Wicked Fairy Tales: Radiant Beauty

"Yes?" Lucy encouraged.

The Beast took a breath and said quickly, "I would greatly appreciate it if you would read that story to me."

Though she wanted to know what happened next, she felt that it had cost him something to ask her this. So she opened the book back at the beginning. "I think you will enjoy this story, Beast."

Lucy read to the beast until her hunger-much to her chagrin-made itself known.

Soon this became their routine, she would read to him and then they would dine together in the evenings. As time passed, she became used to the Beast presence, though her heart always did rise a bit when he came near her, her instincts were reluctant to believe that she was safe in the predators presence. After they separated for the evening, Lucy would return to her room and prepare for bed. However, before she let herself drift to dreamland she read one of the more erotic novels that the beast had in his collection. She read about a barmaid and her lover, before the words blurred in her vision and decided to continue the story the next night

Lucy was cleaning the last of the tables once she was done she would be able to go upstairs and take to her bed. She would have done that hour's ago, if her servers were still here, but it wasn't Maya and Carlos fault. Carlos was injured during the fight that broke out earlier, and Maya had a daughter to take care of. It was the fault of the idiots who got into the fight in the first place, she had banned them and her best customer promised to throw them out on their asses if they even tried to step foot in her tavern. Seeing, as Nathan was a giant of a man she took his word for it.

Nathan had help but an end to the fighting in the first place, though it would have been better if the fighting hadn't started at all. If only Drake had been there he coul- no it wasn't worth thinking about that jerk. Now she knew not to trust him he had promised to be here but he wasn't Lucy dipped her cloth in the bucket of water once more and wiped away the last of the soap from the table. Lucy took a moment to admire her tavern it took a lot of hard work to keep it looking so good.

Unexpectedly a pair of arms wrapped themselves around her, Lucy's first instinct was to scream and fight she would not let whomever, broke in take her so easily. She raised her foot ready to slam it down on the inside of the heal of her attacker, when she felt the attackers strong muscled chest, against her back, before a voice that sounded like cracking ice spoke into her ear.

"Hello, Puss."

"Don't hello me you good for nothing scallywag," Lucy said in her deep brogue. As struggled to free herself from his grip.

"I know, I'm late puss and I heard what happened to Carlos, I should have been here but that dam tax collector was trying to cheat me out of my cargo and trying to say that I can't sell half my cargo here. If I wasn't there I don't doubt the bastard would supposedly find a hidden weapons cash and claim that I am supporting the rebels." He said tightening his hold, enough on her so she wouldn't be able to break his grip on her while at the same time not hurt her.

"If you don't let go of me this instant, I'll break your foot."

"And, I'd deserve it puss, that and a lot worse, for not being here when you needed me most I'm just glad Nathan was here, I don't know what I would do with myself if anything happened to you."

Lucy couldn't help but sigh as she relaxed against him, it was hard to stay angry at the man especially when he was being so sweet. Drake began to kiss the back of her neck slowly moving up her neck and kissing her behind the ear. Lucy tilted her head so he had better access to her neck as kissed down the length of it. She gasped slightly as a shiver ran through her when he nibbled that sensitive spot on her neck.

His hold on her slackened as he slid his hands over her body one hand circling her belly while the other, cupped her breast kneading the flesh through her shirt. Her body reaction to his ministrations was almost instantaneous, she could feel her knees becoming weaker as a steady pool of heat settled low in her core. He only added to this sensations when he pinched her nipple through the fabric while his other hands made its way down her hip, his hand went down her skirts were already moving up. She had to admit the man had a talent for arousing her.

She decided that she would return the favor she moved her bottom back arching her back. She began to shift her weight from foot to foot effectively wiggling her bottom again his aroused manhood. This got a grown from him before his left hand slid against the inside of her thigh. Before his fingers glided to the cleft of her sex through her small clothes, Lucy was so aroused that she swore he could feel her dampness through her clothes. She knew that they should stop now that they should just make their way upstairs where a comfortable bed waited for them and yet she couldn't stop herself from teasing her own breast with one hand while she held her lovers head on her neck with the other.

