Disclaimer: I do not own Hakuoki. This amazing anime was created by Asuka Yamazaki, Kazuhiko Hasegawa and Mitsutoshi Ogura. I only created my beloved Asuna and I'm proud of her.
Editor / Beta Reader: Waffle (Thank you)
Rated Teen for violence, blood, coarse language and / or sexually suggestive scenes (rating may change to Mature in the future as story progresses, readers have been advised).
Slight alteration to Hakuoki plot - Demons in this story are actual pureblood vampires and Rasetsu are humans who were turned by purebloods.
XOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOX
Kiss Of Snow
By: Swanna
XOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOX
Chapter 4: Unforeseen Revelations
"Yukimura-kun, I've brought some warm water and more clean cloths for you," the mortal man, Inoue stated when he placed the pail of water next to them.
"Thank you, Inoue-san. If you don't mind, please wait outside. I need to undress Shinohara-san to clean her wounds," her voice was soft, almost child-like.
"Ah, of course," Inoue gave them both a bland smile before turning on his heels to leave. "Please let me know if you need anything else."
"I will let you know. Thanks again, Inoue-san." With that, the man left the chamber and closed the door for them.
Asuna's eyes were fixated on the pureblood demoness, Chizuru. She attempted to peel off the crimson stained fabric that now adhered to her sword wounds from clotted blood. The way she was disrobing her with such marked care almost made Asuna think she was being cautious. As if she wanted to cause her as minimal pain as possible. For one demon to show tenderness towards another fellow demon was unusual. Senhime was an exception because she wasn't a full-blooded demoness, so harboring human emotions would have been natural for her.
As soon as Chizuru was able to remove the fabric to uncover the injuries on her bare shoulder, she let out a breathless gasp. "Your wounds are still bleeding! The muscle tissues around your lesions are really red and swollen too…I will have to disinfect it after I wash off the blood."
She soaked and twisted the white cloth to squeeze out excess water before returning to Asuna's side, carefully cleansing the lacerations. The sight and scent of her own blood triggered the return of her hunger. There was a burning sensation in her dry throat. It had taken most of Asuna's willpower earlier to not pounce and sink her fangs into one of the mortal men's neck in that room. She was in dire need of blood and she would need it very soon.
"Are you okay, Shinohara-san? Am I hurting you?" Asked the young demoness, her dark brown eyes shone with concern.
Instead of responding to her, Asuna posed a question of her own. "Why are you dressed as a man and residing with mortals?"
Chizuru's eyes widened in surprise from the sudden inquiry. "So you knew I am a girl right from the beginning? Is that why you've been staring at me?"
Asuna wondered if she was really this unsettled that her deception was discovered. It wasn't difficult at all to distinguish Chizuru's true gender at a glance. Her clothing may have been slightly oversized to cover her womanly curves, but she couldn't conceal her copious femininity. Besides, shouldn't this demoness be warier of exposing her presence to humans instead?
When Chizuru noticed that Asuna hadn't said anything in response, she continued. "I'm in a similar situation to yours, Shinohara-san, I've traveled to Kyoto to search for my missing father. One night I ran into some ronin and I was saved by the Shinsengumi. Hijikata-san understood my circumstances and he has kindly allowed me to stay with them until I can find my father. In return, since there are no other females living here, I must dress as a man so that I don't create a disturbance within the group."
"Hijikata-san?"
Chizuru washed the imbrued cloth in the bucket of murky blood water. "Yes, Hijikata-san is one of the Vice-Commanders of the Shinsengumi. He's the man with long hair."
Asuna remembered the man with long black hair that fell to his lower back. Last night when she had met him for the first time, he had regarded her with those violet eyes that were as sharp as the gleaming blade of a sword. Undoubtedly he had considered her to be a potential threat to his human allies, and he wasn't far from the truth. Asuna could still bring serious harm to these mortals if the last of her self-restraint crumbled.
This morning when he had been so adamant on removing her shawl to inspect her injuries, his intense gaze pierced her with a physical force she had felt all the way down her spine. She wasn't able to identify the look with her limited understanding of mankind, but it felt different than the hostility of yesterday.
"Do they know about your true nature?" Asuna asked when Chizuru returned to her side once again, to clean the remaining bloodstain on her skin before bandaging the wounds.
Blinking rapidly, Chizuru froze at her question. Her tone sounded uncertain as she assisted Asuna to readjust her attire. "About my true nature? I'm not quite sure if I fully understand your question, Shinohara-san…"
Asuna gripped onto Chizuru's small wrist so abruptly that the young demoness was caught by surprise and her mouth fell open. Asuna leaned closer until their faces were only an inch apart and she spoke in a displeased manner.
