Unwanted: A Dangerous Alternative

Unwanted


Chapter 11 - A Dangerous Alternative


"Perhaps it was Vegeta," Seripa suggested the identity of the mysterious man who had managed to single handedly thwart Nexus' plans.


"No," the angered warrior objected coldly, "He was too tall and his technique was different. I recognized it, but I cannot seem to place it. Perhaps it was a mercenary. He worked alone, no doubt for the monetary reward Vegeta offered for his wife's return. Damn it!" He slammed his hand down upon the table he was sitting before.


"Calm down, my love," Seripa seductively sauntered towards the agitated man. Arriving next to him, she placed one hand around his neck as she lowered herself to sit in his lap. "All is not lost," she insisted while gliding her free hand down his muscular chest, "We still have an alternative."


"We do?" the burly man raised a threatening brow as he doubtfully looked at his ally.


For a moment, a slightly pained look crossed Seripa's eyes as she rose from Nexus' lap. Nodding her head, she carefully admitted, "I had hoped it would not come to this, but it seems my daughter has left us no choice."


Rising from his seat, Nexus stepped forward in anticipation, "What do you know, Seripa?"


Lowering her lashes, she raised them menacingly as she carefully explained, "I have a foolproof way to ensure my daughter's full cooperation, but I need your word that you will only use this information exactly as I advise you to."



"Oh, my dear Seripa, you do have me intrigued," he relaxed back into his seat, "So, go ahead."


"Not until I have your word," she raised a pointed finger at him. "I did not want to have to expose this, but since my daughter is being so damn stubborn I have no choice. I want the same promise that you gave to me about Bulma before, that you will not harm her in any way."


"I stand by my word; no harm will come to your daughter." Nexus still to this very day found his lover's loyalty to her traitorous daughter amusing. He would pacify her concerns if it granted him his final victory over the man who killed his father, for now at least.


"You do not understand," Seripa crossed her arms nervously, "It is not only Bulma I want your word you will not harm."


Raising a confused brow, Nexus quickly vowed, "I will promise anything you demand, my lady. Just tell me what the hell it is you know. You have me damn curious now."


"All right," Seripa pulled a chair out next to him, her eyes lighting up as she shifted into a devious gossip manner. "You are not going to believe the dirty little secret my daughter has been keeping for more than half a decade..."


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"I assume everything is in order," Vegeta finished pulling on his gloves to complete his ensemble.


"Aye, Sire," Radditz nodded proudly, "As we speak the elites are being announced. All are in great anticipation of what they have been summoned for. Many believe tonight you will make a formal declaration of war against Nexus."


"Not an improper assumption," Vegeta smirked knowingly. He was not the only member of the Vegetabatsu that had been anticipating Nexus' final downfall. The time was long overdue. "Tonight shall no doubt be an evening to remember. It will be the beginning of the ultimate downfall of the Nappabatsu."


With a proud grunt of approval, Radditz would have preferred to leave his king to finish readying himself. Unfortunately, he could not without broaching a delicate subject. "One last question before I go," the bulky soldier cleared his throat, "Were you planning on escorting your wife, or have you conceded the duty to your brother? I only ask so that the wrong introduction will not be made."


Vegeta's entire body stiffened as the question filtered through his mind. Of course the fool would be unclear as to who would accompany his wife. After the dinner fiasco two nights prior, all of his closest comrades believed his wife and brother were already rekindling their amour. Little did the absentminded idiots realize that Bulma was not quite as lucid about her feelings as Kakarrot, regardless of what she claimed.


It had been so many long years since the proud Saiya-jin king had felt physical affection from another living being. That had changed the night before last. He and his wife had come so close to lying together that his body immediately reacted upon memory of it. She had been sweeter, softer and more passionate than he had remembered. And then to hear her confess that she still felt for him, that her body still craved his, he practically became undone.


But, Bulma would never settle for a man whose heart was closed, she deserved better than that. Perhaps Vegeta could not give her love, but damn it, no woman set him ablaze like she did. No woman ignited his carnal passions like his wife. He did not want to let her go. It was selfish, he knew it, but he could not help wanting to keep her bound to him.


But he could not.


She fit perfectly with him. He enjoyed her company, her wit, her intelligence, her strength, her beauty-he adored the whole damn package. But he could not keep her. Their marriage would be annulled. But not yet, he still had some time left with her, and he was sure as hell going to make the most of it.


"I'll be escorting Bulma," Vegeta responded in a somewhat harsh tone, "After all, she is my wife."


"Of course, Sire," Radditz nodded briskly. "I only wondered because, well, I was under the impression the two of you were not on speaking terms. I see I was wrong."


He was not, at least not entirely. Since his wife's rejection, the young woman had become a recluse in her room, accepting no visitors but those of her personal servants. Though Vegeta had yet to speak to her in more than a day, he assumed she would not deny the public appearance considering the assemblage was partially in her honor. "I shall collect her myself, so you may return to your duties."


"As you wish, Sire," Radditz bowed. "Oh, and I thought you would like to know, Codo managed to slip away from castle grounds before we could question him."


