Maple Creek: A Camp for Gods & Monsters

By Jude Liebermann

Denika was sent to a camp in Washington for the summer, where she met and fell in love with Fionn. This mysterious fellow camper is not a normal teenaged boy, and she is intrigued by how he makes her feel. As she spends more time at the camp, she realizes she needs to discover the dark truth of what the place really is. Who can she trust to help her? Fionn or maybe the other new campers? One way or the other, she's determined to right the wrongs that have been done. This is book two, so please read the first book before buying this one.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Jude Liebermann
• Release date: Oct 25, 2021
• ISBN: 9781005028084

Jude Liebermann

Jude is an adult and YA romance novelist. Be sure to look through the whole list of books, since there are 4 free titles.

Book preview

Maple Creek:

A Camp for Gods & Monsters

A novel by

Jude Liebermann

Published by Jude Liebermann

www.judesplace.com

Smashwords Edition

All rights reserved

Copyright 2021 by Jude Liebermann

Chapter One

My name is Denika Sparrow, and I have been at Camp Maple Creek for less than three weeks. What has happened during that time has been utterly amazing. I’ve fallen in love with Fionn, who is an immortal teenager at least a hundred years old. He awoke in a cave with no memory of his life before. He could be a thousand years old, but he has no idea. We just admitted our love for each other, so it’s still fresh and new, even a bit scary.

I’m also still reeling from learning I have a powerful ability. It surfaced when Chris, the camp director, tried to send me away. I blew up the engine of the camp’s van. Fionn rescued me and brought me back inside, where we then had a confrontation with Chris. We had to promise to not use our abilities on him or anyone else at the camp. Of course, I agreed, since that’s better than us being kept apart.

I smile up at him standing beside me in the elevator. I remember how he showed up in the garage when I needed him and pulled me into his arms. You came down to get me. You felt my fear again?

Fionn nods as he reaches to press the 7 button, and I search his face. That’s not fair. I want to feel you too.

Grinning, he lifts my hand and places my palm on his chest. I smile but shake my head. You know that’s not what I meant.

When the elevator stops on level 7, Fionn picks me up in his arms. I instinctively close my eyes as he carries me to the main entrance in the blink of an eye, and then I feel the sun on my face and the wind in my hair. Only a few seconds go by before he stops running, but he doesn’t set me down. I open my eyes and gaze up at him, and the next thing I know we’re kissing. I love the way he smells and tastes, and I can’t get enough of him.

Eventually I have to pull away to breathe, and I pant against his cheek. He holds me tightly against him, as he finally releases my legs to wrap his other arm around me. Encircled in his embrace, I cross my wrists behind his neck and smile up at him.

Thanks for bringing me outside. I look up at the blue sky, visible between the branches.

He kisses my throat. I want to show you somethin’, but you’ll need to hang onto my back.

I nod, and he shifts me around his body. I hang onto his shoulders and wrap my legs around his waist.

Hang on tight. He grasps my wrists and moves them around his neck. Ready?

I nod again, and he takes off through the trees, finally leaping on the side of one of them and begins to climb. I shriek in a combination of fear and exhilaration. When we near the top of the trees, he makes one final jump and lands on what looks like a small wood deck. Now that we’re not moving so fast, I notice that the deck is attached to a small tree house. It has a doorway and a window opening, and I can see a table and stools inside.

My mouth falls open with a gasp. Did you make this?

He nods, clearly eager to show me his little hideaway. Yes, go inside and look around.

I take two steps and find myself in a room that is about ten feet by eight feet, give or take. It has surprisingly high ceilings, which of course makes sense due to Fionn’s height. There are several pieces of furniture, including a small wood table, and two wood stools. There’s a bookcase, with many books on the shelves, and there is a bed. I’m guessing it’s a double, made from the trunks of several trees with wooden planks laid across them. Many blankets are piled on top of one another as well as several pillows.

Do you sleep here?

I have.

I walk over to the bed and sit on the edge. It’s surprisingly comfortable. Where did all these blankets come from?

He looks fondly around the little house he’s built and shrugs. I’ve picked things up along the way. Some came from the outlyin’ towns and others came from the camp.

I smile at him in awe. Wow! How long did this take you?

Finally approaching the bed, he sits beside me. I started it about 70 years ago and added to it more and more as the decades went by. At first it was just a deck, then a shelter. The walls came last. Then I started makin’ the furniture. Whenever I get bored I add somethin’ else.

I have a feeling that when he says bored, he actually means lonely. He’s spent almost a century of his life at this facility, having no idea who or what he is. And I just found out that I’m adopted, so I don’t know who I am. We finally have something in common, and it brings tears to my eyes. My heart swells, and I place my hand to my chest. Thank you for sharing it with me.

