Satasha's pace were faster than Bai xie and the others, they had hard time catching up with her.
She followed her hunch to the Capitol's gate where she stood at the curtain wall staring at the horizon.
"What's a head?" she asked Bai xie once he arrived.
"Sixty Li ahead would lead to the cross roads" he answered
Satasha glanced around scanning the area, if anyone crossed here, someone must've surely saw something. After Bai xie and the others asked around, they returned to were she remained staring at the horizon.
"No one saw anything or heard anything" Bai xie reported
Satasha glanced at him pondering, then she glanced at the lot "It never left" she muttered then it occurred to her, she immediately glanced at the sky searching for a minute then asked "Can you guys fly?"
They shook their heads.
Satasha concentrated air pressure on her feet before launching herself to the sky, the pressure made her fly high enough to see the whole capital from above. She used her power to set an undetectable barrier around the capital since she can't use Huggin and Muninn for now.
Using her ability to control air she stopped above the capital sensing every minor movement, every interactions, and every whisper.
Soon all noises emerged to one faint whisper
"We have failed, prepare for the next step"
Satasha located the whisper and it was in Keno's residence.
She panicked, there are imposters there that she failed to notice or they were there from the beginning.
Then she sensed it...
East from the capital was a familiar presence, it was Sitka.
Satasha finally understood the whole situation, Keno was targeted by many parties. The assassins were sent by Zeta and Sitka's presence confirmed it, the emperor attempt to drag Keno to war, and a third party of traitors in his residence.
'No it's four!' she corrected herself after she felt that eerie shift again.
This time she knew where it came from
"Typheous!" she muttered
Typheous was moving fast in the river that made tracking him down normally almost impossible, but his intent remained mysterious. He neither attacks nor confront, as if he was collecting Intel.
Satasha had to decide which threat shall she deal with at the moment, she sighed as she rubbed her eyes annoyed "Zeta!" she declared.
Satasha fixated the barrier around Keno's residence before going down to the curtain wall.
Bai xie was rather unpleased with her sudden absence and frowned "You can't just leave us like that!" he scolded
Satasha ignored him "Go back to Yuru, she needs your protection"
"What about you my lady?" one of the guards asked
"I'll leave now to deal with one of the threats, tell Keno that I'll be back within few days" she declared "Tell him not to worry if he felt that his specter was gone, I 'll call for his aide if needed" then she vanished
Bai xie sent one of the men to inform Keno and the others went back to Yuru's side.
...
In the palace...
The moment that Satasha vanished he stopped looking back, he hadn't reach the hall when he sensed her absence.
He clenched his fist agitated "You fool!" he mumbled.
The emperor's attendant "Lord Keno!" he addressed "The emperor is waiting"
Keno took few minute to see if she'd return and soon after one of the guards that were with her rushed to whisper what she said to him.
Keno's anger piled, he closed his eyes trying to contain it so he won't snap in the meeting. He exhaled deeply before entering the hall.
"Duke of the east has arrived" announced the attendant
Keno entered and knelt few feet from the throne "Greetings your majesty"
The emperor "No need for formalities. Come here my dear nephew and share my burden"
Keno did as told and stood in front of the table scanning the map.
"The rebels had breached the south an hour ago I received an intel" he handed him a letter "It's from general Feng, he requested an immediate despatch of the Wei fraction for their aide"
Keno "Was the Marques notified?"
The emperor "Here's the thing. I sent for him but found out that his residence were under attack"
Keno was shocked "How come I didn't hear about that?"
The emperor calmly "Because you were under attack as well. Unlike you he wasn't fortunate enough and got heavily wounded"
"You want me to lead the troops?" he deduced
The emperor signaled his attendant and he presented the Wei seal "You need this to dispatch them"
Keno reluctantly took the seal then bowed "I won't fail you your majesty"
The emperor "I suggest that you leave at once"
Keno nodded and left.
His eyes reddened from anger, he shoved the seal to Haru ordering "Investigate that attack on the Wei residence and tell Yuru and the other's to pack, we'll leave in two hours"
He took one of the palace horse and strode off to where he could sense his specter was.
"My lord!" Haru cried but Keno was already bolting away.
The moment Keno left the capital's gate he left the horse with the guards and made a port gate using his specter as a tracker.
