Cara liked how Ashton took on her challenge. The reality is, when she experiences such draining of power, only a servant like Ashton can fill it up again with his own energy. While such practice is considered taboo in their coven, Cara and Ashton’s case is not an exemption. Cara’s appetite increases and she craves to fulfill her soul with a pure human energy like Ashton’s.
Ashton caressed Cara’s back passionately as their lips touched. Cara groans like a beast starved of meat as she reciprocates Ashton’s kisses.
 “Knock.” The two stopped as they heard the knock on the door.
“What’s wrong with people? Always knocking when!” She pointed at their bare bodies with frustration.
Ashton laughed, seeing Cara’s disdain for the interruption. He kissed her forehead and answered Barry with his loud voice. “What is it?”
“Boss, the paparazzi are already outside for the show.” Barry reminded them about their plan.
“Okay, give us a few minutes to get ready,” Ashton replied.
Cara held Ashton’s face and kissed him deeply. “Let’s get back at it. We only have a few minutes left.” Cara mumbled in between their kisses.
Ashton separated their faces while he chuckled. “We can continue later, my love. We have to hurry up.” He said to stop Cara, as he was sure a few minutes together was certainly not enough for them.
Her face turned red, and she stopped hugging him immediately. She stood up and went directly to the bathroom to freshen up before they went. Cara turned on the shower and gritted her teeth. She had never felt this embarrassed in front of her husband before. “What’s wrong with me? Why do I feel like this?” She slapped her face as the hot water from the shower hit her head. This was the first time she felt this intense feeling of wanting to be enveloped by Ashton’s love. “Haiist, this is really embarrassing!” her face scrunched up as she glanced toward the direction of the door. “Did he really have to turn me down like that?”
Cara was silent the whole time she dressed. She wore a black knee-length dress with a turtle top neckline which perfectly hid the supposed wound she got from the attack. She held her hair in a bun with a few strays falling on the side; it made her look sophisticated without trying too much. Cara picked up a pair of big sunglasses to cover her eyes that reeked of disappointment with her husband. She saw Ashton in her peripheral view, looking at her with his sparkling eyes, but she was not ready to let her feeling of resentment go away just yet.
“You look so gorgeous babe.” Ashton commented as he moved closer to Cara. He embraced her from the back, but she moved away from him without any response. “Are you mad at me, love?” He asked her as he reached for her hand.
Cara pulled her hand from Ashton and just shook her head. She went to the dresser to get her bag. It puzzled Ashton by
the sudden mood changed, but he just let it go with a deep breath and prepared his things too.
Ashton opened their bedroom door, and Barry was right there waiting for them. “Ms. Cara, we are glad you are fine.” The sincerity in his tone was evident, though he couldn’t sense the brewing animosity between the couple. “Please be prepared for the swarm of photographers.” Barry warned the two.
Cara smiled at Barry and walked towards the exit like she was told. And just as Barry said, they were overwhelmed by reporters asking about the incident. Ashton and the guards covered Cara as they walked towards the car. But before they got in the car, Cara spoke to address the incident. “Thanks for the concern. It is true that I sustained an injury due to the attack, and thankfully it was just a minor one. Things could have been different if my guards could not stop the assailant.”
“Click, click” shutter sounds of the camera men surrounding Cara were non-stop. This is the first time that she has experienced this kind of attention. Cara decided to take this event to send a message to the coven. “To women like me who have been victims of such senseless attacks. Be prepared. We will start a revolution to protect our own.” She ended her short speech and went inside the car.
Ashton took off his sunglasses, showing how fierce his gaze was at everyone. “To the people behind this attack; we already know who you are. I will not allow this to happen again. You hurt the most important person in my life, and you definitely know what is coming back to you.”
“Mr. Crafter, are you making a threat?” A reporter asked him for a follow-up.
Ashton sneered at him and answered, “I never make threats. Consider this as an announcement.” He said before he went inside his car.
 Ashton enveloped Cara in his arms and kissed his head. “Are you okay, love?” He wanted reassurance.
