She leaned forward, suddenly nauseated.
“You okay, ma’am?” Nisa straightened at the touch of a warm hand on her back. She swiped at a stray tear before turning to see one of the waiters looking at her with kind eyes. He was very young—maybe twenty or twenty-two—and very handsome. Nisa had always been a sucker for dark hair and dark eyes, and he had the olive skin to go with it.
“Oh. Yes, I’m fine. Do me a favor,” she handed him her half-full glass, “if you see me with another of these tonight, slap it out of my hand.”
The waiter smiled, revealing a slightly crooked tooth. “Will do.” He took the glass and started to walk away, but stopped. “My name’s Toby by the way.”
“Hi Toby,” she stuck out her hand, “I’m Nisa.”
He took it with a firm grip. “I’ll be here all weekend. If you need anything just ask.”
“I definitely will.”
Nisa turned back toward the redwoods as Toby went back inside. Goose bumps were perking up on her arms. It was still summer, but the temperature dropped the later it got. The moon wasn’t quite full, but it was beautiful and bright.
So, it was easy to spot the shimmer of Shelby’s dress as she made her way down a backyard path. She was walking at a steady pace, her heels crunching faintly over gravel. When she’d made it to the woods, she looked back just once before stepping into the trees.
Something acrid simmered in Nisa’s throat as she followed Shelby’s gaze, and her eyes landed on Shane. He was trailing maybe fifty yards behind, but headed right for where Shelby had crossed over the line. Even from where Nisa stood she could tell he was drunk. And, by the stiffness in his hips, that he was sporting an erection.
Her heart hammered as Shane picked up his pace, trotting now to get to Shelby, whose hand was reaching out to him from the edge of the forest. Their fingers entwined. Shelby pulled him to her the moment he stepped off the path—and then just like that, they were gone.
Nisa’s eyes squeezed shut as rage rang in her ears. She knew Shane had dalliances, but now he wasn’t even being discreet. Her head whipped around to look for the steps.
She zigzagged through inebriated guests. There were still quite a few people at the party but their numbers were starting to dwindle. Her dress flowed out behind her as she rushed down the back stairs and past the kitchen.
She spotted Benny, unconscious in an alcove. If he hadn’t been passed out she’d have kicked him in the balls.
Nisa careened around the corner, almost running into Toby. He was on his way up to the second floor with another tray of champagne. Toby’s eyes were keen as Nisa grabbed a glass on impulse and downed it.
Then she threw open the back door and rushed outside.
CHAPTER 3
Nisa charged through the night, the exertion of battling tree roots and fern fronds immunizing her to the cold. As bright as the moon was at the house, in the forest, the canopy of trees kept the trail dim. Even so, she abandoned caution, her anger far outranking prudence.
“Come on, baby. Harder.” Nisa froze, holding her breath as she discerned the direction. “Make Shelby come.” It was definitely coming from the left. She stepped off the trail, squinting into the darkness. Her dress snagged as she threw one leg and then the other over a downed tree trunk. Her ankle twisted on uneven ground. It wasn’t very loud, but still she recognized it – the fleshy slap of bodies, the grunts of pleasure. A few more steps and she could see the shimmer of Shelby’s dress, mocking her through the trees.
Nisa paused, unsure if she actually wanted to see this, but then Shelby moaned like a woman having something delicious. Something Nisa hadn’t done in a very long time. She steeled herself and moved closer.
The scene unfolded quickly. Shelby against a redwood, hem raised. Shane’s exposed ass. He was yanking down the shoulder of Shelby’s dress and clutching at her breasts. Shelby moaned louder as his mouth claimed a nipple, and he slammed into her harder, just like she’d asked.
Nisa stood there shocked. Awed. Their tenth wedding anniversary had been last month. He’d given her a diamond bracelet. They’d bought artwork for the den. Now she was staring at Shane’s bare backside, willing him to face her. Willing him to acknowledge his betrayal.
Somewhere close, branches cracked.
