Definitely a warning. And please don't hate me.. *puppy eyes* And excuse the mistakes.
That morning Rukia towards Ichigo's office instead the kitchen, which had been her original destination. She rapped lightly on the door and popped her head in. He was just hanging up the phone and looked more than a little frustrated. The smile left her face and she walked over resting her hands on his shoulders.
"What's wrong?"
He leaned back against her and sighed. "The environmental report. The one I thought I'd misplaced yesterday, Well, I found it this morning and read it over, but it's not nearly as positive as I'd been led to believe it would be." Ichigo rubbed his eyes. "I just don't get it. Ayumi and the people at the university knew what we needed in the report and had sounded so positive when we'd met, but this reads like a whole section has been left out."
"Could someone have forgotten to print out part of the report?"
"I suppose it's possible. Maybe I'll give Ayu a call and ask her about it." He shrugged his shoulders as if trying to ease the tension and she began to knead the tight muscles gently. He turned in his chair and pulled her down into his lap, nuzzling her neck. "But enough of that. Your incredibly talented fingers have managed to transfer the tension in my shoulders to an entirely different location."
"After last night, I don't know how you could possibly need—"
"Rukia, when I'm around you I always need." He laughed seductively and his hands crept up from her hips to cup her breasts, caressing the soft flesh until her nipples peaked. She could feel his desire pressing against her through the denim material of his pants and wiggled slightly, eliciting a low growl from him. He picked her up and moved her so that she was straddling him and his hands pushed their way under her shirt, while his mouth locked onto hers. Their tongues battled for dominance as Rukia raked her fingers across his scalp. How could he make her so hot, so fast? Finally, she had to pull back, gasping for air and that was when she realised the phone was ringing.
"We should answer that," she panted.
"No, let the machine take it. I'm too busy." Ichigo was kissing her breasts through her shirt, tugging at her nipples.
The answer machine came on and then a crackly male voice spoke. "Hey, this is Maki's Auto calling. The part for the sensor in your car is in. If you can have it here before noon, I can get it installed today."
Rukia groaned and regretfully pulled away from Ichigo. "As much as I hate to stop, I really should go, if I want to get the car taken care of today. The mechanic could be fixing it while I'm at work… "
"Yeah, you're right." Ichigo had a slight pout of on his face, as he slid his hands out from under her clothing. Giving him a quick peck, she climbed off his lap.
"We can finish this tonight, I promise."
"I'm holding you to that." Smiling Rukia started to leave, then paused in the door way. "That voice didn't sound at all like the mechanic I talked to. I think you need to get a new answering machine."
"It's getting old and the tape is probably worn out, too. I'm actually thinking of just going with an automated voice mail through the phone company."
"Might be an idea." With a wave, Rukia headed for the stairs to change. There was a distinct wet spot on the front of her shirt from Ichigo's mouth and she needed to put on a fresh top before leaving. Changing her clothes, she grabbed her purse, then headed for the door intent on getting her car to the shop and still making it to work on time. Opening the back door, she walked right into Riruka.
"Oh, sorry Riruka. I wasn't expecting you." Looking at the other woman, Rukia frowned at her appearance. She'd never seen Riruka dishevelled before—the woman always seemed to have just stepped out of a fashion magazine. Today, her hair was windblown and her hands were dirty. Even a few of her manicured nails appeared to be broken. Glancing down, Rukia noted that mud still clung to her shoes and pant legs. "What happened to you?"
Brushing at her clothing, Riruka gave a nervous laugh. "Oh darn, you caught me. Don't tell the others—I have to keep up my image you know—but I was out for a run and went farther than I'd planned. Excuse me." She pushed past Rukia and hurried inside, her head down.
That was strange, Rukia mused as she walked to her car. From all reports, Riruka hardly ever did the wolf thing, being more in touch with her human side. She wondered why she'd suddenly changed her habits and where she'd been running in order to have gotten so muddy. There hadn't been any rain for almost a week.
Shrugging, she pushed the matter from her mind and headed to the car, only to come up short as she started to open the door. Damn! She'd forgotten about Renji. Ichigo still didn't know. She nibbled her lip and considered running in to tell him, but then thought about the time. She only had a few minutes to spare and if it took longer at the garage… Well, the fact that she'd meet with Renji wasn't that earth shattering of an event, was it? Climbing into the car, she pushed the matter aside. Tonight would be soon enough to let Ichigo know.
It was ten-thirty when Rukia arrived at Maki's Auto Repair. She hoped he had a car he could loan her. It was quite a walk to the TeaHouse, and phasing into wolf and running down the street really wasn't a good idea.
When she asked, Maki looked her up and down then smiled. "For a pretty girl like you, anything." Expansively he waved his hand towards the rows of cars that were for sale. "Take your pick."
