He looked around to where I was staring and then looked back at me, “Tell me you’re not a vegetarian.”
“Actually, well-”
“Oh no, I’m sorry. I should have asked first.” He said clearly frustrated with himself, and I decided to let him off the hook easy.
I shook my head, “You’re so gullible. I’m not a vegetarian. I’m a huge carnivore. Honestly, I can’t even remember the last time I had a salad. Give me a hamburger instead of arugula any day.”
He shuddered, “Arugula. I can’t stand the stuff. It’s right up there with bean sprouts and tofu in my opinion.”
I mockingly put a hand on my chest and said, “A man after my own heart. We must be soul mates.”
“I think so,” he said those words softly and from the intense look of his eyes, I wondered if maybe he actually meant it.
I quickly changed the subject, hoping to stick to lighter topics. I realized I didn’t know much about him, so I started there.
“Where are you from?” I asked as our waiter came back with our drink orders.
“I grew up in Canada actually, near Vancouver.”
“Really? I would have never guessed. Did you move here just for school?”
“No. I’ve lived in the U.S. for a while. I’ve traveled a little bit all over.”
“Which places did you like the most?”
“The warm ones,” he said, and I had to smile, even though I felt as if he were being deliberately vague.
We grew quiet as we looked over our menus. I wasn’t disappointed at all; there were so many options to choose from and everything sounded appetizing.
When we finally ordered, we relaxed a little more and I told him about my parents and growing up in Texas. I found it interesting that he liked Texas so much especially given where he was from.
“So life here suits you is what I’m hearing?”
He nodded, “I do really enjoy living here. I plan to go for a PhD though, so I don’t know where I’ll eventually end up.”
I tried to keep the smile I had earlier plastered in place. He planned to leave. I couldn’t get upset with him about that. He wanted to further his education. At least he was upfront about that, so now I knew not to get emotionally invested. I just worried that it was too late. Because I feared, against my better judgment, I already had.
Chapter 4
Dinner with Paul ended earlier than I had wanted it to. That was unfortunate, as I was really enjoying getting to know him. He was smart, funny, easy-going and that voice of his still did sexy things to me whenever I heard it.
It was dark as we were driving back and I didn’t know the area well so I tried to be as cautious as possible. My thoughts were on Paul the whole time. Things between us had escalated really quickly, but if I thought about it, the sexual tension between us had been there for a while, I just refused to acknowledge it. I thought I was just turned on by his voice, but no; it had been more than that. I had wanted him since the first day he walked into my classroom, so confidently.
I felt our entire time knowing each other; each classroom session had been some form of foreplay. And now after dinner, I realized he felt the same way too. I felt an ache between my thighs for him and told myself to calm down. He was set to graduate at the end of the month and I thought then would be the perfect time to explore things between us. He had agreed and we promised to keep our hands away from each other, at least while we were on campus.
I groaned to myself, it was going to be a long four weeks until he graduated. I was so busy bemoaning the lack of sex that I would have to endure until Paul graduated that I didn’t see the creature in the road at first, but then my eyes adjusted to the darkness and I swerved to avoid hitting it. I screamed as my car veered towards a cliff and I stomped on the brakes as hard as I could. My tires squealed as they came to a stop, and just as I thought I was going to be fine; the car started tipping dangerously to the side.
I sat there for a second scared to make a move, knowing that one wrong move would mean me careening off the cliff in my car.
Suddenly I saw a shadow at my window and I jumped, startled. It was just Paul. Unfortunately, as soon as I realized that, I also realized that my abrupt movement had been enough to push the car off its precarious slant, and with a scream I felt the car leaning over, about to fall off the cliff. I closed my eyes as the car tumbled once and then twice, throwing my body side to side and then all was still as it rested against a large tree. I realized that my door was now open as I had crashed into it while falling. I was sore and scared. I knew I was only minutes from dropping down the entire two-hundred feet to the bottom, but there was nothing I could do about it.
A sob broke out of my lips and then before I could move, I felt the car shifting again, about to plunge to the ground, and then I saw Paul, easily holding on to a boulder next to me, yelling for me to take his hand.
“Come on, Sydney, quick!” He shouted through the window at me. My mind scrambled to come up with a way to get to him without jeopardizing my own safety, but I couldn’t think of what to do. If I reached for his hand surely my body weight would make the car fall, but if I didn’t reach for his hand, I would probably be crushed to death in the car.
“I can’t. It’ll fall! I can’t!” I yelled back feeling hysteria bubble up at the idea of my own impending death.
“Trust me, Sydney, just make a jump for it. I’ll catch you. I promise.”
I didn’t know how he planned to do that. In no way could I picture that working. He must have saw the fear and doubt in my eyes, because he began to plead with me.
“Please, Sydney. Give me your hand or you’ll die.”
I looked down at the ground and then up at Paul. I didn’t want to die. As the car again began to slide through the trees, I jumped for Paul’s outstretched hand, screaming the whole time and the car lurched towards the ground, hitting stone and trees before it toppled towards the ground. And my body went with it.
