Beauty of the Beast

#10

Blue quickly exited the house. Leaving Sadie standing alone in the kitchen, her heart lodged in her throat. A thundering crash echoed about the house. Chunks and pieces of wood strewn about the lobby. The crunching of boots on splintered wood was the only warning of the swiftly approaching storm that was Balthazar. His large form filled the doorway, intense eyes narrowed on his prey.

It was now or never. Mustering her feeble resolve, Sadie steeled herself. Taking a deep, fortifying breath she took a tentative step forward. Her sole focus on placing one foot in front of the other.

A harsh growl from Balthazar shocked her to reality. She didn't have the luxury of time. Balthazar was like a ticking time bomb, and she had to work quickly before he exploded. Mentally preparing for the worst, she closed her eyes and let her fears go. Taking a small, reluctant step forward she broke out into a run. Her feet carrying her to the enraged shifter, who seemed to be moments away from ripping her to shreds.

Mere moments later, her small frame came into contact with his hard, immense one. Muscular arms closed about her, crushing her to him.

Balthazar shifted her in his hold, lowering his face into the junction between her shoulder and neck. Running his nose along her neck, taking in her scent. Sadie stayed perfectly still. Perhaps if she didn't move or make a sound, he wouldn't make her the target of his rage. Letting out a fierce snarl, Balthazar tightened his hold on her before walking up the stairs and to the bedrooms. Sadie had more than a slight idea of what he intended. Loathe herself, she might; but she couldn't make her body agree with her. It was wrong to lead him on so, when her feelings were nowhere near as intense as his. She had made the mistake of being swept away by passion once, and was now regretting it dearly. Before they took any further steps in their 'relationship', she needed to get a few points across. Taking advantage of another's feelings would leave her no better a being than the lowest criminal.

Unceremoniously being dumped onto a soft bed, roused her from her reverie. She knew it was time to fix things before they became a jumbled mess beyond her control.

"Balthazar." Proud that her voice came out steady and strong, despite the inner turmoil ravaging her nerves, she pulled herself together. Patting the spot next to her, waited for the enraged man to calm down slowly. "We need to talk."

A fierce snarl was her only answer as he remained unyielding. Towering over her.

Heart fluttering in her chest like a caged bird, she swallowed uncomfortably. "Please, hear me out."

Balthazar pinned her with a glare potent enough to paralyze, but sat himself down next to her.

Mentally bracing herself for what she was about to do next, she fisted her hands in her clothing. Sending a plea heavenward, she hoisted herself up and into the lap of the man next to her. Sadie couldn't determine who was more surprised, herself or Balthazar.

"Just hear me out." She pleaded with him. A gruff sigh and terse nod were her only answer. Elated, she schooled her features to not betray her inner nervousness. "I don't know anything about shifters other than the fact that they can shift into animals, and are more in touch with nature than humans. I did not know why you were acting so aggressive right after we...you know. I've only ever been with human males, and they differ vastly from shifters."

Wordlessly gazing at her, Balthazar motioned for her to continue as he began rubbing soothing circles into her back.

"Your aggressive behavior frightened me, I didn't know what I had done wrong to make you treat me so. I thought the one person who might know you best and be able to offer the most apt advice would be Blue. So I escaped and searched her out." She thought it best to withhold how she had nearly died a freezing death in the rain. "I am sorry I put you through this, but you have to understand that I need more time to adjust to things. I cannot take in whatever this is as quickly as you have."

"Sadie." His voice sounded animalistic; deep and rough. "You are mine."

"Balthazar! Are you even listening to me?" Irritated, she clambered off of his lap and stomped her foot like a child.

"Yes." He growled.

"Then you have to understand. I need more time to process things. You have to tell me why you are acting the way you are. I do not have the shifter knowledge to easily decipher your every move." Exasperated she threw herself onto the bed, gazing up at the ceiling. Deliberately ignoring the piercing stare of the hulking male next to her.

A rough, calloused hand encircled her wrist. Lifting it up to meet a pair of warm, soft lips that placed a gentle kiss on the back of it. "I will do my best." Balthazar seemed to have calmed down.

Lacing his fingers with hers, his face appeared in her line of sight as he leaned over her. Bracing his arms on the bed, he lowered his head to place a chaste kiss on her forehead. Peppering small kisses all over her face before he nuzzled his face in her neck.

"Balthazar stop. We shouldn't be doing this."

"I don't see why not." He smirked at her.

"I'm sorry for leading you on. I acted without care for your feelings and its been wracking me with guilt ever since."

"What do you mean?"

"I got swept away in the moment and as a result we both ended up in a position we shouldn't have been." Sadie knew that she should be concise and clear on what she felt, she owed him that much. They had to establish a foundation before jumping into a relationship. "I couldn't help myself. I am sorry you had to suffer because of my lack of will power, but we need to be honest with each other. This is not the best decision for us. We need to fully understand the challenge our differences as Human and Shifter pose for a potential relationship."

"For you, you mean." Balthazar gazed down at her impassively. "I know what I want."

"If this is a passing fancy. I don't want you nor I to be hurt because of it." Sadie knew she was treading on dangerous territory, and she had no backup whatsoever. "We can't jump into a relationship."

"I am the male for you, and I will make you see it." He smiled down at her, dismissing all her concerns with a lazy wave of his hand.

Letting out a weary sigh he clambered off the bed, taking her with him. Holding her to his body as though she weighed nothing, he pulled the covers off the bed. Placing her in the warm, soothing embrace of the bed; he pulled off his damp clothing and a nearly nude Balthazar climbed in beside her. Caging her within his arms, he draped himself over her. Head buried in her neck, right side of his body placed over hers, legs trapped in a tangle of limbs. 

Nuzzling her neck, he let out a low rumble, akin to that of a purring cat. Even Sadie could feel the weariness in his limbs, he must have been bone-tired due to the search for her. Guilt chipped away at her as she recalled her brash and reckless actions. She shouldn't have panicked and run off, she should have confronted him about her problems and saved them both a world of worry.

"I will let you have your time, but only because you know, and I know.." He trailed off.

Leaning down, he captured her lips and kissed her to heaven and back. Breathless, Sadie broke off the kiss, desperate for air.

"That you're all mine." Balthazar whispered in her ear.