The Bane of Light

Beasts

"I am meaner than my demons" 

∞

Besides the Beast chewing through my face with its razor sharp teeth, it turned towards Paris, snapping and jousting. I quickly jumped on the thrashing creature, holding it tight on my waist with my slender arms. A ten ton weight was lifted from my soul, my horrified anxiety subdued from reaching the Beast in time.  It clawed and scratched at my forearms, trying to get free from my hold on him. His long tongue slithered towards Paris, trying to reach him, while Paris looked petrified. At least he didn't run, but I would bet on my soul it was because of the shock.

"Ow!" I hissed as one of the claws scratched me hard enough to break skin, "No!" I yelled at Beast, and thunked his head with my hand, not hard enough to hurt but enough to reprimand. You would need to take a cement block to his skull if you wanted the damned thing to notice.

I looked back at Paris, who looked ready to kneel over and die. Soon enough, the shock would wear out and the adrenaline would kick in.

"Do. Not.Run" I snarled at him, already noticing his green eyes flickering between me and the door. He looked ready to bolt, a complete deer in headlight, so I lied, "If you run, he will escape from my hands. You're boring him by the minute with your mundane personality. You'll only excite him more if you start running now and turn it into a hunt. Bolt and I'll release him, because I'd choose all ten fingers over you any day" I snapped at him, carefully dragging my beast to the farthest corner, struggling with his strength. His feet nearly dragged on the floor as I yanked him by the waist. He was still thrashing towards Paris as I freed one hand towards my dresser.

Paris yelled, "No!" simultaneously as the beast tried to jump from my arms towards him. Where on earth did he get the momentum for that leap? Thankfully, he didn't break free from my single arm holding him in place, although he did thrash, snapping his jaws angrily. I finally found the silver, enchanted chain in my bureau, and skillfully clipped it onto the pink collar, that had been hidden in his furry scruff. I didn't dare let him down to the ground till I had locked the chain onto the  hook on wall.

"Do not let it go, Eulalia" Paris whisper shouted to me, still clutching his sword, "Hold it till I can bring this blade down on it".

I snapped my head to him at that, rage boiling through my veins. So this is how he repays me saving his life? This is how he shows gratitude for my rare compassion? By killing my Beast. What was it with this boy and killing creatures that were rightfully mine?

I swiftly dropped the beast onto the ground, in an act of pettiness, and let him run at Paris, who in turn frantically scrambled back with a shout. I let loose a cruel laugh at his frantic state. He reached my farthest wall, and fell to the ground, still crawling backwards. Beast thrashed and jumped and snapped his jaws but sadly couldn't reach him; the chain didn't reach that far.

"Eulalia, get it back!" He looked at me in absolute terror.

"Why, so you can slaughter him?" I seethed, the rage evident on my features. Paris looked at me confused and panicked. Ignoring him, I tugged at the monsters chain repeatedly. Finally, after the third tug, he looked back at me and let loose a whine; he didn't want to stop playing with his dinner. I tugged once more and he finally huffed over to me, toddling unevenly with his claws scratching the stone floors. I collapsed into my arm chair as he growled from my feet.

"He can't reach you" I said to no-one in particular, digging in my bureau till I found a pink bow.  I fixed it onto Beasts head, gathering a pony tail worth of tuft.

"What- what the actual Hell, Eulalia?!" He yelled at me in a hushed tone, afraid to summon a reaction from Beast. The Beast and I were now sitting between him and the only exit in my dormitory.