The Tyrant's Pet

According to Marsella, spells weren\'t as complicated as others thought they were. Usually, when a person casts a spell, the caster could undo it. However, there were spells — especially ancient forbidden curses — that even the caster couldn\'t undo. That didn\'t mean there was nothing to be done. It only needs a powerful — much more powerful than the caster and a capable witch to undo a spell.

Maleficent. 

A witch that was said to be the most powerful witch to have ever existed could cast and dispel any curse. Since the Grimsbanne were originally vampires, there were certain things they couldn\'t do. They weren\'t born witches and only learned witchcraft in hopes they could deal with their own cursed blood.

In other words, Marsella and Sunny\'s best bet was Aries, and that power lies within her. After all, those two were almost in the same dilemma. The only difference was that Sunny didn\'t wish to die.

"I only heard about witches and vampires recently," Aries confessed after Marsella\'s explanation regarding curses and spells. "To put it simply, I know nothing about witchcraft."

"That is not a problem." Marsella shrugged. "I can teach you. I\'m a witch myself, so we\'re like sisters."

"But you weren\'t born as a witch…"

"I was born a witch," Marsella corrected in a knowing tone. "Marsella is the one who isn\'t born a witch."

"…" Aries pursed her lips, eyes fixed on Marsella. She wanted to ask for clarification, as Marsella wasn\'t making any sense right now. However, considering she was her sister-in-law, Aries didn\'t want to offend her lest she say something that could offend Marsella.

"Grandmama, what she means is she\'s not Marsella." Sensing the confusion in Aries\'s eyes, Sunny happily explained with a finger raised. "Marsella is the one you\'re looking at — the face, the body, the voice, and anything you see. But inside is not the real Marsella!"

"What?" Aries and Dexter blurted out in unison.

"To put it simply, there are two people inside this woman," Abel continued, raising a hand in Marsella\'s direction. "The one you\'re talking to right now is someone else while my sister — the real one — is sleeping soundlessly inside that wicked shell… or not."

"There are two souls inside you?" Aries\'s mouth fell open, trying to convince herself this was normal in their world. But for someone who barely accepted that there were other beings who weren\'t humans walking on the surface of the world just like her, her brain short-circuited.

"What a funny expression," Marsella commented with a dry laugh. "She\'s not sleeping. She\'s screaming."

She then tapped her temple and gazed at Abel. "She wants to see you so terribly bad and flay you from head to toe, brother. Oh, and she hates it when I call you brother. I wonder what she\'ll do if I sleep with you to spite her."

"Not gonna happen." Abel smiled. "I am very satisfied with my wife and I don\'t think I\'ll get hard even if you stood bare before me."

"Are you sure?" Marsella propped her jaw, simpering.

"You are seducing him in front of his wife," Dexter remarked, displeased by this uncomfortable exchange of words between siblings.

Marsella arched a brow and glanced at Aries. The latter\'s expression was blank, but the coldness within them was apparent.

"I do not want to leave a terrible impression on my sister-in-law, but don\'t forget you need my help. Even if I know nothing about witchcraft, I\'d rather not learn anything just to spite you," Aries warned coldly, making Abel smile from ear to ear. "Moreover, there\'s a child in here. Even if you tell me she\'s mature enough, my morals still consider her as a child."

Abel cupped his cheek, eyes squinting, fixing his eyes at Aries. "She never gets jealous, so I never knew how hot she is when she is being territorial," he happily commented.

"Grandmama is the best! Have you forgiven Sunny for tricking you?"

"Oops." Marsella chuckled, raising her hands in surrender. "Don\'t worry. Abel isn\'t my type. Just the sight of him turns my stomach. I\'d rather sleep with a beggar than with him."

"Male ego not hurt." Abel chuckled, keeping his attention on Aries. "The only desire I need is from my wife."

"Does she desire you, though?" Dexter arched a brow and smirked, causing the ear-to-ear smile on Abel to fade slowly.

"Of course —"

"Let\'s stick to the topic," Aries remarked with a deep breath, casting Abel a look and then back to Marsella. "I will agree, but you have to help me as well."

"I already told you I will teach you." Marsella raised a brow, tilting her head to the side.

"Not that." Aries shook her head and explained. "Right now, I am not well myself and I might die. Help me find a cure for my problem. Lest you do not know, we hadn\'t figured out what sort of diseases had struck me."

The side of Marsella\'s lips curled up. "What makes you think it\'s a disease?"

"You know about her health problem?" Dexter perked up while Abel arched a brow, eyes on Marsella. Aries, on the other hand, knitted her brows.

"You haven\'t figured it out?" Marsella cast Abel a look, only to chortle upon seeing the sincere puzzlement in his eyes. "You\'re only a strong vampire with a bit of knowledge in witchcraft."

She then peeled her eyes away from Abel to Aries. "It was a curse."

"A curse?"

"Mhm." Marsella\'s eyes sized up Aries, narrowing them as she kept silent for a moment. She then linked her hands together, resting her chin atop them. "I can\'t blame your husband for not figuring it out. After all, he wasn\'t born a witch. It\'s a curse you put it upon yourself?"

"What?" they all asked in unison, completely confused now.

"No, not you. But that Maleficent. The witches might not have figured it out yet since they\'re far below my level, but I\'m sure of it." She nodded, speaking with absolute certainty. "What sort of curse? I don\'t know. But what I do know is that whether or not you want it, if you want to live, you have to accept it and use it. Because if you don\'t unleash the power within you, it will only devour your soul bit by bit until Maleficent takes over your body, life, and everything."

"You should know by now that those in power can be very twisted," she added, glancing at Abel. "They do tons of twisted things for their own personal reason. Stealing another person\'s life doesn\'t sound so bad if that means you can live again. Am I right?"