This is the first installment in a series of stories using Bleach characters for reimaginings of well known bedtime stories that are definitely not for children. My original intentions for these stories was for them to be one shots, but it appears each one will be a little mini-story of its own. Thanks to my beta, xfang-girlx, who read over this for me to find errors and convinced me it was worth publishing. I hope you enjoy it. :D

Bleach Bedtime Stories I: Little Red Riding Hood

Chiaki suspiciously glared at her rambling grandmother wearing her incredulity like a badge. She did not believe a word coming out of the old woman's mouth. Convinced her grandmother had lost her mind, she fought back the tears that sprang to the corners of her eyes. She had heard stories for years of the shape shifting fox-wolf that lived in this forest. As she had gotten older, more details had been added to the many tales. Now that she was a grown woman, the stories had become erotic narratives making the creature out to be a seductive handsome man who preyed on innocent virgins. After finishing off the soup she had brought, her ailing grandmother had launched into a fervid retelling of yet another version of the bed time story of the fox-like animal that could morph into a human. To her dismay, this twist involved her grandmother on an extremely personal, and embarrassing, level.

"Grandmother!" Chiaki shrieked when she could not take it anymore. "Please stop! These stories of Sajin are nothing but children's bedtime stories that you've turned into dirty sex tales!"

Chiaki avoided looking at her grandmother who wore an apologetic smile. She felt a soft hand cover hers that were fiddling nervously with the braided tie on the red cape she held in her lap. It had been a gift given to her years ago by her loving grandmother. She had been told it would protect her. She assumed it meant she would be easy to see should she get lost in one of the frequent snowstorms they endured during the long winter months. No longer a child and sure of the path between her home and her grandmother's, she still wore the heavy cloak made of crimson wool not only because of the warmth it brought her but because of the comfort as well. She loved her grandmother, but today her patience had been tested to an end with yet another story of Sajin. This version with the extra added details of how he had seduced and nearly killed the sweet old granny holding her hand and staring at her with watery blue eyes had become too much for her to bear.

"My dear, you are old enough to know the truth now," her grandmother said, removing her hand and sitting back against the many pillows positioned to prop her up.

"What truth? What do you mean?" she questioned the woman skeptically, raising an eyebrow. She returned the unwavering gaze of the suddenly strong and clear blue eyes of her grandmother with her own eyes that were such a light blue they were nearly colorless. Twisting a long auburn red curl around her finger, she anxiously chewed her lower lip while waiting for the woman to continue. What other shocking revelation could be held in that mind hidden beneath a cap of perfectly coiffed white hair? She was somewhat fearful to find out.

"I barely escaped with my life from that foul beast," her grandmother said, pushing back the covers to stand up beside the bed.

"Granny, you shouldn't get out of bed," Chiaki protested, standing up as well. "You're sick."

Chiaki resisted the urge to turn away when her grandmother lifted the flower printed flannel nightgown to reveal a deep red scar in an arch shape on her side. She gasped when the little woman turned to reveal the other half of the scar on her back. Upon closer inspection, she could see individual teeth marks. A bite? What the hell...

"Granny - "

"Do you believe me yet?"

Chiaki dropped down heavily into the chair she had been sitting in before she fell to the floor. How could it be? Surely Granny had been attacked by one of the many wolves that live in the forest. Sajin was not real. She did not see her grandmother's disappointed frown because the woman had turned to get back into bed upon seeing the expression of disbelief still clearly borne on her granddaughter's lovely face.

"Just heed my words and be very careful. You better run along now. The sun is setting and we're due for a snow storm tonight," Granny informed her, arranging the covers as she prepared for sleep.

Chiaki silently rose from her chair and added a few sticks of wood to the fire. She hoped it would be enough to keep Granny warm through the night. Swinging her cloak over her back, she tightly tied the cord under her chin and pulled the hood over her head.

