Demon's Blood

Demon's Blood

Ikkaku let Ichigo down still smiling, the younger demon returned the smile and the three of them continued on their way, a car would have been faster but the northern border wasn't that far away from Byakuya's manor. Grimmjow looked at the two younger demons and nodded back in the direction they had come from, they knew what was going on, they were being followed. They reached the northern border within half an hour, they turned and headed off in the direction of Chad's home, where they would be safe if anything were going to happen.

"Lord Jeaggerjaques, Lord Madarame, Lady Shiba what in the seven heavens name are you doing here?" Chad asked upon seeing them.

"It's okay Chad they know." Ichigo said then pulled the potion from his pack.

"Is that your last one?"

"Yea, but it's okay I'm going home." Ichigo assured before drinking the potion, he felt the change happen almost instantly. "I'm back for good now guys." He said with a smile.

"You want us to escort you back to Demon Manor?" Ichigo shook his head, then turned and looked in the direction that the demon's scents were coming from.

"I can make it back myself, you should get back to Yumichika, he'll be worried if you aren't there when he wakes." Ichigo smiled as Ikkaku turned and began walking back, then he paused at the sign the stated they were entering Karakura.

"So how long did it take you to come up with your cover story?" Grimmjow asked.

"About three days, I had to come up with it before I met with Rangiku and Harribel otherwise I wouldn't have been able to stay there." Ichigo sighed as they closed the distance between them and Ikkaku.

"What did this story entail exactly?" Ikkaku asked as he took up post on the other side of his prince.

"That I was a member of the Shiba clan that had been away over seas for nearly two hundred years," Ichigo paused as he remembered what his story was.

"How old did you say you were exactly?"

"Almost four hundred years." Ichigo and Grimmjow laughed at the look that came over Ikkaku's face.

"Yea I know, crazy wasn't it?"

"You can say that, Ichigo what the hell were you thinking?"

"That Byakuya saw me as nothing more than a breeding bitch and that he couldn't really love me."

"Well that's stupid, you shoulda known that no matter what you were going to be with him, or damn him to loneliness for eternity." Grimmjow sighed. "So Prince Ichigo, what would you have us do with the rebels?" Ichigo smiled before thinking about it.

"Follow Byakuya's example, gather them at Demon Manor for questioning. Should it be proven that they were indeed attempting to start a war then they will be executed on the spot, bring Cirucci Thunderwitch from Vampire Manor, I want her nowhere near Byakuya." Ichigo glared down at the ground, missing the look that passed between the other two.

"Cirucci Thunderwitch expressed interest in dragging the vampires from their beds when the sun is highest in the sky." Grimmjow explained when Ikkaku gave a questioning glance to Ichigo.

"Souka... So she's part of the rebellion?" Ichigo growled lowly in his throat. "I take that as a yes, she'll be out of the Vampire manor-"

"Now Ikkaku, I don't want her near him any longer." Ikkaku nodded and took off at demonic speed towards Demon Manor to get reinforcements, a woman was a dangerous creature to be messing with, a Demon woman was deadly.

"Ichigo?" The Prince looked at his friend. "Are you nervous?" He asked grinning.

"Nervous about what?"

"Seeing Lord Kuchiki for the first time as yourself in over a month."

"A little..."

"Nnoitra tells me he hasn't stopped thinking about you." Grimmjow smiled. "And Nnoitra is as close to Lord Kuchiki as I am to you, so you know it's true." Ichigo nodded then sighed. "He doesn't deserve you though." Grimmjow said giving the younger demon a hard stare, Ichigo smiled at him.

"It must be true... You, Rangiku and Harribel all said that." Ichigo looked in the direction of the vampire manor.

"Well I'm like your older brother so of course I'm gonna say something like that..." Ichigo looked up at Grimmjow when he paused.

"What aren't you telling me Grimm?" Ichigo asked concern washing over him.

