Sorry this ended up taking me so long, but I have a harder time writing action than I do writing interaction. Anyway, here we are, and I hope it satisfies. Oh… and as a WARNING – things get a little bloody at the end. Be warned of the MATURE RATING!

Disclaimer: The RK characters are not mine.

Chapter XXI: The Capture

"What reason did you have to believe I was performing any extra tests on you, Miss Kamiya?"

It was daylight finally, and Megumi was bringing the girl her breakfast since Miss Kamiya was still unable to move from the couch. No one had gotten any sleep, and the doctor had held off on the conversation because Miss Kamiya had looked much too worried and tense after the last call from Ken-san. Either it was because of exhaustion or a rational acceptance that they were telling her the truth and everything was going to be fine, she now appeared to be a little less apprehensive.

Kaoru looked up from her cup of coffee, and then shrugged her shoulders. She had made a decision about this already, which was why she had said nothing to them about the tests from the beginning. "I've only been to see a doctor twice in my life. Once when I… wrecked Daddy's truck, and the second time was after I was attacked outside of my apartment. Dad said I didn't need a doctor, and that my body took care of itself. He also told me that if a doctor or anyone else were to ever find out about me then they would want to take me away and do tests on me. I wasn't supposed to ever let anyone know, and I was to always deny any tests if I was ever in an accident.

"Even though I have very little experience with doctors I do know enough to know that you didn't need to do nearly as many tests as you did at my first physical examination. You found something that interested you, Dr. Takani, and you wanted to make sure you had enough samples to study it completely. Obviously you asked Mr. Himura to help you out, otherwise he wouldn't have sent me back so many times just for a regular checkup. He's not a stupid man, therefore he had to be aware of what you were doing and was either letting you continue on to see where it was going himself or he was a part of it from the beginning."

"Hmm." Megumi sat down beside her and studied her passive features with interest. "And what reason did you have to let me continue on without saying anything? You didn't think Ken-san would have fired you if you didn't, did you?"

"I wasn't sure at first. I did want to keep my job, and I figured it would help to play along and let you do as you wished. To be perfectly frank, Dr. Takani, I am just as curious as you are." Sapphire eyes lifted to stare into her own cinnamon. "I was told many times by Father and Mother that I shouldn't do this and I shouldn't do that, but they never gave me any more of a reason why I shouldn't than that I was different and I should be careful. Dad was afraid that I would be taken away and shoved into some lab and turned into a pet rat or something. I don't want that either, but I'm tired of not knowing just what I am."

"I see." A small smile pulled at Megumi's lips. She was starting to like this girl more and more by the minute. "Do you believe your parents knew why you are different?"

"I don't know if they knew exactly, but I know they had a better idea than I do. I guess they never got the chance to tell me, if they were ever going to."

"Perhaps they were waiting for the right time, or perhaps they just wanted to protect you and let you live a normal life."

"My life isn't normal anymore, and I think I have a right to know. I'm willing to cooperate if you would continue. I'll even tell you what little I know about myself if it will help."

A light of excitement blossomed in cinnamon irises, and Megumi stood from the couch as if she couldn't sit down any longer. "Ken-san forbid me from doing any more tests on you, but only because we didn't have your permission to do them."

A bud of happy warmth softened the thick barrier she had erected to keep her safe from the thought of just how angry Mr. Himura was with her. It was insightful to realize that no matter how pissed he was, he was still very kind and thoughtful. Being angry didn't suit him at all, even if he could pull it off rather convincingly. "Well, you have my permission now."

"Then I shall promise you, Miss Kamiya, that whatever I find you will be the first to know, and I shall keep it to myself unless you say otherwise. I won't even tell Ken-san, if you don't want me to."

"Thank you. I would appreciate that. Although, I suppose he has known from the beginning, and if he's really as worldly as you guys make him sound then he may be able to help."

"Very well, but there may be a few womanly things that are not for a man's ears that you may wish to keep to yourself so we'll decide as we go." Megumi winked and Miss Kamiya blushed.

"I suppose you're right." Kaoru squirmed in place for a moment, and then blurted out what she wanted to say next rather quickly. "I do have one favor to ask of you, though."

"Oh?"

