Captured By The Beast I

by Daniella Wright

  “Janine…” He murmurs, like some soft spoken prayer. All at once, I am on my feet rushing towards him. He hesitates, but obligingly takes me into his arms as I slam into him. It seems he had not expected the sheer force of my embrace, and I nearly knock him off his feet as I bury my face in his chest. He wraps his arms uncertainly around me, and I find myself repeating his name in that same reverent tone he had used. He continues to shake, and our combined despair continues to wash over me in waves. I draw my head back just slightly, tilting my face up to consider his anguished expression. In spite of myself, I can feel the despair that clutches me slowly giving way to anger.

  “Where the hell have you been!?” I shout angrily, pushing him away from me. He stumbles back, obviously not having expected the shove. I round on him, anger and misery mingling to spill ever bitter tears down my cheeks. “You just take what you want and leave? You just… you just… Edmund, how could you leave me alone after all we’ve been through!? You have to have known I was looking for you. I searched for days.” I blurt angrily. For the first time since I have met him, the sheen of tears glimmer in his dark eyes.

  “I ruined your life…” He murmurs softly, and at first I simply can’t believe what I’m hearing.

  “You… ruined my life?” I repeat incredulously, and he chokes out a sob, drawing his arms around himself. “You ruined my life!? Are you serious Edmund?” I demand, stepping towards him and grabbing him by the chin.

  “Your friends… your family. Everyone who loved you, and who you loved in turn… I stole you away.” He gasps out, and I meet his gaze, understanding lancing me through the heart.

  “That’s why you left. You… you…” I trail off, and he braces himself as if I am about to strike him. I brush the tears from his cheeks, drawing him into my arms and burying my face flush against his neck. “You’re an idiot.” I murmur softly. He hesitantly wraps his arms around me, as if afraid to touch me.

  “Janine-” He begins, but I cut him short.

  “Edmund, I’m not going to lie. You absolutely ruined my life. You took away everything I was striving for. You took away my chances at school, a degree, a career. You took me from my friends, my family… I hated you for it.” I mutter, and he chokes back a sob.

  “I’m sorry.” He blurts, and I chuckle softly, tangling a hand in his hair.

  “But that’s not why I’m angry. I’ve forgiven you for that. In fact… I rejoice in it. Because the life I had before I met you was a meaningless one. I may not have a heartbeat now, but when we were together… I’ve never felt more alive in my life.” I murmur, and he tenses in my grasp. “I’ve come to a realization in the days I’ve been looking for you. I thought you were gone forever, or worse.” I continue, drawing away from him to look him in his deep brown, almost black eyes. He searches my expression, presumably for some crack in my armor. I suppose what I’m telling him doesn’t make much sense, but I’ve never been so certain of something in my life.

  “What are you saying, Janine?” He inquires hesitantly, reaching up to palm my cheek.

  “What I’m saying is… I love you, Edmund. I’m head over heels in love with you.” I say, biting back a laugh at the sheer disbelief he meets my gaze with. He opens and closes his mouth, looking much like a fish out of water.

  “You… wha?” He says, ever the picture of eloquence. I brush my thumb against his bottom lip, reveling in the softness of his skin. Reveling in everything about him.

  “You shouldn’t apologize for changing me. I won’t accept that apology. Being changed is perhaps the greatest thing to ever happen in my life, because it brought me to you.” I pause, leaning in to press a gentle kiss to his lips. Just as he begins to reciprocate, I pull away, meeting his gaze. Then, I slap him with as much force as I can muster. “You should apologize for leaving me and making me worry about your bloodsucking tail for this past week!” I shout, throwing my hands up in exasperation. He touches his fingertips to his cheek, staring at me through wide eyes. For a long moment, neither of us say anything more. Then, he begins to laugh. It starts as soft snickers, shifting into uncertain chuckles before blooming into full, unrestrained guffaws. In spite of myself, I find myself beginning to laugh as well. He wraps his arms around me, resting his chin atop the crown of my head as our bodies shake with irrational laughter. I imagine we must both look utterly insane, but the anger I felt at being abandoned is being washed away with sheer joy at being in his arms again. It seems ages before we regain our composure. He tightens his grip on me, his body continuing to shake with barely repressed giggles before he manages to compose himself enough to speak.

  “I’m so sorry I made you worry.” He breathes, and though the situation could quickly turn serious again, a sense of calm washes over me. He draws away just slightly, worrying his bottom lip with his fangs. He hesitates for a long moment before speaking earnestly. “I love you too, Janine. But I’m pretty sure you already had that figured out…” He murmurs uncertainly. I smile mischievously, brushing my fingers to his cheek. He predictably winces, and I can’t help but snort.

  “Well, you did let me get away with slapping the taste out of your mouth. I figure you must be a little sweet on me at least.” I muse, and he rolls his eyes in amusement.

  “I’m letting you get away with it for now. We’ll properly discuss your punishment later.” He retorts. I smile knowingly, kissing the tip of his nose. I consider making a snide remark regarding the punishment I had yet to receive for destroying his irreplaceable furniture, but I find myself getting lost in his eyes again instead.

