Disclaimers: I don't own Rurouni Kenshin
JeniNeji Comments:
People, my beta Animeprincess07 is somewhat busy so, Gabi1994 offered to beta read this chapter. Thank her for this please, since you were saved from reading all those horrendous grammatical errors my chapters always have. This is the fastest update I think I have made on my fanfiction history, so I applause my beta-reader and her fast service! Enjoy!
To the people that have reviewed, what happened while Kaoru was a captive? This chapter will tell... How she escaped? This chapter tells as well...I think. :) I also feel the need to comment something: Thanks for the awesomely funny reviews...I like to read them and laugh, I find most of the hillarious. Thanks!
xxoOoxx
The Voice
5
xxoOoxx
The blood I shed, I don't regret.
To taste you I was born.
Yesterday.
Forever.
xxoOoxx
The taciturn silhouette of the petite woman was still seated in front of the desk chair, her far away eyes admiring the Aku-Soku-San kanji that spun lazily. She was far from drunk, he had quickly come to understand that simple, yet huge change. She had willingly tagged along with him with her subtle laugher and wobbly movements but as soon as the door of his apartment had been closed and he had suggested non-verbally that they take a shower she had tensed and rejected him completely.
He watched as she closed the lid of his laptop gently. Her hands were shaking slightly, erratic with difficult emotions. She had yet to voice any thoughts, and he was beginning to feel misplaced, although this was his apartment. This was because of him…again.
What had he been thinking?
Her eyes, her movements, her body…her lips.
Now he felt ashamed. He felt like an inconsiderate man…well, in a way he was since mercy, sympathy, forgiveness or any of those soft emotions were not allowed in an assassin…still, he didn't want the assassin to meet her, the assassin to have her. He wanted her, the man he has always been but has never shown.
He returned his gaze to her once, and she remained in the same seated position. He was feeling out of patience at her stoic lack of response and he stood abruptly from his bed and moved towards the bathroom.
A pang of hurt flamed in him as he noticed the smaller woman flinch when he moved. Was she…scared of him?
xxoOoxx
"The assassination attempt failed…Kamiya defeated the assassin…that's most embarrassing" a man said from his seated position in his chair.
"You are right…undercover agents are fast and cunning… They're not supposed to be so strong" another commented.
"I say we fire him…or dispose of him, there is no need to lose a paycheck on someone so unreliable".
"That's not the real problem here gentlemen, nor the reason of this late summon" the calm voice of the Leader of Aku-Soku-san, Kogora Katsura interrupted their childish bickering. "We have found Kamiya's position…she's in Battousai's apartment".
Gasps were heard among the cowardly men in the room, followed by frantic whispering.
"What are we going to do?" someone asked after a while.
"Nothing" Katsura replied…frankly there was not much they can do, they truly had only to wait for Battousai's response. "Well, that was all, I am leaving".
The gossip and worry continued long after Katsura left the room, and at the end, the majority had come to a conclusion.
"We must contact the second assassin, Hajime Saitou."
xxoOoxx
His shower took longer than usual. Well longer than his usually long showers, but he hadn't wanted to leave the warm waters to face the cold atmosphere he knew was waiting for him in his room.
She was sad, he would even venture to say she was depressed. How could she not be? She had been on a undercover mission, was captured and taken captive for a whole month…with a man, Yukishiro Enishi, who was determined to somehow use her to hurt him. What had been done to her?
He finally ventured inside his room and his soft amber eyes quickly glanced toward the desk, but the chair was empty. Somewhat dubious he looked around the room, until seconds later his eyes landed on a suspicious boulder was resting in his bed beneath his sheets. The rhythmic movement underneath them assertively told him she had fallen asleep. Finally.
Silently he walked towards his bed, the need to verify that it was indeed her obliged him. When his soft golden eyes looked at her, he felt his muscles relax a little. It was her. He kept his gaze on her for a few minutes, slowly memorizing the face he wasn't supposed to meet. He found that she had a refined beauty: long lashes, little lips, a small nose and fine eyebrows. Covered by a silken mane of black hair and porcelain skin she seemed to be the daughter of a rich man rather than the daughter of a swordsman. However, he was sure he would have never looked twice at the primped and polished daughter of a rich man…he found he took pride in her martial skills and background…it excited him.
He moved to walk away from the bed, but the ruffling of the sheets made him turn once again to the unsleeping woman.
"Please don't go" she whispered, still partially hidden under the sheets.
He remained still, not sure about what action to take or what to say. He knew she was scared of him, although only slightly, and he knew she had been hurt, her paranoid and often frightened eyes hinted so. But he could also understand that she was feeling terribly lonely and unsure, it was not everyday one found the company one worked for was intent on killing them.