Shelby’s eyes snapped open and Nisa slid back into the shadows. As sure as she was a second ago that she wanted Shane to see her, she was now sure that she didn’t want to be humiliated in front of Shelby. She didn’t want to see triumph in Shelby’s eyes and know she had passed her expiration date. That her pussy was no longer desired.
Shelby searched the trees, her suspicion rewarded with another loud pop. “Someone’s here,” she hissed.
The slapping sound continued.
“Shane, stop!”
Shane wasn’t catching her drift, or maybe he just didn’t care. His tone was conspiring. “I’m going to come inside you.”
Nisa could hear the struggle of fabric and peeked around the tree trunk to see Shelby shoving Shane away. His erect penis dangled in the subdued light.
“What is your problem?”
“Someone is here!”
Shelby pulled a thong up her legs as Shane gave his cock a few jerks, then Shelby jumped to the side as ejaculate poured from the tip.
“Not on my Louboutins!”
Nisa clamped a hand over her mouth, her body shaking in silent laughter.
Shane eased his spent penis back into his pants as Shelby snatched her dress down over her hips. Something inhuman shrieked deep in the forest.
Shane zipped his fly. “Let’s go.”
Shelby rushed to keep up as Shane started walking, squinting his eyes as he tried to find the path again. Nisa peeked around the other side of the tree just as Shelby was putting her tits away.
“Are those fucking bite marks? What am I going to tell Benny?”
“That you loved it.”
Nisa waited until she could no longer hear their footsteps, and then she just let it out. She bent over, bracing herself on her knees and vibrating with laughter. Her entire body quaked from the hilarity of it. From the absurdity of what her life had become. It was a full minute before she could right herself.
She leaned against the tree, working hard to catch her breath and promising to never drink that much champagne again. She wiped her eyes and looked around, also trying to remember where she’d left the path. She picked her way back through the ferns. Fatigue suddenly hit her as she stepped onto the worn, narrow trail.
It had been a long day of travel and party and people. Now all she wanted was to get back to the house and lie down in a soft bed, even if it was next to her adulterer husband. Her thighs were starting to chafe and for the first time that night she wished she’d worn those Spanx. It was too dark for anything to look familiar. But she had been walking for a few minutes, and this way seemed like the right direction.
So maybe that’s why she didn’t notice it at first—the sound of footsteps coming up behind her. Her feet were aching, but she’d been making good time up the trail when she finally noticed the rustling. Her mind wandered to those dead twigs that had rudely interrupted Shane’s fucking.
She turned to look. Something dark and huge was definitely coming her way. Right now those dead twigs seemed a lot less funny.
CHAPTER 4
Nisa wasn’t, nor had she ever been, a screamer. Her fear just didn’t manifest that way. She was, however, a runner. She spun back around, racing up the path as fast as four-inch heels allowed.
This thing was now ripping through the thickest parts of the vegetation, fueling Nisa’s panic. She blasted through the ferns and staggered over roots, its heavy, loping steps driving her to run faster. Ten yards, thirty, fifty . . . It jumped out ahead of her on the trail. She almost lost her balance coming to a stop. She backed away as it stalked forward—a dark, hulking shadow dominating the night. Then it stepped into the moonlight.
Nisa couldn’t believe her eyes. It looked to b
e the body of a seven-foot man with the head of a beast. Short, inky-black fur molded to corded muscle. It had a slight hunch, but was mostly built like a pro-basketball player—long, powerful limbs and a sculpted torso. Lethal-looking claws tipped the hands and feet. Whereas a man’s ankles were close to the ground, these ankles were higher, not unlike the hind legs of a canine. The head had a canine quality as well, with a protruding muzzle and pointed ears like a coyote . . . or a wolf.
It gazed at her with dark, intelligent eyes, as though enjoying her scrutiny—but still ready to pounce. She’d been staring too long, not for the first time tonight, stuck in a state of shock and awe. She shifted her weight, preparing for another mad dash. If she could at least get back to the yard, she’d have a chance. But this thing was no dummy. Scythe-like incisors curled out of its muzzle as its lips pulled back into a snarl. It knew what she was about to do.
