Author's Soundtrack:
Human by Aquilo
Chapter Twelve
Ichigo zipped up his duffle and was more than happy to abandon the fancy hotel room. The bed was too soft and the room soaked heavily in an antique fragrance that made his nose itch. The hall wasn't much better, but he put up with it while he waited for Rukia to join him. Guilt nagged at him, gnawing like a rat for his behavior last night, and he expected her to be angry or dismissive for his attitude. But, when she opened the door, she greeted him with her usual steady gaze and minuscule smile. He still wanted to pressure Starrk for information, but he couldn't ignore the points she'd made. For now, he would follow her lead and hope they eventually got the answers to his questions.
"What are we going to do about Ashido?" Ichigo asked as they made their way towards the elevator. "He's not going to just let us disappear on him, not after he thinks you were both rejected."
"Ashido is fully aware we met with Starrk last night."
He wasn't sure if he was pissed or shocked. Did she tell him? And when? And why hadn't he been included in the conversation?
Unwanted thoughts overwhelmed him and he quickly tried to put them from his mind, reminding himself of Rukia's words. She wasn't interested in continuing that kind of relationship with Ashido. The past was the past and she had other things to focus on. And yet, the damnable images wouldn't leave him be. He was beginning to wonder if it was the beast who was responsible. It had been blissfully silent for so long, perhaps this was a new form of torture it had devised.
"He followed us last night," she said, cutting through his thoughts with a sharp glare as if she could read his thoughts. "I gave him Starrk's answer."
"I'm sure he loved that."
Rukia smirked and he felt the weight of her rebuke and his insecurities lessen. "I suppose you could call it that. For obvious reasons, he wasn't pleased, and has decided Starrk's answer - or lack thereof - suffices. He's convinced Starrk is hiding the secret to killing a true immortal and plans on having the Japanese Council move forward with that."
"So what does that mean?" Ichigo asked, glad no other guests joined them as they stepped into the elevator and headed to the lobby.
"What Ashido does is up to him. At this point, we are going our separate ways. I spoke with Shinji last night and informed him of our conversation with Starrk. He wholeheartedly backs our decision to train, and has graciously offered to take on the FCA and Japanese Chancellors."
"Define 'graciously'?" Ichigo snorted, failing to imagine Shinji doing anything "graciously". Rukia smiled but didn't clarify.
"We will still need to file the appropriate paperwork with the FCA. Since we're no longer working in a joint effort to meet with Starrk, our stay has to become a bit more official." The elevator doors opened and she continued. "I scheduled an appointment with an FCA official at the agency. . ."
Rukia slowed as they rounded the corner and caught sight of Agent Inoue - Orihime, she insisted he call her - and a few of her agents standing idly in the lobby. When the woman spotted them, she grinned and hurried over.
"Councilor Kuchiki. Agent Ichigo."
"Agent Inoue," Rukia replied cautiously, "Didn't you get my message?"
"I did," she replied, her smile wide, "but we were nearly here, so I figured I'd offer our services to escort you to the Agency."
Rukia relaxed, though it was only a little. Did she think the agent was trying to gain access to Starrk through her?
"I appreciate the gesture, but I don't want to distract you from your regular duties. I know acting as an escort must be considerably tame compared to your usual work."
"I would be lying if I said 'no'," she winked and Rukia looked uncomfortable, "but considering this was supposed to last for another few days, I figure I owe you for ending things early. Besides, I need to make a stop there anyway."
With a sweeping gesture, Orihime showed them towards the main doors. Rukia didn't seem too put out. The thought of paying a cabbie on their renewed shoe-string budget was more than enough to keep her from rejecting Orihime's offer any further. Outside, a large black SUV was waiting for them. Ichigo had come to associate the massive vehicles with Americans. The British Council had its own fleet of cars, but they were nowhere near the size of these monstrosities. Even in the heavy traffic New York City experienced, the FCA and everyone else seemed to drive large cars. Why, he couldn't quite figure out.
As they pulled up to the building, Ichigo stared up at it through his window. The Federal Council Agency building was a shining tower, looming over them like a shimmering glass giant flaunting its wealth. An expansive courtyard stretched from the large glass entrance to the edge of a partial wall that lined the perimeter of the property. A square fountain offered a small oasis in the midst of bustling city life. He could already hear Shinji's envious whines and was tempted to take a few mocking pictures to send to him.
