Castle Ruins

by lossehelin

To a hungry vampire the smell of blood is intoxicating and the taste is pure ecstasy. The hunt is quick and the meal savored. For an older vampire with control such weaknesses no longer rule their existence. When that control is tested, however, by blood that cannot be ignored, weakness is the least of their problems.

37. The Goddess

I am humbled by my saint-like reviewers. Thank you for always making my day.

As requested, a list of non RK characters.

Mr. Franklin Jackson – Kaoru's old boss from Chapter 1

Miss Maeda – Anji's assistant

Jimmy – ex-boyfriend number 1

Sam – ex-boyfriend number 2

Michelle Deaton – another university graduate, interviewee at chateau that Kenshin didn't hire

Cyril – server from Yahiko's restaurant that Kaoru hung out with

Bastien – Cyril's friend that Misao hung out with

Lilis – 1st Progenitor

Macerio – 2nd Progenitor

Karin – Kaoru's ancestor, and Rikuto's (Jin-e) and Hoji's cousin.

Takara – Kaoru's grandmother

Disclaimer: Kenshin is not mine.

Chapter XXXVII: The Goddess

Sapphire eyes turned back toward the large cage next to her as Yumi walked away, and Kaoru wondered what was taking Kenshin so long. She was uncomfortable being in this place by herself. It was obviously a party designed to cater to people who owned businesses, not to those that worked for them. It still confused her as to why she had been invited in the first place. No one had seen her work outside of the chateau but for that one auction, and Mr. Udo hadn't even attended it. Perhaps it was just some amusing way for him to satisfy his curiosity. After all, Kenshin had said that Mr. Udo was a little eccentric.

The performers inside of the large birdcage were setting up for their next acrobatic show, and after a moment her entire attention focused on one of the women. She was standing amidst the rush of bodies as if unaffected by the chaos and adrenaline around her, and her hazel eyes were staring at Kaoru as if fascinated and enamored. A frown puckered Kaoru's brow, and then she glanced down at her shimmering dress. The woman looked to be younger than Kaoru, in fact, she barely looked legal. I wonder if she likes bright things. A smile pulled kindly at her lips and she waved, and the woman smiled back. It was slightly sinister, though, and it melted Kaoru's expression into wary confusion.

"Excuse us!" Someone bumped into her as if they had been expelled from the crowd, and Kaoru jumped but kept the shout of surprise that had lodged into her throat from escaping. Three women in very racy looking costumes were standing next to her, and their eyes were locked on hers in earnest. There was nothing but curiosity in their gaze, though, and Kaoru relaxed.

"Good evening." The very clear English pardon they had given her was only slightly accented, so she assumed they were well educated in speaking it.

"You came in with Kenshin Himura, didn't you?" The question blurted out of the girl who was standing at the head of the triangle shape that their stances created. The other two stared as if afraid they would miss her answer. "How did you pull that off?"

The woman inside of the cage was momentarily forgotten as Kaoru fought an amused smile. All three of them were close to her age, she assumed, but they were acting more like gossipy teenagers. "Mr. Himura is my employer. He agreed to watch over me for the evening."

One of the girls in the back jostled the other's elbow. "I told you he'd never bring a real date. That man has to be some kind of undercover freak or something."

The third girl turned large brown eyes on Kaoru after sending her partner-in-crime a glare. "Do you work with him a lot? Have you ever noticed anything… strange about him?"

"S-strange how?" A bubble of laughter almost escaped her, but they didn't seem offended by her amusement. In fact, it only intrigued them more.

"Does he like getting hurt? Does he sleep all day? Does he seem interested in little boys? You know… weird stuff." The leader was talking again, and there was sadistic excitement in her eyes. It was clear that the mystery of Kenshin Himura had kept them up at night. Who was she to ruin their fantasies?

When Kaoru simply smiled and took a sip of her champagne all three of them frowned at her. "Does he ever disappear for days on end and come back with suspicious marks on his wrists or neck?"

"Have you ever caught him trying to sneak up behind you?"

"What about his hair? Does he dye it that color?"

"Why don't you try asking him?" Kaoru was really laughing now, but they drew back as one as if her suggestion was scandalous.

"Are you kidding? We couldn't!"

"Couldn't what?" A gasp from all of the girls spoke of surprise and then their eyes were on someone behind her. It obviously wasn't Kenshin, so she wasn't immediately defensive when their eyes lit up with infatuation and their cheeks flushed red.

"Mr. Udo!" The women slipped around Kaoru like water around a rock to stand before their host and simper disgustingly. Kaoru politely turned to face him, but kept her distance. There was something strange about him, and she wasn't quite sure it was only because of the silver skull mask that he was wearing.

