Beautiful Creatures Series

Aster slowly came to. She looked around to see she was somewhere in the woods. From the scent on the breeze, she was close to home, within at least fifty miles. Her heart skipped a beat when she realized she was tied up in a yellow rope found at any hardware store. She looked around to see the man Tyler warned her about sitting against a tree trunk a few feet from her.

He smiled when she looked at him. “Welcome back. I’m glad you are awake. This would have been no fun without you experiencing every single moment.”

Aster groaned as she rolled her head, trying to stretch her neck. “What kind of pansy-ass coward blindsides a woman. Were you afraid I’d kick your ass?” She mocked him.

“Aren’t you the funny one? I’ve been watching you. Every move you and your cop boyfriend make. I’ve stood outside your window at night while he fucks you.” He sneered, trying to intimidate and terrorize her.

“Did you enjoy the show? Perhaps I should charge you admission.” She hissed.

“Shut up.” He snapped, drawing a handgun from behind him. Waving the weapon in her face to scare her.

Aster laughed. “Aww, an I pressing your buttons? Yeah, I tend to do that.”

“I hold your life in my hands. So, you had best shut the fuck up.”

“No, no, you don’t.” She said smugly.

“I’m the one with the gun.” He reminded her.

Aster shrugged. “So use it. I’m telling you it isn’t going to make any difference. I’m still going to kill you.”

“How are you going to do that? You’re tied up, and I am the one with the gun.”

Aster thought for a moment. “Well, I’ll start by spilling your guts. Then I’ll tear your throat out. After that, I will rip your limbs off.” She smiled sweetly at him.

He chuckled. “I see what you are doing. Trying to act tough, thinking it might throw me off my game long enough for your boyfriend to find you. Well, he ain’t coming. He can’t protect you.”

Aster laughed. “That’s your mistake.”

“What?”

“I don’t need protecting.”

Dennis swung hard, striking Aster in the face with the pistol in his hand. She was blinded by pain and slumped over her face, turned downward, spitting blood. “Keep trying me bitch, and I’ll make you suffer more than you can imagine.” He warned.

“Funny, I was about to say the same thing.”

“That’s it,” He growled, lifting the pistol to strike her again, “not even God can save you now.”

Aster’s eyes lit up, and her fangs descended. She flexed her muscles as her body began to change, breaking the ropes like a thread. She turned to him as her features became monstrous.

“Holy mother of Christ.” Dennis gasped as he began to retreat backwards.

“Like I said. I don’t need protection.” Her clothing tore to shreds as Aster dropped to all fours and let the change consume her. Once in her wolf form, Dennis turned his gun on her and opened fire. He emptied his whole clip into her, but it didn’t even slow her down.

Dennis’ neck with the force of a bear trap. She shook her head and tore his throat out as she had promised. As he bled out, Aster bit down on each limb and shook violently until they

into pieces. The look on Tyler’s face was horrified, and he looked like he may

side in

her to a hospital,” Tyler said.

the body. As far as the outside world knows, this never happened.” Darrell declared. Tyler nodded, but Darrell grabbed him before he could pick Aster up. “Say it… this never happened. This is a defining moment, Tyler. You are either one of us or one of them. Part of

her arms around Tayler as he swept her into

grabbed a tarp from the bed of the truck and draped it over her nudity. He climbed into the

walked around to the passenger side and opened her door. Aster draped her arms around his neck as Tyler lifted her into

back out and closed the truck door, then went inside and closed the house door. He gathered some rags and water then returned to Aster, where he proceeded to clean her up. He was having a difficult time bringing himself to look her in the eye. What he had seen had been so unexpected it had shaken him right to the core. He felt guilty. Dennis would not have gone after Aster if not for his grudge with Tyler. It was his fault she

the blood from her body, they did not speak. It wasn’t long before there was a knock at the door. Tyler answered to find Aurora and Lewis. Lewis was carrying a large kit with him. Tyler assumed it made sense. Being a butcher, Lewis had a keen grasp of anatomy, which probably made him

was stay out of the way. Aurora had come to assist Lewis in his task of removing the bullets. Aster laid flat on the bed, her blanket down around her waist. One by one, Lewis carefully dug each of the twelve bullets out of her body. It was bloody, and Aster was clearly in pain. It took well over three hours to safely remove all of the bullets. Aster breathed a sigh of relief once Lewis dropped the last one into the bowl Aurora had been holding.

Lewis smiled. “By morning, you will be one hundred percent.”

snarled, “she

fine,” Lewis assured him. “She’s Lycan, not human. We’re not weak like you.” Lewis scoffed as he packed his

that supposed to

sitting up as she pulled the blanket up around her. “Thank you

on you tomorrow,” Aurora promised. They left, and Tyler

silence for a moment. Consumed with guilt, Tyler made to leave the room. “I’ll

the floor and the blanket wrapped around her. “Please stay.” He couldn’t bear to look at her. “Why won’t you look at me?” He couldn’t

that was hard to watch.” He

He was going to kill

did what you had

feel differently about

in the eyes. Oh, he had made her feel as though her actions had turned him off of her. He had never wanted her to feel like he had anything but love for her. Tyler came to the bed and sat next to Aster. “I’m sorry. I didn’t want you to feel like that. I love you, but I feel a tremendous amount of guilt for having got you into a situation

“It happens.”

You got hurt because of me. I feel

to her. Her lips found his in a loving kiss. “It

“Can you ever forgive

you,

as he laid his forehead against hers. “Yeah, I believe you now.” He kissed her

***

completely healed and had left no scars. Rapid healing was one of the perks of being a Lycan. It was what made them so difficult to kill, but it didn’t mean it didn’t hurt

she found Tyler. He looked shocked to her

“I’m fine.”

shot

Surprised, Tyler walked over and

incredible. I guess we are eating at the table then.” He said. He returned to the stack of pancakes. Prepping two plates, he placed them on the

them to come in. She could smell Darrell from here. Moments later, Darrell came into the kitchen. He smiled when he saw

“I am.”

like some

would,” Darrell said, pulling up a chair. Tyler prepped the third plate and