"What are you waiting for? Come in and close the door." He said, scribbling something with his weird pen on a huge paper sheet on the table. I gulped and obeyed his commands. I sat quietly on the pillow in front of him, studying carefully his perfect face.
His hair was long and white. His snowy eyes were exactly how I remembered them. He seemed even paler in the past. Maybe he couldn't go out in the middle of the day with his eyes without scaring people. He was wearing a red kimono, which made a beautiful contrast with his white skin and hair. Even his eyebrows were white. He looked like an angel, covered by blood. I shook my head. There was no time to analyze his beauty. I had to... talk with him. To get closer to him. Maybe, then I could've made him cry with blood.
"Who are you?" I asked him, trying to keep up with the charade.
He, still writing down, lifted an eyebrow, without looking at me. "That's an interesting question. Didn't Kasho tell you?"
"Kasho? Do you mean the guy who almost raped me a few days ago?" I continued, trying to push Kasho away.
I wanted him to believe I wasn't interested at all in the other demon. That, maybe, could've made him interested in me. I grimaced. I was being too full of myself. Caiden wasn't interested in women like the other demons were.
"Rape, you say." He almost whispered. "It didn't look like rape to me."
"I don't care how it looked to you, I know what it was for me."
He looked up and made eye contact with me. I gulped. He looked intimidating. His snowy eyes analyzed me for a few seconds, then he lowered his head, focusing back on the sheets. I sighed. "Why did you want me here? I don't see any teacups around."
I was tired to beat around the bush. I wanted to get over with it. "I needed company. Do you have a problem with that?"
I blinked twice and adjusted my position. I didn't expect that. But... he was a demon. He surely had a hidden reason, which couldn't be exposed that easily. I straightened my back and smiled. "Okay, then. What would you like to talk about?"
Without saying anything, he left his weird pen down, placed his hands on the corners of the table, and raised his head so he can make eye contact with me. I forced myself not to show any emotions I had when I was looking straight at his face. It was weird to talk with him when he wasn't exactly him. I missed talking with the Caiden I knew.
"What makes you think I want to talk?" He asked, watching carefully my reactions.
I sighed. "Then what kind of company do you want?"
He snorted and crossed his arms over his muscular chest. I could see his pale chest's skin through the kimono's V shape. I gulped. He didn't want to...?
"Miss me with your prostitute flirting. I'm not interested in that."
I sighed and rolled my eyes. "I know that. If you were, I don't think you would've waited for me writing something down, fully dressed. Isn't that obvious? I'm not assuming anything, I only asked you what you want."
He lifted an eyebrow and threw me an... appreciative glance. "You're not as stupid as I thought."
I almost grinned. "It took you some time to realize that, Caiden."
He blinked twice and his puzzled expression made me be aware of the thing I said. I widened my eyes and I could feel how my hands became sweaty in an instant. "Caiden? This name sounds weird. Is he your associate?"
I almost sighed in relief. Of course, he wouldn't believe I called him Caiden because he was Caiden. He thought I mistook him for someone else. But at the same time... I was disappointed. He didn't have any reactions at his present name. Reminding him of who he was in the present was harder than I expected. "It's nothing. You look like your name is Caiden. That's all."
This time his both eyebrows rose. "Why would you say that?"
I shrugged, pursing my lips. "You didn't tell me your name, so I just made one. Am I not allowed? Or... are you going to tell me your name?"
He nodded to himself and smirked. "Your... way of doing things is weird. But, fine, you can call me Caiden. Probably this will be our last encounter, anyways."
I blinked twice, not understanding exactly why he said that. "... are you going somewhere else? Are you leaving this village?"
He laughed. "Not me. But you might."
The blood froze in my veins, as the hidden meaning of his words crept inside of my mind. "You're going to kill me."
"Or not." He replied, taking his sheets off the table and folding them.
"Are you going to kill me or not?"
He sighed, throwing me a bored glance. "This depends on you and your answers."
I took a deep breath, adjusting my position as my feet got too sore. "Try me."
His expression was... puzzled. Almost confused. He wasn't expecting that. Me, talking with him so naturally, even though I was mere human and he practically threatened to kill me.
