CHAPTER 55: TELL ME (3)

Ian returned about ten minutes later, finding Shelby standing at the same spot he had left her in the middle of the room.

He paused in the doorway and studied her. She looked to be in deep thought and had not realized his presence yet.

’Her beauty is truly remarkable!’ He thought. She looked so small in his t-shirt but so adorable too. He looked at her pale legs and bare feet and then thought of the fact that she had on his boxers. That line of thought did not help him at all as he felt himself stir. He shook his head, raised his eyes, and took in her short, curly blond hair instead, but the image of her when he fingered her came to mind.

"Ian!" He beseeched himself, and that small sound attracted her. He moved towards her when he saw that she had seen him.

Shelby turned her head to look at him coming in, and she felt her heart tremble. It was for no other reason than his appearance. This giant, muscled-looking, handsome man. His hair was still slightly damp from the shower he had taken earlier. It hung on his tall frame nearly to his mid back with some on his chest.

A thick mass of hair that Shelby thought of as a mane. He was fair, almost pale white, maybe stemming from the fact that he had been indoors for the better part of almost a couple of years. His profound, grey eyes contrasted exceptionally with his light-toned, slightly flushed face, which also may be remnants of the fever or something else she could not pinpoint.

His eyes were as deep and expressive as if she could get lost in it if she stared long enough. Despite this, Shelby could sense a bit of a faraway look in it, as if he were with her and, at the same time, he was not.

The bushy, long beard covered most of the lower part of his face, giving him a wild, unkempt look; it also looked slightly damp. Shelby frowned at that, thinking of how he looked to be neglecting his body. The large bathrobe hung loosely on his body but was held securely in place with the robe belt, leaving her a little too much chest muscles to view.

In short, his presence was just too commanding, making the big room appear small. He walked in leisurely, balancing a small tray in his hand and slowing down a bit to allow her to ’study’ him as much as she could. A small part of him liked that. She lowered her eyes and tried not to stare too much when he was within a few feet of her.

He walked right up to her with the tray in his hand like a waiter. The tray had a plate of green salad and a small crystal vial.

Shelby’s mouth dropped open when she finally looked at the tray’s contents, "Where did you get this from?"

He looked to the doorway as if staring at something or someone. Shelby followed his line of sight but saw nothing.

"Will you tell me now?" He rather asked,

Shelby hesitated a bit and also asked another question. It was as if they were sidestepping their questions to each other.

"You really had food in here?"

Ian gave up temporarily in order to answer her questions.

"Not really."

"Then this?"

"It’s special for you. But I have my ways to get the resources I need."

"Oh! How interesting." She finally took a few steps, and sat back on the bed, taking the tray and muttering a ’thank you.’

A flash of mixed emotions washed over him: happiness, guilt, excitement. His emotions were all over the place from this one muttering, which was quite peculiar.

"Why did you only bring out only one tiny plate? You should eat something as well. You just took a medication."

He schooled himself and sat close to her, but one slight glare from Shelby had Ian scooting a bit to the side. This gesture was a little funny, considering their sizes. He took the vial and opened it.

"What is that?"

"Nectar."

"Nectar? How- I-, wait, why do you have that?"

"Didn’t you just tell me to eat something?"

"Yeeeaah, but how is that food?" She widened her eyes in surprise, pausing with a fork full of salad in her hand.

"This is food for me, and it’s more filling than what you have in front of you."

"Oh," was all she said as she saw him chunk the contents of the crystal vial in his mouth, almost like a shot glass.

’He gets all those muscles from drinking that?’ She asked herself as he also waited patiently, but Shelby never said anything, only concentrating on her meal.

Even though she acted nonchalant, she was bristling with so many questions just from seeing him take that, like who or what are you to survive on that? Is that all you eat? How come and things like that, but she couldn’t bring herself to ask. ’Let it go, Shelby; you can’t ask about everything you see like a child. Just accept it; people have weird habits.’

"What happened that day? Will you tell me now?"

"I don’t understand much of what you ask me, but I don’t remember that day much. I have all but forgotten everything..."

"How convenient!" He studied her features carefully, shaking his head.

"I-"

"Little girl, if you’re going to lie, then learn how to connect the dots."

"Huh?"

"If you recognize me, how can you not remember that day? Given that is the only day we met each other?"

’Shoot!’ Shelby had not thought past that. The park incident was still bizarre to her, and she thought people would feel her crazy if she ever recounted it, but it should be okay since it was Ian, right? She asked herself. She convinced herself that it was okay since he was there that day as well.

She pondered for a long while and then finally let out a huge sigh,

"I had always wanted to thank the man who saved me regardless of the method he used! Thank you, Ian, for saving me that day in the park!"

Ian also sighed silently, knowing that his wish to be in the known was about to be fulfilled. An obscure look crossed his eyes as he thought,

’At a deadly cost I cannot afford,’ it would seem...

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