Rurouni Kenshin Fan Fiction ❯ Silver Cross ❯ Glaring and Alcohol ( Chapter 12 )

A/N - My freshman year of college is finally over and I didn't do so bad if I don't say so myself. Now I can finally write 'Silver Cross' all summer and finish this story. Sadly, I'm not close to finishing it, but hey, I'm getting there. Thanks to all the reviewers who were so patient with me:

Blue Star, chibiBattousai, EEevee, blue jeans, JML, Kyia, Sakura Takashi, Regan84, Saravati, Black Chiney, Koishii Sweet, Videl621, ixchen, Mishorou Mie, Silver Warrior, Bizzare Ninja Silence, stoictimer, Sagitarious Devil, crasyducky, Annabella5, Hitiokiri-miao miao, Jupiter's Light, Sapphire Princess, Poppy2, the sacred night, pruningshears, BlueEyedDemon90, Miroku the Virtous Monk, Lazy Lime, Go Naruto!!, alex, Kenshin's Demon, kenshin's-angel

Disclaimer - *sigh* Once again, I do not own Rurouni Kenshin.

Silver Cross

Chapter 12 - Glaring and Alcohol

I freakin'hate ticks.

Why are ticks bothering you? It's not like you've got blood running through your veins.

I don't know! Probably because I just fed or something, shitty little bloodsuckers. Don't they know I worked hard for this blood?

"What took you so long? The good doctor's not too happy to see us. He's putting up a fuss," Jineh informed them, annoyed.

Soujiro heard nothing but muffled outraged yelling coming from the room behind the door. Light spilled out into the dark hallway. 'Not too happy' was an understatement. The man sounded furious.

Shishio did nothing more than smirk. "We ran into a few vampires along the way. I'm sure the doctor didn't mind waiting. He'll be more than happy to see me after so long. Guard the door while my nephew and I have a talk with the man, would you, Jineh?" he asked casually, already unlatching the chain lock and opening the door.

"No problem. I don't have much of a wish to see that guy again any time soon. Good luck with the old fart," Jineh spat in a corner and went to gaze out the window pensively. Soujiro hoped he was watching for vampires. Taking a deep breath and stealing himself against what might lie inside the room with the doctor, he followed his uncle inside.

"Close the door behind you," Shishio ordered Sou smoothly. "Ah, Dr. Gensai. It's a pleasure to see you again after so many years."

"Makoto Shishio! What are you doing here?! You're disrupting my medical practice. This is private property. You do not have the authorization to enter," the man blustered.

Soujiro couldn't see him yet. His uncle's body was blocking his view.

"Please, doctor, let's sit down and talk over this like calm individuals. I only want to know a few things from you," Shishio said smoothly, taking a seat at the table. Soujiro was finally able to see the doctor. He was a small gray-haired man who only stood about five feet tall. What looked like normally friendly features, were contorted in a fierce frown. Soujiro felt bad that they were intruding on the man's peace, but if this man could help find Kaoru, he had to support Shishio in grilling him for information.

The man let out an angry puff and made no move to sit, glaring down at Shishio. "I refuse to be your informant any longer, Shishio. I'm done with that now. You know I treat vampires as well as humans now. I would have thought you'd want to cut ties with me after you discovered that."

"It's true that I am against that particular nasty habit of yours, Gensai, but I'm willing to overlook it for the time being. If, of course, you tell me what I need to know."

"Not all vampires are evil creatures. You know most of that as well as I do. I don't know why people like you insist on hunting them down and destroying them." The little man's voice shook with frustration and anger.

Shishio waved a hand in annoyance, dismissing what the other man had said. "You assume too much. I'm not here to kill a bunch of vampires, just one. If you help me find him, I promise I won't bother you again."

The man narrowed his eyes at him suspiciously. "Why does this one vampire mean so much to you?"

"Allow me to introduce my nephew, Soujiro Seta."

The man seemed to take in the fact that Soujiro was there for the first time. He gave him a glance and turned his eyes back to Shishio. "What does he have to do with anything?"

Shishio sighed. "I'm finding this vampire for him."

"So you're raising another generation of vampire hunters, is that it?" the man asked indignantly. "Scum, all of you, the whole family."

A dangerous glint came to Shishio's eyes. "I'll thank you kindly not to insult my family, Gensai. I'll admit I'm scum by your standards, but my family is innocent in all matters concerning the vampire culture. Leave them out of this."

The small man nodded. "Fair enough, but what does the boy have to do with all this?"

"Come here and explain yourself, Soujiro," Shishio ordered.

