A/N: Sorry! It's a bit late! I've been busy making plans with my Aunt to go to the Hoobastank concert in two days. I'M SO EXCITED! We got a big three days planned because we haven't seen each other in awhile so we're excited to be with each other.

REVIEWERS!

droparmor - Glad to find another torture fan!

Yukimi Daimouru - Kenshin might, but you never know about all my other OCs. -shifty eyes- Maybe the sequel is about the funerals they go to…

Insane Chipmunk - Hope you enjoy this chapter!

lolo popoki - Tell me about it. Eleven years later and you can still see a bit of scarring on my foot.

AekaAnime - It was nice to hear from you!

Hitokiri Musei - I'm glad you're enjoying the story and I'm glad you're reading too!

FairyMage - Yes! Stare at my wicked evilness!

Chapter 15 - The Last Straw

Night was quickly approaching. The rope that held his wrists behind his back was tied tightly. He was forced to the ground and his head was bowed. But as long as she was safe he was glad to do this. No more killing; if he died then he couldn't hurt anyone anymore. He looked over to her. "This isn't your fault Neko. It's mine." Neko shook her head as tears streamed down her face. Hiroko raised his blade. "Don't look." He instructed her, not wanting her to be haunted by the image to come.

"I hate you." Her angry voice sent chills down his spine. "I hate you Kenshin." Kenshin could only stare, open-mouthed, at the green-eyed girl. "This is all your fault. If you hadn't been there then someone else would have helped me. I wouldn't have been sold to Muroi. I wouldn't have been violated. I wouldn't have been beaten. I would have been happy. I could have been happy but I stayed with you. Now look what has happened. I hate you."

"Neko, I didn't mean for this to happen. I was trying to help you! I'm sorry!"

"I hate you, you never cared about me. You said so yourself. I hate you."

"I didn't mean it!"

"I hate you! I hate you! I HATE YOU!" Suddenly the ground beneath Neko's feet broke away and she began to fall. Her eyes widened in fear as she cried out. "Help me!"

Kenshin jumped up. His executioners were nowhere to be seen. He reached out and caught Neko's hand before she could fall any further. "Hang on Neko!" He called out as he tried to pull her up, but she was slipping out of his grasp.

"I hate you. You who are covered in blood could never be loved by someone like me." Kenshin looked down and saw why he was losing his grip. Blood covered his hands and that was what was causing Neko to slip.

"Neko…"

"You're too stained to save someone like me. I hate you." With that, Neko's hand slipped free from Kenshin's. She fell back screaming.

"NEKO!" Kenshin reached his hand after her, blood dripping off of it.

Kenshin's body jumped as the dream abruptly ended. "Neko!" He called out and started to sit up, only to find out the movement only brought pain. Why did his body hurt so? He brought up his hand and touched his head. The cold iron of the chains on his wrists quickly reminded him. He slowly fell back; sitting up hurt too much. He had to get out of here, somehow. He grabbed some of the slack in the chain and pulled. It was firmly attached to the wall. He switched and tried to pull his wrists free from the shackles. He grunted with effort as he pulled harder and harder. He gave up after awhile; that was not going to work.

Perhaps Hiroko would try to move him again without drugging him first. He had almost killed him the last time. Of course that little stunt had probably changed Hiroko's mind about ever doing that again. Kenshin sighed. Maybe the only way out of here was death after all. He spent most of the time thinking of ways of escape, coming up with no answer, and sleeping now and then. He enjoyed the solitude. As long as Hiroko didn't come back.

After about an hour of lying on his back Kenshin eventually, and carefully, slid himself up and leaned against the wall. It did hurt his stomach to curl it slightly but he felt much more comfortable sitting up then he did lying on his back.

The door opened a crack and Kenshin tilted his head towards it. He quickly recognized the man who had force-fed him before by the scar on his face. Once again he carried a tray. "Good afternoon!" He answered with a snicker.

'Cocky bastard.' Kenshin thought as the man came closer. He sat a tray down just out of arm's reach from where Kenshin sat.

