Evie scouts the northern woods for a troublesome ogre. But there are other creatures besides ogres lurking in the forest!
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I remembered one of the hunting lessons of my youth—that snow on the ground made hunting and tracking easier. Fresh snow enabled a hunter to see dark shapes moving against the white background. A new snowfall also made newer tracks stand out from older ones.
The improved visibility helped both hunter and prey, but the advantage now shifted to the hunter. Soft snow could absorb footfalls, and it muffled sounds…it was easier for a smaller, more mobile hunter to quietly approach a larger prey.
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This is page 4 of a full Evie story in collaboration with ArtOfVenus.
Evie scouts the northern woods for a troublesome ogre. But there are other creatures besides ogres lurking in the forest!
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Then little flashes of white falling from high in the trees caught my eye. It was snowing! It had been so long since I’d been this far north—I hadn’t seen snow for a couple years, at least.
And it was so pretty! It looked so surreal and beautiful falling through the branches. I found myself wandering through the trees with my head tilted up and my eyes on the falling flakes. It was mesmerizing to see the little clusters of white swirling about.
Even better, it was settling on the ground, filling in between the blades of scrub grass and beginning to cover the low brush. Everything was becoming fresh and new…and so was my attitude.
I decided to press on. Experience told me the snow might help me complete my mission faster. At worst, I knew I could find a sheltered area to make a fire and spend the night in the valley.
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This is page 3 of a full Evie story in collaboration with ArtOfVenus.
Evie scouts the northern woods for a troublesome ogre. But there are other creatures besides ogres lurking in the forest!
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The deeper into the valley I went, the colder it got. I hadn’t been this far north in a long while, and I wasn’t quite dressed for it to be this chilly. Worse, the sky was getting more overcast as the day went on. It was going to be a long frigid hike back to the inn where I’d stashed my gear.
I wished I’d at least worn some leggings and a warmer tunic. And I wish I had my special Cryptae Ranger-issued overcoat. Unfortunately, the last I had heard, another Ranger was wearing my coat when she infiltrated a fortress…and she came out of the fortress without it, so my coat was likely lost forever.
Besides the cold, I was tired, hungry, smeared with dirt and speckled with mud. I was discouraged and ready to head back to the nice warm inn and a long soak in a very hot tub.
I’d found no signs of a large creature in the area–no large footprints, no droppings, no scattered bones. Yet there were many many footprints of smaller creatures—ones who would stay away if there were a large predator in the area.
Maybe the reports of an ogre were inaccurate. Misunderstandings, maybe, or a little hysteria. Perhaps it was another kind of creature entirely that was harassing livestock and raiding homes.
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This is page 2 of a full Evie story in collaboration with ArtOfVenus.
“We have to make it look like I’m forcing you to help me escape, under extreme duress,” Glob explained nonchalantly. “We don’t want anyone to think you went along willingly.”
“Oh. Yeah, that makes sense. Ummm…thank you?”
“Don’t worry, I’ve got you covered,” Glob said with a grin. “Now slide off your skirt, will you?”
“What?” Agent Katie asked. “Why do I need to…”
“To distract the guards, of course,” he replied. “Nothing like a naked blonde to confuse and distract men.” He said the last part derisively, as he wasn’t included in that category.
“You know, not only are you the first extraterrestrial being I’ve encountered, I have to say you’re quite the charmer, Mr. Glob,” Agent Katie said, resting her chin on her fist and looking up at him admiringly. “It’s not often a man can charm the panties off me. Say, I don’t suppose you’d allow me to take a few selfies with you, would you?”
“I’d be flattered to have such a pretty woman want a picture with me,” he grinned. As long as you don’t think you’ll get in trouble.”
It took me a moment of staring at the image to try and decipher what I was seeing. A very hi-tech looking clear cylinder was mounted on a platform, with wires and monitors and hoses around. Something was floating in a liquid inside. My eyes widened. “She’s…alive? In a tube?”
