Epilogue One Year Later
My hand rested outside the open window of the truck as we made the last stretch of the drive home. The scent of sulfur hit my nose and relief washed over me. I was ready to be back.
Welcome home. He didn’t bother to hide the excitement in his thoughts.
A smile lit up my face. How is the road?
It hasn’t rained yet. Hurry up. The impatient growl in his voice made me giggle.
Shannon sang along with the radio, turning down the road and into the swamp. The frogs sang loudly to welcome me back, too.
“You know, that witch called me last week to make sure everything was still good. I guess she’s waiting for a symbolic divorce,” Shannon finally said.
“What was her name?” I’d forgotten all about the witch Shannon called what felt like forever ago.
“Esme Rinah.”
I hummed with consideration. A true blood family member, but it didn’t interest me anymore.
My little family of Rot and Shannon was more than enough for me.
My bond to Rot was so solid I still felt him whenever I had to leave, and Shannon had become my best friend somewhere along the way.
I had two people who would live and die for me. That was more than most.
We turned along the final curve of the road, and I was shocked to find a little car at the end. My eyes scanned the area and found a group of people set up at our old base camp.
A place that hadn’t been used since, because Shannon set up her observation post further up the way to avoid flooding.
“These motherfuckers.” Shannon slammed on her brakes, threw the car into park, and got out of the truck. “You are trespassing! This is a wildlife sanctuary.”
I stepped out of the vehicle to stand beside her. Her eyes narrowed on the group of men. I smirked at her and tapped her back. There was always one easy way to get people out of here.
“I’m James Martin of Martin Industries.” The leader stepped up with a smile designed to sell snake oil, putting his hand up to shake.
“Dr. Fredricks.” She shook his hand with more aggression than was needed and tilted her chin to me. “This is Dr. Rinah. We’re the caretakers of the land.”
After all, we were the only ones who didn’t mysteriously vanish.
“We intend to buy this parcel of land.”
“What part of wildlife sanctuary do you not understand?” Shannon pulled the declaration she always kept in her pocket for these occasions. “There is no buying this land.”
“Everyone has a price. Especially underpaid scientists.” He smirked, like he’d already won. He pulled out a checkbook. “So how much does it cost for two scientists to go into court and take back everything they said?”
Shannon sneered at him and nodded for me to take over.
He should have listened to Shannon.
“That’s weird,” I asked, hoping to sound confused, walking closer to the water. Everyone looked out at the calm water. I could almost feel the unease rolling over everyone as they tried to find what I was talking about. It settled on the air like a bitter tang; Fear.
Now.
The water in the distance rippled, making people gasp with concern. As he grew closer, the ripples grew bigger and bigger.
“What is that?” one of James’ henchmen squeaked nervously. Everyone else froze, trying to make sense of it.
“Probably an alligator,” Shannon lied with a dismissive tone I almost believed.
Make it good.
He roared underwater, making everyone’s heads snap back and forth as they tried to make out where the muffled sound came from. One person was already preparing to run, shifting from foot to foot.
My body ached for him. It had been two weeks since I’d gone to present my thesis and attend graduation. He was all I’d thought about while I was gone.
I’d managed to get my degree while only leaving a handful of times to take tests with Shannon’s help. Turns out, I could have everything.
He sensed my excitement and swam faster, making the ripples turn to splashes. He stepped onto land on all fours. Our eyes met, and he smiled his terrifying grin. The one that showed his teeth and made most people piss their pants.
For an entire second, it was deadly silent except for the heavy panting.
By the time the men screamed, Rot could have already killed all of them. They should’ve been thankful he was more focused on me.
The men scattered in the way that always got these idiots killed. How could so many humans be so disconnected from basic survival skills?
“Get to your car!” Shannon encouraged, pointing to the obvious escape, but panic already had them in a chokehold.
I smirked. His vicious eyes landed on me and snarled, snapping his teeth at me playfully. I faked a shriek of terror and turned to run away, knowing he wouldn’t drag this out for long. Not with me being away from him. I’d be lucky if he didn’t take me right here.
Part of me wanted him to.
