by Zara Zenia
Slowly, her hand drops and she puts the knife away, still staring at the two of us suspiciously.
“I’m right, aren’t I?” I say, taking another step toward her. This time, she doesn’t back away, just tilts her head back to meet my eyes with hers. “I’m right, Eva. Tell me I am.”
We’re so close now it wouldn’t take more than a thought to lean in and close the distance. I’m not even discouraged by the fact that Trylor is standing behind us watching the whole thing. But I keep my control. Now is not the time.
“Maybe you’re right about some of it,” she finally says, pursing her lips like it pains her to admit it. “But I expect a full and complete explanation once we’re at my cabin, or I’m kicking you out so fast it’ll make your head spin.”
I nod, relief washing through me. “You have my word.”
“And mine as well,” Trylor added. “Once we are in a secure location, we will tell you everything.”
Eva sighs, her shoulders slumping, and I have the desperate urge to slide my arm around her and ease her troubles, though at this point, I’m almost positive it would only make matters more complicated.
“All right. I guess I can hold on to my curiosity long enough to get back to my place. Come on.” She stalks forward with a purpose, not looking back at either of us, but I can sense a change in our woman.
As suspicious and concerned as she is, I truly do think she’s excited. If she’s thought all her life that her father was a little crazy for telling her she’s destined for something great, having two strangers say the same thing possibly eased some of those doubts. I just hope she’s still as excited once we explain the whole thing.
Chapter Five
Eva
I keep leading the way through to woods to my cabin, knowing that these guys aren’t going to answer any more of my questions until we get there. That knowledge doesn’t stop the questions of course. So many questions. Like who are they? Where are they from? Why have they been looking for me? And what is this so-called ‘great purpose’ they think I have?
But I know it’s useless to ask anything else until we’re out of the open. Despite my assurances that we’re safe from eavesdropping out here, Brandt and Trylor are too paranoid to say much. Seeing those two big, strong men spooked by nothing more than shadows in the forest has all the hairs on the back of my neck standing on end, prickling with awareness.
It’s silly though. I know these woods. They’re my home. If there was anything out here to endanger me, I’d know about it, wouldn’t I?
You didn’t know the wolves were back, a contrary voice in my head sneers. And it’s right. No matter how much I tell myself — or these men — that I can take care of myself and I know what I’m up against, the truth is that things have been weird in these woods for the past year. Ever since those wolves showed up and killed my dad, the whole balance of nature has felt off. I can’t really put my finger on it, but I know it’s kept me on edge all this time, so I’m desperate for some answers — assuming these guys even have them.
And really, that’s a pretty big assumption. These two guys look totally out of place, all bundled up despite it being the tail-end of summer, with their glowing neon eyes and radiator bodies. Their names are weird, too. Definitely foreign, but the language I’d heard them speaking wasn’t familiar at all. So I’ve got wolves in my forest, foreign strangers coming to my house, and some ‘great purpose’ I’m destined for. At least no one will suggest my life is dull.
“So… Where are you guys from?” I ask, trying to break the silence. It’s odd — when I’m out here alone, I love the silence. I love the solitude and the time alone with my thoughts. But now that these two guys are with me, the silence feels awkward, like I need to fill it with nonsense even though there’s nothing meaningful we can talk about until we’re at the cabin.
I know as soon as I ask it that I’m not going to get an answer, but I still hold my breath hoping anyway.
“That’s something best discussed later,” Trylor says, his rough voice soft and quiet in the still of the woods.
I stop my trek and look from Trylor to his brother, narrowing my eyes. “Is there anything you will talk about now?”
They exchange a glance, but neither actually opens his mouth to speak so I blow out a heavy breath and roll my eyes.
“Fine, let’s go.”
