Loving an Ugly Beast (Fairy Tales & Ever Afters) Page 2

  Her lips tightened in a small grin that told him she thought she had just won this argument. “That’s why you are not going in.”

  Further words on his part were left unspoken when Nissa looked past him, smiled wider, and called out “Marco!” She waved to the young man sweeping outside the tavern, and then turned her gaze back to Benton. “There, no more worries. Marco is here.”

  And that fact did not make the situation better. Marco was a young man angry at the world and at a crossroads in his life. Nissa only saw him as the sweet orphan boy she taught to read and count, and those blinders kept her from seeing the avarice on his face when confronted by money or the hatred when the village’s “sterling” citizens shunned Marco over his lack of family or connections.

  Young men in Marco’s situation were easily swayed to the seedy side of life. Benton could see Marco becoming an accomplice to a gang, perhaps clearing the way for them to get money or valuables from the tavern.

  No, the fact Marco was there did not ease Benton’s mind in the least.

  Nissa would be protected, her own stubbornness be damned. He would talk to Joseph. No matter the incentive or the threat he had to use, at the end of the conversation Nissa would not be working at the tavern anymore.

  She reached up and placed her hand on his scarred cheek, the only human being who ever voluntarily touched his scars. “I’m going to be with Madam Pierce tomorrow to finalize this year’s curriculum, but I’ll visit the day after next. Does that suit?”

  He nodded, but he knew she was coming over tomorrow. She’d be pounding at his door right after Joseph told her she couldn’t work at the tavern anymore.

  Benton was a sick, sick man, because the image of an angry Nissa made his temperature soar in a way that had nothing to do with the mild warmth of the day.

  Without Nissa, he had no need to slow his pace, so the trip back to his cabin was quick and uneventful. It was growing close to twilight, the time where the sun still shone and the air still held warmth, but both were fading fast. He shrugged out of his clothes and waded into the lake to take advantage of these last few moments. Winter was not long away, and this would soon be impossible to do until next year.

  The water soothed and relaxed him in a way nothing other than Nissa could.

  Nissa. She would be an amazing sight, naked and glistening in the lake water, her playful smile taking on a seductive cast as she splashed water at him before she jumped into his arms and wrapped her legs around his waist. There would be no place on her body wetter than the damp heat she’d push against him, grinding into him, making him hard for her…

  Benton groaned before he pulled himself tight and dove deep into the lake, where the water was only steps above freezing.

  Only when his lungs were fit to burst and threatened to start breathing again – air availability be damned – did he surge to the surface with strong, sure strokes.

  “Yoo-hoo!”

  Shock cut through him, making him pause as he pushed his hair back from his face as his gaze took in the surrounding area in quick sweeps. What in the nine hells was that?

  “I’m up here, dear.”

  His eyes went up to the trees. Sitting amid the branches of Nissa’s oak was an old woman, cherub-cheeked and gray hair, smiling beatifically at him. “So tell me, dear, did the cold water help?”

  Chapter Two

  Benton searched the area again to spot her partner. An old lady couldn’t possibly get into that tree by herself, and once he found whoever was helping her, he might get a better idea what they were after.

  “Come, come, I don’t have all day. Get out of the lake before you prune away.”

  He looked back to the woman, but she was no longer in the tree and instead stood at the edge of the lake.

  “You shouldn’t be so suspicious. You’re really too young to be so serious. I’m here with glad tidings and to talk about Nissa.”

  Before the name fully left her lips, Benton swept through the water with powerful strokes. Without concern for his nudity, he emerged from the lake as soon as he hit shore.

  While the woman didn’t stare, she also did not turn away and fake any modesty. “I had a feeling that name would put some fire into you.”

  Old woman or not, he would do what he had to for Nissa. “What’s your concern with her?”

