Chapter 4 Cherussian Lover

Her question was unbelievable. I have not had a woman for about three years now. I had even forgotten how to speak to one ever since my Roma left me. Worst of all, none had ever approached me, probably because of my despicably wretched situation, which, at some point, I got used to. But now, did I just skyrocket on the ladder of value?

I turned to search for my friend, perhaps he would give me a hint on how to proceed, but lo, he had disappeared. I glanced at the bar and Rossi was nowhere to be found either.

"What?" Her sensual voice bellowed in my ears again. "You want to run?"

My heart leaped. "No, of course not. Um, hi..." I struggled to speak, but she placed her soft palm on my thigh.

"Relax, tiger."

I took a deep breath, in an attempt to ensure my nerves were calm. After all, in those good old days, I was a catch, the best player in any dating pool. I was just too foolish to let love tame me. Roma's love- a torture.

I let out my best smile. "I am good, love. You just startled me."

"I'm sorry."

"Oh, it's fine. I was just wondering if it was love at first sight because I was blown away."

"By the beer?" She quipped.

I narrowed my eyes playfully, placing my hand on hers. "I see what you did there."

"Well, I was just avoiding the topic of love and affection. I felt like it would ruin everything." Her cute set of dentitions came into view again.

"How so?"

"Because I like you. But you don't look like you are ready for that."

"Maybe you're right. Maybe you're not." I interlocked my fingers with hers.

"The thing is, you look too calm to be a Cherussian soldier. I have been observing you from a distance. From the time you walked in with your friend."

"And what would you know about La Cherussia?" I maintained a firm gaze at her, and she just froze for a while, saying nothing. In truth, I was struggling. She was very beautiful, even more than my Roma. I never knew I could attract someone ten times better. I thought Roma was the best I could do, but in a few hours, my life seemed to have transformed.

I painstakingly held my nerve, maintaining eye contact until her gaze fell. "My uncle is a Chief here. He had been urging me to join them. However, I refused since I did not want anyone to choose my path for me."

"How about your father?" I asked.

"This life got him when I was younger." She responds and looks away.

"Sorry about that." I planted a kiss on the back of her palm.

"It is alright. I'm Maya." She pulls her hand out of my grip. My heart is stung! Maybe I did something wrong.

"Hey, Maya. I am..."

"... Caesar." She cut me off, turning her gaze back to me. "I know."

My brows furrowed. I did not know why, but something seemed odd about this one. I sighed, and decided to mind my business. Maybe this was not the right person to take my chances with. I should get a drink or something. I looked over the counter again and Rossi had not yet appeared. As the second trickled by, a weird awkwardness grew between us. I was focused on anything but her, hoping she would leave, but she did not. I turned to her with a perked-up brow only to find her staring at me.

"What?" I shrugged.

"Nothing. I was just wondering if you know what you were getting yourself into?"

"I believe I am well aware of the dangers."

"You might die sooner than your time."

"I don't care. A short life filled with laughter and ecstasy is better than a long one full of misery. Don't you agree?"

"Mhmm... After all, we are all going to die anyway, right?"

"Exactly. I just pray everything they promised is true." I intoned.

"You mean wealth, power, and luxury?" She smiled.

"Of course! Believe me, I have been through a lot in this life and this is my last bet." I giggled.

She stared at me for a while with dreamy eyes. Then she shook her head. "You doubt it?"

"Somehow. For now, it sounds too good to be true. You know..."

She gently placed her hand on mine. It was almost as if she knew I needed some reassurance. In truth, I was somehow scared. It was as if I had sold my soul to the devil. She simply stood up and urged me to follow suit.

I rolled my eyes. "Fine," I complained, and rose to my feet. I didn't even know when she pushed herself into my arms, giving me a deep hug, the sensation of her softness against my hardened body melting my soul like wax. They say it takes three seconds for a man to fall in love; mine took a quarter of that, way less than the mark.

For a moment, I stiffened like a statue, as her sweet scent caressed my nose.

"Does that feel real?" She whispered in my ears. I pulled her in even more in response. Just then, the music in the background changed to a popular slow romantic song. The acoustic sound drifted straight into my soul, and for the first time in five years, I felt something inside me. I was alive! All because of La Cherussia.

Slowly, she broke the hug and stared deeply into my eyes. It was as if we knew each other from another world. I just did not understand how a stranger could make me feel like that in seconds.

"Who are you?" I heard myself whisper as my spirit dissolved under her stare.

She gave me her dashing smile and said nothing. Slowly, she began to undo her necklace while I watched with bewilderment. The jewel was made of pure gold, I could tell, and at the center, there was a shiny red stone looking like an eye. She simply wrapped it around my neck without asking for permission or caring about my slight resistance.

At that time, I was feeling different things at the same time. She suddenly came across as the main event of my lifetime. A miracle! The hand of the clock even seemed to stop as she planted a kiss on my cheek.

"Now you will remember me till the end of your days." Her voice smooched my eardrums.

Then suddenly, an explosion tore through the space, flinging bodies in different directions! I found myself halfway through the air, heading toward a pillar. Fire, smoke, and the sound of machine guns followed.

Time stood still.