Of the Woods

by J A S Bennet

  “Hey, Kermit! Why don’t I get Danny? He’s hot as hell.” She smiled up at him. He then realized what he had just done—set Sheridan up with one of the best-looking, most muscular, and most charming guardians in the forest. He growled at Ava and shoved out the door of the training room while a trail of Ava laughter followed him.

  Sheridan enjoyed the distraction of Danny and his training. She did feel a little spot in her belly that was sad about her encounters with Deaglan. They never seemed to go the way she would want them to. It was a push/pull with him and she didn’t have a clue how to handle it. Neither did he, evidently.

  19

  Emails

  Ava found herself in the library sitting in the chair that held the red blanket. For reasons unknown to her she was always drawn to that chair and that blanket. It was weird. She needed some down time after dinner. She wasn’t quite sure where the rest of the crew was, still training for all she knew or cared. She should probably be in her room working on some emails for work, but she just wanted some quiet.

  Picking up a book she turned it over in her hand and read the title. Pride and Prejudice. Sure, she had read it, seemed like a bunch of bullshit to her. Mr. Darcy was a stuffy asshole. Most women didn’t see him that way, she knew, but she would never find that kind of love. It just wasn’t meant to be for her.

  Pulling herself out of her stupid brain, she decided she’d had enough quiet. She was ready to get back to work; it used to be the only thing that made her feel important, she couldn’t let training completely take over.

  Thinking over a challenge Brecon had given her in training today, she decided to see how ninja she could be. She removed her high heels before sprinting up the stairs two at a time. Her quickness and silent movements in bare feet made her smile. She eased up to her door and sprung it open, prepared to celebrate her newly found stealth mode. Instead, upon opening it, she discovered a very surprised caretaker sitting at her desk with her computer open.

  “What the fuck are you doing on my computer?” She threw down her shoes with a loud crash, which caused Sheridan and Jenny to come running to her room to investigate. Ava turned to them as they sprinted in.

  “What’s going on here?” Jenny could feel the anger rolling off Ava in waves. She’d seen her train. The caretaker, who was going to be on the receiving end, didn’t want any of that.

  “You mean, what the fuck is going on in here, right, Jenny? Because nobody, and I mean nobody, is supposed to touch my computer, the only connection I have to my career, except for Rosin, and even then, only with my permission.” Ava was about to pounce. Somehow, her anger had shifted to Jenny. Her voice was rising several decibels with each word she said.

  Sheridan stood back in the door, observing the situation. She watched the caretaker hit a few keys on the keyboard while Ava was yelling at Jenny.

  “Ava, let’s give her a chance to explain. Then if she doesn’t have a good reason for being in here on your computer, I’ll let you have your way with her.” Jenny’s voice was calm and soothing, and it almost worked.

  “Yeah, why the fuck are you in my room anyway?” At least Ava was back to yelling at the caretaker. Jenny put her arm out to stop Ava from advancing on the petrified woman.

  “Let her speak, please. This could all be a huge misunderstanding. Let’s hear her out.” Jenny was struggling to think of any reason this was happening. She’d be lying if she said she wouldn’t be just as mad as Ava to find someone messing around on her laptop, home to all of her ideas for books to right in the future.

  The caretaker looked at each woman for a second and closed the computer as she stood. “I came in to collect dirty laundry and make the bed. As I walked past the desk, I bumped the computer and it fell to the floor. Knowing how important it is to you, I opened it and turned it on to make sure I hadn’t broken it. I would have contacted Rosin immediately if anything seemed damaged or if it didn’t turn on.”

  Ava crossed her arms and glared. “Really? Cause I think I remember leaving it in my bag next to my desk, not on it.”

  “Yes, well, all I know is that I heard it clunk and wanted to make sure I didn’t damage it. For what it’s worth, it seems to be working fine. I’m sorry for being careless, I will be more careful in the future.” The caretaker was looking more embarrassed the longer she talked.

  Sheridan wasn’t buying it. Her powers of observation were keen. And she knew the caretaker was hiding something. She just didn’t know what.

