Mariano just followed me around.
So did Antoine.
We walked in circles like idiots playing merry-go-round.
"A meter away from me." I instructed them.
"Alright." they replied in unison.
"What are are you going to do, my dear?" Mariano inquired as I stepped inside the comfort room.
"I am going to do some business." I responded. "Don't tell me that you will follow me too?"
"Oh. I would just have to be one meter away from the toilet, right?"
Antoine immediately pulled him by the sleeve. I closed the door and sighed in relief.
I finally have an "alone moment".
A few minutes later, I heard a knock.
"Darling, aren't you finish pooping yet?"
"Ugh! Leave me alone!" I snarled. "Don't you know what privacy means?"
"Forgive me. I just miss you so...hey!" I heard muffled sounds outside.
I opened the door and found Mariano tied up on a chair with his mouth covered.
"What did you do?" I asked Antoine. "How could you do that to your friend?"
"He is so persistent. He wanted to open the door. So, I had to do what I had to do."
"Mmmm....mmmm...." Mariano groaned in protest. He glared at him and struggled to get free. I removed the cover from his mouth but decided to keep him tied up.
"Oh, Darling. He is terrible! He wants me to be away from you when we should be together!"
"Yeah. Right." I muttered, regretting that I uncovered his mouth.
Then, we heard someone calling from outside. Antoine proceeded to check who is it. To my surprise, Mariano put his arm around my shoulder.
"H-How were you able to free yourself?"
"For you Bianca, nothing is impossible."
I swatted his hand with the duster I got from the table. "Ouch! Is this what you call "tough love"?"
"Don't touch me." I warned him.
"Alright. As you wish."
As Antoine opened the door, a young beautiful Greek woman with expressive eyes hesitantly stepped in. Her olive skin glowed in the daylight.
"Venus?" I called.
She smiled wisely.
"No, I'm Psyche. And I'm looking for my troublesome husband!" she said while clenching her fist in anger.
"Good. Because we're also looking for him. Would you like to come inside and talk?" Antoine suggested. "Would you like coffee, chocolate or tea?"
"Oh my! With your aura I think he already caused you so much trouble." she uttered with a laugh. "Thanks for the offer, but I'd rather have you." she teased.
Upon seeing Mariano, she laughed louder.
"Lovestruck, eh?"
"You can say that again, Lady." He smiled in a mischievous way. "I love you, Bianca."
He blushed like a teen who just met his crush.
"If I were you, I'll have a hard time choosing between this two. You are one lucky girl!" she told me as she stroked my back.
"I am not choosing anybody." I was quick to deny.
"Eh? You can't tell your heart not to. Love will come knocking at your door when you least expected it."
"What brought you here?" I diverted her lectures about "love" back to her husband. "Why did your "Love" fly away?"
"Well, Cupid and I had a little quarrel and he has not come back for weeks." she started. "In-laws problem. His mother, Venus does not like me much. Maybe you can help me talk to him."
"How?" I asked.
"It is very easy. Just call his name three times. He will come for you. Your pact with him is not yet over as you have not said "Yes."
"He never told me that. And, we never had a pact."
"Of course, he won't tell you that until you learn to love your lover boy there. You would easily say "Yes" by then. He loves making a fool out of people. He even fooled me once. We ended up as a couple, anyway."
"Learn to love Mariano?" I thought. "Maybe, that would take a trip to the moon or to the sun."
I looked at him. He smiled at me like an idiot.
Poor creature.
"Cupid! Cupid! Cupid!" I called to solve all our problems at last.
We looked around if he did appear somewhere. I became very impatient for making us, his victims, wait.
"Cupid! Cupid! Cupid! Burn in hell, you fool!" I screamed in fury.
Alas!
A bright light appeared and he stood in front of us with a cloud carrying him.
"What's the rush? I was sleeping."
He saw his very angry wife.
"I-I think I would have to go now." he stammered.
Antoine grabbed his wing. The white cloud he was riding in burst into bubbles.
"You are not going anywhere."
"Easy. Easy, my friend. What's the hate?"
From a chubby boy, he transformed into a beautiful young man.
