Several hours had passed since Sasha, the relentless Succubus, had attempted to take Laura's life. This determined being showed no signs of backing down, a predicament that left Aditya with an increasingly painful headache. He'd made countless attempts to reason with Sasha, pleading with her to abandon her intent to harm Laura.
However, ending Sasha's existence or even causing her serious harm were not options for him. Despite her previous rejections and cold orders for him to stay away from her, a bond existed between them. An unfulfilled marriage contract, albeit one neither of them had any desire to follow through on, still tied them together.
Aditya sighed heavily. 'I've definitely mellowed,' he thought to himself. The Aditya of old would not have thought twice about terminating Sasha if it served his interests. But he wasn't that ruthless character anymore. Strangely, he found himself admiring Sasha. She'd had plenty of opportunities to take contracts on his life, but had always refused. She'd even saved him once, even though her own survival depended on his continued existence. It was irrefutable: he was in her debt.
As he rubbed his aching head, Aditya couldn't help but reflect on the unexpected turn of events. 'Who would have thought my trip to the Deep Sea Palace would descend into such bedlam?' he pondered. He found himself caught between a rock and a hard place. On one hand, he had Laura, a trusted ally, whose death would be a monumental blow to him and his Istarin Empire. On the other hand, Sasha was someone who had saved his life, to whom he was undeniably indebted. The current situation was such that he couldn't favor one over the other.
Hours rolled by and the cloak of nighttime gradually descended upon the underwater city, blanketing its vibrant hustle and bustle in a layer of darkness. The city's inhabitants, however, found no hindrance in the dimming lights, navigating their familiar surroundings with an innate, effortless ease. Aditya did not depart from Laura's side, his loyalty unwavering. He devoted his full attention to her safety, especially keeping a wary eye on her shadow. He was anxious that Sasha might seize an opportune moment of distraction to leap out from the shadows, launching a deadly strike on Laura before he could intervene.
With a drawn-out sigh, Aditya found himself pondering his unexpected role. 'When did I sign up to play the part of a bodyguard?' His current predicament was one of stifling boredom, a stark contrast to Laura's focused calm. Laura, undeterred by the threat of the world's most lethal assassin gunning for her, was immersed in deep cultivation. Her unbothered demeanor left Aditya impressed, yet he struggled to shake off the tedium of his watchful vigilance.
'How does she manage to cultivate such tranquility in a situation fraught with danger?' he mused, glancing at Laura's serene, closed eyes. He couldn't help but acknowledge her beauty, radiant as it was. She possessed a charm comparable to that of seven goddesses, her grace and allure striking even amidst such trying circumstances.
Laura carried on with her focused cultivation for a few more hours, her tranquil demeanor undisturbed. A gentle knock echoed in the room, rousing Laura from her deep meditative state. She slowly opened her eyes, breaking her connection with her inner realm as the real world called her back.
"My lady, might you consider taking a pause? Perhaps you'd enjoy having a little something to eat with His Majesty?" inquired Kate. As Laura's dedicated personal attendant, it was only natural for Kate to be considerate of Laura's well-being, ensuring her needs were met.
Laura responded in a soft voice, "You may bring the refreshments here," before closing her eyes again, ready to resume her cultivation.
With a soft click, the door swung open, allowing Kate entry into the living room. She balanced a tray in her hands, laden with an array of delectable desserts and fresh fruits. Kate extended a unique fruit towards them, resembling a mango but with a bluish hue.
"This is a special fruit that thrives in the depths of the sea bed. Give it a try. Its flavor is exquisite, bursting with sweetness," Kate offered, a warm smile gracing her face.
"All right," Aditya conceded, accepting the fruit from her. He lifted it to his mouth, prepared to savor its promised sweetness, when he suddenly paused. The fruit was but inches away from his lips when he stilled, turning his gaze towards Kate. She was watching him, a cheerful smile still adorning her features.
Suddenly, a shiver of realization ran down Aditya's spine. 'This isn't Kate.' His past interactions with Laura's devoted maid immediately sprang to mind, helping him piece together this shocking realization. Kate was never the one to break her poker face with a smile, especially not towards him. Aditya had never seen even a trace of a grin grace her features in his presence.
With a swift, almost reflexive, action, he discarded the fruit, his hand reaching out for 'Kate', seizing her around the waist and yanking her towards him.
A surprised gasp escaped 'Kate', causing Laura to abruptly snap open her eyes. The sight that greeted her left her in stunned disbelief. There was her personal maid, being firmly held by Aditya, awkwardly situated on his lap.
"What is going on?" Laura's voice wavered as she attempted to grasp the situation, but before she could complete her question, 'Kate' spoke. But the voice was not her usual tone. It was a voice that had threatened her life just hours before.
"Release me." The voice belonged to none other than the goddess of assassination, Sasha. She had artfully disguised herself as a maid to infiltrate their midst. However, Aditya was not about to release Sasha just yet.
Aditya responded to Sasha's demand with a resolute, "No..." His grip around her slender waist tightened. He couldn't deny the pleasant sensation coursing through him as her soft figure was pressed against his. Her body's warmth seeped into him, the closeness sparking a sense of enjoyment he didn't expect to feel under such circumstances.
Sasha, on the other hand, was caught off guard. Owing to her peculiar disease, physical contact with men was something she had consciously avoided, which left her unused to their touch. Consequently, her body had grown incredibly sensitive to male contact. As Aditya held her close, she felt a strange heat flooding through her, causing her skin to break out in goosebumps.