Rukia forced herself not to roll her eyes at the mechanic, who obviously saw himself as something of a ladies' man. Ignoring his flirting, she glanced over the line up then impulsively pointed to the end of the row. "That red one, the sports car." Inwardly, she groaned. Damn it! She'd forgotten to tell Ichigo about Grimmjow too.
"Ah! You're a lady of discriminating taste, I can see." Maki nodded at her knowingly. "Reeka, my girl friend, has a fondness for that one too. Always wants to borrow it rather than a nice conservative grey sedan." Maki stepped a bit closer. "A hot sports car always looks good on a hot lady."
Rukia stepped back and folded her arms. "I have to get to work." She looked pointedly at the rack were the keys hung. Maki gave her a wink and then strolled over to get the keys. "Have your girlfriend and you been together long?" Rukia asked idly while waiting for Maki to get the key. Honestly, if the man already had a girlfriend why was he acting this way towards her?
"Oh, we're on and off. She was really keen about six months ago and even wanted to help me around the shop just so we could spend more time together. Reeka looks like one of those runway models, but she doesn't mind getting her hands dirty. Why, she even asked me to teach her about how the brakes and steering work! I was real disappointed when she dropped me sudden like, but now she's back again and I ain't one to look a gift horse the mouth. Besides, I'm getting smart. If she can have someone on the side, then so can I." Once again, Maki winked at her. "Reeka thinks I don't know that she's seeing other guys, but I found some men's clothing in the trunk of that car one time. I figure if she's going to pull one over on me, I can do it back."
They'd almost reached the car by that time, when Maki suddenly exclaimed. "Damn! I've got the wrong keys. Just wait by the car and I'll be right back."
Anxious to be on her way and away from Maki, Rukia stood impatiently tapping her foot and checking her watch. She looked around without really noticing anything in particular until her gaze landed on a large truck and two men, who were busily loading a collection of steel drums onto the back of the vehicle. A sign on the side indicated it was a waste disposal company that recycled used motor oil. There were probably almost a dozen containers sitting there awaiting pickup. The men worked from the front of the clustered containers towards the back, their muscles flexing as they heaved each metal drum up onto the truck.
For some reason, Rukia studied how the barrels had been arranged and realised that there were three empty spots near the rear. Circular marks in the soil, and the compressed weeds, showed where the barrels had sat, while scrape marks on the ground showed how they'd been dragged away.
That's unusual, she thought. Why would they load those barrels first or… Could someone have taken those other barrels? But who would want used motor oil? And—she looked up to see Maki approaching with the keys—why did she even care? She took the keys and started the vehicle, anxious to get to work.
As she backed the car out of its parking spot, she frowned. Hadn't the car been facing forward yesterday? She remembered that she'd seen the front, not the rear taillights. Not really sure why it should matter, she quickly rolled down the window, calling over to Maki who was now watching the oil drums being loaded.
"Hey, Maki! Did anyone take this car for a test drive yesterday?"
" It hasn't moved this week. Why? Is there a problem?" He leaned on the window and surveyed the interior.
"No, I was just… er… wondering how long it's been since it was driven."
"Well, like I said, about a week, but it should still be running fine." Maki stood up and tapped the hood of the car.
"You have a good day and I'll have your car ready for you by two o'clock at the latest."
With a nod, Rukia rolled up the window and drove off. Drumming her fingers on the steering wheel. Something was bothering her, but what? Thoughtfully, she sniffed the air that surrounded her. The faint scent of perfume—Riruka's perfume—hung in the air and underlying it was the barely detectable scent of another werewolf. Had Riruka been in this car yesterday with another were? But when and why? And why had Maki lied about it? Or did he even know? Could it be Grimmjow who'd been in the car, using Riruka's perfume to hide his presence? That would explain the clothes that Maki had found in the trunk. Grmmjow might still have a set of keys for the vehicle, so he could sneak it out, use it, and then return the car with no one being any the wiser.
Stopping for a red light, Rukia glanced around the interior looking for any clues that might prove Grimmjow had been in the vehicle. Nothing jumped out at her, just some dried mud on the floor. Hmm…Riruka had muddy shoes this morning, but would she have keys to the car? Possibly, or would Riruka know how to hotwire a vehicle? It didn't seem like the sort of skill the fashionable she-wolf would cultivate but…
Wasn't Maki's girlfriend supposedly interested in cars? And her name was Reeka. Riruka, Reeka… ? It seemed quite a coincidence. Maki said he and Reeka had been together six months ago. But Maki really didn't seem Riruka's type.
