You had spent the better half of the afternoon staring at the ceiling.
In your defense, it's not as though the Beast had given you anything better to do. He'd herded you into this beautiful prison and left you with nothing but your thoughts. They were dangerous, to say the least, always leading you right back to Kalea and your home.
Keep reading
Sometimes, when you had cried long enough, your heart reminded you of all the dreams you had. The fantasies of reconstructing ships to perform whatever wild things your imagination could conjure. You had deluded yourself into thinking that one day you would even build a beautiful ship just for yourself and travel the galaxy.
Pilots would always talk about the stars and the beauty of the universe- but what you really wanted to see was the colors. Travelers said that it was called a 'nebula'. You had no idea what that meant scientifically, but to you, it meant something beautiful. Supposedly, the nebula's had colors that you had never even seen before and you had been drawn to them since.
A gnarled, dead branch scraped along your window.
Thinking about your fantasies would only hurt, especially when they were now impossible. You needed to put all of your energy into surviving this place and surviving the Beast.
There was a knock on the door, sharp and impatient. Your breath hitched in your throat as you sat up for the first time in hours. It had to be the monster on the other side, you'd seen no one else in the castle.
They rapped against the door once more and you sat frozen.
What would you do if he came in to finally collect your blood debt? There was nowhere to run, nowhere to hide- you would be taken as his sacrifice sprawled across this bed and soaked in tears.
The door opened and you held your breath, gripping the bed sheets hard.
To your surprise, two women shuffled through the entry, quickly pressing the button behind them. They were complete opposites in appearance, one was tall with dark hair and the other was short with frizzy, straw-colored curls.
The smaller one was older, wrinkles and smile lines indicating the type of life she might have lived- a life you'd have no chance at. You slowly exhaled, feeling the anxiety deflate in your chest.
"Well?" She squawked, throwing her hands up towards you. "Why didn't ya answer?"
You blanched.
"Um," the sound was stammered and you felt your body flush. "I'm- I'm sorry?"
Before she could get another word in, the tall and severe-looking woman spoke up.
"Don't mind her, she can't help being irritating. That's Peli and I'm Cara."
You nodded, your mouth dry as they stared. There was such an intensity to the way they watched you and it made you uncomfortable. You could only imagine how many women they had seen come and die in this castle, you wondered if they would even bother to remember your name once you were gone.
"Well," Peli clapped her hands, jolting you from your thoughts. "Let's get you ready for dinner!"
Your stomach dropped. You had no idea who these women were or what their role was in this castle, but clearly, they were Beast sympathizers at the very least.
"I don't want to," you whispered, leaning away from the pair.
Peli tilted her head back and barked a sharp laugh. "Oh, don't be a pansy. You'll make him mad and then we'll all cop it."
You stared in horror.
"Alright, get out," Cara suddenly spoke, smacking the button and shooing the curly-haired menace out the door. "You're making it worse."
There was a short struggle as Peli tried to defend herself but in the end, Cara managed to pluck her from the room. You couldn't say that you weren't grateful for it, that was too much energy for what you'd just endured. As Cara closed the door and turned to face you, you realized just how intimidating she was. The woman looked like something out of a military campaign with her wide shoulders and muscular build.
"She's right though," Cara shrugged, a lazy smile playing on her lips. "You can't not go."
You knew that they had a point, you were surprised that you were even alive and you had no desire to push the Beast to change his mind about that.
But to see him again?
You shuddered.
"I know," you rasped, fingers trembling as they swiped over your arm. You didn't want to see the relief on her face at your words, it made you angry. This entire dynamic was something out of a horror story and Cara and Peli were either trapped in this life or accomplices. Even if they were forced into this, how could they willingly stand by as people died at the hands of the Beast they served?
The woman smiled, oblivious to your thoughts as she walked towards the closet with a sigh.
"Right, let's see what's in this thing then."
You forced your coat tightly against your body, eyeing the door before you uneasily. You'd been standing there for minutes on end, deliberating on whether you should just return back to your room. It wasn't truly an option, the Beast knew exactly where you were and there was no doubt in your mind that he'd be darkening your doorway within the hour.
You bounced lightly on your feet as if about to get into the cage of a cantina boxing match. "Okay," you nodded your head, reaching your hand for the door shakily. The second your fingers touched the button you felt your chest squeeze hard.
"Fuck!" You hissed through gritted teeth, forcing the anxiety down in your chest. There was no way out of this and prolonging the inevitable would only make it so much worse.
With that, you opened the door.
The room was magnificent, to say the least.
In fact, to describe it as a room would be a severe understatement.
It was a great hall, the marble ceiling carved to tell stories that you'd never know. Had you been none the wiser, you'd have thought this was a museum. There were artifacts in glass cases lining the room, ancient weaponry from a foreign culture hanging from the walls. There were no windows to be seen, though the room was lit well by the intricate chandeliers hanging. It was beautiful, to say the least.
