Yay! New chapter! Sorry, I got "squirreled" and totally distracted by a sequel to TGS. So, fans of Stranger, get on over there!
I think I answered all the reviews via PM, except for Krissy.
So Krissy, my love, here ya go. Short!? That last chapter was nearly 10k words, girl, damn! Short is like, 3-4k. Most of my chapters are in the 5-10k range, depending on where I decide to cut it off. This one is 7k, just so you know. And I'm not saying shit about Raditz, his tale will come much later. Usa and Vegeta action in this chapter, though, but not the kind anyone will be happy with… sorry about that, lol. And I'm so happy you liked Tips! I had so much fun writing that story, and Vegeta's badassness!
Turles didn't need a second invitation, he was on her like white on rice on Hoth, swinging and kicking like his life depended on it. Because it probably did. He sensed Nappa floating nearby, ready to jump in and break the fight up if things got too serious, or if a referee was needed. A Saiyan male trying to claim a mate by right of combat was not a light thing, and Turles was fighting much harder than he had against Usagi.
That had been playtime. This… this was dead serious, and he wasn't the only one that felt the gravity of the fight as he began to rain blows upon his opponent. He landed nearly every single one, due to his superior strength, but the moment she broke out the fireballs he had to back off.
He was Saiyan, but he wasn't fireproof.
Turles cradled his singed tail in his hand as he conceded the battle… for now. "You burned my tail," he grumbled, as soon as he'd given the ki signal for a time-out and she'd hesitantly backed off.
"Oh, poor baby," Rei snorted. "You nearly broke my jaw, but do you hear me bitching about it?"
"No, but I was a gentleman. I could have grabbed your tail at any time." His eyes narrowed and he couldn't take his eyes off of that black appendage as it unwound from her waist and waved in the air, taunting him.
"You'll never touch my tail, boy, so just keep on dreaming," the firestarter scoffed, looking back down toward the market. "Now, is this fight over, or do you want me to set your hair on fire, too?"
"For now," Turles grumbled, affectionately petting his tail. "Tomorrow, ringside. You and me."
"Looking forward to it, sissy girl." Rei's tail wrapped around her waist once more, and she sunk back down to where everyone was waiting for her.
Nappa floated over and grinned. "Not as easy as you thought, brat? I advise going for the tail next time, though I guarantee you she'll be guarding it more than she did today."
Rei landed on the ground next to Mako, and scowled up at the sight of Turles and Nappa talking. The bastard was probably giving Turles pointers on what to do better next time he tried to claim her. "Asshole. Now I'm going to have to watch my back whenever I so much as step outside."
"Actually…"
Rei turned to look at Nappa's mate. "What, waterwalker?"
"Well, you see… the princess has seemed to have taken a habit of making handmaidens out of women that aren't ready to be claimed yet. And since Mina and Broly…" Ami gave a little shrug. "And I didn't last two hours as her handmaiden before Nappa cornered me in my lab."
"That doesn't say much for her ability to protect her handmaidens," Rei snorted.
"I wanted it," Ami admitted, her face turning scarlet. "If I hadn't, I had several things lying around in the lab that I could have knocked him out with, or I could have easily frozen him. He doesn't need to know that, though," she added sheepishly. "I may be tiny, but I'm hardly helpless. Anyway," she continued, "if you truly don't want Turles to claim you yet, I'm positive that Usa would give you a place in her household. Especially since she hates Turles with a vengeance. He won't be able to touch you without getting a pounding."
Rei's lips tugged up in a smirk, and she nodded a little. "Please tell me that I don't have to wear a dress."
Ami laughed and shook her head. "Actually, the only requirement that Usa makes of her handmaidens is to share her bed at night. She has a lot of trouble sleeping without someone else there. I'll warn you, though, she's a cuddler, and she talks in her sleep a lot."
In exchange for complete protection from being mated, Rei could totally live with that. "But, wait? Doesn't she have a night guard?"
"Yeah…" Ami shook her head and tried not to laugh at that. Poor Raditz. "Usa doesn't know, so don't tell her, but Raditz wants her. Very badly. And to his credit," she added, when Rei scoffed, "he's been a complete gentleman. He hasn't once challenged her or said a word about it."
"Probably doesn't want to get his ass kicked," Mako muttered.
