The Beast Within (Villains, #2)

by Serena Valentino

What sort of woman would do that—give up her life so easily, sacrificing her freedom for her father’s? The Beast wondered if he was capable of such a sacrifice. He wondered if he was capable of love.

There had been many changes since the witches had brought their enchantments.

When the castle was first enchanted, he thought that his mind was playing tricks on him—that simply the idea of the curse had driven him mad. But he now knew everything that surrounded him was alive, and he was fearful any further misdeeds on his part would send it into a frenzy, and his enemies would make him suffer

even more for the pain he had caused so many before he became a beast.

He had a beautiful woman within his walls. She was a willing captive, someone to talk to, and yet he couldn’t even bring himself to face her.

Fear.

The odd sisters! Lucinda, Ruby, and Martha, an indistinguishable trio of witches with inky-black ringlets,

It's all connected with all the villains

You must love her and that love must be returned with true

love’s kiss, before your twenty first birthday. She may use the mirror as you do, to see into the world beyond your kingdom, but she must never know the details of the curse or how it’s to be broken. You will notice she sees the castle and its enchantments differently than yourself. The most terrifying aspects of the curse are reserved for you.”

“Don’t forget, Beast, true love, both given and received, before the last petal falls.”

The only indication of what he had once been was his soulful blue eyes, which teemed with humanity. Those hadn’t changed. They were still his.

His knees buckled as his world started to close in. His scope became narrower until he found himself in utter darkness, spiraling into a vision of his past—of himself as he’d once been, before he became a monster. Before he became the Beast.

What young prince hasn’t found himself in exactly the same place? What do you think other princes are like? Are they just charming men venturing off hither and thither in search of sleeping brides to awaken with love’s first kiss? Do you fancy them as dandy gentlemen while they slay dragons and vanquish foul, murderous stepmothers? Perhaps they do that sort of thing without the slightest bit of ego or aggression? One moment they’re hacking their way through enchanted killer thornbushes only to find a fire breathing dragon primed for murder on the other side, and the next they’re expected to waltz with their new brides in pastel suits and golden sashes.

it was a far cry from poison apples, stinky dwarfs, or being burnt alive by an evil fairy queen. He’d take hunting and philandering over that stuff any day.

Putting his drink on the little wooden side table next to

his chair, he stood with a heavy sigh and made his way toward the grand entrance. There stood Circe, a pathetic little creature holding a single red rose, looking downright diminutive in the gaping arched doorway. Her eyes were sad, swollen and red from crying.

“I’ll never be quite as beautiful again in your eyes because you think I’m the daughter of a pig farmer?” Then he heard their voices, climbing out of the darkness, like a chorus of harpies swooping up from Hell. “Farmer’s daughter?” “Our little sister?” “Why, she is of royal blood. She is cousin of the old king.” He couldn’t see who was speaking; he only heard three distinct voices coming from the darkness. Something about the voices unnerved him.

My darling,” Circe continued, “this enchanted mirror will let you see into the outside world. All you need to do is ask the mirror and it will show you what you want to see.” “I don’t like you giving away our treasures, Circe! That was a gift from a very famous maker of mirrors. It’s quite priceless and very old. It’s a mirror of legends! It was given to us before you were even born.” “And shall I remind you how you came to possess it?” asked Circe, silencing her sisters.

Gaston put his hand on his friend’s shoulder and replied, “No doubt you will have to wade through some ugly ducklings before you find your princess, but won’t it be worth it? What of your friend who had such a ball? Wasn’t it a great success after the matter of the glass slipper was sorted?”

There was one girl with auburn hair he didn’t manage to see properly. She seemed always to have her back turned. She must have been very beautiful, because he caught the dirty glances she received from the other ladies as they passed her, and quite unlike the others, she didn’t travel in a swarm of girls. She stood off—apart from most everyone—seeming not the least bit interested in the idle chatter of the fairer sex.

“To love in all its tantalizing and vexing forms!”

Nanny said that far too often a woman unknowingly sabotaged herself when reproaching her husband for his misdeeds. To stay quiet and say nothing was reproach itself.

Did she love him at all?

“No, man!

So dumb 🤣

I see you’ve not changed for dinner yet! Well, we can’t keep Mrs. Potts waiting. What you’re wearing will just have to do! Come! I’ll escort you into the dining room, even if you’re not fit for the grand affair planned in your honor.” Tulip’s heart sank and her face turned scarlet. She had, in fact, changed for dinner and made herself up considerably well—at least, she thought so. She was wearing one of her finest gowns and had thought she looked quite beautiful before she started down the stairway. She made a special effort to look flawless in light of what had happened upon her arrival. Now she wanted nothing more than to run away from this place and never come back again, but she was trapped.

“I won’t have you in the castle another moment, do you understand? You disgust me!” Tulip was weeping harder than ever, screaming for the Prince to let her go so she could see to her nanny, when Gaston came into the room.

Prince that everyone else in the castle had become enchanted after he broke Tulip’s heart.

After the ruin of Tulip’s family, his malformation progressed beyond his wildest fears. He looked like a monster. Like a beast.

“Yes, man, I heard you!

He wanted Gaston’s blood.

