“Ouch!” I groaned in pain.
“What’s the matter?” he asked.
“My legs,” I said. “You’ve used my lap as a pillow, remember?”
He laughed. “It was a most comfortable pillow, darling.” Then he gently touched my legs, and instantly, I felt the pain easing.
Of course, I knew he could do something like using his magic to ease pain, but it shocked me, nonetheless. When he saw my face, he gave another amused chuckle.
It was then that I decided to clear the air and tell him what was on my mind.
I began, “Aslan, I was just wondering if you were upset with me when I asked you to remove your mask? If so, then just know that I didn’t mean it. I didn’t mean to make it feel like I’d pushed you into a corner. I just…” I sighed. God, it was hard to explain to him. “What I mean is I don’t care what you look like underneath that mask. I just know that…”
That what? What should I say next? How did I feel about Aslan, and why must I need to clarify to him that I didn’t intend to hurt him? I didn’t know.
Aslan caught my chin between his fingers and thumb and tilted my face up. He gazed long and hard at me, which made me nervous. Then he said, “I’m coming to your room tonight, Lilly.” With that, he let go of my chin, got up, and walked away.
I sat there, watching him go, once again dumbfounded.
Suddenly, I started panicking. Oh, God! Aslan was going to come to my bedchamber tonight. What did that mean? And why did he have to declare that to me?
I was still obviously panicking when Ria appeared. She asked, “Is everything all right, my lady?”
I unconvincingly nodded my head. Though Ria didn’t question me further, she looked concerned, and I was still in too much of a confused mix of excitement, anticipation, and anxiety to alleviate her worries for me.
After a delicious dinner, I became oddly flustered. As Annie was clearing away the dishes, she asked, “You’re not hungry, my lady? You hardly ate at all tonight.”
I flicked my gaze to the leftovers and noted that there was quite a bit there. What happened to my appetite?
I licked my lips and said, “I suppose I was still full from the cakes and coffee we had this afternoon.”
Annie nodded in understanding.
An hour after dinner, Ria commented, as we headed toward the bathing chamber, “You seem nervous, my lady.”
I couldn’t help myself and blurted out, “Aslan said he’s coming to my bedchamber tonight, of course I’m nervous.”
Ria chuckled in amusement. “Everything will be fine, my lady. Now then, let’s get you freshened up and ready for the night.”
I nodded, and spent the next hour cleansing myself, and as usual, enjoying my time in the hot spring pool. By the time I was done, I felt sparklingly clean and refreshed and, of course, a lot more relaxed.
In the dressing chamber, after applying body lotion and face cream, Ria then blow-dried my hair. By the time she was finished, my silver tresses hung straight and silky down my back.
“Hmm, you look absolutely charming with straight hair, my lady,” Ria said.
I had to nod in agreement that I looked rather fetching. Once I’d put on my flimsy silk nightgown, Ria said her good night and then left me alone to fret over Aslan’s visitation.
Of course, I fretted for the next three hours while I pretended to read. Now and again, I flicked my eyes nervously to the door, and every time when I heard a sound I jumped in nervousness. When it was nearly midnight, I’d had enough, as I was tired and sleepy.
I gathered Winter against me, made myself comfortable on the floor with the cushions around me, and then closed my eyes.
I had no idea how long I slept, but when I next woke, I found that I was not sleeping on the marble floor with a blanket underneath me, the cushions around me and Winter beside me. Instead, I was sleeping and leaning against a manly body, with two powerfully strong arms around me, and the warmth of body heat embracing me so lovingly that I felt like I was in heaven.
I raised my eyes to see Aslan watching me. Of course, I wasn’t surprised to see him in my bedchamber.
I asked, “Is it morning already?”
Aslan said, “It is and it isn’t. It’s three in the morning.”
“I see,” I said, rubbing my eyes. “I got sleepy,” I explained.
He chuckled. “Sorry I couldn’t come earlier, sweetheart.”
