I frowned. "You promised that I would know now," I reminded him.
He shook his head and a sly smile slipped onto his lovely lips. "All I can say at the present is if you release me too soon you will find it most-well, perhaps most pleasant. Now please lock me inside," he instructed.
The lord passed by me and stepped into the open cell. He turned to me and shut the door behind himself. I fumbled with the keys for a moment and tried half their number before I found the key which fit the lock. The door was secured, and I stepped back. He shrugged off his coat and set it on the ground against the far wall before he turned to me.
"Whatever you do do not utter a sound nor make any sudden movements. The beast desires you, and should he notice you then I won't be able to control him," he warned me.
I twisted my face into a quizzical expression. "'The beast?'" I repeated.
The lord grasped the bars and closed his eyes. His teeth clenched together and he bowed his head. I opened my mouth, but my words struck in my throat when I glimpsed a change come over him. His clothes stretched and tore as fur broke through the skin over his entire body. The bars he grasped groaned as his prodigious strength crushed them beneath his fingers. The fingers stretched and thickened into sharp claws. His ears stretched up and back into sharp points, and his hair spilled over his back like a dark mane. He grew taller by half a foot and all but part of his ruined trousers fell in tatters to the ground. His shoes tore apart to reveal long feet where half the foot was angled upward off the ground so he stood only on his toes.
His face lengthened into a long snout that was filled with sharp teeth. He raised his head and his eyes opened to reveal orbs of harvest gold. I gasped and stumbled back. The weight of the pistol in my hand reminded me I was not defenseless, and I raised my arm and pointed the barrel at the monster. The monster curled back its lips and snarled at me.
Then it paused. An indecipherable emotion swept through its eyes. The beast leaned its snout through the bars and sniffed the air. Its eyes widened and it reached out for me. I screamed and stumbled back against the wall. The monster withdrew its arm and shook the bars of the cell. They quaked with its strength, but did not break. The monster growled at them and jumped at the lock. It pawed at it a few moments before it admitted defeat and returned its attention to me.
I trembled from boot to head, and had I fired the pistol the shot would have been wildly off. The monster grasped the bars again and caught my eyes with its own. Those deep, golden orbs stared unblinkingly at me, and all of a sudden I smelt a familiar scent.
It was the scent of the incense burner.
The scent calmed my nerves and soothed my terrified mind. A sense of warmth and security washed over me. It was as though I had found sanctuary after a long chase. My body stopped trembling and I lowered the pistol. The beast's eyes flickered to the lock of the cell door.
It was as though I was under a spell, but one so wonderful that all thought of escape was pushed from my mind. I shuddered as a deliciously warm heat surfaced inside me. The beast's nostrils flared and it rattled the stubborn bars. I understood what it desired, and my body desired the same.
I dropped the pistol to the floor and moved over to the cell door. The monster stepped back to the rear of the cell as unlocked the door and stepped inside. My chest heaved as I walked over to the beast. The monster studied my face for a moment before it reached up and cupped one of my cheeks in its clawed hand. The warmth of its fingers evoked in me a deep ache that longed to be satiated. I had never before known sexual desire, and now I knew it with the strength of a lover.
The beast unclasped my cloak and pushed the cloak from my shoulders. The thick cloth dropped atop the fur coat and created a small bed. The creature slid its hands down my sides and its sharp claws cut away my dress. Slits opened and revealed my bare, trembling flesh. I trembled from the anticipation of his touch against my flesh. His long snout reverted back to a human-like face. He leaned forward and pressed his lips against mine.
I groaned into the kiss. He wrapped his arms around me and pressed me against him. Our warm bodies created a wonderful friction that heightened the ache inside me. We broke our kiss and both of us panted. His heated gaze seared me to my soul, and my desire tugged at me to accept this monster as my lover, my master. I leaned my head back and closed my eyes as I reveled in the warmth that engulfed my body.
