Master of Lust

"Huh?" But there was nothing but confusion on everyone\'s face. No body could make out ant meaning to what Rick said.

"I want this house of yours," Rick blurted out without hesitation.

"What?" A collective gasp escaped the lips of the those present in the room, leaving not only Jack in a state of shock but also managing to freeze Michelle, Martin, his wife, and even Geoffrey, their eyes widening in shared disbelief.

"Someone said that I couldn\'t even afford a bathroom in this humble abode of yours," Rick innocently looked at Geoffrey, reminding him of the exact words he spoke when he first arrived with Evelina and Geoffrey, "Well, now I am curious to see if I can snag the whole darn place."

His words even jogged Evelina\'s memory of that scene, and a slow burn of anger started building within her. She shot Geoffrey a look with bloodshot, glaring eyes. This time, she was genuinely furious. Rick had crossed a line with Evelina.

It did not matter to her if Rick saved her, or that she had sex with him in the middle of nowhere. While there might have been a fleeting sentiment or a willingness to overlook the nonsense he spewed, Rick had now crossed a boundary he shouldn\'t have. In the midst of his jesting, he dared to covet something profoundly cherished by her—the very place that held the memories of her entire childhood.

"There\'s a mighty thin line between being funny and being downright audacious," Evelina spat out, her words laced with seething anger. "And, congratulations, you\'ve already marched right past audacious."

As the tension in the room hit its boiling point, Rick couldn\'t resist adding a dash of mischief to the mix. "You know, saving a life isn\'t a walk in the park. How about, in exchange for my heroic efforts, you just sign over this fancy house of yours? Seems like a fair trade, doesn\'t it?"

Evelina shot him a look that could melt steel, fury emanating from her narrowed eyes. "You\'ve got some nerve, Rick."

But Rick just flashed a sly grin, completely unbothered. "Oh, come on! No need to be so uptight. Just having a bit of fun here."

Jack, unable to contain his anger any longer, exploded. "Geoffrey, catch that bastard!" he barked, his face turning a shade redder. "I\'m dealing with him myself."

"I couldn\'t care less! He\'s messing with our family, and there\'s no way I\'m letting him stroll away," Jack declared, his determination palpable.

Martin, Evelina\'s uncle, chimed in, throwing his weight behind Jack. "Absolutely. This guy is trouble, and we can\'t afford to let him roam free."

Rick, reveling in the fear he\'d sown, couldn\'t resist pushing further. "Come on, Martin, just a moment ago, I practically had you chatting with Yamraj. Already wiped that from your memory? Need me to pencil in an appointment with Chitragupt?"

Martin hesitated, taking a cautious step backward, clearly rattled by the ominous words that had just escaped Rick\'s lips. Still trembling, he managed to stammer out, "Your threats... They are not going to work on me."

But Rick wasn\'t easing up. He shifted his focus to Jack, the so-called family enforcer. "Come on, big guy. Time to step up for your family and deal with the villain."

However, Jack, did not budge, he stood frozen, courage playing hide and seek with him. A sneer crossed Rick\'s face. "Figured as much." His eyes then fixed on Evelina, cutting through the chaos with a calm that contrasted sharply with the tension. "So, what\'s the plan? You want the cure for your grandma or not?"

Evelina, seething but determined, shot back, "We already gave her the Elixir. It is supposed to work."

Rick chuckled dismissively, "Sweetheart, that vial is just greasing the wheels. It won\'t do squat. Might as well have given her a one-way ticket to the afterlife."

As if right on cue, the room erupted into pandemonium. The old lady convulsed as if possessed, her body twisted and contorted in a grotesque dance of agony. Alarms went off and in no time, a horde of nurses charged in, trailed by a squad of doctors, turning the place into a chaotic frenzy. The atmosphere became tense as medical professionals frantically worked to stabilize the old woman.

The doctors pushed everyone including Rick out of their way. The scene was straight out of a medical drama—doctors shouting orders, nurses scrambling, and the family paralyzed by the unfolding tragedy. Meanwhile, the old lady\'s body trembled and wriggled in pain. Except for the doctors, everyone just stood rooted to their spot.

After constant and exhausting efforts from the doctors and nurses, the old lady\'s tormented body eventually found stillness. Yet, a disconcerting sight greeted those present—a thick silver liquid seeping from her mouth.

