"I probably deserve everything you choose to do to me right now, but I need you to hear me out," she said in a rush and Angel watched her with a cold leveled gaze.
"Hear you out? Did you give me such a chance before you use my body?" he said and watched her lips tremble.
"I'm sorry, Angel. I am so sorry. I would never have done that if I wasn't under the influence. I promise you, it was a mistake. Angel… I."
"Why?" Angel asked.
"Why? I was not myself. I was intoxicated…" Nadia quickly replied, looking puzzled by the question and wondering why he was making her repeat herself.
"Why wouldn't you have chosen to sleep with me? Is it because I am half human? A wolf-boy or beast-boy like your uncle guards like to call me?"
"That's not what I meant…"
"What then did you mean, Miss Nadia Rufus?" he enunciated in a cold, chilly way. His eyes were literally throwing daggers at her. "Your uncle and cousins do it all the time; use anyone they like just because they have guns and killing gadgets to subdue the ones they oppress. They act as they please — kill anyone who dares to challenge them, and anyone too weak to do so. And you are one of them after all … " Angel delivered. Tears welled in Nadia's eyes, and her lips trembled. She let out a shaky breath.
"W - what I am saying is that I am sorry about what happened. Angel, I am not like that. I am not like them. I was in that room because I mistook it for mine. I thought it was my room…"
"So, you have sex with anyone you find in your bed?" he growled at her. The notion made him angrier.
"I… I um…" she stuttered with her eyes glued to his throat, deciding she had to tell him the entire truth, she raised them to meet his. "No. I don't. I thought I was dreaming; I thought you were a dream."
"What?" Angel said, searching her gaze and the coldness in his eyes seemed to evaporate for about a minute and then they grew even chillier. "Do I look stupid to you, Miss Nadia Rufus? Do you think being half-human makes me an imbecile? I will have you know that my kind is twice as intelligent as you humans, and I can perceive a lie when I hear one."
"I am telling you the truth, Angel."
"Your truth is that you were dreaming of raping me?" he said through gritted teeth.
"No. God, no!" she exclaimed loudly and then whispered, a tad shamefaced, "I was dreaming of having sex with you." Her cheeks turned bright pink and she lowered her eyes to station them on one of his pectorals. Angel tried not to gasp, realizing she was telling the truth.
"You dream of me?" he repeated, his voice deep and husky.
"Yes," she whispered, barely audible.
"You dreamt of having sex with me," he said again, and Nadia could have sworn his voice grew huskier and deeper. She was mortified but knew she had to tell him the entire truth if she wanted him to believe her and possibly forgive her.
"I am so sorry. I need you to know that it was not intended. I thought I was in my room on my bed. Please, please Angel, forgive me."
"I was chained, drugged and helpless and you used my body to relieve a sexual fantasy you have of me…"
"I am so sorry," Nadia said again and her voice caught. The way he said it made her feel like the devil. She shut her eyes and her shoulders shook as she started to cry.
"I don't believe you," Angel said, making Nadia raise teary eyes to meet his gaze.
"I am not like my cousins, Angel. I made a mistake. Forgive me," she sobbed.
"You want me to forgive you?"
"Yes," she whispered, shutting her eyes tightly.
"Why is that so important to you? After all, I am nothing but your uncle's slave – a half-human!"
"I don't think of you like that…" Nadia whispered, opening her eyes to look into his beautiful ones.
"You don't?"
"No."
"You say that now, but once I let you go, and you return to your castle, your uncle and cousins would have my kind beaten, raped and killed for daring to as much as look at you!"
"What?"
"You look shocked. Oh, princess, don't you know how your uncle keeps me in check?"
"I … I thought…"
"You thought what? That I willingly play guard dog because I love serving my cruel master?" he mocked.
Nadia searched his eyes with a widened gaze. "Why were you in that room? Why did the guards have to carry you?"
"Why are you pretending as if you don't know what goes on here?"
"I swear it to you, I just live here. My father … .he---"
"He what? Don't stop now. Your acting is really good, Miss Nadia."
"I am not pretending," she said, holding his gaze and slowly raising her hand to cup his jaw. Angel looked taken aback at the gesture. He was aware of how he looked with the stitches in his scalp, the scar across his left eye and the ashen skin – a result of being locked away underground most of the time, but then she was looking at him with such an earnest adoration that confused him. It didn't help that he could perceive and smell her sincerity when he desperately wanted to not believe her.
"You said you can smell my emotions. Then you should be able to know that I am telling you the truth when I said I was sorry. I didn't want to come here. I hate it here. But I don't have anywhere else that I could go that my father thought was safe enough for me. He told me to not overstep even though this is my uncle's house. I tried to do just that. I have seen you with my uncle several times, and I figured he was using you as his muscle. Yes, I know about your kind and the trouble the so-called full humans put your kind through. I also know the kind of business my uncle does. I figured you have accepted you were better off here. I didn't know they were torturing people to make you amiable. I am sorry, Angel."
Angel felt taken aback by her confession, his heart wanted to believe her -- to trust her. But the terror he had gone through on that ground was a nagging reminder of who she was. And as part of the Antonio Rufus family, he figured it would be a mistake to trust her.
"If you truly want me to forgive you, then you will do one thing for me--"
"What is it? I will do anything to prove to you that I am sorry, Angel."
"Anything?" Angel repeated. Nadia nodded eagerly. Her beautiful eyes and the gap in her robe distracted him from his silent scheming. "Help me get out of here…"
"You want to leave?" Nadia asked, disappointment clouding her heart and eyes for a moment then she realized how selfish that was. She then nodded in agreement.
"Yes, Nadia, I want to leave. Or do you think I enjoyed being used for an experiment? And playing the slave?!"
"Sorry…" she whispered, paused and then added, "Where will you go? Would it be safe though?"
"You sound like you are worried for me. "
"I … I wouldn't want something bad to happen to you, that's all."
"If you say so… will you help?"
"Tell me how…" Nadia said, searching his gaze.
"I will think of something and get back to you. It wouldn't do to tell you my plans prematurely and have you rat me out."
"It's okay, you don't have to trust me. It is smart not to. You just let me know when and how to help and I will gladly do it."
"Hmmm," he scoffed and slowly drew back from her to allow her to put her feet down. Nadia felt quite small. His big frame totally eclipsed her. The action caused her robe to loosen and Angel's eyes lowered to her full breast. Nadia tried to use the flap to cover her chest, but Angel pulled them apart, exposing the short, black-coloured, lacy lingerie.
Nadia's chest heaved and Angel could smell and feel that it was not from fear but anticipation. He met her gaze and saw her breathing through parted lips. Her eyes burrowed into his. The scent of her arousal filled his nostrils.
"I should go before my Nana raises an alarm…" Angel lowered to his knees in front of her, slowly backing her against the tree, and reached for the hem of her lingerie.
Nadia took a quick breath and shut her eyes. Angel pressed his nose to the V of her legs and nuzzled gently. Nadia bit down on her lower lip to keep from moaning. He then slowly raised the fabric up, brushing his fingers up her thighs.
Nadia let out a shaky breath, and then cried, "Angel!" Her voice sounded strangled.