"Eat this," the man instructed before leaving. Kenshin looked at the tray. It held the same three items, water, rice, and soup.

'How stupid do they think I am?' Kenshin thought angrily. He eyed the food; he was hungry, but he wasn't about to eat something that had been poisoned once before. He wasn't an idiot.

Slowly Kenshin moved toward the tray. It wasn't the food he was interested in, it was the water. He knew he could go without food for a while, but not water. He winced his way to the tray; why couldn't he have placed it closer to him? He reached out and picked up the cup of water. He held it up to his nose and sniffed it. It smelled like water, but what if it had been drugged? He took a couple of tentative sips. He didn't feel groggy. The water had been the last thing he drank before, and soon after he had felt drowsy. It had to be a fast acting drug if just the water had been poisoned that time.

He took a few more sips. Before drinking the rest he looked down at his red, angry chest. Carefully he poured some of the water onto his burnt skin. At first it hurt, but then it soothed the burns. He took one more sip before pouring the rest on his burns.

Time passed and eventually the man came back. He seemed disappointed. "You didn't eat anything!" He yelled. "Aren't you hungry?"

"I'm not going to eat tainted food," Kenshin hissed back.

The man growled. "Eat your food." Kenshin looked away but watched as the man bent over and picked up the bowl of soup. "Drink this." He said pushing the bowl towards Kenshin's face. "We just don't want you to starve." Kenshin laughed, telling the man he didn't believe him. "You will drink this!" With a quick movement he grabbed Kenshin's head and shoved the bowl to his lips.

Kenshin pressed his lips shut and pushed the man's hands away. The man fought back and tried to force him to drink it. He wasn't expecting him to have so much energy. Before he could even react, Kenshin had leapt at him, quickly wrapping the extra slack in his chains around the man's neck. The soup splattered to the ground. "I hope you have the keys, otherwise I'm going to break your neck," he hissed.

The man grabbed at the chains, trying to breath. "Ah, ic.. he..lp…" he croaked as Kenshin pulled tighter. "H…help!"

Hearing his cry the door flew open and two armed guards rushed in. "S… Syuzou!" One stuttered as they saw the Battòsai strangling their companion with his own chains. "Let him go!" He threatened.

"Then give me the keys to these locks." He pulled tighter. "Or he dies." Kenshin watched as the guards move cautiously forward. If he were able to steal one of their swords, it would be so much easier to escape. He waited for them to get close enough to grab them.

Unfortunately, Syuzou was smarter then the other two. "Get back!" He choked out. "Don't let him near…" Kenshin pulled the chains tighter, trying to silence him "…your swords."

The two stopped and tried to understand what Syuzou had just said. It was now or never; Kenshin unwound the chains from Syuzou's neck and made a desperate lunge for one of the men's swords. Syuzou was faster than the weary manslayer and grabbed the chains, and yanked him back right before he was able to grab the hilt. "I SAID GET BACK!" Finally the two understood and backed out of Kenshin's reach.

Angry that his attempt had been stopped, Kenshin turned his anger back on Syuzou - only he was ready for the onslaught this time. He tried to throw a punch, but Syuzou was stronger, and was able to grab his wrist with little difficulty. "That's enough, Battòsai!" Kenshin glared at him and kicked Syuzou's legs out from under him. As he lost his balance he dragged Kenshin down with him.

"I said that's enough!" Syuzou grabbed at his side and squeezed his ribs. He cried out in pain as Syuzou flipped him onto his front. The guard placed his knee into the curve of Kenshin's back, pressing his burnt stomach hard into the floor. Taking advantage of his agony, Syuzou twisted his arm behind his back and then placed his other hand on the back of his head and pressed down hard. "Help me!" He yelled at the two who stood with their mouths open.

They started to come forward. "Take your swords off! Bakas…" Syuzou spat under his breath as the men quickly placed their weapons to the side and came running over to help him hold Kenshin down. One held his other arm down and took Syuzou's hold on his head. The other held Kenshin's legs down.

