Academia of the Beast: A Dark Retelling of Beauty and the Beast Read online

  She swallowed, clutching the bar. No, she thought. Not now. If she didn’t gain control of her mind, she feared what would happen—what would be revealed. The Digital Underground was the last place she wanted her secret to be seen.

  When the mysterious man stood and spoke to one of the VIP guards, she feared that he had seen something. Did her eyes glow as well, flicker with light? Did she miss a shard of red power escaping her fingertips?

  Worried, she stepped away from the bar and began to run when someone stepped in front of her. A young man with light brown skin and closely cut hair smiled at her. He was of medium height and wore a black suit. Something about him told her that he wasn’t one of the clubbers.

  “Hello,” he said, in a posh northern accent. “I’m Edan. And you are?”

  Allyn swallowed, confused by the sudden question. Was he hitting on her? She could never be entirely sure when it came to men.

  “Allyn.”

  “Lovely name,” Edan said, smiling, his white teeth glowing in the neon lights. “I’d like to invite you and your friends to the VIP lounge.”

  “Sure,” Aude said pulling Khia away from the crowded bar. “We’d be happy to go to VIP. Do you have food back there?”

  “Of course. You can have whatever you’d like,” he said, his eyes scanning over the both of them and how Aude’s arm was around Khia’s waist. “This way.”

  Allyn shook her head as he turned his back. “No,” she whispered to Aude. “I don’t want to go. I don’t feel right about it.”

  “Hey,” Khia said. “You promised us that you would try to have fun. Come on. Everyone knows that VIP is where the real fun is.”

  “Who wants to party out here with all of the peasants?” Aude asked, motioning to the hundreds of people on the dance floor and filling the club.

  Cautious, Allyn followed behind them, her eyes on the darkness inside the VIP section. Something warned her—screamed at her to turn around and escape while she could. When she glanced behind her, there was a guard with a device on his ear. He followed as if to keep her in line.

  Her heart really started to race then. She rubbed her sweaty palms onto the bottom of her dress and tried to keep the terrified look off of her face.

  Once she took the steps up to the VIP section, something else replaced her fear.

  Wonder.

  Inside the curtains was more ancient writing etched into the dark walls. Glowing lights cast a dim glow on the different sections of the long hallway. There were several square-shaped sofas around tables with well-dressed upperclassmen and women seated around them.

  The people inside were different—calmer and more refined than the hyper clubbers outside in the general population. Even though they sat in seats that encircled glass tables piled high with champagne and liquor, they seemed to be in a different state of mind.

  Drugs, maybe?

  She averted her eyes from staring at the men and women that made out right there in public. An older gentleman in a suit had his hands up a skinny blonde’s blouse as she straddled him.

  Allyn swallowed, definitely not liking what she saw, and what she guessed was expected of her and her friends.

  She tried to relax as her heels tapped along the black floor, but when they stopped at the back of the section her eyes locked with the man in the far corner.

  He looked vaguely familiar, but there was something about him that made her face flush, her heart stop, and her eyes widen. Never had she seen eyes so icy blue. Even in the dark, they stood out to her. His hair was dark, and short, unlike the long styles the men were wearing in town.

  “Have a seat, ladies,” Edan said. “I’ll have the private waitress tend to you.”

  Still frozen in place, Allyn had to force her feet to move forward. When he looked away, she was broken from her trance and was free to sit...as far away from him as she could.

  Something isn’t right. Leave, Allyn. She fought with herself until she found her hesitance replaced with intrigue. The man in the fancy black suit with the red tie was mysterious. There was something about him that pulled her closer.

  When he stood, Allyn held her breath. He was tall—at least six-foot-five, with a square jaw and a clean-shaven face.

  The shots from earlier warmed her from the inside out at that point, and as she looked up at him, she began to relax. Looking into his eyes did that to her. In his gaze, she was safe.

  “Good evening.” He held a hand out to her. “Join me for a walk,” he said, the same accent Edan spoke with lacing his words with an intoxicating flair.

