The Beast and I: Volume 1 Read online

  I blinked again. He will have my body at his every command? What did that mean? Did he wish me to work for him?

  I didn’t know and I wanted it clarified for me. I licked my lips nervously and asked, “Will you lock me up in the basement?”

  He seemed amused at my question. “Basement?” he queried. Then he shook his head. “Not basement. Bedchamber, which is very tempting, but I will only do so if you agree to it,” he said.

  I sighed a breath of relief. “Then I do not agree to it. I do not like basements and I do not like being locked up.”

  “Very well, then,” he said. “It is unfortunate, but you will not be locked up.”

  “Will you beat me also?” I couldn’t help asking. “And make me work all day and all night?”

  “I will not beat you nor will you work, neither day nor night.” He moved his hand and touched my face. “You will do nothing but please me. All you have to do is offer yourself to me when I command you to.”

  I still didn’t believe him and said, “You really mean that? That I don’t have to work all day and night? That I won’t be locked up?”

  He simply stared at me and then I heard another chuckle escaping his lips. He must find me very amusing… Or rather, was it my bargaining with him for my freedom?

  Ignoring his thoughts of me, I was persistent and said, “You cross your heart and swear it on your life for that?”

  He seemed to be thinking for a moment as he was eyeing me. Or rather, he was staring at my lips. God, but I felt conscious of it.

  Finally, he nodded. “I swear on my life that I will not do anything you don’t agree to.”

  Only then did I sigh in relief and smile gratefully. I said, “Thank you. It means a lot to me.”

  I shut my eyes, thinking how fortunate this had turned out for me. Truly, I had thought that I’d die at this very moment by the hands of the beast, but who would have guessed that I was bargaining for my life, instead?

  I wouldn’t be locked up like I used to be, nor would I have to work all day and night. All I had to do was to offer myself to this beast when he commanded it…

  My eyes fluttered opened. Wait. I still didn’t understand what he meant, particularly that last part.

  I was about to ask when he said, “Will you offer yourself to me now?”

  I stared at him, my heart pounding in my chest. Why was I being hesitant? Hadn’t I just agreed to him that I would obey him and offer myself to him, moments ago?

  “You must understand that I have been waiting for a long time for someone like you to come along, sweetheart.” He sounded amused when he continued, “This is the first time in a thousand years that they offered me something this enticing, and dare I say that I can’t control myself much longer.”

  Lord, but I was even more confused with his words.

  “Now, darling, I wish to taste your nectar,” he said in a more urgent tone that both warmed my blood and scared me at the same time.

  His tone implied to me that he was desperate, like I was desperate to be free. And certainly, I knew how that felt.

  This beast wasn’t going to kill me. He wasn’t going to lock me up. And he wasn’t going to let me work all day and night until I was exhausted and fell sick like my mother, and I was thankful for that.

  Wanting to show my appreciation and share my gratitude, I nodded my head and said, “Yes, but—”

  I was cut short from finishing my query as we suddenly started falling. I hastily tightened my arms around his neck as I buried my face against his muscular chest. The strong gust of wind whooshed upward against us as we fell, my hair fluttering about in the air.

  Suddenly, he moved me in his arms and I was being carried. Then we flew and I found that we flicked in and out of places. I knew it was magic for sure, as we seemed to be skipping time and space itself, with bright lights and stars blazing around us.

  * * *

  The beast laid me down on the ground, the mossy grass cool beneath me. Still a little dizzy, I breathed slowly and deeply with my eyes closed, to get my bearings back. When I was fine again, my eyes fluttered open to see my new surroundings, which took my breath away.

  Before me was a lagoon, the water sparkling like stars beneath the night sky. To the left, right, and behind me was woodland, and amongst the groves and cliff edges were raw crystals and gemstones, all in different colors of the rainbow, glowing and lighting up the darkness. This place was indeed more beautiful than the village, and I couldn’t believe something like this existed. I felt like I was in a dream paradise to be sure.