The monster leaned down and pressed soft, teasing kisses along my exposed neck. His hands cut my dress to the collar and he brushed away my dress as he had my cloak. Only my thin, white undergarments remained, but they were spare enough to reveal my heaving, swollen breasts. His warm, hot lips traveled down and kissed the tops. I gasped and clutched his head in my hands. He pressed me closer to him and licked and nipped at my trembling, sensitive mounds.
His hands cut away at my undergarments with greater speed and soon the remainder of my clothes fell away. I stood before him naked, and he pulled me to arm's length to allow himself a full look. My thick body trembled beneath his heated gaze and I tried to cover myself. He growled and pulled my hands off me. I gasped and blushed as he studied every inch of me. His lips curled back in a feral grin that increased the ache inside me.
He laid me down atop my ruined garments and his coat, and sat back to tear himself free of his last shred of clothes. His thick, pulsing member bespoke his need for me and the heat inside me erupted into demanding desire. It was an ache that needed to be fulfilled ere I be swallowed by the maddening lust. I whimpered and squirmed atop the fur cloak.
The beast covered me with his body and his hands touched every part of me. He worshiped me and teased me with his gentle caresses and sweet lips. I grasped his shoulders and moaned. The scent of him so close to me left me delirious with need. All my thoughts focused only on him and his wonderful hands and lips. I wanted nothing more than for him to initiate me into the lustful rites of passionate lovers, to hold me close and ravish and dominate me.
"My God," I groaned.
He growled and raised himself on his arms to study my face. I parted my legs, and arched my back and pushed my breasts towards him. My lover positioned himself between my legs and pushed himself into me. His manhood stretched my wet walls and filled me with lust. He wrapped his arms around me and started our dance at an aching slow pace. His thrusts were long and deep, but they did not satisfy me. My body demanded to be taken swiftly. I needed to be dominated, to have a mate who would quell the beast that arose inside me. Any less and he would be unworthy of me.
"Faster," I demanded as I squirmed beneath him. I leaned forward and nipped at one of his pointed ears. My words were a warm whisper across his cheek, a teasing plea that thrilled us both. "Take me. Dominate me," I insisted. "Make me yours and keep me."
He grunted and pushed faster into me. I cried out and grasped his shoulders as feelings of ecstasy washed over me. My body trembled with a pleasure that threatened to devour me, and I reveled in the thought of such an outcome. I ached for a release that would consume my body and soul, and I knew that only this monster, this beast of a man, could grant me such pleasure.
He thrust hard and deep inside me until our union was all I knew. We were one, body and soul, and I wanted nothing more than for us to remain as such. After a lifetime of celibacy and church attendance, I found that heaven was lust with a man who was not a man.
My lover penetrated me faster and faster. The torch lit over our sweat-soaked bodies and our joined forms gleamed in the dim light. My cries of joy filled the dark cell with a joy it had never known. I wrapped my arms around my fur-covered lover and pressed my breasts against his hard muscles. My pert nubs rubbed against him and caused a friction inside me that fulfilled my lustful wish for release at the hands of such a beast.
Orgasm swept over my trembling form. I was awash in wonderful, penetrating desire that clung to me like a warm blanket on a cold day. My lover continued his lustful thrusts into me and lengthened my bliss until I knew nothing else but him. He thrust twice more
beyond that, stiffened, and collapsed beside me.
We lay there for a moment with the only noises being our panting. He reached out and wrapped his arms around me to pull me close to his warm body. The drafty cell lost its lustful allure as my feral desire faded from my body. My strength also faded and my eyes grew heavy. I lay my head against his furry chest and sighed. One of his hands petted my hair, and his gravelly, soothing voice whispered to me from the growing darkness.
"Rest, Beloved."
And I did.
CHAPTER 8
My sleep was deep and undisturbed, and my dreams were filled with wonderful scents and pleasurable feelings. The dreams were driven away at the sound of curtains being drawn. A dim light swept over me, and I willed my heavy eyes to open.
