DisclAimer: I don't own RK
Beta-Reader: Mannd1068
Summary: Enishi is thirsting for Jinchuu, but this time is not against his brother-in-law, instead against a blue eyed female with a strange curse.
xxoOoxx
In search of the Calyx of Life
Second Bite
xxoOoxx
"My lord!" the voice of the infamous leader's consultant interrupted with disapproval when the smell of blood expanded on the closed room.
The Lord ignored him and turned cold eyes to his bleeding wrist, the thick red liquid becoming the last strand he held to sanity. Slowly, the Lord placed the bleeding limb against a black haired young woman's lips. The woman was breathing with difficulty, however, her face turned to the side with tight lips, refusing the only blood that could save her.
"You fed her an hour ago!" protested the consultant once again. His pale form covered with a green cheap tuxedo shook with anger "Stop doing this!" the weaker man demanded offended.
The Lord's hateful eyes turned to the pitiful excuse of a man. Red eyes watched as the consultant unconsciously tried his best to not squirm in fear in front of the domineering man, but soon enough, his face turned to the side. At least he would have earn some respect if had at least showed some courage, apparently, the man had none.
Gathering his broken pride and honor once again, the consultant gulped down his irritation as he was once again ignored. He settled for silently watching the disgusting affection his Lord had for his…chosen.
"You will drink," the stern voice of the Lord ordered, causing the thin and pale body of the woman pinned underneath him to whine pleadingly "My woman will never leave me, she's mine and death will not touch her. You will obey me, your man, because that's what I am, your man, and you are my woman, not death's; mine and only mine." The man finished and once again, the third time today, brought her face toward his bleeding wrist and his long fingers forced her mouth open and ready to receive his blood.
The consultant continued to watch the scene, his nails digging on the palm of his hands. The Lord hadn't left the woman side once this week, as if he hadn't an empire to rule outside and issues piling up, he needed to let the woman die already. She was nothing special, she was skinny, too skinny, her black hair was dull and her eyes were lifeless. He had seen ten women these last days that would surpass every aspect of her, why was he so obsessive over this one?
"Do not cry my woman," the Lord said softly as the woman obliged gulped the blood "Yes, mine, soon enough you will be strong to walk again, strong to fight me, to yell at me as you always do or maybe bark since you will finally be mine, like me, completely like me," he continued his mad whispers, if he believed what he said or merely said it, no one was ever sure but still, no one risked asking, it was not worthy "With the full moon, you will change, and I will be there to help you, to protect you, because I care for that which is mine, mine."
There was no need to hear this anymore, preferring to suffer from his Lord's anger than to stand this madness and so, the consultant left the room.
It came as a surprise, however, when some time later, when the Lord had re-entered the room after dealing with some underlings, he found it empty. The chains still tightly closed, no one having entered or left, but no sign of his bleeding dying woman. Only the faint remnants of the odd scent of sulfur.
The snow was falling mercilessly over the silent and depressing town. Most of the citizens were hidden in the warm comfort of their houses and only those unfortunate enough, like her, were pacing the cold streets. It would have been horrible, but, at least she was not alone.
"Aoshi-san," the black haired girl spoke softly to her confident, her friend and sometimes her emotional support "Things are getting worst." she whispered dejected, her once lively blue eyes were now unfocused and filled with an unbearable sadness.
The taller man stopped. His hands were safely tucked inside the pockets of his white cape but his soul was far from safe. Everything they had fought for these last years was crumbling down. It was no one's fault, it was simply fate. The situation of the city was deteriorating; fewer people came, more left. The jobs were beginning to become scarce and the price of food and valuables was rising. They would have to leave this town soon, however, this was the only place they knew it was safe for their kind. The war had yet to reach this borders. They had human hunters at one side and their brothers at the other, none were friendly. They couldn't leave, not with the children.
"I know what you are thinking Aoshi" the girl laughed mirthlessly, she pocketed her hands and stopped walking and instantly her long ponytail began to float with the stormy wind "We can't do anything" she sobbed, her hands coming to shield her eyes. The cold was stinging her wet cheeks and she welcomed the pain, she deserved it, she was a failure. Soon enough, her legs buckled and she fell to her knees, still sobbing "We can't leave the young; we can't get away from this hellhole".
