In the Shadow of the Vampire

By: Psychotic Tanuki

Chapter Four: Stay

            "You can wake up now." His soft voice made her insides freeze and Kaoru lay still, fearing to move.

            "You're a horrible actress. The dead could feign sleep better than you. So just wake up. It'll make my job easier." Kaoru opened her eyes and frowned as she looked at the white ceiling, marred with stains of an unknown, dark substance. She didn't bother to look at him. She'd moved from an annoying kitsune, to an annoying, nasal boy five years younger than her. Kaoru decided that she needed better friends. She didn't even want to acknowledge his…bright orange pants in her peripheral vision. With that note, she rolled onto her side, her back facing Enishi.

            "Now that's not very nice." Enishi's voice was deadpan, as was his face.

            "Shove off asshole."

            Enishi frowned. She might have inherited Tomoe's gift, but she was nothing like Tomoe. She was rude, and incredibly touchy. Her voice wasn't nearly as calm, warm or soothing as Tomoe's; it was hard, biting and edged with sarcasm. He stared at the back of Kaoru's head; her thick inky black hair spilled over edge of the bed. He grimaced, she'd shed numerous strands of hair all around his room AND it would be easy for enemies to use it as a weapon against her. Reaching out, Enishi grabbed a handful and lifted her head off the bed. Crouching down he met Kaoru face to face.

            "This hair will have to go." With that, he reached for the tanto (dagger) in his boot, ready to chop off all her hair until it was just as short as a little boy's. That was, until a flying fist connected with his face and therefore, he cut her a pair of chin length bangs.

            "Don't touch my hair, bastard." She glared as he stood up to his full height of 5 feet 9 inches, and spat out blood from his mouth. Towering over her diminutive frame, he snarled.

            "Bitch." He glared at her, and stumbled. Kaoru no longer sat there, as she was replaced by a demure young woman, crying. And in an instant from which she came, she was gone and all that remained was a disgruntled tanuki and a shaken, but angry Enishi. Full of hatred and anger, Enishi gritted his teeth. He wouldn't stand for such mind tricks played by a lame, worthless bitch.

            In a rage, he hacked her hair off in one swoop, and stormed out of the clinic. Kaoru sat still; her hair fell a little past her shoulder blade, where as before, it had gone past her waist. More than ever, she wanted to get out of the clinic.

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            Sagara Sanosuke was not an easy man to find. Takani Megumi learned this very very quickly. She also learned that in her 12 hour absence, over thirty of the seventy patients were dead. It was unheard of. This was a palliative care hospital, where they made it easier for those who were going to die in their last days or months, not kill them. Sure, it was rare for a day to go by when no one died, but 31 people in one day? She had been sure, almost absolutely positive that a certain, dirty, chicken head was the root of all this. Thus, she went to seek him out.

            That had been 3 hours ago. She had checked all ten floors, and all rooms in all ten floors while at the same time treating patients. However, no matter where she went, he was not there and some places she left, someone died. Not ten minutes ago, she had visited a sickly boy named Okita Soushi, and now, Kamatari had pronounced him dead. This looked bad for her career as well. It looked rather suspicious that patients she treated were dying minutes after she treated them.

            She couldn't do her job; obviously whomever she treated might die earlier than they wanted. She couldn't find Sagara Sanosuke, and she really wanted to do was to return to the clinic, Kaoru had seen her own death, which usually wasn't a very good sign. She leaned against the wall before sliding down onto the floor, her knees pulled up to her chin as she buried her face into her hands. Stress had started to get to her. With Enishi missing for a few months, a lame Kaoru that needed protection, and the economic difficulties of keeping a clinic open, all she wanted to do was cry. However, she just removed her face from her hands, rubbed her eyes and went on looking for Sagara Sanosuke. She wasn't even sure if he was behind all of this, however, she couldn't shake the feeling that he was, and that he knew something she didn't.

Watching her from the shadows, Sano stood fascinated. He had been filled with disgust when he thought she was crying, but she hadn't. She was different than Sayo, who had come crying to him every time Aoshi had been cold to her. Megumi hadn't even wept a tear and he smirked. She wouldn't find him, he could guarantee that, he wouldn't be found unless he wanted to be found. Sano's smirk fell off his face. If Takani Megumi was here at the hospital, that means she had left that other girl alone.

