A/N: Just a quick reminder, once again I own nada. No gorgeous red-haired
swordsman, no tall, dark Okinas, nor a spikey-haired street tough. Dang!
My life is so lacking. -
Chapter Four:
They strode through the parking garage side by side; black trench coats flaring out behind them like the wings of a great black bird, their expressions identical in their blank coldness.
"My car?" Battousai asked.
"Why not." Aoshi responded absently.
Battousai reached into his pocket and clicked the alarm off his Lamborghini. Aoshi merely raised one eyebrow before sliding into the passenger seat.
"So where are we headed?"
Aoshi drew a PDA from inside his trench coat and flipped it open. "We're headed for the waterfront. There's a warehouse he's been seen frequenting."
"What's in the warehouse?"
"Heroin."
Battousai snarled. "I'm surprised your agents haven't seen Saitou poking around."
"I never said they didn't."
Battousai's snarl slid into a cocky grin. This was promising to be a very interesting night. It took some time to make their way to the waterfront of Tokyo. Aoshi gave quiet directions as they negotiated their way through the streets.
"This is close enough." Aoshi pointed to a darkened parking lot.
The crunch of gravel was the only sound in the night as Battousai let the Lamborghini drift to a stop. With unspoken agreement, the two went their separate ways. Aoshi leaped into the night sky, while Battousai hugged the shadowed ground with unnatural stealth. Their destination was a dilapidated old warehouse on the next block. The moon conveniently hid herself behind a heavy layer of clouds, and there was an obscene amount of cover for him to move in. He kept his senses alert, expecting the place to be swarming with guards and lookouts, but he saw only a handful of men armed with sub-machine guns. They were pitifully easy to avoid. He was tempted to take one or two out, just to flaunt how easily he had gotten past them, but that's not why he was here. Numerous fire escapes offered access to the roof, but the one he wanted was on the opposite side of the building. He flitted from shadow to shadow, amber eyes gleaming with the thrill of the hunt. Slipping around the final corner, he crouched behind a row of barrels and scouted the scene before him. Only one guard had the misfortune to be standing directly below the fire escape he needed to access the roof. Battousai reached out with his senses, testing the man's ki. It was human and normal. His smile was a feral snarl. With a flick of his wrist his garrote dropped into his hand. He moved with unbelieveable speed as he went for the unsuspecting guard. There was no remorse as he lashed the thin steel wire around the young man's neck, choking off his airway with lethal swiftness. A quick kick to the back of the knees and Battousai made sure there would be no struggle. He lowered the body to the ground, making sure it was well hidden in the shadows. The ladder was a good four feet above him. Gathering himself, he leapt straight up and grasped the lowest rung. It wasn't quite as easy as he made it look and he was just a little out of breath when he pulled himself on to the roof. Aoshi was waiting for him at the top, crouched low over a skylight
"All quiet?"
The vampire held up a hand. "It's too quiet. My contacts reported more activity than this."
"Trap?"
Aoshi frowned. "Unlikely. It may be they have moved operations elsewhere as a precaution."
Both men froze. The faint sound of a helicopter whispered through the air. Aoshi squinted in the direction of the sound.
"It's headed this way."
"Is this normal?"
"No, let's go."
The two moved to the far side of the building and a skylight shrouded in darkness. Battousai squatted down next to it and peered down into the warehouse. This end lay in shadows. He could just make out a catwalk below them and then rows upon rows of crates below that. Beyond the crates he could just see a large open area and what looked like an office. There were at least six guards standing around that tiny shack.
"This looks like the best end to drop in. There's an office or something with six men on guard around it."
Aoshi nodded. "That fits with the intelligence we've gathered."
"Then if you would do the honors."
The vampire smiled and bent down. The window opened with a savage groan. Beyond them, the helicopter became more than just a faint sound. With a graceful leap, Aoshi disappeared into the darkness below. Battousai crouched next to the window, waiting. There was a soft whistle from below and then one ping on metal. Battousai frowned, one ping meant about a ten- foot drop. He'd have to be careful. Crawling on to the glass, he lowered his body over the edge until he was hanging by his hands. Without a second thought, he let go. The shadowy ground rushed up to greet him. He landed with a soft grunt, flexing his legs to absorb the shock. Aoshi pointed behind the assassin and slashed down with his hand: the stairway down. Battousai nodded and motioned for Aoshi to lead the way.
They were half way to the staircase when Aoshi stopped and held up a hand. Battousai looked to where he pointed, and silently snarled. A tall, thin young man was walking across the warehouse floor toward the office. Twelve more men followed close behind him. Hmmm, eighteen to two. He'd had worst odds. The two slipped back the way they came and deeper into the shadows to discuss options.
"Flashbangs?" He asked Aoshi. "Or the direct approach?"
Aoshi's eyes narrowed in thought. "Not all of those guards are human. I say we use both. You toss the flashbang and come in from above. I'll take them on from the ground once the flash's gone off."
Battousai nodded. "I can hit the roof of that office easily from the catwalk, but I'll have to toss the flashbang about a hundred yards before I can hit it. There's not enough cover for me before that. Think you can keep 'em busy?"
The vampire's grin was all fang. Battousai smile was just as feral
"It'll take you less time to get in position, so give me a few." Aoshi advised as he handed the assassin a flashbang grenade. "I'll give the crow's call when I'm ready."
Without a backward glance, Aoshi leapt over the railing and floated down to the ground below. For his part, Battousai moved like a silent shadow along the catwalk. It took him just a few moment to get as close as he dared. It was still farther away than he would have liked, the said hundred yards from the roof of the office. Once the flashbang was tossed he would have to move like the wind to get down on the ground. One heartbeat, two heartbeats, three heartbeats and the call of a crow echoed through the warehouse.
Instinct took over. He had the flashbang launched and was moving, before any of the guards could react to the oddity of a crow's cry in the middle of a warehouse. The flashbang exploded with all the drama a movie director could want, and men and vampires alike covered their eyes and ears in pain. Using his god-like speed, Battousai rushed the catwalk and leapt over the railing to hit the roof of the office without breaking stride. As his feet hit the ground all hell broke loose. Above them an army of men crashed through the skylights, showering the men below with glass, as the helicopter shone blinding light down on the scene. Battousai caught a glimpse of DEA patches on the arms of the men repelling down from above. Things were about to get extremely dicey.
"Get Mirimo and get the hell out of here!" Aoshi screamed out above the chaos of machine gun fire.
Battousai drew his katana in one smooth motion and sliced down the guard standing between him and the office. The door exploded inward with one kick. He leapt inside, pinning Mirimo to the wall as the man tried to race past him.
"Not so fast," Battousai ground out between clenched teeth.
"What do you want?!" Mirimo's voice was a high-pitched squeal and he smelled deliciously of fear.
"Just this," and he stuck the syringe into the young man's neck.
Mirimo screamed in pain as the saline carried the microchip into his flesh. Once he was sure the microchip had been injected, he dropped the syringe. A whisper of sound from behind him and Battousai wheeled around, catching the blade of a katana on his own. He stared into golden eyes just as cold as his own. The Wolf of Mibu.
"What the hell are you doing here?" Hajime Saitou demanded.
"He tried to drug me! He attacked me!" Mirimo cried frantically, backing away from the two. Neither man paid any attention to him.
"Working on a case." Battousai responded, and caught a motion from the corner of his eye. "Look out!!"
"Battousai! You will never save her!!" Mirimo's voice screamed madly as he pulled the pin on a hand grenade.
The two men dove out the door, hitting the floor at a dead run.