"I'll be back tomorrow to check on you," she assured Granny, receiving a silent nod in return. She had hurt her grandmother's feelings, but she just could not believe all of that ridiculous tripe about the transforming beast who used sex as a weapon in his human form and killed women, or tried to, for the fun of it after conquering them. Stepping out in the frigid air, she pulled her cloak around her, holding it with one hand while locking the door behind her.

Chiaki allowed her mind to wander as she stared up at the gloomy gray clouds that looked ready to burst from being so full of snowflakes. It would be dark soon so she had to hurry. Pulling her hood further over her head to shield her face from the howling wind, she shivered when another howl met her ears. Stopping momentarily, she shivered as a sensation as icy as the wind around her shot down her spine and dared to freeze her feet to the ground where she stood.

"Don't be stupid," she admonished herself. "It's just the wind and nothing more."

Staring at her feet, she kept her head lowered and ran.

~...~

Chiaki was on the verge of panicking; she should have been home by now. Turning around in slow circles, she uselessly tried to peer into the darkness to get her bearings. How could this happen? Home was not that far away but she had managed to become lost somehow. The snow had started to fall and covered the ground in a thin, white fluffy layer. It had been dark for more than an hour, and she should have reached her home long before the darkness fell. Her mother would be so worried. She was angry with herself for allowing her mind to wander and apparently her body with it. Her thoughts had fixated on the stories of Sajin while her mind tried to make sense of it all after seeing the scars on her grandmother's frail body. Then that damn howling that would not stop had driven her to distraction; the plaintive cries of the wolves in the woods searching their mate or just crying out for the hell of it to scare any hapless humans traveling home.

Chiaki suddenly felt weak and very tired. Since she had still been spinning in circles, the dizziness sent her down to her knees. Tears fell from her eyes as she gave in to the sense of hopelessness and panic. Her body trembled more from the swiftly dropping temperature than her tears which froze onto her cheeks from the strong wind that blew from the north.

"Help!" she screamed, hearing her voice echo back to her. It was as if nature was taunting her, reminding her how foolish and ridiculous she had been. Although she knew it was useless, she yelled out again. "Someone help me!"

Silence. Even the wind died down and stopped blowing like it was telling her no one would hear her and no one would be coming to save her. But it was wrong. Someone had heard her. And he was coming swiftly with his ears perked up and his bushy tail held high in the air. He had been calling her for hours, waiting for her to respond. Finally she had answered his calls, and he was coming to get her.

~...~

Chiaki lay on the ground, half way covered by the snow that had continued to fall at an ever-increasing speed. Her body was numb at this time. She no longer felt the painful cold sinking into her muscles and reaching her bones, freezing her body ever so slowly. Drowsiness encompassed her, and she wanted to give into the nothingness. But her spirit would not allow her to relinquish her life just yet. Blinking slowly, she saw the darkness itself move and come toward her. She could hear panting, like that of a dog. Her eyelids lowered and the sound of the heavy breathing got louder as the animal came closer. When they reopened, he was standing in front of her, his long pink tongue lolling out of his mouth with drool dripping onto the snow in front of her face. Looking into the bright amber eyes, she reached out tentatively waiting to hear the undomesticated beast issue a growl in protest. This animal was something like a fox and a wolf combined, his russet colored fur was soft and thick beneath her fingertips. He was massive and bigger than average even for a wolf; her hand looked like a child's placed against his gargantuan head.

"Are you going to kill me?" she asked, for some reason actually expecting an answer. Obviously the cold had gotten to her brain and numbed her ability to think rationally. This could all possibly be a hallucination. Her eyes were looking into the golden ones that suddenly took on a human appearance, losing their wild canine quality.

"No. I'm here to save you," a deep masculine voice told her.

Chiaki felt warmed by the voice. She closed her eyes when a pair of hands slid under her almost dead body.

"I will save you. Hang on for me. Don't die."

To be continued...

Chapter 2 will be published in a few days (hopefully). :)