Rurouni Kenshin Fan Fiction ❯ Amber Linings ❯ Chapter Six ( Chapter 6 )

[ Y - Young Adult: Not suitable for readers under 16 ]

Wee! Chapter!

Ravyn

~*~

Yahiko glared at the pigeon that sat so innocently in front of him on the railing. The pigeon was currently responsible for the mess that now littered the dojo lawn as they had attempted to catch it.

Stupid animals that carried messages that should never be allowed to wring their way to anywhere, the fucking bird seemed to take as much amusement in flapping around. It was making them look stupid; Kaoru was going to beat their heads in when she saw the mess.

If Megumi allowed her to crawl out of her room today, or any other day this week, in her opinion Kaoru should not twitch until the Battousai said so.

Yahiko sighed as he thought about what had occurred in the last few days. Kenshin feeding, feeding Kaoru normally followed by her arguing with him or the silence that always made him fear for her life.

A silence that was coming from the dojo as he made another dive for the pigeon dodging Sano's hands.

~*~

As Kenshin lazily slumped against the wall, he watched in growing amusement as Kaoru struggled against impending fatigue, her fear nearly palatable.

Megumi was keeping Kaoru flat on her back with the use of some highly potent herbs. They wouldn't work much longer, as Kaoru was gaining strength quickly, but they served their purpose.

Fluidly he stalked her form on the futon, relishing the tang of fear permeating the room. Her exhausted, shocked body writhed against the coverlet in a vain attempt to escape, and Kenshin felt his icy blood heat at the prospect of the hunt.

Stalking closer he paused but a hairs breath from her shaking form, the heat of her body causing nerves ends to tingle with anticipation at the feel of her Ki tracing his. Leaning forward he traced the rim of her ear with his lips as he spoke. “Pet,” the contact of flesh under his mouth caused his fangs to burn in the cavern of his mouth, “Perhaps you should… lay still.”

Kaoru froze in horror. He was close. Too close, he was

-once again- leaving her breathless and needy. Kaoru twisted against his frame in an attempt to move, but a strong arm wrapped around her waist. He had already forced her to eat once today, and Kaoru did not relish discovering what he wanted now.

Kaoru froze at the solid contact of his chest against her back. Her insides where twisting into a delightful dance of fear, anticipation, and something she couldn't name. Couldn't name the dance of curious sensation twisting in her veins or the pulse of want in her blood.

“No.” Her voice was tinged with a dark edge of rebellion, if only to distract herself from his light hold, and the careless strength in both words and action.

Anything to distract the humming in her veins.

Kenshin felt his lips twist upwards into what appeared to be a touch of amusement, his golden eyes glittering with a touch of fire and a trace of playfulness. “So stubborn,” His voice had dropped in pitch and Kaoru stiffened in alarm, her pulse point fluttering rapidly against her delicate skin.

Kaoru felt him shift her again, her body pulled ruthless against his hard form, her legs tangling in the sheets leaving her sprawled against his chest.

Kenshin leaned forward, his lips brushing the softness of her cheek, his lips curving upward as her fear brushed against his senses. “No, little one?” His eyes danced with sparks of flames and Kaoru angled her head to stare; and froze in terror at the look of devilment in his gaze.

He was -playing- with her.

Kaoru shuddered as his breath whispered across her skin, touching the sensitive skin along her lips. Attempting to push weakly against his chest for any type of protection, she was completely caught off guard by the hand that caught her by the back of her neck.

It yanked her forward, her nose close enough to brush his. Eyes wide she starred into his smoldering amber gaze and wondered exactly what she had gotten herself, her body was shaking more with instinct now, a feeling rising in her blood darker than fear.

Kaoru mutely shook her head, some part of her brain recognizing the fact that she was doing something completely stupid, but uncaring. “No.”

Tangling his hands into her hair, he wrapped the thick length of it around his knuckles before viciously pulling her head back. Glaring down at her he watched the way her breathing increased in pain and agonizingly sweet fear. It was strong enough to make his teeth hurt with the thirst for it.

She smelled delicious.

“No?” His lips twisted into a vicious smile, his fangs sliding from his top lip slowly. Kaoru watched almost hungrily as his tongue ran over his bottom lip in an almost thoughtful manner.

Almost good enough to eat.

Smirking he ran a finger down her jugular, and it pulsed under his touch, offering a pulse of stolen blood that was twisted in her veins by her Ki, tangled in a sweet dance though out her body that demanded to be savored. His left hand tightened its hold on her hair, arching her neck toward his wanting mouth.

