I was so happy to see her that I felt the tears well in my eyes. “You won’t believe it, but allegedly I’m a dragon. I speak Terakon. But you know what, I think they have it all wrong.”
Jeremeia gave me a look of surprise. “How did Michael get the dragons to let you go?”
“I told Kadeijosch and Ryoko that I love Michael, and they sent me home with him.”
He was even more baffled than before. “Kadeijosch and Ryoko took a personal interest in your case?”
“What do you mean? We were staying with them, and when I talked to Kadeijosch in the hallway, he taught me to see them as humans.”
He stared wistfully into the distance. “What I wouldn’t have given to see Michael’s face.”
What was the saying … Speak of the devil: Just that moment, my phone buzzed. Michael wanted to know where I was. “Give me Jeremeia,” he said without waiting for my reply. He must have heard something I couldn’t.
Jeremeia handed me my phone back and Michael told me to stay put. I was not to leave the house for the time being. Was I given a reason? No, of course not. Jeremeia decided that Sarah and I had a lot to catch up on, so he excused himself and left us alone. Although she was consumed with an urge to drink my blood, I was overjoyed to have my best friend back. I looked forward to hearing how she really felt about everything that had happened. She claimed that she was happy with her life as a vampire. She missed the sun and was a bit bummed that she wouldn’t be able to have children, but otherwise everything was fine. I didn’t buy it, so I tried to peek behind her façade, but she brushed me off coldly. She wouldn’t tell me what she had gone through since we last met, nor did she really answer my question whether she was sad that she was no longer human. She had followed what had befallen me in the preceding weeks, so she tried to distract me with questions regarding my origins. I didn’t dare speak about these things however, because I was worried that Jeremeia might be eavesdropping. After so many weeks I was finally reunited with my best friend, and yet we were practically forced to act like strangers. It was awkward and distressing. I was relieved when she excused herself around three in the afternoon and headed to bed. For her, day was now night and vice versa. I pulled out my phone and told Michael that I wanted to come back. Whatever problems had caused him to tell me to stay put, it seemed that they had been solved, for he said I could come home now. I had covered most of the way when the snow began to fall. Within minutes, the road turned into a death trap. Not even a hundred yards before the turn into his driveway, a car on the opposite side of the road started skidding and ran right into me. I was hurled in the air with a scream on my lips, only to hit the asphalt head first. The car continued to skid, and finally stopped with its tire in my back. A hubcap was spinning before my eyes like a mad whirligig. I was convinced that this was my end. Michael had heard the crash and came running from the house. He lifted the car off me with one hand, talking at me with despair in his voice, yelling orders at his Peris. Where was the pain? I cringed in expectation, knowing I would writhe in agony once it would hit me. It was impossible that I had gotten away unscathed. The shock was probably shielding the pain from me for a few more moments. My muscles tense, I felt myself breaking into a cold sweat, but when the pain didn’t come, I was gripped by a new fear: Was I paralyzed? Oh no, please no! Panicking, I wiggled my feet and breathed a sigh of relief. No, I was not paralyzed! My tension subsided and Michael helped me get to my feet, though my legs were shaking with fear and ebbing adrenaline. His mouth hung open as I took off my helmet and stroked his cheek with my shaky hand. If I had suffered any injuries at all, I could not feel them. He stared at me for a long time, more flabbergasted than I was, but then he asked: “You said that this gear was a gift from your father, right?” I understood how it was possible that I’d survived such a terrible crash without the slightest scratch – thank you, Papa!
The driver scrambled from his car. “Did you just lift my car in the air with just one hand?”
“How the hell would I do that?” Michael flared at him. He was an excellent liar. Then the driver saw me, pale but standing. “Lie down! I’m calling an ambulance.”
“I’m okay, really,” I assured him in a small voice.
“I just ran you over with my car. You could have internal bleeding. You need an ambulance.”
