Beast in Shining Armor (24 page)

Belle’s
eyes narrowed at him, all thoughts of maybe giving him a pardon vanishing. 
“Let me go.”  She snarled.

Avenant
fingers obediently slipped from of Belle’s slick depths and he readjusted her
skirt.  “Beautiful.”  He popped his thumb into his mouth, sucking the taste of
her off his skin.  “Christ, I knew you’d be beautiful.”

“Are
you done?”  She crossed her arms over her chest, refusing to be embarrassed.

“I’m
just getting started.  You’re trying to lock me away for life plus a century
and steal my kingdom.  This game of ours just become winner-takes-all, Bella. 
And
I’m
going to be the winner.”

Belle
kept her eyes on his.  “I found Prince Avenant.”  She raised her voice so the
guard could hear her.  “You can come and arrest him, again.  He’s served his
purpose in here.”

The
door was finally smashed in and a dwarf SWAT team dragged Avenant away.  He
turned to watch Belle over his shoulder as they lead him down the hall.  He
might’ve been the one in handcuffs, but she wasn’t crazy enough to think the
guards were in control.  The Beast of the Northlands wouldn’t be contained for
long.  Not by anyone.

“Are
you okay, Belle?”  Peter Piper came up beside her.  “Did he hurt you?”

Peter
had slimmed down over the years, but he still favored fluid purple clothing. 
Belle suspected he liked the color because it contrasted with his otherwise
bland existence.  He’d put his childhood math skills to use and become an
accountant, which seemed to be the entirety of his existence.  Despite the fact
that Avenant had blackballed him from all the best banking firms, Peter lived
and breathed columns of computerized numbers.  They were his world.  In fact,
he’d been the one who discovered the slush funds that Avenant set-up to hide
the stolen money.

“I’m
alright.”  Belle glanced at him and tried to ignore the strong smell of pickled
peppers that emanated from his pours.  Throughout this entire ordeal, Peter had
been a supportive friend.  She’d
nearly
forgiven him for the whole Jill
fiasco.  “Avenant wouldn’t harm me.”

“He
sent men to attack you in your bed!”  Peter put a commiserating hand on her
shoulder.  “You’re lucky you weren’t raped and murdered while you slept.”

“I’m
pretty sure I would’ve woken up for that.”  Belle kept her attention on Avenant
as he was herded into the elevator at the end of the corridor.

His
blue eyes stayed locked on hers, his jaw tightening as he watched Peter pat her
arm.

For
no reason at all, Belle shifted out from under Peter’s palm.  It wasn’t because
Avenant was glaring at her.  She wouldn’t accept that.  But she also didn’t
like the other man touching her, even in an innocent way.  It didn’t feel
right.  No one but Avenant ever felt right, damn it.

Avenant’s
mouth curved as if he could read her mind.  “Good-bye, Bella.”  He paused meaningfully. 
“For now.”

“For
ever
.” 
She corrected in frustration.

“We’ll
see about that.”

“Give
it up.”  Peter scowled at Avenant from a safe distance.  “Belle is finally free
of you.”  Avenant didn’t even look his way, so Peter tried again.  “You’re
never
coming back to the Northlands.”

Avenant
stayed focused on Belle, not even noticing the other man existed.  “Think of me
while I’m gone, my love.”  Avenant winked at her as the elevator doors slid
shut.  “I’ll certainly be thinking of you.”

It
wasn’t a particularly reassuring promise.

“You
bastard, you’re
never coming back!
”  Peter bellowed as if Avenant could
still hear him.  Belle had never seen him so agitated.  “After all you’ve done
to ruin my life, I’ve finally made sure you’ve lost
everything!
”

Belle
barely processed his ranting.  Peter was wrong if he thought Avenant was
beaten.  The judges and the guards could try to keep him in a cage, but it
wouldn’t work.  Avenant would be out of that prison within the year.  Belle
suddenly knew it.  He’d somehow get free and come back for her.  There wasn’t a
doubt in her mind.

The
Beast would never quit.

