Chapter SIXTEEN: Reassurances

The sounds of groaning and movement woke the shape-shifter from her light nap at her low-end table, making her snap her head up painfully in the direction of the disturbance. Her hand immediately went to her neck, which was now throbbing from the sudden movement.

"Anata?" whispered a soft and confused voice, reminding the violet-robed doctor exactly whom she had brought back to her hut.

Not knowing what else to do, Megumi kept still in her spot in the back of the hut and watched the scene unfold before her. She forced herself not to help the injured green-
haired vampire, deciding to transform into a small bird instead, just in case the vampires sensed her eyes upon them.

It hurt her inwardly to see Shura wobbly sit up and crawl the little ways to her husband with great effort. She could see the bandages around the vampire's shoulder slipping as the large black robe on her fragile body slid down slightly from her movements.

"Oh, Soujiro," smiled Shura as she brushed away her husband's drying hair from his closed eyes with lean and nimble fingers. Her long nails sparkled as the light from the fire reflected off of her clear claws and the angle at which the flame hit her face made her seem almost angelic. The paleness of her face did nothing to destroy the serene image that she created by just sitting beside her mate.

Unable to smile, Megumi cocked her violet head happily when she saw Shura gently kiss her sleeping prince on the forehead. It was then that she realized just how much Shura really did love Soujiro and it made her wonder why the vampire hadn't been awoken earlier.

Not wanting to disturb the couple, Megumi kept quiet as Shura rested her head on Soujiro's chest. She looked on almost enviously as Shura closed her eyes and drifted back into the land of slumber peacefully.

When certain that Shura had once again fallen asleep, Megumi became human and walked silently over to the pair.

"Sweet dreams," said Megumi as she took the blankets Shura was once wrapped in and tucked it around them.

Her eyes moved toward the dying embers in the fireplace and she slowly she bent her head as her tears threatened to fall. This was the first time she was able to see the fires of her home fade without her beloved little sister by her side.

Adding another piece of wood before it could completely vanish, Megumi moved back over toward the window she had previously stared out of only to find Soujiro collapsing.

"Return back to me soon, Misao," thought Megumi desperately as she watched the drizzle of rain fall from the crying Heavens.

xXoXx

The subsiding of the storm gave the impression of a better day until it began to pour once more. This time lightning gathered in pairs and thunder echoed loud enough to shake the homes surrounding the glorious Shinsei Temple. All around the temple was nothing but darkness, however, around the holy area itself was a golden outline seen by all who weren't mortal.

Four shadows standing on the concrete floor before the temple remained unmoving beneath their umbrellas as they stared up at the golden sign that held the temple's name proudly.

"Lord Aoshi?" questioned the masked lycan while they all waited patiently for their next orders.

"Let's go," answered the Okashira of the Oniwanbanshuu as he made to walk into the Shinsei Temple.

His eyes flashed white for a split second before he felt himself being thrown backwards. The numbness that he felt conquered the coldness he would have felt from the raining bullets that were now plummeting down upon him. The only thing that kept him from falling on the cold cement stairs that led up to the shrine were the arms of the lycan Shikijou. His umbrella lay forgotten on the ground as he was helped back to his feet by his loyal men.

"Lord Aoshi, what happened?" asked the shortest of the four as he looked in the general direction that the invisible barrier existed.

"The priest inside must be very powerful if even Lord Aoshi could not sense his barrier," stated Shikijou while he moved his own umbrella to shield his leader from the pounding rain.

"The Shinsei Temple is known for its purity. It seems that the barrier itself can determine if a creature has a pure soul or a tainted one," observed Hannya, his eyes staring up at the golden characters above their heads that meant the "Pure Temple."

"What do we do now, Lord Aoshi?" asked Beshimi as he stood beside the scarred lycan, his masked peer, and the Okashira.

"Getting inside is impossible for the time being. We'll come back a different night," said Aoshi, stepping out into the rain and walking a few feet to retrieve the umbrella that had fallen out of his hold when the barrier rejected him. He shook off the water that managed to get on his trench coat when he was safely sheltered under his umbrella again.

