Dragon Ball/Z/GT Fan Fiction ❯ Lab Monkey ❯ Building Tensions ( Chapter 18 )

Disclaimer:  I don't own DBZ or Vegeta, but don't tell my fragile psyche that.

All my thanks to LisaB for editing my work, any errors are entirely mine.

Chapter Eighteen

Building Tensions

Vegeta leaned his shoulder against the doorway, his eyes raking hungrily down Bulma's body as she bent over the drive shaft.  She wore the black pants he had bought her, and the tight leather pulled taut over her sleek curves with every movement she made.  His groin tightened, and he instantly regretted his purchase---a sackcloth would have been much more preferable.

It had only been a few days since they left the research facility, and Bulma was still feeling the effects of her illness.  Her fever had broken, and she was nowhere near dying, but she wasn't the sparkling jewel he was used to seeing either.  He had pulled her out of bed, demanding that she find out why they had inexplicably slowed down.  She complied, but her energy was at a low ebb, immediately reminding him that she wasn't fully recovered and therefore off limits. 

As much as he was disturbed by the fact that he was obsessed with bedding her, he was much more concerned about the change in the atmosphere between them.  He had convinced himself that he had not changed his stance on her doomed fate.  He would bed her then he would kill her.  He was certain had made that quite clear to her back at the lab, but the change in her attitude seemed to indicate otherwise.

Saving her life, not once but twice, caused a drastic shift in how she viewed him.  She stood before him now unafraid, much the same way she had when the protective barrier separated them.  She looked him in the eye with renewed confidence, smiling at him amiably.  In fact, she was downright friendly.

That shook him to the very core.  Never before had someone looked at him with a hint of friendliness on their countenance.  By his own choice he had no comrades in Frieza's army; none could be trusted, and he disdained lowering himself by being in their company.  Nappa and Raditz had been nothing more than subordinates to him.  They bowed to him; they served him, but they were not his friends.  They weren't even trustworthy.

Vegeta grimaced to himself, remembering Nappa's demise at his hand back on Earth.  Such a bold move on his part would certainly get him punished by Frieza, but it was well worth it.  He suspected that Nappa's loyalty was compromised, and he had leapt on the opportunity of ridding himself of his watchful gaze, but now he was truly alone in the universe.  He was the last Saiyan left.  He and that disgrace, whom he was chasing.

He was alone.  Just him, this malfunctioning ship, and the woman.

Vegeta's eyes narrowed as Bulma leaned over the machinery, arching herself up on her toes to see more clearly.

By all rights, she should be cowering from him.  He had honestly told her that he claimed the right to take her life.  He spelled it out in blood.  He would fuck her and kill her.  Plain and simple. 

Instead she was humming under her breath as she worked.  What was wrong with her?  Was she insane?

"Well, Vegeta, you really mucked it up this time."

He blinked, uncertain for a moment if the voice he heard was outside his head or within.

"What?"

"I said you mucked it up."  Bulma turned to face him, wiping her greasy hands on a rag.

Vegeta's dark brows met in the center as he glared at the calm woman in front of him.  He straightened from the doorway, and stepped inside of the room, immediately trying to threaten her with his mere presence.  She just looked at him, waiting for his reaction to her accusation.

"What the fuck are you talking about woman?" he snarled.

"Look Vegeta.  I don't know what you did, but you've busted the confabulator."  She gestured behind her, a sigh of disgust lisping from her lips.  Vegeta scowled at her, having absolutely no idea what she was talking about.

"Fix it."

She glared at him before rolling her eyes.  "I can't fix it.  I have to replace it.  I need a new part, and I have no idea how I'm going to find something compatible way out here in the middle of space."

Vegeta stalked closer, leaning over her menacingly.  "You will fix it now or it will go badly for you."

"Look, bud."  Bulma poked him in the chest as she spoke.  "I wasn't the one racing around the universe like a teenager in a stolen hover car."

Vegeta snatched her hand away, pulling her into his chest as he growled in her ear.  "If you remember, time is of the essence, woman."

She resisted, but at his words she melted against him.  She tipped her face up to look at him, confounding him with her brilliant smile.

"I know," she said softly.

