Mountain Getaway

She grabbed them angrily, tears of fury rolling down her cheeks. "FUCK YOU ASSHOLE!" she screamed at the window, then winced. She pulled the blankets and pillows out to the front and curled up on the couch, miserable. The wine bottles and glasses were gone now too.

She laid there on the couch feeling horrible and hating life until late evening when the door opened and the creature came back in, the pie tin full of food.

"Cook," he commanded. "Eat. Do not poison yourself again."

Emmerson sat up. "Why won't you tell me what you are? Did you take my... HEY! Come back and answer my questions you jerk!"

She growled and dropped back with a huff, turning over to her other side. After a few minutes, she got up and went to the other bedroom and got the blankets off of that bed as well. She was freezing!

She went to the fridge and all of the wine was gone. All that was left was bottles of water. She grabbed one and curled back into the blankets.

"Cook. Eat," he demanded from the other side of the door in the dark.

"No! Let me leave!"

She slept curled up on the couch that night, still angry and miserable. She woke at dawn and sat up, her stomach growling. She picked up the tin full of dirty vegetables and raw meat and opened the front door, throwing it out as far as she could.

No one said anything and there was no movement. She stood there frozen at the door, looking out, then took a tentative step onto the porch, her head on a swivel. It was empty.

She stepped out to the porch, all the way to the stairs, ignoring the biting cold on her bare feet.

A giant creature stepped out of the forest's edge and roared loud enough that Emmerson dropped onto her butt and scooted back inside, shaking. She kicked the door shut and huddled there, trembling.

"What do you things WANT?!?" she finally screamed before breaking down sobbing again.

When the door opened that evening, Emmerson sat up and looked at the younger creature who was watching her warily. "Cook. Eat," he said, lifting the tin at her. "Do not leave the cabin. Ever."

"You can't keep me in here forever! What do you things want?"

He had cringed when she said 'things', then his expression turned dark. "If the others had their way you would be dead already, human," he spat. "If you try to leave again, I will let them! Eat!"

"No!"

"If you do not eat, you will be punished," he said darkly.

"Do your worst! It can't be as bad as living in terror night and day! Just go ahead and kill me!

"Eat!" he raged, slamming his massive fist on the arm of the couch. It snapped and the couch collapsed on that end, the legs under it breaking.

"You can't keep me prisoner here!" she cried, her voice smaller and more frightened now as she held onto the whole end of the couch.

"I will do as I please!" he grated, then turned and left, slamming the door.

Emmerson wilted, but she was starving. She got up and washed the vegetables, then cooked the food. She ate sparingly, putting the rest in the empty fridge, then curled up on the sofa. It was harder than the couch, but the couch was broken and sat at an angle now. She couldn't sleep on the sofa, it was too uncomfortable, so he pulled and tugged a mattress from the bedroom to the living room since she was too afraid to sleep in the bedroom. She dragged the other one in on top of it and made herself a nest on the two mattresses in the corner with every pillow lining the walls and all of the blankets.

In the morning, she went to the door and opened it, but didn't step out. "There is nothing to do here! I need paper and pencils and books or something! Anything! Hello? Swamp Thing? Hulk? Shrek? Whatever the fuck you are? Are you listening? A laptop? My phone back?"

There was no answer and she shut the door dismally.

That day, that afternoon and evening, no one came to the door. There was no tin of food delivered. Nothing.

Emmerson was going stir crazy as she tried to think of a way out of this.

The next morning, she opened the front door and stepped out, putting the empty tin on the railing, then sat down on one of the chairs on the porch, curling up to sit in the morning sunlight. No one snarled or yelled or growled.

By afternoon, she was beginning to think she was no longer being watched, she had seen no movement, no sign of any sort, heard nothing at all.

The creature quietly appeared from around the house and took a full tin of food inside after giving her a grumpy look. She got up and followed him from a distance. She had decided she was going to try a different approach.

"My name is Emmerson," she said softly. "Thanks for the food. And for saving me from Trent."

He said nothing as he paused, looking her over.

"What's your name?"

He went tense all over, watching her as if waiting for her to yell again. "Matuk," he said finally.

"Matuk. Thanks. For everything."