  “What now?” I murmur, and he steers me towards the house. I realize there are scarce moments before the sun rises again. Life goes on, as it invariably tends to do.

  “Ah, my dear. We have the rest of eternity to concern ourselves with what happens next.” He hums. I grin as he presses his lips to my own, the gravity of the situation settling comfortably within me. An eternity doesn’t sound bad at all.

  BLURB

  Janine Rigby is a young and vivacious woman, who is filled with the exuberance of life. She harbors her share of hidden insecurities, but hey, who doesn’t? She has her friends at the Ivory Fang to sweep her worries away, and where the alcohol comes short, the dancing is sure to keep the pace. However, when her dangerously fun night turns simply dangerous, Janine finds out that she has much more to worry about than petty insecurities. Turns out, there’s more to fear than ending up alone. Her newest fear just so happens to have the darkest eyes she’s ever seen, and a particularly killer smile. There’s no doubt, it’s high time that Janine faces her fears head on. This time, she’s resolved to do just that. Now, all there’s left to do is hope she hasn’t bitten off more than she can chew; lest she end up bitten herself. Sounds easy enough. Right…?

  Only Time

  ~ Bonus Story ~

  A Time Travel Romance

  JAMESON

  A lifetime spent in solitude doesn’t make much room for romance, even if that solitude is well spent. I have but a short life, but with this time machine, I will be able to experience things that others have only ever dreamed of. However, when I met her, I never could have expected what was to come. Genetic duplicates? Space time continuums? A hunky and loveable male protagonist? Yeah, my story has it all.

  JENNY

  He seemed the simple sort, but in my eons of experience, things are rarely as simple as they ever seem. A simple favor done in goodwill, only to turn my entire world upside down. I could have never expected the feelings that would bloom, but I’m only immortal. Being all knowing isn’t necessarily part of the package. Romance? A life of impossibilities? A corny yet loveable guy with a heart of gold? I guess my story has more than I ever could have known.

  * * *

  Chapter 1

  I consider myself a man of relatively simple pleasures, all things considered. Where many of my people revel in the luxe of modern marvel, I have spent many a day wrapped up in a single project that seems to directly contrast the desires of
my peers. I would be lying if I did not admit to receiving my share of derisive laughter. Living in the third millennium, as measured by earth standard time, is no small thing of wonder. However, as cliché as this line seems, I’m not like others of my kind. I have more… refined interests than other men my age. I’m... more interested in matters of the past, I suppose you could say. A self-proclaimed scientist in a world where anyone worth their weight in plutonium is in the science field. Though, as you may have guessed, most modern scientists focus on forging a path forward. I can see the appeal, but, well…

  In any case, now is certainly not the time to get wrapped up in idle thought. My right eye twitches as I brush a hand through my shaggy hair. I exhale through my nose as I consider the console of my beloved pet project. Beloved certainly isn’t an understatement, by any means. Another… peculiarity of mine is my love life. The lack thereof, specifically. Heh. I am rather well versed with my hands, however. A well placed flick of my wrist and the wire I’m focused on snaps into place. “Whoa!” I exclaim, jolting back as my machine gives a brief shudder. I knew I was talented with my hands, but honestly… wait a moment. “No way…”

  I find myself whispering, leaning over the console of the machine and taking in the sight before me. It seems impossible. The lights that indicate the operation of my machine are, for the first time in my lifetime, all alight. The shade of green that shimmers and reflects in the steel surface is perhaps the most beautiful thing I have ever seen. I feel my face contorting in a mix of confusion and elation, and I am briefly grateful that I live alone. Even if the status lights don’t indicate what they’re intended, even if this is some fluke… the three shining steadily in a row is nothing short of a miracle. I slowly raise a brow, a bewildered laugh spilling past my lips. I can’t help staring at the very feature that has been mocking me for what seems an eternity. By no exaggeration, I have been waiting for this moment for nearly the entirety of my lifetime.

  “Certainly it was not that simple…,” I murmur to myself, tapping my finger against the reflective steel of the console. The face that stares back at me is somehow more ridiculous than I might have imagined, and my blue-toned skin takes on a vaguely violet hue. I grab my ear self-consciously, drawing my eyes away from my own expression to consider the lights once more. “Certainly…” I repeat, and again I am thankful to be alone. Though I try to maintain a level of decorum even in the privacy of my home, my mind is racing faster than I can truly process right now. The sheer impossibility of this situation seems a colossus looming above me, but I can’t help but wonder… what if? The only true way to know is to try. With shaking hands, I reach out to open the inner chamber. I can’t help but fidget as I slip inside the belly of the beast, as worst case scenarios run through my mind. The thing could very well explode with me inside it! I mean, sure, that’s a possibility I’ve dealt with before. Never before, however, had my hopes been so elevated. It seemed that only bad things could follow, especially with my track record.

  Tapping on the inner controls, I flick the dials back nearly as far as they’ll go. If it works, there would be no question, considering I had set the dial to prehistoric times. The dinosaurs that roamed this planet long before it was originally colonized always struck a fascinating chord with me. Much information that the previous dominant species had gathered had gone up in smoke when the human species self-destructed. Namely, many of the fossils collected by particularly intrepid humans had gone missing. You would think my people would have some interest in it, if only for the sake of science. Ever forward, however. Ever forward.

