Reiji watched analytically as Anastasia trialed beside him. The female had her head down as she padded through the hallway, following him to his bedroom since hers was being...preoccupied.
Like previously stated, he received the desired results...yet he was still deeply unsatisfied.
He was ashamed to admit...that he wanted what the others had. Reiji is a sadist, but not to the same extent as his father.
He didn't want many wives to simply fulfil his needs, he wanted to love his wife or at least know his wife will be fair to their offspring.
He wanted to offer his children a better life than what his father had led him to live.
Yes, Anastasia complied obediently, but she didn't care for him, she feared him. She saw her own father and Reiji in the same light- a dim one shrouded by darkness, nothing good to come from involvement.
And this would not affect Reiji as much as it did, had he not begun to feel attracted to the female. He found her power over the others breathtaking, and he loved that in her eyes, he was superior, yet...wanted her respect. Anastasia was like no female he met before. Whenever he doubted her, she proved herself, she didn't whine for his attention like past or tremble before him- she challenged him intellectually, and he found it enticing when the were able to hold hour long debates. When she was completely at peace, she took are of him, if he stayed in his lab too long she would come in with a tray of tea, if he was stressed she would massage his shoulder affectionately. She assisted him in the lab, and on days when he was lost in his past, she stepped in to keep peace in the manor, making sure no one bothered him. He found her a cooking extraordinaire, something unsurprisingly all the girls were, and when he would read a book and wasn't in the mood to talk...Anastasia would just curl into him, head on his shoulder as she silently read along, regardless of the place in book she was still able to gather a complete understanding and even at time finish before him.
But he found these moments less frequent since that night. Now, whenever he doubted her, she was shy to prove herself, she didn't whine for his attention nor tremble before him- because she avoided him like the plague, the hour long debates he enjoyed became a few seconds because she no longer felt safe to speak her mind. He rarely saw her at peace, just desperate to leave the same room. The generous trays of tea felt more like a chore, even to him, if he was stressed, she was too cautious to go near him but offer him a pill to relieve stress or more tea. He was beginning to miss her gentle touches. Her assistance in the lab was more like a nervous intern, when he was lost in his past- she was lost in hers as well and weary of a repeat. When she cooked, it was a quick meal, with the basic necessities. He had once told her to read with him, since he simply wished to relax, the girl pulled up a chair, pulled out a book, and was stuck on the first chapter next two hours.
Reiji never apologized for his actions since he saw them as a requirement to finally get Anastasia to submit.
But now, as he watched her stiffly lie near the edge of the bed, her head casted down, not wanting to turn her back to him.
He wonders if he made the right choice...that night three weeks ago...
"You're just like...him, you're a horrible person! I hate you! I hate you! I hate you!"
"I-I can't do this! You're so infuriating! I have to talk to father about the arrangement, I don't care what punishment he gives me as long as my sisters and I are safe from you"
He would never admit how deeply these words had affected him. He believed that Ana's father and his own were so similar it was disgusting- and when placed in the same category as filth.
He lost it.
He hadn't meant to attack her such animosity.
"I don't believe that will be necessary"
"Let me go! You sick bastard!"
"We will discuss this at the manor, your behavior is disgraceful"
"Let go!"
He remembered how her chocked her savagely before feeding from her. How couldn't he, her fear was practically tangible at that point.
And when they arrived to the manor- it had been so much worse.
...
Anastasia fell to the ground limply. Her side burning as it met the floor hard surfacing.
"Y-Y-You b-ba-astard!" She chocked out, coughing as she cradled her sore neck.
With a simple flick of his wrist, Anastasia was sent flying through his lab equipment, glass embedding into her back as she slid across the counters surface off the edge, landing painfully on the same bruising side.
She was gasping for breath, but he was relentless. Scooping his hand down to grasp her neck before forcefully lifting her to her feet and slamming her back into his bookcase. Her cry rang throughout the room as she was forced to slide up the wall, scrapping her already wounded back against the shelf.
Silent tears fell from her face, but she didn't beg for his mercy.
"I will tarnish those tedious wings you cherish so closely"
His words held so much malice that it suffocated the ravenette, but she simply let out a humorless laugh, causing his air cutting grip to tighten around her frail neck.
"T-Too L-Late, th-that man b-beat y-you to it"
No longer able to hold up her front, Anastasia's grip on his wrists slacked before they fell to her side.
But Reiji was fed up, and wasn't going to quite. All his pent up anger was being aimed onto Anastasia.
...
Had it not been for Lisa rushing into the room and tackling him in a rage fit.
He wouldn't even be staring at Anastasia.
As he finally, after weeks of avoiding the memory, thought upon the situation. Reiji recognized the disgrace of his actions.
He would apologize at the most convenient time.
He will make it right.
Just a little Reiji and Ana, and insight onto what happened that fateful night to clear up confusion.
By the way, sorry about the short chapters, but I'm trying to focus on the character bonds now more than the intimate moments. (blushes of embarrassment (^*.*^) my bad! )