Lethal Combination

CHAPTER 10

Upon waking up, Ainsdale felt like her head had been hammered well. Like it was hit with a metal bat a few times that it didn't have any other choice but to throb painfully and make her day miserable the second she opened her eyes. Her ears were ringing - the sounds around her were blending in together, making it incoherent, and her eyesight was blurry in a way that she knew she could see something but couldn't comprehend what it was she was seeing. It's like all of her senses don't want to cooperate with each other. She already expected that she'd suffer the repercussions of her present situation due to the drug flagrare which is still circulating in her system after what happened between her and Alessio last night, but she didn't expect it would be this excruciatingly painful and for the first time she almost wanted to cry. She didn't want to act vulnerable even though she felt like she was, so she bit her lip and willed her tears to not flow out from her tear ducts.

She could feel a stabbing pain in her shoulder, like a combat knife being stabbed and pulled and then stabbed again in the same spot, where the darkened veins seemed to have multiplied again - almost covering her upper left shoulder like an ugly mark. She tried her hardest not to tear up as she controlled her breathing, but the pain she was feeling all over her body couldn't be compared to anything she had ever felt before. It was like she had been shot a few times and the bullet burned her wounds to the point that she wanted to scream, something she had never once experienced until that moment. It made her want to just die right there, but at the same time, she couldn't. She could not only feel the pain physically but mentally as well, as if life was trying to curse her for some reason. She tried to divert her thoughts away from her present situation but the painful feeling made her turn back to the beginning.

"Buongiorno signorina! (Good morning, miss!) Are you alright?"

Ainsdale glanced at the woman. If she hadn't greeted her, she wouldn't even be aware of her presence in the room when only a few months back, she could clearly hear the smallest sound and immediately feel the presence of another person at a certain radius even while she was asleep. The woman was wearing a maid's uniform and it took her all to concentrate on her just so she could clearly see her. Worry is written in the young maid's eyes as she looks at her, not knowing what to do to help her in her present state. She remembered her name was Rhia. She had been attending to her and assisting her with everything she might need during her stay at the manor since the first time she woke up in the room which she and Alessio turned upside down and painted with blood last night before she was transferred to this beige room next to it and she herself had taken a liking to her. Rhia was kind and attentive and was good at her job and she didn't feel any animosity from her, which most of the maids feel every time they see her walking in the hallways or in the garden, ever since she arrived at the manor when she got kidnapped from ISR a few days ago.

"I'm fine, Rhia," Ainsdale whispered, but she knew she couldn't deceive the young maid's eyes because she certainly didn't look fine.

Her lips felt cracked and her eyes felt swollen like she just cried her heart out all night. Her throat feels dry and her hair is a mess. Her arms have patches of gauze smeared with blood and parts of her skin which have swelled into black and blue. She was exactly a disaster in the flesh at that moment. She knew she looked more miserable than she thought she was and she looked even paler than the day before. If she would only speak honestly, she felt like she'd been to hell and back. It wasn't even that long when she was bedridden for a few days after she underwent torture under Lucien's hands at the command of Alessio himself. She surely hadn't recovered yet from that experience and now this.

What did she even do to be suffering like this? Maybe it was retribution for the times she chose to kill a few innocents to save a hundred more in return.

Thinking about what she has been going through, it seems like fate and misfortune enjoyed torturing her the second flagrare was injected into her system, making her want to go back to the time when she decided to do this - pretend as Euphrosyne. She might choose to do things the other way around if ever it happened, but that would be like wishing for all the stars to fall, which is next to impossible. If she had let everything stay the way that it is, maybe she'd be a little more at peace compared to her situation right now.

"C'è qualcosa di cui ha bisogno, signorina? (Is there anything you need, miss?)"

She shook her head 'no' but that mere action caused her to feel more dizzier, which made her curse in silence. "Nessuno al momento. Grazie per avermelo chiesto. (None at the moment. Thank you for asking.)"

"Would you like me to bring your breakfast here?"

"That would be great. But can I ask for a chicken soup and arrost di picione?"

"Certainly, miss."

When the maid excused herself, Ainsdale remained sitting in her bed because her surroundings looked like they were swirling. Her hand gently massaged her temple to ease the throbbing pain which seemed to be more persistent than the first time she felt it, rendering her unable to process anything well. Her alertness was gone and she herself knew that fact.

