a/n Wow, look a update. Gah! Me so sorry it took me this long to post this chapter ( even though I already had it finished weeks ago.) I've been very busy with school and choir and life. All of this really just slipped my mind. (For those waiting for an update in Phantom of the Dojo, I haven't even started the new chapter yet, that's how busy I've been.) But I found a bit of free time and I'll be working on my writing as much as I can.

I feel bad for leaving you guys hanging on a cliff for so long. Me so sorry. To all my reviewers… I love your reviews. Lol I really do, your reactions makes me feel so good about my writing. I'm so glad everyone likes my style of writing. I know it's not for everyone. I tend to go overboard with details, and sometimes I can get very vague. Anyways, enough of me and on to the story you have been waiting so long for.

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Another quote I found, being that the last one was so popular. I searched the books for another good one :) Enjoy.

'Hear me cara. I cannot make it home this night. Go to the chamber, and I will attempt to come to you tomorrow night.' He was trying to hide his pain from her, to cover the fact that he was dragging himself to shelter, trying to find a piece of ground he could safely open to crawl into.

'Just stay put, Aidan. I'm coming for you.'

'Do not! There is great danger to you. Stay in the house!'

'Give it up. I've never been very good at minding anyone. In case my little brother neglected to inform you, I've been the boss for years.'

Alexandria (human) to Adian (Carpathian) – "Dark Gold" by Christine Feehan

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Disclaimer: I do not own Kenshin, nor the work of Christine Feehan.

I give this chapter a PG-13 rating for violence and some disturbing description.

Where we last left off: Shishio set the girl against the wall and made sure she was still well chained to the rock and closed his wound oh his wrist himself. He eyed the boy, who shrunk away at his gaze but refused to leave the cave. With a shrug he turned and left, heading to the slave room, where he would finish feeding and get some rest. He left the pair to fend for themselves.

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Chapter 6

The sun was setting and Kenshin exploded from the ground. Sanosuke followed right after, surprised that his friend was nearly snarling. Sanosuke often stayed with Kenshin to keep him from turning in his loneliness. He was almost acting as an anchor for the Carpathian.

"Kenshin?" Sanosuke kept his distance. He knew Kenshin was able to attack anything that moved when he was like this. Question was,… what put him in such a mood so early in the night?

"Kaoru is in trouble." Kenshin growled, bolting up the steps of his lair and into the first floor. Sanosuke close behind.

"Are you sure?"

"Of course I'm sure." Kenshin snapped as he grabbed their custom made sunglasses and handed Sanosuke his pair. "At least,….I think I'm sure. Our bond isn't strong, but I have a gut feeling, my lifemate is in danger. I should never have let her out of my arms." He looked to make sure he had his sword.

"I hope you're wrong Buddy." Sanosuke slipped his glasses on and followed Kenshin as he hurried to the door.

"So do I Sano. Listen… Get Aoshi. He's been hunting after Chou. I have a feeling that vampire scum has something to do with this. Aoshi may know where they would take Kaoru."

"Alright Kenshin. Be careful and don't jump right into things!" Sanosuke called out as his friend dashed out of the house.

It was slightly overcast. That was the only reason Kenshin was able to be outside as early as he was. Still, the weak rays made his skin sting. The specially made sunglasses protected his eyes, the most vulnerable part of him. But there was always that unease, like there was a thousand needles ready to stab him in the eyes. Kenshin moved quickly, a blur of speed. Keeping to the forest that ran along side his home, no one would be able to see him if and when he decided it was time to change. But he couldn't take animal form just yet, there was still too much sunlight, and he couldn't risk his eyes.

The first logical place to look was Kaoru's dojo. Perhaps he had been wrong; perhaps she had only had a nightmare or some sort of scare. But deep down Kenshin knew that his Kaoru was in trouble.

'Hold on Kaoru, I'm coming.'

….. . . .

The tide was rising; Yahiko could hear the water getting closer. Already the slap of waves could be heard on the cave wall that Kaoru had been chained to. He was pretty sure that the water wouldn't reach the cave entrance, but that didn't stop him from being worried. Kaoru was sleeping, that or she was just so weak she couldn't do anything other than lay there. Yahiko moved so that Kaoru used his lap as a pillow and the boy gently petted the tangled dirty hair from her face. He refused to look at the horrible wound on her neck. Blood still seeped from the tear in her flesh, but he didn't care if he got blood on him.