"You know exactly what I am talking about. You and I are the same kind, so you can drop your act around me. I could feel your aura the moment I walked into that room."
Chizuru's eyes appeared overly large and bright. "Shinohara-san, I really don't know what you mean by that and can you please let go of my wrist? You're hurting me…"
Eyes narrowed, Asuna tightened her hold even more forcibly, causing Chizuru to wince and whimper in pain. Asuna felt rather exhilarated not only by the pungent metallic scent heavy in the air, but she could also sense the heightened fear from this young demoness. With her sobriety dwindling, such an experience pleased her demonic side immensely.
Asuna picked up one of the dirtied cloths dampened with blood water and held it close between them as she spoke, "Are you not feeling stimulated by the sight of blood? Or do the mortal men let you feed on them regularly to sate your yearning?"
"Shinohara-san, you're not making any sense. What are you saying? You're starting to scare me," Chizuru's lips began to tremble.
"Were you the one who turned those three humans?"
"W-what? No!" Chizuru tried to free herself from the firm grip with all her might. She appeared shaken, but it was the sight of tears brimming in her eyes that pulled Asuna out of her violent excitement. "Just stop this, please!"
Asuna blinked. A deep frown crossed her face as soon as she regained some of her humane senses. She was furious at herself for relinquishing her self-control. Not desiring to hurt nor frighten the young demoness any further, Asuna pushed her away with a rough shove at the shoulder and caused her to stumble back.
"Leave."
Stock-still, Chizuru stared at her with wide eyes, obviously confused by the whole event and her strange behavior. "Shinohara-san…?"
Asuna glared back with heated fierceness, and raised her voice this time, "I said leave!"
Chizuru scurried out of the room in a haste, leaving Asuna by herself as she turned her back to the door that had been left wide open. But her momentary isolation did not last when Souji walked in.
"What happened in here?" He asked in a stern voice. "Why did Chizuru-chan leave in such a hurry?"
With her back still facing him, her heart was racing and it was pounding furiously within her chest. Asuna's hands grasped at the blanket underneath her palms and dug her nails into the fibers. Her eyes were now shifting back and forth from blood red to green-blue. She was fully aware that her fragile control was about to shatter.
"Stay away from me," came a feeble warning. It was her last attempt to set this man free and allow him to walk out of this room unharmed.
Defying her warning, she heard his approaching footsteps as he came closer. The instant she felt his hand placed on her shoulder, all her restraints snapped. The man was dumbfounded when Asuna made a grab for his hand and flipped him over, throwing him down onto the tatami mat hard. Before he had the opportunity to rise, she was already straddling him. Asuna's raven hair spilled over her shoulders, surrounding him in a silken curtain. He was breathless for a fleeting moment, then his lips curved upward as she felt his body start to relax under hers.
"For a girl who doesn't want to be touched, you sure do contradict yourself," he commented in a deeper tone with no hint of fear. His emerald eyes darkened, catching hers as they held her gaze. With a hand lifted upward, he gently wrapped her long locks of hair around his fingers to feel the softness. "Does that mean I have skin privileges now?"
"No, you do not," Asuna answered coldly, gripping his wrists with her hands and securing them above his head. She wanted to ensure he wouldn't be able to struggle against her.
"You are bold, mounting a man like this in broad daylight." As if he was pleased with her seemingly brazen action, the smirk on his face grew. "Now that you have me under you, what are you going to do to me, Asuna-chan?"
Instead of giving a response, Asuna lowered herself until her lips were lightly brushing against his neck. Her sharp fangs extended completely, eager for a bite. With a quick flick of her tongue, she licked his skin and tasted a hint of saltiness. She felt him taking a short intake of breath when she did that.
Purebloods' saliva had a special substance that could alleviate the inflicted pain for the humans that they preyed on. It made them less likely to put up a fight during the feeding. The tempo of his pulse increased against her lips, it made her heart come to a lurching stop and her eyes were glowing crimson red. Asuna became feverish with anticipation. At last she sank her canines into his neck, breaking through the skin as the warm liquid ran down her throat.
The sense of imperative satisfaction was staggering for her demonic side. Asuna felt her thirst for blood began to quench and her hunger was slowly subsiding. She was regaining her strength slowly as she fed on this human, new energy surged through her body. His blood was tepid and revitalizing. But there was one other thing she also tasted in it.
Sickness.
X X X
"Hijikata-san, may I enter?" Saito asked from in front of Hijikata's chamber door.
