Rose and the Beast

"You promise," Rose's weak voice whispered.

The Beast's eyes opened wide in surprise. "Yes, yes. I promise." He tried to smile he felt such relief at hearing her voice.

"Okay," Rose croaked out and closed her eyes.

"Drink something at least." The Beast held a cup to her lips as he gently lifted her head. She took a small sip as if even that was too much effort.

For the next three days and nights the Beast barely left Rose's side. He feed her until she was able to do it herself. She was so much stronger by the third night that he knew, she'd leave soon. Within a day or two. He paced his bedchambers wrought with fear. He didn't understand what had happened, but the idea of living without Rose crushed his soul.

Part of it was he'd enjoyed the pleasure of her body, even as unwilling as she'd been. It was so selfish of him not to consider her wants or needs. At first it had been about the curse. As he'd watched her almost die, he realized it had been more.

He wanted her to want him, even as ugly as he was. He didn't even give her a chance to know him. He just did what he wanted, abused her. He saw what he'd done to her as worse than his appearance. He could understand why she'd rather than die than willing submit to him.

He ached inside. He wished he could start again with her. He'd do everything differently. He would have gained her trust, somehow. He'd have been gentle with her from the start. She might have been willing at some point if he'd treated her with kindness. He couldn't change what he'd done and to live the rest of his life alone as the Beast was a good punishment.

He'd let her go as he promised. He wanted her to be happy, if that meant away from him so be it. The sadness of what could have been if he'd only been different in his actions overwhelmed him as Rose got better.

~~~~~

The carriage and horse sat still awaiting instruction in front of the Beast's castle gates. Rose was beautifully dressed in a gown and robes the likes fitting for any queen or princess.

"The horse has been told to take you to your father." The Beast said trying to hide the pain in his voice unsuccessfully.

"How?" Rose smiled as she climbed into the carriage.

"It is magic." The Beast replied simply.

Rose rolled her eyes and returned the smile. "Thank you, Beast."

"I owe you so much more," he answered.

Rose had to agree so she didn't say anything.

"I know I have no right to ask you for a thing." He said placing a paw on her covered arm.

Rose's spine stiffened as she looked at the defeated Beast. She ducked her eyes as she replied, "Ask."

"No," the Beast said firmly releasing her. "I've taken too much from you already. Safe journey. That's all. Have a safe journey."

Rose swallowed hard. She closed the door between them and peered through the window at the Beast. For all she'd been through she felt she owed him nothing, but she'd made him a promise.

There was a small part of her that felt it would be wrong to leave without saying what she had to say. It was almost cruel of her to offer him a piece of hope that she wasn't sure she'd ever feel. If she hadn't made the promise under duress she'd be able to leave in good conscious.

Rose sighed, "I made you a promise. If I can help you end your curse..." her face flamed and she spoke quickly before she lost her nerve. "I'll try. I'll return one day to fulfill that promise if I can." She swallowed hard and ducked her gaze.

The Beast's head snapped up at her words. Finally after the silence became too much he said, "No. You're too kind to even offer. I don't deserve your help."

Rose felt relief at his statement, but knew in her heart of hearts if she ever did feel willing to give herself to the Beast, no matter how big that 'if' was currently, she'd do it. She'd made him a promise after all. The Beast spoke to the horse and her carriage raced away, leaving the Beast and her nightmare in the dust and past.

~~~~~

Rose found her father easily the second night after she left the Beast's castle. Donatello was drinking himself to death in a tavern three towns away. He'd lost most of the riches the Beast had given him.

He thought Rose a ghost as he sobered and refused to let her help him at first. Once he believed she was real, alive and there before him he broke down crying confessing the overwhelming guilt that plagued him since the night he left her at the castle.

Rose quickly secured them quarters and nursed her ailing father back to health. It was a slow process and some days he refused to believe she was real. He slipped in and out of consciousness and the healers she bought to see him said there was nothing to be done for him. He was too far gone with illness.

Donatello would often say things like, "I had a daughter once. I let a beast take her from me. Surely she died. It wasn't my fault and it was. I was too weak to take care of her. My beautiful Rose," he mumbled as Rose wiped his brow. "The beast wanted her. What could I do? What could I do?"

