"I am sorry Tora. I didn’t want you to worry."
She sighs and goes to meet the other animals I have saved that showed up. Alice walks in with another group and the magic keeps throwing more scenes up into the sky for all to see. After a few hours, I am rather numb to it. I hate everyone seeing it of course, but it no longer matters. If we succeed this will never happen again. That is the goal.
"Everyone come together please. We must make a plan on how to deal with a Fae with the power of curses. I can cast illusions, even build this beautiful world, but I cannot break the curse placed upon these two. Leon cannot return to his human form; he hasn’t been able to for a decade or more. Belle here has these violent episodes as you can see after her trips to save animals. We only recently discovered their curses were connected. Now we need the word out, we need to find the Fae responsible, and then we need to find a way to right things. We will put feelers out and return in one week to share information. All of you will be able to enter here anytime over the next week. Disperse!"
Alice is a small dainty looking thing but when she speaks, when she wears her true form, you can’t help but respect her and treat her as a queen. She is aged and wise, she is magical and so much more than humans, shifters, witches, or any of the other things that exist in this world. I find her even more bewitching than the others of her kind. She has the ability to captivate you with a smile and her goodness pours out of all she says and does making you beg to follow her. She has had many problems with people following her around trying to worship her.
"Thank you, Alice. For all you have done and are doing to help me. I don't think I ever properly thanked you for giving us a home. All of us."
She smiles seeming so large and powerful despite being nearly the same height as me at the moment. I am never sure how to feel about seeing and feeling two different heights. How she portrays herself and how she actually is. It is just…Alice.
"You have helped me fill my home with others to watch over and care for. It is the largest, kindest, most wonderful family I could ask for and it is mostly your doing. It is all I ever wanted Belle. You have given me the one thing I wished for more than all else throughout the ages. I am expressing my thanks the only way I can, by helping. Remember that when you undertake this mission Belle. You are the heart of my little home. You must come back. Both of you."
She turns and leaves humming. Soon it is just Leon and I as the others go home to spread the word and find the Fae, we will have to approach to free ourselves of this curse.
'Shall we visit our contacts now?'
"Let's go Leon."
I climb aboard his back and we go through a portal. Time to find a Fae.
Our first contact is a shifter I am told, I have only ever met them in their human form, but I am cool with it. They know Leon is a shifter and my mate so they are more than happy to help our cause and put the word out. This shifter community, no matter the issue between species, bands together to help against threats from other species.
It reminds me of families with multiple children and how the only ones allowed to mess with the baby is the older siblings, but this is an entire race of people. It makes the chats with the shifters go smoothly. I am excited to become part of that community at some point.
The humans I talk to are shady and require bribing. My French fox gave me bribery money because I do not have time to plan a heist. There are more than enough environment killing billionaires, but my plate is full.
Leon hates visiting these because he has to stick to the shadows. They are ones that will do anything for a buck, have seen all the evil they can, some do bad things. I hate to think when I smuggle animals’ home that we are on a barge with guns being sold to terrorists, but when doing illegal things, you can't afford to be picky or point fingers. So, I swallow my lecture and do business.
It is one of these times I get a clue. I walk back wondering what to do. We are up against a Fae. One capable of curses. I want to go alone…Leon will never go for it. None of them will, but if I can solve this problem alone I will. I walk back to Leon.
"Who is next on the list?"
'Nothing new I take it?'
I sigh. "I feel like we are spending lots of money for basically no reason."
Luckily, Leon is a worrier so he takes my guilt as heart wrenching failure. I can’t lie well, but to save everyone I love I will turn into the world's best con.
"Let's keep going. I want dinner and a good night's sleep for once."
And that is our entire week in a nutshell.
'Get off you are bony.'
"Is that any way to talk to your mate?"
'It is when she is a bony human lying on me like a mattress and jabbing me with her elbow and knees.'
I laugh and roll off Leon onto the lush grass. Leon stretches and yawns. It has been a busy week. Before he finishes his yawn, I start scratching his ears, anything to avoid more scolding.
'That is cheating and you know it.'
I smile and shrug but stop anyway. Nothing will stop him from saying what is on his mind right now. I know what is coming and I don’t want it to. It will only lead to an argument.
'Belle.'
"No."
'You don't even know…'
I glare into his eyes daring him to finish that sentence and trying to look more intimidating than I am…especially when faced with a lion.
"I'm not staying tomorrow. This is our fight. Yours and mine. So, whether you like it or not I am going."
'I just want you safe.'
"I could get called away by my gift while you are gone and we remember what happened last time. I almost drowned after almost being killed by someone. Even if not I will be here alone and worried about you. So, will you stay with me? Let the others go fight our battle while we are safe and together in IvyWood?"
'It's not the same. I am an alpha shifter. I have every cell in my being telling me to protect you.'
He did not just try to pull rank! Oh, that is so not happening!
"I am an alpha shifter mate and no one has suffered from this curse as much as me. This is my fight even more than it is yours. I am going so the only question left is if I am going with or without you."