If there is something in the woods I should be frightened of, I’m doing a piss poor job of being stealthy and covering my tracks. I’m stomping through the underbrush, twigs and branches snapping underfoot, pushing through old growth to forge a new, shorter path to my cabin. My normal path is a little more roundabout, stopping by the stream and the clearing where I like to forage for edible plants, but not today. I don’t want any detours or delays. I want answers and I want them now.
I stomp through the woods, the two men behind me silent as mist, not making a sound, but every time I look back, they’re still there. Right there, close enough to almost run into me if I stop, their warmth radiating out and seeping into my skin. It makes me shiver, but in a good way. In a delicious ‘I can’t stop thinking about them touching me’ way.
“There.” I point ahead, spotting the first sign of my little log cabin through the trees. “We’re nearly there,” I say, my voice still edged with steel.
I know they’re withholding information because they think it’s for the best, but I’ve never liked being left out of the loop and it puts me in a pissy mood. Especially when the information seems to directly concern me. Surely I have a right to know about this ‘great purpose’ stuff, don’t I? I can’t just be expected to drop everything to do… whatever it is they want without any explanation, right?
Brandt reaches out and grabs my wrist, the connection of our skin touching sparking like lightning. I’m honestly shocked I can’t see the actual spark traveling between us, but he seems not to notice it like I do.
“You should allow us to search the perimeter, to ensure your safety,” he says gently.
Part of me wants to tear my hand away, but the other part can’t bear to. His touch is something I didn’t know I was craving so badly until I had my first taste of it and now I can’t get enough.
“Don’t be ridiculous,” I say. “The only people that even know this cabin is out here are my mom and sister and they wouldn’t be caught dead in these woods for a million bucks.”
The brothers are both frowning at me like that was the wrong answer, but I don’t care. I’ve been living on my own out here long enough that I’m not going to suddenly be scared of every shadow just because a couple of strangers told me the woods are dangerous. My mom’s been saying that my whole life and if she didn’t get me to believe it, I’m not sure these guys can.
But still, their look of concern strikes me and I feel almost guilty for being so difficult.
“Look, I’m sure it’s fine. Besides, even if someone is waiting for me in there, it’s not like they’ve got anywhere to hide and I have the two of you.”
Brandt’s shoulders slump a fraction and he nods to Trylor. They both take a post on either side of me, making me the filling to this sexy sandwich as we approach the cabin. Trylor’s hand is still at the base of my spine, but I don’t mind it. I probably should, the way they’re treating me like this fragile helpless thing, but I like feeling looked after. I like that these two huge men are so protective. It’s weird, but it’s also really nice. So I don’t shake him off like my impulse tells me to. I let them close in tighter as we approach the tree line, my heart thumping in my throat. I don’t think there’s anything here. I haven’t heard anything, I haven’t seen anything to indicate that my cabin isn’t exactly the way I left it, but the way these two are so worried has me on edge.
I’m practically walking on my tiptoes, not even daring to breathe as I inch into the clearing. My cabin is still and quiet, nothing looks amiss. Still, I’m holding my breath. Brandt and Trylor are like compressed springs, tense and tight, ready to leap into action at a mom
ent’s notice. It’s comforting, yeah, but unnerving too.
I manage to break away from Trylor’s heated touch to sneak up to the corner of the house. Flattening my body against the side wall, I slowly peer around the corner to the front door. But there’s nothing there. My door, shut tight, my porch with the herb garden in the window sill, my rocking chair… Nothing amiss at all.
Finally, I release that breath I’ve been holding and all my muscles relax. I didn’t even realize I was that tense until I’m suddenly not.
“It’s fine,” I say, turning back to the guys and waving them forward. Trylor’s looking at me with this mixture of shock and anger that I don’t really understand, but Brandt’s smirking and it makes my stomach flutter. Brandt’s clearly the more easy-going of the two. And while I’m sure Trylor’s seriousness is useful in some situations, it’s frustrating the hell out of me right now in this situation, so I smile back at Brandt and spin around on my toes before he can see me blushing. Blushing! Like a cute guy’s never smiled at me before. I could crawl into a hole, but he’d probably just follow me—
I stop dead in my tracks like I’ve run into an invisible wall, my heart slamming into my ribcage at the impossible thing in front of me. There are two men on my porch. They were not there two seconds ago and now they’re sitting there casually like they’ve been waiting for me to come home all day.