At first, I didn’t understand what was happening. And then terrified, I figured it out. I missed Paul’s hand and I was being pulled down with the car since my foot was now entangled in the seat belt. Paul couldn’t catch me. There was no way he could, and I screamed all the way down, struggling against the seat belt, hanging on to the door for dear life. Rocks and trees cut into my skin as I plummeted down with the car. I was about to close my eyes, not wanting to see my own imminent death when Paul came back into my line of vision. I watched in utter shock as he dashed down the mountain towards me, defying gravity, running full speed towards me. He jumped over boulders, pushed through the trees, looking as if the exercise in saving me was completely effortless. I couldn’t take my eyes off of him as I struggled out of the seatbelt, and as I felt the car leaving my body behind and I began to fall towards the ground on my own. As I continued to scream, Paul jumped for me and I extended my hands and this time he securely wrapped my hand in his and pulled me to him as if I weighed nothing at all.
The car hit the ground. I heard it, but I didn’t see it since my head was buried in Paul’s chest. My arms clung around his neck and I breathed heavily, trying to catch my breath. My entire body was shaking and I realized that the entire time Paul was talking softly to me.
“You’re okay, Sydney. I got you. You’re going to be fine. You’re okay.”
I couldn’t stop shaking and I also started to cry. I stuttered as I said, “Www...What are we going to do now?”
He said simply, “Hang on.” And then with one arm he started to navigate the mountain, scaling it easily, not even winded as he climbed at least fifty feet with me cradled in one of his arms. He then hoisted me up and over the edge, as if I weighed about as much as a leaf. I wasn’t exactly a small woman and yet; he had no problem throwing me over the edge to safety.
I landed with a thump and dragged myself backwards, still breathing heavily. Paul hefted himself up easily and landed gracefully next to me.
I breathed in deeply and just as I was about to ask how
he had been able to do so many of those feats that I had seen, I heard a growl from behind me and the hair on the back of my neck stood up. I turned around slowly, and behind me was apparently the creature that had started this whole ordeal. It was a mountain lion, and apparently it was hungry.
It leapt toward Paul and he went down at the force of its body barreling into his. I screamed and scrambled backwards and I watched as Paul threw it off easily. It didn’t even register being thrown as it leapt instead, towards me. I tried to get up and run but I needn’t have even tried as it sprung on me and knocked me down.
I screamed as its claws sank into my back. I then heard a roar and the giant cat disappeared from my back, taking a layer of my shirt off with it. I flipped over, gasping for breath and the sight before me made me almost faint.
Standing behind me with the mountain lion in its hands was a giant black bear. I looked frantically for Paul. I didn’t see him anywhere. I didn’t know what to do. I jumped up and started to run, calling out for Paul as I did.
I heard a whimper and then a howl. I didn’t bother to look behind me. I knew it was the mountain lion and I also knew that I didn’t have a chance fighting either one of them.
I ran as fast as I could and then I heard the heavy footsteps behind me. I turned around; the bear was heading my way. I started screaming and then the mountain lion appeared again. I instantly came to a stop and the bear came towards me. I was sobbing in fear as they both approached me slowly and then the mountain lion retreated.
I backed up slowly. The bear stood at least seven feet tall and he looked at me. He was ferocious. His mouth was huge and intimidating.
I didn’t know what to do and then the bear’s head snapped back and he let out a roar as his body began to recede into itself. His fur began to shift and in its place was strong human muscles and as the snout began to disappear, a human face began to form. And as I watched, the bear completely disappeared and in the moonlight was now, Paul.
He reached for me and I screamed. He reached again and I kicked out as hard as I could. He was naked and vulnerable hence he couldn’t block one of my kicks and my heel connected with his crotch. He stumbled back, grabbing himself as he went down on his knees.
He groaned my name and I stood up and kicked him in the face this time and ran towards his car. I slammed myself in it and thanked God that the keys were still in the ignition. I started the car, pushed down on the gas and drove the car straight down the road where Paul had been previously. There was no sign of him. I realized that I was shaky and tried to get my head together. I didn’t know what was going on. I had no idea, but all I knew is that I had to get out of there.
I drove towards the resort, still shaking, wondering how I would explain what had happened to anyone. Knowing that no one would believe me.
I felt blood running down my cheek and realized that I had cut my face. It was too bad. I actually liked my face the way it was. With that thought, I knew then that I was getting hysterical.
As I got closer to the resort, I sobbed in gratitude. I parked the car, stumbled out of it and went running toward the entrance. I didn’t make it as a hand grabbed me and yanked me off my feet. It was Paul and he dragged me kicking and screaming back to his car.
“Calm down, Sydney. Calm down. I can explain everything.” He said, his voice exasperated. But there was no way I planned to calm down. I had seen him shape shift from a bear to a man; there was no way I was going to calm down now.
I hit out at him with my fists and kicked him as hard as I could, attempting to bite his hand at one point. He yelped when my teeth came down on his flesh and then he mumbled, “I’m sorry, but you have to go in here until you calm down.”
He banged the trunk open, shoved me in and I screamed the whole time, even when he closed the lid encapsulating me in darkness. I soon felt the car moving and I continued to kick and scream. I kept it up for at least ten minutes until I went hoarse. And then, feeling helpless, I cried silently to myself. What did he plan to do with me?
