Beasts and Beauties

by Lora Darc

  Beasts and Beauties

  A Monster Erotica Collection

  Copyright © 2019 Lora Darc

  All rights reserved. No portion of this book may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including, but not limited to, photocopying or by any information storage and retrieval system, without permission in writing by the author.

  This book is a work of fiction. Names, places, locales and events are either a product of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously. Any resemblance to actual persons, places or events are purely coincidental.

  Cover by Lora Darc

  Stock Photos: Depositphotos

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  Craving the Beast

  Vivian didn’t know whether to feel shameless excitement or crushing guilt as she watched Reece Clement, her summer-time neighbor, from the shadows of a thick oak tree.

  It was bad enough that she was trespassing into his property let alone watching him like a creep as he stood by the river bank, testing the water with bare feet.

  Vivian had only meant to sneak in for a moment to snap a few pictures of the riverside and meadow nearby to use as a subject for her next art piece. The sun was setting and the colors of orange and purple of the sky clashed with the green and blue of the earth with such vibrancy that Vivian was drawn to the spot like some sleepwalker following the visions of a dream. She walked along the forest path to get closer to the river, hopping over the fence with the “No Trespassing” sign nailed to the post with clear indifference only to stop short just before reaching the riverbank. Her heart jumped at the sight of Reece and, fearing that he might see her, quickly rushed back behind the tree.

  She should have turned around and left. But she found she couldn’t.

  She was drawn to him. In a way, she didn’t yet understand. There was something certainly off about him. Even others had voiced their thoughts in hushed tones whenever his name was mentioned. Reece was polite yet quiet, respectful yet aloof. He smiled and laughed well, and talked fine, but he mostly kept to himself. She had only met him twice in her time at the cabin, the first time briefly last summer, and once again only a few days ago. He had smiled at her with a sly grin and his eyes were playful as he greeted her, but there was something dark hidden underneath. Something in his gaze when he looked at her that made her grow hot from her neck down to her lower belly.

  It wasn’t just that he was hot. With sun-kissed skin, thick auburn hair, and sharp green eyes like a fox. There was a wild air about him. Untamed, feral. Something mysterious that she longed to discover.

  She spent summer nights staring over the forest behind her family cabin, just around his property, imagining taking a stroll one day and running into him. Imagining him backing her into a tree, crushing her with his body. His lips on her neck, his hands on her thighs. Hips grinding against her. Hot breath in her ear. She heard herself groan, curling a leg around his waist as Reece growled and bit her earlobe.

  Once she got to this point in her fantasy, for reasons only she knew, Vivian always envisioned him changing. Turning more bestial. Vivian didn’t care to admit to even her closest friends that she had a thing for vicious supernatural men. She had a whole collection of vampire and werewolf books to prove it. Maybe they wouldn’t care but Vivian didn’t exactly feel the need to boast about it either.

  So after he would bite her on the ear he would start changing. Claws would sink into her rear, fangs would graze her shoulder. His eyes would remain the same; beautiful, fierce green, as he glared at her with growing hunger.

  Vivian let out a slow breath, heat already simmering in her center. She studied Reece from the back and imagined going down to him and letting the fantasy play out. Her heart raced at the thought and she almost gave herself away by taking a step out from the tree. Quickly she paused, however, as Reece seemed to look around, then slowly began to lift his thin grey shirt from his body. He threw the shirt on to a rock nearby then began to unbuckle his pants.

  Vivian stood wide-eyed as she watched him shrug the rest of his clothes off and stand naked by the water. Though the sun was fading, she could see the contours of his slender yet well-built body. The sensual curve of his back, his tense thigh muscles, and hard stomach all presented themselves fully before her and Vivian stared, stunned and awed. She let out a soft gasp and shivered as she saw his front for a brief moment before he strode leisurely into the water.

