I wondered if she would remember once we stepped foot in the Black Forest. It seemed that everything from our first life together triggered her to regain memories. The forest was the place that we spent so much time hiking as we would on this trip, as well.
I felt guilty for hiding it from her, but I did happen to have a copy of the letter that I wrote and attached to Nixie before I sold her. It wasn’t a photocopy as those would not work on the spelled paper for some reason. I did copy it down word for word and had it in my desk back at the Louvre. My previous assistant, Sergio, was nice enough to get it for me and send it to me with my other personal items.
I just needed the perfect time to show it to her. One where it wouldn’t do anything to break the rules of the curse, yet where she was still open to hearing about my side of things. I hoped that the coven would have enough knowledge to guide me in this. It seemed with their visits to Lorelei that they knew something more than they did the last time I visited, so many centuries ago.
.
“Good morning, Dr. Nixen,” Klaus greeted me a little too cheerily. He held out a coffee to me and the aroma was enticing. After another rough night with these nightmares plaguing me, I slept through my alarm and raced out the door without having the time to grab a coffee. I wanted to get one once I made it to the gate, but I didn’t want to leave until Klaus arrived. That was mostly selfish on my part since I didn’t want to drag my carry-on around the terminal with me and preferred to leave it in his care.
“Good morning, Dr. Hoffman,” I replied professionally even though my soul seemed to scream at me to jump in his arms and never leave them. “Thank you for the coffee. I was just waiting on your arrival before I went in search of one myself.”
“I assumed you would need it,” he gave me a half-hearted smile. “Are you excited about this trip?”
I wanted to scream yes and then no, all at the same time. I missed him so much and my heart was shattered by the way he hid things from me even though he knew I suffered. It was this emotional turmoil that kept me from eating or sleeping much since his partial revelation. “I’m looking forward to finding some answers on the painting. I hope that this contact has something of value and is more forthcoming than you.”
Hurt flashed across his face and I immediately felt terrible for my barb. I shouldn’t, though, having every right to be angry. This man was the only one that seemed to make everything in my life crazy and right, all at the same time. He sat down next to me and I felt that pull to want to lean against his shoulder and feel his rough hand on mine. Instead, I sipped my coffee and sighed, “Thank you and I’m sorry for snapping at you. I didn’t sleep very well.”
He looked abashed and nodded in understanding, “Look, Lorelei. I’m very sorry for hurting you. I just hope that you will find the answers you need on this trip.”
“So do I, but those aren’t the answers I’m seeking,” I bit out, hurt that he would mention the painting and not the secrets he’s been keeping.
He took my hand and looked me in the eyes, “I know what you are thinking, and this isn’t about just the painting. Please, just try to trust me,” his voice was pleading, and his hand felt so right holding my own that I felt all of my resolve crumbling.
I couldn’t though. I had to be true to myself and that meant being in a relationship where we were honest with each other. I jerked my hand away. “I can’t trust someone that keeps things from me. I don’t know why you are hiding things, but it hurts me more than anything else you could have done.”
He sat back and sighed, but said nothing. It was an uncomfortable silence that went on for an hour until we were finally called to board the plane. I was happy that it was a short flight and I wouldn’t be stuck next to him with my emotions and hormones running wild for too long. We did have a long drive to get to the village closest to the first stop where we would stay the night and then start hiking in the morning, but at least I could sit in the backseat if I needed to.
I wasn’t a big fan of flying and I gripped the seat as the plane started to move. My breathing was erratic, and my heart raced. I tried to take calming breaths, but it wasn’t working. Klaus’ smooth voice calmed me, “You’ll be okay, Lorelei. No matter what, I won’t let anything happen to you.” A feeling of calmness washed over me and suddenly I felt fine, as if I would be safe as long as I was with him. My mind warred with itself on why I felt that way considering he was not trustworthy. Then the words of the old woman came into my head where she told me I needed to trust him.
I didn’t know why she said that, a random person that didn’t know me. At the time I thought I was hearing things, yet now as I felt his comfortable presence wash over me, I felt as if her words were real and true. It was a hard thing to figure out how I really felt, and I used the time to think about it. Here, with him, I felt as if he were the only man I could ever love and that he would always do right by me. It was when I was alone in my thoughts or at work, avoiding him, that I felt wrong and hurt.
Everything was just so confusing, and I started to regret going on this trip with him as every part of my soul wanted to connect with him again and go back to that place where we were before his admission. I didn’t know how long I could be alone with him without falling into his spell or his bed again. I missed the feel of his body against mine, the tender kisses we shared, along with the passion filled kisses. I ached to be with him, to be a part of his life again.
I didn’t know if he felt the same way and I thought about asking him when we weren’t on an airplane filled with people. I knew that if he rejected me, I would be destroyed, and I didn’t want that to happen in public. I wasn’t even sure I wanted that to happen at all.
I must have dozed off because the next thing I knew, Klaus was caressing my cheek. “Lorelei, it’s time to wake up.”
