Fifty-Seven

I had my head nestled on top of her chest, listening to her erratic heartbeats and breathing go back to normal. One of her arms rested on my shoulder, and she played with my hair, lacing her fingers between the strands in a soft caress. People used to call me the devil, but at that moment, I felt like an angel in heaven.
“What are you thinking? You’re too quiet.” Her melodious voice made its way to me.
“That I will never look at this couch the same way again.” I peeked at her face. I could do no less than to join her when she laughed.
“Dad is gonna kill us!” She pulled me up to her, searing her lips on mine and taking her time in a hot, lazy, sensual kiss before looking straight into my eyes. “Go get yourself decent and come back here. I still have some things to show you. I think this one will cheer up your ego.” She announced with a devilish grin on her swollen red lips.
“My ego, huh?” I stood up, pulling her with me. She grabbed her clothes from the floor and disappeared through a door, as I heard the echoes of her giggles.
“Yes! Now go! Fully dress yourself! You’re too distracting half-naked.” Then she disappeared.
Shaking my head with a smile curving my lips, I led myself to her bathroom. I needed a cold shower to calm down my body. I have always been crazy about Liz. The smell of fresh lavender and berries, those violets looking at me with passion and understanding, the beautiful shade of pink that covered her body at her lewd thoughts. It didn’t matter how many times we made love. Just the thought of her was enough to set my body on fire, and this time around was worse.
She was the same, and yet not. Alexandra was everything my Liz would have been if she had the chance back then. But it was a different time, and we didn’t have the freedom and civility that people had today, and it amazed me. All this changed world wasn’t more overwhelming for me, because I took part in the world’s evolution until the 1890s. Otherwise I thought I’d be going insane by now. Things were too distinct, even from a hundred years ago.
I met Alexandra as a grown woman, and she was a bit of a test, and I loved a challenge. It was a sweet torment to be with Liz. I didn’t know the reason, but I had even more of a fix on her, and the fear of losing Alexandra gnawed in my soul. Maybe because my focus was solely on her and I didn’t carry with me the duties I had back then. I was free to love her the way I wanted, and also be who I wanted to be, with no strings attached to my old self.
I took my time there, and as soon as I left for the bedroom, a delicious smell hit my nose, making my mouth water. What had that little devil cooked? I put on the same pants and a white t-shirt, following the alluring aroma. I found her in the middle of the living room waiting for me with a bowl full of some white stuff.
“What is that?” I pointed to the big bowl.
“This, my handsome prince, is one of the greatest discoveries in food. It’s popcorn. Haven’t you heard of it in all these centuries? It’s quite old. Next time we’ll make it together, and I’m sure we’ll have fun.” She promised me, putting a few in my mouth as I got closer to her.
The way she said my prince sent a jolt of adrenaline through my body, and I loved it. My eyes flashed golden as I stared at her, and her eyes darkened seeing my demon allured by her words. I had forgotten the popcorn in my mouth when the flavor burst on my tongue. Different from everything I’ve ever eaten in my life. How did I miss such a delicacy?
“No, I’ve never come across this popcorn, maybe for not being so interested in food since blood takes away part of my hunger.” I smirked and wiggled my eyebrows.
“Behave yourself, Grizzly. I want to watch a movie with you.”
“Movie? What do you mean?”
“Come, I’ll show you.” She entangled her fingers on mine and pulled me to some stairs leading up.
I haven’t noticed that until now, too much going on between us to pay attention to some details. We came to a room with a screen, just like the computer but gigantic, hanging on the wall. Liz passed me the bowl and got some items in her hands sitting beside me.
“Before we start, this is for you.” She handed me a device just like the one she had. I wonder if that punk, as Anton refers to him, would flash in it like it does on hers. “I already set it up for you, it’s ready to use. It will annoy you in the beginning, but believe me, once you get the hang of it, you’ll never live without it.” She showed me everything about it. Liz put our picture in the background and every time she called me, a naughty picture of her would flash. Nothing made me happier. I’d never imagine that the gadget invented so long ago would become this device in my hands, fascinating.