He walked for few minutes after crossing the port gate before stopping. He saw Satasha talking to Zeta and Lucifer, the moment he saw her with them his blood began boiling. He gritted his teeth as he walked heavily toward them, but the moment Zeta noticed him, he and Lucifer walked away.
Lucifer kept his gaze fixed at Keno for a minute then reluctantly left after Zeta called him.
Once he reached Satasha he kept glaring at them till they walked away, then his anger rose as his gaze shifted to her "Explain!" he demanded.
Satasha was in distress, she glanced nervously at him "No good news! It seems that they want you dead at any cost"
Keno didn't care about that, he wanted to know why she ignored his orders and worse of all she kept rushing back to Zeta and Lucifer at any minor inconvenience, like she trust their judgment better than his. He exhaled deeply trying to calm his anger "Let's head back!"
Satasha was pondering, she glanced at where Zeta and Lucifer walked away "I think it's better to not go back to your residence for a while"
Keno's anger rose again as he saw her gaze were on them, his eyes darkened as he stared through his lashes, he grabbed her arm dragging her with him.
"Didn't you hear! We need to lay low for a while" she argued
"We won't be going back to the residence, we're heading south" he clarified
"South?" she repeated, then asked "The emperor wants you to reclaim the south?"
Keno didn't answer.
Satasha "Slow down and talk to me" she tried to push his arm away "What had gotten into you?"
Keno stopped, he stared at her "You really don't know what has gotten into me?"
"No!" she was confused
"You really are something" he sneered "You know how to get under my skin!"
Satasha understood what caused his frustration "I thought that Bai xie had told you what happened?"
Keno grabbed her arm tighter "You think I care about assassins?" he pulled her closer "You defied my orders!" he snapped
Satasha was taken back by his audacity "Defied?! I am not your subject"
"If you were my subject then I'd skin you alive for what you did!" he barked
Satasha was now fuming "You dare to threaten me? Who do you think you are?"
"Careful now!" he warned
Satasha pushed him away "You know what? I am done!" she tried to release her arm but he pulled her closer "Let go!"
"And to whom you'd go this time?" he lost himself in his anger "Or you'd run away just like always!"
"What?" she was confused "Stop spouting nonsense and let go!"
"I am not letting you go until you tell me why you met with Zeta and Lucifer" he stepped closer "You were duping this whole time weren't you? You made me believe that you wanted to help me just to stab me in the back later! Who's idea was it? Lucifer?" eyes widened as his rage consumed him.
His chest kept raising up as if he was about to burst from rage, he gritted his teeth as his eyes grew teary trying to stop himself from doing something he'd regret later.
Satasha was baffled" You think that I had a hand in this? Me? After everything I've done, you say this?"
"Then you risked everything just to meet them here and now? What happened to the reapers are after me? Or that was another lie?" he scoffed "Or maybe the whole, I am too fragile to protect myself and I have feelings too and I want to be happy was another act!"
"You've gone mad!" she exclaimed
"And whose fault is that?" he snapped, he stepped closer leaving three inches between them "You think you can manipulate me into thinking that you are a decent person? You are nothing but one crazy whore!" he emphasized on the last word.
He regretted what he said but there was no turning back, he glanced at her lips that quivered from rage then at her eyes that glared murderously at him, he stepped back.
Satasha didn't believe his audacity, her anger kept fuming, if it weren't for his Heaven's immunity she'd kill him right here and now. She tried to calm down her anger but couldn't, she slapped so hard across his face that his lip bled.
That slap made him snap back to reality, he let her arm go and his grip left a mark on her wrist. He looked at her wanting to say something but his gut turned once he saw her state.
Satasha was holding the arm that she slapped him with caressing it while her other one had his hand printed on it. She backed away glaring at him with tearful eyes.
Keno felt like a jerk, he stepped closer as he eyes softened "Satasha!"
Satasha cried "Fuck off!" she took one glance at him then left.
Keno regretted "What have I done!" he covered his face trying to pull himself together.
After he calmed a bit, he made a port gate back to the capital gate.
When he reached there he saw Haru waiting for him "Everything is ready?" he asked him
Haru notice how Keno seemed down, he didn't mention anything concerning Satasha "Yes, my lord"
Keno nodded "Let's go"
Haru signaled the guards and one of them went inside the capital.
