It was no business of mine to be part of their lives. So why did I feel like Ineededto be part of hers?
“No wings,” he commented and I snorted in amusement. I watched him swallow and eye Ava. He was agitated and wanted her away from me. That much I could tell. Too bad I wasn’t giving her up. Even if I didn’t understand why I wasn’t giving her up.
“You scare her,” he said in accusation. Was that supposed to turn me away? I huffed, unimpressed. I’d known a few women that could be convinced to let go of their fear with the right motivation. And I had the right type of motivation. I smiled and he blanched. Most people screamed when I smiled so I guess he had that going for him.
I made a shooing motion and he looked offended, jumping up to his feet.
“I’m not letting you have her. She’s mine,” he snarled. Looked like he needed a reminder who wore the big boy pants around here. I did. Because I had a fucking .44 magnum that could splinter his skull like it was soft, decayed wood.
“It’s Mark!” Someone yelled from the trail, startling the shit out of me. Fuck, I hadn’t noticed anyone else. I pressed my hand to my chest as my heart thumped out of my ribcage. Needle-teeth started to laugh at my reaction, the little shit.
“Oh my god, I think he's dead!” The voice came again. I grunted in agitation.
“Caspian! Ava!” Voices called out. I eyed the two people I was with. So his name was Caspian.
“Bye-bye,” he said in satisfaction and I huffed. He was right. I wasn’t about to get in a fight with a whole group of humans, plus whatever disgusting shapeshifting creature he was. It was tedious fishing my bullets back out of people's skulls. All that walnut cracking took significant effort. Also, I didn’t feel like hefting dead men into the water all night.
“I’ll be back for her,” I signed but he didn’t understand so I told him with my voice, happy to make sure he got the memo as he hissed in pain.
“No, you won’t. She’s mine,” he snarled—a broken record. I blinked at him and didn’t bother explaining—trying to say that much might make his brain bleed. He’d have to stay oblivious to the fact that they were being hunted.
Of course, I could have written him a note but I didn’t like his freaky fake face. Plus, I was still harboring jealousy that he got to have sex with Ava earlier while I was left with a bicentennial celebration of blue balls. My gaze shot to her and I sighed in appreciation. She was my flame.
Caspian turned towards the trail, cupping his hands to his mouth.
“We’re here!” He called out and I took that as my cue to leave, moving fast enough that by the time he turned around, I was gone. It’s not like I wanted to stick around for a thank you. The idiot had no idea I’d just rescued her from the hunters. The hunters likely saw me do it too. Which I knew was going to bite me in the ass.
15
My boss at Sasquatch Inc, Ben, was on the other side of the phone. The morning sun filtered through the trees. The air was still cool as I sat on our picnic table, the only place reliably getting service in our camp.
“Ineedto leave New River Gorge,” I emphasized to him. I wanted to leave this forest. The rolling blue mountains no longer awed me, they terrified me. They made me feel small, like a bug underneath a fast-approaching shoe. Any moment the only thing left of me would be the sick crunch as I was squished.
The Appalachian mountains were one of the oldest and, by area, one of the biggest mountain ranges in the whole world. How many deep caverns held never seen creatures? How many people worshipped old gods and believed in magic in these very trees?
I’d thought the woods were an escape from the strange and unusual but now I wondered if I’d willingly walked into something worse. An entire ancient forest of creatures peered out at me from between the trees.
“That’s fine,” Ben said in my ear and my body sagged in relief. I hadn’t realized how tense I was until suddenly I could breathe again. “Can I ask why?” He continued. I nearly snorted but remembered he was technically my boss and held it in. Then the words stuck in my mouth because I wasn’t surewhichwords to share with him.
“Someone died,” I finally said.
“Family?” He asked, sounding concerned.
“No, no. Someone here at the camp. I just…” I trailed off, not knowing how to describe how I was feeling. I looked over at Caspian. Thankfully, he’d kept his distance this morning. Right now he was at the empty campsite right next to ours, sitting atop the picnic table with his violin. His warm brown eyes were on me though, always on me, always watching. He was playing his instrument perfectly, the bow pulling beautiful notes. The song sounded like a ballad as if it were telling a story with highs and lows.
“It’s okay,” Ben filled in my silence. “Can you stay today and get the pictures we need? Head out tomorrow?” I jerked my gaze from Caspian’s.
“Yes.” I agreed but wasn’t happy. I wanted to leave immediately. Get away from this place. Suddenly it felt like the mountains and trees were looming in close to strangle me. As if they never wanted me to leave. As if they’d been waiting for me to step foot here my entire life.
I had to get out.
“Ava, I was wondering…” Ben trailed off.
“Yes?”
“Have you seen anything weird there?” He asked and I stilled. Why would he ask that?
“Weird?” I asked tentatively. He gave a self-deprecating snort.