"Mat," he said with a stiff nod, acknowledging her thanks.

"Mat then. I am Emmy if you want. Can you tell me what you are, Mat? Mat!" she yelled in exasperation as he stormed out.

She growled in frustration as she got up and cooked the meat he had brought, afraid to look too closely at it.

When she woke the next morning, there were four books sitting on the end of her bed. Paperbacks with no covers that were bent and the pages curled with cracked spines.

An Agatha Christie novel, a book that said it was the 5th in a series about a vampire hunter, an old dimestore harlequin romance novel and a book about roman mythology.

Emmerson sighed, but dragged a blanket to the porch and read all day.

Mat returned that evening, looking her over warily as he took a tin of food inside. She followed again. "Hi. So I get that I can't ask about what you are, can you tell me anything at all? How old are you? Where do you live?"

He was scowling angrily as he left.

The next day Emmerson ignored him completely, wondering if he would speak to her if she didn't ask questions.

He did not.

The following day, Emmerson followed him in and set the stack of books by the empty tin for him to take back with him. "Do you have any more books that I could read? Or could I have my phone back so I could download some?"

He said nothing, but the next morning, there were four new paperbacks on her bed with no covers.

When he came in that evening, she looked up. "Hi Mat. This book here seems good, but it's the third in the series. Do you have the others?"

He crossed the room and took the book from her, looking at it.

"You can read?" she asked softly.

The question offended him, like it seemed everything did and he left. The next morning though, there were 13 books on her bed, all from the same author and all in the same series.

For two days, she only watched him when he came and went, not speaking. Finally, on the third day, she got up, putting her book down. "So, Mat, may I ask what you are going to do with me?"

"Do with you?" he asked, confused by the question.

"Yeah. You keep feeding me, fattening me up like you intend to eat me. Have a huge feast."

He snorted derisively. "Feast? You? Not even a meal for one. No, Emmerson. No, when I eat you, and I will, you will purr like a kitten for me and beg me to do it again."

Emmerson stood in stunned shock as he left. Had he just... intimated that he intended to...? She sat down hard.

It... he liked her? That was why he had saved her, he intended to keep her for himself in... that way.

Emmerson was stunned, but she realized it made sense. He wasn't like the others of them, he was half human. It stood to reason he would want someone in his life.

All she had to do was play along long enough to get him to relax his guard around her so she could get away.

The next morning, she showered and primped a little before going out onto the porch to curl up with the book. She read for a little while, then sat up, looking around.

"Mat? Are you there? Mat?"

"What do you want?" he demanded from the trees.

"Have you read this series?"

There was no answer for a long time and she realized he had probably taken offense again, assuming she was being derisive about his ability to read.

"Because I have questions and wondered if you had read it and I could ask you about them?"

"Ask the questions," he said, coming to the edge of the forest where she could barely see him in the shade of the woods.

"Can you come sit up here so I don't have to yell?"

He hesitated, then moved closer up to the porch. He did not sit in the chair near her, he leaned on the railing across the porch, his arms crossed. He looked like he was waiting for her to say something mean, his posture defensive.

"So, this Verin lady, is she a bad guy?"

"Read and find out."

"But I want to know! And what about..."

Emmerson asked him several more questions about the books, watching his face go from guarded and defensive to amused and pleasant. She realized as she looked at him that he wasn't unattractive. In fact, once you got past the fact that he was green and tattooed, he was actually kind of hot. She was dying to know what he was, but she knew that triggered him, so she avoided asking.

She finally paused her questions and just looked at him for a moment until he began looking wary again. She pretended to be flustered and looked away quickly, standing and going to the opposite railing to look at the woods, facing away from him.

"So... Mat... How old are you? I'm twenty three..." she said quickly, trying to sound more flustered.

"I am... unsure. Where I was raised, we did not keep track of such things. I think... I am of a similar age to you."

"Ah. Umm... Thanks for answering my questions," she said softly, acting like she was at a loss for words now. "You don't have to stay if you don't want. I mean! You can if you want, I am not asking you to leave? I just... umm..."

"You are disconcerted now, Emmerson. Why?"

"Oh... I'm not. Not really... Umm... "

"Emmerson, I sense deceit."