Keno kept staring at the horizon as snow fell down, he didn't know why he acted this extreme, he rarely showed that side of him to anyone. He was completely immersed in his thoughts that he took no time to notice the assassins striking back.
Haru cried as he noticed it late "Watch out!"
An arrow pierced Keno's left shoulder, he stepped back and pulled it off.
They were ambushed, almost fifty assassins surrounded them.
Keno glanced back and saw the city gate closed and no guard were present, he chuckled "Pathetic!"
The arrow was smeared with potent poison that made him unable to lift his left arm, but that didn't stop him from killing quite a lot. Haru took few hits himself. They now were in dilemma, if they used their powers, then they'd be trialed according to law, and if they don't, then they'll end up heavily wounded.
They kept fighting till Haru collapsed on one knee exhausted "Leave me behind my lord!"
Keno smirked "None of us will die here!"
As they kept fighting the number of assassins seemed to increase, Keno took few hits with poisonous blades that made his legs tremble. He didn't want to give his uncle the satisfaction of being trialed according to law and kept fighting without using his powers, then someone stabbed his back and made him fall on the ground. He huffed as he tried to keep his consciousness but his sight began to blurr, and all he could think of is how he wronged Satasha.
Then it glowed...
Keno looked at his index and saw the ring that she gave him resonating, and a strong sense of nausea consumed him that he ended up vomiting lot of blood.
He stared at the blood as his vision was restored, he could feel the sudden boost in his energy. He looked up to see the assassins dropping dead and a barrier around them.
He rejoiced to see Satasha walking toward him, he beamed softly as she stopped in front of him, he wanted to say something but was knocked unconscious by her.
...
After few days Keno opened his eyes to see himself back to his residence, he searched the room to see someone and when he didn't he called "Anyone!"
A maid rushed in happily "It's good thing that you woke up my lord! I'll fetch the doctor"
Keno slowly sitting up "Where is she?"
The maid "Lady Yuru?"
Keno rubbed his head "Satasha!"
The maid "Lady Satasha brought both of you back to the residence then left, and when Ladu Yuru asked about where was she going she didn't answer, she only said that she'll be back"
Keno sighed "When was this?"
The maid "A week ago"
"Fetch Yuru and the doctor" he ordered,
The maid bowed and left.
After the doctor checked on him and prescribed the medication, Keno questioned Yuru "Debrief me on what happened while I was out"
Yuru "First thing first, the emperor had the minister of justice to investigate the incident and we are now under the imperial guard's watch"
"He dispatched them around the house?" he interrupted
Yuru "Not only around the house but also in it, right now there are four guards around your room"
"More like spies!" he added "Fuji?"
Yuru "I notified him about what happened and he said it's best not to visit now and talk to you once you get up"
Keno "How's Haru?"
"Still unconscious!" she sighed "You two had lot of poison in your blood at the moment. Satasha said that she'd be back with the antidote, but that was week ago"
Keno's heart sank "Did the imperial guards see her?"
Yuru shook her head "They arrived three days ago, you must rest as the doctor said, if you start moving then the poison would spread further. Luckily you vomited most of it, but it's too potent"
Keno "Did we get any lead about the assassination?"
Yuru sat next to him to whisper "They were different parties, those who attacked the residence were Zeta's and the ones at the capital's gate were the emperor's" then she hesitated to speak for a minute.
"What is it?" he asked
Yuru hesitating "I don't know if I should say this but Satasha told me something rather unusual!"
"About Typheous?" he muttered
Yuru in hushing tone "No! She said that there might be spies under disguise in our residence"
Keno pondered for a few minutes then told Yuru to leave.
He stared at the ceiling for hours thinking and sorting out his thoughts, he didn't drink or eat anything they brought him.
'Spies under disguise? How convenient!' he thought 'You sure know how to sow a wedge in the heart'
"Satasha" he muttered her name as he glared at the ring in his finger "What kind of games are you playing?" he closed his eyes to rest but the commotion outside stopped him from falling asleep.
He got up to see what was going on but felt dizzy and rested at a chair nearby huffing.
Suddenly the door busted open and few men alerted "Send reinforcements!"
Yuru cried "No need! No need!"
