Disclaimer: I do not own Rurouni Kenshin, or any of its characters. I've gathered Vampire facts around the web so therefore I take no credit on that part, but I do own the plot.

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Chapter Six

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Cobalt eyes stared almost wonderingly at the red canopy that hung overhead as the mind of its owner went over what had just happened. No matter how many times Kaoru tried to convince herself that what occurred had indeed transpired, she still couldn't bring herself mentally to believe it. Never in a million years had she expected for such an event to take place, especially because Lord Battousai, the Ruler of the World, wasn't exactly known to be the kindest person, or rather Vampire, on the planet.

Taking in a deep breath, Kaoru was once again reminded of how difficult it was to take in oxygen with the weight of her husband's head on her bosom. Kaoru couldn't help but blush as her heart beat quickened at the mention of what her sleeping spouse had done to her only minutes earlier.

The moment he had laid her down on her back, she had expected him to do what all the newly weds did on their wedding night. From the stories she had heard from the new brides in her village, she was certain that what Battousai didn't do was the main part of the entire bonding ritual, in both the human and Vampire cultures. None of his actions even resembled the face burning details she constantly picked up from the gossiping, elderly women she had gotten to know so well during her life outside the Castle. However, they weren't too far the stories either.

Kaoru felt her face redden with heat as the raw images of the Vampire in her arms crossed her mind once again. The very memory of his amber, cat-like eyes filled with lust sent shivers down her spine as she thought about the desire she had seen in his gaze as he looked at her. She could almost feel his demanding, yet gentle lips on her own, and even the sensation of his fangs gracing her skin was still fresh in her mind. The feel of his powerful hands pushing down her kimono to her shoulders, and his mouth trailing from her lips to her left shoulder made her inwardly shudder. It seemed that after tonight, everything he did was going to have an effect on her, one way or another.

However, all of his slow and sumptuous actions were nothing compared to the phenomenon she experienced when his fangs pierced her skin. The feeling of her blood being forced to circulate her veins and flow into Battousai's mouth was indescribable.

The act of having her vital fluids taken away from her should have made her weaker, but throughout the entire ordeal she felt her strength multiply instead. Her gut instincts told her that the swirls of blue and red she had seen surround them was the reason for her strange reaction toward Battousai's advances. She highly doubted that his normal victims ever arched into his body while he fed off of them.

Kaoru was pulled out her thoughts as she felt her husband's arms wrapped around her waist and back tighten. Her inability to live without air reminded her that she was still human, and that if Battousai didn't loosen his hold soon, she was going to turn blue instead of red within a few seconds.

Unable to move due to his entire weight on her body, Kaoru groaned as struggled to get out from under his form. She could only assume that the Vampire was a very heavy sleeper.

Sighing, Kaoru relaxed and laid back down as comfortably as she could when she noticed the look on her husband's face. If she wasn't so biased at the moment, she would have thought Battousai was actually a kind being with the peaceful expression on his face.

Knowing the stories of the cruel Vampire Lord, Kaoru knew better than to judge a book by its cover. Kind and anything within its league was everything Battousai wasn't.

Finally able to loosen herself enough to breathe, Kaoru settled her head back against the black pillows.

Looking down at her husband, Kaoru was oddly reminded of a baby sleeping after drinking a bottle of warm milk. In all truth, Battousai had indeed had a warm drink, but in no way was he a baby.

However, what confused the new bride the most was why the Vampire was still resting. She was certain she had moved and squirmed enough to awaken him by now.

Suddenly, as if drowned in cold water, Kaoru realized why Battousai had kept his room so dark, and why the bed was covered with red curtains: Vampires slept from dawn to dusk. From the way her husband had so gracefully transitioned from his wakeful state to his deep slumber had made her forget that she had arrived in the castle just before dinner.

No matter how dark the area around the Castle was, the Vampires within still slept during the hours of the sun's reign over the sky. It was such a strong part of Vampire culture that it had never been conquered, not even by the oldest Damned alive, who was currently sleeping on top of her.

Kaoru sighed once more when she noted that moving out of her husband's powerful hold was impossible while he was so deep in slumber.

It was going to be a very long day.

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Arising from her sleep, Kaoru groggily opened her eyes before snapping them open when she noted the absent weight on her chest. Unsure of how long she had been asleep, the new bride struggled to get herself on her elbows and scan the room in hopes of finding her missing groom.

