by Samolu Pearl
***
“Found anything…?” asked Jellal to the men around him. They shook their head with apologetic faces and Jellal fought his urge to punch them. It had been about a month since Venus went missing. His first thought was that she’d run away… But he knew she’d never do anything like that to disgrace her family name… “I’m giving you two more days to find her…” whispered Jellal dangerously to one of his men. “I need her… I need her alive and without even a scratch on her body… Get me…?” he asked and the others nodded frantically, hearing his maddened voice.
‘Venus…’ Jellal fisted his hair. ‘Where in the world are you…? I swear… I swear I’ll kill anyone to get you back… to have you in my arms…’
Jellal reached his house and stepped in. “Got any info about her…?” asked his father and Jellal shook his head, his eyes burning with wrath.
“Don’t worry, Jellal… We’ll find her soon… She’ll be alright…” his mother tried, but Jellal was not in the mood to listen.
“What if it was the bandits…? The report is that there are many groups of them…” asked his father, and Jellal thought about it. ‘It won’t be them… They would never dare to do it… Even if it’s the other groups… they would have asked for the ransom by now…’ thought Jellal.
“Jellal…”
“I’ll get her back… mother.” Jellal’s voice was dark. “She’s the only thing I’d desired the most… And, I will get her back…”
***
Venus was silent the entire day, even during the dinner time and this alerted the rest. But she said it was nothing when Mia asked her about it. Whenever her eyes locked with the striking blue ones, she found herself blushing furiously to her irritation and his knowing smirk and looks was not helping at all.
The next morning, Venus woke up hearing the sweet chirpings of birds outside her window. She smiled and then slowly stretched herself, her eyes still closed and the smile still lingering over her lips.
“That was just…” She snapped her eyes open hearing a familiar husky voice, just inches away from her face. “Cute.” Rey’s blue eyes stared into hers. Venus gave a small shriek and pulled the bedspread closer around her. She tried to sit up but Rey was leaning towards her.
“Rey… What the hell are you doing here…?” she asked, her eyes widened in shock.
“And… Good morning, to you too…” he smirked as he leaned closer. “I felt like watching you sleep…”
“H-how long have you been here…?” she asked feeling nervous, all of a sudden. Venus was a really messy sleeper and she was in just her light night robe.
“A few minutes…” said Rey and Venus felt herself sighing in relief. “-since you went to sleep…” added Rey, making her gape at him in shock. “It was the most breathtaking sight I’ve ever seen in my life…” he whispered as he leaned closer still and breathed against her lips.
“Rey…” Venus tried to stop him by pushing at his chest, but he held her hands in his before leaning forwards and taking her lips in his… gently sucking and nibbling at them. She was not responding to him… but simply lay still… as shocked as ever… But Rey knew she’d come around… soon.
When they finally parted, Venus was staring at his lips, her eyes reflecting-something and the looks just sent him over the edge. He squeezed his eyes shut and swallowed before leaning closer and touching her forehead with his. “You shouldn’t look at me like that… if you don’t want me to just… act upon my feelings…” he whispered and Venus shuddered at the meaning of his words.
Rey immediately moved away from her and stared at her dark eyes for a moment, his fists clenching. He then took in her whole form… her dark hair messy and framing her angelic face… her dark eyes moving nervously over his face reflecting a strange feeling… her lips, swollen and slightly shivering… her robe slightly open… and her breathing… Rey knew he must walk out of there that moment if he doesn’t want himself to act upon the thoughts running in his mind… which might really freak her out… considering her reaction on just a kiss from him…
He smirked at her. “I’ll… see you downstairs…” he whispered and then, he was gone.
“Venus…” Mia called, startling Venus from her thoughts. “You alright…? You’re being a bit off lately…” They were sitting in the dining room to have their breakfast.
Venus smiled at her. “I’m fine, Mia…”
“I’ve noticed it too… You are being really silent than usual…” said Peter staring at her.
“Come on…” Venus chuckled. “I’m fine you guys…” she ate her food and then sat there, sipping at her coffee. “Er… Peter…?” she called suddenly and everyone looked at her. “Don’t you think it would be better if I just go back to my village…” She could feel Rey’s burning gaze on her but dared not raise her head. “I mean, you guys already have a lot to deal with… and ensuring my safety is an added burden-”
“Venus… what are you talking about…?” Peter fumed. “Have any of us mentioned that you are a burden here…?”
“No… that’s not what I-” she sighed. Venus had been thinking about it lately. She was sure this would put them in more danger, than they are in already if she stays there with them. Jellal would definitely find her and when he does, she doesn’t even want to think about what might happen to them… Moreover, she wanted to get away from Rey… Her feelings for him were growing day by day and if it crosses its limit, she knew that would not turn out good for either of them… She was engaged to Jellal no matter how much she wanted to run away from it… And, she knew she must keep her word to respect her family name and values…
“You guys should just let her go…” said Lilly, sipping her coffee and the rest turned to look at her angrily. “What? That’s what she wants… Besides, we don’t have any use for her… The village should be our only focus, remember…? Not her safety…”
“Lilly…” fumed, Peter.
