Opposite Personalities

"Your sister is testing my patience." She nearly jumped ten feet when the strong deep voice sounded next to her. She turned and found Malachi standing there. He was looking in the glass at her sister then back to her. He had on sunglasses, and she thought that he looked rather pale. She thought for a moment that he might be sick. She didn't get the sense of sickness though, just tired. Then again he and his family had been attacked.

"She's just with friends." She said not meeting his gaze.

"Don't lie for your sister. She would never cover for you. Second, I'm not blind Ariel." He said. Ariel gave a nod and looked down at the ground, her heart beating a bit faster. He made her unbelievable nervous for no reason that she could name. They'd known each other for several years now, you'd think it would be easier. Malachi spoke again.

"I came to make sure that neither of you had been attacked. I didn't think they would know about you nor the deal made. Hasn't really been announced and my father isn't well enough to travel yet. A couple more days. I saw the ping from Natasha's phone. That and her media uploads." He gestured with his phone. So that was how he found them huh? Ariel glanced at him, but kept her gaze from his. She could feel that he was injured but he looked okay. Her mind more on that.

"Are you still hurt? Jeremiah said that you were okay, but got injured."

"Fine." He stated looking at her. He looked back at her sister who was very close to some young man. He was annoyed but it didn't really bother him like it should. Not as much as it had when he'd seen Ariel talking with some man over by the coffee shop. He had been watching the two just seeing what they were doing. Ariel just seemed a lot less like her sister in getting the attention of others. So he'd felt almost disappointed to see her talking with the man. He wasn't sure why it should really matter anyways.

He didn't know what it was about Ariel and not her sister that seemed to be drawing his eye lately. With his deal he had to take Natasha as his wife. That didn't mean she had to be the one he used for anything else. Quite literally the two of them were gorgeous. They turned heads, full womanly figures and looks. Natasha would definitely be one to do whatever it took to please. However he had a feeling that Ariel would actually be pleasing. Yeah he'd let his mind wander with thoughts of them both. He wasn't a saint. The one was supposed to be his wife.

"I can feel that you are still wounded." She said her gaze at the ground, like it always was. He hated that she did that. He wanted her to look at him. No matter the number of times he told her not to look at the ground she would. Her submissive gesture, it made her seem weak to him and it made him think less of her.

"It'll heal." She brought her gaze up to look at him. Then it went back down but stopped at his right side. She was extremely sensitive to that kind of thing. She always knew when someone was sick, when they were hurt. The only odd talent she admitted to having.

"Who would do such a thing?" She asked quietly. He assessed her. Besides Jeremiah and a few in his family, he didn't confide in others about things. Even to them it was rare, Malachi didn't share what was on the inside much. However Ariel was easy to talk to. Mainly because she could keep her mouth shut and just wondered for the sake of it. He appreciated her for it.

"Those that want me and my father dead." He said. He noted that she kept moving her hands like she wanted to reach forward. She wouldn't though, he made her far too nervous and fearful.

"Have either of you noticed anyone odd?" She shook her head. "Your father or mother?" They were targets after all. The power play and money to be gained was immense if you could monopolize the colonies and cities here.

"No, but they have been rather busy working for your father." That was very true, one of their constraints was that they had to work for him so long as he deemed it. It wasn't a free ride and they were merging some of their holdings now.

"Your sister will soon come to live with us. Better protection, just wanted to make sure you two were okay." He turned moving away from her. His business here was done.

"Lord?" Ariel said unable to take it anymore and hurried after him. He walked with a quick fluid stride. She had to almost jog to keep up with him.

"What? And why do you call me that? It makes me feel old. My first name is fine Ariel. For the love of god use it. Don't call me Lord." He demanded not looking at her as he moved. She always did that, gave him a proper title, it was annoying. His father wasn't dead yet and he didn't want the title that early. It gave him chills.

"Will you let me heal you? I'm sorry it's bothering me, I know you said that you were fine." He stopped looking down at her. There wasn't anyone else on the walkway at the moment, just them. He was surprised at her.

"Bothers you?" He asked frowning. She gave a nod. Ariel was surprised at him being out and about so soon after the attack.

"I can't help it, I'm sorry. Please let me." Ariel felt silly and rather stupid practically begging him to let her do it. She wouldn't touch him unless he said it was okay. It just bothered her, and she could do something about it for him. She wanted to. He glanced about and then spoke.

"Be quick about it." He commented to her and she nodded reaching forward. He didn't get her, she was odd. Her upbringing could explain that very well. She didn't owe him anything, it shouldn't bother her. However she clearly wanted to, and he honestly would not mind being healed. He just never asked anything of her normally. Just felt kind of wrong, she was already over used by her family.

Ariel touched the black shirt and was shocked when she touched his side. She moved the shirt and saw the bandaging there. Blood had seeped into it clearly.

"Your still bleeding! Why are you not resting Malachi? Or at a clinic?" She said in a rather severe tone that he'd never heard her use before. Like she couldn't believe he lied about the severity of his wound. Well if she knew what he really was she might not think about it then.

She pulled up the side of his shirt and edge of the bandage. Ariel looked at the horrible jagged wound that was there.

"Oh my god." She said in a whisper, he just stood there. Wasn't like he hadn't been stabbed or maimed before, especially when he went out hunting. This really wasn't that bad. Couldn't tell her that though. Otherwise he'd have to explain a few things.

Everyone knew that he and his father were odd, that perhaps they were a bit more than they appeared. Well that was very true, oh they were mostly human. Could die just like the next person from a severe enough wound. However they had certain skills that were passed on from father to son, mother to daughter. He wasn't going to share his inner most secret with one like her. It was the reason their family had left Earth so quickly. His abilities were not like hers to heal.

Her hands gently touched his side around the wound. He sucked in a breath as the burning feeling came from her hands and then a cooling. She moved her hands over him concentration on the wound, and her hands felt really good. A soft stroke, it was stimulating to say the least.

He stepped back as he felt the wound closed, she was like what seventeen? He gave a slight shudder down his spine, for a couple reasons. He actually felt kind of awkward. Almost shameful for a few stray thoughts that went through his head.

Okay, yes, he'd admit it already hadn't he? She and her sister were damn good looking. He'd had thoughts about them both. He wasn't a freaking priest. Besides, Ariel was far too breakable, unlike her sister.

"Sorry, did I hurt you?" She asked her head dropping down. Couldn't she look at a person and hold her own? She always apologized and then stood there like she was waiting to be struck.

"It's fine. Better than." He said tugging his shirt down. He couldn't help his irritation and spoke. "Can't you ever look at a person right in the eye? It makes you look weaker."

"That's what I am." She said with a sigh. "I've accepted my role." She glanced up at him then back down. "If Lord Vento is in need of healing…"

"It's nothing that one of our doctors, nor I could help him with." His father was in no condition to be seen by anyone but Malachi at the moment. With the injuries that he'd received he'd become… a bit more animal than man. A family curse he was afraid. Perhaps an arranged marriage was best, not like someone could accept the truth of what his family was. Money and power kept a lot of things out of view.

"Oh. Just offering." She said. The door to the music store opened and the two of them looked down there as Natasha and their small group came out. Natasha spotted them first and looked shocked and a bit flustered. She walked toward them, the others hanging back just a bit.