The hellbeasts hate, p.1
The HellBeast's Hate, page 1
THE HELLBEAST’S HATE
THE HELLBEAST KING
# 7
STEPHANIE HUDSON
HUDSON INDIE INK
The HellBeast’s Hate
The HellBeast King #7
Copyright © 2023 Stephanie Hudson
Published by Hudson Indie Ink
www.hudsonindieink.com
This ebook is licensed for your personal enjoyment only.
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All rights reserved.
This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places, brands, media, and incidents are either the product of the authors imagination or are used fictitiously. The author acknowledges the trademark status and trademark owners of various products referred to in this work of fiction, which have been used without permission. The publication/use of these trademarks is not authorised, associated with, or sponsored by the trademark owners.
The HellBeast’s Hate/Stephanie Hudson – 1st ed.
I would like to dedicate this book to Dawn Higgins and her husband Pete Higgins.
‘The hardest part about love is being brave enough to fall and give your heart, despite knowing that one day you must say goodbye. Living on through the heartbreak of loss is a strength unlike any other and one endured with the hopes of one day being reunited with your soulmate once again… The Fate of Love entwines us all.’
My heart is with you and your family during this difficult time of great sadness. Pete was a wonderful man who I know supported your great love of books and will be remembered with a warm smile and laughter, for we will always have that rainy night in Brighton.
CONTENTS
1. Old Hearts
2. Time Never Changes
3. Betraying Love
4. Ultimate Betrayal
5. Alone
6. The Hell Part of Kind Reality
7. Splintered
8. The Scent of Confusion
9. Shattered
10. Proof of Fate
11. Dangerous Time
12. Despite it All
13. Foolish Travels
14. The Harris List
15. Belly of the Beast
16. Prisoner Tethered
17. Beautiful Brutality
18. Entertained
19. Unlikely Protector
20. Time is All Relevant
21. Breaking into Dance
22. It’s All in the Knowing
23. A Fighter’s Claim
24. When a Single Cup Just Isn’t Enough
25. Drunken Sails Deflated
26. Under the Veil of Truth
27. Bargains Worth Killing For
28. In Reserve
29. Dances Owed
30. Payments Made
31. The Sweet Taste of Fear
32. Oh Brother
33. Destiny Revealed
About the Author
Also by Stephanie Hudson
Other Hudson Indie Ink Authors
1
OLD HEARTS
Jared’s wife.
His wife.
I don’t know what happened to me after arriving here and being transported into the past, but one thing was for sure, my lost memories had started coming back to me by the time I woke up. Those memories were the only thing I was thankful for because opening my eyes and being met with Jared’s past life was most definitely not a welcoming sight.
I was in some kind of cottage that was clean and homely, if not a little bare. It had a low beamed ceiling that made me wonder if Jared ever bumped his head on it, he must have had to at least duck every time he came through the front door. It was a single room that I could see had a narrow wooden staircase off to the side.
As for the walls, these were made of stone and were whitewashed with a number of things hanging around the large hearth that filled the entire far wall. Things like long-handled flat pans, jugs, pots, along with spoons and other rustic kitchen wear. The room held simple furniture, with single chairs, small oval tables in between, and a much larger kitchen table that held a pale cream vase full of wildflowers.
Other flowers hung drying, along with herbs that framed a small kitchen window that now had the sun shining through it. Pewter tankards hung from the beams above, along with baskets attached by the handles to large iron hooks. Another scan of the room offered a large metal teapot hanging from a chain close to the fire, as well as a modest kitchen dresser against one wall that held plates on the shelves above and large bows on the countertop.
As for me, I seemed to be lying on a cushioned bench facing the fire with a blanket over me. Thankfully, the place was empty as I think if I had opened my eyes to the sight of Jared and his stunning wife, I would have cried. The ache in my chest felt like shrapnel from a shattered blade that he himself had plunged in my heart.
Of course, I knew his secret, already having experienced his deceit once before, but knowing that he had chosen to keep this aspect of his life from me yet again, did leave a bitter taste in my mouth. One made infinitely worse by being forced to witness them together.
I looked around the room and saw what appeared to be a dress folded at the end of the bench, making me wince at the sight. Because despite how kind a gesture this was, knowing who it most likely belonged to wasn’t helping with the growing bitterness. Which was why I reached for my skinny jeans that I could see drying in front of the fireplace, along with my woolen sweater. My wicked red dress, or undergarments as Jared had named them, were still covering me, making me leave them on as I got dressed. Meaning they were soon back to being tucked in my waistband and out of scandalous sight.
