The Sacred Night, Chapter 32
Sano and Megumi stayed annexed away in the room where Megumi had been sleeping for a very long time. Sometimes we heard muffled words, and sometimes not. They were there practically all night while Kaoru and I stayed in our own room the majority of the time. We had enjoyed this time of being together so much, but we both knew Kaoru would have to go back to work soon. She might have been healthy enough to do so for awhile already, but she was waiting for Megumi to pronounce her healthy enough to be fed upon first.
When the two of them finally came out, Sano had his arm around Megumi and she had two tiny, fresh wounds on her neck. I was a little concerned by this, since it wasn't usually a good idea for two vampires to feed on the same human in one night, even if that human was bound. I could go without it until Kaoru became healthy again, though, if it made the two of them happy.
"I see you two are on good terms again," I commented as they walked out to the living room with us.
"Yes. Sano shared an interesting insight with me," Megumi replied. "I'm surprised he knows the word 'insight,'" she finished, and I could almost swear she really did look like a fox there for a second.
"Don't get started on that, Fox Lady," Sano replied languidly, not even attempting to keep the banter going. We all settled in the living room, and it was obvious who was with whom. Megumi snuggled up to Sano on one end of the couch, while I left my arm around Kaoru on the other. The newer couple was so obvious, it was sickening in a cute and funny way. Suddenly, a soft growl was heard emitting from a stomach.
"You vampires have had enough for awhile. Time for the humans to eat!" Megumi announced, and left for the kitchen to prepare something. She didn't even look at me in her passing. Kaoru, however, did not comment.
"Kaoru-dono, may I see you in our room a moment?" She followed me, politely curious, and when we came to a stop in our room, I explained my purpose.
"Did you speak to Megumi-dono as you said before that you would?"
"Yes, I certainly did. I see it's working,"
"I wish you had not. Since she and Sano are… involved now, I think the problem has fixed itself, that I do,"
"It doesn't matter. She was out of line. You are just too nice to say no to people," she softened toward the end.
"She did not ask me to do anything like that with her, that she-"
"That's not what I meant. You probably asked her to please not do that, and she didn't get the message that I meant business. I told her to stop it immediately, because you are married and she is not taking you from me!"
"Calm down, Kaoru-dono," I whispered, enfolding her in a hug. "No one is going to take me away from you, that they are not. Never,"
I was sure she knew this already, but after 125 years of marriage, if I had learned one thing about women, it was that they liked to be told these things over and over. It was reassuring for me to say them, too. She did not cry or anything overly dramatic, but she returned my hug fiercely. I stroked her hair, gray streak included, mumbled phrases of assurance, and eventually we walked back out to the others hand in hand. Megumi had two portions of some strange dish I had never eaten even when I was alive prepared and waiting in the kitchen. As much as she had a rivalry going with Kaoru, she still had manners. The two humans went to the kitchen to eat, politely away from us even though we could not be tempted with their food for the world. Sano and I were alone again, sitting in peaceful silence.
"I owe you one for telling me that about the Fox," Sano said after a few moments.
"I was only telling the truth, that I was. You would have done the same,"
"No, I wouldn't, because you would have stayed and let her tell you. Actually, you did,"
"It's all right, Sano. You found out the truth, and you did what you knew was right once you knew it. Everyone is fine now, that they are,"
"I hurt Megumi,"
"Yes. I'm not going to lie to you and say you did not, that I'm not. However, Megumi-dono has forgiven you, and she is very happy now,"
The two women returned to our company then, and we cut our conversation short, but I think Sano got the point. We all stayed together through the night, laughing, talking, and the humans occasionally eating. The only flirting that went on was exchanged by parties who had no objections, and Megumi showed no hint of anything that looked like malice toward Sano. Only two things were wrong with the world, both due to my cursed vampire nature.
"I think it's safe to go back to Aizu now," Megumi began during a lull. "I'm going to leave tomorrow,"
We were all silent, not knowing how Sano would take this news. The distance wouldn't really be an issue, but he might take it as a sign that Megumi didn't want to be around him anymore, which I was sure was not the case. Kaoru would probably not take her leaving too hard, but I would miss her a certain amount, and probably should not visit her as Sano frequently would. We all looked toward him, trying to gauge his reaction until he spoke.
"Hey, no big deal. I'm a vampire, right? I'll be there at a second's notice. If you want me, I mean,"
"I do,"
"Um, Sanosuke, have you ever been to Aizu? You know you can only do that if you know where you're going…" Kaoru spoke up. As childlike an image she seemed to have, she was very perceptive. She always picked up on these things even I had neglected to think about at the moment. We all looked again to see what his answer would be, since on it hinged the possibility of his easily continuing a relationship with Megumi.
