The Beast Within

by D L Goddard

  But as he kept coming back, he was seen occasionally and his gentle heart helped those men who foolishly ventured too deep into the impenetrable forest his world had become. He allowed distressed stragglers a place to stay and recover when they were lost, sending them on their way, richer and wiser. But after he helped someone, he left and the castle was not seen again for decades until the Keeper felt it was safe to return.

  He encouraged vast dense forest to magically grow up around the mountains and surrounding valleys making the area almost totally impassable and even the shadow of Castle Barshael completely vanished from sight, buried in the heart of the gigantic forest; not even its tall spires could still be seen. The forest housed all manner of fierce timber wolves and great grizzly bears, while sleek mountain lions ranged the mountain peaks. But even they kept a healthy distance from the beast as he had long been called as he ranged their wild territories. He loved the frozen peaks and the harsh climate, neither feeling the cold, nor worrying about predators, for he knew his strength and the power that burned inside him; even the predators sought his aid when they had nowhere to turn.

  Over the long years, only the birds and the forest creatures really knew when the castle and its guardian were there … still living after all these uncounted years. For more than five hundred years since the first time he was truly ‘seen’ the tale of the man-like beast was whispered to mankind’s children on dark moonless nights. The castle became just another legend that men told their restless children to make them behave and no one knew if it really existed or not.

  The tales said a ferocious beast haunted the forest being seen occasionally, merely a shadow of a man-like figure prowling the castle grounds, looking they said, for true love to free him from some curse of his horrific appearance. Only through the love of a maiden brave enough and true of character to see past his outward appearance to the handsome Prince beneath, would he return to his true Princely form. This tale caused the maidens to sigh romantically half-hoping it was true.

  But other tales were spoken of a beast-like being who ventured out on nights of freezing sleet and blizzards so severe that no one could see past the hand in front of their faces. The creature had saved those stranded from packs of marauding wolves made ferocious by the harsh winters, or being saved from bears, berserk with hunger. The poor stranded survivor would be taken back to a wondrously magnificent castle filled with gold and silver and every manner of riches the mind could conjure. Food magically appeared alongside beautiful rich garments that fitted them perfectly and being able to spend the night in the most opulent guest room imaginable was a dream come true. They were then taken back to civilization by the most mysterious means, richer and wiser. No one knew whether to say if he was a helper of man or a creature to be hunted down. He terrified and tantalized young and old alike; he had become a traditional firelight folk tale.

  But no one really thought much of the tales; the legends were centuries old and had been passed down from generation to generation changed and exaggerated with the teller. No animal could possibly live that long. They had taken on the glamour of ghost stories, tales to frighten small children to behave, or to give woodsman hope there was help for them in the vast unknown of the massive forest. But still the stories persisted, and were carried down.

  But the legends of the ruined castle and its bestial guardian were over five hundred years old if not older, the story’s origin was lost in the mists of time, and no one really believed the tales anymore.

  No one that is … except one.

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  Chapter One

  The Beast lunged at the bars, body slamming the door, shaking free a cascade of splintering wood and dust making it cough and choke. Falling back, it glared at the handsome thirty year old man sneering from the barred window of the cell. The creature violently jerked on the manacles that bound its wrists and ankles rubbing the raw skin around the iron, scraping the peeled flesh, leaving blood to pool around the wounds once more. The caged animal had movement around the cell and used it to its fullest wanting to keep its body from getting lazy so that it wouldn’t fall into despair. Everything the Beast felt while caged, he channeled into a living breathing hatred of the man at the door grille.

  But even the creature with its immense strength couldn’t break free from the reinforced cell it had been thrown into. The Beast still had no idea how it came to be in Lord Adam Savage’s clutches, but the Beast promised itself that somehow it would get out and when that happened it would slit the throat of the dashingly handsome man taunting the glaring animal.

  The man in question was elated. He had heard the rumors of a beast that lurked in the vast densely forested mountains and around the old abandoned castle said to be somewhere among it all. The castle was a legend over five hundred years old as was the beast, but Adam knew every tale had a grain of truth. He had sent out expert trackers over time and five years later, after trying again and again, he finally discovered the location of the fabled castle. He then ‘accidentally’ stranded himself in bad weather, according to the tales of a sure entrance to the castle’s interior. He caught a glimpse of the creature himself; ‘seeing is believing’ so they say. Adam to his close intimates, set out to capture the creature thinking it could be very useful. He wasn’t sure exactly how he was going to use the beast, but he was sure he would come up with something.

  Right now, he was working on teaching the creature to obey him; he hadn’t gotten very far before as the creature was very stubborn and displayed a cunning intellect. Adam decided there was something almost manlike in its appearance but scoffed at the idea of any real intelligence or reasoning ability. The Lord treated the beast like the animal it was; if it disobeyed him, it was punished, if it pleased him, it was rewarded with no pain. The beast was slowly beginning to learn. Even the dumbest creature would learn after months of flogging and starvation to become more obedient.

