by Kim Faulks
The cold gnawed my legs, reaching up to my thighs. The weight shifted. Something heavy pressed against the center of my back.
I waited for death to come.
A sob slipped free. Pain lanced my face as I hit the concrete, tearing through my temple. "Please. No. No. No."
Hot breath flayed the back of my neck, casting strands of hair into my eyes. I could feel the moist heat sliding underneath my collar. Warm, slick. Something wet brushed the back of my neck. I didn’t move.
I love you, Mom.
The beast shifted its feet. I could feel the warmth from its body and the sheer size towering over me. Despite the frigid floor, sweat stung my underarms. My forehead beaded and droplets slid over my brow. My closed eyes warded off the sting. The beast snorted, drawing the scent of my weakness into its body.
A snarl vibrated against my skin and along my spine. I shook with the sign of dominance.
I need.
The pressure on my back eased. I gulped what air I could. The grip on my neck held me to the ground for a second longer, then relaxed.
The beast dropped its head. Spiky fur scratched the side of my face as it sniffed, lowering its head to touch my face. Hot breath filled my ear, followed by one soft lick against my neck.
I flinched and bit my lip. The metallic taste of blood filled my mouth. Something nudged under my arm, sniffing. Paws scraped the ground on either side of my body. Something knocked against my side, sliding lower and across my prone frame to nudge the small of my back.
The hem of my dress hovered at mid-thigh. One hard push shoved the skirt higher. Something wet slid between my thighs. I whimpered. A growl tingled the flesh against my sex and something warm and wet slid along the crack of my ass.
I drew up my legs and curled myself into a ball. The force of his breath blew my hair onto my face. Something touched the back of my neck, the feeling only slight until pointed incisors dug into each side. Why did you save me?
The question tore through my mind as the sharp ends dug into my flesh. The pain was enough to make me whimper. Fear kept me from moving. I was helpless as the animal shifted. I felt his body probe between my thighs. Something thick and hard speared my thigh. I closed my eyes, now I understood what the beast kept me alive for. "Please, no."
The instantaneous snarl was warning enough, stilling the whimper in my throat. I jerked my head as the door rattled. My heart raced with relief when toughened paws scraped the stone floor, then padded away. I was forgotten, for a moment at least. I shoved my hands against the floor, crawling on hands and knees out of the shadows to collapse on the other side of the room.
The door flew open and slammed against the wall. The boom reverberated inside the cellar. I slapped my hands over my ears while my body shook with the sound. Mark strode in, piercing me with widened eyes. The sheen on his face glistened under the yellow light. Streaks of blood covered his forehead and splashed across his face, ending at his cheek. Blood. Belle’s blood?
A howl tore through the room, shredding what was left of my sanity. My throat burned as a similar sound ripped through my body. I dropped my hands to steady myself and screamed, "You bastard! You killed her!"
"She’s alive!" Mark shouted, swiveling that unhinged gaze from the dark half of the room to me. He stepped backwards into the doorway and reached around the frame before moving in.
Light flooded the second half of the room, revealing the monster. I couldn’t speak. Couldn’t draw breath. Hideous. Horrific.
There were no other words. The beast stared into my eyes. But, in those eyes I saw more than a beast. Those amber eyes widened, something soft echoed and I felt it now, like I felt it when he curled his body around me, protecting me from the cold. His nostrils flared, drawing in my scent. Fear. The flicker of humanity was gone in an instant and the monster looked away.
"Wait. No." My heart lunged against the inside of my chest.
Captivated by his sheer size, I stared at the biggest wolf I’d ever seen—easily twice the size of a man. The glistening links of the chain sank into dark grey fur, pulling tight. He breathed and I followed the motion of his body as his chest expanded and sank. I wanted to run my fingers along his flank, the thought stopped cold as I remembered his teeth against the back of my neck, and his thick shaft against my thigh. Heat flooded my body, sending tiny jolts between my thighs, even chained and on the other side of the room I could tell what the beast wanted.
