Chapter 10 “I know you’re concerned, but you need to leave the room while I work.” I give him a weak glare, but rise off the floor anyway. He is a brave man to be talking to me like that. I’m sure he knows what I’m capable of. He’s right though. I have to leave if he is to work his best. The brat is standing outside the door still holding Cho even though she stopped crying a while ago. I brush her tears aside as I gently kiss her forehead. “Everything will be okay.” She hiccups and nods while biting her thumb. My voice is more rough than I intended it to be. I’m surprised she’s not scared of me yet. “I don’t trust you yet, but…” My uneasy gaze falls on the brat. He gulps and continues. “…You‘re different now, so I’ll force myself to try.” He seems genuine. For some unknown reason, I feel my expression soften a little as I nod. “If you want to wash up, follow me.” The brat leads me outside to the bath house. Along the way, he picks up some light clothes and soap. “Here. I’ll tell you if you missed anything while you’re in here.” Even if he is Battousai‘s surrogate brat, I accept his semi-friendly offer and enter the bath house. There is much to think about. * * * “Yahiko-chan?” Don’t call me -CHAN!!! Well, I guess she’s okay. The kid’s only four after all. She’s playing with a lock of her hair as her foot scratches her other leg. Her big blue eyes look kind of like Kaorus and that guy that’s being treated right now. Maybe they’re related! “What?” She pouts at the tone of my voice. What?! I can’t help the way I talk! “Can I have some water?” She starts to nervously twist a pointed foot on the wood floor as if she thinks I’m not going to let her get a drink. I make a big deal out of my chore, rolling my eyes while I get up and take her hand. “Come on…” This has been an interesting day to say the least. Who knew that a year after putting us through hell, Enishi would be shacked up in the clinic for the night. It’s a good thing Megumi’s in Aizu and Sano’s on the run somewhere. Hell would be here all over again if they were around. “Why aren’t you in bed yet?” Speaking of the demon…Unconsciously, I find myself narrowing my eyes. He gives me an odd stern expression and reaches to pick up Cho. He really is a totally different person when it comes to people he likes. I think my offer earlier has forced him to be civil to me, so he doesn’t kick my ass or anything when people aren’t looking. Not that he would do that. It wouldn’t serve any purpose. His Jinchuu failed and he’s obviously a different person now. I don’t think he’d involve Kenshin’s friends and family anymore…At least, not to the extent that he did last year. “Dr. Gensai said he wasn’t done with onii-chan yet. Yahiko-chan said he’d get me some water.” Once again, teal eyes focus on me. Why do I feel like I’m being analyzed? “Enishi-san…can I talk to you please?” The evil eyes are looking at Dr. Gensai now. Good. They make me feel like a little boy. “I won’t get to see you till morning Cho-chan. We‘re going to have to say goodnight now. Okay?” The little girl cutely puckers her lips for Enishi of all people. And he bends down to accept!!!? A kiss goodnight?! Isn’t he the ‘good father figure’ all of a sudden! That’s just wrong! I’m sorry! Wait…No I’m not! That’s just wrong! “G’night Enishi-nii! Can you give Liya-chan a goodnight kiss for me?” Enishi stares blankly at the little girl. It’s like he’s considering whether he should say he will and not, or to actually follow through with it. Finally, he nods and follows Dr. Gensai into the clinic. That was odd…Enishi being nice. He surprises me more and more and more. I take Cho’s hand and head for the well. The demon really has changed. He may not treat any of us agreeably, but he does treat his own make-shift family well. That’s good to know. * * * Dr. Gensai sits me down on a mat in an empty room. He sets some tea in front of me as I warily eye him. Why is he drawing this out? Pausing further, he takes a long refreshing sip of his own cup, I suppose, just to piss me off. He knows he has my full attention, yet he stalls. My eyes narrow in response. “I did a full examination of Liya-san. She has many healed scars.” My body tenses at the reminder. She had many bruises as well, but they have all healed now. I remember seeing her in that dressing room. She was so thin and abused. Being a man, I couldn’t help but notice her nudity. I admit it made my body feel warm and made my pants feel a bit tight, but above all that I felt angry. How could those men use her like that? Did they get a rush? Where else was she bruised…? “I know…” “I figured you would.” My fists begin