章 34: AFTER CARE

After Xander left to bring Angel to him, Ares carried darling carefully, and walked out of the room.

The groan of pain coming from one of the boys he had purposely kept alive, served as pleasant music to his ears.

It was one thing to be audacious, and another different thing to not be able to back up your audacity.

The boy had the nerve to threaten him, and by extension, Ava.

He was already in hell, but Ares had something worse than that for him.

In the hallway, he crossed paths with the boys sent by Xander to clean up.

As they stopped to salute him, he dished out instructions without stopping on his heel.

"When the doctor is done with the one still breathing, take him to cell 8. I'll have a word or two with him later."

He had already taken the turn by the time he was done with his orders.

It was left for the boys to not only have heard everything he said, but to act accordingly.

He went straight into one of his home offices, and as he entered, he saw Ava, and Ivar waiting for him.

"Ivar? I thought I told you to take her to her room?" He asked, closing the door behind him.

"I tried boss. She didn't want to go. She insisted she'd wait here for you."

His eyes briefly trailed towards Ava who had her head buried in her laps.

She was scared he could tell. With a sigh, he walked over to the table, and gently placed Darling on it.

"Get me the fresh wipes please," he ordered Ivar.

Ivar was quick with it. Mostly because he always found the ritual fascinating.

Everytime the boss made use of Darling, he had to wipe her off.

He even had a special wipe for her. To everyone else, it was just a gun.

To him, it was his loveliest possession. Even life to him.

Ivar returned with the wipe, and gave it to the boss.

Gently, Ares began to wipe Darling off.

Ivar watched him as he cleaned her up. Even the look in his eyes was that of pure adoration.

He wondered if he could ever be attached to anything like the way the boss was attached to his gun.

When Ares was satisfied with how clean, and shiny darling was again, he gently placed it on the table, before turning to Ava.

He walked up to her, and crouched so he was levelled with her.

"What would make you feel better?" He asked. "Anything, and it's yours."

She slowly lifted her head, until she was facing him.

"Just you," she said. "I want you."

"Alright." He nodded.

In another room at the other wing of Ragazza, Angel had just finished sewing her gown, and was completely ecstatic about that feat.

She turned to share the good news with the humming lady, but she was already fast asleep.

Perhaps it was because she didn't tell her anything when she asked why she had reacted that way to gunshots.

With a shrug, she ran into her ugly room, and began to take off the hideous gown she was wearing.

The second she put on the gown she just made, she almost screamed out with joy.

"It fits like a glove, Angel!" She cheered herself on.

The fabric was simply delightful in her eyes.

It looked as if she was wearing the rain. It was the only way she could describe it.

Her hair she loved to wear up because of its volume, she realized wouldn't enhance the beauty of the dress the way she would have loved for it to do.

She let down her copper locks, and really did scream this time around.

It was at the same time, Xander opened the door from her own end, and entered the room.

She caught his presence through the mirror, and the smile on her face instantly vanished.

As she turned to face him, Xanders breath caught against his chest.

Everyone knew Hades' daughter was pretty, but it was all mostly hearsay.

She didn't go out in public a lot, so not many people could claim they had seen her in person.

To see her in person was to acknowledge she was goddess level of beauty. And whatever that dress was, just justified all of his thoughts.

"What is it?" She asked in an annoyed tone. "Did you come to tell me the imposters succeeded, and the kidnapper is no more? I mean that's the reason for the bell, right?"

He didn't respond immediately, and it only made Angel grow even more upset.

"Fine, don't answer me. But if you think even for one second you're about to throw some sac over my head—"

Her stomach rang, interrupting her rants.

"Oh not again!" She groaned weakly.

She knew this time around, it was mostly her fault.

At least back in her tower, she could eat once a day.

But here, she couldn't remember the last time she ate anything at all.

"Is that what I think it is?" Xander blinked, coming out of his trance.

"What is what?" She mumbled.

He laughed at her awkwardness. "Nevermind. You have to come with me."

"No, I don't want to," she outrightly rejected.

"That's because you're thinking you have a choice. The boss wants to see you. You have to come."

"Then he survived?" She asked, disappointment heavy in her voice.

"Let's go," Xander turned around, ignoring her.

"Wait, does that mean you won't be putting a hideous sac over my head again? I mean we're all acquainted now, aren't we? There's no need for that kind of dis—"

"I don't hear walking!" He called behind his shoulders.

"Asshole!" She muttered, before taking a deep breath.

She took one last look at herself, and shrugged, as she turned around, and walked through the door.

The second her eyes tried to adjust to the surprising light that graced the hallway, a cover was thrown over her head.

"For how long is this crap going to keep happening?!" She screamed, as she felt herself being lifted up.

"Ugh! I hate all of you, and I hate your gremlin of a boss even more!" She screamed, hoping the whole building could hear her, and most especially, Ares.