Dream of the night wind

Rosé I had never liked Halloween. What kind of nonsense was this — dressing up in idiotic vampire, witch, and devil costumes that looked as though they'd been bought from some sex shop, and frightening passersby in exchange for candy? Absolute rubbish. Especially since I knew the origins of this ancient pagan holiday, and the way people treated the Day of the Dead nowadays completely stripped it of its sacred meaning — because on this night, people once celebrated not the overhyped American Halloween, but the ancient Druid festival of Samhain. It was one of the four principal celebrations of the year — the darkest night of the year, when the boundaries between worlds grew so thin they nearly disappeared entirely, and the souls of the dead and other entities could pass through into this world. And people used to dress in frightening costumes precisely to ward them off — not random strangers on the street. I sighed. What on earth had possessed me to agree to go to this stupid party that Jisoo had invited me to? And there was no getting out of it now… Standing before the full-length mirror in my bedroom, I studied my reflection thoughtfully, sincerely hoping that this shapeless black robe I had dug out of my grandmother's wardrobe would pass for the costume of some run-of-the-mill witch — since I had absolutely no desire to stand out from the crowd, nor to go to this party at all, knowing that soju and beer would be flowing freely, and that drunk and thoroughly shameless devils would be cornering equally drunk little witches in dark corners. Ugh. That sort of entertainment held zero appeal for me, especially since my thoughts had been circling around this morning's dream all day long. I had crossed the threshold again and met my beloved, but this dream had been… nothing like all the others. *** …The moment I crossed the misty boundary dividing our worlds, my dark-haired stranger pulled me close, and I simply drowned in the familiar warmth of his strong embrace. Smiling, I tilted my head up and brushed my lips lightly against his cheek, whispering: — Such a warm welcome… I like it… He smiled softly, tilting my face upward, and leaned in to cover my lips with his own — confidently, wordlessly showing me that his welcome could be warmer still. — You're finally here, little one… How I've missed you… — he breathed roughly against my lips, at last drawing back slightly and allowing me to catch the breath his long, heated kiss had thoroughly scattered. Because that had been… nothing like a light greeting touch. Not at all. I'll be honest — I was even a little taken aback by the way he kissed me… as though he hadn't seen me in an eternity, when less than a day had passed since our last meeting in the dream. — It hasn't even been twelve hours, — I smiled gently, catching his answering warm smile and his quiet: — Every minute apart from you feels like an eternity… My heart trembled and tightened with a piercing tenderness and some vague, nameless longing that threaded through his quiet, deep voice. I raised my hand and softly stroked his velvet cheek, carefully pushing the unruly dark fringe away from his sapphire eyes. Lord… He was so beautiful… His dark, somehow utterly otherworldly beauty took my breath away every single time. An ordinary person simply could not be this mesmerizingly, breathtakingly beautiful. — How do you always know exactly what to say to make my heart flutter? — I whispered with a smile, as he caught my hand, wrapping his long, warm fingers tenderly around my wrist and pressing it to his cheek. His voice was barely louder than a breath when he answered: — I simply love you, my dear. And so I have no need to invent anything, for every word I say comes from the heart. I stilled again, utterly lost in his gentle, spellbinding eyes, and he, seeing my confusion at his confession, only smiled and brushed his lips lightly against mine. — Come, little one, — he took my hand, lacing our fingers together in an ancient, possessive gesture, and drew me along behind him toward the cottage. In truth, I had very much wanted to talk with him — to tell him how my day had gone, to ask how he was — but the moment we stepped inside, before I could even collect myself, I was pressed against the wall by the door by the heat of his strong body, and my lips were once again captured by his — burning and unbearably tender. I moaned involuntarily, surrendering to him again, gripping his broad shoulders to keep myself upright on legs that had gone suddenly weak, and he — always unerringly sensing my state — wrapped his large palms firmly around my waist and drew me even closer, so that I was practically hanging from him, barely able to keep up with his ardent, feverish, somehow… desperate kisses. — My love… Stop… Stop, wait… — I breathed, barely able to whisper, when he finally pulled back enough to let me breathe again. — Is something… wrong? — he asked roughly, his breath still burning against my lips, his warm fingertips tracing gently along my cheek. — Well… — I smiled weakly, — My legs have almost completely given out and I'm not sure I can stand on my own… What's come over you? Hearing that, he stilled, biting down on his beautiful lips — the very ones that had been driving me out of my mind a moment ago — and looked away, pressing his forehead to my shoulder. — Forgive me… Did I… frighten you? I stroked the back of his head, burying my fingers in his dark, silken hair that felt like costly sable fur, and whispered softly: — Silly… You could never frighten me. I have never been afraid of you… He raised his head and looked at me with a tender smile. — Then why did you stop me? May I kiss you again? But I shook my head and pressed my palm to his softly smiling lips when he leaned toward me again. — Not until you explain to me what is happening. He stilled, holding my gaze with a dark, burning look that silently commanded me to change my mind and let him do what he wanted — but this time I did not yield, refusing to look away, refusing to let him distract and bewitch me with his kisses, and at last he sighed and stepped back, taking my hand again and drawing me toward the sofa in the sitting room. — Let's sit down. I followed him obediently, still feeling the sweet tingling on my lips