"No, it's not that," Ami sighed. "He hasn't felt the pull with her, and they've been friends since they were children. Saiyans don't always feel the pull when they decide to take a mate, but most of them prefer to wait until they find that one person. Nappa waited," she added happily.
"Unlike Turles," Rei growled nastily, crossing her arms over her chest with a huff. "He should have taken a lesson from his older brother."
"Well, Bardock didn't wait, and I'm not holding it against him," Mako snorted. "If he had waited, Rei, Turles wouldn't have even existed. Huh… this would make you my daughter-in-law, wouldn't it?" She thought aloud in wonder. "That's a little weird."
"Mako, you felt the pull?" Ami asked, her eyes wide.
The thundershaker nodded a little, her face red. "The king also ordered us to pair-bond, so…" She shrugged a little bit. "We're trying to get to know each other a little bit first. Usagi managed to haggle with the king and get us a week. I don't think it'll take that long, though."
"You love him?" Rei asked curiously.
"Wait, I didn't think Saiyans said that word," Ami said quickly.
"My father died in battle before I was born. I was raised by my mother and grandfather, and they're Althean," she answered. "I don't have a problem with that word, but you won't hear me say it often."
Mako shrugged a little before answering Rei's question. "I don't know, in all honesty. I like him a lot, but with him being Saiyan… it's a little complicated," she admitted. "No offense to you, Rei, but I really don't like Saiyans. But sometimes I find myself forgetting that Bardock's a Saiyan, and when that happens…" She shrugged helplessly again.
"Father wasn't on Althea."
"I know that, Raditz," Mako replied defensively. "If he had been, I wouldn't have even worked for him."
"Just so that's clear, woman. Don't blame my father for something he wasn't even there for. "
###############
Mako's jaw dropped a little when Bardock set her on her feet in front of the house. "Holy shit…"
"Yeah, I seem to have that reaction with the ladies lately," Raditz said smugly, studying his nails as he leaned back against the house.
Bardock and Turles chuckled at that while Mako shoved Raditz to the side to kneel in front of the dozens of flats, all of them containing different seedlings. Bardock stiffened in alarm when he heard her suddenly give a choked sob as she reached out to stroke a larger plant that was all by itself in a big pot. "Mako? Are you ok?"
The earthmover wiped at the tears that had spilled over onto her cheeks, but more just followed in their wake. "I'm ok," she managed hoarsely. She leaned back into his chest when she felt his arms around her, and took one of his hands in hers to lay it on the plant in the pot. "You know what this is?"
"No, I'm sorry, I don't know plants very well. But I'm sure I'll learn," he added.
"It's a rose," she said softly. "That was… that was very kind of the king. I don't think he knows how kind it was."
Yeah, he did. Bardock had specifically asked the king, while they'd been waiting on lunch, to find her a rose bush and have it sent with the rest. But she didn't need to know that. Bardock kissed her neck chastely and picked up a flat of vegetables. "I'll get these in the garden, Mako."
She gave him a slow, genuine smile, her eyes shining with tears. "Thank you, Bardock."
Bardock felt something inside of him melt from the sight of her looking at him like that. For a moment, he could even pretend that they were already mated, and she was extremely happy just being with him. Maybe even in love with him.
And then the moment was broken, as his brats started trading verbal and physical jabs from just behind him. "Don't make me get the strap, boys! Gods…" he sighed.
Mako chuckled, but turned her own ire on them when she caught part of the conversation. Raditz was grossing Turles out by informing him of the obvious: that Bardock was going to be mated with her very soon. "Will you boys pipe the fuck down!" She snapped.
"See, she even sounds like she's our step-mommy already. You know what that means?" Raditz snickered evilly.
"What?" Turles groaned.
"It means that she's fucking our father," he whispered, his hand cupped around his mouth, pretending that Mako couldn't hear him.
"Gods, Raditz, SHUT UP! You're such a fucking asshole!" Turles whined, trying not to gag. The idea of his father having sex with any woman… ugh.
"Is Hurley Turley gonna puke?" He teased.
Turles just glared at his older brother and snarled. "It was one fucking time when I was six. And don't forget that I can put you in the dirt, Radu."
"Not if you're puking your guts out, Turley."
"There will be no puking in this yard, do you two understand me!?" Mako snapped, finally losing her cool. "And if Turles pukes, Raditz, you're cleaning it the fuck up, not me. Now play nice, or you're both helping me in the garden!"
