The Curse of the Bond
By: Kichi

WARNING: This chapter has allusions to rape.

Chapter 12 - The Curse of The Bond

He woke at last feeling as though he hadn't slept at all. The sun was glaring down on them through the leaves above and for a few panicked seconds he had no clue where he was. Then it all came back in a rush as something wrapped around his waist squeezed gently. He looked down and saw the human female wrapped in his arms and she in his. He recoiled as if he'd just grabbed a burning ember and he suddenly felt unbearably hot.
But his movements evoked no response from the female holding him tightly. And why should they? He felt as weak as a newborn brat! His brilliant idea to sleep seemed to drain him more, or perhaps he had overslept? It rarely happened but when it did, he woke feeling just as tired if not more so than the night before. And judging by the position of the sun, they had slept through the morning and into the early afternoon.
He snarled in anger but it did noting to alleviate his current predicament. The female was still clutching him and with the suddenness of a thunder clap her legs entwined with his. He felt his cheeks burning and tried to gently remove her clutching fingers but his movements only elicited a soft moan that caused the hair on the back of his neck to stand up. He froze, hardly daring to breathe. If she woke up before he removed himself from her grip.. the very thought..
He grit his teeth and gently took hold of her slim hands and as quickly as he could, rolled out of her reach. He sat up gasping for breath as if he'd just fought a life and death battle.
But for him, in a way it was. He could not allow himself to grow attached to her! But part of him bitterly reminded him that he was too late on that count.
Was it? He looked down at the still-slumbering female in awe. She was easy to look at, no question. But her mouth.. And her attitude. She was damn near intolerable at times! Always so damn sure that she was right about nearly everything. And too emotional for comfort. AND she was damn nosy, always asking annoying questions that he didn't want to answer.
That probably irritated him the most. Why the hell was she so interested anyway..? He couldn't understand her, but then again, he'd never really talked to females that much. They had always known better than to annoy him with their frivolous conversation. But apparently she had no qualms about pissing him off. Wherever she got the gall to harass him constantly…
It made no sense. But what confused him even more was why he hadn't blasted her ass to hell by now. Even she knew that he didn't really need her. He shook his head refusing to dwell on it any longer and stood, stretching with a yawn.
He sat down again after a moment and examined the bandages taped to his leg covering his wound from the spider venom. It had to be better by now, he'd lost that feeling of dizziness and perpetual nausea that had tormented him for the past few days. The bandage was clean on the outside. He tore it off and saw with relief that the skin was whole and pink. The violent red had faded and when he poked it experimentally with a finger, he felt no pain. He sighed in relief and stood back up. He didn't want to admit it, but he had been getting worried for awhile. Perhaps the extra sleep had been a good thing.
Bulma woke shortly after and after they realized that there was nothing to eat, or even anything to hunt, they set off following the tracks as quickly as they could.

For hours they walked without saying anything, only trying to ignore their hunger and stay on the task at hand. Vegeta didn't say anything, but was wondering how Bulma was keeping up. He was walking at her pace, but she would sometimes lag behind and he would find himself glancing over at where she had been only to stop and turn and see her far behind. He didn't get irritated. He just waited for her. He knew she was weak, and the sun was high overhead. It didn't bother him, but he figured it might do something to her.
This continued for hours until Bulma simply collapsed. She had stumbled on a small rock, but her knees had buckled none the less and she slumped to the ground, out of breath and exhausted.
Vegeta turned and walked back eyeing her with a smirk. But he didn't insult her or mock her weakness. He had in fact, been surprised that she had kept up for so long, and he knew she could go no further. So he knelt down in front of her and said: "Hold on." And she gratefully wrapped her arms around his neck and he stood, carrying her piggy-back.
Bulma was so tired. She was beyond exhausted. The longest she had ever walked was four hours, but they had passed that long ago. In fact the sun was starting to dip toward to horizon. How far was the ship? She didn't care anymore. She closed her eyes and slept.

