Beast the Symbiote (special preview)

I know that I am painted as the villain to the rest of the world. What they think doesn’t matter. All that does matter is that my vengeance is served. All my life I’ve held onto anger when I was told it was best to let it go. But look at where ‘letting go’ has gotten me and the people I love most. Dead. Maimed. Disfigured. I will hold onto my anger until I am satisfied.

Anomaly was the first one who understood me in my quest. She took me in and for that I am grateful. After my last fight with Spite, Beast and I were both still nursing our wounds.

“Take as much time as you need to recuperate. It will take time for me and my Ghouls to gather everything you need anyways,” Anna said.

“Why are you helping us?” Beast’s voice was sharp, and despite her injuries she was ready to strike if Anomaly, Anna, stepped out of line.

“Because once upon a time, I was exactly like you. I’m offering my hand to help you.” She walked across the room like she was gliding on air. Dark tendrils flowed from her form like hair in water.

“But I’m willing to bet you need us a lot more.” Beast tightened around me and  felt her vibrate with nerves and anger.

“It’s okay,” I whispered to her. “Let's hear her out.”

Anomaly turned back towards us. “I don’t want you scared, I’ve been searching for you for a long time now.” She picked up a tablet and handed it over to us. CCTV footage of my sister. Every fiber of my being flexed and that anger grew.

“What is this?”

Anomaly sat down across from me and reached for a bottle of water sitting on the table between us. “This feed is from a protective cell they’re keeping your sister in. This isn’t a threat, Siti. Your sister is the one who is in danger. The former hero Miraculous is after her.”

I furrowed my brow. “That good two shoes hero?”

Anomaly gave me a look that told me I was wrong.

Beast snarled and she wrapped around me like a hoodie. “What does he want with Ghost?”

“You.”

Both Beast and I’s neveres hummed in harmony. I placed my hand upon the arm Beast was making for me. “What does he want with us?”

“Revenge against the Hephaestus Academy. He’s lost more than his temper since he was knocked off his pedestal. He sees you as a way to turn the tables on them. Especially your little friend Spite.”

Beast scoffed. “I wouldn’t call him a friend in the least bit.”

I was still prickling all over with anger. If I had my full strength back I’d be out the door hunting down this sound called Miraculous man. “What sort of Scooby-Doo bullshit is he trying to plan? Using me as his own little rampage demon?”

Anomaly sighed and her dark tendrils cracked open the water bottle. “Trust me, without his PR team he’s not the most brilliant lightbulb in the chandelier. But I will tell you he is driven, and he will do drastic things to get what he wants.”

“That still doesn’t explain why you need us,” Beast hissed. She stretched out over the top of my head and leaned into Anna’s face. “Do you want us to deal with this pretty boy or something?”

“I figured you would do that on your own, so no. i don’t care what happens to him.” She took the tablet back and switched it to another CCTV feed.

“How do you have so many of these?” I asked.

Anna just smiled. “I need your help to save a friend of mine.” She tapped the screen where a woman sat alone in an extremely bare cell. “This is Bunny. Or, you may know her as Lucky Devil.”

“That’s Lucky Devil?” I snapped. “I didn’t think she would look so…”

“Cute isn’t she?” Anomaly chuckled. “She’s been locked up a long time now. Five years and they’ve kept her in solitary lock down in that box. I’ve tried a few times before to get her out, but it’s all for naught. I know that you two have a certain way with breaking and entering into locked down areas. Help me with this and I can help you with Miraculous, Rabid, hell, even Dr. Harlan if you so wish. You’re also more than welcome to stay here and become part of my team. You’d have a roof over your head, warm meals, you’d be family here.”

Beast coiled back around me, tightening against my body and holding me. She eased around my ears so we could talk in private.

“What are you thinking?” Beast asked.

“Not sure,” I murmured. “It is…tempting isn’t it?”

Beast chuckled. “Your blood got all hot at the mention of Rabid. I know what you’re thinking Siti, but we can’t begin to rely on others. All we need is to know where Rabid is. From there, we can part from this woman.”