Wednesday morning, Rukia skipped down the stairs, going to the kitchen. It was a beautiful day, even if the sky was grey and overcast. Last night had been incredible and its afterglow was transferring to her whole day. Ichigo had made love to her, not just had sex. It had been slow and sweet, everything she had ever imagined. Skilfully, he'd made her come over and over, gently stroking and caressing every inch of her, all the while whispering tender words into her ear. While he hadn't initiated a blood bond, she was sure he was close. His teeth had grazed her neck several times and he'd seemed on the verge of saying something, only to draw back. At one point, she'd considered mentioning it, but then he'd used his wickedly talented fingers to distract her…
Never mind, it would be soon she consoled herself. She could just tell. Besides, her heat would likely start tomorrow or the next day. Surely then Ichigo would lose his reserve. Already she was feeling so much closer to him. What would it be like to be blood bonded and to be privileged to have a sense of his actual thoughts and feelings? An excited shiver ran through her at the very idea.
She sat in the kitchen while watching Rangiku mix up a batch of muffins. The woman hummed under her breath as she stirred in the flour, then added some raisins and spices to the thick rich batter.
Sipping her coffee, Rukia thought about her birthday tomorrow. No one mentioned anything to her, maybe Ichigo planned some sort of surprise but she shouldn't get her hopes up too high. After all Ichigo was very busy and might forget about it.
Orihime came in and sat across the table from Rukia, her feet propped on a chair. Her ankles already showed signs of swelling, despite the fact that it was still early in the day. A cup of herbal tea rested on her bulging stomach and she idly rubbed her abdomen as she grumbled.
"I am going to be so glad when this is over."
Rangiku raised an eyebrow. "Seems to me just a month or two ago, you were raving about the wonders of expectant motherhood."
"Yeah, well that was before, when I could still see my feet and get a decent night's sleep."
"Is being pregnant really difficult?" Rukia furrowed her brow slightly. When she'd decided last night to let nature take its course, she'd only been thinking about the two ends of the project. The fun of having sex with Ichigo and then the possibility of having a child to love and nurture. She'd conveniently ignored the middle part.
"It has its moments," Orihime sighed but then a smile crept over her face. "But for the most part, it's been an amazing experience. Why? Are you and Ichigo already thinking of having a family?"
Rukia shrugged. "We talked about it. My heat will start next week and I think I'll go drug free and see what happens, especially since I don't react well to the drugs."
Orihime giggled. "I'll tell you what will happen. Your pheromones will turn Ichigo into the most passionate, possessive mate you've ever seen, while you'll be this sex-starved maniac."
"No, I won't! Will I?"Rukia denied the idea but then blushed and bit her lip. No one had ever mentioned that! The idea of being out of control wasn't too appealing.
Rangiku snorted and then offered some reassurance. "Orihime just teasing you, honey. Your first undrugged heat will seem a bit more intense, because you've never unleashed that side of yourself before and you're not sure what to expect, but it's not a constant state. It's more like waves or the tide. It builds up to a peak, and then stops for awhile, then builds up again."
"That's good. How many… er… tides should I expect?" It was a bit embarrassing for Rukia to admit that she didn't know these things, but she'd grown up without a mother.
"Probably two or maybe three a day, depending on your emotional state."
"You just better hope they aren't tidal waves!"Orihime quipped before reaching over and patting Rukia's arm.
"I'm sorry. I shouldn't tease you. It wasn't that long ago that Uryu and I were newly mated. I remember all the uncertainty that went with it."
"That's okay. I'm just happy for any advice or insight you ladies have to offer."
Rukia glanced at the clock and gasped. "Oh no! Look at the time! I'm going to be late for work, if I don't get a move on."
Dashing from the kitchen, she raced upstairs, intent on grabbing her purse and a coat. Thankfully she was already dressed in her waitressing uniform. Opening the bedroom door, she slammed into Riruka who was just leaving the room.
"Oh!"Riruka looked rather flustered and was clutching a book in her hand. "I… I was just getting a book to read. I remembered that Ichigo had a great collection in his sitting room."
Surprised to find Riruka in her room, Rukia brought up a point Ichigo had mentioned to her the very first day. "I thought Ichigo said our rooms were out of bounds to the rest of the pack."
Something—possibly irritation—flashed across Riruka's eyes but it was gone before Rukia was sure. "Ichigo meant the rest of the pack. I'm such old friends with him, he doesn't mind me popping in now and then."
"Sure..." Rukia paused momentarily. Riruka and Ichigo did go way back so it was possible that he'd said that, but something seemed off about the story. Unfortunately, she really didn't have time to question Riruka, and what harm was there in borrowing a book, anyway? Dismissing the whole situation, she brushed past the other woman, calling over her shoulder.
"I'll see you later, I don't want to be late for work." As she headed for the stairs, Riruka was still standing in the hallway. Missing the evil grin that spread on the woman's face.
