The Hunter
"What do you want to know?"
Her voice was a soft whisper and left his senses shattered. For several moments he couldn't do anything but just look at her. She sat on the bed, her head hanging down and her hands clasped in her lap. Everything going on outside the room didn't matter at that moment. He'd allowed himself to be completely enveloped by her and now he was afraid maybe he'd delved too deep. Every word that dropped from her lips mattered.
"Your full name?" he asked as strongly as his voice would allow. He stood a few feet away from her, pressing his back into the wall and looking at her still form.
"Kaoru Kamiya."
She wasn't afraid anymore or confused. Her tone was certain, but still soft. The lit lamps on either side of the bed fought against the darkness of the rest of the room and encompassed her form with their glow.
"Where are you from Kaoru?"
He needed to shut down the feeling of cradling her head in his hands once more. She'd cried into his chest moments before, aware and unafraid of him. She was so warm…
"Originally, I don't know. But ever since I've been able to remember, I was raised in the US."
She was as much of a foreigner as he thought she would be. What was she doing here? Why? He needed to ask so much and wanted to do so all at once, but refrained himself.
"What is your connection to Saitou?"
Kaoru finally raised her head and looked in his direction. Her deep blue eyes darkened and her lips parted as she began to form the words.
"He is…" her voice quivered and she regained some strength after clearing her throat. "He's my teacher, my family, my tormentor, my enemy, the only life I've known since I was little."
Kenshin could see the images of the man in her mind. He was always looming over her, smiling knowingly down at her; his yellow eyes penetrating through her thoughts and into Kenshin's mind.
"Why is that? Where are your parents?"
She swallowed hard and looked straight ahead into the darkness. "Because he took everything away from me and formed me in his own image." Her eyes closed as she remembered, "I never knew my father, never met him or saw him. My mother was everything to me and protected me."
A smile graced her features and disappeared just as quickly. She opened her eyes and they were filled with unshed tears. "Then one night we were taken to him. That was when I first saw Saitou. I don't remember much, just my mother screaming and pleading with him to let us go. But no one listened. I remember being torn away from her and missing her arms around me. Then being alone in a dark room for what seemed like forever. I waited and waited to see her again, but never did."
"How old were you?"
"I think three."
Kenshin could see the dim images in her mind; he could hear the pain in her voice, the screams echoed through his ears. He wanted to continue his questions, but wasn't sure if he wanted to hear the truth.
She continued on, "The next few days I don't entirely remember. They were a blur between being alone again in the dark room and the beatings. I don't know why he kept me alive and then eventually he started to train me. I didn't want to do any of it at first, but the punishment for that were more beatings."
"What sort of training?"
"They were almost like boot camps that he and his organization ran. They would recruit young runaways, homeless kids and thrown away orphans to join them. They'd use every trick they could to seduce impressionable young people who had no where else to turn to join them. Eventually, we all became complacent to his whims and thoughts. He would teach us about vampires, werewolves and how we needed to fear them, hate them…" she voice trailed off for a moment. "…destroy them. He told us that you are all sinful creatures and it was our duty to save the entire world from falling prey to you. He would say thing like how your kind are worse than animals because an animal only strikes another when they're scared or incited, but your kind strike over and over because of your bloodlust."
"Yes, but aren't mortals the same way themselves? They don't hide their valuables and lock their doors from animals or us, but from each other" Kenshin finished, not entirely angry. He'd dealt with the mindset of the few who knew of their existence and hated him just because.
She had no words for him.
"So you became a hunter?" he asked.
She merely nodded her head in response. Kaoru looked up at him and lowered her eyes as she met the amber gaze. "I…I stopped fighting against him and let him filter into my mind eventually. He controlled every waking thought. His words were absolute and his methods were justified by the results."
Kenshin's eyes darkened at her words, his anger rising. "So why run from him?"
"Because soon he became delusional with his own power. It wasn't enough just to hunt your kind, but also those that sympathized with your kind. He went after cults and occult groups, even…" her voice hitched in her throat as the bloody images screamed at her, "kids that were into scenes like that. They were just kids but to him they were the beginnings of evil" she whispered. "He started plotting about coming to Europe and Asia to seek out more ancient vampire and werewolf sects. His mind was set on somehow destroying you all, but only after exposing you to the world. He has everything, weapons, and politicians in his fist, money, supplies…"
"He came here looking for me and Soujiro no doubt. Where is he getting the money from? Hunting isn't exactly a lucrative career."
