Chapter FOUR: Rainy Days
Rain. The water from the heavens, the food of plants, and the one natural weather condition that can wash away anything. It can be playful, yet disastrous. Rain was the one liquid that was unpredictable in its moods, one moment it could be causing mayhem, the next, shallow drizzles.
It was able to wash away memories, blood, hopes, and dreams, yet it could also purify them, bringing them back from the grave. The rain was either a curse or a blessing, depending on the person that the rain greeted on its trips to earth. On one particular trip, the rain met the oddest of couples.
Two figures silently walked upon the cement path near the edge of the forest that led into town, a path that had long since been deserted. It was narrow road, which was slowly deteriorating from all of the cracks caused by the grass growing through the gray floor.
The crumbling pathway was one of the older routes to the back of the city, having been abandoned due to its closeness to the dark looming trees of the forest, which was said to be cursed with bad luck.
The wind howled as the rain poured down relentlessly, but despite the rain's attempt to fall upon its new prey, its liquids wasn't able to even touch their presences. As if enraged that it had missed a target, the rain came down harder.
Not even bashing a lash, the couple continued their journey, knowing full well that they couldn't get wet, no matter how badly the rain wanted them to be.
Crystal-blue eyes watched as the rain poured down around them, staring in awe at the power of the barrier around them. The barrier, however, was only created to keep out the rain, not the chill that accompanied it.
Shivering from the cold, Kaoru moved her diamond chains back into her sleeves as she rubbed her hands together for warmth. As her hands moved to make friction, so did the crystal cuffs, clanging together in rhythm with her movements.
Kaoru looked up and glared at the flaming red-locks that swayed with each step that its master took. If it weren't for him, then she would have been able to stay warm with her powers. Her thoughts of hatred and anger quickly dispersed when she remembered that the vampire could read her mind whenever he chose to. She wasn't going to give him an excuse to punish her.
Looking back up at the twirling liquid above her, she sighed and just stared.
The gray clouds, the darkening sky, and the howling of the wind all matched her inner moods: sadness, loneliness, and rage all piled up on top of each other within her.
Suddenly, burning spheres filled the brim of her eyes and she mentally slapped herself for letting them fall upon her rosy, cold cheeks. She moved a chained hand to wipe the falling salted orbs from her face, but no matter how much she wiped them away, new ones kept coming to further blur her vision. Unable to stop herself, Kaoru continued to cry. Her tears kept flowing as if they too wished to join the rain in mourning.
The Dark Lord paused and growled when he smelt the slight tinge of salt in the air. He hated being weaklings, and only the weak cried over such pathetic things.
He hated the weak. The weak were pathetic, disgusting, and were only useful as servants or slaves–they were a waste of his precious time.
The strong live and the weak die, it was the law of nature, it was his code.
Tired of having that pitiful scent clog his nostrils, he turned to face his prey angrily with burning amber flames. To his astonishment, she turned away from his gaze so that her eyes wouldn't meet his own, so he couldn't see her crying. He nearly chuckled when he realized that she refused to cry before him.
'At least she has some pride.' Thought Battousai with an inward smirk.
"Turn around," snapped Battousai, his voice commanding and dark as usual.
His eyes narrowed into dangerous golden slits when she didn't obey his direct order.
Irritated, the vampire merely snapped his delicately clawed fingers, which were just as sharp as the dark diamond weapons that were on his waist.
Knowing better from the last time he summoned her, Kaoru shut her eyes and remained as still as stone, her body automatically moving toward her captor's.
"Why are you crying, sorceress?" demanded Battousai, his warm breath lightly caressing her cold lips as fire met ice once again.
Kaoru didn't say anything despite the tears welling up in her azure eyes. The translucent liquid only caused her sapphire orbs to dance and shine like the stars as she looked up into Battousai's flaming depths.
Suddenly filled with newfound courage, Kaoru decided that she would stand up to this creature, decided that she would no longer cry before this blood-crazed being before her.
"I advise you to answer me when I ask you a question," growled Battousai threateningly, "or do I have to go through your pathetic brain and get them?" His face was completely expressionless except for the small spark of amusement in his golden gaze.
Kaoru glared up at him with the deepest loathing. Oh, how she hated him for being stronger, for being arrogant, and most of all for being immortal.
The sadness within her quickly changed into utter rage as she saw him smirk down at her in triumph.
Out of pure rage, Kaoru raised her right hand and brought it down hard, but before she made contact with flesh, her right wrist was caught in a death grip by strong, cold hands. She struggled out of his hold, but no avail.
Bringing down her other free hand, she glared into flaring orbs of anger as another steel hand caught her left wrist. Her hands came together to cross each other, the chains ringing like bells as she struggled to get out of the vampire's hold again.
"Stop," ordered Battousai.
Battousai's eyes narrowed dangerously, flaring into a demonic glow of pure anger when Kaoru continued to struggle in his hold.
Suddenly Kaoru froze, her whole body seemed to freeze as his eyes locked onto her own and held her there. It turned her bones into liquid as his glare intensified.
Battousai slowly let her hands fall down to her side, and with a snap of his fingers, the chain grew another foot so that her arms were able to go down to her side without staying in the center. He watched her closely as Kaoru bent her head and took in deep breaths.
He smirked when the only sounds that reached his sensitive ears were the jingle of the chains and the calm breathing of his prey.
The Dark Lord would have flung the disobedient sorceress into the nearest tree earlier if it weren't for the fact that he might lose his only chance in finding the last two items. It didn't help that her jasmine scent was intoxicating his senses and overwhelming his anger and satisfaction. In his daze, he vaguely remembered his fangs growing longer and his thirst for blood growing, and not just for any blood, but the sweet blood of the woman before him.
Kaoru, who wasn't able to sense Battousai's change from her lack of power, took a step back with her head bowed in submission. She quietly wiped away the lone tear that fell from her eyes with the back of her hand so as not to further enrage the vampire.
She would have screamed when she felt herself being pushed against Battousai's body, but all of the air had rushed out of her lungs when he pulled her to him with his powerful arms.
"What are you doing?" squeaked Kaoru.
"Silence," said Battousai in a whisper as one of his hands crawled up her spine, sending shivers down her spine and into the pit of her stomach.
His hand moved to the nape of her neck as he pulled her face closer to his.
Slowly, hypnotically, he began to rub her neck in such a way that she felt herself swaying back and forth from reality and heaven from his ministrations. All of the anger, rage, and hate left her when Battousai moved his mouth to her neck.
Her vision blurred when she felt twin needles pressing into her flesh, her eyes rolling into her head when, instead of pain, pleasure swept through her entire being. The heady sensation followed her all the way into a blissful darkness.