Written by mtgranola
Disclaimer: I don't own Kenshin, or Kaoru, or any of the Ruroken cast now that I think about it. I just enjoy…playing with them for my own twisted amusement.
Be my guiding light.
Lead me from the twisted paths that have become my existence.
Be my strength and my weakness.
Be my sanctuary from the madness that haunts me.
Please be the one to save me when I fall…
Chapter OneSeductive eyes of amber are watching me. It's not so much that I can see them, but more like I can feel them…burning me, consuming me. I've never really caught the guy's first name before, I call him Himura-san and I know he's one of Sano's buddies. Real quiet type of guy, one would think he was a woman upon first glance if it weren't for the cross-shaped scar on his left cheek, not to mention the dangerous masculine aura he admits whenever he walks into the bar.
Talk about an overload of testosterone.
He's very unique for a Japanese man, his red hair reminds me of the color of blood, and those eyes of his…molten gold, amber jewels. Eyes like that shouldn't be legal. They remind me almost of the stories that my mother used to tell me growing up, of onis and youkais. I fancy that thought for a moment, perhaps they weren't really stories after all…because I have very good proof staring a hole into my back right now….
I grab the bottle of tequila and throw it up in the air, catching it behind my back. The men on the other side of the bar hoot and holler. Little tricks like that bring in the big tips, money that I need to survive, pay for college and all that jazz.
Ice in a glass, and pour. Simple really. It's sad to know that my abilities to read and retain have been reduced to memorizing drink recipes. A lot of Amerikajin students come into the bar, hence the fancy tricks, gaijin liquor, dim lighting and less than decent clothes. Tonight I'm wearing a tight pair of leather pants and a blood red camisole. It's all about the looks and the tricks to get the tips, or so my manager says.
He can't be human, I find myself thinking while piloting on automatic. Not with those eyes of his. The hair can be explained away by gaijin blood, but the eyes…those eyes don't belong to someone of this earth. I allow myself a small scowl, feeling his gaze on me once again. I sincerely wished that Sanosuke would stop bringing his friend in here, I've got other things to waste my precious thinking time on, like my upcoming final in Japanese History.
"Hello Kaoru." He says to me, purring over the syllables of my name. I find myself involuntarily shuddering in response to the purely male voice. Sensual, dark, and brooding.
"What can I get for you tonight, Himura-san?" I ask politely, not willing to risk my job over some overly masculine irritation.
"The usual, if you please." He answers back. The usual, right, Scottish whiskey over ice. I grab the bottle of Aberlour from the rack behind the bar and scoop some ice into the glass, pouring the whiskey finishing with an elaborate twist of the bottle.
"You look nice tonight, Kaoru." He comments nonchalantly, his amber gaze never leaving my face. Again, I feel that little shudder in my spine when he rolls his tongue over the letters of my name.
"Thanks." I answered tersely, gently pushing the glass down the wooden bar. I watched as it slid into his outstretched hand. "It's on the house tonight, for having to put up with drunken roosters."
He chuckles a little bit at that, tossing me a casual wink before turning around and fading back into the shadows around the bar. Again I find myself unnerved at the man's un-humanness. The ability to disappear in the middle of a crowded bar…but not completely though…I can still feel those amber fires watching me.
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Damn it was cold, I should have worn a coat but that would have required me thinking ahead, which is something that rarely ever happens. I'm just to busy to think about practical things, like it's the beginning of September and naturally it's going to be chilly this time of night.
I clutched my purse a little closer to my body and quickened my pace. It wasn't that I was worried, I'm the Assistant Master of the Kamiya Kasshin Ryuu, my family's sword style, on top of being a second degree black belt in Aikido. Hey, you don't always have a bokken handy….
It's times like these that I wished I had a car, but really it's highly impractical in Tokyo to have a car…at least during the day. Kuso, why couldn't I have found a place of employment a little closer to a bus stop or my apartment? Oh right, we've already been through this, that whole thinking ahead bit.
I could feel someone's eyes on me and an unpleasant shiver went up my spine. It wasn't the familiar searing gaze of Himura-san, I'd know that creepy feeling anywhere. This is different…more hostile. My eyes started to look around me, searching for a) an escape route b) something to use as a bokken. First principle of Kamiya Kasshin Ryuu, avoid a fight if you can the second is if you can't avoid one, incapacitate your attacker in as few moves as possible.
I can't hear them, whoever it is, and that unnerves me. Even the most silent of ninja make some sound. A slight rustle, barely audible or a faint whisper of a breath. But this one isn't making any sounds…. I sighed inwardly, after a whole night dealing with Himura-san, I don't think I could deal with anymore un-humanness.