Eyes refusing to adjust to the darkness of the room, Kaoru rubbed her eyelids with the back of her hand. Her pupils widened when she finally noticed a pair of golden orbs staring at her.

"Finally awake?" drawled the all too familiar baritone voice.

The sound of chuckling made the queen cock her head slightly toward the disbelieving noise. She was still not use to hearing the most feared being on Earth laugh.

Before she was able to contemplate whether or not what she heard was real, Kaoru unconsciously gasped when she felt something sharp caress her bare shoulder and then move down toward the valley of her breasts. She felt the hairs on her body rise from her goose bumps as one of Battousai's hands cradled her neck while the his other arm made its way around her back.

When his hold on her intensified, Kaoru gave in and closed her eyes as she once again felt her skin being ripped apart enough to allow her blood to flow freely from her body and into Battousai's awaiting mouth.

Reflexively, the Vampire's queen wrapped her arms around her husband's neck in an attempt to help ease the trembling experience. Eyes still closed, the reddening of Battousai's eyes went unheeded as he took his fill from her. Even the red radiance that surrounded her mate didn't register as the sensation she had encountered only the night before washed over her form for the second time.

Her hold on the King's neck loosened only when she felt him pull his lips away from her skin.

Slowly, Kaoru opened her eyes and furrowed her brow in confusion when she witnessed the crimson rims around the Vampire's irises.

Taken aback when she saw the evident bloodlust in the King's unwavering gaze, the teenager would have dropped back onto the bed if it weren't for Battousai's firm hold on her back.

The desire in his eyes was as transparent as glass. He craved--no wanted, needed her, but whether it was for her body or her blood she couldn't tell. However, his next words confused her even further.

"Do you know how rare it is for a Vampire to sleep and wake up to find his or her victim from the night before right underneath him or her, resting peacefully and alive?" asked Battousai as he traced her jaw line with one of his pale fingers.

Slightly light headed, Kaoru shook her head no.

Looking into Battousai's eyes, Kaoru knew what she saw and knew that she could do nothing to stop him from getting what he wanted. She knew the look in his eyes, the lust was evident, and knowing that he had the right to do such a thing to her made her shudder.

There really was no point in struggling, not with him being more than ten times stronger than her. She could scream, but honestly, who would save her? No one was that courageous or stupid enough to do such a thing as defy the King. However, it didn't mean she had to cooperate completely. He did need her after all. If he was going to convince the world he wielded both pendants, he was going to need her alive and well, or at least well enough so that she could remain by his side every day for the rest of her life.

"Contemplating over ideas never helped anyone. The actions made were what made differences," said Battousai suddenly, his eyes looking at her almost knowingly.

Kaoru's eyes widened as she realized her mistake: Battousai knew what she was been thinking, knows exactly what she is thinking right now.

The mere thought of him knowing everything that went through her mind made her blush out of anger and embarrassment from her earlier thoughts.

Kaoru took in a sharp hiss of air when she felt Battousai's finger travel down her throat and once again toward her bosom.

His clawed finger left a burning trail against her skin as it went further downward. The heat of his touch was overwhelming and she couldn't help but squirm as she felt as if her very veins were lit on fire. Her entire body was set ablaze and she wanted no more than to tear her clothes off or indulge her self in cold water, but the hold the Vampire had on her refused her the ability of doing either.

By the time the sensation subsided, Kaoru could hear herself panting for air as Battousai's finger began to tear at the fabric of her clothing, revealing the top curve of her breasts to his amber gaze.

It startled her at how sensitive she was to the Vampire's touch, and the glowing warmth at the pit of her stomach did nothing to help her keep her dignity.

For reasons unknown, she wanted to feel so much more than just his fangs and finger on her skin. It was if any physical contact between them sent jolts of electricity through her, leaving her yearning for the sensation to crash down on her again and again.

Kaoru bit her lower lip as she realized where her mind was leading to.

In some part of her half fried brain, the teenager could faintly remember how she was supposed to be appalled by his actions, and that craving for it was against what she stood for.

Thought in mind, Kaoru turned her head in another direction, away from Battousai's radiating face as she waited for him to do as he wished to her body. When nothing happened, and the Vampire's finger stopped its original trek down her body, Kaoru looked back toward her husband and noticed that Battousai was staring at her, instead of her semi-exposed breasts as she had expected.

In all honesty, she knew that he had been looking at her face expressions the entire time, and her gut feeling told her he saw more than her pride would have wanted him to.