Keno's eyes were blurry, he couldn't distinguish who was walking toward him but guessed "Satasha?" he barely spoke as his breaths felt heavy.
Satasha didn't answer, instead she poked his head with her index to check on him, as if she were disgusted with him.
Yuru rushed inside after convincing the royal guards that she was a friend, they didn't believe her and insisted on being inside the room.
Yuru "Couldn't you come to me first before causing such commotion?"
Satasha "When did he wake?"
"Today" Keno answered, he glared at her through his brows barely lifting his head "You can ask me instead"
Satasha ignoring him, she asked Yuru "Did he take any medication?"
"No I didn't" Keno answered instead
Satasha still ignoring "Did the physician use any acupuncture while examining him?"
"No!" this time Yuru answered before him "Did you two quarrel by any chance?"
Satasha didn't answer, she cupped his chin to examine him thoroughly.
Keno felt ashamed of what he had spoke that night and guilt washed over him as he glared at her cold distant eyes examine him as if he was a stranger, or worse as if she had no other choice.
"Are you giving me the silent treatment?" he asked softly
Satasha didn't change her tone nor her cold expression as she answered "I wouldn't bother!" she straightened up ordering the royal guards "Take off his top"
They hesitated looking at each other.
She pointed at the nearest two "You go and fill the tub with the herbal fountain in the southwest wing" then pointed at the third "You go and fetch another three to help these two" she then looked at the fourth "You help him strip"
They scattered to do as they were ordered.
Satasha glanced at Yuru "Is there any physician that you trust?" Yuru understood what she was going to say and left to fetch a physician.
The fourth gaurd stood in front of Keno saying "Can I help you my lord?" as he was already unityng his belt, he nodded and the guard helped him take off his top.
Satasha asked "Is there any injuries on your legs?"
Keno scoffed "You want to strip me naked?" he grinned "You surely are shameless"
Satasha didn't react, she stared blankly at him for a moment then turned around ordering the guard "Can you check if he has injuries in his legs?"
After the guard examined he answered "Only one near his heel cord"
"Which side?" she inquiried
"Right" the guard answered
Keno was trying his best to remain conscious, the poison was potent enough for it to be activated be few steps, he kept huffing as he asked "Are you still mad at me?"
Satasha didn't answer, instead she went to supervise the other guards as they filled the tub.
Yuru soon rushed with the physician.
Satasha "Could you please prepare a strong sedative"
The physician nodded.
"Get him in the tub" she ordered
It took three guards to carry him to the tub where he submerged in the water.
"Make sure you stabilize him well for the next step" she instructed.
Five men held Keno in the tub while Yuru stood far enough to see what will happen.
Satasha placed her left hand on his injured shoulder then pulled a dagger.
Keno scoffed "Is that a payback?"
Satasha's gaze turned into spiteful as she answered "Your best punishment is to make sure you live well and forever"
Keno chuckled.
One of the guards asked "What's the dagger for?"
Satasha explained "We need to draw the poison out by reopening the wound and placing the antidote on it"
Yuru worried "All of them?"
Satasha smiled excitedly as she answered while glaring at him "All of them!"
Keno let out one short laugh before he shrieked from agony.
Satasha stabbed both of her left hand and the wound that it was covering.
Keno doubled up from agony, he tried to twist but the guards had him stabilized.
Everyone was stunned by how she stabbed her hand without flinching.
"Satasha!" Yuru cried worried about her.
Satasha didn't budge, she let his wound be drenched in her blood as it streamed. She kept the dagger embedded in her hand as she didn't want her wound to heal, she pulled out the dagger from his shoulder and he winced.
"Bring me a cup Yuru" she instructed.
Yuru immediately fetched a cup nearby and present it to her. Satasha moved her left arm above the cup filling it with her blood.
"Let Haru drink from this cup" she instructed.
After she let Keno take few minutes to rest, she pulled the dagger from her hand to let it heal then went on to incise the other wounds in his body.
Once she was sure that all of them were reopened she controlled her blood that was embedded in his shoulder to detect and exert the poison out of his body, during which Keno kept wincing and twisting from pain.
Until he began to breathe normally again.
Keno felt light headed from blood loss but he kept his eyes opened to observe, "Satasha!" he mumbled her name. He wanted to hold onto her hand before she vanishes again but the guards were pinning his arms.