Rukia hummed to herself, thinking of how nice her day had been. Working at the TeaHouse was very enjoyable for her. Stopping at a traffic light, she glanced down at the dashboard and frowned. That warning light was on again. Rolling her eyes in exasperation, she altered her course and headed towards the nearest garage. Thankfully, it wasn't too late and the mechanic was still on duty. He took the car back into the service area to check it, while Rukia sat waiting in the front office.
Rukia stood and looked out the window. There wasn't much to see. The sky had darkened to a dull grey that threatened rain. Cars zoomed by on the highway that ran in front of the garage, a billboard advertising insulation was to the right, and a parking lot with cars for sale occupied the space to the left.
Idly, Rukia studied the cars, her gaze skimming over the shades of brown, blue, and grey until coming to a stop on the lone flash of red. It was a sports car, bright red in colour and strangely familiar. Drawn like a magnet, Rukia pushed open the outer door, the bell above jingled merrily to signal her exit.
Walking over to where the car was parked, she circled it, studying the vehicle from all angles. She'd be the first to admit that she knew nothing about cars, but she'd bet her money this was the one that had sprayed gravel at her two weeks ago.
Tugging at the door handle, she was surprised when it opened, usually people kept their cars locked. Leaning over, she examined the interior. It was clean, with no papers or garbage lying around. She wondered who the owner was and sniffed but didn't detect any recent scents. Thoughtfully, she closed the door and made her way back to the customer waiting area. Once inside, she glanced towards the door that led to the service bays. It was ajar and she could see the mechanic was still working on her car, the noise from the engine obviously had kept him from noticing her brief departure.
Casually she strolled over to the counter and leaned against it. Pouring herself coffee, she peered at the labelled binders that were stacked on the other side of the counter. Keeping one eye on the door, Rukia picked up a binder entitled 'Auto Sales' and began to flip through the listings.
About half-way through, she came to a snapshot of the red car. There was a write up about its age, engine size, and number of miles. The date on the page indicated that it had been brought in about a week and a half ago and the owner was listed as Grimmjow Jaegerjaques.
Rukia snapped the book shut and pressed it to her chest. Grimmjow must have been at the house just two weeks ago! He was the one who had peppered her with gravel. But it had only been her second day—she hadn't even been there forty-eight hours yet! How had he known who she was? And why had he shown such disrespect to her? Maybe it was because he hated Ichigo too much. Or possibly, he was just a maniac when driving and thought the stunt he'd pulled was funny. She'd have to tell Ichigo what she'd discovered. It might prove to be a lead that helped them locate the rogue wolf.
It was almost five o'clock by the time Rukia finally got home. The problem with the car had been a malfunctioning sensor light, rather than an actual fault with the engine or brakes. A new sensor was on order and the mechanic said he'd call when the part came in. She kicked off her shoes and padded towards the stairs, thinking longingly of putting on some comfortable sweats and having a cup of tea. She'd just open the door to their bedroom when Riruka popped out of Ichigo's office.
"Hey Rukia! You're late getting back. How was your day?" Riruka was grinning as if she knew something Rukia didn't.
"Fine—sort of long and tiring though."
Riruka's face fell. "Nothing 'exciting' happened?"
"No, not really. Why?"
"Oh, just nothing. "
Rukia nodded thinking that Riruka almost seemed disappointed.
"So…Are you going to see this Renji guy tomorrow?"
"Yeah, " She stared at Riruka and frowned, wondering why she cared.
"Hmm… "Riruka was silent for a moment, her brow furrowed, as if deep in thought. "I think you shouldn't tell Ichigo about this."
Rukia crossed her arms and face the woman. Raising an eyebrow she asked. "And why is that?"
"He has some jealousy issues, you know.."
"Renji's just an old friend. We grew up together."
"Uh-huh …That's your story, but will Ichigo believe it? let me give you some advice. I can tell that you're almost in heat, and the smell of your pheromones will be upping Ichigo's sense of possessiveness. You know how territorial male-weres get about their mates at a time like this. He's not going to be overly receptive to hearing about you meeting this Renji guy."
"I don't think—"
"Listen. I've known Ichigo longer than you have. We were even an item for a while, so you have to trust me on this one. I know how he'll react and it won't be pretty. When I realised that I loved Grimmjow rather than him, Ichigo almost went crazy!, it was totally out of character for him, but he did."
''This is not a good idea, Riruka—"
"Rukia, do you remember how angry Ichigo was over that picture of him I had in the Gallery? Well, that will seem like nothing compared to how this will set him off. You've only been around attached males so far, so you really don't know how possessive he can be."
Rukia thought back to how Ichigo had reacted to Renji talking to her that very first morning and wondered if possibly Riruka was right. "Well… "
"Good! I don't want Ichigo to be upset with you, not when he seems so happy right now." She checked her watch. "Ichigo should be here any minute so I'll just scoot on my way." With a friendly wave, Riruka hurried out of the room.