The heat that coiled through him was instantaneous, and was just as potent as the poison that had swam in her veins.  A small unperceivable tremor spiked through him as the need to pin her to the nearest wall exploded inside him.

Roughly he pushed her away, whirling towards the door, showing her his back.  He fisted his hands at his sides to stop himself from grabbing her.

He heard her clear her throat just before her silky voice wrapped itself around him. 

"I need to get a replacement part."

Thankful for the distraction, Vegeta quickly listed all their viable options in his head.  There was a way station on a broken asteroid that orbited a nearly lawless planet.  It was a scavenger colony, and the inhabitants were nothing more than space pirates, but he was certain that they would be able to find a compatible component there.

"I know of a place, two days travel from here.  I will set the coordinates, but after this there will be no more delays.  Do you understand me?"

"Of course."

He stepped toward the door intending to leave when he heard a high pitched screech of grinding metal.  The ship gave a sickening lurch, throwing him forward, but he regained himself quickly.  He spun around, lashing out his tail to catch Bulma securely around the waist before she could fall.  His natural grace allowed him to keep his feet, even when she collided with his chest, her arms wrapping around him.  As he steadied her, he could feel the ship slowing even more, until it seemed like it wasn't even moving.

Bulma bounded away towards the drive shaft, and he loosed his tail to let her go, feeling her loss inexplicably.  She had felt so perfect in his arms.

The machine was spewing black smoke, and Bulma coughed as she dove into the cloud.  He heard muttering, and a few choice words that would make some soldiers blush.  After a few minutes she stepped out of the thinning cloud, her eyes downcast as she held a broken hunk of metal in her hands.

He reached out to take it from her, dread twisting in his stomach.

"How bad?"

It's the transconfublator."

"Is the ship dead in the water?"

She darted a hurried glance up at his stoic features.  "No!"  She waved her hands in front of her in an appeasing manner.  "No.  We can still maneuver; it's just going to take us a little longer."

"How long?"

Bulma swallowed before answering, "Four days, maybe five."

Vegeta cursed viciously and threw the defective component against the wall, denting the smooth steel.

Bulma jumped back, and some of her old fear shone in her eyes.  Vegeta turned away, raking his hand roughly through his hair.  Bulma's eyes were drawn to Vegeta's tail that swept to and fro, like an angry cat's.

"I have to get to Namek."  Vegeta's words were raw, and Bulma felt her body clench.

Namek meant her death, but for Vegeta it was life.  She was sure that very little, if anything at all, gave him pleasure.  The only thing that kept him going was his thirst for revenge.  Without it, he would have died long ago on some forgotten battlefield, but his tortured pride wouldn't let him.  He needed his vengeance more than he needed air to breathe.  Even if he failed, at least he would have the satisfaction of dying while trying.

She stepped towards him, noticing how his tail slid away to avoid hurting her.  Even with his back to her, he knew exactly where she was at all times.  His heightened awareness was a constant amazement to her.

She placed a delicate hand in the center of his back between his shoulder blades.  She ignored the stiff set of his shoulders, instead choosing to feel relief that he didn't pull away.

"I know.  I'll make sure you get to Namek, Vegeta.  I swear it."

At her touch he felt all of his anger seep away.  She had the ability to draw out the pain from his soul, like venom from a rancid wound.  Her touch was powerful and though he resented it, he craved it even more.  He turned around, and she pulled her hand away, suddenly uncertain.  He looked down at her, disbelief reflecting in his deep set, black eyes.

"And then I will kill you."  It was a statement, but even to his ears it sounded like a question.

Her eyes slid away from his and focused on some unseen spot on the ground.  She shrugged dismissively, unwilling to think of a future that she didn't exist in.

"Stupid woman."

He huffed dismissively, and finally strode out of the room, leaving her alone to contemplate her dark thoughts.

A few days later Vegeta and Bulma stepped off their craft and onto the dock at Omally Three.  Vegeta had tried to convince Bulma to stay on board, but she had whined and wheedled until he gave in.  He preferred to keep an eye on her anyways.  He didn't quite trust the space pirates not to hotwire the ship, and take off with his only mode of transportation, along with the obnoxious woman.