  I realize I’ve let my mind wander for too long, and my hand shakes as I rest it on the lever that should effectively send my machine hurtling through the space time continuum. That, or blow the entire thing up with me inside. I swallow the lump in my throat and close my eyes, bracing myself before flipping the lever. I can’t help but cry out as the machine lurches, and I am thrown against the back wall. It seems to settle down after a moment, and the screen I’ve installed on the inner console says, simply enough, ‘Processing’. I can’t help staring at the screen as I brace myself against the wall. Abruptly, the machine makes a dinging sound, and everything seems impossibly still. I swallow again, unable to stop my trembling as the doors begin to slide open. I can’t see much from my place at the back of the machine, but the steady thrum of the city I live in is noticeably absent, replaced with the loud calls of some sort of insect. It’s now or never, I suppose, and as I push away from the back wall of the time machine, I’m startled by a scaly head poking into the machine. I won’t lie, the squeal that erupted from my lips was nothing short of girlish, and I am grateful that there is no one to hear me. No one except… well, this scaly nuisance. I step towards it, and it makes an odd trilling sound, tilting its head and leveling a clearly uncertain stare in my direction. It trills again, and I can’t help the warm bubble of laughter that rises up from within me.

  “This is impossible,” I murmur to the creature, though it certainly has no means of recognizing what I’m saying. It considers me through its reptilian eyes, jerking away as if offended as the laughter pours from me. Seeming to lose interest in me, it draws away from the machine entirely, and I edge towards the door just in time to see it running into the massive forest. I step out, crying out as my foot gracelessly skids forward. I try to catch my balance, but it is obviously a lost cause. I find myself hitting the ground with a dull thud, and a vaguely squishing sound. Looking down at myself, I realize I am completely covered in mud. At least, I really hope it’s mud. As much as I love the idea of dinosaurs, being covered in their waste is the last thing I would want to experience on my mini trip. However, taking the muck at face value, it feels strange and cool against my skin. In my time, the odds of finding a proper mudhole are essentially null. Every inch of the planet has been paved, colonized, optimized. Looking at what wonders the planet held so many years ago, I can’t help but feel it is a shame-- the extent that my people have gone to in colonizing this planet. Granted, most of the work was done by the previous dominant species.

  The simple sensation of mud against skin should not be as wondrous as it is. I can’t help but dip my fingers in the muck, tracing a path in the dirt. It’s unlikely that my clothes will come clean at any rate, so I may as well enjoy the bit of dirty fun while I can. A smile all but splits my face as I throw myself back in the mud entirely, and my eyes are drawn to just how blue the sky seems. I’m aware of another presence, and quickly jolt up, only to find that the same dinosaur from before had returned. With it there are several smaller versions of itself, and I can’t help but coo as I realize she’s brought her young ones to see this oddity. Seems that she didn’t deem me much of a danger. I reach my hand out, and one of the smaller dinosaurs steps forward, examining my hand before abruptly snapping its teeth down upon it.

  “Ow, cripes!” I curse, trying to pry my hand from its grip. It holds fast, considering me with a stubborn expression. The other young ones are beginning to gather around us, considering me with what seems an almost… hungry… expression. They’re not here to marvel at my machine! They think I seem a good snack! Screeching in fear, I managed to pry the hatchling’s teeth free of my hand. Before it can zero in on me again, I’m scrambling backwards, not trusting myself to get to my feet quickly enough. As I feel the steel of the machine beneath me, I lurch towards the inner console, closing the doors. The dinosaurs bang around the outside of the machine, and my heart feels like it’s going to burst from my chest.

  I manage to drag myself into a standing position, and set the dials back to my own time. I pull the lever, wincing at the blood dribbling from my hand. The machine lurches, and I can only pray that it had thrown the creatures away from it as it begins to rip through space and time once more. I brace myself against the back of the time machine, holding my injured hand to my chest. It hurts, there’s no question there. However, in spite of the pain I’m in, an excited shudder quakes my body and ecstatic laughter spills past my
lips. I had done it. I had done the impossible. I had made a working time machine. As I arrived in my own time and stepped out into my workshop, the possibilities washed over me more than ever. The wound on my hand the last thing on my mind, and I realize what I have to do.

  Chapter 2

  Though I had spent nearly the entirety of my life building this machine, it was with no small amount of surprise that I realized that I have literally no plan. Perhaps it was how unlikely a positive outcome actually seemed, but I had never laid out an actual schedule of what would be done once my machine was completed. Now the day is here, and I’m realizing what a dope I’ve been. An opportunity of this magnitude obviously needs to be explored as thoroughly and effectively as possible. That means careful plotting, extensive analysis, and absolute agonizing over every choice I make. Though I have the rest of my existence to explore the realms of time, my life is all too short to see everything I want to see. One would have to be immortal to explore all that I want to experience. As such, I dutifully decided to settle on the most crucial time periods, at least as far as my opinion goes.