Chapter 3: Solomon - Beast of the Bayou

The air smells different. Intoxicating in a way that makes my mouth water. My eyes open slowly and I sniff. Underneath the sweetness is something else. Anxiety. Nervousness. And… fear.

The smell of fear is always noticeable. Sharp. Bitter. The few times I've made attempts to venture into town in the daylight, the smell of it was so overwhelming that I was forced to retreat back to my solitude.

"She's here," Edgar drawls playfully from the floor. He leaps cleanly on the bed and crawls on my chest. What can be described as a smile crosses his face as he stares down at me. "And she's quite enchanting might I add."

"Who's here?" I grunt.

"Your new housekeeper. I'm sure you can smell her. I sure can. And she smells—" His paw taps my nose. "Di-vineee," he purrs. "Like honeysuckle. I wonder if she tastes as sweet as she smells."

"Don't be crass." I swipe him off my chest as he chuckles low in his throat. "Lenora hired someone already? The ad was just placed yesterday."

"Fate works quickly, my dear boy."

Sitting up, my ears zero in—

I can hear Lenora. And right after that, I hear the new voice—soft and sweet.

"Is he gonna be mad I popped up like this? I don't wanna make a bad first impression. I look terrible."

She sounds scared.

"Don't you worry about that. He'll understand. You weren't safe. That's all that matters." Lenora replies.

Did someone hurt her?

"Are you planning to eavesdrop the whole time, or will you put on something decent to meet our guest?" Edgar asks.

My body feels flushed. The hair on the back of my neck bristles as my heart skips.

"Nervous?" Edgar asks in amusement.

I glare at him. But…I am.

Edgar lets out an exaggerated sigh and leaps on my broad shoulders. "Relax," he purrs in my ear. "She's just a girl. What could she possibly do to a big strong, man like you?"

I turn my head to him. "Are you being facetious?"

"Obviously." He swishes his tail in my face. "Now get up. Don't be rude to our guest."

I force myself from bed, ignoring the way my body is already responding to her. My canines are already fighting to protrude to full length. Her smell is saturating my nostrils and I can hear her heartbeat now. Almost steady—but still fluttering with nervousness.

I take a quick shower, brush my teeth and moisturize. Brushing my beard and sponging my curls, I step out. Dressing quickly, I pull on a pair of gray sweats and a black T-shirt. I give myself a once over in the mirror. "What do you think?" I ask Edgar as he sits on my dresser.

He looks me up and down, his golden gaze landing on my groin. "You don't want to scare the poor girl do you?"

My eyes glance down at my dick which hangs heavy even tucked into the boxer briefs.

"Perhaps a nice pair of jeans. Or…a cup," he chuckles.

Sighing, I take off the sweats and put on a pair of jeans. Sliding on some slippers, I take a deep breath. Edgar jumps off the dresser and walks toward the door. I follow behind him. The closer I get, the stronger her scent becomes. Get yourself together, Solomon.

Hesitantly, I open the door.

Her heartbeat skips—

Mine does as well.

But I follow my nose towards her. Down the spiral staircase and towards the kitchen. Her laughter greets me. The sound of her heartbeat is louder now. God…she smells so good. I'm practically drooling at this point. Swallowing, I wipe my mouth and take a deep breath before I round the corner. I stop in my tracks when I see her.

She's gorgeous.

Her skin is rich. The color of molasses. She has thick, dark hair pulled up into a puff. It reminds me of cotton. I can almost feel the texture between my fingers. Her body is all grown woman—full figured with soft arms, plush thighs and full breasts and hips. But she has a babyface which is accentuated by doe eyes. Doe eyes that are now blinking slowly at me.

Her lush lips part slightly. "H-Hi Mr. Mourne. I'm—"

"Your feet are bleeding." I cut her off, my nose picking up the smell as I stare down at them.

"Oh—" She looks down. "They were. But Ms. Lenora helped me clean 'em off. I cut 'em a little bit on some glass I think. I apologize for my unruly appearance."

"Are you hurt?" I ask.

Her face softens. "Not anymore. Thank you."

I nod.

Lenora steps up with a smile. She gently guides the woman towards me. I try not to inhale deeply. "Solomon, I wanna formally introduce you to our new housekeeper—Lila Saint-Claire."

Lila. It suits her.

Lila holds out her hand with a big smile. "It's a pleasure to meet you, Mr. Mourne."

I stare at her hand for a second. It seems so small in comparison to mine. Finally, I accept it. Her hand is warm and soft, my huge one swallowing hers. I don't apply any pressure, worried that even the slightest amount would hurt her delicate hand.

She doesn’t seem to notice my hesitation as she continues enthusiastically. "I promise you Mr. Mourne I'm here to help you in any way I can. I cook really well, and I can bake like nobody's business. Not to mention I'm a neat freak so I'll make sure these floors are so clean you can eat off 'em."

"You're chatty," I observe.

She gives me a sheepish grin sliding her hand out of mine. "I'm sorry. I tend to talk more when I'm nervous.  But I'll shut up."

"No…I like it," I reply.

Her smile widens. "Well then…guess we'll have plenty to talk about."

Lenora rests her hand on my forearm. "I wanted to take her into town and grab her a few things. You need anything while we're out?"

Lila's smell is getting stronger. But it's not the honeysuckle or nerves this time. It's something deeper. More…primal. My gaze flicks to her and our eyes meet. I observe the way her thighs subtly clench together before her eyes quickly look down.

My mouth begins to water. "No. I'm okay," I answer quickly. "I'll be in my study if you need me." Before Lenora can respond, I turn and rush off just as my canines fully descend. Edgar is right on my trail. I jog up the stairs, leaking a thick trail of saliva. My dick throbs painfully and I grip it as I rush to my study and slam the door.

"Well…I suppose I don't have to wonder how you'll behave in her presence." Edgar chuckles, walking around my feet, his eyes glowing in amusement.

"Shut up or I'll kick you," I growl, my voice coming out huskier as I fight the urge to suppress my wolf.

He slinks over to his favorite armchair and leaps up. "This should be interesting," he purrs. "I haven’t been this entertained in decades."

I begin to pace. "This is serious, Edgar. How am I supposed to be around her and my body responds this way?"

"The way I see it, you have two choices, my dear boy. You can hide from her as you've hidden from the world for twenty years."

My steps slow down to look at him. "And the second choice?"

He smiles lazily. "Introduce her to the Beast of the Bayou. And judging by the way she looked at you…she may just like it."