"I'm cold."

"Shut up."

"Well, dammit.  I'm cold.  If you had gotten me something else to wear besides this sleeveless slutty bustier, I wouldn't be complaining."

Bulma was still wearing the only set of clothing she had, a leather top and pants.  The only difference was a long bar, about the size of her forearm that she had strapped to her thigh.  Vegeta was curious about the new adornment, but he didn't dare ask.  The last thing he wanted to hear about was the woman's twisted fashion sense.

Vegeta rolled his eyes as he strode down the corridor, well in front of the whining woman.

"Look.  I already told you.  It's cold in here because of the extra oxygen being pumped in to purify the air.  It's either that or an intolerable stench.  We don't have time to stop and get you something else.  Besides you're lucky you aren't naked, woman."

Bulma huffed at his reply as she looked around the empty hall.

"You said that they kept the atmosphere in here cold because there were so many people packed in here like sardines."  She shot a glare at Vegeta's rigid back before continuing.  "I don't see anyone."

"You will."

They exited the corridor into a large platform that was bustling with activity.  From Bulma's perspective it seemed to be a small town located on the asteroid, and although it was busy, Bulma still didn't see enough people to justify the chilly air filtration.

"Hmm."  Bulma rolled her eyes at Vegeta's back.

"Shut the fuck up and follow me."

They entered into an alleyway, and followed its twisting path to another side of the indoor city.  Vegeta paused, turning towards her, a look of irritation clearly etched on his face.

"Stay here."  Bulma started to protest, but Vegeta raised his hand to stall her.  "Just for once, do as I say and stay right here."  He pointed to the exact spot that he wanted her to stand, and Bulma couldn't help but to snap her heels together in a sharp salute.  Vegeta growled, and Bulma snickered at his retreating back as he disappeared around the corner.

Bulma looked around the empty passageway, seeing nothing of interest.  She folded her arms and tapped her foot, thoroughly annoyed with the male who had left her there.  It seemed to her that she was always being left behind, even when she was with her friends.  Nobody ever wanted to take her into the fray, and she was always left to her own devices while they were off fighting.  Of course she was the one who always ended up saving the day with her ingenious creations.  Bulma fluffed her hair as she waited.

"Well, aren't you pretty."

Before Bulma could turn around she found herself pinned up against the nearby wall, by a mass of solid, stinking male.  She looked up at his features, and she felt a flutter of fear in her heart, along with great deal of excitement.  This was the perfect opportunity to prove herself.

"Why, yes I am."

The man blinked at her a moment, confused at her silky response and quick smile.  He mistook her grin for acceptance, and he leaned closer feel out her luscious curves with his clumsy paws.

"Two words."

The male stopped what he was doing to look back up at her, confusion written on his brow.  "What?"

"Cattle prod."

"Huh?"

The man's look of confusion quickly turned to pain as he hunched over to grab his crotch.  He fell to his knees, convulsing violently.  Bulma took step back for fear of getting caught in his flailing limbs.  Eventually he fell still except for an occasional tremor that wracked his body.  Bulma frowned down at him before lifting the rod she had strapped to her thigh up to the light so she could look at the slide setting on the side.

"Oops, too high."

She adjusted the setting while chuckling to herself.  She felt so proud at the moment.  She had finally saved herself.  She hadn't needed to scream or run to Vegeta to protection; instead she had found the means to defend herself against the violent creatures that seemed to rule this universe.

It had only taken her about an hour to create the stun stick in her room and she was grateful that she did.  She was tired of Vegeta looking at her like she was some weak imbecile that was in constant need of saving.  She had found a way to even the odds.

"Well, don't you look pleased with yourself."

She looked up to see Vegeta standing in the hall with one shoulder braced against the wall as he studied her.  With a flicker of his cool eyes he took in the prone body at her feet, and her smiling countenance.

"I am pleased.  Aren't you proud of me?  I took care of him all by myself."  She smiled smugly before bending down to struggle with the knee length black jacket that the man wore.

"You shouldn't be, woman.  He's just some weakling.  Had someone as powerful as me gotten hold of you, your puny weapon would have been ineffective."

