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Moonlight

I walked aimlessly through the forest. I was angry and sad at the same time. How could he do this to me? How could he do this to us? And on our anniversary, no less. Exactly one year ago, we had found each other here in the mountains, in a remote cabin that was rarely rented by tourists. This lodge was a classic secret among lovers of steep slopes and people who just wanted to enjoy their winter vacation in peace, without loud parties and deafening screams.
At first I just wanted to take a little walk through the winter forest. But this time I felt a chill earlier than usual and returned to the hut earlier than planned. It broke my heart when I found him in OUR bed with someone else. He looked at me with fear for just a second, then his look changed to resignation and indifference and he just continued to beat the other guy's brains out as if I wasn't standing in the doorway watching them.
With widened eyes, I took a few steps backwards, then turned around and just ran away. Low-hanging branches brushed against my cheeks, slightly scratching my skin, but the pain in my heart outweighed everything. I didn't know exactly why I was so surprised, because it was actually quite predictable. Raoul flirted with this blond pretty boy the whole time yesterday evening, but I thought that if it just stayed that way, it would be okay with me.
I came out onto a large clearing between two trees. I walked a few more steps, but then I stumbled over my own legs and landed lengthwise in the snow. Slowly, I pushed myself up a little, leaning on my knees and forearms. I clenched my fists, then slammed the ground wildly. I had been so stupid, so blind.
We had already started to have problems between us. But I was foolish enough to assume that here, where we came together a year ago, everything would be fine again. A month ago, he told me I was strange. It wasn't the first time I'd heard something like that from someone. Following premonitions or intuition, I had often protected myself from injury. Besides, I had the strange gift of being able to recognize the feelings and attitudes of others. Although this helped me a lot in my job, when it came to relationships it only brought me misfortune.
People became afraid of me, and over time they no longer found my charisma unusually interesting or attractive, but rather creepy. Even my colleagues kept their distance from me because they were partly jealous, since I almost always knew what my customers wanted. On the other hand, I was too “normal” for them. Apart from the fact that I rigorously rejected any advances, whether on a friendly basis or otherwise. Because sooner or later everyone left me and I was alone, as I am now.
Why did I let him get so close to me? But it felt so good to be desired, it felt so good not to be the abnormal misfit for once. Maybe that was exactly why I had overlooked so much. Tears ran down my cheeks, which I only noticed when the salty drops disappeared into the snow. I had calmed down enough to stop beating the ground with my fists, but now I knelt in the white cold, trembling not because of the frost, but because of the coldness in my heart.
Suddenly, however, I stopped. Someone was there, watching me. I sensed quite clearly this dark aura, which crept clammy like fog over the clearing. Startled, I looked up and looked directly into a deep shining green. Fear seized me like a cold breath of air and made me tremble even more. I knelt there as if frozen, my eyes widening in terror as I stared into the dark glittering eyes of the creature, whose pupils fixed me with icy intent.
Then he took a step forward and stretched out his black-clad arm towards me. This was the trigger for me to turn around and start running. However, I didn't get far. I had barely taken two steps before there was a crunching sound beneath me and a few seconds later I was surrounded by icy water. It only slowly dawned on me that I hadn't stumbled upon a clearing but onto a frozen lake.
The cold immediately permeated my entire body, numbing it and also my thoughts. As in a dream, I looked up at the frozen water ceiling, which only the snow muffled the moonlight. As if I were floating, I sank deeper and deeper, and the further I slid down, the more I welcomed the darkness. Nobody would ever miss me, nowhere was I wanted. Here in the gloomy cold, everything was quiet, no evil voices blaspheming behind my back, no disparaging looks haunting me. Here I could be myself, didn't need to pretend, didn't need to put on an artificial smile. Here I was accepted as I am.
I was ready to let the darkness take over, opened my mouth and lungs and let myself be taken in by it, as if it were a tender lover. But something disturbed me. Someone grabbed my arm, brutally ripping me out of my trance and making me look up. And again I was met by this dark, glistening green. Even here it stood out from the blackness, as if it were glowing from within. Like a fallen angel, the creature hovered above me. Its eyes fixed on mine, its brows slightly knit, as if it wanted to prevent me from finding my peace.
Then he began to tug at me and roughly pulled me up, as if he didn't notice my violent protest and my wild wriggling. We broke the surface of the water with a loud foam and automatically I sucked the air into my lungs, choking. I only half noticed how I was pulled out of the water and to the edge of the lake. I coughed heavily in the snow and repeatedly choked water out of my lungs.
I didn't have much time to recover. Heavy, black fabric covered my body. A few seconds later I was lifted up and found myself in the arms of the creature. I was too frightened to resist and so I let myself be carried through the winter forest for what felt like an eternity. Not once did I dare to look up. Shivering with cold, I leaned against the hard body, which, despite my added weight, barely sank into the soft snow. And the louder I chattered with my teeth, the more I felt the creature pressing me harder against its chest and accelerating its pace.
After a while, we arrived at a flat hut, which was surrounded by snow-covered fir trees, so that it was hard to tell where they ended on the right and left. The doors opened almost by themselves, which sent another shiver down my spine. The warm air that hit me inside took my breath away for a brief moment and even the weak light blinded my eyes, which is why I squinted them, turned my head away and snuggled closer to the creature's chest.
