Chapter 31: Please Let Me Through

The golden woman stared at him and waited. Her perfect face was a silent mask but her eyes glowed in question.

The hunter turned and sat on an exposed root. He folded his long legs and placed a beaten boot over his bent knee. Then he smiled.

It was Gaston's second-best smile. Not the best. That was only for… No, this smile was his selling smile. He became rich off of this smile.

He felt his chin dimple and the sides of his eyes crinkle up. He rubbed a hand over his jaw and leaned forward.

"It's an easy deal. Me for them. Trust me," he paused "you're getting a bargain."

Then the hunter winked.

The witch didn't move. She didn't smile. Her breathing didn't change. But Gaston saw it- a slight flicker in her eyes. He almost chuckled out loud.

She tilted her haloed head to the side and watched him. She took light steps and Gaston noticed her feet barely brushed the ground.

A handy trick, he thought to himself.

The witch paused when she reached him. Her long gown billowed out behind her in soft waves in the wind and her blonde hair rippled down her sides. She lifted her brows into glistening arches and spoke.

"How intriguing. Please, continue."

Gaston kept his smile in place. "You've made your point. I'll join you. If…" He trailed off and waited.

"If?" The woman asked in a deceptively sweet tone.

Gaston rose to his feet and let the smile fall away. His beautiful face hardened and grew stone-like. He knew the effect of this change would have had most men running in the other direction.

"If, you let those men go." He finished with an icy glare.

Gaston scrutinized the witch's expression and posture. To others, she might have appeared at ease, but Gaston recognized her war stance.

It was subtle; a slight turn of her hip; a pale gripe on her staff. Even her ears seemed lifted as though she could hear his heartbeat. Gaston slowed his breathing in response.

"Those men, Hunter? Ah, the 'Men of the Vines'?" The witch asked with slow precision. She almost drew a response from the man. Then she continued. "I'm afraid they are not your concern."

Gaston felt his temper rise and fought it down. In the past, she seemed to able to sense his anger and he'd be hell bound if she used it as a weakness. His smile reappeared and he flashed his white teeth.

"Damned if they aren't. You've punished them long enough. It's me you're after, witch. Don't you want me? Take me."

The witch watched him for a long moment and then turned away. "Follow me, Hunter." She spoke over her shoulder and began to step toward the water. Her footprints dinted the snowy ground and left a trail of glittering silver behind her.

Gaston waited a moment. He straightened his bow on his shoulder and lifted his bag from the ground. He caught up with the woman a second later.

She had paused by the water's edge and was staring into the shimmering liquid. Her eyes lifted and Gaston was surprised to see the gold within was replaced with emerald green. When she blinked and the gold blazed anew.

"Look into the water, Hunter." She ordered softly. Her hand trailed up and the water shivered beneath it. Tiny sparks shot from her fingertips and shocked the surface until it boiled. Gaston frowned but took a step closer and looked into its depths.

The water was a riot of bubbles and steam. Gaston felt the heat rise up as the water boiled. He surveyed the mist and waited for an image to appear. When it did not, he looked over at the woman beside him. She had dipped her fingers into the water and Gaston watched her hands sink out of sight. He reached out a large hand to pull her away from the scarring heat but the witch shook her head.

"Keep your eyes on the water, Hunter." She warned and her voice sounded very close to his ear.

He obeyed reluctantly and flicked his gaze back to the rolling waves. The fog was growing heavy and it moistened Gaston's thick black hair until it hung in damp ringlets against his neck.

"I don't see anything." He answered back, peering even harder at the surrounding haze.

No faces appeared. There were no massive creatures or bloody wars. If Gaston expected to have visions swirl before his eyes, he was disappointed. He shook his head and took a deep breath.

The air filled Gaston's lungs. He felt his chest expand and expand until it choked him.

Gaston tried to cough but he only swallowed more of the steaming water. It filled his throat and he felt his eyes begin to bulge. He turned to the witch but her face was blurry and her body swayed before him.

"Calm yourself, Hunter. Allow the mist to fill you." Her voice drifted over to Gaston.

The hunter tried to obey but his eyesight darkened and he was filled with an enormous sense of foreboding. A fear like he had never known before overcame his muscular frame. He felt his knees weaken under the weight of it. Panic rose up his spine and he raised a fist against an invisible enemy.