Trylor immediately steps up to guard me, but the newcomers make no move. One sits in my rocking chair, casually examining his fingernails. He’s wearing the most ridiculous thing for being way out here — a pair of dress pants, a sport coat, and a button-down with the top button undone. The other guy’s wearing pretty much the same thing and leaning against my door frame like he hasn’t got a care in the world. Neither one of them acknowledges Trylor and I know it’s crazy, but I swear the air just got colder. I’m fighting off a shiver when the one in my rocking chair raises his ice blue eyes to meet mine and I realize he’s absolutely freaking gorgeous. His face is like a work of art, sculpted cheekbones, a sharp jaw and strong brow, but there’s no doubt by the lines around his eyes that he’s got a mischievous streak. There’s one thing he hasn’t got though: melanin. Actually, they’re both unearthly pale, nearly glowing under the shadow of my porch awning. This time I can’t fight the shiver, but I’m drawn forward.
Without thinking I’m taking a step around Trylor to get a look at the other guy, gaping at his sensuous good looks, his soft, supple lips, that chiseled jaw, a glint in his eyes that’s daring me, but to do what, I don’t know.
I’ve got to get a hold of myself. I can’t just stand here gawping when there are strangers on my porch, so gathering all my courage, I put a hand on my hip and sass in my voice as I say, “Can I help you?”
Chapter Six
Eva
“I certainly hope so,” the man in the rocking chair says, a slow smile spreading his pale lips. I swear, I should be afraid of him, that’s clearly the look of a predator and the way my heart’s beating tells me I’m the prey, but I can’t help but move forward another step. Brandt reaches out for me, but drops his hand as soon as the man in the doorway straightens up.
I don’t know what kind of macho game they’re playing, but it’s annoying and I’m tired of being left out of the loop. I manage to get enough of a hold on myself to take a step away from the porch, and all four men follow my movement like they’re hunting me. Still, I know I should be scared — terrified even — but I’m not. I feel the urge to run, but only because I want them to chase me. I want the thrill of trying to escape only to be captured and tortured in the most delicious ways.
This isn’t the time for games, though. I can sense that. Brandt and Trylor are still tense, looking as scared as they were when they were surrounded by wolves. But I’m not sure I can scare these guys off as easily as the wolves. I’m still not really sure how I managed the wolves, to be honest.
I can’t believe that only a few hours ago I was helping a fox out of a poacher’s trap. Now I’ve chased off a pack of wolves and wound up with four strangers at my doorstep. Talk about an eventful day.
But I never asked for an eventful day. I just wanted a normal day like every other day. There’s this feeling I have though, this unexplainable feeling deep down inside, that tells me I’m not going to have a normal day like that ever again.
“Apologies,” the man drawls, not sounding all that sorry at all. “Allow me to introduce us. My name is Lucas Norris, and this is my associate Morgan Schultz—”
“We’ve come to ask for your help, though it seems these…things have beat us to it,” Morgan sneers, his lip curling. He sends a venomous look toward Brandt and Trylor and I frown, folding my arms.
“What is that supposed to mean?”
“What Morgan means to say,” Lucas interjects smoothly, his voice sweet as honey even though he’s shooting covert daggers at Morgan with his eyes. “Is that we should really discuss this in the safety of indoors.”
I just roll my eyes and throw my arms up wide, looking all around. “Newsflash crazy people, there’s nothing out here but you weirdos.”
Lucas stands from the rocking chair and steps to the edge of the porch, holding his hand out to me with a smile. There’s something about that smile that zaps all the way to my toes and I feel locked into his eyes, unable to look away. “Come, why don’t you invite us inside?” he says gently.