Vegeta felt Bulma become dead weight and leaned forward trying to adjust her without dropping her. He settled her in his arms and quickly took off staying just low enough to follow the tracks.
After an hour or two of flying at a relatively fast pace, Vegeta was beginning to get tired and extremely annoyed. How the hell had those natives dragged their ship so far? The sun had just set. The sky was still a deep orange at the horizon but it was getting dark and the trail was getting harder to see.
They had been following the trail all damn day and no sign of it. Where had the natives taken it? And how had they managed to move it so quickly? Bulma still slept in his arms, murmuring wearily. They had to stop soon. He could see a forest coming into view and decided to stop once he reached it. The thought of sleeping out in the open held no appeal. Even Saiyans had to sleep and as much as Vegeta hated it, while asleep he was vulnerable. He was usually a light sleeper, but sometimes nothing could wake him. It would be safer for them both if they were hidden during the night. The forest covered many miles and he thought that he could see something in the distance resembling a building. If that was their destination it would only take an hour flying at the most. But he couldn't do it tonight. His eyelids were closing as he slowly dropped to the ground. He set Bulma down in a patch of dead leaves after kicking away as many sticks as he could.
His stomach growled angrily and he stifled a sigh. There had to be something to eat around there. Bulma was sound asleep, she wouldn't wake up before he got back, assuming there was something to find.. With a yawn he headed deeper into the forest.

"Lord Cooler. We've received a message from the observation team to Namek. The planet has been destroyed sir, and there were remnants of a ship in the debris. It was your brother's ship, sir." Cooler's eyes widened, he sat forward in his chair.
"Really? But how? Surely he is not that foolish? Did you find any trace of him?"
"None sir."
"Hmm. I wonder what has happened?"
"Sir, I have other news that may help us to shed some light on the situation."
"Do tell Sakui." Cooler murmured, absently sipping his wine.
"On of Frieza's men was spotted on Khemet."
"Who?"
"The Saiyan, Vegeta."
"Alone?"
"No sir, with a female of an unknown origin."
"So what is the significance? Frieza chose not to destroy that world. What does it matter?"
"Apparently the last few Saiyans defected. Frieza put price's on their head's. Nothing much really, except for the one called Vegeta. He tripled the bounty and only wanted him back alive."
"Hmm. Well I think that remains to be my brother's problem. But…" Cooler was suddenly thoughtful as he debated on intervention. "I could always go to Khemet and snatch that Saiyan up and keep him for my own, after all, you remember what Frieza did to Janna. I told him I'd get him back. This looks like the chance to." A pleased smile spread across his face as Sakui went off to alter their course. They were close by in fact and would reach the planet in an hour at full speed.
And Cooler, always eager to piss off his younger brother had ordered that they go as fast as possible.