Bulma straightened, cocking her hands on her hips in annoyance.

"Why do you have to be such a killjoy, Vegeta?"

He curved an eyebrow at her, his full lips curling into a condescending smile.  "I'm merely saying that your weapon needs to be ranged to be more effective.  If you wait until someone has their hands on you then it's too late.  You could already be dead."

Bulma huffed, and bent down to continue her fight with the prone man.  She was trying to turn him over so she could slide the jacket off him.

"What are you doing?"

"I'm cold, "she replied, abhorring the whine in her voice, but unable to control it.

"So you are going to steal his jacket?"  Vegeta pushed himself off the wall, and walked over to her.

"I'm not stealing, I'm fining him."

Vegeta gave her a disbelieving look before he moved her aside.  He reached down with one hand and flipped the heavy male over, easily removing the jacket from him.

"Fining him?"

"Yes, his jacket is the penalty for touching me."

Vegeta handed her the jacket, unable to hide the appraising smirk that crossed his lips.

"You're becoming more amoral every day."

"I am not," she snapped.  "I'm just adapting to my new environment.

"Right," he purred disbelievingly, his tail swishing behind him. 

She shrugged into the jacket, looking dejectedly down at the cuffs that covered her hands.  Without being asked Vegeta lifted one of her hands and tucked the cuff under, shortening it to fit her wrist.  He repeated the process with the other hand, and Bulma stood stock still under his ministrations.  The gleam in his black eyes made Bulma uncomfortable, but it also warmed her.  She felt a tingle when she realized that he approved of her actions. 

He stepped back, his hot gaze skimming over her.  She was dressed entirely in black now, her jacket cocked back over one thigh to reveal the weapon she had strapped there. 

She looked down at her legs, noticing that the coat came to her mid calf instead of her knees like it should.

"It's a little long."

She raised her head to catch Vegeta smirking approvingly at her, and she couldn't help but smile back at him.   Before her eyes his smile melted away, and a slight frown formed between his dark brows.

"It needs to be lethal."  His quiet words stole into her heart, striking her at the very core.  She knew he was referring back to her weapon, her only defense between her and certain death.

Her sapphire eyes met his black ones, and she saw the dark coldness that resided inside of him.  Shivers of dread raced down her spine at the seriousness of his tone.

"I won't kill, Vegeta," she replied softly

He moved closer to her, never breaking their locked gaze.  He traced one strong finger down the soft curve of her cheek, waiting to see if she would recoil, but she stood unflinching under his touch.

"What if it was Gen-Seng or Nol for that matter?" 

She swallowed hard, caught between her instinct to survive and her moral obligations to herself.  His piercing raven eyes studied her, watching the war that raged just beneath the surface.  After long moments, she finally answered, startling them both with the sudden presence of her voice.

"If I kill someone to preserve my life, then my life ceases to have value, doesn't it?"

Vegeta frowned down at her, his previous approval melting away under the fires of his disdain.

"If you die, then you have nothing."

"No.  I have my soul."

Bulma almost flinched at the amount of pain she saw in Vegeta's eyes a split second before he hid it away behind his brimming anger.  She instantly wanted to take back the words, to shove them into her mouth with both hands.  How many times had Vegeta killed to preserve his own life?  How many times over had he damned his soul?

"A soul, if it even exists, is useless.  It is only valued by sanctimonious pricks and ignorant little girls from backwater planets."

He turned away without waiting for her reply, taking the lead once again.  The warmth in her chest from his earlier approval faded as she glared at his back.  She wanted to say more, but the brief hurt she glimpsed in his eyes held her tongue.  She hurried to catch up with him, but he kept his pace brutal so she couldn't draw even with him unless she ran.

They rounded the corner into a room, and she skidded to a stop as she looked inside.  It was piled from floor to ceiling with mechanical parts that were haphazardly strewn everywhere.  Bulma licked her lips to keep from drooling on herself as she was instantly drawn to the nearest pile of junk.

Before she could reach her destination, Vegeta grabbed her by the upper arm and dragged her to a different section of the room.

"Look here for the parts you need," he ordered curtly.  Bulma was completely enamored with all the mechanical gizmos, and she dug in without complaint.