An unusual scent filled my nostrils, barely perceptible but still so present that I inhaled deeply and enjoyed this delicate fragrance. That's probably why I was very irritated when I was suddenly placed in a black armchair and the creature in the room disappeared diagonally opposite. I remained sitting, wrapped both arms around my trembling body and began to gently rock up and down. As if muffled by cotton, I heard a steady hissing sound, and a little later the creature reappeared and began to undress me.
Because of the cold, I was not only much too stiff to defend myself, but also much too perplexed. Shoes and socks quickly ended up in the next corner, followed by my sweater and shirt. This all happened so quickly that I had no chance to protest, not even when my pockets were checked. After he put my wallet with my wet clothes, he stood up, took me back in his arms and carried me into the room where the rushing sound was coming from.
Right next to the wall, there was a tub half-filled with water, into which I was now placed. The water was certainly not hot, but warm enough for my chilled body. My benefactor turned to the right, took a thick towel and a bathrobe from the waist-high cupboard and put both on the tub. Then he came back to me, bent over the tub a little and turned the tap to a warmer temperature.
I trembled as I saw those eyes again, the deep dark green, surrounded by a narrow face with pale skin. Only now did I realize that this creature was a young man, certainly not much older than me. He didn't seem to be cold at all, even though he was in the cold ice water just like me. His black hair, which was tied loosely at the back, glistened with moisture and his clothes were stiff. However, he had no blue lips, let alone goose bumps. The cold did not bother him at all.
Without looking at me or exchanging a word with me, my savior turned around, left the bathroom and closed the door behind him. I remained sitting in the tub, distraught and trembling all over, and I didn't know what to make of it. After a while, I had taken off my trousers and shorts, wrung them out as much as possible and put them in the sink next to me. Then I leaned back and enjoyed the warmth that slowly returned to my body.
I had turned off the water a long time ago because it was already steaming slightly and making me sleepy. I was no longer trembling, and I inhaled the subtle lavender scent that rose slightly from the clear water. I relaxed almost to the point of forgetting everything around me. Forgetting what was happening and where I was. But no sooner had I closed my eyes than I saw that deep green again, which glared at me almost threateningly.
Who was this young man whose aura frightened me so much? I just had to find out! With difficulty, I heaved myself out of the tub, dried myself off and put on the bathrobe. It was a little too big on the arms and came down to the ankles. Despite being naked underneath, I felt warmly wrapped. The material was heavy, but really soft on the inside and embroidered with silver tribal designs on the hem, which stood out almost shiny against the black background.
I took another deep breath before pushing the bathroom door down and stepping out into the hallway. Once again, the floor was warm under my feet, despite the parquet, which probably meant that the whole house was equipped with underfloor heating. The hallway was quite wide and, apart from the seating area on my left, which I already knew, there were narrow dark-wood cupboards on the right, against the wall and behind a lonely green plant.
I turned to the left towards a room from which dim light was coming. I entered it slowly and looked around wide-eyed. Bookcases made of dark wood adorned three-quarters of the walls. They weren't overfilled, but they were quite full of antique books, so that one hardly dared to take one out to read. In the middle of the left wall was a wide fireplace with a small fire crackling in it. Above it stood a large brown leather couch in the old style and in front of it a flat table with a large cup on it, from which it steamed slightly.
But what captivated me the most was the person sitting on a large armchair next to the table facing the wall, reading a book and completely absorbed. A strand of his hair had come loose from his braid and hung softly on his pale cheek. Again, I noticed how white his skin looked and how his all-black clothing emphasized this even more. The high cheekbones looked noble, almost a little arrogant, and even from the side I could see the green flashing in his narrow eyes.
I have no idea how long I stood there, eyeing this creature with a pounding heart. But although he must have noticed that I had entered the room, he didn't look up. He seemed to ignore me completely, totally absorbed in his book. Even when I cautiously cleared my throat, he didn't react. Unsettled, I sat down on the couch, which creaked slightly, and took the steaming cup in both hands. The warm water smelled of fresh peppermint, which brought a weak smile to my lips.
I liked herbs, plants and everything that had to do with nature. And this tea was definitely not brewed from an inexpensive bag. I carefully sipped the hot drink and enjoyed the intense flavor. But even though the tea distracted me for a few moments, I kept looking over at the young man. He seemed to hardly breathe or blink, sitting there almost like a ghost.
Again, I felt a shiver as I thought back to the clearing. The way he stood, in the middle of the snow, staring at me with his deep, dark green eyes, like a black panther eyeing its prey. Even now, he was surrounded by this dark aura that made me stay alert. This young man was certainly not as harmless as he seemed now. A movement from the right pulled me out of my thoughts. My host had stood up, put the book aside and left the room.
I looked after him, confused, not knowing whether I should follow him or not. He took the decision out of my hands by walking back into the room and laying a thick blanket around my shoulders. He also added a few logs to the fireplace, as if he wanted to make me extra warm. But I wasn't cold at all. Why then?
? Just a moment. Did he realize earlier that I was a little shaken because of him? So he had been paying attention to me after all. But why didn't he talk to me? Why did he act as if he didn't notice me?
I was so confused that I let go of my almost empty cup without resistance and watched with furrowed brows as my host examined the contents of the cup, turned around and left the room again. He wasn't really going to brew me a new tea, was he? Why didn't he ask if I wanted another one? I was really getting annoyed.