"Fine, then. What did you talk with Kasho?"
His face got serious and his voice even lower than it already was. I gulped and forced myself to laugh at his question. "What do you mean? Do you think he told me his darkest secrets? No way. He just wanted to fool around. Like the other guys want."
His eyes narrowed, studying me and I was so aware of it that I could hear my heart hammering in my chest. And I was pretty sure he could do it as well.
"Have you seen him with someone else recently?"
I shook my head while he placed his elbow on his knee and rested his perfect face on his hand. "I haven't seen him recently. Actually, I saw him only twice, and the second time you showed up. I'm not that important to him to be visited more, I suppose."
He sighed softly, thinking about it for a little while. "Then I guess this was a mistake. You don't seem to be lying about it. I'm feeling kind of tired today so I'll let you live. If he shows up again, tell that to the girl who brought you to me. I'm expecting you to cooperate with me. Or else... well, you know already."
Sighing again, he placed his hand on his knee and got to his feet. I did the same. The table was between us, but I, oh, how I wished it wasn't. His posture, his movements, his gaze... were so attractive. I didn't know if my hormones were totally out of control or the fact that I haven't seen him in a week made me realize how handsome he really was. I took a deep breath and the tension between us increased significantly. I knew he was aware of that. He was just staring at me and I looked straight into his eyes, trying to make him remember me only by my weird, nostalgic gaze. I knew it was impossible. But I didn't know what to do else. If I told him the truth, he wouldn't believe it and he could've possibly killed me. I didn't want to risk that at that moment. I wanted to gain his trust.
But how could a mere human gain the trust of the mighty white fox demon?
"You are dismissed." Caiden said, interrupting our eye contact and throwing a quick glance towards the door.
I blinked twice, feeling like a spell broke and I just woke up. I drew a deep breath and bowed. Throwing him a last glance and seeing him turn his back at me, with his hands clenched at his back, I sighed and opened the door. I closed it softly behind me and, at that moment, the tea house became dark. I didn't know how, but I was sure Caiden wasn't there anymore. I sighed again and forced myself not to cry because of my uselessness. I met him again, but I did nothing. The chilly breeze made my exposed shoulders shudder and, hugging myself, I started walking towards our room.
After ten minutes, I looked up and realized I was in front of the tea house where I and Jessica had slept in the first days before we went to parties and received a better room from the head of the prostitutes. I sighed. My thoughts were slowly killing me and I couldn't focus on anything else.
I started pivoting, ready to turn around and go back towards the multitude of tea houses near the lake, but a strange noise made me stop midway. There were bushes and trees around me and the path was too narrow, so if anyone was there, I couldn't see them. My hands became sweaty and my heart was pounding so fast I was afraid I could have a panic attack.
Caiden's not back to kill me... right?
He couldn't. He didn't have a reason to kill me. He seemed weird back in that room, yeah, but not that kind of weird. His expression wasn't a killer's expression. He couldn't do that to me.
But he's a demon and, especially the fact that you made him feel weird by your strange gaze maybe made him realize you might be a possible danger for him... right?
I frowned, looking at my right and left. There was nothing. I took a step and I heard the noise again, but this time louder. It sounded like... steps.
And a scabbard hitting a solid object.
I froze.
Someone was there. Run.
And I ran. I ran so fast I barely could see something in my way. Tears filled my eyes because of the wind slapping my face but also because of the fear which clenched my heart and made me panic-stricken. I was five feet away from the room where Jessica could've been at that moment. I prayed that she wanted to go for a walk at that late hour, even though it seemed kind of improbable.
Three feet away...
... and my hand was yanked back by a powerful force which made me lose my balance.
My first instinct was to scream, but a hand covered my mouth, making me squeeze my eyes shut and pray for anything or anyone to come and save me...
"Stop resisting, you stupid human. He will hear us."
I stopped instantly when I heard his voice. It was Caiden. And he wasn't trying to kill me. I would've sighed in relief if I could. I was sitting on his lap, in the bush and his fragrance was all over me, bewitching me. I resisted the urge to turn around and sniff him, which was clearly weird – even with the present Caiden.
