A/n Hello Hello everyone! Well here it is, the awaited Aoshi/Misao story…hehe no pressure on me..eh egads. Anyways. Fair warning, this story is rated M for a reason. I don't care how old you are. (For we all know that age means nothing when it comes to maturity level.) If your smart enough to know this is not real life them I'm satisfied with that. So please don't freak out…you had a warning now.
I would also like to thank all my reviewers for the past three stories. I think it's awesome that some of you have stuck around through all three and now this fourth story. I've been having a bit of a hard time with this story, being that it's a little different than the others, but hopefully I won't struggle too much like I did with Saitou's story. Esh, that was painful. I didn't have nearly as much time to edit it but hopefully I didn't miss too much. But if I did, forgive me.

So without further ado, lets get on to the story. I don't own Kenshin or the work of Feehan.

Chapter 1

A dark shadow melted out of the forest. The moon gave off enough light to see the white glint of dangerous eyes and the glow of sharp teeth. It crept silently on all fours across the ground towards the young woman. The woman knew the wolf was behind her, she didn't even turn around as the sound of bones grinding interrupted the silence of the night. She kept her eyes downward and the cliff edge at her feet.

"Give me the child." Said the creature behind her. It's voice was more of an animalistic growl than a human voice. The woman only clutched the bundle closer to her chest.

"Go away." She said into the wind that howled up from the rock face, knowing it wouldn't listen but hardly caring nevertheless. She was past being afraid.

"I couldn't care less if you kill yourself, but if you kill my child you'll curse my kin and I'll not have that." The creature said again, this time in a more human voice. A man stepped from where the wolf used to be.

"I know." She woman said, keeping her back to him. He was as beautiful as he was cruel. His hair was dark, as was his skin and eyes. He wore no shirt or shoes, only jeans. But his beautiful body was only a mask for the monster that was underneath "Leave me alone Daichi. Your father told me what would happen if your first born died. Your whole pack of freaks would most likely come into some very bad luck and probably be disbanded. I don't know if it's true, but I intend to take the whole lot of those whoresons with me to Hell." He had kidnapped her, beat her and raped her until she became pregnant. Yet even carrying his unborn child didn't keep her safe from his fists, or anyone else's for that matter. And as soon as it was known she was with child, she was fair game to any man who wanted her. Passed around, from man to man, all lusting for her swelling womb. And she would be damned if she was going to let him raise her kid in that sort of lifestyle.

Daichi growled in response. "My pack has lasted for the last fifteen hundred years. And no human bitch is going to be the fall of it." Stupid, useless human; he should have known that she was too weak to live the life of his kinfolk. That's what he got for picking a pretty bitch over someone with real strength. He stepped forward.

The woman heard him approach and hesitated no longer. She threw herself over the edge of the cliff. Gravity took hold and she felt herself start to plunge. But at the last moment an arm with inhuman strength reached out and caught her around the arm. Gravity reversed and she was swung back onto the ground. Baby and all landed in a heap at Daichi's feet.

"Damn you." She cursed as he ripped the swaddling infant from her free arm, the child gave a scream of fear before falling into the tell-tale sobs of a newborn. He held the child by the blanket almost as if he was handling a simple basket. "You and your people are unnatural, you'll die out sooner or later you inbred freaks. Someday that pack will be destroyed. I know." She had seen it. It was her gift and he knew it. "If I die or not, if that child dies or not, you and your people will fall." She prophesized.

Daichi narrowed his deadly eyes down at his woman. "If that is true, at least you won't be around to see it happen." And with that he lashed out with his foot and kicked the young woman in the face. The force sent the girl over the edge of the cliff. He leaned over and watched her as she fell. She didn't scream or anything most people do when they fall to their death, it was a bit disappointing to Daichi. He watched her until she hit the ground a hundred feet below, then with a sigh took up the bundle in both hands and lifted the baby to eye level. The baby had stopped crying and was now looking at him with red eyes and a tear stained face.

"Hard to believe the fate of the pack rests on you. Even if you are nothing but a female, Misao."

Sixteen years and one month later.

