A Rose Unaware Of Its Plucked Thorns

Rose absolutely hated the back and forth that Lord Blackwell had been doing—and it was why she told herself that she'd never think about it again.

And yet here she was, doing the same exact thing that she said she wouldn't do.

It felt like it was a terrible thing to be trapped here in the manor with him, regardless of whether or not they could actually go, because the more she spent her time here?

The further it became obvious that there was a side to him that could actually treat people well.

Rose did not like to worry other people, she knew that Princess Eleanor might have had an idea on what the forests now had when the Vampire Lord cast the Labyrinth of Rose—especially if she was seeing visions.

However, no matter the danger involved in it—Rose wouldn't complain or even bring it up. The Princess had enough worries and she didn't want to add to the load at all.

But that was why Rose's thoughts were once again preoccupied about him.

At first, Rose assumed that he didn't care about what happened to her—he had sent her to collect water with no regard whatsoever to safety.

...and yet now it seemed that the fact that he turned the forest into a dangerous chokehold point had slipped his mind. Which meant he was absolutely concerned with her.

"Or with the fact that I was able to explore the forest and survive," Rose said as she cleaned the fur from the rabbits. It did seem like a man—no, this particular monster was obsessed with the idea of strength and power, and anything that contradicted otherwise was filled with explanations and excuses that made sure to back up his words.

He seemed to be that type.

"At first, he seemed so—so..." Rose sighed. "Enough."

Enough she said, but she continued to dwell on the matter. It was less than three days ago when they had first met, with him awakening from the coffin—but she could barely match the person he had been at that point to the way he acted now.

Maybe Eleanor had a point about his past? The heart of gold and heroes' conversation?

But it didn't erase whatever he had done before—and if you asked Rose, he needed to pay for his crimes.

Which was why she needed to concentrate on her tasks and not think about how he snapped at her for not telling him about the forest, and looking all concerned as he did—Rose accidentally nicked her finger.

"Ack–seastones!" Rose cursed and looked down at the cleanly sliced rabbit meat alongside her now bleeding finger.

This was the absolute worst.

And yet another thing suddenly crept on her mind, something she should have realized sooner because by now it was already too late.

Rose bit her lip as she felt the air around her drop down tremendously.

A silence took over the entire room and she barely heard or even sensed the man's steps except his presence was now behind her.

She didn't quite know how her breath was taken away, and she curled her finger around her palm.

"W-what do you want?" Rose snapped. She had an idea why, the bleeding finger was a great indicator, but she didn't want to simply let the situation happen to her.

Rose wished to involve herself in the situation.

"I'm just in awe that someone adept like you had actually cut her finger." Lord Blackwell mused aloud in amusement.

"Accidents do happen." Rose frowned.

"Indeed, what a clumsy Mage," he said.

Things weren't going exactly as Rose imagined it to be—then she remembered the man's previous remark that he wasn't exactly in need of blood as much as the others.

Perhaps it was because he was a Vampire Lord. He did not succumb to his senses as much as others, and so, this small amount of blood was nothing.

However, it still proved something to Rose. A Vampire still found themselves attracted no matter the amount of blood.

... and while it wasn't in her plans to check on this fact, things turned out this way.

Rose cleared her throat and then went to wipe her finger on her clothes—only to find him now grasping her wrist.

He clicked his tongue disapprovingly. "What do you think you're doing?"

"Wiping the blood away so I can continue working?"

"I was about to comment on your slowness in meal preparation—but let me just say that you do not wish to do that." His gaze lingered on her finger.

"...then I'll go wash my hand," Rose said. She wanted to be the voice of reason, to have some reasoning within her because she was being weird right now thanks to him.

"That's a far better idea, yes." He didn't quite let go of her wrist.

"E-Excuse me?" Rose's voice hitched a little and she hated the fact that it did, because now he gazed up at her and looked directly at her face.

When did a monster have the right to look like this? It was probably intentional—to lead women like her astray.

Eleanor wasn't affected because of her vision, but Rose wavered in the Vampire's gaze.

"Ah, yes—I'm terribly aware that the clothing is enchanted against spills of various kinds, including blood, and has anti-tear properties, and it still actually did its magic and worked to fit you—but I'm sure it's better that you don't ruin it regardless."

Rose blinked and felt the spellbinding of his charm wear off at those words.

"The only reason you don't want me to wipe blood on my clothes is because it might ruin it?" Rose spluttered at him.

"Yes, it does seem over the top, Lucius might have done it if he were here instead—but ah, I was the one who still paid for it." Lord Blackwell remarked with an easy free-spirited tone, and yet there was a look in his eyes that said he knew exactly what he was not talking about.

The palpable tension in the air was ignored in lieu of those words and Rose didn't quite know why she was annoyed.

She didn't want any of this!

Rose opened her mouth to protest just as much—but then he moved her finger into her own mouth.

"I don't know why you won't just lick it off by yourself." He remarked with a smooth shrug.