When I woke up, I could feel the flicker of heat licking my face. As I opened my eyes to a gentle glow of light, I could see the edges of a green ceiling above me. My body was encased in a large blanket that had a smoky scent to it. As my eyes adjusted, I realized that the ceiling was made of broad leaves that had been secured to a branch and draped down to the ground like a lean-to. I could tell that it was a temporary shelter but couldn't complain as I felt warm and cozy even with the open sides.
I sat up and could feel leaves and grass below me shift with a soft rustle under the soft hide that protected my body. Looking around, the light was coming from a fire that was just beyond the tent under the open sky. Close enough to provide light and heat. As I looked intently into the flames, I heard a rustle from the trees in the distance. I stared into the darkness as if I would suddenly be able to see, but no luck. I gripped the blanket to me as someone came out of the forest with an armful of wood and branches.
"Ah, you are awake!" The voice was deep and gentle, reminding me of the purr of a cat. From his voice, I could tell he was likely a man and tensed up to get ready to run, but he could see my fear. "Worry not, I won't approach you if you don't want me to." A kind smile crossed his face before he bent down to lay the wood on the fire, stoking the flames.
"Who are you? Where am I?" I asked.
"My name is Ocello." He finished tending the fire and sat a short distance away. Light danced over his features. High cheekbones, dark hair, and an ethereal beauty that I had only ever seen in movies and films. It was enough to make me forget myself for a moment as I stared in awe, but I shook my head and concentrated on what he was saying.
"I found you on the beach. Not sure what you were doing out here, but you were unconscious. We are far from the village so I built that," he pointed to the roof of my structure, "so you could recover."
"Why are you out here?"
"I like the forest. I'm a hunter, and this is one of the best places to hunt." I looked at his attire. At his waist was a piece of fabric that wrapped around him and a hide vest covered his chest. Gulping, I realized my gaze was falling over his tight abs and going lower. Pulling my eyes up, I could swear I saw the glint of a knowing smile in his eyes as I blushed and looked away.
Clearing my throat, I forced myself to think. I was in another world. One that had beastmen and magic. Had the goddess given me her blessing like she said she would? How would I even know? Judging from Ocello's attire, there was enough technology to make fabric and people in this world hunted.
"You said the village is pretty far, how long will it take to get there?"
"It will take several days, and you shouldn't push yourself while you are with child." I automatically covered my belly with my hand in a protective gesture when I noticed that there was a faintly glowing mark on the inside of my forearm. It reminded me of a tattoo, but I knew I had never received one. Was this the mate mark that the goddess had spoken of? But how had Ocello known I was pregnant? My belly was still mostly flat.
"What are you planning to do with me?" I had heard plenty of horror stories from women who had gotten lost in my previous world about coming across men who used their distress to take advantage of them. Ocello didn't seem like the kind of man to do that. He had respected my boundaries so far, but you never knew what a person was capable of.
Ocello cocked his head at me as his brows scrunched together in confusion. As if the question was odd and he didn't quite understand what I meant.
"Well, what would you like to do? I'm not sure what your circumstances are, but I can take you back to your husband or to the village or anywhere you want to go."
"Do you…" I hesitated, sneaking another peak at the glowing mark on my arm, "know who my husband is?" Ocello once again looked at me in confusion.
"I've never heard of a woman who didn't know who their mate was. I don't want to intrude, but how did you get way out here?"
I didn't know what I should say. Should I tell him about my previous life or my meeting with the goddess? I had no idea what kind of place I was in. What if this kind of thing was taboo or something? Ocello waited in silence as I went back and forth with what I should say. I guess he could see my worry because after a while he held his hand up.
"It is alright if you don't tell me, I'm not sure what you went through, but you can wait till you trust me. I'd rather wait for the truth after I earn your trust than force you to lie." I felt a moment of relief when he said that. It was so odd not being forced to explain myself, but I was glad for the reprieve. Taking a steading breath, I decided to tell him the parts I was comfortable with.
"I don't know the father of my child. What happened between us was unexpected for us both and I just found out about it." As calm as I had been, the trauma of the events that led me here was starting to catch up with me. I felt the sting of tears as I began to mourn the life I thought I was going to lead. "He lied to me. Not the father of my child, but the man I was with."
Maybe it was my voice breaking or the wetness around my eyes, but in a flash, Ocello had walked over to the lean-to. Putting a hand on my shoulder, he pulled me into his chest and just held me. As I lay in the warmth of his embrace, my tears began to fall in earnest. He pat my back as I listened to the deep thrumming in his chest, as if he was a cat purring. The cautious part of me wondered why I was letting a strange man hold me and comfort me, but it was as if I could sense that he would do nothing to harm me.
I doubt Ocello understood half of what I said while I was sobbing. I didn't even understand half of what I was saying. Half-formed words spilled out about my ex. About what he said and what he did. I didn't talk about the fact that it was in another world or the goddess, but I could feel Ocello's arms tighten as if holding me would protect me from the world. And for a moment, I felt safer than I had in a long time. Maybe a part of me knew that Danny wasn't the man for me.
Even when he was protecting me when I first found out I was pregnant, I never really felt secure. It was one of the reasons I was so excited for him to take the business trip, so I could have a chance to breathe because his attention was so oppressive. But I guess that made sense since Danny wasn't protecting ME, but he was protecting his asset. The woman who would inherit my grandfather's fortune.
Eventually, the tears stopped falling and I pulled back from the stranger before me. He wiped the corner of my eyes with a soft square of cotton. I closed my eyes and let him clean my face, though by now I was starting to feel awkward and had to use the rest room.
"Do you feel better now?" Ocello asked. The kindness in his eyes made my heart twinge and I nodded. He smiled down at me as I disentangled myself from him. He stood and began to walk away but I grabbed at the corner of his vest.
"I need to…" I blushed and wondered what they called a bathroom here. I shifted and Ocello nodded in understanding.
"You need to expel waste," he said turning back to me and pulling the blanket down so that I could swing my legs off the makeshift bed. Helping me up, I fell into him. As I looked up, I felt as if I was looking at a dark angel as his eyes caught mine. Clearing my throat, I pulled away.
"If you could just show me where to go?" I walked over to the fire a bit before turning to look at him. He paused and was looking off into the forest.
"We shouldn't go too far because of the forest creatures. They like to test the boundaries when they have chances." Ocello turned to me. "Can you tell me your name?" My brows shot up. Of course I have forgotten to introduce myself.
"I'm Kami," I told him. Considering that he didn't give more than one name, I figured I'd just stick to my first name. Ocello nodded and guided me to the trees.