He answered without diverting his attention away from what he was presently doing at his desk. "Come in."
The screen door slid open and Saito stood by the entrance with a tray in his hands. "The sake has been warmed up."
"Good. Thank you, Saito."
Saito entered into the room and placed the tray down on the table. He stayed and watched as Hijikata prepared the Ishida powdered medicine from the glass bottle. It was his folk remedy, produced by Hijikata's family. It was well known to heal lacerations and wounds when taken with sake, speeding up the healing process.
"What are your plans for the girl?" Saito asked casually. As subtle as it may have been, Hijikata could sense his budding curiosity.
Saito was a reticent man, he much preferred to remain solitary than to be in the company of others. Hijikata was fully aware of his friend's unfathomed devotion towards the group and himself. Time after time he had carried out Hijikata's orders and had performed his duties with remarkable efficiency. He was the type of man who would comply with given commands without questioning. Hence it was even more unusual for Saito to show concern over the fate of an unknown woman whom he had just met.
"I will decide that later once she recovers from her injuries," Hijikata chose to respond with a vague answer. "But it's rare to see you concerning yourself over an outsider, Saito."
Saito's face remained blank when he answered. "I find her background to be suspicious. No normal person would bear and endure such wounds without so much as breaking a sweat. Her level of calmness is abnormal, she is no ordinary girl to me."
His friend had made a good observation. There was something lethally quiet about her that seemed unnatural.
Hijikata turned to Saito and nodded. "I agree with you, so I intend to ask more questions once she gets better."
Being punished by his guilty conscience, Hijikata still blamed himself for not noticing her sustained injuries sooner. She could have died because of him. Now he only wanted to do what he could and help to advance her recovery. This was his main priority.
The truth was Hijikata hadn't come to a conclusion about this woman yet. There was so much they didn't know about her in regards to her mysterious background and where she had come from. Most important of all, why she'd had such immense expertise in these so called Rasetsu still remained unclear. Hijikata was inclined to find out more about her once she got better. They would just have to keep a close eye on her in the meantime. For now, he didn't see the possible harm in allowing her to stay here until her wounds healed.
There came another faint voice at the door that was left wide open. Chizuru stood by the doorway as she waited patiently for permission before inviting herself into the room.
"Yukimura, please come in," said Hijikata while finishing off the preparation of the powered medicine and placed it on the same tray. "How are her injuries?"
"Shinohara-san's wounds are really deep and inflamed, but I've already disinfected the lesions so she should be fine for now," Chizuru paused briefly before she spoke again with hesitation. "Her wounds are very even and smooth. Judging from the depth of them, her injuries seem to be inflicted by swords."
Hijikata and Saito exchanged knowing glances at that very moment. It was Saito who spoke his mind first. "Even if the rogues hadn't completely lost their minds last night, they still wouldn't have had the capability to injure her."
He understood Saito's opinion very well, he had been there to witness her substantial strength when she'd clashed blades with his friends. If both Souji and Saito with their combined force had failed to stop her from killing Juro right before them, then sustaining injuries from mindless Rasetsu would also be a highly unlikely scenario. The young woman could have been engaged in a battle or she could have been chased down and injured by her enemies. There were infinite possibilities for the cause of her wounds. This revelation only succeeded in magnifying their concerns.
"Is there something else that you would like to tell me?" Hijikata asked the girl who appeared to be a little frazzled. His unanticipated question startled her, and her eyes grew momentarily large.
Chizuru straightened her back as she continued standing by the doorway. She shook her head at him almost too eagerly. "N-no. There's nothing else, Hijikata-san."
"Is that so?" Hijikata's stare lingered for a little while longer, not buying her lies.
He wasn't particularly excellent in reading others' expressions and know precisely of what they were thinking. However, in the short time they had gotten the opportunity to know Chizuru better, she was quite a straightforward and transparent girl. Anyone with an ounce of awareness would be able to read her like a book. Right now, he could tell there was something that she was unwilling to share with them, but he didn't want to force it out of her either. Hijikata trusted her judgment. He was confident that she would confide in him if she believed the matters would affect any members of the Shinsengumi in a negative way.
"Thank you for your help, Yukimura," Hijikata spoke again, deciding to drop the topic. "You may return to your own duties now."
They watched as the girl bowed and dismissed herself from the room before he turned to Saito. "We should go and check up on her now."
Wordlessly, Saito nodded and picked up the tray from the table. He followed after Hijitaka as they strolled down the corridor located outdoors, towards the small chamber where the woman was confined in. Both men's sense of alert heightened when they discovered the door had been left open and Souji wasn't outside guarding their captive as instructed. She may have escaped without their awareness.
