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Dinner for Sonya had been eventful that night. Not only had her sisters given her attitude because of the gift their father had given her and started an uproar at the restaurant, but her father had also announced that he would once again be leaving at the end of the month on a new exploration. Granted, this time he was sticking a little closer to home, that didn’t change the fact that he had just returned from his last trip and she had barely spent any time with him.

Stretched across her bed, with the book she had been reading lying open across her chest, Sonya held the jeweled rose her father had given her just before dinner. Holding the beautiful piece of jewelry up to the light, she couldn’t help but marvel at how spectacular it was or how perfect it felt as it dangled from around her neck. Always the simple one in the family, Sonya rarely wore showy and flashy jewelry like her sisters. In fact, she could count on one hand how many pieces of jewelry she actually owned. Nothing she wore had ever felt right, as if it was meant for her, but the necklace she held in her hand was different. The reds, greens, and gold of the piece called to her, telling her that it was crafted especially for her and no one else.

Why are you here?

The dark voice from her dream hadn’t left her yet. Sonya could still see those yellow eyes staring down at her every time she blinked. As hard as she tried to convince herself that her dream was nothing more than a twisted nightmare, she couldn’t ignore the dark weight that had settled on her shoulders.

“What’s wrong with me?” she whispered as she continued to stare at her lovely gift.

What isn’t wrong with you?

That was a question she had asked herself many times before, and she still hadn’t come up with an answer. Whatever. She could figure the answer out later. Until then, she had more important things on her mind.

“So, father’s leaving for another trip,” Sonya mumbled to herself. She wished her life was half as exciting as her father’s. Traveling, seeing the world, meeting new people, tasting new foods... it was the life she could only dream of. Until her divorce was final and she managed to get back on her feet, she wasn’t going anywhere. What little money she had she kept saved for her next down payment. Granted, she did enjoy being back home and seeing her father; she wasn’t like her sisters. She wouldn’t mooch off her father until the day he died.

She had lived with a man for most of her life, and since she no longer had shackles around her feet, she wanted to experience life. She wanted to laugh, to live… but most of all, she wanted to love. To fall in love, true love, with the one who was destined for her.

She simply refused to believe that there was nothing more to life than loneliness and heartbreak.

You’ve been reading way too many romance novels. Maybe, but that didn’t change the fact that she wanted her happy ending just the same.

“You’re such a sap,” Sonya grumbled to herself as she closed her book and set it on the nightstand next to her bed. Tired and drained from her sad reality, she wanted nothing more than to undress, take a long shower, and then climb into bed. She would put her real-life issues on pause for the night.

Sonya headed towards her adjourning bathroom. Spacious and luxurious, every time she walked in the room she was awed by its beauty. Contemporary in its design, the walls and floors were covered in a beautiful cream and natural stone tile, whose neutral shades of brown complemented the marble that surrounded the large sunken bathtub that was literally the size of a small swimming pool. Wall lamps surrounded the bath and the opposite side of the room where the toilet and sink were.

Cattycorner was her favorite part of the bathroom, where a floor-to-ceiling glass shower had quickly become her new best friend since moving back home. While she did love the feel of the hot water as it beat against her body, her gaze went to the bath; she was more in a soaking mood. She wanted to let her body relax in the hot water, which was exactly what she was going to do.

Sitting on the edge of the bath, Sonya ran the water, humming a soft tune to herself.

After a few moments, she left the bath to fill as she went about getting her sleepwear together. Back in the bedroom, she rummaged through her unpacked bag of clothes. Pulling out an old oversized T-Shirt and a pair of her ex’s boxers, she tossed them on the bed. Closing her suitcase, she then made her way over to her dresser. Grabbing a few of her natural oils for her hair and her lotion, she returned to the bathroom, making sure to grab her towel from the door handle along the way.

“Damn it!” She cursed as she noticed the tub was just about to overflow. Dropping her stuff off on the nearest countertop, Sonya rushed over and turned off the water. After giving a sigh of relief, glad that she wouldn’t be cleaning up an unwanted puddle, she stripped. She left her clothes in a pile on the floor as she dipped her big toe in the water to make sure the temperature was just right. Content with the water’s temperature, she eased her body down, sighing as warmth surrounded her, comforting her and taking her far away from her father’s house… far from her pain.

As she leaned back against the tub and closed her eyes, her mind went back to the dark castle from her dreams...

***

Walking through the silent darkness, nervous anxiety slowly creeping along her spine, she couldn’t shake the feeling she was being followed. She just hoped it wasn’t the same creature she had met before. As if to confirm her suspicions, a voice said, “Why are you here?”