Soujiro did as he was asked and stepped forward to the table so that he was beside his uncle. "Soujiro Seta, sir," he introduced himself, careful to nod politely to his elder. He wanted Dr. Gensai to get a good impression of him if he held information that could lead them to Kaoru. Not knowing what else to do, he started immediately explaining their situation. "The other day I was in Japanwith my family visiting my relatives when my girlfriend called me and told me this story about how she was in LA with a vampire trying to find a dark one and kill him." Soujiro ignored the slight intake of breath from Dr. Gensai. "I thought she was crazy at first, but as she told me her story, I began to believe her. So when my grandmother was going to visit Uncle Shishio, I went along, because he's the person in the family to go to for weird situations. She had told me the vampire's name was Ken and with only that information, my uncle was able to confirm that what she'd told me was true and even round up two other people who were close on his trail for different reasons. All I want to do is find this vampire named Ken because he'll at least know where my girlfriend is if she's not still with him. She never called me back like she said she would and I'm worried that something may have happened to her. Please sir, I need your help to find her and bring her away from here with me."

The doctor sat down at the table across from Shishio with a weary sigh. "I don't know who this 'Ken' vampire is, but if they're trying to find the dark one, then I know where they must be right now. There's a party on the coast that a lot of information will be floating around at. I'm sure this Ken fellow will be there."

"When and where?" Shishio asked, leaning forward.

"It's going on right now at the Fairviewmansion. I'm sure you know where that is, Shishio."

"Well thanks, old man. That wasn't too hard now, was it?" Shishio asked with a smirk, standing.

"You're right. It's disturbing how easy it is to betray a people who have trust in you," the old doctor agreed bitterly, staring down at the table.

"What's done is done. Don't dwell on it Gensai. At any rate, I won't be bothering you any longer in this lifetime. Because you helped my nephew, I'll do that for you at least," Shishio informed him airily, turning and exiting out the doorway.

Soujiro bowed once to the doctor. "Thank you, sir."

The man looked up at him blearily. "Don't. You may not like what you find when you find her. And in any case, I don't want your thanks, kid. Just see to it that your uncle never comes back to haunt me and get yourself and the rest of your friends off my property."

Soujiro saw then that there would be no uneasy truce, no amicable parting of the ways. Since he was a cheerful person at his most basic level, it dampened his spirit a little, but the man had told him where he could find Kaoru. Soujiro couldn't help but smile, even in the face of the man's hate and bitterness. In a matter of hours he and Kaoru would be out of LA and on a jet to Japan.

Lately I have a fascination with peanut butter.

You mean like peanut butter and jelly sandwiches?

Yes, but also peanut butter and pretzels, peanut butter and bagels, peanut butter and Oreos, peanut butter and ice cream, peanut butter and honey on a spoon, peanut butter on cookies, stuff like that.

Wow.

I know.

"Where'd your date go? He was pretty hot," a sultry voice said in Kaoru's ear.

She couldn't help but jump. She hadn't been aware anyone was standing so close to her. But indeed there was someone, and that someone was an elegant woman a few inches taller than her sipping a margarita. "Oh, he just went to get me a drink," Kaoru managed to stammer out.

She wasn't sure if this woman was human or vampire. She sure wished she knew some way to tell the difference, but it was virtually impossible when all the vampires seemed to have fed recently. No one she'd seen so far had looked unusually pale, meaning they needed to feed, and there were too many people who'd had too much alcohol, meaning their faces were red and she couldn't tell if they were red from alcohol, or red from just having fed. This woman looked human, and even if she was a vampire it wasn't like she could take a bite out of Kaoru in front of all the people at the party, Kaoru reasoned.

"Are you here with someone?" Kaoru asked back politely.

"Yes, but I think he went off to find a meal." The woman tilted her head and gazed at her sideways. She took a sip from her drink. A drunken girl ran between them, giggling, followed by a young man who was laughing equally has hard. "They're running all around the place, you know. Well, at least for him."

This woman was acting nothing less than spooky by Kaoru's estimation. Did that mean that her date was a vampire, but she wasn't? Confused, she couldn't think of anything to say, so she just mustered up an uneasy laugh and left it at that. Where the heck was Kenshin?

"Are you enjoying yourself?" she asked mildly. "It's quite a party here."

Kaoru shrugged. "It's okay." The woman was making her feel like an awkward little girl, standing there so casually in a black string bikini. There was no way Kaoru could ever look relaxed wearing something as skimpy as that, but the woman moved with the easy confidence of someone wearing pants and a long sleeved shirt.

"I think I just heard my date calling me. Maybe we'll meet again?" she asked.

"Sure," Kaoru agreed uneasily.