Another sip of her champagne tipped her head back as the other girls continued to fawn over their host, and she was distracted by a shadow within the cage merely three feet to her right. The woman she had seen earlier was now right next to the bars, and Kaoru gave a small start. She tried to smile again, but this time the woman didn't return it. "I'm sorry. You startled me." She didn't answer, so Kaoru figured she probably didn't understand English. That uncomfortable feeling she had been experiencing all night washed over her in abundance, and she glanced at the woman again before attempting to ignore her. When her arm reached from between the bars, though, Kaoru withdrew on instinct.

"Your dress is such a pretty color." There was a touch of longing in her voice, and Kaoru blinked. Some of her uncomfortableness receded as she thought that perhaps the woman was merely simple.

"Thank you."

"Do you sparkle on the inside, too, or just burn?" The hazel eyes that had roved down over her dress locked back on hers, and Kaoru mistrustfully stared back.

"E-excuse me?"

"Can I see?"

"I'm sure Miss Kamiya is just as beautiful on the inside as she is on the outside." Mr. Sadojima appeared next to her, and she jerked her eyes up at him with a start. His English was perfect. For a few moments he stared the woman down with an unconcerned and expectant expression, and finally the acrobat dropped her arm and turned away. The action had been a touch lethargic, though, and Kaoru was beginning to believe that she really was simple.

"Are you enjoying yourself, Kamiya-san?" He turned to her with a polite smile, and switched easily back into Japanese.

"Um. Of course. Thanks."

"Where is Himura-san? Has he abandoned you already?" The deeper voice came from the host of the ball, and he seemed much too pleased by the idea. All three of the girls were petting his fur cape and giggling, but they weren't educated in this new language of the conversation so they didn't join in. One was clinging to his arm hopefully and batting her brown eyes in an attempt to recapture his attention. "A woman should never be left alone, especially in foreign territory."

"I'm more than capable of taking care of myself." The answer was carefully nonchalant, but she was beginning to feel uncomfortable again.

Dark grey eyes brightened in delight. "Are you? How wonderful." He reached out with a free hand towards her champagne glass and touched the talon ring she was wearing around her index finger. "Do you have no fear because you are a phoenix? A being that will rise from the ashes, even if she falls prey to a more powerful creature?"

"Who says I would fall prey to any creature? Man or beast?" Kaoru withdrew her hand, and the question was challenging as well as indignant.

"In this place, I am the King of Death, little phoenix. I am neither man nor beast." His hand lifted toward her chin, but she shied away from him with a distrustful frown. His white gloved hand curled and retreated at her rejection, but his grey eyes smiled cynically. "Perhaps you have already fallen prey to me once and you just don't remember. Perhaps you have already been reborn from the ashes so that I may prey on you again."

The man was an obvious fan of fantasies, riddles, and the strange and unusual. Kaoru enjoyed fanciful things, but this guy was a darker side to her starlit tales of mystery and romance. How strange that she should see black when he had draped himself in white and clear crystal. "Perhaps the King of Death is simply feeling put out that this little phoenix lives in disregard of his rule."

"How so?" There was interest and amusement in his tone now, and Kaoru's chin lifted.

"A phoenix does not surrender its soul to Death. It retains that essence of itself throughout its endless cycle of lives." Kaoru smiled as she recalled what Kenshin had said to her at the hotel. "I am a creature of the sun, and you are my polar opposite: a King of Death that resides only in the shadows. You obviously envy the light, otherwise you would not surround yourself with brightness, but it isn't the same as true sunlight, is it? You can only dream of claiming me, because I am far beyond your reach."

After the arrogant words had left her mouth she returned to the reality of the masquerade with a lurch in her stomach. This man was her host and she had just spoken down to him. The grey eyes behind his skull mask were burning with anger, and it was more than clear that she had offended him. Even the women hanging on him had gone quiet, though Kaoru didn't believe that they had fully understood what had happened. A glance at Mr. Sadojima revealed that he too was concerned as he waited for his employer to react.

"Little birds usually believe themselves safe from harm flying so far above the rest of us, until they are battered by storms so dark they forget the sun and despair." Mr. Udo stepped forward and spoke in a voice so deep and dark that only Kaoru's iron backbone kept her from stepping back. The three women all scrambled to follow him, and their eyes spoke of confusion as they looked back and forth between their host and Kaoru. "When you are struck down by that darkness, little phoenix, just remember I will be waiting on the ground to claim you."

Abrupt laughter broke the heavy atmosphere and Kaoru swung her wide gaze over to a man in thick red and black ceremonial garb with a golden mask hanging around his neck. His headpiece was askew and he wasn't drinking champagne, but rather something out of a metal flask. "Is this where the after-party's starting?" He stumbled towards Mr. Sadojima who dodged him smoothly, and then he steadied himself on the bars of the cage. His pale blue eyes blinked as if trying to clear his vision, and he pulled his head back in surprise at the sight of Mr. Udo and the three women. "Hey pretty ladies. Wanna come back to my hotel with me?" He beckoned them with a hand as if they were animals or some tame creatures that were won by promises of food. Looks of disgust and derisive amusement twisted their features into ugly expressions, but he was too drunk to understand the meaning.

