CHAPTER TWO: A FIERY FURNACE

Time passed; days, a full month and still no sign of him. Astrid was starting to feel attached to a stranger whom she'd met only once. His presence held a strong attachment as her heart slowly yearned for him. In a short time, she had grown some sort of side attraction to this unknown stranger she met many moonlights ago. It was like a leaf, slowly creeping into the roots of her affections without her knowledge. The thoughts of the mystery man had started to wander randomly in her mind at every given opportunity, making her concerned for herself.

Slowly falling in love with the absence of another had made her consumed. She wondered about when the feeling of loneliness over her thoughts, desperately hoping that that her longing would end soon. Unsure of what to do, she tried to move past the entire situation. Finding meaning in other things that were worth taking notice of wasn't as effective as she thought. The never ending suspense was driving her insanely stressed, trying to divert her feelings for subtle things. Yet her favorite things still brought attachment to this stranger whom she had met weeks ago.

Taking long silent walks brought back rushing memories of her nervousness around him. "If we hadn't met, it would have been so much easier" she thought as perplexion flooded her sanity.

Astrid couldn't help but feel a distinct mix of emotions surrounding her. Frustrated that the thoughts of him keep encircling her mind, yet happy that she remembers every detail of their last encounter with each other. She desperately wanted to control her thoughts but it seemed like a strong wave passing through the tides of her feeble mind.

Deep inside of her, she worried that her memories would fade away and the stranger would be nothing but a slowly disappearing mirage in her head. She felt indecisive about what to do about her burning passion, which felt one-sided.

The bond was quite strong, beyond what she could understand but there was nothing she could do about it. In time, the burning anticipation had grown, leaving her with a throbbing desire to have the slightest conversation with Abaddon once more. Every moonlight, she'd sit beside her window, hoping to catch a rare glimpse of him walking in the woods—the man from hell. She took leisure in taking the quiet strolls through the night, like a damsel in distress waiting for her shining knight. It had become more than a mere thought to her; an obsessive consciousness that fought its way through her memories. It had slowly began to feel like a dream she desperately wanted to become reality.

Sighing throughout the night, she hoped that in time she'd slowly realize that the brief encounter with him was a mere coincidence and nothing more than faint possibilities of hope, lingering deep in her heart. It was a dangerous game Astrid was playing her hands into but she seemed already too intoxicated to realize it. She knew that her fragile self was no match for him but her heart yearned for more.

The unexplained attraction to the stranger she saw at dusk had made her become a striking contrast of normal herself, led by a desire beyond her control. Astrid sat beside her bedroom window on sunsets to reminisce on her one-side affection which she had come to know, the burning passion that stole her right frame of mind.

There was not much she could do, as her estranged love character was nowhere to be seen except in her wandering thoughts and melancholic poetry of burning love for the one whom she knew little of yet so strongly desired.

On the other side, it was a well thought-out plan. A calculated movement of passion in the entangled web of Abaddon's thoughts; he knew well to plant a seed of desire in Astrid—a longing that burned the more she thought about him. Wanting to be the center of her desires with each breath she took, slowly walking her into the walls of his enflamed thoughts as her heart struck with uncertainties from her lingered feelings.

He wanted to make an impression, which he did in a matter of days. Astrid had wished to see him once more but had begun to accept the reality. She was better off with the little memory of butterflies in her stomach than the frustration of anticipating the unknown. It was time to move on with the memories, she thought.

Abaddon smiled as he could sense the desire for him brewing in her heart.

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One moody moonlight, he left a note beside her window to end the suffering she must have felt for what seemed to be a lifetime. Staring at the same gloomy moon that night Astrid sighed yet again, the clouds moving slowly as the night grew cold. It had become a thing of occurrence for her to moon-bathe, ravishing herself in the moon's beauty. As she tucked her strand of hair at the back of her ears, her eyes caught a glimpse of the note lying peacefully on her window blinds.

She had thought it was nothing, perhaps some random paper the wind brought its hands but was soon caught by surprise to find a slanted poem beautifully written in dark ink, like calligraphy. As she read through the letters in her heart, slowly assimilating each word piece written a smile shone radiantly on her red lips, expressing what her jolting heart had long been expecting.

Astrid walked past her front door, the notes echoing in her mind as she walked through the forest. She walked stiffly like she was been controlled, webbed in the spell of desire, curious to find him. Her eyes searching restlessly throughout the forest. Astrid stopped and inhaled deeply, wondering why he left her a note instead of meeting her in person. The notes whispered in her ears one last time before she called out his name.

