Shadows Of Goodbye

BellaI, like many, feared The Beast. No one that had ever laid eyes on him had lived. I grew up hearing tales of the plagues that he had unleashed when his thirst wasn't satisfied. The last time was in 1470 BC. Those plagues mostly affected the Middle East, but all humans feared it could spread so they started selecting tributes to serve as sacrifices. All of my 28 years of life, I have been cursed with visions. They are snippets of the past intertwined with the present. I had been placed in institutions until one day I pretended to be cured. Because these visions only occur when I sleep it makes it easy to say that I was cured. Since my release, I have started sleeping less and less. Now my days are filled with paperwork and fetching coffee for Mr. Daniels. He is a crude and horrid man, but as long as his coffee is fresh and hot, I can avoid his wrath. I often daydream of a beautiful land teeming with wildlife and filled with joy. I long to be free, but that is a reality that will

BellaI lay there silently on the verge of death with tears streaming down my face, too weak to fight back as he extracted his teeth from my skin before pulling back to glare down at me. His eyes moved over my face slowly, taking in every little twitch of my muscles. His hand shifted on my throat so he could press his thumb over the spot he bit, applying pressure to stop the bleeding. I let my eyes flutter closed as dark shadows twirled around me. The shadows of goodbye filled my vision, making it impossible to stay conscious as I prayed for death. While I drifted between various states of unconsciousness, I felt his hand loosen around my throat until it lay beside my head while he breathed deeply. Moments later, he climbed off me and I was lifted off the bed. I didn’t know where he was taking me. It didn’t matter. I was going to die. I knew it. It was only a matter of time. After I was laid on something soft, he positioned my arms on my stomach before brushing my hair back, shockin

BellaThe vision lifted. “Edward!” I screamed as I sat straight up, clutching my blanket to my chest, while my heart threatened to beat out of my chest. I looked around, my eyes moving quickly over every inch of the room I was in. I wasn’t in my assigned room, which only added to my anxiety. Edward was going to kill. He–I sank back in the bed, my heart skipping a few beats as my chest tightened painfully. Oh, God. Edward. I was dreaming about Edward. What in the hell was wrong with me? I shouldn't feel bad for the monster that has imprisoned me, but I do.My heart aches for him. Ara and him were married and so much in love. Love…something I have never experienced but can imagine how painful it must be to lose. Was their deaths what made him into The Beast? Why wasn't his father happy for his son? So what if she wasn't royalty, why should it matter? A noise just outside of the room spooked me. I jumped out of bed and rushed out of the room. I had to get back to my room before Edward re

EdwardAfter my breakfast and I had made sure that Bella was safely back in my chambers, I sought out Arnold. He needs to be made to understand that Bella is off-limits. She is my mate, though I am not sure how. The curse gave me ultimate power but at the cost of never finding love again. At the time, I was so sure that Ara was my mate and my chance at love died when my father killed her, but what if I was wrong? I snarled at my uncertainty. Ara was my world in the light. Her death allowed me to embrace the shadows and summon The Darkness. Had she not been my Fated there's no way I could have summoned it. All Fae were stripped of that power centuries ago when one tried to wipe out humanity during The Dark Age. I shifted into The Beast as I drew my dagger across Arnold’s abdomen again, anger over the past making me an even more formidable opponent today. I wanted him to know that I could obliterate his soul, but not just yet. So I put it back into its magic sheath that molded into my

EdwardThe longer I was near Bella like this, the more my thoughts swam. Initially, I had only seen her as a means to lift my curse, but Arnold wanting her had made me concerned about why I was so angry over the thought of my friend having her. Touching her. Having her in all the ways that confused me. It was irrational. I shouldn’t want her in that way, but I did. I kept trying to tell myself that I didn’t, to no avail. I couldn’t avoid how I felt. I wanted her. Desperately if I was honest with myself. Maybe having her once would be enough to satisfy this irritating needling desire I was harboring for this little thing I stole from Earth. After all, it had been centuries since I buried myself in a female. I hadn’t even been remotely interested in anyone since Ara was taken from me.The more I teased her, the more drawn to her I felt. It nearly pissed me off, but not enough to want to experience whatever this bizarre connection was between us. When I felt both her confusion and arousa