The Beast of Rose Castle

-= 20 =-

As if something had clicked, he realized what exactly had been going through Annelie's mind. Unable to help himself, his lips curled upward and he let out a slow, rolling chuckle. "Now, there is no need to be embarrassed," he commented with a shake of his head. 

Annelie blushed deeply, unable to keep the pink tint from staining her cheeks. Before she could say anything that could possibly ruin his good mood, he leaned forward and caught her lips with his. The kiss was somehow satisfying despite the fact that he had no plans of taking it any further. She leaned into his touch, proving to him yet again that she did want him. That just made him so much more confused. 

How is it that she welcomes me so easily right now, but she ran so quickly away from me that day? Oh, Annelie, why won't you tell me, he thought as he pulled away from the kiss. 

Instead of letting him speak this time, to question her with the sudden thought that had popped up in his mind, she leaned forward eagerly. Her mouth was on his and his mind stopped thinking altogether. He felt her moving out of her seat, her book suddenly forgotten, and then she was on his lap. 

"No," he muttered. With that, he pulled away from the kiss, shaking his head. "I will not go through with this again, Annelie. Perhaps you have forgotten your reaction last time, but I have not. You ran away, telling me to just leave you alone! How is it that I am supposed to understand this when you don't tell me what is going on in your mind? How am I supposed to know if you truly want this when you act so strangely whenever things have finally quieted down?" the Beast exclaimed, his hands flexing in their grip on Annelie's hips. 

"Vardan-" she started once more, but he moved a hand quickly up to press a silencing finger against her lips. 

"Was I not good to you? Did I not treat you right? Did I not give you pleasure?" he asked her quickly, his questions making her face suddenly burn with heat. Embarrassment shown in her eyes as she tried to avoid his earnest gaze. 

His finger moved from her lip and she swallowed. "Vardan, it was- it was great. I- I just don't know how to feel about all- all this. You and I are together, intimately, and you know as much as I do that it is abnormal for a woman to be with a man out of vows," she explained before biting her lip anxiously. "I just- I don't know how to feel, Vardan," she whispered. Of course, she knew how she shouldn't feel, which was the feelings of affection, even love, that she quickly tried to ignore. 

Vardan froze, his hands on Annelie loosening when he slowly let the realization come upon him. "Damn," he muttered, a look of shame suddenly crossing his face when he realized what he had stolen from the girl. He had stolen her innocence, whether he had thought it through or not, he had done it. 

Surely, he would be made to marry her, but he doubted that Merrick would honestly go that far. He knew that times were changing from the looks he received in the yard on the nights when the moon was a breathtaking sight in the sky. 

Somehow he just hadn't realized that Annelie was so sweet in a world such as the one they resided in. Perhaps it wasn't unheard of that a woman was bedded before a marriage to a man, but that was indeed rare. To Annelie, it seemed to abide by the same thoughts as the older times. 

"Are you angry with me?" he asked her calmly, his dark eyes unflinching at he stared deeply into her eyes. 

"No," she whispered.

"Do you regret what we have done?" His voice had grown quiet, knowing that he didn't regret a thing. 

"No." She closed her eyes, knowing her response would be the same to any question he asked her regarding how she felt about what happened, except if he asked her if she loved him. Annelie would lie, tell him, no, but it would be obvious that she was trying to deny the emotion that was growing steadily inside the closer she grew to the Beast. 

Somehow, in the course of their acquaintance, she had grown to honestly care for him. It could be easily said that she had no clue about the man outside of what she had read, but from what she had seen, he was no monster. Rather, he was confused, his emotions a sea that was endless and vast. 

"Will you tell your father about what has occurred?" For one moment, Vardan hoped she would tell him that she would. It was the strangest idea, the most ridiculous and the most insane. Yet, it had popped into his head, and he wasn't able to take it back. 

"No." 

Surely, I do not feel disappointed? I couldn't possibly wish to settle down with anyone, especially not the person I am supposed to be the death of? The notion is preposterous. However, I cannot deny that I suddenly feel like I have been slapped across the face. Why? It cannot be possible. I cannot care for her. No, it is a mistake, he thought, mind racing as he fought an internal war with himself. Once he had come to a satisfying conclusion, he nodded his head. 

Annelie swallowed and shifted anxiously on his lap. It was only when his hands tightened at her hips did she realize how she was seated. A flush of shame and attraction rushed through her, making her uneasy and excited all at once. 

"Don't," he told her very clearly, his voice growing deeper. The need to defy him and wiggle anyway hit her. So, she did. 

A gasp left her as his mouth moved to her lips once more, claiming her as his in an unspoken way. It was as if his groan said one clear, distinct word, "Mine." 

Vardan slipped a hand into her hair to tighten his hold and keep her head in place while his tongue showed her exactly what skills he had. By the time he pulled back they were both breathless and Annelie leaned heavily on his chest. Another rumble echoed below Annelie's ear, speaking the same word to her once more. 

She couldn't deny that the idea of him telling her directly that she was his was enticing. Somewhere along the way of hating him to actually enjoying his company, she had realized that she felt a desire for the man, and that desire blossomed. Yet, it couldn't overshadow the sudden way her heart tightened as he turned his head away, eyes burning with a hard confusion and his mouth pulled into a hard line. 

"Vardan?" she asked quickly, not knowing what exactly she was asking anymore. 

"Why is it that you ran from me, Annelie? There must be a damned reason why you rejected me?" he questioned her. Despite kissing her, claiming her as his with a breath-taking kiss, he was unable to keep his mind away from the topic that, strangely, made him angry. 

She shook her head, and he growled loudly, his eyes flaring with a sudden rage. "If you do not tell me then I will- I will keep you from this room!" he shouted, unable to come up with something. 

Annelie stared at him and tried to escape his grasp that he had unconsciously tightened. "How dare you!" she spat, finding that it hurt her to see the pain in his eyes. Maybe he didn't even know himself what he was feeling with the sea of emotions churning so heavily inside him. It was like a storm was brewing and he had no way to stop it. Yet, she found herself reacting to his anger as she once had and only realized her mistake as his warm dark eyes turned frigidly cold once more. 

"How dare I? How dare I! Damn you, Annelie! Damn it all! Leave," he shouted. His grip disappeared and she could have sworn she felt an icy wind as it sliced through her even when the windows were firmly latched behind her. 

"Vardan-" she began, voice softening and wobbling in the same moment. 

"Leave!" he bellowed, pointing towards the door. Annelie found herself slipping away from the man who seemed so frustrated, who looked so lost within his own mind. A growl left him again and he ran a hand agitatedly through his hair. 

When he looked back up to where Annelie had been, some part of him hoping she would be standing there, ready to explain what had made her run, but she was gone. A sudden drop in his chest rattled him. Before he could stop it, he let out a harsh, emotional roar that rocked through every inch of Rose Castle.