The cemetery was quiet. A small snowflake caught in her eyelash, but melted quickly. She dried her eyes with the sleeve of her white nun habit. Two bouquets of fresh wine-red roses rested against two large gravestones before her. They were the graves of her foster mother, Bishop Laura Vitez and the Marquis of Hungary, Gyula Kadar. She quietly whispered a prayer. Suddenly, a black crow flew through the thick snow-laced trees, cawing noisily until it was out of sight.
"Esther…" Her name danced off his tongue affectionately, as he grasped her cold fingers, warming them with both his hands. Esther shuddered from his touch. His young handsome face gave him the appearance of an angel with eyes the color of tea. His untidy dark brown hair fell over his eyes and reached to his shoulders. His mouth perked into a sensuous grin. Snow floated down around them from the pale heavens above and melted against their clothes. Hot tears welled up in Esther's dark blue eyes. Dietrich placed his thumb and index finger under her jaw, lifting her gaze to only him. "Am I making you cry again, Esther?"
"Dietrich...why…do you do these things?"
Dietrich's eyes widened, perplexed by her question. "I'm sorry, Esther. It is fun tricking people who place so much hope in others." He laughed softly. "Dear Esther..." He ran two of his fingers down a strand of her sleek dark red hair. "I really do love you." His eyes lingered on her. "I do admit I have gone too far on more than one occasion…" Esther stared sorely into his eyes.
"Igne Natura Renovatur Integra…..This world will end…and the new world will be reborn from the flames." He whispered softly into her ear. She was alarmed when he suddenly scowled at her. "When you lose all of your innocence, will you still be able to smile…Esther?" Tears had already started to run down Esther's face, even though she had tried to force herself not to cry in front of him. Dietrich reached a hand out towards Esther. Esther timidly shrunk back away from him. "Es...ther…" To their surprise, the snow had stopped falling. The sun, only but a blurry golden orb hid behind the white mass of sky. "…Dietrich… you were there for me after Bishop Laura died…you were…my partner…here in Istavan…and at that time…I thought that it was just you and me…against the vampires …but you were lying to me…everything was a lie." She fought back the tears.
"Wrong…Esther. That I liked you…isn't a lie." Dietrich smiled warmly. His cheek brushed against hers as he leaned closer to her. He grasped her icy right hand gently. "This is my apology….for making you cry again." His soft lips lightly brushed hers. Esther trembled. A prickly sensation spread over her skin but she was also warm as if she was being heated from the inside. Her heart shriveled with every beat. Drops of her tears plopped under Dietrich's eye and slid down his cheek. His scent was fresh and sweet, like roses in spring. "My strings have hold of you, Esther." His face turned away from hers and Dietrich took a couple steps back, with his usual clever grin. "Don't cry, Esther. It does not suit you. I very much enjoy that fiery determination in your eyes...especially in desperate times. Just as a nun should, you have faith, Esther." When Dietrich turned his back on her, Esther wanted to reach out for him, to grab at his black leather jacket, his hand, anything to keep him from leaving.
"Dietrich!" Esther cried out after him. She treaded a few steps forward but sank deep, falling hard on her face in the cold snow. "Dietrich, wait!" Dietrich glanced back at her, in surprise, but then smiled in amusement. "One of the many things I love about you, Esther..." He trudged through the snow over to her and leaned down, crossing his arms over his knees. "You are pitiful…like a butterfly caught in a spider's web." Dietrich raised Esther's frostbitten hands to his lips. His hot breath melted the frost around her hands.
"Stay with me, my puppet."