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“Candy, do you know your way around this forest? Because it is darker now and I am cold. These wet shoes are driving me insane. I might follow you down your rabbit hole if we could get warm there. I am cold and desperate here.”
Candy just rubbed up against my hand, ignoring my desperation. Something about this fur ball made everything less scary. But I needed answers, and I needed to move. I put Candy on the ground and stood up, dusting myself off, not that it helped much for the mess I was.
“It was nice to meet you, Candy. You be safe now.” I said as I hefted my backpack on and reluctantly took careful steps.
I held my guitar case with a slight tremble in my nervous hands. I only had a small flashlight. Luckily, it was in a Ziplock bag with my change and pens, which I randomly stored there. Thankfully, it still worked. It’s just a gas station pocket flashlight, so I was unsure how much juice it still had.
Things always look so ominous at night. Goosebumps covered my flesh, and my sloshy footsteps and breathing were the only sounds I heard. Candy was keeping pace with me somehow. It could move silently, I guess it wanted to stick with me a for a bit. I was not going to complain. I liked Candy’s presence. My light landed on a pile of fallen trees, and I saw natural A-frame.
“It’s not a hotel, but I might be able to work with this,” I told Candy to calm my nerves.
I used a stick to rake out the leaves and debris under the logs. I made a fire and settled myself in this nook of trees. Candy came and snuggled up to me. I don’t know how I managed, but I fell asleep to the tune of Candy’s purr and chuffing sounds.
It was a rough night. The morning cold seeped into my bones, and my sweatshirt and jeans were damp with morning dew. If it wasn’t for Candy lending me heat, I am not sure I would have been able to wake up.
It was starting to get light out, but there was a fog, so I couldn’t see much as I opened my eyes. I decided to crawl out of my hole and move. Maybe blood flow will help ease the ache of this cold and revive my numb limbs.
As I stood up to stretch, I saw a blanket of fog covering the forest floor. The mist only came up to my knees. I might find this all more beautiful but appreciating anything through my chattering teeth and this gut-clinching, uncomfortable cold was almost impossible.
I peeled my damp jeans down so I could pee. Miserable is an understatement at this point. I saw Candy’s movements under the fog as it dispersed the cloud. I watched it head out before me, passing a few trees. I was deciding if I should follow the fur ball as I buttoned up my pants when a shadow of a big arm shot out from behind a tree holding a net and swooped up my Candy.
Candy’s fur started to glow as it hissed and tried to escape. Its fluffy tail was caught in the net’s web. My adrenaline kicked in, and I stormed towards my new friend, Candy.
“Oh no, you didn’t. I am gonna tan your hide, you grabbed the wrong fur ball today, Mister. That baby is mine!” I grabbed hold of what looked like a hand-woven fishing net and yanked.
I turned the corner of the tree trunk and found my fivefoot-two face smooshed into the hard-muscled bare chest of a . . . What the hell are you?»
I startled and jumped back, still holding tight to my end of the net. I looked up and up until I met the black eyes of a dark purple man with ram-looking horns. He was dressed in shorts only and had leather-style boots. His bow and quiver were wrapped around his shoulders, and tribal tattoos marked up his arms. He had long black hair braided up.
When our eyes locked, the shock on his expression changed. Goose flesh rose all over me, a humming in my ears started, and my heart was pounding as a throb started throughout my body. I was insanely attracted to this demon-looking man. I saw the need in his black eyes, bringing me back to my senses. I was suddenly nervous and unsure of what to make of this unknown male before me.
I had officially lost my mind. Shaking off my desire. I yanked on the net again. This time, it came freely to me. I reached in and pulled Candy out of the net, helping untangle its foot and tail.
The huge purple male with horns gasped in shock.
“Well, you are definitely a boy. I am sorry I gave you a girl’s name, but who cares? Boys can be Candy too, I suppose.” I snuggled Candy close, kissing the top of his furry head. I tried to soothe him as his pastel glow grew dim, and he started to purr, licking my neck with his scratchy tongue.
I ramble when I get nervous. Candy snuggled into my neck, thanking me for rescuing him. The big, bulky male slowly moved around me, inspecting, and sizing me up. Candy growled again and hissed at the man when he walked behind me. I turned to face him.
“Look! Candy is my fur buddy, so you can’t have him.” I said with as much dominance as I could muster. I was scared shitless at the alien male in front of me. Not just because he was purple with horns. Mostly because he was probably the sexiest male I have ever been attracted to.
I had to collect myself and focus on saving Candy from the sexy man. Sexy doesn’t automatically mean this guy is safe.
I started walking backward away from the man. The male did not seem to want my Candy anymore. He looked at me like I was prey. “Fuck.” I whispered as his hungry eyes melted my core.
The blanket of fog still hovered over the forest floor. I must have drowned, this had to be me in a coma, because glowing pastel fur rabbit cats don’t exist, Sexy purple horned men don’t exist. Either way, I needed to decide how to respond to all this.
I was about to turn and bolt when I tripped over a log. I tossed Candy out of the way as I crashed backward to the ground. I think a fern cushioned my fall. The fog covered my face briefly just before I was picked up and cradled in the male’s arms.
Chapter 3
Darah
“H
ey! Put me down!” Damn, he smells good. His hard-muscled body was sending warmth into me, soothing my pain away.
I wiggled, trying to get the big guy to let me stand.