Inside, the building was just as extravagant as the exterior. Where the British consulate boasted a more classic and traditional style of architecture - despite Shinji's attempts - the Agency offered smooth and sleek designs of the modern age. Instead of marble and rich accents of handcrafted wood, there was slick metal and bursts of bright colors. Ichigo couldn't help himself and took a couple of pictures. Rukia gave him a questioning look, but he ignored her in case she tried to stop him.
"Kevin here will get you where you need to go." Orihime proffered a young assistant with wide green eyes and bright cheeks. His eyes darted between Ichigo and Rukia as if he was seeing a set of rare and exotic animals. "Try not to talk their ears off, all right Kevin?"
The assistant nodded excitedly, the collection of hair on the top of his head bobbing almost hypnotically. Ichigo had never seen anyone wear their hair with it so short on the sides but long on the top. It was an odd style he wasn't sure he liked, especially when it was so distracting.
"If I don't see you again, it was a pleasure to meet you both, and I hope you enjoy the rest of your stay." With a smile to Rukia, and a quick wink to Ichigo, Orihime dismissed herself and hurried off through a door on the other side of the lobby.
"Looks like she's in a hurry," Ichigo commented as Kevin lead them to an elevator. The assistant clamped his mouth shut by biting his lips together in an attempt to keep himself from responding. The sight was fairly comical, and he couldn't help but smirk as he looked to Rukia. "You mentioned her regular job?"
"I suppose I shouldn't be surprised you didn't notice," Rukia remarked as they stepped into an elevator. She rolled her eyes when he glowered at her. "Oh please, don't be so sensitive. You're still fairly young, so it makes sense that you might not have caught it. The way she disappears from notice when she wants to, watches with keen eyes, moves with precision and purpose - she's a hunter. From what I can tell, a fairly good one. I wouldn't rank her with Ashido, but I would have been happy to have her on my own team."
She was right. He hadn't noticed. Given Orihime's happy disposition and knack for negotiating conversations with foreigners, he figured escorting was her normal job. With such an easy smile, he had a difficult time believing she could do all the things Rukia and her hunters had done - what he had done.
"Chances are, she was in the middle of a case when she got dragged into escorting us. She was always on her phone - reading or speaking with someone." Rukia continued. He shouldn't have been surprised by how much Rukia put together, but he was.
"You're absolutely right, Councilor Kuchiki!" It appeared they had triggered Kevin, Rukia's observations blowing apart his restraint. "Agent Inoue was working on a high profile case before your arrival. Director Ginjou pulled her off the case himself. He wanted to make sure you had the best in terms of security. Agent Inoue started her career in the medical field, but she proved to be a very proficient hunter as well."
Ichigo grinned as Rukia pursued her lips. The assistant caught his mistake and quickly tried to backpedal.
"N-Not to say that you can't protect yourself, Councilor. The Director just wanted to make sure you and the Japanese agents had the best of everything available to you."
His recovery didn't seem to ease her discontent, but she nodded to assure the poor guy he wasn't in any trouble with her. Deciding to give the kid a break, Ichigo shifted the conversation.
"What was she working on?"
Rukia shot him a disapproving look - probably because it wasn't appropriate to dig into other councils' business. He ignored her as the assistant seemed to get ramped up all over again. He almost reminded Ichigo of a fanboy meeting someone finally interested in hearing about his obsession.
"A rogue vampire has been terrorizing the city, killing and butchering women on the street, and managing to elude capture at every turn.
"They were at a loss as to what to do. They had no picture, no witnesses, no clues about who he was or how he hunted. All they could do was follow the trail of dead bodies. There were concerns he might get bored and slip through their grasp, disappearing entirely. But then," he paused dramatically, his grin widening in excitement, "Agent Inoue found a witness who saw his face. She convinced him to come in and give a description to an artist. That was just the other day. Since then, they've discovered his preferred hunting grounds and should have him taken care of before morning."
Ichigo tried not to gawk at the kid, impressed he was able to breathe after sharing the story in one go. Clearly, he'd been wanting to talk to someone about the good work of the FCA hunters for a while. The story itself sounded familiar to their case with Nnoitra. Rukia hadn't been kidding that this was a situation most councils dealt with, even without Aizen's involvement.
"Would this be the 'New York Dracula' case?" Rukia asked, sounding more intrigued than Ichigo expected her to be.
"Yes!" Kevin exclaimed. "Have you been following the story as well?"
"Only what's been in the papers since our arrival," she told him. He didn't look disappointed. "I'm glad to hear they've made progress."