"Since… you know, we're all friends now I guess…"

"There's no guess about it, Miss Kamiya. You have been officially adopted." Especially since you are allowing me to continue my research! If Megumi wasn't a poised woman, she would have been tempted to grab Sano and do the tango. Miss Kamiya was a rich source of information about an anomaly she had never come across before. She couldn't wait to really get started without having to try and cover everything up.

The lingering blush on her cheeks darkened, and Kaoru looked down at her lap to fiddle with her coffee cup. "Then would you mind calling me by my first name instead? 'Miss Kamiya' has started to sound… really formal. I mean, I have a feeling the guys won't, and that's fine because… well, anyway, I just thought it would be nice if you might."

The victorious smirk that had been pulling on Megumi's mouth softened into a genuine smile and she patted Kaoru's head. "Of course, Kaoru, but only if you do the same."

"O-okay, M-Megumi." Kaoru giggled a little, and smiled so hard her eyes closed. She was embarrassed, but very happy. Misao was her best friend, but she was also the only friend she had had for a long time. It was nice to have new friends. "Should I tell you a few things now?" The atmosphere was getting a bit awkward and she needed a way to break it.

Megumi instantly sat back down, and put on her scientist's face. "Go ahead."

"Well, it's not much, but I can see really well in the dark, and I guess you could tell that I'm stronger than I look. I don't scar, either, except…"

"Yes, your two scars. Did the wounds get infected? Is that why they didn't heal properly?"

"Oh." Kaoru ducked just slightly and giggled nervously. "Well, actually I lied." Putting down her cup, she leaned forward to hike up one leg of her pants. A puffed up scar just under her knee spoke of a puncture wound, and she had originally claimed it had been caused by a hay hook. "I did this myself while training with my dad. H-have you ever seen a kusari-gama? It's a sickle and a chain with a heavy weight on the end of it."

"I know what you're talking about."

"Well, I kind of messed up and stuck the end of the sickle in my leg. It hurt like hell, but I didn't think anything about it. I have been stuck by a hay hook before, so it wasn't a big deal. In fact, it was better because the sickle was actually sharp and a hay hook isn't. It never healed completely, though, and it took far longer to close up than any other wound I've ever had. It was the same with this one, too."

Her hand let loose of her pant leg and she rolled back the sleeve of her shirt to show off the scar on the underside of her arm just above her armpit. The jagged little scar there had supposedly been caused by a barbwire fence. Megumi ran her finger lightly over the old injury. She was beginning to suspect something completely different than an infection as being the reason for the scars.

"This one happened while I was sparring with Dad. He got me right under the arm while I had them raised."

"What was he using?"

"Whatever he had on hand. He was trying to make sure I was prepared for anything, but apparently I wasn't prepared for a throwing knife, because that's what got me."

"Did your dad ever give you a reason why these two wounds scarred and no other wound you ever got did?"

Kaoru nodded. "He told me that the reason they scarred was because his family's weapons are made out of special material. They're not just regular metal. I guess something organic was mixed in with the steel or something. He said that the organic material is what wouldn't let me heal completely like normal. I'm not sure what that organic material is, though, so I won't be much help with that."

"Hmm." Megumi was already thinking ahead, and barely nodded at Kaoru's regretful statement. From all that she knew about Kaoru's family from Ken-san, she had apparently been raised by an old hunter. He wasn't registered with the Council, though, so that meant he was never an official hunter, or one that they knew of or had used. Either way, his weapons would no doubt be hunter weapons, and that organic material that was mixed in with the steel was what caused their weapons to be so dangerous to vampires. It burned their skin and made it hard for their bodies to heal. Something about that material affected Kaoru, too, and that was worth looking into.

"By the way, um, Megumi."

"Hmm?" Megumi redirected her attention to the young woman.

"I'm sorry about hurting Mr. Sagara. I really didn't mean to. He's always really nice to me, I was just…"

"It's alright, sweetheart. He can handle a little abuse. Everyone knows you didn't mean to." A glance over at her husband showed him fast asleep in his chair, and her fond smile turned into a sardonic twist of her mouth. "How long has he been asleep? Excuse me, dear. I think my man-child needs to be put to bed."

Careful hands took the empty plate out of his limp grasp and Kaoru thought she heard her mumble something about not being too tired to eat at least. Then Megumi stepped back and smacked him hard over the head. A harsh jump and a yowl of surprise spoke of the reason why she had removed the dish first. Both of his hands came up to cover his head and his shocked eyes stared up at his wife as if this was something she had never done before. Kaoru suspected it was a regular occurrence.

