Sebastian
'I love you'—Her words echoed inside of my head over and over again in a continuous, never-ending loop, wiping any traces of sleep away from my eyes, keeping me wide awake for obvious reasons I tended to avoid.
It felt weird to hear those words in repeat.
Why did she love me after everything I have done to her? How could she still try to love me and bring me back from where I preferred to stay?
I wanted the darkness, then why was she trying to drag me to face the light where she hoped would prevail an escape for both of us? It was hate that she was supposed to feel for me, not the love she was surging over me every day and every second.
I glanced down at her, hearing the faint sound of her relaxed breathing as she slept on top of me. I knew she was sleeping because the only time she remains this unguarded was when she was asleep, other than that, it'd always be her trying to stay careful with every little thing, every small movement she makes or even breathing and making a sound.
She looked beautiful. There was no denying that she was absolutely one of the most beautiful women I have ever put my eyes on. She did not need an expensive dress, or bunches of accessories to look elegant.
It could be against all the luxury in this damn world, and her presence would still scream more elegance than all those things that might be worth billions.
That day in that damn auction where those bloody animals sold her, even if those auctioneers had asked for everything I owned, I'd have given it to them without even putting up a fight.
I don't why, but I would have just done it.
From the moment I have seen her face, my world was thrown upside down. It felt like she resided beside every beat of my heart. I was not supposed to feel like this, I was incapable of feeling at all.
But why was I feeling disappointed that she never looks this carefree? Wasn't that what I wanted? I wanted her to stay fearful of me, I fucking wanted it then what has changed all of a sudden that my beliefs are constantly facing these unexpected storms that threatened to eradicate them every time I looked into her beautiful hazel eyes?
I was losing it. I lost my determination, the promises that I made to myself and the life I decided to live. I was losing myself...into her.
This was not what I wanted. These emotions....this mate bond, it all felt forbidden as if I was committing a scene.
My mother.....She wanted me to be a warrior, not a weakling. If I let emotions enter my heart once again, I'd fall weak. I wouldn't remain the same Sebastian Valdez anymore.
How could I turn into the same person I was? The helpless boy who watched his mother being brutally murdered yet couldn't do a thing? What'd be the difference between me and the one I was in the past if I let the same emotions suppress me all over again?
What would changing from the person I am to the one I was would give me?
My eyes unknowingly moved to look at Athena's sleeping figure, looking at every detail of her—From her glowing skin to her cute button nose, beautiful eyes, and kissable lips....there was nothing about her that anyone in his right mind, could ever dislike.
The answer to my question echoed in my head on its own— Perhaps, a beautiful mate and life.
I brushed her hair away from her face noticing the light scrunch of her nose indicating her discomfort in her sleep.
For the first time in all these, a smile fought to spread on my lips. Something swelled in my chest at the slightest stroke of a surreal feeling that flared somewhere within me.
She was indeed made flawless but.....
I was the one who covered her with scars and bruises, carving imperfections into this perfect creation that landed in my arms like a piece of heaven. But I wished for the hell, I wanted the hell.
I was the one who gave her both visible and invisible wounds that she can never wipe off, even though I witnessed her desperate want to remove all those memories that I, calculatedly, with precise intentions, imprinted in her mind.
Every single thing I have committed was done in my right mind then why was I feeling this strange regret crawling up my walls that were what I considered the cage that kept me safe and invincible?
I shrugged my thoughts away, trying not to get so restless that Athena senses it and her breaks away from her peaceful slumber.
She needed rest. What happened tonight was awful, that bastard dared to touch her.....
What if I hadn't managed to notice Athena's absence and go there on time?
The thought of someone else even being near her, made all the fibres of my body burn with an uncontrollable amount of anger that wanted to burn everything down into ashes.
Tonight, what happened, was at some point my fault too. I did a mistake by trying to neglect her the whole time. I thought this was the way I could get her off of my mind, but no, it was all stupid. Nothing was going to help me wipe her off of my mind, and if I had known this before, fortunately, I could have avoided this terrible event.
What I did at the party, the night before it, and every time I ignored her and tried to act careless—It all was solely to save myself from the pitfall I was gradually being dragged into.
Athena made me feel alive....and I did not want that. I despised feeling alive.
I hated Athena, at least that was what I wanted to do.
But she did not deserve it...she deserved love.
Suddenly the realization hit me like a speeding truck.
No! I couldn't fall weak. I could not let her make me weak.