"He got involved with drugs and major dealers and suppliers. Our training and skills not only came in handy with hunting and destroying vampires and wolves, but apparently also in efficiently peddling every illegal drug under the damn sky." Her voice shook with anger, "I'm sure that not too soon after that, he started his own experimenting. After that, his demeanor became even more erratic. He dabbled in black arts, witchcraft you name it, all in the effort to become more powerful. Pretty soon the almighty hunter became dazzled by the dark world he fought against. Slowly I started to see him change from a ruthless hunter to a complete lunatic."
"And of course you thought this was all apart of the cleansing process? Like you said, the end justifies the means?" he asked cynically.
She looked up at him, a hint of hurt in her eyes, "No they don't" she passionately cried out, her voice rising considerably from a hushed whisper to a vehement stand. "What he's doing is wrong, it was wrong as he has no right or absolute power to do so. The people that we've killed…god…we're the monsters, but I never peddled drugs. I was beaten and punished for that, but I didn't care…"
"So why not stop, why not leave?" he interrupted.
"I was never afraid to hunt or kill, in fact for some reason or another, I was better than most. But while the sight of him angers me I was also terrified of him for so long. He had me tucked under his thumb I didn't know how to think or act on my own. When we came here he put his plan into action. He would never let me out of his sight."
"The murders, he's responsible?"
"Yes. He wouldn't tell us everything, and just instructed us to do our part. I was supposed to stick by his side the whole time, but I couldn't watch him slaughter innocent people in the name of some delusional, paranoid idea."
"So you finally ran?"
"I-I tried to stop them from listening to him, but that only made me the odd one out once again. They hated me because Saitou kept me so close and would always praise my hunting skills. I hate myself for probably all the same reasons. I decided I needed to get out it, get away from him somehow. That night he planned on creating even more chaos by killing a larger group of people and blaming it on you and I convinced him to let me go along with the sickos he sent out…"
"Wait, so it was a bunch of young hunters going around tearing apart people?"
"Yes, they became just as erratic as him and follow every order blindly. After trying to convince him to let me, he finally did only I had my own plans. I wanted to stop them from killing those people but..."
"But you couldn't, and got hurt trying to escape, which is where I found you that night, is that right?" he asked irritably.
She looked up at him, her eyes filled with confusion at his statement and tone. "Yes, but…"
"And you expect me to believe that after you've readily admitted that you're a hunter?" he spat, the tone in his voice filled with anger. "I should've listened to my instincts the moment we realized you'd lost your memory and disposed of you. If you think we're monsters than why not live up to our reputation right?"
Kaoru closed her eyes for a moment and met his gaze once more. Her face was solemn and her heart beat was steady, "I didn't lie to you Kenshin, not for a moment. I was Kaoru that night, but you brought me here as Amaya. I've only regained my memory today and I now realize how wrong we were, and I don't think you're monsters."
His stance didn't change and so she continued, "If you want to kill me, I understand completely. I was trained to be your enemy, but ended up becoming indebted to you for saving my life. Know that I don't hate for what you are, we're the monsters…"
Kenshin took a breath and let his anger dissipate. "So now that you're life is indebted to me, you trust me? Your mind has changed so quickly and you trust the people who you hunted for so long? You expect me to trust you now?"
"No."
"Then you tell me what is it that you want? Should I let you walk out of here and into that lunatic's arms again?"
Her eyes filled with tears, "I'd rather you kill me…"
"So you'd rather stay here with a bunch of blood-sucking, vile vampires?"
"I DON'T KNOW ANYMORE" she cried. Her knees curled to her chest and she wrapped her arms around, sinking her head down. "I would never go back to him…ever! Nothings right and nothings wrong, everything is just shit!" she cried, her words slightly muffled by the sheets.
Kenshin sank into the chair and continued to look at her. His chest was heavy with the burden of deciding her fate. She'd started as a means for him to figure out what was going on, and now it seemed she was his captive. His decision would not only affect their lives, but the lives of everyone who trusted him to protect them. He wouldn't keep the truth from his friends and only family, but also knew in his heart of hearts, that he couldn't send her away.
"If you were just another orphan then why does he want you back so badly?" he asked in a hushed tone.
She looked up at him sitting across the room and looking back at her. Half of his face was shrouded in darkness in a diagonal line across his perfect features. She wished for a moment that he'd hold her again…
"I…I don't know. He always told me that I'd continue to be by his side no matter what. He always called me his lucky charm or something…I don't know, I swear!"
He let out a heavy sigh, "From the moment you came into my life, you've complicated things beyond reason. You were abducted by him, separated from your mother, never knew your father. Why? If he only recruits those that are forgotten by mainstream society then why abduct and practically raise you himself? Why keep you so close to him unless he needs you for something, but what? So you see I still need more questions answered Kaoru."