Which
was appalling news and she should report her suspicions to the police, so they
could double the width of the bars on his windows.  Except for one little problem. 
As mad as she was at him… As much as he deserved to be arrested… As terrible as
it would be when he came back for revenge… Belle
still
found herself
smiling in anticipation at the idea that she’d see him again, soon.

Crap.

She
was completely in love with that jerk.

That beast
could
never
be a knight.

Testimony
of Sir Lancelot
- The People of the Northlands v. Prince Avenant

Peter
Piper stood in the entrance to the cavern, a purple cloak around his shoulders
and Lancelot held in front of him like a shield.  “One move to freeze me with
your powers, Beast, and I’ll shoot your cousin.”  He warned jabbing the
revolver into Lancelot’s neck.  “I mean it.”

Avenant
actually chuckled at that threat.  “Granted, there aren’t a lot of hostages I
would give a shit about, but you’ve managed to pick the guy who ranks dead last
on the ‘Don’t Care’ list, Pete.”

“You
must help me, cousin!”  Lancelot’s words came out in a desperate jumble.  “He
found me up in the hedge maze.  He dragged me down here.  He has a magical
mirror that…”

“Shut-up.” 
Peter’s wild expression focused on Avenant.  “All you need to know is that I’ve
killed everyone else who got in my way of finding the sword and I’ll kill you,
too.  I
want
to kill you.  But not before you watch me steal
everything
from you, the way you stole
everything
from me.”

“Big
words for a Merit Scholar.”  Avenant glanced over at Belle and arched a brow. 
“I’m guessing that smell on the bridge was pickled peppers, my love.  I can’t
believe you went to prom with this reeking ass.”

“That
was
your
fault for not asking me yourself.”  Belle whispered back at
him, her gaze staying on Peter.  As shocked as she was to see him, things were
making a terrible sort of sense.  “You’ve hated Avenant since twelfth grade.”  She
shook her head, anger burning through her fear and surprise.  “You’re the one
who set him up for the embezzlement, aren’t you?  You doctored the accounts, so
he’d go to prison.”

“He
deserved everything I did to him and more!”

“You
son-of-a-
bitch
.”  Belle’s temper flashed, furious that Avenant had been
hurt and that she’d been tricked into helping it happen.  She shoved her way forward,
stabbing a finger at Peter.  “
You’re
the one who should’ve been
locked-up.  Avenant was completely innocent and you had him thrown in a cage!”

Avenant
looked down at her, his mouth curving at one corner.  “Did you just call me
completely
innocent?
”  He asked in delight.  “God, I adore you.”

“Can
you concentrate, please?”  She demanded.  The man couldn’t have looked less
interested in the lunatic holding them at gunpoint.  “Do you not understand
what he’s done?  That he’s threatening you, right now?”

“I
have faith that my True Love will protect me.”

Peter
glowered at her.  “So what if Avenant didn’t really steal from the kingdom,
Belle?”  He waved a dismissive hand.  “He’s done plenty of other stuff. 
Especially to
me
.”

“I
barely even know who you are.”  Avenant scoffed.

“I
still
don’t know who he is.”  Lancelot’s eyes were huge and terrified.

Avenant’s
gaze flicked over to him.  “That’s guy I’m going to kill for attacking Bella in
her bed.”  He said mildly.

Belle
gasped.  She hadn’t even considered that part, yet.  “Jesus!”  She shouted at
Peter.  “You’re the one who framed Avenant for that,
too?
  I’m going to
help
him kill you, you bastard.”

“Also,
he
attacked you in your bed
.”  Avenant stressed.

“I
would never hurt, Belle.”  Peter sounded insulted.  “Once I claim the
Northlands, I’m going to make her my princess.  I just hired those guys to scare
her and teach her a lesson.  I was trying to make her realize that you’re evil.”

Belle
saw red.  “
Except he didn’t do anything!
”

“He
fucking ruined my life!”  Peter roared.  “Avenant blocked me from accounting
jobs.  He made me a laughingstock in school.  He paid off the judges at the
Mathele Olympics to make sure our squad didn’t win the junior championships.”

Belle
sent Avenant a quick frown.  “I
knew
you were behind that.”  She
muttered.

He
shrugged with no remorse.  “Technically, I blackmailed them.”