There was nobody there to battle. Gaston gritted his teeth and shook his head. The fear began to leave him. His breath came in heavy gulps. The air felt toxic.

He turned his head and saw the golden light from the woman. It smeared like metallic paint across the bubbling surface.

He sucked in more of the burning mist and felt it spread out in his chest. It crept along his breast and into his ribs. It began to burrow into his bones until they felt brittle beneath his skin.

The pain filled him at once, as though all of his joints broke at the same time. Gaston grasped at his chest but couldn't make a sound.

He fell to his knees. The agony was blinding. He had heard of tortures used in far-off lands that ripped men apart and suddenly knew what it felt like. His limbs hung limply at his sides. It felt as if his skin was the only thing holding him together.

He held his breath. The pain began to ease. When he breathed out again and unwillingly sucked in more of the wet air, he was surprised to find he no longer hurt.

The sweltering heat seeped out of his bones and into his organs. It melted into the soft muscles of his heart.

Gaston's eyes flew wide as the mist squeezed his most vital organ. It wrapped around his heart and thumped. The muscle began to beat rapidly. He felt his veins rush with blood and his cheeks redden. It was odd, not painful, and strangely familiar.

He had felt this feeling before.

His breathing hitched and his skin began to tingle. He was slightly dizzy and excited. His body was renewed. He was strong again, brave again. His heart swelled with...love.

Gaston closed his eyes and he could almost see the face of his beloved. The feelings in him rose and promised to overflow. He was reborn, invigorated, treasured. His heart beat faster until it sounded like two instead of one.

The happiness in him glowed golden in his soul. His tendons flexed stronger and more powerful than ever before. He lifted a hand before his face and marveled at its grip when he closed his fist. His lungs filled and his chest swelled. The muscles of his body trembled and swelled.

His mind began to spin. The water that burnt his throat traveled up to his brain and filled his eyes with tears. He was overcome by mind-splitting joy. It was a pleasure that was truly physical and Gaston felt the ecstasy of it in every thought. It felt more real than anything he had ever known. It overwhelmed him and Gaston put a hand against his chest and pushed hard. The air left his lungs in a rush and he bent over, panting.

He gulped and waited for the feelings to pass. After a moment, Gaston looked over to the witch.

She was waist deep in the boiling water. It washed over her hips and tugged at her long yellow hair. Her eyes were closed in burning agony. Gaston shook his head and without thinking, strode toward her.

Before she could open her eyes he had plunged into the burning liquid and yanked the woman to him. The water was scorching. It scolded his skin through the leather of his breeches. Gaston roared against the pain as he pulled her with him to the shore. The woman didn't fight him. She was impossibly still.

When he reached the edge of the water, Gaston grasped the woman and threw them both onto the snowy ground. He felt the peeling skin of his thighs fuse to his pants. The bottoms of his feet blistered against the arches of his boots. He knew he was in pain, but his mind couldn't focus on it. Instead, his adrenaline rose. He looked down at the silent woman.

Her eyes were still closed but he knew with certainty that she did not sleep. He gathered large mounds of snow in his hands and he began to pack it against the woman's legs and feet. He placed it around her hips and burnt fingertips.

"Come on. Come on." He repeated over and over as he placed his cold hands against her face. Her skin wasn't pale or red. She showed no sign of the pain he knew she must feel.

Gaston sat back on his tortured feet and stared at her. She looked almost serene. He bent down closer for a better look and suddenly the witch's eyes flew open. They glowed a soft green instead of gold as she turned her gaze to the bewildered man.

Then she smiled.

A.N. All rights to Disney.

Hello readers! It's been a while! I just wanted to let you know that on top of this new addition, I've also done some major editing to almost every other chapter. There were some much-needed changes that I think make the story flow better. More interesting dialogue and even some Beast cuddles. I hope you enjoy the changes!

So, what are your thoughts on poor Gaston? The guy can't catch a break! Any idea about what this is all about? Share your thoughts and you might win a dip in a pool with our favorite hunter!

I want to thank all of you for coming back to my story, especially those of you who have shared your reviews or PM's. Thank you venimeux, pinkdynamite, my bud Tek Sonay, Bookloverdream, ItachiFanGirl185 (so glad you are following!) livia101 (dude, I updated! :)), jb8410, squishmich, BarbieBunnie2015, and all my awesome guest reviewers! You guys are sunshine and lollypops!

As always, thank you for reading, reviewing, following and/or favoriting! -S.