Kaoru's stomach dropped in irritation when his gaze turned on her, and she unconsciously drew herself up to her fullest height and stared past the side of Mr. Udo's shoulder in determination. For some reason, this seemed to amuse Mr. Udo again, and the anger she had birthed in his gaze disappeared as he watched her like a bird of prey. The man was given none of Mr. Udo's attention. "What about you, little miss?" Ok. You can come back anytime now, Kenshin. I'm really starting to get irritated. The man swayed in place, and then staggered closer to her. The strong stench of alcohol made her nostrils twitch, but she held her ground. "Mmm, you smell just like a sweet little flower. Can I pluck your petals, baby?" His hand reached for her hair, but he was jerked back by the hand Mr. Sadojima fisted into his robes. "Oh, come on man! I was just playing!" He laughed some more and took a swig out of his flask. "Wait. Is this some kind of harem you got going on?" His finger made a circle in the air to include all four of the women, and he snorted. "Shit, why didn't you just say so? I'm loaded!" His eyes locked back on Kaoru. "How much, sweetheart?"

Kaoru's thumb pushed against the stem of her champagne glass in a desperate attempt to keep her rage in check. A half second later the flute popped off with a sharp ping and then hit the marble floor with a crash and stained the corner of Mr. Udo's white fur cape. Hard sapphire eyes turned slowly to her right and she stared unblinking at the man who was still laughing as if it were all one big joke.

X

For the better part of fifteen minutes Kenshin had noticed that Kaoru was becoming less and less happy, but no large shift in her scent had occurred and so he focused on his mission of locating every threat there at the masque. So far he had noted over fifteen. After ten he had decided it too many to safely take care of at the party without earning attention and question. Instead he had decided to memorize their appearance and identity, if he knew it, so that he could hunt them later. Just as his eyes had curiously swept over Mr. Udo and his assistant, Mr. Sadojima, and on to a group of women that were speaking with Kaoru, Anji Yukyuzan and his assistant, Miss Maeda, had spotted him hiding behind the crystal curtain.

"I thought I saw you enter with Kamiya-san." Kenshin barely glanced at Mr. Yukyuzan in acknowledgement as he kept a clear view of each of his suspects and their positioning around the room. He would not let any of them near Kaoru, and it required all of his attention to watch them as well as scout out any new possible threats. "Why are you hiding back here? Aren't you afraid that she'll get snatched up by someone else?" Ever since the photo shoot Mr. Yukyuzan had quite accurately guessed how Kenshin felt about his own employee. It annoyed him, but indifference was usually the best way to handle an annoying situation.

A polite smile tugged at his mouth distractedly and he answered without irritation. "Kamiya-san is capable of making her own decisions and I would never hamper her from doing so."

"That sounds noble, I suppose." A deep chuckle vibrated the considerably larger man's chest.

"I think it sounds a little reckless." Miss Maeda joined in, and Kenshin briefly frowned at her as if surprised to hear her say anything so bold. The small woman merely shrugged and continued in her sweet voice. "If you leave a woman alone and give her nothing to hold onto, she might believe herself unwanted. Women like to feel wanted."

"Kamiya-san is aware of how much I value her work." An irritated jerk of his mouth almost sneered as one of the guards finally spotted him, and it was no doubt because he now had others near that were giving away his position. The guard's black eyes narrowed, and he backed himself in between two large columns to hide from Kenshin's scrutiny.

"I wouldn't worry about her as much as I would the rest of the people in this room." Kenshin swung his eyes quickly back towards Mr. Yukyuzan suspiciously to find that the larger man's features were a touch stern. "I wouldn't leave her alone for fear of far dirtier tricks than simple bribery." Already golden eyes narrowed and then averted back to the empty space where the guard had been.

"Perhaps I was waiting for an opportunity to remove the competition from play. Excuse me. I have something I need to take care of." Kenshin stepped forward with the intention of relocating the missing guard when fierce, biting anger pierced his nostrils, straight up into the frontal lobe of his brain, and burned like fire against the backs of his eyes. The polite features he had masked himself in melted into a stern expression, but he was briefly torn as the guard reappeared next to another one of his suspects and they were both looking at him. Separate they were easy to pick off, but if they all attacked him together it would be dangerous. He needed to stop them before they were all made aware that he had identified them as vampires. As Kaoru's scent intensified, however, even the guard that looked ready to confront him became so affected that it removed all other thoughts from his brain. His features went blank, and his dark brown eyes swung slowly in Kaoru's direction. It was the same for the rest of his suspects, too, and he ground his jaw as the decision was made for him.

Both champagne glasses were shoved at two unsuspecting guests before he started pushing his way through the crowd and back to Kaoru's side. Silent curses filled his brain and he raged at himself for not paying closer attention to what had been happening around her. With her scent this strong it was like a beacon for all those who could smell it. If she wasn't careful, she would have every vampire in the place on her at one time. Subsequent anger darkened his personality. Whatever it was, he would bury it quickly.

