The Red Wing Mansion

The Pearl Wing Mansion : Chapter Five

Alix's POV

I can't attend the 9pm date with my boss because I collapsed in the shower, weak with Claudius' advances prior.

I knew sexual acts would drain my life energy, but nothing like this, let alone this quickly.

Fontaine seemed to have realised before me that there was a difference in my strength since passing through timelines on multiple occasions, and also being reborn. I had memories of being Alix from the Red Wing Mansion, being his maid and being seduced. I had been adventurous in that life.

Then I lived another life, another version of Alix, after escaping the past he forced me into and returning to the present.

I had forgotten Claudius. I had grown up panic and anxiety ridden and I barely had a social life.

When the Red Wing burned to the ground and all my memories were released, I had the memory of the old Alix and the memory of the present Alix.

Now, to put it simply, I realised I was just weaker.

And it wasn't my fault.

It was his cruelty that had twisted my destiny so much. Oh, to be hunted by an incubus... it had truly ravaged me.

Even so, after I collapsed and passed out in the shower, banging my head on the wall and bleeding from the impact and a wound across my forehead from where I had hit the ceramic soap holder, Fontaine had rushed to me right away.

I woke up to see Claudius laying me in bed, his gloves on, careful not to touch my skin as he removed a towel from my body, dried me and carefully tucked the sheets and quilt around me. He also tied a bandage around my head.

I saw it all in a daze, feeling weightless and half dead. I certainly didn't feel attractive nor empowered. In fact... I'm scared of our relationship right now. Mostly frightened for the future, actually.

After the incident, I sleep deeply, all the way into the night. Sleep heals, and I wake up at midnight, sitting up and turning to see Fontaine reclining on his side of the bed, reading a book, hardly sleepy. He was immortal after all. I doubt sleep did much for him.

Claudius closes the book and dims the reading light as I squint through foggy eyes. I rub my hands over my face and I swivel to him.

"Alix, how are you feeling?" Claudius asks quietly, concern evident.

"No more rubbish. Why am I mortal?" I ask him, it comes out as a groan and a complaint, "After you ate me out, I nearly died in the shower, yet you have insisted I stay like this – weak and completely at your mercy," I hold out my hand, so frustrated that my arm shakes and so does my shoulder. I lie back down and let out a deep, long breath, feeling rattled. Fontaine's dark blue eyes were focused on me the whole time, his sexy mouth shut as he listened to every word.

Only to say one word, "And?"

I peel open my eyes and turn my head on the pillow to look at Claudius again, "I'm... weak. We will never have sex again."

"I know," Claudius admits this bombshell while calmly shutting his book and watching me, letting it sink in while I press my hands over the sheets. I tap my fingers anxiously, trying to process why he is so... so – so calm.

"Can you elaborate?" I ask.

"Say Sir."

"Sir," I whisper, just wanting him to answer.

"Because I said so," Fontaine actually smirks a little at my confusion and bewilderment. I close my fists and glare up at him, "You won't fall in the shower again. We learned one limit to your life essence. I did not intend to hurt you, darling. I apologise."