Adara and the Beast Read online

  Contents

  Title Page

  Copyright

  Newsletter

  Other Books by the Author

  Chapter One

  Chapter Two

  Chapter Three

  Chapter Four

  Chapter Five

  Chapter Six

  Chapter Seven

  Chapter Eight

  Chapter Nine

  Chapter Ten

  Chapter Eleven

  Chapter Twelve

  Chapter Thirteen

  Chapter Fourteen

  Chapter Fifteen

  Chapter sixteen

  Chapter Seventeen

  Chapter Eighteen

  Chapter Nineteen

  Chapter Twenty

  Chapter Twenty-One

  Chapter Twenty-Two

  Chapter Twenty-Three

  Chapter Twenty-Four

  Chapter Twenty-Five

  Chapter Twenty-Six

  Chapter Twenty-Seven

  Epilogue

  A Note from the Author

  Adara and the Beast

  Emily Sharp

  Copyright © 2018 Emily Sharp

  All rights reserved.

  This book is a work of fiction. Names, characters, businesses, places, events and incidents are either the products of the author’s imagination or used in a fictitious manner. Any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, or actual events is purely coincidental.

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  Other Titles by Emily Sharp

  Love is Eternal

  A Christmas for Carol

  The Perfect Fit

  Take Two

  Love is Family

  Cupid’s Arrow

  Chapter One

  The sun was shining and that was a good sign. At least that was what Adara Monroe thought as she stood outside the door of the small cabin where she lived high in the mountains. It was just past ten in the morning, and her father was at the bank in the small town of Palomino, Colorado fifteen miles away hoping to get a loan, which they desperately needed.

  A deer came bouncing across the field in front of her, stopped, and looked at her, its ears wiggling, causing Adara to let out a small laugh.

  “Good morning to you too,” Adara said, then gave it a curtsy. The deer turned its head and took off again, a magnificent site as it ran, the miles of mountain range behind it giving it an appearance of a movie. Adara lived here in the mountains with her father and two sisters, though that was not always the case. Once upon a time, things were much different, maybe even happier.

  “Adara, we need more coffee,” came the yell from her sister, Amber.

  With a sigh, Adara looked across the vast field one more time, the sunlight reflecting on the last of the morning’s dew.

  “Coming,” she said as she headed back inside the cabin. The log cabin was small, once lived in by her grandparents on her father’s side. The living room was the largest of the rooms, with an old couch and a few overstuffed chairs. The fireplace was empty but would be used in a few months from now when the fall weather set in.

  Her two sisters sat on the couch, their packed suitcases beside them. They had met some men online who promised them the world, and if her father did not get the loan, they would in fact be leaving this very day, Adara’s birthday.

  “Hey, I need some coffee,” Amber, the middle sister, said, holding her cup in the air. Unlike Adara's soft brown hair, Amber’s was as red as her name.

  “Sorry,” Adara said, hurrying over and taking the mug from her. There was no word of thanks, but she had not expected it. This was how things always were.

  “Don't forget about me. I swear, I hate being the oldest sometimes,” Jewel said. Though her hair was much like Adara’s, that is where the similarities ended. Jewel had been gaining weight as of late, helping herself to second and often times third portions. She blamed their father, claiming the wild game he had been hunting contained extra fat, though Adara knew it was not the animal, but the extra portions her sisters insisted on, causing the issue.

  Taking the mugs, Adara headed into the kitchen that was separated from the living room by a swinging red door. Once in the kitchen, she let out a sigh, setting her and her sisters’ mugs on the counter. There was plenty of coffee left in the pot, and pouring them both out a cup, she shook her head.

  Both of her sisters were lazy and never helped around the house. Their father was far too depressed to say anything, who, if not hunting for food or chopping wood, would sit and stare out the window for hours without saying a word.

  Grabbing their mugs, she headed back to the living room, both sisters taking the mugs she offered, again without a word of thanks.

  “You know, Adara, you need to leave this place,” Amber said, leaning back into the couch.

  Adara sighed. “And why is that?”

  “Because there is nothing out here. Come back to New York with us. There are plenty of men with money who can provide everything you need.”

  Taking a sip from her own mug, Adara was not surprised at their reasoning. Her sisters had complained nonstop since they moved out here just over two years ago and wailed every day about the things they used to have. Granted, they did have nice things back in the city—new cars, the finest clothes, and plenty of money. But then it was gone.

  “I won’t leave Dad here by himself. Besides, you know I am not going to marry some guy for money, or any guy for that matter.”

  Jewel laughed, Amber joining her. “Oh, well pardon me. I forgot that you are one of those type,” she said, rolling her eyes.

  Adara bit down on her lip. “And is there something wrong with that?”

  “Besides it being odd, yes, there is. It’s what caused mother to die, did it not?” Jewel said with a sneer.

  Adara tugged at the end of her t-shirt, tears rising up from her heart into her eyelids, the words sharper than any sword, it’s piercing deep.

