Beauty of the Beast, Chapter Two
Beauty Of The Beast
Chapter Two
(The setting is three and a half months after their trip to Darmstadt, Germany. I dare you to check an atlas to see if I made the name up. Darmstadt really exists. Sean and Sterling are currently looking for new pack members. They are back Ireland, in the big, beautiful, and mostly empty Northwood Manor, called Baile (ball-ya) Northwood.)
I decided to add an alternate ending to the story. The original ending is a happy one, but the alternate is probably going to make you cry. I hope you like the story.
Also, the song Beauty of The Beast is copyright (1997) to Tuomas Holopainen, Nightwish. I have transcribed all but the last part of it, and the bit I have hasn't got all of the same lyrics.
Enjoy.
Part One
Sterling is woken this Sunday morning by the feeling of a hand on his toned and hairy chest. He feels a stubbly fac bury itself into his neck, the stubble scratching him, while the man next to him nibbled his neck. He sat up, and pinned his companion, then said "Didn't that deer we ate last night fill you at all?" Sean lay there beneath the heay blanket, smiling "Yes, it did. But only you can ever satisfy my sexual appitite, and right now I've got what I like to call 'morning wood', so I'm off to the lavatory for a quick one (the Noorthwood Manor was one of the few places in europe that had indoor plumbing, and running water). Don't look at me like that, Sterling, if we start fucking now, we wont stop for the rest of the day. I'll make it up to you soon" He ran a hand through Sterling's long wavy hair, as he turned to go the the bathroom. Sterling sat there, idly playing with himself, and kind of resenting the fact his mate would not have sex with him. He stopped fondling himself, and got up, stretched, and yawned a yawn like a lions roar, only not so loud.
Now, there were maids and servants in the manor. They knew of theirs masters' love for each other, and they knew that they both had strange habits, like eating raw meat. Only the most senior and most trusted of the servants knew of their masters' lycanthropy. These servant's families had been serving the Northwood estate for generation upon generation, and they were offered wealth, and safe dwelling in return for their secrecy. The younger, and more naive of the servants simply thought that their masters had exotic pets, a couple of wolves, one dark blonde, one black, a lion and a tiger. Very tame animals, the servants thought. Strangely, you never saw both masters with all the animals, infact, when Sterling was around, the tiger seemed to linger, and the lion and wolves stayed away....... "They must just be scared of the tiger", a young maid said to herself as she went around lighting the tamps and torches one night.
Sean was in the bathroom, and had all intents of masturbating, until he noticed how bad he smelled. He normally had a musky odour, but this morning it was bad, even by his standards. There was an ornate mirror above the sink, and he examined himself in it, his striking cobalt blue eyes, his pearly white and perfectly straight teeth, his pale skin, and dark blonde hair, which was in dissarray. He was about to shave, when he dropped the razor. He bent to pick it up and cracked his head on the sink basin. Stars appeared in his eyes, and he straightened up, his eyes closed. Then, before he opened his eyes, two furry hands covered them. A low and bassy, but unmistakeable voice said "Guess who". Sean smiled and said with a note of amusement in his voice "Hmmm, I don't know... William Shakespeare?" The voice replied "Very fucking funny, human" The hands released his eyes, and he looked in the mirror, the reflection showing a werelion, towering a good four or five inches above Sean's six foot tall frame. Sean pulled the furry arms around him, and looked at the lion, smiling "I'm going to bathe, you can join me, if you like." He said as he snuggled back against the warm furry body, his head under the lions chin. Sterling, the werelion, said "Thanks, but I bathed in a stream while I was out hunting during the night. Speaking of which, the servants are cooking the deer and boar that I caught and killed last night. I'm going to shift, and head downstairs, I won't start breakfast until you come down." With that, Sterling gave him a long, hard lick on the back of his neck, just behind his ear that caused him to shiver, and then he went into the main bedroom.
Sean cleaned himself thouroughly, making sure he smelled a bit more human than he did. He decided to give Sterling a surprise and appear at breakfast as a wolf. He left the bathroom, naked, and without missing a step, shifted into the form of a normal wolf, and dropped to all fours. He appeared in the dining room a few minutes later than he had meant to; he had stopped to recieve a petting from one of the servants. There was a male servant serving venison and boar, and Sean walked up to Sterling, his furry head held high. He jumped up on his hind legs, placing his forepaws on Sterling's shoulders and licked Sterlings face vigorously. He stood down, and rubbed himself along Sterling's leg. Sterling lovingly fed his wolf food, and made sure he had his fill too. He ordered for the remainder of the meat to be salted, and sent to the larder.
