It was a just a normal afternoon tea-time. At least as normal as it could be inside the Dark Castle. Belle walked into the Great Hall with a radiant smile on her face, holding a silver tray between her hands. Rumplestiltskin was already waiting for her, sitting at the head of the large dining table. He constantly wondered how and why she was always smiling despite that her destiny was living forever with a monster. Belle was the biggest puzzle he encountered in his long life. He was so good at reading people, at predicting their behavior. That was the reason he was so successful in the deals he made. Yet, with Belle…he was always lost. Her beautiful smile only made him want to run. In moments like this he was so glad he was covered in golden scales, or Belle might notice goosebumps in his otherwise normal human skin.
"What took you so long, dearie? Got distracted with another book of yours?" Rumple asked in a desperate attempt of hiding the effect that Belle's smile was having on him on that particular afternoon. To his dismay, Belle's smile only widened at his not so amicable question.
"I think you were the one distracted with something, Rumple, since I am perfectly on time for our afternoon tea" Belle countered glancing at the wall clock.
Damn the woman. He didn't even need to look at the clock to know that she was right. That she caught him in his clumsy attempt to sound harsh in order to cover up something else. Before he could even attempt to come up with a witty reply, Belle started serving the tea. She came closer to him and he got lost again in the sight of her blue eyes. What the hell was happening to him that afternoon!?
Belle finished serving his tea and proceeded to prepare her own. His tea was always black. Hers was always milky and sweet. She sat next to him as she always did, eager to hear any adventure he had faced during his countless deals. Rumplestiltskin knew that if he didn't start their conversation soon, she will do it for them. Their tea time was certainly never quiet for very long. But right then, before he could mutter any word, he sensed something that made him drop the tea cup, spilling its hot content all over the carpeted floor. His pupils dilated turning his usual lizard-like pupils into full black circles. Just like a cat preparing an imminent and deadly attack over its prey. He also emitted a low sound, similar to a growl.
"Rumple?" Belle inquired immediately, losing her smile in an instant. She had never seen that expression in Rumple's face before. Since her early days of her stay at the Dark Castle, she had never felt fear again. But she felt fear now. Because somehow she just knew something terrible was about to happen. "Rumple, what's wrong?" Belle insisted at his lack of words. He just stayed there, immobile like a statue, with a broken cup at his feet.
Before Belle could react, both she and Rumple suddenly appeared, surrounded in a red cloud, in front of her bedroom door.
"Get in your room Belle! Now! And don't you, for any reason, dare to get out of here until I tell you to."
"But….why…what is happening?"
"Do as I command! Lock yourself in your room! Now! Do you understand!?" he was almost yelling at her by now.
Belle was trying so hard not to be even more scared. Rumple looked like he was possessed and she could not help but feel afraid. Staring at the pool of darkness in his eyes, she realized that the wisest idea was to ask no more questions. She did as she was told and entered her room immediately locking the door behind her. What was happening? In the same moment she took a second to catch her breath, after the shock of what had just transpired, a thunderous sound emanated from the main door of the castle reverberating across the stone walls. Someone…or something…was here. Something so bad that Rumple practically transformed himself into a monster. And she knew in that instant that her life was in danger.
Rumplestiltskin appeared in a fraction of a second in front of the massive wood doors of the castle entrance and with a wave of his hands they were opened, revealing the presence of a man. No, it was not a man. Rumplestiltskin knew exactly who he was. The visitor had a heavy velvet cloak, a black garment that covered him from head to toe. The dark tunic was a high contrast with the white-as-paper skin that was visible from his uncovered face and hands. Although he was wearing a hood, his long and hair was still noticeable. His piercing red eyes were staring directly at Rumplestiltskin.
"Count Dracula, what an unexpected surprise" Rumple pointed out with a flourish of his hands.
"Dark One" the Count acknowledged him with a small nod of his head.
"Cold One…to what do I owe this honor?" Rumple retorted
"I think you already know. I have a deal to propose"
"How splendid!" Rumple exclaimed almost clapping his hands together "Let's discuss it then"
Rumple turned away and walked towards the Great Hall but Dracula stayed at the door frame, and when Rumple noticed, he looked back again towards his guest.
"Oh, I almost forgot. A vampire always needs to be invited. Please Count, come on in"
Then Dracula stepped inside the Castle and followed Rumple, until the two of them reached the main Hall.
"I have to confess I am positively intrigued by your visit. What is it that the powerful Count Dracula can't get by himself?"
"I have…an unexpected problem. Someone knows what I am" the Count explained, impassive.