  I was so consumed with admiring my heavenly surroundings that I didn’t notice a fire was being lit by a sort of magic, until I felt its warmth against my skin.

  I turned my gaze to the blaze and smiled, appreciating the comforting image. Unthinking, I got on my hands and knees and crawled toward it, to sit closer. I was almost there when I felt a strong hand around my middle, and a moment later, I was pulled back and puff! I found myself sitting on the beast’s lap.

  My heart pounded in my chest as my mind began to race.

  What was this beast doing? Why did he make me sit on his lap like this? The only lap I had ever sat on like this had been Mother’s. Then it hit me! First it was “sweetheart” and now I was sitting on his lap. Had this beast been so lonely that now when I was offered to him as a sacrifice for the village, he was treating me as his baby? Or cub? He was a beast, wasn’t he? And he was thousands of years old, correct? He must have wanted children?

  Of course, I knew how lonely one felt when one had no one to talk to, or worse, love. I had been like that since Mother had died four years ago, after all, and I honestly felt for him.

  I tilted my head and raised my eyes to look at him behind me, or rather at his demonic mask. Once again, I shuddered in fright at the sight.

  He chuckled at my reaction. “Are you scared of me, darling?”

  I blinked. Darling? So, he was calling me darling, now, was he? He must be very lonely indeed.

  I licked my lips and nodded. “A little. That mask.”

  He pulled me closer against him, and I had to admit, I didn’t dislike the warm heat and hardness of his body behind me. Compared to Mother, he was just hard everywhere, almost like a marble floor or a rock; his whole body, especially that part between his legs, which was poking at my lower back. He was a male, so I supposed this was normal?

  I had no idea what was to happen next, but suddenly, the flimsy sleeves about my shoulders were down, and it wasn’t long until my top garment was torn.

  “Huh!” I gasped in surprise, and covered my front as my face turned red with embarrassment.

  What was the beast doing? Tearing at my clothes like that?

  “What are you doing?” I asked as I clutched what little material was left on me.

  He said, “Clothes are a hindrance.”

  “Oh,” I made the sound. Clothes are a hindrance? He was a beast, wasn’t he? So, perhaps he wanted to cuddle me naked? Like wild creatures in the woods do with their offspring?

  Realizing that was his intention, I relaxed back against him as he continued to pull that flimsy sacrificial ceremonial garment off me. And soon, I was completely and utterly naked.

  So, this was what he meant when he wanted me to offer my body to him when he commanded it? He simply wanted to cuddle me when the mood struck him, just as when Mother wanted to cuddle me when the mood struck her.

  I smiled, thinking about Mother.

  Still though, that part of the beast was getting harder. I was sure of it. And I was certain that it was getting bigger also. Perhaps that part of him indicated how pleased he was? It told of his good mood?

  I raised my head to look at him again, but of course, that mask… I needed to get used to it, I supposed, and fast.

  I licked my lips and said, “What should I call you? You have a name, no?”

  “Aslan,” he said. “Call me Aslan.”

  I tried it. “Aslan,” I said and smiled. It was a nic
e name. “Does it mean lion, by any chance? I seem to remember that’s what it means, from a book I read.”

  He chuckled as he moved me and then repositioned me so that I now sat higher on his lap, my backside right on his crotch. And that part of him…

  I shivered a little, and suddenly, I felt this heat building inside of me that I had never felt before. I felt flushed suddenly, and wondered if perhaps the fire in front of us was getting too hot.

  “You read?” he asked as he gathered my hair and rested the bunch to one side of my shoulder. When he did that, I felt very exposed. Before, my long hair was practically covering my naked body, but now…

  My breasts—round and perky—were basically out for the world to enjoy. My flat stomach, too, was bare, as was my womanhood—down there, and of course, my slender legs.

  I nodded my head. “Yes, I read,” I said, closing my legs so that he wouldn’t see that part of me so openly. I seemed to remember Mother said something along the lines, when I had been younger, of never letting a man see that part of you, but it had been long ago, so I wasn’t sure.

