Midnight Butterflies

Chapter 1

ONE

Dove

Two Months Ago

Summer on Lamb Creek Mountain is one of my favorite times of the year. It’s when I’m most proud to say this is where I decided to settle down. Between the hiking trails and wildflowers blooming, it’s a sight to behold during these months.

Although, I can admit the truth; I’d probably say any season out here is my favorite while I’m experiencing it. I’m a proud resident of this beautiful place.

It’s often met with surprise whenever I tell anyone outside of my hometown of Lamb Creek that I would pick the mountain to live on. Evidently, it’s not often that a young woman in her twenties with so much to offer would choose to live in seclusion instead of being amongst people her age.

As a wildlife photographer, I started exploring Lamb Creek Mountain more frequently to try and perfect my craft after I graduated from college. It was easy to access since I went to college near my hometown and had been living in the same apartment. I was able to come out here day and night to fine- tune my skills. It was during these exploration sessions that I discovered my love of being immersed in this world.

At twenty-six years old, I’d rather experience the lifestyle I enjoy instead of the version others expect someone my age to have. One where my days are spent exploring the local wildlife instead of frequently running in and out of stores or behind a desk tapping away at a computer.

Some people may be confused as to why this is the life I want to lead, but I know what it feels like to accomplish my dreams while actually using my college degree. If that’s not a win-win scenario then I don’t know what is.

These days, I’ve built a life where I’m experiencing a type of tranquility that I always dreamed of having. Growing up, I had a tumultuous childhood for many years.

My parents had me when they were both very young and always resented each other because of it. As their only child, I was stuck in the middle. Their fights would last days, and most of the time, I was forgotten about because of that.

Both my father and mother wanted a life bigger than what was possible in Lamb Creek. The real problem was they didn’t want it with each other or for me to be included.

That’s why finding something akin to peace has always been one of my goals as an adult. I always knew that I wanted a life where I was happy instead of settling. My other priority was finding security; I didn’t want to rely on anyone else.

I know as I continue to grow in all aspects of life that what contentment looks like will change. For now, I have success in my career and, more importantly, happiness.

I’m happy to be spending my days and nights experiencing my passion and reveling in nature’s beauty.

That’s why, on a Friday night, when most of my peers are out at one of the local dive bars having alcoholic drinks, I’m out at my favorite spot on the mountain alone. This spot is unnamed and isn’t anything remarkable compared to the other landmarks people can explore. That’s one of the perks of visiting it. I’m able to just be .

During the day, most people who stumble upon its path wouldn’t stop. It’s even more unlikely that I’ll see anyone out here at this time of night. Really, even most of the locals don’t come out to any part of the mountain at this late hour.

Lamb Creek Mountain thrives during the daylight for others, but for me, I come to life out here when the stars are shining bright, and I can listen to all of the natural sounds that fill the air.

Whenever someone finds out that I like to explore at this time of night, I often get asked if I’m worried about being attacked. Truthfully, I’m not. It’s different whenever this is your day-to-day versus even coming out here frequently for hiking.

Very little crime happens in Lamb Creek, but especially on the mountain. If I run into anyone tonight, it’ll be a neighbor or a group of teenagers trying to sneak around without their parents.

What people don’t realize is that coming out here in the darkness, with only the moonlight to guide you, is breathtaking to witness. I’m able to think about work, projects, or anything really that comes to mind without being worried about any distractions.

I find that the night has a way of exposing your truths that being out in the daylight just can’t do. One might think that in the darkness is where the truth gets buried, but I find it to be the opposite. When all you have is being alone with your thoughts in the dark, you feel exposed. During the daytime, it’s easier to mask what you’re feeling and go along with the white lies that we often live with.

That’s one of the reasons I came out here tonight. I needed to just be with my thoughts as I sort through what I’ve been realizing as of late.

For the past eight months, I’ve been working on my next exhibition I’ll be showcasing in November at Grimall’s, a renowned art gallery in Seattle. My untitled collection is focused on the mountains of Washington and its inhabitants throughout the different seasons. What the wildlife looks like each season changes drastically, and I’m almost done capturing each one.

I’m wrapping up the summer photos soon, and then I’ll only have the autumn season left to complete it. After I exhibit this series, I’ll have to decide what to do next, and for the first time in a while, I’m at a loss.

This was my dream project to have the opportunity to do. After I finished my most recent exhibition with Grimall’s late last year, their head curator, Cindy, approached me about this project. She has been one of my biggest supporters throughout the past five years and told me they would take anything I’d be willing to do.

That’s when I knew I wanted to pay homage to the mountain I call home and the many other mountains that other Washingtonians do too.

