A/N: I'm back!
Misha and Farrah – Thanks for reviewing!
A big thanks to everyone else as well, and added thanks to all who have followed or faved this fic!
Disclaimer: Bleach belongs to Tite Kubo.
Enjoy!
Chapter – 4
Her sweet blood flowed into his waiting mouth. His arms tightened around her waist and shoulders as her eyes slowly fluttered shut and her body slumped. He licked his lips, savoring the addictive taste, his mind recording little details like the feel of her satiny skin and her fragrant, floral scent. She was unexpectedly delicious, in all senses of the word.
He'd been privy to a short flash of her feelings when he'd bit into her tantalizingly delicate throat, for being able to do so was one of his abilities. There were three prominent ones. Anger, at him for behaving the way he did, at his arrogance and indifference. Frustration, at the helplessness of her situation. He'd been thoroughly taken aback by the third one; Regret, for loving him.
He was still unable to believe that she loved him. Uncharacteristically, he felt a sudden pang of guilt, but the next moment it was gone.
He smirked inwardly as he thought of just how much this unearthed fact would serve in entertaining him. He looked down at her and his gaze fell to the imprint of his teeth that glowed red with her blood against the sensual backdrop of her pale neck. The sight was riveting. He thought he felt an odd sense of remorse at hurting her but promptly brushed it off. He effortlessly scooped her light form into his arms and began to walk out of the prison.
She blinked, adjusting to the light as she awoke. The bed she was laying on feeling unusually soft and that was not something that she was accustomed to.
Wait.
This was not her bedroom ceiling, definitely not. She would have known if her bedroom ceiling had had such an elaborate light fixture. She turned her head to the side and let out a strangled scream. She was not alone.
Lord Ichigo Kurosaki was stretched on his side next to her, an insufferable smirk on his annoyingly handsome face.
He sat up and she did the same, scooting away till her back hit the headboard. And then –
'Ow.' She said and held her head. It probably hadn't been a good idea to get up so suddenly. She frowned in discomfort, pulling out the pins holding the bun up. She let her long, burnt-orange hair cascade down her back and around her shoulders while she rubbed soothing circles on her temples, oblivious to the heated expression that passed over the Lord's face.
She looked at him and gasped as she remembered his actions in the prison. Immediately, her hand shot to the side of the neck and she felt the mark there, her eyes growing wider and wider with shock.
'You're a vampire!'
'Yes.'
She gaped at his frank answer and her eyes were like saucers.
'No! That's not possible! Those are all just stories!'
'You'd best start believing in fairytales, Miss Inoue.' He appeared to be amused in a dark sort of way that made her feel increasingly uneasy.
'But how?'
'Well that is the result of having a vampire father and a human mother. Hmm, in that sense it would be wrong of me to say that I'm a vampire. More like a half-vampire.'
'I . . . don't understand.'
'You don't need to.'
'No, tell me.'
He controlled himself from raising his eyebrows in disbelief. She was different, this one. Of that he was certain. What normal person would have the audacity to command him like she had in such a situation? He decided to indulge her and let the matter drop. For now.
'What do you want to know?'
'H-how old are you, my lord?'
He burst out laughing at her question.
'Oh, I see. You wouldn't want to bed an old geezer, now would you?'
Her face flamed scarlet.
'Th-that I . . . well . . . '
'I shall assuage your fears. I am twenty-four.'
She blinked once, twice.
'How long have you been twenty-four, my lord?'
A derisive look came over his face.
'For someone who doesn't believe in stories, you seem to put quite a bit of faith in them.'
She remained silent.
'I have become twenty-four in twenty-four years.'
'How – '
He grew frustrated. He didn't know why he was answering her questions except that for some reason he enjoyed looking at her expressions.
'Contrary to any information that you might have, Miss Inoue, vampires are not the undead, nor can humans be "created" or "transformed" to be vampires. That is not how it works. Vampires are born, but only if at least one parent is a full vampire. It is necessary that half the blood be that of a vampire for the child to have any abilities.'
'Abilities?'
'Strength, speed, agility, a highly intelligent mind and one very interesting trait which has benefitted me recently.'
'My lord?'
'Forgive me for being so ignorant of your feelings for me, Miss Inoue.' His voice was smooth, taunting and the contemptuous look in his eyes made a mockery of his words.
She didn't realize that she had stopped breathing. He watched in strange fascination as she blanched and then blushed furiously, having no sort of reply for him.
'How? I-I mean that's not – '
'Oh spare me. I gained a glimpse when I bit you.'
It's not as if she didn't know how blunt he was but that did not mean that the self-satisfied wry smile that accompanied his reply did not annoy her. Did he honestly think that just because she was in his manor (for a look outside the window in the room had confirmed this) she was going to be all meek and quiet? Well, she'd show him that she could be blunt too.
'So you need my blood. Is that it? That's why you've brought me here, to drain me dry?'
Far from what she had expected, his mouth twisted into an arrogantly amused grin and he let out a small chuckle.
'You've quite an imagination, don't you? It's remarkable. However, I suppose I must burst your little bubble. Let me tell you an interesting titbit. To most vampires, myself included, blood is like wine. You can live without it, you can moderate your intake or you can't live without it. It is not something that is essential for survival, but it is something desirable and enjoyable.'
Her eyes widened as his hand came up to trace maddeningly distracting patterns on the base of her neck, his long fingers brushing teasingly over her skin. She stubbornly turned her face away from him, trying to control her uneven breathing.
'So you see Miss Inoue,' he breathed, his husky voice reverberating in her ear, 'I'm sorry to disappoint you but I don't need your blood, I want it. Amongst other things . . . '
Her head whipped back and she met his brazen stare. He observed her through strands of orange hair, his eyes burning dangerously and his lips curved into an unnerving smile. Her breath stuck in her throat and she immediately diverted her gaze away from him.
He gave a quiet laugh, which for so small a gesture was oddly menacing and exited the room, leaving her with a befuddled mind and a racing heart.
A/N: And there you have all the vampire specifics. Did anybody recognize the Pirates dialogue? I'm curious :)
I forget which manga volume it was but there is a pic of Ichigo, Renji, Toshiro and Chad as vampires. I think Ichigo looks damn sexy in that. I can't say for sure because Renji distracted me XD
Now that I'm done with my craziness, I hope that you liked the chapter! Lemme know your thoughts!
