Devastation: A Beauty and the Beast Novel (29 page)

“You didn’t answer. Are you afraid?”

“No, not afraid. Very nervous.” I lifted my
hand from the water and held it out so he could see my tremble.

He glanced at my hand, and his expression
took on a pained appearance. I reached for his hand and held
it.

“Nerves have never stopped me before,” I
said softly.

He met my gaze, and his lips curved in the
barest of smiles.

“And for that, I am grateful.”

He stood, keeping hold of my hand. When he
gave a gentle tug, I knew he wanted me to rise. My heart beat
harder as I rose. His gaze drifted down my torso then back up
again.

“Wife. A lifetime will not be long
enough.”

The warm bath water lapped at my calves as
his fingers remained locked around mine. He swallowed hard several
times and released my hand. His heated gaze lifted to meet mine as
he reached out to trace a finger along the underside of my breast.
It took a large amount of effort to keep my breathing steady.

“Will you promise to tell me if you become
frightened?”

His thumb brushed over my nipple, and I
shivered.

“Yes. I promise.”

He dipped his head and kissed my
shoulder.

“Do you promise not to run?”

His lips skimmed my skin from collarbone to
the top of my breast. I brought my hands up and dug my fingers in
his hair. A small noise escaped me as his breath washed over my
nipple.

“Benella. Do you swear?”

“I swear.”

His mouth closed over me. The strong pull
sent a tingle to my stomach and further still to the point between
my legs. Too quickly, the insistent tug stopped. His lips moved
from my nipple, nuzzling me and spreading kisses from one breast to
the next before he lifted his head. My hands fell loosely to my
sides. His eyes glinted with fervor as he studied me closely, a
hungry beast once more.

He wrapped his hand around mine and helped
me step from the tub.

“Sit on the bed, Benella.”

My pulse thundered, and my knees felt weak
as I turned to do as he asked.

Sitting, I looked up at him as he unbuttoned
his shirt. The bare expanse of his chest claimed my attention as he
shrugged the garment off. I exhaled slowly. He knelt before me, and
I clenched my hands in my lap to hide the shaking. He reached for
them and smoothed a thumb over my knuckles. Our gazes remained
locked as he leaned forward and placed a kiss on my knee.

My breath hitched as I recalled the last
time he’d kissed me there. He lifted his head again.

“Will you give me everything?”

“Yes.”

His hold on my hands shifted to my legs. His
fingers traced my skin from knee to ankle as he kissed higher up my
leg.

“Lay back.”

With a blush, I lay back on the bed and
opened myself to him. He made a low sound and fitted his torso
between my legs.

The first touch of his tongue made me gasp.
My fingers fisted in the covers, and I arched, trying to press
myself against him. He set a hand on my stomach to hold me in place
as his tongue circled my sensitive nub. A small noise escaped
me.

“My beauty,” he said as he teased me. “My
heart.”

His free hand stroked the inside of my leg,
knee to thigh, then teased the hair between my legs. His tongue
distracted me from his intention until his finger probed my
opening. I tensed, expecting a painful thrust, but none came. He
continued to tease me with his tongue while he idly explored with
his fingers.

After a few moments, I relaxed and lost
myself to the sensations of his mouth on me. A familiar need began
to build, and I groaned with want. He closed his mouth over my nub
and began to suckle. I gasped and twisted my fingers in his hair.
He sucked hard and flicked his tongue at the same time he slowly
slid a finger into me. The invasion didn’t take away from the
tension coiling tighter and tighter inside me. He eased his finger
out then back in, and my legs began to tense. My release was
close.

His mouth and hand left me. Dazedly, I
opened my eyes. He stood between my legs as he stripped away his
pants. Before I had time to worry, he leaned over me and bent his
head to my breast. His hot mouth tugged on my nipple as he ran a
hand between my legs.

Something pressed insistently against my
opening. He switched to torment my other breast, distracting me
from thought, then kissed a trail up to my collarbone. He claimed
my lips for a searing kiss before pulling away to look down on me.
With both hands braced on the bed, one on each side of me, his
heated gaze met mine.

It took a moment to realize the pressure had
remained between my legs.