Soon she was 'ohhing' and 'ahhing' over the alien technology as she sorted through everything looking for what she needed while mentally cataloging the other components that she saw.

Two hours later she surfaced from the pile, a round canister in her hand.  "Found it." 

Her bright smile was momentarily stunning.  Her perfect features glowed with innate beauty that couldn't be dimmed by the light smudges of grease on her cheek.  Vegeta could only stare at her while he struggled to regain his scattered wits.  He had never seen anyone react with so much joy over something so simple.  Although still angry, he couldn't stop his body from clenching with the need to reach out and wipe the grease from her face.

"It will take some refinements, but I'm sure that I can use this in place of the transconfublator."

He rose to his feet, snatching it from her hand without a word, and stalked away.  Bulma frowned at his back before shrugging.  If he was still peeved about there last conversation, then it wasn't her problem.  She was happier than a kid in a candy store.  She wandered off to a nearby corner that was lined with dusty shelves that were littered with mechanical parts.  She strolled between the isles, examining the different components as she went.

After a few minutes a whisper of danger slid up her spine, and tickled the back of her neck.  She turned around without alarm, knowing intuitively who was behind her.

"What now?" she questioned with an exasperated sigh.

Vegeta's upper lip curled in disgust before he replied.  "It would seem that the part you picked out is more expensive than I anticipated."

"Again!"  Bulma couldn't stop the irritation from rising in her voice.  Vegeta narrowed his eyes at her, the snarl on his lips becoming more pronounced.

"I gave you a freaking diamond bracelet.  You couldn't have spent all that on just food.  What the hell did you do with our money?"

Vegeta's snarl turned into a growl as he stalked up to her.  "Don't fucking start with me.  We don't have enough money and that's that," he replied dangerously as he glared down at her.

"That's impossible.  Those diamonds had to be worth more than what you traded them for.  How could you be so stupid?"  As soon as the words left her lips, she slapped her hand over her mouth.  Her eyes widened with the knowledge that she had gone too far. 

Vegeta moved so quickly that she only felt a whoosh of air before he was upon her.  His hand snapped up to encircle her fragile neck, his fingers squeezing firmly, but not painfully.  He lifted her up on her toes so he could hiss down into her face.  Bulma wrapped her small hands around his thick wrists, knowing that she couldn't dislodge him, but desperately trying anyways.

"Your precious diamonds were no more than synthetic stones.  Practically worthless," he spat.

Bulma's eyes widened with shock and her face paled.  "That's not possible," she stuttered.

"Why?  The genius woman, can't be fooled?" he asked sarcastically.

"No.  My boyfriend gave it to me."

Tears began to well up in her eyes, and Vegeta shivered.  Very slowly he released her so she could stand flat footed again.  He was used to seeing women in tears; he had killed so many bawling females in his life that he lost count, but the last thing he wanted to see was this woman crying over another man.  How repulsive.

He stayed near her, watching the fluctuating emotions that danced in her eyes.  He knew what a boyfriend was, she had explained it to him once before.  She had also told him that he had killed him during his battle on Earth.  Something she claimed she would never forgive him for.

"Well, it seems that he placed very little value on the gifts he gave you."

"You don't understand.  He told me that the bracelet was a symbol of his love for me, but if the jewels weren't real…" she trailed off and the sadness in her eyes intensified.

It didn't matter to her that Yamcha had bought her cubic zirconium instead of real diamonds.  What mattered was that he lied to her.  He told her that he had to save for months to buy the bracelet, and when she tried to return it, he told her that it was nothing compared to how much he valued her.  She had been so touched by his thoughtful words and his gift. 

Vegeta almost snickered at her pain.  Obviously she had taken the male's words at face value, and now she was devastated by the truth of his lack of devotion to her.  How easily she had been fooled.  However, he was a little disgusted.  He may be a bastard, but if he were to ever to give a woman jewels, they would at least be real.  His pride would dictate no less.

Bulma sniffed slightly, and he gazed down at her eyes that danced like sapphires with unshed tears.  Even in her distress she was bewitching, and Vegeta couldn't help to be drawn to her.