The drowning cries began to unnerve him and unable to stop himself, Aoshi knelt down next to the petite figure and brought her to his chest in a tight hug. "We will succeed Kaoru-san," he said with conviction "We will survive" he promised and his blue eyes glanced at the white snow in thought.
"I am a failure Aoshi," Kaoru cried, surrounding his broader frame with her delicate arms, needing the contact, the support "I don't deserve to lead them anymore, you lead them, please, I feel so unworthy" she begged the taller and older ninja in front of her, her blue eyes staring at him as if clinging to life by the mere act.
She was mesmerized by the length of his black bangs. The bangs were long enough to cover his cold eyes and scar. She had known the stoic man for two years and she had to admit that he was worthy, he was the most loyal and honorable ninja she has ever met. She had blended with him, and the others as pack, and without even noticing. She had joined on the mundane routines of the pack, becoming what she hated the most, a wolf. To make things worse, she was no ordinary wolf but the alpha. Two years ago she would have laughed at the idea, but she even when she dreaded it, she had to admit that she had finally transformed into a wolf. Still, that didn't change that she was a poor alpha or that her actions had taken them to their current circumstances.
"No" she heard Aoshi reply with an even voice that unsettled her. The same tone of voice she had come to recognize he used when he was upset, it was a hollow and unaccented voice and she immediately turned to him with apologetic eyes. Hot lips found hers and his forceful tongue traveled the smoothness of her mouth. She tensed for a moment, needed to adapt to the uncomfortable burning on her neck, but then relaxed and sighed ashamed of her weakness as leader. His kisses were not the usual passionate, no, instead he somehow managed to make his mouth offer the comfort he was unable to with words. He was the only man she knew was able to show his emotions so openly on such a complicated act.
After a quarter of a minute he left her lips and held her face firmly "Never, you are our alpha, you are strong and wise, and you know I have no desire to lead them" he told her, the same thing they both knew but the very same thing that Kaoru chose to ignore every time she was depressed, and so, he did the only thing he knew would comfort her broken soul. He continued to kiss her forehead, her neck, to caress her hair and to whisper how great an alpha she had been to them. He knew her better than anyone, maybe even better than she knew herself. They had crossed paths when they had all been too young and too desperate, and somehow, they managed to find the path out of hell and to paradise. To a paradise that was slowly turning back to hell.
Soon enough Kaoru began to cry silently, the deep grief and loneliness she had been feeling slowly leaving her drained body. It was then when Aoshi took her in his arms and walked to a corner of the dark smelly alley and sat with her on his lap. Seconds later he began to hum a song he knew that always served to soothe the nerves of his young charge, the song of the descendants of the Sacra Blood. They remained unmoving for nearly an hour, just enjoying each other's presence and warmth, that was, until a familiar presence entered the dark alley.
"I cashed my money" said the elegant voice of a female as she neared them "What's wrong?" the same woman asked concerned.
"The same as always" Kaoru replied shamefully "I am so depressing, I'm sorry Megumi" she said softly and came to her feet, dusting away the snow that had attached to her jeans. A scowl marred Kaoru's face as she grudgingly realized that her pants were wet with melted snow.
Megumi crossed her arms and sighed "There is no need" she said with a weary expression "You are a crybaby, but you have been so since I first met you, and well, we are still here, aren't we?" she said and began to brush her long dark hair with her fingers.
"Thank you Megumi" said Kaoru sarcastically "You are always so caring" Kaoru said and walked past Megumi "So, do we go buy the supplies now?" asked Kaoru as she slowly made her way to the main street.
Megumi turned and followed Kaoru "I think it is for the best, is better to stay away from this place as much as we can, human scum is piling on the corners" she spat with disgust, her red lips frowning with distaste.
Soon enough, the three dark haired individuals were walking down the main street and into the grocery store. There wasn't much movement and they were grateful for that, it wasn't nice to have an excellent sense of smell and hearing in the middle of a crowd.
"Human scum?" asked Kaoru with a raised eyebrow "You tell me Assistant Doctor, I am working at a night club!" she seethed with fisted hands "Talk about disgusting pigs" she commented darkly and soon she lost herself to her angry mutters.
Aoshi merely ignored Kaoru but Megumi gave her an apologetic look "Sorry, but you make good money" Megumi reminded her with an uncomfortable smile that quickly turned to be a grin "and besides, practice will help you tie that special man you love to you" she mocked.
