7. Maeyve

When Anevae left, I sat back on the couch, stunned by the incredible woman who seemed to magically appear at my door as if I'd summoned her. I knew the moment she came into my territory. I'd already scoped her out several times since she moved in because, true to the nature of a fox, I was curious about the world. But I never expected her to come to me.

After our introductions, we shook hands, and that's when I felt an unfamiliar zap travel up my arm. I'd never felt anything like it and knew I needed to learn more about her. A wave of relief washed over me when I was able to invite her in; she wanted to know more about the area, and I was happy to oblige. As soon as she walked in, her scent hit me. She was a being of Caellaias. When she walked in, I tried to determine what kind, but her scent was too muted.

I wandered to the back door with my mind still trying to process what had just happened. I felt the need to make sure she had gotten home okay, and I was still downright intrigued by her. The rain had let up since she left, so I wouldn't be as soaked as if I'd gone out immediately after. As much as I loved the feeling of my fur being wet, I didn't like being drenched.

Stripping off my clothes, I walked out onto the porch and took a deep breath. When I stepped into the rain, it was frigid on my warm skin, but it felt good at the same time. Ever since I'd shaken Anevae's hand, I felt like I was on fire.

Kneeling on the grass, I took a few deep breaths. As I inhaled the smell of the rain and wet grass, I placed my hands on the ground and began shifting. My bones broke and repositioned themselves to conform to the shape of my fox form. My fur began to grow, my face reshaped itself, and my hands began to shift into paws. The pain from shifting was nowhere near as painful as it had been the very first time. I'd grown more accustomed to my second skin the more I shifted.

After my shift was complete, I used my enhanced eyesight to take in my surroundings, looking for any wildlife. It was also possible another creature from Caellaias was around. Every few years, I'd run into a lost being and have to help them find their way back into the kingdom or into the human realm because they didn't want to return to Caellaias for one reason or another. There wasn't any movement nearby that I could see, so I turned to my other senses.

Lifting my nose, I attempted to identify any unusual scents around me. The rain masked most scents, but it was always worth a shot. If a smell was strong enough, I'd still be able to detect it.

Closing my eyes, I focused on the sounds of the forest. There was the light pitter-patter of rain, the leaves rustling from the light breeze blowing through the area, and the trickling of the nearby creek. There wasn't anything unusual.

With my assessment of the area complete, I trotted through the forest toward Anevae's cabin. I was caught off-guard the first time I tried to go onto her property. One of the strongest protection wards I'd ever encountered had been placed on the land. The presence of it made me suspicious; it hadn't been there before she moved in. A fae created the ward, and another powerful being sealed it, but their scents were covered to conceal their identities. The beings were good—I'd give them that—but what were they protecting this woman from?

During her time with me that day, she showed no signs of knowing that a portal to Caellaias was nearby. I'd seen how oblivious she seemed to the dangers the woods could possess over the last few days, so I wondered if she had any knowledge of the kingdom at all. Did she even know she was a being of Caellaias? She didn't act like it. And she told me she'd grown up in a big city. Was that true, or was she hiding something?

Thanks to the ward, I couldn't cross onto her property without her permission, so I was stuck at the tree line. I'd sat there several times since she'd moved in, just watching her. I was glad the ward was there to protect her when I couldn't because I felt this innate need to do so. I didn't understand it yet, but I hoped to learn more as I spent time with her. She was interesting and different from anyone I'd ever met; I wanted to figure her out. While I watched her, I let my curiosity get the best of me all too often. I wasn't doing a great job keeping myself hidden from her—she'd seen me more than once already and even tried to take pictures of me.

When I approached my boundary, the light in the kitchen turned off. Her curvy frame was illuminated in the bedroom window a few moments later. She was beautiful, unlike any woman I'd ever met before. She had these striking blue eyes and plump, naturally red lips that starkly contrasted her pale skin. Her crimson-red hair was a mass of voluminous waves that looked perfect no matter how she styled it. Her button nose and high cheekbones were covered in tiny freckles, making her eyes even more vibrant. Every time I trailed my eyes down her body, her curves and thick thighs made my mouth water. I'd always liked a woman with some extra meat on her bones, but I hadn't looked at a woman—anyone really—that way in years. I'd been through too much during my time in Caellaias to consider being with anyone intimately.

I watched Anevae walk in and out of the bathroom, getting ready for bed. When she approached her dresser, she pulled out a pair of pajamas and began stripping. My pulse quickened as she took off her shorts, revealing a pair of bright red lace panties. A pulsing started in my clit, and I looked away. As much as I wanted to sit there and see her beautiful body, I didn't want her to realize I was there watching her get undressed.

On the way back to my cabin, I decided to go for a hunt. I still had enough food to last me for a few months, but I hadn't heard from Arturo in several weeks. He was a bear shifter I'd met many years prior who'd been helping me with food and other supplies in exchange for help with odd jobs at his general store in Fawnhaven. We weren't what you'd consider friends, more like business partners, so we didn't keep in constant contact.

I did try to reach out to him a few times before Anevae's arrival to the area with no response and I hadn't made it into town to see if everything was okay. I avoided human contact as much as possible since I didn't age like them. I still appeared in my mid to late twenties and had looked that way for many years. Anevae was also a huge distraction, and I didn't want to let her out of my sight.

With the rain that night, it took me longer than average to locate my prey—a rabbit. I carried it home and placed it on the porch so I could shift back to my human form. When I had fully functioning hands again, I used the spigot outside to clean some of the mud off myself. After the last large clump of dirt was rinsed from my skin, I turned off the spigot and grabbed the rabbit, heading inside.

Stepping over the threshold, I grabbed a towel off the shelf. I had left them there for days when I was wet or dirty after a shift. I tried to clean off the smears of mud left on my arms and legs, but a shower was going to be necessary to get it out of my hair. When I was done wiping myself off, I dropped the towel on the floor with my dirty clothes and then turned to the kitchen.

I found my favorite knife and got to work dressing the rabbit. It was a messy process, so I was glad I had waited to take a shower. After it was dressed, I grabbed a pan and got to work making my dinner.

When I was done eating, I cleaned up the kitchen and made my way to the bathroom, grabbing my dirty laundry on the way. After dropping everything in the hamper, I turned on the water until it was almost too hot to handle and stepped into the stream. The harsh contrast between the hot water and my cool skin caused me to jump, but I relaxed under the warmth once my body got used to the temperature. As I cleaned my body, all I could think about was how it would feel to have Anevae's body against mine. I thought about how it would feel to have her hands skimming over my skin the way the water was.

A strong pulsing started in my clit again. I couldn't let the thought of her consume me—at least not yet. I also didn't want the darker parts of me to ruin her. I hardly knew anything about her besides what I'd seen and what she'd told me that day. I couldn't shake the feelings of how she made me feel and my attraction to her.

I forced myself to get out of the shower and push the beautiful woman from my mind, grabbing the clean towel from the rack as I stepped out. After drying off, I went back to my bedroom to grab some pajamas. I wanted to get up early the next morning; Anevae was coming to explore the area with me. I needed to make a plan of where we'd be going and what I needed to pack. The thought that I'd be near her again had my heart racing in excitement. I slid the soft fabric of my pajamas over my skin and climbed into bed. As I laid my head down, I drifted off to visions of the strange but gorgeous woman filling my head.