Chapter 5

CHAPTER 5

A s I squeeze through the narrow opening, my heart races with a mix of excitement and trepidation.

I quickly realize there is more to this crack then meets the eye. I only need to go a few feet in the passage before it opens up and I am able to stand.

What is this space?

Lifting the magical flashlight Thokk gave me illuminates the area in an otherworldly glow, and I see I am in some sort of ancient chamber.

"Here, kitty, kitty," I call softly, sweeping the light around.

A flash of movement catches my eye at the far edge of my light and I spot Othrix darting deeper into the shadows. "Oh, come on!" I groan as I realize he has just snuck out yet another narrow passage at the far end of the half-collapsed chamber.

"You little furball, I'm here to help!"

Just as I make to step over a few pieces of rubble to follow, something else catches my attention. The beam of my magical torch reveals intricate murals covering the far wall of the chamber.

"Holy crap," I breathe.

The scenes depicted are incredible, the artistry masterful. But it's the subjects that take my breath away. Splayed across the wall is a vast scene reminiscent of many ancient murals I studied back in school. Mythical beasts ... or what I used to consider mythical at least, are shown living and working side by side humans in perfect harmony. It is almost like a Garden of Eden type scene in the feel of it, except that there are many scenes of everyday life as well. Celebrations, allegories, it seems, and... oh my. I stifle a giggle as I come across some decidedly more intimate portrayals.

"Well, hello there," I murmur, as I take in the exquisite – and very graphic and anatomically complete representations.

As I examine the murals more closely, my mind whirs with questions and theories.

"Aren't you a big boy ..." I murmur out loud as I come across one particularly um... excited monster. And just as quickly thoughts of Thokk enter my mind. Before I can help myself, I think of what was clearly visible at the first moment I laid eyes on Thokk and we touched. He had been very happy to see me, it had seemed.

Zoe, enough.

I do my best to push my carnal desires onto the back burner.

Some of the symbols and just the overall style looks strangely familiar, reminiscent of items I've seen in Aunt Charlotte's collection. Could there be a connection?

I'm so engrossed in my examination that it takes me a moment to realize Thokk is calling my name. "Zoe? Everything alright?"

"Yes, I'm okay!" I call back.

"Just give me a minute!"

I do one last sweep of the room.

I have to come back here. What does it mean?

So many questions are bouncing around in my head. But right now, I guess I have bigger issues to deal with, I consider, as reluctantly tear myself away from the incredible find.

As I squeeze back through the opening, I'm struck by the look on Thokk's face as I emerge into the cool night air again. His usual gruff expression has softened. Is that genuine concern? But is it for me or for his cat?

"And Othrix?" he asks, his voice gruffer than usual.

"He got away through another hole. But Thokk, you won't believe what I found in there! There are these incredible murals of humans and monsters - I mean, magical beings, all mixed up together! And I think-"

My excited babbling is cut short as Thokk suddenly tenses, his eyes darting to something behind me. Before I can turn to look, I feel the steel of my collar snap back around my neck. But his touch is surprisingly gentle despite the urgency of his movements.

"Sorry," he whispers, his breath warm against my ear. "Play along."

I nod slightly, my heart racing. The thing is I'm not sure what has it beating faster, the fear of whoever is coming, or the feel of him so close and intimate like that...

As I turn in the direction of Thokk's gaze I catch sight of three imposing figures as they finish rounding the corner.

What the F...

A wizened ...elf, I would guess. And, a ... maybe some kind of fairy? But the third, there is no mistaking. It's some kind of tree person. They all look a little harried, as if they have rushed here. But despite that, it is obvious by the way they carry themselves that they are in positions of authority. I suppose their fancy robes is a bit of a giveaway too, I notice after a moment. Thokk stiffens at their approach.

"Thokk," the elfish one says, his voice confirming my assumptions. "So it is true. What are you doing with a human? And where did she come from?"

Thokk has fully shifted into his warrior persona I can tell. Whatever gentleness I just noticed is gone as he responds in a booming confident tone of his own. "Yes, Elder Faelar. I captured her. I will handle it, you needn't worry."

"Why is she still here?" the fairy asks, her wings shimmering.

"And what do you plan to do with her?"

I feel Thokk's grip on my arm tighten ever so slightly. I have the distinct sensation his intention is to reassure me.

"I will handle it," he says firmly. "I'll do what must be done."

A shiver runs through me at his words, though again, I'm not entirely sure if it's from fear or from his continued touch.

"Very well," the suspected elf nods after a tense moment. "We trust your judgment, Thokk. But be careful. As you well know, humans are tricky creatures."

"Undoubtably," Thokk replies as the elders nod and turn around, apparently satisfied the situation is under control.

As the elders move away, I find myself a little annoyed with them.

"Tricky creatures, huh? They're lucky you have me on a leash.

Thokk just levels me with a look.

"Come," he growls, tugging gently on the belt. "That was too close," he mutters, leading me away quickly.

"We need to get you out of sight. It's not safe for you out here."

As we walk, my mind races with everything I've seen. The murals, the elders, not to mention the leash!

Not cool.