"LET ME GO!" He yelled trying desperately to throw the heavy men off him. Out of the corner of his eye, he saw Syuzou's free hand fishing something out of his pocket. 'What's he doing? What is th…. No! NO!' Kenshin tried harder to break free when he saw that Syuzou held a needle.

"I warned you, didn't I?" He quickly pressed the needle's point into Kenshin's skin. "You had to do things the hard way." The three waited for the potion to take effect. Kenshin thrashed and tried to get away, but slowly his movements began to feel like he was under water. As they became more and more sluggish he also noted that the fiery burning that had come from his chest lessened, his head didn't pound so badly, and he couldn't feel the pain that had been in his side.

Slowly the three men let their grip slacken. "I think it's working," the one holding down his legs said. The others nodded.

"What was in that stuff?" The other asked.

"I don't know," Syuzou said truthfully as he sat back, finally taking his weight off Kenshin. The other two did the same. They watched Kenshin for a while in silence. His breathing was calm, he looked relaxed and his face was slack, but his eyes, they burned with a deep hatred that made everyone shiver. Syuzou reached out and grabbed Kenshin's shoulders; carefully he flipped him onto his back. He didn't tense or even make any movement. His limbs flopped uselessly to his side.

"Hiroko-san wanted him moved back to the other room," one said, not able to handle the silence any longer.

Syuzou looked over to the spilt soup. "Not while he's awake. We don't know what that stuff does, maybe he's faking." Although he didn't believe Kenshin was faking. "Go ask Hiroko-san what he wants us to do." The man nodded and quickly left the room.

'Damn it.' Kenshin thought as he lay there on the floor. He tried to will his body to move, but his muscles wouldn't listen to him. Most of the pain he had felt had left, but why couldn't he move? Everything seemed so far away. He could hear three different voices talking, but they were distorted slightly. 'They're going to get Hiroko? Great, just what I need.'

Hiroko touched the implement of torture lovingly. "Today, Battòsai, you will die." His voice echoed in the room. The only items in the room were the chains that had once held Kenshin to the wall and this newly added item. Its design was simple. On top of a shoulder-length pole was a long rectangular box. All kinds of straps hung loose inside the hollow rectangle. Then there was a handle jutting out the other end.

"Hiroko-san?" A timid voice called as the door creaked open.

"Do you know what this does?" Hiroko spoke without looking at the person who addressed him. The man lowered his eyes down, yes he knew what it did, but Hiroko explained it anyway. "It's quite simple, really. You just stick an arm, or leg even, in here." He placed his arm into the rectangle box. "Strap it in, and twist." He removed his arm and held the handle. With a grin he gave it a quick twist. "You keep twisting until the arm rips out of the socket." He finally turned to the man. "Now what is it you want?"

"Syuzou sent me. He had to give the Battòsai that… stuff. He didn't eat the soup so he was wide awake when I left, but he wasn't moving."

Hiroko dismissed the information with the wave of his hand. "Yes, yes I know what it does. It's like a sedative, paralyzes the body but the mind remains awake. I just wish Syuzou hadn't used it. It also numbs pain." He shook his head. "Why'd he use it?"

"Battòsai attacked us, sir. He got out of control."

"Well, come to my room. I'll give you the antidote to that. As for moving him, the room he's in right now shall be fine. Move him to the arm shackles and make sure his feet are bound again." They reached Hiroko's room. "Today Battòsai shall die."

'Move.' Kenshin commanded his muscles. It didn't work. 'Move.' His finger twitched slightly, an improvement, but not very helpful. The door opened and the man who had left came back in.

"He said we should move him to those." He said, pointing to the arm shackles Kenshin had been locked in earlier. "And he won't give us any problems."

"You got the keys?" Syuzou asked. The man nodded and took them out of his pockets. Not trusting Kenshin, Syuzou still held his wrists down as the other man unlocked the chains. Once Kenshin had been freed, Syuzou lifted him up; he stumbled a little, not expecting him to be so lightweight. He carried Kenshin over to the other chains and held him up against the wall.

