Disclaimer: I do not own the rights to the Otherworld series… it belongs to the amazingly talented Kelley Armstrong.
A/N: As you will see, this was another of my favorite series of prompts to work on. I made this reader friendly, especially if you haven't read any of Kelley Armstrong's books. And if that's so… then I strongly recommend reading them. It's way better than Twilight and there are actual plots and realistic relationships and characters. Bitten is the first one and once you read it… you will want to read the rest. Also, the show is really good too but its own entity and I like the new twists they've done to it.
Please pay attention to the ratings for these prompts. They are rated M for a good reason.
Thank you to everyone for reading and the prompt ideas!
Guest: Ooo! Those are good ones and I will definitely add them to my list!
The Otherworld
By: Erik'sTrueAngel
Prompt: Half-demon Belle wants to live a normal life and she has moved to Storybrooke for peace and quiet. During a fundraising event for the public library, she meets the reclusive Mr. Gold and her world is about to change. (Rated M for adult themes)
Small town life was proving to be a dream come true for Belle French.
In Storybrooke, Maine, there was very little crime. With the occasional speeding car and shoplifting, the sleepy town was virtually crime free and less chaotic than life in the Big Apple. Of course, New York's crime rate wasn't so much a major factor for Belle's decision to move. Crime cannot be stopped one-hundred percent. It was very much the fact of life and to be expected to happen, but it was more or less about Belle being able to maintain her wits about her when such events do occur.
While she was happy with her new life as the head librarian and enjoyed the solitude it brought… a part of her longed for the seductive pull of the city and the sweet smell of mayhem that perfumed the air. In Storybrooke, there was the scent of pinewood and the homemade pies coming from Granny's Diner that lingered on the streets. It was a stark contrast to what Belle was used to, although it was far pleasant and homier than some of the odors from New York City.
The truth was… her sanity demanded the change in scenery after one particular incident that left her almost incapacitated during a mugging. She couldn't help it—the chaos that rolled off the mugger was intoxicating, especially since he already robbed some other poor defenseless soul. The memory of the first victim's fear clouded her head as well as the memories of other past crimes committed (including a violent rape episode), Belle felt the tugs of arousal that nearly shut her body down. It wasn't until the mugger's thoughts turned towards her and how he envisioned her sprawled out as he took her against the dirty ground, and again in her ass, before choking the life out of her… Well, Belle woke up and snapped.
He was the one who was left helpless in the alley: blood spurting from his nose, a broken wrist dangling off his arm, and a couple of teeth floating in a puddle of blood. He might have suffered a black eye on top of it, but he was left there unconscious once Belle blocked enough air from his throat with the strap of her purse.
After that, Belle knew she could no longer live in New York if something like this happens again. Not when she lost control and almost ended up another notch as one of those mugger's victims. It was time for her to accept that the city wasn't the best fit for her, despite her longing to be normal and her determination that she could handle her ability.
Unfortunately, the demon within her wouldn't allow it and that one time proved she wasn't as controlled as she thought she was.
That's right… demon… as in Belle French was a half-demon.
At first glance it would be difficult to believe that was true. She didn't look like the typical portrayed demon in books or in oral traditions with horns, hooves, and a tail. Her skin wasn't red and her eyes certainly didn't glow in the dark and she didn't speak in tongues or performed satanic rituals to appease her Dark Lord. Rather, Belle was the complete opposite of what a demon should look like. With her petite stature, long luscious brown curls, wide-eyed pools of clear blue skies, smooth (bumpy less) ivory complexion, and a sunny disposition didn't scream "demon" at all. She was very much human in appearances and her personality was compassionate, kind, and caring to those who knew her as well as strangers. Her smile could turn any one's frown upside-down and combined with her Aussie accent… she was the epitome of all that was goodness, light, and quirkiness, instead of a mischievous and deadly minion one might expect.
The only thing that separated her from normal human beings was her ability to sense and attract chaos. This… gift was given to her by her father, a full blooded-demon. Now, her mother wasn't a Devil lover nor did she practice the Black Arts that allowed herself to be impregnated by an evil entity. Her mother, Rose French, was a first grade teacher and an animal rights' activist in Melbourne. Rose met a man by the name of Moe at a bar and after a couple more encounters… they slept with each other for one night and he disappeared not long afterwards. It wasn't long that Rose found out she was pregnant and she had no way of tracking this mysterious "Moe" down to tell him what happened.
