Total pages in book: 83
Estimated words: 74631 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 373(@200wpm)___ 299(@250wpm)___ 249(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 74631 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 373(@200wpm)___ 299(@250wpm)___ 249(@300wpm)
THE PRINCE AND THE BEAST
The feminine shriek beyond the wall alerted me to the trespasser. I anticipated the vines bringing me my prisoner and I waited. And waited. The only thrill that brings life to the surface turned to annoyance as I waited longer than I ever have before. The beast in me huffed in frustration and clawed to come to the surface.
It wanted to maim and kill whoever dared threaten us. Whoever had the stupidity or the ego to step foot on our land.
As my fists clenched and a low growl settled in my chest, I was all too aware I had no choice but to desire the same.
The damn curse forced me to obey the will of the beast. Gritting my teeth, I held back the disdain, only because I knew I would only hear howls. I haven’t heard my own voice in years.
“Only the beast will be shown.” A low, menacing growl escaped my lips as I remembered that cruel enchantress and her hissed curse.
It’s not the magic I held accountable for my anger, though. It’s the people who turned their backs on me. Pacing, I snarled, unsure of whether the sound had come from me or the beast.
Patience, I demanded to myself. Patience would be rewarded. I stretched my arms over my head and cracked my back and then my neck. Waiting for prey was far better than waiting for the rose to die, I reminded myself, only to be met with protest from my lesser half.
The beast howled impatiently and I silently scolded him. We would have our chance to see who the magic has captured soon enough.
My gaze slipped to the wall, and I resisted the urge to scale it in an attempt to see what happened to my prey. The magic had no mercy. If there was a trespasser, I was sure to see them soon. The faint memory of the cry begged for my mercy. Compassion pulsed inside of me and it was a feeling I’d almost forgotten entirely. I would instill a little fear into the children if the magic had not already scared them off. But the adults, well…they knew what they were doing. I couldn’t let that disrespect go unpunished.
The beast whined, fearing for its life. Even after all these years, he was still scarred by the memory. I shook my head. No one had come to try to destroy us in many years. It was most likely a thief that had come. Someone to pilfer the gold and silver that still resided in the castle. I’ve seen the village’s lack of wealth, and the people slowly disintegrate as corruption bled into politics. Again I snarled. If only I was still ruling. The beast clawed at me once again, the sharp claws demanding attention as anger took over. I let the outrage pulse through my veins. Anger was such an easy emotion to be consumed with, and at this point, I enjoyed it.
Every few months, another pillager attempted to climb the wall. They had hopes that I was gone or dead or that they would get by me and ransack the castle. I smirked at their stupidity. Poverty and desperation will make a man do many foolish things. They should choose a different path, because I’m far from dead and even further from merciful. They’d risk their lives coming to steal from me. I may have had mercy on them if I had control. But I do not. And the beast is ruthless. To the beast, it is us or them. It is war.
I turned toward the front of the property as I heard the creaking of the gate. My brow furrowed in curiosity as my blood rushed in my ears.
The gates let no one in. So why did they part?
A heat slicked across the back of my neck as I took a hesitant and careful step to the side to disguise myself within the shadows. Hope rose in my chest for the first time in years. Had the sorceress returned to break the spell? I walked quickly but silently along the edge of the path to the gate, hiding in the mist.
I caught the intoxicating scent of a woman, and the smell aroused me in a way that I hadn’t felt in years. It was quickly diminished by anger. Whoever she was, she was no sorceress and momentarily I was enraged that I wasted energy on hope.
This woman who trespassed had taken what little hope remained and crushed it with her presence. I clenched my fists and silently approached. A snarl rose within me, but my breath did not let it leave my lips as I caught sight of her.
A different feeling entirely took over.
Her hazel eyes shone bright and longingly toward the garden. My heart thumped as desire rose and I attempted to swallow. Her small hands wrapped along her shoulders as a chill swept by. The cold forced her skin to flush; the color rose from her chest to her cheeks. It took everything in me to hold back the primitive groan that the sight of her elicited.