Fate

"System upgrade?" Cara blurted out as she realized what just happened. "So my ancestors filled me in with the knowledge I need? Is that what you mean?" Cara excitedly asked Ashton.

"Well, sort of." Ashton replied. "They now imbedded your soul with the spells that you should know, as the Sakalam. But there is still a ton to learn, my books will cover that." He further explained.

He stopped talking when he heard the gurgling sound of Cara's stomach. "Your anacondas in your tummy are hungry. Let's eat." Ashton said to Cara, who lowered her head in embarrassment.

Ashton shoves his hands in his front pockets as he walked towards the door. "Remind me tomorrow to bring food for us." He said, without looking back at Cara.

"You mean, you haven't eaten yet too?" Cara clarified with Ashton while she followed him. He nodded. Cara tugged on his shirt. "Why? Your house is just nearby." She asked again.

"It's not like I can leave you alone there. What if you wake up alone and disoriented?" He answered without even thinking.

Cara faced Ashton, as she cannot believe what he just said.

"Did I hear you right, Mr. CEO? You? The most self-absorbed person on the planet, thought of my well-being while disregarding your own?" She rested her hand on her hip while confronting Ashton.

"It's not like a have a choice. the walk to my house would take more than thirty minutes. And you know that I'll die if I am away from you, for more than thirty minutes

, remember?" Ashton broke Cara's presumption.

"Oh." Cara covered her face in shame. "Yeah, I forgot about that part." They both continued walking. Ashton chuckled. Cara was right; he really did not want her to wake up alone. That is the truth, but it would be an inconvenience for Cara to know the truth. She should not look beyond what they share right now.

"Anyway, thank you." Cara said. The night was a little chilly tonight. She embraced herself while they were walking. Ashton saw her. He instinctively took off his leather jacket and placed it over Cara's shoulders.

His gesture stunned Cara. "Did he just?" She thought as they continued walking. The moment was too romantic, like how they do it in the movies; lovers walking slowly under the moonlight, while the man shares his jacket with the woman. It's just too perfect, not to mention the man in this scene right now is a hot billionaire.

As much as Cara hates to admit it, Ashton is undeniably the most good-looking man she knows. His smile is mocking her most of the time, but he has the sexiest smile she's ever seen. He is arrogant and all, but he can also be sweet and funny at times. "Can't believe I'm in my own CEO trope," she mumbled.

"What is that?" Ashton could not make out of the words Cara just said.

"Hmm, I said, I wonder if we can really fly using a broom, you know so we can reach your house faster." She replied as she smoothed down her denim skirt.

Ashton stopped on his track and looked at Cara as he blushed. "Are you being serious right now?" His reaction confused Cara.

"Well, in movies… you know my kind is synonymous to brooms." Cara clarified.

"Hmm, in ancient times, it was mainly during rituals that they used broomsticks but definitely not for flying. Well, the tainted history by the phantoms is way different." Ashton responded vaguely.

"tainted, in what way?" Cara wanted an answer. Her curiosity is killing her. They continued walking.

"That would be your assignment. You can search for it yourself. Well, the next best thing to flying that your kind is known for is levitation. However, you the Sakalam is always an exemption. Who knows, you might fly." Ashton said confidently.

"Thanks for your confidence in me, Ash. I can't levitate at will what more flying?" Cara smiled cheekily at Ashton.

Cara can now see the glow of the lights of Ashton's mansion. She suddenly felt relieved that the awkward building of chemistry between her and Ashton should come to a halt when other people are around. Or so she thought…

They went straight to the dining hall, as they were both starving. Ashton pulled out the chair for Cara. It surprised Cara, but decided to ignore it when she saw the smile on the dining assistant's face. She did not want anyone to doubt their relationship.

"How are you feeling, love?" Ashton asked Cara while he was slicing the piece of steak on his plate. He was trying to be as generic as possible. It is clear to Cara that they both don't want outsiders to know about their secrets.

