Adult-FanFiction.org : Bleach

Prize of Victory 2
By : NovaAlexandria
Category: Bleach > General
Views: 56251 -:- Recommendations : 2 -:- Currently Reading : 5
Disclaimer: I do not own Bleach nor make a profit from this story
Chapter List
- 92
- 93
- 94
Dawn�s Breaking

Karin sighed as she rolled over and rose from her bed, wincing slightly as she did so. It had been a long, late night, as most of them were since her arrival here. She estimated it had to have been around one or two in the morning before Aizen had finally finished with her and left. She didn�t have the energy to get out of bed to try to rinse off once he was done and she regretted it now. Her inner thighs were sticky and her insides felt as if someone had scoured them with sandpaper. Glancing outside, she figured it had to be around eight, maybe nine in the morning, judging from the height of the sun. Gin hadn�t woken her that morning to prepare her to receive Aizen yet again, so she deduced that Aizen had no plans for her this morning, which was good, because she desperately wanted a shower.

�Maybe that�s because he�s got nothing left to give, she couldn�t help but to think hatefully, �or maybe he actually decided to sleep with his wife.�

Aizen was spending less time in Unohana�s chambers and more time in hers. He dropped in almost every morning, had attended to her on several lunch breaks and he never missed a chance to ruin her evenings. She suspected Unohana had never seen so little of her husband since events had dragged Karin into this nightmare.

Taking a hot shower in her own quarters was a nice change from sitting still in the cleansing pool while Gin washed every part of her. Karin let the cascading spray soothe her frazzled nerves the best it could. Regrettably, it ended up being shorter than she would have liked, as Gin arrived to dress her and escort her down for breakfast. She sat at her vanity, stark naked as he tended to her hair, brushing it out and plaiting it. Karin no longer felt self-conscious about being nude in his presence. Perhaps that was because there was nothing special about the way he touched or looked at her. She was just another chore to complete to Aizen�s satisfaction for him, and an opportunity for punishment if he failed.

She silently thanked the powers that be that Aizen was content to let her wear comfortable, tasteful yukata as opposed to the complicated women�s kimono Yammy had once forced on Kuchiki Byakuya. Karin was also grateful that he hadn�t ordered her face painted like a doll. Her vanity lacked makeup or gaudy jewellery. Aizen was a man of simple tastes when it came to the appearance of his pets and he had little use for overly adorned peacocks.

Although, he seems rather obsessed with butterflies, she noted dryly to herself as she pondered the man�s interest in Szayel and his family. That sort of �beauty� is completely natural. Only someone with a heart of ice wouldn�t find Vindula-chan is a pretty little girl.

Gin had her ready in short order. Abisara and Vindula met her in the hallway and she forced herself to smile for their sakes. Unohana also emerged from her room, dressed in her uniform and ready for another long day at the 4th Division. The older woman exchanged bows with the twins and led the way down to breakfast with Gin taking up the rear.

Aizen waited for them in the dining room and just as they had every morning since her incarceration, they took their usual places. The servants had already set the table with dishes and food. Her tormentor seemed to be in good spirits and wide awake, despite the late night. She had no idea how he got by on so little sleep. He couldn�t be getting much more than she was and she was starting to feel the late nights and early mornings catching up with her. The bastard ought to have been in worse shape, since he was the one doing all of the �work,� while she lay beneath him and suffered.

�Unless said bastard is taking afternoon naps in the office,� she suddenly considered.

The image of Aizen sitting at his desk with his head resting on his folded arms as he slept seemed so out-of-character for the micromanaging bastard that she dismissed it as a possibility. The 1st Division was a busy place and he wasn�t the sort to let others run things while he did something as mundane as catnapping.

�How did everyone sleep last night?� Aizen asked once everyone had started in on breakfast. His tone was deceptively pleasant.

Vindula answered first, beaming happily at their �host� while she finished loading her plate with a surprising amount of food. Having years of experience with Ajuga had prepared Karin for just how much a little girl could and would consume.

�Well, Karin-san read us a new book last night before bed, and I spent the entire night dreaming about it!�

�That is good to hear,� Aizen replied and smiled genially at the girl. �Abisara-kun?�

�I slept well enough, I guess. Unfortunately, I don�t feel so well today.�

Now that Karin looked at him, he did seem a bit under the weather, his complexion flushed and his eyes a bit too bright. Did he have a fever? Aizen had probably noticed the change in the child and had brought it up, whereas Abisara might not have said anything.

�If you are ill, you should remain here today,� Unohana declared before her husband could comment any further on the child�s health.

�No, I can still help,� the boy insisted with perhaps just a hint of fear at the thought of being left behind. �We have all of those visits today��

�Precisely. Abisara-kun,� Unohana began and smiled at him in such a way that even Aizen paused mid-bite. �If you are ill, you could infect our patients with whatever you�re carrying. I cannot allow that to happen, not when a day or two of rest would do you good. One missed day won�t make much of a difference and I and my staff members are more than capable of handling what needs to be done for the visits and the classes.�

Abisara stared at Kami�s wife with wide eyes, and shifted uneasily in his seat. Then he mumbled meekly, �Yes, Unohana-Taichou, I�ll stay in bed.�

Karin frowned and looked sharply at the older woman, who ate her own breakfast as if nothing was amiss. She had expected Abisara to put up more of a fight, but she could also see Unohana�s side of things, being familiar with her late father�s clinic. The last thing the 4th Division needed was an outbreak of the flu, or maybe a bad cold virus circulating among the expecting couples.

