I slowly walked to my car, practically dragging my feet. I was so tired. My long black hair was messily tied in a ponytail, my clothes we wrinkled. I checked my watch for the time; it was 11:23pm. I wearily glanced back over my shoulder at my high school behind me. The large building was dark, eerie and strange at this time of night. It seemed so unfamiliar. The distance of the black parking lot suddenly appeared much longer. I hurried my pace.

'Kaoru, this is the last time you over work yourself over a school newspaper article that half-no-three-fourths the students won't appreciate.'

I smiled despite myself. The article I just finished was one of my best articles. I naturally strived for perfection with all my writing; I'm too much of a perfectionist to do otherwise: one reason why I was probably not all that popular. Not that I care, all I needed was my best friend, Misao, and straight A+'s. That was all I needed to become the successful newspaper editor-in-chief I wanted to be.

Crash!

'What was that?'

I whipped my head around in the direction of the school. There was a racket going on further back in the parking lot.

'I'm not stupid like the cat and about to get myself killed over curiosity.'

Quickening my pace I strode to my car door. Searching anxiously through my purse I found my keys jumbling fretfully through it to find the car key. Before I could even put it into the keyhole, I heard the familiar but chilling sound of a sword being unsheathed. As a sword instructor to my father's own style I would recognize that sound anywhere.

I shivered. 'Who the heck would be unsheathing, not to mention handling, a sword now?'

Finally curiosity and, respectively, stupidity got the better of me. Deciding it best to sneakily approach the sound I crouched down and strode silently toward it, sliding along the cars.

I squinted through the tinted glass window of the van in front of me. I could see two unclear, indistinguishable silhouettes. Squinting harder I recognized the figures.

One was Makoto Shisho, the senior valedictorian and kendo MVP. Shisho was a strange guy and he always unnerved me. His appearance was appalling as he was covered in bandages all over his body. They said when he was a child he got caught in a house fire and suffered sever burns. I've had my doubts about that theory considering that anyone who was captured in such a fire and received as many burns wouldn't be able to live through it. It's not just Shisho's appearance that frightens me though. He acts very peculiar. He's very quiet at times, contemplative, but it's not peaceful thoughtfulness. When pondering his face shows an expression of malice and malevolence which makes me wonder what his thoughts could possibly be about. Passing him the halls sends an involuntary shiver up my spine. I knew it was him from the lean body with brawny shoulders wrapped with bandages and the short black hair shrouding the recognizable pair of his dark malicious, eyes.

The other figure was also a student at the school, Himura Kenshin. He was actually the new transfer student here. I was the one who showed him the building. He's not very talkative or friendly. The whole time I chatted about the school he was silent, I only got a nod or two from him. Needless to say he didn't look happy to be with me. Then again I'm just a studious, geeky freshman, who really wants to talk to me? Half an hour into the tour I stopped talking too when he finally snapped at me to shut up.

Like Shisho, Himura's appearance was very intimidating. He has a lean, short body with scrawny limbs but the aura around him feels incredibly threatening. He has long red hair tied up into a high ponytail; it's like a lash of fire. His skin is very pale and sometimes I think he might be sick. His thin lips always formed a scowl or frown and it was not very friendly-looking. His eyes were an unusual but interesting shade of purple and blue, mostly a dark amethyst. Despite my grudge against him I had admitted to myself he was very attractive. I crushed the thought from my mind. Thinking like that in this school would make me a crazy-hormone-driven teenage girl ready to throw my virginity out to the next guy I see. Most students in this school talked so casually about it, sex, like it wasn't a huge deal that I felt so awkward. I had this weird, odd feeling I was the only virgin here and although I was proud I was secretly curious, too.

Then I noticed what they were holding. Swords. Not display swords that hang over a mantle or in a glass case. They were actual steel swords. Real, dangerous, deadly weapons used to fight an opponent in battle. The hilts of both swords were ornately decorated but both had a strange insignia emblazoned on each side. I silently gasped when the sword point caught the moonlight and sparked like a silver star. I bit my hand in my mouth suddenly I felt really stupid for following the sound. I needed to get out of hear, call the cops, this was dangerous I had to leave now.

'Come on let's go girl back away quietly and get out of here Kaoru!' I told myself as I bit down on my fist in my mouth.

"I was wondering when you'd show up." Shisho hissed. I stared hard, he didn't sound right. His voice was creepy, if you could call it voice, it sounded so animalistic, so inhuman. I shivered.

'Why was he wondering when Himura would show up? Do they know each other?' I thought.

I looked to see how Himura would respond but he remained silent only lifting his sword in a stance as any sign of acknowledgement to Shisho.

