One second it’s a huge stag, and the next second, it’s an impossibly tall man withantlers.
Disbelief clutches me, and my mind scrambles to make sense of what I’m seeing. The antlered man is garbed in the same attire a hunter might wear. Tall black boots. Dark brown, form-fitting pants and a matching shirt. But he wears no weapons, and I’m starting to wonder how he expects to defend himself against the archers. Surely he knows they’re in the watchtower. Surely he can see them from his current vantage point.
My breath catches in my throat as he continues his approach. His gaze flicks toward the village, and the mocking gleam in his eyes flares brighter. I stand on the altar, frozen in terror. Why haven’t the archers released their arrows yet?
It’s said demons can quickly change forms and that they can inhabit the bodies of people and animals. This creature has the ability to transform from a stag into a man. But is he the demon the hunters keep spotting? I try to remember the various descriptions I’ve heard, and I recall a few that mentioned a man with antlers.
Hearing the stories and seeing the creature in the flesh are two vastly different experiences. I’m not sure I’ll ever recover from the shock of today.
If I survive.
The creature comes to stand directly before me, and his woodsy masculine scent washes over me. He’s so tall that he looms above me even though I remain on the elevated altar.Gods, he’s enormous, and muscular. Handsome, too. A haughty, regal aura flows from him that again puts me in the mind of a king.
The first arrow goes flying, but the man-creature lifts a hand and causes the trajectory of the arrow to shift. Rather than strike his flesh, it hits a nearby tree. Several more archers release their arrows, but the antlered man keeps changing the path of the projectiles.
No no no. I glance at the watchtower. More arrows go flying, but still, none hit the antlered man. Already, over a dozen skilled archers have failed to hit their mark. They keep reloading and shooting, but it’s no use. The man-creature is too powerful. With the wave of a hand, he keeps sending each arrow away from his massive form.
Still gazing at me, he displays an abrupt grin, revealing a set of perfect, whitehuman-liketeeth. “What have we here?” His eyes rake over my body in an appreciative manner. “Are you lost in the forest, little girl?” He emits a dark chuckle.
I open my mouth to respond, but no words come out. Fear has stolen my tongue. If the archers can’t even graze him, I’m well and truly fucked. I take a step back and scan the area as I contemplate making a run for it.
But where could I go? If I return to the village, the archers will likely shoot me. If I run through the forest, the antlered man will probably catch me. I pray he’s not really a demon.
He straightens, and it’s then that I notice the enormous bulge in his pants.
He’s…aroused.
I flush and can’t help but press my thighs together as the aching in my core deepens. I also start to feel increasingly breathless, and the waves of surrender come faster.
Why is he affecting me in a sensual manner? I’ve never felt so unsettled and wanton in my life. Until him, I’ve also neverexperienced the urge to submit to a man. But I can easily picture myself kneeling at his feet, bowing my head, and sweetly awaiting his commands. I give my head a shake as I try to banish the strange thoughts.
More arrows come flying, but he directs them into a tree. He laughs again, and takes another step nearer to me. Gods, his antlers are big. Everything about him is big and intimidating. He could crush me in a second if he wanted to. Why hasn’t he killed me yet?
A dark thought enters my mind. What if he decides to torment me before he kills me? I can’t help but glance at his crotch again. The bulge is even larger than before.
He leans close and takes a deep inhale. His eyes blaze with pleasure, and he releases yet another growl. It vibrates through me and makes me quiver with need. I can’t restrain a whimper.
“You smell delicious, little girl.” He meets my gaze. “I think I’m going to keep you.”
Chapter Two
Silas
The dark-haired female is stunningly beautiful, and there’s something about her that draws out my protective side. There’s also something about her that draws out my darkness. I want to enjoy her and perhaps torment her a little. I want her moans of pleasure and her tears.
Her life. I want to feel all the things that make her alive. All that makes her who she is. It’s been ages since I’ve spoken to a human female, and even longer since I’ve touched one. My fingers tingle with the urge to stroke her smooth, pale flesh.
Kiera, Kiera, Kiera.The wind whispers the true name of every creature I encounter within the forest, and it carries her name to me now.Kiera, Kiera, Kiera.What a lovely name.
More arrows zip through the air, but I easily redirect them into the surrounding trees. Clearly, the villagers have set a trap for me. They’d hoped to lure me close enough to shoot.
Fools. The lot of them. Don’t they realize my power? Don’t they know I’m as enduring as the mountains? I’ve inhabited these parts since the very first plant sprouted from the soil.
Don’t the villagers comprehend the devastation that would occur if I suddenly ceased to exist? Without me, the naturalbalance of life in the forest would become upended, and evil spirits and creatures would flourish unchecked. Vegetation would rot, the soil would become barren, and fires would break out. Eventually, the destruction would swallow all the villages that border the forest.
Yet they’re trying to kill me. Why?
I growl as I gaze at the tiny human female. She pales and takes a step back, though the scent of her excitement heightens in the air. How curious. She fears me, yet she’s becoming aroused in my presence.