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The kerosene lamp was making ghostly shadows dance in every corner, but my mind playing tricks on me only heightened my senses. Taking a steadying breath, I mentally prepared myself to face down the monster from my childhood.
Now that I’m all grown up.
I boldly stripped down to just my tank top and cheeky boy shorts, leaving my socks and overpriced sneakers behind as I walked out into the balmy summer night. Besides the freedom of movement this gave me, I also enjoyed feeling exposed and slightly vulnerable—to see how far I could take this thing between Oren and me.
It seems I have a thing for danger…
Dark clouds obscured most of the light from the full moon, leaving my surroundings dim and hazy. But despite this disadvantage, I didn’t feel afraid.
Soft grass, still warmed by the sun, pressed into the soles of my feet as I stepped off the porch—grounding me, literally and figuratively. Breathing deeply, I allowed myself to enjoy the surrounding beauty.
To simply be.
The rustling of leaf litter drew my attention to the forest on the other side of the clearing. Squinting, I tried to catch any movement among the pines, wondering if it was Oren out there watching me.
Stalking me.
As if wanting to test my newfound confidence, an eerie howl sounded from somewhere behind me, raising the hair on my arms. While my survival instincts were firmly insisting I go back inside and hide under the Hudson Bay blanket again, I steeled my spine and took a step forward instead.
Then another. And another.
I’m choosing my own path this time.
The howl pierced the air again—much closer this time—which sent a heady mix of fear and anticipation shooting down my spine.
It also got me running.
Throwing caution to the wind, I headed for the trees straight ahead. My steps were sure and swift—as if the earth were consciously supporting me from below.
Keep going. Just keep going.
Plunged into near-darkness at the tree line, my anxiety momentarily spiked, especially when I heard something large crash through the underbrush nearby. Reminding myself of Oren’s promise not to hurt me, I desperately tried to calm my racing heart. But my adrenaline was pumping as fast as my legs—not that either did me any good.
An alarmingly close chuffing sound yanked a squeak of surprise from my lips, and the bone-chilling growl that issued a moment later had me suddenly questioning all my life choices.
What if this isn’t Oren?!
He had mentioned other creatures existing nearby, and I suddenly realized how little I knew about what I was dealing with. This gigantic not-wolfman might not even be the scariest thing prowling the night, and here I was running blindly through the vast wilderness like a lunatic.
Before my panic could overwhelm me, a blast of warm breath hit my neck. While this should have terrified me further, with it came the familiar scent of autumn, confirming it was my monster hot on my tail.
Against all logic, I fell into a trancelike state—where my bare feet thudding against the ground created a hypnotizing rhythm.
“You’re safe with me.”
My racing thoughts had miraculously quieted. I was no longer worried about my lack of Wi-Fi or unanswered emails, the stress of selling this property, or returning to a life in the city I didn’t even want.
I’m safe.
All my senses were now fully focused on one singular purpose—although, oddly, that goal wasn’t to escape. More than anything, I wanted to give Oren a good chase.
And then, I want to be caught.
A beam of moonlight through the canopy revealed a deer path to my left, and I abruptly veered off the main trail. The surprised huff my pursuer released made a smug smile stretch across my face as I ducked to avoid a few low-hanging branches he crashed through a moment later.
Come and get me.
Of course, I knew Oren could take me to the ground anytime he chose, but the fact he wasn’t implied he was enjoying this game as much as I was. My boy shorts were soaked, and the added realization he could probably smell just how turned on I was only made me wetter.
