Beauty and the Beast (Demon Tales 1) (10 page)

She swallowed the hard lump in her throat
and turned when one of Sam’s staff walked into the big
bathroom.

“Time to get dressed, Princess.” The young,
pretty Ram Demoness said with a smile. Cally nodded and followed
the girl into the large bedroom, all the while wondering how she
could escape this time. Would Sam just let her go? Yet again, she
was making plans to run.

“Where is Sam?” Cally asked, feeling her
pulse spike in her veins. She sat down at the vanity stool, and
watched the young demoness as she picked up a brush and began to
stroke it through Cally’s hair. Cally hated for anyone to brush her
hair—especially now, but a princess was always dressed and coiffed
by a maiden. This would be the last time…

The demoness looked up from her task, a
slight blush filled her cheeks. “Master Sam, is downstairs, madam.”
The girl began to brush Cally’s hair with more vigour and Cally
winced under the rough handling. “Would you like me to summon
him?”

Cally shook her head, “No. Has the fighting
stopped downstairs?” She needed to know that Brigg was okay, that
he was unhurt. The young demoness looked up and met Cally’s
gaze.

“The fighting stopped.“ Her brow creased.
“Though I ain’t never seen Master Brigg and Master Torc fight
before. They’re usually so solid.” She shrugged.

Guilt burned in Cally’s heart, and made her
go cold. They fought because of her. She had made two brothers
fight. She slumped her shoulders, feeling the heavy weight of her
conscience drag upon her mood.

“When will I be going home?” she asked,
ignoring the flight of terrified butterflies within her
stomach.

“I believe Master Sam said in an hour,
miss.”

An hour…

The young demoness brushed Cally’s hair
until it was almost dry, and then dressed her to look like the
princess she was a blue-and-white chiffon dress that flowed and fit
perfectly, her mother would approve. Cally hated it. She flicked a
look over to the bed where Brigg’s over-large shirt and trousers
lay. She got up and walked to the bed and ran her fingers over the
scruffy clothes, her heart throbbing painfully.

“Have those packed for me, please,” she
instructed the young demoness. She would need comfortable clothes
for what she was planning. Plus, she couldn’t bear to be parted
from them. It was silly, she knew, but they symbolized freedom to
her. They were probably going to be her only reminder of Brigg.

There was a loud knock at the bedroom door
and Cally swung her gaze around to see Torc step inside the
doorway. His huge shoulders filed the space, his head almost
brushing the top. He was a fearsome sight.

“The carriage is ready,” he barked at Cally,
pure hate flaring from his gaze.

“Thank you,” she replied automatically. He
gave a tight nod and turned. “Um..Torc?” she blurted. He turned his
head and stared at Cally, and a shiver of cold malice trickled down
her spine and her words died. The idea of begging for their help
filtered through her mind, but the wild look in Torc’s eyes said
that he would not be willing to help her.

“What? I don’t have all bloody day, human.”
He sneered the last word and Cally knew it to be an insult of the
highest kind.

“Is Brigg okay?”

“You think I would hurt my own brother?” He
turned fully back into the room and took a wide step closer to
Cally. She swallowed and took an involuntary step back, coming up
against the bed. “You think I’d let some nasty-ass, piece of shit
human walk all over him? Then you’re wrong.” He loomed over her,
Cally leaned back away from his hissed words and frighteningly
clenched fists. She had seen him batter one of those fists into
Brigg’s face, there was no way she would survive that.

“I would never hurt him,” she replied
through tight breaths. She couldn’t believe that she was talking
back to this big demon, but what he said was untrue. She would
never hurt Brigg.

Torc reared his head back and growled, Cally
squeaked with fear and dropped her bum onto the spongy bed.

“You already did!” he bellowed. “Your
fucking bitch of a mother cursed him—us!” Torc grabbed at Cally’s
dress and dragged her to her feet. He pushed his face close to hers
and lowered his voice to a menacing growl. “And you’ve hexed him to
believe that he’s attracted to you. He would
never
touch a
filthy human like you!”

His words thumped into her brain like a
booted foot. Her heart felt as if it were in a vice.
Hexed him?
Mother…cursed?
Tears slipped from her eyes as confusion fogged
her brain. Torc’s hands held her arms so tight, she was sure she
would bruise. This demon was so bad-tempered and angry, Cally
wasn’t sure what to do.

