Disclaimer: I don't own Bleach, I don't own WoW. Myself, I am owned by WannaBeNinja. :) Tessah and Serrelle are my own personal minions. They do as I say! Reika Arakaki belongs to my Master, WannaBeNinja. She has been kind enough to allow this humble minion to borrow her character for special appearances in this story.
Well! I must say, a lap dance performed by
a naked Red was certainly...fun ;)
Thanks Angil for letting me have my way
with him for a night. -cackles madly-
I have been way too impatient lately and haven't been
allowing my hubby to proof. Poke me if you find errors plz k thx. :D
I'm not scared of critiques! I like em.
(so long as they are done in good taste, of course)
Don't forget to check out our new C2, staffed by myself,
WannaBeNinja and Angil. Its entitled Crazy, Sexy & Red.
See my bio for a link. :)
RECAP
Byakuya's jaw worked furiously as he struggled for words. "This is…unacceptable!" he said acidly, pushing himself up from the table.
Jushiro rose to stop him. "What is? That you are attracted to a woman or that woman?"
The younger man whirled away, turning his back on his senpai. "She is a prisoner" he responded flatly.
"And Hisana was a commoner" Jushiro retorted.
Byakuya froze, his back rigid. "I will not make the same mistake again" he said in a near whisper before leaving the room, haori and scarf trailing behind him.
Chapter 11
The following evening...
Night had fallen and Serrelle was alone at last in her cell. The past forty eight hours had been long and stressful, to say the least. Her last visitor this evening had been particularly...disturbing. She shivered as she recalled that horrible man with the painted face, laughing as she tried to wrench her arm away from him. Captain Kuchiki had stopped him, of course. His sharp words and thinly veiled threats had sent the freakish man huffing, though he swore he would collect his 'samples' one way or another. That reminder was enough to make her shiver again.
Then there was that intimidating brute of a man. He was the largest male she had seen here yet, though he was actually around the same size as most Kaldorei men. It was his face that frightened her so. A deep scar ran down one side and a patch covered his eye on the other, but it was that merciless smile that shook her to the marrow. He had tried to goad her into a fight, making lewd comments about her and about her sister to rile her. His voice rumbled throughout the room every time he spoke. It was a struggle to not wince at both the volume and content of his speech. When she threatened to strike him for his reprehensible behavior, he'd only grinned maliciously. 'Don't threaten me with a good time baby' he'd said with a roaring laugh.
She was nearly in tears by the time a pretty young woman with a deep scar slashed across her face strode into the room. The big giant got quiet immediately, staring at the green eyed newcomer lustfully.
"Mmm, Rei-chan…I didn't see you there. Couldn't keep away from me could ya?" he purred, causing the woman to scowl.
"Hardly, you big oaf. I'm here to see the prisoner" she said, hands firmly placed on her hips.
She looked past him, seeing the distraught Serrelle for the first time. Her jaw dropped in shock. "Well fuck me backwards" she said once the shock wore off.
"I'd be glad to" Kenpachi said, moving over and placing a possessive hand on her shoulder.
Reika glared at him and knocked his hand away "Later, brute." The big Captain smiled wickedly and licked his lips. He had every intention of holding her to it. Turning his toothy grin towards Serrelle, he waved. "So long, ryoka woman. I'm off to hunt down your sister. Maybe she'll put up a good fight."
Tears welled in her eyes as she dredged up the memory. She prayed the man never laid eyes on Tessah. How Lieutenant Arakaki put up with him was beyond her. The woman had seemed genuinely concerned for her plight. She too had been in somewhat of a similar situation before. The Commander-General had forced her to choose between becoming a soul reaper or being put to death. Obviously, she chose to become one of them. 'It was better than death, but not by much' she told her.
Despite threats of violence, chilling suggestions of 'experiments' and implied peril to her sibling, Serrelle had kept her chin up. It was no easy task, mind you. If Reika Arakaki had not stepped in when she did, the baleful Kaldorei would have finally caved under the weight of her emotions. It had truly been a long and arduous day.
