Rurouni Kenshin Fan Fiction ❯ The Evil Within ❯ Angel of the Night - Tainted Hands (9a) ( Chapter 12 )

[ T - Teen: Not suitable for readers under 13 ]

Angel of the Night - tainted Hands - TEW9A




The Evil Within
Chapter
9A - Tainted Hands








Misao's azure eyes narrowed in confusion, the tears that
were gathered there quickly desiccating as she stared at the figure that stood
in the center of the yard. The man's head was bowed, his hair falling into his
eyes, shrouding them in shadows.


"Aoshi-sama," she murmured,
slowly getting up, her brows creasing in shock as she did so. She felt Kenshin
place an almost protective hand upon her shoulder, but she shrugged it off and
threw them all a look of silent pleading. She needed to do this alone.


She called out to him again, much
louder this time, and cautiously stepped forward, feeling her heart pound almost
painfully against her ribs as she did so.


Aoshi looked up. His bloodshot eyes
locked with hers, and it was all Misao could do to restrain herself from running
away, turning back to Kenshin…anything to escape from having to maintain his
tortured gaze.


But she forced herself to do so,
keeping her face studiously slack as she stepped even closer to him. As she did
this, she could not help but wince slightly as this much closer distance allowed
her to notice the stains of blood on his dark outfit.


"What are you doing here?" she
asked quietly, and-quiet strangely-calmly.


Aoshi closed the gap between them
in a few strides, and in response she shrank back as she saw the fresh blood
that stained the pale skin on his face, the sickening, metallic smell permeating
her senses.


"Help me," he whispered, his
words a low, raspy growl in his throat. "Help me, Misao."


Misao saw him reach out for her
with hands that had thick, crimson liquid upon it, and she avoided his touch
with something that resembled disgust. "Help you with what?" she asked, the
concern that tinged her voice contrasting with the repugnance that twisted her
features.


Aoshi's hand shot out and his
fingers, sticky with blood, wrapped around her wrist. She flinched, but did not
withdraw her arm from his tight grasp. Misao thought she heard Kaoru's soft
whispers of "careful, Mi-chan…".


"I can't control him any
longer, Misao…I've never been able to…I can't contain him in me for
long…he's too strong…" Misao thought she saw Aoshi's eyes flash
crimson for a moment-and at that exact same moment he lapsed into a silence-but
then his orbs resumed their normal azure color and he began speaking almost
incoherently again. Perhaps she had simply imagined it?


"Aoshi-sama," she started
softly, willing her voice to remain steady as to not betray the absolute fear
that coursed through her, "who can't you control?"


The ex-okashira seemed to take no
heed of the question she had posed as he continued speaking. "…he's mad.
He's lusting for blood, Misao…and I can't stop him…" A soft sound of
almost piteous desperation escaped his throat. "How can I stop a demon? How?"


"A demon?" she echoed softly,
turning back for just a moment to face Sanosuke, Kenshin, Kaoru, Megumi, Yahiko
and Tenkage in something that bore a semblance to realization. Then she faced
Aoshi again, the fear in her eyes replaced by a glimmer of hope. Maybe she could
finally make some sense of the horrible events that had been happening in the
past year.


"He wants to take over me…taken
my soul…needs blood to live…" His rapid words were quickly becoming an
unintelligible whisper now.


"Calm down," Misao murmured
almost soothingly, throwing another worried glance over her shoulder, where her
companions stood anxiously, "just tell me first…who are you talking
about?"


"Th…The akuma…he's killing,
Misao…he's slaughtering everyone in his path and…and…" Aoshi trailed
off, shaking his head as his grip around her arm tightened into a painful hold.


He's involved with the murders,
Misao gasped in surprise. The blood on that stained Misao's arm now seemed to
hold some kind of cataclysmic omen.


"Killing
relentlessly…Mitsuko…" Aoshi's eyes flashed scarlet again, "you have
to help me…onegai…"


Misao's fists clenched and her
whole body tensed as she heard the name in which he addressed her. It was the
same name he had called her before he…


"Always been a tough one, ne,
Mitsuko? You've never listened…I'll fix that."


"Who are you talking about?!"
She asked urgently, her voice rapidly escalating to desperate tones. "Who?"


Then suddenly, Aoshi quieted down,
his ragged breathing calmed, and he bowed his head as he lapsed into complete
silence, his grip still like an iron vise around Misao's arm.


"Aoshi!" Misao cried,
holding back tears of both frustration and fear. "Tell me who is this demon
you're talking about!"


Aoshi looked up.


Misao's breath caught. The
frenzied expression that had haunted his face just seconds ago was replaced by
one of placed iciness.


A harsh smirk grew on his thin
lips, a barely audible chuckle escaping them, despite the fact that they were
closed.


Misao's gaze strayed to his eyes.
They were a deep crimson, much like the blood that blemished his features. For a
brief moment, their mirror like surface shattered, and Misao caught a glimpse of
the feral hunger in them. Then all she saw was the reflection of her terrified
self in them. She wanted to scream, but her throat was tight. She wanted to run,
but her legs were frozen. She wanted to fight against him, but she was suddenly
powerless. It was as if he had her paralyzed. Then she heard him speak through
the blood that roared in her ears.


"He was talking about me," the
man whispered, the amused smirk on his thin lips growing.





Kenshin's eyes narrowed in
careful scrutiny. Aoshi had suddenly grown quiet. Calm. Cold.


He saw Aoshi whisper something to
Misao, a slight smirk pulling on the ex-Okashira's lips. He saw Aoshi step
closer to the younger girl


He saw the swift movement of
Aoshi's hand to grip his kodachi.


Aoshi pulled it out, an easy
chuckle escaping his lips.


Misao stood frozen in place. She
didn't even make a move to look at the kodachi.


"Misao!" Kenshin and
Kaoru's frantic yells echoed throughout the yard.


"Get out of the way!"
Sano shouted from behind him, watching as Aoshi thrust his kodachi forward.


Kenshin sprang forward, hand on the
hilt of his sakabatou as he prepared to protect Misao. Save her…save
Misao…save her…The compelling mantra was all that filled his mind.


But he was too late. The
ex-Okashira was simply too far from the rurouni, and he was simply too fast.


With one swift, clean stroke,
Aoshi's katana cut through Misao's midsection.





Author's Note: Short chappie, ne? Heh. Gomen
for the weird cliffhanger. Hey, I barely got any commies on my last chapter!
*cries* Please, please send me some this time! *is in pathetic beg mode* Heehee.
Don't worry, I'll have the next one done soon, as well. :-D

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8b
Chapter 9b>>>
The
Evil Within
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