Book I: Fate's Fury

Chapter 10

She was in the infirmary for a week. The bastard had hit her head against the wall, giving her a slight concussion. Vegeta gritted his teeth, still pissed off. He should have grabbed her when she was in his room. He should never have let her go after he kissed her. He could have kept the bastards from getting their hands on her. He was still furious that she had been pulled out of his presence, with him standing right there, and he had done nothing to stop it. He took a deep breath, calming the rage. It was useless now, to get angry over something that had already happened, especially since he'd already sent that monster back to hell. He looked back down, studying Gena's features. She was still out, still on the hospital bed he had lain her in days ago. The doctor said that there was nothing to worry about. Well, then why the hell won't she wake up! He felt a sliver of fear course through him at the thought of her never waking, never opening her eyes again. After all, they didn't know how hard she had hit. The back of her head had been covered in blood, her hair caked with it. The stain of it was still on his arm, where he had held her to him as he raced the woman down here. He hadn't left since. He lifted his hand to brush stray hairs away from her face, only to jerk it back as the sound of the door opening split the silence. He backed away, crossing his arms as Kakkarot and Raditz walked in. Their gazes went to the woman, studying her for a moment before looking at their prince. He met their eyes, his face unreadable.

"How long do they think she'll be out?" Kakkarot asked, worry apparent in his eyes.

Vegeta clenched his jaw, his gaze going to the woman on the bed before sliding away, his expression giving nothing away.

"Don't know," he stated gruffly, narrowing his eyes.

Raditz took a step towards the bed, his own eyes narrowed, a frown on his face. He studied Gena for several minutes, before turning away and striding towards the window.

"Is it true sire?" he asked abruptly, turning slightly and meeting Vegeta's gaze.

The prince arched a brow in question. Raditz turned fully around, facing him.

"You killed Frieza," he stated, watching the prince nod after several moments. Raditz looked at the woman laying on the bed once more. "And her warning saved our planet from annihilation."

Both Kakkarot and Vegeta nodded, even though it wasn't a question. They both watched the hardened warrior clench his jaw, his arms crossing in front of him as he studied the 'seer'. It was quiet for several minutes, until Kakkarot's older brother did an about face and strode from the room, not saying anything and not looking back. Vegeta sent the taller saiyan a questionable look, but all Kakkarot did was shrug. Who knew what the hell was going through his brothers' mind!

Gena woke a couple days later, feeling drained and worn out. Her body had a few bruises, along her ribcage and jaw. She studied the clothing someone had changed her into, the sleep pants and tank top a little loose on her frame. She was also in her bedroom, the curtains drawn, the room dark even though she could see light peeking through the gaps in the fabric. She slowly sat up, sighing a little at the stinging in her side. She looked around, slightly curious why no one was there watching over her. She had been unconscious, hadn't she? Gena stood, her legs weak and shaking slightly. She took a deep breath, her cheeks puffing slightly as she let it out. She walked to the door, her footsteps hesitant as she grasped the handle, turning it slowly. Light spilled into the room as she cracked the chamber doors open, peaking out. She didn't see anyone. She opened the door wider, taking a step over the threshold. She stopped, watching the warrior next to her doors slowly straighten from the wall. Bardock studied her, his eyes slightly narrowed. His arms stayed crossed as he turned towards her, a frown on his face as he looked her over.

"Are you feeling well?" he asked quietly, watching her features.

Gena cleared her throat, folding her arms and studying the floor before meeting the older saiyan's eyes. She nodded a little, hesitating before speaking.

"Yes," she said tentatively, her tone soft. "I'm fine."

The man studied her for another moment before nodding, pivoting on the balls of his heels and striding away, not looking back as he disappeared down the stairs. Gena studied the spot, her eyes slightly wide, before turning and going back into her room. She closed the door, leaning against it and closing her eyes. She swallowed, thinking about the man's odd behavior. And the fact that he actually asked about her welfare. Must be the request of the King. She sighed, finally moving off the doors and going across the room. She flung the curtains back, opening the balcony doors and stepping out. The sky was a vivid blue, so bright it made her squint a little. She blinked a couple times, folding her arms and letting out a sigh. The sound of waves crashing reached her ears, and she gazed out at the ocean, the water clear and calm. Gena stepped to the railing, laying her hands on the stone as she looked down, studying the birds flying below. A wind blew in, whipping her hair around as she straightened back up, lifting her face towards the sun and closing her eyes. She took a deep breath, a feeling of rightness and peace settling over her.