What hurt her the most, out of all she had been through today, was the cold behavior of her guardian. Sure, he had warned Captain Zaraki to keep his distance and placed himself between the two when the big man ignored him. He'd threatened and chased away Captain Kurotsuchi. He had even seemed a little possessive at the time, but that was the extent of it. He said not a word of what had occurred over during their meal the previous day and he certainly had made no move to touch her again. If anything, he looked at her as though she were a poisonous viper.
Laying on her side staring at the wall, she clenched her fist together. Men! That one she understood least of all. He'd left her more confused than ever. Her stomach grew tight as she reflected on the passionate embrace they had shared. He'd woken up something inside of her that she never knew existed. Her life was spent serving Elune and her people, and that had always been enough. Men had never been a factor. She'd passed through the ages without a mate to call her own. It wasn't so bad really. At least, that is what she had told herself. Tessah had been there for her any time she needed her, that was enough…right? 'Who am I trying to kid? How can I ever be happy with that life again?'
Sighing, she squeezed her eyes shut and blinked away the tears. What was she going to do? Tessah was safe, for now. That brought some comfort, but her own fate was a tangled mess. Lieutenant Abarai had promised to try and free her, but would he succeed? She'd hoped that perhaps Captain Kuchiki had a change of heart after their kiss, but the venomous glare he gave her upon his return dashed such hopes. Opening her eyes, she stared at the wall again. 'At this rate, sleep will be a long time coming' she thought dismally.
A loud 'CLICK' echoed through the large chamber, breaking her from her reverie with a startled gasp. Lifting her head, she looked over towards the door curiously. Slowly it began to open. Her heart fluttered. 'He came back' she thought, pushing herself up on the bed. The big door took it's time sliding back, the anticipation killing her. 'Should I smile at him? No…far too obvious.' She resisted the urge to straighten her tousled hair.
The two guards that had been posted outside stepped into the room and she frowned. 'Why would they be coming in with him?' Her question was answered as they moved closer. They were indeed escorting a Captain, but it was the last one she wished to see. Dread washed through her, forming a ball of ice in the pit of her stomach.
"C-captain Kurotsuchi…what brings you here at this hour?" she asked timidly, unable to stop her voice from shaking. His parting words came back to haunt her 'I'll get my samples from her Kuchiki, one way or another!' he had promised, stalking off angrily.
His laughter bounced off the walls, sending shivers down her spine."Ku ku ku…such silly questions. Since you are such a rare and unique specimen, I'll be gentle. Don't worry girl, this won't hurt too much. It won't kill you at least."
The guards advanced menacingly towards the bed and she scrambled to get away. 'Oh Goddess! I've got to get away from here!' She thought as the panic building in her rose to catch in her throat. The sheets twisted around her legs, causing her to stumble and fall the rest of the way off the bed. The guards were almost on top of her now. Kicking herself free of the covers, she pushed herself up and tried to run. Too late. Big arms encircled her waist, lifting her off the ground. The other man grabbed her wrists as she struggled, flailing arms and legs about in sheer desperation. Fear overtook her mind and she cried out, flinging aside such petty ideas as honor and nobility. They would not save her now. It was survival that she clung to, self-preservation.
Her struggles were feeble, she knew, but it did not stop her from fighting against the two. That crazed laughter rebounded throughout the cell again as the painted Captain watched. It was always amusing to see the horror stricken antics of those soon to be his subjects. Nevertheless, such things would delay his tests. Movement, at least, would not be tolerated.
Flicking his wrist towards her, a small needle flew from his fingertips, embedding itself in her neck. The night elf's glowing blue eyes widened as she felt her body growing numb, and yet, she still felt the pain of the needle. The pain of the rough handling of her captors. How was that even possible?
