Chapter 2

Two

Niko

W ith her arms wrapped around my chest and the rest of her flush to my back, it's hard to concentrate on putting one foot in front of the other. She's more beautiful than her pictures led me to believe. When she stepped out of that tree, my heart skidded to a stop. She's clever and smells of wildflowers. The few nymphs I've known have had no interest in defiance. Astra is different.

We crest the last rise and my new cabin comes into view. I bought the place through photographs only and hired a team of people who spent the last three months fixing it up.

Astra gaps. "This is your cabin?"

"Yes. Do you like it?" I hold my breath.

It's a two-story log cabin with porches and a stone chimney. From this distance, it's part of the mountainous landscape with a view of several lakes and the top of the Appalachian range.

"I've never seen anything like it." She unwraps herself from my back and stands next to me, gaping. "When did you buy this?"

"In the spring. I?—"

"The spring!" She spins to face me. "When did you agree to this arrangement with my father?"

It feels as if whatever I say next will be wrong and important. Lying is not an option. "It was in March that he first sent me your photograph and I knew then that I would agree to whatever terms he offered."

"March." She storms toward the cabin. "March."

I follow. "What's wrong, Astra?"

She throws her hands up in the air. "March was five months ago."

"I don't understand." My gut is twisted and my heart pounding. I have no idea why March is significant or what is going to come next from her. Even so, the sway of her hips and the high color of her cheeks have me enthralled.

"You've written letters to me since March. Didn't you think it odd that I never responded?" She puts her fists on her hips and faces me.

Back in Canada, I longed to hear some word from her. I wanted to know her and begin our relationship. Her image, though beautiful, was not enough. "I was disappointed that you didn't wish to let me know you. Of course, now I understand your father didn't share my correspondence."

Shaking her head, she turns and continues down the drive. "Father never gave me those letters. Do you know what else he never did? He never told me anything about you or the arrangement the two of you had made. I found out yesterday that I was to be married today."

I lope to catch up. Her legs may be much smaller than mine, but she walks fast. Feeling like I'm losing her, I take her arm. "Yesterday. That's not possible. Who made all the wedding arrangements?"

There's rage in her bright eyes and her delicate jaw ticks. "I would imagine someone who works for my father. I know nothing about it. He informed me yesterday—" She pulls her arm from my hand. "That I would be married at three o'clock today."

I sit back on my haunches. "No wonder you ran."

Her gaze gentles for a moment and then she frowns. "One week, Niko Barbaros. That's all I'm giving you and that is only so that I can remain in my forest. I've lived here all my life and despite my father's heavy hand, this is my home, these are my trees, my rivers, lakes, and creeks."

Offering her my hand, I force a smile. If all I have is one week, then I have a lot of convincing to do in a very short time. "One week and then you decide our future."

With a toss of her silken hair over her shoulder, she takes my hand. "The future is that I will go back to my life and you will return to Canada. Actually, I don't care where you go. All I know is I'm not in your future beyond this week."

"You promised an open mind." It breaks my heart to think of her walking away from me. I've wanted her from the moment I saw her, maybe even from the second I knew of her existence.

"I promised one week. Show me your house." She presses her full lips tightly together and looks at the cabin. "It's very well situated."

"It is." Getting to my feet, I lead her the last few hundred yards to the wooden stairs to the lower porch that wraps around the house.

Dropping my hand, she looks back up the well-worn drive and the woods that roll across a seemingly endless mountain range. "I've never been up here. Who owned this house before you?"

"A half giant named Bard." There are double doors with glass panels leading into the house; I open the one on the right. "Would you like to see inside?"

"Bard played the lute at festivals. I had no idea he owned such a fine property. He kept to himself." She pauses a moment before crossing the threshold. "I'm not your prisoner."

"You are my honored guest, Astra. I'm very sorry your father has made this uncomfortable for you." When I see Nocturn again, I plan to give him a piece of my mind.

"Father loves drama almost as much as he loves obedience." She crosses the great room without giving the kitchen, living room, or dining room a second glance. The large windows that span the back wall offer a spectacular view of her home forest. "This is beautiful."

Her blond hair cascades down her back in waves like the ocean and stops at the swell of her shapely ass.