'That baka monster, I don't know who or what the hell that thing is, it's gonna pay for what he did to Kaoru, so help me..'

"Yahiko?" Kaoru stirred. Her voice was just a hoarse whisper, but it was the best thing Yahiko ever heard.

"Kaoru! You're awake." So much relief flooded Yahiko that he thought he was going to cry. But he blinked the tears back, he wouldn't cry in front of Kaoru, not after she tried so hard to be brave in front of him.

"Yahiko what are you still doing here." she whispered, sitting up slowly. Yahiko helped her sit up and made sure she rested her back against the cave wall. She grabbed him by the shoulders. "Yahiko you have to leave."

The boy shook his head stubbornly. "I'm not going to leave you here with that thing."

"But you hare to go."

"No! you wouldn't leave me if it was me chained to that wall." Yahiko watched the truth in Kaoru's eyes. There would be no way that she would have left him and he wasn't going to leave her ether. "That monster told me things in my head. Said that you never did like having to take care of me, being a thief and all, and how you would be so happy to kill me once he turned you. I didn't believe a single word that idiot said." He said proudly.

"Good Yahiko. You're too smart for that thing. He's trying to turn us against each other or something. But we're stronger if we stick together." Kaoru winced slightly and Yahiko caught the sound of soft scratching. A moment later Kaoru gasped and jumped up and away from the cave wall. Yahiko was knocked back on his bottom and saw what it was that was creating the sound.

Crabs, dozens of tiny little crabs and sand ticks had crawled out from the sandy bottom of the cave, obviously to escape the rising waters on the other side. They were nipping at Kaoru and Yahiko. The boy jumped up and helped Kaoru knock the things off her legs and skirt. He then kicked at the sand to send the pests away, but it seemed that all he did was dig up even more.

"Yahiko you must go get help." Kaoru continued, he could hear the desperation in her voice.

"I can't leave you like this." Tears filled Yahiko's eyes again. "Damn it." he whispered. There was something about the freak in the cave that scared the life from Yahiko, he couldn't stop from being afraid, but he had to put on a brave face for Kaoru.

"No Yahiko." She grabbed him again. Her sapphire eyes, though slightly unfocused, blazed to life again. "Go find Kenshin. Kenshin Himura. He's a hunter, he hunts down things like that monster."

A hunter? "Where do I find him?" Yahiko felt the first hand of hope wrap around him.

"I don't know." Kaoru admitted. "But go back to the dojo, I have a feeling he'll be there. If he's not, call the police. Now go! It's already dark."

As if on cue, Yahiko felt the same cold, sickening fear wash over him. The freak was coming back. Kaoru must have felt it too.

"Go Yahiko." She turned him and shoved him to the cave entrance "Go now."

"You better be alive when I get back Ugly… or I'll never forgive you, ever." He watched a smile play on her face; her chapped lips cracked from the movement and started to bleed. Yahiko winced, turned away and ran for his life. 'I'll never forgive myself either.'

…. . .

The empty dojo didn't sit well with Kenshin. There should have been that young man Yahiko here. Or anyone. But the fact that there was no life whatsoever unnerved the hell out of him. In the common room he caught the scent of three human men. He breathed deeply, nostrils flaring out to gather as much of the scent as he could. There was nothing very unusual about it… this was a dojo. But the men reeked of vampire. A vampire Kenshin knew of rather well.

A low growl escaped Kenshin, his hard amethyst eyes swirled with amber. Heaven help anyone who got between him and Kaoru. He knew he was being murderous. But anyone fool enough to harm his mate needed to die. Kenshin took a few deep breaths to help calm him. Now was not the time to lose himself.

Out the front door he spotted another clue, tire tracks in the mud of the yard. The front gates were left open and looked battered. Kenshin was already putting together what happened and he was not at all happy.

'Well?' came a smooth, emotionless voice of Aoshi Shinomori.

If Kenshin had been walking the fine line between the life of a Carpathian, and the darkness of a vampire; Aoshi….he was teetering on the very edge of the knife. Many had suspicions that the powerful healer had already turned vampire. He was far older and far more powerful than even Prince Hiko. Many feared him enough to avoid him altogether. As of late, Aoshi had taken over hunting duties. Something that Prince Hiko knew was very dangerous. But Aoshi killed with ease now. He hardly seemed disturbed that his soul was being poisoned with every kill. Kenshin knew that Aoshi was holding on to his humanity because of the hope that his lifemate was out there somewhere. The one person who would bring him back from the rut he had fallen into.