"I wish I could go on the hunt tonight. I mean, I'm nowhere near qualified enough to be a hunter, but it would be a great opportunity to watch the teams work. I supposed I could sneak into the club, but we've all been sworn off the area. It's such a shame because it's all going down at Sinister!"
"Sinister?" Rukia glanced at Ichigo, who gave her a clueless shrug. Why she thought he would know about some place in New York was beyond him. He didn't even know the names of clubs in London.
"It's one of the premier nightclubs in the city. Rooftop raves, amazing music, drugs, sex, and hot tubs - it's very hip." Rukia gave Kevin a look of condemnation, but he barreled on. "Supposedly, it's the only place he hunts. He finds his quarries there and then follows them until they're alone. Then, using his good looks, he seduces them until their guard is down and then kills them."
Kevin paused and studied Ichigo. "Now that I think about it, the sketch the witness gave kind of looks like your guard here. A bit older, maybe mid to late 30s, black hair instead of orange, and these brilliant blue eyes that he uses to hypnotize his victims."
That didn't sound anything like him and he gave the assistant a wary look.
"Seriously! Hold on."
Kevin pulled out his phone and began searching through it. Ichigo was about to tell him not to bother, but he exclaimed and held a picture up to his face. It was a detailed sketch of a man, his hair shaded to indicate the dark color. Ichigo wouldn't have described them as looking identical, but he had to admit there was a certain resemblance.
"The Agency sent out the picture to everyone when they first got it." Kevin turned the phone to Rukia. The color drained from her face. Something similar to shock and heartbreak etched her features. Moisture gathered in the corners of her eyes and he wondered if she might cry. Concern wrapped around his heart and squeezed tightly until he couldn't breathe.
Kevin didn't notice, having put his phone away and started rambling about the case as the elevator chimed and the doors opened. Blinking, Rukia raised her eyes to his face. What Ichigo saw there caused his heart to seize. The love and passion dancing in the pools of deep violet dragged him into their depths and nearly drowned him. He was suffocating in an emotion he'd never felt in his life. It was terrible and wonderful all at once, and he didn't know what to do with it.
And then her gaze solidified to stone as she recovered from whatever it was she had seen, but the feeling that filled his lungs remained.
"This way," Kevin called out to them, standing in the lobby and waiting patiently with a friendly smile.
"Sorry," she replied, taking a deep and shaky breath. Stepping out of the elevator she followed Kevin to an official's office with Ichigo right behind her.
Whatever it was about that picture, it knocked her off her balance, took hold of her, and left her raw. And it hadn't left him unmarked. It infected him and spread through him, leaving him reeling. It was powerful, and it was personal, and he prayed she would confide in him.
First, they had to get through this meeting.
The official was a paper-pusher, filling out forms and asking them procedural questions. He droned on and on, reciting laws and regulations until he was satisfied they could step out the door without breaking some sort of rule. There were a series of questions Rukia answered with vague certainty. None of her replies were lies. All of them were carefully modified truths. After signing multiple agreements, each resulting in physical enforcement if they should be broken, the official released them back into Kevin's custody.
Much to Kevin's disappointment, Rukia wasn't interested in discussing other cases. Occasionally, she gave him a slight nod or half smile, sometimes a thoughtful hum. At first, he thought her depressed and lost in thought, but she was thinking. He could see the gears working, turning, and he wondered what she was up to so suddenly.
Once they were outside and away from the building, Ichigo turned to her. "Care to share?"
She gazed up at him and stared blankly for a moment as she readjusted from working things out in her mind to communicating. "Sorry, it's nothing," she replied with a stern shake of her head, as if trying to rid herself of her thoughts. "Just something stupid."
He might have thought she was trying to dodge his questions, keep things to herself again, but she genuinely looked liked she was trying to dismiss whatever it was that was running through her mind.
"How would you like to go on a stakeout tonight?" She asked suddenly.
"I'm up for it, I suppose," he began hesitantly, "but I thought we needed to meet up with Starrk?"
She frowned and considered her options. "We have time. This shouldn't take more than a day. I'll call Nelliel and let her know. There's something I want to look into before training. If I don't, I won't be able to concentrate."
"Something or someone?" She'd been acting off since that assistant mentioned the rogue. Something about the case had her wound up, and he wanted to know before committing. They weren't going to be playing this game anymore.
She watched him, studying him, as if gauging him. He wasn't sure what she was trying to figure out, but he was hoping she would decide soon. Every moment that passed he found his patience slipping from his grasp.
Finally, she caved.
"The picture of the rogue reminds me of someone I knew a long time ago. Someone I thought - I know - is dead."