“So delicious…” Kenshin purred at her, his eyes bright with blood lust, leaving Kaoru to wonder if he was discussing her or her stolen blood.

Leaning forward he traced the pulsing point with tongue causing Kaoru to jerk violently in his arms, a scorching heat rolling from where his tongue played patterns across her skin. Any protest that wanted to rise to her lips died on her lips as he bit down hard.

Kaoru's frame arched against his, her blood pounding in her ears as his lean fangs bit into her smooth skin. Kenshin happily sucked the bite without reservation. Kaoru shuddered against him as he drank deeply from her slender frame.

Kaoru went limp against his frame as she felt the familiar sensation of what had taken control of her blood surge forward, but this time it was welcoming.

Carefully he adjusted his hold on her twisting form, releasing his hold he traced the pale skin of her jaw with his lips.

Kaoru panted slightly, her body still shivering from the brief feeling of his teeth buried in her skin. She was gasping, her body quaking in shock, her blood reeling as it demanded something from her, and something she couldn't quite reach.

“What…” Kaoru demanded, her voice a breathy whisper against his chest, and that scared her even more than the fact that his hold was -almost- gentle.

“You belong to me now Kaoru.” Kenshin's voice was darkly layered with a thick coating of shadows and amusement. Kaoru attempted to shift backwards, to see his face but his grip on her hair tightened almost painfully.

“Stay still.” It was an order, and even though the harsh tone of words was made to freeze her, it almost relieved Kaoru.

This careful Battousai scared her more than the feral one that looked as if he could devour ever inch of her skin and leave her wanting for more. Somehow, the edging of darkness back into his Ki and tone managed to make her feel a bit more on even footing. She was still vulnerable, but at least with this shade of him she knew her vulnerability and could strive to hide it.

“You belong to me now.” There was a hint of possessiveness that caused Kaoru to stiffen in outrage. “You will get used to this, little one.” Wrenching on her hair just enough to cause her to tilt her head back to relieve the light pressure Kaoru stared at him wide eyed.

“I will not allow you to disobey me, pet. I want you, and I will have you.” He leaned close, his nose brushing hers. “Do you understand me?”

Kaoru, the part of her that had survived on her own since she was a child, the part of her that had faced down a group of nameless Vampires, rebelled. Even as she rose against him, her mouth opening to fight, his lips cut her off.

Taking advantage of the fact her lips where already parted he slipped his seeking tongue into her mouth. Twisting it around her silky mouth, he demanded that she play back.

Almost against her will, Kaoru found her body complying with every nuance of his kiss. Every move he made, she echoed. Each whisper light touch of hand or stroke of his silky tongue she played into. Her body demanded that she succumb to whatever he whished, to allow him to claim whatever he whished to take.

Gasping for air as he pulled back she barely acknowledge the path his lips where taking, from her jaw back to her sensitive neck.

Slipping his free hand along her waist, he loosened the Obi. For now, her frame was still pressed against his chest so he was unable to see anything, but he could feel.

Sliding his hand inside her Yukata, he smirked slightly when she gasped as his hand slide along her smooth skin, tracing the curve of her hip and the silky skin along her ribs. Sliding it upwards, he grinned at her indignant squeak.

A few hot, hungry kisses along her neck, and then he bit down against the dancing point in her neck that begged for his attention. His hand slide along her back and rested on her bare skin there while his other directed the angle in which her head tilted, allowing him to tug at the blood flowing in her veins.

Kaoru, moaning as she felt the sensation that was slowly becoming familiar skate down her spine, the dark shadow that slithered along her blood rose forcefully to meet…something. With a gulp, her head fell against his

shoulder when he released the hold on the back of her neck to allow some movement, his other hand slowly drawing circles along her skin causing gooseflesh to break out on her back.

“Mine, Kaoru.” Kenshin whispered delightedly, something in his vampire instincts quite delighted at the warm mass of flesh pliant in his arms.

He hated the fact that he was mated, but the part of him that survived on instinct alone delighted in her. Delighted in seeing her in his arms, and in his bed, delighted in much more than he wanted to admit, repressing such instincts was easy enough, but he had the nasty feeling that he was going to want to coddle this woman. He -hated- coddling.

However, in return, he knew that the little virgin in his arms was crawling out of her skin to be with him. She was incredibly naïve about her instincts, and he would use that to his advantage.