Discontented, I got up and went out into the hallway. Straight ahead, past the seating area and the narrow cupboards, was a room from which soft noises and a gentle light emerged. I pulled the blanket around my shoulders tighter and tiptoed towards the doorless room. When I entered it, it almost took my breath away. I was standing in a huge kitchen whose outer wall was made of clear glass, allowing the bright moonlight to enter the room unhindered. And in the middle of its glow stood he.
He was gazing at the full moon as if hypnotized, as if he wanted to absorb its power. I couldn't take my eyes off this creature, which seemed so unreal and so threatening that my heart was beating faster and faster and a cold shiver ran down my spine. My instinct told me that I should leave as quickly as possible, that this creature was a danger. But something kept me here. Whether it was just gratitude for being saved, or the strange attraction that emanated from him, I couldn't say yet.
The clicking of the kettle made me jump and my host's face flew around to me. His cold eyes hit me like a cold shock and as he approached me, I took a few frightened steps back until my back hit the wall behind me. He stopped right in front of me, scrutinizing my forehead and cheeks. His warm breath brushed my skin, making my heart beat unusually fast.
I took a deep breath as he raised his hand, took a strand of my longer hair between his fingers and examined it closely. Then his thin eyebrows drew together and his eyes narrowed to narrow slits, making him look even more dangerous than he already was. With a contemptuous snort, he let go of my strand and stormed out of the kitchen. I slid down the wall to the floor, totally disturbed, and remained sitting there, trembling.
Why did such a small gesture from a stranger upset me so much? Was it really because of him or just because of my low self-esteem? Raoul always wanted me to cut my hair and get a modern hairstyle like those of these boy bands. But I just felt much more comfortable, I could hide my gaze, my face behind it if necessary.
Did I look that bad with long hair? Why did everyone always want to change me? Couldn't I just stay the way I am? I was so caught up in my self-pity that I didn't even notice my host coming back into the kitchen. I only realized it when a towel landed on my head and he started rubbing it over my head. He dried my hair as if I were a small child. He had crouched down close to me and now looked at me with concern. My host had stopped rubbing my head and looked me directly in the eyes.
When he raised his hand and laid it on my forehead, it was the last proof for me that this being really cared about me. But why? He didn't know me at all. Would he know what surrounds me, what I am like, what I really was? He would never have taken such care of me. He would never have gotten so angry because my hair was wet that I could have caught a cold. Again I sank into self-pity and averted my gaze.
But my host lifted my chin and sought eye contact. I had no strength for that though. I narrowed my lids and wished I was back in the lake, in that gentle, all-encompassing darkness. But even there, the dark-glowing green pursued me. Tears welled up in my eyes and fell silently. Why was I so weak? A single kiss brought me out of the darkness of my thoughts. Startled, I opened my eyes and looked at this creature, who, with half-closed eyelids, gently kissed the tears from my cheeks.
Am I scaring you that much?
His melodious voice penetrated my ear like a deep string instrument and made every fiber of my body vibrate. I was so perplexed that my host was suddenly speaking to me that I just shook my head at first.
“I'm not used to anyone caring about me,” I quietly uttered later.
Raoul had been affectionate and kind to me, but when I was feeling bad, he would get annoyed at my weakness and tell me not to be so girlish. He never asked why. My host furrowed his handsome brow a little and looked at me with a frown.
“Then no one has ever really loved you,” he commented on my explanation.
Did he actually know how right he was? Again, he gently wiped a tear from my cheek with his thumb. The dangerous flash in his eyes had almost completely disappeared. They looked at me lovingly, making me feel warm all over. How could someone be so full of contradictions? His hand felt cold on my heated skin and I had this urgent need to take it into mine to warm it. I suddenly wanted to be close to him. Not necessarily on a sexual level, but this creature drew me so completely under his spell that I wanted to know more.
Who was he and why did he live in such seclusion? Were only his hands so cold? I felt quite differently when my host picked me up again in his arms, stood up and walked towards the hallway. Despite my confusion and the constant warnings of my instincts, I felt strangely comfortable. However, he stopped in the middle of the hallway. I looked up at him questioningly and then followed his gaze, which was fixed on the door to the left of the bathroom. Foam was indeed coming out from under it. He gently put me down and opened the door with a jerk. Foam spilled over his feet and a soft rumbling could be heard from the room. Carefully, I went to my host and peeked around his back into the room.
“What happened here?” I laughed, looked for the light switch and turned it on.
I stood in a narrow room, filled only with a washing machine, dryer, large laundry basket and a few cabinets against the back wall. The floor, however, was covered with white water bubbles that kept spurting out of the machine. On top of it stood a bottle of detergent that was completely empty. I took it in my hand and turned to my host.
“Did you empty the entire bottle into the machine?” I asked, amused.
For a few seconds, a slight reddish hue appeared on his pale cheeks and for a brief moment he fixed the empty bottle with an embarrassed look. But then he regained a serious expression, snatched the bottle out of my hand and threw it into a trash can by the cabinets.
“This is not part of my duties!” he grumbled a bit, which only made me grin wider.