"I'm sorry for bringing problems to your door" the still soft voice of Kaoru began once again "I am ruined…everything is lost".
"There is no need for your apology" the strong voice of Battousai replied and he walked to the bed and sat on the border, next to her legs. It rang truth, though the company would probably label him as a traitor too…and he wouldn't be able to feign ignorance. "You are my partner". The simple statement seemed to explain everything.
A soft chuckle escaped Kamiya Kaoru "No, you have a partner now…I was" she said evenly, but in her voice the feeling of a smile could be detected.
"I hate my new partner," Battousai quickly blurted "she's terrible".
"Not everyone will adapt to your life Battousai, sir, that's just the way of things," she said in a soft reprimand "I find it hard to believe that the deadliest assassin has forgotten such a fundamental thing".
Battousai remained silent for a few moments before he turned to her. He found her blue eyes staring curiously at him, and only then did he remembered that she had never seen him before either…but there were more important things than that right now, she would have time to explore him later. "Why are they trying to kill you?"
A dark chuckle exploded from her "I am a dead woman" she said bluntly "Everyone wants to kill me" she added and turned on the bed, giving him her back. "After all…I returned alive, that alone was highly unexpected".
He understood what she meant, and they both knew what the Company must be thinking. She must have made a pact or had sold information in exchange for her release, but considering what he knew of her, it was hard to believe. He didn't care if she had loosened her tongue and had shouted all the company's secrets, he would not allow her to be killed. He was going to keep her.
"Why did you, almost a rookie, accept a job as dangerous as infiltrating Yukishiro Enishi's lair?" he asked coldly, his hands clenching in anger…how could someone be so blind? Why had the Company given her this job in the first place? Had they known Enishi was looking for him and had used her for bait?
"I requested any mission concerning him" she said softly, but with a subtle anger underneath it all "My younger brother was hurt, one of his underlings" she murmured vaguely. She remembered caring for Yahiko in the hospital for days, his wound were not fatal, but had weakened him terribly. Two days later, he had woken up and after seeing her, with frustrated eyes he had grumbled something about a young girl being kidnapped. She had known, they were both equally hard-headed, but thankfully the young schoolgirl, Tsubame, had also come to visit him everyday, eternally grateful… or more exactly, she had developed a crush on the brat. It was endearing…little Yahiko was in love for the first time.
"So, you wanted revenge?" Battousai quickly traduced and somehow his voice was laced with disapproval.
"No" Kaoru quickly replied "I wanted to…understand and to stop his drug dealings in my country…I want the world to become a better one, I want a brighter future for my brother and for everyone. I don't want more innocent children falling on such a cruel fate again, I want them to move forward" she said slowly sitting up in the bed.
"Your ideals are pretty, however, it's impossible to accomplish them…there is no cure to our sick society" he had said with a dense voice, as if he had voiced those very same words before. That naivety, how had he forgotten it? It just sounded very alike the very same nonsense he used to spout when he had begun to assassinate at the age of fifteen…or was it before?
"I don't believe that" she had said and the determination flaring in her voice gave him goose bumps "The day I stop believing is the day I will loose the name Kamiya Kaoru and will simply be Kaoru. We, the Kamiya's, practice the Sword which protects life, if we fail to do and believe so, we will be doomed to disappear and I will not allow my father's ideal to perish. Even when he is no longer in flesh, his ideals will continue to live on in the Swordplay".
"I can't believe you are the same woman who was one hour ago sitting in front of my laptop…lifelessly" he commented and smiled softly "I am glad that you are well, go to sleep Kaoru".
"I appreciate your help" Kaoru softly murmured and smiled shyly "and your bed is as comfortable as I believed your demanding person required".
A smirk appeared on the golden eyed man "I find it amusing that you have been thinking about my bed" he commented slyly.
He was quick to notice the flinch she couldn't hide at the tone in his voice and his eyebrows furrowed in discomfort. He had upset her once again, and she was unconsciously clenching the sheets with more strength. Once again he had forgotten her circumstances and had pushed his luck, he was so foolish.
"Well…I'm going to sleep then" the dismissal on her voice was impossible to miss and he watched as she slowly settled on the pillows and covered her small frame.
The silence was uncomfortable and it was biting his insides. After deeming it safe, he reclined against the bed and his right hand found her long hair and he began to roam his hand over the length of it. She flinched, once again, and he felt the urge to cry. Had she been like this before? Was this they way to hurt him Yukishiro had mentioned?
