I hope you enjoy.

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The Black Beast

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The airplane felt like it was on fire. I sighed, feeling sweat form on the back of my neck. Lazily, I snapped the elastic band from my wrist and began pulling my hair into a ponytail. This wouldn't have been a problem in first class, I thought grudgingly, oh no, they're probably laughing it up in their air conditioned room with a bottle of champaign in each hand.

"And do you know what I said to him?" I looked over at the woman next to me, for the past hour she had been explaining to me her "gruesome" and utterly "heartbreaking" lets not forget "life-changing" break-up with her latest boyfriend. Not wanting to be rude, I made the correct 'awes' and 'mmmms' in the right places, ending up pleasing her immensely, apparently not much people were interested in her story. God forbid.

"What did you say to him?" I asked, she didn't seem to notice my sarcastic tone and fired into the conversation with full force.

This went on for the remaining thirty minutes until we landed safety in England. I breathed a sigh of relief as the flight attendant released us after reminding passengers to retrieve their luggage on the way out. I offered a brief goodbye to the lady beside me, before pushing my way out of the airline.

Once in the terminal I breathed in the fresh scent of week-old socks and new plastic, it was heaven compared to the airplane. I let out a happy sigh, setting off to the bus stop.

But before I had a chance to thoroughly stretch the kinks from my legs, I was enveloped in a hug by two pudgy arms. I turned with a grin to face my captor.

"Gran!" I cheered not caring to hide my excitement, I absolutely adored my grandmother, she was the sweetest woman on the planet and looked better than any other senior. She replaced that frail papery skin akin to old age with huggable pudge, and I loved it. Not to mention she makes a damn good cherry pie.

"Why are you here? Isn't your flight soon?" I asked.

She offered a sheepish smile, "Well I wanted to see you off, after all it is that least I could do," She leaned in, "I also wanted to give you the keys to the house in person."

I returned her smile, "You could've left them under the matt, Gran. There isn't a body for miles around the cottage."

"Which brings up another point," She said, worry growing on her face, "will you be alright in the cottage alone all summer? I really don't have to go on vacation, you know. I could stay with you."

I smiled, trying to hide my horror, I loved my Gran, yes, but I couldn't stay with her for a whole summer, "Don't worry. I have a phone if anything happens, and I can walk to the bus stop if I need to grab anything."

She smiled than, easily convinced. "Your right Annebelle, I'm just an old woman worrying over nothing."

I grinned, accepting the keys, "So tell me," I asked, sparking conversation, "How's the dog?"

Her eyes flashed, so fast I thought it never happened, and the ghost of a smile appeared on her face, "His names Winston, he's a rather big dog. I found him last month by the forest, be sure to take good care of him Anne, he's a special one."

'So is every other dog owned by a lonely old woman.' I thought, but I couldn't help but take her suggestion to heart.

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"It'll be one pound ma'am." Replied the bus driver lazily after I had asked the amount for the fare. I dug in my wallet, nudging away the dollars and quarters till I found what I was looking for.

"Thank you." The driver slurred in his strong English accent, I smiled at him and walked to the back of the bus, trying to make myself comfortable on the leather seats.

I sighed than, as the bus roared to life taking me to my grandmothers house, wondering what I had gotten myself into.

The day before I finished grade eleven, my grandmother phoned us up from England and asked if I could watch her cottage while she went on a vacation to Hawaii (she had last minute thoughts about leaving her new dog Winston at the vet). And after much encouragement on my part they finally agreed to send me to the cottage for the summer.

But now what? I wondered, watching the world go by as the old bus sailed into the country. At first I'd been ecstatic about living in the cottage alone for two months, but now the doubts kept entering my mind.

What would I do the whole time?

I sighed again, I couldn't turn back now, I promised Gran I'd take care of Winston and the cottage.

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Once I had gotten off the hour-long bus ride, it took me half an hour to get to the house. I breathed a sigh of relief as I went over the bend and saw that wooden home found on every single one of our cards recieved from Gran at Christmas. I was partly scared that I wouldn't be able to find it.

As I neared the cheery red door, my hand fished the key out of my pocket. I instinctively held my breathe as I inserted the key, and to my relief the door opened without protest.

