• Chapter Four-Esasbonel

    "Come on Esa, we don't have all night!" Manotosiel whined for what seemed like the hundredth time that night, and certainly wouldn't be the last.
    "Mana, what did I say about rushing me?" I hissed. "These things take time."
    "You've been staring at him for hours. He's not Lasarn, Esa, give it up. I want to go home." I felt my face shape into the look my mother would give me when I hurt her and went back to staring at the man across the bar again. He looked just like my beloved Lasarn. Same chestnut brown hair and emerald green eyes; same faintly sand-tan skin. He even had the same woodsy scent, which I could pick out even in this crowded, smoky club.
    "Esa, can we please leave?" she begged, pulling on my arm, but I didn't notice her. I was too busy studying that man. I knew it couldn't be Lasarn; I'd watched him die in my arms. No amount of magic is strong enough to bring an Elf back from death.
    Yet, here I remained, centuries later, watching this stranger who reminded me so much of my beloved that my heart ached, though it no longer beat.

    I'd figured out a long time ago that I was Demon-cursed. Though why and by who; those facts still eluded me. I had spent the last 600 years as a 21 year old woman with no hunger, no thirst, and no physical change; just searching for my purpose.
    That was how I found Manotosiel. She had spent some time in a convent in France, trying spiritual intervention, when I happened across her about 5 centuries ago. It was a comfort, knowing I wasn't the only one in this form of being, but it was also a burden. Mana was far too innocent, too angelic to be Demon-cursed. It didn't make sense why a young woman of 17, who was as sweet and pure as Mana could have ended up this way.
    I, on the other hand, had done plenty to deserve this fate.
    Forcing back the painful stream of human memories that fought to control me, I looked up and saw my angel incarnate. If my heart had a beat it would have gone crazy as he stared at me with those too-familiar eyes.
    "I don't mean sound forward, but you seem...familiar to me. Have we met before?" He asked cautiously, and his voice sent a shiver up my spine. The ache in my chest swelled, threatening to consume me.
    "No, I'm sure I would have remembered. I never forget a face," I replied, now realizing that Mana was elsewhere. My eyes scanned the room until they found her talking to one of the regular bouncers, Paul.
    "Are you looking for someone? You're boyfriend perhaps?" My eyes flickered back to his face.
    "My friend, but she's fine." I lowered my eyes to the wooden bar in front of me, searching the grain of the wood for answers I'd never find. Assuming he would leave, I was surprised when he occupied the stool Mana had recently vacated, and studied my face.
    "You know, it's still considered rude to stare," I snapped, not looking up.
    "My apologies. I'm just trying to think of where I've seen your face." He put his fingers under my chin and raised it until my eyes met his. "Especially those eyes. I've only ever seen one person with those eyes." I pushed away from the bar, a little too quickly, and ran right into Paul and Mana. Paul looked at the stranger, who was still staring at me quizzically, and then to me.
    "This guy bothering you Esa?" He nodded in the stranger's direction. I shook my head.
    "Don't worry about it Paul. Mana and I were just leaving, weren't we Mana?" She nodded, quickly grabbing my hand and towing me away from the man-mountain bouncer the latest annoyance to come to his attention. Despite my mind buzzing like a hornet's nest, I could sense the stranger following us through the dancing crowd. We had barely gotten through the door when I heard him shouting.
    "Esa, Esa, Wait!"
    "Run." I urged Mana, who didn't need to be told twice before she bolted down the nearest alley and out of sight. I was about to do the same when I felt his hand close around my arm, and I glared at him.
    "Let go of me," I hissed, pulling out of his grip.
    "Why are you running away from me? Have I done something wrong?" I took a step back, trying to control the ache that threatened to make me defenseless to this complete stranger. "Please, just listen to me..." he begged. I held back tears as I pulled my dagger from my boot and held the point at his throat.
    "Get away from me," I growled, not seeing the way he studied my dagger, before he backed away towards the club. He never took his eyes off me, and it killed me to see the pain in his face.
    "Good-bye then, Aurelia." I looked up, but he was gone.
    "Lasarn!" I shouted into the darkness, but there was no answer. Forcing back the fear and panic, I raced down the alley and into the shadows.