Simultaneously, Sasha, revered as the goddess of assassination, found herself grappling with a wave of humiliation. Time and again, she had failed in her mission to eliminate her target, and now she was effectively caught, held in Aditya's strong grip. Feelings of embarrassment welled up within her as she was forced into a rather intimate position with Aditya, completely against her will. This was a scenario she'd never anticipated finding herself in.
With a slight smirk playing on his lips, Aditya leaned his face into the curve of her right shoulder, gently breathing his words into her ear. "I'm eager to see your true face, Sasha. All this while, you've hidden behind a disguise."
The unexpected proximity and the firm pressure of her backside against his lower body made her acutely aware of his physicality, causing her embarrassment to flare even hotter. A blush steadily crept over her cheeks, the pink tinge of embarrassment spreading across her features.
Sasha's reply came as a growl, her tone seething with frustration, "Let me go, right now!" She attempted to wriggle free from his ironclad grip but found herself surprisingly weakened. The steady warmth radiating from him made her feel odd and strangely soft, her strength seeming to ebb away. Her heart pounded a chaotic rhythm against her ribcage, a strange sensation originating from her lower belly, making her further uncomfortable.
'What in the world is happening to me?' Sasha questioned herself internally, her mind a whirlwind of confusion.
Showing no signs of loosening his hold, Aditya's playful voice resonated against her skin as he leaned closer, "I don't plan on letting you go, little kitty." His lips traced a path along her neck, sending shivers down her spine. His words carried a note of amusement, "I do have a thing for wild cats, you see. The more they resist, the more exciting it gets to tame them."
Sasha's face was now burning like a furnace. The intimacy and Aditya's words were causing her to blush like she never had before.
Aditya's lips found the tender skin of her right trapezius, planting a delicate kiss that set her senses ablaze. It was as though he'd ignited a spark within her, one that was quickly growing into a wildfire. Her body reacted in ways she hadn't anticipated, her breath hitching and her heart pounding against her chest like a wild drum. She could do little but bite down on her lower lip, in a vain attempt to keep her reactions under control. Heat coursed through her veins, the goosebumps that spread across her skin a testament to her rising temperature.
His voice caressed her senses like a tantalizing whisper, words as soft as the summer breeze brushing her ear. "Why not surrender, my little kitty, like a good, obedient pet? You'll find I can be quite generous with my rewards," the enticing promise ended right by her earlobe, setting off another wave of shivers down her spine.
His persistent coaxing slowly gnawed at her resistance, wearing it down bit by bit. It was as though a formidable fortress was gradually crumbling under the relentless assault of his words and actions.
"Do you feel it, Sasha?" Aditya's voice, laced with a teasing note, echoed in her ears as his lips resumed their gentle assault on her trapezius.
Each touch felt like a bolt of electricity coursing through her, her body responding in a way that left her gasping for breath. Her lips clamped tightly to stifle any sound that threatened to escape. Sasha never envisaged that she'd be ensnared in such a situation, her mind a whirlwind of conflicting emotions. Aditya's words seemed to resonate in her ears like a devil's promise, a potent temptation that dared her to take the forbidden step. "I have what you need to quench this flame. I possess the miracle elixir. You just have to voice your desire for it," he coaxed.
With a sudden burst of willpower, Sasha found the strength to wrench herself free from Aditya's hold. The blush that painted her cheeks was a stark contrast to her usual cool demeanor. She managed to extricate herself, not because she had overpowered him, but because he had willingly slackened his grip.
She stood at a distance, her breath coming out in ragged gasps. Her face was still flushed, the evidence of her embarrassment and anger. Her teeth were gritted together, a manifestation of the frustration simmering within her. With a huff of indignation, she melted into the shadows, vanishing from the room without a trace.
Aditya watched her leave, a devilish grin playing on his lips. "Farewell for now, my elusive kitty," he called out to the empty room. "Our game of cat and mouse continues, though in our case, it's more like a dragon pursuing a tantalizing succubus." A chuckle escaped his lips as he leaned back, utterly entertained by the unexpected turn of events. Who would have thought that the stern and aloof Sasha would present such an amusing and exciting side? He was certainly looking forward to the continuation of their playful chase.
With Sasha's hasty retreat, the room fell into a comfortable silence, which was soon broken by Laura's teasing words. "I was under the impression you had no interest in her," she said, a playful smirk playing on her lips.
Aditya chuckled at Laura's observation. He ran his fingers through his hair and leaned back in his chair, his expression thoughtful. "Well, one's perspectives can evolve, you know. I find myself intrigued by our little wildcat. She seems like the kind of creature that kicks up a fuss to draw attention. Sure, she's a bit of a handful, a spoiled brat, if you will, but I find that... captivating," he admitted with a grin.
As he spoke, Aditya's mind wandered back to his first encounter with Sasha, when he was disguised as William. She'd said something about him being a gift from the heavens like she was the only one who deserved him or could appreciate him. Her tone, and her words, hinted at a problem she was wrestling with, one that couldn't be resolved with wealth or power.
He mulled over why Sasha was so hostile towards Laura, and it struck him - perhaps she harbored feelings of jealousy. Could it be that she felt threatened by Laura, who believed her to be a rival for Aditya's affection? Or maybe he was reading too much into the situation. But one thing was certain, his perception of Sasha had changed drastically. This fierce, fiery, woman had caught his interest, and he found himself eagerly awaiting their next encounter. He was looking forward to taming this wild kitty, or at the very least, trying to.
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