[Free]

"Stop."

She didn't, but ultimately broke away, her tongue out, displaying a brand.

Her tongue was sizzling, he could see black mist coming out of it while the brand was glowing purple.

"Mori? What happened?" she asked him.

Her eyes didn't feel as empty as before, but her demeanor remained changed.

"You were about to kill me, again."

"Huh. Sorry."

Sorry? Since do you apologize?

She confusedly looked around and at herself. Realizing she wasn't wearing anything, she walked to the wardrobe to put a nightgown on, as the day was about to break.

Her body looked mostly fine, her leg and arm while still colorful, weren't broken anymore. 

"Why is my tongue burning?" she asked.

She went in front of the mirror, taking a closer look.

"You did this to me?" she asked.

"I told you, eventually you would be the one chained."

"How?"

"Your only mistake was giving me your blood, ironic isn't it?"

"Take it off," she said.

Aura sat down on the chair, heavily breathing as she looked closer in the mirror.

"Let me out of those cuffs."

She ignored him, touching her tongue between her fingers, still inspecting the brand.

Mori could see in the reflection mist dispersing out, as the mark started to glow purple.

The mist increased, and Aura's breathing got heavier as the pain became stronger.

She got up quickly and walked to him. 

In two swift strikes, she slashed the cuffs open with her nails, making them fall along the wall.

Mori's wrists were red-purple, he quickly massaged them as he got up for the first time.

"Finally free..."

He stretched, while Aura rushed toward the mirror again, the mark had calmed down.

"What did you do to me?!" she asked, turning around.

She rushed toward him, raising a hand.

"Stop moving."

She quickly did, her face grimacing in pain.

"How dare you, Mori, you filthy..."

"Shut up."

"..."

He closed his eyes and tilted his head back while smiling.

He breathed in all the air he could get, then exhaled deeply.

There was a soft smile on his lips. When he reopened his eyes she was waiting before him. 

Her fiery eyes were staring at him, he could feel the hatred emanating out, yet he couldn't care less.

"Ironic. You're clearly pissed, yet you held me prisoner for days."

"..."

"Only answer my questions and say nothing else."

He then opened his profile.

"Can you see something floating before me?"

[Memento Mori] [Level 1]

[Class: Cursed Sovereign]

[Cursed Path: Hexed Initiate 1000/2250]

[Health points: 5/5]

[Cursed Energy: 378/1000]

[Magic: 10]

[Strength: 3]

[Defense: 2]

[Agility: 1]

That brand cost me a lot of energy, or maybe it's all the commands I've given?

"So?"

"Your profile. I can't see what's on it unless you make it so."

Her tone was dry and arrogant but did not bother Mori at all.

"This is Griswald's mansion, am I wrong?"

"No."

"Is he here now?"

"Yes."

"He knows about me?"

"Yes."

He quickly opened his profile again.

[Cursed Energy: 153/1000]

I've got around one last question.

"Is Asmodael's ring in this mansion?"

"yes."

At first, it was as if he was choking, but quickly it became clear he was chuckling. 

"It paid off."

Aura frowned, unsure of what he was talking about.

He sat on the bed, letting his body fall on it while Aura was standing still.

"Alright, you can talk now, or move now. I have more questions, but it's your choice to answer or not."

The truth is I can't use the brand anymore. Worse, is she might realize she could just power through the pain.

She turned toward him.

She took a few steps his way but he quickly stopped her.

"If you kill me, that brand will kill you. Just so you know," he said with a straight face.

She grabbed him by the shirt, lifting him toward her. 

His face was extremely close to hers, he sustained her stare unbothered by the proximity.

"All I want is the ring."

She threw him back on the bed.

He internally sighed, since she wasn't calling his bluff.

"You'll never get it."

"Why not?"

"It's the only thing protecting us, here. Father will never give it away, especially to you."

It had been on his mind for a moment, so he simply asked. "Is he the one who did this to you?"

She looked away, betraying the truth.

"Why?" he asked.

"He's protecting me."

"He broke half your body."

"It was my fault."

Mori arched his eyebrows, but she was sustaining his gaze.

"What did you do?" he asked.

"You can probably tell, I'm sick."

She lifted her arms, bringing Mori's attention to her features.

She was indeed pale, but that was quite normal for a vampire. 

"Aren't you supposed to look this way?"

"We are pale, but not this much. The way I was after drinking your blood is how I would look if I was healthy. Eyes bright red, lips the color of blood, it was my first time."

Mori frowned, but let her continue.

"I told my father I felt better. That I could probably go outside."

"You've never been out?" 

"Never further than our gardens and the forest around."

He cut to the chase. "He did this to you?" 

"He's concerned about my wellbeing. Your blood is temporary relief, but he's close to a breakthrough. He gave me something to consume in the meantime, I should be fine for the coming days."

"You were practically dead when you came back."

She ignored him, changing her tone as she continued talking. 

"There's a few options for you," she said. "First, you need to take this mark off me, and second you're getting back into cuffs."

Mori scuffed. "Why would I?" 

His tone became colder.

"Because Father will kill you if you don't. You know him since you're after the ring. You know what he can do. I'm the only thing keeping you alive here, so unless do what I say, you're a dead man."

She was standing tall, her hands on her hips as she was using the same look she gave him when he was chained.

One full of hate and disdain.

The same look everyone gave him when he did his best to just let his mother live another day. The same one Jessica had used when she let his mother die. 

"I'm a dead man?"

He got up, he was taller than her, something he couldn't tell when he was chained.

He walked closer, pressing his chest against hers, pushing forward as he looked down.

His face got closer, yet she sustained his gaze.

Their faces were so close, their foreheads almost touched.

"You know what I think?" whispered Mori.

"..."

"I think... Your father doesn't know I'm here. I think you're hiding me."

She stepped back, her legs touching the desk behind her.

She started looking around while biting her lip.

But as she took a step back, Mori took a step forward. She used both hands to hold the desk behind her. She tried getting further back, making the desk hit the wall.

He caressed her lips with his thumb, then held her chin.

"You know what I think? I think if your father knew, more than half your body would be broken."

He grabbed her throat with one hand. Her frown deepened, etching lines across her forehead as her eyes darted around.

While he held her throat, he pushed his fingers into her mouth. She tightened her jaw but his grasp on her throat tightened as well, making her giving in.

He grabbed her tongue between his fingers, applying pressure.

"It's me you should fear," he said as mist emanated from the mark.