Kenshin was furious at his helplessness. He wanted to kill each of them for doing this to him. It hurt his pride to be treated like this. As Syuzou held him up, one of the other men picked up his arms and locked them securely above his head once more. When Kenshin was locked in, he took out a needle. "Hiroko-san said to stick him with this. It's the antidote." He gave Kenshin the shot and then the three left the room.

Slowly Kenshin's muscle's started to twitch. He raised his head groggily; he was getting tired of this. How much longer was he going to have to suffer under Hiroko? Although he figured he deserved it after all the terrible things he had done. But Neko didn't. Neko shouldn't have to suffer just because she knew him. It wasn't right. Neko was a good kid; she didn't deserve what had happened to her. It was all his fault.

Sometime during his self-loathing, Hiroko finally came to pay him a visit. "Hello, Battòsai. I have some good new for you today!" He said quite merrily as he entered, along with two guards. "Today there will be no tricks, no special tactics, no mind games, just this simple dagger." Hiroko unsheathed the small weapon and smiled at Kenshin. "Today you will tell me where Katsura is hiding."

'I will never give you what you want.' Kenshin thought defiantly as Hiroko approached him, although when the cold steel was placed against his hot skin, it was all he could do to keep from shivering. 'I'll never betray Katsura.'

The question was asked once more. When he didn't answer Hiroko dragged the dagger's point down. Over and over. Blood slowly dripped down Kenshin's torso, staining his hakama. Soon his body was littered with little red rivers of blood. Each time Kenshin didn't answer the slashes became longer and deeper as Hiroko grew angrier. "TELL ME WHERE HE IS!"

Kenshin opened his eyes and glared at Hiroko. After choking back a hiss of pain he spoke. "I will never tell a… a weakling like you."

Hiroko growled and clutched the dagger harder. "Weakling?" He looked down at the dagger in his hand, then to Kenshin right before he plunged it deep into his left side just under his ribs. "WEAKLING?" He screamed at him. He slowly drew the blade down. "I'll gut you, boy." Down further. "Unless you tell me where Katsura is." He pulled the dagger out and watched the rush of blood pour from the wound.

Hiroko put his hand to the large gash and let Kenshin's blood seep onto his hand. When his hand had been covered he put it to Kenshin's face. "See your blood?" He asked softly, smearing it onto his face. "You're called a demon, but you should look more like one." He continued to wipe the blood all over his face.

Kenshin clenched his teeth and pinched his eyes shut tight against the new pain in his side. 'He's crazy!' He could feel Hiroko's slippery hands running along his face. The smell of his blood was sickening. It was warm as it dripped off his face. The feel of it was driving him crazy.

Hiroko touched Kenshin's scar and traced it in blood. "Too bad who ever did this to you didn't kill you." He pulled his hand back, how he loved what he did. "I have a machine, Battòsai. And I'm going to tell you what it does. It rips your limbs from your body. Very slowly. Very painfully." Kenshin opened his weary eyes to glare at Hiroko, to show he wasn't afraid. Deep down, he was terrified. Hiroko was disappointed at his reaction, but continued talking. "I'm giving four more chances to tell me where Katsura is, boy. One chance for each limb. Once you're nothing but a torso, I'll watch you bleed to death." Hiroko glanced to one of his men. "I want him moved to the other room." He turned back to Kenshin. "Today, you will die Battòsai. Which way do you choose? Quick or slow?"

Kenshin clenched his teeth. 'Neither.' Hiroko turned to leave. 'I can't die. Not until Neko is safe.' One of the men walked up and held up a white cloth. 'Not until then!' The sweet smelling cloth was pressed up against his face.

He struggled against the drug that had been soaked into the cloth, but soon its intoxicating smell overpowered him and his struggles became slower, and soon his head fell forward. As soon as they thought Kenshin was out, the two men undid his chains and prepared to move him.

"Hey, open up," one called, and knocked on the door. He shifted the burden in his arms and knocked again. "I said open up!" A little door on the door slid open and a little bit of light shown into the cell.

Two eyes looked in at the two and their burden. "Alright, just a second." He closed the little peek door and started to unlock the main door. As he opened it, he was surprised to be face to face with a very angry and wide awake amber eyed manslayer.

