▲▼▲▼
MORBID BITE
Chapter Thirteen: The Devil's Monster
ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.
▲▼▲▼
Nicholas lay on the wooden floor; his head swam with the red rage of illusions and the blur of only moments earlier circling among them. That man, the one who had taken Belle, he must have knocked him out. The bastard, Nicholas pushed himself up on his elbows and glowered around the room, the rain was still hammering down on the stones outside, but the warmth of the day had returned. Swaying ever so slightly he stumbled into his study without turning on a light. The gloom of the room began to settle upon him and his mind cleared enough for him to remember. The name Belle had called, Raoul, the man she loved, the beast, it all rushed through his mind. The confession in the church his own views on the way her eyes had wandered over him, that heathen must have placed some evil spell upon Belle's heart. The truth of his words settled, and he knew what must be done.
The man slammed his fist on his study wall and began to search for his sword and pistol. A beast, the idea was almost heroic, he would save his beauty from the jaws of Satan himself. Part of Nicholas knew what he believed was wrong but the harder he searched for his weapon the more the subconscious inside of him overtook his humanity.
Mrs Cote, the old house keeper, stood by the door her frail white hand holding a candle she had fetched for her master, but the white of her eyes shimmered with tears as she noticed the state he was in. As quietly as she had arrived the small woman retreated back to the servant's quarters, her mind lost on a memory long ago, of a far harsher time.
Nicholas carried on throwing open draws and pulling open cupboards. Papers, books and stationary covered the floor, letter openers thrown with force at the paintings on the wall. His rage did not waver, in fact with each minute that passed he worsened. A rally would have to be made, one of men willing to kill the beast. A cruel, menacing deformity appeared on his face, a kind of smile that made your blood run cold. Driving his sword through the muscle of Raoul's chest and slowly turning the blade in his heart as the blood gushed from his open wound was all that filled his desire. He would rip apart his heart as Belle had done to his, but this time he would do it in a far more literal sense.
The thought of blood and death gave life to Nicholas and the throbbing in his head had all been but forgotten. The family sword danced with the light from the moon as its gaze trickled through the open window. Nicholas's eyes reflected the smooth blade his hands reaching for the holster, the knuckles of his hands blue and black. The cruel smile stayed on his face and he pulled the weapon form the wall. Finally, his actions were concise he knew what must be done and this gave him suability. He grabbed his pistol from the top draw of his desk and strode out of the house, his left leg slightly dragging behind each step.
The rain was still pounding on the ground around him and as he pulled open the stable door a clack of lightning lit up the sky in a blinding flash. The horses backed away from the open door their bodies shivering with fear. Nicholas's eyes ran over the animals as if he was choosing one of them to take to the slaughter. Taking a rein from the hanger he indolently placed the leather around the horse's freighted forehead and muzzle. The animal did all it could to protest against the smell alcohol and danger, but Nicholas led it outside into the pouring rain and threw himself up onto its back. He dug his heals into the horse's flank, jolting the animal forwards into a cantor.
The dirt road that ran from the Lyon mansion to the village was a storming stream that ran over the ground making it a wet mud land that covered the horse and rider in a layer of brown filth. The rain created an iron screen before Nicholas's eyes the dull glow from the village lights were barely visible. He had to strain his vision just to make sure he didn't fall or ram into any obstacles.
The grey hills were nothing but a backdrop now fading into the world around him. All he saw was red vengeance, none of the natural around him mattered just the rhythmic thumping of the fleeting horse and the beating of his heart that rose with each second to the sound of the rain. It felt as if time stood still as if only moments before he had stood in his study looking at his family's sword, the hilt of the blade cold and unbreakable in his hand. The sheath hit Nicholas's leg each time the horse jerked forwards in the gallop a constant reminder of his objective.
There was already a small group of men congregated around the pile of weapons many had not turned up due to the rain and the men who had turned up were already discussing another date, none of them wanting to hunt in this weather. They had little enthusiasm and the sudden flush of anger they had all felt was dulled by a thought that none of them knew where to start.
