Standard disclaimers apply.

Author's Note: Ok, I know it's been like ten months since I last updated (I'm beginning to feel guilty here) and this is all I have came up with. HOWEVER, to please you people, there are a few Kenshin and Kaoru scenes in this chapter. So let's just say I'm hoping they're enjoyable enough for both readers and reviewers to forgive this lazy bum for the long update.

To The Reviewers: ariel I hope you liked the K&K scenes in this chapter. I just love it when they argue! Don't you? materiathief06 I'm surprised you found this story scary. Not exactly the word I would describe my fanfiction but who cares! I'm just glad you liked it. NARGIEGIRL21 Thanks girl! tanukichan14 I'm so sorry for not updating quickly. I know it's a common and lame excuse but I HAVE been busy. Anyway, thanks for pointing out the error. Loves & Huggles back! kik-ting There won't be any 'fighting' or 'attacks' just yet. I'm keeping them for later chapters. RKfan86 Thank you! I really appreciated the comment. Jisusaken Yup, Enishi's a jerk in this story, isn't he? I kind of liked him in the manga series and Seisousen though. But I had to make someone the bad guy, eh? And who else could be perfect for the role other than our handsome infamous enemy? Momomiya Akihara Oh, you're such a sweetheart! My only regret is that I wasn't able to update within a week. I'm sincerely sorry! Thank you for putting this fic on your favourites. Muackx!

The Slew of Darkness
by Diabolic Angel

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Chapter Three: Squabbles

To disagree is one thing; to be disagreeable is another.

Bakumatsu, 28 April 1864 – night

Kenshin carried himself like an angry tiger, with his shoulders stiff and his glowing eyes glaring from a dangerously low angle. As he advanced, his eyes seemed to scorch the earth before him, radiating a fiery clarity that forecast his reputation for unblinking severity in all matters. Tonight, his mood was just as grim as the darkness smeared across the night sky. His jaw hardened as he recalled the duty he had been given by his master during the meeting an hour ago.

"Guard them well, baka deshi… Especially Yukishiro Kaoru…"

Well, damn it all to hell and back again.

When it came down to such matters, he had a single, inviolable rule: Do not become involved in one. The last thing he wanted was for this Kaoru girl to become a burden to him, but there was little likelihood that could be avoided now. He was a responsible man, and he would do whatever was required of his master, whether he liked it or not. The only thing he could do was endeavor to keep an eye on the sisters, and make sure they bloody stay out of his way.

Unfortunately, Yukishiro Kaoru had elicited an unexpected reaction in him. A queasy, weightless feeling. She had roused all his senses at first sight. And he had responded to her in a very physical, extremely disturbing way.

Damn. He did not need this sort of complication. What the devil was the matter with him? Even as a youth he had rarely allowed himself to be controlled by his passions. He had learned long ago that self-discipline was the key to survival on the streets and in the equally perilous world of Kyoto. He had established a set of rules for himself and he lived by them. They governed his intimate liaisons just as they did everything else in his life.

His rules had served him well. He had no intention of abandoning them now.

Kenshin continued his walk towards the lighted Kohaji Inn in dreary silence, and contemplated the air with a knowing sniff. All was too quiet outside, he realized, the darkness heavy and the streets and alleys somber and empty. The only light came from lanterns in the inn at a distance, drawing a square of light which was reflected on the ground and extended up the walls. Shadows encroached everywhere. He couldn't smell a single tint of blood tonight.

But Kenshin knew better.

He found the landlady speaking to one of her working girls as he entered the inn. At his entrance, both heads turned towards him. Avid curiosity glittered in each pair of eyes, but there was something particularly penetrating about the gaze of the younger girl, Kenshin realized. She was staring at him with an oddly riveted, albeit slightly dazed expression. The landlady briefly dismissed her, not before bidding the child good night. The dark-haired female bowed politely and walked away, not before casting him with yet another look of peculiar shy interest.