Kenshin yelled out, startling the two that had held him who promptly dropped him, and attacked the guard at the door who was reaching for his sword. Kenshin grabbed the man's finger and bent it up, grabbed the man's wrist and quickly snapped that back, and with his free hand smashed the man's elbow. Repositioning himself, he grabbed the man's shoulder and smashed his knee into it driving the guard to the ground. After completely breaking the arm he grabbed the man's head and gave it a quick twist, like he had wanted to do to Hiroko. It happened in a matter of seconds, so fast that the man was dead before the other two had a chance to call for help.

"He's loose! The Battòsai escaped!" The two charged Kenshin at the same time as they yelled for back up. Neither was armed; Kenshin maneuvered himself out of their arms and clawed at one man's eyes. It was a dirty tactic, but he didn't have many options available to him.

The man backed up until he tripped over the lifeless body. As the man fell Kenshin bent over and grabbed the dead man's sword. He listened as the other guard prayed to the gods before Kenshin removed his head from his body. The last man alive held his eyes as he just about pissed himself. He slowly backed away as Kenshin advanced.

Hiroko was in his room. It was going to be a while before the drug wore off, so he had some time to spare before he needed to return. He had some of his concoctions on top of the desk in his room, and was meddling with them when his shoji slid open. "The Battòsai escaped!"

"WHAT!"

Kenshin stumbled and fell. His wounds were taking their toll. 'I can't go on like this. How am I going to get out of here? I don't even know where I'm going!' After disposing of the last man, Kenshin had quickly made his way down the hall but the alarm had been sounded.

His plan had been simple enough. He had held his breath as long as he could and faked that he had passed out. The jarring that had come from the two men carrying him to the door had been excruciating, but it had worked. His vision blurred, but he wasn't sure if it was from blood loss or the fact he had taken in some of that drug. He pushed himself to his feet. He couldn't stay here.

"There he is!" A yell from behind him. Kenshin turned and waited for the two Shinsengumi members that were running towards him. He held up his stolen sword as the two slowed down. "Give up," one barked, "And we won't kill you." Kenshin rolled his eyes. Hadn't Hiroko told him he was going to die today? The two started to advance and he clutched the hilt tighter. Together they charged at him. He backed out of the way of one attack and blocked the other. Quickly he charged forward and shoved his blade through a man's neck. Spinning and pulling the sword free at the same time he sliced the other's chest open. The two fell at the same time, blood pooling around them.

Kenshin wavered, pain coursing through his body. 'I can't go on like this.' Using the blood-covered sword as a crutch, he pulled himself down the hall. 'I hope I'm going the right way.'

He picked his way through the compound avoiding turns that had men down them. A few more men had found him and he was quickly losing strength with each battle. "Stop right there!"

Kenshin picked his head up. 'Damn it.' Up ahead were four Shinsengumi members already drawing their swords. He hadn't even sensed them. As they moved closer to him, he noticed one hadn't drawn his sword; instead he was holding a gun.

"Throw down your weapon!" the one with the gun ordered, aiming at Kenshin. "I'll shoot!"

Kenshin moaned. Why wasn't anything easy? He straightened up. He didn't think he had the strength to take on a gun. He looked into the men's faces as they waited for him to make his move. 'I can't escape.' He blinked his eyes. 'I can't even see straight anymore.' His hold on the sword loosened a little. 'This is hopeless,' he took a deep breath 'but I have to try. I have to save Neko.' Grabbing the sword once more he ran at his adversaries with a yell.

"STOP!" But he didn't stop. He kept charging forward. The men with swords took a step back; the man with the gun took quick aim and fired. The bullet raced towards Kenshin; the aim had been bad and it grazed his right arm, but it didn't sink into his skin. He didn't slow, he kept running as if he hadn't been shot at.

The gunman was the first to fall. Pushing the gun up with his left hand, Kenshin ran his sword across the man's stomach. In the middle of his attack, he backed away as a blade just barely missed his head. Turning on his heel to face the three others, he quickly blocked an attack to his side, and followed through by pointing his sword up and running it up through the bottom of the man's chin and out his forehead.