When the clearness of her eyesight returned and the throbbing pain in her head subsided, she decided to stand from the bed. But, the second she put her feet on the floor and stood up, it was only then that she felt her strength had left her completely. She couldn't even stand upright for a few seconds. Her bones felt like they never existed and her muscles had nothing else to support her weight. Before she could fall on the marbled floor with a thud, strong arms caught her with so much ease and gentleness and prevented her from falling.

"Damn it, that hurts!" A baritone voice cursed just above his breath at that moment but didn't let go of her nonetheless.

The scent of spice, pine and lime assaulted her nostrils, something that she knew only belonged to one individual. She looked up and saw ash-brown eyes looking down at her with concern.

"Stai bene, dianthus? (Are you alright, dianthus?)"

"Scion," she said as she held onto his arm carefully. "You shouldn't be catching a woman if you yourself are injured. Have you by any chance forgotten that you were shot last night?"

"How could I forget when the one who shot me without remorse was you? A dire il vero, penso che lo sognerò per un po'. (To tell you the truth, I think I'll be dreaming about it for a while.)"

She chuckled. "Touché."

Even though his whole body was aching, too, Alessio assisted her carefully and had her sit back on the bed. Before Ainsdale could process everything that was happening around her, she inhaled and held her breath completely when he made their forehead touch without a word. He chuckled at her reaction, especially when her now caramel brown eyes, which used to be gray just a minute before, widened in surprise. Her eyes really do change color.

"Respirare, narciso. Quindi, morirai dal soffocamento. (Breathe, daffodil. Hence, you will die from suffocation.) It will be my new record of kill then."

And so she did, but stayed in her position nonetheless because Alessio didn't look like he'd back away any second. "Is this how you check someone's temperature normally?" She asked while staring at him straight in the eye.

"It's actually the first. You should be thankful."

"Thanks," she retorted immediately, though it lacked the sincerity it should have been accompanied with thus, Alessio laughed as he backed away from her, but his eyes remained watching her. He noted every movement she made: her fingers curling with each other, her eyes looking from here to there and that simple thing she did when she raised her hand and tucked the strands of her hair behind her ear.

She looked delicate even though she is a wild cat whose fangs are completely hidden behind her lips. She looked vulnerable even though she is nothing but that. She's a beautiful angel even though her wings are black and she seemed harmless even though she's not.

He is feeling light. Like that moment is peaceful, as if he was up in the clouds and he is enjoying every second of it. He doesn't find their nonsense conversation irritating. In fact, he wanted to prolong it as long as he could. When was the last time he had wished to spend his time with a woman far longer than he should have? He thought for a moment and realized that it was during the time he spent with Euphrosyne back during the day he celebrated his twelfth birthday.

They may have the same face but their eyes aren't the same, for while Euphrosyne said that her eyes stayed a dull brown upon she reached adulthood, Ainsdale's eyes changed color every now and then depending on her surroundings without her even noticing it. Besides, Ainsdale's intelligence is way higher than Euphrosyne. The peacefulness he felt in Ainsdale's presence couldn't be compared to the vexation he felt at Euphrosyne's. If he had always wanted to try and kill his hateful fiancée back then, he intended to care and protect this woman in front of him right now. The great difference between the two was that he was ready to kill Euphrosyne without any second thoughts, while he was ready to keep Ainsdale safe even in exchange for his own life.

People might call him crazy and he will let them be. After all, he is aware that he is. That is why nobody of those who knew of his existence dared to cross him. Though, there are still some stupid individuals lingering around who have chosen to betray him every now and then and most of them end up basking in their own blood without any life left in their bodies. Did he regret killing them? No, certainly not.

He looked at her intently and she looked back at him without blinking. He smiled. He liked the way she challenged his authority because no women aside from her even dared to do that. Most of the women he knew either cowered away in fear when they irked the devil sleeping inside of him or tried to get onto his good graces by opening up their legs and letting him do whatever he wishes to do to them to quench his carnal needs.

Ainsdale. She makes him want to protect her just by standing there right in front of him. She tames his demons even without doing anything. In her presence he found the peace he had long since forgotten and in her smile he found the joy of being able to be the reason for it. But did she need protection? No, because she is very much capable of doing it on her own. She is so independent that she gives off the impression that she'll get by without a man standing by her side. But still, he still wanted to do all that and more.

