The Girl in the Wood

I was just eighteen that day so long ago when I saw her. I was wild, in my own way. A loner, never fitting in with the crowd at school, as far back as I could remember. Grade school had been boring to me. The things the others had to struggle to grasp came easily to me. Every teacher told my mother the same thing; I could be at the head of my class, if I would only apply myself. But there were no double promotions in that school system back then; I was going to be there for the whole twelve years of school, so why bust my butt? I did the work that would get me by each year, and spent the rest of my time enjoying myself. My parents had divorced when I was a baby, and both remarried, my father before my mother. I stayed with her parents, my grandma and grandpa, until she remarried. Since they lived in an outlying area, there were no other children my age around, except at school. So my loner streak started early.

By the time I was eighteen in 1965, I was almost always by myself. I had one or two friends in the neighborhood where I now lived with my mother and stepfather, but I still didn't really fit in with the crowd. I was tall and thin no matter how hard I tried to build muscles like the jocks in my school. To get anywhere with girls you needed to be a jock or have a real nice car, and all I was able to afford was an old clunker. That, and the fact that even at eighteen I still looked like a fourteen-year-old kept me from getting anywhere with the girls. In 1959 my folks bought the place in the Ozarks. There were hundreds of acres of woods to roam; our own 80 acres as well as other people's land. So I wandered the woods whenever my folks would take me to our place. The quiet solitude was my companion; I carried my .22 rifle for "protection" and because I could say I was "hunting". My stepfather loved to fish, so he was unable to understand why I would prefer to walk all day in the woods instead of wading a stream trying to catch fish. My mother would try to figure me out, but I think I was too much for her to comprehend, too intense in my passions. So there I was once again, alone in the woods, listening to the sounds around me, the birds, the squirrels, the wind through the trees.

Then it got quiet. The animal sounds stopped. The wind died to a whisper. I stopped and looked around, wondering. I studied the sky, wondering if I had missed the approach of a storm. It was easy to do, with the great trees obscuring my view. But the visible sky was cloudless and brilliant blue. Then as I lowered my gaze, I saw her. She appeared out of nowhere, a vision of beauty such as my young mind had never dreamed of. Slender yet with full breasts and womanly hips, she couldn't have been over 5 foot 3, couldn't have weighed more than a hundred pounds, clothed in a soft pale green gossamer dress that seemed to hide her body and show it completely at the same time. Her hair was the red color of hard maple leaves in the fall; fiery red-orange, almost blinding in its shining brilliance. There were even a few leaves caught in the tangled mass of curls that cascaded down past her shoulders. Eyes the green of grassy pools in the streams that ran through the woods after a rain. Those eyes stared right into the depths of my very soul. High cheekbones, full red lips, small delicate hands and bare feet. She stood there, seemingly swaying in the slight breeze, a knowing smile on her lips as she watched me. I could only stand there, hypnotized by her beauty.

"Hello, boy," she said. " Do you know who I am?" I tried to speak, but my voice wouldn't work. All I could do was shake my head. "My name is Aceria and I am a wood-nymph. You might call me a Dryad, but that is not correct. Dryads are oak spirits, very solemn and withdrawn I am a Sphendamniad, a maple spirit. We are a lot more fun-loving." She smiled wider, and it was as if the sun shone full on my face. I could only stand there frozen, transfixed. Tree spirit, wood-nymph, these things were legends; they didn't really exist....but what else could explain the beautiful vision before me, and the way she had appeared? "This is my friend," she said with that same smile. With those words, a huge wolf stepped into view from behind her.

My heart stopped for an instant as the beast stared at me, head lowered, mouth open, tongue lolling out. I gripped my rifle tighter, knowing how useless it would be against this brute. Aceria nodded toward my rifle. "You won't need that, he won't hurt you," she said, "I won't allow that. Why don't you put it down? My friend would accept you then." I knew I had no choice, so I carefully laid the rifle down, then stepped slowly to the side, away from it, showing my empty hands. I watched as the wolf left her side and approached me. He stopped and sniffed my hand, then slid his muzzle into it. I looked down in disbelief at the huge beast acting just like a dog in his display of acceptance, showing me he wanted attention. So I stood there scratching his head, bemused, admiring the powerful animal.