  The old woman giggled and patted his arm. “If I were anyone else, that voice alone would have frightened me enough that I’d be looking to change my knickers. Now, let’s talk. What is your greatest wish? Oh, and put some pants on, dear. While I do enjoy the show, since you’re spoken for I think you should be a bit more modest.” That last sentence didn’t prevent her from taking one last, lingering look, and Benton couldn’t be sure, but he thought he heard the word “Impressive,” muttered before she turned away.

  He put on his pants while she hummed to herself, looking around the outside of his cabin, peeking in the windows and giving exclamations such as, “Very nice,” and “This must have taken a lot of work.” She was a crazy old woman who must be lost. Maybe she was new in town? What was he supposed to do about her?

  Nissa would know. After he dressed he’d take her to the tavern.

  “You were just thinking of Nissa again, weren’t you? I always recognize the face of a young man thinking of his lady. It’s a specialty of mine.”

  He was on alert again, and she went from adorable old lady to possible threat. “How do you know Nissa?”

  She waved away his concerns, her eyebrows furrowing. “Honestly, there might be such a thing as too one-track minded. I am here to help you know.” Before she finished the sentence, her eyebrows shot up and her mouth popped open while her hand went to rest above her heart. “Dear me, I forgot to introduce myself, didn’t I? It’s been so long since I was in the field that I seem to be making rookie mistakes.”

  With a determined stride she walked to him, putting her hand out. “I’m Godmother Sara, leader of the FGs and your own personal Fairy Godmother. I’m here to grant your wish.”

  He took her fragile hand, his fingers barely flexing around hers before he let go. “A fairy godmother?”

  “Yes, yes, I know you don’t believe me. That will change soon enough. Onto your wish. Your wish is for Nissa to love you, am I right?”

  He breathed out the last of his tension. She was delusional, an old woman new in town who probably knew Nissa, and if she knew Nissa, then no wonder she’d seen him. In her addled, fairy tale ridden mind, she’d decided he fit the role of beast to Nissa’s princess.

  Crazy but harmless, and a lot more fun to talk to than most people. She had a warmth and kindness that emanated from every inch of her body, but also forthright and a plain-spoken nature that appealed to him. He’d play this game for a little while before he took her to the tavern and was left to his own company again. “What if it was?”

  “Well, I couldn’t help you with that.” Sara placed one hand on her hip and shook her finger at him. “Can’t force love, you know. Love must be discovered and owned on its own.”

  “Then why come here to grant a wish you can’t grant?”

  She clapped her hands in front of her the way a teacher getting a student’s attention might. “You are so literal. Maybe I can’t grant love, but I can make the circumstances such that love is encouraged to develop. If love is the plant, look at me as the gardener, the one who makes sure the surroundings are perfect for it to root itself and blossom forth.”

  Benton sat on a tree stump so she no longer needed to look up at him. “How are you going to do that?”

  She smiled again, the warmth of it suited to her face. “Let me turn that question back on you. What do you think needs to happen for love to develop?”

  The answer burst forth without thought. “No more beast.”

  Sara frowned at him. “I know she’s plain, but really, should you be calling her a beast?”

  Her words shocked a bark of laughter out of him, but he clarified. “Not Nissa.”

&nb
sp; Sara tilted her head, the smile disappearing from her lips but her eyes warmer than ever. “Are you telling me you don’t want her to change?”

  He shook his head. “Never. I want to change.”

  “What about what Nissa wants?”

  His hand reached up and touched his scarred cheek before thought could kick in and warn him not to give away information. He dropped his hand. “Why wouldn’t she want that?”

  “Have you ever asked?”

  He shook his head, looking over to Nissa’s tree, where she had taught him to read and where he could still curl up in her warmth and listen to her stories. “No need.”

  Sara huffed. “In case you ever have any doubt, let me reassure you right now that you are very much a man. As adorable and oblivious as any I’ve ever met.”

  He didn’t ask what she meant. No need for that either. Sara was in her own world, talking to herself, her brows furrowing and relaxing as she considered and discarded thoughts. At the end she brought herself up, squaring her shoulders. “I know what to do. Are you ready?”

