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  “I know,” he said in a gentle tone.

  I often wondered what Nina and Jasper were to each other. Since I couldn’t see his face I had no idea how old he was. However, judging by his hands and his voice, I’d say he was young. Early twenties maybe. There was no way they were a couple. But he called her Nina, so she wasn’t his mom, although she clearly cared about him if she was going to such great lengths to protect him. So, who was she? Who was he?

  And what was she protecting him from?

  ***

  The days and nights continued to run together, but I was focused on my recovery. I swallowed my meds and ate what Nina gave me. Sometimes she took me on a walk around the house to help regain my strength. On those walks, I memorized every inch of the house and property. It wasn’t a large house, but it wasn’t tiny either. It was a little smaller than mine back home. But there were many rooms I hadn’t ventured into. The doors were secured, and I wasn’t granted entry. It seemed to fit with the theme of my visit so far. Hidden. Secretive. Mysterious.

  The entire home was decorated in a mismatched selection of antique finds. There was no cohesiveness between the rooms. I got the sense that someone just threw every piece of furniture and artwork they could find into this place.

  I knew a lot about decorating. My mom staged homes for a living. She would be mortified if she could see this place. I wondered if she ever would. Jasper had assured Nina that once they let me go I’d never lead anyone back here. But, no matter what he threatened or planned to do, I had to tell my family. I’d been here for weeks. I had to explain to my family where I’d been.

  “Nina says you’re ready.” It was the first time Jasper had spoken to me in days, possibly weeks. He stood in the doorway of my bedroom, hands shoved into the pocket of his jeans, mask still obscuring his face.

  “Ready for what?” I asked, my heart kickstarting. Was this it? Were they letting me leave? It seemed too good to be true, and I was reluctant to get my hopes up.

  “To go home,” he said simply.

  Did I dare believe?

  My heart lifted. “Really?”

  Mutely, he stepped into the room. I fought the urge to scoot back from him. Instead, I sat tall. Since I’d been here, he hadn’t hurt me. In fact, he and Nina had nursed me back to health. And now they were letting me go. I had no reason to be afraid. Then why was my heart beating out of control? I sucked in a breath as he held out his hand.

  “Come on. Let’s get you home.” His fingers closed over mine. They were warm and calloused. I allowed him to tug me up out of the bed. Nina walked in with my party dress and shoes. They looked like new. Had they really survived a car accident? “She’s a magician with a needle and thread,” Jasper answered as if he could read my thoughts.

  He released my fingers as Nina handed me the dress and shoes.

  “I’ll let you gather up your things and get dressed. Then we’ll head out.”

  “We?” My heart slammed against my ribcage.

  “You don’t know your way out of here. I’ll get you to the road, and then I’ll let you go from there,” he said.

  Trust me. I have it under control.

  I nodded. He couldn’t let me drive to the road because then I’d know the way back. What other lengths would he take to make sure I couldn’t retrace the path back to here? A shudder ran through me as he left the room.

  Tracing my hands over my silky party dress, my mind traveled back to the night I’d worn it. Before that fateful drive home, it had been a fun night at the cabin. Mom and Dad were so proud of me. Grant and Kevin teased me relentlessly like always, but I knew it was in good fun. My older brothers had been simultaneously torturing me and taking care of me my entire life. Grandma and Grandpa spared no expense, having the event professionally catered. They also bought me too many presents. Not like that was anything new. I was their only granddaughter, and my grandparents had been spoiling me rotten since birth. I was grateful now that Mom and Dad had offered to bring the presents home in their suburban.

  I had invited a few friends to the party, but they were busy having graduation parties of their own. Originally, Henry was supposed to join me, but clearly that wasn’t happening now. But I suppose it all worked out. Now that we’d graduated, we would all inevitably go our separate ways. Henry and I weren’t attending the same college. In fact, none of my friends were going to the same college as me. Therefore, I was certain this time next year I’d have a whole new set of friends.

  The thought was both exciting and disconcerting at the same time.