  “That’s not what caused her to die,” she choked out. Her mother had simply collapsed one day, long after Adara had come out to her. Yet, her sisters blamed Adara until this very day. It had been seven years since she passed, and Adara missed her as much today as she did then.

  Amber yawned and then gave a shake to her head. “You should not try to hide your guilt, Adara. Enough talk. We would like some fruit if there is any left. And hurry, I am hungry,” Jewel said.

  Adara nodded, then turning around, headed back into the kitchen.

  ***

  Her two sisters shared a room, and her father had the other. Adara slept on the couch every night, and after her sisters had ransacked her clothes after they first moved in, she kept them and her most personal belongings, including her diary, in her father’s room. She selected a simple dress she had made herself. It was white with violet colored flowers on it. Her father should return soon from the bank, and holding out hope there would be celebration, she wanted to dress for the occasion.

  Brushing out her long hair, she pulled it back and secured it with a pin. Then she gave herself a quick once-over in the mirror. She didn't have much makeup, nor the money to replace what she had, so she used it sparingly, applying some red lipstick and a small amount of blush.

  Her mother had told her more than once that Adara must have been the very daughter of Venus, her beauty was that great. And though she was far from conceited, she knew she was pretty, with brown eyes like her father and a face that drew attention and praise just like her mother’s. Of course Amber and Jewel had told her nonstop since she was a child that she was grotesque, but s
he didn't believe them. Most of the time at least.

  She heard the sound of the old truck with no muffler, and with joy in her heart, headed out to the living room.

  Her sisters had changed as well, each wearing the same denim shorts which were cut too short, or so Adara thought. They would be ticketed for indecent exposure one day.

  “Why are you wearing the tablecloth?” Jewel asked, with Amber bursting out laughing.

  “Oh, leave her alone. She might start singing, then God help us all,” Amber said.

  Adara shook her head and then turned as the door to the cabin opened. Her father was in his mid-forties, though the stress of the last few years had not been kind to his handsome face. Deep lines had appeared at first from the corner of his eyes and had continued growing. The once dark hair was now mostly gray. And what tore at her heart the most was his smile. It was a smile that had always comforted her, and yet she hardly saw it anymore.

  “Girls, can we sit down and talk for a minute?” he asked, with Jewel interrupting.

  “Did you get it or not? We’re going to miss our plane if we don't leave right now.”

  Adara's heart sunk when she saw the expression on her dad’s face, and then she knew what he was going to say.

  “No, I'm afraid not.”

  “Then we are out of here. A father should provide for his daughters and you cannot seem to do that very simple thing. So, now we are having to run off and probably marry some men we don't even know to have the things we need!” Jewel yelled, making their father wince.

  “You and Adara have fun up here,” Amber said, grabbing her suitcase. “And thanks for ruining our lives again.”

  Adara clenched her fist, and went to speak, her father giving his head a slight shake. Her sisters stormed out of the cabin, and a few moments later she heard the old car they drove start up.

  “Dad, I am so sorry,” Adara said, hurrying over and hugging him.

  “I am too. I can’t even get a loan in a small town, never mind a big city. I'm afraid I have failed us all,” he said.

  Adara leaned back, her hand going to his face, the stubble on his cheek rough on her skin. “Dad, you can only do what you can. And I am happy, money or no money,” she said as she heard the car take off, a long blast coming from the horn.

  “I know you are. But your sisters…” he said, his voice trailing off.

  “Will never be happy. They can have all the clothes, jewelry, and cars and they will still seek happiness.”

  Her father nodded. “Perhaps you’re right.”

  “I am. Now go sit and let me grab you a cup of coffee.”

  He nodded, giving her one more hug, then went to the couch as Adara went back into the kitchen. Once the door closed, she let out the tears which she hid lest she hurt him. She cried not for the lack of money, but the lack of love her sisters had. She wept for the pain and guilt her father carried not being able to provide what he once did. Adara was happy wherever she was and cared not for material things. The love of material things could consume people, twisting them into monsters, like it did her sisters.

  Going back to the living room with a mug of coffee, her tears now dried, she gave her father a happy smile to help comfort him.

  Her dad stood up when she entered, a few tears on his face. “I have been so occupied thinking about this loan, and, well, I couldn't afford to get you a present. But at least I can say ‘Happy Birthday’,” he said.

  “Dad,” Adara said, feeling her own tears start up again as she set the mug down. “It’s fine. I don't need anything.”

  “You do though. It’s your twenty-first birthday, it should be a special day.”

  “You are right. Actually there is one thing I want for my birthday then,” Adara said, and she was thrilled to see his eyes light up.

  “And what is that?”

  “I would like for a handsome man to escort me for a walk today and select a flower for me that I can cherish and later press.”

  She smiled when she saw the sparkle in her dad’s eye, and then her heart wept seeing that long-forgotten smile come back to his face.

  “I can do that, but I don't know about the handsome part,” he said, with a laugh to his voice.