"That doesn't sound like a problem to me at all. You are an expert killer," Rumple pointed out the obvious, while moving towards his spinning wheel.
"So are you," the Count replied standing still in one spot, only following the Dark One with his eyes.
"Thank you for the compliment," Rumple smiled cruelly feigning interest in his own wheel.
"There are…complications…too many complications. I can't just get rid of my problem by killing it"
"So, what exactly do you want from me, dearie? I do not have all the time in the world you know…well maybe I do, but I certainly don't want to waste it on you" Rumple giggled maniacally.
"I need to keep my problem at bay. I need a way of making them get lost in their tracks. But I need them to be safe. And please, don't worry about your precious time. You know that I can't just leave my own Castle for too long" Dracula answered, not moving an inch from his spot
"Them? Interesting…care to elaborate?" Rumplestiltskin questioned, intrigued, ignoring the second part of Dracula's statement. He approached the vampire once more.
"The details are not important. Jonathan and Mina are important chess pieces for me right now. I want them controlled" Dracula said, knowing that the worst mistake he could possible make was to give too much information to the Dark One. He was intelligent enough not to underestimate him.
"I think I might have what you need" Rumple proclaimed and with a quick movement of his hand something appeared between his palms. The Count finally moved from his spot and walked towards him. This time it was his turn to be intrigued by the jewel the sorcerer suddenly held.
"The six-leaf clover from a land called Oz. With one of these stones, you can transform yourself into any person you want. You can disguise yourself from your enemies as you please"
The Count closed the distance between the two of them. Despite his unreadable expression it was clear that he was very interested in the item.
"That might come in handy, indeed" Dracula finally responded "Now, Dark One, what would be you prize for such a remarkable magical object?"
"That is a good question. What could I possibly want from Dracula?" Rumple asked rhetorically and then almost jumped, amused "Oh, I know!" he said like he just had the most brilliant idea in the spur of the moment. However Dracula knew very well his price was set since the moment he crossed the doors of his castle.
"My price…is a full vial of your ichor" At that statement, the expression of Dracula changed completely and turned into that of a predator ready for a killing stroke. He knew he would have to pay a steep price, but he was certainly no expecting this.
"You are asking me to give you something that could very well destroy me?," the Count hissed with contained anger but Rumplestiltskin didn't retreat an inch.
"I don't want to destroy you dearie. You haven't given me any reason for that…yet. Vampire's blood is a very rare ingredient in several magic potions, as you well know. That's why I want it. So, do we have a deal or not?"
Dracula did not respond for several long seconds. The Dark One was powerful enough but not so to kill him, or even harm him in any significant way. With his blood…that balance would change favoring the sorcerer. But the Count came to the Dark Castle because he was desperate and he needed that magic. There was no other choice.
"Yes. We do have a deal, Dark One"
"Excellent" Rumple giggled again and gave Dracula one of the green stones of the magical clover. Immediately after, the Count rolled up one of the sleeves of his black tunic revealing his pale arm. With a swift motion, he sank his teeth into his own skin and started sucking his blood. Rumple waved his hand one more time and a glass vial with a cork cap appeared within his closed fist. The Count stopped sucking once his mouth was full, and took the vial that Rumplestiltskin immediately provided. He opened the cap and then spilled the content of his mouth directly into the vial, filling it almost instantly with a charcoal colored substance.
"Beautiful…but disgusting" Rumple remarked feigning revolt, while taking the vial back from Dracula.
"You have what you wanted. I believe this completes our deal"
"Yes it does. Always a pleasure to do business with such a gentleman, Cold One"
Rumple made an over-the-top reverence and the Count replied with a small bow of his own and then turned away ready to leave the Dark Castle. That was supposed to be the end of their exchange. Simple. Beneficial for both parties. But then, a sound was heard. Creaking wood followed by an almost imperceptible draft that percolated the Great Hall. No! Rumple screamed internally but remained expressionless. Belle did not listen to him! He should have known she would not listen! She never did! His heart beat increased to a point that he feared the Count would notice. He would notice either that or the other sound... or the smell. A vampire was inside the Dark Castle and Rumplestiltskin felt fear for the first time in ages. Fear for Belle. The darkness inside the vampire was a protective shield against other dark entities and dark magic. And the greatest of ironies was that in fact he did posses now the one thing that could kill Dracula. However, turning his ichor into a vampire poison was a process that required hours of potion-making. Right now, there was little he could do if Dracula decided to end his visit in a different way. Rumple just hoped that the Count would be distracted enough with his own problems to notice what just had happened. If not, this entire situation would rapidly escalate into a war with an unpredictable outcome.
