This was just like that. Nothing else. Certainly, not what Blackthorn thought it was.
Breathing out heavily, I settled in for a long night of tossing and turning, wondering when the next part of my plan could be put into play.
The next few days, I avoided Blackthorn as much as possible. Every time I ran into him, he’d have a slight smug look on his face that irritated me so much that I would just turn on my heel, abandoning wherever it was I was going.
Fran gave me increasingly curious looks, but didn’t say anything otherwise. We still hadn’t found a way to break my spell, and I was getting desperate.
All that would change today.
Today, I would implement the next part of my “annoy Blackthorn into releasing me” plan. I waited partly because my butt still smarted from his spanking, though slightly less with the cream he’d given me, and partly because I needed time to think of something else that would drive him crazy.
Back at the factory, one thing that bothered all the adults was when the little ones would smack their lips and slurp their food really loudly. To top it all off, they would talk with their mouths full and ask a million and one questions in a row before you can even answer the first one.
I figured if it drove humans crazy, then it should do the same to Blackthorn. After all, why would you want a slobby jabber mouth living with you constantly?
Anxiety ate at me the entire day until it was time to dress for dinner. Fran kept giving me little glances here and there as she helped me tie the back of the emerald gown I allowed her to choose for the night’s dinner.
“Mistress, is something wrong?”
Pressing my lips into a thin smile, I shook my head. “Nothing at all. Just ready for dinner.”
Fran arched a brow, but didn’t say anything else.
I arrived at dinner before Blackthorn. Seeing his empty seat made me slightly on edge. Was he not coming to dinner tonight? He always came to dinner. It’s been almost two weeks and not once had he missed an evening meal.
My fingers fiddled with the wine glass in front of me, the building energy needed some outlet before I burst at the seams.
Finally, Blackthorn appeared, and I almost sagged in relief.
The vampire swept into the room looking as dashing and dangerous as ever. I’d almost stopped getting a slight chill every time I saw a flash of his fangs now. That either meant I was becoming braver or had just become desensitized to them at this point.
Either way, I felt good about myself and what I was about to do to my captor.
“Good evening, Mara.” Blackthorn’s eyes locked with mine across the table where he sat. “I trust your day went well?”
“Yep,” I popped the last letter, fiddling with my knife. I picked up on its side before letting it fall back onto the table over and over again.
Blackthorn’s gaze darted to my hand and then back to my face. “Anything interesting of note to mention?”
“No.” I shrugged, just as Baylen entered the room with my plate of food.
“This looks so good,” I cooed, salivating over the grilled pork and vegetables covered in a creamy sauce that I knew would be absolutely delicious. “Thank you, Baylen. Tell Cookie he out did himself tonight.”
“I’ll pass the message along.” Baylen beamed, his gaze lingering on me for longer than was polite.
“Baylen,” Blackthorn snipped. “I need your services.”
Balyn’s lips turned down. “But Daphne was next in the rotation. I’m not until tomorrow night.”
“Daphne isn’t feeling well, you will take her place,” Blackthorn said with no room for argument.
Baylen offered me an apologetic smile before walking to the other side of the table. He unbuttoned his cuff and rolled up his sleeve, offering Blackthorn his arm.
The vampire took hold of his wrist, knife in hand, and cut a line, making Baylen hiss. No one else had complained about the cutting except him. Had Blackthorn cut deeper than he needed to this time?
My brows narrowed as Blackthorn let the blood that welled up drip into his glass. The desire to start with my plan came roaring back in full force. With a prim little smile on my lips, I picked up my knife and fork.
When I cut into my meat, I made sure to scrap the bottom of the plate, making an annoying squeal. It took a lot of effort not to wince myself at the sound. Baylen’s face scrunched in pain while Blackthorn arched a brow.