Picking up a piece of rolled and sliced omelette, she popped the bit of egg and sweet rice in her mouth and realized to her chagrin that she envied the boy. A chance to get some sleep, uninterrupted by Aizen�s demands, sounded like heaven or at least a gift from the gods.

It was the last thought before a heady mix of anger, fear and desperate hope hit her head on, and she subsequently choked. Karin almost jumped out of her chair when Grimmjow�s turbulent emotions raced through her, but she managed to keep her body still. It was a good thing she had food in her mouth and quickly covered her shock by swallowing and holding her fist against her chest, pretending that her breakfast had gone down the wrong way when everyone at the table turned to look at her.

A few mock coughs provided an excuse for her pink cheeks, the result of a massive rush of love that flooded her, and which she returned with equal zeal. She couldn�t believe it�Grimmjow was here, back in Soul Society, as was Szayel if the neurotic concern she was receiving was any indication of the Seventh�s state of mind.

What was going on? Why were they risking capture like this? Had Szayel really come through and found a way to deal with both Aizen�s Zanpakuto and the Hogyoku? She hadn�t expected him to devise a solution in such a short amount of time, but beneath each Espada�s worry was an inordinate amount of resolve.

There had to be something else going on. Grimmjow might be willing to try to rescue her on his own but Szayel� no, Szayel wouldn�t dare come back until he had either backup or a foolproof plan. Surreptitiously, Karin picked up her teacup and took a sip, all the while studying Unohana�s placid demeanour as she answered Aizen�s inane question about how well she�d slept the night before. When Aizen�s gaze returned to his plate, his wife briefly looked sideways at Karin, who suddenly felt as if the chair under her had vanished.

�Oh Kami� she knows��

Unohana knew. She had to know. Maybe she was even part of it. Karin�s mate and the others were coming for them, and that was why Unohana had insisted Abisara remain here, to keep them in one place so the assault force wouldn�t need to split up to find them. At least, that is what she desperately hoped.

She then glanced at Aizen, but if he had noticed that the Traitors had returned, he made no sign of it. Without her sight, she couldn�t locate Grimmjow, but she could tell he was stationary. So focused was she on the raw feeling of her mate so close, that she almost missed her turn to answer Aizen. Fortunately, she had a perfectly valid reply with which to cover her inattentiveness.

�I got very little sleep, and I feel like crap because of it. It would help if someone would let me sleep,� Karin sullenly replied, trying hard to bite her tongue. There was plenty more she wanted to say to him, but if Grimmjow was close by, he could feel what she did. If she did something to tick Aizen off and the psychopath at the head of the table decided to retaliate with sufficient force, her duress might summon her mate to her side and that would scuttle whatever plans were in place to either liberate her and the twins or, she prayed, liberate the entire Seireitei. For all she knew, such an assault might not happen today, but the more she thought about it, the more she doubted that scenario. Abisara didn�t look that sick, and Unohana understood the boy�s fear and reluctance to stray from the relative safety of the healer�s side.

�Perhaps you should give a sample to my wife to bring to work with her today. If the test is positive, I�ll make sure you rest well tonight.�

Aizen smiled after saying this and Karin wished she could tell him exactly what he could do with himself. She saw the curious look Vindula gave her at the word �test� and prayed the child wouldn�t ask her any questions. Abisara continued to stare down into his miso bowl and she could almost see the wheels turning in his head as he processed Aizen�s statement and its meaning. She did her best not to betray exactly how much she wanted to rip out the conceited bastard�s guts for bringing this up in front of the twins and thankfully, both children let any inquiries slide.

Letting go of the worry his words kindled in her was much more difficult. Karin quickly tried to recall when she last bled, and found herself feeling nervous as she realized it was due to start any day now. Had it been too long? Was she already pregnant? If she was and they managed to kill Aizen, what would she do with the child? Should she have it aborted or should she carry it to term? Would it be worth bringing Aizen�s child into the world if she did decide to keep it? The immense stigma the poor thing would endure because of his or her father would almost guarantee a lifetime of mental issues.

�What would Unohana do?� she wondered, sparing a look at the woman in question. �At least I know I have someone who I can talk to about it if it turns out that way. If anyone would understand, it would be her.�

The remainder of the meal went by easily enough, with the majority of the conversation revolving around the various hybrid pregnancies. Thanks to Abisara�s help, Unohana now had enough evidence to discredit the theory that insect-based Hollows always sired or bore twins, but only because one poor woman found out she was carrying triplets. She�d had to change the documentation�s wording, from �twins� to �multiple young.� This lead to a debate over why it occurred at all, since the number of young was usually dependent on the number of eggs released by the mother�s ovaries. The issue of identical twins aside, human and Shinigami females typically only delivered one egg to the uterus per ovulation period. Karin lost track of the conversation once specific scientific terms entered the discussion, but from what she could tell, something about the male�s reiatsu influenced the female�s fertility cycles. Shinigami and Hollows were not so much �physical� beings, as �energy� and therefore, if a male�s animal-specific reiatsu encouraged the female to release multiple eggs, the result was multiple births. When and if an insect-based Arrancar female conceived twins with a male Shinigami, they�d have further data supporting that theory. Karin decided to take a page from Vindula-chan�s book and daydream a bit before the whole thing gave her a migraine. Annoyingly, Abisara had no trouble following along, and even shyly offered his input here and there.