"Come on, idiot, since you can't stay awake just go to bed."

"But," a yawn interrupted him, and he slumped back into the heavily cushioned lounge chair, "Kenshin'll be pissed if I don't keep an eye on Miss Kay."

"She's not going anywhere, remember? And you can't stay awake to keep an eye on her anyway. Just go to bed."

A crooked grin replaced the yawn and he leaned forward to grab his wife by the waist. "You coming?"

"Idiot, do you want me to hit you again?" The words were a bit flustered, but not enough to cover the truth of the threat.

Kaoru covered her face as they continued to argue and flirt all the way out of the room. Megumi was half-supporting Mr. Sagara, and his hands were a bit too comfortable in their wanderings. Once the door to their bedroom shut, Kaoru picked up her plate of forgotten food and began stuffing her mouth in hopes that she wouldn't be able to hear anything over her chewing. I can't move, you know! Megumi was still arguing, but she let out a couple of giggles that suggested she didn't mind his advances. Hopefully for Kaoru that didn't mean she was going to stay in the room.

Glancing back at the door they had disappeared through, Kaoru sighed and settled her plate into her lap. It sounded really nice to be in love. It really was too bad that she wasn't very good at it.

X

The man was clever. After a week of tracking him, Kenshin understood why he had never been caught before. He stayed under the radar, and he never used anything that could be tracked back to his alias. If not for knowing who they were looking for, Kenshin was sure they never would have found him. Shinomori obviously thought the same thing, because he had been in a foul mood all week.

Now, though, Shinomori was in high spirits. They had finally run down their stalker and it appeared he had decided that hiding in a large city like Sao Paulo was preferable to hiding somewhere remote this time. A good change in tactics, but it wouldn't help him. They would be as swift and silent as any hunter circling their prey, and as vampires used to hunting their own kind they had a major advantage over him.

It was nighttime to hide their actions from others, but it would hardly help him that he could see just as well in the dark. After all, he wasn't even aware that they were there, yet. In fact, he appeared so relaxed that he had even marked his next victim. He was either so weak from the loss of good blood cells that he couldn't think straight, or he was so sure that they wouldn't find him that being cautious had never crossed his mind.

A quick hand signal from Shinomori informed Kenshin that he was going to the back, and he nodded his understanding. In about thirty seconds he would burst through a window and Kenshin would follow through the front door. There was no way to sneak up on a vampire, therefore they would have to be quick. Since Kenshin was quicker it was his job to make sure he had the bastard pinned. The responsibility suited him just fine.

As soon as the noise of glass shattering hit his ears all hell broke loose. Shishio knew they were there now, but it appeared he wasn't completely stupid. Instead of trying to run for it he had stood his ground. Carefully biding his time, Kenshin pulled on a pair of leather gloves and then waited for the right opportunity to cut in. As angry as he was about the situation he had always been able to turn that off during the actual confrontation. Learning that lesson had been hard, but it had only needed to happen once. That long ago immature inability to control the rage running through his heart and mind was the very reason why he was a vampire today.

Besides, Aoshi needed some alone time with the man. A small smile pulled at the corner of his mouth, and then Kenshin jumped down and kicked open the door. Shinomori was the most controlled man he had ever met, but it wasn't healthy to always hold everything in. This would be a good chance for him to learn that, and to also let it out in a constructive way in a safe environment where he had backup to cut in if it was needed. Trying to restrain oneself completely usually ended up causing more damage than a lack of restraint at all. Learning when and where it was appropriate to allow that restraint to loosen was necessary for his safety and the safety of everyone around him.

The fight inside was intense but with little contact, and Kenshin was surprised to discover that Shishio was faster than Shinomori. As soon as Kenshin tried to intervene, though, the man slipped away from his attack as well. One glance was all it took, and Kenshin frowned as the familiar brown eyes of the man he had met at the auction appeared to study him with caution. This man knew who he was and what he could do, and it was no doubt the reason why he had insisted Miss Kamiya not tell anyone about his contact with her. In a move that rivaled his own speed, the man leaped through the broken window and fled the scene. He was not the first vampire to ever run from him.