Silently, I thank the tree for not allowing her within wearing the human clothes. Seeing every inch of her body was a gift. I hope to know more once she allows my touch. Actually, nymphs are usually naked or nearly so. "Where did you get those clothes?"

Running her hand along the denim, she grins. "A friend gave them to me. Well, she's only an acquaintance so far, but she's mated to my good friend, so I imagine, one day, we'll be friends too."

"You charmed her into giving you her clothes." It is her nature to seduce.

"No." She shrugs. "Maybe, but she offered. I can't help what I am, Niko. Humans and monsters alike are drawn to me. It's not my fault."

I find it odd that she's defending herself and to me, of all people. "I wasn't admonishing you, Astra."

Her cheeks flush. "No?" Turning away, she shrugs. "Well, we don't know each other." She runs her hand along the back of the long brown leather couch. "All new furniture?"

"I wanted to make the place fresh and clean. Bard's furnishings were dated and worn." I'm fascinated by every move she makes. I love the way she touches each item: the club chair, a lamp, the live edge of the coffee table. "I hired a human named Marissa to decorate. Do you know her?"

Astra nods. "Marissa Monet has a shop in the valley. Of course, I've never been there because I was never allowed clothes. I run around my woods and pop in and out of trees without purpose or profession." Bitterness rings in her voice.

"What would you like to do?" My hooves clomp on the wood floors as I cross to sit on the couch. If I'm not careful, she'll be aware too soon about just how attracted I am to her. My cock has been between hard and half-mast since I first saw her. The kilt can only hide so much. Sitting makes it easier to disguise my condition.

Propping herself at the edge of the club chair, she plucks the red pillow from the back and hugs it, eyes wide. "You're the first person to ever ask me that. No one expects a nymph to do anything useful."

It's true, but again, it's clear she's different. "Most of your kind are happy to pop in and out of trees or water and seduce humans for fun. I sense you wish for more or you wouldn't have attempted to escape my horrible clutches in favor of a wyvern with whom you are not in love."

With a long release of breath, she slumps. Still hugging the pillow, she meets my gaze. "I would like to paint or write. I don't know if I can do either, but there are images and stories in my head…" Blushing, she stops talking. "Never mind."

Damn. She was so close to opening up. I suppose it was too much to ask for her to bare her entire soul after knowing me for an hour. "Shall I fix us something to eat or are you tired?"

"I'm not sleeping in the same room with you." She tightens her grip on the pillow and straightens. The flash of fire in her sky-blue eyes is mesmerizing.

It's going to take every ounce of my patience to keep my hands off Astra. I may not be susceptible to her magical allure, but I'm already lost to her charm. "I have a very nice guest room or you can have my room and I will take the guest room. It's up to you where you sleep."

She stands. "I would like to rest for a while. Alone."

I show her upstairs to the two guest rooms and the main suite. "Would you like me to go and get your things from your father's house while you rest?"

"Do you have a phone?" Taking the smartphone from me, she walks out of my bedroom and chooses the guest room with the best view of the forest.

I follow like a lamb.

Sitting on the edge of the queen bed, she dials a number. "Hi Paula, it's me. No. I'm fine. I understand. Can you pack a bag for me? A satyr will come and pick it up. A week. Thank you." She hangs up and hands me my phone.

"I'll be back before you wake up," I promise. "You don't have a phone?"

Pushing herself to the center of the bed, she rolls to her side and curls into a ball. "I've never had pockets before." The sorrow in her voice breaks my heart.

Kneeling at the side of the bed, I brush her hair from her face. "Astra, you can do anything you want. Sleep here, paint a masterpiece, run off with a dragon, and write a novel. You have free will."

A large tear runs down the bridge of her nose. "Free will is an illusion for humans. That's what Father would say." She closes her eyes and another tear joins the first.

As silently as my hooves will allow, I step from her room. Winning her trust means undoing a lifetime of repression, but I'm up for the challenge. At the tree earlier, I thought I could dominate my nymph into submission, but once I met her, I knew that wasn't the way, not for her and not for me.

The wyvern may have been satisfied with her joining him out of desperation, but I need more. When Astra comes to me, it has to be a decision she makes from her heart.