"I am not... disconcerted!" she huffed, actually a little alarmed now. Could he tell when she was lying?!? This would never work if she couldn't fake liking him.

He was quiet for so long, she wondered if he was going to speak again. She looked over her shoulder, but he was gone. Completely.

She spun and looked around, confused and... a little hurt. He had just left her there without saying anything? A little offended, she grabbed up the blankets and went inside, shutting the door with a little more force than necessary.

What was his problem? He did want her to like him, right? How had he gotten offended?? What had she said??

An hour later, the door opened and she looked up, confused. He had a tin of food, but it was earlier than he usually brought it, and there was more of it. Was he leaving and not coming back for a while?

She sat up, a little alarmed. Was he going to leave her here alone with the creatures who wanted to kill her?!?

"Cook," he said, gesturing after setting it down.

She got up and watched him as he stepped back. "Are you leaving?" she asked fearfully.

"Is that your wish?"

"No!"

He canted his head slightly, but said nothing. He stepped back and leaned against the wall, crossing his arms as he watched her. She began cooking, slowly, turned so she could see him if he moved or tried to leave.

"You are fearful," he stated, confused. "Not of me."

"No..." she answered slowly. "I... I don't want you to go. How long will you be gone?"

"Gone?"

"When you leave. That's why so much food, right? You are going to be gone?"

He smiled slightly and when he did his nose wrinkled up a bit. It was a little bit adorable. "There is more... as I will stay."

"Oh! You are eating here? Is that why you left earlier? To go get food so we could talk more while we ate?"

His head canted again as he looked her over as if assessing her again. His pointed ears twitched slightly. "This... pleases you?" he asked in a confused sort of excitement.

She felt herself blushing in reality. His wondrous happiness was like a punch in the gut. He had saved her life, should she really be toying with him this way?

Of course she should, he was still keeping her prisoner here, threatening her with his kind killing her.

But he was alone in the world... and he had saved her life. And fed her. And brought her books.

He was so...insecure. Would it hurt her to actually try and be nice to him?

"Want to come chop these potatoes?" she asked softly, moving the bowl down the counter with the knife as she began cutting up the meat. He moved closer, still watching her as he picked up the knife. "What kind of meat is this?" she asked as she deboned it.

"That is mountain lion."

"Oh..." she answered breathily, a little alarmed now. "I've... never had that?"

"Yes. You had it yesterday."

"I see. Uhh... ummm... So you read a lot, I guess. How did you learn?"

"Taught myself."

"Oh. Umm. How do you get books?"

"The bookstore throws many away. They tear off the cover first. I do not know why."

"Oh. Umm. Do you live near here?"

"Close enough."

"You go into town though, obviously."

"At night, sometimes."

"That ummm... the other one... is he your father?"

"No," he answered with a snort of derision. "You would assume so, yes? Foul creature, stealing a human girl, taking her for his own."

"No! I never said that!" she said quickly, fearfully as his grip tightened on the knife. "I was just asking! He seems... close to you!"

He turned away from her, scowling. He went back to cutting the potatoes more forcefully now. "He is my uncle," he finally said, after a long, tense moment.

"I see," she said mildly, hardly more than a whisper.

"My... mother... she was not like the others. She chose to live... away. Too close to your human city below. It was a flaw in her brain. She watched the humans constantly. My uncle went to her and found... a human male with her. She had taken him because of his beauty. Captured him, kept him. My uncle killed him and forced my mother to return to her kind in the caves. Then I came. They did not even know she was carrying the humans... spawn. I was so small even in her womb. After I was born... an abomination... she was put on trial and killed. My uncle raised me, refusing to let them kill me too."

"Is... is he going to kill me?"

"He allowed me to save you so that... I would not be alone. His kind... My mother's kind... they will not have me. He knew I was lonely and distraught. When I brought him to this place and showed him what the humans were doing to their women here... he allowed that I might choose one to save."

"Thank you. For saving me."

"He fears I am making a mistake. I will never be accepted... you will run, you will tell. Put him and his kind in danger of being hunted."

"I wouldn't do that! You saved me, Mat!"

He said nothing after cutting his eyes at her. Finally, as he slid the finished potatoes aside and leaned on the counter, he turned to look at her. "Was it a mistake, Emmerson? To allow you to live?"

