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FLYNN

I held on for dear life as Gunnar fucked me against one of the trees in the special grove we’d found the day he’d gone after Vince. “I love you,” I panted over and over, because once I’d said the words I’d never stopped saying them. We might have been pulled together by some strange twist of fate, but it was far more than that. We loved.

“I love you too,” Gunnar said. “And I’m going to fuck you so hard.” That was another thing that had changed. He’d gone from no slang to lots and lots of slang and curses. But that was just him. Gunnar was who he was and no matter where he was or who he was exposed to in the human world, that was who he was.

“My mate,” I grunted as he pushed me to the edge before pounding into me. We’d fucked many times, but every time was better than the last for us both, except the time I talked him into letting me top him. He was more than willing to try, but not so much, once I was in him. That was the one time my love had looked at me with fear in his eyes for what came next. Not that it mattered. I much preferred him fucking me within an inch of my life.

When we finished, we lay on the soft moss and ferns and for a while neither of us spoke. His breaths and heartbeat lulled me into a near sleep. My mind wandered and I dreamed of when we’d first met. How I was so curious about this monster who had chosen to enter this world to live among the trees. He amazed me and fascinated me then, and now, every day I was in awe of what he’d become.

“Don’t forget we’re going to meet Stella and Dean for dinner,” Gunnar said and stood up.

“Aw, I was so comfortable,” I complained but stood too and pulled my underwear on. “I was hoping we could stay here a while longer.”

“We can return tomorrow,” he said with a kiss.

“I’d like that.” It was the end of summer so the heat had faded to perfect days that I wanted to spend outside as much as we could before winter forced us to stay inside more.

“I asked Ben if he wanted to join us,” Gunnar said while facing away from me. Unwilling to meet my eyes because he knew I wasn’t much for meeting with a big group for dinner. Something he loved.

“Will Kailani be there?” After that day at the lake, it was official. Ben had a new girlfriend, and he was crazy in love. Something I’d never witnessed before. Ben had always been a little wild, and sometimes a whole lot annoying. But he was a good friend to Gunnar when no one else had been, and he deserved to be happy.

“Yes,” Gunnar said. “They’re meeting us there.”

“Okay, I guess there’s no getting out of it now.” I walked over to where he was and kissed his cheek. “Anyone else joining us?”

“Bo and Sandy,” he said.

“I was joking.” He turned then and laughed.

“I know, love. But this is all still new to me, and I love when all the humans sit around and talk.”

Gunnar had told me that many decades ago when trolls were still plentiful, they would all get together and share stories. They normally were not social creatures, but all of them had a love of adventure and tales of bravery. Since most of them had been hunted and killed, those meetings had ended, and he missed it. Getting together with my family and our friends reminded him of those times that he missed. “I know, and I don’t mind it.”

“You have the heart of a troll,” he said with a big grin.

“What do you mean?” I asked as we walked back to camp.

“You’re brave beyond measure, and you’re very antisocial.” He chuckled.

“Ha ha,” I said with a load of sarcasm.

We walked into the pizza place, and I was surprised how busy it was, but there in the corner Mom and Dad sat at a table with Sandy and Bo. They’d known each other around town, but recently we’d all been gathering together to eat. Everyone got along, which given what a strange mix we were, that was quite an accomplishment.

“Hello, boys, how’s everything going at camp? Mom asked and patted Gunnar on the cheek. He loved how she was with him. Never treating him as a troll at all and always showing him the gentleness he craved.

“The weather has been great. It’s a nice break after the summer heat,” I said, as Gunnar and I sat down.

“Ricky and Jason might stop by too,” Bo said and glanced at the door just as Ben walked in with his girlfriend. Mom’s eyes lit up, always excited to meet someone new. Especially if they were something more than the average human.

Gunnar waved them over and they took seats next to us. “Well hello, Ben, we haven’t seen you in a long time,” Dad said.

“Yeah, I’ve been keeping busy at work. This is Kailani, my girlfriend,” Ben said proud as could be and introduced her to each person around the table.

“Sounds like everyone is finding their special person,” Mom said.

Ben grinned and kissed Kailani’s cheek. We hadn’t talked with her that much since Ben usually stayed at her house now. But she seemed very nice and if she could put up with Ben, she had to be very special. Mom, of course, had a million questions which she answered as best she could.

“Hey, sorry we’re late,” Jason said as he and Ricky walked over to the table. “We’re actually going out on an assignment today so we can’t stay but we wanted to stop by before we left town.”

“Anything exciting?” Bo asked him.

“We’re doing more studies on the portal in the woods. Since they fired one of the guards, things have been much smoother. Seems he wasn’t really watching the portal most of the day so we’re still trying to account for anyone who may have crossed through without going to the institute.”

“I would not have known this either if Einar had not told me,” Gunnar said.

“You never did tell us what happened that day we saw you. We know a human entered the monster realm before you did a while later, but he has never returned. Do you know what happened?” Ricky asked, but not in an accusatory way. He was a scientist and wanted to know more out of curiosity and for research purposes.

Gunnar glanced at my parents before telling them how he’d gone hunting for Vince in the monster realm and how he’d gotten help from a leshy he’d met in their village. “But before I could catch him, Einar did. He won’t be bothering anyone in either world again,” Gunnar said.

“He must have been using that portal for a while before we discovered it,” Ricky said, saying the same thing we thought at the time.

“Yes, he had quite an illegal operation going on. I don’t know where he found the blade he was using though,” Gunnar said. We’d tried a few times to find out more about the deadly blade he’d recovered that day, but neither of us were able to find out anything. As long as it was hidden away it was no danger to anyone, and we both would make sure it was lost forever.

“Humans want to use different parts of the monster world without fully understanding what they’re doing and how much risk there is. But I am glad to know that everything turned out okay,” Ricky said.

Gunnar and I nodded because we’d seen just that, and knew every word he said was true. But good things had come from monsters being allowed to enter our world and the gathering at this table was proof of it. Ricky and Jason said goodbye and left just as our food was delivered, and everyone went quiet while we ate. “I like this,” Gunnar said softly in my ear.

“The food?” I asked because he was not shy about saying if he didn’t like something.

“This,” he said and waved his big hand over the table. “Sitting here with my family and friends enjoying a good meal. This is all I ever dreamed of when I sat alone in my cave and dreamed of a life less lonely. Now my heart is full.”

My eyes prickled with emotion at his words. Gunnar was never one for speaking about feelings, but he was touched so deeply he felt the need to. “I’m happy,” I whispered. “You make me so fucking happy.”

He slipped his arm around me and pulled me close to his side. “I love you, mate.”

“I love you too.” And I always would.