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THE PRICE OF BLOOD

Chapter 8: Haunting and Healing

If amber could ever paint a picture of fear, then this was the moment. He stood in the dojo, his eyes burning with an anger never seen before. His loose fiery hair fell around his face, making his eyes look as if they were dripping blood. Inside he was trembling, but his façade remained as stoic as ever. Growling lightly, he began to pace the darkened room, trying to regain himself. He could feel the blood dried on his skin. To him it felt as if an acid was eating through him. The stench alone drove him into a frenzy.

Ripping off his gi, he tossed it forcefully into a corner, trying to rid of the offensive odor that had soaked into the fabric. The flat planes of his body were tense and coiled as his pacing began to cease.

Turning sharply, he sped towards the wall, throwing his clenched fists at it. His threatening growl would be enough to strike fear into even the coldest hearts. But his anger never connected with its destination. It fell short, hovering millimeters from the plaster, visibly quivering. Light growls sounded deep from within his throat as his fists came forward to rest upon the wall, still tightly clenched. His head shortly followed the path of his fists, his forehead pressing into the wall.

Closing his eyes, he breathed heavily. This was the first time that he, the legendary man slayer, had ever been uncomfortable. Was it the blood? Or was it that he had given into her? The wounds he had received were nothing but mere scratches to him, but they remained more enduring. He had obtained them in a different cause, where he had saved a life instead of taking one. This strange feeling pulled at him in ways he could not describe. As he shifted off of the wall and moved to the shoji, he searched his mind for any type of liberation he could find.

Standing in the open shoji, he couldn't help but raise an elegant eyebrow. It was unnaturally in the dojo tonight. What exactly was she up to? Quietly padding into the hall, he paused outside of her door. Listening intensely, he could pick out the slight rustling of fabric every few moments, letting him know that she was still where he had left her. This provided a small comfort to him, finding that she was not stupid enough to challenge him now.

Walking away, he stepped out into the night. The cool air bit into his skin, teasing his wounds. When he reached the bath house, he paused, shifting his weight from foot to foot. Finally, he could take no more. Moving into the bath house, he quickly shed the rest of his clothes from his tense body.

Sliding into the water, he allowed the intense cold to still his body. His eyes were blank to the world, and he could no longer feel anything but the numbness creeping up upon him. Kenshin could not even feel as a finger lifted up to his face, lingering on the dried blood below his lip. He remembered the soft lips lightly touching his before the sharp pain of blood filled his mouth.

Inhaling deeply, he plunged under the water's surface, permitted the water to swallow him whole.

The small white box sat in front of her, conflicting her mind. Kaoru stared back at the box menacingly, shifting uncomfortably every few moments. Her body was sore all over, but the immediate pain no longer haunted her.

"Mou," she cried out, turning her head away sharply.

Her hair fanned out, falling softly in front of her face. The dark veil covered her eyes, blackening out everything in her vision. Strangely enough, it calmed her somewhat. She could no longer see the offending box. Her breathing evened out, but not enough to quite her.

The nagging in her mind still tore at her being. Her caring nature collided sharply with her stubborn honor. And this is where the Battousai enters the mess. Kaoru knew that his wounds needed attention, but he was also the one that caused her so much pain. She didn't want to get close to him; she still feared him.

Sighing, she pushed her hair out of her eyes, turning her head to look at the gift once more. Why had he saved her anyway? She shivered at her thoughts. She would have to talk to him to get her answers. The nameless feeling washed over her once again. Something was going on that she didn't quite understand.

The sound of approaching footsteps made her freeze. They stopped just outside of her door, seemingly listening to what she was doing. She held her breath at his haunting presence. Shifting uncomfortably once more, she mentally cursed herself, not knowing what to do. However, his retreating footsteps sent a shot of relief to her.

Standing up, she gingerly stretched her body being careful not to reopen any of her wounds. Limping to her window, she looked out, staring longingly at the moon. Just a few weeks ago, her life had become rearranged. His fearsome words still followed her to his day. It is what gave her the courage to stand up to him.

"You were sold to me...by your father."

Kaoru's mind couldn't help but reel at those words. It didn't add up. Even if her father did give her to the Battousai, he would to have done so before he killed the Battousai. It was 5 years ago that the police that told her that her father and the Battousai had died dueling each other. She had even gone to identify his body.

Her body shook with violent tremors. Her pale hands fisted together, her nails digging into her soft flesh. Just what the hell was going on? And she vowed, on her family's honor, that she would find the answers.

The opening of a shoji startled Kaoru. Whirling her head around, her body stood straight, tensed and ready. The sound of lethargic footsteps rang out magnified in her ears, making her once brilliant angry eyes blink in confusion.

Sighing, she turned around fully, unaware that her body was leading her back to the white box that still lay in the center of her room. Her feet moved in time with the Battousai's, slowly crossing the hardwood floor. Leaning down, those nail marked hands traced over the planes of the box, hesitating before picking it up. She continued to move forward in a trance like dance, being led by the hypnotic beats of the Battousai's feet.

Her hand rested flat upon the shoji, her head leaning against it briefly before sliding it open. Silently stepping into the hallway, she stood facing the Battousai's frozen back; the trance broken.