  It wasn’t a question, and she could listen to him talk all day.

  Confused by her sudden desire to do what he said, she accepted his hand.

  “Where are you going?” Aude asked, sitting up as she watched Allyn come to her feet and follow the stranger.

  Allyn glanced back and shook her head. “I don’t know.”

  With a charming smile, the stranger turned to them. “You don’t mind if I steal her for a moment, do you?”

  Allyn noticed how the color in their faces drained as they got their first real look at his face. Did they see what she did? A man that was too handsome to be real?

  “Of course, your highness,” Aude said, lowering her head.

  “Forgive us,” Khia said, her head lowered as well.

  Your highness?

  Realization hit Allyn like a cold bucket of water was splashed onto her face.

  That’s why he looked familiar.

  She tensed.

  Holding her hand was Conall Baran, the crown prince of the Baran clan.

  A Wolf.

  CHAPTER 5

  THE HAIRS ON Allyn’s exposed arms stood on end as she walked behind Prince Conall Baran from the VIP lounge. He didn’t glance back at her as they walked down the long hallway lit with neon lights that trailed along the grooves of the floor. The sound of the music faded farther and farther away as they approached the far door that led to the elevator.

  Once they reached the elevator, Conall pressed the button and it opened. They stepped inside and she stood far from him, watching him select the eightieth floor at the very top of the building. Why he chose to take her far away from her friends she was uncertain of. But, as they rode the elevator to the top, she could feel sparks of electricity between their bodies.

  It was odd. She’d never felt such magic just by standing beside a man. Her brows furrowed as she glanced at him. The urge to touch his face was almost unbearable.

  Did he have magic as well?

  When he met her gaze, she looked away, fixing her eyes on the glowing buttons on the elevator panel. “What is your name?”

  “Allyn.”

  “Allyn, what?”

  “Allyn Carmody.”

  “Oh, you have Irish ancestry. Nice.”

  “Thank you. There aren’t many of us in Central Elastria.”

  “Don’t worry. We are all blended. There aren’t many Scots outside of my clan anymore either.”

  The world was a mixture since the wars of the old days. The old countries and kingdoms were no more, but some still liked to hold on to their ancestor’s heritage. Allyn knew she was of Irish ancestry. She just wished she knew a bit more than that. Above all, she wanted to know where her power came from.

  “You’re the first shy girl I’ve met at this club,” he said. “You seem more like the stay at home and read type.”

  His observation was uncanny. It caught her off guard just how accurate he was. “You’re right. I would have rather stayed at home.”

  He lifted a brow just as the elevator doors slid open. “But then we might not have ever met.”

  She swallowed as he reached for her hand and led her outside the elevator to another long hallway. She wanted desperately to tell him that they had met before, once when they were children.

  “This is true,” Allyn said, walking hand-in-hand beside one of her greatest enemies. She knew this to be a fact, she just wasn’t sure how much he knew. “Where are
you taking me?”

  “I want to show you something. You see, I’m like you. I’d rather stay at home with a book. But, a prince must show his face once in a while. I saw that look in your eyes like you were uncomfortable amidst the wild partygoers, and I asked my assistant to bring you to me.”

  “Oh,” Allyn said, taken aback by his candid response. Then again, there was a tiny thought that he would say anything to get her to his bed. She hoped he was honest. Being taken away from the party wasn’t the worst thing that could happen. She never wanted to be there anyway. “Thank you.”

  “No problem. I know of a quiet place. I think you’ll like it.”

  The door ahead looked to lead outside.

  Unsure of what to expect, Allyn began to dread going outside, knowing that the biting cold would chill her bones. She held her breath with anticipation as Conall opened the door and held it for her.

  “Come now,” he said, a mischievous glint in his blue eyes. “I promise I won’t bite.”

  “Good one,” Allyn said under her breath, and he chuckled.

