CYOA Part Five: Meeting Mero

You offered him his shirt back and glanced around the room. You really didn’t feel like being alone there, not after what you saw.

“Do you mind if I tag along? Then you don’t have to come back and get me.”

Evander’s eyes light up. “Sure!” He slips his shirt over his head. “You'll get to see Hyacinth Farm too, it’s a beautiful place. Come out whenever you’re ready, I’m going to go hunt down Remi.” He left while you were picking up articles of clothing from the floor.

The goat was just in the house, where could he have possibly gotten to? You sat down on the edge of the bed, exhaling out in an attempt to calm your nerves. You had dreamed of an awful black goat chasing after you since you were little. Having one actually near you was a bit much.

As you dressed it also struck you how fast it had gone with Evander. Much like that last time with Luke, it felt like something had taken you over. Granted, things like that always happen in the moment for you, so you just brushed it off.

Walking outside, Evander was hefting Remi into the truck again. The goat turned, staring down at you as you approached.

“No,” you hissed at him.

“All ready?” Evander asked.

You nodded, hopping up and pulling yourself into his truck. You took one last look at Remi in the back and he stared right back.

“Uhm…about earlier,” Evander cleared his throat.

You sighed. “It’s okay. It was nice, I needed it so-”

Evander’s anxious expression shifted and his eyes widened. “No, I mean…you weren’t freaked out I was a minotaur?”

“Oh!” You cupped your hand over your mouth.

He chuckled and a blush came over his cheeks. “It was just nice?”

“It was good. Really good,” you sputtered. “I meant nice as in like…cathartic. But the sex it was uhm…great really. But you were saying?”

Evander’s laugh grew. “I kind of wanted to ask you some more about why you weren’t freaked out?”

You shrugged. “I just grew up around it. When my mom was pregnant with me she was taken in by this carnival.”

His brow furrowed. “Carnival?”

You nodded. “Yeah, like a normal carnival. Except it was run entirely by things that weren’t human. They helped my mom get on her feet before I was born. They even helped her find a house. Uncle Faire was always visiting though. And we housed some monsters from time to time as a favor to the carnival.”

Evander smile went crooked on his face. “Uncle Faire? You mean Mr. Faire? That carnival comes through here all the time!”

“Really?” You turned and looked at him. “What a coincidence.”

His soft eyes focused on you and he studied you as if trying to decipher something hidden. He looked back at the road with an uncertain glint in his eye. “Hearthway Hollow is kind of a special town. I’m not sure if you noticed.”

“Noticed what?”

Evander chuckled. “Well, Hearthway Hollow is a sanctuary for werewolves. Other creatures like myself have come here too. But most of the town is just…well, werewolves.”

Your eyes widened. “Werewolves?” You stopped everything else in your mind and focused on that. “Werewolves!” You cupped your hand over your mouth. The first thing that came to mind was Luke.

“It’s nothing to worry about! There are tons of rules and traditions here that everyone follows to keep themselves safe and protected. The werewolves aren’t feral here, and whatever is dangerous they keep-”

“How can you tell if someone is a werewolf?” You interrupted him.

“Well uh-” He thought for a moment. “There’s not really a way of knowing. But one of the things that I’ve noticed is when a werewolf from here likes someone, or intends to mate with someone, they start showering them with gifts.”

Your jaw dropped. Luke had done that when the two of you had first started dating. He bought you groceries, helped you get your laptop, even took you on a romantic getaway. Was that his big secret all this time?

Evander’s hand reached out across the seat and touched yours. “Are you okay?”

“Sorry,” you murmured, turning your hand so your palm touched his. “Just…realizing something.”

Evander turned down a narrow road lined by trees. It seemed to go on forever, growing darker by the second. The road opened up, sun poured down upon you, and the trees parted into a giant oasis with a farmhouse in the center.