“The
Beast drew a target on my back, because he sensed that you and I have a
connection, Belle.”  Peter continued persuasively.  “He couldn’t stand the idea
that you might want me more than him, so he set out to destroy me and ruin my
chances with you.”

“Well,
you certainly
helped
to ruin them, when you ended our one and only date by
making out with another girl.”  She retorted.

“Avenant
paid Jill to come on to me!  I was the victim.”

She
rolled her eyes.  “He tied you up and forced you to kiss her when I went for
punch?”  She shook her head.  “I don’t think so.  He might have been a jackass,
but
you
were the one who swallowed his bait.”

Avenant
smirked, loving the fact that she was sticking up him.

“You
zip it.”  She ordered, even though he hadn’t said anything.

His
elegant palms went up in a gesture of innocence.

“Cousin,
I’m begging you, stop this random commoner from assassinating me.”  Lancelot
implored.

Everyone
ignored him.

Peter
wasn’t willing to give up his campaign to win her over.  “I’m telling you, it
was
his
fault, Belle!  It’s
always
him.  Can’t you tell that he’s
Bad
.”

Avenant
snorted.  “You haven’t
seen
Bad.  You’ve been trying to steal my True
Love for twenty years, you little twerp.  You’re lucky you still have full use
of your limbs.”

“You
don’t frighten me.”  Peter hissed at him.  “The only things you care about are
Belle and the Icen Throne.  I’ve always known that.  And I’m about to take them
both
from you.”

“How?” 
Avenant arched a brow.  “By shooting that imbecile Lancelot?  Go ahead.  I
can’t stand him.”

“Hey!” 
Lancelot yelped.

Belle
sighed.  The knight might be annoying, but he didn’t deserve get slaughtered. 
“Avenant…”  She let the word trail off meaningfully.

“Come
on, Belle.”  Avenant urged.  “This is win/win.  Let Peter kill the moron and
then I’ll kill
him
and we’ll all be happy.”

“Lancelot’s
your cousin.”

“But,
he’s such a
moron
.”

Belle
frowned in his direction.

“
Fine
.” 
Avenant muttered.  “We’ll save the moron from this terrible hostage situation.” 
He rolled his eyes with world-weary confidence in his own abilities.  “But, you
have to admit that this is a
really
stupid plan, even for Pete.  I’m
going to just freeze him and go home.”

Belle
sort of agreed.  How did Peter think he was going to stop the Beast of the
Northlands?  They had to be missing something.

“You
don’t even
understand
my plan, Beast.”  Peter shoved Lancelot forwards,
edging towards Excalibur.  “But, you’re about to.  You’re about to see which of
us is truly worthy of the prize.”

Avenant
crossed his arms over his chest.  “Tell me when I’m allowed to kill him, my
love.”

Belle
ignored that.  “Peter, I really wouldn’t touch that sword if I were you.”  She
warned.  Adam hadn’t gone to all this trouble without having some extra tricks
up his sleeve.  “I don’t think you should…”

Peter
touched the sword.  He grabbed the hilt and tried to pull it free.  Excalibur
didn’t move.  Instead, he jerked back with a scream of pain and the smell of
smoldering flesh.  Belle cringed, seeing that the raised snowflake design was
now scorched into the skin of his palm.

“You
have to have royal blood.”  Lancelot said.  “I told you that.  The sword will
burn anyone else.”

Avenant’s
superior sneer dimmed a bit.  His blue eyes flicked to Lancelot, looking
vaguely concerned for the first time.  Now, the only other person who could
claim Excalibur was standing two feet from it.  “You know about that royal
blood thing?”

Belle
flashed Avenant a sideways look.  “I
told
you this was a risky idea. 
You never listen to me.  If I wasn’t here to keep you out of trouble, you’d be
dead fifty times over.”

“He’s
not supposed to know about Excalibur, Bella.  It’s supposed to be a family
secret.”

“I
am
family.”  Lancelot whined.  “My dad used to tell me stories about the
sword.  He always said one day it would give us a chance to claim the Icen
Throne.  But I don’t even
want
the kingdom anymore.  I’m going to get
Excalibur and give it to this guy and then he promises not to make me look in
that mirror, again.”  He tried to crane his neck to look at Peter.  “Right, Mr.
Kidnapper?”