“No…” Venus sighed. “Lilly is right…” she said and heard Lilly snort. “I must go back to my village… So, I could at least try and talk to uncle and Jellal about-”
“No…” everyone turned to look at Rey, who was glaring at Venus. “You don’t have to do that… The village is our concern… We’ll take care of it… And, about you…” he gave her an angry glare. “You are staying here… until we’re sure that you are safe from the other group…”
“But Rey…” started Venus, but he just cut her off by raising his hand. Venus stood up and marched outside, angrily. Ever since she got there, he’s the one deciding things for her… And, that’s the main reason she wanted to run away from her village in the first place… People just think that they could decide things for her… What’s wrong with them…?
“Why don’t you just let her go, Rey…? She’s of no use to us…” asked Lilly, with a bored expression.
“I can’t let her go…” he mumbled. “She needs to be protected from the other group…” he retorted to her and then stood up and walked outside.
Venus was sitting under a tree, staring at the greenery around her. She was sure Jellal would be barking mad at his men to look for her… He’s not someone who gives up on something he wants so easily… For some reason, she’d always felt he’d changed from the sweet kid he was when they were young… She still didn’t know why he was so obsessed with her… Sometimes, the thought of marrying him used to terrify her… He seemed so caring and protective towards her… but with his men, he was really different… the most powerful and terrifying young leader… He’d definitely try and harm the guys if he knows she’s here… might even harm the village… She could never let that happen… Jellal might heed to her words if she requests for his aid to help the village… She must go back… Venus closed her eyes and sighed… No matter what happens!
“You seem lost in thoughts…” Venus snapped her eyes open to see Rey stand before her, his head tilted and a smile over his face. She sighed softly and then looked away. “About me…?” he asked with
a smirk.
She sat there without responding for a few seconds, then, shook her head. “About Jellal…” Venus noticed him clench his fists. “Rey…” she tried as she stood up to face him. “I should really get back… It would only be-”
“No…” he growled, staring at her eyes.
“Rey, just listen to me… I could talk to him… I could-try and convince him to help your village…” she tried desperately.
“Then…?” he growled again. “Then what, Venus? You’d marry him… and settle over a life with him… whom you don’t even like…?”
“Look… I told you… It’s none of your business…” she fumed, but he shook his head and turned to walk away. His eyes, Venus noticed were spitting wrath.
“Rey… Wait… where are you going-?” Venus took a step forward, but he turned to look at her.
“I’m going to see him…” Rey mumbled, and Venus eyes’ widened in panic. “I would make it clear to him that you’re not going back… You’re staying here with me…” She knew he wasn’t kidding around. Rey’s looks confirmed that he was dead serious!
“Rey… Come on… Don’t be stupid… He’ll kill you… or – or he might lock you up in the prison for the rest of your life.” She said frantically.
“Why do you care…?” he asked, staring at her. “Why do you care, Venus…?” She froze to the spot and Rey shook his head again.
“Please, don’t go to him… He’ll kill you…” she whispered. “I can never take it…”
“Why…?” he almost yelled.
“Because, I…” she squeezed her eyes shut to shut out her heart. “You’re my friend…”
‘Friend…?’ Rey fisted his hands… and then shook his head again. “Not good enough…” He turned around to walk away.
“Rey… Please…” she pleaded. She couldn’t believe she was begging someone… That had never happened before… Neither had she cried in front of someone before… But now, she was striving hard to control the tears that were threatening to pour out. “Don’t do this to me…”
Rey chuckled humorlessly. “Don’t do this to you…?” he asked as he strolled towards her, his eyes gleaming dangerously, making her back away from him. “Have you any idea what you’re doing to me…?” his voice was ominous and Venus felt a shudder run through her as he reached close to her… She tried to move away from him, but as usual, he was faster. He held her hands in his and pressed her back to the tree, leaning over her, breathing over her face. And, with a swift move, he’d taken her lips in his… kissing her fiercely and gently at the same time… Venus moaned as he leaned closer to her and tilted his head to deepen the kiss. Rey smirked at her response… He knew it! He knew she feels the same way about him…
“Kiss me back… Venus…” he breathed as he trailed his lips over the corner of her mouth. Venus squeezed her eyes shut as he dipped his head to kiss her lips again. And, after an eternity or so, it felt like for Rey… she parted her lips, allowing him full access into her mouth… Rey groaned as he felt her hands on his chest, pulling him closer as she tilted her head to kiss him back… He’d never felt anything like that his entire life… The smoothness of her lips against his and the shy and gentle caresses of her tongue were something totally opposite to her fierce nature. Rey leaned over her, kissing her back with a renewed passion in him… which he himself didn’t know existed. His hands were caressing her waist as he pulled her more close to him…
Rey trailed his lips to her neck to let her breathe and caressed the skin at her neck with his mouth… He gently sucked and nipped at the skin there, before dragging his lips to the back of her ear… Venus moaned again, gripping at his chest and Rey knew he’d hit one of her soft spots… He so wanted to explore the rest of them… making her moan out his name… to make her completely forget about her village… and Jellal… But… he knew he had to wait… She was too precious… She deserves better… Rey gently scooped her up in his arms…
“Rey…” she gasped. “What are you…?”