The woman smiled politely and turned away into the crowd, jet black hair swaying behind her. Kaoru stared after her until she had disappeared towards the center of the crowded party.

"Give me one reason why I shouldn't have you kicked out!" a drunken voice demanded. "Damn party crasher."

Snapped from her daze, Kaoru turned to find the owner of the voice. It was a tall man with long black hair who clutched a jug of some kind of alcohol to his chest as he lumbered along in his swimming trunks. No one paid much attention to his ranting as he followed an exasperated Ken towards her.

Wordlessly, Ken handed her the drink in his left hand - what looked like a red wine - and turned to face him. The man looked her up and down. Kaoru felt her face turning red from embarrassment, then anger when his gaze lingered on her legs and climbed slowly, too slowly up. The man was at least ten year's older than her!

"Hey, this is a good reason," he slurred.

"I don't appreciate being looked at like I'm a Barbie doll you want to undress," Kaoru said crossly.

Ken couldn't help but notice the cute pout on her face. He shook his head slightly. Now was not the time to get sentimental. "Hiko, you're drunk."

"You think I don't know that," the man asked incredulously. "That's the whole reason I throw parties like this, so I can get drunk with a valid excuse."

Kaoru huffed out another annoyed breath. So the host of the party was nothing but a drunken old man. She doubted he would throw them out, but drunk people were hard to predict sometimes, and she'd never come across a drunk vampire. Even the ones at the club in New York had been reasonably sober. She had a feeling it took a lot for a vampire to get drunk and didn't want to begin to think of how much alcohol this 'Hiko' man must have consumed to get to this stage in his drinking. She watched the exchange between Ken and the host with interest. Ken was going to have his way in the end because he was smarter than this man when he was sober and certainly much smarter when 'Hiko' was piss drunk.

"You shouldn't," Ken replied blandly. "Everyone knows you have a loose tongue when you're drunk. That's why no one tells you anything. They know you'll spill their secrets sooner or later, and probably to the wrong people."

"Eh, who are you to tell me this? You're just a kid, even by vampire standards. And you probably won't live much longer, not with all the stuff I'm hearing about you."

Ken was only mildly surprised. Word from Ayame's spread fast. It was only natural that his old teacher should know when he was in town first. Ayame had probably sent one of her employees running from her restaurant to tell Hiko.

Hiko smirked. "It's not all Ayame's doing, kid. I knew you were in town before her people informed me."

Ken didn't see how that could be true; unless Hiko had formed ties with the Juppongatana in the years he'd been away from California. "Liar," he accused. It was better to assume Hiko was with the Juppongatana than the alternative - that he was with the dark one.

"The dark one knows you seek it, and I know my resources."

"So the dark one is somewhere in the LA area," Ken said, almost to himself. He could finally be sure that he'd made the right decision to come to Californiainstead of flying off to Europe.

"Sure as hell," Hiko bellowed, taking a deep swig of whatever alcohol he had in his jug.

Kaoru was just beginning to piece together the roles in the relationship playing out in front of her. "This Hiko guy is with the dark one?" she asked, not hiding the disgust that crept into her tone.

Hiko spit his alcohol ten feet out in front of him. In that moment it seemed as if everyone was a vampire as they moved with inhuman speed and grace away from the disgusting projectile. Kaoru felt Ken grab her arm and yank her out of the way as she turned her head to look behind her and witnessed everyone steeping swiftly out of the way without missing a beat to the music pounding overhead. Hiko subsided into coughing and the party guests continued mingling as if nothing had happened.

"I don't think so," Ken said in her ear.

It took Kaoru a moment to realize that he was replying to her question. If Ken was right, then there was no doubt that Hiko was probably ticked off at her assumption and that was why he had spit out all his alcohol, and towards her, she observed dryly. "Dumb lecherous old man," she muttered. He deserved to feel offended after the way he'd looked her up and down. She felt Ken chuckle next to her as he released her arm. At least someone thought it was funny.

"Would you mind clearing up a few things for us?" Ken asked once Hiko had stopped coughing.

"If I know the answer, I'll tell you," Hiko replied blandly glaring in Kaoru's direction.

Kaoru glared back. There was no way this man was going to intimidate her into backing down or taking back her accusation. She took a sip of the drink Ken had given her. She'd somehow managed not to spill it dodging Hiko's spit attack. It was red wine, and just sweet enough to appeal to her taste. She stopped herself from forgetting about Hiko entirely and taking a big gulp of it.

Ken was surprised that Hiko was being childish enough to argue shamelessly with Kaoru, even if he was drunk. The girl simply inspired something deep down to let go inside you. It was too bad what she inspired in Hiko was his pouting inner child. And it didn't help that he was drunk.