'Shishio.' Kenshin answered. 'Human men have been in her dojo reeking of Shishio.'

'Damn it.' Aoshi muttered, yet his voice didn't match the swear. It was dangerously calm, emotionless and flowed around Kenshin like black silk. 'I've been hunting that bastard longer than you have Kenshin. We must find her.' Aoshi sent a mental image of where he believed Shishio to be residing. It was a cave on the beach a few miles from the dojo. It was in a secluded area, surrounded by forest. 'I'm closer, if Shishio is there. Leave him to me. You get your woman.'

Aoshi was desperate to keep the lifemates of others alive and well for the same reason that Sanosuke did. Anyone of them could be the one to bear a girl child that would be his lifemate. The man was holding on to the hope of such a birth. Aoshi seemed to believe that a human woman could bear children much better than a Carpathian born woman. Kaoru was very important to all of them. Kenshin clenched his jaw; he could hardly stand the thought of his Kaoru being near an evil creature like Shishio.

He took off his glasses now that the sun was completely down and set them safely in his pocket. His body shifted, it wasn't painful, but it was always a strange feeling that made his stomach flip. The ground was suddenly closer to him as he fell to all fours. Kenshin knew he would travel faster in owl form, but he didn't have the time for a cloaking chant. No one would notice a wolf. They would only believe him to be a large dog. The auburn wolf bolted from between the gates of the dojo and headed straight to the forest. He weaved in and out of the streets and alleyways, ignoring the startled gasps of the people he past by.

… . .

Kaoru glared daggers at the vampire as he stalked back up to her. He snickered and Kaoru tried to ignore the way his laugh felt like the crabs crawling on her skin. Shishio grabbed the chain and used it to haul her back to her feet. She was a bit stronger now. Recovering surprisingly well from the bite. The half dressed slave girls had fed her. The food held no taste to her, but she ate it anyway, glad for the strength it gave her.

'So I see the boy finally smartened up and fled.'

Kaoru tried to push him out of her mind but she was so weak, she didn't have the strength, and there seemed to be something there, blocking her attempts.

'We shared blood my dear, we have a bond now.' He reached with a leathery hand and petted her hair. The action was repulsive to Kaoru. Suddenly he grabbed a fistful of her hair and held her tightly. 'I'll give the boy a head start before I send Chou after him. I can't allow him to call for help now can I?'

"No! Leave him alone. I haven't given you any trouble." Kaoru was silenced with a jerk of her hair. The action twisted her head in a painful angle.

"I never gave my word that I would let him go free, only let him go of my hold on him. Besides, if I did give my word…well… you should never trust the word of a vampire."

"You're a horrible, nasty being." Kaoru spat in his face.

"Now, now, complements will get you nothing. I make it a point to never spoil my women." He pulled her close at that point; his free hand groped her bottom, pushing her hips against his.

Kaoru set her teeth and struggled, she wanted to vomit all over the creature. Her stomach already heaved from her touching the vile creature. She whimpered as he bent his head and trailed his icy lips down her neck to the wound he had caused before. With a hiss he bit down and reopened the wound with a shake of his head. Fangs shredded the flesh and again he feasted on her blood. She closed her eyes tightly, trying to ignore the pain and the sound of his slurping. Black spots started dancing in her vision and Kaoru suddenly felt detached from her body.

When she could see again, Kaoru found herself on the ground, a bleeding wrist pressed to her mouth. Shishio massaged her throat softy with his free hand until she swallowed mouthful after mouthful of the putrid blood. As much as she wanted to turn away, Kaoru had a need for his blood and she whimpered when he yanked his wrist away. Strength flowed into her, but it was just enough for her to stay awake.

"Bastard." she mumbled as she glared at him. He only laughed as if she made a joke.

…. . .

Yahiko had no clue where he was. He had been running for what seemed like forever, but that was because he was dead tired.

"Damn it, I can't stop now. I need to get help for Kaoru." He growled at himself as he paused to catch his breath, his hands resting on his knees and he panted for air. He rubbed the sweat from his eyes. This was stupid! He could be going in circles.

"You're not." Said a dark voice behind him.

