Beauty's Beast- The Light

by Sebrena Merly

  Taking advantage of the distraction, the demon leapt onto all fours, letting out a roar that clearly stated just who Bella belonged to, and he tossed the wolves off of him, shaking this way and that. The leader noticed this, leaping at him. Just as he was about to make contact, the demon swiped a large paw, throwing him at a tree, and the wolf slammed into it with a crunch that made him throw back his head and howl.

  The demon stood his ground as the leader snarled at him. But, instead of attacking, he raced away into the darkness, his pack following soon after, all letting out howls that made Bella's skin crawl.

  It was like they were shouting out a warning.

  The demon stared after them satisfactorily, tossing his head about as he sniffed the air and huffed. Then he turned to Bella, eyes all anger and seriousness.

  "You're not going to kill me, are you?" Bella asked, toes digging into the ground.

  He let out a little snort, huffing in amusement; then, his eyes rolled back and he fell onto his side.

  Bella didn't hesitate, rushing over to him and looking at the damage. Most of it looked minor, despite how ugly the fight had looked, but there was a gash along the line of his front leg, stretching from his shoulder to his paw.

  "Oh no," Bella murmured as she looked him over. With wounds this bad, he wouldn't survive the night. Unless they were properly treated, of course, which she could do. But she didn't have the materials, and she was sure that they were a ways from the castle. Not only that, but she didn't know which direction the castle was in. Even so, she had no way to get him there.

  A snap sounded behind her, making her whirl around, thoughts of the wolves coming back flaring to life in her mind. But, instead, she saw a wild-looking woman with hair that stuck up in every which way, yellow eyes wide and curious. When she noticed that Bella had spotted her, she backed into the darkness.

  "Wait!" Bella shouted after her, tangling her hands in the demon's matted fur, grinding her teeth in frustration. Not only was she feeling desperate and scared, but it was over a creature that should have meant nothing to her. But, no matter how many times she told herself she didn't care, she couldn't help but feel a little doubt.

  Silence followed the shout, empty and eerie, though not fully abandoned. There was still a feeling that Bella noticed, something that told her she wasn't alone.

  Not yet, anyway.

  "Please," she tried again, peering into the trees, trying to see past the ten feet she could. "He needs help." She hesitated, then added, "G...get Silina."

  At first she thought she was ignored, and was about to open her mouth to speak again, but then a strong and demanding, yet gentle, voice said, "You know Silina?"

  "Yes," Bella said quietly, relief flooding her, and she said it louder, "Yes."

  The woman stepped forth. Unlike her voice, and what Bella thought—since she hadn't gotten a full glimpse—she looked to be hardly any older than Bella. Of course, her aura said that she was far older, and, like Yasandre, had seen much more than Bella could ever imagine.

  Her wild hair was a plain brown, frizzing slightly, and wavy, falling around her shoulders. Her yellow eyes seemed unsettled, flickering glances every which way, as if taking everything in, and she was constantly looking around. Her tribal marks were a deep red, and there was a brand on her side that looked like a swirling eye.

  "You're that girl," she said, mature voice unsettling Bella, and she pursed her lips when she tilted her head in confusion. "The one they saved yesterday; the one everyone is speaking of."

  "I'm Bella," she told her, not quite sure if there was, perhaps, some other girl that she could be talking about.

  She nodded, then looked at the demon. "He is injured."

  "Very," Bella said, looking back at him. "If we don't get him back to the castle, he might die."

  "And why does that matter?"

  Bella looked back at her, eyes narrowed. Then she looked back at the demon, and back again. "Uh-I...I...What?"

  "Why does that matter?" she asked again, brows raised, eyes serious.

  She threw her hands into the air, flinching when she saw blood on them. "Is this even necessary? He needs help."

  The woman sighed. "Yes, but look at what he is. And what he is when he isn't so tame. He is a beast, Bella." She didn't sound like she was trying to convince her that he should die. But, rather, seemed to be trying to put out some other message.