After I showcase my fifteenth exhibition in five years, I’ll have to decide what path to take next. There are so many states to explore with different wildlife. I’ve been staying close to Lamb Creek because of the security I wanted, but I think it may be time to do something different.

If I don’t push myself creatively, then I’m worried I’ll end up just like my parents, unhappy and settling for a life that I’ve accepted instead of the one I’ve been able to forge.

I know I’ve managed to accomplish a lot at such a young age, which is why I can soak in my accomplishments while assessing what my near future will look like.

As I sit on part of a fallen tree, watching the water in the creek pass by, I revel in the beauty of this life. I actually did what I set out to do on my own.

If someone had asked me five years ago if I imagined I would be watching the faint rippling of water going past the smooth pebbles in awe, I probably would have laughed. Yet here I am, enjoying the peace I had craved all these years later.

It was this very spot hidden next to the creek that helped me make the decision to live on the mountain instead of in town. In those early exploration days, I would always end up here at some point. Whether to get my thinking in or to feel accomplished by the session I had just finished, it was always this spot I gravitated to. I knew this was the life I was meant to have when I was here.

Suddenly, I hear a loud crack of branches coming from behind where I’m sitting, causing me to sit upright and brace both of my sides. I may not be afraid of crime happening, but many animals call this mountain home too.

Taking a quick glance around, I don’t see anything in the trees. I scan the foot of the bushes, but no small animals are scurrying about or anything of the like.

As I start to focus back on the creek, another loud crack sounds through the night. One of my hands instantly clutches my chest, covering my now-erratic heartbeat.

I search the forest area and come up with nothing once more.

Take it easy, Dove.

You’re just jumpy because you are at a crossroads in life, that’s all.

Minutes go by, and I feel confident that whatever was making the sounds is long gone. I pull my hand away from my chest and try to get settled again.

Sorting through my future is not the time to suddenly become uneasy out here. It’s been years, and I’ve encountered hundreds of animals on my journeys.

I try to focus back on the water to relax. It often makes me feel calm and confident whenever I’m trying to find answers.

I glance at my watch and realize it’s later than I thought it would be. It’s almost midnight, and I have a big day ahead of me tomorrow. I’m off to the other side of the state to take photos of wolves. I have taken some photographs of them in the wintertime and know it’ll be beautiful to see them this time of year.

Twigs snapping loudly make me jolt up, and I land easily on the ground. My hand flings back up to my chest to try and catch my breath.

It could be wolves or bobcats, animals that I normally try and take more precautions before encountering in nature.

I scan the forest once more but can’t make out what animal it is.

Please let it be a bunny or even a fox . I need it to be something small so that I have a chance to escape from it and go back home.

Maybe I’ve become overly confident out here alone because I haven’t had any incidents happen. Right now, it’s shaping up to be a battle I’m not prepared to have.

More time passes, and I pray that it was some animal passing by and didn’t notice I was here. I look back at the creek once again and see my camera bag still resting on the tree.

Inhaling deeply, I try to steady my breathing to stay calm.

It does the trick, so I head back and take a seat, crossing my legs at the ankles and resting my hands on my sides against the tree.

My mouth twitches in amusement. I feel silly for behaving this way.

Looking down at my bag, I decide it’s time to head home soon. I think a good night’s sleep will do the trick before I have to head out tomorrow.

As I prepare to leave, another loud crack sounds mere feet away from where I am. It’s off-putting because any animals I know would have passed by or attacked me at this point.

I shake my head and try to calm my nerves.

“It’s fine,” I mutter.

There’s no way it’s a person; if it was, then surely, I would have been able to make out a silhouette or something at this point. I’m out here enough that it’s easy for my eyesight to adjust to being in the dark; plus, the moon is shining brightly tonight. If it was something large, I would have seen it.

Picking up my camera bag, I adjust it on my shoulder as I prepare to head home. My head hangs forward as I shut my eyes for a moment.

It’s been a long year, and I’m just tired. That’s all this is. I can’t believe I’m making this out to be something it isn’t.

Getting up, I pull at my camera bag strap and then adjust my tank top around my waist.

“Are you okay?” someone asks, panicked.

I yelp as I jump around to face the forest where the voice is coming from.

“Who are you?” I ask immediately.

This stranger is keeping his distance and remaining in the patch of forest.

It wasn’t an animal. It’s a man.

My senses are heightened as I try to make out his face, but I can’t because of the way the shadows are cast.

“I take it that means you’re fine. You had me worried,” he says with a light chuckle.

He takes a purposeful, easy step forward, causing another branch to crack.

“I would be fine if you weren’t prancing around here like an animal.”