For as long as Belle could remember, her mother told her that was a surreal moment in her life. She believed she was in love with him and he came along at the right time and flattered her when she needed it the most. Too bad he was never seen again or heard from and when Rose tried asking about him from the other patrons… no one knew who she was talking about or remembered ever seeing him in the bar period. Yet, Rose French was a strong, independent woman and she was upset that Moe walked out on her… but it made her stronger and resilient as she took on the task as a single mother and raised her daughter by herself.
Belle always admired her mother's tenacity and it angered her that her father abandoned her mother like that. Perhaps he wasn't a gentleman as her mother thought, but Belle felt that he owed her mother and her explanation… and for a chance to know him. Belle always felt different as a child and there were things that she couldn't share with her mother, but perhaps she could confide in her birth father to learn more about herself.
Since a child, Belle couldn't understand her drive for chaos or how it satisfied her when she experienced it. She wasn't a troublemaker by nature, but there were times when Belle would orchestrate the possibility of chaos and then sit back and allow the waves of it to ripple through her. It was never nothing serious with severe consequences but it would be little things such as verbal arguments, spreading rumors, staging the right circumstances for a break-up. They were behaviors that all teenage girls do with each other; however, it was Belle's incessant urge for these chaotic yearnings that had her wondering if there was something wrong with her.
Her worries were brought up to the school counselor when she was in high school. The woman provided little help and guidance in Belle's situation, only joking how Belle should listen to the angel on her shoulder rather than the devil and that should put an end to these concerns of hers. A harmless pun but one that had Belle's mind whirring with questions and possible explanations that she spent hours at the local library researching about demonology and anything that related to the subject. She was mum about the whole thing to her mother, not wanting to freak her out, but Belle felt she was on the right path and eventually she was able to put all the facts together about her life. Then everything made sense.
There were a variety level of demons in the different types that they were and what their talents happened to be, yet they all seemed to have one thing in common: they were all males. Demons couldn't breed with other demons, they were created, but for one who wanted to spread its seed and wreak havoc on earth… there was only one solution. The demon would blend in with the world of mortals, taking on the appearance as one, often bringing to life the characteristics that might cause a female human to feel attracted to him. According to the texts, the demons had this allure about them… an aura that would pull an unsuspecting woman (one that was ripe for breeding and ovulating) towards the demon. Each demon had its own way of seduction and for some… they took great delight in romancing its victim to make her compliant so it could have sex with her. Once the act was done, there was no need for the demon to stay since the woman was guaranteed to be with child and would leave until the next cycle of fifty years to do it all over again. Apparently, the journey from the pits of Hell to earth was a strenuous journey, but it ensured the demon's safety since the mother of his child would be dead or close to it.
It all added up to what Belle's mother went through—a man coming from nowhere and wooing her of all women… Belle couldn't blame her mother and there was no way she would ever share this information with her. She was a victim too and it brought tears to Belle's eyes knowing she was only a pawn created out of her demonic father's will. Somehow the days when Belle would pretend that her father was a secret agent and he left for their safety was something she longed to be the reality and not this. This was way worse and she wished she could forget the matter entirely, but her mind was put at ease knowing the origins of her cravings. And it gave her the opportunity and strength to try and control it.
And learn more.
With a directed course in action, Belle was able to narrow her research strictly to those of chaos demons and tried to figure out which one was her father and if there was anything else she needed to know about her ability. She would rather have the knowledge instead of continuing to live in ignorance in case something irreversible should happen. Her two likely candidates were Horus or Lucifer, but further study led her to believe that the former was possible. There wasn't a record of how many children Lucifer might have fathered to know for sure, but after the heartache her mother had to suffer… Belle was positive that was his real name.
Lucifer… the fallen angel. Belle wasn't sure what to think about that revelation. Part of her was terrified at the notion that it was him, while a part of her was resigned. There wasn't anything she could do to confront him and she wasn't exactly looking for a way to communicate with him. She feared an attempt might unleash something she will regret doing and it was better to leave it be. She found him and that would have to suffice.
Over the years, Belle learned her ability of sensing chaos not only filled the dark part of her soul, but also the more chaos she fed upon… the stronger she could become in that moment. Otherwise, when there was a lack of chaos or if she fled from it… her human strength would return but it depended upon her exposure. The longest was several hours for Belle to be able to turn a doorknob properly without crushing it in her fist. That time she stayed away from everyone, including her mother.