Sterling left the table, with the wolf at his side. He patted it gently, and lovingly, then without warning started running at full pelt, the wolf hesitated and then took off after him. The wolf could see Sterling, and was gaining ground on him. Once within range, the wolf leapt; sailing through the air, and landing on Sterling, bringing him down, biting him playfully, and growling. They wrestled for a few moments, and the wolf finally gave in to Sterling advances, and submitted, rolling onto his back. Sterling rubbed his face against the wolves, and got up, taking the wolf with him.
They were in the bedroom now. Sterling was already almost naked, his underwear just about hiding his modesty. He had ordered his wolf to stay by the armoir, and the wolf did, his tongue hanging from his mouth, spittle glistening on his teeth, as his cobalt eyes looking his master over. He sniffed, he could smell his masters arousal; the scent of sex pheromones being carried on the air. The wolf lay down on his belly, crossing his forepaws, and resting his head upon them, awaiting the invitation from his master to join him. Sterling was spread-eagled on the bed, bollock naked. He whistled and the wolf walked to the bed, and hopped up onto it, nuzzling Sterling's face, and licking his bare nipples. The wolfs cock had already left its sheath, and was hanging, large, heavy and ready. He licked at Sterling's erect cock, causing the man to shudder.
Sterling got on his hands and knees, signalling to the wolf that it was time. The wolf approached slowly, sniffing at his butt enquiringly. He gave the muscular sphincter a few licks, forcing his tongue inside, and moving it around. He withdrew his tongue, and mounted Sterling, his cock finding its tight target fairly quickly. He started slowly, wanting to make the mating last, he pushed it in, all the way to the monster of a knot that he had, and then pulling it out as far as the head. He kept doing this, putting more speed and force behind it each time. Nothing but moans and the odd gasp and growl escaped Sterling's lips. Without warning, the wolf rammed his cock home, his knot splitting Sterling, who let a small scream. The wolf was still humping, but was beginning to change, getting bigger, it was almost human like, only for it's fur and wolfish features. The now anthro werewolf was still fucking his mate, whom he had stretched even more when he shifted, blood flowed down Sterling's ass and legs, and dripped from the base of Sean's werewolf cock. For the first time, Sean spoke in a deep, growling voice, which still retained his accent "Are you ok, love? I haven't hurt you too much, have I?" He leaned forward, and lovingly licked Sterling's sweat covered neck, and nibbled ever so gently. Sterling said "No, I'm fine, it'll heal quickly anyway. Ohhhh, that feels so nice. I love you wuffers." He said as Sean nibbled. Sean felt himself blush at being called his pet name, and he smiled. The pet name for his Tiger was Phur. He pulled Sterling's hole as far down onto his cock as he could, and let rip with a huge load of cum, so much so, that it squirted out from around Sean's throbbing, pulsating cock. Sean withdrew from Sterlings hole, which oozed blood and cum, which Sean instinctually licked up. Sterling panted with excitement, and tunred to face his werewolf. He sat up, and cupped Sean's head in his hands, gazing into his eyes. "I love you so much. So much more than words can ever describe" Sterling said as he leaned in and kissed his werewolf, tasting his blood and his mate's seed upon his lips. Sterling felt strong, furry arms close around his body, and embrace him. Sean became human again while they were kissing.
