Beauty and the Werewolf by Mercedes Lackey Read Free Book Online
Authors: Mercedes Lackey
voice breaking. âLeave me alone!â Stupid, of course; the beast couldnât understand her. And even if it did, why should it leave such a tasty meal, when with a little more work, it would have her?
But the wolf backed up another pace, head down, tail down, ears flat, staring at her as if it hadnât until that moment understood it was attacking a human.
Now, rather than growling, it was eerily silent.
âPlease,â she sobbed, âplease just leave me alone!â
It stared at her. What was it thinking? She scrabbled to her feet again, stick at the ready, still weeping. Her ankle hurt, and she didnât dare look down at it to see how badly it had been mauled. Surely there was blood-scent on the air now. Surely that would goad the beast into a final, fatal attack.
It backed up another pace, still staring. As she sobbed again, it finally made a sound, an odd interrogative sound deep in its throat.
And then, inexplicably, it ducked its head, abruptly turned away and plunged off, running into the woods. It bounded through the snow, a swiftly moving black streak on the white, weaving amongthe shadows. A moment later, it was gone. Except for the burning pain of her ankle, the entire incident might have been a nightmare.
She waited, sure that this was nothing more than an incredibly clever ruse on the beastâs part. Butânothing disturbed the serenity of the clearing. And after a moment, she pried herself out of the cleft in the rock, testing her ankle. It held under her weight, even though it hurt as badly as anything she had ever suffered, and only a little blood spotted the leather of the boot.
She broke into a limping run, moving as fast as she could for the safe haven of the city walls.
Behind her, a long, mournful howl drifted over the trees.
There was a great press of people getting into the gate, so no one noticed her state as she crowded in among them. The streets on the way to the Beauchampsesâ home, however, were quiet.
On the one hand, as she limped homeward, she wished desperately that she would encounter someone she knew, someone who could help. On the otherâshe knew what would happen the moment her father discovered what had happened. Sheâd never be allowed outside the city gates again.
She began to try to think how she could treat her own injuryâafter all, Granny had been teaching her this very sort of thing for years, now. But as it happened, Bella met Doctor Jonaton at the front door. She had completely forgotten this was his evening to attend Genevieve, and of all of her stepmotherâs doctors, he was the one she trusted the most. He was putting on his cloak as she stumbled inside.
âBella!â he exclaimed, catching her as she overbalanced. âGood heavens, child, what is the matter?â
Her teeth were chattering so hard she could scarcely get the words out, but as he helped her in to sit at the fire in the empty parlor, she managed to get out the story of her narrow escape.
âLet me see your foot,â he demanded, and wouldnât be put off. He pulled the boot off her foot, and she suppressed a yip as he peeled the stockings off, reopening the puncture wounds. He examined the white foot, critically, shushing her as she tried to protest that it was nothing.
âDonât tell anyone what happened, please!â she begged. âFather is still at the warehouse, and Genevieve will have hysterics. No one has to know but us.â He frowned fiercely, and rang for a maid.
âMistress Isabella has hurt herself,â he said shortly, when Marguerite appeared. âI want hot water and clean bandages.â
The girlâs eyes were as big as saucers, but she ran off and returned in no time with what the doctor asked.
âDonât let Father know, please?â she begged him. âTheyâll never let me outside the walls again if you do! I was stupid. I should have known better than to go through the woods
But the wolf backed up another pace, head down, tail down, ears flat, staring at her as if it hadnât until that moment understood it was attacking a human.
Now, rather than growling, it was eerily silent.
âPlease,â she sobbed, âplease just leave me alone!â
It stared at her. What was it thinking? She scrabbled to her feet again, stick at the ready, still weeping. Her ankle hurt, and she didnât dare look down at it to see how badly it had been mauled. Surely there was blood-scent on the air now. Surely that would goad the beast into a final, fatal attack.
It backed up another pace, still staring. As she sobbed again, it finally made a sound, an odd interrogative sound deep in its throat.
And then, inexplicably, it ducked its head, abruptly turned away and plunged off, running into the woods. It bounded through the snow, a swiftly moving black streak on the white, weaving amongthe shadows. A moment later, it was gone. Except for the burning pain of her ankle, the entire incident might have been a nightmare.
She waited, sure that this was nothing more than an incredibly clever ruse on the beastâs part. Butânothing disturbed the serenity of the clearing. And after a moment, she pried herself out of the cleft in the rock, testing her ankle. It held under her weight, even though it hurt as badly as anything she had ever suffered, and only a little blood spotted the leather of the boot.
She broke into a limping run, moving as fast as she could for the safe haven of the city walls.
Behind her, a long, mournful howl drifted over the trees.
There was a great press of people getting into the gate, so no one noticed her state as she crowded in among them. The streets on the way to the Beauchampsesâ home, however, were quiet.
On the one hand, as she limped homeward, she wished desperately that she would encounter someone she knew, someone who could help. On the otherâshe knew what would happen the moment her father discovered what had happened. Sheâd never be allowed outside the city gates again.
She began to try to think how she could treat her own injuryâafter all, Granny had been teaching her this very sort of thing for years, now. But as it happened, Bella met Doctor Jonaton at the front door. She had completely forgotten this was his evening to attend Genevieve, and of all of her stepmotherâs doctors, he was the one she trusted the most. He was putting on his cloak as she stumbled inside.
âBella!â he exclaimed, catching her as she overbalanced. âGood heavens, child, what is the matter?â
Her teeth were chattering so hard she could scarcely get the words out, but as he helped her in to sit at the fire in the empty parlor, she managed to get out the story of her narrow escape.
âLet me see your foot,â he demanded, and wouldnât be put off. He pulled the boot off her foot, and she suppressed a yip as he peeled the stockings off, reopening the puncture wounds. He examined the white foot, critically, shushing her as she tried to protest that it was nothing.
âDonât tell anyone what happened, please!â she begged. âFather is still at the warehouse, and Genevieve will have hysterics. No one has to know but us.â He frowned fiercely, and rang for a maid.
âMistress Isabella has hurt herself,â he said shortly, when Marguerite appeared. âI want hot water and clean bandages.â
The girlâs eyes were as big as saucers, but she ran off and returned in no time with what the doctor asked.
âDonât let Father know, please?â she begged him. âTheyâll never let me outside the walls again if you do! I was stupid. I should have known better than to go through the woods