People came running from the houses and the surrounding alleys. “I’m so glad you weren’t hurt,” Michael kept whispering. People crowded in on us from all directions to check on me, and a police car came down the street, followed by an ambulance. The driver was questioned by the officers, and he kept stammering that his car had started skidding on the snow, and that he hadn’t been able to steer anymore. Michael gave me an apologetic look. “I’m afraid you will have to go to the hospital so they can make sure you’re okay.” The paramedics and policemen agreed with him. I insisted that I wasn’t hurt, but one of the paramedics pointed out that I had skid marks on my back. I squinted over my shoulder. “Oh crap, I hope I can get rid of that stain!” My statement made them decide that I was in shock, and they forced me to lie down on a stretcher. Michael shook his head with incredulity. He watched the show with a grin, as if he was in a theater and they were showing a comedy. The rest of the bystanders tut-tutted at his apparent lack of concern. Didn’t he see the gravity of the situation? He was the only one who knew that I really was unharmed.
In the hospital they X-rayed me and did an ultrasonic of my chest and abdomen. Even though they verified that I was fine, the doctors wanted to keep me overnight. They were concerned because I kept going on about my gear and my poor bike. I signed a release form and had Nicky pick me up. He drove me back to Michael’s house. The totaled motorbike stood in the driveway. I hoped that it wasn’t beyond repair. The driver had admitted unequivocally that he had caused the accident, and I hoped that his insurance would pay for the repairs.
Meanwhile night had fallen. Jeremeia and Sarah were in the kitchen, speaking with Michael. The tone of their voices immediately told me that it wasn’t a friendly visit, but something more official. When I wanted to join them at the table, Sarah shook her head no, making it clear that they were busy. Offended, I lowered my head and trudged upstairs, where I tried to clean the skid marks off my gear. I had survived a terrible accident and I yearned for Michael’s comforting embrace, but he was apparently working all night long.
Notwithstanding the para-groupies, I had gone without the company of ordinary humans for far too long. I called Astrid and we agreed to meet in the public pool. It was a welcome change – utterly human problems. Astrid told me that she had been overcharged on her phone bill three times in a row. Her mother was mad with her younger brother, because the boy had told his grandma that she never cleaned the house. When she was done recounting all her problems, she concluded that she envied me my uncomplicated life. I didn’t correct her, but allowed myself a private smirk. If Astrid considered her own life complicated, I was curious what she would think of mine.
We were on our fifteenth lap when I remembered that it was Thursday and I was supposed to work soon. Luckily there was still plenty of time to get to the cinema on time. When I got out of the water to shower and change, Andreas suddenly stood before me. “The bikini suits you! How have you been?” he greeted me.
“Good, thank you. And you?” I answered, more than a little surprised to see him in the pool building in his street clothes.
He nodded absently, scanning his surroundings and shifting his weight. “Is your boyfriend here, too?” He didn’t just sound curious, but rather cautious.
I shook my head. “No, but I was just about to leave for his place. I need to change and get ready for work. I added the Thursday shift to my usual Saturday night.”
“So you’re still working at the cinema, even though your boyfriend drives an Audi R8?”
“I want it that way. I love my independence.”
“Does he at least visit you when you work?”
What was wrong with him again? �
��No, Andreas, he’s rather busy most of the time.”
“I see. I have a car here; do you want me to drive you there?”
“No, thank you. And you’ve only just arrived; why don’t you jump in?”
“No, I came specifically to see you. Astrid told me that you would be here.” He was acting strangely. His cautious movements, his unsteady eyes constantly scanning his surroundings, his lack of a bathing suit, and the fact that he was so eager to be alone with me: We had been friends for a long time, but his behavior was frightening me. Then another man interrupted our exchange. He also wore street clothes, and he said he had to tell Andreas something important, something regarding the company. Andreas lifted his forefinger. “Please excuse me for a moment, but don’t go away.”
Either hanging out at the public pool in street clothes was a new trend I had missed, or Andreas and his friends had plans with me. I didn’t want to stay to find out which it was, so I said: “But I have to, unless you want me to pee in the pool.” I never made it to the toilet. In reality I ran for the changing rooms. I didn’t bother to shower or dry my hair; I just slipped into my clothes as quickly as possible and then left the pool and headed for the bus stop. I took the bus that stopped close to Michael’s house.
The wet hair made me feel cold within minutes. I was shivering when I stepped into the house, and I wondered whether I would ever be warm again. I took off my coat and hung it on a hook in the hall. I wanted to run upstairs and take a hot shower until my fingers were nimble again, but the music that came wafting from one of the living rooms attracted my curiosity. I slowly opened the door and saw Michael with his ex-wife Kijara in the center of the room. They were holding champagne glasses, and Kijara was brushing a strand of hair from his face, smiling affectionately. I balled my hands into fists and fought the rising tide of jealousy. I pretended not to notice the woman as I strode over to Michael, ramping up my energy and flinging my arms around his neck, before I kissed him with exaggerated passion. Then I pulled away from him and said hi to her, professing embarrassment.