Slightly dazed at his sudden discontinuation, Kaoru openly yelped as he pulled her roughly toward his chest so that their faces were mere millimeters away from each other.

Amused, Battousai whispered calmly, his breath caressing her trembling lips, "You should have been burnt alive from the inside out, my pet."

Realization dawned as Kaoru finally understood why the Undead's touch felt so warm, why it seemed almost unbearable. But why it felt so addictive she had yet to comprehend. What startled her the most, though, was that she didn't hate the Vampire. Not even after knowing that he had tried to kill her.

Why she didn't loathe him, she had no clue. It seemed as if her sense of reason had left her completely.

Her attention was drawn out of her thoughts when Battousai's dark voice echoed throughout the room and her mind once more.

"No one has ever survived Akuma's power except for me," the King added as he stroked her loose ebony locks almost thoughtfully, his other hand firmly wrapped against her back, "and now you."

Allowing his words to sink in, Kaoru narrowed her eyes at him. His words had sparked something in her and the amused gaze in his eyes did nothing to quench the growing fire he had so carelessly started.

"Why don't you just kill me? You know you can," she spat venomously, inwardly startled at her choice of words. It was as if something that had lain dormant within her mind had slipped out and taken control while she was still conscious.

Battousai's eyes narrowed into slits to match her own before he pulled her even closer so that the tip of their noses touched.

"It'd be a waste of blood," explained the Vampire before he smirked, "and a perfectly good body."

By the time Kaoru's mind registered Battousai's rough lips on her smooth ones, the Damned had already managed to part her lips further until his tongue forced its way into her mouth completely. The feel of his tongue caressing the roof of her mouth sent tingles down her throat and through her body.

The fire in her ignited as she felt Battousai move her onto her back on the bed and began thrashing around for him to release her. Even as she tried to pry him off of her, his lips held firm against her own. His entire weight on her body left her immobile, and her hands were pinned against his chest, effectively stopping her from further attempting to push him away.

Slowly, her struggling body against his own ceased when his hands explored her curves, seemingly placing pressure on all the right places that forced her tensed muscles to relax. Within a few seconds, he had successfully turned her bones into jelly, allowing him to explore the rest of her mouth effortlessly.

After exploring and memorizing every inch of her mouth, Battousai parted their connection and once again permitted her to breathe in as much air as she pleased with a smirk on his lips.

Leaning his face toward her right ear, Battousai whispered, "The past is the past."

The deep voice and the caress of his warm breath against her ear caused her to shudder. She knew she had lost the war before it even started.

The fire Battousai had created had suddenly died with his words, and in turn, it left her even more baffled at the functioning of her own mind. She frowned when she finally acknowledged that Battousai knew something that she didn't. The Vampire had the advantage, both mentally and physically.

Kaoru couldn't help but feel slightly relieved when her husband released her from his hold and moved off of her body. However, it didn't stop her from becoming even further mystified than she already was when Battousai shifted his position and opened the curtains within his reach.

Seeing the King move to stand up, Kaoru raised a brow at his actions. She was certain that he would have finished what he had started last night when he had pushed her back against the surface of the bed.

As if hearing her silent question, Battousai answered calmly, "When I claim you, it will be you who begs to have the deed done." When no answer came, he looked over his shoulder and added confidently with his infamous smirk, "And it will be done willingly."

With that said, Battousai stood and started his trek toward one of the doors connected to their sleeping chambers.

Insulted or thankful, Kaoru couldn't decide what she felt as she contemplated over the words that had left the Vampire's mouth.

A smile crept onto her face as she realized what his words meant. He was allowing her to decide whether or not they finished their wedding ritual, and personally, she had no intent on giving up on her last link to her old life.

She was a virgin before she left her village and she was hell bent on remaining one until she was ready, but with Battousai as her spouse, she highly doubted she would be ready any time soon in this lifetime.

"Are you coming, or do I need to remind you of the third rule?"

Snapping out of her thoughts at hearing Battousai's aggravated voice, Kaoru scrambled to get out of the bed in a much better mood than when she had first gotten into it.

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"How in the Seven Hells does he do it?" complained the spiky brown-haired General of the Crimson Guards as he threw his hands up in the air in defeat.

At hearing his Captain chuckle from the back of the room, Sagara Sanosuke sent a pointed glare in his direction before leaning back against the ruby-embedded chair.