Cara did not answer a word, instead just nodded and took a deep sigh. Ashton knows something is bothering his wife, but he can’t quite put a pin on it.
***
The phantoms scrambled to their headquarters. The tension in their midst is apparent, people murmuring without anyone really voicing thoughts in the open. Thomas stood in the middle to take over. “The news is true; it is in deep regret that we announce the demise of Freddie and his group.” He said and blew out his cheeks; Thomas’s voice was cracking as if he was overwhelmed by his emotions.
“What does this mean to the rest of us?” A member stood up to address his concern. The others continued murmuring in the background. “I mean, you heard what the Crafter CEO said. He is not finished with their revenge.” His voice shook like his fear is creeping up on him.
“Settle down, boys. We need to hear the rest from our leaders.” Thomas said, as he understood the members are just pawns to be used and deployed by the leaders. It does make their worries substantiated at this point.
The monitors on the wall lit up like they heard Thomas, but this time the man in the middle was not covered by a shadow. His face was well lit, and the members were surprised to see him out in the open. The city mayor, Frank, looked disgruntled while his fists were resting on the table. “This was a big mistake.” He said directly. “Thomas and Theo had already warned us about the status of the Sakalam. Right now, it is fruitless to pursue anything to try to eliminate her. She is immortal, but at the same time she is not at her strongest element.” He took a deep breath before he continued.
The members finally understood their conflicting situation. This could be their chance to annihilate her, since she is not her strongest yet, but at the same time an ordinary wand could not damage her enough to kill her. But the only thing that could do that will only be available when she finally gets all her powers.
“We should prepare for Crafter’s retaliation. It could mean our jobs, our businesses.” The mayor said, knowing his days as the mayor are also numbered. “Most of all, we should prepare for war with the witches. The greater war commences when their elements are complete.” The heads finally believed Thomas and Theo.
***
“Breaking news. The Mayor has resigned from his position after the solicitor general filed corruption cases against him. The Crafter Co. showed proof of the Mayor’s corrupt practices. He used a shell corporation to hide his liability for hundreds of millions of dollars in taxes. This has also been the motive behind the attack on Ms. Cara De Luna, the wife of Mr. Ashton Crafter.”
Cara and turned off the television after seeing the news. She stretched her arms as she rested her back on the couch. She wants to clear her head of her recent mood swing. This is so unlikely for her; she has never felt this disappointed about not making love with Ashton. And the truth is, she is way too embarrassed to admit it to her husband.
Ashton walked over to the couch to sit beside his visibly bothered woman. “Babe, I know something is bothering you.” He hinted to Cara as he rested his head on her lap.
Cara looked down at Ashton and brushed his hair with her fingers. “It’s okay. Don’t worry too much; I’m just feeling a little off.” She was conservative in her answer.
 Ashton held Cara’s cheek and stared at her as if begging her to let him in. He was aware that Cara was trying to shut him off and all he could do was wait for her to trust him enough to open up her true feelings. “It just pains me that I can’t do anything to make you feel better, love.” He said in his soft voice.
Cara’s face turned red thinking,, Ashton was the only answer to those pangs she was feeling. “It’s not anything serious… rather it is just weird for me to feel this way.” She responded.
Ashton sat up and touched Cara’s forehead. “You feel warm,” He said and stood up, “I’m going to get meds.” He said to Cara.
Cara pulled him back to his seat. “No, I just need you.” She finally said it to Ashton. She heaved a heavy sigh. “I feel… hungry. No, I am starving.” Cara looked at Ashton, who was obviously puzzled that everything was just about being hungry when he could have fed her to stop this. “That is silly, I know. But I want you, babe. I am craving for you.” Cara finally let her feelings out. “I feel like there is an emptiness inside of me that only you could fill.”
Ashton could not believe what he had just heard, he hadn’t read this in any of the books given to him by his ancestors. Nevertheless, this is definitely a welcome development as long as he is the one Cara is craving for. “I’m more than willing to fill that void, love.” Ashton claimed Cara’s lips and true to her words, she responded to him like she wanted to devour him whole.