My hair was pretty much a lost cause. I tried to tease my matted curls apart from where they had dried from being soaked in the rain and then slept on, but with no mirror in sight, I shrugged my shoulders and decided not to worry about it. However, just as I was putting my knee-high boots on, Jared walked back inside, pausing the moment he saw me.
Oh, and he did indeed need to duck his head to get inside.
It was so strange seeing him this way. He was the same but also very different. Far less imposing and intimidating for starters. He was tall and most definitely fit in his physique, but without the mass bulk of muscle I was used to. His hair was much darker too, making me wonder at which point it had turned to its charcoal color and was it down to age or when he turned into his HellBeast?
I knew I could most likely put most of the changes to his body down to when he was reborn, becoming a HellBeast. But like this, he looked almost younger, more carefree as well as being scar free, as that wicked line that ran down the side of his face was gone. In all honesty… I missed it.
But damn, even his grin seemed softer and less mischievous. Less cunning and far less knowing.
“You’re awake,” he stated, making me swallow the painful lump down before nodding, as truly, I didn’t know what to say. As for how he looked, he was currently wearing a long-sleeve linen shirt that looked coarsely woven and was rolled up at the sleeves. A thick leather apron covered his shoulders, chest, and extended past the abdomen to about his knees, where I could see the tops of his fabric stockings down to laced leather shoes.
It was only when he took off his apron and hung it next to the door that I saw added to this was a brown woolen waistcoat and dark knee breeches. This along with length of dark green linen was wrapped loosely around his neck.
“Are you leaving?” he asked after taking in my appearance the moment I stood.
“I… think it’s best if I do,” I forced myself to say, making him frown. It was a sight that reminded me more of the Jared I knew.
“I don’t think that’s a good idea, not dressed like that.” At this I looked down at myself, quickly gathering that for this day and age what I was wearing was most likely more appropriate for a man than it was for a woman.
“My wife, she left you a dress to wear.” The second he said the word wife, I couldn’t help but tense before forcing words to form from my lips.
“Y-y…yes, that was… very kind of her, but I cannot accept it.” At this he folded his arms and said,
“Did yer never learn to accept the kindness of others?” I was the one now frowning before telling him,
“I learned not to take advantage of the kindness of others.”
“Very well then, for that is not what you are doing. Now sit, for you need some food in that belly of yours before you go anywhere,” he said, nodding to the table and chairs that were not far from the fire. I then looked to the door and as if reading my mind, he said,
“My wife is in the village and will be back shortly but don’t be uneasy, for I have no intention of harming you.”
“I know you won’t,” I stated before I could think better of it, making him raise a brow in question, those gray eyes of his trying to read me.
“You speak as if you know me,” he said as he took a lid off a pot on the stove and began spooning some kind of stew into two bowls.
“I mig
“I didn’t know I had reputation enough to speak of.”
“You’re a blacksmith, right?” His lips quirked at this, and he teased me by using my words back at me,
“Right.” It was clear he found me amusing. He no doubt thought of me as strange due to my modern manner along with wearing what he would consider men’s clothes.
Placing the bowls down, he used his foot to push the spare chair out, making me take the hint that he wanted me to sit down. Something that was confirmed when he nodded down at the bowl, urging me to move.
I glanced back once more at the front door before making the decision to stay and eat. Because who knew how long it would be before I had the chance at a meal again?
“So do you want to tell me why yer be looking for a blacksmith in the rain and middle of the night?”
I swallowed hard and answered honestly.
“Not really, no.”
At this he laughed and mimicked my words, muttering them to himself,
“Not really no… um… then how about yer name, do yer have one of those I may have?” I grinned at him over my spoon and said,
“I might have.” However, the moment I smiled at him it seemed to affect him, and I knew that look.
Jared liked me.
I didn’t know how I felt about this, seeing as he had a wife and all, but then again, just because I affected him, it wasn’t exactly like we were about to say to hell with the stew and get naked. He did, however, seem to shake his head a little, as if trying to rid himself of similar thoughts.
“Ella, my name is Ella Connor,” I told him quickly, and again I got the impression that had he been the Jared I knew; his eyes would have heated at this. But instead, he simply bowed his head a little and said,
“T’is a pleasure, Miss Connor.”
“Ella, please, it’s just Ella,” I told him, and again at this he smirked.
