16

I squinted. The light was blinding, not that the sun was high up and bright but more that my eyes had gone and got used to the cave. So, to make them so suddenly adjust to the naked sun... well of course it hurt. Just a bit though. 

I smirked and poised myself. I'm just tough like that. Oh. But it was quite late. Maybe... six? If I had to guess that was. It didn't feel like that much time had passed but... it had. I shrugged and watched as another body dragged its way from the portal.

Lily dropped the body onto the ground. Set a harsh glare against the waiting soldiers - their guns poised oh~ so~ intimidatingly.

"You know who this is." She accused. "You're gazes certainly say so."

I watched as their throats bulged in tiny gulps. Trying to hold their fear. Finally... finally one nodded. It was quite- hm... cowardly. Yes, that's the word.

"Gonna say something?" She raised a brow. A gesture I mimicked. Sure, I had only been with her for a few days but she seemed... fully elegant. Not the crass sarcasm she portrayed herself with now.

Either way it worked. Seems they know her better than I, flinching at the mere change of tone. "You. Yeah you. The one that nodded. Tell me. Now."

Ah- there it was. Her patience had run thin. And so she singled out the only one with guts big enough to actually move.

"I-"

"My dungeon." Her breath was short, head turned to the side to stifle the immense anger. "Mine, and who do I find. Some random whore that thought themselves important enough to enter - again - my dungeon. So who the hell is she?!"

Her dungeon?

I quirked a brow and she just smiled lightly at me, totally different than that livid face she showed to the soldiers.

Her mouth whispered a few words. I couldn't hear them but they were most likely something along the lines of... I'll explain when another time.

And so I shrugged.

"The Arc family. Ah- Angela of the Arc family."

I could smell his sweat from here. The lilt of fear as his feet quivered at the attention. Was she so scary? 

Ah- but it was foul. Like a wet dog trying to drag their slimy maw around your nose.

I blinked.

"Oh~" 

Was that what was happening? Was it~? Was it~?

It was an acrid smell. Far fouler than the one before. Had he... he had.

But I wasn't cruel enough to punish the man more. He had already been given the scare of his life, as evidenced by the light fluid running down his pants. Seriously though... I pinched my nose and tugged on Lily's sleeve.

She looked at me, then where I was gazing. A sigh on her lips.

"Let's go."

"What abo-"

"We'll take her with us."

/./

I opened the door and let Lily in first. She dragged the girl in and threw her onto the nearest couch. Angela - as I found her name to be - grunted a bit. But the most action her body gave was a small furrow of her brows.

I too plopped myself on the couch. Sitting peacefully next to the unconscious body. Lily on the other hand made herself comfortable standing. Looming like a disappointed parent.

"Wake up." She demanded.

Angela didn't.

A growl and a slap. 

"Wha-!"

She dragged her arms to her pocket, reached into it and grabbed something tightly. Her eyes roamed the room, first to me, then to Lily and finally to the walls around us.

"A house... Where am I?!" Angela demanded. "You." She pointed to me. "Tell me now!"

That wasn't the right thing to say apparently. I smirked and watched as she was knocked to the ground. Her throat constricted by a thrown heel. It was in such accuracy that I knew just a single error would've ended in the girl's death.

"Wrong."

"I-" Her brain finally grasped the severity of the situation. Finally grasped the person she was talking to. "So- Sorry-" 

Carefully Angela extracted herself and stood up. She made her way to the couch once more and used me as a shield, peeking over my shoulder every second or so. 

"Why... why's she here..." Her finger was shaking. Quite violently too.

I rolled my eyes. 

"I live with her." That was me. Though Lily did answer too, and at almost the same second as me. "None of your business."

I glared at Lily and she wilted - just a bit.

"We- I saved you. And Lily here-" I jabbed my thumb at her. "Thought it'd be a good idea for you to wake with familiar faces - mine 'cause I helped you apparently - and hers 'cause you would recognize her."

She quivered.

"But why at your... your house?"

"I don't know."

I sent the floor to Lily.

But she just shrugged. As if her mere presence wasn't making the girl shake like a particularly driven chihuahua. Hah- Angela clung closer to me, hugging her head to my shoulder and her breasts squished against my back.

And once more she passed out. From fear? The unknown? I shook my head. 

"Did you have to scare her?" I glared. 

Lily wilted and turned her head, ashamed to face me.

"Mom~" I sang. "We have an extra room, yes?"

She thought for a moment then shrugged. "Yeah."

I followed her. Right behind and holding the girl on my back. Angela huh- She was surprisingly light.

The room was dusty. With paint peeling from the walls. It was- well it wasn't terrible but I wouldn't want to sleep here myself. 

It was either this or- or-

"Fuck it..." I muttered.

Lily turned her head but didn't say anything on the matter. Instead just watching as I opened the tucked covers and placed the girl in, climbing in after her. My eyes closed and soon I was ready to sleep.

It was quite easy too. With all the adrenaline and everything. The whole day was just one thing after another. So it was no wonder that I fell asleep mere moments after closing my eyes.

Oh! But before I forget.

|Dream Manipulation|

There was something I wanted Lily to be. And well it would be much easier to manipulate her if her thoughts were in the right order.