Disclaimer: I don't own Rurouni Kenshin.

Summary: Kaoru is a vampire hunter who falls in love with Battousai, a vampire. A short one-shot of her love for him, her mission to kill, and how they finally were together. A very different take on a vampire story.

Note: Yeah, this was just a spur of the moment type of thing, so it kind of explains why this one-shot is so short. If you wish for me to make it longer just ask or something. And just so you know, no one beta-read this so it should really suck.

A Curricular Fate
By: S.J. Kidd

She met him on a cold autumn night, a week before all Hollow's Eve. Kaoru remembered how enchanted she had been by his masculine beauty; his two amber eyes, flaming red hair, and an infamous cross shaped scar. As a hunter she knew it was her fate to meet this man-- a man who would be her prey-- but as a woman she asked herself how could she kill him. Constantly she consoled herself with the fact that he was already dead and by killing him she would save his soul. Did the means justify the end this time? Yes, of course they did.

Kenshin did not know it at first, the fact she hunted his kind, and he was always kind to her never trying to hurt her, though his nature yearned for it. Ironically it was always her who hurt him. Sometimes Kaoru would find ways to put garlic into his food and never once did she falter in her act of innocence that is until he told her he was allergic to the spice, and with eased smile told him she was sorry and they went on with their lives. Kaoru wondered if he ever suspected about her true actions. He had always held her on a pedestal of innocence, thinking she never knew about his kind for they were the works of Hollywood media, and children's fantasies. Maybe he loved her so much that he knew but could not kill her, and then again maybe he loved her so much as to not curse her to his fate.

Whatever the reason, it was his doom.

It was only until later that Kaoru was informed of who he truly was: one the strongest of all vampires, the Battousai. Duke, her boss, smiled casually at her, leaned back against his chair, and said, "Babe, you were going to have to kill him anyway. Think of it in terms of he will be easier to kill." He paused and then frowned, "But then again, if you're not up to the challenge I could always send Misao."

She refused. If anyone were to kill him it would be her, no matter how much it hurt. Kaoru often wondered if this is what God truly wanted, to see vampires die. The answer had always been yes, but why? Why did such creatures exist? Soujiro told her they belonged to Satan, willing or not, and it was up to them to save their souls--they were God's dark angels. Up to the time Kaoru met Kenshin she agreed, but he changed her. He loved her. He protected her from everything including himself. In contrast, she hurt him every chance she had, and begged God's forgiveness every time.

During those two short years, Kaoru learned that loved wasn't for the faint of heart; she learned that love was cruel and soft, beautiful and ugly. She felt tainted with deception, and Kenshin had never once lied to her--not counting his true nature, that could not be counted against him. On some occasions, when he met his night companions, she followed in the shadows and watched them prey, always finding a way to save an innocent victim. Kaoru remember him conversing with his companions, Sanouske and Aoshi, about some top vampire hunters. They mentioned some of her missions. Never did they suspect the hunter to be the Battousai's fiancée.

She always retained her bitter laugh.

The day she killed him, she awoke early to go to the church down the street. Funny it was to ask forgiveness before she actually did the deed, but she did so anyway, and at the same time asked for strength to do it. Kaoru never once cried, not even when she plunged the stake into his chest. She did not kill him in his sleep; they fought, and both half heartily. There was pain and confusion in his eyes, but he never asked why, he merely blocked her attacks until he finally looked at her. There was something in his eyes then, a dulling of color; he gave up his hold of life. And his last words were that of, "I could never hurt the one I loved."

It was not an accusation, merely a fact.

She stayed by his body, a gaping hole where his heart once beat, until the agency came and took him. Misao simply rubbed her back that night never saying a word. She had killed the one she loved and never cried. He could have killed her in less than a second but refused to do so. She was a bitch in every sense, a bitch that never cried. A bitch who killed her true love and never said sorry.

Kaoru did not even attend his funeral, what was the point? Sanouske came to her apartment and gave her a sad smile still not knowing that it was she who was the huntress, the one who killed his best friend. That was the last time she talked to him. Kaoru could care less if he was alive or not, but that notion was amusing for he was already dead in the true sense. He was a monster just as Kenshin was. All vampires were monsters no matter how kind they were. It was a sad existence.

Even now, five years later, Kaoru had still yet to shed a tear of remorse. Duke once asked her if she ever even felt bad. Kaoru replied, "No. I saved him and the only thing to regret is that it was I should have died."

Sometimes the only way to heal is to go forward, and that is what Kaoru did. In her dreams, she sometimes sees him; his violet and amber eyes, his flaming red hair, and that damn smile on his face. He holds out his hand to her and tells her that he is fine, and he even thanked her. And then he smiles and says that she will join him soon, and asks her to not be afraid. Kaoru was never once afraid.

Five years later, she still kills vampires without hesitation.

Five years later, she still loves him.

Five years later, on the day of his death, a vampire will finally get the better of her.

And five years later, she held his hand once again.

A/N: Sorry this was so short, but I just wanted to write a different take on a vampire fic. I was tired of all the dark stories that ended up having Kaoru become a vampire herself.

Well I hoped you liked it, no matter how much it sucked.

Thank you for taking the time to read this story. I might redo it and make it longer. But hey, who knows. And yes I know, my grammar sucks.

S.J. Kidd