"Beauty and the Beast"

Chapter 12

Hey! Finally postng! i was in cali. and away from my computer! hat is torture. lol. and now i'm leaving for NY so i figured i'd better give you all something to read while i'm gone!! lol I love the end of this chapter!! so i would love to know what you all think about it!!

Victor’s life was in shambles. The entire town thought him a coward. Faith has been missing for over a month now and the winter had come in strong. No one could survive a winter alone in the woods. And if she never comes back, everyone will think me a murderer, Victor thought sourly. Why had he wasted so much time on her? But she was so stubborn and enticing. She was everything he wanted, a challenge. Unlike her sister Patience, who was still hanging on his arm every moment she could. She was useful for one thing however. She kept Martin away. Martin was the worst of the all town’s folk. He has always despised Victor, ever since the… incident with his sister.

“Victor! You have been out of it lately. Not still thinking about the missing sister are you? You have such a pretty lady already. Why bother worrying about one that never cared for you?” Albert slurred. They were sitting in the pub and Albert had drunk more then he could stomach.

“I have not been out of it!” Victor objected. Albert spared him a glance before gulping down another tankard and passing a full one to Victor. Without a second thought, Victor took the mug and guzzled it down. The drink stung his throat as it went down and settled with a familiar burn. It did not take long for the drink to take affect as he kept drinking them, one after another.

Victor woke up with a splitting headache. He let out a groan as he sat up. “Margie! Bring me some food!” He hollered. It did not take long for his maid to come running in with a platter for him. He took it and she scurried off again. Unfortunately his peace was not long lasting when the door was torn open and Martin stormed in.

“I’m going to say this once. Stay away from Patience. You already ruined my sister’s reputation. I will not let you do the same to her.” Victor let out a scoff.

 “I am not afraid of you. I will do as I please.” Victor knew how stupid it was to challenge Martin but he was not about to be threatened in his own home. How dare he think he could waltz into my home and push me about? I will not tolerate this! It is not as if he could best me in a fight.  That last thought had Victor scoffing.

“Do not push me, Victor. Patience will soon be a part of my family and you are out of your mind if you think I will stand by idly this time.” Martin’s voice was laced with poison and had Victor cringing ever so slightly.  With one last toxic glare, Martin stormed out the same as he had come in. When he heard the front door slam closed, Victor called up his maid.

“Y-y-yes, milord?” She stammered. She knew exactly what was coming and Victor could see her bracing herself for the blow to come. As she expected, Victor delivered a slap that had her stumbling backward.

“How could you allow him, anyone for that matter, come barging into my home and disrupting my solitude?!? If that ever happens again…” He bellowed.

“It will never happen again!” She rushed out, keeping her head low. The fear in her voice satisfied him that this would not be a reoccurring event and he sent the girl on her way. She is a homely girl, not nearly attractive enough to get a husband. All the better, I suppose, no one will be trying to steal away my help then, he mused as he watched her flee his presence as fast as she could. She is not as comely as Patience but at least a night with her will not subject me to all the mindless chatter and a headache. Victor knew this road would only invite more of Martin’s wrath but at the moment Victor did not mind. All the women have been avoiding him like the plague, ever since Faith’s disappearance. The only one to think him innocent of any wrong doing was Patience and he only entertained her to gain an opportunity to coax Faith into his arms finally. Of course, with Faith, things were never that simple. She is far too stubborn. If she had not continuously pushed aside my advances then I would not have been so intrigued with her and we never would have been in that cursed forest! She has ruined me! Everyone is beginning to think me a killer! But if I dared speak of that… that… thing that attacked us then I really will be in trouble. They would either think me a liar or a lunatic.