  “Listen to me and take some fucking notes if necessary. I will be doing my own laundry and making my own bed from now on. Get me my own set of supplies for washing my windows, dusting my surfaces, and cleaning my bathroom. On Sundays, you will leave the vacuum outside of my door first thing in the morning and pick it up an hour later from the same spot. This will leave you with no reason to enter my room again.” Ava paused long enough to crack her knuckles in the most aggressive show of her strength she could come up with on the spot. “Have I made myself crystal clear?”

  “Yes, ma’am. So sorry.” The caretaker began to move toward the door. Ava waited until the last second to step out of the way. Her eyes attempted to commit visual murder from behind as the caretaker skirted around Sheridan and left the room.

  “I’m very proud of you, Ava.” Jenny was beaming.

  “What the fuck? Why?” Ava was not expecting that. She should have realized she never knew what to expect from either of these two. It’s part of their charm, she supposed.

  “I really thought I would have to hold you back to keep you from pounding her face into the floor repeatedly.” Jenny’s smile grew mischievous. “You didn’t make her flinch and you even managed not to blow raspberries in her face.”

  Sheridan giggled. Jenny did, too. And despite being the butt of the joke, Ava snorted a bit as well.

  Sheridan turned to go. “I’m going to head out. I have to work on my landings and I think I have them figured out, but I want to practice. I would rather not land on my ass in front of half the forest and guardian patrol again.”

  “Well, I’m coming.” Ava was already slipping back into her heels.

  “Me too. We still haven’t seen your wings.” Jenny was closing Ava’s door behind them on their way out.

  Sheridan was looking forward to private time in her woods, but she couldn’t think of a good enough reason to deny them. If one of them had sprouted wings and claimed to be able to fly, she would have wanted to see it for herself as well.

  The three women followed a stream in to the woods. The forest was different at dusk. Much different than it was at dawn this morning. The shadows were somehow more ominous, and Sheridan knew the Darkness was lurking behind them.

  The moon above gave them plenty of light to make their way. Sheridan chose this route knowing that more light would shine through without trees to obstruct it. The path beside the stream was well worn. Occasionally, she would notice small footprints. The stream was vital to the lives in these woods.

  “Where are we going? Do you just know the woods instinctively?” Jenny asked.

  “We are going to find a clearing so that I can practice. No, I don’t exactly know the woods like a map in my head. I just trust it and it reveals itself to me.”

  “How are you going to make your wings pop out?” Jenny was full of questions.

  “I have no clue, actually,” Sheridan answered with a frown. She knew the clearing was close. She didn’t know how she knew that, but she did.

  “How far do we have to go before you do your Tinkerbell shit?” Ava was annoyed already.

  Sheridan stopped in her tracks, rolled her eyes and huffed out a breath. She didn’t look back to answer this question. “I am not a fairy, Ava. Get your shit straight. You sound like an idiot. I’m a nymph.” Sheridan continued walking. How did she know what she was? This place was revealing itself to her in ways she didn’t even realize.

  Ava didn’t respond. Sheridan was glad. She was still irritated about their earlier conversation an
d did not want Jenny caught up between them in a full-on fight.

  They came to small pond that had a clearing beside it. It looked to Sheridan as if it would be the perfect place to practice her landings. It had grass that you could sleep on, it was so soft and thick, as well as a patch of clover offering little white flowers for the girls to admire. The water of the pond rippled in the wind and moonlight danced upon its surface.

  Ava came plowing into the clearing. She was graceful and self-assured everywhere—walking through the airport, going up stairs, and during fights in training—but not in the woods. She landed on her hands and knees right behind Sheridan and Jenny.

  Jenny and Sheridan looked at each other and could not hold back. Laughter rang out in the clearing and they could hear laughter in the trees. Sheridan smiled at the woods while Jenny bent over, trying to contain herself by reaching out a hand to help Ava up.

  Sheridan looked to see what Ava may have tripped over. She noticed nothing but flat grass. Then she saw Ava’s high heel wrapped in the grass.