  She really needed to leave. She was being a total creep and she knew it. But some deep intuition forced her to stay. She only glanced around a few times to watch him in the water until he finally returned to the bank. Reece brushed a hand through his wet hair then rolled his shoulders. He stood again by the bank and Vivian assumed he’d begin putting back on his clothes which would signal for her to take her leave.

  Instead, he stood silent with his eyes closed, face turned to the sky. As the sun disappeared below the tree line, the scene darkened considerably but Vivian could still see well enough to make out that something was off. Really off.

  Reece began to shake and groan before her and Vivian panicked thinking he was about to have some kind of seizure. She began to move from her hiding place to help him when Reece arched up and hissed.

  Then Vivian froze.

  She watched as Reece’s body transformed before her eyes. His skin changed from sun-kissed to a golden dark tan, his hair thickened and lengthened into a deep blood-red. His body rippled before her and Vivian heard him moan as his arms stretched and his legs bent, talons slipped out from his fingers, and his ears curved back. He let out a magnificent growl and Vivian caught sight of a wicked pair of fangs curve into a widening mouth. He closed his eyes for a brief moment and, when he opened them again, they were still a stunning green, only larger and brighter.

  When he smiled, Vivian shivered. She put a hand to her mouth to keep a cry from escaping. Reece brought his clawed hand up to his face and curled his fingers. He tilted his head and glanced downriver then back the other way as if searching. His movements were sharp and quick. Inhuman.

  Vivian’s mouth went dry and her throat tightened. Her fantasy was now all too real. Though some crazed part of her thought she really must be dreaming.

  Then a breeze picked up and a potent scent filled her nostrils, a fragrance not unlike lavender mixed with wood smoke. A strange combination but deeply pleasant nonetheless.

  Heart thumping wildly, Vivian shook her head in disbelief as reality sunk in.

  Reece Clement was a monster.

  Instead of running, screaming through the woods, Vivian remained quiet and motionless. As Reece looked ready to bound away into the darkening forest, Vivian dared to risk one last stunt before trying to flee.

  With shaky hands, Vivian brought up her phone and opened her camera. She focused in, waited for Reece to turn his head so that a part of his face was visible, then took a shot.

  The camera made a loud click and Reece immediately turned his head in her direction.

  They locked eyes and Vivian’s face went instantly hot. She thought to say something but her mouth was clamped shut. Instead, she backed away as Reece stared her down with a look of shock that turned quickly to fury. He took one step toward her and Vivian’s fight-or-flight instincts finally kicked in. She chose flight.

  She bolted back into the woods toward her family cabin and dared not look back. She heard nothing behind her but she feared any moment a hand would strike out and snatch her. Whimpering, she ran hard, nearly stumbling over a dead log, then vaulted over the fence and rolled onto the ground. She pushed herself up and raced onward.

  By the time she got back to the cab
in, night had fallen completely. She nearly tripped up the steps of the deck until she made for the sliding door and wrenched it open just wide enough to slip through. She shut it and locked it quickly and stumbled back into the living room, trembling and breathless. She searched wildly through the darkness but no one appeared.

  A tap on her shoulder made her start and yelp in surprise.

  “Vivian! My god, what’s wrong?” Her mom gazed up at her with worry. “Where were you?”

  “I... um. I—I was just taking a walk in the woods,” Vivian’s voice was shrill. She wished she could hide her fear from her mom but she was still too tense and shaken.

  “Jeeze, honey, look at your hair, it’s a nest!” Her mother picked out bits of leaves and twigs entangled in Vivian’s sandy brown hair. “What kind of walk did you take exactly?”

  Vivian gave her mother a nervous smile that quickly faded. “I just stumbled that’s all.”

  Her mother’s concerned eyes fixed on Vivian’s. “You didn’t go near Reece’s property did you?”

  Vivian looked away and shook her head.

  “Your so pale.” Her mother took her hand. “And cold. Are you sure you’re okay?”