"If you think you can do better, then why don't you take care of these damn situations?" challenged Sanosuke as he waved a hand over the piles of papers and rolls of scrolls on the ebony-wooden desk before him.

Walking out of the shadows and allowing the flickering of the candlelight to illuminate his face, Enishi simply shook his head.

"You know I'm no good at giving orders. I'm much better at following them," said the white-haired Vampire after walking around the desk and taking a seat in front of his superior.

"More like passing them on, you mean," snorted Sano knowingly.

Grinning in silent agreement, Enishi took off his spectacles and wiped it clean with his red outlined cloak, which he was required to wear around the castle to show his ranking.

"I never thought about it before, but man does Batts have a lot on his hands. He finishes all of his work in one night, by himself! We spent the rest of last night doing this and have been working on it since we woke up and we're still not done!" whined Sano.

Taking his time in placing his glasses back on, Enishi slowly got back onto his feet.

"Where do you think you're going?" demanded Sano when he saw the other Vampire turn to leave.

"To feed," was the monotonous reply.

Raising his brow, Sano quickly stood up and walked over to his Captain before he could move down the steps to the main part of the King's Working Room and out the doors.

"We have to finish our work first! You know what the King will do to us if he finds out we haven't even taken care of one fourth of his workload," reminded Sano seriously.

Stopping at the edge of the steps, Enishi turned around and stated calmly, "We're Vampires, and everyone knows we need to feed before we collapse from exhaustion. How are we supposed to help the King if we can't even move our arms?"

Frowning at knowing that the other Vampire was right, Sano sighed before giving in with a nod.

"All right, we'll leave and a get a quick drink. But we come right back afterwards! No stalling at the Sakura," said Sano as he took the lead.

Smirking, Enishi followed his general out of the workroom and toward the infamous brothel, but not before pausing upon turning the corner.

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"All right, last night we got through most of the castle before we all had to rest. So, up to this point, do any of you have any questions?" asked a sea green-haired Vampire, her hair neatly tied back at the nape of her neck as she led them around the large citadel.

Nervously, the shortest of the group spoke up first, "When are we to serve His Majesty and Her Majestys, Miss Shura?"

Turning to face the anxious group, the oldest maid in the castle gave them an almost poignant look as if to say they were foolish for being so enthusiastic about serving the eldest Vampire in existence.

"There's only the North Wing to see, and I won't even bother with the West Wing, since no one goes there," said Shura as she ticked off in her mind what she needed to tell the five. "I guess that you'll be able to help our lord and lady after we see the north part of the castle, which is where Lord Battousai mostly resides. Do you remember what I told you about the other parts of the castle?"

Gathering her courage, Omasu answered, "The South Wing is where the servants' sleeping quarters are located, and the East Wing is for the guests as well as the other noble Vampires currently staying in the Castle."

"Correct," said Shura with an approving nod.

"Since we're the only ones working for the King and Queen, we are to always remain in the North Wing," added Shiro proudly.

"That's right. So why don't we go check out your living quarters then? Your new working clothes will be in your rooms and I'm sure you're all going to be glad to get out of your present robes. Oh, and like the place you all stayed in during the day, it's three to a room--one for the ladies and another for the gentlemen. There's one more person that you haven't met yet, and I can only pray that you boys manage to survive with him," said Shura, giving the two male Vampires a sympathetic look before turning and leading them down yet another corridor.

Exchanging glances, the five paled even further, if that was possible, at the thought of having to deal with someone even an experienced Vampire such as Shura didn't want to handle.

"If there is one thing Lord Battousai doesn't approve of, it's laziness," called Shura from around a corner.

Realizing just how far behind they were, the five raced around the corner, only to find themselves lost and uncertain of where to go.

"Where did she go? She couldn't have gone that far," said Okon as she looked down the three other paths ahead of them.

With each hallway covered in darkness, except for the small torches on the wall, it was hard to tell whether or not something or another was the shadow of their mentor.

"We're in the center of the castle, aren't we? It should be self explanatory as to why there are four paths. Each one probably leads to another part of the castle," stated Misao, beaming at the fact that she would be the one to save them from getting lost. "We just came from the South Wing, so that means that the pathway in front of us leads to the North Wing, and that's where we'll find Shura."

Nodding at their friend's logic, the other four followed quietly as Misao led them from the large intersection and through the hallway in front of them.

It wasn't until they emerged from the pathway that they realized just what they had gotten themselves into by accepting Lord Battousai's earlier offer.

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