But Rumplestiltskin learned a long time ago that hope was futile.
Dracula inhaled deeply and his black pupils dilated fully over the red iris. Then he turned back again to face his host.
"You have a human in here. And she smells…divine"
Before Rumple could even react to his words, the Count disappeared. Rumple knew exactly where his supernatural speed took him. With magic of his own, he materialized in a blink of an eye right beside Belle facing an already menacing Dracula.
Belle couldn't even begin to process what was happening before the two men appeared in the kitchen, almost at the same time, merely steps away from her. She jumped at the sight of the strange man that she had never seen before in the Dark Castle. Then she sensed Rumple at her side, which soothed her almost immediately.
"And divine she is" the Count avowed, appreciating the beauty of the woman. Not that the physical aspect mattered too much to him at the moment.
Belle's eyes fixated on the stranger. After a few seconds she was aware that she could no longer remove her eyes from him. It felt like some sort of magic. That creature was surely casting some spell on her because suddenly all her senses were drawn to him. She was aware of it but she couldn't avoid it. She even became oblivious to Rumple's presence. That made her shiver because she felt unprotected. However, the man in front of her was so beautiful that she just wanted to go near him, despite that her inner self was screaming for the opposite. The whole sensation was almost impossible to describe. Was she dreaming? Belle wondered.
"So…delicious" Dracula murmured without removing his intense gaze from hers. His voice sounded like heavenly music to Belle's ears. She could feel him literally inside her mind. Who was this creature? What was this creature?
"I haven't seen such an interesting mind in years…and your smell…is intoxicating" Dracula continued. In unison, both Belle and Dracula took a step forward towards each other. He was not only inside her mind. Apparently he was able to control her actions as well. Belle felt violated in every way and tried so hard to fight back this mind intrusion, but she just couldn't. A second command of the stranger's voice in her head made her extend one of her arms towards him. But before Dracula could even make another movement, Rumplestiltskin stood up between the two of them.
"That's enough! Do not touch her" Rumple growled, baring his teeth.
The trance was broken in an instant and Belle was able to take control of her own actions once again.
"How amusing all of this is!" Dracula changed his impassive nature for a playful demeanor. "Who is this woman? Is she your mistress, Dark One?"
"She is my maid. She belongs to me. And nobody, nobody touches what's mine" he retorted, viciously. He knew those words would hurt Belle. But in that moment he needed to sound as cruel, heartless, and menacing as possible. Belle's life depended upon it. Most importantly, Rumple could not expose his greatest a weakness to an enemy.
Dracula kept smiling.
"Just a maid? Really? A beautiful maid nonetheless" the Count remarked, clearly not believing for a second what the Dark One was saying. Rumple knew Dracula now had an upper hand in this game and cursed all demons and gods for it.
"If she is just a maid, surely you will not mind making another deal with me. Her smell appeals so much to me and I haven't had a sip in hours. I will give you all the ichor you could possibly ever need for any magical potions, if you allow me to quench my thirst with her"
Belle froze in her spot with fear and swallowed hard. What exactly was he asking for? What did he want with her? Was he like that horrible Sheriff they once encountered in the Enchanted Forest while looking for the thief Robin Hood? Deep down, Belle knew this creature was dealing with Rumple for her life and not for merely a moment of pleasure. The thought, either way, made her shiver even more.
"No deal, Count. Our transaction is over. Get out of my Castle…now" Rumplestiltskin ordered with a threatening voice that would have scared anyone.
Yet the stranger was apparently so relaxed…and amused. Why was he still smiling though? Belle thought, confused. He should be afraid of the Dark One!. For the first time since she met him, Belle perceived hesitation in Rumplestiltskin. And tension. Whoever the stranger was, it felt like he was cornering the Dark One and Belle could not fathom how that was even possible.
"She is definitely not your mistress. I could smell her purity from one hundred feet away. And yet, she is clearly not only your maid. It is possible the Dark One found himself a little pet to love?" Dracula started moving in a big circle around Rumple and Belle.
"This visit was an eye opener for me…full of… surprises" He found out that the Dark One had a weakness. The worst weakness of all. The Dark One may have his ichor, but the Count now had the perfect ammunition to strike back. Now the balance was even again. Maybe even skewed now to his side.
"I think we will see each other sooner than I expected" Dracula continued until he was standing once again in front of Rumplestiltskin.