"CLEAR THE AREA!" Saitou screamed to his men.
The concussion of the explosion knocked them all off their feet, showering them with shrapnel. Battousai barely felt the pain of his wound as he took advantage of the chaos caused by the explosion to escape. Aoshi was waiting for him by the Lamborghini.
"What happened?" Aoshi asked, meaning the explosion.
"Mirimo threw a grenade." He replied as he disarmed the alarm. They could still hear the commotion at the warehouse. The assassin hoped it was keeping Saitou very busy as he didn't really feel like answering the Wolf's questions right at the moment. There would be time enough later for questions and he was certain he would be getting a visit from Saitou in the near future.
"I hope he didn't blow himself to smithereens. I'd hate to have gone through all that trouble of getting a transmitter in him just to have it blown up."
Battousai smiled a bit. "I doubt he did, he was running for a back door as he threw it, probably led outside. Do you need a ride back?"
"Yes, thank you. I need to collect Misao."
Battousai slid into the car. Now that the adrenaline was starting to wear off, his shoulder was beginning to ache and exhaustion was settling it. Traffic was light enough and he let his mind filter through the events of the past two hours. He wasn't exactly shocked to see Saitou lead a raid of the warehouse. The Wolf, an ex-Special Forces commander, was now head of Japan's Drug Enforcement Agency and the two men had had run-ins before.
"Will Hajime Saitou be more of a help or a hindrance in this?" Aoshi mused, picking up on Battousai's line of thought.
"I don't know. He can be annoyingly persistant, though he may be of some help in protecting Kaoru though."
"True."
Kaoru. She was the reason he was out here and he found himself looking forward to seeing her. As he pulled the Lamborghini into the parking garage, he wondered if she would still be awake.
"Rummy!" Misao screamed for the tenth time that night.
Laughing, Kaoru threw her cards up in the air. "I give up. You are the Gin Rummy Master."
Misao joined in the laughter. Kaoru found it hard to believe that this vibrant, fun-loving young woman was, not only a vampire, but also a ninja and spy for the Oniwabanshu. She was a strange mix of joyful exuberence and deadly seriousness, but somehow it fit her. Tonight it had been the joyful exuberence as Misao insisted that they spend most of the night doing each other's hair, make-up and nails, then watching The Matrix. Now they were playing a marathon of gin rummy. Kaoru couldn't remember the last time she'd had so much fun. Without warning, Misao stopped laughing, her expression changing in a heartbeat.
"What is it?" Kaoru grew alarmed at the intensity of Misao's expression
"Aoshi and Kenshin are back." Misao allowed herself to relax and grin at the imminent arrival of her leader and lover.
Kaoru grinned back. It took her a moment to realize that she was relieved and glad that Battousai or Kenshin as Misao referred to him was returning. Though she truly hadn't admitted it, she had been worried about him all night. Even though she knew they were coming, Kaoru still jumped as the two men entered with Battousai leaning against the vampire. She leapt to her feet, alarmed at the expression of pain on the Hittokiri's face. There was blood dripping from his fingers to fall in little droplet on the soft beige carpet.
"You're hurt!" She was moving toward him before she realized she was in motion.
"It's nothing." He made to push her away, but she wouldn't be moved that easily.
He never noticed when Aoshi released his weight to allow him to sag on the couch.
"I will talk to you tomorrow night." Aoshi spoke his farewell before slipping out the door with Misao. There had been no reason to stay, he knew that Kenshin would be fine. He had seen the expression of concern and caring on the young heiress's face.
"See ya Kaoru." Misao waved as the two left the penthouse.
Neither truly noticed the departure.
"Kaoru, really." He tried to protest, but he was tired and his arm ached.
"Don't give me that. You need to go to an emergency room." She pushed off his coat. After a week of sharing his penthouse, Kaoru would not be intimidated.
Battousai shook his head. "No, I'll be all right. I heal, I always heal."
"Well at least let me wrap it up so you don't bleed all over the couch." Karou said, letting sarcasm drip through her voice.
"In the bathroom."
Kaoru frowned. He must truly be in a lot of pain if he wasn't reacting to her sarcasm. In the bathroom she found a large white metal box, full of basic medical supplies. She frowned, wondering how often he had needed to use all these supplies. When she returned to the living room with it, she came close to walking right back into the bathroom. Battousai lay almost boneless against the back of the couch, but it wasn't just the liquid grace of his pose that kicked her heartbeat into high gear. He had taken his shirt off, and that was what made her breath catch in her throat. The soft light played along the hard planes of his chest and abdomen. He had pulled his hair from it's high ponytail and it cascaded down around his face like red gold fire. He was perfect, until one looked at the ragged gash on his upper arm and the blood trailing down to his fingers. Simply staring at him, she found herself struggling between the logic that told her he was only a transient part of her life, that he would be gone once the threat to her life was over and the part of her that wanted to run her hands across the planes of his chest and bury them deep into those luxurious auburn locks. Breathing deeply, she pushed the desire down and continued over to him. "I'm going to wash off your wound and then wrap it up." She spoke before sitting down next to him, unwilling to chance what surprising him might do.
A grunt was her only response. Taking a deep breath, she picked up that one perfectly muscled arm and began washing the dried blood off. He made no sound as she gently washed the gash itself. Reaching into the box, she pulled out a large gauze pad and placed it against the wound.
"Will you hold that please?" She asked softly and he complied with no comment.
She took out a roll of bandage and began wrapping it expertly around his upper arm. When she had it wrapped to her approval, she taped it firmly.
"There all done." She admired her handy work.
"That was gently done, thank you." He looked up into those deep blue eyes.
Kaoru felt her heart skip a beat at the warmth in his amber eyes, flecks of violet once again swirling within them. For a time out of time, they shared a gaze more intimate than a kiss. She could feel her heart thudding in her chest. The moment was ruined though as a tremendous yawn burst from him. She found herself trying to stifle a giggle, but wasn't very successful. He merely looked at her.
"Sorry, I suppose I shouldn't be laughing." She glanced at the bandage. "You got hurt because of me."
"It's all right." He rose wearily to his feet. "Good night Kaoru. I suggest you get some sleep as well."
Kaoru watched him walk away. He was so strong, so tough on the outside, but she wondered what lay beneath. She remembered the swirl of violet she had seen in his eyes and sighed. He was a definite puzzle. With a little shake of her head, she walked to the guest room.
The smell of bacon frying slowly drew Kaoru from sleep.
"Mmmmm." She breathed in the delicious smells coming from the kitchen and got to her feet. "Wow that smells awesome."
Pulling on a pair of sweatpants, she walked barefoot out into the living room. She spied Battousai standing in the dining room. Convincing herself it was the thought of breakfast that drew her, she eagerly made her way over to him. She couldn't help but smile as he turned to her well before she got close to him.
"Good morning." He greeted her calmly. "Are you usually an early riser on the weekends or did I wake you?"
"A little of both." She sat down at the table, watching him set out the silverware with slow deliberate moves. Guilt stung her as she spied the stark whiteness of the bandage under his black t-shirt. "How is your arm?"
He looked at her from under auburn bangs. "A little sore, but it will be fine."
"I'm glad." She wanted to make it up to him. "I... um, do you need any help?" Oh, real mature Kaoru. "I.. um." She mentally kicked herself for her not so smooth delievery.
Battousai grinned wrly. "Not if you got kicked out of a cooking class."
Kaoru was about to be offended, when she suddenly saw the wicked twinkle in his eye. He was teasing her and for some reason it made her heart soared. "Hmmph. Well, I can at least make coffee. I do make a mean cup o'joe."
