Page 25 of Beast of Blood and Roses (Dark Ever After Fairytales #1)

Chapter Twenty-Five

Rosalie

I just finished drying the last dish when heavy footsteps came crashing down the stairs like rolling thunder. The sound made my heart skip as something crashed against the wall above.

Beast burst into the kitchen like a hurricane, his eyes wild and feral as he snarled and gnashed his teeth.

Terror shot through me like ice water. He looked absolutely murderous, like he wanted to tear someone apart with his bare claws.

Flour still dusted his dark fur and clung to his shirt, making him look even more unhinged.

But then his wild gaze found me, and something shifted—the murderous rage transforming into desperate concern.

He grabbed me by the shoulders, his grip hard enough to bruise. “Are you all right? Did you see anyone watching you?”

I shook my head, my pulse hammering against my throat. The intensity in his eyes was frightening. I’d never seen him this agitated. “What are you talking about? ”

“Through the window, did you see anyone?” He shook me slightly, his claws digging through my shirt.

“No, why? Beast, you’re scaring me. What’s wrong?”

Marcel rushed into the kitchen, his usually composed face tight with alarm. The moment he appeared, Beast released me so abruptly I stumbled backward, my shoulders aching where his claws had gripped me.

“Check the house.” Beast’s voice was as sharp as broken glass. “Have Colette stay with her. Don’t leave her alone. Not for a second.”

“Beast, what’s going on?” My heart thundered against my ribs as I glanced toward the large kitchen window, its glass reflecting the warm light from inside. The bright world beyond seemed suddenly menacing.

Before I could take another step, Beast’s arm shot out and pulled me away from the window, his touch firm but protective this time.

“Don’t go near that until I come back.” His green eyes burned with an intensity that made me break out in goosebumps.

There was fear there, real, bone-deep terror that chilled me more than his anger had.

Colette appeared in the doorway as if summoned, moving with surprising speed for her age.

She positioned herself directly in front of me like a small but fierce shield, her jaw set with determination.

The scent of her rose perfume mixed with the lingering smell of burnt cookies, creating an oddly comforting contrast to the tension crackling through the air.

What was going on? My hands trembled as I wrapped my arms around myself.

“I’ll check the grounds.” Beast’s voice was already fading as he moved toward the door. He left just as fast as he’d appeared, the back door slamming behind him with enough force to rattle the dishes we’d just finished cleaning.

The sudden silence felt deafening.

Beast and Marcel must have thought there was an intruder out there.

My stomach dropped as a sickening thought stirred inside me.

Wolves? Crap, they were back. The memories crashed over me in vivid, terrifying detail.

The pain of claws raking across my skin, blood coating my tongue, the bone-deep terror of knowing I could die.

The sound of their snarls still echoed in my nightmares.

If Beast hadn’t arrived when he did, and if my magic hadn’t somehow awakened in that desperate moment, I would have been torn apart, nothing left but scattered bones and regret.

My hands clenched into fists, and I pressed my arms against my body. But this time I knew what I was facing. I’d discovered my magic, found my strength. I wasn’t going down without a fight.

My eyes swept the kitchen and landed on the heavy cast-iron frying pan sitting on the counter.

Colette had been planning to cook shrimp for dinner.

The pan was solid, weighty, and would make a satisfying crack against a wolf’s skull.

I grabbed the handle with both hands, testing its weight.

The metal was still warm from being washed, and I gripped it tighter.

“ Ma chérie , what are you doing?” Colette’s face paled as she watched me brandish the cookware like a medieval weapon.

“Getting ready,” I said through gritted teeth, positioning myself where I could see both the kitchen window and the doorway.

Marcel returned and gave me a curious look. “You can put that down, mademoiselle , there is no one in the house. You are safe. ”

I wasn’t ready to put away the weapon until Beast said there wasn’t anyone prowling around outside, trying to get inside the house. “The wolves are back, aren’t they?”

Marcel focused on Colette, his entire demeanor shifting to something commanding and decisive. “We’ll stay here until monsieur returns.”

No one spoke as we waited, the silence stretching on for what seemed like an eternity. Every creak of the house, every whisper of wind outside made my grip tighten on the frying pan. My shoulders ached from the tension, and I could hear my own heartbeat thundering in my ears.

Finally, Beast returned through the back door, bringing a gust of cool night air with him.

I turned toward him instantly, desperate for answers.

