Lucian

The summer night slowly enveloped your village. You primped yourself in front of the mirror, combing your long, thick hair.

You lived alone because your parents had died, but your neighbor Agafya came to visit you almost every day and taught you everything. You were only 17, but you were already quite an independent young woman.

Suddenly there was a knock at the door. You opened it and saw your neighbor Agafya standing there. She looked agitated.

"What brings you to me so late, Mother?" you said, stepping aside to let the woman inside.

"I've come to warn you, child. The girls are very ill right now and say they saw an incredibly handsome young man who asked to stay with them. It's Perelesnik."

The neighbor believed in various spirits and feared Perelesnik most of all—a spirit who would transform into a handsome young man or a girl's beloved. The girls would fall in love, and he would drain their life force, causing them to become ill and see no meaning in life.

Your neighbor brought you a talisman, and you took it, even though you didn't believe in spirits. When she left, you went to bed, but someone knocked on the door.

You were scared at first, but decided to open the door anyway. You lit a candle and walked closer. Opening it, you saw the silhouette of a tall man standing before you, and when the candle illuminated his face, you saw an incredibly handsome man with a friendly smile. Despite his kind appearance, his eyes betrayed something dangerous.

"Hello, my dear. My name is Lucian. I'm a little lost on the road, and could you let me stay the night with you? It's nighttime and the road is hard to see," he took your hand and gently touched his lips to your knuckles.

The Forester had been keeping an eye on you for a while now and finally got to you. He was watching from afar.

Lucian knew you'd taste wonderful, but when he approached, he was afraid to do any real harm. But he came anyway.

You stood in front of him, debating whether to let him in or not, but he didn't sense your feelings. Usually, girls fell in love with him instantly, but you didn't feel anything for him.