"The barrier will still be just as strong, milord," stated Beshimi when Aoshi moved back over to them.

"Its power doesn't change," said Aoshi, "but ours do."

Smiling as they realized what their leader planned to do, the three nodded in recognition before following him down the temple steps toward the Aoiya.

It was only a matter of time before they retrieved what they came for. After all, the full moon was just around the corner.

xXoXx

Warmth, comfort, and safety wrapped around the sorceress's form, making her smile as the old emotions came back to her. The feelings she had thought were lost since her parent's deaths returned and this time it didn't seem like anyone was going to take it away from her ever again.

Snuggling deeper into the depths of her futon, Kaoru frowned when she felt her fingers touch something wet and the foul smell of decay threatened to make her gag.

Slowly, Kaoru sat up.

Keeping her eyes closed when a breeze swirled around her form, the sorceress furrowed her brows when the familiar chill of the wind against her skin did not accompany the rustle of her tangled hair. She frowned when she noted that she couldn't feel anything anymore, not even the warmth she had felt only seconds before. It was as if her ability to comprehend the change in temperature had left her.

Still trying to adjust to her new discovery, Kaoru didn't move from her spot, letting the raindrops fall upon her pale face. It was odd how she could still feel the prickles of the water against her clothes and skin, yet she could not feel the iciness of it. She was certain that the bitter cold always accompanied the rain, but why she did not experience the bone-chilling of it now left her confused.

Leisurely, Kaoru opened her eyes and wasn't surprised to find the shoji door agape, allowing the storm to wreak havoc inside the room. The sight of Battousai's barrier vacant around the shoji made her question the vampire's intentions.

The sound of the rain hitting the wooden planks suddenly became louder and louder until it threatened to destroy her eardrums and leave her deaf.

'So loud...' Thought Kaoru as she shut her eyes again to try and block out the pounding of the rain beside her. Even as she moved her hands over her ears she could still hear the loud rhythmic thumping of the water bullets.

Kaoru felt her body vibrate as the sound of thunder echoed through her veins while the light of the bolts of electricity outside flashed before her closed eyes, making her see nothing else but red strings from the veins that raced through her eyelids. It wasn't until the smell of death and salt lingering in the air reached her nostrils that she snapped her eyes open.

Hesitantly, Kaoru moved her hands away from her ears and blearily got to her feet before she noticed that the smell of decomposition, as well as the dramatic increase of the perfume of salt, was coming from her own body. She felt herself wanting to shiver, but discovered that she could no longer do such an action. Without being able to feel the cold, she could no longer shiver. It was odd really, when had she not been able to tremble when something absolutely terrified her?

Knocking the thought out of her mind for the time being, Kaoru looked down at the futon instead. She frowned when she realized that her futon wasn't entirely wet because of the rain, but instead mostly because of her own liquids seeping out of her pores once her body told itself it no longer needed acids to break down food or sodium chloride to survive. There was just too much salt on the futon for it to have been all from the pouring water outside, and there was no possible way that the rain could have melted away the fabric of the flat bed.

Kaoru groaned as she remembered what her captor had told her earlier before she fell into a void of darkness. A changed vampire had his or her innards destroyed, except for the heart and brain. The veins and the remaining blood were obliviously spared, while the other liquids that made up her mortal body were filtered out of her system.

The novice finally acknowledged her enhanced alterations when she realized she could see clearly through the curtain of water outside and could easily spot all the objects in the courtyard as if all the light in the galaxy shined upon it.

Her entire world had changed overnight--or was it day?--and now she saw, heard, tasted, felt, and smelled everything for what it was. She still wasn't sure if it was a bless or a curse.

Pulling her gaze away from the outside world, Kaoru did a once over on herself, and noticed immediately that her nails had grown longer and undeniably sharper while her skin seemed almost perfectly white. She watched on in fascination at how translucent her veins and muscles appeared now. It was eerie how she was awe struck by her own appearance and yet a part of her was still denying her metamorphosis into a vampire, even if all the evidence was indeed overwhelming.