"What do you think he chose?" Miss Maeda ran a hand down the crystal curtain, and glanced at her employer curiously. "Our ruse worked well enough to return him to her side, and not a moment too soon with that snake ready to strike at her, but I still wonder what really motivates him."

"It's true that he's a complicated man, and that's why I wouldn't count on him choosing any one thing in a situation this trivial. Himura is a dangerous hunter, and a lousy vampire. I think he will try to accomplish all of his goals up unto the very moment that he has no possible way to fulfill one of them without sacrificing another. That will be the only time anyone will ever be sure of his intentions."

"Is that what you plan on telling the Mistress?"

Anji laughed out loud, but the power of their suggestion blocked others from taking any notice, unlike earlier when he had purposely allowed their presence to be known to that vampire Himura had been stalking. What most people didn't understand about the gift of Lilis' bloodline was that while they could keep others from even noticing their presence, they could also purposely bring everyone's attention to their presence. Or, as he had just done, they could force one specific person's attention to be brought to them.

"I plan on telling her only what we see, not what I think. That woman would not be amused by such a theory." Gently Anji patted Miss Maeda's head like she was a child. "What theory do you have about his intentions?"

"I think he is at the least infatuated, but that's hardly an understanding of his motivation. He has done nothing but kill for hundreds of years. I believe his first instinct will always be to kill. I'm just not certain whether he will do it for revenge, love, lust, or duty."

"You are still very young, Maeda-san. You didn't see what all of that killing did to him, but you are right about that instinct of his and it actually reveals something important about his motivation. Whatever or whoever threatens her, he will kill. That is something that we can report."

When Kenshin finally emerged into the space surrounding Kaoru his hard golden eyes swept over Mr. Udo, Mr. Sadojima, the three women, and the man in the ceremonial garb. The broken stem of Kaoru's champagne glass was still clutched tight in her hand and from the positioning of her thumb pressing into the cracked section he could tell that she had popped the top off in her anger. He already felt overprotective and on edge with all of the vampires roaming around the party looking for an opportunity to pounce on her, and so he glared at each of the candidates as he waited for an explanation. It was given when one of the girls hiding behind Mr. Udo pointed with a trembling finger at the man in ceremonial garb.

Kaoru's unwavering stare was threatening to kill him on the spot. It appeared he had arrived not too long after whatever had been said or done to upset her, because they were all frozen in place as if someone had hit pause on a movie. Mr. Sadojima was holding the man by the collar of his robes, and his stern expression was waiting for whoever wanted to pass judgement. Mr. Udo, on the other hand, looked excited and expectant as his grey eyes studied Kaoru's flushed features. The odd reaction earned a few extra moments of Kenshin's scrutiny.

With a slow breath out of his nose, Kenshin stepped up beside Kaoru and wrapped his fingers around her fisted hand. She lurched at the contact as if she were fiercely restraining herself, and his other hand touched her lightly on her back. "Careful, Miss Kamiya, or you'll cut yourself." Cautiously he coaxed her fingers into releasing the broken champagne stem and at the same time he glanced at the clearly drunk man when he started laughing. Briefly he recognized him as the man who had ogled Kaoru when they had first arrived.

"She's yours? Damn! She must be one helluva lay!" Mr. Sadojima jerked the man up when he nearly slumped out of his grip. "Over half the women in here want to fuck you, and you buy your pussy? What bullshit!"

A touch of violence bled into his already golden irises, but he lowered them quickly to focus all of his attention on Kaoru's hand. He was glad that she hadn't cut herself. Blood combined with her already powerful scent would have likely been deadly. Now he needed to calm her down. Gently he flattened her balled fingers, and then lifted his eyes to hers. Not once did her beautiful sapphire gaze leave her prey, though, and it was quite clear what she was thinking.

"If you hit him with a closed fist you'll break his jaw." The observation was calm and reasonable, but loud enough for those nearest to them to hear. Deliberately he stepped back to give her room, and the man started laughing again as if what Kenshin had said amused him. A second later Kaoru's firm slap cracked across his cheek, knocked him from Mr. Sadojima's grip, and dropped him to the floor.

"Shit!"

The three other women gave a shriek of surprise, but Kenshin merely circled unhurriedly around behind her and then offered his arm. Her scent had dissipated, but not completely. She needed a distraction. "Shall we have that dance now?" He had already been outed by the guard, and within minutes all of the other vampires would know that he was aware of them as well. Unfortunately that meant that he would be at a disadvantage if there were more vampires than just the ones he had spotted. It would be safer if he didn't leave Kaoru alone again. After their dance, he would take her back to the hotel where she would hopefully be safer.