  “For what?”

  “For what you asked, dear. No more beast. Isn’t that your wish? To get away from this shell and replace it with another, more aesthetically pleasing version? Why, after you get a new look, you won’t even need Nissa anymore. You’ll have girls begging for your attention.”

  “Don’t want anyone else, just Nissa.” It was the first time he admitted his feelings for Nissa aloud. It wasn’t as difficult as he thought it would be to admit it, not while he was swept away in her delusions.

  Sara waved his words away. “You say that now, but you’ve never experienced the rush of having beautiful women not only not avoiding you, but actively fighting over you, wanting to be at your side and in your bed. Nissa won’t even register anymore.”

  This conversation was no longer enjoyable. Benton stood. “You can leave now.”

  Once again, Sara did the unexpected when she took both of his hands in hers. “My dearest, dearest boy. I knew you were the right one. There is no one else in this world I would trust with Nissa’s heart.”

  She dropped his hands and from the folds of her long robe brought forth a thin, polished stick. “Better use this,” she said. “I’m so out of practice I don’t want to take any chances of wild magic. Oh, at times like this I so miss Reina. She’s the only one I would have trusted with this assignment outside of myself. Lara is a dear, but she’s got big shoes to fill.”

  This little old lady had brought more confusion into his life in one day than he’d experienced over the last decade. “What is that?”

  “This?” asked Sara, waving the stick around. “It’s a magic wand. Want to do this spell right. Now, all magic comes with a price. What would you give to look like a normal man, one who could come and go in this world like any other, and the only reason people would stop and stare at you would be because they couldn’t get over how attractive you are?”

  His hand opened without thought, as though to reach for the long-cherished dream. No. This was pretend, humoring an old lady. He curled his hand into a fist, nails digging in flesh. But something compelled him to give the truth to this strange woman. “I’d give anything.”

  Sara’s lips thinned and she lowered her head to give him a disapproving look beneath furrowed brows. “Think things through a little bit before you answer next time. What if I said the price of your wish was Nissa hating you for all time? Would the cost be worth it then?”

  “No.” The rebuttal was instinctive, coming from deep within. “No, I don’t want that wish.”

  “Don’t worry, that wasn’t my price anyway. My point is there are more magical beings out there than just me and they aren’t quite so nice. Sore losers would be a better description. Make sure you think through your answers.”

  She was so fierce that he held up his hands to stop any more berating. “I will. I’m sorry.”

  “Let me ask again. What would you give?”

  He sat back down and crossed his arms over his chest, fixing his face in a serious expression to humor her. “What would I be required to give?”

  Sara flicked her wand at him in an approving manner. “Much better. Here are the terms of the wish. I can change your looks and make you an attractive man. In return, you have to leave Benton behind.”

  His arms uncrossed and he half rose from his seat. “What do you mean?”

  “You can no longer be Benton. You’ll have to make another life for yourself. Nothing from your life as Benton can follow you.”

  This exchange was surreal. Why the compulsion to answer her? Why the joy at the thought of getting his wish granted? Why the trust?

  No. He was humoring her, that was all. It was all a game of pretend. So he shook his head. “What good is changing me if I have to leave her?”

  “You could still live here, but no one could know you were once Benton.” Sara put her wand under his chin so he was staring into her eyes. “Let me be very clear on this point. Once your wish is granted, if you tell anyone that you were once Benton or try to take up any part of your old life, you will physically turn back into Benton, and since this wishing business is a one-time-only deal, you will never be the handsome prince again.”

  She was delusional, but she was so fierce and determined in her delusion that his thoughts turned to what this wish would look like. What would it be like?

  No more Benton? Would he really miss that? The looks, the whispers, the shame and the loneliness.

  And Nissa would still be at his side, maybe as something more than a friend. Short of the scenario Sara had mentioned earlier, it was worth any price.