"I advice against it, Count. You don't really want to know what will happen if you ever come to the Dark Castle again, uninvited"
Dracula seemed to ignore Rumplestiltskin threat and directed his last words to Belle
"Good night, my lady"
With a bow, the Count disappeared faster than lighting, leaving Belle with an incredibly rapid heartbeat and a shallow breathing. Belle wondered if he was a powerful sorcerer, just like Rumple. Or was he something entirely different? She understood, when hearing the doors of the castle open and close, that the stranger did not simply poof himself out of there, in the same fashion as Rumple. He rather walked…or run. Impossibly fast. She needed to know what had just happened.
Rumple just stood there, like a statue, with his back to her. She could notice his unusual breathing. Belle wanted to ask if he was ok. He seemed just as lost as she was, regarding the visitation they just experienced. Despite the stranger being gone, Belle did not feel the tension diminish. On the contrary. Rumple was everything but normal. Finally, he turned to see her and what she saw in his eyes made her want to run. Darkness was ruling inside of them right now. A darkness that he always showed to his enemies, but not to her. Never to her.
"You…you foolish, stupid woman! Damn you! Damn you a thousand times!" Rumple bellowed in anger at her and took her roughly by the arms, shaking her so violently that Belle could not control her tears any more. He was hurting her. He was physically hurting her, for the first time ever. He was completely out of himself, full with rage that was clouding his common sense.
"I ordered you to stay in your room! And you disobeyed me! Do you realize what he could have done to you?! And what he knows now! He knows what you…It is your damn fault he knows!" With every passing second the strength of his hands over Belle's arms kept increasing. She whimpered in pain. She really wanted to wake up from this horrible nightmare. It had to be a nightmare.
"Please, Rumple, please stop….please…you are hurting me…" Belle pleaded while her eyes were drowning in tears of pain and fear.
Then something snapped inside him and the darkness inside his eyes retreated, given space to other set of emotions when he fully realized what he had just done. Panic, distress, guilt. In an instant he removed his hands from Belle's arms.
"I...I am sorry…Belle…I am so so sorry…" Rumple babbled backing away for her at least three big steps, horrified of the marks of his fingers on her arms. She was going to have terrible bruises very soon. He hated himself so much for this outburst. Belle was able to read the regret in his face, despite her own distressed state. Without being able to say any other word, Rumple disappeared in a burgundy cloud.
Feeling so lost and still so scared, Belle ran towards her room and let herself cry until she fell asleep. Her cries were the worst punishment to Rumplestiltskin since they were the truest reminder of the monster he was. Belle was never going to forgive him. He didn't deserve forgiveness anyway. Asking himself why all this hurt so much was rather pointless. The truth was so obvious that even Dracula realized it in a blink of an eye. Rumple knew it was time to let Belle go. He could not allow his enemies to even try hurting Belle. She had to go. Even if that meant losing the only light of his heart and his life.
The next morning, Belle woke up unusually early and started preparing breakfast. After she was done and laid everything down over the dining table, she sat down and waited for Rumple to appear. But he was late, which only meant that he was not planning to accompany her during their first meal of the day. Usually she saw him right before breakfast, while she was boiling water for tea. He liked to be with her in the kitchen in the morning just for a few minutes until the kettle was ready and both of them could enjoy their breakfast together. Not that he ever said that. His excuse to be with her in the kitchen was that "he was supervising the beginning of her long list of chores for that particular day". However he was completely missing this morning. Belle decided, sadly, to start eating her own breakfast alone, without being able to stop thinking on the previous night's events. On that morning how she wished to have dresses with longer sleeves so she could hide the thick purplish marks that were covering both of her arms. Despite the fear that she felt yesterday, she knew one thing for certain: Rumple was worried about her. All the time. He wanted to protect her from that intruder and apparently, for some reason, he was afraid of failing. That, combined with his mercurial temperament, was definitely not the best combo for the Dark One. She wondered if he was even in the Castle now. He never went out without telling her. Was he in his work room? Would he be in a mood to talk at all? Without her noticing, Rumple appeared quietly right behind her chair. His eyes immediately perused her lovely arms, now tarnished with bruises that he was responsible for. The guilt was unbearable. Rumple then cleared his throat in an attempt of not startling her and walked a few steps until he was right behind her. Despite his best intentions, Belle almost spilled her tea on the table, when her deep thoughts were interrupted by the presence of Rumple.
"Sorry I am late for breakfast...I didn't want to scare you" he managed to say
"You didn't. You just startled me…do you want some breakfast?" Belle asked without turning. She was not prepared yet to meet his eyes this morning.
"No. I don't want to eat" he replied
Belle held her breath when she felt Rumple's hands on her arms, lightly caressing them right were the bruises were. His hands were barely touching her, and they felt like feathers tracing undefined patterns on her skin. She felt goose bumps expanding from her arms to all her body. She suddenly also felt the tickling of magic. Magic that was making those bruises disappear.