Not bothering to give her a second look, Kenshin inclined his head towards the landlady in a slight bow as soon as the little chit disappeared around the corner. "Okami-san," he greeted.

The older woman responded in kind, smiling lightly. She stepped over to the open window and gazed outside with a contemplative look in her eyes. "It's a quiet night, isn't it?"

Kenshin eyed the leaden sky. "Not for long."

Okami chuckled at that. "Have I ever mentioned that one of the traits I most admire about you is your optimistic nature? You possess the sort of temperament that brings sunshine wherever you go."

He did not dignify that with a response. He was in a foul mood and he knew it. "Have you been informed about my arrangements?"

A great deal of her languid amusement vanished as reality of the situation returned. "Yes," she said. "Your room's upstairs, the third one to the right."

Giving a distant nod, he began striding towards the stairway.

"Himura-san?"

He turned back and met her eyes. The middle-aged woman was looking at him intently. Her brows were knitted in a considering and sedate expression like a worried mother worrying about her only son. She voiced out her thoughts, "Hiko-san didn't tell me much. But if you are going to be protecting the girls, be careful how you go about things."

"Aa."

She looked up at him with a sense of uncertainty, but nodded anyway. She knew when not to press on with him. "Alright then. Well, good night, Himura-san."

"Good night."

Okami watched him march up the stairs and disappear onto the second level. It was late, she thought with a shiver she recognized as hope as she turned back towards the window.

But maybe it wasn't too late.

Kaoru emerged from the bathhouse, feeling refreshed and warm. Tugging her night robe snuggly around her, she made her way back towards the room she shared with Tomoe. She rolled her shoulders and felt the dull ache in them. A hand reached up to rub the aching muscles around her neck. Her body exhausted.

Today had been a really long day. All that washing and drying, cleaning and dusting, waiting and clearing were a bit too much. She wasn't used to the labour work because all her life she and Tomoe had servants responsible to such duties. Even so, her foster father would never approve of any of his children to bring themselves down to that level. To him, it would be an act of shame. A disgrace to his pride and dignity.

But here, it was different. The inn, being short-handed lately, had needed an extra hand and the landlady had graciously promised to pay Tomoe and Kaoru well if they decided to work for her. But the girls didn't need bribery to say yes. Besides, it would be a good idea to earn some money, she had thought. Just in case.

Kaoru was just about to slide open the shoji door to her room when her hand froze abruptly in midair, shivering at the sudden chill she felt in her body. She turned as she caught sight of the redhead walking up the stairs towards her. He didn't see her until he reached the top. His steps halted, eyes flashing the same shade of gold the first time she met him. Oddly, Kaoru's pulse quickened in his presence.

Belatedly she told herself she ought to have immediately recognized the little frisson of awareness that had gone through her a moment earlier. She was beginning to wonder if the very qualities that should have warned her off, the quiet power and the innate pride and integrity she sensed in the man, were exactly what had drawn her to him. The strange attraction she felt was deeply disturbing. In fact, it was quite dangerous.

Kenshin had stopped walking a short distance away from her, quietly observing her huge blue eyes. They held a deep wariness. His own falcon-sharp gaze, schooled by years spent training as a swordsman to note the smallest details, had not missed that look of caution.

"You'll be staying at this inn too?" she carefully asked, striving to keep her voice light. She wanted to clear her throat, as it seemed coated with something thick and hot. She'd decided to ease her way into things, so to speak.

He raised one brow and watched her with mild curiosity, as if she were an odd and unfamiliar creature. "Yes," he answered after some time.

"Then do you know how long we are going to stay here?" she asked hopefully.

He carelessly shrugged.

"Oh." She looked despondent. "Ok. So erm… where's your room?"

"The one to your right," he gestured with a slight movement of his head.