"Be my guest then." He waved her into the kitchen. "The coffee and filters are in the cabinet above the coffee maker."
She was very conscious of his presence behind her as she walked into the kitchen. The coffee maker, a state of the art machine, was sitting at the far end of the counter. She looked at it in awe.
"Do I need a license to use this?" She laughed, admiring all the knobs and buttons.
"Oh, no. I have it pre-set, so all you need to do it put the filter and grounds in the basket, then water and turn it on." He explained with a small smile.
Her heart caught in her throat at the unguarded innocence of his expression. Perhaps was now a good time to ask him if she could call him Kenshin.
"Uh, Battousai." She began. "I was wondering if it would be okay if I called you Kenshin. It's just easier and..." she trailed off, realizing he had turned away from her.
She could see the tension in his back and hoped she hadn't made him angry.
Kaoru had asked him if she could call him Kenshin. Kenshin. Only three people in the world called him by his true name. As he had once said, Himura Kenshin, was someone who hadn't existed in a long time. Would it matter if she called him by his given name? He could almost feel her unease. It had taken a great deal for her to ask. Yet at the same time what right did she have? He had known her for such a short time, not like Aoshi or Misao, whom he had shared decades upon decades with. She was someone he was protecting, she would be in his life only until he disposed of her attacker. How could he allow her access to that part of his life, when she would be in it so briefely? He had not been Himura Kenshin in so long, would he even know how to allow that part of himself out? Then again, she had dared to ask, didn't that warrant the granting of her request? She was braver than most, and there was something drawing him to her more strongly than he had anticipated. He sighed. Perhaps it was time to reacquaint himself with Himura Kenshin.
"No, I do not mind."
Kaoru let out a breath she hadn't realized she was holding.
"Thank you." Somehow she knew she had just stepped over one of the many walls Battou... Kenshin had built around himself. Unsure of how to continue, she opened the door to pull down the coffee and stopped.
"Whoa." There was at least ten different flavors of coffee. "What flavor would you like?" She laughed.
Kenshin had the grace to blush. "What can I say, I like flavored coffee. Why don't you pick, I don't care what we have."
Giggling, Kaoru pulled down Mocha Java. The tension in the room had eased considerably. After dumping the correct amount of grounds in, she took the carafe to the sink only to find he was standing there already.
"Umm, can I get some water?" She motioned for him to move.
He merely smiled and moved aside just enough for her to put the carafe under the faucet. She found herself brushing against him and felt the heat rise in her face. Without the hard and jaded expression, he was just that much more attractive. The carafe couldn't fill up fast enough.
"Breakfast is ready." His voice was a low whisper in her ear.
"Ahhh, okay." She nearly dropped the carafe, but managed to get it together long enough to walk back to the coffee maker. "I'll be right there."
She used the time it took to fill the coffee maker to rein her emotions back under conscious control. Augh! She was acting like a teenager with her first crush. Taking a deep breath, she walked to the table where he waited. When she was seated he placed a plate of food that set her mouth to watering.
"Oooo! My favorite." She couldn't help but squeal in delight at the plate full of scrambled eggs, sausage and a very large blueberry muffin.
"Glad you approve." Kenshin replied with a small smile.
"So what happened last night? Did your plan work?" She asked between bites.
"Yes and no. We were able to get Mirimo, the Servant, bugged with a micro transmitter, but the DEA busted in at the same time. It seems that whoever Mirimo's Master is is into drug smuggling." He rolled his eyes. "I will probably be getting a visit from the head of the DEA sometime today."
"Whoa." Kaoru was silent for a moment. "Well, I guess it's good in a way. If their 'business' is disrupted maybe they'll be too busy to come after me then."
"Unfortunately, I wouldn't count on it."
The sound of wood splintering violently echoed through the room. Mistress stalked around her oldest and most beloved human servant. Pure rage shimmered in the air. Mirimo knelt on the cold stone, waiting, perfectly still.
"I should rip your heart out right now." She hissed in his ear. "It has taken me decades to bully the other yakuza's into handing over their heroin business, decades of scheming, planning, being oh so careful to keep my identity a total and complete secret. And you ruin it in ONE NIGHT!!"
"I am sorry most wonderful Mistress." Mirimo whispered. "It was the two who are thorns in our sides, Battousai and the Wolf."
A priceless Tiffany lamp exploded against the wall. She ground her teeth. It was bad enough that the Battousai was now involved in hunting her, but to have the Wolf of Mibu as well? Her mind began working feverishly.
"I do not wish to take them both on at once. Give the Wolf false trails to follow and we will lead him to believe he has ruined us. As for Battousai... bring me the girl and we will kill two birds with one stone."
"As you wish Mistress."
"So what's on the agenda for today?" Kaoru asked as she put the last of the dishes away.
Kenshin looked up at her in surprise. Why was she asking him that? "What do you mean?"
She mirrored his surprise. "Well, I assumed since I wasn't allowed out without you unless it was to work, I though we'd be doing something together."
He had been alone for so long, having to consider another person when he made plans was a foreign concept. The shrill ring of the phone saved him further embarrassment.
"Yes?"
"Sorry to bother you sir, but Commander Saitou of the DEA is here demanding to see you?" It was one of the many nameless guards who sat at the main security desk.
"Then send him up." His voice and manners hardened back into Battousai.
Kaoru watched the change with fascinated awe. "What's wrong?"
"It seems a visitor I was expecting is here." His amber eyes raked over her, taking in the oversized T-shirt and baggy sweatpants. "You might want to go make yourself a bit more presentable."
She opened her mouth to retort, but he raised a hand. "Don't argue... please."
It was the "please" that got her. Swallowing the retort she was about to make, Kaoru walked away from the kitchen and into her room. Who was coming to visit? She stopped for a moment remembering something he had said about the head of the DEA. If that were the case, then conservative was what she needed to go for. After looking through the closet where the majority of her clothing now hung, she decided on a pair of black slacks and white satin blouse. Standing in front of the bathroon mirror, she ran a brush through her hair and twisted the mane into a knot at the back of her neck. She could hear raised voices coming from the other room. Curiosity ate at her as she splashed her face with water and brushed her teeth. One last quick glance in the mirror and she pronounced herself finished. She walked the short distance into the living room only to stop dead in the doorway.
She had always heard stories of a person's ki being strong enough to feel, especially those who were fighters, but had always scoffed in disbelief. She wasn't scoffing anyone at the moment. The scene before her should have been in a movie. Battousai stood toe to toe with a tall, lean man, whose cold golden eyes were almost a mirror of the Hittokiri's. The room fairly crackled with the energy being thrown off by the two. She felt like a mouse caught between two very large, very hungry cats.
"I believe you are frightening my house guest." Battousai's voice cut through the tension.
The tall man's eyes flicked to where Kaoru hovered in the doorway. Those same golden eyes raked over her and dismissed her just as quickly. She almost, almost, let the retort that leapt to the tip of her tongue fly, but instinctivly knew this man, standing so arrogantly in the middle of the room was not someone to trifle with. So she kept silent.
"Since when did you take up babysitting?" Saitou drawled.
That was it. "Now, just a minute here. No one is babysitting me. I am perfectly capable of taking care of myself!" Karou began stalking across the room toward the two men.
Saitou merely snorted and turned his attention back to Battousai. Struck speechless by the man's total rudeness, she stopped dead in her tracks. Battousai turned cool amber eyes to her.
"Miss Kamiya, this is Commander Saitou of Japan's DEA. Commander Saitou, this is Kamiya Kaoru, CEO of Kamiya Corporation."