"His name was Dracula. The Count Dracula. Maybe you have read about him in a book?" Rumple wondered and Belle perceived some nervousness in his tone. Was he feeling the same sensations as she was while touching her?
"Yes…I believe so. Some legends say he is a…vampire" Belle replied, wishing to prolong this unusual but welcomed contact between the two of them. Unfortunately, Rumple removed his hands from her skin all too soon and moved away from her.
"Not a legend at all, Belle. He is just exactly that. He is a dark and immortal being that not even the Dark One can kill" Rumple explained and for the first since last night, they both looked directly into each other's eyes.
" So…what he wanted to do with me was…" Belle intervened, afraid of the memory.
"To drink out your blood, until the last drop" Rumple stated without trying to minimize the danger she exposed herself to.
"I am sorry for being so careless…I should have listened to you. I should have stayed in my room"
"But your curiosity was stronger than my warning, wasn't it?" he asked warmly.
Belle did not reply to that question, but blushed instead and smiled shyly. Then, she wordlessly nodded.
Rumple rolled her eyes and sat in his usual chair.
"He offered you something in exchange for my life. What was that?"
"His ichor" Rumple answered and continued his explanation once he noticed the question was still lingering in Belle's eyes "His blood. Vampire blood is a rare and invaluable ingredient in potion making"
"He offered you something you needed, yet you chose to protect me" Belle said with so much emotion in her eyes.
"I… already had a vial of his ichor. That's why I didn't accept his deal" Rumplestiltskin retorted harshly in an attempt to obliterate the fact that he did save her life. The smile in Belle's face vanished and suddenly she looked sad. The dark voices inside Rumple's head were cheering at the sight. His heart instead, ached instantly.
"Thank you for protecting me anyway, Rumple" Belle said without looking him in the eyes.
"As I told the Count, nobody touches what belongs to me," Rumple continued without being able to control the nasty words that were just emanating from the dark voices in his brain.
Sadness was replaced with anger in Belle's expression. She was nobody's possession. She wanted to believe so badly that she was his friend and not merely another trinket of his collection. Maybe she was wrong, painfully wrong. Maybe she wanted to hold on to an illusion. She stood up furiously with the intention of not seeing Rumple for the rest of the day. But then he spoke again.
"I changed my mind, Belle…I don't want breakfast but I do want a tea. Care to join me?" Rumple asked as he made his chipped tea cup appear in front of him.
Belle turned back to Rumple and saw the cup. The same cup she chipped months ago. A chipped cup that for some reason Rumple cherished. And that thought made her anger dissipate. He was using masks, as always. He would never openly accept that he cared about her, just as much as she cared about him. Belle nodded hesitantly and sat back down again. She took the kettle and poured some more warm tea into her own cup again.
"Do you think he will ever come back" she questioned finally after a few minutes of silence.
"No, of course not. He knows he gave me the means to destroy him" Rumple responded taking a sip of tea.
"You mean his blood? How can his own blood kill him?"
"Vampire blood mixed with the right ingredients can become the most powerful poison for a vampire… powerful enough to end his immortality", Rumple explained further. Then he paused, unsure of how to say what he truly wanted to say "Don't worry Belle…you will be safe here…well, as safe as you can be with a monster". He was weak. And a coward. A selfish weak coward who could not live without her. He promised himself to let her go and the thought of Belle leaving now was so impossibly painful that he just couldn't do it.
"A monster that has saved my life more than once. I would say this is the safest place I could ever be in" Belle stated at the same time that she took one of his hands into her own. Rumple's hear skipped a beat. And for a second everything stood still around them. There was no one else in the world except for the two of them in that moment.
A few days later, everything was back to normal inside the Dark Castle…almost. Rumple changed with Belle. It was a little change but it meant the world to her. Rumple was more open and warmer with her. More than ever. Belle attributed that attitude, in part, to his unnecessary need of atoning for his previous behavior. Bu he really didn't have to do that. Everything he did was because he cared about her.