She only nodded in response, trying to figure out where her life would lead her next. "Fate…" she mused in her mind. "It must be my fate."
She looked towards the redhead once more and wondered how she ever considered him an enemy. She still remembered feeling the undoubted attraction towards him while her memory eluded her. "If only, I could go back to that…"
"Why would you want to?" he asked quietly.
She shook her head in an attempt to get rid those thoughts, "It's much better than to only exist to serve someone else's purpose. The moments I didn't remember my past, I was free of everything, Saitou, my history, and even my actions."
"You can't escape who you are for long, eventually it all catches up to you. I suppose Saitou is a part of my existence that I must deal with for being what I am. You, I don't understand for the life of me."
"I…"
Before she could continue, a knock at his door interrupted them. He rose and before walking away added, "You'll find it in your best interest not to leave his room."
She nodded wearily and saw him disappear out of the room. Sinking back into the sheets, she curled on her side and tried to blank out all the memories that had come back to her.
---- --------- ------------ -----------
Kenshin walked into the grand room downstairs, following Aoshi. He sank into the arm chair as the group noted the obvious concern written across his face.
"Before anyone begins, I want to be honest and very frank with all of you. Our house guest has regained her memory completely" he started.
The group was shocked at the revelation.
Megumi smiled, "Good to hear that she won't drive herself insane, but what does she think of us?"
Misao beamed, "Yes I'm so happy for her, but now what? She knows about us."
Kenshin raised his hand in a motion for silence. Even Ninna was interested to find out what the young woman had to say.
"Her name is Kaoru Kamiya and she is, was, a part of Saitou's clan. A hunter."
Shock hit the group in a wave of disbelief.
"What?" Sano cried.
"Oh no…" Misao's smile left quickly.
"I knew something was funny about that girl" Ninna snorted.
"What do we intend to do with her?" Yahiko asked.
"Yeah, you figured out what the deal is with Saitou and the murders?" Sano added.
Kenshin pounded a harsh fist into the armrest of the chair, instantly silencing all. He looked back up at them, "I've been questioning her for a while. She was taken by Saitou as a child and raised in some sort of training camps although it sounds more like a cult. I wouldn't shy from saying that it was more like brainwashing for young, impressionable, and lost young people. As for the murders, from what she's told me, Saitou is responsible for them. He's come here explicitly to bring our clan and Soujiro's into the open, before…destroying us, as she put it."
All were silent and dared not to interrupt him as he thoughtfully paused, "She doesn't wish to go back to him or to be apart of his organization, which is why she was found in that condition that night. She tried to stop the attacks at one point, and the other hunters turned on her. But there are some questions that bother me about Saitou's desire to get her back." Kenshin placed a finger to his chin as he thought.
A few moments passed, before anyone would interrupt his train of thought. "What do you mean?" Misao asked.
"I mean, she stated that Saitou recruited these hunters out of runaways, orphans and other random forgotten members of society. So why would he have forcibly taken her as a child and raised her? She indicated that he took particular interest in her and supposedly kept her under his thumb. She must serve some specific purpose, but what?"
"The parents?" Aoshi asked.
"The mother is dead most likely by Saitou's hand. She doesn't know who her father is. No siblings from what she indicated"
Ninna snickered, "It's usually that way for her types…"
Kenshin sent her a glare that quieted her down immediately.
"Are we going by what she's choosing to tell us or…" Aoshi started, but was interrupted.
"I sensed no deception from her while she spoke to me. I was able to clearly look into her thoughts and memories."
"Yes but she's a trained hunter, by no less than Saitou. Could she be tricking us?" Aoshi retorted.
"It's a possibility, but I can confidently say no in this case."
"I don't get it! How can Saitou hope to take on both clans? He's settin' himself up…" Sano smirked.
"Not exactly. You see it seems our hunter has gotten quite sophisticated. He's now not only hunting, but also involved with dealing and suppliers of controlled substances."
"Drugs?" Sano asked in disbelief.
"Yes. He's got the manpower, money, and weapons among other things. We're not up against some hunter with a sword or bow and arrow."
"So now what?" Yahiko asked.
"We hold her as a lure for Saitou, then kill them all" Ninna offered.
"Ninna, I would leave the tactic planning to us" Sano glared at her.
Kenshin gave Sano a knowing look before turning to the group again, "We still have time concerning Kaoru but in the mean time we have to worry about what Saitou is planning next. But I wanted to ask you all about something before anything else can continue. She will be staying with us until we find out more, is that a problem for anyone?" His tone was stern and unwavering.
"Ah…can we trust her? I mean she is or was a hunter…" Misao asked.
"She says that's she's indebted to us for saving her and that she was trying to get away from Saitou for quite a while. I'm not asking you to trust her with your lives, but she means us no harm."