“An animal?” Another light laugh.

Placing my hand on my jutted-out hip, I raise my eyebrows and wait for him to continue.

“A woman like you should be more careful.”

“I can take care of myself.”

That deep rumble of laughter comes out once more. This time, it sends shockwaves through my nervous system.

“I bet you can.”

The man takes another step, followed by another. The closer he gets, the more I can make out his face. It’s his eyes that I notice first—they appear to be a deep brown with crinkles around the edges. There is an unexpected warmth to them as they lock with mine.

The way he stares makes me feel anxious, and a pit starts to form low in my stomach. It’s an odd sense of unease that’s emerging. I’m not scared, but I know I need to be cautious in this situation.

I’m a female in the woods with a strange man who could easily overpower me. I may be in shape and fast, but I’m not about to test my abilities compared to his by fleeing. Instead, I keep my stance and watch as he becomes clearer with each new step.

“What are you doing out here?” I ask.

The man slowly emerges from the forest, and I can see a shake of his head and a small smirk playing on his lips.

“I’m lost,” he admits.

“Lost?” I ask, confused.

“You ask a lot of questions. Has anyone ever told you that?”

A cool breeze passes by, and it makes me inadvertently shiver. I don’t try to cover up, but I can tell my nipples have turned to pointy peaks beneath this flimsy tank top. Since the weather is warm, I decided to forgo wearing a bra, assuming I’d be alone.

His head snaps to mine, and for the first time, I’m out of breath. Taking a deep inhale, I suck in the surrounding air, shocked. This man is hauntingly gorgeous.

With breathtaking deep-brown eyes and matching short, wavy hair and scruffy beard, all I can do is drink him in. He doesn’t appear to be that much older than I am, maybe in his early to mid-thirties, if I were to guess.

His muscular corded arms are mouthwatering, but it’s his all-black attire that brings me back to reality.

My eyes snap up to his to find him looking at me with amusement.

“Do you like what you see?”

“What?” I ask, lost in a lust-filled haze.

“I asked, do you like what you see?” he says, this time with a cocky edge to his tone.

I scoff and throw my hands in the air before putting one back out on my hip.

“Someone is awfully sure of themself. Are you always like this with strangers?”

“Not like this.”

He steps forward, causing me to take a step back.

“You said you were lost.”

“I did.”

“I can give you directions to the parking lot.”

There’s one main parking lot that everyone visiting the mountain parks in. It’s possible he didn’t use it, but if he’s out here for a late-night stroll, then it’s the most likely option.

“I can manage.”

I lightly laugh.

“Am I amusing you?” he asks.

“It’s typical. That’s all.”

A lopsided grin appears as he puts his hands in his front jeans pockets and rocks on his heels.

“Typical?”

“A lost man, not willing to ask for directions.”

He barks out laughing, and it really is the most beautiful sound.

“That’s fair,” he says while trying to compose himself. I’m prouder than I should be that I’ve made him laugh this much. Although some of it may be at my expense.

I look to my former seat as I shift my camera bag on my shoulder, drawing his attention to what I’m carrying.

“Photographer?”

“Something like that.”

“Take anything interesting tonight?”

“Not really.”

I’m not about to tell this man anything about myself or my photographs. I’m still not sure if I should be screaming for my life.

“Well, since you don’t want help…” I trail off. What I’m not saying is get out of my secret spot so I can leave in peace without being worried you’re about to attack .

“May I?” he asks, with a hand extended to my camera bag strap.

He doesn’t give me a chance to answer before he’s loosening it up so I can wear it more like a crossbody bag. It’s my smaller camera bag that I brought out here just in case I spotted anything noteworthy to capture.

His fingers tease the edge of the strap, just above my breasts. They graze the outside of my tank top strap and drift over to my collarbone. The sensation causes heat to pool between my thighs, so I shift slightly to try and relieve the sudden ache.

The light touch is so seductive that I whimper as his fingers dip slightly lower to the top of my heaving breasts.

“You’re a responsive little thing,” he murmurs.

“I don’t know what you mean,” I whisper.

He laughs darkly.

“How about this,” he starts.

“What?” I answer breathily.

“Let’s not lie to one another. I think it’ll make our relationship better from the start.”

“What?”

That dark laugh escapes his luscious mouth I want to devour like a sex-fiend maniac. I shouldn’t be feeling this way.

“No lying.”

“Okay.”

It’s as if I’m in a fever dream with the way he’s making me feel.

“Sit with me.”

It’s not a question, but it doesn’t seem as if he’s making a demand.

“I have to go.”

“No, you don’t. Sit with me.”