"What do you know about the dark one?"

"Too broad a question," Hiko refused, still glaring at Kaoru.

Ken sighed. So he was going to be difficult. "What do you know about where the dark one is in Californiaright now?"

"Somewhere outside of LA, in the mountains. It moves from place to place, never still. Sometimes it comes into the city. Even I can feel it from way out here then. Most vampires hide or flee the city as quickly as they can, with the exception of the Juppongatana," Hiko paused to smirk. "Myojin is not happy when this happens. He knows the dark one will attack his base sooner or later. In a few more nights he will have to call in his reserves from around the world to help defend LA."

That explained why Myojin wanted Ken to kill Tomoe at least; he couldn't spare a man from the Juppongatana for fear the dark one would attack. If that happened, he would need every single vampire under his command. No wonder he didn't want to risk Saitou being injured by a woman as dangerous as Tomoe Yukishiro. Saitou's strength was better used in the fight against the dark one. Ken wondered if he could afford to wait until the Juppongatana was attacked to kill the dark one, or if he should take the initiative and seek it out alone. The sooner he killed Tomoe Yukishiro, the sooner the Juppongatana would stop watching him so keenly. If they dropped their guard long enough for him to discover the location of their headquarters, he could sneak in when the dark one and its forces attacked and kill the dark one there.

Hiko took another long draught of the alcohol from the bottle. Kaoru took another not so small sip of her wine. They resumed glaring at each other.

"Who's the new woman that joined with the dark one?" Ken asked, hoping Kaoru would remain silent and not antagonize Hiko so he could get as many answers from him as possible.

"I don't know who she is, only that she's one dangerous vampire to cross. She hasn't officially joined the dark one though, so she's not sporting the tattoo we all know and love so much. There's no way of telling it's her if you happen to run into her."

"What's the dark one planning?"

Kaoru finished off her wine and handed the empty glass to a random waitress that happened to be walking by with a tray.

"Besides the taking over of the Juppongatana? I have no clue short term, but long term it's a takeover of the vampire world. After it succeeds with that it'll make vampires known to the human culture and start taking over that species. So it's the same old rule the world crap."

It was just as Ken had suspected. The dark one was neither human, nor vampire, but something worse. He didn't know if he could ever hope to defeat it, but there was nothing left for him to do in the end but try. There was no way the Juppongatana could defeat the dark one unless they had inside information on it, and since they and Hiko weren't exactly on the best of terms, he doubted that was the case.

"Who's in league with the dark one in LA?" Ken asked. He had to get as much as he could out of Hiko before the man sobered up or one of his people came over and shut him up.

"It's all very quiet. I'm not sure, but I do know that there's a big ex-monk, a woman named Yumi that specializes in poisons, an ex-pirate who's quite the whiz with nun chucks, and a young man from Germany. They're all vampires of course. I don't know who the others are, or the new woman who just joined their leagues."

Ken had a suspicion about the monk. It was probably Anji - the man who had taught Sano his 'futai no kiwami' punch technique. He had no clue who the others were. In any case, Hiko's party had certainly been worth the trouble it took to drive out to the coast. He had enough information to start looking in the usual places for people who would know more detailed information. Tomorrow night he would take care of Tomoe, and then be free to begin his hunt in earnest for the dark one. When was the last time he had fed? The first night he and Kaoru had come to LA. After he took Kaoru back to the apartment, he would go out to feed and then come back for Kaoru and pay a little visit to a certain man who was hopefully still alive.

Hiko had either grown impatient with Ken's questions or the fact that Kaoru wouldn't back down, because he decided he was tired of waiting. So promptly, he leaned forward, slung an arm around Kaoru's waist, and pulled her to him. "So what do I get in return for answering these questions?" he asked, leering down at Kaoru.

"What are you implying," Kaoru yelled, back-slapping him.

Hiko didn't even budge from his spot.

Ken was in shock.

Kaoru felt a hand drifting, drifting, until it was touching her butt. This old drunk vampire with no manners what so ever was touching her butt! With a roar, she drew back and punched him as hard as she could in the face. He released his hold on her immediately and she slipped from his hold, watching as he staggered back. Her knuckles stung, her fingers shook, her whole hand ached from the force of her blow, but Hiko didn't look like he was taking it that well either. Kaoru was thankful her guy friends in college had made sure she could punch.

Ken was still in shock. Petite, delicate, fragile, human Kaoru had just socked Seijuro Hiko in the face, and there was no denying that man's head was hard.