Alessio didn't know anything about her aside from her name and her relationship with Aizen. And though he questions as to why he is keeping her by his side after learning that she was not the woman he despised, he is willing to overlook everything and start from scratch because he wanted to build something with her. He may have had his share of women before and even lately, but none of them made him feel what he was feeling for this woman. At first, he thought, it was only curiosity, because she was the only woman he could describe as both beautiful and deadly, the perfect combination of poison and an antidote. But there is one thing he is sure about. It was because she made him, a cruel and heartless man, feel.

Ainsdale looked away first but before she could ask him anything, he said something that didn't surprise her anymore.

"You have a fever."

"Yeah, it seems so. I guess this is one of the obvious results every time… you know, I over exert myself in defending myself."

He frowned. "I didn't plan to attack you last night."

"You entered my room at an ungodly hour looking literally bloody. What do you expect me to do?"

"I was hoping you were already asleep at that time."

"And what were you supposed to do if I was?"

He shrugged. "I don't know. Stare at you?"

She raised her eyebrows in question. "Why?"

"Curiosity."

She frowned. "It killed the cat, you know?"

"What?"

"Curiosity."

"Oh. But the cat has nine lives, so it's fine. It will come back from the dead to live another eight more. Besides, I'm a man. I won't be easily killed by mere curiosity."

"Yes, because you will get to be killed by me."

He smiled. "But I'm still alive."

When will he run out of reasons? "This is my room," she pointed out.

"And this is my house."

She gaped at him. How can he be so shameless? When she never said another word, Alessio even had the audacity to grin as if he had just won something. She was not aware they were fighting with words.

"I don't remember Khalil telling you you'd have a fever as one of the repercussions of the drug in your system," Alessio said after silence settled between them.

At first, he thought Ainsdale would not say a thing, but then eventually she did.

"Well, he didn't say anything about it actually."

"Didn't he just tell you you'd sleep longer than normal?"

She nodded. "Yes. But it's not like this is the first time. I was sick five days ago, remember?"

Alessio remembered it clearly. If one's talking about worse, her situation a few days ago is much worse than right now because she had to force herself to survive in a situation that doesn't favor her, unlike last night. But, he didn't want to be at ease because he knew that the more she exerted herself, the more dangerous her situation became. She may not look like it but she knew she was suffering more than before because the longer she has that drug in her system, the more her life is at risk. He stared at her for too long, which made her feel uncomfortable. Ainsdale feels like she is under a microscope and he is studying her ever so carefully, hoping he'd see something wrong other than the obvious.

"How are you?"

Ainsdale couldn't help herself but laugh at that. Shouldn't that question be asked first the second they see each other? But no, they joked about their situation first and the rest just followed as if they had been close friends for so long. Besides, they are acting like they didn't just try to kill each other last night.

"Hmmm, is my captor concerned about my life?"

"Yes."

"Does my attacker last night somehow feel guilty?"

He grimaced. She just had to have the upper hand, hadn't she? "Well, I am."

She smiled. Something which doesn't show hostility nor teasing. It looked so genuine and happy that it tugged at his heart for some reason. He wanted to see her smile that way so often.

Damn it! He is aware that he is being greedy any second that he's with her and he is letting himself be that way. He didn't want to restrain anything when it came to her and he didn't even know her that much yet.

"I'll hold out," she vaguely answered, something he did not expect to hear.

He couldn't help himself but think. Most women would answer "I'm fine" even though they are not, but Ainsdale chose to answer in a way which did not state that she was fine, so he could consider that she really wasn't. But, it also did not state that she wouldn't die from it, so there's a probability that she would when they least expected it.

It was the first time that he ever cared about a woman. But the reality that there's a chance that he is going to loose her is something which he did not want to accept nor think about. He is a selfish man. He won't hand her over to the grim reaper if it comes knocking on his door, no matter what it takes. If he needs to overturn the Brovinos who had a hand in the production of flagrare, he will do so until their family has been reduced to a mere speck of dust to get the neutralizer for Ainsdale. They may not have it in their possession, but he was sure as hell that they knew where it was and he was going to know where, no matter what it took.

"Do you want to visit Dr. Petrakis at the hospital he works at today?" He glanced down at the woman whose movements were limited because she still felt a little dizzy from whatever it was that was making her feel it. "I mean are you even able to travel?"

"You're asking me? You're the one who is handicapped," Ainsdale answered as she pointed at his hand in a sling.