The woods were full of life. Vegeta was relieved as he headed deeper in. He easily caught the scent of something that smelled appetizing and with the speed of a hungry Saiyan set out after it. He treaded silently through the brush and stiffened, dropping down to all fours when his prey stopped feeding and looked in his direction. He waited, barely breathing until the four-legged creature resumed its feast. As it did he began to slink towards the beast until he was a mere yard away. He tensed his muscles and sprang, leaping on the poor creature and snapping its neck quickly. He tore off a limb and began to gnaw on it with relish. He hadn't realized how hungry he'd been until just then. He had eaten all the meat in almost an hour. And then it occurred to him that Bulma would need food as well. He had to go a little farther out, all the game in the area had been scared off by the scent of blood in the air.
He walked quietly for a half hour before he heard some rustling. There was another little hoofed mammal like the one he'd caught before only bigger. He grinned in satisfaction. The onna didn't eat a fourth of what he did so there would be plenty more for him. He was about to spring on his unsuspecting prey when a familiar sensation stopped him dead in his tracks.
Frieza!? He thought, aghast. Had Kakarotto failed? Was Frieza stronger than a super Saiyan? But no- It was very much like Frieza's chi and yet… something was different. Could it be King Kold, or even Cooler? Vegeta had seen them from afar during a tournament years ago, but he'd just recently learned how to sense chi and had no way of knowing which it was. But he was becoming fairly certain that it wasn't Frieza.
What was he doing here? He had to find the onna. He took off in a blur, not daring to fly but running through the woods as quickly as he could dart between the crowded tree trunks. He began to sense a cluster of low-chi powered individuals near where he'd left-
A piercing shriek rang through the woods and Vegeta felt his heart sink.
"Damn it." he hissed and shot into the clearing to find Bulma in the grasp of several uniformed soldiers. And each chest plate bore Cooler's insignia. He shot two ki spheres at their transports destroying them with a violent explosion.
"Vegeta no!" Bulma screamed. And he felt a hand clamp down on his shoulder. Before he could turn a fist plowed into his jaw sending him flying through several fat tree trunks and into the dirt. The blow had almost knocked him unconscious. He opened his eyes and shook his head and struggled to his feet.
"Vegeta the Saiyan no Ouji I presume?" He felt hopelessness crash over him as he looked into an all too familiar visage. The face was exactly the same, like a naked, hairless doll. The small, laughing cherubic mouth, the narrow eyes, and the blood red irises. He felt cold dread settle in the pit of his stomach.
"What do you want?" he snarled, trying to keep the fear from his voice.
"You of course. To pay back my brother for destroying a pet of mine in the past. I will do to you what he did to her, and all will be even between us again." Vegeta felt the blood drain from his face and Cooler's smile grew wider. There had to be something he could do!
"But Frieza is dead!" Vegeta cried, desperately, ashamed to hear the pleading note in his voice.
"Dead?" Cooler said, the mean humor gone from his face in an instant. "Impossible!"
"No. He has to be. Or he would have found me by now." Vegeta froze in place as Cooler's eyes grew hard as steel.
"You lie. My brother cannot be dead. We would have found his remains. We found remains of his ship and a planet but none of him. Not even a scrap of DNA. So forget your little ploy Saiyan. If you obey me I might even spare your little female."
Vegeta tried to swallow but his throat was dry and burning. What now? What was he going to do? He couldn't allow Cooler to have him alive! And Bulma, he closed his eyes, if Cooler was anything like Frieza all Bulma would receive by his compliance was a quick death. But it was the best thing. If he tried to fight he would be killed and Bulma would be tortured to death, of that he was almost certain. But.. it wasn't fair! Why did it matter what happened to her? He would be better off dying in a fight. The only other option was a lingering, horrible death that could take months if not years. He shuddered in anxiety. He heard the onna snarling obscenities at her captors and calling his name…
He couldn't do it. The onna had cared for him when he'd gotten hurt and that was more than he could say for pretty much everyone he'd ever known. And he knew it wasn't because she needed him to fight like Frieza had or his father. She actually seemed to give a shit about him and for that… for that he was willing to risk a life of torture?
No. I'll make sure she gets a quick death and then… then I'll kill myself. He thought miserably. He felt his eyes burning and quickly lowered his head, shutting his eyes tight. Cooler took it as a sign of submission and stepped forward, his hand coming up to caress the Saiyans smooth cheek. He grinned when Vegeta flinched away.
"I'm going to have so much fun with you." Cooler purred.

A few blurred moments later they stood among the troops. He'd seen no sign of Bulma but sensed her chi nearby. And he could also sense her thoughts. He wasn't surprised though, she was terrified and her panic was hitting him in waves. The cadre of troops took off in an undamaged transport and with it went Bulma's chi. Why was she going with them? Weren't they going to kill her now?
"I thought you said you'd leave her alone." Vegeta said softly, the anguish in him too much for any anger to come through.
"Well, I can always use females on my ship, my men like them."
"No! That's not fair! You son of a bitch!" Vegeta cried, his fury igniting at last. He attacked Cooler with a snarl of rage and even managed to hit him a few times before he caught several blows to his ribs which forced the air from his lungs. He collapsed at Cooler's feet.
"Feisty, aren't we? Was she yours darling Saiyan? Don't you like to share?" Cooler purred.
"No!" Vegeta snapped, hoping that angle might work.
"Well, I will leave her untouched unless you displease me. If you behave she will be yours alone, is that acceptable?"
"Do you promise?" Vegeta demanded. Cooler sighed dramatically, rolling his eyes.
"Fine, yes. I promise."
"Very well." Vegeta said softly.