  Bella frowned, curious. "Why are you asking me these questions?"

  "My reasons are my business only. Now, tell me, why should he live?" She watched Bella evenly, waiting for a perfect answer Bella wasn't sure she would get correct. What if she answered wrong? Was there even a wrong answer for this?

  "He saved my life," Bella told her, gazing down at the demon, who was breathing heavily, his eyes fluttering. She looked back up at the woman, who was watching her carefully. "I don't know how to explain it other than that. I owe him my life, and..." She sighed, unsure how to explain further than just that. Her whole life, she had felt the need to help; even if she owed nothing. "I just need to help him. Okay?"

  The woman nodded thoughtfully, looking at the two of them, then straightened and said, "I will send for the clan." Then she took off, disappearing behind trees before Bella could utter another word.

  "Thank you," she whispered into the darkness, peering around, wondering if the woman had heard her at all with her abnormal hearing.

  She looked back down at the demon, who stirred slightly before settling, again and again, his breathing growing softer, and Bella's heart beat spiked as she listened, fisting her hands into the beast's fur as she stared intently at his eyes, wishing desperately for them to open.

  "Bella," a familiar voice said, and she looked up to see Yasandre entering her sight. A few others appeared, though none of them looked familiar. "We heard you calling for help..." She stared down at the demon, frowning, then back at Bella, eyes widening as if he was familiar to her. "Is he-"

  "He's hurt," Bella told her quickly. "I was attacked and he helped, but they injured him."

  Yasandre rushed to his side, looking him over, cringing. Her hands hesitated over his form before she finally put her hands down, searching all his wounds. "He's bleeding out. We need to stop the bleeding and clean his wounds." Before Bella could say anything, she looked up at the four others that were with her, speaking in that strange language of theirs and making gestures with her hands.

  The others responded, all looking furious and snarling their disgust at her. They all seemed to regret speaking this way to her, as if she was someone of high status—which Bella was sure of, regarding how she was spoken of the night before—but they all obviously disagreed with whatever it was she was telling them.

  Yasandre's hands flew up in disgust. "We cannot all carry him and hope to make it back to the castle!" Then, as one of the others was opening her mouth to say something, she raised a hand to cut her off, staring at the ground in deep thought before meeting Bella's eyes. "There may be something."

  "Anything," Bella said hurriedly, staring down at the demon in horror. He didn't even look like he was breathing anymore.

  The woman stood, raising her face to the sky above them—or, rather, the mangled tree branches—and let out one long whistle, a whistle that echoed through the night and seemed to come from every direction.

  "No, don't do that!" one of the other girls hissed.

  "It's already done," Yasandre snarled, which made her lower her eyes to the ground. She looked over at Bella. "Are you well enough to help us?"

  "Of course," she said, nodding, though she didn't know what she would be helping with.

  There was a whiny, and a horse came striding into view, tossing its head about as it pranced around them. It was a black horse, looking about as dark as the night sky—perhaps darker—with equally black eyes. Nothing about it was any lighter than that.

  "He is called Nocte," Yasandre told Bella, running a hand over his nose.

  "He's beautiful," Bella said,
standing up slowly as he pulled from Yasandre and walked towards her. She hesitantly held a hand out, waiting until he bumped his nose against it carefully.

  "He will help us," Yasandre told her. She looked at the other girls, who were sneering and didn't look too pleased with the idea. "Give me your hands." Then she turned and went on one side of the demon, bending down and grabbing the front of him, waiting until the others had circled around him and followed suit.

  Bella rushed over to aid them, lifting the demon up with them, though it didn't feel like she was doing much work. The women didn't actually need her help, since they all had much more strength than she.

  At first Bella was confused as to why Yasandre had asked her if she could help. But then she figured that, maybe, she wanted Bella to feel like she was actually accomplishing something instead of just standing there and feeling useless.