Her pulse began to race as her eyes widened. His radiant hair was now a burgundy silk, caressed by water. She followed the lose strands down his back, past his muscular shoulders, to where the tips stopped on his exposed back. She could see the muscles under his taut flesh. The soft light of the dojo accentuated the glistening of the remaining water droplets on his skin, drawing her forward in another trance. Even with his back to her, he was still strikingly beautiful.

"You should be resting," he said casually, still not turning to face her.

Kaoru's eyes shot back up, narrowing slightly.

"Someone needs to treat your wounds."

He made no reply to her, just began to move forward again at that agonizingly slow pace. His muscles rippled as he walked, making her mouth part slightly. Shaking her head hard, she once again cursed herself.

She began to follow him from a distance, boldly taking his silence as compliance. She watched as he slid open a door at the end of the hall, suddenly disappearing from her view. Pausing in the open doorway, her eyes saw his body glide to the center and seemingly collapse upon itself in a graceful manner. His back still remained all that she saw. Kaoru hesitated, shifting nervously behind him. Was she actually going to do this?

"Do what you came here to do," quietly came his reply, his rich voice pausing her shifting.

Slowly she circled him, keeping her eyes on the box as she kneeled before him. His eyes were burning holes into her, their potency taking in every action. Swallowing hard, Kaoru set the box down next to her, taking her time in opening it. Fishing through the contents, she took out a cloth as well as antiseptic. Wetting the cloth with the cleanser, she turned to face the Battousai.

She gasped at the sight, almost dropping the cloth in the process. If she had found his bare back beautiful, then surely his exposed chest was that of a god. The hard lines spoke of power, restrained by the contrasting tenderness of his flesh. Scars marred some of the planes, but somehow they seemed fitting to him. However, it was the new wounds that surprised her the most.

The pink wounds appeared raw, destroying the vision of his invincibility. She had done this. This was her unearthly power over him. Everyday her life became more complicated by these unexplainable events. Kaoru could tell by just looking at the wounds that they did not need any attention. They were healing on their own. He was allowing her to do this, as if it would satisfy her in someway. For once she wished that he would push her away with his coldness.

Lifting her eyes, she met his gaze, the wavering amber watching her with amusement. Kaoru held his gaze for a minute before dropping it to his wounds. She reached out with his hands, gently dabbing at the marks. The Battousai started slightly, but made no sound.

Drawing her hand back, she whispered quietly, "I'm sorry."

Once again he left her with silence as she gingerly continued to clean his wounds.

"Aren't you going to punish me for running off?" Kaoru asked mockingly. He was more placid than usual. She might as well see how far she could push him.

"Do you want me to?" he asked, lowering his eyes to watch her hands.

"No."

"Then why ask?"

She frowned, realizing that he was right. Picking up his hand, Kaoru turned it over, allowing his calloused palm to rest against hers as she treated his raw knuckles.

"What makes you think that I won't try to run again?" she asked softly, quickly darting her eyes to his face.

"I think you realize that it is pointless. I will always find you." He couldn't help but watch her. She showed no fear as she touched him; no disgust as she saw his body. He knew that he did not need to be treated, but he had allowed it anyway. She would not leave him be until she did.

"However, if you try to leave again, you will not get off so easily."

Her hands stopped moving, staring at his hand before she placed it on his knee. Moving her eyes to his face, he could see her displeasure as well as a bit of fear. He couldn't allow this woman to walk all over him. She didn't respond as she hesitantly raised her hand to his face.

With her gaze falling on his lips, she focused on the healing bite mark beneath them. Taking the cloth to them, she gently cleaned the wound, hoping that her fingers wouldn't touch him in the process.

He sat staring directly at her face, taking in every emotion that played across her features.

"Why are you here?" she asked carefully, beginning to remove her hand from his face.

Suddenly, he grabbed her retreating wrist. "You shouldn't dig your nails into yourself like that," he replied coldly, his eyes beginning to harden.

Applying a light force on her wrist, he sent her weakened body into imbalance, causing Kaoru to fall backwards upon her other elbow. The Battousai quickly rose to his feet, stalking into the darkness behind her.

Wrenching her head over, she nervously watched him bend over to pick up something. He turned back to her, the loose swaying strands of his drying hair mesmerizing her. He stopped beside her, glaring down at her with his usual cold and impassive face.

Dropping a dark cloth to the floor beside her, he said, "You will repair the tears in my gi before nightfall tomorrow."

His eyes stayed trained upon her as his hands brought his sheathed katana into view. He watched as she shifted back slightly, her body quivering before him. Raising the katana above his head, he twisted it elegantly before bringing it down to slide into the ties of his hakama. Her flinch did not go unnoticed.

His eyes narrowing slightly, he quietly added, "I expect you to be out of my room by the time I return."

And with that said he walked out of the room, leaving Kaoru still laying on the floor.

Blinking back tears, she screamed out, "Why me? Why my family?" But she received no answer but a shoji slamming shut.

Closing her eyes, she allowed her body to collapse the rest of the way to the ground, burring her face into her arms.

"Controlling bastard," she whispered, not noticing the slow tears that dripped from her eyes.

TBC...

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