by Rona Go
Michaela allowed her eyes to roam around Zandro’s room. Windows that measured from the floor to the ceiling surrounded the contemporary tubular room. From where she was standing, she had a clear view of what was outside. Looking down, the room was atop four poles of sturdy metallic stilts which were about fifteen feet in height. The room was set like a complete separate wing of the house. Greens of bushes were underneath the room giving it a feeling that it was more like a tree house. Hues in red, black and dark grey were meshed together to create an atmosphere of a very contemporary male room.
The room was minimally decorated with a lone circular bed in the middle, a black thick rug with geometric designs on it and an executive table which housed two LCD screens, a laptop and a lone picture frame holding a photo of a beautiful woman in her early thirties.
“My father designed the whole house,” Zandro said seeing how impressed Michaela was.”This room is his favorite design.”
Zandro brought Michaela to his home upon his father’s request. Conrad had wanted to meet Michaela. Zandro’s father had arranged dinner for the three of them.
Zandro thought that Edward Swinney’s visit had a great impact on his father’s attitude towards Michaela. Zandro could not think of any other reason for Conrad’s invitation. He never expected his father to extend an invite to such a friendly get-together. However, his father had promised Michaela would not be harmed. She was also not to be told about the society or Zandro’s mission yet. Conrad said he merely wanted to meet the girl.
Zandro had been surprised to meet Michaela’s father. It was a shock for him to see the man again. There were memories in his childhood that were no longer clear to him. However, Edward’s face registered deep into his consciousness that he carried the image in his memory and in his dreams so clearly. Zandro could never forget who Edward was.
Zandro had never associated Edward with Michaela though. He did not see the physical resemblance. Neither did he see the connection. And yet, everything just fitted into its rightful places because of Edward’s visit. Everything just made sense. It made Zandro more confident that the prophecy was for real. Michaela was indeed the one. As to how everything will end, Zandro was fazed.
“Your mother?” Michaela cut into his musing while staring at the photo long and hard.
“Yeah,” Zandro said.”She died when I was barely one.”
“I’m sorry,” she told him.”You probably got your looks from your father. But she must have loved you dearly.”
“Even though dad always tells me how much she loved me, how will I know when I don’t have any memories of that love? Not a hug, not a kiss. I was too young to save any memories of her,” Zandro said. He lowered his eyes suddenly feeling uncomfortable about their conversation.
“There must be a connection somehow. She was your mother,” she said.
“Sometimes I see her — holding me. I don’t know if that was how she held me for real, or it was a part of my dream. Or perhaps it’s the workings of my mind because of my longing,” he told her. “Often times, it feels good. It’s just that I couldn’t hold on to the moment longer. And I don’t exactly feel the same way every time I have that thought.”
“Yeah, I guess you’re right. It’s still different when you get to hold the person. There’s that certain leap in the chest. And the scent…the scent that makes you feel good and safe,” Michaela said with a far away look in her eyes.
Zandro’s mind began to plot. He could feel her vulnerability right at the moment. He was disturbed about one thing. He was unsure how far he had gotten in winning Michaela’s trust. He did not know if his strategies had already worked on her. There was a part of him that wanted to brag towards Conrad that he could easily win Michaela to their side.
Zandro was quite confident before that love was a great poison that blinded even the most rational beings who ever lived on earth. Although, there were the telltale signs that Michaela was attracted to him, he was still not certain whether it was a potent emotion that will let her follow him even to hell and back. Zandro thought that maybe he needed to test Michaela. After all, he was not really sure how the girl felt for him.
She looked around and shifted the topic telling Zandro in jest, ”I bet you don’t bring your girlfriends here. I mean you’d be seen across the miles from here.”
The timing and the place were even conducive to his plan. All he needed to do was…It entered Zandro’s mind which he curtailed immediately.
“Well, you are the first girl I brought home,” he grinned at her mischievously. It was awesome that she could read his mind without even really reading his mind. The girl was just feeding him with ease the first step to execute his test. He needed not strategize after all. He stalked towards her direction like a predator about to eat its prey.”Remind me later to ask the guards stationed a few miles from here if they have seen anything.”
Michaela giggled timidly. She stammered consciously, looking thrilled and nervous at the same time, “How come I get the feeling that I would not like what you’re thinking.”
“Oh, you will like it, I bet,” Zandro said.”You are not reading my thoughts, are you?”
“No!” Michaela answered quickly.
How in the hell will she be able to read his thoughts when she could not get a grip of herself? She was not thinking straight. She was not acting normally as well. She even looked like her legs will give away any minute and she would collapse in a heap on the floor. Zandro reflected confidently.
“Why not?” Zandro asked briskly covering the distance between the two of them. “I mean, I allow you to read my thoughts in this instance.”
“I’d rather not!” Michaela said looking at Zandro and meeting his eyes directly.
“You mentioned about the leap and the scent awhile ago, right?” he challenged. “Just like this?”
“Just like this?” she asked in a high-pitched voice.
Zandro placed his hand at the side of Michaela’s neck. Through his thumb, Zandro caressed the inner skin of her jaw line. He lowered his head and kissed her.
With trembling lips, she met his lips eagerly. Instinctively, her eyes closed, her fingers ran through the bulk of his hair and her body leaned closer towards him.
Zandro possessively kissed Michaela deeper. He sniffed through her hair and was soon engulfed with her scent. His hand roved lower down her back and pulled her closer to him. He felt his muscles tensed a bit and his heart began to drum behind his chest loudly and more emphatically.
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