Not telling Ichigo about the meeting just didn't sit right with her. Riruka could be wrong. Ichigo might not be that upset and even if he was, at least it would be all over and done with, rather than hanging over her head while she waited for him to find out through some other source. She has to tell him herself.
Giving a decisive nod, she grabbed a brush and quickly began to fix her hair, only to knock an earring loose. It tumbled to the ground and rolled across the floor. With an exasperated sigh, Rukia set the brush down and got onto her hands and knees, and began crawling along searching for the small bit of jewellery. It wasn't immediately visible, so she lay flat, stretching her arm underneath the dresser and feeling around, but having no luck.
Damn! Where had the silly thing gone? Still on all fours, she surveyed the floor in frustration. Bending her head closer to the floor, she surveyed the surface in front of her…Suddenly something nudged her butt and she shrieked. Turning quickly, she lost her balance and fell onto her side landing in an undignified heap.
Brushing her hair from her face she looked up, to see Ichigo standing over her, in his wolf form. His tongue was hanging from his mouth and she knew without a doubt he was laughing.
"That was not funny!" She spoke slowly and distinctly, letting her irritation show. "You scared me half to death."
He cocked his head to the side showing no remorse, then shoved a cold wet nose against her face."Hey! Stop that. What's with you?" Despite herself she giggled, his whiskers tickling, and reached up to run her hands through his fur and scratch his ears.
With her arms still around him, Ichigo suddenly shimmered and became human again. His head dropped down and he kissed her thoroughly until they were both gasping for breath. Ichigo tongue invaded her mouth, gently stroking then retreating, teasing her lips and driving all thought from her mind. He slowly pulled away and moved to nibbling at her ear.
Rukia tried to focus on the topic of Renji but Ichigo was now biting and sucking on the cords of her neck causing shivers of delight to course through her. Involuntarily her hips moved against him. All right. Maybe this wasn't the time. But later on tonight, she'd definitely tell him.
She ran her hands across his shoulders and down his back, enjoying the feel of his smooth skin and solid muscle. A thought suddenly occurred to her. "Hey! I think you forgot something when you shifted."
"Hmm? What?" Ichigo was now biting at her breast through the material of her shirt and Rukia had difficulty concentrating.
"Your clothes, silly. You forgot to think 'clothes' when you phased back." She giggled. Only an inexperienced young werewolf would forget to magick back their clothes when changing forms.
"No I didn't. I purposely left them off. The sight of you on all fours with your butt pointed up to the ceiling was what had me changing into my wolf in the first place. I have great plans for us." His hands began to work their way under her top and she grabbed his wrists to stop him.
"Appealing as that might sound, it's almost dinner time." A rumble worked its way up from deep in Ichigo's throat.
"They can eat without us. I'm in no condition to leave this room without mating you first."
His words had her dropping her gaze to his lower anatomy where a certain part of him was validating his statement. A rush of excitement flowed through her and she felt her body readying itself faster than she'd ever thought possible. Yep, her heat was definitely coming on. As she frantically began helping Ichigo peel off her clothes, she decided that next week might prove to be the most exciting one of her life.
Ichigo had already carried her to their bed. But this time she wants to be on top. Gently, she pushed him down onto his back and straddled his legs. Running her hands up his chest, she flicked his nipples, moulded his shoulders, and then slid her hands downward again, enjoying the feel of his warm skin and hard muscles. As she leaned forward to kiss him, she felt his erection pressing hot and hard against her sensation made her own body respond, warmth pooling between her thighs.
Instinctively, she rocked her hips and Ichigo growled in approval. He slid his hands up her arms to her shoulders, then down her back, finally cupping her ass and squeezing gently.
"I love your body, Rukia." Ichigo moved his hands lower still, his fingertips barely skimming her feminine folds as he reached for her thighs then slid his hands up to her butt cheeks again.
Back and forth, back and forth, he ensured that his hands never actually touched her where she wanted it the most. Rukia felt herself growing even wetter in anticipation. Nibbling at his neck, then his chin, she bit his lower lip, sucking it into her mouth before releasing it in favour of exploring him with her tongue. Meanwhile, she ran her fingers over his ears and through his hair, tugging at the silken strands, her nails raking gently on his skin. Soon they were both panting, a sheen of sweat beginning to dampen their bodies.
"Ichigo… "She murmured against his lips.
"Yeah?"
"If you don't touch me there soon, I'm going to scream." She felt his breath puff against her mouth as he chuckled.
"Well, you're going to be screaming sooner or later, anyway… "
Rukia lifted her head and stared down at him. "You sound pretty confident about that, Kurosaki."
