Kisuke stared at the monitor in his office observing the brown haired beauty sitting behind her desk in her office. For once Mayuri had a burst of invasive brilliance when he decided to install the camera in the office Nami shared with the rest of the administrative assistants to keep a close eye on her. He had been watching her closely the last few weeks because there was something definitely different about her. A smirk of amusement tilted his lips when he watched her scratch her ear like a dog…or a cat. The smile fell to be replaced by a deep frown. His gray eyes concentrated on her as she stretched luxuriously with a clueless, guiltless expression on her face. She had no idea she was being watched, and it gave him a guilty thrill feeding his voyeuristic tendencies. So many questions formed in his mind about her unusual behavior and personality changes. Could she have somehow come across their escaped experiment? It would certainly explain her sudden burst of sexiness and bravado. He liked the fabulously erotic changes in here but there was a reason, a very good explanation other than a rapid boost in self-esteem, for the unexpected modifications in her personality and physical appearance.

The strange genetic experiment was supposed to have created a new kind of soldier, one who could escape detection to get behind enemy lines for intelligence gathering or planting spying contraptions and incendiary devices. Tactical maneuvers would have to be scheduled according to the phases of the moon but all military procedures had to be cautiously planned taking into account certain conditions. When the creature transformed into his human form, he could move soundlessly with the grace and speed of cat to remain unnoticed while completing his mission. The feline ability to see in the dark would totally omit his need to use flashlights or night vision equipment further improving his capability of remaining virtually invisible. In place of a super-soldier, they had inadvertently created a hormonal nightmare who looked like a lion but had the heart of a lamb and was more intent on escaping the lab than completing any of the objectives they would lay out for him.

Kisuke toyed with the papers on his desk, procrastinating about going to give them to Nami. He did not like the effect she had on him. The overwhelming need and the brain numbing desire she stirred up within him was not necessarily unpleasant but it was discomforting in the sense that he felt a total lack of control. With all of his flirting and friendly lecherousness with the other girls, he always remained in control but not around her. There was something profoundly wrong here. There was something wrong with her.

Nami had mentioned the desire pheromone linked to eliciting a sexual response in the opposite sex. Kisuke remembered when the creature was in the lab the women in the building had turned into nymphomaniacs which had been a delightfully beneficial side effect that he had taken full advantage of. That had been the most orgasmic year in his life. Even Mayuri, the man who seemed incapable of experiencing, much less giving in to, sexual desire, had indulged in a fling or two during that time. Then the damn thing had escaped and the fun was over. Bastard cat from hell. Tapping his fingers on the desk, he moved the camera to an angle where he could stare down the oblivious woman's low cut blouse at her ever lovely décolletage.

"So damn pretty," he mumbled to himself actually looking at her face when he spoke the words.

If she did have the laboratory escapee, it would not surprise him. It only made sense that the creature would be responsible for the magnificent changes in the woman. She seemed untamed and erotic, having a more libidinous allure without dressing and acting like a tramp. Allowing his dirty mind to wander, he considered the possibility of the thing having sex with her. As far as they knew the experiment was sterile being not fully human or animal, although they believed the animal side alone would thwart conception due to the cross species implications. His frown turned upwards into a lascivious grin. Would she be guilty of bestiality if she did have sex with it? All the fantastic repercussions of his musings were excessively interesting and could keep him perversely entertained all day. However, there was work to be done.

~...~

"Nami, my lovely goddess of the keyboard and all things clerical," Kisuke started when he walked into the office she shared with two other women.

Nami suddenly wished she had taken up her coworkers' offer to go to lunch with them. She had chosen to stay behind to finish her present project for Mr. Kurotsuchi then she would go to lunch.

In her distraction, Kisuke had taken the moment to scrutinize her breasts in person because they had looked so delectable on the camera. That feeling he disliked so much was overtaking him, and he was helpless to fight against the lust as if he would have anyway.

"Mr. Urahara!" she exclaimed to bring his focus back to her face. Some days she really hated her job or rather the people she worked with.

"There's something different about you," he murmured, leaning forward to examine her more closely. "You're more aggressive, sexier. Have you met any interesting men lately?"

"Do you really think that's appropriate?" she inquired, standing up to come nose to nose with him.

"Do you?" he challenged, poking her in the chest between her breasts.

"Seriously? Did you really just do that?" she growled, her teeth pulling back from her lips in a silent snarl.

"Yes, I did," he responded with a self-satisfied grin on his face.

Neither one of them could have predicted what happened next. Nami jumped on top of the desk, sending papers and other office supplies flying in all directions. She grabbed Kisuke by his lab coat, leaping from the desk to push him to the floor. Her skirt was pushed up to her hips revealing her underwear when she straddled his chest since he was flat on his back.

"Dammit!" he bellowed half in fear and half in excitement. His hands went to her waist and his eyes were riveted on the immaculate view between her legs in black lacey panties.

Nami suddenly came to herself as she stared down at the libidinous creep staring at her revealed lower half. She pressed her hand against his cheek, pushing his face to the side.

"Oh, my god! I'm so sorry! I don't know what came over me," she gasped, swiftly clambering off his chest and pulling down her skirt.

"Well, that's the most interesting thing I've seen in a while," Mayuri Kurotsuchi declared when he walked into the room. He walked right up to Nami, looking her over carefully from head to toe with the curiosity of a scientist instead of a man. "And I've seen a lot of interesting things."