She studied me greedily: “Your hair is all wet.” I nodded and explained: “Yeah, I left the public pool in a bit of a hurry. If you’ll excuse me now; I need a hot shower.”
She gave me an inviting smile. “Michael and I could join you if you want.” I froze, perplexed and at a loss what to answer.
“Excuse me?” I finally managed to stammer. Maybe it hadn’t been such a good idea to put my intense energy on display like that. Michael obviously thought the whole situation was amusing, and he sure wasn’t averse to the idea. He wouldn’t say no. Her suggestion didn’t merit a reply. I shook my head and ran past Stefan and Alessandro. Upstairs in the bathroom I took off my clothes and went to stand under the hot water. It warmed my cold body with pins and needles, and I felt my hands and feet slowly thawing, tingling.
The presence of Michael’s ex-wife made me jealous, so I decided to pack my unattractive work clothes and only put them on in the cinema. I still had three hours before my shift would start, and I wanted to look good, if only to bolster my own confidence. On the other hand I didn’t want to make it too obvious, so I put on a pair of simple slacks and a maroon blouse. It was a perfect combo – something I might wear every day, and yet it highlighted my curves nicely. I put on some make-up and headed back down the stairs. Kijara and Michael were still talking. I had thought that by now I knew all the different qualities Michael’s voice could take: His boss voice, dominant and stern, adamantine. His Melanie voice, which was clear, bright, and patient. But now I discovered a new voice, and it was loving, admiring, caring. His Kijara voice. The revelation cut through my heart like a poisoned arrow, and would have hurt me enough without the following exchange.
“You took on the dragons for the girl, seriously, Michael? Are you in love with her? That somehow makes me all jealous,” I heard Kijara say.
“If that is the case, I’m head over heels in love with her,” Michael flirted.
I was glad I couldn’t see them, only hear them.
“I would have been surprised if you were. Falling in love with something that’s mortal doesn’t fit with the Michael I know. But then why go through all this trouble?” Kijara asked smugly.
Michael was very thorough in refuting any lingering doubt that he might still have done it because he was fond of me: “If the dragons could harness her abilities, they would no longer need me and my people. She can do things that male dragons are notoriously incapable of. Plus she’s very invigorating, her energy is incomparable, as I’m sure you have seen, and with her I have finally found something to make me laugh again. I like her and I enjoy the time we spend together, but love is really something else.”
“I know what you mean. There are humans who make life a lot more interesting, but that doesn’t mean you love them. Still, you should watch over her. Despite her physical frailty, Hugorio is convinced that she’s a Halfling. He’s a collector and she seems unique. If he sees the slightest chance to claim her for himself, he will do it.”
“I know. Come on, I’m well aware of the reason for your unexpected visit.”
“I never doubted that you are. Can you give me a few bits of insignificant information, so he will be satisfied?”
For the first time I was certain it was true: I was nothing but his plaything. It hit me with painful intensity, and I scrambled back up the stairs, threw the most important items into a bag and wanted to flee the house where my heart had just been broken. While she was still here, he wouldn’t even notice my absence. It was just my luck however that Stefan was not as distracted. “Where are you going?” When he addressed me, Michael looked up and threw me a brief glance. He didn’t notice anything wrong with me.
“I just wanted to go get something from my apartment,” I lied.
“Ah, and that’s why you’re carrying a travel-sized bag,” Stefan declaimed, before he paused to open the zipper with a flourish, then added: “with the bare necessities?”
“Stefan, just let me pass, okay?”
Finally Michael was paying attention. I could have done without that. “Melanie, what is going on, are you trying to leave me?” Tears were blurring my eyes as I looked into his smug face. Kijara grabbed him by the shoulder. “She heard us. Oh, Michael, I’m sorry, let me take care of that for you.” She was before me in a wink and began weaving a spell.
“That’s not going to work,” Michael interrupted her.