Once again Kaoru found herself under intense scrutiny of those golden eyes.
"Huh. So you are the one who's being targeted by the Asanuma Syndicate."
"The Asanuma Syndicate?" She repeated, looking at Battousai.
"Bright girl. Are you sure she's the CEO of Kamiya Corp?" That cold voice drawled.
Battousai held up his hand to forestall any more outbursts from an obviously enraged Kaoru. "Neither she nor I knew the name of the clan hunting her. It was not important. Karou and I are on our way out, so if you're business with me is finished..."
She took a step back as the two men's ki clashed once again.
"It's not Battousai. You and that vampire ruined a perfectly planned raid. We've been working on cracking that particular syndicate for almost two years." There was true anger and frustration in the Wolf's voice.
Battousai bent his head in acknowledgement. He didn't really want Japan's DEA on their tail for this investigation. Perhaps it was time to throw a bone. "For that I am sorry, but I think you may be interested to know that Mirrimo now has a microtransmitter that will lead us right to his lair."
Saitou's eyes narrowed. "You will be including me in that little jaunt."
"I'm afraid I can't do that." The Hittokiri's eyes were like chips of amber. "You see I'd hate to be arrested for murder."
"You forget. Kill. Evil. Instantly." Saitou snapped angrily.
"You are right, I had forgotten. I must speak with Aoshi, but perhaps we can share information."
The two locked eyes and wills for a long moment until Saitou nodded.
"One way or another Battousai, you will include me." His voice allowed for no argument.
Battousai nodded and watched with impassive amber eyes as the Wolf of Mibu stalk out the door. The silence was deafening. He could hear Kaoru let go of the breath she was holding. He turned to see her frowning at him. "Murder?" Kaoru asked softly.
He winced. He hadn't meant for her to hear that. He was slipping. "I am hoping that it doesn't come to that, but if that is the only way to ensure your safety then I have no qualms about eliminating the threat to your life."
Kaoru was silent for a long moment. She didn't doubt he spoke the truth, but it certainly didn't make her feel warm and fuzzy around him. Sometimes it was easy to forget that a killer lurked beneath those amber eyes. "How come that doesn't surprise me. So where are we going?"
It was his turn to sigh. "Truthfully, I said that to get him to leave. I didn't really want to continue the confrontation in front of you." "Oh." It was hard to keep the disappointment out of her voice.
"I do remember, however, promising you a second motorcycle ride." His voice slid back into Kenshin and his smile made her heart skip a beat.
"Awesome. Why don't you pack us a lunch while I go get changed."
"Again?"
She laughed at his puzzled expression. "Yes, again."
Leaving him to put together a lunch, she skipped into the bedroom. This time it was to change into a pair of jeans. She didn't think her black khakis would be very comfortable or warm as they flew down the highway. The shirt had to go as well. Instead she pulled on a long-sleeve purple t-shirt and her favorite pair of jeans. The black flats she was wearing wouldn't do either and she kicked them off to put on a pair of ankle-high hiking boots. With an eager smile, she dashed back out into the living room. Kenshin was still in the kitchen, looking rather puzzled.
"What's up?" Kaoru asked, walking over to him.
"I don't have anything to put a lunch in." He frowned.
"Oh that's okay. Why don't we just buy lunch if we get hungry?"
Kenshin nodded in agreement. "Let me just get a few things."
Kaoru watched as he walked through the living room, past her room and into what she assumed was his bedroom. She was tempted to follow him just to see what a Hittokiri's bedroom would look like, but shook her head. One of these days her curiosity would get her into trouble... The smile that had graced her face vanished. What was she thinking? How could she forget that she was in trouble? How could she be happy when her family was gone? How could she be going out to enjoy the day when someone was trying to kill her?! What right did she have to be happy?? It all came rushing back with a sudden ruthlessness that stunned her and sent her reeling. Her father was never coming back. A vampire wanted her dead. She had no family, no safe place to call home. She was alone. It was her deepest and most hidden of fears. The sob stuck in her throat and one tear traced a path down her cheek. She leaned against the counter and buried her face in her hands. She had nothing left.
He had just stepped out of his room when he heard Kaoru's soft sob. She was leaning against the counter, face hidden in her hands, shoulders silently shaking as she cried. First he had frightened her and now she was crying. Why couldn't he do anything right? She looked so lost and vulnerable. He felt one of the many walls he had built around himself crumble. He could not keep her out and he walked over to her, wanting to comfort, to take away the sadness he felt echoing from her.
"Kaoru?" His voice flowed over her, softer than she had ever heard it.
She looked up into eyes awash in violet and full of sympathy. It was the sympathy he offered that broke the final dam within her. She sobbed once out loud and her tears would no longer be denied. She was hardly aware of the strong arms encircling her or the shoulder she leaned on. There was only the grief and the fear for long moments. Through the tears she became aware of his voice, murmuring softly. The tears helped to wash away much of the grief, helped her to release a pain she hadn't realized she was clinging to so tightly. The fear, however, found itself loosing the fight for her soul to the strength she leaned against. How long she cried, she didn't know, but even tears have an end and she could feel herself reaching that end.
"Are you feeling better?" His gently query brought her back to earth.
She drew in a deep breath, wiping the tears from her eyes. "I am. Thank you."
He smiled down at her and she felt her breath catch for a totally different reason. Funny how she never noticed that he really wasn't that much taller than she, yet they seemed to fit together. She looked into his eyes and felt her lips part on a soft whisper of surprise. He frowned a bit at the inensity of her gaze.
"What?"
"I-it's your eyes... they're violet."
The expression on his face was one she would never forget. He turned to the mirror that hung above the buffet to stare at his reflection in wonder. She watched as he brought one hand up to touch alongside his eyes. His mouth worked, but no sound came out.
"What's wrong?" There was no worry, no fear. Whatever had happened was something not anticipated, but long hoped for.
"I-I-I was born with violet eyes. They became more and more amber the longer I was a Hittokiri. I never thought they would return." His voice was a stunned whisper.
He suddenly turned and swept her into his arms. She laughed as he spun her around with a strength greater than his slight frame ever hinted at. When her feet hit the floor, she found herself pinned tightly against him, his lips seeking hers. The kiss held more of joy and release, yet it couldn't help but deepen into something more. She clung to him as they kissed, her head spinning. He pulled back with a sigh of regret and rested his forehead against hers. As they stood in the embrace, she let her hands drift down toward his hips only to brush against cold steel. Startled, she jerked away and looked down at the two .45 mm Ballers strapped in holsters against his hips. His expression darkened and sparks of amber swirled through the violet.
"Unfortunately I can't forget for a moment that there's someone out to kill you and I will not let that happen." He looked at her intently. "Do you understand Kaoru? You are not alone. I will protect you no matter what and I know Sano feels the same."
Her emotions threatened to overwhelm her again. "But... but, you just met me."
He said nothing for a long moment then shrugged. "I know, but there is something about you Kaoru that I want to protect and I will. We can figure it out as we go along."
She nodded, unsure of what to say, unsure of what her heart was telling her. She wanted to trust him, to see those violet eyes again, to feel his arms around her. A soft sighed slipped from her as another thought struck her. How could anything truly work out between them? He was immortal. He would be forced to watch as she slowly aged, to watch as death someday claimed her, while he remained forever young. Kaoru gave her head a sharp shake, best not to worry about that now, after all who knew what the future held.