It was late at night and it was pouring outside. Belle was ready to sleep, although she knew all the lightning was going to keep her awake for awhile. She was already in her white cotton dress when she approached her bed. Before she even reached the heavy quill duvet cover, a powerful lightning illuminated all her bedroom at once. She jumped at the rumble and with the bright light she also spotted a silhouette standing outside the window, on the balcony. She was instantly alarmed at the sight, but soon enough she noticed that the silhouette belonged to Rumple. His dragonhide and leather covered body was unmistakable. He was just standing there with his back to her, apparently just watching the rain. Something was odd. It was the first time that Rumple visited her this late at night…in her bedroom. Well, not precisely inside her bedroom but for practical matters it was still part of her personal space. With the curtains partially opened, Rumple could pretty much see everything from the outside. Belle hesitated on what to do next. She finally decided to walk towards the window. Tentatively she grabbed the window handle and opened the window just a little bit, feeling the cold air leaking into her room and making her shiver. Her natural body response was to wrap herself in her own arms. Rumple was still looking into the nothingness of the night and Belle started to feel worried.
"Rumple…what's wrong? What are you doing here?" Belle inquired softly, standing right below the window frame.
Finally he turned around and looked at her.
"Nothing is wrong…Belle. I am sorry for disturbing you at this late hour. May I come in?" He glanced in the direction of her bedroom.
Belle bit her lip nervously. Something was definitely off and she didn't like not knowing what it was. However, she trusted Rumple implicitly and she was curious about his presence there on that night.
"I…uhm…yes" Belle finally responded, taking a step away from the window and letting him enter into the room. Belle closed the large window behind her and turned her attention back to Rumple. His eyes were on her. His gaze was so intense, so deep, that Belle suddenly felt underdressed. She actually was. Thinking about being alone with a man in her room dressed only in a thin cotton dress, made her blush.
"Rumple?..." Belle asked after prolonged seconds of silence. He didn't reply but instead he shortened the distance between them. Without uttering a word, Rumple started caressing Belle's cheek. She melted into his hand. It was unavoidable.
"So beautiful…" he whispered and Belle was simply…mesmerized by him. She felt like she was dreaming. Maybe she was. She stopped thinking about everything….about the reasons behind all this, once she felt Rumple's lips on the cheek he had just caress. And then those lips moved sinuously with kisses towards her neck.
"Rumplestiltskin…." she breathed hard, feeling how he was kissing and nibbling her neck. Her entire skin was full of goosebumps…"Rumplestiltskin" she almost moaned his name "Rumplestiltskin" she said a third time without knowing what she wanted in response.
Then she cried out in pain when she felt a hash bite instead of kisses. She moved away from him but it was already too late. The pain became unbearable in matter of seconds. It was like burning embers sinking down into her skin. Belle writhed in pain and screamed.
In an instant everything changed. Belle, struggling to keep her balance and her consciousness, saw how the man in front of her, the man she thought was Rumplestiltskin, was magically pushed away from her so fast that he hit the roof with enough force to crack it. Then a second Rumplestiltskin appeared. The real Rumplestiltskin. Belle's pain was so strong that she literally felt like she was being burned alive. She wanted to cry for help but only sounds of agony were coming out of her throat. Rumple tried to reach her but before he could even touch her the impostor was already recovered from the blow. This time Belle was able to see who this man truly was. Dracula. Rumplestiltskin spotted the green stone attached to a black string, tied to one of his wrists. That's how he procured that Belle would let him enter inside her room.
"You got me, Dark One. I must say you interrupted a really private moment. Your maid was truly enjoying my visitation" Dracula affirmed approaching Rumple and Belle.
Rumple roared with anger "You tricked her! I am going to make you pay for what you just did" Rumple wanted nothing more than to turn him into a snail and crush him under his boot. But Dracula was just as immortal as he was. His murdering instincts were put aside when he heard Belle falling to the floor right behind him. She was still conscious and that was breaking his heart because he knew what Dracula did to her, and how much pain she was enduring because of that.
"Please, don't be melodramatic. We both know there is nothing you can do to either kill me or stop this. I just wanted her blood. And now that I have tasted her…I want it all"
"You are not going to have her!" Rumplestiltskin warned trying hard to keep his focus on Dracula when he was hearing Belle suffering that much.
"Oh, yes I will" Dracula countered and with that he disappeared in the blink of an eye, just to appear right behind Belle. He was about to bite her again…to suck all of her blood until nothing was left but an empty and lifeless vessel. But before he could sink his teeth in her again, Rumple used his magic to push him away from her once more. This time, before he could hit the nearest wall, he vanished in mid air…just to appear besides Belle, again.
"We could be doing this for hours, you know?. Eventually someone will have to give in" Dracula noted.
"I can assure you, dearie, that's not going to be me" Rumple said ready to use all the magic necessary to keep him away from her.
