VANESSA screamed as Derek ripped the front of her dress apart, revealing her breast before his eyes. His evil laughter rang in her ears. He was deaf to her pleas. Then, he reached for her underwear and tore it in a swift pull.
Derek parted her legs, his erect cock ready to enter her.
“N-no! Please, no!” she cried. She tried to push him, but her arms only hurt.
This could not be happening to her.
“Get away from me!”
“Vanessa, Vanessa, wake up.”
Vanessa squealed as she opened her eyes. Derek disappeared, and she was back inside the hut once again. The beast was already sitting on the bed. He was gripping her shoulders, shaking her to wake her up.
A nightmare. Vanessa burst into tears when she realized it was only a nightmare.
“I-I’m so scared…” She buried her face into his broad chest and cried.
“It’s… it’s all right. It was just a dream.”
She felt his hand caressing her back. It urged her to cry some more. He did not complain. He listened to her quietly, stroking her. His gesture was not only calming. It made her feel something else.
When she had calmed down, Vanessa pulled away and stared into his face.
“I’m sorry,” she uttered.
“It’s all right,” he said.
Vanessa reached for his face and swallowed.
“Is it all right?” she asked.
“W-what—”
Vanessa pressed her lips into his. He pulled away in surprise. He stared at her, confused and wondering.
Her face flushed in embarrassment. She was not prepared for this kind of rejection. She could only scold herself for making such a careless move.
She was about to look away, but he caught her face and held her gaze. Vanessa swallowed.
His hand went down to her neck and pulled her necklace beneath her clothes. Vanessa sucked her breath at the tickling sensation. He stared at the pendant, and Vanessa thought she saw pain and bitterness in his eyes for a moment.
“W-why?” she asked in a low voice.
He let go of her necklace.
“Nothing.” He sighed. “Aren’t you disgusted with me?”
“After what you’ve done?”
He did not respond.
“Did you regret saving me?” she asked.
He looked away as he stood up. Vanessa clenched her fist. She wanted to protest.
“No. Go back to sleep. The night is still long.”
IT WAS a drawn-out walk from his hut. It was almost dawn. The beast walked her to the forest, and as they neared the spot where Derek almost succeeded in his ill intentions, Vanessa recalled the events once again. But she took a deep breath, trying her best to dismiss it.
“Are you all right?” he asked from behind.
“Y-yes. We’re almost there.”
When they reached the creek, Vanessa stopped and turned to face him.
“I’ll be fine from here. You can go back now.”
He nodded.
“Thank you so much for your help. I’ll be grateful all my life.”
Vanessa turned to walk away.
“Miguel.”
She stopped and turned once again.
“That’s… that’s my name,” he said and looked away.
“Miguel.” Vanessa could not help a smile of joy. “I can see you again, right?”
“Maybe.”
A soft giggle escaped her throat.
“See you.”
WITH a sigh of relief, Vanessa ran as soon as their house came into view. She went into the pub and found her father having his morning coffee on the empty counter. He seemed to be lost in thoughts.
“Father!”
“Vanessa!” Virgil stood up. He looked worried. “Where have you been?”
“I’m sorry.” She threw her arms around him.
“I was so worried about you. I haven’t seen you for the rest of the day. You did not eat your dinner, and you were not in your room.”
“F-Father…” Tears escaped Vanessa’s eyes. “I’m just so happy that I made it back alive.”
“Vanessa.” Virgil’s face turned grim. “What happened?”
Virgil clenched his fist after telling him the truth.
“He deserved to die.”
“He already got what he deserved, Father.”
“Who is that person who saved you? I want to know.”
“He’s, um, he’s a very private person, Father. But I know I could never thank him enough.”
“I want to thank him personally, Vanessa. He’s a hero.”
Vanessa smiled. “I know, Father. But don’t worry. If I see him again, I’ll tell him you are very thankful to him.”
“My daughter.” Virgil pulled her into a hug. “When I see that bastard who tried to harm you, I don’t know what I’m going to do to him.”
THE BEAST lurking in the forest was real, but he was not as dangerous as the rumors said him to be.
Vanessa took a deep breath as she sat on her own bed. Truly, Villa Verde was something else. She closed her eyes and brought her hand to her face where Miguel had touched her. Then she remembered the look on his face when he saw the necklace around her neck.
That was a very strange reaction from someone whom she only met for the first time. It felt like she reminded him of something or someone from his past. She did not know anymore.
What are the odds that Miguel was there when Derek tried to rape her?
Unless he was already there, waiting for her.
Vanessa remembered the wooden phallus kept inside her drawer.
What if...
Vanessa rolled to her bed, her mind restless. She could not stop thinking about Miguel, his cold demeanor, his cold stares, his strong build, and the thing he hid inside his pants. It made her navel knot in arousal.