End Note: Thanks again to everyone for reading and reviewing and for being so darn patient! This is it for the re-write, everything from here on out will be brand spankin' new. Woot! Quickie reminder... review, review, review! Let me know if you folks want more. 'kay? blinks wistfully at her readers
Chapter Four:
They strode through the parking garage side by side; black trench coats flaring out behind them like the wings of a great black bird, their expressions identical in their blank coldness.
"My car?" Battousai asked.
"Why not." Aoshi responded absently.
Battousai reached into his pocket and clicked the alarm off his Lamborghini. Aoshi merely raised one eyebrow before sliding into the passenger seat.
"So where are we headed?"
Aoshi drew a PDA from inside his trench coat and flipped it open. "We're headed for the waterfront. There's a warehouse he's been seen frequenting."
"What's in the warehouse?"
"Heroin."
Battousai snarled. "I'm surprised your agents haven't seen Saitou poking around."
"I never said they didn't."
Battousai's snarl slid into a cocky grin. This was promising to be a very interesting night. It took some time to make their way to the waterfront of Tokyo. Aoshi gave quiet directions as they negotiated their way through the streets.
"This is close enough." Aoshi pointed to a darkened parking lot.
The crunch of gravel was the only sound in the night as Battousai let the Lamborghini drift to a stop. With unspoken agreement, the two went their separate ways. Aoshi leaped into the night sky, while Battousai hugged the shadowed ground with unnatural stealth. Their destination was a dilapidated old warehouse on the next block. The moon conveniently hid herself behind a heavy layer of clouds, and there was an obscene amount of cover for him to move in. He kept his senses alert, expecting the place to be swarming with guards and lookouts, but he saw only a handful of men armed with sub-machine guns. They were pitifully easy to avoid. He was tempted to take one or two out, just to flaunt how easily he had gotten past them, but that's not why he was here. Numerous fire escapes offered access to the roof, but the one he wanted was on the opposite side of the building. He flitted from shadow to shadow, amber eyes gleaming with the thrill of the hunt. Slipping around the final corner, he crouched behind a row of barrels and scouted the scene before him. Only one guard had the misfortune to be standing directly below the fire escape he needed to access the roof. Battousai reached out with his senses, testing the man's ki. It was human and normal. His smile was a feral snarl. With a flick of his wrist his garrote dropped into his hand. He moved with unbelieveable speed as he went for the unsuspecting guard. There was no remorse as he lashed the thin steel wire around the young man's neck, choking off his airway with lethal swiftness. A quick kick to the back of the knees and Battousai made sure there would be no struggle. He lowered the body to the ground, making sure it was well hidden in the shadows. The ladder was a good four feet above him. Gathering himself, he leapt straight up and grasped the lowest rung. It wasn't quite as easy as he made it look and he was just a little out of breath when he pulled himself on to the roof. Aoshi was waiting for him at the top, crouched low over a skylight
"All quiet?"
The vampire held up a hand. "It's too quiet. My contacts reported more activity than this."
"Trap?"
Aoshi frowned. "Unlikely. It may be they have moved operations elsewhere as a precaution."
Both men froze. The faint sound of a helicopter whispered through the air. Aoshi squinted in the direction of the sound.
"It's headed this way."
"Is this normal?"
"No, let's go."
The two moved to the far side of the building and a skylight shrouded in darkness. Battousai squatted down next to it and peered down into the warehouse. This end lay in shadows. He could just make out a catwalk below them and then rows upon rows of crates below that. Beyond the crates he could just see a large open area and what looked like an office. There were at least six guards standing around that tiny shack.
"This looks like the best end to drop in. There's an office or something with six men on guard around it."
Aoshi nodded. "That fits with the intelligence we've gathered."
"Then if you would do the honors."
The vampire smiled and bent down. The window opened with a savage groan. Beyond them, the helicopter became more than just a faint sound. With a graceful leap, Aoshi disappeared into the darkness below. Battousai crouched next to the window, waiting. There was a soft whistle from below and then one ping on metal. Battousai frowned, one ping meant about a ten- foot drop. He'd have to be careful. Crawling on to the glass, he lowered his body over the edge until he was hanging by his hands. Without a second thought, he let go. The shadowy ground rushed up to greet him. He landed with a soft grunt, flexing his legs to absorb the shock. Aoshi pointed behind the assassin and slashed down with his hand: the stairway down. Battousai nodded and motioned for Aoshi to lead the way.
They were half way to the staircase when Aoshi stopped and held up a hand. Battousai looked to where he pointed, and silently snarled. A tall, thin young man was walking across the warehouse floor toward the office. Twelve more men followed close behind him. Hmmm, eighteen to two. He'd had worst odds. The two slipped back the way they came and deeper into the shadows to discuss options.
"Flashbangs?" He asked Aoshi. "Or the direct approach?"
Aoshi's eyes narrowed in thought. "Not all of those guards are human. I say we use both. You toss the flashbang and come in from above. I'll take them on from the ground once the flash's gone off."
Battousai nodded. "I can hit the roof of that office easily from the catwalk, but I'll have to toss the flashbang about a hundred yards before I can hit it. There's not enough cover for me before that. Think you can keep 'em busy?"
The vampire's grin was all fang. Battousai smile was just as feral
"It'll take you less time to get in position, so give me a few." Aoshi advised as he handed the assassin a flashbang grenade. "I'll give the crow's call when I'm ready."
Without a backward glance, Aoshi leapt over the railing and floated down to the ground below. For his part, Battousai moved like a silent shadow along the catwalk. It took him just a few moment to get as close as he dared. It was still farther away than he would have liked, the said hundred yards from the roof of the office. Once the flashbang was tossed he would have to move like the wind to get down on the ground. One heartbeat, two heartbeats, three heartbeats and the call of a crow echoed through the warehouse.
Instinct took over. He had the flashbang launched and was moving, before any of the guards could react to the oddity of a crow's cry in the middle of a warehouse. The flashbang exploded with all the drama a movie director could want, and men and vampires alike covered their eyes and ears in pain. Using his god-like speed, Battousai rushed the catwalk and leapt over the railing to hit the roof of the office without breaking stride. As his feet hit the ground all hell broke loose. Above them an army of men crashed through the skylights, showering the men below with glass, as the helicopter shone blinding light down on the scene. Battousai caught a glimpse of DEA patches on the arms of the men repelling down from above. Things were about to get extremely dicey.
"Get Mirimo and get the hell out of here!" Aoshi screamed out above the chaos of machine gun fire.
Battousai drew his katana in one smooth motion and sliced down the guard standing between him and the office. The door exploded inward with one kick. He leapt inside, pinning Mirimo to the wall as the man tried to race past him.
"Not so fast," Battousai ground out between clenched teeth.
"What do you want?!" Mirimo's voice was a high-pitched squeal and he smelled deliciously of fear.
"Just this," and he stuck the syringe into the young man's neck.
Mirimo screamed in pain as the saline carried the microchip into his flesh. Once he was sure the microchip had been injected, he dropped the syringe. A whisper of sound from behind him and Battousai wheeled around, catching the blade of a katana on his own. He stared into golden eyes just as cold as his own. The Wolf of Mibu.
"What the hell are you doing here?" Hajime Saitou demanded.
"He tried to drug me! He attacked me!" Mirimo cried frantically, backing away from the two. Neither man paid any attention to him.
"Working on a case." Battousai responded, and caught a motion from the corner of his eye. "Look out!!"
"Battousai! You will never save her!!" Mirimo's voice screamed madly as he pulled the pin on a hand grenade.
The two men dove out the door, hitting the floor at a dead run.
"CLEAR THE AREA!" Saitou screamed to his men.
