“Betrayal By Blood”
Part 8

Nori opens her eyes to find that it is nightfall. She pushes herself up in her bed only to forced back down, “Lay down you need to rest,” She hears Hijikata say. “You have lost a lot of blood.”

“What do you care…? Remember you wanted to kill me.” Nori says. Nori sees a flash out of the corner of her eye. She turns to see Hijikata sitting there next to her with his sword drawn.

“What’s to say that this is not the reason why I am here now?” Hijikata says as he moves his blade over her chest. Nori slaps the blade of his sword away from her, quickly getting to her feet. She wavers to one side.

“Then try to kill me Hijikata.” Nori tells him. Hijikata gets to his feet lowering his blade to his side.

“Like you would be a match for me the way you are now.” He says walking toward her. She steps back from him, ready for anything that he may have in store for her. Hijikata reaches for Nori grabbing her wrist, as he pulls her toward him slowly. She starts to pull away from him, as the door to her room opens.

“Hijikata… Nori! What are you doing out of bed?” Susumu says.

“What do you want Susumu?!” Hijikata says, as Nori jerks herself free from Hijikata’s grip.

Susumu walks into the room and over to Nori, he looks at her seeing that she is upset over what was happening in the room before he came in. “Soji needs you, Commander.” Susumu tells him.

“What does Soji want with me? He should be on patrol right now.” Hijikata says.

Susumu is looking at Nori, then looks back at Hijikata, “I do not know, Commander. That was all I was told.” Susumu says.

Hijikata looks at Nori the look in his eyes told her this was far from over, Hijikata walks out of the room. Susumu picks up Nori in his arms.

“Susumu what are you doing?” She says.

“I am taking you somewhere safe until you have completely healed.” Susumu tells her. Susumu goes to the door of her room looking to make sure it was clear, then carries Nori to his room, “You will be safe here until I can get you out of headquarters. Just stay in here and be quite until I return for you.” Susumu tells her as he lays her down on his bed covering her with the blanket. Susumu starts to get up as Nori stopped him by touching his hand.

“Soji did not want Hijikata did he?” Nori asks Susumu as he looked back at her.

Susumu smiled at Nori and kissed her forehead. “I suppose I will be next to be on Hijikata’s list once he finds that out and then finds you not in your room.” Susumu says lifting up from her. Nori touches Susumu’s cheek.

“Thank you Susumu.” She tells him.

“Just rest I will be back soon.” He tells her and leaves the room.

The next afternoon Hijikata is in an all-out rage, “WHERE IS SHE!!” Tetsu hears Hijikata yell at the top of his lungs as he goes to walk into his office. When Tetsu slides the door, he sees Soji, Susumu, and Hajime sitting in his office.

“I know one of you has something to do with her disappearance, if not all three of you. Where is she? I demand to know now! That is an order!!” Hijikata yells.

“Umm…”

“Tetsu what do you want I am a little busy right now?!” Hijikata yells at him with a glare that burned right through him.

“I… I…” “Well boy what is it?!” Hijikata yells.

Tetsu backs out of the office and slides the door closed. Hijikata turns his attention back to the three in his office. As Hijikata starts yelling again, Tetsu is outside resting against the door with his eyes closed. A voice speaks to him.

“What is going on in there?”

Tetsu jumps to attention. “Hijikata is mad.” Tetsu says.

“I can see that or should I say I can hear that.” Commander Keisuke Yamanami says. Keisuke slides the door to Hijikata office and walks in.

“What now, Tetsu?!” Hijikata says turning to see Keisuke. “Keisuke, when did you return?” Hijikata says.

“Just now and to hear all the yelling and screaming, I would have to say this is not a good time to return.” Keisuke says. “What is going on any way?” Keisuke asks Hijikata, looking at the three in front of him.

“Someone thought that they needed to hide Nori from me to keep her safe.” Hijikata says giving them a scowl look.

“Nori- Miss Nori Nanba Mutsu from the tea shop?” Keisuke asks.

"Yes…”

“Commander!” One of the men that he sent out on patrol for Nori walked into his office interrupting Hijikata. “We found her, Commander.” He tells Hijikata.

“Good, where is she now?” Hijikata says as one of the men walks up with her, her hands tied behind her back and her legs tied together as well, the rope was just long enough so she could walk.

Hijikata looks back at the three in his office, “You can go now, but I am not done with you three. I will find out which one of you did this, and you will be punished accordingly.” Hijikata tells them.

Hijikata reaches for Nori pulling her into his office, as the three walk out, “You can go as well Keisuke, I can take care of this my self.” Hijikata tells him. Keisuke looks at Nori and turns to Hijikata.