This was a burden forced upon her, her cross she was forced to bear. She refused to tell her mother because the last thing she wanted was for her mother to fear her, but she knew living with her would only make it that much more difficult to keep it a secret. So when Belle was able to move to America, she took the opportunity and never looked back. She still remained close to her mother despite the distance and focused on her studies in Library Science and Literature. After graduation, Belle took a job at New York's public library and rented an apartment near the epicenter to practice her control of her ability.
Since she had no choice in what she inherited (half-demons take on the ability of their fathers), Belle could control other parts of her fate. For one, she wasn't going to use her ability for evil and she wasn't going to unleash chaos onto the world. Instead Belle vowed not to give in to her demonic needs and lead a normal life. Unfortunately, it was easier said than done since chaos existed regardless and there was little she could do to shed the influence. Not to say she didn't control herself. There were times when Belle was successful in keeping a cap on the urges, and then there were times she relapsed and savored the rich chaos to her disgust.
Then there was that mugger and Belle knew this arrangement couldn't go on. She had to leave New York and she settled for Storybrooke. She loved the name of the town and it was a bit cut off than most towns being surrounded by forests that she knew this was her new home. Luckily, the only battle Belle had to face was Mayor Mills, which wasn't so chaotic that it exposed her to any scrutiny.
She loved Storybrooke and its people and she could easily spend the rest of her life here without qualms. However, Belle had a thorn at her side and it was the mayor and her constant excuses to cut her funding. It felt that Belle was only hired for the library to fall apart and she absolutely refused to allow that to happen. All towns need a library, people need a library… and Belle was going to do her damndest to make sure it doesn't happen on her watch.
After six months of living there, Belle was determined more than ever to fight Regina after she got the Council to agree to cut another two percent of her funding. If she was going to cut costs, well, Belle knew how to add money to her account.
The fundraiser gala was an idea born from her time in the city. It drew in patrons and raised thousands of dollars to maintain the building and support various programs for the public to partake. While Storybrooke's library wasn't glamorous it had character and Belle didn't want it to be limited to those with deep cash pockets (not like there were many). So she promoted the fundraiser as a fun event for families, singles, and couples all alike with the support of literature on the mind.
The dressy-casual event was about to start in a few minutes and Belle was putting the final touches together with the help of her friends—Ruby, Mary Margaret, and Ariel along with their respected dates.
Belle couldn't hide the smirk as Ruby teased Archie with a tray of hors d'oeuvres, offering to feed him one of the cheese cubes. If his blush was an indicator of how the evening would go… Belle wouldn't be surprised if he went into cardiac arrest with Ruby's insinuations as the cause.
David, Mary Margaret's boyfriend, was a nice guy and while her friend hadn't told her… Belle knew they had an affair first before he broke things off with his wife. Ruby informed her but she found out beforehand partially due to the leftover chaos of guilt that radiated from Mary Margaret mostly. Yet, the two were very happy together now and the scandal of it died away. That was the thing about small-towns—there was always a new juicy scandal right around the corner and eventually the novelty of an old one fades into nothing.
As for Ariel and Eric there was nothing secretive about them or how they came together. The fact there wasn't any chaos between them was unusual, but Belle didn't care and it was all the better she could have these friendships without drawing attention to herself.
She didn't mind that she was the only one in their group who didn't have a date. As hostess her time would be spent conversing and convincing people to donate. Focusing on a date was the last thing on her mind not when her library was at stake. She was grateful that her friends honored that there would be no setting ups or matchmaking going on. At least… she hoped they would once the gala started.
"So how many do you think will come?" Ariel asked.
"Hopefully the whole town," Belle confessed. "Any cent will count to keep this place running. I just hope that I'm not the only one who wants to see the library succeed."
"You're not," said Ruby, squeezing her friend's shoulder encouragingly. "I donated my tips for the last couple weeks."
"Ruby you didn't—" Belle started but the tall, slim brunette shook her head. "I don't mind. It's for a good cause. Besides, Granny will be proud that I used my tips on something worthwhile."
The others echoed they were donating part of their salaries too and it was more than what she expected from her friends, though she was grateful that they were supporting her passionate cause. Now, if the rest of Storybrooke proved to be just as generous… Belle would certainly have a chance in prolonging the library's existence.
A couple hours later and the event went underway. So far, so good was the turnout and Belle prayed all were willing to show their generosity rather than feed their stomachs with free food and drinks.
