Chapter 2 2: Cassian Nightshade
Cassian Nightshade.
That beautiful, lying bastard.
I might not remember most of my past… But I remembered him.
The words I once said with pride: "I would choose Cassian as my lover in every lifetime." Became ash before I knew it.
Every promise. Every kiss. Every betrayal. Every pain.
How could I possibly forget?
My eyes snapped open. I lay under a heavy duvet in the dark room, my torn clothes changed into a loose tunic and… just underwear.
What the fuck?
Before I could react, another scent and a hand on my waist froze me.
Cassian, that motherfucker. How dare he?
He was sleeping soundly beside me, embracing me from behind.
Cursing him internally, gritting my teeth, my eyes scanned around only to find a knife with an apple.
Cautiously taking the knife, I shot a death-glare at the evil man next to me.
Silent as a predator, I flung the covers aside, climbed over Cassian’s body, straddling his torso, sitting on top of him.
The warmth of his skin, the powerful rise and fall of his chest, did nothing to cool the storm in my soul this time.
“You-” Hissing, I pointed the knife at his heart.
But before the tip could break skin, his arm shot out with lightning speed. His large hand clamped around my wrist.
“Tsk, tsk, Darling,”
His fingers tightened, opening one eye. He was wide awake all this time.
“Is that how you greet your old lover?”
“You… asshole!”
He chuckled huskily, indulging the position where I was on top of him.
Since my body was weakened due to rejection, I couldn’t push him.
Giving him the opportunity to roughly snatch the knife and throw it away.
“I haven’t forgotten what you did to me, Cassian! I will never forgive you for that order!”
“You're only this angry because you loved me.”
My gaze darkened, resenting his touch, grabbing his shirt roughly, pressing him harder onto the sheets.
“You are not my lover… not anymore,” I replied, breathless from anger.
“If not me, then who?” His smirk deepened. “Ethel? The one who just rejected you?”
My eyes widened. The taunt burned more than I could perceive.
“...How do you know about that?”
A husky chuckle escaped him, scanning my baffled form with pure amusement.
“I heard the rumors.”
Rumors?
My humiliation had spread that quickly?
His amusement faded into something quieter, knuckles dragging across my shoulders.
“So…” He tilted his head. “What happened? Why did he throw you out so ruthlessly?”
I looked away, swallowing the bitterness threatening to rise again.
“He… accused me of stealing the Elder Scrolls.” I mumbled, the painful moment flashing before my eyes.
Cassian's expression didn't change.
Instead, he asked one simple question.
“Did you?”
“What?”
“Did you steal them?”
“What kind of stupid question is that?” I snapped, glaring at him.
“No. Obviously not!” I jerked my wrist from his grip. “Why would I steal the very scrolls I spent years protecting?”
His crimson eyes searched mine for several long seconds. Narrowing gradually before releasing a long exhale.
“...I figured.”
“You believed me?” I asked in disbelief.
“I know you. That is not something you will steal. They are of no use, for you at least.” He shrugged
His answer caught me off guard. Something tightened painfully inside my chest.
He still knew me...
Then why?
Why had he betrayed me before? Why didn’t he believe in me before?
“Oh? Now you believe me?”
“This and that are different.”
I pushed my hair behind, barely able to contain the anger inside. My hands were trembling.
“You must be overwhelmed. Here, drink some water.”
I glared but eventually sighed and chugged the water.
He continued staring intensely, wiping the spilled water with the back of his palm.
“So, tell me, do you still remember me?” He chuckled, leading the hand down to my chest with raised brows.
“My Ethereal Huntress.”
“Enough to remember what you did to your Huntress.”
“I merely delivered justice, Darling.”
“By exiling me from my own country?” I counter-questioned.
“It was the right decision.”
“I paid heavily for this.”
“Was it worse than the rejection from Ethel?”
I went silent. My mouth hung open along with the retort.
He smirked at the way my face fell. Holding my chin, forcing me to maintain eye-contact.
“Hmm? Tell me?”
I almost grabbed his collar but stopped mid-air, shrinking my eyes at him because the answer to his question was right before me.
But, he failed to see through me and continued the mockery.
“What? Cooled down already? I was prepared for a death battle.”
“What other choices do I have, dammit?”
I averted my gaze, pulling back slowly as he watched me with sudden seriousness.
We slowly sat up. I stared at my hands. The past and present flashed.
Cassian's order.
Ethel’s rejection.
I couldn’t fall from grace over and over again. I needed power. And there was only one asshole who could help me.
I glared from the corner of my eyes, “Cassian….”
“Hmm?”
“I don't want to beg anymore.”
“And?”
“I don't want people looking at me the way they did in Deadlands.”
“And?”
He waited for me to speak what 'he' wanted to hear.
“Help me.” I admitted.
It felt like a surrender but I must swallow this sour pill.
“I don’t want to be weak or run away anymore.”
He let out a quiet sigh, studying me for a long moment before showing a dark smirk.
“Looks like the Deadlands finally broke your pride.”
“Yes. It did.”
"That's why, help me regain all my memories, Cassian, I want Ethel to regret losing me,” I demanded sternly.
“Sure.”
He caught my wrist before I could pull away. His crimson eyes locked onto mine, trapping me where I sat.
“But, If you want your memories…”
His thumb slowly brushed across my pulse.
“If you want your revenge…”
A dangerous smile curved his lips, placing a definitive kiss on my wrist.
“Then come back to me, Valoria.”
I blinked, “...What?”
“Become my lover. Again.”
