[KaA] - Chapter 3

The first thing I saw when I finally opened my eyes was a plate of blueberry muffins and scones. The second thing I saw was a glass of juice. And the third thing was my kidnapper lounging in a chair off to my left. He was watching me with his amber eyes and copper hair.

I slowly sat up and drew my focus back to the plate on the small table in front of me. Muffins were not my favorite pastries, nor were scones, but they were better than nothing.

After sampling one of the scones, I glanced back at him. This wasn’t the first time I was in this type of situation, but I was instantly tired. I didn’t want to do this again. I was tired of the games and trust battles. That was exactly why I had left it all behind me three years ago. If Carlos thought I was going to come running back to him after all this time, the man really was shallow.

“Did Mr. Atwater send you?”

My host blinked, “Who?”

I sighed, “I don’t want to play these games, so just answer my question. Did one of the Atwater’s send you to bring me back?”

He cocked his head, “No.”

“Then why am I here?”

“Because I want you to be.”

“That isn’t an answer,” I watched him under my lashes as I picked apart a muffin.

He leaned forward, “Who are these Atwater’s?”

I glanced up at him, if he was playing a game, he was doing a pretty good job of it. On the other hand, if he really didn’t know who the Atwater’s were, then I was kidnapped by an entirely different party. Was it possible I was that unlucky?

“You don’t know anyone with the last name Atwater?”

“No.”

I narrowed my eyes, “Are you toying with me?”

He leaned back in his chair, “I don’t know many people and I’m sure none of them carry the name ‘Atwater.’ Tell me, who are they?”

“The only people who can’t seem to leave me alone.” I murmered. “So, wait.” I turned my whole body to face him, “You didn’t kidnap me for the Atwater’s?”

He sighed, “Usually, when I kidnap people they don’t react like this; they don’t acuse me of working for someone else. I honestly don’t know who you are talking about, I don’t work for anyone, ever.”

His eyes were resolute and he never wavered. Was he speaking the truth? “You just kidnapped me for fun, then?”

“Yes.” He smiled.

His abruptness caught me off guard. His eyes hadn’t wavered then either. I slouched back in my chair, “Great.”

“You are.. special.”

“I get that a lot.” I murmered. “I’ve also been called crazy and a freak.”

“Why?”

Wouldn’t you love to know. “What are you planning to do with me? I have a job and other responsibilities, so if you could hurry it up I would appreciate it.”

“What do most kidnappers plan to do with their victims?” He whispered.

I sighed again, I must be the unluckiest person in the world. I honestly wish this would be over already. “Depends on their state of mind, I suppose.”

“Are you truly not afraid?”

I looked at him, “Of what? This isn’t the first time I’ve been kidnapped. Honestly, I’m tired of the whole thing.”

“Interesting.”

For a moment, we just watched each other. I really was tired of this kidnapping business. It seemed like every winter someone tried to play some game with me. Last year, it had been dead animals in my backyard. The year before, there were government workers at my door asking about my “involvement” with drug lords. And the year before that, it had been psychopathic stalkers. All of it was a ploy to get me to return to Carlos Atwater and his crazy life. It hadn’t worked before, and it wasn’t going to work now.

“Don’t you have something better to be doing?” I grumbled.

“No.”

“How much is he paying you, anyway?”

“Who?”

I scowled, “Quit with the games already, how much are you getting paid?”

My kidnapper leaned forward, “Marissa, let me assure you, no one paid me to kidnap you. No one pointed you out to me. And I am acting on my own free will.”

I stared at him, “Sure. You just saw me on the street last night and decided to kidnap me and have some fun.”

He smiled, “Yes.”

I jumped up, “What is it with you psycopaths!” I snapped. “Do I have some sort of sign that says ‘Perfect Toy’ or something?! I just want to live a normal life! Why must you all keep trying to change that?” I slupped back down, “I must be cursed.”

Mr. Cryptic just blinked. “Have I broken you already? Mundanes can be so fragile.”

I glared at him, “Doubt it, I’m a freak, remember? Is that why psycopaths like me so much?”

“You are the queerist thing.”

You don’t know the half of it. “May I go now?”

“What?” He blinked.

“May I go to my room, or whatever? I would like to be frustrated by myself, thank you.”

“Perhaps, I should take you to one of your mundane doctors, you are obviously ill.”

I scoffed, “I doubt a mental institute will do much for me. I’m not insane and I doubt weird cuts it.”

“They are mundane, their knowledge is limited. There is something about your aura that interests me though.”

“Why do you keep saying ‘mundane’? That sounds so derogatory.”

“Because that is what they are, mundane.”

I rolled my eyes, “Fine. What’s so special abou my aura? Does it scream ‘kidnap her’?”

“No,” His eyes darkened, “it screams something far more intimate.”

Now it was my turn to blink, “Intimate? Like what?”

“Mine.” He whispered,

I swallowed and cleared my throat. “That would do it then, my aura must attract psycopaths by screaming ‘I’m yours’ to every idiot.”

“I am neither a pyscopath nor an idiot.”

“Than you are unlucky.” I stood up, “May I please go home now?”

“You are home.”

I glared at him, “My home.”

He stood. Yup, he was definately six-and-a-half feet tall, just a foot over me.

“Let me make something clear to you, Marissa. You, are mine. And you are not leaving this castle until I figure out what, exactly, you are.”

“Woah, woah, woah, Mr. Psycopath. I don’t belong to anyone, ask around. And you can’t keep me locked up here just to satisfy your own fantasies. I have my own life and I would like to get back to it.”

He growled, “I am the master of this castle, what I say goes.”

I crossed my arms, “Then master the castle and leave me alone.”

His lips twitched. “Don’t provoke me, Kitten. I have bigger claws than you will ever have.”

“So, what? I’m not afraid of your claws. Let me go or my ‘little’ claws will become quite a nuisance to you.”

At that, he did smile. “I would expect nothing less from my mate.”

I blinked, “Your what? I am not-”

“Enough!” He turned to leave, “I have matters to attend to and the more time I spend here the more others will grow suspicious.”

“What others? You can’t keep me here!”

He opened a door and glanced back at me, “Try and leave, Marissa. You will find that you can’t.”

And with that, he shut the door.

I was utterly confused and angry. If Carlos was behind this, I was going to ruin his life the next chance I got. That man had gotten off way too easy and now it was coming back to bite me.