Now that the beast turned out to be real, will her fantasies come true?
She felt bad for Miguel. He saved her and took care of her, but she had impure thoughts toward him. But she must find out the truth.
“FATHER, I’M going somewhere.”
Virgil paused to slice the whole chicken on the wooden table.
“Where are you going? It’s almost sunset. It’s too dangerous, Vanessa.”
“No, Father. I know I’ll be safe this time. You just have to trust me.”
Virgil sighed and contemplated.
“I always wanted to have a son so I could teach him how to use weapons and hunt. But I realized I should have taught you, too, because you’re my daughters.”
Vanessa laughed softly.
“Here. You better take this with you.” He pulled a small knife from his pocket. “I’m hoping you won’t need to use it.”
“Thank you, Father.”
Vanessa put the small knife in her basket together with fruits and vegetables for Miguel. She would reach his hiding place by the time the sun had set.
She was tense. Will Miguel be happy if he sees her? Will he be friendlier to her now?
VANESSA swallowed as she wiped the sweat on her forehead. Miguel’s hut came into view, and she could see smoke coming from the kitchen. As she neared his place, she found him on the other side of his yard, feeding the chickens.
She was too shy to call his attention, but he must have a strong sense. He turned in her direction. Her heart skipped a beat as she met his beastly gaze.
“D-did you miss me?” she asked playfully though her tone was still tense.
“You look well,” he said.
Vanessa could not help smiling. She did not turn away to hide it from him. He stared at her for a moment and awkwardly looked away.
“Did you bring something for me?” he asked.
“Yes. But it’s not much.”
Miguel took the basket from her.
“Come in,” he said.
“Thank you.” Vanessa shook her swollen hand.
Vanessa looked around inside his hut. Miguel, because of his nature, avoided being seen by other people. But it looked like he got everything for his daily needs. She wondered if there was any means he could get such supplies.
Miguel put the basket on the table and went through the stuff she brought.
“Have you had coffee yet?” she asked as he pulled a jar of coffee.
“No.”
“Should I make one right now?”
Miguel pulled a small knife. He stared at it with amusement.
“Did you come here to kill me?”
She shook her head at once.
“No. The truth is I was forced to bring that so I could come here. My father said he regretted not teaching us how to use weapons because we’re girls.”
“You just have to hold it as your life depended on it,” he remarked.
Vanessa could not help giggling.
“You should show me how one of these days.”
Vanessa flinched at the sound of distant thunder. She rushed to the door. The sky was gray instead of crimson. The rainclouds were quick.
“It looks like you’re stuck with me again for a little while,” Miguel said matter-of-factly.
Vanessa bit her lip, completely pleased. It was one of the reasons she loved the rain.
“SHOULD WE get to know each other?”
They were already sitting on the table beside the window, watching the light rain fell.
Miguel paused from sipping his coffee. He stared at her as if she was the strangest thing he had ever laid his eyes on.
Vanessa cleared her throat. “Was I being too straightforward? I-it’s all right if you’re not interested in sharing anything about yourself for now. But I want to go on.”
Miguel looked away and sipped his coffee.
“I’m Vanessa. I’m twenty-five years old. I have an older sister. Her name is Vivian. She’s pretty, but I don’t think she’s interesting.” She giggled nervously. “We lost our mother from an illness when I was sixteen. We used to be a little well-off. But my father’s friend betrayed him and took his money. We used what was left of us to move here to Villa Verde and started a new life. We know no one here, and we thought that was a good idea because we wanted a fresh start.
“Villa Verde is a really mysterious place, but I like it here. I like it better than the town I grew up in.”
“After what happened to you the other day?”
She nodded. “Derek was not the worst person I met, you know. But here... there are more kind and compassionate people. For the first time in my life, I felt like I belong here. I’m glad I met you.”
It elicited a beastly snort from Miguel.
Vanessa straightened her back and did not take her eyes off him.
“It was you, right?”
He stared.
“What?”
“The carvings on the tree and the thing I kept in my drawer. I know it was you. It should be you, Miguel.”
He looked utterly shocked.
“I beg you, Miguel. Tell me it was no one else but you,” she implored.
“Vanessa...” He sighed. “You’re a smart lady. I don’t want you to think anything bad against me. I thought I would go on watching you from afar and in secret. But that man came into the picture and tried to harm you.”
Vanessa’s heart was filled with happiness at his revelation. For someone who was strong and fierce in build, Miguel looked like he was caught off-guard.
“That incident must be a blessing in disguise. I finally got to know you to thank you personally. You are talented, Miguel.”
“And you’re... you’re beautiful.”
Vanessa pressed her thighs together.
“You just saved me from being embarrassed.”