7. Through the Woods

Chapter 7

Through the Woods

They should’ve sat down with some hot cocoa and had a conversation. Ash’s shock at seeing Nova left him speechless and wiped all rational thought from his mind.

Being without human contact for so long caused his feral urges to ignite. He had to satisfy that hunger to possess her—to claim her. He would make her his. They had a lifetime for conversation after.

He watched Nova’s round ass bounce, and her long, dark hair fluttering like a ribbon behind her as she ran. There was no need to rush after her. He knew every inch of the terrain like the back of his hand. But with her being bound and gagged, it added an element of danger.

“Follow her,” he said to the animals who gathered around him. “Make sure she remains safe.”

The mighty buck bowed his head in understanding before leaping out of sight, and the cardinal chirped and soared above the trees. They would signal once they found her. All he had to do was wait.

After hearing two sharp chirps, Ash followed the path Nova had taken—the path through the boundless wood curved back toward the cabin.

“Where did you run off to, little bunny?” he called.

He listened for the slightest unnatural sound as he stepped beyond the tree line. The scent of pine and crisp wind eclipsed Nova’s natural aroma. He suspected she wouldn’t wander far from the path because she didn’t know how dense the trees were. With her bindings, it was smarter to play it safe.

“Fee. Fi. Fo… Where did the little hoe go?”

His pent-up resentment unleashed during the chase making it more enjoyable than he ever thought possible. He picked up a fallen twig and snapped it in half. A satisfying crack echoed around them.

“Don’t worry, snow. I won’t hurt you.”

It wasn’t a promise as much as it was a taunt. He stopped again and closed his eyes, listening to every little sound. The blood rushing through his ears made it hard to hear anything else as his excitement grew.

The doe passed Ash’s path. She looked at him with her dark, wide eyes. He patted her hide gently. It took years to earn her trust, as she would spook every time he approached. She didn’t point his way to Nova. Instead, she reminded him to be a good man, like the mate that often stood guard over her. He nodded, showing he understood. This wasn’t a fairytale. The animals didn’t speak. They shared a deeper level of understanding. Being trapped in the globe together made them comrades in a way.

“Do you remember my promise, Nova?” he called as he came upon a boulder.

He’d known her hiding spot all along. It was just part of the chase. She shrieked behind the tinsel as he scooped her up in his arms.

“Gotcha,” he said.

Though her heart beat furiously, the little bunny didn’t struggle against the fox who caught her. He chuckled as she snuggled against him.

“Now that I’ve caught you, I’m claiming my prize.”

Ash carried her through the woods back to the tree in the front yard. He pointed to the spot where their initials were carved into the bark. Her heart thundered in her chest. Nova’s dreams had been so real she could almost swear she was there the moment he’d carved them. If she woke up, only to find this was another dream, she didn’t think she’d survive the heartbreak again.

“Look, Nova. You belong here with me. Don’t forget that again,” he said.

The deep hurt in his voice was unmistakable.

Still gagged, Nova nodded. Ash kissed her forehead before setting her on her feet.

“Hold out your arms.”

She did as she was told. He easily untied the knot he’d created and unwound the cord from her forearms, but left her wrists tied. He reattached the lights to the tree, leaving her chained there before massaging her arms, where the lights had left little marks on her skin.

Ash adjusted the light strand so her arms stretched above her head, leaving her naked torso open to his eyes. He slowly walked around her naked body, looking, but not touching. Nova squirmed beneath his appraising gaze, waiting for his next decisive move. But his slow torture couldn’t be anything but deliberate as the fox toyed with the bunny.

She squealed as he grasped her chin and growled in her face.

“I’ve been stuck inside that snow globe for ten goddamn years, watching you dither about your life. Did you ever consider my feelings when you gushed about other men to your girlfriends? Did you think about me before fucking another man?”

He searched her eyes, trying to find out if they would contradict his concerns. He’d been trapped while she continued to live her life. Ash yanked the tinsel from her mouth and tossed it over his shoulder. His blue eyes darkened like a winter sky as he stared at her.

“I’ve never…”

“Good, because I’m claiming my little witch tonight.”

Nova’s eyelids fluttered as Ash claimed her tip, groaning as their tongues tangled. The kiss seared itself into her mind, leaving a lasting memory of its sensation. Her body trembled against his as he wrapped her leg around his hip and caressed her lower back. Ash quickly freed her hands and lowered her into the snow.

He climbed over her and fervently kissed her body, leaving love bites along her neck and chest. She ran her hands through his hair as he dipped his tongue in her navel.

“Ash,” she whined.

He silenced her by possessing her mouth once again.

“It’s called Silent Night, Nova. I love those sexy noises you make. But if you can’t keep quiet, I’m going to gag you again.”

Her eyes went wide as he reached above him and cracked one of the crystalline icicles from the tree. The twinkling lights from the tree reflected off the glassy surface as he bit the pointy end off, crunching it with his teeth.

Nova bit back a gasp as Ash ran the freezing ice up and down the valley between her breasts. Unlike the powdery snow beneath them, it was ice cold to the touch. Her lips trembled as she kept them clamped.

“Good little bunny.”

Her nipple puckered painfully as he circled it with the ice. Contrasted warmth made her hiss as Ash licked the melted droplets from her goose-pimpled flesh. She writhed beneath his tongue’s heat and the coldness of the icicle. He slowly trailed it down her belly, stopping to watch the drips fill her belly button. His tongue flicked against her, and he sucked the water out.

Nova wailed as he parted her pussy lips and pressed the tip of the icicle against her clit. He clamped his hand over her mouth.

“What did I tell you about being quiet?”

Water dripped from the icicle between her folds as he rubbed it back and forth, bombarding her body with foreign sensations. He gently probed her for a moment before pushing it inside her.

Nova threw her head back as Ash lowered his head between her thighs and nuzzled her with his scratchy chin. He left the icicle within her and licked around it, tasting her warm juices swirling with the cold liquid.

His eyes rolled back as he savored her sweetness, as one lick of her nectar was more satisfying than the prepared feast in his cabin. He flicked his tongue against her clit and added a finger alongside the icicle to stretch Nova further. Her heat quickly melted it down to nothing. He continued his ministrations until she fell apart, melting the rest of the icicle within her. Her cries of ecstasy raised above the trees, echoing around them.

“Fuck, Nova. You are so beautiful. You teased me with glimpses of this pussy for years. I imagined all sorts of things I would do with you as I jerked off. But now that I have the real thing, I’m never letting you go.”