I want to share everythin’ with you.

Tears escape my eyes as I nod. I almost feel his pain as I think about those long, lonely years, me too.

His hand reaches out to stroke my cheek before lightly running his fingers over my lips. I’ve waited a long time for you.

I’m not sure how to respond to that. I haven’t lived nearly as long as he has, but my life was empty before he came into it. I’ve always felt like a stranger in my own life. Now I know why. I’m here now.

Moving his hand from my mouth to the back of my neck, he pulls me closer before claiming my lips. I open them as he crushes me to his chest. He shifts his weight, and I’m pressed into the soft blankets. I can feel him all the way down to my feet, and everything about him is muscled and hard.

He pushes up to his elbows and looks down at me, his breathing heavy. I love you, Denika.

I gaze up at him, wanting his mouth back on me. I love you, too, Fionn…forever.

His lips lower to mine for another quick kiss before he rolls to my side and holds me against him. It takes me a few moments before I realize he’s not going any further. I can tell he wants to, and a flash of disappointment surges through me.

If you’re afraid I will stop you, don’t be. I want you.

He tightens his arms around me. I want you too, but it’s too soon. I just promised Chris I hadn’t had my way with you, and I don’t want to make myself a liar.

I kiss his neck. Who cares what Chris thinks?

Sighing deeply, he stares up at the vaulted ceiling in his little tree house. I do. His family has watched over me for generations. I owe them more than you can know.

This time the disappointment is more than a flash, and I almost drown in it. Does that mean you’ll never… I can’t finish the unwanted thought.

He chuckles and pulls me closer to gently kiss my lips. Of course not, but there’s no reason to rush it. I’ve waited this long for you, Denika, I can wait another year. You can too.

A whole year? I groan. This is about my age?

Partially, and if I had no honor, I could take you here and now. I want better than that for you, for your first time, and for our first time. It should be special.

He was making sense, and I hated it. I hated that I was so young that he felt he needed to give me time to grow up. I almost ask if it can be a birthday present but think better of it. No matter what I learned today, I still think of that day being over a week away.

I can feel the tension in your body. Please, relax and enjoy our private time together. I brought you here so I wouldn’t have to lie alone, which is what I’ve had to do for far too long. Can we do that?

I slowly turn my head to meet his intense gaze, and I notice his pupils dilate slightly. I glare at him but can’t fight the smile. Now don’t use your mind tricks on me.

Wouldn’t dream of it. He gives me a squeeze and kisses my temple. I settle my head on his shoulder and lift the hand of the arm that’s around me, sliding my fingers between his. Comparing our hands, I notice how much longer his fingers are than mine.

I’m glad I wasn’t sent here last year or the year before that. I doubt you would even have looked at me back then.

No one under 16 gets sent here anymore. Not since it was discovered that these latent abilities don’t surface before that age. It happens between 16 and 17. It tends to start mild then works up to stronger occurrences.

I nod, remembering the first time my laces got knotted, which was only a few months after my 16th birthday. Well, either of them. I need to stop thinking about being adopted. I don’t even know when I can confront my mom about it. Should I do it over the phone or wait until we are face to face, but when will that be? I groan softly and force my mind back to the current conversation. Do they know where the abilities come from?

He shakes his head. They’ve looked for common ground but haven’t been able to find anythin’. It doesn’t seem to run in particular families or communities. Geography doesn’t have any influence. You ten are all from different parts of the country, well other than the twins, which is very rare. Of course, chances are that at least one or two of the others will be sent home at the end of summer.

I hope Amy isn’t one of them to be sent home. I would miss her. I also think it would be great for her ability to surface, so we can talk about them. It will be hard keeping this from her until or unless her ability makes itself known.

By the way that was pretty fantastic what you did to the van’s engine. You have one of the strongest abilities I’ve seen around here in a long time.

I turn my head to meet his gaze. I wish I had your ability instead.

He doesn’t respond, merely meets my gaze unblinkingly. I watch as his pupils shift, getting small and then a bit bigger, only to get small again. The blue shifts and swirls around the black, more like waves in the ocean than lava flowing. It’s hypnotic and before I realize it’s going to happen, I fall asleep.

I awake with a gasp, at first anxious at not being in my room. I stare at the vaulted ceiling and then remember where I am. Turning my head to look beside me, Fionn is still there, and he’s watching me.

How long was I asleep?

Not long, maybe an hour.

I’m surprised that I fell asleep, since it’s so early in the day. Did you put me to sleep?

Not really. I might have relaxed you a bit, but that’s all. You fell asleep on your own.

I stretch and roll to my side, placing my cheek on the pillow to fully meet his gaze. You must have been bored.

