I'm so sorry you all have had to wait so long for this chapter...our computer has been down for a couple days so i haven't been able to do ANYTHING! lol...so here you go...it's not as long as the others...but it's a BIG Merric chapter...i hope that makes up for the lack of length...

Chapter Eight

Merric provided the wet rags Gwen used to mop the beast's brow. Up close, the beast was every bit a frightening monster, but her attempted escape had taught her. The beast could be defeated. He might even have feelings other than rage.

The warm water soaked through his fur, darkening the light brown color to a rich chocolate, highlighted by the roaring fire behind them. Making sure he was still unconscious, she peeled back the layers of his bloodstained cloak and tunic. She winced. The wound was deep. She stood and went to find Merric.

Merric watched the girl leave the room from the shadows. She seemed nice enough, generous, kind. Certainly beautiful. If the beast's future didn't depend on her so much, he might have gone after her himself. As it was…

The large heap of beast lying before the fire breathed shallowly, slowly. Blood seeped slowly from his shoulder and other wounds made by the ripping of Wolfbane's teeth and claws. That blasted wolf! Why the sorcerers of old had let the pest live was beyond him.

As he watched the beast, the room suddenly dipped and spun. Merric blinked, rubbing his eyes. Nausea rolled his stomach and he fought to keep from dropping to his knees. The dimness abated just as suddenly as it had come. It was replaced by a light so incredibly bright, the very edges of time disappeared. He was left standing, shading his eyes as he was surrounded by white. The beast and his domain disappeared.

After a moment the brightness ebbed and Merric could open his eyes without pain. There was nothing around him but white light. Nothing, no one. Except the woman.

Merric couldn't believe his eyes. He bowed low to his former mistress. "Madam."

The woman didn't move. Her eyes stared at him, piercing him as though daggers of ice. It was a long time before she spoke. "A seed of love has been planted." Her voice echoed, pounding into his very bones. It reminded him vaguely of ice breaking over water during a spring thaw. Or of wolves howling at a full moon.

Merric, forgetting his wits, shook his head. "No, that isn't possible."

Merric's former mistress, the inhabitant before the current occupant, continued as though she hadn't heard him. "With life comes death. Your death. I would not be so quick to disregard my warning." She didn't blink, didn't move, didn't seem to breathe. They were surrounded by an eerie silence, broken only by the woman's words and Merric's harsh breathing. "As guardian of this castle and of the monster that resides within, your life is forfeit once the spell is broken by love."

Merric paled. "What are you saying?"

"You will die."

"No!" Merric screamed. "My term is up! My life will be mine once the spell is broken!"

The woman shook her head, slowly. "You will die. A life to give life."

Merric gasped for breath. This wasn't happening. "Why was this not told to me before? Why was I not told!"

"Love never showed her face. But, indeed, love is growing."

Merric shouted curses at her as terror filled him. "I was taken from my life! I had a family, did you know that?" he bellowed. "I don't remember their names; I can't remember their faces! This spell took my life away! I am without life!" He rasped for breath. "The best and the girl should give their lives to me! They took my life and now I am expected to give them more?
The women didn't flinch at his outrage. "Should the beast and the lady recognize their love, the spell will be broken and you will die. That is the way it has to be."

Merric screamed. And the light was gone.

"Merric?"

Wide-eyed, he spun, sputtering for breath, trying to make sense of things. Gwen stood before him, a quizzical look on her eyes. "What do you want?" he nearly shouted at her.

Gwen flinched and bit her lip. "I-I was wondering if this palace grew any herbs? I need something to lessen the pain should the beast wake."

Merric glared at her, hatred brimming. He came close to striking her, killing her. That way it would be over. His pale existence in this enchanted castle was better than no life at all. But as she watched him, he couldn't do it. He grunted. "I'll go see what I can find."

Gwen frowned, frightened, watching him as he walked away. Quickly, she fled, returning to the beast. Muttering to herself, she wondered why she was suddenly trying so hard to save the life of the one who…who…

Gwen stilled. What had he done? Other than scare her to death? For goodness sake, he had saved her life not three hours ago. And why? It wasn't exactly his fault she had stumbled into this upside down world.

He had killed her father.

Anger seared her heart and Gwen almost didn't go back to the study where her unconscious captor lay. Almost. Her father, her dear father, had taught her to respect life, that all deserve a chance to live. Revenge was not Henry's way. Nor would it be his daughter's. Gritting her teeth, still seething with anger, Gwen went back to her work.

A moment later, the beast grunted, startling her so badly she nearly fainted. The beast was waking up.

