Happy 2016 All! FYI This story is currently a T but is moving more towards M and will almost certainly shift up shortly.

To Steal A Soul

"Wait!" She cried out desperately. Harribel halted in the doorway. "Are you strong?"

I'm stalling, but I can't let her leave! If she's strong then I can at least trust her to be able to do what she promises.

Harribel turned and started unzipping her top from the bottom up. To her embarrassment she found herself blushing as she watched and thought back to the promise she would have to make. Then gasped as she saw the number.

"I'm Tier Harribel, Tres Espada."

Nothing more said, but then nothing more is needed. She's strong.

"Was there anything else?" Harribel looked set to turn again and leave, left hand resting on the door.

I lost my freedom when I chose to come here. I can't let my friends die for me! I couldn't live if even only Sado died and I could have saved him.

She knelt on the floor, hands on her lap, bowing her head and saying softly,

"I'll do it. I'll join you. Just so long as you do everything you can to help save my nakama."

She heard the door shut and shuddered. She went anyway?

Steps approached and a shadow formed in front of her. A cool hand slipped under her chin and raised her head so she was facing Harribel; who was crouching down and facing her at eye level with a serious expression.

"Are you sure? Just as you would expect us to do our best protecting you, so we would expect you to do your best protecting us. Just as you'd expect us to do our best saving your friends lives so we'd expect you to do your best becoming a part of our team and bonding with us. There can be no going back."

I know! I know that all too well. But I don't think I could stand the alternative. My future is a small price to pay for the lives of my friends. I wish I could trust in their strength more, but with Sado dying I can't take the risk.

In the background she felt Rukia's spiritual pressure flagging as it was overwhelmed.

She stared back resolved.

"I know. I'll join your Faccion."

She saw Harribel's expression soften as she slipped a smooth, rounded stone into her hand. Glancing down she saw it was a light grey pebble flecked with white and marked in the middle by a smooth black five pointed star. It vibrated with a large amount of Reishi.

"Then hold that in your hand and repeat the following after me."

Must be some sort of initiation ritual; well as long as it's not too long so I can get to Sado and Rukia in time.

She clutched the stone in her right hand and began repeating after Harribel, eyes fixed on each other:

"I Inoue Orihime promise on my life and the life of my friends the following:"

"Firstly that I will obey any orders given to me by Tier Harribel."

"Secondly that I will do my best to protect and heal Tier Harribel and the members of her Fraccion: Emilou Appaci, Franceska Mila Rose and Cyan Sung-Sun."

At least they are all female names. For some reason it doesn't feel like I'm betraying my former love so much.

"Thirdly that I will do my best to become a member of Tier Harribel's Fraccion by bonding with all members emotionally and physically."

God knows what I'll do if they are unpleasant though. I'm not certain how I feel about being with Harribel and she's stunning.

"I understand that this promise is irrevocable unless ended by Tier Harribel and that it is binding upon my soul."

"Completar."

The stone grew increasingly warm and as she finished peaked to a sharp spike of heat making her cry out in pain. A jolt of energy shot up her right arm and felt as though it lodged into her heart and mind with a thin thread connecting. The stone crumbled to dust, running between her fingers as white sand. Looking at her hand she saw a small black star burnt into the palm.

"It's a promise stone or soul stone," Harribel explained simply and almost apologetically as they both rose to stand, still facing each other. "It binds the users soul to a promise freely entered. Should they think about breaking the promises it generates a headache. Should one try to actively break the promise the pain renders the person unconscious or dead."

Ah. Gazing at her hand the true realisation of the cage she'd placed herself in began registering. Her body suddenly felt heavy and she wondered if it was a feeling of regret for coming, for signing up to this deal. It was as though a cage of those same black stars had formed about her within the room.

Harribel's right hand came to rest gently against her left cheek and her mind jumped from imagining black stars to the realisation of how close the golden framed pools of green were to her.

"The final part of the initiation will have to wait, but for now..."

She caught on quickly, the desire in Harribel's eyes radiating clearly. She was torn for a second.

My first kiss...

But a faint jolt of pain reminded her of her promise and she wrapped her arms about Harribel's shoulders, feeling the powerful, firm muscles beneath the loose top.

I promised to do my best as she would for my friends so...

Harribel's own strong arms proceeded to encircle her and she closed her eyes as their mouths drew closer, unsure exactly what to do or how to feel.

Then lips met her own and she responded naturally. As she did she felt Harribel's tongue run along her lips and brush her own tongue sending a tingling rushing through her body. For a second her her mind went blank as her chest rose and brushed against Harribel's and a wave of pleasure rippled through her. Then it was over, her eyes shooting open and her breath short as Harribel glanced left, saying,

"We should hurry, it seems your Soul Reaper friend is in serious trouble."

She blinked, dazed by the intensity of the sudden kiss. Then she focused back on Rukia's pressure, noting in horror it was fading to nothing. The elation, the doubts and the thoughts of a cage left her and she smiled a weak smile as she quickly rose.

Is it stupid to feel relieved that had I not done the deal I would have been feeling even worse right now?

It seemed a bit irreverent to keep referring to her new Mistress as simply Harribel though.

"Yes Harribel-sama."

Hariibel nodded, zipping down her top and striding to the door which began swinging open, to allow them out. She followed, doing her best to match Harribel's quick strides: Her palm and her lips still warm with the feeling of complete betrayal.