I bite back my reply, knowing there is still only one being I wish more than all the rest to see.
“Nothing.”
“Oh, very well.”
“Perhaps the beast from before?” I say quickly, noting the disappointed slump of his shoulders.
Instantly he perks up as if excited to show off another of his powers, and I suspect that’s exactly what it is.
“I would be happy to oblige, but you will need to secure that package of yours and climb up onto my back first.”
I frown at this before warily asking, “Why?”
His grin widens at my question as he leans in close, and for a moment I’m distracted by his nearness. Eros’ beauty is somehow heightened with proximity, not to mention the intoxicating scent of him that now washes over me.
Distantly, I am all too aware that I should be wary of him and his charms.
But with Death no longer here to ground me, I find my self-control around Eros wearing away despite my best efforts.
“I cannot very well lose my hold on you, mortal one,” he tells me, his voice low and soft as it trails its way down my spine. “Not within these trees. Besides, this is the only way you will get to meet my beast while remaining perfectly safe by my side.”
“Perhaps this isn’t such a great idea.”
“Come now, I will even allow you to ride me back to the city,” Eros says, the corner of his mouth twitching slightly. “Certainly, you cannot say no to an offer like that. Not when I can sense the curiosity burning bright within you.”
He pulls back slightly as if to search my face.
It’s impossible to miss the mischief in his expression, but I force myself to disregard it. An overwhelming sense of exhaustion has taken root within me, and I quickly realize that I don’t want to fight him on this.
“I suppose it would be nice to not have to walk for a moment,” I say softly.
“Then it is settled.”
Before I have a chance to change my mind, he kneels, his hands sliding down my arms and over the curves of my legs to the very hem of my skirt. Taking the now stained and dirty fabric in both hands, I let out a gasp of surprise as he tears a long slit up one side, freeing my legs from within.
As unrecognizable as the starlight dress had become, given my previous journey through the forest, I’m still sad to see it so utterly destroyed.
“Was that necessary?” I ask, as he rips another strip of fabric from the hem of my dress, catching my hand before I can pull away from his hold on my skirt.
“Yes, it was. Now, take hold of me, and do not let go” he orders. I do as he says, and he carefully pries the small package from me and wraps it in the length of fabric before securing it to my person. “There. Ready?”
Eros doesn’t wait for me to respond before he swings me up onto his back, his movements too gentle and quick for me to realize what’s happening before it’s already done. I don’t even get a chance to express my shock and annoyance over being manhandled in such a way before he’s shifted beneath me.
Gone is the man I know as Eros, and in his stead now stands a giant white beast. Surprise crashes through me as I clutch at handfuls of his thick fur to keep myself from falling to the ground far below.
He lets out a low growl that rumbles through my body just before he sets off at a pace that leaves me breathless with exhilaration and fear. Wind whips past me, tugging at my hair and dress as he darts around trees, beneath clawing branches, and over giant boulders.
The forest blurs past us, and I press myself flatter against Eros’ back, clinging to him with every ounce of strength left in my body. The thrill of riding him soon outweighs the terror, as I watch the world shift around me, knowing that I am safe here atop him.
It’s almost enough to make me forget my worries.
Almost.
As we reach the edge of the forest, Eros slows to a gentle trot before stepping out of the tree line. Without warning, he suddenly shifts again, and I let out a squeak of surprise as he twists to catch me. Only he’s misjudged my reaction and we end up tumbling to the grass instead.
I let out a grunt as I crash to the ground, my back hitting hard enough to knock the air out of my lungs before he manages to twist me around so that I’m now lying on top of him.
My heart pounds, my chest heaving as I struggle to fill my lungs with air. Eros stares up at me, his own chest rising and falling steadily beneath me.