“Of
course.”  Peter’s voice oozed insincerity.

Lancelot
gave a relieved smile.

Avenant
made a face.  “You suck at being a knight, you know that?”

Belle’s
eyes narrowed at Peter.  Something was off about this.  Lancelot had always
been a dim-bulb, but he’d never been this much of a simpering coward.  Peter
had done something to him.  “What mirror is he talking about?”

“
My
mirror.”  Peter pulled out a silver looking glass, still keeping the gun on
Lancelot.  Maybe he was too crazy to feel pain, because he kept monologuing
despite the blistering wound on his hand.  “I bought this from a witch.  It
cost me sixty magic beans, four bags of gold, and nine of the children I don’t
have yet, but it was worth it.”

“Uh-huh.” 
Belle said warily.  It looked like the kind of ordinary accessory a woman would
keep on her vanity, except its shiny surface glowed with magic.  Things that
glowed with magic rarely belonged in the hands of maniacs.  “What does it do?”

“It
shows people their inner selves, of course.”  Peter’s eyes sparkled.  “Lancelot
looked into it and saw that deep down he’s nothing but a spineless little
follower.”

“I
am.”  Lancelot sobbed.  “I’m so sorry, cousin.”

Avenant
sighed in annoyance.

Peter
laughed.  “You see?”  He cried.  “Do you think
I
could’ve defeated
Pumpkin-Eater or Cleo?  He was a cannibal and she was a mercenary, for crying
out loud.  Even that gremlin was too much for me, on my own.  I’m just an
accountant.  No.”  He shook his head.  “I simply showed them this mirror. When
they saw their true reflections, it drove them mad. 
That’s
what killed
them.”

“You
made them stab themselves?”  Belle gasped.

“
I
didn’t make them to do anything.”  Peter gestured to the mirror.  “It’s
this
. 
Scarlett Wolf is right with all her preaching.  No one’s a hundred percent
Good.  Certainly, not the people in this contest.  When I showed them their Bad,
they try to cut the darkness out, but it’s impossible.  It was a part of them. 
Just like it is for the Beast.”  He suddenly pushed Lancelot out of the way and
held up the mirror to Avenant’s beautiful face.  “And now you’ll see it, too!”

“
No!
” 
Belle screamed.

Inside
the silver surface lurked a monster of frost and snow.  Of pain and screaming
and terror.  Every cold nightmare imaginable lurked in its electric blue eyes. 
Whatever lived inside of Avenant snapped free of its chains and transformed his
patrician features into a icy mask.

The
Beast was coming out.

Avenant
stumbled back from his reflection in horror.  “Belle, get away from me.”  He
choked out, his whole body shaking.  “I can’t stop it.  I’m going to…”  He
trailed off with an agonized groan, his expression stark.

He
was changing right in front of her.  His skin became cracked and frozen, his
voice growing too dark and his body growing too big.  She could see the edges
of him straining at the seams and she knew he was fighting the Beast.

Only
he couldn’t.

Lancelot
gave a high-pitched scream and collapsed.  His helmet clanged against the
ground, his big body splayed out in dead faint.

Peter
chortled in triumph as Avenant’s splintering form hit the wall.  “This is even
better than I imagined.  He’s physically changing!  That thing is going to rip him
apart from the inside!”

Belle
knew he was right.  Avenant hands were clawing at his head, like he was trying
to peel through the hardening ice.  He was going to tear himself to pieces
trying to hold the Beast back.  Avenant wouldn’t to survive this…  Not unless
he stopped fighting it.

She
ran for him.  “Avenant, stop!”

He
didn’t hear her.  Maybe he couldn’t.  The Beast was desperate to escape, its
gaze darting around wildly.  It couldn’t focus on anything except its own panic
and fury.

“
Avenant!
” 
She screamed.

“He’s
gone.”  Peter chortled.  “Gone, gone, gone.  Give it up, Belle.  You’re finally
free of him.  We all are.”