"Tick tock, tick tock... time's running out."
Azrael looked at me as I stood in the middle of nowhere with a shocked expression on my face... which later turned into sadness.
"How depressing."
Will I ever see Felix again?
I looked away from Azrael not wanting him to notice.
"Why the long face?" He said looking in my direction. I guess it's impossible to hide stuff from him. He notices everything.
"It's because of you." I said looking away. "You took me away from my friends, to what... isolate me so your job will be easier?"
"Come on..." Azrael said, "we all know the main reason you upset is because you want to be with "Felix." And I'm sorry to break it to you but you can't be with him. Not now, not ever and definitely not with me around."
"Why do you do this to me?" I questioned Azrael. "Why do you hurt me?"
He didn't answer my questions and just looked up at the stars. Then he continued to speak...
"And I didn't isolate you." He said now focusing on what I said before my questions. He didn't want to answer them so he answered my previous statement instead. "You still have me..." His sentence drifted off as his words faded away. I'm not sure if he wanted me to hear that or not. It was merely a whisper.
Was this one of his mind games?
Did he plan on playing with my feelings?
Is he jealous of Felix or is there some hidden rivalry between the two of them?
"Well, I don't want to be here..." I said coldly, not caring if I hurt him or not, he didn't care about me anyway so why should I care if I hurt him. "and I definitely don't want to be with you."
"But that's the thing..." he said trying to hide his hurt expression with a smirk that later turned into a manic laugh and then a serious expression on his face. Why was he laughing? Bipolar? I don't know. "you don't have a choice."
"Of course I do." I said looking at him. "I'll just have to find a way out of this place."
"And how are you going to do that?" He said in amusement. He must have known something I didn't.
I looked at him and thought for a moment what I was going to do since the threat I made was more of a bluff and he clearly had the upper hand... he knew he was winning, he had the advantage after all.
"Me and my empty threats."
"I'll do this." I said as I ran away from him going further into the long grass and continuously running, in the hopes that I would find some means of escape but instead of getting further away from him I ended up running back towards him.
How in the world?
I'm sure I ran in the other direction so how did I end up running back to him?
The look on his face was pure amusement. "I guess, you just have to get used to me." He said now smirking. "Cause trust me... you'll be seeing a lot of me."
A look of confusion was written all over my face. I'm pretty sure if I saw myself in the mirror I would look like a lost puppy. I had no idea what just happened. Azrael now analysing my facial expression began to speak...
"You thought I was joking when I said you couldn't escape this place." He laughed. "You can try to run away from me as much as you want but you'll always end up in the same place."
What?
This doesn't make any sense...
But then again what does, nothing in my life ever did make any sense.
The boy I liked is a cat for Pete's sake!..
"What do you mean?" I said looking at him with mind boggling confusion and not to mention frustration.
"You know how the world is round..." Azrael said in an attempt to make me understand after he had seen my confused expression, "well, this is like a small world and everytime you run away you'll come back because it's round."
"So are you saying I'm running in circles?" I asked furrowing my eyebrows.
"No, you're not running in circles..." Azrael said, Mr Know it all, "but you are running around this place. It's like infinity... you'll always end up where you started, with me of course."
I was gaging in my head after he said that, only to see him smirk when I looked at him and then looked away shyly. I felt hot and my face flushed for some reason.
Was I blushing?
Why was I blushing?
I don't even like him.
If he was Felix it would be a different story.
I tried to hide the fact that I was blushing for some unknown reason... well, I think I was blushing. But why?
I didn't want to be here but I had no choice and it was all because of him. I was lost in my train of thought for a moment as I stared into the distance... the long lushes grass that was covered in mist was all I could see.
I was so dazed and out of it that I hadn't noticed the sudden feeling of arms grabbing me from behind and pulling me towards something solid. My back had bumped into something solid. A solid chest?!.. Arms slithered around my waist now like a snake as the person pulled me closer towards them. Their chin close to my right shoulder as their breath hit against my ear.
I looked to where Azrael was standing, he was no longer there and then realisation hit me... he standing behind me. He was the one who wrapped his arms around my waist. He was the one breathing in my ear. My eyes widened in shock once I processed what was happening. His breath now and then blowing against my neck. I heard him take a breath... he was sniffing me? Again?!
What is he? A dog?
He placed his hand on the right side of my neck and swiftly moved his head over to the left side of it. His mouth by my left ear now as he held my neck, keeping me in place. I took in a breath as he did this and closed my eyes. He was so sly. What was he doing? I couldn't move due to awkward positioning which seemed to be a regular thing now. Well, for him anyway, not the same can be said for me though.
"This is my bubble... My bubble!.. Bubble, bubble... get out of my bubble."