"Then…" Misao looked at Aoshi and then back towards Kenshin, "I don't have a problem with her staying here."
"Neither do I, we've been all staying together for so long" Megumi stated.
"The same" Sano replied.
Aoshi merely nodded his response.
"Same" Yahiko stated as a fuming Ninna stood by his side.
"I DO!" she screeched.
Kenshin prepared for her verbal onslaught.
"This…this is unheard of! A hunter staying with us? A HUNTER! I'm sorry, but am I the only one that seems to understand just what that means for us? Why should we trust her?"
"Just as much reason she has to trust in us. She's realized that the entire time she spent here there was no danger for her. If she can now put her safety in the lives of her supposed enemies, are you so afraid to do the same? She's one against seven Ninna" Kenshin stated as calmly as his rising temper would allow.
"Trust? She can trust in the fact that I will not hesitate to ripe her head off…"
"THAT'S ENOUGH!" he raised his voice at the insult.
"NO YOU LISTEN" the small girl roared back. "I WILL NOT BE LIVING IN THIS HOUSE WITH HER!"
"THAT IS NOT YOUR DECISION!" his eyes glowed a dark due towards the disobedient girl.
"I'LL MAKE MY DECISIONS FOR MYSELF NOW. IT SEEMS YOU'VE FALLIN UNDER THE CHARMS OF NOT ONLY A FILTHY HUMAN, BUT A HUNTER! SHE'S A SWORN ENEMY AND YET YOU'RE PREPARED TO HOUSE HER, AND PROTECT HER! YOUR PRIORITIES HAVE SHIFTED MY LIEGE" she screamed.
"Ninna, damnit Kenshin knows what he's doing" Yahiko coaxed as he grabbed her arm.
"My priorities are unwavering young lady and have been so long before you joined us. You don't wish to stay under the same roof as her, than what are your other options?" Kenshin calmed himself from lashing out at the resentful girl.
"If she's that important to you, then obliviously there's no room for me here. You can keep your whore all to yourself! I'm leaving!" she flinched free of Yahiko's grasp and turned to the rest of the group. "Today it's me that's being forced out, tomorrow it will be you!"
"That won't happen Ninna I can reassure you of that. No one is forcing you to leave either" Kenshin replied his hands clasped in front of him, his eyes shut.
Yahiko tried his best to refrain the young woman, but she walked out of the room and stomped to her chambers. The young man went to go after her.
"Let her be Yahiko. If she's smart then she won't leave the grounds" Kenshin stopped him. "We have more important matters to attend do."
The remainder of the group let the incident pass without another word.
"What of your meeting with Soujiro?" Aoshi asked not fazed in the least by the argument.
"It'll happen as planned. Regardless of our past with the wolf clan, we would need every ally available against this madman."
"And what should we do in the mean time? I'm not just gonna sit here and wait for the asshole to make another move!" Sano spat.
"There are still more questions I need answered by her. For now, all we can do is heighten our defenses and possibly move into the stronghold."
They considered the meaning of his words and continued to turn towards their long-time leader for more answers.
---- ------ ----------- ---------------
Kaoru sat in the dark room where Kenshin had left her about an hour prior. She looked around the room and made out the similarities that it had with the room she'd been staying in. "My room…" she lingered on the thought. She'd never had anything to call her own before.
Kenshin's room had darker tones in the woods and fabrics and the air held his distinct gingery-musk smell. It had been just the other day when she was imagining that aroma all around her and basking under his touches while sparring. There would be no more of that she feared.
"Why did I have to remember? It's not like this existence is worth the memory, or even worth living for!"
She rose from the bed and sauntered over to the closed French doors leading to the balcony. Looking out into the night she wondered where her tormentor was and shuddered at the thought of be his captive once more.
"But you'd rather be the captive of a vampire?" came his baritone voice.
Instead of flinching at the sudden break in silence, she merely continued to look out towards the perfect full moon. Years of training had taught her to detect the movements of any creature, but he was quite different. She sensed his presence, but only moments after he'd already entered the room.
"I told you before, you're not the monster here" she replied.
The air dripped with tension as Kenshin wondered how to start his questioning once more. He'd been angry with her and felt deceived, yet he just couldn't help being infatuated with her. Even after discovering so much about her past, she still eluded complete explanation.
"It's alright, I'm ready to answer all your questions" she replied, turning towards him.
His eyebrows furrowed at her words, her soft yet meaningful tone, her brilliant eyes. Snapping out of his stupor he took a seat at the chair, as she sat the edge of the bed.
"Do you know where Saitou is now?" he asked trying to push all other thoughts aside and get right to the point.