Troubled lines appeared between her brows as she hesitantly turned to face the other room before quickly turning back to the redhead. Anyone with some sense in them could easily tell straight off that the girl was deeply uncomfortable, apparently restless with the idea of Kenshin sleeping directly in the next room. Forcing himself not to groan, he made to move past her without waiting for a response. He was obviously swollen with irritation. Her 'phobia towards men'… thing was beginning to get on his nerves and he couldn't comprehend why.

"Who are you?"

Did he just think she had phobia towards men? Because of all the questions she might have raised, this was the last one he would have expected. Kenshin came to an immediate halt and spun around, staring at her with eyes that reflected the heat of fire.

A charged silence hung between them.

It was a simple question really, both direct and bold, yet the minute it escaped from her beautiful-shaped mouth, it felt like a bolt from the blue. There was definitely nothing out-of-ordinary about the question. Anyone would ask it of people whom they didn't recognize and since she obviously didn't know him, it was justifiable for her to question his identity.

Then why in heaven's name did he feel it was absolutely ludicrous that she's asking him this?

The muscles around Kaoru's heart seemed to clench, leaving her almost breathless. She found his gaze disconcerting not only because of the colour of his eyes but it was as if he were mentally putting a price on her poor unfortunate's soul. She thought what he would do when he learned her price.

There was a dangerous pause. He stood there for a moment, silently regarding her question with great disapproval. He did not respond in kind. "That is no concern of yours."

Kaoru blinked, mildly surprised by the tone. Her posture was straight – chin raised ever so slightly – not arrogant, just strong. He appeared to be endowed with a formidable will; the sort who was accustomed to achieving his objectives, perhaps at any cost. Another shiver of caution shot through her. "Maybe it isn't. But I thought it would be better if I knew who you were."

"That is not necessary." His voice was quick and dismissive. "Now go to bed. It's late."

He reached out to slide the door open. Kaoru's mouth opened to speak, but his cold attitude towards her had forced her to hum and haw. She guessed he was probably still angry about what happened the night before. He had every right to be if he was, of course. She bit her lip, hoping to shut out the faint flicker of compunction, aware that his friend had been hurt because of her.

Her doing, her fault, her powers. It was a clawing in the gut, in the throat.

"Wait." Kaoru cut in abruptly. She waited for him to turn and froze when she saw that impatience and cold intelligence had made dark amber mirrors of his eyes. Very heedfully, she spoke again. "I'm sorry… for what I did to your friend."

Quietude. She found him staring at her with a quiet intensity that made heat rush over her skin. Her embarrassed eyes slid away from his for a moment. "I didn't mean to hurt him."

The accusing look in his eyes had dimmed, much to Kaoru's relief. But he was watching her so intently, so silently, her nerves did a rapid wobble under her skin. And then finally, he turned away once more and stepped into his own room, leaving her standing in the hallway all by herself.


Bakumatsu, 29 April 1864 – noon

"More rice, please."

"Hai." Kaoru could feel a pair of jet-black eyes on her as she took the empty bowl from the customer courtly.

The man acted like a lecher. He had been staring at her – or rather, her mouth – through out the endless meal, staring until she wanted to squirm and she wished feebly he would find something else to look at. Anywhere but her. But from the smirk on his face and the look in his eyes, she knew he was fully aware of how uncomfortable he was making her.

"You're new around here, right?" he asked in a low, rough voice tinged with cold amusement. She must not say anything more that would goad him Kaoru told herself. Nodding tactfully, she scooped more rice into his bowl. "Hai," she repeated.

"You're a pretty little piece. What's your name, sweetheart?"

Her heart was beating faster than its normal tempo now but she managed a seemingly careless smile as she passed the rice-filled bowl back to the glossy-haired man. "Kaoru."

"Kaoru," he said after her, testing the name on his tongue. There was cool appraisal in his gaze and his smile was devoid of all warmth. "Well, Kaoru, I'm afraid my nights have been pretty lonely lately. How about you come by my room this evening and we'll get to know each other?"