Dracula did not bother to reply but instead he directed his full attention to the woman squirming and panting on the floor. He didn't touch her but Belle started screaming immediately. Rumple knew instantly what he was doing. A vampire could inflict pain on his victim just by taking control of the mind. It was so easy for him to make her feel like he was crushing her bones, one by one, even if that was not really happening. Or simply just exacerbate the current burned-alive from inside out feeling she was experience. Or both.
"Stop! Stop NOW!" Rumple shouted, losing his lucidity. He couldn't stand watching Belle suffer anymore. It was the realest and greatest pain he had endured in centuries, comparable only with the guilt of losing his son.
"You have two options, Dark One…you either let me finish what I came to do and I promise, it will be a swift and painless death…or I will make her suffer until the last second of her existence. Your choice"
Rumple's blood was boiling with a mixture ire, fear, and desperation.
"Just…don't hurt her anymore" Rumple finally pleaded and Dracula smiled in a clear sign of victory. "Make her pain go away…and let me say goodbye. Then, you can finish what you started" Rumple said defeated and with utter sadness in his voice.
Dracula stayed silent and impassive at that request. A few seconds later he focused his gaze once again in Belle. Belle's cries and body trembles subsided. Dracula was now commanding her brain to ignore the burning and painful sensations that his poison was causing.
Once Belle's breathing was somewhat normal again, Dracula took some steps forward toward Rumplestiltskin until he was right beside him
"Make this quick"
"Oh, I intend to…" Rumple affirmed and before Dracula could react, he stuck a needle right into the vampire's neck.
Dracula stumble backwards immediately, feeling a weird sensation all over his body…a sensation he never felt before.
"What have you done?" Dracula asked with surprise and fear.
"Giving you a taste of your own medicine, vampire"
"No!" Dracula howled "NO!," losing control of himself. He collapsed to the floor and his body started to shake like a leaf in a fall storm wind.
"I told you to stay away from my castle, Count. Now it is time for you to fly back home" Rumple declared while circling the Count with slow steps. Then, with a wave of his hand, he opened the large window of Belle's room.
Despite Dracula was in great pain and shock, that didn't restrain him from shooting a deadly glance towards Rumplestiltskin. The Count suddenly turned himself into a black bat and flew away through the window towards the night sky. Rumple closed the window again with magic and silently cast a spell so no one could use that window ever again to enter Belle's room. Finally, he turned all his attention to Belle sprinting to her side and taking her in his arms.
"Belle, are you ok?" he asked with apprehension in his voice
"Yes, I think so. I am not in pain anymore… but what I felt, Rumple…it was…I just wanted to die"
"I know. And I am so so sorry for this Belle. I should have known Dracula was planning to come back and get you" he replied with so much sorrow that made Belle want to snuggle against his chest.
"None of this is your fault" Belle answered and Rumple fought the urge to bury his face into her hair "What happened, what did you do to him?
"I made a potion with his ichor and injected him with it" Rumple explained feeling relieved for having Belle safe in his arms again.
"You told me his blood was the only way defeat him…is he dead?"
"No, unfortunately the amount of ichor I had was not enough to kill him. But don't worry Belle, he will not come back to the Dark Castle" Rumple reassured her
"He bit me…does that mean I will become a vampire myself?" Belle asked suddenly fearing the worst
"No. One bite is not enough to transform you…but the venom is still inside of you and the pain will restart soon…and that alone can kill you"
He immediately saw fear and anguish returning to Belle's beautiful face and he held her closer to him.
"Don't be afraid, sweetheart. I will remove the venom from you. But I cannot do it with magic. My magic won't work in this case. I have to remove it in the same way it was administered. I have to…drink it out of you"
Belle was surprised about that statement but Rumple mistook that surprise for repulsion at the mere idea of having him sucking her blood.
"You won't feel any pain again" he commented hastily
"I know. I trust you with my life" Belle said with a shy smile that warmed Rumplestiltskin's dark heart. He silently nodded and carried Belle in his arms to her bed. He laid her carefully and she couldn't take her eyes off of his. This time she knew two things for certain: she was not dreaming, and this was the man she loved.
"You will forget the nightmare you just lived in a few minutes Belle, and then you will only have beautiful dreams. I promise you that" Rumple tried so hard to ignore the situation they were in right now. He was hovering over her, in her bed…and she was apparently not finding the whole ordeal revolting or even outrageous. His own heart beat increased against his will and he hoped Belle would not hear it.
He was so worried about hiding his own emotions that he didn't notice how Belle was reacting towards his nearness. Her pupils were dilated, her own heart beating as madly as his. They looked at each other so intensely that they held their breaths simultaneously. Then Rumple diverted his attention to Belle's neck, right where two horrid red dots marred her perfect skin. Before going any further, he looked at Belle once more, asking silently for approval. And he found it so clearly expressed in her face that he felt unworthy of that kind of trust.
