Kenshin sat quietly in the private compartment he had rented the day before. His sword was propped up against the shoulder closest to the door. Kaoru had been asleep since the morning before and as far as he could tell, she would probably stay that way for another day, perhaps two. Her head was cushioned on his lap and her breathing was slow and even. He had tried settling her on the other bench but when the train lurched she simply rolled off. He was now forced to keep her close enough to keep her on the bench. She was wrapped in a plain yukata and bundled in a blanket, but he had blurred her frame easily and they would arrive in Kyoto at night and no one would be any wiser to her presence. He let his eyes linger over the curves he memorized thoroughly over the past week and his mouth curled into a possessive smile. Her hair was a loose tangle around her pale skin and the fingers of his left hand were buried at the base of her neck; tangled in the hair there.
He couldn’t stop the little possessive gesture and he didn’t really try to. He was learning that the part of him that accepted her as his mate craved the contact and if he satisfied it in little ways then he wouldn’t have to cuddle her in the ways that curled his stomach. Driving her past her sanity was something he enjoyed, forcing her to cling to him and beg while she sobbed in her pleasure; gratifying. Cuddling, coddling, curling around her; breathing in her scent, needing her to snuggle against him; these things angered him.
He was not a man used to tempering his touch for anyone. He glared down at the top of her head. Her face was turned towards his knees, and the moment she was comfortable; she had bunched the material of his pants in her small fist and sighed; as if the contact soothed her. There were going to be complications from the bonding, complications he wasn’t sure he was going to want to deal with. Even now he could feel her, cushioned in the back of his mind, a tight swirl of emotions and the steady pulse of her heartbeat echoing through him. There was a residue of her gift settled against his own; the blackness of his soul had fought her for a moment but then let her in and the darkness that could turn on him if he wasn’t careful, settled under her. He didn’t know what to make of that.
He had several things to ask his Master. The least of being of her own limitations, he had noticed that she was uneasy earlier when there neighbors had gotten rowdy and he had been forced to build a shield for her gift. It didn’t fight him, but he could sense that it was weary of him. That amused him. Her body was his now, and yet part of her was still fearful. How amusing. He needed to learn how far he could push her and the only way that could work was if she was awake enough for him to take her on hunts. She would hate it, fight him on it, but his little pet would learn how to care for herself. After that if she chose to feed from him alone, he wouldn’t object.
The train began to lurch to a stop and he untangled his hands and gently teased her fingers loose from his pants and picked her up. She was a boneless weight in his arms and he made sure the blanket covered her from the neck to fall over her bare feet. He was ignored as he left the compartment, and he flashed a great deal of fang at the only vampire there that would see past the limitations he placed on the humans’ eyes around him. He hadn’t brought any of her things from the dojo. His mouth curled in contempt. Anything she would need he would provide for her once she woke up. He had already sent a missive ahead and his servants had her size and should have been working on her proper wardrobe. No mate of his would wear clothing such as she chose to wear in Tokyo. She had an image to uphold here and she would learn soon enough. Kenshin scowled slightly as she shifted in her sleep, her nose brushing against his neck as she sighed in bliss. She might fight it when she was awake but in sleep she acknowledged his ownership and his claiming; was satisfied by it.
He would have to find a way to use it against her.
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Kaoru awoke slowly, aware that she was still tired but she had that feeling that always came when you had slept too late. Shifting against the heavy press of the quilt, she sat up slowly, her hair tumbling around her shoulders in a messy tangle. Kaoru shoved it out of her way and frowned. She hadn’t forgotten to braid her hair before bed since she was a child. Looking around with curious blue eyes, she blinked in surprise. The room was set up in western furnishings. The bed under her body was soft and comfortably warm. She sunk against the mattress and it surprised her; feathers perhaps? There was a simple set of wooden chairs and tables; and next to the window there was a western desk. The floor held familiar woven mats, and she recognized several other things as being Japanese and she was thankful to find herself in a familiar Yukata. But how had she gotten here? Kaoru glanced outside and blinked in utter surprise at how light it was outside.
Tossing black the guilt she padded over to the window to overlook a well tended garden. There were large, gorgeous trees rising up, blocking the view of the window even though she could see out. She heard the muffled noises of voices and would have stood there all day if the western door hadn’t opened and she turned to see Kenshin leaning against the door jam.
“You’re awake.” He stated quietly, his eyes flicking down to her bare ankles and rising up slowly to her flushed face and wild hair. Kaoru blinked at him in confusion and slowly nodded.
“Where are we?” Kaoru asked finally. She didn’t recognize the taste of the air so there was no way they were in Tokyo.
“Kyoto.” He informed her lazily. “You need a bath.”
