Chapitre 42: Mr and Mrs Valentine
"I never found out what happened to Cassandra in that first lifetime we shared together, Zaccheus. I don't want to do another time travel. Please just tell me the story. Tell me more," I implored him with my pleading eyes.
"We lost the war. Cassandra died. Geoffrey won and kept the kingdom. I had been looking for you ever since and I finally found you," Zaccheus said in a flat tone.
"There's more to the story than you are letting on. Please tell me if Jeff is a reincarnation like me or is he immortal like you too," I pushed.
"You mean, is he a demon like me too? There's only one way to find out, there is this method that we use to identify demons, but with ancient ones it is more concealed and may need days or weeks of spending time beside that demon to be able to reveal it," he stated.
"So you don't know? Did Jeff die in the first lifetime we shared together?" I asked.
"I never knew. I was banished from the land and floated to this dimension. I never found out what happened to him. He was very much alive when he banished me through that magic portal that the only way I can visit the land is by past life travel. I didn't know if he died and reincarnated or is he an immortal like me too, we shall find out very soon once we spend more time with him in the Forty Thieves Cave expedition," he replied.
I frowned as I pondered on the facts that was presented to me.
"Tomorrow is the day that I rejoin the expedition after a week. It seemed like so long ago since I first met Hamood and Hameed and Dawood, the Shaloms, The Love Boat, the grand Malabar, it seemed like so long ago," I said softly.
"WE, both of us will be in the expedition, Mr And Mrs Valentine. You will not be alone, my wife," Zaccheus said teasingly as he reached out from across the round table and held my chin in affection.
I blushed.
"Are you really following us in the expedition?" No sooner had the question left my mouth did I realize how silly it sounded. Of course he would follow us. He knew how to unlock the cave. He locked me in there, or at least my soul.
He smiled as he waited for me to draw my own conclusion.
"Of course you are, but you said you Iocked me in there for the longest time the first time, and then I went back and fought the war and I died. Why didn't you just lock my soul in there the second time?" I asked.
"It doesn't work that way, Cassandra. It really doesn't work the way you think it does. You refused to be trapped in the cave again, so we made a bargain, or rather I made a bargain, and here we are," he sounded cryptic again.
"Can you please not give me such a cryptic answer? It is as good as not answering my question at all," I pouted and placed my cutleries on the sides of my plate.
A beautiful waitress came by asking if she could remove the plate and I smiled at her.
"I am done, you can take the plate away, thank you," I said.
As the table was cleared in front of me, I showed him the scowl on my face because I was not happy with the cryptic answer. The waitress promptly left us alone before he smiled at me and spoke again.
"You will find out sooner or later, dear wife. And I know you don't like me to call you Cassandra. And I don't like calling you Theeya. I shall call you "my wife" or "dear wife" or "darling" from now on," he grinned.
I shrugged: "It is better than to be called Cassandra. And I am legally your wife so anything but Cassandra is fine."
"Yes, my darling and it won't be long till we are husband and wife in all sense once we reach the cave's entrance," he gleefully reminded me.
"Wait, I didn't ask before this. Does it mean that we must consummate our marriage right in full view of everyone... for me to shed my virgin blood in front of the entrance?" I shuddered at that thought.
He laughed out loud, a hearty belly laugh. He laughed until tears started flowing down his cheeks.
My face turned a darker shade of crimson.
"What's so funny? It was an honest question!" I crossed my arms and huffed indignantly.
"I would have thought that particular past life where you took two men at the same time on your first night would teach you something," he continued laughing at me as I was fuming mad.
"I am not speaking to you anymore! I want to go home to rest now," I held my chin high as I placed my napkin on the table.
"I'm sorry, my darling wife you are just too adorable. Don't worry about that part. When we come to the cave you will see it is not a big deal at all," he said as I continued to glare with him.
"Another cryptic answer. As expected from Zaccheus Valentine. No surprises there," I stood up and clutched my purse.
"Don't you want to taste the dessert we ordered?" He raised his eyebrows as he saw me getting up from my seat.
"You can have it yourself. I am going for a walk. I drove here, remember?" I said as I started to walk out.
His right hand gripped my left arm as he grinned sheepishly.
"My bodyguard drove your car home, remember? And I don't want you to hail a cab or walk home so you better stick to me and enjoy the dessert now," his tone light yet firm, compelling me to resign to my fate and I sat down again.
The desert was good but I did not want to give him the satisfaction of knowing I was enjoying it just so that he won't say "I told you so."
"How's the dessert, my dear wife? The Crème Brûlée is exquisite isn't it? And I particularly love the tiramisu that our chef learned from France back when it was first introduced into the culinary arts scene in France. The vampires particularly loved tiramisu. I didn't know vampires love coffee up till then. Some of them were my close friends, yes, if that is what you want to ask," he smiled sweetly at me.
I continued to ignore him as I finished both desserts.
"Why let the food go to waste just because I was having a Cold War with him?" I thought.
"I have made arrangements for us to stay at the Malabar tonight. We are joining them tonight for dinner," he stated after he glanced at his phone.
"What? So soon? I thought that we are joining them tomorrow?" I blurted out.
"I knew you won't stay mad at me for too long my dear wife. The sooner the better isn't it? I can't wait to make you my wife in every sense," he teased.
I could not control the blush that crept up my neck and my cheeks.
I wanted to curse at him but I knew it would just be useless. He would continue teasing me every opportunity he got.
"Come along now my darling wife, we gotta get you home and doll you up for tonight's dinner," he cheerfully announced as I allowed him to take my hand and led me out of the mall into our car which was driven to the front of the main entrance.
"After you, my sweetest honey," he opened the front passenger door for me.
I got in without uttering a single word.
He drove in silence as the music played some classical music as I was deep in my thoughts. Occasionally his hand would take mine and gave it a quick squeeze as he call me different variations of darling and sweet wife I got used to it after the 10th variation.
Before long, we reached home.
I got out before anyone could open the door for me.
Taking the flight of stairs up to our room, I immediately saw two long rows of dresses and attire for women.
He came in a step after me and clapped his hands. Two maids appeared.
"They are at your service. All these dresses are your size, I picked them out after you tried on the first dress and put it back. There are about 200 items here for you to choose from for tonight's dinner," he explained.
"What do I do with 200 dresses?!?" I nearly shouted at him.
I already grabbed a little black dress of my own choice at the mall and I don't need any elaborate dresses.
"Pack them up and travel along with them. There are also lingerie, pyjamas, jungle trekking attire and sports wear as well, but those are already packed up and will be sent to Malabar," he just mentioned it like it was very normal for him to buy hundreds of pieces of cloths for women everyday.
"I want to take a shower, please leave me alone," I told the maids and they nodded before they stood aside.
"Come let's shower together, my darling wife."
That got my attention immediately as I panicked and decided to rush into the bathroom and locked the door.
"Damn it, the door could not be locked at all!" I cursed under my breath. I could hear him whistling happily from beyond the door as i trembled nervously behind the door.
"Ready or not, I'm coming in wifey," he announced sweetly.
État de l’alimentation hebdomadaire
-- Classement
Power Stone 
-- Power
stone