So she screamed instead. It was ear-piercing. Maybe she was close enough to the house now for someone to hear. She gave it every bit of breath she had. The Beast instantly lurched forward. Fuck it. Nisa turned again, running down the path away from the house as it growled and gave chase. She was moving deeper into the woods, but where else could she go? She tried darting off the path to the right and then to the left, thinking she could loop around, but there it would be, making it impossible to go back the way she came.
She was being herded, that much she knew, but she held onto the hope that wherever she ran, there would be someone at the other end. A road. A highway. Another house, maybe. Anything that meant she and this thing were no longer alone.
The strap on one of her heels snapped and sent her tumbling. She’d wanted to take them off but had been too afraid to stop. Now that she was down, she quickly got rid of them. If she didn’t make it out of this, they could at least be a clue for the search party. Toby had seen her go into the woods. Hopefully when she was missing tomorrow, he’d rally the troops.
She sprinted now, running blinding, drunkenly through dense forest. At some point she’d lost the trail. Even the moonlight had been lost. All she could see were the blackest shadows and impending death. Come tomorrow, Shane could fuck as many Shelbys as he wanted. And Jennifers and Janes too. Hadn’t that been the names of the last few?
Blam! Nisa had run right into its body. She landed on her butt, hard. Tears flowed freely as she scrambled to her feet and whirled in the darkness. She could hear nothing but her own gulps for breath. No footsteps. No growls. No panting. And yet she knew it was there, that it had purposefully gotten in her way. She tried to control her breathing as she turned in the opposite direction and began feeling her way forward. This thing had better night vision than her and probably a better sense of smell. But all she could do was try to survive.
She walked on wary feet, hands stretched out before her. She wanted to thwart the Beast’s pursuit, but not by falling and breaking her neck. That was definitely not the plan. A patch of light beckoned up ahead. It was small but it was better than nothing. She steadily moved toward it. This Beast could see her no matter what. At least if she could see too she’d have a fighting chance.
The fist around her heart eased its grip as she again found the trail. Several minutes had passed since she’d heard or seen it. She prayed it had gotten bored. Or that she’d imagined it. Adrenaline had cleared her mind somewhat, but she was still very much under the spell of champagne. Maybe it was a figment of her imagination.
She continued picking her way toward what she hoped was the house. If she could just make it back to civilization she’d never go near nature again.
“Fuffffff. Fuff, fuff.” It was sniffing her hair.
Hope had been foolish.
CHAPTER 5
Nisa went on the attack. The Beast yelped as she whipped a slap across its muzzle then kicked out with her bare foot. She couldn’t outrun it, but maybe she could catch it off guard with a preemptive strike. This thing needed to know that she wasn’t easy prey.
Its clawed hand batted her leg away, then grabbed her around the waist, pinning her to its body. She struggled to stay on her feet as it forced her backward through the brush. Her thumbs lashed out to gouge its eyeballs. The Beast snarled, grabbing one wrist and then the other, and twisted them behind her back. Its fur was silky against her skin, but its grip was like a vise. Nisa wriggled, kicked, let her knees give out hoping it would drop her, but it was no good.
They’d gone maybe twenty feet when suddenly they were awash in silvery light. This was no small shaft of the moon fighting its way through the trees, but a wide swath illuminating a small clearing. The ground was easier on her feet here. She was still scared, but the claustrophobia of darkness and trees had lessened. In fact it was beautiful. A sob escaped her lips. This could be the last thing she would ever see.
The Beast loomed. It had loosened its hold, but it still hadn’t let her go. Her body shook with horror, yet she refused to look away. If this was death she was going to look it in the face. The Beast looked right back at her, sniffing her lips and her neck, then burying its nose in her unbound hair. Her body jerked as its claws hooked the top of her dress and ripped it to the waist. It had even torn through her bra, watching intently as her breasts sprang free.