"Why are you blushing?" He asked me in a husky tone. I could feel his lips lightly brush against my ear.
"Embarrassment? No?"
Personal space... Personal space!..
I didn't say anything. His breath was sending shivers down my spine. I was stuck. The words I wanted to say unable to leave my mouth as my lips parted. My eyes still wide, I think? Hey, there is no mirror so I can't see my facial expression and sometimes I don't make the faces I think I'm making. So I'm assuming that's how I looked.
"Answer me..." He whispered in my ear wanting to know.
How can I answer him when I myself don't know?
I don't even like him or is that just something I told myself?
Maybe deep down I did?
Was I hiding it?
Wait, think straight... he's doing it again.
He's trying to manipulate me.
It's him who likes me, not the other way around... Alice get a hold of yourself, it's a trick.
My face went back to normal as I managed to come back to my senses and although I didn't feel very comfortable in the position he had me, I managed to get myself to speak. I put on a confident front but I'm not going to lie... it still felt really awkward even though I managed to hide it. That's assuming he can't see through me.
"I don't want to be here." I said in a tone that was colder than ice. I'm not playing his games. Not this time.
"Well, that's too bad..." he said shrugging his shoulders before he brought his head down to rest on my shoulder, slightly breathing down my neck, "cause you not going anywhere so... as I said I guess, you just have to get used to me."
"Get used to you?!" I exclaimed in anger. "If anything I don't even want to be with you."
"Oh? You'll learn to love me." He said breathing down my neck, his breathing getting heavier with each breath. "After all we'll have enough time to bond since you stuck here."
I scoffed at what he said only to feel wetness on my neck. His lips? I don't know what came over me but as soon as his lips touched my skin it made me get the energy I needed to jump out of his grip.
"What the Cheese and Crackers do you think you're doing?!" I said clearly angered by his actions. "I'm not a freaken lollipop!"
"Is that so?" He said smirking as he mocked me. "Cause you sure do look like a treat to me." I saw him lick his lips as he looked towards mine. Hell no, there was no way I would let him kiss me, at least not willingly.
I looked at him blankly as his eyes lit up. His face now by my face, he moved so fast. "You're forgetting that..." he paused as he looked into my eyes, "you are still weak. I'm still being the nice guy here but if you disrespect me I can do things to you so I wouldn't cross me if I were you."
"Buh... things?.." I said with a sudden burst of confidence which to tell you the truth was unusual for me. "What things?" I challenged, clearly not thinking.
"Bad things..." He said looking towards my lips with a glimmer in his eyes as his voice slowly faded into the distance from where we stood.
"Bad things? Bad things? Bad things like what?" I challenged.
My innocence is going to get me killed.
Why am I so naive? Correction... make that... why am I so stupid?
"And again I clearly wasn't thinking."
"Don't tempt me." Azrael whispered in a husky tone dripping with lust.
Oh my gosh... stop, stop, stop...
We're stopping here...
Alice shut up... you going to make things worse.
You just gave him a bad idea... a very bad idea.
"I should shut up right now."
I held my mouth with both my hands to stop myself from saying what I wanted to say next. The words that wanted to leave my lips would have probably provoked him even more.
So all in all I covered my mouth for two reasons... One because I couldn't control my thoughts and habit of saying them out loud and two because of his closeness, he could surely kiss me if I had not covered it. Not putting my hands over my mouth would have been most likely seen as an invitation. Well, in his eyes anyway.
"Why are you covering your mouth?" Azrael asked me with a confused look on his face. His eyebrows furrowing.
...
~Meanwhile~
Unknown speaker...
"That girl still didn't show up... it's been more than a few months now since you asked her friend to tell her to meet us and Union is not impressed. You lucky Felix is able to keep an eye on her. Speaking of which, I haven't seen him lately either."
"Yes I know... I also expected her to show up but that didn't happen, now did it? I have no power to control that girl, remember? I am but only a magician. My grandson however, is around about their age... maybe I can get him to play a long as well, after all he did save her friend that day from a bucket of paint that nearly landed on her head."
"Then do what you must but whatever you do make sure to protect that girl. She is carrying something very special. The Jade pendant's power is something anyone would want, even the most powerful of beings but now because of her blood line she is even more valuable. A half White Witch Angel. That is something extraordinary. In fact she is the recipe for life itself... the new Eden."
"Eden?!.. Yes I suppose... as old as I am I still do not recall what happened to the girl. The ancient texts pages have been ripped on those chapters. They say it was ripped by an Angel who was in love with her."
"The garden was named after that girl and the Angel who loved her is still unknown."
"What? They still do not know who he is?"
"That my friend remains a mystery."
...
»Back to the present moment«
Continuing from where we were...