  The pads of my fingers trailed over the areas where Nina had repaired the dress. Even though the stains had been treated, I could still make out the faint trace of them. Wincing, it dawned on me that the stains had probably been blood. Discarding my t-shirt and sweats onto the floor, I took in my reflection from the little mirror mounted to the wall. I had slight bruising on my arms and forehead, but other than that I had healed. It was nothing short of miraculous.

  I slipped into my dress, savoring the feel of the soft fabric against my skin. Yesterday, I’d washed my jet-black hair, so it was smooth and shiny. Reaching for the brush on the dresser, I ran it through the strands until no kinks remained. My skin had always been pale, a stark contrast to my dark hair, but without any makeup on it appeared almost translucent. Fishing through my purse, I found some blush and lip gloss. After putting them on, I felt more like myself.

  After stepping into my shoes, I snatched up my purse and headed for the bedroom door. It wasn’t locked. It felt like victory. As I stepped into the hallway, I could almost taste my impending freedom.

  I knew I should’ve been grateful to Nina and Jasper for caring for me. But the truth was, that I’d never been so anxious to leave any place in my life. This hadn’t felt like a reprieve. It felt like being imprisoned.

  Chest tightening, I hurried into the family room. Jasper sat on the couch staring at his hands. When I entered, he leapt up.

  “Wow,” he said, so softly I almost didn’t catch it.

  He may have been a creepy guy in a mask, but for some reason his reaction made my cheeks warm. I walked toward him. When I reached him, he asked me to turn around. Then he held up a blindfold. My stomach knotted.

  “What’s that for?”

  “I just need you to wear it until we reach the road,” he explained.

  “Why?” None of this made any sense. The secrecy, the mask, the need to stay hidden. It was puzzling. He’d saved my life. Why couldn’t anyone know about it?

  Who was he?

  “You want to go home, don’t you?” he asked, his words rougher than before. Clearly, I was trying his patience.

  I nodded.

  “Then just turn around.”

  I should’ve listened. I should’ve done as I was told. But curiosity got the better of me. There was something he was hiding. Something so huge that he went to great lengths to keep it private. That alone should have been enough to scare me to my core. But I’d been in this house for weeks, and I was tired of wondering. Tired of not knowing.

  A part of me felt gratitude for what Jasper had done for me. But mostly I felt duped. And I didn’t like that feeling at all.

  I knew that if I did as I was told and made it safely home, I’d never be able to get this place out of my mind. I’d never rest until I found it again. Until I got answers. As much as I desired to be home with my family, I had to know who Jasper really was first.

  And that’s why I reached out and swiftly tugged the mask off his face. Recoiling, a gasp sounded at the back of my throat. My hands flew to my mouth, then to my eyes. Growling, he raised his hand to yank the mask back down. But it was too late. I’d already seen his face.

  Now I knew what he was hiding.

  “You’re him,” I breathed. “You’re the beastly boy.”

  4

  THE BEASTLY

  BOY

  THE SIGNS HAD been there all along. And maybe I would’ve seen them if I’d believed the rumors. But I ha
dn’t. I’d always thought of them as nothing more than stories. Now I could see that they were true.

  There was a beastly boy living in the forest, and he was standing right in front of me.

  But everyone had been wrong about what he looked like. He wasn’t half-human, half-animal. He wasn’t a monster or a beast. He was simply a boy. I could see how the rumors started, since the deformity in his face did resemble an animal in spots. His nose, for instance, was smashed against his face, reminiscent of a snout. His ears were a little pointy, his eyes over-slanted. But underneath it all was a person. A person just like me.

  “Why did you do that?” he growled, his voice matching his face.

  “I-I’m sorry,” I stammered, frightened. Anger radiated from him like warmth from a heating vent. “I was just trying to--”

  “You’ve made a terrible mistake,” he said, cutting me off.

  “What’s going on?” Nina’s voice sounded from over my shoulder. Then she inhaled sharply. “Oh, no!”

  “Nina, get her back to her room!” He barked.