Aoshi followed Kenshin out the window, but he soon broke off to take his own path when it became apparent that he wouldn't be able to keep up with the both of them. The rooftops of the rural houses were close together at the outskirts of the city, and it made it easy to cover lots of ground with little interference. While it gave him a clear view of where the man was, it also helped the man because he was just as fast at running away.

Instead of allowing him to run in a straight line, Kenshin forced him to curve back around by chasing him at an angle. The maze of houses, the absence of a moon, and the sporadic lights of the city would hopefully make it difficult for him to orient himself enough to realize what Kenshin was trying to do. After only a few minutes he got his answer when Aoshi shot out of nowhere and slammed Shishio through the roof of a house. Screaming announced the fear this birthed in the occupants, but the place emptied quickly as Kenshin jumped down through the hole.

Aoshi struggled to fight against the only slightly smaller man, but his target was far stronger than him. A kick and roll dislodged Shinomori and threw him into a table, but before Shishio could get to his feet Kenshin had taken over. A firm grip on his jacket gave him the leverage to toss the bigger man across the room and through the wall of the rickety structure. Boards and dust covered his sprawled figure and clouded the air, and a moment later Kenshin had him pinned face down on the floor. A mixture of coughing and laughter dispersed the cloud of dust close to the floorboards, and Kenshin frowned as Shishio appeared to think his situation funny.

"The rumors lied about your strength, Himura. You're no stronger than that girl."

"Is that so? And yet, here we are with you on the floor." A roll of wire was pulled from his pocket and he looped it around one of Shishio's wrists, twisted his arm behind his back, and then jerked the loop closed. A hiss and grunt spoke of Shishio's pain. The wire was made out of hunter metal. "Did you wish I had broken every bone in your body? I still could if you like." Aoshi had picked himself up from the ruined scraps of the table and was now standing beside them. The frown on his features was colder than his usual bland expression.

"My bones don't break so easily, but I won't argue your proficiency. After all, how many vampires have you killed, Traitor?" The wire looped around his other wrist and he growled low in his throat as the pain tore at his flesh. "You're lucky I haven't fed in a few days otherwise I would rip you to pieces. My blood's stronger than yours, Traitor. It's not diluted or weakened by sympathy for these blood bags like you are."

"Bemoaning a fate that will never come to pass is pathetic, Makoto Shishio. What you should be thinking of now is how serious your punishment is going to be once the Council has heard of everything you have done."

"Why did you target Miss Kamiya? She does not fit within your usual pattern." Aoshi's voice was practical, but it was a question they both wanted the answer to. Kenshin was merely afraid he already knew what Shishio was going to say.

A nonchalant shrug of his shoulders was solely manufactured to produce a maddening reaction within their minds, and he grinned sadistically. "Because she was meant for me. She was born to be my victim, and I was born to hunt her. She knows it. That's why she was going to come to me. The cute little woman thought she could fight me, and I was going to let her keep her pride for a while. Then I was going to break her, piece by sweet piece. Women are so much fun. The way they tolerate pain is much more entertaining than a man, and there's so much you can do to a woman." A sick chuckle of pleasure tore from his throat in bursts. "Don't give me that look, Himura. You know you've thought about doing the same thing. It's an awful dilemma, though, isn't it, trying to decide whether to fuck her first or rip her apart then fuck her."

A scream of pain ripped through the house and Kenshin twisted the knife he had buried in Shishio's shoulder. Smoke and the smell of burning flesh filled his nostrils, but he merely watched in impassive interest as the hunter weapon boiled the blood, seared the muscle, and blistered the surrounding skin. "In what way do you believe Miss Kamiya was born to be yours? What do you see that makes her different from the other women you have murdered? Why risk exposure for just another victim?"

The screaming had been brief and was replaced by short shouts of pain whenever Kenshin moved the blade around. Harsh, disjointed breathing filled the moments in between the exclamations of pain, but Kenshin waited patiently for his answers. Idly he played with the knife while they lingered in the broken house. "It's not… what I see, Himura. It's what I smell."

Golden eyes glanced up at Aoshi after the breathless answer. "And what do you smell?"

"Sweet… ecstasy… and she tastes even better. That smell is mine alone." His voice became rougher, and he strained against the wire restraining him. "No one else smells it. That's why she belongs to me." The blade in his shoulder ripped another holler from him when he moved.