As they approached the doorway, Hijikata saw both of them were actually inside the chamber. The woman was straddling Souji with her face buried in his neck. At first glance, the two looked as if they were sharing an intimate moment. That was his initial assumption until she sensed their presence and turned her head to look at them. Her eyes were glowing scarlet red, and her sharp fangs were coated with Souji's blood. She no longer looked human to him.
Snapping out of his horror, Hijikata instantly unsheathed his sword. He swooped forward and swung his blade at her, forcing her to back away from Souji. She leaped backward and balanced herself on her limbs with feline-like agility. Hijikata kept the tip of his sword at her as she gradually rose to her feet.
A trail of blood was trickling down the corner of her lips. She wiped it off her chin with a palm before running her tongue over her hand to lick the blood. Her eyes were closed as she was visibly taking in the pleasure from the taste of blood. Her behavior was sensually feral. There was an explicit dark hunger under her skin. The next moment she opened her eyes, they were the color of aquamarine again.
"Saito, check on Souji to see if he's alright," Hijikata ordered, keeping his gaze on the woman and prepared to strike her down if needed.
With his own weapon drawn out already, Saito hurried over to Souji who was still lying on the mat, unmoving. From the corner of his eye, Hijikata could see Souji was in a half-conscious state and he appeared to be in a trance.
"Your weapon cannot hurt me," she proclaimed with her usual calmness, pushing the blade away with her fingers.
"So you're also a Rasetsu too. That's why you have such intimate knowledge about them," Hijikata said sharply. His voice may have been composed but deep down he was seething with rage to see that this woman had hurt his friend.
"Don't group me in with those inferior beings, I am a pureblood demon." There was unmistakable pride in her tone.
"Saito, how is Souji doing?" He asked without turning his attention away from her.
Saito was supporting Souji's limp body when he answered, "He seems fine but he's in a daze."
"Take him back to his room immediately and watch over him."
There was a brief second of hesitance from Saito, obviously uncomfortable with the idea of leaving Hijikata alone with the demoness. But he complied anyway without uttering another word and assisted Souji in rising, half carrying the man out of the door.
As soon as the men left the chamber, he spoke again. "Why did you attack Souji?"
"I was injured by a demon slaying blade. I needed blood to speed up the healing of my wounds and to regain my strength," came the matter-of-fact response that caused Hijikata's muscles to stiffen.
"Did you turn him?"
It was a foreboding question that Hijikata was almost too afraid to ask. Although Souji's unwavering loyalty was mostly directed at Kondou, he had also been committed to Hijikata during all these years of their friendship. Souji had been more than just a childhood friend, he was like a younger brother to him. Hijikata wasn't sure if he could bring himself to take down Souji if he had turned into one of those bloodthirsty creatures that they were ordered to eliminate.
"No. I only fed on him. It's not life threatening for him as I did not drain him of all his blood."
Hijikata let out a breath that he wasn't aware he had been holding in. He felt relief course through him upon hearing her answer. But he knew he would still have to validate the truthfulness of her words and wait until Souji regained full consciousness first. Meanwhile he would have to figure out what he should do with this demoness that he had unknowingly brought back to their headquarters.
As insane as it may have sounded, somehow Hijikata had never once sensed animosity from her since they had met. She'd had the chance and could have taken the lives of his two friends during last night's battle but she hadn't. Instead, she had chosen to hold back. But even so, the fact that she was a dangerous demoness who fed on human blood still remained. She would have to be confined for the time being.
"You are to stay in this room until I can confirm Souji is unharmed," Hijikata ordered, making sure his authoritative tone wasn't missed. He turned towards the door, leaving the demoness behind.
"If I really want to leave this place, you think you humans can stop me?" She asked as she turned her head to watch his retreating form. Her eyes were glinting unrelentingly.
"You can try, but it will be damn well over my dead body," Hijikata informed her, and he had meant every word. He wasn't planning to let her walk out of here without putting up a fight.
"And do you think that I would not end your existence?" The demoness challenged impassively and continued to hold his stare. She never once looked away.
"I know you wouldn't hesitate to do so, but if I'm sent to hell, I'll make sure to bring you with me."
X X X
AUTHOR NOTE:
I want to say a big thank you to all of you! I'm over the moon to hear that so many of you are actually enjoying Asuna's character despite the fact that she was so cold. It makes me so proud of her *tears up*
Finally Asuna gave into the temptation and attacked Souji, but now that Hijikata found out she was a demoness, what's going to happen to her? It will be disclosed in next chapter.
See you soon.