"We need to find shelter and take care of your cut." The beast sheathed his sword and held out his hand. "Come."
Dianna briefly looked down at his offered hand then away. "I can walk just fine on my own."
The beast's eyes narrowed ever so slightly, then he turned, glow- ing orbs still in hand to light the way. They walked for a good twenty minutes in dead silence.
"You didn't answer my question," Dianna said finally. "How did you find me?"
"When Natalie got hurt, Collin felt it through their marriage bond." Dianna moved in front of the beast, stopping him. "Is she..." "Alive?" His voice was strangely flat as he pushed around her and
continued down the mountain. "Yes. We were able to save her just in time. She'll need a few days to recover."
Dianna ran to catch up to him. "You blame me for this?"
"You insisted on going without guards," the beast snapped. "You stayed out late. You were warned of the dangers."
"I was hardly warned. How was I to know such demons roamed the place? I'm a stranger to this land. If such dangerous things lived so nearby, why the hell did you let me leave without a guard?" Dianna had been warned there were dangers, of course, but no one had ever bothered to tell her anything specific. How could she be expected to know? "Besides," she said, "if you had given me a weapon, we would have been fine!"
The beast spun around, glowering at her. Dianna nearly ran head- long into him and slipped in the mud in her urgency to stop. She fell on her butt.
"Do you really think you stood any chance against a stryzga?" the beast bellowed. "With a pistol?"
"I held my own with a damn rock!" Dianna shouted, getting back to her feet.
"You were almost killed, and you know it. It's only thanks to me that you're still breathing."
"Thanks to you?" That was it. Dianna pointed a finger straight into his chest. "Thanks to you, I'll never see my family again," she shouted. "Thanks to you, I have to live in this land full of monsters and beasts!"
They glared at each other, and a loud growl rumbled in his throat. Turning away, the beast trekked down the mountain. Dianna fell into step behind him despite her anger, walking in silence.
Although Dianna promised to remain within the kingdom she hasn't given up her goal to go home. Dianna's presence disturbs more than Beast's solitude. The last pretty face he trusted had cursed him. His powers suppressed by the curse have made him a prisoner to his past mistakes, a never ending punishment. He can't fully protect his people and kingdom from the witch that cursed him.
The witch is possessive, entitled and will fight to keep what she believes to be hers.
A new world filled with adventure. Hair raising scares. Some disturbing imagery and violence. True friendships. Clean love that pulls at your heartstrings. Magic. Everything you want in an epic love story. A Beauty and The Beast tale for ages 13+