"They're helping you anyway," Bardock grunted, trying not to seem amused. He knew all too well how badly those two bickered when they got together for more than five damned minutes. "Get some flats, boys, and take them out back. Now."
With some grumbling, they both did as they were told, and once they were out back, Bardock tugged Mako to him and kissed her passionately. He purred when she leaned into it fully, her arms wrapping around his neck.
"See, Turley! They're making out in the front yard!" Raditz said gleefully.
"SHUT UP!" Mako, Bardock, and Turles all yelled at once.
"Don't you have a princess to guard or something?" Bardock sputtered, thoroughly annoyed at being interrupted with his future mate.
"I'm off for the afternoon."
"Not anymore, you're not," his father snapped. "Get back to the palace and make yourself useful, or," he continued, when Raditz opened his mouth to protest, "I'll call Usa and tell her you're being an annoying little shit like you used to be."
Mako tried not to laugh when Raditz made a petulant face before blasting off into the air, grumbling something about Hurley Turley. "Gods, he picks on you worse than my brothers—" Mako frowned at that, and bit down on her suddenly trembling lip before grabbing the potted rose and heading inside.
Turles squeezed his father's shoulder when the older man sighed and shook his head helplessly. "It's still only been a couple of months for her. It'll take time, Father."
"Yeah, I know. She lost her entire family, so anytime she even thinks about them…" Bardock shook his head in defeat. "I just want to make her happy. She deserves to be happy."
Damn, his father had it bad, and he hadn't even claimed the Althean yet. "You shouldn't have sent Raditz off," he snorted, "because if you're looking to me for tips with women, you're barking up the wrong tree, old man."
"Don't I know it, brat. You inherited it from me, after all. My grandbrats will likely be just as awkward with women as we are, one day. It's a miracle that any of us have ever gotten laid. Except for Raditz. That boy was some sort of a throwback."
"That's why he's such a sissy girl in the ring," Turles added with a smirk. "He had to trade one power for another."
Bardock shook his head and picked up half of the remaining flats, and set them down behind Mako, who was kneeling beside her garden and trying not to cry any harder than she already was. Signaling to Turles to piss off after he'd brought in the remaining flats, he sat down next to her and pulled her into his lap to hold her tightly. "I'm sorry, Mako."
"Not your fault," she choked, letting him wipe away her tears. That was the first time she'd admitted it, and had not resented him personally for the loss of her people. "You weren't on Althea."
"No… but I was on Kanassa. And I'm not proud of what I did there, Mako." Bardock sighed and tucked her against him tightly, breathing in her scent.
"Would you do it again?" She asked softly.
"No, never," he answered flatly. "I'm not the same man I was then."
Mako turned her head at that, and kissed him. It was hesitant at first, but it quickly grew bolder as he returned it. She sighed at the loss of contact when she forced herself to pull away. "I don't blame you," she said firmly. "Just so you know. And I'm not ready yet," she added, when there was just a tad too much hope in his eyes. "But soon, ok?"
Bardock nodded and nipped at her lower lip before following up with another short kiss. "Let's get these plants in the ground and watered," he suggested.
##############
Usagi answered the door to her chambers when there was a sharp, demanding knock on it, and was surprised not to see the king standing outside the door. She stared into a set of violet eyes that were only a couple inches higher than her own, and after stepping back and getting a good look at the woman before her, she smirked. "Rei, I presume?" She waved her in before shutting the door.
"How'd you guess?"
"You're the only half-breed Saiyan woman I know of that would have enough balls to pound on a door in the royal wing like she owned the place. What brings you here?" Usagi ushered her into the sitting room, where the princess had been working on some inking designs in private.
"Actually, it was Ami who sent me, to become your new handmaiden. She explained that you don't mind offering a bit of a shield to women who don't want to be mated yet."
"And who's after you?" Usagi asked in concern. "Not anybody too strong, I hope, since my arm's still broke."
"Turles," Rei muttered, unable to meet the princess's gaze.
Usagi just gaped at her in a mix of shock and frank amusement. "Well…. Shit!" She said loudly. "You're staying inside until I'm healed," she growled. "If you go out before I am… maybe I can get Broly to defend you…" She swore creatively in Saiyan for several minutes before finally spitting out, "damn it all to hell, Rei! What did you do to attract his attention!? I just got rid of that buttfucking son of a bitch, and now he's going to be banging down my door again!?"
"I'm so pleased to hear how much you enjoy my company, princess," a low voice said smoothly from her window.
