The Illusion of Normal
Part 5: Blood Dream
A day or two after the party, Kenshin had come home with more to think about, the kiss on the cheek, there are more to it, Callesto wanted to kiss him. He was still thinking about Kaoru and also how much both her and Callesto shared. He was sitting inside the dojo he was thinking about Kaoru and then about Callesto. "This one likes her," he touched the yellow photograph of Kaoru. "Is this really what you want?"
"Kenshin?" Ran walked up.
"Yes?" Kenshin looked up at as Ran was walking out of his room and holding a jacket.
"I have to go out, you're going to be all right for the next few days," Ran told him.
"I should be fine, there is enough blood in the frig to feed us both," Kenshin blinked and seemed bothered by Ran's actions. "Why going out so often?"
"It's just no one is able to do the accounting," Ran had to make that up, but seriously it was true, Omi was good at doing advertising and such. Kenshin understood little of this type of thing, even when it was explained to him. "I'll be back by morning."
Going into his room, Kenshin was unrolling his futon and fell into a deep sleep. He was going into the dreams, he was holding onto Kaoru, who slowly turned into Callesto. His head was nuzzled against her neck, he let his lips move toward the pulse, he could feel her heart against his lips. Then he felt them, the sharp incisors, he was holding her tightly and he heard her whisper, "Kenshin, its all right, if you have to."
He let his head move down to her shoulder, nuzzling against the nape of her neck, he let his fangs lightly pierce the skin. He could feel her body stiffen a little, he held her relaxing against her, his lips moved to suck the wound.
As quickly as the scene came, he woke sitting up, he was shaking, he pulled a blanket around him and he was going into the kitchen to get the blood. He took a sip, but wasn't enough, he let out a gasp, he had to think, he was just not sure how to do this.
He waited for the sun to rise, he saw Ran walking into his bedroom and soon Kenshin let his instincts take over, he drank from him. In minutes Kenshin was just shaking his head. "It's not enough now, your blood isn't enough," he was giving a sob. "I…"
"Relax, this was bound to happen," Ran walked into the hall, he was leaning against the door to his room, he wondered though if Callesto was the reason for this feeling.
He saw Kenshin was staring out the window, She should come, that she should, Ran could hear the thoughts faintly and he walked up. "Do you want Callesto to come over?"
Callesto sat down at a desk and was studying, she heard the faint sound voices in the hall, she knew that Schuldich was having issues that evening. He was walking into the hall, she could no longer handle this, she walked into the hall and grabbed her jacket. "Where are you going?" Schuldich asked.
"Kenshin," she whispered and walked toward the dojo, she felt she had to be there, that something was wrong. She bit her lip as she walked toward the dojo, something was worrying her though, she went into the gate and saw Kenshin bolting out toward her. He looked pale and sickly, his thin form was always worrying her. "Kenshin, you feel so cold."
She held him, she walked him into the house and saw Ran had gazed out as she was holding him. "Kenshin, you must be really sick, you shouldn't be in bed," she was holding him up as they walked into the house.
"This one doesn't mean to worry you," he whispered and he smiled at her. He let his head rest against her shoulder, he was holding her tightly, his eyes closing. He held onto her hand as he fought sleep, he nuzzled against her hand, his face going into her hand. For a second she thought she saw a flash of elongate incisors.
Ran walked into the room and pulled her away from Kenshin. "It is dangerous to be that close to…"
"I don't care, can't you see he's hurting," her eyes were almost feeling his pain. She was holding Kenshin's hand, feeling the cold touch. "Why does he feel so cold?"
"He will always be cold to the touch," Ran glared at her. "Do you really need to understand?"
"YES, I will understand!" Callesto finally felt Kenshin gripping her hand.
"Ran, please leave this one and Callesto-dono, this one will tell her," Kenshin sat up slowly, his eyes turning to a soft yellow. "This one must tell her the truth."
Callesto noticed that entire room was dark, but there was a lantern that Kenshin lit the candle in it so the room was lit. This room had no electricity, in fact this room was devoid of all light in general, there used to be a window, but it was bared up. "Kenshin…"
Kenshin still sitting up and smiled at her, he reached out to take her hand putting it onto his chest, she blinked and her eyes went wide. "There is no heart in here," he whispered and looked sad. "This one has one only when he drinks blood. This one is dangerous, not human."
"I could care less what you are, you are Kenshin, my gentle Kenshin," she smiled at him, he let his head rest against her shoulder.
"You let me so close," he whispered and his lips trembled. "I want to drink your blood so badly."
"I would let you if you could only ask…"she felt him move away and he shook his head, this was impossible for him, he was looking like even mentioning her letting him do this would hurt him.
"This one wouldn't do it," he let his hand brush her cheek. "You are too precious to me. This one could not admit it, Kaoru-dono was the one I married and loved. That was hundred years ago, she died giving me her blood to live. I love you too." His voice was cracking at the idea, he leaned against her, his yellow eyes were down, then returning to the soft purple.
Callesto smiled. "Your secret is safe with me, Kenshin."
Ran was sitting inside the flower shop, he was thinking about what happened that afternoon, he had seen Callesto with Kenshin. The two were sitting together, for a moment, he realized it was like looking at two lovers who were only interested in each other. There are more to it, Callesto was hiding the fact that she herself was in pain too.
How do I tell Kenshin that Callesto is part of Schwarz, a villainous group? Ran shook his head, he touched the computer screen, he saw a side of the girl that was different. She was not like her brother who was just as fierce as he was. Callesto was just a gentle person who was half Japanese, and half American, she was scared of people knowing the truth of something else.
"She's from Rozen Kreuz," Omi was looking sad, he had distanced himself from Callesto. "I don't think you should let your cousin near her anymore…"
"Don't do that!" Ken was the first to speak up. "What about Maya-chan?"
"That was a different situation, she came to us. Callesto-chan…she's different, something is wrong with all this," Omi shook his head.
Returning to Schwarz, Callesto was standing inside the hall, her eyes moving around the condo, she knew for many facts she had to leave Schwarz, she knew how impossible that was going to be. She sat inside her bedroom and was looking up, she saw Schuldich leaning on the door. "You went to him," he smiled at her and touched her shoulder. "Look, if Crawford finds out you've been compromised by that man…Kenshin might die."
"Where can go off saying that?" she turned her head and glared. "I don't care anymore about the missions, why do them?"
"Because we are supposed," he touched her shoulder and shook his head. "This is why I like to talk to you more than your brother, I can't hear your mind. You want to escape Eszette like Maya did."
"Yes," she smiled at him. "I want to protect Kenshin from what might happen."
"Then why not stay with him during this time? Your brother predicted that Takatori will die, stay with Kenshin. By spring all of Takatori's secrets will be out, just be careful."
"Thank you, Schuldich," Callesto smiled.
"Just don't think he's totally naïve, Kenshin doesn't seem stupid," the German assassin smiled a little.
Sleep did not help, Kenshin snuggled against a blanket, he was letting his head rest against a pillow, he lay thinking about what he had said to Callesto. He had wanted to drink her blood, to show her the danger. Vampires are dangerous, I'm dangerous, I should know better than to draw her in, he thought as he slipped into sleep.
Kenshin felt something in his mind start to open, he had not remembered certain scenes from the past and suddenly, he snapped awake. He remembered, he remembered everything, at least some of it was coming into clarity. He was shaking his head and his body went numb, he turned his attention toward the darkness coming, he walked into the hall, he was leaning against the wall.