She flitted from person to person, engaging in conversations about their lives, families, and books they have read. If she would get them reminiscing fondly of a book they loved, then they would be likely to dig into their wallets and purses. This strategy was proving to be effective as several people made their way over to the donation table where Ariel and Eric stood by to collect.
Yes! Belle thought happily, doing a mental arm pump. Take that Regina!
While the evening was definitely looking up for the petite beauty, Belle noticed another guest in attendance. He wasn't someone she recognized instantly but she was certain she met nearly everyone in Storybrooke. This person was a stranger yet the other attendees seemed to know who he was, judging by the looks on their faces and from the way they would part like the sea for him to pass through. Belle kept to the side to watch this man without blatantly staring.
He walked around as if he owned the place, his cool whiskey brown eyes surveying the scope of the library and those around him. It was difficult to tell what he thought about the gala as he remained tight-lipped and his eyes unexpressive. He was dressed meticulously in a charcoal gray suit, burgundy dress shirt and tie, which Belle noted the quality was certainly high end so it was either a rental or he was loaded. Since the outfit was specifically tailored from the way the suit clung to him it was clear that he had the money. His hair was straight with a slight wave to it, sweeping past his chin, with subtle streaks of gray in the dark brown mane, and a graze of stubble covering his jaw and chin. The very least he could have come clean shaven with his dressy apparel, but people stayed away from him as he came to stop to look at one of the paintings on the wall.
Belle realized he walked with a limp, the cane in his hand aiding him, although she thought it was a decorative piece to match his ensemble. He exuded power and from her vantage point she felt her knees began to wobble. There was a change in the air as the first pulse of chaos flickered in her belly, and as quickly as it came, the feeling was gone.
She straightened up, not realizing she was bending at the waist and a quick dart around proved no one else noticed her behavior. Sighing, Belle set her hand against her stomach and breathed deeply as she glanced up to lock gazes with the strange man with the golden cane.
He was staring at her directly, his expression still unreadable, but she swore his nostrils flared for a second. A smirk slowly spread across his lips, his teeth bared to show a gold filling. Fearing and knowing she was caught, Belle tried to make herself appear busy as she made her rounds among the others, being careful to avoid him completely.
She couldn't shake the odd feeling she was being watched and refused to acknowledge her prickling senses, half-fearing she was right and it was him that eyed her so studiously now.
So when Ruby was close by, Belle looped her arm around her friend's and guided her to the refreshments table.
"You okay? You look flushed," Ruby commented.
"I'm fine. Hey, Ruby, did you noticed that man that came in? He has a cane." If anyone should know this guy, then Ruby might being the Queen of Gossip herself.
"What?" she gasped, whipping her head around, but Belle pinched her arm to make her stop. "Ow!" She glared at the petite beauty.
"Don't look!" Belle hissed. "I don't want him to see us staring."
"All right. Jeez," Ruby said, rubbing her arm. "I'm just surprised. It's not every day the reclusive Mr. Gold steps out of Dark Haven to grant us with his presence."
"That's Mr. Gold?" Belle said full of astonishment. She knew the name, but not the man; although, she wondered if in fact Mr. Gold was a real person since she never laid eyes on him until now. He practically owned Storybrooke, collecting rent from nearly all the residents, including Belle. Even when she first moved to town and signed the contracts for her apartment and library, she found the documents on her counter with precise directions explaining the terms and conditions as well as her instructions to make a copy and return the originals at the following address. It was also there she had to drop her rent off on the first of every month.
It had been surreal that at first Belle thought someone was playing a joke on her. But she followed the directions to the tee and dropped the signed forms at Dark Haven, including her rent every month.
Dark Haven was a beautiful mansion secluded in the woods with an iron-wrought gate at the front to keep unwanted guests out. There was a box separate from the mail where the rent was to be deposited and that was where she faithfully dropped it. Sometimes Belle would gaze through the iron bars to stare at the house and wondered what secrets were kept hidden. She assumed there had to be secrets given the extraordinary and unorthodox methods this mysterious landlord conducted. Then there were the stories of course. As a newcomer, many of the townspeople leapt at the chance to share the tales of Mr. Gold, and what Belle had heard was outlandish and downright laughable.