Kaoru brushed a hand through her hair and gave him an indignant look. “I was aware of that, thank you.” Her tone was clipped and he looked amused. “However; I have no idea where the bathhouse is!”
“You could ask.” He sounded even more amused and Kaoru bit down on the urge to hit him. He looked…looked…far too possessive of her in that moment. His eyes gleaming in his face with that little smile curving his sulky mouth into something dangerous, as if he knew something she didn’t.
“You could volunteer the information.” Kaoru returned right back, feeling slightly uneasy around him. The part of her that had snaked under her skin was uneasy as well, but the part of her that Enishi had unleashed was rolling back and sighing in contentment at having him this close. In fact, she realized with a start, that somewhere inside her she felt a small spark that hadn’t been there before. It was hot and dark and pulsed to a different beat than her own heart. Something clenched in her stomach.
He simply shot her another one of those lazy, covetous expressions and moved forward. Kaoru watched him move with a bit of hesitation, and when he reached her he moved so his lips brushed her ear. “Don’t get to comfortable, pet. I will send a maid to help you bath and you are going to learn how to hunt for yourself. Then,” his teeth nipped her ear. “I will remind you of a few things.” A masculine breathe of amusement and he was leaving her with her mouth slightly parted in surprise. He had…played with her? And what was that thing he had done to her ear why would he…
Kaoru went pale. Images from the past week that she had apparently been attempting to repress danced forward. Enishi. Kenshin. Kenshin watching her from a curtain of loose hair while she begged for…Kaoru turned bright red and covered her face with her hands. No wonder she needed a bath. She distinctly remembered them…in the bath…but… Kaoru felt something stir inside her and she ignored it. It was that same little wicked part of her that had enjoyed watching Jineh struggle while she ripped him to pieces. It was stronger now, and she had the nasty feeling that it would continue to grow and that Kenshin would be encouraging it. Shaking now, she looked up startled at the knock and saw a woman who looked as young as was but her eyes were dark with years.
“Follow me, Himura-dono,” she said in a cultured, utterly subservient voice. “I will be honored to help you with your bath.” Kaoru was going to argue that she could bath on her own, but there was a look in her eyes that suggested that this woman would be utterly polite and submissive to everything she said, but if Kenshin gave an order, it was being kept.
What had she woken up to?
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Misao dropped next to Yahiko so quickly it startled the boy. “They arrived in Kyoto a day ago.” She told him. “Kaoru will probably sleep a bit longer but I don’t doubt that he will bring her by when he has to go out.”
Yahiko looked at her. “Why?”
Misao paused. “The Oniwabanshu has served Hiko for many, many years and now that Kenshin has been named his heir, we serve him as well. We would do many great things to keep her safe and he knows it.”
Yahiko gave her a thoughtful look. “You say “we” but you don’t follow Aoshi as your Okashira.”
Misao grinned. “My sire was the leader of the Oniwabanshu for many years. I could probably make a pretty good argument that I should be in charge, but Aoshi-sama, for all that he is a cold bastard, is actually a very good leader. My disagreement with him has nothing to do with his running of my family. If he gave me an order as my Okashira, I would obey without thought. It’s the orders he gives me as my mate I can’t stand.”
Yahiko grinned. “So you admit he is your mate but you don’t want anything to do with him?”
Misao laughed. “You’re catching on. Aoshi has a lot of crawling to do before I consider taking him back.” There was a distant expression on her face. “There was…a long time ago. Perhaps twenty years or so…I knew he was my mate before he even acknowledge me. I used to think that it was because he didn’t want to see me or perhaps he had other things to worry about; even worse, perhaps it was because he had buried his instincts so far into himself to protect himself during the purging that he didn’t know I was.”
“What was it?” Yahiko asked. “That last one is possible. Battousai killed a lot people during the purging. He wasn’t amused by the attempted assassinations on Hiko’s life.”
“They still haven’t found the Mastermind.” Misao absently commented before shaking herself free. “I knew that wasn’t the case when he came back from facing Shishio. He and Himura had made there alliance and nothing would break that. Unless he betrayed Himura,” her mouth curled into a mocking smile. “He knew I was his mate, I saw it in his eyes. He knew what I was. I guess after 700 years of living alone he decided he didn’t need me. He arranged for me to be bound to someone else until my death and…and…” her expression was dark. “Some would think I am being too hard on him but he broke me that day. So I fled to pick up the pieces and learn who Misao was outside of the Oniwabanshu and to find out how weak I was. I found various teachers who took outrageous advantage of me, but I lived. I learned. I am who I am because of all of that and if he thinks I am going to run into his arms because he now realizes he made a mistake, he is a bigger bastard than I originally thought. He was the only one who left me, so I guess me finally leaving him surprised him.” She shrugged.