Usagi and Rei both whipped around, each of them holding ki balls in their hands. "You've got a lot of balls to barge into my private chambers," Usagi snapped, "and you'd better get out before I relieve you of them."
Rei smirked at that statement; she was already starting to like the petite blonde.
"I'll leave in a minute, Highness. I just thought I'd inform you that Rei is mine, and you're going to have your hands awfully full if you take her as a handmaiden."
"No, I won't," Usagi said flatly. She backed away a little to pick up her scouter, and pressed the panic button on the inside. It would summon her guards, and since she'd never used it before, it was sure to bring them all running at once. "And Rei, you're my handmaiden," Usagi added quickly. "Welcome to the household. There, Turles, what are you going to do about it?"
Raditz's brother popped his neck and shrugged. "Guess I'll just have to take her, then. If you thought I was bad before, you'll be pretty amazed at how tenacious I can be when I've felt the pull."
Usagi's eyes narrowed and she shoved Rei behind her, despite her own broken arm, when Turles floated into her chambers. But the moment he crossed the threshold, a blur came out of nowhere and tackled the warrior right out the window in a hail of punches. Homing in on the ki, Usagi grinned. "Broly," she explained, turning to Rei. "Love that panic button."
"You alright, Usa?" Nappa asked from the doorway.
"Yup, I'm great. Thanks for coming so quickly, I didn't think that prick would actually have the gall to step foot in here."
"Highness, I'm sorry," Rei sputtered, fluffing her hair in agitation. "I think I'm going to be more trouble than I'm worth."
"No, you're fine, Rei. We'll just give Broly and Mina a room close by until you decide to go to him. I won't let him take you before you're ready."
"He felt the pull?" Nappa grunted. If Turles had actually felt the pull for this raven-haired beauty, may the gods have mercy on her soul.
Rei nodded weakly and flopped down on Usagi's bed. "Thank the gods he's an insufferable prick, because I don't want to be mated anyways. I'm perfectly content with being an old, unmated firebug, thank you."
"Yeah, I know the feeling," Usa snickered. She jumped towards the window and hugged Broly when he landed. "Thanks, Broly!"
"Feh, no problem. I broke his legs and took him to the infirmary. That should give you a break."
"I hope he knows that the next time he tries to barge into my private quarters, I'll saw his nuts off with my teeth," Usagi snorted.
Rei chuckled at that. "I'm really starting to like you, princess."
"You won't when I'm healed," she answered brightly, "because you'll be my new sparring partner, when Turles isn't challenging you every other second." Usagi checked the clock, and took a pain pill before turning to Nappa and Broly. "I'm going to take a nap for a little while, if you two don't mind. If either of you wouldn't mind giving her the tour…?"
"I've got it," Nappa offered. "Ami's down in The Hole right now, working on something important, and I don't want to…" he grinned. "…Distract her."
"An awfully big distraction," the princess said primly.
"Yes, huge," her teacher agreed.
"Nappa will keep you safe for a few hours, ok Rei? I didn't get much sleep last night, and when that happens and my arm's hurting, I like to take a nap. You should go home and pick up any of your things as well, since you'll be living here from now on." At that, Usagi drew back her covers and snuggled in, and was grateful when the firestarter cut off the lights.
She didn't really need the nap, but she wanted to see Vegeta, since she'd neglected to take a pain pill the night before.
################
Apparently she'd interrupted a really good dream, because Vegeta seemed slightly annoyed to see her. "What!? Was Gee-Gee having a wet dream?" She teased.
"Yes!" He yelled, sitting down with a huff. He didn't bother to mention that it had been about her, and it was doubly frustrating for the real Usagi to appear when the Usagi in his dream had been moaning his name in ecstasy.
"Oh. Well… damn, Geta. Sorry. I'll try and wake up if you'd like," she offered, "I just… you know. Missed you."
"Feh. It's alright," he grunted, feeling a twinge of guilt for the slightly hurt look in her eyes. "So, you remember the last time you saw me?" He wondered, once she'd come to sit next to him.
"Little flashes, but that's it," she admitted. "Since you have more experience with these than I do, I suspect it'll be awhile before I can remember like you do."
"It'll come with time. I remember little flashes from years ago, and even now the memory fades a lot after a couple of days. I remember the important parts, and I know what happened, but I can't see what happened so much. It's hard to explain. It just fades."