  “What do I have to do to make this wish come true?” he asked.

  Sara smiled and raised her wand. “Just sit there and watch the master work.”

  Chapter Three

  “When’s Benton coming back, Nissa? The stockpiles are getting low, and I need to know what the delivery schedule will be the next few months.”

  Joseph was the fifth person in the last three days to ask about Benton’s whereabouts. Normally this wouldn’t be a problem as Benton had always reported to her the whens and wheres of his schedule. Except this time.

  This time, not a clue.

  “He didn’t tell me. I don’t know where he is or what he’s doing.” It could be a few things, hunting and fur trapping being the main possibilities, but Benton was a man of many talents and all of them were in demand.

  Joseph frowned at that piece of news, but Marie waddling out from the kitchen while carrying a tray diverted his attention. “Marie, you know better! No more lifting anything. You shouldn’t even be here.”

  He ignored his very pregnant wife’s sputtered words and grabbed the tray away from her. Marie shot him daggers with her glare. “You are overreacting. Should I just leave Nissa alone to handle the entire crowd?”

  Nissa raised her hands in a mock surrender. “Don’t put me in between. I just do what I’m told.” Both Joseph and Marie gave her an exasperated look before turning back to each other.

  “You need to take care of yourself.”

  “I’m pregnant, not made of glass.”

  Joseph leaned down, touching his forehead to hers. “Promise me you will be well.”

  Marie smacked him lightly on the arm, but the smile that curved her lips was indulgent just the same. “Silly man. There is no need for worry, but I promise anyway.”

  Joseph turned to Nissa. “Make her sit if you think she appears tired.”

  Marie rolled her eyes the moment her husband was out of sight. “As excited as I am to be pregnant, I wish he’d loosen up a bit. I didn’t marry an old fuddy-duddy.”

  “But you did marry a man almost twice your age. You should have considered it a possibility he would turn into one.”

  Marie was in her mid-twenties, small and cute with dark hair and dark eyes. Joseph was in his early forties, gray forming at his temples. A stranger seeing them together wouldn’t assume they were father and daughter, b
ut the age difference was obvious. And yet, Nissa had not known a happier or more perfect for each other couple.

  “Never thought it would happen. This is the same man who at the end of our first date decided we should have sex in the public carriage house. When travelers arrived he was so close to coming he couldn’t stop, so he finished with them watching.”

  Nissa choked and coughed hard enough to put forth a lung. Joseph and Marie were lumped into the parental category – as in, she never wanted to know anything about their sex life. Unfortunately, Marie was completely unselfconscious when it came to private matters. If you were her friend, then any and all information was fair game.

  “That reminds me,” continued Marie. “What about you and Benton? Any bare-assed action going on there yet?”

  And just like a parent, Marie was obsessed over Nissa’s love life, or why she didn’t have one. “Why do you keep asking?”

  “Because you’ve known him for three years and have loved him almost that long, and I would like you both to move beyond the mooning phase and enter the action phase.”

  “Hard to do when he doesn’t love me back.”

  Marie scoffed. “What are you talking about? The man is crazy over you.”

  Nissa made a vague wave with her hand at the other occupants of the bar. “You seem to be the only one who thinks that. No one else asks me about impending nuptials. They don’t seem to think he loves me.”

  “That’s because the majority of the residents here are so emotionally stunted they can’t see past Benton’s scars and vocabulary.”

  “Benton doesn’t have a vocabulary with most people. He just stares at them until they run away.”

  “Exactly!” Marie said, giving a hop in her seat and pointing at Nissa. “That should be a clue right there. He talks around you. Not many others can say that.”

  Couldn’t Marie see how hard this was? How much Nissa wanted to think there might be something beyond friendship? But Benton was the bravest man she’d ever known, and not once, not once, had he ever said anything to her about taking their relationship further. “That just proves friendship, not love.”