My host seemed to be somewhat moody and liked to show his emotions freely. But most of all, I was pleased that this reaction was more than just human. He stood a little lost in front of the washing machine and apparently didn't really know what to do. I laughed to myself, set the machine to “pump” and then turned to the cupboards.
If this was really the cleaning room, there had to be a cleaning cloth somewhere. With it, I found a bucket, which I half filled with water. I wet the rag well, put it on the floor and tried to bind the foam. It was a bit laborious, but it worked. However, I didn't get very far because my host suddenly grabbed me by the arm, pulled me to my feet and into the living room, and pushed me roughly onto the couch.
“That's certainly not one of the guest's tasks!” he snapped, glaring at me angrily.
I looked back just as annoyed. It was very nice that I didn't have to do this, but couldn't he have phrased it a little nicer?
That tone is not exactly fitting for a host either!“, I snapped back, causing his cheeks to turn slightly red again.
“Get some rest!”, I was ordered, after which he disappeared from the living room.
Slightly pouting, I remained sitting on the sofa, gathering the blanket around my shoulders tighter. Fifteen minutes later, my host was back in the room, holding a few things in his hand. His thin sweater was soaked, as were his trousers, as if he had gone swimming in them.
“Your clothes. I don't think they're quite ready yet,“ he said, looking apologetically at me. But when I got up to look at them, he looked angry again.
“I'll just put them in the washing machine. This one does everything else by itself,” I appeased him, whereupon he still looked a bit skeptical, but then granted me leave.
However, he followed me around and watched what I did. I couldn't tell if he wanted to learn or watch over me. When I was finished, he disappeared into the hallway and left me alone. I didn't know what to think about that, but I was curious. Maybe that was exactly what drove me to follow him.
The hallway made a bend to the left in front of the living room, which I followed. The first door on the right was half open and a soft light was burning. I entered quietly, but not quietly enough. As soon as I was inside, my host turned to me and looked at me in surprise. I looked back even more perplexed. He was just about to button up his trousers, his slender upper body was completely naked, with muscles clearly visible on his belly, chest and arms. How could a person look so good? His naked skin was almost white, making his black hair and bright green eyes stand out even more. Even as he approached me, I couldn't take my eyes off him.
“Are you all right? You're flushed.”
He touched my forehead and cheeks with concern, then looked a little annoyed.
“I told you to rest. You're burning up!”
How right he was! However, this was not caused by fever. He took the blanket and towel off my shoulders and pulled me to his huge bed. With weak knees, I climbed onto the mattress and let my host cover me. He briefly disappeared from the bedroom, only to return a few moments later with a dark cup, which he held out to me invitingly. I sat up and accepted what was offered to me. Sceptically, I examined the slightly sparkling drink, then the man next to me.
“This is something for fever and for a restful sleep,” he explained, sitting cross-legged on the foot of the bed.
His presence made me just as nervous as it calmed me. “Now I have to trust him.” I emptied the cup in one gulp and then put it on the bedside table. The drink tasted a bit like lemon, but not like an artificial medicine. The effect set in after a good two minutes. My eyelids became heavier and heavier and my body began to relax. I maintained eye contact with my savior, who watched over me like a dog, until the end. Then I fell asleep.
When I woke up again, I didn't know whether it was morning or evening, because this bedroom had no windows. The delicious smell of fresh rolls had torn me out of my dreams and tempted me to get up. I sat up in bed and looked around. The light was dimmed to a minimum, but nevertheless one could easily recognize the surroundings. To my right were two or three chests of drawers against the wall and apart from the huge bed, which dominated the room, there was nothing else in it.
When I looked around, I saw a few things neatly arranged at the foot of the bed. So I took off my blanket and robe, put on my clothes and followed the delicious scent to the kitchen. The table was richly set with butter, various types of jam, cheese and sausage. There were also various types of juice and bread rolls. How many people were coming for breakfast? I was so amazed that I didn't even notice my host approaching from behind.
“You're awake?” I heard, and felt warm breath on the back of my neck.
Startled, I turned around, stumbled over my own feet and fell backwards. He reacted as fast as lightning. His arm shot forward, grabbed my wrist and pulled me towards him. He wrapped his other arm around my waist and pressed me even closer to him. I felt my heart beating painfully, which wasn't just from the shock. We stood close together for about half a minute before my host finally moved. I almost thought he wanted to kiss me; his lips moved close to mine, but slid past, along my cheek to my ear.
“Here, you don't need to be afraid,” he breathed, then lifted my chin so that I had to look at him. I would never have raised my head on my own. ‘And not even of me?’ he added, and stroked my cheek briefly.
He didn't wait for an answer. He just left me standing there, went to the kitchenette and put the kettle on. I remained completely bewildered and had trouble keeping on my feet. This creature completely threw me off balance. The sound of the water broke my rigidity and with weak knees I dragged myself to the table.
There was only one place set, so I sat down at the corresponding place. I couldn't really get anything down, despite the delicious tea that was served to me again. There was the glass wall behind me, but the bright sunlight hardly penetrated it, as the glass was now milky. Did it change its consistency when the sun shone on it? Last night it had definitely been clear. But that wasn't the only thing that was making me nervous. I sensed this creature in the room, but I couldn't see it. I really wanted to see him, to keep him in my sights. Once again my instinct told me to be careful, but I wanted to know more, much more.
“Don't you want breakfast, too?“ I tried to start a conversation.
