A Dark Crest Novel

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Everly is the next "bride of the beast," she is taken up the manor, and expects to be sacrificed, she survives, but meets a much worse fate the she had ever imagined.

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A wild beast had begun to attack our town, once every full moon, after it had its fill, it would calmly walk back up the hill, to the infamous Whitlock manor. It was rumored to be haunted. No one quite knew who had started the rumor, and no one had bothered to ask. It had been known forever, and everyone treated it as fact. Anyone ventured up to the manor, we’re said to be cursed. So no one in town dared to step foot inside, the seemingly empty manor. 


 One night, the town had agreed to try and stop the attacks. The beast would come down, and hunt soon, but what if we brought the hunt to the beast? What if we brought it a bride? A midnight snack? Would that quench its thirst? Would it still come down from Whitlock Manor? Those questions ran through all of our minds, as Ophelia Drillscoll, the first bride, was forced up the mountain by a few curious villagers, and left bound, at the foot of the manor. The village was not attacked that night. 

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The Beast Of Whitlock Manor

 The next few months flew by in a flash, and in all honesty I was in denial about the whole thing. Every full moon, I’d transform into the most unsightly of creatures, and ravish of whatever came my way; of course the villagers took care of that. By the time I awoke from the daze, the sun would already have risen. I’d walk back to the manor, and wash off the blood. By meal time, I had completely convinced myself that nothing unusual ever happened. It was on a day like this that I met him. 


 I had just finished up; in the study, when I heard a loud bang coming from downstairs. 


Luckily I was on my way down, if I hadn't been, I might not have heard all of the commotion. I grabbed the nearest item that could be used as a weapon; an andiron, before stealthily walking into the next room, in order to avoid attracting attention to my entrance. 


 Upon setting foot in the room, I immediately noticed the broken window; a rock lay amongst the glass that was most likely used to fragment it. 


 I gripped the andiron tightly, as I turned; my head to the other side of the room. A man slightly taller than I was shoving valuables into a brown sack; his back was turned to the wall; giving me the chance to sneak up on him. 


 I hold the andrion up, preparing to take a swing, when the man turns around. "Ah," he yelled, as I swung the andrion, he used his arm to block it. "Stop! Stop!" 


 "Who are you?" I asked, still gripping my weapon. "And what are you doing in my home?!" 


 "I'm sorry, I didn't know anyone lived here. The place looked abandoned." I scowl at him. "I'll return everything, and leave. I swear I didn't mean any harm." 


 "Fine. Just make sure to put everything back where you found it." He nods in agreement. I turn to go to the kitchen, when a loud rumble echoes throughout the room. The source of the noise came from the man's stomach. I decided to let him join me for dinner, he looked pretty harmless, and after all I could do much more harm then he could to me. 


 It had been a while since I really talked to anyone, so I attempted to start up a conversation. "So what's your name?" I asked, as the man piled up meat, and potatoes onto his plate. 


 "Hale. Hale Whitfield." His ash brown hair covered his winter gray eyes, as he looked up at me. 


 Hale didn't appear to be from the village; if he had been, he would've known better than to come up to the manor, so I didn't think that telling him my name would be much of an issue. "Everly, just call me Everly." 


 "So "just Everly" do you live alone up here? I haven't seen anyone else but you. Not even a servant." He says, in between bites. 


 "I don't know, do you often loot other peoples homes in broad daylight." 


 "Heh, I'm sorry. I'll fix your window." 


 "There's no need. Just finish up and eat." 


 "But-" I cut him off. "I don't want to delay you much longer. I assume that you're traveling." 


 "Yea I'm heading to the village down the hill. I heard that there's a port there." 


 "I don't know, wherever it takes me. I'll probably stay in the village for a few weeks at least. I've been traveling for months." 


 Hale tells me a bit about his travels, as we eat; turns out he had been all over the content. The sun soon begins to set, and I send him on his way down the mountain. 


 "Hey!" I yelled, getting Hale's attention, as he opened the gate to leave the manor's grounds. He turned back to look at me. "Don't come back!" I yell. He didn't reply, or even nod; all he did was smile. And despite what I said, he came back every day after that.


Chapter Three