  “I’m fine,” Vivian said softly, taking back her hand. “I just... I’m just feeling a little off is all. I think I’m going to lie down.”

  Her mother frowned but nodded. “Sure, sweetie. Dad and Uncle Jeff should be back soon. They said the boat is ready to go. Aunt Alicia and the twins will probably join us out on the lake.”

  Vivian nodded and headed for the stairs. “Okay. Great.”

  “Oh! And Reece, our neighbor, just called.”

  Vivian stilled on stairs.

  “He says he’s going to come by tonight to pick up the tools your dad borrowed for the car. Not sure why he was so keen on grabbing them tonight but thought you should know in case you wanted to say ‘hi’.”

  Vivian’s hand gripped the stair rail tight. “Um, it’s okay, I’ll probably be asleep.” Without looking back, Vivian rushed up the stairs and shot into her room, closing the door soundly.

  ***

  Vivian didn’t lie down. Instead, she waited by the window with the curtains drawn and looked out through a small slit. Then she paced her room, uncertain about what to do. She couldn’t face him. She wasn’t ready to. She feared what he would do. She feared for her family’s safety as well but realized quickly that they knew nothing and Reece had no reason to harm them. Only her.

  The sound of a car door slamming shut brought Vivian back to the window to peek out. Her stomach turned when she saw Reece beside his truck talking with her mother.

  She couldn’t hear their conversation but could make out the muffled tones enough that she heard no hostility in either voice. Reece looked surprisingly calm and collected. He even smiled at her mom and laughed when she made some sarcastic comment. His voice got low at one point and Vivian saw her mother nod and go back into the house.

  She heard her mother come up the steps and knock on her door. “Viv? Reece is here and he says he’d like to talk to you real quick.”

  Vivian crouched on her bed. She was thankful she had kept the lights off. She paused for a second then said, “I’m really not feeling well.”

  “What’s wrong?” Her mother asked, worried.

  “I just... think I ate something bad, maybe.”

  “Is there anything I can do?”

  Vivian shook her head in the dark. “No. But tell Reece... tell him I’ll get back to him, okay?”

  “Well, okay... you sure you can’t come down for a moment?”

  “I’m sure.”

  Her mother sighed. “All right. If you need anything, let me know.” She went back down and Vivian heard the front door open. She went back to the window and peered out. Her mother was talking to him, hands on her hips, shaking her head. Reece nodded, smiled, and said a few words, then went back to his truck. As mom walked back inside, before he entered his vehicle, Reece glared up at Vivian’s window, looking right at her. Vivian gasped and shot back. When she heard the truck start and the crunching of tires, she slowly peered back out and saw him turning out of the drive.

  Vivian let out a breath and fell back on her bed. The light of her phone caught her attention, and she picked it up beside her. She checked the messages from her friends back at university then closed out the app and went to her photo albums. She brought up the photo of Reece in his true form and stared at it for a long time.

  It was a bit dark, and a little blurred, but Vivian could see well enough to make out the long taloned fingers and the flashing green eyes with his towering, slightly bent, body and his wide mouth baring sharp teeth. She zoomed in on parts of him then zoomed back several times, studying him. Despite a chill seeping into her body, she found she couldn’t look away.

  She heard her father and uncle return sometime in the night but she didn’t go down to greet them. After they went to bed, Vivian stared at the few small paintings she had created from subjects she had deemed worthy—A group of purple flowers, a lazy farm cat, and the lake—along with a few unfinished sketches. They all seemed dull and lifeless now. She glanced back at the picture of Reese and chewed on her bottom lip. She sat thinking for a moment longer then finally turned on her headlamp and took up her sketchbook.

  ***

  Using the photograph on her phone, Vivian stayed up all night drawing and painting several portraits of Reece, all in his beastly splendor. When light began to sneak into the room, Vivian finished one last sketch then placed it with the others. She looked over the portraits and sighed.

