A/n-Alright! Finally I have finished a drabble type thing... It's not betaed and it doesn't have a glossary. Sorry folks, but I'm just too lazy right now. I'm so out of it.

I've been busy so it's been harder than I would have liked, but I'm going on vacation soon so hopefully I can get a lot of writing done there and then I'll post it when I get back.

So, this drabble/short story thing is dedicated to two of my dear friends. First to Brittney, who I have been promising a fic to for a long time and due to the fact that she is having a difficult time right now, and I'm hopeing this will cheer her up. The second is to Amanda. Today is her 17th birthday and this is one of her birthday presents.

COMMENTS PLEASE!

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Shadows

He watched her, followed her, moving in and out of the shadows. For too long her azure eyes have haunted him. Burned into his memory he saw them before he had seen her. The pure azure eyes drove him crazy; full of innocence, love, and an indescribable amount of understanding. He knew he had to find the owner of the eyes. Which brought him to a dirty run down little town where he followed the blue eyed girl around all day.

His amber eyes narrowed and his fist tightened on his katana handle when a few men approached her. Blood lust ran through his body, telling him to claim the lives of the men that were talking to.

'No, no, not yet. They haven't done anything to her yet.'

Energy surged through him, his body trembled and he tried to keep himself in check. But the men were safe…for now. His blue eyed enchantress brushed passed them and walked past; her head held proudly. His eyes shined with blood lust as he glared at the men that had dared touch what was his. She didn't know it yet, but she was. He pulled his eyes away from the men and watched her walk down the street. He followed her, slipping in and out of the shadows to assure that she got home safely in this broken down town. He would come back for blood later.

"Tadaima!" he sweet voice called when she walked in the door of her small beaten house and was answered by her brother's, "Okaeri!"

"Knowing that his obsession was safe he left her for the hour it would take him to track and hurt the men that had approached her. He turned away leaving the sound of lively chatter between brother and sister behind.

--

Amber eyes approached two men on the street, his drawn sword catching the dim street lights making it shine. One pointed at the figure moving rapidly toward them while the other turned around.

"Wha-what d-do you wa-want?" one stuttered while one pulled out a gun.

He laughed at their fear, darkness growing around him. "You silly mortals, thinking your weapons would harm me."

Their eyes widened in more fear.

The one with the gun spoke. "Ge-get back! I'll shoot! I sw-swear I will!"

Amber eyes darkened and he hissed at his words. "Fools!" He took a step towards them. "Your artillery will do nothing to save you from me." He took another step. "But the reason I am here, gentleman, is that you talked to my woman tonight."

They looked at each other, each as confused as the other. "Your woman?" one questioned.

"Yes! My woman. If you talk to her again, I will kill you. This is the only warning you get."

His sword flashed as he sheathed it and he disappeared into the shadows of the night.

--

"Onee-chan, did you hear about the strange murders lately?"

"Hmm," the blue eyed Kaoru said as she sat at the kitchen studying while her younger brother cooked their meager meal.

"Strange murders! In the news!" the younger Yahiko told her, his voice obnoxiously loud.

"I'm trying to study. Shut up."

Yahiko rolled his eyes. I just thought you might want to know there are STRANGE MUDERS in the news, considering you walk everywhere."

"Yeah, yeah. I can take care of myself. And I'm the assistant master, so stop worrying and let me study."

"Don't be so cocky."

"Don't be such a hypocrite. Now shut your fucking mouth."

Kaoru turned back to her studying as she muttered about cocky hypocritical little boys. Yahiko however shook his head and turned back to the meal muttering about stubborn tanuki.

--

The house was dark and silent. He sniffed the air outside it and it smelled faintly of jasmine and salt. 'She worked out tonight,' he thought, 'Pity I missed it.' He came closer to the house and jumped up into a tree silently. The tree was right outside her bedroom window, and therefore a perfect perch for him. He settled in for the night his amber eyes watching his blue eyed obsession.

Tonight she had thrown off all her covers and hadn't braided her damp hair. 'She must have taken a shower after her workout.' He cursed himself for staying away for too long. She wore a thin dark grey tank top that was too small and perhaps was once a darker color and dark blue pajama pants that were way too big on her. Although she had thrown the covers off, he could tell that she was cold. Gooseflesh covered her arms and the part of her stomach that was shown off because of the too small shirt; and her nipples poked through the shirt standing up straight.