Not wanting to get lost in her thoughts, she turned her attention to her futon once more and jumped back toward the open shoji when she saw it burst into flames. Her eyes flickered to the corner of the room instinctively as the cackles of the fire died down when it was pounded out by the rain. She ignored the water splashing against her loose hair and robes as she met amber orbs.

"Your acids have already destroyed the futon beyond repair. There's no point in keeping something that isn't of any further use," explained Battousai from the shadows of his own power.

Kaoru glared at the calmness in the immortal's voice before she titled her head in the direction of the rain seeping into the room, her motion silently asking an obvious question.

"I thought you would have appreciated the shower," Battousai answered when he appeared in the very spot the futon had once been.

"How much longer do I have to wait until I stop smelling like a dead corpse?" Kaoru asked, wrinkling her nose for emphasis.

She frowned at the smirk on Battousai's lips and closed her eyes at the same time he snapped his fingers. The familiar sensation of being pulled forward felt extraordinarily relaxing with her new sensitivity and the only thing she wasn't surprised about was finding herself in Battousai's arms when she reopened her eyes.

"My blood has already dissolved the last of your organs. Your sweet scent will return in time," reassured Battousai.

Kaoru watched mesmerized as he trailed a finger from her left temple to her throat, the swift movements of his finger catching her eye. She was grateful that she wasn't able to feel the coldness of Battousai's finger and was doubly glad that she wasn't shivering, which would have given the vampire an excuse to call her a weakling.

No longer wanting to follow Battousai's burning trail consciously, Kaoru kept her eyes from his traveling finger. While she was looking for something else to keep her attention on, Kaoru stared in wonder at a blue spark from the ceiling that caught her attention for a few seconds before the sudden loss of the weight of her wet robes made she look down at her attire.

Kaoru couldn't help but take a step away from the immortal as she realized that she was now fully clothed in black from head to toe. Her eyes fell upon her new pointy boots, the black pants and shirt that was covered with a matching trench coat, and the belt around her waist. As she touched her hair, she noticed it was tied back in a high ponytail and was completely dry. She had a feeling that she herself looked as if she actually belonged in the Vampire Society with the way her white skin contrasted against her clothing.

What she was really grateful for though was that she no longer smelled like a dead body, but instead a person who had just spilt Jasmine tea all over his or herself.

She suddenly found herself thinking about how much her new wardrobe made her look almost like the female version of Battousai. After all, the only differences were their height, hair color, body structure, the shades of their eyes, and their weaponry, which while she adorned nothing, Battousai had his katana and wakizashi at his sides. She was surprised to find that Battousai now carried the sakabatou beside his katana instead of the wakizashi, and the black starred dagger now hung carelessly his belt. He seemed ready for battle and a deadly one at that.

Obvious they didn't look alike, they simply dressed alike. However, Kaoru was sure that what would confuse the other Damned Ones about who was who from a far away distance were their indistinct auras. Their powers were so completely intertwined that it didn't seem natural that they were two instead of one being. How it was possible was a question even Kaoru didn't know. She was certain that the other vampires who embraced the mortals never had their blood so finely mixed with that of their creations.

The sound of the immortal's voice snapped the sorceress out of her mental comparison between them, and something in the way that he spoke made her focus her entire attention on him.

"We're leaving. You're powerful enough now that you won't need to rest the short distance from here to the Black Castle," stated Battousai.

Kaoru's eyes moved toward the barriers that surrounded the room when he finished and saw that the barriers had vanished from their previous duties of protecting him and his 'tool.'

"What of the others that await your instructions here?" Kaoru questioned as she witnessed yet another bubble of ink form around them to shield them against the ongoing rage of the rain outside.

"They can handle their own problems. It was faint, but I felt the aura of the two that were kidnaped within the center of the forest. Soujiro was already there with them when I felt it. Their only remaining issue is with the demons," said Battousai as he walked out of the room with a silent confidence that not even Kaoru could hear.