"Eh, it's ok. I just like being with you. That I remember when I wake up. I know that I saw you, and I know that I'm happy." Usagi sighed happily when he wrapped an arm around her and let her rest her head on his shoulder. "I got a new handmaiden."
Vegeta chuckled at that. "Hopefully she'll last longer than the last two?"
Usagi laughed and nodded. "Oh, she will, I guarantee it. She's a firestarter named Rei, and she's half Saiyan, like me. And the warrior that's after her… is Turles."
Then it was like they were kids again, laughing uncontrollably at poor Rei's misfortune as she told him about her, holding each other as their laughs ebbed into chuckles. When they separated, Vegeta quietly swore as he did the one thing he'd been avoiding every time he'd seen her since the first dream.
He made eye contact.
Usagi felt the pull in her stomach immediately, and her eyes grew impossibly wide. She backpedaled quickly to put some space between them, and trembled in a mixture of fear and disbelief. "But—but—but—"
"Not your fucking brother," Vegeta said flatly, knowing exactly what she was thinking. "You're my mate. This happened the first time, you just don't remember it." He sighed heavily when she just stared at him like a deer in the headlights. "Usa, you should know damned well that I'd never force you."
She relaxed a little at that. "But you're my brother!" She cried, despite his insistence to the contrary. Usagi jumped when he stood, and found herself yanked back when she rose and tried to escape.
"I'm not your brother," Vegeta said firmly, turning her to face him. He kissed her then, gently, but it was a far cry from the kinds of kisses she'd been giving him. His mouth moved over hers almost greedily, but he drew back when she remained stiff in his arms. He sighed at that, and let her go. "Damn it, woman, I'm not your brother," he repeated.
"I'm not your mate," Usagi said weakly.
"Yet. I'll claim you when you get here. I'll give you some time, of course, to get used to the idea, since I'm sure you won't remember this dream. But you will be mine, Usa." He groaned in frustration when she began to cry, and he pulled her into his arms in an attempt to soothe her, burying his face in her hair. "Usa, it's alright, shh."
"No, it's not alright, Vegeta! You're not my mate!" She yelled, shoving him away. "You can say you're not my brother as much as you fucking want to, but to me, you are! I love you, damn it, but as family, and nothing more!" Usagi closed her eyes and concentrated on waking up, but she found herself unable to. "Damn it."
Trying once more to make her see the light, Vegeta carefully approached her and tipped her chin up with his fingertips. "Usagi, it is what it is. At least I'm still young enough to fight the pull when you find me, despite feeling it since I was a brat."
Her eyes widened at that, and she had a flash of memory, of him explaining this to her before, then kissing her… and she'd enjoyed it, even encouraged it. And it would have gone much further if she hadn't woken up. "Oh, gods… I remember…"
"Good," he said hoarsely, just before he claimed her lips with his own once more. Usagi resisted at first, just as Vegeta had expected, but after several moments she was hesitantly returning the kiss while his hands slowly explored her.
But then she jerked away unexpectedly. "Don't do that again," she said shakily. "I mean it!" She ordered, when he tried to pull her back to him. But she was in his arms anyway after a brief struggle, and he was kissing her again, and damn it—she was enjoying it again, fighting the urge to press him for more.
Vegeta growled in approval when she let loose a soft moan, and deepened the kiss, sliding his tongue into her mouth. Usagi separated from him again, breathing heavily from her mixture of arousal and anger. "That's the last time you do that, Geta."
"The hell it is. You've got a lot more of that coming when you—"
"I'm not coming," she spat. "I told you not to do that again, and I'm not going to Earth if you're going to try and claim me when I get there." Usagi mentally willed herself to wake up for a second time and gratefully felt herself beginning to fade from his mind.
"Wait, Usagi, no!" Vegeta cried, trying in vain to stop her. But she was gone.
############
Usagi woke up crying in harsh, uncontrollable sobs, despite the fact that the only thing she could recall was being mad at Vegeta for something, and telling him she wasn't coming.
"Highness!? Highness!" Two arms were around her in moments, and not knowing or caring who was trying to comfort her, Usagi leaned into the embrace and bawled like a brat. "Dear gods, what happened, Usagi?"
She just shook her head and cried, unable to speak, but when the female holding her began to sing softly, her crying lost that violent, uncontrollable edge.