"A bit tired." Cara responded briefly as she placed the napkin on her lap.

Ashton swapped their plates right after he finished slicing the steak on his own plate. He did it so naturally it felt like they are a real couple right now. Although technically;, they both have never been involved in a romantic relationship before.

"Is he teasing me? Mocking me for thinking he sacrificed for me earlier?" She thought, while she accepted his sweet gesture.

"Thanks, Love." Cara answered as revenge.

Ashton almost choked on his food, not expecting Cara to answer like that. She chuckled, seeing him affected.

She patted Ashton's back. "Are you okay, Love?"

"I can get used to this." He answered while coughing. It caught Cara off guard, but she can't lose this petty fight with Ashton.

"Of course, babe. It will be you and me for the rest of our lives." Cara said as she kissed Ashton's forehead. The helpers in the dining hall blushed as red as Ashton.

****

Both of them already in their own rooms, but Cara could not sleep. She was browsing a book she took from Ashton's secret library before they went inside their room.

"Knock, knock" Ashton knocked on Cara's wall.

"Yes, Love?" Cara answered.

"Heh, you really are enjoying mocking me. Why don't you remove that spell so we can get back to our normal selves." He responded to Cara.

"I don't think so, Love. As you said, I am enjoying this." Her laughter echoed in the room.

But not like the other days. Ashton is not annoyed at all. In fact, he feels lighter and Cara's laughter makes all his effort seems worthwhile. He would love to hear her laugh again. Is he seeing Cara in a different light? Most especially now that they both have accepted their fate.

"Ash, are you still there?" Cara said. She has been asking Ashton a couple of times but did not get an answer from him as he has spaced out.

"Ahm, yeah, I just wanted to check on you, you just woke up so I think you are far from being sleepy yet?" He answered.

"Well, this book is too thick. And I can't see the thing you were saying about broomsticks. You know I was thinking it could help me fight those phantoms if I have this edge over them."

Cara said while she was browsing through the book, hoping that Ashton could give him a shortcut.

"Are you sure you want to know?" He asked again.

"Well, according to the Phantoms, your kind are nuts so you used hallucinogenic ointments to induce that flight sensation the feeling of weightlessness. And in Medieval times, they used the broomstick to get the drug into their system." Ashton answered.

"Wait, I don't get it, you have an ointment so what do you need the broomstick for?" She asked again.

"Hmm, well, in those times women wore layers of clothing and it was pretty hard to remove or access areas where the ointment will be readily absorbed by the body like the neck and armpit areas." Ashton still unsure if he can share the details to Cara.

"So?" She was asking for more…

"Yeah, so the Phantoms said that your kind laced the brooms with the ointment and straddled it to reach their groin area." Ashton said it and flinch from his face, waiting for a violent reaction from the other side of the wall.

"Oh, so they turned it into something sexual." Cara responded with a tone of dismay.

"Well, yeah. I'm sorry." Ashton tried to tone done Cara's frustration.

"It's okay, Love. It's not like you were the one who sexualized us." Cara said without thinking.

Ashton coughed after Cara said those words as he remembered how hard he was just this morning. And just thinking about it again makes him more engrossed.

He remembers how Cara seductively moved towards him and teased him like an expert temptress. He could go crazy thinking of how her sweet vanilla scent makes him drool and makes him want to savor more of her scent. He felt throbbing inside his pants. He looked down; and it was as awake as it has ever been.

This is the first time he thought of someone he knows personally this way. "Am I evil for getting aroused like this?" He thought while trying to calm down his warrior.

"Hey, Love, are you okay?" Cara asked Ashton. She could hear him pant.

"You've been coughing a lot lately, let me check on you." Cara said in a tone filled with concern.

"No. Please. I'm okay." Ashton begged Cara. He is so hard it would take a while for it to go back to its flaccid state.

She stood up and wore her robe, ready to go to Ashton's room.

"Non-sense, I'll go there." She replied.