I followed the coupling to the ground where it felt between his massive paws, then swept my gaze along his body. Although he was big I could see the indentation of his ribs. His stomach was sunken, how many years had he been kept down here, fed on scraps and chained like a beast?
I caught the rush of heavy tread behind me, but it was too late to run, even if I wanted. Mark’s hands wound around my throat. His fingers tightened, squeezing like the links of chain around the beast’s throat. "You like this abomination?"
I whimpered and tried to swallow, forcing out a whisper. "Yes."
He moved his face close. "Yes? What kind of sick bitch are you?"
I tasted blood in my throat. His hands tightened until the pounding in my head mirrored my heart. "I’m the bitch you dragged down here and left for dead."
There was a second when I saw the real Mark. The scared, lonely sick creature. "You’re the one who needs to be locked away. You sick fuck."
I felt the air rush by, then there was nothing but pain. My head slammed against the wall. The harsh yellow lights inside the room dimmed and the beast blurred before I blinked, then his outline grew sharp again. Those golden eyes narrowed. Dark lips lifted in a snarl, revealing long white fangs.
The collar of my dress tightened around my throat as Mark gripped the fabric and wrenched, jerking against his hold on my neck. The chilled air collided with my nipples, making them harden to the cold. Mark stared at my bare breasts. I made no movement to cover myself. It didn’t matter anyway. I’d be dead soon enough.
"Mouthy little whore, aren’t you?" He threw me to the floor and fell on top of me, sliding his face—slick with sweat and blood—along mine. "I love mouthy bitches like you. I love it when they beg with those beautiful lips, before I force them to wrap them around my cock. I love the sound of their skin splitting under the leather crop and most of all, I love how they buck and wriggle when I force myself inside their unwilling little cunt."
He shuddered against me. "I’m gonna love our time together."
The deafening bark wrenched my attention to the wolf. Our eyes met. The beast’s were dark amber now, feral. The beast lunged, snapping the chains taught around his neck. Mark stopped and turned. Claws came close, yet not close enough to save me.
Mark dropped the torn front of my dress and stepped to the side, facing the wolf. "Why her? You’ve never cared before, never even gave them another look. So why this one?"
The beast raised his paw, his gaze on his opponent, ready to strike. I stepped to the side, forcing my feet to move, as I edged toward that line that separated me from the beast.
Mark’s eyes narrowed, as though he was trying to fit the pieces of this puzzle together. But there were no pieces. There was only the will to live, or die and the chances you take to survive. He raised his hand in mock surrender. "Don’t move. You’ll be dead in an instant."
I slid my foot along the floor, taking one more step, glancing at the wolf, then back to Mark. The widening of his eyes was all it took to steel my spine. I caught the twitch in his body before he moved, but this time, I was ready. He clawed for me as I strode across the line and underneath the raised claws of the beast.
His hand hovered in the air. His fingers brushed his leg, falling to his side. "You stupid fucking bitch."
I barely heard those words. The sound of my heart thrashed in my ears as I seized every sound behind me, waiting for the rush of air and the pain. I wasn’t stupid. I was dead anyway. I just chose my kind of death.
CHAPTER NINE
I waited for the door to slam
shut, but a soft thud was the only sound as Mark ran from the room. The beast slowly turned on me and I knew there was nowhere to run, not anymore.
The wolf took one slow step forward. My insides turned to water. I fought the need to run. I kept its gaze, shifting to the white fangs as its top lip curled. The dim bulb above grew brighter, blinding my eyes with glare.
I glanced to the wall. One hard lunge. I’d make it. I’d make it. I felt the air buffet my face, something heavy hit my side. A blow shot stars through my eyes and I hit with the ground. The light above buzzed with the energy. One pop ended the brilliance, plunging me into blackness once more.
A weight pressed down on me, forcing my face against the filth. My dress tore, the sharp nails pulled back as the beast touched my flesh. The sharp talons pressed hard enough to make me wince, but not enough to tear my flesh. I shivered as the cold air kissed my skin and knew my dress was gone. I whimpered, caught between wanting to fight and wanting to crawl inside myself. How can I let this happen? Why can’t I fight?