  The creature usually greeted him violently each time he came down to check on it, but with a quick jab from a nasty little prod with a very long spike on the end, the beast usually backed down and behaved. Lord Savage was very pleased with its rapid progress lately, it was as if something had finally clicked in the dumb animal brain and had begun to tame the more aggressive side of him. It was becoming much more passive and agreeable to work with, so it was given better food as part of its reward. Adam was pleased to see that it was keeping its body fit and healthy by exercising and keeping its strength to maximum efficiency.

  Lord Savage wondered how to reward its unusually docile manners. He really wanted to reinforce its excellent behavior of late and pondered on what to do to ensure the training reaped the results he was after. In all the months of bringing the beast to heel, a wonderful idea had been forming in his scheming mind on exactly how he could use the creature and its ability to move almost invisibly as well as the beast’s incredible strength.

  He still hadn’t decided what recourse of action to take to reward it two days later when he visited the beast once more. For the first time he took a long look at the creature standing in the center of the cell, just waiting to see what its captor would do this time. It was nearly seven feet tall with long muscular legs and arms and a chest that was broad shouldered and deep through the width. Every muscle was evident, making his body look like the perfect male specimen. There was such strength in its body; power seemed to radiate from it as the creature froze under his close scrutiny. Adam was amazed that such wide shoulders tapered to such a tight flat belly and firm taut buttocks; the creature could have almost passed for the perfect male. It was obviously male; the creature was well endowed and Adam gave it a pair of cut off pants to keep itself decent. He was very pleased to see that the beast was wearing them on his next visit. It unnerved Adam somehow to see the creature naked.

  Even though the body of the beast could pass for being manlike; its head put any thought of it being human to rest. With the creature’s body being so perfect, and only the long sharp talons on hands a
nd feet marring the image, Lord Savage supposed that it was why the appearance of its head really made a mockery of the word human.

  The head was almost lion like in appearance, with a very real mane falling in a golden vee shape to end at the point of his backside. He had two vee shaped points above his eyebrows where the mane began on his forehead, running around to the back of his neck leaving the thick column of his neck hairless and his face clean shaven. Long pointed ears peeped out of the silken hair matching the highly arched gold eyebrows. His eyes were round like a real lion and their deep golden honey constantly shifted as he warily watched his captor. But what disturbed Adam the most was the long razor sharp fangs that disappeared neatly inside his human shaped closed mouth. When the beast opened his mouth, he had an impressive array of smaller pointed teeth, all for the sole purpose of rending and tearing prey. But the sudden appearance of the deadly incisors really rattled Adam and it made the animal frightening in the extreme when he roared as a lion would, but sounding much deeper and more terrifying than the actual animal he resembled.

  The creature was quite hideous and yet very beautiful Adam supposed and Adam made sure he remembered that no matter how docile it became, he would keep in mind just how dangerous the beast really was. But the inspection of the animal gave Lord Savage a delightfully cruel idea. He had finally decided on a course of action as reward for its good behavior. He went back upstairs whistling happily eager to implement his idea.

  The Beast stood looking at the barred grille wishing he could rip it out with his bare hands and get away from the machinations of the sick perverted Lord that had managed to keep him prisoner against his best attempts to free himself. He didn’t know what to expect from the creepy smile on Adam’s face as he walked away from the cell door, but the Beast was convinced it didn’t bode well for anything good.

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  The light footsteps coming down the seldom used walkway made his head fling back. The Beast didn’t recognize the walk. The swish of fabric and the way in which the feet were carefully placed informed his pricked ears that his visitor was female and being careful of something she was carrying. When her body scent and fear levels reached him, her unbelievable fragrance made him tremble. ‘How long had it been since he had scented a woman whose essence was this delicious?’ He lifted his head warily, waiting to see what new game Savage was playing now.

  He knew the man had no idea the creature in his cell could think and speak or do any of the things he was able and he wanted to keep it that way. Better that he thought him a dumb beast than the prisoner he really was. This way, maybe the Lord would grow careless and the Beast would escape. He fervently hoped so. Nothing else had worked so far.

  A lighted candle found its way to the grille. He could see little else of the shadow being blocked by the candlelight which seemed to dazzle his eyes after so long in the darkness. But he was a creature of the darkness after all and his eyes quickly adjusted. A small hand held the bars and the soft lilting notes of a young woman’s voice reached his ears.

  “I was told to bring you some food and drink for your meal sir; I hope it will be to your liking. I think you will find it is the best you have been given while you have been held here. I know you are dangerous but will you do as I ask? So … would you please move back from the door and let me bring the food to you safely and let me go again?’

  He shifted to the back wall trying to accommodate her wishes but longing to see the young maid. He was starved for the sight of feminine beauty and he was sure the lovely voice would be perfectly matched by an even lovelier face.