"Just because the appearances are similar doesn't mean it's them. Hell, the guy said he looked liked me. The world is full of people. There are bound to be look-alikes - doppelgangers, I think is what they're called."
"I imagine that's the case. It would have to be." She offered a small, cryptic smile that was tinged with a hint of grief. Then it was gone. Stepping up to the curb, she hailed a taxi. One skidded to a stop in front of her and flicked its sign off. Opening the door, she slipped into the back. Ichigo climbed in beside her.
"Club Sinister," Rukia directed the driver. The man gave her a confused look through his rearview mirror.
"It's 2 p.m., lady. Doors won't be open for another eight hours."
"I know," she stated flatly. With a shrug, the driver pulled into traffic. Squealing tires and a wailing horn blasted behind them. The driver flipped his middle finger out the open window and continued on his way.
"This dead friend," Ichigo started, slipping into Japanese and clinging to the handle as the driver took a hard right, "you plan on meeting up with him?"
"No. I just need to see his face." Her voice was quiet, difficult to hear over the whirring of the car engine, the wind as it passed through the window, and blaring car horns. The mournful tone was like a stab to his heart.
Who was this guy? Rukia was almost always composed, a constant professional in nearly all situations. And when she wasn't being professional, she was railing and raving angrily. What he was seeing something entirely different. There were only a handful of times he'd seen her look so vulnerable. Whoever this person was, just thinking about him had an effect on her.
There was little he knew about her actual history. Besides her husband, Ichigo hadn't thought about any other relationships she might have had - until Ashido appeared. Was this look alike another lover or was he the one man she made sure to avoid discussing?
If the sketch of the rogue matched her husband, it would certainly explain her distant and slightly rash behavior. Whenever it came to him, the man still had sway over her, even after a century.
And the fact that they were similar? Something dark and heavy seeped into his bones, a frost that chilled every part of him. Did she see the connection? Did she mistake him for that man? When she looked at him with those eyes, was she looking at the ghost of a man she loved? When she touched him, did she imagine she was touching him?
The cold had solidified into a hard weight in the pit of his stomach with every thought, every memory. He couldn't be sick. He couldn't be mad. There was no feeling, not in his limbs and not in his heart.
"What are you planning?" His voice was as frigid as he felt. He closed his eyes and tried to put all his focus on the moment. Now wasn't the time to sit and stew about every moment and interaction, wondering if there was another reason behind them.
"I want to check the area surrounding the club. We need to determine if there's a place where we can get a good view of it without being under foot. If the FCA catches us, they won't hesitate to put us on a plane."
"Shinji won't hesitate to rake us over the coals either," Ichigo offered her, his tone not thawing much. If she noticed, she didn't mention it. He wasn't sure if he was grateful or pissed.
"No he won't."
"If we get caught and sent home, you can't train with Starrk," he reminded her, finding it irritating she would forget the one reason they were staying in New York, the one person who was still her family, the one person who could tell them where Aizen was.
"Which is why we won't get caught."
She was determined, willing to risk losing the only opportunity to learn how to control her powers, all for a damned dead guy. The jealousy Ichigo felt for Ashido couldn't compare to what he felt for this man.
Is this how Ashido felt when they were together? Helpless and constantly trying to stay ahead of a memory? Ichigo wasn't in the mood to ask any more questions and only hoped that what she found was nothing.
There were several hotels in the area surrounding the club. Rukia settled on one directly across the street. It took a bit of haggling and extra money she hated to part with, but they managed to get a room that overlooked the club's rooftop. The single room couldn't hold a candle to the Ritz, but it wasn't anything to scoff at either. He'd certainly seen his fair share of grungy hotel rooms and this one wasn't bad. Clean, decent decor, a flat screen TV that actually worked, and no bed bugs.
When they got to the room, Rukia called Nelliel and informed her they would be ready in a day or two. Ichigo hoped the other woman would have pressured Rukia into abandoning this mission, but there was no such luck. Nelliel was fine, and after they hung up, Rukia glued herself to the window. He watched her with mixed feelings of frustration and concern. In the end, did he have any right to stop her? Maybe this wasn't her husband, but even if it was, who was he to stop them from meeting, to stand in between them?
While she watched, Ichigo decided to get them some dinner and blood. He was hungry, and it would give him some time to figure things out. The FCA provided a list of facilities that supplied blood. He picked up a few bags and some Chinese. When he opened the door, she was still standing in the same spot.
"Rukia, we have a few more hours before the club even opens its doors. Come eat."