"Well, no, but… all I'd have to do is see it. I'll just go there the regular way once and after that it'll be okay,"
There were several smiles at that, and it was all really very nice, but talk of her leaving had raised a question in me that I just had to have answered. It could not wait. "Megumi-dono," she looked toward me, politely waiting for me to speak. It was almost too great a question to ask, and I could have sworn that my heart was beating quickly within me. "If it is safe for you to leave now, does that mean Kaoru-dono is completely healthy now?"
It seemed like hours before she answered me, though it was probably only a few seconds. Kaoru was squeezing my hand with vampirelike strength, and that was the only thing keeping it from shaking violently. "Yes, Ken-san. You can feed on her tonight," she answered with a smile, surely knowing how wonderful the news made me feel. Kaoru squeezed my hand even tighter and then let go to let me hug her as tightly as she could stand it. I remembered, however, that though I did not need air, she did, and quickly allowed her to have it again.
I don't know how Kaoru felt about it, but I was anxious all through Sano's and Megumi's departure. I would certainly miss them, but I knew that like Sano, I could see either of them whenever I felt the desire, and besides, I had not fed on Kaoru in over a month. We had some parting conversation and wished them safety on the road. When they were both strapped in and her little red car had faded into the distance, Kaoru and I hurried back to our house.
We couldn't get to our bedroom fast enough. I wasn't even all that hungry; I just wanted her. I almost dispensed with the formalities of closing to window and door, but she urged me to do so, assuring me that while it wasn't likely, it was possible that someone could be watching if I did not. With that task finished I went to lie with her.
When I at last tasted her ki, it was almost as if I'd never fed before in that it was so desired, but at the same time it was the most gloriously familiar thing in the world. She was stable and steadfast, just like her ki that reminded me of a glassy-surfaced lake draped with tiny, green lights moving in a rhythm only flying things know how to duplicate in the soft, sacred night.
When I had fulfilled my hunger and we had fused into one being once more, she fell quietly into the languorous, dreamless sleep of the totally contented. I was far from ready to sleep, since dawn was quite a way off still, but I was equally content to watch her small frame expand and contract with each breath, listen to each heartbeat, and drink in the glow of the moonlight like silk on her milky, white complexion. She was more beautiful than she had ever been in that moment, and as with all true beauty, she was completely unaware of it.
One of the problems of my unnatural nature was alleviated now that I was completely unified with my wife once again. The only thing left to add in order for the night to be as full to me as the day, and to her as well, I knew because she had told me many times, was a small stirring of new life within her abdomen, followed by a crib in the corner of the room. I had cursed myself thousands of times for being the reason she could not have the fulfillment of this desire. It was truly only me, since as a human, even bound, she was fully capable of bearing children. It was I that could not.
We had discussed adoption before, but honestly, what human couple in their right minds would consider allowing a vampire to have custody of their children? It would be highly suspicious to request that all dealings be done at night, and there was the ever-present problem that such basic information as our ages and birth dates would be required, and the answers we supplied would alone be enough to justify sending us to the sanitarium, to say nothing of being allowed to adopt a human child.
There were also alternatives in which she could be artificially inseminated with another man's seed, which she could do during the day, but she had always renounced any desire to bear children in this manner. She was correct to infer that I would be saddened by my lack of a biological connection to her child, but I had never told her this because I knew that I could love any person connected to her as much as I loved her, in spite of not having such a connection myself.
She stirred next to me and woke to see my pained concentration on the empty corner. She took my hand and squeezed it, knowing exactly what the matter was. She looked up at me meaningfully, clearly feeling the same loss, but did not look sad. "I know it might not work if we try to get a baby, but… I'd like to try," she murmured, full of hope. I only pulled her close again and whispered my agreement.
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and HOW are they going to get this baby? you'll find out next time! (nothing dirty, of course!)
Forbidden Dream: everything must come to an end. just the epilogue left, but believe me, it's great. you'll love it.
Cattibrie393: are you referring to Sano's little speech when you say 'quick and almost callous'? i thought it was pretty insightful for Sano… but i'm glad you appreciate my efforts at realism (as real as a vamp fic with Kenshin can be…)
CowGirl4Ever: i understand. i have a lot to do on my spring break as well, but mine is this week, so i'm not going back for awhile. yes, Tuesday, and Thursday for the epilogue.
Lady Battousai: no, i never mind a recommendation of a good fic! i'll check it out today!
Kenshin's My Man: that smiley thing is cute! yes, the epilogue will be here on Thursday, and Kenji is in it. in fact, it is pretty much all about him.
Invader Zimo: thanks! no, i have not seen that movie, unfortunately, but i can imagine exactly what you mean. i'd like to watch the Japanese versions and see if i can understand what's going on… i did that with the cowboy bebop movie, but i'd already seen the English version, so it sort of defeated the purpose. i heard than his voice is pretty womanish in the English versions, as well, though…