Part two
A few days had passed, and nothing really exciting happened. Sterling went for a night walk on a thursday night, it was a bit chilly, but werewolves don't really feel the cold. He could see his breath condense, then evanesce before his night-seeing eyes. A wind blew across Sterling, filling his sensitive nose with the unmistakeable smell of deer's blood. The deer on this land were protected. The penalty for poaching on the Northwood land was death. Sean was back in the manor, writing. He was writing in his diary, recording the dreams he had. He had been having disturbing dreams as of late, himself and Sterling often coming to harm, or death. His study was warm, so he opened the windows of the second story room . Sterling was tracking the scent of blood, it was getting stronger. He could hear voices, the were discussing a plan, but he couldn't make out what it was, exactly. He heard a rustling noise behind him, and before he could react, he felt a silver blade press against his throat, burning him, a man's breath on his neck. This man spoke "Sterling, I presume, we were never properly introduced. James O Hara. Your lover tore my ear off a few months back, I sure you'll remember that. My wife left me because I was disfigured. I came here to kill Sean in revenge, but now that I have you, I suppose I'll just have to make do." Sterling made no move to escape, but spoke in a calm, even voice that didn't betray his fear "James, you'll regret laying a finger upon me. You should know Sean values me more than his own life, and if you so much as leave a mark on me, he'll kill you, your siblings, and your parents. I daresay he'll kill you, and your friends for killing one of his deer, so, I'd go while I can if I were you." James asked "And you're sure of that? What if I hold you for ransom?" Sterling snorted "You'd be dead before you had the chance. And yes, I'm very sure of it. He's expecting me back in at the moment. And he'll come looking for me. He's full of surprises; like this!" Sterling drove his elbow into the other man's gut, winding him badly. He pushed him away, and set off at a dead run. He heard angry shouting, and then let out a howl, like a wolf, so loud that Sean could hear it.
Sean dropped his quill, and jumped from the window. He had pulled his heavy black cloak around him, and it billowed as he fell towards the ground. He landed with a thud on the soft grass, and stood up immediately. Sterling was running scared, and the men weren't far behind, Sterling wasn't very familiar with these woods. He heard a soft whoosh, and let out a piercing scream; the sound of an animal in extremis. The arrow had pierced right through his chest, into one of his lungs, and was sticking out the other side. He stumbled, and fell, looking for somewhere to hide. The wound was too painful to try remove the arrow. He sat there, in the dark, bleeding, panting, and coughing blood.
O Hara and his accomplices made themselves scarce. James knew that given what had just happened, they were all as good as dead. He didn't give any order for the arrow to be fired, that idiot friend of his was too trigger happy. He knew Sean would find him, and Sean would more than certainly make sure that he suffered to his last breath. James knew that there would be a massacre at his father's estate. No one would be left live. Or in one piece.
Sean had heard his mate's scream of pain, and he knew there would be death tonight. He could feel it. There was the heavy smell of lycan blood on the wind. He breathed a a breath that he released as a growl, and headed in the direction the smell was coming from. He found blood on the ground, and followed the smears that covered the leaf litter. He found his mate, breathing gasping breaths, just holding onto life. He had to fight back tears "Sterling, it's ok. I'm here, it's ok. Who did this to you?" Sterling whispered between his pained gasps "O Hara...... James...O Hara....Aghhh" He let a small moan of pain. His blood flowed like dark red wine. I"m going to remove the arrow. It's going to hurt, I'm sorry.." Sean broke the silver head off, and pulled the arrow back through the wound, Sterling doing his very best not to scream. He muffled his screams, and fell back against the log he had been lying on. "Sterling, please don't die on me....I'm nothing without you. I know it hurts, but try to focus on my voice. I'll sing to you, a song I've been working on called Beauty of The Beast.
Long Lost Love
"Trees have dropped their leaves, Clouds their waters. All this burden is killing me.
Distance is covering your way. Tears your memory. All this beauty is killing me.
Oh do you care, I still feel for you. So aware, what should be lost is there.
I feared I would never find anyone. I know my greastest pain is yet to come.
We will find each other in the dark. My long lost love.
One More Night To Live
Safely away from the world. In a dream. Timeless domain.
A beast, dreamy eyed. The symbols of his mate's pride.
I wished you would come back to me. Once again, feel the rain.
Falling inside me. Cleanning all that I've become.
My home is far but the rest it lies so close.
With my long lost love under the black rose.
I thought you had the eyes of a wolf.
But I don't need to search them to find the beauty of this beast.
All of my songs can only be composed of the greatest of pains.
Every single verse can only be borne of the greatest of wishes.
I wish I had one more night to live."
"Oh Gods, Sterling, I can feel your pain, it's like a dagger stabbing at my heart. I don't know what I'd do without you. The only true love I ever knew was behind those downcast brown eyes. The only comfort I ever felt was during those long hours of lying with you, feeling your body close to mine, feeling for you." Sean said quietly, his fear of losing Sterling was almost overpowering him. He leaned over his fallen mate, and licked at the wound on his chest. His lycan saliva made the wounds on Sterlings maimed lung close, although there was come scarring. He looked at his mate and spoke "Your lung is healed now, but you've lost a lot of blood and you're still in danger, I need to go and settle the score. Don't move from this spot. Here.. " Sean handed his high-powered pistol to Sterling, who struggled to hold it up. "Please only use it to protect yourself. By the way, don't try and shift, even thought it would heal you, you have lost a lot of blood, and the metabolic change could kill you." Sean wrapped Sterling in his cloak, not caring that it was getting destroyed with blood. He removed the rest of his clothes, folded them, and took a few steps before shifting into a tiger. He set off at a run, following the smell of alcohol, and fear.