He gets up and lays his head and front paws on my legs. He tries not to apply a lot of pressure not wishing to crush his mate…though considering his insistence I stay he might try to disable me. Not that it will stop me and deep down he knows that. He just wants to keep me from storming off all angry like.
"Comfy?"
'No. Your shins are as bony as you elbows.'
I pat the ground next to me.
"Then come lay up here on the grass next to me. Promise not to elbow you."
He rolls his eyes, yawns, and comes up to lie next to me.
'Like I would ever believe that.'
I laugh, kiss his nose, and cuddle up next to him. Our last night before the battle, hopefully not a real battle since we hope to talk our way out of this. We hope she won’t be unreasonable or at least tired of a game she doesn’t even see playing out.
I look up at the stars enjoying the quiet and privacy. IvyWood, especially our special horrific alone place, is filled with people ready to help. We have barely been alone the past week. I love everyone for wanting to help us get our happily ever after, but we have earned this alone time. When your home is overrun, you do what you have to. So here, we are clearing our minds, enjoying fresh air and quiet and preparing for the biggest day of our lives.
"Love you Leon."
'Love you Belle.'
He closes his eyes purring and falls into a deep peaceful sleep. Exactly as I hoped, as will everyone in IvyWood eating the thick, hearty, magical stew. The one I drugged with a sleep potion Alice had. I gently stroke his head trying to engrave his face in my memories just in case.
"I love you Leon. You might never know how much but it's true. I am not leaving you now because I want to. I just want you safe. You will understand that won't you?"
I s
igh. I will get no answer. I can only hope this will go how I want. I did not save all of those animals and shifters just to have them die for me now. I will do this alone and then we can all live happily ever after.
Chapter Nine
I follow the clue given to me and end up in a bar for supernaturals. Whether it is my curse, gift, or my mating bond with Leon I can see it. To norms it would be an abandoned building that looks on the verge of collapse. A good deterrent. No one wants a building to fall on them.
The bouncer gives me a nod, guess they don't card which is good for me. I walk in and look for the Fae that cursed my mate.
I find her at the bar getting free drinks from more than one guy. Her hair is the color of honey and her lips are a dark pink color, so full her smile has a pout to it. She is well endowed in all the areas men love and is wearing skintight clothing that is too low or too high and leaves nothing to the imagination. It is going to be fun working through the throng of people to get to her.
I start my trek to her pushing if needed. Small I may be, but I spar with an immortal and a lion. I can hold my own. I use that wiry strength more now than I ever have. Sometimes I can squeeze through sometimes it is an effort. When I finally reach her, she smiles at me
"That was quite impressive. I am not usually into females, but you worked very hard to get to me."
"Not for the same reason as them." I gesture behind us and keep my face passive.
"Oh? “She waves a hand and we are alone. Geez do these supernaturals have no pride?
"So why did you want to see me so bad?"
"Ten years ago, a shifter refused to be with you because he was setting out on a mate quest. You cursed him."
She looks into the distance her eyebrows scrunching then her face breaks out into a smile.
"He was delicious. Silly boy turned me down. I have never had that happen, not even with a shifter. No one says no to a succubus and gets away with it."
She is not a Fae…how had she cursed his ass? Well this complicated everything. I mean how do you break a succubus curse? I know nothing about them.
"You are not a Fae?"
She laughs.
"The fair folk are far too arrogant to want a lover other than one another. They can barely stand to do that. No. I just wanted a pet cat and he was a delicious specimen of man meat."
"Leon is not a piece of meat! He is a person, with feelings and a life! One you ruined!"
She sees something in my face that must give everything away because she starts laughing. I amuse her. Our misery amuses her. I want to punch her in the face, but she has to break the curse so I can’t until I know killing her will nullify it.
"Oh, that's rich. You little girl are his mate? He said no to me for you. Is he here? He must be full of regret and I am nice enough to turn him human for a night to enjoy a roll with me before he goes back to being your fluffy mate."
"I have never met a succubus before, but I can see why people hate them so. You really are a bitch, aren't you?"
She is partly amused but I can see anger in her eyes too. I am pushing buttons. Good.
"Says the little druid priestess with no control over her powers."
"What?"
She laughs once again almost choking this time. Someone comes to steady her so she doesn’t fall off her chair.
"Thanks, handsome."
He backs away a dopey grin on his face.
"You don't know you are a druid descendant? You never wondered why you were chosen as an alphas mate. Or why you could talk to animals the second your mating bond thread snapped together. You must have come into your abilities early. Which explains why you are so inept at using them. If you had any control over your power, every shifter in here would be at your disposal even against my power. That’s the problem with throwbacks. No one to teach you control."
She shakes her head and sips her drink paying me no mind. She thinks that is the end. She is in for a shocker. I tap her on the shoulder to get her attention. She turns to yell at me and I punch her breaking her pretty little nose. Blood splatters all over her dress and chest.
"You look better this way."
