Disclaimer: I do not own Bleach.

Forgive me, faithful readers for starting another, but I need to wet my appetite for angst… and smut… for angsty-smut. And I also wanted to write a piece in which Aizen's kinky colors shine through- wanted to let him be the sadistic and seductive bastard we all know he is!

Title: Trump Card

Universe: Semi-AU

Genre: Drama/Angst/Smut/Romance-ish

Main Characters: Rukia, Aizen, The Espada, Ichigo, Orihime (w/my promises that there w/b no Ichihime pairing)- others will appear randomly

Pairings: Rukia x Harem- Aizen, Grimmjow, Ichigo, slight- Stark (cuz I beat my heart out at the sound of his name)

Summary: Aizen has had a "trump card" from the beginning- using her from the start. But when her execution goes awry he discovers that the power inside her has merged too completely for him to simply steal. So he ascends… with her. And she finds herself on the other side of the war… a slave to a vicious man's desires.

AN: It's going to be quite obvious how I've played with the plot in this chapter- inserting Rukia in Tousen's place w/out shame! It might seem choppy- but the "why" will be revealed little by little.


Trump Card

Chapter 1: Setting Off No. 6


The woman stared down at Ichigo with impassive eyes that seemed to bore deep and search the very depths of his soul. Her violet eyes would have been doe-like, rich in color and bordered by thick black lashes, but there was a broken quality to them that he could see despite his lack of intuition about such emotions.

"What the hell are you doing here, Witch?" The blue-haired Espada snarled from behind her, his fury at the interruption rolling off of him in waves.

"Keeping you from diverting from the path. My lord will not be pleased." She said and her accent was strange, one that did not flavor any of the other tones of the Espada Ichigo had encountered thus far. But then, she was altogether strange. Her reiatsu was not like that of any of the Arrancars nor was it like a Shinigamis. There was a glow around her that assured him that she did have her own spiritual pressure, but it was not unpleasant or threatening, indeed it was warm and cold at the same time, thoroughly different than that of her compatriots.

Still she had to be one of them as she was stepped through a garganta. But unlike the others she was clad entirely in black with the exception of a pair of white lace-up boots that reached to her knees. From the pair of form fitting pants clinging to shapely thighs to the corset-like halter that served as her top she was sheathed in Shinigami Black, though. The thing that was out of place however, was the red collar around her neck, hanging slightly loosely against her upper collarbone. Her hair fell past her shoulders, unbound and wild in the breeze, dark and glossy. And he could swear he caught the scent of her on the wind, lilac and the sharp tang of fresh snow, a fragrance that spread shivers of recognition up his spine.

"Che!" Grimmjow sneered at her back, his palms itching to continue the battle as his fingers curled into them, "And does he know you're here?"

She did not answer and he grinned suddenly, baring his teeth in vicious amusement, "Ahh, so you've slipped your proverbial collar, have you? I wonder what sort of punishment is in store for you when he finds out." He scanned her slowly from head to toe imagining the damage to come. His eyes lingered on her back as though he could see through the fabric to the scars slashed uniformly down it at an angle.

She did not flinch at the threat in his voice, though her eyes darkened as she continued to stare down at Ichigo who was watching her warily, blood trickling down his body in several places as he breathed, waiting for an attack. But she seemed more intent on keeping Grimmjow between herself and the Shinigami than she was on making a move toward him. This did not set him at ease however as the Espada glared at him over the woman's shoulder.

For one more moment the woman kept her gaze on the Substitute Shinigami. He wanted to ask her what the hell she was staring at, but holding her keen gaze was task enough. Her stare was unnerving; he felt as though she could see each little vein that pumped blood through his body as well as possibly every thought in his head. She stared as if she knew too much. Needless to say he was relieved when she turned away without a word, waving her hand so that a garganta ripped a jagged mouth into the sky.

"Oi!" The boy suddenly called in outrage, staring incredulously at the challenger that was now also turning his back on him, "Where are you going?"

Grimmjow gave the boy a bored glance, "Where else? Back to Hueco Mundo."

The fury in the Shinigami's face increased, even as more blood sluiced from his wounds, "Fuck that! You come here just to toy with us? Then leave just like that?"

The Espada turned, "Shut up! Quit your bitchin! It's obvious you can't take any more so why don't you just go lie down like the pathetic dog you are and be grateful? You're lucky I left you standing!"

"Bastard! You really think I have nothing left to throw at you? I-," Ichigo argued, his chest still heaving.

"I said, 'Shut up'!" Grimmjow shouted again his hand flying out in a horizontal slashing gesture as though to slice the boy's words away. His eyes narrowed as he calmed the slightest bit, looking at Ichigo with disdain, "You really are lucky, boy. You're sapped- I can't feel that same power from you as before. Why would I want to fight with someone so weak?"

Ichigo's hollow was protesting loudly in his head, calling to be unleashed so that he could make his opponent eat his words. His hand unconsciously crept up to the left side of his face where his hollow mask was threatening to appear, inky black color seeping into the white of his eye. He glared at Grimmjow with venom, but he was all too aware of his own power levels at the moment.

Damnit! Why? Why wasn't it enough? Every muscle in his body was tense and only made him that much more aware of the damage he had taken. He could only watch as the blue-haired demon turned his back on him once more.

But before Grimmjow stepped into the garganta to follow the woman who had already disappeared, he cast one last look over his shoulder at the Shinigami whose power he still could not fully comprehend despite his victory. His lip curled as he eyed him one more time, "Savor this short-lived peace and remember my name. Grimmjow Jaggerjacques… The next time I see you- I'll slaughter you." That said he stepped into the blackness and was swallowed, only sky showing where he had been standing.