I glance to Trylor and Brandt who are reluctantly nodding, but it doesn’t really matter what I see or think apparently because my feet are already walking me toward Lucas, my hand already slipping into his. It’s so cold I nearly jerk my hand back, but then I’m used to it and the chill turns to a delightful shiver that shimmies through my veins.
“Why don’t you come inside?” I mutter, almost transfixed by the sensations coursing through me.
Still, the moment we’re in the door, I drop his hand and slam the door behind them all. It’s cramped in my cabin — it’s not the same one I lived in with the family. Dad and I were building this for me to move out when I turned eighteen. It was nearly finished when he died. After Mom and Katie left, I wasted no time finishing it up and moving into it alone. This place is built for one, not five. And especially not men of this size. Brandt and Trylor are both big and buff, wide and tall, but Lucas and Morgan are slimmer, still obviously strong, but trim. I certainly don’t want to put any bets on who would take who in a fight.
And it looks like that might just be a problem. Ever since these two new guys appeared, Trylor and Brandt have been completely different. They’re standing on opposite sides of my cabin, their arms folded across their broad chests, just glaring menacingly at Morgan and Lucas.
No one seems eager to say anything, and I’m too annoyed to start it. I need something to unwind, something to calm my frazzled nerves before I dive into whatever this crazy mess is.
So I leave them to their staring contests and head into the tiny galley kitchen, putting a kettle on the stove and bracing myself on the counter, trying not to hyperventilate.
Maybe I was crazy to stay here. I was definitely crazy for inviting these guys back to my cabin. Though, to be fair, I only invited half of them, and I’m glad to have someone I sort of know in my corner when two strangers appear on my doorstep. I may not know Brandt and Trylor well, but I have the weirdest sensation that I can trust them to protect me. Never mind all their talk of my safety. So I’m glad I had them when Morgan and Lucas appeared, but also, now I’m faced with all four of them in my tiny cabin and I don’t know what any of them want apart from the fact that they want something from me.
Of course, there are worse things in the world than having the four hottest guys you’ve ever seen all in one room wanting something from you. To some people that would be a fantasy come true. To me, it’s kind of terrifying. But yes, I’ll admit it, it’s exciting. Invigorating, even. To think I might be important. To think there might be something I could do — little Eva from the forest — to make all those men happy.
<
br /> My nipples harden at that thought and my hands fly up to cover them and make sure they’re not poking through my shirt. I don’t know what it is, but thinking about making any one of those guys happy — and yes, I mean happy — makes my toes curl, but to think they might all want something from me? That’s just incredibly arousing.
Of course, I don’t really think that what they want has anything to do with that. Those are just the fantasies of a lonely, sequestered virgin. Not anything based in reality. In reality, they probably want help with clearing out traps or tracking those wolves or something. What else could I be useful for?
The kettle starts whistling and I hear the alarmed sounds of Trylor and Brandt from the other room.
“Easy, killer. It’s boiling water,” one of the others says.
I frown, but shake my head, pulling out every last mug I have. I’m still one short, so someone’s going to have a normal glass.
I dump a packet of cocoa into each mug and transport them to the table before heading back for the kettle and spoons. There aren’t enough chairs for everyone, but Trylor and Brandt seem content to stand and I’m not sure I could stop pacing if I wanted to, so two chairs will have to be enough.
I’m fixing each mug of cocoa, waiting for anyone to say anything, but no one does. There’s just these intense stares all around and the clinking of spoons against mugs as steam dissipates through the room.
“It’ll warm you up,” I say, passing a mug to Trylor, then to Brandt. They each take it graciously and bring it to their mouths. I pass the other two mugs to Morgan and Lucas.
“No, thank you,” they say hastily, nearly in unison. Brandt snorts and I think hot chocolate might have come out of his nose, but I’m not sure. I have no idea what’s going on and now it’s really starting to aggravate me.