It pained Rose to watch her father dying. She felt so hopeless and helpless she didn't know what to do. She fed her father, bathe him, took care of him in every way possible but nothing helped him.

One evening as she watched him struggling to breath she got an idea. It was an insane thought that persisted in her mind as she bundled her weak father under blankets and loaded him into the carriage the Beast had given her.

She petted the black stead at the front and spoke softly to it. "Take us to the Beast. Hurry, please understand me." The horse neighed in response and stamped its hoof. It seemed it was nodding its head in agreement.

Relief flooded Rose as she climbed into the carriage with her father and the horse sprinted away from the inn. Her father's brow was hot with fever and his breath ragged. Rose prayed that she hadn't thought of this too late to help her father and that the Beast would be willing to help her. Her father was limp at her side under a pile of blankets as they reached the Beast's castle. She opened the gates and raced after the stead as it pranced to the front steps.

Rose ran inside and called out for the Beast.

There was no fire in the hearth and the castle appeared abandoned. Rose took the stairs two at a time and found the Beast's bedchambers easily. He was a lump on the mattress barely moving or breathing.

"No," Rose screamed seeing his prone form. "No, Beast. Please. Please. Wake up, I need you. Please." Rose raced to him.

"You are a dream." The Beast whispered as his wolf eyes fluttered open and shut.

"No, I'm here. I swear. I'm really here. Please, Beast. I need you. Please. I need your help," Rose cried.

"Gabriel. My name is Gabriel, not Beast," he whispered rolling over to his back.

"Gabriel, please help me. Please." Rose said as she pressed her tear stained face into his neck. "My father is dying. I need you to heal him. Please Gabriel. Please."

Groggy as he was the Beast sat up and stared at Rose holding her by the shoulders as if she would bolt if he released her. "Where is he?" he asked weakly.

"In the carriage. Please don't let it be too late."

They raced from his chambers down to the carriage. The Beast carried the man easily inside to the fireplace, it was lit and burning bright. He sniffed the man, his illness was noxious, but the Beast tried. He licked Donatello's face and chest. Donatello woke and gasped as Rose tried to sooth him.

"No, no. You ruined my life. You took my Rose. No." Donatello moaned fighting back with frail fists.

"Please father, let him help. He can heal you." Rose pleaded.

Donatello shook his head no and scampered along the floor away from the Beast. Even from the few swipes of the Beast's tongue Donatello had more energy than he'd had since Rose had found him.

"Not again. I won't let you take her again. I'd rather die," Donatello moaned.

"Please father. Please, he can help you. Don't you see? Don't you feel better already? Please let Gabriel help you. He won't hurt you. He won't hurt me. Please, Daddy." Rose cried.

The Beast was stunned by Rose's words. "He'll be better. I did enough, Rose." The Beast said quietly.

Rose stared at her father. He did appear better, stronger than even moments before. She hugged the Beast tightly.

"Thank you, Gabriel. Thank you," she cried.

It warmed Gabriel's heart to hear the genuine gratitude in Rose's voice. "Sleep here. I'll get food and blankets," he said as he straightened from her impulsive embrace.

"Thank you," Rose murmured as she crawled to her father and tried to console him.

"He's a monster," Donatello yelled after the Beast as he left.

"No, he's not," Rose said firmly as she ran her hands over her father's face. He looked so much better tears of happiness ran down her cheeks.

The Beast returned with the food and bedding he'd promised. Once Donatello stopped fighting he ate to his heart's content and slumbered deeply. Gabriel had left them alone and Rose left her sleeping father's side.

She found the Beast in his room, sitting in front of his hearth. She stared at him from the doorway unable to give voice to all her emotion as she watched him.

She approached the Beast tentatively and pressed her hand against the side of his face. Gabriel sighed as he curled his face into her gentle touch. "You owe me nothing, Rose."

"I do. You saved my father. You released me. I owe you what I promised."

Gabriel's heart raced with hope and then it fell. He couldn't use this situation, no matter how much he wanted to.

"No," he said firmly. "He should be better by morning. I know you'll never forgive me for what I did to you. I don't deserve your gratitude or kindness, Rose."

"I've thought of you since I left," Rose said sliding into the Beast's lap. "I've dreamed of you."

Gabriel tried to push her from his lap but her soft body called to his beast and he held still as she sat on his thighs and stared into his eyes.