"I see you're feeling better," a soft voice said, floating over the wind.

Gena opened her eyes, glancing over. Vegeta was floating there, his arms crossed, the cape gracing his shoulders billowing in the wind. His face was unreadable as he slowly landed, his feet making a slight plopping sound as he touched the stone floor. She watched him study her, his brows furrowed a little, his eyes giving none of his thoughts away. Vegeta came towards her, stopping when he got within inches of her and looking down at her. Gena held his gaze, wandering what the prince was thinking as he continued to study her, his pupils dilating as the light moved, hitting his face. She looked down when she felt his arm go around her, his hold surprisingly gentle. She lifted her gaze back to the prince, not saying anything. He seemed to hesitate before slowly leaning down, giving her time to move as he softly touched his lips to hers, moving his mouth over her lips in a feather light touch. Gena sighed as her eyes slid shut, moving her mouth along with his. Vegeta splayed a hand against her lower back, his other one settling on the back of her neck, softly clenching in her hair. His lips stayed gentle, the prince not in any hurry as he moved his head, changing the angle of the kiss. Gena moaned softly, her hands clutching the muscled shoulders underneath her touch. The arm around her waist tightened a little, the hand in her hair sliding against her neck, a thumb rubbing along her jaw. The prince finally lifted his head, his eyes at half mass as he took a deep breath, the armor encasing his chest touching hers at the action. They gazed at each other for a few moments, before Vegeta took a step back, settling his hands on her waist. Neither of them spoke as Gena turned her head, looking back up at the sky, her attention going to the moon hanging above them, the massive planet close to Vegetasei, an almost transparent red ring becoming visible as it rotated slowly. She studied it, swallowing as she looked back at the prince. He was watching her, a muscle jumping in his jaw. She met his eyes for a moment before looking away, her brows furrowing in thought. She had to endure another mating frenzy, another faze of the blood red moon. Had to lock herself up again, because she was not mated. Gena swallowed a second time, thinking of the warrior currently holding her. The man that had claimed her in front of his whole kingdom. The prince she had yet to mate with because she was afraid of having that connection with someone, especially him. The man that she thought hated her for the longest time, and yet...he had turned out to be her savior. She glanced down before looking back at him as she suddenly moved onto her tip toes, capturing his lips again before either of them knew what was happening. A low moan came out of her at the feel of his mouth on hers. She let out a sigh as she slowly broke the connection, their lips a breath apart as she opened her eyes, looking into the prince's black gaze as she tried to calm her breathing. She slowly lowered back to the ground, her arms still wrapped around his neck. Gena took a deep breath, watching Vegeta's features. He didn't say anything as he gazed down at her. He silently questioned her with his eyes, his brows furrowed. She took a step back, her hands sliding down his arms, stopping at his wrists. She sighed, holding his gaze.

"Thank you," Gena said softly, not looking away as the prince's eyes lit up a little. He didn't say anything for several minutes, the silence surrounding them in gentle acceptance as both of them conveyed their feelings without words, keeping their hands clasped together. Vegeta finally lifted his hand, cupping her neck as he took a step closer.

"For what?" he asked in a whisper, his head lowering until their foreheads touched, his gaze steady with hers.

She swallowed, closing her eyes as she took a breath before answering.

"Everything," Gena softly whispered, moving her head to rest a cheek against his chest, listening to his heartbeat.

The prince's arms tightened around her waist, his breath fanning her neck as he looked down at the woman against him, a warmth enveloping him as he studied her, wandering why she was being so...accepting of his touch, of his presence. By this time they usually already had a verbal sparring match, with a few words thrown at each other as they went their separate ways. But Gena didn't seem to be moving any time soon, and he really didn't want to admit it to himself, but the feel of her against him felt...right. Vegeta narrowed his eyes, absently running his hand up and down her back, listening to the woman sigh. Was she wanting to develop their relationship? Was she beginning to accept the inevitable? That she belonged at his side, and not on her own, fighting this growing madness between them. His gaze landed on the moon, watching it slowly rotate in the sky, before looking forward again, nodding his head as he seemed to make up his mind about something. Vegeta moved back, lifting Gena up in his arms bridal style, ignoring the gasp of surprise from the woman. Her arms tightened around his neck as he shot into the sky, feeling her press herself against him as they continued upward, not stopping until they got within touching distance of the clouds, hovering a foot away from his planet's moon. He felt her shift, and looked down. Gena was staring wide eyed at the massive rock, hesitating slightly before reaching her hand out.