Aceria laughed softly and said, "See there.... he likes you, because I like you." The huge wolf still stood in front of me, my hand petting his head and neck. But, a wolf here in Missouri? I had never heard of such a thing. He wasn't supposed to be here. I tried, and found my voice.

"There aren't any wolves in Missouri," I said. "How did he get here?"

"I brought him. He is my friend, and so much more," she replied.

"More...did he used to be a man, did you change him?" My mind was ready to accept any explanation now. After all, I was talking to a tree nymph and petting a giant wolf.

She laughed that easy laugh again, a sound like water cascading softly over rocks in a woodland stream, a musical, almost tinkling sound. "No, he has always been a wolf. I cannot change people into animals, or animals into people. But I can call him to me, bring him to where ever I may be, no matter the distance."

"But I feel like you've done something to me," I said. " I feel like I'm under a spell, or something."

Again the soft tinkling laugh. "That may be, boy. Do you not find me attractive?" She turned around slowly, hands away from her sides, palms up, pivoting to display herself to me. When she faced me again, she stopped, and swayed gently as before.

"You're the most beautiful woman I've ever seen." I could feel my face grow hot, and knew I was blushing furiously at my own words. But I knew them to be true. I didn't have much experience with women beyond the pages of men's magazines, but she was more lovely than any Playboy model. She could make a fortune modeling if she wanted to.

"Thank you," she said. " I came here to see the maples in this part of the world. Would you like to show them to me? Perhaps love me, too?" Her green eyes burned into me, touching the spot in my soul that wanted her, needed her. I had an erection in an instant, trapped almost painfully in my jeans.

"Yes," I whispered. "Could I....would you?" My mind wouldn't let me finish the question.

"Oh, yes," she said, "we will. But there may be a price that you might be unwilling to pay. If you love me, you might never be satisfied with a human woman. You need to know that before you have me. I'm not human, and human women cannot match the passion of any maple spirit. But show me the maples of your woods, then decide." She held her hand out to me, and I took it. The wolf moved to her other side as she turned, and we started walking. There were maple trees in the woods, but this part of the world is primarily oak and pine forest. The maples were always small because of the way the light was filtered by the taller trees. We wandered for a while, but she told me that these maples were too small for her to live in. By that time we had come full circle and were back at the spot where I had first seen her.

Then Aceria stopped and turned to face me. As I looked into her eyes, I knew I had to have her, no matter the consequences. She raised her hands and cradled my face between them, stroking my cheeks.

"Now kiss me; I want to taste you," she said, her voice husky with passion. I took her gently into my arms and bent my head as she raised her lips to mine. Our mouths met, a few seconds later our lips parted and our tongues entwined. I had never experienced such a kiss, and never would again. There are no words to describe it. After all she was a magical being. There was no way a human woman could match the passion of a maple nymph. When at last our lips parted, she looked deep into my eyes again, into my very soul. "I want you to make love to me now", she said. "But I will warn you again, if you do, you might never be satisfied with a human woman. The choice is yours." I was trapped, and she knew it. I heard her message, but I didn't care. I wanted her desperately, whatever the consequences.

I nodded my head and managed to whisper, "I don't care, I want to make love to you."

She looked up into my eyes and smiled. "You're sure then?" In answer I pulled her to me and kissed her again. She returned my kiss with all the passion of her being. Still kissing, she slowly pulled me down with her to the ground. We came to rest, me on top of her, feeling my erection against her firm lower body. Our kiss ended, and I shifted to lay at her side, her right arm under my side, my left arm holding her, my right beginning to caress and explore her body.

My hand moved across her shoulder, her upper chest, to finally touch her breasts through the thin gossamer of her dress. I watched in youthful amazement as I felt her nipples harden and lengthen in my hand as I caressed first one breast, then the other. Her smile was all I needed to know that she was enjoying the sensation. I leaned over her face and her arms wrapped around my neck, pulling me to her lips for yet another of her intoxicating kisses as my free hand squeezed and stroked her firm breasts. As that kiss went on, my hand moved lower to her smooth stomach. Something finally registered as our mouths parted. I hadn't felt her navel. I raised my head to look as my hand explored her abdomen again. The transparent garment did very little to conceal her body; I could see her nipples as they made little tents in it. But there was nothing breaking the smooth expanse of her belly.