"Why are you covering your mouth?" Azrael asked me with a confused look on his face. His eyebrows furrowing.
U-uh? Because I want to?
No, of course I didn't say that to him.
I just looked at him, my hands still over my mouth. My eyes widening as he cupped his hands around my wrists... trying to move them away from my mouth.
No... I screamed mentally as he tried to get my hands to move.
Suddenly he spoke... "You remind me so much of her..." He said, his voice now fading and his eyes full of sadness. "You just as stubborn as her." He said with his face now shifting into a sad smile as I tried to stop him from removing my hands but he was too strong.
"Let me go!.." I shouted as his grip tightened. If he gripped my wrists any tighter I'd lose blood circulation for sure.
"Not until you stop fighting me." He said looking deep into my wide eyes. I, of course was still shocked. "Why do you hate me?" He asked, pain laced in his voice. I stopped wriggling. I stopped trying to get out of his grip.
His grip on my wrists slowly getting gentle as I calmed, until they were no longer there. I had not noticed that I was free of his grip until I looked down at my hands, only to look up again and see his face so close to mine. His eyes focused on my lips as my eyes focused on his gaze. My lips parted.
"You and her are so much alike." He whispered in a husky tone, his breath hitting against my lips. So close, so very close.
Warning! Warning!..
Space! Space!..
I need my space!..
System going into overdrive...
System malfunction...
Brain can't focus!?..
Brain will self destruct in...
10
9
8
7
6
5
4
3
2
1
...
Nope that didn't happen but it sure felt like that.
I can't handle this...
"Tension."
"So much tension."
Why did he always have to come so close to me? I thought to myself as I let out a breath.
Why is he comparing me to her?
Who is she, anyway?
Cause I'm certainly not her...
"I wonder..." Azrael said now looking deeper into my eyes. He paused before he spoke on, breaking my daze. "if I... I..." he pause again, his sentence fading yet I could still hear it, "kiss... you... will it feel the same?"
How must I know?
You kissed her, I didn't.
He can feel?
Since when?
Must have been a century ago...
My eyes widened as my lips parted. His eyelids now fluttering down to my parted lips. He licked his own as he looked down at mine. "I'm not supposed to..." He said bringing his lips down as he spoke, his breath hitting my lips in the process as the rest of his words faded. "I'm not supposed to want you." He continued.
What am I? An object?
He makes me sound like something a kid wants at the shop...
I looked at him confused, tilting my head to the side and furrowing my eyebrows as my eyes squinted. I was about to speak when he, out of the blue without a moment's hesitation, spoke first.
The idiot cut me off from speaking?!..
What?!
"My job was clear..." he said brushing his long slender fingers through his hair as he pushed his hair back with his hand, a worried expression on his face, "just deliver you and receive my payment but now, I... I... I don't know?"
I looked at him confused as he continued... I was lost in what was happening or was it what he was trying to explain?
"You so much like her... I couldn't bear to lose you again..." he paused, "I... I... mean her, especially not to him." He said looking down seemingly ashamed. "Not this time. Forget about the payment. There is no way I'll be able to..." he continued more mumbling to himself as he brushed a hand through his hair, a worried expression still evident on his face, "to deliver you even with the great payment he offered."
"Who were you going to deliver me to?" I now asked him, my eyes wide with curiosity.
"It doesn't matter..." He said. I felt his hand now caress my cheek. I didn't want him to touch me like that. I flinched when his hand came into contact with my cheek. He stopped. "I'm not going to hurt you." He said with a hint of sadness in his tone as I still hadn't warmed up to him but there was no way I'd do that even if he was beyond nice to me. Hey he kidnapped me remember so he doesn't deserve my kindness. "You have no idea, do you?" He spoke on and then paused.
His hand still on my cheek even though I flinched, his face still so close to mine. I hadn't realised his closeness until his lips were just inches away from mine and I felt his breath lightly brush against them. I looked at him questioningly. My eyebrows furrowed. "What are you trying to say?" I asked not seeming to understand him.
His hand now moved down from caressing my cheek to touching my lips. He rubbed his thumb on my bottom lip, his hand under my chin as he brought his head even closer to mine. "That..." he paused, "that I'd do anything for you."
"Then take me home..." I said my voice fading and his lips nearly touching mine.
"I'd do anything... to be with you." He whispered. His breath blowing in my ear, his tone remained husky.
"Please take me home." I said feeling him suddenly grip me.
"Stay with me for three days..." Azrael said tucking a strand of hair behind my ear, "and I promise I will take you home on the third day."
"Wait?" I said looking at him oddly. "What's the catch?"
"The catch?" He questioned now thinking. I don't think he considered having one. Why did I give him the idea? "Okay..." he said, "you'll spend three days with me here..." he was about to continue when I cut in.