"Why didn't you feel it before?" asked Kaoru curiously as she walked behind the immortal, just as she had done when they were traveling to Kyoto. It still astounded her how easily she could speak with the vampire known as death itself while others simply cowered or held great respect when addressing him.

"It was hidden by a holy barrier. Your own pure powers combined with mine allowed me to see past it," responded Battousai. Kaoru frowned at how casual he sounded. One would have thought he was simply speaking of the weather from his tone of voice, but his words themselves would have stunned the listener speechless otherwise.

"I would have thought that my own would have counterbalanced yours," admitted Kaoru in a soft voice, her eyes lowering to the ground when they passed the destroyed pond. The scene only made her remember how stupid trying to escape from Battousai's clutches really was. Even with her new powers, she was still no match for the experienced Prince of the Night that walked ahead of her. She had to admit though, she didn't exactly hate the vampire.

In fact, she held nothing against him changing her, nothing against him at all. He had protected her from the other prejudice vampires, had saved her countless times from death, he hadn't hurt her physically, hadn't taken away her innocence, or rather what she had left of it now that she was no longer completely human, and all he asked in return was for her obedience. Really, what was there to hate about the vampire except for his cocky attitude of superiority?

Kaoru's musings were cut sort when Battousai finally answered.

"Yours is too weak to do such a task, but strong enough to enhance my own abilities," said Battousai matter-of-fact-ly as he cut through the center of the court yard toward the large doors that led to the main area where the Elders had last met together.

Kaoru followed expectantly when the shield around them went down the same time they stepped into the roof covered housing area behind the restaurant. She knew that they'd have to walk through this area and into the restaurant, which had one of the only doors that led in and out of the Aoiya. There was only one other way to get inside and that by jumping over a wall, something Kaoru had unfortunately learned when she was trying to escape.

Keeping her vow to Amaterasu was going to take more time than she originally thought it would.

Staying directly behind Battousai, Kaoru avoided all eye contact from the amused and baffled semi-immortals that had awoken before she had.

xXoXx

"Tamono, Kajiki, what have you done to the girl?" demanded an older demon in uniform as he eyed the contents surrounding the body of the unconscious shape-shifter on the dirt ground.

Hearing their leader speak, the two immediately turned around from their view of their captive and bowed respectively.

"Kawaji, sir, we weren't expecting you to come. We were certain you would have stayed with the half breed," said the shorter of the two.

"I have better things to do than watch over a blunder, Sadashiro. What poison did you give the creature and how long has it been in her system? She seems close to death," stated Toshiyoshi as he walked closer to the unmoving body.

Dark coal eyes narrowed at the red stained ropes at the girl's wrists and ankles, his nose twitched slightly from the smell of vomit and blood that wafted into his nostrils when a wind picked it up.

"The poison is just beginning to destroy her from the inside out. It's been eating at her for a whole day now. Common poisons don't immediately kill as you know. She couldn't take the pain and blacked out a few seconds before you arrived, sir," answered Eibin this time, keeping his step exactly one stride behind his superior.

Looking up and down at the girl once again, Toshiyoshi Kawaji shook his head, no woman or child should have to go through such pain.

"Give her the antidote. Lord Takimi has ordered us to leave for the time being and all of our captives are to come with us, including the one you so carelessly tried to kill," said Toshiyoshi as he watched Sadashiro Kajiki shift uncomfortably from his gaze.

"Yes, sir," muttered Sadashiro, his greasy hair getting into his eyes as he bowed his head.

"Did Shigure give any other instructions, Toshiyoshi?" asked Eibin, dropping all formalities for the time being.

The older demon ran a hand through his neatly combed brown hair as if contemplating on how to phrase his next few sentences.

"We've been ordered to move out toward the ocean again until further instructions from Lord Takimi. We're going back to Yokohama tonight," explained Toshiyoshi as his fingers fiddled with his mustache.