Night finally fell. The cooling air, glinting stars and eerie glow of the moon offered some comfort for his tormented soul. Aoshi paced in his underground lair. He knew that his time had come. Over a thousand years of hunting the undead and evil humans left his soul in such a tattered shape, it could hardly be called a soul anymore. Like a frayed and torn flag flapping wildly in the wind, his soul was being damaged with every passing moment. The dark whispers where becoming loud and impossible to ignore.

He had been on the brink for many years. He held out only to help serve his people. His Prince and friends all found lifemates and had children. They had great need of his skill to help them keep their offspring alive. But now that they were all grown, there was very little need of him. They tried to keep contact, but he pulled further away. Better to be alone than to be in the presence of a female… of children. It was only more suffering for his weak soul to shoulder. Little by little he broke contact, showing up only when absolutely necessary.

Candles flickered to life and incense full of ancient healing herbs started to burn. Their powers further soothed him, prolonging his pain. The whispers had started. Evil, dark whispers of power and a new chance; whispers that have been following him for hundreds of years. But now the whispers were louder, drowning out the healing chants he recited to himself like a monk reciting prayers. He had served his people, was loyal to his prince. And what reward did he get from it? Nothing but suffering. He had waited for his lifemate, prayed that she was out there and having faith that she would show only when the time was right. He knew she was out there, but where, he didn't trust himself to travel and find her. Was she an old woman now? Or a babe just born? Was she on the other side of the globe? He didn't know, but the whispers called out her betrayal to him. She let him rot away alone. He didn't believe a word of their acid voices.

Aoshi shoved the dark thoughts away as he continued to pace back and forth, like a wild animal in a small cage. He was hungry and impatient. He had not fed for over two days. It was a mistake. He feared feeding, knowing he wouldn't be able to hold himself back. He would kill the human and turn vampire. Starving would make him angry; force him out of his hiding. It was the worst thing he could do. But he did it, hopping his prince would come for him and end his life before he took the life of a mortal. He had no idea what sort of enemy he would be to his people. He would rather die a Carpathian, than risk harming, or even killing everyone fighting him as a vampire.

He didn't dare contact his Prince, unsure if the evil around him would lure their patriarch into a trap. Instead he relied on centuries of experience to tell his Prince that his time was short. But there was a problem. Because Aoshi had been so adapt at hiding his presence from his own kind; Prince Hiko might not even feel his distress.

Aoshi paused, his breathing was fast, erratic, and his thoughts were racing. He needed to calm down. He didn't discipline himself for over a thousand years for him to melt down at the first peak of stress. He turned to a large book shelf; one of the few pieces of furniture in his lair. The shelf contained many different books but most of the shelf space was taken up by many thick, leather-bound journals. Each represented a century of his life. His thoughts, feelings, hopes and dreams. Pleads for his lifemate, songs and poetry he created just for her. There were fifteen of these journals lined up on the bookcase. They all had the best of care. The leather was just as supple, the paper just as crisp in the first volume, as it was in the journal he was currently writing in. His sixteenth. His was still amazed that he was going into his sixteenth century of life.

Most males of his kind hardly made it to five hundred years. Without a lifemate, they turned vampire. Giving in from their emotionless, gray drab world for a feeling of power, emotion. Free of the Carpathian rules. But Aoshi proved to be powerful, making it past five hundred years without the slightest temptation. When he reached a thousand years old… an age Carpathians are considered an ancient; his kind started keeping him at a distance. As this was the time a male could turn at any moment. But Aoshi was strong and he held on. As the centuries slowly added on, he was aware that he was being watched all the more closely. When recently and very suddenly there was a flood of females and children…he was always monitored. Watched by the males, for which he was grateful.

Aoshi turned to his desk where his sixteenth journal was sitting open. He collapsed in the chair and looked at his last entry. It was over three weeks ago. Tokio suffered her first miscarriage. Aoshi read over the details and thoughts that he jotted down. Her twin Kenji, a male, was still struggling with his fledgling years, but was proving to be his father's son. Megumi had two miscarriages in the few years she was Carpathian. Kaoru had a miscarriage six years after giving birth to healthy twins, giving her three pregnancies total. Tomoe, the prince's lifemate, had yet to get pregnant after having Itsuko; who was now an adult Carpathian and off to America to explore after failing to find a lifemate. He noted that though the rate of miscarriages was about the same, the fact that the females were getting pregnant more often was promising.