A nod of acknowledgement was all the courtesy he gave to Mr. Udo and Mr. Sadojima. Perhaps he had their presence to thank as a deterrence for the vampires. If some random guest were to go missing it wouldn't be such a big deal, but if the host of the party were to become collateral damage then it would not go unnoticed. A still glaring Kaoru wrapped her fingers around his elbow and then turned with a harsh grind of her high heels. The overly heightened part of him wasn't satisfied with the tame punishment, but he restrained himself from reacting. Kenshin knew that he was already too worked up to take care of a mere human. It wouldn't do to crush the idiot's skull simply for having no manners.

"Forgive me, Miss Kamiya. I shouldn't have left you alone for so long." The broken champagne stem was carefully deposited on a passing server's tray.

"No you shouldn't have." Anger clearly snapped in her voice, and the fingers on his arm were biting into him. He understood that she was only lashing out, but that didn't make her any less right. A frustrated frown tugged on his lips, and he sent a glare at one of the people he had been watching as they passed him on their way into the second ballroom. Word had traveled fast. "You're supposed to be mentoring me so I won't say anything damaging. I could mess up your reputation, too, you know."

"I apologize." Once inside the second ballroom and on the dance floor he turned her to face him. "You have nothing to fear from your actions just now." He blinked at her, and their expressions matched in their ill mood. "What was said that you are worried about?" Kenshin could have cared less about his reputation right then. He had half a mind to stake claim in front of everyone just to see if they dared try to take her from him afterwards.

"Nothing." Frustration contorted her lips and wrinkled her nose. "I said something rude to Mr. Udo. It's complicated to explain."

"I wouldn't worry about him." A human was of little consequence when they were surrounded by vampires taken by bloodlust.

"But he's the host." Her frustration melted quickly into disbelief in the face of his indifference, and Kenshin answered by holding out his hand for her to take.

"Did he deserve what you said to him?"

"I… don't know. He made me uncomfortable."

"Then I would say he deserved it."

A slow exhaled breath pushed from her mouth as if she were trying to let go. Finally her expression settled on contriteness. "Sorry I made a scene." The apology partially relaxed his muscles, and he fully focused his attention on her. The situation had upset her, and a more attentive and human side of him found it amusing and endearing. She had, after all, been thinking about him while restraining herself from reacting in the way that she had wanted to.

"And I am sorry I left you alone." His offered hand lowered slightly. "If you wish to, we can leave now. We don't have to dance." Neither of their moods was very congruent to dancing anyway.

"O-oh, but…" In the blink of an eye her irritation and frustration were buried under her honest earnestness, and his shoulders relaxed completely as her sharp scent disappeared. "I really wanted… to dance with you."

Despite the threat closing in around them, he couldn't help a warm smile and the gold tingeing his irises melted into violet. "And I was looking forward to you showing me how lacking my dancing skills truly are." A smile finally pulled at her lips, and she willingly placed her free hand in his and rested her other hand holding her clutch on his shoulder. Kenshin was nervous of all the eyes that he now knew were watching them, but as her boss, her escort, and her lover he didn't want Kaoru to worry. He wanted her to be happy, and he wanted her night to end without conflict. It was a selfish want, but he couldn't stand it when her scent dropped into sorrow or fear. Just tonight he had also learned that he didn't like when her anger appeared because of anyone else but him. So he would do what he had to do to make her happy, and he would take care of the problem when she wasn't aware.

Rikuto had finally disengaged himself from the idiot girls, after marking one for later fun, and had followed his most interesting guest into the second ballroom. She had challenged him, and he was both annoyed and intrigued. The way her scent strengthened when she was under pressure excited him in a way he had not felt in hundreds of years. He would claim her, no matter what he had to do. If he had to break her wings and drag her into the shadows, he would claim what belonged to him.

The soft, leather boots that he was wearing made no noise as he paced his way behind the row of columns that lined the end of the ballroom, and he watched as the two on the dance floor smiled and chatted easily. There was too much comfort in their actions towards one another for them to only be employer and employee. He couldn't be sure how much more there was between them, however, because Himura was one of his children, and that meant that he was affected by her scent, too. So when his gaze had glared in fierce challenge upon finding the girl quivering in anger it could have only been because he disliked someone threatening what he thought belonged to him.

The Kamiya girl didn't belong to Himura, though. The Kamiya girl belonged to him. She would be his, but he had to be smart about it. If he simply took her then he wouldn't have enough time to test her blood the way he had with Takara before Himura came looking. This time he wouldn't botch the experiments. This time he wouldn't get impatient. It was weakness that had forced him to devour all of Takara's blood. Weakness and frustration. He couldn't afford to make the same mistake with Kamiya Kaoru. She could very well be the last of her kind.

Especially if she was involved with Himura, because it would make everything more difficult to obtain her. If he were only looking out for her out of a feeling of responsibility then things would be easier. It would be less easy if he had staked a blood claim on her, but that was still better than the alternative. If he felt love for her then Rikuto knew just how far Himura would be willing to go to protect her. He had already proven the strength of his resolve over the last four hundred years. Not to mention vampires could not reproduce, and if he turned her then her blood would be permanently lost.

