Sammy sighed as the two vampires in front of her bickered and messed around. It had been a few weeks since Ichigo had his cubs, and today Sammy thought it would be a good idea to get the family out and about. She wanted to push the babies in the stroller, so Ichigo (reluctantly) let her. Now Sammy happily watched the two cubs in the stroller move around to see where they were and what was going on. For only being a few days old, these two were pretty smart, and had already started to crawl.
It had made Ichigo cry to see them start crawling around, he sure did love the little things, Sammy thought.
She was brought out of her musings when Shiro started to speak louder, "But my love! I will always be openly gay for you!" That was followed by a huge hug that Ichigo begrudgingly took.
Ichigo hated when Shiro made a scene like this, he never liked the attention of so many people, and with this many people on the streets, who wouldn't stop to look at the odd group of people and the man proclaiming open gayness?
Ichigo pushed Shiro off him and slowed down to check on his cubs. The two babies wore bright smiles as Ichigo looked in on them and reached in to scratch behind their ears. The cubs started to purr and nuzzled Ichigo's hands. Kai used both his tiny hands to grab Ichigo's much larger one and made a funny noise at him. Ichigo cooed at Kai and Kai cooed back. Rei didn't like the idea that Kai was getting more attention than him, so he bit down on one of Ichigo's fingers.
Ichigo yelped and pulled his hands out of the stroller, Rei smiled and Kai started to laugh. Ichigo scowled at the two then let out a sigh as Shiro walked over to them and started messing with the cubs.
"Ya know Shiro," Ichigo started as he went back to Rei, "they are just as mischievous as you are."
Shiro smiled as Kai pulled on his arm with a huge grin, "Yep. Kai thought it was funny to bite me yesterday."
Ichigo opened his mouth wide, "Rei just got me!"
Shiro chuckled at how cute Ichigo looked when he was trying to get a point across with his tail and ears twitching. Reaching out, he took Ichigo's bleeding finger and slowly stuck it into his mouth. Ichigo's face grew a bright pink, but as he watched Shiro lick up his blood, he felt his throat go dry; it didn't help that there was a strange scent in the air that made his blood boil.
Looking around, Ichigo noticed that all the people around him were making his throat even more dry and scratchy. Ichigo reached up and lightly gripped his throat and started to back away from the strolled slowly.
Rei instantly knew something was wrong with his mother, his ears laid back and his tail puffed out. Rei let out a low hiss mixed growl and Shiro turned to see what was making his son upset.
Ichigo's eyes were slowly glazing over with black, looking back, both his cubs were now hissing and growling. They could smell the frenzy building in Ichigo, and they knew something bad was going to happen.
As Sammy tended to the cubs, Shiro rushed to get Ichigo away from all the people and into the nearby forest. Shiro knew he was in a dent, the house was too far away to get the animal blood Ichigo drank; even if Shiro ran fast enough, Ichigo would start to go into a frenzy, and that's not what he needed right now.
Shiro cursed as he stopped and laid his mate on the ground, Ichigo's eyes were almost covered in black now, when it fully consumed his brown eyes, the frenzy would start.
Lifting his wrist away from Ichigo, Shiro brought his sharp nail across it, and let the stream of blood drip. Right as the smell hit his nose, Ichigo let out a growl and shot up.
Shiro thought he was going for his wrist, but Ichigo flew right past him and into the trees. Shiro felt a wave of horror wash over him, he didn't know where his mate would go, or who he would hurt. Getting up as quickly as he could, Shiro tried following Ichigo's scent through the trees.
He stopped as the smell of blood hit his nose, Shiro shook his head and rushed forward through the bushes. His eyes widened at the sight before him.
Ichigo wriggled around and growled loudly, his neck and wrists chained to a large tree. No matter how hard he struggled he couldn't get out of the chains. Shiro's mind flashed back to when Aizen had stolen Ichigo's dignity, he had thrashed just like that with just as much force. And just like now, it had no effect.
Just as Shiro took a step closer, a man stepped out of the trees swinging a dagger by its chain. Shiro narrowed his eyes and growled loudly, "Zero..."