�It�s not my fault I never had a chance to get more than a middle school education,� Karin thought with some resentment, then stopped and reconsidered. �No, wait. I shouldn�t be ashamed. In fact, I have done pretty well for myself, all things considered. The Academy classes Nanao made me attend certainly helped. It was refreshing to know that the majority of the attendees were adults coming out of the Rukongai and most of those couldn�t solve basic math problems, let alone read.�

�Karin, do not forget to give Unohana a sample,� Aizen sternly reminded her as he set his chopsticks down, indicating he was finished with the meal. The rest of them followed suit, regardless if they had finished eating.

�I will bring the necessary things home to do the test after work,� Unohana offered. �It would be more prudent than bringing a sample all the way to my Division� unless, of course, you wish for Karin-san to accompany me or you desire the results sooner?�

�After work will be sufficient.�

Both Aizen and Unohana rose from the table, indicating breakfast was officially over. The healer turned to the pink-haired boy and gave him a firmly worded order.

�Remember to rest today, Abisara-kun. I would prefer it if you were to remain in bed. Gin will make sure you have plenty of liquids to drink. Vindula-chan, you�ll need to let your brother sleep. I would suggest spending time with Karin-san instead.�

�Don�t worry, Unohana-sama, I will make sure to take care of him,� Vindula piped up, giving her wings a flutter as she did so. Abisara�s panicked expression at the idea of his sister acting as his nurse made Karin want to laugh out loud, something she sorely missed.

Instructions given, Aizen and Unohana left for their respective Divisions, which was something Karin missed almost as much as laughter. It was a sad day when she found herself longing for the twelve-hour shifts she�d spent helping Nanao run the 5th Division. She would even be willing to go through the dreaded expense reports for the last three months as long as it kept her mind occupied and meant she was doing something productive. At least she�d have both of the children with her today, to help keep her from tearing out her hair in boredom and frustration.

�Maybe I should see if Gin could find me some reading material. I would even settle for some of Tatsuki�s hentai right about now,� she lamented. Karin imagined that the few dryly-written books in her room would go from paper to soot in less than ten seconds if she put a match to them. The bloody things were little better than kindling.

�Well, shall we get ya all tucked in?� Gin asked Abisara once it was just the four of them. The servants would be in to clean up the dishes, the one chore Gin didn�t have to complete, after they left.

�I suppose,� Abisara frowned unhappily, and kept looking warily at his sister, as if he expected her hands to sprout a stethoscope and a roll of bandages, as well as the intent to use them on him. Of course, Karin considered, if Vindula didn�t stop rubbing her fingers together she wouldn�t be holding anything. The girl�s nervous habit was getting worse, to the point where she wondered if Vindula was in some kind of pain. Her fingertips appeared reddened, but that might be due to the rubbing, and she didn�t act as if anything hurt. With any luck, Szayel would be able to tell if there was anything truly wrong with her that the return of her parents and her �Ji-ji� wouldn�t fix.

Gin escorted them back to the Royal Suite before heading to Unohana�s room so he could begin his daily chores. Abisara reluctantly crawled back into his bed and pulled out his journals so he could work on them while doing his best to ignore Vindula as she fluffed up his pillows and insisted on tucking him in. Karin leaned against the wall and enjoyed watching the show. After half-an-hour, she decided to take pity on the kid and put an end to Vindula�s �mother-hen� routine.

�Didn�t you want me to help you do some gardening today, Vindula-chan?� Karin asked the girl. Abisara sent her a grateful look when her question made his sister let go of his blanket. She�d kept dragging it over his shoulders and he�d shrugged it right off afterward, huffing that he couldn�t write if he couldn�t see his hands.

�Oh, of course! There were some flowers I wanted to pick for Unohana-sama from your garden and I promised Jushiro to bring some for his desk at the office,� she exclaimed, before she turned back to her grumpy brother. �Are you sure you will be okay Abisara-kun?�

�Ugh! Go!� he insisted with perhaps a bit too much enthusiasm. �I promise I won�t move from the bed except to go the bathroom. Besides, Gin-san will be in and out with juice. I�ll be fine,� he added.

�Okay. I trust you. Come on Karin-san!�

Reassured, Vindula fluttered happily to the balcony that led down to the garden attached to the kids� quarters. Apparently, that was where she intended to begin with the morning�s flower hunt.

While Aizen expected Gin to tend to everything in the Royal Suite, Vindula had a pass when it came to the gardens. It helped, seeing as how the poor slave now had four quarters to tend instead of the original two. Karin also suspected Aizen let the little girl get away with it both because she was really good at it, and because it served to keep her entertained. Idle hands were the devil�s plaything� more so when attached to a child.

Karin stepped out onto the sun-warmed porch behind a very enthusiastic Vindula. The little girl was already running across the well-trimmed lawn, giggling as she twirled about, trying to decide what to do first. Three different types of bees buzzed amid the blooming flowerbeds along the garden walls and Karin could hear small birds chirping to each other from their hiding places in the shrubs. Many flowers that would have normally bloomed in May, like the fat pink and magenta peonies and the hydrangea bushes, had already budded out, and it wasn�t even April yet. They were yet another sign of how �off� the weather patterns had become.

Karin walked to the edge of the balcony and leaned against the wooden railing, watching as Vindula danced a bit, her wings shimmering beautifully in the morning sun. Eventually, her charge settled down and looked over her shoulder at Karin with a large smile on her face. Seeing it brought a pang of pain as Karin tried to remember Ajuga at the same age. Her daughter had grown so fast, and was now responsible for all of existence. It was too much weight for anyone, especially a child, to carry. Watching Vindula made Karin wish she could go back in time, before the Swarm had begun its siege, before she�d discovered the monster lurking beneath Aizen�s �benevolent ruler� act and the trouble her ancestry would cause.