  They all lifted the demon onto the horse, moving slowly but surely, and managed to get him to balance on Nocte's back. After a little readjusting, they all stepped back; all except for Yasandre, who lingered near the horse's face.

  She started whispering to Nocte, speaking some language unknown by Bella. It didn't sound like the language Yasandre spoke with the other girls, but something much more complicated, something ancient. After a few more words, she stepped back, and the horse took off, much faster than any horse Bella had ever encountered.

  "He is taking the demon to the castle," Yasandre told Bella when she stared after them with uncertainty. "And we will take you there as well. You're lost, are you not?" When Bella nodded, she turned and strode away. "Keep up."

  Bella did as she was told, stumbling after her, earning amused glances from the others when she nearly fell flat on her face from the effort. Her strength, it seemed, had grown, since she was still running on adrenaline. Though, as they ran through the forest, she could feel that strength slipping away, and she started tripping more often.

  Yasandre slowed down, running beside Bella. "How did this come to happen?" When Bella looked at her in confusion, she sighed. "The attack; the demon being injured."

  Bella thought a moment, unsure how to answer at first, then she said, "I ran."

  The woman running beside her nodded, but didn't say anything. Instead, a sort of understanding lit her eyes, as if she knew how Bella felt. "Eventually, we all do."

  8

  This time, instead of waiting at the boundary, the girls and Yasandre all went with Bella, following her through the long field and up to the gate. Normally, they would be ahead since they were much quicker, but it seemed that they were nervous and reluctant about following Bella—besides Yasandre, who was the furthest ahead of them, though she slowed down when they neared the entrance of the gate.

  Eriq and Thais stood at the entrance, both in postures that suggested they were prepared to fight, which scared Bella the slightest bit. They both held swords, long and rusted, but that still looked plenty sharp. Yasandre didn't hesitate, stopping in front of them until the swords nearly touched her throat, and the other women behind her shifted in their spots, gazing uncomfortably at each other while hissing softly at the two.

  "I ask entrance, to be sure that all is well," Yasandre said, demandingly polite, though with an air of warning and determination. Bella couldn't see her eyes, but if her voice sounded pained she was sure they looked just the same.

  Eriq and Thais's expressions looked about the same, both regretful, and they silently stepped back, lowering their weapons. Then they turned and led the way to the castle, not arguing when the other women nervously followed.

  There was a group of faeries carrying the demon, all walking slowly and carefully—so much that Bella feared it was already too late and that he was dead—a variety of creatures Bella noticed as much as she ignored. They all looked different, yet all the same.

  It seemed that all of Fae would have a little something extra.

  Yasandre rushed to help them, and the others followed suit, so they all managed to hurry him into a room across from the dining hall. This one was even bigger, with shelves filled with an assortment of items, and chairs and rugs and tables. A fireplace sat on one wall, nearly as big as a small room, where most of the chairs were arranged. One of those chairs was rather large—big enough to seat four or five people.

  The demon was set on the biggest chair, sprawled out across it. He looked a cross between his wolf and demon self, one of his furry arms slipping to the ground, his small teeth peeking through when he opened his mouth and let out a light sigh.

  "How soon until an ointment is finished?" Bella asked worriedly, sitting down beside him and hesitantly putting a hand to his face. When the others only stared at her, she raised her voice. "How soon?"

  "Maybe a few minutes," Thais told her, running her long fingers through her short, spiky hair. Her dark eyes danced wildly as she stared down at the demon.

  Bella wondered, quietly, if he had that much time.

  "We need to wake him up," Yasandre said quickly, and she walked to the demon, her hand raised high above her.

  Eriq caught her wrist as some of the others started for her, all snarling and glowering. "What are you doing?"

  "It's like I said," she said calmly, staring at him evenly. "We need to wake him up. What medicine you have may heal him, but I don't know whether or not he will be able to wake up after this."

  "So you think slapping will help him?" Eriq demanded, pushing her away. "Perhaps it would only make it worse."