Not sure what else to do, Rei simply stroked the blonde hair that was pooled around her and continued to sing, rocking the princess slowly in her arms. And once the sobs had eased back into sniffles and hiccups, she ended the lullaby and spoke. "What happened, princess?"
"I—Geta… I don't remember," she finally admitted. "I just know that…" Usagi shook her head sadly.
"Wait, wait, wait. You mean Vegeta? The crown prince?" Rei pulled back and looked at her in disbelief. "Was it a nightmare?"
"I wish. Geta and I… we're imprinted. Only Father and Mother knew. And Geta. I just found out a few days ago, when we found each other in my sleep. Raditz knows, too."
"So… you fought?" Rei asked seriously.
Usagi nodded. "I… I think so." She swallowed, trying her hardest not to cry again. "I never remember much."
"And this time?"
"I…I told him that I'm not coming. I remember yelling at him, I was furious. I'm still furious with him, but I don't remember why." She choked on that last word, and was crying all over again.
"Shh… shh, sweetheart, it's all right. You didn't mean it; you'll still go, right?" Rei asked, once she'd calmed down again. The handmaiden waved Raditz and Nappa away when she caught a glimpse of them out of the corner of her eye. The last thing the princess needed right then was a bunch of males making things even worse.
"No, Rei, I meant it. I meant every word. I don't remember why, but I know that I can't go. And I won't."
Raditz, who was still at the door, made a soft noise of disbelief. The only thing he could think of that would piss Usagi off that much… Shit. Vegeta must have lost control over his inner Saiyan and attempted to claim her. "Usa… you have to go. You don't understand, but you have to."
Her ki rose in her fury, and she glowed a little from the silver light. "Why, Raditz!? You're a grown damned man, I'm sure you're perfectly capable of going to fetch the prince without me!"
Raditz shut his mouth and shook his head at that, but opened it again as he approached the bed. "Two reasons you have to go, Usa. One, I can't land on that planet by myself. After what I did last time, I'm positive that Kakarot's going to blow me away without hesitation. He was almost as strong as me back then, and something tells me that he's trained a lot since I died."
Usagi shook her head. "The second reason?"
"Because you—" Raditz swallowed and huffed. "Because you love him. And he loves you. What if he decides not to come with me? I'm not going to force him, you know. You'll never see him again."
Had Raditz just said the one word that Saiyan men never uttered? Rei and Usagi could only stare at him in surprise. "Yes, I said that damned word," he grumbled, his face coloring a little as he looked away in embarrassment.
"I'm not going."
###############
"Still working?"
Ami nodded, distracted by the blood samples she was examining. It seemed that thundershakers were extremely similar in genetics to Saiyans, she'd even had one of them demonstrate their powers while a Saiyan used his ki at the same time. The energy readings on a scouter were almost identical. "I'm starting to think that Saiyans and Altheans interbred a very long time ago, maybe thousands of years ago, in fact. And the lightning powers are a throwback to that. I've seen the way electricity crackles around Broly and Usagi when they power up to their maximum strength. It's very interesting."
Nappa noted the bags under her eyes and the way she was fighting not to yawn every few moments, and felt a wave of guilt. He should be taking better care of his mate. "Come on, Blue. You need to rest."
Ami shook her head and put some blood samples into her computer. "Here, look at this."
He humored her, and tried not to feel annoyed with the fact that he couldn't understand half of the data on her screen.
"You're not stupid," she sighed, catching a few of his thoughts. "You're just not the scientific type, Nappa. And that's fine. You're a very intelligent man, only you use that intelligence for battle."
With a smirk, Nappa pulled her away from the computer and nipped at her lower lip. "You have more than enough brains for the both of us, Blue. I'm content to be the brawn in this pairing."
Ami's hands went to his bare chest and began moving over the taught muscles all on their own, lingering over the numerous scars. "Well, you have more than enough brawn for the both of us," she chuckled.
"I'd be more than happy to share it with you for a while, beloved." Nappa smirked against her shoulder when she shivered at the feel of his lips against her mark.
"Nappa, I—mmm…" His mouth was running up her throat now, and it made it awfully hard for her to think. "Lot of work," she continued absently, sighing with pleasure when his hand crept up from her hip to cup her.
"The work will wait, Blue. Come on," he coaxed, tugging her back towards the bedroom. "Please," he whispered, when she gave the slightest bit of token resistance, "I need you, woman."
Ami glanced down and found herself chuckling. "I can see that. After I finish these samples, ok?"