"Why are we going back there for? We can effectively hide here, right under the gaze of the vampires and lycans. The amulets worked for concealing ourselves from Battousai," stated Sadashiro from his kneeling position beside their prisoner's head, his knees as far away from the liquids around her head as possible. He kept an ear out to listen to the others talk while he took out a small black vile from one of his pockets and opened the cork with a clawed hand.

"I'm certain that if Battousai could not sense Sadashiro, then the others of his kindred and Aoshi's wouldn't be able to either," added Eibin when they received no answer from the aged youkai.

"Lord Takimi knows what he's doing. We have no right to question his motives and actions, but I will tell you this. Something dark is lingering in the air, something not right. There was a major disturbance in the atmosphere earlier tonight and I know you all felt it. It's a dormant power and I have a feeling Shigure wants us as far away from it as possible. We can't risk losing our numbers again," said Toshiyoshi seriously.

Sadashiro rolled his eyes as he grabbed his captive's cheeks with one hand and squeezed until her lips parted. He frowned as the smell of rotting food reached his nose and quickly stuffed the vial into the girl's mouth. His other hand went to her neck to make sure that the creature swallowed it all. If he had things his way, he'd have killed her himself instead of having to deal with her.

"You know we can't afford to lose again. This time we have an advantage, but Battousai has at least two of the Seven Dark Diamond Weapons of Hell on his side that we know of. The death of one of our comrades proves that his weapons can destroy us. Last time we only had to deal with the Lycan leader and an Elder, now all of the Elders are joining together to stop us. Until we know if Battousai is joining them are not, we can no longer do anything so rash as tonight," spoke Toshiyoshi gravely, his eyes darkening at the mention of failing a second time.

"Well, it was the stupid demon's fault for going after the weapons in the first place! He should have known that Battousai wouldn't have let anything happen to them," spat out Sadashiro as he laid Misao back down on the ground and threw away the empty vial into the depths of the forest.

Dusting his hands on his pants, Sadashiro stood up and smirked as he noticed the shape-shifter stirring a bit from her slumber.

"It is true that the demon was idiotic, but we still cannot risk being thrown back into the shadows after fifty years of fortifying ourselves. It would be disgraceful," reminded Eibin in their lord's favor.

"I'm sure you're sick and tired of losing by now, Kajiki," said Toshiyoshi knowingly.

"Fine, I'll go along with you toward Yokohama. What do we do with her then?" asked Sadashiro as he shoved a thumb in Misao's direction.

"I'll take her to Toki to have her cleaned up. She'll less likely try to run off with another woman around who might get put in danger," said Eibin, walking over to Misao and slowly untying the ropes.

"How can you be so sure?" demanded Sadashiro suspiciously, his voice clearly stating that he did not trust their prisoner.

"You said that she came through the window to protect the three in the room, didn't you? There are very few like her and those that are tend to think of others before themselves. She won't endanger Toki once she finds out how kind Toki really is and her being helped by a demon will change her aspects about our kind," explained Eibin, quickly getting rid of the other knots.

Not wanting to argue, Sadashiro shrugged his shoulders indifferently and followed their group leader back toward their campsite and awaiting army while his comrade took care of their 'extra' luggage.

xXoXx

Eyes slowly drifting open, the vampire's instincts to get up and feed were stopped when the unfamiliar weight on his chest registered. A thousand questions raced through his mind as he realized he wasn't out in the rain from his search and just as quickly as they had come, they vanished when he heard a familiar voice whisper his title.

"Just a few more minutes, anata," spoke an all too familiar voice into his dried chest.

Soujiro's eyes widened as he realized why the voice sounded so memorable and he was slightly disappointed when he found out that all of his undergarments remained on his body.

"Shura?" asked Soujiro almost disbelievingly, relief flooding him when he leaned his weight on his elbows to look over his wife's healing form.

The smell of blood was still fresh in the air and he couldn't help but smile gratefully down at his mate.

Knowing that she was still alive and doing well made him relax, the worry that had threatened to kill him subsiding dramatically.

"Just a few more minutes, anata. Let me come with you," muffled Shura as she snuggled deeper into his hold, her arms wrapping around his waist so he wouldn't leave.