Kaoru didn't bother to retreat back towards Ken. She was sick and tired of retreating back towards Ken. Sooner or later she had to establish the fact that she was a living, breathing, human who was entirely capable of sticking up for herself in a vampire ruled society. Sooner my as well be now, because she was sick and tired of waiting for later. She raised her arms in a defensive stance and placed her feet accordingly.

Much to Kaoru's surprise, Hiko did no more than laugh when he recovered from her punch enough to stand straight and look down at her once again. It looked like he was finally sober.

"What's your problem?" she asked suspiciously.

He kept laughing.

"Don't ignore me. I asked you a question." Kaoru could feel her face getting red again. This time she couldn't attribute it all to anger. The wine was affecting her as well. She didn't hold her alcohol well at all.

"I just got punched in the face by a little human girl in a bathing suit with a mean right hook," Hiko bellowed out through his laughter. "There's no justice in the world after all. Good luck with her, Ken. You'll need it." With that Hiko turned away and disappeared into the crowd back towards the mansion.

Kaoru slowly released her body from its defensive stance. He was gone for good then. Now it was time to lay into Ken. She turned to him, furious. "Why did you let him do that to me?"

Ken was staring at her as if he was in shock. He seemed taken aback that her anger was directed towards him. He had better be taken aback. It was best that he possess a healthy fear of her when she was angry.

"Do you know how disgusting it feels to have some drunken, lecherous, stinky, old man touching your ass," Kaoru yelled at him. "And you just stood there!" She noticed several males giving Ken sympathetic looks. He seemed to snap out of his daze in a split second.

"You've got no right to yell at me. It's not like you can't take care of yourself. That right cross would have knocked a normal man unconscious," Ken observed crossly, his tone at normal levels.

Kaoru took the hint and lowered hers. "I seriously doubt that. Next time, I need to know that you've got my back and you won't freeze up on me."

"There won't be a next time."

"With all the crazy people you force me to hang around, there will be a next time."

Kaoru glared at Ken.

Ken glared at Kaoru.

"Why can't we all just get along?" a girl asked, cheerfully butting into their conversation. "My boyfriend and I are trying to get a game started in the water. You two want to join in? You both look like you need to cool off. It'll be fun," she coaxed.

Ken turned to her coldly. "No thanks. We were just leaving - "

"I'd love to," Kaoru cut him off. She figured she deserved some fun after that little episode with Hiko.

The girl's face brightened even more if that was possible. She reminded Kaoru a little of Misao. "Great! Just follow me," she said, leading the way to the shore.

Kaoru only half listened to her chatter. She knew Ken was following, what other choice did he have, but perhaps she shouldn't have agreed to go with the girl. If Ken had plans for the evening, this might hamper whatever he had meant to do. After all, they only had so much time before sunrise. Still, it would be nice to hang around young people for a change, not that she was tired of being with Ken. With all this girl's friendly gestures, surely there was no way she could be a vampire.

Before Kaoru knew it she was in the midst of a dozen or so other girls, swimming out to sea. The goal for the girls was to evade their partner, while the goal for the guys was to find their date the quickest. Each round there was one man and one woman who won. Their prize was a glass of wine and a hors devours served to them by their losing date. It was really a game for couples, a game Kaoru was determined to win. Coming up for air, she spotted Ken swimming with strong strokes towards her. She was caught, but could he catch her? Most likely he would unless she could come up with some kind of plan. Taking a deep breath, Kaoru dove underwater again and swam as far as she could in the opposite direction before coming up for air once again.

There was no way she could form a plan out in the middle of the ocean. And she wasn't the best of swimmers. She was getting tired. Kaoru glanced towards the shore. She was farther out than she'd thought. The current must have pulled her out at some point. She'd drifted down the shore a bit from the party. She had just enough energy to get back, but first she had to float a little to store up all her reserves. Kaoru no longer cared that Ken was going to catch her. She just wanted to be back on dry land. She watched silently as he swam up to her and stopped close, only a foot away, and treaded water as well.

"I don't know what you want me to say," he began quietly. "I'm sorry Hiko touched you, but you have to understand that seeing him is like the days when I first became a vampire again. He makes me feel like I'm twelve."

What did that have to do with Ken letting some huge vampire pick her up and practically violate her in front of him? Kaoru remained silent.

Ken had no choice but to continue on with his explanation. "He helped me adjust to the change a few months after I was turned. It's because of Hiko that I was able to eventually function on my own as a vampire. He's a great man, but he gets like that when he's drunk." There was another long moment of silence. "I won't let it happen again, Kaoru. I won't let anyone touch you like that, not even him, as long as I am breathing."