Mayuri giggled at the bewildered look on her face. "Are you impressed? That is my latest poison, similar to one I used on that pesky Quincy boy. Only it is much stronger than before. From the neck down, you won't be able to move a muscle. However, you will be completely aware of every last wound inflicted. More so actually. This new strain increases the sensitivity of your nerves. Isn't that positively delightful?" He spoke with that eerie, skeletal grin plastered across his face, as though he was both proud and impressed with his ingenuity.
A chilling scream ripped through the tower, into the night. Outside the thick seki-seki walls, sleeping birds awoke, the sudden noise putting them to flight.
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Inside his darkened room, Renji lay, sprawled across the futon. After the last two sleepless nights and the long, tedious day he had, it had taken only moments for him to fall into a deep sleep. His long red hair was tied back in a loose braid, curled around his neck. Loud snores broke the silence of the room on occasion. Idly, his hand scratched at his lower abdomen.
A flutter of wings announced a visitor at the window, but did not stir him from his slumber. A little creature hopped down into the room, making its way over to the rumbling figure. The bird pecked lightly at his wrist once it was close enough. With a grumble, he shifted his arm, making the poor creature jump back to avoid being struck. It tried again, getting much the same result. Ruffling its feathers in vexation, the little bird shook itself after narrowly avoiding being hit. Not to be deterred, it clambered its way onto his chest.
Again, it pecked lightly in a vain attempt to rouse the slumbering male. Renji's hand scratched at the area and he muttered something incoherent, but did not wake. The bird cocked its head to the side. Slowly, it waddled up his body, sliding down his shoulder and stopping beside his ear.
"CAW!"
With a startled gasp, Renji leapt up, looking around the room wildly. Movement on the floor caught his eyes and they widened in surprise. A small blackbird was standing there, its beady eyes watching him.
"You!" he pointed angrily.
In response, the bird flew up to his window and stretched his wings with a squawk. Growling, Renji flopped back down on his bed, irritated at being so rudely awoken. The bird screeched insistently, hopping up and down on the sill.
"Will you shut the hell up?!"
Again the bird squawked at him, shaking its feathers. Groaning, Renji threw himself back on the bed, pulling a pillow over his face. That did not sit well with his feathered friend. The small fowl jumped down from the window once again. Landing near his feet, it reached out and bit down on his small toe. Yelping, Renji sat back up, flinging his pillow at the unsuspecting creature. His aim was terrible, fortunately for the blackbird.
Screeching, the bird went to the window again, turning around and looking at him. Renji smacked himself on the forehead, dragging his hand slowly down his face.
"What do you want?" he asked in an exasperated voice.
"CAW!"
Opening one eye, he peered through his fingers at his noisy guest. "You tryin to tell me something?"
The bird bobbed its head up and down. His jaw dropped. "Tessah?" he asked shyly. 'Gods, I will feel like a total idiot if that's her…' The bird made a strange guttural noise and stuck its head underneath one wing.
"Okay, not Tessah. A friend of Tessah's maybe?"
The little bird pulled its head out and cawed again. It dawned on him that this bird was sent in her stead, meaning something must have happened.
"Is something wrong?!"
The blackbird bobbed its head again, flapping its wings.
"Shit shit shit" he cursed, jumping back out of bed and grabbing his sword. Not even bothering to dress, he went to the window in only his sleeping yukata.
"Lead on little guy"
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Staring out into the garden, Byakuya sipped his tea quietly. It was nearing midnight, but he was not ready to retire for the night. How could he sleep when every time he closed his eyes, he saw those pouty lips of hers? Those passion glazed eyes peering up at him expectantly. If he wasn't seeing that, it was the doleful expression she held when he saw her last. He was hurting her, he knew. He knew, and he tried not to care. At that, he was a complete failure.
Sighing, he gazed into the night sky, praying for answers to questions he dared not ask. There was only a thin sliver of the moon showing, the crescent shape serving as yet another reminder of her. Sighing again, he stared down into his cup dejectedly. He could not get her off his mind. She incensed him. Such power she had over him, controlling his heart without even trying.