He kissed his way back up her neck until his lips hovered just over her ear, and said "God, Puss, I want you, I want you now."

The desperation of his words made her intimate muscles flutter with anticipation. This prompted her to make the only possible reply she could say, "Than take me."

Then the race was on her shove her forward so that she could rest her hand on the table as he took his place behind her. She helped him hike up her skirts before she felt him grab hold of her small clothes before tearing it off her body. The spike of arousal that settled into her skull only made her wiggle her bottom to entice him.

She needn't have bothered because he tore open the front of his pants took himself in hand before he shoved himself inside of her in one hard thrust that nearly made her knees buckle. Her knees continued to threaten to give out on her as he bucked into her with a relentless rhythm, the sound of flesh slapping against flesh filled the empty room. He leaned forward and tore open the top of her dress so he could grab hold of her swinging breasts. The Savagery with which he was claiming her only made her dig her nails into the wood, as sharp little breaths escaped from her lips.

Lucy generally preferred to make love in a bed, slow and delicious taking the time to let their need bloom like a flower, Yet this hard taking of her excited her so much she could feel the opening strings of climax as the heat generated from their coupling was making her sweat. Drake let go of her breasts as he began to slow his rhythm it was slow and though he needed a moment to catch his breath. Though more like a moment to stop himself from spilling his seed. Lucy mewled her disappointment. He reached beneath her skirts and his fingers began to stroke circles around the nub at the apex of her sex, while he thrust into her, his stroking fingers worked in time to his shaft and soon the slow thrumming became a steady hum that was growing louder and louder. She was close so close.

"Please," She begged him.

It was the signal he needed for her removed his hand from her and gripped her hips with both hands before he thrust hard into her as though could reach even further than he already did. She could hear him breathing hard and making growling noises as he slammed into her. Sweat was dripping her forehead onto her clean table, the effort of holding herself up and his savage claiming of her here was taking its toll, but she could feel it as he drove into her with his frantic need, she was reaching the crescendo. She only needed to-, instantly pleasure struck her like a blow to the back of the head, her body bucked as her bliss consumed her. Some part of her mind registered Drake was still riding her even as she nearly bucked him off this only seemed to add to his pleasure for her, howled his release she felt him leave her sheath and spill his warm seed all over her backside.

Lucy could see feel the tendrils of pleasure that flowed through her as she heaved like a bellows. She could feel the sweat on her skin begin to cool in the night air. Her legs trembled like a newborn fawn, part of her was actually considering just letting her weight drop down on the table and let sleep claim her like Drake had, but it was not to be, for her lover grabbed her by the arm and pulled her toward him. She looked up at her dark haired lover and saw the heat that still blazed in his bright green eyes before he claimed her mouth with a searing kiss.

Lucy jumped in her own skin as she woke; she looked at the world around her trying to make sense of it. The light of a new dawn was streaming into the room reflecting the light off her yellow walls; she was in the Beast's mansion. She lay back in bed for a moment recalling the events of her dream. This had not been the first time she had dreamt being the heroine of the erotic novel she was reading. No what was odd was her lover; it wasn't the same man in the story.

Lucy sat up in bed grabbed her glasses from the nightstand along with the book and reread a passage with a description of him. She was right the Hero of the story was a light haired dark eyed man. Yet the man in her dream had dark hair green eyes she didn't know why this fact bothered her, that was until she came down for breakfast and the Beast greeted her.

Lucy managed to mumble a greeting in return before she sat down for breakfast, Lucy was doing her best not to look at him. Lucy was pushing the food around on her plate, when Corvo suddenly cleared his throat.

"If you don't wish for me to be here, simply tell me and I shall go."

"What!" Lucy said as she looked up at him,

"I said if my presence bothers you so,"

"It doesn't bother me," she replied quickly

"Then you have been doing your best to avoid looking at me."