He shrugged like it was not a problem at all. "We have Lucien or his twin Luca to drive us. We can just call either one of them. So do you want to consult Khalil? You know, just to make sure about what is happening to you. He said he'd come back home immediately if I told him you're awake but then he'd need to go back to the hospital again afterwards. I can't call him back here since he just left not too long ago to report to the hospital he works in. He'll only be here tonight after his clock out at eleven so we really needed to give him a visit today. "

"Sure. Besides, I needed a change of scenery. The manor and the garden is beautiful, believe me, but I keep seeing flashbacks that don't belong to me."

"What do you mean doesn't belong to you?"

"Because I don't remember having it as a childhood memory."

Alessio's heart thumped. "What do you mean?"

"It was you as a child, Scion. With a girl you keep calling flower names."

At that moment, Alessio almost choked on his own breath but he did not say anything. Ainsdale said she's looking for answers, and now she's saying she's having flashbacks about a memory which he owned and shared with little Euphrosyne. Could she be…

Ainsdale stared at Alessio and for a second she could tell he went pale at what she had just uttered. For anyone who knew him, they will surely think he had changed to a complete three-sixty degree. And if she didn't know any better, she would certainly start to think he was being kind because he wanted something in return. Besides, he is not the kind of man who will do something without gaining anything from it. Unknowingly, Ainsdale had her guard up and it didn't escape Alessio's observant eyes.

"Sei gentile. (You're being kind.)"

"Sì. (Yes)," he answered without even trying to deny it while looking at her straight in the eye.

For someone like Ainsdale who chased danger by putting her own safety on the line, being straightforward is the only way for her to believe him. Beating around the bush would only make her doubt him more. If she is looking for answers through him, he will also start looking for answers with regards to his own questions through her brother Aizen. The siblings know something and if he is in the middle of it, he is going to find out what it is.

"Why? Non sono nemmeno euphrosyne e non sono nemmeno quella euphrosyne. (I'm not even Euphrosyne and I'm not that Euphrosyne either.)"

Alessio smiled at her tenderly before he gently tucked her stray hair behind her ear. "I know. And believe me, that makes a lot of difference as to why I'm treating you differently."

"Is it because I'm Aizen's sister?"

Alessio thought for a second. That fact has got something to do with it, but at the same time, it has got nothing to do with it in general. He tried to stay away, didn't he? Because he was supposed to kill her but he couldn't. He, himself, knew he felt something for Ainsdale. He started to feel it even before he confirmed his doubt that she was a completely different woman. It is something no other woman was able to make him feel aside from the girl he met back when he was twelve years old. Care and affection. Ainsdale was able to extract every emotion he had tried to ignore and bury deep within his heart and even though it was making him vulnerable at times, he accepted it all with open arms. He doesn't only lust after her because, deep in his heart, he is starting to fall for her after he admitted to himself that he cared for this woman right in front of him.

"No."

"If we didn't try to kill each other, would you treat me this way?"

"No, certainly not. Because I'd still be thinking you're that hateful woman."

"What makes me different? I am still a woman with the same face as your fiancée."

"Mia cara, se tu fossi in lei, saresti già morto (My dear, if you were her, you'd be dead by now)," he caressed her face and she unknowingly leaned into his touch, so he smiled down at her softly. "You are still alive, peony. That says a lot of things, especially when I'm concerned. It is what makes you different."

Ainsdale remained speechless. Alessio had his own way with words and it's a combination of threatening and flirting at the same time. Is this how he gets those women into his bed willingly while regretting it the next day?

"Oh, before I forget, your mom called."

Ainsdale's eyes grew wide as she received the gadgets Alessio had been handing her at that moment.

"You... talked to her?" She wondered why her heart thumped in nervousness.

Alessio nodded. "Your phone kept ringing and AVII told me it was your mom. At that moment, I felt like I had to receive the call. Should I have ignored it instead?"

"No, it's fine. What did you two talk about?" Instead of looking at the man who decided to sit beside her, she busied herself in checking her watch and phone for any possible messages she missed while Alessio had them in his custody for a few days.

She read that she received a few messages from Lewis updating her regarding the ones who were involved in Black Lake incident, while there are some that updated her with regards to Stefano's whereabouts while tracking the neutralizer she needed to survive. She'll need to contact Lewis soon, her brother next and her cousin Sage afterwards.

"Your mom wished to see us tonight at dinner."

She whisked her head so fast that she felt like her neck cracked for a second. "What?!"

"Something about you introducing me as your fiancé."

"How the hell did you two end up talking about that?"

