by Kara Jones
"Soon, I will have to tell you about me, but first... coffee," and he stood up to saunter over to the stove.
He brewed the coffee and grabbed two cups before splashing in some cream and plopping in two sugar cubes.
"You look like you need this," he handed her a cup.
"More than ever," she breathed in the rich aroma and felt it revive her.
"I'm no ordinary man," he sat back down and began to explain. "Or rather, sometimes, I am not even a man."
"I don't follow," Rochelle, worried she was about to hear the ramblings of a mad man, interjected. "I'm positive I hit a bear last night. I mean I saw a bear! And what are you even doing living out here? And what's with the creepy ornaments?" she pointed down the hall. "And what happened to your injuries?"
She'd built herself up into a frenzy with all the questions and stood up before pacing up and down the kitchen. Reuben watched her with quiet amusement and looked up and down her lithe figure. She was pretty for sure; he couldn't deny that, but it had been so long since he'd been with a woman.
His eyes then drifted to the window and he looked at the leaves on the trees. For a moment, they looked as though they were glittering beneath the sunlight with the wind blowing them in waves. It made him think of the sea, but there wasn’t much that didn’t. Thinking back to his Navy Seal days, he had a deep longing in his gut. There used to be a time when all he lived for was the savagery and violence of the battlefield. But now, he found himself thinking about settling down with a family. Looking up to the girl once again, he noticed she had the most perfect child-bearing hips and a thought came to his mind. It made him giddy inside, but he dismissed it and looked down to fiddle with a loose thread on his shirt.
"I guess you'll find your answers eventually," he drained his cup before clearing the table. "But, let's go for a walk eh?"
A walk was the last thing Rochelle wanted to do, but as they reached the outdoors again, she was instantly mesmerized by the beauty of the forest.
"This isn't a part of the woods I recognize. Actually, it looks nothing like anything I've ever seen. It's like something from a fairy tale."
"Who says it isn't," Reuben gave her a wry smile.
As they reached the rose bushes, Rochelle ran her fingers over the top of the petals as she walked. She'd never seen flowers like it. They were vibrant and enormous, as if they'd been painted. The smell was to die for and she inhaled a deep breath of the rosy air.
"This place is so beautiful," she smiled.
"I think so too," he agreed, as he looked at her glowing face. "I think it suits you out here."
Again, Rochelle blushed and looked to the grass as she walked. Somehow, it seemed greener than back home, and then a thought came to her. What if the crash knocked me out and I'm in a coma imagining all of this? Then, she dismissed the thought, as a fawn walked out of the trees in front of her and stopped.
"Ok this is definitely not happening," she giggled, as it approached and nuzzled into her hand. "What even is this place?"
"Why don't you stop with all the questions," he chuckled. "I have some of my own too."
"Oh yeah?"
"Yeah! Like what were you doing out on that road all alone in the middle of the night, and why did you crash into me? You could have killed me!" his voice changed, as he remembered the pain she'd inflicted.
"I'm sorry! I just don’t know what to say. I’m just so sorry.”
Reuben nodded in understanding.
“Accidents happen I guess. Plus, I’m alright now, ain’t I?”
“I don’t understand. You just healed up overnight?”
He didn’t answer.
“And there’s something else,” she wasn’t stopping her line of questioning. “Last night, when I found you, you said ‘they’ll hear us’. Who are they?”
“Wolves. The wolves can hear everything,” he explained.
She thought about the head above the fireplace and shuddered.
“What’s going on here?”
Reuben sighed and looked to the ground knowing he’d have to tell her sooner or later.
“You really want to know?
“More than anything.”
“Alright, but you got some explaining to do too.”
Chapter 7
Deputy Terry Wilkins was driving at speed along the open road. The sun was shining down on the land ahead, drying the soaking ground. The words of the sheriff were hanging in his mind and making him uneasy. He knew about his family life and what went on behind closed doors. Just like everyone else, he'd heard the rumors and knew that Redshaw ran his home like a tyrant. It was then no surprise that Anna had left home as soon as she could, but Rochelle? She wasn't the irrational type and the deputy thought she'd be hanging around for a long while yet.
There was only one road that left the sheriff's house and it wound around the mountain side, cutting through the trees to make a magnificent path. Wilkins thought the mountains seemed almost magical with the way they changed shape and color with the weather. And; of course, there were rumors about the nearby woods too.
As he drove down the side of the mountain into the shaded side of the land, he got a shiver across the back of his neck and he shuddered. He'd grown up in these parts and knew the stories well. The Devil's Wood, that's what the forest was called by the locals. The deputy didn't know how much the Devil had visited these parts, but he sure knew that there was something spooky going on in the dense woodland.
Most people that went in never came back out and the area had long been steeped in folklore. Witches had garnished the land centuries ago, and the trees they were hung from still stood. It was said that to evade capture, they often morphed into the shapes of wild animals and scattered across the mountain top. Wilkins wasn't sure about that either, but he couldn't deny the creepy atmosphere that covered the place like a shroud.
