Disclaimer: Ditto
A/N: I would like to take a brief moment to express my thanks to all my reviewers but especially to Chica. It seems like you have stuck with the story since the beginning, and I'm always so happy to get reviews from you. Anyways, here is the next chapter and I hope its good. I give some of Alexander's history in here too so happy reading.
Bella Noir: Chapter VI
Bella woke up as the sun started to rise feeling warm and well rested. She snuggled closer to the warm body next to her slowly opening her eyes as she felt Alexander run his rough hand over her neck leaving a tingling sensation in its wake.
"Good morning." Alexander purred softly leaning into Bella's touch as she unknowingly began to stroke his chest marveling at the texture of the dark silk like fur.
"G'morning." She responded still slightly groggy from sleep. "Thank you for letting me stay with you."
"It was my pleasure Bella. Now tell me where you managed to steal this shirt." He ran his hand down her back, tracing her spine through the soft white material that was becoming sheer in the morning light.
Bella blushed and stammered slightly but not from embarrassment. She found that she didn't mind baring herself before Alexander, as long as he would keep on rubbing her back.
"It appeared in my room the other night when the nightmares were starting to get really bad and I put it on without realizing it was yours until I noticed it smelled like you. I've slept in it since then because it helps me feel safe." She explained to him with innocent honesty.
She loved the way he smelled and upon finishing her sentence she rubbed her nose along his collarbone inhaling and taking him in. He smelled like the forest during a summer night. Warm, dark, alluring, spicy and ultimately masculine.
"Have all your nightmares been like the one last night?" Alexander asked chuckling as he heard her smelling him.
"Yes." Bella told him after a thoughtful pause. She felt his body tense and she looked up to meet his human gaze finding anger there. "Alexander, what's wrong?"
"He's been torturing you for to long." His voice made her shrink back slightly. He was furious and a deep rumbling growl that started in his chest escaped through his mouth. Alexander tightened his arm around her waist and brought her back to him and Bella realized that he was being protective.
"They are just dreams." She whispered but she was already beginning to understand why he was so angry.
"No my dear, dreams don't have hands, dreams don't leave bruises." Alexander growled softly clutching her close. "But I promise you he will not touch you ever again."
Bella began to tremble as Alexander lifted up the sleeves and gently ran his rough padded like hand over the bruises that Bella was shocked to find.
"They were never bruises before. Alexander do you..." She took a deep breath and calmed herself hearing the quiver in her voice. "Do you think, he..." Alexander cut her off shaking his great head his muzzle dropping down to rub against her neck.
"No, I'd be able to smell him if he went that far. I think he might have wanted to, but sensed that he couldn't get away with that."
"How can we keep him away." She whispered. Alexander stood up and stretched.
"If your not opposed to it, I'd like for you to stay in here for a few nights." He expected at least a partial refusal on her part, was even ready to present an argument with her, but none came.
"If you don't mind having me? You will be here won't you." She asked, sitting up and draping her legs over the bed.
"Of course. Then after a few nights you can go sleep in your own room again and will see if Danton shows up." He didn't like the idea of her being put in a position where she could be hurt, but he would be there.
"Alright." She gave him a trusting smile that made his knees weak.
That night as the two dined she looked at him. "How did you come to be in this predicament."
"The only way I'll tell you, is if you tell me." Bella was quick to nod her consent since he knew most of her story anyways.
"Well, a long time ago the wild lands surrounding this castle were rolling fields and lush forests with plentiful game. The people were happy and prosperous because members of the royal family took very good care of them. It has always been that way, for my father, and his father before him.
One day I was out hunting and stumbled across Mauve who was bathing in a stream. She was lovely but I was not fooled or tempted by her looks. I immediately mistrusted her and she offered herself to me. I refused, kindly at first but then more insistent.
As, I'm sure you're aware, Mauve is not used to being refused and so she cursed me to this form and that my lands would be as they are now. The castle was spellbound and everything in it enchanted. From the walls to the servants." Alexander stopped his tale there leaving out a detail that he didn't feel Bella was ready to know yet.
"If the curse was to be broken, would you change?" Bella asked, not sure she liked the idea. She had grown attracted to Alexander as he was now.
"Yes, back to my normal self. And if the curse were to be broken my lands would be plentiful again and my people free. Now you must tell me your story."
Bella sighed, "It's not nearly as interesting as your's, but I did promise."
And so Bella told Alexander about how her brother had taken an abused enchanted puppy and they had both been punished.
When she was finished she was exhausted, surprised with how late it had become. Alexander startled her by sweeping her out of her chair and carrying up to his room. Handing her one of his clean shirts, like the one she had found in her room, he left to bath and she slipped out of her gown.
She thought about leaving her underclothes on but didn't. It gave her a thrill that was becoming more and more familiar to her, and she climbed under the covers listening to the sounds of his bathing. She was more than a little tempted to go look but decided that forgoing panties was as daring as she was going to get for one night.
Snuggling into the satin sheets of his bed comfortable and surrounded by Alexander's scent, Bella soon drifted off into a sweet sleep, undisturbed by the movements and motions of Alexander laying down beside her.
The next morning Alexander awoke while the sky was still dove gray and gazed down at Bella who lay by his side. His gaze found Bella's underclothes and his ability to breath halted. She lay next to him in nothing more than his shirt, yet he wasn't about to take advantage of her. That still didn't stop the image of her being willing.
Quickly, he got dressed and left her to wake when she would.
Bella woke as the sun was rising and immediately noticed that Alexander was already gone. A sense of loss filled her but she shrugged it off and scrambled out of bed. Picking up her clothes from the previous day she tossed them in a chute for the laundry, and dressed in the light muslin shift dress that waited for her with a rosy pink corset.
As she walked out into the hallway she noticed that the castle seemed to have moved itself around again, as it was know to do every know and again. This hallway was filled with portraits of royal looking people.
The very last portrait she came to stole her breath away and brought back that low stomach clinching sensation.
It was a man of marvelous proportion with broad shoulders and a narrow waist. He had long muscular legs and arms that could be seen even through the clothes and paint. He looked as if studying something his gaze baring into her soul with velvet brown eyes and lips that were full for a man.
His masculine jawline balanced his full lips, and alas, there was his hair that was absolutely captivating. It was so black it was almost blue and matched to coat of the horse in the picture with him. A horse that looked exactly like...
Bella gasped. It was! The horse was Demon, which meant that!...
Sure enough she dusted off the plaque beneath the frame to find the name 'Alexander IV'
A soft sound came from behind her and Bella whirled to find Alexander in the flesh and blood right behind her with an unreadable expression.
"Just what do you think you are doing?" He purred to her.