I lay in a large chamber with a hearth and four-post bed. The floor and walls were of worn cobblestone, and a large, thick oak door stood opposite where I lay on the bed. A dresser, small table, and its two chairs finished off the decor. Behind me was a wall with two tall, wide, pane windows made of thick glass. One was drawn and weak light spread into the room, and I watched a woman of fifty walk around the foot of the bed towards the window with the curtains still closed. She opened them and turned to me.
Contrary to her age, the woman had few wrinkles on her face, though her hands were gnarled by a lifetime of rough work. She stood a bit shorter than me, and studied with me dark eyes. Her gray hair was tucked into a tight bun behind and atop her head, and she wore a neat black dress that hugged her plump frame. I imagined this would be me in several decades were I to live that long.
"Good morning, my lady. I hope you slept well," she greeted me as she bowed to me.
My memories of the last few days returned to me, what I had of them, and my heart quickened. Flashes of claws on cloth returned to me. I wrapped my fingers around my neck and shuddered.
"T-the lord. He. . .he truly is a monster, isn't he?" I stuttered.
A ghost of a smile slipped onto her lips. "That would depend on how you view of monsters, my lady," she returned.
"He. . .he changes into a wolf, does he not?" I persisted.
She gave a nod. "He does, my lady."
My eyes widened, and my lips trembled so that my words hardly escaped them. "Y-you know of this?"
"I do, my lady," she confirmed.
Thoughts of escape flew into my mind. I flung aside the covers, and a cool draft forced me to glance down at myself. I wore a thick white nightgown that stretched down to my ankles.
"My clothes! Where are my clothes?" I questioned her.
"I am afraid they were too soiled and torn to survive their cleaning," she told me.
I slid off the high bed, but my legs wobbled beneath me. They would not support my weight, so I stumbled to the foot of the bed and grasped one of the posts. The woman reached out her arms as though to help me, but when I flinched away from her she stopped and pulled her arms back.
"Please find me some clothes," I pleaded with her.
"So that you may escape?" she guessed.
"So that I may free myself from his hold over me," I corrected her.
She closed her eyes and shook her head as she sighed. "I am afraid I can't allow that, my lady. I have been given strict instructions not to let you leave before the storm is finished," she revealed.
"The storm?" I repeated.
"Aye, my lady," she replied.
She stepped back and turned to the windows. I noticed there was a thin line that showed the window was separated into two panels. A clasp in the center held them together. The woman slipped off the clasp and opened the two panels. A flurry of snow swept inside. She turned to me and gestured to the outside.
I clasped the front of my nightgown and stepped forward. The view through the window was of a white world, and told me the chambers lay on the second floor of the home. A thick layer of snow a half a foot deep lay about the ground, and more continued to fall from the sky. The storm Lord Moray had predicted had arrived. The roads were all but impassible, even on horseback.
"The storm will not abate for at least this day," she warned me.
I felt a sinking feeling deep in my stomach and the color drained from my face. I staggered back to the bed and sat on the edge. My eyes settled on the floor and I wrapped my arms around myself.
"God protect me. . ." I whispered.
The woman closed the windows and walked over to take a seat beside me. She set her hands on my shoulders and leaned forward.
"God helps those who help themselves," she whispered to me. I raised my head and saw that a small smile graced her lips. "If He has brought you to this place then it must be for a reason. You must make the best of His will and find the goodness in your life."
I furrowed my brow and shook my head. "I don't understand how you can speak of God when your master is what he is."
She chuckled. "I have known the master since he was a boy. There is no more monster in him than in any other laird, and less than in most. You must search for the goodness that lies inside him, and then you will know what it means to be his mate, and he yours."
I grasped my head in my hands and shook my head. "Mate? God? Men who are wolves? Can I truly be living in such a life? Is this not all a dream?"
She squeezed my shoulders and leaned close to me. Her words were as soft as a down pillow, and brought with them some comfort that eased the tension inside me.
"I can see you are not in full strength. Perhaps some food would do you good," she suggested. She stood and walked over to the dresser where she pulled open one of the drawers. "Breakfast has passed, but there is some food left which we might have Cook warm for you."
I dropped my arms to my sides and looked down at myself. "But how can I be seen in such attire?" I pointed out.