"He's been planning this for some time. He built a strong bit of support here before coming over from the States. He never really stayed in once place for long: motels, inns, even abandoned buildings. He's too damn paranoid to stay put, so keeps moving around."
"How many are there?" he asked, contemplating his next move.
"I…I don't know an exact number …" she shook her head.
"10? 20? 500? Give me some idea" he asked slightly irritated.
She looked up at him "I would estimate it at about a hundred."
"Where is he keeping these supposed hunters without detection?"
"Not all in the city. They're scattered about and await his express orders on where and when to meet. They've been told to lie low in surrounding cities and not make contact unless they're contacted first."
"What sorts of weapons?"
"The usual guns, swords, but in some cases explosives and even more sophisticated arsenal with night vision-things like that."
"They must be aware that most of those are pointless against us?"
"They are."
"And?"
"They anticipate on surprising you first and then coming in for the final blows. Saitou has already told them how to…" she stopped not knowing how to finish the rest of her sentence, her stare on the floor below.
"How to kill us?" he offered, his tone drenched in anger.
"Yes, only by decapitation were his orders" she whispered.
"And what was to be your role Kaoru?"
She looked up at the tone his voice took as her name fell from his tongue. "I…I don't know."
"You're lying to me?" his eyes narrowed on her.
Still looking at him, she rose from her seat on the bed and softly padded over to where he sat. Kneeling down in front of him, he could see her teary blue orbs looking up at him, "No, never. I could never do that. I owe you too much..."
He sat looking down at her and she tried her hardest to make him believe that she was really telling the truth. "I owe you my life and then beyond that I've never known what a family felt like until I came here. And then after realizing who I was, I also realized how wrong Saitou is. He wants to destroy everything that doesn't fit in his euphoric little world, and he's gone too far. I wanted to run all that time, but had no where to run to."
She placed her head on his knee and told him about the pains she'd suffered at the hunter's hands. "He was just as cruel towards me as he was towards those we hunted. Other times his demeanor would be different, it was like living in perpetual hell and not knowing how to get out. I didn't know anything else beyond hunting and killing. I never meant to run into you if it hadn't been for that night. That night…" she mused, "it must've been fate or destiny that had you find me like that. What else could my life have in store me I wonder?"
Kenshin brushed a hand over her head and felt the smooth blanket of hair between his fingers. He looked up straight ahead and stared out into the darkness of the night.
"We need to leave here immediately."
She looked up at him and his gaze shifted to her. Not understanding him at first, she searched his eyes for an explanation and found it there. She knew why he wanted to leave without him having to say a word. His gaze looked strong yet an air of weariness was also evident. Between keeping his family protected, dealing with a hunter right in their home and now Saitou, how could one man stay so strong?
Understanding how she could've been drawn to him before, she felt safe being with him. Slowly she inched forward and began to close the small gap between them. She closed her eyes and her senses were overpowered by his presence. He was so near and she inched closer towards his lips. Her heart raced with anticipation in feeling him against her, feeling his lips on hers, his hands on her.
His lips grazed over hers and he placed his hands on her shoulders. Instantly the racing of her heart filled his ears and he jerked back from her. He held her at arms length by her shoulders and without another word rose from the seat.
"It's time to go, I'll be back" he stated and walked out of the room leaving her alone in the dark.
Once outside he clasped his throat as the dry, scratching feeling clawed at his insides. For a moment he'd lost himself because of her. He wasn't sure if she was under his spell or the other way around.
Shaking it off, he headed to gather their supplies and prepare for the departure.
---- -------- -----------------
Later, the group waited outside the estate in order to begin making their way to the secure location.
Inside Kenshin made his way back to Kaoru who still was waiting in his room.
"We have to leave now" he announced walking into the room. He walked over to the fireplace and removed his sheathed katana and looked back at the young woman.
"My clothes?" she inquired referring to still being dressed in her pajamas.
"They've already been packed" he held the door open for her as she walked through and into the hallway.
She looked around as they quickly made their way down the hallway and wondered when she would see the estate again, if ever. She wanted to so badly though. It was the only place she could've called home.
They met the group outside and Kenshin noticed two members already missing. "Where's Yahiko and Ninna?"
"He went to go find her. It seems she's going to make this as difficult as possible" Aoshi replied.
Kenshin began to fume, just as Megumi offered to go and drag them out.
Kaoru looked around and saw that the night was quickly fading away to the upcoming sunrise. There were several cars out front, as the group waited. She wrapped her arms around herself and tried to keep warm in the dewy cool air. Misao and her locked gazes and gave each other a smile.