Rukia rubbed her temple, trying to figure this out. Someone had moved the car and Maki claimed he wasn't aware of it. The car smelled like the perfume that Riruka used, and there was dirt that could have come from Riruka's shoes. There was another unidentified scent in the car, and Rukia decided it could be Grimmjow's even though she didn't know him. Were Riruka and Grimmjow still together? But what about the fight? She'd treated Riruka's injuries; surely the woman wouldn't fall back in with someone who had abused her?
As the light changed to green, Rukia decided she'd have to tell Ichigo about her suspicions. She'd forgotten to mention seeing this car yesterday, but now with possible evidence that Grimmjow and Riruka had used it last night, he had to know. If Grimmjow was sneaking around town in this car, then they could lie in wait and capture him when he came for the vehicle next time he felt the need of a ride. And Riruka? Well, she'd broach that subject carefully. Ichigo still had a bit of a blind spot when it came to the woman.
Her shift was busy and when one o'clock finally rolled around, Rukia breathed a sigh of relief. Taking off her apron, she hung it on her hook and grabbed her coat, thinking longingly of sitting somewhere quiet and putting her feet up. As she rounded the corner towards the door, the sight of a tall red-haired man brought her up short.
"Renji!" Joyfully, she launched herself across the remaining few feet and jumped into the open arms of her childhood friend.
"Rukia!" He spun her around and then kissed the tip of her nose. "It's so good to see you." He smiled down at her, his eyes warm and welcoming.
"Same here." She slid down from his arms and stood gazing up at him with what she knew must be a ridiculously happy grin on her face. Impulsively, she gave him another bear hug. The hug lasted slightly longer than necessary and Rukia noticed that Renji was sniffing her neck. Blushing, she realised that he was reacting to her being in heat and extracted herself quickly.
Renji cleared his throat and looked over her shoulder rather than at her, obviously realizing what he'd unintentionally been doing. "Er… sorry about that."
"It's all right."
Behind her, someone cleared their throat and she suddenly remembered she was still in the restaurant, no doubt making a spectacle of herself. Stepping back, she glanced over her shoulder and saw her boss frowning at her. "Sorry, Mr Shiba. This is an old friend of mine, Renji. I haven't seen him in a while."
Mr. Shiba just raised his eyebrows and Rukia felt grin falter. Apparently her boss didn't appreciate his employees hugging friends in the entryway. " We'll just go somewhere else to talk."
Mr. Shiba folded his arms and nodded. Rukia grabbed Renji arm and led him outside. There was another restaurant just down the road, where they could sit and talk. Turning to the left, she started to lead the way.
"Who was that grump?" Renji asked as he casually put an arm around her shoulder.
"Mr. Shiba? He's my boss. Usually, he's really nice. When I applied for the job, at first I didn't think he'd hire me, but after he thought it over, he did. Since then, he's helped me learn the ropes, given me good shifts, and just been really great. I'm not sure what was wrong just now." Frowning Rukia chewed on her lip for a moment, then gave a shrug. "We were really busy today, so maybe he's just tired. I know I am!"
They arrived at the restaurant and sat down. Under the cover of the table, Rukia slipped her shoes off and wiggled her toes, sighing in relief. Renji noticed and playfully reached down, grabbing her ankle. Rukia gave a squeak and jerked her foot back while Renji grinned, looking entirely too pleased with himself. She couldn't help but laugh. Gosh but she'd missed him.
"So, how have you been?" Renji reached across the table and took her hand. His expression sobered. "Has that Alpha been treating you okay?"
"His name is Ichigo," she gently reminded. "And yes, he treats me very well."
Renji exhaled gustily and looked at little disappointed. "Yeah, I supposed he would. Much as I'd like to hate the guy for taking you away, everything I've heard about him tells me he's all right. I think a part of me wanted him to be a rotten thug so I'd have a reason to go beat him up." He shrugged and smiled sheepishly. "Just male ego, I guess."
"And how are you? And I mean really, not just the politically correct 'fine' that people always give." Rukia studied her friend's face carefully. The last time she'd seen him, he'd been bitter and angry, almost slinking away after Ichigo had warned him off. Silence stretched between them.
Renji was staring intently at their entwined fingers, his thumb tenderly caressing the back of her hand. Finally, he looked up. "I'm all right. I spent the first few days in an angry funk and then another couple wandering around feeling sad and lost. But now I'm okay. I've actually been doing some thinking—" The waitress arrived to take their orders, interrupting whatever Renji had been going to say. He chose a burger and fries while Rukia picked the soup and salad luncheon special.
Renji stared at her for a moment, "Rukia, are you happy with him?"
"Yes, Renji. I… I like him very much and I'm happy." She reached out a hand in anticipation of comforting him, but was surprised by his response.
