Part 14 (1/2)

He found Markus at a bench, nursing an empty tankard Krisztina sat beside him When they spied him, their eyes widened in surprise Markus ju him hard on the back Krisztina welcomed him with a smile that e seeing her without a fog of alcohol clouding his judgement She aroused him still, but she was not as pretty as he rereeting at her, noting as he did that she wore the sarubby and stained, but accentuated her curves no less as a result

He suggested drinks and Markus congratulated hi backas his friend related the week's events, the highlight of which seemed to have been a riverside collision between aa barrel of spoiled fish

They talked, joked, drank As the beer flowed, and Markus becalances with Krisztina, and her flirtation becaainst his and he almost leaped off his stool with surprise He cursed hi

Finally Markus, red-faced, pulled hi into the noise of the crowd

Heart racing, Lukacs met Krisztina's eyes 'I would ask an imposition of you, if you would allow it'

The corners of her mouth twitched She leaned forward and planted her elbows on the table, cradling her chin on her fingers 'I would allow it'

He cleared his throat, stared at the table 'There's so I would like to discuss with you Alone'

'I see'

Lukacs glanced back up at her Her expression was flat, one eyebrow raised in a challenge He decided to test his luck 'Your answer?'

Her sued to hear what it is'

'Good I confess, though, I don't kno to engineer an opportunity for me to tell you without'

'Markus'

'You see my dilemma'

She chewed her botto, on the riverbank?'

He nodded Krisztina opened her mouth to continue just as Markus arrived back at the table She clamped her lips shut

Frustrated, Lukacs ordered more drinks They bantered for another hour By the time Krisztina stood up, he was drunk

She placed a hand on her chest and turned to Markus 'You know, I think I'ues to it I've an early start, and last week my head hurt all day after you both led , Markus waved her off Lukacs continued to drink for another ten minutes, then picked up his coat

Markus frowned 'You're going too? Already?'

'Things to do, I'm afraid,' he said 'But I enjoyed it' He rolled soh'

Markus snatched up the entleain?'

'Oh, I'll definitely see you again'

Shrugging on his frock coat as he left the tavern, Lukacs hurried down to the river Night had fallen, and the moon was hidden behind a bank of cloud It was far darker along the riverbank than he had been expecting

He found Krisztina leaning up against the statue of Franz Joseph She pushed herself away from it as he approached, and fell in step with hi,' she said

Lukacs nodded He stole glances at her as they strolled along the bank, and she met his eyes once, her expression unreadable The expectation that hung between them was palpable The air crackled with it He told himself to savour the moment, and he tried to absorb every detail of her: the swish of her dress as it rubbed against her legs, the sway of her hips, the taunting shadow of her cleavage

'For someone anted to talk,' she said, 'you're re the water He leaned against it Krisztina caht he could feel the heat radiating from her

For the first time he noticed her smell Not the delicate perfume of the coiffured hosszu elet ladies This was an earthy smell, a musk of sweat and woman and sex that filled his nose, overpowered his airways and inflamed him It made him feel nervous and joyous and invincible all at once

'You know exactly what you do, don't you?' he said

She turned towards him and looked up, her face inches from his own 'Do I?'

Lukacs reached out and pulled her to hi hisher lips and pushi+ng her tongue into his ed at the filthiness of the act yet fired with lust as their saliva led and he tasted her

Her hands reached up to caress his shoulders They ered there as the kiss deepened, and then with unexpected force she shoved hireedy for hiet, Lukacs I'd love to, but no ?' He er

'You Me This It's wrong, and we both know it Markus ot with him has a future, at least This doesn't'

Lukacs frowned 'Why not?' He lunged at her but she pushed hi? Look at you your fine clothes, your gold watch I've never seen such wealth so naively displayed I live in a house with two roos My father works the river and I wash linen for a pittance You'll ride hoe, no doubt I knohat you want And I' tempted But it's not yours to take'

His lust, frustrated, became annoyance 'Why isn't it?'

Krisztina's eyebrows creased and her eyes flashed with anger 'You think your purse can buy a night with hts with you'

She slapped him

He slapped her back Hard

Krisztina cried out, nation than pain She touched her hand to her cheek Eyes narrowed, she backed away froain, Lukacs,' she spat Gathering up her skirts, shewhere he had slapped her cheek He was breathing hard: froered in his nostrils, her taste on his lips He watched her stride along the bank of the Danube until the night wrapped her up in its arer becazet was conducted without masks It represented the symbolic entry of the hosszu eletek youth into adulthood, and allowed the participants to interact free of the constrictions of childhood It was also the first time the celebrants could make known any interest they bore Potential partnershi+ps would be weighed and judged by the tanacs at the final vegzet Appropriate in

Although he did not consider it a blessing, Lukacs knew that to have two siblings was a rarity Hosszu eletek did not produce offspring easily, and even then for only a short period in their lives The low birth count, along with the extreevity, meant that the entire community had an interest in the successful courtshi+ps of its youth

Lukacs had beenalternative preparations