James o Hara and his companions had holed themselves up in a cave. They presumed themselves safe for now, they were going to make a break for it at dawn. They had lit some torches, and were having some food. They were in complete silence, no one dared talk, lest they give away their position. This was futile, because Sean already knew where they were. Sean the tiger stalked slowly towards the cave, thinking, and growling to himself. He stopped to scratch himself, that hard to reach spot just behind his left ear. He managed to get it, his mouth hanging open in relief, he stopped and gave a big stretch, the bones in his spine popping audibly. He yawned, and started walking again. He surveyed the scenery around him, he could see in the dark. He noticed the cave, a subdued light coming from it. He kept his head low as he walked, his hunting instincts strong.
A cold, bone chilling gust of wind blew through the cave, the torches guttered and went out. They all snapped around in the direction of the mouth of the cave. Its was darker than oblivion, they couldn't see a thing. He stood there now changed into his seldom used were tiger body. This was bigger and stronger than the wolf, and harder to control. Sean spoke, his voice smooth, and deep, with a slight hiss "James O Hara. You're going to die now." He laughed a deep menacing laugh, as he watched the men look around blindly in the darkness. "You have gravely injured my mate. As a result, not only are you going to die, I'm going to murder your entire family. Your parents, your children, your brothers and sitsers. I thought you'd heed the warning I gave you months ago, but no, you want to settle the score. (His voice rose to a bellow now, as his anger got the better of him) If you have a fucking problem with me, you take it out on me, not my fucking mate!"
Sean grabbed one of the men by the head, and twisted with such force and brutality, that he almost twisted the head clean off the neck. Blood and other fluids gushed from blood vessels and pooled on the floor, the scent made Sean still more agitated. With a roar that reverberated off of the cave walls, he slashed one of his large, clawed paws across the stomach of the next man, and pulled his intestines out and pushed him to the ground, then stamped on his head, crushing it into bits of brain and bone. "James, I'm most dissapointed in you. I though you might have had the intelligence to listen to me. It is a dangerous thing to anger a lycan. Prepare to meet your maker." Sean said, as he padded closer to James, walking through the blood that was steaming on the cold floor of the cave. His blue eyes were alive with rage, he could see his quarry up against the wall, shivering with fear. From the smell of things, James had pissed on himself. Sean walked right up to him, and threw him to the floor, James landed in a large pool of blood, and slid a bit. Sean was on top of him, straddling him, sitting across his stomach. Sean had James' arms pinned to the floor of the cave, as he leaned in, his bared fangs just inches from the mans face. He licked James' face hard, to intimidate him further, even though it wasn't nessecary, then sat up, and said "don't move". James didn't, and Sean grabbed the clothes on his chest and pulled them off of him. Using his claws, he carved deep slashes across James' midesction, and the sound of his agonised screaming turned him on some, though he wouldn't put his cock near this human. Sean leaned forward, and in a deep whisper, he said "Don't worry, you'll soon be meeting the rest of your family in the afterlife. I promise I'll give them a swift death." Of course, Sean was bluffing, he was only going to kill all the men in the O Hara family. That was a good way to guarentee that the O Haras would be scattered to the wind. He opened his maw and closed it around his prey's throat, and ripped, a horrible gurgling sound escaping the dying body. Sean sat up, the white fur on his chest and stomach covered in blood, and punched a hole though the ribcage, and pulled the still beating heart from the body. He also decapitated the body of James, and sent it to his father. He would come back tomorrow and burn the bodies.
He ran as fast as he could to find his fallen mate. After was seemed like an eternity, he found Sterling, where he had left him, stone cold. Sean heart leapt into mouth with fright, but Sterling moved, apparently asleep. Or in a coma.
