A/n I'm a bit disappointed that my last chapter got 10 reviews less than the first. But for the people who did review…many, many thank yous :) Anyway, School sucks… as we all know… Boys suck even more….stress kills. BUT I would hate to leave all of you hanging around with this story, from what I gather from the reviews everyone is hooked. I didn't get a chance to look through this chapter one last time, I'm running late for Japanese class 0o
I've got some very very good guesses as to what Kenshin and Sano are. In this chapter you will find out! Woot! Now don't get confused. Some will know just what I'm talking about… others will think I've lost my marbles. It will be a bit strange in this chapter, but things will clear up as the story goes. Just run with it.
I give this chapter a PG rating for swearing.
Disclaimer. I don't own Kenshin and I credit Ms. Feehan for much of the idea.
I dedicate this Chapter to Steve Irwin, who died this week. The world lost a great conservationist. He's now in Heaven's Zoo with all other animals. My prayers are with Terri, Bindi and Bob.
Chapter 3
… . .
'Sano….where are you?' Kenshin raced though the dark city streets. His eyes barely able to stand the whirl of colors that flowed past him.
'At the Akabeko, what is the matter Kenshin? You sound excited.' Sanosuke's voice held a tint of alarm in it. And for Kenshin to be excited usually meant danger was not far behind him.
Because they had shared blood, they had a bond and could contact each other across the miles. It was handy during those life and death moments when they needed help. Or in Sanosuke's case most of the time…a favor.
'I found her.' Kenshin nearly wept, he stopped his running at a bridge about four blocks from the Akabeko. He griped the metal railing till it threatened to bend and he gazed at the water below. His reflection was distorted by the raindrops but he gazed anyway.
'Who?' Sano was swiftly exiting the restaurant, heading for his friend.
'Kaoru.' Her name was like food to his starving body, he mouthed it over and over again, just to feel it on his tongue.
'Wait…who?'
'Kaoru, the woman you chased last night.' Again the metal railing groaned under his grip and he eased off of it.
'Ah, okay.' Sanosuke was still confused and bewildered. ' And…?' knowing there must be more to this.
'She is my lifemate.'
There was a very charged silence that stretched for more than a few long moments. Kenshin suspected the man had tripped or ran into something.
'Kenshin…she's human. Are you sure.' He finally answered.
'Of course I'm sure!' he snarled down at his distorted reflection. 'I feel emotions I haven't felt in gods know how long.' He calmed and added, 'I see colors. Sano the colors. How did I live without them?' he felt rather than heard Sanosuke sigh.
'Well congratulations Man, and here I had a bet with the Prince that I would find my mate before you. Looks like I owe him a hundred.'
Kenshin felt his lips twitch as a rare smile broke across his face. He tipped his head up, eyes open, watching the rain fall. He had his mate… the light to his dark. She would be his salvation. The threat of his turning was forever gone. He welcomed Sano mentally as the taller man slowly approached him on the bridge.
"Good Lord it must be true." Sanosuke exclaimed. Kenshin was smiling… a true, actual smile. He grabbed Kenshin by the shoulders and shook him until his head was snapping back and forth. "Why the Hell did you leave without her Kenshin, I thought for sure you wouldn't let her out of your sight." He let his rattled friend go and stepped back. "You haven't talked to her yet have you?" His brown eyes were wide.
Kenshin gave his head a shake to clear his vision and glared up at Sanosuke. "I don't want to rush things. I communicated with her mentally and that alone disturbed her greatly. You think she wouldn't have any objections if I just jumped into her window and carried her off into the night?" The thought had entered his mind a few times during their short conversation.
"She's you're life mate Kenshin. Of course she wouldn't care, she can't live without you. Just as you can't with out her." Sanosuke dragged a hand through his already messy hair. Kenshin smiled despite himself. Sanosuke was only a few years younger than himself, but he had kept hold of his emotions well. He was one of the few of his kind to keep his emotions after such a long time. His carefree and loving nature was the cause of his gift. Kenshin had often used Sanosuke as an anchor to keep him rooted in the world when he felt himself slipping into the darkness, into the hands of pure evil.