            "Sanosuke, What the fucking hell did you think you were going to do?" Sano tensed up and turned around to see the angry face of the only individual that could find him.

            "Kenshin-" Sano didn't get to say anymore as Kenshin picked him up by the collar and slammed him against the wall.

            "I heard about your 'massacre' idea, and let me tell you something idiot. I don't need to be found by the fucking police or the fucking slayers just yet. When I say you can, by all means, suck the blood out of these bastards until there isn't any left. But only when I say you can. Is that clear?"

            "Yes-" Sano clenched his aching neck, "Crystal clear. But did ya have to slam me that hard?"

            "I don't know," Kenshin smirked, and knelt down before Sano, "I know you don't like the Rurouni, but never doubt me again. And you can do whatever you want with Takani; just get your job done."

            Sano merely nodded and got up before dusting himself off, towering over Kenshin, who was already halfway down the hall

            "Oi, Kenshin-" Kenshin's figure stopped walking and tilted an ear, "She's alone, Takani left her alone in the clinic."

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            Yahiko ran, it didn't matter where, he just ran. The crowd was moving against him and in the corner of his mind; he realized that he had left Tsubame behind. He couldn't run back to save her, if he did, they'd both die. Tae wouldn't kill Tsubame; Tsubame didn't ever cause trouble, so there wouldn't be a reason to. The burning pain from his feet crawled up his leg and his lungs were sore from the air rapidly pumping in and out of his lungs.

            To say that he was tired was an understatement. He was in a place he didn't know, in a district of town he didn't know, and Tae was chasing him down like she wasn't even tired. Then again, Tae wasn't even human anymore; she probably wasn't tired at all. Yahiko stopped for a moment and looked around, it was a quiet suburban area, so perhaps if he could hide in someone's house… It didn't matter who, as long as he could stay at someone's house.

            Yahiko then started to run again, he couldn't see Tae but that didn't matter. He knew she was there. Then, like a light at the end of a tunnel, he saw an open door to a doctor's clinic. Yahiko smiled deliriously in relief. A doctor would surely help him, so he ran in and slammed the door behind him, locking it. Leaning against the door, he breathed a sigh of relief and sat on the floor, sweat pouring from his face as his raggedly shirt and jeans clung to him uncomfortably. Getting up, he peered outside the window, instead of Tae's face he saw a man dressed in a police uniform smoking and holding a sword over his shoulder. He stared at this policeman with wide eyed fear and relief. Had he seen him run into a doctor's clinic with no visible injuries? Would he bring him back to the Akabeko, where Tae would shred him to pieces? He watched petrified as the policeman began to walk away.

            After he had lost view of the policeman, Yahiko watched as a small piece of paper was slid through the mail slot in the door. Cautiously, he picked it up and stuck it in his pockets before peeking through the mail slot. And yet another scream erupted through the Genzai Medical Clinic.

            "I'm watching you. The minute you step out of that building, I will hunt you down brat, and don't think I won't. And you little Tsubame friend, don't think for a minute that I won't kill her. I will, so don't go spreading any little secrets-" Tae's eyes penetrated through his being as she slammed the slot in his face, letter forgotten, he lay on the floor panting.

            "If you're looking for a place to stay, you'd better leave." He turned around to see a woman, crawling her way towards him. "Aw, don't look at me like that. It's not my fault I can't walk."

            "Che, it's not like I care. You're just a busu anyway, and I'm staying right here." Kaoru frowned, and sat upright, glaring up at the kid.

            "Listen brat, I'm not a busu and if you don't wanna end up like me, get the hell out of here."

            "What do you mean end up like you? If you wanna end up like me, you won't go outside." Yahiko fumed, he'd do anything to be invalid. That way he wouldn't have to face Tae again.

            Kaoru stared at the scruffy boy. His hair was unruly, skin tanned and a lanky build. He had dark chocolate eyes and it seemed as if he was from the poorer parts of town by his tattered clothing.