Barely sparing him a glance, she shook her head. Annoyance flared, but he quickly doused it and decided to use his backup plan.
"I got you some bunny shaped peeps." They were all sugar and hardly anything substantial, but he hoped if he could pull her away from the window, she would be more inclined to eat something else.
At this, she turned, giving him a doubtful look. "They're not in season."
"Well, neither are those plastic lawn Santa's, but there was a store selling them anyway."
Placing the bags of supplies on the bed, he watched with relief and an amused smile as she slowly stepped away from the window. Snatching the small box of pink colored treats, she quickly ripped into it and popped one in her mouth. His own teeth ached at the thought of eating something so sweet, but it was worth it to see her smile, even for only a few moments.
"The FCA agents are already getting into place." Taking a bite of another peep, she pointed to a few different locations out the window. Ichigo peered out the glass and searched for the agents. As expected, they were difficult to spot. A shadow here, a crop of hair there. If he hadn't known where to look, he might not have seen them at all. "They'll be hacking into the security feeds and watching all points of entry."
"Sounds familiar."
"It should. They're the same tactics we used to hunt Nnoitra." She stood beside him, sucking the sugar from the tips of her fingers. Something twisted in his gut and he shifted uncomfortably, returning his gaze to the agents. "They'll have a human agent in place and teams set up to take the rogue down when they draw him away from the crowds. They'll want as few casualties as possible."
"Just like with Nnoitra."
"Hopefully they won't have as much trouble as we did. Nnoitra was connected with Aizen and we wanted to take him alive for questioning. Taking live prisoners is always more difficult than killing them outright. This rogue. . ." her voice stalled in her throat, but she cleared it and continued. "They have no reason to keep this rogue alive. They'll kill him as soon as they have a chance."
Ichigo watched her, noticing her grim expression as she continued to survey the building. Maybe she was showing some restraint. She knew the FCA was going to kill this man who clearly meant something to her, and she wasn't planning on intervening.
"They won't take him in for questioning?" He asked in part curiosity, but mostly because he didn't want her slipping back into her silence. It was better when she was talking to him.
"Not likely. As far as I can tell, they have no interest in interrogating him. He's proven he's too much of a liability. His actions have put the rest of us as risk, and it won't be tolerated."
She turned away from the window and settled on the bed.
"Going to try and get some sleep?"
Burying her face in a pillow, she huffed. "'Try' being the key word. I doubt he'll make his appearance before the club opens, and it might be even longer if he wants to hunt with more options. I'd rather not wear myself out."
Within a few minutes, her breathing slowed into the steady rhythm of sleep. Briefly, he considered lying down beside her, but the threat of sleep - and the potential of being maimed - were high. He rather liked keeping his head, especially since it had become less crowded.
Why the beast had suddenly stopped hounding him, beating on the walls incessantly whenever it yearned for something, he didn't know and he wasn't sure he cared. The thing was gone and he could finally enjoy the quiet. And yet, at this moment, it felt oddly lonely. Since the beginning, it had been there, been a part of him, lurking in the recesses until baring its fangs a few months after his change. If he had to choose, though, he preferred the quiet.
The doors of Sinister opened at 10 on the dot. A red velvet rope acted as a guide for patrons slowly trickling in. Most were women, dressed in painfully high heels and barely there dresses. One of them was an FCA agent, prepared to risk her life for the safety of those around her. Every one of them was valuable, but if he knew which one was the bait, he would train in on her and worry only about her. It was best he didn't know. If she remained a mysterious figure, he could concentrate on the real target.
Things picked up around 11. More women, and some men, filed into the club. The line now filled the velvet rope and trailed around the block. Strobe lights flashed and lit up the rooftop as a DJ worked his table, amping up the dancers on the floor. Others laughed and entwined themselves around others in the hot tubs. Somewhere in there was the man Rukia was looking for, but even with his vampire eyes, making out faces was fairly difficult from this distance, especially with the constantly changing color and intensity of the lights.
"See anything yet?"
"A lot more bare chests than I would have expected." He smirked when Rukia rolled her eyes and shook her head in disapproval.
"What happened to propriety and sense of intrigue?" Sighing heavily, she got up from the bed and leaned on the wall.
"Pretty sure those died with the invention of the television and Playboy."
She gave him a pointed stare before looking back at the club. Then she stood with a frustrated sigh and made her way to the door. "I need some air. I'll be back in a few minutes. Call me if you see anything or the agents start moving."
"Rukia-"
The door was closed before he could stop her. She was being reckless. If the FCA agents spotted her, they would have some serious explaining to do and she wouldn't get a chance to see the rogue - all so she could get a breather.