"No Sano, I know her…I can't rush this." He rested his left hand on the hilt of his sword out of habit. "I must be very careful with her, she's my life now." He lived for Kaoru. She came before everything. Even himself. If he had to suffer a few more days apart from her to make this easier for her, then so be it. They would have an eternity to be happy.
"How do you stand it?" Sano asked as he leaned over the railing and gazed down at his reflection. Kenshin joined him.
"I can't" the red-head answered honestly. His body ached to hold her, to feel her softness against him. His body nearly sang with yearning and he slammed the door on his emotions and feelings from Sano before the man knew just how affected he was. He nearly trembled. The beast in him wanted to turn around and run back to the side of his lifemate, to claim her right then and there and make her his.
"Must be awful." Sano joked. There was a hint of jealously in his voice.
"It is." Kenshin lied, and Sano knew it. It was the best feeling in his life, the very fact that he was feeling was a miracle in itself. Kenshin felt remorse for his close friend. And he set a hand on Sanosuke's back. The brown eyed man just gazed down at the water. "You'll find your lifemate soon Sano. Just hold on." He said softly, almost afraid he would only upset him.
Sanosuke sighed, turning around and resting his back and his elbows on the rail, his eyes finding the soft purple of Kenshin's eyes, even though all Sano saw were shades of grey in them.
"We are a dying race Kenshin. You yourself told me many times. Too many males, hardly any females. The Carpathians are going to die out. It's only a matter of time." He shoved his mop of wet hair from his face. "I hold on the hope that perhaps Tomoe, or now, maybe even Kaoru….will bare a girl child… one that is meant for me."
Kenshin bowed his head, his dripping bangs falling to cover his face. It was difficult for Carpathian females to get pregnant, even harder to stay pregnant. Even if the child survived long enough to be born. Majority of them were males. And even then…many children didn't live past the age of one. No matter how careful, how gentle they were with female children,…and they were very protective and gentle…they died. The last female to live past the age of two had been Tomoe…Kenshin's sister, Lifemate of the prince, Hiko Seijurou.
Tomoe had two miscarriages and was on her third pregnancy. She was over five months along, the longest she'd ever been. And Prince Hiko was half out of his mind protecting her and the unborn baby. Every unattached Carpathian male hung their hopes on every birth. Hoping that it would be a girl, hoping she would live past the danger, hoping that she was the lifemate of one of them. Odds where against everyone. A male without a lifemate would soon lose themselves. They would submit to the darkness for a taste of false power, for any kind of emotion. They would become a vampire.
It was Hell, having to hunt down friends, family. Men who has succumbed to the dark call. Vampires killed indiscriminately, they were murderers. They had to be stopped and killed. Kenshin was one of the hunters. He had killed his far share of Vampires before he was ordered to stop by Prince Hiko. Every kill took a part of the soul, pushing the Carpathian closer to the edge of darkness. He had no lifemate to anchor him. He was becoming a danger. Everyone feared Kenshin becoming a vampire. Not even the Prince wanted to risk Kenshin. Even though they all knew he would embrace the dawn before becoming a vampire, they didn't want to take the risk. To become the undead rather than immortal.
But here he was, walking the edge of darkness, when he was suddenly blinded by light and colors. His lifemate, the other half of the same whole. His anchor. His savior. Kenshin would give his life for her, he would die by her hand if she so wished it. Kenshin was at her mercy and he was so very grateful.
"Sano," he finally said, looking up to his friend. "If Kaoru bears me a daughter, I would gladly pray that you would be your lifemate." He said sincerely. Sano blinked a few times. Emotion swirled in his eyes before he was able to harden himself.
"I pray for that too Kenshin. I'll protect Kaoru as I do Tomoe. With my life. Human or not, she will be one of us soon, and she may hold my future." He stood from the rail at took Kenshin by the arm gripping him close to the elbow, Kenshin did the same before they pulled each other into a brief hug. "Now come on." Sanos' mood instantly changed back to his normal carefree mood. "We should to tell the Prince and Tomoe. I think Tomoe will be so happy to finally have another woman so near. I think we are smothering her."
Kenshin laughed and the pair vanished in a swirl of mist and rain.