It was also a foolish desire. As much as she might have wanted to remain blissfully ignorant, doing so wouldn�t have helped anyone� not her family, not Szayel and certainly not the little girl in the yard below.

�Come on, Karin-san,� Vindula called and motioned for her elder to join her.

Putting aside thoughts about things she couldn�t change and times she couldn�t really relive, Karin leaped over the railing to land on the ground. Vindula giggled and fluttered over to grab her hand and lead her to the flowerbed that needed the most help. The human woman knelt on the grass and listened intently to Vindula as the little girl prattled on about how they needed pull the weeds, loosen the soil and thin the plant clusters so the remaining flowers could take advantage of extra sunlight. Karin left the trimming to the girl and instead focused on pulling the weeds Vindula identified for her and fluffing the dirt afterwards. The mindless tasks allowed her to keep track of Grimmjow�s presence, letting it ease some of the heartache she�d endured. It was so tempting to let go and revel in the fact he was here and alive and ready to help her, but she didn�t want her actions to raise questions, even from Vindula.

They continued labouring until Gin called to Karin that lunch was ready. Abisara was sound asleep when they walked into the twins� room. All that remained of his lunch were a few small plates and an empty bowl. Various papers littered the coverlet around him and Gin picked them up to pile them in a neat stack before taking the tray.

�I�ve set up lunch on your balcony, Karin-sama,� Gin whispered so as not to disturb the slumbering child.

�Thank you, Gin,� she murmured back as she led Vindula to the bathroom so they could wash their hands before eating. Karin looked down to find Vindula still scratching under her nails. That was odd, as Karin had done the majority of the digging and raking. Vindula�s hands should have been relatively clean in comparison, since she�d been collecting seeds and picking flowers. Maybe a few questions after lunch would be a good idea. If the attack came today, she wanted both of the twins to have eaten.

�Are your hands clean?� Karin asked tentatively and the child�s head shot up.

�Oh� um, yes,� Vindula answered in a slightly startled and embarrassed voice, bringing her hands out from under the water and accepting the towel Karin handed her.

She double-checked Abisara before leading his twin to her chambers so they could eat. The boy was sleeping contently or pretending to sleep. Karin wouldn�t put it past the lad, just to make certain his sister left him alone for a little while.

Lunch was as elegant as ever. She had to hand it to Aizen�s cooks. They sure as hell knew what they were doing. Every meal was amazing, the presentations gorgeous and the flavours perfect. Gin cleared their plates away once they had finished eating and set down a fresh pot of tea� along with three cups.

Karin stiffened at the sight of the third cup and didn�t need to turn around to see who had decided to joined them.

�Kami-sama,� Vindula greeted Aizen pleasantly, her wings fluttering in her excitement at their important guest.

�Good afternoon, Karin-chan, Vindula-chan,� Aizen greeted them as he settled himself in at the table.

Karin turned her gaze away from him to stare out at her garden. All of them were beautiful and she had to give it to whomever Aizen hired, or enslaved, to design them. Vindula knew the old man that did so, but Karin hadn�t met anyone else at the Palace other than Gin and the servant girls who remained blind to her presence.

�Are you staying for long?� Vindula asked pleasantly as she poured them all tea and handed out the cups.

�For a short while. How is Abisara-kun doing?� he inquired, just a little too sweetly. Karin�s skin crawled at the tone.

�He�s cranky, but resting just like Unohana-sama told him too. He was even sleeping when we came in for lunch.� Vindula answered for her.

�That�s good. I am sure he will be fine by tomorrow,� Aizen predicted.

Karin did her best to ignore him as Vindula informed him of the changes she wanted to make to the gardens and begged his permission to do so. She did her best to partake of the tea, as there was no reason to be rude to Vindula and the young girl enjoyed tea parties very much. Her parents were too busy with work for such things, her brother uninterested in them and she had no other playmates her own age.

At least she prayed that Ajuga wasn�t here. Karin didn�t know if the bracelet had the ability to keep her from sensing her daughter, but she couldn�t rule anything out. She closed her eyes and slipped into Jinzen. While she and Vindula had been in the children�s garden, Grimmjow and Szayel had moved closer to her position. She basked in the feelings she got from Grimmjow, despite the fact that all she got from him was growing impatience. That was her mate all right. He never did like waiting for anything, least of all sex.

�More tea?� Vindula asked pleasantly, the young girl breaking off her narration of garden changes when she noticed their cups were empty.

�Of course,� Aizen handed his empty cup over. Vindula accepted it and filled it before handing it back. Their hands connected in the transfer of the cup and Aizen suddenly hissed. He dropped the teacup in his haste to snatch back his hand and his arm�s movement knocked over the half-full teapot. Tea splashed everywhere, including on their clothing. The accident forced Karin to abandon her connection with Grimmjow as she felt hot liquid soaking into her yukata.

�Oh, I am so sorry!� Vindula gasped in horror, jumping to her feet and hiding her hands behind her back. She looked ready to burst into tears.

Aizen paid no attention to her apologies. Instead, he stared at his hand, his other holding his wrist. Karin could see what looked like three small puncture wounds on the skin between his thumb and his first finger, each oozing tiny beads of blood. They didn�t look very deep, and she suspected he�d been more surprised than hurt. Then his eyes drifted from his hands to his stained, sodden uniform. His saccharine smile vanished and a dark expression Karin knew all too well took its place.

�Perhaps, Vindula-chan, you should change your clothes and check on your brother.�

Aizen�s voice had gone cold and hard as he eyed the girl.