"Here you go" Misao offered her a wrap from inside one of the cars, "I figured since you didn't have time to change you'd be cold."
Kaoru graciously accepted and offered a smile in return. "Thanks…I-I'm sorry about before…"
"It's already forgotten" the girl beamed.
"So I see you're feeling better Missy" Sano interrupted.
She smiled at him, hesitating at first, but eventually eased in his presence as well. "Yeah, I am."
"Good" he simply replied.
The group directed their attention back towards Yahiko and Megumi emerging from the front doors of the estate.
"She's gone, we can't find her anywhere!" Megumi stated. Yahiko looked beside himself in worry.
Kenshin wanted to hunt the girl down himself at that point. "She's made her decision so we'll let that be. We're leaving, now!" he spun and motioned for Kaoru to get into the car.
Yahiko looked up to protest, but only let out a heavy sigh. There was no arguing against Kenshin now, and he knew that the redhead was right under these circumstances. Ninna had made up her mind and yet he still didn't hate Kaoru for that. He understood that Ninna's issues went beyond just Kaoru being there.
They climbed into their cars in respective groups: Sano, Megumi, Yahiko in the black Range Rover SUV, Aoshi and Misao in the black Mercedes, and Kenshin and Kaoru in the silver Bentley.
Kenshin had dismissed his chauffer earlier and requested that the maids shut down the estate and head home only in the morning hours. He told no one of where they would be headed, or when they would be back. He'd even made arrangements at the office and informed Ms. Tsao of an important personal matter that needed to be dealt with immediately.
"Where are we going?" Kaoru asked as Kenshin drove through the winding paths of the countryside.
"A stronghold that was constructed for just these situations" he replied not taking his eyes off the road.
She knew that they were going in the opposite direction of the city and assumed that the stronghold of theirs was deeper into the forest. Not needing any more information, she settled on gazing out as the thick forest blurred by. All three vehicles drove on and never once reduced their speed as they made their way with Kenshin in the lead, and Aoshi and Sano behind him respectively.
Kaoru lay back it the seat and after about an hour of driving her eyes felt heavy. She inhaled deeply and took in his aroma. The overpowering presence just beside her tempted her to sink into his side and drift away. Her vision softened and the colors blurred as she looked back towards the redhead who still had his attention on the road ahead.
"I'm sorry Kaoru but this place is guarded. Just sleep" were the last coherent words she could make out.
"Oh…" she muttered before slumping over towards the window and falling into a deep sleep.
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She woke up seemingly hours later and found herself in bed. Looking around the room she made out the dark vaulted ceilings of the bedroom. The room was smaller in scale when compared to the ones back at the estate. The walls were painted a warm, tea-stained yellow. The simple décor was still reminiscent of the furniture in the larger house they'd left behind, with dark woods and a large four-post bed.
The lighting was considerably dimmer. She looked around for windows and found none. She sighed deeply assuming that they were holding her still under suspicion. Perhaps the reason why Kenshin had not allowed her to see exactly where they were and had put her to sleep before.
"Why not? They have every reason not to trust me. Damnit Saitou…"
------- ---------- ------------------
"So now what? We hide out?" Sano glared angrily.
They all sat around a large, oval-shaped wooden table. The ceilings and walls were the color of pale-yellow stone and illuminated by electric lights and chandeliers.
"They have more weapons and tricks than we could've anticipated. We wait here until my meeting with Soujiro, and then we decide."
"And what if he doesn't want to help us?" Aoshi asked simply.
"I don't see why he wouldn't, but in such a case, we'll just take care of the problem ourselves" Kenshin replied.
"Why not just do that now?" Sano interjected.
Kenshin looked up the man expecting him to know what the answer to that question would be. "The reason being because Saitou is just not another hunter. You and I both know that he's been around for centuries. He's strong, powerful, cunning, and according to Kaoru, he's got a large amount of support."
"Doesn't make him invincible" Sano snorted.
"No, but that makes us 6 against probably just under a hundred, all trained by him and all equipped to stagger our attacks against them."
All were silent as they considered the possibilities.
Kenshin continued, "I know that Saitou is one man, but his methods are no longer crude. So we can't go in just the six of us with no tactical plan of action."
Yahiko was still disturbed by his beloved's disappearance and wondered where the young woman had gone off to. She blocked all mental contact from him and the group, making it near impossible to sense or track her.
Kenshin placed a hand on his shoulder, "If she's smart, she'll come back and find us. There's nothing else I can say right now. We are strong and immortal, but we're not completely invincible either. Saitou has a great understanding of our existence and knows how to extinguish our lives."
Yahiko nodded, "I know, I don't blame anyone."
"Well if this meeting is over, then can we go? I'm starving!" Sano rose from his seat.