"Miss Kamiya doesn't belong to anyone. Especially not you." A wave of his hand demanded Aoshi pass him the tranquilizer Megumi had sent with them. The needle was stuck deep in his neck, and Shishio's body went limp within seconds. "Call the Council rep and let him know we're on our way with the target, and then call Sano. I'm sure Miss Kamiya has been driving him crazy without something to do. They may go back to work if she wishes. You will follow their lead once we deliver him."

X

The room was a special place just for interrogating vampires. With its reinforced walls, door, and the one-way mirror all capable of withstanding abuse from the overly powerful beings, it was a perfect place to get a little rough. It had been a lengthy process trying to convince the Council that it was necessary to allow him to question Shishio before punishing him. In the end, Lilis had intervened with all the arguing and that was rare. As the oldest vampire in existence she was not known for contributing to conflict or for taking sides. It suggested she may have a personal interest.

For now that was not Kenshin's problem. What he was more interested in was learning everything he could about why Shishio had decided to target Miss Kamiya. No one else that he knew of could smell her like he could, and now that there was someone else Kenshin wanted to know what the connection was. Hopefully with a clear understanding of why it was more effective on them he would be able to keep it from happening with anyone else. There were also other important details that they needed to get out of him simply because he was a criminal. As an unregistered vampire they needed to know who his maker was, when it had happened, and why no one knew about him.

With his hands folded behind his back Kenshin watched through the one-way mirror as Shishio absently rattled the shackles on his wrists and feet. He appeared to be much too comfortable, and that made Kenshin irritable and leery. Shishio wasn't nervous at all, and for a man that was facing a fatal punishment it was odd. If he thought they were going to let him off easy just because they had decided to interrogate him first he was in for a rude awakening. Kenshin planned on killing him, and nothing was going to change his mind. If it wasn't for Miss Kamiya's wonderfully strong scent and its effect on them the man would be dead already.

Since he wished to keep her safe he was now forced to wait. Three hours before Hiko had stepped in to give him the Council's decision, and it was a welcome relief after waiting for thirteen hours with nothing else to do but stare at the man he wanted to kill. As a member of the Council Hiko had no real business delivering his own messages, but Kenshin could tell he wasn't going to like what was coming afterwards by the stern expression on his features. No doubt he had decided to tell him personally because of their past history. Hiko was the very same vampire who had turned Kenshin, and that meant he was used to handling his temper. Even though Kenshin had practically begged to be turned, for the two hundred years after his revenge their relationship had been resentful and tense.

The Council's ultimate decision had been in favor of interrogation, but they did not want Kenshin to perform the task alone. As a goodwill gesture towards their treaty with the Hunters, a human was to sit in with him during the questioning. After all, it was their problem as well. If there were other humans that were just as overly desirable as Miss Kamiya was then they needed to be aware of the possibility. Kenshin was not fond of the idea, but he understood the reasoning behind it. If the hunter they sent hindered him in any way, however, he would not tolerate his or her presence.

The door to the smaller room opened and Kenshin turned his head to watch a vampire he vaguely recalled working in one of the offices step inside. "The hunter is here, sir." Kenshin nodded his head and waved a hand for him to show the hunter in.

"Thank you. You may return to your work." The vampire inclined his head, but his eyes lingered for a moment on the prisoner.

"I heard what he did, Mr. Himura." Almond-shaped, black eyes locked squarely back with his, and his voice echoed his frown of displeasure. "Why is he still alive?"

"He has information we need."

"What kind of information?" The question was uncomfortably authoritative.

Kenshin's impassive expression darkened a touch, and he eyed the nameless vampire angrily. The last thing he wanted was for everyone to know about Miss Kamiya. Besides, he was being much too nosy for his position. "Classified information. You are dismissed."

"Yes sir." The reply was a bit reluctant, but he left with only one last glance of disgust tossed at Makoto Shishio.

"I apologize." Kenshin turned to the hunter and extended a hand. How the man responded to the greeting would tell him everything he needed to know about working with him. Stern features with habitual frown lines turned away from his own study of the prisoner and he glanced at Kenshin's hand before shaking it firmly. Surprisingly the action was unreadable and told him little. His yellow eyes were intense, but there was nothing like the disgust he had expected in them. "Kenshin Himura."

