. Or did she? Her stomach tightened at the thought and she made a sour face at herself in the mirror then grabbed her sleep clothes. Setting the top back on the shelf, she quickly tugged on the soft shorts and grabbed the cream that Dr. Genzai had given her to help heal the blisters. She was just about to unscrew the lid to apply it when a thought all of a sudden hit her and she slowly shifted her attention back to the pajama top sitting innocently on the shelf. With shaking hands, she set the cream aside and lifted the top from the shelf; letting it fall open as she did.

A small shy smile whispered across her lips as her eyes settled on the buttons fastening the front closed and she closed her eyes as the idea came into fruitation, the butterflies in her belly beginning to flutter frantically. Could she do it? Could she really offer herself to him like this? Would he understand what she meant by this? Swallowing nervously she quickly undid the buttons and slipped the top on before she could second guess herself. Buttoning it back up, she reached back into the bathing room and grabbed the other towel to quickly dry her hair. He would understand. She knew he would.

With a soft smile, she tried to ignore the insistent butterflies in her belly and brushed her hair out until it flowed in soft raven waves. Once she was done, she reached for the jar of cream and slid the door open before she lost her nerve. Quickly stepping out into the small hallway, she hesitated for a moment before she squashed the last niggling twinge of doubt and headed into the livingroom.

Stepping lightly into the dimly lit room, she froze when Kenshin immediately turned at the soft scuffling of her feet against the hard wood floor and asked, "Feel better?"

For a moment she simply stared at him and then she opened her mouth to answer and was mortified to find that her voice had decided at that very moment to abandon her. She blushed at his raised eyebrow and finally nodded instead. Kami-sama, what was wrong with her?! Dropping her eyes closed, she silently scolded herself for her lack of a backbone and shook off the nearly overwhelming urge to run and hide. She was going to go through with this and nothing short of death was going to stop her.

With that last thought, she snapped her eyes back open and flushed even more at the confused glance Kenshin had fixed on her, his eyes going between the jar clutched in her white knuckled fist and her cherry red face. Taking one last steadying breath, she ignored his quirked eyebrow and quickly closed the distance between them to drop down on the sofa before her nerve abandoned her all together. If she hadn't been trying to keep herself together she would have laughed at the startled look that flew across Kenshin's face at her actions. Before he had a chance to do or say anything she thrust the jar of cream into the space between them and asked, "Would you put this on for me?"

Kenshin's eyebrows vanished into his bangs in surprise and he gave her a questioning look. He knew as well as she did that she didn't need help with this. Resisting the urge to look anywhere but at him, she held his gaze and waited patiently for him to understand what exactly she meant. She felt her resolve start to waver though as the moments continued to pass by with no reaction from him and then his eyes finally softened in understanding and he simply nodded and took the offered jar.

Kaoru let out the breath she hadn't realized she'd been holding, and smiled. Without another word, she turned until her back was facing him and with slightly trembling fingers pulled her thick hair over her shoulder, then unfastened the buttons of her top and slowly slid the soft material from her shoulders. Holding the cloth together in the front, she closed her eyes and tried to consciously slow her suddenly pounding heart before it managed to make her pass out and waited for him to begin.

Kenshin couldn't help the small smile of anticipation that whispered across his lips as the satiny material slid down Kaoru's back to reveal what remained of the blisters marring her fair skin. To say he was surprised would be a gross understatement. He'd never thought she would initiate this herself, not after the last two days of her dodging him whenever he pushed the boundaries a little. But he wasn't about to let this chance slip through his fingers, not when she was willingly giving herself to him.

His smile widened slightly as he unscrewed the jar and gathered a small amount of the cool cream onto his first two fingers. Gently pressing them to her right shoulder, his smile dropped into a smirk at the telltale shiver that shook her entire body at his touch. Doing his damnedest to bank the fires her reaction sparked to life, he gently swirled his coated fingers over the damaged skin, rubbing the cream into the steadily healing blisters. He couldn't take her like he wanted to, not this time. Tonight was all for her. He would do what needed to be done, there was no question about that, but he was also going to make sure that she enjoyed, as much as she could, everything he was going to do to her.