“What has she done Hijikata?” He asks him.

“None of your concern... I will deal with her myself, now go.” Hijikata tells him.

Keisuke turns and walks out sliding the door. Hijikata walks over to Nori placing his fingertips to her chin lifting her head to look at her neck, “You’re bleeding again.” Hijikata tells her, as he walks around behind her.

“I wonder why I only had to fight eight of your men, taking six out before they had to use the net to catch me.” Nori says, as she follows him with her eyes, he walks around her then steps in behind her.

She turns her head looking for him and then quickly turns her head the other way to see him right behind her. She feels Hijikata’s hands on her arms as they slide down to the ropes around her wrist.

Hijikata is laughing under his breath. “So you took six of them out did you?” Hijikata says moving closer to her, as his chin is right above her shoulder.

“Do not worry, Hijikata. They are still alive. I am not a killer like you.” Nori tells him. Hijikata jerks on the rope around her wrists by her comment. Nori lets out a moan of discomfort.

“You like this, don’t you Hijikata? You know the way I am tied I cannot fight you.” Nori says in a taunting way. She feels Hijikata touch her arms and squeeze them tight getting close to her ear.

“You’re going to be good if I untie you, right?” Hijikata whispers.

Nori grits her teeth by his grip on her arms saying, “You asking or telling?”

“I am warning you, Nori... you had better be on your best with me at this moment.” Hijikata says as she feels him untying the ropes he goes to one knee and unties her legs. Nori starts to rub her wrist where the ropes were she steps away from Hijikata, taking a seat, as Hijikata goes around the table and has a seat himself.

“What is it that you want?” Nori asks Hijikata. She places her hands on her lap and sits up straight, awaiting an answer from Hijikata. “You know having me in a confined area is not a good star-”

“Do not try and threaten me, Nori,” Hijikata interrupted Nori. “You are not in my good books and you know that,” Hijikata continues.

Nori could not help but lock her eyes with his as he spoke his words of anger. Her heart started to race and her palms began to get clammy. She rubs her hands on her lap to take the dampness away but it was no use; this feeling inside of her is not going to go away for a while, not as long as she is in the same room with him.

“What is wrong with you?” Hijikata says to Nori as he stands up and walks around the table to her.

“Nothing,” Nori answers back. "The ropes have just irritated my skin." She looks away from him and turns to face the window to see if there is anything interesting going on outside. In actuality, it is to keep her eyes off Hijikata, who is now behind her. He places his hands firmly on her shoulders and guides her to stand up. As Nori raises to her feet Hijikata arms wraps around her.

“What the hell do you think you are doing?!” Nori pushes away from Hijikata and faces him.

“You have a problem of where my hands go?” Hijikata asks Nori.

“Yes I do, as a matter of fact,” Nori threw back.

Hijikata starts to walk towards Nori again, enclosing the gap between him and her. “You cannot say you did not want this…” Hijikata says to Nori as he is walking toward her backing her into the wall, he pushes her up against it.

“What the hell is going on with you?!” Nori tries to push him back, but no matter what she tries to do, she could not keep her concentration, he just kept overpowering her. He was too close for her to do anything and he knew by keeping her close and unable to focus there was no way she could attack him.

“Do not try and fight me,” Hijikata whispers in her ear, as he grabs her wrist pressing her arms to the wall as well holding on to them.

“Hijikata, please-” Nori says quietly as she feels his lips brush against her skin as he slowly kisses down her neck. Hijikata’s arms wrap around Nori’s slender body, embracing her closely.

“We should not…” Nori whispers to him again.

“Shhh…” Hijikata eyes meet with Nori, he leans forward, and their lips lock together. Time stops flowing for Nori but she could still feel herself living. She could feel his heartbeat every second, his touch on her stomach, his hand running through her hair. The sensation tingles through her and then Hijikata moves away.

“What…” Nori thinks to herself.

“You know, you are right, we should not.” Hijikata says to her. He starts to walk away from Nori and turns around. “Maybe another time we can get even closer,” he smirks at her.

“Why you crafty-” Nori’s sentence became interrupted by a disturbance outside.

“Now what?” Hijikata slides open his door. “What is this nonsense?!” Hijikata shouts to a member of Shinsengumi who is running past.

“Someone has broken into Headquarters!” The member runs off to alert more of his group. Hijikata turns around and grabs his sword; he looks at Nori and places his hand upon her face.

“We will continue this another time,” he says to her and runs out of the room.

“I know we will.” Nori says to herself as she watches Hijikata run off.