"Saitou Hajime." The voice that came from the tall man was just as stern as his expression, and Kenshin noted the way he gave his surname first. The appreciation he felt was unexpected, but it couldn't be helped. Sometimes he mourned the fact that he didn't naturally give his name that way anymore. The modern times and Western civilization had ruined him.

"Are you aware of the details concerning the apprehension of this man? If not you may wish to be briefed."

"I am… aware." The English words were thickly accented, and a touch slow. The scowl on Saitou's face tightened and he switched languages. "If you don't mind I would rather we communicate in Japanese."

"I see." His response was appropriately accommodating, but Kenshin frowned and his spine stiffened. "Makoto Shishio speaks many languages, Saitou-san. Will you be able to keep up with the interrogation?"

A slight sneer contorted his mouth, and Saitou held his challenging gaze. "It is in my experience, Himura-san, that people tend to scream in their native tongue, but don't worry yourself. I can keep up with many languages just fine. I simply hate speaking anything other than my own."

"I meant no offense, I am simply loathe to postpone this any further. That bastard is looking far too pleased for my liking." One hand snatched up his leather gloves next to a small case sitting on the table. "Before we go in, however, I would like to know if you are, for any reason, displeased with having to work with someone like me."

One dark eyebrow raised, and Saitou's scowl was replaced by a look of intrigue. "Not at all, Himura-san. In fact, you are one of the few blood-suckers that I don't mind leaving alive."

It wasn't a compliment, but it wasn't openly hostile either. "Then you are aware of what I have done?"

"I am aware of your reputation." There was a pause during which he watched Himura pull on his gloves. "If this is some kind of veiled threat, Himura-san, I do not find it amusing."

"I do not kill humans, and I have found that this is strangely unsettling for most of the humans who know of it. You see, Saitou-san, it is in my experience that people tend to ruin delicate operations such as this by harboring strong feelings of dislike or disgust for someone they are working with. I have no patience left to deal with attitude from someone who is here simply because it is diplomatic. I am not threatening you. I only wish to make sure you understand my position, and that I understand yours."

Yellow eyes studied him from out of his sharp features. "Is this personal, Himura-san?" Himura's irises were decidedly violet, but were intense in a way that suggested a slim restraint. "I heard the woman who was to be his next target is your employee. Kamiya Kaoru, is that right?" Saitou didn't wait for a reply when it appeared Himura was not going to give one. "How did she know to run to you for help?"

"She didn't, and she didn't ask for my help. The idiotic woman was going to face him herself." The vampire led the way out the door and into the hallway, and he was still grumbling under his breath about the stubborn woman's actions. A smirk of amusement tugged on Saitou's mouth. Still the same little wildcat, I see. At the door to the interrogation room Himura stopped and shot him a glare. "It is personal." A harsh yank opened the door and Saitou's smirk dropped instantly into a frown.

"There you are, Himura. I was starting to feel lonely in here." A sick smile plastered itself across his face, and Shishio scooted himself to the edge of his chair. "And you brought me a meal. Thoughtful, but he's not my type. Besides, they've been bloating me up with these nasty blood packs." He tossed a few of the empty containers off the table and into the air. "How do you stand these things? They even taste sterile."

Kenshin seated himself on the opposite side of the metal table, but Saitou leaned himself up against a wall and lit a cigarette. "So, how's my little sweetheart? You've been taking care of her, haven't you?" The small case Kenshin had brought in was positioned carefully on the metal top and he unhooked the latches with a soft click. "I want her to be nice and tender when I sink my teeth in her. You know, I've been thinking that she might still be a virgin." The lid fell open, and Shishio leaned forward to look over the collection of tools within. "She's kind of got that prudish air about her, doesn't she. Ooh, that one's nice." Gloved fingers paused over the small awl, and he slid it out of the leather strap holding it down. "It really helped me decide, you know, about whether to fuck her or eat her first. Virgin calls for fucking first. No woman should die without having a nice stiff…" The awl stuck all the way through his hand and into the table, but all it did was stop him long enough to grunt. "…at least once."

The wound sizzled and filled the air with the stench of burning flesh and psychotic laughter. Shishio's face twitched and he experimentally wiggled his fingers before shrugging and propping his chin up in his other hand. "Although, they do say that the sweeter ones have the most skeletons. Have you ever heard that dominate note in her voice? I'll be she's slept with the whole town of Boston. Probably your entire staff and every one of those contractors you got working on your castle, too." Kenshin selected another tool, a surgical knife this time, and when he looked up his golden eyes were amused. The smile disappeared from Shishio's face. "You piece of shit!" The tone of his voice dropped from playful into pissed. "You've fucked her, haven't you?! She's mine! Mine!"