I tried to turn my head around, but his grip was firm and didn't let me move at all. His body tensed. After a while, I heard it as well. Almost silent steps on the narrowed path.
"Where are you, sweetheart?"
I widened my eyes. It was Kasho. I winced, understanding my position very well: Caiden was saving me from Kasho. I didn't know why or the circumstances, but if Caiden was hiding me, then Kasho probably wanted to kill me. I tried to take a deep breath, but I couldn't because of his hand. I was suffocating.
I put gently my hand over his and squeezed it. He pulled off his hand as my touch electrocuted him. I finally could breathe normally and I almost teared up in relief. We stayed like this, one over the other, for five more minutes, until Kasho left, cursing in Japanese.
The moment Caiden sighed I let out a frustrated sound and got to my feet. "What happened? Why did you hide me? Don't tell me he wants to kill me now!" I said with a low voice, scared that he could've still been around.
Caiden looked up at me with a serious expression. He sighed again and jumped to his feet, planting them in front of me. "I'm amazed you didn't consider this option until now." He said, rolling his eyes and crossing his arms over his chest. "But no, it's not about that. I couldn't care less if he wanted to kill you."
"Ouch." I replied, genuinely hurt by his words, but, anyway, I saw it coming. "Then what does he want?"
He opened his mouth, but nothing came out as he cocked his ears, making me tense in an instant. After a short while, he sighed and looked back into my eyes. "He wants to sell you. I don't know who the buyer is or what he'll get from selling you, but something is not right."
I widened my eyes. "He's betraying you!"
He chuckled. Covering his mouth with his huge kimono's sleeve. "Please. Stop talking. You're embarrassing."
"You're an idiot!" I yelled at him and he narrowed his eyes, his expression becoming darker, but I couldn't care less.
I didn't care if I couldn't change the past at all. I wanted him to know it. I wanted to tell him, to scream it in front of his face. Maybe he could've done something. Maybe, because of my help, he could've escaped faster from Kasho's hands. Maybe it could've been possible. "Don't you see?! He's playing you! He wants to sell me, but he didn't tell you anything about it! If he truly is your right-hand, he wouldn't have done something behind your back!"
He let his hand fall next to his hip and stared into my eyes, with a weird intensity. I frowned deeply, not understanding why he was acting like that. He was... scary.
He took a step forward and I took one back, hitting the huge bush behind me. I grimaced, throwing it a quick glance and then I focused my attention back on...
His hand came so fast I didn't even have time to scream. He got a grip on my neck, choking me and for a few seconds, I saw only black before my eyes. I placed my hands over his, trying to stop him, but with no success. I could feel how even the last dram of oxygen left my lungs and I knew I was on the verge of passing out.
What should I do? What should I do? What should I do?!
"Foolish being. How dare you talk to me like that? Do you think we're equals?" Tears filled my eyes, but his melodic laughter delighted my ears. "... my right-hand? Where did you hear this information? Kasho is a fool, but he would never divulge information. You are a spy, indeed. Confess the truth or you'll die by my own hands."
He probably didn't think about it thoroughly, because his inhumane strength left me completely breathless. I couldn't talk at all, even if I wanted to.
Maybe that's what he wants. You can't talk, you die. Simple.
After a few tensed seconds, he sighed and let me go. I started coughing as I fell on the cold and hard ground, desperately sucking the air. My lungs were burning and I knew he left me some beautiful marks on my pale neck.
"Hurry up, human. I have important matters waiting for me." His voice was so cold that I trembled involuntarily, as I rose my upper body and placed my palms on the ground.
Panting, I looked up at his face and his expression wasn't a friendly one. I didn't know what I could've told him. His temper was a minefield.
One wrong step and boom!
"I know you might not believe me..."
His laughter interrupted my shaky and weak attempt of saving myself from certain death. "If you're starting like this, we both know what is going to happen. Don't we, human?"
Caiden lowered his body, so his face was at the same level as mine. I avoided eye contact. He was intimidating me and I really needed to organize my thoughts and find perfect answers for his heavy questions. But I couldn't escape from him. He grabbed my chin, forcing me to look straight into his eyes.
