Chapter 1
Prologue
The wind was still as he drew back his arrow. Thunder clapped in the distance, masking my scream as it flew past me and made its home in the Beast. The Beast I had grown to love. Lighting flashed as it tore through her body, leaving a gaping hole filled with only sorrow. I saw her transform.
As she fell to the floor, a look of shock on her face, I fell along with her, catching her head before it connected with the stone floor. I heard his yell of triumph as she started transforming before me. Her hair turned to silk in my hand, her eyes becoming light and purity, shown as the brightest hazel I had ever seen. She smiled, saying my name once, then her body went limp. Fully exposed, as the Beast from before became the girl I knew her to be.
The rain started to fall as I covered her with my jacket. I turned to face her killer, the smile on his face dissipating as he realized what he had taken from me. My face was wet with tears, contorted with anger, I stood. He backed slowly, saying my name and putting his hands out. He dropped the weapon, trying to gain back the trust he once had from me. The bow clashed against the floor, bouncing with a loud snap, the rain still pouring around us, making our hair drip and stick to our scalps. All I saw was red. The red of her blood, now covering my hands, dripping to the ground beneath me. He stopped, backing up against the wall. I advanced towards him slowly, maliciously, watching his eyes as they filled with fear. He mumbled his apology, hoping I’ll find forgiveness for him. But it was taken with her soul.
I leaned down and picked his bow off the floor, getting an arrow lying next to it. They both fought against the rain, sticking to the floor slightly. As I set it against my cheek I aimed it straight for his heart. I wanted him to feel it enter him like she felt it. I wanted to see him cry out in pain as she did. I wanted to hear his body hit the floor, no one there to catch him as he fell. So I took a deep breath, the world slowing as I did. I let it fly with my breath as it escaped my body in an exhale. The feather of the arrow cut my cheek as the band of the bow snapped against it, sending it shooting towards the man who killed her. Without blinking I watched it, the seconds beating past with my heart.
I watched it soar as if in slow motion. I heard it connect with his skin. His last breath came out a gasp, filling the night sky with his cry, the rain taking it and giving it to the wind. And I watched it happen. As his body sunk to the floor, his eyes filled with sorrow and regret. But it’s too late for regret. He let his arrow fly so I did too.
One life for another. Hers precious. Pure. His evil and full of hate. It’s not a fair trade. But it’s the best I can do for her. Her smile flashed through my mind, making my eyes fill again as I turned towards her once more. She was laying there, her blood being swept away with the currents caused by the storm, leaving a small puddle by her head. Her brown hair was covered in red. Her eyes closed. She looked peaceful. The first time I saw her true form in person and she was gone. The Beast no more. I let the bow fall to the floor once again and walked over to her, leaning down and positioning her hair so it’s all lying to one side. She’s beautiful, just like I had always imagined her to be, just like the pictures I found hidden in her library.
My Beast. My Beauty. My Belle.
