Chapter 9: Love of a Saiyan

"Don't touch her!" My voice echoed in the dark cavern. "Put her down!"

Rifle paused. "No, I think I'll carry her. You just keep an eye on your son. He had better not hurt himself." He began walking again.

I stopped waiting until I saw Vegeta chained with ki restraints to the other Saiyans. "He won't let her go, will he?"

I shook my head. "No, he seems to have grown attached to her. I can only hope he doesn't hurt her."

Vegeta didn't respond. His walk was different, like he was limping. His head hung, his shoulders slouched.

"Vegeta? What's wrong?" I rested my hand on his shoulder.

"This is all my fault. If Nappa and I hadn't killed his father, you wouldn't be here, and neither would your pups."

"But I never would have met you either, so it's not all bad." A thought popped into my head. "Hey, Vegeta. Tell me about Rifle. You know him, don't you?"

Vegeta nodded. "He was on Frezia's ship with me. I don't know how Kadeta knows him, though. Anyway, his father bargained him off, just like mine did. Rifle was always kind, even to me, unless he was in the presence of one of Frezia's henchmen. Or on the battlefield. Rifle was a fierce warrior, almost as strong as Nappa and me. He loved to sit in the battlefield and stare at the blood and broken bodies. He said it helped him become stronger." Vegeta sighed. "He was devastated when Nappa and I killed his father. But, though he knew it was me, he was always kind.

"Yes I was. Just to lead you here to kill you. Nappa was an easy target. Though, his skull was so thick, it was hard to get into his mind." Rifle chuckled and handed me a sleeping Moon. "Yes, it was easier to persuade him to lead you here than getting in that hollow head of his. But it was well worth it."

Rifle grabbed my arm and started pulling me back to the front. Vegeta growled.

"Why are you so protective of her, huh? What is she to you? Unless -" Rifle pulled back the collar on the left side of my shirt, revealing my bite mark. "You're mated to a wolf!"

"So? I love her. It's that simple."

"The great Saiyan prince feels what he does not believe. That's new."

"Rifle, you have no idea what I believe in, so shut the fuck up!"

"Well, right now, your mate is under my control, you had better 'shut the fuck up' or she won't be your mate much longer."

Vegeta paled, his mouth snapping shut from his comeback. "I thought so." Rifle smirked and pulled me to the front of the line.

"Listen, I'm not going to hurt you or Vegeta. Only Nappa. He's the one that killed my father. Any others you want dead?"

I thought for a moment. "Bardock, Radditz and Turles. They shouldn't even be alive."

Rifle chuckled. "I know. I'm the one that brought them back."

I smiled. "Can I ask you something?" Rifle nodded. "How do you know Kadeta?"

"She was on Frezia's ship with me and Kiwi."

"Really? I didn't know that. But then how come Vegeta doesn't know that?"

Rifle shrugged. "Bad memory?"

I laughed. "Most likely."

"Kiwi was my partner, and when Kadeta was captured, and brought on board, we were to show her around. She didn't even get to fight. She became Frezia's concubine. Only when he found out who she was did he let her fight. Only long enough to raise her power level a few notches, doubling it, and then he took her as his concubine again. And then he sent her to purge Earth and she never came back."

I gasped. "Wow, she's been through a lot."

"Yes, I have. Thank you very much for telling her that, Rifle." Kadeta ground out from behind us.

"No problem. Oh, good, we are here." Rifle pointed into the cavern opening.

It was like a tiki-tiki village. The same bamboo poles as before stood in a circle around a bon fire. Ropes of ki dangled down from the top of each pole.

Furball ran and sat near the fire. I walked in behind him and set Moon down in a pile of leaves. Then, I stood and waited for Rifle to finish tying the others to the bamboo poles.

Vegeta hadn't spoken a word since Rifle's threat and his face was still pale. /Vegeta, what's wrong/

/I'm thinking about what Rifle said to me./ Vegeta's chest heaved and something shimmery trailed down his cheek.

/About undoing the mating? He told me he wouldn't do it./

/That's what he told you. He told me he'd let Kakarott do it./

My eyes widened. Would Rifle really do that?