Slowly he approached her neck. He tentatively explored with his tongue the exact spot where he needed to be and once he found it he started sucking, first softly, then harder. He needed to be sure that all the venom was out of her. In no time, he was struggling to focus only on the bitter taste of the venom, instead of the feeling of Belle's warm body right beneath him. Her hands grabbed his arms, closing even more of the distance between their bodies. Gods, he was a man after all. And every inch of his body desired Belle. So badly. And that desire only increased exponentially when he heard something close to a moan emerge from Belle's throat. He was certainly imagining it. That was impossible. Belle couldn't be enjoying this. She most probably was counting every second until this agony ended. Maybe she was in pain?. When he was about to stop and figure it out, he heard it again. No, he was not imagining things, and no, that was not an expression of pain. Belle was moaning. He felt her hands squeeze his biceps harder. Hell and heaven! He would be moaning himself by now if not for the fact that his mouth was full of her blood. He was getting painfully hard in his tight leather breaches and he was so afraid that Belle would notice. He tried to focus again only on the task at hand and noticed that the bitter taste was no longer there. Now he was only drinking out of her clean blood that tasted…oh so sweet. She was completely cleared from the vampire's venom now. She was safe. And in his arms.
Belle opened her eyes once she noticed that Rumple stopped the suction. However, he did not withdraw his lips from her neck. Since the moment he started drinking her blood, her entire body felt like levitating. Such a warm sensation spreading from her scalp to her feet soles. And so many butterflies in her belly that were concentrating in the lower region of her abdomen. Was this the desire she read about in many romantic novels?. It had to be. Because it was such a powerful and wonderful sensation. She loved him and this desire was just an expression of that love. Having Rumple so close to her just felt right. Unexpectedly, she felt Rumple kissing her neck. This was not about extracting any venom from her anymore. Now he was just peppering kisses all over her neck. Instinctively she moved her hips against him and she was rewarded by a beautiful sound he made. A sound that made her feel such a raw need. The ache in her core increased even more. She also noticed how his kisses were now a mixture of tongue and lips and he trapped her ear lobe between his teeth making her moan again.
Belle's neck tasted like milk and honey. Once Rumple started kissing her there, he knew he was lost. The taste was addictive. She was so addictive. All of her. Could he even deny these feelings anymore? Could he dare to hope she felt something for him too? He wanted to believe that so badly. Especially now that he had Belle underneath him, moaning and moving her hips against him, making him crazy with passion. Oh how badly he wanted to make her his. To bury himself inside her, deep. To love her forever. For just this moment, he wanted to ignore all the reasons for why this was so wrong. For why he needed to stop what he was doing. And Belle moaning his name was a powerful incentive to put aside his rational thoughts. No he couldn't avoid this. He needed to taste her lips, now. He left her earlobe just to kiss her neck again and then he guided his lips towards her cheek until he reached her lips. And then he was lost. Both were lost. That union of their lips felt like heaven. Soft, sweet, and pure. It was in that precise moment when both of them knew this was true love. A requited love. Rumple's tongue probed Belle's lips, asking silently for entrance. She opened her mouth for him not knowing exactly what to do, so she just mimicked his movements realizing she could match them pretty well on her own. His tongue inside her mouth felt so wonderful. The kiss was fire, and passion, and desire. Tongues, teeth, and lips clashing. Minutes of absolute glory provided by these kisses. Both broke the kiss only to look into each other eyes. Then Rumple came back to his senses and put some distance between them.
"Rumple, what's wrong?" Belle questioned, feeling the coldness of the air between their bodies now that they were not together.
"Belle, I am sorry I got carried away…I…"
"I want this. I want you" she interjected with so much certainty, that Rumple found himself completely speechless.
"This is not what you deserve…" he tried to continue
"Do you love me?" Belle asked and surprised herself with the boldness of her own question
"With all my heart" Rumple confessed baring his soul to her
Belle was now crying with utter happiness "I love too and I want to be with you forever. Not because of a deal, but because my heart is where it belongs"
"Oh, Belle" Rumple murmured. All his walls were now down because of her. In spite of the Dark One disguise, who was in front of Belle in right that moment, was only the man. She kissed him again and their foreheads met. Rumple kissed her back igniting the passion again. Rumple was right. He kept his promise. That night Belle did not recall the pain or fear he endured in Dracula's presence, but instead she had the most pleasant dreams ever, enveloped in Rumple's arms.