I soared through the clouds over the ancient countryside, the breezes chilling me even as the evening sun's disappearing rays warmed me. It had been nearly a hundred years since I last visited this part of the Earth. I wondered what changes I would find.
The fields glowed green and gold, the autumn air crisp in the growing gloom. The Carpathian mountains stretched as they had for millenia, a smudge on the horizon in front of me, a shadow as the dying sun reflected on them.
As I approached one of their tiny stone villages, I spied a lovely young woman singing and swinging a basket of vegetables on her arm as she walked from the fields, heading to her simple home at the end of another day. Curious about how the mortals had changed since my last walk amongst them, I turned and glided above her in the deepening shadows.
She walked unaware of my presence, as Angels can only be seen by mortals when we choose to be seen. I landed behind her, walking close to her, enjoying her dark hair and olive skin and voice lilting in ancient harvest song. "Very young," I remember thinking, "not more than 20 years old." Dress amongst these people had changed little in the hundred years or more since I last came here. Her skirts fell below her knees, revealing her dusty bare feet. Her apron pockets bulged with more vegetables, which she unloaded as she entered the house onto a square wooden table near the fireplace. She stirred the fire, adding wood to build it up. Evenings are cold in the foothills at that time of year.
She moved toward a basin, pouring water from the pitcher. She used as rag to wipe her face and hands, slowly unbuttoning her blouse to rinse dried sweat from her neck. She splashed water on her fair face, the water dripping down her and catching like jewels in her long sooty lashes in the firelight. She picked up a rough cloth to dry her face. Her hands slowly unbuttoned the simple bodice of her dress more, revealing beautiful breasts with dark nipples. She dried her chest, the cool air causing her nipples to respond, just a bit.
She paused, then seemed frozen in place. She stared across the room towards me, and I nearly panicked, wondering if I'd somehow been discovered. Her skin prickled visibly, her nipples distending in fear, and it was only then that my panic allowed me to sense the third presence in the room.
I turned to look for this presence but stopped as I saw two glowing red eyes suddenly materialize behind the girl. They stared unmovingly not at the girl but directly at me; their merciless glow reaching deep into my soul, binding me. I was scared, and I was not accustomed to being afraid of anything. My fear grew exponentially as I realized that I, too, was helpless against this intruder.
A being slowly came into the light, and the redness faded from its eyes as it does from the eyes of hunters. He looked absolutely normal then, but more handsome than any mortal I had ever encountered in all my long, long years. He had long dark hair curling about his ears and neck and the palest of grey eyes, still able to fix me as they had when they appeared as coals. His skin was unnaturally pale and his face was planed with high delicate bones, giving him the look of royalty. His lips were quite red, sensually full and lush. To my great surprise, my terror was shot with a physical desire such as I had never known. My lust made me more afraid than ever because I had never felt it before, either.
This man was dressed in black clothes that suited his coloring and made him even more attractive; he had the look of the minions of the archangel Lucifer. But this evil looking creature was human and immortal simultaneously. My senses reeled in mental and physical confusion of so many unexpected and new thoughts and feelings. The beast moved slowly behind the girl, who was motionless as a bird hypnotized by a snake. He approached her slowly, her body trembling as he came. His eyes never left mine.
And then he smiled.
Oh, God, I whispered, for suddenly I knew. His white teeth were framed by long fangs, shattering the image of humanity. The dark shadows on his face contrasted bleakly with the bright ivory. His smile twisted his face cruelly, somehow adding to its beauty. He knew I was afraid, knew I was completely defenseless against him, and he was enjoying it.
"Watch my lovely angel. Watch and learn," he whispered.