  My mouth went dry. “Wait. What?” Warm fingers closed around my wrist. Panicked, I yanked my hand back. “Jasper, you were taking me home.”

  “Not anymore,” he said firmly.

  “No.” I shook my head. “Please take me home.” Nina’s grip was tighter this time as she pulled on me. But there was no way I was letting her take me back to that room. I writhed and flailed until my arms were free. “You promised!” I said to Jasper, desperation blooming in my chest. What had I done? I was moments from leaving. Why had I screwed everything up?

  “That was before.” He stepped forward. Then he scooped me up into his arms. I kicked and swatted with my arms, but he held me so tight I could barely move. He was much stronger than he looked.

  “Please don’t do this,” I pleaded as he carried me toward the bedroom I’d just come out of. My fear grew, spreading through my limbs like fire with each step he took. No matter how hard I fought, I was no match for him.

  By the time he dumped me on the floor in the bedroom, I was spent. The slamming of the door felt like the final nail in my coffin.

  I was never leaving. I knew that now.

  My feet were bare and cold. I’d lost my shoes with all the kicking. If only the sharp heels had done damage, but most likely they’d simply fell to the ground. Glancing around, I realized I must have lost my purse in the struggle too. Defeated, I lie back on the dirty, frigid floor and stared up at the ceiling.

  All the hope I’d had moments earlier had been snuffed out. If only I’d listened. If only I hadn’t let my curiosity get the better of me. It had been a downfall of mine my entire life. When I was a little girl, it was always getting me in trouble. At six I’d almost been bitten by a rattlesnake because I wanted to get a closer look. As a toddler, I got stuck in a tunnel at the park wanting to see where it went. The difference between those times and now was that my parents had been there to help me. But my parents couldn’t help me now.

  At this point I wasn’t sure I’d ever see my parents again.

  Tears sprung to my eyes, slipping down my cheeks. A sob tore at the back of my throat. This couldn’t be happening. I sucked in a ragged breath, the scent of mildew and dirt filling my senses. It caused a fresh wave of grief to sweep over me. I’d come so close to inhaling the fresh, crisp outside air. I had almost been able to touch my steering wheel, to be in control once again. But now I was trapped, confined, imprisoned.

  It wasn’t fair.

  So I saw his face? What was the big deal? Even if I told people about him, what difference did it make? Everyone knew about him anyway. I’d been listening to stories about him my entire life.

  The doorknob turned, catching my attention. I rolled my head to the side, hoping it was Jasper. Perhaps, he’d realized his mistake. Maybe he would offer to take me home now. When I saw that it was Nina, my heart tumbled to the ground. She stepped inside swiftly, closing and locking the door behind her as if I would try to escape. It had crossed my mind. Although, at this point I was too tired to even try.

  She took one look at my tearstained face before agitatedly glancing away. In her arms, she carried my purse and a stack of clothes. She set them down on the dresser.

  “Here is your stuff. And you can change into something...warmer.” Her tone was stilted, emotionless, like always.

  It depressed me further. There was no way I was changing into those hideous clothes. This dress was one of the only things I had that was mine. Besides, if I put on those clothes, it was like giving up, admitting defeat. And I wasn’t ready to do that. I would get out of here eventually. No matter what I had to do.

  Before leaving, Nina’s gaze rested on me momentarily. What I noticed in her eyes lit a tiny spark of hope. She felt sympathy for me. It was the first time I’d seen that in her eyes. My tears and sad face had affected her, and I needed to capitalize on that.

  “Nina,” I said softly, sitting up. “Please let me go. I can’t stay here. I need to see my family.” She froze, her eyes meeting mine. “I miss my mom and dad, my brothers.” My voice wavered, another tear sliding down my cheek. “Do you have a family?” I asked, hoping we could bond over something.

  But it was the wrong thing to say. I could tell immediately. “Yes. Jasper’s my family.”

  “Are you, like, his aunt or something? Because, clearly, you’re not his mom. At least he doesn’t call you mom,” I processed aloud, still trying to connect them.