Jumping at the sound of the voice, Sonya quickly turned around, fully expecting to see the same monster from before. What she didn’t expect to find was one of the sexiest men she had ever seen. When she said sexy, she didn’t mean in one of those pretty body model kind of way… no, he was the type of sexy a man should be. Rough, rugged, and purely alpha. He stood in front of her, demanding her full attention. Easily over six feet tall with a broad chest that could probably block out the sun, he towered over her. The light of the torches, which she just noticed lined the walls, sensually highlighted the rich cinnamon color of his skin. Deep green eyes seemed to glow as he stared down at her.

“I asked you a question.”

Dear God, that voice of his was a deep and rich sound that made her want to strip and beg for him to take her.

“Are you deaf?” He took a step closer, and her heart skipped a beat.

“N… no.” She shuddered as the wide width of his chest drew her gaze. When she saw the long and jagged scar that covered his left breast, the urge to reach out and touch it was too much to ignore. Before she knew it, the tips of her fingers were lightly brushing over the old wound.

Only when she heard his sharp intake of breath did she realize what she was doing. Quickly she tried to jerk her hand away, only to have him catch her by the wrist. A jolt of fear, along with another emotion that she wasn’t going to name, shot through her. Wide-eyed, she looked up at him and trembled under his intense stare.

“I’m… I’m sorry.” She tried to free herself, but his grip tightened around her wrist.

“Tell me.” He spoke, a smoky husk to his voice as he pulled her to him. “What is your name?” She felt a strong arm wrap around her waist, keeping her locked in place.

The warmth of his body seeped into her and warmed a place she had forgotten existed. When he leaned in, his lips were so close to hers that all she had to do was turn her head up a fraction of an inch and his lips would be against hers.

“Your name?” He paused, his lips lingering but not touching.

Her heart raced so fast she swore she would have a heart attack at any moment… and why were her palms sweating?

“Answer me.” His tone hardened, and she shivered.

Without question, she obeyed him. “Sonya,” she whispered, wanting nothing more than for him to kiss her. “But most people call me Beauty.”

“Then I will call you Beauty.” With that, he kissed her.

Surprised, she couldn’t stop the moan that escaped her or the way her body went limp against him. He completely supported her weight as his mouth worked skillfully against hers. Never had she been kissed like that, passionate and dominating. He commanded her body. When his tongue demanded entrance into her mouth, she gave him what he wanted.

He growled, and it vibrated through her. Fire coursed through her veins, and she kissed him back with the same passion. She threw her arm around his neck as he forced her back against a cool wall.

“Beauty,” he whispered against her lips. Savoring the way, he said her name, she tilted her head, exposing her neck so he could trail decadent kisses from behind her ear to her collar bone. Her hands held on to his shoulders while his large palms caressed her all over. He palmed her breast through the flimsy T-shirt she wore. She moaned, and her body shook as she realized his hands were traveling lower and into the waistline of her pants.

“What… what is your name?” She managed to ask him between ragged breaths.

“Just call me, Jacks.” His breath was hot against her ear, and she shuttered. When one of his hands slipped beneath the waistline of her pants and past her panties, his fingertips brushing against her hot flesh, she moaned.

“I can smell you.” He continued to use that smoky voice of his to-do wicked things to her body. She felt his tongue lick the inside of her ear the same time he eased a finger inside her. Instant pleasure consumed her and tossed her mind into a hazy fog that she never wanted to escape from…

Lost in the fantasy of her mind, Sonya’s hand traveled down the length of her body. Sliding deeper into the tub, she spread her legs wide against the side of the bath. She moaned as her hand became his…

Rough fingers toyed with her, moving in and out of her body in a heated frenzy that drove her mad. A well-placed thumb circled her clit, and with each stroke, she fell deeper into him.

She suddenly wanted more. She wanted to be dominated, to be ravished by the darkness that held her captive… She needed another one of those kisses that would throw her over the edge and into oblivion.

“Kiss me,” she whispered. “Please.” She begged as she felt her body hum with the first waves of her orgasm.

“Your wish…” He didn’t finish his sentence, nor did she need him to. All she wanted was the feel of that delicious mouth against hers… and that was exactly what he gave her, staking claim over her as he slipped another finger deep inside her.

He caught her moan in his mouth as he pressed his body as close as he could get. With his fingers alternating between long strokes and skilled rubs against her clit, the first wave of her orgasm hit her hard. Throwing her head back, she shouted her release to the ceiling, not caring that she had just hit her head against the wall in the process.

Panting, she looked to find him watching her with dark satisfaction written across his face.

“One more.” He all but growled and rubbed his thumb against her sensitive clit once more. Again, she came apart, her nails digging into his shoulders to keep herself steady as she rode out another orgasm. He continued to watch her as if he was recording her every expression into his memory. Only when she begged him to stop and convinced him she couldn’t take anymore did he withdraw his hand. He took a step away from her as she struggled to get her bearings.