“It's eleven o'clock,” he answered simply.
“An acceptable time for a vacation,” I persisted, turning in my chair so that I could see my host.
He was standing against the kitchen unit, as far in the dark as he could get. His arms crossed over his chest, the young man stared straight ahead, as if he could see right through that milky glass. He seemed really lost in thought, because he didn't even notice me approaching him. At least that's how it seemed to me.
At 6'3”, I was already quite tall, but my host towered over me by at least 4 inches. His long black hair, tied back in a tight braid, glistened in the twilight and his pale skin gave his narrow face an almost noble appearance. What was bothering him so much that melancholy and bitterness were his constant companions?
“Are you okay?” I asked gently, laying my hand lightly on his arm.
As if the young man was slowly awakening from a trance, he looked over at me slowly and furrowed his brows a little. As if in slow motion, he raised his hand, stroked my cheek down to my chin and looked at me so heartbreakingly, as if he had to make a momentous decision and was already saddened by it. My so typical premonition did not disappoint me this time either. With a jerk, my host turned around.
“Go! Now! Your things are in the bathroom.”
Coldly, he dictated this to me over his shoulder, leaving me no time to ask why, and he simply disappeared behind the door to the right of the kitchenette, which he loudly slammed shut. I stood rooted to the spot for a few seconds, unable to move from terror. But I was so sure that I hadn't done anything wrong so far, wasn't I? Had I stepped on his toes? Had I been too forward with him yesterday? I just didn't know.
He would have been better off leaving me in the lake! Angry and sad at the same time, I stormed out of the kitchen and through the hallway to the bathroom. My clothes were neatly laid out and even the heavy shoes were dry, which surprised me. But I was too upset to pay much attention to this thought. I quickly put them on, made no effort to fold the new clothes neatly and then stormed out, without a warm word of farewell.
A short description of how to find my way back was stuck to the front door, and so I trudged doggedly through the powdery snow, trying to find the main road that should appear between the trees at any moment. It had started snowing again and the wind was picking up. When I finally emerged from the dense fir forest and looked up, I saw the dark clouds closing in. I wrapped my arms around my shivering body and cursed my rashness in storming out of the hotel without my jacket.
I walked along the street, tormented and tormented, and I constantly had this feeling of being watched. The same unpleasant, cold tingle crept up my spine when I stood in the clearing and looked into the dark, flashing eyes of my former host for the first time. Was he following me? Did he want to be sure that I really disappeared?
The sound of engines, which became more and more distinct from the whistling of the wind, pulled me out of my thoughts. A large van with thick snow chains appeared on the road and then stopped right next to me. For once, luck was on my side, because the owners of the car offered to take me up to the hut. The older couple turned out to be the butchers and meat suppliers who provided the small hotel with fresh goods. At first, they were both quite skeptical about my excuse that I was lost, but then they accepted it with the casual comment, “The youth of today.”
The butcher's wife quickly poured me some warm tea, which she had with her in a thermos jug. I gratefully took small sips and enjoyed the sweet-tasting drink, which slowly thawed me out. After a few minutes, I also noticed that the cold tingling in the back of my neck had subsided. However, I tried to push all thoughts of this young man out of my mind, as I had more important things to deal with.
Raoul had hurt me for the last time and I had no intention of forgiving him again. I would pack my things and leave. I had paid for the vacation in advance from my salary, so there would be no problems in that regard. It was just the encounter with my now ex-boyfriend that I didn't like at all. When something didn't suit him, he could get quite short-tempered and I didn't really have the strength for a scene. Somehow my heart still belonged to Raoul, after all, we had been together for a year. But the fact that he had deceived me so violently just hurt too much.
I had a queasy feeling when we finally arrived at the hut, which is why I entered the building through the back entrance and not through the larger taproom. Just as I was about to sneak up the wide staircase in the hallway, Raoul appeared. At first he stopped abruptly, as if struck by lightning, and just stared at me. Then he came stomping towards me angrily.
“Chris! Are you crazy? Do you know how worried everyone was about you?”
He grabbed my left upper arm and squeezed painfully. I almost felt guilty. When I ran away, I didn't think for a moment that anyone might be looking for me. Maybe Raoul regretted his affair and wanted me back. But there was no feeling of any kind in his gaze. I just didn't know which one. But when the landlady of the hut came from the taproom into the hallway and greeted me, some things became clearer to me.
“Mr. Josias! How nice, you seem to be feeling better. When I heard about your upset stomach and that you couldn't come to breakfast this morning because of it, I was really worried. But I see that you've been well looked after by your treasure. If you're hungry, it's almost lunchtime, right?' the good woman chattered and, at my wry smile, disappeared into the kitchen.
“Yes, very good care,” I mumbled tensely. ”Do as you think best, but I'm leaving!”
I angrily tore myself away from my ex-boyfriend and went upstairs. The fact that he hadn't wasted a single thought on me, where I had spent the night, almost brought tears to my eyes. I had only just climbed the first few steps when Raoul suddenly grabbed me, hurled me against the side of the wall and pressed his forearm so hard against my throat that I could hardly breathe. I was far too shocked by this entire action to even think about defending myself. My ex-boyfriend had always been quick-tempered, but never violent.
