Beast of Mine (Completed)

Chapter XVIII

The night was cold. Ana's feet were freezing and she was not going to get back inside. He was detestable! He dared open one of her letters! Accused her to lying to a man of status! She buried her face in her hands; she had never been most embarrassed in her life. This place was worse than the village. She was alone, despised, hated . . . and this was only the Lord. She knew some of the maids did not approve of her yet, they've done no harm to her.

She sat on the stone bench behind the grand manor and sighed. What was the purpose of living? Even her family thought of her as a burden. Juliana and Jeanette were the jewels. Why could she not look like her sisters? Why could she not be loved?

The wind picked up and Ana lifted her legs to her side and rested her head on the arm of it. Before she knew it; she fell asleep on the bench outside the manor.

The Lord searched high and low for her. He had never wanted to make the woman cry. Yes, he was jealous, he admitted but, the moment the woman shed tears, he deeply regretted his words. He was an idiot. He knows that. How could he ever make the woman . . . he shook his head. Impossible. Not with his curse.

Never had the Lord cared for a woman this much. Or, perhaps it was not that he cared. Was it for his own selfish needs? Was it to make the woman pay for what she's done?

No. He thought.

Ray Lorenzo was falling for the girl. He was.

Lord Lorenzo took out a lantern to see if she had gone to walk about in the garden. He circled the garden and she was not there. He decided to walk down the path where it took him behind his manor. The moment he saw her sleeping on the stone bench he knew there was nothing on earth more beautiful than she.

She was sleeping there and he cursed himself for causing this upon her. The night was not too cold but, she could still catch a chill from rushing from the heat of the room and into a chilly night. He was not sure to lift her and take her to her room or not. It was not exactly the best thing to do at the moment. After all, the woman despised him. How exactly was he to lift her and have her not awaken?

The girl stirred and he took a step back. He could stare at her all night. Yes, he knew how awfully creepy his thought sounded but, he could. There was a still in his chest. This woman . . . this woman will change him forever. No, not from his horrendous face but, from his stone heart. Something he never thought possible from anyone. Yet, this small creature had captured him so.

Not only that, she both amazed and angered him. It angered him how his feelings would never be returned. Not in the least. This frustrated him so much he decided to forcibly awaken the girl.

"Get up!"

Ana jolted awake and before her was the silhouette of a large, muscular man. She then narrowed her eyes.

"Must it always be this way with you?" She said to the Lord.

"Yes. Now get back inside. I have wasted enough of my time trying to find you." He replied to her.

"Well, forgive me for being a bother." She retorted.

"If it was not for my sister, you would be out on the streets along with your family."

"The farm is hardly considered 'the streets'. " Ana replied.

He noticed how her garments were a bit fitting and how her black hair seemed untouched by the wind. He wanted her. Right now.

"Get inside, I'm freezing and I have no more time to waste with you." He said and walked off.

Ana could not stand this man. Yet, a small part of her--her very caring and loving side--wanted to understand him more. There must have been a time where he was never like this, right? A time where he was not so cruel. Was there?

Ana shook her head, it was none of her business after all. She still did not believe she ended up falling asleep out here in the bench. She was rather tired but, she really did not want to come back inside. This manor harbors many secrets, secrets she did not want to know about. She never was one for gossip. She was more of the type to stray from such talk. Another reason why she was the 'odd one'.

Her cold feet touched the stone ground and she shivered. In the moonlight, everything looked amazing. Ethereal. She stayed a while to admire the scenery. She's never seen this kind of night in her farm. No, this was cleaner. Smoke was not covering the area and the stars were seen clearer. It was beautiful and the moon was high up in the sky, outshining every light that was ever on.

He was tired of waiting for her to come inside. He was not sure what it was that got him angry; the fact that this woman would never be his, or that his attraction towards her was growing stronger. His hatred for women, save Idelle and Helen and Mary, was beginning to crumble. He knew it was but there was a part of him that did not want to let go.

The Lord went outside to drag the woman in but, he immediately came to a halt. The vision before him was . . . ethereal. Her smile outshined the moon in everyway and her eyes twinkled along with the stars, perhaps even more. She was more of an Angel. An Angel waiting to ascend with the Lord in the sky.

What was this feeling?

There was something that stirred in him. He wanted her and there was nothing stopping him from having her. This ethereal beauty. She was more than any woman . . . wasn't she? Could he let it happen again?

Before he could do anything to her,

"Miss, come inside; you'll catch a chill." Helen called her.

He groaned inwardly. This woman was truly very innocent to have the Lord in the sky watching over her. He let out a breath. He could never be anything to her. The only thing now was to let her go. An anger like no other erupted throughout his body. Nay, he would not let her go. After all, she owes him her life. He could always use that against her.

Helen came and rushed Ana inside. Ana thanked her for the blanket that Helen had placed on her shoulders.

"Come, it's time you go to bed." She scolded her.

The room here was made of glass, it was the sunroom and from the left, she saw the Lord in the moonlight. His arm against the door, over his head and his hand on his hip. She noticed the lord had no coat and was in his white shirt and his breeches. She stared at him a while longer as she walked on. Feelings erupted in her and she admitted the Lord was a very handsome and muscular man. Someone she would put her trust in if he were her husband.

She blushed at her thoughts and looked away from the Lord. Surely no one would ever want her as a wife. No one.