Chuckling softly, Soujiro smoothed out the vampire's hair with his right hand, gently untangling her hair until his hand moved through it as if it were water.

"You know, you two look perfect together," said another vampire knowingly when the sound of Shura's even breaths were heard. "I always knew you married her for another reason other than to satisfy our parents."

Turning his head to his left, he felt his smile widen at the sight of his sister clothed in red and lying on her stomach with her chin cupped in her hands so she could watch them clearly. He had to remember to thank the one that saved them the moment he found out just who was responsible. It annoyed him that the scent of a fourth person in the hut wasn't detectable and the fumes on them held no trace that anyone else had handled them.

"I'm glad to see that you're well, Yumi. Lord Shishio has been searching for you the moment we found out you were missing. Did you get a glimpse at who kidnaped you here or the one that attacked the Aoiya?" asked Soujiro seriously, remembering the unpleasantness he had felt when he realized he had failed his wife and sister.

The female's crimson locks, which were usually placed up neatly in a bun, now cascaded down her shoulders as she shook her head no. Her dark gray-brown eyes met her brother's saddened gaze before falling on Shura's green hair.

"If she hadn't risked her life to save me without a second thought, I would have never remembered that she originated from the seas," said Yumi almost thoughtfully. "This is the first time I've realized how similar her hair looks to the shade of the Caribbean's waters," smiled Yumi as she lowered her arms and moved her chin onto her folded hands.

Soujiro gave a smile to the compliment for his unavailable wife before he too rested on the covers of his futon, rearranging the blanket onto Shura's shoulders. His smile became pure as he felt her lips curve upwards in content against his skin.

"Mother and Father always did prefer loyalty over quality," stated Yumi quietly.

"Are you suggesting that those who travel the seas are loyal and that was the reason why our parents chose Shura to be my bride, because she came from a pirate ship?" asked Soujiro amused as he turned his head in his sister's direction.

"Of course! Pirates are considerably loyal and obedient to their captain and that's a known fact. She didn't even know I was her sister-in-law, yet she was willing to die to make sure I remained alive. A true pirate spirit indeed," nodded Yumi as she made her point.

Soujiro suppressed a chuckle and closed his eyes for a few seconds of sweet bliss, knowing full well his sibling would once again interrupt.

"Why didn't you come running when we first began to scream? Even if you couldn't detect the enemy, you should have been able to hear us," said Yumi as she turned on her back and pulled the blankets over her bosom.

"How did you know we couldn't detect the enemy?" asked Soujiro instead, his sister's sudden statement making him turn his head in her direction again.

"I myself didn't know we were going to be attacked until we were. I might be younger than you, Soujiro, but I know a covered aura from an outside force when I see it. The demon had something around his neck and it was glittering silver, red, and white even without the moon's assistance," recalled Yumi almost thoughtfully as she stared up at the ceiling.

Taking the information in, Soujiro frowned when he realized that there were still too many questions that needed answers.

"We didn't hear you scream. By the time we heard something and ran up the stairs to investigate, all of you were missing. Your blood, as well as Shura's and Tomoe's, were the only things we found. However, our brother flew out the window right before I went searching for you two," said Soujiro, adjusting his position so that his wife would be more comfortable in her rest. Weakened vampires still needed their rest like any normal mortal.

"Probably sensed something that had to do with his mate," snorted Yumi.

"He doesn't have a mate, he has a possession," corrected Soujiro as he remembered what the immortal had proclaimed the night before.

"And I suppose you don't see Shura as your possession? Yours to protect and keep forever?" countered Yumi as she sat up on her knees and looked down at her brother knowingly.

Looking up from his lying position on the ground, Soujiro couldn't help but blush. Although he was certain he felt his cheeks warm, he highly doubted it turned red. He didn't have enough blood in his system to do such a mortal act and for that he was thankful.

"I'm certain that our brother had more important business to attend to. I only question if he has been able to find our location. The barrier around the hut seems a lot more advanced than those pitiful ones the humans try to make," noted Yumi as she felt the barrier that was keeping them from leaving the small, yet comfortable hut.