I'll need to get him away from her, but it'll be more involved than that. I must get her to doubt him so that she no longer relies on his protection.

I wonder if she knows what he is.

Grey eyes pinpointed each of his children that were slowly circling in. He felt no fear of them getting to her before he did, and instead of anger that they weren't following his command, he decided to use it to his advantage. If Himura was too busy protecting Kamiya from them, then she would be open for him. He would show her first-hand that she should not place her faith in Himura, because he couldn't protect her from everything.

Kaoru giggled as she came spiraling out of a twirl, and her feet moved of their own volition when Kenshin tugged her back towards him. "You really are quick on the uptake." The start of their dance had been a little rough, but not once had he stepped on her. Of course, a master swordsman would never be clumsy, and she smiled brightly when his hand settled warmly back on her waist.

"Did you think I had lied to you?"

"Nope, but seeing is believing." The statement was teasing now, and he recalled the situation they had been in when he had first boldly declared that he was quick at learning.

"I see that I will have to demonstrate this to you several more times before you completely believe me." His voice was resigned as if upset with her stubbornness, but there was warmth in his eyes that suggested he was not really bothered by the work it would require.

"Hmm, sounds fun."

The song ended and Kenshin looked up to find Mr. Sadojima waiting politely to be noticed. "May I have the next dance?" Kaoru smiled but looked at Kenshin to make sure he was okay with it. It was not an action a simple employee would have felt necessary to perform, but Kenshin didn't think Kaoru was aware of how relaxed she had become after dancing. He stepped back and offered Mr. Sadojima her hand, and then found a spot along the outside of the dance floor to observe. Kaoru's scent tapered off a little but stayed intoxicating. That pleasant bite he was still unable to put a name to had reappeared while they had danced as well, but was now gone with his absence.

Once he was satisfied that she was comfortable, he forced his mood away from her playfulness and began searching the area again. He wouldn't separate himself from her as far this time. He had already ruined his chances of spotting any new candidates, but at least he could keep an eye on the ones he was already aware of. Unfortunately, they were all aware of him now, and he ground his teeth as they threw him angry glares and disdainful sneers. Just how many vampires had been hiding under his nose for this long without him knowing about them? Had he grown soft these last two hundred years? He knew Rikuto had ordered his "children" to go underground two centuries ago, but he hadn't expected there to be that many left after all the ones he had killed. Briefly he wondered if they were newly turned or had just forgotten that he was a hunter to be feared. They certainly weren't as nervous of him as he had expected for them to be. Perhaps they needed a reminder of why they had to go into hiding in the first place.

"I imagine a woman like that is hard to turn over to anyone." Violet eyes averted from the salivating acrobat hanging from one of the satin ropes to find that the host of the function had silently appeared next to him. It unnerved him for a moment that he hadn't noticed, and he automatically shot his gaze out to the dancefloor and locked on Kaoru's glittering red form to make sure that she was still safe and within sight. "Perhaps you are lucky it is only my assistant dancing with her. I would be tempted to steal her away."

A brief frown darkened Kenshin's face as he remembered what Kaoru had said about him making her uncomfortable, but he replied as if Mr. Udo's words hadn't bothered him. "Is there some delicate restoration work that you need done? I am not so stingy that I wouldn't allow Kamiya-san to perform some extra work in her free time if she wished to."

"What I have in mind is a bit more… permanent. However, I thought it only fair to warn her current employer first. After all, there are several others thinking the same thing as I." Violet eyes swung around the ballroom, and he silently agreed that there were several others thinking to take her from him. It wasn't in the same way, though, and Kenshin's features darkened.

"Even if I said that I wouldn't allow it, the decision is hers. I will warn you, though, Udo-sama, that I will not give her up easily. I am more than willing to do whatever is necessary to convince her to stay in my employment."

Rather cynical and amused laughter came from behind the silver skull mask that Mr. Udo was wearing, and Kenshin felt a moment of disgust and frustration. He didn't know much about this man, and he had never wanted to. In fact, this was the most he had ever spoken with him because most of his dealings had always been through Mr. Sadojima. He was finding, though, that he really didn't like Udo Jin-e. "Are you sure that girl isn't your woman?"

"Kamiya-san is an invaluable asset. One that is much more precious than fur capes and diamond crowns." The statement was made in a lower voice than before, and his words were becoming firm. Every one of the vampires that he had noted in the other ballroom had migrated their way towards the dancefloor and they were now surrounded by creatures that wanted Kaoru's blood. A small voice inside of his head raged against the idea of anyone taking her from him, and he was getting impatient with Mr. Udo for attempting to add something considerably less life-threatening but no less irritating to his pile of concerns. "You will excuse me if I am offended by your willingness to so arrogantly announce your wish to take her from me. If I had known that was your intention when you invited her we would never have come."

"How overly selfish of you, Himura-san. You sing praises of her skills and yet you keep her locked away in that secluded chateau that no one will ever see but you. She's wasted in your employment. I would have what makes her special displayed to the world."