  She shook her head, her eyes narrowing. “You’re a stupid girl. You need to stop asking so many questions. It’s what got you into this mess.”

  I felt like I’d been slapped. I was still reeling from her words when she stormed out, locking the door behind her. Great. I’d botched that opportunity. Not that I was overly optimistic. Nina was a long shot. She wasn’t my ticket out of here. Jasper was. As hard edged as he seemed, there was a softness to him that Nina didn’t have. If I could tap into that, I was certain he would allow me to leave.

  Then again, that could take forever. I thought about how angry he’d been. How betrayed he seemed. He wasn’t going to get over it very quickly. When he’d tossed me in here he hadn’t so much as given me a backward glance. Who knew when I’d see him again? It may take days or weeks before he would come visit me.

  If he ever did again.

  I shivered, unsure if it was from fear or the cold. It was always freezing in here. It was like they didn’t believe in running the heater. Just one more thing that was odd about this place. There were days when I felt like this was all a nightmare and I would wake from it at any second. But I hadn’t yet, so it must be real. It didn’t feel like it, though. Everything about this place felt detached and strange, otherworldly, as if I’d stepped into another dimension. Honestly, I wished I had. Then maybe I could find a way out. A way back to my original dimension, the one I belonged in.

  Grabbing onto the edge of the bed, I hoisted myself up to a standing position. My feet were numb, goosebumps covering my bare legs. The dress I wore swam around my thighs. I recalled dancing around the cabin in this dress, feeling like a princess. Feeling like my entire life was ahead of me.

  And it was. I was a strong, competent woman. There was no way I was letting these crazy people hold me captive indefinitely.

  Glancing upward, my heart leapt in my chest. The window. That was it. Why didn’t I think of it before? When I was injured, I had been bedridden. My one escape attempt proved that I wasn’t well enough to get out of here on my own. But I was better now. Stronger.

  And I could easily escape.

  Chuckling to myself, I wiped the dampness from my cheeks. Then I stepped toward the window that was covered in a thick curtain. When I touched it, dust coated my fingertips. Wrinkling my nose, I fought the urge to sneeze. Nina rarely opened the curtains when I was in bed recovering. But when she did, I savored the light that filtered in and painted my body. This time when I tugged it open, light blinded me, causing me to blink. When I f
inally adjusted to it, my stomach dropped.

  The window wasn’t locked, so I flung it open. Cold air smacked me in the face. It felt good as it skated over my skin. But this was as close as I was getting to outside. The window may have opened, but I couldn’t climb through it because there were thick metal bars covering it. No wonder they felt confident sticking me in here.

  Why would they have bars over the window? Had there been other prisoners?

  Feeling sick, I swallowed back the bile rising in my throat. Slumping, I sat down on the edge of the bed and stared around the small room. The walls seemed to close in on me as I took in the reality of the situation. I was truly trapped.

  ***

  I refused to eat.

  Nina left a tray of food on the dresser several times a day, but I didn’t touch it. They could keep me here, but they couldn’t force me to eat their nasty food. I wouldn’t make it easy on them. I’d make them regret keeping me. It was a simple rebellion. A tiny way of controlling the situation. But it was all I had.

  Not that it wasn’t affecting me. A massive headache raged, and my stomach begged me to fill it. I wanted to more than anything, but I knew I’d hate myself if I gave into them.

  On the second night, Jasper came to my room. All morning I’d been planning to sit by the door, waiting for someone to open it so I could squeeze through and escape. But the more I fantasized about it, the more I realized it wouldn’t work. Even if I made it past someone, I had to somehow get out the front door, which had about a dozen locks on it. Or I’d have to get out the back door, and I assumed that would be as difficult. With Jasper’s strength, my only hope was to get out while he was gone and it was only Nina here. But so far it didn’t appear that Jasper ever left the property.

  “Nina says you’re not eating.” Not one for small talk, he cut right to the chase.

  Sitting up in the bed, I hugged my legs to my chest. I was still wearing my dress, so my legs and feet were like ice. “I won’t eat until you let me leave.”