"Yes, I would if need be. I'd even let him rape you to do it." Rifles arms wrapped around my waist and he nuzzled my neck. "Then again, I could bite you myself."

AT that, Vegeta snapped the bamboo and jumped down. He twirled the piece his hands were tied to, letting the ki rope fall away. "Get away from her."

His voice was deadly quiet, his eyes feral. Rifle smirked and pulled me tight against him. "No, I don't think I will."

Vegeta took a step forward. Suddenly, his eyes perked up. In a flash, Nappa was no more than a pie of ash. "Happy! Now give her back!"

Rifle shook his head, and began kissing up my neck. Vegeta growled and three more flashes erupted. Bardock, Radditz and Turles were dead.

I was released, and I immediately ran into the comforting arm of the Saiyan prince. "I love you, Nightcall. I love you." My chin was tilted up and warm, tear soaked lips touched mine.

"Aww…Now get me down!" Kadeta's voice rang throughout out the cavern. Vegeta pulled away, yelled something at her, and kissed me again.

"Yuck! Get a room, you sleazebags!" I ignored whoever it was, too caught up in my mate to care.

"Furball! Don't say that!" Kadeta scolded.

I pulled out of the kiss to yell at my son, but collapsed onto Vegeta. He caught me, and hugged me. "Don't ever do this to me again." He whispered.

I cuddled into his chest, and replied, "I won't. Not even for the world."

"Okay, enough with the mushy stuff. Help me get the others down."

Rifle said, pointing with his thumb at the Saiyans still tied to the bamboo poles.

"Oh, yeah." Vegeta set me down by the pups and proceeded to help Rifle untie the others.

"Thank you for finally getting me down. And Rifle, don't ever do that again." There was a pause, then Rifle chuckled. "I won't"

"Good. I might just have to kill you if you do." Kadeta walked over to me and the pups. She picked up Moon, who was still asleep.

"She's so precious. A little angel." Kadeta sighed. "She'll be in danger twenty-four seven. And Vegeta's weakness." She sighed again. "You're his weakness, too, you know?' If anyone like Frezia got a hold of you or Moon, he would be at their will."

I nodded. "He told me that. I have to watch out for my children and myself."

"I could watch your kids for yo. After all, I've raised them most of their live."

"Really? You'd do that for me?" I gave Kadeta a hug. "Thank you."

Kadeta stiffened. "I don't like hugs, Nightcall. Let go of me, please."

I released her. "Sorry, I forgot."

I felt a hand on my shoulder. Looking to see who it was, I saw Goku. I shuddered, remembering the kiss.

"Can I talk to you, Nightcall?" He asked, his voice serious.

I glanced at Kadeta. She nodded to show she was finished talking to me. I sighed and walked off behind Goku.

He stopped in the darkest corner of the cavern. He turned around to look at me. "I'm sorry about earlier."

I knew what he was talking about, but decided to play dumb. "What are you talking about?"

He sighed, and hugged me. "Earlier, the kiss. I don't know what came over me. I guess my emotions took over."

"What about your emotions?"

Goku let go of me and blushed. "I, uh…Well, you see…I…I love you, Nightcall."

I stared at him in shock. Vegeta looked over at the two of us. And Goku blushed deeper.

"You…love me?" My heart began to beat faster as Vegeta walked over to us.

"Kakarott, what is the meaning of this? Why is Nightcall crying?"

"I'm crying?" My hand rose to my cheek, where I felt warm tears streaming down my face.

One of Goku's hands wrapped around my shoulders, the other caressed my cheek. "I think you know what is going on, Vegeta. It's the same problem you knew would arise, that you planned to stop. The exchange of mates." While Vegeta's eyes widened, Goku ripped my shirt exposing my left shoulder.

The next thing I knew, Goku's teeth were buried in Vegeta's claim mark. My mind was no longer connected to Vegeta, but instead to Goku.

I tried to speak, but Goku's mouth on my lips stopped me. "Shh…Don't talk, Night. Don't talk. Just feel."