He pulled his weapon free and stumbled backwards. His strength was leaving him as quickly as his blood was flowing from his wounds. A battle cry cleared his head and he just barely blocked a thrust to his chest. He pushed his attacker to the wall and was about to finish him when he felt the other man coming up behind him. Moving out of the way the second man's attack hit the first's heart instead of his.

While in shock over killing his companion, Kenshin quickly shoved his sword threw one of the man's temple and out the other. Pulling his sword free, he wavered where he stood. If he was attacked again, he was sure he was going to be killed, or given back to Hiroko. 'What now?' He looked around and spotted a door. Not having many options, Kenshin slid it open and looked inside.

It was empty, except for a folded up futon, a desk, and a dresser. Kenshin eyed the desk as darkness quickly clouded his vision. He blinked the black spots away; the desk would have to do. He stumbled his way across the room, holding tightly to the sword in his hand. He placed his hand against the wall to support himself as he made his way there. He pushed the desk away from the wall slightly, he didn't notice or hear the sound of a couple of needles that had been placed on top of the desk rolling off onto the floor.

When he had moved the desk his body was quickly overcome with coughing. He put his hand to his mouth to quiet it but each cough burned his throat. When the coughing finally passed, he fell to his knees, unable to hold himself up. He pulled himself behind the desk. 'I should have hid behind the dresser, but I don't think I can move it.' He smiled. 'The great "Battòsai" hiding behind a desk.' His smile quickly left as a wave of new pain washed over him dragging him into darkness.

Saito and Okita looked over the carnage left in Kenshin's wake. "I thought they said he was injured." Okita said amazed.

"He is," Saito stated simply. The two continued to follow Kenshin's path. Looking for little cuts in the floor where he had leaned against the sword and the trail of blood.

"Do you think the rumors are true? How they said Hiroko-san caught him?" Okita asked eyes never leaving the trail.

"Yes, and if that maggot lies to me once more…" Saito stopped and looked at the scene in front of them.

"Four men, and one of them had a gun." Okita smiled. "This Battòsai must be a great fighter. Saito?" Okita asked questioningly when he saw that the man's eyes had not left a certain door. 'That's Hiroko-san's room.' He kept looking and saw the red handprint on the door handle.

Saito slid the door open and stepped inside. He inhaled. "I smell blood. Fresh blood." He added, before Okita could state that there was plenty of blood outside the door. "A demon's blood." He scanned the room, a bloody handprint on the wall, fallen needles from the desk, and a small trail of blood running from behind the desk.

"Saito-san, he's…"

"Not here." Saito turned to leave the room. "Understand?"

Okita looked slightly disappointed but nodded his head. A smile returned to his face. "Hai, hai, I understand." Okita left the room first as Saito lingered for a moment.

'This is your only chance, Battòsai. If I catch you again I'll kill you.' Saito smirked as he turned to leave. "I want to speak with Hiroko when this is over," Saito said calmly as he exited, stopping to wipe away the blood on the door with his sleeve. He shut the door behind him and didn't give it another thought.

Okita gave a nod and a small smile. They would be needing a new captain soon.

Kenshin's eyes fluttered open. 'I'm alive.' At first he had expected to have been found and placed in more chains. He couldn't believe his luck when he found that he hadn't been discovered. He pushed himself up to his feet and waited a moment as a wave a nausea swam over him. He looked down at his side. 'It's still bleeding.' He tried to catch his breath as he looked around for something to cover his wound.

Spying the dresser, he hobbled over to it. He pulled the first drawer open and found some of the Shinsengumi's trademark gi. He picked one up and, using the sword, cut it into strips. He packed some over the gaping gash and then wrapped it up tightly. His head swam and a few times threatened to black out on him. He managed to stay awake and finished as quickly as he could. He looked in the drawer once more and with a frown pulled out one more gi and put it on. It was a bit big on him, but it was warmer then not having anything.

