Page 176 of May: Bloom & Bane

The woman scrambles upright and shakes dirt out of her hair.

“I am so sorry to trespass,” she says, rushing her words as she wipes clover from her jeans. “I run Ceasefire Creek. It’s a wildlife sanctuary in town, and this little monster escaped my truck⁠—”

She finally looks up and goes deathly still.

Her jaw drops so fast I’m surprised it doesn’t unhinge. Her gaze starts at my feet, passes the blooms trailing across my chest, and keeps going until she’s staring up at the wide span of my wings arching over Eden.

“Penelope,” she whispers. “Did you lure me here on purpose? Revenge for the flea treatment, eh?”

The raccoon flicks her tiny hands and hisses again.

Eden bites her lower lip, a muffled snort escaping her as she tries and fails miserably to keep a straight face.

“Hi, I’m Eden. This is my mate Sage. What’s your name?”

She blinks rapidly, her eyes darting between me and Eden’s comforting face. She swallows hard, her hand trembling slightly as she clutches her empty net like a shield, clearly trying to process the fact that she isn’t hallucinating an eight-foot-tall plant man in the middle of the meadow.

“E-Elena,” she squeaks, her voice jumping a full octave before she clears her throat. “Elena Mercer. And I am… deeply questioning my life choices right now.”

Eden’s eyes soften. “I know this must be strange for you. But he’s a gentle giant. He won’t hurt you.”

A chitter cuts through the air. The raccoon has waddled off the boulder, her black-masked face tilted up as she stares directly at my feet.

“Penelope, no! Don’t provoke the…” Elena trails off. Penelope’s nose twitches furiously as she scents me. She rears up on her hind legs, placing two tiny, muddy paws on my shin.

“Well, hello there, little one,” I rasp. “Elena must feed you really well.”

Elena lets out a strangled laugh, her death grip on the net loosening slightly.

“She barely lets me touch her without a pair of Kevlar gloves. She bit my mailman Melvin yesterday.”

I extend my hand, a pale, white clover blossom uncoils from the center of my palm.

Penelope’s eyes lock onto it. She drops back onto all fours and snatches the flower with her nimble little fingers, stuffing it into her mouth.

“I thought you might like that,” I murmur. “Though I think you’d eat just about anything.”

Penelope licks her whiskers, chewing with an enthusiasm that shakes her entire body. As she swallows the last petal, her sharp claws dig into my leg.

“Oh my God, Penelope, no!” Elena gasps, dropping her net as her hands fly to her mouth.

I watch, completely amused, as fifteen pounds of pure fluff scales me like a trunk. She hoists her heavy back-end up my thigh, over the thick vines across my hip, and makes her way to my shoulder.

Her round butt plants itself firmly against the base of my neck. My wings flare out slightly, creating a wide shelf beneath her so she doesn’t slip. Her wet nose sniffs my ear before she digs through my hair, looking for more snacks.

I straighten to my full height, reaching up with one finger to scratch under her chin. She leans into my touch, purring like an overgrown cat.

“What… are you?” Elena whispers.

“Animals always trust him,” Eden says softly, her eyes crinkling. “He’s the heart of this meadow.”

“I can see that,” Elena murmurs, looking a little less terrified. “I’ll just grab her and get out of your hair.”

She takes a step forward, reaching her hands up to pluck the raccoon away. The second her fingers get close, Penelope’s happy purr dies and her ears pin flat against her head.

“Penelope!” Elena gasps. “Unbelievable. You traitor!”

“Don’t take it personally.” I chuckle.