I stare up at his twinkling eyes and start to wonder what exactly is happening between this stranger and me.

“What do you want from me?”

“Everything.”

“I… I…”

I stumble backward, causing a few rocks to fall into the stream. It at least breaks me of the trance I was just under.

“I can’t give you everything. I don’t even know your name.”

“Reid.”

I place a hand on the side of my head in confusion.

“Just like that?”

“Just like that.”

Reid takes my hand in his and intertwines our fingers. Softly, he brushes his hand against mine, making goosebumps prick everywhere.

“Sit with me.”

I nod my head as he walks me the few steps over to the same tree I was just sitting atop before his arrival.

I’m actually going to sit down with this man. Am I asking to be murdered?

Sitting down on one side, he sits right next to where I am. Our hips and thighs naturally have to touch because of how small the space is.

We both sit in silence and watch the water flowing by. This moment feels intimate, more than it should. It makes me want to lean into the warmth that he’s exuding, but I don’t.

I study his profile as he looks out to the water. His chiseled jaw flexes as I admire how sculpted it really is.

The sound of the stream passing by is soothing, and the owls hissing in the distance reminds me that this is my safe place. I hope it stays that way.

“What are you doing out here?” I ask.

Reid’s face turns down to mine as I wait for his answer.

“I told you; I won’t lie to you.”

“Tell me the truth then.”

“I can’t.”

I chew the inside of my mouth as my eyebrows furrow together.

“Should I be worried about being with you?”

“No, you should never be worried about that.”

Facing forward again, I feel the brush of Reid’s fingers entangled with mine. I hadn’t realized he never let go, and neither did I.

“I feel like you’re up to something, and I don’t even know you.”

I can feel his gaze still on my face.

“Why is that?”

“You scream trouble,” I admit.

He chuckles.

“Come on, little bird. A little danger is good for the soul.”

The nickname should be alarming, but it causes the heat between my thighs to get warmer. I can feel my cheeks pinken as I bite on my lower lip to hide my smile.

“You like the thought of danger,” he rasps.

“Maybe.”

“What are you doing out here so late?” he asks.

“I was just out here taking pictures.”

“No lying.”

My mouth parts at his insistence. I wasn’t lying, but I wasn’t saying everything.

“Thinking. I was out here thinking about my future.”

In my peripheral, I see the way he bobs his head up and down slightly, clearly accepting my vague truth.

“Tell me your name, little bird.”

My heart flutters. That nickname will get me into trouble with Reid. I may have his name, but I still know nothing about him other than the way he makes me feel.

I glance over to see him swallowing thickly and the way his Adam’s apple bobs as I shake my head and softly smile.

“I like little bird.”

He hums thoughtfully and looks back out at the flowing stream. I see a hint of amusement playing at the corner of his lips.

“Let me get this straight,” he starts.

“Yes?” I ask while still facing his direction.

“You come out alone in the middle of the night to think.” I blush at how that must sound. He looks down at me and smiles before focusing back out on the water.

“You like when I call you little bird.”

“Yes,” I admit.

“You like a little danger.”

It’s not a question. The way he says it, though, makes my heart rate quicken.

“You’re getting wet by being with me.”

The pink on my cheeks is surely turning bright red. He looks down at me and grins widely.

“I think you’re it for me,” he says.

I inhale deeply at that confession.

“You don’t actually know me,” I counter.

“I will.”

His eyes darken, and lust fills every inch of me.

“Run.”

“Excuse me?” I ask, confused.

“Run.”

“Run?”

“That’s right, little bird. Run. When I catch you, you’re mine.”

“Yours?” I ask, stunned.

He chuckles at my confusion.

“That’s right.”

I gasp and cover my mouth with one of my hands.

I’m ashamed by the way I can feel dampness in my panties. The idea of this gorgeous man chasing me in the woods does excite me more than it should.

I can tell this was a gamble he took and won. I do want that from him, but I shouldn’t. More importantly, I can’t play this game with Reid.

I get off the tree and stumble backward into another. I brace my hands behind me as my camera bag slams into my side.

“Are you serious?” I ask.

“Very.”

The lust in his eyes is still there, and I know he is being serious. Straightening my posture, I cling to the strap of my bag and decide to play along.

“Catch me if you dare.”

I dash off and head in the direction of my house. My feet hit the ground purposefully as I dart between trees. The sound of his heavy footsteps behind me only makes me want to run faster. I can’t let him catch me and win. He may make me feel alive, but this is his game, and I don’t intend to lose.

As I finally reach my house, I know I’ve lost any sign of Reid. Sadness starts to prick through, but I have a feeling this isn’t the last time I’ll see him.