The Prince didn’t know what to say. “We just hope you’re able to break the curse.” Something snapped in his mind; his eyes were wild and he verged on the edge of frenzy. Break the curse! He hopes I’m able to break the curse! “As if there was a moment that went by that I thought of anything else but breaking this accursed spell! Get out of here before I strike you!” Lumiere backed away with every spiteful word. “I’m sorry, sir! I didn’t…” “Get out now!” And that was the last the Prince, now the Beast, saw of Lumiere.

Ruby spoke. “He’s turned into the Beast, as we thought he would. He almost killed Gaston while stalking in the forest.” Circe looked disappointed. “But he didn’t kill him, so there’s still hope?”

Ruby laughed. “Oh, how she would have hated to be called the old queen! But that is what she has become so many years after her death: she’s become the old queen of legend and myth! But we know the truth! We know she was real! The queen who ruined herself over grief and vanity.”

Lucinda answered, “She did, my dear, but was saved by our friend Ursula.” Circe glared at her sisters. “And what did the sea witch demand in return?” Ruby looked hurt. “You think so little of the company we keep?” Lucinda added, “And how would we know what Ursula took from her? We are not privy to the goings-on in every kingdom!”

Circe didn’t look convinced. “I want you to make it right with Ursula! You give her something in exchange for whatever she took from Tulip! And I am going to sort out the kingdom’s affairs!” Lucinda looked deeply unhappy. “If you insist.” Circe narrowed her eyes. “I do! And, Sisters, we’re to see that Tulip’s beauty is returned to her without delay!” Ruby was surprised their little sister had guessed what the sea witch had swapped for Tulip’s life. Circe smiled smugly. “Don’t look so surprised! Ursula’s beauty was ripped from her years ago, so it would stand to reason she would try to regain it by devious means! I think it’s terrible what happened to her, but it doesn’t excuse her actions!”

It was dark except for the pink glow of the enchanted rose the sisters had given him on the night of the curse so long ago; its light was hazy under the protective glass dome that covered it, and its petals were few.

If Circe were there, she’d want to help the poor girl, but her older sisters had something else entirely in mind. They were quite happy with themselves. They’d thought ahead; they’d thought to keep Circe busy with the sea witch. They’d asked Ursula to keep her there for as long as she could manage. They didn’t want their little sister meddling in their plans. Circe didn’t embrace death the way her sisters did. She wouldn’t approve.

“It’s time to send Pflanze to see Gaston.” “Oh yes, Sister! I’m sure he would like to know where his dearest Belle has gotten off to!” And Ruby added, “I bet he would, and I am sure if anyone could destroy the Beast, it would be him!”

So what if she was more interested in reading about princesses than being one herself?

Perhaps this, right here, was his punishment: never knowing what it was to love.

“Can I open them?” Her voice echoed. If she hadn’t known better, she would have thought perhaps they were in a cathedral. “No. No. Wait here!” He released her hands. She heard a swish and then felt warm sunlight on her face. “Now can I open them?” He was actually enjoying this, giving her this gift, and he found himself smiling for the first time in ages. “All right, now!” he said, and she opened her eyes, which widened at the remarkable sight. “I can’t believe it! I’ve never seen so many books in my entire life!” The Beast hadn’t expected to feel this way, hadn’t expected what it would mean to him to make someone so happy. “You—you like it?” he asked, and she did, more than she could express. “It’s wonderful!” she said, happier than he’d ever seen her before. “Then it’s yours.” And he felt something completely unexpected.

He loved making her happy. “Oh, thank you so much!” Books! Books made her happy. She wasn’t like any girl he’d ever known before, and he thought perhaps he liked it. In fact, he was sure he did.

The odd sisters were in a panic. Even they could see Belle was warming up to the Beast, and the Beast—well,

Belle and the Beast, and with each day their panic grew. It was becoming painfully clear they were falling in love!

“Yes! We got you a present, Circe!” said Martha as Circe narrowed her eyes at her scheming sisters. “Do you think I’m stupid and so easily distracted?” Martha frowned theatrically. “We thought you would like it! Try it on!” Lucinda ran toward Circe like an excited little child, her pale face haggard and her red lipstick smudged. “Yes, try it on! I think it will look lovely.” Lucinda went behind Circe to put it around her neck. “Okay, fine! Let’s see what it looks like if it will make you happy,” Circe said. And when Lucinda fastened the clasp, Circe slumped into her sister’s waiting arms. “That’s right, little sister, sleep!”

The three witches carried Circe into her room and placed her on the soft featherbed, where she slept blissfully so her sisters could continue their fiendish deeds undisturbed. “We will wake you when it’s over, our sweet little sister, and you will thank us for avenging

Thank Hades Belle and the Beast were each too bashful to make the first move, so for now the witches’ curse was safe.

Ruby’s face was streaked with black tears. “But did he give her the mirror? Is she taking it with her? We were unable to finish the incantation!”

“Look here, foul witches! I won’t have you popping in and out of my home unannounced!” “Sorry to disturb your meal, Gaston, but we have news that you might find interesting.” Gaston slammed his knife into his wooden dining table. “First you send that foul slinking creature to watch over me, and now this! Showing up whenever you desire, to make requests of me, no doubt!”

“A very dear friend who we think would be more than happy to help you.” Gaston had to wonder what sort of people the witches kept company with. “His name is Monsieur D’Arque. He runs the sanitarium,” Lucinda answered, as if she heard his very thoughts. Gaston wasn’t surprised that the sisters were friendly with the rapscallion who ran the sanitarium.