was now fur, and paws, and razor sharp claws. Carefully rising, he stood from the bed and walked over to the mirror hanging above the wash basin , and braced himself as he beheld his reflection .
He was a hideous monstrous beast.
* * *
“Bella! Bella!” The sound of desperate cries rang through the cottage as the late night visitor pounded on the door frantically.
Bella arose from her bed, donned a robe, and lit the nearest candle as quickly as she could. Scampering down the small staircase , she recognized the visitor’s voice as that of her brother Armand ’s best friend , Sebastian . Her heart raced realizing something must be terribly wrong with Armand if Sebastian was banging on their door so late at night.
Opening the door, Bella saw Sebastian leaning against the door frame in extreme fatigue and frantic fright, “ Sebastian! What’s happened?”
“We shouldn’t have done it , Bella . We shouldn’t have done it.” Sebastian was shaking his head, his eyes wide with fear and remorse .
Bella braced herself, “Done what, Sebastian?”
“We went there. Snuck in. We shouldn’t have.”
Bella ducked under one of Sebastian’s arms to lead him to a chair. She carefully helped him into it, and asked again, “Where did you sneak into, exactly?”
“The C astle.”
Bella sucked in a sharp breath of air at his response, “Oh no, oh no… you didn’t.”
“We had this inane idea to sneak in and, and… pardon my candor, this will be unsuitable for your ears, Bella, but I suppose you must kno w,” He took a deep breath and let it out before finishing, “W e snuck in to ‘have our way’ with the women there.” Sebastian looked away as Bella blushed in her shock at the statement.
“ It was a dare. A reckless, stupid dare. The beast caught us in the women’s wing, umm, err, ‘having our way’ with a few of them. I saw him first and yelled for Armand to run, but it was too late. The beast grabbed him, and I ran like a coward as Armand yelled after me.” Sebastian was shaking his head as he recounted the horrifying events, “We have to save him, Bella!” An agonized sob broke through his reserve as he doubled over and wept.
Bella sat there stunned for a moment before a resolved look swept ove r her beautiful, terrified face , “I have to sacrifice myself for his release. A trade. ” S itting up she squared her shoulders , and looked determinately at Sebastian , “ Me for him.”
“No, Bella, you can’t!” Sebastian’s weeping abruptly stopped with the shocking realization of Bella’s plan, “He’ll keep you for the rest of your life. You’ll never come back. He’ll do ungodly things to you, things that will ruin your goodness and virtue. He will take from you every good and precious thing that you hold dear. You can’t, Bella. You’re too good and lovely. Armand wouldn’t ever want that for you, and nor do I.”
Bella stood up and leaned over Sebastian placing her hand softly on his cheek, “But it’s the only way, Sebastian. I love my brother, and I can and will do everything in my power to save him. It must be done.”
* * *
The castle was eerily quiet and cold as Bella walked through the great hall after finding her way inside. The howling wind flickering lighted candles with the draft that blew softly through the castle swept an uneasy feeling of foreboding nervousness through her as she wrung her hands and tentatively made her way down to the enormous staircase at the end of the hall.
Slowly stepping up the first step, Bella heard a faint moan somewhere below her. Retracting, she turned around to follow the sound. Finding a small hallway in the corner she could hear the echo of the moans clearer. She hesitated for a moment before proceeding and decidedly took the first step into the tiny hallway, making her way slowly at first, and then gaining speed as her fright mingled with determination at the growing sound of the moans. She knew those horrible moans had to be
He was a hideous monstrous beast.
* * *
“Bella! Bella!” The sound of desperate cries rang through the cottage as the late night visitor pounded on the door frantically.
Bella arose from her bed, donned a robe, and lit the nearest candle as quickly as she could. Scampering down the small staircase , she recognized the visitor’s voice as that of her brother Armand ’s best friend , Sebastian . Her heart raced realizing something must be terribly wrong with Armand if Sebastian was banging on their door so late at night.
Opening the door, Bella saw Sebastian leaning against the door frame in extreme fatigue and frantic fright, “ Sebastian! What’s happened?”
“We shouldn’t have done it , Bella . We shouldn’t have done it.” Sebastian was shaking his head, his eyes wide with fear and remorse .
Bella braced herself, “Done what, Sebastian?”
“We went there. Snuck in. We shouldn’t have.”
Bella ducked under one of Sebastian’s arms to lead him to a chair. She carefully helped him into it, and asked again, “Where did you sneak into, exactly?”
“The C astle.”
Bella sucked in a sharp breath of air at his response, “Oh no, oh no… you didn’t.”
“We had this inane idea to sneak in and, and… pardon my candor, this will be unsuitable for your ears, Bella, but I suppose you must kno w,” He took a deep breath and let it out before finishing, “W e snuck in to ‘have our way’ with the women there.” Sebastian looked away as Bella blushed in her shock at the statement.
“ It was a dare. A reckless, stupid dare. The beast caught us in the women’s wing, umm, err, ‘having our way’ with a few of them. I saw him first and yelled for Armand to run, but it was too late. The beast grabbed him, and I ran like a coward as Armand yelled after me.” Sebastian was shaking his head as he recounted the horrifying events, “We have to save him, Bella!” An agonized sob broke through his reserve as he doubled over and wept.
Bella sat there stunned for a moment before a resolved look swept ove r her beautiful, terrified face , “I have to sacrifice myself for his release. A trade. ” S itting up she squared her shoulders , and looked determinately at Sebastian , “ Me for him.”
“No, Bella, you can’t!” Sebastian’s weeping abruptly stopped with the shocking realization of Bella’s plan, “He’ll keep you for the rest of your life. You’ll never come back. He’ll do ungodly things to you, things that will ruin your goodness and virtue. He will take from you every good and precious thing that you hold dear. You can’t, Bella. You’re too good and lovely. Armand wouldn’t ever want that for you, and nor do I.”
Bella stood up and leaned over Sebastian placing her hand softly on his cheek, “But it’s the only way, Sebastian. I love my brother, and I can and will do everything in my power to save him. It must be done.”
* * *
The castle was eerily quiet and cold as Bella walked through the great hall after finding her way inside. The howling wind flickering lighted candles with the draft that blew softly through the castle swept an uneasy feeling of foreboding nervousness through her as she wrung her hands and tentatively made her way down to the enormous staircase at the end of the hall.
Slowly stepping up the first step, Bella heard a faint moan somewhere below her. Retracting, she turned around to follow the sound. Finding a small hallway in the corner she could hear the echo of the moans clearer. She hesitated for a moment before proceeding and decidedly took the first step into the tiny hallway, making her way slowly at first, and then gaining speed as her fright mingled with determination at the growing sound of the moans. She knew those horrible moans had to be
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