"It's nothing, just lost in thought that's all." Ichigo knew there was something, but he didn't press the matter, they both looked up surprised as Kenpachi stepped into their path.

"Prince Kenpachi?" Grimmjow warned, he knew now why Kenpachi was always fighting with Ichigo but that didn't excuse him picking fights with the younger prince.

"It's okay Grimmjow, I'm not here to fight with my brother." Kenpachi stepped forward and pulled Ichigo into a hug. "It's been far too long little brother." He muttered before setting the demon down.

"It's only been a month." Ichigo said though he was happy that Kenpachi hadn't attacked him when he lay eyes on him, looking around Ichigo saw that they had arrived at Demon manor without even realizing it.

"An entire month that I had been helping Grimmjow and Ikkaku find you." Kenpachi said shaking his head.

"Yea... Has Ikkaku been through?"

"Huh? Oh yea, he came gathered some of the soldiers and left again, what's going on? Why would he need four soldiers when he's obviously stronger than all of them."

"They're bringing Cirucci Thunderwitch." Grimmjow said then pushed Ichigo towards the manor. "Go rest, you haven't been sleeping, I can tell you have bruises under your eyes." Ichigo nodded his consent and entered the manor, the staff froze as they saw him enter, then there was a collected yell of excitement. Grimmjow and Kenpachi entered to find out what all the noise had been about, they both smiled as Ichigo was swamped but demons and humans alike.

"What's going on out here?!" The King of Demons came from the door leading to his offices, everyone that had surrounded Ichigo parted for the king to see his son. "Ichigo? It really is you isn't it?"

"Yea dad, it's me, I'm back. I heard what was going on here and heard that you could use some help with the rebellion that's going on, so I decided I'd better get back here and help you out." Ichigo smiled and went to hug Isshin.

"I missed you son." Isshin smiled and looked at him. "You need to rest."

"That's what I was going to do when I was spotted by everyone, so I guess that's where I'm heading again. Will you wake me before sun set?" Ichigo asked turning to look at Grimmjow, the older demon smiled and nodded.

"Going to see Byakuya?" Isshin asked, Ichigo nodded and smiled.

"Yea, I figure I should, I heard what's been going on at Vampire Manor as well."

"You know the best way to avoid war between all the clans of demons and vampires in this land is to marry him." Isshin sighed as he looked at his son.

"Yea I know dad, the sooner I give in to that little fact then I should be good to become his mate, but at the moment the thought scares me." Ichigo smiled at everyone gathered around him. "I'm just really glad to be home."

"Ichigo! Go to bed." Grimmjow commanded pointing towards the stairs, Ichigo smiled and nodded, before turning and heading upstairs where he entered his bedroom. He smiled at the mask laid out on his pillow, the mask that he had worn to the masquerade ball, he traced a finger over the sun spike that reached across the right eye. He smiled and threw himself down on the bed, sinking into the mattress, he gave a soft laugh before drifting off to sleep.

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Byakuya's first breath of the night came out as a gasp, he shot up from his bed trying to calm himself enough to find what had disturbed his rest. He calmed his heart before his senses flared, he froze, opening his eyes he looked around the almost pitch black room.

"Who's there?" He growled.

"Don't worry it is only me." Byakuya relaxed as light flooded the room. "What has you so restless?"

"I don't know Master Ukitake, I know he's near, but I don't know where he is..." Byakuya muttered more to himself then to the older vampire sitting across the room, the door was pushed open and Nnoitra walked in with a bigger grin than they thought was possible.

"It's time for me to go on a vacation." Nnoitra said still smiling, he outright laughed when Byakuya gave him a questioning look. "There's a messenger envoy waiting for Lord Kuchiki in the parlor." He said then bowed his way out as Byakuya got dressed for the evening, he had a feeling it was going to be a long night.

"There was no news of an envoy." Ukitake said thoughtfully as the vampire lord pulled his suit jacket on.

"Then this envoy is unexpected?"