From under a half-hooded gaze, she watched him suckle his fingers. She moaned again. Truly, it should be a crime for a man to be that sexy while he was licking her juices from his fingers.

For the second time, she took him in from head to toe. She found her gaze focused on the evident hard-on that strained against the black pants he wore.

“Beauty.” Only when he called out to her did she realize she was staring. Blushing from ear to ear, she looked at him.

“It has been a pleasure.” He closed the distance between them. Again, she found herself in his arms, that hard and chiseled body of his pressed against hers. “I will see you again.” He placed a soft kiss on her lips. Then, just like that, he was gone, and she was jerked back into the boring reality of her world.

Confused about what had just happened, but too satisfied to care, Sonya got out of the tub. On wobbly legs, she walked over to the counter she had left her towel on. After drying herself and oiling her hair, she slowly made her way back into the bedroom.

Yawning, as sleep demanded her presence. She struggled to remember the last time she had orgasmed like that. Shit, she didn’t think she had and probably never would again. Grabbing her clothing, she dressed and then threw back the covers on her king-sized bed. One look at the large bed and her thoughts traveled back to her fantasy. The last thought she had as she got into bed and began drifting into a contented sleep was that of her dark prince.

“Jacks.” His name was a soft whisper on her lips as sleep claimed her, and the hope that she’d see him again carried her into a soundless sleep.

***

Jackson “Beast” Marshall was jerked awake by the worst pain he had felt in years. Feeling the erection, he sported from his little fantasy, Jacks groaned. Reaching under the covers, careful not to castrate himself with his claws, he gripped his shaft. Hard as stone, his cock strained for release.

Lying back in his bed, Beast thought of the woman who had invaded his dreams.

“Beauty.” He recalled her name, and his cock twitched. Moving his hand up and down, he stroked himself in the same feverish motion he had Beauty.

She was indeed beautiful. From the shadowed glimpse he had gotten of her, he made out perfectly shaped full lips and intense eyes that seemed to reach his broken soul. His pace slowed as he stroked his shaft and caressed the head of his cock.

Christ, when was the last time he had felt any true desire? Had felt a heat so strong he had no choice but to let its flames consume him?

He couldn’t remember. Even with Cassandra, he had never felt passion like this. The overwhelming need to possess Beauty, to consume every inch of her soul and claim it as his, was something he had never felt.

Just like the feel of her soft lips against his, he needed more of her. He needed to know the soft curves of her body, the taste of her skin… the warmth of her flesh as he rode her long and hard.

“Shit,” he cursed as he fisted his cock faster and imagined it was her riding him like a wild animal. Working his hips in time with his strokes, Beast saw her face as she climaxed over and over on his fingers.

His balls grew tight. A sure sign he was close to coming.

He could still taste her on his lips. Decadent and tempting, he wanted to bury his face between her legs and lose himself inside her.

“God damn.” He shuttered as his orgasm rolled through him, roaring his release through the darkness of his room.

Heart pounding, he released his still semi-hard cock and stared up at the ceiling. His mind raced with thoughts of what could be if he had not been forced to live with this curse.

Who am I kidding?

Even if he did manage to find her, one look at him and she would run for the hills screaming. Not that he would blame her… he was a beast, an ugly monster cursed to forever belong to the shadows and the witch that ruled them.

Rage quickly replaced his lust. For the millionth time, he vowed he would find a way to kill Cassandra, even if it meant he had to stay a beast for the rest of eternity. The moment she drew her last breath, all of his suffering would have been worth it.

“She will—” A strange crimson glow caught his attention from out the corner of his eye.

Frowning, he got out of bed. Anticipation building inside of him, he walked into the adjoining room to check on his rose. What he saw almost caused his heart to stop.

“Impossible.” Shock and denial washed over him, yet there was no faking what he was seeing. After countless centuries of his rose looking like nothing more than a preserved dead flower, it was finally beginning to bloom.

“How? When?” A thousand questions raced through his mind. He hadn’t stepped foot outside the boundaries of his home in ages, content to let the world pass him by as he watched from the shadows, but … the rose had bloomed, causing panic and hope to war within him.

But how?

Only one answer came to him.

“Beauty.”

She was his salvation. His chance at freedom… she was his.

Dropping to his knees, his brain struggled to comprehend what was happening.

How was he going to find her? Where would he even begin to look?

He had no idea, but that wouldn’t stop him. He would find her, and she would love him. He had no other option.

By any means necessary, he would have her.

Freedom…

The word echoed in his mind, and he threw his head back and let out a loud and triumphant howl that he was sure reached the heavens.

Beauty…

He smiled as his gaze went back to the blooming rose.

It didn’t matter if he had to chase her around the four corners of the world, he would be free and vengeance would be his…

“Let the hunt begin.”