Unless she'd already spotted him and was going to get a closer look.
Combing his hand through his hair in exasperation, he cursed and followed after her. Like hell he was going to let her risk everything for this man.
The hallway was empty, but the trail of her faint floral scent on the air was easy enough to track. It led him to the elevator. She could have gone to roof, but since most of the FCA agents were stationed on rooftops, it would be unlikely. She might not have been thinking straight, but she wasn't an idiot. From the main floor, she could access side alleys and avoid having her scent detected as she watched the people going into the club - or get that fresh air she'd mentioned.
The lobby was filled with guests coming back from late night dinners and dates. A few were clearly there for other reasons. Ichigo turned from the main entrance and followed Rukia's scent through the kitchens and out the back. She was standing at the edge of the alley when he exited the building.
"Rukia!"
She turned, frowning as he hurried towards her. "What are you doing here? You're supposed to be keeping an eye on the club."
"What's the point if you're just going to try and meet up with him?"
Opening her mouth to argue, she quickly shut it again, her eyes darting away in avoidance. He'd expected her to look a little guilty for hiding her intentions from him, but the way it twisted her features made him wonder if she had planned on doing more than just trying to catch sight of the rogue.
"You can't speak with him," he told her. "I know he might resemble your husband, but you can't risk it."
For a moment her eyes went wide with surprise, and he knew he was right. She thought to argue, started to, but then stopped. Those piercing amethyst eyes locked onto his and the pain he saw there was enough to knock him off his feet. She loved this man so much she considered throwing away everything for someone who resembled him.
In some way, Ichigo thought he could understand her struggle, but when he really thought about it, he couldn't. Why couldn't she leave this alone? She'd said herself she knew her husband was dead, so what was the point? Did she think this rogue was him reincarnated? Did she think they could have that kind of relationship again when he was a complete stranger? Wasn't he enough?
Silently, he berated himself. This wasn't the time to feel selfish and act childishly. One of them needed to think with their head, and it wasn't going to be Rukia. He needed to get her back inside before one of the agents caught sight of them.
"Come on, let's go back to the room." When they got back, he was going to shut the curtains - shut away the world until morning. By then, the rogue would be dead and the FCA gone, and they could meet up with Starrk.
"Where's the fun in that?"
The two of them turned to see a darkened figure heading down a side alley, sauntering towards them. Sniffing the air, Ichigo tried to pick up a scent, but the wind was dead and the smell of dumpsters full of the day's trash too pungent. Ichigo moved Rukia behind him, and then his vision was filled with bright blue. A series of sharps blades punctured his abdomen just below his ribs, and he felt another slide across his throat. The combined power behind the strikes was enough to throw him back. He struck a brick wall, forcing the air from his struggling lungs, and dropped to the ground. Ichigo struggled to get to his feet.
The man now stood beside Rukia and Ichigo recognized him from the picture of the rogue. He smiled down at her as his hand stroked her cheek tenderly. Rukia's eyes were full of emotion, tears streaking her cheeks.
"Rukia. . ." Ichigo's voice burned in his throat and her name barely escaped his lips. His shirt was soaked with blood and he was confident a few of his lower ribs were shattered. Reaching up to his throat, he tried to stop the flow of blood as it seeped from the wound. He couldn't afford to lose anymore, especially if Rukia wasn't moving.
But then she blinked and stepped away from the man. A growl rumbled in his chest as the man reached for her, but she batted his hand away. He grinned.
"Who'd have thought. I came here to get a snack, have a little fun, and I run into you. It's been - what? Nearly a hundred years? You should be greeting me with a hug and kiss." The rogue chuckled and took a step forward. Ichigo cursed as his vision blurred and he saw two of him. He wasn't sure which one to aim for, so he targeted the one on the left. When his first hit nothing, the rogue laughed and jammed his elbow into Ichigo's face. He stumbled to the ground and shook the spotted lights from his vision.
"You can't fool me," Rukia hissed, now standing between the rogue and Ichigo. "Those eyes of yours are a dead give away."
Ichigo tried to get to his feet, to be there beside her, but his vision tilted and dimmed and his legs gave beneath him. He'd taken much harder hits than this, so why did it feel like he'd been run over with a freight train?
"Ichigo, are you okay?"
"Give him a few minutes and he won't be." The rogue's face was blurred, but Ichigo could still make out the sneer. Rukia glanced back at him, but she didn't move to his side. He was glad for it. This man was clearly dangerous, and the last thing he wanted was for her to give him an opening.