Lucy nibbled on her lower lip while her mind ran a mile a minute, she wasn't going to admit that she had dreamed of his eyes, in a fictitious lover, she could barely handle that fact herself and a part of her was still denying it. if she said it out loud though there would be no denying it she needed to deflect.

"It's not you...it's...lady things."

This garnered the reaction she was looking for, the beast eyes widen slightly before an odd look crossed his face if she didn't know any better she would have said he was embarrassed.

Her suspicions were confirmed when he spoke.

"I see...well...ah...I hope things...ah work out... I have things to do," and he excused himself.

Despite their equal embarrassment, Lucy was glad for the excuse, it gave her the chance to gather herself and hide her feelings. She was able to act normally during their evening past time. As the weeks past, she did her best to hide from her feelings, unfortunately, she couldn't run from them, she had stopped reading her books at night, and yet she still had dreams that made her embarrassed to look the Beast in the eyes in the morning but she forced herself to act as if nothing was bothering her.

She also noticed that she found herself watching him, and now whenever he came into the room she still received that jolt of instinctual agitation it was tinged with something more delightful. Lucy did not want to confront what those feelings signified; she distracted herself by trying to uncover the mystery that was the Beast. He rarely volunteered any information about himself or the house. What little he did reveal only added to the mystery. There were so many questions she wanted to ask, one such question, was the Beast born the way he was or had he been changed. She had heard of people who had suffered at the hands of witches and warlocks. Another question was about the manor and how its design was of an older style but it was full of new amenities, and despite its size and emptiness, the manor felt like a home. There was also the fact, that it was somehow enchanted, was the manor like this when he found it or did he know how the manor was created.

Lucy tried to coax the answers to these questions out of him. However, either he found ways to steer the conversation in another direction or he simply did not reply. Allowing the silence to stir until it was uncomfortable and she had to find another subject to talk about in order to fill it. Despite his evasion Lucy, curiosity grew and grew until it got the better of her.

One day Lucy waited until he went out on a ramble in the garden before sunset, and went into the west wing it was the only way to get answers, the wing wasn't that different from the rest of the manor, before she had cleaned it up. There were a few rooms, she took a peak within one of the rooms and found what she believed were paintings. She couldn't be sure of her estimation because the paintings are all covered with dusty white sheets. She wanted to explore more but she knows she is pressed for time, so she makes her way to the end of the wing where a large door sits closed.

The door opened easily enough, despite her worry of it being locked. It opened to a chaotic mess; the two large windows opposite the door allowed her to see that there were old clothes and papers strewed everywhere. The light from the window on her left illuminated the simple ornamented desk. That did nothing to distract from its size. It was big enough for to people to sleep upon its surface, thought they perhaps wouldn't sleep comfortably. Then again, they just might with all of the books and papers that buried the surface of the desk.

The light from the window on her right illuminated a manikin she could barely make out the armor beneath the pile of old clothes strewn over it. Above the manikin were several weapons in there holders. The two that garnered the most attention was a sword sheathed in a rather worn scabbard and a spear; its metal point glinted in the light while the lacquered shaft did its best to hide the notches and nicks that scoured its surface. These weapons weren't merely decoration, these were weapons that had seen combat at one time, next to these weapons hanging above a thick curtain, sat a silver and blue banner with a black bird in its center in the bird's beak laid a broken chain.

Lucy didn't recognize the banner, but it added another piece to the mystery. She wanted to try to dig through the chaos of this room, but the dying light of the sun reminded her of her dwindling time. She made her way to the curtain it was apparently used to divide the Beast study from his bedroom. However, there didn't seem to be much difference in theme between his study and bedroom. It was also a mess and it included a bed that looked more like a nest than a bed, and perhaps another painting that was covered. The one main difference was instead of windows, there were large glass doors that allowed in the light.

Standing just beyond the light of the glass doors, stood an elegantly round marble table, on the table sat a flower that was encased in glass.