Satasha handed the physician a small flask containing a greenish liquid "Mix the sedative with this and dress his wounds. After you finish come to Haru's room" the physician nodded.
"Take him out of the tub and dry him properly" she instruct both of the servants nearby and the guards.
The moment the guards released him, Keno immediately grabbed her left arm calling "Satasha!" he could barely open his eyes but he caught a glimpse of her disgusted expression before blacking out. That look pained him more than anything, he wanted to tell her that he was sorry and ask for her forgiveness but he was too feeble to move around.
Satasha did the same thing with Haru only difference is that she didn't stab her hand again, but forced him to drink her blood this time. The physician dressed his wounds and gave him the sedative with the antidote.
One of the royal guards stopped her asking "Why did you stab your hand with his shoulder?"
Satasha explained how immune Keno is to her magic so she needed an extreme measures unlike Haru who was easier to heal.
...
Keno spent the next three days having nightmares and speaking deliriously, sometimes he'd just call for names and other times he'd jerk around and scream.
Satasha attended him making sure that the poison was completely out of his system.
One the fourth night, he opened his eyes slowly. The candle light made him flinch, he also felt extremely dizzy and sick.
"Anyone!" he called
But no one came, he rubbed his eyes trying to focus as he got up to the door, but he was too dizzy and lost his footing falling on his bottom hard, he moaned from pain.
Then the door opened slightly, a silhouette of a woman approached him, she didn't offer to help him and only stood in front.
Keno lifted his head to see who it was, but he could tell who had such resentment toward him at the moment. He was able to focus as he glanced at her, she wore the same cold and distant look as she looked down at him.
"Are you going to help?" he asked
Satasha turned and called few servants to help him up.
She ordered them to prepare some porridge and tonic for him and stayed in the room making sure that the servants did their jobs properly.
She sat on his study sipping wine from a jar as the servants helped him wash up and changed his bedding.
Soon the food arrived and a tray of new bandages and medicine.
"Keep his top opened, I need to change his dressing" she ordered.
Once everything was set, he sat on the small table in the west side of the room drinking the porridge, his hand was trembling due to long rest and sedatives that he had.
Satasha walked slowly toward him and snatched the bowl of his hand, she took a spoonful of porridge and moved it closer to him.
Keno couldn't figure out if she cared about him or she just felt indebted because he helped her before. He glanced at her cold stern eyes that showed no hint of affection in them and ate the porridge.
Satasha silently fed him as she spaced out, then took a whiff of the tonic and one sip from it before letting him drink.
After he drank the tonic he asked "I sense some sedatives in it"
Satasha spoke bluntly "You need few days of rest before moving around. Even though the poison is out of your system, you lost a lot of blood"
Keno nodded then asked "Did Haru wake up?"
"No" she brought the bandages and medicine and placed them near the nightstand "Come here" she pointed at the bed.
Keno walked slowly toward the bed and with a servant aide, he sat on its edge glancing at her uncomfortably "Can't a servant do my dressing?"
"No" she bluntly refused
Keno hesitated for few seconds before taking his top off revealing his wounds, the servants had thrown the old bandages when they were washing him.
Satasha stepped closer to examine his wounds, they were healing perfectly now, she rubbed an ointment on each one gently then began wrapping the bandages around his chest and back.
Her proximity to him made his heart race, his chest kept rising as he breathed heavily, he tried to distract himself by looking away but as she wrapped the bandages she was close enough to be pinned in an embrace.
He could also smell the scent of roses from her and it worsen the situation even more, he slowly moved his head to take few glimpse of her but her hair was blocking her face.
After she finished, she helped him put on the top, he loosely wore it as he felt hot; not because the room was properly warmed, but because of his strong desire.
Satasha crouched to place the ointment on his ankle and wrap the bandage around it, she was immersed in her thoughts that she took little to no notice on what was happening around her.
Keno pushed her hair away from her face to look at her expression as she was wrapping the bandage, he kept holding it gently so it wouldn't fall again, he didn't want her to finish quickly but she did.
Satasha looked up at him and saw him smiling warmly as his hand rested on her shoulder, she looked around and saw that the servants were looking down nervously, she didn't understand what was happening and couldn't care less.
She placed the extra bandage on the tray and handed it to one of the servants "Call Yuru here" she ordered.