“I must confess to find it strange how I feel as if I know yer. But I know this to be unlikely.”
“Why is that?” He grinned again and said,
“Speaking frankly, you are not the type of woman a man forgets,” as if he was confessing this, making me blush at the compliment.
“And most likely why yer husband is no doubt missing you.” At this I started to look uncomfortable before looking down at my bowl and moving around the chunks of vegetables I found there.
“I have no husband, sir,” I said calling him this, knowing that it was most likely this period’s etiquette.
“Ella.”
“Umm?” I said, making the sound without looking at him, which I knew wasn’t enough for him.
“Please, look at me,” he said, making me sigh before doing as he asked and raising my eyes to his own. Gray eyes that I could see now were slightly less light than I was used to.
“Is there something yer be running from… or someone?” I shook my head telling him no and making him frown as if he didn’t believe me.
“Um, there is something yer not be telling me?” he said guessing as much and even in this time, he was sharp and instinctive. But what could I say… ‘oh yes, I came from the future in hopes to save you from Hell and was only hoping to go back a few hours, a few days at the most so as I could warn you of the danger.’ But naturally I didn’t say any of these things.
“And that is my cue to leave I think,” I said now standing, making him do the same.
“Your cue?” he questioned as this was not the right thing to say.
“Thank you for helping me, Mr. Weller,” I said, making him grin again.
“Ah so I see yer have learned more than me honest living and first name given,” he said, referring to me calling him by his last name, leaving me blushing again and deciding it was safer not to respond.
“I fear I have done little, but alas am willing to do much more should yer let me,” he said standing and taking a step toward me.
“I have to make my way to Worcester,” I blurted out making him stop advancing.
“And may I enquire as to what yer will find there?” he asked making me sigh,
“Home, I hope.” He seemed surprised by this, and he jerked his head back half an inch.
“You hope? So, I am right, yer are running from something.”
“Or maybe I am running toward something,” I countered.
“Well, if yer think the journey is one yer can make on foot and one dressed as a man, then I will gladly be the barer of bad news and save yer the trouble. For yer would not ever likely pass as a man nor could yer make the journey without a horse,” he told me, making me sigh.
“I feel as though I am out of my depth but still, I have to try,” I told him making him frown. It was as if he was struggling with something and soon, I was awarded some insight to his thoughts.
“I am at a loss to know why but I feel somewhat responsible for what happens to yer.” The shock I displayed at this was real, as had he have said this back in my own time, it would have made sense. But right here and now, he didn’t know me. Which begged the question why he felt this way, or was it because we were always Fated to be together?
All my memories of the past that I had lost, could far more easily accept this as being the reason. Much more than if I had still been in the dark about our time together. For one, it was without a doubt painful seeing him with his wife, but this would have been made even more so, had I arrived here having no clue she even existed.
Of course, I was furious with Jared for not taking a second chance at telling me about her when he could. But then part of me could also understand it. After all, he had been faced with a very different Ella to deal with and it wasn’t surprising that he didn’t want to bombard me with too much information all at once.
In fact, just remembering the pained way he had looked when realization hit him of what I had been through. Of how I couldn’t remember our time together, let alone having to deal with me being terrified of him once again.
But then, now was not exactly the time to think about this, as what we faced now was a very different thing entirely. For starters, it was a complete reverse of situations. As now he was the one that had no clue who or what I meant to him, and we were currently living through a time that held no future for us.
Especially not when he had a wife!
And speaking of which…
In she walked.
2
TIME NEVER CHANGES
“Oh good, you’re awake,” she said in that mystical voice of hers upon entering the cottage.
I swear it took everything in me not to physically wince at just the sight of her. Of course, she was stunningly beautiful, with her features being the total opposite of my own. She had almost white, blonde hair that was currently pinned back in a pretty, delicate style with wind-blown tendrils framing her slim, regal face. These light blonde waves were nearly lost to her porcelain pale skin, with the only color gracing the unblemished perfection being the natural rose blush at her cheeks. A color no doubt earned from walking from the village.
She reminded me of some mythological being, like the elves from Lord of the Rings. She had an otherworldly beauty and a graceful, tall, slender figure to match. And of course, she didn’t need fine silks or bright colors to enhance these looks, she achieved this attractiveness in only a simple cream-colored dress. Especially when all the color you would ever fixate on were her aquamarine blue eyes framed with long blonde lashes and thin brows, slightly darker.