Kaoru sighed. She probably had been a little harsh on Ken, but how else could she have reacted. She'd been hurt that he hadn't even tried to do anything to save her. "I understand now. I just wish you'd tell me before I jump to conclusions," Kaoru frowned. She understood, but she was a little unsettled that Ken's feelings for her could be cast aside so easily by a person who brought a memory from the past to him. "Let's get back to shore." She turned and began the swim away. She was cold, and she'd rather talk in the car on the way back, or at least when she was dry and safe.

Ken watched Kaoru's slight body as she cut through the waves. He had a hard time reading her emotions because he couldn't feel her heartbeat in the water. The sounds of the ocean drowned out her soft breaths from his ears and the many currents and underwater creatures interfered with the vibrations she caused as she moved through the water. He was essentially blind to her, as if he was only human once again, as he'd been centuries ago. Ken hated swimming with a passion. Trust Hiko to be the one who went and threw beach parties all the time, the one who had so many enemies that he needed the ocean as a means to slip away if they ever decided to band together and attack at once.

They reached the shore in a few minutes, but had drifted south of the party by a good quarter mile. Kaoru sighed as she wrung out her hair. There was a good distance walk ahead of her, of all the times to be barefoot on a sea shell strewn beach with no shoes. And she was cold. The night was cool, only in the mid-seventies, and the ocean had been cold. It was still the beginning of the summer after all. The ocean wouldn't be tolerable until August, and then only during the day. She shivered. There was no sun to evaporate the water and dry her off, cloaking her in a blanket of heat. She turned back to the ocean in time to see Ken walk in from the water dripping wet, his ling hair still in its casual pony tail at the base of his neck, clinging to his back. Her eyes dropped to his chest muscled for a moment and Kaoru felt her breath catch. She looked away down the beach to calm her suddenly racing heart. Far away she could see two dark figures strolling calmly down the beach towards them. Probably a couple headed towards the party.

Ken's voice broke into her thoughts. "Kaoru."

Her head snapped back to him, the dark couple a half mile away forgotten.

"Kaoru, we have to get back to the city so I can drop you off while I go and feed."

"But you just fed last night," Kaoru protested, confused. She watched him as he walked from the waves towards her.

Ken sighed. "I know, but I need to be at full strength to face Tomoe tomorrow."

Kaoru crossed her arms and shivered as the wind picked up strands of her wet hair and swirled them around her body. "Why can't I just come with you?"

"I'd rather not have company," Ken said steadily, stopping to stand in front of her.

"Don't you trust me?" she asked, staring up at him. His wet bangs hung down in front of his eyes, preventing her from making eye contact."

"I do, but it's better for you if you don't come."

"Why?"

He'd hoped she wouldn't ask. "There might be other vampires. We tend to get excited after we've fed. I don't know if I could protect you." He was almost afraid to meet her eyes. Kenshin Himura, Himura the Battousai, was afraid to meet a woman's eyes. Almost, the spark of pride within him added, almost. He reached a hand up and peeled the bangs away from his face. Her navy blue eyes were so dark they were almost black. She wasn't broadcasting any emotion in particular. Her arms hugged her body. She was obviously cold, a sensation Ken had plenty of experience with, especially at the times when he needed to feed, but had no access to warm blood. Those times the bone-chilling cold seeped into his body and soul, freezing him until he was finally able to feed again and be warm for those brief hours when he was high from the new blood flowing through his veins.

"I'm not happy," her voice broke into his thoughts.

What did she mean, she wasn't happy? Did she mean she wasn't happy with him, that she wanted to go back to her boyfriend and be away from him forever? Did she mean Ken didn't make her happy?

"I'm not happy with this life, Ken."

She came close to him and leaned against his chest. He encircled her body with his arms, holding her against him. Was this the last time he would hold her? No. He could force her to stay. She couldn't leave until he'd done the Juppongatana's bidding and killed Tomoe anyway. She entwined her arms around his neck and buried her face in his chest. Her body was wet and cold all over from the ocean.

"I don't know how you did it for so many years. We're constantly on the run. It's so much stress just to keep on living."

She paused. Her voice against his chest had been muffled, each syllable a hot puff of air against his cold skin. She looked up at him in the dark, her face lit by the moon that had broken out from the clouds.

"I need you to be my strength, Ken. Tell me I can do it."