He growled low in his throat. She shifted and the shirt was pulled lower and tighter across her tiny frame. He squeezed the branch next to him leaving puncture marks from his claws. She turned her head towards him, eyes still closed, lips open. He could practically hear her breathing. A gust of wind blew into her room and shivered making her gooseflesh more pronounced. He sprung from his perch and into her room, without a sound.

He landed in the middle of her room on all fours like a cat ready to spring. Walking over to the bed, he pulled the covers around the girl tucking her in. She snuggled up underneath the covers not waking up. He brushed her hair away from her face and relishing the feel of her soft skin under his fingertips. He leaned down and brushed his lips against her ear and whispered. "I will be back for you Kaoru Kamiya."

He crouched on the windowsill taking a last look at his sleeping obsession and jumped out. When his feet were on the grass again, he circled around the house to make sure no other being was crouching in the shadows like he was while checking that the doors and windows on the first floor were secured. Satisfied he jumped back up to his perched, settling for the night watching his fixation sleep soundly.

As the sun rose he awoke from a light sleep. Seeing his beauty sitting up yawning, he knew it was time to get up and move. He watched her she touched the cheek he had caressed just hours before with a puzzled look on her sweet face. Smirking, he chuckled thinking ironically, 'Even demons like me dream about their "loves" my sweet Kaoru, no need to be alarmed.' He jumped from his perched and slinked away into the early morning light his thoughts drifting to the dream he had last night and the blue eyed beauty that had haunted it.

--

Kaoru sat up and stretched, yawning. Staying on her bed she looked back on the dream she had. 'There had been yellow eyes…but I couldn't see his face. How did I know it was a man? And he had come over to my bed…what did he do? And what was he doing in my room?!' Kaoru shook her head, trying to forget the perplexing dream. She had to get ready for school and work; she didn't have time to sit on her bed like this.

--

Kaoru walked down the dark streets, remembering what Yahiko told her about the strange murders. She had not cared last night in her warm safe kitchen but now back in the alley ways she was less than confident in herself. One man she could take…but two or three, especially if they surrounded her. If she was cornered she would have a chance since her back would be to a safe wall. But surrounded…the odds didn't look too good. She picked up her pace and clutched her books tighter to her chest.

'It looks like I'm gonna have to find a new route home. I am NOT walking home this way again. I do not have a death or rape wish. Dammit! Why didn't I listen to the little brat last night?!' Kaoru thought as she walked into yet another dark alley.

Glaring at every shadow she saw, Kaoru almost ran back to her house, not stopping for anything; wanting to get back to her nice warm kitchen more than anything else. Above her on the dark roofs, she was trailed by the obsessive demon making sure that she would arrive home at her destination safely. He never took any chances with her, ever. He watched her walk fast and he silently encouraged her to walk as fast as humanly possible.

As she rounded the corner a foot stuck out and tripped her and she fell into waiting hands, her belongs tumbling onto the dirty pavement. She was pressed against the wall a knife against her throat.

"Stupid bitch. You sent your boyfriend after us."

Kaoru was confused. And pissed beyond belief. "You're the stupid ones. I don't have a boyfriend. Now get your filthy hands and knife off me." Her blue eyes flashed with anger as lightening lit up the late night sky. Battousai was at the mouth of the alley in a second. Another bolt of lightning flashed as he drew his sword. He ignored the men taking in Kaoru's terrible beauty. She stared back at him, recognizing the amber eyes she had seen just last night. Even more confusion came into her expression as she narrowed her eyes.

"Kaoru," he told her sternly, "Don't move."

Kaoru, who did not take orders from people, opened her mouth to argue but was silenced by a from Battousai and the knife pressing harder against her throat.

"Here to save her again, huh?"
"Again?!" Kaoru exclaimed, "He never saved me in the first place!"

"Shut it, wench. Let us think of a nice little deal for you and your boyfriend."

Kaoru cocked here eyebrow and asked, "You can actually think? I did not know that was possible for such thick headed beings."