"What did you do?" she demanded.
"I may or may not have injected him with modified venom. Nothing that will kill him, unfortunately, but enough to incapacitate him so we can have a heart-to-heart."
The muscles in Ichigo's arms and legs stiffened, refusing to obey his commands as he tried to get to his feet. He needed to be there, between him and her, and to shut his damn mouth. Whoever this guy was, he clearly wasn't the man Rukia knew to be her husband, which made things much more dangerous.
"Honestly, I didn't think I'd run into you here. I thought we would meet much later. It's thrown a bit of a wrench into my other plans, but I think it'll work out for the best."
Rukia sneered, taking a slow step back towards Ichigo. "Tell me your name and why you look so much like him."
"Come on, love," he cooed, reaching out for her again. She slapped his hand and struck at him with a knife she pulled from her hip. He easily evaded her swipes, chuckling happily as he did so. They danced across the alley, Rukia attacking, the rogue evading. Ichigo tried to call out to her, to keep her close to him, but his mouth wouldn't open. All he could do was watch helplessly as she moved further away from him.
Rukia managed to land a strike on the rogue's face. He laughed and touched the wound gingerly. He was toying with her.
"Bravo, sweetheart. He told me you'd gotten feisty since we parted. Granted, you always had a rebellious streak, but this is another level."
Rukia was in front of Ichigo again, a blur of black that was fading into the shadows of the alley as his vision started to fade. Still, he saw her stiffen. His own heart dropped into his stomach.
"I don't know who 'he' is, and I don't know you. We've never met."
The rogue stopped his slow approach and crossed his arms as he studied her. Ichigo begged for his legs to cooperate, and was pleased when he managed to stand unsteadily on them.
"I suppose your reaction is fairly normal. You did kill me, after all. Left me to be burned."
"Shut up!" Her voice tremored with anger and misery.
"I don't blame you. I was out of control. I killed so many, and I. . ." he bit his lower lip and sucked on it as if tasting a delicious piece of food, "I really enjoyed it. To feel their lives slip away beneath my teeth as I drained them - unimaginably thrilling."
"I said shut up!" She lunged at him. He moved, catching her wrist and spinning her about. Back pressed against him, he wrapped an arm around her waist and grabbed her by the throat with his other hand. Ichigo lunged recklessly after him, but tripped and fell. From the ground, he watched helplessly as he dangled Rukia in front of him. Why was he so useless in the moments that were important?
"Say bye bye to your useless sack of bones bodyguard. We're going on a long trip and he isn't invited."
"Bite me, you son of a-"
The rogue's hand twisted and snapped her head to the side in one swift motion. The crack was like an explosion in Ichigo's ears and turned his worsening vision red.
"She never used to speak like that, you know. This new age has certainly done a number on her etiquette." The rogue nuzzled Rukia's neck and then grinned at him. "I kind of like it. Don't you?"
"Let her. . . go!" Ichigo wasn't sure how he managed it, but he got to his feet and close enough to touch the bastard before he was out of reach again. The asshole laughed, tossing Rukia's limp body over his shoulder.
"And what are you going to do if I don't? In another minute you'll be completely blind and paralyzed. I'll be long gone before you even start to recover."
"Who. . .the fuck. . .are you? What. . .do you want. . . with Rukia. . ." Ichigo was on his knees, gasping for air as his body struggled to heal and move. His jaw ached and began to lock up, making it difficult to speak. How was he suppose to stop this guy if he couldn't even say a complete sentence?
"She hasn't told you about me?" The rogue tapped her bottom and shook his head. "Rude. Let me introduce myself. I am Kaien Shiba, Rukia's husband."
"Bullshit," Ichigo spat, longing to cut off that offending hand. Despite his suspicions, Rukia had gotten close to him and didn't believe he was her husband. If there had been any trace of the man she loved, she would have reacted differently. Instead, she'd gone on the defensive. If she didn't believe this man was her husband, then he wouldn't.
Kaien shrugged. "Doesn't really matter if you believe me or not. I've been itching to see her again, but Aizen sent that shit head Nnoitra to keep an eye on her. Idiot fucked up real good though."
Ichigo clenched his jaw. It was a mistake, considering with each passing second every muscle became more difficult to control. "Aizen?"
Kaien grinned. "Normally I wouldn't be willing team up with someone, but he is the one who brought me back. Gave me a couple sweet upgrades to boot."