The concussion of the explosion knocked them all off their feet, showering them with shrapnel. Battousai barely felt the pain of his wound as he took advantage of the chaos caused by the explosion to escape. Aoshi was waiting for him by the Lamborghini.
"What happened?" Aoshi asked, meaning the explosion.
"Mirimo threw a grenade." He replied as he disarmed the alarm. They could still hear the commotion at the warehouse. The assassin hoped it was keeping Saitou very busy as he didn't really feel like answering the Wolf's questions right at the moment. There would be time enough later for questions and he was certain he would be getting a visit from Saitou in the near future.
"I hope he didn't blow himself to smithereens. I'd hate to have gone through all that trouble of getting a transmitter in him just to have it blown up."
Battousai smiled a bit. "I doubt he did, he was running for a back door as he threw it, probably led outside. Do you need a ride back?"
"Yes, thank you. I need to collect Misao."
Battousai slid into the car. Now that the adrenaline was starting to wear off, his shoulder was beginning to ache and exhaustion was settling it. Traffic was light enough and he let his mind filter through the events of the past two hours. He wasn't exactly shocked to see Saitou lead a raid of the warehouse. The Wolf, an ex-Special Forces commander, was now head of Japan's Drug Enforcement Agency and the two men had had run-ins before.
"Will Hajime Saitou be more of a help or a hindrance in this?" Aoshi mused, picking up on Battousai's line of thought.
"I don't know. He can be annoyingly persistant, though he may be of some help in protecting Kaoru though."
"True."
Kaoru. She was the reason he was out here and he found himself looking forward to seeing her. As he pulled the Lamborghini into the parking garage, he wondered if she would still be awake.
"Rummy!" Misao screamed for the tenth time that night.
Laughing, Kaoru threw her cards up in the air. "I give up. You are the Gin Rummy Master."
Misao joined in the laughter. Kaoru found it hard to believe that this vibrant, fun-loving young woman was, not only a vampire, but also a ninja and spy for the Oniwabanshu. She was a strange mix of joyful exuberence and deadly seriousness, but somehow it fit her. Tonight it had been the joyful exuberence as Misao insisted that they spend most of the night doing each other's hair, make-up and nails, then watching The Matrix. Now they were playing a marathon of gin rummy. Kaoru couldn't remember the last time she'd had so much fun. Without warning, Misao stopped laughing, her expression changing in a heartbeat.
"What is it?" Kaoru grew alarmed at the intensity of Misao's expression
"Aoshi and Kenshin are back." Misao allowed herself to relax and grin at the imminent arrival of her leader and lover.
Kaoru grinned back. It took her a moment to realize that she was relieved and glad that Battousai or Kenshin as Misao referred to him was returning. Though she truly hadn't admitted it, she had been worried about him all night. Even though she knew they were coming, Kaoru still jumped as the two men entered with Battousai leaning against the vampire. She leapt to her feet, alarmed at the expression of pain on the Hittokiri's face. There was blood dripping from his fingers to fall in little droplet on the soft beige carpet.
"You're hurt!" She was moving toward him before she realized she was in motion.
"It's nothing." He made to push her away, but she wouldn't be moved that easily.
He never noticed when Aoshi released his weight to allow him to sag on the couch.
"I will talk to you tomorrow night." Aoshi spoke his farewell before slipping out the door with Misao. There had been no reason to stay, he knew that Kenshin would be fine. He had seen the expression of concern and caring on the young heiress's face.
"See ya Kaoru." Misao waved as the two left the penthouse.
Neither truly noticed the departure.
"Kaoru, really." He tried to protest, but he was tired and his arm ached.
"Don't give me that. You need to go to an emergency room." She pushed off his coat. After a week of sharing his penthouse, Kaoru would not be intimidated.
Battousai shook his head. "No, I'll be all right. I heal, I always heal."
"Well at least let me wrap it up so you don't bleed all over the couch." Karou said, letting sarcasm drip through her voice.
"In the bathroom."
Kaoru frowned. He must truly be in a lot of pain if he wasn't reacting to her sarcasm. In the bathroom she found a large white metal box, full of basic medical supplies. She frowned, wondering how often he had needed to use all these supplies. When she returned to the living room with it, she came close to walking right back into the bathroom. Battousai lay almost boneless against the back of the couch, but it wasn't just the liquid grace of his pose that kicked her heartbeat into high gear. He had taken his shirt off, and that was what made her breath catch in her throat. The soft light played along the hard planes of his chest and abdomen. He had pulled his hair from it's high ponytail and it cascaded down around his face like red gold fire. He was perfect, until one looked at the ragged gash on his upper arm and the blood trailing down to his fingers. Simply staring at him, she found herself struggling between the logic that told her he was only a transient part of her life, that he would be gone once the threat to her life was over and the part of her that wanted to run her hands across the planes of his chest and bury them deep into those luxurious auburn locks. Breathing deeply, she pushed the desire down and continued over to him. "I'm going to wash off your wound and then wrap it up." She spoke before sitting down next to him, unwilling to chance what surprising him might do.
A grunt was her only response. Taking a deep breath, she picked up that one perfectly muscled arm and began washing the dried blood off. He made no sound as she gently washed the gash itself. Reaching into the box, she pulled out a large gauze pad and placed it against the wound.
"Will you hold that please?" She asked softly and he complied with no comment.
She took out a roll of bandage and began wrapping it expertly around his upper arm. When she had it wrapped to her approval, she taped it firmly.
"There all done." She admired her handy work.
"That was gently done, thank you." He looked up into those deep blue eyes.
Kaoru felt her heart skip a beat at the warmth in his amber eyes, flecks of violet once again swirling within them. For a time out of time, they shared a gaze more intimate than a kiss. She could feel her heart thudding in her chest. The moment was ruined though as a tremendous yawn burst from him. She found herself trying to stifle a giggle, but wasn't very successful. He merely looked at her.
"Sorry, I suppose I shouldn't be laughing." She glanced at the bandage. "You got hurt because of me."
"It's all right." He rose wearily to his feet. "Good night Kaoru. I suggest you get some sleep as well."
Kaoru watched him walk away. He was so strong, so tough on the outside, but she wondered what lay beneath. She remembered the swirl of violet she had seen in his eyes and sighed. He was a definite puzzle. With a little shake of her head, she walked to the guest room.
The smell of bacon frying slowly drew Kaoru from sleep.
"Mmmmm." She breathed in the delicious smells coming from the kitchen and got to her feet. "Wow that smells awesome."
Pulling on a pair of sweatpants, she walked barefoot out into the living room. She spied Battousai standing in the dining room. Convincing herself it was the thought of breakfast that drew her, she eagerly made her way over to him. She couldn't help but smile as he turned to her well before she got close to him.
"Good morning." He greeted her calmly. "Are you usually an early riser on the weekends or did I wake you?"
"A little of both." She sat down at the table, watching him set out the silverware with slow deliberate moves. Guilt stung her as she spied the stark whiteness of the bandage under his black t-shirt. "How is your arm?"
He looked at her from under auburn bangs. "A little sore, but it will be fine."
"I'm glad." She wanted to make it up to him. "I... um, do you need any help?" Oh, real mature Kaoru. "I.. um." She mentally kicked herself for her not so smooth delievery.
Battousai grinned wrly. "Not if you got kicked out of a cooking class."
Kaoru was about to be offended, when she suddenly saw the wicked twinkle in his eye. He was teasing her and for some reason it made her heart soared. "Hmmph. Well, I can at least make coffee. I do make a mean cup o'joe."
"Be my guest then." He waved her into the kitchen. "The coffee and filters are in the cabinet above the coffee maker."