I shook my head. “That’s fine. You are busy, after all. Shouldn’t you go to bed, too?”
He didn’t agree or disagree with my suggestion. Instead he said, “You like to sleep on the floor, don’t you?”
His question made it sound like he had seen me sleeping on the floor more than once. Then it hit. Of course, that dream I thought had been a dream but wasn’t, when Aslan had picked me up and carried me to bed after our first online chat.
I said, “I like sleeping on the soft bed, but sometimes I like sleeping on the hard floor, too. I mean, I was used to sleeping on a hard bed all my life.”
He nodded. Then he leaned forward and requested, “Kiss me, Lilly.”
I obediently did, my lips on his mask. Once done, he pulled me into his arms again and hugged me tight. I basked in his embrace and snuggled my face against his chest. We stayed in that position for a while. Of course, I didn’t know what was going through Aslan’s mind, whether he enjoyed the moment as much as I, or not. Then again, that was fine with me.
It was perhaps an hour later, when I was nearly falling asleep again that Aslan said, “Lilly? Are you awake, sweetheart?”
I raised my eyes to him and nodded my head. “I’m awake.”
He sighed, which confused me. God, he sounded like he was going through something that was very hard for him.
I moved out of his arms to look at him directly. “What’s the matter, Aslan? You’re acting rather oddly.”
He raked his fingers through his hair and sighed again. He said, “This is hard for me, Lilly. I’m trying to decide.”
“On what?” I asked.
He grabbed my hands gently and asked, as he looked deep into my eyes, “Lilly darling, do you still want to see me beneath this mask?”
So, that was what was bothering him.
I licked my lips and said, “As I said before, Aslan, I don’t care what you look like underneath that mask. You’re…”
You’re what? I wondered. What was I trying to say?
I licked my lips again and said, my heart racing, “No matter what you look like underneath that mask, you’re still Aslan to me, the man-beast I was sacrificed to. The man-beast who saved my life when I fell down that cliff. The man-beast who cuddles me and makes love to me and makes me feels good and…”
“And?” he probed.
I clutched my stomach, my brows furrowing in confusion. “I’m sorry, Aslan. I’m not sure what I’m trying to say and that’s the honest truth.”
Aslan cupped my face and said, “I understand, darling.”
He did? His words alleviated my worry so much that I smiled at him.
“Now,” he said, “move back, Lilly.”
I blinked. “Huh?”
“Move back away from me,” he said. “I’m going to take this mask off.”
“Oh!” I expressed, my stomach fluttering. I obediently moved backward away from him. “Is this enough space?” I asked.
He said, “Farther.”
I scurried back a little farther. “Is this enough?”
He nodded, and I sat and waited patiently as I watched him closely. From this far, which was still merely a few arms’ length away, I saw Aslan put his hands over his mask. I noted that he was pulling it away from his face, and I was so consumed with wanting to see what he looked like that I didn’t realize the atmosphere around us was changing. When I did finally notice, it was already too hot and bright, the light bursting with golden color and the air around us swirling and twisting.
I heard the sound of fabric tearing, which was followed by the appearance
of a tail—long, large, furry, and pure black in color.
I gasped as I trailed my eyes from the tail to the body beneath those torn clothes. I felt my own body shaking as my gaze finally came to rest on the hands, or should I call them claws, that were currently holding on to the porcelain demonic mask.
Then the hands and mask were shifted away, and I stared—wide-eyed—at the beast in front of me.
Aslan was a beast! He really was a beast!
Slanted tiger-like eyes, wolf-like snout of a nose, and mouth with fangs protruding, and there were even two horns on his head, along with two wolf-like ears.
I blinked as my body stayed frozen and paralyzed.
“This is me, Lilly,” Aslan said. “Without the mask, I’m the beast.”
I swallowed hard.
The village people were right, then, in describing Aslan. He was a pure paranormal creature of a beast with supernatural power.