Often, the local police officers wouldn't drive this way alone after dark, and even Wilkins tried to avoid it. It was then unfortunate that the sheriff lived out here, but he suited the place well with his dark, foreboding personality and towering body.
It was then a terrible shock when Wilkins saw a glint of metal further up the road and, as he approached, he recognized it as Rochelle's car. He braked hard and jumped out to check if she was ok. As he reached the front of the car, he saw it was empty and his heart sank. He'd been worried out of his mind about the girl since he'd heard she was missing. He'd known her since she was a baby and his own children went to school with her. There were times when he'd even thought of the sheriff's kids as part of his own family. Yet, it seemed odd to him that he seemed more concerned about Rochelle than her own father.
He looked around the car to assess the damage and was worried again by the sight of the damage along the hood. "What the heck?" he bent down to get a better look and saw that the metal of the car's hood had been bent and warped. He surmised that it must have hit something enormous to create such terrible damage, and he hoped to God she wasn't injured.
He was still trying to figure out what she could have crashed into when he caught sight of a few mysterious strands flapping in the breeze. Kneeling down with his face up close to the vehicle, he picked out the wiry brown hairs that were clinging to the fractured metal. Then, he saw the spattering of blood that was sprinkled nearby. She must have hit a boar or a deer, he thought, as he nodded to himself. Yeah, that'll be it, but where is she?
Checking inside the front of the car, he saw the airbags hadn't been activated and there were no signs of her blood on the dashboard. Hmmm.... so she can't be too injured then.
The rain had lashed down like a monsoon the night before, so there was fresh mud touching the surface of the road. Wilkins couldn't help but notice the way one solitary streak seemed to stretch out from the car and into the woods. He was a trained tracker and had been hunting since childhood, so he knew how to find an animal or a human who had wandered into the woods.
"What the heck was she thinking?"
He
took a few tentative steps into the woodland and saw a trampled bath of leaves spread out before him.
"Well, I guess I'm heading this way," he spoke to himself, as he put his hand on his gun and got ready for a long walk.
Chapter 8
Rochelle and Reuben had settled back inside the cabin with their feet up on the table and their achy limbs being warmed by the fire. Rochelle thought it could have been quite romantic and she turned to look at the young man beside her with his chiseled cheek bones and perfectly symmetrical profile.
"So, how old are you?" she blurted out.
He turned to her, startled.
"Well, you don't waste any time."
"You said you'd explain everything, so you first. How old are you?"
"I don't have an age. I'm as old as I want to be with as many years lived as the stars," he smiled.
"That's a dumb answer!" Rochelle didn't seem impressed. "Can't you just answer a question properly for once?"
"But, I'm not lying," his voice was so low it was almost a whisper.
There was such intensity in his eyes that Rochelle didn't think to question whether he was telling the truth again. A glance from him was like being kissed by history, and she felt he was more than just a man.
"I'm nineteen," she said rather suddenly.
"I remember being nineteen," he chuckled. "Such a long while ago now," and his gaze drifted into the fire, as he lost himself in his memories.
"So...." she continued, "The wolves. What's the story with them?"
Reuben's eyes went stormy as he thought of them. He spent a long while thinking over what he should say and his vehemence was barely hidden when he spat:
"They've been our rivals for far too long," then he went silent once more.
"The head," she pointed above the fireplace. "Was he your rival?"
"He was their leader....a long time ago," and he looked at the trophy with pride, swelling out his chest.
"This is all so strange. I think I might still be dreaming."
"I think it's time I ask you some questions," he turned to her and reached out a hand to touch her arm.
She instinctively thought she should pull away, but there was a glorious warmth and energy coming from his touch and she wanted him to feel more of it. Blushing at the thought of his hands on her she looked to the floor.
"Ask me anything," she said.
"Who are you? And what were you doing out there?"
"I live here," she answered dryly. "Well, I did until last night."
"You live out here in the woods?"
"No; in the house up on the side of the valley."
"Oh.... And why were you in such a hurry?"
"I was escaping," tears came to her eyes again. "I was running away from home."
"Aaaw here," he reached over some more and placed an arm around her. "It's ok."
"My Dad; I was running away from my Dad. But, I miss my Mom so much," and her crying turned to heavy sobs, as she leant into his arms.
"It seems you're in a real spot of bother, doesn't it," he spoke softly into her neck, as he hugged her.
She felt his warm breath against her skin and the way it sent a shockwave of goose bumps down her back. It seemed almost electric and she felt the stirrings of arousal within her. It stopped her tears in an instant, but it did nothing to dissipate her shyness. Pulling away from Reuben, she stood up feeling awkward.
"But, I have so much to find out about you," she tried to change the subject. "What happened to your injuries? Where are they?"
"I have certain abilities," he didn't care to elaborate, but instead, clouded Rochelle's mind in more mystery. "Or rather, my people have abilities."
"What people?"
"My family. We have lived on this land for longer than anyone else."
"You have family?" the thought seemed strange to her.
