Chapter 14: Truth Is
"I'm glad you finally decided to come around."
"Yeah, shut up and lead the way." I ordered in a fussy mood before letting my 'superior' guide the way out of the publishing company's building. He didn't bother reacting to me, only walked with a timed pace that looked way too graceful for the regular man's. It wasn't masculine nor was it feminine. There didn't seem to be a distinction of gender for his walk. All I knew was that it pressured me to break at the knees and worship him. It seemed that feeling was becoming more and more common in his presence and that was disturbing in and of itself.
He opened the door of a black BMW and I looked at him in awe. "Yours?"
There was a nod which held no show of pride.
I turned my lips up at that.
Pretending to be humble was so unlike him.
But then again, did I really know him? The real him?
"Aren't you going to get in?" He asked, breaking my reverie. I cleared my throat and slid in the passenger seat compliantly.
He slammed the door shut and took his side of the driver's place.
Despite my brain telling me not to, I stared at him among the dimness of the car. From his heart-shaped lips, high nose and defined jawline, I could see everything in all its glory. It was almost as if he wasn't aware of his glowing; some kind of light always seemed like it was being reflected from an unknown surface onto him. His eyes sparkled with the essence of it and that's when I realized that his brown orbs had changed back to their silver ones. Then he spoke deep and smooth, "Why are you staring at me?"
"You're glowing."
He turned to me with a look that gave off the impression of seeing me as clearly as in the daylight. "Really? I wasn't aware."
The causal manner in which he said so was almost as if he knew—knew that his presence came with a level of power but was simply turning a blind eye to it.
Suddenly my mind was filled with questions, "Do you always make people feel like this around you?"
"How do I make you feel?"
"Inferior."
After the words slipped past my lips I instantly regretted it, however his laughter which came like a sweet song made up for it.
Bringing himself to lean towards me, he locked me in with the seatbelt on my side, his gold skin brushing against my arm. He couldn't be human. Though he could fool anyone with having everything one had, he was too perfect. Way too perfect.
"Do not be intimidated, I am fully aware of the effect I have on your kind," I said nothing. This closeup of him was too much to handle. "Breathe, Isabelle. I know that my beauty is beyond measure but I am no different from you. Just like you—I fear, hurt and love to the point of risking everything. Take a minute to look at me and you'll see my sincerity."
His soft curls of hair were the colour of starlight as they brushed against the tip of my nose. Angelo stared deep into my eyes and I swallowed. Slowly, as if I was stuck within a trance, I nodded in understanding.
He pulled away swiftly. "I'll take you to see the magician now."
My hands gripped the leather beside me nervously. "Okay."
Being in his company the whole ride which covered about an hour of silence, I came to realize that I wasn't equipped to dealing with someone like him.
He was immensely overwhelming, even when he wasn't doing anything but driving.
Thus, I decided to take a nap.
My mind scolded me that it was crazy of me to do. That I should have been keeping track of my surroundings but I had come to the conclusion that even if he was supposed to do something to me, I still wouldn't be able to properly defend myself.
I've been vulnerable to him—in mind, body and spirit, since the day we first met and it seemed like it was going to remain that way until the day we parted.
When I woke up, my eyes opened to the scenery of the woods. My eyes tore open, knowing that nowhere in Boston looked as mountainous and remote as this place. With my hands against the window pane, I squinted through the darkness. I really was in a forest land. Had we traveled across states? And had I been so daft to sleep through all of that?
Turning back to the driver's seat, I saw that Angelo was nowhere to be seen.
That put me in a state of panic before my eyes went to the backseat anxiously still searching for him.
When my fear had reached his peak, the sound of a tapping came from the window beside me. And you know that when you're in a state of sensitivity, even the sound of a pin dropping would scare the crap out of you. That was exactly what the noise did to me. I froze, heart beating out of my chest.
BAM BAM BAM.
An ear-splitting scream came from me at the excessive force against the window.
Oh my God.
He really was going to kill me!
He had taken me somewhere quiet with no sign of civilization to get rid of me.
Or maybe he had left me to the wild animals?
That's why he had insisted that we came here in the night!
Goddamn it, Isabelle, you're one easy target! I chastised myself roughly.
Turning to take a peek of the person or thing that was my potential killer, I put my hands over my mouth in horror.
It was none other than...
An unimpressed Angelo.
I knew it based on his glow in the dark eyes that looked at me from outside impatiently.
He opened the car door on cue and my suspicion was confirmed.
"Why were you screaming?" He asked in confusion.
I ignored him and continued to look around. "Where are we, Canada? Or did you manage to take me to another state in such a short period of time? Are you sure you're not the magician you constantly refer to? The one who makes me want to disappear like poof! Is this a secret place where disgusting acts like human trafficking take place? Please don't tell me you've been priming me in order to get my lungs."
"I am interested in having only one organ of yours and trust me, it's not your lungs."
He took a hold of my hand to help me hop out of the car.
I stumbled a bit and his arm slid around my waist to steady me. I blushed, feeling some type of way by the rush that came by him touching me.
"Uh...thanks." I coughed out before feebly taking his hand off me.
His gaze was skittish for a second before they refocused on his task. "Come," he ordered before making his way on an unseen path. There was no specific trail so I wasn't particularly confident in him in knowing where he was headed. Still, I followed him. It was better than getting lost in this vast area.
Or you could've not bit the bait and believed the words of Mr. Crazy Pants, my subconscious reasoned.
Huh. She has a point there.
When he finally stopped, we were standing in what appeared to be a clearing. It was bare and did not show any sign of greenery like the rest of the woodland had. It was as if this area was off limits, or at least the vibe it gave screamed that much. To be honest I was unsettled by it because even the noises of night bugs, crickets and tiny animal movements were no longer audible.