Kenshin nodded as they walked off in different directions out of the room. He stood alone considering his situation. "We have enough supplies to last us for months here, but doesn't that mean Saitou won't make another move first." He looked up in the direction of his chambers recognizing the steady heartbeat, "So you're awake."
Moments later, he walked into the room and found her sitting up in bed.
"I'm sorry about that" he offered quietly as he walked in and sat in his armchair to the side of her.
"I understand completely so don't be" she replied already knowing he implied having to put her to sleep.
They were silent for several moments before she finally spoke up. "You have more questions for me I guess?"
He nodded, "Something that's been bothering me and that's not been explained" he started as the flashes of the first vision circled his mind.
She remained quiet and listened for the question.
"When you were still unconscious from the attack, it's odd because I saw a vision through you. As if you were dreaming or trying to call out to someone."
Kaoru's eyes darkened and she lowered her gaze, "What type of vision?"
"A small dark room, and then everything was in red. A woman, nude, on a bed just staring up. And a man sitting in a chair in the corner, which I now recognize as Saitou. The woman…she was or at least looked like you…but…when she opened her eyes they were completely black. Does this make any sense to you?"
"A woman…" she repeated in a soft tone. Kenshin saw the images flash again through her mind and she looked up at him.
"Who was she?" he repeated not wanting to prod deeper into her mind.
"She was…" Kaoru hesitated and wondered how to form the words. How to begin to explain to him what happened to her, yet she still doesn't understand why. "…my mother" came the reply. She swallowed hard and took a deep breath before continuing, "I don't know how I saw those images, but they've been burned in my mind ever since I was taken away from her. He told me over and over that she'd left me to him, but I knew it was a lie. Somehow, from somewhere, those images, that truth, was embedded in my mind and I knew it was him. He killed her, he…" her voice caught in her throat, "tortured her and I'll have his head for that."
"But you said you were scared of him. Why not take your revenge before while you were with him?" Kenshin inquired.
"I was never with him" she spat angrily. Kenshin saw the fire ignite once more in her eyes, her voice dripped with hatred. "He kept me close but never that…I wanted to take his life with my own two hands so many times. But he's protected himself so thoroughly and always kept me under strict watch. But if it's the last thing I do with my pathetic existence, I will kill him."
"Which is why you went along with his plans for so long?" he asked almost sarcastically.
She looked over at him angrily, "I did that because I had to! Where else was I supposed to go at 3 years old? And to who? I don't even know what my father looks like and don't even know if I have more family. She always used to tell me that it was just me and her, but that was enough in this world. As long as we had each other, but he took that away from me too! Even after sitting through of all his ramblings, my goal was not only to get away from him, but to find out what happened to my parents."
"What were you going to do first, run away or kill him?" he asked suspicious already with her responses.
"I…I don't know! I dreamed about taking his life, but always hesitated. I wanted to walk up to him and rip his head off, but was always so scared of him. H-He…it was like he was in my every waking thought…so I just wanted to run at one point" she gave up trying to explain. "I don't know how to explain it any further…"
"Through your involvement with him, you've made yourself a part of this war along with everything else" he stated seemingly ignoring her heated response.
"I DON'T CARE ABOUT YOUR WAR WITH HIM! I don't care about Hunters vs. Vampires or Vampires vs. Werewolves or whatever else. I just care about my own vendetta!" she spat rising from the bed and standing a few feet away from him.
Her heartbeat quickened and he could clearly hear it pounding in his ears. She was angry and he was slightly happy to see that look on her face again. Her rage was more alluring to him as her blood called out in quick pulses and he was glad to see the hunters gleam in her eyes.
"I'm sorry about your mother Kaoru" he replied. Maybe you will get your revenge, but right now, I have to protect what's under my care and that does for the most part include you."
She looked up at him again, her heart calming, her anger lessening as she remembered the intense burdens on his shoulders, "I know…I'm sorry for the trouble I've caused. That girl left because of me?"
Kenshin had to control his laughter at her indifferent reference to Ninna. "She left out of her own free will. She's mistaken if it's because of you, so don't take that on yourself."
"Well…" she hesitated for a moment before finally getting to a burning question she had for a while. "What about work and the company? What did you tell them? What about your…mistress?"
Kenshin smirked inwardly at the indirect question. "That's all been taken care of. I've told Ms. Tsao we won't be in because of a personal emergency. As for Tomoe, if you were referring to her, well it seems that Saitou has gotten to her first."
Her eyes widened in shock, "What?"
"Yes, remember the promise he made on your balcony that night about me keeping what's his, obviously referring to you, and then something about I should watch what's mine more carefully? The next day the police found her in pieces."