Nappa knew all too well how that would turn out. She'd look at samples for a few minutes, and get distracted the moment she discovered something new. He slid a hand between her legs and kissed her when she gasped in surprise. "Seems like you need me too, beloved," he rumbled affectionately.
Ami nodded weakly when he began to undo her shorts so he could slip his fingers under the cloth. "Ok," she whispered, "the samples can wait. Bed," she insisted, when he pressed her against the workbench. "Can't contaminate the samples."
Nappa had fantasized about taking her in the lab, but it could wait. He threw her over his shoulder caveman style, and shut and locked the bedroom door behind them both before dumping her gently on the bed. "Now… where were we?"
Ami smiled sexily at him as she unfastened his fatigues. "I believe you were about to share some of that brawn with me."
##################
Mako dusted off her hands and finally used a little of her power as she slowly did her dance around the garden, completely oblivious to the way Bardock was watching her. "Now to water them," she finally sighed, moving to scoop up the first bucket that he had brought out for her use.
"I've got it, woman," Bardock said flatly. "You're tired, you shouldn't be lifting anything. Go check on the cheesecakes."
Looking at the sun's position, Mako nodded. "Yeah, they should be about finished, thanks for reminding me. I'll take them to the palace in the morning, once they're cooled off enough."
Bardock gurgled with pleasure when she laid a casual kiss on his lips, and found himself licking them once she was inside. Gods, he could really get used to that sort of familiarity. He quickly watered the garden, paying close attention not to overwater the rose bush, and then watered the flowers she'd put in pots. Those were for Ami, she'd explained, and she'd keep them inside during the heat of the day.
Mako checked the cheesecakes and sighed happily when she opened the oven door and the smell hit her nose. She double-checked them in the center with a fork, and when they came away clean, she immediately put them in the fridge to cool, right next to the cherry topping she'd prepared. The king's mouth was going to die and go to heaven when he tasted one of those.
Cutting off the oven, she decided that she needed a shower, and stripped down right there in the kitchen, tossing her filthy clothing into the washer before heading off to wash. She moaned in delight when the hot water hit her skin, and just stood there for several minutes, enjoying the feeling of the spray beating down on her scalp.
Then she felt eyes on her, and rolled her own when she found Bardock watching her calmly, his head poking around the shower curtain. "Enjoying the view?" She asked dryly. She could have been embarrassed, but she knew damned well that he'd seen—and touched—just about everything that there was to see.
"Immensely, woman." He drank her in with his eyes, and had a hard time controlling his arousal when she unwound the bun her hair was pulled back in, letting it cascade down her back in a waterfall of chestnut curls. "I don't suppose you'd let me join you?" He asked hopefully.
Mako half-grinned and shook her head. "Not a chance, warrior. You and I both know how that'll wind up."
"You won't hear me complaining about it. I don't think you'll be doing much, either."
"Not yet, Bardock," she said softly, stepping out of the spray just long enough to kiss him. "Now… get out of my bathroom before I have to give you heart failure."
"Too late," he chuckled, but he complied and left the bathroom before he did something she was going to get mad at him for. Maybe tonight. Or at least they could have a repeat of that morning; he thought he could be satisfied with that.
####################
Mina grinned when she caught a blur out of the corner of her eye, and sensed her mate closing in fast. "I know you're there," she teased.
"Damn, guess you'll just have to punish me for not being stealthy enough," Broly replied, wrapping his arms around her from behind, raking his teeth over her mark.
"Mmm, does somebody want something?" The lightbender chuckled, leaning back against his solid chest.
"Yeah, but first, a bath. Care to join me?"
Mina turned and frowned at the flecks of blood on his chest and fatigues. "What happened?"
"Turles got a little too bold, and tried to enter Usagi's chambers to claim her new handmaiden. I put him in the tank for a couple days. That should be enough time for the princess to heal up and put him in the dirt if he tries something like that again. Stupid prick."
"Yeah, not going to argue with you on that. Come on." Mina led him into their bathroom and quickly stripped the both of them before filling the tub and pulling him in with her.
Broly and Paragus were obviously well-to-do, judging from the house Mina had been staying in since they'd pair-bonded. Even the tub screamed luxury; it was big enough for her to swim in.
She made him sit down on a step, and straddled him as she began to wash the blood from him. "Uh-uh, not yet," she chided, when his hands went to her hips and she felt something hard pressing against her inner thigh.