  Conall’s laugh was nice and disarming. Despite all of the warnings within, he made her feel comfortable.

  Instead of being met with cold, the temperature never changed as Allyn stepped into an indoor garden lounge. Her eyes widened at the glass room that had the best view of Elastria that she had ever seen.

  Mouth open, she spun around as she looked at the stars above, and the snow that fell like rain. There was a bar in the middle of the empty room, two female bartenders ready to serve.

  “Is this another lounge?” Her eyes went to the flowers that lined the circular path that surrounded the bar.

  “It is. Beautiful,” Conall said. “Isn’t it?”

  There were tables and leather sofas lining the walls, except for one area where the people could step out onto the balcony. It was closed at that moment, but Allyn imagined how wonderful it must be during the warmer seasons.

  Nodding her head, Allyn stood before him. Her eyes narrowed as she looked at his face. “Why did you really bring me up here? We could have talked in the VIP lounge, with my friends.”

  He took a step forward, making her uneasy by his proximity to her body. “I like beautiful things,” he whispered, his breath warming her neck. “And you are the most beautiful woman I’ve seen in a long time.”

  “So,” Allyn said, turning to Conall. “You really think I’m beautiful?”

  He grinned, his brows furrowing as he looked down at her. “What kind of question is that? Of course. Don’t you?”

  Allyn’s eyes widened. No one had ever asked her that before. “I don’t know,” she whispered. “Only one person has ever told me that. Before you, that is.”

  “That is a shame. You deserve to hear those words every day.”

  Wow. He is good. Allyn twirled a ringlet of hair as she looked up at him. Too good.

  “Who was the other person?”

  “My boyfriend,” she said and cringed at her mistake. She sighed and pushed her hair from her face, tucking wild strands behind her ear. “My ex-boyfriend. He left me a few days ago.”

  Conall leaned in close. “His loss.”

  “I’m sure he thinks otherwise. He has grand thoughts of being a rock star. He doesn’t need a girl like me holding him back.”

  “A girl like you? I don’t think you give yourself enough credit. I’ve known you for less than an hour and I can tell you deserve better.”

  “Do I deserve a prince?” she asked, batting her eyelashes, a demure smile on her lips.

  He gave her an amused look and they laughed. “That remains to be seen.”

  She bit her bottom lip and inhaled. Never had the presence of a man stirred her desire so easily. She stepped away and turned her back to him.

  “Would you like a drink?”

  Allyn nodded. “Sure. I’ll have what you have.”

  He walked over to the bar and a tiny bud of hope was buried within her heart that maybe he wasn’t trying to trick her. Maybe he was just as attracted to her as she was to him.

  She squeezed her eyes shut. Such thoughts were dangerous. It was too soon. Her heart was still broken by Byron.

  Byron—the man that promised her the world and left her with nothing.

  She opened her eyes and scowled at the glass. Why should she waste another minute thinking about him? He wasn’t thinking of her. If he had, she wouldn’t be homeless right now.

  “We are in the same boat,” Conall said. His hands lifted her hair. “I’m newly single.”

  Allyn watched him touch her hair, only wanting him to come closer. “I know,” she said. “I may be new to Central Elastria, but I can read the papers, and the entire kingdom knows about you.”

  He stepped to her, his chest an inch from her face. She looked up at him, noting how his face had turned serious, his smile fading, his eyes narrowed. She also noted how alluring he smelled.

  He lowered his voice. “What do you think you know about me?”

  Allyn swallowed, once again intoxicated by his presence alone. His cologne was mixed with the smell of evergreen, as though he’d hiked through the woods before coming to the Digital Underground.

  Her face paled when she realized just how true that could have been. He was a Wolf after all.

  “Well,” she began, licking her lips, surprised by how boldly she was speaking to the prince. “Everyone knows about the actress you were dating. And how you broke up with her when she told you she was pregnant.”

  Conall laughed. “Do people actually believe those stories?”