"Here? And where is here, exactly?" I asked.
"You'll find out soon enough..." He said patting my head as if I were a child. "During the three days..." He continued. "I will spend time with you. The only catch is that if you fall in love with me... I will not take you home but keep you here instead. Do we have a deal?"
I don't like him.
There is no way I'd warm up to this guy.
Can I do this?
Can I resist him?
Why am I doubting myself?
He's not Felix...
I prefer my cat oddly enough.
I can do this... I'm pretty sure I can.
I can survive a few days with him.
Alice you can do this... I reassured myself mentally.
Can I?
"And there's the self doubt."
"Okay..." I said hesitantly. I admit I was doubtful. What if I do fall for him? What if I'm not strong enough? What if I can't resist?.. I thought.
"Girl..." I suddenly heard the sarcastic voice in my head AKA my conscience, "you "what if?" too much. Stop doubting yourself, you stronger than this and you know it. Where's your fighting spirit, girl. His got nothing on you."
Yeah, I guess you right... I answered the voice mentally.
Azrael's husky voice broke me out of my thoughts once again... "Ahem..." he cleared his throat, "do we have a deal?"
He's hand was out as I looked down. He wanted me to shake it.
Do people still do that?
Do people still shake hands?
Well, I guess he's still old school.
I mean, he is Death, an Angel even... or was it the Grim Reaper?
Either way he must be pretty old even though he looks super young.
Kind of explains his old school ways... and especially the shaking hands gesture.
"Do we have a deal?" His voice echoed on as I focused now on what he had said.
"Okay... okay..." I said. "Geez, just give me a minute."
"Okay..." Azrael said as he looked down, faking that he had a watch on his arm. It was a pretend watch. He tapped his arm with one of his fingers, said "I don't have all day" and then yawned dramatically into his hand to show that I was taking long.
He's so impatient.
I need to think first.
I have to think about this.
I don't want to be stuck here.
For how long would he keep me here if I fell for him?
An eternity?..
He doesn't age...
It could be forever?!..
I'll be stuck here forever if I lose to him and he'll get what he wants... me.
"Do we have a deal?" He repeated himself again, clearly annoyed.
I have no choice...
"Y... y... yes..." I said hesitantly. I looked at him, my eyes now falling to his lips.
I placed my hand in his own as my body shocked nervously in a pathetic attempt... I can't even say attempt... more like failed attempt to shake his hand. Shock waves constantly shooting through my body or was it chills running down my spine? Either way I still felt this weird sensation whenever he came into contact with me.
But let me just get one thing straight here... I don't like him.
"You don't sound too sure about this." He said smirking as he began to circle me, walking around me.
Ya think?
Of course I wouldn't be sure...
You Death for Pete's sake...
No, again I did not say these things. I really would have liked to have said them though but I don't want to die just yet so I figured I'll just prolong my death for a bit.
He was still walking around me when suddenly he stopped behind me. He rested his head on one of my shoulders as he spoke, my eyes widened. "So it looks like I'm in the lead." He said as his breath now hit against my ear. I could sense him smirking. His hands now wrapping around my waist and I was once again in his hold.
"Winning?" I questioned him looking at the stars above us. We were still in this place. This empty field.
"You doubting yourself..." He continued as if he could read me or could he? "So I'm winning."
I'm guessing he could see right through me...
He could definitely read into me...
I felt him hold my neck again.
Nah uh... not this again.
I immediately tried to get out of his grip. "No..." he said, "you promised to spend time with me. That means you can't resist this. You have to allow this."
"Can I also add in a rule?" I asked, looking to the side now as I tried to speak to him since he was still behind me.
"Sure why not?" He said. "Entertain me."
"Okay..." I said, wondering why the heck he never said no to my proposal in the first place? "You are not allowed to kiss me against my will."
Azrael now turned me around so that I faced him. His face once again really close to mine, a smirk tugging at his lips. "Just one question..." He said now looking at me and waiting for my approval.
"Yes?" I questioned.
"What if we are in a life and death situation and you need to be resuscitated?"
"What does this have to do with a kiss?" I said to Azrael as I furrowed my eyebrows in confusion.
"Hmmm... nothing." Azrael said now smirking as if he had some devious plan up his sleeve. "But would you let me do CPR on you if it came to a situation like that?"
I paused for a bit, thinking about it. "I suppose." I said.
"Okay..." He said rubbing his hands together, an amused look on his face.
What is he thinking?
What is he up to?
No good... No good that's what he's up to... said the sarcastic voice in my head.
And honestly I couldn't agree more he was definitely up to something... the question is what? What was he up to?
To be continued...