His groin tightened at the thought and he focused his attention on the flesh beneath his fingers in an effort to keep himself under control. Inspecting the healing blisters with a critical eye, he smiled and let his gaze drift down the unmarked skin of her arms. She was almost fully healed, the redness that had darkened the rest of her exposed skin was completely gone. All they had to wait for now was what little bit of healing was left on her shoulders and back and then they could finally set the change into motion. Maybe he should call Hiko in the morning and have them come. It would likely take them at least two days to get Iizuka down here and that would give Kaoru plenty of time to finish healing. With a small smile he nodded to himself and filed that idea away until later as he scooped out more of the cream and set to the work on the other shoulder.

Moments later he finished the task and recapped the cream then reached behind him to set it on the small table at the end of the sofa. Glancing back to the fair skin still bared to him, he smiled when Kaoru suddenly sagged in obvious relief and let out a barely heard sigh.

"Is that all you needed?" Kenshin asked smoothly as he reached out and trailed his fingers softly along the exposed flesh of her untouched neck.

Kaoru nearly jumped out of her skin as his fingers brushed the soft hairs of her extremely sensitized neck, his tone making an all too familiar heat collect in her lower abdomen. Doing her best to keep herself from purring at the sheer pleasure his touch elicited, she scowled at his question. Is that all she needed?! As if he didn't know the answer to that question!

And then another thought hit her as a wave of ice instantly cooled her blood. Maybe... he didn't...

A tiny twinge of fear tightened in her chest and she stifled a groan, maybe he really didn't understand what she'd meant when she'd asked him to do this. She wilted even further at the thought. If he didn't then how was she suppose to get this started. To be honest, this was the best she could come up with. A light kiss all of a sudden dropped onto the back of her neck and she shivered in surprise as the fire that had died a moment ago immediately blazed back to life.

Snapping her head around, she inhaled sharply as her eyes clashed with the hungry violet eyes drinking her in, the suggestive smirk curling one edge of his lips telling her everything. He knew what she was offering, he'd only been playing with her. Narrowing her eyes slightly she tried to be angry, she really did, but in the end only found herself greatly relieved and she smiled. He knew, that's all that mattered.

Taking a deep breath, she hesitantly turned back around until she was facing him, her good fingers still clasping the unbuttoned cloth over her breasts. She flushed a deep red as a warm, delicious feeling spread through her middle at his open appraisal, her breaths shortening of their own accord. Kami-sama if he kept looking at her like that she was never going to make it through this.

Thankfully a moment later his smirk fell away under one of the heartwarming smiles she had come to crave and she managed to get herself back together. The man had no idea just how much of an affect he was having on her. None whatsoever.

For several heartbeats they remained like that, each watching the other and Kaoru felt her earlier ease start to slip. Okay, now what? Was he waiting for her to do something? If he was then he was going to be sorely disappointed because she had no idea what she suppose to do! Fending off the frown trying to pull at her lips she did her best to keep a semblance of calm and waited as patiently as she could.

Finally, after what felt like an eternity of silence, Kenshin reached out to trail his finger lightly along her hairline in a calming caress. "Are you sure, Kaoru?"

Kaoru sagged slightly in relief and leaned into his fingers. "Yes. I don't w-want to run a-anymore..." she answered softly, her tongue not quite cooperating thanks to his loving attention.

Kenshin smiled at her stammer and feathered his fingers into her hair, gently guiding her forward until she could feel his soft breaths warming her lips and then he whispered, "Good, because I would have chased you to the very end."

Kaoru's eyes flew wide but before she could say anything he closed the last few inches and captured her slightly parted lips in a deliciously slow, toe curling kiss. All conscious thought flew out of her head as he explored every inch of her mouth, his tongue coaxing hers into action. Any hesitance that may have still remained vanished as she succumbed to his urgings and leaned into him, tasting him as he was her. A shiver of pleasure whispered through her entire body as the kiss made the small fire that had been burning deep in her belly explode into a full blown inferno.

All of a sudden she was assaulted by a nearly overwhelming need to feel him pressed close and she relinquished her hold on her unbuttoned top to move forward until they were sitting knee to knee. Kenshin must have sensed her need because from there he pulled her into his lap and she melted against him, the smooth texture of his silk shirt feeling positively sinful against her naked flesh.