from his breathtaking kisses, while the warmth from his broad palm — holding my fingers firmly — slowly crept up my arm. He settled me onto the sofa and sat down beside me, gazing into my eyes and still not releasing my hand from his warm fingers. I watched him carefully, waiting for him to speak, but he simply looked at me as though seeing me for the first time, and I began to grow nervous without meaning to. — Did something happen? — the words left my lips in a quiet whisper, and he closed his eyes for a moment, as though gathering himself, then fixed his gaze on me — pinning me in place. — Do you remember when I told you that everything would change soon? — he said quietly, stroking my hand with gentle fingers. I nodded. — The time has come. — Time? For what? — Time for the crossing. For us to meet in reality, little one. My heart stopped — then launched into a wild gallop. — Truly?.. Can it really be… After all these years, I will… finally know who you are? We will… actually meet? I hadn't even noticed how tightly I'd squeezed his hand in my agitation, and he smiled softly, stroking my knuckles in reassurance. — Truly, my dear. I have never lied to you. — I know, but… I still can't quite believe what you said. — Believe it, my darling. I will be beside you soon, and then… I will never let you go again. — That is all I could ever ask for… — I barely breathed. Our eyes met, and he was the one to lean toward me first, cradling the back of my head in his warm palm and drawing me to him with quiet authority. — Come here… my girl… — his husky whisper dissolved against my lips along with a tender kiss, and he wrapped his arm around my waist and lifted me effortlessly onto his lap, and I gasped involuntarily and clutched at his broad shoulders, my trembling fingers sliding across the black silk of his shirt. He smiled against my neck with quiet satisfaction, pressing his warm lips softly to my skin, while a helpless, sweet sigh escaped me in answer to his touch. — Just like that, my dear… Closer… — he whispered roughly, and without waiting for me to comply, pulled me to him himself — making my chest collide with his broad one and my lips collide with his smiling ones. He was so ardent tonight… His passion was simply staggering, and before long a tortuously sweet languor began to spread rapidly through my entire body, while my legs dissolved into something thick and yielding, scarcely capable of bearing my weight. I hadn't suspected he could be this passionate — but when his burning, velvet lips pressed insistently to mine again, crushing them in the most pleasant way, I was compelled to believe it, and I understood how fiercely he had been holding himself back all this time, afraid to frighten me. But I was no longer afraid. With him I was afraid of nothing. And so I allowed him to lay me back against the cushions without even opening my eyes, trusting him completely. He hovered above me, braced on strong arms, never for a moment ceasing to kiss me — again and again drawing a response from me and making me open to him entirely — pressing the full length of his body against mine, as though he could not get enough of me, could not get enough of our closeness. And though we were already breathing one shared breath — broken and quick — it seemed to me too that he was not close enough. His kisses grew hotter, more insistent, and our breathing grew more ragged, mingling on our lips with quiet sighs and sweet moans I no longer had the strength to suppress. He had never allowed himself to go this far before, but something had shifted imperceptibly in him tonight… and I was utterly, madly glad of it. He was so… impulsive, ardent, passionate… yet still unbearably tender… And he was mine… that thought, above all else, was driving me out of my mind. The rest of the world beyond the walls of that dark room had vanished, dissolved into the thick silver mist, leaving us alone with each other and with our deepest, most secret desires. — I want you to know… You are my most precious treasure, little one… the dearest wish of my heart… I love you… — he whispered roughly, trailing kisses down my neck, and I believed him, following him willingly, understanding that tonight I would let him go as far as he wished… He hovered above me, his gaze darkened with barely restrained desire, and kissed me again — deeply, hotly, sweetly enough to raise goosebumps — and breathed against my lips: — Tonight I will make you mine… …And again his kisses, his touch, his husky whisper made me forget everything… Right up until the moment that cursed alarm broke into my dream once more, yanking me brutally from that blissful warmth and from the arms of my beloved… ...I sighed, struggling to return to reality, surfacing from the sweet intoxicating haze of that heated dream, remembering how I had woken with a sensation of sweet, aching heaviness through my entire body. My lower abdomen was twisted with unbearably pleasant spasms, and my skin burned as though in a fever. I pressed my eyes shut and dragged a hand across my lips, still feeling the insistent pressure of his mouth on them — soft and burning. And I nearly groaned in disappointment as I registered where I was. The cozy cottage lost in blue forests had vanished, dissolved into otherworldly ghostly mist, and I… was alone again in a cold bed. What had happened in that dream was so new and so thrilling that I desperately wanted it to continue. I wanted to feel the intoxicating weight of his strong body, to melt beneath his kisses that nearly scorched my lips and the tips of my fingers as they traced across his skin — he had been so impossibly warm… I closed my eyes, and suddenly felt strong arms wrap around me, the warmth of another body enveloping me from head to toe. The sensation was so real that I flinched and, throwing my eyes open, saw a dark shadow looming over my shoulder above me. The flash of sapphire eyes was so bright it nearly blinded me — and then it was gone, making my heart stumble and freeze in fright. But the vision dissolved almost instantly, and when I spun around in panic, there was no one there. Had there been anyone there at all?.. All I needed now was hallucinations. I groaned and covered my face with both hands, barely whispering: — God… I think I'm losing my mind.