Yahiko wheeled around. A tall man stepped from behind a tree. He had short dark hair and was wearing a cream color trench coat that reached the ground. Hard blue eyes caught Yahikos' gaze and nailed his feet to the ground. "Who the Hell are you?"

"I'm here to help. I'm trying to find Kaoru Kamiya." His voice was pure comfort to Yahiko and he felt himself fall into the feeling of security and relief. "Where is she?"

Yahiko suddenly saw the image of the cave flash before his eyes, followed by flashes of the inside, and how Kaoru was chained to the wall and finally the horrible image of the vampire. "Hey! What are you doing!" Yahiko snapped. The images scattered.

"I needed to know just what we are dealing with, and just who had her." The slim, tall man stepped closer. His voice held perfect reason to his actions.

Yahiko couldn't move, he was afraid, but strangely he felt safe.

"I'm sorry for diving into your mind that way. It was necessary. Don't worry, we'll get Kaoru back."

"We?"

Just then a large dog jumped out of the trees and skidded to a stop and turned to face Yahiko. It was then that Yahiko realized that it wasn't just a big dog, it was a wolf. A massive, redish-brown wolf.

"Yes, you stay here; we'll come back for you when we have Kaoru safe." The man said simply and vanished, the wolf followed close behind.

"Like Hell I am." Yahiko growled to himself. If anyone was going to be there to help Kaoru it was going to be him. Not some mind reading freak and a wolf. What if they take Kaoru just to use for themselves? There was no way he was going to let that happen.

… . .

Kaoru knew that something was going on when the "slaves" started running about and the vampire's anger flooded the cave like a wave of burning cold. Shishio stalked back into the main room, shoving a panicked girl away from him and into the wall. He yanked Kaoru to her feet again, pulling the chain free from the wall.

"Seems that boy got us into some trouble faster than we thought." Shishio snarled. Anger rolled off him, Kaoru could almost see the energy of it. "Sorry I can't stick around, But I'll come back for you my dear. There does seem to be something very special about you. I would stay and fight for you," He trailed a pointed nail down her cheek, cutting a thin line in her face, "But it's Aoshi coming for me, and I won't risk a fight with that one."

Then, in an instant, the vampire was gone.

Kaoru didn't take her time getting out of that cave. She bolted. Her lack of blood made her sway slightly but she didn't let that stop her from helping the young girl that Shishio had shoved. "Come on." She urged, half dragging the stunned girl out of the cave. They had only taken a few steps outside when she slammed into something hard.

'Damn' she though when she looked up and saw the horrifying eyes of Chou. The brown haired girl whimpered and Kaoru shoved the girl behind her. "Get away from us!" Kaoru shouted.

… . .

'Chou is mine, you go ahead and go after Shishio' Kenshin said as he sprinted at the wolfs' full speed just behind Aoshi. He could already feel the evilness of Shishio fleeing. He was such a coward.

'Hai, just take care of your woman.' Aoshi responded. The man put on the speed and vanished ahead of the wolf. The area around them erupted with a thick, cold fog. Aoshis' way of cloaking an attack. Kenshin didn't have to worry; he was able to see perfectly well.

Kenshin sprinted as fast as he could and broke through the trees to see the chaos. Suddenly freed women slaves where running around, utterly terrified and lost in the darkness and fog. Shishio must have let go of his control over them when he fled. Kenshin hardly slowed as he turned his eyes to Kaoru in the cave entrance. The sight of her almost pulled the heart from his chest. Kaoru had a small girl child huddled behind her. She was trying in vain to protect her from the abomination in front of her.

Chou. The very sight made Kenshin literally see red.

Kaoru was pale, covered in sand and blood, her bare feet and legs looked raw from tiny bites taken from her flesh. Her hair was wild and hung about her shoulders and face, giving her the look of a hag. Kaoru's neck was ripped open and she oozed blood. The scent of it was thick in the air and was no doubt feeding Chou's confidence. There was a reek of vampire blood mixed in her spicy scent. She had taken vampire blood.

For a single moment Kenshin feared that she was turned into a vampiress. A crazed female vampire who fed on children and that she was not protecting the girl child but was in fact trying to keep her to herself to fed on and kill. Would he be able to kill her? His own lifemate. Instantly he knew that he would, he would have to, for her life would be one of murder and crazed suffering and he would never allow anyone to free her of her suffering. Only he would do so, and then he would meet the dawn.

