Dragon Ball/Z/GT Fan Fiction ❯ Kindred Spirits ❯ chapter 8 ( Chapter 8 )

Diclaimer: I don't own DBZ

A/N: Well after a long sabbatical, I'm back, at least for the time being. I had serious thoughts of abandoning this story, but after reviewing what I've written so far, I confess the plot has grown on me. Keep reviewing and tell me if you think I'm on the right track or wasting my time. Oh and I just noticed that there is a continuity mistake in the story. If Vegeta really is 21, Goku would still be a teen and therefore too young to have Gohan. Unfortunately, the mistake is already in print so to speak and I don't feel like editing it out. I had my heart set on having the B/V couple younger. Hope you all forgive me and accept that in this A/U Goku is about the same age as our hero, Vegeta.

As twilight approached, Goku slowly flew home after the long battle with the Saiyan warrior, his head filled with worries. He was usually a carefree individual, but at that moment, all he could dwell on was his failure to protect his friend. He had failed Bulma, and even though he was sure the Prince would keep his word and not hurt her physically, he could only imagine what emotional and physiological damage he could do to her if he tried. Goku loved to believe that anyone could change if they wanted to, Piccolo's cold heart was slowly melting, but he also knew how to assess a potential threat and he'd seen enough maliciousness in the foreigner to cause him worry. What Goku failed to see however, was the appreciative and admiring glint in the Prince's eye whenever he looked at Bulma. He had only seen the fierce warrior engaged in battle. The thought of his long-time friend Bulma suffering at that man's hands strengthened Goku's resolve. He would train hard during the next two years so that if anything happened to her, or the alien refused to return her, he would be able to make up for his shortcomings in battle earlier in the day. In the meantime, he would stay close to Capsule Coorporation to make sure Bulma and her parents stayed safe from their unusual houseguest. As Goku traveled closer to his destination, he could smell the wonderful aroma of Chi Chi's cooking. For the moment, all concern left him and he increased his speed, a handsome smile gracing his face, making him look boyish again.

Bulma typed in the security code for the kitchen door to her home that she shared with her parents and quietly led Vegeta through the dark room. She quickly turned on the light switch and pointed at one of the chairs at the kitchen table. The Prince raised an eyebrow at her silent command and was about to retort that she would not order him about so, when he noticed her pulling food items out of a machine and putting them on a counter to prepare them. Vegeta settled to only growl in her direction and then took a seat and waited for his meal.

Bulma was secretly amazed at herself for deciding to be civil with the Sayain, but she was still physically and emotionally tired from the long day and the tantrum she threw in her lab. She had used up all her rage for the moment, and the only thing left was a looming sense of dread and sadness. She hadn't really though about it until that moment, but she would be leaving her family, friends, work, and home to become some sort of servant for an alien megalomaniac. Bulma stood at the counter, with her back to Vegeta quietly making a mountain of sandwiches, her shoulders slumped in defeat and her eyes slowly filling with tears.

Vegeta could tell the onna was upset, and was quite baffled by her range of emotions, and her freedom in expressing them. It seemed so foreign to him to wear one's thoughts and feelings on one's sleeve. His culture scorned such displays, demanding instead discipline and control. As he watched her form slump somewhat, however, he began to realize her emotions were a part of her charm. He had never felt so intrigued and aroused as when he had watched her thrash with rage in his arms earlier that day. Her evident sadness now seemed equally attractive, although a little more unsettling. She was beautiful no matter what expression graced her features, but despair was an emotion more alien to him than anger. He wasn't sure how to respond to her. He couldn't ignore it for much longer; she appeared to be on the verge of breaking down in tears. In the end, Vegeta decided he should try to shake her out of her moodiness. Of course, comfort wasn't a first or even third option in his mind, but instead he said in a condescending tone, "WENCH! Isn't my food ready yet? Stop dawdling and bring it here!"

