The deep cultured tone of his voice soothed something inside me. I shook off the feeling of peace and shoved a finger at his chest.
“That doesn’t give you the right to just go around kidnapping people. Take me back now.” I almost crowed with relief when my voice didn’t crack or waver. My fear of the creature before me came back at a startling pace the longer he stared at me.
“You are shaking.” He took my hand in his. “You must fear your home greatly.”
I shook my head, resisting the urge to jerk my hand from his cool ones. “It’s not my home. It’s just where I work.”
“Then why go back?” He lifted my hand up and up until I was almost on my tip toes. Turning my hand over, he brought my wrist to his nose. “You could be happy here. I’ll take care of you. Fran likes you very much.”
My heart raced at how close my wrist was to his mouth. Would he bite me? Was that why he wanted to keep me here? To make me his living snack?
I wouldn’t do it. I had people to protect and a contract to fulfil. I made a deal, and I was not one to go back on my word, no matter how tempting the vampire before me made it.
Licking my dry lips, I gently pulled my hand away. Thankfully, he released it with a small smile. “Fran has been very kind to me. I thank you for your hospitality and the new dress, but I really do need to be getting back now, Mister...?” I trailed off, realizing I didn’t know his name.
“Blackthorn. You may call me Blackthorn.” He gave me an elaborate bow. “And what is the name of my savior?”
My face flushed with embarrassment. I wasn’t anyone’s savior. I only did what anyone else would have done in that situation. “Mara,” I muttered against my better judgement.
“Mara, beautiful.” He grabbed my hand in his once more. “You have done me a great service. I had been stuck in that damnable swamp for days. I was only so lucky that the forest blocked outmost of the sun, or I would have dead for sure long before you came across me.”
“How did you get stuck in there, anyway?” I asked, unable to help myself. “It’s not something most people would just willingly walk into.”
His head fell back and a raucous laughter filled the room. “No, I do not believe they would.” Chuckling a few more times, he adjusted the cufflinks of his long-sleeved shirt, the crimson color only barely made out in the fireplace light. “I was running from a pack of shifters. It’s mating season, and they do get rather rambunctious at this time of year.”
My mouth formed a silent oh. That must have been why there was a beast so close to town earlier. A part of me wondered what had happened to the creature or if the townspeople had killed it.
Pushing the thought away, I focused on the task at hand. “I am happy you were able to get home safely, but you don’t understand. I’m under contract for Rumpelstiltskin. Ihaveto go back.”
“No.” Blackthorn’s eyes narrowed.
I blinked. Then blinked again. Did I hear him right?
“What do you mean no?” I gasped, my heart rate picking up with panic. “You understand youkidnappedme, right? You took me in the middle of the night and now won’t let me leave. That’s not rescuing me.”
Blackthorn sniffed and brushed past me, stalking across the room. “I saw the factory you work in. That is no place for you. I will not allow you to go back to such a hell hole.”
I chased after him, my voice going up a notch. “And what am I supposed to do when Rumpelstiltskin comes looking for me? He’s not just some human you can push around. He’s a sorcerer. I have a magical contract with him. I belong to him, magically and legally.”
Blackthorn stopped all of a sudden in the doorway, and I barely kept myself from falling face first into his back. With a whip of his cloak, Blackthorn sneered.
“You do not belong to him. I will not allow it. From now on, you will remain here under my care. Fran!” he called out suddenly, making me jump.
Fran rushed down the hallway as if she were waiting for his call. She stopped before us with a low curtsey, her head bowed. “Yes, master?”
“Please take Mara back to her room.” Without another word, Blackthorn turned and walked away.
“So I’m to be your prisoner now?” I called after his retreating back. “How is that different from Rumple?”
He simply waved a hand but didn’t respond, leaving me in my maid’s hands.
Huffing in frustration, I turned to Fran. She still had her head bowed, her shoulders bunched up to her ears. “I’m sorry, I know this isn’t your fault. Your master has some crazy notion that he’s saving me, but it’s only going to cause me more problems.”
Fran slowly lifted her head. “Mistress should stay here. Master said that you were being mistreated where you lived before.”
I wanted to dispute what she said but, unfortunately, she wasn’t wrong. My life at the factory was a hard one. Early mornings, late nights. Barely enough food to keep me alive during working hours. Definitely not enough energy to ever rise up against Rumple, even if any of us had the magic or know how to do so.
How many nights had I dreamed of running away from Rumple? How many days were spent in a half-daze from hunger and despair? If things were different, I might have just accepted Blackthorn’s help wholeheartedly. Except that tugging in my stomach had started again urging me to go after Blackthorn or to find another way out of the castle.
