CHAPTER THREE:

Radditsu was floating or flying, he really couldn’t really tell which. He was in a strange garden with flowers so exotic he could barely recognize them. Rounding a corner, he came face to face with the most sparkling lake he had ever seen. Gasping at the beauty of it, he was very surprised to see who came out of it.

“Kayla?” He called out in bemusement. His brother’s mate was dressed in a pure white she’olai gown. On her hair was a crown of wild flowers, on her hand, the very same-jeweled headband that he had worn on his Sai’joun. She floated towards him and gently placed a light kiss on his forehead, before placing the headband around his head.

“Kayla? What is going on? Where am I?” He asked frantically. Kayla gave him a small smile and then gently nudged him towards the lake. Nearly falling into it, he stared in growing horror at the faces that shimmered before him. He could see his father and mother and Kakkarrot all smiling and waving at him. Feeling a small smile tug on his face, he watched as the picture began shifting, watching as his father’s head was suddenly tied with the red headband that he normally wore whenever he went for battle.

 ~ Oh, no…father. ~

He watched as Kakkarrot’s cheerful face, suddenly went into a concentrated frown, before flaring into the glorious golden color of a Super Saiyan.

~ Kakkarrot…you are…Za’ani! ~

The two males shifted away from the female in the middle and with a puff of air, they vanished out of sight, leaving Laetha alone. To Radditsu’s horror, he watched as his mother seemed to age right before his very eyes. Her strong body suddenly became wrinkled. Her long jet-black hair seemed to melt into pure whiteness.

~ No! Ma’un!! ~

He tried to reach into the lake, but was stunned as the image shifted into that of his mate.

~ Saida! ~

Saida, whose back was turned, spun around slowly to face him with a grin on her face. On her arms was a little boy, whose hair was turning out to be just like his father’s. Radditsu felt a lump stuck in his throat as he watched his mate and son wave at him.

~ Ahh…Saida…if only…What?! ~

He watched, as the waters seemed to get murky. Saida and his son were now being tugged away by someone or something.

“No…no…come back!” He cried out hoarsely.

 Whatever it was swallowed them whole and there was nothing left but a growing stain of red that was beginning to change the color of the lake.

“No! No! Saida!!” He screamed as he reached into the lake, only to have a hand, clasp tightly around his neck in a chokehold. Gasping and squirming for air, he watched as his jeweled headband fell into the murky lakes, getting lost in the depths for all eternity. “Let me go…I have to save….”

“Saida!!” He screamed out, as a slap rang out sharply across his face. Holding a hand to his burning cheek, he glared at the face in front of him.

“Stop with your whining. No one is going to save you now, especially not that mate of yours.”

“What have you done to me?” Radditsu asked, noticing his state of undress within the blankets in a room that was clearly not his. “Where am I? And who are you?”

A harsh laugh burst out from the cloaked figure. “I am still surprised that you have not figured that out yet, Radditsu.” And with a flourish, the cloak was removed; revealing a face that was so familiar that Radditsu was stunned into speechlessness.

“Surprised, Radditsu?” The Saiyan said softly, as he leaned towards the shocked younger. Darting out a tongue and licking the side of his neck, the rough voice continued. “Ahi , I guessed you would be. Everyone thought that I was done with, ne?”

Radditsu tried to speak, to throw him off, but he seemed paralyzed again. This…this…Saiyan was doing something to him and he couldn’t quite place it…

“Uhh…” He moaned out softly as his nipples were suddenly pinched tightly.

“Oh, Radditsu.” The other continued, now kissing and making his way down the muscled chest. “You are my life source. I have needed the blood of kin to restore me back to my full strength and what luck to have found you. Ahi , Radditsu, you are my aphrodisiac and I need you.”

And in a swift move, the Saiyan bit sharply into Radditsu’s thigh, drinking the rich tasting blood hungrily, as Radditsu screamed out in pain. He watched as the strong hands began to slowly stroke his turgid flesh in swift strokes, making him buck up sharply and hiss in his breath at the dual sensation of pain and pleasure. The bloodsucker increased his slurping noises and stroked harder, watching through hooded eyes as the longhaired Saiyan danced in wild abandon on the sheets.

“Ahhh!! Za’ani !! I am cuming!!” Radditsu yelled out, feeling his vision disappear as he felt his explosion arriving.

“Yes…nu kin’tai . Come for me…”

And with a final squeeze on his strained organ, Radditsu bellowed out his release as the sticky essence splashed across the strong hands, thighs and stomach of his tremor-wracked body. He felt the amazing tongue lick across his body, making sure that every white drop was completely eliminated. Feeling his eyes get heavy, he watched as the Saiyan drew up to him again and this time captured his parted lips in a bruising kiss. He could taste the combination of his blood and semen on the mouth above him and with a groan; he increased the intensity of the kiss, bucking up to grind himself against the strong body upon him.