Kenshin shoved the fear away. The terrified look on Kaoru's face was enough to show that she was deathly afraid of the lesser vampire in front of her. She was not one of them. She was still mostly human. Anger boiled in him, the beast within him roared, wanting free to shred the monster that caused her so much pain. But he held himself back. Aoshi was after Shishio, and Chou was unworthy to see his total fury.

Kenshin kept his pace even and with a single leap, he flew through the air and closed the distance to Chou.

….. . .

Kaoru refused to let Chou intimidate her. His head bobbed like a vulture's would as he watched her, waiting for the right moment to spring his attack. He was playing with her Kaoru realized. The small girl behind her whimpered and Kaoru tightened her hold on the poor thing.

Then it came from the fog like something from a horror movie. Glowing red-amber eyes, a long narrow muzzle and snapping rows of teeth. A wolf. The animal collided with Chou, knocking the creature off his feet and the pair rolled a few yards away and vanished in the soupy fog.

"What was that?" The girl screamed behind her and tried to run off, away from the screams and snarls. Kaoru held fast, refusing to let the child run out into unknown danger. She was too weak to do much to protect herself or the girl, but she was strong enough to keep her from foolishly running about.

"No! It's not safe out there." She held the girl to her now, falling to her knees and pressing her to her chest. The older slave girls had long ran away, and Kaoru didn't want to think what might happen to them out there in the darkness. Visions of women tumbling over a cliff edge in the blinding fog flashed before her. She prayed that it was just a fear and not another one of her premonitions. Kaoru looked out at the shadows in the fog. The auburn wolf had paused and Kaoru watched in amazement as the wolf form shifted and suddenly became a human form.

"Why don't you accept death? You know you will never win." Came a voice from the human form in the fog.

'That's Kenshin's voice!' Kaoru realized and instantly she felt a flood of relief. He had come for her. Just like she strangely knew he would. The vampire and Carpathian clashed together in battle. Chou screamed obscenities like a hysterical woman as he fought. Kenshin remand cool and calm as he side stepped Chou's every charge. Then, as Kenshin stepped away from Chou as he charged past, Kenshin reached out and grabbed the vampire by the head and wrenched in the other direction.

There was a sickening crack as Chou's neck broke. They were closer now, more visible in the fog. Kenshin's red hair stood out like a war banner. Kaoru pressed the childs' head to her chest to keep her from witnessing the horrific scene. The vampire shrieked in anger, his head flopped grotesquely to one side as he continued to charge Kenshin.

Kaoru tried to look away, but she was strangely entranced by the whole thing. She had eyes only for Kenshin. She watched him as he moved smoothly, as if he was nothing but the fog himself. He glided over the sand, almost as if his feet hardly touched the ground. Power trembled just under his skin, just waiting to be unleashed. He was a dangerous thing Kaoru realized. Just as strong, if not stronger, than his vampire counterparts.

The rasp of metal on metal brought her eyes to a glimmering sword in Kenshins' hand. Instantly she held the girl tightly as she watched Kenshin swivel on his feet and launch himself forward, taking a swipe at the air at the same time. He landed just beside Chou, his sword having gone clean through his neck. The vampire fell backwards and the head rolled towered Kaoru. Repulsed and horrified, Kaoru jumped to her feet and kept the girl at bay as the head came to a stop, just bumping into her foot slightly.

Kaoru felt her stomach heave at the sight and smell of the vampires' noxious blood as it poured onto the sand of the beach. She tore her eyes from it and they sought out Kenshin. He had his back to Kaoru, but he had moved to put himself between her and the vampire's body. He swiped his sword through the air again to rid it of the blood and he returned it to the sheath that rested at his side.

A/n Ooo Kenshin be mad. Hehe Well that's the end of Chou, but Shishio is still out there. And what's going to happen to Kaoru now that she has vampire blood in her? This isn't much of a cliff but there are many unanswered questions Mwhahaha!! Ahem… Hmm anyways, I don't have to tell you how much I love all your reviews. :) If I get a bunch of reviews, (like..oh I don't know..30ish) I'll update right away. (yes this is a bribe, I love hearing what other people think of my story :P ) If not, then it's the normal 2-3 weeks till I update again. I'm pretty sure my life will not be as busy as it has been for at least this month. And I'll be sure to update on time.

Anyways… reviews are loved. Till next time!