Your heart fluttered at the sight of the hardwood table in the center of the room.
Dinner was served atop of it on sealed platters, the contents hidden until opened. There was a cushioned chair on either end- but both were empty.
The Beast was not there.
A sense of uneasiness settled on your shoulders like a heavy shawl, suffocating you with its demand to be heard. You were late, there was no reason for the monster to not already be there. What if this had been a trap? Had you just been stupid enough to walk straight into a set-up?
You spun on your heels, suddenly desperate to return to the false sense of security your room had provided.
The Beast leaned in the doorway, arms folded across his chest.
You choked on your own breath and a gasp ripped its way from your throat. Light from the fire reflected against his armor and he truly looked like the legend he had been made to be. He looked like death incarnate.
You were silent before him, fingers trembling so hard that you shoved them behind your back. His formidable height took up the majority of the entrance, blocking out the light from the hallway behind him. You knew then, in the way that he stood so impossibly still, that this was no human- he truly was something else.
The monster tilted his head, pushing off from the arch he leaned on.
"You're here."
Words refused to grace your tongue and you could only offer a small nod. Your fingers dug into your biceps with extreme force, reminding yourself that you were still alive and that you needed to stay that way.
"How-" you rasped, clearing your throat uneasily. "How long were you there?"
"Long enough to be surprised that you opened the door."
Embarrassment trickled down your spine with the heat of a thousand suns.
The creature brushed past you, the length of his cape skimming along the skin of your hand. He made his way to the table silently, gesturing for you to follow.
Your heart skipped a beat as you watched the Beast pull your chair out lightly. Thankfully, he didn't linger to help push it back in once you were seated. You were uncomfortable turning your back on him, though, you supposed he didn't have to wait for you to be vulnerable if he'd wanted to hurt you- to someone like him you were free reign.
He took a seat in his chair, watching you from behind that wretched visor.
"Eat."
You clenched your jaw, finally noticing that there was no plate in front of him. You wanted to scream in protest, you wanted to throw your fork at him and cry that you weren't going to eat while he watched. There was nothing worse than feeling like you were the evening's entertainment, like a court jester dancing until he got the hook.
As if the Beast saw your apprehension, he leaned his elbows against the table.
"I don't eat this stuff," he said simply, nodding his helmet at the abundance of platters scattered across the hardwood. "It's all yours."
You raised a brow, shakily reaching for the lid of the closest platter. Juicy, roasted porg sat piled high on the plate and you almost dropped the covering in your hand. Porg was rare on Nevarro, considering they weren't a local species it shocked you to see it. The rest of the dishes were similarly foreign delicacies, fruits you'd only ever heard of and meats and bread that you'd rarely had the opportunity to taste.
You decided by the uncovering of the third platter that if the monster wanted to kill you tonight, then you would at least go out on a full stomach. It was the least that he could give you.
You tried to ignore him while you ate, forcing yourself to believe that you deserved a meal without him plaguing your thoughts. The Beast had leaned back in his chair, crossing one leg over the other and folding his arms against his broad chest. He was the picture of nonchalance, whereas you looked like a starved animal who'd finally found a meal.
When you had finally finished, you cleaned yourself with the damp cloth provided and observed the monster before you.
"Did you enjoy it?" His voice was softer than usual as he sat upright once more. You thought that it was obvious by the fact that you'd cleared half the platters on the table.
"Yes," you said hesitantly, "thank you for the meal."
He nodded, standing to his feet slowly. You weren't sure whether you were meant to follow, the monster gave no instruction but you stood anyway.
"You still want me to fulfill your demands?" The Beast observed the walls around him as he questioned you, a sigh filtering through the helmet. "I promise you'll regret it."
You swallowed your anxiety as best as you could, forcing yourself to approach him on shaky legs.
"I figured I'd find out eventually…" you ventured nervously, shrugging your shoulders as he looked down from the ceiling. He shifted, his body now facing yours square on.
"Yes," he breathed, "you would."
The Beast said nothing further and you squirmed beneath his gaze. You'd never grow used to the silences, they were always full of unsaid secrets that you feared you'd never get to learn. Especially not when he watched you like that, like all of his mysteries were to your detriment.
"What do you want from me?" You whispered, meeting his stare head on. You wished you could see through that visor.
The Beast's fingers twitched by his side.
"You're a blood sacrifice," the monster said slowly. "I need your blood."
You forced yourself not to flinch. You tried to convince yourself that you'd already known this and that it shouldn't have come as a surprise.
"You said you wouldn't hurt me," your voice had more volume now but the words still shook. "In the dungeon, that's what you said."
You knew that you were going to die. All the women did. You were a stupid fool to think that maybe there was a sliver of hope for you… like you were special. Like you were better than any of the women prior to you who had probably thought the same thing.