Alessio smiled like a boy would while being gifted with something beautiful. She could curse. He wondered why that sounded sexy coming out of her mouth. While thinking about it, he really must have lost his mind.

"Your mom started ranting the second I accepted the call. I even found it hard to say something in between. And when I finally did, everything started to go down from there. She mistook me as the fiancé you've been hiding and she didn't even let me say anything about it."

"Until you were left with no other choice but to go along with everything she said because you felt like you would break her heart if you told her otherwise."

He nodded. Ainsdale's mother, Celeste, really did give off that impression, so he just let her misunderstand. "You aren't surprised?"

"That's what happened when Aizen started the spectacle."

"So your brother's the culprit?"

"Yes."

"And does that mean you really aren't engaged?"

"No."

"Why?"

Ainsdale thought for a moment before she looked at the man beside him. She was not certain, but he sure looked like something had been lifted off his chest. "Because I'm already married."

"What?" He asked while subtly looking down on her finger before he frowned.

From being happy to surprised to gloomy, Ainsdale witnessed how his reaction had clearly been written on his face and how they changed from one after the other. Even though she tried her hardest not to laugh, her lips moved on their own until she ended up laughing her heart out. When she tried to stop herself, she ended up laughing once more and Alessio just let her.

"You should've seen your face."

Alessio grimaced. "I wonder why I suddenly feel like strangling you."

"But then we'll end up trying to kill each other again. Do you think I would just sit still and look pretty while you're planning to do just that?"

"No, you won't." Alessio looked at his watch before he glanced towards the door. "What's taking Rhia so long?"

Before she could give him her idea, a knock on the door sounded before it opened, showing Rhia who was holding Ainsdale's breakfast on a breakfast tray, and another maid who had helped her carry all the other things Ainsdale would need for that morning.

"Dove vuole che metta la sua colazione, signorina? (Where would you like me to place your breakfast, miss?)"

"She'll have her breakfast in bed. Thank you, Rhia and Penelope."

Alessio received the tray from the maid and he himself settled it in front of Ainsdale. After they confirmed that they wouldn't be needing anything, Rhia and Penelope left after instructing that Ainsdale needed to take the medicines Penelope put on the console table beside the bed right after breakfast. Even though Ainsdale glared at the capsules and tablets there waiting for her to swallow, she couldn't do anything but to do just that to temporarily ease her suffering.

She had her breakfast peacefully. Alessio peeled the oranges for her while they conversed about something important and nonsense things in between. With much difficulty, by the time the clock struck nine in the morning, she was all ready to go out and visit Khalil in the hospital he was working at. Even though she had tried to look her best, she still looked a little pale.

"Don't you feel dizzy anymore?"

"I've already adjusted. Don't worry."

But that only means that she is still feeling dizzy, doesn't she? Why does she answer way too differently compared to the rest of the women he knew? Though, Alessio remained tight-lipped regarding that matter. The second they both landed at the last steps of the marble stairs in the receiving area of the manor, different sets of eyes followed them both like what happened exactly to Alessio early that morning.

Alessio glared at them while Ainsdale looked at them all without any emotion in her eyes, something which she had grown accustomed to because of her line of work. Looking at them standing at each other's side, they both look like puzzle pieces who have finally been entangled together - they look perfect, even with all the bruises they gained from literally trying to kill each other last night. One who didn't know them personally would certainly think they were already husband and wife.

Did they look that perfect together before Euphrosyne disappeared? No. Besides, did she grow a few centimeters taller after having been gone for only a few months?

"If you have something to say, say it. It's not like I have forbidden you to tell me your opinions, regardless of the reason, as long as you expect to suffer the repercussions if you annoy me. It is quite uncomfortable to move knowing that you are obviously looking at us like we were some kind of art."

"Aren't you both?" Asked his cousin Walter asked while he silently took note of the differences between Euphrosyne back then and now and by the second, he found more than he had anticipated. "We were actually quite wondering whether you hit your head so hard last night that your attitude towards Euphrosyne turned to a completely three-sixty degree or that the woman standing beside you is someone who is not Euphrosyne but has the same face as her. Besides... you're not the type who will f**k a woman you were so keen to kill only a few months back. But you did so last night in the most rough way possible. That was actually my first time seeing someone have foreplay during s*x using guns, glass shards and silk belt. The silk belt was acceptable. But guns and glass shards, Alessio?"

Alessio smirked. "It was quite fun, Walter. Try it some time with your wife."