Ah, something I can use. An old plank from a wood pallet, not as strong as I would like but it works. Now to get over there without seeming suspicious. I never stood a chance.
He was on me before I could move, grasping my upper arms in a iron strong grip. "Ah, ah precious, we can't have you doing that now can we?"
"Let go of me!" I trashed around, kicking him in his shin and his stomach while he just laughed at me. I wrinkled my nose as his fetid breath hit my face. I struggled to control my gag reflex, but on the other hand, if I threw up all over him maybe he'd let me go….
"Let her go, Jin-e!" I heard someone growl behind me.
"Ah, Battousai." The man licked his lips appreciatively, "I was wondering when you would show up to save your woman."
"Wh-What?" I sputtered, anger overwhelming my senses as I kicked at him again. "What the hell are you talking about you freak? I'm not anybody's 'woman'!"
The next thing I knew I was free, my backside hitting the cold concrete beneath me. I saw a flash of crimson and another flash of silver followed by the man's scream of pain. I watched in horror as he seemed to age right before my eyes and turn into dust.
"Kaoru." I heard my name being called by a familiar voice, but my brain couldn't process it, still stuck on the horror I had seen right before my eyes. I barely registered the gentle hands that lifted me to my feet and then wrapped around my waist to steady me.
"Wh-What…?" I sputtered again, and I found myself annoyed with myself, Kamiya Kaoru does not sputter. "What the fuck was he?"
"He was a demon." I could feel that familiar amber gaze on me, and I looked up at Himura-san, surprised.
"No…no, no, no." I said, half between hysterical laughter and half between hysterical sobs. "You see, that would be impossible because onis don't exist. I get it, this is some elaborate hoax so you can play hero and I get to be the damsel in distress…. Well, you got another thing coming buddy…."
He got this odd glint in his eye as he looked at me, before giving me a slow, almost feral grin. "I'm afraid, my dear, that you are the one who is mistaken…."
I gulped and decided that I really, really didn't like the look that he was giving me. I attempted a reassuring smile, which only made his smirk wider. "Ah, okay then…Himura-san. You're right, and thank you ever so much from saving me from that guy with the scary eyes and bad breath. I appreciate it! Really, I do! But I gotta be going back home now, you know, 'cause I have class in the morning…." I chuckled a little nervously, "Seriously, I'm fine, you can let go now…."
"I think I should walk you home, koneko." The tone in his voice left no room for argument, and if that didn't the look in his amber eyes would have. But remember, this is Kamiya Kaoru we're speaking about here, and I don't necessarily take heed to those kind of warnings.
"Weeeeelll, I don't. I've said thank you for saving me…from whatever that guy was, and I am perfectly capable of taking care of myself…."
Next thing I knew I was up against the wall, Himura-san's body pinning me in place. I decided that that moment, I really didn't like this god-speed thingy, if you could even call it that. "Himura-san! Let me go!"
Again with that predator's grin. "I don't think so, koneko…"
"Hey! I didn't give you permission to call me that!"
His lips were on mine, hungry and possessing, fervent even. I felt a rush of warmth pool in my stomach to play with the butterflies that had been residing in there for the past fifteen minutes as it was. I felt his fangs gently nip my lower lip and I gasped in surprise, his tongue entering my mouth….
Wait? Fangs?
Did I just say fangs? I pushed at him with all of my strength and he let me go, causing me to stumble on the concrete beneath my feet.
"You have…fangs." I accused, pointing my finger at him and moving away from him as fast as humanly possible walking backwards so I could keep my eyes on him. "Fangs!"
He smirked, showing me his fangs that glittered in the moonlight. "Does that scare you, koneko?"
I growled at him, "I told you not to call me that. No! No! Don't move, don't get anywhere near me! I've had enough weird experiences tonight to last me a lifetime!"
He was right there next to me again, his arm already around my waist. I blinked at him.
"I'm going to take you home, now, koneko. It would be wise of you not to fight me on this." He informed me.
"I don't care! You're not taking me home! You…you have fangs!"
"Really, koneko, haven't you gotten past that little fact yet?"
His lips were on mine again, effectively shutting me up and shutting my brain down. He really could do such amazing things with his tongue…. Electricity was running from my lips and down my spine, adding to the already strange mix of feelings in my stomach. I could feel his callused hand slowly caressing upwards on my side and when he reached my breast my brain finally realized what was going on and stepped into action.
I brought my foot down in the instep of his shoes, grinding it like I would a cigarette butt. Then I kneed him in the groin, and forced my right hand into his solar plexus. When he staggered in surprised I punched him in the nose and began to run in the opposite direction, not looking back, but I could still feel his burning gaze on my back as I fled through the night….
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end chapter one
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