Book Of Hell (Part 2)
THE NIGHT BEFORE
I use my ability and I turn into a bat. I fly freely through the night in the heights with my night vision to guide me. However, it is not a prey I'm looking for at the moment. Seconds before landing, I already transform. I get three different heartbeats. Even my dead heart somehow connects to hers! My sharp hearing captures your sweet voice, which is music to my ears. Without realizing it, I'm already leaning against your window. I hear serious and worrying matters, but which receive both your attention and common sense in ideas for resolution them. Smart. Courageous.
Crack... Crack... A dog approaches and makes a noise as it breaks some branches. Serena immediately arrives at the window, but thanks to my extremely fast movements, I'm already far away.
"Not! Not now!" An overwhelming desire grows in my being. An itch attacks my veins. Air balloon seems to be inflated on my head. My throat starts to close... If I'm devoid of extreme bodily sensations in the absence of thirst, when it attacks unconditionally, it makes me feel anxiety and despair!
"What's up, beauty?" She's weird. I go out and I calm her down by petting her. She is uncomfortable with some presence, but not agitated or cornered. I also sense the same presence. I get up and it's useless to look in all this darkness, but even so... I decide to venture out.
"But what's she doing?" The bushes aren't tall, and I hide behind a tree to what she continues to approach. A silver glow appears in the darkness. A wolf appears. My salvation. He comes close fearlessly due to my nocturnal animal control and... I grab him! He snarls and sticks his claws into me. In a matter of seconds I already have the red in my eyes, as well as, the protruding canines and I attack the jugular with voracity.
"Hum..." To what I quench my voracious thirst, the animal still tries, in vain, with a few more claw attacks, to survive, but deep down it knows that death has embraced it and that also, at all times a blackout always happens and I'm no longer aware of my surroundings, but strangely, this doesn't happen now and I feel her continuing to come.
"Wow, how cold it is!" I fight against the icy air hitting the body where the breath itself becomes an enemy, chilling me inside, but an inner certainty inspires me to continue.
"Stop there!" My powers don't work.
"Stop right there!" I speak with greater tenacity.
"Please!" I release a speech outlining a feeling. Works more with the sketch than the control skill. Everything intrigues me a lot about her. My perception accuses a redoubled attention in action. Her eyes roam everywhere. The only thing I need to do is just keep myself still because there's no danger of her noticing my presence here by my breathing, for example.
"Who's there?" What? How is this possible?
"I know there's someone here. Show up!" I help the silence to play its role brilliantly and dominate without the use of words. And stillness too, without the production of light or brusque movements.
"Don't make me go there. I'm afraid of getting hurt in this darkness, as I need to be sane for my work, but make no mistake, I'm willing to take a risk." I don't give in to "blackmail" and keep, for her sake, quiet. However, I jump onto a branch, afraid that she'll carry out her "threat". I wipe my mouth, goatee, nose and part of my neck with a handkerchief from the blood of my unfortunate victim.
"I know you are the same as other "visits", but I don't understand the reason for your mystery." I feel strangeness and a familiarity at the same time in her.
"Why don't you go out, lose that shyness and come meet me?
Nice to meet you, Serena!" My words don't move him, nor my "threats" are able to make him change his attitude and, mainly, I don't know why, my feelings don't melt his icy heart and I start walking slowly into that darkness.
"Not! Don't do this!" I say softly. How does she feels me here without me having heartbeats, breathing...? Thus generating, for some, that feeling of being spied on!
"Ouch... Ouch... My foot! I knew it was going to happen. It's hurting a lot! Ouch, ouch..." Nothing yet! The way's to appeal!
"What kind of man are you that are not gentlemen?" I descend from the tree abandoning all reason when accused of not practicing chivalry and having my education injured, I come out of my hiding place. I walk quickly towards her, as a human, and I lean... Our eyes meet, but more than that, they see us intertwined in the timeline defying the space-time continuum and her heart lurches and races... That's my understanding of the situation to what hers is, love at first sight!
We say nothing! Even because no words are up to par and need to be said to brighten up the moment. Only seconds pass, but it feels like we've been staring at each other for hours. My understanding of being intrigued by another subject falls to the ground, revealing the need to no longer look like that with the identical appearance of my beloved wife from so many centuries ago, but creates another one, and this one doesn't intrigue me. She's the reincarnation of my beloved wife!
"Please let me take care of your pain!" It's not fair to me to continue with this farce because I'm a correct human being, imagine with him, so distinguished?
"No, no, I didn't sprain my ankle, actually, I didn't hurt myself. I only staged it for you to appear."
"An actress, indeed!"
"Thanks!"
"You're welcome. But not smart."
"I know. I know." I completely agree, a little embarrassed, it is true, as the tone also demonstrates this. And I add:
"I thought that the man, who was there, after finding out, might get angry, but... In the face of not curiosity, but something bigger, I think I now know what, I risked that action.
"Very brave, considering that the men of this time...
I mean, compared to the others, they've been very passionate about being betrayed or deceived. However, you found a... Sensible!" We talk, I help her to get up anyway. We were again with our eyes glazed on each other, but this time, our bodies meet. It is possible for her to feel the warmth of mine, as I have recently fed and my blood is still warm. I take a step back.
"In response to your introduction: nice to meet you, count Dínu Dragomir!" I bow to which I immediately lift my head and I extend my arm with the palm of my hand facing upwards. I look forward to his touch. It doesn't take long and she does. I turn her hand and when my lips touch her cold skin caused by the season, I immediately associate myself with this condition, even though, knowing that it is momentary, and the greeting becomes long. Something not commonplace and maybe abusive, but she accepts it willingly both when she doesn't remove her hand suddenly and when I get up I see her happy face where an open smile stands out in beauty and brightness, in contrast to the darkness.
"Allow me to redeem myself for the inconvenience caused by... "Visits", so to speak, and all the mystery involved in them, offering you dinner in my humble home!" I thought she would readily accept the invitation, but she doesn't, and still, she lets go of my hand. A refusal seems to set in and, as good as I'm at reading people, I can't see why.
"I insist, miss! Nothing will bring me more happiness in the world than your acceptance!"
"I accept!" The considerations of the pros overcome the cons and a relief invades my being. I feel more human than I ever did after my transformation from finding her.
"A carriage will pick you up here at your home, so... Have a great night, Miss Serena!" She, too, very polite, reciprocates my sincere wishes and leaves. I follow her from afar until she enters...
My mind remains alive and I return to today... Before having her for dinner, I go to investigate a bar where there is, very small, the figure of the bat on the door.