The dragon flew away, filling the sky with an angry roar.
Leo lowered his bow and arrow and watched through the rain as the villagers crowded around Nevis. The little girl was safely deposited in the arms of her crying mother. Nevis glanced back at Leo and gave him a thumbs-up before being dragged off his horse by a swarm of happy villagers.
With a cheer, the villagers led Nevis and his men into the cave. Boys led the horses, including Leo’s horse, to the stables. Women dashed into their homes to gather cups and jugs of beer and wine. A few men rushed into a nearby pen to slaughter a lamb. Leo wasn’t sure if the village was celebrating the rescue of one child or drowning their sorrows for the two who were lost, but clearly they intended to partake of food and drink. And even more clearly, it was a celebration he could not attend.
He glanced at his hands. Sparks still shimmered around his fingers. One false move, and lightning would streak from his fingertips, possibly killing someone. He’d been in such a hurry he’d left his gloves on the cliff. With a sigh, he picked up his sword belt, then buckled it on.
The rain was still pelting him, so he climbed down the ladder to a second platform just below. Drops of rain leaked between the wooden planks overhead, and the wind blew more rain at him, but it was an improvement. He sat in the driest corner and rested his back against a wooden pillar. For a short while, because he had released so much energy, he would feel all right. But soon the pain would start again.
He spotted two men rolling a cask toward the cave. The villagers must have run out of beer. Sounds of laughter emanated from the cave. Soon he could smell the scent of a lamb roasting over a fire. His stomach grumbled. A quick search of his pockets came up empty.
With a sigh, he leaned his head against the pillar. Alone again. It was always this way. He was too damned dangerous to be near anyone. Even Nevis had learned to stay away from him when he had this much power.
He closed his eyes as a memory flitted across his mind. The first time lightning had found him, he’d been only five years old. One strike had sent him flying, and he’d crumpled onto the ground, twitching uncontrollably. His nanny had run to him. Calling out to him, she’d touched his face. Then a surge of energy had shot through her, and she’d collapsed beside him dead.
His first victim. Someone he’d dearly loved.
“I didn’t mean to…” Leo whispered, the sound whisked away with the wind. “Forgive me.”
Since then, everyone had known to keep their distance. And if a stranger didn’t know, he soon learned when he heard the new name Leo had been given.
Never touch the Beast.
Never let the Beast touch you.
The rain continued to fall. The energy inside him spread throughout his body, expanding, rebelling against the narrow confines of his human shell, demanding to be released and used. Not now. He had to keep as much power as possible so it would be available whenever he needed it.
The sun lowered in the sky, and the wind became more chilled against his wet clothes. He welcomed the cold. It made it easier to deal with the energy boiling inside him, threatening to escape like steam from a kettle.
The strains of a pipe and fiddle came from the cave. The people were dancing, their music accentuating the thudding rhythm in his head. The energy kept expanding, pushing against the inner walls of his skull, pushing so hard he expected to hear the sound of bone cracking. He squeezed his eyes shut, gritting his teeth against the pain.
Sometimes he thought this was the worst part about his gift. The headaches would torture him until either he released some power or it managed to escape on its own.
“My lord?” a female voice spoke below.
He opened his eyes. On the ground by the ladder, a young woman stood, a tray of food and drink in her hands. She smiled up at him with rosy, dimpled cheeks. The rain had dampened her blouse enough to leave it clinging to her breasts. Lovely breasts.
Damn. Leo groaned. There was always one. Every village seemed to have one young woman who believed her beauty could somehow magically protect her from a monster. Somehow, they would be special enough to tame the Beast.
They were always wrong.
“Leave,” he called down to the young woman.
She bobbed a quick curtsy. “We thought you might be hungry, my lord. And thirsty.” She shifted her weight to jut out one hip. “I’ve heard some frightening tales about you, but you seem very handsome to me.”
“Leave the food if you wish, but go!” He motioned toward the cave, and a streak of lightning shot from his fingertips and blasted a hole into the ground.
With a shriek, the young woman dropped the tray and dashed back to the cave.
Leo heaved a sigh. No doubt she would tell everyone in the cave that the Beast had tried to kill her. The release of power had been accidental, but that was precisely why he was so damned dangerous. When he was too full of power, like he was now, he couldn’t always control it.
At least the pain in his head had lessened. The woman had not been harmed, and the rain had doused the small fire caused by the blast.
He descended the ladder and brought the tray back up to the platform. The roasted meat, though a little wet, was still tasty. He glanced toward the cave, where the party was still raging. How the hell was he supposed to marry?
A sudden thought made him drop the lamb chop back onto the tray. That was why the king had betrothed him to the heiress of Vindalyn. If Frederic failed to kill her before the wedding, he could always count on Leo to do the deed for him.
For how could any woman survive marriage to the Beast? With a groan, he closed his eyes. Brody’s voice echoed in his sore head. She is truly beautiful.