"We should be alert."

"Nnoitra would have warned us if he thought it were a threat to us." Byakuya muttered.

"What was he saying about a vacation, he can't be serious can he? Did you tell him he could go on a vacation?"

"Only if-" Byakuya froze, then threw open the doors and moved at an incredible speed towards the parlor, he arrived and merely stared. Standing in the middle of the parlor arguing with Ikkaku over something trivial, Grimmjow and Nnoitra sat on the couch with Yumichika who held Yachiru, the three on the couch watching amused as Ichigo growled at the older demon.

"Whatever! I don't need to be here right now!" Ichigo growled and turned only to walk into Byakuya, he froze then smiled. "Hey." He gasped as he felt the vampire's arms wrap around his shoulders, holding him to the vampire, smiling he wrapped his arms around the vampire's waist and buried his face against his chest.

"When did you get back?" Byakuya whispered into the wild orange hair.

"Late in the afternoon." Ichigo muttered, inhaling the vampire's scent deeply, a fake cough drew their attention back to the others in the room, Ichigo smiled then moved over to Yumichika. "So what was her name?"

"Yachiru." Yumichika said holding her in a way that asked if Ichigo wanted to hold her, biting his lip Ichigo nodded and reached out, Yumichika guided his arms to the way he needed to hold her then handed the baby to him. "Mind her head now."

"She's so tiny," Ichigo said smiling down at the little half breed that was cooing up at him.

"Isn't she beautiful?" Yumichika asked, closing his eyes and leaning back against the couch.

"She is, Yumichika why aren't you in bed yet? You should still be in bed, you gave birth to her only two days ago." The vampire shook his head.

"I haven't seen you in a month Ichigo, what do you expect." Yumichika opened his eyes and smiled.

"I'm not going anywhere Yumichika." Ichigo assured then handed Yachiru to Ikkaku, he felt Byakuya come up behind him before he felt arms wrap around his neck.

"That's right, I'm not letting him go anywhere." Byakuya agreed smiling at the younger vampire.

"Man never thought I'd miss Bya smiling." Nnoitra said shaking his head.

"You told me that the two of you are as close as me and Ichigo are, he's like your brother, of course you'd hate seeing him sad." Grimmjow said smiling up at the vampire practically wrapped around him.

"Hey Byakuya promised me a vacation when Ichigo returned, how 'bout goin' to some tropical island with me." Nnoitra wrapped and arm around Grimmjow's shoulder.

"When did I promise you a vacation?" Byakuya asked his face buried in Ichigo's neck, the demon was as red as a tomato at this point.

"The day before Yachiru was born."

"I don't remember this."

"Then you said you'd issue a personal formal apology to the help, seeing as you were so rude with them after the demon prince here disappeared." Ichigo growled at this point before settling into a quiet whimper.

"If you told Nnoitra you'd give him a vacation and said that you'd issue a personal apology to the help then you should do it." Ichigo murmured, before pulling away from the vampire lord, he smiled at the growl he got.

"I don't remember telling Nnoitra that he could have a vacation."

"You did Lord Kuchiki." Yumichika spoke up, opening his eyes to watch the scene before him. "I was witness, before I went into labor anyway." He smiled when Ikkaku handed Yachiru back to him. "I'm gonna go and rest." He said kissing his mate, hugging Ichigo. "I'm glad you're finally back." Letting go of Ichigo he left the room, Ikkaku watching as he went a frown marring his features.

"Go Ikkaku, be with your mate." Ichigo said smiling then nodding at the questioning look he received. "It's okay, Grimmjow is here and I don't think Byakuya will let anything happen to me, besides that I've become quite an skilled fighter in the last month."

"How is that possible?"

"Let's just say I trained with a strong teacher." Ichigo said glaring slightly, Byakuya was the only one that didn't know of his life as Shiba Karin. "I hope that she will train me again someday." Ikkaku nodded and left the parlor.