The Beast shook his head, closing the distance between you both in one fluid movement.
"I said that you wouldn't die."
The words hit home like a gavel in a courthouse. Your life sentence had been served. You took an unsteady step back, the table clattering as your back pressed against it. The Beast followed your movements lazily, cornering you against the hardwood.
"Don't run," he said firmly, the growl in his voice not entirely hidden by the vocoder. "If you know what's good for you, don't run."
How could he ask you that? How could he ask you to stand there and accept your fate of a life of servitude and torture?
"Please," your voice was watery at best, fingers digging into the table hard enough to draw blood.
The helmet tilted as the monster beneath appraised you. His gloved finger lifted to your chin and although it was a slow movement, you jolted back sharply, the cutlery clanging on the hardwood you leaned against.
"Easy," the monster murmured, "easy. Let me explain."
You couldn't help the tears that had collected against your lashes nor the way that you shrunk beneath him. The only thing keeping you standing was the furniture digging into your spine, it was all that grounded you.
"I need your blood to survive," the Beast disclosed, his hand moving from your chin to grip your wrist. You knew it was a precaution, a cuff to ensure that when you ran he would have the means to stop you. "That doesn't mean I want to brutalize you to get it."
You almost laughed, a manic terror bubbling in your chest- this was a fucking nightmare. There was no way that this wasn't one of your sister's holo-stories finding itself in your dreams. You'd had enough of this, enough of the Beast, and enough of myths and legends.
"What are you?" You rasped, glaring at him through your tears. "What the fuck are you hiding beneath that helmet, Beast?"
The monster leaned back slightly, a sharp inhale indicating that you'd struck a chord with that name. Good. You wanted to hurt him as much as he was going to hurt you,, no matter how terrifying the creature before you was, you wanted to leave your mark.
"Taking the helmet off will only scare you," the Beast shook his head.
"You already scare me," you whispered, analyzing every point of his visor and wondering if you were meeting his eyes. The monster fell silent and his twitching fingers grew still.
He was close, so close that you could actually smell him. His scent was unique and not at all like the horrible stench you'd been expecting. Smoke, pine, and leather filled your senses and numbed you for a bitterly short moment.
"Believe it or not," the Beast murmured, drawing you back from your thoughts. "I don't want this situation any more than you do."
You would have scoffed had you not thought that he was telling the truth. The brutal honesty of his words had you questioning everything all over again. You were exhausted, you were afraid and all you wanted was some answers.
"We had a deal," you said, tugging lightly on his grip. He retracted his hand quickly, almost like he'd been burned. You wondered if he'd even realized he was still holding you.
"Fine," the words were a snarl, and you were taken aback. The Beast had been talking so softly you'd almost forgotten that he could raise his voice.
"You know that you're here because I need your blood to survive," he snapped.
You nodded your head impatiently but the Beast stepped into your space once more, this time his shoulders were squared off and he stood tall.
"Do you know how I survive off it?" His voice was mocking and angry and it gripped you by the throat with every word. Unease suddenly spilled down your spine like a bucket of ice and you felt the hair on your arms raise.
"Do you?" He repeated louder, the vocoder unable to hide the growl in his voice.
"No!" Your voice shook as your back pressed against the table.
"No," the Beast mocked quietly, pulling the collar of your coat down with a soft but quick movement. There was nowhere for you to evade his touch, trapped between a monster and an immovable obstacle. That damned orange-tipped finger tapped the tender skin of your neck gently. Your pulse thrummed beneath his touch and you heard a groan from beneath the helmet.
"I need your blood to survive," the Beast growled, "because I drink it."
Your stomach dropped. Immediately, you felt the food that you had scoffed down earlier make its way to your throat. This was worse than you could have ever imagined. Every atom in your body buzzed with adrenaline and all that you could think about was running. Your survival instincts screamed at you and your body was hauled into overdrive.
"No," you made a move to listen to your million-year-old flight reflex but the Beast was faster than you'd ever be. His hand slammed down on the table beside you.
"If you run," he breathed, "I will kill you before you take your second step."
Tears blurred your vision as heat ran rampant across your chest and neck. Your heart thrashed between your ribs, beating against its cage with an urgency you'd never felt.
You realized, with horror, why he had fed you such a feast.
Your chest heaved with every heavy breath you took, a second away from hyperventilating your way into the grave.
"You wanted to see what I am?" The Beast roared, mere inches from your trembling body. You shook your head, sobbing your protest. You didn't want to see him anymore, you didn't want to know anything else about this creature.
The monster reached for his helmet, despite your pleading. You had pushed him too far and taken his patience for granted. With both hands gripping the sides tightly, the Beast took a step back.
You could do nothing but hold your breath as he pulled it off.