But it all seemed for naught, for he still was alone, and hope was a medical mystery away. Aoshi took up a large owl feather quill from his desk and uncapped the small bottle of black ink. He needed to write this one last entry before he left this world. The scratch of the metal nub on paper was archaic, taking him back to days when life was simple. It relaxed him, soothed his mind and allowed him for the first time in days, to just sit quietly with his thoughts.

… . .

Misao ran down the dirt path, small, lean legs a blur as she sprinted. She was so late; she knew her father was going to kill her. This was the one important meeting in her life and she had to be late for it. Night had just settled, the time had gone faster than she thought. Good thing Eiji practically broke down the bath house door from pounding on it so hard. Misao stupidly fell asleep in the bath, exhausted from her day of training, and if it wasn't for the young man, she was sure she would still be in there snoring away. 'Damn his eyes.' She said to herself, for it was inevitable that the twenty year old caught his fill of her naked body as she jumped from the water and raced to get dressed. Odd though, he didn't act like it was something special. No doubt the idea of her missing her initiation meeting was far more important than a naked girl. He all but threw her clothes at her face.

Eiji was the eldest son of the second in command, he was also her cousin. He was only five years older than her but was nearly twice as large and nearly twice as tall. He kept up with her sprint easily as he followed her across the small secluded village. "You are so lucky Misao, your father would have had your head if you were late."

"I am…late…you idiot." She said between gasps for air. Of course her place had to be the furthest away from the main house.

"Not as late as you would have been, only a few minutes." Eiji said with ease as his long legs ate up the ground effortlessly. Ahead of them the main house was ablaze with warm glowing light, paper lanterns bobbed gently outside. Many milled around outside the perimeter of its delicate gardens. Misao noted, as always, that there were hardly any other women among the group wanting to witness the Alpha's daughter receive her initiation target. Many women didn't dare be around the men more than they had to. Not that Misao blamed them, her people where horrible to each other. Her rank was the only thing that kept her from the receiving end of a fist, or an attempt gang rape. Of course her skills also kept her safe. She was just as deadly as many of them with her ninja skills.

She didn't slow as they neared the house, the men cursed and scrambled out of the way as she would have mowed them down if they were foolish enough to stand in her way. She ignored their nasty comments and left Eiji to help keep the peace as she pounded up the wooden steps and nearly plowed through the paper screen door. At the last second one of her father's many mistresses threw open the door to allow her to pass with little damage to the great house. The men outside scrambled to witness the event just as the woman slid the screen in place behind her.

Before her the counsel stretched out on both sides of the house, each kneeling on their own little mat. They were of all ages from young men with thick wild hair and dark, suspicious eyes to graying elders. Yet not one member of the counsel was frail. Each one had to be able to hold their own or step down. The strong over the weak, was almost the motto of her pack. At the head of the room was her father. Daichi was nearly forty-two but he was built like a wrestler with strong arms and thick legs. His hair hung halfway down his back in a messy, wild chopped up look. It was almost as if someone hacked at his hair with a knife. He was handsome, despite the criss-cross of scars about his face and arms. He was Alpha, ruler of the entire village, stronger than any male in the area.

Behind her father, on a slightly raised part of the floor, her grandfather sat in a bamboo chair. Unlike the rest, he was frail. His white hair was braided and trailed across his shoulder and lap to hang mere inches from the floor. His beard was also stark white and hung long and thick almost to the floor. As the former Alpha of the group he was allowed to stay in the pack until death, where as most elderly members were run off or honorably killed. Her grandfather was the pack patriarch, a source of skill and wisdom and was respected as such.

Misao slowed to a respectful walk as she made her way to the only empty mat in the room. It was placed in the center where all could see her and evaluate her for strengths and weaknesses. She kneeled on it and bowed, pressing her forehead to the floor. She was use to such scrutiny, having endured it for as long as she could remember. Being the Apha's first born, set to rule to pack as alpha female.

"You're late." Daichi stated in a deep tone of disapproval, he crossed his arms over his barrel chest.

"Only a little bit." Misao protested, keeping her forehead to the floor.

Her father scoffed. "Three minutes or three hours… late is late. I should take a switch to your back again."

