Page 17 of Venom Within Her

When I looked up, Larz and Stellan were locked in a death glare. Stellan gripped the counter so hard, her knuckles went white, while Larz’s chest heaved against my back. The hostility hung heavy in the air, so thick I almost couldn’t breathe. I tried to lean my body harder into Larz and push her back a few feet, but she stood solid as an oak. If I didn’t get her out of there soon, I feared they’d rip each other's heads clean off.

“Two black coffees.” A barista slid our order across the counter, eyeing our group with concern. “Everything alright, Stell?”

“Fine,” Stellan finally broke the gaze, shifting toward me before walking away, “be careful, Ilona.”

“I got my girl’s safety covered, don’t worry.” Larz winked in her direction as she grabbed our order and guided me out the door.

Out in the cool, morning air, the mood shifted. Larz let her shoulders drop, her face softened, and her voice smoothed out again. It was brighter out than it had been since I’d arrived in Cutwood, it was like the weather changed with her mood, welcoming us into a beautiful day.

“Up for a hike?” It was amazing how she let the whole encounter roll off her back like nothing.

“Yeah, sure. But,” I hesitated, “what was that all about? Do you guys know each other?”

She shrugged, avoiding my gaze as she took a long, deep sip of her coffee. “I don’t know. People aren’t always exactly warm and fuzzy with me.” Her eyes shifted to me, a smirk tugging the corner of her lip, “probably just jealousy, though. I got the prettiest girl in town on my arm.”

She snaked an arm around my waist, pulling me in and guiding me towards the forest. “Don’t worry, you’re always going to be safe with me.”

12

Larz

That pale, scrawny barista awakened something within me. Primal, ancient, and deep. I was sick of running into her.

A sense of danger stirred to life in my bones as flashbacks crept through the cracks of the carefully curated box I stuffed them in at the back of my mind. Sharp aches pressed against my skin, my body was urging me to shift. My teeth clenched and all my muscles tightened as I tried to fight it off. Who the fuck was she?

Ilona’s touch brought me back to myself. I had to get us out of there. As calmly and coolly as I could, I paid, grabbed our orders, and rushed out the door. Relief washed over me as soon as the cafe’s door closed behind us.

I left the whole encounter behind. Today was about Ilona and me. I was going to take her into the forest and show her it was nothing to fear. Despite what some of the townspeople thought, the forest was safe. If Ilona was going to accept my claim, she’d have to get used to it and eventually grow to love it.

~

Our hike started amazingly. Ilona looked right at home between the trees. At times, I found myself stopping and letting her walk ahead, just so I could admire the way she explored. The way she appreciated our home. But it was when we reached the tiny, bubbling creek that she really became one with the nature around her.

She wasted no time settling on a boulder along the bank, removing her shoes and dipping her feet into the icy water. She leaned back on her elbows and let her head fall back. I’d never seen anyone more at peace.

“I’ve heard…stories about these woods.”

“Stories?” I tried to hide the concern in my voice as my stomach twisted, “What kind of stories?”

I settled behind her, stretching my legs out so she was settled between them. She leaned back onto my chest as she spoke and a comfortable warmth spread over me.

“That they used to be crawling with terrifying creatures. Half-human, half-monster with poison-filled tails that terrorized the town hundreds of years ago.” She looked back at me, “Some think they still exist. I was warned to stay away.”

I let my fingers trace random shapes aimlessly on her thighs, locking my gaze on the rippling water. “Does that scare you? The thought of some creature watching you, stalking you from the shadows?”

She sighed gently, relaxing back onto me and lacing her fingers with mine. “I think we established that the unknown doesn’t scare me, didn’t we?” She didn’t need to say it, but I knew she was referring to the tiny bit I’d shown her of my true self the night before.

“We did.” I kissed the top of her head. “Those stories are bullshit anyway.”

“How so?”

“The creatures were peaceful; they always were. Humans, as we’ve established, just don’t condone things that they don’t understand. They slaughtered the creatures before they even gave them a chance.”

Ilona lifted my hand, kissing it gently. “You sound like you know a lot about this.”

“Yeah, I-”

I was cut off by a rustle in the leaves just behind us. It was too subtle for Ilona to notice, but it was unmistakable. The light, calculated steps were too careful to be just someone walking by. We were being watched.