  Adara laughed. “Enjoy your drink. We can head out when you’re done.”

  ***

  The sun was still shining, and as long as it did, Adara knew there was still hope in the world. She walked with her father, her arm through his. Their land was twenty acres, high up in the mountains. The adjoining land, owned by a single person, numbered in the thousands.

  Once they reached the edge of the property line, they continued walking, the barbed wire fence to their right.

  “You know, you are so much like your mother. Your beauty, your demeanor, spirit, and your voice,” he said, breaking Adara from her thoughts.

  “Dad, you are too kind. But I have been thinking about things,” she said, then saw his face wince. “And no, I am not going to run off like my sisters.”

  “Perhaps you should, I can no longer take care of us. The work at the mill in town is not enough,” he said.

  Adara stopped and turned to face her dad.

  “I will find a job in town…” she started to say, but her father interrupted her.

  “No. No daughter of mine…” he said, before she cut him off with a laugh.

  “Your daughter will work like many women her own age do. It is not the end of the world. And together we will get everything back on track.”

  Her father smiled, then kissed her forehead. “If you insist.”

  “I do,” she said, slipping her arm back through his as they continued their walk.

  “Just like your mother, impossible to say no to,” he said, and they both laughed.

  For a while they walked, and though the sun was out, this high in the mountains the temperature was barely over seventy. Nearing one of the numerous fence posts, they stopped, the castle far in the distance, a beacon that stood tall and magnificent, much like the mountain peaks around them.

  “I would love nothing more than to stay just one night there,” Adara said, a longing in her voice.

  “The recluse would not have it.”

  Adara nodded. She knew the woman who resided there was the heir to a multibillion dollar cosmetic company who had not been seen in many years. The papers speculated she was involved in some accident in Paris and had moved into the castle shortly after her twenty-first birthday.

  Though it may have seemed childish to some, Adara still loved the fairy tales she heard as a child, and castles were where all the magic happened. One night in that place might give her the magic they both needed.

  They continued walking, and then her father stopped when he saw a group of violet flowers, their shade dark.

  “Beautiful but nothing compared to my Adara. We must keep looking,” he said.

  Adara smiled, soaking in their surroundings. Not much more than ten minutes later, they came to a stop, both of them smiling at the same time. Just beyond the barbed wire fence was a large rose bush, with flowers the colors of red, bright as blood. But her eyes were drawn to single rose in the middle of them all, its color a light peach, almost human.

  “That’s the one! The beauty of it, it matches your skin!”

  Adara smiled, then shook her head. “Dad, it’s on their property, though, not ours. Besides, I don’t recall seeing them the last time we came out this far. The owner probably just had them planted.”

  He took a few steps over, and then turning to her, smiled. “True it’s on their property, but the wire hangs down here. It’s an invitation and omen that it was meant for you. Come on,” he said, extending his hand.

  Taking the calloused hand in hers, Adara stepped over the fallen wire with her father’s help. A moment later, he pulled out a small knife and cut the stem on the rose.

  “For my beautiful daughter on her birthday. May all her dreams come true,” he said, handing the flower to her. Adara took it in her hand, the petals
on it so finely formed. Inhaling its fragrance, she let the aroma course through her senses. Her dream was to find a woman she could love, and though it may be seen as childish, she believed the rose in her hand would make that dream come true. Perhaps it was magical, and on this very special birthday, she made a wish.

  “Thank you. This is the best present ever,” she said.

  Her joy quickly disappeared when she saw two black trucks come into view just over a small hill.

  “Dad?”

  “Hold on,” he said, his arm stretched out as he stepped in front of her as if to protect her.

  A minute later the trucks pulled up, and four men wearing sunglasses, black shirts, and jeans stepped out. They were carrying guns not only on their hips, but rifles in their hands. “You have trespassed and stolen property. You will come with us,” one of the men, perhaps fifty years old, said.

  “I will do no such thing,” Adara’s father said.

  “You will come with us now. You stole a rose of great value. Of course we can hold you here until the sheriffs arrive, if you want to go down that road.”

  Adara panicked. The last thing they needed was trouble from the law. “Dad, let’s go with them. What is the worst that can happen?”

  Chapter Two

  There were too many people in the hallway, and in the blackness, the only noise heard was the screams all around her. Her heart was racing, fear like none she had ever experienced coursed through her body. The fire was raging, the smoke causing her to choke like many of the people around her. The fire showed no mercy, destroying the building and consuming any in its path. Then the wall collapsed and the crowd pushed into her, the person next to her giving that last little bump needed to send her into the exposed pipes. The metal scalded, eating away at her flesh. She cried out, not able to see nor move, her body immobile.

  Louise Vandercourt sat up in bed, sweat pouring off her body, the acrid taste of smoke in her mouth. The nightmare that visited her at times in the past was back with a vengeance. Closing her eyes, she worked on controlling her breathing, and a minute later she felt the fear leave. Though it never really did, it just hid itself, waiting to appear in other ways to torment her.