Bare fingers yanked at the awl stuck in his other hand, and he screamed in fury as it burnt his skin. The movement was quick with anger, and once the weapon was free he reared back to jab at Kenshin. Still calmly retrieving the surgical knife, he stood as the chains lurched Shishio's outrage to a halt. Like the tools, the shackles were made of hunter metal, and they dug into his wrists mercilessly. A precise swipe rid him of the blood-covered awl and it clattered away from them and to a corner. In the process, the surgical knife cut off three of his fingers and dropped them with a thud onto the table.

A string of curses yelled about what he was going to do to him, and Kenshin waited out the tantrum by picking out a new tool. Saitou blew a puff of smoke into the air, and shifted to his other leg.

Half of the tools had been removed from the case and bloodied after a few hours, and only Shishio's screams and rants were ever heard. Breathing heavily now and barely conscious from blood loss, he rested against the tabletop and sneered at Himura. "Whadya know." Golden eyes looked up from the case, and then he folded his hands and waited for him to continue. "All of those rumors were true. You are a Blood Traitor." Kenshin's impassive mask stayed heavily in place. "It's no wonder you were cast out by both humans and vampires. It's no wonder… no one wants you. To us you're just a hunter, and to them you're just a vampire. Is it true you wiped out your entire bloodline just for some little bitch?" The next tool came out of the case and his brown eyes followed it wearily. "Or was it your family? I heard they both got bled."

The long straight pin was inserted just under his fingernail and stabbed all the way through until it punctured out the back side of his knuckle. After he pulled out a third needle to insert under the same fingernail Shishio was screaming louder than ever. Still next to the wall, Saitou stomped out his last cigarette and meandered his way over to the case to join in.

"May I?" He pointed at a pair of metal pliers, and Kenshin shrugged before sitting the third needle down. "Be my guest."

With a firm hand that even Kenshin could appreciate, Saitou slammed Shishio's head against the back of his chair and grabbed his left canine. A harsh yank later and the tooth was pulled clean from his gums and dropped to the floor. The right canine quickly followed.

Carelessly the pliers were thrown back onto the table. "I'm out of cigarettes."

The tools were kicked out of his reach and then they both exited to the other room. While Kenshin wiped his gloves clean, Saitou dug into a bag for another pack of cigarettes. "Is it true?" The question was preoccupied but hinted of curiosity. "Did you really kill them all?"

The same cold, golden eyes that had stared down Shishio for the past few hours briefly locked with his. "Not yet."

"W-what do you… want?" The painful moan was muffled by the one-way mirror, and they both turned to watch as the prisoner finally broke. "Just tell me what you want!"

"That was sooner than I expected." Saitou was nearly disturbed by how amused Himura sounded. If he gave two shits about what happened to the piece of trash in the other room, he may have felt pity. It was too bad for him Saitou wanted to kill him as bad as Himura did.

The door clanged back shut behind them, and Himura pulled his seat up close to the table. "Why don't we start with your age?"

X

A/N: Well… that was a little… evil. So, ahem… wow. I didn't know I had that in me. I'm just a little nervous that I wrote that. I guess it's all these movies anymore. Ah well, I apologize if this disturbed anyone, and rest assured that will be the last time Kenshin tortures anyone. So yea… don't be fucking with the girl! Got that?

Alright, so I was trying to give you guys a bit longer and thicker of a chapter, but it still ended up a little short. I can't go any further than I have though, so you'll just have to wait for the next chapter. I hope I have answered a few questions, and I hope you have some more. I hope I have satisfied the Kenshin rampaging around, and Shishio getting what he deserves, and Kaoru opening up a little. I do realize that the chase and capture wasn't that thrilling, but perhaps I made up for it with the torture? To be fair, and to defend myself, this story wasn't really meant to have a lot of action in it. Anyway, please be nice. Let me know if it was too much, too. Feedback is always good.

So in the next chapter Megumi is put on the case, Kenshin comes back to the chateau, and brings a visitor. Please leave me a review. You all are awesome!