A bunch of the men stand and take a step towards me. I might be worried, but I am more fed up and pissed and I project that. I am an alphas mate; I have to have some alpha juice, right?
"Sit the fuck down!"
The shifters are obvious because they halt and look confused. Maybe suck face over here is right, maybe I am more than I know. Great if she breaks the curse, I can plan what to do about that then.
The others that still walk towards me are a variety. I have no idea what they are, well I can tell the vampires, but the others are unknowns. I pull out my Fae enchanted blade and let the light shine over it.
"This is Fae enchanted and will sense what you are and your weakness and exploit that. So, if you don't want to die back off and let the succubus and I finish our conversation."
They do stop and look between the two of us for a moment when she screeches at them.
"She is basically a human! Which Fae would give her something that powerful?"
"That would be me."
Everyone turns and looks as Alice walks through the door. She smiles at me looking slightly exasperated.
"Did you think a sleeping potion to help injured humans and animals would really keep the supernaturals out all night? Or keep a lion from sensing the danger his mate is in?"
I shrug trying to look innocent. As nice, as she is being, I know Alice looks sweeter than her power is.
"I wasn't sure, but I hoped I would be able to be done with this before morning so no one else had to suffer."
She sighs and shakes her head.
"Belle. Our stubborn big-hearted girl. You will worry us all into an early grave."
"Us?"
A growling lion enters and everyone steps back. Does he look bigger or is it just me? He is followed by bears, a fox, and wolves. Only the shifters are here which means all the normal animals are safe. That makes me worry a bit less. But damn them for not being susceptible to that damn sleeping potion.
"That lion is my mate. We have been cursed by the succubus and the curse is killing me. He is really pissed and over protective so if you don't want to be eaten sit down and ignore what's about to go down."
The succubus starts glowing and everyone she’d whispered sweet nothings to stands and gets between her and the oncoming horde of angry shifters. Well this is going to go over well.
"They are being controlled by her so try not to kill them."
I don’t wait for any kind of confirmation. I just turn and swipe. She brings her arm up enough to block me from her face, but she still screams as blood flows from her once more.
"You dirty little heathen. I should have killed you both all those years ago."
I smile shaking her blood off the knife. A shifter joins her and I suddenly am swiping at him trying not to kill him but not willing to bet my life on it. The succubus gets up and runs out the side door.
"Dammit!"
I kick at the shifter and he catches my foot spinning me. I go willingly, rolling to catch myself on my hands and the other foot. I kick out and land a blow on his shins. He growls and starts to change and a fox lands on him biting the back of his neck before he is all-animal.
"Thanks!"
I push my way towards the side exit of the bar. The females in the bar join our side, and I know all those males are getting an earful once the succubus spell wares off. No one wants to go to a bar to be picked up and ignored instead.
Luckily, for me this succubus doesn’t seem to understand first aide. Her blood trail is easy to follow. She goes into a deserted park and is trying to heal. She seems to be slow about it. Too far from all the male hormones that make her more powerful…or is it dreams they prey on? I can't remember, I know so little about them.
"You really didn’t look into me at all before cursing him? You thought we would just never find one another, or that Leon wouldn’t l
ook for his mate because he was stuck in lion form?"
"I didn’t care enough to look into either of you. He spurned my advances and I wanted to punish him and the one he turned me down for."
"For ten years?"
She shrugs and laughs, but I can tell she is scared. She doesn’t know how this is going to go down. She didn't expect persistence. She definitely is used to getting what she wants.
"You have the power to break the curse so how about we go our separate ways and call it a day?"
Is she serious? She thinks that is it. That I will take her word, accept and understand what I am with no training and all is even? How the hell di I break the curse and how do I know she won’t make others suffer or she is not already doing the same to another couple at this very moment.
"You are not getting off that easy. He almost died, I almost died so many times. I don’t think I can sleep at night worrying that others have, are, or will be suffering the same in the future."
"What if I promise to be a good girl?"
Ironically, her sweet innocent smile makes me more suspicious. Is she kidding? Demons are worse than Fae when it comes to trustworthiness. Only Alice breaks that rule.
Before I can answer she charges me changing as she comes at me through the air faster than I can blink. I brace myself and have my knife ready. When she lands on me, we go flying back and my knife enters her torso. It is not a kill hit, but she screeches hard enough to make glass shatter and my ears bleed. That will need some healing. It hurts like hell and messes with my balance making my swings off mark. Since it is too hard using my arm or leg, I just tackle her as she had me earlier.
I stab down into the ground missing her neck. Her face is red with anger and her nails are talons. She has small fangs and looks ready to bleed me out. If her eyes could shoot lasers, I would be dead so many times over. Mere dust on the ground.
"The feeling is mutual."
A roar makes her jump a bit throwing me off, but I know it is Leon, I can sense it and so I roll to the side and plunge the knife into the side of her neck. Blood sprays all over me, soon I can’t tell how much is coming from my ears and what is from her. I lay on the ground trying to breathe without drinking blood.
Beauty the Beast Tamer- Light Page 6