The room held its breath for a moment, the only hint of life in her body was the faint movement in her chest. The doctors, sweat beading on their brows, exchanged tense glances. Then, at last, a collective exhale of relief filled the air as signs of life flickered in the old lady.

"I didn\'t think it would kick in at just the right moment," Rick, casually observing the chaos he had orchestrated, couldn\'t help but flash a cynical smirk. "Looks like she\'s hanging in there, but for how long? Time\'s ticking, and lucky for you all, I\'ve got the magic solution."

Caught in the tumult of desperation and anger, Evelina confronted Rick, "Are you not going to give me the medicine?"

"Why not?" Rick leaned in, his voice dripping with a sinister edge. "It is simple. I want your house. Hand over the deed, and you will get the antidote. Fair deal, right?"

Evelina\'s eyes sparked with fury. "You are out of your mind if you think I will give you my house."

Rick smirked. "Well, maybe you should have done a better job in putting the leash around your dog," he quipped, turning his attention to Geoffrey, "Get me my money first, then we can chat about Granny dearest. Now, it is either My way or the highway."

With those ominous words, Rick swaggered past Evelina and the rest, pausing at the doorway. "I will be in my room. Just a friendly reminder; don\'t show up without the money. And to jog your memory, it\'s seventeen million."

Leaving Evelina to stew in the weight of her debts, Rick exited the old lady\'s room, slipping into the adjacent one. The boy, nonchalant amid the chaos, positioned himself by the door, seemingly indifferent to the turmoil unfolding in the old lady\'s quarters.

~~~~~

Rick stormed out of the chaotic room, leaving behind the distressed family grappling with their own fears. As he entered his room, he called out, "Hey, Fluffball, where are you?"

In response to his call, the room\'s atmosphere lightened as a cute, fluffy rabbit emerged from beneath the blanket on Rick\'s bed. The rabbit blinked its eyes, still drowsy from its nap, and gazed at Rick with a mixture of curiosity and sleepiness.

Pulling a chair and plopping down in front of the bunny, Rick smirked mischievously, "You wouldn\'t believe the chaos I\'ve stirred up, little one."

The rabbit tilted its head, silently asking, "What happened?"

"Well, I doubt you would get it," Rick didn\'t spill the beans to the Rabbit about the chaotic scene in the old lady\'s room. But he had another card up his sleeve that he figured the Rabbit might assist with, "Ever heard of Celestial Frostfire Nectar?"

The rabbit responded by placing its paws on its head, cutely rubbing it—a clear sign it was deep in contemplation. After a brief moment of pondering, the rabbit\'s eyes lit up with realization. "Oh, I know! It\'s used to counter poison with a hot nature, like the element of lava and fire."

Rick raised an eyebrow, genuinely impressed. "Well, aren\'t you a little genius, Fluffball. Now, spill the beans, do you know how to make it?"

The rabbit seemed a bit perplexed, scratching its fluffy head. "Funny thing, it just sort of popped into my head. But yeah, I think I have got the recipe."

Rick leaned forward, his curiosity piqued. "Alright, spill the tea. What things do I need to get?"

The rabbit pondered for a moment, then suddenly seemed to have an epiphany, "It\'s all coming back to me. To make Celestial Frostfire Nectar, you essentially need Luminara Frostleaf, Mandrake Roots, and Ashwagandha. Apart from that you need in small quantities things like Cinnamon, Black pepper, Pig skin, Milk of a goat which has given birth no more than one month back..."

And just like that, the rabbit rolled out another dozen items for Rick.

Listening, Rick raised an eyebrow. "Exotic indeed. But seriously, where on Earth do I get my hands on this stuff?"

The rabbit tapped its chin in a cute display of contemplation. "I\'m not entirely sure about the goat milk, pig skin, and a couple of others, but the main acts are covered. We\'ve got the Luminara Frostleaf, Mandrake Roots, and Ashwagandha—all plucked fresh from that forest. I did the honors myself."

"You did?" Rick grinned from ear to ear as he eyeballed the rabbit. He couldn\'t care less about the herbs snagged from the Whispering Wetlands. He stored them just for the sake of completing the quest and in hopes that they might be useful later.

"All of them," the rabbit bragged, puffing its chest out with pride.

"Then can you make that medicine? That Celestial Frostfire Nectar," Rick asked the rabbit with hopeful eyes.

"I..." The rabbit was about to answer, but she was cut short by an unexpected knock on the door.

**Knock! Knock!

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