The Madman of the Woods | ONC 2024 Shortlist | Vampire Romantasy | Supernatural

5 Light Magic

As they made their way down the black road, faster than the speed of tree whispers, Lailoken hungrily watched out the window. The world had changed more than he expected. Even though they were still at the edge of the town, he kept encountering man-made objects he knew no name or purpose of. Unfortunately, Josie refused to take him sightseeing, staying on the fringes. He tried to be patient but found it difficult to remain in the confines of the car, so instead, he focused on the driver.

Josie was a peculiar woman. She was lost in thought a lot, watching him more than conversing with him. Perhaps he made her feel uneasy. It was understandable. He was a predator, after all, but she wasn't his prey. He liked her, and he didn't bite people he liked—not unless they asked for it nicely.

Since he'd solved the problem that plagued his favorite woods, Lailoken was ready for his next adventure. Getting invited to the coven was a perfect start. What a luck it was that he had encountered a witch so soon after waking up. He liked the company of her kind because they usually understood his affinities better than other supernaturals. Physically, they were a lot like humans, but unlike humans, their magic made them interesting.

They left the magical carriage, or the car, as she fondly abbreviated, in thick woods. "I'll return for it later," she explained.

While she attempted to camouflage it under leafy branches, Lailoken walked among the ferns until he found a perfect young birch.

"Hey there, beautiful," he said, inhaling deeply. "I love your scent." He had a fondness for birches. There was something about the combination of their light-colored bark and the shimmering of the small leaves that tickled his nostalgic bone. They were the most graceful of all trees.

Thank you, birch answered. Thank you, oh, Wild One. It's such an honor.

He gave her bark an appreciative kiss in response, knowing well it would rile up the others. If it were a woman, she'd blush, but since she was a tree, she shimmered her leaves above him while the nearby trees gasped from jealousy.

What about me? Am I not the tallest?

I am more majestic!

Turn around and look at me. An entire squirrel family trusts me with their lives!

Lailoken laughed at their antics, patting his chosen birch on the bark. "Don't worry, love, you're my favorite." That birch would gloat about it for decades.

When he turned around, he found Josie looking at him with a mouth slightly open. "Did you just... make out," she barely contained her amusement, "with a tree?"

He shrugged and looked over his shoulder to wink. "It is a lovely birch."

Josie burst into laughter and shook her head. "I can see why they call you mad."

"Just because you can't hear them doesn't mean they don't talk."

She snort-laughed. "Oh, really? And what do trees talk about?"

"Everything." He came right up to her and whispered in her ear. "They're total drama queens, and they love a good gossip."

She laughed so hard she had to hold her belly. There was something so free and infectious about her laugh that he immediately decided it was his favorite sound.

"You have a lovely smile," he told her.

She paused laughing, seemingly surprised by his comment while the trees oohed around them.

A red oak sniped, Hear that, birch? He's found another already.

It was his turn to laugh and shake his head. Trees never failed to entertain him. He offered Josie his elbow. "Where shall we go next? I do enjoy a good walk. You should take off your shoes and try out this black road. It's not muddy at all."