"You're confused now. I won't hurt you again," he whispered.

"I believe you," Rose smiled as her hand stroked his furry cheek. Gabriel leaned into her touch. Her skin didn't smell of fear, anger or hate. His senses were overwhelmed by her arousal, yet he couldn't trust it.

"You don't have to do this," He moaned as she scratched behind his ear. It spiked pleasure through his body to his core.

"I want to do this. I've missed you, Gabriel," Rose closed her eyes and kissed his mouth, his tongue rolled out and tasted her.

"I'm trying to be good. I'm trying to do the right thing. Hearing my name on your lips is undoing me," the Beast murmured as he returned her kiss.

"Then be undone," she gasped as his mouth locked over her pulse at her neck.

His clawed hands shredded her bodice but left the skin intact and barely marked. Rose smiled demurely at the Beast as she pushed her breast into his waiting maw. The Beast lapped at her swelling bosom until her nipples crinkled and she moaned in pleasure.

Rose worked her hand into his breeches and released the smaller beast between his legs as Gabriel suckled her.

Her fingers stroked up and down until the thin film of wetness soaked her hand and then using her fingertips she spread it around the bulbous head. She pulled away from him and his chest rumbled with disappointment. She kissed down his fur covered chest and then licked the knob of his cock until his leg shook with excitement.

Gabriel worked her skirts and shift down her hips as Rose lapped at his member. One hand curled in her hair as he watched her eyes blazing with desire. The other hand ran along her silky folds and found her dripping with desire. Suddenly her licking was too much and he felt ready to explode as he lifted her mouth off his cockhead.

Rose frowned as he turned her around. He wanted to be inside the warmth of her sheath, but instead he distracted his desire by licking the back of her legs until she wiggled in anticipation.

"Please, Gabriel. Please. Take me now," she moaned as his tongue slid between her hot folds bumping her clit.

"Soon, Rose," he panted as he brought her to the edge of climax with his mouth. His hands filled with her ample cleavage as he lined himself up behind her. Gently he rubbed through her slick folds testing her entrance carefully with each stroke.

She begged and pushed back against him. Then with little force he pushed forward and slid gently inside her body. She screamed in pleasure and rocked her hips back taking more of him than he meant to give.

"Are you willing, Rose?" The Beast bellowed as he held himself still inside her.

"Yes, yes, yes. I want you. I need you. Please. Please." Rose begged as she slid back and forth on his turgid cock.

The Beast dug his hands into the floor on either side of her body and he pumped his cock into her. A roar tore out of his throat as he thrust in and out. Her body responded, milking him, gripping him tight. His animal consumed him. His body had never felt such pleasure or bliss. He couldn't stop and she matched his pumping as if she knew what he needed.

He thrashed above her as he came, jerking deep inside her. His body racked with pain and his limbs cracked and popped as he exploded and his cock emptied into her hot core. His muscles tightened, stretched and even snapped. It was all pain and pleasure and he fell panting to the side as his cock softened.

Rose came with him even as he jerked away from her body. She screamed, overwhelmed from the pleasure and unable to express it in any other way. Her eyes fluttered open and closed for a moment and then her heart raced as the Beast roared and then screamed with the voice of a man. As Gabriel lay beside her she blinked unwilling to believe what her eyes showed her.

He was a man. The fur was gone. The teeth, claws, were all replaced by a human mouth and human hands. He was so beautifully human it brought tears to her eyes. Rose smiled dreamily at him and touched his soft skin for the first time.

"You're a man, Gabriel," she whispered as she crawled onto his chest.

"You broke my curse, Rose," he murmured, still reeling from the pain of the change.

He smiled down at Rose as he moved a lock of her sweaty hair off her forehead.

"A promise is a promise," Rose yawned. Gabriel laughed as he kissed the spot he'd just cleared from her forehead.