Stories of how he sold his soul to Satan to stay rich were one and part of the deal was he had to keep away from everyone and live alone forever. Some said he was a spy, an assassin, others said he was a monster. Some wondered if he wasn't exactly human since wolves could be heard howling on his lands, which wolves weren't a natural predator in Storybrooke's woods. However, wolves did live in Maine and Belle reasoned it wouldn't be improbable if they found their way to town, but it was the speculation that fueled the residents' imaginations and their fear towards this man.
However, there were some (and it was a rare number) that vouched there was nothing supernatural about Mr. Gold and that he was far better than his father who used to run the town. These people were adamant that if anyone was the Devil incarnate it would have been Malcolm Gold. His passing led to no mourners and neither did his son attend his funeral. He was a man that was despised greatly and one that no one missed after death. Yet, his son, the current Mr. Gold, kept to himself behind those stone walls and only came down on rare public occasions that required his presence.
Like tonight.
"I didn't think he would actually come, but I suppose if money's involved he would be there front and centered," Ruby said. "Unlike his son. He's the only sociable of the two who comes into town more often. But even he can be reserved when he wants to be so I guess the apple doesn't fall far from the tree."
"There's another Gold?" Belle frowned knowing only about her landlord. The subject he had a son was left unsaid from the residents.
"Yes. Neal Gold," Ruby affirmed. "You wouldn't have seen him recently because he's doing this lecture tour on the east coast and in Toronto too. He's the professor of Sociology and Anthropology at Boston University. He's quite the expert in the field and a hottie if I say so myself, although his personality can be dry at times."
"I see," Belle said, nodding to herself. "I had no idea."
"Well the truth's not as exciting as the rumor mill. Really this Mr. Gold is a fair man. He never raises the rent unless he has good reason to, which doesn't happen often, and he fixes whatever problem immediately for his tenants. I think people like the idea of being afraid of him, but he does nothing to change it. He might like it too and I hear it does keep people from being late on their payments."
"It makes sense," Belle agreed.
"Yeah. There's Archie! Wish me luck," Ruby said, grinning wolfishly.
"What for?"
"C'mon Belle. I'm hoping I might see what he keeps hiding under that stiff tie and shirt of his. If books don't put him in the mood, then I forfeit my reigning crown as the Queen of Sex."
"Okay, TMI," Belle chuckled. "Go get him tiger."
Ruby made a scratching gesture with her hand, growling, before scampering off to find her date. She was a crazy one all right, but Belle loved her all the same. Although, Belle could have done without the sexual chaos that comes after one of Ruby's "dates" but it was the men she refused to go near knowing they would be the worst.
Grabbing a cup of punch, Belle returned to her mingling. She felt secured that there were at least a dozen people who were willing to support the library and a few more who inquired about the activities she had planned for both adults and children. She felt confident that there will be more people willing to contribute when they hear what she has to offer and so far it was swinging in her favor. After Belle secured a decent donation, she found herself face to face with the mayor.
Regina grinned slowly, her red lips a contrast to her white teeth. Her smile was predatory while her dark eyes were piercing, never one to miss a detail. "Ms. French," she purred. "It would seem your little party is a success. Another one of these and you won't need any more funding from the town."
"I will still need support from the council," Belle replied. "This will take care of the future programs I have planned as well as adding new shelves for more books."
The mayor pursed her lips as she sipped her drink. For some reason Belle couldn't fathom, the mayor didn't like her or she had some vendetta against the library. Either way Belle would not allow her to get to her or make her fail in her endeavors.
"Of course," the older woman sneered. Then she lifted her head as something captured her attention. "Mr. Gold," Regina said tersely. "Nice to see you out and about."
Belle sensed the presence behind her, a ghostly trickle of heat at the back of her neck. Her lashes fluttered as she turned around and found Mr. Gold standing there, his gaze searing intensely into her. Her breath stuck in her throat and in that brief moment Belle had to remind herself where she was and fought back the urge to give into the chaos that radiated off him. All she saw in her mind's eye was a forest, running at full speed, and the scent of prey in the distance.
Stemming the desire, Belle swallowed hard and forced herself to meet his stare. The corner of his mouth twitched in quiet amusement as he tilted his head. "You must be Ms. French I take it," he said in a rough Scottish brogue. "I've been hearing you're doing a decent job as the librarian."
"Thank you," she responded, crossing her arm with the punch over the other as she pressed her nail into her flesh to keep from quivering. The pull of the chaos was so alluring and it didn't help he had a toe-curling accent to boot. Get it together girl! She scolded herself. Now is not the time!
