WALPURGIA ✔️

Chapter 13 - I have to do this

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"Are you still angry with me?", I reached for Baldwin who had had turned his broad, bare back towards me the whole night long. I stroke his strong shoulders, traced his arm and the scars on his back. Baldwin kept quiet.

Ever since I had come back from Genevieve, he had been this way.

Silence. Frustration.

When I had arrived back at the inn, I had expected a storm of rage. Instead, he had glared at me so angrily, his eyes had frozen my face. Baldwin had ruffly grabbed my hand and dragged me into our room, locking it behind him.

Now we just laid next to each other.

"I know I promised you to stay but ... something came over me." "Stupidity", Baldwin grumbled, finally. "We can't possibly stay in Strasbourg, Rebecca. That's not what I did back then - now."

Baldwin's eyes held thunderstorms, his whole posture was making itself prominent as he hovered above me. I had to choose my words wisely, since Baldwin's instincts were taking over him now.

Protection. Anger. Dominance.

I couldn't blame him. I would have been scared to death if Baldwin was gone all of a sudden.

"I know", my answer came out calmer than I had thought it would. "I agree. I was stupid for doing that. But it got me a step closer."

An attempt to get his witty mind back and not his vampire urges. "And launched you several back." His tone wasn't as harsh anymore - but held the cruel reality. That was my Baldwin again.

He ran a hand through his curls, sighing.

Baldwin never hesitated to say the truth - meaning he was himself again. Thank god. Sadly, Alexander wasn't as easy to handle.

"But we- I have to stay. I need to get the answers, even if it isn't directly. I promised my people I would. I can't possibly let them down."

Baldwin wanted to say something but held it back. His eyes darted over me, the snowflakes harshly prickling over me and then evened out. His anger was gone.

"I know you can't. I know you don't want to leave. But we can't stay." The room cooled down to a chilly temperature.

He dodged the solution. I knew why too.

Baldwin buried his face between my head and shoulder. I played with his curls.

"No. You can't stay. I, on the other hand, can." I pulled the bedsheet closer. It was freezing cold today.

"You should go back. Take care of your business, your matters. I don't exist in this time; therefore, I have no purpose to fulfil."

Silence filled the room.

My only purpose was to keep him sane.

"You are out of your mind. I'm not leaving you here alone", we said in unison. I already knew what he was thinking before he even formed a thought. "Why not? I can ask Genevieve if I can stay with her."

"Don't make me do this ...", Baldwin's strong voice was a mere whisper. "I have to do this", my voice struggled to be even.

He would never let me be alone. Not here.

Think Rebecca, think.

"I need to stay. I need to find out what her reasoning is. If I don't find out anything, I'll leave. We'll return to our time." "I'm not quite for that ... Genevieve is very secretive. She won't say anything to you, she hoards her secrets as strongly as I do."