Yahiko nodded his head. “You remind me of Kaoru.” He told her quietly. “She has a sad past for living so few years and Battousai only makes it worse.”
Misao smiled a slow, happy smile. “He won’t always. Not if he doesn’t realize himself, but Kaoru is better off with him than anyone else.” She assured him. “He won’t let anyone else abuse her gift, and no one else can say that. Don’t worry about her. She will learn to take care of herself as well.”
Yahiko looked at her in disbelief. “Sure.”
Misao threw her head back and laughed, clutching her sides as she gave into her hilarity. “Oh Yahiko,” she said wiping her eyes. “When all this is over and Kenshin wants to go and drag Kaoru around Japan, you should stay here and train as Oniwabanshu. I think you would do very well.”
Yahiko went still and then his expression went distant. “I had forgotten he had another decade or so of travel.”
Misao looked at him, suddenly sober. “I know. It hurts to be left behind or to leave those you care for behind. The good part is, Yahiko, that you both are going to live for a long, long time and that you won’t have to worry about loosing her anymore. Who is going to kill Himura’s mate?”
Yahiko sighed and sat back, an expression on his face suggesting he didn’t want to know.
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“You mean she is here?” The voice was excited and the woman on the floor shivered with fear. When he was excited she normally found herself tied down to the floor and being beat so he could absorb her pain. He loved to gloat and her family gave off residue sweet enough to be candy. Hate surge in her heart towards the girl who had escaped. She should have been there, fresh blood, to take away the sting on her own shoulders. Her nails didn’t protect her fingers as she dug into the wood.
“I felt residue that isn’t from one of ours.” She whispered. “She is young and healthy and she bares the stench of our blood.” Stench, because they were cursed; but because there had been something darker in the taint; something that had lurched at her and left her weak. She shivered at the feeling of yawning darkness.
“Very good, little one,” a hand patted at her hair. “We shall have to make plans to trap our little bird that has flown away. See to it at once.”
She fled, both from the hatred that seeped in her bones at his contact, and the knowledge that for ever second she was in his presence, he ate away at her gift and added it to the storage of power that he kept hidden away. He wanted their gifts and he was slowly stealing them.
Nothing could beat him. Not even death could claim this man.
He sat back when she left and turned to the man they had brought to him three days ago. His hair was dark blond with sweat and grease and his eyes burned in his tan face. “I want all the information you can give me on this…Kaoru, my little escaped bird. Once you do, and once you take care of this…this…Battousai and his foolishness; then you shall rise above your kind as my heir and we shall take down the last of the High Lords. Shishio could not do this, and if you fail me your fate will be the same as his.” He smiled then, a dark cold smile. “Do not fail me.”
Enishi dropped his head a nodded, a cold smile on his lips. “I long for the day I bend my knee as your Heir. Shishio was a fool and I will bring Battousai down, regardless of what it takes.”
“See that you do.”
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Kaoru tugged at her obi with a bit of apprehension. The dark grey colored material was a nice contrast to the water jewel green of her Kimono and matched the dark swallows that had been carefully embroidered. The Egyptian cotton was soft against her skin and she was unused to such careful stitching. The fabric and cut screamed money, and she had been apologized to all morning for not having colors that flattered her face and figure more appropriately. She had been assured that they were buying the material as they spoke and would have something for her by the next day.
Kaoru had only stared at them. She had been slightly horrified when she found out that Kenshin had dragged her across Japan in only her yukata and without a single stitch of clothing to her name. The woman who helped her, who had looked horrified when she asked for her name; had been extremely helpful and promptly dunked her into a bath. They had simply asked her what scent she preferred and then produced it in both soap for her skin and soap for her hair and then allowed her to scrub herself clean and then chunked her into this Kimono.
Kaoru was looking around the area she had been escorted to. Westerners had such odd ideas about houses. The walls were thick and the doors were odd. They had wanted her to wear a soft-shoe inside but she had simply pulled on her Tabi and they told her pair of sandals was waiting for her at the door. Kaoru looked around and almost jumped out of her skin when she noticed Kenshin. He was watching her from eyes that gleamed with knowledge of something that bothered her.
“Let’s go,” Kenshin ordered as he turned away. He was wearing a dark grey Gi that almost, but not quite, matched her obi and black pants. Kaoru thought he looked good in those colors, but didn’t understand why they were both dressed down in darker colors today. Kaoru hurried to catch up and sorely missed her own training clothing. She just knew he was going to make her prance around in constraining woman’s clothing for the rest of her life. Narrowing her eyes, she promised that she would get her hands on something else if she had to drag Misao in for help. Kaoru stopped mid-step and blinked in surprise. Misao, Yahiko, Sano…were they here in Kyoto to?