I stumble to keep up with him though, my mind wanders. Under different circumstances though... A part of me feels a thrill at the odd sensations this strange arrangement is activating.

Zoe ... stop it.

I'm so lost in thought that I barely notice when we arrive at a cozy-looking cottage on the outskirts of town...

Thokk shuttles me inside and after seeming to scan the surroundings for moment, he closes the heavy oaken door behind us.

The interior is an incredible mix of what I can only think of as "old world charm, and, maybe, "new age sensibility." Across from a massive stone hearth there is an equally massive flat screen television mounted.

He guides me to a pile of furs and I gratefully sit down. As he reaches for the collar, I tense instinctively, though by now it is clear he is more protective of me than anything. His touch is once again surprisingly gentle as he removes it, his fingers lingering on my neck as he briefly rubs at what I can only assume are marks the homemade contraption has left.

I can't help but shiver at his touch, surprised by the tenderness from such a formidable creature. "Thanks," I murmur, meeting his gaze. For a moment, neither of us moves.

My skin tingles where his fingers were. "That felt nice," I add, tentatively, surprising myself with the admission.

Thokk looks surprised, and I clarify before he can speak.

"The little massage...or that is, not the collar," I stammer.

"Ah yes. Um ... again, I am sorry, but the collar was necessary ..." he quickly replies.

The charge between us has not dissipated though. God, I wish he would maybe rub my neck a little more. But of course, that is ridiculous. This whole thing is ridiculous. In the back of my mind, I am still considering the black mold possibility, though I know at this point that all of this is indeed very real.

Right, speaking of very real... I recall the tense encounter with the elders again.

"So," I say, breaking the silence, "when you said you'd 'do what must be done,' what exactly does that entail?"

Thokk looks up. "It means I just wanted them to go away."

"And that's because you aren't going to kill me or anything, right?"

This time I see even more conflict in his eyes than I have yet.

"No, of course not. What I mean is that, yes, that is what they might expect, but I could not. I will not. No, you are ..."

"What?" I ask sitting up on my heels.

I feel a warmth overcoming me, surprised once again by the hint of vulnerability in his voice.

He grunts, avoiding my gaze. "Nothing. It just wouldn't be right. You're not a threat. I will take you to the border with your world ..."

But there is a new quality in his voice. Yes, he is still stern. Probably an orc thing...but there is something else now ... a softness. And that conflicted thing ... But what was that he said?

"My world?" I frown, confused. "What do you mean, the border with my world?"

"I mean what I said. The wards and spells around Fablewood are only woven to keep you out . I still don't understand how you got in, but that is a different concern. Now, if I am to keep you safe, I see no other way but to take you back beyond our borders."

"Keep me out? Keep humans out? What do you mean?"

"Just what I said. What do you mean ‘what do I mean?' I am the one who should ask you if you speak English? I mean what I say, no more and no less tiny human. Do I have to draw you a map?"

Holy shit.

It hits me like a thunderbolt.

The map I found in the basement.

"Oh my God, I didn't time travel at all, did I? You have been here the whole time! Right alongside us?"

"Tiny human I am beginning to worry about your mental functions. Time travel? Are all of your kind so ...um, slow? Where else would we live?"

""This changes everything!" I exclaim, feeling a mix of relief and, strangely, some disappointment. "I could just go back to the museum?"

"Museum?" Thokk's brow furrows. "What museum?"

"I told you I was in the sub-basement – of the museum where I work!" I explain excitedly.

I launch into an explanation about my Great Aunt Charlotte's mansion-turned-museum, my job and passion for history and mythology, and then finally the map. As I talk, I notice Thokk leaning in, genuinely interested. It's kind of adorable how his tusks poke out when he's concentrating.

"And this 'boss' of yours," Thokk growls after I briefly mention his attitude toward my ideas. "He often treats you so poorly?"

"Well, yeah, but that's just —"

"I would crush him if I ever saw such disrespect," Thokk declares, his voice rising even as I see his hands form into massive powerful fists.

I can't help but giggle at the mental image of Thokk stomping into the museum and dangling Dan by his ankle. "Ya know, I am not opposed to the idea." Even as I say it, I can't help the sudden heat I feel between my thighs.

Oh my, hello there.

What the hell is happening with me? What is happening period? Even though I know it has been less than twenty-four hours since I was sitting petting cats with my friend Darla, it might have well have been twenty-four years ago. I feel so oddly comfortable with Thokk.

"You would be my hero," I add with a little bat of my eyelashes.

Did I just say that? And do that!

Am I flirting with him? With an Orc?

Thokk's cheeks darken in what I'm now sure is a blush. The tingling rush of sensation in my nether regions suddenly doubles.

"Then, you have been here all along...I mean all of your kind?"

"My kind?" he says, with both a confused, and maybe a bit of a defensive tone.

"Sorry, I mean, was that insensitive?" Now I am almost stuttering. "I mean all these ... er, creatures. Beasts ... beings, we would think are myth ..."

"Oh that. Yes, you humans are astonishingly small minded," he says matter of factly, and as if that answers my question.

"Um, I didn't mean that..."

