Grace

A Rurouni Kenshin Fanfiction

By the Dragon's Daughter

Summary: In the smoky streets of London, a battle is brewing. Kenshin is a former business man who has just discovered life in all its varied forms. Kaoru, a vampire, is running for her life when a certain red-head stumbles into it. Modern-Day AU.

Disclaimer: I don't own Rurouni Kenshin. I am making no profit by writing this fan fiction. It is intended for recreation purposes only.

Rating: R for language and violence

Pairing: Kenshin/Kaoru, Aoshi/Misao, and Sano/Meg

Chapter Three: Strangers in the Night

Sanosuke stayed for a little while, mostly quizzing Kaoru about Enishi's reasons for going after her this time. She was deliberately vague. After all she knew Kenshin was eavesdropping on their conversation.

She knew precisely why Enishi was so desperate to kill her and for once her seat on the Council was only part of the reason. It was a secret she'd carry to the grave if she had to, but for one reason or another, the Junior Attendant was terrified of London's newest resident.

Not that she blamed him. Kenshin Himura was going to be a major player one day whether he intended to or not. These first months in London would play a major factor in who he sided with.

Kaoru had known what was coming the moment she'd laid eyes on a certain young man wandering the streets at night without fear. She hadn't expected him to show such a complete lack of ambition, but that was really for the best. There was plenty of it going around.

That was why she'd set him up with Sanosuke and the Sekihoutai, the only were-pack in the city ignorant enough to befriend him solely on his personal merits rather than his potential power. They were perhaps the only people in London that Kenshin could have ever counted on to never backstab him.

Before Sanosuke left for the night, Kaoru gave him a hug at the door. It was a real hug this time, laden with true concern and worry. She'd also directed Kenshin to the Sekihoutai for Sano's safety as well. One day his big mouth was going to get him in over his head and he needed a strong right arm to haul him out of it.

"Be careful," she whispered. "Don't do anything foolish, I have enough to worry about without adding you to it all."

Sanosuke nodded curtly. "I'll be good, Jo-chan." His voice was as quiet as hers. He knelt down to speak in her ear. "Be gentle with him, all right? He's going through 'the phase'."

Kaoru blushed, but nodded. 'The Phase' was the Sekihoutai's crude way of referring to someone who had a crush on Kaoru. She'd been through it with every member including Sanosuke and she still wasn't sure he was over it.

She wasn't entirely sure why it kept happening only that it did. She supposed part of the problem was her behavior, but it couldn't be the entire cause. Usually the pack puppies that'd fallen victim to The Phase were content to worship from afar. Once or twice she'd tried to cultivate something more, maybe out of boredom or loneliness, but they'd never cooperated.

Kenshin was certainly not suffering from The Phase if only because he was doing anything but 'worshiping from afar'. The Phase involved blushes, stammering, and random fits of jealousy. The day she saw Kenshin Himura blush would be the day she signed her Council Seat over to Enishi free and clear!

"I'll play nice." Kaoru promised as the elevators doors closed between her and Sanosuke.

"It's getting close to sunrise." Kenshin's voice came from just behind her. She turned to find him watching her with the strangest expression. "You should probably rest now.

Kaoru had an insane urge to cuddle up to his chest and pull that infuriating elastic out of his hair. She wanted to see it loose and wild around his shoulders. It would be fun to run her fingers through it too, but she squashed the urge. She couldn't afford complications right now, and Kenshin was complication embodied.

"Thank you." She demurred and started towards the bedroom. Behind her Kenshin started to reach for her, but abruptly stopped when she stilled on the threshold of the guest room.

"Kenshin," she called over her shoulder. "There's a window in here. It faces west."

She heard him swore violently and a second later he was behind her again, leaning into the room to examine the culpable windowpane. It was dressed in a sheer layer of blue gauze, intended to flutter aesthetically in the breeze. Furthermore the window took up a large part of the wall so pinning a blanket over it wasn't an option.

"I hope you don't mind sharing a bed." He sighed.

