Chapter 15 - Tamed

"Don't touch me." Aries slapped the hand that was reaching for her weakly. "I... I don't feel good."

She looked away, breathing heavily while clutching the sheet closer to her chest. She was sick, very sick. And this man... this man dared barge into this room where he was caging her for a reason she already knew.

"So what if you're sick?" came out a mocking question, making her gaze ahead to face the man. Her room was dark, having only the moon shining from the small window as their source of light. But even with the dimness, she could see his smirk clearly.

"Aries, until when will you think you are that pure, untainted princess? Hmm?" he inquired sarcastically, leering at her. "When, in fact, you are nothing but a toy who I use whenever and wherever I please."

A chuckle slipped past her lips, looking at him with eyes full of ridicule. "Is that supposed to make me cry?" her eyes glinted when he suddenly grabbed her jaw, covering her lips with his palm.

And yet, despite the terrible condition of her burning body, her eyes glinted with nothing but hatred. Two years. She had been battling this man for two years. Even Aries didn't know why she kept on pressing his nerves when she already knew she couldn't fight him. But... submission never crossed her head. Over her dead body.

The man sighed and let out a short chuckle. "Oh, Aries. When will you learn? Or... is this a tactic? To go against me to keep my attention?"

"Over my dead body," came out a muffled retaliation, making his grip tighten. The next second, he pinned her down and crawled on top of her. As usual, she flung her arms to fight back, but to no avail. He simply held her wrist over her head, planting his knee on her thigh while biting her neck.

Aries gritted her teeth, wriggling her body for yet another hopeless struggle. But nothing. No matter what she did, no matter how loud she yelled, and no matter how she cursed this man... no one would come to her rescue.

"Disgusting," she whispered, looking away to hide the tear that spilled from her eye. "You... disgust me."

*

"Disgusting..."

Abel cocked his head, blinking cluelessly while watching her whisper in her sleep. He was sitting on the bed beside her with his legs crossed in front of him, elbows on his thigh, cupping his cheek.

"Are you, perhaps, dreaming of me?" he asked at the sleeping Aries, but she simply grunted. He frowned as her face wrinkled, experiencing a terrible nightmare. She looked in pain, clutching the end of the pillow.

A shallow breath slipped past his lips, gravitating if he should wake her up or let her suffer. Well, it was not like waking up didn't mean another nightmare. Also, Conan told him to let her rest unless he truly planned for her to die. So he was behaving for hours now.

"Mhm..." she grunted, panting as she broke out in sweats.

"You should wake up if your nightmare is that bad." He rolled his eyes, frown growing worse by the second. "Darling, let's play. I'll be kind."

He slid his foot forward, poking her arm with his toe lightly. He poked her a couple more times, but nothing. Aries would still grunt, pant, and shake lightly.

A deep sigh escaped his nostrils, realizing these subtle actions wouldn't wake her up. He raised his hands, sporting a stance to push her off the bed. However, he stopped when his palm was an inch away from her because Conan's warning hovered over his head.

"How do I punish Conan?" he wondered, quirking a brow when her muttering grew louder.

"No... no, no, no... not them... stop..."

Abel snapped his tongue. This sort of sight didn't particularly entertain him. So he raised his hand to wake her up but stopped midway when her eyes suddenly popped open, gasping.

"It's not me," he said, keeping his hand in front of her. "I behaved."

Aries narrowed her eyes to see clearer in the dark. When she heard his words, it somehow sounded different. It was not Abel whom she heard, but rather someone close to her heart. Someone who would spew those types of words.

A subtle smile appeared on her face, raising her hand towards the hand that was hovering over her. She slipped her fingers in between the gaps of his fingers, making him arch his brows.

"You're here?" she whispered, heaving a sigh of relief while blinking weakly.

Pleased, Abel carefully wrapped his fingers around her hand. "Yes. I'm here." He bent over, shaking their hands sideways.

"I returned because I changed my mind on my way to hell." The corner of his lips stretched proudly. "You know what why? I was thinking it was more fun playing with you than with them."

That was actually not entirely true, but he was thinking of Aries on his way to the place he was heading. Her complexion last night was not good, after all. And he was correct. Aries was already running a fever the second he returned.

A soft chuckle slipped past her lips as she closed her eyes, laying on her side. "Come here." She weakly patted the side of the bed, inviting him to lie beside her.

"Ah?" Abel smacked his lips and happily obliged. To his surprise, as soon as he laid down beside her, Aries wrapped her arms around him. She squeezed herself to him, catching him off guard for the second time in a short time.

"Darling, aren't you the sweetest? I had no idea you missed me this much!" he intoned, pleased, as he wrapped his arms around her. He was already used to women seducing him until he felt like puking. But Aries's actions were different. It was more like... a pet finally acting tamed. This put him in a good mood as he believed he was exceptional, even in training a pet without trying.

She breathed heavily, smiling in relief. "Mhm. I really miss you, you have no idea..." his smile stretched broader, but it was short-lived upon hearing her next words.

".... Alaric."