"I'm so sorry for fooling you, Bianca. You see, I am desperate." he sincerely apologized. "My wife and I quarrelled because of my mother. She demanded so much from me. For every arrow I shoot, it adds to her beauty and power. She's such a vain woman."
He lovingly took a glimpse at Psyche and continued narrating his dilemma.
"I had little time with her. I don't want to lose her so badly. I just thought that if I could just have a hundred years of freedom, me and my wife could work things out."
Psyche put her hands in her chest like an arrow shot her heart. Her eyes were quick to brim with tears.
"You could have said that to me. I'm so...sorry." she said while sobbing. "But this is not right. We'll find another way. Free that man."
"If that is what you say, my beloved wife."
He proceeded to where Mariano is standing. As he was about to pull the arrow, he grabbed his hand.
"What are you doing?" With unbelievable strength, he pulled Cupid towards him. "Are you going to take Bianca away from me?" his eyes gleamed red.
"This is not the right way." Cupid tried to explain.
"Let him go. It's alright." Antoine tried to pacify him.
"Please...please..don't let him take it." he begged. A moment ago he was defensive yet now, he is pleading.
I felt the pain in his words. It was like if the arrow was taken away from him, his heart would also go with it.
"If you're meant to be and if you really love her, you won't need this arrow." Cupid said, looking at him straight in the eyes.
He released the god. His tight grip caused red marks on Cupid's arm.
He chuckled.
"What was I thinking all this time? I was so overwhelmed by my emotions. I just can't control it. Stupid me!"
He held the arrow and easily pulled it away from his heart and threw it on the floor.
"There, take it with you, Feather ball!"
Antoine and I were surprised with what he did. No ordinary human can do that.
I doubted if he was indeed healed from being a vampire. His aura seemed to be really...
Dark.
Psyche rushed to her husband's side. There was fear in her eyes as she looked at Mariano.
"I'm so sorry for all the trouble, Sir. We're going home now."
They quickly disappeared from our sight.
Mariano came to me and asked me in the most gentle and courteous manner he could.
"Can we talk for a while?"
Antoine knew what to do. He turned and walked away from us.
"Forgive me for all the hassle. But everything I said to you...is true." He held his nape and smiled shyly at me. "I would have to thank that stupid Cupid too because I realized something I've been denying since I saw you. I've been drawn so easily to you. You've always been a mystery to me."
My throat felt so dry to speak. I was left speechless.
"But my friend has his eyes on you too. His expression could not hide it back there in the dining room a while ago."
"Nonsense, Mariano. There are a lot of prettier women out there." I managed to tell him.
"Do you like him?" he inquired.
"What kind of question is that? He's my friend and employer!"
"Friend, eh?"
"Yes."
"So, do I have a chance?"
"Uh, none. You two, leave me alone and let me live in peace."
He laughed even though his eyes looked really sad.
"Now that hurts."
"Can I ask you something?" It was my turn to question him.
"Sure, Love."
"Stop calling me "Love"."
"Forgive me"
"Have you been seeing that arrow all the time?"
He was not able to answer quickly. He observed me for a while before he spoke, very mindful of the words that came out of his lips.
"Yes...I thought it is strange..."
I was right.
He is hiding something from me.
"I saw your eyes gleam red."
He stayed silent.
"Speak, Mariano. I want to help you. Haven't you fully turned to human yet?"
"Do you think so?" he asked me in return.
"I don't know."
"Impossible. I don't smell and crave for blood at all. Let's just ask Hermana Auring when she comes back. Don't worry about it..." he opted to change the subject. "Let me make up for every trouble I caused you. I'll cook lunch, snack and dinner. I'll wash the dishes too."
"Do you really know how to cook?" I just went on with the conversation. I respected his decision to never talk about what is really going on with him.
Deep inside, I wanted to know what bothers him so.
It is not to judge him.
I honestly wanted to save him.
"Of course. I also bake. Do you like cakes? What do you like?"
"Chocolate cake." I smiled at him. "Would you make me one?"
"Sure, Love."
"Stop that! I slapped his arm.
"Ouch. No need to be nasty."
As promised, he baked for me the most delicious chocolate cake I ever tasted.
The next morning, he was gone.
He left a letter for me.
"Bianca Dearest..."