Shisho chuckled. "I heard you weren't a talker, just a killer." Shisho seethed. Himura remained stoic. "The killer, Battousai."

Himura's eyes narrowed, blazing a angry amber. I felt the blood drain from my face.

'What the heck is going on?'

"I've heard a lot about you Battousai, the master of Hiten Mitsurgui, however," Shisho hissed. "I don't plan to lose, I'm going to kill you!"

Shisho suddenly threw his head back as if taken by a strange force. That's when I saw who, what he was.

'Holy shit…' I mentally swore as I retreated backwards. He wasn't human!

I stared in shock at Shisho's teeth, his very inhuman, very long very fang-like teeth.

'Get away now Kaoru! Get away now!'

I turned to leave and slipped. My body hit the pavement hard and I felt my lip bleed.

'Crap.' I silently prayed that it was a silent fall, that no one, no thing heard it.

I must've prayed to the wrong god.

I felt fingers wrap around my ankle firmly, painfully. I would've screamed out in pain if I hadn't been paralyzed with shock. I was wretched back with a harsh tug and against someone's chest.

"Wonderful, a snack is just what I need to replenish myself and defeat you." I heard Shisho hiss, his breath touching my ear. I trembled.

'I'm going to die!'

Instincts kicked in. I screamed, shrieked bloody murder and pulled my arm back and into his stomach. He curled and released me. I ran blindly. My vision was blurred with tears. I was so terrified.

'Calm down girl, think, if you want to get out of here alive you have to slow down and rationalize.'

I heard Shisho scream. I didn't want to look back.

'Don't look back. I can't go back to my car without turning the other way. Where do I run? What about Himura? I have to go back for him!'

I turned. There was blood. Lots of blood sprayed everywhere. My stomach curled sickly. I could feel bile itching up my throat. I couldn't breathe. I could see Himura's back. He was facing toward Shisho's, that thing's, its body. I chest was heaving. I thought I'd be sick.

"Himura?" I rasped out. He looked over his shoulder.

'Oh god.'

Amber eyes, inhuman cold amber eyes burned into mine. His body and clothes were covered in blood and that smile! His mouth was curved into a feral grin with fangs. He wasn't human. He was a monster.

I had run back into the school building before I realized it. I raced down the halls looking for an open classroom with a phone.

'Dial 911. Dial 911.'

My blood was pounding in my ears.

'What the hell was going on here? What the hell do I do? Someone help me! '

Soft, slow steps echoed behind me. I looked over my shoulder quickly. He was there, taking his time following me. I ran faster, turned the corner and raced up the stairs. I could still hear his slow footsteps.

'How can he chase me like that? Like its inevitable how fast I run because no matter what I do he'll get me? I refused to think like that! I won't be killed without fight! Think rational, Kaoru! Think it's just like an ordinary swordfight. What are the options? What are the weaknesses and strengths? Advantages and disadvantages? Think rationally!'

I slowed my steps at the fourth floor walking stealthily as I headed down the halls. I slowed my breathing. I needed to silence my escape. I heard his footsteps stop and smiled. He couldn't hear me anymore.

'Alright that was good thinking Kaoru!' I praised myself. 'Let's see. Obviously Himura and Shisho are the same uh, things, species, whatever. Both have fangs and really scary eyes. I don't know how that helps except to frighten me but-enough digressing! Focus Kaoru! What do I know about my opponent that will give me an advantage? Okay let me think. They were fighting with swords and trying to kill one another. So apparently they can be harmed with swords, right! So if I want any chance to live I need to get a sword.'

I exhaled softly, trying to relieve myself with as little noise as possible. That's when I heard the footsteps start again. I felt the very little relief I had drain from me.

'Oh no! Think Kaoru! I need a sword! Where the hell do I get one of those? It's not like they're weapons like that just lying around, then again this is high school-focus Kaoru! Alright, maybe not a sword but I could improvise with something like it. Like…a knife? That's logical; alright I might still be in my right mind after all! Okay I have to get to the cafeteria then!'

I ran in the direction of the place where I had eaten for the last year.

'I'll never doubt anyone anymore when they tell me freshman year sucks. Just let me live through it!' I pleaded.

The footsteps were echoing from the stairwell now. He was coming up. He was getting closer. I ran into the doors of the cafeteria so quick the door swung back so fast they almost hit me. I raced across the room and jumped over the counter. I pulled at all the draws searching for a knife. I didn't like the idea of attacking someone but this wasn't really a someone more like a something and I wasn't going to not defend myself and let him kill me.