Zero smirked, "Hiya Shiro. Long time no see."
"I'm glad it's been that way." Shiro spat.
Zero held a hand over his chest and feigned hurt, "That hurt me Shiro, no wonder you got your title."
Shiro slightly tilted his head in confusion and Zero grinned brightly. Reaching out with one hand, and gripped Ichigo's chin. He instantly stopped moving and quieted down. For the first time, Shiro got a good look at his face, his eyes had been completely swallowed up by the black of the frenzy.
It would take a lot to get him back, but Shiro could do it, "Zero, get away from him and you can leave peacefully, well, maybe with a few bruises."
Zero continued to grin, "Ya see Shiro, as long as I'm touching him, he won't freak out, but if I let go...." Zero let go of Ichigo's chin, and Ichigo started up his fuss again.
He started to thrash around, growling and hissing at everything. Shiro knew that he was stuck now.
Zero watched as Shiro took a step back and he smiled, gripping Ichigo's chin again, he explained calmly, "As you and I both know, there is no way in hell Ichigo would take a human being's life, so he drinks from you and animals. Even with your blood and the animal's, Ichigo's vamperic instincts grow every minute he goes without human blood. So today, I watched you two, and as he instincts spiked, I let out the smell of a certain type of pheromones that only half breeds can smell."
Shiro growled at him but Zero continued, "He's a half breed because he hasn't drank human blood, so his vampire and human blood battle for dominance everyday. This is because the vampire blood wants to take over and consume him, while his human blood wants to keep its own place. A born vampire would know nothing of this."
"Ya, I know that. Get to the point Zero." Shiro spat out.
Zero grinned, "The pheromones Ichigo smelled came from my body, so it led him here, so when I touch him, he feels calm and fulfilled. Sadly, there is only a few ways to cure this predicament..."
"Then cure it!" Shiro yelled but Zero waved his other hand.
"One, I need to give him human blood. Two, I could give him the eldest Shiki's blood," Shiro stiffened at the word, but Zero continued, "Or, you do as I say and I'll do something special for Ichi here. Which one do you chose?"
Shiro didn't like any of the options, but the first two didn't sound at all good. Taking one last look at Ichigo, Shiro spoke, "I'll do what you want, just cure him."
Zero nodded, "Good choice," he then snapped his fingers, and Ichigo's head fell. Shiro started to rush forward, but Zero appeared before him and shoved a needle into his neck.
Shiro's blood started to burn and he could smell Zero's blood; Zero had injected him with his own blood.
"W-why?..." Shiro felt dizzy and was about to fall to the ground.
Zero grinned wide, "You'll see soon; Shiki." With that, Shiro's world went dark.
Hours later, Shiro woke up to a worried Beth and Kaitey. He groaned loudly and sat up, as his mind started to clear, he remembered Ichigo and tried to get up. Kaitey held him down and moved so he could see around her.
Sammy was standing next to Grimmjow, who held an unconscious Ichigo in his arms. Shiro wanted to rip his arms off for touching Ichigo, but Kaitey wouldn't let him move.
Thinking it a good way to calm Shiro down, Sammy brought out Kai and Rei and placed them in his lap, "Take care of your cubs, they are just as worried as you are, they need you right now."
Shiro looked down at his cubs and nuzzled each one of the teary eyed cubs. Rei opened his mouth slowly, but nothing came out. So he tried again.
"w......what's......wro...wrong with.....mum?"
Shiro sat wide eyed, staring at his cub, so Sammy answered for him, "Your mum is just a little tired. He'll be okay in a bit."
Rei nodded at Sammy and went back to staring at his father. Rei leaned forward and sniffed the funny mark on Shiro's neck and scrunched up his nose and hissed slightly, "You smell funny."
Kai head butted Rei and Rei let out a squeak, "Ow!"
Kai glared at his brother, "Don't say dat to dad! That's mean!"
Rei glared back, "You're mean!"
Shiro couldn't believe the two cubs were talking, let alone arguing right in front of him. Shiro reached a hand out and touched Rei's cheek, Rei started to purr, but then hissed again and leaned back away from Shiro.
