A Winter's Tale - Book I

Coming to the North Pole had been my plan. I was going to find Santa Claus and pay my respects to my father's memory and my childhood. Maybe I wanted to lose myself here and never return to reality. Wouldn't that be better than struggling to find myself in a world that had rejected me?

I was human to the Yeti's and a giant sideshow to humans. No one looked at me as a person, with a heart and emotions just like everyone else. No, I was the tough monster of a man. A freak. Men wanted to fight me and prove themselves, women were intimidated by my size.

The women that did approach me only wanted one thing, and it wasn't in my chest. I had gone my whole life trying to prove to everyone around me I was worthy of being treated like a creature with a soul, but none of them saw that. No one cared, except my dad.

Now, dressed down to my boots, I held onto Winter's hand as if it was the last drop of hope I would ever receive. She had easily treated me with kindness, respect, and empathy. I know in her mind she was probably thinking I was crazy, or using her as a method of grieving.

It wasn't like that though. I had been kicked down and knocked around my whole life. Losing my father had hurt, yes, but not enough to make me use someone to feel better. That unsure look in her eye wasn't nearly as strong now though, as she guided me out into a light flurry of snow.

"Are you warm enough? I can make you some clothes later. You're a bit bigger than most people here, but it shouldn't be a problem."

See, how was I supposed to not fall for her? She was willing to sew me clothes and I was just supposed to not want to tie her up and keep her at my side for the rest of time? What did she take me for, a fool?

"Yeti's are made for the cold. I'm fine, honest."

She smiled, nodding and continuing to walk, then stopped as if she had hit an invisible wall. Turning to look at me with a quizzical gaze she was talking without a second thought again. Honest, an open heart waiting to be held in careful, loving hands.

"I'm warm-blooded, we all are. Would our kids be able to run around in the snow like you and not get cold? Halk naked and all?"

Ok, that made me laugh. Good lord, she was something else. I couldn't help but close in on her, my hand slipping into those onyx curls as I leaned down for a kiss. She was willing, her mouth moving against mine with passion and a heated desire.

When we separated it was to breathe in each other's scent, her smell that of gingerbread and honey. I wanted her something fierce, but I needed to have control. First I would meet her parents and her family, and then I would get to know her. I had to figure out if she was the woman I thought her to be.

"Want to find out?"

My thoughts and words weren't aligning, damned snake tongue. The blush in her cheeks deepened as she looked away from my eyes. She was embarrassed and aroused, and I could smell it all over her.

"Maybe we should..."

Her brow furrowed as her words fell into the wind, her eyes coming back to land on mine. In the depths of those viridescent pools, she looked determined and fiery.

"I want you to meet my family first before we make a family of our own."

Well shit, that was a breath stealer. Did she just say that? I had been kidding, teasing her, partly. She was thinking about a family of our own. After less than twenty-four hours together?

"I'm not in a rush, Reynard, don't mistake my words. I just want you to know how I feel. I want to be honest with my heart."

Nodding, leaning down to kiss her softly this time, I felt my heart tremble. She was either going to be the soft bed to land on or a mattress of spikes and thorns that would shred my soul. There would be no in between here, I knew that much.