“You didn’t know it was going to be so hard to keep your bargain, did you my little lass?” the Beast muttered against her neck, softly taunting. “Have ye no mother? No sisters? Did no one ever tell you that the first time for a woman could be very painful?”
In spite of his taunting words, he held her gently and stroked her hair with a tenderness that would have shocked him if he’d only realized it. Almost against her will, she relaxed slightly in his arms.
“No, M’lord, my mother is very ill and I have no sisters,” Beauty replied softly. Then she looked up at the Beast and asked shyly, hopefully, “Only the first time?”
“I know it gets easier, that the bleeding stops and the sharp tearing pain is gone after the first time, but there may be some tenderness for a while,” the Beast told her softly. Then he surprised both of them by adding, “I’ve never kept a woman around long enough to find out if she ever comes to fully enjoy it as much as I do, but I’ve heard rumours that some women do.”
“Would the women who come to enjoy mating be sluts, M’lord?” Beauty asked. “Or whores? Or do decent women ever come to enjoy it?”
“I know not for sure, but ’tis probably not the common sluts or whores they speak of. Those women care not for the size of a man’s tool, they only enjoy the size of a man’s purse and the colour of his coin.” The Beast pondered this before he mused aloud, “I wonder if there are any places on your body that please you when they’re touched like there are on mine? Strange that I’ve never thought of it before.”
“I don’t know of any such places, M’lord, but if it pleases you to find out, then please feel free to explore,” Beauty offered smiling softly, still nervous but trying not to let it show. “I’m here to do whatever you want.”
Amused at both her suggestion and her nerve, the Beast decided to comply. With hands that felt rough from years of battle, he gently stroked and explored her soft body. He spent several long minutes fondling her full breasts, gently teasing her nipples. To the surprise of them both, she squirmed and gasped under his gentle touch. By his very nature, he was bolder than she had been when she explored his body. His mouth quickly followed the path forged by his hands and he savoured the taste and texture of her soft skin.
He soon learned that touching and suckling her full breasts both gave pleasure and caused her to moan and writhe with sensuality so fierce that it almost crossed the border into pain. He let his hands move slowly downwards, with his mouth still suckling her breasts. He discovered that she responded almost as wildly as he did when her sex was touched.
Knowing from long, lonely nights that touch alone could bring him some satisfaction, he slid a long finger into her, gently stroking her. His thumb brushed the nub of her sex and he quickly realized this coaxed an even greater reaction from her. She writhed and squirmed, her legs clasping around his hand. The Beast watched her face as he gently fingered her and heard her soft moans. He kept up the gentle stroking for a long time, repeatedly speeding up and slowing down. He felt her wetness and knew a strange pride that he could coax such a reaction from her.
In a combination of wonder, pleasure and curiosity, he lowered his mouth to her soft curls and kissed her there. His tongue teased the nub even as his fingers slid quickly in and out of her. In mere seconds, she was writhing in a frenzy that he recognized from his own release. He was so amazed that he almost raised his head and stopped, but she grabbed him by the hair and held him to her until her body shook and she gave a startled little scream.
While she lay sighing and panting cuddled by his side, he realized that he was ready again. Quickly he got her into position and thrust into her. Although she was still quite tender, his recent ministration with hands and mouth had readied her, making the entrance moist and the passage in easier. Her still aroused body slowly began to respond to his fast, hard thrusts. She was just beginning to get a hint of the pleasure that they could find together when he moaned aloud and climaxed inside her.
After his breathing returned to normal, the Beast did something that surprised both of them very much. He got out of the bed and walked nude over to the small table. He poured some water from the pitcher sitting there into a small bowl. Then he dampened a soft cloth and walked back to the bed. He pulled back the covers and sheets, ignoring her blushes, and very tenderly washed her virgin’s blood from her body. He also discarded the shredded remnants of her gown, and then slid back into the bed.
“You didn’t feel so much pain this time, did you lass?” the Beast asked her gently, his large body wrapped next to hers, relaxing fully for the first time he could ever remember.
“It was much nicer. I admit I enjoyed having you explore my body,” Beauty responded shyly, blushing furiously. “Do I please you, M’lord?”
“You please me well, Beauty.” The Beast kissed her soundly, tasting the sweetness of her mouth for the first time before he continued, “But beware, this is only a pleasure for me, a trifling. Don’t expect there to be anything more between us. You’re a possession, merely a possession. I will still take you whenever and wherever I want. I will still do whatever I wish to you and I will not hesitate to take a whip to you if you fail to please me.”
“And when you are done with me?” she asked timidly. “What then?”
The demon hidden not so deep within the Beast rose up unexpectedly. He was still trying to test her resolve, to prove to her and to himself that she was no more faithful and trustworthy than countless others in his life had been.
He replied coldly, rolling her over, partially atop him, “Why do you ask? It is none of your concern what I do when I am done with you. You are mine, like my horse or my hawk. When I tire of you I will replace you with another even more beautiful woman in my bed. Possibly, I will give you to one of my men as a reward, or mayhap send you away. I could even decide just to kill you or to have you killed. It matters not.”
“It matters somewhat to me, M’lord,” Beauty stated wryly and proudly, hiding the wretched fear his cold words aroused in her heart and soul. “But I know not what you say when you accuse me of trying to tame you. Your proclamation is no more than I expected from your treatment of me.”
“Liar!” The Beast taunted her sharply before he unconsciously voiced his own hidden fear, “You enjoyed the treatment I lavished on you or shall I put my mouth to your sex again and see if I can make you scream? I know you expect much more from me, in bed and out. You hope and pray for my kindness, my consideration and even perhaps for my affection. You but fool yourself, for I don’t have it inside me to give, Beauty. I know you even think to tame the Beast and I warn you now, it simply cannot be done. Life has hardened me overmuch.”
Beauty kept silent but somewhere deep inside herself, perhaps on an instinctive level, she recognized the basis of uncertainty and the defensive quality behind his declaration. He’s unsure of himself, she realized, and afraid I might gain some small degree of power over him. Her heart leaped in her chest and a few short words began to form in the back of her brain: We’ll see, my fine Lord, we’ll see who tames the mighty beast.
She kept her thoughts carefully hidden and remained compliant beside him. It was a long and exhausting night for Beauty. She was far too sore to sleep easily and still very nervous around the great knight. Of course, every time she did drift towards sleep, he reached for her yet again. Towards morning, he pulled her to him and simply pushed her head down towards his erection.
“Pleasure me with your mouth,” he commanded firmly.
She was shocked and very unsure of exactly what to do but she tried to comply. She quickly learned how to pleasure him and soon tasted him as he reached his peak.
When morning finally arrived Beauty was completely exhausted and very stiff and sore. She snuggled deeper