Releasing each other and panting for air, the Saiyan whispered softly against the well-shaped ear, biting it gently,

“You belong to me now, Radditsu. Your entire body and soul, do you understand?”

“Ahi .” Radditsu muttered weakly, “I am yours for the taking, Turles.”

-*-*-*-*-*-

Bardock could make out the mountains now and with an increased bust of energy, he sped towards them. Although he was tired from his flying, he felt his body tingle with excitement as he approached his destination. He had missed being with his fellow renegades, especially with Azusa. The thrill of battle thrummed in his veins and it was taking all of his energy not to whoop for joy at the freedom again. Looking down, he could make out a few Saiyans that were standing guard at the top of some mountains, each of them pointing and waving at him with barely concealed excitement. Grinning wildly, he landed in a large clearing as he watched some of them approach him cautiously.

“Is it really you, Bardock?” One of them asked, staring at him with slight awe. The great renegade, Bardock, was actually here in their midst, after years and years of waiting.

“Ahi , young one.” Bardock replied, rustling the young Saiyans head. Walking towards a cave, he asked, “Where are the others?”

“Right here, Bardock.” came the familiar deep voice that sent his pulses racing again. Raising his head up, he took in the sight of the only Saiyan that could keep up with him. Smiling softly, the handsome warrior leapt down from his perch on the top slopes and walked towards his best friend. Staring at each other for several long minutes, unaware of the growing crowd of wa’zuai around them, Bardock finally found his voice.

“I have come…”

“Ahi , Bardock.” Azusa replied, his eyes shining brightly with undisguised joy. “I knew you would come. We have waited a long time for you.”

~ I have waited a long time, nu ra’hi . ~

~ So have I, nu wa’zua . ~

“Come with us. Let us show you around and our plans for attack.” Azusa said, placing strong hands across his shoulders. “The sooner we begin, the better for us all, ne?”

“Ahi .” Bardock answered, grinning as the happy cheer rose up around him.

~ Finally, I have come home. ~

-*-*-*-*-*-

Ha’j  Vegeta stripped out of his armor and body suit, his tail wagging behind him in self-accomplishment. The meeting with the Lords had gone better than he had expected. By this time, next month, the three quadrants would have assembled a large army of wa’zuai, to be headed by Nappa of course, in their raid to defeat Frieza. The rebellion had been squashed in the East and everything was looking up. Grinning wildly as he stepped into the large ornate bathtub, he sighed softly as he allowed the swirling waters to caress his tired body.

~ Things couldn’t possibly be going any better…~

~ And what makes you think that, Vegeta? ~

Vegeta sat up right in the tub as his father’s angry voice echoed loudly in his head.

~ Pa’un …what… ~

~ You heard me! What makes you so confident and sure about everything?! ~

~ Father…surely you have seen the way Nappa and his men destroyed and captured the rebels… ~

~ Is that so? Since when did Nappa’s word become the final say so? Hmm, Vegeta? ~

~ But…~

~ Have you gone to the east to see for yourself?! ~

~ No…~

~ Every body knows that a good King must see to it that what ever is done to his kingdom must be totally and completely carried out! Did you do that, Vegeta?! ~

~ I would have…~

~ You would have! Excuses! Excuses! All the time!! What sort of a King did I raise you up to be?! ~

Vegeta mumbled something beneath his breath that sounded close to ‘a much better one than you turned out to be’, when his father’s voice rang out again.

~ I heard that! And that will not save you either! ~

Vegeta bared his teeth, his anger growing with each condescending word.

~ You have to go to the east and see what is going on there, Vegeta! See for yourself if the rebellion has been squashed completely! Then and only then, can you rest in your self-confidence! ~

~ I will, father. ~

~ Remember son; you must never underestimate the power of the enemy. Do not think that the Ba’an  will rest in silence. They long for your throat and they are determined to get it! Destroy them all if you have to, but never forget to be on your guard at all times!! Understand?! ~

~ Yes, father. ~

Vegeta sagged back limply against the tub, his earlier feelings of self-assurance gone. He didn’t want to go to the East. He would have done anything to escape going back there, for deep in his mind and heart he knew that the one person that he would have to face, would be the very person that would and could bring him down with just three words.

~ And let us not forget that you betrayed his trust, Vegeta. Ahi , Kakkarrot…I have betrayed your trust. ~

Staring out of the large windows blankly, he felt the painful twist in his heart again. Like a knife into his soul, he had stabbed Kakkarrot as well, destroying the most important night of his life. Closing his eyes, he debated silently within himself. Dare he go to the East and face the wrath of a very angry people or stay here and mobilize the remaining quadrants for Freiza?

~ No…I will stay here. I do not have to listen to father anymore. He is dead and this is my time and I will rule this kingdom the way it was meant to be. ~

And stepping out of the tub, Ha’j  Vegeta set off to try to change the course of history.