Page 8 of Foxin’ Around (Mated to the Monster: Season 3)

Chapter

Seven

S yrix was not amused. He was, in truth, furious. Seething with anger, he led his little mate back into their cabin and released her hand to seal the door with his strongest spells as he closed it behind them. Although he had his own specific gifts, there were certain magics that all foxes were taught by their parents, as well as having their own bit of fox fire. He tossed his fireball into the hearth, making the fire roar with new life as it shot upward before settling once more into a crackling dance over the logs. His female jumped in reaction to the sudden burst in flames, however, and he immediately felt contrite.

“Apologies, Krystal. You have already had one scare, I should have warned you.”

She blinked at him owlishly but nodded as she glanced toward the door uncertainly. Her lost expression tugged at his heart.

“It cannot enter,” he reassured her. “You are safe.”

She nodded again, but he could tell that she was not convinced. “What was it?”

“A lamia,” he replied truthfully. “An unpleasant, nocturnal spirit with the lower body of a serpent and insatiable appetite for flesh. It is rare to come across them since they seldom leave their defined hunting grounds, but many creatures are seeking new abodes these days.” He shook his head grimly. “It seems that you have caught the attention of one. Though they commonly eat children, they are known to beguile lovers into lying with them in order to satiate their sexual appetite before the other feast begins. They are quite skilled at illusion,” he added sourly.

And one was in his territory. It was an insult to the sensibilities of any fox spirit. His kind could be malicious when they chose to be, but frequently they were playful lovers who happily made agreeable exchanges with humans for what they desired. That was, of course, with the exception of certain lineages and particularly raucous individuals who made humans wary of their kind.

“Lucky me,” Krystal muttered. Her expression grew pensive for a moment, but she sighed and some of her tension drained away. “I hope you don’t mind that I ask you to remain in the cabin with me while that thing is out there. I understand that it’s giving some pretty significant mixed signals, but I will feel better if you do. You seem to be safe, at least.”

Syrix peered at her and resisted the urge to laugh. “You think I am safe, sweetheart? Such a deliciously na?ve thing to say. You really have no idea how close to danger you stand right at this moment, do you, my pet?”

Krystal squinted up at him warily. “Are you trying to frighten me?”

“Not at all,” he warmly assured her, his expression lightening mirthfully. “But I do not wish for there to be any misunderstandings between us when it comes to my nature. I will never harm you—this I will happily swear upon any oaths set before me and any gods who may witness it—but I am not safe. Although my hungers differ from that of the lamia—I still hunger.”

Her eyes widened, but he held her gaze while keeping his demeanor calm and inviting. Foxes were predators, sure, but they were also highly affectionate, and family orientated. He wanted nothing more than to curl around his mate and surround her in his warmth and comfort. He frowned a little, his nose twitching. It was a bit chilly in the room now that he thought about it. He glanced down at her shawl, noting how thin it was. She had to be cold. That would do not do.

Turning away from her momentarily, he sought out the cozy blanket he kept in the small chest beside the couch. It was perfect for chilly evenings. He had traded for the wool and had spun and dyed the fibers himself many years ago and enchanted it with his own magic. He lifted it from the trunk and it fell open, the scent of flowers that didn’t exist in the human world wafting from it. He gave it a gentle shake and turned toward her. Krystal’s eyes dropped to the blanket in surprise, but she slipped off the shawl with a grateful smile as he lifted the blanket and wrapped it around her.

“Thank you,” she said quietly, turning to take the shawl back to the rack. “I didn’t realize how cold I was.”

He inclined his head in acknowledgement, but his eyes continued to track her movement around the cabin. “The evening are still cooler than even I like. And it rained a little earlier in the day. Naturally, you would get chilled in the damp air. May I ask why you ventured outside?”

She flushed, her eyes shifting toward the fire. “I wanted to thank you… for the duck. I didn’t expect you to feed me after I forced you from the cabin.”

Syrix chuckled quietly at her confession. “You entered the woods—in the dark—to thank me for half a roast duck?”

Her blush climbed higher and darkened. “And to say that maybe I was being a little inconsiderate. You are being kind, and I just kicked you out. I felt a little guilty.” She took a deep breath and expelled it when he smiled. “And it’s not just that. I admit that I’m really out of my depth here with all of this. Ever since the Ravening I’ve been jumping at shadows, running away from people out of fear that they may try to hurt me.”

“So that’s what you call it,” he observed quietly to himself.

“… and there isn’t even a gas stove and microwave that I can use for my practically nonexistent cooking skills,” she continued to ramble. “I’ve been eating things like packaged snacks the whole way here with the plan to just eat canned stuff from the pantry, only to find out that apparently my aunt and uncle weren’t so good at keeping things stocked as I remembered. I’m probably going to end up starving at some point to be honest, and?—”

“You were afraid that I would leave you here with no way to feed or care for yourself,” he concluded with a grin.

She winced. “Yeah, that pretty much sums it up. And now I’ve heard it all out loud, maybe I should have just stuck with feeling guilty.”

He chuckled sympathetically. “So, it is not love or fleeting compassion for a male thrust outdoors, but desire for a provider. This is natural.”

“You don’t have to quite put it that way,” she grumbled. “I want to learn how to take care of myself. It’s not like survival 101 is something that was taught to school-age children. I feel bad enough about the fact that I’m basically doing a one-eighty here because I’m suddenly afraid that I will die out here alone. It’s humiliating to admit, and I’m ashamed that my first impulse is just to find a way to keep you here for entirely selfish reasons.”