�I didn�t mean to,� the winged girl sniffled and then added, �I�ll clean up the mess! I promise!�

Vindula, not recognizing the danger she was in, was on the verge of begging to stay at the table and Karin decided it would be best to intervene before the child saw their ruler�s true nature. Aizen looked ready to punish her for ruining his perfect ensemble and she couldn�t allow that to happen. Leaning forward, Karin touched Vindula�s arm.

�Go wash up and change, Vindula-chan,� she said quickly, putting as much authority as she dared into the order. �Hurry up and go stay with your brother.�

The girl sniffed again and turned her teary golden eyes Karin�s way, before bowing her head and excusing herself. The girl practically fled the table, leaping off of the railing to flutter back to the room she shared with Abisara. Karin lost sight of her when she went over the hedge that separated Karin�s garden from the garden attached to Aizen�s quarters. It would be faster to go that way than using the hall, and less work for Gin as she wouldn�t drip liquid on the floor all the way back to her room.

That left her alone with the tyrant. Karin turned her attention back to Aizen, to find him removing his tea-drenched clothing, tossing it over the back of the chair with disdain. His eyes then fell on her, and she clenched her hands into fists in her lap, wringing the wet fabric of her yukata. However, she made no move to get out of her seat.

�You should disrobe as well,� he snapped and now that Vindula was out of the way, Karin found she simply didn�t give a damn what he wanted.

Her mate was so close, probably just outside the Palace and Szayel had moved even closer. The Seventh had already breached the walls and snuck inside. If Grimmjow was out there and Szayel on his way, then that meant she wouldn�t have to wait much longer. She might not know much about what was going on, or what they had planned, but the last thing they needed was Aizen catching wind of them. That would be much harder for him to do if he was preoccupied with something else. She loathed Aizen with every fibre of her being, but if it helped her rescuers, she�d have to keep him busy.

�I didn�t get that wet,� she replied, mustering her courage and made a show of looking away. All she truly wanted right now was for Aizen to leave so she could check on Vindula, to let the child know she wasn�t in any real trouble and that it had been Aizen who had spilt the tea, not her. If she knew Szayel, he�d try to make contact with the twins and she wanted to be there when he did. Maybe the scientist would know of a way to take the infernal bracelet off of her wrist. He had invented the device after all. There had to be a workaround.

Karin�s eyes drifted back to Aizen, or more specifically, to the set of three small wounds on the hand that was rapidly forming a fist. Was it just her imagination, or had the skin around them reddened? That was an interesting allergic reaction for such small scratches. A second later, she discovered he�d invaded her personal space and the damaged hand was in her hair, forcing her to tilt her head back to look at him

�I said disrobe,� he ordered, raising his voice.

She finally allowed her anger to show. Grimmjow�s presence made her bolder than she might have been had she not known he was there. As such, the thought of willingly spreading her legs for Aizen abruptly struck her as abhorrent, as incredibly wrong and she dug in her heels, gripping the arms of her chair.

�No.�

Aizen�s reply was to sneer, curling his upper lip enough to show his teeth. Before she knew it, he grabbed the front of her yukata and tore the garment from her body with the kind of strength that Karin could only dream of possessing. He also yanked her roughly to her feet. She thrashed in his grip, his fingers sunk into the dark braid at the back of her head and her struggles knocked over the chair in which she�d sat. Aizen dragged her back to him by the hair while using the other to finish removing what remained of her tattered clothing, until she was as naked as he was.

�Let go of me!� she snarled, trying to alleviate the pressure on her hair while the other tried to punch him in the stomach. She let out a string of curses as her wrist nearly broke at the impact, reminding her briefly of the first time she had foolishly punched Grimmjow.

Aizen shook her head hard enough to make her dizzy, even a little nauseous, and then threw her on top of the tea-soaked table. She landed painfully amid the dishes; cups, plates, a pitcher of water and the drinking glasses toppled over and shattered, joining the broken teapot on the floor as she flailed. Her left temple met the edge of the table and bright sparks exploded behind her eyelids.

�Gin is going to have one hell of a mess to clean up,� she couldn�t help thinking as she tried to right herself long enough to get away.

The lingering wooziness and the hit to the side of her head didn�t help. The hand attempting to pull her hair out by the roots released her, only to clamp down around her throat and pin her to the tabletop. The thumb that pressed into her carotid artery threatened to cut off the blood supply to her brain and her vision began to fog. She was dimly aware of his body looming over hers and his other hand wrenching her left knee up and away, allowing his hips to settle between her thighs. The tip of his cock nudged at her dry, unready folds and he leaned down until his face was inches from hers.

�Your defiance amused me at first, but I find I�ve grown sick of it,� Aizen declared far too calmly for the ire burning in his eyes. �It is time I teach you your place and remind you of just what you are� the means to get that which should be mine and nothing more!�

Karin�s eyes widened in horror as she realized he was going to take her from this position. Panic flooded her as she renewed her struggles, legs twisting and kicking. Through it all, his brown eyes remained locked onto hers as he shoved himself into her without warning. She screamed and fought back, alternating between trying to push his body off of her and trying to strike him. On her second attempt to deck him, he caught both her wrists, pinning them above her head with one hand. Tears streamed down her cheeks as he continued pounding into her. The malice on his face morphed into sadistic pleasure when he saw them. His hips slowed down marginally, letting her know he was going to draw this out and that he knew doing so would increase her pain. Each merciless thrust into her unprepared entrance rubbed her insides raw. Both of her wrists bruised and the metal of the bracelet dug into her forearm as she writhed against him. Fighting him only served to do more harm.