  The bolt was pulled back; it had been well oiled and greased fairly recently as Adam liked to enter the cell with his dangerous prisoner and torment him just because he could. Torturing the beast was also a favorite pastime, and the beast’s back was criss crossed with flail and whip weals from so many pain-filled nights; he had completely lost count of how long he had been held here.

  The shadow moved in the room setting her candle to the wall sconce where a torch was waiting. As light flared, the door swung shut. The bolt was locked in place and the grille closed, leaving her trapped; a prisoner with a creature she was terrified of. Spinning around she hammered her small hands on the heavy door crying to be let out. But all that could be heard was a mocking laugh and a voice telling the beast to enjoy his reward.

  He moved causing the petite figure to spin back around, tears formed in the lovely green eyes framed by thick long lashes as they looked up at his face in sheer terror. Even though she was shaking and afraid, he could see she was quite lovely, not beautiful the way some woman he had known had been, but truly lovely. She had soft raven waves in her long hair that was pulled back in a loose tie but still fell to her waist accentuating a petite but very nicely curved figure. She was like a long cold glass of water in an endless desert and the Beast wanted to hold her against his hard body. He wanted to feel her wondrous softness against his skin, to remember just how a woman felt in his arms once more.

  A deep velvet voice came from the lovely mouth, but showing frightening pointed teeth, causing the young woman to stop and stare in amazement. She never expected such a beautiful sensuous voice to come from such a head, but then, she hadn’t known what to expect as the master of the house ordered her to carry the meal to the bestial prisoner he had kept hidden and to stay until he had finished his reward for his recent good behavior. She was terrified, but she was even more terrified of disobeying Lord Savage who had brutal ways of making her do as she was told. She was after all one of his indentured servants, bought on the block so long ago. Until he allowed her to go free, she had no will of her own, especially as she had no means to buy her freedom from him.

  That was why she found herself in a cell and locked in as it seemed she and not the meal was a ‘reward’ for the prisoner. She had no idea what that meant. But she knew she would soon find out.

  “What is your name … please … I will not harm one as lovely as you.”

  “My name is Anya … and I was sent to the block by my Uncle when my parents died. I have been indentured to Lord Savage for six years now. I am one of many servants that work at the estate inside the manor. I suppose I will always be as my buyout price has been set exorbitantly high and we are given no money to enable us to save toward our freedom. I will become old and die a servant. I will be like the other young women he buys, used by him to serve his needs after I turn eighteen and an unmarried mother at nineteen. He buys us for just this reason. He gets whatever he wants and we do what we are told. We are no better than prisoners ourselves.”

  The Beast was amazed at everything that spilled from her mouth as he spoke to her. It was as if her misery and worries were right on the surface and as soon as she spoke, she couldn’t seem to stop. An idea popped into his head, and as soon as he thought it; he knew it was true.

  “When do you turn eighteen Anya?” His voice was gently questioning expecting the answer.

  She sobbed a ragged desperate sound. “I’m eighteen in just one week. The master said this morning he was looking forward to tasting me, it wouldn’t be long now. Then he rubbed himself against my hips while he was holding me tightly. He was touching me everywhere. I wanted to scream. Instead … I … slapped him. I thought he would beat me for my audacity, but he just looked at me and smiled a strange smile while his cheek grew red. He said I had just given him the answer to his dilemma and soon I would be more than happy for his attention. Then, he walked away. I was thinking I had narrowly avoided a real beating … but now I know what he was so happy about. He obviously decided to put me in here with you for my refusal of him. ”

  She burst into tears and the Beast moved without thinking. He wrapped her gently in his arms, stroking her glorious long hair in his taloned hands, cutting the leather to release it from the tie. He marveled at the feel of the black silk as it passed through his fingers; bending to inhale her fragrance feeling desire and dark need. She calmed, soothed by his gentleness and made no a
ttempt to leave the comfort he was providing; instead she laid her head against his broad chest and began to relax.

  They stood that way for several moments as she settled and he could feel her heart beat slowing. He was lost in the feel of her skin against him; even though she wore a floor length full skirt, the blouse was off the shoulder and bound by a laced bodice over the under shirt that cinched around her waist and emphasized her lovely breasts. Her arms were exposed apart from the small gathered sleeves giving him bare skin to stroke.

  He stood unmoving, just giving her the comfort she needed, but he couldn’t help but feel the soft press of her breasts as they were pushed against his naked chest. She wore the flimsy camisole that was common among women under her fine white cotton blouse, but the black laced vest didn’t cover her bust, it let the pretty blouse softly gather just over the severe black. With her full blue skirt over many petticoats instead of a hoop and well-made work shoes, it was obvious Adam Savage liked to see his servants dressed well and looking pretty. The clothes also emphasized her young woman’s body and it certainly was distracting to feel her many charms pressed up against him. Even though she was seeking comfort, the Beast was feeling decidedly uncomfortable and gently broke away before he frightened her. His need was a primitive thing that could get out of control very quickly, and he didn’t want to hurt her.