"All of our lands and towns are warded. That is our way. Our kinds do not mix. Some still believe it is possible, but they are few. Though some of the aliens still think you are worth trying to get to know..."

"Wait what...?"

"Aliens. That is another story. Anyhow, yes thankfully we have spells that keep us hidden. It is the only way. Regardless, you need not worry. Soon enough you will forget all this and be back with your kind where you belong. His frow has taken on a deeper furrow.

Forget all this?

And is that pain in his voice?

"I cannot bear...that is I do not want any harm to come to you, Zoe."

"We'll neither do I, believe it or not? But what do you mean ‘forget all this?" I could never forget it, or you Thokk ..."

"You don't know what you are saying. You are in danger here. I am sorry you have had to deal with any of it. Least of all being collared like a prisoner ... but like I said, soon you will be safe ..."

"I don't want to forget, and truth is I am glad I am here.

"He looks at me tentatively, his gruff exterior, again seeming to slip ever so slightly. "How could you be glad? Do you enjoy being my captive?"

"We'll, that part not so much, but it would make for some interesting roleplay..."

"Roleplay?"

Never mind.

He looks confused for a moment.

"If none of this had happened then I never would have met you Thokk."

Suddenly Thokk gets that blushing look again. At least I imagine that's what is happening...

Did I really just say that?

Yes, you most certainly did Zoe.

Yes, I did, and I meant it.

I am losing it.

God, I want to touch his face...

Perhaps I am feverish.

But thankfully before I act on my crazy impulse, he steers the conversation back to "business."

His expression grows serious. "Tell me about these murals."

"Right!" Saved by science. I describe the murals in detail, painting a picture of a time when our races coexisted peacefully. As I speak, I notice he has gone thoughtful again.

"There were all kinds of scenes," I continue. "Daily life, celebrations, you know...really very reminiscent of things seen in many frescos ... and, um ..." I feel my cheeks heat up as I think about the racier images again. "And then there were quite a few more ... er ... explicit depictions, let's say."

But I can see he is thinking...I don't think he even heard that last part.

"We have stories, legends of a time when our kinds coexisted, but..." He shakes his head. "But most have just assumed it is just the thing of myth and legend. Everyone knows humans and our kind don't mix."

"Well, I can only tell you what's on the frescos," I say, warming to the topic. "I'm not sure you heard me before. From what I could tell, humans and, um, monsters used to be very close, if you know what I mean. Very, very close." I say, feeling my cheeks heat up again.

Thokk's eyebrows shoot up. "What do you mean ‘very close'?"

Enough of this beating around the bush...

No pun intended of course.

"I mean like having sex or doing mating rituals close. Like in every position. And considering some of the monsters in the artwork, that is a lot of positions..."

Thokk chokes on air. "Mating rituals?"

I nod solemnly. "Yes. Perhaps they were made for educational purposes. There were actually a few, I think Orcs, pictured... In one there is a swing, and the woman has ..."

"Alright, alright," Thokk interrupts, his face now a deep shade of forest green. "I get the picture."

"Sorry," I say, biting my lip and suddenly feeling a bit sheepish. "I didn't mean to make you uncomfortable."

"No, it's okay..." he replies a bit tentatively. Then quickly he recovers. "Of course I am not uncomfortable. I am not unschooled in the ways of ritual."

"Right. Of course not." I shift my position on the bed as I feel a fresh wave of tingles migrate through my lady parts.

I sense we are entering dangerous territory, but I continue, treading carefully. "It's just... um interesting to see how things were, or maybe might have been ... different between humans and, er, ‘monsters.'"

Thokk nods. "Indeed, it is interesting to consider."

Although he is trying to be furtive, I can see his eyes roving across my body before our eyes meet, and I feel a flutter in my chest.

Suddenly, the air between us feels charged with possibility. I find myself leaning in slightly, drawn by some invisible force.

Just then, a loud yowl breaks the tension. We both jump, and Thokk is on his feet in an instant.

"Othrix?" he calls out, moving to the window.

"I don't think that's him. Sounds like a female cat in heat," I say, trying to calm my racing heart.

Heat? I wouldn't know anything about that. No, I'm not feeling the slightest bit turned on.

As we step back from the window, I am well aware of how close we're standing. I can feel the warmth radiating off Thokk's body, and that indefinable electric current charges the very air we are breathing.

An awkward silence falls between us. I fidget with the hem of my shirt, unsure of what to say next. Or what to do.

God, what is going on!

Why do I just want to jump into his big strong green arms?

"So," I say, my voice a little shaky,

Thokk looks down at me, his amber eyes intense. "So ..."

"Ya know if anyone had told me this morning that before the day was over, I'd be in a magical hidden village, talking about monster-human relations with a hot orc, I'd have asked them what kind of drugs they were on..."

Oh no.

I just said that out loud too, didn't I.

But Thokk doesn't seem offended. Quite the contrary. He looks ... pleased. "A hot orc, huh? This is good?"

"Um, yes, actually, it is very good. I mean, I imagine lady orcs like you right? Personally, I would have never thought tusks could look good on a guy."