…. .. .
"Well it's about damn time." Hiko growled over at the much shorter Kenshin. "You're what… almost a thousand years old now." He turned his light brown eyes away from his fellow Carpathian and friend. "Still. I'm glad you finally found her. The fact that she is human brings up many questions." The Prince was tall, taller than even Sano. With the dark hair that was common of their race, and the broad shoulders, Hiko cut an imposing figure. He spoke with a hint of a middle European accent. Though born in Japan, Hiko spent half of his life in Romania, the Carpathian mountains to be specific. The mountain range stretched over many countries, and was home to more than half of their people.
Kenshin stood at the lonely table that Hiko was sitting alone at. A chest board sat in front of him. Rain dripped from his clothes and hair to the wood floor, but no one seemed to care. He cleared his throat. "If you don't mind me saying Hiko… you were over one thousand and three hundred by the time you found Tomoe and I, that you were." He smiled gently at the scowl the prince shot at him as he moved a knight on the board. The prince was no doubt playing against his lifemate, who was upstairs, resting. She sent him her moves mentally, and by the look of the board, Kenshins' sister was kicking Hiko's ass.
"Stop distracting me boy, can't you see that I'm trying to play?" Hiko growled as his eyes glued to the board. But after a moment his eyes flickered back to Kenshin, who stood silently, waiting. "Is there anything different about her Shinta?"
Kenshin never did like the fact that Tomoe let out his childhood name out. Then again, it was nearly impossible to hide anything between lifemates. "She is a sensitive, we were able to speak to each other mentally." He admitted.
"Hmm," Hiko moved a pawn and then sat back with a smug look on his face before turning back to Kenshin. "We have always thought that such humans could become candidates to be lifemates. But we never tested it out. As far as I know, you are the first to have a human lifemate. It won't be very easy for you."
Kenshin shifted, his body still screaming at him to find Kaoru. "What do you mean?"
"Human females have not been imprinted with our ways, obviously. She won't know how to act or what to do; she very well may fight this." Hiko swore, picked up the queen of his opponent and slammed it down. "You're sister is a ruthless player." He growled at him.
Kenshin only smiled.
'Don't mind him Kenshin, he's a sore loser.' Came the soft voice of his sister from somewhere in the massive house.
"Of that I have no doubt."
"What?" Hiko glared at the red-head.
"Nothing." He flashed a smile before bowing in farewell and swiftly joining Sano who was gazing into the fireplace and the pair made to leave the room.
"Don't forget our bet Sanosuke!" Hiko called after them. Sano didn't look back but raised a hand in acknowledgement.
…. . .
Kaoru slipped into her sandals with a yawn. Another late night. She was able to call Yahiko to tell him to not wait up for her this time. The boy grumbled about having to fix his own dinner but that was all. Kaoru smiled softly to herself as she stepped into the warm summer night. It was still early, about ten in the evening, but still three hours later than she usually worked.
Kaoru was a bit nervous about walking home again, especially after that strange conversation she had the night before. Kaoru felt her stomach do a strange little flip as she thought about whoever that man was. His voice. It was the stuff of dreams. Kaoru felt herself blush and she ducked her head at some passersby. She shouldn't be thinking such thoughts. He could be a really old man... or a really young one for all she knew. But something in her gut told her otherwise.
She felt a soft breeze brush past her and a moment later a hand caught her just above the wrist. Electricity bolted through her body. She literally froze in mid step as the strange sensations raced through her blood. Her heart skipped several beats, her fingers tingled and colors melted together. When she was finally able to compose herself, Kaoru turned to the owner of the hand on her arm. Soft amethyst eyes greeter her, as well as a mass of blood red hair. He had a handsome face, slightly feminine but he had an aura that reeked of masculinity.
"Hello."
His voice weaved a vision of lust and all things sinful, sending Kaoru blushing in the darkness. And all he had done was greet her with one word. Kaoru jumped away but the hand on her am held tight.
"Um, hello." Kaoru returned, tugging her hand gently from the grip on her wrist, it was like an iron band. "Who are you? What do you want?" The man smiled, showing sharp white teeth that sent her heart racing. The man let go of her arm but instantly linked his arm around hers and walked with her.