"We are scattered around the landscape; safe in little pockets of the wilderness. But, I am the only one here. I enjoy the solitude, but more than anything, it keeps me away from the chaos of city living."
"I can see that."
Rochelle sat back down beside him and felt safe just being next to him. She could sense the power coming from his being and the strength that emanated from his body.
“You’re not like the rest of us are you?” she asked.
“Not at all.”
“You’re not even human are you?”
“Only when I want to be,” Reuben whispered.
“And these woods…. I grew up hearing the rumors,” she twiddled nervously with a strand of her hair. “These were witch’s woods.”
“This forest is sacred, but has been for longer than witches have existed,” he explained.
“I see,” she tried to digest all the information. “I have one last question,” she looked up into his sparkling eyes. “The teeth on the fireplace. They’re human aren’t they?”
“Girl, you are just terrible at biology,” he laughed. “Those are cow’s teeth.”
“But, why the hell do you have them on there? What are you, some kind of year-long Halloween enthusiast?”
“What can I say,” he shrugged. “I have a penchant for anything weird.”
“You’re telling me,” she shook her head. “This place is a God damn freak show,” she burst out laughing, wiping away the last of her tears as she smiled.
However, after a few seconds, her thoughts went dark once again and she looked back down to the floor.
“I don’t know what I’m supposed to do now,” she lamented. “I can’t go home.”
“Was it really so bad?” Reuben leaned in close to her again.
“It wasn’t any fun, I can tell you that,” Rochelle pinched at the bridge of her nose.
“Your father… Did he hurt you?” there was genuine concern in the man’s eyes and when Rochelle looked up to him, she melted beneath his gaze.
“He did. He’s a brute…. An absolute monster,” her eyes became fiery at the thought of him. “But, I stayed around so long because of my Mom, you know? I couldn’t leave her.”
“I understand,” he hugged her close once again and she yielded to his touch and cuddled in. “But, you’re safe here, you know that?” he pulled at her chin to lift her face to his.
She nodded with her eyes wide and innocent.
“I know… I can feel that you’re a good person,” she wrapped her arms around him tight.
With their faces so close, Rochelle could feel the heat of his breath on her lips and she felt as though she was tingling. It seemed so natural to lean in closer and closer still until the edges of their lips were brushing against each other. When their lips finally touched, it was the softest and sweetest thing she had ever felt. Butterflies were rampant in her stomach and she pushed herself into him more with the desperate urge to feel his arms around her as tightly as possible.
But, a few seconds past and he tensed up and pulled away.
"What's wrong?" she looked hurt as she let go of him.
"There's someone here, I can feel it," and he leaped up and hurried to the window. "You stay here," he pointed to the sofa to signal she shouldn’t move.
Nodding nervously, she remained in her place, as she watched him sprint out the door. Things were getting weirder by the minute around here and there was still that part of her that was convinced it was all a dream. Nevertheless, she was certain she could still smell his intoxicating scent in the air and on her clothes, and if she closed her eyes, she could still feel his lips against hers. This was all real and it was mesmerizing.
Chapter 9
When Reuben smelled the foreign scent of a nearby man, he was both enraged and curious. The thrill of the hint took him back to his Navy days and, once again, his mind was focused on the kill. Now, outside his cabin, he darted his eyes through the trees to see who was trespassing on his land.
"Who's there?" his voice was gruff, as he tried to discover the unknown intruder.
Then, he saw the top of a large hat peek throu
gh the brambles followed by the police uniform. It had been a long while since his people had seen a law enforcement officer, but he knew what they wanted. The police had long persecuted anyone on this land with an acute ability, and this cop was here to chase down Reuben, or so he thought.
He gave the man only a few seconds of warning, as he sped at him and lunged on top of his body.
"No! Please!" Wilkins yelled. "I'm looking for the-"
But, it was too late. Reuben was no longer in the forest. He was back at war with his memories leading the fight. Somewhere in the back of his mind, he was certain he heard artillery fire and the frantic yelling of his squadron. And so, with the fire of war raging in him, he punched Wilkins hard in the mouth before he got his chance to explain why he was there. Reuben meanwhile, shook his head to rid the delusion, and slowly, he brought himself back to reality. He was filled with anger at someone being on his property and he bore his teeth one last time. Didn't those damn townsfolk know the rumors?
"You should know better than to be meddling around up here?" Reuben seethed as he stood up, leaving the deputy in the mud.
Wilkins looked up and wasn't sure what he was seeing. He was certain the man in front of him was changing shape, but then he thought it was a trick of his mind or the sun was in his eyes.
"What the-?" he muttered under his breath, as he watched the bear come into view. Large and overpowering, it sat on him hard and crushed his ribcage with its tremendous weight.
Wilkins tried to gasp for air, but it was almost impossible. However, his death came quick, as Reuben reached out a paw and cut through his chest in one thorough swoop. Wilkins’ head lolled to the side, as his body went limp.
A scream came from behind and Reuben spun round in time to see Rochelle standing by the front door. Her hands were clutching the side of her head in horror.
"What's happening?" she screamed, as she saw the bear shift into a human form once again.