Bound by Deception

24.1 The James Mansion

"...What?" Aria's mouth slammed shut. She whirled around again to look at Edward and shrieked, jumping off the bed in her half-naked glory. "He's...he's..."

"Dead," Sterling finished plainly. Leaning over the wrinkled sheets, he pressed his fingers to Edward's temple, avoiding the glassy-eyed stare of the man who had known everything. "Yep. I don't have a pulse."

"Oh...so I haven't lost my edge after all." Aria studied her hands. "That's good at least."

"Good?" Sterling scoffed. "Good? Aria, you not only failed the mission, but you also did the one thing Madame told you not to do."

"Kill him?" Aria wrinkled her nose. "So what? We can find his stuff in his house, set it on fire, and scram. Madame will get over it."

"I doubt it. You know how hard-headed she can be."

"Sterling, I did what I had to do," Aria rubbed her wrists, her heart reducing to a favorable tempo. "He knew everything. I couldn't risk letting him live."

"I think it was more than that." Sterling put his hands on her shoulders, twirling her bra strap in his lithe fingers. "You got scared."

"Scared?" Aria sneered. "Me? Never."

"Yes, you did." He dragged the strap down her arm and took a wet gauze from his pocket. Padding the redness on her shoulder, he continued: "You're one-half of the Gemini Killers; the best of the best. You've always worked behind the scenes because that's what you're good at. Having Edward find out your mission sent you for a loop because you're not used to being caught so easily. We've never been caught. So, you were scared."

"That I was losing my edge and becoming human?" She snorted humorlessly. "Obviously. Sterling, I killed my emotions the moment I joined Hades. I knew that if I allowed myself to feel anything for our victims, I'd fuck up somewhere along the road. And just like I predicted, I did." She sighed, allowing her head to bump miserably on Sterling's padded chest. "I let myself play too much as the damsel. I forgot who I was and let myself fall right into his trap. I won't allow that to happen again. For the sake of my family, I can't."

"I think by allowing yourself to pretend to fall for Edward's flirtatious advances, you revived your true self," Sterling argued. He cupped her bruised cheek and bent to place a gentle, flurry-like kiss on her bruised lips. "Having emotions is the pride of an assassin. Knowing that we're human keeps us alive, and allowing ourselves to feel guilty is okay. It means that we've fully comprehended ourselves and know that we're at our strongest capacity. Killing your feelings means killing a part of yourself, and that makes you weak. It gives you a liability."

"I..." Aria was stunned into silence. His words, although slurred by her needy lips, made sense as they computed in her mind. She had given herself a weak spot by disregarding her own feelings. She was her own enemy, and Edward's downfall was a result of her weakness, not his. Damn, it...what have I done? Horrified, she stared at her hands. The blood of all of her victims splashed one by one on the smooth brown skin, causing her heart to compress second by second until she wasn't sure if she was still breathing.

"I'm not an assassin..." she whispered. "I'm a monster."

Sterling smiled. "You're human. Assassins aren't superhuman or anything. We're people with lives, families, and quirks. Our job is just a part of ourselves. We do it for the safety of our country and family - you said so yourself." He pecked her cheek. "You're not a monster, Aria. You're the hero of Hades. The people you've killed have been threats to our lives. It's okay to feel sorry for them."

"So, you're basically saying that...I should stop being so hard on myself?"

"Yes. Accepting every part of yourself makes you invincible, especially in our field." He grinned. "That way, nobody can take advantage of you."

"Just like Edward..." Aria wiped her eyes and studied the lifeless figure on the bed. "I suppose you're right. I'm sorry." She bent her head slightly. "And I'm sorry to you too, Edward. You were my best friend, but we went on different paths. I'm trying to protect my family, and you...you joined the side that you thought was helping you."

"Betrayal is in the eye of the beholder, they say."

"Who says that?"

"I do." He smiled. "So, better now?"

"A little." She sniffled, fixing her hair. "I feel sorry for Edward, I really do, but I think I'll get over it soon." She collected her clothes from the ground, fixing together the scraps with a few safety pins that she found on Edward's table. Putting the blouse on, she said: "Let's find whatever we can and head to your house first. I need to sanitize myself."

He grinned. "Sanitize yourself? At my home? My lady, how salacious you've become!"

"Quiet, you," Aria grumbled, lazily nudging him with her elbow. "Let's go to Edward's study. I'd bet that's where he keeps his notes on Grandville affairs."

"Probably." Sterling hesitated. "Aria?"

"Yeah?"

"You're okay now, right?"

She shrugged. "I killed my best friend. I'm fine. I've killed other people before."

"Yes, but..."

"I'm fine." She silenced him. "You talked me out of a mental breakdown, Sterling, don't worry. I promise I'm okay...or I will be soon."

"Alright..." Sterling reluctantly agreed, not wanting to stir the sleeping beast in his partner again. When Aria reached the doorway, he took her dark red wrist in his gentle hand and drew her toward him. Bending down, he planted a kiss on her honeyed lips, trying to soothe the angry burning from Edward's kisses.

"Your determination appalls me, my lady," he murmured against her warm skin. "The way your mind works has beguiled me and I feel like a different man under your spell. The sheer beauty that radiates from your confidence is what makes me love you, Aria."

"Stop." She blushed. "We're supposed to be working."

"And yet, you can't take a compliment." He smirked. "Fine, I'll let you go for today. However, we're going to work on your people skills later."

"I'm already a master at my people skills. Ask Edward." She gestured toward the bed.

"Charming. Let's finish this mission. We have around twenty minutes before the maids return."

"Alright." She paused. "Wait, will we be..."

"Setting the house on fire?" Sterling grinned. "I have the mind to do so."

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What are you guys thinking so far? Sterling may have been able to assure Aria, but do you think Madame will be okay with this progress? What will they find in the mansion?

VOTE/COMMENT/ENJOY :D