He leaned close to her, bracing his arm on the wooden shelf above her head to tower over her.  He trapped her against the shelving, his broad shoulders blocking out the dim light.  The world narrowed around them and Bulma was aware of the dull thudding of her blood rushing to her ears.  How he managed to make her forget everything but his presence was always a surprise to her.  With one small gesture he could dominate her world and turn her inside out.

"Bitchess," he whispered, and her whole body stood at attention at the softly spoken word.  Her blood heated in her veins and her nipples grew taut at his nearness.

"When a man tells you he loves you what he is really saying is that he wants to get between your pretty little legs."

As he spoke he hooked one finger inside her low cut neckline, pulling her even closer to his overwhelming heat, and reveling more of her white flesh to him.  An invisible string tightened around the base of her spine, urging her to arch her back so she could brush up against him.  His hand trailed down between her breasts and over her flat stomach to rest between her thighs.

Unconsciously she shifted her legs apart, allowing him to cup her intimately.  She inhaled sharply when she felt his fingers curl into her, pressing at her hollow entrance through her pants.

"No, it wasn't like that," she choked out, breathless at his touch.  She wanted to pull away, but she was hypnotized by his voice, paralyzed by his touch.

He dipped his head to whisper in her ear, his hot breath feathering over her.

"Did you fuck him?"

"That's none of your---"

"Did you?" he cut her off, compelling her to answer.

She swallowed hard before answering.  "Yes."

"And was it good?"

She paused, thinking back to that magical night.  She had felt so much love for Yamcha that evening.  She had wanted to give to him as much as he gave to her.  She had wanted to worship him with her body before he went away to fight the newest threat to their world.  It had been good, but she had sneaking suspicion that it wouldn't be nearly as mind blowing as it would be with Vegeta.

"It was 'going away sex,' and 'great present sex', all in one."

"Then it sounds to me like he got exactly what he wanted with minimal cost to himself."

Vegeta moved closer to her, cupping his hands on her rear, and lifting her to her toes.  He bent his knees, nestling himself between her thighs before standing.  The hard bulge of his sex fitted perfectly into her, straining at the barrier of clothing.  Bulma gasped at the sensation of him thrusting against her.  Her head fell back against the shelving, and Vegeta immediately took advantage of her exposed throat, laying hot kisses against her pulse.

She settled her hands on his strong shoulders, absently kneading the tense muscles she found there.  She wondered what it would be like to wrap her legs around his lean hips and have him thrust into her.  She knew he wouldn't be gentle or loving, but he would fuck her with the intensity of an animal.  She could almost hear her raw screams of pleasure ringing in her ears.  The temptation to give into him was nearly overwhelming, but she fought it with last vestiges of her waning willpower.

"And what do I get?"  Bulma barely managed to get the words out, before she moaned with longing.  Her head was swimming with desire at his touch, but she valiantly fought for reason.

Vegeta licked his way to her ear, hardly paying any attention to her words.

"What?" he murmured against her throat as he reveled in the taste of her.  She was creamy and smooth with just a hint of spice.  He desperately wished now, that he had bought her a sackcloth, at the very least he could pull it up around her hips, and sink into her right then and there.

"What is my gift?"

Vegeta stilled against her before pulling back to stare down into her wide blue eyes.  His eyes, stormy with lust, grew dark with anger as he looked at her.  He could not believe the gall of woman, asking for presents as if they were her due.  He should have known that her shallow affections could be bought with a few stones and pretty words.

"I have already gifted you with life.  Twice, no less," he grit out.

"No.  You granted me a stay of execution until such time that you kill me."

Vegeta dropped her to her feet, and moved away.  He needed the distance to cool his blood so he could think.  When he was touching her his thoughts were blinded by images of her spread out beneath him, panting his name.  He turned his face away, looking at her from the corner of his eye, the veil of his thick lashes obscuring both his scorn and awe. 

Perhaps she wasn't as cheap as he first thought.  After all, there was nothing more precious than one's own life.  That lesson had been beaten into him by Frieza at a young age.  The woman may not be willing to kill for survival, but she wasn't above using her other skills, such as her formidable intelligence and beauty.