'I'm Kamiya Kaoru, kick-ass martial arts student and intelligent future valedictorian of 2012! No one or no thing is going to kill m!' I pepped and suddenly I had more confidence in myself. I needed to act like I was taught to in a fight. Be resourceful, use my advantages, allow the enemy to think he has an advantage, and never ever underestimate your opponent.

I found the draw with the kitchen knives. I pulled out a long serrated knife probably used to cut meat it was so heavy. The sharpness of its tip seemed much more threatening now. If I escaped death by killing Himura did that make me a murderer? Did I need to kill him to live? If there was anyway I could live and him too then I would but a sick feeling had settled in me. My intuition told me I had no other choice. I had to kill or be killed.

The steps came again. They were close now. I ducked into the broken freezer. Maybe he wouldn't find me. Maybe I had a chance. My mind raced. I held my breath. If I could've I'd have stopped my heart from racing too.

I slid the knife up my sleeve hiding it from view. I could feel the cool metal against my skin. If I made a wrong move with my arm I'd end up cutting my own arm. I held that thought away. I needed to stay calm. I sucked on my bloody lip. The taste of blood was rusty like copper in my mouth. I wanted to spit.

The steps came louder, closer. I pinned my arm straight. I fisted my hands when I heard him jump over the counter. He knew. I relayed a plan in my head. His steps approached the freezer. I shivered.

'Maybe the freezer works after all.'

The door swung open. I stilled. I could only see his silhouette in the doorway. His amber eyes burned into mine. There wasn't a cruel fanged smile on his lips but a small grin. It was the grin of a mischievous guy who was planning something clever.

"Of all the humans…" he muttered. "At least Shisho didn't kill you."

I couldn't speak. His sword was still in his hand, unsheathed. Blood dripped down it like red water. I felt my stomach twist. He came closer. I backed away. I was shrouded in the shadows. Hopefully he wouldn't notice me sliding the knife from my sleeve. I was beyond trembling, beyond fear. Now faced with the danger I could think rationally because that is all there is left to do.

"What is your name?" he, it, asked monotonously.

I couldn't answer.

He scowled. "You are remarkably intriguing. I've been watching you. It makes me sorry I have to dispose of you." His finger trailed down the side of my face.

I backed away. He followed.

He didn't say a word when he held up his sword. I had to fight down my fear this time. He charged. I dodged easily since he hadn't been attacking that quickly. I was trained from the age of seven to fight with swords considering my motivation was life or death it was an easy dodge. I pulled the knife from my sleeve without a second thought struck him in the side. He immediately crumpled. I grabbed the rope, used to tie together poultry, off from the shelf and within a short while he was bound. My breathing was heavy, my chest heaved like I had walked twenty miles, my eyes were watery, and my stomach had never felt worse. I stabbed him but I didn't even know if he was dead. I pulled the sword from his limp grasp. I sighed in relief until I became overwhelmed. I could practically smell the blood. I held my breath it was unbearable.

"What do we have here?"

I froze. Every nerve in my body suddenly was alert. A chill ran down my spine. I glanced over my shoulder.

"The great Battousai defeated by a human and to make it worse a human girl." Shisho spat disgustingly. Obviously the idea of being killed by me was a repulsive thought to Shisho.

"Bitch you've taken away my kill." He spat viscously. "However…" he murmured softly as a slow grin spread across his lips. "There is no one to say I didn't kill Battousai or at least there won't be momentarily."

I stepped back as he raised his sword. He smiled dangerously; his fangs making him appear even deadlier. I couldn't scream when he charged as I barely dodged his sword. He struck again, this time I wasn't fast enough and I howled in pain as he cut my side. My eyes watered. The blow was painful and it seemed to burn like it was on fire. He charged again and I couldn't see him at all. He was before me in a flash. I tried too step back but I couldn't move.

That's when I felt it.

Searing, white hot pain.

I looked down. Blood flowed down my stomach like red rivulets. I almost was sick when I saw the sword plunged into me. I inhaled sharply. Shisho cackled.

"God you smell delicious…" he growled.

I looked up at him for the first time with utter fear. He grinned as he leaned his head lower toward my neck. I screamed.

Shisho hissed. "Shut th-"

I stared in confusion. Suddenly my head was spinning. The pain was weakening. I was dying. My vision began to darken.

I felt the sword pull from my stomach. Then I heard a strange noise followed by a scream. "No! You-"

My knees collapsed. I was floating away. I was drifting away into oblivion. The pain was gone actually any feeling was gone. Then I heard someone whisper.

"Hold on."

At that moment the world went black.