It's modern day.  The streets are rife with violence; corporations are corrupt; assassinations, commonplace.  Himura Kenshin, known only as Battousai, is a shadow assassin for an organization so secret even he doesn't know who truly runs it.  But Battousai has an even bigger secret; one that if it were ever discovered would mean more than his death…it would end in the total annihilation of his soul.  Battousai is not only the deadliest assassin to ever prowl the dark streets of night…he is also a vampire, one of the oldest still in existence…and a rarity among his kind.

He has a soul.

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Rurouni Kenshin Fanfic

Rurouni Kenshin & Samurai X Original Japanese Version © N.Watsuki/Shueisha * Fuji-TV * SME Visual Works Inc. * Sony Pictures Entertainment

All Fanfics created by Chiruken (me) were written for the sole purpose of shared entertainment and not intended for publication or sale.

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Tears of Eternity

by:  Chiruken

Chapter 12

        Amber eyes narrowed in annoyance, he sent a quelling look in Sanosuke's direction, implacable expression more than enough to convey his desire for the other man's silence.  "What are you doing here, Sanosuke?"  His tone demanded the truth and nothing else.

        "Well…it's like this, Kenshin…" Sanosuke leaned back against the reception desk and folded his arms across his chest.  "Some mutual acquaintances were in desperate need of…" He paused with a thoughtful frown, brown eyes losing their amused glow and settling into darker hues of seriousness.  "Stuff that ain't readily available on the street and lets face it, I sure as hell don't got enough to go around that many times and so we figured that the best thing to do would be to come here and get some."  He shoved his hands into his pockets and hunched his shoulders.  "We were only gonna take what we needed and leave…no one was gonna get hurt."

        Eyes narrowing in growing anger, Kenshin took a slow step towards the younger man.  "How many?"  When he didn't receive an immediate reply his hands closed into fists at his sides.  "How many, Sanosuke?"

        "Four…there are four…" He looked towards Kaoru, a faint smirk tilting his lips upwards, expression curious.  "So…where did you find her, Ken—" The rest of his words were cut off when the small man's hand shot out and gripped his throat, partially lifting him off the floor and tossing him to the side against a wall with enough force to leave cracks in the plaster.

        "Where are they?"  Without waiting for an answer he strode through the swinging doors again and began searching the rooms carefully, senses stretching out to avoid unpleasant surprises.  Hungry vampires on the loose in a small clinic…this is so not good… Grimly opening each and every door lining the narrow hall, he made his way to the last two doors yet again.  Sanosuke, you are such an idiot... Pausing outside the doors he closed his eyes and drew in a calm, centering breath before turning to the door on his left.  "Two…" He murmured softly, head tilted to the side in contemplation.  Where were the other two?  Eyes moving back towards the other room, he scowled and stepped closer.  "Nothing…only human—" His thoughts abruptly cut off as he spun back towards the waiting room, a disturbance alerting him to the danger.  "Kaoru…" Growling low in his throat, fangs bared in a snarl of rage, he exerted preternatural speed, hand gripping the hilt of the long sword at his side as he closed the distance.  Kaoru, get down on the floor!

        What?  Her confused reply echoed through his mind as he burst through the doors, amber gaze scanning the room until finally locking on his target.  "Kenshin!"  He ignored Kaoru's horrified cry as the gaunt vampire launched himself at him, hands curled into claws, hissing as he bared his fangs.

        Not even bothering to draw his sword, Kenshin struck swiftly and with brutal force, the blow throwing the larger man back against the wall.  "Surrender.  You have no hope of winning this battle, Daishi.  Stand down…now."

        "Battousai…" The name emerged on a hiss of hatred and rage.  "Is she your woman?"  Daishi turned towards Kaoru, bloodshot eyes watching the smaller man's every move, searching for a sign that the dark haired woman was the older vampire's weakness as he suspected.

        Anger lashed at his control, threatening to unleash the full fury of the beast he held at bay through shear force of will.  Launching another attack, fist connecting solidly and lifting his opponent off the floor to throw him across the room, Kenshin's compact form blurred with his god-like speed.  "Never…" A swift kick to the ribs followed.  "Call…" He dropped to one knee, bringing his fist down with vicious force against his chest.  "Me…" He grabbed him by the front of his shirt, lifting him off the floor to glare into his pale and bloodied face.  "By that name."  He dropped him to the floor and turned away, hands closing into fists in an attempt to reign in his temper and control his rage.  Suddenly spinning he grabbed Daishi by the front of his shirt again and lifted him off the floor.  "Call off the others."  Shifting his grip to the younger vampire's throat rather than his shirt, he growled, eyes narrowed to amber slits.  "Call them off now before I forget we have an audience."  His fingers tightened, cutting off the other's air supply.  "Do it…" He shook him a little for emphasis.  "Now, Daishi."

        "S-stop!"  Daishi's voice was little more than a croak, but was loud enough to be heard by the three vampires moving to flank the red-haired elder.  He lifted a hand weakly and waved them back before forcing himself to go limp in conscious a show of submissiveness.

        Dropping him to the floor carelessly, he turned and glared at the other three vampires watching him warily.  "Fuchida, Kada, Utagawa…" He addressed the younger men coolly, nodding towards the back of the clinic.  "I trust the occupants of this clinic are alive and well?"  All three shifted uneasily and glanced at each other nervously.  "Well?"

        Kada was silently voted as the group's spokesman.  "Mostly."  His tone was sullen, expression in his dark eyes full of hate as he stared at the smaller man.

        "Mostly."  Kenshin repeated slowly, eyes narrowing.  "What, exactly, does 'mostly' mean?"

        They exchanged looks again.  "I don't gotta tell you nothin', Battousai.  You ain't our leader."  This time Utagawa seemed to be nominated to speak.

        "This is true…" He murmured softly, slowly sliding his long sword into its sheath at his side.  "Perhaps I can convince you…" He shifted his stance, hand hovering over the hilt of his sword.

        "Your time is long past, Battousai."  Fushida stood straighter and smirked.  "You can't take us all on.  One of us will get you…"

        Sanosuke shook his head slowly.  "Don't be an idiot, Fushida.  Kenshin's too fast for you and you know it.  You're just gonna get yourself killed."  He reached into his pocket and withdrew a toothpick.  Placing the small piece of wood between his teeth he grinned.  "'Course, I'd really like to see you get your ass smeared…kinda like payback, y'know?"  He tilted lifted his arm, pushing his sleeve back to show a four inch long scar running along his arm briefly before leaning back against the reception desk again.

        "Where is Megumi?"  All eyes swiveled to Kaoru at the sound of her voice.  She stood with her head bowed and hands closed into fists at her sides.  "I want to know where Megumi is.  Where is she?"

        Kenshin's eyes narrowed at the sudden interest being paid to her and began to move closer towards her, gaze following the movements of the other men in the room.  Kaoru… He began slowly.

        "I don't know what you are and right now I don't really care.  I want to see Megumi."  Hold on, Misao...

        Kaoru, Misao will be fine…do not draw more attention to yourself.  He suddenly swore under his breath.  The four other vampires had taken advantage of his preoccupation with Kaoru and now surrounded him.

        "Don't tell me what to do!"  Her sharp cry seemed to be the signal for an attack to be launched.

**To Be Continued…**