“Your Vampiric instincts agree with me. It will not be long till you share my bed Kaoru.” The way he said her name sent shiver of delight rolling down her spine. “You may fight me if you wish, but your body will betray you and I will win.”

Pulling her away from him, he brushed his thumb across her bottom lip, his eyes glinting with little starbursts of primal want.

For a split second, the image of his face shifted and little sparkles painted his face in colors she vaguely recognized as being similar to the night wear she…escaped from Jineh.

Kenshin suddenly swam back into focus. His mouth was twisted down into what was either the repression of a smirk, or a dark frown. “You should be more careful when you use that, little pet. It's extremely easy for me to use it against you. And, do not be mistaken, because I will use whatever I must to have you.”

Kaoru struggled to understand -exactly- what he was talking about. Unless it was a reference to the surging blood in her veins and the starbursts of color that swam in her vision.

The next instant she found herself tucked into the futon and a warm blanket tucked around her. “Allow your blood to fight against whatever still contaminating it,” he told her in amusement, his eyes promising that he was far from finished with her.” It will be time to feed again soon. You will gain your strength back soon, and when you do…” He trailed off my branding her lips with his again, his tongue tracing her bottom lip.

Rising up, he smirked at her stunned expression.

He licked his bottom lip in an agonizingly slow manner, his eyes watching the way her pupils dilated. “I will get what I want, little Kaoru. Make no mistake about it.”

Kaoru felt something snake forward in demand at the motion of his tongue, and then slip away at a particular heated glance of his eyes just before the door snapped shut.

`I don't understand this at all!' Kaoru mentally cried before she attempted, once again, to hide behind the quiet sanctuary of her eyelids.

~*~

Kenshin walked outside, his eyes darkening in color to show the state of his temper. He had been enjoying his game, but the stupid idiots outside had been making to noise for him to concentrate fully on his prize, and she deserved his full attention. He did nothing by halves.

Stepping onto the porch of the Dojo, he scanned the grounds and felt the need to hurt something. The stupid idiots he had left in the calm and orderly Dojo lawn had managed to destroy it in a matter of minuets.

Tilting his head, he turned in time to watch them come pelting after what appeared to be a small bird. Waiting until the panicked creature was a mere hands breath away, he caught it easily.

Yahiko looked up and groaned when he saw the Battousai standing on the front porch, looking extremely irritated.

“What are you idiots doing?” Kenshin snapped.

“Trying to catch that damn bird.” Sano gripped, glaring at the frantically twitching bird held softly between Kenshin's fingertips.

Kenshin resisted the urge to roll his eyes. Dismissing the panting idiots, he allowed his attention to turn to the fluttering pigeon in his hand. Calmly he removed the message tied to the bird's leg even as his eyes narrowed with agitation.

“What are you doing up?” Kenshin didn't even have to turn to see the surprised expression on the girl's face.

“I am tired of lying down.” Kaoru retorted. She was week kneed and shaking, but the fresh air was worth it. Sitting down she panted a little as she watched Sano and Yahiko scramble towards her.

Looking up, for the moment ignoring Sano's ranting, she watched the way the sunlight played off Kenshin's hair. Shaking her head to clear her thoughts, just as a small, feathered body launched itself at her hair.

“MOU!” Kaoru yelped as she caught the small bird in her hands. Her blue eyes widened in surprise as it settled itself down and hid its head under its wing.

“What the…” Yahiko sputtered, his eyes narrowing. “We chased that damn bird for hours and it just flies into your hands?”

Sano muttered explicits under his breath.

“Please remember her gift, you addle brained rooster.” Megumi snapped as she walked up the path. Her hands were full with small bags and she looked annoyed. Her eyes glared at the small bird as if it was the messenger from hell.

“We are going to have company soon.” Kenshin said flatly. He headed down the steps, his expression aggressive. “Get Kaoru back inside, and the rest of you clean up this mess.”

“But…” Kaoru started, her eyes narrowing. “What am I supposed to do with this?” Kaoru held grey body up for emphasis.

Kenshin turned lazily. “Eat it for all I care.” He gave a flash of pale fangs before he disappeared.

“You heard him.” Megumi snapped as she reached out to help Kaoru stand. Kaoru was still eyeing the pigeon in the fashion of a woman eying a spider, but she followed Megumi without question.

Yahiko sighed. “Why do we always get stuck with the clean up?”

Sano shrugged, and adjusted his fishbone, munching thoughtfully at the end. “Don't know. Hey Yahiko, have you ever heard of and Empath that animals automatically trust?”