"Good. That takes a lot off my mind. As I was saying earlier, after you left I did a lot of thinking and… Well… " He paused and then spoke in a rush. "After seeing you again today, I've come to realize that while I still love you, I think it's more of a brother-sister kind of love. We've known each other all our lives and we drifted into a relationship but after you left, I found that I wasn't as devastated as I thought I'd be." Renji seemed to be a bit apologetic and was holding his breath, waiting for her response.
Rukia blinked. That wasn't what she'd been expecting at all and yet it mirrored what she'd been coming to suspect. She gave a dry laugh. Here she'd been thinking he wanted them to run away together and instead he was letting her down easy!
"So you're basically 'breaking up' with me?" She smiled at him so he'd know she was teasing but even still, he squirmed looking a bit uncomfortable.
"Yeah, I guess I am. Have I hurt your feelings?"
"No. I was coming to the same conclusion myself. We shared some great times but now we've grown up and moved beyond the 'puppy love' stage."
Renji groaned. "Puppy love? Oh, Rukia that's a really bad joke."
"Well, what else would you call it? We were puppies and we thought we were in love." She defended herself with mock indignation. This was what she'd always enjoyed about their relationship—the friendly , the teasing and bad jokes. They grinned at each other for a moment then Renji's stomach growled, sending them both into a fit of laughter again.
As they ate, they talked about old times, then Renji questioned her further about her relationship with Ichigo. Strangely enough, she found it very helpful to talk to someone from outside her new pack. By time they had finished eating, they'd reached the conclusion that she was definitely falling in love with her mate.
"After all," Renji said as he walked Rukia to her car. "What's not to love about the man? He's done everything he can to make you happy and except for sticking you with Riruka, he hasn't made a wrong move, has he?"
"I think Ichigo and I have a good future together. He seems to like me and maybe one day he'll… Well, who knows?" Rukia turned to look at Renji, placing her hands on his chest. "Thanks so much for listening to me ramble on about Ichigo. It was really good to see you again… " She paused and frowned. "You never did say why you were in town."
"Well… " He shifted uncomfortably. "Don't take this wrong—it's nothing against your father, I swear—but I'm thinking of heading out and seeing a bit of the world, maybe even forming my own pack one day."
"Really? Your own pack?"
"Yeah. I think I have it in me to be an Alpha or at least a Beta. There's this feeling that's been growing in me for a while now, but I always ignored it because I knew, or at least I thought I knew, that my future was with you. Now that you're gone, I'm starting to realize that I want more out of life and the chances of advancing in our pack are really limited. It's too big, with too many other wolves in line."
"But your own pack? You don't have the money to buy land or even a house. What will you do?"
"Well, there's another wolf who also wants to strike out on his own. I'm in town to see him, actually last night we talked and made a deal."
"That wolf you were meeting withwhat was his name?"
"His name's Grimmjow. I'm going to be his Beta, and as soon as he finishes some personal business here, we're heading out."
Rukia shut her eyes and groaned. Trust Renji to get mixed up in something like this. She shook her head. As much as she hated to burst his bubble, she couldn't let him go off with Grimmjow. It was too dangerous. Taking his hand, she led him to a nearby bench. "Renji, let's sit down. I have something I have to tell you."
After explaining what she knew about Grimmjow, Renji just looked at her silently for a few minutes before speaking. "Rukia, I know you mean well, but… I've met Grimmjow. You haven't. He wouldn't do anything to hurt his pack. Yeah, I believe you about the challenge, but I think there must be more to it than you know. Something's been left out of the story. And the other stuff—the traps and the shooting—there has to be an explanation. The Grimmjow I've talked to wouldn't do that."
"Maybe he's just putting on a really good act. The people in my new pack wouldn't be attributing these things to Grimmjow without good cause. His scent was at the scenes, for heaven sake!"
Her friend stared at the ground, slowly shaking his head. "I don't know, Rukia. My gut is telling me you're wrong about him."
Rukia leaned towards Renji, placing her hand on his arm. "Please Ren, think this over. I don't want to see you hurt."
He looked at her intently and she hoped he could see her sincere concern for his well-being. Finally, he sighed. "I'll think it over, but that's the most I can promise you." She'd hoped for more, but knew from past experience that Renji wasn't easily swayed. He'd need to mull the situation over on his own and come to his own conclusions. Hopefully, they would be the right ones.
With a nod, Rukia stood up and Renji walked her to her car. "I hope I get to see you again, some day." He took her hands in his.
"You will, Renji. This isn't goodbye. Our paths will cross again, I know."
Renji gave her hands another squeeze, but Rukia wasn't really aware of the pressure. A strange feeling was washing over her, as if someone was watching. Slowly she turned to look across the road towards the TeaHouse. Standing on the steps talking to Mr. Shiba was Ichigo. Even from this distance, Rukia could feel the anger radiating from him. It felt as if his eyes were boring holes right through her and she gave a shudder of fear. Never had she thought she'd be on the receiving end of such wrath.
