Not You

He knew me, not me, but the one in me. How? How did he get to know? Who was he, even? Was I being held hostage? No, that was not happening.

The simple plan was to get to work and do my normal thing, what was this?!

"And...who may you be?" I raised my brows, fear was gripping me eventually but I tried to look unshaken on the outside. 

He frowned deeply, and right before me his eyes changed back to the normal 'brown' eyes I had seen earlier. 

The change was quite scary. He let out a sigh and faced the wheel, "What a shame. You don't even recognize me." 

"Can you just answer the question?" I raised my voice a bit, getting impatient as my fear continually increased. He turned around to coo me. "Hey...easy. It is not like I am going to eat you up or something, you just have something I need."

"And...what is that?" I pressed further and then he smiled broadly, rather than finding it attractive, I found it terrifying and annoying.

 "Not so soon. It's one step at a time, Kierra." 

"Don't call me that! It's Mira." I retorted sharply and he made an amusing kind of expression.

 "You wish. Whether or not you accept it, that's who you are." 

 Before I could say any more thing, he ignited the car and started driving.

"I never said you should continue driving. Take me back to where you picked me." I ordered.

 "You don't tell me what to do. By the way, you  boarded this car, I did not pick you up." He corrected with a sneer and I just had this confused look on my face. How could a man be so sly? 

But looking back in hindsight, I could not pinpoint one reason why I had chosen to enter his own cab, I was not even thinking then. Wait, did he... hypnotize me?

 "You did not cast a spell on me, did you?"

"Hm, you are quick. That's understandable though, you can't house Valtara and not have wits." He complimented but I was not taking it. 

 "Shut it, stop the car and let me alight from this car."

"Quiet, Kierra." He cautioned but I was not listening.

 "I refuse to!!!" I yelled angrily and in a moment, he turned to me and his eye colour changed to jade green, staring right into my eyes.

The moment we made eye contact, I saw his lips move for a few seconds and then I blacked out.

 ...

Waking up, I realized a few hours had passed. Quickly, I checked myself to see if I had not been assaulted, molested or even raped. Thankfully, my outfit was still the way it was, no weird feeling in my body also. 

I looked at the surroundings and saw that I was actually on a bed, in a room. A spacious, well-furnished room but the theme looked strange. It was not the normal concept people used.

It was more like an... industrial jungle themed interior decor. 

Did that crazy, green-eyed driver bring me here? As I got off the bed, I heard the wooden door made sounds as it was opened from outside.

That guy walked in and closed the door, then leaned his back against the door. "I sensed you were awake." He said and I frowned.

 "This is abduction." I pointed out and he made this nonchalant expression.

 "Who cares?"

"Of course, I do. You can't just take me against my own will and bring me to such a strange place as this. I am supposed to be at work, working. I am not as idle as you are." I countered him vigorously and he furrowed his brows.

"You were heading to work? You should have told me!" He exclaimed but I was quick to sense sarcasm in his tone.

 "Come on." I urged.

"You are hungry? I prepared some beef stew." He offered, moving his back from the door.

"What does my hunger matter to you? We are dealing with something bigger here."

 "Look Kierra, I have nothing to do with you. I get what I want and I'll let you go." He was trying to make a deal with me when I did not even know what he wanted.

"Then spell it out, is it money you want? Wealth?"

He chuckled slightly. "You don't even have it." He chipped in and my jaw dropped, I could not believe my ears. Did he just wash me?

 It was amusing and embarrassing at the same time. 

"What do... you... mean?" I stuttered, clearing my throat awkwardly.

"You know what I mean, Kierra." He replied. Well, he was right, it was not like I had some money somewhere. I was not more than what he was looking at.

 "Whatever. Just get me out of here." I said, trying to appear shameless.

"You can't leave here until I am done with you, Kierra. You yielded already." He said and I scrunched my brows.

Was he trying to scatter my brain? 

 "What are you even saying, young man?"

"Young? Do I look young to you?" He asked, chuckling.

 "That's not the point. Answer the question."

"Oh well, as far as I know, I am four hundred years older than you are. You are just 25, aren't you?" He seemed so confident about everything he was saying. And I wondered how much he knew about me.

There was a brief silence before he spoke again. "Al di là del Velato. The ancient book you met in your living room. Did you or did you not read it?" 

I arched my brows. "I did read it...wait, how do you even know about this?!" I was getting impatient as the minutes passed.

 He laughed softly. "It was a strategic gesture, and you accepted it by showing interest in the book. You ., unlocked the seal, then I discovered you."

I was so lost. "You mean...you left the book in my house and not Jordan?" The moment I mentioned his name, the guy's eye colour changed to the deep green color.

 "Don't mention that name here."