"Pity," Vegeta growled, "I would have liked to take a shot at the son of a bitch who had betrayed me and my wife to Nexus." More than that, he wanted someone to relieve the guilt he felt for entrusting his wife's safety upon a man so disloyal.


"Well, do not feel too cheated. He did not get very far. A local farmer caught him attempting to steal one of his horses, so the law abiding villager ran him through with a pitchfork."


A smirk pulled across Vegeta's lips, "Send the honorable citizen a handsome reward."


Nodding his service, Radditz departed from Vegeta's chambers to follow his king's instructions.


Once Vegeta was alone, he closed his eyes and took a deep breath. He was uncertain how his wife's reception would be after their previous tumultuous encounter, but there was only one way to find out.


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"You look wonderful, my lady," the servant insisted after she finished setting her mistress's hair.


Bulma frowned as she looked upon herself in the mirror. Her servant was right. Her hair had been done exquisitely. Her long azure tresses had been neatly curled. A quarter of her length had been pulled back and away from her face in an untied bun that made the intricate style look completely natural. Her dress was of a dark blue that brought out her eyes and highlighted her milky skin. The cut was modest, but not unflattering in the least. She looked every bit the part of a queen. She just could not understand why she still felt completely wrong in the role.


Perhaps it was Kakarrot's return from the dead that made her realize exactly how much of a sham her marriage truly was. In his absence, the realization that her actions were for the protection of her and Kakarrot's people had been a comfort, but no more. Her marriage was completely purposeless. The war was soon to begin and she no longer doubted that her father's clan would not hesitate to support that of the Vegetabatsu. She truly had no justifiable reason to stay wedded to Vegeta any longer. The political necessity of their union was now dissolved and since a romantic dimension never existed, there was truly no excuse for her to stay and continue the charade.


"Thank you, Lena," Bulma nodded for her aid's departure. Once the queen was left to her own devices, Bulma rose from her vanity and walked over to the nightstand next to her bed. Sitting lightly upon the mattress, she pulled open the drawer. Lifting a hidden board at the bottom, she grasped a portrait she had kept hidden from all eyes but her own. Running her fingertips over the visage of the handsome creature in the depiction, a smile graced her lips.


Kissing the portrait, Bulma placed it back under the hidden compartment, "Soon, my love; I will be able to finally tell you the truth." Tears gathered at the corners of her eyes as she closed the drawer. Her future began to look clear. Only one element now lay in doubt.


Vegeta.


A chill sped down Bulma's spine as she contemplated the delicate choice that lay ahead. What would Vegeta do if he learned her secret? Her entire marriage she had maintained a particular silence and a strategic distance to make certain he would never uncover the truth. But once the war concluded, she would have no honorable reason for her lingering silence. Especially in consideration of how well he had treated her over the past two years.


There was not a doubt in Bulma's mind that Vegeta was a changed man. Not completely, of course, but he was not the brash boy who had taken advantage of an innocent years ago. Just as she was no longer a naïve chit who let fantasies cloud her rational thought. But was renewed respect for one another enough to continue a marriage? Not likely, but Vegeta would doubtlessly refuse their annulment once he learned the truth, and then she would be bound to a loveless marriage for the rest of her life.


She could not allow that. She could not bring children that he would be obligated to sire into that type of an arrangement. No, she wanted better for herself. She wanted better for her future and the future of all those who would be affected by such a choice.


Deciding on a course of action, Bulma closed her eyes with a sigh. She would have to wait until their marriage was annulled before telling him. It would be the only way to secure both her freedom and honor. As well as the only circumstances in which she could finally wed Kakarrot, if he would still have her once he too learned the truth. Falling backwards against her bed, Bulma cared little that she was crushing her neatly made hair as she brooded over her stupidity the other night.


How could she have told Vegeta she still desired him? It was foolish, and naïve and yet she had done it anyway, realizing only after the words flew out that she was making a fool of herself. But then the unthinkable happened, and the bloody fool agreed with her!


She could not deny the passion between them. It had been building for some time. But what was to be expected when two people spent all of their free time together, slept in adjoining rooms, spent late nights in sweaty exhaustion battling with one another? No doubt feelings would arise. But was there any reason to act on them? After all the turmoil that lay between them, it was only foolish to dare start something new, especially since their relationship was just mending.


Yet she could not deny the pull. That attraction she had felt since childhood to the dark and dangerous man had ceased to fade over the years. Even in times of anger towards him, she still spent sleepless nights dreaming of him. Perhaps the most terrifying part was that her dreams were not restricted to that of a sexual nature. She dreamed of his repentance, of his reform, of his becoming the man she had prayed for him to be in her youth. Never had she given up hope that one day the lost prince would find something in life to make him give a damn, to make him become the man she knew he could be.


But that something never seemed to come. While his demeanor had softened to some degree in recent years, he was still cold and isolated from friends and family. Bulma knew it was a warning from the fates to sacrifice her hopes, but some part of her had always refused to. Some part of her needed to believe that Vegeta was more than merely the sum of his past.