Still coming down from the bloodlust from only a little while ago, Broly growled under his breath and pressed against her entrance, but she easily shifted her hips to keep him from taking her. "Now, woman."
"When you're clean," Mina said patiently, leaning forward to kiss him. "Are you telling me that the big Saiyan warrior can't wait just a few minutes?" She teased.
"No, I can't." Broly took a nipple in his mouth and made a noise of approval when her head went back and she moaned his name. "I don't think you can wait, either," he remarked, as he smelled her arousal and switched to the other breast.
They both sighed with pleasure when she shifted her hips back over and slid down. "Mmm, you win, love," Mina whispered, groaning at the sensation of being filled and stretched. She wondered if she was ever going to get used to the finer parts of Saiyan anatomy; it seemed that they were all pretty gifted in that department.
"So long as my anatomy's the only one you're getting used to," he growled, moving his mouth up to bite down on her mark.
"I'm yours, monkey man," Mina gasped. "All yours."
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"Mother?"
Toma turned and felt a pang in her heart at the sight of her daughter's red-rimmed eyes. "What happened, child?"
"It's not important. I came to ask you a question," Usagi replied. "I know you said that you never wanted me to bring it up, but I have to know."
"Why now, girl?" Toma sighed sadly. "You know I don't want to talk about it. Ever."
"My new handmaiden is Althean, as you know. And she was singing a song…" Usagi hummed a few bars of it, and watched her mother's face turn to stone, the usual Saiyan reaction to something that made them feel extreme emotion.
"I can't believe you'd actually remember that song; you were only an infant the last time you heard it." The queen gestured to a couch. "Sit, Usagi. I'm going to tell you this one time, and then I want your word that you'll never bring it up again. Alright?"
The princess nodded and perched on the edge of the couch. "So, my father was Althean?"
"Yes, he was. And I was shunned by my family for mating with him, since Saiyan females are normally expected to mate with Saiyan males. There's just too few of us to allow pair-bonding with non-Saiyans. That's why we never talk about him, alright?
"His name was Tsuku Yomi, and we met while I was stationed on Althea. He was a healer, like you, a woundbinder. It's a very rare gift among Altheans, and only a few families carried the trait. I cared for him more than you'll ever know, even though I didn't feel the pull, like I did with Vegeta. He was gentle, and kind. Like you, when your Saiyan side isn't taking over."
"And the lullaby? Did he sing it to me?"
Toma's lips turned up in a tiny smile as she remembered her first mate, tall and slender, holding a little bundle in his arms. "No. That was your grandmother, Serenity. You favor her, you know. A lot."
Usagi nodded, waiting for her to continue. She'd always wondered where her coloring had come from.
"You look like him a little bit in the face, when you smile. But he wasn't so pale, Serenity was. And his hair was lavender, almost silver when the light hit it just right. But all three of you have the exact same eyes." Toma wiped at the tears that had come unbidden to her eyes. "He was in love with you the moment he laid eyes on you, Usa. You were the light of his life."
"How… how did he die?" Usagi asked softly. She didn't want to upset her mother any further, but she needed to know.
"There was an epidemic on Althea, and all of the woundbinders were brought in to heal those who were sick. Despite my pleas for him to take it easy, he just continued to heal them. The children, I mean. The virus affected mostly the young and the very old, and Tsuku just wouldn't stop. His light went out, similar to that thundershaker's spark going out the other day, and even Serenity couldn't revive him.
"I was called back to Vegeta-sai a few weeks later, and when I went to report to the newly crowned king and swear allegiance, we both felt the pull. I… I have to give Vegeta credit, though. I was in mourning, so he fought the urge for several weeks. He even apologized after he took me, but don't you dare ever mention that to him, girl. He'd skin the both of us."
Usagi nodded. "He's going to skin me anyway. I'm not going to Earth." With dry eyes, she quickly explained to her mother what she knew about the dream, though it wasn't much at all.
"No, Usagi. You have to go. It's an order, and you have to follow it. And don't expect me to take your side on this one, either, brat."
"I don't, Mother. And thank you… for telling me about my father. I wish the Altheans had survived, I would have liked to travel there one day, maybe meet my grandmother."
"She was the strongest woundbinder on the planet, and you're just a strong as her, you know. Maybe even stronger. She'd be proud of you. Tsuku would be, too."