The men did not notice the huge black horse until it reared up in front of them, making the youngest of the men slip in the wet mud before he had time to stable his nerves. Nicholas looked more like a reaper than a man, his dark hair plastered against his face and his black jacket sticking to his body like an extra layer of skin.
"Get your men and meat me by the church now," the man's voice spoke clear and loud over the rain and all the men nodded in agreement, the sudden presence of a leader lit up the fading spark within them.
One of the men stuttered but he had no time to protest because the man was already off towards the church leaving nothing, but mud hoof prints behind him. Nicholas knew the priest would help him, he only had to ask. It was not just him that had a rancour against the beast and he was the only other person who knew the true identity. The priest couldn't tell the people who the beast truly was, but he could he simply needed a pillar of the community to back him up, that was all he needed.
The church came into view as Nicholas swung himself down from the horse its legs barley slowed to a walk. The rain was still pouring down and as he pushed open the wooden door he scarcely noticed the change in weather for it had not affected him before.
"Father!" Nicholas shouted his voice echoing around the church.
The priest came out but as he saw the man in front of him his eyes opened in horror and his hands came up in surrender.
"Please, please don't hurt me!" The priest's voice came out in a high-pitched shriek. Nicholas's stormed over to him his eyes fixed with a determined glare, he grabbed a hold on the man's shoulders and pushed him against the stone pillar.
"I don't want to hurt you, you fool," Nicholas spat his patience low. "You know what I know. The beast isn't a simply animal it's the devil in human form which resides in Raoul."
"I...I..." the priest stuttered his principles and own self-preservation battling.
"Shut up you fool. I don't want you to break your stupid rules I simply want you to stand up with me to help me get the town's men on my side to kill the devil. Do I have your support?"
The priest nodded his weak mindfulness broken in an instant by the man who he knew to be a murderer. Nicholas's grabbed the man's collar and dragged the priest outside. A small group of men had crowded around the church, a few had been dragged out of the tavern but most of them were the few men he had yelled at before. Knowing he would have to really push to get them going he stood up on the brick wall around the church.
"You all think the beast is some giant animal sent by the devil to punish us!" Nicholas shouted the words raising some weak moans. "You think the devil with curse you if we kill it! Well your wrong the beast is in fact a heathen who lives among us."
The crowd's attention were now all on Nicholas, some of them finding the words ring true the others interested in watching a mad man ramble on.
"Who?" A woman bellowed, the crowd increasing as word gets out of the mad noble men.
"Raoul D'Aramitz!" He pointed towards the forest and out towards the house.
Some laughs and squirts of alcohol fill the silence that followed. None of the crowd knew quite how to react, how could they? All of them had had their suspicions about the heathen but hearing something as terrifying as this was never as far as their minds could imagine.
"You don't believe me." Nicholas stood up straight a hurt look covering his drunken face. "Well If you won't believe a man of noble birth will you trust a man of god." He gestures to the priest who had shrunken into the background his small frame shaking but not from the cold.
"I have heard." The man gulped. "From a trusted source: that the druids make deals with the devil himself. Who knows what monsters they can send on us good God-fearing people." The priest looks worried as he glances up at Nicholas.
"You see, even a man of god sees that my words run true." Nicholas pulls out his sword no longer holding on to his true objective. "I wish to rid this world of monsters like the beast who abduct woman, kill children and terrorize us good people." He raises his sword the rain hitting the blade. "Who's with me! Shall we kill the man and rid us of the beast!"
The crowed surge with a sudden excitement. All but the woman draw weapons some even raised their drink. They were ready and the itching all of them felt for a fight covered their entire being until they had driven themselves into a frenzy they could not bring themselves out of.
▼▲▼▲
So so so sorry for the long wait! I moved school and was swamped with loads of new work and ended up with little free time. I hope the wait was worth it.
I wanted to add another POV of Nicolas without splitting up the last one so I put it here, it happens just before/parallel to the last so if you think it doesn't work then please tell me and I shall try to change it around.
I have uploaded all of the last chapters in a clump to apologies for the long wait, so hope you like the ending!!
Thanks
Alyx
p.s. unendited so sorry