Sean picked him up, and carried him to the manor. He hadn't bothered to shift, as the younger of the servants would have been in their quarters. He carried the recumbent man to his bed, and set him down upon it, Sterling blood ruining the obscenely expensive satin sheets. Sterling lay there, not moving. Sean was in a terrible state, his mate was on the verge of death. Tears of fear streamed from his tiger eyes. Sean stitched the wounds closed and applied an antiseptic paste made of herbs, hoping for the best. Sterling did come round from his coma, but he was very weak. Sean was at his side for weeks, untill his strength finally came back. Sean seldom slept, or ate while he took care of Sterling.
One morning Sean went to the kitchen, preparing Sterlings breakfast; he had personally taken charge of overseeing Sterling's recovery, when a pair of familiar, soft hands covered his eyes. Sean jumped, but relaxed, as a familiar voice said "Guess who" Sean shuddered with relief, and sighed with a smile "Hmmm, I don't know... William Shakespeare?" The voice replied "You shithead." The hands released his eyes, and he turned to face his mate, and hugged him. "How are you feeling, Sterling? This is the first time you've left the bed since....since your accident." Sean turned his head towards the floor, as he felt responsible for Sterling's brush with death. Sterling lifted Sean's chin, to find tears of guilt coming from his eyes. Sterling spoke in a calm, reassuring voice "I've told you time and again that you are not resonsible for what happened. I shouldn't have been out in those woods, I'm not familiar with them. Stop crying, nad lets have breakfast" Sterling said as he stroked Sean's hair, which had started greying shortly after Sterling's accident.
They ate their breakfast, and in the ensuing months set about repopluating the once famous Northwood family.
The End.
Alternate Ending
Sean picked him up, and carried him to the manor. He hadn't bothered to shift, as the younger of the servants would have been in their quarters. He carried the recumbent man to his bed, and set him down upon it, Sterling blood ruining the obscenely expensive satin sheets. Sterling lay there, not moving. Sean was in a terrible state, his mate was on the verge of death. Tears of fear streamed from his tiger eyes. He did his best to heal the wounds, applying an antiseptic herbal paste to the wounds, and stitching them closed. He'd lose his mind if he lost his mate.
He sat on the bed, still in tiger form, with Sterling cradled to his soft-furred chest. He sang to the man, who drifted in and out of consciousness. He wiped the clammy sweat from the forhead of his mate, whose normally ligt-sallow skin was deathly pale from blood loss, and licked his face, to stimulate him, and out of love. Sean fell asleep for god knows how long, and woke, Sterling was still in the same position upon Sean's chest, still clinging to life. Sean breathed a long breath of relief. He managed to manouver himself, and place his mate gently upon the large pillows, as he made his way to the bathroom. Sean stood there, relieving himself into the porcelain toilet bowl. The flow slowed to a dribble, and he shook the last few drops off. He gazed at himself in the mirror as he washed his furry hands. The blood of James O Hara still stained his fur, and he wondered had the events of the past few hours really happened, it was all very surreal.
He was suddenly jerked from his reverie by the sound of a scream. "Sean! Help me!", the scream came again. It was Sterling, he sounded like he was in pain. Sean tore out of the bathroom and was by Sterling's side within seconds. Sterling's breath came in choking gasps. Sean encouraged him to cough out whatever it was, and Sterling coughed up a big blood clot. The clot was followed by a stream of blood. "S-Sean, it hurts so bad. My c-chest" He coughed, and sprayed blood all over himself and Sean. Sean wiped Sterling's mouth with the back of his hand, he cradled his head and spoke "Don't worry, Love, I'm here. Please don't die, I don't know what I'd do. I'm nothing without you" He said as he rubbed his head along Sterling's cheek.
A moment later, Sterling gave a great, shuddering gasp, and blood streamed from his mouth, He grabbed Sean by the head, and pulled him close. He whispered in Sean's ear "I love you always....." and was still. Sean was overcome with grief, and sobbed at the bedside for a while. Then, he got up, and went to a chest of drawers across the room, and returned to the bed with something in his hand. He got on the bed, and pulled Sterlings still warm body to him, and hugged it tight. Then, he said "Forgive me, my love", and placed the muzzle of the flintlock pistol he took from the drawer, in his mouth. He cocked it. He took a deep breath, and pulled the trigger, splattering his brain and bits of his skull all over the wall behind the bed. His body reverted to its human form, as blood and grey matter seeped onto the pillows and bedsheets.
Together they shall be forever, when love and death embrace.
The End.