"Do you honestly think he'd come for us, even if he does happen to know where we currently reside?" asked Soujiro in hushed tones as he felt Shura stir.

"Truthfully, I'd say no. Only the weak need saviors," recited Yumi from one of her lord's speeches to his men. She wrapped her slender arms around her knees as an image of her love passed her mind.

Sitting up so that Shura sat in his lap and was able to rest her head on his shoulder, Soujiro remained silent as he bit his left wrist. He moved the bleeding wound to his lover's lips and allowed her to suckle on it with a smile.

"You're already low on blood as it is," Yumi frowned as she turned her head away from the intimate exchange done only willingly between lovers.

"She needs it more than I do. You both lost a lot of energy, and as you've implied, it's dangerous to be so low in blood," stated Soujiro as he kept his eyes on his feeding mate. "Would you like some too or would you rather wait? We can't really leave this place to go and feed, even if we were at full strength."

Not hearing a word from his sister, Soujiro kept his entire attention on his wife. He smiled when Shura stopped lapping at his blood and watched amusingly as his wound healed completely. He didn't bother to move as Shura rested once more against him. His attention didn't leave his mate until a purple feather by the fireplace caught his eye.

"Something the matter?" interrupted Yumi.

"No, nothing's wrong. I was just thinking that we should stay here tonight and then leave tomorrow after the sun has gone down. I'm certain the barrier would be gone by then," said Soujiro confidently.

"Certain?" questioned Yumi warily.

Smiling, Soujiro answered reassuringly, "I'm willing to bet my life on it."

xXoXx

Nothing, not even the training of hundreds of years would have been able to prepare the lycan leader for what he saw when he entered his headquarters.

The moment he had walked into the Aoiya, Aoshi knew something was wrong, knew that he would be greeted by something unbelievable when he stepped into the housing area behind the restaurant. Even with the foreshadowing of his senses, he was still baffled when he entered the area, although his face showed none of it. However, those already in the room were openly gawking at the pair who had just arrived.

Dark icy eyes looked at the two figures in the back doorway. If the couple didn't possess such distinct features, he would have mistaken them for twins. From the possessive aura one of them was clearly revealing, they were far from having a sibling-like relationship.

It wasn't their appearance that startled him inwardly, it was their intermixed auras--the same exact aura combination created when two beings bonded. Never had the werewolf expected the cold-hearted Battousai to actually claim someone with such fervor, and a sorceress at that. Of course the vampire had stated his possession earlier, but he hadn't exactly believed that Battousai would actually go so far as to exchange blood with the very creature his kindred hated. He was certain that the others had thought the same way and would have passed it over as ludicrous rumors had they not witnessed it, or rather felt it, for themselves.

The oldest of the lycans bowing before the two pulled Aoshi out of his thoughts and made him realize that none of them had bowed earlier when they were supposed to upon the vampire's entrance. Most of them had been too shocked to remember.

Simultaneously, all of the others bowed deep, including Aoshi and his men.

The black ink that was surrounding the two wasn't just creepy, it held a promise of death that made a few of the weaker creatures shudder.

It was Okina again, Aoshi noted, that dared to do speak first, "Lord Battousai, are you leaving so soon?"

The lycan lords–Enishi, Jineh, Shougo, and Yamagata–in Aoshi's opinion, held hope in their eyes that what Okina suggested was true. It would not only even out the powers of the Elders in the area, but it would also give them--the werewolves--a significant advantage. The vampire Elders were on lycan territory after all.

"I will be leaving for the Black Castle the moment I get the information that I want. Saitou," said Battousai.

From the flinches the sinfully silky words created, Aoshi was certain that everyone noticed the deadly acid in their lord's voice. It was obvious that the vampire had gotten stronger, just as the sorceress had gotten darker.

There was definitely something considerably different about the girl, Aoshi acknowledged. It wasn't just her aura either, it was her entire demeanor. She held herself proudly behind Battousai and clearly revealed to all who cared to look at her that she was defiant in a subtle, yet dangerous way. All of this reflected from her eyes. There was no doubt that Battousai's ego had seeped into her system during their aura, or rather blood exchange.