The men glared at her and one of them opened their mouth to reply but she kept on talking.

"And even if you really did think, I'm sure we would all be here for quite a bit of time. And if we were here for as long as I expect we would be, my brother, who is waiting at home for me, would be sure to call the police if I didn't come home on time and I didn't answer my phone. So please, go ahead and "think"."

The man holding the knife to Kaoru's pale neck pressed harder and she stiffened. He looked at Battousai and said, "First of all, make your bitch shut up, or we will slit her throat here and now."

"Kaoru."

"What the hell do you want? I don't even know you! And how do you know my name?!"

"Be quiet while I take care of this scum," he said walking forward.

"You bastard-"

"This is how we play this game," he said dangerously, "If you hurt her in any way I will personally torture you and kill you."

The man with the knife smiled his teeth yellow and rotting. "I think you have the rules mixed up. You move any closer and she dies. No police, no getting involved." He glanced back at Kaoru, his eyes full of lust and greed. "We'll return her after we're finished, unharmed."

Battousai growled, taking a step forward.

"No no no," the man said pressing the knife hard against Kaoru's throat, drawing blood. Battousai's eyes darkened as he saw Kaoru's blood trickle down her pale neck. He suddenly lunged forward, beheading the man closest to him.

"You dared anger me."

The remaining men backed away.

"And you dared harm her," he said, his growl deepening. "That is the crime that will kill you."

He vanished again and another man dropped dead, cut clean in two. Two men left. The other began to run and Battousai threw his wakizashi and the man fell, the short sword clean through his stomach.

Battousai smirked and turned his eyes towards the man who still held a knife to Kaoru's throat. He knew he had lost for there was panic and fear in his eyes. Battousai took another step towards them.

"Not one more step!" the man cried desperately. Battousai defied him and moved closer to him and Kaoru. Looking around wildly he pressed Kaoru up against the wall with his body and squeezed her breast with his free hand, "No closer! I'll go further, I swear I will."

Battousai's enraged roar ripped through the silent night and lightening flashed behind him. Battousai appeared instantly next the man his hand around his throat. Lifting him by his neck, Battousai threw the man against the opposite brick wall. Kaoru sunk to her knees as Battousai turned away from her and stalked over to the man crumpled on the floor. Picking him up by his hair, Battousai set the man on his knees.

"As promised the torture will begin," he hissed, his amber eyes dark with malice. He touched his sword to the hand that had touched Kaoru.

"This is the hand that touched her, no?"

The man said nothing and with a smirk Battousai cut it off. Kaoru gasped and Battousai looked over at her, and something that might be tenderness found its way into his hard amber eyes. He saw her eyes wide with fear and shock and the demon that is Battousai, stopped, staring at the woman whom he was so infatuated with. He glanced back over at his victim and asked her, "Is this upsetting you?" She looked at him like he was crazy disbelieving. The man tried to shuffle away on his knees and Battousai growled. "Don't move."

He walked to Kaoru and knelt down next to her. He studied her face and its expression of disgust and shock as she glared back at him. Lifting his hand he touched the side of her face and sighed. Whispering, he said to her, "I'll stop. Only for you, always for you." Getting up he walked back over to the man kneeling.

"You are a lucky man. I would love to continue to torture you, until you've gone mad with the amount of pain you are in. However, it is upsetting her, and that is something I will not do." Glaring down at the man, he swiftly beheaded him and sheathed his katana as the head rolled away from the slumped body.
Taking Kaoru's hand he led her away from the bodies and down the street. Kaoru ripped her hand out of his and stopped walking.

"How do you know me?" she demanded.

He stopped and turned around looking at her straight in the eyes.

"Why did you defend me? Why did you kill them?"

He began walking toward her, taking slow deliberate steps.

"Do you really want me to explain in the middle of the street?"

"YES!"

"That's not going to happen."

"And why the hell not?! You know my name. I don't know yours. THAT'S THE FIRST PROBLEM! Not to mention you "saved" or "helped" me the past couple nights, so you obviously make it a habit to follow me around. THAT'S THE SECOND PROBLEM!"

Battousai raised his delicate eyebrows. "Things will be explained." Kaoru's open mouth that was ready to yell stopped and stared at him. "Excuse me?"