"If you think that would make her happy, then you know nothing." His voice was threatening to snap, and Mr. Udo was enjoying his growing temper.

"And why should her employer be so concerned about keeping her happy?"

His jaw locked but he had no more attention to spare for Mr. Udo or his snide remarks. One of the vampires had gotten too close to Kaoru and it was time they left. "Excuse me. I think the dance is over." She would not like it, but once he returned her safely to the hotel then he would come back and take care of them. When they were taken care of, when they were all dead, he would claim what was his. He would make sure she understood who she belonged to and satisfy this irritating need in the back of his mind that screamed in the absence of his possession of her.

Kenshin walked out into the middle of the dancing couples and cut in on Mr. Sadojima's waltz. "I'm sorry, Sadojima-san, but it is time we were leaving." Sapphire eyes glanced at him curiously in response to his firm voice, but Mr. Sadojima merely inclined his head.

"I see. Then I bid you a good evening, Kamiya-san. Himura-san."

"Good-night, Sadojima-san. Thanks for the dance." Kaoru waved a hand at the man, and then slid her arm through Kenshin's. Her scent intensified back into heavy intoxication touched with demanding arousal as well as that bite he couldn't identify, and his lashes nearly fluttered on his next inhaled breath. That fragrance of hers practically shouted her pleasure over what he knew she was expecting to happen, and his features twitched and he glared as they walked by seven vampires on their way out of the second ballroom. If those bastards had only learned to stay in hiding he would be enjoying that night of fantasy with her, but now he had to deny her once more and spend his evening hunting what he had thought he no longer needed to hunt.

He would butcher them like cattle.

"Kenshin." Kaoru leaned into him and whispered softly in an almost embarrassed way. "Is it alright if I use the lady's room before we go? I think… I drank too much champagne." A light blush dusted the area of skin that was visible just below her mask.

"Can you make it back to the hotel?" The question caught her off guard, because she couldn't understand why he would refuse to let her use the bathroom since they were still inside the building.

"I'd rather not." An entire list of reasons why she didn't want to wait ran quickly through her mind, the most important being she was hoping to be occupied in other matters once they got back. Possibly before they got back. Interrupting the mood just to pee wasn't romantic or sexy, but there was no way she was going to fully enjoy his touch and attention if her bladder was about to bust. Come on, idiot! Get a clue! Curiously he looked over his shoulder, and she frowned.

"Very well, but please be quick."

"Al-right."

There was suspicious confusion in her tone, and as Kenshin walked her down the deserted hallway to the bathroom he was steadily overcome by guilt. Her scent still lingered and teased him with what she expected, but his wish to keep her happy and ignorant of her dangerous surroundings was already starting to backfire. Just that small amount of suspicion would eat at her, and an image of how the night was going to play out ran clearly through his head. What joy she retained would only last until he had to leave her alone in her hotel room. She would not argue with him, because she was still unsure about their relationship, but her scent would plummet into doubt and sorrow even as she attempted to smile as if it didn't bother her. "Okay, Kenshin. I'll… see you in the morning." Those sapphire eyes he loved would avoid him, her shoulders would slump in dejection, and she would find fault in herself. Anger twisted his heart and the muscles in his face, and he fisted his hands until his bones ached.

I will butcher them now.

At the bathroom door his hand firmly detained her and she laughed incredulously and teased him about coming in with her. Her amusement trailed off after one glance into his golden irises, however, and something painfully gratifying swelled inside of his chest as her scent escalated with joy and arousal instead of anxiety and fear. The abrupt spike in her tempting smell reacted strongly with his already vengeful and overprotective mood, though, and he was unable to keep his fingers from trembling when he gripped them securely around the back of her neck.

"Kenshin. Someone'll see." The whispered words of chastisement weren't very convincing with her blue eyes half-closed and her hands pushed against his chest.

"No one will see." The rough pad of his thumb scrapped against her parted lips, and a possessive, irritated part of him wanted everyone to see. That would not please her, though, and he knew once he had calmed down that it wouldn't please him either. He would know if anyone was coming, and he would protect her as he had promised. Besides… "I do not wish to share the way you look now." A shivering gasp rushed cool air past his thumb as he leaned in to brush his nose against the side of hers. "Not with anyone."

Thick, fake lashes slid closed and were so long that they tickled the side of his face that wasn't covered by the gold mask. She was offering herself so trustingly to him, and he wanted to take without regard to anything: not their surrounding; not her reputation; and not his irritating desire for her blood. Instead, he kept his control and circled his other arm around her lower back to carefully sample what he planned on thoroughly exploring later. The press of their lips remained tender, even after her arms slid up around his neck, but there was an undertone of restraint in his touch as well as hers as they gasped for breath between each short, emotional kiss.

Once again he was flooded with warmth as if he were standing in sunshine, and his grip tightened in a sudden, new need to be with her inside of that heat. The shadows of night had stifled him for too long. He wanted to bathe in the light again. He wanted to laze in its comforting embrace and fear nothing that crept in the dark. The light would keep him safe from everything. Even from himself.