Yahiko frowned and racked his memory. “No.

Sano sighed, “That's what I was afraid of.”

Yahiko frowned but couldn't think of what Sano was getting at. Sighing he bent over to begin to put things to rights when he felt the presence of unfamiliar Ki.

Looking up he blinked rapidly at what he saw. A girl who physically looked even younger than Kaoru stood with a pouty expression on her youthful face.

A man, probably around Kenshin's height, stood behind her, the girls' braid tightly wrapped around his right wrist.

“Excuse us.” The boy said politely. “My name is Seta Soujiro, and this is Makimichi Misao, we are looking for the Battousai?”

Yahiko could only sigh as Megumi's tight voice rang across the clearing.

“So you're the ones who sent the message.” Her voice was low, and as far as Sano and Yahiko could tell, furious.

Yahiko watched in surprise as Misao's face turned dark very quickly. “If it isn't the Battousai little house-trained Kitsune. How you are doing, Megumi?”

Sano and Yahiko started at the venom in the girl's voice.

“Play nice Misao.” Soujiro ordered his voice becoming firm even as he never lost his smile. “Perhaps we could stay here until he shows back up?”

“That won't be necessary, Seta.” Kenshin's voice glided into the strained silence. “I see you found her?”

Soujiro at once bowed his head in a sign of respect. “Yes, Milord. It was only a matter of keeping her once I found her.” He held up his hand to demonstrate.

Kenshin felt his lips twitch in amusement at the dark look Misao shot Soujiro. “I am sure Shinomori will be pleased. I have already sent a reply to let him know she is here. I shall put up the proper wards to keep her inside the grounds.”

“Fuck you Himura.” Misao spat angrily, her dark blue-green eyes flashing.

Kenshin snorted at that. Yahiko and Sano both gaped at the tiny women who seemed unafraid of the Battousai. Even more shocking was the fact that he had not killed her for her wayward tongue.

“Shinomori might have a problem with that.” Kenshin said flippantly. “Megumi, take her inside. Misao, keep your Kunai to yourself or else.”

Misao crossed her arms and followed Megumi with a look of deep hatred. The women slipped into the Dojo with a slam of the sliding door.

“Who are they?” Yahiko questioned aloud.

Kenshin shrugged. “Misao is an obtenebration, a shadow walker. Hence, the reason Soujiro was sent after her. I am sure you have heard of the Tenken.”

A boy supposedly raised and taught by the Battousai himself after he killed Shishio. Apparently, it wasn't just rumors that the Battousai had taken in an apprentice.

“Sano,” Kenshin snapped. “Keep an eye on the women. Soujiro and I are going to talk.” He motioned the small man to follow him and they both disappeared around walls.

Yahiko sighed,” Bet you this Shinomori person shows up next.”

Sano shot him a hard look. “Let's pray he does not.”

~*~

Kaoru opened her eyes slowly, relief flooding through her when she noticed she wasn't as weak as before her nap. Looking around she gave a startled squeak when she saw a young girl starring at her.

“So your Batts' mate. I'm Misao!” The girl cheerfully chattered at Kaoru stared at her. Kaoru's eyes widened further in alarm but the girl shook her head.

“Naw, he is out with Soujiro -the nasty freak- who is probably telling Batts how bad I have been so Batts can tell Aoshi-sama, who then will try to yell at me.” Her eyes darkened at the name Aoshi-sama, and Kaoru opened her mouth to ask, when Misao went off again.

“That lying, cheating, bastard of a vampire! I hope someone stakes his scrawny ass to a tree and then burns his fucking, insensitive hide.” Misao sat down with a plop and anger.

Kaoru stared at her, and didn't say a word. She didn't have time to.

“You know I'm your mate, you over inflated balloon brain, and you arrange me to mate someone else. Then when I `accidentally' kill that son-of-a-bitch, you decide I can mate you instead. As if!” Misao stamped around the room in agitation. “Bull shit!”

She sat back down with a huff. Her eyes were flashing but she was smiling. “So I ran away. And then Soujiro, the little shit, had to go and catch me; ten years of freedom down the drain.”

Kaoru waited, and when it seemed the girl was done ranting, sat up gingerly. “So you ran away because?”

Misao growled then. “I am not something that can be bought and sold at the whim of Aoshi-sama. I am his damn mate.” Her eyes flared. “I think asking for a little possessive or protective instincts isn't -that- much to want for.”

