The man gulped to his racing heartbeat. This woman whom eyes that glowing like a wolf for their prey is like a magnet to his sexual attention. At first, he couldn't care less of her appearance when she call upon him for a conversation, but when the soft breeze blow her robe and reveals what's underneath the satin cloth change his bored eyes as big as a size of a plate.
"Am I.. being rude to request a small talk with you, dear gentiluomo?"
Oh, how alluring her sweet voice were.
"O-oh, no, la mia bella signora..! Y-you are very welcomed! H-how about.. a nice cup of tea?"
He gulped once again when she widen her lips.
"Ah, it will be fine if we just stand here.. because.. this wont be long."
"What are you talking about, la mia bella? For a beautiful lady like you deserve the smell of the best tea in tow-"
He feel a sting. His hands start to tremble. His eyes widened to the wet feeling at the side of his waist.
"I'm sorry.. this is why I said.. it wont be long, gentiluomo."
He look down to the thing that stab through his hips.
"F-fan? A small fan.. makes me bleed t-this much..!"
He slump down, dizzy from the lost of blood.
"Yo-you.. I remember.. that.. look.." He points to her expressionless face and twitch to her hands that stained from his fresh blood.
"T-the beauty that holds blood for the weak..! R-Red butterfly of Vongola family.."
He gasped for his last breath and died in instant.
---------------------
"Great work, Ceres."
She giggled to the sun guardian who was pinching her cheeks lightly. "K-Knuckle-sama..! That tickles!""Well, I can't help it but to reward you this cute present for an extremely cute little sister!" Ceres pout, dodging away from his next hand on the other side of her cheek. "You treat me like a little girl again!""Haha, alright, alright, I wont..!"
It's been only a month since Ceres become one with Vongola family. She gets along very well with the guardians and the other family members, including the maids, butlers, gardeners, small guards, and even the small family alliance with the Vongola. She is well known in Simon's family too, because Simon keep on bragging about her almost everyday and his family members can repeat it back what he said. Talking about great admiration.
However, Valerie and Veccio is not in the list.
Veccio finds Ceres is a mere tool for the family and nothing else, while Valerie, being as herself, would hate and despise Ceres, especially when she sees how Giotto act around Ceres, the guardians, and all the people in the mansion; obviously it is different from how they treat her and Ceres.
These two people have something in common; to get rid of Ceres.
It started one day before Valerie's birthday party. She keeps Giotto busy with her the whole day, saying that she do not want Ceres to come along, despite she is the right hand woman of Giotto when G is away. She told Ceres to search for her lost necklace around the pond at the backyard, hiring one of her followers to disguise as the maid and tie Ceres's legs when her attention is distracted. And she did.
"W-what are you-...!!"
She was pushed deep into the pond, preventing her to gasp for air even for a while. Ceres managed to used her telepathy at that time, but it didn't even reach one minute for her to send the message to Giotto's mind.
But.. Ceres and Giotto's bond was strong. His intuition can sense when Ceres is in danger.
"Giotto~! How about this dress?? Hey, Giotto~! I want the same color with you for tomorrow night..! Gio-"
"Let me make this clear."
She tilt her head to the side with the best innocent smile she could give.
"Hmm? What is it?" She pouted. "Ahn~ you don't want me to wear a dress?"
"La mia-"
"Then, how about the Japanese's traditional outfit? Like Ceres's simple cloth that she wore everyday? You like that don't you..!"
"..Valerie."
She was taken aback from his serious tone. Especially when he suddenly call her like that--by her name.
"Like I said, let me make this clear. Valerie, this is just me accompanying you for a shopping and not a date. You are just a special guest for Veccio, not my future wife or anything. You know that I'm not interested in marriage, right?"
"But-"
"I'm going now."
"Who is it? Who makes your heart to hate me this much? Am I not good enough?"
"Nobody, Valerie. No one has anything to do with this. Including the victims of the previous murder cases."
"....!" 'How did he-'
He turn the door knob.
"And besides.."
He glances to her with a cold stare.
"It may look like a simple piece of cloth, but it suits the elegant right hand woman of Vongola in any outfit that she wore."
'Tsk..'
She bit her lips, clenching on the dress in her hands tightly.
"Ceres.. Aria..!!"
Single tear of blood flow down at the side of her lips, and yet she form a wide grin as she lick the iron liquid.
"Maybe this is your time.. but next.. it will be mine!!"
-------------------------
She gasp for air, shaking from the cold air around her body.
'I still can't breathe.. no matter how I tried to catch for breath..'
Her vision went blurry, as she tug on the grass to prevent herself from fainting.
'Giotto-..sama..'
"....!"
Giotto automatically turn his head to a random direction in the house.
"Primo..? What is the matter..?"
"Asari.. where is.. Ceres?"
"Oh, if I'm not mistaken, Valerie-dono asked her to find her lost necklace this morning- P-Primo?? Where are you going??"
'This bad feeling.. it couldn't be..!'
He push open the door to her room.
"Ceres?"
Empty.
He went to the kitchen.
"Is Ceres here?"
"Primo-sama? No, we didn't see her since this morning.."
His eye catches on one of the maids. He quickly grab her arms before she could run away.
"You.. I never see you before."
"I-I'm the new maid here..!"
He narrowed his eyes. "Even if you are the new maid, I will always meet with the new people in this house no matter who it was. Alaude."
The cloud guardian look at her up and down. "You. You will be going to the underground base with me."
"Wait..! I didn't do anything-"
"Oh? I haven't ask any question yet."
She froze.
"I'll handle here. Primo. Continue to search for Ceres."
"Yes, thank you, Alaude."
He ran to the garden, asking the guards in the process. He stopped, recalling every places that he went. He parted his lips when a red butterfly lands on his shoulder.
"...This.."
His eyes widen.
"Yes.. the pond..!"
The butterfly fly away from him, disappearing from his sight. He ran to wherever his intuition told him to and pause at his tracks when his eyes caught an object around the bushes.
"...! Ceres!!"
He hold her up, cupping her cheeks.
"She's cold.. and wet.."
He lie her down again, leaning down onto her chest.
"...! She's not breathing..!"
He positioned her body, narrowing his eyes to the tight rope around her ankle.
"Tch..!"
He turn back to her.
"Ceres..! Ceres..!!"
His heart beat to her lips.
"...This is the only way.."
He lean down, lifting her chin up. His lips caught hers tightly, blowing some air into her chest. He pulls, and put his lips once again, when Ceres cough for a reaction. He let out a sigh of relief as she cough out the water from her throat, and start to breathe normally.
"...."
He touch his lips.
How could a cold lips can feel so warm when it touch together, he thought.
He lean down again, caressing her moist lips. He tug her hair to the back of her ear, and stare at her maiden face. His heart beats faster; he never feel like this before. Could this be..?
His lips fall upon hers into a short, yet warm kiss.
He had fallen in love with this maiden.