“You'll do fuck all!” hissed Raoul, just about to say something stupid when someone pulled him away from me and he flew down the stairs in a high arc.
I looked down in astonishment at my ex-boyfriend, who sat up half way, moaning loudly, and then glared up at me angrily. But he wasn't looking at me at all, but at the black shadow diagonally behind me. Again, that icy-cold tingling sensation crept up my spine and made the hair on the back of my neck stand up. Very slowly, I turned my gaze around and saw that dark creature in front of me again, the one who had saved me from the lake. Why was he here? Did he want to see me again? But why had he thrown me out of his house before? I didn't understand anything anymore. Raoul had straightened up completely and glared at me angrily.
“Is this your new stud or what? Do you really think he'll be able to stand you for more than a week?
At these words, I began to falter. I was too unusual, too special, and for some even frightening. The fact that my ex-boyfriend had been able to stand me for a year was truly a record.
“Go get your things,” the soft voice of the dark-haired man pulled me out of my gloomy thoughts.
I looked at him for a moment, felt my heart beating faster in my chest. But he kept staring at my ex-boyfriend, ready for any nonsense he might do. I exhaled heavily, continued up the stairs and left them both behind me. Let them smash each other's heads in.
I quickly packed my bag, put on my jacket, which was still lying where I had dropped it the night before, and so, less than ten minutes later, I descended the steps again. Raoul was standing at the entrance to the stairwell, in front of him was the blond beauty from yesterday, examining his lower lip, which had split slightly.
They hadn't actually fought, had they? But my green-eyed one didn't look the least bit confused or hurt. Breathing calmly, he stood at a distance, keeping both men in his sights. When I joined him, he turned away, went to the door and opened it for me. Raoul didn't look at me once and let me go without comment.
Outside, the wind had picked up considerably, turning the gentle snowfall into a small storm. I zipped up my jacket and snuggled deeper into my thick scarf. The black-haired young man had taken my bag from me and led me to his snowmobile. He carefully fastened it in the designated place and then sat down on the front seat. After a brief hesitation, I took my place behind him.
“Please take me to the train station,” I called to him over the whistling of the wind, to which he nodded, started the engine and then immediately roared off.
I was startled by the jolt of the start-up and slid back quite a bit. But my dark angel grabbed my forearm, pulled me close to him and motioned for me to hold on to him. Once again, I hesitated briefly before complying with his request. But as soon as I did so, I immediately felt safer, despite the fact that this quiet warning to be careful continued to lurk in the back of my mind. We sped down the snow-covered road and it didn't take long before we arrived at the train station.
Together we entered the small building and I immediately went to the only counter to buy my ticket. It was normal that there were hardly any people there, as the community was not particularly large. But on that day, there was not a single person waiting for a train, let alone a ticket seller sitting in the ticket booth. I turned around and walked a few steps towards the exit to the tracks when a railway employee came around the corner towards us.
“Hello gentlemen. Unfortunately, I have to inform you that there will be no more trains today. An avalanche has affected the tracks, which first have to be cleared,” he began to explain.
“And how long is this going to take?” I asked, not exactly thrilled.
“You'll have to be patient for another three to four days at least. There's been a lot of damage. I advise you to find accommodation as soon as possible. The storm raging outside is going to get much worse according to the weather forecast.”
Oh, great. Thanks.”
I politely nodded at the official, who then quickly took his leave. I just stood there and was fed up to the back teeth. I had already gotten used to the fact that I wasn't blessed with much luck, but this streak of bad luck was still getting on my nerves. The other hotels, which were scattered around the mountain, were fully booked at this time of year and I didn't have a car either, not to mention the fact that these roads were more than just dangerous for non-locals. And to make matters worse, my bag was snatched out of my hand. My dark-haired beau was carrying it towards the exit, which totally confused me. I ran after him and reached for my luggage. But he held on to it tightly.
“What's the point of that?“ I asked irritably.
“You can hardly spend the night here,” my counterpart said harshly.
“And? Why do you care? First you throw me out of your house and now you appear as the personification of care. Why?
I was more than upset and not only wanted some answers, but also to understand him. In response to my forceful question, his rigid expression disappeared and was replaced by uncertainty. His eyes wandered back and forth as if he were looking for something in particular. Behind his pretty head, it seemed to work mightily, which made him look strangely? human. He released my bag and his arm twitched up briefly, as if he wanted to touch my cheek like he had done before. My black angel took a deep breath until he finally answered.
“I'm not sure,” he said, dissatisfied with himself. I, on the other hand, began to smile.
Who isn't? It's the most normal thing in the world.
Not for me.
Now I frowned and looked up at him, shaking my head slightly, as he tried to explain further.
I can't guarantee anything that might happen. Right now I'm in a huge state of chaos and I can't predict how it will all end.
What kind of things was this stranger worrying about? Was he perhaps seriously ill? Had he just been through a long relationship, like me? Or was he schizophrenic? Maybe several things at once? This young, handsome man seemed very ambivalent to me. Despite the fact that my instinct warned me more than before, my curiosity was aroused, which had to be satisfied for the time being.
“But how can you know the end if you completely ignore the beginning?” I asked him.
My counterpart scrutinized me before he began to smile slightly. Wow, when his green eyes were filled with warmth, he looked more than just breathtaking. This guy had me wrapped around his little finger in seconds.