Let them watch the horrifying monster make me cum harder than any of them ever dream to. That they’ll never be as much of a man as him.
He tackled me hard to the ground, but his weight hovered over me, instead of crushing me. His nose ran over my neck and shoulder, inhaling my scent like it would save his life. I arched against him, despite my best attempt to remain a ‘victim’. I needed him so badly.
He grabbed my hips and dragged me toward the water. I clawed the ground, leaving a long line of finger marks in the mud. “Help me!”
I reached for Shannon since she was closest.
Shannon smirked at me. “Don’t look at me. I’m not going to be prop in your fucked up foreplay.”
“Bitch,” I whispered to her, flipping her off.
Rot used my distraction to yank me into the water with minimal resistance.
As if I was resisting that hard to begin with. I never wanted to win.
Mortification went over the men’s face as I was hauled to the water, but no one even thought about saving me. Shannon looked at them disgusted. I took a deep inhale as I was dragged beneath the surface.
Water rushed around me as he swam through the water, and the next thing I know he’s climbing up into the nest and setting me down. He added more furs and flowers, and anything he thought I would like while I was gone.
I sank into the furs, letting the comfort of home ease the tension I’d carried out in the real world. My books lined a new bookcase he’d fashioned from bones. Something I’d mentioned in passing before leaving.
“Aw, thank you. I love it.” No more fishing books out of a plastic tote.
He purred with appreciation. Then ripped my clothing off me like it personally offended him. His claws slowly roved over me, but was careful not to break the skin.
“Help!” I screamed with a smile, hoping someone would hear me. I suddenly craved an audience. “A monster.”
A playful growl rumbled through him, and the affection in his eyes made something light and safe fill me.
“I’m a damsel. Save me.” I grinned, touching his leather face. His tongue brushed down the side of my cheek as he leaned into me.
He grabbed my thighs, roughly spreading them apart and pinning them to the nest. His clawed finger pushed inside as he took a deep inhale.
That feral expression took over his eyes.
I knew that look. Excitement filled me. I was ovulating.
Breed me.
He filled me with one violent thrust. The force of it made me bounce. I moaned as a piece of me that had been missing for weeks snapped back into place.
This wasn’t about us. Or about how we’d missed each other.
This was pure instinct.
His hips were savage as he slammed into me with no regard. A singular, primal goal on his mind. I was helpless to do anything but go along for the ride.
My eyes rolled back, and I made eye contact with a man hiding behind the new bookcase, peeking out at me. James, the businessman, was in my nest.
Here lies the prick that thought he could violate a sanctuary.
But the growing knot in my gut distracted me. I tried to tell him, but his thrusts grew hard enough to take the words out of my mouth.
His clawed finger rubbed my clit, and part of the fun was knowing one wrong move would damage me, while knowing he’d never do something to hurt us.
The trust it took to know he wouldn’t shred me to pieces made me drunk.
His hot cum splashed inside me, filling me with the need to carry his children. He groaned and growled at the same time, sending me higher.
A soft gasp made Rot’s eyes snap open. True rage in his gaze now.
No one touched my nest, but me. That was how the walls grew taller. It was made with those who dared to trespass in my domain.
In a moment, I was painfully empty, and he snatched up the man before I could even whine that he wasn’t inside me.
“I’m sorry. Tell him I’m sorry,” James begged.
Rot dropped him on the ground beside me, where I was still naked and spread wide, dripping from his cum. “Tell her sorry. Not me.”
I waved goodbye to him. Sorry or not, Rot would never let him leave now.
James’s eyes grew wide as he trembled. Rot tied up the flailing man, biting his arm just hard enough to break skin and make him scream. He’d be dead in less than twenty-four hours.
After that, Rot got back in his position. I hope my offering makes you happy.
I smiled at him. What a softie.
When he thrusted back inside me, it was even harder than before, frustrated that he was interrupted.
I could feel James’s eyes on us as Rot fucked me into the comfort of my nest. My moans echoing off the cavern like a megaphone.
I found the answer to the question that started this journey.
Home was somewhere I never wanted to leave.