“A stasis chamber, yes. Space travel is hard on human bodies, but it’s also boring and lonely for me. I keep her safe in stasis…along with a few other special friends…when I get lonely or when we get to my home planet, or an exciting new location, I can wake her up and enjoy her…companionship.”
Agent Katie has caught the attention of Glob the Space Toad. And as many of you know, if he wants you, he’ll get you at some point!
My friend AlucardsSpirit and I brainstormed some ideas for our respective characters and came up with a fun little art and prose collaboration…what do you think? Think we should expand the idea some more?? Good! Because this is part 2, part 1 is here: Out for a Moonlit Stroll (art by Alucard’s Spirit
Several hours later, Glob was stealing away in the moonlight with his delectable captive. He’d spent a few hours with her inside the cabin, alternately charming and seducing the lovely agent into compliance, and then chasing and nabbing her when she became feisty again.
Finally, he determined it was time to return to his ship with his prize. He took his time intricately binding his wriggling prey, and then gratuitously fondling her curves whenever she became too quiet and still. He preferred the wriggling.
As much as he enjoyed her little squeals and moans, he thought it best to gag her for the short walk to his landing site. Then it was off into the moonlight with her, slung over his shoulder and squirming delightfully.
Agent Katie tempts fate by walking alone in the woods at night wearing… next to nothing!
My friend AlucardsSpirit and I brainstormed some ideas for our respective characters and came up with a fun little art and prose collaboration…what do you think? Think we should expand the idea some more?? Good! Because this is part 1, part 2 is here: Stolen into the Night (art by Alucard’s Spirit)
Agent Katie leaned against the railing and took a deep breath of the clear night air. The scent of pine and the sweet aroma of the lilacs calmed her. There was nothing like a trip to her family cabin in the woods to ease her stress, and standing on the porch at midnight looking at the stars was a favorite peaceful activity.
After several weeks straight of intense casework (and one colossal lapse in her judgment), her superiors at the agency had insisted she take a two week vacation. At first she had resisted because she was so heavily vested in her case. But now that she was here, she was grateful for the time away to de-stress, reflect upon her mistakes, and put the whole sordid deal behind her.
The full moon lit up the woods well enough to clearly see the paths, so on impulse she decided to go for a stroll. There weren’t any neighbors for a half-mile in any direction, so she felt free to set off in her bare feet and blue silk robe–and once she was away from the cabin, she opened her robe to let the cool air caress her bare skin.
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Glob the Space Toad grinned as he watched the video feed from his favorite drone. His targets never evaded him for long. When you’re an intergalactic hunter with advanced technology, almost unlimited resources, and an insatiable appetite, not even hiding in a remote cabin in the north woods will keep your prey hidden long.
“Ahh, yessss…there you are, my delightful Agent Katie…did you really think you could run from me?” He admired her shape in the blue silk robe she wore, and more than that, he appreciated the effect the cool night air seemed to be having on her through the thin fabric.
NOTE: the other day, the topic of ‘murder hornets’ came up in chat. I had a vision of huge hornets carrying away damsels for nefarious purposes. I wasn’t sure I could make that into a fun or sexy story, but I decided to give it a try. I hope you enjoy the result.
The next time Evie stirred, she was much more careful about revealing that she was awake. This time, she found herself in a much more familiar position: she hung from her wrists pinned directly above her head, her ankles were secured together below her. And, as happened all too often when she awoke like this, she was completely naked.
As occasionally also happened when she awoke like this, she noticed that her skin was coated in a viscous liquid that was dripping down her body. This time, though, the thick liquid was gold in color and quite aromatic. Against her better judgment, she tasted a little of what was drizzled over her lips.
Sweet…aromatic…like nectar…or…oh fork!!
Honey. It was honey. Her entire body was covered in sticky, sweet honey. Or the nectar that would become honey, anyway.
Fork, this was not good…coated in nectar might be fun if she was alone with her partner Will…but not with murderous hornets!
KatieD 