Misao shot her a look. “That's not something your going to have to worry about though. Kenshin has enough instincts for three Vampire lords.”

Kaoru frowned. “Instincts?”

Misao cursed under her breath. “I forgot that you are so young. A Vampire has a certain amount of…for lack of better phrase…animalistic instincts that govern certain actions. How you handle a mate is one of them.”

“Oh. Young?” Kaoru tried again, attempting to place the girls age.

“Oh, I'm Hundred and twenty-three. Your Kenshin is only fifty-five.”

“Only.” Kaoru exclaimed, startled at the age difference between her and the girl.

“A Vampire isn't considered an adult until you hit fifty. It's sort of a majority of sorts. You can't generally be mated until you turn fifty. Kenshin sort of robbed the cradle by our standards.”

“Excuse me?” Kaoru shrieked.

“I bet you want a proper bath!” Misao suddenly mused, changing topics so fast Kaoru's head spun.

“Kenshin and Sou-chan -the bastard- are probably still out catching up, or better yet, beating each other up. So we can get you in out and without a problem!” Misao disappeared out the door hollering for Sano to get off his lazy ass and to build a fire.

Kaoru, as she slowly gathered a change of clothing, wondered how long she had been sleeping and how long Misao had been here. The information Misao had to casually thrown towards her was also raging in her head.

Kaoru sighed as Misao returned to make sure she didn't fall flat on her face as they headed towards the tub.

Kaoru really just wanted to crawl back into the futon and pretend it was all just a dream.

A really bad, very frightening dream.

~*~

“Have you sent word to Shinomori?” Kenshin asked as he stood watching the river beat against the bank. “All I told him was that you two were near Tokyo.”

Soujiro leaned against the tree, his mouth a thin line of dark amusement. “Yes. I understand why Aoshi couldn't catch her too. Once I found her, I had to keep up with her. She has gotten very adept of disappearing into the shadows.”

Kenshin shrugged his shoulders, unconcerned. “Shinomori was a fool to allow her to escape in the first place.”

Soujiro nodded. His gift was speed, god-like or otherwise. It was the only reason Kenshin had spared his life, and the only reason he had been trained to utilize his dark gift.

He was perhaps as fast as Kenshin was, and Kenshin had not gift for speed to fall back on. It was the only reason he had caught the little demon known as Misao. He was fast enough to get to her before she slipped into the shadows.

“Shinomori will be here in a day or so. Keeping Misao tied to someone will not be so difficult.” Kenshin assured Soujiro.

“Why don't you tie her to Kaoru-dono?” Soujiro suggested. “That way Kaoru-dono can have someone keep an eye on her, and Misao can't run.”

Kenshin shot his apprentice a thoughtful look. Soujiro had apparently caught onto the fact that Kaoru was injured, which meant he was going to be hunting someone.

Keeping Misao tied to Kaoru would act as a double precaution, and Kenshin could see the wisdom in his statement.

“I think I will.” Kenshin accepted advice from few, because only a few knew there tongues would not be cut out for the audacity of suggesting something to him.

“You will help this, Zanza, hunt. Very few know you face or style as of yet.” It was an order, and one Soujiro was going to have to take.

Soujiro bowed his head in agreement.

Himura Kenshin was a Vampire who was only fifty-five years of age. A Vampire hit his Majority at fifty, but Kenshin had been ruling the world with fear for close to thirty years.

Kenshin bowed to only one man, his Master, and anyone else paid the price of disobeying his commands.

Shinomori Aoshi was 600 years old, and even he treaded carefully around Soujiro's master.

Misao herself was well into her hundredth year, and yet acted like a child. It was no wonder Aoshi had doubted the authenticity of Misao being his mate.

And now Kenshin had a mate to guard. Soujiro had a nasty feeling that the most dangerous Vampire of them all had just gotten even more lethal.

~*~

Shinomori Aoshi carefully rubbed two small messages between his thumb and forefinger, his eyes darkening to stormy blue.

They had found her. She was waiting for him in Tokyo, a nice neat little package waiting for his touch to unravel. He had been tearing Japan apart for ten years and she had escaped his every trap.

Aoshi felt the edges of his mouth curl upwards coldly. Misao had many things to answer for, the least of which was his annoying desire for her small, well-proportioned body. He had every intention of chaining her to his bed and showing her exactly why she had no desire to leave him again.

She would be his, this time.

It was beyond her power to escape him again.

“I shall see you in two days, mate of mine.”