  Shrugging, she looked up at him and lowered her voice. “I don’t know.”

  “Don’t believe everything that you hear,” he said. “I broke up with her for selling stories such as the one you read in the papers. Like you said, she was an actress. A good one.”

  Allyn hated to see him frown. She wished she hadn’t made that accusation, but then she might not have seen his candid, vulnerable side.

  “I almost believed she was genuine.”

  “I’m sorry,” Allyn said. She found herself believing everything he said to her. It was difficult not to. She’d learned the difference between truths and lies in a person’s eyes.

  Conall didn’t speak. He tilted her chin with the tips of his fingers and leaned down to kiss her.

  Though surprised by his sudden kiss, she didn’t resist. Her body awakened the instant his lips touched hers. Allyn’s eyes fluttered closed as Conall turned her to the window and pressed her body to the glass. With his body pressed against hers, she surrendered to his kiss. He took her bottom lip between his teeth and sucked it, as his hands cupped her face.

  Conall tasted sweet, like honey. He slid his tongue against hers, devouring her mouth. She didn’t care that they weren’t alone. Her focus was on the handsome man before her, and how she could get more of his affection.

  When he pulled away and took her by the hand, Allyn was dizzy. Breathless.

  Her chest heaved as she opened her eyes and looked at him. Not even Byron’s kisses left her so disoriented and yearning for more. Butterflies filled her belly as she realized that this could be the beginning of something incredible.

  “Listen,” he said, his forehead pressed to hers as he held onto her waist. “I leave tomorrow, but I’d like to spend these last few hours with you. What do you think?”

  Allyn’s eyes were fixed on his lips. A night with a handsome prince? More like a night to make him fall and make her a princess. She knew that she was silly to even think such a thing was possible. Still, she was up for the challenge. She didn’t want to be a princess. She just wanted someone to be good to her.

  “Sure. I don’t have anything else to do.”

  “Good,” he said and kissed her again. He stroked the small of her back and she melted into his chest.

  Delicious little sparks.

  “How about we get out of here? I have a loft on the top floor.”

  Allyn didn’t hesitate, despite her fe
ars that he just wanted to sleep with her. Aude and Khia were right. She needed to get over Byron. Perhaps a night with a prince was just what she really needed.

  “Yes.”

  As those words fell from her lips she began to wonder who the witch was in this scenario...because she was sure Conall had her under a spell.

  CHAPTER 6

  PRINCE CONALL’S LOFT was located on the top of the skyscraper. The entire top floor belonged to him, and when they walked inside, Allyn was taken aback by the amount of room. Inside, a fire burned in the center of the living room in a white, stone fireplace. A loft bedroom with a glass half-wall overlooked the lavish living space with plush sofas, glass tables, and a full kitchen.

  “How long are you staying here?” Allyn asked. A family of four could live in that loft, comfortably.

  “Just the night. I only come here when I have business in the city. I return to my castle tomorrow.” He walked over to the kitchen and pulled wine from a closet. “Where do you live?”

  Allyn shrugged. “I’m in between places right now.”

  “What does that mean exactly?” Conall asked as he poured wine into two glasses.

  “It means that I am living with friends until I figure out what I’m going to do next.”

  He turned on music and Allyn couldn’t help the smile that came to her face as soft, classical music came from the speakers installed on the ceiling.

  She stood there in the foyer as Conall took off his suit jacket, revealing a black vest over his navy blue collared shirt.

  When Allyn opened her eyes, she glanced over her shoulder. “This makes me miss my violin.”

  Memories of playing her violin in the living room of their wood cabin came to her. Her mother used to knit her sweaters before the fire, a smile on her face as her dear girl played her favorite songs. Father would take a break from grading papers for the high school in town to critique her. She used to hate it when he’d find the smallest error in her playing but missed those evenings more than anything.

  “Well, aren’t you full of surprises?”

  “My father used to play this song a lot when I was growing up,” she said, closing her eyes and humming along with the melody of the violin.