“I know that. It is common knowledge by now that she’s immune to your cookie cutter spells. As you know though, I’m a lot better at this stuff.” She continued with her work, suggesting to me that I hadn’t heard a word of their conversation, and that I couldn’t wait to take that shower with her and Michael.
It was not merely jealousy, I decided; I simply did not like her. I patiently waited for her to be done with her cheap trick. Then I picked up my bag and tried to walk past Stefan. Michael grabbed me from behind, threw me over his shoulder, and carried me into my den. What was he trying to gain; did he want to lock me up in there? I kicked my feet and hammered my fists on his back, yelling for him to fucking set me down. Unfazed, he placed me on the couch and knelt before me, holding me in place by my hips.
Blazing with anger I flared: “You have no right keeping me here. You can’t simply lock me into your damn house!”
“And I don’t mean to. Please listen to me, talk to me, and if you still want to leave after that, I will let you leave.”
“I don’t have all the time in the world, so what is it?” My voice was full of anger and hurt.
“Melanie, I like you. Love means something different to an ancient creature like me than it does to you.”
“But you love Kijara.”
“You can’t expect me to fall in love with you in such a short amount of time, and to forget a love that has lasted for several hundred years in the process. I rarely ever see her. She left me. I really like you a lot and I plan on being there for you. I’m your boyfriend.”
&
nbsp; “Yes, but you love her.” Was it supposed to comfort me that he didn’t see her often? Michael took my hand and tried to look into my eyes, but I pulled my hand away and lowered my head. I could not take this. He cupped my chin and lifted it. “Melanie, I’m planning to spend your life with you. Falling in love with you however is a terrible prospect, because I would lose you again so quickly. You are mortal, even though you are a Halfling. Judging from the shape of your body, you won’t get to be much older than a regular human. How many years do you have? A hundred maybe. I like you, but I never claimed that I love you. And yet I’m offering you more than most people get.”
I felt utterly debased, and he still thought I should count myself lucky. What he was offering me was more than most people would get? That sounded to me as if he thought it was more than I deserved. Did he really think that there was no man in this world who could love me unconditionally and honestly? I loved him, but I was not ready to waste my life on a person for whom I was no more than a compromise. “That’s not enough. Maybe I won’t get more than that, and maybe I will never find anyone who truly loves me, but I can try. As you stated so considerately, all I have is a hundred years, if at all, and I’m not ready to waste them on someone who is yearning for another,” I explained, while the tears were running down my cheeks.
Michael seemed unexpectedly moved by my words. When he tried to take my hand again, I flinched away and jumped to my feet. “You promised to let me go,” I said and ran from the house. He followed me. “Please don’t be stupid. You’re in danger on your own.”
“And that is no longer your problem!” The stabbing pain in my chest was choking me slowly as I walked away from the house. I had no call wallowing in self-pity. Ever since I’d first met Michael, everyone had been telling me what I was to him.
I strode to the bus stop with bull-headed determination. He stayed behind and didn’t try to stop me. As soon as I had stepped on the bus, I started crying even harder. When I reached my apartment, I was sobbing. I opened the door and sank to the floor wailing. I had completely forgotten how small this place was. I sat there for an hour, before I pulled myself together and got up. My hands were shaking with despair as I tried to cover up the traces of my crying, but the make-up only seemed to make it worse. My eyes still looked swollen and puffy. At some point I gave up and headed out, took the bus to work. I spied the man I had jostled in front of Madame Tusseaud’s a few days earlier. I waved and took the seat next to him. Nonplussed, he asked in English whether we knew each other. I reminded him of our encounter in London, and he gave me a look of surprise, before starting to fidget in his seat. “I have a girlfriend,” he said in heavily accented German, but with perfect grammar. He was sitting by the window, and now he was pressing his body against the glass to be as far away from me as possible, until I feared he would push out the windowpane. Did he think I was about to tear off his clothes or what? When his behavior became too ridiculous, I got up, went to the back of the bus, and admired the city sights for the remainder of my trip. I was relieved when the bus reached the train station and I could get off. I hastened to get to the cinema and dove right into work. Unfortunately though, there was not a lot to do. I had far too much time to think of Michael. The moviegoers bought soft drinks and candy bars, made unfunny comments and talked about the latest new releases, but there were no distractions while the movies were playing.
Peris Night: Terakon (Secret Language) Page 33