Zangetsu's hilt was beginning to etch itself into Ichigo's palm and he swallowed hard hoping to curb the fury burning throughout his tired body. It was likely the only thing that kept him on his feet though and as he eased his grip on his zanpaktou he realized this as a wave of exhaustion had him on the brink of collapse. He wavered slightly on his feet and took an audible breath.

He looked down at the rubble beneath his feet, the indent in the fractured blacktop caused by the severe hit he'd taken. Bitterness and frustration warred in his mind as he recalled each hit he'd made and taken as well as the biting words his opponent had spat at him. His shoulders slumped quite suddenly as he realized that somewhere along the way he had gotten his head lost in the heat of battle; his only thought had been to shatter the cocky bastard's ego with a devastating blow. In reality he should have been thinking of how he could end the fight as quickly as possible to make it back to help the others. Guilt tightened the muscles of his stomach, a sour taste more than just the tang of blood flooding his mouth.

As he sensed Renji's approaching reiatsu he tried to forestall his remorseful and despairing emotions to no avail. Too many damning memories were flashing before his eyes, all concerning his inability to protect his friends. It was nearly impossible not to feel a wash of depression flow over him as he heard Renji's footsteps come to a halt behind him. He was glad his back was to the man, and thus the lieutenant could not see the pain and fear dazzling in his russet eyes.

Who- who was that woman? Was his last heart-squeezing thought before the other man began to speak.


The hall opened up before them, dazzling white marble a steep contrast against the bleak blackness of the in-between realm. Grimmjow had remained broodingly silent on the short journey back, but she could feel his irritation prickling at her back like a furnace.

And when she stepped onto the cool floor, there was barely time to turn and face the Espada as he let out a warning growl and grabbed her arm to push her back against the wall with bruising force.

His hand instantly wrapped around her throat, threatening to tighten so that she couldn't breathe, not quite crushing, but even so keeping her in a painful hold. He stooped slightly to glare into her face.

"What the fuck did you think you were doing coming after me, bitch?" He hissed, his too blue eyes sparking like azure flames. She did not flinch at the menacing figure holding her, however. She knew as well as he did that the threat of him completely cutting of her air by crushing her windpipe was empty.

She met his gaze and tried to keep her voice steady despite the constricting hand, "It is not for you to intervene in what has already been written… That boy's life was not for you to take." He is to die and be reborn many times over, but his demise is never by your hand.

His eyes narrowed, "Are you turning traitor? Or are you just as senseless as Ulquiorra? He's a threat-minor maybe- but still- to be eliminated."

"I only speak the truth… Besides, you were in danger of provoking my Lord's wrath further had you remained." Her voice rasped the slightest bit.

"You stupid bitch!" He growled, finally making her wince as his fingernails dug into her flesh, "Worry about yourself! I'm not afraid of Lord Aizen's wrath! I-," He paused as he caught a familiar scent and his nose wrinkled in displeasure.

The presence of the Lord of Hueco Mundo's Second froze the two to their places as he finally made himself known, his footfalls suddenly not as silent as he happened upon them with that trademark grin upon his face.

He stopped several feet from them, surveying the scene with clear amusement, "Ah, there you are! Aizen-sama was beginning to worry bout ya! But here you are- safe and sound! Come on in to the throne room when you two are done there, huh Grimmjow, Rukia-chan?" Gin Ichimaru watched for a moment more before turning his back and absently waving above his head as he walked back the way he'd come. He was truly as slick as his smile, slithering up silently and leaving just as easily, his odd reiatsu curling playfully in the hall in his wake.

Grimmjow sneered as he watched the former captain's back with unbridled loathing, "Saved by the court jester." The woman, Rukia, still in his grasp said nothing and he turned back to her, tightening his grip for a moment as he leaned in toward her, his face inches from her own so that she could see the pink tip of his tongue probe hungrily at his canine. She met his eyes and though she stared at him emotionlessly he could still feel the increase in the pulse in her neck as he gave her the full effect of his fearsome gaze.

This man was unpredictable as he had demonstrated earlier by organizing the ragtag team he had taken with him into the world of the living without permission. But if anything she had proven equally surprising, and though she could not predict everything she was almost sure he would not cause her any permanent harm at the moment. While he was not one to cower or grovel when it came to his superiors, the simple fact that Gin had caught him in the act of intimidating her insured that he would go no further.

He released her suddenly, but did not step back, his face still very near hers. She took a deep ragged gasp of breath, fighting the urge to put her hand where his had been. His lip curled in a cocky smile as he watched her hand flinch toward her throat and then fall to a fist at her side.

"Guess it's time to face the executioner." He muttered darkly after a moment. He drew back and slipped his hands into his pockets as he looked down at her with a suddenly bored expression. For good measure he flashed his canines at her in a snarl and then turned away, following the path Gin had taken.

She remained for several minutes, relaxing into the marble at her back as she closed her eyes, trying to see what would happen. But there was no enlightening flash of premonition and she could feel uncertainty twisting her stomach. The only thing Rukia could be sure of was that severe castigation awaited not only the momentarily rogue Espada, but her as well.


AN: Next chapter: *Gasp* Someone loses an arm!

FYI: I may explore some canon scenes- but I honestly don't plan to follow the plot too closes as obviously the whole thing would be altered as Rukia is forced to abandon soul society.

Also- yes- it's been done- but hopefully this will be done in a fresh enough light that nothing is too stale. Fair warning that this fic will contain elements of sexual content including S&M and perhaps some non-con.

Thanks!~ Sin