�Stop it!� she begged, hating herself for doing so, but unable to stand the pain. �Please stop!� In some ways, this was worse than when he had sodomised her. Aizen�s face twisted malevolently and he emphasised each word he spoke in conjunction with the rhythm of his savage thrusts.

�Your place as my concubine is beneath me, however and whenever I desire! The sooner you learn that, the easier things will be for you. If I want to take you like this, I will! Your mate,� he spat the word, �is already dead! His body just doesn�t know it yet.�

�No, you are the one already dead,� Karin growled back and did the one thing that the rape of her person allowed.

She summoned a mouthful of saliva and spit into his face.

The back of Aizen�s hand struck Karin�s jaw hard enough to knock her head to the side and for the second time that day, she saw stars. His pace increased and with a snarl, he let go of her hands so he could grasp her hips while he violated her. His cock slammed as deep into her as it could and rammed itself against her cervix to create a new kind of agony. It felt like an eternity before he throbbed inside of her, indicating he�d finished. She remained lying on the table, dazed and unable to move as he stepped away from her and slid out of her body with a wet �squelch.� The sickening scent of cum mixed with blood from her abused channel made her want to retch, but she lacked the strength to turn her head and let go of the lunch she�d just eaten.

His body stiffened, and she realized she could hear an alarm wailing, shortly before two powerful reiatsu signatures flared to life outside. One belonged to her mate and the other� was that Ichigo? It felt like his power, only darker, and it rolled over her in a vengeful tide.

Aizen appeared furious at first, but soon smiled as he flared his own power in response to the joint challenge. It was a good thing the bracelet had only cut off her ability to use her reiatsu, or Aizen�s energy would have rendered her unconscious for at least a week. He stepped away from her and strode through the mess into her room, heading for the door that connected it to his.

�Clean yourself up, and then you are to remain here. Your disobedience displeases me, and as such, I will not permit you to see the twins until such time I believe you have learned some basic obedience, little bitch. As for your former mate,� Aizen paused at the door, having opened the door to reveal his chambers, �I was going to spare him but now I think I shall take great joy in making you watch me execute him.�

The door closed, leaving her alone on the balcony, naked, battered and raped.

�Go fuck yourself!� she groaned weakly at the closed door, in too much pain to raise her voice any higher. She finally found the wherewithal to push her torso up and slid her lower half from atop the table, only to cry out as her feet landed on shards of broken glass. Cursing, Karin gripped the table�s edge and did her best to pull herself onto it to sit. She also did her best to ignore the blood staining the tablecloth and with some effort, inspected her feet. Her left foot only had a minor cut to her heel, but her right had several slivers of glass embedded in the ball of her foot, as well as the arch. Using a few choice words she had learned from Grimmjow she gritted her teeth and fished them out, dropping the blood tipped pieces one by one to join the rest on the balcony floor. The wounds weren�t too deep, but they bled profusely and the cuts in her arch still hurt when she touched them.

�This is going to suck,� Karin muttered angrily as she eyed the plethora of broken glass and pottery surrounding the table. She wondered if it was worth trying to navigate the mess to get to a safe spot, whether she should risk jumping with bloodied soles or whether she should try to use a foot to snag the seat of the chair she�d knocked over with her heel and pull it over to use as a bridge.

She had finally convinced herself to try to jump when someone slammed the door to the hallway open. She froze as Vindula and Abisara entered her room at close to a dead run, obviously not having gotten Aizen�s message about not being allowed to see her. The first was as joyful as a ray of sunshine and the second grinned from ear to ear, a rare expression for the boy. Unfortunately, all signs of happiness disappeared the moment they saw her, naked and bleeding with bruises forming on her arms, her face and her throat.

Blessedly, it wasn�t a sight they had to see for long as a blurred pink and white presence displace the air beside her and gloved hands swiftly draped a sleeping yukata around her shoulders, hiding her vulnerability from the horrified twins. She looked up to see their father gallantly run his fingers through his hair and give her a rueful look.

�Now this is a rather unpleasant role reversal.�

�Just see to my feet and tell me what�s going on Szayel,� she groaned, relaxing as best she could on the table. Her nether regions were abraded and torn and she sat in a puddle of cold tea polluted with blood and semen. Her feet still hurt and she was certain she�d added more blood to the debris under the dining set. Abisara pulled Vindula away from their father to keep his sister from seeing the evidence of the rape, but there was no way he could keep her from seeing the rest of the destruction.

�As you command, Karin-sama. Please listen carefully, as this entire mission hinges on one thing.�

Karin kept her mouth closed as Szayel, looking much better than when she�d seen him last, tended to her feet. Reaching into a pocket inside the cloak he wore, he pulled a small white box, which turned out to be a rudimentary medical kit. The Espada carefully and efficiently cleaned the wounds before applying some of the familiar-smelling salve. Then he bandaged both in gauze and bound the right one with additional padding. While doing so, he gave her a brief synopsis of the plan, and more importantly, tartly informed her of the key to disposing of the bastard who had put her in this state.

When she heard his proposal, she stared at him incredulously, before reaching up and rubbing her forehead.

�Is there no other way to do this?�

�I�m afraid not, Karin-sama and believe me, I looked for alternatives. There are none.�

�Then I need access to my power.� She looked at him with ill-disguised hope. �Please tell me you have some sample of Aizen�s DNA with you so we can take off this bloody bracelet! I�d hate to have to resort to using�that.�

Her eyes flashed back to the wreckage of the lunch table and she shared Szayel�s subsequent shudder. She then presented him with the band for his inspection as he rose and handed the med kit to his son. She�d expected Szayel to say something, but it was Abisara who spoke up urgently.