to clench, but I stop myself. Instead, I grasp the cup and force myself not to drain it in one scalding gulp. The infernal doctor takes another dramatic sip. His eyes close showing me he’s not afraid. He’s calling the shots. I realize that. Now, get on with it. “I asked her what caused them. She was, as expected, reluctant at first. She said the yakusa did it. After some coaxing, I got her to tell me that they thought the blood on her was beautiful.” My eyes narrow with rage. They enjoyed it. They tortured her because they thought it was beautiful?! I know I have done some sick things in my life, but this is…this is exactly what I mentally did to Battousai for my Jinchuu. He deserved it though. She is innocent. She doesn’t deserve to be tortured. “After seeing all the scars, I insisted on a full…and I mean full…examination. Remarkably, she has not been touched in her reproductive area. I tried to ask her about it. After more coaxing, she told me they never pleased her.” My eyes snap out of my rage. They never pleased her? Of course, by their sick standards, to rape her means they would be pleasuring her. Therefore, they made her do things to them while they tortured her saying it made her look more beautiful. I will kill them. I will kill every last one of them. Onee-san smiles at me. Yes. She wants revenge too. Their days are numbered now. Earlier, Onee-san didn’t want me to kill, but things are different now. Now, I can kill. I can get revenge for what they did to Liya and her family. I can at least do that for her since I was the man who sold them their weapons. Except for that dagger. I have never seen it before. Who did they get it from? Liya probably knows. She’s been telling me little things when they come up. We talk while we lie at night. I know she’s not telling me everything. She conveniently leaves things out. No more. I will make her talk if I have to. I can’t protect her without information. They will pay. They will suffer by my hands. I don’t care what it takes. A new Jinchuu will begin… * * * Enishi is finally let into the room. He doesn’t have any more blood on him. I guess he took a bath. His fresh robe opens slightly revealing an ample amount of his chest to me. The dagger from before is held tightly in his hand making the muscles of his arm flex as he possessively paces the room. I take it Dr. Gensai talked to him. Like Oibore, the man has a way about him that makes you talk. I believe I said something that I have been wanting to keep from Enishi. Of course, being a doctor, the man told my guardian…who is Enishi. “You’re not telling me everything.” He already knew that, but it never bothered him before. His teal eyes lock onto mine with the fierceness of a hunting tiger. “No. I’m not.” I bow my head. He doesn’t need to know. Please Enishi, don’t ask me to tell you. Suddenly, he is crouching in front of me. His large calloused hand grips my chin and cheek turning it to force me to look at him. He moved so fast. It was as if he had pounced to attack. He is mere centimeters in front of me. His breathing is low and calm, yet intense and commanding. “I can’t protect you without knowing everything.” Just as swiftly as he came to be close to me, his expression changes. It softens, yet remains just as intense. His hand loosens its grip so that he runs his fingers through my hair before cupping the back of my head. Instinctively, I lift my face to him and silently gulp. Eyes flaring with an emotion I have yet to see on any man’s face, he inches closer. His lips almost seem to brush mine. His voice is even lower now, gentle with un-experienced passion that I can‘t even begin to identify. “I will not lose you to these men. Tell me everything.” How can I refuse such a request when he is looking at me with those eyes. I nod, unable to do anything else. The heat of his body leaves me. Giving me his full attention, he sits opposite me still clutching the dagger. “Do you know about this?” He holds it up for me to see. The dragon design on the hilt is unmistakable. Its ruby eyes glint at me. The blade looks as if it were cut to mimic fire. The craftsmanship is beyond compare. “It is a family heirloom the yakusa stole from my father’s house. It is said to have been a gift from Shi Huangdi, the legendary first Emperor of China.” “They used this to cut you for their pleasure.” I nod swallowing my tears. His eyes seem to pierce me as if he is verifying that I am telling the truth, leaving nothing to the imagination. “I see…” “I will tell you everything from the beginning…as I know it.” * * * Author's Note: No real notes in this one either. I hope you like it!