I dropped the heavy duffel bag onto the floor once I was in, and my eyes widened at what would be my home for the next two months. I absolutely loved it. This was always the kind of house that I imagined myself living in once I got the job.

The inside of the cottage gave off that homey feel that made your insides sigh, with a pleasing fireplace and a hand made rug it was that traditional old English cottage.

I kicked off my shoes and began to explore. My socks shuffled along the house eagerly, from the tiny Kitchen, to the even tinier puke-yellow bathroom.

"So maybe it's not so nice," I mumbled, gazing at the smiling fish on the shower curtain.

As I continued to roam the house I was pleased to find that everything was ready for me already. There was loads of food in the cupboards, even if it was mostly healthy (I mentally decided to stock up on junkfood). The bathroom had toothpaste, shampoo, soap, tampons and just plain everything someone needs to live.

The house was small, only one-story, but that added to it's all around comfiness. The bedroom was tiny, just like everything else, but the bed was huge, stocked up with a mountain of pillows.

I giggled in delight, the idea of spending a summer here brightened considerably, even if I had to share it with a dog. My brain stopped suddenly. Dog.

Crap. Winston.

I wondered if I was supposed to let him in, don't most dogs run to the door when it's opened?

"Winston?" I called, hesitant. I wondered idly if it was a big-big dog or a big-small dog. Probably smaller, I mentally assured myself, old ladies can't deal with big-big dogs.

Then, as I was walking into the living room, I saw him.

And he was fucking huge. My mouth opened in shock as I saw Gigantor himself, staring at me levelly. His huge paws were set so he was in a defensive stance.

"Oh my God." I breathed. His chest puffed out like a lions but his fur was black and it completely covered his lithe, muscular body. He had a handsome face with a pointed nose and pleasant, straight ears that were angled towards me. But he was huge, he looked like a black collie on steroids. If I was standing next to him, the tip of his ears would just reach the middle of my waist.

"You must be Winston," I have no idea why I was conversing with a dog but I didn't know what else to do, "I'm taking over." I joked, trying to smile, but God that dog freaked me out.

"You want a biscuit?" I asked him, I had never had a dog since my mom was allergic to animal fur, so I was new at this. I took his brooding silence as a yes. What dog didn't want a treat?

Eager to get away, I made my way to the kitchen, only to have a fierce growl halt my steps. I refused to breath as I turned to look at his angry brown eyes. His nose was wrinkled in a snarl, baring his sharp, white teeth.

I gasped in shock. Gran wouldn't leave me with a dog that was dangerous, would she? Of course not. But a part of my mind told me she wouldn't have known.

"No biscuit than?" I whispered, scared stiff. He looked to the couch, than back at me menacingly.

"You, uhm... want me to go sit on the couch?" I guessed. He kept his stare, as though he was dealing with an idiot. I breathed deeply before slowly making my way to the couch. I kept his gaze on me the whole time.

I have to get out of the house, I thought then, at least until he calms down. My mind quickly formed a plan as I slowly walked towards the couch.

I made it look like I was about to sit, my eyes never leaving his. When I though he was calmed, I bolted to the door, clumsily jumping over the back of the couch and sprinting for freedom.

He was on me in a second.

The air was knocked from my chest as I hit the ground, Winston had his paws on my shoulders, his claws digging into the flesh there. He was growling, and at that moment I believed I was going to die. My eyes squeezed shut, waiting for the impact.

But then, the paws that were on my shoulders turned to hands, and his claws to fingernails. I opened my eyes, confused, on top of me was a man, not a dog. His dark eyes glared at me as his black hair fell over his eyes, contrasting with his pale skin.

And he was naked.

Before my mind could register the absurdity of my current situation his icy, masculine voice spoke, chilling me to my very core.

"What have you done with her?!"

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Well than. I got my idea from beauty and the beast, but trust me, it's very different. So I'm not very good at talking in the little spaces here, but some how I feel compelled to do so. Ah well.

I'm not very old, so please mind my poor grammar and spelling skills, I've spell checked it, and read it over so much that I'm nearly sick of this chapter. Feel free to tell me if I've missed anything and I'll correct it before anyone else has the poor luck to notice it. But no pressure, you don't have to check it.

Well, yea. Thanks for reading!

Smoove.