“What?” He asked, turning to give her an impatient look.
Kaoru moved to catch up with him. “I was wondering what happened to the others after Enishi grabbed me.” His eyes flared at her question, and something dangerous flickered in his eyes; and Kaoru was startled by the fact that she knew that danger wasn’t pointed at her.
“There with the Oniwabanshu.” He turned and headed down the steps. “Don’t fall behind.”
Kaoru gaped at him before attempting to do as he said, swearing under her breath with the most vile words she could think of. This damn Kimono was giving her all sorts of grief. It wasn’t like the comforting clothing she had worn at home to remind herself that she was a girl, but this was for someone far grander than she was. She felt like a child playing dress up and was thankful they had let her keep her plain hairstyle. She hated putting her hair up in those elaborate styles that used the smelly kohl and used hot irons to curl. Tae had dragged her into doing it once and she had refused to do it again. Her hair made up for being so plain by being long, thick, clean and shiny. When wet it hung just past her hips and she had always made a point to care for it. Her hands would always have short nails for Kendo. Even if being a vampire kept them from breaking, she refused to wear them long least she accidentally cut herself.
“Kenshin,” Kaoru tried as she finally caught up with him, annoyed at his gait. “Will you please tell me where are going? And will you please slow down? I can’t walk properly in this damn thing.”
His eyes flickered to her face and he did slow down and she sighed in relief that his next words killed. “We are going to teach you to hunt.”
Kaoru wasn’t sure when she had clutched his arm, but she was suddenly a lot closer to him, his muscled arm trapped between her small hands and she was staring at him. “What?”
Kenshin gave her an amused looked that twisted in seriousness before she could blink. “You are going to learn how to make your own kills, pet. Its time you learned.”
Kaoru felt sick. “You want me…”
He put one hand in the small of her back and began to push her forward with an ease that should have been impossible with her digging her heels in as hard as she was. He didn’t even seem to notice her efforts, and Kaoru suddenly had a sickening feeling as to why she was in gray and green. She blended in better. “You don’t have such a problem stealing blood from me, Kaoru.” He informed her softly as he pushed her towards an alley.
Kaoru gave him a horrified look. He didn’t bother to move and one they were hidden he let her go. “This is how it is going to go. You can pick someone out, using your gift if you wish, and help put them out of their misery by killing them; or, you can let me pick someone out, who I think will taste better for you.” His eyes flickered. “I prefer young, healthy, and female.”
Kaoru gave him another horrified glance.
“It’s better, pet, if you learn how to control you gift now.” He told her lazily. “So start scanning.”
Kaoru stared at him. “Scanning?”
He gave an impatient little noise and sighed. “What I mean, is that you need to open up your gift like you did with Jineh. Learning how to catch your own kill will also teach you how to control your gift. Right now I am shielding you. I am going to drop those shields layer by layer and you’re going to see how each layer felt in your mind.”
Kaoru stared at him. She didn’t understand what he was saying but something inside her shifted in warning but before she could say anything she felt something curl away from the part of her that was always reaching and she went still. It was like…looking through a glass at someone and seeing something besides their reflection. Like this was the other side of the still pond. Kaoru’s breathing quickened as she watched the people walk buy. Just small things, like annoyance or displeasure whispered through her emotions. Kaoru gripped the side of her kimono when she felt him curl back another layer and this one was worse. It was like someone had thrown a rock into the pond. The image shattered and bounced along and where there were groups of people it was dizzyingly bright. Lust, envy, love; these were coming off them in clouds and waves and mixing. She swayed a bit on her feet. Kaoru almost cried out in disbelief as he dropped the next one. It was like being thrown into the middle of a stampeding crowd of horses. Kaoru stumbled back, as if she had been physically slapped, her eyes only seeing the clashing of rays and thundering of emotions that were suddenly pounding in her head. Behind her there was darkness, thick and rich and whole and she buried herself in it to block the sounds, the ragged pulling at herself, and whimpered low in her throat as she clung to whatever was so quite.
When she felt Kenshin’s Ki brush against hers she whimpered again and then whatever had been blocking the incredible noise the crowd had been giving out was gone and all that was left was the faint throb of the first missing layer. Kaoru stayed were she was, gasping into something warm and pulled back only when she felt the first stirring of impatience. Looking up she stared at him in surprise, and he was giving her a look that was both calculating and amused. “Why were you so quite?” Kaoru asked her voice hoarse as if she had been screaming.
Kenshin reached up and played with one of the dragon-locks on the side of her face. Then he smiled, a crooked, dangerous smile that had her stepping away. His hand tightened and she stopped, feeling uncertain even as she felt the emotions he was feeling run through her like water to a sieve. “Death is always quite. Pick your target.”
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