He wanted to hate her for what she had done. He intended on it. Perhaps, if he remained cold towards her, she would come to hate him. Unfortunately, he'd already tried that route and failed. She had certainly been frightened of him after the attack, and yet she allowed him to kiss her, encouraged it even!
The thought of those sweet lips pressed to his nearly made him moan aloud. He had never desired any woman the way he did her. Even Hisana. Oh, he loved her more than life itself, but even she had not brought about this…hunger. There was more to it an animalistic need though, he wanted to make her his, always. Just like Hisana had not been. Her heart never truly belonged to him. The reminder brought about a painful ache he'd just as soon discard. He'd always hoped she would return his love, but it was not meant to be.
As unpleasant as thoughts of Hisana could be, they had taken his mind off of Serrelle for the time being. Glancing back upward at the sky, he watched a small flock of birds fly overhead and frowned. They should have been asleep at this hour. Something must have disturbed them greatly to put them to flight so late in the evening.
So focused on the birds, he almost failed to notice the subtly masked spiritual pressure moving his way. His brow twitched when one of the Kuchiki secret guards materialized before him. 'It had better be important to disturb me at this hour.'
"Sir" the man said, kneeling before his master. "As you requested, I have come to inform you of anyone moving towards the Senzaikyu."
"How many?"
"Just one, sir"
"Who?"
"Mayuri Kurotsuchi, sir"
Panic gripped his throat tightly at mention of that name. He stood hastily, staring down at the darkly clothed man. Flicking his wrist in dismissal, the man vanished, fading into the shadows. Quickly, he walked back into his room, throwing on his haori and picking up his zanpaktou. He did not wish to waste time by stopping to lace on waraji, so he left, wearing only tabi socks on his feet.
No matter how much he hated her for invading his mind and stirring up his heart, he would never wish something as awful as that upon her. The company of Captain Kurotsuchi only meant one thing. Byakuya only hoped he could arrive in time to spare her the pain associated with being a subject of interest to the mad scientist.
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Into the night he ran, grumbling to himself about leaving the house barefoot, again. Just ahead of him the blackbird flew, gliding on the wind. It made no attempts to conceal itself, or allow him to do so. 'This had better be damn important, making me run after this bird in the open. If someone sees me I'm going to have some serious explaining to do.'
They reached a wide stairway that brought back a flood of memories to him. Renji had battled Ichigo Kurosaki below these very steps once. He lost, much to his chagrin. It helped make him stronger though, into the man he was today. Using shunpo, he took the steps in one great leap, appearing at the top with a grin. The bird had to catch up to him now. It gave him a scolding 'caw' as it flew past, wings beating furiously.
With a chuckle, he set to following the little bird again, wishing that it would move faster. It was bringing him deeper into the Seireitei and further away from the cave Tessah was safely stashed away in. He hoped she was at least. If they kept on going this way, it could only mean one thing…
"Hey bird! Are we going to the big white tower? One caw for no, two for yes."
He realized how ridiculous it sounded, but if it worked it would save him some time. He waited expectantly for a response, the bird had not slowed. After a moment it squawked, twice, in succession. Moving along side the animal rapidly, he turned his head to look at it.
"You can tell her I'm taking care of it then" he said before speeding ahead. With a tilt of its wings, the bird caught a current of air and glided upwards and away.
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As things currently stood, Byakuya Kuchiki was one of the more skilled members of Gotei 13 when it came to using shunpo. He used it to its fullest now, accelerating towards the Senzaikyu as if his feet had wings. Fears flitted in and out of his mind in droves. The possibilities, the horrid things that Kurotsuchi could and would do to the young woman if given enough time. That man did not look at others as people, only test subjects. They were things...disposable and unimportant once he had gleaned everything he could from them. Visions of his celestial maiden being tortured and eventually killed by the madman fueled his rage. 'How dare he!'
Byakuya's thoughts surrounded him like a cocoon, blocking out all else. In coming upon an intersection, he nearly collided with his subordinate he was so distraught. Using the utsusemi technique, he flashed around the other man, leaving an afterimage in his wake.