Misao sighed. Not that her father's threats were empty or anything. He had a liking for lashing her across the back for her insolence for many years now. But she doubted that he would do so on her initiation meeting. Then again, she was a girl. Not many girls get to be a park of the pack like this. Most women were seen as property of the men. But because she was the Alpha's daughter and next in line to lead the pack, she had to become one of them. She sat up without waiting for permission and leveled her exasperated gaze at Daichi. She forced a smile. "Can we get this over with already?" She said through her teeth.

The last thing she wanted was to have to kill someone. But if she wanted to be a part of this pack she had to prove her worth. She had to prove she was an adult and strong enough to lead. So the counsel was to assign her someone for her to assassinate. The idea left a heavy feeling in the pit of her stomach as if she swallowed a large rock. The days leading up to this night she had worried that they would give her someone ridiculously easy because she was a girl. But now, now she was just plain worried.

Her father growled softly at her impatience and picked up a manila envelop from the ground at his side. He pulled an eight by ten photo and tossed it. The glossy picture slid across the smooth floor to come to a rest at her knees.

"Your target will be Aoshi Shinomori."

There was a very loaded silence as Misao gazed down at the photo.

"What!?" Misao shrieked; snatching up the head shot. Aoshi was turned, looking directly into the camera. He knew full well that someone was taking a picture of him. His glittering blue eyes stood out in stark contrast to his pale skin. Black hair was cut short and neat and his lips were set in a cruel line.

He looked beautiful.

"Are you out of your god-damned minds!?" Misao continued, looking away from the deadly face. "Everyone else gets some gangster, yakuza or drug dealer or serial killer, or political official. Why do I have to draw the immortal bloodsucker card?!"

"You're the Alpha's daughter." Her father snapped, his eyes darting to the members of the council as they looked on with disapproval at her outburst. "A lead bitch deserves someone tough." Sharp teeth flashed, "Be proud."

Misao scoffed, ignoring the startled looks of the council. "I'll be dead! How do you expect me to kill someone that a dozen of our own warriors can't touch?"

"You're a better assassin than all of them put together, I've taught you well. You'll find a way." Daichi stated, setting his jaw in agitation.

Her father taught her well, and yet she wasn't seeing him going after Aoshi. Her eyes fell on the wise figure of her elder. "Grandpa!" Misao stood and rushed to the patriarchal leader. He was the only man she allowed herself to trust and love. Old age had softened his heart and made his cloudy eyes wise. She fell to her knees by his bamboo chair. "Tell them they are idiots for picking this man for me to kill." She shoved the photo into his old, wrinkled hands. Behind her, her father stood from his mat.

"This night creature has been a thorn in our side for generations. He's killed countless pack members."

Misao turned to her father, her bright eyes flashing. "Most deserved it!" she shouted. "I'm sure most of them were being stupid anyways."

"Stubborn bitch!" Daichi swore.

"Crazy bastard!" Misao shot back. Beside her, her grandfather chuckled softly.

"Now, now. Lets have a look see." The old man lifted the photo and gazed down at the man. He instantly recognized him. "Ah yes. I remember Aoshi Shinomori. Had a few run ins with him myself. Very dangerous man, yes indeed. There are stories about him that span for longer than even my grandfather."

Misao felt the first rays of hope. If her grandfather could override her father… "Isn't it crazy that they want me to kill this man?" Misao asked; she hoped that he would see her reasoning. The old man looked back at the photo and then looked over to Misao, then back to the photo.

"I think you should try." He finally said.

"All of you are nuts!" She threw up her hands. "You must want me to die!"

Her father jabbed a finger in her direction. "If you're going to lead this pack you have to prove yourself!"

"But how? How?" She turned to her grandfather. "How do I fight him? He's too strong." She refused to let tears fall. How could her father humiliate her in such a way by giving her someone he knew she couldn't defeat? She hardened her heart and blinked back her despair. Her grandfather smiled gently as he handed the photo back to her.

"You are more powerful than you think." He said in a wise, ancient voice. "You two are fated to meet, destiny it seems."

Misao snorted to keep the string of curses from leaving her mouth. Why try with a bunch of males. Her father kneeled back down with a smug grin on his face. She had lost this battle. "Fine!" She shouted as she climbed to her feet. The men around her suddenly looked pleased the she was complying and that only pissed her off all the more. "Fine, I'll kill him, but if I die I'm coming back to curse each and everyone of you." She glared at the men before stomping past them and tearing out the door with her grandfather's laughter following her as she shoved the startled faces of the eavesdropping men away.