She needed him? If only she knew how reversed the roles were, how much he'd been depending on her lately, then she'd know that he wasn't fit to give anyone strength. The years had taken their toll. Ken had never been satisfied being a vampire, unlike most. Even Sano had been reconciled to his fate after Megumi died. He'd even started to love life again. But Ken had never been truly satisfied with his place in life, not since he'd been turned. Kaoru had brought warmth to the doorstep of his soul again, but she could never make him love life as a vampire. Something in him still longed to be human, longed to feel the sun on his skin, taste Kaoru's lips without being conscious of the blood beating underneath them. He was tired of the call of blood invading his thoughts, tired of existing in a human world where even the sun hated him. When the dark one was destroyed, what reason would he have to go on? None. When the sun rose the morning after the dark one's demise, Ken would be there to finally see its light once again, to feel the pounding heat of its rays on his body. Kaoru couldn't need him as much as she thought she did, or he wouldn't be able to do that, what he'd been planning now for ten years, since Sano had died. She was wrong to place her strength in him when he drew what he needed from her daily. It was better Kaoru place her faith in her God than in Ken.

"You can do it," he told her. "Your Lord is with you."

She smiled. "Thanks, Ken. He told you just what to say to make everything alright."

For a moment Ken wondered who 'He' was before he realized she was referring to her God.

"He's your God too," she told him, her soft voice made more delicate by the wind that carried it away on the breeze.

"No. He's a God for humans only." Vampires are enemies of the light, he added silently, therefore enemies of God.

"I hope you're wrong," she said simply. "Anyway, I'm happy again."

"What?" he asked confused. Women and their mood swings.

She smiled, but not at his confusion. She simply seemed satisfied with herself. "I said I'm fine now. Let's go and find our clothes so we can get out of here and you can feed," she finished, pushing away.

He held her fast within the circle of his arms, staring down at her. What was it in her that allowed her to forget so easily the pain she'd been feeling? What allowed her to talk so lightly of him feeding? Would he ever find out?

She squirmed in his arms under the scrutiny of his gaze. "What?" she asked. He could tell she was a little uneasy, but she still met his gaze evenly. But he'd said back when they had first met up with Saitou that he would tell her later. He didn't want to have a serious discussion until they were back in the apartment, relatively safe, until after he'd fed. Ken lifted an arm and let it touch her cold cheek, then drew it down to her chin. He had an undeniable urge to kiss her. He doubted he could go for a whole day without kissing her. He tilted her chin towards him, watching as she closed her eyes, her mouth slightly open, waiting for the kiss. Her lips were warm, her fingers gentle as she entwined them in his hair. He wondered how he'd ever been satisfied with another woman before he'd met her. Had he ever been satisfied? No. This woman, who smelled like a fine mixture of the sea and the soap she used in the shower, this woman, who's sensuous body was pressed against his in her suit, who's hands in his hair were giving him a heady feeling, this woman, from whom a single kiss was better than a blood high from the most tender human veins, this woman satisfied him. And he hadn't even had sex with her yet. Now what would that feel like? Ken grinned.

"What's so funny?" she whispered against his mouth.

Right then Ken could have passed out from sheer joy, which would have been very uncharacteristic of him, but any man might have done the same thing in his situation. If only she knew, she would probably backslap him just as she'd done Hiko less than an hour ago. It wasn't as if Kaoru didn't have morals, morals which he would certainly uphold or he would never be able to forgive himself. Still, who could blame him for fantasizing once in a while, granted he fantasized just a little more often than once in a while. It wasn't as if he zoned out in public, or in front of other people. That would not have been good for his image at all.

"You're not paying attention to me," Kaoru pouted, noticing the far off look in Ken's eyes. Insensitive man, and after he'd been the one to initiate the kiss in the first place, she grumbled to herself.

"Believe me, I am," he soothed, covering her mouth with his, feeling the electricity shoot between them and intensify once again.

I never saw much purpose in collecting little glass figurines. Eventually you'll have kids who will break them.

Just as long as you don't break the one you're holding. I got that for Meme. She loves them.

Why?

I don't know. She thinks they're pretty. And she's a ballerina. She doesn't want to have kids. It'll ruin her career or some crap like that.

No. I mean why shouldn't I break it?

How much more ironic could life get? Here Soujiro stood, walking along a moonlit beach in beautiful California, with his uncle. He'd always imagined himself with a girl at this point, probably his wife by the time he made it all the way to California. Strangely enough he'd never had this dream of him and Kaoru. It somehow didn't seem right. When he thought of Kaoru, he visualized a scenario less tame. Sou dreamed of them going off and conquering the world together, not walking calmly along a beach by the shore in California. Maybe the shore in Venezuelaor the Ivory Coast, but not tame California, where the only excitement came from earthquakes the natives barely even acknowledged. And vampires of course. It was hard to forget the vampires. Perhaps Californiawasn't so tame after all.

Sou sighed.