"Captain!" the flame haired man sputtered, staring at the after image a moment before whirling to find the man standing behind him.
"Come" he ordered. He had no intentions of stopping to chat. Not when Serrelle's life was in danger. His subordinate nodded and followed quickly along side him, hurrying to maintain the rapid clip set by his Captain.
Glancing at him from the corner of his eye, Byakuya noted Renji's state of disarray. He was wearing his sleeping yukata half open, holding his sword in one hand and he was minus any footwear. Clearly he had left his apartments in a hurry, but how could he have known? It was highly unlikely that he'd placed sentries outside the tower as Byakuya had. And yet, here he was. Quite obviously he was trying to reach the Senzaikyu, knowing something was not right.
The younger man was having difficulty keeping up, quickly falling behind and causing Byakuya to decrease his speed.
"Sir" he huffed "don't slow down for me. Go on ahead. I'll meet you there."
Grateful, he gave his adjutant a sharp nod and increased his celerity once again. Renji was not a slow man by any means, but he could not keep up the frantic pace for long.
Onward Byakuya flew, the enormous white tower of the Senzaikyu now coming into view. He leapt upwards, cutting through the buildings, over walls and rooftops at blinding speed.
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Sweat beaded her face and her breaths came in short gasps. It was getting difficult for her to breathe. A cloth gag cut into the corners of her mouth and muffled her cries. It did not stop her from howling, no more than the rope cutting into her body ceased her vain attempts of struggle. Every second ticked by at an agonizingly slow pace. Her back ached from his last 'specimen retrieval.' It had been the worst yet.
Tears streamed down her face and her body spasmed, despite the drug, as he'd drilled into her, muttering about how the spine always held such interesting information. She'd screamed until she was hoarse, her throat raw. It felt like her lungs would collapse at any moment. When the pain became too much, she fled, escaping into unconsciousness.
He woke her with a rough slap, irritated that she would have passed out so easily. "Can't have you sleeping through this, now can I?" he said with a toothy grin.
Her terrified wail was stifled by the gag. She tried to jerk her body, fighting against the poison and bonds that held her immobile. It was a fruitless attempt, she knew. Not only was she paralyzed from the neck down, but the two guards had been most thorough when binding her. Her ankles were strapped to the front legs of the chair, her hands to the back rest. Additional ropes wrapped around her upper and middle torso, holding her firmly against the wooden seat. Had she not been paralyzed, her efforts would have still been futile.
Lifting her head weakly, she looked for the guards now. They were standing a short distance behind the sinister Kurotsuchi, waiting impatiently from the look of it. Neither seemed to approve of what was being done, but they were not about to stop it either.
Mayuri was fiddling with a vial, preparing to inject her with an experimental drug, when he felt a familiar spiritual pressure drawing near. 'Dear me, it seems I've run out of time already. Now how is that? Tsk tsk'
"Alright gentlemen, I'm finished with her for now. As promised, she's all yours." He said in a suspiciously polite voice, already walking towards the door. He tossed them a backwards wave and vanished.
Serrelle sighed when she heard he was leaving. She allowed her body relaxed a bit, the torture was over. She hadn't even heard the last of it, she was so relieved to be free of him. The guards moved towards her now and she looked up expectantly. They were smiling down at her now, a dangerous gleam in their eyes. Her breath froze in her lungs, her lips paused a breath before speaking out. It was the same look she had seen on Captain Zaraki's face when he had stared at Lieutenant Arakaki…only much worse.
a/n: welllll? How joo like? I bet my Master is screaming already...I let out an evil cackle before when she said to keep Mayuri away from Serrelle. It was already written :) Plus, how could I resist exploring the insanity that is Kurotsuchi? Reviews please k thx! I'm gonna go fiddle with another vampire one-shot. mwahahaha Damn you Angil, getting me hooked on your vampire crack! :D