"You don't smell like my dad..." Rei looked both suspicious and confused, "yet at the same time you do...."
Shiro was finding it hard to think, then he felt his fangs growing longer and felt the slight urge to make Rei's blood show. Shiro shook his head in horror and motioned for Sammy to take the cubs back. Kai looked ready to start fussing, but Rei simply watched Shiro's every move with suspicion.
Shiro got up and took a hold of Ichigo and started to walk away, "I need time to think.."
Sammy nodded while all the others looked baffled. They let him go back into the dense trees with the still sleeping Ichigo.
As Shiro got further into the trees, he set Ichigo down and started to pet his head, "Come on Ichigo....come back..." Shiro felt ready to tear into something, yet wanted to comfort his cubs and mate.
Ichigo stirred slightly at the scent of Shiro, and someone else. Opening his eyes quickly, Shiro noted the chocolate brown in them. Ichigo took a hold of Shiro's shoulders and started to speak quickly.
"Zero was here! I saw him and I tried to get him! But he snapped his fingers and I fell to the ground and everything was so dark!"
Shiro sighed and held Ichigo, "I know, it's okay now.."
Ichigo felt confused, "Where is he Shiro?"
"He got away."
Shiro was surprised with what Ichigo did next. Ichigo shoved Shiro away from him and stood up angry, "Bull shit! I can smell his blood on you!" Ichigo got close to Shiro's neck and smelled again, then stood up and continued to yell, "Why can I smell his blood in your neck and not your mouth! What the hell happened!"
Shiro felt ready to tear off Ichigo's jaw but took a breath and shook his head, "I- I need to get out of here." He then stood up and started walking away.
Shiro could hear Ichigo walking after him, "Why can't you tell me what happened!" Ichigo yelled.
Shiro kept walking but Ichigo soon caught up and grabbed his shoulder. Shiro snapped and grabbed Ichigo's hand and threw him against a tree and Ichigo let out a yelp of pain, "Don't fucking touch me!"
Sliding to the ground, Ichigo held his right arm carefully and watched Shiro in fear, "Shiro..."
Shiro started walking closer to Ichigo then stopped, and turned, running off in the other direction. Right after he left Ichigo's view, he could here Kaitey scream. Ichigo stood up and took off after the sound of Kaitey's scream.
Once finding her, he saw Grimmjow holding Kai, but Rei was no where to be found. Kaitey sat on the ground with a bloody arm, and Beth and Sammy were against a tree.
Rushing to Kaitey, Ichigo took a hold of her shoulders, "Where's Rei?"
Kaitey looked up with bloody tears streaming down her face, "S-Shiro came back without you and I asked where you were. He told me to give him Rei, but I-I didn't so he grabbed my arm and twisted it. I heard it snap and so Shiro took Rei. Sammy and Beth tried talking to him but he threw them. T-then he left with Rei. I'm sorry Ichigo, I don't know what's going on."
Ichigo fell back, his eyes wide, he didn't know what to do. Shiro had turned feral, and took his cub with him. Ichigo let out a loud yowl and felt something touch his leg. Opening his eyes, he saw Kai on his leg while Grimmjow, Sammy, and Beth scouted the trees. Kaitey still sat on the ground, crying.
Ichigo grabbed Kai and held him close, "Don't worry, we'll get them back...."
~
Shiro emerged from the trees in front of a big house, Rei squirmed in his arms, hissing and trying to claw him. So Shiro grabbed his scruff and held him away from him. He smelled Zero just as he came out of the building.
Zero clapped, "Very good Skiki, now, lets go show your brothers what you caught."
Shiro growled and walked past Zero, "Watch how you say my name, if you say it in any way I find suspicious, I'll rip your arm off and beat you with it." He then walked into the big house.
While this all went down, Rei had felt terrified, the man his dad called Zero had the same smell that was on his dad, but his dad didn't sound or seem like himself at all. As the door closed behind Shiro, Rei noticed small white pieces form on the right side of his face.
Standing outside on the watch, Zero chuckled and folded his arms, looking at the sky in joy, "The Shiki are whole again."