  Then again, this one was a beast, wasn’t he? Surely, a naked girl meant nothing to him?

  Just as I thought that, I felt his warm hand touching my breast. I sucked in my breath at the intimate contact as a buzz of sensation coursed throughout my body.

  What just happened? What was that sensation?

  I felt my body basking in this new sort of pleasure I had not felt before, as Aslan the Beast touched my nipple between his finger and thumb.

  “Ngh…” I accidentally groaned out, as I held on to his arm around me. Oh, God, what was going on? I was both scared and fascinated at the same time at what he was doing to me.

  “As…Aslan? What are you doing?” The question was barely audible as it came out of my mouth.

  “You did agree to offer yourself to me, didn’t you?” he asked.

  I nodded my head with my eyes shut as another wave of sensation rushed through my body.

  Suddenly, he was squeezing my nipple, and I groaned loudly again, as tears started brewing in my eyes. Then his other hand was on my other breast, too, and he began to wreak havoc on that one as well.

  The way he cupped my breasts, squeezed, and pinched the nipples was both painful, yet strangely pleasant at the same time. And while he was doing this, the hotness kept building within me and those wild sensations kept buzzing and coursing all over me so that my head was spinning.

  I had no idea how long he was going to keep this up, but I knew I wouldn’t last. Was this the way a beast cuddled his offspring? I didn’t know, but I did know that humans didn’t do this. At least Mother didn’t do this sort of thing to me. She merely cuddled me and kissed me on the cheek or forehead before going to sleep. But this beast named Aslan? He was doing the oddest things to me.

  By the time he was done with my breasts, they were sore and red, and my nipples stood upright and hard, like two little marbles. I was breathless and tears were flowing down my flushed cheeks.

  Only this evening I had been crying because I thought I was going to die, and now I was also crying, because this blasted beast was playing havoc with my breasts and nipples.

  Assuming he had had enough cuddling, I gleefully moved out of his embrace. I got onto my hands and knees again and was about to crawl away when I felt his hand wrapped around my ankle, stopping me in my tracks.

  Oh, Lord, hadn’t he had enough cuddling yet?

  I turned to look at him, but of course, facing me was that blasted demonic mask. But his eyes, they were dark and glinting with a sort of passion that I had never seen before on anyone. Instantly, I felt myself respond to his stare and my body became weak.

  No. No. I didn’t want him to do any more cuddling to me, thus I quickly turned away from his gaze and proceeded with my escape. I managed to take one tiny crawl when I felt his large, strong palm between my legs, on my womanhood. I yelped instantly as this wild sensation rushed throughout my body, making my legs and arms weak so that I nearly collapsed onto the ground.

  Breathless at the alien emotions erupting within me, I wasn’t aware of the beast wrapping his other arm around my middle and pulling me back against him. And then I was back in his embrace and on his lap. This time, however, he had me tight against him so that I wouldn’t have the chance to escape again. And, oh God, I just knew where he was intending to pay his undivided attention next.

  Panic seized me as my body shivered in trepidation at the thought of what was likely to happen if he…

  God, I couldn’t even handle it when he was merely cupping me down there. What would happen to me if he were to do the same thing to my womanhood as what he had done to my breasts and nipples? I’d die. I swear I’d die, for sure.

  Determined to put him off, I closed my legs, but of course, it was to no avail as he already had his hand there, still cupping warmly against my softness.

  “Open your legs for me, darling,” he commanded softly.

  “But…” I managed to squeak out.

  “Shh…” He hushed me up like I was a baby about to cry. Indeed, I was about to cry, so frightened I was.

  “There’s nothing to be afraid of,” he said, soothing me.

  There is everything to be afraid of! I wanted to yell at him.

  “You’re going to cuddle me there like you did to my breasts, aren’t you?” I demanded to know. “I thought you said you wouldn’t hurt me, and yet you did,” I accused.

  He chuckled in amusement again. He stroked my face as he asked, “Did I hurt you?”

  “Of course, you did, you uncouth beast,” I snapped. “You saw me crying, too, and you didn’t even stop.”