Wrapping her arms around him tight, she shivered in pure delight as he they continued to explore each other's mouth until the need for air finally drove them apart. Panting softly, Kaoru leaned back and blushed at the look Kenshin had fixed on her. Kami-sama, how she loved this man. So much so that sometimes it even hurt to look at him. Scoffing softly at herself, she was just about to tell him how much he truly meant to her when a cool breeze from the air conditioner eddied softly around them and she suddenly realized that now that she wasn't pressed against him, she was fully exposed for all to see. Immediately embarrassed, her eyes flew wide and she made to cover herself when Kenshin caught her arms before she could fully release him and shook his head.

"Don't hide from me. Not anymore..."

Kaoru inhaled sharply at his soft words and she forced herself to relax as Kenshin leaned in and pressed a lingering kiss to her collar bone.

"I have waited for this moment for far too long," he continued softly after a long moment, punctuating each word with another kiss. "I want to show you just how much I love you. Will you let me do that?"

Kaoru's breath hitched as she felt what could only be described as liquid fire settle deep in her belly and between her legs at his simple yet meaningful words. Swallowing thickly, she silently nodded and stopped trying to remove her arms from around his neck. The smile Kenshin gave her in return turned her into a big pile of jello and she couldn't have resisted even if she'd wanted to as he guided her back until she was laid out in front of him on the sofa. The unbuttoned top falling completely open as she settled into the cushiony softness beneath her.

On instinct she moved to cover herself again but immediately stopped when Kenshin pinned her with those intensely strange eyes he'd hit her with so long ago. Unable to look anywhere but into his vibrant violet eyes, she could only watch helplessly as he settled his knees on either side of her hips and slowly leaned in until she could feel his breath fanning across the extremely sensitive skin of her breasts. She subconsciously held her breath as he continued to hold her in thrall and waited for what seemed like forever for him to do something... anything.

A heartbeat later her wait was over and she nearly came out of her skin when he flicked his tongue out to lick a nipple, the rosy peak rising at his attention. She hissed softly when he took the soft mound into his mouth, his tongue continuing to lovingly caress her flesh. The heat between her legs intensified even more and she buried her fingers deep in his fiery red hair, holding him to her, afraid he might pull away if she let him.

But Kenshin had absolutely no intention of doing that and instead continued to taste every inch of her salty sweet flesh. Trailing his fingers softly up her side, he circled the other breast with one finger and smiled at the hiss his slight touch elicited. A moment later he finally relinquished his hold on her rosy nipple and was just about to move to the neglected one when he was nearly undone by the soft moan of protest that rose up from deep within her very being. Clamping down hard on his other half before he lost control, he glanced up into the shining sapphire eyes begging him to continue and purred, "I promise, love, I am far from done."

Kaoru flushed a bright red and simply nodded as a gorgeous smile whispered across his lips and then he dropped back down and trailed a hot, wet path from one breast to the other. She moaned softly again as he crested the peak of her other breast and started to swirl his tongue gently around the ruddy flesh. A nearly searing heat exploded throughout her nether regions when he finally took her into his mouth and began to suck gently. Arching into his greedy mouth, she buried her fingers in his hair again and started to rub her legs together in an effort to quell the oddly sensuous feelings raging through her body. Unfortunately the friction she created had an entirely different effect and she found it all of a sudden very hard to breathe as the warmth filling her belly became almost unbearable.

Kenshin felt her tense all of a sudden and he smiled against her soft flesh. She was just about at the edge, maybe it would be best to move this into a more comfortable setting. Reluctantly releasing her breast he moved back and grinned at the glassy eyed look she gave him. Yes. It was time to move this into his bedroom. Without a word, he leaned back and silently rose then offered his hand to Kaoru. He almost chuckled as the glassiness in her sapphire eyes faded to be replaced a confused look and he said, "I think this would be more comfortable in the bedroom."