“I haven’t hexed him!” The denial tumbled
from her mouth as tears fell from her eyes. “Please…I’m not magic.”
The tops of her arms throbbed where he gripped her, and her heart
pounded wildly.

“Bullshit!” he roared and shook her. Cally
yelped in fear, he wasn’t really hurting her, but she could sense
the loose hold he had on his control.

“Excuse me—,” Cally turned her head and saw
the young demon girl standing flat against the wall. She looked
frightened, her eyes wide. Cally had forgotten she was in the room.
Torc whirled his head around and pinned her with a cold glare. The
girl swallowed.

“What?” His tone was cutting.

The young demoness pointed a shaky hand at
Cally. “Sir, she is not a…”

“What the fuck is going on in here?” The
deep voice that Cally had learned to love boomed into the room.
Torc spun, dropping Cally’s arms immediately. Cally dropped to the
bed as her legs went out from beneath her. Brigg stormed into the
room and faced his brother. “What the fuck were you doing,
dickhead?” Brigg snapped. Torc squared his shoulders.

“I want to know what hex she’s put on you.”
Brigg clenched his hands into fists.

“And?”

“She denies it.”

Cally watched as the pair of demons
discussed her as if she wasn’t there. Brigg seemed to be trying his
hardest not to look at her, and it was that rejection that stung
the most. What they had just shared in the library had meant so
much to her—apparently not so for Brigg.

“Brigg—”

“Silence, human!” Torc snapped, making her
words halt.

“But, sir—” The young demoness tried to
speak again from the corner of the room.

“And you!” Torc bellowed, “Leave us,
now!”

Cally watched, wide–eyed, as the young Ram
Demoness reacted as if she had been slapped. She dropped her head
and hurried from the room, clearly fighting back tears. Torc
watched her leave before he turned back to Brigg.

“I’ll see all this evil magic lifted. When
the queen has her daughter back, she’ll grant favor and free us
from this curse.”

Then Brigg looked at Cally. Her heart jumped
as his soulful, dark eyes captured her in their dark depths. He was
in pain.

That makes two of us, Brigg.
She
waited with bated breath for his reply, hating that she begged with
her eyes,
Please. Don’t send me back.

He dropped his stare and fisted his hands.
“See it done, brother.”

Brigg turned and left the room. Cally could
do nothing but watch as pain assaulted her heart.
He left
me.

* * * *

Brigg watched Cally climb into the carriage
from the library window. She was dressed in a simple blue dress,
and Brigg couldn’t recall having ever seen a prettier sight. Her
hair was brushed and clean and Brigg realized that the whole time
he had known her, she had been dirty and scruffy. Now, she looked
like the princess she was.

The human witch she is.

The wind blew her hair slightly and Brigg
felt frustrated when her shiny locks covered her face. He wanted to
see her eyes one last time. He couldn’t explain the need that
burned in his brain. The need to see his pain reflected in her
stare—he had to know she felt the same. Then she turned and looked
back at the castle. Her hair flew behind her and Brigg sucked in a
breath. She was beautiful, so utterly perfect, and her eyes held
the same hurt as his.

His hand flew to the glass window and
flattened against it. He was glad that he had stayed within the
castle walls. Otherwise he would have snatched her up and run for
the hills. The idea that Cally was hurting, hurt him. The knowledge
that she was leaving and never coming back, nearly crippled him.
But Torc was right. She had done something to him, put him under a
spell, and as soon as she was gone this feeling of obsession, need
and …love would go with her. The look on her face was nothing but a
ruse—a lie.

There was no way that Brigg could be in love
with a human, no way at all.

Definitely magic.

“Are you not going to say goodbye?” Sam’s
respectfully quiet voice broke through Brigg’s melancholy and Brigg
removed his hand from the window. He shook his head.

“No. I don’t ever want to talk to her
again,” he mumbled, hating that the words felt like glass in his
mouth. Sam stood alongside him and watched Torc close the carriage
door. Cally leaned back in the shadows of the carriage, just out of
Brigg’s view. His feet twitched with the need to run out to her,
but he curbed the treacherous thought.