She was very conscious of his presence behind her as she walked into the kitchen. The coffee maker, a state of the art machine, was sitting at the far end of the counter. She looked at it in awe.
"Do I need a license to use this?" She laughed, admiring all the knobs and buttons.
"Oh, no. I have it pre-set, so all you need to do it put the filter and grounds in the basket, then water and turn it on." He explained with a small smile.
Her heart caught in her throat at the unguarded innocence of his expression. Perhaps was now a good time to ask him if she could call him Kenshin.
"Uh, Battousai." She began. "I was wondering if it would be okay if I called you Kenshin. It's just easier and..." she trailed off, realizing he had turned away from her.
She could see the tension in his back and hoped she hadn't made him angry.
Kaoru had asked him if she could call him Kenshin. Kenshin. Only three people in the world called him by his true name. As he had once said, Himura Kenshin, was someone who hadn't existed in a long time. Would it matter if she called him by his given name? He could almost feel her unease. It had taken a great deal for her to ask. Yet at the same time what right did she have? He had known her for such a short time, not like Aoshi or Misao, whom he had shared decades upon decades with. She was someone he was protecting, she would be in his life only until he disposed of her attacker. How could he allow her access to that part of his life, when she would be in it so briefely? He had not been Himura Kenshin in so long, would he even know how to allow that part of himself out? Then again, she had dared to ask, didn't that warrant the granting of her request? She was braver than most, and there was something drawing him to her more strongly than he had anticipated. He sighed. Perhaps it was time to reacquaint himself with Himura Kenshin.
"No, I do not mind."
Kaoru let out a breath she hadn't realized she was holding.
"Thank you." Somehow she knew she had just stepped over one of the many walls Battou... Kenshin had built around himself. Unsure of how to continue, she opened the door to pull down the coffee and stopped.
"Whoa." There was at least ten different flavors of coffee. "What flavor would you like?" She laughed.
Kenshin had the grace to blush. "What can I say, I like flavored coffee. Why don't you pick, I don't care what we have."
Giggling, Kaoru pulled down Mocha Java. The tension in the room had eased considerably. After dumping the correct amount of grounds in, she took the carafe to the sink only to find he was standing there already.
"Umm, can I get some water?" She motioned for him to move.
He merely smiled and moved aside just enough for her to put the carafe under the faucet. She found herself brushing against him and felt the heat rise in her face. Without the hard and jaded expression, he was just that much more attractive. The carafe couldn't fill up fast enough.
"Breakfast is ready." His voice was a low whisper in her ear.
"Ahhh, okay." She nearly dropped the carafe, but managed to get it together long enough to walk back to the coffee maker. "I'll be right there."
She used the time it took to fill the coffee maker to rein her emotions back under conscious control. Augh! She was acting like a teenager with her first crush. Taking a deep breath, she walked to the table where he waited. When she was seated he placed a plate of food that set her mouth to watering.
"Oooo! My favorite." She couldn't help but squeal in delight at the plate full of scrambled eggs, sausage and a very large blueberry muffin.
"Glad you approve." Kenshin replied with a small smile.
"So what happened last night? Did your plan work?" She asked between bites.
"Yes and no. We were able to get Mirimo, the Servant, bugged with a micro transmitter, but the DEA busted in at the same time. It seems that whoever Mirimo's Master is is into drug smuggling." He rolled his eyes. "I will probably be getting a visit from the head of the DEA sometime today."
"Whoa." Kaoru was silent for a moment. "Well, I guess it's good in a way. If their 'business' is disrupted maybe they'll be too busy to come after me then."
"Unfortunately, I wouldn't count on it."
The sound of wood splintering violently echoed through the room. Mistress stalked around her oldest and most beloved human servant. Pure rage shimmered in the air. Mirimo knelt on the cold stone, waiting, perfectly still.
"I should rip your heart out right now." She hissed in his ear. "It has taken me decades to bully the other yakuza's into handing over their heroin business, decades of scheming, planning, being oh so careful to keep my identity a total and complete secret. And you ruin it in ONE NIGHT!!"
"I am sorry most wonderful Mistress." Mirimo whispered. "It was the two who are thorns in our sides, Battousai and the Wolf."
A priceless Tiffany lamp exploded against the wall. She ground her teeth. It was bad enough that the Battousai was now involved in hunting her, but to have the Wolf of Mibu as well? Her mind began working feverishly.
"I do not wish to take them both on at once. Give the Wolf false trails to follow and we will lead him to believe he has ruined us. As for Battousai... bring me the girl and we will kill two birds with one stone."
"As you wish Mistress."
"So what's on the agenda for today?" Kaoru asked as she put the last of the dishes away.
Kenshin looked up at her in surprise. Why was she asking him that? "What do you mean?"
She mirrored his surprise. "Well, I assumed since I wasn't allowed out without you unless it was to work, I though we'd be doing something together."
He had been alone for so long, having to consider another person when he made plans was a foreign concept. The shrill ring of the phone saved him further embarrassment.
"Yes?"
"Sorry to bother you sir, but Commander Saitou of the DEA is here demanding to see you?" It was one of the many nameless guards who sat at the main security desk.
"Then send him up." His voice and manners hardened back into Battousai.
Kaoru watched the change with fascinated awe. "What's wrong?"
"It seems a visitor I was expecting is here." His amber eyes raked over her, taking in the oversized T-shirt and baggy sweatpants. "You might want to go make yourself a bit more presentable."
She opened her mouth to retort, but he raised a hand. "Don't argue... please."
It was the "please" that got her. Swallowing the retort she was about to make, Kaoru walked away from the kitchen and into her room. Who was coming to visit? She stopped for a moment remembering something he had said about the head of the DEA. If that were the case, then conservative was what she needed to go for. After looking through the closet where the majority of her clothing now hung, she decided on a pair of black slacks and white satin blouse. Standing in front of the bathroon mirror, she ran a brush through her hair and twisted the mane into a knot at the back of her neck. She could hear raised voices coming from the other room. Curiosity ate at her as she splashed her face with water and brushed her teeth. One last quick glance in the mirror and she pronounced herself finished. She walked the short distance into the living room only to stop dead in the doorway.
She had always heard stories of a person's ki being strong enough to feel, especially those who were fighters, but had always scoffed in disbelief. She wasn't scoffing anyone at the moment. The scene before her should have been in a movie. Battousai stood toe to toe with a tall, lean man, whose cold golden eyes were almost a mirror of the Hittokiri's. The room fairly crackled with the energy being thrown off by the two. She felt like a mouse caught between two very large, very hungry cats.
"I believe you are frightening my house guest." Battousai's voice cut through the tension.
The tall man's eyes flicked to where Kaoru hovered in the doorway. Those same golden eyes raked over her and dismissed her just as quickly. She almost, almost, let the retort that leapt to the tip of her tongue fly, but instinctivly knew this man, standing so arrogantly in the middle of the room was not someone to trifle with. So she kept silent.
"Since when did you take up babysitting?" Saitou drawled.
That was it. "Now, just a minute here. No one is babysitting me. I am perfectly capable of taking care of myself!" Karou began stalking across the room toward the two men.
Saitou merely snorted and turned his attention back to Battousai. Struck speechless by the man's total rudeness, she stopped dead in her tracks. Battousai turned cool amber eyes to her.
"Miss Kamiya, this is Commander Saitou of Japan's DEA. Commander Saitou, this is Kamiya Kaoru, CEO of Kamiya Corporation."
Once again Kaoru found herself under intense scrutiny of those golden eyes.