            "Fine, you can stay," Kaoru feigned annoyance, she was tired of being alone, and this little boy would keep her company, "Just help me back to my room."

            "Busu, go help yourself, you crawled your way here didn't you?"

            Kaoru face faulted and began to regret her decision and Saitoh's letter lay forgotten in Yahiko's pocket.

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            Saitoh frowned. He was no closer to finding that Kamiya Kaoru than he was before. He didn't have a single clue as to her whereabouts other than that she was still in Tokyo. Like that helped him, there were millions of people in Tokyo, what was he supposed to do? Knock on every door?

            The smoky air of bar filled his nostrils as he looked at his watch. Enishi was late and Saitoh began to wonder if it was a wise decision to hire that psychopath. For a twenty-year old, Enishi was highly immature, mentally unstable, and over zealous, but he was good. He'd never seen someone his age take down forty vampires in three nights. Still, the boy had a lot of growing up to do. Seconds later, Enishi stormed into the bar, looked around dazedly and plopped down next to Saitoh. 

            "I found her." Saitoh snuffed out his cigarette and eyed the distraught Enishi.

            "And?"

            "And she's worthless. Can't walk, and Megumi doesn't think she can handle it. I don't think she can handle it.  I KNOW she can't." Enishi waved his hand to the bartender, ordering his usual vodka.

            "Doesn't matter if she can or can't," Saitou pulled out another cigarette and lit it, "If she can, we'll recruit her. If she can't, we'll kill her. Simple as that, I don't care. As long as Battousai is dead."

            Enishi cocked a glance at the older man before his shot of vodka. "Che, then what, we'd be without a single clue as to what Battousai's doing."

            "Not really. I've found another useful vampire to blackmail."

            "And who would that be?"

            "Sekihara Tae."

            "The restaurant owner?" Enishi frowned, he had went there earlier. If Tae was a supporter of Battousai, she could've killed him.

            "Yeah, she's Battousai's information leak."

            "Did you leak anything to her?"

            "Nothing important." Saitoh snarled. I only leaked that Kamiya Kaoru existed to them. Enishi stared at his partner before turning around the swivel chair and leaning on the bar.

            "Still... you didn't tell me that Kamiya Kaoru was 5 years older than me."

            "Does it make a difference?"

            "Yeah, she's hot." Saitoh snorted and Enishi grinned before putting on a mask of indifference. "but not as pretty as 'neesan was." Saitoh chuckled. He has seen that one coming.

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            Kenshin knocked on the door. Kamiya Kaoru was alone, and this was his chance to get rid of the threat she posed. 

            "Oi Yahiko! Get the door you brat!" Kenshin frowned as he heard a familiar shriek and hastily put on a smile as a scruffy young boy opened the door. Kaoru frowned as she stared at him. He seemed different, his face was even more angular than before, and he didn't seem so womanly.

            "Ah- Himura-san!" Kenshin was taken back. Before, he had the impression she hated him. "Gomen about earlier, are you looking for Megumi?"

            "Aa…but if she isn't here…" Kenshin looked down at the little boy who seemed a little leery of him, and wondered when he came about, since he had just left a couple of hours ago. This little boy had ruined whatever chance to dispose of her and he cursed himself for not getting there earlier.

            "You can stay." He then looked to the lame woman who sat on the floor, brightly smiling back up at him. He smiled back. Alright, I'll stay.

           

            But you'll be sorry that I did.

AN: ahhh sorry it took me so long to put this out but…gahhh I've twisted my ankle, can't walk, got addicted to playing FFIX and FFVIII, had my report to finish, failed math class T-T and over all got banned from mah comp for a while. T-T

Redroseprincess678- yes…I will keep writing ) I have evil ideas I must write down

Kitsune- puah- I will… I will and then I'll whack you on school Monday!

aga_xris- I like cliff hangers. Expect more…besides…sessha couldn't think of anything more to write…

Isis 13- heh…added some more Saitoh in there and there'll be more of him. He's just too cool to leave out.

Omochi- ^^…hopefully I'll update sooner than I did last time…