  She had a serious problem. On one side she was completely freaked by what she had seen and scared of what Reece might do to her when he caught her alone, causing her to avoid him. On the other side, she was completely fascinated.

  And still she wanted him. Undeniably more so than before.

  How could she not? She had already liked him before she knew he was a beast. Now he was a living embodiment of her wildest fantasies.

  Vivian studied one portrait in particular of Reece lying on the grass naked and felt an ache begin to throb dully between her legs. Heat bloomed at her center and rose up her body. Visions of him on top of her, of his body crushing her against him, throttled her mind. She remembered how he arched and groaned at his change and she mimicked the act as she lay on her bed. Vivian clutched at her silk bottoms and thin top, wanting to rip them off. She peeled them off instead and lay back naked on her bed, spreading her legs and writhing as she continued to gaze at Reece’s portrait while touching herself. Her fingers dipped into her center then circled her core and she imagined it was Reece’s mouth on her, tasting her. She moaned softly and moved her hips. Then, when she could no longer take it, she drew her fingers away and went for her suitcase beside the bed. She searched to the bottom till she found the toys she had elected to bring with her—a thick curved dildo and a small pink vibrator. She grabbed the dildo and quickly slid it in, envisioning Reece as she knelt on the bed with the toy under her. She closed her eyes and caressed her breasts, pretending clawed hands cupped them and squeeze them firmly. Her breath quickened as she turned on her vibrator and placed it against her wet clit and massaged carefully. In her mind, she saw his green eyes flashing over her coldly and his lips curve into a tight smile as he held a taloned hand to her throat, ready to devour.

  With the combination of Reece’s portraits, the toys, and Vivian’s imagination, it didn’t take long for her to climax. When she felt her center clench around the dildo, she moaned softly and whimpered, calling out her desired’s name.

  She fell back on the bed, panting and sweating, face contorted in agony then relief. She looked back one last time at the pictures and her hunger for Reece grew hotter.

  She wanted nothing more than to storm out of the cabin and race to his doorstep and beg him to take her. But fear still lingered under the lust. As badly as she wanted him, she still feared his wrath at her discovering his secret.

  Viv
ian moaned again, this time from heartache. She fondled her breasts and arched her back then brought the vibrator back down once more, calling out his name.

  ***

  Vivian sat on the boat, miserable. She curled up at one corner under the shade of the boat’s roof, clutching her sketchbook tightly as she drew more of Reece, this time only parts of him, like his hands or his eyes. She felt shamefully obsessed, but she could think of nothing else. Even when she took a small nap earlier in the day while lounging under trees by the beach, she had wild dreams of him. Bright, merciless eyes, cruel smiling lips, sharp nails trailing over her skin.

  She didn’t want to go out to the lake. She tried to convince her mother she was still feeling unwell but her mother guilt-tripped her into coming anyway.

  “You hardly ever see your cousins, why not come out for a little while?” She had asked Vivian with sad puppy eyes. “I need some company too. Your father and uncle will be out fishing again and I really don’t want to be alone with Aunt Alicia. All she talks about is her work. I don’t care to hear another word about computer systems.”

  Vivian grumbled but went along, only to make a deal that if she went on the lake for a little awhile, she wouldn’t have to go to Tooleys later that night with the whole family. The diner and bar was always insanely busy even in the summer as both normal townsfolk and summer residents congregated towards the only bar with decent food around along with homemade craft beer. The place was impressively large, with wide outdoor and deck seating along with a live band every Saturday night. Loud drunken men staggered around spilling beer and women laughed and danced around tables. Groups would stand about the bar making it nearly impossible to walk through and the place smelled of lake water and garbage. Vivian couldn’t stand the thought of sitting around for hours in such a place, even if she was old enough to drink.

  Vivian watched from her little corner as her mom and aunt chatted while sunning themselves on the front side of the boat while her twin cousins swam around nearby, splashing and yelling while diving off the back.