“May I welcome you as my guest as long as there is no train?“ This beauty asked me very politely.
“Gladly,” I agreed and handed him my bag again. Nevertheless, I allowed myself a little tip. “As long as you don't put me outside the door again?”
“Next time I'll give you the snowmobile,” he laughed, which again left me speechless. The ‘little guy’ had a sense of humor.
A little later, I was standing in the hallway of the house from which I had last fled, with a strange feeling in my stomach. I was pretty sure that it was anything but wise to be here again. But I skillfully ignored that. I was shown the guest room, which was directly across from my angel's bedroom. It was just as wide, only not quite as deep. On the left was a huge modern wardrobe, on the right a desk and office chair. A bed was set up in the middle, on which two people could comfortably sleep, and at the head end of it, on both sides, two small bedside tables.
There were no windows here either. Did he shy away from daylight? In my thoughts, I began to laugh at myself. A vampire? Then my thoughts became calm. I had already experienced a lot, but this? Carefully, I looked at my host, who looked at me kindly.
Hm, pale, shy and “foreign”, has a lot of money, insensitive to the cold and then this dark aura. He hasn't had breakfast either. Actually, everything fits. Except that he hasn't sucked me dry of blood yet. Or is that all part of his hunting style? Oh man, what am I thinking here?
The room is really nice. Really big, I babbled on to slowly organize myself again.
“I'm glad you like it.”
Good, that's settled. And now? We stood a little helplessly opposite each other and didn't really know what to do with each other.
“I should have done something now, shouldn't I?” This angel asked after a little while, to which I smiled slightly.
“Not necessarily.”
With a sigh, my host leaned against the desk.
“I'm sorry.”
“Don't be, you're not here for my personal entertainment,” I tried to cheer him up. Gratefully, he smiled at me.
“Maybe I should explain myself?”
I was curious, so I dropped onto the edge of the bed and listened to his words.
'I'm not from around here,' he began, which made me laugh a little.
'Me neither,' I said.
I seemed to have really cheered him up with that, because he looked much more relaxed.
'I grew up isolated from all of this, and at best I know the etiquette of high society. A normal life with normal people is almost alien to me.'
Was he a nobleman? That would at least explain a few things. But for now, that was enough personal information for me. I stood up.
'Then I have the best deal for us.'
My host tilted his head slightly and looked at me questioningly.
“I'll teach you some normality and in return I can stay with you for a few days for free.”
He hadn't reckoned with the offer, so surprised did the angel look. I held out my hand invitingly, which he immediately grasped.
“Gladly?”
Okay. Lesson number one: When you have a guest, who you invite to your house for the first time, you show him the premises first, take him everywhere and make small, unnecessary comments like “This is the bathroom, living room, bedroom” and so on.
So a tour? Good.
My host seemed pleased with my relaxed way of dealing with everything and, in an exemplary manner, allowed me to lead the way. In the hallway, however, I paused and turned to my angel.
“Oh, and one of the most important things: you introduce yourself first. By the way, I'm Christian Josias. Or just Chris and yes, you really do pronounce the first name in English.
Florian Redewig or just Flo. And the same probably applies to me when it comes to my first name.
I grinned from ear to ear and then let myself be shown around. I was amazed by the first room I was shown. Right next to my guest quarters was a huge library. On the left was another desk made of dark wood with an office chair, next to it a floor lamp and right after that two large, comfortable-looking leather armchairs, only separated by a small table engraved with a chessboard. Otherwise, I only saw books. The shelves on the walls were full of them.
“This is amazing!” I exclaimed, and took a few more steps inside.
I was surprised to find that at the head of the room, it made a bend to the left and continued quite a distance. No wonder my room had no window when it was surrounded on two sides by this library alone. I took a closer look at a few books and was amazed at the variety that was on display. From older literature, to legal texts, poetry collections and the latest youth literature, everything was there.
“You seem to like the room,” my host said.
Are you kidding? This place is just awesome! You haven't really read all of them, have you? I asked, pointing to the books.
Not yet, anyway. This house is often used as a place to stay for a little training weekend. That's why there's something for everyone.
Aha. Hey, there are some real specialties here: Skylark, Beck, Nero Impala?
That's a selection from my little sister. I looked at him in amazement. These books were all about boys and didn't really go beyond holding hands. She's really into these authors.
A girl who likes gay literature. Well, there's no accounting for taste.
Okay, let's move on.
I had hoped to spend a little longer here. I could always pick up a book later. In the hallway, we turned to the door on the left, which led outside to a small, narrow gravel garden, as Flo explained to me. Because when we came out, everything was covered with snow and thick flakes were drifting down, carried by the strong wind. The whole thing reminded me of an old Japanese film and a typical house. A two-step-wide terrace enclosed the garden in a U-shape, and when my angel told me that there was a dojang in the building, it made the whole thing perfect.
Smiling, I followed him to the left, and after a few meters we were outside again. This was the side I already knew from the kitchen window, but instead of leading me to the left again, where we should have come out in the kitchen, he went down the two steps of the terrace to the right and approached a man-high group of bushes. I wrapped my arms around myself, because it was quite cold out here due to the wind. My host noticed immediately and held out his hand.
“We're almost there,” he said, trying to cheer me up. I didn't let go of his hand for a moment. Only when I was standing right in front of it did I see the narrow entrance that actually led to a small oasis of water.
