Page 19 of Venom Within Her

“Ilona.” She kept her eyes closed and her head bowed, clenching the edge of the table so hard I could hear it groaning under her strength. “I am so sorry. I didn’t mean for you to find out this way. I promise, I would never hurt you.”

Her tail dragged along the floor, retreating back into her body where it sprouted from. I moved towards her before thinking, bracing my hands gently on her shoulders.

“Wait, don’t.”

Her head snapped up, her eyes meeting mine with curiosity dancing behind the black voids.

“I-” I bit my lip, running my hands down her swollen biceps, “I may not understand what you are yet, but I don’t fear you, Larz.” I cupped her face in my palms, “I meant it when I said I wasn’t afraid of the unknown.”

Her large hands covered mine as she twisted her face to kiss my palms. “You don’t have to say that. I know it’s a lot. I know it’s weird…even scary-”

I tugged her face up to mine, “The only thing that has scared me today was the thought of losing you.”

She pulled me by my waist, closing the distance between us. Her face smashed into the soft part of my belly, soaking my shirt with hot tears. I let my fingers scratch her scalp and run through the strands of her hair, picking out the stray twigs and leaves that had gathered at the back of her head.

“You have no idea how long I’ve waited for someone to see me and not run away.” Larz looked up at me through red-rimmed eyes, “You have no idea how long I’ve waited for you.”

A strange calm washed over me. Still, no part of my body was afraid. No alarms in my mind screamed at me to run. All I wanted to do was hold her, care for her, and know her better.

“I’m here,” I stroked her face, wiping the tears away.

I let my fingers wander to the puckered skin where the wounds healed and a shocking realization slammed into my chest. Through all the chaos, I had forgotten what I’d done in the forest. I hadn’t given a second thought to saving Larz, but the evidence was still lying dead in the forest.

“Larz,” my voice shook, “Stellan. She-I- Oh my god.”

All of the possibilities swarmed around my brain like aggravated bees. Would I even be able to claim self-defense? How would I explain what I was doing in the woods without exposing Larz? What would they do to her?

Larz winced as she stood to her full height, pulling me into her solid arms.

“Shh, my little stinger. It’s going to be okay.” She stroked my hair and planted small kisses on my head.

“How do you know?” I pulled away, looking up at her. “I killed her. They’re going to find her. But she was going to kill you…I had to! I-”

The calm that had overcome me just seconds before had vanished, replaced with an all-consuming panic. My thoughts raced with what I had done and all the consequences that came with it. Would I go to jail? Prison?!

Larz cupped my face firmly, holding it up to hers. “Look at me, Ilona.” The authority in her voice made me snap to attention. “Do you trust me?”

I sniffled with a small nod. Oddly enough, I did trust her. Looking into her eyes, a sense of warmth and peace washed over me, tickling deep inside my brain.

“Then believe me when I say it’s going to be okay. Nobody will find her. She most likely isn’t even in the spot we left her anymore.”

Before I could ask how she knew that, she pulled me into a deep kiss. All of the words scattered from my tongue and into her mouth. Forgotten as her long, serpent-like tongue smoothed across mine.

“I think you’ve learned enough for one day. I will explain it more later. But, please, just trust me. Okay?”

“Okay,” I whispered, letting my head fall onto her chest.

I didn’t realize how exhausted I was. The jerking of emotions inside me had taken every ounce of strength I had. If it wasn’t for Larz, I’d be sprawled out on the kitchen floor by now.

“Let’s go get cleaned up. I’ll order us some takeout. We can get in bed and get some rest.”

“Promise you won’t leave after I fall asleep?” I grumbled into her chest. I was half joking, but I really wanted her to stay.

“I won’t leave after you fall asleep. I won’t leave you ever.”

14

Larz