Her fingertips touched the crystallized ruby colored rocks, watching as they floated around her hand, the large ring circling the moon made up of thousands of these little diamond like stones. She watched, slightly memorized as they caressed against her fingers, moving with the pull of the moon's gravity. She tore her gaze away from it, looking back at the prince. He was watching her, a small smile on his face. He studied her for several minutes before he started speaking softly, his voice mesmerizing.

"The folklore among my people states that those stones are said to represent the thousands of tears a long ago Queen shed for her King, who had been killed in a decade long battle against an enemy that no longer exists." Vegeta paused, looking forward and furrowing his brows. "It is said that she wept so hard that the ruby stones you see before you appeared around this very moon, to express the anguish she endured in her heart. The glow is said to be from an internal flame that cannot be extinguished. It was to symbolize her everlasting love for her King. The Queen died soon after learning of her mate's demise, and the kingdom went through massive changes afterward, reverting back to a more...primitive way of life." The prince paused again, a sigh coming out of him as he kept his gaze on the rocks in front of them. Gena studied his profile before following his gaze, the red rocks shining in the light from the setting sun. Vegeta's voice was almost inaudible as he finished.

"That's when our race started showing signs of change," he stated, "The powers started increasing, our desire to fight overcoming everything else," he finally looked down at her, the obsidian darkness of his gaze boring into her. "The claiming of our second half, our mates," Vegeta whispered, "the need that comes over the male species of our race," his face lowered towards her, "to take what is rightfully ours, the one that will make our lives worth living, that gives us not only something to fight for, but to come back alive for," the prince said, his lips grazing hers as he spoke. "One that we would kill for," he said gruffly, holding her gaze as he leaned in, softly kissing her, moving away after just the slightest of contact and studying the woman in his arms.

"Why did you tell me that?" Gena asked, letting out a sigh.

Vegeta looked away from her, studying the moon in front of them before grunting quietly. He spoke without looking at her, his hold tightening slightly.

"You don't know anything about my race, do you?" he asked softly, a slight frown appearing. Gena laied her hand against his cheek, feeling the strong bone structure under her touch, the princes' skin surprisingly soft. He lowered his gaze to her. Her eyes were searching as they studied each other.

"No," she whispered, "not really. I know the legend of the super saiyan, and the fact that you can change into Oozaru, and have a form of reactive evolution [1]."

Vegeta studied her for several minutes, not saying anything. His tail rubbing against her surprised her a little, making her jump. Amusement appeared in the prince's eyes, his tail slowly going up and down her arm before wrapping around her waist. Gena looked down at it, moving her hand to softly graze it. The hair was soft, like velvet. She could feel the appendage move slightly under her touch, the feeling odd as she gently let her fingers close around it. The furry thing moved, the tip coming up and flicking her in the nose, making her laugh in surprise. She looked back up at Vegeta, pursing her lips in amusement. He smirked down at her as his tail wrapped itself back around her waist, hugging her to him. They didn't say anything after that, just stayed levitated far into the sky, watching the sun set behind the mountains far off in the distance. When the rays of the dying star finally disappeared, and night started descending on them, Vegeta finally moved, slowly lowering back down to her room and landing on the balcony. She studied the man before her, vaguely registering when her feet touched solid ground as she kept her arms around his neck. Vegeta glanced down at her when she didn't move, raising a brow. Gena didn't say anything, just hesitated slightly before lowering her arms and resting her hands in his. She looked up at the prince for a moment before turning and leading him into her rooms, leaving the balcony doors open as the darkness of night enveloped them, the silence almost sacrilegious in its intensity.