  “You wore heels for a walk in the woods. Really?” Sheridan couldn’t believe what she was seeing. Did this woman have to be so hardheaded all the time?

  Jenny had helped Ava to her feet. “These are the only shoes I have.” Ava said that with her head down and voice low. She seemed embarrassed.

  Sheridan took off her hiking boots and handed them to Ava, who was shaking her head. “I can’t take your shoes.”

  “Trust me, I am barefoot ninety percent of my life. It’s cool. Really.”

  “These are the ugliest shoes I have ever seen,” Ava commented while holding the boots by the tips of her fingers. “Sorry about earlier today. I didn’t mean to make you mad.”

  Sheridan smiled in response. Maybe this was a sign Ava was working on being less Ava-ish.

  “Still, these are fucking disgusting.” Nope, there she was. “Can’t we get something like this in Prada? At least it would match my suit.”

  Sheridan walked to the center of the clearing while Ava put her new “disgusting” boots on. She took a deep breath and spread her arms out wide to greet the woods, the beings within, and the moon. She said a thank you to all of them. This place felt like it had filled a piece of her soul and she was eternally grateful.

  She stripped her shirt off. The night air kissed her skin and she decided to fully embrace her new self. Taking off her shorts and panties, she looked over her shoulder. Both Ava and Jenny were watching her intently, but when they got caught looking they both looked away.

  “It’s okay, y’all, it’s just me. Au naturale.” She looked up at the moon and found within herself a control she didn’t know she had. She gently unfurled her wings. They felt bigger and stronger than before. She then looked down at her body. She had been naked, but now she wore the most beautiful sheer gown she had ever seen. It was forest green and it had threads of copper, the color of fallen leaves, running through it. Her middle was left bare, with leafy material covering only her breasts and upper arms. Upon her head was a crown of ivy and leaves. Her lower arms were bare, as well as her legs. The flowing material floated loosely around her.

  Sheridan reached up to touch her headpiece and noticed something shocking. Her ears. They were pointed. Not completely elfish, but they had a slight point. When she adjusted to the shock of what had just happened to her, she looked back at Jenny and Ava.

  They stood staring at her. No one spoke. Jenny couldn’t even utter a question. She really was a nymph. They had all had an idea of what that would mean but here it was, full-on reality. It was truly shocking.

  Sheridan rose into the air and flew over the pond and the groupings of trees on either side of it. She felt freedom like never before and decided to try that landing thing again. That was why they were there, after all. She flew back to where the other women stood. Slowly, remembering the lesson the falcon had given her, she gently tucked in her wings, landing perfectly in front of Ava and Jenny.

  “Wow. You look so beautiful. I thought you were gorgeous before, but now you look like a goddess.” Jenny smiled at Sheridan and Sheridan gazed down at herself.

  “Turn around, nymph-o, I wanna see those wings of yours,” Ava demanded while giving a little twirl motion.

  Sheridan turned on command and looked back over her shoulder. “What do they look like?”

  “They look like fairy wings for a goddess,” Jenny replied in awe.

  “They are green and sheer. They sparkle and look extremely strong. Wow! You have wings!” Ava seemed to approve.

  Just then they heard a deep cough to the right. Deaglan emerged from the woods. “I’m not stalking you. Just doing my job,” he stated with a less-than-convincing voice.

  Ava and Jenny attempted to discretely head toward the pond, but it was obvious what they were doing.

  “Look, Ava,” Jenny looked around for something to inspect closer, but only came up with, “water.” Jenny was not good at discrete.

  “Smooth, Jenny.” Ava wasn’t either as she was practically clomping around while relearning how to walk without heels on.

  Deaglan acknowledged their disappearing presence with a bow and walked up to Sheridan.

  “Hi,” was all she could muster.

  “Sheridan, you found you.” His eyes were bright and clear, and he smiled the warmest smile at her.

  She looked down at herself. “I guess this is the new me.”