She laughed her easy, soft laugh again. "I told you I'm not human," she said. "I'm not born of a human woman; nymphs are created in a much different manner".

The wolf padded up to us and bent his head to sniff us, then moved off. He found himself a spot, circled around himself, then laid down, resting his head on his paws, and closed his eyes. As he moved away from us, Aceria rose to her knees and pulled her dress off over her head. I could only watch as her body was fully revealed to me. She turned and spread her dress on the ground, then laid back on it. Then she looked up at me and asked, "Don't you think you should take your clothes off, too?" Again, that easy, warm smile came to her lips. I jerked, startled from my trance-like state, and quickly began undressing. I pulled my t-shirt off and then found I was trembling so badly that I could hardly get my fingers to work as I tried to untie my boot laces. I finally got the damn things off, then started fumbling with my belt.

Aceria laughed softly once again at my antics and said, "I'm sorry, but I've never been able to understand the human need to cover the body with so many complicated things. Our own bodies are almost immune to the elements, so we dress as suits us. I know that humans must protect their bodies, but all these strange fastenings!" While she spoke, I had finally managed the belt, and she reached to undo the button and zipper of my jeans. The things might have been strange to her, but she undid my jeans easily enough. I shucked out of them and my jockey shorts in the same movement. She spread my t-shirt and pants on the ground as she had done her dress, and I laid on them beside her. Again she twined her arms around my neck and drew my lips to hers. I kissed her lips again, then kissed my way down her neck and chest to her breasts.

I kissed her nipple and drew it into my mouth, sucking the hard length of it. Aceria moaned in contentment as I suckled at her breast, then kissed and licked my way across to its mate. Her hands twined in my hair as I drew the nipple into my mouth, pulling me harder onto it. A soft cry of pleasure escaped her lips as I took more of her nipple into my mouth and sucked harder. Her skin had a faint, sweet taste that I couldn't quite place.

I finally raised my head from her breast and looked over her body once again, studying it, trying to burn every detail into my mind. The curly mass of her hair, her eyebrows and eye lashes were the only hair on her; the rest of her body was completely void of it, her skin alabaster white, as if it had never known the sun. Again I was transfixed by her beauty, and not really sure what I should do next. When I finally looked at her face again, the soft smile was there. My eyes met hers and I knew she wasn't mocking me with that smile; she never had, never would. There was only warmth and acceptance in her face. Her eyes told me she knew and understood my uncertainty. "you've never been with a woman before, have you?" she asked softly, her voice almost a whisper.

I could only shake my head slowly. I wanted to look away in embarrassment, but her eyes held mine. "Don't be embarrassed, my love," she whispered, "I think it's a wonderful gift that you wish to give me so freely." My heart melted and I could feel tears start to well up in my eyes at the feeling of those words. I lowered my head to nestle in the hollow of the base of her neck and sighed as her hands again ran through my hair. Her caresses were soft and reassuring, and she turned her head and kissed the tip of my ear. Her breath was warm in my ear as she asked, "Shall I teach you now?" I knew there was no need for me to answer by the changes in the way her hands were moving, first on my neck, then on down my back, no longer to comfort my uncertainty, but to arouse me. As she kissed me again she pushed against me and followed, rolling us over till I was on my back with her on top of me.

When that kiss ended she looked down at me for a moment, then kissed me lightly, her hair falling around both our faces, then she began to work her way down me with soft kisses and the tip of her pink tongue. She kissed and lightly licked my lips, then my chin, moved on to my throat and the base of my neck. She worked her way back and forth across and down my chest, pausing to tease my nipples with her lips, tongue and even gently nipping with her teeth. All the while her long, soft hair was trailing across me, brushing so softly against my skin I thought my nerve-ends would overload and burn out. Then she moved on, down across my stomach, pausing at my navel. When she tickled it with the tip of her tongue I squirmed and lurched and she paused to laugh a throaty chuckle.

"I envy you that spot," she said with a small teasing smile. "If it makes you feel that good, then I wish I had a button in my belly like you." Again she moved on, lower and lower as her hair continued to drive me wild with its soft brushing against my skin, her lips and tongue making me quiver and jerk as if I were being shocked with electricity.