“I love you,” he said as he slowly pressed
forward.

A sudden sharp pain had me bracing my hands
against his bare chest. He stopped moving and began raining kisses
upon my brow.

“Wait,” he said. “Please, wait. It is a
moment of pain for a lifetime of pleasure. I swear.”

I heard the fear in his voice and held
myself still. After a moment, the pain faded.

Tilting my head back, I found his face so
close to mine. His jaw was tense and sweat dotted his skin.

“It’s better now,” I said.

He kissed me hard.

“No, but it soon will be.”

He reached between us and set his thumb on
my sensitive spot. He circled it twice then started to move his
hips. I drifted in the pleasure of his touch, reveling in the
coiling tension, while I gasped and reached for the release I knew
would come.

With a cry, I found it. He thrust into me
several more times before he groaned and stilled. His sweaty chest
pressed against me. Between us, he twitched within me.

“Tell me you don’t hate me.”

“I don’t hate you. I love you.”

He kissed me soundly.

* * * *

A noise woke me in the middle of the night.
When I opened my eyes, I found Rose beside the bed and sat up with
a gasp. Panic flooded me while Alec remained undisturbed in his
slumber.

“What are you doing here?” I asked.

“I’m here to thank you, Benella,” she said,
surprising and confusing me. “And to say good-bye. What I set out
to do has been done. Alec has found purpose and love. I only hope
that someday you’ll forgive me for the lies and manipulations I
used to bring you two together.”

“You’re leaving?” I didn’t trust that I’d
understood her correctly.

She smiled at me.

“Yes. As I promised. I was only waiting for
you to see the truth. A truth I saw within you so long ago when
your family first came to this area. The possibility of love—for
him.”

“What do you mean when we first came here? I
didn’t meet you until we moved to the Water.”

She studied me for a moment before
answering.

“I’ve watched over the North for a long
time. I knew of you as soon as you entered its boundaries. I’ve
watched you since you were young, observed how you overcame each
trial life gave you. You are intelligent, determined, courageous,
and kind. And I knew once I sent you to the beast, you would find a
way to free him. Yet, I worried for you. Your strength was also
your weakness. You were too kind. Too willing to sacrifice yourself
for those you cared for. I helped you as much as I could while
still keeping both of you unaware. Alec had so much to learn; you
had so much to teach him.

“Hold fast to your love for one another, and
this life will not disappoint you. You will balance each other
well.”

She turned to go.

“Wait,” I said, believing she really meant
it. Though I still resented the way I’d been used, I also realized,
without her manipulations, I wouldn’t have met Alec.

She stopped and looked back at me.

I slipped from the bed, unconcerned with my
nakedness and crossed the room.

“I already forgive you. Thank you for
sending me here, for bringing me him.”

Rose surprised me by sniffling.

“I wanted to spare you but not as much as I
wanted you to truly find happiness.” She hugged me tightly.

“You don’t need to leave.”

“I do,” she whispered in my ear, “but I will
return for the birth of your babes.”

She pulled away and left the room. I
returned to bed, and Alec pulled me close.

“She’s gone?” he asked, his hand settling
over my stomach.

“For now,” I said.

Epilogue

A breeze played with my hair as I sat on the
bench in the orchard. Tam glanced at me and gave a nervous smile. I
smiled back, trying to reassure him. From somewhere behind us, a
sweet soprano rang out in a song about union and love.

Alec offered his arm and helped me stand. I
absently rubbed a hand over the bump of the babe’s foot, currently
lodged just below my ribs, while turning to face the back with the
rest of those assembled. Egrit walked the path between the apple
trees. She wore a green dress Ila had made for her. Delicately
embroidered leaves adorned the skirt, and a wreath of real leaves
adorned Egrit’s hair. I glanced at Tam wondering if he saw the wood
nymph I remembered. Based on the love in his gaze, I decided he saw
the nymph and the woman as well.

Egrit gave me a radiant smile as she passed
us on her way to Tam. As soon as the two clasped hands, the short
ceremony began. After the Head announced the union between them, I
heard Tam breathe “finally” right before pulling Egrit into his
arms for a passionate kiss.