Hours after Bulma's capture Bulma was finally put in a tiny room with a bed and a tiny bathroom with a toilet and a small shower. She had been led through a large base and at one point she had been sure that she'd seen their ship. She'd tried to remember where it was but every corridor looked the same, and there had to be about fifty of them.
She hadn't been hurt, but Kami was she scared. She hadn't even seen Vegeta in hours. What had happened to him? Was he still alive? Had he betrayed her? She'd seen him talking to a creature that looked like a hideously warped china doll.
And if he hadn't betrayed her, was he all right?
She didn't want to think that he had abandoned her to save his own ass. After being together non-stop for over two months, she thought he trusted her. She trusted him well enough, but now… She just wished she knew what was going on! She knew one thing at least. The chances of her seeing Chikyuu again were slim to none and it looked like slim just snuck out the back door like a little bitch. Bulma felt her eyes burning, but try as she might she could not will the tears away. She was scared. And she was all alone.

Please, not again. Was she worth this? Was she worth this hell? Vegeta was almost positive that she wasn't when Cooler's icy hands brushed his smooth cheeks. His eyes were clenched shut and he was trying to suppress his trembling, but all efforts were in vain. It was useless. He was scared. There was no way around it. He knew what was most likely coming and the thought horrified him. How did he get into these things? Why was he doing this? For a woman that he hadn't even slept with? What the hell was he thinking?
I can't do this. I would rather die! He thought and instantly began to power up. As if Cooler read his thoughts he immediately dealt Vegeta a stunning blow to that face and sent the Saiyan sprawling. His ears were ringing painfully and he blinked several times to clear his vision.
"If you want to be difficult I can give you this." He said holding up a small vial of a clear liquid. "It works on Saiyans too. This is the concentrated form, all it will take is a tiny bit and you'll be as weak as a baby. I really don't mind either way." He said nonchalantly, a cruel smile on his blue-tinged lips. He turned away and Vegeta began to power up again, but before he could do a thing Cooler pounced on him, put his hand over his mouth, and held the vial under his nose.
"You can't hold your breath for long and when you try to breath you will inhale enough of this too make you quite.. yielding for hours." Vegeta squirmed beneath him and tried desperately to hold his breath. Cooler grinned and quite unexpectedly Vegeta felt a something firm press against his thigh. He stiffened for a moment in dread and began to thrash wildly, and then he couldn't hold his breath any longer and inhaled the most foul-smelling thing…
And then he could barely see or feel. His limbs wouldn't move on their own. He saw what was happening to him, but it was if he was watching it happen to someone else. But nothing could make him stop seeing it. Part of him was screaming in rage at the unfairness of it all, but another part of him was resigned to his horrible fate, and just wanted to find a way to end it.
This is only brief pain, soon it will all be over. He tried to rationalize.

How long had he been there? How long had this demon been assaulting him? The drug had to be wearing off because he was starting to feel it when Cooler's nails dug into his flesh drawing blood. His vision blurred and for a long time he saw nothing.