They fell asleep beside the fire together, happy.

~~~~~

Rose woke to find herself alone in the former Beast's bedchambers. She quickly dressed and found Gabriel and her father sitting at the kitchen table drinking coffee.

"So you agree to this, willingly?" her father asked as Rose's face scrunched in confusion.

"Yes," Gabriel replied. He smiled when he spied Rose.

"What are you agreeing to?" Rose wondered aloud. She was amazed at the change in her father. He looked healthier than she ever seen him, he could have been a man half his age.

"Father you look amazing," Rose said.

"I feel amazing. Better than I ever have before," he agreed.

"I'm glad I could help," Gabriel said stiffly as he cast his eyes to Rose.

"What did you agree to?"

"Your father feels it would be fair, and I agree, to a punishment for my crimes against you," Gabriel hung his head in shame as he finished his sentence.

"Punished how?" Rose said looking between the two men.

"I've agreed to let him torture me," Gabriel said resolved to his fate.

"No," Rose shook her head in disbelief.

"Yes. It's what I deserve. For what I did to you. It's what I deserve," Gabriel said.

"We've had a long discussion. I will beat him bloody for each day that he raped you. It has already been decided. We've agreed to this." Her father said popping a fresh baked piece of buttered bread in his mouth.

"Well, I won't let you. You can't be serious. Either of you," Rose spat out crossing her arms in front of chest.

"He's told me of his dungeon and all about his magic. I can and will do this, for you. It's already decided, Rose," her father said firmly.

"It's not for me. You want to torture the man I love for yourself," she yelled. "I won't let you do this."

"You love me?" Gabriel asked his face full of hope.

"How could you not know that?" Rose replied climbing into his lap and planting kisses along his face.

"I don't deserve your love or forgiveness, yet. I want them, but I don't deserve them. I need to accept your father's punishment if I ever hope to earn them." Gabriel smiled down at Rose.

"Please, Daddy. I don't want you to hurt him. There's been enough pain and torture between us. I just want to move forward. I want to forget all the bad ever happened," she turned her tear filled eyes to her father.

"I need to do this, so that you can truly forgive him. You should watch. It will help you. When you realize all that he took from you, you'll want revenge. You'll be angry and frustrated. You'll realize that this is what he deserves and you'll stop feeling this way. If I do this now, you'll have a chance later. To see if what you're feeling is real."

"It is Daddy, I swear it is. You don't have to do this. If you hurt him, I'll hate you. Please don't do this to him. I love him, I really do!"

"He wants this too. It helps you both. Trust me, baby, I mean only the best for you," her father said and stood up. Gabriel set Rose on her feet and walked to the door leading to the dungeon below.

Rose stood for a moment too shocked to move. A part of herself believed every word she'd spoken. She did forgive Gabriel. She did love him. Yet, there was another part of her that smiled at the thought of her father torturing him. It was the part that had felt so defenseless all those times the Beast had raped her. Even that part was at war with the part that had seen his kindness. The way he'd cared for her when she became ill.

She didn't want to see her father torture the changed Beast, but she did. As much as she'd protested and denied the truth, watching her father beat and rape Gabriel with a phallic shaped object thrilled the smaller, vindictive part of her. The stronger part winced and cringed at the sight.

Rose felt helpless to stop it and too fascinated not to watch it. Each night after Gabriel and her father had their sessions; Rose cleaned his wounds with a soapy mixture of Gabriel's saliva and water. His body healed but he was too exhausted for much else.

The fourth day after her father started his torture of Gabriel; Rose walked bravely into the room and told her father to stop. He started to protest until Rose held out her hand for the leather strap in his hands.

"I'll do it," she whispered to her father. "Leave us alone."

Her father handed her the strap and quietly left the room shutting the door behind him.

"Rose, please," Gabriel started before she snapped the leather strap against his firm buttocks. He winced. "Rose I'm sorry for what..." he started again, but the strap cut off his words.

"Silence," Rose breathed as she struck him again. She hit him over and over to his panting and her heavy breathing along with the crack of her whip.

She felt feverish as her eyes blurred with tears and her arms ached from the repetitive motion of hitting him as hard as she could along his butt, legs, and back. When she finished she unchained him and Gabriel fell to the floor on his hands and knees whimpering. She quickly disrobed and pulled his face to her crotch.

"Lick me," she said.

Gabriel did it without complaint. Using his tongue and fingers he sucked her clit between his teeth and nibbled then he used the flat of his tongue to glide up and down her swollen pussy lips. She lifted her leg to his shoulder to give him better access and he supported her weight easily as he tongue fucked her. She orgasmed quickly and fell into his arms.

"Enough of this," she said as she recovered.

"But what I did to you," he whispered.