Beastly Desires

Chapter Eighteen

"What is the meaning of this?" The beast- man growled, his voice low and full of warning.

Colette lost all sense of fighting as she stared into those fiery eyes. Every bone in her body screamed at her to run. Run. She couldn't move, couldn't breathe too loud.

"Are words lost on you too?" He snipped.

The beast- man seemed more on edge than he was yesterday evening. He wore the same shirt and trousers, but today he donned a leather belt that hung low on his waist and carried a large brown sack in his fisted paw. The sack was darkened with some sort of liquid that seeped through from the weight of whatever was in the bag.

Colette scented blood from the bag and assumed the worst as her face slackened with utter realization.
The beast- man had gone in and finished the job. She bet he had savored ripping her fathers head clean off his shoulders. Had thought he was doing her a favor in giving him a quick, clean death.
Vile started to rise in her throat and she forced herself to look down at her hands. To focus on the veins that webbed along her clenched knuckles. You devil! She wanted to scream.

Beatrice stood up immediately, fixing her skirts and adjusting the bonnet that slipped part ways down her head. She gave the beast- man a slight curtsey, before motioning an apologetic hand gesture toward Colette.

"Get up." He barked.

Colette flinched at the demand but slowly rose to her bare feet. A single tear slid down her cheek.

The beast- man fixed his gaze on her face, but she noticed those smoldering eyes dip below her chin before quickly returning. Something in his jaw moved and he shifted his stance.

"Cover yourself," he gritted out.

Colette turned bright pink as she discovered the top of her nightgown had come undone and that her shoulder and the skin above her chest was exposed. She yanked her sleeve up and fumbled at re-tying the ribbons.

"Here. Take this to Aarav. Have him prepare it for lunch." The beast- man shoved the bag towards Beatrice who took it obediently and hurried off down the hall before rounding the banister and descending the stairs.

A cold, shudder of relief spilled through Colette's body as the image of her fathers severed head flurried away.

"Follow me."

Colette obeyed and fell into step beside him. He was overwhelmingly big beside her. She felt smaller next to him then she did next to Gregorie. Gregorie. He was waiting for her. For her to come back to him.

"I did not have the opportunity to get acquainted with you."

Colette stole a peek up at him from the corner of her eye. His voice was a soft rumble that rolled down her back. She suddenly felt exposed with nothing on besides her nightgown. She hadn't any shoes on either and cursed herself internally for being so indecent this morning- afternoon?

"I am Sébastien. This is my castle."

Sébastien. His informality was surprising as well as the lack of title he did not disclose. That is... if there was one for a beast, Colette thought warily.

"I can understand your need to strongly see your father. I can assure you that he is safe and well."

"Safe." Colette whispered, mostly to herself. Was he not the one who was a danger to her fathers safety? To everyone's safety.