Somehow, she managed to quell the feeling as Mr. Gold continued to speak, "Of course I can't understand why you're putting all this effort into a fundraiser when you should be receiving the necessary funding to do as you wish." He broke his gaze from Belle to level a glare at the mayor.
"You see Mr. Gold, had you attended our bi-monthly council meetings, you would have known that we had to make some cuts. Unfortunately, the library was among the decided areas to reduce funds for our budget. Yet Ms. French has proven to be quite resourceful as you can tell." There was an edge in Regina's tone, which only served to deepen his frown.
"If the town is suffering that much of a hindrance, then it should have been your duty to inform me Mayor Mills," he said, her name practically a snarl. "You know I'm a big supporter when it comes to education and reading. This falls under that category or did you forget?"
So that explained the mayor's attitude to the library! It was nothing personal to Belle, but a dig at Mr. Gold for whatever reason. Of course, any sensible person would excuse themselves since the conversation was veering off into something heated and private rather than stay in the middle of it. However, Belle couldn't help it now when both were flooding her with hate and anger that kept her in place. Their animosity and thoughts were so delicious, especially when they were both mentally picturing strangling the other.
No! Belle mentally yelled. You just got control of yourself and you have to keep it! But, oh, it had been too long since she felt the promise of violence. And for some reason Belle knew Gold was capable of delivering it. Her mind drifted back to the earlier image of running through the forest and the primal instinct to lunge and bite was too much. She needed to leave quickly.
"Excuse me," she said and darted away before Regina or Mr. Gold could say another word. The strings of chaos coiled and tightened around her, almost immobilizing her, yet Belle needed distance and the room with the familiar bookshelves seemed too confining and small. Her only chance of escape would be outside and she didn't want to make a scene with her departure. She needed to regain her control and there was only one possible solution.
Belle ducked behind a shelf that was near the back of the library where none of the guests ventured. She stepped into the shielding embrace of the shadows and pressed her back against the cool metal, closing her eyes. Her only chance was to let the chaos run through her and then she could have some semblance of control again.
Sending a silent prayer that no one will catch her, Belle allowed the waves of chaos to caress her body, making her tremble. With each ripple a little burst of heat began to build in her belly and shoot down to her core. Nails biting the shelf behind her, she tilted her head back as the chaos continued to move throughout her, boiling the blood in her veins, her heart racing, her breathing coming in short pants.
She was so close.
Belle needed something else that would push her over the edge and end this madness.
Extending her senses and searching frantically, Belle couldn't feel anything nearby and had to rely on memory to help her out. Her mind immediately returned to Gold with him running through the woods, her vision warped and sense of smell sharp and keen. There was a rabbit out there and her stomach roared at the promise of meat filling her up. There it was and she felt herself hunch and preparing to pounce and—
"I wondered where you ran off too."
Belle's eyes flew opened as she stared in alarm at Mr. Gold. His hands were curled around his cane as he held it in front of him, his nostrils flaring. Even the dark pupils of his eyes seemed close to dilating as if he knew what was going through her head and body.
Yet not even being caught could cause her feelings to subside. If anything, the chaos only intensified with his close proximity and his damned strange memories.
He stepped closer as he inhaled deeply, his right hand falling to rest next to her. His jaw clenched as he shakily met her look and a wolfish smirk appeared.
"You seem rather flushed, dearie." His voice… a wispy whisper against her ear and Belle squeezed her legs together as another rush of chaos overwhelmed her. "What could it be that created this I wonder?"
Her mouth parted but no words could come out. She wanted him to leave, she wanted him to stay—the conflicted turmoil screwing her head and Belle bit her lip and shook her head as the final stretch of chaos released from her.
Panting heavily, Belle dipped her chin to her chest in order to control her erratic heartbeat and breathing. Eventually she began to calm down and return to a normal pace.
That was the most powerful taste of chaos she ever had and Belle was upset that it got the best of her. This was almost as bad as that mugger in New York; however, the level of chaos she experienced was nothing she ever felt before. She was disgusted and furious and why the Hell was Gold chasing a rabbit when he could hardly run with that limp?
It didn't make any sense.
"My, my," he said getting her attention. "I never imagined in my lifetime that a half-demon would enter my town. Especially a pretty and lively one." He raised his brow as his smirk widened at Belle's startled reaction.
"Welcome to Storybrooke."