Sensing her distraction, Renji turned to see what had caught her attention. A low whistle escaped his lips. "Hey, Rukia, isn't that your mate?"
She was only capable of giving a short nod. "He seems majorly pissed off.
"He is. You'd better leave." Not even looking at Renji, she shoved him away.
"Will you be all right? Maybe I should stay."
"No!" Rukia forced her gaze away from Ichigo and looked at Renji's worried face. "Leave. Please. I'll be okay." She remembered how territorial Ichigo had been last time he'd met Renji. Now, with her being in heat, he'd be even more so and she didn't want the two of them ending up having a fight in the middle of town.
Reluctantly, Renji left. Rukia kept half an eye on him to ensure he kept going, while trying to watch Ichigo at the same time. Mr. Shiba was talking to him, but Ichigo wasn't really listening. Either the conversation ended abruptly or Ichigo just walked away for suddenly he was crossing the street towards her.
His nostrils were flaring, no doubt picking up the scent of her pheromones wafting towards him on the gentle breeze. Oh great! That was just going to set him off even more. Her mouth felt dry. Licking her lips, she started to speak as soon as he reached her side.
"Ichigo, I can explain everything."
"Explain? How can you begin to explain meeting with an unattached male when you're in heat?" His voice was so low and filled with anger.
"Renji's not another male, he's my friend."
Ichigo snorted. "I remember the kind of 'friendship' the two of you have."
"No! It's not like that anymore."
"No? Then tell me, why have you been secretly contacting him?"
"I haven't been secretly contacting him!"
"Of course, forgive me. He's been contacting you."
Rukia opened her mouth to protest, but Ichigo continued speaking, his voice increasing in volume. "Don't try and deny it. I heard him on the answering machine—three times he's called you!"
"What?" Rukia hadn't meant to shout, but she couldn't believe what she was hearing.
"Next time you remind me to change the tape in the answering machine, make sure you've erased all the old messages first. I suppose you never thought I'd listen to it before throwing it out."
Rukia stared at him open mouthed as she tried to make sense of what he was saying. Renji had only called once and Riruka had taken the call… Wait! Hadn't Riruka said that someone had phoned for her several times and she'd let the answering machine take the calls before finally deciding to pick up? It had completely slipped her mind until this very moment. That must be what Ichigo was talking about.
"But I can—"
"Explain? I'd like to see how." Ichigo looked around as if suddenly realizing that they were standing in the street and their raised voices were attracting attention. He grabbed her arm, opened her car door, and pushed her inside. "We'll finish this at home and don't try to run off with your friend. I'll be following right behind."
It took Rukia a few tries to get the key in the ignition, she was so upset her hand was shaking. Ichigo was really mad and she could see his point, in a way. On the other hand, he should have some faith in her; she'd done nothing previous to this to warrant such suspicion.
Rukia stormed up the stairs towards the bedroom. The front door slammed behind her as Ichigo entered, but she didn't look back. How dare he accuse her of infidelity? She'd done absolutely nothing wrong!
Once in their room, she headed for the bathroom, locking the door behind her. Running cold water, she splashed some on her face, trying desperately to cool down. She was so hot, her nerves were on edge, her skin was crawling… Leaning against the vanity, she looked into the mirror. Oh great! It was last night all over again: eyes dilated, cheeks flushed, rapid breathing.
The sound of the door handle rattling caused her to jump. "Rukia, come out of there this instant!"
"Keep your shirt on!" She shouted back. The longer she hesitated, the more the intoxicating male scent of him drifted under the door and into the small room, teasing her nostrils and elevating her hormones. He was aroused too—she could smell it—and even if it was mostly due to anger, her body yearned for his. Almost of its own volition, her hand reached for the handle and turned the knob.
As the door swung open, she saw Ichigo standing by the dresser, a book clutched in his hand. Why would he be reading a book at a time like this? Confused, she squinted at the leather cover—it looked just like her diary! She hadn't seen it last night and had been wondering how she could have misplaced it. But how had it ended up on the dresser?
"Is that my diary?"
"Well, it certainly isn't mine." Sarcasm dripped from his voice.
"That's personal! You shouldn't be reading it!" She walked towards him, intent on retrieving her book.
"Then don't leave it lying open on the dresser, especially not to the parts where you're swooning over that pup." Ichigo fairly snarled at her, throwing the book down in obvious disgust.
"Don't call Renji a pup! And I'm not swooning over him!"
"Oh no?" He snatched up the diary from the floor and read it in a mocking tone. "Renji's so good looking. I love watching him move and seeing his muscles ripple. When he touches me, I can hardly think straight and his kisses drive me insane."