Bulma braced herself on the shelf, his sudden movement and burning touch left her legs unsteady, and she almost fell at his feet in a liquid puddle.  She caught her breath, unable to breathe even though he had moved away.  His very presence sucked the air from her world, leaving her dizzy and unbalanced.

"So that's it?  A willing fuck in exchange for your life?"

Bulma blanched at his harsh words, shock and anger quickly overriding the desire that she still felt swimming in her veins.

"I never said that."

Vegeta curled his fists at his sides in an effort to contain himself.  He wanted to close the distance between them and wrap his hands around her.  The problem was that he didn't know if he wanted to wrap them around her throat or her hips.

"You implied it."

"Well, I would be stupid to sleep with my would-be killer now, wouldn't I?"  Bulma sneered at him, thoroughly disgusted with both herself and him.  How could she be aroused by a man who made it quite clear to her that he was going to kill her?

"You forget that I can take what I want."

She tensed at his words, fear shooting down her spine.  Vegeta was strong, much stronger than her.  If he chose to consummate their unnatural relationship, there was nothing that she could do about it.  What worried her more was the feeling that she may not protest as much as she should.

"Taking is not the same as receiving."

Vegeta grit his teeth, and she could see the flash of his fangs under the pale light.

"You are the most infuriating woman I have ever met."

Bulma flashed him a brilliant smile, hiding her nervousness with lightheartedness that she didn't feel.

"And think, we are just getting started."

Vegeta snarled at her before turning on his heel to stalk away, his tail slashing angrily behind him.

Bulma stood there for a few seconds, catching her breath before darting after him.  She felt immensely lucky to have survived two disastrous conversations in one day with the volatile Saiyan.  She vowed to play it safe for the remainder of their visit to the colony.

Wisely, she followed behind him, making no effort to catch up.  She knew he was mad at her, but she was mad too.  Not only at him, but at Yamcha.  She couldn't help but to feel betrayed by him.  She knew the fact that the diamonds were fakes was inconsequential, but it still hurt.  He had made such a big deal about how much money he had spent, and it had all been a lie.  Vegeta's words rang true, and she shook her head in disgust.

Yamcha hadn't needed to put on such a big production to get her into bed.  She was a sure thing.  Maybe he got off more on manipulating her than just being with her.  The poor desert bandit got something over on his too smart scientist girlfriend.  She knew that she was probably being unfair, but she couldn't understand why he did it.

Vegeta was a total dick, but at least he was honest.  He told her exactly what he planned to do with her and what he thought of her.  As dangerous as he was, she didn't have to guess what he was going to do next.  He wanted to fuck her, then kill her.  He told her, upfront, pulling no punches. She was sure that he did it more to torture her than anything else.

She was so lost in her thoughts that she almost didn't stop in time before running smack into Vegeta's back.  She looked around, slightly surprised that they had ended up in what seemed to be a local bar.

"Get a table."  Vegeta motioned to the corner of the room, and Bulma quickly did as she was told.  Being a genius, she knew when to sit down and shut up.

She took a seat and not three second later a rumpled looking male dropped into the chair next to her, accompanied by his friend who hung over his shoulder. 

Bulma shook her head in awe, and leaned back in her chair, hooking her elbow over the back.  She could tell that they were drunk, and that they had probably spent most of the day in the bar already.  To her they were perfectly harmless, and she couldn't wait to hear what they had to say.  She desperately wanted to know if the come-on lines in deep space were as cheesy as they were back on Earth.

The man leaned over the table towards her, bracing his jaw in his palm.  "Do you have a star map?  'Cause I think I'm getting lost in your eyes."

Bulma looked at him for a few seconds, desperately trying to curb her lips into a disapproving line.  She contained herself for as long as possible, but her laughter eventually burst out, bringing tears to her eyes.  This was just what she needed to ease the tension between her shoulder blades, a good laugh at some clown's expense.  His partner leaned further over his shoulder to join in.

"If you thought that was funny, wait until you hear this one.  If beauty was sunlight, you would shine a million light years away."

Bulma covered her mouth in attempt to regain control.  To be honest, their technique wasn't half bad.  She was pretty entertained, and she was still sober.  If she was drunk she would probably be falling over---right into their laps.