In my sleep filled mind, I leaned into his touch and moaned lightly. It felt so good and I wanted to do much more. My head leaned towards his own and I was just about to capture his lips with my own when I realized what I was doing. My eyes snapped open and I pulled back. “I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to…” I trailed off.
“Never apologize, my love,” he said softly before clearing his throat. “We better get our things and get moving. We still have a long drive ahead of us.” He stood up and grabbed both of our bags from the overhead compartment. I took mine from him and followed him out of the plane. We were silent as we walked through the terminal and got our luggage before getting our rental car. He took care of everything and before I knew it, we were on the road heading to our destination.
I watched the scenery go by as he drove, occasionally checking the map to make sure we were going the right way. I peeked at him more times than I wanted to and tried to figure out the best way to talk to him about what happened between us. I just couldn’t seem to find the courage or the words to do so.
This part of Germany was different from Nuremberg, holding a beauty all its own that was so different from the city. The farms and small villages were a mixture of old and new, yet mostly ancient. It was a historian’s dream and I took in everything I could. Klaus noticed my excitement and pointed out some of the architectural designs of a bygone era and we talked about how nothing could compare to the Old World craftsmanship. It was an enjoyable and safe conversation, and I found my excitement growing as the hours passed.
It was quite a sight to see the farmland give way to the dark, thick forest that seemed as if we entered a whole new world. The villages were much farther apart now and rarely there. Most of it was as if the land had been untouched since the beginning of time, which was true aside from the road we drove on. Our easy conversation turned into silence and Klaus turned on the radio. Soft classical music filled the car and further enhanced the dreamlike setting we were in. I could almost picture myself running through the forest with Klaus, carefree and wild, living off the land as no one would be around to ruin our being together. I wished that we could go back in time and not have this big wall between us.
The sun was setting as we got closer to our destination, the thickness of the forest giving the road an almost eerie feeling. I had to admit that I wouldn’t want to be alone at that point. It was like being in a horror movie, and I hoped that the car wouldn’t break down on us. It was a classic scene of the murderer lurking in the woods waiting for his next victim.
“I see the lights of the village ahead,” Klaus pulled me out of my wild imagination. “The Bed and Breakfast I booked should be right off the main highway. The owner told me it was the only blue building in the village and there would be only one road.”
“Okay, I’ll keep an eye out for it,” I replied, as I focused on the path ahead. He turned on the street, or rather dirt road, and drove slowly. “There,” I pointed to the cute little cottage that was blue as he told me. There was a sign out front that showed it was the place we were looking for. “It’s a bit smaller than I imagined.”
“Yes, this was the only place in this area to stay. The larger establishments were about three hundred kilometers back. I didn’t think you would want to hike that far,” he answered, as we got out of the car and made our way to the door.
The owner was a nice older woman and she showed us to our room, the only room in the cottage. I looked at the one queen sized bed in the room and then up at Klaus, my heart racing when I realized this was not the best set up. He said nothing as he thanked the woman and she took her leave after informing us of breakfast hours. Then he turned to me as he rubbed the back of his neck. “I can sleep on the floor if that would make you more comfortable. I didn’t think we would be in this situation when I booked it. Not that we would have much other choice.”
I sighed heavily, guilt washing over me at the thought of him sleeping on the old hard wooden floor. “No, I wouldn’t put you out like that. I think we will be fine sharing a bed. It’s not like we haven’t before.” I blushed as pictures of his godlike body flashed through my mind. “I think we will be fine for one night.”
“Thank you. I would hate to wake up with a kink in my neck and an aching back. It wouldn’t be good for the pace we have to keep tomorrow. I promise I will be a gentleman.”
I took my pajamas out of the bag and headed to the bathroom that the innkeeper had shown us on the way in. Behind the closed door, finally alone and away from the man that I wanted and couldn’t’ have, I let the silent tears fall. I knew it was going to be painful to spend so much time with him alone, I just wasn’t prepared for how painful it would really be. After a few moments, I pulled myself back together, not wanting him to be concerned about why it took me so long. Splashing cold water on my face, I washed away the tears and the red streaks they left behind as best I could, before changing into my pajamas.
I opened the door to Klaus leaning against the wall with his sleep clothing in his hands. I could see the hurt in his eyes as they glistened with unshed tears in the dim lights of the hallway. I put my head down and rushed past him, knowing that if I didn’t, I would start crying again. I slid into the bed and turned my back to his side, making sure I was as far away as possible. The last thought I had before I drifted off to sleep was how strange it was that we still had sides of the bed, even though we were no longer together.
.
I came back into the room and Lorelei was snoring softly, her back to me and her body close to the edge of the bed as if she wanted to be as far away from me as possible. It hurt so much to be near her and not be able to touch her or show her my love in any way. I quietly snuck around to her side and looked down at her sleeping face. Her dark hair was spread out behind her and her face peaceful.