"The moon is blue."

The night is dark.

My soul wanders for nothing, but the thing I lack...

A lonely damsel, a striking beauty...

Darling Astrid, I met at dusk.

Come with me...to the place we met.

A lonely place...where the quiet ones rest

for I have found room in your feeble heart.

I have known solace in your fragile hands...

The moon is blue, and the night is dark.

"Let's light our hearts in this beautiful space."

-Your Knight from the underworld..

"Hello...Abaddon... you there?" Astrid called out in a firm yet lingering fear-hovered voice, sending discomfort within her belly. In a little while, she met an reflection coming closer in resemblance to the man she knew. Her heart fluttered as she couldn't bring herself to stare into his eyes, knowing what she had long desired had come right before her.

Abaddon smiled, "I'm right here, Astrid.". He knew she was uncomfortable yet he loved watching her nervous. The longer he stared, the more he realized how truly innocent she was. He held out her hand, staring into her eyes in an alpha-masculine tone. "I want you for myself, Astrid; I want nothing more than to have you for myself."

Astrid knew it was dangerous to fall in love with him, a complete stranger but she was too intoxicated by love's grip to back down. They had grown such a unique bond in a short time, which all started from a split second glance. It felt real, the love between them and how much they burned for each other. The moment, igniting a fire between them .

For days on weeks their passion overflowed its boarders, reaching new ecstasy beyond measures. Abaddon was the opposite of who he was when he was around her. Her presence illuminated a different sense of calmness, like the scent of lavender soothing the mind.

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The calming weather saturated the atmospheres, swaying the trees in a peaceful rhythm as darkness engulfed the moon. Astrid was in her room pacing calmly about when her lit scented candles began to trip off, leaving the room in cold darkness. The waves grew stronger as she walked to the window side, her hair flowing in all directions as her linen gown swept backwards.

Astrid could hear her heart race faster as she felt a soft breath of air being exhaled behind her neck. A loud scream tried to escape her mouth but a swift whisper calmed her nerves as it sank through her ears. "Don't get scared. It's me." I want to have you, Astrid... let me hold you in my arms, love..." Feeling anxious she whispered, feeling his touch.. "But I can't see you... Its dark. I want to look into your eyes..."

Abaddon gently caressed the sides of her waist slowly, leaving Astrid gasping for more. He kissed her lips and whispered, "You can feel my touch... that's all that matters." Astrid closed her eyes, inhaling deeply as his hands trailed their way around her fragile body. He placed her on the soft bed, trailing kisses from her neck down the midline between her breasts. He looked up, staring at her, hungrily. "You're mine, Astrid...mine."

Ripping off her linen gown, he kissed her thighs gently, letting out a soft squirm from her lips. He played his tongue around her nipples, sending a chill down her spine. Piercing mildly against her skin, he gripped her thighs firmly, Lowering his head in between them, lubricating her clitoris with his wet lips. Astrid moaned in intense passion, "Urgh..I'm all yours...all yours.." Her words intensified his rhythm as he gently squeezed her bosoms.

The rain poured heavily as he made his way into her, letting out a scream from her soft lips in both pleasure and pain. The passion between them intensified, creating a huge circle of fire around the room. Abaddon's demonic feature gained its full expression as his eyes burned with flames at the desire for more of her. In intensifying pleasure, he gripped her body, thrusting harder with each surge of ecstasy he absorbed. Astrid was lost in desire for more as she took in every painful part of him, gradually leading its way into sweet, painless pleasure.

Finally, he held her close, making contact with her soft skin, her head resting gently on his broad chest. "I love you, Astrid." he muffled in deep breaths. She smiled and had barely said the word "I love you too... " before she dozed off.

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She had made love with the demon she feared yet desired for many nights, A passion that she had never felt before. Love had depicted a new meaning for her, a different experience she never envisioned. All she knew was that love rested in her heart for him, and that was all that made sense.

Astrid was in love but had no idea the fatal implications. Uncertain yet willing to risk it all again for another night with her mysterious lover. Waking up in the morning alone in the bed with the sheets scattered she smiled, knowing well that he had left at dawn. A trial of happiness lingered in her heart as she felt a sudden sense of relief, slowly getting comfortable in his mysterious aura.