"He found out she was probably a willing donor for you and that's why he killed her" she thought aloud imagining the blood dripping from the form of the raven-haired woman.
"Yes, something else he'll have to answer to once we met."
"You…" she didn't know how to even start or if she should say such a thing, "you cared for her?"
Kenshin looked up at Kaoru, "If I say no then you'll think of me as a monster who only kept her around to toy with her, if I say yes then you're feelings are hurt. How can I explain that she was mine, but her loss is nothing more than an angry feeling of having something you owned snatched from you?"
"I guess I won't even begin to understand your relationship with her" she mused.
"It wasn't a relationship Kaoru. She started out intriguing and exotic, and ended up quite pathetic, sloppy and a drain on me. Saitou only targeted her to stab at me indirectly."
"You're talking like you didn't even care if she was murdered, more like someone came up and kicked your dog!" she replied dryly.
"Hm, interesting analogy and I'll let it stand at that since there's really no other way to explain it."
She looked at him in shock, "So…you're loyalties lie with your clan obviously, where do I fit into this?"
"How would you like to fit into this?" came a teasing reply. She remembered the times she shuddered from just the sliver of his breath and words.
Clearing her throat, she regained her composure, "I mean, once this is all over. Do you plan on letting me go? Or?"
"I haven't decided yet" he simply stated.
She frowned, "She might have been your property, but I'm not!"
Her angry response only ignited his thirst. He rose from the chair and silently walked over to her sitting in the bed. His glaring eyes kept her glued in place as she looked up at him.
"Yes but you are the reason why I don't have my pet anymore" he leaned closely down to her. His breath fell on her like a thick spell and her heart pounded in response. "Would you like to take her place?" he hissed while grazing his finger under her chin.
She was speechless, motionless as he continued to lean towards her. All she could do was lean back until she was pressed down on the bed. "Isn't this what you wanted earlier?" She wasn't even sure if he was actually speaking the words aloud, or if they only rang in her head. All she could think of was his warm, overpowering presence over her.
Her eyes clamped shut and her heart only continued to pound in anticipation. Would he take her? Bite her? She felt a finger tracing a line down her throat and towards her shoulders. She felt his lips brush against her face and graze her ear.
"You may think you do, but you have no idea what you're involved with. Saitou might have tried, but he couldn't have shown you everything that's involved in this world. As of right now, I still don't know where your loyalties lie, so don't push me" he whispered in her ear. She snapped from her stupor, her eyes widening as she realized he was gone. Sitting up in the bed she felt around her neck and shoulders for blood or wounds and found none.
Looking around she realized that she was alone in the room.
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Hmm, so what did you think? Probably the hardest and most complicated chapter I've written for this fic on my side. Firstly a very special thanks once again to Rei who helped me by being honest with me about the chapter in advance. Couldn't have finished up without the support…thanks!
Next…so a few things have come out into the open. If I don't cover them all here, and you have questions, please feel free to ask. Yes Kao was a hunter, yes she was kidnapped by Saitou as a child and we will eventually find out exactly why. Yes, that first disturbing vision Kenshin had about her was actually her mom when Saitou abducted them. Yes, Kenshin and Kao are attracted to each other but have to keep their distance for the obvious reasons.
Ah…what else…Ninna left…we'll hear more from her probably as early as the next chapter. Some have asked why she hates humans (esp. Kao). My answer to that is…she just does…she's stuck up and thinks she's on a completely different level so she's a bitch towards em all. Go figure!
Umm…lets see anything else…I might be skipping over a few points I wanted to make in my haste to get this chappy posted already. It's been kicking my ass all week in writing it between other work and crap.
Questions like: Who's Kao's father, if he'll make an appearance, her lineage, why she's so special, what Saitou wants with her, and if her and Kenshin will EVER get together will be answered as well…so nyanya, you'll just have to wait.
Umm…oh yea…saw V for Vendetta over the weekend…was kick ass…why are you still sitting there?…GO AND SEE IT! LOL
Well next chappy soon enough…I've been obsessing over this fic so the 'Forever Yours' one has been neglected … but I'm slowly putting the next chapter together on that one as well. There're just not enough hours in the day!
I had gotten a bunch of reviews on the last chapter of this fic and just wanted to once again thank all the reviewers for taking the time out to leave such inspiring words for me. Honestly, that's probably the reason, why I've updated this fic so quickly…hehe…
I try and respond to everyone's review and if for some reason I didn't, I apologize greatly, but please continue to review and I'll try my best to respond to ALL!
Thanks again for the support guys lemme know what you thought of this chapter…don't flame too hard if you didn't like it! HA!
MUAH!