Then her soft hand encircled my erection and she kissed her way across the last few inches of my abdomen before lifting her face to first kiss the tip of my penis, then slowly take me into her mouth. There are no words to describe the feeling of that first time experience. My mind and senses were flooded with the sensations. I realised that in that instant I had gone from a shy eighteen year old virgin to the first step of manhood. Aceria slowly moved up and down my length, sucking, her tongue twirling around me, her small hand now cradling my testicles, gently massaging them all the while. As I gave myself over to her tender ministrations, I realised in a flash that I wasn't going to be able to hold out much longer. I could feel my orgasm rising quickly, threatening to boil over at any second.

"Uh, I'm going to....I can't ....", I gasped as my body teetered on the edge of exploding. Aceria didn't let up. Instead, her head moved up and down faster and the suction of her mouth became more insistent while she massaged and squeezed more urgently with her hand. Then I exploded into her mouth with a gasp and a long, drawn-out groan. Aceria accepted my seed, almost greedily sucking and swallowing it as it gushed from me. For the long moment of my orgasm, I couldn't breathe, my eyes saw stars and comets, there was a sound like a rushing freight train in my ears. I felt as if I was going to pass out. Maybe I did, I still don't know to this day.

Finally my senses slowly returned. I was breathing in ragged gasps and I could both hear and feel the pounding of my rapid pulse. Aceria raised her face from my crotch and looked at me with a gleam in her eyes. When she smiled this time, it was pure mischief.

"I take it you liked that, then?" she asked with an innocent, teasing tone in her voice.

I couldn't help myself; I burst out laughing at the absurdity of her joke. She moved to lay on top of me once more, joining me in laughter as she rested her cheek on my shoulder. I wrapped my arms around her and rolled with laughter till there were tears in my eyes. Finally I was once again aware of this beautiful creature stretched out on top of me. My hands started caressing her, running slowly up and down her back and buttocks.

Then she rolled over, pulling me with her, and said, "Now it's your turn." I looked down at her for a moment , then slowly realised what she meant. I had read about it in Playboy. I decided this must be lesson number two. I kissed her as she had kissed me, and started working my way down her body with my lips and the tip of my tongue, kissing, teasing, exploring. When I came to her breasts this time I lingered long enough to elicit a moan of delight from her, then moved on downward across her smooth belly to her thighs.

I spread her legs gently and kissed and licked the insides of her upper thighs, around and across her pubic mound, never quite touching her nether lips. Now it was her body that twitched and her voice that gasped and moaned, like mine had done so recently. Finally I kissed and licked her outer lips and ran my tongue up and down her slit. Aceria raised her knees and spread herself wider for me. I used my thumbs to spread her open and lowered my mouth to her wet sex. It only took me a few moments to learn exactly where her most sensitive spots were as I explored with my lips and tongue. I found the erect nub of flesh at the top of her vaginal slit and grasped it with my lips, sucking and teasing it with my tongue as I had done her nipples, then I pushed my tongue as far into her as I could and curled it up, licking. Her body jerked and bucked with each lick, her sex becoming wetter and wetter with her arousal. Her hot juices were sweet, with that same familiar flavor I had found so faintly on her skin. Then I recognised it and it seemed both appropriate and ridiculous at the same time. Almost like maple syrup.

Aceria's movements became more frantic as I continued my oral love making. She was moaning steadily now, her hips jerking spasmodically. Then as I took her hard pleasure nub between my lips and sucked it again, she cried out and thrust herself hard against my mouth. Again and again she strained against my lips and gasped.and cried out her orgasm.

Finally her passion subsided and I raised my head to find her looking down at me. "Did I get that right?" I asked with a smile. She laughed throatily and pulled me up her body again.

"Just right, love," she replied as we were once again face to face. The excitement of bringing her to orgasm had aroused me; my erection pressed her lower body once again. "Ahh, the resilience of youth...you're ready again!" she said. Her eyes gleamed in anticipation as she slid her hand between us and guided me into her. Then she released me and I pushed slowly with my hips, sliding into her as her legs lifted and wrapped around my waist.