Alec wrapped his arm around me and pulled me
tight to his side.

“I know just how he feels,” he whispered in
my ear. “I remember well the moment I realized you were finally
mine.”

I smiled and turned toward him. He was ready
with a kiss.

“None of that now,” Father said from beside
me. “This is about Egrit and Tam.”

I laughed and pulled back to see Tam
reluctantly doing the same. The pair waved to the well-wishers and
invited everyone to join them inside for dancing and a feast. Most
of Konrall was there, and hosting the wedding was our gift to the
bride and groom.

The children on the bench behind us cheered.
I turned to grin at Retta, Lettie, Mrs. Palant and her little ones,
and the new children who’d joined us over the passing months. Like
before, Mrs. Palant kept the young ones busy with light chores in
the evening, but mostly they were with us for their education and
care. My smile grew bigger as I thought how Father had even started
teaching with Mr. Roost, dividing the class to make it more
manageable.

As soon as Tam and Egrit passed us, we stood
and followed the newly wedded couple. As we passed by the Kinlyn
clan, who were all seated on a bench near the back, I grinned at
Ila who sat next to her husband, Henick. He’d found his rainbow in
her.

The walk inside took longer than it should
have because of my waddle. My back started to ache, but I kept any
sign of discomfort from my face. Regardless, Alec glanced at me
continually. He knew.

“Don’t even consider it,” I warned him.

“If I carried you—”

“You’d draw attention to us. This is about
Egrit and Tam.”

He made a slight growling noise, which made
me grin.

“Beast,” I whispered.

“Beauty,” he said, bending to kiss my
cheek.

I snorted.

“Only you would think an apple with legs
beautiful.”

He threw his head back and laughed. Then,
despite my warning, he scooped me up in his arms.

“You are hardly an apple, madam.” He stepped
aside so the guests could pass us.

There were no censuring looks, only knowing
grins. When Bryn spotted me, she moved to the side to stand with
us.

“Is everything well?” she asked.

Since our wedding, Bryn had changed
considerably. She’d started visiting Father regularly and stopped
worrying about her social standing. Instead, she’d focused on her
marriage. It was easy to see she and Edmund were truly happy now as
Edmund carried little Benard, who babbled and watched the leaves
above us.

“Everything is well. The walk taxes my
back,” I said, assuring her.

Once her selfish nature had disappeared, I’d
welcomed her visits as well. Alec hadn’t been as quick to forgive.
It was only her genuine concern for the babe and me that had
brought him around.

“And she was too slow,” Alec said with a
teasing smile.

“She’ll slow down more,” Edmund said. “Like
a loaf of bread. When the rising slows, it’s done.”

Bryn made a sound between a laugh and a
groan.

“You would compare pregnancy to a loaf of
bread?” She shook her head and laughed when he grinned at her.

The last of the guests filed past us, and
Edmund moved to follow.

“I’ll take little Benard in and see if we
can’t give Kara a hand in the kitchen.”

While Bryn gave her son and husband a quick
kiss, I nudged Alec.

“Put me down.”

“Not until we’re inside. You wouldn’t want
to tire yourself before we even have a chance to dance, would
you?”

I shook my head and looped my arm around his
shoulders as he started to walk behind Edmund. Bryn kept us
company.

“I received a letter from Blye yesterday,”
she said.

“Oh? Has she found a suitable shop,
yet?”

“Yes, she’d found one since her last letter,
but I don’t think she’ll be there long. Her mistress doesn’t care
for the extravagance of Blye’s creations,” she said with a smile.
Recalling Blye’s gown for the feast, I had no doubt Blye’s mistress
had valid concerns.

“She mentioned she wrote Father, too,” Bryn
said.

I nodded, having read the letter as
well.

“Nothing as detailed as you received. Just
that she was doing well and sends her love to all of us. How far
south is she now?”

“Almost to Towdown.”

“I’m sure that’s been her destination all
along,” Alec said.

We broke through the trees to the
breathtaking view of the manor. The vines and vegetation were gone,
replaced by a fine lawn under Tam’s care. People milled about the
front entrance, congratulating Egrit and Tam.