Chapter 8

An owl and a phoenix flew side by side in the night, coming back from feeding.

Let's hurry up I have a uneasy feeling. Motoko confessed as her senses flared in all directions. Before Gabriel could comment another voice entered into the conversation.

Motoko come tame your daughter before she-- Shit. The voice cut off quick.

Don't you start asking your sister to help you out, this is between you and me. Now get you ass back here. A female said her voice dripping with anger. With a sigh Motoko changed directions. Gabriel did as well, following to see what was up. As the two flew they saw two people jumping from roof top to roof top. The one in the front was a male with long black hair pulled back at the nape of his neck. His shirt was hanging open and he looked covered in soot. The person in back had a drawn katana, her lengths of dark blue-black hair trailing her as she chased the male. Her skirt and button up shirt also looked as though they were covered in soot as well.

Motoko landed a few buildings away from the running pair taking her original form. Before the male could pass her, her index and thumb nails latched into one of his earlobes enough to cause pain but not make it bleed. The move stopped him in his tracks. She held her other hand up in front of her stopping the female's progress as Gabriel landed a few feet away.

"Now someone is going to tell me what's going on," Motoko stated her voice pitched low.

"He blow up my lab again," the female said pointing with the katana

"I did not, you did yourself. If you wouldn't work with combustible materiels half the time," Motoko pulled at the males ear getting a grunt of displeasure from him.

"Ken-kun what did you do this time,"

"I didn't do anything..."

"Would you quit that Kenshin-chan. You distracted me when I was working and the lab blew up, again. I lost..."

"Kameko,"

"Hai kaasan," Kameko sheathed her katana and took a calming breath. Gabriel again raised a curious eyebrow.

"Who knew my adopted daughter would be lifemate to my younger brother," Motoko said over her shoulder. She then turned back to Kenshin. "And you dear brother, how is it you can be two millennia in age and still be a baka?"

"It wasn't my fault," she tugged on his ear again. "Would you please stop that," Motoko didn't answer.

"If I hadn't of sent your twin out with what was done I would have lost everything. Now we have to wait till we go back to Japan,"

"When are you... wait Shin-kun came with you?" Motoko asked a hint of shock in her voice.

"Hai, Shinji-kun said something about finding his lifemate. But he wouldn't tell us anymore. Now Motoko-chan will you please let go of my ear so I can move again," Kenshin asked girding his teeth. She released his ear, he rubbed at his now sore ear as he walked over to Gabriel. On the way there he clean up and got on new cloths with a thought. "Konichwa Gabriel-san I'm Kenshin it is an honor to meet you," he said holding out his hand.

"As it is you," Gabriel said taking the offered hand in a warriors grip.

"Anyways what happened to Shin-kun he was radiating quite a bit of pain a week ago," Motoko asked as Kameko clean up as well.

"Shinji-kun was hunting a vampire and had his eyes gouged out,"

"NANI?" Motoko's eyes went wide with shock. She was about to say something then Kameko held up one of her hands.

"Wait, he wanted it to happen. He said why bother seeing at all when it is only in dull grays. Now he won't let anyone heal him so that he can see again, so the sockets remain empty,"Kameko said her pain for what happened evident in her voice.

"Didn't he say something about hearing a child crying when it happened?" Kenshin asked his lifemate as he and Gabriel made their way to the two. Kenshin was going to go over to stand by Kameko but she put her hand on the hilt of her katana saying that she was still mad at him and he backed away. Motoko looked a bit dazed then shook her head.

"Oh right, Meko-chan how far long are you?" Kameko looked almost shocked at the sudden change of topic as a hand shot to rest on her abdomen.

"Three months. But how...,"

"Kaasan knows all. Now you said Shinji-kun was on his way to Gabriel-san's?" Kameko nodded then looked as though she remember something. "Oh that's right Rika sensai asked us to give this to you. She said you were the only one that knew the binding that was used on it," Kameko said as she pulled a thick envelope from the waistband of her skirt and handed it to Motoko. The second it touched Motoko's hand it dropped to the ground and she fell to her knees next to it.