At that, the pulse in her throat pounded against her skin in hard, insistent little knocks. She could only thank her lucky stars when his friend distracted him before she could think of a retort.

"Why are you wasting your time with this chit? You should check out the other babe."

Or not, Kaoru thought as she cast her eyes downward.

"Who? Where?"

"Over there, man."

A sudden thought sent a prickle of dread down her spine. She promptly glanced up and found the two men leering towards the other end of the room. She followed their ogling gaze, where Tomoe was busy serving another customer. She felt something inside her begin to shrivel and die.

"Ah, yes. A real beauty, that one," the dark-eyed man commented in appreciation, licking his lips.

His friend smirked as he stuffed food into his mouth. "She wha I tell ya?"

The man's gaze returned to Kaoru's. "You're not as beautiful as she is," he observed, studying her. The slight twist of his mouth lacked all traces of politesse.

Her stomach knotted tightly as he took a sip of tea. Calling on every ounce of patience she possessed, she offered to refill his drink. "No, I realize that."

"Nor do I expect you to have any of her style or charm." His tone was eerily conversational.

"Quite true."

"Hmm… No man could possibly want you as badly as that woman," he smiled tauntingly above the rim of his cup. "I'm pretty sure she knows how to make the ache go away."

Stunned by the filth he spewed, she could barely keep her wits about her. Her eyes went from mildly irritated to blazing fury. Rage surged through her, mingling with the other heady emotions that were already coursing through her. It had a strengthening effect, she discovered.

"Don't you dare talk about her in such a way," she ordered. She was so furious she could barely control herself.

He raised his brows in surprise. "Oh? And why not, my dear? Is she, perhaps, a close friend of yours?" he asked in a mocking tone and with a sneer that told her this was a game to him and found it amusing.

"That is none of your concern. I certainly do not wish to proceed with this conversation with you any longer."

His lips edged into a tight grin and his countenance held an amused, assessing expression. It was a grin Kaoru didn't like, not one tiny bit. "I assure you, my dear, you're going to regret saying that."

"No, she most assuredly will not," Kenshin's voice sliced like a blade through the room as he took his stand by her side. It was compelling, low and deep and charged with cool masculine determination. He realized that if he had not wanted to speak with the landlady a moment earlier, he wouldn't have waltzed in on the tense interaction and caught the heat flicker in Kaoru's deep, deep blue and the quick and quiet catch of her breath. Apparently, the girl was staring at him now, openmouthed.

On the other hand, the man's dark eyes had narrowed with silent anger and his mouth had hardened into a grim line. "What an unpleasant surprise, Himura."

Kenshin calmly met heat with ice. "Likewise, Hayashi."

Everyone in the room had their attention on the trio. A full minute passed without a spoken word as the edginess and anticipation radiated around them. The landlady, who had been observing the scene from a far, approached them with deep caution and a righteous air. She took note of the stern expressions on the men's countenances with a hard frown, which only deepened the mild creases across her forehead.

Politely, yet firmly, she broke the silence. "Gentlemen, may I suggest that you settle your dispute outside and not here. There are others who want to eat in peace, mind you."

But both looked as though they hadn't heard her and their attention focused on one another. Finally after what seemed like an entire minute, Kenshin said abruptly, "No, we're done here. Will you excuse us, Okami-san?" He took a firm grip on Kaoru's arm and urged her to her feet. To his great satisfaction, she did not resist his touch or his effort to steer her out of the room.

"I'll have someone else cover for you, Kaoru-chan," the landlady spoke after them.

Once the two of them were standing along the corridor, he released his hold on her and took a step forward. An odd tension hummed through him. "If you're not going to control your anger, no doubt trouble would be heading your way."

Kaoru turned his way and stared at him with cold irritation. "I can take care of myself, thank you."

He simply regarded her with cold, glittering eyes. "Well, that's damn reassuring," he said in a voice that was heavily laced with sarcasm.

