Beauty and the Beast

It was that time of year again. They would let Andy out of his confines to hunt freely in the forest. CC often wondered what he would kill, who would be in danger. But at least he had cast a spell around the edge so that he would not be tempted to enter into the villages. But anything that caught his attention, they could not stop.

“You remember tonight?” Ashley asked while he walked with Andy to the old well on their old property.

Andy sighed. “I still don’t understand why you chain me up when you know it’s not going to do any good.” He almost chuckled.

Ashley had gotten the chains around both of his wrists. Then he shrugged. “Jinxx makes me.” They both laughed. “Come back.” Ashley patted Andy on the shoulder.

“Always.” Andy smiled, then he was left alone. Two hours until sunset. Enough time for his other friends to lock up their own home so Andy could not enter.

He took a deep breath as the sun set slowly on the horizon. He felt his muscles clench. His teeth tore through his gums, giving way to new ones. His bones cracked and reformed themselves. He was used to it despite the pain. He grew a muzzle and fur, a tail whipped behind him. He traveled to all fours in a matter of minutes. Soon the pain was over. And the only thing left, was beast.

He broke loose of his chains without effort. He hunted the forest. It was more empty than usual. Sometimes there would be someone from one of the villages who would enter out of curiosity. But the last few years he had only attacked one for two. Nothing to keep his ever growing hunger at bay. The human Andy was worried, he did not want to be a beast for the rest of his life. But he was too harsh to be loved back.

He stalked the edge of the forest. The village he used to know so well. When his heightened ear heard a branch break about a mile away he sped toward his dinner. He saw her, a small figure with dark hair. He almost grinned. A low growl rumbled in his chest. She shot a look toward him but did not see him. He stepped closer letting his shoulders sway up and down. He snarled seeing that she had finally seen him. He clicked his long claws on the stone pavement and snapped his jaws. Her heart was racing, he could tell. She was terrified. And he loved it. He thought about playing with his food, but instead pounced onto her. He was about to tear through her chest when something stopped him.

He wanted to taste her blood so badly but all he could do was snarl down at her. In his beast form she was nothing to him. But his human form saw something in this girl. It had never happened before. He had never been able to hold this beast back.

The girl beneath him was crying and covering her face. Out of anger he snapped at her one last time and pounced back into the forest he called home.

When morning threatened he made his way back to the well. It was instinct for him. He transformed back with no pain. He laid on the ground naked, freezing. The fall morning was brisk to his skin. He quickly put on the clothes he had laid on the well and began his walk back home. He always was able to remember his hunts, part of the curse. And he was in awe about how he was able to stop himself. Or was it something else stopping him? Should he tell that guys? He thought about it the whole way home.

“She was beautiful.” He thought.

By the time he had made it to their castle, the thought had meant nothing to him. It had faded out of importance as he knocked on the huge wood door. Jake opened it for him and welcomed him home.

He made his way toward his room on the top floor. Silk curtains hung loosely in front of the windows. Fur rugs and tile floors collected dust in areas he never needed to walk. His king size bed sat empty with sheets and comforters laying on top. The canopy over his bed held black silk fabric. He sat on his bed and sighed. Why was that girl important? She had to be important.

Notes