The Tyrant's Pet

Throughout the dinner, Dexter willingly informed Aries of the general details of the relationship between vampires and witches. From the information she had collected, witches and vampires apparently had the same origins. Although witches and warlocks such as Isaiah were biologically human, they weren't livestock, vampires would want to devour.

Dexter didn't clarify anything regarding Aries's gift or curse, but he asserted it was a dangerous power to wield. Unlike vampires — turned ones, in particular — who had to sacrifice their means of survival by drinking blood, witches make more sacrifices in each powerful spell they cast.

Each spell, especially ancient and black magic, could harm even its own caster.

Aries understood Dexter's worry that her interest in witchcraft could lead to her own death. But it wasn't like Aries had planned to blindly and stubbornly put herself in such a complicated situation. After all, despite all that talk regarding the relationship between witches and vampires, Dexter didn't give her direct answers to her questions.

"Maleficent..." she whispered, hugging her knees while deep in a hot tub. "A powerful witch."

Aries snapped her eyes and glanced at the fading body art on her body. A deep sigh slipped past her lips, resting her forehead on her knees.

"There are so many questions..." she grumbled in distress, feeling her head throb at the information filling her head. "... and barely have answers."

Aries grunted before she stretched her limbs, resting her arms over the rims while reclining leisurely. She gazed at the ceiling before shaking her head and splashing water on her face.

"Doesn't matter!" she cheered, huffing in determination. "My brother is right. I just returned and shouldn't bother with things like this for now!"

Her expression grew firm, allowing her stiff muscles from that long journey to relax. It had been a hectic year for her. Ever since disembarking from the Haimirich to the Maganti empire, Aries barely had rest. After all, Abel didn't give her a break on her way to the Maganti Empire. Although he barely touched her on their way back, being on the road all day long was still a hassle.

Not to mention, Aries never stopped scheming during her stay in the Maganti Empire. Everyone in that land just never lost energy with their schemes, and she couldn't rest a day since resting means falling a step behind them. Joaquin was a smart person, and there was never a time for her to relax even for a minute.

"I should really use this time to replenish my energy..." her lips stretched wider, nodding in understanding. "My head throbs with all this otherworldly information. I thought witches and vampires weren't real, so I really need to take my time learning these sorts of stuff."

With that thought in mind, Aries slowly focused on enjoying this leisure of bathing without worrying about what to happen the second she step outside the bathroom. She wasn't in the Maganti Empire anymore and was back in the safety of the marquess's estate.

"I wonder when will Gertrude arrive. I should prepare her a feast as well." Her lips stretched into a grin before she cleaned her body herself since she didn't feel the need for the servant's presence.

Aries took her precious time cleaning even the tip of her nails while humming a tune. When she was done, the servants outside helped her dry her body and have a change of clothes into a more comfortable nightdress. As they did so, she couldn't help but chuckle seeing the worry in the servants' eyes upon seeing the scars across her body.

Although Aries had been recuperating for over a month now, the wounds she inflicted during the revolt hadn't completely healed. However, they wouldn't open up again. Still, Abel wanted her in her best shape before touching her, worried her body would break or she would experience fatigued once he unleashed the beast within him.

"I'm alright. You don't have to look at me as if I'm dying," she reassured the servants, only to see them look back at her with teary eyes. "Uh... I'm going to sleep."

Aries chuckled awkwardly as the servants didn't pry and helped her return to her chambers. They kept their silence, but their eyes were screaming, <strong>'how could they do this to our lady?' </strong>— or at least, that was what Aries had assumed. The servants lit up a few candles enough to make her room dim and cozy.

When they finally left her chambers, another deep exhale slipped past her lips. Sitting on the edge of the mattress, she glanced at the tea the servant served her to soothe her mind from whatever trauma she carried from the Maganti.

"If only they knew I left all my trauma back there..." came out a murmur, but she couldn't stop herself from smiling subtly. "It feels different."

In the Maganti Empire, the servants also serviced her with everything they could to please her. However, there wasn't a time she remembered any of them tearing up in her stead. If anything, they feared her because they should.

"Ahh..." Aries collapsed on her back with a grin on her face. "How nice."

She fluttered her eyelashes ever so tenderly, spreading her arms wide on the bed. A giggle slipped past her lips as her eyes squinted with joy.

"It's really nice to be back here," she muttered happily. "I might still carry Daniella's name, but that doesn't matter. I sort of like it."

Aries giggled once more before her smile slightly faded. "Now that I think about it... I haven't known Daniella. Brother never mentioned her that much, but well, I should pry next time. For now, I will enjoy a good sleep — ah...! My soft bed~!"

Aries rolled around the bed, clutching the soft blanket and the refreshing scent that wafted her nose. She focused on spending quality time with herself that she has nearly forgotten about her sadness when she parted ways with Abel. Soon enough, Aries eventually fell asleep without covering herself with the quilt, as she was hugging it instead.

As the night fell deeper, the doors of the balcony opened from the outside. Abel's shadow immediately stretched towards the bed. His eyes fell on the person on a bed, and a shallow breath slipped past his lips.

"And here I thought she was crying her heart out for missing her husband," came out a mumbled, stepping into the faint light from the candelabra, revealing him in his nightwear. Abel perched on the edge of the mattress. His eyes went from her face, down to her curved body, and exposed knees and feet.

He reached out for her knees, snapping his eyes up to see if she had woken up. The side of his lips curled up deviously as he crawled over, lying beside her, while his other hand slipped under her skirt and slowly crawled up her thigh. His hand stopped when Aries slowly opened her eyes.

"Welcome back, Abel," her voice was rasped, extending her arms for a hug. "Hug?"

His expression grew dull as he sighed but still moved closer until her arms wrapped around his neck. "I don't want to sleep."

"I'm tired, Abel." She mumbled, returning to her sleep now that she knew he had returned to her arms. "I need to recover quickly."

"I'll be quick."

"Shh…" Aries sniffed the scent of his neck and smiled. "I don't want quick." — meaning, she would rather hold back now like they had done for the past month than settle for a quick night of passion.

And with a heavy heart, Abel kept grinding his teeth until he eventually fell asleep with Aries in his arms.