"I bet you have," she muttered, backing away apprehensively. She was unable to take her eyes off his face as she stared at the thick application of white make up on his skin. The gossip around the office was he wore the make-up to cover the horrible scars from an experiment that had literally blown up in his face. It had also been speculated that he simply had a weird fetish for clowns that exceeded the boundaries even for an aberration and had overrun the confines of secrecy.

"Would you be willing to submit to a few tests? It wouldn't hurt…much," he added, moving close enough to her she could feel his breath across her lips.

"Uh, no sir, I would not be willing to submit to a few tests," she responded, backing away further. "I developed an allergy to pain several years ago."

Her back contacted the wall and she was trapped, unable to retreat any further. Now walls were her enemy as well as doors. Just when she thought things, especially Kurotsuchi, could not get any weirder, this happens. Did they know or at least suspect she had been in contact with Grimmjow? Submit to a few tests indeed. Her face twisted into an expression of disgust as the clown from hell continued to eye her with scientific curiosity while his golden eyes held a gleam in them that hinted to his sadistic nature. He had probably enjoyed the poking and prodding, the agony and torment, he had inflicted on Grimmjow. By the way he was examining her, she knew he wanted to do it to her. He had even said so.

"Listen here you, ba-ah, um boss," Nami was able to stop herself before she cursed her employer right in his face. "I'm almost done with the paperwork you have given me so if you don't mind – "

Kurotsuchi placed his fingers on his chin as if contemplating something while he watched the woman slide along the wall to edge past him. His suspicions were all but confirmed that she had been in contact with their rogue science experiment recently. If he could only obtain a blood sample, he would know for sure. He jerked his head toward the door for his partner and fellow scientist to follow him. They needed to have a private discussion on how to proceed with this situation now that they had nearly found their prodigal test subject. They had to advance cautiously or risk spooking the woman who was their best chance of getting the creature, the result of their extensive research, back.

"Here, Nami," Kisuke said, dropping the papers on her desk. "I need this by Friday."

"Yes, sir," she responded, staring at him as he smiled at her. She knew it was a counterfeit smile that was meant to mask his uneasiness. Her body trembled slightly with dread because his bogus nonchalance did not dispel the nervous energy that filled the air.

Nami was only temporarily relieved that they exited together. She could tell something sinister was going on. The annoying prickly feeling began at the base of her neck and felt as if it were lifting all of the small hairs off her skin all the way to her hairline at the nape of her neck. Rubbing her neck to make the bothersome feeling stop, she returned to her desk. She had the feeling that they, she and principally Grimmjow, were in danger.

~...~

"What's wrong?" Grimm asked when she ran into the house after work.

Nami dropped everything on the floor, rushing straight into his strong arms. She flung her arms around his neck while burying her face into his chest while the tears flowed freely. She was thankful that he was patient with her, allowing her to cry it all out before he asked her anything else.

"What is it, Nami?" he inquired, stroking her hair. He held her tightly as her body shuddered from residual sobs from her crying fit.

"They know," she mumbled, pressing her cheek against his heart.

"Who? What do they know? What's going on?" he questioned her, pulling her back so he could see her face.

"I work at the lab where you were created," she confessed. She had kept that not so small fact a secret from him.

"What?" His sky blue eyes narrowed as he glared at her. "You should have told me this."

"How could I? I was already in love with you by the time I made all the connections. Grimm, please," she begged when he pushed her away and turned his back on her.

"I've put you in danger," he muttered, walking away from her.

"Me? What about you? I don't care what they do to me. You – " She stopped when he whirled around to face her.

"I care what they do to you! I love you!" he yelled angrily, grabbing her by the arms.

"I love you too," she murmured, gasping when he crushed her to his hard chest. "We'll figure this out together. Somehow."

Grimmjow held her as a murderous rage filled him for the two scientists who had created him, an abomination of nature against God and man. If only he had known, he could have stayed away from her and she would be safe. He loosened his grip on Nami when he heard her gasp for air, but he did not let her go. Whatever it took to protect her he would do it.

~...~

Later that night, Grimmjow stole her phone from her purse. He had seen her play with this device enough that he copied her movements to use it. Going outside so she would not hear, he found the number of the man she called Ichigo. The depraved scientists had not left him completely uneducated since he would have to know how to read, write, and perform basic math.

"Hello?" a drowsy Ichigo said into the phone.

Grimmjow nearly dropped the thing from the shock of hearing the voice with such clarity as if he were right next to the man. He heard a grumpy, aggravated hello before saying one back into the phone.

"Who the hell is this?" Ichigo demanded.

"It's Grimm, Nami's…" he faltered not sure what to say before adding, "boyfriend."

"Yeah, that's a very loose interpretation of the term. Why in the hell are you calling me? Are stupid as well as crazy?"

"I need your help. Nami is in trouble."

"Well, can't you protect her?" Ichigo queried with a bitter edge to his voice.

"No. It's because of me she's in trouble," Grimmjow admitted, the guilt swarming him and stinging him like a thousand bees.

"I wish I could say that surprises me. Why do you think I can help?" the man sighed impatiently.

"Because you said it yourself, you love her and will always be there for her. You vowed to protect her even from me if necessary," he reminded him. His heart beat faster within his chest as silence met his ultra-sensitive ears. "I think we should meet somewhere so I can tell you the whole story."

"All right," Ichigo consented grudgingly with obvious annoyance. "Just remember I'm doing this for her and not for you."

"Yeah. It's all for her. How do you think I swallowed my pride to be able to call you?" he retorted venomously. "I can't protect her. She needs you."

It stung his pride to admit that, but he had no choice. The man who was his adversary would have to become his ally to save her from a danger that could end her life. There was no place for pride at this time.