"We'll excuse ourselves then" he bowed and left, so did the others.
Satasha sighed and wanted to get up but Keno's hand pinned her down, she glanced at him annoyed and saw his eyes darkening, she felt restless for some reason then remembered that he had the same look back in the cave. She understood why the servants were nervous, they felt like they were interrupting an intimate moment between them.
Satasha immediately pushed his hand away ordering "Sleep" and got up.
The moment she took one step away, she was immediately pulled into his arms. He rested his head on her shoulder as she sat on his lap with one arm wrapped tightly around her waist and the other holding her closer to him.
She could feel his warm breaths on her neck as nuzzled it "Do you have a death wish?" she warned "Don't be eager to meet your maker, unhand me this instant!"
Keno didn't reply, he only rested his chin on her shoulder with his eyes closed.
"Keno!" she pushed him away but it only made his embrace tightened "Weren't you weak moments ago? Where did you get such strength?"
Keno scoffed then gently kissed her neck.
She flinched "How preposterous! What do you think you're doing?"
Keno grinned and whispered "You smell good!"
Satasha trying to push away moved her face away trying not to make the same mistake that she did in the cave "How shameful! Release me at once!"
Keno gently kissed her neck again before nuzzling it, he frowned as he kept holding her in place "Stay!" he whispered softly in her ear.
His warm breath made her ear ticklish "Just let go!" she kept pushing "Let go or I'll leave you with more scars"
Keno mocked "Keep threatening how you like, we both know that you'll do none of it"
Satasha agitated "Don't test me!"
"Oh my!" Yuru's spoke once she entered "I see you two are enjoying yourselves well!"
Satasha wined "Yuru! Tell him to unhand me this instant!"
Yuru walked closer, she noticed how he was so immersed and gently spoke "My lord, I don't think that she wants your affection. You shouldn't impose yourself on her"
Keno stare angrily at Yuru "Leave!"
Yuru backed away "Dear me!"
Satasha begged "Don't listen to him! Didn't you have something to discuss?"
Yuru chuckled "I'll discuss it tomorrow" she walked away.
"Yuru!" Satasha called.
Yuru waved excitedly at her "Enjoy yourselves!" then closed the door behind her.
Satasha sighed "Traitor!"
Keno moved his hand to the base of her head "You should've left me for good that night" he pulled away to take a good look at her as he continued "Why did you return? Was it pity or new instructions?" he stared at her lips.
Satasha immediately placed her hand on his mouth "Don't even think about it! If you do it then I'll scream and let everyone know"
Keno kissed her hand as he pushed it away saying "Scream how much you like! No one will be coming to the rescue, unless they are foolish enough to not value their lives!" he kissed her wrist.
Satasha felt nervous, she didn't know now how to escape him without using her ultimate move; cut his throat.
"Why are you doing this? It's not like I'll magically forgive you afterwards! Seek reason" she said
Keno glanced at her with ecstatic gaze, he shuffled her hair and rested his hand under her jaw "I am interrogating you" he forcibly pulled her for a kiss.
He kept his eyes partly opened to see her reaction as he brushed his lips against hers. As he expected, she was fighting to pull away.
He stopped to let her catch her breath "Now tell me why you betrayed me?"
"What?" she huffed "How did I betray you?"
Keno immediately changed position, he pinned her to the bed with one hand holding her wrist and the other holding her neck, while his whole weight on her legs. "Still denying?" he kissed her again leaving her no time to speak.
Satasha kept trying to release herself but he was stronger than her even with his injuries and the sedative, she bit his lips few times to stop him but he didn't even flinch.
After few minutes he stopped to ask again "Why you betrayed me?"
Satasha was gasping for air "You're insane!"
Keno chuckled and caressed her lips "The thing is, I feel like we've done this before. The only difference was that you were rather obedient"
Satasha fumed "In your dreams!"
Keno took of his belt and tied her wrist to the bed frame.
"What are you going to do?" she struggled anxiously
Keno smirked and kissed her again after he finished, this time he didn't give her the chance to bite, the moment he felt her teeth closing in he began kissing her neck.
Satasha huffed "I don't know what you want me to say! Just stop and let us converse as civilized people"
Keno didn't budge, he bit her neck while holding her other hand.