"What are you moping about?" his uncle asked, his gaze off across the Pacific Ocean.

Soujiro too turned his gaze towards the ocean. He wondered what his uncle saw. "Nothing."

His uncle did not reply.

"Do you want to go back to Japan?" he asked curiously.

"Not really."

"Are you ever going to go back?" he asked.

"Why should I?"

"Grandma wants to see you probably," Soujiro said lightly. "Will you pay her a visit if you're ever back in Nihon?" He turned his gaze away from the ocean. Staring across only reminded him of the way he'd left Japanin such a hurry and brought on the guilt. He didn't like it when he made his sister cry. He watched a couple rendezvousing on the beach. The girl had emerged from the ocean first, surprising him. He'd supposed she'd been carried from the party by the current. The way she walked reminded him so much of Kaoru. Then he'd seen the man come out as well, and focused on him, because that made everything less painful.

"Probably," Shishio drawled. "If she forgives me enough for taking you away to permit me seeing her, and assuming that sister of yours isn't there. I don't think she likes me very much." He laughed with no trace of mirth.

"Atsuko never has liked you, but I don't think you care very much what she thinks," Soujiro said blandly, watching as the man walked towards the girl and stopped in front of her. Perhaps they'd had a disagreement then and she was mad at him. Soujiro didn't notice any aggressive nature in the way the man walked, so he wasn't angry. But that possibility was ruled out when she walked to him and cuddled against his chest. She must be cold, Soujiro realized, having just come out of the ocean with the wind blowing. No doubt the couple had towels to dry off with at the party, but they would have to walk back to get there.

"You're right, kid. I don't. No offense though. I know you love your sister."

"Don't worry. I won't tell her," Soujiro said softly, watching as the couple embraced. They could have been on the cover of one of those romantic music CDs he always saw advertised for $9.99 on television, if they'd had the sunset at their backs that was. The light from the party wasn't exactly romantic, especially accompanied by the loud music Soujiro could hear even from this distance away.

"Are you going to keep your promise to Dr. Gensai?" Soujiro couldn't help but ask. The question had been burning in his mind ever since they'd left the old doctor's clinic.

It was Shishio's turn to sigh. "I won't lie to you, Soujiro. I'll never set foot on the old geezer's land or talk to him again, but if I need information from him, I won't hesitate to send someone. That's life, Soujiro."

"I understand," Soujiro said slowly, bowing his head to reflect. "If people need to be helped and only the doctor can give you information to help them, then I don't see what other choice you have but to turn to him." He lifted his head up to look at his uncle. "Am I right?" His uncle was still gazing at the sea.

"Precisely, Soujiro. You're learning at least. Human life will always be my first priority."

Soujiro turned his gaze back directly ahead of him. The couple was talking. Their voices drifted down to him, blown on the wind, the woman's higher pitched voice complimented by the man's lower tones. Then their voices grew softer and he could no longer hear. He swore his mind was playing tricks on him. The girl's voice had sounded so much like Kaoru's.

"That's what people like Dr. Gensai don't understand. I cannot allow something to exist that feeds off humans. As long as vampires exist, they are a danger to you and the rest of my family." Shishio's voice was low, but filled with emotion.

"I understand, Uncle," Soujiro reassured him.

"Good, kid."

Soujiro watched as the man tilted the girl's face towards his and kissed her. She slid her arms around his neck and stood on her toes in the sand to kiss him back, her loose hair sliding across the man's arms. They were in their own world, oblivious to himself and his uncle who were approaching along the beach.

"Thank you, Oji-san." Soujiro bowed his head in a deference his uncle did not see. "What are you looking at?" he asked finally.

"Why so many questions, Soujiro? You need to learn when to stay quiet," his uncle admonished, finally looking at his nephew.

Soujiro breathed a soft sigh of relief. He wasn't so distant now. "Gomen, Oji."

"Just don't let it happen again," Shishio said easily.

Soujiro nodded and glanced down the beach at the couple. They'd broken apart and were now heading towards the party hand in hand.

Shishio finally noticed the objects of his nephew's gaze. "Good thinking, Soujiro. We my as well ask this couple if we're at the right spot. If they're vampires be calm. At social things like this the two species mingle and no one's supposed to get hurt."

Soujiro nodded. "I'll get their attention then, Oji?"

"Sure, kid."

"Excuse me!" Soujiro called.

A/N - There you have it, folks. I hope you enjoyed. And now all I have to say is thanks to the wonderful people who emailed me and told me to get sit my butt down and write this chapter, only in nicer words of course. IM me (aryanne1016) and leave a review if you have the time. Thanks!