Logan and the group had only a short distance left to walk until they reached the base of the rock. What they saw before them could only be described as a literal oasis. Thanks to millions of years of erosion, the Mojave River had carved its way through the massive red sandstone, forming a beautiful ravine. The clear blue water flowed in a sinuous pattern between two expansive rock walls, and the sound of its miniature rapids echoed throughout the structure. Above the river’s second bend, a natural platform stretched out, measuring at least fifty feet in width. “That looks like the perfect place to make camp,” Logan pointed towards the plateaus. “This is perfect! It’s secluded, it’s beautiful, and most importantly, it has plenty of room for festivities.” “So, uh, who’s gonna carry all our camping gear over there?” Rafe asked nervously. “Can’t Logan just transport it with his powers?” Kelda asked playfully. “It would be a good test of hi
Even though Logan was sure that Rafe would be too preocKeldaed with camp stuff to notice them, he took the three elves over to the far side of the ravine for some privacy. They were now closer to the opening of the rock formation, but far enough away from the road that it didn’t really matter. Nobody would bother them all the way out there. “The water looks fine, guys!” Logan smiled as he waded into the shallow part of the river. “Not a very strong current, and it’s pretty clean by desert standards. It’s no Olympic-sized swimming pool, but it’ll do for now.” “Are you going to keep your pants on this time?” Abina frowned as she looked at Logan’s boxer shorts. “Maybe,” Logan shrugged. “There could be fish in here, and I don’t need them mistaking my dick for a piece of bait. Besides, this water is frigid. There’s going to be some significant shrinkage going on.” All three of the girls stood on the bank of the river and stared blankly.
“Now it’s your turn!” Logan laughed maniacally. “Logan, wa—” she started, but then he tossed her off his shoulders, and she fell into the river with a splash. Abina was the first to return to the surface. Her long, beautiful dark hair clung to her face and covered it completely. The elve blew her black locks out of her eyes and let out a defeated sigh. Beth came up right behind her a second later. “Was it a draw?” the redhead asked excitedly once she realized that Kelda was emerging from the water too. “Of course not,” Kelda growled from behind Logan. “Logan here just decided that I deserved to get wet too.” “It wouldn’t be the first time I’ve made all three of you ladies wet.” He grinned, and Kelda smacked him on the arm playfully. “Dudettes!” Rafe’s goblinish voice echoed through the ravine. “Could you come here for a minute?” Abina and Kelda both looked toward the goblin. “I think he needs our help.” The blonde nodded to th
Maybe it was just because Logan hadn’t eaten in a while, but the s’more in front of him looked delicious. The graham crackers were so crisp that they nearly broke apart in his grasp. At the same time, the gooey mixture of toasted marshmallow fluff and melted chocolate mushed out from the sides of the dessert and dribbled down his hand. He raised the s’more to his mouth and took a bite. Instantly, his taste buds were greeted with a delicious blend of honey, sugar, and just a touch of bitterness. “Okay,” Beth said with a mouthful of s’more. “I think I may have lied. Now, this is officially the best thing that’s ever happened to me.” “That good, huh?” Logan laughed. All around the campfire, the rest of the group was taking bites of their treats. Judging by the near-orgasmic sounds they made, it seemed like they enjoyed the s’mores as much as Beth and Logan did. “I’m going to make an executive decision,” Kelda announced. “From now on, I want Jacob and
“Can’t they see our tent?” Logan whispered to the goblin as the shadows continued to encircle the campfire. “No, bro,” Rafe shook his head. “They’re nearly blind. Skinwalkers hunt based on their other senses.” Logan let out a sigh of relief. “Thank God we left the fire going. The smell and sound of the flames is probably the only thing keeping them from pinning down our location.” He carefully walked over to where the three elve were sleeping and nudged them awake. “Brrroooooo,” the Rafe-like inhuman voice hissed from outside. “I need your help.” “How is that—” Abina started to say, but Rafe placed a tiny finger on her mouth before she could finish. “Skinwalkers,” he whispered. The second the words left the goblin’s mouth, all three of the elve’s eyes widened in terror. “How many of them?” Kelda mumbled quietly. “At least two,” Logan whispered, “but it sounds like there could be more of them out there.” “
From not far off in the distance, the other Skinwalkers returned the call of their fallen friend. The sound was a mixture of a human screaming in rage and various animal cries, and it was chilling to the bone. It sounded like there were a lot of them. Rafe hurriedly motioned for them to run, and we followed the goblin over to the far side of the campsite, next to the firewood. The two Skinwalkers Logan had seen from earlier both came lumbering over to their deceased friend and were quickly joined by two others. The first one could have passed for a dark elves with his ram-like horns and cloven feet. However, his breaths came out as gargled bleats. His face had the features of a human, but his lips protruded out like a goat’s, and his entire upper torso was covered with long brown fur. There was no mistaking that the final Skinwalker was a bear. It was down on all fours, sniffing the dead body of its fallen comrade with its long, black snout. The
“Having all five of us in a single area must have been making them go crazy. I didn’t think their territory extended this far, but the increase in power after we made love must have drawn them to our location.” “Yeah,” the goblin confirmed. “They were magicians themselves at one point, and now they keep themselves alive by siphoning the life force out of anyone who has powerful magical energy. We should—HOLY FUCK!” Rafe jumped back across the interior of the Jeep in terror, wrapped his arms and legs around Logan’s right arm like a koala, and pointed out the passenger-side window of the vehicle. Logan nearly swerved off the road when he saw it. Another skinwalker. He could only see the top part of the monster, and it looked just as gnarly as the rest of the creatures they had killed. Its face had sunken black eyes that rested at the base of a long, flesh-colored beak. Where there would normally be hair, a cluster of bloody spines stuck out of the cre
“That’s…” Logan couldn’t finish at first with how much he was laughing. “That’s not what sloth means.” “Wait, it isn’t?” Rafe asked as he tilted his goblin head sideways like a confused dog. “No dude,” he sighed. “Didn’t you pay attention at all in school?” “You know I didn’t,” Rafe laughed. “But you studied all this occult stuff, so—” “I just thought whenever they talked about sloth it was a big sloth,” Rafe said with a self-satisfied nod. “So, one of the seven deadly sins is a sloth?” Logan asked.“Well, a really, really big one with like long sharp claws and teeth like a monster wolverine. Then he’d stomp through cities and terrorize all the heathens.” As Rafe spoke, Logan could imagine that he raised his arms to his side like Godzilla and moved like he was stomping on imaginary buildings. “Bro, I love you,” Logan laughed. “You make every day awesome.” “Awww,” Rafe sighed. “Jakey, I love you too. Come on, let’s hug it ou