"Yeah, very funny Megumi, as if" muttered Kaoru and snarled the horrendous and abusive memories of the man that had held her prisoner for a year and a half four years ago. "I think I am a pitiful example for the younger girls" Kaoru said sourly as she uninterestedly glanced at Aoshi as he bought the essentials on the store. She had cashed her check a while ago and she had handed Aoshi her entire earnings. A frown appeared on her lips, so much for working…
A tense silence surrounded the trio. After a minute Aoshi came to meet the girls with a few shop bags in hands "We are being watched" the tall stoic man muttered with cold eyes. He began to walk forward, Megumi and Kaoru walking a step behind him, flanking him, making a V-formation. They were silent and their movements were graceful and alert. A pair of blue eyes inspected the corners, the roofs and the empty streets in search of any threat, but they could see none. At the same time, dark brown eyes kept nervous eyes trained on the snowy ground, simply following.
Aoshi stopped in an intersection, his cold dark green eyes silently examining each direction carefully; however, Kaoru's voice interrupted him. "Let's go different ways" she suggested "We will meet at the front gate, that way we will find out who is being followed since there is only one person following us" she explained her logic with tight eyes. Kaoru stared impassively at Aoshi, a silent message passing between them, alpha and beta, and then they both turned to Megumi.
Megumi gave a step back and frowned "Don't look at me" she pointed edgily "I am not defenseless, I can scream, and very high if I need to" she reminded them with a feminist attitude. She crossed her arms defiantly and narrowed her eyes at her worrywart leaders.
This foolish comment made Kaoru grin and Aoshi nod his head approvingly. "I think I am the one being followed" Kaoru commented with guarded eyes and alert ears "If I am not at the gates when you arrive, keep going forward, wait for me half-way home" she ordered and after a glance, each one took a different path.
Kaoru walked guardedly down the lone street. Her eyes were set in a cold stare and her legs were shivering with nerves. After a minute walk she stopped. She expanded her senses and she found that she could no longer feel the presence of the individual who had been following them. Had she been mistaken? Was someone after Megumi? It was impossible; she had thought that her Master had finally decided to forcefully get her back, even when it meant crossing the enemy frontier. Nervousness invaded her veins, were they aiming for Megumi and planning an exchange?
Too deep on her thoughts she failed to sense the presence approaching her from her back until it was too late. Instincts had kicked in her a second too late, and instead of attacking him, she jumped away only to be caught by her ankle and flung to the snow. A hand instantly gripped the back part of her neck painfully and a powerful knee pushed down her back. Panic welled inside of her and she began to squirm uselessly, her mind clouding with fear.
A dark chuckle welcomed her futile attempts "Not so fiery now" the dark and sensual voice of her attacker said "What? No confidence without your man?" the voice mocked with a hint of disappointment.
Kaoru could hardly breathe at all, her limbs were becoming numb and her face and front began to freeze. Still, her mind was conscious of what was happening and groggily pointed out to her the grave situation she was currently facing. "No" Kaoru growled, madness overpowering her "I will not go back to him" she snarled, her hands recovering their strength and she began to push herself up.
The pressure on her back intensified and so did her efforts to escape this deadly grip "Silence!" the voice of her captor snarled back, the hand on her neck closing even more, enough to choke "I will complete Jinchuu!" the voice growled and with an uncontrollable surge pushed the head of the woman under him against the street.
The loud crack of her skull against the stone street or the sickly scent of splashed blood never came. Instead, the white haired man found himself alone on the streets. There were no footprints, no scent, no sound, no woman. The strong built man rose to his feet with a blank face. After a second his aqua eyes turned to his hands and the stinging sensation he could feel on them, as if he had been bitten. There was no blood on him, no injury, and his Tachi was still safely tucked on his back. What had just happen?
The man just shook his head and with a finger once again placed his glasses up his nose. It didn't matter, he knew where she worked and he knew her paydays. Jinchuu will be completed.
xxoOoxx
To be continued…
xxoOoxx
JeniNeji's Note:
Here is chapter two. This is a story that had been waiting to be released for a year.
However, I had no beta and was working with another story.
Sorry for the tardy update, and thanks for reading.