This time, the movements of the amber-eyed Elder made him disperse his previous musings. He watched as Saitou walked over to Battousai and held out a necklace with a silver string attached to it. The hisses of Okon and Omasu, who were closer to the immortal, assured him that it was indeed pure silver.

It seemed that all the lycans were listening intently while the Vampire spoke.

"A source has indicated that there have indeed been large shipments of silver from Ogasawara Island to Japan in the last couple of months, including shipments of slaves and white wood. Who has been sending the cargo is still a mystery. Some of our best men are handling the case as we speak," stated Saitou.

While Saitou was reciting what he had learned, Aoshi half listened and half watched Battousai take the necklace by the thin silver string. He raised a brow unconsciously when the vampire held the cross before the sorceress's eyes. The sudden fear he saw in the teenager's eyes startled him. There should have been no reason why such a pure creature would be afraid of a holy item. Something was indeed amiss.

Being a werewolf, Aoshi knew that the last remaining Kamiya was innocent, but Battousai's undeniable scent was all over her. Had he not known the girl, who he had tried to capture not long ago to get the seven weapons, Aoshi would have mistaken her for a vampire. He could no longer sense the mortal aura underneath the undeniable claiming of Battousai.

"Are you all right, Lady Kamiya? You seem a bit pale," commented Omasu as politely as possible when Battousai moved the cross away from Kaoru's eyes.

"I'm fine," was the whispered reply as Kaoru shrunk deeper behind Battousai once more.

Aoshi faintly recalled the sorceress looking over Battousai's shoulder to have a glance at the necklace before the Vampire lifted the cross by the silver strings to her eyes. Horror had etched its way onto her face for a split second as she stared at the white wood.

The lycan eyed the so called Prince of the Night and narrowed his eyes into slits when he saw the intense glare Battousai was giving the cross. If there had been any emotion in Battousai's eyes, Aoshi was sure that it would have been anger. Anger for what, Aoshi wasn't quite positive, but he had a hunch that it might have had to do with Kaoru's previous reaction.

"Would you like me to send a few of our troops over to Ogasawara Island to make sure no further shipments are made?" asked Saitou cautiously as he looked at Battousai's taut body, his voice revealing no real sign of fear or vigilance.

"There's no reason to go all the way to the island only to get caught in a trap by the demons. Have the ports closed off from Ogasawara and make an announcement of the obligatory destruction of these necklaces," ordered Battousai, his gaze still on the white wood.

Aoshi, along with everyone else in the room, except save Kaoru, eyed the Battousai warily about his decision. Did he really expect them to be able to destroy such necklaces? Neither species could get that close to the necklaces without losing a bit of their energy. With just hundreds put together, none of them would be able to get within even a few meters of the blessed items without being destroyed.

"One necklace would put any ordinary vampire or lycan to rest, a dozen or so could kill hundreds if they're placed together and used by a priest," reminded Enishi, his voice indicating his annoyance about the advantages the demons held.

"Are you questioning me?" asked Battousai.

Aoshi was among the few that didn't take a step back when the cross in Battousai's hand was crushed into oblivion. Not even the white dust or the blood within the object remained. The elimination of a holy cross by a vampire was thought to be impossible, even for Battousai himself. Once again, the vampire had proved logic wrong.

No one spoke for the longest of times as the silver chain that been attached to the cross floated to the ground. In a burst of black and blue, the silver thread vanished. It wasn't the disappearance of the silver that astonished the remaining Elders, but instead the extra color that appeared to destroy the element. The heat of the flame was incredible, they all had to admit, but where the dark shade of blue came from was questioning. Lord Battousai was known for having an aura that was completely made of black energy and recently dark magic.

The Lycan leader turned his head toward the entrance of the housing area the same time his men and those inside did. They all observed quietly as the rice paper-made door was snapped open to reveal the hunched over figure of the vampire lord, Shishio Makoto.