His snowy, hunting eyes were analyzing carefully my face and one of his mouth's corners turned upwards. He was amused by my miserable appearance. My jaw clenched and he lifted an eyebrow, observing every single detail of my forever changing expression.
"So? You were trying to say something. Speak."
He didn't show any mercy. He wanted to make fun of my incredibility. He would've killed me anyway.
What should I do? What should I do?
I exhaled sharply, calming myself. There was no point in panicking. I had to control my emotions. To show him no fear.
Be strong, Ivy.
If he didn't believe me when it came to Kasho, then I had to change the perspective. I had to tell him something questionable, something which would've made him confused and maybe curious enough to check if my words were true or not. "You won't kill me, Caiden. Because I know you. You're not like that. You've always protected me. You've always helped me."
His brows furrowed, his expression becoming puzzled and confused, as I predicted.
Keep it like this. Make him unsure of his own actions.
"Because we are friends, Caiden. You are my friend."
"What the hell are you talking about, human?" He snapped, squeezing my chin, making me grimace because of the pain.
"We know each other. Not in this era. But at some point, we'll meet. And you'll help me. And now... I'm trying to help you. L-l-let me help you..."
His grip was too painful. I couldn't talk as much as I wanted. He bored his eyes into mine, but I wasn't sure if he was aware of that. He seemed to think. I didn't know if my blabbering had any effects on him, but I had hope.
"You... seem familiar." He said with a confused voice and I almost sighed in relief.
It's working. Maybe... maybe he remembers me.
"Who are..."
But he couldn't finish his question. His eyes widened, a snowstorm rising within them. I held my breath, realizing something was wrong. I cocked my ears, but I couldn't hear anything.
Maybe it's Jessica, looking for me around because I disappeared in the middle of the party.
That thought made me nervous. I had progressed. I could've finished my mission if I had more time. Caiden let go of my chin and placed slowly his hand on his knee, listening to something which I couldn't hear.
"Probably someone is looking for me because I disappeared in the middle of the party." I told him, but his brows furrowed, a thin line appearing between his eyebrows.
"No. It's not that. It sounds like..."
He collapsed on the ground, his head falling on my legs without a warning. I flinched, shocked by him suddenly passing out.
"Caiden! Caiden!" I whispered, shaking his shoulder, but he didn't answer.
What the hell is happening?
"Hello, sweetheart."
I turned to my right and there he was. Kasho, with his hand touching the ground and his furious bloody rivers studying me in a disturbing manner.
I took a deep breath.
It's happening. Kasho, betraying Caiden.
You can't change the past, no matter how hard you try.
I should've understood that. It was stupid for me to even try making him believe me. It was a foolish move even from the start.
Kasho got to his feet, walking towards me and Caiden. He was dressed in a black weird suit, making him look like a ninja. I winced, as he came closer and lowered his body, looking down at Caiden with a superior, arrogant air.
"I thought the poison was too slow and if he killed you, my plan would've been ruined. Good thing you're a good talker, right?"
My chest rose up and down with an unsteady rhythm. "What poison?" I whispered, so scared that even my voice became shaky.
He grinned, his white and sharp teeth giving me the chills. "Demon blood. Diluted with herbs tea. It takes some time until it strikes. But you wouldn't know what I'm talking about, would you?"
Demon blood. Poison for demons. Angel blood. Juice for them.
I shook my head, exhaling sharply.
"Okay, then, it's time to go, sweetheart." He said, placing his hands on his knees and getting to his feet. He bent over, took Caiden in his arms, and started walking towards the narrowed path, but not before he told me: "Follow me. The moment you decide to run, I'm cutting your legs and make you walk on your hands. Move."
I got to my feet and my vision went black for a few seconds. My head hurt and my neck was slowly pulsing, reminding me of Caiden's rough touch. I drew a deep breath. I didn't have a choice. I needed Caiden.
So, I followed Kasho, who was going towards a weird carriage. I turned my head towards the lighted up tea houses, where Jessica was.
Only if she appears now, saving the day like she always does...
"Sweetheart. Stop pissing me off. Hurry up."
Jessica won't come. Why? Because I'm goddamn unlucky and Caiden is destined to suffer.
I pivoted quickly and ran after them.