Kaoru's mouth dropped into a silent 'oh' and she suddenly became shy again, quickly clutching the forgotten pajama top closed against his prying eyes as if he hadn't just been latched on to them a minute ago. Shaking his head, he was just about to grab her dead hand when she beat him to it and hesitantly reached out to accept his outstretched hand. Guiding her to her feet, he secretly smiled when she wobbled slightly before catching her balance and then he headed for the bedroom before she had a chance to think too much again.

Kaoru followed behind him in silence and tried to fend off the telltale blush that was desperately trying to creep up her neck as each step made the sticky wetness between her legs more pronounced. Shifting slightly in an effort to quiet the persistent throbbing deep in her belly she had to admit that it wasn't the evidence of her desire that was drawing the blood to her cheeks, it was the undeniable fact that she couldn't wait until they started again. She had never felt like this before, ever. Not even when she'd first explored herself all those years ago. The blush finally won out at the reminder of what she'd done back then and she ducked her head to keep Kenshin from seeing if he happened to glance behind him. Of course it was different, this time she wasn't trying to find release for hormones that refused to quiet down on their own. This was something she couldn't even put a name to. All she knew was that she craved his featherlight touches, craved the delicious feelings he could set forth simply by kissing her naked flesh.

The gentle scraping of a door opening snapped her from her thoughts but not before the heat deep in her belly flared up even more. Doing her best to ignore it, she absently followed Kenshin into his bedroom then froze when she realized just exactly where she was. The heat quickly cooled under the tiny twinge of fear that flickered through her body at the sight of the western style bed situated in the middle of the room.

Kenshin glanced over his shoulder in surprise when Kaoru suddenly pulled him to a stop just inside the door and almost sigh at the wide-eyed gaze she had fixed on his bed. Releasing her hand, he moved to step directly in her line of sight and clasped her cheeks gently in his hands. "Don't be afraid of me, Kaoru. I won't hurt you, not on purpose."

For a moment Kaoru simply stared at him and then she finally gave him an understanding smile. "I know you won't. I'm just a little scared, I-I've never done this before."

Kenshin gave her a small reassuring smile and tugged her hand. Drawing her towards the bed he purred, "Then I will have to be extra gentle with you, won't I?"

Kaoru involuntarily shivered at his tone and tried to keep her knees from weakening as she followed behind him. When they finally reached their destination, Kenshin settled down on the edge of the bed and pulled her to him until she was standing right in front of him in between his legs. Swallowing nervously, she gathered her courage and glanced down into the burning violet eyes staring up at her and waited for whatever he was going to do.

A moment later he answered her unspoken question and reached up to gently pry her fingers from the soft material of her top then slowly pushed it from her shoulders, down her arms until it fell to the floor at her feet. Kaoru used ever last bit of willpower she had to keep from covering herself, his open appreciation making her extremely self-conscious. Kenshin must have sensed her internal battle because he wrapped his hands around her waist and pulled her forward to place a soft, lingering kiss against her belly. Kaoru hissed as liquid fire instantly spread out from where his lips touched her quivering flesh, the sensation pooling between her legs.

Grabbing onto his shoulders to keep herself from falling into a puddle at his feet, Kaoru leaned into him and moaned softly as his tongue darted out to tease her belly button, the action shooting a bolt of sheer pleasure into the very center of her womanhood. Another moan clawed its way out of her very being as he continued to swirl his tongue in and around the extremely sensitive flesh. A delicious shiver vibrated through her entire body as his fingers trailed ever so lightly along her hips then he hooked his thumbs into the waistband of her shorts and began to slowly draw them towards the floor.

Kaoru immediately came back to herself as she felt the soft material crest her hips and start to slide down her legs. On instinct she pinched her legs together to keep him from revealing her most private area but found that it did nothing as the silky material continued to slide effortlessly down her legs. A heartbeat later she found herself completely naked in front of a man for the very first time in her life.

Blushing profusely, she pinched her eyes closed and remained as still as a statue as goosebumps broke out over every inch of her body. She nearly jumped out of her skin when Kenshin pressed his lips against her stomach again and whispered, "Beautiful..."

Before she could so much as open her eyes, he suddenly gripped her hips and she found herself airborne for a split second before she was settled softly on her back on the satiny comforter covering his bed. She shivered as the cool cloth touched her overheated skin and snapped her eyes open as the bed sagged on either side of her. She inhaled sharply when she saw Kenshin hovering above her, his now naked chest gleaming softly in the gentle light of the bedside lamp, his fiery locks falling freely over his shoulders to pool on her chest.

