Cold Blood Beast

5

Lia

I missed playing at the creek, I did all the time when I was younger and now I'm only allowed to go down for a bath. This could be my only chance before it gets colder and the snow starts to coat the ground. My only chance to see what's still out there.

I climb down the tree. Jumping to the muddy ground, I head towards the creek, but stop in my tracks and look over my shoulder at the cottage.

I groan with indecision. I can't be a bad daughter. Besides the sun is setting. It is dangerous.

I turn back to the creek then look back at the cottage. I can see wade marks ripple across the water just answering my previous questions.

Looking back and forth for quite some time I finally decide to risk it all.

~~

"Sorry I took so long dad. I dropped all the pears! Some rolled down the hill and others took me a while to find." I practice aloud.

"No that's not sounding convincing enough," I mumble. Stepping over a mossy log and nearing the creek I figure I will just think of an excuse later when needed. Better to ask for forgiveness than permission.

The sky was still pretty bright but slowly started to fade with oranges and pinks. My heart raced in fear of what could lurk in the shadows, but my curiosity kept me walking.

Nearing the creek, I pulled back a cluster of leaves and poked my head in. Swatting small insects away from me I glanced around the creek I loved so much. The crystal water sparkled under the setting sun, once perfect sitting rocks coated in green slimy algae from the wind. Colorful red wildflowers lined the bank and danced in the wind.

The smile on my lips grew and I took a deep breath of fresh air.

I dropped my basket and ran down to the creek and kneeled by the edge. I cupped some clear water in my hands and splashed my face.

Letting out a content sigh, I sit back at look across the water. A frog the color of sage hopped from lily pad to lily pad then finally made its splash into the icy water. I close my eyes for a few seconds just enjoying the peaceful atmosphere.

That is until I hear a rustle behind me. My eyes widen and suddenly everything my father has warned me about comes to the forefront of my mind.

Monsters, beasts, looters, deadly animals, poisonous plants, hunters!

My heart rises to my throat and my skin itches as if I sat in a pile of black garden ants. I hear the rustle again and decide to face my fears.

Jumping to my feet I spin around and move towards the rustle, in hindsight, a very stupid idea.

I slowly pull back the rope-like vine and what I see rips all the air away from my lungs. Is this what the others like me, look like? Is this what father meant by the things out there?

I looked down in the small sunlit grass patch. A man- surely older than me, slept on the soft ground. His tanned skin sparkled in sweat from the heat. A dark stubble across his notable sharp jawline. I could notice a deep scar run down his neck and hide under his cotton shirt from where I was standing. The same dark hair on his jaw, upon his head, curly and covering his eyes. An arm tucked under the back of his head made his bicep bulge. Strong broad shoulders and a very muscled body, left me standing there mouth agape. He's beautiful. But he had one thing I didn't have.

Huge black wings, feathered and spanned across the grass. They were such a rich and dark shade of black they changed colors under the sun. Looking like shiny metallic in various colors of glowing purple, and navy blue. Almost like crow wings.

I stared at him and breathed in heavily. I've never seen anything like it.

My eyebrows scrunch up and I lower down to my knees, worried I'd wake the beast-like man. On all fours, I slowly crawl my way over to him, mesmerized.

The only man I've ever known is my father, growing up I thought of him as beautiful inside and out and I still do. But looking at the man in the grass showed me a different kind of beauty. It wasn't the kind that made you smile but it was more so the kind that made you smirk.

The kind of beautiful that gave me a flutter in my stomach and a heat between my legs. I leaned in closer, my shadow cast over him.

I tilted my head and admired every feature of him. The way his long legs crossed one over the other at the ankles. His muscular thighs, the large thick bump between his legs and hidden inside his pants. I had no idea what that thing was... I knew I didn't have a bump between my legs.

I slowly reach my hand forward to touch it, but the man moves in his sleep before eventually rolling over and onto his side, facing away from me. His wings moving ever so slightly and behind him again.

I climb over him very carefully to make sure I don't wake him. He looks really tired and I know how much I hate it when father has to wake me up for class work. I lay on my side too, facing him. He was so extremely attractive.

He choose a perfect place to nap too. This grass patch under the sun was comfy.

I admired this species even more, plump lips and eyelashes resting upon his cheek bones. He shifted in his sleep once more, causing his shirt to rise up and give me sight of a tan indents that disappeared into his pants. Abs that sparkled under the sun and tight muscles straining his shirt.

I sit up slightly looking at the wings. So beautiful. I carefully touch the edge of a feather. Soft. I run my hand up the length of the delicate wing and lean over him. I pet the feathers gently, but the feeling so silky I sink my fingers slightly deeper into the glossy wings.

A soft moan comes from under me and my eyes snap away from the wings and to his face. His eyes slowly open and meet mine. My breath catching in my throat I pull away slightly. Familiarity flashes across his features and then a look of confusion. The look in his eye soft, sweet but soon turned into one that could kill.

Oh lord in the blue sky above if you hear my silent prayers don't let him kill me.

He sits up quickly accidentally knocking his forehead against mine. I cry out in pain and before I can comprehend what's happening strong slim fingers clasp themselves around my neck, holding tightly and effectively cutting off my breathing and crushing my windpipe.

Fear envelopes me and I realize I should have never wandered from home. I should have never stepped foot in the woods. Father was right. The forest is dangerous and this is how I die.

But I won't die without a fight. I kick my legs and start to thrash my arms. I hit him in the head and a loud growl echos past my ears.

His wings harshly flap making my hair blow. I can feel us moving but I can't tell where as I don't look away from the glowing yellow eyes that are locked on mine. I push and scratch at his chest.

Thrashing around to try and feverishly get away, his grip loosens and I fall out. Coughing and heaving for air to get back in my lungs.

I can feel him so close to me and my stomach drops as the feeling of falling catches on.