…

Eiji looked up with a startled expression from where he was pacing in front of the Great House. No doubt he thought the meeting would last for much longer, like his had. He stalked after the girl, easily keeping up with her as she stomped in anger.

"I heard lots of shouting, but I figured that was normal for you."

Misao scoffed, hardly slowing down. "Figured that was normal for you." She mocked to herself.

"Hey don't take it out on me." The young man snapped.

"Sorry Eiji. When you have a bunch of crazy, god-damned, bastards running this pack it's hard not to get upset." She stated as she started to slow down. "No offence to your father." Remembering he was second in command.

"Wow, what the Hell went on in there? They give you someone too easy?"

"Just the opposite." She snapped. "They want me to kill Aoshi Shinomori. Can you believe this shit?"

Eiji was silent for a moment. "Aoshi? The leach?"

"Yeah."

Eiji whistled low. "Damn, what the Hell are they thinking?" His laugh was bark like. "Sucks to be you. I got a Yakuza leader."

She ignored his comment. "Who knows what they're thinking?" Misao figured they weren't thinking at all. Or they were thinking just fine, they wanted her dead. She stalked all the way back to her home, slowing even more as it came into view. There was a long moment of silence that stretched between the two.

"I could kill him for you." Eiji offered in a soft voice.

Misao stole a look at him from the corner of her eyes. At well over six foot tall and built like a rottweiler, Misao wouldn't doubt that he would hold his own against a Carpathian. But not with Aoshi. It was touching for him to offer though. Most men thought little of females. Misao knew that had she been born in a different family Eiji would most likely be as cruel to her as anyone else. Her rank and training brought respect and Eiji didn't see her as one of the lowly women. But as an equal, one she was sure he would rather bed than a regular woman. But hell if she was going to let any man touch her, not even her childhood friend and cousin. At least not until they were married. She wasn't going to let herself be labeled a whore like the rest of the poor women.

No one would find it strange that the two cousins might marry. He was strongest of the men his age, and had won the right to have his pick of the young females. It was only natural that the Alpha female would mate a strong male. In fact her father would demand she bed Eiji, as long as he kept his rank. Misao suspected that the slight inbreeding was creating far more efficient and crazy warriors. A trait she was sure the pack was striving for. But the men here were already so savage; Misao couldn't imagine creating something worse than the monsters she had to live with now.

"Thanks, but no thanks." She finally said.

"Oh, come on Misao, they won't find out. I'm sure they'll just be happy that he's dead."

"That might be true, but I don't think I could live with myself knowing I never killed my target; especially if I'm leading this pack. I have more honor than that. Much better to die than to live a lie."

Eiji looked impressed at her little statement. "Wow, that was a very un-Misao moment there. You almost sounded grown up." The young man grinned.

"Screw you Eiji." Misao snapped but laughed anyway as she punched him in the shoulder.

Eiji smiled, but then sobered up again. "You very well may die, Misao."

"I would think you of all people would be happy about that. You would get to be alpha leader and you wouldn't even have to marry me." Misao said light-heartedly as she took the steps two at a time to her little hut. Eiji reached out and caught her wrist. His grip was strong, unyielding, and cruel.

"I want to marry you Misao. I'm not in it for the rank; I'm in it for you. It's not everyday we get a strong female. I want to be the one who gets you."

Misao sighed softly down at the young man. "Thanks Eiji. But I can't see who would want to marry me. I'm loud, hardly domestic and I'm nothing like how a subservient female should be." At least that was what her father told her almost every day of her teenage life. And the fact that she was different, even by their standards. It was whispered that her human mother had some kind of power, an ability to read people and see what was to come. Misao suspected she had inherited her mother's strange powers. Though, she tried her best to hide them from everyone, they seemed to know. She always had strange feelings about the future.

"That's why I want to be your mate." He countered sincerely. "I want a female as strong as I am by my side. Not one that cowers behind me." For the first time that night he looked scared. "Swear you'll come back."

Touched by his sudden confiding she didn't know what to say at first. "I'll try." Was all Misao could think of to say. "Now I have to go get my things ready."

Eiji blinked. "Already?" Misao nodded.

"I want to get this over with as soon as possible."