Absently wondering how he managed to remove his shirt and let down his hair so fast, Kaoru reached up and ran her fingers through his thick mane. She smiled as the silky strands fell through her fingers; it was as soft as she'd imagined it would be. The smile Kenshin gave her took her breath away and then he leaned down to place a soft kiss on her throat and whispered huskily, "Are you ready?"

Kaoru felt herself moisten even more at what he implied and she swallowed thickly. As if he even needed to ask, she couldn't just walk away now, it would be impossible. She knew there would be pain but she also believed there had to be more than that if what she'd already felt was any indication. At her silence, Kenshin pressed another kiss to her neck slightly lower than the first and lifted an eyebrow in expectation. Her mouth went dry at the unabashed desire coloring his violet eyes and she could only manage a weak nod.

It seemed that was all the encouragement Kenshin needed because he immediately took advantage of her acceptance and slowly moved further down her body, dropping featherlight kisses along every inch he passed until he reached the soft flesh of her belly. She gasped softly when his hands slipped around her hips to clasp her behind gently, and then he moved even further down, his tongue trailing a wet path from her belly button to very top of her most private area. She tensed as he trailed his tongue along the extremely sensitive skin just above her hair line. Kami-sama, what was he doing?!

"I want to taste you." Kenshin whispered softly against her skin, answering her unvoiced question. Kaoru's breath caught in her throat and she flushed a brilliant red as she made to move away from his questing mouth. The grip on her bottom tightened and she stopped as Kenshin finally looked up and pinned her with a knee-weakening stare, "Don't... "

If it was possible Kaoru went an even deeper shade of red as a delicious shiver stole her breath away and she immediately stopped moving. She nearly melted at the soft smile Kenshin gave her and simply watched helplessly as he kneed her legs apart and slid down between them until his lips were mere inches from her womanhood. Her belly tightened of its own accord as his breath fanned softly against her aching center and she bit her lip to keep from moaning in anticipation.

And then the world completely stopped as he closed the last few inches to her dew moist folds and gently ran his tongue up the full length of her cleft until he reached the tiny flower hiding at the top. Kaoru hissed softly and involuntarily arched into his mouth as he toyed with the delicate flesh, the sensations his loving attention set forth turning her to muscles into liquid.

Just when she didn't think she could take anymore, Kenshin clutched her bottom tight and lifted her enough to thrust his tongue deep into her very being, tasting her very essence. Her breath caught painfully in her throat as his hot tongue was replaced by a finger and she nearly cried out as a ball of fire burst into being deep in belly. She gasped as he started to move his finger in and out, gently caressing her slick walls and she clutched onto the comforter for dear life as the fire built to an almost unbearable height. He slipped in a second finger and began thrusting faster, his tongue continuing to tease her unfurled flower unmercifully. All of a sudden the world narrowed to a pinpoint centered deep in her belly and then the ball of fire exploded into a million tiny flames and she cried out in sheer delight as wave after wave of searing heat crashed through her quaking body. After what seemed like forever the world finally came back into view and Kaoru exhaled softly as she settled deeply into the soft bed, too weak to do anything but breathe.

Kenshin couldn't help but smile as he watched Kaoru settle down heavily and sigh in contentment. Licking his fingers clean of her juices, he quickly divested himself of his pants and slowly made his way up her body to settle the head of his rigid manhood snuggly against the moist folds he'd been lavishing his attention on only moments before. He wasn't the least bit surprised when Kaoru tensed at the feel of him against her entrance. Now came the less pleasant part, he almost wished he didn't have to bring her this pain but there was no way around it. All he could hope was that his earlier attention would make this go smoother for her.

Gazing deep into the suddenly alert sapphire eyes looking up at him, he leaned in until he was only an inch from her lips and whispered, "If you want me to stop, I will."

For a long moment all Kaoru did was stare at him and he thought she just might take him up on his offer. He hadn't meant to say that but he hadn't been able to stop himself, not when she was looking at him like that.