His expressive face cycles through a few emotions. It goes from mild surprise to thoughtful and then settles on humored. I could never be bored with you. Besides time doesn’t go by the same way for me as it might for you.

Explain please. I repeat what he’d said to me once, trying for his Irish accent. It comes out sounding more like the leprechaun from that cereal.

He grins at me. If I stand still long enough, I can watch time pass. It can go by so fast. A year might seem like a long time to you, but it can pass in an instant. I’ve watched seasons go by. Nature is so beautiful, especially between winter and sprin’.

I love the way he talks; to see the world the way he does. I’m envious. I wish I could fast forward the next year.

Tightening his arms around me, he shakes his head. I don’t. I want to enjoy every moment of my time with you. I want to watch you grow into the woman you’re meant to be.

He speaks with such passion that tears spring into my eyes. I move closer and kiss him, first his forehead and then both cheeks, his nose, his chin and then finally his mouth. Of course I linger there, and he moans as my tongue reaches his. I’m not going to make this celibate thing easy on him.

I never thought kissing could be this good. The way our lips fit together as our tongues touch is magical. I wonder if the pleasure he feels is as intense as mine. I ache for the time we can do this with no clothing between us. I want to feel his hot skin against mine, all over my body.

He pulls away too soon, his breathing coming in short gasps.

Are you sure I’m not a woman now? I tease as I wink at him.

Smiling, Fionn puts a little distance between us. You’re definitely on the cusp. He tries to sit up, looks at the foot of the bed and then laughs. That’s quite a neat trick you got there.

When I try to move, I realize my feet are caught up with his. I twist around to look and see that the laces of his shoes are caught in the straps of my sneakers. I sigh, wondering if I’ll ever realize I’m doing that. It must be subconscious, since I don’t do it on purpose. Why can’t I have that ability with clothing?

I mutter the last comment but feel my cheeks heat up as I realize he heard me. He touches my cheek and grins.

Why do you blush so fiercely? How will you handle actually bein’ naked with me? Will your whole body turn scarlet?

I quiver at the thought and nod. Probably.

He leans forward and kisses my bare shoulder, making me aware of my shirt shifting as I slept. I don’t adjust it as I stare into his eyes. What would he do if I reach down, grab hold of the hem of my shirt and pull it over my head? I know I’d like to see him without his shirt on.

Do you have any tattoos?

He frowns and shakes his head. Do you?

I laugh. No, my mom would kill me. I reach out and stroke a finger from his throat down his chest to where the button of his shirt stops me from going lower. I lick my lips as I’m tempted to undo that button. Would he stop me?

I know what you’re thinkin’, and it’s not a good idea.

I try to act innocent, but then he gasps as all the buttons of his shirt pop off and land in my lap. I stare down at them in shock. Did I do that?

Crap, I’m sorry. Do you have a sewing kit? All urge to laugh evaporates as I look at his chest. His skin is pale but muscular with small tufts of hair starting at just below his abs and disappearing into his jeans. My finger that is still on his chest moves lower and the rest of my fingers join in as I trace his six-pack. As I move my other hand to touch, he grabs it, preventing contact. He doesn’t speak, merely looks horrified as he shakes his head. Realizing I’m taking it too far, I pull both hands back and drop them into my lap. Though I’m not sure why he reacted so negatively, I shrug. I’m sorry.

Denika, you just broke the thread attachin’ the buttons to my shirt.

I nod, still unsure why he looks so shocked. The tension in his voice is starting to freak me out. I said I’m sorry.

You don’t see the connection? The threads snappin’ on my shirt? The rope snappin’ in the rock room?

I recoil as goose bumps erupt on my skin. You think I tried to kill myself?

He closes his eyes and shudders. No, you said you don’t do it on purpose. Slowly opening his eyes, he nods. I need to let Chris know about this. A potentially dangerous new ability has to be closely monitored. You have to be taught to control it.

I think back over the last year and try to recall anything that happened that I might have chalked up to an accident, but the only thing I can recall is my shoe laces. I had been scared climbing that wall, but why would my own ability have done something so deadly? Fear surges through me as I nod miserably.

I need to get you back to the facility.

I pick up his buttons from my lap and hand them to him. I don’t want this ability.

I kick off my shoes, so that I can move to the foot of the bed and separate his laces from my straps. Once I have his laces free, I put my shoes back on and fasten them. I watch as he ties his laces and then stands beside me, holding his hand out to me. I slide my hand into his, and he pulls me up into his arms.

At first I’m excited that he might kiss me again, but he merely moves me around to his back. I nod and wrap my arms and legs around him. I turn to stare at the tree house as he climbs down until I can no longer see it. His secret hideaway has become my new favorite place since arriving at camp. Too bad it’s been clouded by the discovery of how deadly my ability