"Well I can understand that." He let her go and backed down the steps. "Be careful Misao." He said before turning on his heal and vanishing into the darkness.

Misao smiled as she watched him dart off. "Thank you Eiji, I'll try." She whispered before heading into her small private room. She shut the door securely behind her and leaned against it for a moment. Strangely she didn't feel sick or anything.

She was numb.

She would live or die. It was that easy. She accepted her fate, whatever was handed to her. It was a fact that was pounded into her brain since childhood. Sighing softly, she pushed away from the door and went to the large wardrobe against one wall and opened it. She pulled out a cloak and began loading it up with kuni. Silly Eiji, she loved him, but more like a brother than a cousin courting her. She would rather not marry, but there had to be a male heir for the pack. Eiji had proven himself worthy to produce such an heir, but was she? Misao scowled. Stupid pack traditions and superstitions.

The heir was always the first born, and if that child was a girl, then her mate became heir and she would become second in command. But only after she had proven herself strong enough. Never in the history of the pack had the chain been broken. It was better to try and end up dead than to not try and become a breeding mare to be passed around the males. Misao knew she was lucky to be of rank. Most women here were half breeds like herself. Few were humans and even fewer were full blooded. She might be worthless as a leader but if she didn't die from this mission and she could still bare children then she would be thrown to the wolves…literally.

… . .

Aoshi blinked, his black eyes focusing on the paper in front of him. What was this? Slowly the Carpathian male sat up. He had fallen asleep at his writing desk. He had slept the whole day away and now the night started all over again. The paper of his journal was slightly wrinkled where his head had rested. He reached out to smooth the blemishes away when he was hit with the strongest wave of hunger he had ever experienced in his hundreds of years. It slammed into his gut so strong he doubled over, his head nearly coming to a rest on his desk again. His chest expanded, forcing him to pant for air. He normally didn't breathe unless he had to, but his body was demanding it of him.

Join usss! A dark whisper hissed in his ear. He knew evil was close, just waiting to accept him into the arms of darkness.

Pain screamed from every cell of his body. Feed now, or die now. Aoshi knew this was it. With jerky motions, the Carpathian stood, pushing the chair away from him with the back of his legs. He staggered for the first few steps before he moved with the fluid grace of his kind. Yet even then he was hindered by the pain of such hunger. He quickly made his way from his home and moved deep into the forest. He could not risk running into a human now. If he did, he would surly kill them and turn vampire. A forest animal would suit his needs and give him the strength he needed to last through the night to make sure he perished at dawn. He'd root himself to the earth if he had to, to make sure the strong rays of the sun would send him to the afterworld.

Step after step. To humans, he would have looked like a normal person walking with ease through the forest. But a Carpathian could see that the Dark One was on his last legs. Anyone else would have been terrified. But Aoshi was at peace; his only fear was for anyone he might run into. He didn't fear his own death, only causing pain for an innocent, including other Carpathians. He was unsure how much time had past but he found himself deep in the forest, far away from his Carpathian fellows and further away from humans. He also feared for the woman he would be leaving behind. Even if she wouldn't be born for another hundred years, she wouldn't be complete, her soul never whole. Would she be protected? Would she be safe? If she was a Carpathian would she be forcefully bonded to a lost male? His teeth snapped at the idea. But he could only mourn for her loss, rather than his own.

His eyes ached from the light of the full moon. His head hurt from the sounds he couldn't ignore or turn down. His senses were becoming too sensitive for him to control. Aoshi paused, one hand rested on the trunk of a tree as he tipped his head back to gaze at the light of the full moon peeking though the leaves of the tree. The glow burned his eyes but he welcomed the distraction. Even in his state, it was hard to ignore the fact that something had started stalking him not far back.

At first he thought it was an animal. Aoshi had slowly almost instinctively circled back to come up behind the creature, but it had followed him. He had tried talking to it mentally, to see if it was something he could feed from or something he should send away, but the creature had a powerful mind block. Standing there at that tree Aoshi already knew that this creature was no animal…

And whatever it was, was stalking him.

A/n yay! First chapter is up and done. Updates should come ever few weeks, depending. 2-3 weeks at the most (unless… you know, life happens.) I still working the kinks out of this story, hopefully everything adds up in the end. Thanks for reading everyone! Reviews for the first chapter are most loved!