"I am." He smiled up at her and then grabbed her waist. Suddenly, Rukia found herself face first on the mattress, with Ichigo straddling her.
"What just happened?" She sputtered.
Ichigo worked his hand under her and cupped her breast. Massaging the soft globe, he whispered in her ear. "I said you're going to be screaming soon, and we don't want to let the others hear now, do we? This way, you can just bury your face in the mattress instead of biting my shoulder like you always did. Not that I minded."
Rukia felt her face growing warm as she recalled those moments. Experimentally, she pushed upwards trying to lever her body, but Ichigo was using his weight to keep her in place. A shiver of excitement ran through her as she realized that she was trapped.
"Do you like this?" He asked, brushing her hair aside and biting gently on her neck.
"Mmm. It's different, but yeah… I like it."
"Good." Ichigo removed his hand from her breast and grabbed her around the waist. He removed his weight, lifting her hips up and leaving her shoulders down. She squirmed a bit, thinking of how exposed her most intimate parts must be, but then Ichigo stroked her slick folds with his fingers and she lost all inhibitions.
"Ahh.." Her body was quivering in anticipation. He bit at her butt cheek then lapped her juices with his tongue. When he invaded her with his fingers, she was sure she'd come right then and there. "Oh yes, oh yes… " She panted her approval as he massaged her inner walls, stimulating the sensitive nerves within. Just as she felt a coiling in her lower belly, he suddenly withdrew his fingers. She whimpered in disappointment only to gasp as she felt his hot, thick flesh invading her body. Slowly, he pressed forward, parting her flesh, retreating, then pushing in deeper. With him behind her, it was a totally different feeling than any of the other times they'd been together. When she was sure she was filled beyond capacity, he paused.
"Are you still okay?" Ichigo's voice sounded tight, as if he was exerting great control over himself.
"Not if you don't start to do something about this real soon." She rocked back against him, desperately needing release.
"Your wish…" Instead of finishing the statement, he took hold of her hips and began the rhythm they both craved. In and out, in and out, each thrust was exquisite torture as it stroked her inner walls. She clutched at the sheets, panting, her eyes squeezed shut as she concentrated on the feeling building within her. It coiled tighter with each stroke, her breathing grew more rapid, his balls slapped against her with each thrust, providing an added stimulation. Never had she believed it could feel this good…
The sensation was exquisite, feeling his thick flesh parting her, filling her. There were long slow strokes, that had her sighing with pleasure, then short fast thrusts that drove her wild. Rukia bit her lip, panting, reaching…
Above her, Ichigo was breathing heavily, his movements become harder, more forceful. He was hammering into her now, each stroke bringing her higher. One thrust and then one more. She couldn't believe anything could feel like this, she didn't want it to end. Faster… harder… Straining… She couldn't breath… everything tightened… and then her body clenched in an orgasm so hard, she was sure she was break into a million pieces. Her vision blurred, jolts of pleasure wracking her body over and over, compounded by the waves of ecstasy that shot through Ichigo as his seed spurted within her. Again and again her pleasure fed off his until she was screaming her release.
Outside the room Riruka stood gaping, and flushing a shade of red at what she just heard. Rangiku had asked her to call Rukia and Ichigo for dinner. She was on the verge of knocking the door but stopped when sounds of thumping of the bed against the wall combined with the grunts and heavy breathing, erotic moaning could be heard. Obviously, the couple inside was doing a late night exercise.
She clenched her fist, tightly that she could feel her long manicured nails digging her flesh.
"Enjoy it now Rukia, while you still can." She growled and turned to leave.
Just like Orihime said: "Your pheromones will turn Ichigo into the most passionate, possessive mate you've ever seen, while you'll be this sex-starved maniac." lol
Yeah, No warning sign. You guys won't listen anyway.. :P
Haha...In your face Riruka!
I won't be able to reply all reviews but keep in mind, that all are Read and appreciated. I'm afraid that I might spoil the story if I answer all of your questions readers..
To Squamata: you guessed it right! Riruka Did gave that perfume to Rukia on purpose. One point for you! Hehehe..
Biswonderful: Hello! Glad to have a new filipino reader here. Sorry kung ngayon lng aq nagreply, nakalimutan q kasi eh.. I hope ur enjoying this fic.. :D
Rukiyuki: Thanks, your thoughts are much appreciated as well.
Aurora: Hi! Welcome, and thank you for not leaving this story. No worries, the bloodbond is gonna happen soon.. :)
Jobananasan: LOL, you really hate Riruka that much huh.. I love ur wild imagination though. Don't worry, The bad guys always lose in the end. :) And thanks 4 liking my OCs.
MugetsuIchigo: Hi! I do remember you in my OLC fic, glad to have u back. And its good that you dont trust Riruka. Since we know that she has lots of plan for bringing Rukia down.
mbravesgirl7: Riruka does have something up her sleeve. Lets find that out together.