The woman turned to me and pulled out a lumpy package wrapped in soft paper. She moved to stand in front of me and held out the package to me. "This may not fit perfectly, but the seamstress will make the necessary alterations."
I took the package and recognized the paper as that used by tailors. Two strings intersected and were tied together to hold the paper shut. I undid the knot, and the paper and string fell away to reveal a simple but elegant gray dress. The fabric was soft and shimmering, and its surface glistened like starlight. My eyes widened and I allowed myself to brush my fingers over the fabric. Mr. Maher had never had such wonderful fabric ordered by a customer, and the silver buttons on the front were worth more than a year's salary for me.
I looked up at the smiling woman who stood before me and blinked at her. "This. . .this is for me?" I asked her.
She gave a nod. "Aye. A gift from your mate for his ruining your own clothes."
I stood and held the shoulders of the dress so the fabric spilled down. The dress suited my height, or near to it, and would be a little tight on the front but was otherwise about my size. I hugged the wonderful gift against my bosom and closed my eyes to keep the tears from falling down my cheeks. Never before had I been given such a beautiful gift.
"I. . .I-" I swallowed the lump in my throat and looked to the woman. "Please tell your lord that I am grateful."
She bowed her head. "I will, but first let us attire you and fetch you some breakfast." She stepped towards me, but I held up my hand.
"Wait a moment. I don't believe we have even introduced ourselves," I pointed out.
The woman blinked at me before her smile widened and her eyes softened. She bowed to me. "I am Mrs. Greer, the housekeeper and servant to you."
I shook my head. "I am only a seamstress, and haven't earned a servant."
Mrs. Greer chuckled and took the dress from me. "Nonetheless you have one in me. Now, I would dearly love to hear your name, my lady."
I sighed and curtsied to her. "My name is Abigail Glenn."
Mrs. Greer bowed to me. "Well met, Lady Abigail," she greeted me.
"Please, call me Abby," I pleaded. "I wouldn't know to answer to such a title."
She smiled and bowed
her head. "As you wish, Abby. Now let us attire you and I will lead you to breakfast."
CHAPTER 9
The dress fit very well, and needed only minor alterations to the long, puffy sleeves and the tight bodice. The fabric was smooth and light, but very warm which was a boon in such cool weather. The hallways were not always warm as I learned when Mrs. Greer led me outside the heated room with its friendly, crackling fire, and into the colder passage.
My room was on the second floor and in the east wing. The wood floors were carpeted but for the outer foot on either side, and the walls were covered in off-white wallpaper and was dappled with elegant flowers. On either side of the hall were doorways that blocked the view of the outside world and created a long tunnel down the entirety of the castle but for the entrance hall. That hall interrupted the rooms on the left until they reappeared on the other side of the hall.
Mrs. Greer guided me down the elegant stairs to the entrance hall. We passed a few other servants who stepped to the side and bowed to us.
"Have you been with the family so long that all the servants bow to you?" I whispered to my companion.
She smiled and shook her head. "They bow to you, Abby," she corrected me.
I blinked at her. "But why? I am nothing to them."
"But you are. You are the lady of the house, and as such are deserving of respect," she explained. I froze and she walked a few paces before she stopped and turned to me. "Is something the matter?"
"Lady of the house?" I asked her.
She gave a nod. "Aye. You are the mate, or rather wife, to our laird, and thus this house is yours."
I shook my head. "But I am not a lady any more than I am his mate," I insisted.
Mrs. Greer walked back to me and set a hand on my lower back. Her soft eyes studied me and her smile danced across her lips. "You will be a fine lady, and a fine mate. You need only wish for it," she assured me.
I cringed. "And if I do not?"
She sighed and pushed me gently down the hall. "We shall see what God wills."
Mrs. Greer guided me into the dining hall. The hearth there also was filled with firewood that burned warmly and brightly. The glow illuminated the walls and cast shadows off the chairs. A candelabra sat on the table, and this Mrs. Greer lit for more light.