Unwantedly, my hand moved to trace my thumb on her rosy cheeks, feeling the softness of her skin under my touch. Heavenly....she was heavenly. Each time I held her, it felt like a heaven I'd never seen or felt.
How was I going to be able to keep her away from corrupting my heart? She was awakening my dead emotions even without doing anything at all.
I wrapped my arms around her, pulling her closer and she allowed me to do so even though she was fast asleep, by burying her head in the crook of my neck and snuggling closer to me.
"I wish I could give you what you deserve..." It left my mouth without giving me a chance to stop it, "But I can't."
She deserved a beautiful life, a mate who could love her and sacrifice anything for her sake. She deserved to be loved, but all I could give her was only pain and hatred. I had nothing else, I could not give her anything else.
I was a miserable human being who have embraced his demons in such a way that now they were inseparable from me. I was incapable of loving anyone without being suppressed by the fear of defeat. I could not love her, not in this life, at least.
And, It was Athena's misfortunate that she was mated to a person like me, and now she had to burn with me in this hell....forever.
Yes, I was a sadist--A sadistic monster who thrives in others' pain and nothing in this world can ever change me, even if it's my mate who, after all the torture I have put her through, is still trying with all of her to heal me.
It was my curse that saved me in the time when I had none, it was what has given me this new life where I didn't have to suffer, where there was no place for fear and apprehension. Sebastian Valdez's curse would exist with him till the day he dies.
*****
Vincent
"What have you done Vincent? I told you not to make any other move," Her voice was utterly calm and collected like all the other time, "He killed the guy you hired. You should feel fortunate that your name did not come out in that event, otherwise, everything would have gone down the drain all over again."
"That guy was not a part of the plan," I groaned, releasing a sigh of frustration as I pinched the bridge of my nose, "He appeared out of nowhere. The woman who asked Sebastian for a dance was hired by me, the waiter who drugged her was also a part of the plan but that piece of shit was not. He saw Athena and couldn't keep his hands to himself, and ruined the entire strategy."
"What do you mean?"
"What I mean is that I only wanted to drug Athena and kidnap her, everything was ready. Sebastian was distracted, the goons were ready. I was just one step away from the goal when that fucking bastard decided to talk to her and manipulate her into walking upstairs with him." I felt like destroying everything, every single thing in this damn room.
I have missed another chance of destroying Sebastian. I lost again!
"You know what Vicent? It's high time that you should try getting a hold of yourself. You need to understand that making a move like this will not bring you anything," She stood up from the chair and walked over to me, "Remember what we have planned. We planned on taking revenge on him in the cruellest way possible, and by killing Athena when he's still trapped under that curse, you are only going to make it easy for him. Each step we take counts, Vincent and by doing all of these you are making us fall behind every time."
"That son of a bitch, killed my damn mate, mother!" I finally shouted, "He killed my Hailey and my unborn Child, you don't know how much rage I feel every time I see him. Every time I see his mate with her, he does not deserve to live. I want both him and his mate dead!"
"I know," She spoke, unaffected and serene, "I have gone through the same phase. His father killed your dad, and before you lost your mate, it was me who lost hers. But trust me, letting your rage control you will only push us into defeat. You need to remember what your motive is and that is Sebastian Valdez's demolition, and the best way we can do it is when he becomes that same little boy from inside once again. His wounds are still raw because he never got the chance to heal, the cold facade won't be able to keep everything hidden for longer. He'll have to come out, very soon. The victory is not far away, just a few more days."
"I can't bear this anymore," I slammed my fists o the table, and the glass shattered into pieces, scattering everywhere, "All these years, we have tried to destroy him numerous times. But every time that bastard gets saved, every fucking time he manages to win. What if the same thing happens again? What if he never let go of his curse?!"
"He won't succeed this time because the times he won, were when he did not have a weakness but now he does and it's his mate. The same love that could be his escape would become the reason for his death, watching the one he loves more than himself die, witnessing the death of a close one for the second time and not being able to do anything will kill him from within. And then, the undefeatable Sebastian would be the easiest one to defeat." She put her hand on my shoulder, comforting me like she has been doing since my childhood.
I turned around to her, "We can not going to lose this time, mother. We can't."
"We won't." She spoke, the want of revenge burning in her orbs, more intense than the one burning in mine, "Just one last move is left, and then the game is all ours. Their lives will be in our hands, we'd be the ones to decide whether they'd live or die."
"Death. They'll only get death."
Sebastian and his mate have to die. No matter what is in their fate, the end will be written by me. I'll put it to an ultimate end, once and for all.