  “This was always who you were. Today, you got to finally be it.” He paused to look her over once again. “You look absolutely beautiful. I have lived my entire life in and around these woods and your beauty surpasses it all.”

  Sheridan’s heart sang. She felt alive, free, and beautiful. She gazed up at him without reserve or shyness.

  He began to lower his head to hers. She licked her lips in anticipation.

  “Do guardians kiss their charges?” she asked. She was suddenly scared that this kiss wouldn’t mean what she wanted it to.

  Right then they heard high-pitched screams from the pond. Both Deaglan and Sheridan bolted into action. He ran toward the women running back toward them.

  “A rock just flew out of the water and hit me!” Ava sounded angry but looked scared.

  Deaglan stopped running and almost fell over laughing. No one else laughed.

  “I swear it happened! I was right there! What is going on?” Jenny needed answers.

  “Water sprites.” That was all he could get out before he fell back into laughter. Sheridan felt that laugh down to her core. This was the sound of her future. She wanted to listen to that laugh for the rest of her life.

  Sheridan took off for the pond. She wanted to see what these things were. Deaglan followed her with a handful of shamrocks he had snagged on his way.

  “Just watch. Jenny, I think you will really like this.” He tossed a handful of the green foliage into the water. Immediately the sprites reacted. They lit up as they swam for the treat he had tossed in.

  “This is their favorite treat. It doesn’t grow in the water so if you want to make friends with them, this is the way to do it.” He handed each of them a few shamrocks.

  Jenny was about to explode with happiness. One of the sprites swam up in front of her. They were blue and green in color. You would have never seen them if they hadn’t lit up like fireflies. They were shaped as a mermaid would be shaped, but smaller like birds, and their tails were flowing and transparent. She threw the treat in and it was snagged right away with a bow and a smile from the sprite.

  “You made a friend.” Deaglan smiled at Jenny and gave her a few more.

  “So why in the hell did I just get hit in the head?” Ava demanded.

  “Well, that could be one of two things. They will do that to scare people away, but I don’t think that’s what it was. Every creature in these woods knows you three are here and why. My guess is they wanted to play. Water sprites are also known as water puppies to some. Here is why.” He proceeded to pick up a rock and throw it halfway across the pon
d. A few seconds later it flew back at him and he caught it with deft hands.

  “Fetch. You have got to be kidding me. I got hit with a rock cause it wanted to play fetch? Isn’t it bad enough we have a human puppy falling all over himself at the castle, now we have to wear helmets because sprites want to play fetch?” Ava proceeded to pick up a rock and throw it. She moved just in time to avoid getting hit once again. Surprising them all, she smiled. Jenny, meanwhile, was picking more treats for her new friends then running back to get more to make more new friends.

  Jenny abruptly stood up, looking around.

  “What is it?” Ava asked while doing the same.

  “Do you hear that?” Jenny was still pivoting her head around in search of something she heard. “That’s it. I have finally gone crazy, haven’t I?”

  “I doubt that. You said you love water, right? The sprites must have picked up on that. They are trying to talk to you, I would imagine. Very few of us can hear them. It takes a very special person to hear what others ignore.” Deaglan gave Jenny a knowing smile. He watched as the women rushed back to the pond to play fetch and make new friends.

  Without a sound, Deaglan was back by Sheridan’s side. She turned toward him, smiling, but became more serious when she saw the look in his eyes.

  “Can I kiss you?” His voice was husky and deep.

  Sheridan nodded without hesitation. She wanted this man. Wanted all of him. He leaned down and gently pressed his lips to hers. Wrapping his arm around her waist, he pulled her body to his. She felt fire inside of her that she had never felt before. She had kissed many men, but nothing had ever felt so consuming.

  Her hand reached up and grabbed on to his strong arm. She had to hold on, she felt as if her legs were going to give out. His lips were soft but demanding and his tongue on hers tasted like heaven.

  He broke the kiss but had his hand on her cheek. They stared into each other’s eyes and his thumb glided across her cheek, slid down, and ran across her now-swollen lips.