And yet, what he didn't realize was that Kaoru was thinking no such thing. She'd only tensed because the fire she thought doused a moment ago had sparked back to life at the feel of him pressing so close. She would be lying if she said she wasn't afraid but that wasn't going to stop her from sharing her entire self with him. She could handle a little pain if it meant giving herself completely to him.

A tiny smile teased her lips as a tingle of anticipation flowed through her veins and she reached up to run her fingers softly through his hair, "No, I don't want you to stop. I want to share everything with you tonight."

She all of a sudden found it very hard to breathe at the incredible smile that lit up Kenshin's face, and then he leaned down and captured her lips in an achingly soft, lingering kiss. Sighing quietly against his mouth, Kaoru wrapped her arms around his neck and buried her fingers deep in his thick mane of hair, relishing the feel of his cool lips dancing playfully over hers.

And then all of her attention was drawn to the place between her legs as she felt him start to slowly guide himself in and she involuntarily tensed as her body tried to stretch to accommodate him. Kenshin must have felt her muscles tighten because he immediately relinquished her lips and glanced down to make sure she was alright as he stopped his advance. She smiled shyly at his obvious concern and shifted slightly in an effort to relax her uncooperative muscles. When that didn't work, she tried one of the many breathing exercises from training instead and was soon rewarded as the tension eased and she was left with nothing but the intoxicating feel of him filling her. The desire to feel more of him suddenly flowed through her veins and she gently tugged on his shoulders, silently asking him to continue.

Kenshin didn't hesitate in the least and gently eased himself further into her. He smiled as she hissed softly in pleasure as, inch by agonizing slow inch, he continued to guide his length into her until he was about halfway and then he felt more resistance then he previously had and knew that he had come to the barrier he'd hoped wouldn't be there. Stopping, he used this time to let her get use to having him in her before he stole the contented look from her face. He almost chuckled as a soft mewling came from the woman beneath him and he leaned down to drop a soft kiss on her slightly parted lips. "I'm going to continue, I promise. But from here it may hurt a little."

A tiny flicker of fear flashed through Kaoru's eyes and he felt her tense slightly again, leaning down he dropped a trail of calming kisses along her jaw and whispered, "Relax. I will be as gentle as I can."

After what seemed like forever, he finally felt her relax again beneath him and he took immediate advantage, thrusting himself through the barrier as quickly as he could. A soft cry of pain erupted from Kaoru's lips and he cupped her cheeks in his hands, kissing away the tear that had slipped from the corner of her eye. "I'm sorry."

Kaoru smiled softly as the pain slowly started to recede, the feel of him filling her overcoming all else. "Don't be. I knew it would hurt, I'm just glad it was you who did it."

Kenshin groaned softly and was just about to wholeheartedly agree when the scent of blood suddenly invaded his nostrils. He hissed under his breath and immediately stilled as his more primal side rose up, demanding to taste the sweet blood now filling his senses. Snapping his eyes closed before Kaoru could see the change in them, he nearly growled as he fought tenaciously for control, the need to taste her sweet nectar almost more than he could stand. Just because he didn't need blood anymore, didn't mean he didn't still crave it like the rest. Normally that wouldn't be a problem but virgin blood was the sweetest elixir there was for a vampire, and unfortunately he'd forgotten that. He was yanked back from the yawning chasm at his feet when he felt a finger trail hesitantly along his hair line.

"Is everything okay, Kenshin?"

With one final silent growl, he clamped down hard on his baser instincts and gave her the best reassuring smile he could as he slid his eyes back open. "Yes, it's just the scent of you nearly drove me over the edge," he purred softly, letting her make of that what she would. His smile widened slightly at the blush that quickly brightened her cheeks. And then she did something that took him completely by surprise, she moved herself off his shaft a little bit and then slid him back in, cautiously testing the waters. He smiled in sympathy as she winced slightly as his shaft rubbed her raw membrane. He already knew this time would most likely bring her no pleasure and thankfully, he was already so close to the edge that it would likely only take a couple of thrusts to bring him to completion.