Shocked, Rukia felt her mouth drop open. "I never wrote that!"
"Are you saying this isn't your writing?" Ichigo shoved the book at her and she took it, studying the entry. It looked like her handwriting, but she never would have written that. Flipping back a few pages, she discovered that someone had forged several entries.
Dismayed, Rukia looked up at Ichigo, shaking her head in denial. "I swear I didn't write that. I don't know who… " Her mind racing, Rukia recalled yesterday that she'd found Riruka leaving their room, claiming to have been looking for a book to read. Well, obviously the she-wolf had certainly found something to read—her diary!
"Ichigo, I think Riruka wrote that. My diary went missing the same day I found her in our room—"
"Oh come on. Quit blaming Riruka for your own mistakes. You got careless and left this out."
"No, it's true! She's jealous of our relationship and wants to break us up."
"Then why has she been encouraging us to spend time together?."
"Well… I don't know why." Rukia nervously dug her nails into the book's cover, unsure of Riruka's motives at that time.
"Because there is no reason. Face it, Rukia. I caught you red handed—the messages, the diary—I even saw you with him."
"But none of this is what it seems! We met just to talk, and it was only because he happened to be in town."
"Right and I'm supposed to believe that?" Ichigo sneered at her.
"It's the truth," she insisted, feeling herself growing more frustrated by the mounting circumstantial evidence. "Well, I intended to tell you. Things just kept getting in the way. But I planned on telling you. "
Ichigo snorted and rolled his eyes. Rukia felt her temper begin to override her sense of guilt. "Ichigo, be reasonable."
"Reasonable? I think I'm being damned reasonable. After discovering those messages, I came into town to find you, but you weren't even at work. You were across the street fawning over Renji. It was amazingly reasonable of me not to go after him and rip him to shreds today, especially after Ganju explained to me how you'd been hugging that bastard like a lovesick puppy!"
"Ganju?"
"My friend, Ganju Shiba. Your boss."
"Mr. Shiba is your friend?"
"Of course!" Ichigo snorted derisively. "How do you think you got the job? You had no qualifications. I pulled a few strings to get you hired so you'd be happy."
Rukia's pride was hurt. "How dare you interfere with me getting a job? I wanted to do that on my own."
"You're my mate. I can do as I see fit, but it doesn't matter now. You're done working. You are not leaving this property unsupervised again."
"You can't do that. It's not the Dark Ages anymore!"
"I can do anything I damn well please. I'm the Alpha and you'll do as you're told."
"Well screw you, because I'm not listening." Rukia couldn't believe the rage boiling inside of her. She wasn't acting at all like herself, but she couldn't seem to stop the words spilling from her mouth. For some reason, she felt compelled to test Ichigo just to see what he would do. Twirling around, she made for the door.
"Don't you dare walk away from me!" Ichigo grabbed her arm, yanking her back before she could even touch the handle. Automatically, she struggled against him, hitting his chest, and kicking at his legs. Ichigo merely growled and crushed her to him, easily restraining her flailing limbs. The look he gave her was hard and she could feel the coiled tension in his body. She'd challenged the Alpha wolf in him and he was in no mood to be lenient.
Dominance and arousal radiated from him. He grabbed her hair and held her head still. As his mouth swooped down on hers in a punishing kiss, Rukia realised she'd made a fatal tactical error. There was no warmth in his kiss and she could taste blood from where her lips were pressed against her teeth. She gasped and Ichigo's tongue plunged into her mouth, invading every corner while he used his free hand to sweep possessively over her body. She pushed against his chest and tried to raise her leg to knee him in the groin, but Ichigo thwarted her attempts, his superior size, and strength, making her efforts laughable.
Finally, he lifted his mouth and she snarled at him, biting his lip. A tiny red trail dripped down his chin and if possible, his amber eyes grew even darker as a growl emitted from his throat. Picking her up, he tossed her onto the bed. Her back came into contact with a brightly colour box that was lying on the mattress, and she grunted as the sharp corner dug into her shoulder. Ichigo grabbed it and threw the package on the floor before quickly disposing of her clothes, ripping the material from her body despite her struggles and protests.
When she was naked, her arms pinned beside her head, he crouched over her, his hot gaze devouring her form
"I am your Alpha, Rukia and your mate. You are answerable to me. Don't ever forget that."
Despite the fact that her body was still screaming with need, her contrary emotions had her shaking her head. "No! Let me go! I don't want this."
Ichigo laughed. "Yes, you do. I can smell your desire. You ache for me; you need me to fill the void inside you. Deny it if you want, but we both know the truth."
Arching her back and twisting this way, then that, Rukia struggled to be free despite the waves of heat bathing her from head to toe. Ichigo was right. She wanted to cry out for him to take her, to fill her with his hot pulsating shaft; nothing else would suffice.