Bulma instantly stiffened at his words and whirled around in a flash of blue, her eyes snapping furiously. She gave him a glare that clearly told him what he could do with his food once he got it. Vegeta smirked at her expression. She looked so desirable right now, and it was fun harassing her. She was definitely more interesting angry.

"Look you stupid ape, I am making you food as a favor, NOT because I am some sort of servant!"

"Oh but you ARE my servant starting this week. You will learn to do my bidding and fulfill my every whim. From this point on you are MINE, onna, for the next two years!" Vegeta replied with satisfaction in his voice and an even bigger smirk on his face.

Instead of enraging the onna further as Vegeta intended, the fire in Bulma's eyes went out, and her form crumpled. Vegeta was taken aback as he saw the woman's shoulders shake and her hands clench and unclench her shirt. He hadn't intended to upset the onna, only provoke that delicious rage of hers again. So why didn't she lash out at him again? In the very back of his mind a little voice whispered guilty and remorseful thoughts to him, reminding himself of his own pride and honor and how similarly important the onna's was to her. That like her, he balked at being told what to do. He was to her right now what his father was to him. Vegeta quickly crushed the voice, but not before it had a small effect on him.

Vegeta rose out of his chair and took a few steps toward Bulma. He placed two fingers under her chin and slowly lifted her head to meet his cold, impenetrable gaze. Bulma looked into his dark eyes, her own filling with bitter tears, but revealing little of the pain she was experiencing. She resolved herself that this would be the last time he saw her weak and vulnerable.

"Listen onna," Vegeta spoke in a stern voice, his expression unreadable and intimidating, "Make no mistake that you ARE my servant. I will expect you to pay me respect and not try to escape while you're in my service. But you are not a slave or a whore and so I will pay you…some…respect as well. So stop this weeping! It's so weak and pathetic! Now hurry and finish making my food and then go to sleep! I expect you to be up early in the morning, working on my ship so we can get off this hell-hole planet. I have revenge to exact and I will not be patient with you for long!"

A myriad of emotions swept through Bulma during the Prince's short speech. She was observant enough to recognize he was trying to offer her a sliver of comfort, even though he would never have called his actions that. Even though she thought it was the weakest and most arrogant `apology' she'd ever received, it did soothe her bitterness. He was obviously a proud man, and said he was royalty and therefore unaccustomed to humbling himself in order to comfort another. She felt appreciation warming her blood somewhat. She was also amazed that he had admitted that she would not be his slave and that he would give her some respect. Obviously though, respect didn't include a cessation of verbal abuse, but she rather suspected it meant she would never be violated or forced to do much of anything against her will. He just wanted her to fix his ship and go with him in case anything else broke along the way. Well she supposed she could handle that. Even though the speech ended in a variety of insults and orders, Bulma only became slightly irritated. She had too much on her mind now to rise to his bait. All she wanted to do was go to bed and not think anymore. In the morning she would have to try to explain the presence of an alien in her house to her parents and friends, and then try to tell them she'd be leaving with the rude bastard for the next two years. No, she definitely didn't want to think about that.

Without saying anything to the Prince, Bulma merely turned back around and quickly finished making his sandwiches and sat down to eat one of her own. This caused a curious look to pass over Vegeta's face, but he didn't say anything else. The Sayain took his large stack of sandwiches and sat opposite her to eat them. After fifteen minutes of silent chewing, the duo finished their meal.

Bulma stood up and said, "Follow me upstairs and I'll show you where you can sleep tonight." Vegeta nodded his head and followed her closely up a staircase and down an expansive hallway. Bulma pointed out a guest bedroom and showed him how everything worked in the bathroom.

"Hmph, this is adequate onna," stated the ever-proud Prince, "Where will you be staying?" He questioned.