Nisa recoiled, instinctually pulling away. But the Beast’s hands were swift, encasing her biceps, hauling her close again. She threw her hands against its chest, an attempt to maintain even the smallest bit of distance. A pleading look was her last line of defense, but the Beast was busy ogling her forcefully exposed breasts. Its coarse, pink tongue swiped at her nipples—first one and then the other. Her palms vibrated with the rumblings of the Beast’s low-pitched moan.
What. The. Hell? Death she could face, but not this.
She bucked violently in its grip. But the more she resisted, the more she could feel its hardness growing against her belly. She had suspected this thing was male, but now there was no doubt. Her frenzy wasn’t a deterrent. It was welcomed friction.
Her nipples betrayed her, coming to attention as he swiped them again. They wanted more and he rewarded them with bolder, longer strokes. He searched out the deep underside of her bosom, licking all the way to the stiff peaks. He tilted his head, coming at them from the sides, licking across the mounds and up to her neck. Savoring the salty sweetness of her skin with no intention of stopping.
Nisa’s adrenaline had all but petered out, a sigh escaping as his tongue bathed away her fear. Her hands ran through his fur and up to his shoulders. His arms slid to wrap around her waist. He was warm and so strong. She couldn’t remember the last time she’d been touched like this. She let her torso drop back, pushing her tits out for better access. Oh no. Her pussy was wet.
Her equilibrium changed as he lowered her to the ground. Suddenly she was alert again and aware of his monster shaft still rubbing against her abdomen. Breast play was one thing. But no way was she doing what he obviously expected next.
She twisted in his arms, the balls of her feet struggling for traction on dead leaves and moss. She startled him enough to slip from his grip and throw out her hands to break her fall. The Beast recovered quickly as she scrambled away, and her arms splayed out as he grabbed her hips and dragged her back toward his cock. He wasted no time then, kneeling behind her. Shoving her legs apart with his knees.
This is it. This is finally it.
Claws raked the back of her thighs as he yanked up her ruined dress. One huge hand held her waist while the other spread her ass cheeks. She began to cry. Not out of sadness but out of anger. Anger that she’d never stood up for herself, anger that she’d let Shane steal her work, and anger that loving him had led to this—getting violated in the forest.
Her face was flat on the ground, but turned just enough to see the Beast in the bluish light. Tears continued to flow as she caught sight of his erection, hovering there, ready to take her. She squeezed her eyes shut, blocking out this swollen reminder of her powerlessness—then jolted against his grasp as something cold invade
d her flesh.
It was his nose. He was running it through the lengths of her folds. He sniffed her from clit to asshole. Then suddenly, more licking. She gasped as he grunted into her pussy, dragging his rough, steamy tongue from the front of her slit to the very back. He was lapping at her, treating her juices like they were ice cream. Her thighs quivered, his ministrations electric against her swelling sex. She couldn’t help it. She pressed her ass harder against his muzzle.
The tip of his tongue darted into her anus, and then he was right back at it. Merciless. Insatiable. Eating her cunt like it was Sunday dinner. She spread her legs wider. “Yes. Just like that,” she murmured. She didn’t want him to miss a single crevice. Not a single drop. She moaned as he again punched his tongue into her ass. Her tits rocked against the moss. This was too intense. She needed to come.
He reached out a solitary claw, ringing her engorged clit like a fucking bell. Nisa exploded, her ass cheeks clapping together with each spasm. Drool seeped from her slackened mouth. Claws parted her pussy lips, the Beast seeking out this fresh flow of cream. Stars clouded her vision. She came on his tongue again, and then again.
Nisa collapsed, her tits still quaking from the convulsions. He was standing over her, clawed hand wrapped around his rigid cock. For the second time tonight, Nisa watched as a man pumped himself to completion.
She lost consciousness as milky seed fountained to the forest floor.
CHAPTER 6
Sunlight stabbed Nisa’s eyes. They weren’t even open yet and she could already feel it—light too bright for her booze-addled mind. Her legs ached. Her feet ached. Her mouth was desert dry. Either she was hung over or barbwire was hugging her brain.
Night Creatures: Book 1 Page 2