Kaoru let him pull her out into the hall. He closed the door behind them. She understood what he meant. The room was a security nightmare. True, she'd seen the protective wards etched into the edges of the window glass, but wards wouldn't stop a line-of-sight spell.

The living room wasn't much of an option either. The drapes were heavier, but they still didn't keep the light out. While she wasn't undead and wouldn't turn to ashes under the sunlight, Kaoru didn't feel much like waking up with a third-degree sunburn.

"It seems I don't have a choice." She replied, careful not to look at him so she wouldn't have to see the sparkle in his eyes.

Kenshin was glad he'd taken the time to tidy up his bedroom while Kaoru was bathing. It was still far from immaculate, but at least she wouldn't wonder if there was anything growing under the layer of discarded clothing.

There were no windows in the room since Kenshin absolutely couldn't sleep with light in his eyes. There was even weather stripping around the edges of his door. In retrospect, Kenshin realized that he probably should have offered this room instead of the guest room, but he hadn't been thinking about it clearly.

The bed was a queen-size with plenty of room for two people. The sheets and blankets were snarled from where he'd neglected to make it up after a series of nightmares he'd had a few days ago.

Just the memory of his bad dreams made Kenshin tense up. It was a good thing he hadn't remembered them while Kaoru had been in his head. He'd just a soon she didn't find out about the person he'd been before his change. The memory was bad enough.

Kenshin lingered by the door as Kaoru strolled through his bedroom taking stock of what she saw. She didn't say anything or look at him, but he noticed the way her eyes lingered over the framed photographs on his bureau and on the few knick-knacks he'd accumulated during his travels.

He had no idea why he was so nervous. There was nothing embarrassing or criminal there for her to see, but deep down he feared that if she saw the mementoes of his previous life then she'd realize how bland and colorless it had been… and how he might still be. He literally had not lived before his mentor had given him his beast.

It wasn't so long ago when Kenshin wouldn't have been able to appreciate this beautiful, sensuous and complicated woman before him. He'd have dismissed her on the street as a homeless prostitute and gone on his way secure in his own cold little world. He'd never loved before his Change nor had he hated. He'd spent his life going through the motions of becoming 'successful' and 'desired', but he'd never enjoyed that success or desired anyone else in turn.

His relationships had all been business transactions going both ways. With women he'd satisfied his physical urges and in turn compensated them for their time by being the 'generous rich boyfriend'. Emotions had never really entered into it. They'd both always gotten exactly what they wanted from the relationship.

Never before had he wanted to touch a woman just to see the heat in her eyes or to feel the smooth texture of her skin. He'd never wanted to pick her up a spin her out of sheer exultation nor had he wanted to kiss her because she was so damn cute.

Now Kamiya Kaoru was the antithesis of every woman he'd ever met. When he'd first seen her he'd thought she was a prostitute, but now he wondered if it wasn't the women he known before who were the real whores.

Kenshin had never been afraid before in his life, but now he found he was. He was afraid that he was still only seeing a fraction of the real picture and feeling a fraction of what others felt. He feared that this adrenaline-rush of a woman would find him dull.

The bedspring creaked under Kaoru's weight distracting Kenshin from his thoughts. His mouth went dry as he watched her stretch her slim legs down the length of his bed. The white dress shirt he'd lent her twisted around her waist and rode up her hips. Kenshin squeezed his eyes shut in a half-hearted attempt stifle his body's automatic reaction. No woman should be that sexy without even trying.

A soft snore pulled his attention back to the woman in his bed… the sleeping woman.

Kenshin squatted by the bed and listened to the rhythm of her breathing. Oh yeah, she was out like a light. He snorted and shook his head.

'Real smooth, Himura,' he reproached himself. 'What did you expect?'

He hopped to his feet and went to go rummage through his drawers for his pajama pants. His back was turned so he missed the sapphire glimmer beneath Kaoru's lashes. By the time he'd changed and turned around her eyes were closed again.