She turned towards him as they stopped a few feet from the glass doors. She opened her mouth to ask him something when he captured her mouth in a passionate kiss, his arms pushing her against his armor clad body. This touch of lips was different then the rest, full of sensuality and heat as his mouth moved firmly over hers, making her whimper, a shudder going through her. Gena felt tingles of desire shoot through her abdomen, and she arched her back, rubbing against the warrior holding her in his arms. Vegeta moved his head, his tongue delving into her mouth, both of them exploring each other before she felt the prince move, a moment later her back hit the bed. She opened her eyes to see Vegeta leaning over her, his eyes at half mass. She arched her back as the prince trailed open mouthed kisses along her neck, the heat coming off the man burning. She groaned, wrapping her arms around him. His lips trailed along the top of her breasts, the feel of his hot breath against her skin making goosebumps rise, and she shivered. Gena swallowed, her head moving to meet the prince's lips as he lifted back up, their mouths meshing together, burning for one another. She whimpered softly, burying her fingers in his hair. Vegeta moved back after awhile, gazing down at her, brushing hair gently away from her face. Gena took a long breath, letting it out slowly. She laid a hand on his cheek, her thumb rubbing over his skin.

"Vegeta," she whispered, her tongue darting out to lick her lips. "I don't know..." she trailed off as he rubbed her bottom lip with a thumb, his gaze intense. He leaned down after a few moments, lightly touching her lips with his before moving away. He slowly straightened, his focus on her as he unbuckled his cape, pulling the armor over his head. He let it fall from his fingers, the hard material plopping onto the floor with a thunk. Gena sat up, watching the prince move towards her. He stopped in front of her, easing his gloves off his hands and setting them on the nightstand. The touch of skin on skin made her gasp as he cupped her chin, lifting her face towards his as he studied her, his eyes still at half mass. He grunted after a moment, leaning down and burying his head in her neck, breathing deeply. Gena closed her eyes, resting her chin on his shoulder, her hands settling on his massive chest. She could feel the muscles jumping underneath her touch, a thrill going through her at the rock hard feel of them. They stayed like that for awhile, before Vegeta finally moved back, rubbing his lips over hers.

"Let me know when you've made a decision woman," he stated quietly, his hands moving up and down on her back before settling on her hips, his touch firm but gentle. Gena bit her lip, closing her eyes. They popped open a moment later at the feel of the bed dipping, watching as Vegeta settled behind her on the pillows. The man grabbed her, positioning her body beside his, an arm underneath her head. Gena bit her lip at the feel of the prince's hard form against hers, softly sighing. She drifted after awhile, the warmth from the man beside her making her drowsy. The deep cadence of Vegeta's voice roused her from her deepening sleep, his tone quiet.

"You can't run from fate forever, Onna."

Gena swallowed at his words, not moving from her position. She stared at the wall for the longest time, listening to the warrior in her bed as he slept, his chest moving slowly up and down at every breath. She thought about the first time they met, how her and Vegeta were always verbally fighting, both seeming to hate one another. She slid her hand up the prince's chest, finally admitting to herself that she didn't hate this man, hadn't for awhile now. She had just continued their little fights because...it was safer for her than admitting to any kind of emotions towards this saiyan prince. She didn't want to get hurt, especially by Vegeta. And she knew that he could do exactly that, far more easier than he even knew. Gena closed her eyes, swallowing past the lump in her throat. If he knew how she'd finally come to feel for him, then all expectations of going home, of escaping with her boys, will be futile. Because she knew he would never let her go, never even contemplate it if he got just a whiff of her true emotions. She wasn't going to deny the attraction between them anymore, what she'd been fighting since she got here. The desire that raked her body with the slightest touch from the man sleeping beside her. Even now, she was fighting it. And she didn't want to anymore, not for the sake of her pride. She had given that up when she discovered her real feelings weeks ago. It wasn't worth it, the denial and frustration wasn't worth putting off what she could be sharing with Vegeta. Gena slowly rose up on an elbow, looking down at the prince's features, studying the man sleeping peacefully. A small smile appeared on her face. No, she wasn't going to deny herself any longer, wasn't going to torture herself just because she thought all he wanted was to have something because it was denied to him. Tonight disproved that. He didn't have to stay, he could have tried to convince her to mate with him. But he didn't. She laid back down, wrapping her arm more securely around his waist, hugging herself against the prince, trying to get as close as possible. She felt better tonight than she had in a long time. And all it took was finally admitting to herself that she cared for this man, that she wanted to be with no one but him.

That she was slowly, irrevocably...falling in love with the Prince of all Saiyans.

A gentle smirk appeared on her face as she closed her eyes, settling against the man of her dreams.

Now all Vegeta had to do was realize it!

A/N: [1] If a saiyan survives a near-fatal injury or goes through either an intense battle or training, they will gain an increase in their power level, greater than what they had prior to the experience, after recuperation.

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