I'll Be Back For You

The simple white curtains fluttered gently in the cool midnight breeze as Alena lay awake, sleepless, for the fourth night in a row. She sat up, brushed a few strands of hair from her eyes and let a quiet sigh escape her lips. She was alone.1

I was just imagining it, she thought as she lay back down and pulled the blankets up to her chin. There was nothing there, there never had been. You just imagined it, she told herself.2

But the footsteps!3

No, that was nothing. Imagined.4

And the voice? Was that imagined too?5

Yes. 6

But he knew my name...7

Imagined. All of it, the voice, the footsteps, the scent in the air...made up. But it had felt so real...8

She closed her eyes and tried to give in to sleep. 9

What if I called to him?10

Alena suddenly sat up, rigid, in her bed. The chimes on the porch outside caught the wind and quietly sounded against each other, ringing crisp clear notes to the air. She peered her green eyes around the room, to the open window, and the breezy summer night outside. 11

Would he hear me?12

Assuming he was even there at all. The idea was tempting.13

She pondered the thought, rolled it over in her mind and pictured herself at the window, beckoning to him.14

It was worth a try.15

She pushed the covers aside and rose from her bed, taking slow, quiet steps closer and closer towards the window. A gust of wind blew her strawberry blond hair off her shoulders and swirled the hem of her white night gown around her ankles. She placed her hands on the window sill and leaned out, closing her eyes and breathing in the fresh, rain scented air. 16

What should I say?17

She didn't know his name, or if he even had a name at all, so she couldn't call that. Saying 'hello' would sound incredibly stupid. 'Are you there?' also struck her as a bad choice. Finally, she came across the words that seemed to convey everything she had ever wished to say to one such as he. She opened her eyes, raised her head, and called out into the night;18

"I'm ready. Come to me."19

A gust of wind took the words, but not before they had the chance to fall upon the ears of anything that might be out there.20

She waited and listened, hands clasped on the sill, eyes searching the street for any sign of movement, for any sign of him. Her nose surveyed the air, waiting for his dark, deep scent. 21

Nothing. No scent, no voice, no footsteps. Nothing.22

She cursed herself for not trying this sooner, for not turning around when she had heard the steps, or calling back when she had heard her name. She hadn't been ready then, but she was ready now, now that it was too late. 23

A low roll of thunder echoed off the other houses and seemingly endless flocks of black, swollen clouds lumbered across the ebon sky. And then she saw him.24

He appeared to be almost nothing more than a shadow, but she had seen him, quickly, for a brief second, and she knew he was there. 25

Without a moments' hesitation, or a moments' thought as to what exactly she was doing, she turned from the window and swiftly exited her room. She softly descended the stairs, through the dark living room, past the room of her sleeping parents, and through the front door, closing it with a muted click. Her bare feet padded on the sidewalk as she slipped noiselessly through the gate to the street, looking all the while for him.26

She couldn't see him, but his scent was all around her. Deep and rich, it floated deliciously into her nostrils, driving her senses wild with yearning. She gazed around her, to the trees and the cars and the circle of light from the streetlamp. But he was elusive and would not show himself to her. Not yet.27

Suddenly she sensed something behind her, a presence, a coldness, lingering. Then cold fingers on her shoulder. She whirled around to the accompaniment of a crash of thunder, hoping to finally come face to face with the man that had been stalking her for four nights. But only darkness was there.28

"Hello?" Alena called out into the night, peering around her. Her heart began to race faster and faster, the wind had picked up and the clouds above were beginning to flare with streaks of lightning.29

A flash of light lit up the street and she saw him, a figure in a long, dark coat, face down, with his hands in his pocket. He stood in the darkness of the street where no streetlamps could reach him. Darkness again, and he was one with it and so again invisible.30

Alena's breath caught in her throat at the sight of him, she had been waiting for this.31

Another blinding flash of lightning revealed him, stalking towards her. Darkness. Another flash and he was gone, the street was bare.32

"Hello," he whispered into her ear behind her.33

Alena spun around and took a step back to face him. He smiled deviously at her, black hair and black jacket rippling in the wind. 34

"Hi," she said breathlessly, unable to think of anything better to say.35

He paced around her, his frigid hands placed on her shoulders. He leaned into her, smelling her hair and her scent and relishing the warmth she emanated. 36

Alena was enveloped in his scent and felt a warm swoon come over her. 37

The man stopped in front of her and regarded Alena from the corner of his eye, "You called and I have come." He spoke moderately, each word rolling off his tongue like bits of poetry. "What is it that you want from me?"38

Alena stood frozen in disbelief but managed to find herself again. 39

"I - I'm ready," she sputtered simply.40

He turned and faced her, face to face and tipped his head in amusement.41

"Ready for what?" he asked with a smile.42

Alena glanced at the pavement, then back up into his blue eyes.43

"To be like you," she stated over the howling wind and a crash of thunder.44

He tossed back his head and laughed.45

"You have no idea what you ask," he said, staring her hard in the eyes.46

"I want it," she asserted confidently.47

He placed a hand on her shoulder and walked behind her, sweeping her hair back from her neck as he went.48

"I can change your life," he promised in a throaty whisper with his chin on her shoulder.49

Alena took a deep breath and closed her eyes, loving his touch and his presence and his scent and wanting him more than anything before.50

"I want you to," she breathed.51

"I could do it," he teased, running his fingers along the small of her back.52

"Please," she whispered, with a hint of desperation.53

He pressed his body against her, she was so warm and smelled of life. He ran his fingers through her hair, loving her beauty and her voice. She wanted him, and he wanted her. 54

A few spatters of rain hit the pavement.55

"No," he said, backing away from her.56

She opened her eyes.57

"No?"58

"No," he stated again.59

She stared back at him in disbelief, "But I want you to do it!" she reasoned.60

"I won't."61

"Please!" she screamed over the shrieking wind, the sky looking sickly dark green. 62

Alena ran to him and grasped his hands in hers. 63

"No," he replied, shaking his head.64

She turned her head away from him and he saw with great sadness a tear form in the corner of her eye.65

"Why not?" she asked thickly, gazing him straight in the eye.66

He studied her and finally raised a cool hand to brush her cheek.67

"You aren't ready yet," he said softly.68

She shook her head, "I am! I've waited so long...!"69

He leaned into her and whispered into her ear, "wait a little more, I'll be back for you. I promise."70

The last word dripped from his lips and with a rustle of coat, he vanished into the stormy air.71

"No!" she cried, whirling around searching for him.72

I'll be back for you. 73

His words echoed in her ear.74

She stood in the rain and gazed in front of her at where he had stood only short moments ago. His scent still lingered on her skin and in the air, but the harsh wind soon swept it away and she was left with only his words ringing in her ear;75

I'll be back for you.76