He came close to her ear, and his breath ghosted over her neck. He surrounded her with his strong arms and held her tight "Kaoru…what did they do to you?" he found himself asking, his voice was weak and uneven, as if he had been hurt…it hurt to watch her like this, uncomfortable in his presence, frightened of him.
Kaoru said nothing, although her breathing changed. She didn't cry either…she just remained there, enjoying the sensation of safety.
xxoOoxx
Three days had passed since she had been released. He had never found out her name, she had never told him. How many times had he forced her but been unable to force her submission? Too many.
He had become restless and the truth he had imprisoned two weeks ago was finally being set loose. He had become attached to her, to the young spy. He had come to love her long strands of dark hair, her long fingers, and the length of her milky neck. He had come to indulge in the scent of lavender she always seemed to free on his pillow and on his bed. He missed running his fingers over the bareness of her skin and the taste of her sweaty flesh. The perfect swell of her breasts taunted him as did the warmness of her small frame against his. She was perfect, and he missed her, all of her.
He could feel how his long legs were beginning to tire at his sprawled position on the couch and his back began to get sore. He sat up straight and sighed in disappointment. He wanted her back, he wanted to trap her on his arms and to bite her soft and supple lip. Still, he had to stick up to Jinchuu, he needed to let go of her for a while to get his revenge on Battousai, then he could always come to collect her once again and put her on her rightful place; on his bed at his side, always.
It had been a difficult plan from the beginning, there were many things that could go wrong. She had yet to be Battousai's weakness. For certain, the Battousai was curious and possessive of her, which was understandable since he himself was suffering the same thing, but Battousai wasn't in love with her. He could only hope that Battousai's infatuation and possessiveness were enough to make him blind with fury and unstable.
He wondered what would Battousai's reaction be when he found out everything he had shared with his partner. He had cherished her every single night she had been in his luxurious cage. He had drowned her in kisses and fulfilling passions until she had come to accept him, or at least, until her body had come to recognize him on detail and had become dependant on him. How he missed the feel of her, of making love to her!
He needed to get her back, and soon, lest he be the one who became unstable and his head rolled to the ground instead of Battousai's. Jinchuu had begun and the wheels were turning, now the real challenge would begin: who could hold on to his sanity for longer, he or Battousai? The one to succeed will be the one to win.
The buzzing of his cell phone coming from the floor surprised him for a moment and he stretched his arm until he trapped the little technological box.
"Yes?" he intoned into, the flipped open phone calmly.
"The target has maintained a same position for five hours now" the voice on the line reported.
"Interesting…is she dead?" he asked…dreading that it was one possibility.
"Unlikely…some had began to fret lately…they are speaking of contacting Hajime Saitou"
"The Mibu Wolf?" Enishi asked with a frown "Why?"
"They seem to want to take down Battousai…maybe he has found out his partner's location" the woman leaking information said unsure.
"I hope that's the reason" Yukishiro prayed it was "Where is the the place she is staying?"
"A residential complex"
"Keep me informed Yumi" Enishi ordered "I will begin to pack…"
"Of course"
xxoOoxx
Hajime Saitou closed the lid of his cell phone a grin stretched on his sharp features. At last, the opportunity he had been waiting for so long had come, he had been assigned to eliminate the Battousai.
How many years had he despised the younger assassin? He didn't even remember. He had always been second to the youngster, but they had never even met, had never crossed swords…which then proved that no one knew for sure that Battousai was the strongest. No one could match his Gatotsu, he was the very best.
He stretched his arms and allowed a comfortable sigh to escape him, he hadn't felt like this in so long. Tomorrow, his mediator will give him the details of the mission and he would finally defeat the Battousai.
"Oto-sama" the soft and curious voice of a small girl interrupted Saitou's thoughts and he turned amber eyes to her.
"Yes? What do you need?"
"You are smiling" his four-years old daugther said with a small smile, soft amber eyes staring right back at him.
"Do not disturb your father, Toki" he heard her mother, Tokio, admonish softly. Her refined face was unmatchable. It always seemed as if time has stopped for her, her face remaining unchanged for the last ten years they had been married.
The pouting of his sole daughter made him feel guilty somehow and he stood from his chair. "It's all right Tokio" he said softly and made his way towards Toki and placed his hand over her short black hair "I just received good news from work".
"Are you working tonight again?" Toki asked and he could sense her change of mood, as she grew somber.
"Not tonight, not tonight" Saitou replied with another smile and turned to his wife "Toki, your mother tells me that you have learned to write our names…will you write mine?"
"Yes!" the smaller girl chirped and the sound sounded misplaced on the traditional Japanese house, today it was definitely, a strange day in the Saitou residence, and Tokio's approving smile just made him realize how unusual it was, and that he was already enjoying it.
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To be continued….
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