Read The Beast's Bride for Free Online

wasn't just because Belle sawed logs like a lumberjack.
    Things were not going as planned. After Muffin had told her the basics, Pippa'd figured that she could swing it. After all, how hard could it be to have some prince fall in love with her gorgeous sister? Gorgeous, and just a wee bit stupid sister, she amended. Muffin had warned her that Belle was stubborn, but she hadn’t counted on her being stubborn to an obnoxious degree.
    She hadn't counted on the Beast being a total dick about things. These two were more likely to end up in opposite corners of a boxing ring than in a passionate embrace.
    Pippa sighed. Failure was not really an option, though. She'd get them to hook up somehow, even if she had to pull a massive amount of strings. They were living a fairy tale, after all. Fairy tales generally had happy endings, didn't they? It was the wicked, ugly stepsister that got hosed.
    Dang, she really hated being the ugly stepsister.
    Belle rolled over in the bed, mumbling, and tossed an arm over Pippa, trying to cuddle her.
    Ugh. Belle was pretty, but apparently she was a sweaty sleeper. The hand she planted on Pippa was moist. Pippa slid out from under the covers and out of the bed. Since she was awake, she might as well find the toilet. Maybe a drink of water.
    She didn't find a dressing robe anywhere in their room—granted, she hadn’t brought one with her and there wasn’t a magic talking wardrobe like in the Disney movies to shoot out clothing for her—so she opened the door and peeked down the stone hallway. No one. The castle was full of shadows, the only light pouring in from the large stained glass window at the far end of the hallway. Pippa tiptoed down the hall, noting her surroundings in the quiet gloom. She'd been too distracted by Belle's hysterics earlier to truly get a look at their new 'home,' and what she saw wasn't all that discouraging.
    2It was a castle, of course. It was stone and had heavy wooden doors and cold floors. But there was also something serenely beautiful about the place. It seemed to whisper of history and secrets, and she was fascinated despite herself. Belle was crazy if she didn't want to live in a castle. A castle was way better than the crappy, straw-covered cottage with the dirt floor.
    Pippa placed a hand on the enormous, carved wooden railing and began to descend into the main hall. The steps were cold under her feet, and the entire castle as silent as a tomb. Of course, thinking about tombs made her think about dying, and she squeezed her eyes shut until the horrible mental image of her body sprawled at the foot of the parking garage stairs went away.
    "What are you doing here?"
    The voice was low and dangerous. A shiver went up Pippa's spine despite herself, and she opened her eyes again, looking around at the shadowy hall. As she glanced around, a hulking figure emerged from the shadows, leonine teeth flashing in what could only be a displeased snarl. She heard the clop of hooves as he approached.
    The beast.
    She tried not to flinch at his fearsome appearance, even though her hands clenched a little. So she was a little tense. Anyone would be a little flustered at meeting a monster in a dark, shadowy hallway in the middle of the night. "Hi there. I'm looking for the bathroom."
    "The what?"
    "Oh jeez. Don't make me pantomime it. The uh, you know, personal chamber? Number one and number two?"
    He stared at her for a long moment, then grunted. "You have a chamberpot under your bed."
    She cast him a horrified look. "You seriously do not think I'm going to use that, are you? Pee in a pot and then put it back under the bed? Do you know how incredibly unsanitary that is?"
    He glared at her, long fanged teeth displaying. "I have given you and your sister sanctuary under my roof. Are you questioning my accommodations?"
    "Not if you show me the real toilet."
    He flung a furry, beastly arm at one long hallway. "Very well. I shall be your valet and then we will have a