Kaoru hums to herself as she walks down the isolated, dark path. Unbeknownst to her, a figure lurks in the shadows of the trees. Just before he leaps down to attack, she senses him and throws her groceries in his face, knocking him out of the tree. He stands, drawing his katana, and advances slowly.

Tripping on her kimono, she falls to the ground. The figure raises the katana above his head and slashes downward. Kaoru closes her eyes, awaiting the fatal blow, but it doesn't come. A no-dachi has blocked the katana.

"Well, well, well... Anmaru Reika, I presume," the vampire sneers as he jumps back a few feet. "Sho-sama figured he'd find you sooner or later."

"Well, isn't he smart," she growls. "I suggest you run back to him and tell him he's next before you end up like the woman at the river."

"I don't think so. Unlike her, I won't easily be defeated," he laughs menacingly.

"Don't count on that," she runs at him, shifting her sword.

Both swords clash and they jump away from each other. This continues until the vampire misinterprets one of her moves and is stabbed in the shoulder.

"Bitch!" he hisses, grabbing his wounded shoulder.

She grins, showing her medium-sized fangs, and charges at him again. Just before she reaches him, she uses her god-speed technique and appears behind him. He anticipates this and strikes behind him, stabbing her in the lower left side of her abdomen. He turns before she has time to get away and stabs her in the thigh.

"Shit," she growls to herself as she draws a silver stake. "It's time to finish this!"

Ignoring the pain, she charges again, using god-speed to appear and disappear. Confused, the vampire tries to pinpoint her next move. Unfortunately for him, he isn't quick enough and she stabs him with the silver stake in the chest. He turns into dust. After he disappears, she collapses on the knee of her uninjured leg, breathless.

Kaoru, stunned by all that happened, snaps out of her trance and walks over to Reika, concerned.

"Are you alright?"

"Yeah. I'm fi.. shit!" she grimaces, waves of pain crashing her near the brink of unconsciousness.

"Watashi wa Kamiya Kaoru. Come with me back to my house," Kaoru smiles. "I've got a friend who can attend to your injuries."

"Watashi wa Anmaru Reika. Arigatou, Kaoru-san, demo..."

"I won't take no for an answer," she puts a resisting Reika's arm over her shoulder and they begin walking toward Kaoru's home.

As they the enter the gate of the Kamiya dojo, Reika smells a familiar scent and stops suddenly. Himura Kenshin emerges in the door.

"Battousai," she hisses, fangs gleaming in the moonlight, as she steps painfully in front of Kaoru, placing her hand over the hilt of her no-dachi. She studies the ex-Battousai. "Stay back, Kaoru-san."

"Demo, Reika-san..."

"Kaoru-dono, are you all right?" Kenshin's eyes narrow and flash briefly from amber to violet, as he places a hand over his sakabatou.

"I'm fine, Kenshin," Kaoru tries to grab Reika's shoulder, but misses as she limps toward him. "Reika-san... it's.."

"Something's different about you now," she narrows her eyes and stops halfway up the path. "You've gotten stronger, that's for sure. But it's something else...something I can't quite put my finger on.."

"Just who are you?" Kenshin voice lowers menacingly. "And how do you know me?"

"Watashi wa Anmaru Reika," she bows respectfully, then falls to her knees, unconscious from loss of blood.

"Reika-san! You're injuries," Kaoru places one of Reika's arms around her neck. "Kenshin help me get her inside."

"Oro??"

"I'll explain later," she states as Kenshin places the other arm around his neck. "Yahiko!"

"What is it old hag?" Yahiko walks out on the porch. "I was just..."

"Run and get Megumi quick," she ignores his remark.

"Hai!" he takes off down the path.

"Unh...." Reika sits up, groaning, and places her legs over the side of the bed. "Where am I? Oh, yeah. That girl's dojo."

"Konnichiwa, Reika-san," Kaoru walks in, carrying a tray of food. "How are you feeling?"

"Okay, I guess," she stretches. "How long was I out?"

"Just overnight," Kaoru sets the tray on the nightstand. "Thank you for saving me last night."

"No problem," Reika smiles. "It's my job..."

"Is she awake?" Kenshin calls from the hallway.

"Hai, Kenshin."

"Kaoru-dono, I'd like to speak with Reika-san for a moment."

"Sure. I'll be back."

After she leaves, Kenshin studies Reika for a moment.

"Paint a picture. It last longer," she bristles.

"Oro?"

"You were staring."

"Gomen. I didn't mean to stare. I'm just trying to figure you out. You know who I am, yet I have no idea who you are. Plus for someone who lost a lot of blood last night, you should have been unconscious a lot longer."

"I don't want you to figure me out!" she snaps and stands. "Three years ago, my fa.. I was commission to hunt you dowm."

"Hunt me?" he raises an eyebrow."

"Hai. I'm a youma hunter. And, if I'm not mistaken, Battousai, nearly ten years ago you were a monster."

"Hai," he nods regretfully. "Why didn't you finish the job?"

"After I had finally tracked you down, I noticed that you had took up the sakabatou and started helping lives rather than destroying them," she walks over to her belongings, which were placed at the end of the bed, and begins putting on her armor. "Since you had changed, I decided not to pursue you any further."

"Ah. You're not leaving, are you? You haven't finished healing," Kenshin grabs her shoulder.

"I don't want to put anymore of you in danger by staying here. I'm looking for someone and he knows I'm coming for him," she puts on her cloak and climbs onto the window's ledge. "And he'll send people to get me if he finds out I'm staying here."

"I see. I'll get Kaoru-dono so you..."

"You're not leaving!" Kaoru stalks into the room and yanks her off the windowsill.

"Erk..." Reika gags and falls to the floor.

"You're not even completely healed. Besides, we can take care of ourselves when these people..."

"But they're not people," she snaps. "They're vampires, demon, oni, and the like. The undead. They can't be killed by normal techniques. Vampire can only be killed by wooden stakes or the sun; all other monster, by my sword."

"Your sword?"

"Hai," she draws her sword. "The sword of light. It's been in my mother's family for countless generations. I come from a long line of hunters."

"We can take care of the vampires. Just give us some stakes and..."

"No...." she stops suddenly as the cold tingling sensation returns crawls up her neck again. "Shit!"

"What is it?" Kenshin's eyes narrow.

"Demons. In the trees. Sixteen in total; six demons, five hellhounds, and five zombies."

"I don't sense anything."

"Because they don't have any kenki. They're all dead. Besides, only demons can sense demons."

"Then you're one of them," Kaoru gasps in astonishment.

"Hai. I'm a dhampyre. Vampire-human offspring," she walks to the window and gasp. "Damn! They've captured a woman and two children."

"Megumi-dono!"

"Ayame-chan! Suzume-chan!"

All three downstairs to the front yard.