Ichigo lay down on top of her. He buried his face in her neck while the weight of his body pinned her helplessly in place. His warm, calloused hand skimmed up and down her side, stimulating her already heightened nerve endings. While he nibbled and licked the juncture of her neck and shoulder, shivers of delight ran through her as his teeth lightly grazed her skin. The feel of his torso pressed to hers further aroused her feelings of need.
Rukia fought to suppress them; she was angry with him, wasn't she? But the reason for her anger was becoming rather hazy. Age-old instincts were surfacing and logic was slipping away. Struggling against her mate, being pinned down and dominated by him—it was exciting, erotic. She shook her head, trying to clear her mind, but it was no use. The maleness of him was calling to her, firing the ache inside.
Desire was starting to consume her and without even realizing it, her legs were falling open as she submitted to him, allowing him to settle intimately against her body. A deep rumble sounded in Ichigo's chest and he lifted his head, staring down at her with heavy lidded eyes. Rukia froze in place, something in his look catching her attention. His rage had lessened and been replaced by need. In response to his change, her own anger dissipated altogether leaving only desire in its place.
Vaguely, she was aware of her own heavy breathing, the way her breasts rubbed against his chest each time she inhaled. His gaze dropped down to her heaving bosom, then his mouth locked onto her nipple, sucking and tugging at the rigid peak. The feel of him suckling her sent shoots of desire down to her womb and she strained towards him, pushing her breast deeper into his mouth.
Ichigo released her wrists now using his hands to knead and tweak the soft globes of flesh. Now freed, she wrapped her arms around his shoulders, marvelling at the feel of his muscular body. As she caressed him through his T-shirt, Ichigo rumbled his pleasure then switched to her other breast. When both sides were swollen and glistening, he moved down licking the expanse of her stomach and nipping at her hips. Rukia's hands fell to her side and she gripped the bedding, feeling that she was going to lose control at any moment.
Ichigo was sliding his hands downward, cupping her buttocks, and tipping her hips upward. Hooking her legs over his arms, he spread her limbs wide, exposing her to his avid gaze. His hot breath tickled her thigh as he trailed open mouthed kisses up to her knee and down again, before giving the other side equal treatment. Teeth nipped her creamy flesh and as he drew closer to her core, Rukia's heart pounded with excitement. She could feel herself growing warmer, the blood pooling, her nub swelling… Like a flower, her intimate parts seemed to be opening to him, begging him to taste her sweet nectar.
When he finally touched her with his tongue, she cried out and if not for him restraining her with his strong hands, she would have locked her thighs around his head, never wanting him to leave off his ministrations. Just when she thought she could handle no more, Ichigo lifted his head, only to replace his tongue with his thumb. It flicked her clit, while he pushed two of his fingers into her tunnel, curling to tease her inner erogenous zone. A feeling that could only be called deliciously uncomfortable built inside with each stroke; a strange hybrid between a 'need to pee' sensation and pleasure.
Instinctively, Rukia rocked against his busy hand while he lathed her navel and then her belly with his tongue. Tension was building inside her and she moved faster, pushing up against his palm. The wave was coming… cresting… It washed over her and she shuddered in release before becoming limp on the bed.
Her mind was still foggy and she was only vaguely aware of Ichigo pulling his fingers from her and licking off her juices. Faint tremors still passed over her as he slid up until he was eye level with her. Grabbing her chin, he ensured she was looking him in the eye before speaking in a gravelly voice. "You are mine, Rukia. My mate. No one else can touch you and make you feel the way I can. Only me!" With that, he kissed her deeply again, his hands running over her body, arousing her once more.
She kissed him back with equal fervour, dragging her fingers through his hair, only breaking away when she was gasping for oxygen. Flicking her tongue, she tasted the saltiness of his skin, then ran her teeth along his jaw, causing him to shudder. A new wave of need quickly grew, now even stronger than before. Her earlier anger was all forgotten. It had been replaced by a wildness, a need to explore him as he had done to her, to claim every inch of his body.
Acting unexpectedly, she managed to flip Ichigo over, and in one move, grabbed his shirt, tearing it off. Frantically, Rukia ran her hands over his torso, the heat of his flesh burning into her palms. Yes, she thought, this was her mate: big and strong, a provider and protector. Burying her nose in his chest she inhaled deeply, letting his scent permeate her being before nipping at his flat brown nipples eliciting a moan from him. He moulded her shoulders as she explored him then wove his fingers through her hair and held her head as she kissed her way over his taut stomach to his waistband.
