The Faustian Love Bargain (COMPLETED)

Volume 2, Chapter 15

“Do not meet her, no matter what.” Nick read his mother’s message. Images from his dream came flooding into his brain. He was in a royal cloak and in an unfamiliar setting. In front of him was similarly a girl in heavy olden clothing. The next moment, he was transported into a bleak empty place and he was lying in the arms of the same girl, who was in a long white dress and she had wings. He felt weak. Although he could see her weeping before him, his eyes were closed. She had the same face as Stella and he felt sad seeing her cry. It was as if she did not want to kill him. 

He never had a dream before. He hated dreams because it confused him between reality and fantasy. Then, a message from Stella came in, “Meet me at Kwan Hotel Lobby. I’ll be waiting until you come.”

Stella sat at the lounge as she sipped on a glass of lemonade. She was dressed in a pink trench coat atop a tight-fitting leather tube dress with knee high leather stiletto boots. 

“Is this what you did before killing Bently Aswald and Caleb Lee?” Nick mumbled into her ear as he bent behind her.

 He took a seat before her and they looked at each other, both hiding their secrets behind their exquisite masks.

“No, I do more than this,” she smiled at him behind her Chanel sunglasses.

“Femme fatale,” he winked and she struggled to keep her cool.

“Casanova,” she replied incoherently.

“You like me. That’s kind of obvious,” he took her lemonade from her grasp and drank it.

“I want you to like me,” she said suddenly and felt her cheeks redden deeply. He laughed derisively, “Am I really that charming to you?”

“You will like me, after you become human,” she leaned forward and said softly, “Brandon told me that you approached me for that purpose.”

He leaned forward till their faces were only a few centimeters apart, “Yes, I did. And to achieve that selfish goal, I had deceived you till your head was merry with falsehoods.”

She put her hand in her bag and grabbed the cold stone. She was ready but suddenly, she heard voices in her head telling her to stop. Nick grasped her hand and she jumped.

“What’s that?” he questioned her.

She released the stone and the voices disappeared. She was about to lie when he took the stone out of her bag.

“What’s this?” he asked again. It was a strange stone and there was an unknown power emanating from it.

“Something to change you to human,” she murmured under her breath. He looked at it and was thrilled. 

“Where did you find this stone? Did God give you this?” he ignored her and continued to stare at the stone with intensity. She could not understand what he was saying. 

“Did you find it recently? Or did you have it in your possession all along?” he pestered. His large eyes glowed in animation. “Change me to human,” he repeated under his breath hurriedly.

She wondered why he was flushed with enthusiasm and she smiled to herself. He would like her, because she was his benefactor. Suddenly, as she was looking at him, she saw his features change.

Stella’s hands tightened with hate as Anthony Smith sat opposite her and stared at her with mocking eyes.

“What a surprise, isn’t it,” Anthony smiled with his eyes still fixated on her. She was about to take the stone when the stone disappeared in his hand.

“Oops. I hid it,” his smile widened.

“Where is Nick?” she demanded, angry that she had been tricked.

“Answer me first. You want to change Nick into a human? Do you think I will allow you to do that?”

She kept quiet. All she could see was a murderous, evil, inhuman face before her.

“I thought you were going to kill him. It was a pleasant surprise to find out that you had no intention to,” he continued.

“I hate you so much,” she said with bitter hatred.

“Ah...” he leaned backwards and crossed his hands, and pretending to be in deep thought, he said, “So this is the situation. You love my son but you hate his father. You are a strange human, I must say, just like your mother.”

She thought that she would kill him that very instant but she wanted answers.

“Yes, I want Nick to be human. I love him but I hate you. I hate you because you took away everyone I loved. I will take Nick away from you. I will take the person you love away so you understand how that feels like,” she replied, her voice stinging.

“Without the stone, I’m afraid you have no ability to change him. I wonder why you believe so adamantly that I killed your parents. I would have done it now if they were alive. Your mother was one annoying person but I know your father is a useless being. If I were to decide, I would have killed you first. Don’t you think so?” he smiled.

“Why did you kill my mother? I know you killed my father because you wanted to separate me from Nick,” she said with clenched fists.

“I would have killed her if I found out that her daughter was so bloody dense and annoying,” he rolled his eyes.

“It’s because she knew about souleaters, just like me,” Stella insisted.

“She had no evidence, just like you,” he smiled when she felt something coil round her neck. He hissed, “I would have killed the entire human population if I wanted to. I see fear in your eyes and it is absolutely exhilarating. Don’t see Nick ever again. Leave this place. Kill yourself if you need to.” He was a guiltless, mad and sick being! She saw her parents see this same face and feel the same fear.

Suddenly, his grasp loosened from her neck and he fell onto the floor. She gasped for breath. People started looking towards their direction and whispering to themselves.

“Nick, why did you not heed your mother’s words?” Anthony got up quickly and sat back on the seat. It was clear that the blow had been hard. She turned around and saw Nick walking towards their table. He took a seat next to her and she could not help but stare at him in complete confusion.

“What a lovely and romantic scene. Boy saves girl,” Anthony continued sardonically.

“Leave. Stella, leave,” Nick muttered. She merely looked at him and did not say anything.

He turned towards her and repeated, “Leave. Please. Leave this place. I will transfer one hundred million to your account. Leave before anyone else kills you.”

“Wh--hy?” she found herself unable to speak.

“Because I’m not sure if I will kill you,” he said softly. 

“No! To leave you again would kill me!” she did not know what she was saying. Tears started to fill her eyes. 

“Leave! I’m begging you!” he almost shouted and he knew that he broke her heart into a thousand pieces, ripping it so painfully that her eyes turned downcast. He thought he had no feelings ever since she had left him but now, that pain struck him once again as she got up, her legs shaking so much that she had to hold onto the seat to keep her balance. He got up and held her but she pushed him away and walked away, crying.

He was reminded of his dream and his heart ached. He knew that if that they were to continue their star-crossed fate, he would die under her hands, just like in his dream.