“This is a natural hot spring that comes directly from the ground. You don't even have to add artificial substances to the water to make it so clear.”
Full of amazement, I looked at this small island, which bubbled a little here and there, covered with a gentle mist that came from the gentle water vapor.
“Wow.” I couldn't say more.
After a little while, my angel pulled me back to the terrace. I was also shown the shared showers, the door to the kitchen of which also opened, where we were now standing again.
“That's it,” said Flo modestly, looking apologetically at me.
“Well, I already know the bathroom and the utility room,” I laughed, which made him grin too. ‘This house is really amazing, isn't it?
So you like it?’ He seemed really unsure.
A few days here can definitely be spent quite easily. Say, in the library, the chess table. Is it just for decoration or do you play too?
I love to. I just rarely find someone to play against me.
That good, huh?
My host merely shrugged his shoulders. So it was decided. For the next time, we disappeared into the library and tried to checkmate each other with a variety of tactics. And that was no easy task. My angel was really good, but so was I. We had just reached a tie when I stretched and looked at the clock.
“Oh, it's already six o'clock. What do you say, fancy something to eat?”
“Of course, if you're hungry. However, I'm not very good at cooking.”
“I'm all the better at it. Let's take a look at what your fridge has to offer.”
No sooner said than done, a little later we were already in the kitchen, raiding the place.
“Labeled Tupperware so you know what's in it and how long it's good for. Not bad,” I commented with a smirk, picking out minced meat along with other odds and ends. After I had found the pasta, the menu for the evening was set. How about spaghetti Bolognese?
My angel smiled broadly, which I took as approval, and got started. He watched me with interest as I fried the onions with a little garlic, added the mince and conjured up a deliciously fragrant Bolognese with the rest of the ingredients. The noodles almost cooked themselves anyway, and so dinner was ready to serve less than twenty minutes later. Flo set the table and even opened a bottle of red wine.
Because it was already dark outside and there was only dim light in here, there was a slightly romantic atmosphere. While I placed the well-filled plates on our seats, he poured, so I sat down first, which he did for me a little later. I reached for my glass and held it invitingly out to my angel.
“To a successful evening.”
He looked at me in wonder for a moment, but then smiled warmly.
“To a successful evening.”
We clinked our glasses and then ate the spaghetti together. There was a relaxed atmosphere, without anyone having to say anything. We had talked a little while playing chess, which was enough for both of us for the time being. This did not mean that the conversations had gone badly. On the contrary, it had been very pleasant to listen to his melodic voice. Like the song of a siren, it had drawn me more and more into its spell and made it difficult for me to concentrate on the game.
The kitchen was quickly cleaned up after dinner and by mutual agreement, we retired together to the living room, to the fireplace, in which a fire was already gently flickering, with a good book. I didn't need a big entertainment show, after all this was my vacation and I just wanted to relax. And knowing that a black angel was near me, who would read my every wish from my eyes just to be a good host, amused me immensely.
Although it was quite strange that a melancholy, schizophrenic, constantly angry guy could mutate into such a courteous, polite, reserved young man. However, there were reasons for everything and I was more than just curious to find out what they were. With a good book in my hand, time flew by and I noticed how my eyes were getting heavier and heavier.
“I think it's time to go to bed. You can hardly hold the book anymore,“ Flo grinned and stood up.
“I think you're right,” I yawned weakly and rose from the sofa.
We wished each other a good night in front of our bedrooms and once again I almost melted away at the loving look that this green-eyed beauty gave me as a farewell. As soon as I had undressed and crept under my blanket, I fell asleep, followed by many little dreams that were anything but G-rated.
Nevertheless, I woke up the next morning quite rested, stretched comfortably and then hopped out of bed. A glance at my watch told me that it was just past ten o'clock, so I quickly got dressed, went through the morning routine in the bathroom and then went to the kitchen. Again, the table was set and again only for one person. My angel was once again leaning against the bar and staring straight ahead. But this time he smiled gently at me when he noticed me.
“Good morning. Sleep well?”
“Very well, actually. Say, aren't you eating breakfast?” I pointed questioningly at the laid table, whereupon he looked at me apologetically.
“I've been awake a little longer.”
“Will you keep me company anyway?”
I didn't give up that easily; after all, I wanted him close to me and not standing alone in a corner moping about whatever.
“Gladly.”
Wow, I just couldn't get enough of that smile. He quickly made some tea for me, and then sat down with me, drank his own tea and chatted with me a little. After breakfast, we cleared the table together and just as we were finished, a cell phone rang. We both looked up in surprise. Mine was switched to silent in my travel bag in the guest room, so it could only be his. After a short search, my angel finally found it and answered. He didn't look particularly enthusiastic, didn't necessarily say much, and only occasionally made a few humming sounds.
It looked like it would be a long conversation, so I silently motioned for him to be in the library. I was just outside the door when I heard soft birdsong outside. With a furrowed brow, I turned to the rock garden and when I opened the door to it, it almost took my breath away. It had stopped snowing, there was no wind, and the sun was shining directly on the garden, making the remaining snow glisten like little diamonds. This house, this place, really had something magical about it. I stepped into the warm rays of the sun and enjoyed the crunching sound under my feet. It was simply wonderful!