�Aizen gave it to Vindula to give to Karin-sama as a gift. I knew what it was though, so when he left us alone� um� I made certain that Aizen�s DNA wasn�t the only qualifier for removal.�

�What are you saying, Abisara?� Karin asked and the child looked at his feet.

�I remember when Tou-san had those drawings of it on the table in our sitting room and it looked an awful lot like that, even if the plans didn�t include the panthers� and I was the one who put it on her� but I couldn�t take it off, no matter how much I wanted to. He would have known then and he would have hurt Vindula��

Szayel�s smile grew broader as Abisara revealed his small act of treachery, until Karin swore she could count his back teeth at the upturned corners of his mouth.

�As expected of my perfectly brilliant boy! Well done, Abisara!�

To her astonishment, the Espada reached over and plucked the bracelet off of her wrist as if it was nothing more than a normal piece of jewellery, chortling as he tossed it from one hand to the other. Karin promptly reeled as her �sight� came thundering back. While the inanimate objects in the room stayed the same, Szayel�s reiatsu flared up before her, the sight of her Claim wrapping around him flashing before her. The twins both gleamed like newly minted coins. All she cared about was that her power was hers once more, her �sight� was back and the first thing she did was look fearfully at her midsection.

To her great relief, it was entirely barren, meaning that even after everything he�d done to her, Aizen had still failed to impregnate her. The second thing she did was to grab her glasses from the drawer in the nightstand and look for Grimmjow, as Szayel�s report had included an update as to her daughter�s whereabouts and searching for her would only waste time they didn�t have.

There he was, in all of his glory. Standing beside him was her brother. There were other fights in the courtyard and she immediately recognized Renji�s bright red reiatsu. Accompanying them was someone short, whose brilliant white energy sparkled like snow on a sunny day. Aizen had almost made it to the entranceway, having taken his time. Trust the prick not to want to walk into a fight looking less than immaculate. She quickly chanted the words for a pain-numbing Kido spell to her feet and other bruised areas and let Szayel pick her up. He set her down away from the table and shattered glass to stand beside his children.

�Get them to safety,� she ordered and Szayel nodded.

�That was next on the agenda,� he assured her. �Their mother is waiting.�

Karin walked over to her wardrobe and pulled out the laundered and mended clothing and sturdy footwear she�d worn on the scouting mission. It was far more suitable to wear while fighting than the sleeping yukata Szayel had thrown over her to preserve her tattered modesty. Meanwhile, the scientist ushered his children out into the hallway. Once dressed, she made for the door, and then staggered as another wave of rage hit her hard. Her mate was utterly furious and she felt a moment of disgust at herself for she knew he had learned what Aizen had just done to her.

�Not my fault,� she reminded herself firmly and forced her self-loathing and guilt to the side for now. �It is never the victim�s fault. Aizen forced me, and I fought the best I could. Grimmjow will understand.�

After taking a few deep breaths to calm down and to send Grimmjow a blast of love to let him know she was fine. Karin moved to join Szayel and the twins, only to find Gin standing there, Shinso at his hip. The servant was one obstacle she hadn�t considered. He didn�t move nor did Szayel or his children. She could feel precious seconds passing and decided to speak softly to him, lest either side do anything rash.

�Gin, would you like to join us?� she asked, trying to get through to the broken man.

�He�s too strong,� Gin muttered dejectedly, and his eyes skipped over her head to assess the mess in a room she hoped she�d never see again. He shook his head, the long silver hair getting in his face and obscuring his eyes. �He�ll do that to all of us if he catches you� if I let you pass.�

�It�s my fault,� Vindula sniffled miserably and this time everyone, including Gin stared at the girl. �I accidentally cut Kami-sama and spilled the tea. I didn�t mean to� I didn�t know he would hurt Karin-sama because of something I did!�

Karin immediately tried to disabuse Vindula of the notion she was in any way at fault for what Aizen had done. Szayel, his surprised voice rising up an octave, beat her to it.

�You cut him? How in all the Realms did you do that?�

�I just handed him his teacup! My fingers cut him��

Szayel, heedless of the danger Gin presented, dropped to his knees and pulled Vindula�s hand out from behind her back. Squinting at them carefully, he took in the reddened fingertips, turning each hand over.

�Do they hurt?� he inquired gently and Vindula shook her head.

�Not really, Papa� well, maybe a little. It�s more that they itch. It helps if they�re in the dirt.�

�Hmm,� was all her father said before he motioned for Abisara to give him the medical kit. He�d used all the gauze in it for Karin�s feet, but he wasn�t after bandages, or the ointment. Instead, he plucked the small set of scissors from it and attacked the hem of his brand-new cloak, murmuring something about �fashion dictates shorter capes this year.� A moment later, he had both of his child�s hands deftly bundled and tied with bows across her knuckles.

�It�s just until I can better examine them. For now, my lovely girl, keep them on� and as I�m sure Karin-sama was about to say, you�ve done nothing wrong at all.�

Standing up, he got between the twins and Gin, and then motioned towards his daughter.

�There�s your rebuttal. He�s not invulnerable, not this time.�

Szayel then took a step forward towards the man that had suffered at Aizen�s hands as much, if not more so, than he had over the years. �This time, I found a way to destroy the Hogyoku. However, if you don�t want to fight, can I at least get you to take Abisara and Vindula to my mate? I need to go with Karin, to free all of us.�

Gin�s tired eyes slid towards the two children hiding behind the Espada. Vindula clutched the fabric of her father�s pants as best she could between two bandaged hands. Her lower lip began to wobble and the abused servant�s posture slumped even further in defeat. Nodding, his hand left Shinso�s hilt.