"Huh. So you are the one who's being targeted by the Asanuma Syndicate."
"The Asanuma Syndicate?" She repeated, looking at Battousai.
"Bright girl. Are you sure she's the CEO of Kamiya Corp?" That cold voice drawled.
Battousai held up his hand to forestall any more outbursts from an obviously enraged Kaoru. "Neither she nor I knew the name of the clan hunting her. It was not important. Karou and I are on our way out, so if you're business with me is finished..."
She took a step back as the two men's ki clashed once again.
"It's not Battousai. You and that vampire ruined a perfectly planned raid. We've been working on cracking that particular syndicate for almost two years." There was true anger and frustration in the Wolf's voice.
Battousai bent his head in acknowledgement. He didn't really want Japan's DEA on their tail for this investigation. Perhaps it was time to throw a bone. "For that I am sorry, but I think you may be interested to know that Mirrimo now has a microtransmitter that will lead us right to his lair."
Saitou's eyes narrowed. "You will be including me in that little jaunt."
"I'm afraid I can't do that." The Hittokiri's eyes were like chips of amber. "You see I'd hate to be arrested for murder."
"You forget. Kill. Evil. Instantly." Saitou snapped angrily.
"You are right, I had forgotten. I must speak with Aoshi, but perhaps we can share information."
The two locked eyes and wills for a long moment until Saitou nodded.
"One way or another Battousai, you will include me." His voice allowed for no argument.
Battousai nodded and watched with impassive amber eyes as the Wolf of Mibu stalk out the door. The silence was deafening. He could hear Kaoru let go of the breath she was holding. He turned to see her frowning at him. "Murder?" Kaoru asked softly.
He winced. He hadn't meant for her to hear that. He was slipping. "I am hoping that it doesn't come to that, but if that is the only way to ensure your safety then I have no qualms about eliminating the threat to your life."
Kaoru was silent for a long moment. She didn't doubt he spoke the truth, but it certainly didn't make her feel warm and fuzzy around him. Sometimes it was easy to forget that a killer lurked beneath those amber eyes. "How come that doesn't surprise me. So where are we going?"
It was his turn to sigh. "Truthfully, I said that to get him to leave. I didn't really want to continue the confrontation in front of you." "Oh." It was hard to keep the disappointment out of her voice.
"I do remember, however, promising you a second motorcycle ride." His voice slid back into Kenshin and his smile made her heart skip a beat.
"Awesome. Why don't you pack us a lunch while I go get changed."
"Again?"
She laughed at his puzzled expression. "Yes, again."
Leaving him to put together a lunch, she skipped into the bedroom. This time it was to change into a pair of jeans. She didn't think her black khakis would be very comfortable or warm as they flew down the highway. The shirt had to go as well. Instead she pulled on a long-sleeve purple t-shirt and her favorite pair of jeans. The black flats she was wearing wouldn't do either and she kicked them off to put on a pair of ankle-high hiking boots. With an eager smile, she dashed back out into the living room. Kenshin was still in the kitchen, looking rather puzzled.
"What's up?" Kaoru asked, walking over to him.
"I don't have anything to put a lunch in." He frowned.
"Oh that's okay. Why don't we just buy lunch if we get hungry?"
Kenshin nodded in agreement. "Let me just get a few things."
Kaoru watched as he walked through the living room, past her room and into what she assumed was his bedroom. She was tempted to follow him just to see what a Hittokiri's bedroom would look like, but shook her head. One of these days her curiosity would get her into trouble... The smile that had graced her face vanished. What was she thinking? How could she forget that she was in trouble? How could she be happy when her family was gone? How could she be going out to enjoy the day when someone was trying to kill her?! What right did she have to be happy?? It all came rushing back with a sudden ruthlessness that stunned her and sent her reeling. Her father was never coming back. A vampire wanted her dead. She had no family, no safe place to call home. She was alone. It was her deepest and most hidden of fears. The sob stuck in her throat and one tear traced a path down her cheek. She leaned against the counter and buried her face in her hands. She had nothing left.
He had just stepped out of his room when he heard Kaoru's soft sob. She was leaning against the counter, face hidden in her hands, shoulders silently shaking as she cried. First he had frightened her and now she was crying. Why couldn't he do anything right? She looked so lost and vulnerable. He felt one of the many walls he had built around himself crumble. He could not keep her out and he walked over to her, wanting to comfort, to take away the sadness he felt echoing from her.
"Kaoru?" His voice flowed over her, softer than she had ever heard it.
She looked up into eyes awash in violet and full of sympathy. It was the sympathy he offered that broke the final dam within her. She sobbed once out loud and her tears would no longer be denied. She was hardly aware of the strong arms encircling her or the shoulder she leaned on. There was only the grief and the fear for long moments. Through the tears she became aware of his voice, murmuring softly. The tears helped to wash away much of the grief, helped her to release a pain she hadn't realized she was clinging to so tightly. The fear, however, found itself loosing the fight for her soul to the strength she leaned against. How long she cried, she didn't know, but even tears have an end and she could feel herself reaching that end.
"Are you feeling better?" His gently query brought her back to earth.
She drew in a deep breath, wiping the tears from her eyes. "I am. Thank you."
He smiled down at her and she felt her breath catch for a totally different reason. Funny how she never noticed that he really wasn't that much taller than she, yet they seemed to fit together. She looked into his eyes and felt her lips part on a soft whisper of surprise. He frowned a bit at the inensity of her gaze.
"What?"
"I-it's your eyes... they're violet."
The expression on his face was one she would never forget. He turned to the mirror that hung above the buffet to stare at his reflection in wonder. She watched as he brought one hand up to touch alongside his eyes. His mouth worked, but no sound came out.
"What's wrong?" There was no worry, no fear. Whatever had happened was something not anticipated, but long hoped for.
"I-I-I was born with violet eyes. They became more and more amber the longer I was a Hittokiri. I never thought they would return." His voice was a stunned whisper.
He suddenly turned and swept her into his arms. She laughed as he spun her around with a strength greater than his slight frame ever hinted at. When her feet hit the floor, she found herself pinned tightly against him, his lips seeking hers. The kiss held more of joy and release, yet it couldn't help but deepen into something more. She clung to him as they kissed, her head spinning. He pulled back with a sigh of regret and rested his forehead against hers. As they stood in the embrace, she let her hands drift down toward his hips only to brush against cold steel. Startled, she jerked away and looked down at the two .45 mm Ballers strapped in holsters against his hips. His expression darkened and sparks of amber swirled through the violet.
"Unfortunately I can't forget for a moment that there's someone out to kill you and I will not let that happen." He looked at her intently. "Do you understand Kaoru? You are not alone. I will protect you no matter what and I know Sano feels the same."
Her emotions threatened to overwhelm her again. "But... but, you just met me."
He said nothing for a long moment then shrugged. "I know, but there is something about you Kaoru that I want to protect and I will. We can figure it out as we go along."
She nodded, unsure of what to say, unsure of what her heart was telling her. She wanted to trust him, to see those violet eyes again, to feel his arms around her. A soft sighed slipped from her as another thought struck her. How could anything truly work out between them? He was immortal. He would be forced to watch as she slowly aged, to watch as death someday claimed her, while he remained forever young. Kaoru gave her head a sharp shake, best not to worry about that now, after all who knew what the future held.
End Note: Thanks again to everyone for reading and reviewing and for being so darn patient! This is it for the re-write, everything from here on out will be brand spankin' new. Woot! Quickie reminder... review, review, review! Let me know if you folks want more. 'kay? blinks wistfully at her readers