And with that last thought, he repeated the action as smoothly as he could and captured her lips again in an effort to draw her attention away from the pain. Kaoru seemed to know exactly what he was trying to do and deepened the kiss until all of his senses were filled with her. Thrusting again, his groin tightened as her silky flesh caressed his member and he quickly thrust a couple of more times, the feel of her slick walls wrapped so tightly around him sending him the last few steps over the edge. He groaned and tensed as his seed spilled into her welcoming womb and thrust one last time to relieve the incredible pressure tightening his groin. Finally, he fell back into himself and gently pulled himself out as he sagged to the bed beside Kaoru, completely spent.

"Next time, I promise you will enjoy this..." he said softly as he gathered her to his chest.

Kaoru chuckled and nuzzled into his slightly warmed flesh. "I already did."

Kenshin snorted softly to himself at her innocence and ran his fingers softly through her hair, "Trust me, love, that was nothing. Once you heal, our time together will be nothing like this."

"Then I better heal soon..." Kaoru purred softly and Kenshin felt himself instantly react. Quickly working himself out from underneath her, he was on his feet in a flash. She had no idea just what she was doing. If she kept saying things like that he may not be able to keep himself under control and he'd wind up doing more damage than needed to be done.

"Did I say something wrong?" Kaoru suddenly asked, and Kenshin relaxed somewhat as he met the panicked look she had fixed on him.

Propping a bent knee on the bed, he leaned forward and kissed her softly before he shook his head and smiled, "No, it's just that I don't know if I can control myself if you keep saying things like that and I don't want to do any more damage."

Kaoru's lips rounded into a silent 'oh' and Kenshin pressed another kiss to her lips before he straightened and headed for the bathroom. Grabbing a small cloth from the shelf as he passed, he wet it in the bathroom sink and wiped himself clean then rinsed the cloth and thoroughly wet it with hot water before he headed back to the bedroom. He smiled when he stepped into the room and found Kaoru drifting off to sleep. Crossing the room on silent feet, he settled on the edge of the bed and pressed the warm cloth to her bloodied nether regions in an effort to relieve any remaining ache there might be from their activities.

Kaoru's eyes fluttered open as he pressed the cloth snuggly against her center and she hummed, then mumbled, 'that feels good', before she drifted back to sleep. With a soft smile, he gently wiped the remaining blood from her skin, then picked her up and settled her into the warm confines of his bed. Trailing his finger along her cheek, he leaned down and dropped a kiss on her forehead before he spun around and headed out of the room to take care of the cloth and make the call that would set into motion the last preparations for the change that would give her to him for all eternity.

Iizuka slowly lifted his head as the loud grating of the iron bars sliding back filled his steadily darkening prison cell. With an almost inaudible sigh, he rose from the three foot stretch that kept him safe and scowled as a moment later, the heavily banded door swung open to reveal the last person he wanted to see.

"I see you still haven't given in and killed yourself yet." Hiko noted sarcastically as he came into the room and closed the door behind him. "I figured you'd be dead by the second day. Must be you really do want to help my idiot apprentice."

Iizuka snorted in derision and glared at the Elder, "I'll kill him before that ever happens."

For a moment Hiko simply stood there staring at him and then he busted out laughing. "I would love to see you try, but I think you will find that rather difficult to do with the serum you created immobilizing you."

Iizuka scoffed softly but held his tongue. It seemed the great Hiko-sama hadn't figured out a key piece of information about the serum just yet. That would make things a bit more... interesting.

"What are you hiding snake?" Hiko suddenly growled and Iizuka snapped back to himself with a start. Silently berating himself for letting his thoughts show on his face he simply shrugged. "Nothing. So when is all this happening?" He inquired in an effort to change the subject.

For several extremely long moments Hiko simply started at him as if he didn't believe him and then he finally growled. "We leave as soon as the sun sets. Better make the next few hours count since they'll be your last." And then the Elder spun around and left as quickly as he'd come.

Waiting patiently for Hiko's last footsteps to fade, Iizuka started to chuckle softly and then slowly it turned into a full blown laugh and he shook his head. It wasn't going to be his last few hours, it was going to be Himura's. Finally, after all these years he'd have the revenge he'd longed for with every fiber of his soul.

Himura may not remember what he'd done but he did and now he would pay.