"Not that it's any of your business monkey-man, but my room is at the end of the hall. I suppose you won't hesitate to knock if something goes wrong, but I'm not promising to help you. After all you DID tell me rather pointedly to be up early in the morning, and a beautiful genius has to have her sleep,"

Vegeta smirked at this and replied, "Well I won't feel bad about bothering you in the middle of the night then. I promise to let the beautiful genius sleep instead. Now which room is she in? I want to make sure I don't accidentally wake her from her much needed sleep." Vegeta mockingly looked up and down the hall as if hoping to catch a glance of the famous intelligent beauty.

Bulma's blood ran boiling hot through her body and her eyes seemed to roar with unchecked blue flames. If the genius had a serious character flaw, she was as vain as a peacock. The tired woman found one more burst of strength in her body, fueled by a surge of adrenaline and lunged at the widely smirking Prince, her hands extended and ready to rip him to pieces.

Vegeta caught the snarling woman and pinned her wrists behind her back rendering her helpless, but no less calm. The Saiyan took one look at the furious expression on the onna's face and let out a short bark of unaffected laughter. She was ravishing. A hint of amusement crept into Vegeta's eyes and he pulled the woman a bit closer into his arms.

"Now now, onna," Vegeta spoke with a hint of gravelly huskiness to his voice, "We've only just met! Don't you think this is moving too fast?" he asked sarcastically but all the while pulling her closer and stroking her arms while he held them behind her.

Bulma wasn't so far gone in her anger to not be aware of what Vegeta was saying and doing with his hands. She stopped thrashing and her eyes widened to plate size. She suddenly stiffened in the Prince's arms, frozen like a deer in headlights.

"Wha…what are you doing?" stuttered a confused Bulma. Her mind was reeling, but she couldn't focus on one coherent thought. The only thing her shocked brain could latch onto was the incredibly good feeling flowing through her body and a series of pleasurable shivers running up and down her spine. Her eyes were drawn to the Prince's dark ones that at first seemed so cold, but upon closer inspection, appeared to barely reveal hints of amusement and maybe a little…. excitement?! His breathing HAD increased slightly. She could feel his chest moving in and out, brushing against her own, heightening the experience of being held captive by the dark, sexy, irresistible...NO! Bad thoughts! He may be the embodiment of every dark sexual fantasy she had ever had, but he was also bossy, arrogant, egotistic, and domineering. Not to mention he happened to be forcing her into captivity! She desperately tried to control her raging hormones as Vegeta's face loomed close to her long, ivory neck.

Vegeta could smell the first hints of female arousal and he couldn't decide if he was in heaven or hell. Surely he couldn't experience greater bliss than in the arms of this beautiful woman. But then again, he could feel her insecurity as well and knew she would not be a willing partner in any further `activities'. He could smell and feel her beauty, but was denied further pleasure. Torture, pure torture. Despite what the lower half of his body was telling him about the onna, Vegeta had no real intentions of taking her tonight anyway. In the long run he didn't need a female and the feelings she was inspiring deep within him were starting to frighten him. Emotional involvement could only equal weakness, and he shunned weakness.

Fairly reluctantly, Vegeta made up his mind to end the sexual tension. Before Bulma had time to react, Vegeta and gently but insistently pushed her away and was closing the door. When it was just open a mere crack, the Prince said, "Goodnight Onna," and shut the door.

Bulma stood in the doorway stunned for a minute. Had she just been toyed with?!

"AAAHHHHGGGGHH!" Bulma let out a frustrated and indignant yell and then stormed down the hall to her lavish bedroom. That creep! He must think he has an almighty power over women, capable of seducing any female in the universe! She couldn't believe his ego. Well she wouldn't fall for that one again! She would be nothing but cold and frigid while around him, devoid of all sexual feeling. He wouldn't affect her so again!

Bulma flopped exhaustedly onto her comfy king-sized bed, allowing the tears to flow freely. Never had she ever had a more confusing, frustrating, dramatic day. With all her will power spent the young genius quietly cried herself to sleep.

A/N: YES! I'm done!!! Hope you guys liked it. I actually enjoyed writing this one very much. Anything with V/B interaction makes for good entertainment. Please review and tell me if you think this story could go places!