She flinched and called "Keno!" but he kept biting hard till blood erupted, he licked her blood then sucked it out of her
"Please stop!" she begged.
He didn't give her time to think straight, she didn't know why he accused her of treason, she didn't do anything out of the ordinary.
Keno's mouth was smeared in her blood, he licked it off asking "Tell me why and I'll stop"
He stared at her perplexed expression and felt agitated "You say that you're on my side but you keep protecting him!"
"Him?" she huffed "Who?"
Her answer made him angrier, he kissed her lips deeper this time leaving her no air to grasp. Instead of resistance he was surprised to see her froze for a while, he opened his eyes to see what expression she was wearing. He stopped for a moment shocked, her cheeks were red and her eyes screamed for more. They held contact for few minutes before he kissed her gently this time, this time she kissed him back.
Keno didn't understand why she gave him such look and why she was initiating now, he seemed to drift away from the main point but he didn't care, he moved his hand away from hers to see if she'd stab him and run. To his surprise she held onto him.
He stopped to check what she was plotting, but the moment she caught her breath she kissed him. He was caught off guard and froze, then he understood what she was doing and pulled himself away.
"What are you doing?" he asked
Satasha rolled her finger on his chest "Isn't that what you wanted?" her eyes burned with desire.
Keno grabbed her hand "I want answers"
Satasha scoffed "Even if I knew anything, I won't admit it"
Keno fuming "Why are you so eager to protect him?" his eyes darkened as he came to conclusion "Do you love him?"
Satasha chuckled "Love? I love no one nor I am protecting anyone" she got closer to whisper "I ended up enjoying this kind of interrogation that I don't want it to stop!" she kissed his ear "I want more"
Agitated, Keno pushed her back "What had gotten into you?"
Satasha scoffed "I thought you already know! Didn't you say it yourself?" her ecstatic demeanor shifted to murderous as she broke free from the bed frame and pushed him on his back, she sat on top of him as she said "I am a crazy whore!"
Keno was stunned, he froze for a minute before grinning excitedly "I really got under your skin"
Satasha glared coldly at him then got up to leave.
Keno followed her to the door stopping her from leaving "Who are you running to this time? Mika, Lucifer, or Zeta?"
Satasha understood now why he was acting out of character, she giggled.
Keno fumed, he turned her around to look at her and see what's funny.
Satasha placed her hand on his cheek pulling him closer for a kiss but then stopped mid way answering "I might as well try all of them at once!" and then kissed his cheek.
Keno lost sense of himself, his eyes shot red as he grabbed the back of her head warning "Don't provoke me into doing something we both hate!"
Satasha annoyed "Don't flatter yourself buddy!" she poked his chest "You think that I'll easily submit after your himulation?"
"Buddy?" he repeated, he chuckled bitterly "Buddy!" he repeated again "So I was right! From the start you were working with them to coax me, then planned my demise"
Satasha scoffed "Coax?" she let out one short laugh before continuing "You think the world revolves around you? If it weren't for my deal with the reapers, I wouldn't even notice your existence!" she pushed him away "You are nothing but a pawn in my game! You think I would crumble if you stared at me with those eyes? Dream on! I am going to use you till I get enough then discard you"
She noticed his rage piling up and added more fuel "Than I'd use the next one I see fit. Since you are no longer a valuable piece, I will turn to someone else" she sensed his grip tightens at the back of her head, so she pushed his robe feeling his shoulder as she said "Someone with broader shoulders!"
His chest rose from rage as his eyes grew even red.
Satasha kissed his neck "Someone warmer!"
Keno closed his eyes trying to stop himself from losing his senses to rage "Enough!"
Satasha smirked "Perhaps Lucifer?"
She backed away to see the look on his face, and as she predicted he was furious. She giggled as she poked his forehead "Why are you angry? You said it yourself, I am a whore!"
Keno didn't react for a minute, he kept staring angrily at her, she had won this round, he completely lost himself to rage.
Satasha sensed her victory and pushed him away to leave but was pulled immediately, she glared confused at him, she thought that he'd let her go but she was completely wrong.
"What are you doing?" she asked nervously
Keno pulled her closer "You asked for this!"
"Wha.." before she completed her question, he kissed her roughly this time leaving her no space to break free.
After few minutes he carried her to bed.