A slow lick slid between my cheeks, forcing apart my flesh. I sucked in deep breaths, clenching my fists against the filthy concrete floor. This wasn’t supposed to happen to me. I was the runner, fleeing when things got to tough. I was the fighter, in my mind and my soul, yet I was helpless, unable to obey the screams inside my head. The hot tongue speared deeper, touching the tender lips between my thighs. I squirmed against the feeling and swallowed the bitter tang in my mouth as heat flared inside my body.
The slick tongue drew back. I shifted again, lifting my head to look at the wall. One sharp growl told me I’d never make it, that the beast would be on me before I had a chance to move. He waited as though silently urging me to decide—run, or succumb. I held the wall in my sights, even when my eyes watered and burned.
"Please." The urgent word hung in the air. I dropped my head, my brow hitting the cold concrete floor as I whispered once more. "Please."
The bristles of his fur tickled my skin. I felt every rough scratch, every soft nip as his teeth sank into the soft flesh of my rump. I bit my arm and screamed. The beast didn't seem to care, teeth sank into my ass and finished with a hard lick. The wolf hadn’t hurt me, not physically at least. My sense of right and wrong on the other hand was ripped, torn, brutalized and left for dead as that hot tongue lapped my crease.
Time slipped away as the wolf ruled my body. He took his time, nuzzling the soft flesh of my thigh. A soft nip made me whimper. His cold, wet nose dug into the crack of my ass and pressed against my pucker. A cry slipped from my lips as he lifted his head, his tongue following the trail, then dropped again, nuzzling between my thighs. Heat bloomed inside my body. I closed my eyes, and shook my head, trying to will the need away.
The tip glided between my folds, dipping low to slide across my clit. A tug of heat pulled hard inside. I swallowed the bile in the back of my throat and felt myself respond to his demands. I was helpless, betrayed by the one thing I though I owned—my body.
The warm tongue rammed into me, forcing itself through my barriers. Salty tears slid over my lips as I lifted my hips in response, opening myself wider. I forced my lips together as I whimpered, desperately wanting this animal to bite, to hurt. I wanted to feel the pain, for the pleasure was just too much.
My orgasm eased as he slid his tongue out of my body. The slick heat of my desire cooled in his wake. The smell of my own excitement mingled with the feral musk of the wolf. My arms trembled, barely able to hold my own weight as I shifted, searching for the release I so desperately needed. Fuck me. Please. I was no better than this beast, reduced to the animalistic need to rut. I needed the chains and the collar. I needed the cage. Most of all, I needed release.
I held on as the beast shifted. The heavy thump of his tail lashed the back of my thighs, then in the next breath, the long strands disappeared. The cold air wrapped around me. Gone was the warmth of the wolf’s thick undercoat, or the longer, course strands that scratched my skin. Something was happening to the beast, but I was too far gone to care.
The coarse fur tickled the back of my thighs, and so help me god, I rose to the challenge, lifting my ass as he forced my legs wider and touched skin. The squatting hindquarters dropped lower, instead of elongated paws I felt skin.
Feet. Human feet. I pushed against him, desperately searching for the claws of the beast, yet all I felt was hairless skin. He moved forward, dropping his body lower to the ground. His knees pressed the insides of mine, stretching me wider.
I couldn’t move. I trembled, gripping the dirt floor as he leaned over me, his groin pressed against my ass. The hard, bowed chest no longer wore at the middle of my back. Now a wide chest leaned against my back, flooding me with that sweet aroma of musk. I sighed and pushed against him, drawing the scent deeper.
"I need."
I knew that scent.
"I need."
My stranger in the shadows echoed back to me. I’d smelled the same scent upstairs, in the dining room, while visions of the past haunted me. Not only was it his scent that filled me now, it was his urgency, too. The ghost was the beast and so was the man in the shadows. He’d wanted me before, just like this, and now he had me.
The growl was softer, but the sound still held all the danger of the animal. That voice mocked me, leaving me to want the man instead of the beast. I felt the cold air fondle my sex, then something probed my entrance. I held onto what was left of my moral fiber and whispered, "Help me understand what’s happening here."