"I was simply saying I'm not explaining me or my behavior in the middle of street near an alley that I just killed men in."

"Oh." Kaoru said lamely, not thinking of anything else to say.

He took her hand again and walked down the street leading Kaoru back to her house.

--

Battousai pulled Kaoru into the alley right before her house. Placing his fingers on her mouth he said softly, "Before you ask any questions please, let me care for your neck."

"My neck?" Kaoru asked, in a slightly strangled voice.

"Yes, your neck. Those bastards cut it. Let me heal it."

He pushed her gently against one of the walls, he placed one hand next to her head and the other he tilted her chin upwards to reveal her neck to him. He softly brushed his lips against the cut and then licked it.

"What-"

"Stay still. This will heal it."

He licked the trickle of blood first cleaning her neck. He groaned softly against her neck and the hand next to her head balled into a fist. Kaoru didn't move, realizing that the man…no, the being that was lapping up the blood was more powerful than she ever could have imagined. His tongue against her skin felt a rougher than any other she had ever felt, and it was an odd yet enjoyable sensation. He sucked and licked at the cut for a few minutes until he pulled away and brushed his calloused fingers across where it once was and said, "All gone."

Kaoru put a hand up to her neck and was amazed to find that there was no longer a cut. She looked up at him her eyes wide with confusion and amazement.

"How did you…?"

"What question did you ask first? How do I know you?"

Kaoru nodded.

"That's the most complicated one I suppose. But I'll try to explain it. For about ten years, I have been dreaming about the same pair of eyes. Yours. After a year of dreaming about them I became obsessed with finding the owner of the eyes. I set out in search of you, and I found you about a year after I started looking. I would check in on you occasionally but I kept my distance. But five years ago, I decided that wasn't enough anymore. So I followed you everywhere while you haunted my dreams. Within those five years I found out everything I could about you. That's how I know you."

Kaoru stared at him. "Who the hell do you think you are?! You're fucking crazy. You're on crack. Get the hell away from me. And stay away from me, and my little brother."

"Let me finish. Please?"

"Fine, but make it quick."

"Why did I defend you? Simply because you are mine. You were not aware of this before tonight, but it's true." Kaoru looked mortified at this. "There are more of us around than you think. If you do not belong to me, you would belong to another one of my kind. And why did I kill them? Because they dared to touch what was mine." A soft growl slipped out of this throat at the mention of the men.

"Let's get something straight buster," Kaoru said, pointing a finger at Battousai. "I don't belong to anyone. So stop living in your delusion world. And what the hell do you mean, "us"?"

Battousai chuckled. "Kaoru," he said stroking her hair. "Beautiful women usually belong to demons. By us I mean demons. Demons aren't just made up stories to scare little children in the night. We are real."

Kaoru eyed him skeptically. "You really are crazy."

"Do you really think I could have done half the things I did in the alley way without being a demon. And you're neck, how would you explain that?"

"But that makes no sense!"

"Does everything have to make sense?" He asked calmly putting the stray hairs behind Kaoru's ears.

Kaoru stayed silent looking at the amber eyed demon that was looking at her with such intensity. He leaned down and kissed her forehead lightly, brushing his lips back and forth.

"Did you know you smell like jasmine, Kaoru?"

Kaoru just stared, never had been told that before. "Well, it's the soap scent I use."

"I know."

Kaoru's eyes widened and her eyebrows raised. "That's a little creepy…I still don't know you're name."

"My name?" he smiled slightly. "My name is Battousai, but you can call me Kenshin."

"Then Kenshin, it's nice to meet you, I suppose." She held out her hand to shake and Kenshin took it and brought her hand up and kissed the back of it.

"It's extremely good to meet you, koi."

They stared at each other, measuring each other up through their eyes.

"I should get you home Koi," he said at last, dropping her hand and turning away.

"Will I see you again?"

He smiled softly. "Perhaps."

"When?"

"Time will tell Kaoru. Let's get you inside safely."

Battousai walked her to the gate and leaned in to whisper in her ear.

"Goodnight Koibito. I'll be watching from the shadows."

Owari - The End

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A/n- So yeah, I hope you liked it. Please, leave some love, and make me feel better?