When he woke he saw a pair of frightened blue eyes, swimming with tears.
"Vegeta! Thank Kami your alive!" Bulma cried. He stared at her blankly for a long time and suddenly she felt it, she felt his thoughts trying to get in and tell her what he couldn't. She saw it all. She saw what had happened to him the few hours they'd been apart.
She stared at him in horror. She felt like she was going to be sick. But from the dazed expression on Vegeta's face she was fairly certain he had no knowledge of what she'd just seen, and if he knew he showed no sign. In fact he showed no sign of anything. Whatever had just happened seemed to have come about on its own. She knew Saiyans were telepathic so it explained how she saw it, sort of.
But not really, she surely didn't pick it up on her own? Did she? She let her tears fall freely. How could he have done that? Why? She was grateful of course, but she felt incredibly horrible! Look what had happened. He looked like an empty shell!
"Vegeta?" She said softly. His eyes slowly came to rest on her face.
"Kill me." He said softly. "Find a knife and cut my throat. Please." He pleaded his voice breaking. He turned away but she'd seen tears well up in his eyes, and she knew why, and it broke her heart. She had to do something. This couldn't go on another minute. They had to escape!
"Vegeta, no." She sobbed, she lay down on the cold floor next to him and wound her arms around him taking care not to brush against his many injuries. "I could never hurt you." She whispered and placed a gentle kiss on his trembling lips. He whimpered and clutched her fiercely, burying his face in the crook of her neck. She gently rubbed his back as he shook violently in her arms and murmured softly in his ear, kissing his bruised jaw and cheek every so often. She could feel hot tears rolling down her skin, and she felt her own eyes filling with moisture again.
That monster. How could he do something like that? Bulma wondered angrily. She had never wished to be strong like Goku, but right now she knew she would give anything to be able to beat their captor into a bloody mess on the floor. How could you manipulate someone like that? It was cruel and unfair and just sick!
They stayed locked in a fierce embrace for what seemed like hours. Eventually Bulma had to move before she lost all feeling in her legs and it was then that she remembered the wounds Vegeta had received. His battle suit was wet with blood. She gaped at the amount. Vegeta appeared to be asleep but she shook him gently and tilted his chin up and placed her lips on his. She was startled to feel his tongue tenderly brush her lower lip. The kiss deepened and they stayed that way for a few minutes before Bulma broke away.
"Vegeta, you're bleeding all over. You have to let me take care of you." She said softly in answer to his questioning gaze. He nodded without an argument, and slowly stood, grunting in pain. It was then that she noticed the state of his black body suit. It was torn in several places, she could see several tears that appeared to have been caused by claws or something. And the flesh underneath was torn, bruised, and black with coagulated blood.
"Damn." Bulma murmured. She felt another pang of guilt and again felt tears slipping down her face.
Vegeta heard he soft exclamation and turned to regard her. He was not surprised to see her tears, but felt faintly guilty for them.
"Why are you crying Bulma?" he asked quietly.
"Because," she sobbed. "Look what happened to you! Its all my fault!" He shook his head coming back to her side, he rubbed her arms slowly.
"It was my decision. We'll get out of here somehow."
"But you regretted it!" she said. He frowned.
"How-?" he murmured.
"When the assholes threw you in here, I just knew what happened, I- I don't know how- it just happened, I don't know." Vegeta looked faintly amazed and then he did something she did not expect. He smiled. And it was a real smile too, not the usual annoying smirk. He'd never looked more handsome to her until then. And then he took her in his arms and kissed her. She felt herself melting in his embrace, and they continued that way until they had to break for air. She could see in his eyes that he wanted more, and Kami knew she did as well, but those gashes all over him were too horrible to ignore. She held up her hands.
"Vegeta, you have to let me take care of these. Please." She said softly.
"Fine." He said with a faint smirk.

Vegeta sat on the toilet with his shredded shirt on the floor. Bulma stood behind him next to the sink ad she held a clean cloth under the hot water. She was amazed there were even towels in there. It seemed too much good luck for someone in their position. But she didn't ignore a gift when presented and pressed the steaming cloth to a large gash and gently wiped the blood away. She thankfully found her capsule with the medical supplies. She didn't know what she would have done without that. She applied some antibiotic ointment to each gash and covered them with gauze and tape.
"All done. Does it fell any better?" She asked. Vegeta nodded looking faintly surprised.
"Yes. It does."
"Good." She said and walked out of the bathroom and threw herself on the bed. Vegeta followed her and sat down next to her. He was tired, and from the half-lidded gaze of the onna, she was too. He wanted to touch her again. But didn't want to press.
"Come on." She said patting the mattress next to her. "You can lay down." He did slowly and sighed pleasurable as Bulma snuggled up against him, her arms wrapping around him After the humiliation he'd just endured, it was strange to feel so comfortable. He even felt a strange measure of safety. When she'd said she could never hurt him, he knew she meant it. And when she'd told him that she knew what had happened to him at Cooler's hands, he wasn't surprised.
A bond was forming between them. But if anything it did not comfort him, it only increased his fear. He wrapped his arms around her, smiling briefly as she snuggled closer and closed his eyes.

TBC…


Chapter 13
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