Material impeded her quest and she fumbled with his pants. Ichigo released her head, pushing her away he as undid the fastening. He lifted his hips so she could pull the remaining clothing off his body. Once that was done, she crouched over him, trailing her open mouth over his stomach, while slowly drifting her hands lower to explore his manhood. Cupping his sac, she gently massaged before sliding up his swollen member. The shaft was hot and hard, its tip glistening with a bead of moisture.
Wetting her lips, she leaned over and tasted the saltiness of him. His hips jerked in response and then she was flying through the air as he flipped her onto her back one again. Ichigo loomed over her, his pupils so dilated that his eyes appeared black. Slowly and deliberately he ran his hands over her body down to her thighs where he parted her legs, bending her knees and pushing them outward.
Kneeling between her splayed limbs he reared up and Rukia's breath caught in her throat. His erection seemed massive, and a thrill of excitement, ran through her at the idea of him impaling her, stretching her body to its limits. A gush of wetness bathed her female parts in anticipation. His breathing was rapid and a low steady rumble was coming from his throat. Dipping a finger into her, he checked if she was ready, then sniffed her scent.
Ichigo narrowed his eyes, his expression feral. He grabbed her wrists in one hand, holding them over her head and positioned himself at her entrance. In one smooth move, he thrust his hips forward, pushing into her body. Gasping at his sudden invasion, Rukia's eyes opened wide in shocked surprise. Never had she been this full. It was discomfort, then heaven, almost taking her to the edge…
Ichigo began to move within her and soon she became lost in the exquisite feelings that centred where they were joined. This was what she wanted. To be dominated, to be mated, to feel his length moving in her, his strong body clasped between her legs, his hot breath on her face… She growled her approval and in response he pounded into her even harder and faster, burying himself impossibly deep within her.
Rukia pulled her hands free and grasped the sheets to brace herself as she met him thrust for thrust. Her body was gasping for breath and shuddering. Their mating felt so good, her whole being focussed on the growing pleasure. Hazily she looked up at him and on the fringes of her mind realised something different was happening.
Ichigo's lips were pulled back, his teeth were extending and his eyes were glowing, almost as if he was transforming in the middle of mating her. A frisson of fear shot through her, only to be quickly replaced by an all too familiar tingle within herself. Her body was responding to his change, her own canines growing. She was phasing too, but for once she seemed to have no control over it and she felt a moment of panic.
Her body quivered in anticipation of a transformation that never came. The experience was frightening yet exhilarating. Her mind was half-feral, half human, her senses heighted to her wolf level, her hearing was sharp. She could make out her own heartbeat as well as Ichigo's, the sound of laboured breathing, the slap of skin on skin as he thrust into her, and above it all, her attention was caught by the thrum of blood rushing through veins. Licking her lips, she stared at the juncture of Ichigo's neck and shoulder. A vein throbbed there, its movement holding her fascinated. From somewhere deep inside a voice arose.
Bite him, it commanded. Taste his blood. Mark him as yours; your provider, your protector, your mate, no one else's.
Her lips curled back. She raised her head and licked his skin, inhaling deeply. Yes! The smell, the taste, he was the right one to choose. She needed to bind him to her so he would never stray and could only be hers. Vaguely, she was aware of Ichigo mimicking her movements, but she was too intent on her own mission to think much of it. Opening wide, she bit into Ichigo's flesh giving a jolt of surprise as she felt Ichigo's teeth puncturing her as well.
The momentary pain in her neck quickly became erotic pleasure. As she sucked and lapped at his blood, she could feel Ichigo doing likewise to her. Each pull of his lips was echoed inside of her and met by a corresponding surge of his hips. Soon it all began to blend together in an unbearable rhythmic mixture: the beating of hearts, the rush of blood, the lapping of tongues, the movement of their bodies. Her senses were on overload.
In the recesses of her mind, something niggled, an awareness that she was not alone. Ichigo's mind was touching hers, she was sensing what he was sensing: tension, excitement, need. It blended with her own, taking her to incredible heights. Their feelings melded together into a massive ball of anticipation. There was a driving need to be closer, to feel even more. His thoughts mixed with hers as tension coiled ever tighter…
Oh , need release…
Can't stand anymore…
Soon…
It had to be soon…
It was coming…
Oh, please, please…
Another thrust…
Just a little more…
Go deeper, harder…
Almost there…
Straining… So close… It was… It was… Her whole being jerked as her orgasm hit, muscles clenching then convulsing in release. Her mind was exploding with images and feelings, with pleasure too great even to comprehend. She could feel Ichigo's release, knew the ecstasy shooting down his legs and up his spine. It became hard to breathe, to think… It was just too much. Her eyes rolled back and she released her grip on Ichigo's flesh as a silent scream ripped from her throat. Then everything went black.
Me: yey..! The bloodbond is done!
Readers: (murderous glare)
Me: Uhm.. Let me just.. hide under my bed..