Pain. Searing, hot, white pain ripped through his shoulder. He tried to roar his pain but he couldn't find his voice. Something was wrong. He tried, but failed to open his eyes. He felt as though he had been buried under a mountain of stones and than rolled across a never ending valley of razor edged daggers.

Struggling past the waves of nausea, he finally managed to open a heavy eyelid. His vision blurred, unable to make out any identifying feature. A harsh scent crept up over him and he began to feel as though he were drowning in it. The pain in his shoulder began to decrease, rapidly.

Where was he? What happened?

He succeeded in opening both eyes, an action he regretted as he was suddenly aware of all, including pain like he'd never felt before. A blurred figure with long dark hair bent over him, a thick green and blue substance in its hands. He brought his hand up to rub his eyes and was rewarded with a stab of blazing pain. His head began to swim and his was vaguely aware of someone trying to calm him down. Not that it did any good.

He swung an arm out angrily, forcing the shadow to back away.

Gwen sighed in frustration and stepped back, letting the beast find his surroundings. Unexpectedly, he threw himself to his feet, his left arm hanging uselessly at his side. Gwen hurried to back away but tripped over her still damp skirts and she fell. She let out a yell as her hastily sewn stitches in her side separated and began to bleed.

The beast's rage disappeared as quickly as it had appeared. Gingerly he helped her off of the floor, taking obvious care to avoid touching her side. "I'm sorry! I didn't mean…"

Gwen stared at him in surprise, bordering on terror. That wasn't the beast's voice. It had changed somehow, it wasn't as deep, as raspy. It seemed almost…familiar. It rendered her speechless.

"Gwen, did I hurt you?" The beast settled her down on the settee he'd just vacated and looked her over, searching. Sighing with relief, he embraced her, encircling her with strong arms.

Too surprised to do anything else, Gwen let the beast hug her.

Abruptly, the beast pulled away, the familiarity of his voice disappearing. He growled and went to sit in a chair on the opposite side of the room. His back to her, he ripped excess cloth away from his shoulder and began nursing it like an animal.

Gwen snapped out of her daze. "No, don't do that." She rushed forward. "You'll only make it worse."

"What would you know?" the beast snapped, his growl sending shivers down her spine. "You're nothing more than a child." He licked his shoulder, dripping blood.

"I'm seventeen," she countered. "That's no mere girl-child." When the beast kept a deaf ear to her words, she threw her rags down in disgust. "You're nothing more than an animal!" She stepped closer until she stood over him, glaring down, daring him to say anything.

He dared.

"You're the one who ran away into the middle of a forest you know nothing about! You could have gotten killed! It's a wonder I didn't leave you to Wolfbane!"

"I wouldn't have run away if you hadn't tried to kill me!"

The beast roared. "I didn't try to kill you!"
"All you think about is yourself!"

The beast glared at her, his eyes full of pain, as if her words had truly, deeply, cut him. "I saved you, didn't I?"

Gwen blinked, suddenly finding it hard to breathe. He had saved her. He was a monster of the most hideous kind. He had allowed her father to die. Yet, did this monster have a heart?

A growl rumbling in his throat, he didn't take his eyes off of her. He gestured to her side. "You should take care of that."

Gwen glanced down. Blood had seeped through her hastily placed bandages, soaking the silk of her gown. Mourning the loss of the beautiful dress, Gwen momentarily forgot the beast as she ripped the dress more, in order to properly bandage the gash in her side. It took some maneuvering, and she wished for the herbs she had sent Merric to find, but the blood did not seep through her bandages.

She glanced back up, surprised to find the beast still watching her. Gwen blushed and swept her unkempt hair into a disheveled braid to give her hands something to do. When she finished, she noticed the beast's shoulder wound was still bleeding. "Here, let me help you with that."

The beast didn't move, and Gwen nearly turned back. With grim resolve she took the bandages from his hand and applied a wet cloth to the gash. He groaned, his howl echoing off the walls. "That hurts!" he hollered and wrenched away.

"Don't be such a child," she demanded, turning his insult back on him. With much grumbling and biting remarks, Gwen bound his shoulder, wondering what was taking Merric so long. Laying aside the supplies, she lowered her eyes. "Thank you," she whispered.

"For what?" The beast glanced at her, surprised.

"For saving my life." She glanced up and for once, neither her eyes nor those of the beast radiated anger or fear or surprise. If she hadn't known better, Gwen might have said they considered each other friends.

The beast smiled, the first smile Gwen had seen. Truth be told it looked more like a grimace, but it was a smile. "You're welcome."

The two didn't notice Merric as he slipped back into the shadows, dropping the requested herbs from his hands.