“Shhh…” he silenced her with another kiss. He walked inside the house. The others were nowhere to be seen, so Rey walked to her room with Venus still nestled close to his heart.
She looked at his handsome face… Venus knew this would happen… She had a feeling that he’d stolen something precious from her the moment his striking blue eyes met her dark ones at the forest… But now, she knew what it was… her heart!
He placed her gently on the bed and lay beside her, stroking her beautiful dark hair, staring into her eyes, that were moving around his face, trying to catch his… “Just stay here with me, Venus… I-I need you here…” he said and watched her eyes go wide. Rey groaned before holding her nape to raise her off the bed… then, dipped his head to kiss her fervently…
Chapter 10
By the time Rey left her room mumbling and cursing under his breath, thanks to Peter who called out to him to help him with something, Venus was on the verge of kicking herself… ‘I kissed him…?’ She squeezed her eyes shut and fell back on her bed. ‘I knew that we could never work this out… but I let him get close to me…’ She stared up at the ceiling thinking how amazing it felt when he nestled her close to his heart… when he took her in his arms and… kissed her with all his might… ‘What the hell are you thinking Venus…? You’re going crazy…’ She sighed. She knew she’d let him see the weak side of her… At that moment, it felt the right thing to do… But now, she was regretting with all her mind as she knew Rey would definitely never let her forget about it… But his touches… and kisses… they were something she’d never felt before… they made her feel things…
For some reason, her mind flashed her Jellal’s face with a murderous look on him… Venus immediately sat up, breathing hard and running her hand through her hair… ‘No… I could never let that happen…’ She sighed and then got up from her bed.
When she reached the living room, however, it was to see Peter, Lilly and Rey in a deep discussion with a man… from the village? Rey’s serious expression and the concentration in his face at the moment made her wonder if he was really the same person who was with her a few minutes ago… She silently walked into the kitchen and saw Mia making some coffee, and joined in to help her.
“Looks like we’ve got guest…” smiled Venus and Mia smiled back at her.
“It’s Thomas… One of our informer.”
“Oh… So, planning another kidnap or something…?” asked Venus as she arranged the cups.
Mia chuckled. “No… I think for now… one is more than enough…” Venus laughed with her. “I think this is about the way to increase the village’s resource… We might have to wait until Thomas leaves, so Peter and Rey can explain it to us…”
‘No wonder he’s that serious…’ thought Venus with a sigh as Mia handed her a cup of coffee and walked out to give the rest theirs.
After an hour or so, the man left and Mia and Venus joined the rest in the living room.
“But how can we be sure that they’d head our way…? I mean, there are many detours to the other villages… What if they fail to pass through where we plan to wait…?” asked Peter to Rey.
“This is a much longer route and if they are planning to do what we thought they’d do, then, they’d definitely head the way we’ve chosen…” cleared Rey.
“So… What is in this cart again…? Will it be worth the efforts…?” asked Lilly.
“He said they are taking food grains, medicines and… money this time…” said Peter.
“And it belongs to us…” growled Rey. “Those damned officials are trying to smuggle them away for more profit…” His eyes Venus noticed were burning.
“They’re planning to do it in two days from now… Plenty of time to set up a plan to get them…” smirked Lilly.
“Umm… So what’s all this about…?” asked Venus nervously and Lilly glared at her.
“Mind your own-” Lilly started but Rey cut her off.
“Lilly… I think she should know
… She’s proved herself trust worthy…” he said and Lilly snorted.
“Venus… The officials are planning to take away the supply allocated to the flood victims to sell them for more profit… We are going to deal with them and take what is rightfully ours.” Rey explained.
“But how-?” Venus stopped in mid-sentence. “By robbing them…” she whispered as it dawned on her.
“Exactly!” smirked Peter. “We’re never going to let them take away what’s rightfully ours…”
“But how are we going to do it…? I mean, there will be guards with them…” asked Mia, nervously.
“We should go for a direct attack… So we could just show them what they’re dealing with…” said Lilly and the others looked at her for explanation. “Yeah… I mean, we can wait until they reach us and launch a sudden attack on them… They won’t even see it coming and we can then take the cart away to the village…”
Peter nodded his agreement, but Rey’s face was thoughtful…
“Er…” started Venus and everyone turned to look at her. “Can I… ask something…?” she hesitated and Rey nodded. “Er… if higher officials are involved, won’t it mean high security too…? So, a direct attack might turn out suicidal…”
“What the heck are you…?” started Lilly, but Rey stopped her.
“Go ahead Venus…” he nodded at her.
“What I mean to say is… I think we must make a perfect plan to carry this one out… I really have a feeling that there will be more than one cart… one with the supplies and money… and the rest with the guards…” said Venus, thoughtfully.
“And, there would be the other groups to look out for… I guess, by now, they would have got the news too…” said Rey.
“Yeah… and I think we should have a perfect plan to get to them…” Venus thought out loud.