The flower mesmerized Lucy, she had her own garden where she grew several flowers of her own. Yet what she saw before her was an impossibility, yet there it stood before her a miracle of a flower, a purple rose. Lucy walked up to the glass thinking that perhaps it was some trick of the light or the glass case that surrounded the flower, but looking at it closely did not change the truth. Though she knew that many would technically call the color magenta since the red hue was clearly visible in the flowers petals but Lucy wasn't picky about it for her the rose was purple. She lifted the glass covering from the flower and was greeted with its perfumed scent. She carefully put the glass casing aside and as delicately as she could manage, she stroked the rose's soft petal.

Lucy entranced by the rose, jumped in her skin, when the sound of broken stone reached her ears. She looked up to look for the source of the sound, she saw the glass doors leading to the balcony being ripped off their hinges and thrown over the railing as the Beast stepped into the room. The look in the Beast eyes froze her where she stood. This wasn't the normal fear that she felt, because she had her back to a predator. This was terror, the absolute kind the kind of terror that make grown men beg for their mothers, and help harden killers find their faith. For the first time since she arrived, she was certain that she was going to die.

The Beast moved faster than she could see, had she been able to blink, she would have been surprised at how quickly he covered the rose. With the rose safely behind its glass casing once more, the beast turned his attention on her. His face twisted with anger as he growled.

"I Said the West Wing was Forbidden to You, What Are You Doing Here?"

Lucy wanted to reply but her mouth simply moved and no words came forth because she couldn't seem to get her lungs to cooperate with her.

The Beast growls at her "Get Out."

Again, she wanted to comply, but she is too scared to move, apparently not moving quickly enough to his liking the Beast roared the command like a Jungle cat, long and loud.

"GET OUT!!"

Lucy fled, she ran as fast as her adrenaline-fueled heart could take her. She ran out of his room and just kept on running, through the halls down the stairs, here primal need to flee was guiding her now, she doesn't think about what she is doing she just did it, she barely managed to have the forethought to grab her cloak, before she ran out to the stable. Her horse was already saddled and waiting. A thought in the back of her mind wondered if the manor had responded to her distress and fulfilled her silent request. At the moment though she really didn't care. She urged her horse into a gallop. The manor's gates are already open, so she put as much distance between her and the Beast as she could.

Lucy didn't know for how long she rode, she just knew that her horse was tired, she was lost and it was dark. In her panic to flee from the Beast, she didn't pick a destination, so night had fallen some time ago. Though her initial panic was gone, she still felt tendrils of fear. Lucy was tired and hungry and her horse was perhaps worse than she was. However, she let her horse walk at a steady pace that would let them catch their breaths, as her horse carried her back to the Beasts manor. Lucy didn't want to go back, even now there was some instinct within her screaming that she needed to keep going in any direction that didn't lead toward the Beast. Nevertheless, she had given her word to take her father's place and her running away would mean that she broke her word. The Beast could seek retribution by killing her father, and perhaps the rest of her family. Some part of her believed that he wouldn't be capable of such cruelty, than again his bestial fury told her that he was capable of doing so much more than she was willing to believe. To ensure the safety of her family she needed to go back no matter how frightened she was.

A howl tore through the darkness, grabbing both Lucy's and her horse's attention. The horse stopped in its tracks, and Lucy couldn't blame her. The howling was close, too close for her liking, suddenly the darkness in the forest around them, seemed to shift ever so slightly. Lucy knew that something was moving within the forest, she knew that something was watching them. As gently as she could she got her horse moving once again despite her reluctance, they tried to move as though there was nothing for them to worry about, Yet they both still felt it, despite the fact that Lucy's vision had become accustomed to the darkness she still couldn't see the threat.

Whatever, the threat was, it was following them. Lucy's heart was beating wildly, perhaps her horse was feeling the same. Lucy could tell from her agitated steps, he horse was filled with the need to run. Lucy knew that they shouldn't run, that running would only incite the things following them, because predators have a need to chase, that which runs from them. Though Lucy knew this, she also knew that she could only hold the horse back for much longer, her horse was frightened and the thing following them was only compounding her fear. By making slight noises and shifting its presence in the darkness. Things only seem to be getting worse, for the sky began to release its burden of snow upon them.