�Least if it goes bad, I c�n claim I was getting �em ta safety,� he murmured, trying to find some kind of justification for turning tail and retreating. �None �o this is their fault.�

�Thank you,� Szayel sighed, and encouraged the twins to go with the silver-haired man while informing him where Nemu was hiding, waiting for them. They didn�t want to leave their father, but the thought of meeting their mother was enough of an incentive to get them to leave Szayel without too much of a fight. Not that Karin blamed them. It had been over three weeks since they�d seen either of their parents. Szayel planted kisses on both of children�s foreheads.

�At least Gin can move openly. No one would think much of him being with them if they do stumble across any of the guards or well-meaning servants,� she conceded as she led the way towards the front gates. �The thought probably crossed Szayel�s mind as well.�

For once, Aizen�s own powers were working against him. She had no need for stealth as Kyoka Suigetsu�s illusions still hid her from the Palace�s inhabitants, but Szayel was another matter. Walking confidently down the corridors, she hurried to the main courtyard where her family had engaged Aizen in battle. Szayel followed carefully behind her as she checked to make sure the passageways were clear. Strangely, they encountered no guards. The reason behind their absence was apparent the moment they reached the doorway.

Karin stopped just short of the entrance and stared, open-jawed at the chaotic scene.

Renji and an older, harder-looking Rukia sparred with four Arrancar in their released states, inside of what looked to be a very complex, dome shaped Kido shield that encompassed nearly all of the space inside the courtyard�s walls. Ichigo and Grimmjow had gone after Aizen. Outside of the shield, Starrk, Ulquiorra and Jushiro kept the rest of the Palace guards occupied. They didn�t seem too thrilled with the idea of taking on two Espada and a powerful Taichou, but with Aizen in sight, they had no choice but to attack. A slow, painful death at Aizen�s hands for desertion would be worse than a quick death courtesy of a fellow Hollow. She supposed they were a bit braver too, considering they had numbers on their side. She didn�t know how well they would do against Starrk, as he and Lilinette were in their Resurrección form. A large pack of grey wolves sporting irritated expressions and crafted from pure reiatsu guarded one end of the shield. The Arrancar they faced were either running away from the fearsome things or avoiding them as if the creatures had a blistering case of rabies.

From what she could tell, Jushiro and Starrk appeared more interested in keeping the Arrancar at bay than killing them. Her first thought was that they were being foolish, but her second reminded her that those Arrancar were just following orders, that one or more of them could be like Tesra: a responsible mate with a cub on the way.

�Best to sort out who�s getting the axe and whom we�ll spare after the battle is over,� she reasoned. �There are going to be a lot of raw feelings and we don�t need to escalate things by killing off one of the more decently-mannered Arrancar.�

Karin looked back to Grimmjow. His blue hair flowed behind him as his Resurrección�s catlike body moved with a grace she had always envied. Her brother�s long orange hair rivalled her mate�s in length and she had no idea when or why he�d picked up another blade. The horned mask he wore reminded her too much of the time he had nearly splattered Szayel�s brains all over the forest floor in a fit of uncontrollable rage.

They went after Aizen like a pair of murderous beasts, hungry beyond measure and ready to feed. Her brother�s Hollowfied form and his sinister, pitch-black and blood red reiatsu ought to have terrified her. Instead, she was relieved to see it and to see him. Karin had never considered herself a violent person, but right now, watching them eviscerate Aizen would make her a happy woman. Szayel had stepped in behind her and thanks to the Claim, she knew he felt the same as they surveyed the conflicts in progress.

Renji dispatched one of the guards by beheading him, catching the Arrancar�s neck with the back of his fanged whip. At the point of death, the Hollow�s form dissolved, the flesh disintegrating into cinders that the breeze scattered. Karin had never seen a Shinigami purify a Hollow before and while she found it interesting, the fear that smacked into her from behind, courtesy of Szayel, reminded her that �interesting� had a number of different interpretations. The redhead had a bleeding cut along one cheek, but no other damage. That left him with one hesitant, wounded foe and another who bared his claws and leered hungrily at the tattooed Shinigami. Rukia still had two live opponents, but she�d encased one in a pillar of ice, effectively taking him out of the skirmish and disdainfully blocked the blows of the other. Byakuya�s sister was clearly better at fighting than either of them. In fact, she seemed to be stalling, waiting for Renji to either finish up or disarm his enemies.

Her mate finally noticed her presence. She saw him stiffen as he caught the scent of fresh blood and the stink of semen. His eyes also turned to slits of burning blue as they took n her dishevelled state, the bruise forming on the side of her face from where Aizen had struck her, the marks on her throat and the bandages around her feet. His renewed rage surged through her and his howl sent shivers from the nape of her neck to the backs of her legs.

Without an ounce of hesitation, she offered her mate her power. He refused it at first, but their eyes met briefly and she felt him do an about-face. Giving him a little reiatsu was all she could do, but she had the satisfaction of knowing that a small part of her would help end her tormentor�s life.

Grimmjow evidently realized that she needed to share this as well, for he pulled a bit more from her. Then he let out a roar so full of wrath that it shattered the cobblestones in front of him. Claws extended, his powerful reiatsu swept up bits of debris as he flung himself wholeheartedly at Aizen�
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Prize of Victory 2	By : NovaAlexandria Category: Bleach > General Views: 56251 -:- Recommendations : 2 -:- Currently Reading : 5
Disclaimer: I do not own Bleach nor make a profit from this story

Prize of Victory 2