Theme: Rush

Setting: Vampire Arc

Pairing: BK

Warning: None

Notes: Part of a series.

Words: 324

92. Rush

The two small matching scars on her neck are surrounded by a network of thin black lines, all interwoven like an intricate knot.

Frowning, she rubs it and glare at the mirror. They were not there yesterday, and Battousai hasn't fed in weeks. Whenever she mentions it, he avoids the question. Looking around for him, she sees him polishing his blade, unused for almost a year now, in his corner. And it really is his corner; he sleeps there, stays there when he's in her room, and keeps his extra set of clothes there.

"Battousai, what exactly is this?" Kaoru is wary of the answer to her question- the last scar terrified several fourteen teenaged vampires out of their wits. His expression doesn't help, but she vows to keep him from avoiding the question this time. He must sense that, because he speaks.

"It's a mating mark."

She drops the comb in her hand. "What?"

"Prey marks are very similar to mating marks. As in all vampire magic, the only difference is in intention."

"No. I can't be your mate..." She pleads. "I guess this means you can go out and kill and feed to your heart's content, right? Life-debts don't apply to mates."

"That life-debt was broken the moment you became my prey...and mated vampires don't need blood."

She wonders flittingly whether he is familiar with the expression TMI before talking. "Then why are you still here? You...you could have just left."

"There were too many vampires out for my head. You were all possible targets, so I stayed to keep a handle on the situation."

"You...stayed here to protect us?"

"Yes."

She was wrong; this is too much information. Her head is hurting suddenly, from a rush of foreign emotion.

"I need to think." She manages before hiding under the covers, feeling like a coward.

He stands by her bed, hidden from her view by blankets, and watches over her dreams.

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A change in tone from the first few, but progressively more cliché...I feel both ashamed and elated by turns. Hopefully I've put enough of my own style into it to make it fresh- if not, I apologize and I want to know about it in the reviews I know you will leave me. Right? Right.

Review! ...from a contradictory in mind chickentyrant5.