The Creature of the Woods (BxB)

Chapter 2: The creature of the woods

I woke up in a different place, not at the foot of the forest cliff. I was enclosed in a warm embrace of a tree branch with the cool and calm wind of the night.

It appears that the night has already fallen while I was unconscious. My brain automatically registered that I am alive, and so no unnecessary questions came into my mind. I know I'm still in the forest. I know I'm still alive. I know it was just hours since I came here. However, there was one question in my mind, "How come I'm healed?"

I got up from the tree and somehow, thanked it. I walked around the forest, little by little, and with a small turn, I saw a pond full of fireflies. It was majestic together with the mystery brought by the yellow full moon. The night owls are giving nice coldness in the atmosphere, and the tree branches that are finally following the wind are making calming noises. I am really in the middle of the forest, somewhere just a few miles away from the city I usually worked at.

I can't explain how I find this night time beautiful. Before, I'm scared of provinces and their horror stories. I am really scared of scary stories. So whatever reason that I ended up loving this night is also a part of the beautiful mystery.

Suddenly, a foot step broke a small twig. I was alarmed and automatically fetched my gun from my holster. I pointed it towards the source, only to see a tall figure in brown robes. "Wh-Who are you? Freeze! I- I'm a police officer." I did not sound convincing unlike Officer Karait. But I hope he stands down, because my heart is giving irregular beats of unknown.

"Human, you don't have to be scared." It said.

His voice. His voice was the most beautiful sound that has ever reached my heart. It made me blush and my breathing hitched for a minute. I did not make it obvious, though. However, a small being inside was very happy, like it jumped for the first time. This feeling was even stronger whenever I hear Luisa's voice.

"H-huh?" was my most intelligent answer.

He came closer to me. I unconsciously stepped back while my heart contradictingly felt happy. "You must be feeling... different."

"What do you mean?" I put my gun down involuntarily and looked at his eyes. His eyes was pure black. No irises, no white eyeballs. Just pure black. His grey skin has red veins coming from his neck. His features are unusual, but for some reasons, I find it unique. Attractive even.

"Human." He called for my wandering attention. "Do you feel... attracted to me?"

I blushed. Is he reading my mind? My, this is embarrassing. Maybe my emotions were too obvious. "No. No, of course not. You are not human. Y-you are weird creature and this forest is weird." I said with what's left of my manly dignity.

"I know you do." He said in a straight face.

"You are way too direct, mister." I scolded him. He was shocked for some reasons. He stepped back and smiled for a millisecond. It was only for a short while but I caught that smile and I think it's... cute.

"Yes. There is no reason to be indirect. You were badly injured. To heal you, I must put you to sleep, but I made a mistake."

"What mistake?" I asked, wondering what he was talking about.

"Instead of giving you a sleeping spell, I accidentally gave you a love spell. You are now in-love with me." He said without any emotion.

This would hit me hard, of course. Maybe sadness because he does not really love me back, or maybe relief because I'm not really in-love with a weird creature. But whatever the real emotion I have, I must be strong to my dignified resolve than let a stupid Bella Swan fall in-love with a non-human creature. I am not a needy teenage girl or a hormonal teenage boy. I am a man. A police officer at that.

I cleared my throat and stood at my strong stance. "Then give me an antidote. That would erase the unnecessary emotions." My little self wants to cry, but I must be strong or I would look stupid in front of him. Because for him, this mistake was just a nuisance.

"I'm impressed, human. They say humans are creatures that go irrational when in-love, but I see you have resolve." He said with a slight amusement in his voice.

"Then stop mocking humans and just heal this. I don't want to be in-love with you!" my heart ached, but I am stronger than this emotion. I have to swallow the irrationality that is consuming my mind. It's just the love spell shit talking.

For some reasons, his face darken. He was not angry, just sad. "I apologize for my mistake, human. I did not mean to interfere with your affairs but I had to save you."

I stepped back in guilt. He was right. He was just trying to save my stupid ass. I could have died back there with my punctured lungs and bleeding stomach. Maybe he did a major mistake, but at least, I'm alive. I took a deep breath to calm my defensive mind. "You're right. I'm sorry for lashing at you. It's not that you're an unlovable creature. It's just that falling in love involuntarily is wrong. I was just being stubborn because I thought I'm madly in-love with a man, or a non-human man. I'm sorry."

Silence.

This silence is awkward. I looked everywhere but him, hoping I did not make myself stupid. He just laughed a little, maybe I was really funny. But then, I just joined with his little laugh and that calmed the awkward atmosphere.

"Well, thank you." I continued. He looked at me with a shocked expression. I realized I shock this person a lot. "For helping me and my comrade. That was you right?"

He nodded.

"And also, thank you for healing me. You are literally the reason I'm alive."

I walked towards him. His face was a mix of different emotions, but I couldn't care less. I feel like this is the only thing that I could do for him. I tipped my toe to reach his cheek, then I kissed it. It was very unmanly of me, but who cares, I'm under a spell, okay.

"Now, where's the antidote?"

Suddenly, a shout was heard across the forest that made the owls flatter away from the tree branches. They were looking at us the entire time!

The creature's eyes widen and in panic, he disappeared in the shadows of the biggest Balete tree.

"Officer Juno!" that sounds like Superintended Police Officer 2 (SPO2) Contez.

"Hansel!" and that is definitely Officer Karait's voice.

"Juno! Where are you?" That was Officer Fina. SPO1 Luisa Fina. My longtime crush.

I ran towards the source of the voices, but before I went, I glanced at the large Balete tree. The creature had no time to give me the antidote or anti-spell, whatever it should be, so now, technically, I'm still in-love with him.

I'm definitely coming back.