The Beast

T W O : T H E B E A S T

Jessie paced around the room the rude man had shown her to in anger. Who did he think he was? Calling her human? Saying he smelt her arousal? Who was he?

She stopped pacing and rolled her eyes at herself. He was very obviously the infamous beast, the one everybody was warned about. He was said to have killed his whole family.

Jessie shuddered then sat on the bed. She put her face in her hands as the tears started flowing. All this was her own stupid fault! How did she ever think someone like Patrick was in love with her? And she had ran away like a coward instead of confronting him. And here she was. In the most dangerous man of the state's house.

All of a sudden, she heard a knock on the door. She wiped her tears hastily and stood up, not wanting him to know she had cried.

"What?", she asked in the harshest voice she could muster. She practically heard him rolling his eyes as he pushed the door open.

"Dinner's ready", he said, looking at her expectantly.

"And?", Jessie asked, trying to put up a brave front while inside, she was quaking with fear.

He looked at her strangely and she got the distinct impression he considered her a dummy after her question.

"What's that thing we do with forks, knives and spoons?", the man asked, sounding like someone encouraging a baby to answer a question.

"Right. We eat", he deadpanned, then added, "I'm not going to insist. If you wish to starve yourself to death, you may". Then he went out, quietly, just like he had entered.

Jessie was tempted not to leave the room, but her gurgling stomach told her otherwise. She dragged herself to the living room, then headed for the dining.

"Hm. Did not think you any lick of sense. Turns out you got some", he said mockingly as she walked towards him.

Jessie curled her hands into fists and glared at him. She did not want to say anything and risk angering him so she was going to go for a glare.

She sat down angrily across him and prayed to the gods of time to shorten this dinner.

†††

Theo looked at the little thing sitting from across him. It was obvious that she was biting her tongue so as not to retort. He watched her serve herself. A scathing remark was on the tip of his tongue, but he reminded himself of what was at stake if he got too attached.

Theo served himself after her, but could not find the zeal to eat as he watched. She somehow managed to make eating sexy and classy all at once. And the sounds she made. They were going to be the death of him.

"Did you make this?", she asked, after eating a good part of what was on her plate. Theo had finally gotten to eat. His strategy was not to concentrate on her, so her question came at a really bad time.

"What? Scared I poisoned it?", Throw asked drily, fixing a cold glare on her.

"I was just trying to make conver- Oh, you know what? Forget it!", she said, then started picking at her food.

"Well, don't. I don't need your interference in anything I do. Your presence is quite hard to handle.", Theo said, hoping she did not catch the innuendo.

She did not. "I didn't ask you to bring me here- wherever here is!", she exclaimed, her face taking on a tired but determined expression.

"Wild animals would have devoured you", he replied flatly.

"Well, I would have been glad to be devoured by them than to be stuck with The Beast!"

"What did you say?", he asked coldly.