After everything Ichigo had seen, resurrection shouldn't have been all that surprise, and yet, he found it difficult to believe. Death was permanent, even for vampires. Only three people had ever come back that he knew of, and Kaien had been dead long before then.
A flood of pain coursed through him and Ichigo lost strength in his legs. Even if Aizen had somehow managed to bring Kaien back, what was the point?
"Why?"
"Who the hell knows? That man does whatever the fuck strikes his fancy. Right now, his fancy is to see Rukia. I just got lucky that I was the one to find her."
"Kaien."
A second figure appeared beside Kaien, someone pale and dressed in white with dark hair. Ichigo could barely make out that much as his vision dimmed further. Whoever he was, he wasn't a friend.
"What the fuck are you doing here?" Kaien demanded, sounding irked.
"You've said more than you should. We have the girl. We're finished here."
Then the figure was gone. Kaien snarled at the man's back before starting to leave.
Desperation had Ichigo trying to plead with him. If there was any part of him that was really Rukia's husband, surely he had to feel something for her. "He'll. . . kill her. . ."
"Now, now," he stopped and turned to Ichigo, "don't be so dramatic. You and I both know she can't be killed."
If this man was Rukia's husband, it was only in body. He was twisted, tainted by whatever Aizen had done to him. Would the same thing happen to Rukia if Aizen got his hands on her? Would he brainwash her into becoming some kind of monster that would kill senselessly and with joy? Would she become what she hated most?
Get your lazy ass up.
The voice was strange, an echo in his head that sounded like it was speaking through rippling water. How he knew it was the beast, he didn't know. Before, it had only communicated through powerful bursts of emotions and desires. But, of course, when it did finally speak it was in a tone that was snide and arrogant.
If you don't beat his ass, I'll take over and do it for you.
Even though it was now capable of speech, the beast was still aggressive, demanding, and controlling. It didn't even wait for him to answer before he felt something take control of his limbs. It pushed him off the ground, his legs wobbling slightly as he stood. His vision was nearly black but for a small gap, like looking through a keyhole with bad vision.
"Just keep this between us. The princess might kick my ass if she found out I broke our deal."
It was strange, hearing the beast speaking with his own voice, using his own lips and body. It was infuriating as well. How could he move so well when Ichigo had so much trouble?
"I'm impressed," Kaien stated. "You shouldn't be able to move, let alone speak. What deal did you make with her?"
"None of your damn business, prick. It's between me, her, and the kid."
Before Ichigo could ask what it meant, he was flying, fist aimed at Kaien's face. He struck air, Kaien leaping back, though barely escaping the blow. Whistling, he hopped playfully from foot to foot.
"Nice. I'm pretty quick on my feet. You shouldn't be able to keep up with me on a normal day, certainly not with that venom in your system. Which, by the way, should be spreading faster now that you're up and moving about."
The shrinking size of the keyhole proved his point. In a few minutes, he would be completely blind. Moving was difficult enough as it was. If the venom was in full effect, there was no way he would be able to catch Kaien, with the beast or without it.
"Won't stop me from ripping your head off."
As everything turned to complete darkness, Ichigo felt his body lunge towards Kaien and swipe at his head. No contact, but the assault from the beast didn't halt. The sounds of footsteps to his left had him turning sharply and striking out. Again and again, he took aim, but the movements were getting sloppy and slow.
"Hey! He's down here!"
A new voice came from somewhere above them and was followed by a stampede of combat boots on rusted metal and pavement.
"Looks like our time is up. I hope you got a good look at Rukia, because you won't be seeing her again."
A howl of fury erupted from Ichigo's throat and the beast tried to follow the sound of Kaien's voice, but his body finally collapsed. Even the beast wasn't able to maintain movement any longer. And as he lay on the cold ground, listening to sounds of the FCA agents rushing into the alley, he knew it was over. They wouldn't be able to catch him. They were gone.
She was gone.
Author's Note: Told you things were going to get interesting ;).
Thanks to the people who favorited and followed the story, and those who read this story but don't post reviews. I don't think I've thanked you guys, and I want to say that, even if you don't leave a review, I'm still thrilled that you take the time to read this story.
Thanks to those of you who left reviews: yocel, MugetsuIchigo, NieveDrop, IchiRuki, Haru, and the anonymous guests! Thank you all so much! Please R&R and let me know your thoughts about the chapter!
P.S.
NieveDrop - Remember how I mentioned I didn't think about revealing the similarities to Kaien to Ichigo? Well, apparently I did lol. I completely forgot about this (I'm a terrible author to forget something I wrote lol).