His gaze fell on me first—taking in my defensive stance and the makeshift weapon in my hands with what looked like approval—before shifting to Marcel. “Did you find anything, Marcel?”

“No one tried to break in.” Marcel shook his head, wiping his hands on a dish towel. “And you?”

Beast’s jaw clenched, his expression dark. “Nothing concrete. But something’s not right.”

Frustration brewed inside me like a storm, hot and demanding.

I slammed the frying pan down on the counter with a loud clang that made everyone jump.

“Beast, tell me what’s going on!” I was tired of being left in the dark, tired of being protected from information I clearly needed to know.

“I have a right to know if I’m in danger! ”

Beast glanced at me, his green eyes troubled, and his mouth was pressed into a tight, grim line.

Without a word, he brushed past me, his shoulder grazing mine as he moved to the kitchen window.

I caught a whiff of his scent—something wild and masculine mixed with the lingering flour from his baking disaster.

He pulled the curtain aside just a fraction, his body tense as he peered outside.

“ Monsieur ,” Marcel said quietly. “For her to be safe, you need to tell her.”

Gooseflesh broke out across my skin like ice water had been poured over me. Something was wrong, terribly, horribly wrong. The air in the kitchen suddenly felt thick and oppressive. I straightened my spine and lifted my chin. “Yes, you need to tell me.”

Beast let the curtain fall back into place and turned to face me, his massive frame casting a shadow across the kitchen floor. He ran a hand through his fur, leaving flour-dusted tracks, and sighed heavily; the sound carrying the weight of reluctant resignation.

“Someone was watching you through the window.” His words made me feel like prey. “I saw them in the...I have ways of seeing things.” He gestured vaguely, avoiding my eyes. “We don’t know who or why yet, but until we figure this out, you can’t be alone. Not for a second.”

The room seemed to spin slightly, and I gripped the edge of the counter to steady myself.

The cool stone felt solid and real beneath my trembling fingers.

I shook my head hard, trying to clear the fog of panic and stay focused.

“How do you know? Did you actually see someone spying on me? You were upstairs, so how could you see this?”

“Witches aren’t the only ones who can utilize magic.” Beast stood perfectly still, but I could see the muscle ticking in his jaw.

I frowned as confusion mixed with the fear churning in my gut. The kitchen suddenly felt too small, the walls pressing in around us. “What do you mean?”

“There are magical objects and I possess one.” He shifted uncomfortably.

Blood thundered between my temples. “What kind of object?” Each revelation felt like another piece of a puzzle I was terrified to complete yet couldn’t stop myself from pursuing.

“An amulet.” Beast’s eyes never left mine, gauging my reaction.

His fingers found the heart-shaped pendant I’d seen him wear.

A beautiful dual-colored stone that always rested against his chest. “It’s called The Witch’s Heart.

It has the ability to show images, but many times, it only shows partial images that eventually tell a story. ”

I stared at the piece of jewelry. “I thought it was just...I don’t know, a family heirloom or something.”

His jaw tightened, and I saw something like shame flicker across his features. “It’s more than that. Much more.” He paused, his thumb running over the dual-colored stone. “One half is ruby, the other black diamond. It has many powers, though I don’t fully understand all of them yet.”

The way he said it made my skin crawl. There was a darkness in his expression, a history I wasn’t sure I wanted to uncover. “And this amulet showed you a vision?”

“Yes. It can reveal visions during great emotional need.”

The blood drained from my face, leaving me dizzy and cold. My hands started to shake as the implications hit me. My throat tightened with dread. The scent of burnt cookies and cleaning supplies that had seemed comforting before now felt cloying and overwhelming. “And you saw me?”

He nodded. “There was a dark figure watching you from that window, but I couldn’t make out who it was.”

I cleared my throat, the sound harsh in the tense silence. “Was it a wolf? Or a wolf shifter?”

He sighed, his shoulders sagging with possible frustration. “I’m not sure. When I went outside, I couldn’t pick up his scent. So I don’t know if it was a human or supernatural.”

My gaze fixated on the window, drawn like a magnet to the dark glass that now seemed menacing rather than welcoming.

Who or what had been watching me, studying me like prey?

The hair on the back of my neck stood up, prickling with unease.

A chill ran down my spine as an overwhelming sensation washed over me.

Whoever it was, I could almost feel their malevolent intent seeping through the glass, lingering in the air like a toxic presence.

I wrapped my arms around myself, suddenly feeling exposed and vulnerable despite being surrounded by people who wanted to protect me.