“Thank you. For everything.” I didn’t think she expected to hear those words from me. Those lavenders glinted fixed on my face. I think we were getting to a point of understanding each other. I was aware she feared losing her freedom, and she wasn’t wrong. She blinked several times, trying to hide the tears in them, but it didn’t go unnoticed by me.
“You’re more than welcome.” She caressed my cheek and gave me a shy smile. “Back to the movies, shall we? These are remote controls. You can deal with the TV,” -she pointed the thing to it, pressing a button there- “from a certain distance.” She smiled at me, and as in the computer, some writings appeared there. “A movie is like a book in motion, you’re gonna love it!”
“What is it about?”
“You, of course! Who else?” Her beautiful laughter resounded in the room. The notes of happiness and mischief made my heart flip in my chest. “There are a lot of movies about you, but most of them, nonsense. There are two I like a lot.”
“Why do I feel you’re plotting something?”
“No, I’m not.” But the grinning in her face said otherwise. “It’s just… You were so upset about the pictures you found about yourself, I hope you’ll be happier with the person who played you in this movie.”
“So why the grin?”
“Well, he doesn’t have your devilish charms, neither those shameless eyelashes, but he’s gorgeous!” She winked at me with an impish smile dancing on her lips.
“Liz, how many men are you fond of besides that Shae punk?” Before I refrained myself, a low growl escaped my throat.
“It’s Shane and be quiet, old man! I’ve never met the guy, he’s just the actor!” she said, kissing my lips.
“Such a disrespectful woman,” I hissed, staring at her.
“Such a caveman.” Those lavenders sparkled with mischief. “Let’s get to the movie, shall we?” I just nodded. The screen came to life. The loud sound surrounded us in the room, and I couldn’t place the source.
I got speechless. How technology got to this point in such a short time? A hundred years wasn’t much compared to the entire world history and how things developed. It was impressive what unfolded in front of me. The images engulfing me were fascinating, as someone, my supposed son, narrated the story. When I realised she had her eyes fixed on me, with a little frown on her forehead full of questions.
“What’s wrong?” I asked, concerned by her features. She did something, and the movie froze.
“Some books and movies tell you were married and had kids. Did you have children with Liz? Were you married? Why doesn’t she show up in the history books like you?” I was waiting for those questions as eventually they would come.
“No, we didn’t have children, neither did we get married, dragă.”
“I was some sort of mistress? I mean, was she?” There were a lot of emotions cooking up in those violet eyes, but nothing prepared me to see jealousy boiling in them.
“No, Liz! Never!
“But you got married!”
“I was, once. After your…” I hated to talk about that day, and her hand came to my cheek in a gentle caress as I leaned into it, savoring the contact.
“My death…” She completed almost in a silent gasp.
“That day, my brother, the traitor and coward, was the one behind the attacks. I escaped, only to get arrested by the Hungarian king. He possessed some letters I didn’t know where he got them from. The content of those letters said I had betrayed my people and asked that spoiled brat, Mehmed, for forgiveness. Of course, they were forgeries. I’ve never written nor signed them, and I’d never bow down to my sworn enemy.” I shut my eyes, trying not to remember. But she deserved an explanation.
“It was twelve years spent in prison, and my way out was to accept the roman church and marry within the Hungarian crown, and despite being a brief marriage I had children.” I would not lie to her. What for? “You know, in those times we married for alliances, it wasn’t meaningful. And maybe you don’t show up in those books of yours, because I hid you well from all eyes, even though you sneaked out of the castle several times,” I told her, remembering her little adventures, not all of them happy ones.
“Do you miss them, your children?”
“Not really. I didn’t have time to get attached to them, and a few months later I died to the world, so we didn’t have that much contact since both were babies. But Anton took care of them in my absence. Living them with money and properties, and I believe it was fine.” It sounded cold? Yes. but it was the truth.
She stared at me for a few moments that seemed endless. Then she pressed the remote, and the movie kept going again. For now, she was happy with my answers, and so did I.