The noises from the party strengthened as a group of people passed by the opening to the hallway, and Kaoru pulled away from him with a start. There was a bend in the hallway, so there was no fear of anyone seeing them, and she giggled in nervous embarrassment for reacting so guiltily. Kenshin simply loosened the fingers he had curved around her skull and caressed them across her jaw and cheek. He felt calmer now, and he didn't even care if it was because he had satisfied a need to claim her or because she had soothed him merely by willingly accepting him.

Sapphire eyes darted a look at him shyly, and her nervous giggle turned suddenly genuine. His head tilted, and his voice was low. "What do you find so amusing?" His fingers continued to stroke her fascinatingly soft skin, and she blushed but reached up a hand to rub her thumb against his chin.

"Mr. Himura, I believe you are wearing my lipstick.

"Hmm." Distractedly he brushed at the hair feathering her face. "Does it match my costume?" Kaoru giggle-snorted at his unexpected touch of humor, and then willingly accepted the handkerchief that he pulled from his breast pocket. "It kinda does." Reverently he studied her features as she used the corner of the cloth to free him of any telling signs of their private interaction. He could spend all day simply touching her and be satisfied.

"I'm afraid I've also smeared the lipstick on you."

"I figured as much. I'll uh, take care of it in the bathroom." The handkerchief was stuffed into her clutch and she licked her lips self-consciously.

A long breath exhaled from his mouth, and he stepped back. "Take your time freshening up. I've just remembered that there is something else that I need to take care of before we leave." Her sapphire eyes lifted to look at him curiously, and his own now violet irises smiled at her in reassurance. "I'll meet you back here."

"I don't need to come with you?"

"It's nothing that important. Do not worry, it won't take long."

Kenshin watched as Kaoru disappeared through the bathroom door. She was a little suspicious of him, but that was to be expected after he had all but rushed her to the door and now he was saying that he needed to stay a little longer. It was one more excuse that he needed to come up with to appease her sharp intelligence. Kaoru wouldn't stay ignorant for much longer, though, and there was nothing that he or the Council could do to stop that.

Before he had fully immersed himself into the crowd of people in the ballroom, the guard that had initially accosted Kaoru in the gallery approached him. His brown eyes were full of arrogance and insanity instead of the fear from before, and it was clear to Kenshin why he felt that way. There were several others all strategically positioned to back him up. They thought they could outnumber him and take the advantage. "You need to step outside with us."

A couple of the guests nearest to them started to whisper in concern, and Kenshin carefully pushed both hands into his pockets. "Is there a problem?"

"We'll find out soon enough. Where's the woman you escorted? We need to speak with her as well." The question was completely unnecessary, because even as he spoke it his brown eyes locked onto the hallway that led to the bathrooms.

It was almost impossible for Kenshin to keep his features from darkening, and the guard in front of him tensed instinctively. "Whatever you wish to speak with her about I will take full responsibility for. Rest assured, Miss Kamiya is under my protection."

"Hmph." Amber irises averted to a second guard that was slightly behind the leader. He was smirking as if amused. "Nevertheless, when we're finished with you, we'll make sure to… question the girl, hmm."

A quick peek of hazel eyes around the corner into the second ballroom showed Himura leaving through a back door with three guards and several others covertly following after. A small smile pulled at the young lady's lips, and the acrobat from the cage slipped quietly through the crowd and made a beeline for the bathrooms. She would let those old idiots fight it out with that Blood Traitor. They were either of the mind to kill him and remove him from the picture before they enjoyed the girl's blood, or they thought to hold back and let him kill off most of the others so that they wouldn't have as much competition afterwards. As she had said, they were idiots. Himura was going to kill them all. Father had told her of how strong the Blood Traitor was. Besides, the girl belonged to Father. So while they were all occupied she was going to snatch the woman and gift her to him. After, of course, she had stolen a taste or two of her own.

Oh, I hope she burns and sparkles on the inside.

X

A/N: I wasn't going to do an author's note this time, because I'm a little uncertain about my own mood. Needless to say, this will be short. I'm not very pleased with this story, and I haven't been for a few chapters. It has strayed from my original idea, and I feel a touch lost and irritated. Perhaps this is not the best way to encourage anyone to read my story, but what is a story without readers and I feel you deserve a little honesty. I don't want to quit writing it, and putting it on hold feels wrong as it already takes me close on a month just to post one chapter now. It has lost its excitement for me, though. This is not a long-winded way of saying that I'm going to give up. I suppose I simply think it fair to let you know that if it takes longer for the next chapter to come out, it is because I am attempting to rediscover what it was about this story that excited me in the first place. Please bear with me.

In the meantime, I can inform you that in the next chapter all of the players will make a move and our heroine will (finally) have a chance to fight her own battle, even if she doesn't realize just yet that it is her own battle.