Magic. Remember, Brigg?
But right
now, it didn’t feel like magic. Sending her away felt wrong

“Except, I don’t believe you, Brigg.”

Brigg clenched his jaw. “She has put me
under a spell.” He said the words and tried to believe them. It had
to be true.

“A pretty hot spell.”

“What the fuck does that mean?” Brigg
snapped rounding on Sam. Sam raised an inquisitive brow and nodded
his head to Cally and the carriage.

“I am just saying it’s not a bad spell to be
under, if that’s what you get out of it.” Sam half grinned and
Brigg felt an instant jab of jealousy to his heart.

“Keep your fucking eyes to yourself, Ram.”
Yes, definitely jealousy.
Brigg cursed inwardly and ignored
the knowing look from his brother’s friend.

“All I’d like to know is what she saw in
you.” Sam turned and walked into the library. Brigg kept his stare
on the outside and the carriage window, desperate for another
glimpse of Cally.

Just shoot me now.

“She saw nothing in me, Sam. Just a ticket
home,” he murmured. The carriage lurched as one of the horses got
restless. Brigg felt his insides tumble. He moved closer to the
window and willed Cally to lean forward out of the shadows.

Just one more look.

“Well, I think she saw more than that.”

Brigg turned his head and pinned Sam with a
glare. “What the fuck do you mean?”

Sam sat down on the large leather chair—the
one that Cally had sat on not so long ago. The image of her bare
thighs flew into his mind, and he felt a savage tear rip through
his already fractured heart.

Sam steepled his fingers and looked pensive.
“I think a woman who has a man under a spell, does not end up
flushed, panting and inches away from being fucked—and looking to
all the world as if she were enjoying herself.” Sam looked over to
the desk where Brigg had nearly taken Cally, he raised a mocking
brow. “And on my antique mahogany desk, no less.”

Shock felt like a bolt of lightening to his
chest. Brigg stood tall and turned fully into the room and glared
at Sam. “How do you know what she looked like?” Jealousy raced
through his mind.
Mine!
Rage flared like a released
parachute, and Brigg fought to stand still, and not throttle Torc’s
best friend.

Sam stared back at him, and Brigg saw the
weary knowledge in his friend’s eyes. Sam knew what Brigg and his
brother were capable of when angered. Sam stood up and moved to the
whiskey decanter. He poured two large shots and brought one over to
Brigg. Brigg took the glass but didn’t drink.

“I came in just after Torc. We all saw what
you pair had been up to.” Sam clinked his glass against Brigg’s,
“You had her screaming your name.” Sam grinned and took a deep pull
of his drink. Brigg roared and threw his glass against the far
wall. Sam watched the glass smash and turned his disapproving stare
back on Brigg.

“Is it my library you don’t like? Because I
happen to like this room, and thanks to you, I am going to have to
redecorate.” Brigg didn’t give Sam a chance to finish his pompous
rant as he threw his fist into the Ram’s face. Sam staggered back,
his hand went to his mouth. He lifted it away and stared at the
blood on his fingers.

“Fuck, demon! Some notice before you batter
me would be nice.” Sam turned, grabbed the decanter and poured
another drink and swigged it. Brigg watched with a confused frown
as the demon swiped the blood with the back of his hand and glared
into his glass. Sam looked as if he were furious. He looked as if
he was on the verge of a rage himself. But Brigg sensed a pain in
the demon that mirrored his own

“Why are you taunting me, Ram? Do you like
having the shit beaten out of you?” Brigg’s temper was surging
through his blood. His muscles bunched and itched for action. But
he didn’t want to fight a demon who was his friend—a demon who was
so clearly goading him.

Sam shrugged. “I’m just trying to show you
that you care for her, spell or no spell.” Sam slumped in the
leather chair with a freshly poured drink, held it up to the light
and watched the dark liquid with a sad expression. “Don’t let
anyone tell you what to feel, Brigg—because it fucking kills you
when you realize they were wrong.”

Brigg watched Sam drain his glass. He turned
back to the window just in time to see the carriage roll away. He
pinned his eyes to the small carriage window hoping for another
glimpse of Cally, but she didn’t look out. Sam’s words flitted
through his mind…
when you realize they were wrong
. What If
Torc was wrong?