I closed my eyes and took a slow, calming breath. When I opened them again, I was looking into Aslan’s eyes. They were still that beautiful green that fascinated me, that I…
That I loved.
Instantly, I felt myself relax. Then I shifted my gaze to his big, furry body, and then to his long, fluffy tail. Again, I flicked my gaze to his face and stared deeply into his eyes. I didn’t miss the fact that he was still expecting me to run away in fear, as shown in his gaze.
I flicked my gaze to his tail and body again.
Fur. Black in color. There just so much fur.
I closed my eyes. After I opened them again, I stood up.
“You don’t need to go, Lilly,” Aslan said. “I’ll leave. This is your room, after all. If you’re afraid because the sight of me gives you nightmares, then call Ria to accompany you while you sleep.”
God, he sounded like he was already giving up on me.
I stomped my foot and demanded, “Who said you’re leaving?” Without further ado, I ran across the short distance between us and threw myself into his furry arms and body.
The moment I felt his warm, softness against me, I sighed in pleasure.
I heard Aslan suck in his breath, I believe in shocked surprised, at my action.
I caressed his fur and said softly, “I’ve always wanted a toy, you know, especially a big one with soft fur.” I raised my face and looked into his beautiful green eyes. “You’re perfect, Aslan.”
I wanted him to understand that he was both perfect as my soft toy, and more importantly, as how he was, which was Aslan, the beast of the Forbidden Forest, without the mask on.
He gently cupped my face in his claws as he looked at me. I noted that his eyes were a bit teary.
Oh, I made Aslan cry, did I?
Pleased, I smiled at him.
“My sweet Lilly,” he said, his voice deeper than before, which was even more enticing. Then he nuzzled his face against my nape and tried, I thought, to kiss me. But of course, his mouth was large and wolf-like and he ended up licking my skin instead.
I giggled. “Your whiskers. It tickles.”
Of course, he wouldn’t stop and I let him continue kissing me and licking me about the nape. When he was finally done, I said, “Aslan, I’m sleepy.”
He pulled me against him again and arranged us so that we lay on the floor together. In his arms, I felt warm and protected, with him hugging me from behind. As I closed my eyes, I said softly, “Good night, Aslan.”
He kissed me with his wolf lips again and said, “Good night, Lilly sweetheart.”
Satisfied, I fell into a deep slumber, with a smile on my lips.
* * *
Thank you so much for reading The Beast and I, Vol. 1: The Man Behind the Beast. It’ll make me very happy if you’ve enjoyed Aslan and Lilly’s story so far. The pair’s fairytale romance continues in The Beast and I, Vol. 2: The Beast in Love.
Also by Alexia Praks
NEW ADULT CONTEMPORARY ROMANCE
The Billionaires’ Brides Series
The Billionaire’s Hired Girlfriend
The Billionaire’s Kiss
The Billionaire’s Love
Dark Billionaires Series
Chained to You (James x Mia)
Chained by Love (William x Savanah)
Enthralled by You (Scott x Yuki)
Enchanted by You (Eric x Alice)
FANTASY PARANORMAL ROMANCE
Romance of the Nine Kingdoms
A Demon’s Wrath
A Demon’s Bride
A Demon’s Love
About the Author
Alexia is a self-confessed hermit whose undying love for books leads her to naively abandon the generous warnings of failure from numerous individuals and dive into the publishing world to claim a spot as an author.
In the romance realm, she thinks anything goes as long as there’s love involved—be it contemporary, historical, fantasy, paranormal, or a combination of any of these. In the young adult territory, she leans more toward fantasy, science-fiction, dystopia, mystery, and of course, romance.
Apart from writing, she loves self-cultivation, is fascinated by Chinese metaphysics, and spends her spare time watching anime and TV dramas and, of course, reading books and manga.
Get to know Alexia:
alexiapraks.com
The Beast and I: Volume 1 Page 13