"I need to be free," came the choking gasp behind me. I felt the energy in the room shift. I was sucked down an endless hole. The force on my parted thighs eased. Hands slid over my ass to grip my waist.
"I want to be free."
I spun at the sound, catching sight of a man throwing his head back. The howl that ripped through the room sounded faintly of the wolf I’d felt seconds before. His body shook as the howl turned into the unmistakable cry of despair.
His rough hands slid along my back as he pressed harder against me. I felt the brush of a hard shaft at my ass and his hot breath against my neck. I knew what was coming.
I dropped my head, arching my back and his lips met my neck. The bite was firm, but not hard enough to draw blood. His teeth weren’t as sharp now, but soft points gripped the spot where my neck and shoulder joined.
Mine, the action screamed. He was marking his territory before he released his hold. His voice was so raw, my heart bled at the sound. "I’ve been a beast for so long. I’ve forgotten how to be a man."
I gripped his hands at my waist, feeling the throb at my entrance. "Do it. I want you to."
His chocked cry echoed inside my own chest as he breached my walls. "I can’t hold on for long... I can’t be gentle."
I rocked back, pushing him deeper inside. I knew what he meant, even in the midst of all this horror he was trying to protect me, even from himself. "I understand."
One hard grunt and he slid home, filling me with heat and desire. I reveled in the warmth and the thickness of him, urging him to take what he wanted. I could feel the tension coiled inside his body, like a serpent ready to strike. And I wanted him to strike, to fill me with the poison he held.
I wanted everything, just this once before I died.
His hands tightened on my hips, and he slammed his hips against my ass. The brutal blows echoed inside the cellar as skin slapped skin. We wanted the same things, to be free, to be loved. As Lord Bête picked up pace, I realized something that made me catch my breath.
I want the beast.
His grunts turned into growls as I rode his cock, shuddering at the force and yet, still wanting more. I panted, rocking forward, trying to ease the strain as Lord Bête’s cock thickened, pushing my walls. I’d never felt anything so big. His hands, now rough, slid from my waist to drop beside me. The motion slowed, but didn’t stop, twisting the pain into a sweeter torture.
My hand slipped. I fumbled in the dark, searching for his hand, as I felt my body ti
ghten. My fingers touched fur and I whimpered, coming hard as a howl, split the air. He came in a rush, filling me with warm seed and I dropped my weight to the floor as he slid out.
"Did I hurt you?"
I shook my head and wept into the crook of my arm, then realized that, in the dark, he couldn’t see my response. I sniffed, wiped my cheeks on my arm, and whispered. "No."
"Then why are you crying?"
The question seemed too simple. I turned to him, my fingers shaking, terrified of touching the coarse hair remembering those words he uttered upstairs in my dream.
If you want the man, then you best be prepared to face the beast.
I understood his warning now, the man and the beast were one and the same. To want one, meant I had to want the other. In a way, I’d already understood this. I remembered the beast’s sacrifice, how he’d forsaken his own happiness for the life of his friend. Honorable, loyal. All the qualities I’d been seeking. Here they were, ready for me to take, wrapped up in fangs and claws.
Could I do this? Could I fall in love with a beast?
I trapped the quiver inside my belly and turned to face him. His pale skin was my beacon in the dark. I reached for him, tenderly touching his chest, then moved lower. His hard muscles rippled under the feel of my hand. A hard growl stopped my hand from dropping further.
"They all want the man."
But never the beast.
Those words were whispered on a shudder. I crawled forward, knowing how vulnerable I was as he teetered between man and beast, yet bent to kiss his smooth chest, taking his nipple into my mouth. His hiss turned into a sigh. The silky bead pebbled under my tongue. I trailed the outline, then sucked.
Trapped by the pleasure of my mouth, his dangerous snarl trembled when my hand slid lower. Even as his seed slid from my body, he was ready again, growing thick and strong as I curled my hand around his shaft. The crackle of energy from those golden eyes on the top of my bent head crackled down my spine. I worked his nipple against my tongue, thrilling when I triggered a shudder.