I reached out and caressed her cheek lightly and she barely stirred, only letting out a soft sigh. My eyes were heavy, and I knew I needed to sleep. Taking a few more seconds to take in her beauty, I forced myself to climb into the bed as I tried not to touch her.
It took every bit of my self-control to not cuddle up to her and I ended up placing an arm gently on her waist, unable to fight it any longer. With the comfort of her skin under my hand, I fell into a deep sleep.
The first morning rays of the sun peeked through the window waking me from my slumber. Somehow, Lorelei ended up cuddled up next to me, her leg slung over mine and her head buried in my chest. My arm was around her, my hand on her back, and it was as if everything was right in the world again, if only for a brief moment.
I didn’t want to let her go, so I didn’t move a muscle and closed my eyes as I inhaled the scent of her shampoo. I enjoyed the feeling of her body against mine and the warmth of it pressed against me.
Feeling her stir, I kept my eyes closed and pretended to not be awake. She shifted closer to me and I could feel through her thin pajamas her nipples scrape against my bare side as she moved. I couldn’t help the blood that rushed to my cock, but I remained as I was and hoped she would stay with me for a bit longer.
My hopes were dashed when she seemed to realize where she was and what she was doing, jerking away, and then scrambling to the other side of the bed. I opened my eyes and met hers, saddened by the way she treated me as if I had the plague.
“I didn’t mean to do that,” she said with a bit of an edge to her voice. “I fell asleep on my side and I don’t know how I ended up like that.”
I sighed and got up without saying a word, hiding my face as the tears threatened to erupt. It was a torture to wait for her for so long only to have her in my life again and not be able to share our love for each other. The distance between us was worse than when I waited for her to come back to life and come back to me. There wasn’t anything I could have said to make her forgive me at that moment.
The bathroom was my refuge as I showered and dressed for the day. My tears flowed freely while I stood with one hand against the tile wall and let the water wash them down the drain. Hopelessness was the only thing I felt no matter how much I tried to think of the witches having an answer for us.
As she showered, I packed our things that we would need for our long hike through the Black Forest. The innkeeper allowed me to leave some of our belongings in her shed, for a price of course. I took the extra tent that Lorelei insisted on bringing and moved it to the case that would hold our belongings that we wouldn’t be bringing. I knew I was setting myself up for another round of her anger, but I wouldn’t allow us to go without the basic necessities we would need for the long hike or make our packs heavier.
We had enough to carry with the food, extra clothing, and the typical survival gear such as weapons and things to start a fire along with our shelter. I would take her anger when there was nothing she could do about it other than scream at me in the middle of the thick forest.
I lugged out the extras to the shed once she came back from the shower and loaded her dirty clothing into the case that we would leave behind. If she saw her tent in there, she said nothing, and we wordlessly went to eat our last home cooked meal before we left.
The innkeeper was great company as we ate a hearty breakfast of sandwiches filled with thick slices of ham, which she said would keep us filled up for our trip. I tried to help clean up before we left but she shooed me out of the kitchen and insisted that we needed to get a start on our journey.
As we said our goodbyes, the innkeeper handed Lorelei a paper bag that contained food for our lunch and made sure that our water bottles, that hung around our necks, were filled with fresh water. “You be careful of the spirits. Spread pine needles around your campsite at night to keep them away.”
I thanked her for her hospitality and her advice even though I knew that the spirits she spoke about were nothing but legends that were meant to keep little children from going into the forest and getting lost in the thick underbrush and copses of trees.
I led the way with a compass in hand and entered the thicket of forest that laid beyond the cottage we stayed in. Though I had been there before, the surroundings looked the same and I would need to stay on course if we were not to end up wandering lost.
A small idea
popped in my head that maybe it would be better to be lost with her. She would have to forgive me at some point, right? We could spend the rest of our short lives together living off the land and being together. The idea was more enticing than the unknown that we were headed into.
I brushed the thoughts away and concentrated on the path in front of me, making sure to warn Lorelei when large roots of the trees stuck out of the ground. I avoided the holes and listened to the birds sing as we trekked for hours, their bright songs unable to fill the void in my heart.
Lorelei kept up the pace with me well, but when I glanced back, she looked a bit tired. I felt it myself, so I suggested we stop to take a break. “I’m not weak, Klaus. I can keep up,” she retorted.
“I know you can. I’m suggesting a break because I need one. It would be a good time to have a snack, check our feet, and change our socks,” I replied gently.
Changing socks would help prevent blisters and it was important that we kept on top of that since we were so far away from civilization. If either of us came down with an infection, we would be in trouble. I had a pretty extensive first aid kit, but not one that would take care of everything.
We settled on a large root that formed a cross between a seat and a bridge. I sighed at the relief I felt in my legs that were already sore from navigating the uneven terrain. “The treadmills at gyms don’t prepare anyone for this kind of walking,” I chuckled, as I tried to lighten the mood.
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