She paused, turning to look up at him. "No? I swear I will never tell! I won't! I wouldn't do that to you after you saved me!"

His face went dark as he stood up straight. He moved closer to her, looking down at her. "That is not the correct answer!" he snarled, but she could see the hurt behind his anger.

"I don't know what you want!" she screamed, covering her face and dropping to her knees.

He growled angrily as she began sobbing. "Rise! Finish the food!" he demanded after a moment.

Emmerson edged away from him before getting up and moving down the counter, leaning as far from him as she could. He stayed hovering close to her, making her tremble as tears continued to fall. It was as if he were purposefully trying to be intimidating.

After she finally covered the pan on the stove, she spoke. "I haven't done anything wrong!" she whispered fearfully. "You can't expect me to just know what you want! How to act for you! All I can do is be me!"

"Silence. Stop crying, I do not like it. How long will that take?" he asked, gesturing to the pan.

"Not long? Thirty minutes?"

"Go!" he demanded, taking her arm and swinging her around to the front room and pushing her towards the bed. She stumbled a few steps, then course corrected immediately and turned to a chair.

He took two long strides and caught her, swinging her back towards the bed and shoving harder. She stumbled over the edge and immediately jerked up blankets to hide behind as she scooted to the corner where she had pillows piled up.

He pulled a chair to the edge of her bed and sat down, tossing her book next to her as he did. Emmerson picked it up slowly, looking up at him as she gathered the blankets around her. He crossed his arms and watched her with a scowl.

"I'm just supposed to sit here and read while you watch me?" she asked softly.

He leaned back in the chair and put one booted foot up on the edge of the mattress, his arms still crossed as he glowered at her.

She opened the book and looked down at it, but could not read. She was too stressed with his eyes on her, his anger permeating the room. She sat there for more than twenty minutes, just starting at the page and wiping away tears before they could fall. She was shaking, shivering and feeling sick.

"Put it down," he demanded.

Emmerson jerked and dropped the book from nerves.

"Move the blanket!"

"What?" she asked in terror, clutching the quilt.

"Let it fall."

Emmerson swallowed hard and let the blanket go, being still so that it wouldn't fall.

"Stand."

"Mat..."

"STAND!" he roared, his hands clenching around the arms of the chair enough to make it creak.

Emmerson scrambled to stand, leaning against the wall to hold herself up.

"Remove your shirt and pants. I wish to see the red of your underclothes against your skin."

"What? Wait, you WATCH me get dressed?" she demanded angrily.

Some of his anger slipped away and he looked slightly embarrassed now. He shifted slightly, looking past her to the wall. "Remove the clothes... I wish to see you."

"No! No, Mat. You don't want me to treat you like you are a monster, you can't act like one," she said heatedly.

His eyes snapped to her and his lips drew back in a snarl.

"Trent was a monster and you are acting like him!" she said angrily. "Do you deny it? You want so badly for me to see you as something more than how you look! Don't act like a monster!"

He stood up, looking down at her looking almost feral. "Remove them now or I will watch while Brenock comes and does it!"

Emmerson flinched at his loud command and hunched down. She pulled her sweater off, then her pants and he grabbed them and threw them across the room.

"If I give you a command you will obey without question! Always!" he snarled, but his eyes were moving down her and he sounded distracted now.

She stood for a moment, hugging herself and staring at her feet. She darted to the side suddenly and flew into the kitchen area to pretend to work on the food and hover close to the warm stove. She felt him move close behind her, but he did not touch her.

"I'm cold," she whispered, shivering. She started to ask if she could get her clothes, but he forestalled her.

He moved up behind her until he was pressing against her and she let out a small sob. One of his massive hands took hold of her upper arm, then slid up to her throat and he put his giant hand around her throat. He held it there gently but firmly, pulling her back against him with his other hand around her arm. He was putting off heat like a furnace, but she was still cold as she trembled.

As she stood there, frozen in place, she realized that there was something about the way he was holding her. Something that she did not hate. It evoked a feeling in her that rose up and left her feeling confused. It also calmed her and she stopped trembling as his warmth suffused her from behind.