She pursed her lips. Kaoru heard the evident sarcasm in his voice and tried as hard as she could to ignore it. After all, it was he who got her away from that horrid man, didn't he? For a moment they were alone in the hall. She could feel the unbreakable, invisible cords that bound them together, which came as a shock to her.

"How did you know that man anyway?" she inquired meekly.

"An old enemy."

"You knew him well?"

"Yes."

"What happened between the two of you?"

"Stop asking me unnecessary questions and listen." Frustration hissed in his blood like a snake primed to strike. "I suggest you to be smart enough not to mess with men like him again. Do you understand?"

Temper unhesitatingly whipped colour into Kaoru's face, adding a becoming rosy glow to the porcelain complexion, a snap to cold blue eyes. "But didn't you hear what –"

"I seriously do not give a damn about what he said to you."

There was red around the edges of her vision. "Well, I don't suppose you would give a damn about anything at all now, would you?" she said, her tone echoing his sharp civility.

"No."

She frowned. "How could you just… didn't your mother ever tell you it's rude to walk away from someone when she's talking to you?"

Kenshin couldn't believe what he'd just heard. She had actually criticized him. No one, other than his master, had ever spoken to him with such open disapproval before, and a woman addressing him in such a fashion was beyond his comprehension.

Honest to God, he didn't know how to react. If she were a man, he knew exactly what he would do, of course, but she wasn't a man, and that made his dilemma confusing. He whirled around to face her then. The leather handle of his sword creaked as he studied her in ominous silence for a long moment. His forbidding face was colder than the features of any stone statue. He took a threatening step forward. Kaoru nearly gasped and backed farther away from him. This was the only person of her acquaintance who would have bats doing cartwheels in her stomach with just one look.

"I would advise you to be grateful that you're a woman instead of a man. I am not given to indulging women who try to make a fool of me."

Kaoru's eyes turned a deep violet blue. She was determined not to lose her temper, no matter how much he provoked her. A dangerous man, she thought, on a personal level. "Why? What would you do then?" she asked with deep interest. She was neither impressed nor intimidated by his gruffness.

Kenshin's expression was suddenly forbidding. His mouth tightened and his eyes took on a darker shade of amber, narrowing as he glowered at her. He looked at the bright, inquiring face opposite him and tried to think of a response to Kaoru's outrageous question. Gut clenching, throat snapping shut, he chose to deliberately ignore it. "I have been given the duty to protect you, so you would well be advised to behave properly when around me."

Her teeth clenched at being told how to conduct herself. It took more courage and patience than Kaoru had anticipated to ignore the comment and continue on in the face of that awful tone. "And why, may I ask, do I need protection from you?" Puzzled arrogance showed clearly on her face.

"Tonight, you'll know."

She could feel her spine stiffening in annoyance. "Frankly, given your rude behaviour, I am not inclined to believe a single thing you say."

Kenshin's brows rose with ill-concealed sarcasm. "Does it make any great difference?"

He sounded to her as if he wanted to laugh. But thankfully, he wasn't smiling. He looked just as somber and mean as before. Both of them sent each other mutual looks of heat and annoyance. The tension between the two continued to build, for their gazes were locked on one another. Kenshin's was challenging, Kaoru's was defiant, and neither one of them appeared willing to back down.

However, Kenshin decided he had wasted enough of his time discussing the matter. "We'll be heading over to the Aoiya this evening. Be ready and don't waste any more of my time then you already have." He didn't bother to excuse himself; he simply gave Kaoru a last stony-eyed glare and stalked away.

"Wait! Who's going to be there?"

He glanced back at her over his shoulder, his gaze sweeping over her with cold detachment. "You'll know when you get there. And if you have any other questions, do try to keep them for later, will you?" He nodded once, before leaving Kaoru there staring after him. She crossed her dainty arms in front of her and made a struggled sound of frustration as he went downstairs. And she thought.

He's very good with exit lines.

To be continued…