You stepped out of the truck, looking around at the beautiful farm that sprawled on and on before you. Evander helped Remi out of his truck and the goat trotted around before heading up onto the front porch of the house.

“This place is huge,” you murmured.

“Isn’t it beautiful? I worked here before I took over the diner at the gas station. I still get all my supplies directly from Beau and Sahuna.” He stood beside you are you marveled.

“You know its-” Evander was cut off by his phone ringing. He glared at his phone while he answered. “Excuse me,” he said to you before walking off.

You felt something nudge at your hand and looking down there was remi. You yanked your hand back and stepped away.

“No, shoo.” You waved it off.

The goat kept approaching.

“I don’t know what you are, but I think you can understand me!” he hissed at it.

Remi looked towards Evander then back up to you. “That Ebal is up to no good. You keep yourself clear of him.”

“Fuck! No!” You yelped.

“Listen to me!” Remi snarled. “I know what you are. The more time you spend with that demon, the more danger you put yourself in!”

“You know what I-” You clinched up your fists and glared down at him. “What the hell are you?”

“I’m your only hope here,” Remi snapped.

Evander turned back around and Remi scampered off. “I hate to do this, but I’ve been called into the diner. Apparently the new cook I hired started a fire in the kitchen.” He saw you looked as white as a sheet. “What’s wrong?”

You shook your head. “Remi startled me.”

“I’m really sorry I have to cancel our plans.”

You sighed. “It’s okay. I should start working anyways.”

Evander took you back home, leaving you with a kiss on the cheek that made you want more. As you stood in the kitchen, Luke’s scent returning to the front of your mind, there was a knock on the door.

“Who is it?” You asked.

“It’s your neighbor!” A sweet, lilting voice replied. “I’m Mero.”

You opened the door, looking down at the woman in the wheelchair before you. She beamed up at you and waved.

“Luke told me to check in on you. I’m sorry I wasn’t here when you first arrived.” She then lifted up a plate in her lap. “I brought you some bread I made.”

“Oh,” you murmured in surprise. You took the plate then stepped aside. “Thank you, would you like to come in?”

“If you don’t mind.” Mero entered the house then placed herself by the table. She was very pretty, which took you off guard. Her skin was deep olive with hints of freckles. Her features were sharp with her long nose and high cheekbones. Her long, dark hair was tied into a braid that she swept around her neck and over her shoulder.

“I was really quite surprised when Luke came back into town,” Mero said. “I didn’t expect him to be leaving anyone behind.”

“I stayed,” I murmured. “Luke and I are in a precarious place.”

Mero nodded, a solemn look on her face. “I thought as much. He didn’t give me any details, but I could tell something was amiss with him.”

You set the bread down on the counter. “I’m not sure what’s here, but could I offer you anything to drink?”

“No, no, I’m fine,” Mero chuckled. “I was simply hoping to get to meet you. Luke said you would be writing while you were here, and that caught my attention.”

“My car is getting fixed, so I need to make some extra cash.” You sat down at the table near her. “It won’t be anything remarkable, just something I know will sell.”

“That’s still remarkable to me,” Mero giggled. “I’ve always wanted to write, but I could never seem to sit still long enough to do it.”

Her hazel eyes shifted between pale brown and green so easily, you’d been lost in them this whole time. Mero was so lovely, everything about her seemed regal and charming. You felt almost hypnotized by her movements.

“It is hard to focus sometimes,” you chuckled. “But it’s therapy for me sometimes. Especially lately.”

“Oh? Judging from context clues, I take it there is trouble in paradise between you and Luke?”

“Communication issues,” you admitted reely, although you weren’t sure why.

Mero stroked her braid, pulling it off her shoulder and letting it fall over her chest. “I’m sorry to hear that. Would a sympathetic ear help?”

You didn’t want to unload upon another stranger again, and you elt like you were repeating yourself over and over at this point. “I’ve just got some thinking to do, that’s all.”