  “Shh…” He made the sound. “I’m sorry I hurt you, sweetheart, but you’ll get used to it soon enough. Your young body is new to this sort of…cuddling.”

  It was true that this was my first time and he was right, perhaps I’d get used to it? This cuddling of his.

  It was then that something very important hit me. I’d get used to it soon enough? Did that mean I had to endure this many more times?

  I couldn’t help myself and asked, “How many more times are you going to do this to me?”

  “How much do you want the village to prosper?” he asked bluntly.

  I blinked. So, the more I pleased him, the more the village prospered, then?

  I replied bluntly, “Not much.”

  He looked at me for a moment and then roared out with laughter, which annoyed me. What did he find so hilarious? I wondered.

  When he finally managed to stop, he said, “Sorry, darling, but your feelings toward the village doesn’t matter in this case. Just know that I expend a lot of my magic to protect that small realm of a village of yours from harm’s way and make it prosper, and I do intend to enjoy the compensation I’ve received for my hard work.”

  Yes, I was that compensation, and of course, I understood that he would like to enjoy it—me—but…

  “Now, open your legs, sweetheart,” he gently urged.

  My body still stiff and tense, I took a deep breath and then gave in. Slowly, I opened my legs for him as he guided me. Then he repositioned me on him, and as he intimately touched me down there again, I buried my face against his chest and closed my eyes, waiting for the pain as well as those wild sensations to come.

  Indeed, the moment I felt his palm pressed against me, the wild sensations stirred within me, along with an urgent sort of heat that made me restless.

  His finger stroked my flesh down there and he even nipped the little bud inside, which made me groan, my voice muffed against his chest.

  “Does it hurt?” he asked gently, and I shook my head in the negative.

  “It doesn’t hurt, but…” I groaned again, and my whole body shook uncontrollably as this overwhelming, electrical sort of pulse rushed through me. “But…” I continued, “it feels strange and…” I groaned again.

  Aslan chuckled as he lifted me up against him. It seemed I was slipping down
, which I hadn’t realized. God, my body was becoming so hot that I was sure I was melting against him.

  Aslan inserted a finger into my secret woman’s place and I cried, both in fright at the alien feelings and sheer satisfaction at being filled.

  Why did I want to be filled? Especially down there. But oh, God, his one finger didn’t feel like it was enough. It just wasn’t enough to satisfy this urgent need that was burning so hot inside me.

  “Aslan,” I said his name softly. “Please… Do something, I feel so strange.”

  “Shh… Be patient,” he said. “Fuck, you have a beautiful body.”

  Fuck! I blinked. I had never heard of that word before. Fuck! What did it mean?

  Suddenly, he inserted another finger and I groaned even more as I clung to him. God, this was even worse than when he had played havoc on my breasts and nipples. Despite there being no pain, the sensation, however, was overwhelming and it was driving me crazy. My head was in a daze of a mess and I couldn’t think.

  “Aslan,” I begged again. “Please, do something. I can’t… I can’t hold on much longer.” I was in tears now, so engulfed I was with these new, wild sensations that had taken over my body and head.

  “Very well,” he said, chuckling. “As you please, Princess.”

  I wiped my tears as I muttered, “I’m not a princess, I’m just Lilly.”

  Aslan moved me again and I found myself lying on the soft mossy grass on my back, my legs spread wide, and he above me, staring down at me. Suddenly, he undid his pants and out sprang a large, hard thing that I had never seen before.

  Was that…

  Was that the thing that had been poking against me all this time? His thing that I knew was getting hard and growing bigger and warmer the more I stayed close to him.

  Suddenly, I panicked, wondering what was wrong with me.

  Oh, God! Why couldn’t I stop staring at it? Why? And why did I want to touch it and…

  Oh, God, I wanted it in me. I didn’t know why but I did. I wanted it to fill me where I needed it most.

  “Aslan,” I said softly. “It’s big.”

  “Of course it is, darling,” he said. “It wants you, after all.”