"Damn it not him again," Motoko whispered as she wrapped her arms around her feeling a sudden chill run through her body. Then she straitened, whispered a chant as she pressed her thumb to her tongue and then pressed it into the envelope. The paper popped open with a hiss. Motoko looked down at the now open paper and her eyes wide. Moments later she was thrown backwards and landed sprawled out on her back. Everyone was at her side as Kenshin propped her up in against his arm. "Seal it... seal it now," her voice a mere thread of sound as tears welled in her eyes. Kameko started moving and resealed the paper into the form of an envelope.

Motoko looked as though she was hyperventilating as tears made there way down her face. Kameko was at her side the moment she was done sealing the envelope.

"What's wrong?"

"It was from the one who held Katsuna-chan, it was a replica of her birthmark," Motoko said pushing away from Kenshin bracing herself on her hands and knees and began retching. One hand clutched at her own birthmark as she felt pain as if it was being cut from her body. Kameko put her hand on her mothers shoulder and shivered as she saw the memory that had hit Motoko when she had opened the envelop.

"What was it?" Kenshin asked looking at how pale Kameko turned.

"It showed him cutting off Katsuna-chan's birthmark then grafting it to his own skin,"

"I have to get back. He's hoping something goes wrong. We have to get back now," Motoko said as she stood up on shaky legs and made her way to the edge of the building. Kenshin put a hand on his sisters shoulder to stop her but she took his arm, brought it around holding it high against his back. "Don't try and stop me. You know what will happen," she growled as she twisted the wrist. Bones snapped and popped under the presser. She let his arm go as she again begin to walk toward the edge of the building. Taking the form of the phoenix she started to fly off in the direction of Gabriel's home.

Gabriel made his way over to Kenshin just as the man snapped his wrist back into place. "Are you alright?"he asked a little concerned.

"Hai it's not anything I'm not used to," Kenshin looked and saw Gabriel's confused expression. "Like any other female, you have to get out of their way when they're mad or you get hurt. Isn't that right ai,"

"You still own me for the last lab of mine that blew up thanks to you," Kameko said as she smacked the back of his head with her hand.

"What about Motoko?"

"She knows what will happen if they do not join soon. But she also fears what may happen if they do join," Gabriel looked at Kenshin a little confused. So he continued. "Haruka-chan is dying the seal binding her to this world will last for no longer then a few more nights at best. If she were to pass from this world there will be no hope of saving Seiji-kun. We almost lost him a couple of times. The worst was when his elder twin was abducted by vampires,"

"Wait I thought Seiji was the oldest," Gabriel asked even more confused.

"Seiji-kun is the first born son, but his twin sister Katsuna-chan was born first," Kameko said as she cleansed the ground where Motoko threw up then placed the envelope into Kenshin's hand.

"The vampire who held her captive sent this," he said holding up the envelope. "He's saying he wants Katsuna-chan again and that if something should go wrong with Seiji-kun and Haruka-chan that he will be here to collect the spoils,"

"What if nothing goes wrong?" Gabriel asked not sure he understood all of what was just said but understood enough to know it wasn't good.

"Katsuna-chan has to watch her back carefully," Kenshin said as he placed the envelope in his back pocket and took off toward the edge of the building to follow Motoko. Kameko did the same and Gabriel followed after with a sigh. Shinji where are you at the moment? Kenshin's mind asked seeking his twins.

I have just gotten here and await to see if her memory returns.

Be safe brother have vampire waiting for an ill outcome.

Hai I know. I just hope this goes alright I can feel Motoko-chan's anger.

That is also why I say be safe. He heard his brothers laughter as he broke the communication his thoughts planing for the worst but hoping for the best.

Author's Note: Back again and again I must apologize. I have been trying to get a chapter out once a week and have had one or two done but had to make sure they made some sort of sense so it has taken longer than I thought to get it posted (not to metion I was reading a book I couldn't seem to put down, again). So I ask to please be forgiven and hope this chapter doesn't confuse you to much. If it does I am again sorry, but in the chapter is a starting set up for the next 'Dark' fic that will not leave my mind alone. What is even more sad is that there is not only one other 'Dark' fic swimming in my mind but two.

Oh well what can I do until I am done with this one, which I hope is soon. I have but one last thing to say or should I say ask. How can I give readers any answers if I do not know the questions. Please tell me what is on your mind. It is fun to hear what you have to say.

Thanks for reading.