Pulling himself up, and using the sword once more for support, he casually exited the room. He wasn't sure how long he wandered the halls. He was grateful to find that most halls were empty, or he could avoid the men that ran by now and then. When he finally felt a cool breeze blowing across his face his heart lifted. He had found the exit. Only one thing stood in his way, the four men standing around each armed with a gun.

They seemed nervous, but they were not yet aware of his presence. Moving swiftly and silently Kenshin ran up behind the one closest to him and slit his throat. As he fell without even making a dying sound, he moved on to the next. This one let out a gasp before he died, by the time the other two turned around it was too late. Kenshin quickly ran his sword through his stomach, turned, and before the last had a chance to raise his weapon, Kenshin's blade was through his forehead and out the other side.

Kenshin's body shook from the overuse. He swayed a few times as he tried to regain his balance. Once steadied slightly, he took off for the trees.

Hiroko ran ahead of the men following him. He smelled blood and it was coming from outside. 'He couldn't have. HE'S TOO WEAK!' His brain screamed right before he came upon the carnage. Four men were dead, it didn't even look like they had the chance to defend themselves. Battòsai had escaped.

"Captain?" One of his men called questioningly, not knowing what to do next.

"I know where he is going." Hiroko said following the trail of blood that went into the trees. "We'll beat him there. Quickly everyone!"

Kenshin wandered the forest. Trying to figure out where he was. Nothing looked familiar. As he walked, he tried to recall where that man had said Muroi lived. As he was thinking his legs gave out from under him and he fell towards the ground. Tumbling head over heels, he found himself wishing he had taken the sheath with him as the exposed blade cut his skin as he fell. He cursed when his tumbling finally came to a stop. He looked over at the sword, now coated in a fresh layer of his blood, and glared at it.

He sighed. Being angry at a sword wasn't going to help him. He was so tired and it was already dusk. His eyes began to fall shut. Maybe he could rest for tonight, gain back some strength, then figure out where he was. It was pointless to keep going, he could be just walking in circles. Just the thought of resting made his body seem heavy.

"You're my angel. You saved me." Neko needed him. If he didn't get to Muroi's first then Hiroko would use her again. He had to save her. He had to protect her happiness. He would not fail in protecting another's happiness again. Reaching over for the sword Kenshin forced himself to his feet and slowly continued on his way.

Impatient knocking came to Akina's ears. "I'm coming!" She called out, rushing to the door. Her breath caught in her throat when she answered it.

"Where's Muroi?" Hiroko looked inside, past Akina's bowed head.

"He's not here."

"What about the girl? He owns a little child, you know her right? Where is she?" He was impatient and started to force his way inside.

"She's… she's…"

"I need her. Tell me where she is." He grabbed her shoulder, threatening to push her aside.

'He'll hurt Neko.' Akina's mind was spinning. 'They want to use her.' She stood her ground and would not let Hiroko and his men pass her. "The Master isn't home, he's out. He took the girl with him."

Hiroko looked disappointed. "Then where is he? I need that child!" He tightened his grip on Akina's shoulder.

"Please sir. I'm not supposed to say!" She went off on a tangent, too afraid to lie again.

"You will tell me. I'm in a hurry and I am in no mood to be tested." He drew his sword and pointed it at the frightened slave. "Tell me."

"He's at a bar!" Akina screamed. "I don't know which one! Please! Leave me alone!"

Satisfied with her answer, he put his sword back into its scabbard and let her shoulder go. "Quickly, we have to get to Muroi first!" He shouted to his men and took off.

Akina stood in the door and clutched her heart. She had lied and when they find Muroi and figured it out she knew they were going to kill her. When the men dressed in green started to fade away, she turned and ran through the house. 'I have to get Neko out of here!'

She ran past a darkened hallway when a hand shot out and grabbed her wrist. "Where's Neko?" First looking down at the hand that grabbed her, her heart stopped when she saw the markings of the Shinsengumi on the sleeve. Traveling up the arm to the face still hidden in the darkness she screamed as two cold, amber eyes glared out at her.