Pushing herself up off of her bed, Bulma realized her musings were pointless. Whatever she felt for Vegeta was irrelevant. She did not want to walk down that path again. Better they part amiably than attempt an affair that would no doubt end in heartache. Kakarrot was her future, the future she always wanted. She could not look back now. "It's time I move on to a new chapter in my life."


"You will grant me a starring role, of course." The masculine voice jolted Bulma to turn around and find her husband leaning casually against the entrance of her chambers. She had been so lost in thought, she had not heard him come in. "Brilliant choice of dress," Vegeta continued his invasion by walking around the side of Bulma's bed to observe her fully, "it will surely afford me the envy of every man in the room."


The sun's heat could not have melted Bulma's glower, "Ah, my purpose in life, dressing up to be shown off by my beloved husband. Would you like me to act as mindless as the doll you would have me portray, or would it satisfy your male ego if I simply remained mute the entire evening as you spoke for your trophy wife?"


The smirk he had sauntered in with widened, "My, aren't we in a feisty mood?" He advanced on her, so close she could feel his breath against her skin. It took all of her strength not to react. "Still frazzled by our last encounter?" His hands grazed the outline of her torso as he suggested, "perhaps you are still frustrated we failed to conclude what we had started. We have time before the celebration. We could do something about that."


She finally reacted by pushing him away before his seduction could break her defenses. Crossing her arms tightly across her chest, she insisted, "The only part of the other night that frazzled me was the realization of the depth of my mistake." She wanted to clear the air before any misconceptions were to arise. "I was vulnerable and emotional after all that had happened between Nexus' abduction and Kakarrot's return that I did not know what I was saying or doing-"


"Bullshit," his interruption was quick and direct. "You, my wife, for the first time in two years were doing exactly what you had been longing to. Just because you now are afraid to face the consequences does not mean I am going to allow you to deny what you feel for me."


"As arrogant as ever," Bulma muttered under her breath as she uncrossed her arms in aggravation. "Whatever I 'feel' for you is nothing substantial. I thought I made it clear that night that I do not intend to pursue anything with you. I wish to marry your-" She simply had never seen a man move so fast. His fingers knotted through her hair, cradling her head as he pressed it against his own. Their lips met, their tongues interlaced and before she knew what was happening she had her arms around his torso, basking in his body heat, perfectly sheathed by his cape.


"Nothing substantial?" almost as quickly he had pulled away, but only his lips. His gaze and upper body still kept her bound to him. She returned his stare with heavy lids, heaving breaths and befuddled passion. He finally released her and turned, giving her a moment to tidy herself before he spoke again, "Tell me you love my brother. Tell me you hate me. Tell me I infuriate you. Tell me I am selfish, a monster, a cold hearted bastard who is unworthy of you, but do not dare stand there and tell me you feel nothing for me. No amount of conviction in your voice will ever convince me that there is nothing of substance between the two of us."


Lust, she wanted to argue, did not equate substance within a relationship. But she knew that would be as much a lie as that which he cited with disdain. There was more than lust between them, unfortunately it seemed only through carnal expression could they ever display the indescribable. But whatever the sentiment was, Bulma was certain it would not sustain a relationship for any amount of time, which meant she was right back exactly where she had started. "I still want our marriage annulled."


The statement hung in the air for a long breath of time before Vegeta finally turned around to regard her. The expression upon his face was unreadable as he approached her. He reached out and grasped her left hand, lifting it in the air. For a moment she believed he would place a kiss upon it, but then she saw what he rested between his thumb and index finger. "You would not disgrace me by not wearing this tonight, would you?"


Before she could answer, he pushed the newest constructed symbol of their union onto her finger with a similar force he had used the evening after they were married. It was then she realized he had been angered by her request for a speedy annulment. The revelation did not bode well for her plans, but she could not help but wonder what this suggested about his feelings for her. "Vegeta, I-"


"We are already late," he contradicted his earlier statement as he wrapped her hand within the bend of his arm and guided her silently towards the celebration.


"Vegeta, wait," she pulled down on his arm to stop him from preventing a dialogue they clearly needed to exchange, "I-I just want you to know-well, the truth is, you have impressed me over these last two years. You have changed for the better, and I am proud of you. But those sentiments are not strong enough to make a marriage work."


"You are wasting your breath," Vegeta retightened his grip. "I am well aware of what you want from a marriage; you made that clear six years ago as well as the other night." The coldness in his eyes sent a chill down Bulma's spine as she felt him pull her forward to continue walking once again. "Do not misinterpret my disinterest in discussing our separation as a sign that I have any reservations about our annulment. I assure you nothing will make me happier than the moment when I am finally free to kick you off these grounds once and for all."


Not a moment later they arrived outside of the entrance of the hall. Blinking back the sting from his cruel admission, Bulma dug her nails into the fabric of his shirt as she ground out, "There is no need for you to be a bastard about this. I was being sincere."


After ordering their entrance be announced, Vegeta leaned down and briskly whispered in his wife's ear a vicious confession that would set the tone for the entire evening, "So was I."


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