"So are you here with someone?"

Bulma was still laughing so hard that she couldn't do anything more than point.  The two men turned around to find themselves, face to face with a furious Saiyan who had a drink in his hand.

One look at the deadly male and they instantly sobered.  They muttered heartfelt apologies and slinked around Vegeta in opposite directions, their hands raised in submission.  Vegeta didn't move except for a twitching in his jaw that almost made them pee their pants.  They quickly scurried away and exited the bar, nearly tripping over themselves in their haste.

Vegeta's eyes flickered to Bulma who was still trying to muffle her laughter behind her hand.  He had heard her peels of merriment all the way over at the bar, and it had sent waves of longing down his spine.  He was caught between the disappointment that he wasn't the one making her laugh and anger that someone dare approach what was his.  Watching her now, he was aware of a tingling at the base of his tail that he had never felt before.  It was oddly pleasant.

He struggled to regain his anger at her, reminding himself that she was just a useless female that he had the misfortune to be attracted too.  He slammed a purple colored drink in front of her, ignoring her squeak as it sloshed over the sides of the glass.  He sat himself in a chair that faced the door, glaring at her from the corner of his eye.

"I can't understand how one woman can get into so much trouble in such a short time."

"Oh, Vegeta, I wasn't in trouble.  They were just trying to be friendly."  Bulma had composed herself, and now she was eyeing the drink he set in front of her.

"Every male in a twenty glick vicinity wants to get friendly with you."  Vegeta's brow furrowed, and he crossed his arms over his chest.  If Bulma didn't know better she would think that he was pouting.

"Well, I can't help it.  I am drop-dead gorgeous."  She fluffed her hair, smiling at him.  Vegeta's eyes narrowed, but they didn't leave the door.

Bulma shrugged, and brought the drink to her lips to slowly sip it.  The fruity flavor burst in her mouth and trickled down her throat.

"Oh, that's good! Thank you, Vegeta."

Vegeta's cold eyes flickered over to her before shooting back to the door.  "For what?" he snapped.

"For getting me a drink and taking the time to choose something that I would like."

This time he turned his head towards her, his eyes clouded with confusion.  Bulma's own brow furrowed as she looked back at him, uncertain why he was behaving so oddly.

"I didn't want to listen to you whine about being thirsty."  He shot her one last glare before turning back towards the door.  She was about to snap back at him when it occurred to her that he may be acting so oddly because no one had ever honestly thanked him before.  He was a man who did things for a purpose, not because someone else would benefit from them, and he certainly didn't get thanked for his actions.

Bulma decided to let it pass, and concentrated on her next question instead.

"So what are we doing?"

"Waiting."

Bulma rolled her eyes, determined to remain calm.

"For what?"

"A man."

"Why?"

"Why do you ask so many fucking questions?" he snarled.

"I wouldn't ask so many questions if you would just come out and say what we are doing," she snapped back.  Too late Bulma remembered her vow not to infuriate Vegeta.

"I'm waiting for a man who might have a job for me.  Now shut the fuck up, and drink your nectar."

She sat back blinking at Vegeta.  A job?  Vegeta was looking for a job?  What kind of job?  True they needed money, but she couldn't image what kind of job Vegeta would do willingly.  She opened her mouth to ask, but Vegeta shot out of his chair before she could say anything.  He stalked up to a short man who had just walked in the door, leading him into a corner away from her.

"You're very pretty, and you're voice is exquisite."

Bulma rolled her eyes disbelievingly.  Maybe Vegeta was right.  She was built to attract trouble.  She looked up at the slight, effeminate man who stood next to her.

"Look, mister, I don't mean to be rude, but if my friend sees you talking to me, he'll pound your ass."

The man glanced in Vegeta's direction, a sly smile playing on his soft lips.  "Yes, I would pay well to have my ass pounded by him."

Bulma's cheeks heated up at his off-handed implication that he wanted to have sex with Vegeta.  Secretly the thought of Vegeta pounding her rose up in her mind, adding more than embarrassment to her blush.

The man looked back down at her, a knowing twinkle in his eye. 

"Actually I'm here for a business proposition.  How would you like to make some money?"