"I'm Kenshin Himura." He said, as if that answered it all. He was only a few inches taller then Kaoru, so he was pretty short for a man, but power rolled off of him. It made Kaoru uncomfortable, and was strangely magnetic. "I believe we talked last night."
Kaoru stiffened. This was the man that she was talking with last night in her room. The one who dove into her mind and insisted that they meet. She tried to pull away but again he held her tightly.
"Don't be afraid." He soothed in a voice that flowed like warm honey and sent calming warmth flooding into her body. She found herself leaning closer. "I'm not going to hurt you." He added, his breath played across her shoulder. Again Kaoru snapped back to her senses and jumped back.
"Let me go." She demanded, her voice shook slightly. Kenshin tisked but did as he was told, letting her arm slip from his. Instantly she missed the contact and that scared her. She turned and continued on her way home, Kenshin followed her. "So how did you know I could talk to you mentally, or was our contact an accident?" As much as the man unnerved her, she was fascinated that there was another out there that could communicate in such a way.
Kenshin was caught, as her lifemate, he was unable to lie. "That night that you were chased, I was there."
Kaoru whirled around, sapphire eyes glaring daggers. "Was it you who was doing-"
"No, no." Kenshin interrupted. "That was my friend Sanosuke, I caught him and reprimand him. I was the one who said you were rather beautiful."
"Oh so you followed me home then. Stalker." Kaoru spat and stomped away, very aware that he was still following her.
"I was making sure you made it home safely." He said, slightly exasperated. "I could never harm you."
"And I'm supposed to believe that Mr. Himura?"
"Yes. Never. I would sooner harm myself then to harm you." Kenshin hurried after her to walk beside her. "Call me Kenshin, please."
Kaoru paused, and turned to face the strange man. "And I should just believe that?"
Kenshin stepped closer. His eyes devouring the girl in front of him as she stepped back, pressing her back against the stone wall along the sidewalk. He reached out to set a hand on her cheek, Kaoru tried to pull away but found herself leaning to his touch. "Yes, I could never lie to you. Even if I wanted."
Kaoru smirked, this guy was a piece of work wasn't he? Handsome, powerful, yet he had the worst pick up lines she had ever heard. "Look, you're cute and all and It's great that we share this strange communication but I don't….think…" Kaoru paused, the hairs on the back of her neck stood on end and she looked around. Dread flooded her body, chilling her to the very bone.
"What is it?" Kenshin's soft purple eyes suddenly grew hard and cold, looking up and down the road they were traveling. He scanned the area and felt nothing but sleeping humans. Yet he felt the fear and unease from his lifemate. Then suddenly he felt an unmistakable evil, but it was far too late to do anything.
"I don't know." She whispered before giving her head a shake. A strange cold wind kicked up and she felt Kenshin step closer to her. An animalistic growl issuing from his throat. Kaoru's heart leapt in her throat and she whipped her head around and gasped, seeing the purpled eyed man was now an amber eyed man. He was giving a death glare right over her head. Kaoru was afraid to look. Kenshin yanked Kaoru away from the wall and shoved her behind him as they stepped away into the middle of the road.
Kaoru stole a look over his shoulder.
Standing on the wall was a man, tall, slim and sly looking. But what caught her attention the most was that he had fangs protruding from his mouth, almost reaching his chin and claws at least three inches long, and blond hair that stood straight up. "Good lord. Who is that?" she whispered, suddenly glad that Kenshin was there, as strange as he was. She felt safe, despite the fearsome person that stood just over her head.
"Sawagejo Chou" Kenshin sneered. A vampire he had been hunting for a long while before he had been called off duty. And here he was, and here Kenshin was, with no sword and his lifemate to protect. "Damn."
A/n Gah! For those who may not know… Chou was the blonde broom headed fighter that collected swords and fought Kenshin with the long super flexible sword. (When Kenshin got his new Reverse blade sword.)
Anyways… well there you go…it's strange I know, I know.. but give it a chance. The idea is a rather good one. I know this was a lot of information, but it will sort itself out soon.
points review! They are loved… and much needed for me to live though till next chapter.