And she was depending on him. His mate needed him. His heart melted and his head fur puffed a little with delight. It was an excellent opportunity for him to show her that he could be a considerate mate who provided well for her—and give him the opportunity to teach her how to survive in her new world, so that she would gain more confidence and capability and be secure in the life they would build together, and he would worry less about her whenever she ventured from the cabin. Perhaps it was better that she just wished to use him instead experiencing the natural infatuation humans often felt in the company of fox spirits. She would be more inclined to learn from him in order to survive rather than simply depending on him to care for her. This could only be beneficial to her, even if he had to suffer the occasional blow to his ego.

Having his mate strong and healthy was far more important.

He adjusted the blanket around her and gave her a comforting smile. “Do not feel guilt, sweetheart. It is a natural instinct for one whose world has been entirely upended. There is no shame in wishing to survive, and you were honest about it, which is commendable and more than what most would do.”

Even more than most foxes would do. They weren’t above utilizing whatever trickery was necessary to get what they needed.

Her nose scrunched adorably as she squinted at him. “You’re not even a little upset about that?”

“Of course not,” he assured her. “Why would I be upset to be needed? And even if you are wary, you clearly must trust me a little—enough to eat what I prepared and to wish to lure me into staying. This is all a good place to start.”

“To start what?” Her brow furrowed in confusion, and he merely grinned playfully.

“To start your lessons, naturally,” he lied.

It was not a complete lie as it did form a good starting point for him to teach her, but there was no reason to make her aware of his true motivation. In the end, although he drew her there with his magic, he wanted his mate to be enthusiastically willing when she entered his bed. He would not manipulate her, but nor would he show his hand as to what he ultimately desired. He would enjoy the game of watching and see how naturally things would unfold. It was possible that, in the process, she would choose not to become his mate, but that too was part of the game, and the risk of losing everything made it all the sweeter and more exciting for him.

Either way, he had no intention of binding an unwilling female to him. Using trickery to enjoy her company to give them an open opportunity to bond further was another matter.

Krystal’s sharp blue gaze searched his expression for a long moment, looking for any sign of deceit. His smile widened with pleasure at his clever mate and finally she laughed quietly under her breath.

“I don’t know if I’m crazy or if you are just that convincing—or maybe it’s just desperation talking—but ok, let’s do this,” she said, and her lips quirked in a faint smile.

“Excellent!” His tail puffed with pleasure, but he caught the tip with his ankle before it could make an unexpected appearance. “Now, are you still hungry? I am ravenous and that little walk worked up quite an appetite.”

Pink tinged her cheeks again and she nodded. “I probably shouldn’t. Half a duck is actually a lot for one person to eat, but I am hungry.”

Syrix tsked as he led her to the kitchen and into one of the wooden chairs at the table in there so that she could comfortably keep him company while he cooked. “From what you have said, I gather that you have not eaten well at all since this…Ravening. Your appetite will balance back out. Besides, I do enjoy a companion with a healthy appetite.”

“I could at least help,” she objected as she began to pull off the blanket.

He shook his head, and he wrapped it more firmly around her. “You are travel weary. You have plenty of time to help me. Tomorrow we will cook together, but for tonight you will indulge my desire to feed you.”

She gave him a skeptical look but finally relented with a little nod and got comfortable at the table as he spirited around the kitchen, pulling together the ingredients he needed for something light. She was correct that the duck was a lot for her stomach already. Some roasted vegetables with bits of sizzling fat from the wild pig he’d caught and slaughtered and a dab of honey for sweetness would be a delightful follow up in his opinion.

Syrix hummed happily to himself, the weight of her eyes following him as he cooked. There was a true pleasure for him in carefully preparing every bit of food that would pass between his mate’s lips. His happiness filled him so completely that he knew he was smiling ridiculously when he brought the serving dish to the table and set it on the table between their seats. Krystal gave him an appreciative look and sniffed it.

“It smells wonderful.”

He nodded in agreement. “It is a shame that we polished off the duck first because it would have been a lovely accompaniment. Next time we will enjoy this luxury,” he replied as he offered her a fork from the kitchen drawer and took one for himself.

It was all he could do to keep his tail pinned when she took a bite and moaned with pleasure. His tail stiffened in the chair behind him even as he felt his cock twitch and harden slightly in reaction. He swallowed thickly, glancing over at her with pleasure. “I am glad you like it.”

“You spoil me,” she replied as she hastily took another bite.

Syrix grinned but he did not reply, instead he took a bite and shifted the conversation to a more important topic of conversation.

“There is something important that we should discuss,” he said, and her gaze sobered as it fastened upon him. “Nothing bad, I assure you. It’s just that I would not recommend entering the woods at night without me by your side, especially with this present danger to consider. The lamia prefers to hunt at night, but I would suggest staying among my groves and gardens, which will be safe enough during the day. Few things will dare to cross into my territory, but it is better to be cautious with your safety for the time being.”

Krystal swallowed her bite of food and nodded. “That sounds reasonable. I honestly can’t see anything that would make feel inclined to step foot into those woods after dark at this point.”

He dipped his head in acknowledgement but could not help feeling a tickle of unease. Some things were never anticipated until they struck.