"No offense, but are you sure we're at the right place? I don't think a magician would be...staying here. Maybe you got the wrong address."
"We're not here to see a magician."
"Excuse me?"
"Wizard," he declared. "We're here to see a wizard."
My eyes were out of their sockets at that. "Are you fucking kidding me? I knew I shouldn't have trusted you! You really are Mr. Crazy Pants!"
He blinked. "Mr....what?"
"Mr. Crazy Pants!" I snapped.
"You're not completely right up in the head. You say and do things that no sane person would. I took the risk of meeting you today because you said it was a magician we'd be seeing and I didn't think seeing a few mind tricks would be too bad. At least that was better than confessing to my therapist that I was indeed off the rails. But what? A wizard?" I laughed, and laughed, then laughed some more. It was to the point of me nearing the point of insanity.
He gave me a look of disaffection with my attitude. "That is what you earthlings call a magician, is it not? A wizard is the right term for it. Believe me when I say that he is the same thing but only has more authenticity with his profession and holds more prowess."
"I don't think I'm in the mood to believe anything you say."
"You are being overdramatic." He stated.
It wasn't a question. He was telling me the fact of how I was at that moment.
"You're such a piece of shi—"
My words were cut short by the shaking of the ground which came with a rumble. My feet shifted and I almost lost my landing, again, but Mr. Crazy Pants came to the rescue.
I watched in a state of incredulity as within the clearing which faced us a house that looked as well constructed as a toddler's block tower emerged. Small sections jutted to the left and right and despite looking like a strong wind would be enough to blow it down, it stood sturdily as a man the height of an actual child dragged himself out.
"Who dares to disturb the slumber of a wizard of the Enchanted Forest?" The inquiry came with a level of power and strength his figure couldn't relate to. It stunned me for a moment as I stared with my jaw almost touching the ground.
Had I seen right or did a freaking hut just dig itself out of the ground with a man coming out of it?
With his hand still lingering on my waist, Angelo regarded him with a calm exterior. "I come with a request to ask of you. Do you think it would be possible for you to aid me on this auspicious night?"
The haughty man's mood shifted and a glint of fear flashed across his eyes before he dropped to a bow. "Of course! It would be an honor for me to be of assistance to you, my lord!"
Slap me on the ass and call me Candy. Angelo has ties with the royal family?!
"That is music to my ears," Angelo lightly pushed me to the forefront and I diverted my gaze when the wizard's mismatched eyes landed on me. "She is having difficulties remembering her past life. I had once put a veil over her memories of it, me included due to some unfortunate events which occurred. I am sure you have heard about the chaos which took place nine hundred years ago." His words seemed like he was tentative towards every sentence he said. Careful not to let anything out of the ordinary slip to frighten me.
But too bad.
Just seeing him speak to a weird man like all of this was credible scared the crap out of me.
"I have. Your bravery is also spoken of till this day, my lord."
My interest was awoken at that.
Ooh...so he had done something praise-worthy?
"I require your help in lifting the veil off her memories." He said, getting straight to the point.
"My lord, but that can simply be arranged by bedding her."
My cheeks were set aflame.
What the hell!
So that entire speech about consummating our relationship was true?
Angelo was conscious of my reaction and from my peripheral vision, I could see his lips twitch in amusement. "Well, yes, but she is not interested in that option. She thinks it's far too invasive for her to handle."
The wizard covered his mouth as a laugh left him.
I glared his way, taking him off guard. His eyes widened at my wrath.
"What's so funny?"
"I do not mean to offend you, little human," he assured in a crafty manner. "It's just that there are many other invasive ways in which you could get back your memories. There are so many that they would make bedding my lord seem like the easiest of the lot."
Is this man saying fucking Angelo would be no big deal?
"Then why don't you enlighten me of those options?" I challenged him with a fold of my arms across my chest.
"I would but you are no supernatural being so that means ninety-nine percent of those options are unsuitable for you." He revealed carefully, gauging my reaction.
"Supernatural? Are you saying that's what you guys are?" I asked hurriedly, digging for information.
The wizard looked take aback by the fact that I wasn't even informed of the identity of the person I had in my company.
I'm just as disappointed as you, buddy.
"We are—"
Angelo interrupted his answer. "Then why don't you shine light on the one percent chance manner in doing so? I will give you any resources necessary in carrying out the process."
"I am afraid I cannot help you directly with that, my lord."
Angelo's eyebrows raised in dissatisfaction and the little wizard started to panic.
"It is not within my magical jurisdiction, that is all! For something of that level you would have to refer to a higher being."
"Are you referring to who I think you are?" The gorgeous man frowned.
"Indeed."
Angelo rubbed a hand across his face, looking unwilling to help me get back my memories for the first time since I've met him.
Just like that our meeting with the wizard ended and as we walked back to the car Angelo seemed to have a dark cloud over his head.
"Who is it?" I finally asked.
He paused mid-step.
"Who did that...'wizard' say could help me remember everything?"
"Someone who is as intolerable as afternoon showers." He replied gruffly.
"I quite like them." I said.
"Oh, I know. You always said that oddly enough they put you in a good mood."
A wave of goosebumps flooded my skin at how accurate his answer was.
"How do you know that?"
"I know everything about you, Isabelle," he simply said. "And that's why I know this reunion with you and Cupid is going to be a chaotic one."
"Wait..." I pointed a finger at him as my brain fully processed his words. "Did you just say Cupid?"
He gave me a grim smile.
"You don't mean the child in diapers with a bow and arrow in his hands by any chance?"
"I do not wear diapers."
***
Oh shit.