  "I've got something," Thais said, suddenly disappearing.

  Bella blinked, looking from the spot Thais had last been in before staring over at Yasandre, who was glaring at Eriq. "What did you mean, you don't know if he can wake up?"

  "It happens when you are very injured," one of the women said, as if Bella was an idiot for not knowing in the first place. But Bella was no such thing.

  She frowned. "Doesn't that only happen when you hit your head?"

  Yasandre looked at her, not sure, then shook her head. "It's better to be safe." She stepped up to the demon, ignoring Eriq's suspicious glower, and lowered herself to the ground beside Bella, peering into the demon's face. "His life is not worth the risk."

  Thais appeared just as suddenly as she had gone, a vial in her hand. Before anyone could ask what she was doing, she popped the top and waved it under the demon's nose, quick and swift, her own nose wrinkling as if she could smell it as well, though Bella didn't smell a thing. Everyone started making noises of complaint, some making faces and disappearing, and some just holding something over their nose and watching.

  The demon's eyes burst open, a swirling mess of black and white, and he sat up quickly, eyes wild as he threw his head around and roared, "Where is she!? Where's-" He stopped when he saw Bella, who had cringed back onto her elbows, and he stared at her. "Oh." Then he flinched, his face contorting, filled with pain. "Oh."

  "Do you remember what happened?" Eriq asked curiously, stepping forward, which only resulted in Thais motioning for him to back off.

  "Very well, unfortunately," the demon muttered, giving Bella a dirty look.

  She frowned, not quite sure how to take this.

  "The children of the moon brought you here," Thais informed him. "Yasandre, to be specific, was one of them."

  His eyes brightened, something that caught Bella's attention, though he cringed again as he gazed around. "Yasandre is here?"

  "Was, Sir," Eriq told him. "They left as soon as you awoke."

  Bella looked around and realized, sure enough, that they were nowhere to be found. She hadn't even noticed they had moved. And this was strange since Yasandre had been sitting right at her side. The only ones left now were a few of the other Fae, Eriq, Thais, the demon, and her. And, maybe, the presence of the castle; or, whatever it was she was feeling at that moment.

  "Oh," the demon said, sounding rather disappointed. Then he looked up at him. "Make sure they receive my gratitude. Silina as well."

  Eriq nodded. "It will be done, Sir
." He turned and left the room just as a pile of rags, a bowl of hot water, and another vial entered, all being carried by beings that Bella couldn't see, and all were placed on one of the smaller chairs placed beside the demon.

  When Bella looked back at the demon, she noticed that he was no longer in wolf form—or in between—and was embarrassed to see that he had no trace of clothing on him. Everyone else in the room looked perfectly comfortable with this, as if it was the most natural thing to see someone else naked. Either that, or it didn't matter since he was injured...

  Not only that, but the wounds were worse than Bella had thought. The one on his arm was the worst of it, but there were also bites and other cuts, all variating around his body, which Bella couldn't help but gulp at. Then the fact that he wasn't wearing anything registered in Bella's mind again, and she blushed harder than ever, averting her eyes.

  Bella caught the demon looking at her, and she ducked her head, blushing even more and turning herself so she was looking more at his face than anything else. Though, there was something cold in his gaze, something that made her want to back off.

  "You shouldn't have run off like that," he told her, as if everything that had happened was her fault.

  That irritated her more than anything.

  "If you wouldn't have scared me, then maybe I wouldn't have," she shot back as Thais nervously started tending to the demon's wounds.

  The faerie gave her a warning look, one that told her to hold her tongue and deal with whatever the demon said to her, but she wouldn't just let someone lecture her; especially a demon, of all things.

  He glowered at her, a growl starting up in the back of his throat; low, but there. Some of the others in the room shifted nervously, glancing at one another, which made Bella wonder if, since they were doing so, she should back down. But her confidence had already bloomed, and she was feeling somewhat agitated.