As the car slowed down, my whole body tensed up and then the car stopped. I could hear footsteps approaching, and Paul opened the trunk. I stared up at him and said, “Please don’t kill me.”
He looked at me as if I were crazy. “Kill you. I saved your life twice tonight and three times since we met and you still think I plan to kill you?”
I couldn’t say a word and then managed to make myself speak, “What are you?”
He sighed, “If you promise not to kick, bite and scratch, I’ll get you out of this trunk and tell you.” He held his hand out to me and I was torn: Could I trust this man beast?
Chapter 5
“What are you?” I said again sitting on the edge of the trunk while Paul stood in front of me. His body was tense as if he were afraid that I would try to escape.
He looked at me. “I’m human, just like you.”
“You-no-you’re not human.”
He nodded, “I am. I just have certain abilities.”
“Like running down mountains and turning into a bear?”
He nodded, “Yep.”
“Yep?”
He shrugged, “I can’t explain what I am. Why do you think I’m so interested in mythical creatures? It’s not just an interest. It’s my obsession. I don’t know how I became this. I was adopted and have no idea who my biological parents are. I’ve traveled everywhere trying to find out more about me, but as far as I know, I’m the only one.” He sounded frustrated and pained about his predicament, if one could call it that.
I immediately felt less fear and more sympathy. “Are you some sort of werewolf?”
He shrugged and laughed harshly, brushing a hand through his hair. I then noticed that his hand was cut open and dried blood caked the wound. A souvenir from the mountain lion, I thought wryly to myself.
I immediately reached for his hand, forgetting that only minutes ago I had been pleading for him not to kill me. As he said, he had rescued me multiple times. If he meant me any harm, then he could have let me die. Speaking of which...
“That was you that night on the campus? You saved me? I wasn’t attacked by an animal. That was a man who grabbed me.”
He nodded, “When he saw me change to bear-form I scared him so bad, he started to have a heart attack.”
“Excuse me?”
He sighed, “He literally grabbed his heart and hit the ground right then and there. I tossed him into the dumpster. The problem was, I had already turned into a bear. People saw me, as a bear that is, so I had to come up with a good enough story. I left you behind the bushes. You had fainted anyway and I just slipped my clothes back on when I transformed back into a human. It took only a minute and then I drove you to the hospital and called your parents. Their number was in your cellphone.”
I couldn’t get past the other statement he made, “So you left the other guy in the dumpster? Was he still alive?”
He shrugged, “I didn’t particularly care to check. I could only imagine what he planned to do to you and I made sure he didn’t do it.”
I nodded. He had a point. I couldn’t even let my mind think about what that man might have done to me if Paul hadn’t saved me when he did.
“So what’s next?” I asked him.
He looked towards the full moon and said, “I don’t know. I still plan to try to find out more about my kind. Travel the world. Do more research. Someone must know something.”
“And you plan to do this alone?”
“Yeah. Absolutely.” He then paused and said, “Not that I would turn away any company.”
He approached me and I said, “Paul?”
“Yeah,” he was now leaning down to kiss me.
“You’re naked.”
He laughed, “And you would be right.”
His mouth covered mine and I didn’t think about anything else as he wrapped his arms around me and picked me up leading me to the backseat of the car.
Both of us had scratches and bruises, but at that mome
nt, it didn’t matter. He pushed me down into the backseat and pulled at my jeans. They got tangled around my ankles and I tried to push them off. Frustrated, Paul pulled them off for me, pushing my panties down in the same effort. I tried not to think too much about what had happened earlier in the evening. I was done thinking about humans shifting into animal form or hungry mountain lions in the Texas hills. Or about potential killers hiding in the bushes. If I learned anything in the past month, it was that I was safe with him. And so as he tossed my shirt to the side and began kissing my exposed breasts and tugging at my bra; I more than welcomed his touch. I sighed as his mouth covered mine, and he brought his hand up between my legs to touch the wetness of my sex. I practically purred when he slid his finger into me. In the cramped backseat with my head pressed against the door and my legs wrapped around Paul’s waist, there was no place at that moment that I would have rather been.
And as he wasted no time sliding into me, I screamed his name.
He planted a wet, open-mouth kiss on my lips while he moved in and out of me, taking his time thrusting into me. He then lowered his head a little and began to plant the same types of kisses across my breasts, pausing at my nipples to bring one and then the other into his mouth.
“Paul,” I whispered hotly. My skin was on fire. My sex quivered around his own and I had to stop myself from coming. I was that turned on. He grunted and started moving deeper inside of me, stretching me with each thrust. I didn’t say a word, I just wrapped my arms around his neck and let my hands wander across his shoulders. He felt good, so delicious and I wanted more of him. I attempted to spread my legs wider and he gripped my hips and started moving in and out of me at a faster pace.
We were both slick with sweat and couldn’t get enough of each other. I forced my hips up, hoping I could take in more of him, but I couldn’t. He laughed and pushed inside of me again, making it clear that he was controlling every aspect of our encounter.
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