“Well, I’m happy to listen if you ever need it. I also do manicures if you ever need one.” She flashed her nails which looked like perfectly shaped bits of marble.

“Oh wow, those are gorgeous.” You took hold of her hand and her skin felt cold. “I’ve never had my nails done before.”

“Then I insist! I have a studio right next door. My schedule is full up this weekend, but for neighbors I can sneak you in on my day off,” she spoke with such excitement.

“Oh, I couldn’t ask you to do that.”

“I’m asking,” she chuckled. “It’ll be nice. Just a girls day. I’m sure you could use that.” She kept hold of your hand, studying each finger. Her touch was cold, but somehow, the way she held you, felt provocative.

“You have lovely hands. And your fingers-” She started kneading them with both hands. “They’re overworked. I can feel it in the joints.”

“Yeah, I don’t do my warm up exercises like I should,” you chuckled. “That feels nice, actually.”

“I can tell from your hands that you’re a lover,” Mero murmured softly.

Your cheeks flushed bright in color. “I wouldn’t say that!”

Mero held a knowing smile. “You’re a romantic, I can tell. You enjoy to touch and be touched, and these hands often reach out for those you long for.”

Your heart was jumping about in your chest. “Well I-”

“Do you write romance, by chance?”

“Yes!” You gasped. “You can tell that?”

Mero chuckled. “Lucky guess!” Her elegant fingers tickled down your palm and onto your wrist. “Were you a former goth as a kid?”

“Yeah!” You were amazed. “I mean, never fully. Kind of,” you muttered. “I wore a lot of black and all. How could you tell that?”

“Another lucky guess,” she giggled. She released your hand, which felt warm and soft from her touch. “I was also just thinking how lovely you would look with a set of black nails tipped in gold.”

“That does sound pretty,” you said shyly.

“I can do it on Sunday,” she replied. “If you’d like.”

You nodded. “Yeah, maybe. I’ll have to see how my funds go.”

“How long will you be staying in Hearthway Hollow?” Mero asked. “Is it just a short trip, or maybe longer?”

You shook your head. “As of now, I am undecided.”

“Then maybe we’ll have time to get to know one another.” Her eyes shifted again, almost like duochrome. “I’ve been living with Ebal for a while now. He’s fun, but sometimes I do crave company beyond him.”

“He’s fun? I figured he would be a handful,” you huffed.

Mero’s smile waned. “Yes, well, I keep him from getting into too much trouble, and he’s helping me keep my house in order. I’m trying to teach him some semblance of manners.”

“Well, if you ever need help beyond him, I’ll be here,” you replied.

“Thank you, I appreciate that.” Mero tossed the braid around her neck again. “I should get going. You’re probably busy getting settled.”

“Thanks again.” You stood and opened the door for her. “The bread looks delicious.”

Mero’s eyes glimmered as she looked up at you. “Anytime. I’ll be seeing you soon.” She left and you went back inside.

You set up your workstation with your laptop and notebooks. After fiddling about for a while, you decided to try and write something, even if it was just a sentence. You gazed at the blank page for a long while. Shuffled through prompts in your notebook. Then you played a game of solitaire before going back to the blank page.

“What should I write?” You grumbled. “Just something I can get out to make money for the car.” You huffed and flopped back in the chair.

Evander came to your mind. The minotaur that you laid with earlier stood before you, his cock rising between his thick thighs.

“Mm-” You moaned. “Hello there.”

Evander began stroking himself, making small noises in his throat. You sat up in your chair, typing what you saw in your mind. As you were getting into a groove, you thought you heard something behind you. You turned around and saw nothing, but front he corner of your eye it looked like someone was going down the hallway.

You stood up from the desk and peered out into the hallway. You didn’t see anything so you stepped into the hallway. You held your breath and listened, hearing something faint coming from the kitchen. The hairs bristled on the back of your neck and you walked forward. You stayed close to the wall, peering into the kitchen. In the kitchen you see...